Til Leie!

So, it seems like this is it! We're very excited!! After a couple of months of looking for shop spaces, we are going to rent the very first place we saw! Typical.

Renting (or "almost renting" as I have not yet actually signed the contract!) has been a funny experience. First of all, everybody, and I mean everybody, was on vacation for the entire months of June & July. I received neither return emails nor phone calls from any of the places that I was interested in: zero. Then, lo & behold, on the first Monday in August there was a flood of responses. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of vacations & vacationing, but jeeze we're talking a looong time for whole real estate offices to just disappear from the radar. Anyway . . .

Jim & I saw this place way back in June. It is on the number 19 tram line that we ride a lot. The tram goes from the corner of our street to the other side of town. Along the way it passes all manner of interesting places we like to visit. We noticed the shop because, as the tram enters Riddervolds platz, there is a gradual bend in the tracks that momentarily puts tram passengers on a collision course with our shop to be! One moment you're sitting, tooling along on the tram, and the next, up pops the shop! And that's when it's empty: just imagine when it is full of georgous gifts from Mexico! But for me the "Til Leie" sign was just as interesting. For Rent!

We went back a few days later and talked to the next door neighbours at a nice shop. They stock many lovely things for the urban dweller: all super expensive and cute. It is a popular store. (yea!) The shop employee was very positive and said that we could talk to the owners once they got back from vacation. Luckily it was the first place we saw because in between that day and the day that the owners got back, I managed to see every (other) available space in Oslo under 50 sq meters. Whew!


After 3 weeks of no word, Jim and I had grudgingly concluded that the owners of the shop space were just trying to get rid of us but didn't know tell us "please go away now!". So, as we thought of the shop on Riddervolds Plass as "gone", I found another place that was much cheaper (although not nearly as well situated). We were considering this new spot when . . . the e-mail came!

Our Shabby contacts been on vacation, but now they were back & all looked good. They said they would propose me to the owner of the building as the new tenant. That was the 29th of July and I have been waiting for the contract since then! Jim is wondering how to say "poco a poco" in Norwegian!!

But things seem to be progressing nicely now. We love the space. it is tiny but beautiful! One day I might even be able to post pictures of the inside!!

First Central Jam-e Mosque

Sure a mosque in Oslo seems somewhat incongruent, but there it is! There are about 5 mosques of note in the city this is the second largest one. It was finished in 1995. The color in the photo isn't that great, it is incredibly bright blue. The tile is from Iran and spain and it is really something. Apparently the inside can hold 1500 members. Supposedly they have the call from the mineret on Fridays. But we have not heard it so far. The mosque is about a 10 minute walk from our house, on a small unassuming side street.

Fretex

Fretex is the name for the Salvation Army in Norwegian and it is big here! Fretex is the place where Ikea becomes even more affordable and those old dishes from Grama's house (my grandma anyway) are a dime a dozen. OK not exactly a dime, actaully maybe about 10 bucks, but better than regular price!

Everyone in Norway shops at Fretex at one time or another. And you can see why, a fleece jacket at the local sporting goods store will set you back 150$, where one at Fretex will be maybe 20$.

Every neighborhood has it's local Fretex branch. This one is the mothership. It is outside of town a bit. We had to take a bus, but this is where all the stuff comes for distribution and sorting. It is huge, three stories, lots of furniture and big stuff. (in fact i think that i saw my Grandmothers entire living room set) We had fun, the kids got rubber boots and Evita even got rubber pants (apparently de rigur at the kidergarden!!)

Zihua Fruity Keiko is open again!!

Come one come all, the Fruity Keiko Store in Zihuatanejo is open! All of our wonderful staff from last year are still here! Diana, Rossy, and Sandra are there to give you a smile and make your day. We have lots of new stuff, many new lines of jewlery, new ceramic and glass, a whole new line form Cinta and more!