Same procedure as last year, Miss Sophie?

Every year on the 23^rd of December there is a tv show called Dinner for One and it has become a Norwegian tradition to see this today. At around 9pm the tv channel called NRK sends it, and everyone is watching it. NRK as tried to not send it a few times, but that was not a success with the Norwegian people. A tradition is a tradition, and you don’t mess with that. So in about an hour my family will be sitting in front of the tv, watching the hilarious show while enjoying some mulled wine and snacks. Like I said earlier, this Christmas is all about traditions and I cannot wait to continue with this one. You can actually find the show on youtube so I have attached it here for everyone to enjoy. So have fun, and a merry Christmas to all! 

Total Måneformørkelse – et sjeldent fenomen

I morgentimene i dag ble det observert en total måneformørkelse her i Trondheim, noe jeg aldri har sett før. Det var veldig spesielt og jeg måtte bare stå opp tidlig for å få med meg dette. Og det var verdt det.

En måneformørkelse oppstår når månen beveger seg inn i skyggen av jorden og en slik formørkelse kan sees helt uten noen virkemidler. Jorden hindrer da altså sollyset i å nå månedens overflate.

I morges kunne vi se at formørkelsen begynte, og det var noe tidlig også. Klokken 07.32 begynte det hele og det varer helt til noe etter klokken 12. Så noen timer. Jeg var ikke sen med å stå opp litt over åtte for å få med meg dette, og det første jeg så var at halve månen var i skyggen av jorden. Det var et nydelig syn og jeg fant fram kameraet mitt med en gang. Dessverre fikk jeg ikke tatt noen fine bilder fordi jeg manglet et kamerastativ. Så jeg får vel si meg fornøyd med at jeg fikk oppleve dette og leve på minnene.

Ifølge adressa.no var dette en sjelden måneformørkelse. Det er første gang siden 1378 at en måneformørkelse inntreffer så tett opptil vintersolverv, det vil si når solen er på sitt laveste og dagene går mot lysere tider. Det er da altså første gang på 600 år. Den neste måneformørkelsen som denne skjer i 2094.

Den totale måneformørkelsen var ferdig ca 09.54, men da var det allerede blitt veldig lyst ute og noen skyer så jeg fikk dessverre ikke med meg noe mer enn formørkelsen tidlig om morgenen. Jeg syns slikt er veldig fascinerende og håper jeg får sett og lært mer av alt det spektakulære som skjer ute i det store rom.

Kilder: http://www.nettavisen.no/nyheter/article3050453.ece, http://www.adressa.no/nyheter/kuriosa/article1565727.ece og mine observasjoner 

Bilder: http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/sorlandet/1.6179872, http://www.naturfag.no/vitenobjekt/vis.html?tid=913052

 

Trønderbataljonen --> Johanne

På lørdag hadde vi familiemiddag med mine foreldre og brødre, og mormor og Kjell Steinar. Da ble det servert pinnekjøtt ala pappa og det var et nydelig måltid. Jeg trur vi alle spiste litt for mye, men plass til hjemmelagde pepperkaker og kaffe ble det.

Utpå kvelden satt mamma, pappa, Kjell Steinar, Nils-Morten og jeg og surfet litt på youtube og da kom vi over noe som heter Trønderbataljonen. Pappa hadde allerede sett en del av det da det ble sendt på tv for noen år siden, men ikke resten av oss. Kvelden ble da avsluttet med latter fra oss alle siden det hele var temmelig komisk.
Mens vi satt og så dette kom jeg til å tenke på min gode venn frøken Johanne Sofie Nygaard. Hun prøver rett som det er å bli en ekte trønder og hun begynner å bli ganske god også. Skulle vel egentlig bare mangle med tanke på at vi nå har kjent hverandre i to og et halvt år. Så jeg dedikerer dette til deg, Johanne. Denne videoen viser deg hva du må gjøre for å virkelig bli en ekte trønder. Du er på god vei, og som Foley sier til vår gode venn Mayo: In every class, there’s always one joker who thinks that he’s smarter than me. In this class, that happens to be you. Isn’t it, Mayonnaise? Jeg vet at du kommer til å takle dette mye bedre enn Mayonnaise. God fornøyelse. 

Gingerbread men making

There will be no Christmas without some homemade gingerbread and this Christmas I decided to make some for the first time in a few years. My youngest brother Adrian was happy to help and we ended up having a great time.

