Jelena Iva Nikolić je onaj tip žene kojem ću se uvijek potajno diviti ni sama ne znam zbog čega. Možda zbog toga što je starija od mene pa samim time i mudrija, možda jer uvijek spoji dva nespojiva komada odjeće i izgleda savršeno, možda jer super kuha, možda jer svaki projekt kojeg se primi, kako bi se reklo u narodu onako otrcano, pretvori u zlato, a možda i jer jednostavno pršti energijom. Zato uvijek volim popričati s majkom "Malog placa na tavanu", jednom od najpoznatijih hrvatskih food stilistica i iskrenom zaljubljenicom u život, a odnedavno i u Indiju.
Što se promijenilo u tvom životu od našeg zadnjeg intervjua?
Uf. Sve! Nisam više u dugogodišnjoj vezi, živjela sam s dvije cimerice, stvorila Mali plac na Tavanu, putovala u Indiju zbog zabave, ljubavi i treći puta - posla. To je onako, izvana, na brzinu. Iznutra sam kompletno druga, nova osoba.
Jesi li u međuvremenu spoznala neko ovo jelo koje ti je osvojilo dušu i tijelo?
Thali. Tradicionalno indijsko jelo koje se sastoji od više manjih jela. I masala chai. I ghee. I smoothie od ananasa, kokosove vode i lemongrasa s malo limete!
Reci nam sve o svom novom projektu Sanjam Indiju?
Namjesto odgovora, preopširnog, čemu sam sklona, nudim link:http://www.dreamingofindia.info/
Sve piše u istome. I to je projekt koji se još razvija i uključuje puno ljudi, događanja, videa, posla, sponzora, produkcijskih kuća - nešto kao par mojih snova u jednom.
Puno si putovala, ali Indija te posebno osvojila. Kako to?
Nemam pojma. To je izvan racionalnog okvira. Nikada nisam zapravo sanjala o Indiji ili Indiju. Otišla sam iz čiste znatiželje, kako bih otišla i u Burkinu Faso! Jednostavno smo se dogodile jedna drugoj. Ljubav na prvi zakorak. Naime, čim sam zakoračila na tlo aerodroma u Delhiju osjetila sam stanoviti energetski boost. Koji se aktivira svakim ponovnim dolaskom, odnosno zakorakom na indijsko tlo. Nit bijah u ashramima, nit brijem na spiritualni turizam, nit sam predana jogistica, iako godinama vježbam jogu, samo obožavam život i njegovu raznolikost, intenzitet. Indija je za mene kao život. Golema, odnosno beskrajna, prekrasna i zastrašujuća istovremeno, puna kontrasta, intenzivna i najnježnija i muška i izrazito ženska i senzualna i tvrda i bogata i siromašna i mentalna i tjelesna. I tako mogu do beskraja nabrajati sve kontraste koji su koliko različiti toliko i komplementarni. Nije li život satkan od svega toga?
photo: Grgur Žučko
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jelena Iva Nikolic: India didn't win her over with its spiritual tourism
Jelena Iva Nikolic is the type of woman I will always secretly admire and I don't even know why. Maybe because she's older than me, so therefore wiser, maybe because she always puts two incompatible pieces of clothing on and looks perfect, maybe because she cooks great, maybe because every project she gets her hands on, as they say, she converts into gold, and maybe because she simply bursts with energy. That's why I always like to talk to the mother, of "Small market in the attic," one of the most famous Croatian food stylist and sincere lover of life, and more recently of India.
What has changed in your life since our last interview?
Phew. Everything! I am not in a long-term relationship anymore, I lived with two roommates, created Little market in the attic, traveled to India for fun, love and for the third time - work. This is just a quick review. Inside am I'm completely different, new person.
Did you discover some new dish in the meantime which won you over?
Thali. Traditional Indian dish that consists of several smaller meals. And masala chai. And ghee. And pineapple, coconut water and Lemongras smoothie with a little lime!
Tell us all about your new project Dreaming of India?
Instead of an over extensive answer, which I tend to use, I am offering a link: http://www.dreamingofindia.info/
Everything is written here. And this is a project that is still evolving and includes a lot of people, events, videos, jobs, sponsors, production companies - something like a couple of my dreams in one.
You have traveled a lot, but India especially won you over. How so?
I have no idea. It is beyond rational framework. I never really dreamed about India. I went out of curiosity, like I would go to Burkina Faso! We just happened to each other. Love at first step. In fact, as soon as I stepped on the soil of Delhi airport I felt a certain energy boost. That is activated every time I come, or should I say step on Indian soil. I haven't been to ashrams, nor am I into the spiritual tourism, not am I committed yogi, although I have been practicing yoga for years, I just love life and its diversity, intensity. India is like life to me. It is vast, immense, beautiful and scary at the same time, full of contrasts, intense and tender and masculine and feminine and extremely sensual and hard and rich and poor, and mental and physical. I can recite all the contrasts which are so much different and complementary until infinity. Isn't life made up of all this?
Read more here
