I’m coming at you with a bit of an epic outfit post today, as I’m sharing not one but four outfits in today’s post. I’ve been a bit awol over the past couple of weeks here on my blog but if you follow my instagram you’ll know it’s because I’ve been super busy, as last week I was abroad twice: At the start of the week shooting for a job in Portugal and at the end of the week/over the weekend in Eindhoven for a bit of a different city break. A photo heavy travel guide on Eindhoven will be coming very soon but I thought that first I would share what I actually wore on my trip to the city.
Damien and I were in Eindhoven from Friday to Monday and I seem to have mastered the art of travelling light, as once again we managed to take one carry on case between us – the joys of having an interchangeable wardrobe means that you don’t actually take up that much luggage space.
I hadn’t expect Eindhoven to be quite the little shopping destination it was, with a few stores that were right up my street, including Hotspot which is now a new found favourite and I only wish they had one of these in Manchester!
Being one to keep my shopping to a minimal, I only purchased a couple of things whilst browsing round the shops, which included the stripe T-shirt featured further down in the post (which I bought at Hotspot) and the polka dot trousers (also in this post) from Monki.
As I steer away from wearing jeans quite so much I’m constantly finding myself on the look out for trouser alternatives. I spotted the polka dot trousers in Monki and had to try them on right away and I have to say that I am in love with them, so much so that I’ve barely stopped wearing them and am in fact currently wearing them as I write this post.
Anyway, I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking before I risk waffling on too much, so scroll down to see what I wore last weekend whilst in Eindhoven.
I talked recently here on my blog about wanting to mix things up a little bit with my style. It’s not that I want to change my style completely but I’ve just been feeling the need for a slight wardrobe refresh as of late. Throughout Autumn and Winter I felt like I more or less lived in jeans and so now the sun has started to show its face here in the UK, I’ve been keen to ditch the denim…for a little while at least.
I joked about putting myself on a denim ban recently and although that hasn’t been completely feasible (as let’s face it, there are some days when only denim will do), I have been trying my best to opt for jean free outfits when possible and I have added a few new (non denim) bottoms into my wardrobe, in order to help mix things up.
One of my recent (non jean) additions was this Topshop midi skirt that I spotted whilst in store recently and instantly fell in love with! I’d been on the hunt for a white/off white midi skirt and after buying and returning one from Asos that wasn’t quite right, I was glad to find an even better one the second time round whilst in Topshop. I think it’s the contrasting black buttons up the sides of the skirt that really sold this one to me, as I think they really help to elevate an otherwise simple piece.
The navy polka dot cami top is also a new addition, as I’ve been wanting to add a few more summery tops into my wardrobe. As I also mentioned in a previous post how I got a little bit sick of wearing roll necks over the Autumn/Winter period and so now I intend to opt for strappy tops with the excuse to get my arms out at any opportunity, because as you will well know if you’re from the UK, when the sun is out here you’ve got to make the most of it!
So that’s it, just a short but sweet one from me today. I seem to be back on my creativity train (whatever one of those is) so I will be back later in the week with another new post. Also I’ve been posting lots more outfit photos over on my Instagram lately, generally day to day and in real time, so if you are interested in outfits (and possibly less of my rambling) then be sure to come find me there: @samiorenelda. And one final plug with my Youtube channel, which I’ve been keeping updated with lots of style related videos lately, including a look through my entire wardrobe, so if you fancy a nosey at that you can check it out here. 😀
I can’t believe it’s almost been a month since Damien and I went on our long weekend away to Málaga. It was a somewhat impromptu trip, having only booked it all a couple of weeks prior going, but we decided that we both felt the need for a little break and to go somewhere warm where we could simply relax.
I’m pretty much a pro when it comes to planning short trips abroad now and with nowhere specific in mind on this occasion, I decided to go with southern Spain for our best chances of warm weather and affordable flights. Málaga came up best in my search and whilst I had been before a few years ago, it had been for a shoot and so I was excited to visit again, on a non work related trip this time
We arrived in Málaga on a Thursday for the last couple of days in March and then returned home on the Sunday, which was the second day of April. It was definitely a good idea picking Málaga, as the weather over that weekend was just splendid.
I found us the perfect little AirBnb only a very short walk from the centre and right by a few little convenience stores where we were able to buy our eggs for breakfast and wine to drink whilst sat out on the roof terrace. Yes we had our own private roof terrace which was exactly what we’d wanted, a nice open space to sit out and enjoy the sun.
