.zoe.without.dots.

Pray. Connect. Reach.

2010-02-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

A long-delayed post for Christvertising. Their mission is to pray for your brand and ask for God's endorsement of your brand. Though i live in San Francisco, there are millions of Americans that would clearly choose a brand based on its endorsement from God. I admit that they have, in fact, found a niché.

God bless your brand
http://www.christvertising.com/index.html

i love the internet for sh!t like this

2010-02-16T23:50:00.000-08:00

Soooo, some amazing genius out there decided to create the best blog ever... http://niccageaseveryone.blogspot.com/

really, there isn't much more to say except "amazing".

what if...

2010-02-13T09:18:00.001-08:00

you cut your hair and it didn't grow back. Our hair growing is part of our daily life. It happens so involuntarily, that we just expect it. So, what if it just stopped happening?

Malarkey

2010-02-12T09:41:00.001-08:00

Fittingly, there is no known etymology for the word "malarkey".

Going Green.

2009-03-24T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wearing green on most days is just a daily decision. But on St. Patty's Day it becomes a requirement. If you don't don a green wardrobe (or at least something green) you're not being festive.

However, if you are wearing green on the day after St. Patty's Day it's leaves the realm of wardrobe choice and becomes almost shameful - worse that leaving a x-mas tree up too long. Because St. Pat's is associated with heavy drinking wearing green the day after is a beacon to your walk-of-shame.

Nothing says "hard core" like a ... Duvet Cover?

2008-11-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

Cruising the Bed, Bath, & Beyond website I noticed that The featured duvet covers were from Ed Hardy. Typically known for his tattoo-styled, rock-n-roll t-shirts, I guess it was only time until his brand hit dorm room life in the form of duvet covers.
this little number goes for $250-400.

time flies

2008-09-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

i was having fun, but i should have been writing shit on here.

I found this cool pic of a color wheel view master. remember those things?

this pic makes me laugh

2008-07-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

it isn't anyone that i know, but i found this pic while searching for images.

toilet seat.

2008-07-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

OK... so I every time i leave my house, i'm open to seeing just about anything: a homeless person taking residence on someone's thrown out mattress, a person so passed out that I think for a minute that they might be dead.

Today, however, i saw a woman walking down the street cradling a toilet seat and lid. ha!

surfboard

2008-07-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Soooo, last week a friend and I were sitting in Washington Square Park (not in NY) and we watched some kookie hippies hoist a surfboard up into a tree.

it's still there. maybe there is hope for humanity.

a modern proverb

2008-07-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

"never leave home without your own chair"

I was heading back from the laundrymat, and noticed a chair EXACTLY like the ones we currently have at our kitchen table. Since it was out for the taking, I snagged. OK, it was IKEA so it's not that crazy that is the exact same chair, but still.

Anyways, I was carrying the chair back to the apartment (and not the first time I've been seen toting chairs) and as I was walking down my alley a local bum made the insightful comment "you know what they say, 'never leave home without your own chair". We shared a laugh.

corn in the mornin'

2008-06-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

walking through chinatown there is always some kind of sensory amazement. be it a truck of slain pigs that makes your eyes pop out or many mysterious smells that seem to come from the netherworld.

today's surprise was a little girl eating corn on the cob at 8:30 AM. I have never once considered eating corn on the cob as the sun rises.

an american dilemma

2008-06-14T22:43:00.000-07:00

motivation.

I was walking down the street the other day and I heard a common sentiment that just made me laugh. A guy and girl (friends, not a couple) had been chatting about some common interest and the guy goes, "I would join if you start a group". classic.

My first instinct was to laugh and think, "jeeeeez, people are lazy. always waiting for others to do the grunt work and then freeloading off of peoples' work". My second thought was , "He should take initiative". Ah hah... that's the problem.

Language. "Take initiative" is almost an oxymoron. Right from the linguistic get go, English has set us up to fail and freeload in the doing department. I suppose one could "have initiative" or "take the bull by the horns", but even still shouldn't there be a more overt nod to a verb like "do"?

Conclusion: there are a few options:
1) we become conscious of our weaknesses and start doing
2) we move to change the verb-noun usage of the phrase
or
3) wait for someone to do either of the above.

your mom

2008-06-09T01:59:00.000-07:00

what if you found out your mom had a secret life? what could your mom feasibly do while flying under the family radar?

i'm sure many moms have many weird, strange, secret, and incredible habits, fetishes, or interests that they would NEVER share, let alone share with their children.

soooo, i was searching for random pics and came across some posted reviews on some stupid site, and one of the posters was named "michele" (which is how my mom spells her name). there was also a semi-generic b/w icon that almost could have been my mom. weird? and weird for many reasons... first why would my mom take on this weird persona of posting on sites, using weird computer post language, and having weird relations with people online. this one post (shown below) just made me lose it. choking? it's bad enough picturing my parents procreating to have made me... but asphyxiation is just a place i can't go.

it creeped me out, and it wasn't my mom (i hope). but, it was weird to think about. what's your mom doing right now? choking?

tubular turkey

2008-06-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

So, I suppose this is a post I could save for Thanksgiving, but maybe someone out there has an answer.

Why is sliced turkey round? And, how is every piece a uniform shape?

I understand the cylindrical form of bologna, since it really doesn't come from a part of an animal. But, the 4-5" roundness of turkey slices make me think there should be some tall tube-like turkeys gobbling around. Turkeys are kind of plump and stuff, but they are more spherical. do they only use the smaller diameter through the turkey to maximize the number of uniform slices?

fun times from the weekend...

2008-06-01T22:05:00.001-07:00

Photobooth Fun

2008-05-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

Soooo, there is this competition that just happens to overlap a photoshoot I did with my friends. I staged a photobooth and took series of pics. hahaha.

yesterday i bought....

2008-05-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

a mannequin.

don't be jealous.

remember the laser background option?!

2008-05-08T17:38:00.000-07:00

a side of skepticism, please

2008-04-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

The caption for this picture read,"A man who said his name was Juan cleans up the groceries that toppled from the shelves at Save Mart in Northwest Reno after Friday night's strong earthquake April 25, 2008."

wtf! would you NOT believe someone's name? the poor guy is picking up downed food after an earthquake.

