Oh Oslo!

 Trip date: May 2024

I have been known to do odd things just to fly a certain route or on a particular plane and on this trip I flew up to Canada so that I could fly KLM Business class in order to get one of their Delft Blue miniature houses. These adorable recreations of buildings and houses in Amsterdam are filled with Bols genever and are only available on intercontinental flights booked in Business or First. 

Since KLM doesn't fly out of Seattle I spent about $100 on Alaska Air for a 30 minute flight to Vancouver. This was also my first time using my Canadian passport so it seemed fitting to use it in Canada! On my 5 hour layover in YVR I hung out in the SkyTeam Lounge where I had some excellent cold peanut noodles from their noodle bar, then checked out the Plaza Premium Lounge and did some duty free shopping. It's a very nice International terminal!

I had transferred 161,500 Chase points to KLM directly for my YVR-AMS-OSL flight. This was my first time flying KLM Business class and I was super happy with my 3A window seat (but do wish I had gotten a better points transfer). My pod was outfitted with lots of space to stow stuff, an auto charging table, layflat bed and privacy door. And the bathroom was lined in miniature blue house wallpaper!

The 9-hour flight included a very nice drinks and dinner service (I had a Bols genever old fashioned, a poached lobster salad, mango rice with prawns, and a little cheese plate), some absolutely stunning views of the Rocky Mountains, a movie, and about 6 hours of sleep. I was hoping to see the Northern Lights but it never got dark on our flight path!

I will admit that when I woke up and had breakfast and everyone was getting ready for landing I was VERY concerned that I still didn't have a house! But then one of the flight attendants came around with a tray full of them! I didn't know I would get a choice! I was so excited! 

I had a connecting flight in Amsterdam, and security to go thru, but my little booze house fit in my ziplock liquids bag so it was safe! I hung out in the KLM Crown Lounge for 2 hours on my layover; it is a huge lounge with lots of room but also can get very busy. 

AMS-OSL... my plane got turned around mid flight! OMG I was terrified! They had pressurization issues so we had to return and wait for a new plane. As this is Europe, I was able to put in a claim for the delay and was refunded $326!

Oslo, finally! I took the Flytoget Airport Express from the airport to Oslo central station which took just 22 minutes for 240 NOK ($25) vs. 40 mins & €90 for a taxi. You can just tap your phone or credit card and they leave every 20 mins. 

My hotel, the Clarion Hotel Hub, was right across the street from the station. I got checked in to my very cool designer room, took a much needed shower and headed to the rooftop bar for sunset drinks and a snack with a view- 4 hours later than planned.

Oslo is such a beautiful city! 10+ years ago I had visited in the winter, so these views were very different. And the next morning when I woke up the weather was outstanding; actually a bit warmer than what I packed for!

I walked everywhere, as the city is quite flat, and really admired how much the city has grown since my last visit and how very cool and modern it is. I highly recommend everything I did as I didn't have a dull moment!

• Walk up on the roof at the Opera House for great views of the harbor and the city.

• Visit the Munch Museum; if you are in town on a Monday it is the only museum open which is great! When I visited the city in 2011 the collection was in a small temp space while this was being built. It's a stunning building! 

And if you are going to see The Scream you should go to the 4th floor as soon as you get there in order to find out the timing that the version you would like to see will be shown. Throughout the day they show one at a time, a painting, a drawing and a print. The others remain in darkness behind revolving walls. 

There's so much more at this museum though! I spent about 2 hours going through the various galleries. There are some wonderful views of the city and harbor here also!

• Explore the National Museum, the largest museum in Scandinavia (and the café & gift shop are super!). And there are usually a few really unique touring exhibits going on. I was lucky enough to catch a Kandinsky woodblock exhibit with items on loan from the Pompidou in Paris. The intricacy of the hand-carved blocks was amazing!

The National Museum also has a few renditions of The Scream as well as a great collection of other modern works, architecture, textiles, etc.