When I was a little girl we always made homemade gingerbread men, it was a tradition. But as I got older and my brothers came to this world, it seemed like we never had enough time to do everything we wanted to. As my brothers get older we have time to do so much more as they can help more and I have a feeling this is going to be a great Christmas.

There are many different recipes for gingerbread men, but we bought dough that was already finished. It is actually just as good in my opinion and it saves times so you can do much more Christmas preparations. I also think that Christmas is for kids and I love seeing how happy my brothers are during this time of the year as they are excited about everything.

So as I said, Adrian and I ended up making gingerbread men and we had a lot of fun. And I could definitely feel the Christmas spirit. With only five days left until Christmas Eve we have some treats in the house now, as we made quite a lot, and they were delicious. 

All of the pictures are my own

Home for Christmas

Yesterday I came home to my beautiful but cold hometown Trondheim. It was nice to come home and see all the snow outside and actually get the Christmas spirit from it. And of course it was nice to see my parents and my brothers again.

I didn’t do much yesterday as my brothers had so much to tell me from the last three months I’ve been away, and they talked and talked and talked but it was nice. My youngest brother had made me a small paper bag with a homemade gingerbread man inside.  He gave it to me the minute I walked through the door. I was touched and I was really glad to finally be home.

My mum, my other brother and I went to City Syd today, which is a shopping centre here in Trondheim. My mum had a couple of more presents to buy and as we were walking in the stores if was clear that everyone was busy doing their Christmas shopping. Norwegian people are spending more money than ever on Christmas presents this year, and especially this weekend. This is according to Adressa.

When we got home, I took Nils-Morten, my oldest youngest brother, outside and we took some pictures of the snow in my neighbourhood, just for fun. We were outside for about ten minutes, and when we went inside again I realised just how cold it was. My hands were freezing as I did not wear any gloves when using my camera. I’m truly not in London anymore.

I hope everyone is enjoying this pre-Christmas time with their loved ones. 

All of the pictures are my own

A woman’s right to shopping - New York

I have actually been to New York twice in my short life, and this city has so much to offer. Shopping is one thing and the possibilities are endless. Both of the times that I was there I found a few places that I thought the shopping potential were quite good, so I thought I’d share them here with you. So these are my personal top four shopping places in New York, with a little fun story on the end.

Macy’s

Macy’s is a very popular shopping destination in New York, and it was a must-go-shopping-there for me both of the times I’ve been to NY. It is located at Herald Square, which is between 34^th and 35^th on Broadway. You simply cannot miss it. They have nine floors with absolutely everything for everyone. What I found very impressing was the extensive sales and impressive array of merchandise. When I was there last December they were actually open 24 hours the days before Christmas. So if you’re looking for a great place to shop, Macy’s the place.

Century 21

This is perhaps one of New York’s best kept secrets. Here they have designer items in good prices and it is not too good to be true. It is located on Cortland Street by Ground Zero and it has four floors of goodies. When I was there just before Christmas it was extremely busy, but I guess it’s busy almost all the time because of the low prices. But it is definitely worth visiting, especially if you’re already down town.

Niketown

Niketown is the perfect store to visit if you’re a professional athlete or just working out for fun. There are five floors where you can find all sorts of outfits for your training, so be prepared to spend a couple of hours here. It is located on 6^th East 57^th Street, which is close to the famous Plaza hotel and 5^th Avenue. I bought some running shoes here for a much lower price than in Norway, so if you’re looking for something like this then Niketown’s the place. It is actually cheaper in New York than in Norway.

Bloomingdales

Bloomingdales are well known for their small, medium and big “Brown Bags” and is a popular shopping destination for many New York visitors. It is located on 59^th Street and Lexington, which is the biggest Bloomingdales in New York. You can also find a smaller one in Soho. It’s a rather famous luxurious shopping centre and definitely worth visiting.

A little shopping story

Johanne and I had a very interesting shopping experience while we were in New York last Christmas. We were walking down 5^th Avenue when we came across the store Juicy Couture. We decided to go inside and have a look and Johanne ended up falling completely in love with a pair of gorgeous boots. They were a bit expensive, but when you fall in love then it’s meant to be. She asked one of the sales ladies if they had the boots in her size and she told her that they had one pair left. But unfortunately Johanne could not buy them because they had an orange sticker on them. This was according to the sales lady and we thought this was very strange as they lost some money by saying this. We asked why Johanne could not buy them because of the orange sticker, and the lady told us that she wasn’t allowed to sell them and her manager wasn’t there so she could ask him either. So I guess what I’m saying here is that if you’re shopping in America you should be prepared to meet some weird salespeople. We were a bit stunned about this episode as it was all quite bizarre, but it made a great story. 

