visually lush

Embarassing tv appearance

2011-12-27T19:21:00.003+02:00

In Spring of 2010 I was a guest on a low-budget and low-quality Bulgaria talk show, I mentioned it here. When it aired I was really embarrassed about it, but now that more than a year has passed I feel sort of ready to finally bring it out in the open. However I am really awkward and uncomfortable in it, and I do a lot of looking up with my eyes. I suppose I do this when I am thinking or trying to remember something from the past. Also I feel that the host put a lot of his words in my mouth, instead of for example, asking "how was the first year for you in England?", he would say "the first year must have been very difficult and shocking and for a little girl", meaning he did a whole lot of assuming, and not leaving me room to speak my own opinions/experiences. I cannot stand it when talk show host do that, and almost all of them do that, especially the big name American ones. It's practically a one person dialogue/monologue, it's unacceptable. The fellow was quite nice actually, we had a lovely chat before the show backstage, I suppose he was following some sort of standard egotistical interviewer format, probably not his fault.

Anyways here it is, major embarrassment in Bulgarian. Link
(Above is just a photo, you cannot watch it, have to click the actual link.)

Knitted model

2011-12-26T18:23:00.000+02:00

Once upon a time, ten years ago, I was a model. I am retired quite a few years now, but occasionally if a friend asks to borrow my visages (face), I do oblige, and generally enjoy the feeling, especially if the images turn out nice.
So one bright morning this year, a friend and I did a petite impromptu photoshoot, in my favorite corner of our house, the one that has the best diffuse lighting and always brings out good photos.
The cause was for a new, knitted, scarves and shawls and ponchos line for my friends' sister. In fact both sisters are crafty ladies, one does hand painted silk scarves, the other hand knitted ones.
It was all quite amateur and enjoyable, however the results turned out nicely.

favourite website

2011-10-10T12:24:00.000+03:00

Yes dear readers and freinds and family I have been a very absent blogger, here is one of the main places I have been hanging out at during my free time:

XO JANE
My number one online reading material spot is an American magazine I once adored, which ran for ten years starting in the mid 1990s. JANE is now an online version named XO JANE, which posts new articles daily (except the weekends), with a immensely honest and fun personal style. The writers are females of all ages who share a great deal of their personal lives with the readers, and following the articles it is not unlike receiving letters form a best friend, or reading their personal journal/diary.
I read "xo jane" daily, it's my main reading material, I could manage reading just it and nothing else. It covers a multitude of topics, and reading it brings on all kinds of emotions; sadness, inspiration, joy, laughter, hope, coolness, and a kind of feeling community, and not being the only one.

My favorite is the "It Happened To Me" section,

Other Fun Stories:
Puppy eats underwear.
Dumpster diving.
Accutane (acne medicine) woes.
Anorexia recovery causes major bodily gas.
Getting Toxic Shock Syndrome from you know what.
A gorgeous house of a certain celeb
Real girl belly project
Mannequin-leg trouble with Mormon parents

Note: I do not read the Sport section, I just cannot fathom the act of watching or reading about sports, nor the Fashion section much, I don't like the new writer, she is grossly superficial and has no useful advice.

puppy costume

2011-09-10T15:06:00.000+03:00

Our little Cavalier King Charles puppy Georgiana is eleven months old in these photos, and my daughter is seven years.
Georgie is just six kilograms (13 pounds), and happens to fit into doll/baby clothing, we dress her up sometimes and she is quite understanding and accepting of things done unto her with love. So she patiently participates in our experiments, and we squeal with laughter and adorableness.
Note: We keep the puppy in the costumes only about 10 to 15 minutes, and then she is free again.

beach jump

2011-08-04T22:48:00.005+03:00

The past few years we have been going to Greece for the summer, the Aegean Sea is exotically clear and clean and particularly salty, and there is quite a lot of it (the sea), so one can have a beach nearly all to themselves.

This summer we all ready went to Greece, and we also took a short road trip to the Black Sea in coast with some friends in tow, and spent two half days on the beach, romping about in the warm water, and talking jumping photos of ourselves. There is something magically transforming about about the act of leaping in the air, as supposed to just a standing photo. And its such giddy fun, especially when there was three of us trying to time our jumps together, and a fourth photographer person attempting to capture the brilliance.

Pictured are my 8 year old girl, our 18 year old friend, and myself at 28. Take note our age. We three are such good friends, despite the ten, ten, year age gaps, and we all play the piano.

i am back

2011-08-03T00:04:00.000+03:00

Hello dear readers, I am back.
Yes I have not been blogging for many endless months, and it is an embarrassing disgrace, I feel awful about it. In my defense my child was class one/first grade and I was quite occupied with doing that whole situation; getting her to school on time, helping with homework, taking her to lessons, and mothering in general. Also I was a bit of a career woman for about half a year, meeting clients all over the city, reviewing and writing and so on.
However I am back now and will try to post more often.

Gia magazine

2010-11-05T23:31:00.003+02:00

And here is the debut issue of online fashion magazine Gia. Lots of work by Lazar, and our daughter is in there too. www.GiaMagazine.com

petite supermodel

2010-11-05T23:01:00.010+02:00

Two dear friends of ours H&S came out with their own fashion magazine today, and we are honored to be quite prominent in their debut issue. My husband did four photoshoots including the cover, and one of the editorials is a beauty story of our darling girly cutie pie daughter. The idea was a basic beauty photoshoot showcasing the latest make-up trends from the fashion shows, but portrayed on the face of a young girl. I liked the idea, and considering our daughter is also good friends with H&S it was like a having a little party in our studio, and she enjoyed having the make up put, and being photographer by daddy, all in all creative fun.
I find the images stunningly beautiful, and they are in now way like kids beauty pageants, where hair is bleached and they are transformed into all sorts of vulgar stuff, and it becomes a lifestyle for those poor girls. For us this was just one hour after a regular school day.
I found it like portrait painting almost, just really really beautiful and aesthetic. We are so proud. Here are behind the scenes photos taken by me.

glamorous debut

2010-10-02T12:09:00.013+03:00

We had a photoshoot for Glamour magazine recently with one of my favorite Bulgarian models Gloria. I suppose the reason I like her is due to her not looking Bulgarian, I delight in her bountiful red hair and pale freckled face. I adore freckles, wish I had them. When I found out she (gloria) was the model, and theme would be an autumn day in a field, I knew I had to get our puppy Georgiana in the shoot. So I casually joined my husband at the prep meeting with Georgiana knowing one glance at the adorable puppy would result in her being in the shoot. However after some coffee and tea, there was still no proposal, and then, being the stage mother that I am , I just said it, that I love the shoot idea, and thought Georgiana would suit quite nicely, and the people said, you know as soon as we saw her (the dog) it's exactly what we thought.
And so it happened and here are the results! Georgiana appears in three photos, see if you can spot her (she is quite small).
The editorial appears in Bulgarian Glamour October 2010.

daughters bedroom - after - details

2010-09-30T13:08:00.000+03:00

daughters bedroom - after

2010-09-22T13:44:00.013+03:00

Practical goals: We needed our daughter's bedroom to be spacious, to utilize the height of the walls, and to have an abundance of storage.

Ethereal goals: We wanted the bedroom to be visually cohesive, incorporate the use of natural elements, to be appropriate for a seven year old girl and relevant as she grows up. Feminine, and the white ornate bed to be the focus of the room, and lots of natural light.

I badly wanted to keep the ornate wrought iron bed, but it was not strong enough as a bunk bed, then I wanted it to be a hanging bed something like this or this , but it was just not practical. Instead we had a friend make this new iron bed inspired by the old one, and the ladder too which were then powder painted and baked for hours to strengthen the exterior and make it near chip proof. The bed is at a height of 185 cm, making it high enough for a most normal humans to walk under, with easy access to the wardrobe and storage below. All the furniture is custom made too, by another friend, and it is a veneer of beautiful real oak wood. We added the open shelves under the bed for a toy boutique feel. The last thing we decided was the color of the walls, and settled on all white with one accent wall, behind the shelves, and went for a daring red. It is quite intense, but we are happy with it.

Considering the space I feel we really used it to the maximum, the room is quite spacious now and the tall bed is the central aspect of the room as I wanted, and we added the white porcelain drawer handles to match. We are all happy with the results, in fact it has become the most put together room in the house, and I enjoy spending time int here even when it's just me at home. The room is so light filled, well it always was, but before there was dark furniture bringing it down. The photo's don't do it justice, it looks and feels even better in real life.

daughters bedroom - before

2010-09-17T14:01:00.003+03:00

This is my daughter's bedroom in our house in Sofia. The room is minuscule, almost no floor space but with great expansive height, really it's practically a chimney, or a an upright tunnel! We did not buy any furniture items specifically for this room, and accommodated it with furniture we brought from Los Angeles. I adore the lovely wrought iron bed and white canopy, whereas the remainder items are just sort of eclectic, there is a pastel pink cupboard, a dark wood chest of draws, a light wood little chest of draws and some children's chairs and table. There is some charm to the look, but it does not form a visual cohesiveness, nor is it practical for the little floor space, there is no sufficient storage, and the walls are just not utilized.

Thus we set about creating an entirely new bedroom.

ballerina

2010-09-10T09:58:00.004+03:00

I just love ballerina skirts. I have never done any ballet, nor desire to be a ballerina, but the costumes I adore. I have one in black, I think it's called a classical bell tutu, and I chose that color as it's the most wearable. Here I am wearing it with a corset, and a cool fedora hat.

la roux

2010-06-16T23:25:00.008+03:00

Yesterday I discovered (through the help of a friend) a fantastic English band named La Roux (the red one). The female singer I find to be beautiful, and cool, and adorable, as well as humble and intelligent and utterly lovable in character. She is so calm and true, and deep and quite stylish that she has inspired me greatly, and my daughter by my side is totally into La Roux as well. I don't generally like androgyny, nor the 1980s fashions, but she makes it all look somehow great. La Roux has so occupied my thoughts these past two days; I have been listening to the album, and watching her interviews and blog, that my six year old girl and I recreated the La Roux look at home ourselves today, for a little fun photo shoot. The resemblance is striking.

