pretty merry

merry!

 

this year's Christmas was (actually not too different than almost all previous Christmases and that is also why I loved it):

 

/ Christmas music. and singing along. and dancing.

/ Christmas lights all over the apartment.

/ Love Actually (again and again) and all the other movies I've watched (a lot of them!).
/ nicest surprise ever.

/ my fingernails painted red.

/ the taste of potica.

/ spending time making the said potica with my great aunt.

/ all the nice smells, especially when lighting the 'Christmas cookie' candle.

/ all good food consumed. a lot of food.

/ being with family.

/ all those 'we have to see each other before the year ends' coming to life and spending time with friends.

/ everything calming down, even if it is only for a day or two.

 

I hope you too had a great time!

 

every year I wish that this magical time would last longer ... and every time it's over I wish for the new year to start soon. there is something with fresh starts that I love, even though nothing ever changes for real, but at least it feels so new and so full of opportunities, even the ones that have not yet materialized as wishes.

Barcelona is always a good idea.

 

I was so happy to have had another opportunity to prolong my stay in Barcelona after two working days there ... you might remember that I did the same last year.

 

I can point out similar reasons for my long weekend being as good as the last time :) To be honest, I was not too thrilled about the work part beforehand (even though I have only positive experiences from the past), but I was again pleasantly surprised. Pleasantly being a slight understatement. I really had a nice time and I am so thankful to have had an opportunity of meeting great people that are on the same wavelength as I am. I usually have no problems with connecting with people I've just met, but there is so much more to that than just being 'social' and enjoying yourself. So much that I was sad when thinking about meeting these new people I can now call my friends (right?! ;)) and not knowing when the next opportunity to see them again will be ...

 

 

Barcelona has been on my list of my favourite cities for more than 15 years now and I must say it never disappoints me.

 

 

 

 

 

This time around I've concentrated on two barrios - El Raval and Gràcia. I haven't been in the latter one before and I will definitely go back the next time - so many beautiful sights and such great energy!

 

 

 

 

My hotel was located right next to the Plaza Espanya and I easily walked down the Gran Vía ... I've deliberately avoided the Las Ramblas and the major Barcelona attractions and again, my main theme was 'no plan', just walking around, sitting down when needed, people watching, checking the stores at my own pace (hey, what can I say, shopping in Barcelona is great!), eat wherever seemed appealing when I felt hungry (and I never ate anything that wasn't very tasteful!) ... and I just simply let go and enjoyed the time on my own. In the evenings (when it is supposedly not too appropriate for a woman to walk around alone) I've opted to stay in the hotel and watch basketball (I would do that nevertheless, of course ;)), the world cup was in Spain this time and I was bummed that I couldn't see any of the games live. Nevertheless, these two days were not at all enough!

 

 

I have two restaurant recommendations for you ... try seafood in Fishop (loved their branding as well) and tapas in Taller de tapas. These are both on frequent streets, very easy to find and I promise that you will like them.

 

 

 

Some of the words come to you when you need them ... and well, this time some were more relevant than the others ;) (and no, I did not buy any shoes! :P)

 

 

FYI, haz lo qe quieras = do whatever you want :) (sorry for the crappy photo (all the rest aren't much better though), I didn't want to carry 'the real camera' with me and only used my phone ...)

And ... I will only say one thing ... sangría de cava, seriously the best drink ever ... it's sangría made with the spanish champagne, cava. So yummy. And also all the vino tinto I had ... yummy, try the tempranillo kind.

Can't wait to go back ;)

restaurant week.

 

Good food is one of my favourite pleasures. Ever since the last restaurant week here in Slovenia, I was looking forward to the one that was organized in March. I've managed to visit three restaurants in Ljubljana.

Gastronomic experience escalated and I must say my planning was good - I saved the best for last.

1. AS Restaurant

We were all a bit dissapointed with the whole evening in As restaurant as it truly wasn't anything special. The food was good, but that was it. The loud chief of service didn't, unfortunately, make the experience any better.

menu 1:

• asparagus with prosciutto and eggs
• lamb in the oven with pear and grand manier
• cream cake

menu 2:

• gambero rosso, tiger shrimps, herbal vegetable carpaccio
• bass Marie
• cream cake

2. Cubo Hotel

I loved the hotel's ambient (it was my first time visiting) and also loved the originality of the food. Couldn't decide which menu (meat or fish) was better, but would probably order the meat one once again.

menu 1:

• beef prosciutto on marinated fennel with truffle honey and strawberry
• veal tenderloin medallions wrapped in Hambrug bacon, baked in cocoa butter and celery puree
• chocolate mousse with orange sauce

menu 2:

• royal shrimp pate with cognac served on a pear with cuttlefish bread
• marinated white fish fillet with ginger, stuffed with crayfish tails and mascarpone sauce
• cottage cheese cream with raspberries

3. JB restaurant

Mr Bratovž is one of the best chefs in Slovenia. According to my experience, the best one by far. I loved everything they served and am planning on visiting another time, outside of restaurant week. Their menu said it all and I want to try it at least once in the near future.

This is what we've had:

menu 1:

• pork terrine with pumpkin and sunflower oil, fresh lettuce and vegetables
• thymus, wrapped in a mesh, with warmed cream, veal sauce and candied apples
• veal leg cooked in its own juice, roasted potatoes à la JB

menu 2:

• octopus in vegetable and fish sauce with balsamic vinegar, cuttlefish meringa, potatoes
• yellow polenta with cheese sauce, radicchio and smoked ricotta cheese
• smoked white fish fillet with soy and honey, saffron puree, fish sauce and vegetables

On top of it, we've also chose desserts - their tris and the best chocolate soufflé.

 

Next time (in October) we will have to visit some of the great restaurants outside our capital, I'm very much looking forward to it!

And now ... I need to eat something ;)

merry merry!

 

Christmas this year was ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/ the washi tape tree on our kitchen wall

/ the smell of our first real tree (we used to have a fake one)

/ watching the lights on our tree

/ baking potica at my great aunt's

/ the smell of the said potica and all the memories it always brings

/ Christmas macaroons (the best ever!)

/ celebrating with our families with lots and lots of great food involved (and with less stress than usual, yay us)

/ being together

Loved every second of it, but am already looking forward to the fresh start that the beginning of a new year will bring.

I hope you had a great time with your loved ones!

friendsgiving 2013.

 

Better late than never. Even though Christmas is right around the corner I didn't want to not publish photos from the first Friendsgiving we've hosted in November.

I got the idea from Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess (more here and here) already last year (and seen it all over the internet later), but somehow it came to life this November - Saturday after the Thanksgiving. Since I've already named it 'traditional' I really hope it will stick.

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe but the core meaning of the holiday (giving thanks for everything (and everyone) that happened in the past year) is something I think we should work on more and emphasize it in our day to day life. And that was the main thing I aimed for when planning. Having fun with our friends and eating good food was how it manifested.

I've sent out electronic save the date cards and invitations, prepared the table and cooked for the whole day. I love being a host :)

 All photos (except the first one and the last two that were done with iPhone) by Luka.