My guide to Zagreb

Why is it that we always find other places more interesting than the ones we live in? I've been living in Zagreb for 25 years, I do love this city, I do find it beautiful, and yet I've never written about it here, in this space that I created. I wanted to though, it just never was the perfect moment. And so it happened that I'm writing about Zagreb for another online space, thinking why wouldn't I want to share all my favorite places and hidden corners here with my readers?

I've managed to catch one sunny day last month (and it was a very, very gloomy month), and I ended up with a nice collection of sunny photos that, (even though January is a proper winter month in Croatia), are letting in the possibilty that spring is just around the corner. And for me, that is one of the very best moments of the year.

Most of the travelers to Zagreb probably read everything there is to know about museums, monuments, restaurants and hostels. I am not going to provide here a full itinerary of things to see and do, I just wanted to share my special places, the ones I think a slow traveler might appreciate.

Let's start with the Dolac Market, my main go-to place in the city center. Most of the time I'm heading to the center just because I wan't to buy my groceries there, everything else seems like an unworthy replacement. Ever since its opening in the thirties, it is regularly frequented by the locals, and understandably so. You can find everything there- fruits and vegetables galore, spices, free range eggs, cheese and pasta, Adriatic fish and Dalmatian olive oil, flowers and candles, and even a nice wicker basket- should you find it necessary. Many people like to drink their morning coffee there, grab a burek or cevapcici for lunch, and some of those venues even take care of the night owls, providing greasy dishes with a glass of water in the wee hours.

On a beautiful day, you might want to take a stroll in the green Zrinjevac park, just a couple of minutes walk from the main square. I love it in the winter, when it shines in all those festive lights, I love it in the spring because of the flowers and the bright greenery, and I especially love it in the summer when the giant crowns of the platanus trees offer a much needed shade and refreshment.

First time visitors to Zagreb might want to bring something home, a gift perhaps, and when they're done shopping traditional Croatian souvenirs (I recommend a box of Bajadera pralines!), there are some interesting shops I like to frequent. Harissa spice store opened a couple of years ago, and made life a bit easier to all the Zagreb foodies. It wasn't as simple to find exotic spices and teas before, and it wasn't as simple to buy a nice present that everyone would like, as it is now. The shop smells heavenly and it is really hard not to buy anything there, even if you just came to 'look around'.

The shop I discovered lately, called Sto Citas? (What are you reading?) is a quirky little place that sells second-hand books and my new favorite brand of natural cosmetic. You can find something to read either in Croatian or English (usually it is not that easy to find used books in English in Zagreb), or buy the nicest smelling soap or cream in all of Zagreb. A company from Dalmatia called Sapunoteka produces them out of local olive oil and pure essential oils, the products are not tested on animals, and the preservatives that they use are allowed in the organic cosmetic industry. Sounds good, right?

If you want to treat yourself with something both esentially Croatian and chic, then head to one of the Borovo shoe stores. Their funky sneakers called Startas made a name for themselves even outside Croatia in the last few years, and quite deservably so. Startas sneakers were first produced in the seventies, and I remember my dad wearing them as a sport shoe in the eighties. As I recall it, they were mostly plain white or blue back then. A couple of years ago, young designers took over the fabric prints- nowadays you can choose between original monochrome or the colorful printed Startas. They are hand made out of natural rubber and cotton, very comfy to wear, and they're produced by one of the rare industries that survived the ninenties in Croatia. I love to support them.

My favorite (not so secret anymore) retreat in the center is the Dezman passage. Couple of years ago it was just another almost forgotten space in the center, and now it became the hippest place around. I don't remember who opened first, but it went something like this: one of the most creative florists and artists from Zagreb opened his beautiful gallery/flower shop there (his flower installations are exhibited in giant shopwindows for the passers-by to enjoy). Then (or before) a nice bar and niche perfume shop opened in front of it; antique bookstore and a very old school photo studio were already there. The street started to awaken, a couple of trendy (but cozy!) bars and designer stores appeared, the old Kino Tuskanac started to have regular program, and a burger place opened just in front of the cinema.

