Maya's Bubble

A new year - a new beginning

2011-01-06T20:01:00.000Z

Happy New Year everyone!

I am hoping that this means a new beginning as well. I know, I have been off the radar for a very long time.

Time has just passed me by so quickly and I completely lost motivation for writing. I simply did not know what to say. I hope it will get better now.

I will leave you for now with these images from "Winter wonderland".

Just another afternoon

2010-08-05T07:56:00.002+01:00

Yesterday was such a beautiful day. I first went for a walk straight after work and tried to get some shots of all the lovely flowers around Blindern on my iphone.

The camera is not great but I hope you can appreciate the pics anyways.

It was a little bit sad because I said goodbye to my friends who live far away from little Oslo. They had been here for 6 weeks and were going back home.

Dinner was almost ready when I arrived at home (wonderful man) and we later went for an after-dinner stroll around the neighbourhood.

The whole afternoon was just pure enjoyment.

Road trip in Norway | Part 5

2010-08-02T07:21:00.001+01:00

Day 6-7

We ended the road trip in Lom, where we stayed at Fossheim Turisthotell. It is such a beautiful place with tall mountain tops surrounding the valley. We went for a stroll past Lom stav church which dates from the end of the 12th century.

Lom stav church

We dined at Vianvang, the restaurant of national celebrity chef Arne Brimi where we tried "Tyttingkir" - a drink where they had mixed a Lingonberry puree with white wine. It was very refreshing!

Tyttingkir

Finally Friday

2010-07-30T14:51:00.000+01:00

It is finally Friday and I am going on a mini-break to lovely Vestfold.

Have a wonderful weekend and remember: "You are fabulous"!

xoxo

The Fashion Source Expo

2010-07-30T08:46:00.004+01:00

I would love to go to The Fashion Source Expo Wednesday 6th October 2010 at Central Hall Westminster in London (UK).

Picture from www.ethicalfashionforum.com

The main focus of the event is fashion - being manufactured and traded in an ethical way!

There will be exhibitors as well as a programme of seminars.

This event brings together manufacturers, suppliers and cooperatives who work towards promoting sustainable fashion practices. Some of the underlying goals are to reduce poverty and negative environmental effects as well as suppor fair and equitable trade.

Global organisations such as the Fairtrade Foundation, the World Fair Trade Organisation, Organic Exchange, and MADE-BY in partnership with the RITE group.

Registered tickets holders only gain access to this event and visitor spaces are limited. Have a look here for more information about the event.

Road trip in Norway | Part 4

2010-07-29T09:03:00.000+01:00

Day 5-6

We went from Geiranger to Hellesylt by ferry.

The weather was quite grey and cloudy, but the scenery is still beautiful.

The Seven Sisters Waterfall

On the road again... until we reached...

Ålesund - a city characterised by the Jugendstil architecture.

The Garden Project | Final stage?

2010-07-29T08:53:00.002+01:00

I spot little baby chilli peppers!

The garden project is definitely making progress despite the lack of sunshine the past few days.

Yay! A Chilli pepper!

One of the chilli plants has 4-5 little chillies emerging from the remains of the white flowers.

One of the Tomatillo plants has also finally started blooming with yellow flowers.

Chill time | Summer in Oslo

2010-07-28T07:27:00.002+01:00

I awoke to yet another day with clouds covering the sky. I thought I'd share theses sunny pictures that I shot earlier this summer. One great thing to do on a sunny day is to head down to Vippetangen or Rådhuset and catch one of the local ferries in Oslo. You can get off at one or several of the the little islands in the Oslo fjord or go to Bygdøy. These islands are a terrific way of getting out of the city, go sunbathing and swimming or simply take a stroll around and explore some new territory.

Oslo City Hall

You get to see some of the attractions from a different viewpoint.

"Skjaergården" (Oslo archipelago)

Going on the ferry is a great option for locals and tourists on a budget, as well as a nice way of just zoning out from everyday stress.

Just watch and relax...

You do not even have to get off the ferry but you can just go on a round trip. This is what we did and it took about 30 minutes - sit down, feel the movements from the sea, breath in the salty air and feel the breeze ruffle up your hair. Delightful!

Tuesday Blues

2010-07-27T07:25:00.000+01:00

Yet another grey and cloudy day in Oslo. I am currently working on finding some inspiration for my blog. I will for now just share this photograph with you. It's a motive I found along the way during our road trip. It reminds me of the past and it fills me with nostalgia of earlier days when the time did not pass so fast.

~ Have a fabulous day ~

Zumba fitness | New Activity

2010-07-26T14:43:00.002+01:00

I actually tried Zumba Fitness some time ago. Zumba fitness is a great work-out concept inspired by latin dance-moves. It makes you use parts of your body that you either did not know you could move or that you weren't even aware that you had!

I, personally love latin music because it always gets me in an upbeat mood. Zumba fitness is about moving your body and having fun - just in line with the general Latin mentality I'd say. Well, coming from the cold north, my point of reference may not be great (No offense to all my fellow "northerners").

You can read more about Zumba here.

Road trip in Norway | Part 3

2010-07-23T12:46:00.001+01:00

Next Stop: Geiranger

Day 5

Our next place to visit was the Geiranger fjord - UNESCO World heritage listed sight in Western Norway.

The weather was not treating us well that day, and heavy rain clouds and fog were ruining are prospects of getting any nice photographies of the fjord as we entered the site coming from above.

We could see absolutely nothing as we drove now the winding road to the Geiranger fjord. The sight is still quite spectacular with its S shaped fjord, the steep mountain side and the waterfalls coming down, almost vertically from the top of the mountains, hitting the water far below.

This is a very popular tourist destination, and the locals here are probably used huge cruiseships sailing into Geiranger.

Every tourist site and souvenir shop usually display trolls and sell items with troll -and elk motives. This little gallery in the middle of one of Norway's most popular tourist destination seems to be fed up with all the trolls. I would suspect that this sign would attract its own crowd of tourists.

The Garden Project | Further developments

2010-07-23T12:15:00.002+01:00

Our little livingroom garden project is still going strong. We have now re-planted our little tomatillo and chilli plants twice. The first time, about a month after we first planted the seeds and the second time this week since the plants had outgrown their pots. The chilli plants are now about 25-35 cm tall. The tomatillo plants are taller - about a meter by now.