Here you can see songs and videos, check out Bulletproof, and I'm Not Your Toy

Hair, make-up, styling and photography by me, Lydia Dimitrova

art

2010-06-14T21:01:00.000+03:00

When I was in middle school and high school, I was quite good at art, and thoroughly considering studying it, but I did not feel my talents were well rounded enough. I was decent at sketching, and confident with color, well in fact I was brilliantly in love with color, but I could not draw shapes well, or perspective, and faces were disastrous, somehow I could never quite complete a piece of art. I felt I could draw certain aspects, but did not know how to piece them together to create a cohesive complete drawing/painting. Anyway the other day I read something very moving about Vincent Van Gogh's life, so I browsed through our massive Impressionism art book and it dawned on me (in the time span of a minute) that this was the art style for me! I was not good with detailed shapes, but was excellent with color. At once I got out the brushes and acrylic paint, the good paper, and my daughter and we began painting, browsing the book for inspiration.
Painting in fun dots and sploshes, and mixing colors suited me just perfectly, I loved it, this really was the art movement for me. Well as long as I stay with simpler things like nature, and keep away from painting humans I feel comfortable and overjoyed.

These are in honor of my mother, today June 14th is her birthday, and she has always been the greatest supporter and fan of my art work, weather good or not so good. I love you Mama.

My daughter's is the first one with the gold ornaments surrounding it, it's quite a masterpiece considering she is only six. Mine are the following three in chronological order. The autumn one that we both did is my first impressionism painting ever, then the spring blossoms one, and the poppy field.

doggy dress up

2010-06-08T14:04:00.009+03:00

We dressed up Georgiana in dolls clothes, she sort of had fun as well as us.

introducing...

2010-06-04T23:43:00.011+03:00

I have finally named our puppy Georgiana. I named her on St George's day in April which also happens to be her name day, though this is only a coincidence, or perhaps a case of synchronicity.
I deliberated over many lovely English names, I wanted the name to be something regal/royal, and feminine, and also connected with classical music. But after a number of weeks of undecided pondering, I returned to the only name that was true in my heart, the name of my beloved English historical figure, Her Grace Georgiana Cavendish The Duchess of Devonshire. And Georgiana it became. Interestingly my husband's name of choice was Gia, which fits into georGIAna, and thus Gia is her nickname, although I always call her by her full name.
The name is even more appropriate when one considers the history of the breed. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is named after Charles the second, as these were his favorite dogs, and he even passed a law stating that this breed was to be permitted everywhere, so that nothing would prevent them leaving his side. Ever since this particular breed has been a constant presence in the English royal families through the centuries, and there are many portraits of noble and kingly folk with their mini royal Spaniels.

The particular color of our puppy, pearly white with orange/brown patches was created in the castle of Blenheim by the 1st Duke of Marlborough and his wife and so the naming of that color is Blenheim. Georgiana was also friends with one of the Blenheim families, though not exactly the first, however she certainly must have had some contact with the breed.

I truly feel that Georgiana is the only name that could ever be, there are many other more feminine and melodious names, but Georgiana is entirely perfect.

floor cleaning & puppy in the country

2010-06-04T23:26:00.006+03:00

Here is our three month old puppy frolicking in a meadow, filled with wild flowers. She was running around and flipping somersaults and cartwheels with joy, and we played such fun chasing games with our little family. I barely managed to get the puppy to sit still for a minute, however this mound of yellow flowers and she were too beautiful to not take these photos.

Back at home there is a whole lot of floor cleaning going on, done entirely by me, and I feel our floors have never been both so dirty and so clean in one day. And we don't even have a proper mop, so I am on my knees on the floor cleaning a la the old fashioned way, but its actually sort of enjoyable, more fun and real then vacuuming. In fact the other day I was feeling very sorry for myself for some particular reason and the water fountain was flowing from my eyes, but I had to clean the floor. So I got on my knees with an old tee-shirt rag, and yellow rubber gloves for a nice dose of humbling hard work, and twenty minutes later I was all better. Washing the floor is really kind of cool, and rewarding.

magazine editorial

2010-05-28T17:07:00.005+03:00

And here are the scans from the magazine. My daughter looks more like here real self here, whereas on the cover she appears quite a bit older then six/seven.

note: I have no idea who the boy is, just one of the nine children on the shoot.

the cover

2010-05-27T12:38:00.001+03:00

Here it is, my daughter on the cover of Moda June 2010.

behind the scenes

2010-05-26T21:35:00.019+03:00

A friend of ours who also happens to be the fashion editor at Moda magazine called us last month wanting our daughter to model for a photo shoot. The project entailed a number of children, and so I recommended a friend of ours for the project as well. And so the day of the shoot, my six year old P, and eight year old N and their mothers (us) arrived at a studio to discover it was going to be nine children in total, to be shot separately and in groups, and our friend the fashion editor was hoping the shoot would get a cover. Sometimes with magazines it's a competition between the three or so photo shoots to win the cover. I promptly announced in my unabashed American way that my daughter and her friend would be on the cover, especially considering we arrived the earliest while all the other kids were late.

Then the hair stylist/make-up artist who is also our friend got to work on my daughters hair making it even bigger and curlier that it naturally is, creating a fantastical outcome. Both her and I loved the stunning big hair, such a luscious change from the regular, you see I was afraid they might want to straighten it. The photographer was not my husband this time, a first for my girl to be shot by someone else. It was all very fun though and great for me to have a friend to chat with and wonderful for my daughter to share this experience with buddy.

A few weeks later we got a call that they wanted to re-shoot some more outfits of my daughter for the cover. Yay we got the cover! Unfortunantley the cover was for my daughter only, no her buddy, but still my little P is going to be on the cover of a leading fashion magazine at the age of six! The same magazine that I was on the cover of four years earlier.

hard drive & underpass

2010-04-30T12:56:00.003+03:00

My computer/lap-top has been broken for quite sometime now, and that is why I have not been blogging much. However it has a new hard drive, and is almost ready to be mine again. Soon I will be blogging regularly.

In the meantime here is a new article of mine for The Sofia Echo, on their website:

LINK

concert & exam style

2010-04-29T11:51:00.011+03:00

There's my ethereal and stylish beauty!
Yesterday, on the 28th of April, my little pianist had her entrance exam for first grade at the music school in the morning, and a concert in the evening! A whole year she worked hard, practicing an hour a day, every day and I with her and by her side, and twice weekly piano lessons, (well almost an hour, and not quite every day). And yesterday was the big event of the year, it was a tiring and long day, but now it is in the past, and the results are in, unanimous vote by all judging teachers on her brilliance, and perfect scores of six for piano and six for solfege! In Bulgaria the highest grade is six, with two being a fail. More than sixty children auditioned/participated and only a hand full got perfect sixes. Thus I am beaming with pride and joy. However she did happen to get a case of stage amnesia while in the actual room, completely forgetting everything, but after our teacher (who was also inside) showed her where the song began, the actual first few notes, my daughter blossomed and played everything in sublime tempo, and rhythm, and dynamics, and with such emotion, that all was right with the world again.

For her outfit, our teacher suggested a light girly theme as supposed to, the classic black and white, and so I put this outfit together with items we all ready had, and only purchasing the the flowering hair ribbon and the white princess slippers. I am delighted with the result.

There was a whole lot of waiting around involved, so these photos are from that. Luckily one of her best buddies was right after us for the exam, so they were together the whole time, playing "rock, paper, scissors" etc...

Perhaps I will post the videos later.

our puppy

2010-04-14T23:19:00.006+03:00

Introducing a new member of our family. A baby girl Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, yet unnamed, but very much loved. She is close to two months old.

self portraits & make up

2010-03-27T16:38:00.020+02:00

Today I was a guest on a Talk Show focusing on Bulgarians who have lived abroad. It was great fun, although I was quite nervous, since my Bulgarian is not good, and I feel I can't express myself properly, however I suppose there is charm to that, and the male host was extremely lovely, and warm and relaxed, so I perhaps the result is sort of alright. I will post the video on here once it airs.

I had my make up done by a professional friend of ours and I thoroughly understand the lure of make up, because suddenly I looked incredible. I do see the addiction potential, but I prefer make-up only for special occasions, a little mascara for a dinner with friends, some eyeliner and eyeshadow for a party, and so forth. I cant stand how some women wear a lot of makeup every single day of their lives. When I see people wearing foundation on a normal day, I ache for their poor skin, imprisoned by chemicals, and pity their low self esteem that demands this face paint. The way I avoid makeup is by eating healthy, taking of my skin (cleanser, toner, serum, cream), and getting enough sleep.

I say get your makeup done by a professional and take mad photos of yourself, then flaunt them about with great pride. Repeat this project every few years, and you are set for life.

Note: by the way these have not had any Photoshop on them, as my mac is being problematic, and I can't open the bloody application.

music video

2010-03-26T23:31:00.008+02:00

My photographer husband was recently out of the country for a month, and thus I became studio manager, and head owner of our studio during his absence. I had his cell phone, and so everyone who called looking for him, I dealt with, and it was quite fun, I felt like a business tycoon, renting it out, talking time, equipment, money and a certain one day when three separate clients wanted the studio at the same time.

On one particular day, I rented the studio, to a singer for a music video, and I was present almost the entire shoot, (our policy) sort of like house sitting, to guard it. The young lady named Stefani, is a Chalga singer, a type of Bulgarian music which mixes folk with pop. Well this style of music is particularly big amongst people who have no taste, and I was slightly dreading having to listen to one of these unpleasant songs blasted all day for the shoot. However the singer somehow had a good voice, I heard her singing when she changed outfits, and the song itself was sort of cool. In fact I really liked it, perhaps its the best Chalga song ever (judging by the ones I have heard while ridding in taxi's). The vocals are so rich and I feel it's going to be the big hit of 2010!

And another most cool factor is that our studio was shot exactly as is, and in its entirety. Meaning the whole entire music video is our studio, there's the tall scaffolding, there is my husbands plastic gray suitcase, which he took out to use on his trip, but then chose on a different suitcase, there's our red Porsche, there's our large Ikea stainless steel bowels, there's my cheap Chinese paper umbrella that I got from LA, theres' our funny mismatched arm chairs, there's my husbands wooden carved Aries bowel, that he made when he was 19 or so, there's a portrait of our daughter in a large golden frame, there's the antique cast-iron iron, it's all us. The only thing that was brought in is the black and white checkered floor, and the Hummer.

It's all very sort of fun and amusing the whole situation, and I can certainly say that I am not embarrassed that the visuals to this song is our studio.

romantic

2010-02-14T15:02:00.002+02:00

I recently updated my husbands website Lazar Vision with new images. This photoshoot I particularly like, as it is so romantic and ethereal. The pale pink is perfect , and the flowers in the background, and the styling are just luscious.

Bulgarian baby nutrition and care

2010-02-09T22:23:00.008+02:00

I am apologizing in advance, this post is not at all visually lush.