Sources

Macy’s: http://gonyc.about.com/od/shopping/p/macys.htm and my own experiences

Century 21: http://www.c21stores.com/ and my own experiences

Nike Town: http://nymag.com/listings/stores/niketown_new_york/ and my own experiences

Bloomingdales: http://gonyc.about.com/od/shopping/p/bloomingdales.htm and my own experiences

Pictures: http://www.frugalcouponliving.com/2010/11/24/macys-black-friday-deals-2/, http://www.davidbarretthomes.com/contact_us, http://katiemacdougall.wordpress.com/category/brands/, http://photosfromnewyork.com/q/bloomingdales+new+york+city/

Christmas in New York 2009

Last Christmas was very special to me as I celebrated Christmas in New York with my best friend, Johanne. Last summer we had started talking about travelling for quite some time the following year and decided to work the entire summer in order to save money for our trip. Then one day Johanne rang me and asked if I wanted to spend Christmas in New York with her. Why I even pretended to think about it I really don’t know, because of course I wanted to. So we worked like crazy during the summer, and on the 21^st of December we were on the plane towards one of the most amazing cities in the world.

It was weird telling my family that I was going to spend Christmas in another country, but they were very supportive and happy for me. I ended up having such a good time that I absolutely do not regret going. I ended up buying some very nice Christmas presents for my family and boyfriend, so I think they were happy I went as well.

We stayed at the fabulous Roosevelt Hotel, which is on 45 East 45^th Street. It was actually a gorgeous hotel close to Grand Central Station and only about a ten minute walk to Times Square. Even though we were extremely tired we still managed to go outside and spend a few hours walking the streets of New York. It was the perfect start to a perfect week.

This was actually my second time to New York but it didn’t make it any less exciting. New York has a special charisma and I was thrilled to be able to see it all again with my best friend. I have to admit that one of the first things we did was a small (read big) visit to the Macy’s. It is the perfect place to shop in New York as they have several floors filled with goodis. I used my credit card a few times there and to this very day I am still enjoying everything I bought on my trip. Even though I was going to shop Christmas presents for people, I decided that I was allowed to shop for myself as well. After all, we are talking about a woman’s right to buy Christmas presents for herself. And yes, I did indeed buy a pair of boots that I completely fell in love with, and to this very day they are still very comfortable to wear. I did indeed get my money’s worth.

There is more to New York than shopping. There is so much to see and take in and we embraced the cold weather and were proper tourists. We saw Wall Street, had a visit to Madame Tussauds, Time Square, 5^th Avenue, saw the Statue of Liberty, had a small visit to Manolo Blahnik (no I did not buy shoes there, sadly), Chinatown and of course we saw the famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Centre. And one thing we could not miss while in New York at Christmas was ice skating in Central Park. It was actually quite bizarre to be able to do that as that is something you only see in films but it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Christmas Eve is the high point of Christmas in Norway so we decided to have a proper dinner at a fancy restaurant. After all, we are fancy ladies. So after talking to the concierge at our hotel and taking his advice, we booked a table at Benjamin’s steakhouse. It is located on 52 East 41^st Street and was also close to our hotel. It was a bit expensive, but it was Christmas and totally worth it. The service was fantastic and so was the food. Probably one of the best steaks I have ever had. After a couple of hours at Benjamin’s we went back to the hotel where we finished the evening in the perfect Carrie Bradshaw style; drinking a cosmopolitan.

New York truly is amazing and I find myself dreaming about the city from time to time. I would absolutely recommend going but perhaps not during December. It was extremely cold and you do shop more as you don’t do much sightseeing because of the weather. Personally I think August is the perfect month. But I had the best time and I am so glad Johanne enjoyed everything as well. Both of us are huge Sex and the City fans and I felt privileged that she wanted to travel with me on her first visit to New York. Thank you, Johanne, for a wonderful Christmas with you. There really is only one New York.

All of the pictures are my own.

This is for all you hardworking students out there..

