Roy Big Bro 2 - aka Roy World Tour Round 2

[MasonAlexander]

These are looking so great. I really wish I would have gotten involved in this. Good show everybody <3

[unorthodox]

16 hours ago, mandel9000 said:

Ooooh, I'd love to! If it's not too late by now. Let me know if I can, and I'll send @unorthodox my details asap. 

Very cool. Message me your info and I will get them out to you to keep this tour rolling. 

[mandel9000]

10 hours ago, unorthodox said:

Very cool. Message me your info and I will get them out to you to keep this tour rolling. 

Done! 

[mandel9000]

Roys are here! Just a quick teaser now, jeans and a very small sample of the Oslo skyline, more to come later. 

They look great by the way! 

[FeloniousMonk]

Oslo's looking good, @mandel9000. The whiskers look like they're coming in nicely as well!

Not too late, @MasonAlexander. Want me to add you to the tour list for when they come back to the States?

[MasonAlexander]

I would absolutely love to be on the list. If somebody wanted to send them to Vancouver, Canada, I would be very grateful

 

However, if they cant come back to Canada, I fully understand and will continue enjoying from a far!

Edited October 28, 2017 by MasonAlexander

[mandel9000]

On this beautiful day I went to the nearby botanical gardens with the hope of getting some nicely lit action shots of the jeans. It was - of course - full of people. Since I find it quite embarrassing to take pictures of myself or ask a stranger to do it, you get mostly nature and city this time. 

The Museum of Natural History

A famous tree (can't remember the story)

They have a lot of different plants from all over, and a few years ago they got some hemp with an almost non-existant THC level. People still wouldn't leave it alone, the staff even went on the news to say that this plant is pointless to smoke, so they had to put it in a cage (check out the antlers casually stored in the box behind - very Norway). 

And now there's a sign as well: 

When I got back home I took the elevator to the top floor of my apartment building. To the south there's a lot of construction and a fairly new part of the city emerging. A bit controversial too, since it has blocked the fjord view for thousands of people. 

The other direction. On the top of that hill, a little to the left of the middle, is Holmenkollen, a famous ski jump arena. They actually built a new one years ago in the same area, just a little lower on the hill so that it's not very visible. The old one was kept as a tourist attraction and it has a very steep zip-line. I've never tried it, but I want to. 

A quick fit-pic taken in the back staircase (not used much, no interruptions) as I came back in. I cut the head off, not for anonymity but because I looked like an idiot. 

The fit is quite tight in the seat and thighs, but not uncomfortable at all and the waist is roomy. I'll take some close-ups soon, hopefully tomorrow. 

Most importantly; cat approval!

 

Edited October 29, 2017 by mandel9000
same photo posted twice

[Foxy2]

nice update!

[louisbosco]

great job! not snowing yet???

[mandel9000]

Thanks! It's snowing in all other parts of the country it seems, but not in Oslo. The temperature fell to almost freezing today, so hopefully it'll start soon (for photographic effect I mean, personally I don't enjoy it that much). 

[mandel9000]

I had four meetings today, all in different places, and thus spent most of the workday walking between them. A nice break from the daily routine, I usually just sit in front of the computer. Anyways, I passed by a rather special place and took some photos. This is not a denim related post per se, but about the place where I live, which is part of a tour too I guess (hope!). 

First, one more of my view, just for context. I'm so happy that I have this balcony and this view. It's a real mood boost when I feel low - I just go out there and look at the "world" outside and feel my worries and problems diminish, just like that. To the right you can see a building taller than the rest in that area, dressed in scaffolding. That's the government quarter where the bomb went off on July 22nd 2011. 

As you can see below, it still looks like a construction site, six years later, mostly because of the ongoing debates about what to do with it. The government had decided to renovate/refurbish the buildings and the art there before the attacks happened, but so much was destroyed that tearing everything down and start fresh was then suggested.

Tearing down everything is probably the easiest option, and maybe cheaper too for all I know, but problem is that many people, especially those working in art or architecture and conservationists, believe that the buildings and original artworks should be preserved. There are among lots of renowned Norwegian artworks also five original murals by Picasso (see the wall to the left). 

