Fun & Famous
Carolien's fast lane life
Yes, another fresh weekday diary from our Carolien. Because you know: she never sits still…
For years, I have been a huge fan of the brand TOMS. Their philosophy is so well thought out and is reflected in all their products. They are known for their ‘one for one shoes’, where for every pair of shoes sold, they donate a pair to a child in need. But by now, the collection has greatly expanded with bags, glasses, and their stores even have a fairtrade coffee bar (my favorite spot on Abbot Kinney’s in LA). Because our collective Bouillabaisse is playing at many festivals this summer, I was looking for sunglasses that can withstand some rough handling. This frame is designed for outdoor activities (read: tough-proof) and with my purchase, TOMS helps restore the eyesight of a person in need. What a perfect combination: a beautiful new pair of glasses and making the world a little bit better.
”Because our collective Bouillabaisse is playing at many festivals this summer, I was looking for sunglasses that can withstand some rough handling”
A few times a year, I receive an email that makes my heart race… The day before, I can hardly sleep, in the early morning I put on my best outfit and head to the Sofitel Legend The Grand. There are three gift suites filled with new brands and products waiting to be presented to us. What I love about these events is that it’s absolutely not about ’grabbing‘, as you often see on TLC in American versions of gift suites. The brands explain their philosophy and hope to connect with influencers who fit well with their brand. This time, I discovered the Allure Kristalpad, which makes it very easy to remove unwanted hair. And soon there might be a really cool collaboration coming with one of the other new brands: to be continued!
If you, like me, are crazy about Dutch designs, then a visit to X Bank in the W Hotel is an absolute must. The concept store is arranged in such a way that you want to wander around for at least an hour: from delicious room sprays to accessories and beautiful clothing from brands like Avelon, First of August (FoA), and Claes Iversen. Last week, FoA launched its first bag collection in X Bank, and it was celebrated in a big way, I can tell you. Nowadays, you don’t count if you don’t produce sustainable fashion, so FoA has also paid a lot of attention to this: the sustainable leather comes from Scandinavian cows, is then tanned sustainably in Belgium, and produced in a specialized workshop in Budapest. Such a bag has, on average, traveled more at the time of purchase than its ‘owner’! I found my perfect wedding purse among the collection. Oooh guys, I’m almost Mrs. Karthaus!
”Such a bag has, on average, traveled more at the time of purchase than its ‘owner’!”
In the past, I would have laughed hard at you if you claimed that I would ever enjoy being in a gym. But now I’m even a bit addicted and let myself be pushed hard by my personal trainer Stephan Hamersma twice a week. When I was invited for a trial lesson at the new sports concept High 45, I was immediately intrigued: a group lesson of 45 minutes with non-stop exercises of 45 seconds. And an extra lesson just before The Big Day can’t hurt! So I rode my bike to Weesperstraat (which is already a workout in itself from my house). The space looked very inviting with LED lights and few machines, only mechanical treadmills. At the start, the group was divided into three groups and we immediately got to work with three rounds of nine exercises. After the second round, I felt a bit dizzy, but strangely enough, I felt fitter at the end of the lesson. Eight weeks before the wedding, so I’m very curious how effective these workouts will be. It will mainly be difficult to resist the macarons and wines in the coming weeks…
This week is going to be tough: I’m filming for four days in Brussels until five in the morning… Yet it has its charm: filming in the middle of the night, people getting sillier, and seeing the sun rise as you’re just going to bed. Yesterday, we turned out to be filming at a location where the big end party of the student corps was taking place. Read: extremely drunk students stumbling down the street and constantly ’ruining‘ the shot… And it was also pouring rain! Luckily, it all worked out and I’m now preparing for my most exciting day of this filming period: I get to do a stunt where I make a free fall from a few meters! Yesterday I got to practice and luckily it went very well: I kept falling into this huge pile of cardboard boxes, which is surprisingly soft when you fall on it. I’m curious how they ever figured that out…
