Anything beautiful. Create Something Beautiful

I'll try to be timely, otherwise I really like to give something wonderful summer either at the very end of the season, or in general, when the gladioli have faded. Our strawberries in the hotel (remember the one planted by Dominic the agronomist and is "making flowers"?) are already making and harvesting. Therefore, there will be a lot of strawberries now, I also wanted to put Vanya's dessert with jelly and cream here, but a little later and so dofiga of everything.
Annoying picture - we had it a month ago at the Arles farmers' market.

Strawberry and tomato tartare

A fun and interesting combination. For a summer snack, with a light cool rosé - ve-li-ko-le-pno.)

Ingredients

Has already

• large tomatoes- 5 pieces.
• Strawberries - 1.5 kg
• For refueling
• Lime - 2 pcs.
• cilantro
• whole coriander seeds- 10 peas
• Sea salt
• Coarsely ground black pepper
• Olive oil

• For many, this is unexpected, but black pepper goes wonderfully with strawberry flavor.
• Instead of cilantro, you can use other herbs that you like, such as basil or thyme.

1.

Blanch tomatoes - cut crosswise with a knife, dip for 20-30 seconds in boiling water, immediately throw into cold water and easily tear off the skin.
Remove seeds and cut into small cubes.

2.

Make a dressing - squeeze the lime juice, crush the coriander, finely chop the herbs, pour in the olive oil, salt and pepper and let it brew.
And in general, write it down for yourself separately - it is wonderful for a variety of fresh salads.

That's it.

3.

Cut strawberries into the same small cubes, mix with tomatoes, dressing, and send for 20 minutes to marinate in the refrigerator.

Serve in a salad bowl, or if you have "serving" guests, it's also great for verrines (as in the top picture, we prepared it for a picnic). If the strawberries are too sweet - splash a little balsamic vinegar (if there is any berry - generally a song), it has not harmed anyone yet.
Everything! Simple, not hackneyed at all, and for a summer snack... trust me.)

Now let's deal with strawberry dessert.

Strawberry tartare with berry-balsamic caramel

The recipe looks a little... uh... redundant, but I'll show you how to simplify it without much loss at the end. I just don’t want to lose some very useful tricks myself.

Ingredients

for 20 servings Has already

• Strawberries - 1.5 kg
• Lemon thyme - 3 sprigs
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Olive oil - 4 tbsp
• For caramel
• Sugar - 100 g
• Water - 50 ml
• Balsamic vinegar- 40 ml
• For berry syrup
• Raspberry - 70 g
• Sugar - 10 g

1.

Cut strawberries into cubes, add lemon thyme leaves and a little lime juice.

Stir gently, cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2.

Mix sugar and water in a saucepan and, without stirring, bring to a boil, and then until the color of beer.
Pour in the vinegar and boil for another 5 minutes to evaporate the acetic acid.
Chop the raspberries with sugar in a blender, rub the seeds through a sieve (if you don’t like them crunching later - I love, for example) and pour into the caramel, cook over low heat, stirring constantly and let it thicken.

3.

Remove from heat, cool and season with tartare.

• Attention! If you do not have raspberries, use the same strawberries or any red berries, or just strawberry (or any berry) syrup if you have it
  
• Once again attention! If you don’t want to mess with caramel at all (and in vain) - just boil balsamic vinegar with sugar and berry syrup until it thickens slightly. Amount of sugar - according to your taste
  

Season tartare with balsamic caramel, mix (we added) and serve with ice cream (here we also have olive oil) or whipped cream, meringue, or just like that - it's wonderful.

And what we had as an accompaniment to tartare - it’s absolutely not necessary to be tormented by this, but here I’ll give it up because I myself really liked a completely unusual technique that changes the original taste of the product beyond recognition - confit olives. Suddenly you are as curious as I am.)

Sweet confit olives

Ingredients

Has already

• Seedless olives- 200 g
• Sugar - 200 g
• Water - 200 ml
• Vanilla - 1 pod

1.