More info and probably explained better in this recent piece in the Independent that came up when I googled for some of the terms and names here. 

My office is about three minutes away, two streets below and shielded by large buildings. When the bomb went off we first thought it was the elevator that crashed down, but when we opened the window (we have no direct line of sight), debris was falling on it and the sky was full of papers. We stayed put for about ten minutes, checking for online news, but the biggest newspapers were also based close and affected so no info was posted until later. When we decided to leave it was like walking into a disaster movie. People in our street were relatively unharmed, but most of the windows had broken and glass fallen down, so many were bleeding from wounds and even more crying or in shock. I made my way through as fast as I could, as the police closed off the area, and went home in the other direction and watched tv for the rest of that weekend. Such a surreal memory. 

And not to take anything away from those who suffered losses, lost loved ones or were injured that day, it's beyond horrible, but to think that there are places in the world were people live in those circumstances on a daily basis... It's just heartbreaking.

Hope this wasn't too much gloom.

To end on a high note: My cat frozen mid-wash on top of my records. Ten seconds later, fifty of them (records) were on the floor. 

Edited October 31, 2017 by mandel9000
spelling

[mandel9000]

A bit busy during the weekend, but here's a little something from the last days. 

Quick elevator photo on the way to a music quiz, my favorite pastime after quitting basketball all those years ago.

We're a quite good team, if I may say so myself. We know each other from working in different record stores throughout the 00s. After mixing up two Tom Waits albums, a lot of album years and a few other stupid misses, we came in third in the end. The winners of this round managed 96 out of 100 points!

(Not my handwriting here. Mine's so tidy that I get to do the official one, this is just to keep track of our points.)

I'm having some trouble with the auto-focus in macro mode, but here's a couple of shots of the jeans in their current state. 

Edited November 6, 2017 by mandel9000
grammar

[wolfofthesea]

Great colour on those back pocket shots! Also enjoying how that patch on the thigh looks, such an interesting fabric!

[mandel9000]

I received the contest TCB 20s on Monday night and have been a bit occupied by them since (that whole soaking and measuring business), but tomorrow I'll be back in the Roys and documenting my leg again! 

 

 

[mandel9000]

Poor me, I have the flu. Better today though, but I’ve spent the last couple of days in bed with nothing to report, so please excuse the lack of updates. 

On Friday, after popping a few pills and feeling somewhat up to task, I travelled to a barn to see an intimate invitation-only showcase with the Swedish duo First Aid Kit. 

This is me on the tube:

This is the band on “stage”:

The sisters were lovely but the whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth. Is this the state of things? Instead of fans, they had invited PR and event people, plus a lot of so-called influencers who experienced every second of it through their phone. Us sceptics got the last laugh when the organisers discovered that there’s no cell service in that area and that the influencers weren’t able to post anything on social media. The despair. Ha,  how ironic (in the Morrissette interpretation of the word)!

After that I went to an art opening that I really wish I had photographed, it was really good, but I checked my coat when I got there and left the phone in it. I’ll go back soon, will try again then. 

[Maynard Friedman]

It looks like a sauna rather than a barn. Also, the guitarist on the left appears to have 3 arms!

[mandel9000]

After so much time spent indoors I got dressed in layers of wool, grabbed some reading material and the camera, and went out for a walk today. It was cold and beautiful outside. 

I’m currently reading Mayhem by Granta editor Sigrid Rausing. It’s a family memoir of sorts, about the Swedish Tetra-Pak heirs and the death of her sister-in-law Eva in 2012. The story is quite grotesque but the book is mostly about what it’s like to deal with addiction in the family, also philosophically, and about tragedy and mourning. I also finally finished the New Yorker exposé about the Sackler family and the opioid epidemic. True crime about Big Pharma. 

When I did the TCB tour last Christmas I posted some photos of the new Edvard Munch museum. This is a progress report. 

The Opera to the left there. What I particularly like about that building is that all the workshops are on ground level with huge windows, so one can get a glimpse of props, costumes and stage design when walking by. This is the wig room. 

