I miss you guys, my blog friends and readers, but I need to extend my hiatus due to a very hectic schedule. I’ll be back before you know it.

“Yes, it’s me,” he said, smiling ear to ear before reaching out his hand. He’s cute. Taller than me, but not that much, which was a big plus!

“Charles here,” I said, accepting his hand. I could tell he was bit nervous, which made him, in my book, look utterly adorable. “Shall we go to a café or something?”

“Yes,” he said, sounding rather unsure. “I know a place that’s not far from here.”

“By all means, lead on!”

We went to this café and took a seat in a corner, which was quite intimate and private. He ordered some cappuccino while I got something more substantial because I was famished. We talked as we waited and continued when the food and drinks arrived in between bites and sips.

We got to learn more about each other though we already covered the basics like three months ago when we started exchanging messages and emails from this gay website. He was nineteen and I was twenty-four. I was reluctant at first because I always wanted to meet someone older, but he was so cute in his photo that I changed my mind.

At first I felt cougar-ish, but the more I corresponded with him I learned that he’s quite mature for his age. This is a sure winner, I thought because hello, I’ve dated guys who were older, but with a mental capacity of a teenager. Ugh! Now, meeting him in person was not disappointing either because he was good-looking and sweet. I can’t take my eyes off him as we sat there talking!

Two hours or so had passed and he decided that it was time to go home. I was dreading it because I wanted to talk to him some more.

“I like to go to your place if you don’t mind,” I said, trying not to sound desperate, but then again asking to go to his place was border-lining desperation. I’m so pathetic, but a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do.

“I don’t mind,” he replied with a cute smile. My heart skipped a beat and I felt that I wanted to do some somersaults.

At his place, we watched this Van Helsing movie while making some small talks in between. It felt really weird as my whole body was firing up like I’m overloaded with adrenaline, scratched that, libido would be the correct word.

I was throwing glances towards his direction and I realised he was also doing the same. I started to move my chair slowly and discreetly towards him. I didn’t know if he noticed that I was getting closer as he remained mum, seemingly pretending to be engrossed with the movie.

No one said a word until the movie ended. I was ruminating if I should just make the first move, but the fear of rejection made me hesitant. I needed to decide fast because I felt in that exact moment that I don’t have the luxury of time.

“So, you’re going to sleep now?” I said. I know. Stupid question.

“Yes,” he said quietly, taking out the DVD disc out of the player.

“Okay,” I said, pausing to think that I should just say what I was meaning to tell him all along because I got nothing to lose aside from being embarrassed. “Can I kiss you?” The words just escaped from my mouth.

“I don’t know,” he said, looking nervous. “I’m not ready to have a new boyfriend…yet.”

I was relieved that it was not a rejection, sort of. I could still fix this, so I said, “I’m not looking for a boyfriend either. I just wanted to kiss you.”

He flashed me a grin. I understood. I went forward and stroked his face, looking straight at those emerald eyes of his. We moved closer and I could feel the warmth of his breath. He wrapped his arms around me before he pressed his luscious lips against mine.

Words could not describe how I felt the moment our lips touched. The feel of his lips against mine reverberated across my entire body. With his arms still around me and our lips locked, he guided me towards his bedroom. Then with a flick of a switch everything went dark.

P.S.

I made a wallpaper for you guys to download:

+ Download it here.

+ Wired Life by Meisa Kuroki (click the image to see the video).

“Hi!” I said, smiling ear to ear when I saw her.

“Hello!” said Christine, who came closer to give me a hug and some air kisses. “By the way, Ken Marius is joining us.”

“That’s cool!” I said. Ken Marius was another classmate of ours and it’s been a while since I saw him, so it was nice of him to join us. “So where is he now?”

“I don’t know…wait. I’ll try to call him,” she said, taking her mobile phone out from the bag. After a couple of swipes and some tapping on the screen, she pressed the phone to her ear. A minute passed and she placed her phone back to her bag. ” He’s not answering. I’ll try to call him again later, so for the meantime will just go around and if he calls then we can just tell him where we at.”

