Tag Archives: Travel

celebrate

A Teenager?!?!

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Seems like only yesterday, he was a tiny little blonde-headed boy who struggled to reach the sink to brush his teeth. But suddenly, we have a teenager on our hands. Who, by the way, is now taller than his mom. Crazy.What a blessing our William is, to our family and to others. He is kind and patient, a good friend and a natural leader. We pray that as he continues to grow in stature, he will also continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge of His Savior.

We had a fun weekend celebrating our teen. Saturday we were at a camp at the border of Norway and Sweden with friends.

 

So Sunday (his actual birthday), we drove further into Sweden for an overnight trip in Göteborg/Gothenburg.

At his request, we had burgers at Hard Rock for lunch.

We walked around the city, did a bit of shopping, and enjoyed frappucinos.

And we finished the day with burritos at Wrapped Burrito Bar – probably the best burritos we’ve had since leaving the states!

Then back to our room for some gifts…

And on our way home on Monday, we stopped and explored a really cool fortress.

 

 

Yeah, we aren’t so good with the jumping pictures!

Happy 13th Birthday, William!
Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 7 / Coffee Tour #7: Tim Wendelboe, Oslo

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If this blog series were a countdown to the best of the best coffee shops, I would likely have to save this for #1. Or at the very least, in the top five.

But as I am attempting to skip around and mix things up a bit, and because I’m not one to keep a secret, I must tell you about some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted.

I’ve mentioned Grünerløkka before. Artsy, trendy, urban, hip… okay it is actually way too cool a place for me to be. But call us rebels, because despite lacking our cool-kid cards, we tend to hang out there most anytime we are in Oslo.

In the midst of pricey secondhand stores (did you know that the word vintage instead of used means you can charge more money), trendy restaurants, sidewalk cafes, parks and über-cool boutiques sits Tim Wendelboe.

Tim is, at least in our humble opinion, one of the Coffee Kings.

The coffee is carefully selected. Tim travels often to find the best beans from select farms. It is roasted in-house. And when I say in-house, I mean in a quite small shop sitting on a corner in our favorite neighborhood.

Don’t go in expecting to find ample seating, as there are only a few seats.

Don’t look for an old school coffee machine, because you won’t find one.

And I personally would not recommend Tim’s for those who like a little coffee with their milk and sugar.

But if you are a coffee purist, I highly recommend a visit.

 

For more information, visit https://timwendelboe.no

Travel

Heading Home

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My bags are packed and I am now just awaiting my ride to the airport. A couple of flights, with a long layover sandwiched in the middle, and I’ll soon be back with my three favorite guys.

We have some guests visiting from the states, and they’ll arrive this afternoon. I look forward to welcoming them tomorrow, and giving them quite the introduction to Norwegian culture as their first full day in Norway will be 17.mai, Norwegian Constitution Day.

Enjoy your weekend!

Travel

Girl Time

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I love living in a house full of boys. It is a great life. And if you know me at all, you know that I’m not a super girly-girl. I’m pretty low maintenance.

 

But every now and then, it’s nice to have a little time to be with other ladies, to learn from each other, and to relax a little as well.

 

This week I’m attending a ladies conference that our company offered. It has been a great opportunity to learn, to be encouraged, and to be pampered a little.

 

Here are a few pictures of my time so far.

 

 

 

Travel

Simply Beautiful

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Simply beautiful. Those are really the best words I know to use indescribing the place where true conference was held third past week.

Of course, you know I can’t stop with only two words to describe a place!

 

Rick and Mary Beth Holladay are a couple whose lives just ooze with creativity and hospitality. You get a glimpse of this the moment you set foot in The Art Factory in Kandern, Germany.

 

But the initial impression does not do justice to what we ultimately experienced. The pair has transformed an old abandoned tile factory in a small German village into a place of beauty. They have done and continue to do numerous renovations and improvements.

 

The building is home to several apartments that are rented out. The Holladays live there as well, and have a number of bedrooms that can be reserved.

