B-ezinelifestyle | travel | food & drink | nature

Contrary to traditional magazine structure we invite you to experience something different.

Something new. Something that gives you the luxury of freedom. Just like picking berries

in a forest, or better yet in our resort plantation, we offer you to browse, read, and enjoy this

magazine not according to sections but to your own liking. Icons that are placed on sides of

pages will guide you through this experience.

Content

6

WE ARE BECOMING LOCALS After the ‘Vinska Vigred weekend’, we

needed some time to recover and to charge

our batteries. Monday as a ‘Silent day’ was

perfect for that! For the whole day we weren’t

allowed to talk to anybody (Ana was the only

one allowed to talk with visitors in the resort),

and trust us — it was not easy. Anyway, we did

good, but Ana chatted too much so we ‘hanged’

her and punished her with cleaning the next

morning.

Around that point we realized that we

should bond a bit with our neighbours and

get to know each other, so we decided to make

a party with them. We prepared baskets with

strawberries and blueberries and went to

invite the neighbours to join us at the dinner

reception in the resort.

While part of the team went to visit our

partners Berryshka, who produce artisan

chocolates and spirits, the others were

preparing the terrace for the reception.

Although in the beginning it seemed like there

won’t be many people, all of the sudden the

neighbours started arriving in large groups

and the terrace was completely full. Andreja

Veselič prepared finger food for us, while

we enjoyed giving the guests a private tour

through the camp. We want to thank her once

again — Andreja, you rock!

During this week we had the first journalist

ever in BB — Linda from Večernji List (Croatia)

with her daughter Nola and friend Sandra

joined us for few days. It turned out that little

Nola (5) is a natural born star, she had a little

singing show during the ‘Neighbourhood

party’.

On Friday morning we decided to go to Rijeka

to have some fun during the Student Days.

We packed our things and went to check out

Urban, Elemental and Postolar Tripper — the

7

T r i p p e r — t h e

bands that were on

the schedule for that

evening. The Croatian

girls were excited not

only because of the

concert but because

for the others that was

the first real Croatian

concert. And of course

Urban nailed it! What

better way to promote

good quality Croatian

music.

Upon returning to

BIG BERRY resort some

of us went to Zagreb to

pick up Martin from

Czech Republic — a

n e w m e m b e r o f

our colourful team.

Afterwards it was

time to open the

swimming season in

our camp. We decided

to try out our amazing

canoe, by putting a

rope over the river

and tying it between

the trees — right in

between Slovenia and

Croatia. Then, we went

full speed down the

stream and cut it for

the opening. Of course,

everything had to be

recorded by GoPro and

camera, along with our

many fails.

Although in BIG

BE R RY ‘ f re e d ay ’

doesn’t exist, let’s say

that our Sundays are a

bit more relaxing. We

went for a lunch at ‘Pri

starem Pildu’ and made

a recipe for the original

BIG BERRY salad — ‘BIG

BERRY BALAD’. Healthy

& delicious of course!

S o o n a f t e r th e

lunch, some new, and

very important guests

visited us. Chargé

d’affaires of Venezuela

Mr. Wilmer Armando

Depablos, who was

on his business tour

through Bela krajina,

and his colleagues,

along with mayor of

Metlika Mr. Darko

Zevnik, MP Ms. Violeta

To m i č a n d th e

director of regional

development

a g e n c y

Mr. Peter

Črnič.

All in all, one

more week is behind

u s a n d w e’ re

progressing

well, now

w i th e ve n

bigger group! Stay

tuned and wait for our

next post, weeks are

passing extremely fast!

9

A minimalist design, top quality materials, refined ergonomics and intelligent details. Berry has a character that one cannot overlook and is immediately recognizable from a distance. When you look closely, you will be impressed by its imagination and “smart” design signed by the Italian architect Alessandro Rado.

DIGITALLY ENGAGED IN K0LPA

Honestly, we are junkies. Social media and

technology junkies, but junkies no less.

It is a rare moment to spot someone without

typing or browsing something on laptop, or

swiping and snapping on a smartphone. We

are fortunate enough that we are surrounded by

nature. Recently we have started having “digital

free dinners”. No laptops. No smartphones. No internet. And oh boy we enjoy them.

We cook together and then dine. Just like in

the back old days when family would gather

around a table a be… well… a family. However, on

following pages we will not moralize you about

overusing technology. First, we are not the right

ones to give such a lesson. And secondly we have

something much better. You may read what

has caught our attention. What has recently

inspired us. What we think will give you some

food for thought. Oh, and don’t expect any

Instagram photos from our dinners. Enjoy!

CANOEING WEEKEND On the turn of the new week we decided

that we are going to make our very own

magazine — B-EZINE, that will contain the

highlights of our work throughout the month.

At the same time we got a last minute

invitation for the promotion of the special

edition of D&D magazine in Zagreb. Three of

us decided to hit the road and try to make a

promotion of BIG BERRY, which was done with

success. This event gave us an idea to do our

own magazine promotion, but more about this

in the upcoming week story.

While we were in Zagreb the other part

of the team went to one of our favourite

partners — Zlati Ghee. While enjoying the

truly special atmosphere among the Ghee-

Guys, we learned about the preparation of one

of our most favourite food in BIG BERRY and

dipped into the story behind Zlati Ghee…and

in the delicious hazelnut Ghee, called LeGhee.

The next day our dear Bibi from BIBI

turizem came to our camp to make a sewing

workshop with us. She brought little lavender

sachets which we marked with our cool pink

BB buttons. Every bathroom in each house

will contain these little refreshing bags.

After the workshop it was time to

explore the nature. Since we heard that the

surroundings of Semič have the most beautiful

spring in whole Slovenia, we decided to check

it out. Krupa river indeed is the most breath

taking place we seen so far in Bela krajina.

Group 2 went to pick up some of the last

strawberries this season at Kmetija Pavlovič’s

berry farm. Anja was the one with most

success, filling 3 boxes of strawberries, while

Martin ate most of his and was not very useful.

Apparently this is how vegans do it.

