Sometimes it’s not about doing more — it’s about doing it steadily. I’m so thankful for the partnerschip with Pavlina Bulguri’s exercises — they feel exactly right for me. This time, I’ve promised myself to practice the blood & lymph flow exercise every single morning — a small ritual to recharge and move with more vitality. 🌿
A question I get asked quite often: What can you prepare for a festive party without spending the whole time in the kitchen instead of with your guests?
Well, we hotel people tend to be very pragmatic — we know that good, down-to-earth country cooking not only makes both young and old happy, but can usually be prepared completely the day before. The secret isn’t extravagance; it’s organization, warmth, and a menu that lets you enjoy the company you’ve invited.
#7/8. Samhain and All Saints — the quiet threshold between autumn and winter, when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead feels especially thin. It’s a time that invites reflection, remembrance, and gratitude for all that has shaped us.
The weather couldn’t fit better — grey, still, and cold enough to call for candles, warmth, and quiet thoughts. The kind of day that makes you sit down with a cup of tea, light incense, and listen — not only to the world around you, but also to the one within.ningly this that much slew.
Nothing is harder than trying to please everyone. At 53, let me share something with you: every year it gets easier to stand true to yourself. And honestly, I’m deeply grateful for the person I’ve become. I’ve lived a lot. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve got stories, scars, and laughter — and I wouldn’t trade any of it. I am me. And yes, I like me.
In the past, I often wished life would calm down — fewer ups and downs, less turbulence. Did that happen? No. And today, I’m glad it didn’t. Because peace isn’t the absence of motion; it’s the ability to find stillness within it. I appreciate moments of harmony now, and I’m profoundly thankful that I’ve learned to walk away from people who drain me instead of give me energy. That, I’m convinced, is one of life’s greatest medicines as you grow older.
I don’t just love this book because of its beautiful cover. I love it because of what it holds inside. From the very first pages, I felt that Isabel Allende wasn’t simply writing about women — she was writing to us, with us, and even through us.
My copy is now full of dog-eared pages, each corner folded down on a passage that spoke directly to my heart.
A total change of scenery — switching hemispheres, yet still on the same earth. This time: Australia. 🌏
I’ve travelled a lot, but somehow never made it here when I was younger. Back then, hotels weren’t quite ready to tackle the visa maze, and so the dream stayed tucked away — somewhere between curiosity and possibility. Years later, with age, a little patience, and family ties (my step-daughter lived there), I finally went. What followed was a journey of beauty, questions, and humility — a reminder of how vast and fragile our planet truly is.
Please swipe slowly — it’s worth it.
Today, I’d like to inspire both seasoned professionals and those just beginning their journey in hospitality — and of course, everyone who feels drawn by that wave of CHANGE currently sweeping through our industry — with a fascinating topic: C for Conversation & Psychology, the quiet forces behind every genuine guest experience.
From first impressions to complaint management, from guest relations to team spirit — every interaction is psychology in action. Hospitality, at its best, is not about perfection, but perception: how we make others feel seen, respected, and valued.
This time, I’m looking at it from the team’s perspective — because sometimes, we find ourselves serving guests we might never even greet in our “normal” lives.
And yet, that’s part of the magic. Hospitality challenges us to move beyond personal preference and to meet people where they are — with empathy, curiosity, and grace.
Have you noticed this too when coming back from France? It’s not just that driving on French highways feels like pure ease — calm drivers, long stretches of road framed by fields and vineyards. Even the smallest encounters seem touched by something softer.
A quick stop at the bakery, for example, can turn into a quiet reminder of grace: a grateful wave when you let someone merge into traffic, a patient smile as two cars negotiate a narrow village street, a cheerful “bonjour, Madame” or “merci, Monsieur” that feels sincere. These gestures may seem ordinary, but together they weave a rhythm of gentleness that lingers long after you’ve left.
I absolutely love it — because those little gestures of kindness are the best happiness boosters. They don’t cost anything, yet they enrich everything. It’s as if the sun you share with someone else ends up shining right back on your own face.
So no — please don’t ever believe everything you see here. And definitely don’t compare it to your own life. Even in five-star hotels, there are guests who arrive in a Ferrari — and then, at check-out, their credit card doesn’t go through. What shines on the outside isn’t always what it seems.
When I post here, I try to share the little things that bring me real joy — the quiet details, the moments that make me pause. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll spark a touch of everyday inspiration for you too. ✨
– flip through the slides –
But like in every good hotel team, there’s also a backstage. Behind the polished smiles and the soft lights, there’s sadness, insecurity, frustration, disappointment, and challenge. I don’t always serve them up on a silver platter — not because they don’t exist, but because not everything needs to be displayed to be real.
Still, they’re part of the story. And now and then, I’ll let you in. Because life, in all its contrasts, is what connects us most deeply. Whether it’s about love, work, friendship, or the quiet storms within — everyone carries their own version of “behind the scenes.”
Here in the South, nature often sparkles in golden sunlight, and it’s tempting to believe that beauty is effortless. But real beauty grows slowly. It needs rain, shadow, and imperfection. Otherwise… it’s just an illusion — beautiful on the surface, but without roots.
So let’s keep sharing both the sunshine and the storms — with honesty, warmth, and a little grace. ☀️🌧️
And you — what’s something real, imperfect, or quietly beautiful that shaped your week?
#6/8. For me, this sixth ritual — out of eight nature rituals — is about pausing, looking back at the past months, and finding balance and harmony for the time ahead. 🐾
The little reading dog in the picture stands as a symbol of thankfulness — a gentle reminder that everything still growing in the forest and meadows now belongs to nature and the animals as they prepare for winter. 🌿 It’s the moment when the gardener, the wanderer, the observer steps back, allowing the cycle of life to continue on its own.