 

Think of the coziest shabby-chic B&B possible. Add to that endless antiques, projects that make what I see on Pinterest look like child’s play, beautiful art, and the opportunity for art courses, small events, and open mic evenings, and you might get a slight idea of what lies within this monstrous yet cozy building.
And I didn’t even mention the incredible meals that Mary Beth prepared for us.
Of course, with a kitchen like this, I think I would want to cook all.day.long.

 

I would be remiss to neglect the town of Kandern. Quaint and simple, it has all you need and not a lot more.

 

Local shops bring beauty. The town eiscafe (ice cream shop) can’t be missed.

 

And there also a number of nice walking trails to explore.

You can read more about The Art Factory and the Holladays at www.artfactorykandern.com

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 5 / Coffee Tour #5: Daily at Sissy Boy – Haarlem

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I knew nothing of scones, until I discovered Daily at Sissy Boy.

It all started with a short train ride in the Netherlands from Amsterdam to Haarlem* to fulfill a bucket list item. Excited would be an understatement as we approached the city that was once the home to Corrie ten Boom (you can read about her here).

We arrived ahead of our scheduled appointment to tour the Hiding Place Museum, so we found ourselves wandering a bit. And just down the street from the museum and the Ten Boom Juwelier, we stumbled upon a charming boutique.

Sissy Boy offers a nice selection clothing and home decor, a pairing that seems increasingly common in northern and western European shops. And while its merchandise looked quite nice, it was the cafe that drew us in.

Daily is Sissy Boy’s in-house cafe. It showcases the simple and clean design we’ve come to find so many places in Europe, as well as an assortment of pastries and breads, and a menu of breakfast and lunch items.

We all ordered scones with cream and jam.

I highly recommend this. Highly.

And we found their coffee and espresso very good as well. Nothing hand crafted, but they obviously were using fresh, high quality beans.

If you have the opportunity to visit the Netherlands, by all means you should see the Ten Boom Museum in Haarlem. And while you’re there, stop by Daily at Sissy Boy for a nice little treat!

*Be sure to schedule a few extra hours in Haarlem. A beautiful place to simply walk up and down the streets and along the canals. More picturesque and quieter than Amsterdam!

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 4/ Coffee Tour #4: Johan och Nyström Coffee, Stockholm

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There is a word in Swedish that I so wish we would adopt in Norwegian:

fika [FEE-kah]

As I’ve come to understand it, fika is a pause/break involving coffee (though sometimes people replace that for another beverage, particularly for children), and generally would also include sandwiches or pastries.

We’ve heard fika used as both a noun and a verb. A brilliant word, a brilliant concept. Maybe it should go beyond Norwegian adaptation. Perhaps every language should adopt fika!

Last summer while visiting our supervisors in Stockholm, we checked out two cafès that seem to be prime spots for fika – or maybe to fika! I’m highlighting one of those spots today for the kaffetur.

Johan och Nyström‘s Concept Store is located in Södermalm, one of our favorite areas of Stockholm. Not far from a train station, J&N sits prominently on a corner, just begging for you to stop in.

And once inside, if you’re anything like me, you will certainly fall in love with the look and feel of the cafe. It’s not that large, although there is additional seating outside and in the loft. But it boasts beautiful colors, and is incredibly organized, clean, modern, and just an overall delightful place.

As we typically do, Zack and I each picked a different coffee. It gives us a chance to try more than one. We tried the Picknick blend, as well as their selection from Nicaragua. Both were prepared as a pourer, and they were quite good.

If you look closely here, you can see both
AeroPress and pour-over

I love shops that really take their time with coffee. It is so much more than beans and brewing. It truly is an art.

 

And so it is with J&N. They offered pour-over and AeroPress. Processes that take time, but processes that are certainly worth the wait.

I highly recommend a visit to this shop if you’re ever in Stockholm. While we did have coffee at one other place in Stockholm that I found to be slightly better, you just can’t beat the combination of quality coffee and ambiance.

A perfect spot for fika! (In fact, they actually offer a Fika blend: http://johanochnystrom.se/en/products/fika-en/)

Travel

Signs

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I’ve posted before (HERE) about the funny signs we see from time to time.Here is one I saw on a recent trip to Poland. I think bathroom signs tend to be the most entertaining!

