torsdag 30 december 2010

Bangers and mash


I guess it needless to say that we did a bit of drinking and eating in London too... Brittish beer have a tendency to be a bit bland and flat. But that didn't bother us that much. A lot of pubs are part of different chains and the genuine pubs are hard to find (at least for tourists).



We did find one pub we liked (despite the fact it was part of a chain), The Pontefract Castle , located at the corner of St Christpher's Square. They had the most amazing bangers and mash (hot dogs and mashed potatoes)! I tried the wildboar/apples banger. With that a good serving of mash (somewhat dry) and luscious gravy and fried union rings. Dessert? Yes! New favourite word: Sticky toffee pudding! Heaven, I assure you!

onsdag 29 december 2010

Selfridges


When arriving in London, the first thing we did (after checking in to our hotel) was walking up to Oxford Street. It was late afternoon and the streets were lit up by all the Christmas lights. And then I saw the bright yellow sign belonging to Selfidges. I heard the voices of friends warning me to go in but I couldn't help myself. On a more technical note: Selfridges is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK (after Harrods) and was opened on 15 March 1909.


Oh and it was wonderful! The lights, the atmosphere and all the sparkling things, I was in heaven. I cursed my small wallet and thought if I'm not splurging out, at least I'm going to take a good look at all the goodies!


I caressed a pair of Louboutin's and I even saw a crazy fun pair of Alexander McQueen shoes! Mum had to drag me out of the shoe department.

måndag 27 december 2010

Home, sweet home!



Caught in a blizzard in London, we made it home just before Christmas. We were supposed to fly home on Sunday but that same afternoon, Heathrow closed. In panic, we ran back to the hotel, got a new room and started to find the first flight out. Around midday, Wednesday, we landed at Kastrup airport. Tired, relieved and broke we made our way home in time to celebrate X-mas. More images from London soon to come!

onsdag 15 december 2010

'scuse me luv



The spirit is high. We're off to London in two days! The 17:th seems to be a big traveling day for many of us. Darling V is heading home to the States and Melissa is coming home. I'm looking forwards to the massive x-mas decorations in the center of London. Might not be the most clever idea to visit London the weekend before x-mas but who cares?

tisdag 14 december 2010

Mmmm... beer...

I had a very flavorful weekend, I must say. Friday night drooling over the Nobel price dinner and on Saturday, a hearty winters breakfast to keep me running all day. I walked around in the shopping streets, trying to build up a thick skin before next weeks London trip. Then I went to Jenny's for a lovely glögg party. Nisse was absolutely adorable in his little Santa costume. Later that evening, I joined up with Davis and Martin. They had spent the afternoon watching soccer. We went to Malmö Brygghus and sampled some of their beers. I was in desperate need of some food so I ordered the meat plate... Mmmm... meat...

söndag 12 december 2010

Jewels

Friday the 10:th was the date for the ever so glamorous Nobel price dinner. Royalties, scientists and politicians all dressed to impress. Sometimes it works, sometime it doesn't.


This was my favourite: Filippa Reinfelt's lovely petroleum blue, asymmetric dress. Simple and elegant.


The Queen looked amazing in the emerald green dress. She topped things of sapphire bling!

Not so great was this pink dress with flowers on Mona...

or this apricot dress (forgot who this is). It was a little bit too plain for me...

onsdag 8 december 2010

Stick it to the Man!

Yesterday I attempted to blog about Wikileaks. I couldn't. The subject just overwhelmed me and I couldn't decide on what to focus on: Julian Assange's rape charge, the death threats on Bradley Manning, the American war crimes now out in the open or the diplomacy issue. I guess I have lost some faith in mankind. Seriously, what did you expect? By "you" I mean the government, the people in charge, the man. We, the people, might be a bit to gullible sometimes but hopefully that's changing. I hope that the governments starts to be a bit more transparent, admit their faults and start to use some kind of moral compass. Question: If the company you work for was up to something fishy, would you blow the whistle?

torsdag 2 december 2010

I am a WHAT?



Yesterday, my group at work had a day off to explore ourselves. We did a personality test. I'm always a bit skeptical about those kind of things, it's almost like a horoscope. According to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), I am a ENTP-type.

