La Femme & Misfits

These days I want to be icy blonde with porcelain skin dressed and trained to kill. I'm jumping out of closets and sneaking around in a half squat with the pretend gun in my hands. I'm instantly transported back to my teenage days when I actually did the same after watching La Femme Nikita on TV.

And I'm watching it on TV again. I refuse to see it on-line and do the three days five seasons marathon. I'm saving it and savouring it. It's a daily reward for, well, anything done (I suppose this means nothing would get done otherwise).
   

And I also have a weekly TV reward in the form of a British TV show Misfits. On Thursday nights you'll find me crushing on Simon.

Story is marvellously ridiculous, camera is captivating and the cast is fantastic from head, hair to accents.  

:)

*Serbian

Why Did Cary Grant Learn Knitting?

* Knitting is my current state of mind (and I don't want it ever to change). But as for Cary Grant and his knitting just listen to this: he did this as a part of "propaganda project" for a War Relief organization. Knitting was sadly a feminine past-time in the 40's His learning how to knit was to prove his "moral bravery." Really Cary?! It seems hard, of mine! Are the needles too sharp, is that lady mean?

* I'm not the one to get all impressed by models and idolize them for whatever reason. (Not that I did not have the phase.) But a job is a job, people do it, successfully or not so much, some are well known, some are invisible, and we like it or we don't, any way it's a job.

But I must confess my weakness for Karlie Kloss. Not that I followed her, but she kept appearing in many things I really liked. Pretty and smart, an ex dancer (hooked), has a few things to say, too, and she's only 20! That's what broke me.

So, the other day I ran into this article about Nicaragua and guess who's a part of it. Now, I am gonna travel the world even when I'm 80 and this is the kind of place I wanna see.

Photograph by Ryan McGinley

* We all already know Kinfolk magazine, I'm sure, and we are all enchanted by it's perfectly undone, au naturel aesthetic. But have you ever wondered how much is that aesthetic a matter of a trend?

HILDA GRAHNAT

Reading this text an avalanche of the questions fell on my head, so, please help! Are we all hipsters, do we want to be them or do we hate them? Are the hipsters to blame for everything? Is our striving to be a bit different, do it our(your)self, look great in a perfect notthatwecare way, is that all a consequence of originality, trend economic crisis, or is it really that we couldn't care less?  

Forgive me, I know it's Sunday.

;)

*Serbian

Flea Market Calling

I'm still here, alive, just doing stuff, more reading less writing, admittedly.

And reading a lot about flea markets these days, you know - the crisis, economy and such. And I'm thinking I'm kind of a flea market veteran which is nothing new in this here sphere of blogging, but for a while I've lost my flea market mojo. My favourite boots and bags are pretty worn out now and they are the best I have. They were all bought on a flea market, and they were mostly from Germany or Italy (enough said). I need new ones but it's a tricky situation in this here little country. If I pay what I can afford and still have enough money for some coffee by the end of the months those shoes will last till spring, hardly longer. If I pay more, well, what should I do about coffee (or rent, or electricity and phone bills, or breakfast, lunch and dinner) then.

I'm thinking of my first flea market visits. Early mornings and us sleepy chasing a cab. Our first half-a-euro scores. It all started when I got a few H&M (no store here, at the time or now) blouses from a very lovely lady, then a Benetton jeans, and Italian shoes and it's when I got suspicious. After a short interrogation she broke and admitted - a little out of town, behind the trucks selling timber, early morning, do not accept the first price and work quickly.

 

Those were good times. Early morning Thursdays we could hardly wait, didn't even sleep sometimes if it was summer. And everyone had their own special code names for the place, those are hard to translate, but let me just mention that on Thursday mornings my dad use to go to the boutique. 

