This slow-mo thumbs up’s for you

Hi Raymstronauts.

Continuing now, of course! Oh but yes that.

That was nerve-wracking walking beneath TBH.

Some German fashions.

Going backward through time my photos get lighter.

I am super stressed about packing right now and 100% living in the past as a coping mechanism.

Whatever, at least I don’t have to think I can just scroll through the pics one by one that I uploaded in Holland.

Disco parking lot lights ooh behave Germany.

I took this picture specifically for you guys to see how words look like on signs there. Okay, we got garages.

So grand. Where’s Taylor Swift when you need her?

Super into it btw no shame. Love a build ballad. Oh yeah, and was she head banging too or something?

WHAT’S UP JUNGLE BOOK BAR!

Bye again you vision of amazing.

Jut a great looking place yeah.

We drove through the longest curvy-wurvy street of an awesomely pepto bismal pastel rainbow colour palette dreamscape, trying to find Zentrum. The core, center of the city. It is like Munchkin Land + a bit V for Vendetta style.

It reminded me of Portobello Rd and henceforth market, like an uber souped-up Kensington market what with the rows of connected housing all different colour painted. A rainbow road effect. So f-ing cool and Europe.

Swoon.

Tear drop.

More of that accident we passed.

Accident signs. Good call? Yeah I think so.

Peace gotta go pack the stress monster is after me!!!

<3.

What else do you do on a longish road trip from Nederland to Deutschland on your last night in Europe in farm country? SELFIES.

Mo euro mo problems

Hi pals. Your favourite weirdo is here again, continuing onward with my pics from abroad. Here we are in Germany. These gloves are a little MJ no?

Long distance relationships are intense. A lot depends on them. Though it somewhat feels like depending on a ghost, you don’t quite believe it yourself. When they randomly say certain things that help solidify your vision of the future you’re like, oh really? Really. It’s nice to have a backbone. I mean, it could be just so easy to be alone and “wait” or, I don’t know. It’s just really great to have love period. It is also whimsical to be with your love in Europe. Everything is heightened. Demanding. There’s no bullshitting. In the dating world, there is a lot of bullshitting. When you’re on the other side of the fence of that, it is appreciated.

I felt like a different person in Europe too. Like I looked different? I didn’t care, but cared in a different way. One thing I think is, if we are going to stay together and marry, have kids, how are we going to do that with me working here and him there? It’s a thing I don’t obsess over but am for sure aware of. Women have windows. TMI whatevs, assume half the people who visit here just skim anyway.

Okay I’ll stop headcasing now. Lets check out my experiences!

Lots of horses and cows, sheep, etc are seen in the area of Holland and Germany where we reside and eventually becomes a so what thing. But here, no, you do not see a gorgeous show pony every other property you pass by. I told people at work I milked cows, they believed it lol.

Happily, he captures the idiot moments too where I demand a photo opp but don’t know how to rock it yet.

Each town/desty you go to is like this. Magnificent. Not in your face, but, kind of. We’d have like one of them back home (The Distillery). Do not take the Euro design, oldness, zoning, anything for granted because once you go home it’s so different. You will develop a keen eye when watching movies placed in Europe and kind of weep.

What is this? I don’t know but take my picture in front of it.

The smell of his pipe stunk up the entire section of this euro labyrinth of shoppes so much so I took a sneaker picture. Then we smelled him half hour later somewhere else. SO obnoxious. Don’t get me started on cigars or pipes.

That’s my monkey.

That’s, German merchandising store-fronting.

And shoes. Do these look particularly Euro to you, or whatever? Can’t tell after some time.

He tried to get us to have a snack and I declined because I wanted “real” dinner but, we should have in hindsight because we wandered around and around for awhile, lost, trying to find the best place. Fungry.

Guess what COORS!!!

Well, if you’re gonna buy diamonds…

Being in Germany, two days before you are leaving, as the sun sets… feelings.. This picture is my desktop bg now. Okay that’s all for now I’m toasted. I wrote this last night. Bye now.

ps. check out Playboy Energy V-Spot if you’re jonesing for more Raymbo.

Next Issue Canada

Hi Canada! Let me show you my new little friend, partial mega (and growing) addiction called Next Issue Canada. You know Netflix? Well, it’s like that and the app is actually F___ING amazing. Yeah, legit. Allow me to walk you through now kay seen>>>>

So, first lets pick out what we wanna read. Speaking of “read”, check what is written at the top so you’s know what’s going on in this crazy mixed up world! Ipad couch internet combing marathons comprised the majority of time spent maxin and relaxin whilst in Europe. 1. I was super informed and 2. a well 6 hours ahead of you. It makes you arrogant.