(trendy)

2008-04-26T11:42:00.001-07:00

parentheses have moved to the top of the punctuation list. (it's true)

irony

2008-04-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

a "green" product, individually packaged in plastic. hmmmmm.

here's a thought

2008-04-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

Dear MTV,

First and foremost let me say that I am a fan of America's Next Top Model (ANTM). However, even as a fan, I do find it difficult to believe that you as a network are so short on content that you must play and replay every season of ANTM over the weekend.

To remedy this situation I have a plan--> start playing music videos.

Sincerely,
Zoe

p.s. I wanna be on top.

old and famous

2008-04-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

The current trend is for young people to be the movers and shakers of the world. Fame is becoming a reality for younger and younger individuals. People barely able to vote are solving problems, inventing cutting edge software and applications, and achieving award status in music and movies.

As i get nearer to 30, my ability to become "young" talent gets farther away. Today i was out running and passed a sculpture by the French sculptor Louise Bourgeois. Her birthday was juxtaposed next to the date of the piece on the placard next to the over-sized spider. Born in 1911, Bourgeois didn't create this spider until 2003... making her 96.

at that rate, i have 2 generations left in which i can make cool shit.

what is fiction?

2008-04-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

Most days there are many-a-strange tale to tell from riding the SF buses. Examples include: the homeless man that said he would "change for me", the man that put his wet umbrella on a free seat, was a "total Virgo" with chronic back pain (an additional history of substance abuse) on his way to an improv show and "couldn't be late because Kate would get mad".... TMI in the span of about 7 min, Mr. Strange Stranger.

Yesterday, on the other hand, a conversation was thrust upon me, and has stayed with me. In trying to engage in conversations with people such as the above, I'm normally found with earphones, writing in a journal, or reading--all very solitary activities. It doesn't really work. Anyways, i was reading my book, when a mumbling homeless guy got on and sat across from me. With my book nestled into my lap, the guy was leaning on his knees and attempting to read the title aloud (which is what got my attention). I held it up for him to read, "Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing". He chuckled a little as i mentioned that no one had gone hunting or fishing. We chit-chatted about whether I liked the book. He brought up Dan Brown and "The Da Vinci Code", and how he'd read the book but was disappointed in the movie.

(pause.)

OK. seemingly normal, but he was mumbly and homeless so it was odd to think of this urine-infused man, carrying all of his possessions on his back had read and seen the movie version of "The DaVinci Code". It's not crazy to think that he had done this, but it's just not what one thinks of every day. My mind kept wandering toward another explanation for this man's diatribe. Was it possible that he had listened to people talking about their opinions of "The Da Vinci Code" and was reciting them as his own? I didn't want to doubt this guy's level of education--for all i know he was more well-read than me-- but it also just made me realize than anyone's opinion could be recycled eavesdropping.

So, as this random guy discussed his opinions of the literature's translation onto the silver screen, i'll never know where these opinions originated, and that it also doesn't really matter.

chicken or the egg

2008-04-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

With chicken and eggs now a staple in most diets, i can't help but wonder what led humans to think they should eat animals?

Though the rhetoric of the chicken or the egg is often used in reference to questioning our existence here on earth, I feel that we must further the question to the nourishment of our existence. Did humans first decide to eat the chicken? or the egg?

"Hey, Ugah Boogah, i bet, we'll find protein, carbohydrates and the calories we need for survival underneath ALL those feathers"

And what was someone thinking when they first ate an egg? What on earth was initially appetizing about a gooey mix of amniotic fluid, placenta, and unborn chicken.

just a thought.

hahaha

2008-03-26T22:35:00.001-07:00

lots of sweet candy

2008-03-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

to celebrate he who has risen and will rise again.

i did have some eggs in my crepe brunch (lots of metaphors to rebirth going on). But, i think this site takes the cake for easter hilarity.

that is, until i get my silly chocolate-eating A$$ over to the annual BYOBW (big wheel) event later today. Memories of when me and my friends used to clobber down the hill on our Dukes of Hazard big wheel, until we popped the wheel off.

pics to come!

this is too ridiculous to not share

2008-03-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

pillow people.

2008-03-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

if you don't remember Pillow People, well, i just feel sad for you.

if you were lucky enough to have a pillow person, i think we are among the duped.

recently, i've seen quite a few Pillow People clinging onto existence. first, I saw some knock-offs at the ever-going-out-of-business Linen Outlet. Next, i saw some in the rear window of a parked car (perhaps said car owner had just raided the Linen Outlet).

I remember my Pillow Person. I had the girl one with the yellow yarn hair, black "satin" shoes, and lace trim on her dress (i found a pic online- exact). why do i remember soooo vividly you might ask? well, it was a pillow disguised as a toy, but the charade ended when one actually went to use it. the yarn braids, lace, and cock-eyed nature feet on a pillow got annoying on the face. not to mention that i felt kind of weird sleeping on it-- was i then supposed to play with it? it's not like i slept on my other dolls. but they never really tried to stuff any other household goods either. a missed opportunity? perhaps.

coming soon: Pillow Refrigerator and Pillow Toilet!

i saw red

2008-03-18T09:52:00.000-07:00

Why is RED a color that is so much more recognizable than others? And why has it attained cult status over other refractions of light (that we call colors)?

Examples...
Yesterday, a woman with FLAMING dyed red hair was driving a fire engine red car. Today, a lady with a flaming red acrylic sweater was stuffed into a little red Honda.

Then I thought to myself. Why have these women stuck out sooooo much more than say a guy wearing a black sweater in a black car?

I guess the goths have come to own wearing black alongside vampires, hell's angels, and ninjas. And, if i saw any of the above driving a black car, i wouldn't be at all surprised.

Arggghhh!

2008-03-07T15:56:00.000-08:00

you know we're in the 21st century when...

2008-03-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

you google "running tiger" and you get screen shots of OS-X and tennis players jogging.

trail of tears

2008-03-05T01:09:00.000-08:00

somehow the ratio of m&m's to other ingredients is always off. this leaves me running out of m&m's.

boo

6 word story...

