French-German TV-channel Arte.tv made a very lovely reportage about our city and said a lot of warm words about it.
I still can't put videos in here, so I give you link right to the video. You can watch video here
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Expecting Christmas: Christmas markets, mulled wine and cats
It's been more than 10 months since the last time I've wrote here. There a lot of news and changes and now I'm ready to come back and drag you back into life in Riga.
Time has passed very fast and it's almost Christmas time again. Some of you and some of us entered sacred time of Advent (or Christmas fast for the Orthodox). First Advent in Riga was celebrated by illuminating of a main Christmas tree in the Dome square. Living my whole life in this city, it was the first time when I have witnessed this event. It was beautiful: illumination started with Bengal fire and accompanied by a joyful noise of a crowd. There were surprisingly many people, but my friend and I managed to take good position. But what is weird – the decoration of the X-mas tree. Beside lamps and balls, it's decorated with... white wooden ducks! Why so? Have no idea!
But the illuminating of the Tree isn't the only joyful news. What I liked even more are Christmas markets! So far I've visited two: on the Dome square and the one on Livu square. There also is some Pop-up Christmas store on Kalku street (also in the Old Town). It supposed to have some great stuff from local designers and etc, but I haven't checked it out yet.
So, back to markets. On the market at Livu square you can buy very good waffles with boiled condensed milk (don't make such big eyes, it tastes very good!) and Piparkukas, that is analogue to a ginger cookies, but instead of ginger we add black pepper and for my taste it's much much better.
On the Dome square at First Advent night beside the market, X-mas tree and loads of people there were also official Riga's cats who are living in the Riga council and are personal cats of the current major of Riga. They have really great story: our major adopted them from asylum and moved them to the council. I suppose they bring luck to the city, how'd you think?
Also it's hard to imagine Christmas without mulled wine. Not being big fan of wine, I still decided to try some. We've chosen mulled wine make of local home-made wine: my friend took traditional red grapes' mulled wine and I took apple wine's. Truly said, it's nothing you should try. It tasted... bad. Like hot home-made apple juice that gone bad. And it didn't warm me at all. I've heard that the best mulled wine is in the wine stand closer to the Dome church. But again, it's just a rumor, I haven't checked it yet.
Outside it's about -3 – 0 C, a little snow and very damp. But anyway it's beautiful in here.
Time has passed very fast and it's almost Christmas time again. Some of you and some of us entered sacred time of Advent (or Christmas fast for the Orthodox). First Advent in Riga was celebrated by illuminating of a main Christmas tree in the Dome square. Living my whole life in this city, it was the first time when I have witnessed this event. It was beautiful: illumination started with Bengal fire and accompanied by a joyful noise of a crowd. There were surprisingly many people, but my friend and I managed to take good position. But what is weird – the decoration of the X-mas tree. Beside lamps and balls, it's decorated with... white wooden ducks! Why so? Have no idea!
But the illuminating of the Tree isn't the only joyful news. What I liked even more are Christmas markets! So far I've visited two: on the Dome square and the one on Livu square. There also is some Pop-up Christmas store on Kalku street (also in the Old Town). It supposed to have some great stuff from local designers and etc, but I haven't checked it out yet.
So, back to markets. On the market at Livu square you can buy very good waffles with boiled condensed milk (don't make such big eyes, it tastes very good!) and Piparkukas, that is analogue to a ginger cookies, but instead of ginger we add black pepper and for my taste it's much much better.
On the Dome square at First Advent night beside the market, X-mas tree and loads of people there were also official Riga's cats who are living in the Riga council and are personal cats of the current major of Riga. They have really great story: our major adopted them from asylum and moved them to the council. I suppose they bring luck to the city, how'd you think?
Also it's hard to imagine Christmas without mulled wine. Not being big fan of wine, I still decided to try some. We've chosen mulled wine make of local home-made wine: my friend took traditional red grapes' mulled wine and I took apple wine's. Truly said, it's nothing you should try. It tasted... bad. Like hot home-made apple juice that gone bad. And it didn't warm me at all. I've heard that the best mulled wine is in the wine stand closer to the Dome church. But again, it's just a rumor, I haven't checked it yet.
Outside it's about -3 – 0 C, a little snow and very damp. But anyway it's beautiful in here.
(c) LETA
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Fancy restaurants and delicious food
Now it's kind of tradition to start my post with "it's been a long time", but still it's really been a long time. As some of you don't know, I've got my bachelor degree and pretty happy about it. First step was made. Today I want to tell you about great place my fellow and I were celebrating my graduation.
As it's very rare when we manage to meet due to distance, I wanted to choose really nice place with good food. Hearing a lot of good words about restaurant called "Biblioteka Nr.1" I decided we should attend it and I wasn't mistaken. Service was great and food delicious. Champagne was very fancy but still not too tasty for me. Food and compliments from chef was fantastic. Interior is tasteful: traditional but still very modern. I took some fancy-cooked chicken which was mmm, great! and had some tasty snacks. If it wasn't so late in the evening, I'd probably taste also some sweets. Good thing is that tables are pretty far from each other so you have some privacy and are not disturbed by neighbors chat.
I'd rate it 8/10 and would like to go there again.
P.S. As experience showed it's better to make a reservation, especially if you go there in the evening.
Have a good week and tasty food!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
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?
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?
Monday, December 19, 2011
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. :))
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. :))
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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. :)
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