Spring in Bloom

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Oh couldn't keep it longer. Don't have time to deal with bunch of pictures i made, so I just post what i have without editing it... well may be just crop some:) 

  So last Saturday i went to the park - Ritan Park. In Chinese RiTan means The Temple of Sun, it was built in 1530's during the Ming Dynasty and was used to warship and do sacrifices for the Sun. Places like this are al around in Beijing. This one is not that far away from our home and i really like tis park, though not a fan of the area. It's in Yabaolu area, which everyone call the Russian district. And it is! If you want a fir, that's the place to go... 

  But anyways, it's not about the streets and my own opinion about this area (not to offend anyone). It's about the SPRING! Usually it's just few days, a weeks at most for the spring time, then it comes summer with it's hot and very humid weather, after that it's few weeks of autumn sometime in october and here we go to the winter that goes until the ChunJie (spring festival).

    Oh so I was waiting for the warm day when magnolia, chinese apple tree and lilacs. Oh the smell of lilacs! It's just like the sweet memories from childhood. So here are coming pictures from the trip.

  

  All these photos got shot by Canon 7D, my new babe, and EF 70-200mm, f4 lens. Most of shots were taken at 250 ISO on fully manual mode (including manual focus). For the settings I set aperture at f/10.0 most of the time and shutter 1/125s. Of course I am not a professional photographer and never will be, but I take a very great pleasure in this hobby of mine. Thanx to my friends Alan and Erin and my "sister-in-law" i am getting better in this. At least i want to believe so:))) 

  Park is alway full of people. Some come to relax and breath some good air (believe me its so necessary in Beijing - most polluted city in the world). Some come with kids or kids on the way. Romantic strolls, some people even put up a tent. 

  And what a chinese park without someone practicing wushu and some "marshal arts". For others its just a place for work.

  Walking around taking photos and I heard some very pleasant music, life music. Up the hill and I see these seniors gathered together in the little pavilion. So nice! 

   Oh I very much enjoy there walks in parks, great get away from everyday routine. My only problem was that I was not dressed properly for such a day. It was extremely hot and no wind at all. And What i was wearing was Shorts and sweater with Dior boots and socks... was sure it's a bit to early to were flip-flops. Oh well at list I was fashionable. Nothing that a good massage and Meni-Pedi cant cure:)

  Just few other shots want to share. It's a little bit odd but I really like it!

Into the Blue

  Oh the was a long time .. Very busy weekends and no less busy weekdays.  Don’t really know where to start from. Freaky Friday was not as freaky as the legend tellsJ It was actually completely quiet. Weekends were full of activities though. Took my new camera for some park stroll, had Russian style Easter and a baby shower for Hannah. But since it’s a lot of pictures to take care of for now and I am way to busy with work will just update my look from Friday 13J

  I felt a bit romantic so I pared my outfit with black Mousy knitted beret and big “dragonfly” sunies to give a look French tone.  For the outwear I used my white poncho with BCBG belt again. Feels so cozy.

  As I already said before I usually have periods of color, and its quite natural to go from green to blue. Radiant blue is my favorite. I found my suede blue Sergio Rossi pumps and decided to give them a run. Paired all the outfit with Alexander Wang tout that I got this year in LA.

  I actually like to use bright accessories such as bags, shoes and scarves with black outfits. Which brings me to the main clothes I chose for the office day and a friends dinner right afterword. Of course it was all the black things. Black loose Zara shirt and black skirt.

  For the accessories I chose my favorite Swarovski Blue Merlin ring and tree color small rings.

Going Green… and Classy

Well hello pencil skirts! Always was a fan of these type of skirts! Such a beautiful form and shape they give to any kind of figure types! Since I have big thighs and huge hips I have to hide them with either modeled fabric or simply with tops and shirts on top.

  Both pieces are from H&M.  And heels are YSL. There was a problem with the skirt. Since my day is mostly a sitting activity the skirt starched at few places like knees and butt, so that it was quit droopy at the back by the end of the day.

  About accessories. Normally this is all that I wear from the jewelry. Rings and earrings.  Want to make an accent on the earrings this time. It’s light blue oval topaz in white gold. I have this huge passion for single gems. I always go to the Jewelry exhibitions and come back with bunch of gems and empty wallet. These two stones were bought to pare them with the White topaz ring (not pictured) and set in to costume designed golden frame. 

