bye september, hey october

September went fast. And basically being totally absorbed by the fact that mid September I suddenly got a part time temp job until December 31st. A long story, it was all very sudden and linked to my volunteer work revolving around plantbased food and the environment.

As I'm studying Sustainability Science on 25% part-time, it fits quite well with a 50% part-time job. As this year has been crazy for us all, and continue to be so, it actually takes a lot more energy to keep juggling all this than it usually would do. But all in all, I'm very grateful for the opportunity to keep on learning. 

My main job task is organizing the three last Vegoforum events for the year, all digital via Zoom. One the day before my birthday, one in mid November and one in early December. And yes, it's a bit overwhelming when you get thrown into it like this, even if the work per se isn't super heavy. Well life is pretty heavy right now, thus even things that would normally be just fun and a good energizing challenge get a bit much at times. And obviously I wan't to do a great job, so...

:: The lack of decent photo uploading on Blogger is still infuriating. So this is all you get today. The fact that the not so great at vegan pastries cafe now has opened a sourdough bakery too, is another great thing about September. Because the bread is awesome. Especially the rolls and the levain.

:: Little mum and I have taken the commuter train to the end station (two stops from here) twice, to do bank errands and visit my favourite coffee chain Espresso House. Since we get there and home between 9.30-1pm there are very few people on the train it feels pretty okay. And just the thing of enjoying a soy latte and some trustworthy vegan treats again have been a highlight.

:: I finished the second part of the philosophy class at the beginning of September. So it was a clean slate for the sustainability course. We've had four seminars so far, of which two have been great (Sustainable economics and Environmental ethics), but one quite annoying as the concept of ecosystem service is infuriating, specieism at its finest I'd say.

:: We've had some glorious Indian summer days, so autumn has just slowly arrived. And summer dresses have been quite appropriate. Even if the weirdness of the average Swede still is to dress as if it's a cold autumn in late August already. And, obviously black and drab and lots of clothes is the informal dress code. Which I loath. Obviously.

:: I've ordered another batch of those wonderful vegan, palmoil-free Scottish soaps. Bliss.

:: I've also ordered some more tea. And actually, more again the other day. It's Cinnamon Bun Day (vegan recipe for them here!)on Sunday, and they had a small batch of special Cinnamon Bun tea blend this week only. As there won't be any vegan cinnamon buns for me this year alas, I can at least have a whiff and a sip of cinnamon bun tea.

:: I've watched a lot of seminars, some poor, others pretty great. I've finished books, I've started reading new books. I haven't been able to finish any new ones lately, so I'm again 7 books behind on my 55 books reading challenge alas.

:: I've done another colour refresh, this time the colour was Autumn Red. It was visible, but a lighter, more orange red than suits me and it was practically washed away after four hair washes. I'm feeling in the mood for something darker now in October, like last year.

:: I won a big bad of new vegan fruit toffees, it was lovely. And I haven't won anything for years now (oh 2015-2016...), so it was a very welcome surprise. 

:: My recent favourite TV-crush is Zoe's Extraordinary Playlist - if you haven't seen it already, you really should! It's funny, sad (prepare to cry during every episode), moving, insightful and obviously full of music. Loved it, binge watched every episode over 2 days. Miss it. If you, like me, enjoyed Ally McBeal, Glee and Pitch Perfect, you won't be disappointed!

:: My short and sweet summary of a month that so far have been the best one, me thinks, of the last six ones. There's more bits and pieces, I could write about. But this will have to do for now. Not being able to simply add photos is a nuisance, and now I need my beauty sleep.

I want to thank you, September, I think you were a sweetheart, despite the overall current life circumstances. And your surprises were mostly of a positive, uplifting kind. I'm very grateful for having met you.

You also gave me this unexpected fun public toilet selfie moment; Professor Pia and the Mystery of the Haunted Toilet. And I have the Velma Dinkley haircut to prove I can solve it!

Hello, October, my dear birthday month. You have a lot to prove, and so do I. Let's make this a really great, productive and professional month together, with extra bells and whistles, m'kay?

authenticity is a beautiful thing

counting the days to november 1, when the plaster comes off. oh the joy to be able to wear long sleeved things, to actually close the coats and jackets. to be able to have a long and decent shower. to peel, chop and grate veggies. not having to worry about getting the left arm wet. to lift things with both arms. to sleep in whatever position i want not having to accomodate the arm angle. to write properly. etc etc etc. all those simple everyday things we mostly take for granted.

but as inconvenient, painful, costly and time consuming as this situation is, perhaps i needed it to slow down a bit. and see things in another light.

earlier this week i felt a significant improvement with the hand, but i might have overdone it since. it's darn difficult to be patient, and you do want to test the limits. plus it's a fine line between the ordered physiotherapy and overstraining yourself.

