Yes, I would take candy from a baby.

Sorry for being so lazy of late

2010-06-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

May I please direct you to:

http://peanuturchin.blogspot.com

Soz

2010-05-18T15:59:00.000-07:00

This 15 page paper is kicking my butt but it is also my fault for procrastinating so much and being sooo slowww with everything.

I've been to so many great (and one very creepy) cafe so far and I really want to put them up but 1) don't have the time to write actual posts and 2) don't have camera cable with me to upload pictures so...

Don't worry, I am not dead. I have decided though, to let you get better acquainted with my face.

Here is what I look like without a thought in my head. (Pre-Nutella)

Here is what I look like with food in my mouth. (Mid-Nutella)

I don't have a picture of post-nutella because that normally involves me sleeping, during which time I am unable to use photobooth to take a picture of myself.

I am a simple creature. Feed me.

Or I will take your baby's candy.

JUST KIDDING.

Oh god this is what a 20 page paper will do to you at 1.07am in the morning.

Museum Weekend Part 2

2010-05-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

Bright and early Sunday morning I woke up and had to rush to Frue Plads to meet to take the bus to Louisiana for culture course. Staying the night before did NOT help (although it was much fun! Will add a post on the Norrebro festival soon), plus I was starving all morning. Rosalie gave me some pity crumbs on the bus, haha!

When we got there, we had to sit through an introduction lecture where I conveniently took a nap. I thought I was being discreet, but apparently not seeing as I woke up to find myself slumped to the side of the chair with my head lolling off the corner of the next chair and my tongue nearly hanging out of my mouth--ok, fine the last part was a mild exaggeration but I promise you it still isn't that much of a stretch. Also, as we were walking out Islay called out to me and said "Jerrine! Had a nice nap there, eh?" (Hee, her Canadian accented "eh" is so adorable.)

The museum was GORGEOUS!!! My camera was acting up again so I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked but it was by the sea with sprawling gardens and strange and beautiful sculptures sprinkled everywhere! The building looked just like a nice seaside house or something but had many underground levels and so was much bigger than it seemed.

With limited time, Rosalie and I pretty much sprinted through the museum after spending more time than we should have walking around leisurely. Map in hand, we raced to the installation art section of the museum. I wish we could have spent more time admiring the other pieces.

Also, Louisiana was so named, not after the state in the US but because the man who owned the estate had been married three times and all three women were named Louise! Hahaha. So cute right.

K, let's get to the pictures!

Tee hee! Is it just me, or does this sculpture look like Wall-E? Ahem, a very excited one at that.

Museum Shop!

Gah!!! Magazine cover with giraffe!! Must... Take... Picture....

Wow! Giraffe AND A Bald Man! It's like they knew all the things I like and put them on the shelf just for me. Hahaha. Yes, I like bald men so shoot me. LEX LUTHOR IS SEXY OK! (Michael Rosenbaum in Smallville, oh god not Kevin Spacey... oh god, no.)

The museum was full of full length windows like these. The man who started it felt very strongly about the interior and exterior spaces being able to interact with each other.

Wait for it... The title of this drawing is coming up next...

Tah-dah! Hahahaha I had to take a picture of it because erm... that is well... Me.

"Lady in a Cafe" describes me practically everyday of my life. Hahaha.

If anyone utters the phrases "true to form" or "real-life likeness" I will kill myself, thanks. Although I must say... I do have a headpiece similar to the one she is wearing. o.O

Cute!

My good friend.

I took this picture for Felicia. It is a series of frames of... potatoes. Haha.

Reminded me of a brain. Also reminded me of the garden at Peggy Guggenheim's home-turned-museum in Venice! Hence, made my heart ache for Christine and Rachel A LOT. meep.

"My Home Winds"

They are all individually made and each one is different and unique.

Statement on society? Haha ooh... deep. I am almost inspired to write an essay on it but.. I have an essay that I actually HAVE to write looming before me so erm... first things first.

"Same Same But Different"

We passed the children's museum while rushing to the installation section and I insisted we stop for a quick minute. If only for a photo op. Hahaha.

Big Boss.

View of outside from inside. Sooo gorgeous.

Creepy.

Like I said, CREEPY.

Rushed through the cafe. Apparently it was very revolutionary at the time to have a cafe in the middle of a museum but the curator/owner thought it important that one should be able to take a break while admiring art and sit for a second and sip on a coffee. Interesting, I think that too! If I were born years ago I would have been a Revolutionary. But I probably wouldn't have owned a museum so never mind.

YOU MIGHT SAY I'M A DREAMER BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE! Sorry for shouting, just channeling the inner John Legend VERY HARD (or very loudly).

Someone needs to put on some weight, yo! Dayum, gurl, yoo looking sick! (Ok sorry I don't know why I said that. Haha.) If anything I would say she is severely pear-shaped. I recommend some shoulder pads to balance out the top. Besides, thanks to Balmain the trend is still going strong. Haha ok, will shut up now.

A dream.

Diving board sticking out from the museum building. It overlooks a little cliff before the sea. Once again a demonstration of the interaction between interior and exterior spaces.

Florescent light installation.

Red canvas with slashes in it? Why WOULDN'T I take a picture of this. Love.

And then we finally arrived at what we'd ran all the way there to find. The Light Room.

Oh my god it was magic. We had to wait almost half an hour in line in order to get in because they only allowed a maximum of 2 people in there at a time. Of course, we tested the patience of all the other people waiting behind us once we got in and knocked ourselves out with the picture-taking. After which we decided we NEEDED to take another 10 seconds to EXPERIENCE it and just sit in silence--or more like "ooh" and "aahh" like crazy people. When we left the room I looked at my feet, afraid of meeting the eyes of very probably impatient people. Hahaha I'm just glad they weren't tapping their feet instead.

Like I said, Magic.

And the bulbs, they change colour!

You also had to watch your step because the room was really small and you were on a platform surrounded by water--which added to the tranquilness of the place and added even more reflection.

