lace and cake

you sold your soul to the evil and the lust / I'm all messed up, I'm so outta line

2011-12-14T21:21:00.002Z

winter vol. 2

let the countdown begin. I'm going home in less than a week and couldn't be more excited about it, I really need to clear my head... life (=work) has been a bit crazy in the last few month and I've discovered I like it that way - possibly a little too much for my own good.

so here's to quiet white mornings, frosty winter walks and chilling by the fireplace, preferably with my dog and three cats nearby, a mug of coffee (or maybe baileys. or coffee with baileys. oh yes.) and a piece of cheesecake (or any other cake, I'm not fussy). bring it on.

+ if you're into that winter vibe, there's a great cookbook by matthew evans 'winter on the farm'. it's full of really beautiful photographs and delicious-sounding recipes ('pancakes laced with salted caramel pears and finished with rum' for breakfast, anyone?).

++ can't get this song out of my head.

+++ I got my hands on the new season of borgen, at last. sidse babett knudsen is killing it, as always.

14th-u mnie, villa nova, simply breakfast, john spinks, tumblr, give me a shout if you see your picture

of course it's the end. how could it not be?

2011-12-01T08:00:00.012Z

I don't know about you guys, but I'm definitely ready for christmas holidays...

so here comes the first of winter posts. although it feels more like spring in london right now, I had the first taste of winter this weekend in paris. ahh, paris. finally I was able to go back and do all the cliché things from my list and two days on I'm still having inappropriate thoughts about the saint-honoré rose framboise from ladurée. need. help.

anyway, unfortunately I have no sufficiently sophisticated book/film/tv recommendations this time. work has been rather hectic lately and I really love it, but this also means I cannot process anything too complicated. now that downton abbey is over (can't wait 'til the christmas special) and I have no idea how to catch the new season of borgen, you wouldn't believe the tv shows I've been watching...

stay tuned for more winter charm.

nonchalance, villa nova, the story can resume

crave you

2011-10-18T14:44:00.003+01:00

uh-oh. not this again... for some reason autumn always puts me in a peculiar, wicked mood. not sure if I'm going to fight or embrace it. one thing is certain, crisp cold mornings make my first coffee (and other things) taste that much better.

on a lighter note, I started my evening swedish classes last week. about time, you might say! jag talar lite svenska nu :)

+ does anyone have any recommendations for the best places to eat/have coffee in brighton? I'm going for a day-trip next weekend. late october might not strike you as the best time, but my mom is coming to town and we wanted to do something different. also, as per jamie's city guide:

"you haven’t really seen Brighton in all its aching, melancholic glory until you’ve walked from Palace Pier along the deserted seafront into neighbouring Hove, or ducked out of the rain into Marrocco’s Italian cafe for a warming hot chocolate or even a scoop of their top-notch homemade ice cream"

that sold it. 'aching' and 'melancholic' really appeal to me these days ;)

pinterest, a well travelled woman, 6th - u mnie

słuchaj, jak miłość wrzeszczy do ucha

2011-10-02T20:17:00.002+01:00

so not ready for the week to come. something soothing...

marie zucker

now you're thinking too fast, you're like marbles on glass

2011-09-25T22:09:00.005+01:00

how I long for the countryside... settling in the first proper flat really takes it out of me these days. life is mostly about checking things off the list, almost there. suddenly I'm getting really excited about pillowcases and lusting after a designer sugar bowl (and I don't even put sugar in my tea/coffee!). it's a dangerous territory.

+ just finished the first episode of new downton abbey. is it just me or was anyone else crying throughout almost the entire thing? hmm.

++ so grateful I can get my weekly dose of iain glen once again.

+++ note to self: good things and amazing people come when you least expect them. hang tough.

++++ this song + lazy afternoon + your drink of choice.

you look like you've been for breakfast at the heartbreak hotel

2011-09-17T12:57:00.009+01:00

time for an autumn set.

+ remember how I was just about to start watching 'borgen', the danish tv political drama? well, I've finished the first season and man, it's so unebelievably good! extremely well-written and brilliantly acted. sidse babett knudsen shines as the first danish female prime minister (how apropos) and mikkael birkjær is as handsome as ever (and a great actor, yes, of course).

fortunately season 2 starts next week. can't. wait.

have a good one!

pinterest

I'm all you require

2011-07-22T11:00:00.005+01:00

what I've been enjoying lately:

forbrydelsen (the killing) - the danish tv crime series. I don't really have words to describe how perfect it is and how much I adore sarah lund (the main character) and want to be like her. I'll be forever grateful to Anna Maria, who recommended this piece of genius to me in comments under the last post. accidentally, forbrydelsen involves lars mikkelsen (the brother of... yup, you guessed it!) and, if that's not enough for you, my latest crush - mikael birkkjær, whose disturbingly good looks deserve a special shout-out of their own. now I'll be watching 'borgen', another danish drama series (most importantly - it features the adorable mr birkkjær) (seriously, such a small country and so much talent! if anyone from denmark is reading this - I salute you! tillykke!)

summer in london (well, that's a bit of a stretch... 'english summer rain - seems to last for ages'. if you're in londontown these days, you know what I mean). but there's something about those sunny mornings, smelling of toast and coffee and promise of good thing to come. even if it rains cats and dogs later on. lazy lunches with friends (I swear there are so many people seriously getting their drink on during lunchtime. and you wonder why the credit crunch happened?). cocktails after work and guys in the city rolling their sleeves up (have I mentioned I have a bit of a fetish for forearms? no?... sometimes I think I share too much on this blog.)

coffee. and the more coffee. for some reason I'm drinking obscene amounts of it these days. the first sip in the morning... mmm. good times. (when it's particulary great coffee, I always think of this)

the prospect of moving to a new flat in september. I can barely afford it... but it's in my favourite area and such a great little place! finally I'll be able to unashamedly invite people over! I'm so done with living in student accomodation...

my anthem these days, moloko's live performance of pure pleasure seeker. róisín murphy is dynamite.

last but so not least, Poland's volleyball team winning our first medal in world league. this is a bit late, but still - well done, boys!

in the meantime, I'm very much present on my tumblr, which I can only hope somewhat makes up for my pathetically sparse posting here. so if you're up for lots of photos of scandinavia, coffee, countryside, lovely food, champagne and men I fancy (usually twice my age, you've been warned), come and visit me at nonchalance.

have a great, restful weekend!

meanwhile, in finland - summer nights.

rixatrix on flickr

if you think it's tough, you don't want it enough

2011-06-09T21:49:00.001+01:00

so, it's been some time since my last post... in the meantime I have finished uni, flown back and forth between london and home many times, and as of last week - started at my first proper job. anyway, if you've been following this blog for a while, you're probably used to my erratic ways of posting ;)

some of the things I've been enjoying lately:

the most beautiful book (because it's so much more than a cookbook) I've discovered in a long time: rose petal jam by beata zatorska & simon target. at first I was quite hestitant about sharing this here - it's the kind of feeling you have when you discover some obscure band and you just want to keep it to yourself. but here goes... it's basically a book I've been dreaming of writing for years. a nostalgic memoir of childhood summer days in Poland, where recipes, stories, poems and absolutely fantastic photographs come together in a collage of sorts. I see it first and foremost as a long-overdue tribute to the extraordinary country that Poland is. and as if by an almost improbable coincidence, it turned out that the author hails from my hometown. seeing my high school in one of the photos was just an overkill...

by now some of you might be aware of my borderline fanatical infatuation with all things scandinavian. these past few weeks I've been immersed in the millenium trilogy (books and films. and while we're on the subject - those movies so did not have to be remade... as much as they lacked in terms of characted/plot development, the idea of daniel craig as mikael blomqvist makes me cringe and that's just the top of the iceberg), wallander series (books and films - the swedish version) and lately - the varg veum films based on books by gunnar staalesen. perfect in every way.

the new album by oh land (from denmark. obviously.) there is not a bad song on this one.

game of thrones. words cannot convey my feelings for it (and sean bean).

and for now, gorgeous bergen in all shades of grey. inspired by the varg veum films, where this amazing city is shown in such a beautiful way. the first five photos are from the lovely hei astrid blog - check it out to discover that it doesn't always rain in bergen... (although a search on flickr for rainy bergen yields three times as many results as the one for sunny bergen).

hei astrid, flickr, nonchalance

song for a rainy day? it's over - sondre lerche (from norway. obviously.)

lemonworld

2011-04-30T14:40:00.003+01:00

swedish summer. one day...

source: Octover, gunnel's, TroyV, my tumblr

it's when you've worked out who you are that you can really start to live

2011-04-17T18:46:00.000+01:00

I'm back home for a while and, as per usual, have been doing a lot of thinking. rediscovering what I really like and want, instead of playing out a role in a play scripted by someone else. this blog isn't supposed to be a shrink's couch, so I'll just sum up all this thinking with a quote:

'this above all: to thine own self be true'

william shakespeare

I soothe my restlessness by spending early mornings in the garden, with a lot of strong and hot earl grey. today was one of those perfect mornings, when everything comes together and falls into place for a moment. the only thing that could make it better would be if sean bean decided to stop by for some tea. alas, he didn't (I'm sure it's only a matter of time), but it was still quite splendid.

nights on my balcony provide similar comfort, with starry sky above me ("at night city lights make the stars invisible") and everything around so still and quiet. trees, mountains, small church and houses look like paper cutouts or stage decorations. flickering lights in the old, tiny graveyard.

for the new week and spring in the air: pink & pastel overload.

weheartit

shall we leave this place now, dear?

