Surviving the Holidays

Well, its now the 7th, so I guess its safe to say that the holidays are officially over!...although the tree that is still up in our living room might say otherwise, but that is neither here nor there.

I remember this time last year having some reservations about what the first Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas away from home might be like for me. I have almost always spent the holidays with my family and over the last couple of years, I have come to cherish a few newer traditions with my friends.

For instance, on Halloween, Suey has her annual Pumpkin carving contest that Kristin always wins!....I always come in second. One of these days you are going down my friend! :)

On Thanksgiving, my mom always slaves away all day making that quintessential meal that makes you feel REALLY at home and gets you in the holiday spirit, and then after dinner we would plan out our Black Friday shopping excursion. The next day, we would wake up at 4 or 5 am (although each year it gets earlier and earlier thanks to Target opening earlier and earlier) and go out to wait in lines with all of the other shoppers, and get all of our Christmas shopping done. I think we have done this at least 25 of my 28 years of life!

For the last couple of years I have thrown a Christmas Ornament Party so that I could have my tree covered in memories...and it was just a good excuse to get everyone together to all drink and be merry.

I also had a cookie decorating evening with my friend Val that I really looked forward too each year. The cookies got slightly more perverse and demented each year...so I can only imagine what they would have been this year!

My 5 "ring friends" and I had started doing a Family Christmas dinner a few years ago. We would all get together, just the girls....no boyfriend/husband distractions, and have a formal seated dinner and dessert at Kristin's house and exchange gifts. In the last few years, it had become one of the only times of the year (if not the only time) we all got together and just had a good time. No wedding, birthday, or shower of any kind. Just pure family time with each other!



Going into this holiday season, I was so preoccupied with the moving, job finding, and visa process that I really didn't have time to put too much thought into what it would be like. Then, just like that, they were over.








We spent Halloween at Knut's coworkers house. Norway does costumes....but not like what we know in California! Some people really went all out, but most put together costumes with the items they already own in their closets.















Thanksgiving this year happened to fall on my birthday. Obviously Thanksgiving isn't celebrated here, and Black Friday is a foreign concept....literally! That day happened to be the first day of the Sample Sale at my work, so that is where I was. They did surprise me with a gorgeous cake and pink champagne....which was SOOOO sweet!!










Knut and I didn't really do much. His gift to me was a surprise trip to Paris (more on that later) a couple weeks after, so on the actual day here in Oslo, we really didn't celebrate. But he did surprise me with a bottle of wine, a frozen pizza (Norway's official national dish) and a new Muubaa Clutch that he sneakily bought from the agency that I work in.




Then there was Christmas....where do I even begin?!? Normally the season is kicked off by Black Friday, but this year it was kicked off by an MMS from my mom in line at Black Friday (which made me cry for a only a minute or two...) and a surprise holiday trip to Berlin!

The company I work for too all of the employees on a getaway for our gift this year. We showed up at the airport, checked our bags, got through security, and still had no idea where we were going. All we knew was to bring our passport, and an overnight bag consisting of both day and evening clothes. We spent two days roaming the city attending Christmas markets (Berlin is known for having the best in the world I guess), shopping in some of the best stores, and eating all over the city.
We had such an amazing trip! I wish I could make that a new tradition to repeat each Christmas!



Here in Oslo, we attended the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. The whole city gathers in the center of town and everyone sings and they light the big tree. While we were walking down there from our house, we ended up right in the front of the parade of people walking up Karl Johan carrying candles to "light" the Christmas tree. Some woman handed us both a candle, and you would have thought she handed me a million dollars! I was soooooooo excited to be a part of it!

Decorating the house was fun. I love the way it looks with all of it's Christmas best on. It was a labor of love to get it up though. I had made an advent calendar for Knut this year. Each day got a surprise or gift of some kind. One day I decided I wanted to surprise him with a Christmas tree when he got home that night. So I stopped at Clas Olsen Norway's closest thing to Target) on the way home from work and picked one up. This just so happened to also be the first day of the year that it snowed. We opted for a fake tree since the real ones were all upwards of 100-200 including stands, and the fake was only 60. The box holding the tree didn't seem too heavy when I was in the store, but after walking for a couple of blocks it seemed to gain a few lbs or kilos to my norwegians. So I hoped on a bus. There are a ton that run from the city center (where I was) to our apt which is really only a mile, but when its snowing and your carrying a tree seems like 5300 miles.