The MBTI assessment was developed from the work of psychiatrist Carl G. Jung in his book Psychological Types. Jung proposed a psychological typology based on the theories of cognitive functions that he developed through his clinical observations.

Using their primary function-attitude of extraverted intuition, ENTPs are quick to see complex interrelationships between people, things, and ideas. These interrelationships are analyzed in profound detail through the ENTPs auxiliary function, introverted thinking. The result is an in-depth understanding of the way things and relationships work, and how they can be improved. To the ENTP, competence and intelligence are particularly prized, both in themselves and in other people.

ENTPs are frequently described as clever, cerebrally and verbally quick, enthusiastic, outgoing, innovative, flexible, loyal and resourceful. ENTPs are motivated by a desire to understand and improve the world they live in. They are usually accurate in sizing up a situation. They may have a perverse sense of humor and sometimes play devil's advocate, which can create misunderstandings with friends, coworkers, and family. ENTPs are ingenious and adept at directing relationships between means and ends. ENTPs devise fresh, unexpected solutions to difficult problems. However, they are less interested in generating and following through with detailed plans than in generating ideas and possibilities. In a team environment, ENTPs are most effective in a role where they can draw on their abilities to offer deep understanding, a high degree of flexibility, and innovative solutions to problems. The ENTP regards a comment like "it can't be done" as a personal challenge, and, if properly motivated, will spare no effort to discover a solution.

Is this an accurate description of me? What do you think?

tisdag 30 november 2010

Cash or card?



Yesterday I did something I never thought I'd ever do. I applied for a credit card. I'm a little bit afraid of credit cards, all the stories you hear of people spending too much, taking loans to cover their debt and so on. It could easily turn into a downwards spiral to huge economical problems. My reason for applying is simple: I'm traveling much more now and I don't want to use my own bank card if the card gets skimmed. I know it could happen here too. So the card should only be used abroad or in case of emergency i.e if I slip on the icy roads and knock my teeth out.

tisdag 23 november 2010

Tell it like it is!

I don't know if it's the gray weather, all the horror movies we've been watching or just in general but I find myself wearing black and grays all the time. The black nail polish is chipping but I don't feel like removing it.



I really like the decadent jewelery from BJØRG, especially this ring with the statement "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn".

söndag 21 november 2010

What are you... like 5?

I'm not a big fan of baking. I have zero tolerance for sticky dough. But I love lussekatter. And julmust. So I decided to bake some lussekatter. I always thought that you made lussekatter in tribute to the Saint Lucia but no... The concept of the buns had originally nothing to do with Lucia, but is etymologically traced to Lucifer, the devil. It was in Germany in the 1600s that the practice of lussekatt started. The devil, in cat form, gave the child a beating, while Jesus in the form of a child handing out buns to good children. In order to keep the devious devil away, you coloured buns with the yellow saffron spice. The bright buns were scaring Lusse, ie Lucifer.


With that being said, D and I baked some buns. How is it that even though you're an adult, you can't help yourself shaping the buns to moustaches, ding dongs, boobs, poop and up-side-down crosses?!?!


They all turned out really tasty and with a tall glass of julmust, we enjoyed it like the five year olds we apparently are.

torsdag 18 november 2010

How do you spell 'graaoowwll'?

Fans of underground black metal music call Christophe Szpajdel the Lord of the Logos. This eponymous book is a collection of hundreds of Szpajdel’s powerful logos, each of which captures the force of this genre anew.


Through his surprising use of aesthetic influences such as art deco and nature, Szpajdel has brought a new dynamic into the gothic visuality of heavy metal.


Although you might not always be able to read what the logos says, I think they are lovely. This book is on top of my own x-mas list to myself.

fredag 12 november 2010

Green Lantern



The Green Lantern is my absolute favorite comic character. With the recent Hollywood hype for comic book heroes turning into movies, I'm glad they are making one with the Green Lantern.

Green Lantern is the name of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and power lantern that gives the user great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower and strength to wield it. The ring is one of the most powerful weapons in the universe, and can be very dangerous.

måndag 8 november 2010

Meeting his parents...