There have been quite a few flower showing on the chilliplants and I think the first chillies have started to appear. The chillies need some help pollinating since they are stood inside and this can be done by using a cotton bud to move the pollen inbetween the flowers.

We have 4 large Tomatillo plants and one that is about half the height, probably because it was placed in a Northern facing window after the first potting.

There are signs of flower buds on the Tomatillo plants as well, but they have not yet started to bloom.

I hope this little bud will turn into a flower.

It is actually impossible to get fresh Tomatillos in Norway - not even canned tomatillos are sold here as far as I know.

Road trip in Norway | Part 2

2010-07-22T12:08:00.004+01:00

So the journey continues.

Day 4-5

First stop was Trollstigen:

We eventually reached the top of this winding road up the mountain. Great view!

The stop for the night was "Melchiorgarden", a charming little farm situated in Norddal, a village surrounded by fjords and mountaines. They have 3 guest rooms and they offer a simple, traditional Norwegian breakfast. They grow rasberries and make their own jam and squash (Cordial). We were met by hens and a rooster strolling around in the garden as we arrived. The rooms are decorated differently in a country/shabby chic style and there are some very nice details added as in the picture below.

We enjoyed a traditional 3 course meal dinner at a guesthouse nearby called "Petrines Gjestgiveri". The meal consisted of smoked salmon with a green garnish as the starter and roasted lamb with ovenbaked veg and potatoes as a main. We were so full after these two courses that there just was no room for their lovely apple cake or "karamell pudding" for desert. Petrines is also offers accommodation.

The next part of the journey includes Geiranger and some of the towns on the west coast of Norway.

Road trip in Norway | Part 1

2010-07-21T13:52:00.002+01:00

My week of summer hols this year is short and sweet. We decided to do a road trip of 1619 kilometres in 9 days.

Day 1-3:

Starting off at this cute little cabin in Sjusjøen, by Lillehammer.

The cabin is a great starting point for long walks, just absorbing the nice surroundings and perhaps head up some peaks.

There is also time for cosyness inside the cabin, playing games, drinking wine and having romantic dinners.

Burgers with mango-jalapeño salsa

2010-06-28T08:07:00.003+01:00

This weekend has been lovely - summery warm and sunny. I've spent most of it relaxing and being a good girlfriend. This includes making some delicious burgers with a mango and jalapeño salsa.

Dinner for 2:

The burgers

400 g of good quality meat (beef or pork - whatever you prefer).
1 egg
1 tsp thyme (preferable fresh)
1-2 tbsps grated lime rind
A pinch of a equal amounts of nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves
1/2-2 tsp of finely chopped chillipepper

Mix it all together and shape the burgers. These can stay in the fridge for a day or so, or you can freeze them for later.

The bun
7 dl flour
1/2 pack of yeast
3 dl water
3 tbsps olive oil
Salt
Sesame seeds

Add the yeast to lukewarm water (appr. 37 degrees C).
Mix the liquid into the flour. I used my Kenwood for this.

Leave the dough for 40-60 mins.

Divide dough into equal pieces and shape into smooth balls. Leave them on a baking tray or sheet and let rise for 20-30 mins.

Bake at 225 degrees for 12-15 mins.

The salsa

1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and chopped into little pieces
1-2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 red onion, finely chopped
Fresh lime juice (appr. 1/2 dl)
Mint, finely chopped (I used about 4 tbsps)
Salt

Mix it all together in a bowl

- - - - - -

Add some oil to a pan and cook the burgers until medium rare (if beef) or until cooked through (pork). (Stick a thermometer into the burger. It should be about 70 degrees C for the latter.)

Green Tip of the Month 2

2010-06-18T14:37:00.003+01:00

Get rid of junk mail that fills up your mailbox and your rubbish bin!

Eco-chic violations, exhaustion and writer's block

2010-06-18T14:16:00.008+01:00

There have just been so many things going lately. There have been trips, social events and work-related events, and many eco-chic principes have been violated. This is very unfortunate indeed. I am terribly exhausted and this has now resulted in a bit of a writer's block as well, but let us look a bit at the eco-chic violations that have been committed these last few months.

I have been on a total of 8 flights. I found a site called Carbon Footprint, which is pretty handy because you can calculate your carbon footprints depending on what you do or even how you live your life. My total ended up on 1,27 tonnes for these 8 flights.

You can, after calculating how many tonnes of CO2 you have emitted, become "carbon neutral" buy carbon offsetting, which is basically paying a certain amount of money that is invested in a sustainability project or the like. One option is a Reforestation project in Kenya, another is a wind power project in Mongolia through Certified Emission Reduction (CER) Offset Credits.

Tip 1 | From SP

2010-06-10T10:55:00.004+01:00

SoulPrincess was flicking through British Vogue, April Ed. She found a list og natural products that she left as a comment to one of my posts.

I have edited the list and added the links to some of the sights that I thought looked interesting. Some of the sights where very "alternative", but you can find the whole list on Maya's Bubble.

As far as I could see, there were not many of these products that have been organically certified. I have specified the ones that are certified. Please correct me if any of the other products are certified as well.

Here is my edited list:

Love to be natural - ORGANIC and FAIRTRADE Certified
Beyond Skincare - ORGANIC Certified

Maybel Maybanks - Natural skincare, and so one...NATorigin - natural eye-care and so one
Charlotte Naturals - Natural skin and body products...
The Alice Bethany Bath Time Co. - Bath treatments ...
Victoria Regia
Organic Botanics

Summer Plans

2010-06-09T19:43:00.002+01:00

Summer is finally here and that makes me very happy. I love summer in Norway! Correction: I love summer in Norway when it isn't raining like today. It never really gets dark - it feels like late afternoon until past midnight so I never want to go to bed. Nothing beats a nice summer evening on the terrace or in the garden with a glass of red wine and a soft. lovely blanket.

The summer is also the season when we take out most of our holiday.

I have some very eco-friendly plans for this summer's holiday. It isn't only eco-friendly but also wallet-friendly. It is actually free!

I have managed to reserve a week off at one of my company's cabins in the mountain. It is free and I dont have to fly anywhere, in other words reducing my personal CO2 emission.

There will be a whole week of enjoying nature, hiking, swimming, maybe canoeing and horse-back riding as well. I hope to bring people that I enjoy spending time with and of course lots of nice food and drinks.

