♪ Drake- God's Plan ♪

Hello, I'm back and in the mood for blogging! Maybe my absence is because I took Drake's "I'll be back in 2018 to give you the summary" lyrics to heart haha. But there are 3 major reasons I couldn't find time to blog lately: 

1. Finals season- over now, and I'm not gonna lie, it was the most exhausting in my four years of Med School.

2.  There aren't any photographers available on finals season (obviously) plus it's hard to look fabulous in the snow, I don't know how so many girls do it, I just get a Rudolph nose 1 minute into the shoot haha.

3. I have a new passion project. Eating healthy is one of my major 2018 resolutions and I started an Instagram page to document my journey, plus I wanted to share with all of you my sugar-free, low calorie & sometimes gluten free recipes. You can find them all on DietAndDesserts.

This is the outfit I wore on one of my favorite December days of 2017. I was in Bucharest for a Medical Congress and I planned the best day with my best friend Simona- I finally had the famous American pancakes at Maison Des Crêpes and I got to hang out with S.'s close friends and I love the fact we bonded over medicine and food because they're both passionate cooks, I learned a lot of cool tips that day. After that, it was time for a stroll at the Romanian Athenaeum, my favorite place to take photos in Bucharest (thank you S. for these photos & patience) it always reminds me of Paris. Then came the highlight of the day, I finally got to see the National Museum Of Art and I was mesmerized with Stefan Luchian's flowers, as always, Nicolae Grigorescu's work and of course, Brancusi's "Wisdom of the Earth"- I really got the chills when I saw it. We ended the day with a trip to Ikea and I was just over the moon.

I wore the exact same outfit yesterday and I remembered I never posted these photos. I love this blush pink dress I got in the Black Friday sales at Zara, still can't believe how cheap it was! But the star of the outfit is the Forever21 backpack I got on that same trip in Bucharest from Forever 21 - I mean, the velvet, the color, the size! It's the backpack I've been looking for my whole life!

♪ Tinie Tempah- Holy Moly ♪

Honestly, I've attended many music festivals, but when I think about the most memorable night for me, my mind instantly goes back to the third day of Untold 2017. It's because that day we had our fair share of surprises- from the food we tried to the artists we decided at the last minute to go check on smaller stages.

We got to the festival early in order to have lunch there and experience the activities. I had the best streetfood experience- a hotdog and homemade fries, topped with their homemade sauce, I was hooked. The maracuja lemonade from Meron served as the best dessert. I was also determined to be there early in order to see Tinie Tempah live (we managed to be in the second row). Living in Romania, Tinie Tempah would always be in the top 10 with his pop/rap/hip-hop hits when I was in highschool and honestly, thanks to him I discovered I was the most attracted to this type of beat- and that's how I started to try and listen to rap. The rest is history, I've been mainly listening to rap for six years now. My favorite album will always be "Demonstration" for all the fashion references and for the whole vibe. He dropped his YOUTH album this spring and it has so many tracks I would play on repeat while stuck in traffic! During the concert, my best friend S. would be like "I heard that in your car first". Therefore, I was excited to see him live for the first time. He did not disappoint, there was so much energy, love and showmanship, it was truly a performance I'll always remember!  

I honestly thought it couldn't get better after Tinie Tempah, but little did I know- the whole night was going to be EPIC. The Hurts followed and my heart just melted! After that we took a leap of faith and went to other stages to see Romanian artists and we had so much fun, the energy was crazy! Then we tried some ice-cream crepes- they tasted incredible, but it was not such a good idea to get ice-cream crepes during summer- there was ice-cream everywhere and my black dress had to pay the consequences (luckly, the spots got out quickly, because the dress is all lace). 

After we got to the main stage- something mind-blowing followed- Marshmello's mix. I knew who he was, but I did not know we would mix at least 15 of my favorite rap songs- I was in house/dance/hip-hop/rap heaven, his mix was just my cup of tea!! I remember I just couldn't stop smiling and singing my favorite lyrics! Armin van Buuren followed and he is considered the ultimate king of Untold, in case you didn't know.

