India

I have been traveling so much lately.  I can't say I don't love it--especially when it means leaving a still-wintry Sweden for a warmer clime.  Honestly, it's because of these trips that I have a mild impression of my first Swedish winter.  It ain't that bad if you ain't here for stretches of it!

It had been about 4 years since I'd been to India (since my Urban Outfitters days).  I was in Delhi and Bangalore this trip.  And, as in the past, I much prefer the south/Bangalore.  I really really want to visit Pondicherry one of these times, just for funsies.  A coastal Indian city with French colonial undercurrents... sounds like a dream!

I travel most often by myself, but then I go around with folks from our offices once I am on location.  I enjoy traveling by myself; I mostly prefer it.  It's sort of a pain when I roll off a looooong flight and have to navigate passport-stamping and cash-getting and taxi-finding (more like, taxi-trusting.... There's often a lot of "Is this person really taking me to where I want to go?" going through my jetlaggy brain) by myself.  But I've rather got it down to a science now.  Still, having a travel buddy means I can be a little less vigilant.  I trust no one when I travel by myself.  My momma didn't raise no rube.

So what was I getting at?  Oh yeah, I had some weird apprehensions about this trip.  Most likely because of the high profile gang rape some months ago and all of the cultural issues it brought to light.  I was with colleagues from work the whole time or stayed in or near the hotel otherwise, so everything was fine and the most threatened I ever felt was by a crazy alien formation of bees on attack outside of a store in Koramangala.  But still, it's good to be aware of what's bubbling in this crazy world of ours, even if it's not always so nice.

Now onto the photos!



Things in bloom on the way to a supplier in Bangalore.  Pretty pretty.

Another gorgeous tree at one of the suppliers.

Mind the thorns!

Rusty truck.  This one's not so indicative of the brightly painted trucks on the streets in India.  But the rusted out effect is really top-notch, you must agree.

Fabric-palooza!

Wires + floral frame.

If you're a FB or Instagram friend, you know how in love with the local dogs I was.  I was fantasizing about moving to Delhi and opening up a doggie spa to clean and shelter the beautiful pariah dogs (or "Delhi dingos" as I affectionately called them).  Here are a couple of my favorites.

Such sweet babies.

I tried some new eats on this trip.  I also tried to maintain my gluten-free status but found my reserves weak when faced with some freshly baked naan or, even better, parantha.  Every meal seemed to check my "special occasion" box, so that I could override my anti-gluten rule.  Oh well....

This is idli, one of my new favorites.  It's a steamed, rice-based cake that you top with sambar or chutney.  It's gluten-free and seems pretty healthy on account of its being steamed and not fried.  (But damn, if they fried these things.... NEXT.  LEVEL.)

While we're on the topic of yummy new things I tried (though not of the gluten-free variety), I had some delicious, piping hot poori that I definitely did not regret crossing dietary lines for.  If you feel like your lunch has been lacking flair, order a poori and watch others be jelly.  

I also loved the nommy vadai that were on the breakfast buffet at the hotel.  They've got me dreaming of grinding my own dal and frying some of these at home.  I should do it, right?

Insta-shot of the vegetarian-only microwave at our office in Bangalore.  Of course, there is a meat-friendly counterpart.  

I went to a local spot with a few colleagues from our Bangalore office.  (I knew it was local because dudes were a little "leer-y" on the walk there and, well, because the walk there involved some tricky Frogger moves.)  Because it was so "local", I was fairly certain that this outing was going to be my digestive downfall.  Drinking beer seemed like the safest option (despite its glutenous bent) and next thing I knew, THIS CONTRAPTION was on our table.  We shared some "veg" plates that were hellishly spicy (but in a good way) and I was certain that all of our spoons in the same peanut masala was gonna have me in the bathroom all night.  But somehow, I was unscathed!  Lucky me!

By the way, nommy nommy peanut masala is my new favorite drinky snack...  

This is a crappy shot of a delicious uttapam I enjoyed for lunch one day.  I could eat that white coconut curry (2 o'clock on the plate above) on just about anything.


So that was India.  I had a wonderful wonderful trip.  I was fantasizing about moving to Bangalore while I was there, if that tells you anything.  But it goes against my rule about not living anywhere I can't drink the water.  (THIS IS A GOOD RULE.)  Also, I do like to be able to go where I want, when I want, by myself if I want.  So that wouldn't work either.  But still, India is really incredible.  I can't wait to go back this fall.

One Outfit, Three Photos

One of the more batshit outfits I've put together lately.

First, let me tell you about this top.  It's like wearing a hologram.  This is the fabric of the FUTURE.  In 10 years, we'll all have underpants made out of this stuff.  The minute it came in store, I knew I had to have it.  Why I didn't buy it then and there, I don't know.  But once I'd waited and noticed that none of the tops had moved out of the store the next week, I was prepared to tent this thing out until it went on sale.  I would stop into the store every week, to make sure the top wasn't marked down.  The game was on.  I followed the mass of tops all around the store, wherever they were tucked away, awaiting the S-A-L-E from corporate.

