NERD GIRL ATTACKS

Muuse – original fashion at its core

2011-10-01T03:46:00.000-07:00

Experience fashion before the stylists tellyou what’s hot. I just found this cool Danish website that has nowremoved all the filters of trendsetters, retailers and stylists and brings youthe newest in fashion design directly from the young designers themselves.

Muuse.com is a site and web shop thatshows and sells the creations of young designers straight out of the leading designerschools across the world with the possibility of buying these limited edition garments.

I think the concept is intriguing and Ilove the idea of slow fashion where the quality and style is based on theactual craft of the garment and not just what is popular at the moment. Muuse is based in Copenhagen and work with localtailors who sew up the designs in limited editions, making each piece original. The styles and designs are all very different, but all equally interesting and creative. So check it out!

Stylish Stockholm

2011-08-11T13:53:00.000-07:00

Stockholm is a very stylish city. People are always extremely well dessed and composed. And now that it is fashion week of course The Sartioalist 's Scott Schmann is around town to document the most stylish of the Stockholmer inhabitants. Stockholm has a lot of beautiful people - they are allmost too stylish sometimes. To a level where it looks like they just worked out of a fashion magazine.It's astonishing and impressive, but often not very original. More like people slavishly following the latest trend in fear of being out of the 'fashion loop' or god knows being 'unfashionable'.
Yet I really think the Sartioalist found some good examples. He manages to catch the original and personal style of people, which can be difficult to find.

These girls all have a personal style that is really original - and a little off the mainstream.
A lot of Stockholm pictures taken by the Sartorialist are apparenly taken on the street where I live - Götgatan. But unfortunately I still have not managed to see him in action.
The Sartorialist could however not hid his usual weakness for young men with bare feet in their shoes. He tends to find them and photograph them all over the world. I think if I do catch him in the street one of these day, I'll aks him why he likes that so much.

Inspiring City Cinema

2011-08-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

On my summer holiday I visited the charming Dutch capital Amsterdam and there I had the chance to enter one of the most beautiful movie theatres I have ever seen. The Pathé Tuschinski Cinema, located in the centre of Amsterdam, really looks like something out of a gothic novel. My instant reaction was that it didn’t matter what movie we saw, as long as I would get to go inside this palace like theatre.

The Tuschinski cinema was created by Polish immigrant Abraham Icek Tuschinski and opened to the public in 1921. Its interior as well as the facade is an overwhelming mixture of art deco architecture and jugende style details. Especially the foyer has amazing details of lamps and wall decorations. Even the door handles and carpets are special.

The Tuschinski as a piece of history

There are several auditoriums in the Tuschinski cinema. The main one has room for 1200 people and was designed to also work also as a theatre stage. Originally it had an orchestra of 16 instruments to accompany the performances. And in its time the Tuschinski has been visited by such glamorous stars as Edith Piaf, Marlene Detrich and Josephine Baker.

It is not only in art and entertainment history that the Tuschinski cinema has a legacy. The personal tragedy of founder Abraham Tuscheski connects the cinema to another and graver part of world history. During the Nazi occupation of Holland in 1940-45 Mr. Tuschinski and most of his family was killed in German concentration camps. The cinema was then given the non-Jewish name ‘Tivoli’, however after the war its original name back was returned.

It was not difficult to imagine myself back in the 20s and 30s as I wondered around the empty halls of the main auditorium. There are several side rooms to that work like small lounge areas all with exquisite interior. There is supposed to be a Japanese tea room there somewhere too, but I did not get to see that.
Whatever movie you are about to see in that cinema the magic of the place gets your imagination working. I only wish that more modern cinemas would be more bold when it comes to inspiring decor.

When Swedish girls go crazy

2011-06-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

It almost never happens. Swedes are some of the most well-behaved and self-controlled people I have ever meet. But I recently found myself in a situation with some pretty aggressive and intimidating Swedish girls. Yes, believe it or not, these beautiful blonds really have quite a temper when you meet in the right circumstances.

The circumstances were of course a shoe sale. Now cheap shoes can make any girl crazy I guess and so when it comes to a sample sale on the ever so hyped Swedish Hasbeen-clogs, you really have a lethal cocktail.

This Nerd Girl has never been good at sale-shopping. I just don’t have the killer instinct. But for these really cool shoes, I thought I’d give it a try and as nice and civilised as the Swedish girls are I thought it would work out fine... But oh how I was wrong.

These 1970s retro style sandals have been popular the last few years and were seriously put on the fashion map when Sarah Jessica Park was seen wearing them in the streets of New York.

Swedish Handcraft

The Swedish Hasbeens are according to the website handmade in old local shoe factories around in Sweden. The production focuses on sustainability and only uses natural leather and wood. Quality that lasts is the motto for these shoes and quality costs... Which is why the early morning sample sale was quite popular.

The sample sale I was at offered very, very cheap prices – more than half price on almost all of the many different models. So it should be worth standing in line at 8 in the morning a long with a lot of other eager girls – some of them in fact already wearing pairs of the much hyped sandals.

Actually I should have known better: A shoe sample sale at 8 in morning is so not a Nerd Girl-thing to do. That early my pace is about that of an elephant and I'm not i a good mood. So of course I was way too slow. Bumping into the other girls who had already snatched up 5-6 pairs of the colourful hand-made sandals they would angrily hiss ‘these are mine’ if I came too close. In the end I walked out empty-handed, wide awake and a pretty intimidated.

So when I do buy my pair of Swedish Hasbeens, not the sandals but these lovely ones - I'll make sure to do it in a nice and calm shoe shop.

Alone in the world

2011-05-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Stockholm is the most amazing city when it comes to photo exhibitions. Obviously the city in itself is amazing too – that goes without saying - but the amount of museums and galleries focusing on photography is much bigger than I am used to from Copenhagen. And as a cherry on top, some of them are free!

One good example of that is Kulturhuset, where you can right now see works by Gregory Crewdson. Creepiness and loneliness are pretty much the feelings you get when seeing these photographs. Make no mistake they are intriguing - yet you feel like you’ve entered a scary movie.

This one (above) really stayed with me for a long time after. The woman on a bed looking at a small naked baby. I wonder if the child is dead or alive... why is the door open and what is it about the woman that is so disturbing?
This series of photos is called 'Beneath the roses' and really looks like movie stills. You feel the tension in these shots.

Feel the light

Another thing that is striking about these photographs is the lighting and way it captures the weather. You can almost smell the cold of the snow or feel the damp rain and through that the loneliness of these landscapes and people also creeps out.
These everyday-like environments from small-town America also remind me of motives in Edward Hopper the American painter from the 1930s-40s. The feeling of emptiness and loneliness are also created through light in Hopper's paintings. For example this one 'Summer Evening' from 1947.
But the feeling of something lurking beneath this extremely well polished surface is strong in Crewdson's photos and I guess what get's under you skin.

Royal Vintage the Amory

2011-05-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

Stockholm’s Royal Armoury takes us on a fashion journey, showing how Royal vintage is part of a recycling present where quality fabrics and design can last through generations.

When I saw that the Royal Amory here at the Royal palace in Stockholm was hosting an exhibition called Royal Vintage showing vintage dresses worn by members of the Swedish royal family I had to go see what the fuss was about. Lately the term 'vintage' has been used to cover everything that he reused - not considering the quality or the age of a garment. But in this exhibition there is a clear idea about what 'vintage' refers to: exceptional and highly quality clothes from the 1900s to 1960s.

The exhbibtion does not focus on style or fashion, but more on colours and materials.It featured dresses mostly worn by Swedish Princess Sibylla.

My knowledge about Swedish Royalty limits itself to the actual king and Queen and their three beautiful children. Princess Sibylla is the late mother of the current King Carl Gustaf. The exhibition has matched dresses in colours, so each room is devoted to one colour. Showing us first shades of white and cream and moving on the blues, reds, greens and black. We see how the dresses are made and what materials are used. Withou attention to 'the style of royalty' or pictures of any of the princesses, the exhibition instead show us that quality in texture and shape is what really lasts for generations.

The exhibition is on untill January 2012 at the Royal Amory in Stockholm

So she's back – attacking slowly across Stockholm

2011-04-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Nerd Girl is back after a year of re-adjusting herself to a new country, a new city and a new life. Thus now with a different battlefield to attack: the ever so perfect Stockholm.

Located in an amazing scenery of water and islands this city is special. It has a buzz that is completely unique and I feel privileged to live here right now. I was smitten with this city from the beginning - but especially in the summer time Stockholm aweakes like a sleeping beauty from a dark and very cold winter.

The first thing I want to share with you is this very old video of busses driving around Stockholm to the music of 'Sakta vi gå genom stan' song by beautiful Monica Zetterlund.

Imagine yourself walking home through the city one summer night. Up here in the northern Scandinavia we have very, very light summer night. Nights when the sun comes up at 2 in the morning - just when you are on your way home from a party.

Going over to the other side

2010-02-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. but there's been some pretty big changes in my personal life lately: Nerd Girl is leaving her beloved Copenhagen. I leaving pretty much everyone I know and love and starting all over on the other side. The other side being Stockholm, Sweden.

Fate has decided that it's time for me to have some adventure and try out a new city, so that's why I've been a bit absent this last month.

So Nerd Girl will from now on be writing to you from the other cool Scandinavian capital and as I'm totally new in town I'm looking forward to exploring a new territory.

Finally Chanel

2010-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

I finally got to see Coco avant Chanel. Denmark must be the last country on earth where this movie premiered and for that reason the expectations have been building up for far too long.
I thought it was a beautiful and stylish film, but the story didn’t really interest me. Apart from some amazing photography and beautiful colours the story was thin. I mean it was about Coco before the glamour life of her fashion empire, but all we saw was her love life and only a few glimpses of her actual fashion talent. The reason I wanted to learn about Coco Chanel was not to see a story of her failed love interests, but to understand how she became such an influence for fashion designer in the years to come.

Yes, we saw how she had an eye for original style and how she picked up inspiration from men’s wardrobe and working men’s materials. But where did her skills come from? I mean it seemed like she was just born with it and learned to sew a bit and suddenly puff she had her own shop and went on to stardom.

But I guess that’s what the movie business will show of her life – even though I had thought that as it was a French film it would have had more emphasis on her artistic features than on a love story.

Nerd Girl wishes you a happy new year

2009-12-31T07:12:00.000-08:00

Resolutions for 2010:

Poetry. For some reason I tend to forget the amazing pleasure poetry can give you. I read novels and magazines, but the intensity and simplicity just isn’t there. So 2010 will be a year of intense feelings and short sentences. So far on the shelf for 2010: Naja Maria Aidt: 'Alting blinker'.

Wear more:

High heels. Sneakers are still my preferred type of footwear, which is a shame as I love girls in heels and actually own quite a few lovely pairs of high heeled shoes. So Nerd Girl will do her best to walk and talk in heels in 2010.

Eat more:

Cake. Of course! You can never eat too much of really well-made, delicious cake. Small patisseries are popping up all over Copenhagen at the moment and I think 2010 is the year to visit them all.

See you in 2010!

Lets eat the tree

2009-12-20T08:24:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas cookies and I love to bake them. This year I got some new cutters to add to my rather modest and very old collection of Christmas cookie cutters. The cookies I’ve baked this year are simple Danish butter cookies and I’ve baked them both for eating and to use on my Christmas tree as decorations.

I inherited my glass Christmas ornaments from my grand mothers. And I really love them and take extreme care that nothing happens to them. They are my most cherished items, I guess because they are so fragile, old and rare.

