Spring has brought with it some impressively warm weather, it’s great, beer gardens are open and evenings are spent relaxing in the sunshine. I’ve fallen for a whole host of new loves, so I thought I’d share them.

Media

Peter Kay’s new series ‘Carshare’ on the BBC. I have not laughed so hard in ages, wonderful Northern humour, classic Peter Kay and maybe it’s the Northerner in me but a show that I think would make a fantastic ‘learn English’ series for my German and American friends alike. Check it out on iPlayer, you won’t be disappointed.

‘Have I got news for you’ is pretty much as close as I’m getting to the election madness in the UK at the moment, and I’m completely ok with that.

I’m slightly obsessed with ‘Tatort’. I definitely don’t understand 100% of what’s being said but I’m not sure even then I would understand what’s going on without saying WTF every 10 minutes. Running since the 70s It has a cult following in Germany, there is even a pub in Stuttgart where you can go and watch it on a big screen. Sunday night is Tatort night I this house, what can I say? It’s educational.

Body

Spring nails, I’m a sucker for pastel shades, particularly in the Spring, but with an English rose (pasty Persil white) complexion it’s sometimes hard to find shades that suit AKA so I don’t look like a badly made porcelain doll. These three shades from Essie end up being just right, apply easily and don’t chip for 4 days (longer with a top coat). Lovie dovie, bikini so teeny and mint candy apple (L-R).

My English rose complexion has a tendency towards redness, after exercise, hot drinks, alcoholic drinks and particularly in warmer weather I can end up rather rosy cheeked. To try and combat this I picked up the Redness-relief moisturizing protecting emulsion from Avené, and it really has been a game changer for me. The product itself is slightly green tinged, nothing crazy but not a pure white moisturiser that I’m used to, the green acts to neutralise the red tones and for me it works.

Another complexion corrector (warm weather I’m blaming you) I’ve been enjoying is the Alverde multi correction powder. The green again is there to tone down redness, the lilac brightens and the yellow is for dark circles. Each colour is large enough to be used individually but I’ve been swirling them together with a large fluffy brush and applying it like a normal translucent powder. I get a semi matt finish which is quite natural looking, I don’t suffer with dark under eyes but it does even out and brighten my skin.

Another sun related product I’m happy to have discovered before summer is the City filter sunscreen primer SPF50 from Kiko. Initially I was disappointed when I got the product home and discovered the information inside the box states that the product should not be used ‘as a sunscreen’ huh? It is however a nice matt base for foundation or tinted moisturizer, all of mine have SPF anyway so I’m happy I’m covered.

Eats

Wild garlic (Bärlauch) is in season at the minute, maybe for a few weeks longer and seasonal eating Germany has gone crazy for the stuff, myself included. I stuck to simple recipes that could be frozen so that I can get my out of season wild garlic fix.
Pesto – Wild garlic, rapeseed oil, Parmesan, salt, pepper. This is best thrown into a food processor, but chopping finely and grating the cheese works just as well. Amazing with pasta or on bruschetta.
Butter – Wild garlic, unsalted butter, salt, pepper. Let the better soften, learn from my mistakes, this one is better made by hand. Great for lazy garlic bread or slicing onto a sizzling steak.
Cream cheese – Wild garlic, cream cheese (Philadelphia), salt, pepper. Another one best made by hand. On crackers or inside a decadent cheese toasty.
Vampires won’t be bothering this house for a while!

My local Edeka surprised me with a salad with edible flowers! Now this is a big something considering that four years ago there was only one bag of salad to choose from in my local supermarket. It coincided with the first night we were able to sit out on the balcony in the sunshine, prettiest dinner of the year so far.

Random

Painting my toe nails, I don’t bother when my feet are hidden away in socks but I’ve taken the Birks out of storage and I’m rocking some neon nails. I don’t care if it’s 5 degrees in the morning my feet are out and sockless, stop staring people because I’m going to have lovely cool feet when it hits 25 degrees at lunchtime!

What are you loving lately?