The Sights
Although the main focus of the short holiday was to relax, never ones to sit still for too long, Damien and I of course couldn’t help ourselves from doing just a little bit of sight seeing whilst we were there.
Málaga is actually a lot more beautiful than it’s given credit for and away from the high rise hotels that are situated further down the coast line, the city centre is full of old buildings filled with cute little restaurants and bars.
Speaking of the beauty in Málaga from the top of Mount Gibralfaro we were able to see the most wonderful views of the city. It’s quite a walk in the blazing heat but it’s certainly worth it once you get to the top and also very scenic as you walk through beautiful gardens to get there. Of course once at the top we went in the Castillo Gibralfaro and wondered around the castle ruins before heading back down.
Eating Out
One of the restaurants we visited, as recommended by our Airbnb host, was tiny little traditional Spanish restaurant called El Tapeo de Cervantes. We were told to book beforehand, which was wise as we found it was full to the brim when we arrived and still had to wait for ten minutes or so outside before we could even get in to be seated at our table. But we were glad to find that it was certainly worth the wait.
I didn’t take any pictures in the restaurant as it’s so tiny that you are pretty close to the diners either side of you and behind you, all strategically fitted in on high slim wooden tables and chairs. Although this is something that would in most circumstances irritate the heck out of me, in this instance it only added to the character and charm of the place and I rather enjoyed the atmosphere. The staff were great and I had some of the best tapas I’ve ever had. Opting for fish and vegetarian dishes, each plate we had was delicious and if you do find yourself visiting Málaga I’d definitely recommend this place.
Another evening we decided to take an hour long walk along the beach to a few of the highly recommended local fish restaurants located in El Palo. We stopped off at a bar along the way and watched the sunset before continuing on.
Once we arrived we picked one of the restaurants, Restaurante Gabi. It was no thrills dining at its finest and we took a table outside across from the outdoor fire on the beach, where they cooked the fish. Although quite a long walk to get there it was worth it in the end and the fresh fish was excellent. It certainly seemed popular with the locals and we could see why, as its reasonably priced fresh seafood made the visit worth while.
A Drink With A View
There are of course also plenty of bars to chose from in the centre of Málaga, along with a few rooftop bars. One evening before dinner we went to the roof bar La Terraza de la Alcazaba which has excellent views of the town centre and Alcazaba of Málaga. It’s quite a busy spot but fine if you don’t mind potentially standing. It has quite a young vibe and although the drinks are (expectedly) a little pricer than some of the other bars, it’s worth visiting at least for one, just to see the view before sun down.
Well I think that’s almost everything. I’ll end things here before I run the risk of waffling on too much but we really did enjoy our little trip away to Málaga. Sometimes three nights away is all you need to unwind and relax whilst also having the fun of exploring a different location. Now I can’t believe it’s only two weeks until Damien and I jet off on our next little city break, I plan to be a lot swifter with my upload of that travel post once we return, so be sure to check back soon for more travel adventures. 😀
Hello there! I’m excited to be coming at you with a new outfit post…finally! It seems that Spring has finally sprung (almost/sort of) here in Manchester and I’ve finally had the opportunity to wear some of my new glad rags.
I find shopping/dressing for Spring and Summer in the UK a bit of a tricky one, as while the shops tend to be filled with short shorts and cute little dresses, the weather here doesn’t always quite reflect that.
As much as I’d love to fill my wardrobe with a selection of gorgeous sun dresses and be done with it, it’s unfortunately not often the most practical option and unless you’re jetting away for the majority of the summer, it’s likely you’ll need a few ‘sensible’ summer pieces, to see you through those not so summery summer days. I have recently added two practical summer pieces to my wardrobe…
The Perfect Pants
If you watch my Youtube videos, you will have seen that in a few of my recent style videos I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of culottes. It seems like a pretty simple piece to find right? But not when you are a miss fussy pants like me, who won’t settle until you find exactly what you have in mind. Luckily my search recently concluded in Topshop and after trying on a couple of pairs, I found just what I was after with these black wide leg trousers.
Now I know these trousers are rather simple but it’s basic pieces like these that I love to have in my wardrobe because I know I’m going to get so much wear out of them. The fit and quality is all there with these culottes and I like how they are in a fabric that doesn’t easily crease because I hate getting creases after sitting down for five minutes. These trousers also make the perfect transitional piece as I try to move away from jeans. Not completely but just a little bit. I did actually think about putting myself on a denim ban for a little while but let’s face it, with my current wardrobe that just isn’t realistic.
