Colette i Sverige.

2010-08-26T12:12:00.001-07:00

for the future..

2010-01-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

coletteinmexico.blogspot.com

xoxo.

birthday wishes from stockholm.

2009-12-30T22:21:00.000-08:00

phew. i have landed back in the good ol' US of A. i have been in vermont with my family and friends, and enjoying the beautiful snow fall and the company of amazing friends.
i am plotting my mexican runaway for jan 12, provided all my errand running around goes smoothly the next 12 days.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! thinking of you ALL in sweden!
thanks for an unforgettable 2009; and may 2010 find you well!

birthday wishes from stockholm.

"dearest colette, 24 years ago during a cold winter night a loving mother gave birth to a little baby girl whom she called colette.
colette came to this world and became a member of a warm and gentle family and grew up in the enchanted woods of suburban usa. this little girl grew up and made many friends. playing with chocolate all day long she knew there was more to life and she remembered a lullabay sang by a girl with platina blond hair and her own rockband in a small icey country in the north. so it became that the girl colette entered a flying plane and went to a country called sweden. in sweden colette grew and matured and amongst her new friends was erik. erik was a boy with the very best intentions and he was ever so happy to have meet colette the good force from across the atlantic. and on this very day he blesses the snowy day in 1985 when a loving mother gave birth to a little girl whom she called colette..."

xoxo.

hejdå skåne!

2009-12-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

my last visit to malmö; my favorite place to runaway to with the best kids ive met in sweden.
i arrived to a beautiful hand painted banner hanging from the kitchen window from the 5th floor of the apartment. it is probably my favorite thing i will take with me from sweden. xoxo.
the sounds play on saturday night, while the climate demonstration in copenhagen happens across the bridge; with stories from the roommates to make you say WHAT?!
goodbyes to mr david hjelm make for tears and rocks in the chest.

xoxo.

lucia.

2009-12-11T02:55:00.000-08:00

danderyd, sweden.

xoxo.

secrets.

2009-12-10T11:38:00.000-08:00

california dreaming was just california dreaming.

im off to mexico to help my girl louisa from photo school open her photo studio.

her amazing work is at

www.coquiart.com

and i am just tickled i will be working for her!

from swedish to spanish.. meatballs to tacos..

xoxo.

peter mjöberg.

2009-12-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

borlänge i stockholm. inte i malmö.

xoxo.

portraits in malmö, sweden.

2009-12-08T05:53:00.001-08:00

in all my travels i told myself not to go to one place twice.
but in the back of my head i knew there would be a place i would keep going back to.
that place was malmö, sweden.

david.

andreas.

maria och gustav.

once upon a pepparkakor night.

2009-12-07T17:13:00.000-08:00

pepparkakor;
gingerbread cookies;
sugar and spice and everything nice;
ahh, the warm spices of sweden in the winter.

with the millions of pepparkakor recipes and different variations, hanna picks the one that has me completely head over heels.

tant harriets pepparkakor. "aunt harriets gingerbread cookies."
oven temp. 390 F.

1 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup or molasses
1 tbsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 cup water
6 1/2 cups flour

blend the butter, sugar and syrup, with hand or electric mixer until smooth.
add first the spices and baking powder. then the water and last the flour.
blend until well mixed, add more flour if needed; dough shouldnt be "wet."
cover with plastic wrap and let stand in refrigerator atleast overnight.

roll out on floured surface into desired shapes. place on greased baking sheets or with just baking paper.
bake in the center of the oven for 4-5 mins.

icing!
2 cups powdered sugar
1 egg white
few drops of vinegar

blend all ingredients together. add food coloring if desired.

xoxo.

Bonjour de Paris! La vie est belle!

2009-11-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

my little swedish babies take me in to show me their beautiful paris.

xoxo.

11 months down, 1 left to go.

2009-11-19T16:03:00.001-08:00

so the swedish story stops here.
i will return back to the states, next month in boston.
though i was very excited to stay for my swedish christmas, the temptation of family and friends from far and wide couldnt compete.

11 months down, and 1 left to go.

i will plan to be in boston for a few days visiting all my beloved and missed ones, then up to vermont for a while.

the plan in the works has been san francisco by february!

if anyone wants anything special from sweden just let me know!

coffee talk.

2009-11-19T15:55:00.000-08:00

for the number 1 coffee consuming country;
they like their coffee. often. and strong.
i bet you couldnt handle it.
im sure my coffee refusals have been frowned upon.

"its a scandal- a house without coffee." Christoffer Molin

xoxo.

ute mitt svenskt fönster.

2009-10-22T04:46:00.001-07:00

out my swedish window.

forget going to Skansen, (Stockholm's zoo) when you can see swedish animals in the neighborhood! playful deer, ticky foxes and huge elks have been spotted. i was lucky enough to be so sneaky with my camera this morning.

xoxo.

better late then never! sofia + PP in sthlm.

2009-10-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

one of the biggest highlights in stockholm happened thursday, september 03, when PASSION PIT played at debaser!

my good friend, sofia got me addicted to her boyfriends band, passion pit in boston 2 years ago. going to their shows was my favorite activity next to burrito eating! from the first time i heard their ever so popular, "sleepyhead" i KNEW they were going places... and places they went!

they have been a huge success story in the states, and i almost fell over backwards when i saw their debut album in ÅHLENS!-a personal favorite place to shop here in sweden :)

they toured europe, and came through scandinavia, like i told them they would last year when we said goodbye.

nothing short of magical this night was with lady sofia and good ol' sing along boston songs in stockholm.

check them out,
passionpitmusic.com

and try to get this song out of your head,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bfseWNmlds

xoxo.

mexican magic.

2009-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

modeling portraits for viveka.
shes done this before, cant you tell?

the day was perfect chemistry with shakira, tequila and juliana to help behind the camera. [!]
MUY BIEN!

xoxo.

speaking of dreams...

2009-09-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

[photo: flickr, Alvhyttan.]

i think this has made my weekend. my friend Antalet* and i were talking about dreams; something that has always fascinated me. and while some dream about their life goals, being famous, flying, certain moods or nightmares my swedish friend Antalet* dreams about eating dinner with the royal family.

"i have had this dream about eating dinner with the royal swedish family. twice! in the past month! i mean, really? the royal family? i dont follow them, i dont know much about them, expect one of them was engaged! i dont even watch them, or read about them! but i dream i have been invited to dinner with them!"

* names have been changed due to privacy issues.

xoxo.

do you dream in swedish?

2009-08-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

i dreamed that i returned back to the states. and was really thrown off by people speaking english around me.

xoxo.

swedish wedding. bröllopsfest.

2009-08-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

mia dahl & joacim rapo. august 29 2009.
stockholm, sweden.
xoxo.

and there was this time i went to denmark.

2009-08-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

just a few hours but all good memories.
almost, all good.
xoxo.

my muse in stockholm.

2009-08-12T11:30:00.000-07:00

erik.

my favorite boy to photograph.
xoxo.

& also, i caught my first fish !

2009-08-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

when theresa and emily came to stockholm we made it out to the runsten's island home;
blueberry mountain and alexanders [& mikaels] expertise in fishing locations..
**please note the kulig girls faces in these photos; is it that obvious weve never done this before?**

xoxo.

little sister.

