Tag Archives: Bucharest

Today in Bucharest

A hell of a day – that’s what today was.
My entire social bubble was expecting the sentence of PSD leader Liviu Dragnea (also president of Romania’s Chamber of Deputies) as he was tried for instigating abuse of office and intellectual incitement as president of the Council County Teleorman. It was for the second time that the Supreme Court had postponed the pronouncement in this particular file, and frankly, we were quite nervous waiting for any news.

More context: The file was sent to the court by the DNA (National Anticorruption Directorate) in July 2016, and the trial started in January 2017, about the same time the leading party in the Parliament started messing with the justice laws to relax them. This led to massive protests in Romania in February 2017.

The sentence was published a few minutes ago: 3 years and a half in jail.
Now let’s celebrate the trust in Justice that has not yet been lost.

21.06.2018

Keep a dampened smile, though. It’s surely not over yet. The sentence can be appealed.

Ultra Violet 2018

Happy New Year!

Here’s to this absolutely AMAZING purple shade of this year, the one and only: Pantone Ultra Violet (18-3838). Finally! My personal colour obsession will blend in with popular culture.

I know it’s been a while, but boy has it been tough this year?! 2017, I am so glad you’re gone and done. You’ve been bringing me so much pain, I just had to learn to let go. I am thankful for what I’ve gone through, though. It takes a lot of strength and energy to come out of that pit dark low.
I want to thank all of my friends and dear ones for never leaving me behind in all of this mess. For staying there, for taking me out, for having a coffee with me, for hearing me out, for simply … being there.

Hope you had wonderful Winter Holidays and quality time with your dear ones. And if not, cheer up, 2018 will be awesome. I know it. Ollie knows it also.

Bring it on, 2018!
We’re ready.

Bucharest Pride 2016

It was so hot this year, the temperatures rising to about 35 degrees Celsius, but that never stopped the people from joining in a record number of 2 500. Bucharest Pride had it all, you name it: music, rainbows, balloons, happy faces, glitter, love signs and banners, young and elder together, solidarity, it was really something beautiful! Amazingly good energy!

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Nana

The breakthrough of this year was Andreea Balan, a young pop star whose songs I basically grew up with, that decided to SHOW UP and SUPPORT the movement. You may not understand how powerful that is, but let me put it brief: in the conservative orthodox influenced culture of Romania this has never happened before. Ever. No artist has ever endorsed the event, none has recognized their diverse public or stood up to fight for equal rights for them. Many were escaping to face the crowds of the ‘other Romania’, the ones who consider the parade to be one of ‘sickness’.

Andreea Balan

Andreea Balan and her two dancers after a cheerful speech.

But Andreea? Andreea is an amazing human being who decided to use her fame to do good. Her act is a stepping stone in the direction of enabling the LGBT community to speak up and demand equal rights. More than that, she has posted a wonderful message on her Facebook and she is constantly responding to all people out there who are trying to set things ‘straight’. Her follow up comments are disarming with kindness, understanding and sharing of LOVE. She reinforced the idea that all humans should be entitled to having a family and that to love and be loved should be accessible to all. Her gesture should be seen as an example to all other artists and public persons of Romania.
Andreea, chapeau!

Ovidiu Buta, Molecule F, Frank Paul, Carla Antonelli, Joaquin Bonilla

Ovidiu Buta, Molecule F, Frank Paul, Carla Antonelli, Joaquin Bonilla

Other important names that joined the parade this year: Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, Carla Antonelli, a noted LGBT rights activist and politician who maintains a large support website for transgender and transsexual people, also the first trans person to serve in a legislature in Spain (she had such a powerful speech and sent a lot of energy to the crowd), Great Britain’s ambassador to Romania, Paul Brummell, Deputy Chief of Mission at the embassy of US to Bucharest, Dean Thompson, and last but not least, our very own Minister for Public Consultation and Civic Dialogue, Violeta Alexandru.

Happy to see so many people attending the event. Happy to share the joy with so many open-minded countrymen and friends. Happy, happy, happy.

Kul Ta Mo

I can only wish that things will only get better from now on.  Last year I saw the Stockholm Pride in late July and it made me realize how much further we have to walk, so keep it up! I feel we have reached a breaking point on Saturday. Everything was perfectly organized, we all had been given water, the street was full of people, the police supervised from every few meters, the music was energetic and fun, we had a blast!

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Peace. Love wins.

A big round of applause for the organizers ( ACCEPT, MozaiQ, PSI Romania) and everybody involved! Let’s meet again next year. The more the merrier! After all, who doesn’t want to celebrate love?

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My proud and happy gang

‘Dincolo de calea ferată’ este de astăzi în cinematografe!

Vin cu o recomandare pentru zilele astea frumoase de început de vară: Hai să mai simțim ceva!

Regizorul Cătălin Mitulescu descrie în câteva cuvinte filmul său: „Există multă tensiune într-un cuplu când cei doi se revăd după un timp. Întâlnirea are o miză uriașă, mai ales dacă se iubesc”.

Am râs, am oftat, am suspinat și mi-am tot zgândărit nervos degetele într-o încercare  de a-mi calma trăirea secvențelor intense de sincronizări și reconectări scurte dintre Radu și soția sa (tinerii Alexandru Potocean și Ada Condeescu).

Povestea soților care se revăd după o despărțire îndelungată se dezvoltă în Bucureștiul zilelor noastre, cel cunoscut, autentic, agitat și cu tot felul de lume pestriță care-i trece pragul. Radu revine din Italia de la muncă și-și regăsește soția și relația dintre ei cel puțin „altfel”.