…and a British Summer jacket
Enough about the perfect pants. I have another new found love to introduce with this cropped stripe jacket. I don’t tend to buy things that I’m not intentionally looking for, however when I saw this I had to make an exception.
I’m a big fan of high waisted pieces: High waisted jeans, skirts, culottes, you name it, it’s quite rare that I go for anything with a low rise waist and because of this, something I’ve felt I’ve been missing in my wardrobe for a while has been a cropped jacket.
The problem with cropped jackets however, is that finding the right crop and fit can be tricky, especially if you have a fuller bust. I like something that covers the waist line of my trousers (as this jacket does), so that it’s cropped enough to still show the shape of the trousers but not too short that it doesn’t properly cover my top half. The right fit is everything and I was so happy with the quality and fit of this cropped jacket I ordered on Asos. I went for a size 10 and the fit is just perfect.
This jacket is certainly a great piece for a British summer and I also I love that it’s quite a classic looking piece, meaning that I’ll be able to wear it over future summers too.
So those are a couple of my new in pieces. I’m pretty happy with these alternative basics for the on/off summertime we have here in the UK and I’ll be getting plenty of wear out of them I’m sure. I’ll be sharing another new outfit later this week so be sure to check back if you’d like to see that, but in the mean time have a fabulous week!
Samio x
Shop The Look
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*Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.
My style posts have been few and far between recently on my blog. I do regularly share OOTD’s over on my Instagram but lately I haven’t felt inspired to share more detailed outfit posts here on my blog. I talked about writer’s block of the blogging variety in my last post and it seems that my halt in creativity hadn’t just ended there, as I’ve found myself in a bit of a style rut too.
Now you may already know that I like to keep my style pretty simple and focus on basics and classic pieces that are easily interchangeable. It’s something that has worked for me for quite a while now and for the most part I’ve been really happy with my day to day outfits. However now I’m starting to feel the urge to further evolve my personal style.
Over the past couple of years I found a real love for denim and practically lived in jeans come rain or shine. However, I’ve felt more recently that this has led me to become less experimental with my dress sense and ultimately very safe. And lets face it, we all know that safe is usually pretty boring and I’ll admit, that is exactly how I’ve been feeling with my style as of late, bored.
Anyone who knew me before my blogging days, will know that I was once deemed as a walking rainbow who knew no limits when it came to trying something new with my style. It’s not that I want to go back to dressing the way I did years ago but I look back at my former self and admire my boldness for not being afraid to try something new.
I’m still very much into the idea of owning pieces that mix and match but that shouldn’t stop me from being a little bit experimental from time to time and stepping out of my comfort zone.
I’m currently finding myself being drawn to a lot of white and off white pieces, which is something I’ve often avoided too much of in the past, as let’s face it, it’s not the most practical shade. But, like I said before, safe isn’t always fun and whilst I still want to keep my wardrobe wearable, I need to bend my own rules from time to time in order to enjoy it.
This outfit I wore whilst in Malaga is pretty basic but Damien and I travelled light with one carryon case between us for the three nights whilst we were there. The trip was ultimately about relaxing and so I wanted to keep my outfits super simple on this trip.
One of my first purchases for the warmer weather however, was this white knitted crop top that I got in Brandy Melville whilst in London recently. On this occasion I did play it safe with denim shorts, however I can give myself Brownie points for the fact that I wasn’t just wearing jeans for once.
I also felt happy to not be wearing boots, which seem to be my footwear of choice when the weather in the UK isn’t on its best behaviour. I had a last minute sandal purchase before this trip, which actually turned out perfect for on holiday, but the hunt for the perfect summer sandals which I can wear frequently whilst at home, is definitely still on.
I’m aware this has been a bit of a jumbled blog post. Just a bit of a rambling mind dump about my thoughts on my person style with an outfit post thrown in. And I guess the fact that I’ve taken a good two weeks to post this outfit, shows that although I like it, I haven’t been THAT excited to share it, and so inevitably is a sign that I am so ready to spice things up a bit. We shall see. But for now, that is all. But I’d love to know your thoughts on the matter if you have ever found yourself in a bit of a style rut. Comment below and let me know. 🙂
I’ve been feeling a little off recently. Not necessarily unhappy, just off. I haven’t quite been able to focus and any attempts at productivity have been distracted by a feeling of frustration that I’m not getting enough done/haven’t done enough and in turn have halted my productivity. See the silly, vicious cycle here.