2008-02-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

a breakup looks like this -->

2008-02-03T21:56:00.000-08:00

- Latte
- Banana Republic Shopping Bag
- New Yorker
- book - "It's Called a Break-up 'Cuz it's Broken"
- book - "Secrets Men Keep"
- book - "Mindless Eating
- a phonecall from a friend

hahahahah.. i'm terrible i know, but this poor woman was showing all the symptoms as she sat in the coffee shop. classics. i wouldn't be surprised if getting her hair done was next in line.

things i like...

2008-01-29T17:37:00.000-08:00

not a case of chicken or egg

2008-01-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Six out of 20 books on the NYTimes Book Review trade fiction list have been made into movies.

today the weather makes wellies OK

2008-01-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

bright colorful galoshes are totally OK on little kids. the frog-eyes, the polka-dots, the preppy lilly pulitzer inspired prints are just adorable on anyone under the age of 8.

However, these 100% plastic booties are (for the most part) unnecessary on adults. The caveat allowed for days like today.

Today it is raining cats and dogs (little scottie dogs right off the boots), and if i did own a pair of rubbers i would (and probably should) have them on.

maybe you don't agree, but

2008-01-17T17:46:00.000-08:00

extreme close-up pictures of pictures of fingers are really freaky.

shower gel

2008-01-11T12:53:00.000-08:00

Ok. So, I can see reason in putting cold medicine, razors, and even condoms (because they are relatively expensive) behind lock and key at the drug store. But, shower gel???

oh yes. i went to Walgreen's to pick up some soap and what do you know i had to push a button for "service needed in bath care". In about 40 seconds a person was there to unlock the precious shower gel and i was able to purchase my $4 bottle of shower gel.

labels: unnecessary, silly, shower gel, "this really happened"

no internet

2008-01-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

still no internet at my new and awesome house. working on it.

school for now.

-z

stormy weather

2008-01-04T12:37:00.000-08:00

a front of terrrrrrible weather is hitting the bay. well, it's actually hitting a lot of california, but the areas north and south of the bay are taking a beating (i think i just saw sleet).

i'm glad i'm not ....

1. homeless

well, i am couch-hopping a bit, so i guess i mean homeless as in "exposed to the elements and living in a cardboard box".

or

2. on a bridge.

the bay bridge is realllllllly long and high. bridges + 70 mph winds = no thank you.

advice

2008-01-01T15:50:00.000-08:00

"don't worry about things you can't change. life it too short." a wise homeless man offered as i walked past him on Polk.

BEST OF 2007

2007-12-31T15:55:00.000-08:00

not all year's are good, let alone great. But reflecting on the past year, it's easy to say 2007 was a GREAT year. I am known for exaggerating, so the list is all "best"...of course there were some negatives, but mostly it was fantastic.

here are some highlights (in semi-chronological order):

JANUARY
Best! Started the New Year with a good par-tay and good times

Best Sushi! Went to L.A. and hit up a place called Sasabune. Amazing pieces of sushi that i will remember forever

Best Cupcakes! I was introduced to Sprinkles. It might have been a 45 min wait in line, but we got to see David Faustino (aka Bud Bundy) and the cupcakes were delicious!!

FEBRUARY

Best Move! Quit my job at "The Grind". No more 4 AM wake-ups!

Best PJ Party! Some people from school had an amazing roof party with PJ theme. Hilarious!

MARCH

Best! Michelle made a successful return to San Fran!

Best: Concerts! Made a little trip to San Diego to see my sis, and got to see 3 amazing concerts.
Brett Dennen-- Sister and friends did some acoustic noodling at the Belly Up with this break-out indie folk band.
&
Unwritten Law-- VIP tickets to this cali punk band. Got to have beers with the band!
&
Kraak & Smaak-- Amazing electro-funk djs hailing from holland. Great Show!!

APRIL

Best: Easter! Ryan came up for Easter weekend. Filled easter eggs with candy for finding. Photo booth and photo shoot fun. Worst! Almost got pissed on by a homeless man.

Worst! My grandfather passed away.

MAY
Best Cinco De Mayo! Aside from the fact that I forgot to add the mixer into my first batch of margaritas, the rest of the night turned into a dancing frenzy at the Rickshaw.

Best Wine! For an early b-day present, Alivia and some friends came up to do some wine blending at one of our fave wineries, Alder Brook. We made amazing wine blends ( Zam Bam Thank Ya Maam) and had an unbelievable lobster feast!

Best Eighties Party! the pre-party at my house led to a crew of 13 of us donned in the best 80's gear with boombox blasting 80's music (thank you, chris ryan) bobbing down the street. We looked so good that we got some radio mention

JUNE

Best Last Minute Decision! Technically on the cusp of May/June, but I decided to head back East about 24 hours before my plane took off to go see my two besties- Rich and Ryan

Best Birthday! Not all birthdays are great, but this was one of the first times in a while I had good ol' fashion fun. nudge nudge wink wink

JULY

Best San Fran Touristy stuff! My friend Chris came to town (his first time in SF) and it gave me an excuse to do lots of touristy things like go to wine country (again), go to Monterey Aquarium, and take a cruise under the Golden Gate

Best July 4th! A nice house party, fireworks, and drinking. A classic.

AUGUST

Best Music Video! I discovered, admittedly late, the lip gloss song.

Best Discounts! The majority of my banana republic stint took place in August. Not a bad gig, and not bad discounts.

SEPTEMBER

Best: Mom visit! Timing was terrible, but it was fun to have the Mom in town!

Best House Party! Rearranged my whole house to accommodate a very, very fun party. Swedish fish in a fish bowl! Some found Tequizas!!

Worst: Move! Moving was a pain in the a-s-s.

Best: Family Gathering! Got to see the grandparents, aunt & uncle, sister, and the progress on the house before i went abroad.

OCTOBER

Best: Opportunity knocks! Headed out to Sweden

Best Meal in Sweden! I met up with an old co-worker in Stockholm and had a 10-course sampler menu (with wine pairings) at a very nice restaurant, F12.

Best: Blog! Deciding to not be affected by the S.A.D. and cold weather, the blog was born.

Worst! My grandmother passed away

NOVEMBER

Best Gossip! Tala and I developed quite a soft spot for Gossip Girl. xoxo

Best Swedish Halloween Party! Celebrated more as a celebration of the dead on November 3, I went to a hilarious swedish halloween party in this very cool cavernous bar in Gamla Stan.