From Rustad Hotel's website

My other plan for this summer is redecorating the living room and the entrance in our flat. We moved in here in February this year, but we still have not had the time to freshen it up. It is a relatively old building, however the bulding it self has been upgraded and refurbished and so has parts of our flat, but not everything. There are floors and walls that need to be painted. I have already started to look at "Project redecorating", and I am tying to find as eco-friendly products as possible. I do at least hope that I will find products that are labelled with the Nordic eco label.

Eco Friendly Eyewear

2010-06-09T08:00:00.003+01:00

How about some stylish and sustainable sunglasses?

These eco-friendly bamboo shades are made by Kayu.

Bamboo is our planet's fastes growing wood with a growth rate of up to 60 cm per day.

For every pair of shades they sell, Kayu donates $ 50 to Unite for sight. This amount covers one sight-restoring surgery.

Unite for sight is a non-profit organisation that works with helping to "improve eye health and eliminate preventable blindness in the developing world".

(Unite for sigh website)

36 million people are needlessly blind and 80% of blindness is curable or preventable.

Weleda Aloe Vera Body Lotion

2010-06-08T14:33:00.001+01:00

I had ordered a few things from Only Organics closing down sale and I've tried them all out.

Let us start with the Weleda Aloe Vera Body Lotion. I had heard many good things about the Weleda products and thought I'd try one of them out.

My first experience with Weleda products ended up in the shower.

The body lotion is of a handy size, 200 ml, and I thought that Aloe Vera would be re-freshen and cool down my skin after a day in the sun. The lotion is nice and feels light when you pour it from the bottle. It would be a great body lotion for summer - a non-sticky, not-too-thick liquid. BUT! There is a big but here. It smells truly horrible! I noticed that it had quite a strong smell as I poured it out of the bottle, but as I started applying the lotion to my skin it was a lot worse than I anticipated at first. I actually had to re-shower in order to get the lotion off.

This lotion cannot be used. If anyone has used it before and likes it, please let me know and you can have it for free.

I will not even give this lotion any points.

0/6 points

For the 15 of you who read this blog - my deep apologies

2010-06-01T07:00:00.001+01:00

Ok guys, I am really sucky at this blog business. I have been away travelling (without my pc) and so have not updated my blog very much during the month of May.

I am honestly still struggeling a bit with this whole thing, but I promise you that I will stick around for a little bit longer.

My most recent trip was to Amsterdam where I saw this cute little thing. I know, it isn't very organic. I promise you that I will not budge from my principles and I will stick to public transportation and my own two little legs.

So this isn't the most green mode of transportation but it is pink and adorable!

Greenspirit Summer Sale

2010-06-01T06:55:00.001+01:00

GREEN SPIRIT has started a summer sale!

The timing could not be better considering my last post.

10-20 percent off!

Organic skin and haircare!

Sunny greetings

2010-06-01T06:50:00.001+01:00

Summer is finally here. We've had a long and terribly cold winter. It's time to find skin and hair products that are more suited for sunny and warm weather.

The deodrant reviewed here earlier does not work when it is a little bit warmer than zero degrees celcius. Sorry, but Urtkram's Aloe Deodrant cannot be used anymore. Huge patches of sweat is not charming at all!

Has anyone got any tips of a good organic deodrant?

Sunlotion is another things I desperately need!

Time to go windowshopping on the web.

Have a nice day everyone.

Urtekram's Aloe Vera Deodrant

2010-05-31T17:30:00.007+01:00

This deodrant doesn't work. I reviewed it in April. I still haven't bought another one simply because I haven't had the time to find another organic deodrant, so I kept on using this one. It has become painfully clear that this cannot continue. Please see review below (it is in Norwegian, but probably not worth reading anyways - just go straight to the bottom where it got 1/6 points).

- - - -

Mitt prosjekt med å bytte ut all kosmetikk og velværeprodukter fortsetter. Jeg har nå testet ut Urtekram sin Aloe Vera roll-on deodrant i over 1 måned. Denne deodranten inneholder mineralsalt som i følge urtekram sin hjemmeside er "genialt, fordi det naturlig hemmer bakterier og lukt, men ikke hudens naturlige svetteeprosess". Deodranten er sertifisert av Ecocert.

Den lukter friskt og har en veldig lett, flytende konsistens. Det tar lang tid før den tørker etter at man har påført deodranten på huden. Man må med andre ord ha god tid om morgenen...

Armhulene forblir ikke tørre i løpet av en helt vanlig dag. Litt ekstra fysiske utfordringer er bare å glemme. Det har ikke vært noe problem med svettelukt eller hvite merker på klærne, men det er ubehagelig når det blir fuktig i armhulene.

Jeg må nok lete videre etter en god økologisk deodrant.

1/6

Critical thought | No. 1

2010-05-25T16:06:00.005+01:00

For those with strong beliefs and convictions - especially relating to anything organic.

Every idea can be questioned and every conviction can be disputed. History shows that what you believe to be a fact can often be proven to be wrong or untrue, usually in the name of science. This post is not so much about whether you, or I, for that matter believe that organic food is better but it is about critically reflecting over your own convictions. There will in most cases, especially regarding facts that are not 'universal', exist some studies or proof that contradict your beliefs.

I believe that organic food is better for us. I therefore do not take this article too seriously because it seems somewhat less serious and less scientific. However, what if it had been a study conducted over several years with larger sample groups across different countries and the conclusion was the same as in this study, namely that organic food is not better than non organic food? Would you be able to alter you belief if you were convinced that the opposite was true?

Today's pretty little thing | Tulip

2010-05-22T10:07:00.002+01:00

~ Have a lovely day ~

Package on its way | Organic Summer

2010-05-22T09:55:00.003+01:00

Summer is here and I need some body and face products that are suitable for the warmer and sunnier climate. You really do need cosmetics for each season in this country. It is terribly inconvenient but a good excuse to try out some more organic producst! I thought I'd take advantage of the Only Organic closing sale. The package has been posted and I will give you product reviews as soon as I've tried them all out ;)

This is what I ended up with:

EOS

Honeysuckle Honeyde

Organic Lip Balm

Essential care

Relaxing body oil

WELEDA

Aloe vera Body lotion

Confused?

2010-05-20T13:11:00.002+01:00

Are you trying to make ethical judgements when you go shopping?