I love to drink my cup of tea (or sparkling wine if its summer) in Velvet Cafe. It is co-owned and designed by the same florist from the beggining of our story, so you can imagine that it is one of the most beautiful bars in Zagreb. Chic drawings on the walls, seasonal flowers and plants, star shaped lights, little biscuits that come with tea and a nice sellection of magazines create a beautiful atmosphere. On top of that, the bar is a free reading zone (you can log in to their network and read an online book, how cool is that?), and the cakes that they serve are delicious.

If you are a movie fan, like I am, you might want to spend an evening in Kino Europa. This beautiful cinema hall was built in the thirties and is today a protected monument. It plays mostly non-Hollywood movies, and is a perfect place to watch not so easily accesible European movies. It hosts main program of Zagreb Film Festival (that keeps gaining more and more popularity each year), but one of the coolest programs that take place there is the collaboration with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, where musicians play live music to silent films. The cinema bar is a cozy place with antique colorful chairs and the best popcorn you can find in Zagreb. Oh, and all the movies are played in original language, as we Croatians, quite coveniently, don't syncronize anything.

If you decide to visit Zagreb, try doing it on a slow pace. It is small enough that it doesn't require frantic running between museums and sights, but instead enables you to experience it like a local. Have a long lunch or coffee break, sit in the park, watch a movie, go to a concert. Those kind of things take you closer to a city, and those are the things you'll remember most.

Have you ever been to Zagreb? I'm curious to find out what you liked the most!

A beautiful day in Vienna

Let me get back to a couple of days we spent in Vienna last December. I have already written about its Christmas markets and museums, and I'd like to tell you one more story about a beautiful day we spent there eating the most famous Viennese cake (can you guess which one is it? :)), warming up in a palace (surrounded by art, of course) and visiting a contemporary art exhibition. 

First thing in the morning (and it was a bright and sunny one), we headed to Sacher hotel, where we arranged a meeting with lovely Mrs Artacker, who offered to give us a little tour of the hotel, followed by inevitable visit to the Cafe and tasting of their most famous product, the chocolate cake. The whole history of the hotel started with that cake, when young sixteen year old apprentice (that is, Franz Sacher) got the opportunity to make a dessert for a dinner organized by then Austrian minister of foreign affairs, Prince Metternich in 1832. The chocolate cake that he invented turned out to be divine, as it is famous to this day, with the original recipe still being kept as a closely guarded secret. Franz Sacher's son, Eduard opened a hotel in Vienna in 1876, based on the reputation his father made with the Sachertorte. 

The hotel today makes you feel like stepping back in time; the original interior design with all the chandeliers, festive draperies and antique furniture; the ever polite staff which will always hold a door, take your bag and ask if there was anything they could help with. We sat down for a drink (hot chocolate) and a Sacherorte (because if you're at Sacher, then you might as well have everything chocolate) in a dusky setting of the Blue Bar. The simple, chocolatty flavour (oh, and the texture!) with a hint of fruit was just what we needed on a winter morning in Vienna, all spiced up with the festive atmosphere of the hotel.

Last time I visited the Belvedere palace was when I was fourteen year old Vienna / 18th century enthusiast (as funny as it may sound), but I don't seem to remember much of its art collections. The Belvedere collection is mainly known for Klimt's paintings, his Kiss being the most famous of all (and the most exploited as a print on every Vienna-related souvenir). My personal favorites are his landscapes in the other room, so flowery and colorful, that you could almost smell the spring, the apple orchards, the meadows. 

The Belvedere is also a beautiful Baroque palace, built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy in the first half of 18th century. I have to admit that given its beautiful gardens, water features and the layout of the complex (there is a lower and an upper palace), the nicest time to visit would be spring or summer. Winters in Vienna have their charms and I love visiting then (oh how festive they are!), but I'm thinking now of a visit to Vienna in spring, when all it's charming parks come to life and the weather is warm enough to enjoy Viennese Baroque architecture all day long!

