Figgjo! What's Up?

So, this is probably the only store (but coolest) open on Sundays around here. I have grown to love this local factory as they make all this fine china, just down the street (and to the left, then just ahead a bit - and to the right ;)

The weird thing is that my mother works in a small local boutique of second hand goods, back in Canada, and she came across these two cups - as she picks up anything made in Norway for me.

It's crazy - because she found the two cups from the "Lotte" collection (see right). The funny thing is, this collection has never been reproduced after their "failed attempt" of Bone China, which is how this design was produced, and made Figgjo famous back in 1963.

It is actually featured in their museum behind plexiglas (see left). I can't get over how my mom would come across such a thing over there and for the factory to be 15 minutes away from where I live here :) It was destiny!

Figgjo has pretty distinct pieces now. They are quite popular locally in Hotels and Restaurant dining as they also specialize in customization; putting logos and prints on their products for companies. Every year, they make a design for the "Gladmat" festival, which means "Happy Food" here :) This is 2009 preview below ;)

This year's festival is starting Wednesday! Mmm! It is a huge festival with all sorts of food from all around the area (and Norway really, but they have Belgian Waffles and Brazilian bbqs and Ethiopian coffee and ... well - I guess it's rather international really :)

Last year, I remember eating an actual honeycomb! Their houses are the bee's knees! Waxy and sweet, it melts right in your mouth! You can check out fantastic Figgjo fine China here.

As you can see by my bag we got a couple things from the "Poesi" collection, which means "Poetry" in Norwegian! It has a very romantic inspired design with vine-kissed cups and plates :)

If you are looking for something original and very Norwegian-inspired. I suggest checking out Figgjo to add to your collection. With such quality and craftmanship, you won't be disappointed!

Elle♥

Something Awesome! Auto-Tune News#6!

Watch this and Love it! This song is so wicked and catchy!!!
Enjoy the brilliance below ;)
Elle♥

Dolly Dimples! Gluten-free pizza of the Future!

If I could open up a franchise in North America of this pizza joint, I would. I probably enjoy the hour of pizza devouring more than life itself. Why? Because they make the best gluten-free pizza on the planet!

There are so many times where I have taken a bite and said "Oh Dear! This isn't gluten-free! We HAVE to send this too-good-to-be-true pizza back!" But really, it just tastes that good! I know it is local, but if you are in the London Canada area, there is a "Pizza Pizza" at the Masonville Place north London location where they do indeed serve gluten-free good eats.

Even if you walk into a Boston Pizza, just ask for gluten-free even though we all know they don't have it. The more we ask, the closer we are to getting the greatness of pizza everywhere!

Je suis un Pizza! (Click to enjoy this lovely rendition of a classique!)

J'adore!
Elle♥

Chips Ahoy! The GÖTHEBORG!

Velkommen Ombord!

Stavanger was under siege today by sexy Swedish pirates! Kidnap me, please!

My true pirate came out while I was getting dressed today. I must have felt I had to revisit one of my past lives. Well, it was true as the Swedish ship is docked in the bay in town these last few days before the weekend :)

It's actually an exact replica of the East Indiaman Götheborg, that sank back in 1745 off the coast of Sweden. It's got a crew of 80 (50 volunteers) and sail from port to port, besieging - as only the Swedes can (selling tickets and luring us onboard, that is ;)

I wish I could remember my days when I used to swing from rope to rope like a monkey and sing pirate songs while I got these two folk (right) to hammer me a few new Aztec gold teeth for my music videos. I could then pirate my music from boat to boat and dress like the infamous Esméralda and be a gypsy rockstar! Oh, to live proper back then - with what I know now ;)

I also met with my old merchant man friend from wayyyy back in one of my many past lives. Super nice! He always lets me wear the hat :) He had a lot of people to talk to and meet with, but was kind enough to squeeze me in for a couple shots. ;-)

Oh - on that note - the ship has 10 working cannons and gun ports - it actually fired 4 shots coming into the harbor in the rain on Wednesday, an old tradition.