Worst Thanksgiving! Well, it wasn't really BAD, per se, just not celebrated and no big feasting.

DECEMBER

Worst sickness! I was sicker than sick for a short spell. miserable.

Best Solo Adventures! Copenhagen, Amsterdam, & London were amazing! I think i am done traveling for a while (ok, a few months at least) but it was great to just head out and about and see some amazing places, awesome exhibits, and wonderful culture.

Cheers to 2008!! May another year be great for us all.

And even if we don't make it until midnight, it will be a new year whether we like it or not.
-z

boo

2007-12-27T07:09:00.000-08:00

i lost my flickr login. but you can see the uploaded pics from my linked slideshow
----------------------->

very merry half birthday

2007-12-27T06:12:00.000-08:00

today i am officially 1/2 way through another year.

perhaps this is another reason why i find new year's resolutions to be a good check-in point. i think it's nice to reflect and look forward. some years (or half-years) are better than others and what better way to give yourself consolation that things will get better or to give thanks for things that have gone well.

some argue that a resolution is an arbitrary goal, with no ramifications for not meeting the goals or real force to whip your butt into action. i, on the other hand, feel that resolutions are effective in bringing your goals to the front burner.

so take the next few days and reevaluate what you want out of life.

and remember, "you can't score if you don't have a goal".

mind the gap...

2007-12-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

in my blogging.

travels are going well. copenhagen was great. amsterdam was damn cold, but awesome!

I just landed in London, so the adventures go on.

Hope to post some of the pics later tonight. stay tuned!

-z

cross this way

2007-12-16T00:54:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's mr. walkman

Many of you have seen my growing collection of decorated crosswalk signs. To make these signs even funnier, the swedish name for crosswalk signs Herr Gårman has a double meaning; it translates, not only, to this is where you cross, but can also be read as Mr. Walkman.

Apparently people in Hassleholm think that having only a Mr. Walkman lends to inequality and wanted to create new crosswalk signs featuring a female character. However, national authorities have vetoed the initiative saying that:

1) the designed Fru Gårman was "very feminine". With the current male character's contoured butt, I can only imagine what the female-counterpart would look like. very feminine? hahaha. Not to mention how she'd be defaced.

2) current laws on signage do not allow new signs that might lead to confusion. Now, as a female, i've never felt like i couldn't cross because the sign shows a man.

Seems like Mrs. Walkwoman is not too far off, but for now this will have to do...

(sweden's) just mad about saffron

2007-12-14T10:04:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's saffron

Yesterday Sweden (and about 2 other countries) celebrated St. Lucia Day. The tradition is meant to celebrate Saint Lucy bringing light (via candles on her head, kidding) on the shortest day of the year according to the Julian calendar, which Sweden followed until the 18th century.

In other words it seems that it is celebrated by little girls wearing tinsel/garland in their hair and an abundance of Lussekatt (aka Lussebulle. i prefer "lussekatt" because it means Lucia Cats and i think that is funnier) and Pepparkakkar (aka ginger snaps).

swedish park

2007-12-14T09:48:00.001-08:00

swedish park, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

i'm not sure what this building is, besides covered with graffiti. It's right next to a soccer field (well dirt pit area with goal posts).

buildings

2007-12-12T15:26:00.001-08:00

buildings, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

i like these colors.

i saw the sign

2007-12-12T15:12:00.000-08:00

Okay... so it seems there is a sign for everything.

A "no hotdogs" sign, which sort of makes sense with the high number of hotdog/sausage vendors that are around town.

But still. At what point was the store owner thinking, "damn. that's one piece of merchandise too many that has been damaged due to hotdogs in the store. i say, "no more hotdogs". We need a "no hotdog" sign"???

Am i allowed in the store if my hotdog doesn't look like that? what about half-eaten?

i want the gold

2007-12-09T16:12:00.001-08:00

I strolled around today, still slightly in a post-sickness haze. It was about to rain or sleet or snow on one half of the sky, when it started to clear up. Thus, birthing a rainbow. A full rainbow.

this looks like a red bra stretched between the windows when i zoom in
<------------------------

Things I hoped would happen while i stood here taking pics of the rainbow:

1. i couldn't help but think of the leprechaun video and i was wishing someone would come from around the corner and do the best impersonation of "i wanna know where da gold at. i want da gold".

2. that someone (young or old) would just start running, as if they were trying to get to the end of the rainbow

3. that a puppy and a little blond girl with lots of over-sized candy would walk thru my camera frame simultaneously

4. the person whose window seemed to be where the rainbow was ending to pop out of their window with a uncle scrooge load of gold coins

5. (on a more serious note) that more people would SEE the rainbow, as opposed to giving me the what-a-tourist look. maybe i am just a sucker for rainbows.

season's greetings

2007-12-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's christmas cards

There's no chance that santa won't be stopping in stockholm this year--the residents are making sure they top santa's "nice" list.

anything and everything is decorated for christmas. Candelabras for advent. Saffron buns for Lucia. Christmas music on every commercial. Elves endorsing all products. But the most surprising swedish subsidiary is Julpost. Ok. So, "jul" is the swedish word for christmas (pronounced like yule in yuletide), and, well, post is just the mail. Julpost is a separate mailbox specifically for christmas mail. I think is seems odd to put my christmas cards in a different box. It almost feels like they aren't going to get to the right place. But, i also kind of want to see a special christmas mail carrier dressed to deliver christmas cards and ONLY christmas cards (insert funny skit of man trying to a Hanukah card mailed and being denied by an elf-dressed mail carrier as he keeps repeating that he can "only deliver christmas mail).

30 hours of hell

2007-12-08T03:04:00.000-08:00

there is a winter sickness that goes around sweden... and i had the (mis)fortune of coming down with it. my god, i haven't been that sick in ages.

after this wretched virus had me in the bathroom every 45 min on thursday night, i was literally bedridden and slept about 20 hours yesterday. My fever has finally subsided and I can now be upright. phewwww.

i'm going to...

2007-12-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

skip this trend.