before the p day (as in plaster) comes another p day (as in birthday). looking forward to the william morris exhibition at millesgården and some lovely vegan food on that day. and after the plaster comes off i might treat myself to a facial. my tired skin deserves it.

i do miss the autumn trips we used to take for my birthdays, m and i, but to be honest, just the thought of flying fills me with shame these days. i really really miss travelling, but as long as it's not done in an environmentally sound way on the ground i can't see myself doing it again.

which obviously is a deep sorrow in itself, the favourite places and cities that now seem so out of reach. but this is where the rich world's living has gotten our planet. we all need to share our responsability for that. and change our habits.



pelle is doing great after his neutering. he seems calmer and a bit more playful. and i don't have to worry about unwanted kittens.



i've enjoyed "the split" so much. i always love a decent legal drama, of course, and even more so when it's multilayered, questions human nature and why we behave like we do. nicola walker is great like always (she's such a versatile actor) and well, barry atsma is too plus a decent eye candy. still available on svt play in sweden. and i see there's a season two coming next year, hooray.



after five years of extensive renovating the national museum re-opened in stockholm this weekend. it's one of my favourite museums and i can't wait to see what they've done with it. this beautiful documentary on svt play (available in sweden only) really wets the appetite. such a gem filled with craftsmanship, innovation and attention to detail.

150 years ago it was the most modern national museum in the world, now it is again.



i'm hopeful that there's finally a decent solution in sight to my financial worries. which i'm not going to share on the internetz - it's that fine line between personal and private. but needless to say it would be glorious to be able to spend a significantly less amount of time worrying and say goodbye to sleepless nights.



obviously no baking my own vegan cinnamon buns for kanelbullens dag this year - but here's a recipe if you want to - but this bunch of vegan ones from bagar'n hornstull were delightful!



i've begun working on a social media, communication, marketing project within urban farming and the agrotech sector. it has been a year since i first heard of the exciting project. and hadn't i been involved in the project that turned out to be a massive let down by a dodgy client and unreliable team mates, i might not be where i am today. which i hope and think is a good place to be. (despite the worry, anger, tears and disappointment it also took to get here.)

i won't ask you to keep your fingers crossed again for ms sustainability 2018, because no matter what, what is meant to be will be. and there's no place like hope.



i also had a really lovely interview at an international animal rights organisation last week. i usually shy away from applying for positions in such organisations because they're just too close to my heart. but the ad screamed my name (head of digital communication). and whatever happens, i'm chuffed to have been one of the six chosen for an interview out of hundreds of applicants.



after the interview i had a spicy pumpkin latte (oat milk) and since global warming has given us +16 degrees celsius in mid october i could enjoy it (with mixed feelings) outdoors.



currently listening a lot to london grammar, specifically "hell to the liars". beautiful. as truth. and authenticity are. and the colours of october.

vegan cinnamon buns

Delivering on my promise to share the recipe for the fabulous vegan cinnamon buns I baked for Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Bun Day).

The recipe says it'll make for 40 buns, but I only got 25 and they weren't even that big. But really good just the same.

Plantbased kanelbullar

50 g fresh yeast
5 dl oat milk
150 g dairy free butter, room temperature
0,5 tsp salt
1 dl casting sugar
2 tsp grounded cinnamon (can be omitted, but why go there?)
~ 14 dl wheat flour

Filling:

0,5 - 1 dl icing sugar (found that 0,5 was perfect if you're like me, not too fond of very sweet buns)
2-3 tbsp grounded cinnamon
100 g dairy free butter

pearl sugar or almond/hazelnuts (chopped)

Melt the butter and milk in a pot to 37C. Crumble the yeast into the food processor bowl (or a big bowl if you plan on doing by hand) and pour some of the milk/butter to stir to dissolve the yeast. Add the rest of the liquid, cardamom, sugar and salt. Add almost all of the flour (you'll need some for the baking) and work it until dough is smooth and lovely.

Let the dough rise under a baking cloth in room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Then knead the dough a bit on a floured baking table. Roll the dough with a rolling pin so it is about 1 cm thick and rectangular-ish (you can also cut the dough in two pieces, might be easier to work if you don't have a big table).

Mix the ingredients for the filling and spread it over the rolled dough. Fold the dough into three layers (length wise). Then cut about 15 long shreds of dough (or 30ish if you have used up all the dough and not half). Spin and swirl the shreds (not my forte, but I kind of got how it should be done in the end) and tie them into a bun. Put them on baking sheets on baking paper.

Put the oven temperature on 225 - 250C.

Let the buns rise under a baking cloth for 30 minutes. Brush the buns with water and sprinkle pearl sugar (and/or chopped almond or hazelnuts if you prefer that).

Bake them in the middle of oven for 5-8 minutes.

Best enjoyed freshly baked. But will freeze well too.

