San Francisco

Day One: Lost in Translation

Our first day in San Francisco was bathing in sunlight. The temperature for sightseeing was just right, and early in the morning hours I had my first coffee at one of the many Starbucks in this city. Jet lagged and ready to go, I asked the hotel mangager (we stayed at Quarter Club in the Financial District) how to get to Union Square. He mumbled something about first to the right, then right,then left. Of course there was tons of people waiting to be checked out, so I just went. And of course, I got lost. Mind you, I was not scared at all. This city is much like a European city, with its trams and buses. As I walked the narrow streets upward I contemplated the beautiful architecture the old living side by side with the new buildings.

Suddenly, it was very clear that I had walked straight into Chinatown. I had actually planned to visit that part of the city another day, but since I was in no hurry I decided to check it out. As I excpected, it was a very colorful and exotic experience. The Chinese culture is represented with its rich colors, beautiful materials and exquisite jewelry.

On every street there was a new store filled with either antiques, jewelry, silk kimonos and other exciting treasures.

The jewelry is cheap, but good quality. I spent 1 hour in a store bargaining for a good deal. Expect to hassle a deal, they always aim for a higher price. I think that is part of the fun. Beautiful freshwater pearls, jade and chinese enemal bangles are just some of the jewelry you should be looking for. Remember that there is so many stores, that if you think something is to expensive and they will not give you a good deal, keep walking. Often you can see a lot of their selection out on the street, and they always have a «sale».

This green jade bangle was one of my buys. I loved the carving and the crisp green color. I have always wanted a bangle like that, and now that I am home, I regret not buying more. I also bought a long set of freshwater pearls for myself and some pearl bracelets.

Shoes, handbags, coin purses, chinese umbrella or a silk makeup cases makes for great gifts at a good price.

The antiques were beautiful and I wish I could have brought home a table or a chinese vanity desk.

I have been on the hunt for a silk kimono since I saw Carrie wearing a fabolous one in an episode of SATC, years ago. Little did I know that this was my lucky day. In one of the stores I went into to, they had a great selection and I ended up buying this blue one for myself and a turquise one for a friend as a a belated birthday present. I love the illustrations, the color and the belt. The best buy of today.

Must buys: enamel bracelets are both cheap and stylish.

After finishing up, I decided to ask some people for directions to Union Sqaure. I stopped a nice looking couple, who then looked me up and down before giving me directions. They were so sweet and when the guy told me to «go all the way down and take a right at Prada», I knew I asked the right people.

And so I did.

Union Square

After all that culture, I needed some retail therapy. Lucky for me, Forever 21 was right there. Its the biggest one I have ever seen and an amazing collection. I scored some good deals.

Then I went off to shop for shoes at DSW and Lohmans.

Fringes and suede are some of the biggest fall trends. Unfortunately, I did not find any fringe boots I liked. I also stopped by H&M to look for a faux fur jacket and a wool cardigan that I did not find back home, but they were all sold out. Oh well, you cant have them all.

When the evening came, I had to take my husband to see it all. So, on our way to dinner (he was on the golf course during the day) we walked the same route as I got lost in earlier that day.

It was great seeing this area both in daylight and at night and I recommend you doing both. At night, all the lights makes the street shiny and bright, while the days are rich and colorful. After a day filled with experiences, we went to dinner at a restaurant called Cafe de la Presse on Grant Street. We had some great Napa wine and a fantastic dinner. I recommend going here for the great food, lush atmosphere and international mood.

Vest: Vero Moda

Jeans: H&M

Cardigan: H&M
Shoes: Old Navy

Handbag: Vintage Chanel

Top: Vero Moda

Todays bargains: Jade bracelet, enemal bracelets, silk kimonos, freshwater pearl necklace, pearl bracelets and tons of christmas gifts for young and old. Top, jacket and cardigan from F21 and Steve Madden gold shoes (21 dollars!).

Tomorrow: Vintageshopping in Haight-Ashbury and Fisherman`s warf by night.

Shopping List

Jeg er en listeperson. For meg er det en måte å ha kontroll, og huske ting når det teller. Shoppinglisten til Californiaturen ble relativt lang, men det er fordi jeg valgte å la være å kjøpe endel høstplagg her hjemme og de har merker i USA jeg aldri får tak i her (unntatt på ebay).

I am a list person. I always write lists, no matter if its for work or play. That way I remember it all. For this trip I had a very long list, considering I had been saving for a while and ripping out pictures of brands we dont have here.