Cut the olives into four parts and blanch 3 times (this is very important): pour cold water (4: 1 to olives), bring to a boil, drain, pour cold water again, boil again, drain and so on three times. Let the water drain. If you do not blanch them - then it will be impossible to eat.

Make syrup: mix water and sugar, throw in the scraped vanilla pod, bring to a boil.

2.

Pour olives with syrup and simmer over low heat for 2-2.5 hours. If you suddenly have a lot of liquid evaporate - add a little more water. Remove the olives from the syrup, let the sugar drain and dry them a little.
This is what happens - it's very strange and unexpected, it's impossible to even determine what it is. They taste more like caramelized walnuts - very funny. No one will ever guess.
And despite the fact that I don’t eat olives at all ... very cool.)

Cream of mascarpone with strawberries

Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
for discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us at Facebook And In contact with

There are moments when each of us feels the clouds overhead especially acutely. At such moments, there is not enough a drop of joy, warmth and light that can show that our world is not such a bad place. Fortunately, you can always watch a good movie and forget about all the small failures.

website collected 20 different films, among which there are recognized masterpieces and light entertainment films. They are united by one thing: they all give the desire to live and do good.

Life is Beautiful

Surprisingly, a picture about the horrors of war can be one of the kindest films you will ever see. This is an amazing story of a loving father who managed to give his son a second life even in a concentration camp and turn a terrible reality into a game. And involuntarily you believe: life is sometimes unfair, painful, tragic, but still infinitely beautiful.

Forrest Gump

This film directed by Robert Zemeckis is a worldwide phenomenon of 1994, which even now, after 20 years, you want to review again and again. Despite the fact that you know by heart what the characters will say, with each viewing you discover something new for yourself. Apparently, this is the real cinema - simple, clear and ingenious.

Barefoot on the pavement

A janitor in a psychiatric hospital, Nick, at the last second saves the girl Layla from suicide, and after that his life changes dramatically. A funny, touching, light film with a non-banal plot will appeal to everyone and will remind you that the most important things in life are still simple: just be close to your loved one, eat ice cream, travel and enjoy every day.

Temple Grandin

Her name is Temple Grandin and she is not like the others. The biographical drama tells the story of an autistic woman who has achieved considerable success in science. She managed to change the attitude of the world towards autistic people and prove that a person is capable of anything if he does not give up. A worthy film about a strong personality will not leave anyone indifferent.

Real love

Love is unforgettable and unattainable, regrettable and ecstatic, unexpected and unwanted, uncomfortable and inexplicable, inelegant and unequal. Love truly rules all around. From a prime minister who instantly fell in love with an employee of his apparatus, to a writer who fled to the south of France to mend his broken heart...

1+1 (Untouchables)

The directors and actors of this film managed to create a life-affirming, witty, funny and charming picture. And they didn’t go too far with the proportions - a mixture of drama and comedy in the history of two dissimilar, like white and black, friends turned out to be almost perfect.

The Truman Show

Imagine: you suddenly begin to understand that everything around you is scenery, and people are actors pretending to be who they seem to you. Your whole world turns out to be a big TV series where you play the main role without even knowing it. Will you be able to leave everything for freedom and learn to trust people after that? In this instructive film without moralizing, Jim Carrey played one of the best dramatic roles of his career.

choristers

The plot of this film cannot be called original: a music teacher ends up in a boarding school for difficult teenagers and tries to reach out to his wards. But the idea that humanity can move mountains, and love can make hearts sing is beautifully played up in the picture. Separately, it is worth noting the amazing musical accompaniment of the picture - lively, bright, direct.

Penelope

In a world where everyone is used to judging us by our appearance, it is not easy to survive for a person who is not like the rest. Penelope happened to know this - a girl over whom an ancient family curse weighs. Instead of a nose, she has a pig nose, and it will disappear only when a person of the same circle with her falls in love with Penelope. Of course, this is a fairy tale, a bright story that teaches a simple old truth - to remain yourself in any situation.

groundhog day

During the filming of the picture, Bill Murray suffered a work injury: he was bitten twice by a woodchuck. But this did not prevent him from playing all the changes in the hero, forced to relive the same day again and again. The film easily and cheerfully tells about the significance of every moment of life, every decision made, every perfect deed.