What are some of the strangest or funniest signs you’ve seen?

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 3 / Coffee Tour #3: Elbgold Kaffee, Hamburg Germany

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The more we look, the more it seems an allusive thing. Finding that perfect combination of ambiance and high-quality coffee. And particularly difficult to track down good handcrafted coffee nestled in a place where you want to sit for more than just a few minutes.

And with that, I introduce our readers to Elbgold Kaffee.
Located in an artsy neighborhood of Hamburg, Germany, they have a great selection of coffee for purchase in-house or take-away. They partner with well-known local shops to offer pastries and other baked goods through the day. And their selection of fair-trade beans, all roasted in-house, is quite extensive. Not quite the perfect combination that we are ultimately on a quest for, Elbgold nevertheless offers great coffee and a fun atmosphere.

Aesthetically pleasing coffee shops that offer excellent coffee are always a plus.

Elbgold incorporates several common elements of the current wave of coffee shops into their location: chalkboards, high ceilings and exposed rafters to create that warehouse vibe, a neutral color palette, and seating crafted from coffee bags. The overall feel is relaxed but not overly cozy, leaning instead more towards trendy, a place to be seen. It is busy, and it can get a bit loud [not necessarily the worst thing when you have the kids in tow].

Ample seating indoors and out provides plenty of opportunity for sitting and enjoying a fine coffee. The traditional tables and chairs were a bit odd to me, but they do offer a number of food options on the menu.

I know, I was shocked as well. Who knew people went to coffee shops for something other than coffee?!?

For many people, the atmosphere makes or breaks a place.

But to us, it really is about the coffee. And Elbgold offers quality coffee. We were definitely pleased with what we ordered. Of course we have only been once and that was last year, so I can only speak to that experience. But with such a massive space and such quality beans, it would sure be nice to see some more time and attention given to handcrafted drinks.

Still, the coffee was really good. And in the summertime, a nice cold brew is always a welcomed treat.

 

Overall, we enjoyed the coffee at Elbgold.

Daniel enjoyed it as well! He is always
more than happy to finish off the last sips.
A kid who loves black coffee?!?

So much so that we decided to take one more for the road!

 

You can learn more about Elbgold here (I hope your German is better than mine!).

Coffee Tour / Kaffetur

Kaffetur 2 / Coffee Tour #2: Solberg & Hansen

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Those that visit our city typically end up taking home a bag of Sandefjords Blanding (Sandefjord’s blend) coffee, purchased at a shop downtown. And that coffee is actually roasted by a company based in Oslo. That company, Solberg & Hansen, recently opened a concept shop in Mathallen, in one of our favorite areas of Oslo.

How can I describe Mathallen? As I’ve mentioned before, mat is the Norwegian word for food, so the name translates to The Food Hall. Located on the river in an area that was formerly comprised of factories and mills, Mathallen sits on the edge of Grünerløkka, home and play place of all of Oslo’s cool kids.

To call Mathallen a food court seems a bit unfair, because it is so much more than that. In this massive warehouse-style shrine to gourmet delicacies and discriminating palates, you can buy superior cuts of meat and hard-to-find cheeses, grab lunch from one of the varied counter-service shops, or sit down and relax with friends for a drink or a meal. Weekends also include cooking demonstrations and delicious samples.

You can also take a break and enjoy a fine hand-brew at Solberg & Hansen. Their new concept shop offers coffee, tea, retail sales, and even some courses and cupping.

We have always been pleased with their coffee when we’ve bought it here in Sandefjord. So we were anxious to see what they had to offer at Mathallen.

They have a nice variety of beans available for purchase, and the styling and presentation at their pour-over bar is impressive.

The overall feel of the space is nice. The relaxed pace certainly fits the brewing technique, but seems to stand in contrast to the loud environment where it sits.

If you find yourself in the Vulkan or Grünerløkka neighborhoods of Oslo, we highly recommend a stop at Mathallen. And while you’re there, why not take the time to check out Solberg & Hansen as well?