In the neighbourhood of Belvedere palace stands 21er Haus, a 20th century building and a home to the Belvedere's contemporary art collection (you can buy combined tickets at the Upper Belvedere Ticket Office). The building was designed by Austrian architect Karl Schwanzer as an Austrian Pavillion for World Exhibition Expo '58, held in Brussels (the well known Atomium was designed for that same exhibiton, and how different those two buildings are in their approach!). 

Somehow we always end up enjoying contemporary art exhibitions the most, be it that there are significantly less visitors there, or that the architecture itself is always interesting, with its giant open spaces and lots of glass, or that contemporary art in fact echoes the world of a modern man. This exhibition was no exception, and we ended up with a conclusion that we have to visit 21er Haus each time we go to Vienna!

After a couple of days trying to reserve Salm Brau beerhouse in the neighbourhood of Belvedere, we went there without a reservation and (surprise, surprise) got us a table. And how perfect evening to a great day it was! We had ribs and beer (we were in Vienna after all) and they just might be the most delicious ribs I ever had. I don't know if the tiredness and winter air had anything to do with it, but I am still dreaming about that dinner. 

This is the last post about Vienna for know (till the next time I visit), and I would love to hear some of your thoughts. Is all this art talk interesting to you, or too much?

Let me know!

This article was made possible thanks to the Sacher Hotel, Belvedere Museum and 21er Haus, and I thank them for that. We had a truly wonderful experience and we're looking forward to our next visit. 

Viennese Museums: Albertina and Leopold

Vienna is known for its culture: architecture, music, painting, urbanism. In fact, I can without exaggerating say that I decided to study art history because I fell in love with Vienna on my first visit: Baroque palaces, Gustav Klimt's paintings, Otto Wagner's architecture, Hundertwasser's imagination, the museums. And when it comes to museums, the selection is so varied that it's hard to choose which ones are going to fit in your busy traveler's schedule. In my case, I always know that Albertina is going to be on the list- it is an institution really, with one of the biggest prints and drawings collections in the world, a nice permanent loan collection of Impressionists and 20th century art and amazing temporary exhibitions. This time it was Pointillism, one of my favorite painting styles.

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

We came to Albertina first thing in the morning on our second day in Vienna- it was so cold that only a short walk on the main streets of Graben and Kartner Strasse was an option; we were eager to enjoy a nice morning surrounded by art and warmth. Albertina collections and temporary exhibitions are definitely overwhelming to see in only one day- we focused on Ways of Pointillism, The Colour Woodcut in Vienna around 1900 (both temporary exhibitions) and the permanent collection Monet to Picasso. Before I explain why did I love the Pointillism exhibiton so much, just a few words about the style itself. It was derived from Impressionism, but also marked the end of it. It challenged it in a way that where Impressionists painted with little brush strokes, Pointillists used little dots of paint, and where Impressionists painted spontaineously out in the nature, Poinitillists painted in the studio while studying the optics and the use of colour. Curator Heinz Widauer explained it far better than I did in this short video. 

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

Henri Edmond Cross: Provence Landscape, Ways of Pointillism exhibition

I loved the presentation of Pointillism: first of all, the selection of paintings was impressive; there were canvases from Seaurat, Signac, Monet, van Rysselberghe, just to name a few. Second of all: I've never thought of some of the included artists as Poentillists, and yet they did use the technique, like Van Gogh, Mattisse and Piccasso. Third, the presentation was beatiful: the colour of the walls resembled main tones of the paintings (purple, rose), the lights were dim and directed to the paintings in the way that they shined like jewels in the shadowy rooms. I think that we managed to capture the atmosphere on our photos, at least a bit. 