Saturday morning was the perfect time

for a canoe game. We divided people in two

canoes and went across the river Kolpa to

the waterfalls. The point of the game was to

sink the rival canoe. Since we all did our best,

we ended up in the water at the same time so

there were no losers.

After lunch we stopped by to check out

the abandoned castle in Gradac. The castle is

located on the curve of Lahinja river, where

the view spreads over the fall and continues

to surround the castle.

The evening was reserved for Andreja

Veselič’s official birthday celebration. The

people from Veselič really prepared a classy

party with roast, goulash and a lot of local wine.

BB gifted Andreja with a Rosé sparkling wine

from Semiška penina and a huge watermelon

filled with vodka. The watermelon was a true

star of the party — everyone liked it very

much. Especially our IT guy Rok, who couldn’t

take his hands of it.

Sunday started pretty intense with few of

us going on a canoe trip to Božakovo, which

was about 15 kilometres downstream. There,

we were pleasantly surprised with a basket

full of treats with notes from our girls Ana &

Hang.

While some of us were canoeing, the others

were preparing a Sunday barbecue in the BB

resort. Our fitness and boxing trainer Janko,

lived up to his nickname McJanko and did an

amazing job at the grill. But also our vegan

& vegetarian members prepared great

things — lots of salad, grilled vegetables and

veggie dressings. There’s nothing else to say

except — yummy!

After the BBQ and chilling in our lovely

greenish backyard, we had our usual week

meeting with bosses. Few constructive

critics, sharing some ideas and exploring new

methods, brought us to the end of one more

exciting week. Stay tuned, another post is just

around the corner!

17

People coming from all over the world to the annual Jurjevanje

folklore festival filled the streets of Črnomelj also this year.

Opening of the pulsating week packed with cultural events

started on Wednesday, 22nd of June in the Youth Centre with

dance and music performance.

It is the oldest of its kind in the whole Slovenia and possible

in the region bringing cultures together, introducing locals to

enchanting traditions, art and craft from remote parts of the

Earth. Where else would also locals get a chance to dance with

Columbian women whose smile are simply disarming.

Within the five days Jurjevanje hosted quality cultural and

entertainment program interesting both, for younger visitors

as well as for the older generation.

Jurjevanje 2016, the biggest folklore festival in Slovenia

Berry is a small world of comfort and sophisticated design. Small on the outside, but spacious on the inside. Refreshingly airy in the summer and pleasantly warm in the winter. Nothing too much, nothing too little. The luxury of a contemporary home in direct contact with nature.

As an event manager your creativity is one of your most

valuable asset. It is the reason why people keep talking about

your events months after it happened. Anyhow, there are days

when a new client stumbles in your office and requests an event

for his next product launch. He wants it big, he wants it great,

he wants it unique – and all that pops up in your head are the

flower bouquets of last week’s wedding you organised, the logo-

shaped cookies you created for at least 25 business events and

that one venue you could call your second office.

Obviously, your creative cells are somewhat hibernating

at some point if they constantly being asked for the next

WOW-factor that has never wow-ed anyone before. The more

events you plan the more experience you get yet the more you

might get caught up in a circle your creativity keeps spinning

around. Naturally your creativity is restricted at some point

since you are limited to budgets, laws and restrictions and,

last but not least, the question of feasibility. While you’ll self-

evidentially work within laws and restrictions and budget

limits over the years because there is no way of avoiding them,

the question of feasibility limits your creativity right from the

beginning – but why?

Just imagine the first brainstorming session you’ll have with

your team for that product launch. You’ll say “hey, why don’t

we create candy land?” – but right there and then comes the

question “…and how exactly do you want to realise that in

the venue?” In an instant your idea has been shattered into a

million of pieces, the castle you tried to build in the air is blown

away and you go back to the colourful flower bouquets from

last week’s wedding that have matched so well with the venue’s

style. Here you are again…riding the circle of used ideas.

Break It Now! Ban the question of feasibility from your very

first brainstorming meeting and start building castles in the air.

Big, colourful and insomuch unrealistic castles that even your

kid at home would give you a strange look and ask “Seriously,

Why building castles in the air is not a waste of time

mom?” Who cares if it is the middle of summer

but an igloo would just be the perfect place for

serving appetizers? What does it matter if you

never served the drinks with little remote-

controlled airplanes before? Collect ideas, as

impossible as they may seem, and later you can

still work on how to make it possible.

What helped me a lot in the past was simply

talking casually about the event to people who

do not actually work on it. They don’t have the

budget, laws and other restricting factors in

mind, they just go with what they would like to

see or experience. Build castles in the air with

your friends and even kids and put them in

your pocket to blow them up in the office. Make

them huge, because they will be built down as

soon as the question of feasibility pops up.

Anyhow, inside that big, colourful castle in the

air lies the idea that is actually implementable

and knocks your client’s socks off. If SpongeBob

Squarepants and his friends can have a cosy

bonfire under water, you can find a way to

make your event idea, as impossible as it may

seem, work.

A minimalist design, top quality materials, refined ergonomics and intelligent details. Berry has a character that one cannot overlook and is immediately recognizable from a distance. When you look closely, you will be impressed by its imagination and “smart” design signed by the Italian architect Alessandro Rado.

28

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK The week started with the arrival of

Leticia, a marketing consultant and blogger

from Spain. Also, Ana’s friend Sanja, who is

a painter, joined us for a few days. She was

having fun by drawing our portraits while not

looking at the paper. Some of them turned out

pretty accurate.

We were excited to visit Šuklje wine cellar

for the first time, where we were welcomed

with pogača, of course, but also homemade

salami and cheese… Matija’s smile and charm

got us from the start. He kindly took us to his

basement established in 1994 and explained 6

different sorts of wine. Everyone was excited

to learn more about wine until the first glass

of wine and first piece of salami took our

attention.

On Tuesday Anja, Ana and Vita went to

Zagreb to pick up Angel, the newspaper

editor of Novinite from Bulgaria. Anja, being

in Zagreb and Croatia in general for the first

time, received a mini Zagreb tour, followed

by the introduction to the range of Croatian

alcoholic beverages.