Frazzled from the stress of the situation, I unknowingly got onto the 31E bus instead of the 31. No biggie...they go the same route, but the 31E doesn't stop at some of the stops the 31 does....one of which being the one in front of our house of course....awesome!! <---Sarcasm (That's for you Kristin!)

I had one of those moments where you just want to throw your hands up in the air and shout, "REALLY!?!"....The bus took me blocks and blocks past my house. I got off on the first stop I could, tried to go back in the other direction, but ended up only being able to get as close as 4 blocks from home...at about 3 blocks away the handle on the box broke, and the box fell in a pile of brown icky snow....awesome again! I manage the rest of the way carrying it over my shoulder like some kind of gorilla carrying a woman into its cave....but in the end, Knut and I got our tree and it was all worth it.

A couple of weeks later we had some friends over for a Christmas get together....

Caroline had just gotten back home from a work trip in the US and brought us back a present! These and Hot Tamales made my whole month!

Really nice night with great people!

In Norway they celebrate Christmas on the 24th. We went to Knut's Uncle's house here in Oslo and had a big traditional dinner consisting of mostly meats that I had never heard of before and have no idea what animal they even came from. I ate potatoes and some kind of carrot mash. I think I offended his Uncle's mother-in-law by not eating the meats. She was under the impression that I wasn't eating them because of some prejudice against norwegian food or something....I am not sure. But she gave me that angry grandma face and told me I couldn't possibly know I didn't like it if I didn't try it. I am ok with assuming...sorry!

After dinner we had ice cream and warm arctic berries. The berries looked like a yellow version of raspberries, but way more delicious! One of their family members had picked them and sent them over....you can't buy them in the stores and I guess they are somewhat rare. They were amazing!
Halfway through dessert Knut got yelled at (in norwegian) by his 4 year old cousin to hurry up because they couldn't begin opening presents if everyone was still eating. Santa came in a while later and brought the girls their gifts....we all opened the remaining gifts, had some more sweets, coffee, and wine and enjoyed each other's company, then made our way home.

As for the Christmas with my friends and family.....the dinner with the girls looked something like this:

                                 ....And Christmas morning with my family looked like this.....

All in all a very successful holiday season....but I am really glad to be done with it all and get on with 2012!

Lessons I have learned in Norway....the hard way.

I have been here about two and a half months now, and I cannot even count the ways in which my life has changed!

Along with these changes, I have learned a few very useful life lessons that I had to learn the hard way.
Here they are:

1. When it's raining outside, don't walk too closely to the curb....(or make your boyfriend walk on that side of the curb)....a lesson you only need to learn once!

2. Since moving to Olso, I have come to realize there are both pros and cons to not driving. While it is nice not to have to worry about sitting on the 405 for 3 hours in rush hour traffic, or not worrying about gas money, car payments, insurance, repairs, or designated drivers, the god awful stench of the bus some mornings is maybe worse than losing 3 hours of my like in traffic.

This isn't the worst part of the public transportation commute. One particularly cold morning, I was on my way to work, and layered up in a thick sweater and coat, and didn't think much of the fact that the bus seat felt cold....until I got up and realized "cold" really meant WET! It has taken all of my strength to not think about why on earth the seat of the bus would be wet, but I am going to just decide right now that someone must have spilled their water bottle.....right?!?!

3. "Slippery when wet" really does mean slippery! What the sign should read is: "Watch out asshole! Just because you can't see it, does not mean ice is not there and you will fall on your butt!"....now that would have grabbed my attention!

We have these little pebbles on the ground near my work, and I didn't understand what they were for. It looked like some truck had just spilled a bunch of tiny pebbles out of the back. I hated them because they get stuck in your shoe. Then, all day, you would click when you walk....they drove me crazy! That is until the first snow....now the pebbles and I have a new found friendship.

4. I never cared much for socks....living in CA my whole life, I never had to worry too much about them. We wore rainbows, ballet flats, or heels 90% of the year, and the other 10% we were either in gym shoes or boots, no one ever sees your socks and therefor you don't put much thought into them.

