Top 5 Places to Visit (with and w/o our kids)

Santorini, Greece (our honeymoon)

Great Wall, Beijing, China

Bangkok, Thailand

St. Martin

Stan and I travel well together and our motto is not to visit the same place twice.  Do not get me wrong we have visited some places more than once but we always try to pick somewhere new to visit each time.  The world is big and we want to see it all.  We like to soak in culture/history, take some pictures, and then we are off to the next place.  We have roughed it across Europe and parts of Southeast Asia and believe a bed is a bed (as long as there is no bugs).  We just need someone to rest our feet at the end of a grueling but rewarding site-seeing day.  We have tried tour groups but they go incredibly too slow for us.  We are very fast paced and sometimes joke we should be on Amazing Race.  We will not have the opportunity to travel like we have in the past due to having wonderful Maksim. When you have kids it changes your whole travel outlook.  I confirmed this when we recently took a trip to St. Martin with Maksim.  It was a great vacation but it had its challenges like the flight (yes, I was that mom on the plane!), all the stuff we had to bring for one little man, his sleeping schedule, etc.  Gone are the days of sleeping in on vacation and going anywhere on a whim. I have come to the realization that there are trips we will take with our kid(s) and trips we will not take our kid(s).  I was inspired to make a top 5 list of places I want to go with Maksim (once he gets to about 5 years old) and without Maksim as cruel as that sounds.  Maksim has plenty of time to see the world on his own and some places he will visit in the future I am sure he will not want Mom and Dad tagging around.

Top 5 Places I want to Visit with Kids

1. Moscow, Russian (should be easy because we have relatives, know the language, and we can explore our culture)
2. Disney Caribbean Cruise (I know its cliche but I imagine how happy I would make Maksim)
3. Montreal and Quebec City (I really love Canada; its has a Euro-feel to it without crossing the Atlantic)
4. Australia & New Zealand (live out my Lord or the Rings and Xena Warrior Princess fantasy with my kid(s))
5. Safari in Africa (how cool of parents would we be if we did this?)

Top 5 Places I want to Visit Selfishly without Kids

1. Istanbul, Turkey (for the marketplace alone!)
2. Bora Bora, French Polynesia (I want my own private over the water bungalow....maybe a 10 year wedding anniversary???)
3. South America (all the major sites in Brazil, Peru, Chile)
4. Cooking/Food Tour in Southern regions of France and Italy
5. Southeast Asia (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia)

Love,

First Gen Fam

Weekend Full of Friends

My weekend actually started Thursday night when we got to hang out with our good friends Anthony and Dane at Tofu House.  We all got the dumpling tofu stew which arrives at your table lava hot. I always burn myself due to my impatient appetite but it's so worth it.  To cool us down we headed next door to Tapioca Express Tea and Coffee where I swear we were at least 10 years older than everyone.  My age insecurities were quickly washed away by my mango milk tea boba and we spent the next hour cracking jokes and stealing really awesome boba straws.  

I took the day off on Friday and spent it with Stan.  With my wonderful aunt being in town we had the luxury of having a date day.  We headed to the movies to see Hunger Games.  I have the books and really would have liked to read them before but I am deep into the Game of Thrones book series.  Once I submerge myself into a series there is no deviating from it.  The Hunger Games books will have to just wait patiently.  Plus, I hear there are no dragons in the Hunger Games triology and that is one of my major requirements. When I shop for a new series to get into at a local Borders or Barnes I head straight for the fantasy novel section where the covers of the books to some are ridiculous. You know the ones I am talking about.  The ones with dragons, half-breeds, swords....you get the point.  I am a sucker for cheesy fantasy book covers.  Back to the Hunger Games movie; it was very entertaining and had what I thought was an original story. I highly recommend it.  We ended the date day with a banana split sundae at Dairy Queen.  Gosh is it good, there is nothing like it out there.  I am a fan of vampire genre books/movies also, so I finally saw Breaking Dawn Part I courtesy of Stan that same night after Maksim fell asleep.  He is such a good husband to sit through it with me.  It was good but slow in my opinion since they are dragging a single book into two movies. 

Saturday I made a trip to Ikea for breakfast with my aunt, mom, and Maksim.  You cannot beat the 99 cent breakfast, its really simple, eggs, potatoes, bacon, that's it, no frills. Maksim has a new love for pots and pans and not the plastic ones, only metal ones will do for him.  We purchased a set for him and he has been banging them together ever since.  Who knows maybe he will become a chef?  Later we got to go to a special lady's surprise 60th birthday party at Dimilles.  We had the back patio which was remodeled and looked beautiful.  Maksim got to hang with his pal Van and eat some yummy Italian food.  My night ended after that but Stan got a visit from his best friend, Tim.  He brought a belated X-mas gift to Maksim; a sock monkey the plays the trendy Dyamite song that goes..."I came to dance, dance, dance, dance" (you know the song).  Maksim loved it and consistently pressed the button to turn the jam on over and over.  Tim and Stan had a "man night" and hung out at some local bars in University Heights. Tim slept over and I know he regretted giving that sock monkey to Maksim at around 7am.  AlI heard that early morning was "I came to dance, dance, dance, dance."  