7-eleven

2007-12-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's 7-Eleven

Walking around stockholm, I would swear there are at least 300 7-Elevens. On either side of all of the squares- 7-Eleven. Near all the Tunnelbana stops- 7-Eleven. Needless to say I was surprised to learn that, in fact, there are only 60 7-Elevens in the whole country. Maybe i just walk by the same ones, because I've been to at least 15 of them.

moving on... There are 3 great things about swedish 7-Elevens.

candy
Bulk candy is everywhere, but 7-eleven seems to have the best selection and the least hard. A local candy connoisseur remarked, "yeah, their bottles [referring to the sour duo-color bottles] aren't hard".

fruit
As my dad always wishes of American convenience, swedish 7-Elevens have an plethora of ripe apples, oranges an bananas. Just when you start to crave fruit, 7-Eleven is there to fulfill your needs.

and, finally,
COFFEE. They have branded their coffee with the logo and signage "COFFEE FOR REAL". Never going longer than a half-day without a hot, black brew, I was excited to be greeted with 7-Eleven's endless supply of coffee... for real. There are a gazillion of other cafes, convenience stores, and locales at which I could buy coffee. But, COFFEE FOR REAL has proven to be the best.

keep it in your pants

2007-12-04T10:45:00.000-08:00

Swedish men should learn to keep their c@cks in their pants.

In recent Swedish news:
A 19 y/o guy was on his way home from a party, and decided to take a piss in public. Some commotion ensued and two 19 y/o swedish girls beat the shit out of him. The pisser incurred head wounds, was treated for his injuries, and went home. The incident is being considered an aggravated assault because, "kicks were used".

In other exposing stories:
A female boarded a bus Monday afternoon and was welcomed by the bus driver's wang. He exposed himself to the passenger and began whacking off. The driver was arrested and released.

And, of lesser, but still slightly disturbing news:
There is an investigation into the Swedish National Police Board. It is suspected that 39 police officers and civilian police workers are guilty of surfing pornography at work. Now, just when you all think, "hmm? am i guilty of misusing my company access to the web"? Worry not. All of the cases under investigation "involved hardcore porn" or material that was viewed over many hours.

blondes

2007-12-02T14:01:00.001-08:00

blondes, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

long johns

2007-12-01T01:59:00.001-08:00

An interesting conversation came about given the ever-present coldness that has blown in from the Baltic Sea... Long Johns. Long John? Long John's ____? If he is/was a person, who is he? If they aren't a person, what does the name come from? (Oh, not that you sickies). I'll call them LJs as to not misplace or misuse an apostrophe.

Growing up in New England, LJs were a staple under snowsuits in the winter, and also ended up under stone-washed denim skirts in any season in 1988. Here is Stockholm we've contemplated layering up with some LJs, but leggings seem to be more en vogue for now.

So, here are the interpretations/definitions of LJs that I've found:

1. long johns (n. thermal underwear)
Long Johns refer to the two-piece style (not to be confused with the one-piece union suit) with long sleeves and pantlegs. The design is credited to Nova Scotia-native Frank Stanfield of Stanfield's Limited on 7 December 1915, while the term "Long Johns" is credited to his brother, John Stanfield.

2. long johns (n. a rectangular doughnut)
According to Wikipedia, like the bear claw, the old-fashioned, and (what nor'easterners refer to as) the crueller (and what nor'easterners pronounce as "crullah"), a Long John is a rectangular doughnut bar--not filled. Once it's filled it becomes a jelly donut or an eclair. Donut King, an Australian donut chain with a replica logo of Dunkin' Donuts, offers long johns but says they are filled with creme. Uh oh!? More long john confusion.OK, i had never before heard of this by name, but I have to say I will be keeping an eye out for it, and will try ordering it at fine donut shops (like Bob's Donuts on Polk, 24 hr homemade donut heaven).

3. the long johns (n. a British sketch series)
Starring the British satirists John Bird and John Fortune.
Well, they are both named John. seems fitting if they are both long too.

4. long john silver's (n. an American seafood fast-food chain)
LJS originally opened in Lexington, Kentucky ( who doesn't love seafood from a land-locked state?). The name Long John Silver is taken from the swashbuckling pirate in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

I've never eaten here. I don't plan to.

5. long john (n. www.longjohn.com)
Soooo, this guy (see below) offers "One of a Kind Rattlesnake and Leather Products.
6. long john (n. two-wheeled load bike)
Who knew??? This is by far my favorite long john. This Danish design hosts a low cargo bay between steering tube and front wheel. It is specifically made for heavy loads. Now maybe you, like myself, are thinking what on earth could you use a backwards rickshaw for? well, apparently LJs are very useful in collecting/delivering mail, recyclables, food, and even come in specialized ice cream versions.

Now. I think I'll don some LJs, hop on my LJ with LJ and LJS and load up on LJs and go watch the LJs.

landscapes

2007-11-30T08:58:00.000-08:00

one of the landscapes from the Nicholas Roerich exhibit at the Dansmuseet. anda look at a tree here is stockholm. (sadly, this dusk coloring was at about 3pm).

martin parr

2007-11-28T03:01:00.000-08:00

Stockholm Y's culture

Though I've passed by the megalopolis that is Kulturhuset many times since my arrival, I finally spent a good amount of time on the many floors this weekend. In some ways it blew my american mind. There's: an art library with world newspapers, cd listening booths, books, magazines, etc., children's play and learning areas, multiple cafes/restaurants, movie theaters, and, of course, photo exhibits.

Among my favorites was a Martin Parr photo exhibit. Some of the funniest views of culture and society. Lots of studies of tourists, beach-goers, japanese commuters, pre-fab homes...

better hurry.
it ends Jan 6.
<------------

this railing will not help you.

2007-11-28T02:31:00.001-08:00

railing and its reflection, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

irrelevant but,

2007-11-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

where on earth does all the hair for hair extensions come from? And not the synthetic hair. I mean the real hair ones that almost every celebrity has nestled within their real gnarly locks.

I feel like there should be an equivalent number of people with no hair. Maybe there is like a prison camp for orphaned blondies forced to grow there hair out.

cloudberries

2007-11-26T09:05:00.001-08:00

soooooo, wouldn't you know it there isn't a mean bone in all of sweden. I was walking around Gamla Stan yesterday checking out the christmas booths selling wooden gnomes, leather hats, meats, cheeses, and the long list of christmas drinks. A young girl, dawned in braids and braces, working behind the booth hocking bottles of christmas drinks was asked about the one of the yuletide beverages, to which she replied, "it's our christmas drink. it's made of cloudberries" in a voice as sugary as her description.