And do let me know how your fabulous cinnamon buns turned out!

cinnamon buns de luxe

Bought these absolutely hummoungus cinnamon buns at Älskade Tider yesterday and I'm happy to report they not only look fantastic but have a taste and texture that match. Simply cinnamon bun de luxe.

happy cinnamon bun day 2015

This is still the best special day Sweden has come up with - Cinnamon bun day aka Kanelbullens dag.

Hope you'll have lots of lovely cinnamon buns today, whether you bake or buy them. Mine are sourdough courtesy Gamla Enskede Bageri (once the home of the Stockholm Super Semla).

And really properly snoopervised of course. They do taste even better with a paw of approval.

Happy cinnamon bun day, one and all!

world animal day ~ cinnamon bun day

October 4th is both World Animal Day and Cinnamon bun day (Kanelbullens dag) in Sweden. 

I do believe one is so much more important to make the most of. Why not begin something extra good and long-term beneficial for animals today?

• Like going vegetarian or vegan if you not already are 
• Join an animal rights organization
• Give money to good animal causes
• Offer your help at a local shelter or 
• Indeed adopt an orangutang 
• Or a pet from a shelter, in need of love and care 

Myself I've been a member of the Swedish animal rights organization 'Djurens rätt' (The Animals' Rights) since the 70ies (yup I'm that old), when their main cause was to stop vivisection. The organization's name back then was 'Nordiska Samfundet mot Plågsamma Djurförsök' (The Nordic Association against  Vivisection). It's a fantastic, inspiring, well-arguing, engaged organization whose aim is to make this world a better, kinder place for us all. I'm so proud of being a long-time member.

And yes, during the day there may have been a cinnamon bun or two being eaten too. In celebration of animals of course. And bobbaloos.

world animal day ~ cinnamon bun day

When the Swedish Cinnamon Bun Day coincide with World Animal Day,
the obvious thing to do is eat (more) cinnamon buns and
not your fellow earth beings, other animals. Of course.

Me, I'm not sure I will eat any cinnamon buns today, I'm a bit tired of
the commercialism surrounding it and the original idea when the day
was established 14 years ago was not commercial as such but with a
charitable intent. The aftertaste is a bit burnt.
Read more about it in this article on ZippyEster
(in Swedish only).

Whether or not you'll feast on cinnamon buns today you can always do
good for animals, with the choice of food on your plate, your money,
your time and a good cuddle.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress
can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated"
~Gandhi



Happy World Animal Day,
Happy Cinnamon Bun Day,
Happy Weekend ~

cinnamon bun day

a year later, cinnamon bun day again. and since october 4th also is world animal day, why not celebrate it with not eating animals but feast on cinnamon buns (and the occasional carrot) instead? sounds fab to me!

cinnamon bun day

For the 12th year we're celebrating a most lovely day here in Sweden, Kanelbullens dag (Cinnamon bun day). So whether in Sweden or not, I do hope you treat yourself and your loved ones to at least one decent cinnamon bun today, okay? Okay.

I'm neither baking this year nor having a fika somewhere nice on the town, but I'm hoping someone nice will deliver a bun to be enjoyed at home later today.

(The oversized cinnamon buns in the photo are one of the best buns I've ever had, at Café Svarta Katten - Black Cat - in Mariehamn, Åland. Thus sadly very much out of the question today...)

Happy Cinnamon Bun Day!

happy cinnamon bun day ~

Yup, it is that time again, one special Swedish day to be proud of, October 4 - Cinnamon Bun day!

I'm not baking any myself this year, I bought ours at Gamla Enskede Bageri on Friday, put them in freezer and will thaw them later today. That's one favourite place for cinnamon buns, so I'm sure they will more than suffice on this fine day.

I hope you'll get your buns
newly baked and warm,
have an overall lovely Bun-Mon-Day ~

~ happy cinnamon bun day ~

One has to be slightly smitten by a country who has instilled something as brilliant as an official cinnamon bun day (kanelbullens dag).

Today, October 4th 2009, is actually the 10th anniversary of this delightful and proudly Swedish day.

Happy cinnamon bun day,

with hopes of freshly baked cinnamon delights for all!

friday reflections

:: Today I did the unthinkable in the world according to me; I wore slingbacks with tights. A grand no-no as far as I'm concerned, but left foot needed change and heels and the weather + shoes in wardrobe didn't offer much choice.

It is good to challenge yourself now and then - and this challenge falls into the category of not-shawing-your-legs-before-having-a-massage-or-leg-involving-doctor's-appointment and the-non-using-of-deodorant-for-one-day-unknowingly-but-still, the horrific but somehow manageable category - and it wasn't (didn't look) as bad as I usually think it does.

That might have something to do with the fact that the tights I found while rummaging my stockings-bag were deep wine-red and they rather complimented the brown shoes (el naturalista rana tharu in brown). And left foot was reasonably happy throughout the day.

