Monday, December 30, 2013

The End Consumer recommends

If you're a woman (or man) with narrow shoulders, the Olka hanger is a great solution. Other hangers are too broad for my clothes, making weird marks halfway down the sleeves where I guess other people's shoulders are. Olka hangers don't. For this I thank you, inventive Finns.

I got mine at The container store.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Almost monochrome


Artist of the year in my house



The two artists who brought me most joy and strength in 2013 were Pharrell and Janelle Monae. 
Oh Janelle, Electric Lady, We were Rock n' Roll and Prime Time has kept me running day after day. 
Thank you!


Winter night at the playground


Rut & Niki 6 years old





















Testing the Fujifilm X-E2. So in love with this camera. Have to figure out my taxes to see if I can afford it or have to return it.

Winter break


Friday, December 20, 2013

glass talk

I don't understand that whole half-full half empty-talk? If it's half-full  - great, if it's half empty then that just means almost time for a refill. No?

Thursday, December 19, 2013

2013

Monkey Mom, Baby Lion | Picture 54453

Met a few new people in 2013 I already love by now, wishing to meet this lion/monkey combo in 2014.
That monkey---I love that monkey.

Twitter









Varje gång jag skriver något på twitter kommer det genast någon och skriver något oerhört mycket mer intressant direkt efter.

CRAZY FOR CREPES



OOOOOH Rachel Khoo!






















Grattis Sverige!
http://ellematovin.se/den-nya-matdrottningen-rachel-khoo/

Best gift ever



Best immaterial gift: Getting to see friends/family and eat and drink and laugh with them.

Best material gifts: Beloved clothes and glasses. Am so serious about this. Was lucky enough to get new glasses for my birthday and it's the gift that keeps giving. Every time I put them on am so grateful.
I can see! I can see!


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM?


Know you've been missing a name for this power duo so let me suggest calling them A-FEY.
Also: want A-Fey's black dress. Where do I find it?

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

On reading NYT obituaries

It sometimes seems that everyone who ever lived in New York in the 60s at one point or the other participated in the making of a Warhol movie and now their obits indeed make them famous for the 15 minutes Warhol predicted.

where to go?

Anders has worked 24/7 since coming here, need to go somewhere over X-mas break/New Years.
Where to go from NYC?

Skiing?
Mexico?
Caribbean?

All suggestions welcome, if we can't afford the trip then at least we can daydream.




Monday, December 16, 2013

The childish and somewhat touching qualities of the Swedish language

You English speaking humans call contemporary times just that. You call the past the past and the future the future.

Swedes don't.
We call contemporary times now-time. Past time is then-time. The future is ahead-time.
Nutid. Dåtid. Framtid.

now-time.
can't get more contemporary than that.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

FÖR SVENSKA LÄSARE

Viktigt meddelande: Johanna har flyttat till Elle för ett tag och du hittar henne nu på:
http://hollywood.elle.se

för övrigt: du behöver inte ens vara intresserad av fotboll för att njuta av FotLOL. NJUT BARA.
http://nojesguiden.se/fotlol

All I'm saying is

That if you hard boil some eggs and then put them under the tap to flush them with cold water and then you think "perhaps I should just put them in the freezer". Then all I'm saying is don't forget them in the freezer cause they crack open on their own and who wants to eat frozen eggs anyways?

ps. later because of hunger tried to eat one of the frozen eggs. It had shrunk and had a cottage cheese texture. don't go there.

I love this passage by W.N.P Barbellion, September 5, 1917

Leap-frog
Some girls up the road spent a very wet Sunday morning playing leap-frog in their pyjamas around the tennis lawn. It makes me envious. To think I never thought of doing that! and now it is too late. They wore purple pyjamas too. I once hugged myself with pride for undressing in a cave by the sea and bathing in the pouring rain, but that seems tame in comparison.


New York



The sky is so pretty in this city.

Because you asked - my wish list


I browsed through this book in a bookstore today, loved it. 
Same city, just a completely different kind of city.

I used to have this and love it and then I used it all up. It's subtle and nice and I feel so at home in it. Spritzed some on me at Bloomingdale's today, perhaps will keep doing that everyday.




This one is for all of us who don't feel all that comfortable wearing real make-up.


This one. Yes, I will dream on about this one.You know I lost my Canon, then got a "new" one off craigslist? Well, the images don't come out as sharp with the "new". 



Isabel Marant sweater. It even looks like it comes with built-in boob magic. 


Mason Pearce brush. pic from LaFemme blog


Chances of getting any of listed items are really slim. Will most likely get lip shine and book for myself in January, then try to get around without the rest. Have managed before so why not. 

Any of you been to this yet?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/science/extraordinary-women-in-science-and-medicine-exhibit-offers-up-little-known-details.html

Exhibition here:

http://www.grolierclub.org

Google+ made this for me


Half a day with the end consumer


Mornings are easier in December cause all three kids get up early to watch julkalendern, a very Swedish tradition where radio and TV broadcast a story divided into 24 episodes, one for every day in December leading up to Christmas Eve. This year's TV production is great. 


