An olive tree and a new light fixture
September 8, 2016Laleh
September 7, 2016Love the Swedish singer, Laleh’s, new song, Aldrig Bli Som Förr (Never gonna be like it was). Been listening to it on repeat an embarrassing number of times and if you would like to tag along in this listening marathon, or to just check it out, you can listen to it down here. ↓ Enjoy!
A re-designed about page
September 6, 2016
Back to work!
September 5, 2016
Guys, guess what I’m doing today!!! I’m gonna start working a little bit again, after nearly a year of being on the sick list full time. I’ll take it really slowly in the beginning, and will just be at work a couple of hours every day. I’m pumped, excited, but also nervous in some way. Just like it “should” be, I guess.
At least, I’m not gonna work with stressful deadlines and have any direct contact with customers in the beginning. Instead, I am going to work within the company, such as, promoting it in on social media. Gonna be so much fun! I love social media, and to be able to work with it, is awesome. Like a dream. I feel so creative and inspired right now.
So from now on, I’ll work a tiny bit again, and I think we all (my therapist, mentor, Liz, the doctor, my job, and I) all have a great plan for me. And I’m gonna start saying that my position at work is not only as a Graphic Designer, but also as a Social Media Coordinator.
Good stuff lately
September 4, 2016Coffee with Oatly’s “iKaffe”.
A new poster hanging on our wall in the living room.
A tote bag, supporting an organization working for a world without eating disorders.
When Liz brings home some fresh squeezed juice. Juice delivery deluxe.
A surprise gift
September 3, 2016
Liz came home with a surprise package yesterday. What an amazing wife I have ♥ I wore the earrings directly when I went to a kick off party with my job last night, and gosh, I love them. The t-shirt will be ready to be worn on Monday, but more about that day then! *Cliffhanger*.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Acast
September 2, 2016As Liz and I mentioned in our latest podcast episode, our podcast is now available on Acast as well! Acast is another podcast platform and is available for both Android users as well as iOS users. You can read more about Acast on their website, here and click → here ← to get directly to our page on Acast.
Download the free Acast app on Google Play here.
Download the free Acast app on the App Store, here.
The website look ↓
The phone app look (at least on an iPhone)↓
2. Plants, coziness, and the beginning of our celebration season
September 1, 2016In this week’s episode, Liz and Lina find ways to celebrate the end of summer and give some tips on vamping up the cozy in your home. Challenge updates and so much more also await!
TV Series
September 1, 2016September is here and I think it’s time for me to share my long list of TV-series here on the blog!
I call it part 1, because there will most likely, one day, be a part 2, 3 and so forth. I try to choose series by the words from friends and family, but also from the points at imdb. If it’s 8.5/10, it’s usually pretty good, I think..but there are some, I haven’t gotten into that has around 9…and a few around 7/10, that I’ve liked as well..so you never know exactly how it’s gonna be. I also always try to give a new series a few episodes in, before I decide whether to finish it or not. If I decide to not finish it, I might come back to it a few months later, and I get really in to it. So I just don’t judge it, by one seating. If you happen to sit with any good tips on any new ones, hit me up! So let’s start this. It’s in alphabetical order and all pics are from imdb.com. The short infos come from imdb as well.
ONGOING
Fear the Walking Dead 7.3/10 at imdb
What did the world look like as it was transforming into the horrifying apocalypse depicted in The Walking Dead (2010)? This spin-off set in Los Angeles, following new characters as they face the beginning of the end of the world, will answer that question (source imdb.com). Trailer here.
Orphan Black 8.4/10 at imdb
A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her (source imdb.com). Trailer here.
Outlander 8.5/10 at imdb
Follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie Fraser, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate relationship is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives (source imdb.com).
UP TO DATE WITH / WATCHED ALL SEASONS
Breaking Bad 9.5/10 at imdb
A high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer turns to manufacturing and selling methamphetamine, with his former student, in order to secure his family’s financial future (source imdb.com).
