Tag Archives: Norge

Mobile Coffee Tour: Bønna in Sandefjord – Norway

A 1967 Citroen camper from Paris has experienced a rebirth of sorts, thanks to a team of redesign experts in England, and the very detailed and specific dreams of the owner/operators of Håndverkeren Kaffe og Te in our charming town of Sandefjord.

They’ve named her Bønna. And if you ask me, their coffee wagon is a little slice of heaven.

The former camping truck-turned-mobile coffee bar is a perfect compilation of retro-chic styling and color, quality coffee, and a pair of owners whose passion for their craft pours out as smoothly and richly as every delicious cup they serve up. And the result of their labor of love is fun and whimsical, and unlike anything else around this area.

After chatting for a few moments with Terje and Tabitha Hals, the braintrust behind Bønna, I sat at the accompanying table, painted the same playful shade of green, and slowly enjoyed a lovely pour-over. And I observed the parade of people who stopped, stared, waved, gawked, and then usually proceeded to step up to order a drink.

Children dragged their parents by the arm to get a closer look. One van made a near u-turn so the driver could run over to place an order. And no matter who walked past, one thing was always true: no one could take a look at Bønna without a smile on his or her face!

I love the enthusiasm and energy that are so evident in the Bønna pair as they talk about their coffee shop on wheels. It is clear that this is so much more than a job for them. Terje showed me around and shared details about the process of converting the van. Tabitha smiled broadly as she shared how much fun it is to see the reactions of passersby when she and Terje drive Bønna around. Honks, waves and countless ‘thumbs up’ have come to be the norm anytime they set out.

In between customers, I continued to chat with Terje & Tabitha – and before I knew it, nearly an hour had passed! But it was so interesting to hear about the journey of this little camping truck in France, its adventures in the speciality refurbishing shop in England, and now its new life on the corner of Kongens Gate and Jernbanealleen.

Bønna is a coffee wagon with great coffee. And yet, it is much more. While quality coffee is important, it is even better when those serving the coffee do so in a way that expresses their skills and flare for coffee craft.

Håndverkeren’s popular hot drinks are served via their mobile shop. It’s the same quality and the same service we in Sandefjord have come to know and love at the little shop on Kongensgate – just out on the streets!

Sandefjord residents – and those just passing through: be on the lookout for this delightful piece of nostalgia. Stop by for a warm drink, and maybe a pastry on the side. And be sure to tell them Notes from Norge sent you!

You can follow Bønna on Twitter and Instagram: @kaffebrenneri
Takk for en skikkelig flott opplevelse, Tabitha & Terje!
(og for at dere var så tålmodig med min dårlige norsk!)

Oslo in Spring

No matter how many times we find ourselves in Oslo, we are always finding new areas and new things. And no matter how many times we go, I always enjoy going back.

Oslo is especially lovely when the sun is shining and the flowers are in bloom. And that is exactly how we found it when we there about a week ago.

It was a perfect day for walking around the city, with coffee in hand and friends by our side.

And that is exactly what we did. Once we arrived in town, we kept our distance from public transportation and just enjoyed the city on foot.

I loved seeing all the colors, both in decor, and in nature.

 

 

 

 

As is always the case in Norway, when the sun comes out, the people come out.

And Karl Johans Gate, the main pedestrian street in Oslo, was certainly bustling with people and activity.

It was another fantastic day in the capital city!

 

 

 

Norwegian Patriotism

We made some friends in Oslo on our last visit…I was initially reluctant to ask for a picture. But then I thought to myself: if they dress like that, and walk down the most touristy part of the city, then surely they shouldn’t be shocked at such a request.

And they were great sports, even posing with props from the souvenir stand!

Kaffetur 2 / Coffee Tour #2: Solberg & Hansen

Those that visit our city typically end up taking home a bag of Sandefjords Blanding (Sandefjord’s blend) coffee, purchased at a shop downtown. And that coffee is actually roasted by a company based in Oslo. That company, Solberg & Hansen, recently opened a concept shop in Mathallen, in one of our favorite areas of Oslo.

How can I describe Mathallen? As I’ve mentioned before, mat is the Norwegian word for food, so the name translates to The Food Hall. Located on the river in an area that was formerly comprised of factories and mills, Mathallen sits on the edge of Grünerløkka, home and play place of all of Oslo’s cool kids.

To call Mathallen a food court seems a bit unfair, because it is so much more than that. In this massive warehouse-style shrine to gourmet delicacies and discriminating palates, you can buy superior cuts of meat and hard-to-find cheeses, grab lunch from one of the varied counter-service shops, or sit down and relax with friends for a drink or a meal. Weekends also include cooking demonstrations and delicious samples.