And the other very important thing about those mornings was the group of people you were with. You could not tell just about anyone about where you got that gorgeous skirt, it required a special mind to appreciate the genius of the place and situation. As special as Tamara's, for example, one of the best flea market partners ever. And then there we were usually the only ones below forty. And we would always meet one of our teachers, whether it be a chemistry, math or physics teacher, those were the ladies with the scariest 80s suits in the school (and we finally understood where those were from).

So, some days we would go there with around 2E in our pockets and got home with bags full. My favourite leather bag is from that flea market, as well as favourite boots, jewellery and blazer. But there is a catch there, there is a trick. You easily get seduced by all the Zara, Mango and H&M, and you get dizzy of all the 50 cent prices, and you easily end up stuck in a pile of clothes that's not really you, you don't really need or want to wear. I suppose it would be same buying bunch of stuff on sale in a moll in a richer country if you do not just pause and think, if you allow yourself to be blinded by brand or the amount you can buy. So, I decided I needed a flea market abstinence period and I got rid of piles, or better say mountains of clothes, at one moment (which I must say made a few of my friends pretty happy and well dressed). 

As some years passed things changed quite a bit. I moved. The flea market stayed the same except the change of location, but the people who visit it look very different now. The other day I finally went there and saw what this economy crisis did to our beloved place. Now among the visitors you see people who, you might think, would burst in flames if they left the safety of a shopping moll and the fresh air touched their tanned skin, and the hair bleach would fade and all the flat irons of the world would explode at the same time... And just so you know, the competition is strong so beware of the nails.

And I told you all this so full of nostalgic feelings just so I can share that I was able to stop the abstinence period last Thursday, thanks to a patron saint and a one month old baby. I resisted all the temptation and was focused and concentrated on what I really need and what is really good and found 4 things that make perfect sense in my wardrobe up to the last seam. Beautiful, silky, patterned pants that will have to wait the warm days next year, but that I searched for long and wide last summer - check. Fluffiest and softest cardigan with the sweetest and subtlest leopard rash - check. A leather skirt that I was also praying on last couple of seasons, well made, not shiny, perfect size -  check. And last but not least two bracelets made of spring that I'm already wearing all the time - super check.

P.S. If you got this far, thank you for actually reading and I hope your brain doesn't hurt too much.

 :)

*Serbian

Just wanna make you smile...

The Great Gatsby

I have been wanting to say something about The Great Gatsby here for a while now but it just never happened. Yesterday I started reading Murakami’s Norwegian Wood*, and Watanabe’s favourite book is The Great Gatsby. Now, I don’t really believe in signs but for once something felt like a sign.

I have this book and I didn’t buy it, I just found it and it’s pure magic. I think I didn’t steal it though I feel like I did, for the person it belonged to doesn’t need books any more and the persons it might belong to now apparently don’t care much for it**. It’s really sad and a book doesn’t deserve such a destiny especially a copy like this one.

But the moment I really started wishing to show this book was after I watched the trailer for the new Gatsby film. First I saw some posters - Leonardo and Carrey Mulligan and I was already on board. But then I saw the trailer and no, I’m not so convinced any more  Too much Moulin Rouge for my taste and The Great Gatsby should not have too much of anything other than Gatsby. I’m no filmmaker and I won’t speak to soon. I’m still eagerly waiting for it, open minded and with (maybe slightly forced) enthusiasm. It’s Gatsby after all…

* I want to write about it, too.

** Don’t worry, I asked.

;)

*Serbian

Ah! The Real Fall!

I feel that fall is a pretty mean season, disguising as nice, but you don't really know what's going to happen. You only think you do.

Summer is hot, winter is cold and spring is pretty and both. But fall, it makes you feel safe with it's balmy temperature and sunny days and pretty colours. When you can wear short sleeves, no tights but also boots*, or you can wear open toes and jeans without being overcooked.

Then the temperature drops and your jaw drops and suddenly there's snow in Germany**. And suddenly you wear a coat you had just bought this coat and left on the chair to wait for the right (cold) time to fulfill it's purpose, but the time came early. And when you looked at the pictures you realized it needed ironing. And I hate ironing. I like my stuff wrinkled. I mean YOU.