These days we had another very interesting

guest in our camp — blogger Dave, who is

currently on a cycling mission ˝Greece to

England˝. While we were sipping an apple

juice he was sharing some of his adventures

from past travels. Dave and his bike brought a

new wave of enthusiasm to the resort.

On Wednesday we went to Kmetija Pavlovič,

to pick last of this year’s strawberries, after

which we decided to treat ourselves with

amazing fresh strawberry cocktails, prepared

with gin and vodka. It was so tasty that even

Danilo’s youngest son was begging us to give

him some.

On Thursday it was finally time for the

official promotion of BIG BERRY’s very own

magazine B — EZINE. The evening started

with Andreja Veselič’s food corner, offering

žlinkofi and amazing salmon pancake bites.

Later on we continued with the ˝thank you

speech˝ to all our partners, without whom

BIG BERRY would not exist. The Croatian

girls gave the speech, after which the others

had to read few sentences in Slovenian. Later

on Miha Veselič, our very own harmonica

musician for the night, inspired us to shake

a leg along with some very delicious cocktails

by Jan and Tedi. They really did their best

and brought half of the cocktail bar from the

Ljubljana’s Zoo with them. Jan’s experimental

strawberry cocktail was the star of the night,

to the extent that people didn’t want to even

try anything else. Meanwhile Tedi took care

of the shooters –refreshing ginger and chilli

turned out to be quite amazing.

Friday was the day for new business trip,

at least for half of our team, visiting new

potential partners in Kranj and Ljubljana. We

were left speechless with Ljubljana’s hidden

gem — Mesto oblikovanja. Such an inspiring

Oton

Župa

nčič footpath

Mes

to o

blik

ova

nja

Oto

n Ž

upa

nči

č fo

otpa

th

Grilled Vegetables with tofu

and mushrooms

33

and magical place!

After a long and

exhausting day we went

to see blogger Andreja

Jernejčič, who prepared

a big celebration of her

birthday. Sorry for not

being in our best party

mood, Andreja. We will

make up for it soon!

On Saturday morning

we joined the locals for the

Oton Župančič footpath

walk. It was a great way to

spend the sunny morning

and see the picturesque

surroundings we live in.

Upon reunion of all of

us back in the BIG BERRY

resort on Saturday

evening, we went to

our beloved Izletniška

kmetija Zupančič for

their famous grilled

trout.

Sunday started gloomy

and wet, which almost

resulted in cancelling

the BB grill plans, but as

soon as the sky cleared,

our masterchef Janko

appeared in the camp

ready for grilling right

away. We enjoyed his

grilled veggies, together

with ajvar and some

grilled meat. The green

seems to be the new black

in the resort, veggies are

favoured by more and

more people. Janko didn’t

hesitate and prepared

delicious stew — this time

vegan.

One more week is

behind us, and as you can

see we’re in the action

all the time! Stay tuned,

you don’t want to miss

anything!

Content that makes (green) sense

Delivering content with value and that makes sense, not only

for me as a creator or to people, who might get lost within the

information pollution can be difficult with ever increasing

channels and platforms.

Which book should I grab? Which podcast should I listen to?

Which newsletter should I subscribe to?

Digital content, if structured and delivered appropriately,

can be both informative and engaging. Thus the value and the

message, be it the company you work for, your own project,

or just a message you are trying to get across, can reach your

audience.

Content has a value for someone else too. In 2010 Bolivia

declared nature “a collective subject of public interest”

protected by the “Law of the Rights of Mother Earth.” The more

suitable content you provide the more people will be able to

understand purpose of such content and its value. In this case

the value of nature - the very air we breathe, water we drink,

and the soil that feeds us.

With nature becoming more fragile by human made impact I

can see how content can make a whole bunch of a difference.

Content created not necessarily to reach your your marketing

goals, or get the most likes on Facebook but posted just for the

pure pleasure of sharing an enchanting view of landscape,

daring streams of rivers and adventurous hike trails in

mountains.

And no. The windmill in the scene does not ruin the image for

me. On the other hand it reminds me that people are trying to

find more environmentally friendly way how to live. If more

people are able to reconnect with nature they will be more

likely to realize the importance of Mother Earth and behave in

more sustainable way. Make content that makes sense.

Work from anywhere. Literally!Sign up for a co-living space, grab your smartphone and go

to the world. Anywhere. It’s that easy. This isn’t a call only for

your new travel adventure but for much more.

In today’s digitalized world, where cloud storages and apps

allow us to work from anywhere, the idea of home office has

been accepted by many companies.

There are both pros and cons of working from home. Speaking

personally, it has rapidly increased my productivity, enabled

me and my colleagues to work on projects and reach our goals

in much friendlier digital environment. On the other hand the

ability to be connected 24/7 can make it diffcult and to some

people almost irresistible to switch off, recharge, and fully

commit to your vacation or spend quality time with your family

or friends.

With desktop computer long forgotten, the dawn of laptops has

come as well. We have been getting this message over couple of

years. But only now, working in an international team at BIG

BERRY, I see how smartphones and tablets might soon replace

everything bigger that doesn’t fit in our sustainable cotton bag.

A recent project that caught my attention is called ROAM.

Their philosophy has incorporated all mentioned above. It is

a “international network of communal living spaces” inviting

people from all over the world to meet and work with people in

places that in my opinion have all something to offer. Whether

you move and live there for couple of weeks or months it will

surely be an unforgettable experience.

44

WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER Our week begun with visit to Šuklje winery.

Sounds perfect doesn’t it? Matija welcomed

us with homemade cherry strudel, pogača

and variety of wines they produce. We were

more than happy to try them all, as they bring

refreshment to the wine offer we had so far.

Šuklje is oriented more towards international

market, as we see from the selection they

offer — from Sauvignon, Rosé and less known

Laški rizling and Vrbanjka to Aurus, ice wine

that our ladies enjoyed very much.