Oslo has over 50 museums to choose from; impressive for the smallest of the Scandinavian capital cities!

• Cruise the Oslo Fjord on an electric catamaran. My friends and I cruised the fjord when we were here in winter, all bundled up in reindeer pelts drinking mulled wine on a wooden boat. This time I took advantage of the summer-like weather and modern technology and saw it in much different light. And with a glass of cold wine.

The 1 ½ hour cruise gives you a chance to see the city from Oslofjord, which runs 75 miles from the North Sea to the Capital. I also saw lots of 100-year old houses, beaches, islands, and some historic ships. I've never met a boat I didn't like and really loved my time cruising around on this completely quiet one!

• Walk all over Oslo! The city is absolutely beautiful, mostly flat, and very safe. 

While traversing around keep your eyes peeled for Stolpersteine, or stumbling stones, small gold squares embedded in the sidewalks outside places where Jews and other victims lived. These places are the last known homes of victims and will generally list their name, birth year, and fates. There are hundreds around, reminding us of the victims deported and killed by the Nazis in WWII.

You can learn about Stefan here.

The Palace is on one end of the city while the Opera House is at the other. The waterfront is where you can rent a floating sauna or just sit and take in the views. And in between are gorgeous parks, tons of cute shops, cool public sculptures, and a few big grand hotels whose lobby bars just beg you to sit for a drink...

• Get a cocktail, or many! Oslo has some fantastic cocktail bars and bartenders using interesting ingredients not always found in the states. As I love a hotel bar, I checked out 2 on this trip (besides my own). 

The Hotel Continental is very well known for its restaurant Theatercaféen which opened in 1900. But I was checking out their modern lobby bar, Boman. This understated and elegant space was a super comfortable spot to take a break from all my walking and their Classic Cocktail menu charmed me with one of my favorites, the Last Word. 

The bar also has one of the largest private collections of art by Edvard Munch in Norway. No Scream though! 

Over at The Grand Hotel, the lobby bar Othilia is luxurious & a little showy. 

When I was there the cocktail menu theme was "From Canvas to Glass" & was reinterpreting works of art into delicious drinks. This wasn't my first time at this bar, I had been there all those years ago and had loved my classic martinis. So happy to see it continues to hit all the marks. 

The Grand Hotel is a stunner and is definitely worth a walk around before you leave!

At Svanen, or The Swan, the cocktail bar has taken over the space that was a pharmacy from 1896 to 2014! The Swan Pharmacy's interior is still intact, with marble and wood counters and columns, adorned ceiling, and lots of those cool apothecary cabinets. And swans, lots and lots of swans.  

The drinks however are all very modern, and very delicious! Such as my "Stolen Apples" with rum, gin, green apple, lapsang souchong, ginger & shiso. There's also a full menu of classics and some N/A options. All this and the bar is currently #32 on the World's 50 Best Bars list. 

I'd say the most famous cocktail spot in Oslo is Himkok (they also own The Swan) and it's marked only by a small H outside the front door. They are #14 on the World's 50 Best Bar list so this is definitely one you don't want to miss!

Inside you'll find a full distillery making Aquavit, Gin, and Vodka, which the bar uses to create inventive cocktails. There's another bar upstairs that specializes in high-volume draft cocktails. And an outdoor terrace in the summer for beers. It's a whole little city of booze! And on top of it, the bartenders are super nice and happy to give recommendations for other interesting spots around town. 

• Eat local and new nordic cuisine. My timing (Sun-Tues) did not allow for one of the big Michelin starred restaurants this time but I still had some absolutely lovely meals!

Fiskeriet actually has 2 locations, both are busy seafood markets selling freshly caught fish. And both offer delicious menus of seafood along with some lovely wines. I sat outside and had an absolutely incredible fish & chips along with a minerally glass of Alsatian white wine. I also did a bit of shopping, not for fish, but they have all sorts of food-centric goodies! 

