One Year in One Color

I love to write lists, sum-ups, goals (not resolutions) – I just like to write, yes :)) And usually this period around the new year start is a typical time when even those who don’t like to write, find their pens and papers, write lists of what was accomplished in the leaving year (or post them on social media), and then some even get to writing down the resolutions for the new year too.

A lover to write, I usually would gladly join the common listing fever. However, this time I opted out. I wrote down some wishes for myself in this new year (no resolutions, I don’t like the idea of them. Whenever I think “a resolution”, I feel like it’s too hard and kinda setting up for failure. I find that setting goals or making wishes is a much kinder approach :)). I didn’t do the sum-up of the leaving year. I looked back at it and thanked for everything it brought. But I felt that sharing the sum-up would be interesting to no one, not even myself 🙂

But there is one way to look back at year 2019 that I like. As I went through some of my old photos, I noticed there was much of one particular color in them. Of course, it was pink (surprise surprise). So this is what I want to do: to review 2019 in color-themed photos. One year in one color.

after sunset in Little Havana, Miami

Color Hunt: All Shades of Lilac

This summer lilac seemed to be the trendiest color. Or better say, its lavender shade. I’ve seen dresses and t-shirts, bottles and bags in that color. And I found it lovely every time.

At that very time I decided to do the photo hunt for all different shades of lilac and violet (which is one of my favorite colors). But only now did I come to the wish of sharing my finds.

I may seem to be careless and dreamy as I write this now. But actually I do this post from Barcelona which has seen five days of protests against the sentence for the political prisoners. Some of protests were more violent than usually (the Catalans tend to be peaceful in their fight). Today is the day of the biggest demonstration with thousands of people walking from all of Catalonia to Barcelona. It is the day of general strike too.

What Inspires Me Right Now

 

September, my love. I didn’t think I would spend you in Oslo – once again. But here it happens. The autumn has happened and brought a slight melancholy with it. Or, maybe, it is not autumn itself, but the fact that I suddenly found myself in Oslo, and I miss Barcelona. The autumn has brought some days of sickness, and I spend these days browsing blogs and Instagram – to keep me warm on beauty and inspiration.

There is one thing I especially like about autumn: you get the feeling that the seasons change, that pages are turning. It brings this fresh feeling of newness, even though it is not as optimistic as the spring. But still somehow cozy and comforting. I tend to become less energetic and more poetic – but back to the point of this post. Here are things that inspire me this season!

Color Hunt: Italian Blue

There are two colors that capture the feeling of Italian Amalfi coast – the yellow, because of the lemon farms, and the blue of the sea. Btw, the wedding which we visited there in June had these two colors as their theme. And all guests arrived in all shades of blues and yellows (except those who didn’t read the event information till the end :)).

While I went browsing through those photos on a rainy day, I remembered one walk with a camera, when I thought: “Blue must be my color theme from here”. Then I forgot it. But now I remember it again! (thanks to the rainy day ;).

The blue sums up the summer in a very cheerful but also peaceful way. The sea, the cloudless sky, the shadows of the mountains in the distance… Here is my color hunt of blue, made in Italy 🙂

into the blue

Do I Miss Oslo?

This is one very natural question I get from my friends. I would ask it too. “Do you miss Oslo?” And it would be more polite to answer that yes, of course, I miss some parts, but how can be I honest then? If my sincere reaction is: “Miss what? Snow, icy sidewalks, that long dark period of year called winter? Empty streets, lonely evenings, gray skies and gray faces?” Well, it is different for everyone, but this is the first thought that comes to MY mind. So nope, I don’t miss it, I just can’t :))

In the end, it is all not about finding the perfect place – since it doesn’t exist. But to find the place that is right for you. Your place under the sun. There are people who would love the introverted culture of Norway, who miss this chance to spend long days and weeks alone, without anyone asking them a question. I just don’t happen to be that person. So I am not able to appreciate it either. I am more of the Southern soul, who loves a spontaneous dinner date, a chat with the the neighbor and the cashier man in supermarket. So I found my right place. Even after some weeks here I felt more at home than after years in Norway. There is nothing right or wrong with any of these places. It is just that some are more like you, and some are less.

Oslo fjord

a village inside the city

Barcelona, the Big Berry

If New York is a Big Apple, what is Barcelona? I would go and say it is a Big Strawberry. It is full of flavor, it’s colorful and juicy. Or there is this tasty Spanish word for “raspberry” – frambuesa. La Grande Frambuesa, that sounds good for this city, doesn’t it?

I have spent some time here now, and maybe some of you are wondering why there is no mention of it. I must admit, the longer I stay, the less I feel like mentioning anything 🙂 This city has swallowed me into its emotions, noises, flavors and colors, it has filled me with impressions which I still work on processing.

It is called the Great Enchantress, this city, it is known to have passion. And today I felt like the right color to describe this place would be Red, the color of passion. I have seen it everywhere recently. Even though these images are kind of old, some dating 2 years ago. But they still do the job – so why not? 🙂

new houses

terrace calling

old houses

madeleine heart

Black and White Trend: Home and Fashion

Since I have started to notice the black and white theme around me – on the streets of my city and then at home, this combo seems to be popping everywhere. It is even on trend this season, as I came to conclude after walking through some stores.

And though some may have different opinion on black-and-white vs. colors , and even though I have proclaimed myself a color lover ages ago (actually, my second blog in Russian which I started 10 years ago has the name “My Life in Color and Black and White”), I just cannot resist the elegance and prettiness of this simple combination. Let’s do the window shopping with me and see for yourselves!

Black and White – At Home

If you know me just a bit, you know that I am a color lover. Especially the bright colors make my heart bounce with joy, because I find them full of life and optimism. I have shared some collections of yellow, orange and lots of pink. I also collected colors in my city and tried to show that Oslo can truly be colorful.

I would never call myself a color minimalist. On the opposite, the more colors I could mix, the better. I would never be the one wearing total black or monochrome outfit. But recently my eye got attracted to this simple combination of black and white. First I noticed it on the streets of Oslo, then in my home, and now I find it in interior and fashion trends, so it seems to be everywhere 🙂

over my desk

Oranges in the Skies

There was this one winter when we did a road trip in Andalusia, Southern Spain. Driving from Malaga to Cadiz through Marbella, visiting the towns around like Sanlucar de Barrameda, then Sevilla, then Granada, and back to Malaga to fly from it to Oslo. It was late December. In Norway it was all a black and white winter tale. While in Sevilla, lost on just another hidden plaza, we were sitting on the bench and I was tilting my head up and back. Looking at the orange trees above my head.

And then at last I concluded: “This is my favorite type of winter. When there are oranges in the skies”

another bench, in Marbella

My True Color: Year 2018

The turn of the year is always a special time – and a difficult time to blog. Not just because we are all so busy packing, unpacking (gifts or suitcases), visiting families and having a good time/food and some drinks (sometimes too many). But I also feel a need to write something special – and the most remote idea runs away at this wish.

I used to make summaries of the past year, to write thanks and wishes – but this year has been so evidently full with events and changes that I don’t even feel like summing it up in my little notebook. Feeling lack of inspiration (and trying to chase some of those runaway ideas), I was scrolling down through the photos of the past year. When my eye caught a pattern – this year was full of especially one thing. Or better say – of one color. And the color was – tada – pink! (anybody surprised here?)

Well, I would never say that I look at the world through the pink glasses. But it looks like my life is more rosy than I dare to admit it :)). So I want to celebrate its pinkness with you! As I wonder, which color will fill my life in the new year 🙂

rosy-red point of view

Let it pink!