Regardless of the cold and the wind, our short trip to Amsterdam inspired me. Norway may be rich and all that, but it’s really only the end of the world! Oslo still needs 20 years more to become as continental as the rest of Europe. If ever. On coming back though, I realized I’d missed the city, as provincial as it might sometimes feel. 🙂  Blame it on living a tad far away, on trying to make it through this never-ending winter or on the commitments Sammy boy implies, a lunch date on a Saturday is more the exception than the rule, it turns out. 😉 But yesterday I decided to grant myself some urban time and invited a friend of mine out for lunch. Meanwhile, another friend wanted to grab a beer later on and so I asked F if he could walk Sammy and a perfect day lay ahead.

We met at Tekehtopa (Apoteket backwards), a beautiful bistro located in an old pharmacy, very central and not too cool for its own good, , if you know what I mean, I usually steer away from the places where you’re never able to get a table. 😉

Any gathering after 12 on a day off is a lovely excuse for some sparkling wine and this Ferrari brut was right up my alley. Corina didn’t feel like drinking, neither did she want to be photographed, so you’ll just have to trust me I didn’t go out alone. 😉 haha! We talked about going home – I’m leaving today and she’s going next week – about Norway, about her trying to fit in, about my not bothering to fit in anymore, about social anxiety and all these types of behaviour unknown to us before we came here.

I had lovely ravioli with beef and she had pappardelle with a beef ragu and we ate them with aaa and yum and more… They were both tasty and a sight for hungry eyes. 😉

The place was half full with chatty people of all ages, I love it when a venue manages this- must be the classic charm, the hearty food and the location, there are not too many good eateries in the city centre, you’ll have to seek them out around Youngstorget and in Løkka.

After a slightly heavy lunch, we needed some coffee. Fuglen is just around the corner, they have good coffee and drinks and it’s a stylish place. Besides, my cousin asked me to purchase some Norwegian roasted coffee so they can try it out at their coffeeshop in Bucharest, and so I had a good excuse. Now the guys at Fuglen did a good job remodeling the place, but there’s no direct sunlight, so it’s always quite dark and the hipsters are too many for me to feel quite at ease there. But we had our coffee and we talked some more about going to a cabin together when we come back and the likes. Then we walked for a bit, I needed to get some herbs at this Asian store and then meet up with Kamilla. Corina was on her way to Grunnerløkka, to have more coffee with another friend.

A beer place I fell in love with some months ago is Naustet – a cosy spot with wooden beams and a fireplace, as well as the possibility to have a sauna in the neighbouring rooms. It looks like a cabin your grandma could have decorated, but the light, the warmth, the proximity to the harbour makes it a special place to have a pint. 😉

And that we did, one too many for my part, I came back home jolly as a sandboy. Haha! And then I had to make soup and I’m amazed I didn’t cut my fingers doing it. 😉

But what a Saturday it was! Just perfect! Going to the airport in two hours’ time, better fix the last stuff before I forget it. Blogging more from Bucharest. ❤

xxx, Alina