And in my heart I dance

The characters in this film are people in wheelchairs. But they have more optimism than many healthy people. Bound by cerebral palsy, the guys do not lose heart and try to live in this world to the fullest: rejoice, do stupid things, protect the weak, dance and joke.

Life is like a miracle

They say that in order to understand Kusturica, you need knowledge of the Balkan flavor, awareness of the realities and a special sense of humor. But it seems to us that just interest and a not too serious attitude to life are enough: then this film is perceived as a sincere, truly magical fairy tale, telling about complex things in an accessible way. The story of a real miracle.

Amelie

Dreamer Amelie finds a cache of old toys in her bathroom and gets excited about the idea of ​​returning the "treasure" to its rightful owner. This act of kindness changes the girl's life, and she begins to interfere in the lives of strangers in a completely unexpected way. The film turned our lives upside down too, and without the amazing music of the composer Jan Tiersen it is already impossible to imagine Paris.

Healer Adams

Once in a clinic for the mentally ill with a diagnosis of deep depression, the hero of Robin Williams suddenly finds the meaning of life in helping others. He makes an incredible discovery: it turns out that the best cure for all diseases is laughter, and for the patient, the most important thing is indifference - after all, kindness and love of life can really work wonders.

Marley and me

A young journalist with his wife moves to another city for a new job. They have big plans: buying a house, kids... But first they get a dog. Who would have thought that it would be the main test in their lives. And also - the main teacher and measure of values ​​in relationships. “A dog doesn’t care if you are poor or rich, educated or illiterate, smart or slow-witted. Give her your heart and she will give you the same.”

Chocolate

Bob Mitton, co-founder and creative director Mytton Williams in Bath, England, talks about his own motivation.

“Constantly remembering the power of design and seeing evidence of it [is getting inspired], whether it's changing perceptions, explaining things in clearer language, or just creating something beautiful,” says Bob. “It happens when discussing new creative opportunities with the team in the studio, seeing great work from another designer, or just talking to clients about the results of a previous branding project.”

Be deeply satisfied

Christian Paul, co-founder Brandient in Bucharest, reminds us that we receive the most expensive rewards for our daring.

“Let's be honest,” Christian urges. – Design must be one of the most hackneyed career options on the job market. At the moment - and it is the most competitive, it is also the most hopeless and provokes nervous breakdowns, but what kind of passion is it if it does not drive you crazy at times?

A design career comes with a wide range of reward mechanisms, but the most important of them, in my opinion, the most intangible, is the gradual accumulation of work potential and inspiration from teamwork.

What I understand by the first, I will explain by comparing design with advertising activities, he says. – In advertising, it takes several weeks from the preparation of a brief to the appearance of the final product on billboards or television screens - very fast, instant pleasure. Then, after a few more weeks, the result of your work reaches the predetermined end of its life cycle and disappears without a trace. And there is none.

In design, Christian explains, projects are lengthy, some take more than a year to develop a concept, and even more to implement. Then the result of your work gradually appears on store shelves, above the entrances to buildings or on their roofs, on the Web, on transport, on branded bags, flags and on the uniform of your favorite sports team. It spreads and spreads, and it seems that it will continue to do so indefinitely. Wherever you go, you look around and see how your work is expanding - life is not in vain. Not momentary, but deep, mature satisfaction.

Be part of the community

“I don’t see any problem in staying motivated if you work on the Web,” says Chris Coyer of the California firm CSS-Tricks. – Because there are so many people doing so many cool things right now, these are the ones who too happy to share why and how they did it - just amazing,” he says. – I am fed by other people, I work and give everything I can in return. When you feel like you're part of a community, even if you're busy with your individual projects, it's easy to stay motivated."

Remember the pride

Ryan Tim from London Studio Unreal Three things motivate me: pride, envy and people.