It is an old Danish tradition to put Danish flags on the Christmas tree - I think that there are paintings of some of the earliest Danish Christmas trees in about the1850s with Danish flags on and I have no idea why. – From my point of view there is absolutely no patriotism or nationalism involved. I guess it's the same with the way we use our flag for birthdays and other celebrations.

Hopenhagen: the place to be this December

2009-12-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

Copenhagen is a crazy place to live at the moment. The trafic is totally changed and a lot of the large roads are blocked. All because of - of course - COP15. One of the most special places in the city right now is the City Hall Square where a whole new city has emerged for the climate summit. It's 'Hopenhagen live' a city within the city where the peoples climate activities are taking place. Lots of things are going on - concerts, small special events and you can read all

about it all here: Hopenhagen live.

In all the small green houses there are all sorts of things going on for example environmentally friendly x-mas decorations and you can buy the special Henrik Vibskov 'climate-fashion' scarf and hat to keep you warm in this cold winter.

Advent: to stay and to go

2009-12-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas is my favorite time of year, especially because of the traditions and the candles. Advent is the four Sundays before the 24^th and the Advent wreath with four candles are very popular here as a way of counting down the dark days until the light returns to the sky. Originally it might have been a Christian thing, but for me it mostly a was of have some candles and light to fight the darkness.

This Sunday is the third Sunday before Christmas and so there are two candles lit. My Advent wreath is very old. It used to belong to my Grandmother and I guess it's from the 1940s or 50s. It is made of iron and has room for clementines decorated with cloves. It always makes my apartment smell like Christmas.

This year I found another type of Advent wreath. - A more modern version than mine. This is a ‘take-away’ Advent wreath in a handy little box, so you can put it in your purse and take it to your friends when you go visit.

So while your candles are burning and you're enjoying some delicious Christmas cake and tea what better time than to send your friends and family a vintage design Christmas card. I found these beautiful ones at End of the Day Crafting on Etsy.

Nerd Girl keeps warm

2009-11-27T13:40:00.000-08:00

Winter is coming and even though the climate changes are making sure that the temperature doesn’t really creep below zero, the wind still sends us chilly greetings of cold weather. So just at the right time the cool Swedish designers of Cheap Monday decided to open a shop here in Copenhagen this past week.

And the Cheap Monday A/W 09 is just the way for a Nerd Girl to keep warm. Of course the Cheap Monday jeans are famous, but I also think their dresses and knits are really cool. I look forward to dropping in and checking out the shop in the future.

Mormors makes November easier

2009-11-25T01:31:00.000-08:00

It’s always been one of my least favorite months of the year, November. In Denmark and I guess in most other northern countries as well November is the month where it starts to get really dark. The days just become gray, windy and rainy. Some days it seems like the sunlight never really gets through the clouds and you walk around in a constant feeling of late afternoon. The whole day looks and feels like afternoon. Needless to say it really influences your mood and energy. Most of us stay inside in our sofas, light candles and crawl up with a book or watch TV. But sometimes you need to get up from the sofa and feel the city - even though it's dark. So therefor I go to Mormors.

Place of the month in November is Mormors a really cosy cafe just a few minutes from Kongen Nytorv. 'Mormors' means grand mother's in Danish and the whole concept of this place is inspired by the loving warmth of our grand mothers.

Whether it be the delicious cakes and cookies she used to bake or the warm feeling sitting in her living room - this is what you can find at Mormors and it is the perfect remedy for sad November with rain and darkness. They sell vintage decor and all sorts of delicious sweets. You can sit in the window and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate just like at your our own grand mother's house.

National Treasure - Georg Jensen

2009-11-13T08:23:00.000-08:00

I'm getting kind of design sentimental these days. I found an old book about the faces of Copenhagen in the 1890s and amongst those amazing people of the past was Georg Jensen – designer of silver wear and jewellery, and I guess also known as one of the fathers of ‘Danish Design’ - and what a face he has... He lived from 1866-1935 and started selling his now world famous silver wear in a shop at Bredgade in the heart of Copenhagen in 1904.
For many Danes Georg Jensen’s designs have become a household name and most of us own something made by the Georg Jensen company whether it be jewellery, house ware or more industrial design objects. I own two modest pieces of Georg Jensen jewellery and they were given to me by my parents and grandparents as special gifts when I was younger. As I became older these items sort of grew out of my style, but lately I’ve rediscovered some of the original jewellery designed by the man himself and they are beautiful.The pieces designed by Georg himself from brooches to necklaces are from around 1910s -1930s. Some of them are still sold, but others only survive as antiques. I really like the Art Nouveau style jewellery with silver flowers or plants elegantly surrounding a stone - often an amber or moon stone.Recently the George Jensen company has launched a collection called 'Moonlight' of jewellery with George's old designs. The pieces are lovely and classic, but still with more modern coloured moon stones instead of the darker reds of amber and deep green malachite that are found in the antiques.

Happy birthday miss Kitty

2009-11-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

Hello Kitty - my childhood hero - turns 35 this year. It kind of made me think about how she has evolved over the years. This iconic cat that reeks cuteness and fluffiness has after 35 years really become a woman with a lot of odd things made in her name.

As a young girl I wanted all the Hello Kitty merchandise I could get my

hands on. Of course back then I didn't know it was called 'merchandise' and never considered the huge organisation's advertising schemes was targeted especially at little girls like me with a love of all things pink and a soft spot for cute cats.

Many years have passed since I cherished a Hello Kitty toothbrush and the merchandise has equally developed. For some reason it feels a bit like Hello Kitty and I have grown up together since I've always been just the right age to appreciate the newest Kitty-items, such as the Hello Kitty-MAC make up a few years back. So in connection with her 35^th birthday I started to really explore what else this lovely Kitty has her face on - and as it turns out our favorite cat has been pretty busy over the years.

As a 35 year old the cute cat is no longer only about small girls. The pleasures of Kitty have crossed over to a very adult world. In fact the life style of a grown up Hello Kitty now includes sex, alcohol and rock'n'roll - but still all in pink of course...

Dyrehaven in autumn colours

2009-10-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

I like nature as much as the next person and sure the colours of autumn leaves can be breathtaking. One popular place for Copenhageners to go and enjoy the loveliness of the trees this season is Dyrehaven, a large wood just north of the city. It is a great place to go and get away from the city and breathe in some clean air.

However when the autumn weather really shows its worst side, which is the case at the moment, I prefer to enjoy the light brown colours of coffee, tea or beer sitting inside. Therefore I go to a different Dyrehave – the really cosy cafe at Vesterbro and place of the month in October.

At Dyrehaven the interior from the old school 1970s bodega is almost intact, set in orange and wooden colours you can enjoy a traditional Danish lunch of smørrebrød and other Danish dishes. This place is so down to earth, warm and friendly that you could easily stay there all afternoon, while the rain hits the window and the darkness slowly creeps in.

Find yourself in my blood stream

2009-10-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

A new Danish band recently caught my attention. It is the group Giana Factory who recently supported Glasvegas on their European tour and also played this year’s Roskilde festival.

On Saturday they played a release gig at Vega here in Copenhagen to promote their debut EP ‘Bloody Game’ and must admit I was smitten.

The light female vocals and the electronic backdrop in the songs totally got under my skin. The three girls looked so cool on stage, and even though I know they have a male drummer, they just made me think of a modern version of a 1960s girl group – totally in control and really enjoying what they were doing. Nerd girl will definately keep her eyes on them in the future.

Inspiration - at last

2009-10-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

I apologise for the lack of posting here lately. To be honest I’ve been short of inspiration both in fashion and art. I guess sometimes you just need a little time to really feel a new boost again. And oh do I feel it now!

I found Victor & Rolf’s SS10 collection online and I must say that this really gave me a rush of blood to the head. So far the works of Victor & Rolf haven’t really hit me as something striking, but with this collection Nerd Girl comes out of the shadows and is deeply impressed.
I guess it’s the whole fairytale imagery with the huge tulle dresses mixed with a sharp edge well worth of Edward Scissorhands that’s really tickles my fancy.
But I also really like the boudoir and Japanese kimono style. It seems like such a fresh and really optimistic approach to summer style. How this ends up being delicate and punk at the same time is beyond me, but it does and I want it in my closet!

You can see all of the amasing dresses here

Sweat and saliva – Shakespeare at his best: on stage

2009-10-09T07:33:00.000-07:00

Last night I witnessed an amazing performance of Richard III at the Royal Danish Theatre. It really convinced me that Shakesperare belongs on stage. Here we can smell the sweat and almost taste the bitter tears as the drama unfold in front of us.

The setting is minimal: the walls are made out of giant blackboards, and chairs are lined up along them. The stage basically looks like a classroom waiting for a lesson to start and like bunch of young students the actors enter the stage singing and settling down in the chairs. On the blackboards written in white chalk with elegant letters are the names of all the characters in Shakespeare’s Richard III. They are organised neatly in family trees to give an idea of the different clans and family ties within the English royal blood line.

But one by one the names are crossed out as Richard kills off each rival on the way to the throne. In the center of the stage strangulation becomes an art form. Every killing is performed with the bare hands, just flesh on flesh. No blood or firearms, but pure human muscle.

Richard is played by Søren Sætter Lassen, one of my favourite actors. He can look small and insignificant, ridiculous even, and then suddenly the lines in his face changes and a schizophrenic power monster reveals itself. In general the story is played out with extreme intimacy. It becomes a raw and naked experience as every actor gives their sweat, spit and tears in this gruesome story.

Hamlet - and a mint

2009-09-17T11:38:00.000-07:00

Late summer in Copenhagen usually means a least one performance of Hamlet at either at the Elsinore castle or somewhere else in the city. And this year we had a very special guest Hamlet at Elsinore castle in the form of the very lovely Jude Law. Tickets of course were sold out in a blink of an eye, so I didn’t get to see it. And according to the reviews I didn't really miss any ground shaking experience.
–So to get my annual Hamlet fix I went else where, to see quite a different sort of Hamlet: A silent, female one: Asta Nielsen as Hamlet in the 1921 silent film version of the classical play. It was my first experience with Shakespeare as a silent film and I’m not sure I would recommend it. As much as I love Shakespeare’s plays in different versions and performances, it just doesn’t seem right when we don’t hear the words. The piano playing that accompanied it almost made it hard to stay awake for this 2 hour film.

The idea of Hamlet as a woman seemed in this film seems a bit of an excuse to get the great Asta Nielsen to play such a famous role. It wasn’t really used to explore any other aspects of the play or the characters, which I think was too bad. Asta, I should emphasise, really delivered a stunning performance and was not as accidentally funny as the rest of the cast was. The extremely exaggerated death scenes of both Gertrude and Claudius become really funny and comic relief-like.

So after such a heavy Shakespearian experience, Nerd Girl needed something to pick her up. So what could be better than an ‘After Shakespeare mint’? I’m sure they were invented especially for such an evening.

Macaron vs. Luxenburgerli

2009-08-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Like so many bloggers before me I'm very fond of the lovely French Macaron. When I was in Paris the last time I also visited Ladurée for a cup of tea and a taste of their ever so famous macarons. And I was not disappointed , apart from looking divine, they taste amazing. So of course I brought back a box. But very recently a friend of mine brought home a Swiss' delicacy that resembles the Macarons but are a wee bit smaller. They are called Luxenburgerli and are as far as I can taste almost the same, but just the little sister of the macaron. They are equally as tasty and with different types of flavours.

All though the small ones are really cute, I think I prefer the French macarons. The flavors come across much better in them as they are bigger. The biscuit is also more crunchy in the larger macarons.

The importance of female role models

2009-08-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

My mom turned 62 today. On that occasion I came to think about female role models. The women in your life who have inspired you, helped you believe in yourself, and taught you things about life you didn't expect to need. I have been blessed with incredibly strong women in my family - so for me female role models have been very easy to find- my mom has and is still a huge inspiration for me.