I need to install a room like this in my future house! Now who wants to live with me say Aye! =)

Ok, have procrastinated for too long, am going to screw the lid back on the bottle of nutella, pour myself another cup of milk and get down to work!

Museum Weekend Part 1

2010-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

It was a weekend spent gloriously in museums. I love modern art--it's so fun! And I love installations. It makes me want to twirl round and round the museum space. Plus, the building of the museum was so pretty too!

Met with Rosalie and Esther to go check out this exhibition at the museum next to Nyhavn. It's a pretty old brick building with big grand windows, walking distance from the Kongens Nytorv station. Walking in, we immediately found ourselves next to the museum cafe! Nyeheheh! Of course I stopped to take pictures but I'll put them up in a separate cafe post I suppose. Didn't have the time or money to stop for a drink or snack but the cafe area is very pretty indeed!

Anchor at Nyhavn

We dumped our jackets and bags in the lockers and headed straight for the exhibition!

Let me entertain you with pictures.

Light installation. I wish the room could have been dark. Rosalie said she wished it could have been in a club. Hahaha. That would be AWESOME. It would also be... ruined.

Looking at him looking away looking at me looking at you.

Isn't this cool! It's all paper! Reminds me of the chinese jian zhi art.

Ew. The grotesque and the beautiful.

If you look closely enough you can see my floating head.

We found this door and opened it... to find... THIS. It was such a creepy experience. Beautiful and eerie. Dim and intense.

A wood paneled corridor with strange beautiful carvings of delicate and gruesome things.

Esther and Rosalie

Well, me. "Hi," says I.

At the end of the corridor was another door that opened into a dark room with a projector playing a very very creepy and trippy video. It was like a nightmare.

We emerged from that little adventure in the twilight zone to move to the next section where we found.... THIS. It was an endless source of entertainment and once again Rosalie and I embarrassingly had a mini photoshoot as we are wont to do in museums. Haha. We locked ourselves in that little cylinder for wayyy too long and after a while realized that everyone else in the room could probably hear our giggling and stupid comments. o.O

A circular room covered in mirror mosaic!

As you can see I clicked happily away. Shall mostly put the ones of myself up to save Rosalie the embarrassment. Hahaha.

Puffer fish.

The Scream.

This was cool. It's an open book between two fans and the pages lift and flutter in the wind, shiver slightly in the middle but never, never cross threshold hold--the page never turns, it is always open at the same page.

Itchy as I was, I decided to Interact With The Art and stepped in front of one of the fans to see if the page WOULD turn. (Now I wonder if the page it was opened to was of significance and if you're allowed to "interact with the art" but oh well there were no barriers) The page made it all the way over to the other side, and for a moment I was horrified, afraid I had ruined The Art, but when I stepped away, it bounced back, and went back to being in its precarious, shivering position. I wondered at what it was supposed to mean; if that was the point of it, but was too distracted by the next thing to follow that train of thought.

It could blow forever and quiver and shiver and touch the page on one side, and touch the page on the other side but never, never, turn.

Big pretty windows.

Giant brush with colourful bristles! eep! Love it!

View of the cafe from the staircase landing. Preview! Haha.

sdfs

Laundromat Cafe

2010-05-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

I remember it was a lazy Sunday when I decided to head out and go to Norrebro to be Hygge (tee hee I love the word. Please ask me how to say it so that you can love it too. The pronunciation is so cute!) at Laundromat Cafe.

It was an eclectic little place, but commercially so, kind of in the try-too-hard-to-be-offbeat kind of way. It still worked, though, since I am a sucker for gimmicks. It's a Laundromat and a cafe. Haha. So you can put your washing in and then sit at the cafe while you wait. It's rather expensive though. I ordered a Chai Latte here, which was pretty good--just sweet enough--for 35 Kr, I think. I also ordered a carrot cake! I believe that was 30+ or 40+ Kr.

It was nice and cosy but was a tad crowded, as I hear it is wont to get--it's in all the bigger guidebooks like Lonely Planet, etc. They also didn't have very many power points to plug your computer into.

As I was craning my neck and being awkward and maybe slightly inappropriate--crouching over and peering between people's legs--as I was, trying to find a power point, I found the only one on my side of the cafe right under my seat! Only thing was it was already being used by someone. Said someone raised an eyebrow at me so I quickly composed myself again, ahem-ed and sat down like a proper lady.

He was nice enough to offer me the use of the powerpoint and thus ensued a rather interesting conversation. See, going to a cafe never disappoints, I always somehow end up having very interesting conversations with strangers. For example, I found that that.. men tend to have better tunnel vision--ie if they are checking out a girl, they would probably have to turn their entire heads and STARE and have their eyes follow the girl/part of the girl. Whereas, women on the other hand, have better peripheral vision so for example, I could be talking to you "while simultaneously thinking 'hmm that waiter has a cute butt' " (in inverted commas because I am quoting the guy I spoke to!). This can possibly be traced back to our primitive instincts (ie we are all still cavemen. Evolution? Natural selection? PAH!) because men probably needed the better tunnel vision to... aim at targets and throw spears while hunting and the like, while women needed the peripheral vision as they were better multi-taskers and had to cook the food while making sure the 27 crawling babies didn't crawl too near the fire and get their hair singed or something. Anyhow, he was a very interesting person indeed!

So interesting in fact that I had sat down and spoken to him for so long without ordering anything that the waiter came over to politely nudge me into ordering. He did this by putting both palms down on my table and leaning his weight on them and saying "HI WOULD YOU LIKE TO ORDER SOMETHING?" Haha ok I exaggerate he was actually really nice.

I apologize for how dark the pictures are, I didn't want to annoy people with flash.

Laundromat Menu! Could not afford ANY of the food there. Even the nachos were like 79 Kr or something, I remember. (Translated: USD 16 or SGD 20+)

Carrot cake!

I loved this! This is the front of the counter where you order. Jars of cookies and muffins and cakes! Aaaanddd it's a shelf lined with rows and rows of paperbacks of different colours! That's actually how they got the tones and gradients--by arranging THAT MANY paperback books. =) Oh, lovely!