“The desire to produce work that both I and those around me would be proud of. Envy of colleagues and individuals in the industry who create something that I would like to do within the framework of the projects that I dream of. And finally, being among people who are ready to measure their creative forces every day,” says Ryan.

“Envy and people always fire up my passion to keep my work fresh, and in turn, that fuels my pride. Fortunately, today's pace of work guarantees me that if one project does not go quite as planned, there will always be another one to switch to. And if so, then even clients help to bring a fresh stream to my work. ”

Take a step back from...

Matt McInerney, designer from New York pentagram, finds inspiration in the basic principles of the surrounding world.

“Finding your inspiration is key,” he says. – Years pass, and I am less and less excited by albums with reproductions of posters or with grids of illustrations taken out of context. Instead, I turn to sources that are not so tightly tied to design. Stepping back from the specifics of our work and discovering the core principles, secret signs of inspiration and often overlooked systems of our environment and our experience can surprise and motivate on a deep level.”

Let others motivate you

At the deputy artistic director of a New York firm AKQA Antonio Carusone has two ways to maintain a sense of novelty.

“I subscribe to a thousand design blogs,” says Antonio. “It allows me to see what is going on outside of my world and fuels my motivation. In addition, I always try to design, even if it is a fictional project. For example, if I want to learn something new about HTML5, I design and code a small website for myself.

Some projects are not as exciting, but identifying the problem and focusing on it is still important, and then you have to try to solve it. So, recently we had to design a boring email newsletter, it contained only text, but it was very significant, so we made sure that the message was clear and concise and that the design did not hurt him.

Give and Receive

Shauna Hader, a Portland-based designer, points out how important flexibility is when closing a deal with a client.

“I recognize that not every project will be perfect for me,” Shona says. – But what is really important is that the client is satisfied with the result. I always try to reach a compromise so that both parties are happy, but design is definitely a profession in which it is customary to give and receive.

Shauna adds: “I keep working day in and day out because I really love what I do. For better or worse, design remains something that suits me perfectly and I'm incredibly lucky because I have the opportunity to follow the dictates of my heart.

Work on side projects

Web designer and developer Daniel Howells from London talks about how small parallel projects can teach and inspire.

“It's very important for me to have side projects,” says Daniel. – There are areas in which you can experiment with new techniques and fail completely painlessly. As for attracting new client orders, then side projects are not so effective. Plus, sometimes it's very hard to find time for all of these things, but in the long run, they're invaluable for motivation."

Possibly my own side project, which are websites Logo Design Love And Identity Designed, is the reason why you are reading this book, because without these sites, my publisher would not be interested in me. It's amazing what ideas like this can lead to.

Emily Kane, London-based graphic designer, agrees:

“I keep my creative satisfaction,” says Emily, “by balancing client orders and my projects, which give me the joy of drawing and creating my own briefs. It fuels creativity and has a positive impact on my approach to working with clients.”

But what attracts Daniel Howells in the profession:

“I spend a lot of time demonstrating the work of other designers on siteInspire And creative journal, says Daniel. “Thanks to these two sites, I know that no matter how high or low I rate my skills, always there is someone who does it better, who will do an amazing job and who is worth looking up to. Everyone should keep this in mind,” he stresses.

“While we face difficult clients and work can be frustrating at times, independent designers should remember how lucky we are to be who we are: to do what we love with the freedom and flexibility that our profession gives us.”

Well said.

Love what you do

Suppose our life spans a maximum of 100 years. Of these, 33 years are spent sleeping, 10 years are childhood, 20 years are the years allotted for old age, there are only 37 years left to create something significant. Do not waste time on regrets, complaints and excessive negativity. The best we can do is when we are positive. Who knows if we'll get a chance to relive everything after death, so the best thing to do is to enjoy our profession, appreciate those around us, and lovingly orient design towards making life better.

