DOHEEM! (Home sweet home ..)

We have jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon! It is easy to get stuck. Pinterest is the latest and very successful social media tool where you collect and organize ("pin") images to virtual boards.

A fun way to pass your time. Check out our Luxembourg boards (click on the link):

SCHMACHT ET?  (The hunger games ..)

Picture courtesy of selectadventures.com

Today we shift gears a little bit and talk about the joys of air travel and meals. 

I am a frequent flyer but I hate flying. I am hardly the only one. A slew of Facebook pages and numerous blogs are dedicated to this topic. Like most air travelers, I have a vastly growing list of complaints (long, slow-moving lines; ever-changing TSA rules and regulations; underpaid, under-trained and overly enthusiastic airport security; boarding stampedes, dirty lavatories, overstuffed carry-on bags the size of a Smart car, inconsiderate people with giant backpacks whacking everyone within a 3-foot radius, announcers who cannot speak the language they are announcing in, and so on) but don’t get me started on the state of airline food. No need to belabor what we all know, airplane food in coach (and often in business class) is simply inedible.

Finding healthy food in the airport terminal can be tricky (most food courts offer fast food) so I try to eat at home before leaving. I also avoid in-flight meals even on long-haul flights (8 hours +). As an elite-status frequent traveler I am often upgraded to Business or First Class but still no mile high grub for me. These meals are usually high in carbohydrates, sodium and preservatives and that is the least of the problems (in 2010 the FDA concluded that many airplane meals were prepared in unsanitary and unsafe conditions that could lead to illness).

www.kindsnacks.com

My “travel food” picks are straightforward: bottled water (available at the airport or on the plane), some fresh fruit, unsalted almonds and a couple of Kind nutrition bars (depending on the length of the journey I might add a tablet of Michel Cluizel dark chocolate). A glass of champagne never hurts but do not overdo it as you can easily become dehydrated due to the dry air on the plane.

Kind snacks are my favorites but there are plenty of other choices on the market. Their energy bars are healthy snacks with all natural ingredients (nutritional, gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, certified kosher, non GMO (genetically modified organism), trans-fat free, low GI (glycemic index) and low in sodium); ingredients that consumers can "see and pronounce". They come in many different flavors and combinations (Walnut & Date, Fruit & Nut Delight, Almond & Coconut and many more) and taste great (not chewy or chalky and no unpleasant aftertaste).

Kind nutrition bars have also come in handy when I needed something quick on the go or when traveling through countries with limited food choices (two weeks of Indian food is not easy on a Westerner's stomach).

According to their website, “Eating two KIND bars a day can help keep the pounds away. A study just completed by the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center indicates that snacking on KIND bars between meals can curb appetite and prevent weight-gain”). Additionally, they are light enough to eat before exercising.

The company’s motto is “Do the Kind Thing”, an initiative to involve people in unexpected acts of kindness, proving that a business can profit from making life better.

What’s not to like? Do the right and the kind thing (and while you are at it, please take that backpack off when boarding and shuffling through the narrow plane aisles).

Kind bars can be found throughout the US in supermarkets and health food stores @ $2/each (available in two different sizes). They are available in Luxembourg at SmooJo (60 Grand Rue, Luxembourg-Ville) 

Kind also produces “Healthy Grains” (a delicious breakfast cereal)

WAT GET ET NEIES? (News flash)

We are beyond excited to announce the launch of the TIMELESS PIECES cashmere scarf “Le Grand Duché”.

This beautiful wrap, featuring a landscape view of the Old Town of Luxembourg (the same as the “Gudde Moien” banner), is a versatile and chic accessory.

·         100% woven cashmere

·         soft and lightweight

·         printed design

·         colors: gray, slate, cream

·         size:  approx. 29" x 83" or 73 cm x 211 cm 

·         eyelash fringe

·         made in India

·         signed: Timeless Pieces

·         limited edition

·         Price: $240/€180 – FREE SHIPPING

Pay style homage to “Letzebuerg” and get yours now!

We accept all major credit cards through PayPal (account optional). If you have questions or need additional information, please send us an email.

Cashmere scarf "Le Grand Duché " by TIMELESS PIECES  

 Copyright © 2012 TIMELESS PIECES,LLC. All rights reserved.

BLOZECHT! (True blue ..)

Blue is my favorite color. Our company logo is electric blue.

I like all shades of blue, from a brilliant Tiffany turquoise to a dark ink navy. Needless to say that I am ecstatic that blue is the color du jour for nails. Last fall, Chanel set the mood with “Les Jeans”, a denim inspired trio of nail polishes and judging from the Fall/Winter 12/13 fashion shows, this beauty trend is here to stay, for now at least.

Here are my picks:

Collage: Timeless Pieces --- All copyrighted photos belong to their rightful owners

Butter London No more Waity, Katie $14

Dior Vernis St. Tropez, $23 

Essie Go Overboard, $8

OPI Dating a Royal, $7.50

China Glaze Blue Island Iced Tea, $4

Chanel Coco Blue, $29

Rescue Beauty Lounge, Bikini Bottom, $18

Nails Inc London  Baker Street, $9.50

Zoya Ibiza, $8

Click on links for additional information. Selected nail polishes can be found in Europe and in the US. Need additional information, send an email

ENG BRETZEL VIR DECH! (Twists and turns ..)

Picture courtesy of www.oberweis.lu - Oberweis is patisserie/confiserie in Luxembourg

Did you receive a pretzel today?