2011-03-21T23:43:00.003Z

guys... I have finished my dissertation! quite strange not to have to put "dissertation-write (...)" in my diary, for the first time since last summer. it's only proper that I celebrate this momentous day somehow, so I'm currently getting drunk on a very expensive chablis (the only way to start a week...) and listening to this on repeat (czesław <3). anyway. press on.

let me tell about food and what I like to eat when days finally get (a teeny tiny bit) warmer.

quickly steamed asparagus, with only a touch of lemon, salt and butter, accompanied by a glass of white wine.

a hunk of proper west country cheddar/good french brie with some great bread, juicy grapes and wine.

simple caprese with sweet, ripe tomatoes and plump, milky mozzarella + freshly picked basil.

(by now you've probably noticed that wine is a common theme in my book)

-what is your nationality?
- I'm a drunkard.
- that makes Rick a citizen of the world.

casablanca

give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather and a little music played out of doors by someone I do not know.

john keats

also, some of my own recent creations (because of the crappy quality of cellphone pictures, I processed these with poladroid in hopes that I can pass them as vintage/quirky photos).

broad beans (aka fava beans to you lovely Americans) + asparagus + parmesan salad (recipe from sophie dahl's book, but it's really about a simple combination of those flavours), rye bread.

kale + parmesan salan in lemon dressing (recipe from the amazing sprouted kitchen). I know that kale is more of a winter veg, but it's super healthy. apparently some people are squeamish about eating raw kale, but this simple recipe (uhm... it takes 3-4 minutes tops) will change your mind. I have never actually eaten kale cooked and usually go for this salad. delicious and oh-so-good for you.

source: my tumblr, nonchalance (and originally - I have no idea) + my own

I think there's something really beautiful and elegant about eating seasonal food, and not messing with it too much. concentrating on hunting down the best ingredients and treating them with respect.

speaking of delicious things, can somebody shed more light on what exactly is added to the irish water? I'm watching 'being human' right now and even though it's a rather brilliant show all round, undoubtedly the best thing about it is aidan turner. now I'm a big fan of the scruffy look anyway, but in one of the episodes he really pushes it by wearing tracksuit bottoms and a plaid flannel shirt. what's more, the guy basically permanently looks hung-over and frankly, in need of a good shower, and yet. and yet! I think I'm going to pause here so that I don't have to delete this post later on.

have an awesome week everyone!

the day will come when you'll get away from it

2011-03-15T18:28:00.001Z

I just got back from the gym, where I watched top gear (that show owns my heart) and killing hitler on some history channel. it's a good thing not many people use the gym in my building.
anyway, I came across these photos today and really love the colours, so deep and rich.

back to working on my dissertation...

odette ny

I love to feel there's always more that I need

2011-03-13T17:21:00.001Z

what I would like right now: a little less stress, less clutter, less hurry. more sun and fresh air. clear mind and peaceful sleep.19 days left...

hang tough, hang tough.

remodelista, design sponge, nonchalance

sauté

2011-03-08T12:11:00.000Z

we've had 3 (three!) sunny days in a row after 2 months :)) spring must be coming. I woke up early and decided to be all healthy and good to myself: took a cold shower, went to the gym, made fresh mint tea, bought groceries for the week, got myself daffodils and white tulips. and I've done it all before noon! a taste of what life could have been if I didn't have to write that dreadful dissertation. which I'll be doing for the rest of the day...

+ us the office > uk the office. big time.
+ watched hurt locker again yesterday and it was even better than I remembered. same goes for how good looking jeremy renner is in it.

have a great week and remember to take care of yourselves!

all from my tumblr

there's too much caffeine in your bloodstream and a lack of real spice in your life

2011-03-01T11:48:00.005Z

it's finally getting warm (sort of)! although here, you never really know... also, last week we had the first day of sunshine in what I believe was over a month. my favourite things currently...

"band of brothers" and "the pacific" are brilliant (if anyone's following my tumblr and getting sick of the BoB/TP overload, I can only say - too bad)
my favourite artist has released his new album last week and man, it's so good! soundtrack to my spring'11.
hope & greenwood - the retro sweet shop in covent garden. it's such a cute little place, as close to honeydukes as you can get without going to hogsmeade.
after avoiding the us version of the office (who could ever beat ricky gervais?), I gave it a go and now I'm on the 3rd season. it's actually better than the uk one. I need to re-think my life choices.
no matter what happens, this is the month I will hand in my final year dissertation. I'll probably explode with happiness when the blessed day comes.
never let me go is brilliant (the movie). haunting, heartbreaking, beautiful. it went straight to my list of favourite movies - and usually I'm lucky if I find one film I like this much per year. I'm surprised it didn't get any love at baftas or the oscars. the whole mood of the film reminded me of a very special book, kitchen by banana yoshimoto. I can't really put my finger on it. perhaps it's because the book it was based on was written by a japanese author as well? anyway, I really recommend it.
speaking of movies, see how I didn't even mention the oscars and how perfect it was that for once in a long time a film that won actually deserved the award? although the kids are all right should've gotten a special prize too, possibly for being the most overrated movie of the year.
damian lewis is perfect. the end.

excuse my less-than-eloquent rambling, I'm drinking a little too much coffee and studying a little too much these days, so half the time even I don't know what I'm talking about. enjoy your week & have some pretty countryside photos. one day, I promise...

right now I could really go for a coffee, ideally somewhere in the countryside. I wish, I wish...

gretesin, snaggle.tooth, emily harriet, nonchalance

I was held in chains but now I'm free. I'm hanging in there, don't you see?

2011-02-10T22:25:00.002Z

I just love this quote so much it had to end up here some day. something to think of.

"I want people to know that almost everything that concerns them in their daily lives is of no consequence whatsoever. Nothing and nobody is really important, so people, realising that, should get on with their lives, go mad, take their clothes off, jump in the canal, jump into one of those supermarket trolleys, race 'round the supermarket and steal Mars bars and, y'know, kiss kittens and sit on the back of bread vans.
Whatever makes people happy they should just do it, 'cos time is a mere scratch and life is nothing"

Morrissey

I hope you're all having a better time than I am (final year of uni aka the worst of the worst aka I hate everyone now). this track is one of the things I rely on to cheer me up these days.

distance of the modern heart - kamp!

to czas przebudzenia, zmiana pola widzenia

2010-12-18T19:30:00.002Z

today was a good day, I finally made it to the slope after a year-long break from skiing. it was so beauitiful, frosty air, icy blue sky and mist coming down from the mountains. I feel totally in my element on the slope.

anyway, I'm finally home for a bit, after truly terrible two days of journey. it included cancelled flights, going to different airports, massive delays, missing connecting flights by 10min, freezing while wating for transport to the hotel on a cold night in munich, more dalays, etc etc. they say in such circumstances acceptance is the only path to serenity, but it's easier said than done.
one positive aspect of this miserable munich layover was coming to the conclusion that german men are quite possibly the most handsome. this is what I have suspected for a long time now, but it never hurts to update your research. still true.

in an effort not to write about dear jamie o. in every post, I will not mention that I'm rewatching 'jamie at home' dvds and they're still beautifully inspiring. instead, I will tell you that I saw inception the other day and how underwhelming I found it. I can't help feeling that they had a great concept, but somehow the execution could do with more sophistication, it somehow lacked that mad touch of genius. with such a fascinating idea they could have really created a total mindfuck, pardon my french, but what we actually get is another action movie with clever bits. also, I would have changed most of the cast, but that's another issue.

speaking of mindfucks, I'm going to catch up on misfits. have a brilliant sunday! I think these go well together. winter breakfast and frosty glasgow.