On Tuesday Bulgarian bloggers, along

with few of us, went to visit Berryshka

distillery, where we enjoyed their exquisite

liqueurs — blueberry, cherry, walnut, juniper

brandy and so on… It was tough to leave, but

we had to say goodbye and hit the road again.

On the way back we realized that we could

pick some elderflower. The problem was that

it was the end of the blooming season and we

needed to go in the higher parts of Dolenjska

to find it. Luckily, Gače ski resort was close

by so we headed up the road and guess what?!

We managed to pick enough for about 30

liters. Huge thanks to Bulgarian experts Julia

and Kristian from Timetotravel Bg and Krasi

for making an effort. The whole process for

making syrup lasted 3 days but it was worth it.

In the end we got 34 liters of the syrup. Maria

from Travelling Buzz was the main chef so it

stayed in the hands of Bulgarians.

Next day in our schedule there were two

workshops. First one was vegan course in

Gostišče Veselič. Do you remember our “not

new anymore” intern Martin? You know, the

vegan guy? Okay, now you know. Well, Martin

and Kristina went to Veselič to prepare vegan

lunch for all of us and to teach Andreja some

vegan recipes. Martin was, of course, the

master chef, and with his helpers they made

the whole vegan menu which was so good that

Andreja decided to put in on Veselič’s daily

offer.

During the afternoon, BIG BERRY terrace

was bursting with creativity. Half of our

team was dealing with glass while others

with textile. Thanks to Jožica and Alenka, we

learned how to decorate the glass bottles we

want to recycle, and how to bring colorful life

to our linen bags.

Following two days, part of BB crew

together with Bulgarian bloggers, went on a

little road trip. When we came to Ljubljana,

tired of driving, first we had to restore our

energy. Is there a better way for that than

having an ice-cream and raw cake in Cacao?!

Yeah, we don’t think so.

Full of energy, we were ready for

sightseeing around Ljubljana which was

pretty cool despite the rain. After we checked

Dragon Bridge and Ljubljana Castle, it was

time for some good lunch. While roaming the

little streets of Old Town, we found ourselves

in a magic place — Skuhna — social project with

diversity of cultures and traditional cuisines

Next time when you’re in Ljubljana, this is the

place where you have to (but really have to!)

go to spend some time and explore new exotic

meals. (Check Kristina’s blog in Digitally

Engaged section)

After lunch, we went to Mesto oblikovanja

where we attended ‘International Economic

Architecture Forum’ and had an opportunity

to listen about design solutions

from architects from Italy, Belgium,

Germany, Switzerland, Austria and

Raw chocolate cake from cacao

Vegan banana bread made with Andreja in Veselič Kristina preparing vegan coconut curry

48

49

Serbia. The most special thing about the whole

evening (at least for us) was that we were the

first sleepover guests in this treasure trove of

creativity and inspiration.

After good sleep in city inside the city, we

headed to Postojna where we explored beauty

of local nature, cave and the castle. It was

pretty stunning, but we were more excited

about the next destination — Piran. We heard

so much beautiful epithets about it and you

know what — everything is true. No words

needed to explain beauty of place on the

coast. Just go there and see for yourself. Even

though it wasn’t easy to find it, we manage to

have a lunch in Fritolin, where Nina, friend

of our camp manager Peter, kindly welcomed

us. If you wonder where to eat a good fish or

tasteful veggie tortilla while in Piran — this is

the place!

On our way back to BIG BERRY resort, we

stopped by to check Open kitchen in Ljubljana.

It was full of people, food, good vibes and we

finally had a falafel for dinner.

Next morning, we were introduced to

social media expert, Simon, who will from

now on lead workshops for us. Watch out,

because after few weeks, our marketing team

will be unstoppable!

During the lunch break, part of the crew

visited Metliška Koupa which is famous

for hosting various local events, and one of

them was goulash competition for the days of

cuisine. There were 9 teams and all amateurs.

Main chefs were completely focused on

stirring and trying the sauce but we managed

to draw their attention with numerous looks

and questions about their recipe which was

not disclosed in the end… Must admit, they

have professional chefs’ attitude.

On the evening some of us went to Metlika

Museum to attend the celebration of 60th

anniversary of factory Beti. Even though we

couldn’t really follow the speech because of

Slovenian language, we used the opportunity

to have a private tour through the museum

with our Peter, who turned out to be a perfect

guide. We finished the evening with a little

fashion show of Beti’s products and we even

got presents — miniature panties.

Sunday was pretty challenging for us.

We had a ‘raw food day’ as a preparation for

‘no food day’ on Monday. As if this was not

difficult enough, our fitness and BBQ Master

Janko came on Sunday and threw another BBQ

party… Well, at least for our guests. But we

like to make things hard because ‘what doesn’t

kill you makes you stronger!’ right? After a

great salad we made with united forces, we

had another workshop with Simon.

With heads full of spinning ideas and

memories, we went to sleep, and what

happened when we woke up — read next week!

Busket with food for “Raw food day”

SMOOTHIES FROM SLOVENIA

You already know that we start our

days with physical activity. It only makes

sense that after warming, stretching

and preparing our bodies for busy days

ahead we need to give them fuel. What

better way than continuing the day with a

delicious and nutrient packed smoothies.

Always based on fruits and giving our

bodies vitamins, minerals and spoiling

our taste buds. See all our smoothies

with recipes included on Instagram

profile @smoothiesfromslovenia. Enjoy!

SUMMER HAS OFFICIALLY ARRIVED!New week started with pretty tough

challenge — ‘no food’ day. It was a bit too much

for half of the BB crew, especially because of

the international dinner at Youth Center

Metlika, so only four of us persisted to the

end. No pain, no gain right? Detoxed and fresh,

we (especially strong quartet) were ready to

continue the new working week in front of us.

Tuesday was full of activity. In the

morning we celebrated international day of

Yoga by having group ‘sun salutation’ at the

terrace — perfect start of the day for our team,

as well as for the present bloggers. The same

day we had promotion of Semiška penina

with our dear partner Gregor Simonič. Since

it was the first day of summer, of course that

promotion had to be something special. And

it really was — we put the table in our river

pool and Gregor did the presentation in there.