And then I came back from a couple weeks of traveling to giant red signs announcing the "MID-SEASON SALE."  As you can see, the top is now mine.

 

Top H&M, skirt Zero Maria Cornejo, tights H&M, boots Madewell, necklace vintage.

Welcome to the FUTURE.

Award-Winning

I felt like I could have slipped into a Nobel event with this getup.

I see those cats around town with their fancy chains/medallions over their shirts.  Total respect.

Showering

Why's Cochino all dressed up?

Because she's hosting a baby shower for Victoria!

We had a little shindig the other week to celebrate Victoria and Stefan's soon-to-arrive baby girl.  The Swedes don't really do showers (wedding, baby, or otherwise), so I wanted to get something together for Victoria because, well, we Americans DO.  It was a small affair with Mexican food, margaritas, lots of prezzies, and even a couple of games.

 As you can see, Cochino loved the baby belly.

And these two, they love Cochino, too!

Now come on, baby Daisy!  We are all waiting for you!

Things Lately

Shots, assorted.  Some borrowed from Insta-hoo-ha.

This meat heart turned up in our charcuterie selection.  It is darling and dooming at the same time.

Pretty peppers catching some sun before roasting.  I made some damn fine enchiladas verdes, if I do say so myself.

Someone else catching some sun.

Great new earrings from H&M's new & Other Stories brand.   

Party cat prefers relaxing.

Beautiful hand lettering in Östermalm.

This cracks me up.  

I can't explain it and you can probably see it, but these two are just.  So.  Swedish.

V + S

Yesterday something magical happened.  Victoria and Stefan got married, Swedish-style!  And we got to go to the beautiful Stadshuset and be a part of it.

Here they are submitting their IDs.  And guess who was standing right there and got to be an official witness??  This lady!  I have a vested interested in this marriage.  My name is on the paper, too!

It was a quick affair.  To the point, really.  Though I didn't understand what the lady judge (in her fancy robe) was saying, I did hear her say something that sounded like the Swedish version of "respect" at one point.  Honestly, the minute they went before her my eyes got wet and that was that.  At the end, they smooched for us all, their friends and family playing paparazzi to capture the moment.  And then we went outside and popped some champagne and enjoyed the sunny day.

This guy came over to see what the fuss was about.  I'm pretty sure having a swan turn up to your wedding is good luck.

And here they are, looking over the city that brought them together.

Sometimes life is crazy-good.

MY FAVORITE COLOR

Yoda, in gummy form.

Acne jack-ne (um, that's supposed to rhyme) and my weekend luggage at CDG.

My breakfast the last day of PV.

Gettin' healthy.  

Or not.  (Damn this virus!)

Possibly the ickiest candy ever.  Skum ovaler?  No thanks.  Not even if you had a better name.

Other Wearings

Winter puppetry.

Been working this combo lots this winter.  Curly yarn hat from Monki, vintage batwing fur coat, and insulated fox gloves.

Vintage Ferdinand pendant with coated silver Acne sweatshirt.

Rescued this old DVF wrapper from my parents' basement closet.  The print is spot-on again!  And I love it paired with this crazy-patterned sweater I thrifted in St. Louis.

Eats

Been hogging it up lately over here.  I'd tell you I was just trying to survive the winter with a little more insulation, but I already admitted that I bought a down coat for that purpose.

Busted.

Here are some things I've eaten or made that account for my extra poundage.  Looking back, I'd say it was all worth it.

Some quick thinking (or rather, a positive attitude!) turned these beet burgers into beet sloppy joes.  Yay!  This photo actually shows the second batch of joes.  Due to a culinary oops (a couple of glasses of wine + a hot handle), the first batch of beet burgers/joes hit the floor in a most gory manner that thankfully left no stains.  Thanks to B for shooing me out of the kitchen and assuming clean-up duties.  And also for always claiming to like what I make, even when it's not what I originally intended.

I'm XL-ing this one for maximum detail.  

Whenever I travel, I find that I'd rather bring back food souvenirs than (inedible) tchotchkes.  Sometimes I go a little overboard (I recently threw out a bunch of dried and flavored squid that seemed like a good idea at that one market in Shanghai.), but now that I don't have to answer to the overzealous customs officials upon entry to the US I love bringing back all sorts of goodies into the good ol' EU.   The last time I was in HK, I hit up the basement grocery of the Japanese SOGO department store.  I came back with some dried kiwi, organic natto (looooove natto more than just about anything), some kimchi radish, and the snack mix pictured above.  As you can see (you're welcome for the XL), it's slivered almonds, the teeniest pink shrimpies, pumpkin seeds, and those delicious silver mini-fishies.  It was the perfect blend of sweet-salty-fishy.  If I opened a bar, this would be my free snack.

These are moose (called ålg) meatballs I made a while back that got NO LOVE on instagram.  Maybe it's the weird shadow I seem to be casting in this photo, but come on people!  Not even one like for the pretty salad??  Whatever.  They were damn good. 

Did I post this one before?  It's another instagram borrow.

