Bright colors in a grey winter

I miss you guys so much, but time is crazy: where is it running so fast?! Catholic Christmas and New Year was celebrated in a wonderful way: with a family. It was a second time when on Christmas Eve I was surrounded by the big husband's family. Hope so much that once also my relatives would unite and could spend good time together.
Still, most of the time I spend in my office work, in Vecmilgravis, in Riga Port. So finishing work at 6 p.m. I don't have much time and energy to go downtown to discover some cool places. Still I discovered one great thing in an old place. In a shopping center's Alfa 2nd floor is an Art store. It's been there for a really long time, but just yesterday I discovered that they also offer printing on canvas, and you can not only bring your image, but to choose one from the several galleries catalogues. There are reproductions of an art masterpieces: both classical and modern, photos... We spent about an hour or so choosing the image for our bedroom. Also great thing is that they can print also really big-sized images, just exactly what we needed. So now I just have to wait till image will be ready to be put on the wall. Promise to make a photo of it and share it with you.
As the winter is pretty grey this year, I try to surround myself with some brightness and positive emotions. Blog isn't an exception, so now the blog has a new view and a new userpic. I like it, and do you?

Event of a weekend: Jarmarka

Yesterday I attended Jarmarka: exhibition-sale of young artists and designers. I wanted to visit it since last year but don't remember why last year I missed it. Forgot, probably.
Jarmarka takes place in Latvian Academy of Arts (Latvijas Mākslas Akadēmija). Living my whole life in Riga it was the first time when I actually visited Academy. Truly said, I expected more. It's beautiful and everything, but I was waiting to enter "different world", but in fact it's just ordinary "high-school-building" with fancier windows. So, on a 2rd floor if I'm not mistaken in some pretty big room is Jarmarka. Loads of art-work, some of them wan't even dry yet. I'm not big fan of modern arts, but still I found some pieces that I even could bring home. For my surprise there were quite an amount of people, so I wasn't able to take photos of pieces I liked to share them with you.
If you are interested in arts, especially in modern arts and what to spend some time looking at young-artists-masterpieces, Jarmarka is one good place to attend. And it's nice way to hide from a Latvian Winters phenomena. :))

Christmas store

See my friends, as I started working I don't know what to write about in here. I'm still running across the city, but mostly in "must_visit" kinda places. Now before Christmas it's a crazy time: on Saturday we couldn't even find a parking place near the shopping center Spice. Anyway, there's always a way to discover something new and interesting.

I love Sunday mornings. Early mornings. When it's dark, there are no people on the street, almost no cars... peace and quite. I had some business to do in a shopping center Mols and eventually I discovered new store there: Christmas store (Ziemassvētku veikals). When I enter a new shop I feel like Columbus. So, what's interesting in this store? There you can find different latvian craft, Latvian style clothes, bath&shower stuff, body care stuff, yearbooks, accessories and etc, and etc. Nice surprise to me was that prices there are a lot lower then in other stores for the same goods. So if you are planing to visit the Mols before X-mas looking for presents, go directly to this store. Really good one.

Meanwhile in Klaipeda: Sea museum

About a month ago I was in Klaipeda (Lithania) on a weekend (I know, I'm very quick on reporting!). I love Klaipeda, it's very peaceful and quite. What I like most about this city is Klaipeda sea museum. There are plenty of sea mammals, birds (penguins), fishes (sea, lake and river). Since my last visit (a year ago) they changed exposition a bit. Brightest novelty for me was jellyfish. I was stuck near their aquarium and couldn't leave until I made some photos of them.
As I was a little girl I was frightened of them. My parents liked sunbathing so when weather was suitable we went to the beach. Once... I still remember that day... despite there were no wind, waves were huge for our sea. I went closer to the water and for the first time I saw a jellyfish. It was such a great shock for me when my mom told it was a living organism. I've spent plenty of time on researching on jellyfish but still jellyfishes are quite a mystery for me...
Anyway, if you decide to visit Klaipeda, find a time to visit the museum. It is worth of it. :)

Les Ambassadeurs - moments of pure beauty

By pure accident on Friday morning I've received information about Bach musical festival in Riga. Within the festival in Riga came brilliant European orchestra Les Ambassadeurs. It was like an answer to my praying about attending some interesting, valuable cultural event.
Concert took place in one of the most romantic places in Riga: Small Guild. Atmosphere was perfect: not much people but still all the sits were taken. Men in classic suits and women in elegant dresses, everyone speaking quietly (even children sitting besides me were quite). Everyone was waiting for a miracle. Alexis Kossenko, - the conductor and the founder of the orchestra, - lead us to the world of a magic and pure beauty. As music started to sound, I felt like I'm a witnessed the opening of a door to a parallel universe. The only word to describe it: pure. Pure world of pure beauty, pure love, pure innocence. Harmonic sounds of violin, oboe, cellos and etc, joined by flute played by Alexis himself. Then angel started to sing. Sabine Devieilhe - soprano guest soloist - is blessed by the voice that plays on the deepest strings. Concert was almost two hours long by personally I haven't even noticed: music took me to the place where time stopped and it was only a present moment that mattered.
If you love classical music and you know that "Les Ambassadeurs" coming to your town, don't miss their concert. It is worth of it.

Place of a day: Restaurant "Disappointment"

Before my appointment with hairdresser decided to go and have some meals. As I was in a big shopping center Mols I decided that best place to eat there is Cilli Pica (Čilli Pica), kinda restaurant-picceria. It never was brilliant, but today I was really shocked. I offered ravioli with mushrooms. Usually I get pretty big portion so I my stomach is pretty full after eating it. But this time... I received 3 times smaller portion: there were just few raviolis in there in size a little bigger then 1 lat coin. Shocked I asked waitress and she said that it's what portion are like now. However they never became cheaper. I was really disappointed and still hungry but with no time to go anywhere else, because of spent 30 min on waiting...
So, dear friends, when you are in Riga think twice if you still want to visit Cilli Pica. Maybe really it's better to choose some other place?

In general life had changed a lot. But it'd be next time when I tell you about changes in my life. Now let me just tell, that we have London-like Autumn: pretty warm, windy, foggy and a bit rainy from time to time. I like it pretty much. No snow so far! :))

Shopoholic's day

Haven't written for a while: kinda crazy time I am having, but I like it! Last Friday was very girlish day: after another work interview I went shopping. So, now I have another pajama/home suit from British brand La Senza (from what I can get it Latvia, they have best underwear and home clothes). Then with great discount I've bought truffles from Emil Gustav Chocolate. Personally I don't eat chocolate: I'm allergic for it, but as far as I can remember, Emil Gustav Chocolate made really great cookies, but I preferred Lindt chocolate rather then this one. But you know, with great discount why not to make sweet-suprprise for the dear person?
So, then I went to the center to buy cosmetics. As some of you know I am also working as make-up artist (check out my photo- and make-up works here http://dramarteu.blogspot.com/) and I was happy to know to find out that in shopping center Stockmann (that big monstrous building in a very center of the city) are discounts for cosmetics of Make Up For Ever. Despite it was only 2nd sales day, they already are running short of products, but sweet consultant promised they'll have more products soon. Also she was so kind to give me great gifts: make-up bag and 2 blushes! That's really cool, if you ask me.
Also I'd watched another romantic movie. Really nice one, if you like romantic movies as I do. Check out a trailer :) And have a great time!