Ok, it was me, you got me. I'm mad at fall, I left the coat on the chair and I like wrinkled stuff, but now I have to get this coat ironed. Exhausting!

* When I was younger it always puzzled me how on Earth these girls in magazines wear sleeveless tops and high boots or sandals and a trench and jeans. When and where is that practical, but it's so cool. Well, the answer is (two-timing, two-faced) fall!

** Stay warm, Petra!

;)

*Serbian

Belgrade Book Fair 2012

Belgrade Book Fair is my favourite time of the year. Birthdays and holidays have got nothing on it. Absolutely the best week of the year. This year the result is 17 books bought. Mostly second hand but in great condition and at half the price of the new books.

And every year I find at least one book that can be deemed the treasure. This year it was a copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's that I dug out from a pile in a cardboard box under desk in one of the stalls. It cost me less than a Euro and it's beautiful.

So, 17 books, in both English and Serbian (my superpower, reading in two languages, and I need more) will last me a while. Salinger, Murakami, Marques and I will have some great fun this year. OK, now I'm just bragging.

:)

*Serbian

An Expensive Blue Coat

Levi s Made Crafted coat (clipped to polyvore.com)

Thank you, Polyvore, for making me a better blogger! 

Today I saw 4 new comments and thought what a nice people you are, thinking of me even though there is no new posts. But the new post was there and how that happened, well, not a bad story.

I read a fun article over the weekend and decided to get inspired. So I started transferring the contents of my closet to Polyvore and making outfits (laugh if you will, but it's fun... and addictive, and time consuming). The point is to find the same (lucky) or similar items to the ones you own. 

And now we get to this coat. Last week I purchased the similar blue coat with a few pockets less and for a lot less money, actually for only 2 Euro. So I chose this Levi's one to represent mine on Polyvore, didn't even look at the brand or the price tag. And that is what caused this 'Polyvore incident'. Polyvore and Blogger decided that, out of all the things I added, this coat should become a post on the blog and be shared with the world. 

Now, I also have to add that besides the blue one I bought another lighter, dark grey coat, a long navy blazer and a black wool skirt and all that for less than 7 Euro. And for these I will apparently have to make posts on my own.

;)

*Serbian

Greek Cat

First few days that we spent in Greece there was not a cat to be seen. Just a couple of angry looking tails that I spotted in a bush. And I'm also not counting the hundreds of cats on the shelves of souvenir stores and on the tote bags pictured in different moods (horny cat being my favourite). So I was left wondering how the Greeks could claim the cat the national animal when there were no cats.

And for a few days I was left without my favourite subject for stalking and photographing. But then on a third and fourth day there was a strong wind and the see was restless, waves huge. And after that when everything settled down, the temperatures dropped from around 33°C to 27-28 °C and they finally came. And they were everywhere...

Oh, cats how i love you because you are so much smarter than me and also you couldn't care less about that.

:)

*Serbian

Instagram!

Two years ago, when I was just a blogosphere observer, people stared posting perfect retro looking photos that looked like they had been taken by my grandpa years before. But he had not, because how he could have taken a photo of my favorite bloggers feet, I ask you. Hipstamatic was the name, for the filter, not grandpa's, I did some online research and found it. Instagram was the name of the IPhone application and I didn't have an IPhone.

Well, I wasn't giving up and I started looking for similar... thingies. And found some.
First,the Poladroid, a little Polaroid camera for your computer. You install it and it sits on your desktop, makes a real Polaroid noise and you can shake your picture when it comes out Andre 3000 style. Not many options, but it's cute and addictive.

Then came the Picnic, recently promoted into PicMonkey. And this is what I call Photoshop for sloths (not the animal, me, and whoever feels like one). I am so proficient in PicMonkey, I can do anything. Photoshoppers have got nothing on me! Sloths!

