July 2014

Galia Brener
July 25, 2014
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Do you miss your “ex” or the “feeling of love”?

Do you miss your “ex” or the “feeling of love”? https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Gali_feature_dreamy.jpg 1354 437 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 25, 2014 November 5, 2016

Do you ever think about your ex and really miss him/her? Do you think back about the good times you had, the kissing, cuddling, laughing, hanging out, cooking, traveling, talking, sharing, partying, falling asleep together, and and and? Well my dears, perhaps I can make your heart a bit lighter after reading this article. Most likely, you don’t miss your ex, but rather the feeling of love, and being loved!

A few Saturdays ago, I had dinner at VaiVai with my two friends Marianne and Heather. We were a table full of carnivores, and all ordered the same dry-aged steak, and the famous VaiVai rosemary and garlic homemade french fries. Of course this was topped off with a nice bottle of Barolo. Little did we know that this would be one of the most important evenings for heather in a long time! On our second glass, reminiscing about all of our past loves, Heather looked at us with sudden tears in her eyes and said, “I think of him so often. I’m stuck, and I can’t move on. It still hurts so much! I used to be so free, positive and happy before I met him. I want to be that woman again.” Wow, big statement! Marianne is a well-known Frankfurt psychologist, and she decided that tonight she would heal Heather. Tonight was the first time in a while that Heather was open for help, and she was about to beat her demon.

Marianne asked Heather a simple question: “Tell me 5 things that you miss about your ex.” She answered: cooking together, traveling, cuddling…. “STOP!” said Marianne. “I said the 5 things that you miss about “him”! Not 5 things that you could have with another man as well.” Marianne looked at us like we were Martians talking to her in an alien language. She became extremely quiet, and it took her a while to think. We finished the first bottle of red. Still no answer. After a while she said she missed his smell, voice, sense of humor, physical contact and helpful advice. Well, sorry to break it to you Heather, but these things you can have with another man as well. Voices and smells are unique, but many other people have nice scents and tones as well! She opened her eyes, as if for the very first time in months, and realized that it is not specifically “him” that she missed, but rather the feeling of love and a companion by her side! She also admitted that most of the cute sweet things in the relationship came from her. If she created this with her ex, then she can implement these things in the next relationship as well! And just like that, Heather’s brain clicked with this new awareness, and sent a message to her heart, “You can let go now.” This realization was worth gold! Ever since then, Heather is smiling, happy, positive and herself again!

Ladies and gentlemen if you are hanging onto your ex and can’t let go, then ask yourself one simple question: “What exactly do I miss about him/her?” You have to differentiate whether the things you miss, you can have with another partner as well – such as – cuddling, traveling, having someone who cares about you, affection, love, sex, having someone to talk to when bad or good things happen, going to dinners and partying, sweet text messages, falling asleep together, kissing, etc. All of these things the next love will give you too! It’s not specific of your ex only! However, if you really miss such things like his smell, jokes, laughter, body gesture, habits, etc. then it is him/her you’re still longing after. But also here I can help you by pointing out that the next guy might make even funnier jokes, understand you better, care more, or the next girl might smell even better for you, be more empathetic, etc. In my opinion, 80% of the time we miss the feeling of love, being loved, companionship, activities and spending time with a partner – rather than that “specific” person! Crazy realization, right?

If you open up your mind to this fact, and make a list, then you will see that most likely you are part of that 80%. This realization will help you to let go and move on very quickly! The hold and obsession will be released, and you will open up to new love again. Plus don’t forget that it is quite normal to still hang onto the last person that you were dating. Most likely as soon as the next love will knock on your door, you will forget your ex – because you will have the companionship and feeling of love again, which was missing after the breakup. Believe me, when that handsome new man or beautiful woman is staring into your eyes with a big smile, the last thing you will think about is your ex! That’s when you will see again – it’s not them you really missed!

Galia Brener
July 23, 2014
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Racing adventures at the MotoGP

Racing adventures at the MotoGP https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Gali_MotoGP_2014.jpg 1354 437 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 23, 2014 December 23, 2018

Continued from last week …

When Dan picked up the phone, his mischievous voice told me everything I needed to know. Apparently he slept at the guy’s villa that he met last night at the VOGUE/Mercedes Benz event in Borschardt. Dan was already madly in love, dreaming of his days as the perfect hostess wife to his influential husband. If anyone would know, it would break out as a huge scandal in Europe, so I must keep the name a big secret!

When we arrived at the Sachsenring, we were greeted by a Bridgestone rep and given an Access All Areas pass. Apparently this pass was worth gold at the MotoGP, because it meant access to the team garages and pit areas. We were taken on a tour of the various teams, starting with Ducati, and ending with Yamaha. There I met the infamous Bradley Smith of the Tech3 team, and he gave us some insider gossip about his growing success. I couldn’t help notice the girls running around in the background, doing jumping jacks to get his attention. Managers were running from left to right, protecting their riders like fresh Kobe beef from flies.

I felt the buzzing energy all around me. Journalists, photographers and TV crews were scurrying around like mad chickens without their heads, trying to capture the exciting moments before the race. We were invited by the prestigious Bridgestone tire brand, and they made sure our VIP weekend was one to remember. They set us up in a 5-star boutique hotel in a picturesque town beside the racetrack. As I walked into my room, I saw a huge bright red beach towel and cap waiting for me on the bed. As I came closer to the cap, I noticed that it was signed by the one and only German race star Stefan Bradl! What an excellent and rare present.

The next day has dawned, and we were taken to the racetrack to see the teams. As I stepped out of the black shuttle, my breath was taken away! The roar of the engines violently penetrated my ears, making its aggressive way through my body, where I felt its vibrations deep in my stomach. It was a sound that I have never heard before – so wild, strong and unrelenting! The sound shook me to my core, and the rush woke my body up, and all of my senses. I loved it! A beautiful English girl escorted us to the garage of the NGM team, and delivered us to the “aquarium” where we could see the bikes being worked on. The team manager was sending me winks, signaling for me to come closer to the naked bike, but my first reaction was to hide from him. During the training we saw some fierce wipeouts, with the riders being brutally thrown off their bikes, and spinning in the air with a crash landing. But strangely like rubber dolls, they got right back up! After some exciting roaring action and shaky knees, we were taken back to the hotel for a succulent feast in the garden. The wine and bubbly were flowing, and the singer was arousing us with her deep scratchy voice. As usual I ate the most spare-ribs, which brought a round of appreciative comments from the men. All the guests were hyper in anticipation for the big day tomorrow – the race!

It was morning, and I put on my favorite Versace leather racing jacket and my new autographed cap for good luck. As we arrived at the VIP Village, a seductive lady with wild red hair greeted us. She showed us to our table, and brought us a cold glass of Cava directly in the morning! Somehow I already knew that this would be a wild day. The men were running around like little boys set free in a fire department. It was a very exciting atmosphere, where the sheer energy could charge an entire city with light for one night! We went to the pit area, along with the TV cameras. Each team had curvy half-naked ladies walking as human advertising for their brand.

While the men were ogling the girls, I was drooling over the bikes. What a collection of hardware! Each team had 4 bikes to die for. I got a chance to meet Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow of the Ducati team before the race, as well as the young and ridiculously handsome Aleix Espargaro of the NGM team. Valentino Rossi – who is like the Mick Jagger of motorcycle racing – was casually walking around. Men, women and children have gathered with the hope of a short glimpse of him. It was insanity – everyone was screaming as he passed, and yet so thrilling to watch from afar. Rossi could probably pick any girl at the racetrack and have her. I personally did not find him attractive at all, but his skills speak louder than his looks. Our fantastic Bridgestone rep Chris gathered us for the race countdown. Drinks and cakes were served, and the VIPs were standing on the terrace, screaming out to the teams below. Wild and untamed, every man let his animalistic side out. This was such a fresh new experience, and definitely more thrilling than fashion week for me! The bikes were lined up, the engines were revving up, and with a loud mechanical stampede, the riders were gone! I have never heard anything so loud in my life before! I found myself screaming alongside my Neanderthal neighbor, who was swinging his gold Rolex watch in the air. The adrenalin pumped freely throughout my thin body, and I had a euphoric rush in my head. All of a sudden, it was over like a dream! Marc Marquez won the race, and all of the Spanish fans were going insane! Marquez is so far Nr. 1 for the MotoGP world standing in 2014. I don’t want to know how many babies were made that night, but the race was simply phenomenal! We had to bid farewell, leaving the remaining cold bottles of Cava for the next country to enjoy. Bridgestone excelled in their hospitality, and made this a VIP event that I will never forget! I have always been a chopper girl, but this weekend opened my eyes to race bikes.

Galia Brener
July 18, 2014
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Drama at the Fashion Week in Berlin!

Drama at the Fashion Week in Berlin! https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Gali_feature_MBFW_2.jpg 1354 437 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 18, 2014 November 9, 2015

My love for Frankfurt will never fade, but even the die-hard fans like myself, have to leave their cozy Äppelsche-Nest once in a while. So I packed my Cheburashka with me, and headed East towards the sunrise.

The first stop for my adventure was the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin. I have a love/hate relationship with this city. Some good career moves happened for me there, but also a few bad things – including a horrible heartbreak that took a while to recover from. As we arrived and checked into our beautiful suite by the river, the excitement was mounting inside of my stomach. I put on my custom-sewn silk oriental dress, the highest heels I had with me, large round gold-framed glasses, and made my way to the black Mercedes shuttle that was waiting for us in front of the hotel.

We were invited by Nespresso, and the rep greeted us with VIP passes and guided us to the lounge. There were beautiful people everywhere, and I felt like Gali in Wonderland, cushioned by the cold warmth of champagne. We were given our tickets and ushered into the first show. There were cameras everywhere with flashes going off like deranged alien eyes. As the lights dimmed, we saw who the camera-magnet was. It was Tommy Hilfiger in his snazzy red pant, supporting the Designer For Tomorrow show that we were about to see. Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin was sitting not far away from us. He was pleased to hear that I am a Canadian enjoying Berlin, and so we chatted about Toronto, writing and fashion. My gay friend Dan started flirting heavily, his eyes glazed over by the fantasy of being “Berlin’s First Lady”. Mr. Wowereit was not responding to him, so Dan got angry in his sassy bitchy way, got up and loudly said, “UH! Don’t pay attention to me, whatever! I’m going to flirt with Tommy. By the time you finish your airport, we will all be already dead anyways!” and stormed away. Oh my Lord. I love my friends. The word drama doesn’t do it justice. A man behind us almost fell on the floor due to laughing hysterics, and I wanted to crawl under my seat. Thankfully the show has started, and all politics were quickly forgotten.

Luckily we managed to go back quickly to the Mercedes Lounge for a refill of the cold champagne before the backstage tour and the Guido Maria Kretschmer show, because the drama there outdid the previous one! We arrived at the front row, and a lady seated us in the center with the best view for the show. There was a Kretschmer Barbie on each seat for the guests to take, and a naughty man beside me said that the doll had no panties on. Dan and his friend Stan were excited too soon about the hot seats we got, because a moment after, a square-built man came up to them and said they had to leave because the seats were reserved for his client. Dan and Stan did not move anywhere. A few minutes later the client arrived, who happened to be Verona Pooth, and said they have her seats. Stan waved his hand in front of his face in an exaggerated “No” gesture. I could see that Ms. Pooth was about to express her own gesture, and before the cameras would rush in front of our Frankfurt faces, I pulled Dan and Stan up from the seats, and she shot me an appreciative friendly glance. Another accident avoided! Of course both took the Barbies with them, waving the naked plastic oysters in that direction as they were leaving! The funny thing was that our original seats were almost right across, also in the front row. The Kretschmer show was full of energy and elegance. I especially liked the last few dresses that had a glamorous rock feeling to them, which I would definitely wear for a special occasion like a Guns n’ Roses reunion concert and backstage party. Thank you Mr. Kretschmer for a wonderful collection and show!

After the show ended on that warm summer Wednesday evening, we later made our way to the Borchardt restaurant for the legendary VOGUE & Mercedes Benz event, where the who’s who of the fashion world were to be seen. It was exceptionally chic there, and felt like a scene out of the Chanel movie. The ladies were sashaying across Borchardts in their exquisite black and nude outfits, and I felt like an exotic parrot in my coral-toned silk dress. But never mind the color shock, I had Dan and Stan on each arm, and the guests loved them! The night was setting, and I felt like Frankfurt’s Cinderella, who had to hurry to her carriage, before the clock struck midnight, and my Gucci shoes would turn into two Bembels on my feet! The DanStan Team stayed at the party, with the hopes of catching a rich sugar daddy, and finally having a chance to become a trophy “wife”. As a matter of fact, Dan did meet a very influential man, but he swore me to secrecy not to mention the name. If that ever comes out, it would be the talk of Europe for months! I came back to my castle, spread my dress on the velvet couch, and slipped underneath the crisp cold sheets. In the morning, I realized that I was completely alone in the suite! Where were my friends? I had to find my sweet little troublemakers, who were hopefully not hung over in a dungeon somewhere, because we had to leave Berlin and continue on our adventure. The MotoGP race was definitely not going to wait for us to start. I called Dan, and he picked up with a lazy seductive voice, whispering something that had me grinning from ear to ear…

… The adventure is continued here

Galia Brener
July 9, 2014
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Just arrived at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week!

Just arrived at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week! https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Gali_feature_MBFW_1.jpg 1354 437 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 9, 2014 November 9, 2015

We just arrived at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, and going to our first show. The weather in Berlin is spectacular today – warm sunny blue skies to die for. The people are chirping louder than birds with happiness. The Champagne is flowing in the Mercedes Lounge, and the beautiful models are running around excited as little children on Christmas. The atmosphere is magical! ❤️

I will report later with updates about the show and parties!

Love,
Your Gali

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Galia Brener
July 8, 2014
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Opernplatzfest Frankfurt 2014

Opernplatzfest Frankfurt 2014 https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Opernplatz_feature.jpg 1354 437 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 8, 2014 March 16, 2015

The summer is here, and as usual, Frankfurt comes alive with many exciting festivals and things to do. Last week the city celebrated its infamous Opernplatzfest, which takes place every year around the beautiful historical building, the Alte Oper. This is always an exciting event because there are International stands selling a variety of food, drinks, and other amusing surprises. In the middle of the festival one can find the marvelous fountain, which serves as a perfect place to sit, dance around, and flirt your heart out! There is a DJ spinning nice melodic tunes on the weekend, and during the week you can hear various ethnical bands playing to beat of the wind.

I like this festival because it has a special ambience that gives me a chance to catch up with my loved ones over a delicious glass of German Riesling wine, while enjoying a fun night out in the city. As with many other Frankfurt events, the Opernplatzfest is definitely a place to see and be seen. Not to mention that it is also a perfect place to come after work, and enjoy a nice flirt at the wine stand. You never know who you will rub elbows with here, so come and take a look!

Here are some photos of my friends and I enjoying a warm summer night at the Opernplatzfest.

Photos by the talented Berlin photographer, Nico Zeißig. He could be found on facebook here.

Galia Brener
July 7, 2014
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5 steps to get rid of expectations.

5 steps to get rid of expectations. https://www.galiabrener.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/20140707-211828-76708037.jpg 1024 683 Galia Brener Galia Brener https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/93df0625fa48660aad1c99698d5d7757?s=96&r=g July 7, 2014 November 5, 2016

Two weeks ago I had brunch with my close friends and our mothers. As usual we were chatting about life, career and love. My friend’s mama told me that she read my article about expectations killing relationships. She liked the article, and wanted further details about how does one actually get rid of these evil expectations? This week my dear friends and readers, I have compiled a list of how to get rid of these expectations. These things have really helped me in the past:

1. Concentrate on the “NOW” – I think that expectations have something to do with the future and not living in the present. Thoughts like, “When I get this and that, my life will be good, and I will be happy.” show that you are living with future expectations. The future and past do not really exist, because only the present moment does. Living fully and enjoying every second now helps us to be happy at this moment, and not rely on future fulfillment of expectations to make us happy!

2. Be satisfied with yourself – Choose to be happy and satisfied with yourself, and never rely on anyone else for your happiness. I have learned that being happy in my own choice. After falling on my face a few times, I don’t expect others to make me happy anymore. This satisfaction comes from me now, and everything else given to me by others is a “bonus”, and not an “expectation”. Funny thing though, the less I truly expect, the more I get.

3. Nobody owes us anything – I think that nobody owes us anything in this world. The nice things we get are bonuses, but never owed to us. I believe that expectations are the evil voice of our ego – the ego always wants more and more, and only me, me, me. The ego tells you, “I am so great, and I deserve everything because they owe it to me!” And if these expectations don’t get fulfilled then disappointment and sadness come, which causes harm to our happiness and balance in life.

4. Love others – The more love you give, the more love you get. You will notice that if you love your partner truly and freely, and without expectations of getting something in return, this love will be given back to you automatically! As soon as you start mixing it with expectations, for example “If I do this for him, then he will do this for me too.” Or “If I give her this present, then she will love me more.” That’s when the system starts to break down, and the expectations kill the positive flow. Give love freely and don’t think of what you get back in return. It’s not a business deal. You don’t give in order to get. You give because you want to.

5. Get rid of rose-tinted glasses – Accept others as they are and get rid of fairytale expectations. Most of us, including myself, have an ideal of how we want our partners to be, look like, behave, etc. We meet someone new, get into a relationship, and try to project these expectations on that person. Wrong. This is what gets us into trouble in the first place. I once made a mistake when I met my partner. I built in my head an image of this “Big strong almighty man”, and put him on a pedestal. The problem was that he was not at all like the man I created in my head! I was so blinded by my own rose-tinted glasses that I didn’t see the true man in front of me – who was not the wonderful, loving and caring man who I thought he was. You must see the person as they truly are, let them be themselves, and only then will you find out if s/he a good match for you or not! On the positive note, it can happen that you might be surprised that their “true self” is even better than what you had expected.

I know that it is hard to get rid of expectations in life and love. However, these expectations are what kill relationships. What we want and feel we deserve is not always what we get, and we must deal with that fact. The interesting thing that I noticed is that as soon as I dropped all expectations, the things I really wanted started coming into my life automatically! So my advise to you would be to make a little experiment and try to drop all expectations for a month, and see what happens… you will be very pleasantly surprised.