Viking Chats With Marian Saastad Ottersen

In the March issue of Viking magazine, we feature Marian Saastad Ottesen, who stars as Sigrid in the hit Norwegian television show, "Lilyhammer." Viking's associate editor Anya Britzius caught up with the actor, who was busy filming Season 2 of the series and is available to North American audiences on Netflix.

Q: Did you want to be an actor from a young age?
A: All my life I wanted to be an actress, but when I was little it was a secret dream. None of my friends were into acting. But my aunt is an actress at Trøndelag theatre (in Trondheim), so every time I went to visit my cousin, we went to the theatre. I remember we always had to sit on the back row and be very quiet, but I still thought it was the most magical place to be!

Q: How would you describe playing your character, Sigrid?
A: I love playing Sigrid. I talked a lot with the director and the writers about her. It was important to keep Sigrid "normal" and a person the viewers could identify with. Many of the other characters are more out of this world and based on stereotypes about people from rural districts of Norway. It was important that the scenes between Sigrid and Frank (Steven Van Zandt) were more realistic and emotional to add some depth to the series and to make his character have something real to struggle for.


Q: How do you feel about all the success and attention “Lilyhammer” has garnered? 
A: I am so proud of being a part of “Lilyhammer”! I think we managed to make a truly original show, and I'm really surprised how it actually has such an appeal even outside of Norway. The show was never made to be broadcasted abroad. A Norwegian television show aired in the United States is usually completely unthinkable. A lot of the jokes are also very local, so I know many of them get lost in translation. Actually, it wasn't until late in the shooting process Netflix decided that Lilyhammer might work well in United States and Canada as well, and became co-producers. It was surrealistic to hear about how they made posters on New York bus stops and huge billboards on Sunset Strip in Hollywood to promote the show. I think the fact that we never made the show with all this in mind may also be the reason for its success. I hope we'll manage to keep the same weird and original mood in the show when we start to shoot Season 2.

Q: What is it like playing opposite Steven Van Zandt?
A: It’s fantastic! Almost all of my scenes in Season 1 were filmed with him, so we spent a lot of time together. Steven had a trailer on set, so between the shoots we used to sit there drinking coffee and talking about everything from his life as a member of the E-Street Band, “The Sopranos” and just the normal small things in life. Steven is a very down to earth and generous person who seems to be nice to absolute everyone he meets.

Q: What are your future career plans?
A: After Season 2 of “Lilyhammer” is shot I will go back to join the ensemble at the National Theatre. I hope I will still be able to do a little bit of everything in the future. In a small country like Norway where the production rate in the film industry is proportional with our own size, we don't make enough movies for an actor to make a living on just that. So it's quite common that we work on stage, in films and television shows. The good thing about it is that we get a lot of acting experience. We may do an Ibsen or Shakespeare play in the evening, while we shoot sitcoms during the daytime. So my dream is to try and ride that Scandinavian wave everybody's talking about, and see if it can bring me somewhere abroad.

Firewood Program Sets Viewers Hearts Ablaze

The Norwegian Broadcasting Company (NRK) has been taking reality TV to a new level lately. First there was 2009's wildly successful 7-hour program of the spectacular Oslo-Bergen train route. Then came a 2011 live broadcast of Norway's 120-year-old coastal cruise line. Hurtigruten—Minutt for Minutt held the country's attention—along with much of the rest of the world—for a whopping 134 hours.

Now NRK is breaking new ground by bringing us back to hearth and home. The latest show that everyone seems to be talking about—from the New York Times to Stephen Colbert—is Nasjonal Vedkveld, or "National Firewood Night." Nearly a million people, or 20 percent of Norway's population, tuned in for the 12-hour broadcast dedicated to the subject of firewood. The broadcast, which aired Feb. 15, included 4 hours of regular programming and 8 hours of a fire burning in the fireplace of a Bergen farmhouse.

The series was inspired by the book, “Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood—and the Soul of Wood-Burning” by Lars Mytting, which spent more than a year on the non-fiction best-sellers list in Norway.