Vaaghals is known for their house cured ham; think country ham meets prosciutto. I settled into a chair draped with sheepskin outside on their terrace and ordered the cured ham which comes with butter, homemade chicken liver paté and bread delivered in a cute paper bag. It's fantastic! My main course of perfectly grilled hake (white fish similar to cod) and roasted potatoes was similarly great! And during dinner you can create a 3, 4, or 5-course tasting menu from the offerings. 

For dinner one night I walked out to the new-to-me neighborhood of Tjuvholmen. This area used to be shipping docks and then in 2005 went through a 9-year redevelopment which turned it into a stunning and modern area with apartments, marinas, offices, parks and the Astrup Fearnley Museum. It was great to see the finished efforts!

The restaurant Sjomagasinet which in their own words is "part restaurant, part seafood bar & delicatessen, part wine bar and part event & meeting space." The name actually means "sea store" and it's an absolutely gorgeous space.

While my dinner was flawless with wonderful flavors and presentation, service was quite lacking. But not for the other tables around me, which were mainly large groups. I was definitely rushed along as a solo diner. 

By far, my best and favorite dining experience in Oslo this time was at Arakataka. There's an open kitchen on one side of the busy restaurant and the other is a wall of windows looking out to the neighborhood. The menu is set and you can choose 4 or 6 courses with optional add-ons. Wine pairings are also available. Basically this restaurant felt like it was saying "yes" to everything as long as you were enjoying yourself! 

Every dish was excellent, but if I had to pick my favorite it would be the white asparagus, XO sauce & chili. It was stunning (but really all the dishes had that new-nordic look and taste) and really unexpected! Highly recommend Arakataka and would not be surprised at all to see them with a 1-star anytime soon. 

And with that my visit to Oslo was over. I walked across the street to the train station the next morning and boarded a high-speed train to Stockholm.

Oslo has changed so much in the 10+ years I had last been there. I was so happy to go back again as I loved it much more than I did the first time! Also my KLM Delft Blue house looks adorable on my bar cart... it probably needs a neighbor!

All Oslo photos here. 

Other posts from this trip:

Weekend in Swiftholm

Everyone Loves Gothenburg!

More Chicago Deliciousness

Trip date: June 2025

Besides all of the amazing James Beard events I attended in Chicago, I had my own list of places I wanted to check out while in town. I didn't get to as many as I wanted but the one's I did were all fantastic!

The Loyalist had been on my list for years, and now that I've finally had a chance to go, I don't know if I will ever not be able to go when in town! Owned by the same folks at 3-Michelin star Smyth next door, this was the most delicious and elevated "tavern food" I have ever had! 

My friend Amy and I were lucky to sit in front of bartender Chris Martin and after peppering him with questions about practically every drink on the menu, I landed on one with mezcal, apple brandy, housemade apple horchata and lime. Amy decided on the "carrot cake in a glass" with pecan rum, cachaca, carrot, ginger, and cream cheese. Both were ridiculously good! 

We shared a variety of dishes, all had a surprise element which had us talking about them all night. Gougeres with smoked bacon cream, crudo with radish and kumquats, frites with aioli, and the most decadent roast chicken! It was served on a tranche of sourdough slathered with chicken liver along with a foie gras sauce. And the side salad featured mixed greens with herbs and smoked dates! SWOON!

Chris kept us in minis of drinks he was making for others or testing out. And since we were too full for dessert he served us the Toxic Avenger, a frozen tiki-ish drink of mezcal, Chartreuse, grapes, cucumber, sage, mint, and pineapple.

Honestly, I can not recommend The Loyalist enough!

My friend Frank, who was also in town, snagged us reservations at Chef Achatz's FIRE one night. It just also happened to be one of their last nights due to the building being redeveloped or something. I had been in this space years ago when it was the Roister and it was funny that even the chairs were the same!

Our dinner was fantastic! 8-courses, every dish touched by the live fire that we sat in front of at the pass. 

