Shopping

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.

Litteraturhuset (The House of Literature) is one of my favorite, and most versatile spaces in Oslo. Sitting in the heart of downtown, behind the Royal Palace, Litteraturhuset serves as a bookstore, a cafe, a reading room, a forum for debates and lectures, and more. Litteraturhuset describes it’s purpose as to “communicate and promote interest in literature and reading as well as freedom of speech issues.”

I’ll describe my own reasons for taking a visit to give you a sense of some of the possibilities, but really this is a place you need to explore for yourself. I like to regularly check the event calendar to look for interesting book readings, debates, and films. Look here to see what’s happening during your time in Oslo. I’ve heard rumors that space at a talk by author Haruki Murakami filled up within minutes, so look often.

If you walk straight to the back of the ground floor, you’ll see a beautiful reading room with plenty of comfortable chairs. This is one of my favorite rooms in Oslo, so you may find me with an americano from the cafe, meeting a friend, or catching up on some reading. As winter approaches, i find this to be one of the cozier places near downtown. And I haven’t even mentioned the book shop which carries titles in both English and Norwegian. I’m sure you’ll find your own reasons to stop by.

Located in Markveien, Robot is the sort of store you’ll probably stop by on your typical Saturday day out.

Robot is one the original vintage stores of Grunerløkka, and one of the few that are still around after gentrification increased the rent to an extent where several old favourites were given no choice, but to pack up and close down.

Luckily Robot has survived, because it’s such a fun store. Here you’ll find clothes and accessories for both sexes, although it’s the womens section that takes up most space. There’s a great selection of printed frocks, delicate blouses, colourful sunglasses and elegant brooches. While the guys should definitely check out the vintage printed t-shirts. Perfect for the upcoming summer! The store also stocks a limited selection on new clothing, from labels like Pop and Monkee Genes.

Another great thing about Robot is the continuous rotation of cool tunes coming through the speakers, making the store feel like the real deal!

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.

Mathallen is simply put, a foodies paradise: perfect for picking up special gourmet treats, or just popping by for a tasty lunch.

Mathallen celebrated their first birthday earlier this autumn. It is the only indoor food market of its kind in Oslo, and it fills a gap that was definitely missing in the city. Despite a rush of customers during the first few months after opening, the hype has started to slow down, and it will still take some time for the market to fully come into its own.

Mathallen is sometimes criticised for being overpriced, but taking into consideration that all the produce is top quality, I tend to disagree. Overall, I find the prices to be rather reasonable. Some cheeses, and cuts, are of course gourmet foods, and you can’t expect to pay the same price as you do for generic products at your local supermarket. But that’s the whole point right?!

Penny savers should however, check out the Super Tuesdays – a concept that has every store offer up great discounts on some of their best produce, every second day of the week. There are some real bargains to be found, and one time I came across some wild trout at a what I can only describe as a laughable low price.

I really believe Mathallen has enriched the city, and my favourite thing is to sample some local cheeses, grab a dessert pie from Hello Pie, and order a drip coffee from Solberg & Hansen.