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Comunicarea se menține prin gesturi stângace și este uneori surdă, alteori absurdă. Nu de puține ori am tresărit aproape trăznită la sunetul brutal al trenurilor care au trecere foarte aproape de casa lor. Aceste perechi de secvențe reci-calde par să decurgă firesc în caruselul relației presărate cu zâmbete și fulgere.

Căutarea continuă a unor răspunsuri la întrebări nepuse se împletește simpatic cu scena unei nunți de la marginea Bucureștiului, undeva dincolo de liniile de cale ferată. Muzică live cu o trupă pe cinste, înțepături acide care duc la o răbufnire violentă în văzul întregii adunări, băuturică, ego-uri supradimensionate, niște karaoke, plimbări cu taxiul, tradiții românești contemporane și multe personaje care întregesc în chip fericit tabloul complex al unei autentice felii de viață în capitală. Wow, ce spectacol!

Claudiu Trandafir nunta

Încă un lucru interesant, filmul ne dezvăluie, poate chiar în premieră, cealaltă perspectivă. Prin câteva scene de liniște și fumat cu privirea pierdută în zare, intuim munca, singurătatea și greutățile pe care un bărbat trebuie să le ducă aflat în străinătate și cuprins de dorul de a ajunge acasă. O reflecție asupra unui câmp emoțional încă neexplorat suficient în cinematografia romanească.

Poate tocmai pentru că este atât de al nostru acest întreg episod și pentru că fiecare se poate regăsi într-o fărâmă de ceva din această întreagă shaorma cu „de toate” tipurile de trăiri și fenomene sociale, filmul merită văzut și trăit ca pe o oglindire amuzantă a realității în care ne scăldăm.

„Dincolo de calea ferată” este o co-producție super reușită România-Italia-Suedia și poate fi urmărit în cinematografe începând cu 22 aprilie.

Mergeți cu încredere,

Lori

Bucharest City App – the online guide we needed!

Bucharest city app 640x250

Hey, guys!

Let me just quickly inform you about the buzz around town these days, Bucharest City App, the free mobile app that becomes your friendly advisor when around this eastern-european city. Whether you are a tourist or a local, this app can help you with moving around the city.

I mean, better than information booths for tourists ( where exactly are those, anyhow?), with an online connection and a free install for your IOS or Android smart device, you get to answer all those petty questions when in Bucharest: What are the main attractions? Where is the Palace of the Parliament? Where should I eat? Where is the nearest pharmacy? What is going on tonight at the Opera? Where can I get the tickets for that film? 🙂

Most important categories you will find in the app:

  • events & parties
  • cinemas & movies
  • concerts
  • restaurants
  • clubs & pubs
  • coffee places
  • Bucharest attractions
  • medical services
  • different thematic routes in Bucharest
  • transport & travel: subway map, night and airport buses, taxis
  • shops
  • photo of the day
  • offers and promotions
  • playgrounds
  • spa and beauty
  • recommendations: handpicked events, traditional food, #EnjoyBucharest
  • Bucharest City App is an Eventur Group initiative. Alex Filip and Dragos Asaftei, together with their team of other 17 talented people are to congratulate for putting Bucharest on the map of up to date European capitals! Great work, guys! Keep up the wonderful initiatives, we stand by you. 🙂

    Bucharest city app logo

With you, any place is home.

Smiles and stolen glances. These are my people. My darling human beings that I adore for merely existing and colliding with my path.

Happy New Year

Angie 2

Pedro n Tada

Liv

Denisse

Martin

Susanne n Alex

Co

Mariangeles

Virgil

Socrates

Doina

Costa

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Thank you for being here.
You made it home.

Here’s to a new and exciting year full of good people and moments shared together.
2016, i hope you bring more angels to my life.

Bucharest, 7th of January 2016.
I live here. I love it.

Late autumn vibes in Bucharest

I met a friend. We walked around. I met a cat. He owned a bike.

I met some kids doing their homework on the streets.

A lot of ‘I’s were flashed along this journey. Don’t worry, though, my soul was rather stormy.

I met a stranger who kept me well outside of danger.

IMG_ 1565 autumn vibeIMG_1553IMG_1542 IMG_1561IMG_1559 IMG_1563 IMG_1560Photos taken with a borrowed Olympus Pen. Probably the most precious little camera I have ever laid my hands on.

Thank you. ♥

Bucharest. I live here. I love it.

Shine like you mean it

I like tattoos, but on other people. I am not sure if the next day I’d still be happy with my decision of making a dragonfly on my ankle, let’s say. Temporary tatoos? Well, that’s something I can definitely deal with for a few days. Flash Tattoos Romania – presented me the occasion of adding jewellery on my body in a very elegant way. As nervous as I was at first looking at all those golden shines, it all went very well! The results came perfectly synchronized with my 26th birthday as well. Thank you so much for such a lovely time! Here are the photos 🙂

1.shine

7.shine

3.shine

5.shine

4.shine

6.shine

2.shine

©FlashTattoosRomania
Colection: Classy like a Motherf***
Photographer: Alexandru Mărgărit
Model: Lori Alexe
MUA: Carmen Arhire
Location: Funky Lounge Herastrau

If any of you should be interested in these temporary shiny shines and many more collections, here is their official website: Flash Tattoos Romania and their Facebook page.

Until next time, don’t forget to shine!