My idea of a female role model is a woman who helps you figure out who you want to be and shows you how to be happy with yourself and not take yourself too seriously, both as a women and a person - whether it's intellectually, personally or in style.

Fashion and style is always preoccupied with youth and the idea of looking young and fresh. But whatever happened to looking wise or like you actually know something about life?

That look - the style of wisdom and maturity- is something that in my mind never goes out of fashion. The women that I look up to aren't tall, skinny or have firm skin - but they look amazing because they feel comfortable in their own skin.

Without becoming too sentimental about age, style and the beauty of the wisdom of life, I will direct your attention to a really cool blog I found a few days ago.

Advanced style is a blog dedicated to the personal style of the older and more courageous people, than you'll ever see on the Sartorialist. Here you'll see the kind of really cool, wacky, streetwise, yet old school chic kinda style, I want to have when I get old. Here are som examples from Advanced style:

Being 62 and still looking great, has something to do with your attitude to life and the people around you. It comes with the courage to trust your own taste completely, feel comfortable and just going with it. I really admire those women.

Can you be sharp and loose at the same time?

2009-08-08T02:04:00.000-07:00

Vilsbøl De Arce have shown their clothes at Copenhagen Fashion Week for few years now and I missed them every time. This time I saw it along with a lot of other fashion interested mortals in a show made for the public.

I always liked their futuristic avant garde style and the SS10 collection kept true to their originality.
Based in black, white and wine-red colours the look was loose and symmetrical at the same time.
Still having their signature spacey bathing suits - but this time more wearable than earlier - the collection was simple and solid. The short jackets and leather shorts with elegant details in cutting were some of me favourites, but I also really liked the jumpsuits and the general cut of the pants.

Yesterday I saw that they were featured in Dazed and Confused for an interview, which is definitely worth reading.

The rainbow at the end of the tunnel

2009-08-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

The first days of Copenhagen Fashion Week have showed light and loose garments. The dark gloominess from the fall collections have been replaced by light rainbow colours. Perhaps there is a trace of design-optimism in this financial crisis after all. According to the clothes next summer will be brighter.

Wednesday:

Rüzou showed a delicate and very feminine collection with hints of fun in the sprinkles of gold, blues and pinks. Beautiful flowing dresses were combined with loose suits and in general the clothes look relaxed, comfortable and wearable.

Thursday:

Yesterday Bibi Ghost showed voluptuous shapes and stiffer fabrics in a simple yet strict collection that made me think of Japanese Samurais. Nothing delicate about this, except maybe for the ligth and pale colours.

The graduates from the Danish Design School had created a very impressive show, with some really interesting prints and silhouettes. So far I must say that this was the most playful and fun styles, probably because these students don't have to worry as much about selling their things, as the established designers do.

The colours were very cool. The pure lavender and golden brown and orange were used beautifully. I really look forward to seeing what they will bring to Danish fashion in the future.

As I wrote earliere I was excited to see Batlak and Selvig's SS10 collection. In contrast to most of the designs seen so far they showed fitted and tight dresses and suits. They used heavy materials and created a very classic ladylike style. You might almost say that they did an updated and Scandinavian version of the Chanel suit and the 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' -look. I had been expecting more bright colours, but they too used a lot of watercolours and light grays. The raw edge from what I had seen in their earliere work was truned down here leaving the look more refined and elegant.

All photos by Sacha Maric /Copenhagen Fashion Week

Queer in the church

2009-07-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

Nikolaj Copenhagen Contemporary Art Centre is one of my favourite contemporary art museums in the city. Located in the old church Saint Nikolaj right in the middle of the city, just behind the main walking street Strøget, it has such a clam and secluded space which gives the art experience a certain clam and ease I haven’t found anywhere else. On a hot summer day it is a cool place to slip in to and they almost always have really interesting exhibitions.

These days the city is filled with homo sports fans as we are hosting the World Outgames 2009. For this occasion Nikolaj has put on a really interesting exhibition about memory and history in relation to gender and sexuality. The exhibition is called 'Lost and Found Queerying the Archive' and it combines many different works from international artists.

One of them is the artist called Cecillia Barriga who in her work Two Queens has taken two of Hollywood silent cinema's biggest stars Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich in each of their signature roles and put them together in a 'fake' on screen lesbian love affair.

I made Nikolaj place of the month because it's such a special place both for it's art and the actual historical feeling the building has. It is one of the oldest churches in Copenhagen- originally from the 1200s I think and it has survived wars, fires and its tower can be seen in the city skyline everywhere, even though the actual chuch is really small.

Looking forward to Copenhagen fashion week

2009-07-29T11:39:00.000-07:00

Copenhagen fashion week has grown over the last few years and is attracting more Nordic designers. This year there are more Scandinavian designers than ever before and I really look forward to getting to know them. I am especially looking forward to Bátlak & Selvig from Norway with headquarters in Oslo. Last year this designer duo won the ‘Designer of the year’ award at Oslo fashion week last year.

I especially like the colourful dresses and sharp structure in all their garments.

Ice cream sandwiches

2009-07-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Summer calls for a tasty snack and what is more delicious than cool, sweet and soft ice cream? Well, it just might be chocolate cookies. So why not combine the two into a double treat? Well that's what some of my friends did and invited me to an afternoon on the terrace eating and relaxing. The ice cream is made with tofu and coconut cream and even though I never thought tofu ice cream could be just as good as normal ice cream, I must admit I was convinced by this. The sandwiches were very heavy and after two you felt pretty much like you just had dinner.

Happiness in a bottle

2009-07-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

The art of creating perfume is something that has always fascinated me. That you can actually make so many different types of smells that all in different ways capture of feeling of beauty or happiness is incredible.

But of all the different scents that each fashion desinger, cosmetics brand or celebrity launch perhaps equally as enchanting is the packages they come in - the flacons.The perfume become so much more than just a scent when it comes in a beautiful flacon - it can completely light up your bathroom or dressing table and make you think that 'woaw I really can smell yourself pretty'. Like jewellery for all the senses.

Obviously the French have from the beginnging been really good at creating artistic and alluring bottle design.

However sometimes the actual scent inside isn't always as nice as the artwork outside. Even though I realise that preferences of perfumes is completely individual, which is what makes it so amazing, I personally for some reason always end up getting the scent that comes in the ultra simple and plain bottle. In some way it's really too bad. I look at my bathroom shelf I think, 'I need more glamour and excitement. But then I always get this idea that if the bottle is heavy on the art, there must be a strong and spicy smell to carry it off, which in the long run never really sticks with me. But here are some examples of classic flacons with a modern twist.

My favourite summer oasis

2009-06-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

Summer has hit Copenhagen like a smack in the face. After a month of rain and traditional, depressing Danish weather it is suddenly hot as hell, with sunshine from a clear sky. The thing with such a surprise attack of summer is that it tends to go away again just as fast as it came. So get out while you can! But where to go?

Well, if you are stuck at work in the city and can’t get across to the Copenhagen Harbour Baths – which by the way, are also clear candidates for Place of the Month- you need an oasis in the city.

Thus such a calm green spot of tranquillity right in the middle of the city is Place of the Month in June.

One of my favourite oasis is the Royal Library's garden. Hidden well behind the parliament building Christiansborg is the old Royal Library which I wrote a little bit about last time. This way leads to the original entrance to the old library building, which is now closed off for the public. So here, between the library and Christiansborg, you’ll find a small peaceful garden, completely secluded from the busy life of the city just outside.

Almost no one comes here, and if they do it's usually just to pass by on the way somewhere else.

Here you can sit amongst such clever Danish thinkers as Søren Kirkegaard - in the shape of a bronze statue - and listen to the calming sound of a small fountain. Such a relaxing break from reality can foster many philosophical thoughts and new perspectivs on life.

So even if it starts raining again tomorrow a few hours in this place and you’re refreshed like never before.

You know you're a Nerd Girl when....

2009-06-18T02:49:00.000-07:00

... you start getting your fashion inspiration from the library website.

The Royal Danish Library has been known as a closed up, dark and very nerdy place . But in the last ten years things have started to change. In 1999 the architecture was updated with The Black Diamante, a huge glasslike black building with an amazing view over the Copenhagen habour, new and more modern reading rooms.
The original library building dates back to the really early days of The University of Copenhagen - that's in the 1400s and it really shows . The old reading rooms look like something out of Harry Potter.
Now the latest new development in the modernisation of The Royal Library is an online gimmick featuring all the catalogues of the legendary Danish department store Daelles Varehus. And it is so much fun to look through and very inspirational.
The department store does not exist anymore, but was from its beginning in the early 20th century a popular place for Copenhagen ladies to shop. The website has all of the catalogues online, from the very first in 1914 to the early 1990 when Dealles Varehus closed. I actually remember looking through some of the x-mas catalogues as a child in the 1980s, but I do think that the older ones are more fun to look at now.

The Ultimate Summer Dresses

2009-06-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Looking out the window here it seems like summer is not coming to Copenhagen any time soon. It has been raining nonstop for the last two days. So instead of looking out I’m turning my head back to the computer and convincing myself that sunshine and warmer days are just around the corner.

Fashion-wise I love summer. Summer means dreamy dresses, sunglasses and cool sandals. Basically it is a chance to finally get rid of all the heavy winter layers, we wear here in the north, and dress elegantly and feminine. I’ve been watching Bottega Veneta for some time and I really like the way this spring style is sharp in texture and fabric and still looks really comfortable.

Bottega Veneta’s style always reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. The sway of the loose dresses and a general attitude of relaxed sophistication is what I think is a brilliant style for this summer. So as I hear the heavy rain on the window, I just keep dreamning...

Place of the month: Taschen in Copenhagen

2009-05-26T10:42:00.000-07:00

Copenhagen finally got a really high class art bookshop. For a while I've been ashamed of the selection of bookshops in Copenhagen. I think in general the city has about maybe 4 bookshops that have more than just best-sellers in Danish or photo books with the royal family and so on. Some of the more serious bookstores here have turned their space into book cafés to attract more people, but I'm not sure it has motivated more buyeres – Maybe?

So I'm happy for any new type of shop that actually takes books serious as a medium and celebrate them in a concept store.

I do realise that Taschen is an arty and 'coffee table book' type of bookshop that obviously does not specialise in serious or heavy reading material. But it is such a cool bookshop – I mean a shop dedicated to visually cool books – no more, no less. I've also made it place of the month because I'm a huge fan of Taschen's books. It's such a visually exciting universe. So I really look forward to dropping in now and again to browse into a funnier and more glamours world.

While I wait for Coco

2009-05-21T04:18:00.000-07:00

The most anticipated fashion films this year Coco Avant Chanel and Coco and Igor are not coming out in Denmark until September. Even though Coco Avant Chanel premiered in Paris in April! Come on – what's the big idea? - why such a wait for the rest of us?
Well, while I'm waiting, I've been reading up on Gabrielle and her time in 'The World of Coco Chanel- Friends, Fashion, Fame' by Edmonde Charles-Roux.

It's not a serious biography about her personal life, but more an attempt of providing a look inside her world and the people around her in that period. And I kind of like this way of looking at Chanel, even though it does add a certain gossipy flavour to it. The good thing is that the book tells us about the people she was inspired by and spent time with, and indirectly that portrays her style and artistic vision for fashion.

Besides the book, that has more pictures than it has actual text (definitely satisfying your visual huger for Coco and her period of glory), I found the new commercial film for Chanel no.5 with of course Audrey Tautou as the leading lady. The Amalie-team (meaning Jean-Pierre Jeunet) is behind this film, which really shows in the colours and composition of the frames. I also think it has a little of the same goofyness of Amalie and his other films – I wonder if that's intentional? You can see the whole film here.