SE▲'s flickr

Inès' flickr

in my head, you're already mine

2010-11-30T14:41:00.001Z

things I have been enjoying lately:

sunny winter days in londontown (if only it wasn't so bloody cold!)
ladurée macarons in salted caramel. I die a little with each bite. la petite mort...
'the flavour thesaurus' by niki segnit aka 'the book I wish I had written myself'.
work (yes, it's possible!)
'country living' magazine aka my porn.
jamie at home, christmas special (old but still good. if only for jamie's laughing fit in the final scene).
chickpea sauté from 'plenty' by yotam ottolenghi + cooking with the seasons (kale, brussel sprouts, yumm).
period tv dramas - all the jane austen classics + the unbelievably beautiful 'downton abbey' (mourning the end of the season...). you can say many things about the Brits, but boy do they know their period drama. the interiors, the music, the landscapes, the dialogues, the acting, and have I mentioned the interiors? (they may also be the only ones who can make great rom-coms).

and now I realise that almost all of my posts revolve around food and/or jamie oliver...

now a big winter post, here's to silent white winter mornings, sparkling snow, morning walks through the countryside and cozy early afternoons of curling in front of a fireplace with a mug of tea and a piece of cake.

new york times style, weheartit, my tumblr, flickr

I love the sound of you walking away

2010-11-14T14:18:00.002Z

some things I've been enjoying lately:

many good books, including: 'everything is illuminated' and 'extremely loud & incredibly close' by jonathan safran foer, 'cosmos' by carl sagan, 'rifke. an improbable life' by rosalie wise sharp.
listening to I blame coco's 'the constant', 'home' by edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros, 'heavy in your arms' by florence and the machine
so happy that my favourite contestant in Poland's Got Talent got through yesterday. his voice is like a golden afternoon at the beach, a melting chocolate fondant, sipping baileys on a winter day curled up in front of the fireplace, like everything's gonna be alright no matter what. god, I sound like a crazy groupie. check out his first performace here and the one from yesterday's semi-finals here.
crisp and sunny almost-winter days in the square mile, the buzz and energy is palpable.
alex kapranos sounds especially good in november, tried and tested over the years.
as always, self-promotion time - since I often abandon this place, you can find me at nonchalance almost every day. I've just installed an elegant new theme that supports large format photos, so I'm pretty smitten with that space.
last but not least, here's to someone who doesn't have my issues with irregular blogging - check out this male fashion blog run by Lucas from sweden.

benoit peverelli for elle china may 2010

berlin, I love you, I'm starting to fade.

2010-10-28T19:43:00.001+01:00

I'm very productive in terms of cooking these days, yesterday was wonderfully oozy and creamy wild mushroom risotto and today a lovely fresh greek salad, which was preceeded by a royal breakfast of omelette with truffles. the last two were courtesy of my favourite jamie's books - "jamie does...". it's so inspiring and cheerful, just like everything that jamie touches. his brand of cooking is the closest to my heart. sure, I like to challenge myself with an elaborate recipe every once in a while, preferably when I'm at home - spacious, light-filled kitchen with picturesque bucolic scenery outside the windows is much more suited to those kind of pursuits than the "kitchen" in my shoebox-y london flat ;) jamie's style can be desribed in the same way he talks about the aforementioned greek salad - "confident and scruffy with a bit of attitude". it's right up my alley, considering my inherent dislike for strict recipes and measurements.

anyway, I have a tv show recommendation today - "downton abbey", a "lavish period drama" set in berkshire in 1910s. nothing much ever happens and yet it is so addictive...
also, I have finished "everything is illuminated" by jonathan safran foer yesterday at 2am (just couldn't put it down!) and I must say this was probably one of the three best books I have ever read. I don't recall any other book that literally left me in pieces after such a shattering climax. at the same time, no other book made me laugh out loud like a maniac so many times either. genius, is all I say.

(if you want something lighter, why not try a new "reality" show on itv - "the only way is essex". the definition of a guilty pleasure, but sometimes after a day of working, studying and lectures I'm so brain dead I can't digest anything else ;) anyone else watching this?...)

the photos come from an interior design site freunde von freunden, publishing pictures of the houses of hip berliners. airy, clean, filled with light. very inspiring, I think.

p.s. I found out about this website at capture the castle.

freunde von freunden

I am a bird girl now. I have my heart here in my hands now.

2010-10-24T14:16:00.000+01:00

big yes for cancelled uni project meetings.
sundays should be work-free. as in the words of chandler: "because it's sunday. it's god's day!".

two autumn coffee snaps to celebrate what's left of the weekend, stay warm!

top photo weheartit, bottom photo from brian

czekanie sprawia, że gorzknieje cała słodycz w nas

2010-10-18T19:54:00.001+01:00

a few recommendations (in bullet points - my attempt at being at least a little bit coherent here! not enough sleep last night means I've been pretty useless today):

"little britain" - why am I only catching up now? the beginning of this episode cracks me up. "oh, yeah... you've got a faulty connection with your starter motor!". also: "a favourite holiday destination, after siberia, is scotland." david walliams is a genius.
"everything is illuminated" by jonathan safran foer. I've only started reading it, but if the rest will be even half as good, this is going to be the best book I've read in a long long time. so bizarre and beautiful. to those who've read it: "officious seeing-eye bitch"? I couldn't stop laughing.
and finally... last but so not least - "fish tank". I thought this was such an amazing movie, fresh and gritty. however, I'm wondering if I would've enjoyed it quite as much if michael fassbender wasn't in it. hmm... he brings such raw magnetism to the screen. ok, umm, let's take five here and look at some pretty pictures.

"with tea I amused the evening, with tea solaced the midnight and with tea welcomed the morning"

samuel johnson

weheartit

I like smoking, drinking and ordering in restaurants

2010-10-15T18:44:00.000+01:00

I urge you to listen to this song. make your friday even better.

you can tell him that my skin is warm in the hands' of another

2010-10-11T23:08:00.002+01:00

"there is harmony in autumn, and lustre in its sky, which through summer is not heard or seen,
as if it could not be, as if it had not been."

percy bysshe shelley

english countryside in algo's lens

cała jestem bałaganem i Twoim wojennym stanem

2010-10-10T01:21:00.001+01:00

please forgive my absence, I'm rather busy - have started the final year of uni (bad) and returned to work (good). I have no films to recommend (currently am catching up properly on the tudors) and as far as books go, about the most interesting one on my shelf now is a corporate finance textbook. anyone?...

but... I'm more active on tumblr, it's quick and delightfully random. so have a look at nonchalant, or the other one - days gone by, inspired by the book I was raving about some time ago - nicholas & alexandra.

à bientôt.

weheartit, stars mending

now I'm ready to start

2010-09-23T12:19:00.001+01:00

this is beautiful.
longer posts to come soon(ish), now I'm enjoying last free days home before starting next year at the uni.

edita vilkeviciute by camilla åkrans

now I've reached my element, you better move over

2010-09-14T13:54:00.001+01:00

irresistible.

now: coffee on a bright and crisp autumn afternoon. new books and a pile of magazines. lemon tart. life is good.

camilla åkrans for vogue china

this right here I swear will end too soon

2010-09-09T19:17:00.001+01:00

not so long ago I was enjoying holidays at the seaside and now fall is on our doorstep. there is something quite special about smelling new season in the air. golden sunlight that lost its summer harshness, cool mornings, apple and pear tarts, snuggling up in a blanket out on the terrace with a mug of strong tea, misty evening that bring the hint of winter cold, big cozy sweaters, bright colours fading away, replaced by dark greens and warm copper hues.

+ a long overdue book recommendation - nicholas & alexandra by robert k. massie. a must for any Romanov-obsessed bona fide russophile, enchanted with the opulent splendour of the tsarist court (like yours truly) and a truly compelling read for everyone else. it is an amazing account of what led to the revolution, rich with details of the daily life of the Imperial family, breathing life into empty-sounding names. a fascinating, if rather disturbing reminder that one person or an unfortunate coincidence can shape the future of the whole world. books like that make me want to never bother with fiction again.

my grand scheme of translating it into Polish went a little pear-shaped after I found out that it was translated some 15 years ago, but had a misfortune of attracting a shabby publisher and getting an even shabbier cover that makes it look like a cheap harlequin story. right now it is nearly impossible to find a copy and knowing the quality of most of the translations I'd recommend going for the original anyway.

weheartit

I've been putting out fire with gasoline

2010-08-19T18:57:00.001+01:00

in the meantime... I finished my summer internship, flew back home and went on much needed holidays, where I rediscovered my weakness for a good cosmopolitan. and if it's served in a cozy bar right by the beach on a warm summer evening, when your skin still smells of salty breeze and warm sand - well, that's just dandy.

now, I couldn't possibly not mention this one, beacuse...
there are the movies you like.
there are the movies you love.
and then there are the movies which are so perfect in every way that they feel like they were made exactly for you.
this is only the second time it has happened - a movie so completely brilliant that I felt compulsed to watch it over and over again every day. some scenes many many times in a row.

and I can now say that I know 'inglourious basterds' by heart.

