Oslo, Norway

At the end of January I was lucky enough to travel to the magnificent city of Oslo, Norway to attend an audition.  It was a short trip - maybe about three days long - but I really tried to make the most of my stay there and absorb what I could in this short amount of time.  

I got off my plane and like any explorer in a new place, made my way on the train which took me straight into the heart of the city.  I fell in love with the Norwegian scenery instantly.  

here are some fields...

here are some trees...

here are some homes...

As you can see, lots and lots of snow in Norway.  The temperature wasn't much different from Toronto's - frosty, but no more than what I'm used to.  But I left a green Toronto, so I was quite appreciative of this Nordic snowy winter view.

I stayed in what was by far the coolest hotel my student budget could ever afford. The Comfort Hotel Xpress Youngstorget.  The hotel had the vibe of an ultra hip youth hostel.  It was decorated with pop-art and graffiti on the walls and even had arcade machines upon entry.  The staff were incredibly friendly.  I can only say good things about this place.

cutest twin beds I've ever seen

how about this super Nordic bathroom

Isabelle was meeting me in Oslo but since my plane arrived a few hours before hers, I had some time to go off and explore...

mountains of mystery

the Oslo Opera House (also where my audition was)

cute cafe I found (one of the few places open on a Sunday aka I was starving)

When Isabelle arrived, we went out to explore some more and out for dinner.  Staying outside in the fresh air and tiring ourselves out was the best way to fight off the jet lag, especially considering we had to be perky, bright-eyed ballerinas the next day.  Isabelle thought it would be neat to document Norway in panoramas, so she took these cool photos:

1. A restaurant not too far from our hotel.  We think it was Italian because I ordered a pizza but they did also serve fish so...we never found out for sure.  Our waitress was telling us about this one white fish that's similar to cod, that they hang up to dry out for some time before serving it.  Apparently, it's a big thing in Norway.
2. This was the neighbourhood where our hotel was.  Youngstorget, it was called.  Very hip and trendy. Lots of cool restaurants and bars and only minutes away from the shopping street and other known parts of Oslo.  The only difficulty was that we had to walk up and down these hills to get out of the hotel, which in any other season would be fine except that in winter, all of Oslo turns into an ice rink.  Not even kidding.  We were slipping and sliding all over the place.  So yeah...these hills were basically a death sentence.
3. Here is a view of the opera house and city at night.  Very beautiful and lit up.  Could you imagine going to see an opera or a ballet in such a striking structure?
4. Ah Joe & the Juice.  Joe and I first met upon my travels to Copenhagen in October.  It's this incredible juice place where they're known to hire really hot guys...sort of sexist, I know.  But I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it somehow makes the juice taste even better.

The audition went well.  I mean, I didn't get a job so obviously it could have been better, but I had a good class and a lot of fun.  Optimism is the only thing I can hold onto for now.  And if I know that I did my personal best, then I know they just didn't want me.  Yeah, that sucks, but at least it's not my talent that's in question.  It's going to be a long road of rejections, so if I let myself break this early on in the game, I'll never make it.  Anyways, the view outside the studio was something else.  I made sure to get a barre spot right at the window, which could be distracting/inspiring, all at the same time.  Windows are very important to me.  

Isabelle and I after our audition

My friend Ida who lives in Norway was kind enough to take us around the city and give us a tour.  It was so lovely seeing her again since it's been a handful of years since I last saw her.  We walked for hours in the cold but I felt that after her personal tour, I properly got a taste of Oslo.  

Over all, Oslo is a visually remarkable city.  The architecture is puzzling, yet memorizing.  Many of the buildings, including the Opera House, resemble Arctic glaciers or icebergs, fitting the winter reputation this country has.  I'm happy I got to experience Norway in this season.  Hopefully I can come back and see it in the summer.  The one thing about Oslo that I would change is that it seemed to die down by the nighttime.  I mean nobody wants to be out in a temperature below zero, but it seemed that were hardly any people on the street.  And stores closed quite early.  I think if I lived there, I would get a little bit bored, but at the same time, with the nature and beauty of the city, I think I would find other ways to stay in awe.  

farvel Oslo!

Pleasantly yours in Oslo,
Bart

The Detox Market with a side of cookies

Last Sunday, my girlfriends and I took a day trip to a few places around the city, all of which were recent discoveries of mine.  I had been dying to bring my friends because I had inklings they would have appreciated them.  

First we stopped into a shop that I literally salivate over.  It's called The Detox Market and it's on King St. and Blue Jays Way.  Immediately upon walking into the store, you're greeted by a wall of what I, until further tastings, believe is the world's best chocolate.  The brand is called Taza Chocolate and I was first introduced to this piece of heaven by my school's nutritionist this past June.  Now, she's from New York so my challenge was finding this in Canada and for a long time, I had no such luck.  In September I was in New York myself and found the chocolate instantly at the Whole Foods in Columbus Circle.  Naturally, I stocked up and brought a whole ton back to Canada.  It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I stumbled upon this magical chocolate wall in The Detox Market and my dreams had come true.  

What I like best about this chocolate is that you have some of the most basic ingredients and not too many either.  It rarely surpasses five ingredients.  They use stone ground cacao beans and a bit of cane sugar and depending on the flavour, it would usually contain one or two more ingredients.  But wait...no soy lecithin??! Is it true?  Yes, yes. There is none of that stuff and it's wonderful and I think that might be part of what gives it this unique texture.  I think the texture is what makes it stand out the most for me.  When you bite into the chocolate it almost dissolves in your mouth into a powdery, almost sugary substance.  It kind of sounds too good to be true but believe me, you need to try this chocolate.  

This one I just tried for the first time and it's everything 

right in the world, captured by a chocolate bar

This is my go-to, all-time-favourite flavour and

has the perfect powdery texture I mentioned

So I've just walked through the doors and went on a whole tangent about this miracle chocolate... but turn your head to the left and you'll see a cold-press juice bar from Greenhouse Juice Co.  Not only do they have beautifully delicious flavours of juices (and almond milk, coconut water, aloe water, shots) but they have the cutest names and glass bottle that you can return and collect on a card until you get a free juice!

My friends and I went a little overboard...

The rest of the store is filled with fascinating products - skin care, make up, hair care, body and bath products, fragrances - all free from the chemicals and toxic gunk that you find in most beauty products.  I still need to properly explore this part of the store but lock me in there for a few hours and I'd be in paradise.

And I was in paradise.  I think my friends had to drag me out of the store.  And really the only thing that got me out of the store was knowing that our next destination was cookies.  And not just any cookies...

Le Gourmand (on Spadina and Richmond) has the best chocolate chip cookie in Toronto, according to me and likely numerous Torontonian blogs.  Sidenote: it is also a café but that doesn't really matter to me because as soon as I walk through those doors all I can smell and see and feel (I have a sixth sense for cookies), is that chocolate chip cookie.  

 

This is a record of my first ever Gourmand Cookie reaction, as Instagrammed by my friend...

And here's a happy picture of me and my friends.  All smiles because, well, cookies.

Pleasantly yours,
Bart