My new little black dress.

My friend Ingvild is a very talented young lady I must say. She is a fellow blogger at Ting som gjør en glad, a teacher and a self taught designer.  Just click here to take a look at all that she's done (the little black dress is mine!!!).  -Some day I will learn to sew like you and make you a dress my friend :)-

She made me the dress in 2 days!  

That is what I call dedication and a good heart!

My kind of jacket:

 

Looks like something that would be very well used in the Bergen summer nights!

Seen at Monki.

Oh my!

Kingsford Goes to the Beach - More bloopers are a click away

Read!

 

For a while now I've been wanting to find a book that I could fall for.  I've read many good books in the past couple of years, but none of them have made me want to read and read everything the author has to offer like this one, Ghostwritten by David Mitchell. Its a book about 9 different but interconnected stories, each taking place in a different part f the world.  The stories are about fate, life, metaphysics, tradition, seduction and it goes on.  I am still half way, but I truly recommend it.

Good Morning!

And what a good morning it was when I found this video of my friend Dermot's old band, Ten Speed Racer.  Dermot and I met at the mandatory Norwegian course you have to take when you want to become a resident in Norway.  He is from Ireland and moved here at around the same time I did.  He is now a solo artist working in Norway and I think when he finishes his record it's going to go BUM!  But for now, I will leave you with his previous band and a very fun video!  Very proud of you my friend!

Peonies and wild flowers....sigh!

Jonas got me peonies, my favourite flowers in the world for getting in to the Master, and Nina, my mother in law gave me the most beautiful-handpicked wild flowers.  They are both lovely and I just smile when I see them.

Me and my obsession with Oxfords!

Also found in black and white.

Found this pair at La Redoute, I think is the perfect summer-autumn Oxford but I already have enough...maybe... :)

MA in Fine Arts? Yes, please!

I am officially in the MA in Fine Arts program at KHiB!  I got the offer today and this is all I have to say:

YES!

Tapas!

We had a great weekend with the family at the cabin.  Although it was a bit windy and chilly, the sun was shinning all the time.  Saturday evening Jonas and I made some tapas to celebrate a very belated birthday for our aunt Mette (great excuse!), and here are some of the recipes and pictures of what we made!

Bruschetta

Tomatoes, fresh mozarella and basil

all marinated in good olive oil, salt and pepper.

We used olive focaccia, sliced and lightly toasted.

 -

Anders' Chevre & Vegetable Pintxo

I used green and yellow zucchini but you can use eggplant as well.

Toast some bread slices.  On a pan, stir some finely chopped onion

and garlic.  Add the zucchini. Let it reduce.  Add some salt, pepper 

and cumin to taste. You can also add some chicken stock if you wish.

Put on top of bread slices and add some chevre on the top.  Gatinate

in the oven.  AMAZING! (Anders you are a true kitchen genious!).

 -

Dates rolled in Cured Ham

Never disappoints! Take the seeds out of the dried dates.

Roll in bacon, or cured ham.  We used Serrano Ham and it

was great!  Gives extra crispiness.  Put in the oven for about

15 minutes in 200ºC or until golden.

 -

Foie with apple-pear butter

Toast some bread slices.

Have the Foie-gras (or duck liver pate) in the freezer so it stays firm.

On a very hot pan, fry thin slices of the Foie-Gras (just a bit on both sides).

Put on top of the bread with some caramelized apples, or apple butter.

We made a nice apple and pears butter beforehand.  It was very nice.

-

Pork loin with Brie

  On top of toasted bread slices put some brie cheese

and thin slices of pork loin (you should cook the pork 

on a pan before).  Put in preheated oven (200ºC) for a 

couple of minutes before serving.

-

Stuffed Mushrooms 

Take the trunks of the mushrooms (We used Champignon type)

In a food processor put a handfull of: almonds, fresh rosmary,

fresh parsley, 1 garlic clove,  about 30g Parmigian cheese, the 

mushroom trunks, 2 spoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt & pepper.

Make a paste and fill the mushrooms with it. 

Put in the oven for 15 min.

in 200ºC before serving. 

 

One more post today.