So many of the products we buy are marked with a label indicating that it in some way or another is more ethical than other products. Cosmetics and clothes are no exception and there is no doubt that anything "ethical", "fair", "natural" and "organic" is in vogue at the moment. So what does it all mean?

I just read a short and sweet introduction on the EcoChic Magazine website and thought I'd share it with the rest of you. Some of the organisations mentioned are UK specific but there is a good chance that you may encounter these labels anyways. You can find the article "Ethical Business a celebration beyond profit" here.

The EcoChic Magazine website is great site for anyone who is interested in a chic and ethical lifestyle.

The Garden Project | Developments

2010-05-19T21:06:00.001+01:00

Things are happening in our mini-greenhouse.

My chili plants seem to be growing at a steady pace and there is so far a 100% success rate!

The tomatillo plants on the other hand are growing in a more uneven manner, with a success rate of only about 50%. Only 8 plants have started to grow and there must have been about 15 in total when we started.

Well I am in the lead so far. The plants will be put in larger pots this weekend and then we will just have to wait and see what happens. Exciting stuff!

Green Tip of the Month 1

2010-05-19T08:00:00.002+01:00

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth!

Spring buzz

2010-05-19T07:00:00.001+01:00

Busy busy busy. These are the only three words needed to describe May 2010. There are business trips and lots of bank holidays, and so very little time for my blog project. My apologies to all of you!

17th of May has passed and I still have a slight headache from all the festivities the day before yesterday. Hope you all had a terrific day. Since this years wasn't as nice as last year, I'll leave you with the image from last year.

Fortunately summer now seems to have reached Oslo and there will probably be some late nights, cold beverages and my laptop in the next few months.

My green projects are not forgotten and I have lots of stored up new for you that just needs to be put "on paper" or on screen.

UK Election

2010-05-07T13:42:00.000+01:00

Well the polls closed at 10 pm last night and they are still counting the votes but it looks like the Torys won... The result of this election is the first hung parliament since 1974. It is too early to know for sure what will happen so we will have to wait and see.

Do you want any of these men to be PM in the UK?

World Fair Trade Day

2010-05-07T13:18:00.003+01:00

Saturday the 8th of May is the World Fair Trade Day! There will be events and arrangements around the globe.

Fairtrade Norge is arranging the largest event in Norway at Olaf Ryes Plass, Grünerløkka during the day and at BLÅ in the evening. You will have the opportunity to try out Fair Trade products or watch samba show (exciting!).

I will not be able to take part in this event due to daughterly duties. Bohoo!

The Fair Trade movement arose as a reply to the increasing economic gap betwen the North and the South. The point of Fair Trade is to promote sustainable development by offering a fair price rather than a price determined by the market (iow market is unfair) and strengthening living and working conditions in producing countries in the South. The Fair Trade concept has to some degree managed to give poor producers a voice but there is still a long way to go.

You can read more about the Fair Trade here at the Fair Trade Labelling Org. website or here at Wikipedia.

Have a lovely Fair Trade Day! Let me know how it was if you go to Olaf Ryes Plass or BLÅ. I will let you know about my Fair Trade supporting activities when I am am back in town.

Garden Project continued

2010-05-05T20:56:00.002+01:00

Thought I'd just show you all the beginning of our Garden Project.

Good night everyone.

The Garden Project

2010-05-05T14:03:00.004+01:00

Yes, you heard me right. We have started our own gardening project - a very small gardening project, but nevertheless a project involving gardening.

My fingers are not at all green and I generally do not enjoy too close contact with nature. I know, some of you may think it is somewhat ironic since I support everything organic and am a spokeswoman for organic products, but I don't think there are any conflicting beliefs here (!) I just enjoy some of the advances of modernity/post-modernity/post-post-modernity - electricity, proper housing, technology - you get my point right?

Mr. T got all excited about Tomatillo seeds at the Gardening store. We are both fans of Mexican food, i.e. not Norwegian-style tex mex Tacos (although they are tasty at times as well, but kind of tasty in the same way that pizza-on-the-door is tasty sometimes). It is impossible to get fresh Tomatillos in Norway and they are often used when cooking Mexican food. It would be fabulous if we could grow them ourselves.

I decided to try chilis. Most chili plants require to be put in greenhouses, so my choices were limited. I did however find one type, not a very spicy type, that may grow inside. We don't have a terrace, nor a garden so there is only really the window in our living room. It faces south so there should be plenty of sun as long as it doesn't snow during spring and summer (like yesterday - one of the glorious things you have to live with here in the North - Snow in May).

This must be the most organic method of obtaining this type of food considering that they are usually grown on the other side of the world!

Sale - Only Organics

2010-05-05T13:38:00.002+01:00

Only Organics is going to shut down their webshop and therefore running a sale with 30-50% reductions in prices.

Some new spring skin-or hair products might be nice?

If there are any organic or natural products that you have wanted to try out, it may be worthwhile taking a look at their webpage here.

A Saturday afternoon

2010-05-04T14:08:00.009+01:00

Saturday the 1st of May was the International Workers' Day and a public holiday in Norway. Well, it was a holiday for most people - not for the cafes in Oslo.

It was a chilly spring afternoon so I met up with a couple of my friends at Kolonihagen, Frogner.

Kolonihagen has a very nice and warm atmosphere and they serve lovely organic food and drinks.

The girls tried out a fantastic brunch platter with organic ham and cheese, brown bread, Belgian waffle with blueberry jam, yogurt and muesli, and organic fruit. They really really enjoyed it!

I was freezing cold and decided for a nice Tomato and Courgette soup. Some toast and an avocado dip followed on the side.

I finished off with a lush and frothy capuccino paired with a White chocolate cookie. Yum!

A perfect Saturday lunch!

Jeg har plassert min blogg i Oslo på norske bloggkart!

Today's pretty little thing | Brighten up your day

2010-04-29T14:07:00.003+01:00

Brighten up a somewhat grey day with beautiful flowers. This tulip had broken of from the rest of the bouquet but it looks lovely on its own on top of my mantlepiece.

Today started of rather gloomy, not just weatherwise. I was also feeling tired and drained walking into the office.

However, the sun is shining and I do love pink flowers. I feel inspired and I think I might even go for a jog along the riverside to gather some energy for the weekend. I am going out exploring new places and revisit some well known places this weekend to gather some material for my blog.