...is scary stuff. You don't do it too often (or do you?) and you never know what to expect. So I turned to All womens talk for some last minute advice:

1. Wait
Don't rush into meeting the family. Wait for the right time. Get to know your guy first. Once you're sure that this relationship is 'the one' then mutually decide to meet the parents.

Check. After 10 month of dating, I think it's safe to say that we waited the appropriate time.

2. Research
Find out about his family before hand.

Check. D spilled the beans about his family so I was prepared.

3. Venue
The right location is important. One good choice would be something neutral, like a restaurant. Choose one that is semi-formal unless you're a pro at figuring out the cutlery!

Fail! No choice there. Dinner at his parents house!

4. Punctuality
Don't you want to make a good impression? Don't be late.

Semi-fail. We had to adjust to the train schedule.

5. Gifts
We all love them. However, finding the right gift is important. So find out in advance from your guy on what would be a good gift.

Check! We stuck to the basics and handed over a nice bouquet of flowers.

6. Attire
Get as much information as you can from your mate. You don't want to overdress or look sloppy.

Check! I think I managed that one. I didn't wear the dresses I ordered from ASOS a week ago. It just didn't feel right.

7. Conversation
So you dressed up real pretty, but do you have a mind? Then prove it but don't go overboard. Try and not show off about your exploits and education. Try and involve all the members of the family. Be polite.

Semi-check! That I have to work on...

8. Flattery
Yes it works to an extent. Shower a little praise on them for making their son a fine gentleman. His mother certainly wouldn't mind a few compliments on the food or home decor.

Check! But that wasn't hard. Their home was lovely and the food was great!

9. Opinions
While it's fine to have an opinion on certain matters, try and stay away from politics, religion and gender issues.

Check! Soccer was the main topic of conversation, so no problem there.

10. Leave
After dinner stay a while and chat, but don't linger on forever. They will probably want to wrap it up even if the evening went well. So thank everyone for having you over and make a graceful exit.

Check! The dinner party could probably lasted longer but we had a train to catch.

To sum up... His family was absolutely lovely. Mad and loud and loving, just like mine!

tisdag 2 november 2010

HM ♥ Lavin pt.1



So, HM just released a sneak peek of Lavin's collection. Do I love it? I don't know. I haven't seen the whole collection but so far I'm not impressed. I'm a bit over the cocktail dress, zebra-printed trench coat and the pumps with floral patterns. Guess I'll have to wait 'till the 4:th of November to view the whole enchilada.

måndag 1 november 2010

Davids photos


Fotografier: Bild. 199

I'm a bit jealous of David. Or his camera. Or his eye for photography. I'm not sure which. This is a picture taken from our trip to Falsterbo. The weather was amazing. I took some pictures too, but with my analogue Olympus. That you will have to wait for a bit...

torsdag 28 oktober 2010

OKEJ



I grew up in the 80's. I read OKEJ magazine like a bible. With big eyes I read articles about A-ha, looked at pictures of Madonna and Cindy Lauper in awe and kissed the posters of Nikki Sixx. Parents were outraged by images of Blackie Lawless tearing pieces of meat with his teeth. Young boys drooled over Samantha Fox and her huge pectoral muscles.

The layout was mad, fonts all over the place and the colours clashed. But we loved it.

Now the original creators have put together a book featuring all the goodies from the 80's. The magazine still exists but doesn't have the full impact on youth as it used to.

måndag 25 oktober 2010

Cooking with a Tiger

Recipe for a great Saturday:


Run out and buy some carrots, yellow, purple and ordinary ones. Go to the fish market and get a couple of fresh filets. Don't forget the tomatoes, cream and white wine.

Round up the best little helper you can find. Preferably wearing tiger leggings and a I love Paris T-shirt.

And, Presto! A luscious fish soup. Bread from the local bakery and a bottle of red wine to top things off. Mums...

torsdag 21 oktober 2010

What the hell happened?



When I got up this morning and walked to the train station it was a beautiful autumn morning. 5°, no wind or rain. When I woke up from a much needed snooze in the hell hole that is Älmhult I saw this! What happened? I've still got a slight tan! I'm not ready for winter! I read in a article that this winter is going to be the coldest one in a 1000 years! Wasn't last winter the coldest ever?