I had such an amazing time, I will keep these memories close to my heart forever, and I also loved what I was wearing that day. I found this black lace dress at H&M, on sale for 12 euros, it was the last one and some of the lace was torn apart. I bought it anyways, because I paid 1/3 of the original price and I solved the problem quickly with a needle and a black thread. I was told it's a basic festival piece and I couldn't agree more, it was so comfy and chic at the same time!

H&M dress, Bata sandals, Stradivarius backpack, Carolina Herrera sunglasses, Pandora bracelet, JORD watch

I turned 22 this weekend and it turned out to be so much more exciting than I would have expected! The same goes for the Untold festival I attended again this summer! Last year, I didn't know what to expect, but I loved every minute of it: good music, great fun and amazing food! This year I came with certain expectation: I wondered if the DJs I loved last year would have better sets or I would be disappointed. Not only my favorite artists were better this year, but I also finally got to see some live acts I've been dreaming for ages: Tinnie Tempah, MO, Ellie Goulding, Hurts. I also discovered Marshmello this year, and he made my top 3 (along with Afrojack and Martin Garrix) because I found 10 of my favorite rap songs remixed in his set (he seems like a K Lamar fan, I loved this!).

I don't normally post photos on the blog with people in the background (I've been taught since my early blogging days this is a major faux pas) but I had to share with you the outfit I wore on the first day because the message on my T-shirt is my favorite! The fact that it matched my number one skirt was also a plus, I don't think I ever got to post any photos of this skirt on my blog.

As I'm writing this post and seeing the photos,  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's voice from Beyonce's "Flawless" comes to mind:

"Feminist: the person who believes in the social,

Political, and economic equality of the sexes"

♪ Coldplay- Charlie Brown ♪

I'm saying my goodbye to summer- sweet, hot, full of memories summer! As in the last three years I went with my family around Europe, I forgot how it was like to spend my summer properly- at seaside- swimming, eating tons of delicious ice-cream, sunbathing. We chose the Thasos island, in Greece, as our destination. It's an island I definitely want to visit again one day, the weather, the water, the food are perfect!

This is the beach where I spent most of my mornings, it was so hard to make me leave it! It just had an awesome lounge where I could enjoy my "Tales of the Jazz Age" book, a smoothie bar with what seemed like an endless menu and let's not forget the main thing - THE SEA.  

You'll also see in the photos a part of the hotel's garden. And I'm sure you're going to notice my fashion faux pas as well. YES, those are perspex flats, with a gummy texture.  I never wanted to wear them, but I forgot to pack my flip-flops, That's so typically me, I don't forget to take my golden cuffs with me, but the essential beach footwear- sure, let's leave them at home! Anyways, this pair of shoes was the only alternative I could find- the flip-flops they had for sale everywhere were hideous! In the end, I think it's the kind of funny memory you want to have from an amazing vacation, so I have no regrets.

♪ Amy Winehouse- Back to Black ♪ (& blogging)

I really thought I would post more often this summer, especially because I'm still on vacation, but in the last two weeks I've been lacking photographers (friends, my cousin, my mom, anyone??) and good weather. So there I was, trying my new number from SheInside, dying to blog about how I found my perfect little black dress and with no options whatsoever. Then it hit me: Why don't I go back to my first routine as a blogger? When I started this blog, it was just me, this white wall and my camera on self-timer mode.

I admit I got a little nostalgic and that I wasn't so content with the results, but maybe this way you get to see better the intricate lace work on my marvellous dress and its great cut. I chose to go for a punk chic style by adding my statement necklace from Zara, golden cuffs and flatforms. I love how versatile it is, I plan to wear it at a future party in a classy/feminine way.

And, since these photos are so simple and clean, maybe it's the right post to share my super exciting news: I got my driving licence on the 14th of August!! Two days after my birthday, it was one of my biggest dreams. I know it comes with a great responsibility, but we all have to admit it's a pretty awesome feeling, to be driving.