Everything was excellent but for me the standouts were:

-Horseradish and shiro cured scallop which was seared over charcoal and finished with shirodashi butter. Crazy good and I generally find scallop to be very boring.

-Cast ironed maitake mushroom with blacken cucumber and their own take on kimchi. And yes, they really ironed the mushroom right in front of us!

-Fig lacquered duck with wild berries, fermented rhubarb and charred mole. 

I have to say that not only was each dish pretty perfect, the service was incredible, especially considering that they were working their last days. The team was going out on a high note for sure!

Across the street is the absolutely wonderful cocktail bar Bisous. They don't take reservations but the queue on Saturday night moved pretty quickly and I ended up meeting some great folks in line who invited me to share their table. 

Bisous is pretty much my dream bar... they specialize in martinis and martini variations, it feels like a special occasion but is still relaxed, and the space is gorgeously outfitted with velvet booths and stunning wallpaper.  

My new friends were interested in trying lots of drinks from the menu and also wanted the caviar and chips! Our table was loaded with fantastic cocktails and snacks, it was a very fun evening! Bisous was voted #39 in the North America 50 Best this year, I won't be surprised to see it receive more honors. 

Kumiko was on my list as it it was voted #10 on the North America 50 Best and was also up for the Outstanding Bar award at the James Beard Awards. Spoiler alert, they won! 

Kumiko describes itself as a Japanese Dining Bar. Translated, I'd say that means a restaurant serving absolutely delicious Japanese food with a focus on creative and thoughtful cocktails. In fact I think there were 4 pages of cocktails when I was there including the special list.

I really loved both my dinner and my drinks here! The only negative is that with so many choices I felt like I was leaving a lot on the table! Obviously this spot deserves some repeat visits. 

After I checked out of my hotel, I met an old colleague of mine at RL Chicago for lunch. RL is not on any awards lists but if you love a restaurant that looks like you are in the sitting room of some swanky mansion, and boasts a menu that feels straight out of the early 90's, then you will enjoy RL as much as I do.

It was a stunning day so we chose a cute table for 2 that straddled the patio and the living room. It was perfect for people watching both in and out. And the people watching here is fantastic!

Caesar salad is always my go-to corporate restaurant lunch order, but at RL you can add lobster to it. Cuz that's the way RL (and I) roll! 

All photos here.

Previous post from this trip: 2025 James Beard Awards in Chicago 

All Around Oaxaca

Trip date: October 2023 

Oaxaca had been on my wish list to visit for so many years! I was super excited to go with my friend Aaron who had been 4 or 5 times before and absolutely loves the town. When he created an itinerary for us, made restaurant recommendations, arranged for private drivers, and booked our hotel rooms I felt like it was my birthday! As someone who is pretty much always researching and planning a few trips, this was truly a gift. Aaron and I have traveled a lot together over the years, and we have similar interests, so I knew I could trust all his choices competeley. 

Our flight from Mexico City on Aeromexico was just over an hour. At the airport we signed up for a shared taxi into town (there are no ride shares options around the area) and were dropped off at our hotel, Las Golondrinas about 1 hour after we had landed. 

We had 4 days in town, and 2 of them would be spent out in the palenques, tasting mezcal! More on that later. So we dropped our bags at the hotel, the rooms would be ready later in the afternoon, and walked around town on our way to lunch. The town is absolutely adorable with lots of bright colored 1 and 2-story buildings.

Our first lunch was at Cocina de Humo, Chef Thalia Barrios Garcia's newest restaurant. Similarly to sitting at a kitchen pass, everyone sits on one side of a long wooden table. The other side is what they call a smoke kitchen with traditional wood stoves and a hot comal. It was already warm that afternoon, and sitting right in front of all the open fire made me really hot!

