5 Things of Oslo Summer

Summer moved on. There is a song with this name, by A-ha. They know what they are talking about, because these guys are from Norway 🙂

The last two weeks I have had this feeling. That summer moved on. In some places in Europe it is still full summer and beach weather on. While in Norway the august brings mixed feelings and mixed weather. Though it has been warmer than usually, without those freezing mornings when you feel like winter is coming :)) Still the autumn feeling is creeping in. The low grey skies, the numerous rainy days, girls in fluffy cozy sweaters…

While some are pondering if today is the last day of summer or not – we know for sure. That there is no way back. We call this time here “sen sommer/tidlig høst” (late summer, early autumn). Before the real autumn sets it and wipes away the sunny memories, I want to look back with gratitude to the leaving summer – and remember my favorite things which it gave to me :))

What Inspires Me Right Now

I like to write posts with this title. Hopefully, this habit will stick 🙂

So now it is officially spring, full of new life and new ideas. In this city I especially feel its vibrant beat. I hope, you feel more inspired too this season.

These are the things that inspire me right now and give me boosts of happiness.

What Inspires Me Right Now

No, the past month hasn’t been rich in photos. It has been rich in life – but, sadly, not in photos. I have scrolled my mobile camera roll – nope, no great photos there either. But wait a sec. There are many bits and pieces I see there that have inspired me through the last months. Why not start this year by sharing my sources of inspiration with you?

 

blogs and bloggers

fashion

interior

Home: My True Colors

I have caught myself reading happily “Interiør Magazinet”(Scandinavian interior magazine) and thought: “Times have changed. Before I used to bury my head in InStyle and other fashion papers”. Is it how adulting looks like? 🙂

I love that Scandinavian magazine. I love their choice of homes, the minimalism, the color palette of whites, grays and quiet blues. When I raise up my head from the pictures, I start noticing the beauty of the everyday detail around me. But as much as I love Scandinavian style of living (and would love to channel that style on my blog), I find myself in the eclectic home, made up by my Catalan man and my Spanish dreams :)) So, maybe, one day my home will be emulating that tranquil minimalistic Scandi attitude – but today I share the mix and fusion that I find at home. Bringing out my true color :))

Pack Lightly. Travel Lightly

I love traveling with only a hand luggage. That teaches me to practice the art of minimalism.

When I can take a big suitcase, I usually throw in lots of things, hoping that they will work. Often I would end up with some pieces that I would never use on a trip. With the hand luggage and a week-long trip, I cannot thoughtlessly stuff in clothes. I need to choose, make combos and use my brain. When I pack then my carry-on, I end up with things I ultimately love. Just the best clothes, my favorite jewelry and simple solutions. I love simple solutions! And such packing makes me think about how I want to live my life.

The Real Luxury

Many wish for designer clothes or bags – my biggest wish is for life by design. And may the design be my own.

For almost a year I was working in the department store in Oslo that sells the most expensive and exclusive brands. Lately Norwegians have gotten more interest for the high-end products and Oslo started to develop its own area of luxury shopping. Some years ago these streets were filled with kiosks, small shops and cafes. Now in their place there are all the famous fashion names.

Walking past them every day, I had enough time and opportunity to contemplate about luxury. And I came to conclusion that, for me, luxury is not Louis and Gucci, not flying with a private jet, popping champagne bottles. The greatest luxury for me is to live my life by my terms and rules.

The Importance of Play

Sometimes I like sitting on the bus without headphones and listen to people. Mind you, on the bus in Norway everyone is usually very silent, except the teens and the foreigners. The locals speak to each other in low voices. One morning, however, I was lucky to hear an interesting talk. A guy was telling about his master thesis: a role of play in learning. He told how the first year of school was first meant as a transit from the everyday playing of kindergarten to the school life. And how it changed nowadays with the prevalence of testing and result-oriented study from the earliest years. “I don’t want to call it play, it is a little bit scary to use this word” – he said (and I smiled internally. Norwegians’ choice of words can be funny sometimes. Maybe, I will write about it one day). “I would better say “learning through exploring” instead of playing”, he continued. And I thought: Bingo!

Because my blog’s name is about exploring, that’s why 🙂 No, not just that. Because I also had been thinking about the concept of “play” – applied to our adult life. Sometimes I ask myself: how come we adults become so boring?

Traveling in Prehistoric Times

There are so many things that make our traveling easier these days. Apps, Tripadvisor, online maps and GPS, travel blogs. And still I wish for more. I wish for an option “to set back all the novelties – and travel like in the old times”. I am not so old yet (well, it depends on the perspective, my 37 is a stone age for the teens :)), but sometimes I feel like a grumpy old-fashioned lady from another century. When I start recollecting, I wonder if there are still many people who could understand what I’m saying. Let’s do it for a while!

Do you remember travelling without google maps? When you had to ask strangers for the way and figure out the instructions in any language. The best were Spaniards. On my feeble and polite “Hablas ingles? Do you speak English?”, followed by their energetic “Si, si, si” – “Where is this place?” they would almost grab my hand and go: “Mira, guapa, todo recto, de recha, al fondo, primera – no, segunda – si”. And I would just read their hand movements and improve my Spanish vocabulary immediately.

Lifestyle in Details

It’s been a while since I wanted to share impressions from my space – and couple of weeks ago this wish was rekindled by The Moonsoonfamily’s Mom post  in which she generously showed us her place. The post was called “Share Your Home” and I took it as a call to action.

Writing about things in my home in my previous post on minimalism also made me take my camera and document the state of affairs. This can be a visual follow-up on my story: a maximalist trying to change her way into a more minimalistic direction 🙂

An Attempt at Minimalism

When I worked in the Danish design store of jewelry and living, I liked telling the story behind the product because the story makes it more personal. I would often tell my customers: “When it comes to such things as jewelry, we want it to have meaning: either they are a gift from somebody dear, a heritage, or they have a story you can connect to”. I was not making things up, this has become my own truth too. I would say: “With clothes, I can go and buy some cheap t-shirt and throw it away next summer. With jewelry, I want it to last many years and have some special memory every time I use it. This is why I like when my necklace is a gift, even if I could buy it myself. And it is ok to give presents to yourself too, if you want to mark an occasion that is special for you. It is also ok when they cost some money – choosing and thinking over is all the part of the process. You would not want some cheap thing – it would not have the same value for you over time”.

I have come to realize that my relationship with things has changed. A lot. Growing up in a very turbulent time in Ukraine, right after the collapse of Soviet Union, I was not spoiled by things. I remember wearing my mom’s shirts and my dad’s flared jeans (I was kinda hippie and loved the 70s style). I remember shopping at second hand. My jewelry was self-made necklaces and friendship bracelets which fitted with the eccentric style of my hippie friends. While my girl peers were busy with make-up, pretty clothes and boyfriends, I couldn’t care less about it. I focused on studying and dreamt about getting into the Moscow university, filling my time and fancy with rock’n’roll music, the Beatles, drawing and making up stories with my friend. I was a typical dreamer.