2009-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

baby sister in stockholm, sweden.
senior portraits. xoxo.

xoxo.

venice, italy.

2009-08-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

promise me one thing:
go to italy before you die.

i have fallen in love with italy. i will return there again someday. the people are beautiful, the italian waiters serve me ice cubes in my disaronno, i eat ITALIAN PIZZA, and lose myself in the rich culture of glittered masks and sinking buildings.

krakow, poland.

2009-07-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

hours after i land back in stockholm, i run away to krakow, poland with the familys previous aupair. [whos mother tongue is russian, so we had a good polish lesson figuring things out!]
my great grandparents were from poland and it was exciting to see where the kulig family line came from!

we stayed in the old town, and managed to walk from the train station to our hotel doorstep without looking at a map, knowing the address of the hotel or asking for directions. quite the little travelers we were!

i was spoiled a bit growing up with my "babci" [grandmother in polish] and enjoying all of her homemade polish foods; my sisters and i use to say, "babci, you should open a restaurant!" so while asking the hotel which polish place they would recommend for the BEST polish food, they told us a place called, "U BABCI!" so there is infact a babci restaurant in krakow poland!

there is also a hair salon called COLETTE, and shoe store called KULIG.
wowee!

xoxo.

switzerland!

2009-07-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

i runaway to switzerland to meet laura from photo school in boston.

who happened to be in he middle of a photo documentary on the finishing school for girls in switzerland. [!!!] we edited photos for the gallery show, [showingTODAY! in zurich!; thinking of you miss!], ate chocolate, made good food, walked around zurich, ate bratworst, ate cheese, drank wine, went to the lindt factory which infact does smell like chocolate the moment you step off the bus! and we were given free boxes of chocolates for being awesome!, and PHOTOSHOOTING!!

[the window displays caught my attention.]

[photo laura bernier.]

[photo laura bernier.]

[photo laura bernier.]

[we went to the lindt factory. a little bus ride that brought us to chocolate paradise.]

sadly, the only thing open to the public was the retail shop. however, after asking the ladies at the front desk about the factory and how exciting it was to be there, they presented us with boxes of chocolate! talk about sweet!

[FINAL EDIT LAYOUT!] sneek peek!

switzerland babies.
xoxo.

the dirty south.

2009-07-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

i visit the south of sweden, malmö and finally meet david.

xoxo.

summer holiday!

2009-06-27T01:42:00.000-07:00

it is official! my european adventures begin this sunday!
destination one is to the south of sweden, malmö. a picnic in denmark is planned!
zurich, switzerland.
krakow, poland.
stockholm-island hopping with the mom and baby sister.
venice, italy.

my first half of the year has been unreal. i live with an amazing, welcoming swedish family, working with their two spunky children, helping with their english and my domestic skills.

i just had to steal this quote from spencers blog about his experience with me in stockholm a few months back,

"I was treated to a lovely meal, cooked with care by Colette! No disrespect to Colette, but I was quite surprised to find her cooking, and so well! She has never been very domestic, and she is the first to admit that! Looks like Sweden is teaching her some new skills!"

i cant wait to show off my cooking skills to mommy and baby sister!

travel photos to come.
xoxo.

trevlig midsommar!

2009-06-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

[that is my place with the pickled herring.]

[and then siri taught the non-swedish girls how to make the midsommar crown!]

[but i still made everyone wear it!]

glad midsommar från sverige!
xoxo.

Marie Fredriksson + Per Gessle = Roxette.

2009-06-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

[photo: www.andreas-anderegg.ch/]

these two people are held responsible for why i wanted to travel sweden.
and i dont even know their real names.

today while i was driving the boys to pingis [-mind you they are 10 years old] we run into the father in the driveway.
"GUESS WHO I WORKED OUT NEXT TO TODAY?" asked the swedish father.
i was a bit thrown off with the question, and didnt think it was directed towards me, until he askes, "guess!"

in all of sweden... ? i could only think of, "well, i know your wife!!"..but i didnt use it as a real guess...

then he says "PER GESSLE!"

which at this point in time means nothing to me... so i watch alexanders reaction, "NICE!" He seemed rather excited about it!

as we drove off, i was trying to think of who this person was.... so i asked alexander, "is that your pingis teacher?!" [i really cant stop laughing outloud thinking i asked him this question..]

with a loud sigh and a few, "whats?"
the boys in the car were very disappointed i didnt know who Per Gessle was.

alexander said, "i think everyone in the world knows who he is."

i went back to the house still not knowing until i was told. why did i not know this?

i am so ashamed of myself.

2009-06-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

it is still dusk at 10pm.
and though it is the night now, there is still this blue hue outside;
as if its not really nightfall.

+

writing the date "month/day" will always throw me off.

xoxo.

i see LONDON, [ i see france. . ]

2009-05-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

i runaway to london to visit my gal cat- a swedish girl i met in boston 2 years ago. she taught me my cinnamon roll & meatball knowledge before coming to sweden. she is also my idol in the kitchen.
i think i have fallen in love with london.

[buckingham palace.]

[graffiti london calling.]

[upon our antique touring, we were stopped to be filmed in a korean documentary on ceramics!]

[all the passerbys thought cat was a movie star. who wouldnt?]

[then i found this tea cup + knew she would come home with me.]

[cats kitchen.]

xoxo.

p.s. i can see your underpants.

new pastries.

2009-05-27T14:47:00.000-07:00

idag åt jag en kardemummabiscotti!
det var jättegott och jag ska prova att baka dem snart!

xoxo.

detektivbyrån i stockholm.

2009-05-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite swedish bands performs in stockholm. i have been listening to them for over a year; my favorite artist to play in the tea shop in boston. it caused quite a scene with the customers; everyone was always asking about the 3 boys from värmland, sweden.
the show was magical. so much talent i thought the swedish galaxy would burst glitter from the ceiling.

the audience got to snip along with little blue scissors they passed out!

check them out. detektivbyrån.net
xoxo.

snails in sweden.

2009-05-12T12:31:00.000-07:00

this past week has been a bit cloudy and rainy.
i dont mind it so much. makes for cozy days.
however. upon my travels in the great outdoors, i have noticed HUGE, BLACK slugs.
alright, when it rains and is wet, slimy creatures come out; slugs, worms, snails.

but one day in particular on my way to dollys, i was stopped in my tracks to find the worlds most perfect SNAIL. i mean, a perfect little shell, with its little body hanging out near a puddle.

i thought i found a rarity; i had never seen a perfect snail, ever. only in books, in cartoons, or on tv. but in real life? they live in sweden, i can tell you that.

[photo: http://hortipm.tamu.edu]

i wanted to bring it with me. and show dolly. so i picked it up. and it freaks out and went back in its perfect little shell. i soon found a little plastic cup on my walk, filled it with a little puddle water and threw in a leaf and twig. [ travel aquarium ? ]

onto the subway.. im sure people must have thought i was nuts when the little snail started sliming to the side of the cup and sticking its head out to peek around.

we made the travel to dollys and i held the cup up at his doorstep like a proud mother. "LOOK WHAT I FOUND!" dolly came in closer, curious. then soon shouted, "A SNAIL?! THAT IS DISGUSTING! GET RID OF IT! WHY DO YOU HAVE A SNAIL?!"

