About

Hi, I’m Ribana. I was born and raised in Romania. A beautiful country with a lot of problems. After I’ve met my husband, I went to live in Italy, a wonderful country that went deep into my heart.

I am a nutritionist, pastry chef, recipe developer, food writer, and ultimately a passionate home cook. I curate and develop recipes that are high on nutrition. I develop and test cost effective, nutritious meals using quality ingredients to help people improve their everyday eating experiences.

I love Mediterranean cuisine and I am an advocate of using fresh, hyper local, and seasonal produce. I am dedicated to helping people better understand nutrition and have a healthier relationship with their food. I am on a mission to help spread the real food message to as many people as possible through my blog Popsicle Society. My food philosophy is:

โ€œEat a little bit of everything.โ€

Some years back, we left our home, our family, our full-time jobs, we left everything behind and traveled more than 10,000 km away in a city where we did not know anyone, without a job, without a home, only us.

Today, are more than 9 years that we have been living in Singapore.

I love traveling, cooking, and enjoying this beautiful nature. We have a wonderful world.

Life is not always easy, but it gives us the opportunity. It is a continuous experience, a journey with no map and no rules.

We’ve engaged in this never-ending adventure! Let’s enjoy the trip and see where it will take us.

Ribana
Popsicle Society

78 thoughts

  1. What a brave thing to do ! Thinking on it, it is exactly what my parents did – 3 young children. Moved to a country on the other side of the world, Everything was new and different. And here we are still over 60 years later!
    Many blessing and joy in what you are doing. Thank you so much for the follow of my blog ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Nice to meet you and thank you for following me. I live in your birthplace now and we came from Florida… So… we share a similar road… one of adventure and dream following.

    1. Thanks for stopping by! You have a wonderful blog! I hope you enjoy living in Romania! It is a beautiful country with some problems like all the rest. It’s awesome to have the opportunity to follow our dreams and experience all these adventures right?…๐Ÿ˜Š

    1. Yes, thank you! Iโ€™m happy I did it! We donโ€™t know what are we able to until we donโ€™t step out of our comfort zone! It opens our mind! ๐Ÿ’•

  3. Well, I think you are braver than I am, don’t know if I could travel that far away! Thanks for following my blog, hope you will enjoy my odd adventures!๐Ÿ˜

  4. Hey Ribana, just wanted to let you know my blog is now private. Had some โ€˜problemsโ€™ I wanted to get rid of. Anyway, youโ€™ll need to ask for permission so I can grant you access. Itโ€™s easy, youโ€™ll see, just click on my blog.
    So, if you still want to follow me, you’re more than welcome to join my new playground.

  5. Happy to have found your blog. I’ve been in Singapore once and thought it was a nice place where to live. So I will read your blog to discover if I was right :-).

  6. Hi Rabina,
    Nice to meet you here & thank you for visiting my blog.
    I have never been to Romania but I know a few friends from there Anna, who sells homeless magazine โ€˜Big Issueโ€™ in my home town and Rebecca who sells the magazine in a town nearby.
    Glad to hear you are making a new life although away from your homeland.
    I have only been to Italy three times, to Venice, Naples and Rome. I find the Italian people are quite unique, warm & friendly.
    I have never been to Singapore.
    Take care

    1. Hi Margaret, thank you for stopping by ๐Ÿ˜Š What a small world having friends from Romania ๐Ÿ˜‰๐ŸŒธ
      Yes, for now we are travellers around the world….now we are in Singapore, later we don’t know ๐Ÿ˜‰๐ŸŒธ
      Italy is beautiful ๐Ÿ’• you have visited 3 important cities ๐ŸŒธ and all 3 so different ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š
      Is never too late for a Singapore trip ๐Ÿ˜‰๐ŸŒธ if you like hot weather ๐Ÿ˜‰

  7. wow you’ve been traveling around the globe ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ I love Singapore, I’ve been there once for a vacation. I only know one Romanian (born and raise I mean) in my life – and that’s my husband. Now I know 2, you and him. Of course aside from his family. Yes life is really hard, but it is beautiful.

    1. Oh wow, congratulations ๐ŸŽŠ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜‰ how small is the world ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š
      I would love to be able to travel around the globe, we have such a wonderful world ๐ŸŒŽ but Iโ€™m also glad and grateful fir what Iโ€™ve seen so far ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š
      Yes, Singapore is a beautiful city to live in ๐Ÿ˜Š
      Life is indeed hard but as you said it is beautiful and we must enjoy the journey ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜‰
      Thank you very much for stopping by and for your kind words! ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ

      1. Traveling around the globe is a dream come true ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for sharing your experiences here. Loving it. ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Hi Jessie, yes, traveling is awesome ๐Ÿ˜Ž We have such a beautiful world! Thank you for stopping by! Oh my hair, it doesnโ€™t like Singapore though ๐Ÿคช
      I was visiting your blog and Iโ€™ve noticed that we are using the same template ๐Ÿ˜