But, alas after all of this Chanel propaganda I'm still just sitting here waiting...

Paris, Capital of Photography

2009-05-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

On a short stay in Paris last week I had the pleasure of seeing another great example of amazing photography. This is obviously in a completely different genre, but still made a huge impression on me. At Jeu de paume in Pairs I saw The Christian Bouqueret collection of French 1920s-40s avant grade photography.

The 1920 and 30s have had something of a renaissance these days in art and style and this exhibitions really made me want to just travel back in time and be a part of this period in Paris cultural history. These photos bring forward the simplicity of black and white photography and yet opens up new perspectives on the motives and how to look at the world.

Some of the photographs on display are by well known artists such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Brassai who are especially famous for their images from Paris street life. Together with the more experimental pictures the exhibition brings out the very best of black and white photography of that time.

Lose yourself in a photograph

2009-04-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

Last week Nerd Girl went to the beautiful city of Stockholm for a small holiday with her boyfriend.
At Moderna Museet, Stockholm's modern art museum, is an incredible photo exhibition of works by the artist Andreas Gursky.
Crowded with people in Japan or totally empty racetracks in the dessert these photos draw you in. All the works by him are on display from 80-08 as the exhibition is called. As a spectator looking at these impressive images with such large perspectives of people and places you feel small and a little lost.

Buttermilk bread with Spelt for Easter lunch

2009-04-14T05:06:00.001-07:00

I've always been a great fan of white bread, even though I know it's not exactly the healthiest kind. Another problem with wheat is that the taste is so delicate that you have to put a fair amount of sugar or salt in for it to actually taste of something. And furthermore wheat bread tend to get dry really fast – at least when you bake it yourself.
So I tried something different. I used Spelt flour and buttermilk in my bread to make it juicier and tastier – and it worked.

I used

500g Spelt flour

½ l Buttermilk

2 g yeast

1 tsp salt

The reason for the small amount of yeast is because you will let it rest in the fridge over night and that way it will rise slower and keep some of the sour taste from the buttermilk.
The next morning you form the bread and then it will rest again for 2 hours and after that you bake it for 45 min. at 175 degrees.

This bread actually stays moist and really delicious for a least 4 days – if it lasts that long. Mine was gone after a mere 3 hours...but oh did we enjoy it!

Carmen - an inspiration

2009-04-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

A few nights back I saw a performance of Carmen by the Danish Opera Academy and it made me think of the woman Carmen. Who is this femme fatale at the centre of Bizet's famous opera and how has she been portrayed ?
This is one of the first illustrations of a Carmen from the performance in 1875.
I've always thought of the opera Carmen as something of an odd mix – it takes place in Seville, Spain and yet they sing in French. The original novella was also written by a Frenchmen so, I guess it makes sense that way around. Any way Carmen is characterized as a free spirit – a gypsy, who belongs to no one.
In the different performances that I have seen, it has varied a great deal how much sympathy she is given.

She has been played as vulgar and cynical in her pursue of Don José, making her uninteresting in my opinion.
At other times she is seen almost as a witch and very mysterious -highlighting the her gypsy background and hinting that she bewitches Don José, who fall madly in love with her. But in my view she is more than just a seductive vixen. She is has a vulnerable side in her fear of death and her attempt to remain independent.
This Carmen has a masculine quality about her with the cigar and hat and her very stern look.
This following clip is from Frencesco Rosi's film version of Carmen with Julia Migenes as Carmen and Placido Domingo as Don José. This is clearly an 1980s Carmen: she looks like Cher. But this is also a good examples of the witch-version of Carmen I think.

>And then there is Carmen Jones, a musical after the opera. Carmen's gypsy roots are not part of the musical as they are in the opera, but the character of Carmen and the plot is basically the same. Carmen Jones in a modern woman, who just like Carmen of 1875 does not want to be owned by anyone.

Place of the month in April

2009-04-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

I realize that I'm a bit behind on the places of the month. Therefore let's go straight to this month's place: Copenhagen's coolest vintage shop Décor.

For the lovely Queens of vintage I recently wrote a guide to the vintage shopping in Copenhagen and there I mentioned my ultimate favourite shop Décor in Rørmersgade next to Nørreport station.
This shop really has all you need for a good vintage shop: beautiful dresses, mysterious and unique accessories, plus original and funny things you don't find anywhere else. But what makes this shop especially cool is that it also deals in vintage bridal wear and men's wear.
And another reason why I like it so much is the fact that it has the friendliest owner, who will help you with anything you need. The shop has clothes dating back to the 1890s and the shop's owner once told me that she has even received pieces from the Queen of Denmark's own tailor, so maybe if you look carefully, you might just find some leftovers from a royal closet....

Peter goes to Greenland II

2009-03-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

I apologise for this unintentional long break from blogging. In my absence I've noticed that the people of Greenland have responded back to Peter Jensen's inspirational flirt with their national costume and not in a positive way. I think it is beyond everyone else why Greenlandic traditional costumes cannot be appreciated and used for inspirational purposes just as the Japanese kimono has been.

Greenland is the closet thing my country comes to having a real colony – yes, Greenland is officially a part of Denmark in case you didn't know. But as far as being in any way a part of Danish traditions, art or politics it is strangely distant and not really appreciated here – unfortunately.
I was really genuinely happy to see someone like Peter Jensen find and use Greenlandic art in a bigger purpose. Yet I am as everyone completely confused and surprised by this odd and far out reaction from the country. It's just art and fashion – it's in no way harmful.

Peter goes to Greenland

2009-02-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Danish designer and now turned London hipster Peter Jensen showed his A/W09 collection at London Fashion Week this weekend.
I’m actually not really sure whether to call him Danish since his base has been in London for many years. However in this show you could not miss his Nordic heritage.
Inspired by his aunt Jette who travelled to Greenland Peter Jensen has created a bright and interesting collection. The colours are refreshing and the cuts are bold. Finally here is someone who dares to take some risks with the look.
I love the references to Greenland’s national costume – especially the boots look like the traditional kamiks which are really beautiful.

One winter morning in Copenhagen

2009-02-20T16:34:00.001-08:00

Bloody Valentine

2009-02-14T07:40:00.000-08:00

I’m really not a fan of the whole Valentine's Days-thing. Usually, I’m a total romance-fan - heck, give me Jane Austen, red roses and sunsets any (other!) day and a I would indulge and love it. But on Valentine's Day it just seems so artificial and not romantic at all. I want romance to be heartfelt, breathtaking, and – unexpected – and not because the local florist and supermarkets advertises.

Valentine’s Day is pretty new here in Denmark – yet this year it has totally exploded. Its everywhere in shops, on tv and in every magazine or newspaper. And maybe that’s the reason I not buying into it – it seems fake and just another excuse to spend money. So I’m going anti-valentine tonight. And here’s my idea of an anti-romance night:

Music:
My Bloody Valentine : ‘Loveless’

Food:
Chili con carne and Corona Beer for one

Film:
Darren Aronofsky: 'Requiem for a Dream'

Reading:
Brett Easton Ellis: American Psycho

Hanne G gets under your skin

2009-02-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

Hanne G first caught my eye a few years back when she created a series of pieces called ‘Lady Weapons’ displayed at Helene Nybrog Contemporary. Her work is fascinating for its indirect attitude and I love the mix of hard objects made from soft materials.

Her latest works are a series of wall hangings called ‘You’re still in the running’ displaying pictures inspired by the competitive identity on reality-tv. They are cool and funny, and I love how she uses such an old fashion type of medium to comment on something modern.

Shades of black and grey

2009-02-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

I don’t know if it’s the gloomy financial predictions for the future or just the Nordic winter depression slipping in, but judging by what the designers have showed us so far we’re heading for dark times next winter.

Dark and golden

Stine Goya – formally known, in my mind at least, as the queen of psychedelic prints and bold colours – has blacked out in this one.

Her collection is very rock and roll with her signature of arty sophistication. The fluttering sleeves and beautiful dresses are still there, but the experimental edge, not so much.

Icy rock from Wackerhaus

Wackerhaus’ style is also in the shadowy end of the colour pallet, but that is not such a change from the dark look of the SS09 collection.

This A/W collection has a cold and rough look with slick fabrics and very pale greys and blacks, which I think is really cool.

Stars from Ivana

2009-02-06T02:52:00.001-08:00

One of my absolute favourite Scandinavian designers showed her collection at Copenhagen Fashion Week this week. Ivana Helsinki is famous for interesting prints and constant renewal of her look.

Her A/W09 collection continues the slightly simpler style which was also present in the last A/W collection. This one is all about the dresses and is darker and more grown up in its silhouettes.
Stars are the signature print for this fall collection adding a more rock and roll-cool to the otherwise strict clothes. The tight cut coats and dresses make me think of Victorian dress style, which I really think is a cool historical reference.

Photos: Sacha Maric

Nerd Girl, in the living room, with a cocktail

2009-01-31T10:14:00.000-08:00

I think it’s time ignore the financial crisis and live life like the dandies. For one night let’s pretend that we are rich, successful and have no worries in the world – and what better place, than at the place of the month.

Place of the month of January is carefully chosen for its decadence and beautiful spot in the city centre. Extravagant, over the top, but still very classy, describes this place.
I can’t say that this is a nerdy place. But for some reason this nerd girl still ended up feeling totally at home amongst the rich and beautiful on her visit to Ruby.

Ruby’s cocktail bar is set in an apartment - decorated just like a living room making you feel as if you just popped in on an old friend for a drink. A dim lighting, comfy pillows and couches and the friendliest bartenders, I have ever met.

And the drinks, oh, the drinks... The selection is a fine blend of the classics and their very own delicious recipes. It is not at cheap place, drinks are about 100kr a piece - but you really only need one or two to get the night going.

Iittala espresso cups

2009-01-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like a good cup of coffee and I’m a big fan of strong espressos. And what better way to enjoy one, than in one of these beautiful cups by Iittala. The illustrations are by Klaus Haapaniemi, a really interesting Finnish illustrator who has worked with, among others, Diesel, Levis and Marimekko. Looking at his other illustrative work it becomes clear to me that he usually works with much more elaborate and colourful motives and that the owls and curvy details on these espresso cups might be a bit simple for his usual style. Among other things he has created a beautiful set-design for Cacharel catwalk:
Homemade biscotti
With espresso steaming out of these beautiful cups, you need a bite of something sweet to complete the coffee experience. On that note I made my own biscotti with almonds and chocolate. I did my best to make sure they did not end up being too hard to chew and at the same time still crunchy enough to dip in the coffee without it leaving a soup of crumbs in there.

Let the right one in

2009-01-19T14:00:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to see the Swedish vampire film ‘Let the right one in’. It is based on a book by John Ajvide Lindqvist and it is directed by Thomas Alfredson.
It is the first Scandinavian vampire movie I have ever seen and I must admit that it scared the shit out of me.

Take all our cold, dark winters, add a bit of the classical social realism in the form of a young boy being bullied at school and then stir in a vampire tale. It is actually sort of comic in places and also kind of sweet in other parts but for some reason also really alarming. – I guess it’s the mix of all those things so familiar and then such a twist of horror.

I won’t write anything about what happens as it would spoil the plot. But the two main characters a young girl and boy really shine through making you sympathise with all the killing and bloodshed.
The film is so original with its quite realism and a story that is totally unpredictable and well written.

Nerd Girl dresses up for the family

2009-01-12T14:48:00.000-08:00

My cool aunt Sally is celebrating her 50th birthday this month and she’s throwing a great party, which I’m sure will be great. But what to wear? Seriously, this Nerd Girl usually doesn't have a problem with picking out her outfits, but when it comes to the family-things I'm always sort of lost.

