Tag Archives: photos

PROBABLY THE BEST CHICKPEA, BANANA AND CORIANDER SALAD EVER

We literally stumbled upon this little gem of a backyard, after a hot morning trailing the souks in Deira, and a trip up the creek on an abra.

Sweaty, tired, thirsty, and in desperate need of lunch and a comfy seat, we almost walked straight past. Until we peered through the little archway that leads you into the cafe little courtyard, and saw white wicker furniture, shaded by a big,gloriously green tree, and bright pink bougainvillaea climbing up the walls.

Well, you know it’s going to be good when it has white wicker furniture.

And good it was.

A peaceful, charming retreat with a superbly refreshing made-on-the-spot smoothie selection, and a scrumptious food menu.

Including my funky salad.

Inspired by our ongoing Sister Salad Challenge, I keep seeking out new, slightly different takes on salad. Who knew chickpea, banana, mango, coriander, chilli and lemon had the ability to join forces and become such an intriguingly delicious salad?

And banana in a salad? It’s a first for me, but hello! Genius.

Yum.

Camilla x

DIY: WASHI TAPE YOUR TABLE

April 3, 2013

Inspiration, Photography

10 Comments

MIX AND MATCH COLOURS AND PATTERNS

There are so many great ideas of how to use washi tape out there, from bike’s to wall art to gift wrap .

I’m a fan of this cool trend – it’s easy enough to accomplish eye catching, creative results, doesn’t make a mess, and when you get bored, simply take it back off. I’ve used it for the kids bedrooms many times, but thought it would look just as great in an adult area too – our white side table looks so happy, don’t you think?

I simply wrapped a mix of different coloured and patterned tape around the legs of the table. You could stick to just one pattern, or a couple of colours, if you’d prefer a simpler look.

… after the table was done I then got a little enthusiastic with the light switches, doors, and wall “art” here and there around the house… but, the table! The table looks fab.

/Camilla x

WEEKLY WONDERS

March 15, 2013

Photography

2 Comments

THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, WEEKEND

Reliability. Punctuality. Commitment.

Yes that’s right, I’m talking about you, our dear, old friend; The Weekend. So nice of you to show up like this, same time, same place every week. We know we can rely on you to be there ready to pick up the tail end of our week – whether it’s been a good one, or not. I can only imagine, it’s because you like spending time with us, that you keep coming back every week.

So for that, thanks, Weekend. We like you too. A lot.

—–

So, this weekend we’ll be trying these irresistible banana chocolate chip muffins, recommended and made by one of our lovely readers from San Francisco!

… while we’re into the food making, we’ll pop by this favorite food site and get inspired for our veggie day on Monday.

Soon Easter? Fear not; lets get into the spirit of things and make a some Easter deco! These are too cute to even consider giving a miss!

Hope you all have a great weekend doing whatever makes you happy!

Louisa and Camilla xoxo

KIDS BEDROOM TOUR: CAROLINE’S SOFT AND FEMININE HAVEN

March 15, 2013

Inspiration, Photography

14 Comments

A ROOM MADE FOR DAYDREAMING

Next chapter of our kids bedroom tour; Caroline (who lives in Norway with her Mamma, Pappa and big brother Theodor) has invited us all in for a little nosey around her treasured room. Enjoy!

This is a little sneak peak into Caroline’s sophisticated and chic little girls room. And I must say; for me it was love at first sight! The colors, the textures and the delicate mix of patterns. The dreamy soft atmosphere, all wrapped up into one tiny little space of heaven.

Caroline’s room is a beautiful mix of French chic and vintage treasures; and is it even possible for one little girl to have such an enviable dress collection?! Some colourful and bold, while others delicate patterns on the silkiest materials.

This room, and it’s little lady, has me gushing and wanting to overuse the word gorgeous. It’s simply gorgeous. Completely gorgeous. Gorgeously welcoming, and gorgeously personal.

/Louisa x

INTERNATIONAL DAY

March 12, 2013

Inspiration, Lifestyle, Photography

15 Comments

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

You could say a lot of things about Dubai. And some would be true. And some of it would be not so great.

Before moving to Dubai, a lot of people had a lot of opinions and thoughts about Dubai they eagerly wanted to share with me. About the insanely large and fast motorways. And the heat. “Camilla, you do realise it’s so hot there that you, with your Norwegian blood running through your veins will most likely just fall over and die?”

Or when I wondered out loud about what foods I would miss out there, “Camilla, you do realise they are so rich in Dubai they can import everything. You’ll never miss a thing!” Well, I ain’t seen no Cadbury Creme Eggs in the supermarket yet, and Easter is really not that far way. I’m just saying.

But no one told me about this. This world like no other. Where diversity is celebrated, not just tolerated. Where different cultures and religions can work alongside each other, and not against each other.

Where a Christian Church can sit on a road right next to a Mosque, a Catholic Church just across the road, and two doors down The Iranian Club.

Sure, Dubai is not without it’s faults. And though I am not ready to delve deep down into the murky waters of a society that is built up around a sometimes horrifically unfair and questionable hierarchy system, I am ready to stand up for Dubai’s positives. The Dubai I’ve been introduced to.

While my nieces visited a few weeks ago, I brought them along to Finley’s nursery, to join in the International Day celebrations. While I had relatively low expectations of the day, I thought Finley would enjoy showing the girls round.