I thought it was a good idea, so I nodded.

“Do you have any idea where we should start looking for your boots?” she said.

“Why not we start at Skostredet because it’s not that far from where we are now,” I said.

She agreed and off we went. Skostredet, a narrow street with small cafes, restaurants and fabulous stores. It’s one of my favourite streets in Bergen and I considered myself lucky that I live a walking distance from it.

First, we checked T-Michael’s store, but sadly they don’t have the boots that I was looking for. As we moved on we chanced upon a store, which I thought was really cute. Once we came in, I was enthralled with what they have in store.

The store’s name was Kamelone or Chameleon in English and I think it was just an apt name. Like a chameleon their products (mostly are Norwegian labels, so the quality is top-notched) could adapt to a wide variety of customers. Everything was drool-worthy. Christine and I were like children in a candy shop, checking out their products.

+ A fabulous weekend bag by Moo (a Norwegian label). The texture of the bag is just divine to our sense of touch!

+ A book of fairytales with illustrations by Gunvor Rasmussen.

We were somehow distracted from our mission, so I had to snap out of it and checked if they had what I needed. Sadly, they don’t have the boots I was looking for. Christine on the other hand was lusting over these fabulous Pantone mugs, but she didn’t buy it because it wasn’t part of her plan on that day. (I bought the mug on a later date as her birthday gift in which she was so happy ) So saying adieu to the lovely owner of Kamelone, we went on with our search.

We managed to get hold of Ken Marius and decided to have some tea in a cafe near the park. After an hour there, we went around checking almost all the high-end stores in Bergen. I still haven’t found the boots I wanted until a sales lady from the last store we visited pointed me out to another store that might have what I wanted. True to that they have a pair of Burberry rain boots.

“Oh my god!” I said, gasping as I moved towards the display and grabbed the boots. I felt so elated when my hands touched the rubbery texture. “Hello, do you have a size 44?”

The sales lady looked a bit skeptical. “I’m afraid we only have until size 41.”

“Really?” I said with a frown, looking at the boots on hand. “I’ll just try it first and hope for the best.”

And try I did, but sadly it didn’t fit me and I felt somehow devastated. With a heavy heart, I trudged out from the store.

“Does it need to be Burberry?” said Christina with a sympathetic smile.

“Not really,” I said with a hint of disappointment in my voice.

“Well, I think I remember…yes! I know where they sell nice boots that might whet your fashion appetite!” she said, her deep blue eyes were twinkling with sudden enthusiasm.

It was already five in the afternoon as I checked my phone. We were walking around for almost three hours! So we made another stop (before going to this place Christine just remembered) and this time in a bar. I ordered a drink called the Flashy Bitch while Christine and Ken Marius had some white wine and beer respectively. After staying there for like thirty minutes or so, Christine and I left the bar while Ken Marius stayed because some of his friends arrived.

“Telegrafen!” I said, almost slapping myself when she led me to this posh building, which was like ten minutes from where I live! It’s right under my nose all along and I didn’t realise that inside there was a store that sold shoes and boots. I got my boots and Christine got herself a lovely black dress. We were both satisfied.

+ Werqing the Hunter boots I just bought and a Sisley trench coat I got from Rome.

I learned a valuable lesson from that trip: Never go shopping without your friends!

Michael T. Nartey or T-Michael as known to many is one of the hottest fashion designers in Bergen. He’s a man of vision coupled with a matching skill and eye for great design. His outfits are worn by celebrities, socialites and of course people with strong sense of style.

It was early afternoon and I left in a hurry from school. I hastily made my way to the city centre feeling lucky to have this short tête-à-tête with Bergen’s highly esteemed fashion de- signer, T Michael. Despite his busy schedule, he was positive in regards to the interview and managed to squeeze me in.

