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[noringz]

Tour de Norway

Visit Norway’s CV-19 slogan has been; Dream now, visit later. 

To my international friends, when we can travel freely again, you're in for a treat. To my fellow Norwegians, why, oh why did I wait so long to travel in Norway? And if your´re visiting North of Norway this summer, please go to some of these places. 

Norway went on lockdown March 12th. I returned from the US March 14th. After three weeks of quarantine and several weeks thereafter of wfh, I needed some air under my traveling wings. I talked to my sister about it, and told her about my plans to travel to Stokmarknes in the county of Nordland during the summer, to visit our cousin. She said; If we go before the kids school year ends, I´ll go with you. I quickly decided I might as well move my work day to a rolling office, so on June 10th, we left Grimstad en route to the North. 

First stop was set for Trondheim in Trøndelag county, a 10h drive. We arrived right before dinner time, checked into our hotel (very standard Comfort chain hotel) and had dinner at the Sunny Side (Solsiden). It was a very warm evening and I pretended that my spritz and pizza was enjoyed at an Italian piazza (where I was supposed to spend my summer). We happened to run into a colleague of mine, so that extra glass of wine with him, made the next day 8h drive and rolling office a tad more tiring than was supposed to.

The next day, after a quick stroll around Trondheim to look at the cathedral and the old town, we set out for our next target: Korgfjellet. We had some moose cakes for dinner, very traditional style and went for a walk. As we are by this point getting closer to the land of the midnight sun, the views continued to be breathtaking throughout the whole evening. It turned out we were the only guests, and even the staff left at night, so we were completely alone. If it hadn't been for the fact that the sun is up all night, it would have been slightly creepy. The Blood Road traverse the mountain and is a tragic and horrible story I knew little about. If you are traveling in these parts on Norway, you can visit Nordlandsmuseet and learn more about the history. 

We were not aware of this museum when traveling, so the next day we continued our drive towards Stokmarknes. We drove across Saltfjellet and crossed the Polar Circle  with the sun shining all the way. We were in awe from the moment we left Korgfjellet until we arrived at our first ferry ride from Bognes to Lødingen. If we weren´t already in awe, the scenery opening up as we traversed the Ofotfjord left us speechless. The water was completely still and we were rewarded with our first glimpse of Lofoten. The drive towards Vesterålen kept the oohs and aahs rolling and I think this picture speaks for itself.

Arving in Stokmarknes we quickly showered and dressed an went to my cousin and her friends house to celebrate her 28th birthday. It was extremely hot, and not really what we had expected on our first trip to the North. The next day, we went hiking to Husbykollen, where you get 360 degrees of views of the entire Vesterålen. Coming down, the only sensible thing to do was to go for a swim. I cannot stress enough how lucky we were with the weather. Even though I'm a all year ocean swimmer, I had not expected to be able to swim and sunbathe on the wonderful beaches. At times we were not sure if we were on a secluded beach in Thailand....

In the evening, we visited the wonderful Kvitnes Gård, that you can read about here.  Sunday, Lofoten was our next stop. We left early afternoon and had a stopover in Svolvær to enjoy some excellent mussels at Bacalao. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that before we left Stokmarkes we went for a morning walk and the clear waters was so tempting that we just had to have a little dip in the ocean. The poor sheep grassing around the area was in for a treat, and I think a painter would have captured the moment in “The three Nudes”.

Sunday evening, we arrived at Sakrisøy Rorbuer, and again had the crazy experience of being all alone. It is with mixed feelings we got to experience this part of Norway with no other tourists. It was mid-June, and it should've been almost impossible to get reservations and a spot on the ferries etc., but we also enjoyed the experience. We had a quiet evening alone, went for a walk among the dry fish and I had to have a dip in the ocean again. Just a few steps outside the door to our cabin. 

The next morning, we left very early with the ferry from Moskenes to Bodø. In Bodø, we only made a quick stop at Berbusmel bakery to stock up on bread and other baked goods, and then we had timed our drive down Helgeland so not to miss any ferries. We spent one night at Havblikk and enjoyed a late dinner of fantastic local halibut. Unfortunately, our drive down the coast was very foggy, so to our surprise, the next day the fog had lifted so our drive towards Vega was yet another breathtaking experience. We even managed to have a quick stop to eat breakfast infront of the The Seven Sisters before we had to make it to the one and only ferry leaving for Vega that day. Again, we had a completely calm journey across the sea, and when we arrived at Vega, we were not disappointed. If we had known in advance that we should've booked two nights, we would have done so. So that is my recommendation. Stay at least two nights.