The decor also has a lot of red which explains why I was so happy there. Heh.

The window sill behind me full of brochures and leaflets of random events in Copenhagen. View of the street outside.

Cyclist!

I stayed there from 6+pm to nearly midnight and walked to the metro station in the bright coldness of the dark night.

BilletCafeen

2010-05-09T16:53:00.000-07:00

BilletcafeenNørregade 24
1165 København K

**Excuse the lousy pictures, they were taken on my cellphone because I forgot my camera.

One day after my editorial meeting, I went to this little cafe along Norregade--it's on the way to the administrative building of KU.

It was a nice, quiet little place with soothing music and a really sweet lady at the counter. I think it's the venue where you can buy or order tickets for theatre shows and ballets, etc. There are two levels and it is also an extremely HYGGE place. =) The latte I had there was really good and came in a nice tall cup. Prices were pretty reasonable --Cafe Latte for 25 Kr. In case you're wondering, by Copenhagen standards, that is actually kind of cheap. They also had hot chocolate and Chai Latte! At the time I had not embarked on my quest for the perfect chai yet.

The ambience was really nice and they had seats by the windows and proper chairs and tables and little corners with sofas and the like so you can take your pick for the day depending on your mood! It had a split level mezzanine place where you could also sit. Large as my ego is, I decided I needed to colonize the entire second level by myself, accompanied only by said ego.

People sitting at the window. =)

Posters!

My choice of venue for bum-ploppage. K, I'm sorry I do not know why I talk like that. It was a very cosy little corner!

View of upstairs from downstairs.

Potion of the day: Cafe Latte + little piece of dark chocolate! =)

It is like I melted away and left my boots there. Or not.

More seats across from me so I guess I didn't take over the WHOLE second level. Although I did take up the BEST PART of the second level. Hee.

View of downstairs from upstairs!

It stayed open till 7.30 pm which was a nice comfortable time for that time of the year because it only just started to get dark then.

MishMash: (of Ballet, Signalhuset, random London sign)

2010-05-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

So, since camera is choosing to be temperamental, I thought mayhaps you folks would be interested in some of the random things I've captured on my handphone.

Here goes:

Night at the Ballet--Pictures weren't allowed but... ah well. I am sneaky. nyehhehe.

We watched the Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare

Some of you might know of a very surprising development in my life. I have started to...run. Yes, voluntary exercise is what I am talking about, and

no there is nobody chasing behind me with a paddle.

The area around Signalhuset.

I was running the other day when I saw the cutest dog ever! It looked really happy to see me for some reason and kept trying to run towards me which I thought was sweet UNTIL, it ran with so much energy that it got CHOKED on its own collar and literally did a backflip due to the sheer force. I was smiling really widely at it when this happened too. And then it looked really embarrassed so I o.Oed and the smile slid off my

face before I looked away to save it from further humiliation. Yes, I am a heartbreaker, I know.

Haha. Amager. (Pronounced simply as "Ah-ma," don't ask me to explain because I can't. Such are the complexities of the Danish language.)

Windmill thingums on Amager! Makes sense because it is so damned windy!

One of the parks in the city, don't remember which.

Lastly, I was trudging uphill from King's Cross station in London all the way back to Angel Station to find Cheryl (Mind you this is starting from Euston because I took the bus in the wrong direction. Grrr.) when I saw this sign and snorted to myself and had to stop and take a picture. I apologize but I have the sense of humour of a 14 year old adolescent boy, as I've said before.

Ok, that's all folks!

Nothing

2010-05-09T13:05:00.001-07:00

In light of recent developments (the memory card in my camera is wonky and I can't seem to upload pictures! =( ) (and that is a sad face followed by a closed bracket, not a sad man with a fat chin) I decided to transfer some old pictures from my cellphone onto my computer. This makes me really sad because I just had another awesome weekend and would very much like to share. mmmfff.

Early in the semester, we went to a Red Cross organic bar close to Forum station. I went to the bathroom and found a torn heart-shaped sticker on the wall. It was cute, and poignant and sad. I took a picture.

I'm sorry we depart this way

You left me broken hearted

But I never loved you anyway

A splendid weekend (Part 2)

2010-05-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

I thought I should finish with the last splendid weekend before this one began.

It was the first sunday of the month so it was free to take the S-train. We decided to go up to Klampenborg, a little town on the outskirts of Copenhagen. I had actually been there before on the very pleasant day that I went there for dinner at Anne's house with her brother and parents. =) I had to pick up the bike from Islands Brygge and bike over to Norreport to meet with Rosalie and Becky.

It was a most delightful day! The weather was amazing and I took my new oversized sunnies out to play.

Horses! (I took the picture for you, Sam)

Family day! Ok the picture is too small so it's hard to see but there are 3 KIDS on that stroller.

Also, Denmark is so full of young parents, it's insane. All these gorgeous young dads teasing you with their Scandinavian good looks and obvious paternal instincts and looking so sweet with their kids but simultaneously crushing your dreams with aforementioned kids. K DID NOT JUST SAY THAT. AM KIDDING.

Entrance to Bakken, the oldest amusement park in the WORLD! No kidding.

It was the sweetest place! The rides were so small and cute and vintage and it was just such a happy place!

The streets.

GAHHHH!! Cutest poster ever!!! Do you not want to squeeze it to death??

Miniature Ferris Wheel! Too cute! I swear it was like...2 metres in height. I wonder if everything here was miniature because it is OLD or because it is mostly meant for little kids. Because if it is the former then it would mean that people all used to be hobbits.

Crocodile ride.

Hahaha so vintage, right! Did anyone watch Problem Child 2? This really reminds me of the amusement park scene, minus the projectile vomiting.
K I suppose this would be more likely to induce the projectile vomiting earlier mentioned.

I'll take you to the candy shop... I'll let you lick the lollipop.. (Because it's old school, like 50 cent. K, never mind.)

We stopped for some cake!