Have a lovely afternoon everyone!

The Nighthawk Diner | Second time

2010-04-26T10:16:00.008+01:00

What could be better after a late night out or a lazy Saturday afternoon than going for some proper diner food?

We made another visit to the Nighthawk Diner on Grünerløkka in Oslo.

This time, I decided to try a chilidog. Yummy sausage in a soft bun-bread with some chilli on top, pickles, fries and roasted veg on the side. Add a milkshake and you don't have to eat any more all day! (Chocolate milkshake for chocoholics like me - I was halfway through when I realised that I should have taken a picture). Mr. T went for the chili which was very nice, but not as nice as his special homemade chili. The chili portion was smaller so my fries managed to find their way across the table.

The Nighthawk Diner is meant to have a green/organic profile, i.e. use as many organic ingredients as possible. Most visitors probably wouldn't know this and Oikos (Organic Norwegian organisation for producers and consumers) would like to see some clearer descriptions of which dishes/ingredients on the menu that are organic. (See an article on Oikos' website about it here).

Anyways, this diner is highly recommendable, but remember to book in advance if you want to avoid queing on the outside!

FOLLOW-UP | ASHTANGA YOGA

2010-04-26T09:45:00.011+01:00

I was met by a discrete citrusy scent as I entered Puroyoga in Bygdøy Allé in Oslo. It looks nothing like a yoga school from the outside - just an ordinary entrance.

They do advice you to have completed a Level 1 Ashtanga yoga course in order to attend the drop-in classes. I haven't been practicing yoga in a couple of years and I may have overestimated my yoga-skills...

I put down my mat on the floor, lay down and tried to concentrate on my breathing as we waited for the class to start. It was a tad too warm in the room, but I figured they would turn on the airconditioning or open a window before we got started. (I was mistaken).

We stood up as the class started and began with an opening chant. All I could contribute with was the "OOOOM". I must admit that I did find this somewhat funny and was giggeling a bit inside. I know, I wasn't being terribly serious at that point, but I really tried getting into a "yoga-mode".

The class more or less followed the Primary series postures outlined in this illustration.

Suffice to say that it was hard work, and I was boiling. The heat of the room and the fast pace by which we switched between the poses made it feel like a proper work-out. Ashtanga yoga required concentration (breathing, changing poses as well as doing it right), flexibility and strenght. My concentration span isn't the best, I am quite supple (it became painfully clear that I am not equaly flexible all over) and I have been doing some weight training for a while so I managed ok strenght-wise.

The instructor demonstrated all the poses and she also went around guiding us. She was encouraging yet calm. Thumbs up for the instructor. Having attended various classes throughout the past 10 years has made me realised that whether you like your instructor's method or not matters a great deal - it can really put you off a class if you don't enjoy the instructor's way of doing things.

The conclusion thus is that the level 1 course is a prerequisite for anyone who would like to learn ashtanga yoga. I would even consider starting on scratch again even if I did practice yoga on and off for 2 or 3 years.

Attending this class made me aware of my physical limitations at the same time as I felt more relaxed and exhausted - but in a good way.

Earth Day or International Mother Earth Day?

2010-04-22T10:50:00.003+01:00

Today the 22nd of April is both Earth Day and International Mother Earth Day.

2010 will mark the 40th Earth Day celebration. Earth Day began in 1969, led by Senator Gaylord Nelson who wished to highlight the environmental issues of those days. Earth day started as a social grassroot movement and has throughout the past 40 years spread around the globe, expressing itself through campaigns, expositions, conferences and many other means of raising awarenes about the state of our planet.

The International Mother Earth Day is the result of a proposition presented by the Bolivian government in 2009. The United Nations General Assembly declared last year that the 22nd of April will now be the International Mother Earth Day. The International Mother Earth Day is not the same as the Earth day described above, nor is it a replacement. This shows how social activism can reach a status of global consensus all the way from grassroot levels to global political institutions. This acknowlegdement by the UN should therefore best be seen as a reinforcement of the orginal Earth Day.

There are events across the whole planet that mark this day. Earth Day activites are unfortunately not very widespread in Norway. Even if we are not participating in anu Earth Day events, we can still reflect upon the choices we make in our everyday lives and perhaps make our own action plan - not just for today, but for the next year, or an even longer time. This can be done by changing some or several of our current habits that have a detrimental effect on our planet's "health". There are many areas of which to focus on such as: climate change; conservation and biodiversity; deforestation; sustainable energy; pollution; recycling and waste management; sustainable development and so forth.

Today is the day to "Talk Green" and for "Green Ideas". What can we do to take care of planet Earth? Maya's bubble is not only a place where I can write down some of my ideas, but I would also like it to be a forum or a platform for others who want to either build further on what I write by sharing their ideas and knowledge, or engage in discussions and put forth some of their opinions. My knowledge is, for most of the areas, quite limited, and I would love to hear what others have to say.

The photographs shown here are from a trip I made to the Amazon a couple of years ago. I thought they might be suitable for this post.

*Both the pictures used in this post are from my private collection. Please do not distribute or publish these elsewhere. Contact me if you would like a copy.

APRIL | Activity of the month | ASHTANGA YOGA

2010-04-21T14:35:00.003+01:00

This is the first "Activity of the month" post which is part of my blog plans described on the page of the same name in Maya's bubble.

I will be trying out a class of Ashtanga yoga at Puroyoga, a yoga centre in Oslo, this evening. It has been buzzing around me recently and I have been running around like a head-less chicken. I therefore think that I am ready for reducing my stress levels and bring some harmony back in my life. A body and mind activity like Yoga must be the perfect solution.

Ashtanga or "Eight Limbed" Yoga (in Sanskrit) is a dynamic type of yoga where you focus on movement and breathing. . This is a great way to stay to stay fit and some claim that it might help if you are trying to loose weight. Some of the physioloical benefits of practicing Ashtanga yoga is that it enhances strength and flexibility. There are also several psychological benefits - it is said to calm the mind and hence reduce stress and anxiety.

There are six series in Ashtanga yoga and I will be trying out the "primary series" which "realigns the spine, detoxifies the body, and builds strength, flexibility and stamina". (From About.com) The series consists of appr. 75 poses including the sun salutations (versions A and B) as well as standing poses, seated poses, inversions and backbends. The last part of the session is relaxation.

To be continued after class.