Sunday I got a visit from my own friend and Maksim's Godmother, Ollie.  We did as girls must and  spent the afternoon at the mall practically buying the same clothes.  I finally found red jeans!  I will have to post them and some other finds soon.  It started raining so we headed to Cheesecake Factory where we got lucky to get a table at the bar immediately.  No place is good enough to wait 45 minutes even if its raining. We came home and got right into our jammies and Ollie was lucky enough to see Maksim show off some of his dance moves.  Early Monday morning before work I had to drop Ollie off at the airport. I really think its stupid that she lives in San Francisco.  Ollie, I know you will read this.....finish law school and move back to San Diego, that is an order!

Love,

First Gen Fam

Merry Birthday to My Father

I want to wish my father a Very Merry Birthday.  Not only is he a great father but he is so good with Maksim which catapults him to Super Grandpa status.  My father gave me what I call strict love.  I didn't have much room for misbehaving growing up; getting in trouble with my father was worse than any corporal punishment out there (we had some tough Eastern European discipline).  I see myself becoming more and more like him everyday.  Besides sometimes looking into the mirror and seeing his face minus the beard; we have the same strut, intolerance for stupidity, good hearts (we are softies), and a drive to succeed to just name a few.  At the end of the day I would have to say my sister and I turned out pretty good thanks to him.  We are very lucky to have him as our Dad.

I thought it would be fun to share a few facts about my father, Perko:

• Puma....yes there is a serious obsession with the brand (I love it too so I think it's in the genetics)
• Clocks....another obsession, I once counted over 20 clocks in his bedroom, I wonder what the count it up to now?
• Everything must be white.  White shoes, shirts, shorts, gadgets, etc. His wardrobe is at least consistent.
• He eats a minimum of 3 apples a day (I guess I can say the same about eating strawberries)
• If there is no steak then it does not qualify as a real meal
• Some of his favorite sayings include: "Thanks a million" and "fart in same bucket"(don't ask, I can't even explain it)
• And the best fact about my father is he is our Dad and he is very loved by my sister and I.

Love,
First Gen Fam

Tip 100 : Dress Up Your Shoes

If you personally know me you know that I love to accessorize.   My side business forces me to buy lots of vintage jewelry (I am not complaining!) at local estate sales and flea markets.  I have an abundance of vintage jewelry especially clip-on earrings.  I am trying to be better about incorporating them in various ways into my wardrobe.  I do not wear clip-on earrings, for one they hurt, and anyway I am more of a small stud earring type of gal.  I use clip-on earrings in many various ways but for this post I wanted to share their use as shoe clips. I was inspired by my last Anthropologie shopping trip when I noticed a pair of flats with a mini jewel on the toe for about $150.  Above is my cheap chic version. I instantly dressed up my pair of affordable plain flats with some vintage rhinestone clip-on earrings.  Typically I wear them in the front but you can wear them on the sides or even the back of your shoes but that might be uncomfortable depending on the shoe or clip-on earring.  This can be done with brooches too, but remember it can cause noticeable holes if you decide to take them out. What's nice about this whole concept is you don't have to commit.  You can easily keep your shoes plain or rotate between clip-on earrings to achieve different looks.

Love,
First Gen Fam

Messy Bun Mohawk Tutorial

 

This past weekend was a rainy one in San Diego (yes, it rains in San Diego....sometimes) and I went with my go-to hair style, the Messy Bun Mohawk. The Hair Romance Blog has a good tutorial as well but its a little too perfect looking for my taste.  My friends are really impressed with this up-do, so when I tell them it's easy to replicate they are very skeptical. The skepticism helped motivate me to create my first mini tutorial.  The Messy Bun Mohawk is great for second day hair and keeps my strands out of my toddlers hands (he likes to pull) but at the same time helps make me look put together.  It stays secure all day and the messier it looks the better in my opinion.  