Charm School Graduates, Class of 2010

A bevy of beauties

It's supposed to be a Time Machine

I had decided at the start of the day that I was not going to spend any money and be frugal but alas, we stopped at the waffle stand. Even as my resolve melted away I thought to myself "It's OK! I will only buy the cheapest thing!" But erm... since we are using the metaphor of ice as resolve, let me just say it was a hot day and of course...I got the only 35 Kr thing on the menu. I am ashamed of myself. Belgium waffle with soft serve ice cream and drizzled with Grand Marnier!! I must say it took some of the shame away.

Wow. It is like I am in London. But I am not. hahahaha.

After that we left Bakken to go explore the reindeer park and try to spot some reindeer! We did not see any reindeer for a while but if you look at the picture closely you will see a little dot on the top of the hill in the distance. It is that small because it was that far away from any other path or group of people. It was... a lone man splayed out on the hill sleeping. HAHAHA. Maybe the funniness does not translate but it was a very odd sight.
If you look closely enough you will see 3 deer chasing each other. Truth be told I can't even spot them myself now, but I know they were in the picture.
And then we left the reindeer park to go walk along the beach!

Friends!

This made my heart ache so hard.

Here Rosalie and I indulged in some trigger happiness and took turns taking a bunch of pictures of each other. Hahaha.

I am being pensive in case you cannot tell.

And here you surely cannot tell because I am so small. Haha.

The beach turned out to be somewhat of a nudist beach?? HAHAHA. It was a strange experience. We were just strolling along happily when I was taken aback by what I thought was a naked man and had to do a double-take--which confirmed what I thought was true. Later on by the dock a naked Grandpa and Grandma took a dip in the sea (IT WAS VERY COLD MIND YOU) while a fully-clothed child sat by and waited for them. And then they came out of the sea, and each took the child by one hand and calmly walked back to their blanket. o.O It was very peculiar. My brain exploded a little bit.

After that we hopped back on the train and went to Frederikssund, an old viking town. It was a Sunday so everything was closed and it was actually kind of boring. It was still a quaint little town though.

We sat at the harbour for a bit and then went into Fotex to buy groceries. Hahaha! By this time I was famished and getting very grumpy. I didn't trust myself to be even decent company if I didn't get food so I bought a huge block of brie to snack on (which I promptly finished HALF of on the train ride. Yes, the shame.)

For you, Lulu!

After that we were all super tired so we decided to head back. I had to go to Norreport to pick up my bike before going to Anne's for dinner. Since I had a bit of time to kill, I decided to go grab a coffee at a nearby cafe, but that shall be covered in a post some time later. =)

After the coffee, I got on the bike and went to Osterbro to wait for her to come meet me before we walked over to her place. Her apartment's really nice and HYGGE! Heh. (Hygge means cosy in Danish.) She cooked dinner and after we ate we both got blankets and curled up to watch a Danish movie she'd gotten from her parents' place. It was called Drommen if I'm not wrong and it was really really good!

By the time the movie ended it was about 10.30pm and Anne walked me back to the station where my bike was parked and I went on a mini adventure--biking all the way back to Orestad from Osterbro AT NIGHT. I'm glad I did it because I don't think that is something I am going to be doing again anytime soon. I really liked biking around at night while I was still in the city even though going past some of the parks was a little bit unnerving since they were so dark, but once I got onto Amager, going down the stretch from Islands Brygge to Orestand was an absolutely harrowing experience. It was SO DARK and there were hardly any cars going by. I kept thinking that the pebbles the bike kicked up behind me was somebody RUNNING AFTER ME and looking to my right into the swamp next to me just made me paranoid about something coming out of there and grabbing and pulling me into the darkness. o.O The path was so straight and so long and stretched out forever. All I could do was focus on the light from the metro station in the distance but it never seemed to get closer. gahhh.

Anyhow, it was an AWESOME DAY. Action packed and very very full indeed! =) I tumbled happily into bed.

I later checked google maps to find that I'd biked about 10 km from Osterbro to Orestad. In about 35 minutes including the time spent in front of the traffic lights! That's not too bad right? =)

Kvarterhuset Cafe/ Day of Libraries

2010-05-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

It was an insane day entirely spent in libraries. First I biked to The Black Diamond (Copenhagen's Royal Library) where I could not borrow my book because my CPR card was stolen along with my wallet. Grrr. Can I just say again how much I hate theft? It is such a rude breach of the social contract. I have never stolen anything and I should be able to expect that people will not take my things. Of course the world does not work like this and this is not a topic for today anyway so, moving on...

From there I hopped back on the bike and went to KUA to meet with Professor to discuss paper topic. After that I decided to go to the department library to do some research-- since they don't allow you to check out so many things I thought it best to just get some work done there.

View from the second storey skywalk.

First floor. They have HAMMOCKS!

And a guy who looks like he is caught in a lightsaber fight between invisible jedis.
Haha. Attempt at incorporating nature?

I wonder how the young sapling feels about being in a building full of the bleached and flattened remains of its fellow tree friends.
More of the awesome hammocks.
Waited for Kelly to finish with her class and then we got on our bikes to go to Kvarterhuset--a library cafe, haha--on Amager. It was so cold that day!

People sitting by the window. Lighting was bad.

Library

The counter. Cakes were reasonably priced. My cheesecake was 23Kr.

Happiness on a plate!

Pretty nice place but no power points to plug your computer into. Muhh.