NAMASTÉ

Morgeninspirasjon og ny side

2010-04-16T13:25:00.007+01:00

Jeg fikk en liten luftetur i morges og følte meg plutselig veldig inspirert. Det var deilig vær og solen tittet allerede frem.

En av tingene jeg fikk se på spaserturen var disse fine fargene.

Jeg har nå lagt til en ny side i egen fane ved siden av "HOME" under blogg tittelen. Her skriver jeg litt om hva jeg ønsker å gjøre fremover innenfor øko/etiske- eller andre temaer som jeg synes er intressante.

Riktig god helg!

PS: Dersom noen vil gjette på hvor dette er, så er det bare å kommentere ;)

Ikke mer reklame takk!

2010-04-16T12:25:00.003+01:00

Da fikk jeg klistret klistremerkene fra Grønn Hverdag på postkassen. Phew det var deilig! Ikke flere bunker med avfall som som røskes ut av postkassen fordi den alltid blir stappet full med uadressert reklame. Vi mottar rundt 50 kg uadressert reklame i året.

Reklame er irriterende og samler seg opp i bunker før man får kastet det i papiravfallsdunken, men dette er ikke det mest negative.

For det første så belaster produksjon, distribusjon og gjenvinning av papir reklame miljøet. Det er energikrevende og leder til enorme CO2 utslipp. Det er tidligere estimert at det blir produsert 60 000 tonn CO2 som et resultat av dette.

For det andre så ligger det en del makt i reklame. Mange velger å tro at de ikke blir påvirket av reklame, men reklamens makt skal man ikke undervurdere. Kjøpepress blant unge samt våre forbruksvaner er til en større eller mindre grad et resultat av reklame. Det er klart at man ikke kan unngå reklame, men vi kan hvertfall forsøke å få et mer bevisst forhold til hvordan vi lar reklame innvirke på oss og livene våre. For en tid tilbake var det en reklame for en gul sitron-zalo som så utrolig fristende ut. Zalo av alle ting! Jeg aner ikke hvorfor jeg fikk så forferdelig lyst til å kjøpe den, men den så nesten spiselig/drikkelig ut på reklameposteren, fristene og veldig gul - som godteri (jeg er ikke engang så glad i smågodt).

Selvom bloggen min er helt ny og jeg aldri før har rettet mine meninger mot resten av verden, så har jeg har i flere år rettet et kritisk blikk mot det såkalte forbrukersamfunnet. Da mener jeg ikke at det er galt å være en normal forbruker, at kapistalismen er ondskapen selv og at vi alle må slutte å kjøpe ting. Det jeg selv forsøker å gjøre er å ta fler bevisste valg og tenke meg om to ganger før jeg lar meg påvirke til å kjøpe alle de tingene man bare MÅ ha. Jeg forsøker rett og slett å stå i mot kjøpepresset. Det er et usynlig press, ikke bare fra de mer åpenbare kanaler som reklamebransjen, men også fra samfunnet, vennekretsen, jobbmiljøet osv. Det er selvfølgelig svært individuelt hvorvidt og til hvilken grad man lar seg påvirke, men man kan ikke benekte at det varierer fra person til person.

Synliggjøre bloggen min

2010-04-12T11:45:00.002+01:00

I håp om å få fler lesere har jeg presentert bloggen min på Bloggurat.

Beautiful Blogger Award!

2010-04-12T11:01:00.002+01:00

Blogg award..? Oj så gøy!

Jeg er veldig ny i blogg verden og litt treg...

Oppdaget nå, etter en liten pause fra datamaskinen at jeg har fått min første award fra Nanne. Hun er den første som la igjen en kommentar på bloggen min og det var jeg selvfølgelig veldig glad for! Nanne har forøvrig en kjempefin blogg (som jeg vanligvis følger med på).

Det følger noen regler med denne blogg award nominasjonen;

1. Takk den personen som nominerte meg til awarden.

2. Kopier awarden til bloggen min.

3. Linke til personen som nominerte meg til awarden.

4. Skrive 7 interessante ting om meg selv.

5. Nominere 7 andre bloggere til awarden.

------------------------------------------------

1. Tusen takk Nanne! Dette var veldig artig.

2. Det er gjort.

3. Nanne’s dagbok. Kjempefin blogg!

4.
5. Nominere 7 andre bloggere til awarden

Jeg har nesten alltid en kopp te i nærheten. Nå er det Hvit øko te fra Qi.
Av musikk så følger jeg for tiden med på fremgangen til den Colombianske gruppa Chocquibtown.
Den siste boka jeg ble ferdig med var "The Lollipop Shoes" skrevet av Joanne Harris.
Jeg kjøpte vaskenøtter for flere uker siden men har fremdeles ikke testet de ut. (Fy!)
Maya (Maja) er et av mine (familie)kallenavn.

Anne som står bak http://naturliglivsstil.blogspot.com/ Engasjerende og tankevekkende innspill!
Nanne - en fin og stilig blogg! Denne følger jeg med på :) http://nannesdagbok.blogspot.com/
Sunniva som skriver om klima og miljø i http://only1planet.blogspot.com/ En veldig interessant grønn blogg!
Bloggen pusteord, http://pusteord.blogspot.com/ En hel familie som har valgt den grønne sti! Inspirerende!
Denne bloggen er kul, og hun har allerede fått 3 awards, men en til skader vel ikke. The Soulprincess: http://soulprincessnr1.blogspot.com/
Og sist men ikke minst, Glam bibliotekaren. Dette var mitt første møte med bloggverdenen; http://glambibliotekaren.blogspot.com/

Vår

2010-04-09T13:04:00.001+01:00

Sola skinner og fuglene kvitrer. Ikke en snøhaug å se i Oslos gater - det er virkelig blitt vår. Vinduskarmen min er blitt dekorert med disse fine hvite mini orkideene.

Det har vært stille fra disse kanter noen uker, men det vil komme fler innlegg fremover. Påsken ble brukt godt til å slappe av og finne inspirasjon.

Earth Hour 2010 in Oslo

2010-03-25T13:44:00.004Z

Switch of your lights for one hour on Saturday the 27th of March at 8:30 pm!

Join the world's largest climate change campaign here.

Some landmarks/buildings in Oslo that are: The Opera, Akershus festning, Oslo Plaza, Stortinget, Regjeringskvartalet, and Oslo Børs.