And for some reason what I seem to dig out of the closet is always too formal, too casual or too sexy – in short: not really good for the family occasions.
So instead of going through the usual fashion magazines, I went on Polyvore to get inspired and create my own outfits and family birthday kind of style. And here you are: my three examples of what to wear for the next big family thing:

In my family at the moment it’s not 4 weddings and a funeral, but something like three 60th birthdays, one 50th birthday, one wedding, one 25th year wedding anniversary and a funeral– all in about one year.

Not that I don't enjoy hanging with the oldies - Nerd Girl loves old people - but on the fashion front you get tirde of the same type of dress for all those gatherings.

I think my next project on Polyvore will be the perfect 'meet-the-parents'-outfit.

Beautiful knitwear for a cold January

2009-01-04T14:29:00.000-08:00

Nerd Girl is back after a long x-mas holiday. And since the real x-mas weather with snow and heavy minus degrees usually sets in around January I thought I’d introduce a cool Danish knitwear designer that I just discovered recently.
Iben Høj makes the most exquisite knitwear that will keep both you and your fashion sense warm and bright throughout the winter.

The garments are extremely delicate and in an interview made for Danish television she explains how her designs are exclusive, as she will not compromise the quality of the material or the knitting technique, making the pieces rare and more expensive than the usual knitwear. Iben Høj’s designs are definitely within a class of their own. It is so artistic and almost avant garde in its structure. The lovely Helena is apparently also a fan of Iben Høj's dresses as you see below.

Christmas traditions: cookies and candles

2008-12-12T11:15:00.001-08:00

One of the very best ways of spreading the Christmas spirit is by baking. These are old traditional Danish Christmas cookies and it is my first try. They have pepper in them, but no very munch and I’m not sure you could actually taste it.

They were very popular and even though I made around 50 small pieces last sunday, they are all gone now.

Next to the cookies is my calender candle, which is another Christmas tradition I really love .

Victorian Christmas in Copenhagen

2008-12-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

I’m crazy about Christmas. It is I guess my rebound after hating the dark Danish winters so much. I especially love Copenhagen around Christmas – the old part of town can completely set me back in time and I forget all my depressing thoughts and feel like I part of a H.C. Andersen-fairytale. I always seek the traditional Danish Christmas decorations and the moods in Copenhagen, which are not difficult to find. Especially if you walk around Strædet in the evening, just past Gamel Torv - here you can easily disappear and pretend that you're back in the 1800s Copenhagen and might just run into H.C.A. himself.

Place of the month in December is The Victorian Home. I went there today for the first time and I think every one in this city should pay it a visit. It is a complete apartment as it looked in 1890 with the original interior. It is part of The National Museum and they only have limited guided tours making it a very unique experience. As you walk around the halls of this amazing place, you hear the story of the family, who lived there from the 1890s up until the 1960s until the apartment was given to The National Museum.
And this time of year it is especially charming as the apartment is decorated with an old traditional Danish Christmas tree.

Surviving November and the Danish winter

2008-11-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

November is not really my kind of month. It’s the time here in Copenhagen when it’s starts to get dark when you leave work and the darkness is just clearing when you wake up in the morning. Your energy level just drops to a point where you feel like sleeping all the time. In no other month (no, maybe January as well) does my pillow and my bed have such a strong hold on me. I’ve always loved sleeping and I love my bed, no doubt about it. But when this time of year comes I often wonder if I should have been born a bear and go underground sleep until the sun comes back.
So what do you do to survive this darkness for the next 5 months? Here is my survival kit:

Good books
A long and exciting book can pull you out of this dark winter world. Nerd Girl recommends these books for winter reading:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

Cloud Atlas
Harry Potter (can always do with a second reading, especially after the film versions have screwed up your memory of the real plot.)

The Shadow of the Wind

Movies:
Winter movies should also offer an escape into happier, prettier and shinier lifestyles with totally superficial problems and always (!) happy endings. So forget Scandinavian social realism with handheld cameras and only depressing shades of grey.
Nerd Girl tends to go for old Danish films – set in the 1950s with lots of romance and cute dresses. But here are some good international films I turn to:

Amelie of Montmartre :

Les Demoisellers de Rocheforte

My Fair Lady Chocolat

And then the food...

When its dark outside and the rain or snow pouring down you need something really sweet. Something like appelcake - Danish appelcake. The world's easiest and best winter dessert: Appel mash, almond macaroons crushed and whiped creme - in layers.

Nicloe Kidman will play Lili Elbe

2008-11-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

This is pretty big news. I just read that Nicole Kidman is to star as Einer Mogens Wegener, in a movie about the Danish painter who was the first man to have a sex change operation. Charlize Theron will be playing his wife the very talented painter and illustrator Gerda Wegener.
It is according to the hollywoodreporter.com that the story of this fascinating couple will be turned into a film with such heavy leading ladies as Nicole and Charlize. Based on a fictional bestseller by David Eberstorff about the couple, I wonder how much of the actual story we’re gonna get from the film. But any how it will be interesting to se.

Einer was married to Gerda Wegener and they were quite a famous couple in living in Copenhagen in the 1920s. Apparently Einar’s female alias Lili Elbe was created when Gerda, lacking a female model, asked him to pose for her as a woman – and he from then on developed as the transsexual Lili Elbe with the support of his wife.This is Lili Elbe after the sex change operation:
Gerda worked as a painter and illustrator creating beautiful painting and drawings for among others French Vougue.

Hanging with the dead in October

2008-10-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Thinking of Halloween and the spookiest night of the year, it seems appropriate to connect this to the place of the month since this is also a haunted place.

Copenhagen does not have that many parks or green spaces, so when we Copenhageners really search for a green oasis, we go to the cemeteries. Hanging out among the graves is actually not as morbid as it sounds, because the city’s graveyards are very green and cozy – yes, I use the word cozy in connection with graves and tombstones, because they often are more like parks , than graveyards.

I actually have a few favorite cemeteries around town that I visit now and then. These places have such a calming and peaceful effect on you. The one I’ll write about tonight is the most famous one in Copenhagen due to the many Danish celebrities being buried here. Assistens Kirkegård is located in the heart of my neighborhood, Nørrebro. Here lie such great Danes as Hans Christian Andersen and Søren Kirkeaard and other great Danish artists, politicians and writers.

And the ghosts are definitely here, walking around you really feel the presence of the historic figures. The cemetery’s administrative center even offers guided tours in the evening to the most famous graves with stories about their lives and deaths.

But the famous dead inhabitants are not the real reason why I like this place. It is a huge garden, big enough to serve both as a park and a mourning place, where you want to be alone. Another really nice thing about this place is that even though it is located between two very busy streets, there is totally quiet - like entering into another world.
So whenever I need a break from the city haze I go into Assistens and relax...

Everything else was borrowed on Monday night

2008-10-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Streets hit Copenhagen Monday night and fortunately for us Mike Skinner’s immune system had him back on stage after a cancellation in Oslo the day before. His performances at the Roskilde festival last summer and the year before have become legendary, and the fact that he loves Copenhagen (or at least that’s what the news papers say) just persuades you to like him even more.

And Monday night at KB Hallen Mr. Skinner did help to make my start of the week a lot nicer. For some reason this guy who started out with the whole hooligan, London geezer attitude has turned into a nature-loving, all embracing, positive party maniac. I still love his music – the lyrics are brilliant and many of them have become classics in my book. So as the dark winter is closing in on us here and it was so nice disappear in to a party of jumping and singing lead by The Streets.
The set list was great – all the hits together with good ones from his new album.

A Nazi-docu - and why a swimming bath became place of the month in September

2008-10-20T11:55:00.000-07:00

Leni Reifenstahl’s ’Fest der Schönheit’ at the swimming bath

Place of the month in September (I know it’s a bit late) is Øbro Swimming bathjust because of this amazing experience. I know this sound insane but it’s true. Hitler’s favourite movie director was a very interesting women. Leni Riefenstahl is the woman behind the camera in the famous documentary about the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and it was shown at a public swimming bath here in Copenhagen last month.

It was such a cool experience. This film is very very special in the sense that it celebrates the beauty of the human body. The cinematography is amazing even though it is a sort of propaganda film for the ‘pure race’, the perfect athletic body - and to some degree also the Nazi-regime. The setting of the swimming bath was perfect as the architecture dates back to the same period with columns and grand spaces. Live comments were brought throughout the filmn by Danish film legend Jørgen Leth.

This exclusive event happened last month during the Copenhagen historic festival Golden Days - a festival every second year dealing with a new historical period and this time about the 1920s and 1930s. - So there is a reason for my 1920s style obsession -

Anyway, this documentary is about the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, but it is so artistic, you should see some of it for yourself in this clip.

Leni Riefenstahl is a very interesting woman and she is a sure candidate for Nerd Girl's next inquiry at the local library.

The return....

2008-10-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw the poster for it I've been excited about it. From the poster 'Brideshead revisited' looked like it would bring more of that wonderful 1920s follies.
I must admit that I've never read the book or seen the whole TV-series. But I do remember the setting, which was brilliant - and the costumes.

In fact I was a little disappointed by Julia’s costumes, who I loved the TV-show for the exact 20s chick style. In the movie version it was the men’s fashion that I found the most interesting - well apart from this Julia in this lovely dress below:

The men's fashion focused around the old British college style, with which I guess you can never go wrong. It's the scenes with Charles and Sebastian that make this film interesting. Matthew Good as Charles and Ben Whishaw as Sebastian have a beautiful balance of both intimacy and distance.

I’m however never really convinced by Charles’ fascination with Sebastian’s family and wealth and ufortunately the lovestory between Julia and Charles never seems real - I'm not sure why.

Kiss me you fool

2008-09-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

A late birthsday gift presented me with this brilliant concept of cosmetics: Bésame. Spanish for 'kiss me' this brand specialises in retro designed make-up.

Take this lipstick in an old fashion 'bullet-design' with beautiful almost art deco-ornamentation. Honestly, even though I don't usually wear lipstick – actually, I never wear lipstick- the design alone has convinced me to try. I mean, is there any better reason for painting your lips than to look like a 1930s diva? Not in my book.
Now just comes the time to actually learn how to apply it without looking like a 10 year-old in the end.

Nerdy pleasures

2008-09-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

Nerd Girl is back after a short unintended break here in my favourite month of the year September.
I’ve been busy enjoying this great autumn weather and I had my birthday last week.
I received many wonderful presents. Two good friends of mine brought me the two best examples of Danish chocolates: Peter Beier and Summerbird.

Like most people I’ll go crazy for cacao and chocolate - mostly the dark, bitter, heavy stuff. But for some reason I would never buy this insanely delicious stuff for myself. I’ll go for something like the ‘Lindt 70% cacao’ if I’m really letting my hair down. Fancy chocolates are in my opinion reserved for gifts, for others and for special occasions. And mostly because it’s so beautifully wrapped and decorated. Buying it for myself, the package would last about 30 sec. and the creativity of the decoration would drown completely.
But as a gift it really gets the attention it deserves.
Actually I don’t really receive this kind of chocolate that often, in fact I think so far I’ve only tasted Summerbird a once and I’ve never tasted Peter Beier before. So this was a treat. And I enjoyed each piece to the fullest.

A style tribute to the 20s and 30s

2008-09-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

It’s not secret that I, at the moment, am a big fan of the whole 1920s and 1930s style. So much that I decide to dedicate a complete post to my two favourite style icons of that period: Louise Brooks and Marlene Dietrich.