Kagen HotPot

 We always go to different restaurants for good food experience.  And since our “Papa Smurf” Alan is the owner of Hatsune Restaurant group we usually make choice towards his places.  Not that we get any special benefits or anything. It’s just that I personally trust his food quality and service. Plus two restaurants are just around the cornerJ So today I want to talk about Kagen HotPot.  It’s spring in town and by the summer time we might abandon this branch for outside places. HotPot is just too hot for warm weather.

  HotPot is traditional Chinese style fondue. The main point is the soup in the pot cooking right in front of you.  You simply choose the broth you like and raw food for farther cooking. In Kagen there are few different styles of broth: Chicken, Mushroom, Kimchi and Sukiyaki. Usually we choose either Mushroom or Sukiyaki.  Mushroom soup is more salty and less fatty and Sukiyaki is traditional Japanese souse-soup base, it’s a little bit sweet and sour at the same time and quiet buttery.  This time we took Mushroom broth.

Then after all the ingredients are chosen for cooking you make yourself some sauce for dipping. My personal choice is Madian (sesame cream sauce) with sesame seeds (love sesames), some garlic and a LOT of coriander. You can also add ouster souse, Kimchi spice souse or XO souse mix it with other cold adds such as reddish and chilies.

 Now comes the food. As you can see I just cant live without Edamame. Any Japanese restaurants I go these soya beans are my must haves. I can eat like 4 portions by myself. And all the stuff at Alan’s places know that. Then another “xiaochi” (appetizers in Chinese) are fired ginkgo nuts. Even thou it is told that it’s not recommended to eat more than 10-12 a day, it never stopped me to eat way more than that.

  For vegetables this time we took Doufu skins, greens and mushrooms. Enoki mushrooms are the must, since I alone eat at least 2 portions..  Now it’s time to put all this to the pot. It wont take much time to get it all ready so then the food fight begins. Get what you can out of the pot, dip it in the souse and enjoy.

  But don’t get that relaxed because next is meet! And hello to Strip loins, Rib-eyes and WogYu beef! If you eat with Alan and you were not exited about veggies its time to wake up and EAT! Take a piece of meat and dip it 3 time in boiling soup for medium well and 5 times for well done. Don’t hold it for long, otherwise it will be rubber as Gordon Ramsey would say. J

  Now it’s time to put some noodles in. we love Udun noodles (udun mian), Konyaki Strips (moyusi) and glass noodles (fensi).  Don’t forget to dip everything in the souse!

  It would be boring to eat everything only from hot pot so we mixed it with some other appitizers and  Yakitori – Japanese grilled food.

  On the top left its Vegetable Gyoza potstiks
(fried dumplings) and to it’s right Deep fried pork with Shiso leaf. On the bottom left – Yakitori beef with onions and to the right – Chicken-skin wrapped shrimps. The last is one of my very favorites! The wrap is so crispy and salty that you even forget that its skin!

  It wouldn’t be a La Familia dinner without our young star – Mason! He is the most adorable baby boy I ever seen! He is 2 and a half and he is extremely smart
J Just check out his bike and outfit! Little Fashionista!

  Now about meJ Since it was a 8 pm dinner I had time not just for quick change from work but also some photo shootJ But that was in the previous postJ

Something Green and Something Black&White

  I finally got my lightning equipment for photo shoots as I said in last post.  And since my other half does not approve of my photo sickness and also that he is most of the times at work, I do all my shots myself.  

  This is my look from Monday. I’ve got this passion for all the shades of green and blue. Don’t remember where I’ve got this shirt, but it’s very comfortable piece of cloth. 

  I pared it with Zara skirt that is with two layers. Don’t think I will wear it anymore tho. It’s interesting design, but not as good for combining with other stuff for office. I might give it another chance for weekend outfits. Might go well with tank tops. But Since I work in office every day (even tho we don’t have dress code), it’s not a good match. 

  My Chloe coat on the other hand goes with everything! Even though it’s warm outside, I feel comfortable in it. Michael Kors for a bag choice and black Fendi heels with bow were paired with this look.

  As I had few minutes after work to get home before dinner with La Familia, I decides to change into something more comfy.

  So I went for some back and white Zara flats and skinny jeans. Paired it with white wide neck t-shirt with black stripes. Put my favorite accessories: Michael Kors silver watches from man collection; plastic “mushroom” ring from PhiPhi island, Thailand;  and Hermes white belt bracelet. On top still wore Chloe coat and Micheal Kors chained bag.  

  Made few pics and ran off to Kagen.