The lights will be switched off around the world at buildings and landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Brandenburg Gate, Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Empire State Building, Table Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue, Sydney Opera House and the Burj Khalifa.

Further information, videos, photos and audio clips from around the world can be found here.

This is a great occasion to get together with your friends, family and the rest of the world society in a shared event towards a more sustainable future.

(Eco) Sex and the City?

2010-03-24T13:55:00.002Z

"You drive a hybrid. Your home recycling system is state of the art. You buy nothing but organic produce." This is how Stefanie Iris Weiss starts her new book Eco-Sex: Go green behind the sheets and make your love life sustainable. She continues buy saying: "If you haven't considered greening your sex life you're still a total environmental disaster".

I guess this is something all my fellow green neophytes ought to think about.

The book covers a range of more general topics of how to live a greener life such as eco-friendly clothing and lingerie, cosmetics and food recipes. These topics are all linked to the main message of the book: how to make your love life greener. Weiss takes us to a world of biodegradable condoms, green sexy bling and eco-friendly toys. She urges us to buy flowers for our lover from your own back-yard or at least the local farmer's market. There is also a bit on yoga positions for better sex and the best cities to find single greenies.

This sounds like amusing and light reading, but Weiss does also discuss some serious questions such as the increasing problem of overpopulation in the world. The greenest solution might just be to not have any babies...

This book will be available from amazon on the 30th of March and I have already ordered myself a copy.

Bærekraftig og resirkulert fra H&M

2010-03-22T14:28:00.002Z

Snøen smelter og våren er på vei her i Oslo. I anledning våren lanserer H&M "The Garden Collection" som er et friskt spill av blomster og lyse farger.

Det er en romantisk, lett og flagrende stil som viser hint av 70 og 80 tallet.

Hele kolleksjonen er laget av økologiske og resirkulerte materialer.

Materialer som er brukt inkluderer økologisk bomull og lin, resirkulert polyester og tencel.

Får du vondt i magen av påskesjokoladen?

2010-03-19T14:34:00.006Z

Påsken nærmer seg og butikkene har i flere uker satt ut store mengder påskegodterier. Noen har kanskje allerede smugsmakt litt, mens andre, slik som jeg har ventet med å kjøpe de deilige fylte små påskeeggene som kommer i en mini-eggekartong.

Grunnen til at jeg har fått litt vondt i magen er altså ikke fordi at jeg har kastet i meg store mengder sjokolade.

Aftenposten la onsdag den 17. mars ut følgende artikkel om menneskehandel og barnearbeid i det vestlige Afrika. Bakgrunnen for denne saken er den danske dokumentarfilmen "The dark side of chocolate", som ble vist på dansk TV tidligere denne uken.

I dokumentaren fortelles det om barn som er ofre for menneskesmugling og menneskehandel. De ufører tungt og farlig arbeid og lever under generelle umenneskelige forhold.

Jeg har ikke noe lyst på sjokolade lengre. Se filmen på SVT2 28. mars kl. 22:00, gjør deg opp en mening og legg gjerne inn kommentarer.

Dersom det ikke fungerer kan du følge denne linken til

traileren

The Nighthawk Diner | First time

2010-03-19T10:20:00.001Z

How about that, an American 30s diner in Oslo.

We decided to try out this new pheonomenon, called The Nighthawk Diner, last Sunday. Finding the telephone number in order to book a table proved harder than the usual; punch in a google search. When we eventually found the number and called the diner, we were told that they weren't taking any table reservations until the coming week.

I was really craving a burger and a chocolate milkshake, and after queing for 20-30 minutes we were shown to our booth. I was very excited!

...and so very terribly disappointed when I was told by the waitress who sounded very American, that they didn't have milkshakes (yet). They could offer softdrinks (boring), some draught beers and cocktails (that just doesn't feel right in a diner).

Well, I got my burger and a soft drink. My burger (grassfed beef) was perfectly prepared (rare as ordered) with fries and chipotle mayo. I felt quite satisfied despite the fact that I didn't get my shake. This only means, that I have to go there again as soon as they are up and running properly!

Økologisk sertifisert Mascara fra Green People

2010-03-18T13:12:00.003Z

Jeg har testet Volumising Mascara fra Green People i sort. Den er uten kvikksølv, formaldehyd, parabener, petrokjemikalier, ftalater og syntetiske fargestoffer.Denne mascaraen har en veldig lett konsistens og er enkel å påføre vippene. Det er mindre farge på børsten en på andre mascaraer så man må være litt mer tålmodig og bruke noen sekunder ekstra når man påfører den. Dette betyr til gjengjeld at den ikke klumper og den gir et naturlig og våkent blikk. Hvorvidt det er riktig å kalle det en "Volumising mascara" kan man diskutere. Så veldig mye volum får man ikke. Dersom man vil ha mer effekt så må man legge flere lag, men det gir likevel ikke samme effekten som andre volum mascaraer på markedet.

Jeg er positivt overrasket over det resultatet denne mascaren gir. Den er sertifisert av Ecocert og kan kjøpes på Green People.

5/6

Bevisste bloggere

2010-03-17T14:29:00.006Z

Grønn og Skjønn

Jeg ønsker å formidle hvordan vi kan ta bevisste og mer reflekterte valg i hverdagen. Derfor kommer jeg til å legge ut vurderinger av ulike produkter som jeg tester samt omtaler og beskrivelser av cafeer, restauranter og lignende.

Mitt hovedpoeng er ikke å være belærende, men en inspirasjon til andre som har lyst til å gjøre noen små endringer i livet sitt. Radikale forandringer er ikke lett å gjennomføre, og ikke engang ønskelige for de fleste av oss. Derfor så gjøre jeg et forsøk på å finne en gylden middelvei.

Dette blir en blanding av en økologisk blogg og en blogg som fokuserer på etisk handel og livsstil.

Økologisk Hårpleie | Green People

2010-03-17T14:06:00.003Z

Vinterlidelser er det ikke bare huden som opplever. Også håret får gjennomgå i det iskalde og tørre klimaet her oppe i nord.

