Rhododendron Arboretum

♥ Hipster Bunny. Photo by Elselien ♥

For the past two weeks I have been weak on health, spending most of my time in bed. I am trying to get healty again by eating well and resting much. However, last Sunday I gathered my strength and took my Love on an adventure trip to a small country-side village nearby, to visit a arboretum with many many different rhododendrons. 

The Notoarestoen in Eenrum was founded in 1968 by a civil law notary, who developed a love for Rhododendrons. He started to collect many species of Rhododendrons and other exotic flora and experimented with cross breading and creating hybrids. These days, the garden has about 150 different species of Rhododendrons, with different colors, fragrances and sizes.

At the beginning of May the flowers in the garden bloom at their prettiest and for that occasion the garden hosts a small festivity called "Fragrances and colors fest".  

In the middle of the garden there is a little lake with a small lake house, where you can get a drink and a piece of pie. I enjoyed some Rhododendron-tea (of course, what better occasion?) and a cherry crumble pie.

At the lake house there was live music, by a couple playing piano and singing. The songs were calm and mostly flower themed. It matched the surrounding so perfectly.

The village had more surprises for us; amazingly cute streets and country side houses, an old mill and a church with totally deformed walls.

♥ "Mill square". You can see the shadow of the mill on the grey roof. Mosterd Makerij translates to "Mustard factory" and is a restaurant. On the other side of this Mill square is a candle maker. Oh, that scent of candle wax! ♥

♥ country side house with pretty white chicken in the garden. Just like that. ♥

♥ Working water pump in the church yard. It doesn't show on this picture, but there are old, eroded tomb stones laying in the grass. ♥

♥ A peek at dutch country side. Modern wind mills, they are all over the place. ♥

The Sunday mass

Tilburg

Last weekend my love and me headed to the south of the country for a small weekend away. Saturday evening there was the Toxic party, which was the main reason to come to Tilburg. But of course a town visit couldn't be left out! Sunday morning, after a good and overly stuffing breakfast in the hotel, we walked through the old city center.

The weather was perfect; sunny and just the right temperature to wear just a small jacket. Also, Tilburg has beautiful churches, of which one was just outside our hotel window. At arrival I knew I had to see it from the inside!

♥ The bottom picture is what I saw from the hotel window in the evening. The sun was setting, but still lit the golden Saint Joseph. The upper two photos are from our Sunday walk.  ♥

♥Mary looks ready to party with her gothic outfit. Her son is sleeping anyway. ♥

♥ In the middle of the center full of buildings, suddenly there was this church with such a colorful garden! The grass was green and the pink magnolias were blooming fully. It was like this garden did not get affected by the curse of grey city-ness and weather. ♥

♥ Never enough monsters and creepy depictions around churches to make you realize you need to confess. ♥

♥ "Look, I put my stick into the throat of this creature, because I'm bad ass with my weird hand tattoos." ♥

 

 
Saturday evening Tilburg hosted the Toxic party, which finally allowed us to show off our matching latex military outfits! The venue was pretty, with many different rooms decorated in different themes.

♥ Latex is from Westward bound. Military hat from military shop, the bag is a vintage camera bag. ♥

Red riding coat.

Last weeks the sun has shyly started to shine and I find it inspiring. Last Wednesday I put my inspiration to the test, going second hand shopping with mom and my personal style advisor, Eric. We got in the car and drove to Drachten, having heard this town has large and interesting secondhand shops. Eventually we spent the entire afternoon in only two shops. Large they were. And so cheap! Around 5 o'clock in the eve, we headed back home, all of us satisfied with our purchases.

♥ Shopping outfit. Dress, Vero Moda; Tights, CoolCat; Necklace, New Yorker. ♥

♥ New shoes, Van Haren. I bought a second pair after wearing them for one day. They fit all the requirements; cute, black, heels and comfy ♥

As for what I purchased on our shopping adventure; three bags. One backpack to replace the one I have now, completely worn off. Yet another camera bag, with red inside, and hard cover. This one needs some fixing, so no pics yet. And the third bag is more like a suitcase, British vintage style. When arriving home I realized it matches so perfectly with my British red coat! Proof below. 