Will not be a regular feature in my appearance out and about. But, (not counting the oh so visible in sun cat hairs all over) apart from the tights getting all dusty, it was okay for a day.

:: Contextually the above colour tights/shoes I have found this past few years that there's most always easy to find and combine to good to be true nuances and colour combinations of the already existing wardrobe content. I'm not sure that should be admitted, as soMe would see that as a sign of wardrobe being more than enough extensive. I call it 'subconcious colour instinct prudence'.

:: As I rant on a semi-regular basis I trust meteorologists as much as the average politician ie not at all. I have however decided to give them the benefit of the doubt this weekend, as they say there'll be really bad, grumpy weather and I feel that any excuse for staying tucked under cover, resting foot, snoozing, reading, writing and crocheting/knitting should be taken for the uttermost truth.

:: On Saturday I will get out of bed to cook though. On the menu is this whopping thing of an organic (secretly on stereoids) courgette. And it wasn't even the biggest of the bunch. The dish will surely last all weekend, and then some.

:: The alarm clock snooze certainly must be one of the greatest inventions ever.

:: I've just finished reading 'We bought a zoo' by Benjamin Mee. It's far from the perfect book, but I think that it was the real life imperfection that made me love it the more. Though its major flaw is the more than rather annoying lack of a decent setting of the book, really, publishers...

:: On Sunday it's the lovely, very important Cinnamon Bun Day. My buns are in the freezer, ready to be thawed. I couldn't be bothered to bake my own this year, so I got them at the always grand Enskede Gamla Bageri (home of the Stockholm super semla).

:: Where did September go? I blinked and then it was October. And, too soon, I will be one year older. Hopefully wiser at least. And I take comfort in the fact that it is the month of stripy woolly leg warmers.

:: Today was the last day of computer class - well perhaps I can wriggle it into five more weeks just to cram in another course at a later date. Which would be terribly good if I could - celebrated in style with an afternoon tea at lovely as always Ester's. If there was such a thing as scones coma, that would be the place to get one.

:: Job interview next week. This has been a long, very long time pending kind of interview. I believe they have seriously mismanaged the whole recruitment process, but still on paper and as a notion it does sound like a very, very interesting function. And besides, call me weird, I most always think attending interviews is quite fascinating and fun. As analyzing people and their behaviour always is. A job interview is such an interesting two way process of appraisal and approval (or not).

On my part there will not be any tights in slingbacks.

:: Word of the day; huggermugger. What's not to love about such a splendid word.

~

~ Now go right ahead and have

a lovely first October weekend ~

The Largest Cinnamon Buns in Town

These cinnamon buns I'm going to tell you about might not be quite as heavenly good as the world's best vanilla buns. But they are without question the largest around in town. In fact I've never seen this size of cinnamon buns anywhere, sure the ones at Kafé Kaka in Eskilstuna and also at Vurma are huge, but strangely average when compared with these. One of these buns easily serves at least four people.

However ridiculously oversized things often leave a whole lot to be desired when it comes to quality. In the case of food that basically means consistency and flavour. But I can safely say that in the case of these oversized cinnamon bread babes, what you see is exactly what you get. They are a whole lot of flavourful, cinnamon rich, chewy, crispy chunks of bread to love.

We went all wild and crazy, skipped dinner and shared one for Cinnamon Bun Day. Though I really think they could be shared any day of the year when you crave something cinnamony bunlike (they freeze well too).

If you happen to be in Stockholm and feel in the mood for a close encounter with the largest cinnamon bun in town, head to Café Saturnus at Eriksbergsgatan 6 and get one of these beauties - by that I of course mean the bun and not silly Ernst, this was just *honestly* the only matchbox I found as a object of comparison - for 40 SEK.

~ ~ Happy Cinnamon Bun Day ~ ~

To read more about this highly sophisticated, annual Swedish celebration I suggest you head over to last year's post and then it's up to you to make the most bun of this day, October 4 2008 -

Have a great Cinnamon Bun Day!

October 4th, Cinnamon Bun Day

Last year I actually missed the annual highlight of the Cinnamon Bun Day... This year I most certainly won't - so if I don't happen to stumble over a cinnamon bun on the town today, it then jumping straight into my mouth, I know I can at least rely on the ones at home. Which I baked yesterday, just to be sure this year's October 4th wouldn't be a complete disaster bunwise.

I admit, I did sample a bit, when they came out of the oven smelling all deliciously homemade and mouthwatering - I think they're quite alright and up to a good cinnamon bun standard, although I added some walnuts, changed the flour and skipped a large part of the butter bit.

I could possibly feed the whole neighbourhood with the batch I got, but I won't. Instead they freeze well and will keep any stray wanderer happy for many dark and rainy evenings to come - and maybe one or two for undersigned as well.

I hope you get you buns warm today, happy Cinnamon Bun Day!