Ps. I chose not to show a scenic winter landscape 'cause I don't like it. At all! Ds.

onsdag 20 oktober 2010

Food for thought



Is the current trend of supporting different causes taking the meaning out of the cause it self? We buy Product (red)-products, wear light blue ribbons and this month loving everything pink. In an article on good.is the author asks if "we [are] aware that breast cancer is not necessarily inevitable for a certain number of women, as public discourse would lead us to believe? Or that pink-ribbon marketing can hugely increase sales for corporations which may donate only a fraction of sales to research, sometimes while actually using chemicals linked to cancer in their manufacturing?" This when a diesel fueled truck delivered heating oil to the neighborhood...
Read the whole article here.

måndag 11 oktober 2010

Week 40

So what did you do this weekend? This is how I spent mine:
On Friday night, the sofa made an aggressive attack on me and I could not fight it. I watched 'The Expendables'.



Why, you might ask? Well, I was in the mood for a action movie that didn't make me think. And I really wanted to see one of my favorite UFC-fighters in action. I thought Randy Couture did a really good job. I mean, I didn't get annoyed with him. And to my surprise he wasn't the only fighter in the movie. Antonio Rodriguez Nogueira was also in it!

Saturday, David came over and we ate home made pizza. The plan was to go to the movies but nothing good was showing. On Sunday, Mum and I went to 'Moderna Museet' and saw the Alice Neel exhibition.


It was really nice and I think I have to go again because it was to many people there and so many paintings. And of course the mandatory coffee and pastry.



Mum always get a big smile on her face when I order something with blackberries. But that is another story in it self...

tisdag 5 oktober 2010

My greatest fear...

Do you remember this? Does the memories make you gag?



One reporter claims it's back. Apparently the sales figures are up 35% since last year. Who buys it? That is what I want to know. Read the entire article here (in Swedish).

torsdag 30 september 2010

Killed it again



As you might already know, I love flowers. All kinds. But the only ones I can't seem to keep alive is roses. I've tried every trick in the book: warm water, crushing the stems, a sugar cube in the water and so on. Do you have any advice?

tisdag 28 september 2010

Splash!



Question: Can a girl have too many wedge-shoes? I'm so stuck on the whole wedge-thing but I can't help it. I mean, just look at this creation from Tiamo (available at Scorett). Love the colour!

lördag 25 september 2010

Skeleton


I love fashion but seeing these skeletons walking down the runway is breaking my heart. I can't stand the ribcages and hip bones poke out. Yes, the girl might be natural thin, I'm not dissing her. I just want to see my favourite designers clothes (Ann-Sofie Back, Fall 2010) on a model with just a little bit more meat on her.

Image via elle.com

tisdag 21 september 2010

Silver fish hand catch



Whenever I get the blues, I turn to this man. I've seen almost all his delightful clips over and over again. Does your man smell like a man, man?

fredag 17 september 2010

Summer 2011?



There is nothing like modeling next years summer products in the fall in Älmhult with a whopping 11°C, wind and off-and-on raining! Well, that's what we did last Wednesday, covered in blankets and throws in between the shots, trying to stay warm. I just recently got my body temperature back to normal. I sure hope that non of us catch a cold.

lördag 11 september 2010

Kerry King's guitar

Yesterday (Friday) me and D went to Gothenburg to attend a vernissage at the Hasselblad Center for photography. They are now showing pictures by his favourite photographer, William Eggleston. He was so excited and couldn't stop talking about how happy he was to have squeezed the Master of Colour's hand. I had a good time too and even got to touch Kerry King's guitar!



But there's more... We spent the night in one of the weirdest hotels ever. The room was clean and nice but in the corner they had built a mini version of a Västkuststuga. In there was the bathroom. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of it but D did and as soon as I get it, I'll post it!
And another thing... When you order a double room, do you expect a king/queen sized bed or two small beds on each side of the room?

tisdag 7 september 2010

Funny! Or Die!