And I've also found Pixlr-o-Matic. Gets the job than if you are lazier than an average sloth. Works both on and off line and on your phone also.

But that did not satisfied my curiosity about the Instagram, I was still hurt by its elitism towards moi, pour soul sans IPhone, although I pretended I didn't really care and I had other photo application friends (sour grapes).

But the day came. Instagram got released for the Android phones, sweet little green Androids! No, I didn't install it at once. I waited a few days, I played it cool. And finally I did it (nonchalant and cool, if I may add). And I had it, and it was NOTHING SPECIAL! Over the course of two years since the beginning of Instagram I found better friends. And they don't even have the Hipstamatic anymore (at least I don't see it). The only thing the still kept me there is storing memories in a pretty package quickly, without USB cables, programs and stuff, that's all

And as for the Android phone, yeah,... I don't really have it (I'll wait for you to laugh for a while, it' ok!). But my really nice boyfriend does. So, I do have an Instagram account (and no smart phone) and if you want to you can follow me, and find somethings like this and this:

1. A Siamese graffiti that's now gone, so, storing memories, people;

2. Giant stuffed dog on a giant suitcase, spoted on the Belgrade bus station. Lucky is the child who got it!

:)

*Serbian

What Is White?

I had a perfect packing session for the vacation. Everything according to THE list. Just enough clothes that I was happy and my suitcase was happy. 2 dresses, maxi and mini, plus one for the beach. 2 shorts, for everyday and again for the beach. 2 skirts, see previous. A few blouses, T-shirts and shirts. Something for every occasion and yet not too much stuff.

But I had no idea how the wardrobe spirits would play with me...

Just before we got off the bus in Pefkochori, Greece, I saw a lady on the street with the most beautiful white shirt dress over her bikini. And I said to my boy, if I had that shirt I would not take it off for the next ten summers. He smiled innocently, not even suspecting how true this could be. And that same night my eyes were drawn to its whiteness. And for just 7 euro I had it, and now I'm ready for the next 10 summers.

So, you have the opportunity to see what I was wearing for the half of my summer vacation (until there was a written plea to, please, take it off). It's not really of dress length, unless worn over a bikini, but it's great with shorts. The fact is, if there weren't persons physically stronger than me in the room, I would also be sleeping in it And its perfectly wrinkled state is one more proof of the obsession (we had no iron).

:)

*Serbian

Books

The result of the 10 days in Greece: out of 4 books in the luggage, 3 read, and I'm still reading the last one.

The first was Bonjour Tristesse by Francoise Sagan, finished in first two days. The second, On The Road by Jack Kerouac. I had a big photocopy because I couldn't find the real book anywhere, it looked funny. So, it had to stay in the room and I read it at night in bed, while having coffee, before and after naps, on the balcony, but no beach time. And the third was The Great Gatsby, only on the beach**. The forth, I'm still reading, it's Becoming a Writer by Dorothea Brande.

I don't know what is TV anymore and I don't care, for now.

And don't worry, there was cats there and a big wardrobe (suitcase), too

* After seeing the movie this summer, I wanted to read the book, too. Finding it, however, turned out to be a mission impossible. But two days before the trip the best bf in the world came two hours late from work with the book in his hands...

** This book gets a post and you'll see why...

;)

*Serbian

New Post

I've been looking forward to writing this post for days. I missed you all so much! I cannot wait to see the '(1) comment awaiting moderation' notification, oh, it's gonna be so moderated with love!

This is what happen in the meantime. Days off at the end of July, with no chance of going somewhere for vacation, turned into a new, unexpected job. August turned into doing two jobs. And the last week turned into working a double shift at one job for the week, than going home and working on the second job. Now, am I forgiven?

I wasn't aware how much this blog meant to me until I was forced to leave it for a while. Meanwhile, the blog turned 1 without me. I did something, I didn't have to do, for a whole year... doesn't sound like me and it makes me so proud, and I want to do it for a long time.