Ways of Pointillism exhibition

We proceeded to The colour woodcut in Vienna around 1900 exhibition, which was chic in design with its lapis lazuli coloured walls and amazing graphics from prominent Viennese Secession artists. Woodcut rose to fame in Europe at the end of the 19th century (after a period of stagnation), inspired by amazing Japanese woodprints which used unusal perspectives, and were definitely ahead of time compared to then European painting. Viennese woodcuts are defined by stylised motifs, square format (Secessionists strived for the clarity of form) and contrasting hues. Amazing exhibition, I wish we had more time for it, but the good news is that all of the exhibited pieces are from Albertina's own collection!

Permanent collection is a must if you're into late 19th and 20th century art (and I mean, who isn't?), and it keeps expanding all the way to contemporary art. There is everything you might want to see- from Monet's Water Lillies to crazy Picasso's ceramic. (How cool is his depiction of a nun being chased by the devil depicted on the photos below?) Also, the collection is not overwhelming and it might be a perfect dose of art for a culturally spent morning!

Colour woodcut in Vienna around 1900 exhibition

Permanent collection, Albertina

The next day we visited Leopold Museum in MuseumsQuartier, a very cool cultural area in the center of Vienna, which hosts about 70 cultular facilites, cafes and shops. The museums are located inside of a number of courtyards, there is no traffic and esentially it feels like a small city inside of the city. Leopold Museum hosts the biggest Egon Schiele collection, as well as other prominent Viennese artists such as Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoscka and Koloman Moser. I have always been impressed with Secessionist movement and Wiener Werkstatte (Vienna's Workshops) that proceded from it, so I was thrilled to see not only the Secessionist paintings and magazine design but also furniture, jewelry and design objects by Wiener Werkstatte. It is a complete collection of Viennese turn of the century art, and I wholeheartedly recommend you to visit if you are interested in Art Nouveau (Secession is a sort of its Austrian form).

MuseumsQuartier courtyard

Wiener Werkstatte displays in Leopold Museum

Viennese Secession at Leopold Museum

Egon Schiele exhibition at Leopold Museum

The museum is also home to largest Egon Schiele collection in the world, and there is a current exhibiton of his works taking place at the moment. I say current, because some of the works like watercolors, drawings and prints are photosensitive and cannot be exhibited all the time (they are usually being kept at museum's depos). If you're going to Vienna any time soon, I suggest you to take this opportunity and see the exhibition- apart from the Egon Schiele's amazing works, the presentation itself is special, with its contrasting dark interior and flashing rays of light directed into the paintings. It's a dramatic atmoshpere, for sure.

The architecture of the museum itself is interesting as well- a bright cube made out of limestone from the outside with unexpected vistas inside of the museum and breathtaking views of the city center and MuseumsQuartier courtyard from above. We did spend quite some time marveling at the sunset reflected on the dome of the Museum of Art History on the other side of the Ringstrasse (Vienna Ring Road). And after an afternoon spent in the museum, why not have a drink in one of the cool bars inside the Quartier?

MuseumsQuartier courtyard with a view of Leopold Museum

Views from Leopold Museum: Museum of Art History

Museum of Art History, view from the Leopold Museum

Christmas market in MuseumsQuartier

This article was made possible thanks to Vienna Tourist Board, Albertina Museum and Leopold Museum, and I thank them for that. We had a truly amazing cultural experience in Vienna. There is still so much to see the next time. 

Have you ever been to Vienna? Curious to hear about your favorite cultural spots (or they don't even have to be cultural, I'm basically interested in everything Vienna-related). :) 

Any thoughts on this mostly art-concentrated post? Yes, no?

Let me know!

Last year's favorites, II

At the beggining of 2016 I wrote down a list of things that inspired me and that I enjoyed last year. At the fresh start of this year I am excited to share with you all the things that excited me in 2016. There was a lot of traveling, music, good books, movies, awakening documentaries and blogs and resolutions that followed them, tasty food, some nice things for our home... Let's start the year with music, because it's the thing that, alongside traveling, moves me most. It can make me happy, sad, inspired, you name it.