♪ John Newman - Love me again ♪

Wow, this summer holiday is flying away, I can't believe I will be 18 in 4 days! I'm trying to  be as optimistic as I can, although there have been unexpected changes and I'm not sure how to make my birthday special at this point. Anyways, I thought posting these photos from Thasos with me wearing the lovely T-shirt which has a strong message: "Happy thoughts will guide my way" might cheer me up a bit.  The skirt is one of the other things my cousin got from Sevilla for my birthday, it's from Mango and he was lucky enough to find the last one!

It was a marvellous day of our trip, back when we shot these, we went around half the island and stopped for lunch in a small village famous for the shop where you can buy pine and orange honey, Theologos (the honey really is something else, by the way!). We had lunch there as well, and most of the photos are taken on a quaint little street. The village was so different from what I've seen before, most of their roofs were made of stone. After lunch, we went for a little shopping session in Limenaria, a small city, with incredible palm trees and caffes.

I'm back from the marvellous island of Greece, Thasos. It is an incredible destination, I recommend it to anyone who is looking for the perfect mix between mountain and seaside, with a lot of picturesque villages to visit and where you'll find exquisite traditional Greek food. Now, this vacation was full of surprises and I thought the title of the book I'm currently reading, "Tales of the Unexpected", by Roald Dahl would be suitable title for this post as well.

First of all, I don't know if you've ever noticed, but I seldom change my earrings. I had my gold little earrings ever since I was 10 and I find very hard another type of earrings to suit me. Still, when I discovered Style Lately 's selection, I felt the urge to risk and order this mint/golden pair online. They arrived just a few days before my departure to Greece, and I found myself wearing them almost the whole holiday! The have a great quality and I fell in love with the brand itself, I now have my eyes set on a gorgeous pair of sunnies and a fringe bag from their shop.

Secondly, right when I got the earrings my cousin came back from Sevilla. As I'm turning 18 on 12th of August, he thought to mark this special occasion and got me the most amazing gifts! This skirt from Zara is one them, and I found myself also wearing it and another skirt from Mango he brought the entire vacation.  Now, how am I supposed to publish on the blog so many photos with the same skirt??

Thirdly, the hotel where we stayed was amazing, with a perfect garden, with so many olive trees and roses, as you'll see in the pictures below. The only major problem was that there was wifi only in the lobby, hence my lack of posts. 

Also, what do you think about the message on my Mango T-shirt? I find it very suitable because Thasos may be a great destination, but it wouldn't have been so fun to visit without my beloved family.

Hello , my loves! Sorry for not posting sooner, but I am currently enjoying myself in a different town, at my cousin's place. It's exhausting and amazing at the same time, I mean all the tenis, bicycle time, shopping, movies and making new friends..I LOVE IT HERE! 9 days just doesn't seem enough anymore!

I took these pictures couple days before I left my hometown actually, when I went out with my best friend S. to relax a little. I have been wanting to show you this necklace for ages (literally), because it's one of my favourites statement jewellery plus it has this awesome corail shade! Also, I tried something different with my hair because I love this headband with leaf motifs, plus it matched my flats. Now, I can't say enough things to praise this dress! It's just the perfect summer essential, and the fabric feel incredibly on my skin.

Well, I just had the most incredible time with some of my new friends in Copou and tomorrow it's Palas time with another friends (again!), so I don't know what should I add. I know I usually have some words of wisdom so I'm going to rely on my latest experience:

Stay amazing and true to yourself and always keep an open mind! Life is full of unexpected & pleasant surprises and you should make the best of them!

♪ Moonlight Breakfast - Shout ♪ (a big shoutout to my best friend S. )

There are some people who know you. Who would listen to your ramblings and who would share your same greatest fear although you thought it's a silly and crazy thing to fear about. Who would encourage you to be yourself, dress up all in nude tones, with lace and florals. Who would say that 'you're a girly girl and it suits you'. Who would pull a sleepless night with you and listen your crave to take photos at 6 AM in the morning, because the start of sunrise is too incredible. Who would watch 'Wild Child' with you and dream along about that cute guy. I have one person who would do all the above, my best friend S. ,who is always there for me to give me a boost of confidence.