Call it writers block of the blogging variety, or call it my brain thinking of too many things at once to the point where it can’t think of anything at all for longer than five minutes. I’ve ultimately got myself into a bit of a rut that seems to have halted my creativity and as a result, left me feeling unsatisfied.
I woke up this morning and as I opened my eyes, my first thought was one of gratitude. It filled me with contentment for a moment but then as that moment passed, a feeling of dread crept over me. A subtle reminder of all the things that I haven’t done and likely won’t be able to do today. You see, silly, vicious cycle. I wanted to go back to that carefree moment of contentment again.
Then it hit me. Gratitude.
As I lay there, I realised that one thing that I was usually very good at but that I hadn’t been lately, was practicing gratitude. It feels quite funny to see it as something that needs to be practiced, but the realisation is that if you don’t actively engage in it, you can easily forget to do it at all.
By focusing on the things that I’m grateful for, I felt a weight slowly lifting, a grey cloud above me dispersing and a ray of sunshine breaking through.
I could almost laugh. It’s surprising how something so simple could become so detrimental when forgotten.
I feel somewhat different. There’s a shift in my emotions and I can feel my ‘can do’ attitude slowly resurrecting.
The moral to this little story: Practicing gratitude everyday can make a huge difference to your emotions and attitude and in turn your productivity. It’s too easy to take your situation, or how far you’ve come, for granted. Now when I step back and think about it, I’m exactly where I need to be and have a lot to be thankful for and for that I am truly greateful. That thought alone makes my emotions feel resolved and my thoughts a lot clearer. It’s funny how something so simple can make all the difference.
I knew we needed to book our girl’s trip in that moment whilst (almost) all together, or else it was never going to happen. We had the dates for when we were all available so all we needed to do was book!
As I grabbed my towel and headed for the door I looked back at Lydia and Hannah who were both still recovering on the bed and said, ‘right’ in a determined manner, ‘I want you to have found flights to where we are going by the time I’m out of the shower’. I naturally left this one to Lydia, the organiser of the group, whilst I quite simply made my demands and left to go and shower, in an attempt to refresh myself in the midst of an ever growing hangover brought on from the night before.
When I returned feeling somewhat better and mostly excited for this still ambiguous trip ahead, the first question I asked was ‘where are we going?’. ‘Oslo’ Lydia joyfully replied. Fabulous I thought, ‘where’s that?’ (Geography had never been my strong point). Lydia giggled, ‘Norway’. Cool! I’d never been to Norway.
The flights were only £35 and Hannah was already reading up on what to do and see in Oslo. It sounded like a great place to visit.
We quickly made a call to Charlotte who sounded even more tender than we did and didn’t seem in any type of mood to talk (our partying the night before had obviously taken its toll on us all). Still, over loud speaker we excitedly bombarded Charlotte with the information we had just found. She sounded somewhat less excited than we did and in that moment I think her agreement of the trip was purely to get us off the phone.
And so it was booked and we were going to to Olso baby! It wasn’t long after our booking that we discovered that temperatures in Oslo can reach as low as minus seven in February (when we’d booked to go). MINUS SEVEN! We could only laugh, as whilst doing our vague, hungover research, along with planning where to stay, we’d forgotten to look up one vital thing – THE WEATHER. Anyway, hey, ho, we had our girl’s weekend booked and later another friend, Sally joined on to the trip and the five of us were really looking forward to our fun weekend away.
The Cost
Now something we’d been repeatedly told before we even got to Oslo was ‘it’s really expensive there’, usually followed by a pitiful look of confusion. Why were a group of twenty something girls going to Oslo for the weekend? Erm, because the flights were cheap. Many often laughed at this reasoning. We did not let it dampen our spirits.
Whilst our airbnb was affordable, upon arrival we did in fact find that, yes, everything in Oslo is ridiculously expensive. Our first round of drinks in Oslo was in a traditional style pub: 3 wines and 2 beers came to the equivalent of £45 and each place we went to thereafter, the price continued to be roughly 8 or 9 pounds for a glass of house red wine. However that said, this did not deter us from heading out on the evenings and a having a good time whilst we were at it.