The Brigde/Bron 8.6/10 at imdb
When a body is found on the bridge between Denmark and Sweden, right on the border, Danish inspector Martin Rohde and Swedish Saga Norén have to share jurisdiction and work together to find the killer (source imdb.com).
Girls 7.4/10 at imdb
A comedy about the experiences of a group of girls in their early 20s (source imdb.com).
Homeland 8.4/10 at imdb
A bipolar CIA operative becomes convinced a prisoner of war has been turned by al-Qaeda and is planning to carry out a terrorist attack on American soil (source imdb.com).
House of Cards 9.0/10 at imdb
A Congressman works with his equally conniving wife to exact revenge on the people who betrayed him (source imdb.com).
Jessica Jones 8.3/10 at imdb
A former superhero decides to reboot her life by becoming a private investigator (source imdb.com).
Orange is the New Black 8.3/10 at imdb
The story of Piper Chapman, a woman in her thirties who is sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being convicted of a decade-old crime of transporting money to her drug-dealing girlfriend (source imdb.com).
Sons of Anarchy 8.6/10 at imdb
A man in his early 30s struggles to find a balance in his life between being a new dad and his involvement in a motorcycle club (source imdb.com).
The Affair 8.0/10 at imdb
A struggling novelist and a young waitress strike up an extramarital relationship that promises to forever change the course of their lives (source imdb.com).
The Fall 8.3/10 at imdb
Two hunters, one cold, deliberate and highly efficient and the other, a strong, athletic man with a wife, two children and a counselling job… one of them is a serial killer and one is a cop (source imdb.com).
The Fosters 8.0/10 at imdb
Teenager Callie Jacob is placed in a foster home with a lesbian couple and their blend of biological, adoptive and foster children (source imdb.com).
The Killing 8.2/10 at imdb
A police investigation, the saga of a grieving family, and a Seattle mayoral campaign all interlock after the body of 17-year-old Rosie Larsen is found in the trunk of a submerged car (source imdb.com).
The Returned 8.3/10 at imdb
The Returned opens in a small mountain community which is rocked to its core when several local people who are presumed dead suddenly re-appear at their homes. Despite having passed away some years earlier, these ghostly characters appear in human form, they have not aged, and they are completely unaware of their own fatality (source imdb.com).
The Walking Dead 8.6/10 at imdb
Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by the walking dead. Fighting the dead, fearing the living (source imdb.com).
True Blood 8.0/10 at imdb
Telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse encounters a strange new supernatural world when she meets the mysterious Bill, a southern Louisiana gentleman and vampire (source imdb.com).
STOPPED BEFORE THE ENDING SEASON
24 8.4/10 at imdb
Jack Bauer, Director of Field Ops for the Counter-Terrorist Unit of Los Angeles, races against the clock to subvert terrorist plots and save his nation from ultimate disaster (source imdb.com).
American Horror Story 8.3/10 at imdb
An anthology series that centers on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an insane asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, and an enigmatic hotel (source imdb.com).
Downton Abbey 8.7/10 at imdb
A chronicle of the lives of the British aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th Century (source imdb.com).
Game of Thrones 9.5/10 at imdb
While a civil war brews between several noble families in Westeros, the children of the former rulers of the land attempt to rise up to power. Meanwhile a forgotten race, bent on destruction, plans to return after thousands of years in the North (source imdb.com).
Glee 6.7/10 at imdb
A group of ambitious misfits try to escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a glee club, where they find strength, acceptance and, ultimately, their voice, while working to pursue dreams of their own (source imdb.com).
Grey’s Anatomy 7.7/10 at imdb
A drama centered on the personal and professional lives of five surgical interns and their supervisors (source imdb.com).
Lost 8.4/10 at imdb
The survivors of a plane crash are forced to work together in order to survive on a seemingly deserted tropical island (source imdb.com).