We had booked one night at Vega Havhotell, where a five course dinner by owner Aga was waiting for us in the evening. But first, we had to see a bit more of Vega, and drove to Vega World Heritage site to rent bikes. After an amazing fish soup (with freshly caught sea trout!!!!!) at the restaurant, we biked 20km to Eidem beach and had a swim in the ocean unlike any we have ever experienced. You should just go and see for yourselves. The 20km bike ride back left us sore and tired, but we managed to shower and change and sit down promptly for the nights five course dinner of locally sourced deliciousness. Halibut, more fresh sea trout, lamb and strawberries was on the menu. Content and happy we went to bed that night watching the midnight sun as it dipped gently into the ocean and played with the surface of the water. 

Again, you would want to stay one extra night at least at Vega, but we had to start our drive back down towards the South. Røros was to be our one overnight stop on the way. My sister had visited Røros when she was a little girl, this was my first time. We had booked a room at Vertshuset Røros, an utterly charming place! This was also the best breakfast of the trip, AND the best bed of the trip. The next day, and almost 3500km later, we were back to where we started in Grimstad.

It was truly an amazing trip even though I think my sister was a bit tired of my rolling office and endless calls. But in the end the only thing we remember was the food, the scenery, the refreshing dips in the ocean, the friendship and the endless midnight sun. 

If you dream of traveling Norway, I highly recommend it. We also had a quick stop in Mosjøen of 10 minutes that was really pretty, and a few other stop along the way we didn't have time to explore - so we will be back for more. 

[noringz]

An emotional start to my vacation. I love reading and I love books. I’ve powered through this @kenfollettauthor triology during lock down and finished the third one today. And as always when I finish good books, I cried my eyes out. Also considering the latest developments in the world (not cv-19, but #blacklivesmatter and world leaders who tend to be the cray cray side), I strongly recommend you to read these. Learning and understanding others makes us better human beings and remembering history puts current affairs into perspective and increases our tolerance and level of respect of each other . We need to move forwards. Not backwards. Happy summer - I’m already on my next book. 🤓🙋‍♀️💪🏻📔 #readersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CCOW4bfAFHG/?igshid=1km0ya3dd7uyv

[noringz]

With a taste of Rolia

About “Kvitnes Gård”, Nordland, Norway

That heading will only make sense to a handful of people. 

In the 50s, my grandparents built a small cabin in the woods, and was a heaven for winter sports activities for my mum and her sisters including a myriad of cousins and their friends in their teens. The following generation are not superusers, but we go once a year. This is however, not a post about the cabin in the woods named Rolia, but about the culinary experience I had last week. But the interlink between the two will be revealed.

My sister and I have been on a roadtrip in Norway. More on that in the next article. During the Corona lockdown, we both came across an article in one of Norway´s largest newspaper about a place in the North of Norway where a man had moved back to his roots with his GF, to open a gourmet restaurant in his old family farm. Kvitnes Gård. (Kvitnes Farm). They had to close 1 month after their grand opening, and their future was in peril. Like many other business around the world in lieu of CV-19. 

We had to secure a table when they re-opened. Which we did. And then we drove 1654km to get there. 

Picture this. As you drive around the last bend in the road that takes you to Kvitnes, you are awarded with the sun welcoming you and showing off the farm buildings in a romantic glow. You park, and wander down the path towards the old main building where you're met with a large grill where a chef is preparing something. The smell is already amazing. After signing in, you're led behind the main building where you're served a glass of sparkling wine and you sit down to look out on the fjord and enjoy the vistas. It´s dead quiet. Except for birds chirping and the occasional sheep trying to express something. The sun warms your face, and the sparkling wine warms your heart. At 7pm sharp the 25 lucky guests are ushered into the house. At the entrance you are instructed to remove your shoes, and offered thick wool socks. Because the house is old and drafty, and because you don't want to ruin the newly painted floors. For some, the thing with the socks might seem a bit weird. But for us Norwegians, removing your shoes before entering someones house is quite normal. So you instantly feel right at home. 

The next room gives you a glimpse straight into the modern kitchen. You step on a hinge and are told that the wine cellar is right down below where you stand. To the right is a lovely sitting room, beautifully decorated with old Biedermeier sofas, modern and local art and a fantastic slate fire place. To the left of the kitchen, you enter a delicate dining room with a certain Scandinavian design vibe and the old walls are painted in a dark greige with a hint of yellow. 

And then you sit down, and the show starts.