KvarterhusetJemtelandsgade 3
2300 København S
Telefon: 82 32 55 32

International Authors' Stage

2010-05-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

The International Authors' Stage event that Copenhagen's Royal Library the Black Diamond hosts is surprisingly amazing! They have really great authors coming including the likes of

John Irving
Gunther Grass
ANDDDD
Salman Rushdie

Unfortunately they will all be speaking during the time I will be back in Singapore. ARGHHH =(
So much sadness in my heart. This is truth. I would have loved to hear Salman Rushdie speak. The man who wrote Haroun and The Sea of Stories in the flesh in front of me. Haiya. Truth be told I think he looks like a very strange greasy man plus you hear so much random press about him that I don't really know how I feel about him as erm.. a human. BUT HAROUN! The magic!

http://www.kb.dk/en/dia/forfatterscene/index.html

Bang & Jensen Cafe

2010-05-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Istedgade 130
1650 København
3325 5318

So this was part 2 of my determination-driven day. After I left Cafe Retro so prematurely thanks to the awful music, I decided to take the long walk all the way to the meatpacking district in Vesterbro where of course, I found myself walking down the red light district. Considering I lived down Telegraph in Berkeley, you would think that I'd be ok with the shady neighbourhood but just because it was in Copenhagen I felt like it was extra sketchy! I suppose Telegraph also does not have a ton of dirty, crusty looking sex shops. I had not expected the cafe to be so far down the street but everytime I thought a full-body scan from a creepy-looking guy was one too many, I figured it was too far down to turn back anyhow.

I soon arrived at Bang & Jensen!

It was an eclectic little place, as so many of the cute cafes here are. I, of course, chose to sit next to the wall covered in pictures of old men. Or, it seems, pictures of the SAME old man. (I guess he has one variation--see: picture in bottom right corner. Or maybe that's not him. Ok I have talked about this for way longer than I needed to, this parenthesis is getting very long.)

View from Old Man Wall.

Coffee here was very affordable--as far as Copenhagen prices go. About 20 Kr for a regular coffee I think? The guy at the bar was really friendly too. I should try to check out more cafes in this district, I feel like it might be cheaper just because of the neighbourhood. =)

I soon moved to the inner room so that I could take more pictures without looking creepy. Hahaha.

The crowd here was really varied. There were old people and middle-aged people and trendy young yuppies and hipster-type youngsters too. Ok I just said "youngsters," wow, I feel like my parents.
Ran into Rosalie here extremely randomly. Haha. I soon packed up my stuff and headed to Dan and Colin's for very exciting Flip Cup Tournament.

Royal Copenhagen Cafe

2010-05-05T07:31:00.001-07:00

This was one of my absolute favourites!!

Super pretty and super pretty! It's on Stroget and behind the Royal Copenhagen China store, tucked away in the back so it's not really the kind of place you stumble upon since you have to rather purposefully walk into that little nook in the back.

The crowd here is a rather eclectic mix of posh old people and trendy, hip young moms with their babies (because Denmark is FULL of 1) pregnant women or 2)young mothers). Singapore really needs to make a case study of Denmark. There are SO MANY CHILDREN HERE.

It also made me miss my mom a lot because we went to the Royal Copenhagen Cafe in Takashimaya in Singapore back during the 7 months I had before College. Meep! Also, with mother I could order actual food. o.O

The decor of the place was AMAZING!! Like a fairy candyland. Everything was pretty and colourful and HAPPY and almost unreal. Prices were therefore also, of course, unbelievably high. They also have internet access here although it's not really the sort of place where you can linger because the turnover rate is pretty high I think. Oh! The menu is also a children's colouring book. Cuuuutttteee =)

K, will stop talking and let the pictures begin.

View of the place from where Lauren, Kelly and I were sitting.

The table behind us. See what I mean about the babies. Maybe because they are gathered round The Tree of LIFE. Ok, don't mind me I don't know what I'm saying.

Pretty hanging things! Hahaha A pikachu! It's not hard to understand why I love this place. I mean... multi-coloured RIBBONS with shiny gold things hanging from them. WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?

Pretty things in glass cases.

More importantly... DELICIOUS THINGS in glass cases.

Completely spoilt for choice.

And of course I made friends with the old man in the above picture. Because everyone knows I love old men. Perhaps another little thing I can allow you to know about me. He came over to ask me what I wanted and helped me make up my mind by describing every single dessert they had there. Hahaha. Under his recommendation, I tried the Danish-something-mix (I forget) for the tea.

Decided on this bad baby

Let's have another look at the beauty. GAHH!! I normally don't really like too much cream on my dessert but this was mind-blowingly good! I died after finishing it though because it was so rich. But.. ermm.. that didn't stop me from finishing the rest of Kelly's. Yes, should be ashamed of self, but strangely not.

Cute little designer chairs in a glass bell jar!

More cute things in glass cases. A... pincushion? Or voodoo doll. Don't know. Could think of a few people I would want to use that on. JUST KIDDING.

This was the wall next to where we were sitting. So colourful and cute! When I went over to take pictures Kelly said "I knew you'd like that..." I wonder what it says that my friends assume I will like colourful naked cloth dolls composed of cloth fruits. o.O I actually hadn't noticed the dolls yet.

Funny right??

Love the pretty hanging things! hahahaha PUFFER FISH on a ribbon. Gahhh I must squeeze it to death and eat it. SO. CUTE.

Cup of tea with magazine. =) Ah life...

The old man from the counter also came around to take my tea bag out for me. Hahaha how nice. And then he asked me about Singapore because he said he was going there and then promptly told me he did not like my country. ?!

That conversation prompted the old man sitting next to me to talk to me about Singapore too because apparently he was going to go with his son the next week. His wife was really sweet too and said it was a shame she wouldn't be going with them. Sweet old couple. Hee, they warm the cockles of my black black heart. And then when they left she said "Enjoy Copenhagen! Maybe we will see you in Singapore! Just have to look out for the girl with the pretty dress!" Nyeheheh. Yes fine, I like them also because they fed my ego.

Wall of lipsticks! Lighting was bad but it was really pretty!

ANDDD... the best part:

At the entrance of the cafe is...

A fake old man sitting on a swing.

I have... no words. Once again, WHY IS THIS CONSIDERED DECORATION? Like somebody thought "Hmm.. what can I use to decorate this place to make it beautiful and lovely? AHA! A lifesized doll of an old man sitting on a swing hanging above my patrons!"

Alas, I suppose this is a good picture to sum up the experience because Kelly said to me at some point "Really pulling in the old men today, huh, Jerrine?"

A splendid weekend (Part 1)

2010-05-05T06:39:00.000-07:00

Ok I suppose this post will have nothing much to do with cafes but it was a splendid and action packed weekend very much worth mentioning.