First up is the lovely Louise:

She is the best example of the 1920s hairstyle and fashion, that I can find:

I’ve already got the hat and the haircut – more on that another time – so what I need is the smoky eyes and the wild and decadent dress.

Marlene Dietrich

I think she’s the only woman, I know who really looks good in a tux, a part from maybe Catharine Deneuve. but in this context, she's too innocent and fragile. Marlene is intimidating and luring – half of the look I guess is the confidence and sex she oozes.

The whole masculine look with, suit, tie and a hat really inspires me. Usually I’m not a fan of women wearing a shit and tie – the balance of being feminine in men’s clothing is just difficult.

But with Marlene, I think I’ve discovered the trick. It’s all about feeling sexy and confident. And with a cigarette in your mouth and a halo of smoke around you, what could go wrong?

Place of the month: Coffee Collective

2008-08-31T13:50:00.000-07:00

That's right, place of the month of August is a coffee shop.
The street where this delicious little spot is located basically is an experience in itself.
Let me explain, Jærgersborggade, as the street is called, is sort of famous in my neighbourhood: Nørrebro. About 10 years ago the street was a notorious drug dealing street. A place where you did not wanna get caught - even during the day. Theses days Jærgersborggade has become a street full of small shops and cafes - and the apartment prices have naturally go up. But there is a small detail, the street still looks like shit.
Oh sure, the small shop windows have helped the overall appereance. But it has it's old worn down look .

The coffee shop ‘Coffe Collective’ is the place of the month in August for many reasons and not just it's urban location. This is a small place with only 2 tables inside, as most of the space is taken up by the large coffee roaster. Yep, here they roast their own coffee beans.

So, up here in the cold north, in a former drug street, you can actually smell the sweet sweet aromas of coffee beans from Kenya, Ethiopia and many other exotic places. Adding to the quality of this coffee shop is also the really cosy atmosphere and friendly baristas.You’ll find no coffee snobs or arrogance here, but in stead passionate coffee preachers, who love to explain the science of good coffee making and drinking.

Nerd Girl reads: 'The Sorrows Of An American'

2008-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first novel by Siri Hustvedt that I’ve every read – and from what I’ve seen now, I’m definitely hitting the library to take out more of her works.

‘The Sorrows Of An American’ tells the story of psychiatrist Erik Davidsen who finds a mysterious letter from an unknown woman in his recently deceased father’s papers. Here starts Erik and his sister’s journey into their father’s past life, through his diaries and interviews with old family members – all immigrants from Norway. But the story develops and it combines the story of Norwegian immigrants in America with contemporary American sufferings.

Siri Hustvedt is an interesting writer and it especially shows when she ties the stories together in a psychological perspective. The issues are heavy – 9.11, psychotic harassment, childhood traumas and more, but Hustvedt delivers it all in a light and simple language keeping the focus on the characters – thus a personal perspective.

The characters are vivid and described beautifully, to such a degree that you feel know them. And you easily imagine what they look like.

What I appreciated the most about the book is its delicate balance between the deep and complex sorrows of death, heartbreak and terrorism and the descriptions of ordinary life. Siri Hustvedt’s writing is intense – the novel has no chapters - but for some reason she maters the art of making the reading experience fresh and crisp.

Summer all over again

2008-08-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

This summer has just disappeared and I don’t really feel like, I’ve really enjoyed it completely. For example I’ve only been to the beach once this whole summer.

Part of the reason is the fact that I’ve been working a lot and the other part is the weather which has, when ever I had my time off, not really been swimming pool-like. So now, when it already feels a bit like fall I still dream of a hot day and a swimming pool.

On that note it time to reintroduce to coolest bathing suits and bikinis – a little late, I know – but who can argue with the elegance of Ester Williams?
Honestly, her bathing style is the classiest ever. And I’m actually looking to see if I can find any bathing suits or bikinis in her style, even though it might just be for next year…

Check out this cool performance - who cares about looking good when your by the pool side, it’s all about how you look under the water!

Saturday: Vibskov – the hype, the hype

2008-08-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

So far I’ve not written anything about Henrik Vibskov. He is THE media darling (- he and Stine Goya ought to get married, they’d be king and queen of Danish fashion)Anyway I hadn’t really figured out what I thought about him apart from what I was told; that he’s the most original designer so far, he the ‘enfant terrible’ of Danish fashion and that he’s the one most likely for a huge international breakthrough, voted best designer of the year and so on – basicly enough to he thinsk he’s too much already.
….Naturally all this hype for the oh so cool Vibskov has boosted my sense of criticism (Nerd Girl's attacks tougher when praise has already been given)
- There were the über popular scarves which all most everyone at Strøget (or at least in Krystalgade) wore a few yeas back, then there were fringes on every thing (in last season’s show), so he plays drums for electronic hipster Trentemøller – and now he also does children’s clothing. He is the image of Copenhagen I hate – I’m sorry, but it’s too much. Please tell me he’s an environmentalist and a friend of animals, because I wouldn’t be surprised.
And though his SS09 collection might not have been as high standard as usual for DANSK DAILY I thought I was great. That’s right, I’m joining the hype – a little late, but at least now, I get it.
This collection, I guess was when I found the time to enjoy the combination of interesting prints and his signature loose cuts. The colours are toned down now compared to what he did before, but I guess that's what I like.

CFW Friday: The drama begins

2008-08-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

The MoonSpoon Saloon show at the Royal Theatre.

This label is completely new to me and I was very eager to see what the combination of wellknown Danish painter Tal R and designer Sara Sachs would bring. And I was not let down. As a fan of artistic,theatrical shows and clothing this was right up Nerd Girl's ally. And what bette location than the Royal Theatre with its classic sense of art and drama.

But the Moon Spoon Saloon's collection might be too costume-like for some buyers.
Anyhow this is a designteam I'm deffinately going to keep an eye on in the future.

The strong colours and patterns are straight out of Tal R’s artistic universe and the almost pantomime like figures added to the volume of the whole collection. The inspirations seemed to come form Comedia dell art and surealisem.
I especially liked the knits and small multi-coloured jackets. And I guess I enjoy the playfulness of MoonSpoon Saloon attitude to fashion in general. But I also thought the beautiful dresses and sharp cut suits were really cool

Fashion week Thursday

2008-08-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

Light and air from Camilla Stærk Danish fashion media went nuts when it came out that Carrie in Sex and the City wore clothes by Camilla Stærk in the last episodes. Seriously, I don’t think there was any magazine that didn’t have an interview with the London based Danish designer.
So almost over night I also became familiar with Stræk and her strong brand.Her show today brought forward a lot of beautiful dresses mixed up with loose jump suits. The SS09 collection was in general lighter and softer in shape, than what I’ve seen from her earlier.

There was no film noir or melancholic Nick Cave here, but instead symmetric v-neck details or light colours. – I’m almost tempted to say that the collection had a Scandinavian look to it.What made the strongest impression on me were the coral (or apricot?) coloured jumpsuit and her detailed dresses.

Photos: Saca Maric

Stine Goya - The lost city

2008-08-06T22:54:00.000-07:00

Goya’s SS09 collection 'La city perdu' was shown last night and again Stine Goya has created a strong collection true to her specific style. High waist pants, oversize shirts and again a shade of apricot –hmm… I wonder if this will become a trend?Otherwise the colours were watery or kind of smoky – leaving a bit of the same damp summer like feeling as Wackerhaus’ collection, but still much more arty. Goya’s hand painted prints add such depth to her style making the clothes much more than edgy silhouettes and delicious fabrics.Goya has always had some cool settings for her shows. Her last SS collection was shown in the beautiful decorations by Helle Mardahl and this one was no different. Small cut out houses were placed along the runway I matching colours with the clothes - very artistic.
Photos: Sacha Maric

Fashion week Wednesday

2008-08-06T13:35:00.001-07:00

Hazy Jayne from Wackerhaus
Trine Wackerhaus showed her SS09 collection this evening. I love her original approach to clothes that mixes masculine and feminine styles. I’ve been a fan of hers ever since her 20s inspired dresses from her last collection. She has a really cool way of creating a strict and sharp look with loose and comfortable clothes.In this collection it was the rough cut dresses in soft materials and her boyish suits for girls that I especially liked.

Apricot is usually a colour that I’m not too fond of, but I think it goes really well with the grey and black here.

Photos: Sacha Maric

Great Expectations

2008-08-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

No no, there's nothing about Pip or old mr. Charles D here except for the clash in titels.

Copenhagen Fashion Week is coming up again. I can’t believe it’s already August. And the line up is really impressive with still more new designers to get to know. The schedule is packed with such stars as Stine Goya, Rützou, Noir, Weckerhaus, Elsie Gug just in the first day.

And I’m glad to see the international success Camilla Stærk returning home to show off her SS09 collection here.

Naturally expectations are high – I mean the anti-nerd girl nr. 1 Paris Hilton has flown in for this... Well she’s probably just here to advertise for her own products anyway. But nevertheless my beloved city is definitely getting the world’s attention.

Thus Nerd Girl is off to try and catch all of the interesting fashion and also some of all the other cool things going on in Copenhagen in connection with fashion week.

A Nerd Girl and her shoes

2008-08-03T14:16:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately my laptop has been highly unreliable in the last two weeks – hence no blogging. I’ve tried to write several posts, but have been cut off every time due to some technical error. So I’m praying that there won’t be any more of that in the coming week. But if there’s nothing on the blog for some time – now you know the reason.

Whilst in Berlin I did do some shopping. I got these nice shoes from Chie Mihara, who I just discovered. Unfortunately my camera is broken and only takes really bad pictures at the moment so I can’t show you any photos of me in my new shoes. But this is what they look like:
Mine are brown with lighter laces, and until I checked out the designer online, I didn’t know she makes so many different styles and colours. Now I'm totally hooked on her designs and a bit sad that I didn't get them in green as well.

Berliner attack

2008-07-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

She’s back! Nerd Girl has now returned from her vacation in Berlin.This is a wonderful city, where the drinks are cheap and everything is much more laid back than in Copenhagen. As much as I love my own town, it tends to be a bit stock up and too pretentious.
Berliners don’t care about what others think about them – Copenhageners care too much, in my opinion. Anyway, Berlin is a great place to relax and enjoy life,which I did.

I attended a beautiful photo exhibition at Martin-Gropius-Bau of Man Ray and Alexander Rodschenko. It was two different exhibitions, but they were each very interesting and again reminded me how much I enjoy black and white photography. Man Ray of course is famous for his artistic compositions with faces and bodies, contrasts of shapes and shades.

I had never heard of Alexander Rodschenko before, but his work turned out to be just as interesting, though very different from Man Ray. He works with photo collages and had especially portrayed workers during the Russian revolution.

Butterflies and roses

2008-07-09T21:08:00.001-07:00

Surfing around online to see if I could find some cool retro swimwear for this summer season, I came across Signe Tolstrup’s S/S08 collection of ’afterwear’ as she calls it.
I’ve known about her designs for some time now as she is one of the few ‘famous’ Danish lingerie designers.
Last year’s A/W collection had a Frieda Kahlo-sort of theme with strong colours and a mysterious mood. It was lingerie with an attitude of force and sexual desire. The spring collection is more delicate, but still ever so seductive. I’m thinking Marie Antoinette caught in bed with Anaïs Nin – or something.The colours are innocent and girlish, but still tempting and mouth-watering. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for this fall.

Hercules and Love Affair concert

2008-06-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

Thursday night concert at Vega
The funkiness of Greek mythology hit Copenhagen Thursday night.
Hercules and Love Affair has been in my ears for the last few months making me dream of shiny New York nightlife at studio 54. Especially "Hercules’ Theme" and "Blind" has had me swinging a little extra on my bike on the way to work.