+ when I grow up, I want to be diane kruger ;)

weheartit.com

au revoir - next time I'll have a great book recommendation for you.

allign my heart, my body, my mind

2010-07-27T13:25:00.001+01:00

these - pretty.

london - cold. I think I'm ready to go home for holidays... but already yearning for fall at the same time :)

+ billy elliot is one of the finest movies ever made - conclusions after rewatching yesterday. 'oy, dancing boy!'

elle sweden august 2010, source : tfs

everything it seems i like's a little bit sweeter, a little bit fatter, a little bit harmful for me

2010-07-26T19:34:00.001+01:00

belle de jour was so so good. I will have that black shiny ysl coat some day.
dark chocolate is back on the menu and willie harcourt-cooze delivers as usual. there's something very disappointing when you splurge on gourmet dark chocolate only to find out it doesn't hit the spot, just missing that oomph. willie, I should have never cheated on you.
jamie does... cook book is good. very good. I caved in and finally got it. I just can't help it, I'll buy whatever this cheerful essex boy is selling, just because I love his relaxed, happy approach to cooking.
the looks on people's faces when they see the book I'm reading at the gym are priceless. btw, I really recommend it - necropolis by catherine arnold. morbid + full of london trivia = my kind of thing! I'm shaking things up with some chick lit now, shhhh, don't tell anyone! such a guilty pleasure.

but actually all I wanted to say is that melanie laurent is my girl crush. number. one.

we're running on empty, living on adrenaline and caffeine rush

2010-07-15T15:57:00.002+01:00

you know, there are those songs that just hit the spot on certain days. they are preferably enjoyed with a nice glass of wine, when you're alone and feeling a little restless. a little bit of la douleur exquise.
or maybe the weekend is just not coming fast enough.

I have a playlist for those days and this one is the latest addition.
oh Moz, you just never disappoint. and he always sounds better live.

morrissey - life is a pigsty

even now, in the final hour of my life, I'm falling in love again.

her lips are cherry stained and she tastes of dry champagne

2010-07-10T21:43:00.001+01:00

I've been meaning to write a new posts for... a long time now, but words are misbehaving, they don't listen to me anymore and I can't seem to be able to put together a decent sentence. it's quite ironic, because I have so many things to say, too many thoughts that keep my mind restless - new faces, old flames, many thrills and exciting career prospects.

some people excercise to improve their physical health, I do it mostly to take care of my mental health - running keeps me balanced (well, sorta) and cures anxiety. those endorphines that kick in after an exhausting work out take the edge off any fast paced day...

something to watch on a summer evening (I've been catching up): "brief encounter" - usually so not my thing, I don't do old-time movies (ie audrey hepburn phenomena is totally puzzling to me), but my god have I been sobbing throughout the last minutes of it. a classic. "last station" - mixed reviews, but I rather enjoyed it (although again, the ending had me in tears). I might be biased, since I love anything Russia-related and this one also has james mcavoy, who I believe to be extremely talented. helen mirren delivers a memorable performance - this is what I'm talking about, an actress who can move you with minimal effort, a hint of a smile, fleeting glimpse of emotion in her eyes. none of that over the top drama (I promised myself no pointing fingers here, but how anyone can think angelina is a good actress remains a mystery to me). "crazy heart" - there's just something about a good story and good acting. you don't need much more than that (but I'm also biased here beacuse of my girl crush on maggie gyllenhaal).

this post is way too long by now. be thankful that I'll restrain myself and won't talk about politics - so no rant about the results of last week's presidential elections in motherland. I'll save it for when my mom comes to visit in two days ;)

anyway... it's summer (what's up with this heat? thankfully the rain returns to london next week and it will be english summer as we know it once again ;)).

and one of the best things about summer is dining al fresco.

I myself quite fancy the idea of having a proper garden tea party.

weheartit, flickr

days of silver winds and coffee haze

2010-06-21T21:20:00.003+01:00

recycling one of my favourite lookbook videos, because it's finally warm here! just in time for summer...

now going to bed like a good girl, because I didn't get enough sleep last night and could barely concentrate on work, shame shame.

p.s. trochę z innej beczki, ale mam nadzieję, że za dwa tygodnie zgodnie pofatygujemy się na wybory... 55.94% to trochę śmiech na sali. "chłopaki i dziewczyny, nie pękamy - głosujemy" :)

we will need something to remind us of all the sweetness that has passed through us

2010-06-19T21:01:00.004+01:00

today is an unusual day - two posts! but I'm rather active in tumblr, although the content is a bit different. check out for yourself.
sometimes dreams are so vivid that they to stay with you and keep you in an in-between haze for the whole day. today was one of those.

is being obsessive a personality trait? becoming so enamoured with a person, taste or place?...
people watching and taking style notes at a coffee shop in chelsea tomorrow? I think so.
SATC (the series, obviously) are so genius, they never ever get boring. smart + sexy + funny.

sensing owls

despite the chilly weather, it kind of feels like summer in london. there is this intoxicating smell in the air: the river, warm rain on the pavements, people drinking beer outside the pubs after work, sunny evenings. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it smells like good things will happen this summer. I really hope so.

and that voice of his, smooth as chocolate mousse

2010-06-19T11:02:00.000+01:00

a few pretty images from a movie I've recently rediscovered - "chocolat". rural france, plenty of chocolate and juliette binoche = me happy.
now, where did this week go? I'm so busy at work (but loving it) that sometimes I feel as if I never leave that place... so if you'll excuse me, I've got to get on with my weekend and:

catch up on sleeping and eating (hmm it's probably not normal to be setting yourself reminders to eat in your diary?... "Lunch. 7 hours overdue.").
study econometrics... how fun for me.
go to the consulate to vote tomorrow. hopefully if I go in the morning, the queue won't be too long. then possibly a pit stop at the 'nordic bakery', since it's pretty close... best cappuccino and warm cinammon buns, here I come.

hmm actually I just remembered I left the document that confirms I've registered to vote on my desk at work... ok then, I'll go get it now :) enough rambling.

have a good one!

screen caps by me

that's alright, because I like the way it hurts

2010-06-08T21:15:00.002+01:00

russian sweets have the cutest packaging (besides Polish ;)). I'm particularly fond of mishka kosolapyi, which I've had today at work, courtesy of my russian colleague. we have a tradition in our team that whenever someone has candy from their motherland, they bring it to work and share. lucky for the danes, liqourice seems to be a thing only they're able to enjoy, no matter how much I adore all things danish (or scandinavian, for that matter) (mads mikkelsen being on the very top of the list).

speaking of scandinavian obsessions, I just got my second book by trina hahnemann - after "the scandinavian cookbook" I am now a happy owner of "the nordic diet". they're both amazing in many ways and I'm afraid words won't do them justice, so let me just say that if you're a fan of that simple, clean and fresh scandi vibe, you would love them.

actually, I seem to be on a roll here - I've just pre-ordered "moomins cookbook" and "noma: time and place in nordic cuisine" by rene redzepi himself.
talking about all things scandinavian, I loved the episode of "jamie does..." from stockholm :)) do all the bakers look like that in sweden?...
I'll save the topic of norse mythology for another post ;)

although by now it might seem that my life revolves around food, truth is that since I've come back to work a week ago there's not too much going on on that front. afternoon double espressos, no sugar, are back on the menu. the bitter smell alone makes me shudder and I wonder why do I do this to myself... and then the addictive caffeine rush kicks in, which keeps me pleasantly hyper for the rest of the day.

+ it's one of the best feelings when you get back what you think you've lost. turns out, it's been somewhere inside you, waiting for the right moment to reappear.

ah, yess, the photos... loved that editorial. and that's it from me :)

marcin tyszka

hold your breath and count to ten, and fall apart and start again

2010-05-29T13:34:00.000+01:00

I like these. and that is all... back to monetary economics ;)

+ how is it that on monday we've had over 30 degrees in london and now it's 15 and raining? summer must be arriving.

mario testino for us vogue 2005

lavender skies

2010-05-23T12:43:00.008+01:00

I want this.

Provence looks like the perfect combination of my beloved rustic countryside charm with unpretentious chic and appreciation of finer things in life.

now: exams, exams, exams. I pretend not to notice 'country living' and 'jamie magazine' begging for attention.

all photos via bardot in blue, heartily recommend that blog :)

symmetry.