This is a feminine and classy outfit which I loved wearing because it is sort of my style. The story of the dress is lovely: I got it from my amazing aunt last summer and I didn't like the way it fitted me. I was late yesterday for my meeting with S. because I didn't know what to wear. She came over and went through my dresses and thought I was insane! I tried it on and all of a sudden I knew exactly how I would wear it.

 It's all about loving yourself and feeling good! Dream on, and don't let anyone get you down. Life is beautiful and I love being a youth, although I am concerned about college and future.Seize the day & keep it positive!

Also, we have a winner of the 'SheInside giveaway' . There were 111 entries, see if you're the lucky one:

♪Mika- We are Golden ♪

'We are not what you think we are- we are golden! '

I've been a bad blogger I know, but I had many events in my life lately! So yes, I am thinking that 'Chatty Cathy' may be my alter ego because everytime I blog I feel like I could write a novel. It's hard for me to stop, yet there is a thin line between sharing your life with your readers and your safety and privacy. Well, I've been gone because I had the Speaking Examination for my CAE exam and although it went quite well, I was so nervous!! Good thing shopping releases tension, the Mango store was the only one to comfort me after this important exam and this awesome white top I got from there is the greatest reward I could get!

I remember how I was complaining about the rain couple of weeks ago. Well, heat please go away!! I love wearing sunglasses, but as an accessory and not a necessity (yes, I am aware of how this may sound) and I can only wear ponytails and buns right now! Don't get me wrong, I love how fashionable everything looks but fewer degrees wouldn't hurt anybody.

Also, today I had my pre-birthday party! My birthday is actually on 12th of August but my incredible mates bought me a gift already, because I was always sad I don't get to celebrate my birthday at school. I made 36 chocolate cupcakes for them which you can see after the break and I got as a present the 'Hunger Games' trilogy.

Now, about the outfit of the day: the central piece is obviously my amazing statement necklace but I also really love the yellow&mint combination, I would have never thought they would go so well toghether. Also, I love the lenght of my new top and the details, it's just the perfect thing to wear for any ocasion! The floral printed flats are so comfortable, they have been my favorites these past few days.

Huge thanks to Diana & Simona for the incredible photos!

♪ Noah and the Whale- L.i.f.e.g.o.e.s.o.n ♪

Chatty Cathy strikes again, just saying!

I took these photos today with my phone because I feel like a horrible blogger. Actually, my baby sister did which is kind of a rare encounter, because she hates taking pictures for my blog, but she is stubborn. It's funny actually where it all started: I got a lovely comment from a reader asking me who takes my pictures. Now, she doesn't know that much English but while I was replying she saw that her name didn't appear anywhere. She was outraged by the fact she hadn't been mentioned and she specifically reminded me of how she used to be the 'official' photographer in the early days of the blog haha .

Anyways, I want to talk more about the title now, if you are still following. Lately I found myself reading lots of books, all emphasizing the quality of life and it got me thinking. I'm not sure whether this is just because I am still a teenager and I am still trying to know myself better or that I finally acknowledged the philosophy of my life. First of all, I am in a peaceful state. When I was younger, I used to come across to all these motivational quotes like 'Live life with no regrets'. I couldn't understand this notion. What did they mean with 'no regrets'? I regretted not buying a certain dress or not being friends with somebody, so how would I be able to reach the absolute of happiness?

I'm not sure what changed in my nature but in the last few weeks when many things happened to me- including ending a long friendship- I looked back and I had no regrets! I actually have no regret right now as I am posting so late on the blog because if it weren't for this, I wouldn't be sharing this with you. The main idea is that I like it this way , I love how life seems to me right now and I have come to the conclusion that this quote represents my mood exactly:

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” -Paulo Coelho