Yes, I will refer to it as a show. Having personally travelled all over and eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world, you can call me a foodie, so I was as excited as a child on Christmas morning. 

Tiny pieces of art starte arriving at our table. Art in the form of beautifully presented food. I´ll reveal that we had between 20-25 different dishes and explaining each and everyone would take up at least two more articles. So you just need to go there and taste for your self.

What about the link to Rolia? Well, the third plate that arrived at our table showcased three small mushroom sandwiches between thin rye crisp bread standing up on a bed of moss shaped like mushrooms. Between them were three tiny sprigs of birch draped in reindeer speck. I picked up the little sprig and put it in my mouth. As the taste from the reindeer started to make it´s way to my brain, a sentence popped into my head; it tastes like Rolia. Voicing it out loud I looked at my sister and cousin who are part of the handful of people who will understand the reference, and they both smiled and nodded their approval. It tastes just like Rolia...

Perhaps it was the fact that it was the first trip and foodie experience I've had post cv-19. Maybe it was because I was there with people I love and not eating alone which I usually do on my travels. Maybe it was the fact that on my first trip to the North of Norway we had warm weather and the sun is up all day and night, or maybe just the fact that Halvor Ellingsen and his team has created a place and an experience that will leave all your senses satisfied with just the perfect amount of happiness. Hands down the best meal I've had in my whole life. (All produce used in the creations locally sources obviously.)

We drove back to the hotel around midnight and was awarded with the perfect midnight sun. Next time, I will stay at the farmhouse for full room and board and sit outside all night and drink the night away. 

This trip inspired me to reopen this blog, so stay tuned for many more articles from my summer in Norway. <3

[noringz]

2018: Moved for the n’th time New job and challenges. Continued solo adventures around the world and saw all the views + some adventures with friends and family exploring new and familiar routes. Tons of much needed quality time with friends and family, and leaving someone behind. Meeting new interesting and inspiring people where some tested my patience and some gave some great advice. 2018 was not the easiest of rides, but I persevered on the downs and thrived on the highs. Thank you for all the lessons. Bring it on 2019! 🙋 #wanderlust #jenterifarta https://www.instagram.com/p/BsGGiHLg8Rx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e2a64aaorl76

[noringz]

The perfect 5/6 day NYC itinerary.

When my good friend Ida called me to tell me she was single again, I think the first thing I said was; “Do you want to go to New York to celebrate New Years Eve?” Her immediate response was: “Yes.” 3 minutes later, we had booked the tickets and hotel. We were good to go. 

So, this would be my eighth time visiting the city that never sleeps. A couple of times for business, and a couple of times for pleasure. I’ve had so much fun each and every single time I’ve visited and wanted to finally start writing my best picks. So here we go. The perfect 5/6 day NYC itinerary.

Day 1.

We stayed at Hotel Indigo Lower East Side. Location is outstanding within walking distance of Brooklyn Bridge, Ground Zero, Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Greenwich, Chelsea and other must do’s in the city. It’s also situated perfectly on the F line that takes you directly to The Rock, MOMA, Fifth av., Central Park etc. The Uber fare to Williamsburg is also good, so again; PERFECT location. I think you get the picture.... After checking in, you should head straight up to the hotel rooftop, Mr. Purple, for drinks and guac. You need a good rooftop bar in the city. Any season. Fueled with two very strong Margheritas we zoomed to the chosen restaurant for the night, Beauty&Essex. With a 3 minute walk from the hotel, it was absolutely perfect for the first night. The design, the drinks, the atmosphere and the food is to die for. The scene is so vibrant you just want to stay there forever. They played old 90′s R’n’B classics ALL night - you HAVE to go.

Day 2.

I am huge a breakfast person. And luckily my friend knows my blood sugar levels needs refueling. Day 2 breakfast was consumed at Ludlow Coffee Supply, just across the street from our hotel. Filled on coffee and avo toast (obviously) we headed for the underground and the F train to Rockefeller Center. Always and always pre-purchase tickets for Top of the Rock. It is my favorite view of New York and I love coming here in the morning. It’s less crowded and again, the view is one of the best in the city. Coming down from the Rock, you are at a great spot for the shops on Fifth. We ended up having lunch at Sarabeth’s with my good friend Christoffer who was in town with his BF visiting his cousins. A couple of Bellinis later and we were more than ready for more shopping....The evening on day 2 was reserved for my all time favorite in the city, Hakkasan. Although it’s been there forever and draws a lot of tourists, I still love it. After a 7 course meal you feel stuffed, and a stroll around Times Square is just the rigth cure to walk off some calories. 