Even though it doesn’t seem like that, it was

freezing, and I mean REALLY freezing inside

the pool. Luckily, sparkling wine was that

good that we forgot about our goose bumps

from the cold.

Since the sun was still up, and first summer

day is happening only once per year, we had

our first summer games. Divided in two

teams, we had the water balloon fight, tug war

and one more game which still doesn’t have a

name.

Although the contest was erratic till the

end, the group “Peace” won the war. Take

a look of whole event in the video. Since we

hosted Croatian photographers from Foto

DaVu, during the week we had a little photo

shooting and now we finally have some profile

photos of the whole BB crew. Check out cool

photos of their stay in BIG BERRY resort so

you can see what you’ve missed.

59

On Wednesday we

couldn’t wait to come

to Amigo café in Novo

Mesto, where horseback

riding after drinking a

cup of coffee create an

amazing experience.

The farm has quite

many charming horses

plus a funny donkey

and a super cute pony.

They are not very easy

to approach but once

you get close to them

it’s hard to say goodbye.

As the weekend

w a s a p p ro a c h i n g ,

Jurjevanje was hosting

more interesting and

interactive workshops.

In the Municipal

museum we were

painting tote bags to

raise awareness of

recycling shopping

bags. The festival was

a perfect opportunity

to play more with

filming. It gave us

a chance to try out

different techniques,

along with narration

and some commercial

tricks. Check out what

our filming and editing

masters did.

In the evening we

headed to Črnomelj

once again. We didn’t

e x p e c t a n y t h i n g

special other than

usual bonfire, which

is apparently a very

common thing to do in

Bela krajina (even when

you can almost boil an

egg at this temperature).

Any way, what we

found out there was

amazing atmosphere

in little valley called

Jurjevanjska draga,

w i t h t r a d i t i o n a l

folk music which

a c c o m p a n i e d t h e

magnificent fire show of

four performers form

Hungary. It was short

but sweet!

The next day we

h e a d e d b a c k a n d

s t u mbl e d u p o n a

colourful Colombian

dance show. Dressed in

traditional folk attires,

the dancers showed us

the beauty of pasillo

dance.

60

61

A DEWY MORNING IN SLOVENIA‘This is lovely!’, I am thinking as I slowly

walk ahead. In front of me the crystal clear

waters of the river Kolpa leisurely flow.

Behind me the plush mobile homes are still

asleep. And everywhere I look, I see green.

Lush green pastures, tall verdant trees. It is

beautiful and peaceful and what I love the

most about it is the dewy feeling of the wet

grass.

Almost immediately my black jelly shoes

get wet and the dew drenches my toes and

heels, making me feel awake. It is seven o’clock

in the morning. Time when I am usually up

at home getting breakfast ready, planning

for the day ahead, frantically getting things

sorted and organised, all the while secretly

wishing that I could simply slouch back to bed

and spend the morning asleep.

Here though I feel relaxed. Fully connected

with the green world, yet world apart from

the imminent problems the Brexit result has

created for our little EU/British family only a

day ago. In a continent abuzz with the news,

with people overwhelmed by worries and

emotions all over social media, suddenly I

realise I have this luxury to be away from it

all for a little bit in order to recharge, rethink

and ultimately try to come up with a new

perspective about what lies ahead for us.

But then, this is what travel does for you.

It opens up a new horizon or three. It shows

you that things can be done differently and

that life continues no matter what. So, I savour

my little luxury of being here, enjoying this

dewy morning in Slovenia.

We had left Vicenza – our current

hometown in Italy – on a scorching Friday

afternoon. Windows wound down to let the

breeze in we traveled in our little red car

across the border with Slovenia loving the (not

yet lost) freedom of not having to show ID’s.

Then we crossed the country from end to end

all the while relishing its green hilly beauty of

picture-perfect villages with spacious houses,

enormous wooden barns and white churches

with high-peaked bell towers.

Wild flower meadows alternated with

fields of green corn and golden wheat.

We passed by the Postojna Caves,

the capital Ljubljana and then the road

meandered through the hills until we reached

our destination – the brand new Big Berry

glampsite.

It feels good being here. It is relaxed, with

sweeping views opening over the fields with

grazing cows on one side. On the other is

the river Kolpa which is in Slovenia on our

side and in Croatia on its other shore. I

look across the water. A tall blue slide

stands still, daring the wild

ones to go down at a

heartbeat’s speed

Rossi Writes

67

and splash straight into the river. A jungle

swing is right by its side, offering yet another

fun way to get yourself wet.

Later on in the day I see a couple of Croatian

boys doing just that. They grab the swing, run

straight forward and once above the water,

they let go. The water splashes high up, just

as they cut straight into it. Cue a mad laugh.

It is still early morning now and the

river runs quietly. I walk up and then down

its shore, getting my bearings around the

glampsite. To the right of our mobile house –

home from home for a blissful long weekend –

are the barbecue shack with its seating area in

the shade of a big tree and the relaxation pods

– soft red mattresses under white roofs where

you can snooze the hot afternoons away.

To the left is the beach volleyball pit where

later in the day a tournament takes place.

And then I find my favourite spot. A

floating pontoon has been suspended on the

river giving you the chance to paddle in the

clear waters without getting wet above the

calves of your legs.

I sit on the wooden ramp leading down to

the pontoon, feet firmly placed in the water.

The early morning sun is bright and strong

and the river is cool. Tiny little fish dart back

and forth at the bottom of the pontoon. A red

canoe sways a little further away from me.

It feels good! A perfect moment still in

time. I savour it through and through.

With summer in full swing we harvest fisrt herbs from our plantation.

Ra

fał

Her

szko

wic

z

To start your mornings off right start with physical activity - just like us. Every day. Whether you enjoy running, cycling, swimming, yoga or stretching with the sun rising by the river no it’s the time to get out and move.

MAKE IT OR BREAK IT.

T he word Mandala means circle. A

Mandala represents wholeness, a cosmic

diagram  reminding us of

our relation to infinity,

extending beyond

and within our

bodies and minds.