And since this blog is about ALL the things that I want (which are many that I actually don't need since I already have it all: an amazing husband, a family that loves me, the cutest 2 dogs, 2 countries I can call home, a great apartment, growing tomatoes, a mountain right behind my house, a job that I love, a bachelor degree in Arts, good health, many stamps on my passport, etc etc etc...) I am showing you this watch that I came across with today at Food for Thought as well.  I haven't had a watch for years, maybe since I was in high school and the last one I had stopped working, then I got a mobile phone and it stopped there.  Anyways, my father asked me about what kind of watch I liked a while ago, and it was hard to explain: feminine, but not too feminine, classic, but not too classic, not yellow gold, maybe with a leather strap, or not, anyways, I am in a search of a nice watch and I thought this one might be a good candidate.  I like the rose gold actually!  A lot! 

Off to the cabin!

Hi!  I am off to the cabin for a long weekend, I will be back on monday thought and I will show you all that I did there (can't say much right now because then I will spoil all the fun).  

For now, I leave you with this image that I found on at Thought for Food blog and thought it was worth re-posting it.  How I wish I could swim with elephants too!  They are my all time favourite animal!!! (next to dogs and horses... and sloths of course... and others as well...)

Love my:

Green High Top Convers

 

They are happy, and feel like summer, and are comfortable and look good with many things!   I've had them for as long as I've been with Jonas (since 2004-05) and I still love them like the first day :)

If I could choose the perfect bike it would look a lot like this.

At Public

and then... Berlin.

It is always great fun to have a trip with just girls.  Sometimes, I am a little bit skeptic on the idea, given that girls (including me very much) are complicated and sometimes difficult.  Not this time!  We had a great group of 5 I must say.  A good combination: 1 doctor, 2 economists, 1 teacher and an artist.  So, lots to talk and learn about each other.  

I have to say, I would sign up to travel with this gang any time anywhere!  

Then comes Berlin.  Berlin was just the perfect place!  It is a great city with lots to do, lots to see and lots to shop!  It is relatively "cheap" (compared to other European cities, and more over, compared to Norway!!!).  So our plan was to walk around, shop a little but, and relax mostly.  We all had been there more than once, so the pressure of sightseeing was gone, and we were left with lots of free time, no plans and good company.

From left: Me, Sigrid, Marit, Cecilie and Katrine.

First day in X-Berg, having pizza and beer.  Then we relaxed by the river.

Peeeeeerfect day indeed!

 Then Sigrid's birthday celebration, first a light dinner at

Monsieur Wong, and then Strawberry daikiries at Erdbeer Bar.

So much fun!  We rented bikes and cruised the city ALL day!!!

Then I managed to check out the Louise Bourgeois show :)

 

 Treasure hunting at the Fleemarket and Vintage shops.  Berlin

is definitely THE CITY for vintage shoppers.  

I also found some amazing fabrics. 

Tusen takk jenter!!!! Det var supert!

Back in Bergen

Hi there! It's been a few great weeks.  Finishing school, going to Istanbul with Jonas and then to Berlin with the girls.  Every place and thing we did was great, can't complaint!  So, now I am back, happy to be at home, and looking back at all the fun things I've done lately.

First, Istanbul!

What a magnificent city, the people, the food, the views!  It is such an eclectic place full of mixes.  Jonas and I had a great time.  We visited some of the main tourist attractions but also walked a lot around the city and just had time to be together and that is always a good thing.  

Hagia Sophia was just amazing.

 

Then the Grand Bazar, jeez, I got dizzy and hypnotized by 

all the things there, gold, carpets, fabrics, leather, noise,

towels, etc! Everything you can think of.  One thing: I suck

at bargaining!!

Mezze...mmmmmmmmmmm... the best, no question!

The best kebab I've ever tasted.

Then Jonas and I dressed up and went out on a date, to Mikla

restaurant at the rooftop of a hotel, and we had a romantic and

delicious meal, with Turkish wine which is not bad at all.

After walking in 30ºC all day, we needed a beer, and this is what we got:
A "clandestine beer" in a big plastic glass! 

We took a really nice trip on a boat on the Bosphorus.  This is Europe!

And this is Asia.

And of course, can't leave Turkey without having some tea... which 
tastes like regular black tea actually, but in cute little glasses.

Finally, we were there while the attack from the Israel to
the supply boat to Gaza coming from Turkey was attacked.
There were some protests going on, of course. This one was
at Taksim square.