May29

Welcome to Love von Beauty von Love!

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In the beginning there was … Love & Beauty & Life & Light & Spark  & Prosperity & Style & Soul & Bliss & Happiness & Wonder & Joy & Courage & Vision & Solidarity & Childhood & Freedom & Dream & Faith.

And then their step-brothers and step-sisters – hatred, lust, death, darkness, poverty, plague, immorality, scandal, despair, expectation, sorrow, envy, blindness, ego, greed,  cynicism, grievance, hunger, terror, fear, bullies –  made room and started messing things up … all for a reason, a very basic reason: to make our life more worth treasuring, every single day, every single moment.

I started this blog from a purely egocentric need: a need to remind myself of beauty and love.

In the beginning there was … Love & Beauty & …whatever we wish for!

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Jun17

“Sayonara” by James Michener

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I was looking to read something by Pulitzer winner writers. My research guided me to the work of James Michener. His historic take interplayed with human destinies sounded appealing. So I picked one of his novels – “Sayonara”.

“Sayonara” was written in 1954. It is the story of an ace US pilot falling in love with a Japanese actress and all the prejudices this couple encountered in the turmoil of those times. It is a beautiful tale of love and devotion, struggles and choices, gifts and sacrifice.

I noticed that the novel needs the reader to forget “Instagram” standards of fame, bravery and beauty and take the things as human as they were back then.

Jun16

Good morning Sunshine!

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whoever you are

wherever you are

Here is to teddy bears in our lives!

I had none as a child. I did not know they existed. Latter in life they arrived in different shapes and forms. Like this one, who is 18 years old.

They may arrive as partners who cook and keep your bed warm. Or as friends who are there when you need it most. Or as a bear shaped cloud to make you keep looking up.

Love to all teddy bears!

Jun10

Clafoutis – a summer story

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When the cherry season starts, I take it as a sign to slow down and enjoy a slice of clafoutis. With a scoop of ice cream. Or a sip of coffee. It is my kid’ s childhood dessert and a culinary joy to our inner child. I would not say the same about our grown-ups waist line though :).

This year I tried a Guy Savoy recipe. I managed to take one pic before the last piece was gone straight from the baking pan.

I noticed that baking a cherry clafoutis when outside France, it makes you feel as in France. Guy Savoy says it all: “Selon moi, le clafoutis aux cerises fait partie des desserts repères incontournables de notre culture française. Et que le premier qui n’a jamais mangé un clafoutis me jette la première queue de cerise !” https://www.allmychefs.com/recipes/cherry-clafoutis_998_2

Jun6

Thank you Bishkek

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Thank you Bishkek

for marking the most Eastern point on my trips map so far,

a Georgian memory relived at Mimino over a fine khatchapuri and a nice glass of Georgian wine in great company,

your splendid twilight colours and sounds,

the cutest babies I saw: those cheeks and eyes!

a sense of two worlds and two time dimensions in one place at the same time,

my first bite of Kyrgyz food at Buhara restaurant,

Moldovan products on supermarket shelves. A sort of Moldovan dream on Kyrgyz land (“vis” means dream in Romanian),

a perfect ristretto by a very modest barista who shared his story of learning the trade in Moscow for seven years. My appreciation of his skill (after I saw the machine he works on) made him even more humble. People here seemed generally very humble.

a new kind the self – respect and respect for others from the professionals we interacted with,

Last but not least, a very committed team and great partners to work with!

Jun3

“Tom Gates” by Liz Pichon

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I was looking for something hilarious to read. Tried “The Royal Treatment (The Crown Jewels Romantic Comedy Series Book 1)” by Melanie Summers. It was quite good but not really the thing I needed.

My kid chose from the Scholastic book club “Tom Gates” by Liz Pichon. And that was it! The hilarious reading I looked for. She devored the 12 books of the series in no time. It was contagious so I started reading it out loud for a laugth together. It is the best wake up book. No need for an alarm clock in the morning.

Each book has stories of a boy told by a boy, with all the glory of family, school and social life one has at the age of eight. And each page has very funny drawings. For lots of inspiration. Now I know how to convey the message in the next project report 😉

May27

To mother. To all mothers

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ddef8f5f5acf2cfbcca081d7147d25dd--mommy-quotes-mother-quotes“Mother is a verb. It is something you do. Not who you are”: it made me think of all those who mothered me.

My hubby who got me water when I collapsed from dehydration. My kid who places her hand on my forehead to check whether I have fever. My baker, who slides into my bag a little sweet surprise. My swimming trainer who helped me overcome a childhood fear with just two words: “trust me”. My cat waiting for me by the door to come back from my first trip abroad twenty years ago… His mothering ended at that, as stealing my breakfast  remained his favourite game 🙂

Here is to all beings who mother each day, with gentle gestures, words of kindness and touches of love.

I’ll go now and mother someone.

Happy mothers day!