Well… As the children lined up and walked out into the Nursery gardens, waving their flags and shy little hands towards the crowds of people, all to the sound of a children’s choir blasting through the sound system “We are the world… we are the children”, my eyes welled up classic embarrassing Mamma/Aunty Milly style, while I tried catching some of it on camera and savouring the memory of this multi national, all welcoming, colourful party. It is not the first time I have felt overwhelmingly grateful for where we are in life, and all the incredible things our children are being exposed to.

The kids and I shared out Norwegian waffles alongside a few other Scandinavian Mums, who brought delicious homemade treats, before making our way round the many tables, of over 40 different nationalities represented. We tried Indian curries, Brazilian coconut chocolates, Danish buns, made Spanish flowers and African straw huts, and got groovy on the dance floor to none other than Gangnam Style.

And the outfits! I was in awe of all the kids, and adults, proudly showing off their national costumes along same traditional foods and artefacts from their country.

All true Spanish Señorita’s carry two flowers in their hair, of course.

Maybe the kids didn’t learn an abundance of facts about other countries? Maybe they can’t remember which country those tasty little dates came from, or who that talented lady painting their henna tattoos was?

But does it matter? What they did leave with was a memory of a colourful, happy day. Of adults genuinely interested in them, and their background, and where they came from. And this is where they are growing up. In an international society that accepts different cultures, religious views and celberates the fact that these kids, are all just kids, no matter where they come from, or how many languages they speak.

This is the Dubai we’ve been introduced to.

A multitude of different languages all on the same dance floor.

Swedish chocolate balls… oh how we’ve missed you!

/Camilla

INTRODUCING OUR FRIEND TEDDY

February 26, 2013

Parenting, Photography

2 Comments

A TEA PARTY WITH TEDDY

We are very excited about finally introducing you all to our friend “Teddy“. Raising five bilingual children between us, Teddy easily fits in to our lives – as a learning tool, but also (or mostly!) as a fun friend.

Julie, the wonderful lady behind Teddy, and the accompanying learning materials, believes that EVERY child can learn English as a second language, from an early age. It was while working in a special needs unit at a Norwegian School, that the idea of Teddy was born. She says;

To start learning English at an early age gives a child confidence, which in turn will help him or her to succeed throughout their future.I have experienced that with the correct method, orally based and multi sensory in its input, children are given every possibility to use all their abilities to communicate meaningfully. It is then that children get the greatest enjoyment from learning a foreign language.

We were honoured when Julie asked us, along with Carrie, of the blog chiefmum.mumcentre.com, to form part of Team Teddy! It’s a programme whose values we truly believe in, and we can’t wait to share our adventures with Teddy with all you readers! While Team Oslo visited Dubai last week, we threw Teddy a little impromptu Tea Party in honour of Teddy’s theme for this February, ”Drinking Tea”.

Now, as you know we consider ourselves to be quite the “experienced travellers”, living an international life across two countries and all that, but our friend Teddy here is a true adventurer in every sense of the word. Read about his trip to a children’s home in Uganda here, and how a school in Ecuador are using the Teddy Programme here.

Teddy is of course on Facebook, so if you’d like to get to know him a little better, and to keep up with all his news, head on over and Like his page!

Louisa and Camilla

A FIRST BIRTH DAY MILESTONE

February 21, 2013

Photography

16 Comments

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My little girl turned one this week. All of a sudden she stood up and carefully took her first few steps, grew four painful teeth almost overnight, ate her first cake and turned one. Just like that.

This time last year, I walked up and down the corridors of the hospital with a tiny, chubby little bundle of love in my arms. Up and down, up and down. Worrying that my little daughter and I would wake someone up. The snow fell heavily outside, as I rocked her back to sleep, gazing out of the top floor window into the dark night.

I helped myself to some stale bread and brunost (sweet Norwegian goats cheese…), from the self serve cafeteria, carefully balancing an unsettled baby in one arm and pouring myself a cup of watery, day old coffee with the other free hand. I remember thinking nothing had ever tasted so good in my life.

Walking up and down the corridors of the top floor of our hospital, I felt on top of the world.

My squishy, dark haired, angry, beautiful little girl. Our calm, awesome, zen like birth story. I probably stayed awake way beyond what was necessary. I could’ve probably put her back into her cot, and she would have probably stayed asleep. But I didn’t mind. After all, I’d just given birth, and felt invincible.

A year later, and waking her Mamma up in the night continues to top the list of Sienna’s favourite hobbies. Other favourites include; Opening the toilet seat. Pushing prams, trolleys, chairs, tables, boxes, anything and everything pushable. Eating. Finley. Opening the bin and emptying its content. Jumping in bed in the morning. Hugs.

Here’s one of my favourites: You.

Love Mamma xoxo

SUN, SAND AND… LET’S GO BACK TO WINTER LAND!

February 20, 2013

Out & About, Photography

5 Comments

JET LAGGED ARE USFilled to the core with fond memories, and massive impressions from seven days of pure family indulgence in Dubai. A place which has for us sparked a fascination beyond the ordinary holiday fling.

King winter was kind to us when we came back during the early hours of the morning. Sun beaming with all its force, desperately trying to remind us of our fondness of seasons, and in fact our cold, snowy winter land.

So we’re back. And severely jet-lagged. If you are travelling with a group of four other individuals, all made of a persistent caliber, concerned with whose feet get the most space for the “perfect” sleeping position for the 4 out of 7 hour plane ride, your body might take a bit of a beating.

As Isabella put it at 5 o’clock this afternoon, “I am going to cry if I have to speak more now.”

(Worth mentioning that she had two late nights of Dubai partying prior to the flight home; A Dessert Safari, and Downtown Dubai, with all it’s glory… We know how to pack it all in.)

And with that, we are calling it a day.