Mitt hår har vært særdeles statisk, slitt og tørt siden før jul. Mine hårstrå får så og si aldri sjansen til å splitte seg, og det er ikke fordi at jeg er en ivrig frisørgåer - det er vanligvis høyst to til tre turer i året. I vinter derimot var hele hårsituasjonen en tragedie. Statisk og slitt med delte tupper. Etter en tur til en av mine favorittsalonger, Balanzera på Grünerløkka, bestemte jeg meg for å teste hårpleieproduktene fra Green People.

Shampoen skal ifølge beskrivelsen "gjenskape hårets glans og opprettholde en sunn hodebunn". Den er ganske tyktflytende og man opparbeider seg et fint skum ved å bruke en ganske liten mengde shampoo. En behagelig shampoo som lukter friskt av sitrus.

Balsamen skal forebygge tørt hår og gjøre håret lett å gre samt gjenskape en naturlig glans gjennom å tilføre ekstra fukt og næring til både hår og hodebunn. Den har en tynnere og mer flytende konsistens enn shampooen, nesten litt vannete i forhold til andre typer balsam jeg har prøvd ut tidligere. Jeg masserte denne godt inn i hår og hodebunn og lot den virke noen minutter. Håret blir deilig mykt og enkelt å gre ut.

[Mitt hår er langt, tykt, og har lett for å bli tørt samtidig som hodebunnen i periode veksler mellom å være veldig tørr (flasse) og være mer fettete.]

Jeg vil nok fortsette å bruke denne hårpleien til håret mitt har normalisert seg. En god serie i kaldt vintervær.

5/6

Økologisk Hupleie | O.N.E. Dagkrem

2010-03-15T14:29:00.007Z

Min hud har ikke vært helt fornøyd i vinter og reagert på både den ene og den andre måten. Den ble først og fremst veldig tørr som resulterte i at det sved, ble rødt og føltes ubehagelig når kremer og renseprodukter ble påført huden.

Etter å ha lest en del artikler om alle giftigte og potensielt giftige stoffer vi smører på bestemte jeg meg for å prøve et par nye produkter. Det startet med en tur på apoteket hvor jeg endte opp med en dagkrem for sensitiv hud deres nye økologisk sertifiserte linjen o.n.e.

Kremen pumpes ut av beholderen. Den er myk og ganske lett å påføre. Med tanke på at den fungerer for tørr og vinterskadet hud er den mye mindre fettete enn mange andre slike kremer. Den lukter så og si ingenting og trekker raskt inn i huden. Min hudtype er nokså tørr med litt blankt i t-sonen til tider. Jeg tror ikke at denne kremen vil trekke like godt inn i sommerhud, men den er kjempefin å bruke på vinteren.

Karakter: 4/6

Helg

2010-03-14T12:08:00.006Z

Det er så deilig med helg. Slappe av og kose seg med sine kjære. Det blir vel som regel en del ærend i tillegg til å pusle litt hjemme. Lørdag var en kjempefin dag med sol og blå himmel tidlig på dagen. Det var fremdeles et par flytte-relaterte ting som måtte gjøre unna før vi kunne tusle ut i Oslos gater.

Planen var å dra til Kolonihagen på Frogner, men plutselig var det blitt litt sent og det var grått ute, så da endte vi opp på en annen favoritt; Food story på Grünerløkka. De endrer jevnlig på menyen i forhold til de råvarer sesongen har å by på, og med disse tilby et godt lunsj tilbud. De Amerikanske pannekakene så fantastisk fristende ut, men jeg var klar for en lettere lunsj og valget falt på en deilig Kyllingsalat med granateple og bacon blandet i med masse grønt. Min kjære endte opp med Potet og jordskokksuppen med biter av bacon. Lunsjen ble kanskje noe mindre og letter enn vi hadde tenkt oss etter en formiddag med en del jobb i leiligheten, men vi var som vanlig fornøyde da vi gikk ut døren der.

Hvor skal man begynne?

2010-03-12T14:12:00.009Z

Det er virkelig ikke så lett å vite hvor man skal begynne, hverken når det gjelder å starte en helt ny blogg eller å starte en mer etisk livsstil. Man kan videre spørre seg selv om hva "en mer etisk livsstil" faktisk betyr. Dette er et definisjonsspørsmål som kan diskuteres i det vide og det brede. Jeg mener at det først og fremst handler om å ta ansvar; ansvar for seg selv, for andre og for omgivelsene. Som en respons til samfunnsendringer har ulike bølger oppstått eller videreutviklet seg. Vi har fair trade bølgen og den økologiske bølgen for å nevne et par sentrale eksempler. Begge disse kan anses som deler av en trend hvor man fokuserer på en mer etisk livsstil. Så hva kan vi gjøre? Hva kan jeg gjøre?

Det er vel fler enn meg som er opptatt av "helt vanlige ting" som reising, god mat, helse/sunnhet og omgi seg med mennesker og ting man setter pris på, men som har vanskeligheter med å finne en måte å leve på hvor noen eller alle disse elementene ikke strider mot en mer etisk levemåte. Det er vel kanskje også en noen som er opptatt av teamer som politikk og samfunn, og kanskje etikk og filosofi?

Jeg har en del tanker rundt alt dette og tiden får nå vise om jeg greier å få skrevet ned noen av disse tankene. Jeg får vel bare starte, ta et lite steg av gangen og se hvordan det går.

Det er nå slik vi må begynne -

med små skritt...

'Hva kan man gjøre': En kald kveld i mars?

2010-03-05T13:27:00.020Z

Det slår aldri feil å invitere venninner på rødvin og mørk sjokolade en kald vinteraften i mars. Etter å ha blitt informert av en av vinmonopolets vinkjennere falt kveldens valg på Vitis Ecologica Carmenère Cabernet Sauvignon (3 liter kartong), en økologisk vin fra Maipo Valley distriktet i Chile. Denne vinen skulle være veldig fruktig og ha noe struktur. Det er først den siste tiden at disse kartongene har kommet i hus, men det er veldig greit å kunne ta seg et glass et par ganger i uken uten at vinen blir sur.

Dommen

Vitis Ecologica Carmenère Cabernet Sauvignon er en ganske mørk og absolutt fruktig vin. Den er litt krafig men opplevdes likevel ikke som så veldig tung. Det er en litt syrlig vin med noe tanniner.

Vinen fungerte godt for dette formålet og er nok en vin som kan falle i smak hos mange.

Karakter: 7/10

Ved siden av vinen hadde vi Fairtrade sjokoladen Divine med deilige biter av bringebær.