 Messy Bun Mohawk Tutorial

1. Its great to start with textured hair but works with straight hair too.  You will need 10-25 bobby pins depending on the thickness of your hair (I use about 3-4 bobby pins per bun; I have fine medium thickness hair)
2. Take a section of the top of your hair.
3. Start twisting the top section.  Don't worry if its not perfect.
4. Take the twisted section and create a bun by wrapping the section around itself.
5. Tuck your ends underneath the bun.
6. Secure with bobby pins.
7. When the first bun is created and secured you can pull on it to give it more texture or make it bigger.  
8. Take the next section and create another bun directly underneath the first bun by repeating steps 2-6.  Do this step another 2 times to create 4 buns total (you can create more or less buns depending on your hair or style you are going for)
9. The end result from the back.  This style looks cute if you add a little volume in the front with a pompadour.  You can even add some rhinestone hair pins or pretty headband to dress up the style.  

Love,
First Gen Fam

Rainy Green Weekend

It was a rainy weekend in San Diego but a busy one for us nonetheless.  Friday after long day of work I got to working again on my side business, Radokri Fashion Accessories.  My neck becomes achy when I make hair pieces so I ended up only working for an hour or so. That same evening we headed out to the casual but chic Mosaic Wine Bar in North Park to celebrate a good friend's birthday.  My sister and other mutual friends were there so it was great to sip on some good wine (no more achy neck) and catch up.

St. Patty's Day started slow but quickly picked up in the late afternoon with a 1st birthday party at Maksim's buddy's house.  Maksim got his fill of pizza and cake but I knew it was time to go when he started eating the window decorations (they make them look like gummy candy what to do!).  Later that evening we continued to celebrate the green holiday with Irish car bombs, corned beef, mash potatoes, and homemade carrot muffins at our best friend's house.  Maksim has a blast running around with their little guy, Van; probably driving the neighbors below insane.  Their house is child-proof, has an abundance of toys, and the food is on par with any restaurant in town.  The best part is I can go there with no makeup and pajamas are always welcomed; there is no judging allowed.  That is a the definition of true best friends right?

Sunday was gloomy and cold once again.  I headed to the store and picked up the two things I needed and somehow ended up with a bunch of unnecessary things like a bunny cake pan and corn popper toy for Maksim (its loud but I could not help myself).  I am excited to create some Easter treats with Maksim but I am not sure if we can wait until then though. 

Goodbye weekend, until we meet again.......

Love,
First Gen Fam

My Spa Day : Not for the Shy

Pictures of the outside of Aqua Day Spa, Mika and I in our cozy robes, and our fab meals at Nozomi's

When I think of taking a day to pamper myself I feel guilty until I actually do it and realize I am a better person for it.  I have a busy life and need to recharge every once an a while.  I took my favorite aunt, Mika, who is visiting from out of town to Aqua Day Spa for an early birthday present.   This is a Korean style spa and its definitely not for the shy.  The reason I say this is because you are completely nude in front of everyone.  Rest assured that at least there are separate male and female sides to the spa.

We arrived and they gave us a basket with towels and a warm robe which was a nice touch. We undressed completely and went into the hot jacuzzi for 20 minutes before getting our Purification Scrub and Oil Massage.  They placed us on large massage tables where we looked like big slabs of naked meat (keep in mind they do not cover you and everyone can see you getting your treatment). They scrubbed every crevice of our bodies (literally) using exfoliation mitts; no body parts were off limits.  They scrub hard and take off at least two layers of skin but it felt divine in my opinion. The oil massage included elbows, knuckles, and even the masseuse straddling me to get knots out.  A little painful at times but in a good way. The treatment ended with a freshly grated cucumber face mask and a relaxing shampoo/conditioning.  They barely speak English at this place but I kind of like it that way since the women that perform the treatments are less than two feet from my junk. The locker room provided nice amenities like hot tea, lotion, hair dryer, q-tips, etc., therefore we took our our time getting ready.  We left the spa with baby soft skin, clean hair, and achy-free muscles.

We conveniently ended up next door at Nozomi's for lunch.  Huge portions and it was super tasty; I got the beef yakisoba while my aunt got beef teriyaki.  The menu is huge so I plan to come back to try something new in the future.  In conclusion, my aunt said this was the best treat ever therefore I succeeded in making her happy which was the whole point.

Love,

First Gen Fam

Dinner : Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls

Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls

Ahhh, corned beef......it brings back a fond memory of my father taking me to Rito's Bakery in Cleveland to get the tastiest corned beef sandwich ever.  The corned beef was juicy and topped with a tangy cole slaw within two slices of fresh sourdough bread (I can smell it now)......this is where the love affair began.


With St. Patrick's Day right around the corner I had to get my corned beef fix on so I created this recipe the other night.  This was the first time I made it and it was on a totally whim but I turned out great so I feel confident to share. Maksim gave it two baby thumbs up too (but really, what doesn't this kid eat?)