Scandal 7.9/10 at imdb
A former White House Communications Director starts her own crisis management firm only to realize her clients are not the only ones with secrets (source imdb.com).
FUTURE PROJECTS
Friends 9.0/10 at imdb
Follows the lives of six 20-something friends living in Manhattan (source imdb.com).
Gilmore Girls 8.0/10 at imdb
A drama centering around the relationship between a thirtysomething single mother and her teen daughter living in Stars Hollow, Connecticut (source imdb.com).
New Girl 7.8/10 at imdb
After a bad break-up, Jess, an offbeat young woman, moves into an apartment loft with three single men. Although they find her behavior very unusual, the men support her – most of the time (source imdb.com).
Sex and the City 7.0/10 at imdb
Four female New Yorkers gossip about their sex-lives (or lack thereof) and find new ways to deal with being a woman in the 90s (source imdb.com).
OLD ONES
Ally McBeal 6.8/10 at imdb
Ally McBeal is a single young lawyer looking for love and fullfillment in life. She works for a Boston Law firm with her ex-lover and his wife, a money loving boss and an annoying receptionist. With all that is going on she must contend with her feelings and her over active imagination (source imdb.com).
Boston Public 7.3/10 at imdb
The lives of 10 faculty members at a high school in Boston, Mass. weave in and out of dealing with trouble-makers, having a personal life, and keeping sanity (source imdb.com).
Cityakuten/ER 7.7/10 at imdb
The lives, loves and losses of the doctors and nurses of Chicago’s County General Hospital (source imdb.com).
Criminal Minds 8.2/10 at imdb
The cases of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), an elite group of profilers who analyze the nation’s most dangerous serial killers and individual heinous crimes in an effort to anticipate their next moves before they strike again (source imdb.com).
THE ONES THAT HAVE CAUGHT MY EYE
» Ally McBeal
» Homeland
» Breaking Bad
» Outlander
» Orange is the New Black
» Sons of Anarchy
» The Walking Dead
Beach Week Video
August 31, 2016Eastern NC in 19 pics
August 30, 2016
| road trip | char grill | family | quality time | early mornings | beach | relaxation | warm | sunshine| restaurant visits | beer | walks | ocean | chats | sunsets | fireworks | laughters | olympic games | goodbyes |
the beach and usa, i love you ♥
Stay tuned, a beach week video is being posted tomorrow!
My Saturday in 46 sec.
August 29, 2016I thought we needed a little break from all the States pictures/blog updates, so let’s check out what my Saturday looked like instead. Come on & tag along!
Western NC in 26 pics
August 28, 2016
| family | friends | craft beer | breweries | local food | coffee | shopping |slow mornings | live music | asheville guitar bar | nature | mountains | trees | views | hole doughnuts | bookstore |
asheville, the mountains, and family/friends, i love you ♥
MA, NH, ME, CT in 15 pics
August 27, 2016
| family | roadtrip | craft beer | coffee | day trips | pet snuggles | nature | exploring | hotel bed |pizza | plants | views | ocean | rv | adventures | harbor | storm | rest |
family, i love you ♥
liz+lina
August 26, 2016Liz and I decided during our vacation in the States, after we’d been guests in a podcast which I wrote about here, to start our own podcast. So we went to a store, bought a microphone and pop filters, brainstormed, and planned.
Once we were back in Sweden, we set everything up, and started recording.
We edited it a bit, and then uploaded it/requested a review in iTunes, and once we were approved, it was there – available for the world! Gaaaah, such a good feeling. So reader, feel free to subscribe to our podcast!
You’ll find it by searching liz+lina or just simply click on the links below and choose the platform of your choice. We’re still working on figuring our additional platforms, so if you prefer or miss the platform you’re using, let me know, and we’ll work on it. But as of now, you’ll find it by following the links below.