I have a daughter, and when I became a mother six years ago, there was no other option in my mind that to give her the best, most natural and healthy life start. I breast fed her for one year and one months and by breast feeding I mean her mouth drinking milk from my breasts, not some vulgar plastic apparatus pumping out the milk, to be used with a toxic un-humane plastic bottle. I read many child care and holistic mothering type books published from different countries, as each culture has different ways. My primary reading material came from England, Germany, and America. Some suggested to give babies water as well as the breast milk, while others said milk was entirely fine as is. I had very strong feelings that my God given and created breast milk was perfection in the utmost, so I never gave my baby anything else not even water, until six months when I began giving her minute amounts of rice cereal, and slowly within the following months introducing vegetable and fruit purees. Six years later she is the healthiest child I know, and has grown beautifully tall and strong.

Here in Bulgaria I knew little about baby care, as our friends have children my daughters age or older, but this past week I spent some time with one friend, with a baby who does everything in standard Bulgarian manner, which includes slathering her baby not in say olive oil or some nice baby product, but in lard. Meaning fat that comes from a swine! Followed by feeding her newborn, meat at six months, while also saying that goat milk, and yogurt are quite inappropriate for under the age of one because they are difficult to digest. (That's like saying that rape is better than a gentle kiss on the hand.) And all the while this mother has the TV turned on all the time, every single day. She never reads books, the only information source is her mother.

The following day I spent some time with another mother of a newborn, who is holistic and very natural minded, she is amazing, but the poor girl has to fight the classic Bulgarian tyrant mother in law, who pounds her with proud proclamations like "my two boys were eating three different kinds of meat by four months". I withheld from meat until my daughter was two years old.

Basically in Bulgaria if an infant is not supplemented and fattened with meat and potatoes and biscuits/coockies, the mother of the baby is considered deranged and awful. Meanwhile the poor little babies are in horror, their sensitive undeveloped tiny stomachs spasm-ing, retching, screaming at this most intense abuse.

I am embarrassed by my people folk, I am embarrassed by anyone non Bulgarian reading this, and thinking the inevitable, "My these Bulgarians are such idiotic peasants". How could they not, I am thinking the same thing. And truth it is, and here is the reason, it's my understanding that not long ago when the country was even poorer, babies were dying a lot, and thus a fat baby, and a family that could afford to feed it with meat resulted in a baby that lived, and since the general folk could not read, and even later on when they could, women just listened to their mothers and grandmothers' advice. As a result generation by generation, baby care has simply not evolved, and in 2010 Bulgarian babies are raised as if it were the middle ages.

In conclusion I am horrified by these ignorant mothers, they must educate themselves on a subject so vital, and be present and proactive in raising the future of Bulgaria. Meanwhile those domineering tyrant grandmothers need to trust and respect the new mother. An old person does not automatically mean a wise one.

interview

2010-02-04T22:19:00.003+02:00

An interview of my husband came out today on a website called View Sofia, a fashion and lifestyle site in Bulgarian. The article is regarding him being a fashion photographer in Sofia, and is quite long and good, perhaps I will translate it into English at some point.
There are already some comments, and one female reader says (I am translating it) "this man is wonderful, the interview is fantastic. May he be healthy and well, and even more sensitive/emotional." Ok it does not translate as well, but it's very sweet for me to read people appreciating my guy.

So here is the link.

piano

2010-01-29T20:25:00.007+02:00

My daughter plays the piano, I played the piano as a child in England, and before that my mother took piano lessons during her youth in Russia. Three generations of pianists we are. However I was particularly not very good, my lessons regularly featured polite, long sigh's emitted by the teacher, and I only reached level two or three of those workbooks. Virtuoso I was not. My mother was not too good either, however my little offspring's musical gifts were obvious before she could speak, and so we began piano lessons at a Mozart like age of four.
I attend all her lessons and conduct all her daily practice sessions, and thanks to my basic piano skills, and her talent she has advanced amazingly. In retrospect, I do think, perhaps my mother playing the piano, and I playing the piano was in preparation for this gifted child of mine, so that we could help her, nurture her musical foundation. A sort of milder version of say Mozart who was born into a musical family, who gave him that early start, and surrounded his childhood with music. And while Mozart's family are not remembered in history, they were significant in creating it.

I do love the piano, playing it is such fun, and its sound never irritates me like say the violin, (ugh unplesant indeed). Piano's unfortunately do not inmprove with age, like stringed instruments however I do find old piano's to be very beautiful especially when ornate and in unusual colors, particularity my favorite spring green.

photos by: link, link, link

blog decor

2010-01-17T21:41:00.008+02:00

I just discovered this incredible site called Shabby Blogs, (and this one called The Cutest Blog on the Block,) which offer free blog backgrounds, that are chic and feminine and utterly charming. This is what I have been looking for, for months, and it is such fun trying them out, like playing dress up, or having a notable interior designer, decorating your home for free.

colorful earrings

2010-01-07T09:59:00.003+02:00

I am still gaga for feather earrings and her are a few more added to my collection, the peacock, ones, the spotted magenta ones, and the spring green round non feather ones are new, and from Bulgaria too.
Previous post on earrings can be found here.

youth in revolt

2010-01-05T21:00:00.012+02:00

My favorite book of all time is by an American author named C.D. Payne. Published in 1993 "Youth in Revolt" is about an intellectual fourteen year old boy named Nick Twisp living in California, and his comedic and wild adventures all fueled by attaining the love of a girl.

This coming-of-age genre has been well explored in endless books, but the magic of Youth in Revolt is not so much the story, but the way it is written. For me C. D. Payne is a modern day Shakespeare, a master of words. The storyline is entirely amazing, but setting the story aside, and just reading any half a page of the book, one is enchanted and utterly in love with the chosen words and the sentence formation. Often the simplest thing is written in the most magnificent, amusing and elaborate way, making one have a fit of delight. This book is what instilled in me the love of words and adoration of the English language. This book is the reason I am a writer.

The Youth in Revolt story is in fact a saga, with a number of books about the life of our young intellectual hero, all of them being amazing. Even a film has been made which is coming out this Friday, January the 8th 2010 in America. Film adaptations of books are usually close to awful, but considering the actors chosen to portrait the characters of Youth in Revolt, and the movie trailers it appears that the movie may be quite alright. I have had a few exciting email conversations with my favorite C. D. Payne and he says "I'm hoping it will serve as a teaser to entice people to read the book(s). At any rate it should raise Nick's profile a bit. Perhaps that is the best we can hope for."
Indeed, I think it may just be better than expected, and I cannot wait to see it, although I have no idea when it will come to Bulgaria, ( I will have to find it online).

Here is the website for C.D. Payne and his books.
Here is a link to the R rated trailer.(nsfw)
Here is another trailer.
Here is the film website.

p.s. Yes I know the cover of the book is ugly, it's the one and only minute bad thing about this novel.

new year crafts

2009-12-31T14:04:00.008+02:00

Children in Bulgaria celebrate the new year by crafting a decorative "Survachka", using a small branch from a Cornel tree, and carefully bending the arms of the branch into circular shapes, and adorning with colorful wool thread, dried fruit, ribbons and gold coins and so on. And when the new year commences, children pat the backs of their relatives and friends with the Survachka while speaking rhymes, wishing good health and a happy and prosperous year. In return those that are being patted on the back give the children coins/money and ring shaped baked goods, which can be placed on the Survachka itself. The children can collect a fair amount of money and are able to afford themselves a nice gift.
Nowadays these sticks are usually purchased pre made, or elderly people make them and sell them on the streets.

We have a cornel tree at our country villa, so my daughter and I made a simple survachka ourselves, careful to preserve the tree buds.

christmas gelato

2009-12-26T09:58:00.003+02:00

I truly did have nocciola gelato (almost) daily while in Milan!
When I visited this bistro/gelateria in the month of November I was overcome with desire to write about it, and went home filled with inspiration and wrote this article in about two hours. I did think it a bit odd to have an ice cream article in autumn, but it was no so cold at the time, plus, in Russia and in Japan ice cream is eaten almost daily during the winter, so decided it was all right. Then the Sofia Echo did not publish it till December 18th, and in the issue that is the three week holiday issue (as supposed to the weekly editions). So my little ice cream article is for the all the holidays from December 18th till January 7th!
online version

cardamom spice makes everything nice

2009-12-21T22:07:00.005+02:00

We made Christmas cookies/biscuits this weekend, using my one of my favorite spices; cardamom. In fact we made three kinds, two being general spiced cookies with allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and then the all cardamom ones. Decorations were difficult to find in Sofia and we drove around for half a day, finally finding something in Kaufland and at Hit, but there were none in a wintery theme, so our Christmas cookies appear more Valentines day, but still they are quite pretty. My daughter got very creative with them, and we as a family spent a number of hours in complete satisfaction gathered at the dinning table icing and decorating making each little treat unique. I enjoy this Western tradition, mostly absent in Bulgaria.
Notice the big odd shaped one in the middle, the disfigured shape of the cookie looked like a mouse to me, so I made it into one, now its our household pet.
Our friends in Sofia will be getting a little baggies of our gourmet cookies.
Also some of our homemade cards, using a sort of stamping device that punctures cutouts in paper like these snowflake ones.

Merry Christmas to all.

house - lounge area

2009-12-15T13:52:00.007+02:00

house - dining area

2009-12-14T12:55:00.010+02:00

The interior theme of our home is a fusion of classic and modern, both cozy and minimalist/clean and very much flooded with light. The principle colors are warm tones of browns and reds on a base of white, with little dew drops of yellow.
Our kitchen/dining room/living room are all one large open space ala California/New York style, with archways differentiating the spaces. In the dining/living area, the decor is more opulent with raspberry red velvet curtains and rich-brown furniture with classic gold accouterments. The houses' greatest asset are the tall ceilings and vast windows letting in light in joyous amounts.

Stay tuned, more to come.

house - kitchen

2009-12-14T12:43:00.008+02:00

The kitchen is of sufficient size for Europe (though I could always do bigger) and entered by the new archway via the dining room. We are big foodies in our family, thus the kitchen is quite functional with quality appliances, and a modern clean ambiance. Silver is the primary surface here, whereas throughout the rest of the home classic/antique gold presides.

house - bedroom

2009-12-14T12:00:00.007+02:00

We have been living in Sofia almost three years now, and I am finally sharing our home with you, something I have long been meaning to do. The renovation on this 1930s house began about ten year ago with walls being removed, and intense restoration of the original woodwork, (doors, window frames etc..). At it's original state the house had poor planing, with three small bedrooms, and to reach the kitchen one would have to leave the dining room, go through a corridor, then enter the chilly foyer, then walk through another corridor past the bathrooms and laundry room to arrive at the destination. Entirely mental, they certainly had servants then, or perhaps the architect was in a bad mood while drawing the plans. Well that has all been changed now.