Of course this meant that food was pricey too and Seven Eleven became our new best friend when it came to eating out/on the go in order to stick within our budget for the weekend.
The Weather
The weather wasn’t actually that bad. Okay, let me rephrase that…We’d brought the appropriate clothing meaning that we didn’t get too cold. So much so, that on the Saturday after bussing it all the way to the Viking museum we decided to walk back. We actually spent a good two hours walking through the snow. It was actually really good fun and we got to see a lot of pretty sights.
The Moral Of This Story
Another little spanner in the works that I almost forgot to mention was that we’d booked our flights to and from the wrong airport. Okay the moral of this story is fast becoming why you should never book a trip hungover and without proper research…BUT we found getting from Torp Oslo airport where we landed, to central Oslo was reasonably easy. We were able to jump on one of the coaches outside to embark on the one and a half hour journey to central Oslo (I know, I know), which cost around £25 each. Somewhat defeating the object of the initially ‘cheap flights’ but whatever. You live and you learn.
And The Icing On The Cake
On the Sunday we were more than ready to head home after our random yet fun weekend in Oslo and after checking out of our AirBnb we took the hour and a half long coach trip back to Oslo Torp airport.
We’d gone through customs, we’d order food and as we sat and waited for our flight details back to Manchester to show up on the board, we noticed a number of flights were being delayed and then cancelled.
A flight delay we could deal with, a cancellation we could not…and after seeing a number of flights being cancelled due to severe fog, our Manchester flight was next to join the list. I’ve dealt with flight delays before but this was the first time for a cancellation and believe me, it was not fun.
It’s exhausting to go through the next 24 hours that followed in detail but in short it included queuing for 3 hours. Having to book new flights for the next day to fly to London Heathrow (the flights back to Manchester were full until Tuesday). Getting in touch with our AirBnb to see if our apartment was still available (thankfully it was) and booking another night. Getting the train back to Oslo centre and checking back into our Airbnb. Waking up on Monday and heading to the central airport to fly to Hamburg and then to London. The girls getting a hire car and driving back from London to Manchester. Me getting off the plane and running through the airport to jump on the Heathrow Express to get to central London in time to make it to my modelling job that same day. I made it (Phew).
In these scenarios I like to say, ‘it could have been worse’ and the main thing is that we made it home in the end, even if it was a little later than expected…and I finally got to go home, home, after a week working in London. My bed had never been more appreciated.
The Round Up
Well. Oslo was an experience to say the least. Was it one of the most random (and at the very end, stressful) trips I’ve ever been on, yes…but was it fun, yes, actually, we had a fun time and didn’t stop laughing for most of it. But as the line goes, it’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with and that was certainly the case for this trip.
I may not have left a piece of my heart in Oslo on this occasion but I am glad I went as my random adventures are all about exploring somewhere different and that’s exactly what we got to do.
Would I go again?
Not in a rush, no. However that’s not to dismiss Norway as a whole, as whilst outside of the city centre of Oslo, we saw some absolutely beautiful sights and if I were to head back to Norway again, I’d love to do more outdoor exploring and take more of an adventure type holiday there. But I’m glad I got the chance to visit anyway and enjoy quite a different girl’s weekend away.
Have you ever been to Oslo or have you ever taken an alternative city break somewhere? Let me know in the comments section below. 🙂
Through January and February I managed to purchase only one new item of clothing and that was a much needed, very practical, padded coat for my trips to Hamburg and Oslo. I guess you can say that purchase was more out of necessity than being an actual style choice, but I was definitely glad of it when I was out in below minus temperatures.
Whilst I had been quite happy with my wardrobe over winter, living mostly in a selection of roll necks and go to layers, I’ve been feeling rather eager to have a bit of a wardrobe update recently, ready for Spring/Summer.
Now you’ll know I’m not often one to jump on trends, longevity and wearability are always factors I take into account when acquiring new pieces. However I’ve been wanting to inject a bit of ‘fun’ into my wardrobe lately, as I feel I’ve exhausted my outfit combos over the winter period and have been feeling a desire for something new.
When Pinko reached out to me asking if I’d like to pick out a few pieces, it was perfect timing. When I spotted this new Pinko Love bag in their SS17 collection, it was just the sort of thing I’d been looking for. It’s fun and a bit out there, whilst still fitting in with my colour palette of muted tones. Most importantly I knew it would go well with denim, which means I can wear it with about 90% of my wardrobe.
