in pursuit of magic

One lovely thing with spending time in the company of bobbaloos is that every experience holds a dash of magic, suddenly the world looks so different, exciting and new. The perspective changes and inspires.

Like in climbing lilacs or scary incidents with cats to name but a few.

What helps you pursuit magic?

puss with boots

Shoes and bobbaloos. Ever since I realized I'm addicted very fond of a certain type of shoes and bobbaloos I've been meaning to have a grand, proper photo session involving both. As I fear such a distinct proof of my madness fondness would perhaps lead to custodial care I've not gotten around to it. Yet.

This photo however is more about saying thanks for the great companionship through the winter that was, dear boots, it'll soon be hibernation time for you, some special TLC before you get to rest in your boxes for six months. And no matter what I do, there's always at least one inspector doing their duty. Puss and boots.

I remember how awful it felt finally having to say goodbye to the long last summer, to succumb to the fact that you had to wear socks and stockings in shoes. As much as I'm looking forward to lighter, warmer days, I'm now aware that I will feel the same when the opposite is a fact, it'll be difficult to yield saying goodbye to socks and stockings, there's always something strangely defenseless and skinless about bare legs initially.

Having to hibernate a certain fabulous coat will not be an easy thing to do... But I can already imagine how lovely it will feel when it's its time again. Wistfulness and joy, hand in hand, even when it comes to something as seemingly shallow as clothes.

The older I get, the deeper my emotions get, about the silliest things, about the really important matters. And there's really nothing I can do about that, I let myself go with the seasonal flow and if I can I embrace the depths, whether it's a silly little nonsensical thing or something essential. Because so much in life lies in the details and I've come to the conclusion that if you care for the daft little matters, the ones seemingly not significant in the big scheme of things, give attention to details, you also tend to care for the whole picture, the crucial things, you are more proned and able to connect the dots.

On a professional level I also find that attention to details signals quality and trustiness, not to mention it's always aesthetically pleasing. Slipshoddiness never is.

So, I suppose in a strange (or not) way there's some method to my madness fondness for details (shoes) and saying thank you for the season that was to five boots therefore makes perfect sense. Especially on a day when the temperatures showed 14 C. It may well be that spring is already, too soon for comfort, upon us. Thus I am grateful for all the comfort and spright in steps you've brought me all through autumn and winter, dear boots. Thank you so much. Puss with boots.

vegan chocolate bisque treat

Got these samples of vegan chocolate bisques (chokladbiskvier in Swedish) from a friend the other day. Now and then I have a bisque, not a favourite pastry as such, I'm no fan of butter cream, but sometimes, well it's a nice wee thing to have for fika.

This was the first time I enjoyed a vegan one (basically you swap two ingredients to milk free butter and milk free chocolate, hey presto vegan) and it was delightful! And the butter cream wasn't buttery at all thus it was actually much better than a regular bisque as far as I'm concerned.

I will try and bake this myself, but so far I have not been able to find any milk free butter that doesn't contain palmoil (which sadly continue to be my major issue with too many vegan food items) so until then, no vegan bisque making for me. Alas.

how creative people behave, part I

Read two great articles on creativity the other day. Rather substantial reads, they take a while to digest but they're so worth it. Let's start with the first article. Here's part I on creativity -

18 things highly creative people do

These are my personal thoughts on the article and the 18 mentioned things;

Besides being a really thoughtprovoking read I also love the aha-moment of "so THAT's why I behave like I do!". Because even if I mostly love my brain and how it constantly observe, thinks and ticks, sometimes it seems like it would be... relaxing to not have a brain that's more or less constantly process, (over)thinks and (over)analyze people, behaviours, matters.

But in that "constantly working brain" there is also the fact of daydreaming, relaxing but also, as far as I'm concerned, is a way to focus on goals and dreams.