I thoroughly love our home, and I do not want it to appear that I am say am a rich heiress boasting my wealth, as reality is that I was born in practically a third world country and had quite a poor childhood, as did my husband, so we are in exultation, in utter glee about our darling home that we earned with true hard work. I am interior design obsessed, so this home has been a darling project of mine.

To begin with here is the master bedroom, a diminutive European size, but enough to accomplish a modern yet comfortable, bright and serene retreat.

dm bulgaria natural cosmetics

2009-11-23T10:17:00.010+02:00

DM is my favorite new addition to the Bulgarian market. However their products are direct shipments from Germany, and all in native German, additional labels are attached here in Bulgaria, but with such minute lettering one must bring a spying glass to manage them. Furthermore that which is written is very brief and vague, leaving Bulgarian readers to presume and invent the intended use for these products. And for those that are comfortable neither with German or Bulgarian, are left to manage in a child like state by only looking at pictures.
Thus using my Bulgarian, as well as basic German, accompanied by internet adeptness, I have created a small guide to DM's natural Alverde (all green) face care line:

Their products primarily brake down into seven different categories recognized by the images on the front:

1. Those represented by a sliced APRICOT including the pip and leaves are products for basic CLEANING for every type of skin.

2. Those represented by a white PEARL, surrounded by a blue shell, or perhaps it is water are products for NORMAL and combination skin.

3. Those with a pale pink ROSE surrounded by a few green leaves, are products for DRY skin.

4. Those with a flowing WHITE SILK motif with a green blade of grass, or perhaps ribbon, are products for SENSITIVE skin.

5. Those that have an image of sprinkled dry BROWN CLAY, some of which is smeared, are products for IMPURE skin, that has black heads and pimples (spots) such as teenage skin.

6. Those that have a green and purple PASSION FRUIT FLOWER, are products intended for MATURE skin.

7. The new ANTI-AGING line at dm, is represented by either of these fruit: KIWI, GOJI BERRY, GRAPE, or SEA BUCK-THORN. These products are easier to identify as they have "anti-aging " written on the front of the product.

Once you have decided which line is appropriate for you skin type, the rest is simple as each line has a face wash or cleansing milk or foam, a toner, a day cream, a night cream or a fluid, as well as an eye cream, and some special items like anti aging ampules, or a clay mask, or tinted bronzing cream, and so on.

Here are some basic German terms one needs to know when navigating the this part of the Alverde lines:

Reinigungs Milch - cleansing milk.
Peeling - not peeling mask, but a face scrub, as in the cream with granules to remove dead skin.
Peelingmaske - a face mask, that is also a scrub.
Gesichts Wasser - face water, as in facial toner to be used after washing.
Tagescreme - day cream/moisturizer
Nachtcreme - night cream
Augencreme - eye cream

Additional information:
English overview of Alverde face care lines. (translation)
Bulgarian brochure on Alverde. (click on Alverde for pdf)

pastorant

2009-11-21T08:35:00.001+02:00

online version

hair

2009-11-20T22:38:00.007+02:00

One of my favorite historical females, Georgiana the Duchess of Devonshire, was the main figure leading the imense hair styles of the 18th century. She took hair levels to three feet (by a hidden horse hair pad) and placed random items on top including stuffed birds and a sailing ship, and her infamous four foot ostrich feather.

Recently I came across a post on a most amazing blog, a post so utterly magnificent and inspiring, that I had to share. These are satirical drawings displaying the mad excess that hair styles reached, and yearned towards. The drawings were created in humorous fashion, though I also find them a treasure to behold.
Bibli Odyssey

organic sofia

2009-11-19T21:00:00.000+02:00

There is no doubt that organic or bio food is the better option to conventionally grown fare, however such foods are quite expensive in Bulgaria (as they are imported), thus I rarely purchase them. Still it is nice to know that such options exist, and today I discovery that an all organic shop just opened in my neighborhood. A mere two minute's walk from my kitchen is Sluntez Luna's (Sun Moon) new boutique named My Organic Market offering grains and dry foods, as well as cosmetics and toiletries. I headed there at once and bought a kilogram of gretchka (buckwheat) for our morning meals, and welcomed them to my neighborhood.

Not long ago, Biomag, another, even larger organic shop opened a second branch, making Sofia the home to at least two Biomags and two My Organic Markets, both of which also have their own bistro's/cafe's, and a bakery, and one also offer online shopping. These are big steps, I am proud of my little Bulgaria.

---My Organic Market:
3 Yantra St. Near to Orlov Most (Eagles Bridge)

48 Parchevich St. Near to Vitosha Blvd.

---Biomag:
1 Journalist plaza. (shop and cafe) In Lozenets.

10A Doiran St. In Belite Brezi

---Sluntze Luna Bakery & Restaurant
18B, Gladstone St. Near to Vitosha Blvd.

magazines

2009-11-17T21:05:00.006+02:00

I am passionate about interior design in the extreme, and find home decor and lifestyle magazines more interesting than fashion ones. Although it was not so in the past, I had one issue of British Vogue in 6th or 7th grade that I studies for at least half a year and my favorite magazine in the 90s was Top Model, not existent any more and virtually a myth. However as my own modeling career died down a few year ago, I began to find fashion magazines primarily dull, and took an interest in a different genre's of magazines, and my favorite one in American became the lifestyle one named Real Simple. Here in Bulgaria I don't purchase magazines at all, because the local ones I can't enjoy due to my second grade level reading skills, and the imported ones are too expensive, thus I get all my info online. Recently a new online magazine has been launched combining both online ease with a real life feel, which I find quite excellent. Named LONNY, it is an almost true home-design magazine, as the pages turn in a realistic manner with an added bonus of many clickable links. The photography and the featured homes are all wonderful.

www.lonnymag.com

earrings

2009-10-28T12:51:00.005+02:00

I had my ears pierced for the first time a number of months ago, and only because my six year old daughter insisted. She has had hers for two years already, and by my permission too. Well now I am in earring mania, always on the look out for feminine, ethereal, colorful, exotic, and vintage ear decor. My utmost favorite earrings are dangling soft feather ones, which I had to order from America as there were none in Sofia. The magic of feather earrings is that they are large and chandelier and quite awe inspiring, while also being light as a feather, and they are an outfit maker in themselves. The retro green ones above are darling, but head ache inducing due to their weight. In the middle are my gold and pearl everyday earrings.
Feather earrings purchased here.

best sofia restaurants

2009-10-17T15:15:00.021+03:00

confetti (above)

pastorant (above)

before & after (above)

brasserie (above)

I have transitioned into primarily writing restaurant reviews for The Sofia Echo newspaper, and according to my portfolio, I could venture into calling myself as quite the restaurant critic. So in that light here are my favorite restaurants in Sofia, of the ones that I have been to. I am focusing food, and on decor and ambiance, because a good restaurant is an entire experience. Good food can be had at home too, but an enchanting serene oasis, or a visit to previous era, are what I desire in a meal out.

---Best Modern Restaurant:

BRASSERIE is the ultimate minimalist, stylish, oasis, but not in a cold and clinical way, instead comforting and highly pleasing to the senses. The cuisine has an Asian influence and everything on the menu is gourmet (except the so called Bio Breakfast) and artful prepared and presented. My favorites include, the authentic Caesar salad (a rarity in BG), Beef Carpaccio, Tuna Tartar, Duck Breast, Salmon, and more. Although the menu has been recently updated so I do not know all the dishes however I have no doubt of their deliciousness. Brasserie also offers sushi brunch on Sunday's, with authentic results. Ttheir delectable cocktails including lychee mojito.
www.brasserie-bg.com

---Best Antique/Vintage/Feminine Restaurants:

PASTORANT. The name is slightly odd, perhaps signaling an inspiration by the past, and because of their menu offering primarily pasta, however it is suiting. The dishes are simple, not pompous, and of quality ingredients with a homemade feel. The decor is the main attraction at Pastorant, with themes of pale yellow and spring green, the restaurant is profuse with delicate details wherever the eye looks, ornate birdcages (without birds), golden mirror frames, delicate sconces, and porcelain jars, and so on.
www.pastorant.eu

The historic 19th century building of BEFORE & AFTER once belonged to a poetess and was the gathering place of Sofia's cultural elite, and this ambiance is still present today. On Sunday evenings the floor is cleared and Tango night commences. The interior of the restaurant is restored and magnificent in darling green with gorgeous architectural delights. At the center is a lush water fountain, and the ladies lavatory is practically a boudoir. The chocolate souffle is a incredible.

---Best Inexpensive, but Delicious Restaurant:

KRIVOTO has a number of restaurants throughout Sofia which feature large menus, including Bulgarian cuisine, Italian, and continental. My favorite items are the Norwegian Salad with arugula, smoked salmon, nuts, and sun dried tomatoes, and the pizza Spinachi with, spinach, garlic, feta cheese, and eggs. One of the best aspects of Krivoto, is that I do not detect a presence of bullion cubes as is always the case with cheap eateries, or the artificial flavor enhancer monosodium-glutamate, making Krivoto an good choice for your wallet and your health. The interiors are not bad at all.
www.krivoto.com

---Best all Seasons City Garden:

CLUB OF THE ARCHITECTS is genuinely housed in the manor house of an architects club. The restaurant is vast, with a capacity of perhaps a hundred or more, making it a suitable choice for large entertaining, including a wedding. But it in no way resembles a large flat rectangle meeting hall of some vulgar hotel, instead the restaurant has a charming winter garden, all of glass and ornate metalwork, which can open to the luscious exterior garden with it's winding path leading to different secluded spots. Deep inside the building are further rooms used during winter months. Club of the Architects is almost treasure hunt like, with different parts one must explore to discover. The cuisine is simple gourmet, and the spinach "meatballs" (vegetarian) are a must.
11 Krakra St, in the Doctors Garden area.