All stage performers have their own sewing bust made to measurements. It’s quite funny because the 30 small and skinny ones are the ballet dancers and the 20 more robust ones are the opera singers. It’s very easy to tell which is which. 

This is the front:

That Italian marble is deadly when covered with a thin layer of ice, like today. I had sneakers on and got out of there quickly. 

This was around 3:30pm.

I crossed this bridge from that new part of town and went home. 

[mandel9000]

4 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

It looks like a sauna rather than a barn. Also, the guitarist on the left appears to have 3 arms!

Haha, hadn't noticed that! 

It was a barn made into a living space, I think, and this was the new top floor. It was certainly hot like a sauna when filled up with 100-150 people (mostly behind me when I took that photo), I had to go outside just to breathe a couple of times. 

[Foxy2]

great updates!
(no cat pics, though...)

[mandel9000]

Roys at the dentist’s. 

Zero cavities! But I might need braces...

[Maynard Friedman]

For your teeth or your TCB 20s?!

[mandel9000]

Hahahaha, I wish! Unfortunately I ordered my 20s without the suspender buttons. 

[Paul T]

22 minutes ago, mandel9000 said:

Hahahaha, I wish! Unfortunately I ordered my 20s without the suspender buttons. 

I was keeping these in case I lost any buttons off my three-pleat, but looks like your need might be greater?

 

[Bobbo]

Nice update Mandel.

Really bugs me to hear about that PR-gig by First Aid Kit. I always felt they had an aura about them that they'd never do that kind of thing and took great pride in it.

[mandel9000]

It's about a week left of my turn, so while I prepare a major update for you guys I wonder: 

Send name, address and instructions my way on PM and I'll make sure to mail out the jeans next week.

-----

On Sunday I went to see Norwegian singer Nils Bech at the opera. I love him and he has been called a national treasure, but his brand of neo-classical and very artsy, sometimes electronic pop music sung in a very accented English is an acquired taste for many. It was a great show, his collaborations with visual artists and dancers really worked on that stage.

Inside the opera house

[bartlebyyphonics]

^ nice updates and good tour

thanx for the nils bech tip

had quik listen: vids and sound remind me of what i liek of arca and the knife (esp. their 'full of  fire')

[mandel9000]

I forgot to mention that the Norwegian crown prince was in attendance, seated a few rows behind me. He's in his mid-forties now and has a couple of kids and more official duties as the king is getting older, but a decade ago he seemed to be at all the shows and clubs I went to. Great taste in music, in other words! 

[mandel9000]

Winter is here! 

Or rather it was, the rain started moments later. 

Walking down towards the winter death trap outside my building, in my mother's old Barbour jacket that I saved from being donated to the Salvation Army last time I visited. Saved might not be the right word, I probably took it from someone who needs it more than me, but I've worn it so much ever since. It has a detachable lining that is really warm and cosy these days. 

The aforementioned death trap. This is not bad at all, but the few meters just after the railing ends, which is still pretty steep, is usually covered in ice during winter. More than a few neighbors have broken hips, wrists and ankles there. 

The street where I work. Christmas lights are up. Eldorado used to be a cinema, but now it's a huge bookstore. 

This afternoon I went to a Christmas cocktail party and program launch at the Munch museum. They held it in a great room that's not usually part of the exhibition, but where the biggest paintings are. The last few years they've started using that space for concerts and debates and such. Very nice. 

They really delivered on the cocktail part, serving free drinks based on absinthe because that was what Edvard Munch and the other artists favored in their time. We came straight from work without eating dinner first and had to run out for a pizza after roughly an hour/three drinks. 

Finally, a photo taken from one of the top floors of my building, where a friend lives, that shows the identical one next to it (one of four). It's very close to the centre of the city, yet nice and quiet, and the apartments all have clever floor plans, lots of windows, and great views. I like it here. 

[Foxy2]

...looks like a Corpse Reviver II - great cocktail!

[bartlebyyphonics]

recipe(s) of mr craddock's infamous inventions below for those with the inclination!