Being a creative soul also involves working the hours that work for them (us) - as you now I seriously hate being trapped in a 9-5 routine. I love how I am able to do create my own working hours, take a Tuesday off, work on the weekend.

As much as I adore spending time with inspirational people, being an introvert soul I also love spending time on my own, take time for solitude, sorting thoughts, ideas, feelings out is essential.

To be able to turn life's obstacles around - how you react when life hands you lemons, going through rough patches really does make you see and act differently. See possibilities instead of problems. 2013 was really the year when I fully realized that and where able to embrace it for myself. Too bad you can't always convince your surrounding...

I am definitely a curious person who loves new experiences and learn new things, but I also think I have to challenge myself more to new and uncomfortable (for me) things (without losing the common sense self-preservation). That is how we evolve.

To fail, whatever that means, well, haven't we all? How we react to it, how we move on and which lessons we learn, that defines who we are. Embracing failure.

To ask big questions, I wish more would! To see the connections, how our daily choices, life choices impact others and the rest of the world. I believe we owe ourselves to that, not to mention we owe the world that. We should all strive to become better earthlings during the brief time we exist on this planet.

People watching, one of my favourite past times. Human behaviour and interaction, intriguing, heartbreaking, maddening and endearing. To build little stories about people in my mind, about the whys and hows, I do it constantly.

Taking risks, well, with age, family ties, loans, house and a basic prudent personality (and lawyer background) that doesn't approve of financial risk taking as such, I don't concider myself a risk taker. Too chicken-hearted. But then again, others have called me brave, in matters I concider the only viable option, any other choice would make my soul wither and die. What others concider to be risk-taking I may not.

"They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression." Seriously, is there any other way to view life?! Go ask a bobbaloo and they would say "NO!!".

To follow one's true passion, if more would, what a wonderful world this would be! Follow your passion.

Get out of one's own head, I spend a lot of time not only observing others, I observe myself, my behaviours and quirks from the outside too. It's a useful tool to learn, change and grow from. And sometimes give yourself credit for thinking and behaving in a truly professional and dignified manner.

Being all-absorbed with a project or task, do what you love best, where did the time go? It's a lovely lovely thing to loose track of time due to that!

To surround oneself with beauty, well, duh. The importance of beauty and inspiration

To connect the dots, one of life's greatest mysteries and sorrows, the reason for Weltschmerz, is that so few seem able to do just that.

Variety is the spice of life (in Swedish "Omväxling förnöjer"), dare to shake things up on a regular basis!

I surround myself with cats, they are a constant source of mindfullness and inspiration.

What did you think about the article?
Does it describe you and your creativity?
Did you find it inspiring?

thursday thoughts

It has been a long long day. But also a very good day. Inspiring and (in a good way) tiring.

~ A very early morning showed benevolent sunshine, frost and mist (it was so beautiful I would have loved to crawl around with the camera in a field somewhere trying to capture something magic. Instead I spent it on the bus and train. But I'm relieved to report I survived the morning rush hour).

~ I attended a fun and inspiring breakfast (sans breakfast because I'm no fan of mingle with food) seminar about email marketing, marketing automation and lead management. Some parts where really enlightening (the Obama campaign-case above was one) others rather in your face sales pitch ridiculous. Bromos and tradesman jargon is really off-putting. But all and all I think it was a couple of well-spent hours.

~ I lost a mitten. A favourite kind of mitten. I'm pretty certain I lost it at the seminar so hopefully I'll get it back.

~ Another day of distinct spring in the air, albeit the morning frost. What a feeling!



~ There was an übercute dog in a window. And the fact that s/he got the hiccups made her/him even cuter. I wish there were more dogs in shop windows, because they can make a day.



~ I had a simple lunch with soy-latte in the window seat of a favourite cafe (the weekend morning breakfast place). It was a lovely way to collect the post-seminar thoughts and get some work done. I loved how surprisingly quiet and peaceful the usually very busy cafe happened to be at lunch time. I also love how the latte heart is still visible when you've finished your coffee. I left a heart behind.