2010-05-20T17:51:00.012+01:00

just a couple of photos shot from my balcony at home. using a cell phone, what a disgrace ;) but I quite like that hazy golden effect. anyway, they're here because they evoke good memories :)

I was catching the last rays of sun just after a big storm, a mug of hot chocolate in hand.

although it's been barely ten days since my return from home in Poland to london, this moment feels ages away.

my 1,5 month long stay at home helped me sort out many things, just like I hoped it would. first of all, it proved that indeed, I am not cut out for life in this, or any other country other than my own :)

a propos changing your life and moving closer to the nature... there's a wonderful book that takes me away form this grey city to a tiny village in the south of france. it's called "a table in the tarn: living, cooking and entertaining in south-west france" by orlando murrin.

it's not particularly new, but I'm a cook book junkie and have an urge to acquire as many as possible. and this one has been patiently awaiting its turn on the shelf :) although you might call it a cook book, there's so much more to it... in a nutshell, it's a tale of two englishmen leaving their busy lives in the city to open a guest-house in a tiny french village.

I'm a sucker for stories about escapes to the country, renovating old houses, gardens and cooking, so it's right up my alley. recommend it to everyone, incredibly warm and uplifting :)

back to revising. four exams to go! ahh.

you should hear the Chelsea roar!

2010-05-09T18:02:00.001+01:00

8:0. spectacular victory.
and the title is back in its place - at stamford bridge! I'm on a natural high.
+ record number of goals in a premier league season - 103!
+ golden boots for drogba!

my boys did good.
so so happy.

if you're in west london, there's a party coming to a place somewhere near you.

"we've waited so long, but we'd wait forever
our blood is blue and we would leave you never
and when we make it, it'll be together!"

keep the wind on your back and the sun on your face, everyone :)

(booking for taking the shirt off when celebrating is surely the most stupid rule in football. just a side note.)

I love not man the less, but Nature more.

2010-05-07T14:17:00.006+01:00

"among all the complicated thoughts, there are moments when the sun shines right through my head and I feel good. present. lightness. energy. extreme minimalism."

(my loose translation of one of the posts from villk (aka ania pińkowska) )

my thoughts and feelings exactly.

this girl inspires me to no end lately. she's a gifted photographer with blue eyes that can stop you in your tracks. such a powerful combination of delicate femininity with wildness. talent and compassion. vibrant creativity, completely unpretentious.

especially recommended for my Polish readers, as the girl has a beautiful way with words - all of her posts are a joy to read!

if it sounds like I'm girl crushing, that's because I totally am :))

all photos via fotografowanie i fabryka marzeń

just for me the church bells ring

2010-04-30T18:22:00.003+01:00

just a quick note to let you know that these days you can see more of me on my tumblr.
it fits very well with my plan to spend less time in front of the computer + lets me sort out all the photos I've been saving for ages.

there's less daydreaming there, less words. I think I'm quite done with that.
therefore it might not be to the taste of those used to the blog...

now:
in place of dreams - concrete actions.
bright reality, not soft hues of nostalgia.

I'm leaving you with the beautiful ania. better than the original?... I think so.

breathe

2010-04-20T09:11:00.003+01:00

give me something real.

I don't want to listen to someone mourning the last episode of gossip girl or how their life is ending because they can't afford a chanel bag.

I don't want to hear about existential crises at 20 and feeling sorry for yourself.

I don't want small talk and worrying about anyone's opinion.

I don't want to waste time.

I need good, honest people. love and truth.

té chichi (via the drifter and the gypsy)

* * *

2010-04-11T13:26:00.010+01:00

a light from the shadow shall spring

2010-04-02T21:37:00.009+01:00

going home tomorrow after three months.

enjoy your easter, stay warm and remember:

"people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be"

abraham lincoln

p.s. lace and cake is now also available on tumblr ;)
p.p.s. willie harcourt-cooze is my hero.

ah, almost forgot:

weheartit, i loved you forever

for you I'd bleed myself dry

2010-03-25T10:16:00.009Z

one of the colours of spring has to be yellow. I especially like pale shades of yellow, lemon chiffon and icterine. and yet, I never wear it and the only yellow thing in my room are post-its.

so buy some daffodils and make peach pancakes, while I'll be pondering the concept of value at risk.

gotta love coursework essays ;)

+ willie's dark chocolate is indecently good. worth every penny :)

weheartit, simply breakfast, andie edwards

it could be wrong, could be wrong, but it should've been right

2010-03-21T19:25:00.007Z

hot summer days...

I must admit they're ususally so tempting when it's grey and rainy (like today) outside. in real life the summer heat is mostly uncomfortable.

now I'm catching up on 'three hungry boys' - brilliant thing on tv. it's about three guys who challenged hugh fearnley-whittingstall (of the river cottage) that they could spend a month living off the land. what you get is a lot of beautiful scottish landscapes, three scruffy-looking chaps (one of them, if I squint, reminds me of my biggest celebrity crush, so it's all good), spear fishing, mussel picking, wild swimming, survival and generally boys being boys.

screen caps by me from the trailer of "I am love"

and here's to my undying love affair with this city.

what became of the likely lads?

2010-03-21T13:54:00.007Z

spring has arrived - it's official :) meanwhile I'm stuck indoors with coursework and watching 'michelin stars - the madness of perfection'.

I dare to say that raspberries make me happier than chocolate. you just can't beat the exhilarating smell, vibrant colour and taste...

other thing that makes me happy is finally finding good bread in london - euphorium bakery is where it's at, and luckily it's just a quick walk away from my place.

+ I just discovered one of the most exciting things on tv. it combines my two favourites - science and the hamster - 'richard hammond's invisible worlds'. incredible, even if you're not the same as me - getting goosebumps from watching programmes about science... you can see it here.

last two - my own (I have a thing for photographing food and jewellery together), weheartit, beth retro

something, anything, just to keep believing

2010-03-20T16:09:00.005Z

amusing. discovered via chasing vulpecula.

nothing else to say - monetary economics and other coursework essays are killing me not-so-softly. please take me home! ah, 12 days to go...

marc johns

for relaxing times, make it suntory time

2010-03-17T20:02:00.007Z

it's not about the clothes here. it's about a combination of my favourite model and russia. hey presto, I'm buying whatever they're selling.

although I must say there's something rather delicious about natasha dressed in a tight floral print pencil skirt, denim bustier and heels, leaning on a volga.

now watching 'the chorus' for n-th time, such a beautiful movie, and jean-baptiste maunier has a face of an angel. the soundtrack is heartbreakingly genius, just have a listen - 'vois sur ton chemin' is goosebumps good. it was actually nominated to oscar in 2005 (I promptly checked who got the award, it was a song from 'motorcycle diaries'. what a joke). just please don't listen to beyonce's version ;) she butchered it beyond belief.

ps why didn't I know this was the finale of skins?... effy rocks and all, but cook made this show.

'from russia with love'

tell me no truth, if it is bad, there's enough in my life to make me so sad

2010-03-15T21:58:00.008Z

what a mess of a day. mondays are meant to be rough, no? the following don't help: coming back home at midnight (lovely dinner though, no regrets) and deciding it's time to give 'californication' a go (it's right up my alley), conciously trying not to look at the clock and being surprised by the sound of the alarm going off at 7am. then spending 10hrs at work.

I was tagged by the weirdly like-minded bzu to list 7 things about myself. I could probably come up with some more exciting stuff if I weren't so spaced out right now, apologies :) here goes:

1. if I could study anything just for my own pleasure and satisfaction, it would be physics and astronomy. along with maths, they were my majors in school for 6 years and I often miss it now. I find this stuff mindblowing. there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, I'm a nerd.

2. one of my favourite flavour combinations is hard cheese and honey. it's an addiction. but then again I strongly believe that honey makes everything better - just beware of the nasty supermarket stuff. my grandpa is a beekeeper, so I consider myself a connoisseur ;)

3. one of the reasons why I went into banking is that I adore men in good suits. don't ask just how important a reason it was. so far I'm not complaining, it's all working out just as I hoped it would.

4. I really don't care for small talk and the ubiquitous here in the uk "how are you", which is followed by the obligatory mindless finethanksandyou?, before one even has a chance to think. I come from a country where when somebody asks how are you, it actually means they expect a more elaborate answer. if we don't care - we don't say anything.