Day 3.

Breakfast again. It was snowing hard, so we decided to splurge on breakie and head for the ever classic Balthazar and their lovely mimosas. More giggles later and heavy snowfall, we headed to Chinatown. After an hours walk we were a bit fed up with the fake bag sellers and viola, we stumbled on a piece of heaven. Stepping through the thick velvet curtains at the entrance of La Mercerie at Roman and Williams you are met with the most beautiful  design and feel. It’s so gorgeous. Even the staff speaks in a hushed voice as not to disturb the serene vibe. Feeling yet again refueled we took on Soho for some shopping. Walking back to the hotel in the snow, we were excited for the upcoming night out. And what a night it was. Drinks at The Standard - it’s an incredible place, like stepping into a scene from The Great Gatsby. Dinner at Catch and party all night at Bagatelle and Gansevoort rooftop. The highlight of the evening/morning was however, the pastrami feast at Katz delicatessen. Oh my...I’m going to leave it with that. What happens in NYC, stays in NYC.... ;)

Day 4.

After three solid hours of sleep, and the coldest NYE in NYC in 100 years, we feasted on breakfast at Spritzer. You have to try their buttermilk pancakes. YUM! With take out coffee in gloved hands, we headed for Brooklyn Bridge. May I remind you it was cold. Very cold. However, experienced winter people and knowing how to dress for -20C,  we hooded up like a couple of Norwegian explorers and conquered Brooklyn Bridge. If you like us, do a return march like we did on such a cold day, I can only recommend celebrating with the hot chocolate at The Beekman. Ground Zero is a short walk away from The Beekman and in the icing cold we walked down to see the Fearless Girl (how we felt in the cold that day. Come to think of it. How we feel every day), and after a quick stroll around Battery Park, we hailed a cab and headed back to LES. On Ludlow Street you will find Black Tap Burgers & Beer. Their burgers are voted some of the best in the city and their Crazy Shakes are, well, crazy. We ended up having a quiet dinner at Marta in the evening,  before mutually deciding that it was too cold for anything else than the hotel rooftop.  

Day 5.

We opted for a light breakfast at local diner. Having had an fairly early night the night before, we were feeling energized and headed for American Natural History Museum, followed by a cold, but sunny and wonderful stroll in Central Park. We decided to walk from Central Park down Broadway as far as we could take the cold. After an hours walk, the low winer sun disappeared behind a building and we jumped on the Subway to Chelsea market to defrost. Feeling the Bellini clock ticking we were close to The Standard Grill - amazingness. Warmed by great food and service we decided to do a bar run and hit some of the great bars on and around Bleecker Street. Oh, and a quick stop at Magnolia. Because, Cupcakes....

Day 6.

Another cold morning in the city and we decided to head to Williamsburg on our final day. We ubered to EGG, the best breakfast in Brooklyn, and wandered the streets with several coffee and hot chocolate stops, before ending the fantastic stay with amazing vintage shopping at Amarcord. An uber later to pick up our suitcases, we were on our way to Newark and home. Needless to say we both agreed it was a vacation exceeding expectations. 

[noringz]

2017 - Noringz is back!

Wow - 2016! What a crazy year...I moved back to Copenhagen, I started a new job, I travelled, I cried and I laughed and I had absolutely no energy to write. And I missed it. I've missed Noringz.

So I'm back. Back with my concerns, my opinions and my views on #life. 2017 has started out pretty well on a personal level. I've made it to the gym five times, I've initiated a very exciting project with my best friend in the US, (TBC) and I've made a decision that 2017 is year where I focus on my own happiness. Both personally and professionally.

2016 was the year of changes and challenges for me. I've moved back to CPH with it not being as I hoped it would be. My job has been a 100 times more challenging than I ever thought it would be. There is a generation shift in my family and my childhood home. My sister and her family is moving in and renovating, and my parents are moving to "the barn"*, and I'm sad it wasn't me that could do it. But I'm also very happy and grateful my sister and her family made the choice to do it, so that the place that has been in my family for generations continues to be so.

So with all that emotional stuff out of the way, it's time for happiness!

Stay tuned for updates on "salmon theory", work/life balance and career, health and wellbeing and a feminist opinion or two...

*"the barn" is the old barn on the property that my parents converted to a garage/workspace when they took over the place in 1981. Including two "generation" flats where my grandma occupied one when I was a kid.