~ Was very visibly reminded of the fact that something great and happy didn't happen this week (it is a public campaign that has sadly not at all been made the most of). But it also strengthened my conviction regarding this matter. This too will be resolved.

~ Rounding the day off with finishing a copywriting assignment. And a good feeling of another job well done.

~ Fresh juice of the day was carrot (surprise!), apple and physalis. I was also reminded by the bobbaloos that such a glass of juice is always best enjoyed with a content matching hat. Next time I will drink the juice wearing a little carrot cap chap's hat. I'm sure that'll heighten the juicy experience.

make happy things happen

This week could have, should have been the start of something great and exciting. It didn't happen. Not because I didn't try my best, without doing something outrageous, it just seems that sadly some people (which falls into the category "I don't get them") you just do not get through to.

To cut a long story short (and without details of course) I'm gobsmacked about the ungraspable fact (in this particular case) that apparently people (some people) working in sales aren't really interested in visibility, creating a buzz and improving their sales figures. Business people not interesting in making happy things happen, wanting to move forward, lacking curiousity and decisiveness, I simply don't get them. And to make things even more incomprehensible, my gut feeling tells me that I did get through in parts. I saw sparks of yes. And then there where a glitch in information and communication, not to mention focus. Alas.

That something which has so much potential isn't cared for properly and with passion, it really makes me both mad and sad. What a waste of opportunities, connections, time and energy. What was the point of it all?

It's such a disappointment it didn't happen. It would have been the next logically step of something beautiful. That much I'm sure of. I'm glad there are other paths to tread. So for now I'm mulling things over, talking and thinking things through, regrouping, working with other tasks and chose to be happy about other matters instead. Like the following;

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~ Apparently I'm now one of those for-unknown-reasons popular people on about.me - fun of course, but I still don't get the real usefulness of the "service". And as much as I appreciate a good compliment I'm not very happy about unknown people adding me to weird collections like "Facebook friends". 

Since we're not friends on Facebook for real (I'm not a fan, far from, of the media in question, my profile isn't searchable and I'm selective whom I ask or add as a friend), for me it's such a bizarre thing to do, make a collection like that with people that you have no idea who they are and claim Facebook-friendship.

On the other hand I'm touched by being added to fine collections like "Sparks", Makers" and "Eclectic Spirits". The internetz is indeed both weird and wonderful. Like people in general I suppose. Of course.

Cheers!



~ I now own a pair of yellow boots. They are gorgeous (and paw inspected). They were supposed to have been electric purple, but they are indeed yellow. The story behind them is that since last September I've been oogling a pair of fantastic looking electric purple (and I don't even like purple, but some hues are indeed irresistable) boots at the El Naturalista website. They didn't have my size then and it never appeared on site so my conclusion is that they never produced any in that size. When the sales came there were still no size 41 in purple sadly, but a very perky yellow pair were. Who can say no to walking in winter sunshine?

They are lovely looking, but I also noticed, after walking a lot yesterday, that the sole is quite a bit too thin for my liking. With El Naturalista I'm not used to the nuisance of too thin soles of shoe which allows you to feel the tiniest pebble through the sole. The boots are not uncomfortable per se, but walking on cobblestone streets or gravel is really not nice. At all. I do have extra insoles that usually do a good job, when needed, so I'll try those next time. But I don't se myself doing any long walks and long days again in these yellow beauties alas.



~ I got such a nice compliment on Yelp today, it made me really happy "Hi Pia, what AMAZING and cute pictures you take, I love them! Will follow your cool food-adventures from now on :)" It's great that people take their time to give such lovely feedback. It only costs a bit of time and it can make someone's day. I got a similar, matter of fact compliment last Friday, face to face. I'm still really chuffed about that one too. I repeat, dare to compliment!