T h e   m a n d a l a

appears to us in

all aspects of life,

the Earth, the Sun,

the Moon and more

obviously the circles of

life encompassing friends,

family and communities.  

Mandalas are circular designs symbolizing

the notion that life is never ending. Many

mandalas have spiritual significance to an

individual or group of individuals. The Hindus

were one of the first people to use a mandala

as a spiritual tool, but the mandalas most

individuals are familiar with, are ones made

by Buddhists.

Used for meditation purposes allowing the

individual meditating to become one with the

universe. There are not many who are able to

achieve this state of mind from just studying a

mandala. The symbolism behind the creation

of a mandala can have significant meaning for

many individuals whether they are Jewish,

Buddhist, Christian, Pagan or of any other

religious orientation.  

Mandalas can be created by individuals

to symbolize their journeys through life.

Mandalas can also tell a  story of where an

individual has been.  In some cases they will

reveal the individual's path in life.  Groups

can create mandalas that will reveal what they

should be doing in order to grow and develop

as a group.

Coloring for everyone with BIG BERRY

Create a space according to your needs. My Berry is a concept of space created in cooperation with the leading Italian architect Alessandro Rado. The interior design depends entirely on your wishes, needs and ideas of what you need for a carefree vacation.

GRAND OPENING ON 30TH JUNE 2016

7 THINGS TO DO AT LAKE BLEDBled is a small town, northwest of Slovenia’s capital city, Ljubljana yet there is still quite a few nice  things to do at Lake Bled and around the town. Bled is popular with tourists but what the heck, sometimes tourist hot spots are visited for a reason – Lake Bled is stunning! Just picture a fairy tale story and you are there.   Here’s  the Lake Bled activities not to be missed (and what to avoid!)

1. A Bike Ride Around Lake BledLake Bled is the obvious reason to visit Bled but the paved road around lake is only 6k long so an easy stroll or pedal for travellers of all levels of fitness. The benefit of taking this trip is that you can see Bled Castle and The Church of the Assumption from different angles.

2, Hike to a Lake Bled Viewing PointT h e r e a r e a 15 signposted hikes around Bled which involve leaving the 6k paved road and trekking uphill, but the advantage is that they provide a viewing point, such as #6 Osojnica. Forgot your walking boots? No stress, Bled Castle also offers nice views.

3, Bled Castle, Fit for a KingThe oldest castle in Slovenia, according to records, Bled Castle overlooks Lake Bled in this romantic setting. Not only can you see

the lake from the Castle terrace but also the mountain ranges of the Karavanke and the Julian Alps.

4. Take A Bite: Bled Cream CakeOfficially called Cremeschnitte but affectionally known as Bled Cream Cake, this  custard delight can be bought at most

cafes and restaurants in Bled town centre.

5. All Aboard! Bled’s Boat RidesA hit or miss activity in Bled is the boat rides. There are several opportunities around the lake to hire a boat and paddle to The Church of the

Assumption on Bled Island the middle of the lake. Arms

sore from lifting the fork from your plate to mouth? You can hire a boat with a captain so s/he can do all the hard work for you!

6. Ding Ding! Ring The Bled BellA traditional thing  to do at Lake Bled is to ring the wishing bell of the church on Bled Island. This sound

will fill the air all day, or along as there  are tourists visiting

Bled!

7. Picnic At Lake BledPick up a can of beer or bottle of

wine and some snacks and watch the sun set (or in our case, the mist!) over this cute wee island.

84

How to effectively work across cultures. The world of stereotypes.

“We are told about the world before we see it”. Walter Lippmann

was trying to explain a method, when society categorizes

people, according to some several factors. Therefore, since 1922

there exists the «stereotype» term which was introduced in the

“Public opinion” publication. As a rule, public opinion simply

puts the “stamp” based on certain characteristics and divides

unknown world into «bad» and «good» parts.

Nowadays, the world of stereotypes is a widespread phenomena.

When you meet Russians for the first time, it is always easy

to assume that they are not afraid of extremely cold weather

and drink vodka every day. Meanwhile, this expression could

be absolutely wrong and dangerous for the multicultural

communications. All human’s actions and behavior generally

depend on the three factors, which is situation, culture and

person. If there is a lack of real intercultural experience and

knowledge, people are not able to define if they are dealing with

these cultural or personal specifics. Therefore, considering one

group of people belonging to the same cultural group, people

used to create patterns corresponding to the stereotypes and,

as a result, evaluate them in the same way.

Being aware of stereotypes is very useful, when you do not

evaluate people but describe and understand their norms and

rules better, as it influences the main process of communication.

Likewise, expectations based on the public opinion and

ignorance of the individual characteristics can negatively

affect mutual understanding. Besides, it is crucial to learn more

about different cultures and nationalities and create your own

vision and opinion, traveling and communicating with locals.

For example, BIG BERRY team visited international cuisine

dinner, where we saw presentations about China, India, Nepal

and Philippines directly from the native citizens.

Revise your stereotypes, stay open-minded and work effectively

across cultures with BIG BERRY!

Oljarna Pečarič

In the heart of Metlika’s

vineyards, the Pečarič family

does not only offer excellent

wines and comfortable

accommodation for travellers,

but also shares a tradition

of oil production with their

guests. The walnut oil, which

was the first one the family

produced, has come a long

way to be part of this diverse

variety today. From the first

350 walnut trees and over 300

hazelnut seedlings in 1990

the oil made its way out of

the shadows and is now well

known among tourists and

herbalists in the area.

Oil’s benefits to the human

skin or as a useful companion

in the kitchen are no secret

but that it also helps with the

functionality of the human

organs might be surprising.

P r e v e n t i n g c l o t h i n g ,

regulating blood circulation

or soothing the symptoms of

arthritis – each of the twelve

oils, from almond to walnut,

has its own “expertise”. The

Pečarič family produce the

oils from 100% organic seeds,

which makes all of them

genially natural and healthy.

Visit the Pečarič family and

experience their huge variety

of oils to feel what good they

can do for you.