So naturally when the Gods of cool music visit your town, you go. And even though it unfortunately was without Anthony (of Anthony And The Johnsons) the rest of the band did manage to create a party at Vega. The strength of Hercules wasn’t really there to begin with, though. The two singing goddesses; the small and masculine Kim Ann and the tall bombshell Nomi both seemed distracted or nervous for the first few songs – too bad. Nomi at first reminded me of a bored pole dancing drag queen, but she really came to life when she pulled an awesome costume change and sang 'you Belong'. Her moves definitely made the guys happy...

And in the end they both delivered some genuine disco funk to the happy crowd. Especially ‘Athena’ and ‘Blind’ had the house partying. Speaking of the crowd –it’s a fact that I’m too short for concerts… for some reason I always end up behind tall guys – last time it was cute Swedish boys- this time it was huge – really huge- dancing gay guys. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the really good music – with a Hercules lookalike on drums – that much I could see!

Place of the month in June: The French Patisserie Le Montmartre

2008-06-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I don’t really have the old Cliff Richard in my ear singing ”Summer holiday” these days.Lately Copenhagen has returned to its usual highly unreliable summer weather: Showers and heavy wind with the occasional 10 minutes of full hot sun. And this basically means that you’re uncomfortable no matter what you’re wearing.

So yesterday, on a rainy Sunday I visited the French patisserie Le Montmartre at Vesterbro with some good friends. This place is the Place of the Month in June, simply because, there you feel like it's summer all the time, no matter how much it rains out side.

This place is just what you need for a summer like this one – simple decoration, smiley charming French waiter and the most delicious cakes you can imagine. And the pieces are generous and not expensive at all.

I had a creamy vanilla and raspberry cake with a double espresso, which was just excellent – strong and bitter, but not too heavy.

Inspiring illustrations

2008-06-14T15:39:00.000-07:00

The young and very talented artist Nan Na Hvass has worked in many fields and blessed many things with her drawings. I’m a total fan of her work for all the life and colours in that bizarre supernatural universe.
She has made the video for the Danish band Efterklang’s Mirador and also the cover for their album ‘Under Giant Trees’ - as you see above - these are really good examples of her style. But Hvass has done munch more than that.
She’s also the artist behind a great mural at VEGA nightclub here in Copenhagen and has created illustrations for t-shirts and this bag that I especially like.
I guess, what I find inspiring about her work is the many dimensions she can add to a single picture – it sort of pulls you in, in a weird almost surrealist way. Her style reminds me of a mixture of Danish artist HUSK MIT NAVN and the ever so cool Kitsune Noir – and then maybe just a little bit a Dali -without all the odd sex fantasy stuff though.

Film noir, Disney and a sprinkle of erotica

2008-06-11T12:57:00.000-07:00

Those are the ingredients to the chic and sophisticated shoes by Finnish shoe designer Minna Parikka.

Her designs have it all: girly hurly happiness, burlesque mystique and then the über cool details – what more could you want?! -

Just look at her – a shoe designer who combines a sense of style with a sense of humour in the best way possible.

Do you believe?

2008-06-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

She’ll be visiting this year’s Roskilde festival – and even though I’m way too nerdy to get into the muddy mood of festival going - I really wouldn’t mind hearing her live. Brooklyn hipster Santogold makes just the kind of music you want to hear on a summer evening like this.

Summer has for some reason decided to come early to Copenhagen and these past few days you completly forget that this is a so called nordic country of wind and cool air. - oh no, the heat is on and in this hot city, you need an energy boost with good vibrations.

Santigold reminds me of M.I.A. but her tracks vary much more in style and tone. I think she might even prove to be more interesting than M.I.A in the long run. Take a look at her video for LES Artistes:

Caramel

2008-05-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Premiering at Cannes last year this sweet Lebanese film ‘Caramel’ has finally been released in Denmark. It sounds delicious, but the caramel is actually used as wax, also called ‘sugaring’. I went to see it without any expectations at all which is often when you get the best movie experiences.
It is a very sensual film about five different women around a beauty parlour in Beirut. It evolves around each of their personal problems with love and female life. These powerful inner dilemmas are related clamly and quitely making them even more heartfelt.
What makes this film so special is not only the pace and the patience it gives this women, it's also the way humour and irony help create a realitic image of women's lives - whether they live in Beirut, America or Europe.It's been said about this film that it's a Lebanese version of 'Sex and the city' - I think it's better because even though it also deals with love and sex, the women in Caramel have a more natural and sensual chrisma than the New Yoker girls. So go see it before it's too late - I dont't think this one will be avaliable on DVD here in Denmark. In Copenhagen it's showing at Gloria.

Music video inspiration

2008-05-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Here are two very different music videos. I really enjoy them both for their dramatic and expressive effects. First up is Beirut’s video for ‘Elephant Gun’. Being an incredible cool band with a unique type of sound I think that Beirut’s video accompanies the mood of the music really well. The 18th century bohemian mystery combined with modern day party spirit makes my smile.

Next is Rôisin Murphy’s video for ‘You know me better’
Now if this is not what you call a stylish video, then I don’t know what is. I love the different looks and how they all remind my of 50s barbie-dolls.

Home of Finn Juhl

2008-05-10T08:02:00.000-07:00

Place of the month May:
In this positively amazing summer weather I can’t find any good excuses to stay inside anymore. So I made my first ever visit to the Ordrupgaard museum north of Copenhagen.

The garden there is lovely and the mix of the original building with the new one is interesting and beautiful.
Right next to Ordrupgaard is the house and home of Danish designer and architect Finn Juhl who died in 1989. His home is a part of Ordrupgaard and it’s open to the public. I’ve made it the place of the month in May because it is such a cool experience to see his home. He has built and designed everything himself.
Finn Juhl is not as well know in the broad public as the grand old men of Danish Design PH, Arne Jacobsen or Hans Wegner. But his style and forms are just as interesting and his home is a master piece of balancing colours, shapes and light. His furniture, especially his chairs, are really well know outside of Denmark as well.
To walk around in his home gave you a complete new way of experiencing his design and choices of decoration. In connection with the opening of his house Ordrupgaard has an exhibition showing in detail how he managed to combine his own furniture with colours and his choices of art. Here you can see a small online slideshow of his house.

Finnish art and fashion

2008-05-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Ivana Helsinki has been a favourite of mine for a while. I guess my interest began with her babushka prints about 4 years back and since then I’ve eagerly kept an eye out for new things. I think that Ivana Helsinki is one of the best Scandinavian examples of fashion and art mixing special details with raw materials in simple cuts.

This new A/W collection is different from the former collection which paid strict attention to the prints. ‘Birdring’ as it is called features the model on a birdring throughout the look book photos. The prints are still there with different colourful birds, but overall the collection has a lot of knits and dresses.

A small, but very cool collection

2008-05-02T03:08:00.000-07:00

A very sweet and simple collection by Texan artist Alyson Fox caught my eye today. Alyson Fox has made a wall/winter and a spring/summer collection with sustainable materials and according to her website the collections are ‘very eco-friendly’. As much as I’m an enthusiastic environmentalist I still hesitate when it comes to the label ‘eco-friendly’ in fashion.

Eco-friendly clothing is nothing new – but it’s hopefully becoming of a better quality. I remember my mother getting me organic socks and underwear as a teenager. It was a nightmare! – The elastic band in socks and knickers would basically disappear after the first wash. Just imagine that; as teenager walking around with your underwear and your socks slowly loosening and dropping down in pants and shoes. Not funny. So I guess that experience has made me forever suspicious of organic clothes, even though I’m completely for the general concept.The really good thing about Alyson Fox’s Small Collection is that the designs are so cool. The shapes are loose, but in that 20s and 30s style, that I really like. Both the summer and winter dresses come off as very elegant and the fabrics don’t appear fragile at all. In the two video look books you get a good idea of Alyson Fox’s general style. It’s too bad that you can’t buy this too bad that you can’t buy the Small collection online.

Carrot cake for a sunny afternoon

2008-04-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

Spring is slowly showing its face here in Copenhagen with a blue sky and warm sunshine. But as a true Nerd Girl, I’m staying indoors with my nose in a book. I'll write more about that book, when I've finished it.

To truly enjoy this lovely season I’ve made a delicious carrot cake, - completely organic, of course.
The thing is that these types of cakes don’t really look al that tasty when you make them. I mean the pastry actually looks like vomit. For a second I had my doubts about the taste of the finished cake.
But luckily it turned out to be a juicy rich flavoured combination of cinnamon and carrot.

Place of the month April:

2008-04-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

The oldest bakery in Copenhagen
For this month’s place I’ve selected Sct. Peder’s Bakery. It is the oldest bakery in Copenhagen,dating back to 1652 and is located in the mid-evil part of the city right across from the Sct. Petri church. Ever since I can remember Sct. Perder’s bakery has been making certain day-of-the-week type of pastry. Especially their ‘Wednesday-snails’ are famous – not as in real snails, but as in these: Cinnamon snails are a classic when it comes to real Danish pastry. But the ones they make at Sct. Peder’s Bakery are larger than you normal ‘snail’. They're huge and taste so good. It not only on Wednesdays this bakery is worth a visit, though. A few years ago the interior of this small bakery was redone and it now also has a very small ‘café’, where you can enjoy al the other great types of bread and pastry – like the Thursday chocolate horn.

A skirt for spring

2008-04-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

This weekend I finally had the time to make a dress from the fabric I printed on a few weeks back. It’s not completely finished yet as I’m still considering whether or not to put blue ribbon on the pockets.

Celebrating political women

2008-04-19T03:48:00.000-07:00

On Sunday - tomorrow- it's the 100 th anniversary for the Danish women’s right to vote and be elected in local elections – an important milestone on the road to women's complete right vote, which came in Denmark in 1915. Tomorrow a huge celebration will take place in the Town Hall square with open air concerts with among others the cool JaConfetti, delicious foods and a lot of interesting debates going on about women in politics. All over town powerful women – not only politicians – are interviewed in public about their different roads to power. I love these type of historical event and I think it's important to recognise the historical perspectives in our democratic development. Without the efforts of historical nerd girls and women a hundred years ago our reality would look completely different.

The very cool Danish artist Katirne Ærtebjerg has put her picture on the poster as you see above. Her artwork can also be seen on her website and she also has a piece at the Danish National Gallery. I really like her imaginary cartoon-like world, it is spooky with fairytale facination. Her heavy brush strokes and the strong colours remind me a bit of O’keefe’s pictures.A special scarf has been designed by Danish designer Susanne Rützou to mark the occasion.
It is inspired by the classical PLO-scarf, but it’s pink and decorated with small women’s symbols and 100-signs. I think it's a cool way of marking this historical event and the design is modern, but perfect for all types of women.
It can be bought tomorrow at the town hall square and then on at Susanne Rützou’s own shop here in Copenhagen.
So all Nerd Girls unite and come to the celebration tomorrow - it will be going on all day!

Summer shoes

2008-04-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

Brand new silent sneakers

I finally found a pair of shoes that I like to replace my poor old All-stars. Yeah.. I know that shoe shopping is supposed to an easy thing for a girl, but this Nerd Girl a picky cheapskate- a bad combo in this case. As much as I adore interesting fashion, I also stink at shopping for the specific things I really need. Inspiration usually leaves me, when I know I have to get a specific item and then I just can’t make up my mind. Anyway these are from Bobby Burns and I especially like the pointy shape. They look so friendly and silent, that now I'm sure I can sneak up on anyone, without making a sound.

20s for spring:
Shopping in my search for sneaker-like shoes, it was of course easiere to find many other things I wanted.

Not only in shoe-design, but in fashion and style in general I’m getting more and more inspired by the 1920’s and 30’s. I love Wackerhaus’ style and her loose dresses like this one.