[ sfgkjnesrgkjnesth. ]

because its only the most amazing thing, EVER...

i was informed that mine was a REALLY small one...
so it is my mission in life on rainy days to find BIGGER ones !

perhaps i will wait for a unicorn to gallop out of the woods with a sign that will read, "welcome to sweden, colette."

hm.

xoxo.

hejsan tim dahl!

2009-05-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

VÄLKOMMEN MAJ!

2009-05-01T00:32:00.000-07:00

thursday, april 30 is a special day in sweden. the day before may first, all gather round for food, socializing, traditional swedish songs and lighting of the fire. this symbolizes spring is here! the days are getting longer and the hibernation period that winter brings is over! WELCOME MAY!

and i will leave you with a sneak peak of what is to come next in sweden!

the first of may also means a day off, with an extra long weekend! i will join the swedish parties and attend a cook out at dollys!

enjoy!
xoxo.

poems.

2009-04-30T08:29:00.000-07:00

i was going through my hard drive when i found a poem i wrote a few years ago. 2005 i believe. this is part of it that i thought was appropriate.

"it was quiet on the highway.

and i decided i will move to sweden. to photograph beautiful women.

in three hundred and sixty.five days.

the countdown begins. (anyone want in?)"

xoxo.

im pretty sure the weather here is better then back home.

2009-04-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

the weather has been sunny, warm and beautiful. blossoms are starting to bud! the sunsets are about 08.30-09pm now. i just can not wait these swedish summers i hear of. and the summer potatoes ..ah!

i have been lazy and NOT updating in a while. i have photos from easter! the påsk celebration! coloring eggs and traditional swedish food!

[yes lindt crew, all the european bunnies have bells!]

[påskmust is a soda that comes around for easter. it is the same soda drink at christmas, julmust, but any swede will argue they taste completely different. remember that drink, moxie? yea, its not so enjoyable :) ]

[but the boy loves it!]

yes, i will spill the beans. i have a swedish boyfriend. me? have a BOYFRIEND? what a shock, i know. we met in february and have been dating since. and decided to call it official. his name is tim dahl. and if you're reading it with an american accent, you cant say it right. i practice it with him, their family, my swedish kids, while i iron, in the shower, and its hopeless. TEEEEEEM dAAAUUUUUUhl. good luck. we pronounce it, "doll", hence the name Dolly. hes a good kid.

my travel plans are just crazy and filling up! i am getting very excited! the grand colette in europe tour!
next month i will travel to london for a few days, visiting my swedish friend cat ! we met in boston and became close friends.

[photo Sylwia Kubicka.]

there she is in her glory! i cant wait!

my swedish tutor in boston, STIG is coming to stockholm in a few weeks also! we will plan to meet up in his travels though! VAD KUL!

i have booked tickets to SWITZERLAND to see a friend from photo school! she is working independently on photo projects and studying abroad. we have big plans to be photo nerds the entire week! -and also i WILL put my yodeling skills to use and climb a swiss mountain! i have been pretty much in LOVE with this photo she took while in switzerland shortly after photo school.

[photo Laura Bernier.]

i am anticipating a POLAND excursion the following week.. and lisa peterson, my old roommate from boston, will arrive in SWEDEN to visit her swedish friends and we WILL take a boat to Finland! I MUST SEE FINLAND!

THEN, [this is fun!] my mother and little sister will come to stockholm! (for real!) they are going international with me! i am very proud of them! -since i have been dying to travel europe since i was 15, and the answer has always been NO! so its a victorious moment in the kulig family! i will also photograph emily for her senior photos! [senior photos are big when you graduation high school. she was very upset with me before i left that i wouldnt be able to take them. so i joked with her, "well, just come to sweden and ill do it!"...low and behold, we will ROCK the yearbook with beautiful backdrops of stockholm!]

to wrap up the summer, dolly and i will runaway to venice, italy. we are going to eat AMAZING pizza! we just booked a room right next to st marks sq! sadly, i have discovered my mothers side of the family is from the very southern part of italy; whereas venice is northern. i will think of the family roots in spirit! "CIN CIN!"

[photo www.venere.com, HOTEL BELLA VENEZIA]
ahH!

germany will perhaps remain in my dreams as a dreary fall day. so we will save that for later.

in entertainment news, one of the last swedish bands i have yet to see has a show in stockholm coming up! our favorite, detektivbyrån is playing 20 may, and i will be there in all my glory! you should look them up, i would highly recommend it.

this past weekend i saw THE BUDDY HOLLY MUSICAL! ah! i could just scream! it was so amazing! everyone was dancing, and clapping along! it was all in swedish, but the songs in english, of course. i was excited of all that i could understand! buddy holly was played by a famous swedish singer, "Brolle," and he was just perfect for the part!

[photo www.sj.se/upplevelser.]

jag måste pluggar min svenska läxa nu.
hope you all enjoy!

colette.
xoxo.

glad påsk! happy easter från handelsvägen!

2009-04-10T15:14:00.001-07:00

my apologies, i realize it HAS been a while.
so much has changed in stockholm. since daylight savings 2 weeks ago, it feels as though spring has appeared overnight! the sunsets are now at 8pm. which is like summer back home.
april first i went to a televised concert, peter, björn + paul, lykke li, and THE SOUNDS were all playing together! i just could have passed out..
all my favorite SWEDISH artists playing together in sweden, oh and i was there to watch it. i arrived a bit late, but caught a few performances and my friend erik met lykke li! VAD KUL! [photo thanks to karoline!]

you can see the show a bit at,

http://svt.se/popcirkus

lykke li, i have decided is far more magical live. she has this voice that stops you dead in your tracks. that girl owns the room. make sure you listen to "after laughter". can you see my face in the crowd?

i have booked plane tickets to LONDON for next months adventure! i will stay a long weekend with my swedish friend CAT, whom i met last year in boston and the mayhem must continue internationally! i have high hopes of catching lady sofia before she leaves london 24 hours after i land. [whats up boston rendevouz in europe?]

so easter is very interesting here in sweden.
easter comes in 4 days.
the festivities starts on THURSDAY= "skärtorsdag."
pink thursday.
children dress up like "easter witches", traditionally with hankerchiefs on their heads, face painted pink cheeks and freckles, and a kettle to knock on doors, wishing GLAD PÅSK and receiving candy in exchange for their homemade cards.
now i know many have told me that it doesnt take much to get me excited, which is true, but my day was completely made after this group of kids... they were so excited, and i was so excited... ah! little swedish babies knocking on the door !

today, we call good friday is, "långfredag"
long friday. most places close early.

tomorrow, saturday is "easter eve", which i have been told by many people in my travels that europeans tend to celebrate the night before the actually holiday. [whereas in the states we go crazy on EASTER DAY, and CHRISTMAS MORNING.] so, tomorrow is, "påskafton" påsk=easter. afton=evening.
i will be joining the dahl family for their easter traditions here in stockholm. i will take photos for you all. :) and i have thought about it, and think i am ready for some pickled herring!
i have been asked to make something "american" and if it wasnt for eola and her good ideas, i would not be making my first carrot cake ! i can not wait to tear into it tomorrow, but the swedish boy tends to be a bit upset about adding vegetables to cakes..

then comes easter sunday, of course. "påskdagen."
and monday is still the holiday. because the swedes need an EXTRA day to rest from their holiday fun. this has a special name, "annandag påsk."

in other news, yes, there is a swedish boy in the picture. he helps me with my swedish. i laugh when he laughs. & i figure, im young and should date the natives whilst in a foreign country, right? skål! photos will be developed soon. stay tuned.

there are feathers EVERYWHERE. on the easter trees, in trees... spring thing? easter thing? *shrugs.* but they sure are pretty!

glad påsk!
xoxo.

haircuts in stockholm.

