Rainy Day In Dublin

It's a very wet day here in little Dublin today. Grafton Street is crowded with colourful umbrellas and people hurrying along to get away from the elements. Even the flower-stalls were looking a little drowned.

But a very milky cappuchino with good friends just makes the whole out-in-the-rain venture worth it. What can beat a little catch-up session, tucked away in a dark corner of a cosy café with some very cool girls?!

And as for the rest of the afternoon; I plan to try my hand at making cranberry and pistachio nut biscottis. As I LOVE to dunk them in my latte, such a treat, but I have never actually been successful at making them. But I guess baking trial-and-error is what rainy afternoons were made for...

And as for today's little indulgence; I have pre-ordered the lovely Emily Schuman's new book - from her gorgeous blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. I am totally looking forward to lots of stunning pictures of her outfits and baking creations! JOY!

Scenes From A Saturday Morning

Seriously; after a hectic week, does anything beat weekend mornings?! Fresh and fruity smoothies, playtime, some blogging catch-up, story-sessions, farmer's market, a trip to the hairdressers, my new Celine iPhone cover (HEART) and just lots and lots of sweet family time!

Today...

... Nahla had some playtime with her baby, Alva (named after a friend's baby girl Alva!). She has never really taken an interest in her two dolls and dolls pram until the last couple of days, so I think any day now we will have to take a walk around the block with little Alva in her pram!

... then we met Irish bestie Sarah for a lovely girly day in Dublin, which included a Prosecco fueled lunch at favorite lunch spot Carluccio's - the penne giardiniera is to die for!

... and now we are home, and snuggled up on the sofa, ready for TV, dinner and a very relaxing time! BLISS!

Terrific Tiger

A blissful Saturday spent at the local country fair (quite exotic for a city girl like me!) resulted in many good things: Locally produced caramel fudge. Gluten free cupcakes. A gorgeous starburst mirror. A carousel ride - or five. Some farm animal petting. And best of all: A face full of tiger-paint! JOY!

Our Local Deli Store...

... has become my little secret hiding spot. I am currently loving the fresh homemade scones way to much for my own about-to-have-to-squeeze-into-a-bikini-soon good, and as for the very strong lattes; utter bliss. My laptop and I are spending a lot of time behind these doors. I LOVE the fact that I can just take my "office" with me and work from anywhere!

Little Snapshots...

... from our Easter weekend! I hope everyone's holiday was as sweet as ours! xxx

Road Trip!

In a mere matter of hours, this little family is off on a road-trip to the beautiful town of Killarney - all the way down the bottom of this tiny little island. 4 hours in the car. I am both excited and a tad apprehensive. While Nahla is a frequent flyer with well over 150 flights under her belt at this stage, we have actually never attempted such long distances in the car before. But I have prepared well - after all; I am a mother with A LOT of travel-with-child experience. And so I have done the following: Prepared a bag of yummy healthy snacks to bring with us. And then packed an emergency stash of Easter egg chocolates if all else fails. Downloaded a mountain of toddler-friendly apps to my (brand new!) iPhone 4s! (PS: I HEART SIRI!). Charged Nahla's very own portable DVD player. And double-checked to make sure it really is charged fully. Made sure we have several Dora/Bob the Builder/Mickey Mouse DVDs at ready. Packed soft comfort-blanket just in case she decides to have a little on-route nap (which I very much doubt, but here's hoping). Included several books/magazines and color-pads in my LV Never Full (Seriously, that bag really does what it says on the package; it NEVER gets full!). And now, having laid out all our travel-outfits, beautified myself in the shower, prepared the house for photo-shoot on Tuesday (more of that later!) and knocked back two glasses of rosé-wine; I can safely say; I am in holiday mode! Bring on the Easter long weekend, the Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, tons of chocolate, egg-hunts, lazy hotel-breakfasts, country-air and precious family time!

A Sleepy Lunch Date...

When Mummy hit Dublin for a noodle-bar lunch-date, little Nahla tagged along, and managed to make some art, scoff some noodles and charm the entire establishment before falling asleep at the table, letting Mummy catch up with an old journalism colleague from her days in the Dublin magazine world. How great is my little lunch-date?!

A Day In The Life...

... of two busy girls on this windy Wednesday:

Nahla started a new creche/Montessori School, and took to it like a duck to water. My little love LOVED her new "school" and did not want to leave when I came to get her. AMAZING. We are happy that this will from now on be her school for 3 days every week. Mummy gets to work during normal daytime hours, and Nahla get to play and learn and have fun. It's a win-win.


The we wrecked the washing machine by doing a white-wash with an added metal tub of Hello Kitty lipgloss. As one does... Note to self: NEVER EVER forget to check the washing machine for funny things that don't belong there before putting on a wash!