Here in Norway, socks have become something I need to worry about as much as the rest of my outfit. Not only do I need to worry about having warm enough socks (apparently only wool socks keep your body heat in), but I need to worry about them being aesthetically pleasing as well!

When you go into someone's home for a party, dinner thing, or just for vorspiel (the pre-drinking that happens at someones home before hitting the town), it is customary to take off your shoes. The first time we went to one of Knut's coworkers home for dinner, I had to change my whole outfit just so that I could make my socks work with the ensemble!

5. I grew up in the land of the Santa Ana winds. One time when I was a kid, the wind actually shattered my bedroom window just from the sheer force! I thought they were the worst thing in the world until I felt wind in Norway. Imagine a strong wind, but instead of being pleasantly and surprisingly warm, it is bone-chillingly cold!

6. Eating a hamburger or sandwich the "polite way". We have all seen that Seinfeld episode where everyone starts eating the Snickers bar with a knife and fork. Here it is considered rude to eat with your hands. Try eating a burger with a knife and fork without making a mess. It is maybe the hardest thing I have ever done!

I am sure that as the months pass, more embarrassing moments will come along to remind me on a daily basis that I am, in fact, a foreigner! I guess it's all of my bad karma for calling Knut a silly foreigner all those times when we were back in the U.S. Oh well....live and learn!

What exactly are you selling?

I mentioned in an earlier post that the T.V. commercials here are a bit more provocative than back home...

Here is just one example that was playing during America's Funniest Home Videos...

I dont know about you, but I am uncomfortable!

Damn Bird!

He may look all sweet and innocent, but I don't think a day has gone by where I wasn't woken up to this asshole's yelling! 

Oh and it's not just any yell either....he says "muwahahahahaha" like a horror movie monster!....wtf right?!?

Listen bird, Halloween was over weeks ago, and I am not amused! It is November now, and unless you start singing Happy Birthday to me (Since my bday is one week from today!!) or Christmas carols, I have had about enough of your lip!

Sincerely, 

Your friendly (and sleepy!), animal loving, human neighbor.

På Bølgelengde.....My Norwegian movie experience

Last night, Knut's uncle Arne treated us to a limited screening movie "premier" here in Oslo of På Bølgelengde (which translates to On Wavelength...or how we would say "on the same wave length"). Arne's friend had made the movie in the city of Stord, Norway where Knut's mom's side of the family is from. Oh did I mention the entire film is in Norwegian? 

First a little on the theatre itself. We start out by passing the Bar/ Cafe where you can buy a beer or cappuccino for your movie going experience. Then we went downstairs to get popcorn in what I can only describe as the movies very own grocery store (I say this because the "concession stand" was bigger than our local grocery store).

The only thing I could think about was popcorn....but you dont walk up to a counter where some stoned high school kid with braces gets your popcorn, here there are giant warming boxes...dont know what else to call them...filled with different sizes. You grab one and bring it to the counter to pay...

Then, we go inside to our theater. We find our ASSIGNED seats. Yeah, they assign your seats, and since we bought them right before the movie started, we were in the second row of the theater. But it wasn't so bad because we were in the coziest seats of all time.

Now a little on the actual movie. As the title On Wavelength suggests, the movie is about a couple who is not on the same wavelength in the beginning of the movie. The age old tale of girl wants wedding and baby, and boy craps his pants and faints at the thought of all of this.

I think the look on his face says it all....this is where she tells him she wants more.

To make a long story short, the main girl breaks up with the main guy because he wont commit and then is immediately engaged to some other guy....super creepy, gross guy I might add.

Said creepy and gross guy on the left with the bald head

During this time, the main guy character starts to get seduced by the local "hottie" as seen below.

"Hottie" with her top from Red Eye in 2001

Whenever this "hottie" comes on screen, the song "My Lovin (Never Gonna Get It)" by En Vogue comes on....yes the same En Vogue from 1992....and you're welcome for getting that song stuck in your head for the next week! I can't stop singing it. I think Knut has at least 5 sniper style videos of me singing and dancing to this song all alone as I cook, clean or go about my daily activities. I can't get rid of it now!!

In the end (Spoiler Alert for all of you american readers who will prob never see this film), the two main characters decide that they cannot live without each other and they get back together....and, in true romantic comedy fashion, she is pregnant with his baby! All is well that ends well right?