2009-03-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

can i please tell you about my haircut today?

it was an adventure. a field trip. i want to do it again tomorrow!

so lady a recommends me a place downtown called MOC on Äsågatan.

i walk into a lobby with cement floors and the wall behind the desk is illuminated with neon purple light. between the door are two huge picture windows. both have soft benches and tall book shelves next to them. i checked in and turned around to a guy standing in front of me. i wasnt quite sure what he was doing... i thought he would say something to me, as i knew he worked there...but until i looked up and stopped rummaging through my mary poppins bag, he asks, "may i take your jacket for you?" i was like WHOA! yeah! then he asks if i want anything to drink.
i know most salons back home are starting to get into the drink thing... but i looked up and there was a whole coffee machine, with steamers and the works! ha!
after looking at the hair books i am called into another room that had black wooden floors and white wooden walls. i thought of a beach house in maine. i met my future hair dresser and we discuss what will happen with the old mop.
then i follow the guy who took my jacket into another room. a rather DARK room. a really dim, dark room.
and i have to squint to kinda see whats going on. but there were 3 sinks with chairs, like any other hair studio. but it was dark. and there was no door to this room. just a black curtain. hmm. then i notice after i walk into the room to my chair that there is a MOVIE THEATER SCREEN BEHIND ME! i didnt want to make a big deal about it, but i pretty much flipped out.
it appeared to be a documentary of the war rallies in the 70s. it was muted though. so just for visual purposes.
so along with getting a hair wash, this also included a head massage and a deep conditioning with olive extract. swedish boys massaging my head while offering me drinks and movie screens? should i sleep or keep asking myself the same question over and over of "is this really happening?"
so after my deep conditioning, the hair cut takes place. and my favorite topic of conversation starts:
IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH MY HAIR WHAT WOULD YOU DO?!

ha. dont worry, its just a trim with some fun cuts. nothing but the same style.

so since i am here for the year i will plan a day trip on my next appointment.

upon making + eating pizza tonight with the kids, i asked them to QUIZ ME. say ANYTHING IN SWEDISH, about your day, what you did, what you will do tomorrow, etc. and I will see if i know it. I dont mean to brag but... i am a pro. i understood everything and then was stumped on "in one month it is EASTER." easter=påsk. new word!

as my swedish is coming along, the children are excellent with english! could have fooled me they are just starting!

the trade off begins!

xoxo.

brussels, belgium. 27. feb. 2009.

2009-03-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

brussels, belgium in 48 hours.
beer=breakfast, lunch + dinner.
french men serving chocolate.
waffles, museums + french music videos.
markets + castles.
unexpected parades + graffiti paradise.

[street photography.]

happy grafitti.

2009-02-15T12:55:00.001-08:00

since going to art school in new york i started getting into grafitti.

[the girls bathroom stalls/ 2nd floor / e21st photo building were my favorite.]

as you may know, i am currently in a suburb of stockholm called danderyd.
this grafitti is in the subway station + i get the privillage of reading it atleast twice a day.

"välkommen till danderyd," = welcome to danderyd.
followed by a "tack," thanks!

when asking permission to photograph this specific piece, the agent laughed a bit, and i knew it must be a universal thought when the people of danderyd see this. how can it not make you happy?

xoxo.

Trevlig Alla Hjärtans Dag! xoxo -:-Happy Valentines Day-:- from sweden!

2009-02-12T13:52:00.000-08:00

happy [pre] valentines day!

my swedish classes have started this week, and i am just in love. the people are from ALL over the world and are amazing! the teacher is a swedish rockstar! she is much fun! i have finally learned a bit of sentence structure that has been bothering me since i started swedish! [for those who care....TOM IN BOSTON, I KNOW YOU'LL LIKE THIS!]

1. verbs and subjects are ALWAYS placed together. [rockstar teacher says they are IN LOVE and desperately need to be together.]
[på klockan åtta GÅR [verb!] JAG [subj] till busshåll.]

if a verb starts the sentence then it will always be a QUESTION.
[Arbetar [VERB!] du här i Sverige?]

and rule number three:

the verb will always be the SECOND part of the sentence.
[jag duschar [VERB!#2] dig.]

i feel like ive drank a bottle of love potion number 9! everything makes so much sense!

so these are some of the little tags i have around the house. there needs to be an update soon.

+ then we just HAD to make something yummy for valentines days! so i translated mrs tuckers white velvet cookies into, "VITA VALENTINE KAKOR."

i also introduced the kids to AMERIKANSKA PANNKAKOR! american pancakes! we had them for dinner, and we made raspberry and chocolate chip and mickey mouse pancakes! complete with a bottle of maple syrup i spent running around stockholm to find!

and i just never want to spend money when i have it..its SO PRETTY!

xoxo.

p.s. tell babci i have her valentines card on my desk next to me!

feb 07. 2009.

2009-02-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

one year ago tonight cat came to our apartment in allston, ma and said, "coKI! i got a new song for you! its a swedish band called the familjen! here it is!" and since, det snurrar i min skalle has been a musical obsession.

365 days later here i am in stockholm dancing to it live with arianna.

amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMwyStboPmg

xoxo.

recipe translations + dreams of cream.

2009-02-04T12:31:00.000-08:00

[photo from arla.se]

i remember the last word i learned in my swedish lesson in october was the word "grädde" which is CREAM. and i thought to myself, "wow, that is random. when am i ever going to use to word CREAM in sweden?"

boy, did i have another thing coming to me. . . the grocery store has nothing but an entire back section dedicated to creams. not like in the states; cream or whipped cream. the end. cream with lemon, cream with cheese, cream with tomato, cream sauce, light cream, medium cream, and i am not over exaggerating when i say about 99% of the meals i have made for dinner call for a little box of cream.

so go get your boxes of cream and cook some swedish cusine!
[these are all for 4 portions. i translated these all. . . and for reference 2.4 dl = 1 cup.]

ungersk kycklingpasta. [hungarian chicken pasta.]

400g diced chicken breasts
300g pasta
2 leeks
1-2 garlic cloves
2 1/2 dl cream
1 dl mild ajvar relish [this is amazing!]
2 msk [tbsp] fresh thyme or 1 tsk [tsp] dried.

cook pasta. cut the leeks in strips. lay them in the pasta water about a minute before draining. cut and chop the garlic. heat the cream and avjar relish in a sauce pan. lay in the chicken, garlic and thyme. cook another minute. serve with the pasta!

i have dreams about this dish. JÄTTE GOD!

wokad kyckling a la mats & maja. [just make it.]