While there was heated debate among viewers via Twitter about the art and science of splitting, drying and stacking wood, they did seem to reach consensus on one thing: This show would only be produced in Norway, for Norwegians.

Wondering how to dress for a day of Norwegian woodsplitting? Stay tuned for the Norwegian art of dressing for the outdoors in the April issue of Viking!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo courtesy of NRK.

Hustvedt To Visit Minnesota

If you're a fan of Norwegian-American writer Siri Hustvedt and you live in the Twin Cities area, you're in luck. The Northfield, Minnesota native will return to her hometown for a series of events at St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges next week. Hustvedt will be traveling with her husband, Paul Auster. In addition to conducting faculty seminars, the couple will participate in three events for the public.

• Wed., Feb. 20, 4:30–6 p.m.: Joint reading by Hustvedt and Auster, followed by a book signing and reception in the Great Hall of Carleton College.
• Thurs., Feb. 21, 11:30 a.m. Guided interview with Hustvedt and Auster, conducted by St. Olaf writer-in-residence Benjamin Percy in Viking Theater at St. Olaf College.
• Fri., Feb. 22, 10:30 a.m. Convocation by Hustvedt in Skinner Memorial Chapel at Carleton.  The talk, "Reflections on Creativity," will be followed by a book signing.

Hustvedt's work, which includes five novels, two books of essays, a book of poetry and a work of non-fiction, has been translated into more than thirty languages. She also lectures and publishes regularly on the intersection of philosophy, psychoanalysis and neuroscience. Want to learn more? To read a Viking interview with Hustvedt, check out our May 2011 issue.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Tubfrim Winner Announced

Thursday, January 10, 2013 was a lucky day for Thor 2-042, Salem, OR. The lodge was the winner of the Tubfrim drawing to give away a ticket to Norway, worth up to $1,000. Their postcard was drawn from among 1,769 other cards. With one card for every pound sent to Norway that means that Sons of Norway sent at least 1,770 pounds of stamps to Tubfrim in 2012.

For the past 27 years, our members have been clipping canceled postage stamps and sending them to Tubfrim, who then sells them to dealers and collectors.

Originally the money raised went to help children afflicted by tuberculosis. Since tuberculosis is no longer the threat to health that it once was, today the proceeds from the resale of stamps helps improve the quality of life for children and youth with disabilities and special needs. Sons of Norway members are the largest contributor outside of Norway to Tubfrim’s efforts, sending nearly 30% of all stamps collected.

While helping children is a great motivation for our members to participate, there is a special incentive to say “thank you”. For every pound of stamps collected, the member or lodge can enter a drawing, held in mid-January every year, to win a round trip ticket to Norway, worth up to $1,000. The official postcard to enter the drawing can be ordered from the Sons of Norway Supply Department, 800-945-8851 ext 645 or supply@sofn.com.

If you would like to participate in the Tubfrim contest and get a chance to win a free ticket to Norway, visit the Tubfrim page on the Sons of Norway website. For more information or questions, email Sons of Norway Tubfrim chairperson, Gene Brandvold, at genegbrand@aol.com.

Norway, Guardian of the Rainforest

An interesting article from Fast Company caught my eye this week. It's called Why Norway Is Paying a South American Country to Not Cut Down its Trees. The article explains how Norway made a ground-breaking agreement with the country of Guyana in an effort to prevent deforestation and slow climate change. The agreement, in which Norway pays Guyana up to $250 million through 2015, could serve as a model for other nations.

This kind of partnership might sound strange, but when you look at Norway's foreign aid policy, it's not that surprising. Guyana isn't the only country that has benefitted from this initiative: The biggest recipient of Norway's effort rainforest preservation efforts in 2011 was Brazil, which received NOK 1.4 billion.

This map from the December 2012 issue of Viking shows the biggest recipients of Norway's $28 billion foreign aid budget. Interested in learning more? Check out the rest of Lydia Seabol Avant's article "Agent of Peace," in our December issue. You'll also find a wealth of information about Norwegian foreign aid stats and policies at Norad.no.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Sons of Norway Seeks Customer Service Representative!