You can also take a break and enjoy a fine hand-brew at Solberg & Hansen. Their new concept shop offers coffee, tea, retail sales, and even some courses and cupping.

We have always been pleased with their coffee when we’ve bought it here in Sandefjord. So we were anxious to see what they had to offer at Mathallen.

They have a nice variety of beans available for purchase, and the styling and presentation at their pour-over bar is impressive.

The overall feel of the space is nice. The relaxed pace certainly fits the brewing technique, but seems to stand in contrast to the loud environment where it sits.

If you find yourself in the Vulkan or Grünerløkka neighborhoods of Oslo, we highly recommend a stop at Mathallen. And while you’re there, why not take the time to check out Solberg & Hansen as well?

TimeHop – January 31, 2013

Two years ago today, we were sitting in the airport in Vancouver. Sitting with lots of emotions. Excited. Nervous. Scared. Happy. Curious. You name it, we were probably feeling it. We really didn’t know exactly what to expect.

 

Norwegian Strawberries: what do you think?

It’s that time of year again. The stands are popping up all over the city. Just in front of the mall, in fact, you can find two set up right next to each other.
A price war in the making, perhaps?
Yes, it’s time for Norwegian strawberries again. And people here seem to be quite serious about them. Countless times, we’ve been told of the far-superior berries grown in Norway.
Don’t get me wrong: they are good. Maybe it’s just my inexperienced palette – but I can’t really taste a difference between them and the strawberries we can buy at the grocery stores.
So while many around us are snatching up local berries for 35 – 50 kroner per basket (prices are continuing to drop as supply has greatly increased the last few days), we were happy to buy the Belgian berries at our local Kiwi last week for 18 kroner for a basket.
So to our friends who live in Norway…
What do you think? Can you taste a big difference? Do you spend a little more to get the Norwegian fruit? Are we missing out?

Gratulerer med dagen: how we celebrated 17.mai

Last year I shared a little about the seventeenth of May (syttende mai), Norway’s constitution day. (You can read about May 17 HERE and the rest of the weekend HERE).This year is the 200 year anniversary of Norway’s constitution*. This was our second year to celebrate syttende mai in Norway.

Syttende mai is a fun day, and especially when the weather is as great as it was this past Saturday! We enjoyed a nice walk to the boys schools to start the day. Their classes then proceeded into the city to join all the other area schools for a program and parade.

After some music and speeches, the ‘barnetog’ began. The barnetog is the children’s parade. Much of syttende mai is focused on children, remembering that they are the future. Zack and I enjoyed watching the parade with three families from our neighborhood. Lots of language practice!

After the parade, we had lunch in the city. A big theme of the day is food, especially pølser (hot dogs) and is (ice cream).

We took a short break at home, so everyone could rest a little. Next up, we were back to the city for the ‘borgertog’. Borgertoget is the citizens parade. It includes teams, clubs, corps (marching bands) singing groups, etc. William participated with his football team. Zack, Daniel and I met up with several friends to watch the borgertog.

After the second parade, and an obligatory ice cream, we drove to Larvik/Faris Bad for a cookout and evening with friends: really good food, lots more Norwegian practice, and plenty of time to relax, Plus, the boys got to drive a boat and relax (yeah, right!) in the hot tub!

It was a really fun day, and we all slept great afterwards! Thanks to so many wonderful friends for including us and making us feel at home on your country’s special day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*A quick bit of history, if you’re interested in it: Norway boasts the second oldest constitution in the world that is still in use. The constitution was signed on May 17, 1814 in Eidsvoll, just north of Oslo. It was the first major step the nation took towards becoming a democracy. (Norway and Sweden ultimately dissolved their union on June 7, 1905, as the first Norwegian king took the throne on November 18th of that year.)

Little pink hearts – what is this?

I’m quite ignorant when it comes to plants and flowers – so I need your help.Zack and I went for a walk this morning. While we were out, we saw this particular flower in several places around the city. It was really pretty. It almost looks like tiny pink hearts hanging from each limb.

Any idea what it’s called, in Norwegian or English?

 

What’s it like: Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day)

In 12 days, Norway will celebrate the 200 year anniversary of the signing of its constitution.
Before we arrived in Norway, I thought Syttende Mai (the seventeenth of May) would be a celebration something like the Fourth of July in America. And in many ways, it is. Only bigger. WAY bigger.
Over the next couple of weeks we will share some posts about Norway’s constitution day.
For now, here are a couple of cool syttende mai window displays we saw in Oslo last week.

 

Russ: How students celebrate their final days of high school

The tradition of russ is observed by most students during the last month of their final year of vidergående skole / high school. We recently interviewed two students about the tradition, and about how their observance of russ tradition differs from most.