Author: Oana

Some Lost Boys and A Man With A Golden Heart

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I have recently signed up for Bloggers Required, a network for brand blogging assignments. I never imagined that my first assignment would be not a job that remunerates in pound sterling but in  sterling hearts, if I can say so… The Lost Boys is a project initiated three years ago by  Joost Vandebrug, a nosy London  photographer and filmmaker, who started out as many others do when it comes to  Romanian social projects. Curiosity, a sense of civil duty or perhaps a dare-devil attitude. But what was born out of an impulse at the time ended up catching his heart forever (Romania and Romanians have this “talent”) and three years on he is trying to raise awareness about a small group of boys he has come to love, help financially and allowed to shape his existence forever. Joost is at the moment trying to raise funds and awareness about these five boys. With the help of the DUST magazine, “a biannual photography magazine about youth related existential themes” and through their Kickstarter project, Joost is hoping …

Potato Week and Stifado

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Okay, so on Potato Week I decided to center a post around heart-warming food, since potato equals comfort eating and warmth in my mind.  It must go back to my childhood when my mum would have made baked potatoes for a light dinner,  the house would have smelt divine and the kitchen would have become the focal point of the house…So once winter kicks in I get the craving to, most of all, recreate that atmosphere and feel once again, the warmth and comfort of a good baked potato. Of course, now I live in Northern Ireland, the country of THE potato, so I would most times choose a good Maris Piper potato for its fluffiness and taste (I cheated this time, though and used a ready half-baked one!) Actually, except for the times when I make mash (which my dad is firmly convinced is better when made with “pink” potatoes, and I believe him, as his mash is always delicious!), I prefer a Maris Piper for roasties, potato wedges and even potato salad! Today I …

Paleo living…

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So, my friends, a second recipe this week! The first one was dedicated to my little one, this one tonight is dedicated to hubby. Cause he has been on a new diet since we came back to Greece. And cause it has actually simplified my life as I hardly ever cook carbohydrates for dinner during the week now. And has challenged me to come up with new ways to cook chicken and fish and beef… So this week I picked Ainsley Harriott’s 100 Great Chicken Recipes(!!) from our local library and decided for the roasted blackened chicken Itza with cumin sweet potatoes. I replaced the English mustard powder with proper mustard and left out the caster sugar. I made a paste out of black pepper, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp Moroccan spice mix (instead of the paprika in the initial recipe), 1 tsp of mustard and 1 tsp each of chopped chilli and chopped garlic. I used the paste to coat my chicken and put it in the fridge to …

#REBUILD Campaign

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For me as a young child in Communist Romania life was uncomplicated and rather plain. Sweet in its simplicity and naivety, I suppose. Here is a picture of my Primary One class, we looked so cute and innocent and…unsure of this whole school thing! I suppose back in the day our biggest concerns would have been making friends with our new “bench” mates, having the prettiest ribbons in our hair and impressing our teacher. I don’t recollect that particular day when the photo was taken but among the  things I remember from that first year in primary school was Livia’s long hair and lovely braids and how she could already spell and read(!!). I remember making blotches in my writing book with ink and the stifling feel of my plastic uniform. I remember playing outside at break time and occasionally practicing patriotic marches and songs under the stern direction of our school principal. I remember my first school bag (made of fake leather and put to good use as a sleigh when the first snow …