Hope you’ll enjoy it as much we enjoyed recording it. It’s a journey for us, and hopefully you’d like to tag along. Feedback is also warmly welcomed ♥
>> iTunes
>> Soundcloud
Shoe Love
August 25, 2016When I was in the States this summer, I did some shoe shopping since it’s way cheaper there than in Sweden. Today I decided to waterproof/impregnate the new ones along with some older shoes as well, and while I did it, I thought, why not take some pics, and show you some of my favorites here at home. So here we go.
I’ve been wearing Converse (tall and short ones) for more than half my life and have owned quite a many pair. Unfortunately, I’ve gave/sold many pairs, or a majority of, my Converse when we moved to the States…one of the things I actually regret that I did. Oh, well. I’m working on expanding my collection now, and I decided to go for some classic ones this time. Tall and black.
The Adidas Superstar has been pretty popular the past years, and I got really retro-looking ones when they came out, since they were really popular when I was around 14. Of course, I had to get a pair as the age of 32 as well. Yes, nostalgia. I bought the Nike ones this past spring, which you can see more of in this blog post.
Vans has also become a favorite brand, and I’ve been wearing these ones quite a bit, and they’re still going strong.
Ok, readers. Friends. Toms. Is. The. Most. Comfortable. Shoes. Liz and I have had several pairs for multiple years, and we both love them. This trip to the States, I came home with fresh new black ones.
New Balance. So comfortable and nice looking. Do I need to say more? Oh, this is model 420.
Dr. Martens. Shoes who look and fit better the more you wear them. Bought these several years ago. I believe I have an Instagram picture from when I got them.
The newest pair of shoes in my collection, and to me, also a new brand in my closet. Clarks. I think we’re gonna have a nice fall together.
Some favorite brands of mine when it comes to shoes
Dr. Martens
Vans
New Balance
Converse
Toms
Adidas
Nike
Clarks
Birkenstock
Vagabond
NY in 15 pics
August 24, 2016
| mexican food | airbnb | friends | patti smith | williamsburg | brunch | inspirational | creativity | independent stores | coffee shops | bars | sunsets | views | williamsburg bridge | parks | heat |summer | noises | walks | sunsets | shopping | hidden gems |
i love you nyc ♥
1. The Premiere
August 23, 2016Who are we and why are we starting a podcast?
Finding Asheville Podcast
August 19, 2016
Liz and I were asked to be guests on a podcast, called Finding Asheville, while we were in Asheville, and of course we wanted to! We felt honored doing it, so a huge thank you to hostess Emily Trimnal, co-host Janet Bray, and Nathan Miller at Finding Asheville, we had so much fun doing this!
The episode is called From Asheville to Sweden and was released on August 15th, 2016. This is the iTunes description on the episode.
We’re back! We took a mini summer vacation, but Finding Asheville is back with a fascinating new episode. While Benny plays at the beach, Emily and guest co-host Janet sit down with our guests for the week. Elizabeth McGuire and Lina Eriksson are a couple living in Sweden. Liz is a writer – formerly of the Mountain Xpress – and expat who now calls Sweden home. Listen in as Janet and Emily learn about life in Sweden, and how the social life differs from here in the United States. Gain knowledge about how a socialist country cares for their citizens, and how people overseas view our current presidential race. All of this and much much more on this special edition of Finding Asheville.
Check it out
Right Now
August 18, 2016
THINKING
Way too much. However, right now, mostly about who I am. What defines a person (me) and identity. Goals and what, in life, those are based on. I love discussing these things at the moment since it’s pretty much what’s swirling around in my head.
WATCHING
Various TV-series, documentaries, and the News.
READING
After you by Jojo Moyes. After that, these books I listed in an earlier blog post.
PLANNING
How we’re gonna decorate our apartment.
WEARING
PJ shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. Cozy stuff it is.
LISTENING
Too Much Is Never Enough by Florence + The Machine
EATING
Nothing at this moment.
WANTING
A creative flow, new and more plants at home, a few new light fixtures, more art and stuff on the walls.