This commercial always gives me the Christmas spirit, and with only a week and a half until Christmas I hope this will get you in the Christmas mood as well. For you who live in London I can understand that this can be rather difficult these days with no snow. And for us students this is the last week of uni before our holiday, which means essays, essays and more essays. Hopefully this will make you smile and think of the lovely holiday that’s just around the corner. So this is for all you hardworking students out there, you can do it! 

Dan Brown

Dan Brown is one of my favourite authors so it really was about time that I wrote about him. If there is one author out there who deserves to be acknowledged for his fantastic novels, it is Mr. Brown.

I got The Da Vinci Code as a Christmas gift from my parents many years ago and I absolutely loved it. I had never read anything like that before and I was instantly hooked. To this very day I am still amazed over how well-written Brown’s books are and I’m waiting and hoping that he will publish a new book soon.

About a year ago, his newest novel The Lost Symbol came out and I knew what I wanted for Christmas. My parents know how much I like to read and they told me when I opened up my present that they had bought the book for me before I had even told them I wanted it. Just proves that they know me, and it was very difficult putting the book down. I believe that The Lost Symbol is my favourite Dan Brown book.

What makes Brown’s book so special is that they are set in a 24-hour time period and they are featuring the recurring themes of cryptography, keys, symbols, codes and conspiracy theories. The chapters are small, sometimes as small as one page, but you can’t put the book down as each chapter ends with a question or an episode that you as the reader want an answer to.

Brown has written five exciting novels in the thriller fiction category. The Da Vinci Code was the fourth book he wrote and also the book that made him world known. His books has later on been translated into over 40 languages and sold over 80 million copies. His books are as follows:

 

 Digital Fortress, 1998 – published in Norway in 2005

Angels & Demons, 2000 – published in Norway in 2004

Deception Point, 2001- published in Norway in 2006

The Da Vinci Code, 2003 – published in Norway in 2006

The Lost Symbol, 2009 – published in Norway in 2009

The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons have also been adapted into films, but they have left out quite a lot from the novels so I would recommend that you read the books next to seeing the films.

I think his books are fantastic and definitely some of the best books I have ever read. In Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol we are following the lead character Robert Langdon and I almost fell in love with him while reading these books. He is so smart and so well written about that you feel like you’re in the room with him while reading Brown’s novels.

As Brown is a very well known author these days I’m guessing that most of the people out there have read one of his books, but I can’t help but emphasize just how amazing they are. I recommend all of his novels, but my personal favourites are Angels & Demons and The Lost Symbol. 

Sources: Wikipedia and Bokklubben

Pictures: http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/07/everybody_writes_like_dan_brow.php and http://www.ioffer.com/si/dan%20brown

Hoover Dam

On our way from Grand Canyon to Las Vegas, we made a quick stop at the famous Hoover Dam. We only stayed for about 30 minutes as it was boiling hot outside, but I thought it was worth mentioning as it is rather a rather significant attraction in the area.

Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1935. The dam impounds Lake Mead and its generators provide power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona and California. It is also a major tourist attraction and nearly a million people tour the dam each year.

My dad had been to Hoover Dam many years ago when he was working in the US with the Norwegian military, and he had told me stories about this place. I really wanted to see it so it was perfect that it was on our way to Las Vegas. But like I said, it was so hot when we were not sitting in our car with the air conditioning, but we managed to take a small walk around the area.

I was amazed over how big it was. The dam is the highest concrete dam in the Western hemisphere, standing at more than 220 meters above the Colorado River. I think it is also worth mentioning that the dam was named after Herbert Hoover, America’s 31^st president.

I thought it was very interesting visiting the dam as I feel I learned something new next to visiting a significant landmark in the US. It is only a short drive from Las Vegas, about 40 km, and you can make a daytrip out of it. I actually wanted to drive around Lake Mead as I’ve heard that was supposed to be amazing, but we simply did not have time to do that. But I would recommend visiting Hoover Dam. You can walk there on your own or you can sign up for a guided tour of the dam. If you’re there during the summer, remember to bring lots of water and have fun.

All of the pictures are my own, and the facts about Hoover Dam are from Wikipedia and http://www.vegas.com/attractions/outside_lasvegas/hooverdam.html.

A woman’s right to shopping – London

Many people are visiting London because of the great shopping possibilities that are here. I love shopping myself, and London truly is a shopping paradise. It is only three weeks until Christmas and the streets and malls of London are extremely busy these days. Of course Christmas is not the only excuse to go shopping, so I thought it was about time to share a few shops and malls where I think people should go when visiting London.