Saturday May 1st Labour Day

Woke up and hurriedly got dressed and went to meet Kelly to go meet Lauren at the park. We took our bikes but after making it through the Hell Path that is the stretch from Orestad to Islands Brygge, it started to drizzle so we decided to park our bikes by the fence and hop on a bus. IT WAS A VERY GOOD IDEA BECAUSE in less than a minute it started pouring. To add to this annoying little inconvenience, the bus took a detour which I am sure they announced. In Danish. After staying on the bus for way too long we finally decided to just get off and try to figure out where we were. Famished, we went to get shawarma and then stopped for candy bars and continued on our way (3 bars for 10Kr!). We decided to cut through the cemetery in search of Soren Kirkgard's and Hans Christian Andersen's graves. We quickly became very well acquainted with them (don't ask me how) and were referring to them as Soren and HC ("Do you think Soren is around this corner?")--this development was by no means because their damned names are so long.

The cemetery was so lovely and peaceful. Enchanting, one might say. The willows and the little pink flowers and the muted colours from the dreariness of the day made it all very ethereal.

HAHAHA can you spot the VERY FAT BIRD in the tree? It cracked me up. Ok I realize it doesn't look so fat in the picture hence NOBODY finds this funny but it really was!

Soren Kirkgard! Checked off list of things to do. Or see since I suppose there will be no erm.. doing of the dead man.

I must say I think planting flowers at your headstone is an EXCELLENT idea. The flowers just grow by themselves so 1) The area around the tombstone is always pretty. 2) You don't have to keep going to place flowers there since they sprout by themselves 3) You don't get pesky people stepping all over your dead remains because they forgot you were there because your tombstone got covered with dirt or whatever.

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

Because one must participate in the act of Reading at the grave of one Mr. H.C. Andersen. Although I was reading erm... Shakespeare. Hopefully he had Great Respect for the man and will approve of me reading his work by his bones.

Funny headstone

"Funny looking headstone" that Kelly pointed out. I will not say why it is funny looking. Draw your own conclusions.

Continued on our little semi-adventure to the park. Saw some interesting things on the way.

For example...

I cannot even begin to comprehend what this means.

FOR A VERY QUICK MOMENT I THOUGHT THIS WAS REAL. But it thankfully wasn't.

And then there was another one around every corner. This guy was wearing a shiny gold wedding ring. Statement on Marital Bliss eh? Reminds me of RGS's prelim question--"The wedding band is the smallest handcuff in the world. Discuss." What did my darling progressive all-girl high school do to my brain?

And then... it all culminated in this last one. So this is art. I think I am not deep enough to understand.

And then we got to the park!

Girls with Spongebob!!

I HAD to lead everyone towards the Giraffe.

While walking around and exploring, we walked past this incredibly long line for the Port-a-Potty (or whatever you call it) and this little conversation between Dan, Niko and Colin happened behind me that made me snigger to myself.

Context:long long line of GIRLS

Dan: Haha look at the two idiots standing in line (referring to the only two guys in line.)

Niko: Wohhh... those guys must be taking HUGE SHITS.

*sniggers all around*

Colin: I wouldn't want to go in after those guys...

All: Oh NooooooOO.

Hahaha excuse me if you don't find this funny but I have the sense of humour of a 14 year old boy and I still laugh at fart jokes so...

As we walked around the rest of the day we walked past many patches of forest Kelly later called Pee Forests. Because that's basically what they were. If you looked into the darkness, next to each tree, you would see the silhouette of a man and it does not take a genius to figure out what all these guys are doing standing next to a tree pretending to be inconspicuous. Soon we also identified Guy Pee Forests and Girl Pee Forests. Very interesting day.

Us at our spot! It was amazing we were able to find Dan and Collin at all and it was really all thanks to Tim who spotted us and waved us over.

Since I would like that you shall not get to know me better through this, then if you know nothing else about me, you should at least know that i REALLY like chocolate. More than that, I also really like to put chocolate on my teeth and take pictures. Dear Friends, in case you have forgotten... I present to you, Me.

The picture of demure, dainty, femininity

A Charming Effusive Beauty

A two-legged horse balloon. I tried very hard to get a picture of it while it was up in the air but the girl kept pulling it down. I don't know why but it was just really TOO FUNNY to me. Also, while I was looking at it and laughing to myself I heard Niko say behind me "Look at that. Just look at that. It's a two-legged horse. Man that freaks me out! Why the hell would you make a two-legged horse. That is creepy." HAHAHAHA. Please look.

Crazy drunk people on the bus out of there.

We went to Dan's and Colin's for pizza afterwards and I spied an empty bottle of asian chilli sauce on the table so of couse, i HAD TO PICK IT UP. Upon doing this, I found... this:

HAHAHAHAHA. WHY??? WHY??? I love it so. WHO IS THIS PERSON.

I present the beauty to you in colour.

After that we had tea and sat around and chatted and then finally Kelly and I headed back.

Frederiksberg metro station at night! It's so pretty.

And then I fell into bed. Mind you I only just finished about Saturday. Sunday coming up! =)

Jeans and Coffee Cafe

2010-05-03T19:51:00.001-07:00

This place is one of my favourites!

I like it because it's close to campus so I can pop by if I'm in a cafe-mood but not so much in a trudging 123081 miles-to-a-cafe-mood. Ok, I lie. Copenhagen is so small, trudging 123081 centimetres would get you to a different neighbourhood altogether already. Once again... I digress..

Also, they had pretty good soup and give you a 10% discount if you show them your student card. I always feel like such a miser though, because I always spy these signs in danish that say something about a "studierabat" or whatever that I suspect means "student rebate" or something and so when they tell me how much I have to pay I always go "ERMMM... what does that sign mean? =D" with a fake quizzical look. And then when they tell me it's a student discount i go "OH!" and promptly thrust out my student card which I already have on hand. Shameless, I know, but such is the life of a poor student.

The place has full length glass windows where you can sit at to sip tea and use your computer and watch people go by--except thanks to the construction outside there's not much to see right now.