Adam Ladd www.ladd-design.com (chapter 11)

Alina Wheeler www.alinawheeler.com (chapters 15, 16, 19)

Andrea Austoni www.andreaaustoni.com (chapters 13, 16)

Antonio Carusone www.aisleone.net (chapter 21)

Antoinette Marie Johnson www.atmediadesign.com (chapter 11)

Armin Wit www.underconsideration.com (chapter 21)

Atakan Sechkin www.aseckin.com (chapter 18)

Bernadette Jiva www.thestoryoftelling.com (chapter 7)

Blair Thomson www.believein.co.uk (chapter 21)

Bob Mitton www.myttonwilliams.co.uk (chapter 21)

Won Glitschka www.vonglitschka.com (chapter 17)

Gary Holmes www.gariphic.com (chapter 11)

Darragh Neely www.darraghneely.com (chapter 14)

JP Jones www.paige1media.com (chapter 13)

Jenny Theolin www.jennytheolin.com (chapter 11)

Jerry Kuyper www.jerrykuyper.com (chapters 18, 19)

Jessicahagy www.jessicahagy.info (chapter 19)

John Clifford www.thinkstudionyc.com (chapter 18)

Jonathan Selikoff www.selikoffco.com (chapter 17)

David Hyde www.davidthedesigner.com (chapter 21)

Daniel Howells www.howells.ws (chapter 21)

Ivan Chermaev www.cgstudionyc.com (chapters 16, 18, 19)

Ian Vadas www.ianvadas.com (chapter 17)

Karen Huang www.wearemanic.com (chapter 21)

Karishma Kasabia www.kishandco.co (chapters 11, 16)

Con Kennedy www.conkennedy.ie (chapter 1)

Chris Coyier www.chriscoyier.net (chapter 21)

Chris Spooner www.chrisspooner.com (chapters 10, 20)

Chris Harman www.parentdesign.co.uk (chapter 21)

Christian Paul www.brandient.com (chapter 21)

Katherine Ramsland www.katherineramsland.com (chapter 8)

Lisa Lovinger www.aptone.com (chapter 13)

Lee Newham www.designedbygoodpeople.com (chapters 11, 12)

Lita Mikrut www.litamikrut.com (chapter 11)

Luke Macy www.crossgrain.com (chapter 9)

Luke Tonge www.luketonge.com (chapter 21)

Mike Dempsey www.studiodempsey.co.uk (chapter 19)

Mike Reed www.reedwords.co.uk (chapter 16)

Mark Bloom www.mashcreative.co.uk (chapter 11)

Meredith Gossland www.lbgba.org (chapter 9)

Maggie McNab www.macnabdesign.com (chapter 20)

Matt Griffin www.bearded.com (chapter 20)

Matt McInerney www.matt.cc (chapter 21)

Nick Asbury www.nickasbury.com (chapter 18)

Nancy Wu www.nancywudesign.com (chapter 16)

Pascal Rumph www.buroreng.nl (chapter 21)

Patricia Schaefer www.contemporary-native.com (chapter 17)

Paul Buck www.zerofee.org (chapter 21)

Ryan Tim www.ryantym.com (chapter 21)

Russell Holmes www.icodesign.co.uk (chapter 14)

Reese Spikerman www.designbyreese.com (chapter 19)

Simon Manchipp www.someoneinlondon.com (chapter 21)

Stellan Johanson www.weare1910.com (chapter 11)

Stephen Key www.keycreate.co.uk (chapter 11)

Suzana Sash www.suzanashash.com (chapter 11)

Tim Lapetino www.hexanine.com (chapter 14)

Tom Actman www.matdolphin.com (chapters 9, 11)

Thierry Brunfo www.basedesign.com (chapter 21)

Ted Leonhardt www.tedleonhardt.com (chapter 16)

Phil Cook www.matdolphin.com (chapters 9, 11)

Fiona Barrege www.theclickdesign.com (chapter 14)

Choi Win www.subtraction.com (chapter 19)

Sheena Oosten www.sheenaoosten.com (chapter 14)

Shauna Hader www.nubbytwiglet.com (chapter 21)

Emily Kane www.emilykane.co.uk (chapter 21)

Andrew Kelsall www.andrewkelsall.com (chapter 11)

Eric Karjaluoto www.erickarjaluoto.com (chapters 12, 18)

My gratitude is greater than you can even imagine.