Westfield

Westfield shopping centre opened in October 2008 and quickly became popular. It has over 265 shops from over 15 countries spread out on two floors. Some of the stores you can find here are HMV, Guess, Topshop, Adidas and Aldo to mention a few. The Village is a must shop for luxury lovers, as you can find Burberry, Prada, Jimmy Choo and Tiffany here. There are also several restaurants and cafes where you can relax and save energy for some more shopping. In 2010 the cinema opened with a capacity of almost 3000. The easiest way to get to Westfield is by tube, and on the Hammersmith and City Line and Central Line the tube stop is Shepherd’s Bush Market and on the Central Line it’s Shepherd’s Bush.

Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street located in the Soho district. In this street you can find numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers and also a large number of independent fashion boutiques. It is a small but slightly busy street lying parallel with Regent Street. In this street you will find stores such as Miss Sixty, Diesel, Levi’s and The North Face. The closest tube station is Oxford Circus on the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines. All you have to do then is walk down Regent Street and follow the signs to Carnaby Street.

Selfridges

Selfridges is a chain of high end department stores in the UK. In London you can find Selfridges in Oxford Street, which is the second largest shop in the UK after Harrods. Next to the shopping, Selfridges is known for its windows decorations and now before Christmas the entire shopping centre is filled with Christmas lights. As Oxford Street is a must-see street for tourists, Selfridges won’t be hard to find. It is a huge shopping mall where you can find anything, from clothes to home and leisure to food and wine. The closest tube station is Bond Street on the Central Line.

Hamleys

London is not just for us grown ups, so we must not forget the kids. Hamleys is the world’s largest toy shops and in London it is located in Regent Street. It has seven floors with PG fun for kids and I promise that you can find anything here. Each floor is all devoted to playthings, with different categories of toy on each floor. My brothers are seven and 10 years old and when they are visiting me they demand to go to Hamleys. It truly is Mecca for kids and a must-visit store if you have kids or brothers like me. The closest tube station is Oxford Circus on one Bakerloo, Central and Victoria Lines. Just walk down Regent Street, you can’t miss it.

One New Change

One New Change is London’s newest shopping destination and it is located on Cheapside in the heart of London. Here you can find brands such as Topshop, Office, Banana Republic and Swarovski. There is something for everyone. There are also several restaurants, such as the popular Nando’s, but there are also some new concept restaurants such as Jamie Oliver. Personally I have not visited this shopping mall, but it is on my list. According to my research this is the new it-mall in London. The closest tube station is St. Paul’s on the Central Line. 

Sources

Westfield: http://uk.westfield.com/london/stores/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_London and my own experiences.

Carnaby Street: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnaby_Street, http://www.carnaby.co.uk/ and my own experiences.

Selfridges: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfridges, http://www.selfridges.com/ and my own experiences.

Hamleys: http://www.hamleys.com/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamleys and my own experiences.

One New Change: http://www.onenewchange.com/

Pictures: http://diarywhatsnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/westfield-london-welcomes-new-brands.html, http://www.bbc.co.uk/china/learningenglish/specials/1619_on_the_town/page2.shtml, http://www.little-impressions.com/partners_retail_selfridges.html, http://thekindnessoffensive.com/supporters/hamleys and http://www.photographycompetitions.net/2010/10/create-a-landmark-image/

Boyzvoice - Let me be your Father Christmas

Boyzvoice is a fictional Norwegian boy band. The band was originally formed by the Norwegian actor and comedian Espen Eckbo with the purpose of making fun of boy bands. In 1999 they climbed the charts in Norway with their Christmas single Let me be your father X-mas and it became a huge success.

I had completely forgotten about this song but one of my flatmates talked about it a few days ago and I had also forgotten how funny it is. Just listen to the lyrics, it is hilarious. This is not exactly a traditional Christmas song, but sometimes we all just need to laugh. Enjoy!