Top left, there’s ma girl now I’s just gots to knows some more.

Here’s a little bit more info for you because they are just so nice. There’s no need to hoard your magazines, or clutter, no nonsense. I really like it. A total treasure.

Every page is a new painting in your hands. Bye bye paper.

Now, I love a good blog but now we’ve got a serious run for our money again as the old media adopts digital. I think both genres can tread, deliver definitely and besides, are magazines not publications unto themselves forever more. The originators. “Gazettes” if you will? They are titans and I think they should be honoured, and thus they provide top notch entertainment for the “new world”, as in digital.

Now here’s the money. It’s the Netflix of magazines and magazines are the movies of print. Everybody wins. If your favourite starlet is doing well BLAM she’s in every glossy rag.

Not to obsess or anything but it is refreshing to read print that you haven’t already read before on Buzzfeed, Jezebel, dailydot, reddit, etc. and those are the things you only discover in magazines, that you pay for. The internet is free and therefore cheap so we get cheap thrills. But magazines are subscription based or you buy one, in print, which negates the whole anti-clutter thing blah blah environment (though it is fact)… and further more I love it you should try it and it’s free right now for 30 days, sign up and then un-sign up if you hate it simple as that, just download it guy you will not be disappointed! xoxo.

This post was sponsored by Next Issue.

Raymi abroad continued

Continuing now with my nonsense of things from abroad, here is my last Friday night in Holland. They had that edible paper pasted to our bread and I’m covering the name because I am private like that. Anyway I tasted it and it was like very fine barely even paper bland/remniscent of the bread flavour in taste. That sentence fuckin sucked, sorry.

I love this place for various reasons, multiple sentimental levels that if I typed them out you’d just big fat “oh so what” yawn at me for it. It’s a shower then it’s a grower but it still agitates you a bit because after final dinner service it turns into a night club, the energy is palpable to you as you dine and especially on a Friday night. It’s an influential vibe as in, you drink.

Then another night he had a croquette and beer craving, one of those days you just eat nothing satisfying I suppose so we went out late to this one somewhat local place, we threw maybe ten euros in coins into this and lost it all pretty fast but the best part was watching two dudes come in and play a machine each and you could tell they were on a tear, a full Euro tear. People watching in Europe is 1000% more interesting especially if you know what country they come from because they are so much closer to it, and all those things you’ve heard about this such and such a person or that becomes live before your very eyes. I can’t describe it, I won’t. It’s just good.

Same place. We came here one of my first nights too. They only let us leave with our tall boys instead of serve us beer there. Funny laws in Europe and loop holes everywhere. This night however we made it in time and it was packed with truck drivers, lots of Polish ones and other east Euro kinds. It’s infuriating not being able to understand anybody because my boyfriend erupts in laughter every other minute and I’m like WHAT?? WHAT!? And he has to continue listening because it’s so good whatever they’re saying and by the time they’re done we have to whisper talk because they notice we’re watching, and the moment is over.

This was my last Thursday. We visited our favourite park, the one with the trees and flowers and the necklace and our only other social life, the ducks we fed since they were ducklings.

Everything we did this week was tainted with emo because I was leaving soon. No snow though bro.

bf asked if my outfit was a Canadian flag ahhaha.

A girl at work was wearing similar Pumas to these today except with extra embellishments and flare. I pointed them out and commented. I left behind ALL of my shoes from spring. It feels like being a divorced kid.

Then when something cute happens or we laugh we’re like aw ahahahh then sad because wah going to miss that. He pretended he was filming me so I was all berserk wtf.

5 papes left warning/calling card.

Me in Germany with my friend.

Now we are in Germany on my last Tuesday. I only know this from hanging up a calendar and Flickr tells me the date the photo was taken (the 14th), quite handy that. I flew the sixteenth so depression was at an all time high.

Peach/pink gorgeous place is where that yuppie told us to eat.

Considered the Ratskeller lol.

Looking over the menu, smoking.

La vie. Agree.

Vunderbar

He’s emo, I relate.

Attention span over plus Dateline is on PEACE!!!!

this speaks to my heart

My static blog was keeeeeling me. Plus, I have a couple things to do that I “can’t” from winding down after work so one hand blames the other. I feel like if I personal blog, me-blog, like “I’m in trubs” because I did something but not the priority things. But maybe I need to personal blog to open up the creative flood gates and make way for the to do. Which I can’t quit whining about. I think after jet lag then confronting post vacay blues, emo acceptance and thrust into moving stress as well as back to work getting into the groove of (which am happy to report: all is good there) I needed to just, do those things. Period.