---Best Ice Cream and Bistro:
True wholesome gelato outside of Italy, can be had at CONFETTI GELATERIA. A vast selection of gelato flavors are on offer, especially in the summer months when fresh fruit is available, including say watermelon, although my personal favorite is hazelnut (nocciola). All these frozen treats taste quite natural, and are made with fresh whole milk, and real sugar. Confetti is also a patisserie with many cakes and desserts of offer, though I have not tried any, since I have not gotten beyond the divine gelato, but I have no doubt that the cakes are good as well. Confetti is also a bistro with a small but delicious menu.
4 Graff Ignatiev, in the city center.

amigos

2009-10-13T17:38:00.003+03:00

My most recent restaurant review has earned me a little controversy amongst the Sofia Echo readers, in fact it has been jolly good fun reading all the comments, especially the negative ones. The absolute best negative commenter had to be banned, and the offending material deleted, sadly I did not save it but it went something like this "What does this author expect, kids romping around blah blah blah, Amigos is the best thing to happen to Sofia"

Basically the comments went into three categories, one being full supporters of the restaurant, as in the comment above, the following disliking the restaurant for example "Soy mexicana. Este restaurante es una mierda. He comido mejor comida mexicana en un basurero." translating to "I am Mexican. This restaurant is crap. I have eaten better food in a rubbish bin." And the amusing last category of hatters just insulting me with no merit. "I question whether the author has ever had Mexican food." or "I had read a review in the Sofia Echo, which was obviously written by someone who has never in her life had Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine for that matter. The only valid point she raised was how to clean the blankets/table cloths that cover all the tables." Ha ha ha ha.

Update: Just read this new comment which speaks for itself:

"Well, just returned from a meal at this restaurant.
Dear Amigo's owner: It was probably your childhood dream to own a restaurant, but please, spare the rest of us your endeavor into the cuisine of Tex-Mex. The food is terrible! After eating real Mexican food for the last twenty years, this concoction of less-than fresh, bland guacamole, Balkan kashkaval nachos, and horrible enchiladas (is that really re-fried beans or something else?, I was terribly disillusioned.
There is no excuse for this. Mexican recipes and the art of culinary presentation may be found all over the internet. Furthermore, all proper ingredients may also be obtained in such a manner as well. You're giving a bad name to a very nice cuisine."

Online version

dm

2009-09-15T11:39:00.003+03:00

Not long ago I mentioned my extreme fondness for DM, a German cosmetics shop. To my delight there are two in Sofia already, and quite many more throughout Bulgaria. The very same day the Sofia branch opened I was there right after breakfast, with my little buddy (daughter), and we enjoyed in 15% off, on the entire store, and some freebies, and fresh flowers as celebratory gifts. The joy inducing aspect of DM, is their brand products, items that are of high German quality, and very humble prices, lower price tags then the vulgar, toxic, of questionable origin stuff that is sold in this country. This is my IKEA of cosmetics! DM's brand has different names according to the type of product:

Alverde, my favorite, for natural and organic beauty and cosmetic items.
Balea for regular cosmetic products
Babylove for baby items, including daipers, and baby wipes
Prinzessin Sternzauber for bath related items for little princesses
Dontodent for dental hygiene
Profissimo, household items
Das Gesud Plus for supplements and vitamins
Denk Mit for cleaning supplies

There are even more, and all can be identified by their smallish DM logo on each item. Now our house is entirely Dee-eM-ified: shampoo, liquid soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, hand cream, body lotion, foot butter, baby wipes, hair elastics, hair clips, kitchen gloves, dishwasher tablets, natural cellulose sponges, paper sandwich wrap, flax seed oil capsules, vitamin lollipops, hardwood floor cleaner, toilet paper, toilet cleaner, and my many natural face care items; face scrub, cleansing milk, toner, eye cream, face serum, face cream, and tinted face cream.
For the first time in my life, cleaning the toilet is on the fun spectrum of life, and being on my knees washing the floor with that nice DM cleaner with Brazilian jungle wax felt worthwhile and our wood floor is smile inducing, glossy and pretty.

Now to complete my material needs of affordable favorites Sofia needs the (soon to be open in 2010) Swedish Ikea for all home items, and H&M for family clothing, then a Californian Trader Joe's for groceries.

georgiana

2009-09-12T17:42:00.017+03:00

There is a lady I am in love with, Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire. I saw the film (The Duchess, 2008) by chance, and was enchanted, enamored, enthralled with its leading character. I immediately ordered the book from America, which after many months never came, although it was re-sent a number of times (amazon never again) resulting in my canceling the order. Finally after half a year I discovered the biography here in Sofia, and read and read all summer, and my adoration of Georgiana is ever so strong.

Georgiana lived in 18th century England during King George's rein (the one who went mad) and became the most admired and adored figure of her time, she was in fact the very first celebrity. Known as "The Empress of Fashion" for her own creative designs in clothing and hair, all females imitated her, and everyone loved her, except her husband, who's only concern was a male heir. Georgiana was also extremely kindhearted and sincere, and had the ability to carry on conversations with a number of people at a time, say at a party, and make each one feel, as if all her attention was on them (without being fake).
I highly recommend the movie, and the book. The film was incredible, Keira Knightly is stellar, as is the entire cast, for me it was the best film of 2008, and one of my favorite of all time. The cretinous Oscars only gave it a best costume award. The biography by Amanda Foreman is the ultimate Georgiana source, although it was a long read, as there is an over abundance of history and politics, with those parts being painfully unreadable for a non history buff like myself, the other parts being quite great. Therefore perhaps a suggestion of film first, book later. Still the book is the Georgiana epicenter, which I must also add that the movie changed quite a bit, but I feel both are equally fantastic.

The reasons I love Georgiana:
- For her creativity and braveness in all aesthetic aspects. Her fashion designs, her magnificent hair adornments and styles.
- Her social and etiquette talents. She had the ability to converse with all types of people and on all topics, and really care and be present in every conversation, and her ease in giving speeches in public.
- Her creative word. All her correspondence letters were beautifully eloquent, and she wrote a book named The Sylph,
- Her sharp mind. She was deeply involved in politics.
- Her tortured personal life, her unloving husband was impossibly cold, and uncommunicative. She was constantly pressured by everyone (including newspapers)to provide a son.
- Her humbleness in physical pain and health troubles. Near the end of her life, she endured horrific health treatments/surgery, with braveness and without complaint.
- And above all her mothering, she was one of the only aristocratic women of her time to breastfeed her babies, she was very present in their lives, as a mother and a friend, and she sacrificed her life for her children, by giving up the love of her life (not her husband) Charles Grey (Earl Grey, (my favorite tea)).

note: man in red hair is her brother, she is on the left, the other female is her sister.

eatery

2009-09-03T17:05:00.003+03:00

Online version.

madonna

2009-08-30T01:02:00.007+03:00

When it was announced that Madonna would be coming to Bulgaria to perform her Sticky&Sweet tour, I was in utter disbelief, and in the following months I would glance upon concert posters while strolling the streets of Sofia, in a dreamlike state. I could not imagine Madonna knowing of my little country, let alone coming here, to sing! While I do adore her, I did not purchase tickets, as I thought them to expensive, and I am weary of such big events. Furthermore we live very very close to the stadium, and from our balcony the lighting is visible, and everything can be heard, so I would in fact have a free almost concert.
When the date arrived, August 29, I strolled into our park housing the grand stadium intrigued, to spy in on the happenings, and I discovered that tickets were still available. Quick metal calculations, on the being-alive-aspect of my favorite musicians trio, Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson and Madonna, brought up that only one remained, and thus I decided to go to the concert. I rushed home got the necessary money, and returned to buy a ticket for the trenches, the standing only space in front of the stage.
While it was planned that I would go with a group of friends, a misunderstanding resulted in my being alone, as their tickets were for a different zone, further back then I. But its was ok, I was all decked out, in fun ensemble, in an exhilarating mood, I felt good.

The concert was not as elaborate, and extravagant as I expected, and the costumes were mediocre, and she did leave us waiting a whole hour from when Paul Oakenfold ended to when she began, but the feeling when the spectacle began, the energy, the songs, the dancing were brilliant. She kept saying things like "How are you feeling it Sofia?" "Give it to me Bulgaria", all in all about fifteen times in two hours, which was touching as it gave us the feeling that she actually knew she was in our little country of 8 million, and remembered, and cared. I was impressed. The homage to Michael Jackson, as it was also his birthday fantastic. All in all Madonna was amazing, I even teared up at one point.

fashion photography

2009-08-22T15:05:00.006+03:00

My husband Lazar has been a fashion photographer full time now close to four years, but we only just completed his website. He designed the visual concept, a friend of ours then made it for him, and I selected, and resized, and uploaded all the images. I am extremely proud of my man, and always in awe at his talents, so without further ado, presenting:

LAZAR VISION

Be sure to click through all the images in "photography", it works like the pages of a portfolio.

stara zagora

2009-08-22T12:10:00.008+03:00

We spent a week in my birthplace, the city of Stara Zagora.
Story coming soon.

swedish color

2009-07-30T22:44:00.008+03:00

I discovered another darling illustrator, and when I scoped her out further, low and behold she is based in Sweden, similar to fellow Swede Cecilia Carlsted, Stina Persson's art flows and drips with vibrant watercolor. While in school, I disliked this medium for its lack of composure due to bleeding, and unpredictable shading result when dry, but these talented ladies manage controlled weeping and dripping, and their outcomes are brilliant. Notice the sun ray sparkling through the rose hips and leaves, as if they were real, the girl in the black sketch is entrancingly cool, the colors in the orange and read piece are joyous, and the composition in the aubergine/magenta is magnifique.

royal six

2009-07-25T23:39:00.007+03:00

My daughter is six years old today. Here is our official royal portrait (in her new princess gown, It's actually a bit blurry, but we were just playing around).

greece

2009-07-22T19:33:00.008+03:00

We recently spent a week in Greece, on the peninsula Sithonia, in the Halkidiki region. Although I have long wanted to see the remnants of Ancient Greece, this trip was purely to enjoying the Aegean sea, a beach vacation, as Greece's coastline is closer to us then Bulgaria's sea shore, and cleaner too. The sight seeing history trip, we will do another time.
We camped by the beach (for free), and were joined by great company (friends), who happened to encompass all of the age groups we could want, a child as playmate for our daughter, a couple of cool teens to give us that younger ambiance and fun, (and to help out with the youngsters), and wonderful adults for good talks.
The part of camping I can enjoy is the memorable adventures, the complete turn around of normal life; no furniture, no appliances, living like wild men, everything dirty, but I never manage to sleep well, and here we are, home in Sofia with dark swells under our eye's. Despite the temporary insomnia, we are very happy with the trip. The beach we called home for the week, had soft sand, surrounded by picturesque rocks creating gorgeous coves, and vividly hued water, so salty that we could swim without tiring.
As a finale to our voyage, we ripped a tire on the returning journey, the tire actually remained mostly whole, except the top layer pealed of in one sudden jolt while on the freeway. Thankfully we were near Thessaloniki, and drove slowly (in our own vehicle) into the city center to find a new tire, but it was the end of the day, the tire warehouses were closed, leaving us with just one option; to spend the night there and order a tire in the morning. From one side of the spectrum onto the other, we stayed in a fancy hotel, with beautiful ceiling frescoes. The following day with a new tire in place we popped by my favorite shop Ikea, as there are none in Bulgaria. I was in affordable interior design heaven, and the Thessaloniki one is much larger then the Burbank one in LA, I was ready to move in. Well, we bought some feminine bedding, some sconces for our walls, and a few other items. A very wonderful trip to Greece indeed.