Our chef served us 7-courses along with some traditional drinks like horchata and hibiscus tea. She toasted spices, roasted tomatoes and peppers, made fresh tortillas, mixed up sauces, etc. Everything was very good, and it was a really cool experience, but I felt uncomfortably full from eating so many varieties of corn! That would be an ongoing challenge throughout town! ha! 

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking off lunch at the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, which is inside the monastery buildings adjoining the Templo de Santo Domingo. This museum contains treasures from the pre-Hispanic era up to the present. There is a library with 30,000 books, contents of a found tomb at Monte Albán, jewelry, earthenware, religious relics, etc.

It's a fascinating look at the culture and timeline of the people of the Oaxaca area! There are also some great views of the botanical gardens from the upstairs balconies.

We were ready for a little sit down before going out for the night, so headed back to the hotel and got checked into our rooms. Mine was huge! I also had a little covered porch, and the grounds throughout the courtyards were filled with plants and flowers. It's a very relaxing property!

That evening we started at El Destilado for a tasting of 5 Sentidos mezcal. This is such a cute spot, with a great rooftop terrace and lots of delicious sounding things on the menu. Unfortunately we were still so stuffed from lunch so we stuck to the mezcal, which was delicious!

5 Sentidos works directly with a small group of mezcal producers, called maestro mezcaleros, who are making exceptional spirits around Oaxaca. The company bottles and markets these mezcals but does not blend or alter them. You can make an appointment to do a formal tasting at their mezcaleria or here at their restaurant. 

As we were walking the short distance to Casa Oaxaca, we came across a traditional wedding parade called a Calenda. There were giant dolls called “Monos de Calenda”, musicians, traditionally dressed folk dancers, and of course the entire wedding party and their guests dancing and singing through the streets. It was such a cool thing to run into!

We made our way to the rooftop at Casa Oaxaca where Aaron had made reservations, and watched the parade as it continued on below us. 

This is a stunning rooftop for dinner, right next to the Tempo Santo Domingo. We had excellent cocktails and a couple of light dishes that did not have any corn in them! ha!

Nightcap mezcals were had at Mezcaleria In Situ where Aaron's friend/bar owner Sandra helped us choose a few to taste. This mezcaleria also has a collection of maestros that they work with who are making traditional style agave spirits. Sandra is super knowledgeable and is happy to explain the differences of the styles. 

One evening we ate at Chef Thalia Barrios Garcia's other restaurant Levadura de Olla. Again, the use of heirloom masa's and vegetables and traditional cooking styles is the theme here, but this restaurant is more modern with creative interpretations and gorgeous plating. 

The do-not-miss dish is a huge platter of an assortment of Oaxacan tomatoes. It also has a beet puree, unfortunately for me who hates beets, but Aaron assured me that I could easily eat around the puree and he was right. It was a stunning dish with slightly different textures and tastes from each variety. 

I also had a tamale made with a local cheese and zucchini blossoms with 2 types of mole. I really liked this restaurant and if I were to choose just one of Chef's places to eat this is the one I would go to. 

Another restaurant where we had good dinner was at Origen. There was a little bit of the food being prettier than tastier, but not by a lot. the location is upstairs in one of the downtown buildings and the window balconies were open, letting in a lovely breeze and also faint sounds from the town below. Great ambience. 

The kitchen sent out an amuse to start, but it was either shellfish or pork, which Aaron doesn't eat and had mentioned when he made the reservation. So that was disappointing. But then we ordered a ceviche which was fresh and tasty and gorgeous to look at. 

My duck confit enchilada with mole was so dark it was basically a rich black puddle on my plate! It was delicious but the duck was a tad tough. 

I loved the cart of mezcals they brought around after dinner! We absolutely chose a couple!

Oaxaca isn't just a mezcal town though, there are also a few wonderful cocktail bars! 

Selva is absolutely my style of cocktail den. It's dim, with comfy leather furniture, funky artwork, and a beautiful bar. 

