COCOANDSILK: July 2015

Since my days away from the city are very limited and i tend to spend most of the summer time in Athens, it makes sense to try and have the best time i can here, in my basis.

It is important to me to feel clean and fresh when temperature climbs to mount Everest, wearing a light silk or linen dress - like this one - makes me look elegant and stylish even if i have to work from early day to late evening!

It is always a nice idea to give ourselves a small break from work even if it is going to be only for half an hour. A visit to my favorite coffee shop where i can still enjoy a wonderful hot chocolate - even in July i prefer to drink it hot - or to a small jewelry boutique - everyone loves to wear silver in the summer - makes me feel like i am miles away from work! And of course no matter what time i finish my work, it is so easy to grab C. and head to our local restaurant to enjoy a cold glass of wine (wine is for me only, not to be misunderstood) and a light meal while chatting about how lovely this summer is! We always have to stay positive, no?

Have the most beautiful day

Love, K.

main image via tumblr.com , all the others via here

7/27/2015

24 Hours In Thessaloniki

When C. decided to spend a week in a summer camp near Thessaloniki, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to visit my home town, even for 24 hours.

For me it is a 5star treat, my sweet mom does everything she can to give me some rest and i so much enjoy this, I'm a spoiled only child also! So i left C. with her friends and headed to the city center to do some gourmet shopping, enjoy a small break next to the sea, and relax drinking a cool cocktail a few steps away from my home, no driving no nothing!

No matter how much i love Athens, i have such a sweet time visiting home! Once in a while it's nice to become a child again and live la dolce vita!

Enjoy your day!

Love, K.

all images by cocoandsilk

7/24/2015

Make My Friday - The Detox

This week my daughter left for a mini break and i was free of motherhood stuff. It was going to be a pretty hot week and it seemed to me this was the perfect timing to detox my body from all the bad habits of the previous months.

Remember this post? Well, better late than never it's what they say...
So here is my experience of the three day detox program i followed with the help of Verve juices.

DAY ONE
Starting the detox seems easy at first, the juice(s) is very tasty, i was more than pleased to drink it early in the morning. I am not the heavy breakfast type of person and it was OK with me to feel my stomach a bit empty. Around noon i started to feel a bit stressed and hungry, also i happen to have a very hard and hectic day which proved to be absolutely wrong. It would be so much better to start the detox on the weekend and to feel calm and restful, the way i was advised. At 10 pm i was exhausted and somehow depressed, i had only one bottle left and i was pretty sure it was impossible for me to make it for three days. And then magic happened - i don't know why or how, the moment i had my last bottle i felt incredibly revived and relaxed, i went to bed and had a wonderful deep sleep! Win!!!

DAY TWO
Waking up feeling hungry and very very thirsty! Day two was supposed to be easier than the previous day but something told me it wasn't going to be a honeymoon. I kept on feeling thirsty during all day and drank lots of water but my biggest problem was the brutal hunger that was torturing me. I needed desperately to put something solid in my stomach and i was feeling like i was stack with it, all i could think was: i need to eat. By noon it was impossible to handle it so i gave up and had half a slice of gluten free bread. I am really ashamed about it but i was sooo hungry! Anyway after the short relief i followed the program as i was supposed to, adding two pieces of water melon before sleep.

DAY THREE
I thought i wouldn't make it, but here i am! Day three was the easiest of all. I woke up feeling very light and happy. Not because this was my last day but i had a feeling of being healthy, being clean and i was full of energy and nice, positive feelings. It was an easy going day, i even made it to the cinema carrying my last bottle proudly in my bag! No hunger, no stress, no anxiety, no nothing. Day three was the best of all and i can understand this, somehow toxins are not only hidden in our bodies but in our brain also! It was not only a body detox, it was more that this.

CONCLUSION
That was not easy! My body was fighting against me, asking for the old way. The day after the program i could not eat meat or drink alcohol, i was looking for raw vegetables and fruit. I also felt i didn't want to harm my body any more with unhealthy food and bad habits.
I managed to slip into this dress, with a flat belly. Did i loose weight? I did not bother to check, i was feeling just fine!
The program helped me to boost my energy and most of all to give my body a break from everything harmful. Would i do it again? Definitely!!!

Enjoy your weekend
Love, K.

all images by cocoandsilk

7/22/2015

The Artist - Fotis Karapiperis

I was very lucky to meet Mr Karapiperis a few months ago.

Mr Karapiperis is the kindest and more low profile photographer i have ever met, no big words, no fuss, no nothing. He never talks about his work and somehow feels uncomfortable when others talk about it.

I truly admire the way he sees things and captures life and i am totally smitten with his travel photography.

There is a kind of sadness, kindness, respect for the place he is visiting and finally a picture full of power and secret, unspoken, whispering words. These photographs just speak to my soul!

Aside from his work as a travel photographer he is an active member of Studio Verve where he still works and creates amazing projects.

Mr Karapiperis lives in Athens and you can also check his work here.

Have a wonderful day

Love, K.

all images by Fotis Karapiperis

7/20/2015

Mid July

Mid July is for:

find the coolest place to live and work, it is getting hotter and hotter

try some new cocktail recipes - preferably alcohol free

eat as light as you can , it's time for your mediterranean diet

sugar? go for the light home made version

get out of the house, whether it's your balcony, backyard or summer house

whatever you choose enjoy, summer is here and it's perfect!

first and last image by cocoandsilk, all others via inside out

7/17/2015

Make My Friday - Work From Home

You know, i find it so relaxing to have a small break once in a while and instead of working from the office, stay and work from home. This rarely happens , i mean i don't even remember when was the last time i did that but the other day it was the perfect opportunity.