Bruce Springsteen concert in Milano

Music: We went to a Bruce Springsteen concert in Milano this summer. It was the best time we had on his concerts sofar (and we had so much fun each time!). Maybe it had to do with Milano, with Stadio San Siro, with cheerful Italian fans and the fact that Bruce loves performing in front of them. But it also had to do with the fact that the concert was part of his The River Tour, and the playlist selection was outstanding. There's an accompanying CD collection called The Ties That bind: The River Collection, and it's amazing list of Bosses well and not so well known songs. My favorites: Point blank and Drive all night. 

I rediscovered Yann Tiersen lately on Arte TV (another of this year's favorites!). I knew him as a composer of the amazing soundtrack to equally amazing movie Amelie. Live in the city of Nantes is one of the most beautiful performances and music which (as pathetic as it may sound) fills my heart with pure joy and inspiration. 

Thanks to Arte TV I discovered an ultimate feel-good performer, Calypso Rose. Her concert in La Cigale Theatre in Paris is so groovy and the entire band along with the fans are having so much fun that it's contagious. It will make you dance. 

To end this list I have to mention a choir song that I heard on a concert here in Zagreb in December. It's called Lully Lulla Lullay, it is composed by contemorary choir composer Philip Stopford, and it is pure beauty that gives me chills every time I hear it.  I found a version performed by Ecclesium choir led by composer himself, but maybe I liked even better the version where the kids sing. Unbelievable. 

Luxembourg

Television: Now that I mentioned Arte TV, it's only right to explain it a bit. It's a French-German TV network that promotes art and culture. You may be already familiar with it, but I'm thrilled to have found it! Apart from concerts, I've watched some pretty good documentaries, mainly about Italy (because, Italy), but also about Alpine architecture, German rivers etc. There's a lot more to explore! I watch both german and english version, but I find german version better. And for watching a concert you don't have to speak the language. :)

Osaka castle

Travel: We traveled a lot last year, even for my standards (and I'd like to travel all the time). We went to Italy (Veneto and Alto Adige in January, Milano in July and then Umbria in October), Belgium, Luxembourg, Japan, Austria, and the island of Cres in Croatia.  Each of this travels was very special to us in its own way: we had a relaxing couple of days camping on the most beautiful island of Cres, we met friends in Alto Adige and Vienna, we stayed with friends in Luxembourg and Japan (thank you so much Marina, Pavle, Daria and Denis, we enjoyed those trips a hundred times more beacuse of all the fun we had together), we explored the culinary scene and the Triennale in Milano, watched the sunset from the roof of Duomo, and enjoyed our favorite singer's concert along with thousands of other fans, we spent a week in the fairy tale setting of Umbrian hilltop towns, enjoying the cuisine (one of Italy's best) and the unbeatable views. But if I have to pick something from that list (and although everything else was amazing as well), it has to be Japan! Because of the cherry blossoms, of insanely big yet "feels small" Tokyo, of the friendliest and kindest Japanese people, of busy Shibuya crossing in comparison with peaceful temples and shrines,  of the most delicious and diverse food (Japanese cuisine stands proudly side to side with the Italian on my list), of the fastest trains that are never ever late, of the town of Kanazawa which is everything you can imagine about traditional Japan, because of our friends that welcomed us so warmly (and took to the best bars in Tokyo!).

I'm looking forward to our next travels which will include (hopefully) Berlin, Italy, Spain (or France?), London and Iceland. But that's something we're still working on.

Shinjuku-Gyoen National Garden, Tokyo

Nara, Japan

Blogs: There are two blogs I have been following regularly last year: Mimi Thorisson's Manger and Erin Boyle's Reading my Tea Leaves. Both lifestyle blogs (Mimi's is officially a culinary blog, but there is a lot of lifestyle there as well), and very different ones!