They also have random huge beanbags on the floor where you can just plop into and read a book!

Can you spy the beanbag in the corner?

My corner of the day. =)

Potion of the day: Hot Chocolate with LOTS AND LOTS OF WHIPPED CREAM. =D

Oh! I also picked up these free samples of some organic rose moisturizer thing they had on the shelf. See see! It is always good to browse. =)

Daily cookie fix. =)

They also have a range of organic food and cosmetic products on their shelves. And logs for stools! =) Yes, am HUGE sucker for gimmicks. They also sell organic cotton jeans and cloth bags and t-shirts. Very very cool place.

They have a little nook round the back with a nice cosy room with low lights and cool things. Let me show you!

Hands coming out of the wall. Don't ask me why, but cool nonetheless.

They have pretty cushions on the plushy chairs and those sheep skin blanket thingums and wool covered lamps. What's not to love!

Dog! =) I later ended up talking to those ladies in the picture for a very long time. Hahaha. I think about food.

Soup in a glass! It was very wholesome and yummy and they give you biodegradable wooden spoons to use!

Er... this was what was in the corner behind me. A FAKE DOG. And it was rather big too! I can't say I really understand the decor of the place but it made me snigger to myself a lot throughout the day so it's all good.

Cafe Retro

2010-05-03T06:48:00.001-07:00

I went to Cafe Retro on a day I was being very determined indeed about this cafe-hunting business. Sad to say though, it seems my determination does not do much to propel me out of my inertia.

Suzie called to say she was going to meet Islay at the cafe close to the International Office but I dilly-dallied for so long that when I got to Norreport and was walking in the direction of the cafe, I was just in time to... catch Suzie and Islay on their way out. Haha. They were heading back but I decided to forge on anyway with my cafe plans. After trying to follow Islay's directions to The Living Room and failing, I decided to make my way to Cafe Retro!

It's a nice little cosy place and it's non-profit so all the proceeds go to some charity I think? The people at the bar/counter were really nice and friendly and they have student discounts on their coffee although truth be told I can't afford anything even AFTER that discount which is probably why I should stop pretending like I have so much money and going out to cafes everyday but... I can't. This addiction is too great.

There are two levels to the cafe and it's nice and cosy with low lights and cushy chairs. They have random little tall counters with bar stools in some areas and then sofas with coffee tables where bigger groups can congregate too. Although they had a pesky little (but very pretty) staircase that you had to climb in order to get to the second level--the stairs are in a closet-type thing and you have to open doors both at the top and bottom of the stairs to get in and out. I must say though, it was decorated very prettily inside with hanging fairy lights. =) Yes, I am all about the fairy lights.

They also have a little stage in the corner for bands to play in the evenings. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, the WORST BAND IN THE WORLD played that night. I swear the moment they started playing people started getting up to leave. 5 minutes into their set, the completely-full second level had cleared out. And still they played on... A complete lack of self-awareness is what I call this. Or perhaps they had driven themselves deaf-- which would explain the insane VOLUME at which they played (because they wouldn't be able to hear) and the lack of any sort of real melody (because they must not be able to hear themselves).

The little corner where I sat.

Disclaimer: bottles of beer NOT MINE, I swear. They were already there.

I have been on a quest for the perfect chai latte and hence have been ordering it every chance I get. It is sad, though, that it is often the most expensive thing on the menu. My staple order of late has been: Chai Latte+Cookie.

Soon I will be poor and fat--which really is the LOUSIEST combination of two things ever.

Upper level of the cafe. I really like the exposed beams and the wooden banisters.

View of downstairs from upstairs. See the crazy head-shaking, vein-popping yeller? Yes, a yeller is what he is. Or a shrieker. But by noooo means a singer.

Glimpse of the bar downstairs through the banister. Oh they also have a computer there with internet access if you need it. Good stuff. I approve.

Look at the peaceful people sitting there before the horror show began.

Perhaps I will give Cafe Retro a second chance because I do like the atmosphere and I appreciate what they are doing with the free trade coffee and the non-profit and the charity but I do believe I have been scarred by that experience. The other day someone was talking about Cafe Retro and saying something about how they have pretty good live music at night and I had to keep from baulking. I probably just had a constipated expression on my face and I swear my left eye would not stop twitching.

Cafe Fokus

2010-04-30T18:16:00.000-07:00

So, I walk past this cafe a lot on the way to CSS and always wanted to go in but somehow just never did. It looks pretty posh and I always suspected it would be horribly overpriced (even by Copenhagen standards) which of course, it was.

This was on the crazy day that it rained, then SNOWED, then was sunny and then was cloudy. Every single weather forecast possible in one day. Madness. Although it did make me feel slightly less awkward about being in my bright red rainboots. Heh. =) Anyhow, I settled in with a cup of coffee and a cookie in the corner of the cafe with cushy seats. Twas pretty cosy--or as cosy as it gets at a place with a clean minimalist design.

Cool looking girl with leopard print leggings.

Coffee was not bad... cookie was nice and big. Definitely expensive, but then so is the rest of Copenhagen. You do get a student discount if you show them your student card though! Plus, they had cool plates and cups and stuff. I also really liked the metal balls for some reason. Haha gives new meaning to Balls of Steel eh? Ok, I don't even really know what I meant by that and it is hardly funny but it is 3 in the morning so you cannot really count on me being completely coherent or lucid nor expect me to have any real wit.

Of Bicycles, Flea Markets, and Strawberries in the Sun

2010-04-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

So I woke up last Saturday excited to go on the bike I'd borrowed from Daphne to a flea market Rosalie had found.

NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT AMAGER. Oh God. Biking from Signalhuset to the bridge was the most horrible thing ever. I don't understand why the wind is ALWAYS against me down that path from Orestad to DR Byen. And I mean always. It doesn't matter if I'm coming or going. ALWAYS. AGAINST.

The yellow houses we passed on our way.