All in all, the movie was cute, and it was a really fun experience getting to go see a movie all in Norwegian that took place in the gorgeous small town that Knut's family is from. After the movie was over, we met up with the Director and a few of the cast and crew members. The only cast member was the creepy, gross guy though....and Knut and I immediately decided that his character in real life was not too far off from his movie character since in the first few minutes of meeting this guy he happens to (according to Knut since I don't understand a word of what he says) compare himself to James Bond and also tells us a very charming story regarding many shots and some embarrassing anecdote about the director...local celebrity at its finest I suppose! Did we happen to mention that we are from California?

I give the movie and the day 2 Thumbs Up!!

Judge for yourself...here is the trailer:

Those girls sound like they could be my people!

I had lunch today with a fashion industry person that I knew from CA. He happened to be in Oslo for about 5 hours meeting with one of the stores here, so we met up so I could pick his brain....nothing wrong with a little networking and a free beer right?

That's not the exciting part of my day though, the exciting thing happened when I was walking home. I am just crossing the street, minding my own business when I hear a couple of girls behind me talking. "Some d-bag in a lifted truck trying to get my number....." is all I could hear.....all I needed to hear. Lifted truck, d-bag, english speaking brunette....all those things add up to one thing: AMERICANS!!!

Naturally I immediately invite myself into their convo (I really am that rude american chic I guess) and ask them where they are from...One girl is living in Oslo, and the other in Germany and they are both originally from Seattle, WA! The girl that lives in Oslo lives in my neighborhood, and so we exchanged numbers and are going to get together next week. That means I officially have 2 new friends here completely separate of Knut and his friends (whom I love btw).

All of this say that I think I may be officially becoming the equivalent to that guy who drives down the street "hollering" at girls to get dates...."That d-bag in the lifted truck"....only I am not trying to win dates....just friends. And technically I am not "hollering" at people , just politely saying, "excuse me, I cant help but notice you're american". That's not as creepy right?!....well just humor me and tell me that it's not.

Nothing Like the White Noise of a Record Player...

When I woke up today I noticed that it was just a little bit colder....Winter is officially knocking on the door! So to enjoy my last bits of Fall, I decided to get ready for my day to the familiar sound of my records. I think today we'll start out with a little Bill Withers Ain't no Sunshine, and then follow that with some Phil Collins....because let's be honest, Phil makes every day just that much better!

....Two of my favorites....

Thank goodness for my record player coming back from the dead. We thought we had lost it there for a while. To those of you that don't know, you need to have some kind of energy converter for U.S. electronics, and we plugged the record player into such a device, but apparently not the correct one, because all we heard when we turned it on was a loud bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, followed by a POP! When we (ie: Knut) went to investigate what had happened, the plug converter had shot out of the wall! 

We thought the record player was a goner, but about a week later we decided to give it another shot, and plugged it into a different converter and it worked!!! Thank goodness we didn't give up on it! 

Suzie Freaking Homemaker!

Now that I am living a life that is completely foreign to me in every way, I have needed to make certain adjustments. The foreign life that I am referring to is not that of living out of the U.S., but that of an unemployed house-"wife" (I use the term "wife" loosely....honey try not to hyperventilate!).

So, to try to contribute to our household in a way that I never had much experience in before, I have taken to having a hot dinner on the table every night when Knut comes home to his clean house....(cleaning being the other "chore" that I have adopted).

I am quite proud of my dishes usually! Especially since the majority of my culinary skills back home consisted of Mexican food (easiest thing to make vegetarian without his objections),which i have been forced to branch out from since the necessary ingredients are difficult to come by.

Tonight's dinner: Pesto Chicken (for Knut), Pesto Tofu (for me), Balsamic Parmesan Cauliflower, and Balsamic Cinnamon Carrots.....delish!

Quick shout out to all of my Pinterest finds.....without that site, I would be a terrible house-"wife"! These are all things that I have made in the last couple of weeks that I would recommend trying...links to recipes are below....enjoy!

Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Balsamic, Honey, Cinnam

Black Pepper and Lime Baked Fries

Grilled Corn w/ Chilli Powder and Lime

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Crostini

Stuffed Peppers

DIY Smoothie Packs

Jello Shots in Apple "Boats"

Baked Apple Chips

Portobello Philly Cheese "steak" Sandwhich