On a boring Tuesday, what more can you do but seek the brilliance of Zach Galifianakis? His series of interviews between two, sometimes almost dead ferns, are absolutely cracking me up!

söndag 5 september 2010

You Bastard!

This Friday one of my best friends turned 30! But this post is not going to be how much we all love and care about him but about the restaurant we visited and all fell in love with, Bastard.

Say hello to my other three best friends in the whole world, from left to right: Bourgogne, Beaujolais and Merlot (I know Merlot is a grape and not a region, I'm trying to be a bit witty).

For starters, I had the chicken liver pate with sardine sand capers. It was sooo good, I almost fell off my chair! The others went wild and tried the snails.

Main was a pie with ox cheek, chantarelles and green peas. Delicious! I also got a taste of the potted pork, amazing. And as usual I devoured the dessert before I even had a chance to take a picture of it. I highly recommend Bastard for all you meat lovers out there. Vegetarians, don't even bother.

måndag 30 augusti 2010

A weekend of Food

I've been eating like crazy this whole weekend, like a predator that eats everything in its way. Well, not everything.


Friday night I fried up these beauties and served them on a piece of toast. I guess you could do more with chanterelles but they do taste the best this way.


I woke up early Saturday morning, don't know why. But why not seize the day and head up to the market square. Realizing it was early, I needed a little something. This macchiato is the best in town!


I came home with a lot of goodies. Chevré, Taleggio, Parmesan and Gorgonzola Fiore from Möllans ost and red beats, beans, tomatoes and cucumber all locally produced. The Taleggio I practically inhaled at dinner time!
Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to take a picture of our Sunday night dinner. But I can tell you it was fabulous. A wild boar stew with asparagus potatoes followed by a apple crumble pie!

onsdag 25 augusti 2010

Must have this autumn...



It's been raining non stop today and I found the perfect autumn coat. From COS of course. I think I need to go to the Copenhagen store soon...

tisdag 24 augusti 2010

The Force isn't working



I'm sorry but this is just so funny!

fredag 13 augusti 2010

Trust is a big word



I don't trust the Internet. That is why I never post anything too personal on my blogs, twitter or other communities. But I know people who do. I can't decide whether that is brave or foolish. Maybe I'm just too up-tight to weather my emotions for "everyone" to read.

Image via weheartit

onsdag 11 augusti 2010

Sally Mann


Yesterday I watched KOBRA summer special on TV. It featured two of my favorite photographers; Sally Mann and Nan Goldin. I was quite fascinated with Sally Manns use of collodion. Its a technique where you use glass plates dipped in silver nitrate. My desire for my own dark room is now bigger than before. Maybe I can turn my closet into one?

söndag 8 augusti 2010

Back to work


So... Back to work tomorrow. I could easily have one more month of vacation. I can't really say I'm happy to get back to work. Yes, it might be fun to see my colleagues again but that's about it. I've had some great days at the beach, met old friends, attended a wedding, took some day-trips around Skåne and shot a massive amount of film. All that I set out to do. Still I feel that wasn't enough.

söndag 25 juli 2010

Fall Fashion


In the midst of my summer vacation, I can't help to look around what's coming up during the fall. I'm quite excited about the Scott Wilson jewellery collection for Asos. As you might already know, I'm a big fan of big, chunky bracelets so I'm keeping a look out for the blue one in the image. In the "shops" in September.

onsdag 14 juli 2010

It sure is easy

It didn't take me long to unwind. Summertime sure is easy and Ella is the Queen.

fredag 9 juli 2010

Summer time


Finally! The moment I've been waiting for has arrived. Four weeks of doing absolutely nothing or whatever I want to do. I plan to be lazy, sleeping in, eating breakfast in the sun, grabbing a blanket and head down to the beach with a good book or two. Maybe take a bus or train to a new place and walk around and take pictures with my new camera. Who knows?

torsdag 8 juli 2010

Got it!

I really want a new camera house for my Pentax Spotmatic and found myself searching the auction sites. I was bidding on a nice example, constantly being outmaneuvered. Then this caught my eye, an Olympus Trip.

The Trip 35 can be seen as the full frame 35mm version of the Olympus Pen camera. Isn't it cute?