I remember sailing like it was only yesterday! "Look! A three-headed monkey!" - Monkey Island flashbacks galore! :D

If you are in the Stavanger area, go check it out! If not , you can follow the Swedish Scandinavian Sensation here. Enjoy!

Elle♥

Wednesday Night - Turkish Delight!

This was actually my first time trying Turkish food, I believe - and it was quite good!

As some of you may know, I have a gluten intolerance. It seems to be getting more popular these days amongst more people. I will talk a little bit more of great places to eat and what not to eat another day ;)

Tonight, we ate at a renovated restaurant called "Alanya" (it burnt down a while back, apparently) - a couple minutes' walk from my house. It was super good!

The price was right, and the plates were proper sized. I had a chicken in a garlic curry sauce with pickles and carrots in the mix. Here is a picture of their Shish Kebab. Everything is served with salad, rice and potatoes. If you have an intolerence to gluten or you just want to try something new and tasty - try a Turkish Treat Tonight!

Elle♥

Alessi! You impress me!

Last Christmas was a year for Alessi EVERYTHING! We bought my brother's wife the "Tigrito" Cat dish in grey (the exact one - right). She was in love with it as much as her cats enjoyed eating from it. She is also does wonderful pet photography which I will paw on another day
= ^..^= !

As you can see to the left, that I am in Love with Mr. Chin in many forms. He spices up my life a bit with the S&P shakers and holds my hard boiled eggs in his head as if I'm Hannibal Lecter eating a delish brain for breakfast! Mmmm! Of course Mrs. Chin uses her timer powers to jot my time with him :)

Tomorrow I am pretty excited to finally purchase the famous Alessi 9093 Kettle that Michael Graves designed. Very sexy! I thought it was nice after the wedding to get the Ivory version with the bird/dove as that was a pretty big theme that day :) I am also the biggest tea lover/connoisseur in the world.
Seriously. Check it out to the right!

This next Christmas, I would love this play on the nativity scene (see below). I know it would make my mom happy to have something like this up. If Mr. Bean (click for pure video gold!) was over, he would have a run for his money with this set!

Elle♥

Getting White Film and Marks off of Hunter Boots! (Wellies) Answer is here!

It always rains here in Stavanger - on and off, like a humongous sprinkler moving back and forth. So - I wanted to bring out my fabulous Hunter boots to jump puddles on my way through town. Unfortunately the boots looked horrible - but luckily, the sun came out, so I didn't have to strut around in them in public. But - how to fix them? I've tried before, with mediocre results.

But listen - throw out the Hunter UV Tech Spray and your cleaning sponge! No - just kidding - as it's a GREAT protector for the great news I am about to tell you!

As you can see, I have tried EVERYTHING but my boots are guilty as charged for their sheer nastiness of producing this crazy white film. If you are also one of the unfortunate owners of Hunter boots or "wellies" in general that get this same problem, I am in high hopes to have saved you!

Did you know that the rubber actually sweats out a fat which causes this white film? Too bad they couldn't be alive to tell us what we should do to cure them of such a condition!

I was washing my face the other day with Olive oil. Yes, it is actually a great astringent along with Vitamin E capsules (takes off dead skin cells). I thought to get rid of oil you need MORE oil!

So, I went out and bought Olive Oil and VOILA! It worked like a charm! What you need to do is grab a cloth and lay your boots on a surface you don't mind getting a little messy. Next, take some oil and throw a generous amount on your boots and work it in circular motions. If you want to test an area, put a dab on the cloth and then rub it in. I started that way, and then I was getting into it and doused my boots in it! :)

After that was finished - I took a damp cloth of warm water and just wiped any remaining oil off the boots. Then, I rejuvenated and protected them with the UV protector spray. Back to beautiful!

Tried, Tested and True!


Hope this works for you!

Elle♥

Cemetary Sunday in Stavanger - A Puuurrrfect day!

"Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." (See the Norsk script for yourself on left). Pretty powerful words on a hopefully unforgotten gravestone in "Lagård Kirkegård", Stavanger, Norway today. I must say it was one of the most beautiful places I have ever walked through. The botanical garden from last week doesn't hold a candle to the beauty of these luscious trees, (like weeping willows -get it? ha!), fresh flowers and lovely stones. These graves to your right date all the way back to the 18th century! There is something very romantic about these places. I'm a very old soul :)

It started when we were walking random streets (cool colour houses in the picture - left) in our Stavanger neighbourhood and spotted one of the many churches around here. I took a picture because it looked a little dark and needed some picture attention (to your right) ;)


I guess I was feeling the vibes to visit the undead and had a jolly walk enjoying everyone else's houses and lovely gardens. It was just so fitting (obviously, enjoying myself to your left)

While we were walking we also found another church that I have never noticed before in my travels. "Døvekirken" Which is a church where they hear no evil. (Check out the church for the deaf - lower right).

I thought this was very cool. I love the doors on this place! It reminds me of a house that Snow White would live in! How wonderful!

Visiting the dead is probably not a high priority on anyone's list. But I must say it was very relaxing and a great place to contemplate life. In fact- I may be inspired from it. I felt a little at home, but deep south. It actually reminded me a little bit of the bayou in Louisiana.

I stayed at a plantation called "Nottoway" - The White Castle of Louisiana where they had the family plot right there in the garden. I was alone in that huge main mansion, in Room #13 ... but that's another story ;)

It was definitely a southern comfort to be there today. I am not suggesting anyone go run to a graveyard right now, but it's nice to pay tribute and remember the people that have been forgotten centuries ago.

The sexiest era.

Lest We Forget♥ ♥ ♥

Elle♥

p.s. We discovered free furniture down the street - come and get it!

Champagne Breakfast at Tiffany & Co. !

Before the wedding I had to make a stop into Tiffany & Co. in Toronto to pick up my matching wedding band (Picture taken at the head table left). I must say I got the Hepburn treatment that day, while getting my engagement ring cleaned!

First of all the lovely lady we have been dealing with came in on her day off, just to meet with us. She sat us in this room at the back of the main floor and slid the doors closed. There were 2 glasses and a champagne bottle in the room and I just made jokes like "I wonder how much you have to pay to get that treatment!"

Well, the lady came back into the room and said how lovely it was to work with us and she had another staff member come in to pour us a drink so we could have a toast with her! She was a woman of German decent so she enjoyed talking with the European boy while I sat there getting tipsy. Customers were getting a little curious trying to look in while my man was nervously waiting for the final bill - he seriously wondered whether he'd misread the price, and there was another zero behind the final sum.

By the end of our V.I.P Tiffany visit, we met the nicest general manager and all the friendly staff. I think it was a quiet day so we could enjoy everyone who was working :). If you are thinking about getting a ring - Tiffany's staff is wonderful and very personable. If a ring is not in the cards for you, there are a lot of pretty pieces - as I am SO in love with the sterling silver key necklaces right now!

Just go in for the experience, princess!

Elle♥

Moods of Norway!

If you are looking to pimp out your clothing collection you must check out "Moods of Norway". They have the sickest local pieces I've seen in a while. Check out their site here to see wicked gimmickry, or just to listen to all the awesome songs on the record player at the top left. Moods' most used logo is that of the tractor.

What other kind of glasses could you EVER rock with a tractor on the side like these (check out the bad ass glasses above)? They also make sunglasses along the same lines.

I have this knit tunic at the top of my wish list (feel the love on your left). This Norwegian sweater with the subliminal champagne glasses sits nicely within this very traditional Norsk pattern. I also enjoy the play on this "Ragtime" inspired t-shirt below. They are classy and fun!

They also have shoes and purses, and quality-wise, they seem to be among the frontrunners.


As if clothing accessories weren't enough - you can now purchase Moods of Norway USB modems in these three lovely patterns!

Elle♥