Home: The Urban Garden

April 5, 2019 Marina Mexploring12 Comments

How beautiful can a grey day be! Now, I have never been a fan of grey days. I guess, it is because I got too many of them in Norway. But after so many sunny days in the Mediterranean this winter the cloudy skies feel like a pleasant change. I love Barcelona on a sunny day, on a grey day, and on a rainy day I love it too. Especially on a spring rainy day, when everything starts to smell intensely of young green leaves and fresh earth.

And since green is on my mind today, I wanted to share some photos of my green friends at home. I always dreamt of a pot garden while living in Oslo. The weather conditions there were tough, and the green balcony was only a summer thing. Here it can be done throughout the year, but I am still slow (or lazy). Still happy that I got these plants, and planning to expand my little garden in the middle of the big city.

The Irony of Being Ironic

March 29, 2019 Marina Mexploring14 Comments

Have you ever had an issue when you are ironic but people take your words seriously? I am afraid, I just got myself one :))

I wrote this post, intending this to be my ironic take on popular blogging styles and advices. It happened after I read a Norwegian forum about one famous blogger, and I realized that I had enough annoyance built up in me. As in adult being annoyed by the tone of many blogs that sound childish to me – and the lists of tips given about how to make a good blog, repeatedly and boringly saying the same things. My concern was that the adequate readers will pass it by rising their eyebrows: “Is she doing this too now?” – without reading it. However…

However, it turned out that the post got quite popular. At least it got views and anonymous likes, more than I expected. Which made me wonder… Were these people attracted to its “catchy” title and did they take my “tips” seriously? Or is it this social media desease “like without reading”? Did the people get the irony of everything I said? Or was it better to include in the title “Irony Pre-alert” in capital letters? :))

10 Most Awesome Tips for Blogging

March 23, 2019 Marina Mexploring32 Comments

Ok, they are not 10, not very awesome, and even not really tips. But after having read some popular blogs and various advice lists, I just had to come up with the list of my own, honest and hopefully effective. No more intro, here they are.

Make it your special to start every post by addressing your readers in the same way, preferably like if you were talking to puppies. Example: hello cuties/lovelies/babes.
If you want to use somebody’s idea, say that you were “inspired” and thus you can also leave out the person’s name.
Write lists. People love lists. Even if they don’t know it, they love lists.
Instead of using words like “sponsorship” or “advertisement”, use words like “a present”, “friendly borrowing” and “collaboration”. This is a way more positive message.
Don’t underestimate the power of avocado toast. If there is nothing to share, share your avocado toast.

Shape of My Honeymoon Heart

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 Marina Mexploring16 Comments

This weekend we took a short drive out of this busy city – to the lovely little town of Sitges. Without knowing we got into Carrera – a meeting of old cars. And old not like from 50s, but from the beginning of the century (that is, of the last century :)). This is what I like about this country. There will be always a festivity that you can unexpectedly run into. That feature I still want to write about. This is so Barcelona, and so Catalonia, with all its neighborhood festivals, farmer celebrations, carnivals and other events. Which makes me wonder when these people find time to work :))

Coming back to Barcelona, in the twilight hour, is like coming back to love. At entering the city I see the Olympic ring, the hotel Vela (officially Hotel W, but the locals call it Vela, which means the sail, for its prominent form), the fun-colored Torre Agbar and the Columbus column just before we duck into the tunnel under the city centre. When we come out of it, there are the two skyscraper towers – the famous sign of the Port Olympic. And all those landmarks are appearing like on the skyline pictures of Barcelona. Only Sagrada Familia missing.

Do I Miss Oslo?

March 12, 2019 Marina Mexploring32 Comments

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

Home: Place for Everything

March 9, 2019 Marina Mexploring16 Comments

The good thing about changing a flat is that one can start creating the new space just as one wishes. From the blank page. When I moved in with my husband, his flat was already set, so I had to carve out small spaces for my changes and things. When we moved now to Barcelona, the flat was empty, with very few pieces of furniture (I even had to sleep on the floor the first weeks). So we had to spend some time and money visiting all the interior stores (instead of drinking sangria and eating tapas, like most of my friends thought I was doing :)). The upside of it was that I had more freedom in creating our home this time.

Now, after all stress and mess, I feel content with some results and want to share the corners I like. This one is from my side of the bedroom. It is a sunny room with the big French windows, which are also doors to the balcony. It is so great to wake up and see the sunlight beaming through. And in the evening I like to light a candle and unwind with a book. I close the door and feel like it is my secret garden. Where there is place for my books, my dreams, my jewelry, my inspiration – the place for everything.

Barcelona, the Big Berry

March 6, 2019 Marina Mexploring21 Comments

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

February 28, 2019February 28, 2019 Marina Mexploring9 Comments

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

February 22, 2019 Marina Mexploring7 Comments

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 🙂

Oranges in the Skies

February 14, 2019 Marina Mexploring33 Comments

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”

Me Exploring

exploring the world, my place, art de vivre and myself