Clever Mummy has downloaded some Nahla-friendly book onto her iPod. Which is proving a roaring success.


This fashion-loving mama got to rock her new green favorite skirt, picked up in Zara last week. And also treated herself to a little "I-have-been-wanting-it-forever-and-now-it-was-my-paycheck-gift-from-me-to-me" something from Shopbop. Hint: It is a bag by a certain Mr. Wang...


Post Pre-School Pick-Up Nahla and Mummy treated ourselves to some take-out latte (Mummy) and a pink frosted cupcake (Nahla) before we again headed home to get dinner on the table for Daddy/BF before he returns from work.

Sweet Mid-Week, guys!

Lunch In Town...

... at oh-so-many-memories favorite Italian Ciao Bella Roma, where many a lunch/dinner/cocktail hour was spent when I was a student at Dublin's Griffith College. It made me miss my college friends and amazing girls so much. Bringing Nahla there feels amazing and weird, like things are coming full circle. Like I am realizing that no matter how Norwegian I am, I have spent so much of my adult life in Dublin and Ireland that I really feel like I am a native here too. Like the years just fly by so quickly, and that one minute you are sipping wine and moaning about essay deadlines and day-dreaming about hot lecturers, the next you are breaking garlic ciabatta into mini-bites and wipes 7-Up and snot of your jeans in the company of your toddler girl. Crazy. And amazing.

A Busy Weekend...

... filled with flights, friends and family. And now we are back in Ireland again, with Daddy/BF and trying to catch up on a whole lot of work/house-cleaning and laundry washing. Phew!

Christmas In Dublin...

... is sparkly, modern and slightly pink-ish; just the way we LOVE it!

Sunny Autumn Thursday...

... and already the 20th of October! Autumn will soon turn into winter, and N and i will be in Ireland full-time. Amazing as we are getting sick of all the lugging stuff back and forth, and a little sad too, as we will miss the closeness to my amazing family a lot. But as we know and love, both them and us will make that trip across a lot and a lot of times! Lucky lucky girls, N and I, who are surrounded in two countries by amazing family and friends!

The Most Perfect Autumn Days...

... spent with friends and family in Ireland, leaves little time for blog updates! But just in case anyone was wondering, we are all happy and perfect and just blissed out, in our little house or out and about shopping, playing or knocking back a few yummy Starbucks! BLISS!

We Are So Excited...

... about there only being one more sleep will we get to fly off and see BF/Daddy aagin!

It Doesn't Matter That It's Monday...

... because in four short days it is Friday, and Nahla and Mummy are off to Daddy and Ireland!

Alexa Chung

I must admit I have never really been a fan of Ms. Chung and her style, she always just seemed that bit too, well, edgy, for my liking. My housemate Kim (oh, how I miss her since she upped and moved to Toronto a few months back!) who I shared the cutest little house in Dublin with, loved Alexa. Oh, the memories. Of girly nights with wine and TV (we shared a deep LOVE of The Rachel Zoe Project, The Hills, The City - it was the most girly bliss ever in that house, and hours were spent discussing Olivia Palermo's wardrobe and who dressed better; Lauren or Audrina...)

Seriously, everyone should have a year like that. Kim and I both worked at the same magazine house in Dublin, and after work our evenings consisted of blissfully running between press events, free dinners and other fashion'y evenings out. Or, for that matter and equally lovely, evenings in with M&S quiche, cheap wine and some (free in the latest goodie-bag) facemasks on. It was total bliss - and utter fun!

Anyway, I am loosing myself in memories here. My point in that I quite like this editorial with Alexa Chung from the October edition of Harper's Bazaar. Far from looking too edgy, the fashion muse looks fresh, cute and totally style-crush worthy! So sweet!

Is There Anything Quite Like...

... weekend mornings?! Lazing around in PJ's, watching TV and indulging in laid-back breakfasts - oh, and some serious playtime too! And yesterday morning was just the most perfect Sunday ever!

Up Early...

... and off to Cork to visit Nahla's auntie M (BFs big sister) and her family. Cannot wait to see little Peter who we haven't seen in ages! Sunny beautiful day here in Ireland!

Out And About...

The outfit: Jacket: H&M, cords: Baby Gap, shoes: Zara. ADORABLE!


Today's Mummy: Pink top: Zara, feather necklace: bought in Palma in June, shoes: Tory Burch - O.B.S.E.S.S.E.D.


The treat: Pink pearl cake pop. YUM!


The blissful break: Starbucks in Whitewater Shopping Centre while pumpkin slept in her Bugaboo.


The new friend: Noddy!


The new-buy: Winter coat from Zara. Too cool for school!