From Big Berry, it takes

you only 15 minutes to visit

the family and listen to the

owner sharing their stories.

You can also build up the first

connection to the oil whenever

you are in the camp. Just come

and try it at our reception.

88

Walnut oil is a natural

balm and can be eaten one

tablespoon three times a

day. This is the best way for

losing weight. Eating that oil

in limited quantity is at the

same time blood cleaning

and avoiding the acidity

in the small intestine. It is

active to all acids, so that it

neutralizes them, then it fuses

with them and excretes

bio-decomposable lye.

If it blocks the acids

(those of the liver, bile, the

pancreas), it retards digestion

and the body gets only useful

substances from food, such as

vitamins, minerals, essential

amino acids, which are in

living proteins and in walnut

oil. Everything else excretes

undigested and decomposed

with lye and the body gets

e n o u g h p o w e r

to do all the

functions.

H a z el nut O i l has

around 60 percent of fat, 13

percent of proteins, 10 percent

of sugar, vitamins of group B

(B1, B2, B6) and E, ore wealth,

a lot of potassium, calcium

(more than 200 mg on 100 g of

fruits, nearly as in almonds),

phosphorus and magnesium, a

proportional

a m o u n t o f

iron, nearly 4

mg on 100g of

fruits and a

small amount

of microelements, there are

also selenium, strontium,

boron and molybdenum.

Due to its nutritional

integrity, it helps to set off

a nutritional shortage and

regulates a metabolism. Due

to a better metabolism, food

components can be better used

and less excessive fat gathers in

the body that is not burdened

by waste materials.

89

A l m o n d o i l has

a pale yellow colour, it is

almost without odour and

has excellent soothing effects.

Oil contains a lot of minerals,

vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E.

Almond oil can be combined

with any other skin care

products. Almond oil is one

of the most wanted oils

by aromatherapy, it

has a sweet taste and

is often used as a

basis for other odour. As food

almond oil0, it is generally

also used for feeding children,

it can be used as an additive to

soups, based food and stews.

Almond oil contains fat and

no cholesterol, it is a rich source

of diet fibers that provide for

a control diet. It protects the

skin, softens it, feeds it

and relaxes and soothes

inflammation.

P u m p k i n s e e d o i l contains proteins,

carbohydrates, minerals,

p o t a s s i u m , c a l c i u m ,

manganese, phosphorus and

iron. It also contains a lot of

essential omega-3 fatty acids

and is enriched with vitamins

A, B1, B6, C, and E. Pumpkins are

very popular in folk medicine.

They are recommended as

a compress for swollen and

tired legs, painful and burning

varicose veins. Pumpkin oil is

used for massage for headache,

backache, rheumatic problems

and by inf lamed and sore

muscles. Regular consumption

of pumpkin seed oil functions

soothingly on the skin, it

strengthens the teeth, bones

and hair, a cataract and the

degeneration of the yellow

spot. They protect

f rom different

kinds of cancer,

so by the lungs,

large intestine,

bladder, skin

a n d b r e a s t

cancer.

Upon my latest visit to Ljubljana, me and my Big Berry

colleagues were roaming the little streets of Old Town. The

colors and spices-filled air brought us to a place where cultures

and cuisine dance in a harmony — to Skuhna.

Founded as a social project where international cuisines would

be the engine for public debate and space in Ljubljana. Artists,

intellectuals, locals but also travelers are able to discuss issues

regarding empowering and integrating immigrants from

different countries who come to seek new home in Slovenia.

The very foundation of Skuhna is diverse in its nature. The

owner from Zimbabwe was enchanted by Slovenia, settled in

the country and found a reason to stay longer than anticipated.

With his Slovenian wife they opened the restaurant year and

a half ago.

“Our main aim is to raise employment opportunities of migrants and people of different cultures converge.”According to Skuhna’s employees their philosophy is not to

participate in “big business” but rather finding and supporting

like-minded projects. On the menu you will discover a truly

international blend - through chefs from India, Tunisia,

Bangladesh, Morocco, and Algeria - the food could not be more

diverse. Nor tastier!

Apart from delighting your taste buds why not come over for a

movie screening, or a poetry reading with a cup of coffee from

a small and sustainable producer.

Where cultures blend in international cuisine

Green materials always bring inspiration for architecture

design, especially interior design. Plants, flowers, wood

generate harmonization to the living spaces. And there is a

little young kid in the playground which has not been popularly

used. It’s moss. It’s environmental friendly, easy to implement

and owns great aesthetic values.

Moss is suitable to be used in various climate condition. It is

wildly used in tropical climate with hot summer, where moss

brings the coolness and moisture to the room. It even survives

well in extreme weather, like in the Antarctica because it can

stand the cold temperature and low light condition. Growing

and maintaining moss is, indeed, not a demanding job. In fact,

taking care of moss is less time-consuming as do it for plants

and flowers. Just pay enough attention to the humidity level

and it will grow well.

There has been a handful of moss’s uses being discovered. For

example: wall decoration; house and table decoration; and

household utensil.

Those decoration ideas create a fresh, rejuvenating feeling

for the house, bringing nature closer to the urban, noisy life.

Yet, this green baby is still open for new creative applications.

With people having stronger interest in using environmental-

friendly materials for housing decoration, moss will soon be

an important component of interior design.

At Big Berry, we believe the most luxurious living style is

when you stay with comfort, but in the peace and calm of

nature. Our designers always pay attention in using the most

environmental-friendly materials for the houses, and trying

to create the most natural feeling in every detail. If you are

interested in accommodation combining the luxury lifestyle

and freedom of nature, visit our website.

Moss - a new green material for interior design

Big Berry is a dynamic accommodation concept that perfectly combines the need to live in harmony with nature and the comfort of the modern home. It offers a variety of spatial concepts that can be

fully adapted to your needs. Through the eyes of Big Berry, life is simply wonderful. Big Berry crosses the boundaries of the anticipated and invites us to experience the true luxury of freedom.