I’ve met him before when I was working on a film project since he provided the outfits for the casts. Now, on my second time meeting him, he never ceased to amaze me. He exuded an aura of elegance and grace. He’s very friendly and down-to-earth. Talking to him alone could actually spark an inspiration.

He started thirteen years ago with a vision of creating something revolutionary from a fusion of traditional tailoring and contemporary designs. From tailoring he turned it into ready-to-wear or RTW, but suits and dresses are still tailored to fit.

His main studio is in Bergen, but he also has a shop in Oslo. I asked him how he finds Bergen or Norway in terms of fashion, innovation and trend. He told me that geographic location doesn’t hinder creativity or style. Bergen is self-contained and not experimental unlike Oslo, but it’s brimming with creativity. In fact, his products are a reflection of what Bergen is, a marriage between classic, and traditional with cool and modern design.

In regards to his work inspiration, he gathers it everywhere. He even noted that either you find it or it finds you. As his hands were busy on an outfit, he continued talking. He said that while working in a one piece there came a sudden idea and he made a mental note to do something about it. He added that work
begets work.

The future for T Michael is bright and exciting. He has now added shoes and bags in his line, which are very stylish and sophisticated. Also with Norwegian Rain gaining momentum in the fashion world and as its co-designer, things can’t get any brighter!

Stores:

T-Michael Bergen
Skostredet 9A
N-5017 Bergen,Norway
Tel: (+47) 55 55 80 37

T-Michael Oslo
Kirkegt. 20
N-0153 Oslo, Norway
Tel: (+47) 98 63 33 33

Online: http://www.t-michael.com/

Note: This article was written before as part of my design project at school, but I forgot to post it in my blog and share it to my readers and friends. It’s better late than never

Frankly, I’m not really a museum person. When I travel I always gravitate to the nearest shopping centre. Unlike Carrie Bradshaw, I found love first, so now it’s about time to concentrate on the labels.

+ The Swiss Guards or Schweizergarde. Honestly, the uniform just got to go.

+ Inside the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter.

+ Me with some ruins in the background at Foro Romano.

+ Werq it like a supermodel!

+ Inside the Colosseum.

+ Savi, Odd (my husband) and Hege.

+ Gay Village! Need I say more?

+ Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II in its splendour!

+ I emptied my wallet with coins and made a wish at Fontana di Trevi.

+ My souvenir from Rome. The large leather tote is just lovely and luxurious.

I do suggest that the perfect time to travel to Rome is during spring, fall or winter, but not during summer when the heat is almost unbearable (I got soooo tanned!) coupled with a lot of tourists! Anyway, I let the pictures do the talking.

+ The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter as seen from the hotel’s terrace.

+ Me on the Saint Peter’s Square with The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the background.

+ The square and the church at night.

+ A bridge on the Tiber river.

+ An angel statue on the bridge #1

+ An angel statue on the bridge #2

+ Me and Odd with the Pantheon in the background.

+ One of the murals inside the Pantheon.

+ A statue of a child inside the Vatican museum.

+ The ceiling of one of the many halls in the Vatican museum.

To be continued…

P.S.

I still have five invitations left for Spotify Free. Anyone interested just drop me a message here. (Note: Countries in which Spotify is available are: Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.)

Looking out from the window I thought it was going to rain. Dark clouds undulating above Bergen creating a gloomy atmosphere, but at the same time it was beautiful in a gothic sense and it strongly reminded me of Twilight. Bergen after all had a similar weather pattern as Forks in the Washington State.

I love Bergen and as a Bergenser, a rain or even a storm doesn’t deter me from going out on a hiking trip.

“There’s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing,” I told myself with an old Norwegian adage.

Still, I checked my iPhone for the weather report just to be sure, so I knew what I would carry on my person. It looked like there won’t be any rain, so I decided to wear some shorts and a t-shirt. With a hand towel, a flask filled with water and earphones on, I went out from our apartment commencing my hiking trip up to Mt. Fløyen. (It’s really a plus living at the foot of Mt. Fløyen!)