Anyway, I have only 5 more work days to survive and then I'm going to GREECE! And beware! I missed blogging so much that I'm taking my net book with me and if the gods of internet have mercy ('cause maybe they live on mount Olympus, too), hopefully, there'll be some posting.

And finally, I have to share something my oh-so-nice boyfriend said to me recently 'Since now you are a professional writer (gulp!), i.e. you're paid for your writing, you must watch something.' Professional writer sounded so nice and it never occurred to me before.  And that's how a whole new dimension opened in my head, so I must share this with you:

P. S. This new job, nothing deep or revolutionary, but a step forward to 'my mountain'. I hope you don't mind I'm not sharing anything, I'll need sometime for that.

P. P. S. Yes, these are Instagram pictures, I have Instagram, and that's a whole new story that you will hear soon

P. P. P. S. I missed you, guys, sooooo much!!!

;)

*Serbian

A Perfect Voice

* So many talented ladies in one place. So much style. So much inspiration.

* Everything you wanted or didn't want to know about most famous designer houses in the world. A little bit of history and a little bit of scandal.

* If you are planning a trip to Rome soon (lucky girl) or you are dreaming of a trip to Rome (lucky dreamer) you should read this guide by Claire Oldman from Lola is Beauty.

I hope that you are having one great summer. That you are eating enough ice cream and water melon. That you are spending enough time in your bathing suit, even if it's on your balcony or back yard. And that you are remembering to forget, at least for a little while, about work (school, exams and such boring stuff).

;)

*Serbian

... because it was a Saturday

;)

*Serbian

Little Cat of the Day

;)

Double Sided

You know how there is a time in every woman's life when she starts mercilessly attacking stuff with nail polish (!?) (You don't? I suppose it's just me then). Well, my nail polish collection did start growing exponentially this summer, but obviously the expansion of my jewelry collection was not exponential enough and I had to intervene. 


So, since I got this necklace its backside looked almost equally attractive as its front to me. This Saturday, the mix of extreme summer heat and the smell of nail polish obviously got my creative juices flowing. Instead of one, I, now, have two necklaces and one of them even mirrors the season's trends of neon and ombre and not particularly subtly, if I may say. Just because I'm trendy like that...


So, how many nail polish attacks did you have this season?

;)

*Serbian

Some links and a butterfly

These are the five things without which I would not survive today: an electric fan, the TV remote, coffee, a book and closed blinds on all the windows


On a different note, this butterfly was a great model, very cooperative. Probably because it was the day after it finally rained. Although my tiny orange Nikon wasn't up to the task and out of 18 shots only a few can be used. 


Anyway, I wish you a happy July and great plans for this month. In the meantime, let me entertain you.

* It's easy to dream of Holland when it's hundred degrees outside here. At least there you can wear your silver pants and ride your bike where ever you like. (Milica was also thinking of Holland these days.)


* 50 books? Yes, please. I can already tick off about twenty from the list. And I recommend To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee as a starting point.

* And in the end something beautiful.

;)

*Serbian

Good Sunday

So, what can save you after a sizzling hot working week? A pretty Sunday! And the scenario goes like this:

1. Two of your best friends in the world come to town for a seminar, but get bored. They want you to take them out for a coffee, ice cream and some window shopping. It's Sunday, it's 10 in the morning and this city never looks nicer and friendlier.

2. Your friend who works in a bookstore gives you his discount and you buy a book that you've been wanting to read for a while. And then you continue with the math for the rest of the day how much would it cost to buy the other one hundred of books that you liked there.

3. You go for a swim and sunbathing session with your sister to the city lake. You act like you're ten and you use your rubber ballet flats as fish fins. Luckily no pictures taken. There's also a sweet family there with a nervous chiwawa that turns into a zen master when they put him in a little blow up boat and on the water. Sadly, no pictures taken.

;)

*Serbian

Jump

 

Enjoy the weekend!

;)

*Serbian