Oslo: Part Deux

My second day in Oslo was largely spent "squat walking" down slippery hills and navigating icy pavements, as I was wearing ridiculously inappropriate shoes. During my efforts to stay upright I managed to really observe and appreciate the city.

To my surprise, there were many charming cafes with outdoor seating despite the subzero temperatures.

Eventually, my lovely host and I found ourselves near the the royal palace. We ventured up the large icy hill on which it was perched, and realised that we arrived just in time for the changing of the guard ceremony.

At this point I could no longer feel my fingers, as my thick gloves proved to be a hinderance in the picture taking department...but who could ignore a view like this?

The large Freia clock in the distance sits atop the Freia chocolate factory. They are famous for making the delicious Melkesjokolade chocolate bar, which I swear is addictive and I almost ate my weight in at the airport. Here's a closer look...

We concluded our walking tour at the the famous opera house, however the cold weather must have affected my judgement, because I neglected to take any photos. Yup, I have no record of visiting arguably the most distinctive architectural masterpiece in Oslo. Not one. Thank goodness for google. Apparently, architect wanted the building to portray an iceberg floating on water.

Later that night, we went to the Samsoe & Samsoe show. The clothes were classic and featured tailored coats and mostly subdued colours. My favourite was pale yellow dress. I loved the contradiction of the summery fabric paired with the edgy leather leggings.

We mingled at the after party for a while, then embarked on a sort of bar crawl. We headed home in the early hours of the morning and a few hours later I bid farewell to Oslo. The trip was short, but sweet.

Oslo Fashion Week

This past weekend, I had the amazing experience of photographing Oslo Fashion Week for a friend who edits a beauty magazine there.

Having visited southern Norway in the spring of last year and observing the breathtaking scenery, I was excited to see what the capital city was like in comparison.

We kicked off Friday night at the Moods of Norway show armed with our "Super Duper VIP" confirmation emails.

I was stationed in the photographers pit at the end of the runway with the big boys in the game which was, shall we say, a tiny bit intimidating? I carefully removed my "civilian"18-55mm lens and replaced it with the "pro" (not really) 55-200mm lens which boosted my confidence slightly.

As the lights and music came up and the models appeared, suddenly the photographers pit felt more like a lion's den. There was a substantial amount of elbowing and hissing before I found my happy place kneeling on the floor in front of the runway where I got some great close shots.

[Caution] Hot men below. You've been warned.

I loved the 30's feel of the styling and the gorgeous variety of fabrics.

As I left my spot on the floor to get some wider shots, the "mood" of the show shifted, when a professional dance group took to the runway and turned the energy up a notch.

Have a look at the blinged out shoes.

These gems seemed to feature throughout the rest of the show: attached to lapels, collars and the like - but my absolute FAVOURITE was the oversized bib necklaces adorned in them. I will most definitely be attempting a DIY version of this.

As the ended and the designers came out during the final walk, I saw the bottle, had a premonition, and took a step back.

See where this is going?

Way to end a great show with a bang, but I doubt the other photographers would agree, after all, champagne + lens = disaster. Hopefully there were no photographic casualties.

And the highlight of the show? Why the goody bag of course!

Err..Happy New Year?

Yes, it's been awhile. Is it too late to say Happy New Year? Probably.

Last time I posted I left the biggest cliffhanger since Will burned down the house on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and promised to reveal the carved wood mirror's new hanging spot.

She now lives in between the two sash windows behind the sofa. She fits PERFECTLY.

Her mates, the Thai carved panels, are still living it up in their home above the mantel.

After that, much of the design plan according to the mood board changed as well.

The wall aquarium arrived looking cheap like a fancy plastic bowl and was sent back pronto.

The lounge chair was promptly forgotten once I found a great deal on an Eames Rocker. Its a replica of course, in moulded plastic rather than the original fibreglass. This bad boy, designed in 1948 is one my favourite modern classic pieces.

I also found myself smitten with the oh so practical Tam Tam stools from Habitat (in white to coordinate with the rocker). They're great for putting my feet up and also double as extra seating for guests. They're easy to tuck away to create space (small flat and all that) and were a bargain at just £15 a piece.

The H&M pillows were nixed after some textile shopping in Bangkok, but more about that later. Until next time....