From the early childhood

Zlatko was intrigued by

nature and it's healing

properties. Driven by his own

curiosity he self-educated

himself about the basics and

soon discovered the effects

of herbs and plants such

as nettle, dandelion, hemp,

and many more that nature

generously shares with us.

During the 80s he learned

that the healing properties

of plants are preserved

around 1 year after picking.

Knowing that, he did not

want to buy prepackaged

packages that are sanctioned

by the pharmaceutical lobby

proclaiming that they can last

years.

It was the beauty of

Slovenia’s nature which he

discovered when he was on

a road trip that made the

decision to move here easy.

What made him fall in love

with the country is still

around us today — hundreds

of plants and herbs which

can be utilized to keep our

physical, mental, and even

spiritual health at its best.

“Focus on the basics.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the

quantity of the plants,” shared

with us Zlatko during his visit

to BIG BERRY Lifestyle Resort.

It was sun-lit early afternoon

when we had the pleasure to

have him as a guide around

the herb plantation in the

camp. Among his favorites

plants still belong hemp, and

nettle.

Hemp Oil & TeaComposed mainly of

unsaturated fatty acids and

contains B complex and

E vitamins, which have a

positive inf luence for the

consumer. It contains the

ideal ratio of omega 3 and

omega 6 fatty acids for the

human organism as

well as GLA fatty acid,

which in nature is found

only in the hemp oil

and the human body.

2 teaspoons per

day are sufficient

for all the needs

of the human organism for

these fatty acids. Consuming

hemp oil has many benefits

for our body, for example

re n e w d a m a g e d sk i n ,

regulate cholesterol and blood

pressure and solve insomnia

problems.

Also beneficial for the

organism. For one cup of tea

you should use approximately

1 g of dried hemp. Boil water,

mix it with hemp and leave it

for 5-6 minutes to rest, then

strain and sweeten to taste.

It is recommended to drink

1 cup before bedtime for a

peaceful dream.

THE SUPERIOR MEDICINE - REDISCOVER NATURE WITH ZLATKO ZAKLADKO

106

I f you are in Metlika you

cannot not know or at

least heard of her - Andreja

Veselič, owner of Gostišče

Veselič, one of BIG BERRY's

most favorite restaurants.

A n d re j a i s a hu m a n

information center - when

you go to her guesthouse,

where she welcomes you

like you have been in and

out for years already and

truly makes you feel like

you are visiting a friend, she

will have an answer to any

of your questions. May it be

about Slovenia, Bela krajina

or Metlika...she knows it all.

She will teach you how to

bake belokranjska pogača or

will guide you through a wine

tasting with five senses.

Andreja is one of the most

active persons you will

ever meet. Besides the time-

consuming job in her family-

traditional guesthouse, she

engages herself in many other

activities. She volunters in

the management board of the

local tourist societe, called

Turistično Društvo Vigred

Metlika, that organises

Vinska Vigred, the biggest

event in Metlika, and in the

management board of the

touris societe of Slovenia,

called Turistična Zveza

Slovenije as well as in the

management board of local

tourist guides. Last but not

least, she also is part of the

vine lovers club, called Klub

Prijateljev Metliške črnine

and of the local chamber of

crafts, called Območna Obrtna

Zbornica Metlike.

She is the impersonation

of Slovenia's hospitality

and friendliness. For BIG

BERRY she is one of the local

attractions in Metlika.

Meet Andreja Veselič

Homemade things are just

the best. Inspired by

all the blooming elderflower

bushes, we decided to make

our own syrup. Due to our

busy schedule that idea was

being pushed back over and

over again and all of a sudden

there were not as many

blooming bushes anymore.

“Elderflower season is over”,

our neighbor said. Stubborn

as we are, we did not give up on

the idea and so we walked. We

walked through dark forests,

conquered one hill after

another and passed by many

roads until we found a little

spot by a skiing resort that still

offered our desired blooming

treasure. It was like they

waited just for us, so we picked

2 boxes full of elderflowers.

Full of pride the picking

team, which was supported

by Timetotravel Bg and

Travellbuzz, returned to the

BIG BERRY elderflower syrup

production headquarters and

started the production. The

elderflowers were carefully

placed in a bucket which was

then filled up with water.

This mixture was perfected

with some lemon slices and

citric acid. As the name says,

BIG BERRY likes it big, so

we used 20 liters of water,

500g lemon slices and 100g

of citric acid. We rewarded

the bucket with a shady, cool

place on our terrace, put it

to sleep with a lid and let it

be for about 2 days. During

these two days, we only woke

the mixture to give it a nice

massage – meaning stirring

it carefully – with a wooden

spoon at least twice per day.

A wooden spoon is required,

because natural materials like

to be treated by their kind and

would totally reject a massage

by a metal spoon.

A fter the wellness

vacation in the shade,

we took the bucket close and

added sugar. The ratio of the

mixture in the bucket and the

sugar should be 1:2, but can

also be 1:1 or even less sugar.

It just depends on how much

sweetness people can take.

BIG BERRY is pretty sweet

itself and cannot handle

hyperactivity due to sugar

shocks very well which is

why we used twice less sugar

than recommended. Just to

stay safe! ;) After the sugar

joined the party, we covered

the bucket again and let it

be. Throughout the day, we

massaged – as in stirred – the

mixture as often as we could

for the sugar to dissolve in the

liquid and the flavors to melt

into delicious syrup. After

the sugar was thoroughly

dissolved, we filtered the

mixture – the elderflowers

have done their part and could

be put to rest – and filled it

in glass bottles. Last but not

least, BIG BERRY sealed the

bottle with a kiss and proudly

shared the first BIG BERRY

homemade – or better “camp-

made”? – elderflower syrup

with our friends and guests.

W e truly believe the

extra effort we made

in finding our elderflowers

made our syrup special and

gave it a unique BIG BERRY

elderflower taste. Oh, and fyi

if you ever taste a “not so good”

elderflower syrup, it probably

became made because a metal

spoon came to close to it.

BIG BERRY’S ELDERFLOWER SYRUP PRODUCTION ADVENTURE

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