So, things i like most when i work from home are:

1. I can work and enjoy the quietness since everyone else is missing.

2. On a summer day the office area is going to be outside, and i looove this!

3. I can wear my flip-flops, no make up, no nothing, we are talking casual here!

4. Listen to my music, all my music collection is here.

5. I can work with my to do list since the phone is not ringing all the time and people is not calling every five minutes. Let the others answer the phone today!

6. Have my lunch on time, the kitchen is next to me.

7. Enjoy a small nap and get back to work , so easy!

8. Organize next week's schedule with a clear mind and according to the plan, no stress today.

9. Escape from everyone, focus to get work done.

10. Get back to the office tomorrow full of energy!

Do you like working from home now and then?

Whatever the answer, hey it's weekend, enjoy!!!

Love, K.

and a happy selfie

images by cocoandsilk

7/15/2015

Now Online

Hi there!

When i first started to think about cocoandsilk - a year ago - i could never imagine the changes this project would bring in my life, personal, social and working life. It was something that looked scary if not impossible to achieve, a small business with a big vision and millions of financial and technical details to be solved in a small period. What i really gained from this, more than anything else, is that where there is strong will - and a little help from my friends - there is a way.

In cocoandsilk. or cocoa and silk if you prefer, we work keeping in mind some very important (to us) principles: respect our clients by offering the best quality and design at the best possible price, respect the people who work with us by creating the best possible environment, support the local independent units and build relations based on trust and good will, creating a classy and long lasting wardrobe for women.

So, after a year of hard work and a lot of stress but also an exciting time of creative madness, finally we are ready to open our online shop and we are more than happy!

I would like to thank all the people who have supported us during this period and encouraged us not to give up, and also the wonderful people who work with us every day and try for the best!

Love you!!!

A wonderful day to all!

logo by emmanuel tsakiris , image by fotis karapiperis

7/13/2015

My Summer Of Innocence

This summer is more than welcome after a hectic winter period.

I had so many plans - still do - but more than everything what i deeply wanted was a small brake, some peaceful days in a small Greek island.

Summer is the season of innocence, it was always like that. It's when we lay on the beach listening to old songs, drinking cool cocktails, leaving the mind to melt under the hot sun and stop thinking...give the brain a small brake, enjoy a switch off.

I have to admit that this summer is not the best i can remember, especially here in Greece. But the sun is still shining, the weather is amazing and my music playlist is ready, so despite all the ugly situation my time of innocence is here at last!

Have a wonderful day!!!

Love, K.

images via vogue.fr

7/10/2015

Make My Friday - The White Bedroom

It's been a long time since i made a post about interiors and boy this is one of my favorite topics!

I am walking into the land of white now, my bedroom is mostly white, but a dash of color here and there creates an interesting result.

It would be really difficult for me to try relax and sleep in a room painted in red for ex., or green, or yellow and another thing is white sits so smoothly next to grey - another favorite color. Of course if you prefer to play hard you can work with stronger colors creating striking results, i guess that depends on one's wish. There are hundreds of sites out there to help you and give you ideas - and to be honest some of them are truly amazing!

Sometimes i wonder, is white a trend or is it here to stay? I definitely can't have enough and i love this color so much, I'll probably go with it for many many years.

See you on a busy Monday. Enjoy your weekend.

Love, K.

pics via here

7/08/2015

No Theme Post

Sometimes you feel there is no reason to speak any more.

Sometimes you feel words are not enough because they have lost their true meaning.

Sometimes you feel all that matters is to say no more.

Sometimes a beautiful image worths more than a thousand words.

Sometimes all you want is normality, nothing more, nothing less!

Have a nice day

Love, K.

images via tumblr.com

7/06/2015

A Smell Of Winter In The Heart Of Summer

One of the strangest things in my work is that i always run for the next season.

It was early January when i started the first drawings for my summer collection and it is now, in the heart of summer, running like mad to be on time for winter.

Somehow this is one of the things i really love about fashion, you are always switched on, always on the run for your next step, your next creative madness, the next challenge!

Team is ready for our next project, we all work very hard to build our own small label and keep it alive in the wild ocean called fashion industry. And it is funny alright cause even though it is July, we do not talk so much about our summer vacation but how damned lucky we were to find the best quality Portuguese cashmere. That's the best part when you so much love what you are doing...every day is like a holiday.

Enjoy your Monday

Love, K.

images via Vogue Australia

7/03/2015

Make My Friday - Find Your Shelter

During the last days dramatic things are happening in Greece.

When times are really hard, we all need somewhere to find comfort and consolation so we can keep our mind and soul safe. Some can say this looks like a denial from reality, but in fact it is a way of protecting ourselves from all the toughness of the world. I insist that life is beautiful no matter what, even though sometimes i find it really hard to stay positive and be optimistic about the future, but we are here to fight and do our best to make the world a better place.

When i am really down i always search for consolation in beauty. A nice picture makes me feel better, helps me to keep on dreaming and gives me courage to work harder for the day to come. At the end of the day what really makes the difference is to be kind, do good and stay human, for us and for the rest of the world...

Have a beautiful weekend

Love, K.

images via here