You’ll likely be seeing a lot more of this bag in my future outfit posts as you know I like to wear things to death, plus it says ‘Love Me Tender’ on the side, which is very fitting considering I’m a big Elvis fan! I think I’ve made it clear that I love this bag (no pun intended). It’s trashy and fabulous at the same time, whilst still being very me and it’s nice to add a new piece to my wardrobe that I feel excited about.
The second new addition is this jacket which is also from Pinko. I love a good denim jacket and the fact that last summer I wore my black one almost everyday meant that I knew I’d get plenty of wear out of this one as it begins to warm up. I also love that the jacket is in this oatmeal shade, which I think is a nice contrast to my blue denim jeans and I think makes a great combination.
Now I’m on the look out for a few tops to add to my wardrobe, as I feel a decent selection of light weight spring/summer T-shirt and tops is what I’m seriously lacking at the moment and this grey Asos T-shirt you see here gets worn A LOT. I’d also like to incorporate a couple of dresses into the mix this coming summer, as although I’m sure my love for jeans will never die, I’m keen to change things up and bare some leg as the weather hots up too.
All in all I’m very excited for the change in seasons. Lighter mornings, longer days, milder weather and lighter layers, what’s not to look forward to!
I’ve always been supportive of my girls, especially if you’re one of my besties, I’ll be like your ride or die cheerleader always…However there was a time when I didn’t always feel quite this way when it came to those outside of my circle.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been an actual hater, that’s never been in my nature and it certainly isn’t about the troll life! However, I must admit, in the past I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy at times when I’d see certain females, usually those I didn’t actually know (seemingly) doing really well, when I felt like I wasn’t. I often could’t help but make comparisons, especially when in my own life I wasn’t quite where I wanted to be.
The difference between back then and now, isn’t that I’ve completely got all my shit together since becoming an adult (I think that’s pretty much a constant work in progress regardless of your situation), but it’s the fact that now my perspective has changed. I don’t see any other women who are doing well as competition, I see them as motivations, inspirations and just generally super cool bad asses most of the time.
As women we have to realise how far we have come as a whole and not just as individuals. There are so many opportunities available to so many of us now that probably once could have only been dreamed of. Another woman pushing the boundaries, succeeding, doing new and amazing things is only paving the way for more of us. It’s not about who did it first, it’s about someone doing it in the first place and actually making it possible!
The thing is, when you see a person’s success, you also have to appreciate the journey. It’s often all too easy to speculate and imagine a person’s success is purely down to luck. And whilst I do agree, timing and ‘luck’ can certainly play a part in ones growth, it also usually still takes a whole lot of hard work along with it.
When I see women putting their all into something that they are passionate about and in the process doing amazing things, I see it as something to be celebrated. I love seeing a person’s journey and their growth and even then we often don’t see the full extent of what goes on behind the scenes. So now when I see my fellow females (or super cool bad asses, if you like) doing awesome things, I appreciate the journey, the hard work and the dedication. It makes me feel proud to be a woman and nothing inspires me more.
Germany is fast becoming one of my most visited European destinations. I’d actually been to Hamburg for the fist time a couple of years ago during the summer but this time I was ready to explore much more of the city and experience Hamburg in winter as something different. My friend Chloe and I decided on the trip at the start of January and after finding flights that suited us perfectly for only £35, we quickly booked our three day city break for the 13th to the 15th February.
Where We Stayed
Superbude
The super cool hotel/hostel Supebude kindly put us up for our two night stay in Hamburg. Located in St Pauli, it’s only a stone’s throw away from a large selection of coffee shops, bars and restaurants, in the super quirky hipster area of Sternschanze. We actually spent a lot of time around the local area and found several great places to eat and drink.
Superbude, labels itself a hostel and hotel, however right away I have to say it isn’t like any hostel I’ve ever stayed in before, as whilst being affordable it is definitely a lot more stylish than most accommodation that falls into the ‘hostel’ bracket.
You know when you walk into Supebude that you’re in a cool spot and all the staff are really friendly. To the right of the reception there’s a cool chill out area with a couple of refrigerators that serve as a self service bar and behind that is the area where breakfast is served. Breakfast was included and we were both pleased with the selection of food on offer. Of course being in Germany it’s the usual continental style breakfast selection but there was plenty to choose from and we left feeling satisfied each morning.
