Rediscovery of the LP record

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If someone would have told me in the 90’s that I would buy LP records in 2014, and sort of “dump” music on compact discs….yeah, right. But here I am, having spent money on two brand new albums of artists like LORDE and Weeping Willows. And of course in second hand shops as well as at Norrköpings Vaxkupan, the browsing of used LPs by now is a standard procedure.

How on earth did this happen, you might think? Well, thanks to the beloved, who is quite a nerd of sound technique, we have a greatly working vintage stereo equipment at home, involving a record player and amplifier of the known Swedish brand Sonab .

Together with Mirsch (also Swedish, they worked with Sonab in the 70’s) and Sony loudspeakers, the playing of vinyl records all of a sudden became real fun. One notices a so much richer sound from an LP than from a CD. I am no expert in technical details, but there is indeed a difference in sound quality between these two types of records.

So I reckon at home, there will be quite some vinyl playing from now on, even though one has to go and change the sides of the records (part of the fun as well, though). While travelling it will be totally digital music, though, either iPod or Spotify.

I found a nice article on digitaltrends from 2013, which explains quite well why vinyl is back.

The feeling that listening to vinyl makes music come alive, in fact makes YOU come alive, a lot of people share, and I totally agree. Read this forum thread on Singletrack and you get an idea.

In that sense – keep the turntable cool!

Norrköping Sunday Morning Walk

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Having been bed bound during almost the entire last week due to a nice office flu, I was very happy to finally get out into sunshine and fresh air. Time for a Sunday morning walk through Norrköping, between about 09.15 and 11.15, before the shops open and the city really comes to life. The camera accompanied me, and I took it veeery easy during the almost 7 km long stroll through town. Partly because of the nice weather, but definitely because not all the nice germs left the body yet. So join me on the rest of a lazy Sunday, maybe checking out the pics I took today.

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Merry Christmas!

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Today I went for a short trip to Linköping. Presents were already bought earlier, so today it was more about getting the hair done (happens about twice per year) and general browsing and people watching. It was a relaxed atmosphere on the streets. People stopping and chatting with  each other, carrying the last presents or food shopping bags home. In most of the shops, the attendants were a bit worn out after the Christmas shopping time, and I reckon they will just be extremely happy when they finally can go home and relax, even if they might have difficulties to adjust from Christmas rush to Christmas peace with the family and loved ones (been there, done that for quite some years).

Anyhow – all of you, have a Merry Christmas and a great start into the New Year!

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(Storgatan in Linköping, fully dressed in Christmas.)

I love ICA-Stig

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Today I would like to introduce you to one of my favourite Swedish TV-ads – the ones for ICA supermarket. About every week they launch a new short movie, each time with a silly theme. It doesn’t necessarily make me buy more with them, simply since I do not naturally pass an ICA every day. However, they do get my sympathy points because their ads are silly, witty or clever at the same time. Hope you understand a bit of Swedish, or that you simply anyway get the idea behind the ones I am going to post below.

This is one of their latest – a bit in style with Amelie and in the sign of health, with a wet and cold autumn ahead:

Another favourite from this summer when the Women’s European Football Championship was on, is the ad with Kosovare Aslani, a famous Swedish lady footballer. She has a sponsoring contract with ICA and they make her say that crisps and chocolate are healthy carbohydrates. She gets tired of posing and says that this won’t be any trustworthy ad whatsoever (never mind that no ad is). ICA-Stig makes her continue by asking if they have to go through the contract again…

Right, let’s wait for the next one then! They do have their own You-Tube-channel – in case you want to watch more of them or use them as “training-Swedish-material”.

Do you have favourite ads? Feel free to comment and link to the ones you can watch over and over again.

Flimmer!

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Last week it was time for the annual film festival in Norrköping – Flimmer! The festival was organised for the 15th time this year.

These are the movies we saw – a good mix as you can see, and all very much recommendable!

Cykla med Molière

Inequality for all

Good Vibrations

In a world…

A River Changes Course

Hot Flashes

Big Sur

Pics from the CNEMA-sessions

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Norrköping in autumn colours

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Last weekend we had best autumn weather ever. Here are some impressions in pictures of an Indian summer afternoon.

Crouching Anja, hidden berries

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That is how one could summarise this day. Over 6 kilos red gooseberries, about half a kilo black currant and about three kilos red current. Picked within almost three hours. (I consider that a personal record in berry picking time.) Thankfully the magpies discovered that red currant is good food as well, otherwise I would have needed to spend even more time in the bushes.

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Company I also had, two little snail buddies that were actually surprisingly fast and very determined to find a way out:

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After over three more hours making juice and cleaning berries (the loved one helped, bless him) we were off to Cornelis, the local pub. Strategic drinking was on the menue, since we ran out of suitable bottles for juice making. Well, there are worse things one has to do, I’d say. Bernard is actually a really recommendable black lager!

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So tomorrow the berrie marathon is to be continued! And there will be jam, too.

Theatre Nolby – Le Figaro

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On 20th of July we went to the premier of “Le Figaro” at the Theatre Nolby in Swedish Västmanland, close to Karlskoga, see map. Theatre Nolby is a small open air theatre that opens during 4 weeks each summer, this year from 20th of July to 17th of August.
Le nozze di Figaro originally being a comic opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Theatre Nolby decided to set it up as a scene play. They succeeded brilliantly with the set and the actors in their different roles. Apart from a wonderful performance of everyone involved, the location of Theatre Nolby simply convinces. The audience gets drawn into the piece by being seated close to the stage, and actors sort of involving them into their reasoning and thoughts.