Despite being quite disappointed about the above, initial fact, I have to say that this first week of March has been lovely. It may be due to a distinct feeling of spring in the air, but I also sense something else, something promising and wonderful, unknown and yet to be revealed. So I continue to be expectant and curious. And overall happy, because really despite setbacks and certain things not going my way, I have a lot to be grateful and chuffed about. I chose to acknowledge and rest in that feeling, when certain matters are not as peachy perfect and happy as they ought to be, in an ideal world.

happy fat tuesday 2014 ~

As you know, I've already "cheated" and had my first semla of the season well before time (which should be today, Fat Tuesday according to orthodox traditionalists), but still having one (or more) today is of course special.

Thus I had a small sourdough one at a cafe, very enjoyable and very much like the Stockholm super semla, with a heavenly almondy almond paste. The place, Cafe Tårtan (the cake) is very much worth a visit, not only for it's semla.

At home we had another very enjoyable one - from Konditori Chic, one of my favourite cafes, due to its unpretentiousness, good food, bread, cakes, fika and value for money - all and all, a five star semla day as far as I'm concerned.



Happy Fat Tuesday,
I hope you had a lovely semla or two!

when melon goes pamplemousse

When I sliced the galia melon today it had, like by magic, turned into a supersized grapefruit (but as I adore the French word for it 'pamplemousse' I'll continue to refer to it as that). Quite bizarre actually. And it wasn't a very tasty pamplemousse; dry, flavourless and with a course texture when I tried to eat it as was.

But then I found a carrot to match (supersized) so I turned that carrot + half the pamplemousse into a big glass of fresh juice instead and all was suddenly well. Very well. A big glass like that usually takes 5-7 carrots and 3 oranges to get - I'm still amazed I got all that from one carrot only.

My love affair with the juicer continues. I have to say it's probably (and unlikely) one of the best gadgets I've had the pleasure of meeting.

Cheers, March, let's make more magic!

the peace tea towel

This special edition Moomin kitchen towel (in celebration of it being 100 years since Tove Jansson was born) depicting a peace demonstration is such a lovely piece. I couldn't resist getting one. More befitting as a wall ornament than a towel though.

And it fills with me sadness that we're still (especially now, given our neighbours eastward!) living in times when a peace message is more important than ever. That there are still too many pea-brained men in power all over the world, war instigators with no grasp whatsoever of the vast consequences of their stupidity. In the 21st century the human race continues to fail in decent behaviour, again and again.

Peace.

elliott erwitt at fotografiska

Weekends and museums is not something I usually even contemplate, I loath jostling with hoards of people. But as this was the last days with the Elliott Erwitt exhibition at Fotografiska and I really wanted to see it we went. And as it happens, if you are there really early it was lovely and not a lot of people at all. I thought they opened 10 am, but actually it was 9 am already, but 10 was definitely suffice to avoid the crowds.

I really loved Erwitt's street photography! Just my cup of tea and a delightful blend of being at the right place at the right time, planning, humour, beauty, love and an eye for details. Plus a lot of dogs. And feet/shoes. You can never go wrong with that.



There were three other photographers showing at the same time, but Erwitt was definitely my favourite. Obviously not as heartwrenchingly amazing as Nick Brandt, but very much worth a visit. If you happen to have an exhibition in your city, go see.



I am a member of Fotografiska, free entrance etc, but I still find I don't go there as often as I ought to. Because a) it's no fun going on your own (even if you tend to walk around experiencing the exhibits alone, it's always great to then talk about it over a coffee or tea in the fantastic top floor cafe with its stunning view over the Stockholm inlet) and it's tricky to get a time that suits someone not as flexible (in this case) as me.



And b) the museum is in a gorgeous building but poorly situated with the walk to and from the train station being an utterly boring one right beside a heavily trafficated road. Silly as it may seem, it always feels like such a project just getting there. Even if one always find it very enjoyable and inspiring once there.

Here follow some of my favourites of Elliott Erwitt's photos ~