We were also pleased with our room. Whilst being simple it provided everything we needed for our two nights stay. I’m happy as long as my bed is comfy, the shower is hot and overall everything is clean. I’m happy to say that it ticked all the boxes. Chloe and I both had good sleeps and agreed that we’d happily stay at Superbude again.
What We Ate
Eating Our Way Around Hamburg
It’s probably easier to compile a list of things we didn’t eat on this trip than the things that we did. In fact, I can go as far as to say that we didn’t stop eating for the entire three days. This was much to the delight of Chloe who is vegan and has mentioned how she often struggles finding food options when she’s away. We quickly noticed lots of vegan options close by to where we were staying, in Sternschanze. We managed to get our hands on everything from vegan cherry pie, to vegan donna kebab! Even I was in my element with it all and all the food we tried was so, so good!
A few favourites included:
Bullerei – A popular restaurant where we went for lunch on our first day. I had the salmon risotto which I thoroughly enjoyed. They didn’t have any vegan dishes but they made one of the dishes dairy free for Chloe on request. ElbGold – A cute coffee shop serving great cakes and pastries and even better coffee. We had a vegan apple slice & a vegan cherry pie with coffee. It was all very good. Cafe Piya – A restaurant on Schanzenstraße where we went for dinner one evening. We both went for the vegan burger and it was really good. The wine was good too.
We also had vegan Currywurst at a fast food place round the corner from our hotel. I unfortunately forgot to take note of the name of the place but it was either on or close by to Schanzenstraße.
What We Saw
Being Tourists
Aside from eating out…A LOT…We also managed to fit in quite a bit of sight seeing too. Although this was my second time in Hamburg, I ended up discovering a whole other side to the city that I hadn’t previously. I learnt that Hamburg is a creatively vibrant and artistic city. On first appearances you don’t see it’s quirks and unique flare but take a walk around an area like Sternschanze and you’ll see unique graffiti on every building. Whilst looking edgy I have to say that it still felt safe whilst wondering around these parts and overall there was a really chilled and pleasant vibe to the city, especially in the area mentioned. It had been Chloe’s first time in Hamburg and the second day into our trip she was already saying how she wanted to come back.
On our first day we took a two hour bike ride around the city on one of the StadtRAD rental bikes. Whilst it was absolutely freezing that day, I couldn’t have thought of a better way for us to explore the city. There are bike lanes on every single side walk, so there’s no need to worry about biking on the road. The hop on, hop off bikes are such an easy way to get around and when you’re done you can just hook them back up at one of the many bike docks around the city.
We also went on a boat tour and a bus tour during our trip but I have to say that the bikes were still my favourite mode of transport and a great way to see everything too. We also did a great deal of walking, which is so easy to do when you’re in a place like Hamburg which is very relaxed compared to other more crowded cities. There’s also a great deal of greenery in Hamburg with parks dotted throughout the city.
One tourist attraction I would recommend is the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in the HafenCity quarter. It’s free to go up and from the viewing deck you’re able to take in the views of Hamburg. Also, if you’re into architecture the building itself is pretty stunning and it cost a pretty penny too, which definitely shows. Even the inside of the Elbphilharmonie impressive, and I’d say it’s worth stopping by if you get the chance.
The Low Down
When we visited: February 2017 Weather: Average minus two degrees – Cold and crisp with blue sky. How long we stayed: Monday to Wednesday – Two nights Where we stayed: St Pauli Accommodation:Superbude Hotel Hostel Food To Try: Vegan Currywurst (if you can find the takeout we went to on Schanzenstraße), otherwise just look out for Currywurst in general. Suggestions: Layer up if you’re visiting during the winter. Recommendations: Go up the Elbphilharmonie, it’s free and you can see great views of Hamburg from up there!
Also, rent one of the StadtRAD bikes and cycle around Hamburg. Would I go again: Yes! Would I go again in February: Yes, however I’d love to go again in the summer too.
Chloe and I both loved our three days in Hamburg. I enjoyed myself the first time I visited but it’s the second time around that I really grew to love the city. We both liked the easy going vibe and Chloe has already said how much she is in love with Hamburg after our visit.
If you enjoy good food, street art and a city with a creative vibe, then Hamburg could be just the place for you and I certainly recommend the visit.
Samio x
*Our accommodation was kindly provided by Superbude along with thanks to Hamburg Tourism who organised it also provided our travel whilst in Hamburg.