Our Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls Recipe

1-2 lbs cooked corned beef (bake according to instructions, seasoning should be included)

1 chopped onion

6-8 medium potatoes

20 cabbage leaves (large enough so you can create roll)

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp. horseradish

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Saute chopped onions in pan until soft. Set aside.
3. Peel and boil potatoes.  Boil until a fork can easily break up the potato.  Drain potatoes and put into mixing bowl.
4. Add milk, butter, horseradish, salt, and pepper to potatoes. Mix together (I use a hand mixer, I like my potatoes whipped). Then fold in onions and parsley.  Set aside. 
5. Roughly cut cooked corned beef into small pieces.  Set aside.
6. Boil water in large pot.  Add cabbage leaves and boil for 3-4 minutes so the leaves soften.  I was able to add about 5 cabbage leaves at a time into my boiling pot.  Set cabbage leaves aside.  No not throw boiled water away!
7. Assemble the cabbage rolls.  Take one cabbage leaf and add a dollop of potato mixture and about 3-4 pieces corned beef. Tuck in the sides of the cabbage leaf and roll.  Set in bake pan. Repeat assembly with the rest of cabbage leaves.
8. Once you have all your cabbage leaves in the pan use the boiled water from step 4 and pour over the cabbage rolls so the they are slightly submerged in the water.  
9. Place pan into oven and cook for 25-30 minutes.
10. Serve with a side of mustard.  Bon Appetit!

Love, 

First Gen Fam

Family Spring Wishlist

Our Family Spring Wishlist:

• A good camera to capture special moments
• I crave rose gold so these skull earrings would satisfy
• I would use these B/W striped shoes as a neutral 
• Pretty Spring dress for Easter
• Red skinny/cigarette pants
• Easter outfit for Maksim
• This cuff bracelet would add a cool edge to any outfit
• Papa is in serious need of a new wallet
• Light gauzy scarf for those cool San Diego nights
• Toy laptop for Maksim so he stops banging on mine!

Love,
First Gen Fam

Dinner : Chicken Piccata

Papa, Mama & Baby Portions

Last night's menu: Chicken Piccata.  By no means would I call us chefs but we do love to fill our bellies with yummy food.  Our good friends make a Chicken Piccata that is amazing and when they make it, it's truly a treat.  I crave it often and I wanted to recreate it at home (plus I need to make use of all the lemons from our tree this year). This dish is filled with lemony deliciousness and so good that everyone had seconds including Maksim. Stan and I work as a team and made the entire meal including salad in about 30 minutes.

Our Chicken Piccata Recipe:

4-5 boneless chicken thighs (you can substitute with chicken breast or even turkey tenderloin)

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

4-5 garlic cloves (minced, we love garlic!)

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

5 Lemons

2 Tbsp. capers

2 Tbsp. salted butter

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Cooked penne pasta

1. Cut chicken thighs to desired size.  Salt and pepper chicken thighs to taste. Dredge thighs in flour.  (start boiling water here to cook pasta (we used penne) if you want to put Chicken Piccata over it like we did).
2. Add olive oil into a saucepan over med-high heat.  Add chicken thighs and cover for 5-8 minutes.  Flip chicken and cook for another 5-8 minutes.  Set chicken aside on a plate.
3. Using the same saucepan deglaze it with dry white wine.  Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat then add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly brown.  
4. Juice 4 lemons.  Add the lemon juice, capers, and chicken broth to the saucepan.  Use remaining lemon, cut into slices and add to the sauce pan.  
5. Add chicken thighs to saucepan, continuing to cook on medium heat.  Add butter and cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Let stand for 3-5 minutes so the sauce thickens.  If desired pour over pasta and garnish with parsley.  
7. Bon Appetit!

Love,

First Gen Fam

Welcome....Meet First Gen Fam

Our Wedding 07-29-2006

Birth of Maksim 11-26-2010

Our Family Motto

Hi, welcome to First Gen Fam blog.  My name is Natalija and I created this blog to chronicle the special moments of my family's life and to share things that make me smile like food (I'm a big foodie), travel, fashion style, plus any tips that I have found helpful on my way.

What does First Gen Fam mean?  It stands for First Generation Family.  I thought this summed up what our family is.  My husband, Stan, and I are both first generation; he is Russian and I am Serbian.  We grew up in the U.S. but are heavily involved and influenced by our cultures.  We were married in 2006 and added a new addition to our family in 2010 with the birth of our amazing baby boy Maksim.  We are loving, quirky, moody at times, but all and all we have it pretty good and are a happy little family.  Thanks for reading and I should have some new posts up fairly soon.

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Love,
First Gen Fam