Then snow fell in Brooklyn. 



And Niki pointed out where her best friend Nora lives. 


Joel wrote a letter for his best friend. 


I packed lunch like people do here. Promise this is the only packed lunch pic 
you'll ever have to see on this blog. There's pasta with chicken and veggies in round jar. 


Watched the snow some more.


Walked to school, saw something shimmering beneath the mushy snow. 




Pennies, quarters, dimes. Some sad story must have led up to this. But for us it seemed fortunate, a wishing street, even if we couldn't stop to pick the money up because of oncoming traffic. 


Then ran into Cecilia & Lakshmi, love them.




Walked to my gym, ran on the treadmill while watching Queen Latifah and guest Snoop:




Went home to work, talk to a friend and tidy up while listening to this. Then went to pick up kids, go shopping at Bedford Cheese, welcome my mom to New York (YES!), cook dinner, do laundry, help with homework, put kids to bed, planning to read once they've fallen asleep, fail that because of falling asleep myself. 

Would have been an altogether great day had I not received some sad work related news. 
Oh well. next! 


Friday, December 6, 2013

Dear Rachel, on staying sane during the Swedish winter

Rachel asked: 

I need a much needed tip of not wanting to crawl into bed when it's dark at 2.30pm (in Stockholm this weekend).

Or any tips for getting through a Swedish winter.

Hope all is well in NYC!

Rach x

------
Dear Rachel am afraid winter in Stockholm calls for careful planning, wine and exercise. 
In other places of the world exercise is an activity that you may or may not participate in, in Stockholm during the winter it is sadly necessary. Not just to increase strength but to give you a much needed lift through the natural high of endorphins and dopamines. 

Likewise, you need to catch actual daylight. This means you have to go out into the world whether you feel like it  or not and regardless if you have the time for it or not. You'd benefit from getting as close to the sun as you can - I suggest getting a year pass at Skansen, one of the highest points of the city. 

While in Djurgården, visit Rosendal to enjoy the hot cider. 
See friends. Make friends. Go to Storkyrkan and light candles for all your loved ones, dead and alive. 
Take hot baths. Wear slippers. Play beautiful music. 

Try to consider this experience in Nordic melancholy as something that might potentially enrich your life - as something you can pull out of the depths of your mind when you live somewhere else "At least i don't have to face the gloom of Stockholm in winter again".

Read funny books. 
If all else fails, take a quick trip to Rome. 




It's been over a week, am still thankful!

Was invited to a fantastic Thanksgiving experience over at our friends Monica and Anker's place.
Such a generous feast so friendly and yes, delicious.
A Wow. has never been more justified.


Books

Thanks for the questions, made me so happy!
Some of you asked for tips on books.

Here's what I'm reading/planning/hoping to read the next few weeks:

Tomi: A Childhood Under the Nazis
http://www.amazon.com/Tomi-A-Childhood-Under-Nazis/dp/1570981639
Tomi Ungerer's biography on his childhood. I love Tomi. Love him.
Here's a radio clip for you

http://www.npr.org/2013/11/01/242156411/from-kids-books-to-erotica-tomi-ungerers-far-out-life

I'm also reading the American classic
A wrinkle in time

and Strider,  the sequel to Dear Mr Henshaw.

Thinking of getting The Goldfinch as an audiobook.

When I go to bed often reach for The Assassin's Cloak or Working by Studs Terkel. Because I love Assassin's cloak am also tempted to get The War Diaries.

Today was recommended (thanks Jenny!) Mastering the art of Soviet cooking
Had to ask if there was a literary companion called Mastering the art of appreciating Soviet cooking, but seems there isn't. I've tried Soviet cuisine on a number of times, for instance had mackerel in orange marmalade for breakfast once and it was very interesting.

Am reading my friend Bea's spectacular book on engineer Andrées failed endeavor to reach the North Pole by balloon in 1897.
Only available in Swedish so far, but an English edition will be released in 2014. You will love it.

Finished Gone Girl and enjoyed the consuming read, now reading Sharp objects and though I love Flynn's writing I wish she would use her talent, wit and humor for non-crime too. But why should she, really?

Because I loved Funny Business and Dear Genius, might get
Randolph Caldecott: The Man Who Could Not Stop Drawing.

Had looked forward to the new Amy Tan novel Valley of Amazement but am a bit reluctant after having read reader reviews. Did any of you read it yet? Should I reconsider?


Thursday, December 5, 2013

tired but happy!

Working away at the Wythe hotel, about to go pick kids up, thinking of blogging an entire day tomorrow. 
Anything you'd like to know? Please reply, so sad with no comments.
I*M HAPPY FOR ANY ANY ANY COMMENT OR QUESTION.
love
-e