Cloudberries? Am i in whoville?

Turns out cloudberries are for reals. Wikipedia states, "The ripe fruits are golden-yellow, soft and juicy, and are rich in vitamin C. When eaten fresh, cloudberries have a distinctive tart taste. When over-ripe, they have a creamy texture and flavor somewhat like yogurt".

Not a description that makes me want to go pick some cloudberries.

babies

2007-11-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's babies

I'm not sure why, but here are a few of my guesses:

1) sweden's socialist policies just make having a baby easy
2) swedes don't use contraception
3) something in the swedish genes makes them particularly fertile
4) they just looooooove babies

black black friday

2007-11-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving out of the way, it's time to start for many Americans to start spending their worthless American dollars. This idea of preparing to spend Friday shopping for holiday gifts is getting out of control... exactly, it should start happening much sooner.

An article in the NY Times mentioned many stores opened at 4:00 AM this year ("an hour earlier than last year"). It seems, like there may be a cost/benefit analysis that got stuffed down the disposal with the leftovers from last night. At the hour-earlier-than-last-year rate, it will be a mere 5 years before employers start having to pay employees Time 1/2, with Black Friday actually starting at 11:00 PM Thanksgiving night. In fact, in some places, and for some, it already does.

Our tech-y friends got in the holiday spirit by saying "See ya later, Turkey"--turns out they are MORE thankful for gadgets than family (an inference that could probably have been made by the recently opened Internet Addiction Rehab Centers in South Korea). They, "began lining up outside CompUSA stores at 5 p.m. last night to secure deeply discounted hard drives, GPS navigation systems and flat-screen televisions". But it gets worse.

A number of stores in Manhattan decided to take advantage of the parade-goers and flipped their signs to "open", and the shoppers, in turn, took advantage of the bargains.While shoppers bought pairs of digital cameras for under $20, retail employees of FAO Schwartz were provided with a Thanksgiving spread in the basement. (That sounds like a fair trade to me. See, trading is a nice homage to Thanksgiving). I can only guess articles-to-come will sound like so, "Turkey Farmers Fear the Death of Thanksgiving".

Ok, on to the real Thanksgiving treat. For some reason, Sweden doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. I wasn't really given a clear answer why not, either. Indian-hating, Swedes. hahaha

Anyway, I had class and a bunch of work to do for today's class. A few of us are planning on having a nice American-sized meal this weekend, so gorging will occur.

Needless to say my "feast" was less than desirable, if not all-out embarrassing. Tortelloni (with fresh Mozzeralla and cut mushrooms), steamed peas, and a Fanta- Mango. I also followed it up with some ice cream (sans pie). Here's a pathetic glimpse... it was actually a LOT better than it looks. In the words of Tim Gunn, "make it work!"

<--- Happy Thanksgiving!

dog piss and lamps

2007-11-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's lamp

Swedish inventor, Lennart Jarlerbro, has designed a product that saves lamp posts from dog piss.

It's been deemed, the Dog Urinal. Maybe you don't think lamp posts need saving (i know i hadn't considered adding it to my list of good deeds), but inventor points out, "The average lamppost has a lifespan of 30 years but my invention could add a further 15 years." (still not longer than a twinkie).

No product can be assured success without celebrity endorsement, which is why pregnant Nicole Richie has jumped aboard the dog urinal. Quoth Nicole,"This invention is just so clever. It's a cute rubber cup attached to the post and a hose that pipes urine into the gutter."

I'm a little confused, the dog urinal doesn't clean the lamp post, isn't the damage already done?

Further, if this product were to hit the streets in SF it would be called Lamp Post Urinal.

whatcha gonna do?

2007-11-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's canceled American TV shows

I can't account for missing socks, lost emails, or evaporating hair ties, but canceled TV shows (those that last a season, if that) end up in Sweden.

While old episodes of The Simpsons and Seinfeld have helped keep is sane, the other American shows were canceled for a reason. Take a look for yourself.
Windfall - starring Luke Perry, need more be said? of course (that's the point of a blog)! Twenty friends
share a jackpot and then all cope the the problems of instant wealth.
My Boys - starring no one, about a female sports columnist and the men in her life.
Stacked - Pamela Anderson works in a bookstore. I think it landed a 2nd season. PLENTY!
Cops - a given, yet slightly enjoyable
Navy CIS- this is Law & Order but for Navy crime, but bad and without any cool scene-change sound effects.
Joey - the Friends spin-off, Joey pursues his acting career. Terrible.
Traveler - I'm biased. i liked this show. Two recent Yale grads are set-up by their ex-roomie to take
the fall for a major conspiracy.
Bones - forensic anthropologist, FBI agent, old unsolved mysteries, blah, blah, blah
MacGyver - ok, good show, but old.
Love Inc. - successful dating consultant tries to find love.
8 Simple Rules - ...for Dating my Teenage Daughter. Starred John Ritter.
Clueless - the series that followed the movie.
America's Funniest Home Videos - Soooo, this show sucked with Bob Saget, but it's even worse
with Rob Bergergon
Ricki Lake - it's OK, i forgot she had a TV show, too
The World According to Jim- bad, bad, and bad
The Unit - Apparently this show is decent. the lives of American super-secret operators.
Sabrina - the teenage witch lives on
Seventh Heaven - not sure if it's canceled, but it should be.

a shout-out to Charmin

2007-11-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

As an ad student, it would be remiss not to acknowledge the passing of advertising icon Mr. Whipple. Played by Dick Wilson, Mr. Whipple starred in over 500 commercial spots! (I can only hope any of my ideas come close to that kind of success). In further Charmin news, a new ambient advertising technique--corporate sponsorship--has hit NYC, where Charmin is sponsoring plush public restrooms.

Imagine getting that project on your desk? Nice copy! "NYC Restrooms. Holiday 2007". I don't imagine this idea will live as long (especially when the bathrooms quickly get really, really dirty and leave people disliking Charmin. or, heaven forbid, they run out of t.p.).

