Shopping

I hardly walk down Markveien without popping into Babel to see what’s new. Here I find some of my favourite labels, such as Whyred and Athé by Vanessa Bruno. Fashion lovers might also recognise dresses from Ganni and quality basics from James Perse.

I also really appreciate that they only stock a limited number of every garment, taking away the risk of seeing every other girl wearing the same outfit when walking down the street.

Buying designer clothing is never cheap, but in the back of the store you’ll find a large designer vintage section. This is a real gem, and prices are reasonable. Babel will even sell your old clothing for a commission, at least if they fit with the feel of the store.

A day of shopping at Grunerløkka is not complete without stopping by Babel, and the superb service of the girls working here makes it a great experience – even when you don’t end up buying anything.

Liebling is a typical Berlin-style café, both the interiors and the menu is a testament to that. The prices are much more budget friendly too, than at your regular Norwegian hang out.

The “Liebling tallerken” is a typical Berlin brunch plate with breads, cheeses and meats, some cereal and yogurt. If it included a bowl of quark I would be over the moon, but it’s still darn tasty – they even do a vegetarian version, just ask! The open-faced sandwiches with homemade toppings are also great as a midday snack, the hummus being my personal favourite.

Alcohol is served after five o’clock, German Riesling and weissbier of course, staying true to their roots. The café has a small boutique part, with mostly German design, which has to close as soon as the first drinks are being served. It’s due to some peculiar Norwegian law… don’t ask, just go with it.

The Liebling crowd is a mix of artsy students from the nearby art academy, and early 30s mums (and dads) on maternity (paternity) leave.

My tip is to like the café on Facebook, it’s a great way to keep up to date on their events, like open mic night and one off concerts.

In this Spotify-age there’s nothing more satisfying that putting on a record, whether an old classic or the latest Pitchfork recommendation. For the latter, Big Dipper is my go to record store. But I can also easily get lost in browsing their selection of old releases, picking up records that fill gaps in my collection.

I like to pop by this Møllergata spot for free weekend mini-concerts. I find that these events are an important contributor in making Big Dipper more of an institution, rather than just a store. The sweetest moment for me was definitely seeing Anna Jarvinen perform, although that’s already a couple of years ago – it was a stand out.

Another great thing about this store is the prices, which are very competitive. It’s rarely cheaper to order the records online, which of course, makes it easy to “shop local.” Which is something we all should do more.

Frøken Dianas Salonger is a small gem of a vintage boutique, it will warm you up in the winter cold as it oozes charm and femininity.

In this Markveien shop you’ll find one off earrings and other pieces of jewellery from bygone areas, you’ll also find an amazing selection of frocks and blouses, as well as fun interior items for your apartment. I even bought a guitar and an old school typewriter here.

The shop used to be a little clustered, but they have cleaned it up really well, and now everything is neatly accessible to browse at your own leisure. For me, this means that I tend to pop by more often than before – just to check what’s new.

In winter you should look out for the characteristic Scandinavian woollen jumpers, a great souvenir – for ladies and gents alike. Especially since they appear to be all the hipster rage lately.

Being 30 in Oslo means your friends are starting to pop out babies like crazy, and amongst the mountain of presents they’re going to get – it feels nice to pick out something special, that might stand out from the pack, and be treasured by babies and parents alike. For picking out something out of the ordinary, there’s no place better than Kool Kidz.

Kool Kidz is as far away from your regular Toys “R” Us as you can get, and hallelujah for that!

The shop sports a small selection of vintage looking toys, and my nephew has fallen head over heels for the classic metal robots. They certainly don’t make toys like that anymore! Having said that, the more modern selection is great too, the quality exceeds what is the norm elsewhere, and the design is both colourful and fun.

Toys are no longer made to last, but to fill a small gap of time before a new (not necessarily better) one comes along. At Kool Kidz, however, you can still find the kind no one wants to throw away. Ever.