I've been looking at old pictures from the 20s and 30s to see what kind of shoes women wore back then and their are usually very simple, almost a bit boring shoes. But I've found some shoes online that I think fit well into the 20s and 30s style.

From Topshop:

From Asos:

The power of Martha

2008-04-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

I will tell you of a performance of Edward Albee’s ‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ I saw last night at Gasværket.
‘Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ is one of my favourite plays and I saw it a few years back for the first time staring the Danish comedian actress Søs Egelind as Martha. She is most famous for her funny performances in comedy shows, but in that production she proved that she really has an incredible talent for serious acting. In my eyes Egelind’s performance was very overlooked in the world of Danish theatre – she really deserved an award for it, but I think many critics still only see her as a comedian. It is safe to say – without exaggerating – that she gave me one of my greatest theatre-experiences ever. And I’ve been a theatre-goer since I basically could walk. In general that production made such an impression on me that I already had my doubts about going to see a new and different one last night. One’s first great experience of a play is rarely exceeded and I guess that makes me a though critic for this production.
But Albee’s play is such a classic and it will and should be staged again and again – and it deserves to constantly be challenged by new actors and directors. Last nights production has already received a lot of critical praise which ultimately helped to persuade me to go.

And I did enjoy it and I enjoyed the fact that it was very different from the first one I saw. But it still didn’t surpass my first experience at all. In this production Martha was played by the great Danish diva Paprika Steen. She defiantly has the temper and desperation which such a part needs and I think she was the absolute best thing about the whole production. Martha’s inner strengths and weaknesses are vital in the play, but what fascinates me the most is the ‘war’ between Martha and George. Unfortunately, I think that the George here played by Lars Brygmann was too weak to match Paprika’s Martha. All his rage and physic game playing seemed too random and lacked a deep ongoing plotting hatred that I think George has towards Martha.
At Gasværket Martha is sexy and George is the old intellectual – but I failed to really believe their mutual attraction. This amazingly complicated relationship seems only to break out into open war because of the two guests – Honey and Nick – but as I understand it, Martha and George have been at war most of their marriage. In the production at Gasværket it seems as if this war starts and ends that night and thus reducing Honey and Nick to odd comic relief gadgets through out the play.

The stage design was amazing, done by Gasværket's manager Jon Stephensen. With a rotating stage construction and a house with moving walls, George and Martha’s home seems like combination of Pandora’s Box and a fish tank.

The House in my Head

2008-04-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing a few of Randi & Kartine’s art-installations. These two young Danish artists make the most wonderful houses that trigger your imagination with their surprising movements. They are model houses but with a lot of soul and life inside.
The exposition is shown at Gl. Strand and even though it is very small, it still proves that Randi & Katrine can bring weird and strange ideas to life. Shaped like human heads with the windows as eyes and doors as mouths the houses each have different moving features which adds life and mystery.

There is a playful and theatrical feeling in the exhibition that I don’t think I’ve experienced since I as a child saw pieces by Jean Tinguely – but Randi & Katrine are simpler in their work and leave more to your imagination and this really intrigues me. I hope it will one day be possible to see larger exhibitions with their work.

Sing my Song Sita

2008-03-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

I’ve just come back from one of those movie experiences that are so good you have to share it with others. So here goes: The Natfilm festival is in Copenhagen is screening Sita Sings the Blues – a cartoon by Nina Paley. Now I knew nothing about this film or about Nina Paley, when I went to Empire bio this afternoon. I sort of have a tradition with a few of my friends that every year at Natfilm we see one or two of the Indian Bollywood musicals the festival is showing. This time there was a cartoon bollywood musical or so we thought, not having really read the programme properly, but just decided that a change from Amir Khan this year would be nice.

Sita Sings the Blues turned out to be a sweetly told story of the Ramayan focusing on Sita. With parallels to the cartoonist own unhappy love life in the US and India including a break up over email, Sita comes alive through different styles of drawing and the singing voices of 1920s blues singer Annette Hanshaw. The trials and rejections which Sita goes through are told by tree really funny shadow puppets in an entertaining and delightful bollywood like setting. I really recommend this film to anyone!

Easter dwellings

2008-03-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

I’ve been down with a weird sort of cold – not sore throat or runny nose, I’m actually just physically cold all the time and nothing (not event the hottest cup of tea or sweetest Easter chocolates) could fuel any heat. So therefore there’s been at lot less blogging during Easter, than I planed and a lot less DIY-ing as had also planned.

It might have something to do with the fact that Copenhagen has been covered in snow most of the Easter holidays. The winter we didn’t get for X-mas we’re sure getting now- when it’s supposed to be spring. Well I’ll spare you all my complaining about global warming and how it’s causing all of this the fucked up (that’s right!) weather. All I’ll say about it is this: I want seasons to change and I want snow for x-mas and sun for summer and none of this nonsense.

Oh, all this hating did kind of get my inner heat up a bit. Well my hands and feet are still icy cold and I’m wearing two sweaters and mittens here in my boiling living room – yet still cold. So before I crawl back under warm blankets here’s what I looking for at the moment:

A trip down designer memory lane

2008-03-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a small post about my visit last week to the Danish Museum of Decoration and Design here in Copenhagen. I decided to pay a visit to the museum because I haven’t been there for ages. It is a bit of an old fashion museum in the sense that after Danish Design Centre opened a few years back The Danish Museum of Decoration and Design has become more of a historical museum looking back in time. What’s on display here is the history of Danish design and general design and it only pays little attention to the ongoing developments. The standing exhibition is therefore a very large part of the museum and there are only few and rather small special exhibitions. This is the reason I guess why I haven’t set foot in the museum for quite a few years; seeing it all again now was a lot of fun, but I don’t think I’ll be coming back to see the permanent exhibition any time soon.

However it brought back a lot of childhood memories of the homes of my grand parents; many of the designer classics on display there were and are still parts of Danish homes today. Hans Wegner chairs and Verner Panton lamps are still very popular today and a lot of Børge Mogensen’s furniture designs were not that expensive in the 50s and 60s. The legendary lamps created by Poul Henningsen and the B&O radios were part of both my grandparents’ and my childhood home. Seeing this standing exhibition was therefore fun and sort of historically educative, but it did not show me anything about what’s happing with Danish design these days and I missed that a bit.

Copenhagen in illustration

I have always been very fascinated by Danish old school poster design. The visiting exhibition shows posters and illustrations by Danish illustrator Ib Andersen . Although I at first thought I didn’t know him, he has created many of the well known posters for example for Tivoli:

With the same brilliant perspective on street life and everyday scenery as Touslouse-Lautrec Ib Andersen also made illustrations for newspapers such as Politiken and Berlingske Tidende in the 1930s and onwards. These examples show how he both captures the city's loneliness and isolation, and can turn shapes and shadows into artistic master pieces.

But Ib Andersen's illustrations are also legendary in other less acknowledged ways – he is the guy behind the illustrations on the old Danish 20,50,100 and 1000 kroner bills. I know it seems silly to get all sentimental about illustrations on money, but for some reason I really think that they deserve greater artistic attention. These days when we're all using our credit cards more and more and a lot of cash becomes rare I think it would be cool if we could take time and look at the bills - they are small pieces of artwork.

Copenhagen under attack

2008-03-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

I’ve decided to start something new on this blog. From this month I will give you a monthly feature of some of my favourite places around Copenhagen. The ‘Place of the month’-series will both include old and new venues around town and I also plan to write about more random places. The first place Nerd Girl attacks and thus also The Place of the Month in March is :

Rayuela

This is a relatively new Spanish bookstore and café. Unfortunately I don’t speak Spanish yet (but I actually plan to take a Spanish class in the fall) so I couldn’t enjoy the many different books; novels, cookbooks, biographies of Spanish icons. But you don’t have to be Spanish or know the language to feel at home there. I’ve always liked the concept of book cafes and even though they are becoming popular in Copenhagen there are still too few. I like book cafes where the books are more than decorative porps and where the environment at the same time is cosiere than the library.

At Rayuela the atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. People come by to read books and enjoy the delicious food. There is a soothing calm about the place which together with the Spanish music makes you lean back and forget yourself.
Originally named after the book ‘Rayuela’ by the Argentinean author Julio Cortázar the café offers all types of Spanish delicacies and a very good coffee.

Good movies for unstitching

2008-03-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

I’ve been too busy this last week to do anything about my DIY-projects. So this weekend I started to unstitch a large dress I got at a flea market a few weekends ago – but argh…it’s a pretty boring task. Therefore I thought of some good entertainment to enjoy while gradually ‘breaking’ the dress up. Actually it’s the same thing when you’re just starting to knit, you have to keep your eyes on the work most of the time, but it’s still easy and does not need all of your attention.

The right entertainment for unstitching can therefore really make the whole process more fun, and when you have a whole dress to break apart, as I have, then a good movie is all you need. However, the movie musn't demand complete devotion and concentration, yet it should still remain interesting. It is for example difficult to enjoy special details or hard keep track of complicated plots, while you do your thing with the needle - for me anyway. So here are two films I recommend for unstitching:

8 Femmes:

This is a delightful and funny film with some of the best French actresses today. A murder mystery taking place in a large estate and the murderer can only be one of 8 women in the house. Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardent and Emmanuelle Béart are some of the great 8 women that sing and dance in this crazy film that turns out to be not onlya murder mystery, but also features lesbian love and a secret pregnancy. The plot is not exactly simple, but somehow easy to follow anyway, and the music and cool characters makes it very entertaining. Furthermore, the production design is so forceful in the use of colours and lighting.

Roman Holiday:

This is indeed a great film for all occasions and should for a first timer not be seen while doing anything else. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck make an amazing couple and as it is shot on location in Rome the whole setting adds an adventures mood to the story.
But for those who like me have seen it a few times already it’s perfect to enjoy again when you’re a bit preoccupied. The reason why it serves well as an ‘unstitching-movie’ is because of the small incidents within the overall plot – like the dancing scene or at the cafe/champagne-drinking scene. Because of the many excellent small scenes through out the whole movie it is easy to enjoy even though you're not completely devoted to it. I could write on and on about this film and how it’s one of the best romances ever, but instead I'll just recommend that you watch it - with or without needlework in your hands.

Vilsbøl de Arce

2008-03-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

I just discovered this really cool Danish designer duo called Vilsbøl de Arce. Judging from their website they’ve had a good share of attention from the Danish fashion media over the last few years. And they even had an article in Miss Behave Magazine featured along side the usual cool suspects of hip Danish fashion – Vibskov, Stine Goya, and Wood wood. Unlike those three labels Vilsbøl de Arce has not yet found its way into the Danish mainstream fashion. But it can’t be long before their awesome jumpsuits and tops become a part the Copenhagen street style in the same that that Vibskov’s scarves are now. They show such originality in the silhouettes the dresses and jumpsuits are almost like sculptures.I’ll definitely be checking out their things in the future.

60s cool: Francoise Hardy

2008-03-07T05:36:00.000-08:00

I just found my old Francoise Hardy CD and I’ve been listing to it all day. She’s the coolest both in music and in style. I know she still makes music, but I like the 60s stuff the best. I’m also a fan of her general style; this clean cut beauty who writes her own songs has the ultimate combination of the unspoiled girly and the rock look. And she’s sexy and she has this cool intellectual air in her voice. Her simple hair style with heavy bangs has really had a comeback, but I also think her natural and relaxed style is also the reason she’s still popular.

Among my favourite of her songs are ‘Le Temps De L’amour’ and ‘Dit lui non’ – and of course ‘Tous les Gracons et les fille’. I found the sweet video for you just to get that good feeling of weekend and spring started: