A conversation with Judith Gilles, Staycation Collection member
Member spotlight: Judith
Manifesting mindfulness with member Judith
We at The Staycation Collection are honoured to have a wonderful community of members, and it’s not fair to keep them to ourselves! So, meet Judith Gilles.
Judith is the foodie behind judiliciousandnutritious.com! When she’s not dreaming about dark chocolate, peanut butter and ripe bananas, she is probably singing in her apron or serving a colourful variety of dishes (including a chocolate-filled dessert, of course) to supper club guests.
She deeply believes in the importance of manifesting mindfulness in our daily lives, in order to become more wholesome. You can find her in her Berlin-based kitchen, where she works as a recipe developer, food photographer, food stylist, cooking course instructor and event host.
We sat down with Judith for a quick-fire interview to find out a little more about her German travel habits!
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Hello, Judith!
Lakes or forests?
Can't it be a combination of both? Water and trees go so well together and in the 27 years of my still young life, I've seen them coincide on multiple occasions!
Kartoffelpuffer or Sauerkraut?
My gut is saying "Sauerkraut" but my heart is saying "Kartoffelpuffer". Fun fact: the latter is the only thing my dad ever cooked for us kids so Kartoffelpuffer are a very cherished food memory of mine!
Cabin or hotel?
Scratch the hotel, a cabin it is! Anything that feels cosy and warm over corporate and fancy, please.
City break or digital detox?
How about a break from the city? I'm gonna spell C I T Y B R E A K in capital letters because that's how I feel at the moment, in desperate need to get away from all these buildings - however, a digital detox might have a similar effect. I think I need both.
Did you take staycations as a child? If so, where?
My family and I usually went outside of Germany, but not far - so our holidays did somewhat feel like a staycation. We packed our big VW bus, put the dog in first cause he was freaked out that there might not be space for him once the suitcases were inside, and then headed to Denmark or the Netherlands. Similar landscapes, similar holidays, no crazy desert adventures, just the countryside and us.
Where did you stay that you found via The Staycation Collection?
I recently stayed in Burig, a small town on the outskirts of Brandenburg at Burig Bolthole and it was absolutely lovely. The apartment was exactly what we were looking for with lots of lakes and forests around (see? both are possible!), our own little garden patch and beautiful weather! I've stayed in many Airbnb’s throughout my life but was disappointed often, so this little cherry-picked spot hit my spot!
Taking more small moments of joy
What moment from that trip made you smile the most?
Perhaps the time when we walked next to a peaceful stream, relieved to finally have made it to mother nature and away from the city, but were chased by a (what do you call a group of mosquitos) flock of mosquitos and didn't feel very serene, despite being in nature. At the end of the day, we can't escape chaos, no matter where we are.
What places are on your German travel bucket list?
I really, really REALLY want to go to the Mosel (wine land) and hike through Sächsische Schweiz!
Favourite book to escape into?
"When Things Fall Apart" by Pema Chödrön, ironically.
What would your last meal consist of?
Olives, capers, focaccia, hummus, juicy tomatoes drenched in balsamic and olive oil, pickles, nice cheese. Looks like my last meal will be my last picnic too.
Thanks for sharing, Judith.