Clone-a-Willy

2007-11-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

Clone-a what? that's right. Clone-a-Willy, and it IS what you think it is. On recent trips on Stockholm Tunnelbana (subway) we've seen advertisements for a RadioShack-esque store that boast alongside a radio transmitter helicopter and cordless phone the ever-enduring x-mas favorite, "Clone-a-willy"* as seen here:

Perhaps it was a little too curious of me to come home and google "clone-a-willy". Believe me, I sat fingers crossed as the search engine searched. Alas, within seconds my questions were answered. It is, in fact, a kit that allows anyone to make an exact, rubber, (vibrating optional) copy of one's penis. Why? The makers of Clone-A-Willy suggest, "There is no woman - or man, for that matter - who shouldn't have a clone of their favorite cock!" (interjection, this idea of favorites might get a little dicey in the long run). And, it's easy! Only 4 steps!

If one isn't enough, a collector (if not a connoisseur) of cocks can also make copies in other materials: glow-in-the-dark, soap, chocolate or wax. Though they neglected to change the (what i see as obvious) names. ;)

With x-mas right around the corner, the perfect gift may, indeed, be closer than you think.

* the kit is available in lite and dark.

trendspotting

2007-11-18T01:58:00.002-08:00

Last week we had a speaker in one of our classes that speaks on/about trends, and I can't stop thinking about it. (This happens often when I see/hear something refreshing). Mostly he spoke from the perspective of providing businesses with an edge (i.e. don't totally miss the boat, when the boat is right in front of you). But, he also talked about solutions, innovations, inventions, and trends in non-commercial items like families. How can one predict or anticipate what WILL be? Well, a number of researched graphs, charts, and diagrams can help, but he also pointed to redefining problems in order to create better solutions. One example he gave was the Obesity Epidemic. If it's not a problem with enough exercise and lower-calorie intakes, what's the problem? Maybe the human body needs to be altered to burn calories faster? Maybe we really just need more bigger wide-seated furniture and more on-line shopping. Or, as the speaker demonstrated, products can/will change. Coke--> Diet Coke--> Coke Burn?

But, here's where I get flustered. One diagram he showed illustrated wealth, as generated by families and heritage vs. individually created wealth over time. Obviously, wealth passed from family held the majority through the 1960's and then starts shifting drastically towards individuals as we get to the 21st Century. OK. I buy it. Creativity of the individual has huge pay-off... Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Ingvar Krampad, Steve Jobs, Oprah, and the list goes on.

Pause: As to not be called out for hypocricy, I have a MSN account, hate Wal-Mart (though love Target), would not have furniture if it weren't for Ikea, am typing on an Apple, and am reading a book that was one of Oprah's picks.

Granted wealth is a trend in itself AND the speaker typically speaks to businesses, I am stuck wondering, why are all these "solutions" following the same trend of capitalization? Why does an idea have to hold promise of huge pay-offs? Why is greed a trend that hasn't seemed to waver?

Where the chances of winning the lottery or making bank of a ceramic pot that grows sprouts for hair are few and far between, a good idea could become more individualized as well. Here's my solution. No promises of millions. No pyramid schemes. Practical ideas for nominal "success". ("Just because it's package as such doesn't mean that 20 lbs. of meat is for one meal"). Maybe the new trend will be stretching a dollar. In fact, it just might have to be.

visit my flickr page...

2007-11-18T01:56:00.000-08:00

so that the number of views doesn't stay at 666 for too much longer.

thx.

fancy seeing you here

2007-11-16T13:24:00.001-08:00

could it be? could salad fingers be of swedish heritage?

as many of you know... i'm infatuated with an odd lettuce-leaf-handed character, salad fingers. ok, bear with me, i'm getting a bit ramble-y. (this will make sense in a second)

so, there is very funny signage all throughout sweden (as some of my previous posts have exhibited). one of our favorites is this one posted on an elevator:

<--- salad fingers

<--- perhaps his frame was a tad too supple.

firstly, what on earth must you do (or not do) to end up in this situation? The guy, who looks like salad fingers, is pushing a trash can towards the elevator, but misses the call and ends up getting lodged in the shaft??? secondly, the similarity is uncanny. it's either a close relative, such as brother kenneth, or an imposter.

stories from stockholm

2007-11-16T11:10:00.001-08:00

stockholm Y's fictional red-heads that fly through the air

I was excited this morning when I realized that Pippi Longstocking was pictured on the back (or front, depending on which side you look at first) of the swedish 20 kronor bill.

hilarious! no?

well, turns out, to my dismay, this is not Pippi. It's a character named Nils Holgersson that flies over Sweden on a goose. Nils is a character from a story written by author Selma Lagerhof, who was commissioned to write a geography book for swedish school children. She is pictured on the flip-side of the bill. She does not have red hair and she is not riding a goose... boring.

I learned from Wikipedia, It's about a young lad, Nils, whose "chief delight was to eat and sleep, and after that he liked best to make mischief". Nils enjoyed hurting animals on his family farm. One day Nils was left home to memorize chapters from the Bible, while his family was at church. Instead of rigorous memorization Nils sucessfully captured a "Tomte" (small mythological old man, kinda like gnomes/leprechauns), who, in turn, Nils into a tomte, leaving him shrunken and able to talk with animals. The animals (previously pranked/injured by Nils) are exciting by his new small size and set out to seek revenge.

While the animals are plotting, a gaggle of wild geese fly over the family farm. One of the domestic white geese tries to join the wild geese, and Nils, unsure how to fix his shrunken state grabs hold of the goose's neck. The family goose and Nils take flight. Begrudgingly, the wild geese accept the white domestic goose and the miniature boy and take them on a trip all across the land--thus, teaching Nils about the natural characteristics of the land and its resources. (this next part is described in such a way i cannot paraphrase it.) "At the same time the characters and situations he encounters make him a man: the domestic goose needs to prove his ability to fly like the experienced wild geese, and Nils needs to prove to the geese that he would be a useful companion, despite their initial misgivings."

If that doesn't sound like a great read, I don't know what to recommend. Pippi Longstocking, perhaps?

I was trying to imagine which character from an American children's story could possibly end up on the back of our $5 bill (the approximate equivalent to the 20 K). I came up with a few ideas.

1) the obvious Dr. Seuss... but i would vote for the Grinch over the Cat in the Hat. Hahaha. the grinch would probably be vetoed because of his strong association to... shhhh...christmas.