The creative cocktail menu pays homage to local ingredients, such as the namesake Selva cocktail with mezcal, hoja santa, lemon, agave honey, chilli liquor, quesillo and basil, juniper bitters. It was gorgeous and tasty!

Another great spot for cocktails is Sabina Sabe. The bar has multiple rooms and feels slightly subterranean. The focus is on agave spirits but the talented staff can make off menu drinks with other spirits as well!

After my friend Aaron returned to LA, I had a couple of days on my own to explore the city. I set out to see some of the sights he and I hadn't had time for. First up was the beautiful Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. 

Construction on this church started in 1535 and its had to be rebuilt a few times because of earthquakes. I wandered around inside for a bit before heading to the Zocalo which is the old main square. The buildings here are especially pretty and the park has multiple fountains and benches to relax on. 

While wandering around, I ended up in a very cool hat shop, Sombreros Alberly, which custom makes and fits hats. I wasn't in the market for a hat but the selection was really impressive and the gentleman who was working was super nice.

I continued walking around, stopping in various galleries, shops selling spices, dried chilis, clothing, etc. There's also a fair amount of street art around which is fun.

For brunch, I headed to Boulenc which had been recommended to me. The space is really cool; it looks like it might have been an old warehouse at one time. It was a tad tough for me to spot as I didn't see signs from across the street but once I located the huge entrance door, I was seated upstairs after only about a 5 min wait.

I couldn't decide between the agua fresca of the day or the Mezcalita, so I got both. I also ordered their version of molletas, black beans and grilled cheese on their fresh baked Ciabatta bread instead of masa and with a trio of sauces; salsa, pico de gallo and crema.. delicious!  I had such a great meal here (& on a Monday!)

The restaurant is flanked by its bakery on one side and its cute little cafe/shop on the other. Great stuff, highly recommend checking them out! 

Back out to exploring, I headed to a new-to-me area of town and went to The Instituto de Artesanias Oaxaqueños or ARIPO. This is a government funded center with handicrafts from artisans all over the region. The building has different rooms filled with ceramics, jewelry, clothing, art, etc. and a courtyard in the center with some sculpture. It's really a great place to browse or shop!

This area is super cute and worth walking around even if your aren't checking out the galleries. But if you are gallery hopping, I'd suggest stopping in to CoOp 1050 also to take a look at some incredible pottery.

I loved just wandering around the city and exploring different shops and galleries. There is a lot of art in this town! I headed back towards the center and went up to the rooftop of the Hotel Los Amantes for a glass of wine with this view:

So gorgeous! Just a head's up that the prices up on this terrace were pretty high compared to the rest of the city, that view isn't free! But I enjoyed it. 

That evening I had dinner at Las Quince Letras, which also specializes in the region's chilis, mole, and corn. I started with some guacamole and chapulines (fried grasshoppers) which are a very traditional food of Oaxaca. 

Then I had one of the restaurant's specials, a Tlayuda which is also another Oaxacan specialty. Usually they are an open faced or folded, crunchy, toasted tortilla but this one was rolled up. It was filled with refried beans, cabbage, beef, and Oaxaca cheese.  

I decided to have a nightcap back at Sabina Sabe and as I walked down the streets, under the papel picado (traditional Mexican paper flags) gently swaying in the breeze, I thought how I had never felt unsafe by myself, not even at night, in Oaxaca. It really seems like a very safe town.

The next morning I had a bit of time before my hired taxi would pick me up and take me to the airport. I decided on street food for breakfast. But not just any street food... I made my way to Tacos del Carmen for a chorizo taco which cost me all of $1.20! Tacos here are rolled and hot off the comal. They have a handful of flavors, but I was told the chorizo is super and it was! When I was there the stand was busy with both locals and tourists, including a food tour.

Don't be fooled though, you'll see various "Carmen" stands around the block by Santo Domingo Church, so watch for the right banner! 

All photos from Oaxaca here.

Other post from this trip:

36 Hours in Mexico City

Mezcal Day Trips Around Oaxaca