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 msk [tbsp] red curry paste in a jar
1 1/2 dl chopped peanuts
2 msk oil
1 tsk [tsp] butter
1 tsk salt
1 krm [im not sure we have this translation, "spicy measure"/very little :)] black pepper
1 can coconut milk
1 bag of spinach [80g]

blend the curry paste with the chicken strips. cook chicken in oil or butter for 3 mins. season with salt + pepper. add the peanuts and fry additional 2-3 mins. add the coconut milk, simmer 2-3 mins. take from heat and add spinach. mix until the leaves are soft. serve with rice.

strimmelgryta.

500g fresh roast beef
2-3 onions [make sure one is red!]
butter
1 tsk [tsp] salt
1-1 1/2 msk [tbsp] worcester sauce
2 dl creme fraiche
1 dl water

cut beef into bite size pieces. fry in butter. add to a stew pan when cooked. fry onions and add to stew pan. season with salt and worcester sauce. add the water and creme fraiche. let cook about 5 minutes. serve with potatoes. [i served this over rice tonight and it was a hit!]

these are recipes the family has put together in a home made book which mainly come from arla.se, the CREAM COMPANY! i am just tickled that all their products are usually sold in the EXACT measurements the recipe will call for. THANKS SWEDEN!

enjoy!
xoxo.

when vermont kids run around stockholm.

2009-02-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

spencer fenn has spent an amazing weekend here in stockholm! the sun decided to peek out which made for a beautiful [yet still cold] weekend of museums, adventures, new food, breath taking sunsets, new friends, laughs . . .

here is a combination of our photos to summerize the past 72 hours.

millesgården. [thanks for the invite madelene!]
sp + i get lost along the way and find a new friend, helena! from gothenborg!

i gasped for my breath.

mörby is the north star home.

swedish meatballs in sweden. been there, done that.

och prinsesstårta!

my new friend erik, from helsinborg insisted on sushi in stockholm. mind you since ive arrived a month ago i have been eating fish. cooked fish. but since i did tell myself that i was going to be a bit more adventerous, i closed my eyes and ate raw fish.
i though i would let you all know it is safely in my stomach and was delicious.

wrapping up fashion week!

subway poster. mens clothing store sale. it was on the ground. so i took it. i borrowed it. i didnt want to liter? oh kay, i stole it.

the vasa museum. the vasa was built and ready to set sail in 1628. her voyage was short as she sunk in the stockholm harbor.
333 years later [1961 ]she was discovered, dug up and lifted from the water.

oh and by the way, all mcdonalds are this chic.

nina made a pit stop in stockholm that night on her way to london. from poland. yes. a polish girl. tell babci.

then we though we would be posh and eat exotic chocolate. such as ginger. meh. and cherry tomato + salt. we have learned a very important lesson: never mix your salad with chocolate. . .

you must dance to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yBaFtE34Fw

love from scandinavia,
sp + colette.

brownies in sweden + bank accounts + chinese translations.

2009-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

even kids in sweden know to lick the bowl while baking brownies!

i perpaired a baking project of brownies for the kids after school yesterday which went very well! i wrote the recipe in english, using the crazy US measuring system which started a lot of questions... "our oven doesnt go to 375!?" and "...a teaspoon?" i wasnt too mean, i gave them a cheat sheet with conversions to look up. [brownies=math+english!] before the pan of batter was in the oven, the children were not saying anything behind my back and no one was helping me when i realized they were indulging in the bottom of the batter bowl. precious. the computer was there and i just had to take a few shots with the poor quailty of photobooth !

i have started labeling pink post it notes around the kitchen in english and swedish. to help with both parties. it is just hilarious when the kids and their friends come over and notice them; they run around like a scavenger hunt and read them all! hmm...
perhaps the home will be covered in pink post it notes soon..?

i opened a bank account today. im pretty excited about it. i have a bank account in sweden! WOWEEee.

the table tennis drive tonight was so eventful! i picked up the children were discussing different languages and who of their classmates spoke or knew other languages. [this was in swedish i will have you know..] i blurted out, "I KNOW CHINESE!"
which, i know 2 lines in chinese thanks to claire in boston. "push the one with the handle" is the phrase. but spoken in chinese of course it sounds terrifying. the children were quiet and asked, "what was that." i explained to them the phrase, about opening the correct door with the handle. i then asked the boys to translate, "push the one with the handle" in english to swedish.
a few times of repeating and a question of, "handle? what is a handle?" the three boys worked as a team through english and swedish to their final presentation of:

ÖPPEN DÖRREN MED HANGTAGEN. [if that is the proper spelling.]

i was so excited, and proud i got a bit loud because all three boys covered their ears through my enthusiasm ! i understood them in swedish, we took a left turn detour through chinese, touched base with english, and went back into swedish!

wow. what a day!

my new music finds, are from stockholm, called shout out louds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cq5flXMRrE

[tonight i have to leave it.] sorry, youll have to copy and paste the link.

which has been remixed by another swedish artist, kleerup who i am seeing next weekend with THE FAMILJEN:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGqTCCbSL8k

[det snurrar i min skalle.]

its a dream come true!
xoxo.

p.s. spencer fenn arrives from england tomorrow for the weekend. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"remember that time we met up in sweden!?"

med jonathan i stockholm!

2009-01-27T14:42:00.000-08:00

over the summer in boston i was lucky enough to met up with jonathan from stockholm, studying english in boston. [thanks cecilia!] jonathan and i spent time eating burritos and hanging out on the docks at the charles river talking about the english language. which we've come to the conclusion makes no sense!
we meet up to wander the city [on a cloudy day, again. . .]
YUN-A-TON is how jonathan is pronounced is sweden. he is off to prauge for an 4 month internship. we have already discussed meeting up in prauge! yay for friends in other countries! [i have a list accumulating!]

SWAN!

xoxo.

belgium runaways!

2009-01-25T13:45:00.000-08:00

nate nate is coming to visit the last week of february. we are running away to belgium for the weekend!

waffles & chocolate, please & thank you!

xoxo.

swedens history in 6 hours.

2009-01-24T12:31:00.000-08:00

i took a little day trip to a town outside of stockholm, strängnäs. much history and places to see!
it was a cold, windy, rainy, gray day, but the places were still breath taking, and mind boggling thinking of how long they have been what they are. america is young. europe is filled with rich culture and tales to tell.
i met up with christoffer, a scandinavian and a history major! talk about a personal tour guide!

Gripsholm Castle.

trees!

[this sign means: TOURIST ATTRACTION! HISTORICAL LANDMARK AHEAD!]

runstens are all over!
[this particular one is a snake with its tail in its mouth, representing the earths "equator." the story goes when he lets his tail out of his mouth the world ENDS. whoa.]

Strägnäs Domkyrka. the most jaw dropping church that overlooks the charming "town." [yes, that is a real house with balloons.] the wealthy, religious and royal are all burried in the church, in "side rooms", walls and the floors.

[photo above: lingonberry.files.wordpress.com]

my weekend started with this traditional pastry called "semla." it will be popular in the upcoming weeks, as it is associated with the fasting of lent. it is the last thing served on "shrove tuesday" before the fast. a warm bun, carved into a bowl filled with cream and a marzipan-like paste then sprinkled with powdered sugar. often served in warm milk. i watched in amazement 10 year old alexander mix the dough, pull out of oven, carve, fill and serve. i think there needs to be a swedish/american pastry bake off!

xoxo.

a quiet break from "reality."