5. call me paranoid, but I'm always looking out for potential thiefs/criminals/psychopaths/sources of danger. it's like I'm starring in my own action movie (preferrably as jack bauer's sidekick). case in point - when on the tube a while ago, I smelled rotten eggs and got off the train, because I remembered that's how hydrogen sulfide (a poisonous gas) smells like. most probably it was just some who had yet to discover the joys of comitting to a long-term relationship with soap and water, but you just n e v e r know.

6. I looove top gear (one of my two favourite shows on the tv, sitcoms excluded) and have an embarrassingly soft spot for the hamster. but then again I do have a track record of questionable celebrity crushes, gordon ramsay being one of them.

7. I have an unhealthy obsession with football. when my team is playing, I swear/cry/jump/scream, usually all at once. when my boys are not playing, I'm not too fussy - I'll basically watch anything (well, maybe apart from man utd, just can't stand these *****).

I know, I'm just such a girly girl. please be assured that the person writing this is the one behind 'lace and cake'.

now a little piece of magic. this is the stuff that dreams are made of (found via the one and only .la douleur exquise.)

make sure you can hear the music :)

we were hoping for some romance

2010-03-13T15:56:00.006Z

now that spring seems to be finally arriving to london, let's all pretend we can escape to the country (that is unless of course you already live in the countryside), drink fresh milk and roll in the grass.

I'm hopelessly romanticising the countryside, but there's nothing wrong with that.

I shall be leaving the hustle and bustle in exactly 3 weeks. actually... one of the photos shows my own piece of the countryside and you can spot a bit of my house, if you know where to look ;)

weheartit

mjölk

2010-03-01T20:54:00.009Z

in short: uni=bleh (midterms. it's that time of the year again!). work=incredible.
fast-forward me to the day I graduate, please.

now watching my new favourite movie "snow white and russian red" for the 6th time in ten days. unfortunately, I think its great dialogues and many references would be lost on anyone who wasn't brought up in poland.

no words will do justice to the sheer brilliance of boryc szyc's performance here... he might just be on the way to the top spot as my favourite actor. which he'll have to share with mads mikkelsen.
now that man is amazing. he just takes acting to a whole different level, simply with his mesmerising, quietly intense presence.

ok, I could go on and on about his general awesomeness. right now though, a morning spent in bed, with biscuits and milk or tea sounds very tempting.

weheartit, tiny trees, moments of now

I can't help but drink you up, cause you're my happy hour

2010-02-28T18:54:00.007Z

warning - long one!

it's always good to get out of the house and break the weeekend gym/grocery shopping/studying in the library routine. sunday is a lovely day to spend some hard-earned cash.

oxford street on ANY day of the week is hell. crowds make me aggressive. that's why I usually stick to my favourite stores, which offer a more... civilised shopping experience.

I beyond despise topshop and whenever I want something, I'll just buy it online. too many people (who all look the same...) and somehow I usually get lost.

that living garden wall at anthropologie is just unreal. I spent a lot of time testing their fragrances and because one was particularly strong, I still smell like honey roasted almonds. hmm... I left with a beautiful white wine glass.

didn't find the nude platforms I wanted, so decided to cheer myself up with a cappuccino at nordic bakery, this place has such a great vibe and the coffee is really good.

after that pit stop, my shopping karma changed and I found a pretty ring, peach and blush scarf, nude bag and a cute notebook so that I can finally put all my recipes in one place. I'm really feeling all the nude and blush clothes + golden jewellery for this spring/summer.

then I decided the last day of the month was worth a spontaneous celebration, so I went to burlington arcade for some ladurée macaroons and they blew me away, as per usual. sinfully delicious.

the selection of preserves at fortnum & mason is mindblowing! (I realize I might be the only person who would use the words 'preserves' and 'mindblowing' in one sentence, but I've warned you, I'm a food nerd). strawberry+champagne, gooseberries+elderflower... yum yum.

'jamie at home' series is so so brilliant :) his books are always a delight to read and look at, but there's nothing quite like seeing the man in action. the episode on onions made me laugh so hard I almost choked... see, jamie was chopping onions, tears streaming down his face, when he says "I've never done a recipe crying before... if you were sensible, you'd get a food processor with a slicing attachement. unless you want an excuse to cry, really... I mean, it's been a lovely day. (sniffing) you know, it really has been a lovely day, planting and doing my onion recipes... oh, god, it's emotional."

now what I'd really want to do is sit somewhere peaceful in the countryside in peak district, with some hot earl grey tea and just read keats, byron and shelley. but, tomorrow is monday and I'll be working. in a bank. the irony is killing me. (although I really, really love my job :))

"shed no tear! o shed no tear!

the flower will bloom another year.

weep no more! o weep no more!

young buds sleep in the root's white core."

john keats

"faery songs", I (1818)

some quick cell phone (while my nikon is gathering dust...) snaps of today's buys. I promise next post will be less words, more pretty pictures :)

трудно высказать и не высказать всё, что на сердце у меня

2010-02-25T00:59:00.003Z

by now probably most of you have already seen an education, but I only watched it yesterday.

the story line resonates with me deeply and let's just say that peter sarsgaard is ridiculously dreamy here (who knew he got it in him?).

the visual side of the movie is just as splendid.

I recommend listening to this one now...

screencaps by me

let me tell you how it will be

2010-02-22T22:59:00.005Z

because early mornings are beautiful again, with sun shining and sky in a rosy/golden hue.

my 'jamie at home' complete series dvd just came in :) too tired to type now...

weheartit

dulce de leche

2010-02-18T17:14:00.009Z

waiting for spring.
damn you cold and rainy london weather! but I can feel the good days coming, hold on.
also, tonight I had the most vivid dream about being in nyc. I remember actually thinking: "well, this looks pretty real for a dream".
some photos from home and other.

"thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. they have never forgotten this."

I'll see you on the other side, my love.

photos: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th - my own; lisaplace; weheartit, all edited using poladroid

du rubbar hela min existens

2010-02-12T22:03:00.005Z

just one photo, but really special.

I like an early start on saturdays. cappuccino at a coffee shop + reading vanity fair. lazy grocery shopping, then flipping through cookbooks - they're my kind of poetry. cardamon buns, apple triffle, lemon mousse. this reminds me of the episode of satc when carrie tells aleksandr 'can I read you a little bit of my favourite poetry?...'

I recently bought 'the scandinavian cookbook' by trina hahnemann and it is freaking gorgeous.

also, I just made a fab lunch of traditional polish dishes. all by myself. this makes me feel like I can do anything ;) (btw, remember the episode of friends when rachel says that if she can do her own laundry she can do anything?... no?... just me, then? the moral of the story is that I probably watch too many tv shows).

andrew clough via my absolutely favourite la douleur exquise

do you think she knows she sounds filthy half the time?

2010-02-09T11:27:00.004Z

you know how when the right song starts to play on your mp3 it can make your day? well, funny thing is that almost every time I cross tower bridge on my way to work in the morning, 'greatest day' starts playing. yeah, I know it's a cheesy song, but there's something about the moment when they sing 'and the world comes alive', the view across thames and how the sunlight hits the river and it sparkles so beautifully... magic. it's all about little stuff like this.

belle fleur de lis

everything's so fragile. don't you realize that?

2010-02-07T21:58:00.010Z

since 'a single man' is coming out soon, some julianne moore pics from harper's bazaar way back when.

things on my mind lately... because bullet points are fun.

jimmy carr is hillarious and '8 out of 10 cats' is genius, check it out on 4od. remember when he appeared on johnathan ross?

wossy: I'm finding your boots a little bit disturbing.

jimmy: what's wrong with my boots?

wossy: because they're like a lady's boots. these are the sort of boots that kim catrall would wear on 'sex and the city'.

jimmy: well, yeah, I bought them off her.

wossy: and once again, you're wearing jeans in a way which is unconvincing.

jimmy: how am I wearing jeans in an unconvincing way?! just 'cause you're normally dressed as willy wonka...

wossy: you look like a vicar trying to dress casual to impress the teenagers.

jimmy: I object. I think I look like an undercover cop at glastonbury.

sorry, couldn't resist! oh, and check this one (+ part II) while you're at it. I think I laughed at it for a month. they're both on fire.
scandinavia is my promised land.
london at night looks like a scene out of jack the ripper movie. creepy and beautiful.
nordic bakery has the coolest vibe and great coffee (don't even get me started on the cinnamon buns).
new issue of 'pop' is fantastic (surprise, surprise).

little by little, one travels far

2010-01-31T15:20:00.005Z

spreading a little more london love... I find these incredible. the traffic used to be absolute madness those days!
that reminds me I still need to check out the "points of view: capturing the 19th century in photographs" exhibition - apparently it's very very good.
now it's time for a berry smoothie, then off to writing an essay while watching jamie's american road trip - it's the best of both worlds, adorable essex boy jamie and my beloved us of a...

and jamie mag is out today! brilliant as ever. ok, enough :)

I'm officially off the rails. you should try it.