Note: my daughter is in the pink bathing suit.

amica

2009-07-03T16:56:00.006+03:00

A friend graciously got me to be included in a feature, in the Bulgarian edition of the Italian magazine Amica. It's a regular monthly page called Six Women, where interesting and distinguished females share their plans for that particular month. I wrote it in English, and it was then translated to Bulgarian.

AMICA - SIX WOMEN MAKE PLANS FOR JULY:

NAME: Lydia Dimitrova
AGE: 26
WORK: Freelance writer for the Sofia Echo

1. ONE OF THE UNPLEASANT ENGAGEMENTS DURING THIS MONTH:
None.
2. IN MY WORK AWAITS:
No plans for now except writing restaurant reviews, which I adore.
3. I WILL SET ASIDE TIME TO:
We have a large city garden, which has been in a jungle state for many years, and I have a dream of turning it into an English manor garden, abundant with lavender, and juicy moss and succulents growing by stone pathways. Or at least a grow basil a home.
4. RELAX:
I will make sure, to stay away from the computer, go to bed at 11, and read great English novels that I borrow from the Sofia Public library, as well as write down my thoughts and adventures in my journal.
5. TRAVEL:
I would love to go to Russia, and introduce my daughter to her great-grand father, but this will happen another time. Instead my dear brother and his family will be coming to Bulgaria for the summer.
6. CHILDREN:
My daughter is turning 6 this month, she is very musical and we practice and play the piano every day. I will make sure to not buy unhealthy ice cream for her, instead make it at home from real ingredients.
7. SHOPPING:
I am always on the lookout for pretty, billowy, cotton summer dresses, one's with higher waistlines, and below the knee length.

bistro

2009-06-26T16:29:00.004+03:00

This is a darling bistro near where we live, which I treat myself to once in a while. The Sofia Echo now has a photographer for their restaurant reviews, so I no longer take the photos. I do miss this as I enjoy the visual creativity.

The features editor at the newspaper, just sent me a delightful note that she had received from a Sofia Echo reader: "I'm writing to say that I especially enjoyed the last piece - Salt & Sweet by Lydia Dimitrova. The text was comprehensive, fresh and informative, .... More work by Lydia would be appreciated."
online version

sign cafe article

2009-06-12T16:23:00.006+03:00

My Husband was interviewed for a advertising magazine called Sign Cafe (nice name), the article to be featured on eight pages, the ones above, and some more of his photography. It's quite an honor to have such a prominent part in their issue, but their writer's skills were embarrassingly poor, the person simply transcribed what was recorded on the interview tape, instead of fashioning cohesive reading material. We could not allow such a debacle to go to print so my husband had to put the article in order himself. The result is above.

maraia

2009-06-04T10:51:00.003+03:00

online version

Dartmouth Happy Families

2009-05-07T15:01:00.011+03:00

While my mother was pregnant with me, she became friends with a lovely English family who had bravely traveled to Bulgaria. They began a correspondence via letters, and when we relocated to England, eight years later, those same dear friends invited us often for Easter, Christmas and so forth, and took wonderful care of us. Including staying at the river and seaside town of Dartmouth in Devon. There we delighted in the luscious clotted Devon cream with scones, dabbled in the aristocratic lifestyle, and seized the Dartmouth castle.

During this same time the town Dartmouth, as a fundraiser, created a card game every year, drawn by local artist, for family fun, and as collectibles. The characters in the game featured real citizens of Dartmouth, many of which had names that correspond with their profession. Such as J. Price, bank manager, and Roger Carr, limousine car hirer, and Simon Drew, artist, who illustrated his own family for the cards.

I have two of these treasured card decks bought for me by our friends, called Dartmouth Happy Families, and the game itself is very simple. All the cards are handed out to three or more players, and the aims is to collect as many families as possible, and the one with the most wins. The players take turn asking one of the others for a specific member of a family they are trying to collect. The entertaining part surrounds the aspect that most players have the same favorite families, and no one wants to get stuck with unsightly Sleep family or the Nashe's, whilst everyone years for the dreamy Carr's. My other favorites were the girls of course, especially Miss Measure because she was a cool teenager and wore makeup, Miss Price for her nice accessories and lifestyle, Miss Drew, because I like art and her freckles and Miss Kain because she was so sweet and wholesome. I would play with these cards as if they were dolls and set up scenes and scenarios.
I do not know when this tradition of creating the cards began or when or whether it ended, and I cannot find any further information on the subject, all I can say is I will treasure them as heirlooms. Here are some for your viewing pleasure:

grains and the city

2009-05-02T14:55:00.001+03:00

This is a shopping guide for health food shops in Sofia.

the world of Lazar and Lydia

2009-03-18T10:48:00.003+02:00

A good friend of ours is a journalist for the Bulgarian media, and she interviewed us for the national newspaper Standard, for their weekly supplemental magazine. The weeks topic was "on a hunt for lost paradise", as in how bad things are now, and looking for places where things are still good. Thus we were interviewed, because of the little oasis we have created for ourselves in Sofia. I do like the article, and our friend is a very good writer who arranged my jumble of Bulgarian sentences into flowing prose. I must also mention that she interviewed us Sunday afternoon, and handed in the article the following morning, leaving little time, for follow ups and adjustments, rather mad actually.
In addition, my very opinionated views are briefly mentioned, regarding things I dislike in America, and Bulgaria respectively. Regarding Bulgaria, I abhor how the whole country has their televisions turned on constantly even at dinner parties, and in front of small children, making good conversations impossible. Furthermore other negative aspects the Bulgarian method of communicating, are even too embarrassing and abominable to print in English.

beauty

2009-03-14T15:28:00.005+02:00

I attempt to take good care of my face, and have overtime come to discover my favorite products. There are three different brands I like, each in different financial category's. My main requirement is that these potions be natural, though still effective.

Category one, joyfully inexpensive:
The German DM pharmacy brand includes the regulars, and features a few of their own brands, including the all natural Alverde, which is very cheap, as in 3 euro for an excellent eye cream. The reason they are cheap in because the DM owner is the coolest, and everyone shops DM like there is no tomorrow. Favorites include the Wild Rose line and the mature skin Passion Fruit products. Prices range 1 to 15 Euro.

Category two, manageable:
Dr Hauschka, the German biodynamic cosmetics are my ultimate, both holistic and marvelously effective. Every product is divine, I would use everything of there's if I could. My necessities are the Rose day cream, and the mature skin Regenerating serum and cream. Prices range between $20 to $90.

Category three, intensely expensive:
La Mer, cosmetics was founded by a French NASA scientist who created the Creme De La Mer moisturizer to heal from an experiment which burned his face. The founding ingredient in this rich formula is fermented sewed, though sadly it is in a base of unhealthy petrolatum/mineral oil, so I use this cream out of vanity, occasionally as an intense boost. La Mer items range are between $70 to $1,500.

kids

2009-01-31T22:05:00.005+02:00

My parents in law who live in the country with a number of animals, just welcomed four baby goats. My daughter is delighted because they are as small as cats, and divinely adorable, and she can pretend she is their mommy.

the crimson petal and the black

2009-01-30T12:39:00.000+02:00

Since I don't drink coffee, nor commercial juices, and rarely alcohol, my remaining preferred beverage is tea. I would have liked to write more on the topic, but my limit was 800 words and half of the article had to be shops/tea houses, so this is all I could fit in. I do still like the article, and especially the photo. Those are our tea pot and cup, notice the play of the positive and negative spaces in the handles, and the background is my favorite Ikea paisley bedding.

organic

2009-01-28T11:55:00.001+02:00

I could write pages upon pages on this subject, but was given a mere one, of which half had to be locations, so this is all I manage.

childhood

2009-01-26T10:35:00.001+02:00

My Russian mother enchanted my childhood life with the most wonderful children's literature of her home country. The lengthy stories were often in perfect rhyme, with eloquent and ornate words, accompanied by saturated masterpiece illustrations. Russian art is always colorful in the extreme, yet always far from vulgar.

The story I remember most vividly and nostalgically and magically of them all, involved honorable and handsome circus performers, a doll, though perhaps a tiny princess, and three ruling and gluttonous fat men. To supplement the vibrant story, were even more fantastically excessive and aesthetic illustrations winning the number one spot in my heart.

I rediscovered this 1924 tome not long ago amongst my childhood belongings, and am attempting to read it's difficult for me Russian, which may very well take me a year. Meanwhile the illustrations are there to delight me, or perhaps my mother will read it to me when she visits. This book has been translated into English as well, and titled The Three Fat Men, by Yury Olesha, though I doubt it can ever be the same.

library

2009-01-16T18:01:00.004+02:00

I love going to the library, my mother tells me that when I was little I wanted to celebrate my fourth birthday in the library.
online version

soap part 2

2009-01-09T15:15:00.007+02:00

I am relieved to have this article completed, now more than a year in the making, and it is a thrilling three full pages of newspaper. Every word is true with no dramatizing, and I love adding wee touches of fun like that "pest killer", and delight when they are not removed by the editor. By the way I have never seen those photos before.
Online version

before & after

2008-12-20T10:41:00.005+02:00

For Christmas, my daughter asked for a bed for her dolls, and I found a nice wooden one, (I loath plastic toys), but unfortunately the fabric and bedding were a masculine blue and orange, quite unacceptable for my dainty girl. So I, as Father Christmas's gnomes set out to sew new bedding. As I adore both sewing and bedding, this was a delightful project, and I recycled one of my daughters' especially pretty baby blanket and swaddling sheet, to make this dolly bed even more sentimental and charming. (In the photos, my work is not completely finished, as the upholstery is being held by safety pins, I will sew it soon, I just could not wait to share.