During the pauses one has time to either enjoy a pre-booked three course dinner, or a pre-booked pick-nick. Or one simply buys some snacks. The environment around the stage is also prepared in the most thoughtful way. The actors are also part of the friendly and welcoming staff taking care of bar and food service. Everyone is open for conversation with their visitors, be it just for a few friendly words, or a more serious exchange about the theatre piece or the art in general. All this adds to the fact that the visitor kind of feels like becoming part of a special family for one night. One simply melts in, relaxes instantly and leaves heavy hearted but extremely happy after a gorgeous cultural night out – in the middle of nowhere somewhere in the Swedish woods. Extraordinary.

Some pictures of our night out:

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The seating area in front of the stage  IMAG0966

The stageIMAG0970

The programIMAG0971

The bar areaIMAG0972

Relaxing during one of the breaksIMAG0973

Flowers for everyone after a successful premier!IMAG0974

Conversation with family, friends and visitors in general after the showIMAG0975  IMAG0977

On the way home after a great night outIMAG0978

View over the lake nearby the parking lotIMAG0983

Therefore, if you plan to visit or pass this area of Sweden during July and August, check out what is planned at Theatre Nolby. You are in for an unforgettable experience. Promised.

Footie for the win!

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With excitement we follow this year’s European Championship of ladies’ football which takes place in Sweden. One of the places the teams play is Norrköping, and so we went to see the second semi-final last Thursday. Norway played Denmark. It was a match with ups and downs, not at last due to the first goal being scored by Norway in the first five minutes, and the equalising one coming from Denmark during the last five minutes of regular match time.
So the match went into extra time.  Most of the audience appreciated that, however, somehow the security guards placed out around the arena did not seem to be overly impressed by the fact that they needed to spend at least half an hour more on their positions…
Anyway, since Denmark played stronger, it was fair enough. Norway won in the end on penalties. The otherwise catching-it-all Danish goalie definitely wasn’t at her best that night, which was a shame. The German Denmark fans who were sitting behind us during the match would certainly agree on that. Their “Denmark! Denmark! Goooo” is still ringing in my ears.

Anyway, after the match all the Norwegian players came to our corner where we sat. Their families were sitting there during the match, the other noisy group apart from the German Denmark fans. But oh how proud they were! Some pics from the event:

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The text on his t-shirt says “real men watch women’s football!” So true! I was actually quite disappointed when I noticed how many of my otherwise footie-crazy German friends didn’t even seem to know that this tournament is taking place. Well, they might have noticed by now since the German ladies play Norway in the final in Stockholm tomorrow afternoon. My odds are on Norway, though!

Harvest time.

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It is a nice and warm summer we are allowed to enjoy so far. Fruits and vegetables grow. So today was harvest time!
The raw material:

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And some of the results:

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Rhubarb pie and raspberry/ red gooseberry jam. The pie’s already a gonner. You might have suspected that, though.

Soon first Advent!

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Incredible how fast this year went. Again. Just in time I managed to fix the traditional German Stollen. Although this one needs to rest a week in a cold room before reaching its full flavour. It is one of these types of bakery that get better the longer they can rest. It is totally o.k. to consume the last piece in early January. Not sure about bought Stollen, though, if that applies there, too. Tip: Have it in the evening with a sip of your favourite Whisky, Talisker for example fits well. Or, have it as a part of your breakfast with a bit of butter on your slice. Or just have it with your afternoon tea or coffee. Anyway, enjoy!

Happy 1st Advent!

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Running reflections

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Last month I completed Midnattsloppet, as some of you might remember. Midnattsloppet is a 10k run late evening in Stockholm (or other cities in Sweden). Preparing for that run got me into more serious training, even though this month I didn’t get the shoes on as much as I wanted to.
With me it’s like I need the first 3 to 4 kilometres to warm up. After that distance I get the feeling that I can run as long as I like – not necessarily hugely fast, but about 10k should by now always be achievable, even though I rarely make my round that long. Sometimes one is contemplating, do I take the longer round today? Or shall I take the shorter alternative? Well, I usually decide depending on what I fancy. But then, sometimes, something on the way happens that makes you going the extra mile, so to speak.

During a hot summer evening (I hate running in really hot weather) I was close to giving up and walk the last 500 metres. But then there was another runner crossing my path, seemingly boasting with energy and just whizzed past me. Effect on me? Well, I did run even the last stretch and afterwards I felt so happy that I did it! Physically it was possible, so it really is only in your head!

Today’s run went superwell, nice and relaxed, sunshine, and I had all the time in the world, no “musts” waiting to be done at home. So I decided to for the longer round straight from the start. When there was about a third of my round left, I met an old fellow being out and about with his walker, holding on to it tightly while pushing it forward. When I went past him, he took a moment to rest and shouted “Right you do, going running on such a beautiful day! Really good job!!”, smiling broadly at me, waving with one hand. I shouted back a “Thanks” and “Good job yourself to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather!” and off we went, each in our own direction. It made me laugh and glad to meet a person probably about 80 years old, getting that enthusiastic about my humble jogging round. Nice it was, and yeah, I reckon that acknowledgement did put a bit of an extra spring into my steps. Such a difference to most peeps one meets on the way, lots of which looking at one like something from a different planet approaching. OK, probably that assumption is triggered by the colour of my face matching the one of my T-shirt (red) … Anyway. Sometimes it’s small events like these that make you go the extra mile, or just a wee bit faster than you probably would have gone otherwise.

Happy Sunday! 🙂