vintage chocolate

You know how everything sounds better when it's made from an Old Recipe?
They love using that in commercials, don't they?
Here's my favorite chocolate commersials.

I move slow and steady, but I feel like a waterfall

So I was gonna write a blog about how I'm getting one year older and that time runs too fast and that it's scary to look for jobs. (which I think I do every July)

and now I have.

They are complicated feelings that I'm unable to elaborate without sounding whiny. So instead I embed a song I love atm.

Little Talks by Of Monsters And Men are being used everywhere and Mountain sounds are on the radio so their songs were constantly stuck in my head to the degree that I had to listen to them. And now I'm in love with their album, My Head Is An Animal.

And this song, Slow and Steady, feels so right these days.

Ich habe Sauerkraut in meine Lederhosen

I have acquired an extra family (potential in-laws) that love Germany.
And I have decided that if I am to go on vacations to Germany every year in my future (and bring my future kids?), I can't keep having my boyfriend translating the restaurant's menu for me every single time.

So I'm teaching myself German.
I'm not going all out, I just want to be able to read signs and menus and to understand what the lady behind the counter is asking me (other that if I want a bag, I know that one. Eine Tüte bitte).

I feel mighty clever.
Though the thing I thought would make things easy (that the language is so similar to Norwegian) is actually making it harder. I have to learn which words are just versions of the Norwegian ones and which is completely different. And I'm no good at choosing the correct article (das, der, die), but I'm getting there.

Soon I'll be able to tell you more than that I have pickled cabbage in my leather pants.

Look. A picture that shows how committed I am (the German word sticker) and my boyfriend's painting skills!
(I got it as my Valentine gift this year. It's originally a painting by Picasso that means a lot to my boyfriend. Isn't he clever? :) )

Theatre is Evil

For over a year ago I mentioned Amanda Palmer's kickstarter in a blogpost. And later I posted how I was waiting for her new album. But I never blogged about the album itself after it came out.

I think the reason why is I don't know where to start and I feel like I have to say something about Amenda Palmer the person too. This is a person that I really admire. There's so much to say about her (biggest girl-crush ever). But I need to tell you that her album rocks so I'll make this post about that.

Theatre is Evil is different from her earlier work, but it's still her. And the whole thing feels so real.
I have already shown you my absolute favorite track (Want It back), but I'll show you some others. This to me is the kind of album where one song jumps up and hooks you completely and the moment you're starting to feel done with that song another song jumps up and do the same. Even now, it's been over a year since I heard the first released song from the album, I'm still stuck on it and have now been swept away by the b-sides.

Here's a really sad and beautiful song. Which I love. And even though Want it Back is my personal favorite, I think this one is her best and most beautiful work.
The Bed Song - by Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra




This is the B-side song I'm currently obsessing over.
From St.Kilda to Fitzroy - by Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra




And I love Melody Dean and Massachusetts Avenue and Olly Olly Oxen Free and and and...
You can get it all here. For whatever price you want (even for free).

And I'll embed a video illustrating how cool Amanda Palmer is. And a link to her blog which really is worth reading.

Nøtteknekker

Well I promised you an epic commercial.
Here's one.





One thing should be said though. When a commercial is epic like this it rarely tries to sell a product (unless it's a car-commercial but those are mostly just bizarre). This one is promoting Aker ASA as a good and challenging workingplace and a promising investment.

It even has a sequel.

WIPs

This is sort of an announcement for everyone wanting to see my crafting projects in progress.
I usually like to show off my pieces when they're finished, but since people have been asking to see my progress I have made a wip-page at my crafting blog, collecting all my unfinished projects.

You'll find it here.

(And did you know I have a crafting blog? fruitsofmymagic.blogspot.no)

:)

You're amazing

I think maybe Edinburgh is my favorite city of them all (of those I've visited at least). The climate is familiar to me, the people's accent is adorable, every wall reeks of history, the buildings are beautiful and the people are super friendly.

My sister already made a good resumé of our adventures in Scotland, but I thought I too should share some photos (even though they were taken with my phone and thus hold terrible quality) and highlight moments.

First of all. This is a view of Edinburgh New Town and Calton Hill seen through the battlements of Edinburgh Castle. One of the buildings you see contains our hotel. The Royal British Hotel (the picture on this page shows exactly how our room looked), and I must say that, even though the hotel was somewhat worn down and they were in the middle of renovating, the service was great and we couldn't have asked for a better location.

Next is a picture taken during our visit to Edinburgh Castle. The building is the Royal Palace and contains the Scottish crown jewels. (I've now seen the Scottish and the English/British ones, but not the Norwegian ones. kind of ironic?)

On our way down from the castle we met a nice lady with a vibrant lipstick who wanted to promote a book called Edinburgh Shorts. I thought I'd share this for with the way she told about this book (apparently it's a collection of shorts in different styles that's all centered around Edinburgh, there should be crime, drama, romance and comedy) it sounded really cool. I think I'll put it on my wishlist.

Not far from the castle is this old cathedral which is not used as a church anymore, but it is really pretty and I have eaten lunch inside it. How cool is that? It's called The Hub.

Also. just down the street from The Hub, near St.Giles Cathedral (which we of course visited) we were surprised by some street performers. Walking down Karl Johans gate in Oslo during summertime you will encounter people playing the accordion or playing guitar and singing Wonderwall by Oasis or Knocking on Heavens Door by Bob Dylan (usually they are good and you get in a summery mood, but it's always the same). Or maybe you meet people jumping around their cd-player. I don't know what the traditions on Scottish streets are, but to me this group of musicians was a welcome change from the accordions and cd-players. And they were really good! (it should be said that I love this kind of music.Cheerful strings). The sound quality in my video is horrible, but I hope you get the picture. (And at the very start you'll hear me say "...there's a man in the way though..."

Also! Silly me didn't think of filming this, but every day there was a man, in a kilt, playing the bagpipe at the street outside our hotel. And not just the kilt itself; the whole get-up! (I admit it. I have a thing for kilts).
It was really cool. Even though it resulted in us having bagpipe music stuck in our heads even after we left the country XD

About the superfriendlyness of the Scottish people. They say "thank you" ALL THE TIME. I'm astonished. The waitress even thanked us for letting her clear our table as if we were the ones doing her a favor... (no, thank YOU for bringing us food and cleaning up after us.)
Besides. On Norwegian walls you can find drawings of willies or sentences like "[someone's name] is gay" (that's how childish we are). On Calton Hill you could find stuff like this:

Maybe it's the other way around. Scottish people aren't extraordinarily friendly, Norwegians are just extraordinarily... cold.

Anyways. It was a great trip and I would love to return and see more of Scotland some day. It is a lovely place.
And I leave you with a picture of some doves taken in St.Andrew Square.

(For other dove-pictures, go here XD )