In Luxembourg, we celebrate “Bretzel Sonndeg” (Pretzel Sunday) on the fourth Sunday of Lent ("Halleffaschten"). It is tradition for men of all ages to buy the twisted confection for their beloved. If the girl is inclined to return the affection, she will gift him with a decorated egg on Easter. As mentioned in a previous post, since this year is a Leap Year, the roles are reversed and the ladies will be the ones giving out the pretzels.

The "Letzebuerger Bretzel" (see picture) is a deliciously sweet pastry topped with almonds, nuts or chocolate and coated in sugar. You can find it in bakeries and supermarkets.

Throughout time the looped pretzel was used as a symbol of love and prosperity in many traditions and festivals. On May 1, young men in Germany used to paint a pretzel on the door of the adored. It is also speculated that the term “tying the knot” originated when a pretzel was used to represent the unity of marriage. Today, in some areas, people give each other sweet pretzels on New Year’s Day for good luck.

The bread pretzel is considered in Christian communities a Lenten and Easter food (devoid of any forbidden ingredients). Many suggest that the pretzel’s shape is reminiscent of arms folded in prayer.

Some historians say that the pretzel is one of the oldest snack foods. Popular legend has it that in the 6th century an Italian monk (sources differ as to the time and place) made them out of leftover bread as a reward for children who learnt their prayers. By the 12th century the pretzel was an emblem of bakers. In the 1500s, pretzel bakers of Vienna were awarded their own coat of arms (depicting a pretzel and a lion) after saving the city from the Turks.

The first pretzels were soft but today they come in many different variations, cold, warm, chewy, hard, sweet or savory and in all shapes and sizes.

Pretzels were first introduced to the US in the 18th century by German and Swiss immigrants. American pretzels are a popular snack, they are often soft, bread-like or hard and crispy sprinkled with salt.

Tidbits:

• Pennsylvania is the center of the pretzel production
• April 26 is National Pretzel Day in the US
• In 2002 President George W. Bush choked on a pretzel and fainted but quickly recovered.
• Marge Simpson owned a pretzel franchise in Episode 11 Season 8 of the Simpsons (The Twisted World of Marge Simpson)
• The expression “these pretzels are making me thirsty” is a Seinfeld reference (The Alternate Side), meaning, this makes me angry
• The pretzel is a move used in swing and square dancing
• The word “pretzel” is used to describe an idea, an attitude or an image

Stories are aplenty but undoubtedly “Bretzel Sonndeg” is a lovely tradition and this twisted pastry is a delectable treat.

Sources: Wikipedia, Absolute Astronomy

DAT GRENGT AS GUDD FIR D’AEN! (Happy St. Patrick’s Day ..)

March 17 is the day of St. Patrick.

Originally a religious holiday for the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is nowadays associated with All Things Irish by many revelers around the world.

If you are in the US and you don’t wear green on St. Patty’s Day you might get pinched. Legend has it that wearing green makes you invisible to leprechauns. People started pinching those not wearing green to warn and remind them of these impish little elves and their wicked habits.

Have a Guinness and have fun!

1.   Chan Luu wrap bracelet; chanluu.com $240 (shipping to Europe available)

2.   Guerlain Vetiver Eau de Toilette; sephora.com $71 (available in the US and in Europe)

3.   Coach shamrock key holder; coach.com $38

4.   Black Fleece button down collar shirt; mr.porter.com $150/€135 (available in the US and in Europe)

5.   Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars for men and women; nordstrom.com; converse.com $36-$45 (Nordstrom ships to Europe)

6.   Lucien Pellat-Finet hemp watch; aloharag.com $955 (shipping to Europe available)

7.   Timeless Pieces wool/silk scarf; $199/€152 (FREE shipping to Luxembourg)

8.   Four leaf clover growing kit; lovestogarden.com $9

Click on the links for additional information. Problems finding an item in Luxembourg? Send us an email mail@timelesspieces.com

OH MADAME, DIR RICHT AWER GUDD! (Scent of a woman ..)

“A woman who doesn't wear perfume has no future.” 

Coco Chanel

My name is MG and I am a perfume lover. I started wearing perfume at the age of five when I sneaked into my Grandma’s bedroom and proceeded to literally “bathe” in 4711, a refreshing old-world cologne. When questioned, I vigorously denied the obvious. It became a ritual for me (the splashing of cologne not the lying) which was graciously tolerated by my beloved Boma. 

Stock photo

My taste in perfume has evolved through the years and I still do not leave the house without a bottle in my purse or luggage (a smaller bottle these days due to the stringent travel regulations and restrictions). I ardently follow news about imminent releases and launches and eagerly test them but of all things I have a peculiar fondness for the classics. I like full bodied oriental fragrances with rich aromas. Musk, leather, sandalwood, frankincense and patchouli are among my favorite accords. My constants are Shalimar (the original not the re-issue) and Bois d’Armenie by Guerlain while Tabac Blond by Caron, Rahät Loukoum by Serge Lutens and others are rotated depending on mood and season.

I wear scents that suit my taste and happily cross the perfume gender divide. My latest obsession is the intricate and compelling Bel Ami by Hermes (again not the re-issue but the original).

On a related side note, J’adore by Dior was the best selling perfume in France (according to the NPD Group) in 2011. It surpassed for the second year in a row the grande dame of perfume sales, the iconic Chanel No 5

There are so many incredible scents on the market and hundreds more are released every year. We all have our idiosyncratic list of favorites but when it comes to personal style there is no “right” or “wrong”. My Grandma would certainly agree.

Picture courtesy of dior.com

Please click on the links for additional information.