2010-01-28T12:45:00.010Z

something sweet and optimistic to get us through january - my least favourite month.
I've been very busy - studying full time and working 2 1/2 days a week is quite a challenge... but I love my job :)

in the meantime:

saw "the road" two days ago. not quite sure what I think about it yet. the best word to describe it is haunting. but I worship viggo, so it was an absolute must-see.
skins are coming back today! I'm more excited than I should be. am I too old for this?...
why did they stop selling harry potter candy? I remember a few years ago you could get chocolate frogs and bertie bott's evey flavour beans and now they're gone. such a shame. I'm waiting for holidays and plan to read all the books again. I'm extremely obsessed with hp, don't judge.

update: they've used mumford & sons' song on skins! brilliant choice.

photos mostly from weheartit, can't remember others for the life of me. please comment if you know.

deep roots are not reached by the frost

2010-01-12T19:22:00.005Z

so I'm back in london, after almost a month home. it's all about exams right now, everything's hectic and just kind of blah. but we'll manage.
I spent almost a whole day in the library, studying, and trust me - it's not a place I want to spend my time in unless I absolutely have to.

these two photos below make me think of the first days of spring, when there are bits of snow on the ground, but you can see some spots of green. it's still chilly, but the air smells like promises of warmer days to come. I'm going back home in time for spring - 81 days to go, not that anyone's counting... ;)

these, for some reason, make me want to go to kew gardens or chelsea physic garden.

and these are simply beautiful.

wendy bevan

faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens

2010-01-12T19:12:00.004Z

these amused me. cheeky.

check out the link below, there's plenty more where these came from.

silhouette masterpiece theatre

you ain't seen nothin' yet

2009-12-31T13:35:00.006Z

happy new year!

I wish you love, success and beauty. it's going to be amazing.

"I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'if this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'"

kurt vonnegut

weheartit

today please destroy me this way

2009-12-22T16:30:00.005Z

smitten with my latest find - anna inghardt's photography. all shades of white. beautifully simple, quiet and wintery.

anna inghardt

+ the soundtrack to my winter. mindblowingly great band, the lyrics, the voice, the music. brilliant.

now I've told you. now you know.

2009-12-20T17:44:00.007Z

here's to all things shiny, festive and decadent. sparkling christmas lights and snow shimmering in the sun. dressing up when you're home alone. sequins and a plain white tee.

now I should probably get to revising for january exams, instead of watching skins. but since I've arrived home I've been baking non-stop - cheesecakes, gingerbread, carrot cakes... so you can't say I haven't spent my time productively ;)

weheartit

+ three tracks I have on repeat while baking ;) perhaps not the most terribly cheerful choices for the holiday season, but there's only a certain number of times one can listen to 'let it snow' and other whitechristmases before going crazy.

lacrimosa - wolfgang amadeus mozart

the heart asks pleasure first - michael nyman

concerto in e minor, op. 85, mov. I - edward elgar

it kicks like a sleep twitch

2009-12-07T17:36:00.008Z

big winter post… to make up for my absence. winter season has not arrived in londontown yet - it feels like spring here - but apparently there's going to be snow when I come home. speaking of which - I'm coming back to motherland this saturday! these three months flew by. now I'm looking forward to christmas in the countryside - smell of pine trees, gingerbread, smoke from the chimneys in the crisp winter air, silent white mornings. magical.

" I like winter. I like its contradictions: cold but cozy, sparse but beautiful, lifeless but not soulless."

'the behaviour of moths' poppy adams

weheartit, lisaplace, abbytryagain

we will walk in bitter rain

2009-11-10T19:10:00.007Z

today: winter chill in the air. starbucks eggnog lattes. tower bridge in the rain and listening to dustin o'halloran. one of my favourite things is turning the volume up on my mp3 high enough to block out all the outside noise. bought tatler because of the amazing cover - eva green, my muse and inspiration. fantastic shots. also got myself some new teas - seriously, I have an addiction. leave me in the tea aisle and I'm like a kid in the candy store. camomile and spiced apple. raspberry and elderflower. lemon and lime. I might be slowly becoming English... eh, who am I kidding? I'm hopelessly Polish through and through!

+ just booked a ticket to a concert in royal albert hall in april. it's the performance I've been dreaming of seeing and almost all tickets are already sold out. I'm going by myself (that's a new thing) and it will be amazing. I'm already planning my outfit...

++winter post coming soon!

vera vodak

sounds like I'm marrying a unicorn

2009-11-05T08:46:00.003Z

just woke up from the greatest dream and read this fantastic story about the men behind these photos on garance. now that's romantic.
meanwhile, uni sucks, job is fantastic and I'm relying on instant gratification to get me through to the last deadline - nov 23rd... there's light at the end of this tunnel! hope life's a bit easier on you.

cedric bihr

you turn my legs to spaghetti and set my heart on fire

2009-10-31T17:25:00.003Z

big post for you, inspired by fall - pumpkin orange, warm chocolate brown, apples... put together while sorting my files. it also made me realize I've got a fantastic winter-themed foodie post in store for you. let's just wait for the weather to cool down a bit more! (although I must admit I'm already listening to christmas songs and dreaming of my mum's special cake, which she only prepares once a year...)

white plate, we heart it, sequin magazine, my breakfast blog, simply breakfast, maison de rêveries, food porn daily, the sartorialist

to wciąż za mało, moje serce, żeby żyć

2009-10-27T16:51:00.003Z

btw, sorry for being mia - swamped with coursework. thank god I have my job to keep me sane. uni sucks, big time.
can't wait for christmas holiday...

dripbook

I guess it's half timing and the other half's luck

2009-10-27T16:46:00.002Z

one can never have too many macarons. what's your favourite flavour?
I urge every macaron virgin to try - it will change your life :)

promises of the days to come

2009-10-17T10:38:00.008+01:00

because sometimes on a cloudy, cold saturday all you need is lace and cake. frills, bows and a box of macarons.

the girl who tamed the tiger

personal logic

2009-10-12T19:22:00.005+01:00

so there is a new cool thing called wordle that I discovered thanks to annie. it's a perfect procrastination tool for someone who, like me, is obsessed with words and lists.

below is a word cloud with my most favourite things, things that are, well, me. that make other people think of me, because they know how much I love them.

now listening: bullets - archive

it comes with a price

2009-10-08T20:01:00.003+01:00

missing the late summer evenings at my home in the countryside. last rays of golden sun, smell of wet grass and hay... homesick already? nah, just a tiny bit.

sea shanties

the jewels of new york

2009-10-08T18:40:00.004+01:00

more food porn... enjoy the beautiful photography and delicious recipes from two adorable girls based in brooklyn. for the lucky ones living in ny, they sell the prettiest cookies online...

jewels of ny

he tasted like chocolate and lemons

2009-10-07T15:51:00.005+01:00

smitten with these soft pictures. perfect for a lazy rainy london afternoon, while I'm studying, scrapbooking and watching a marathon of 30 rock.

gingerlillytea

all the leaves are brown

2009-10-04T09:50:00.001+01:00

in love with the autumn colours in this picture. that's young anna wintour, btw.

we tasted until we could taste no more

2009-10-03T11:59:00.005+01:00

stunning editorial from russh july/august 09.

yesterday spent one of those perfect london afternoons - getting lost in waterstones at picadilly, picking up a signed copy of gordon's "great british pub food", drink at 5th view, double espresso + some studying at starbucks, swooning over everything when gift shopping at ladurée, wishing I could afford to do my grocery shopping only at fortnum&mason...

and the most embarrassing thing - I ate all the macaroons I got for my uncle's b'day... but men were they worth it! raspberry, vanilla, salted caramel, chocolate, orange blossom, coconut... heaven.

now I have to go back and get some more.

derek henderson

nice apartment, I bet the bedrooms are huge

2009-10-02T11:09:00.004+01:00

all the fellow food porn lovers out there - this one's for you! one of my favourite food blogs - sprouted kitchen. the photography is just superb. feast your eyes.
the food porn theme will be continued...

oh, and the title is from the friends episode ("the one with free porn"). my mind works in mysterious ways.

you make me forget myself

2009-10-02T10:40:00.006+01:00

I blame the suddenly chilly weather in london for the change of mood here. maybe the blog's name should be changed to leather and cake, or at least black lace and cake...

anyway, I'm just settling back into my life here - the second year of uni has started and it all looks far more promising than last year. still a billion of things to get done. like some more grocery shopping - just came back with the coolest pepper and salt grinders from jamie oliver and pots with parsley and basil for my window sill. there you have it - I'm a complete food nerd...
also, who knew my corner indian shop would stock russh and all the other cool mags. and at hmv you can get a cute box of dvds with all satc seasons for just 50 quid!
I guess I missed london a bit...

song for today - "perfect day" lou reed

the cherry blossom girl

you run with the devil

2009-09-24T13:37:00.003+01:00

this is what I'm talking about.

garance doré

baby, did you forget to take your meds?