2) Maurice Sendak. Max and the crazy creatures from "where the wild things are" would be a great $5 bill. I think our family fave' was Mickey in "In the Night Kitchen", who wouldn't want to be covered in dough?

3) Ezra Jack Keats. That little kid, Peter, from Snowy Day would be pretty cute.

4) Dick & Jane. too good. Can you imagine? That said, I'm sure the majority learned most of our literacy and childhood lessons from these two perfectly caucasian specimens.

5) Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. I mean, i wouldn't vote for it, but, in regards to presence in American society, it would probably be viable.

well, these might end up looking like play money, but these characters def played a much more important role in my life than abe lincoln.

cigars, bunnies,

2007-11-14T11:40:00.000-08:00

swedish girls Y cigars. uuuuummm yeah.

stockholm Y's bunnies

old camper

2007-11-14T00:22:00.001-08:00

old camper, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

let's paint this ol' thing metallic purple and revitalize the "US Womens' Bowling Tour". hahahaha

lost glove

2007-11-14T00:20:00.003-08:00

lost mitten, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

stockholm bathroom

2007-11-14T00:20:00.001-08:00

stockholm bathroom, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

even the public toilets are decorated in blue and yellow.

tented boats

2007-11-14T00:19:00.001-08:00

tented boats, originally uploaded by Zosephine Kernwell.

i find these tented boats look oddly like some sort of boat refuge camp. the tarps? the barbed wire?

pics

2007-11-14T00:14:00.000-08:00

per request, here are some of the newest pics:

enjoy!
z

snowy day

2007-11-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

the first real snowy day in stockholm. it was quite pretty with snow covering the black rooftops.

swedish design meets sausage

2007-11-10T15:03:00.000-08:00

i might love stockholm, but stockholm Y's sausage.

i've been waiting to snap a good pic of these "udderly" genius ketchup and mustard dispensers
that are at every one of the thousand + sausage grill stands around stockholm. though, i haven't
yet figured out if it's purely designed for ease or if it is so that one can shorten exposure to
the elements.

tgif

2007-11-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

stockholm Y's TGIFridays.

no, it's true. there are at least 2 TGIFridays in the city. One is right down town in the "going out" portion of town.
There is usually a lined of people dressed to party spooling out of the door on any given Friday or Saturday night.

Moreover, this ritzy, central area was the scene of a tragic "hit and run" killing on Tuesday. Two young guys were
run over right outside the TGIFridays. Crazy! Apparently, the suspects intentionally ran the men over around 3am. The homicidal driver and passenger have been apprehended. There have been friends of the victims sitting outside at the crime scene with candles, notes, and flowers. (note: from now on will be watching for maniacal drivers as i walk the city streets.)

on a lighter note: a new addition from one of my fave websites of the year www.someecards.com

i couldn't agree more.

as low as glocalnet

2007-11-07T13:46:00.000-08:00

there's a swedish telephone company, glocal.net, that has funny ads that compares their rates to things that are low-- the blues, submarines...

soon they'll be premiering a commercial comparing the rates with the US dollar. just kidding.
but i'm sure they've tossed the idea around. hahaha.

you can watch one of the commercials here: http://www.pazarlamaturkiye.com/content/view/207/149/

young and alive

2007-11-06T01:42:00.001-08:00

getting colder

2007-11-06T01:29:00.000-08:00

soooo, it's dropped about 10 degrees (fahrenheit) in the last few days. lots of rain. snow on the very near future. highs of 35-36 this weekend.

thinking I should fashion a cocoon out of my sleeping bag.

i'll be gone 'til december

2007-11-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

November means that a number of my nearest and dearest friends turn 27! FUCK ME! When did we get old???? What happened to the days of butt-boarding, room temperature strawberry vodka, dark lip liner, and diet cokes & carrot sticks for lunch?

i think i might sneak out of my own place just to feel like i am doing something i shouldn't be doing for a change.

p.s. i'll be back stateside in the end of December.

heart of darkness

2007-11-01T15:16:00.000-07:00

stockholm Y's darkness. no, seriously it gets dark at 4:45pm

happy november. with winter comes shorter days. it's not daylight "savings" over here. possibly because there is nothing being saved. when asked how they were doing, someone in class replied, "tired". when asked why someone goes, "because it's dark". Ahhh, Seasonal Affective Disorder.

That being said, the light we do get makes for some nice pics.

Here's a nice shot from up high. The other is from a few weeks ago, but I like it.

i sold out

2007-10-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

... and now own skinny jeans.

weekend pics

2007-10-28T04:54:00.001-07:00

this lamp just really, really wanted to be a cowboy.

These girls were sounding awful. But they were two of the more authentic items in touristy Gamla Stan.

I think there are more dogs in stockholm than there are in san francisco. that's a lot of dogs.

Eventually, i'll try to get some pics to prove we are actually here...

Last night we went out pretty big. My ears are still ringing.

a saturday in sodermalm

2007-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

stockholm Y's animals.
Today I went on a little excursion starting on the eastern edge of Sodermalm (T-stop: Hornstull). Crossing over to Reimersholme, i saw swans, a wild rabit, and a wolf pig? being walked by his owner. The swans were cool. The rabit was a suprise. The pig had very coarse hair--yes, i petted it. (pics will be posted on flickr www.flickr.com/zosephinekernwell).

Reimersholme was like a naturally occurring cul-de-sac. It's one of the many islands of Stockholm and i am pretty sure there was only one street. Mind you, that one street was still serviced by the amazing public transportation system (hint, hint, to the US). Other than that it was a maze of apartment buildings... and, of course, parks.

valkommen!

2007-10-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Y welcome to the newly created blog of zoe, i Y stockholm.

I can't believe I've already been in Stockholm for 3 weeks! I've been toying with the idea of creating a travel blog since my arrival, so I'm rolling it out none too soon.

One thing we noticed right away was the usage (perhaps over-usage) of the famous "i Y ___". Indeed, it is everywhere. i Y kebab. i Y sushi. and, of course, the crowd favorite i Y sale hanging in a store window. With all of these outstanding loves, i, too, have found myself loving Stockholm. Herein lies a problem, and the basis of my blog. While I may be Y-ing Stockholm, it seems that Stockholm is not reciprocating my Y.

So, sit back, relax, and keep posted.