It was quite wonderful though, to have the sun in your eyes and the wind in your hair. I love riding the bike. And the littlest things get you too--like.. smooth asphalt. Hahaha you don't understand how lovely smooth asphalt is until you're on a bike and it makes it that much nicer to ride on. Kind of like my feelings towards cobblestone streets in reverse. I always like them and think about them romantically until I am in heels. And then all I can think of is: Cobblestone be damned!

But I digress.. the flea market was SUPER SUPER! Bought myself a hairband with a huge netted thing on it (ok it looks a lot cooler than I am describing it, I realize "huge netted thing" does not really sound like the epitome of trendy) and a big chunky black and gold necklace (to "add to my collection of black and gold things," Kelly pointed out) and a black witch-like top that I am sure Felicia would approve of.

After that Rosalie and I went to sit by the lake in the sun and ate strawberries and cookies. Life was prettyyyy goooood.

Do you not love the glasses??

I decided it was time to channel my inner John Lennon. Although I just wiki-ed him and the man had a crazyyy life. Brilliant, yes. Taste in sunglasses, obviously impeccable. Life choices though... very questionable.

There is little else you can ask from life when you have a strawberry in your mouth on a sunny day with perfect circles for sunglasses and A BOXFUL of strawberries in your lap waiting to be eaten.

Harbobar Cafe

2010-04-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday was the Danish Culture Course excursion where we went on a Citywalk. I was actually glad we had to get up early and go because then I was forced to get an early start to my day. It turned out to be really nice actually and I liked that we took the little streets. =)

Cafe G. (for you, Luke)

I love how they have outdoor dining now that the weather is warming up and that they always have blankets for you to wrap yourself up in. =D

pretty houses

After we were done with the tour, we went to get pizza and then buy cookies and went to go sit in the park for a bit.

Aww little girls up in a tree. Precious.

I liked the little one who was chasing her sisters around. I bet she was desperate for them to love her. I bet she tried REALLY HARD. I bet they ignored her. And no, I am not projecting my own childhood onto a child I do not know. JUST KIDDING. My sisters are awesome.

After that Kelly and I went in search of a couple of cafes that I'd found online but failed. Yes, I am very dedicated to this cafe business. We did, however, stumble upon this great little place called Harbobar!

Everytime I looked at the sign I would think of gummies because you know.. Haribos. Really, it was only short of an 'i'. Plus, how great would a Haribo bar be?? Aha, a thought.

It was full of cute chairs and different colours and cosy corners I loved it!

Cute corner!

Really cool paneling. I think they just put together a bunch of scrap wood and painted them different colours. Shall attempt to do this myself when I get home and make a project of it. Anyone feel like going around with me to find scrap wood? We will saw and sandpaper and hammer and paint together on an awesome sunny Singapore sunday. I will provide the lemonade. =)

Kelly's cupcake with glitter on the icing! Also, the coffee here was really good. =)

Later that night I went with Rosalie and some others to Christiana to the free Sunday night concert again. Same bands playing the same songs but the atmosphere was still nice.

Haha adorable sticker on one of the pillars. You can't really see but they are bottomless pirates. By bottomless I mean you can see yellow cartoon peen! Hahahahaha.

Great Prayer Day

2010-04-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

It is late on a Friday night and I am, as I am wont to, eating Nutella out of the bottle. So, it was Great Prayer Day today which is a Danish Holiday so all the shops were closed and there was nothing to do at all. Not that this really bothered me considering I woke up close to 3pm and spent a good part of the afternoon trying to get a pesky splinter out of my foot. Note to self: do not take shoes off no matter how much it annoys you to walk in them on the cobblestone.

Did chores and had dinner with Kelly and Frances and then met Rosalie and the other downstairs to go to... church! Haha. Apparently there was going to be some rock concert thing going on in a little church close to Forum and since today was such a danish-specific holiday and none of us really knew what we were supposed to do, we thought it might be fun to go check it out.

It was an.. experience. Rather strange, plenty interesting. There was a pastor who would stand in front in really low lighting to speak and then every 5 minutes he would break and the band would come on behind and and just ROCK OUT ON STAGE and these amazing lights would come on. There was a disco ball and flashing lights and err... a paper mache volcano on the second floor that would light up and spew smoke?? I had to guffaw to myself everytime the volcano did its thing. WHY, can you tell me, WHY would a church simply need to have a smoke spewing lit up paper mache volcano? Why? Anyhow, all this would go on for the length of the song and then... the lights would die and the pastor would come out again. For another 5 minutes of monotonous talking (also it was in danish so nothing made sense to me anyway) before the band would come on again. Hahaha it made me feel slightly crazy.

Can you see the volcano in the corner? Hahahaha i love it.

Yes, this church has a giant metal chandelier and also, a hanging disco ball.

The red lights make it look really creepy and eerie though.

The girls decided to get a beer after (yes, because there is a bar in the basement of the church) but I wasn't really in the mood and so I decided to take off.

view of metro station from base of escalator where I was sitting.

Tomorrow I think we will go to the park for Labour Day and then maybe go to a flea market. hmm.

2010-04-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

So, first post! Things like these always stress me out--you know, the momentous first post, first kiss, first everything. Infinitely stressful. So, instead, let's jump right in!

I decided to start this blog because I figured that since I spend so much time (and money) in cafes I should have something to show for it. I suppose I will post other things up here too--interesting things I've done, cool places I've gone to and the like--but I hope this doesn't lapse into a personal blog. A-tangerine was my baby and still is my baby but lately I just haven't felt much like updating. Besides, there are too many secrets locked up in there too so I think it is best left alone.

I couldn't think of a good name for the blog so for now copenhagencafecrazy shall suffice. For a while I thought copenhagencafechick but then the awesome alliteration still could not justify me calling myself a CHICK. Ew. After all I am not a baby chicken so it would not have made sense.

Anyhow, I really really don't want this to become a personal blog and end up indulging in emotions or whatnot here. I should hope that you will not get to know me better by reading this, thank you very much.

OK WOW this is really boring me so I am just going to get into it already and put ze pictures up.

I suppose I should also introduce you to my face. So here it is:

My face + my new sunnies =D