Mimi lives in a chateau in France with her big family and a pack of dogs, celebrating life in the French countryside, cooking decadent feasts and blogging about it in a way that living in the countryside suddenly feels like the right thing to do. Her posts are spiced with her husband's photography, reminiscenting Caravaggio style of light and shadow, with still lifes looking like taken directly from baroque paintings. 

Erin lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and daughter, in a tiny apartment where every thing that goes in has to be carefully considered. She celebrates life in the big city, but also simplicity, nature, sustainability, little things that make every day so wonderful. Her ideas, and consequently, her writing is focused and direct, and the simplicity of her life is reflected in her photos. When I need inspiration to live simpler, surrounded with less stuff, to find joy in everyday little things (a cup of tea, a bloomed branch on the table, a book waiting to be read) I turn to her blog. 

The view of Assisi, Umbria

Movies: We were quite regular cinema goers last year, but we watched a lot of movies at home as well. The list is long, and I'm sure I forgot some great movies (feel free to write down the list of your favorites in the comments below, I'd love to watch them). 

The Danish Girl for its scenography, cinematography, Alicia Vikander's performance, Alexandre Desplat's music.

Fuocoamare for taking us closer than we might have wanted to the tragic events that are happening on Lampedusa and introducing interesting local characters with their everyday life. Also, excellent cinematography. 

A Bigger Splash for capturing the essence of summer on Sicilian island of Pantelleria. And Tilda Swinton's outfits. 

A Man Called Owe for making us believe that there's something good in every man's life, and for making us appreciate what we have.

Toni Erdmann for being genuinely funny and heartbreaking at the same time, while capturing a father-daughter relationship. 

Cairo Time for taking the viewer to the busy streets of Cairo with all its heat, chaos, golden hues, and beauty. For making me want to visit the city one day. And for telling a decent love story.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople for making the entire cinema laugh loudly, silly, sincerely while telling a delicate story about a boy who's childhood is defined by living in juvenile homes and foster families. 

Phil(m)harmonics performing in Kino Europa, Zagreb

Books: I wasn't as dilligent book reader as I was movie watcher last year, and one of my New Year's resolutions should be to read more books. During the course of the last year I borrowed 20 books from the library, and read a couple more borrowed from family or friends, but that's it. I guess all the wonders of internet have stolen my attention, but that's about to change.

One of the books I liked the most (and I know it's not for everyone's taste) is Sketches from a Hunter's Album by Ivan Turgenev. It's a compilation of short stories that depict nature, people and events happening during author's hunting trips. It's an open critic on feudalism, a praise of Russian nature, but above all a disarming portrayal of people, their relationships and struggles.

I recently read Kjell Westo's Dar vi en gang gatt (Where We Once Went), and it was one of those books that keep your mind occupied even after reading it. It follows the interconnected life stories of a couple of finnish families through a period from 1905 to 1944. The stories soak you in to the finnish capital atmosphere of the period: the nightlife, the arrival of jazz music, the prohibition, the evolution of football teams, the fashion. I'm not quite sure if it has been translated to English, but for all my Croatian readers, it has been translated to Croatian, and it will be an interesting read for the wintry days ahead. 

Wearing my Rosso Prezioso earrings

Jewelry: I'm a sucker for jewelry. If it's beautiful, handmade, and if I find it on one of our travels ("But it's handmade! It will remind me of this trip!") I'm ready to buy it. I'm especially fond of the pieces that have a story behind it. There are two pieces I brought from Italy and love to wear:

First, a pair of colorful earrings I found on a hot summer day in Milan's district of Brera. Just after a visit to Pinacoteca di Brera and before the lunch at iconic Latteria San Marco restaurant. They are made of wood, but look like precious stones, light on the ears, and perfect for making a simple outfit special. Designed by a pair of Milanese designers under the fitting name of Rosso Prezioso.

Second, a ceramic necklace I fell in love with wandering Perugian Via dei Priori street. I didn't buy it immediately though, it was during dinner that I decided that I would really, really like to wear it, so I stormed out of the osteria, in a tiny time gap between two courses, and came back with it just in time for the main dish. It was made by lovely mother-daughter team and selled in their shop/workshop called Materia Ceramica.