      1. I’ve never been outside of the USA, sadly! ๐Ÿ™ You are most certainly welcome. I noticed that too!!! great minds mean great taste! haha ๐Ÿ™‚

      2. ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿคช๐Ÿคช
        Is never too late to start traveling ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ˜Š
        Have a wonderful day! ๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒธ๐Ÿ˜Š

    1. Wow! I’ve really enjoyed it! I have left a comment but not sure it went through ๐Ÿ™‚
      Is so nice to read such wonderful things about my country ๐Ÿ™‚ I’m really glad you enjoy your trip and that 14.99 euros were well worth it ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Hi Ribana,

    I hope this email finds you well. You may find our book interesting. It’s called Making the Leap: An Insiderโ€™s Guide to Teaching in China.

    The book explores the transitions one needs to make when teaching Chinese students an international curriculum at an international school in China.

    Let me know if you’re interested in reviewing this book (impartially) in exchange for a free copy ๐Ÿ™‚

    Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com.au/Making-Leap-Insiders-Guide-Teaching-ebook/dp/B07XDGY5LH

    Kind regards,

    James Kennedy
    Melbourne, Australia

  9. Hi Ribana; this is Cactus Flower finally commenting on your site; I think for the first time, sorry! It sounds like your journey has been challenging as well as wonderful. You’re in Singapore? Are you familiar with Pastor Joseph Prince who is the Senior pastor of New Creation Church; called the Star? I listen to him a lot….anyway, I just got back to my posting after some challenging circumstances myself. I did 2 pages so you are welcome to check it out and do comment. I won’t know how you think about it unless you do; thanks so much! I will do my best to keep up with everyone else too……

    1. Hello and thank you very much for stopping by! Yes, still in Singapore currently ๐Ÿ˜Š No, I am not familiar with Pastor Joseph…
      Thank you for letting me know!
      Wish you a great day! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ’•

      1. Thank you very much Ribana; what is the correct way to pronounce your name? Singapore seems like a very beautiful country with a lot of building on the water from what I hear; is that right?

      2. Exactly same as is written, Ribana ๐Ÿ˜‰
        Yes, Singapore is indeed a beautiful country and since the space is small, yes, they are claiming sea around and transform it in land, and then building and building and building…๐Ÿ˜Š but even so is a very green city…a city in a garden ๐Ÿ˜‰

  10. Hi Ribana,

    Thanks a lot for following my blog.
    I read your blog. Great work !! I loved it !! The pictures are awesome !!
    I am from Pune, India. I have gone through your Eggplant recipe. The name “Eggplant” is new to me, but when I clicked the link eggplant I got to knew about it. In Maharashtra we called it “Vanga” in Marathi language and “Baingan” in Hindi language. There are many recipes we make out of it.
    In near future i will try to share that recipe on Recipe_Theatre by Latika Sagar (https://recipetheatre.in/)

    Regards,

    Recipe_Theatre
    By Latika Sagar
    Pune, India.

    1. Hi Latika,
      thank you very much for stopping by!
      I know in India eggplant is used very much but under different names ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thank you for sharing!
      Looking forward to your recipes ๐Ÿ˜‰
      Have a gorgeous day ๐ŸŒธ

  11. My story is similar. I left Poland 34 years ago when it was still under a communist regime. I did not hope I would be able to come back, even for a visit.I did go back many times, but my home is here in the USA. Even though things are difficult here now, I know I made the right choice. Good luck to you in your adventures..

    1. Sometimes we even donโ€™t know how courageous we are before taking such decisions ๐Ÿคช A brave move but Iโ€™m sure no regrets! I believe our countries will always be part of our journey but life sometimes has different plans for us ๐Ÿ˜‰
      Thank you very much for stopping by! Wish you the same! Letโ€™s enjoy our adventures as we never know where life will take us ๐Ÿ˜‰

  12. it’s always a pleasure to discover new blogs and meeting new fellow bloggers ๐Ÿ™‚ nice to meet you Ribana, cheers from Lisbon ๐Ÿ™‚ PedroL

  13. Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my blog!!! Iโ€™m so intrigued by your life store and have great admiration for the choices youโ€™ve made! I so look forward to checking out everything your blog has to offer! Iโ€™m already in love with your photos!!

    1. Thank you very much for stopping by and for your kind words! We need to try and enjoy this journey called life ๐Ÿ˜‰ Welcome to my corner of happiness โ˜บ๏ธ ๐ŸŒธ

  14. Ribana. Hello from Australia Brisbane. I am from Sri Lanka settled in Aussie now of course it is because both my sons are here. I am following your food and pictures. How come I have not written here. I have written and posted old Kitchen things on the 1st and pictures of SriLankan food stuff. Very different to your pictures. You might be interest to have a look :

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