– Black leather jacket
-Christian Louboutin heels (still searching for the perfect pair) or YSL tribute heels in gold or silver
-Paysley dress
-Pearl nekclaces
-Bracelets
-A black leather handbag. Miu Miu, Chanel (preferably vintage) or Prada are at the top of the wishlist.
-Ripped skinny Current & Elliot jeans
-Citizen of Humanity jeans or J Brand skinnies
-H&M faux fur jacket (was not in stores here when I left)
-Black studded boots (like the Gucci ones, just cheaper) or sandals
-Black ancle boots
-Steve Madden open toe booties
-Studded belt
-Silver heels
-Sequined party top and dress
-Winter coat
-Opi french collection dark polish
-Cashmere boyfriend cardigans, Victoriassecret
-Cashmere sweaters
-Nike Shox and training gear
-Faux fur black vest (think Rachel Zoe)
-Tons of beauty products like Redken, N7, MAC, Estee Lauder etc.
-Velour hoddie and pants
-Leather tights
-Blazer
-Guess Mens watch
-Enamel bracelets (Kenneth Jay Lane is a favorite)
-Vintage costume jewelry
-Vintage silkrobe ( I am always looking for one similar to the one Carrie had on in an episode of SATC)
-Vintage sunglasses
-Vintage shoes
-Vintage Missoni cardigan and scarf
Stores I love to shop in:
Barneys, Neiman Marcus (shoe and jeansheaven), Nine West, Macys (shoes), Steve Madden, Forever 21 (talk about cheap fashion!), Banana Republic (they always have classic styles on sale), Victoriassecret (if only for the underwear, but they also have a great selection of cashmere), DSW, Lohmans (discounted designer goods), outlets (cheap & good), Target (for their collaborations. This time I am looking for some Sigerson Morrison studded flats and Anya Hindmarch handbags),
Vintage: Melrose in LA have several really good vintage stores in walking distance. Decades (A favorite with Rachel Zoe), The Way We Wore ( good place for spotting celebs, but pricey), Paperbag Princess and Polkadots and Moonbeams. I had not been to San Francisco, but got some great advice from fellow blogger Fashion Trend Guide, who visits the city frequently.

California, Baby!

Noen av dere har kanskje lurt på hvorfor jeg har oppdatert bloggen så lite de to siste ukene. Grunnen til det er at jeg har vært i San Fransisco og Los Angeles på ferie. Bortsett fra en skikkelig forkjølelse, har vi hatt det helt fantastisk. Vi landet i San Fran, hvor vi tilbrakte fire flotte dager, før vi satte kursen mot Los Angeles i en rød Ford Mustang kabriolet. Kjøreturen gikk over to dager og vi var innom Pebble Beach, Carmel, Big Sur og San Luis Obispo, før vi endte hos venner i Agoura, nærmere Los Angeles. For de som ikke har fått det med seg, tok jeg min Bachelor i Media & Communication i LA (derav bloggnavnet), så jeg drar tilbake på besøk så ofte jeg kan. Før ferien, satte jeg på spareblusset, så jeg tok litt av i USA. Med lav dollarkurs og mange merker vi ikke har i norge, var det ikke noe problem. Jeg har shoppet både vintage og nytt, og kommer til å dele det med dere i postene som kommer i de to neste ukene. I tillegg har jeg møtt og intervjuet en del kjendiser, så utdrag av dette skal dere også få en smakebit på!

Some of you might have noticed that I have been missing in action lately. The reason is that I have been on vacation in California. I had a wonderful trip with my husband. We spent the days relaxing, sightseeing, working, catching up with old friends from the University (we went to a university in LA, thats why the blog is called from Oslo to Los Angeles) and of course, shopping. We landed in San Francisco, then drove a red Ford Mustang convertible down the 1, stopping by Pebble Beach, Carmel, Big Sur, and San Luis Obispo, before arriving at friends in Agoura. We had an amazing time, and in the coming days I will recap our trip for you with photos and excerpts from interviews with some really nice celebs. Thank you for all your nice comments while I was gone! I will try to catch up with you all this week.

Black & Blue

My new blue cardigan from H&M.

Photo: Kathrine Stenvaag
Cardigan: H&M
Jeans: Vero Moda
Boots: H&M
Elsker denne nye cardiganen fra H&M. Perfekt farge, fake pelskrage og belte i livet. Jeg bare matte ha denne, og den passer perfekt i garderoben min. Dessutten synes jeg svart og blatt er en lekker fargekombinasjon. Det jeg liker med H&M er at du faktisk kan finne kule ting, som de ikke tar inn for mange av. Det gjelder bare a finne godbitene!

You know when you find items that are perfect for your wardrobe? This cardigan is such an item. With the faux fur trim and the blue color, its one of my favorites for fall. Its also getting colder, so its great for bundling up in and still stay stylish. I also like to mix blue and black, as I think it is a great color combination.