2009-09-22T19:35:00.003+01:00

jane mcleish kelsey

the strange and twisted and deranged

2009-09-22T19:10:00.005+01:00

welcome the fall season. forget teeny tiny floral dresses and begin to embrace all things darker, deeper, opulent and more mysterious. first stop on the way - black lace, still looking great.

jane mcleish kelsey

peaches and cream

2009-08-21T17:44:00.003+01:00

I can't get over how beautiful she is.

jane mcleish kelsey

morning mists

2009-08-21T12:55:00.004+01:00

nothing like the carefree summer in the countryside.

jane mcleish kelsey

enjoy yourself, take only what you need from it

2009-08-20T17:19:00.004+01:00

well well, we hit a bit of a standstill here. just got back from holiday and it's hectic and crazy busy and billion things at the same time again. but! I'm coming home for quite a while in just two weeks' time, to recharge before uni kicks off once more. so I'll be taking good care of my blog.

I'm feeling so inspired my head might actually hurt from it all.
new obsessions and guilty pleasures.
no time to sit alone under the starry sky and make sense of it just yet, but bear with me - lace and cake is coming back soon, bigger and better.

meanwhile check out this blog - lots of pretty things there.

+why did no one tell me mojitos were this good? it's like a whole new world opened up for me.

sequin magazine

and turn the white snow red as strawberries in the summertime

2009-07-13T00:15:00.010+01:00

I know, I know - everyone and their mother has already seen these (maybe you haven't seen the video though ;), but I just wanted them on my blog.
burberry + emma = perfection in my book. and even though I'm still yet to have my holidays this year, these shots already got me excited for chilly winter days in london.
meanwhile, I saw the 'baroque' exhibition at v&a -pretty amazing, and if you decide to visit - don't miss the cast courts collection - mindblowing.

+ if you ever find yourself somewhere near to the tower bridge and fancy some authentic sicilian treats, be sure to pop into the caffè deli paradiso in shad thames. the ice cream is to die for and it's the only place apart from sicily that I've been able to eat a real cannoli. there's also lots of savouries - arancine, focaccia filled with mozzarella, all absolutely delicious. and they do take away too...

ok, that's it for the little black book of london feature ;)

+my current obsession

(I'm working on an extremely picture-heavy post, but it requires a bit of time, so bear with me)

do the bad thing, take off your wedding ring

2009-07-04T13:03:00.005+01:00

this is to confirm that the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated, I've just been so busy with real life and my blog pays the price. am writing this in a rare spare moment before I rush to meet with my mom in south ken (planning on checking out the hummingbird bakery, about time!).

so before I put together a decent post for you, pause the music on the left and enjoy this one - the video is amazingly beautiful, methinks. have a great weekend!

I doubt it's your style not to get what you set out to acquire

2009-06-15T21:21:00.015+01:00

what a week! went seriously mia, because real life is so incredibly good to me right now. chilled weekend. glorious sunday - champagne+strawberries, lunch at dim t (veggie spring rolls, grilled gyoza, chicken yakitori and shanghai lemon chicken - all scrumptious), chocolate and vanilla icecream from a van consumed while sitting on the grass with a view of the tower of london.

then the week began - turned into a little workaholic in the meantime, but I'm loving every second of it. and here we are - another weekend!

anyway, I've been tagged by georgiana - go check out her blog now - it's so beautiful.

+ thank you all for the sweetest comments - you make my day!

what is your current obsession?

double espresso without sugar (it's my afternoon poison), new season of weeds (beyond amazing), post-its, workwear, belvoir elderflower pressé, my job, this song, london, coco mademoiselle (I'm thinking of switching my signature scent, givenchy ange ou demon seems too much for summer), hugh laurie

what are you wearing today?

fitted lbd, black silk cardigan, black snake skin heels, matthew williamson triple pendant necklace (couldn't resist the sale on net-a-porter...)

what's for dinner?

um... espresso I had at work?... left late and I'm not really hungry

what would you eat for your last meal?

a feast of traditional Polish meals. sorry - they're all hard to explain ;) let me just tell you there'd be a lot of meat involved. I'd finish it off with my grandma's cheesecake. this one's also hard to explain - I've never came across this cake anywhere apart from my home. I'll post a picture sometime - it's most probably gonna be waiting for me when I come home in august.

what's the last thing you bought?

double espresso and belvoir organic hand-made lemonade. oh, and a corkscrew.

what are you listening to right now?

jonathan ross (matthew fox is tonight on the show! yumm...). this one. then - friends, s06e04. that show is always on in the background, I know all the lines by heart and when one of them pops into my head in the middle of the day, I just burst into laughter. it happened today at work, so I had to watch the episode it comes from ;)

what do you think of the person who tagged you?

her blog is simply amazing and I love how many things we've got in common

if you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?

now I could really use a spacious apartment in london in my beloved south ken

if you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

home. to my precious house in the countryside. smell the summer in the night air while standing on my balcony, gazing at the starry sky. cuddle with my dog. hold my cat's head while he's sleeping on my lap. gossip with my mom while we're both crushing on gordon (ramsay!). make stupid jokes with dad. wake up late, eat breakfast on the sunny terrace. wonder what to do with the rest of the day. ok, dream over, we're still in london! :)

which language do you want to learn?

hebrew.

what's your favourite quote (for now)?

"well... who wouldn't?" (sorry, it's sort of an inside joke just for me)

what is your favourite colour?

all shades of pink and forest green

what is your favourite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?

off the top of my head - the dress I wore today

what is your dream job?

football journalist (see the tag a couple posts below for explanation)

describe your personal style?

confident, feminine and clean.

what is your favourite tree?

birch. blossoming apple trees.

what are you going to do after this?

take a shower. watch some house. catch up on sleep after an intense week.

what is your favourite fruit?

watermelon.

what inspires you?

films. images in my head. starry skies. dreams. smell of air.

your favourite books?

kitchen by yoshimoto banana. all by gabriel garcia marquez and john irving. fancy coffee table books. pokalanie by piotr czerwiński.

what are you currently reading?

sort of a guide to undiscovered rural retreats in Poland, it can be loosely translated as "off the beaten track".

what song would you like played at your funeral?

I actually thought about it a lot some time ago and I don't remember what I came up with. possibly it was "my way", but it's so cliché...

what delighted you the most today?

friday. parcel from home. smiles from strangers on the street. being recognized for my work. good chat with friends at work. beautiful sky just before it started to rain. good hair day. hillarious episodes of house. sorry, I'm just so easy to please! um, that sounded better in my head ;)

by what criteria do you judge a person?

by their sense of humour. and looks, at first.

are you artistic or crafty ? how does your passion show up in your life?

I draw a lot, with pencils and charcoal and love making collages, usually based around one colour. + scrapbooking, obviously.

with which historical figure do you most identify and why?

tough one! there are many that I admire, but don't necessarily identify with them. for now I'll say cleopatra, but I'm so beat - let me get back to you on this one.

I know I'm supposed to tag somebody, but I'm lazy and tired, so if anyone's up for some procrastinating - consider yourself tagged.

now for the pictures... a tad more autumn than summer, but let's mix it up a little over here.

igor termenon

+ shall we make it a permanent feature? because london I just love you so

these are our main stories this morning

2009-06-05T23:12:00.005+01:00

finished with my exams and first year of uni, time to enjoy myself!
life goes easy on me right now, it's like the tide has turned, or whatever ;) I love my job, meeting great people, getting a taste of the lifestyle I've always wanted to lead. I feel like such a grown-up...

and I know you'll love these summery polaroids:

jen

+ London? I love you.

I know a boy with eyes like the north sea and a voice that melts my brain

2009-05-29T23:06:00.008+01:00

what a hectic week! it ain't easy to focus on the job when you live on 4hrs of sleep every day... and there's something else that distracts me oh so very much, but we're gonna keep it light here ;)

+ my new obsession. a few days ago the original started playing in my head (no idea why), so after I identified the tune, I rediscovered this cover. not everyone's cup of tea, but I love it to bits.

anyway... summer in the city:

anna wolf