Write and Link #6: Do You Believe in Magic?

It's been a while. I wish I could tell you fun stories of great adventures which kept me from blogging, but the simple truth is I was sick and stuck at home for two weeks. The first thing I did once my energy level got better? You got it! I dressed up and bought tickets to theater. Oh, you know me so well!

Hot at the Museum

Last weekend, Justin and I had a chance to visit an exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) - it was the last days when impressionists were on display. I adore that period and adore both softness and boldness of impressionistic paintings. It revealed so many talents, each with their own uniqueness - it's hard to pick just one favorite. Thank goodness, we don't have to pick only one - we can enjoy them all.

Teal Tale

It seems every redhead on earth must know that teal, this greenish shade of blue, looks great on them. Yet when a friend gave me a teal pashmina a few years back saying that it should look good with my coloring, I thought she was joking. My perception of teal was that it was a shade of blue, and I did not like blue back then - in fact, blue was not to my liking until recently, probably only a couple of years ago.

Snow and Vintage + Write and Link

Snow makes a rare appearance here by the Sound, so rare that every time it's a festive event on its own. I can't say I miss seeing snow (especially having snowy mountains as a magnificent backdrop year round), but whenever I see it, it brings my inner child out to play.

Happy New Year! + New Video

 

A very Happy New Year to each and all of you!

It's my most favorite holiday of all. It's something about childhood - in my home country, it is THE holiday which is widely celebrated as the biggest event of the year. Most of our traditions have pretty much the same flair as Christmas here - no big surprise there, our New Year celebration takes roots from both ancient winter celebrations and Christmas. It's the connection with childhood, that's what makes it so special - brightly decorated tree, lights everywhere, special treats and beloved people by our side. And always, always a feeling of magic and dreaming big dreams. I'll probably spend tomorrow preparing a couple of traditional Russian salads - one with salty herring! sounds yucky doesn't it? ;) - nevertheless, it is one of my most favorite treats. I'll probably watch some favorite Russian winter movies. Then I'll dress up, say thanks to 2015 and welcome the New Year.

Mannik Recipe

Mannik (манник, pronounced MAHN-nik), a Russian semolina cake, is one of my favorite childhood treats and also a favorite of Anya and Justin. I'll write up my basic recipe first, and offer a few additional ideas to make this simple (yet tasty!) cake even more interesting.

Colorful Coastal Christmas

Merry Christmas, my friends and readers!

This year, we decided to take a mini-break and escape to the beautiful Oregon Coast. On the plus side, at least for us geeks and nerds, it is practically deserted this time of year. If you're a party person, the Oregon Coast is definitely not the place to be right now. On the not-so-plus side, winter on the coast means high winds, heavy rain and the possibility of floods. I'm not used to such strong winds, they almost knocked me off my feet, though locals take their dogs for a walk on the beach just as if it was just another sunny day. We also took walks trying to catch breaks in the weather. In general, I wanted to stay warm and cozy, but still look and feel festive and just a bit glamorous.