This is a warm millet + spinach + roasted veggie salad with a sriracha-balsamic dressing, of which I make a different iteration at least once a week.  I am so into cooking a bunch of quinoa or red rice or millet (often with some amaranth thrown in for good measure) at the start of the week and then adding it to whatever else we're feeling as the week goes on.  I've also been roasting the heck outta some veggies, which makes for quick and healthful dinners--and swell lunches the next day.

But it's not all seeds and veg over here.  Look at these gluten-free semla that B got me for Valentine's day.  These are from the wonderfully old-school Vete-Katten here in Stockholm.  Da-yum... am I right? Eating them is a messy affair, but once you get going you don't even care.  Also, it seems that B and I aren't the only ones around here who like semla.  Cochino had to see what the fuss was about and left with a dot of cream on her nose.  So of course she came begging when we got these out again for round two.  I have created a monster.  A very happy kitty monster.

I am obsessed with this bread from My New Roots.  It's flour-less and full of nuts and seeds and fiber and deliciousness.  I find myself thinking of it while I am at work, craving it and imagining what I will top it with next.  So far, it's great with honey, butter, jam, cream cheese, and mustard + turkey.  We are gunning for a Nutella topper next.  And I won't even feel bad about it because this bread is so healthy to begin with that I could top it with the unhealthiest thing ever and still feel good about myself.

These are some spicy papadums that I brought back from India.  They are from a brand made locally in Bangalore and come dried in a sealed package.  You crisp them directly over a gas flame until they bubble and harden.  The variety shown here is the spicy punjabi flavor.  Noms.

This is a beef brisket (or oxbringa, in Swedish), roasting with lingonberries and orange peel, adapted from the recipe (originally with cranberries) from Mark Bittman's Mini Minimalist cookbook.  (Thanks to Maura and Phil for a great xmas present!)

Hans Karlsson Is My Hero

B and I stumbled upon the paintings below at a local vintage store.  (Said store looks and smells like a thrift store, but the prices are definitely more dear.)  Still, when we saw the wonderful animal works of Hans Karlsson, it was too late.  We were goners.

I pressed the owner for more info about Mr. Karlsson, and he showed us this outdated article (in Swedish).  I asked if he was still painting, and the owner gave me a sheepish answer that he was working on "something" these days.  Hmm.  Later google searches indicated that he might also have been involved in politics here.  But then, there are probably lotsa Hans Karlssons in these parts.

Ultimately, we took home this grey kitty.  I fell in love with his worried expression and giant ears, and also the background is so cool.  He's now hanging above our bed.

But I still think about that punk rock puppy (above).  If only we had a bigger place.  I would have a room dedicated to this guy's art if I could.  Oh, Hans Karlsson, I can't wait to see your next "something."

Here We Go Again

This is when I wonder where all of the time went, make some excuses for not having updated, and then drop a buncha updates on yo'selves.  So I'll spare you the formalities this time and just get onto some things that have happened in the past couple of months.  And then I'll provide photographical evidence as best I can.

I have nearly survived my first winter in Stockholm.  And, honestly, it wasn't that bad.  Maybe that's because it was my very first winter here, so I embraced it with a sense of novelty (Well look at that!  It is actually dark at 3:45 pm!) and kept watching to see how I was reacting to it... and I didn't really react at all, I think.  I guess I noticed a little confusion when I found myself ready to pack it up for the day when it was dark before 4 pm, but then I hurumphed and got on with some more things before rolling out around 5:30.  And the dark, short days didn't seem to last for all that long.  It's like, once the winter solstice hits, the days start getting longer.  And now I find myself annoyed that the sun is up so early in the mornings again.  It's going to be time for some blackout curtains soon.  The summer is the OPPOSITE of the winter here.  You know that, right?

The winter wasn't all that bad for a couple of other reasons.  It was damn cozy.  Candles were lit on the sidewalks, as well as inside every coffee shop and restaurant and cafe.  And there were some beautiful snowfalls to brighten everything up.  Also I got myself out of town a fair number of times--and this really is a big help.  Even if it's just going to Bangladesh for work (though I was lucky enough to have a 3-week holiday in the US and trips to Shanghai and India, too), getting yourself to somewhere warm and sunny sure does help.

I don't think this Stockholm winter was any colder than the winters I experienced in Philly or Ohio, actually.  I bought a big dumb black puffer coat, which I resisted doing for so long, and now I'm over how boring it is and revel in its convenience.  Man, sometimes it's so nice to just throw on a down coat and not have to layer up underneath.  And this guy has a hood, too!  So I can go hat-free!  I also have a few great pairs of boots with good tread that got me through the icy and sloppy days.  I just had a revelation the other day that I had a whole other drawer of shoes that WEREN'T cold-weather boots.  Cool!

So that's basically it for now.  I'll try to fill in the rest between some photos.

One Outfit, Three Photos

Recently came across this particularly good outfit from a while back that I had B photograph.

Hot potatoes!

Blouse is a sample from work, skirt is H&M, necklace by me, tights J. Crew, shoes Madewell, bracelet from Anthropologie.

Such a nice print on this blouse that I found in the "sale" bin at work.

Dramatic chainage on this wooden bangle.  I just know I'm going to drag it through my dinner one of these nights.