I constantly get ideas all the time and effortlessly as well, but they’re in hyperdrive mode when I’m in a gym or engaging myself in some physical exercises. Hiking on Mt. Fløyen was like opening a cornucopia of ideas, with its lush nature it was truly a paradise that titillated all five senses.

Music blaring in my ears coupled with long strides (and some sprinting in between), I managed to go up and down the mountain in less than an hour, which I thought was a personal feat. When I reached home I felt refreshed despite being sweaty and all. The hike cleared my mind and also inspired me with new ideas for my work both in design and writing.

What do you usually do when you’re looking for an idea or an inspiration?

P.S.

I’m giving away eight Spotify Free invitations and it’s only applicable in the following countries: Sweden, Norway, Finland, UK, France, Spain, Netherlands and USA. For those who are interested state it in your comment. First-come, first-served.

This is a quote from one of the survivors in the Utøya massacre and Oslo bombing. It pains me that something like this happened in our beloved country. This is my small tribute and my prayer by creating this wallpaper, which you can download by clicking on the image above or follow link 1 for the largest file version and link 2 for the Norwegian version.

+ A seagull which flew overhead from where we sat.

“I think this is a good spot,” I said, pointing at a bench under a tree. The shade was inviting because I had enough dose of the sun for a day. I sat first before the others followed suit.

“I heard that you got a new job,” said Wenche.

“Yes! A job that I always wanted,” I said, my eyes twinkling with glee. “I just got lucky to be honest.”

“Why so?” she said, placing her camera back inside her bag before checking her beautiful baby boy who was still fast asleep.

“I actually applied for another position which was of course computer related,” I replied. “But during the interview I guess they found out that I’m more predisposed to design. So the next day they called and told me that I didn’t get the job as a tech support, but instead as a web designer. They even asked me if it’s okay.”

+ Odd ❤

“What did you say?” she said, sounding intrigued.

“Of course, I said yes! Knowing they’re not actually hiring for one until January next year, but somehow I managed to convince them,” I said with a grin and a certain degree of exuberance. “It’s a lovely company and the office’s location is to die for! It’s like a ten-minute walk from where we live. Plus, I can tell that the people working there are very nice. I have really good vibe on this, I tell you!”

“That sounds really wonderful and congratulations!” said Wenche. “What do you think about this Odd?”

“I’m really happy and proud of him,” he said, kissing me on the cheek.

+ Sunset taken from our window.

P.S.

I made some slight changes in my site’s design. I hope you like it guys

“What is it my dear?” said Odd, who apparently heard me sigh in the kitchen. I was standing by the sink with a glass of water and he approached me.

“So did you wash all the clothes?” I said, ignoring his question as my eyes darted on the laundry basket he’s carrying.

“I did,” he replied, but he gave me a skeptical look. “You haven’t answered my question. Is something bothering you?”

I drank the glass full of water before I answered him. “Nothing serious. I’m just worried that I might not be able to finish my book in the allotted time I set on myself. I’ve been cheating on my personal deadlines you know.”

“Oh, don’t be worried,” he said, placing the laundry basket on the floor and he wrapped his arms around me. “You’re over half-way now. Just write as much as you can and you’ll definitely get there.”

+ Invoking my inner Carrie Bradshaw to whip up this novel in shape.

I smiled. When he saw it, he gave me a kiss before he let go, picking the laundry basket and he went straight to our bathroom.

I set the empty glass on the kitchen sink before I went back to my study table. I turned on my Mac. Once everything loaded, I opened a web browser. I thought I should update my blog first before I continue writing on my book. One reason was that I’m just excited to show to my readers the opening sequence I made for my upcoming book (in conjunction with a design project at school) and also the first three chapters were now available to read in my own site.

+ Click the image to see the opening sequence.

After, I continued writing on my book with a new hope that I would be able to finish it within the time limit I set on myself. The sound of the keyboard typing could be heard throughout the night.