LOOKING FORWARD TO
Weekend at home with Liz. To just be, rest, decorate our apartment, and plan a new project Liz and I are gonna do in the very near future. Cliffhanger 1.0. Hehe. But, stay tuned.
Back in Sweden
August 17, 2016
I’m back in Sweden after an amazing month in the USA. We’ve done so many fun and exciting things, and I can’t wait to show you some snippets and a video or so from our time over the pond. Liz has done some amazing documentation, divided in several blog posts, so instead of pretty much repeating what she has written and shown, I’m gonna figure out another way to share our adventures, so stay tuned. But until then, go over and check out Liz’s blog here.
Wine night & USA
July 19, 2016Liz and I celebrated a little bit the other night. Why? Because we can, but perhaps also because Liz started her vacation, and we were in the middle of our preparations for our trip to the US, which starts TODAY!!!
We’re taking off around lunch time (Swedish time) and arriving in NY in the afternoon (American time). If you would like to tag along a little bit more, I’ll try to update my Instagram and Snapchat accounts as much as possible.
You’ll find my Instagram here or search for my nickname, liersees, and my Snapchat nickname is, lier84.
Books for the nearest future
July 17, 2016This post is in Swedish due to the books I’m gonna read is in Swedish…
Inspirerad av min kusin och hennes blogg, kommer härmed ett inlägg om vilka böcker jag har som väntar på att få läsas. Jag har med andra ord inte hunnit läsa dessa och kan inte ger en någon recension än av dessa men planerar att skriva ett inlägg om mina omdömen senare i höst.
Livet efter dig samt Arvet efter dig skrivna av Jojo Moyes, I varje ögonblick är vi fortfarande vid liv av Tom Malmquist, New-Delhi – Borås av Per J Andersson, 438 Dagar av Johan Persson & Martin Schibbye och slutligen Guantánamo En Dagbok av Mohamedou Ould Slahi (sammanställd av Larry Siems).
Back in town
July 16, 2016I’m back in Uppsala after an amazing week in the archipelago together with family and friends. I’ve been rowing a boat, canoeing, taking a dip in the cold (at least to me) ocean, laughing like crazy… I’ve been singing, playing Hanabi (a new, again, to me, fun game), walking in the woods with my dad, staring at the endless beauty of nature, talking both about fun things and sad things, gotten sad news, and gained more confidence that I one day will be healthy and free.
This is what it looked like. It was a detox for me when it comes to Internet access. Pretty much zero reception there, so I didn’t carry my phone around and therefore, don’t have that many pics.
Today, Liz and I are doing laundry, organizing, and running errands. We’re off to the US in just a few days!
Hope you’re having great summer or winter (wherever you are!) ♥
The Archipelago
July 9, 2016
It’s the time of the year when I’m gonna head out to the place that is the closest to my heart, the archipelago. A place I’ve spent a week during almost every summer, throughout my whole life. I’m gonna sit on the dock and look out at the beautiful scenery. I’m gonna have endless conversations with family, relatives, old friends, and new friends. I’m gonna row the boat out to an island and watch the sun set. I’m gonna sit up late at night, playing board games, and laughing so much stomach will hurt. I’m gonna listen to podcasts, music, and read books. I’m gonna walk in the woods and breathe in the fresh air of the Swedish nature. I cannot wait.
I’ll be back next weekend. Until then… ♥
1.
July 5, 2016
How do I let things go?
Who am I?
I have so many questions and the two above are the key ones at the moment.
What’s my goal? A goal I can’t reach? That will keep going, through and with me, in life.
Something from deep within.
Gotta figure it out.
Somehow.
But it’s hard to take the first real step, when you don’t know how to take it.
Today’s song: When We Were Young by Adele.
3 min and 33 sec of our Paris trip
July 3, 2016Music by Dana Boulé, found here.
Our Paris trip
July 2, 2016
What I’ve learned during the Paris trip
→ The French language is beautiful and I can understand more than I first thought. I even ordered in French once. Heck yeah!