Victoriassecret

Photo: Victoriassecret
Det jeg liker med denne nettsiden er de utrolige tilbudene pa kasmirgensere og cardigans. Ikke bare har de bra kvalitet, de er billige og utvalget er meget bra. Du kan bestille nesten hvilken farge du vil, og de shipper hit. Husk bare at du ma betale toll og moms(ca 33 prosent) pa varer over 200 kroner. Men med kasmir til denne prisen er det verdt det! Jeg bestilte ogsa nagleboots herfra, men de var ikke hva jeg troddde, sa de gikk rett i retur. Sjekk ut siden deres ofte, siden de har masse gode tilbud og sikkert har noe som passer for deg. Jeg bestilte blant annet denne kasmir genserkjolen i lilla, svarte og brune cardigans. Jeg bruker XS eller S, og bestilte S fra VS og det passet meg perfekt.

I love Victoriassecret. Not only do they have really affordable pieces in every color, they have great prices on cashmere cardigans and sweaters. Which by the way is really expensive in Norway. You might remember that I ordered the studded boots? Well, let me tell you they were horrible. Not comfortable at all. So, I ended up returning them, and getting some more cashmere instead. The neat thing is that this site has offers and giveaways with orders all the time, not to mention the great sales! I am so addicted, so I will recommend it to anyone who likes affordable fashion.

Weekend Update

I helgene har jeg endel faste ritualer. Er det loppemarkedsesong drar jeg pa jakt etter gamle skatter. Ellers stikker jeg alltid innom Tonica Vintage og UFF Underground, for gode deals. H&M, Zara og Vero Moda er bra for trendshopping. Jeg liker som sagt a shoppe alene, men treffer gjerne venninner til lunch. Hva er deres faste ritualer?

My weekends usually consist of a couple ingredients. Shopping, flea market bargain hunting, coffee runs or meetings friends for lunch, going out for drinks in the evenings, and relaxing on Sunday. I truly enjoy my weekends and try to make the most of each one, although they run by pretty fast. How do you girls enjoy spending your weekends?

Ripped Jeans

Elsker denne looken til Kate Beckinsale. Laidback, cool og stylish. Disse jeansene fra Current Elliot er de mest ettertraktede buksene blant kjendisene i Hollywood. Tror jeg enten maa skaffe meg disse eller lage noen av gamle jeans selv. Secret Society i Oslo har merket, men jeg bestiller de nok pa ebay, hvis jeg bestemmer meg for de.

I am dying for some ripped jeans. I am liking the look of Kate Beckinsale in Current Elliot. I am either getting myself something similar or making it myself of some old jeans. Whats your take on this trend, love it or hate it? I know its not for everybody, but I think its a cool and relaxed look.

New Hairdo

Jacket: Tonica Vintage
Jeans: Vero Moda
Scarf: Bik Bok
Shoes: H&M

Photo: Kathrine Stenvaag
Med min faste frisør ute av byen, måtte jeg prøve en ny. Veldig fornøyd med fargen, men synes det ble litt kort. Jeg gruer meg alltid til frisøren fordi lengden blir alltid kuttet mye mer enn jeg vil. Liker dere å gå til frisøren eller gruer dere dere?

My regular hairdresser is out of town, so I decided to go with a friends recommendation. It turned out ok, but much shorter than I anticipated. The color is very nice, though. I always dread the hairdresser, because by the time I grow my hair out, it has to be cut. Whats your take, do you enjoy it or dread it?

Weekend Shopping

Når helgen nærmer seg, er det alltid noen shoppingplaner med i bildet. Selv liker jeg enten å gå på loppemarked(sjekk bla ut Tåsen skole denne helgen) eller vintageshopping. Jeg må innrømme at jeg liker best å gå alene, fordi da kan jeg bruke god tid, kose meg og gjerne helle møte venninner til kaffe. Med fare for å støte noen, mener jeg at det også er bedre fordi man ofte ender opp med å vile ha de samme tingene, selv om en har ulike stil. Men nå vil jeg høre deres mening, liker dere venninneshopping eller å shoppe alene? Ha en fantastisk helg alle sammen!

On the weekends I usually go shopping in one way or another. Usually I prefer to go alone, then meet up with friends for lunch and coffee. The reason is that I often find those gemstones on my own, and my friends often want the same things! And that always create a conflict. But it is also fun going shopping at H&M together, but thats not the same as vintage shopping. What do you prefer, shopping alone or with friends? Have a great weekend everyone!

Featured on Always in Style

Jeg er så heldig å bli omtalt på Always in Style Streat beat. At jeg ble plukket ut, synes jeg er helt fantastisk. Det gir meg energi og inspirasjon! Dette er noe av det jeg synes er det beste med bloggermiljøet, når du får tilbakemeldinger fra stilen din helt fra New York.

I am so honored to be featured on Always in Style! That my style in Oslo can cut it with women in New York, is to me beyond fabolous. This made my day!