Maybe Life Isn't About This or That After All

Why I love both Starbucks mugs and handmade ceramics—and what they taught me about life. 

Life isn't about this or that. Life isn't black and white. And we can like things that contradict each other. I think it's because we, as humans, are multidimensional, even though sometimes we want to be perceived as people with never-changing principles and strong beliefs.

I don't want to go too deep... but what struck me the other day was when I was looking at my Starbucks mug collection. I love chunky mugs, especially for my coffee. I love drinking coffee. A lot! And I also love chunky mugs for tea in winter (I'm not much of a tea drinker during the summer months) and the occasional hot chocolate.

So, looking at my collection, I was thinking: should I feel embarrassed, or almost guilty, for buying from this American multinational chain when I should be supporting local handmade pottery makers?

And then I thought... I can love both! Why not? No one is making me decide. No one is threatening me to choose. It's all in my head. It's all the influence of society, of other people.

Why do I love my Starbucks mugs, and why do I collect them?

They have a very distinctive illustration style. It's influenced by mid-century (1940s–1960s) posters and postcards. You know the ones with simplified landscapes and bold colours instead of highly detailed scenery.

I like that each mug has a collection of symbols representing the place: the red Welsh dragon, Bratislava Castle, the Berlin beer, Prague's Charles Bridge. It's a visual story of each place rather than an exact landscape.

I like the limited colour palette. I like the simple shapes, the minimalism, and the clarity. I like that mountains are triangles, rivers are ribbons, and buildings are simple blocks — yet when you look at them, you instantly know what you're looking at.

The mugs are supposed to evoke a sense of travel and nostalgia. And they do. For me, each of my mugs has a story.

The Slovakia and Bratislava mugs — I got them after my first running event in Bratislava, the 10 km race as part of the 2025 ČSOB Marathon.

The Germany mug — I got it on our way to  Groomania in 2025.

The Wales mug — I got it on my way back from the amazing and unforgettable She Ultra 2026.

The Prague mug — I got it (actually, John got it for me) when we visited Prague in December 2025.

I still don't have an England one (how bad is that!!), and we didn't manage to get one when we visited Budapest. Well, hey ho! That means we'll have to go back.

Some of the handmade ceramics I LOVE

The Starbucks mugs are not the only ones I love. I also love AuraCera's contemporary luxury style with real gold detailing. It has a kind of romantic, soft boutique feel. Zuzka's mugs and cups elevate everyday rituals into something special.

I also love Keramika by Maga. It feels to me like each piece is a ceramic storybook. Andrea's work often feels more like a character than an object. I love that many of her pieces are not this or that (that's what this blog is about, if you haven't noticed lol). They're not just functional ceramics or just sculptures. They're both. When looking at the expressive faces and the animals, you can almost hear stories... you just have to listen.

Recently, I fell in love with the work of the Muoi Atelier, a ceramic studio in Bratislava. The Instagram algorithm brought me their content, and I'm ever so grateful. Lucia's ceramics are raw, organic, and minimalistic. She uses a neutral palette, uncluttered forms, and places emphasis on texture rather than ornament. Her pieces are mainly vases and bowls, but they feel like sculptures. When you see them, you want to touch them, you want to feel them. But I didn't dare when I visited her studio. I simply admired them from a respectful distance.

I went to one of Lucia's workshops and had an amazing creative experience. It was my first workshop there, but definitely not my last.

Now, can you see what I mean? 

There is no this or that. We can like (or love) things that are far apart. And that's OK. That gives our lives more colour, more taste, more flexibility, more freedom, and less judgment.

And you know what else follows this spirit in my life?

I eat healthily, prioritise protein (no meat, though) and fibre, yet I love Burger King's Vegan Whopper. I won't say no to the occasional Coca-Cola with loads of ice... and preferably with lemon. I love having my dinner at about 6:30 pm (three hours before I go to bed, as recommended), but if I eat later (sometimes much later), I'm fine with that.

I love hand stripping, but I love my three terriers nice, soft and cuddly... yes, they are clipped.  

Where do you stand? Are you a strict this-or-that person, or do you like colour, flavour, and flexibility in your life?

Jitka Križo Averis xx

PS: Please don't buy me any mugs!! I like to get my own :) xx