This was passed to me yesterday and I wanted to share it with all the blog visitors. Sons of Norway is currently looking to hire a new Customer Service Representative to assist in our Insurance Services Division. If you are a dedicated, professional individual, you might want to keep reading because this is a great opportunity!

Job Summary:

This position is primarily responsible for providing generalized customer service to all internal and external customers of the organization.  The emphasis is placed on certificate holder services, which is provided to all the insurance members of the society and includes performance of the following duties:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Core duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Processes daily monetary requests that include but are not limited to, loans, surrenders, partial surrenders, 1035 exchanges replacements and  conversions

• Processes daily non-monetary requests that include but are not limited to, address changes, beneficiary changes and ownership changes 

• Provides support for annual/quarterly informational and monetary exchanges with members that include but are not limited to RMD letters, 1099 letters and dividend distributions.

• Provides telephone support, and answers day-to-day questions posed members, FBCs and internal staff. 

Job Requirements:

• Associates Degree 
   
• 5+ years demonstrated knowledge and experience related to Insurance processes and procedures preferred, but not required.
   
• Strong Technical aptitude.  Ability to analyze and use various computer software programs as needed with little training.
   
• Strong attention to detail needed to manage the various customer service processes.
   
• Exceptional communications skills. Ability to provide excellent customer service to both internal and external customers via proactive and reactive phone calls, and email.

To Apply:

Please submit your cover letter, salary requirements and resume to:

Sons Of Norway

Attn: Mike Wnek

1455 West Lake Street

Minneapolis, MN 55408

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Norwegian Travel: It's A Scream

Last week marked the beginning of the official Year of Munch in Norway, 150 years after the birth of the famous Norwegian expressionist. To celebrate both the painter and the inspiring Norwegian landscape, Visitnorway.com is collecting travelers' scream experiences in Norway. You can be part of the celebration too.

"We want people to share and join the celebration by creating the longest scream in the world," says Norwegian director of tourism, Per-Arne Tuftin. "The film is showing the modern day scream experiences in Norway. The only difference is this time it's all about the positive experiences in life that make you scream."

And here's the good news: You can scream your way to Norway! Each week Visitnorway will chose a contestant for a chance to win a real scream experience in Norway. Submit your best scream to win one of five gift cards. As the video grows, so does the prize value. "We basically want to make the world scream," says Tuftin. For more information, go to visitnorway.com/us/the-scream.

While you're at it, don't forget to check out this month's annual Viking travel issue. You'll find articles about Hurtigruten, Norway's coastal steamer, fun outings to Oslo neighborhoods, alternative lodging ideas and more!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Image: Edvard Munch: Skrik, 1893. © Munch Museum / Munch-Ellingsen Group / BONO, Oslo 2013. Photo: © Børre Høstland, National Museum

Remembering Chester Reiten

Sons of Norway was saddened to learn this week of the passing of Chester Reiten. Chester, or Chet to his close friends, was one of the biggest personalities in the Norwegian-American community of the Upper Midwest. Probably best known as the founder of Norsk Høstfest, the largest Scandinavian festival in North America, Chester was also a man dedicated to his community, his state and to the celebration of Norwegian heritage. His passing will be felt and mourned by hundreds of thousands of people throughout the North America and Norway.

Pam Davy, the Executive Director of Norsk Høstfest had this to say about Chester’s passing, “although this man, to whom the Scandinavian-American community owes so much, may have left us physically, let there be no doubt that his leadership and inspiration will live on for as long as there is a Norsk Høstfest.”

Beyond being the founder and driving force behind Norsk Høstfest, Chester was a man dedicated to making his community a better place to live. To that end, he served as the mayor of Minot, ND for 14 years, including during the 1969 Souris River flood recovery—during which time he played a significant role in future flood protection plans. He was also a North Dakota state senator for 16 years. For his service to communities across the state, Chester’s passing was even acknowledged on the floor of the state senate floor this week.