shopping

2008-12-18T17:20:00.003+02:00

I wrote this article on affordable Christmas Shopping for the magazine, attempting to make it as useful and not dull, dividing it into Enchanting, Pampering, Decorating and Amusing categories. After I hand it in, I am told that the magazine did not get enough financing for the months of December and January, will not publish, and the intended articles will instead go into the newspaper. I like the format of the magazine, with its thick semi-glossy paper and color images. In it's newspaper version my article was renamed "More coins in the (designer) piggy bang" ( I did not scan that in) and compressed so tightly as to make it confusing, which description goes with which shop. And the sub title Enchanting was forgotten from the beginning. Oh well it's all right.
online version

birthday presents

2008-11-13T14:25:00.006+02:00

Today is my 26th birthday, and I can look back at this year, and this celebratory day, and not want for any presents, other then the ones I was given this past year. Last November in 2007, I was writing my first ever, to be published article, now twenty long ones later, my spelling is as poor as before, (without spellchecker), and I am still in dis-belief that I have a little dream job. Little as in I work a little (freelance) and only when I want to on a grand magnificent dream job. Coincidentally, I am also a published photographer, quite thrilling. My other most generous gift is the curing of my serious health condition, which I have been struggling with for that past four years, and although I have battle wounds, I am saved to live life, at it's most wonderfullest. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. And the city of Sofia just turned on the central heating in our neighbourhood, warmth that I have so ardently been awaiting, and on a random Thursday the 13th of November.

come sweet slumber

2008-11-03T12:52:00.004+02:00

I wrote this third health article of mine using an elaborate vocabulary, in the style of writing that I enjoy best, but my words were toned down quite a bit, to a more casual level to include jargon like "booze" (which I never use), but I understand, as this magazine is called Month2Come after all, not Ladies Home Journal circa 1786, nor a C.D. Payne novel. Nevertheless I am happy with it and the message is clear and still the same, so hopefully the article will be of help, to those in need. Although on the opposite spectrum of added slang is the Shakespeare quote in the heading, which I did not write, nor do understand. How is sleep a season of all natures? What is "season of natures"?

illustration

2008-11-01T11:46:00.000+02:00

Like many Swedish delights; multitudes of herring specialties, Ikea, and H&M, young Cecilia Carlstedt's work, is modern, yet also retro-contemporary, and very much enchanting. I adore her feminine and chic illustrations, fusing both watercolor and computer mediums, and her delicate color palette.

glassware

2008-09-07T20:45:00.002+03:00

Another shopping items page.

perchance to sleep

2008-09-05T20:40:00.004+03:00

My second health article. The photo is of our bedroom, notice the feminine while also modern, luscious Ikea bedding. The first Ikea in Bulgaria is being built at present, causing me to quiver with excitement and envision myself wandering about that visually luscious place delighting at the endless creative possibilities.

seaside

2008-09-03T15:53:00.004+03:00

During the month of August my family and I spent two and a half weeks seaside holidaying at the Black Sea. We adore going to our favorite town of Sozopol, but this year an acquaintance offered his beach side apartment to us for free, so we went to St Vlas.

2008-07-30T15:47:00.011+03:00

About a year ago our next door neighbors, who happen to be a woman's magazine approached us, the whole family, to be the faces of their ten year anniversary campaign. We obliged for the sake of a fun time, and a keepsake for the family treasure chest. The magazine itself is no Vogue, or anything particularly chic, more a woman's monthly, which does not write it's own articles, instead translating material off the internet, sort of embarrassing, yet the campaign idea was sweet, so we agreed. We signed contracts for our images to be used the the magazine, on billboards, and in a mini movie/commercial for Television use.
Our daughter would represent the magazine when it was starting out, and then ten years later the magazine and our daughter are grown up and she becomes me. Thus the billboard would be of the two of us together as a before and after montage, and the video would have my daughter waking up, putting on a red dress with adult jewelry and shoes and a bag and heading outside and then magically her feet become mine, and I head out wearing the same red dress, shoes and jewelry and bag to a date with a lovely gentleman (my husband). The concept sounded quite pleasant and I was considerably excited, yet as the preparations began all sorts of glitches began to occur. To begin with my hair was very short at the time so a brunette wig was found which did not in anyway match what they did to my daughters strawberry blond hair, soaked in mouse, creating a greasy and stiff mess, rather unflattering for a women and let alone a child. Next, no budget was available for clothing, and fashion boutiques would not lend anything, as the magazine has never been fashion related. Thus we had to manage with what clothing we had in our closets. Now I must say I have some lovely items especially from my days of real modeling, but none of those were not chosen, instead unattractive outfits were assembled, resulting in an awkward, embarrassing vision. Afterward makeup was applied on my face, somehow deforming me, making me unrecognizable, squint eyed, as supposed to elegant and classy. Lastly a Mission Impossible type music was added to the video, for no apparent logic, and instead of a pleasant golden brown sepia coloring, the commercial has been enhanced with green overtones. Lets hope the magazine staff don't locate my blog
My daughter saved this pathetic debacle, by being so professional with her part of the acting, and everyone was so impressed by her behavior, considering that she was just four at the time.

birthday

2008-07-25T15:47:00.006+03:00

Today my daughter became five years old, and I wished for this celebration to be a memorable one. Ten children attended with relatives, and for the main activity I desired a bouncy castle with a slide, a popular kids birthday activity in the US, which no one undertakes in Bulgaria since this is the capital, and people rarely own houses with large enough gardens, and if they do, they assume it is very expensive to rent such an contraption. Meanwhile they spend the higher amount at a vulgar McDonalds birthday. Well I managed to find a company that rents bouncy castles and we placed it inside our studio, the children were in euphoria. Fortunately our castle was freshly sewn, as in completely new,with no previous sweaty feet upon its surface, and halfway through the frolicing, the company called us and asked if they could leave the "thing" with us for a week, because they were out of town and could not organize a pick up. We casually obliged, resulting in a week long birthday celebration.

Well back to the party, as a break from wild jumping I organized face painting and a game of my classic favorite "musical chairs" as well as the fun "duck duck, goose".

The menu commenced with watermelon, followed by thin crust gourmet pizzas (made by me from scratch) , and at the closing of the festivities, two birthday cakes, one a rich chocolate, the other a white and citrus layer cake, (baked by me). For the attending children we presented them with nicely wrapped little thank-you gifts, a note book wit a sweet little kitten on the front and a chocolate for the girls, and tiny keyring builders measuring tape and a chocolate for the boys.
All in all, I can say without hesitation that the event was a success, and some children said it was the best party they had ever attended.
More documentation is on video, perhaps I will upload it.

kitchen gadjets

2008-07-11T16:13:00.003+03:00

Here is another shopping page. It was amusing to write the short paragraphs, which I tried to make relevant and quirky, and I wrote the titles, (except "gadget magic"). My photographer husband pushed me to make the photos as best as possible, and they did turn out good, except not so good here due to the poor scan.

sun d-light

2008-07-06T18:03:00.005+03:00

I was given the topic "sun skin care" and told to write 1200 words, including practical advice for the Health section of The Sofia Echo's monthly magazine. It was difficult to make it a balance of scientific data, and an easy and pleasant read for the average person. There is a plenty more intriguing information I discovered (see below), but left out to avoid a medical journal feel, or a rebuff from the editor. Nevertheless I am very pleased with the article, and hope it will have an impact. Well the editor liked it and asked me to write another health article for the next issue.

"The dangers of vitamin D deficiency, is not innovative news, "Slip, Slop, Slap" was a popular advertising campaign during the early 1980s in Australia following the discovery of an ozone gap above the country. "Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat" was it's instruction. The health campaign was such a success that sunscreen became an everyday routine item, and the two most common forms of skin cancer decreased, however a drastic increase of melanoma the most lethal occurred. Melanomas increase began in Queensland, where the campaign first began airing, and the increase continued into the regions, as did the sunscreen endorsement. Thus proving that not the ozone gap, was responsible, but precisely the sunscreen."

meadow frolic

2008-06-29T16:47:00.004+03:00

These past three weekends we spent at the villa in the country picking strawberries, both garden and wild varieties. After an abundance of eating, plenty more remained, so I brought out my apron and le creuset and made eight jars of strawberry jam and wild strawberry preserve. (They do differ, jam is crushed fruit, preserve is whole fruit.)
Meanwhile the parents in law have a new puppy and my daughter and her became instant confidantes. Both with wavy hair of strawberry blond, and adorably not brave.

fable photography

2008-06-25T15:47:00.000+03:00

I came upon a wondrous British photographer named Tim Walker. His images are brimming with romanticism, and magic and imagination. Utterly gorgeous and inspiring.

three favorites

2008-06-03T09:27:00.007+03:00

There is a restaurant in Sofia, which I can boldly title as supreme and favorite. I could even say that there are three places in Sofia, which are most dear, where I most want to be, where I feel most content. These are our house, the frescoed historic church in Lozen where we were married, and frequent almost weekly, and a restaurant named Brasserie.
From the day I began working for The Sofia Echo, I wanted to write a review on Brasserie, but since a policy of 12 months must pass from a previously written review, on the same establishment, I could not, and so anticipating ensured, the date to pass one year from May 2007. Meanwhile we celebrated birthdays there, and even my daughter likes it too, and asks when we can go to Brasserie, (she has an inherited high aesthetic sense) and eat the litchi from my mojito. But my work moved on to the magazine month2come, and I forgot about anticipating the date.
Out of the blue I was asked to write a last minute restaurant review, with not time to visit a new restaurant twice, I nearly declined, though I started browsing through the restaurant review database, to see what had not been recently written about, and I reached May 2007 and realized, a whole year had passed. Yay, I could at long last write about Brasserie!
Yet I was a little apprehensive of writing it too boastful, too blissful, too poetic. Especially since most of the other reviewers write in such a casual manner, near cynical, as if they were jotting down in their own non-creative diary. Where as my writings so far have been full of synonyms and creative effort. So my poor Brasserie, I toned it down, attempted to blend it with the rest of the newspaper (after all this is not my own column), and there was no time to marinate the writing to full flavor. A bit of an anti-climax story, but there is still May 2009.
Online version.

visual read

2008-05-13T22:53:00.004+03:00

Another shopping page, such fun to look through gorgeous inspiring books, I could have bought twenty, were they not so pricey.

editing

2008-05-12T15:46:00.001+03:00

I took an assignment to write a personal piece about my experiences with shopping for my daughter in Sofia. I understood it as a creative writing article including a few practical tips, excited I worked to make it personal and honest and interesting, and amusing, and I am happy with my result, which is the piece in the previous post. I collaborated with my dear friend Klara for an illustration for the story. But the magazine Month2Come has taken a new turn, to more "city guide", less "pleasant intellectual read", so my Objects Of Desire page is now simply called Shopping, and my Sofia vs LA children's shopping article was edited to within virtually no recognition. Apparently the article was intended to be just a casual shopping guide, and I had misunderstood. I made some editing, minimizing the theorizing and adding more practical advice, as requested, yet still keeping the story line, but that was not accepted either. Oh well, the life of a freelance writer! Also I don't know who those children are.

dress confess

2008-05-11T15:27:00.001+03:00

There is a theory I have come across, which I find is not inaccurate. In poorer countries, the outer image, the way one presents oneself to the world is of high significance, a visual of wealth must be portrayed. Whereas in opulent countries, ones outer appearance is often humble, non flashy. The rich dress like paupers, and paupers like the rich! I have observed in Russia and Bulgaria how purchasing perfume, or a hip mobile phone, or designer clothes (imposter) can prevail over healthy grocery shopping, and certainly over lets say a quality mattress or a replacement for the brown patterned 70s sofa. People meet in cafés, and therefore no one sees their living situation, so it is excluded from the wealth-image. Countless times I have assumed a new friend is living well, by his or her outer appearance, and then upon a rare visit of their home, I discovered ramshackle decor. Whereas in England, Germany and America, I observed masses of simply dressed folk and upon visiting their home, I would realize an apparent pneumatic bank account.