I uploaded 500 photos from abroad like a mad man and it’s starting to give me Obsessive Compulsive Disorder anxiety and worry “I will forget” #neverforget.

So here are photos from my last night, in Germany, the night before I left. My last supper. At a Deutschland potato place. Don’t get me started on the food. It’s really good, I will just leave it at that. BORINGLY that. Hee.

Imagine Yogurt with a J. It is real. Jogurt. It’s cute.

Hispanic prawn what? This is english provided menu, thank god. Reading German is like reading a made-up cartoon language on the care bears. I dunno. I know that’s really ignorant, but words are just SO LONG.

I had Fanta vodka. YOLO

Those are good signs for British people.

You’re kidding me. Love it.

The tables were covered in papers, so many menus, we were sitting in wooden church pew-like booths and everything had that old classic look and feel to it. Authentasia.

The outside. We ran around lost for a long time getting colder and colder and finally I made us ask someone and then we found this place. It’s like finding a giganticer Yorkville, Distillery, Old Mtl, etc. BUT real deal Germania.

And you don’t understand a thing.

A yuppie told us to go here. His kinda place. Okaaay. linen service place. I guess it’s a compliment. It had more of a work drinks vibe to it.

Cuckoo clock shit like this everywhere. My favourite.

A lone man smoking here, I doubled back and took a photo of the lemons, the moment.

That’s the man there. Each tiny place was cookie cutter Paddington bear set in nature.

Like seriously.

Took quite a bit to settle/decide on where to eat. This was a cafe that boasted, like, Timothys, but was really a restaurant, a proper one. I’m not a picky eater anymore, just selector. Because I hate being settled then realizing you’re in a hole or their menu is ridiculous. Food snob all the way forever more and nothing but. Deal with it.

Forgot to bring smokes, bf had to buy some here. They have cigarette machines everywhere here in abundance like the 70’s. 80’s. Super time warp.

Sure. A spot light behind a terra cotta Jesus’ biblical times water vase, cliche whatever have fun.

Okay that is good. It’s so nice there.

Lots of Gothic black roofs. It’s their thing. You can tell by the stripe in their flag.

Moving over to Holland, I discovered this particular favoured way of marketing this particular feature film. #interesting. and #goodluckwiththat does it work?

Speaking of Germany, had just gotten back from there this evening.

I left this coat for sister. She doesn’t know that yet.

What I had for Linner in Germany. I thought I ordered something more mexican but received gyro Greek. Okay then. I still love this place.

Huge burgers if Big Macs were flat and round like massive saucers.

Catching up on my local fashion cultures.

This was before NYE, we were like hmm what to do/want to do that but we are old. Still it was fun and exciting. I’m a big fan of “before” anticipation. I’m sure you love a pre-game too.

Classic retro repro posters hang everywhere, mirrors so you can spy on everything and person. We came in during a Vanilla sky sunset. Can’t forget the magic of Christmas ornaments donning everything everywhere.

That’s a festival bracelet. Tiny bolts are on the other side, stacked.

He explained this one to me but I forget. Go for it.

Dick Tracy lights.

Sith Lord what.

Jesus. Ballin’. I always do a good 2 avocados a week from the couch. Rock salt and lime guy.

My last Friday in Holland, went for a Fridate bender and that’s my beloved tree in the back yard and it was misting. Then my hat fell in a puddle. Hehaha.

:(

Baha don’t ask. Bottom left is what gingerale looks like over there and it’s hard to find but has since been easier or they order more at our grocery store finally.

This is back in Holland now.

Yep I look stupid it is not just your imagination but maybe no game is my game.

I love this part of Holland.

I am tired now/need to move along. To be continued. Oh, I’m up for a travel category blog award now as well as life time achievement and life. ZZzz bye!

not everything but a lot of things

Here’s a post I began, don’t know when, but abandoned sure enough off to somewhere with no time to spare. I’m back now in Canada and completely brain fried. Yay. I know that I hated my prawn pasta dinner but was too much of a priss to send back so I soldiered through. This was my last Friday in Holland. Sigh. Guess I’m still a delicate infant in denial. Glad to be back at work to occupy me of course, and be social. I go back Monday.

More soon!

OH NO FOMO

Here’s my afternoon backwards in Osnabruk, Germany. Just some highlights cos we’re on the way out again to see sis and our buddy.