2009-01-22T11:06:00.000-08:00

going into this i knew it would be a task to communicate with people who do not speak english. it is so amazing and fun to learn a new language and figure new ways, both verbally and non to explain things, ask questions and express yourself.
working at lindt, an international chocolate shop in downtown boston was always a new adventure because the majority of the customers were infact tourists and some did not know english. it was like a big guessing game trying to help their needs and make sure their visit in the store was as positive as possible.
[ & the rockstar team of 404 on boylston st can rock it! now that i am the travler, i am thinking of you guys ! ]

being in a new country and not knowing the language so well is both challenging and exciting! i have no problem in my outtings asking people for help in the grocery store, or subways; everyone can speak english. so i am not really completley lost in a foriegn land.
however, simple things that we do about our daily life now has an extra step added because of the language barrier.
what is for dinner tonight? my morning rutien of translating recipes and finding the proper ingredients in the kitchen is a project in itself. in the past 2 weeks i am getting better with directions and am seeing a pattern with most dishes-everything will be mixed together in the end! and the common ingredient: grädde/cream!

the other morning the washing machine malfunctioned during load number 01... of course to solve this one would read the instruction mannual . . . .på svenska!?

of course in swedish!

how exciting!

i came to the conclusion the drain pipe was clogged, which was the case! SOLVED! next swedish household problem, BRING IT!

swedish classes will start in about 2 weeks. i can not wait! i have signed up for an INTENSIVE BEGINNGER CLASS. everyday for 2 hours. i am taking a crash course, back to the bascis! learning swedish in SWEDEN. how cool is this!?

what a glorious day for back home! barack obama officially has us in his hands. i am very exctied! and it seems that everyone here is also! the friends parents that come by have been asking me if i watched and commenting on the big day! alexander and i were cooking in the kitchen during the inaguration [it was 5.30pm in sweden]. he was showing me how to make his favorite dish, "ryska pannkakor", "russian pancakes".. pancakes that you fill with rice and meat. [like a BURRITO! a very boring burrito, but it was exciting nonetheless!] i explained to him the importance of our new president, and how history was being made!

happy obama day in sweden!

xoxo.

gamla stan.

2009-01-18T12:00:00.001-08:00

gamla stan is the "old" part of stockholm. hence the name "gamla" meaning OLD and "stan" meaning CITY.
it is something out of a story book. cobble stone streets, cafes, mom + pop chocolate shops, and sparkling christmas lights hanging throughout the streets.

i enjoyed a cappuccino and a tradtional swedish pastry, "bulle" [bun]. yes, the cinnamon and sugar ones! this one was with almonds spinkled on it! mmm! jätte god!

the weekend was wonderful.. went out and did lots of walking around the city. boston is the walking city..well so is stockholm! everything is so close and all within walking distance! i am becoming familiar with streets and subway stops. there is an h+m on everyblock, so i decided to go into one and found it so cliche i was in an h+m store in downtown stockholm while listening to lykke li in the store. [a swedish store playing a swedish artist for those who are unfamiliar.]

i went to the lovely arianna's place to meet her amazing friends and had the most delicious meal! HOME MADE BREAD! and carrot soup! i am so envious of everyone here knowing how to cook. but i figure, there is not a better time in my life, -OR PLACE- then to learn the tricks of the trade in kitchens in SWEDEN!

we ate, drank, laughed, sharred stories, listened to detektivbyrån and i was on cloud 9!

for those music fans out there, i have some interesting news! the song "heartbeats" that we know from the sony bravada commercial [bouncy balls in san francisco!..sheena honeycutt!] was ORIGINALLY by the knife. jose gonzalez [another swedish performer] COVERED it. oh! the drama!

oh sweden you are such a small world!

xoxo.

carpools to table tennis + swedish directions.

2009-01-15T10:29:00.000-08:00

alexander told pappa to teach colette all swedish words tonight.

xoxo.

seriously, where am i!?

2009-01-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

are you kidding me?
i know people have said how beautiful sweden is, but this is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! it is still night while waking in the morning. and yes the sunsets about 3pm. dawn + dusk seem to last longer; as if they are extended to be their own part of the day.

by the time i pick children up from school, my breath seems to be lost in the deep oranges, blues and purples on one side of the sky. while there are twinkling stars and a bright bold moon on the other.
many photo projects to come. my first job is to get myself a NICE tripod. [happy belated birthday colette! get yourself a new tripod!]

stockholm is just unbelievable. i can not wait for the spring and summer when it is in its prime. the old buildings, architecture, lights and reflection of the sea [never an ocean here] is quant yet dazzeling. i have found myself a personal tour guide, an amazing lady i met in boston, [yes in the tea shop!] who gave me the lowdown of the city. complete with goatcheese + honey sandwhiches and an max ernest exhibit at the modern art museum.
fantastic!

though i have been learning swedish, it is so surreal hearing it EVERYWHERE, SEEING it everywhere! i am a bit overwhelmed and can see that i have excelled in reading and comperhension, however, speaking and hearing is a WHOLE NEW LANGUAGE. literally.
i am in complete shock at the noises i can NOT make with my mouth. and also little shocked at those who CAN. swedish classes will start soon, so i hope to boost my minimal conversation skills :) tack!

on a side note, i do remember reading about this noise that is made in conversation when you agree with someone. which is a GASP! like we make, but only when we are frightened, or scared .....*GASP!*
no, here in sweden its just a normal part of conversation. took me a few people, and shocked faces to learn what was going on!

while walking in public, everyone just walks where they want. literally. i didnt grow up in a city, but living in manhattan and boston, there is a bit of structure to side walk ediquet.
yesterday, there was a boy about 7 years old who stood in front of the escalators while i was trying to get down. he stood RIGHT in front of me. and i just stood in front of him, waiting for him to move. when i did move, i looked down to him moving the same way as i to block me and then looked up at me to give me a big laugh! what a little trickster! it just made my day!

the snow is gone. the past few days have been mild. and i have fallen in love with these birds i see everywhere! their tails are HUGE! i want one! i found it online! it is a great grey shrike.

the food is AMAZING! i will post my favorites! i have been taking the recipes, and copying them in swedish. then translating new words. this is my big project. dinner in 15 mins? HA! i need all day to perpair and research!

p.s. secret ingredient for mashed potatoes= nutmeg!

too much text, never enough photos...
stay tuned! i have some things up my sleeve.

LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH BACK HOME! not a moment goes by where i am not wondering what you are doing!

xoxo.

testing, testing. . [dag nummer två.]

2009-01-05T13:12:00.000-08:00

things are going very well here in danderyd. today i went out driving! jag kan kör i sverige! there are FAR LESS stop signs here then in america. and much more "roundabouts"...AHH! lots of "stay straight", "now left?" "no right". . . thank god it wasnt in swedish! ahh!

i walked around the neighborhood a bit before the sunset at around 4pm. dusk is about 330pm. nice to get out into the cold!
there are some photos of the dusk sky i had to take quick shots of.

i also watched in amazment alexander fix his fish he caught yesterday while ice fishing. . .
he ate it for lunch today. i think i am going to make it my goal to caught, fix and eat my own fish here in sweden at some point!

i sent my books to myself before i left vermont, which included my recipie book...
tomorrow i believe we will go grocery shopping. i cant wait!!

i was shown the laundry room and EVERYTHING is in swedish! all the packages in the pantry, the MILK CARTONS [which, yes, do come in a box that doesnt shut after opening. . ]

and i have discovered pancakes and waffles are a dessert here. not a breakfast food. :)

enjoy the photos!
tomorrow i will meet the last au pair and perhaps go into STOCKHOLM!

god nätt!
xoxo.