Now when it comes to people's offspring I am not sure that this theory applies so monumentally, generally people in all countries like to display their "pride and joy" in pretty clothes. Though in prosperous nations children are dressed nicely for visits and parties, whereas in Sofia children are dressed in their finest even at the sandbox, (with parents nagging for cleanliness).

Being an eco-conscious mother in Los Angeles' flourishing health oriented community, I had put little importance in my daughters clothing, other that it being of natural fibers and not hindering her movement. In fact during the beginning months I dressed her garments inside out so that the seams would not irritate her most delicate skin. For the duration of the first year, we receiving all the needed attire in hand me down fashion from friends. I was pleased, preferring to use our income for organic foods, and biodegradable diapers/nappies and home enhancement. Also being a young mother with teenage selfishness still lingering, I wanted indulgences for myself.

The following year my daughter caught up in size with the giving children, and I was left to buy her attire. Unaware of style as all babies are, and growing out of clothing within months, I wondered whether I should waste unnecessarily on something so temporary? Her beautiful angelic face is what should be noticed and complimented, not her wardrobe, I concluded. Well I considered searching through the second hand shops, but a toddler has no patients for the time needed for that sort of hunt. So I turned to Target and Old Navy (Gap's cheaper sister) for simple cotton basics, and occasional fun stripes. I do of course enjoy beautiful clothes; I just don’t find them necessary for babies and small children. I prefer to shop for us the adults who can wear clothing for years and years with appreciation. In fact babies look best in angelic, all white. The one item I did spend on was shoes; quality breathable leather was always a must.

When my daughter was two and a half we relocated to Bulgaria, our homeland, and knowing the unpleasant, yet expensive children's clothing situation here, I undertook a feverish bout of online shopping, resulting in three years worth of clothing. And now as my daughter is nearing five, so too is that case of dear cotton essentials at an end. I have to shop Sofia, and compete with her kindergarten mates' elaborate outfits too! This capital is abundant with expensive clothing shops, Lapin House, Petit Bateau, Benetton and many prime designer collections too. And I can see that mothers shop there, because the city is decorated with affluently dressed little ones holding hands with their meagerly dressed relations, or harlot looking young mothers, leading me to wonder who is using up the style finances, or how they manage their laundry?

I did have to buy a few girly clothes along the way due to moderately casual remarks from the Bulgarian mother-in-law, who of course must flaunt her only granddaughter to all her known acquaintances. Well naturally my girl is becoming princess conscious now, and wants to have her hair down, adorned with sparkly clips and wear decorated dresses like her playmates. Consequently I must to find noticeable, pretty clothing in Sofia's either inaccessible designer boutiques, or squat, unpleasant market stalls. The oddity of Bulgarian mid range stores is that nothing is consistent, one day there is a lovely neighborhood shop, the following day the paisley jacket is gone, and within a month it is a pharmacy or a sweet shop. I have learned to buy when I see, even if it is for two years into the future, because tomorrow I may return only able to buy a jar of Nutella. Whenever I have gone on planed shopping trips, the day has constantly been unpleasant and unsuccessful, because shops are small with little variety and so far apart from one another, it takes hours to circumnavigate them all. My most successful purchases have been found on casual city strolls, accompanied by quick pop-in's here and there. I have even found local sewn Gap tops in those odd underpass cubicles.

Gradually, I must admit I am reforming, I find myself yearning for paisley dresses in size 116 cm, stylish indigo jeans with elastic waists, and green polka dot rain boots. I suppose it could be that I have succumbed to the norm, or perhaps my aesthetics have accustomed to my child's face, now needing a little more visual pleasure. Though pondering this question further, I still think infants look best in simple whites, with a minimal spent on their accoutrements. Leading me to conclude that my thinking is still consistent as before, however when it comes to older children they should be dressed in a nice way, (though not to the playground), if they enjoy it, and of course with within reasonable budget.

clothing & feature

2008-03-31T14:36:00.005+03:00

I took a petite brake from writing, to enjoy the family and the home, creating a few nice projects along the way too. Well I am back, and with another Objects of Desire, although I am not so happy with this one, the clothing shops were too unforthcoming. Bulgarian store managers do not know the English language newspaper and magazine and many did not let me photograph their items. Also I was too intimidated to approach the zenith designers, Escada, Dolce & Gabana, etc...I would enter a shop exquisitely dressed, walk about, with snobby eyes pouncing my every move, filling me with (mild) terror. Upon pondering on starting my rehearsed Bulgarian speech, something about, a writer, a Sofia Echo, a monthly article, photograph in store, free advertising, 3000 weekly circulation, prestige, possible mumbling, well I would give up and exit with mild profanities upon my breath.
Well on the positive side, apparently I have my own regular feature shopping guide page, five moths in a row all mine, the first was, home decor, then, gourmet treats, now clothing, and I just handed in a coffee table book page, and am currently pursuing kitchen gadgets.
The editor in chief casually mentioned it as being "your feature". A dream little job, to hunt out nice items and photograph, and write about them. Jolly, joys and delightful.

portraits

2008-03-27T11:00:00.005+02:00

dress party

2008-03-22T11:41:00.006+02:00

Yesterday my man and I attended a spring party for ELLE magazine in our capitals most elite hotel. The hall was decorated in flowers, bamboo greenery and blossoming trees. I wore a vintage 1960s dress, which I acquired from a young lady, in the late 90s in LA, when she needed to get rid of all her belongings due to relocating to Japan. In fact I acquired a number of fabulous vintage dresses, not so much because we were very close but I was the only person she knew who had the same body type. Imagine, she could have auctioned them off. Fortunate!

spring snow

2008-03-19T14:22:00.007+02:00

This morning when I opened our raspberry velvet curtains, falling snow covered the fresh, budding, spring greens and blossoms. The photo on the left is from yesterday and on the right from today. Sofia's weather is quite unpredictable and unstable, and since national womans day (like mothers day) is March 8, so to this month is womans month, as in one day joyous and blossoming, and the next chilly and snow weighted. Needless to say a man decided that. Well, my dear little bluebells unconscious with frost, I had to save them, and now they decorate our home with their multitude blues and lush scent.

bluebell garden

2008-03-17T15:03:00.006+02:00

Spring is flourishing, the city is budding and blooming, and in our garden bluebells are dancing. I wrote about the Bluebell Wood phenomenon seven months ago, and now blue flowers are springing in our own yard! Astonished and delighted I photographed and breathed in pleasant fragrances, observing them daily since their appearance a number of days ago. Yet this morning as I compared the photos with my previous post, I realized that they are in fact not Bluebells, but more likely wild Hyacinths. I investigated further, to find that Bluebells and Hyacinths share the same kingdom, division class, order, family and genus, it is only the species that differ. Oh well, they are still very pretty and pleasantly scented, although I shall attempt to delude myself to believe that they are in fact Bluebells.

marmalade

2008-02-18T13:59:00.006+02:00

Creamy Earl Grey tea with milk, and orange marmalade on toast is a dear English breakfast for my taste buds. Alas, the only marmalade I could find in Bulgaria was priced at fifty percent of what I make for a one page article, so I decided to make my own. And to my bewilderment, the creation was considerably easy, and took a mere three hours. The result, I must say is delicious, delectable and very professional. A success, and now I have six large jars of vibrant orange joy, mind you created with one sixth of a one page article fee.
(recipe upon request)

terrarium

2008-02-12T10:39:00.002+02:00

I thoroughly enjoy beautiful gardens, but have never actually produced one because I don't like the weather aspect of no control. I might make something pretty and the next week it is ruined by the elements, therefor I chose to make beautiful arrangements indoors, with furniture and decor, (which are then occasionally ruined by a four year old element).Well two years ago we bought a property with an old house, to build a studio on, which then caught fire, but as we were sorting through the rubble we found some intact old items including two 15 inch tall hand blown glass jars. Crooked and charming, aqua tinted with air bubbles, I reveled at my luck and envisioned them filled in some pretty way. I placed then on top of the piano, and there they sat for a long time. Then one day I became ignited with crafty fever, and had to do something about the jars immediately, so I ran out like a mad animal, purchased the first available supplies and created a terrarium. A petite table top garden in a glass vessel or enclosure. The next jar I will fill in a more planned manner. The three small ones were my inspiration.

art store

2008-02-08T18:11:00.000+02:00

A pleasure to write. Unfortunately the photos were printed in black and white, a shame regarding that color is the focus of the shoppe. Here are my original photos.

contemporary art

2008-02-07T17:27:00.001+02:00

"Engineer Couple Produce Robot Loving Daughter". My first real interview, rather a difficult one considering that my I tastes do not lie with bizarre modern/contemporary art. Though I can say I have more understanding now.
online version with color photos.

luxury winter picnic

2008-02-01T14:01:00.001+02:00

I am proud of this one. Notice the item titles, I worked hard on these trying to make then relevant and clever, and nothing was edited or changed, which is a good sign. It seems I am becoming a photographer too, very, very exciting. I work as much on the photos as on the writing, if not more; saturation, contrasts, colors, light, enhancing, making the image vibrant and punchy. It is very important, it pains me to see poor, bland images. (However these here photos don't looks as good, due to the poor printer quality.)

contributor

2008-01-31T13:36:00.003+02:00

This is my contributor mini-biography for the magazine Month2Come. I wanted to make it honest, amusing and entertaining.