The sunniest, warmest day yet this year turned snow to slush, pushed the ice flows around in the fjord, and made me yearn for a sweet treat. Take one bottle of Coca-Cola from the Folkmuseet cafe plus one snowball, and what do you get? A free snow cone ! Positive temperatures…
Glow Bowling in Oslo
When Jonathan took the day off work on Friday, neither of us knew what we were going to do with that extra free time together. Unfortunately, we're not practiced enough with the cross-country skiing gear to pull off a last-minute run anywhere. So, it was up to me to choose…
Old Oslo: A Tour
And time marches on. This cool photo, taken from the heart of Oslo back in the 1880s (when it was still Christiania), looks from Stortinget (the Parliament buildings) down Karl Johns gate toward Det Kongelige slot (the Royal Palance). It was originally shared by Visit Oslo on Facebook , a feed…
The Oslo Weekender: Galleri Trafo in Asker
Asker is an affluent suburb of Oslo. It's where Crown Prince Haakon and his family have their home. The city is known for its many beaches and wooded trails, as well as shopping options and beautiful churches. We went to check out the Galleri Trafo . The gallery opened in 2006…
Camp Valentine's Day
It was a day of R omance with a capital R : R oses (Not a dozen. Apparently Norwegian blomster shops sell them in bunches of ten or fifteen!) R oot beer floats (with real A&W root beer, which made this expat very happy!) R eservations at Pizza da…
A Paperman Valentine
This is the way love should be. (And is.) Disney's Oscar Nominated short film, 'Paperman.' Ten years ago today, Jonathan told me he loved me for the first time. It felt like a big deal then, on a beach in Sausalito, California. He'd just trounced me at Go. My…
A Choice Not Mine
Are you Pro-Life or Pro-Choice? It's a stand which American society demands its participants take. This could have something to do with the rampant rise of ferociously conservative Christians in the Tea Party. Or it could be the natural aftermath of a still-raw wound since the strident political progress Feminists…
Where Cross-Country Requires Skis, Not Shoes
In Norway, winter is all about the cross-country skiing, a sport embraced by most of these healthy, active people. Last year, Jonathan and I hopped on the cross-skiing bandwagon with both feet. And promptly slipped and fell into the snow with a big, wet, surprisingly-bone-jarring thwump! It's tougher than it…