As the days become shorter, the pouring rain washes the last petals off the late rose bloom and a cold ghastly wind tears off the brown leaves, my small family gathers in the kitchen. We crave simple, comforting food from our childhood and happy sunny winter days with crispy frosty air and glittering snowy hills.... Continue Reading →
Birthday weekend in Paris
The older I get, the more I tend to prefer experience and memories over material presents for my birthday. This year I dragged my husband into the trip to Paris for the birthday weekend. Ernest Hemingway is one of my favourite authors, and of course I am mesmerized by his Parisian memories in "The movable... Continue Reading →
Sardinia holiday blues
Every summer we try to take a vacation. We have three simple rules in picking our destination: it has to be somewhere sunny and warm, with nice beaches and the local food has to be inspiring. This year we couldn't pick out of three options and ended up going to the place where we've been... Continue Reading →
Market shopping
I love shopping. But as I am getting older and my size stays the same, my preferences in this field tend towards online stores. However, when it comes to groceries, homeware and books I prefer physical shops. That's why almost every Saturday, not without some irritated remarks from my husband, we head to the local... Continue Reading →
Fantastic creams and where to find them
I clearly remember being a 9 year old, rubbing grandma's cream in my cheeks in front of a huge mirror and smiling like a beautiful model in the advertisement I saw in a fancy German magazine. Taking care of my skin came natural as I grew up surrounded by women. But because we were not... Continue Reading →
Heatwave in Utrecht
The heatwave covered the country and it starts to feel like summer in my homeland with very high temperatures, dry grass and hot wind. I don’t mind the heat at all, however, when you need to work in the office without air conditioning or take a train, it’s no longer fun. If you survive through... Continue Reading →
Sunday kitchen: gazpacho and lemonade
Even a biggest foodie loses appetite when it is +37 outside. Let alone the idea of cooking something: turning on the oven, boiling or frying. The idea of spending more than 2 minutes in such conditions immediately brings up the analogy with the hell kitchen in my mind. Instead of that all you crave is... Continue Reading →
Texel: the Dutch Moomin island
Frankly speaking I've read my first Moomin book when I was all grown-up, at around 22. I am happy it didn't happen earlier as it came into my life at the right time, when I felt utterly lonely and deeply miserable. Getting lost in the cozy and kind world where simple life was treasured and... Continue Reading →
Sunday kitchen: grilled langoustines
The middle of the summer is magical and sad at the same time. The days are warm, long, with spicy air and evening tender sun covering the city under its golden veil. But it is still so long till the time we can go on our vacation. That's why I try to recreate the atmosphere... Continue Reading →