May

“Then you have to remember to be thankful; but in May one simply can't help being thankful . . . that they are alive, if for nothing else.“- L.M. Montgomery

Somehow the first five months of this year came and went with a shocking swiftness. This month was filled with cake and wine at the birthday celebrations of many loved ones and the National Day here in Norway, May never seems to disappoint me. Although I was sure this month just started it has now ended, but I discovered some true gems these past thirty one days. Here you go.

Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams

It’s 2010 I just started my second year of college and it’s student movie night at the local movie theater and I watch for the first time, David Fincher’s movie The Social Network. It’s based on the book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich which tells the story of how Facebook was founded, and mere months after this movie was released Sarah Wynn Williams is hired at Facebook. Careless People tells the story of her nearly ten years working for Facebook, from her optimistic beginnings to her watching her boss Mark Zuckerberg lie to the United States congress. This book includes all of my favorite things and I was shocked but not surprised in the least by any of it, terrible people behaving badly. Almost everyone probably has a crazy story about a place they used to work but Wynn-Williams’s story about where she used to work might be the craziest.

The Quilters (Netflix)

A truly beautiful documentary that focuses on a group of incarcerated men in St. Louis, Missouri that formed a sewing group. A small group of men at South Central Correctional Center spend their days designing, cutting and sewing quilts for local foster children in their community. This film is only 32 minutes long but so unbelievably moving, the power of craft and making something for someone else in need brings immeasurable joy to these men. Definitely recommend.

Beauty of Joseon Sunscreen SPF 50

Beauty of Joseon is apparently a household name in the South Korean skincare space and now they have a new fan in Norway. While I still love my beloved Nivea, I was looking for a sunscreen that was a little lighter for my face and this rice based formula is just the thing. This chemical sunscreen is lightweight and sinks into my skin quickly every time I apply. No pilling under my makeup and I think it might be clearing up a little dark spot I had on my cheek. My only qualm is that it doesn’t come in a bigger tube, but at its price point I’ll be picking up more for the summer. Also available in the US here!

Wine Bar

I’ve decided that we’ve got wine bar at home, a wine bar is lovely but sometimes I want the wine bar at home. There’s never a line for the bathroom, you can just pour yourself another glass if you want one, if you don’t eat all the olives you can put them back in the jar instead of committing to eating sixteen olives if you don’t want to and last but not least the prices at my wine bar are much more reasonable. So say it with me, we’ve got wine bar at home.

House Salad

I think everyone needs a house salad, at my house we call it a build your own adventure salad. The base is I like is romaine or butter lettuce, there’s always a bean, cheese (of course), usually chicken but occasionally we’re fancy and have it with steak or sometimes no meat at all, something spicy like Calabrian chilies or peperoncini, lots of produce like tomatoes, avocado, and cucumber. We’re entering pasta salad season so toss a noodle in there if you like and a bacon garnish is never bad. Something no one tells you when you’re young is that for the rest of your life you’ll have to figure out what to have for dinner, might I recommend a build your own adventure salad. You can take it in any direction you want and then you get to feel smug because you had a bunch of vegetables.

The God of the Woods

It’s 1975 and Barbara Van Laar is missing from her bunk at camp and that’s all I needed to hear, I was in. This book is told across decades from multiple perspectives and I really enjoyed it, it is quite long but I was enthralled the entire way through. If you’re looking for a summer camp based mystery with a pinch of class disparity, this one’s for you.

Livlig Sider

I’ve been really interested in Norwegian sider this spring, which for my American readers is what we call hard cider. This sider from Telemark is apples in a bottle and it’s delicious, they make the classic apple flavor but they also have raspberry and rhubarb blends and an apple pet nat that I definitely recommend.

Arket at Bogstadveien 45

I have recently become obsessed with this Swedish brand Arket, they recently opened a store in Oslo and a couple of weeks ago my friend Dayna and I made a pilgrimage and ooh boy I’m hooked. Their children’s section; adorable, the homewares; a seaside dream and best of all there is a cafe in the store and if there’s one thing I like its coffee and shop. Am I disappointed that they’re not more size inclusive absolutely but after a decade in this tall thin country I’ve learned my measurements and the size of the clothing is none of my business, if it fits I wear it.

The Crow Girl (NRK, Paramount+)

If there’s one thing I love it’s a British mystery and this one kept me on my toes. Detective Jeanette Kilburn is on the hunt for a murderer of young men, I don’t want to reveal any more but lets just say, I watched with bated breath.

Don’t forget your coffee,

Paige