A woman’s right to buy a Christmas gift for herself

Yes, I could not help but spend some money on myself just before Christmas, and I bet that it comes as no surprise to the people who know me well that I spent them on new shoes. I honestly have to admit that I don’t need new shoes, I just really wanted them. When I tried them on I could not believe how comfortable they were. In London, shoes like this are very popular now and you see people everywhere wearing something similar like the ones I bought. I bought these shoes at River Island, which is a clothing store which also has shoes and accessories. If you’re going shopping in London I would recommend visiting River Island. Anyway, when I asked the sales lady if they had the shoes in my size, which is a 36, she said they only had one pair left. It was meant to be and I was in love. She also emphasised just how popular they are these days and that they have to order more sizes quite often. I have been wearing them outside and I do not regret buying them. They truly are comfortable and perfect for when it is not too cold outside. They are no Norwegian winter shoes, but perfect for London. So Merry Christmas to me, and I hope everyone out there has a lovely time before Christmas as well. 

Picture from http://www.riverisland.com/Online/women/shoes--boots/boots/black-lace-up-ankle-boots--591602.

Also see this website for more from River Island

Grand Canyon

After spending one night at Lake Havasu our journey continued to the amazing Grand Canyon. It took us about three and a half hours to drive to out hotel, which again was Days Inn. I have to say it again; it was cheap, continental breakfast and free parking. We really could not ask for anything better. From our hotel it took about an hour drive to get to Grand Canyon and I could not believe what I was seeing when we got there.

Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the state of Arizona. It is about 446 km long and up to 29 km wide. Nearly two billion years of the earth’s geological history have been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted. Recent evidence suggests that the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago. Since that time, the river continued to erode and form the canyon to the point we see it at today.

The canyon is one of the world’s premier natural attractions, attracting about five million visitors per year. I can totally understand why this is a popular attraction as I dreamt about seeing it for years myself.

When we arrived I was amazed over how grand it was. It all looked fake and looking back at pictures that I took it truly looks like I’m standing in front of a blue screen. But I promise all of the pictures are real. I cannot express how happy I was to finally experience Grand Canyon, but I also realised just how scared I am of heights when we were standing there. I was the only one in the group that was scared so I admire my friends for being so brave (and stupid!) as to walk on the edge. I tried that a bit too, so I actually saw just how far down to the bottom it actually was. 

What I did not know is that there are several hotels you can stay at that are on the canyon. You can request a room with your personal view of the canyon, but I imagine that it is a bit expensive. I did not mind driving for an hour as you can spend several hours walking the canyon once you’re there. You can also book helicopter flights over the canyon but that was also a bit expensive, or raft down Colorado River.

Spending time at Grand Canyon was a lot of fun and I totally recommend visiting this spectacular wonder if you’re in the neighbourhood. I guess I am stating the obvious here, but it is worth it. Make sure you have batteries in your camera and be careful on the edges. And if you're worried that you'll get hungry, you can always have lunch at McDonald's (yes there was actually one there). But most of all enjoy!

All of the pictures are my own, and the facts about Grand Canyon are from Wikipedia.

Bella Italia

There are many restaurants in London, and I thought it was about time that I write about one of my favourites. It is the Italian restaurant called Bella Italia and I had the most romantic evening there yesterday.

Bella Italia is a chain restaurant and is located on several different locations in London. In Leicester Square you will find two of them, and that is where we had dinner yesterday. Central London is so nice these days with the Christmas lights and walking around before dinner is the perfect way to start your evening.

Bella Italia is a very popular restaurant and the chances are you have to queue a few minutes to get a table. But it is worth it. The atmosphere is wonderful with Italian music playing softly in the background and you almost feel like you’re in Italy. It is actually very romantic. The waiters are nice and helpful and even though it is busy with many people you still feel relaxed.

The food is amazing and the prices aren’t bad either. Kjell Steinar and I had a three course meal with wine for £20 per person and we did not leave hungry. As antipasti, or starter, we shared garlic dough sticks with cheese, and as main course we both had pizza that was made in the perfect Italian style with thin crust. My favourite pizza would be Carne Mista, it truly is marvellous. In an Italian restaurant you almost expect there to be Tiramisu for dessert, at least I do. And Bella Italia does not disappoint; their Tiramisu is almost to die for and truly the best one I have had in London. You would have to go to Italy to have better dessert.

Next to having the perfect romantic evening, it is also perfect to bring your family. Bella Italia has a kids menu where children can have a main course, dessert and a drink for only £5.25. I have been here with my parents and my brothers and I have rarely seen my brothers finish their spaghetti so quickly.

 

I would recommend this restaurant for everyone who lives in London or who is here to visit. It truly is amazing. And if there are guys who are reading this, then please take your girl out for a romantic evening here. I sure had the best date there with my man. 

