Exploring Oslo: Day Three
22 June 2015
The journey home was a somber one, as I left the bright blue skies or Oslo, I landed under the gloomy glow of ol' Yorkshire. At least I took 3,000 photos.
Girl Crush: Sophia Amoruso
17 June 2015
There's nothing I love more than a real role model to aspire to. Reality stars and Hollywood wannabes seem to fill the spot too quick for some, but their success isn't very motivating. Although Miranda Priestly and Emily Charlton are two of my all-time favourite girly inspirations, I adore anyone with a real drive their career and in the fashion industry. Sophia Amoruso is the founder and owner of Nasty Gal, one of the most stylish and popular fashion stores among young women. How did Sophia reach this point? Well it all began with a little but no so little eBay store under the name of 'Nasty Gal Vintage', selling vintage designer pieces.
By 2008, Nasty Gal, (names after the 1975 album by Betty David) grew as a retail website and quickly sparked attention from social media and bloggers for it's new take on high street fashion. With a large audience, Nasty Gal also brought in a very large revenue.
For me, Sophia is particularly impressive as she always point out hard work is how she achieved her goals, there was no easy shortcut, it took dedication and time to make Nasty Gal the success it is today. Sophia handled everything in the early stages, including the buying, photography and product descriptions. Sadly, in January this year, Sophia announced she's stepping down as the CEO of Nasty Gal but it's still such a well established company, she deserves to be in my "Girl Crush" list. Today, Nasty Gal continues to grow into a mega-brand and fashion label icon. Sophia's best-selling book, #GIRLBOSS is one of my all-time favourite non-fictions and is so inspiring. It motivated me to work so much harder on my blog, creating something I'm immensely proud of. Go Sophia!
[photo cred: 2]
Summer Ambition
16 June 2015
Summer has always been something I have battled with. But after experiencing a little taste of the travelling life, I think there's so much more to the season than I'm used to. I know summer as hayfever, busy cities and sweating all day. But to get me into the best mood for the season that's in full swing, I created a board on Pinterest named Summer Ambition, full of photos that remind me of how fun summer can be.
Although I'm past the age of having three months off in the summer, there's still so much I want to do this year, despite being half-way through it. There aren't any beaches in Leeds that I'm aware of, but there is the occasional heat wave and BBQ opportunity that I'm not looking to miss. Summer is also the perfect time of year to experiment more with my style and actually try to add some colour to my all-black wardrobe. Shoes other than ankle boots can be worn and I no longer feel the need to go to bed at 5pm because it's dark out. One of my biggest summer ambitions is to take way more photos and blog even more. Between working full time, job hunting, blogging, writing and trying to experience absolutely every - I'm quite busy. But I can't wait until the sun hits the north and festivals break out.
What's your summer ambition?
Exploring Oslo: Day Two
12 June 2015
With a bright an early start, the first destination was the Universitetets Botaniske Hage Tøyenhagen, also known as the Botanical Gardens. The grounds were absolutely enormous which I loved, and it was a really challenge picking between 125 photos. I'm not much of a nature person but I do appreciate great scenery and beautiful greenery. I loved the hand-made sculptures of the maple seeds, also known as 'the helicopter leaves/seeds' in Yorkshire. Inside one building, there were some gigantic lily-pad-type plants which I was just drawn to. Their roots were over 20 meters long and I read the plants can hold the weight of a small baby!
The Nobel Peace Museum was incredibly inspiring. The ground floor had an exhibition showing off the work of Malala (who's book is amazing) and Kalala. Their ventures for peace and happiness among other humans helps you to appreciate those valuable humans in the world. Unfortunately the gift shop was way out of my budget and I lost my camera that morning. I also visited Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (which you can see in the third cruise photo), a museum full of contemporary and artistic pieces - I spent way too long in there.
The Fjord cruise was on my to do list after the many hours spent revising Trip Advisor. The hour-long boat ride stopped near some of the islands in Oslo's centre and I slowly came to the conclusion I really want a boat. Not following the crowd or anything, but the idea of being able to float around wherever you desire seems like a great concept. The cruise-boat had two decks, so you were able to curl up cosy inside, or brave the windy water for a photo opportunity. I recommend this boat ride for anyone really wanting to get to know Oslo, you see plenty during the trip and can use the 24-hour public transport pass to ride as many times as you like!
The Royal Palace was another landmark I had previously spotted on Pinterest and knew had to be on my list. The building looked enormous in photos, but it's twice the size in person. The grounds were vast with open space and steps for tourists to walk around and explore. I also got to take a peak at the entrance of the University of Oslo which was a must. The architecture in the city is so exquisite and has a real, historic but old-school glamour to it.
8 Lies Girls Always Tell
10 June 2015
"I deserve a treat."
This is something I say way to often and it's never true. I could work hard for fifteen minutes and then believe I deserve and enormous glass of white wine. It's just how the mind works.
"I have nothing to wear."
She says staring at a closet full of hundreds of items of clothing. For girls, there needs to be a different look for every occasion, or at least they need to feel it's different. New clothes are always exciting and when we haven't had any in a while, we slowly conclude you don't have any at all.
"I'll never drink again."
Guilty. A little night on the town could easy turn into an all-night episode of Geordie Shore while doesn't result in the best feeling the next day. No matter how many times we promise ourselves we will completely abstain from alcohol, the "just one more drink" demon is stronger than estimated.
"I'll do it later."
In English: it's never getting done. Procrastination at it's finest. This line is the best way to put off a semi-important task that should probably and could probably be done on the spot; yet we still chose to ignore this instinct and place the to-do to the back of our minds, never to be thought of again.
"I have no money."
This usually means we don't want to spend any money. It's the best excuse to get out of a shopping day we know will result in a damaged debit card and a decrease in the current account. I like to have money in the bank, and convincing myself I don't have anyway is the easiest way to avoid spending it.
"I'm on a diet."
This lie can occasionally be true, but is quickly broken. Sometimes we can't resist a tremendous slice of chocolate pudding and the diet is put on the side for a day, or two. The same line also applies to those females who fall into health trends and fads.
"I'm not mad at you."
Translation: "I'm really mad at you." It's the best way to start an argument without really starting an argument. It creates that element of drama which certain girls seem to thrive from. It also creates a talking point and the perfect opportunity for a gossip session.
"I'm almost ready."
It's never true. I could say this while still being in bed and claim to be halfway out the door. It's become more of a reflex rather than a reply. One of the longest running jokes is that girls take forever to get ready, although this isn't always true, some of us tend to move much slower than others and this little white lie is the finest way to avoid the subject.
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