Now not to be a dick here but, if a Canadian chef went to Germany to do their thing they would kill it on account of the zero competition. I’ll throw a “just saying” on that for good measure. I’m just talking about the salads, I dunno, it is all classic style generally for the most part.

Well there’s a painting.

Deer head in a tree FTW.

TURN OFF DAS LICHT!

I watched the book thief last night, which is also set in an old charming German town.

These “Usies” were dimly backlit so by this point I was making face like that.

This is the town he came to buy his first ipad ever. It was cheaper in Germany.

This weirdo building sticks up all adorable like that godddd.

Their walking man is the best too.

Woah.

Scarf from mom I have no idea how to wear at this point in time.

My hair day ruled though and you can see the platinum tips. Time to dye.

Gotta go round two begins.

The blog must go on

Lets begin again somewhere in the middle.

Hi Liz!

She painted this shoe it’s on her twitter header @artwaif. One of the many highlights of reading her blog was when she went to Burning Man and seeing her preparations for that. Girl crafts, yo. Hoola hoops, glitter, paint, etc. OKAY BACk TO ME NOW.

I got to be a hand model for work did I tell you? Always keeping those bad boys in check.

A few days before NYE.

Raymi Lauren.

Amazing. I was jealous. So much is going on with this burger. A pineapple? WTF I would throw that off. The smokey burger plus the warm tandoori creamy sauce blew my mind, and it’s open face and messy as hell. He ordered it.

I had a tosti and because the spicy-peppery thinly sliced salami was charcuterie-level and the sandwich was pressed thin, I wasn’t jealous of his lunch for very long. I try to eat super light if at all in the day since we gorge all night long.

These stairs are daring. The side at the right is so thin it’s like walking on a ledge, you must pay attention to your feet at all times it’s like a paper fan, hard to convey go see for yourself. I am a recovering foot injured person, falling is a new paranoia added to my list of hypochondria. Fact: I am accident-prone.

I call this: Elitist PR girl porn.

I call this: Desperate housewife.

Dutch bathroom time. Futuristic retro and Japan-like. Sidenote: I have never been to Japan but I have a Hello Kitty complex.

Efficient. Very common typical and the button on the wall too. I love toilets here because they are huge and you can fill it up with all the tp you want. I’m sorry but I make mountains.

AHHH see.

Swoon.

Stuff like this inspires me forever. It’s like dopamine looking at and romanticizing surroundings you escape to in your dreams.

I love you. I love Eu. I love Europe.

Oh you know just a house castle just around the corner.

It was a lovely day. I really love this house. This style, it screams English cottage. His mom was just here and gave me some bg info on Holland, it is largely French inspired actually and Napoleon had his fingers all over it. His brother was the King and lived in this palace in Amsterdam btw. Then all of his siblings became a queen or a king. What a crazy time that would have been.

Good timing on this film. Football hooligans.

End of year errands were done in the evening. They call New year’s eve-eve Old year. It’s confusing hearing people talk sometimes, their expressions are amusing. On NYE I could not for the life of me think of ONE example of an English expression (two birds one stone for example) but now they’ve all come flooding in. I said that the Dutch speak in riddle all the time “expressions” and they said no they do not. I dunno, whatever it keeps you on your toes.

Then he got a haircut.

I bought perfume (it’s really weak) and this bottle is almost empty.

This was hangover from NYE, the morning after old year. Aardappelschotel – holland potatoes with German ham. Fried eggs over them. Was good and filling, I didn’t eat too much.

A chick I work with hooked me up with a bunch of jerk spice marinades. She gets me. We marinated these legs for three days, we ate one batch but knew we would be hung after new year’s eve. Planning in advance is key to party.

I don’t know if I blogged this. Look how bossy I look. She’s trying to plug her ear from the firework explosions the men were setting off right outside. God that was an experience alright.

Left these here in the spring and I don’t think I even wore them once. Canada infiltrating yeah!

Dressing the part for the sojourn to Germany.

The tree is gone now.

If I ever sell bibles I will keep this outfit in mind.

Trying to remember if you have blogged an instagram photo before or not is tough. I try to be thorough, it is annoying. I am just trying to be a better blogger. Isn’t that cute and virtuous? If anything, this creation is a gift to myself to preserve all of the awesome I ever did and loved.

We have talked about this one before. I was surprised how small it was. Van Gogh is the one who cut off his ear. What a weirdo. I draw the line well before self mutilation.

I’m going to go eat a handful of that meat right now and press publish because It’s time to stretch these legs and straighten this hunch. Have a great I can’t believe that it’s Friday. RLW.