Pictures from http://frenchfrydiary.blogspot.com/2009/03/french-fry-diary-13-bella-italia.html, http://www.money.co.uk/article/1003969-2-for-1-at-bella-italia-with-the-telegraph.htm and http://www.canstockphoto.com/stock-photo-images/stemware_2.html

A woman’s right to enjoy Christmas films.

Christmas is just around the corner, and me being a film fanatic I have a few favourite films that I have to see every Christmas. Even though there are busy times these days with course work etc, I think it is important to take a moment and just relax with a cute Christmas film. It sure gets me in the Christmas mood and it is nice to cuddle up on the sofa with a cup of cappuccino and enjoy a good film. So here are my top five favourite Christmas films. Enjoy!

Tre nøtter til Askepott

This is a Norwegian film that NRK shows every Christmas day at 11am. It is a classic Cinderella story from 1973 and it is a tradition to see it every Christmas. NRK tried not to show it one Christmas a few years ago, but you do not mess with tradition. Watching this film is the perfect start of a lovely day. Because I only see it one time each year I believe this is my all time favourite Christmas film.

Home Alone

I love this film and it is just as funny to watch each year. This year I have already seen the two first films already and I can’t stop laughing. Macaulay Culkin is brilliant as the home alone kid and he kind of reminds me of my little brother sometimes. Also a must see film this Christmas. 

KEVIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Actually

I love this film! Everyone is connected and that the film is set in London makes it even better. Following eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas. After you have seen this film you can feel that love actually is all around.

The Holiday

The thought of spending Christmas alone is terrifying but after watching this film you start to believe in the magic that is Christmas. It is a cute story about two women who swap houses during Christmas in order to forget about their troubled love lives. It is a bit clichéd but I happen to really like it as it is nice to believe that anything can happen at Christmas.

White Christmas

I saw this film for the first time when I lived in America, and it now has a special place in my heart. It is an old film from 1954 but the songs and the dancing truly is spectacular. In order to save the Vermont Inn from failing two men and two women team up before Christmas to put on a spectacular show. If you haven’t seen it I would recommend it, it is adorable. 



Pictures from http://www.aftenposten.no/kul_und/film/article2838078.ece, http://julegleder.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html, http://letmeshowyou.blogg.no/quotes.html, http://cdon.no/film/the_holiday-623131 and http://www.yorkblog.com/smartfamily/2007/11/favorite_christmas_movies.html

Det norske juletre i London

I går ble juletreet tent på Trafalgar Square her i London. I de to årene jeg har bodd i London har jeg ikke tatt meg tid til å dra inn til sentrum for å få med meg dette, men i år bestemte jeg og Kjell Steinar oss for å dra. Jeg kom virkelig i julestemning og jeg er så glad for at jeg tok meg tid i år.

For å komme seg til Trafalgar Square er det bare å ta Bakerloo eller Northern Line til Charing Cross. Man kan også gå fra Piccadilly Circus, det tar maks ti minutter.

Hvert år tennes juletreet på Trafalgar Square og i år er det 64. gang et norsk juletre sendes fra Oslo til London. Treet er da altså en gave til britene som takk for hjelpen under 2. verdenskrig. Da jeg og Kjell Steinar kom litt før klokken seks i går kveld ble vi møtt med gratis kjeks og kakao fra Frelsesarmeen og julemusikk. Julestemningen kunne kjennes og ta på og selv om det er meget kaldt i London disse dager var det mange som møtte opp. Det er lenge siden jeg har hørt så mange nordmenn på en plass i London, det var egentlig ganske koselig.

Siden juletreet er fra Norge kom ordføreren fra Oslo, Fabian Stang, og holdte tale for oss som var der. Han snakket på både Norsk og Engelsk og nordmenn jublet da Stang ønsket alle velkommen på norsk. Ordfører Judith Warner i bydelen Westminster var også der og ønsket alle velkommen.

Den norske og britiske nasjonalsangen ble spilt over høytalere etter at treet lyste for oss og alle sang med. Det er vanskelig å beskrive stemningen som var der for den var virkelig helt spesiell. Dette er også noe jeg vil oppleve igjen neste år og jeg anbefaler alle som tar seg en førjulstur til London i disse tider til å ta turen til Trafalgar Square. Julen nærmer seg virkelig nå og jeg ønsker alle en riktig god førjulstid. 

Alle bildene er mine egne.