JAG ÄR I SVERIGE!

2009-01-03T14:26:00.001-08:00

alright...and now the moment you have all been waiting for....

I AM IN SWEDEN! RIGHT NOW! I AM ON SWEDISH SOIL! i arrived here safely and have an amazing family i am so greatful for. they are most accomidating and helpful!
i had my first swedish meal in sweden, which was "Saffransdoftande Fiskgryta med Aioli" . .. salom soup. it was amazing. i will post the recipe some day. [there is a LIST of things that go in it. . .]

it is just so surreal to hear childrens echos from upstairs all talking in swedish. i feel like im living in a swedish lesson! but no questions to write down or look up for next week, because its all right there! and ahH! i am so excited!

i practiced and finally got to say to the children when we first met, "Vad trevligt att träffa er dig!", which is "how nice to meet you!"

i am soooo jet lagged its not even funny. . .the night before i got horriable sleep because i was so antsy, and now we are going into saturday night. . .

these are HORRIABLE photos. but the trees is norway when i left, and the blurry one is sweden less then an hour later when we were landing!

i can not wait for the sun to rise tomorrow and i can SEE SWEDEN!
we are going into Stockholm, ice fishing and ice skating!!

Colette i Sverige. xoxo.

sleepwalking through scandinavia.

2009-01-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

this is rediculous! goodnight boston, goodmorning norway!

i watched the sun rise in norway this morning on the plane at about 10am.
it really should be 6am, but everytime i get on a new plane, time seems to be dissapearing and coming closer to my 4pm arrival in stockholm.

the airports are beautiful! all dark wood floors and glass walls. .
i am activly playing the "WHAT LANGUAGE ARE YOU SPEAKING?" game..
because icelandic falls into the scandinavia family, i can pick out things here and there. [the word for "child", "barn" is the same!] in all of that i can pick out swedish! something i was afraid i wouldnt be able to do, only because i am not use to hearing it. . . but its becoming more frequent as my travels get closer to sweden.
it is just so cool to hear! i am so sick of my swedish tapes from class and the same songs and music videos, that hearing it live in front of you is just so cool! and also dampers my confidence on how many different sounds to make with your mouth that i have no idea how to do!

i have a few hours to chill in the airport, before my hour flight from oslo to stockholm. the anticipation is KILLING ME! i am so tired and look like murder. . .

i will post some photos of the send of party we had new years day!

xoxo.

2008-12-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

i hope everything one is having a wonderful, cozy holiday!
i miss you all in boston and in the west coast!

i am on my parents computer, so i can not upload photos, however, bottles and i have been busy in the kitchen making goodies for the season. we have made cinnamon mousse, chicken cordon bleu, parmesan puffed tilapia, swedish cinnamon rolls and mulled cider! so delicious! i will post the cider recipe because it is the perfect drink to snuggle up with!

i am on the three day countdown in vermont. i can not believe it is so soon! i leave from boston friday the 02. i have a red eye flight, so i believe my parents and bottles will bring me to boston that night.

my beloved ice skates have dissapeared from boston to vermont somewhere, and i have been on the BIGGEST GOOSE CHASE in trying to find another pair. . .such a long story. i just won a pair off ebay, and i am still in the middle of overnight shipping to vermont. .. as that will be the FIRST THING i pack in my suitcase!

[incase you were wondring, i love ice skating. xoxo.]

my birthday is coming up and i hope you forget it. i cant believe i am OLDER. and i hope there are no presents. :)

my mother is having a little "swedish send off party" for me on thursday. come by! get in touch! i would love to see you before i hop across the pond!

bottles says i need to tell everyone what she got me for christmas:
[photos to follow:]
a swedish flag. a real, large, nylon 5'x3' flag!
i was so excited and a bit confused as to where i should put it until she chimed in,
"you can hang that in your room in sweden so when you wake up every morning you know where you are!"

precious.

gott nytt år!
och grattis på födelsedagen till mej!

hot mulled cider. from lisa petersons norweigan cookbook!

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp salt
dash of ground nutmeg
1 3" cinnamon stick
2 qt cider
orange slices

combine sugar, allspice, cloves, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and cider in a large sauce pan. slowly bring to boil, cover and let simmer 20 minutes. remove spices. serve in warmed mugs with a slice of orange.

for all you tealuxers out there....the chiader aint got NOTHING on this concoction!

xoxo.

Happy Holidays from New York!

2008-12-17T06:06:00.001-08:00

alright.
so now that it's getting closer i have heard word that my VISA has been APPROVED!
phew! we were all getting a bit nervous! but all is golden.

i am currently in new york. less then a week for holidays with the family in vermont! i can not wait!
nate and i made christmas cookies all day yesterday and this morning there is snow on the ground! how exciting!

i have my phone back and running! i left the charger in boston = eeeek! so my "vacation" was a bit extended but i am back and open to take your important phone calls!

the califorina film has been sent in to get developed so that project is on standby as of now.

i sent the swedish children fun christmas chocolate and some of my favorite books; Green Eggs and Ham, The Very Hungry Caterpiller, Matilda, A Light in The Attic. . .[i hope they dont read this before they get it in the mail!]

miss you all in boston! vermont you have 6 days until my arrival!
and sweden you now have: 17!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
maybe they be safe, warm + bright!

MERRY CHRISTMAS I SVENSKA= *GOD JUL*

xoxo.
colette.

Tacksägelse i Kalifornia!

2008-11-26T15:07:00.000-08:00

jetsetter for a week now. . my apologies for not making an entry sooner.

to everyone in the tea shop,my family at lindt, my friends in boston. .
last week was amazing! i was not expecting as much as i got! the gifts, cards, warm words and sad goodbyes were too much!
you are all beautiful people that i truely keep close to me.

san francisco was awesome! the golden gate bridge was breath taking and it was complete with a pinic in the park across from the Full House house!

i have been shooting film, so it will be a little to get photos developed and edited on here. that will be my next project when i arrive in albany next week :)

as far as burritos go, felipes in harvard sq knows whats up on the east coast. . . ! ! !

photos to come of the west side, stay tuned,

happy thanksgiving to all! hope you are keeping warm in boston + vermont, as i am in a sun dress with the windows open :)

xoxo.

pack up, lets fly away!

2008-11-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

its done!

friday, january 02. 2009. 8.35pm depart boston.
lördag, januari 03. 2009. 15.55em ankomma i stockholm.

xoxo.

a long forgotten fairytale.

2008-10-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

for over a year i have been communicating with people in sweden through social internet networks, ie facebook, myspace, msn messenger, etc.

since before the whole au pair plan was ever laid out, or thought of, i have built internet friendships with kids my age in sweden to get to who what where when and WHYS about what they do; school, work, housing, transportation, language, music, clothes, etc.

they have only enticed and sealed the deal to come over and play!

they have taken a role of story book characters; celebrities from a magazine; my new cast list of the next chapter in life. its going to be so exciting when we finally meet!

which has brought me to the final chapter in boston. and knowing the end is near, things are getting a bit sad as goodbyes are never on my TO DO LIST.

boston and i will part ways after november 19.

