„Young Adult“, middle age

There is a theory that a person’s musical taste ossifies in their teens and is pretty much set as they enter their 20s. Going by my own experience and that of many of my friends, that may not exactly be the case, but that may be because two formative films for me in understating the adulthood (or middle age) are Jason Reitman’s “Up in the … Continue reading „Young Adult“, middle age

Poslednji ekser

Leži u svom malom stanu na Dorćolu, iznad nečega što su još davno zaboravili da je bio Supermarket, odnosno, Alonso, i čeka 2073. Odnosno čeka smrt. Ovi klinci u kraju se ne lože više na prave vrednosti: samo neka crkva, neka glupa muzika, neka sranja. “Kad smo mi bili u njihom godinama tada se živelo: koncerti u ‘demiji, vutra, gudre uopšte”.  Dosta ih je overilo, … Continue reading Poslednji ekser

Vanishing Majik of turn-of-millennium Belgrade hotspots

There is no better sign of (approaching) middle age than reminiscing about the restaurants, bars and clubs which are no longer around, but which left a mark on one’s memories, taste and, in many ways, life. My path towards becoming a kafana connoisseur started in Vidin kapija, across the road from my primary school. I was taken there in 1996 by my mom and grandma … Continue reading Vanishing Majik of turn-of-millennium Belgrade hotspots

Tragedija ličnog u totalnom sistemu

Najgadnija pojava u medijima, odnosno širem propagandnom kompleksu, koji sve više uključuje i akademske institucije ali i „civile“ po društvenim medijima, je sada normalizovana praksa uklapanja izolovanih, ali duboko tragičnih i strašnih slučajeva u modle koje pogoduju interesima koje služe. Kada god se desi neka tragedija, poput masakra na Cetinju ili davljenja Matrija Periša, često imamo samo par sati da je iskusimo kao manifestaciju okrutne … Continue reading Tragedija ličnog u totalnom sistemu

The Consolation of Hypertrophy: Samuel Fussell’s “Muscle: Confessions of the unlikely bodybuilder” by Samuel Wilson Fussell

Reading Camille Paglia’s essays in  “Sex, Art and American Culture”, I came across a book that very much appealed to me, especially given that I only became passionate about going to the gym on the cusp of my 30s. She gave it the highest praise, in her own characteristic way: “Muscle, sympathetically read as an archetypal hero saga of embattled masculinity, exposes the parochialism, preachiness, … Continue reading The Consolation of Hypertrophy: Samuel Fussell’s “Muscle: Confessions of the unlikely bodybuilder” by Samuel Wilson Fussell

Crying to and for Balašević

The first time that I remember crying to a song was with my Grandmother and Mum, after a Đorđe Balašević concert. That must have been in December 1995 of 1996, while we were staying at Grandma’s and I remember putting on a Balašević tape as we loved the concert. At one point it played „Priča o Vasi Ladačkom“ (The story of Vasa Ladački), and all … Continue reading Crying to and for Balašević

Politically charged pies and the first Chinese dish in Serbia: More stories about Serbian food

If you think you are a Balkan culinary know it all for loving ćevapi, sarma, burek and kajmak, well the truth is… there is plenty more to discover. Everybody knows they are great, and with ajvar now present on the supermarket aisles from LA to Dubai, and the increasing number of restaurants serving Serbian fare all around the world: from Kafana in New York, via … Continue reading Politically charged pies and the first Chinese dish in Serbia: More stories about Serbian food

Warrior Posing

Ever since the debates about current or imminent “fascism” and “antifascism” (or Antifascism™)  became popular again, I came to think about my grandad, who as a committed communist before WWII and then a partisan during it would probably have more to say than those engaging in these debates now. He was a bit of an oddity as a bourgeois lawyer/communist in Nikšić, a town in … Continue reading Warrior Posing

Why so dense?

The current pandemic, as insane as it is, highlighted problems of dense, large cities, where sharing tight public spaces is the only way of survival. From public transport carriages to lifts in high rises, we cannot escape density and the risks it brings. On top of that, the race to density, in making housing and facilities ever tighter, and more cost-efficient for their owners has … Continue reading Why so dense?

20:20 / 2020

Tonight, when I looked at my phone and it was twenty past eight in the evening. It was a crisp, March evening and the wind cleared the sky, so even in central Belgrade you could see the stars, glistening at night. It was eerily quiet, except for the occasional howling of the wind, which blew in the streets emptied of people quarantining in their homes. … Continue reading 20:20 / 2020

Post Tenebras Lux? Life In One of Europe’s Richest Cities.

How do millennials fare in one of the richest cities of Europe? We interview two Genevans to find out.  After studying international relations, M. (30) works in HR for a global financial institution in Geneva. She always thought she would pursue a career in development, and even spent a gap year teaching French in an orphanage in Senegal. She remember fondly her humanitarian time. It … Continue reading Post Tenebras Lux? Life In One of Europe’s Richest Cities.

British Aisles

My first serious relationship with organised religion and an adult began while I was studying in Oxford. One of my best friends, a devout South African, mentioned he was going for a Sunday evensong at New College, and a few of decided to join him – albeit more for the aesthetics of listening to wonderful music inside a famously ornate medieval chapel, than for the … Continue reading British Aisles

Mathematical High School: Serbia’s Academic Bright Spot

Belgrade’s Matematicka gimnazija (Mathematical High School) is a rare Serbian institution, along with athletes and cuisine, which receives nearly unanimous national acclaim and the school is protected from the usual mud slinging of Serbia’s public arena for good reasons. Year after year, the school churns out positive news: alumni routinely achieve great success at the world’s best universities- one alumnus is a former mayor of … Continue reading Mathematical High School: Serbia’s Academic Bright Spot

Corporate to Creative in 10 Gruelling Steps: A Realist’s Guide

You are sitting in a grey  office on a gloomy day, tried, and after yet another frustrating day, you are thinking your life is going to waste. You take your phone, and see a person – maybe even a friend – sipping cocktails on a tropical beach and bragging about their freedom, and – more gratingly –  being bale to afford a care-free, happy life … Continue reading Corporate to Creative in 10 Gruelling Steps: A Realist’s Guide

The Agony and Ecstasy of Serbian ‘Repats’

At some point you decided to leave for foreign lands, with the aim, perhaps, of getting an education, pursuing a career in a better organised place, or just seeing what life is like outside Serbia. Eventually, overworked and frazzled, probably in a cramped room somewhere in a big international city, you started thinking of Serbia. 1. The siren call You went there recently and found … Continue reading The Agony and Ecstasy of Serbian ‘Repats’