→ Middle aged Parisian women are beautiful.
→ Parisian guys are, in general, pretty tiny and short.
→ French people are not that great at English, but you do get far with a smile and simple phrases. Fake it till you make it, basically. I came pretty far with Bonjour (hey) and Merci (thank you), and then add a smile in between.
→ French food is delicious (had bad experiences as a kid being there..) and the croissant I had for brunch one day was amazing.
→ French people do really go and buy baguettes and carry them around. It’s freaking true, and I love it.
→ If I want a good cup of coffee, cappuccino will be my safe card. The other stuff is too little or too strong for me.
→ The places I loved the most were the ones with fewer tourists. Once you get away from the most famous landmarks, you’ll find the locals, and also the best bars and restaurants. Says Lina, who’s been there pretty much once. But that was totally my experience during the whole trip.
→ I felt like the Parisians were all so good at living in the moment, enjoying life there and then. It’s like they’ve all taken a Mindfulness class or something. People hung out in the parks, from couples to big groups with like 20 children. A man tasted red wine at 11am, along with some cheese. All the coffee places, bars, and restaurants, were open pretty late so you could enjoy it longer.
MOMENTS & PLACES
Liz is doing an amazing job, documenting the trip on her blog, day by day, so if you would like a more detailed version of our trip, I recommend you to check it out here. Also, stay tuned, because there will be a movie coming up in the very near future.
Paris
June 24, 2016
When you reading this, Liz and I will be sitting on a plane to Paris! This is huge in so many different ways. We had a trip booked to Paris back in May 2012, around my birthday, but had to cancel it since I had been admitted to the hospital (by order of the law) and was too sick with Anorexia to go. I still remember the day when we were supposed to go, and how I was lying in the hospital bed, sobbing, and feeling like the worst person and wife ever. It was horrible. The first and the last time I was in Paris, was in the beginning of the 90’s (when the picture above was taken – I was greeting and talking with the wax figures at Madame Tussauds).
So, Paris, it’s about time for us to explore you, and I’m over the top excited! Be prepared for a bunch of pictures from Paris once we’re back!
Happy Midsummer!!
Six Things I Like in our Home
June 23, 2016→ Marshall speaker
I love music and this speaker gets extra points for its awesome design. ♥ Marshall products. (Wish I was sponsored…).
→ Wall decorations above our couch
The Blue Ridge Mountain print is from 7 ton Design and Letterpress Co. based in Asheville, North Carolina. The Ramble & Roam print is from another local artist, Courtney Leigh Johnson, of Holdfast Outfitters. Courtney used to be based in North Carolina but has moved to Salt Lake, UT, now. But hey, you can always buy the stuff online! The antler is from a store here in town, but represents nature and we just love the sort of mountain theme and mix of art above our couch.
→ Coffee station in the kitchen
Do I have to explain…love coffee and can’t live without it, pretty much. The glass container is a Chemex Coffee maker, pour-over style, designed back in the 1940’s by Peter Schlumbohm. The regular coffee maker is a Norwegian brand, called Wilfa. The coffee container is bought at a local coffee and tea store here in Uppsala.
→ My nightstand
My night stand is an actual apple crate from Waynesville, North Carolina. We brought it over here when we moved from the States.
→ Ukrainian Pysanky Eggs
The Ukrainian pysanky eggs, made by our friend Andrea at Studio A in Asheville, North Carolina, that Liz and I got in the mail last fall. Andrea’s a really talented artist who creates these eggs, prints and various graphic design projects, lamp shades, jewelry, and woodcut prints. Check out her website here or visit her Studio in the River Art’s District in Asheville.
→ Din Tid Kommer poster
This is a poster with the lyrics from one of my favorite song by the artist, Håkan Hellström. The song is called; “Din Tid Kommer” which means, Your time will come. You can listen to it here or down below.