[i will more then likely fly from boston to albany nov 28 when i come back, but that will be just for an overnight. and possibly when i fly to sweden in january i will fly from logan.]

it is bittersweet. photo school is over and done, and boston only frusturates me with lack of inspiration. [time out! credit to passion pit!<-- & congrads on the record label!]

so as the next few chapters are laying out before me, it is time to write the best happily ever after with my peers, co-workers, friends, and acquaintances here in boston. you have ALL played a role in my life; big and small. i am both happy and honored to walk away with a piece of EVERYONE knowing that i am a better person.

much love.

xoxo.

[p.s. why do i feel like the little mermaid giving up her under the sea life for a chance at another she's unfamilair with? oh walt disney. . . your themes will never die!]

sweden is great, but time out. . . SAN FRANCISCO?!

2008-10-22T20:52:00.001-07:00

you know, its all very easy to get lost in my sweden day dreams. . .

but i had to stop and think today.

IM GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO! i have never been.

and this is very monumental. because for those who know me, know i am OBSESSED with Full House.

[brief background time line:

i am the same age as the olsen twins. so when i was 4, seeing another 4 year old on tv was CRAZY! full house was the first tv show that i first understood the concept of a tv show, a fake family, a camera crew. heck, i thouht they were a real family, and there just HAPPENED to be a camera taping some days. full house was back on the air in about 2002 and i remember writing about it in my diary. i use to make sure i watched it on TBS before ballet class in high school. its so nostalgic! today, i own 7 of the 8 seasons on dvd. i refuse to buy season 8, because after that there is no more. . . ]

what the Tanner's dont know is they had a long lost daughter. . . .

perhaps i should bring HUSET FULLT for the swedish children?!

I am going to San Francisco to see my beloved; my best gal I met in Boston a few years ago. We are going to TEAR up SAN FRAN LIKE WE DID BOSTON! yes!

Brieanne HATES Full House, but has agreed to show me the house and the park and of course the golden gate bridge! I only wish we could rent a red corvette and drive across it blasting the theme song! [older sister and i have spoken of this. it WILL happen. someday. . .]

then i will go to san diego where my older sister has been for the past 4 years. the rest of the family [parental units and baby sister] will meet us out in san diego for BIRTHDAYS! and thanksgiving!

AHhh,

so a date has been set for sweden. week of january 3rd.

i need to buy a jacket. . .

post från sverige idag!

2008-09-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

post från sverige idag!

i have been getting requests to WRITE MORE and POST PICTURES.

well, i am not in sweden yet, so i dont know how interesting things could get, but i will give you an update!

my favorite part about today was that the savory scone at tealuxe was pear + gorgonzola..[haha! i am kidding! Eli will appreciate that!]

my real favorite part of today was the mailman brought me mail from sweden! it was my paper work for my insurance and work visa! things are getting formal and i am getting giddy!

bad news for my cooking class. . . CLASS IS FULL! ugh.

so, when life hands you lemons you make LEMON CHIFFON! i have been spreading the word to friends that i, colette will come into your kitchen and prepare dinner for your family/roommates/large groups of people! i need practice, tips, advice, and what a reason for a social gathering! my first get together is with liz and her boyfriend who is a CHEF! perfect!

i am not completely hopeless in the kitchen, but just a little intimidated by cooking meat and i feel there could be room for improvement. i want to impress the family!

i know i sent an email blast about collecting recipes. i have been adding them to my "favorite dinner dishes of my loved ones" so i can cook and eat your top dinner choices in stockholm! dont be shy! i can never have too many!!

i have signed up for a CPR/First Aid class! cooking, saving lives, learning swedish. . .

I AM READY!

i am getting together little mail packs for the children! which will include photos, a letter (in swedish so i can practice!), sweets and other good things! i hope to be pen pals before we meet in january! i can not wait to meet the children!

a little change of plans on the december whereabouts. . .

i will be in ALBANY, NEW YORK selling Lindt chocolate at Nate's shop! He has graciously invited me into his store for holiday help and the paperwork is already being transfered!

Perhaps Bill will come back for the fun and it will be like the good old days like it was in Vermont! [oh lord. . .]

boston! one month + 18 days to go! >>

I dreamed I was off to California to see Brieanne! It is her birthday tomorrow, and just in time, I remembered how to say Happy Birthday in swedish!:

GRATTIS PÅ FÖDELSEDAGEN!

[hopfully she gets this at the library in san francisco tomorrow! xoxo]

i have been taking photos with my Holga camera lately, so i have photos of my new neighborhood and journey to work. [see top. . .i am new at this uploading photo thing, so forgive me for the random placement!]

Happy October!

xoxo.

Hejsan! Första. . .

2008-09-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

hejsan to all!

i finally set a blog spot for my upcoming Sweden adventures!

i hope with my photographs and entries you can experience the country and culture with me!

i have been taking swedish lessons since this past february. it started at the boston language institute and now i meet with a tutor, [stig!] once a week på svenska lektion!

why sweden colette?

my very first favorite song in life dates back to 1989 when roxette's "joyride" was on the radio, and i was still in a car seat.

for almost 20 years, whatever ends up in my path from sweden i have become fascinated with on a whole new level. i have decided it is time to finally feed the curiousity, see a fresh perspective and experience a new culture [-something exciting for someone who has never been out of the country!]

thus brainstorming the idea of AU PAIRING. i want to LIVE with a swedish family. i want to HEAR swedish, interact with swedish children, be a part of the culture and live it first hand.

traveling to a hostile and having danish beer just wont cut it. . .

i have found a beautiful family outside of Stockholm (about 30 mins north) in a community called Danderyd. Familjen Runsten ha två barn, en pojke och en flicka. Pojken som heter Alexander och är tio år och flickan som heter Louise och är åtta år.

[The Runsten Family has two children, a boy and a girl. The boy's name is Alexander and is 10 years old and the girl who's name is Louise is 8 years old.]

I am in the process of getting au pair visas situated and paper work settled.

I found the family on aupair.com, a site that is new to both parties! We first has contact the end of May of this year. We were fortunate to meet a few weekends ago in NYC, where Eola and her husband Mika were on business trip.

They are very pleasant, welcoming, and encouraging people! I wanted to go back to sweden with them then!

Eola seemed proud of my "vänster" and "höger" written on my hands! [left and right.]

they even laughed when i got excited at the end of our drinks when i raised my empty coffee cup with delight, "WOW! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I CAN SAY IT: 'tack for kaffet!'" Which is a heavily used phrase in sweden after someone offers you coffee, "thanks for the coffee!"

The time line of boston has its days numbered.

almost 3 years, at the best school, the best people along the way, and it only gets better!

i have moved out of my allston neighborhood, and now reside in the breathtaking north end. [phots to come!]

i have given my beloved tea shop and chocolate shop my notice, november 16.

then off to california to see my best girl in san fran, and then san diego for family adventures.

back to vermont for the month of december.

then! off to sweden for 2009. . .

thanks for reading!

+ stay tuned!

ha det så bra!

[have it so good!/have a good one!]

xoxo.

colette.