♥ Coat is a secondhand find from like ten years ago in Hungary, brand Collector. The suitcase is a vintage secondhand find. ♥

I can totally imagine myself, standing on the station to go to my childhood home for a day or two. Waiting for the bus, with this suitcase and that coat. ♥ Usually I go there with just a small purse with the necessary stuff, and when I return home, I am carrying bags full of stuff mom gives me, like flowers, food, magazines and of course stuff that we shop together. This suitcase will be perfect for these occasions!

Some dark semi metal music I have discovered recently and totally like:

 In This Moment

Aesthetic Perfection

Sunny afternoon in March

I really needed to get away from everything a bit, back to my roots, under the wings of mom and the comfort of my childhood home. As my friend Harmany said, no matter how young or old, moms fix everything. It was great being away and spend some time with her. But honestly, it was also very nice returning back to my independent adult life up here in the north.

♥ The dress is one of my newest ones, originally from Vero Moda. I love how timeless it looks. ♥

Our lazy morning was spent sleeping and slowly waking up, being just on time for a ten o' clock coffee. Or tea for me.
Our afternoon was spent shopping and having a small improvised picnic at a nearby lake, with a fresh mix of melons and a pale late afternoon sun.

♥ The faux pockets are just plain gorgeous! ♥

During our shopventure we ended up in a hat shop and the woman put me into all sorts of hats. It took her a while to accept that I would only try on black hats, and no other color! I totally love the one below. I think I like it because I actually own a similar one, that I hardly ever wear. I didn't buy it. Even though with this classic look it would rock.

Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry

♥ Ready for the night ♥

Last weekend was the second edition of Nachtschade. This party is one of the way too few EBM industrial and synthpop parties around here. I had the greatest time dancing and socializing. The evening was great. weather was good, music was danceable and the people were friendly. Thanks for the great night I had, NachtSchade!

Preparation music of the evening: 

Rob Zombie yeah!

Valentine's

♥ Valentine's look, red eyeshadow and heavy shading. Valentine's outfit; lace dress with transparent sleeve (vintage) and plain black leggings. All plain and simple, to not pull attention away from my face. ♥

♥ Booked a pretty hotel room in another town for the occasion. The room, located in the "authentic part" of the hotel had a stylish touch to it, with so many different textures, and still all matching together so well! ♥

♥ How to make a girl happy? Take her shopping. Zwolle is a perfect city for that. Aside from the main shopping street, we wandered into this cute hidden street full of the cutest (kitsch) shops ever!  ♥

One shop that I want to mention particularly is Kunst&Klieder. This authentic, colorful shop shop inspired me so much! Colors and kitschy objects all over, this stuffed little shop is built on what used to be a bakery and a mill. The floor still shows traces of the old times. In the back of the shop is a tiny crappy room, which is stuffed with vintage and second hand items; paintings, cups, tea cans, wallpaper stamps and a little book corner, as shown in the pic above. The sign reads: Exchange your book. Rules: 1 hand in a book. 2 Choose one from here and take it with you". How cute is that?!

This street was decorated with lanterns, or what looked like lamp shades of all different colors and different shapes, garlanded between the buildings (also in the collage above).

 
♥ Zwolle turned out to be cuter than I had remembered from past times I've been here. The shape of the old city still shows in the surrounding  star-shaped canals and the oddly organized streets. Parts of the old fortification are still visible, as well as many old towers, city gates and buildings. Also, a part with a petting zoo with Bunnies, chicken, goats of different sizes, an alpaca and two donkeys. Goats like attention, alpacas don't. ♥

♥ These roses are made of soap and float in water and slowly dissolve into the water, so romantic in the bathtub. These are from last years' valentine, but they are so pretty and I have such nice memories of them that they are totally worth posting. ♥