Enjoying the October sun in Todi, wearing my fave Materia Ceramica necklace

Recipe: There was a lot of cooking in our home last year, but we were especially proud of the home made jam we made of the loquats growing in our garden. The tree gave fruit for the first time last year, and we had to make something out of it! I found the recipe on the internet and was happy to find out that loquats have high content of pectin and therefore don't need any artificial ones while making jam. We got 4 delicious jars last year, ate them in a couple of weeks, and now we're waiting to see what will this year bring. I think I used this recipe.

During our trip to Umbria we stayed at this magnificent agriturismo near Todi, where we were greeted with a tasty crostata di marmellata (Linzer Torte, jam pie, whatever you call it). I tried to recreate it at home, using Jamie Oliver's recipe for the crust, and then just filling it with the entire jar of jam (first time with plum jam, second time with raspberry jam). When I baked it for my mom's birthday I felt creative and adorned it with crust leaves (it was also very suiting for November), and we even did a little photoshoot of it. 

In the summer I try to make the best of the tomato season, and there were a lot of tomato-related dishes on our table. One of the tasties recipes included tomato, chicken, basil and cream and if you like the ingredients I'm suggesting you give it a try. 

My take on Crostata di marmellata for mom's birthday

Home: Lately I've been trying to be more conscious about the stuff we bring into our home. In other words, if I don't really need or have a good plan what to do/where to put an object I'm considering taking home, I refrain from buying it. There can always be a little exception, if an object is handmade and beautiful, and if there's a travel story surrounding it. During our trip to Japan in March, we visited the town of Nara. We spent most of the day exploring temples and a botanical garden. On our way back to the train station, we decided to take another route, crossing a residential neighbourhood. And there it was, the most beautiful ceramic shop in all of Japan! The sweet lady was making ceramic herself and selling items made by local artisans, each one more beautiful than the rest. We came home with two teacups and two bowls, adorned with pretty blue and yellow flowers. Drinking tea from those cups has become sort of a ritual to me: I make some green tea, if it's warm weather, I sit on my terrace, sip the tea and think about our time spent in Japan; if the weather is cold, the procedure is pretty much the same, only in this version I'm tucked under the blanket in my living room. A thing that can bring so much nice memories and simple joy is definitely worth making its way into one's home. 

Documentary: The most fantastic documentary we saw last year was David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef, and that should come as a no surprise. Because I'm pretty sure no one can surpass nor Attenborough nor BBC production when it comes to filming natural wonders. You *may want to book plane tickets for Australia after watching this.

Something completely different in terms of filming and presentation was Bag it Movie, but with the same final goal, that is protecting our oceans, and subsequently enviroment. Bag it talks about the effects of using plastic in our everyday life- effects to our health, to animals wellbeing and to the marine enviroment as a whole. I'm ending my 2016 list deliberately with this movie, hoping that at least some of you will take time to watch it. It might just nudge you in the direction of taking small but important steps in protecting our planet. 

Cape Kamenjak, Istria in early summer

I would love to hear your favorite 2016's travels, books, movies, anything that made your year!

Frozen beauty

I woke up one morning about two weeks ago and through our bedroom window saw a layer of delicate frost covering all the plants, flowers and branches on our terrace. It looked so beautiful and I knew that this beauty was ephemeral, so I put on my winter coat and hat, took the camera and rushed to catch it while it was still there. The photos turned out just like I imagined them- dreamy, wintery, with gentle pops of colour in the almost monochromatic morning. This little project made my day then, and reminded me how beauty can be found anywhere, even on a foggy day in the city. It reminded me how simple little things are sometimes enough to make one's day, and that's something I'd like to embrace more in the year to come. I'm wishing you all a year full of beautiful moments, finding joy in simple, everyday things, lots of friendly gatherings, travels and discovering new places. Hope to see you here next year as well.