The song of the day

Coming soon...

These are the movies I am waiting impatiently for to come on screens in Luxembourg:

Cloud Atlas

Life of Pi

The Impossible

Quote of the day

“I don’t think people have enough fun with decorating. It doesn’t always have to be so serious. Design isn’t like marriage, you don’t have to commit for life.” — Ross Cassidy

Check out the latest sneak peeks on Design Sponge (that's where the photos come from).

CinEast 2012

I've been slightly late with posting about the Central and Eastern European Film festival CinEast which is taking place in Luxembourg for the 5th  year as it has been running for one and a half weeks already but thought I ought to mention it as there is one more week to go and it is taking up so much of my time these days cause I'm trying to see as many films as possible.

I also have to mention a very pleasant fact that this year for the first time Latvia is taking part in it with several movies as well as Estonia, Lithuania and three more newcomer countries.

So far my favourites were:

Gypsy (Slovakia/Czech Republic, 2011)

and

Mushrooming (Estonia, 2012)

Tomorrow another round of short movies I am looking forward to. Check out the program here.

It is incredible how much this festival has grown during these years. Great job, guys!

Waste Land

Newlyweds

Trésor

Celebration of femininity...

Kuuka Kafe

A great new place spotted in Riga in Grēcinieku Street 5 called Kuuka Kafe. Loved the coffee and homemade cake, loved the interior, loved the ambiance, music and welcoming. Recommended.

Kuuka Kafe photos

Hair (action taken against the boring life of hair)

Photos from Pinterest

Garden In The City

These last months I've been doing a lot of research on healthy nutrition (which will be the topic of another post) and I think this is a common tendency in the world lately that people start being very conscious of what they eat. So when I was visiting one of my friends who lives in a private house in Latvia, raises two beautiful kids and grows nearly everything in her garden, I tried delicious pesto she had prepared for me from the basil she's been growing herself, and it got me thinking that I could start my own little herbal garden on my terrace as well. So I began. Not only I enjoyed the process of sowing and observing how it all grows (I guess I am getting old - joy in gardening is a big indication for me :) ) but was also happy about going organic.

In the meantime I came across one interview with some Latvian landscape designer who suggested people should make their little gardens on the terraces of their apartments as he claimed that from one plant of summer squash for example it would be possible to harvest up to 80 pieces of this vegetable (unbelievable). Then I started searching and found out that gardening on one's terrace or balcony has become really popular and even trendy. For example this guy - Mike Lieberman who has created his own urban garden on the fire escape of his apartment in New York City believes that by growing some food of your own, it will help to cut back on the intensive resources that go into food production and transportation and also help you to re-establish your connection with food.

Well, I sure established a very good connection with my herbs as you can see - pesto made of basils from my very own urban garden :))

It's A Boy!

Photos from a beautiful baby shower of a beautiful baby boy :)

Eating in America or 10 States in 16 Days

...which probably is not so many if you are talking about the Northeastern United States + Washington DC, Maryland and Delaware.

So - America, America :) Loved it. New York swept me off my feet but I guess it is nothing unusual and I will not burst out telling all the likes and loves about it as it would take me hours. Just go and see for yourself :) As to food in America - well, you actually have to look hard to be happy about what you are eating. And New York was an unpleasant surprise in this respect. Unless you are a fan of a fast food. Maybe we were just looking in all the wrong places or maybe we should have done our homework of preparing ourselves in advance with all the dining tips collected from the recent New York goers or online advisers but even having tips from locals didn't help much as twice we were quite confused asking ourselves - is this what a common New Yorker considers to be a good meal?! Of course that would be very wrong of me to generalise so let's not.

I have to spare a good word for The Breslin bar and dining room (well, I guess they did not get the Michelin star for nothing) which was very conveniently located in the premises of our hotel (Ace Hotel) so we just had to drag our lazy ... downstairs and get served (we have to be forgiven having the jet lag and walking thousand miles each day all around Manhattan). The food was great not so much the welcoming having to face a stuck up hostess. I know it must be the hip place for some time already but what's up with the attitude?! I've been taught that humbleness is a virtue...

Photo from The Breslin

Next door there was a nice place called The John Dory Oyster Bar which we never went to but meant to (as I said, we were simply too busy running up and down Manhattan and even some of Brooklyn) but Mr Stanley Tucci apparently approves it as we saw him having lunch there while we were accidentally passing by three or four times (dear Mr Tucci, we sincerely were not thinking of stalking you, we just wanted to be sure if it really was you :))

CELEBRITIES SEEN IN AMERICA           1

Then I have to mention a place called Kitchen 2404 in Glover Park, Washington D.C. which I remember for the tastiest chocolate brownie or was it because I had too much wine? :S

But top of the tops and my very favourite was a restaurant called The Lobster Pot in Provincetown, Cape Cod. Great ambience, delicious sea food and good wine selection.

My discovery and new found favourite wine was Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Viogner from Napa Valley, we tried  one of 2010 and 2011. Real summer wine. But the problem is that they export it to one shop only in Europe and that is in England so if any of you wants to chip in with me and order it let me know :)

And the last but not the least - The Original Pancake House. We tried the one in Buffalo. Well, to put it simple - very impressive :)

Photo of an apple pancake from The Original Pancake House

It was a great trip. I might be packing my bags soon to go there again. And by the way - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! :)

QooQoo

Yes, exactly this cuckoo, colourful and fun is Latvian brand QooQoo created by graphic designer Aļona Bauska which has blown away a lot of local people as well as many all over the world. Aļona herself says that there are no orders only from Africa and Belarus so far. 

Creation of QooQoo brand is another success story of the recent years in Latvia. For years Aļona was working in advertising companies as a graphic designer.  As to fashion it all started with making funny designs for the T-shirts for her friends until one day it all turned into project called "QooQoo" - brand created in 2009. The first year was hard as she admits but then they slightly changed their strategy and sale's numbers went rocket high and local fashion awards followed one after another.

 Aļona herself gives an impression of this light, friendly, free and bold personality. So are her clothes. Made for exactly the same kind of people.

 I wish her further success and to be able to convert the majority of our society where quoting herself: "most of the people are wearing like some kind of uniforms. Even though they are wearing things which are in vogue they just all look the same!". QooQoo definitely makes a person look different.

I ordered these Bear Date leggings. Can't wait to receive them and become  slightly QooQoo myself :)

Photos from blog.qooqoo.lv

Oh my!

It's been a while! It has actually been so long that everything has changed around here in blogger.com and I am totally lost :S But after being able to remember a log-on password I think I will crack this one here and get back on the horse quick enough.

Well, my friends, a lot of things have happened during these - what, 2 months?!?!? Oh my indeed! And I have many stories up my sleeve. Continuing being busy living I'll do my best to share them with you as soon as possible.

 

Here is a little summery-flowery hello from me. This single hortensia on the dining table makes me remember our wonderful trip to Normandy couple of years ago when hortensias became one of my favourite flowers.

Since then I have known that these are going to be the flowers I will plant all around my family house whenever and wherever I have one :)

Just to show you how impressive it looks in the real scenery somewhere near Auderville. There are plenty of them in Normandy. I was smitten by their size, numbers and beauty.

Inspired by pink

Photos via Pinterest