[noringz]

Oh, what a night! Tusen takk til mine deilige jenter for en super opplevelse på det som var min siste konsert som leder for Korjentene! Det har vært 5 år med veldig gode minner og mye latter!! Det skal ikke stå på sjarmen... ;) 😘 #korjentene

[noringz]

Check! Just a little race on a May Saturday! Team "I siste liten"!! 🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼🏃🏼👏🏻💪🏻 #holmenkollstafetten

[noringz]

Last year on this day i posted this. These rules have guided me through the past year and been used almost every day as a constant reminder. It's been a rollercoaster of a year, but they worked. So as I am preparing for my 34th birthday tomorrow, they stick with me. And will continue to do so until I need new rules... #ifyoudonotasktheanswerwillalwaysbeno 🙋💪🏻 (ved Lindern, Oslo)

[noringz]

Early days for #wearethegrobæks 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧❤️ #detglade80tallpågranca #familyfun

[noringz]

Sikke en dejlig aften...Københavns beste - og mine venner!! ❤️ #homeawayfromhome 😘 @ckorsnes (ved Restaurant Krebsegaarden)

[noringz]

Testa ut #kahoot som foredragsform hos Econa i kveld! Suksess!!!! 🙋 #noraomnettverking #econaungioslo #econa (ved Econa)

[noringz]

Er jeg digitalt utdatert?

For tre uker siden startet jeg atter en ny reise i ISS, nå som prosjektleder for innovasjon. Shit så kult tenkte jeg da jeg fikk telefonen. Challenge accepted!

Onsdag denne uken var jeg i den forbindelse så heldig å få overvære Aftenposten konferansen; Teknologi og fremtidens arbeidsmarked. Spent på å finne ut om jeg har fulgt med i timen og over gjennomsnittet spent på dagens perlerad av foredragsholdere, fant jeg meg en plass så nærme jeg kunne komme scenen uten å måtte sitte på fanget til H.K.H. Haakon M. Jeg var klar for å få med meg ALT!

Verden er i endring og det skjer raskt. Altfor raskt. Don Tapscott som åpnet dagen, kom rett fra Davos og hadde med seg en sannhet; vi står ovenfor den fjerde industrielle revolusjon, og den skal jeg få være med på! Overveldende og vanskelig å forestille seg på samme tid, men ble jeg inspirert til å dele mest mulig. De som fulgte min Snapstory, Twitter, Instagram eller LinkedIn fikk kanskje med seg litt. Jeg er ganske aktiv i sosiale medier og etter alt jeg fikk høre fra scenen på onsdagen om fremtiden, er jeg veldig glad for det.

“Å høre at du er digitalt utdatert når du er 35 år (undertegnede 33 år), er ikke spesielt bærekraftig for samfunnet”, uttalte Silvija Seres i debatt med Paul Chaffey, Gerd Kristiansen, Torgeir Waterhouse, Anita Krohn Traaseth og Daniel Ras-Vidal. Skummelt.

For å klare og henge med med den farten utviklingen skjer, må jeg følge med i timen, ha en evne til å lære HVER ENESTE DAG, holde meg fremoverlent og nysgjerrig og for guds skyld fortsette å være digital! Det er essensielt for å holde meg attraktiv i fremtidens arbeidsmarked. Noe også Mariëlle de Macker fra Randstad bekreftet. Så er det bare å krysse fingrene for at det er nok. For som sagt, så endrer verden seg altfor raskt.

Steve Wozniak avsluttet dagen med artige anekdoter fra sin tid med Jobs og om en fremtid med kunstig intelligens. Rimelig spacet, men om jeg om fem år har min egen avatar som forteller meg hver morgen hva jeg skal prioritere den dagen og som har tenkt for meg gjennom natten, gjenstår å se. At jeg skal ha en om det skjer, det er helt sikkert. Så får kanskje min kreative og overanalyserende hjerne en liten pause nå og da. Det hadde vært deilig! At jeg er digitalt utdatert i en alder av 33 år, det er heldigvis ingen sannhet.

[noringz]

I know the feeling... 🙋#enigmedanne #drømmejobben

[noringz]

Woz... Starstruck! #aptech 🙋📱 @aftenposten Takk for en fantastisk inspirerende dag!! (ved Folketeateret)

[noringz]

Nansen og Amundsen... ish! Aldeles praktfullt! 🎿❤️ #hvorfortataxihjemfraafterskii20minusnårdukangå (ved Hovden)

[noringz]

Dette! ❤️ Aldeles praktfullt! #skidronninga 😘 @marter82 @elisasverden #offpiste #hvorfortataxihjemfraafterskii20minusnårdukangå (ved Hovden)