For me, personally, Chester was always a larger-than-life personality. He had a presence that you could feel whenever he walked into a room and a way about him that took charge of any situation that needed his attention. Having been a regular Norsk Høstfest attendee for the last 13 years as a Sons of Norway staff member, I had a lot of opportunities to see and speak with him and I’m going to miss him greatly. The Norwegian-American community has lost a great champion this week.

If you knew Chester or ever had the pleasure of meeting him, please share your memories in the comments below.

Ålesund Named Top Destination

National Geographic has named the Norwegian city of Ålesund  one of Europe's best small ports in the February/March issue of Traveler. The city was chosen for its lovely Art Nouveau architecture, thriving food scene, historic harbor and stunning scenery. "Ålesund could be the backdrop for a Nordic fairy tale—with a modern plot twist," the article says. The other ports that made the list are Tallin (Estonia), Zadar (Croatia), Gdansk (Poland) Ajaccio  (France) and Valetta (Malta).

Want the scoop on visiting Ålesund? Viking writer Carter Walker visited the city and shared her impressions in last year's January travel issue. To read it, check out "Norway's Enchanting City"  in our January 2012 issue.

And if you love to travel, don't miss this year's travel issue, where we feature Hurtigruten, Norway's coastal steamer, along with recommended outings in Oslo neighborhoods and alternative lodging ideas.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

118 Years and Still Going Strong!

Today marks a very special occasion for Sons of Norway members throughout North America and Norway because it is the 118th anniversary of our founding!

On this day in 1895, 18 Norwegian immigrants living in Minneapolis MN came together began a mutual assistance group to protect their families in times of tragedy and loss. Their founding principles were to protect the members of their community in difficult times, similar to a program they had access to back in Norway.

Since then we have grown into a $325million international Fraternal Life Insurance company with nearly 400 lodges throughout the U.S., Canada and Norway. Just as important, we are now the largest organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Norwegian heritage and culture. This is thanks in large part to the dedication and hard work of our members around the world. Their hard work to bring heritage programming to their communities and the great volunteer work they do play a significant role in the organization’s success yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Since this is a time of celebration, please join me in congratulating Sons of Norway and its members worldwide for all the great work they do on this special day!

More Options for Travel to Oslo

International airfare can take a huge bite out of a travel budget. So I was excited to read that Norwegian Airlines will soon offer nonstop service from New York to Oslo. From May 30 to June 24, Norwegian will offer two flights between New York (JFK) and Oslo Gardermoen airport per week. Starting June 25, there will be three flights a week. And the price is right: flights start at $339 one way. This is great news for travelers—particularly if you live on the East Coast!

While Oslo is often a first or last stop for travelers visiting Norway, it's also a great destination in itself. Check out this video from visitnorway.com. It will put you in the mood to spend a day, a weekend, or a whole week kicking around Norway's beautiful capital.


If you're looking for urban adventures in Oslo, be sure to check out the Viking travel issue. We've highlighted some of our favorite attractions, restaurants, nightclubs and shops in the Grünerløkka and Tjuvholmen neighborhoods. God tur!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Aquavit: Not Just for Christmas

Maybe you enjoy a shot of aquavit with your Christmas lutefisk, but this beverage is much more than just a holiday fish chaser.

This year my husband and I made mock aquavit to give as gifts for the holidays. While it's a fast and simple holiday gift idea, it's a fun project any time of year. Why not make some for your next gathering with friends? We infused our aquavit with fennel and orange, but there are dozens of flavor possibilities. Check out Scandinavian food blogger Kari Deihl's instructions on About.com.

Or, how about aquavit for dessert? Try this recipe for aquavit sorbet from Norwegian chef Andreas Viestad on the New Scandinavian Cooking blog. Viestad also suggests serving it as a palette cleanser (but probably not for the same meal!) by making it with less sugar.

Finally, if you like Bloody Marys, you'll want to meet Mary's Norwegian cousin, "Blodig Maren." This recipe for Aquavit Bloody Marys from Epicurious.com gives the classic cocktail a Nordic twist.

What's your favorite way to enjoy aquavit? Leave a comment below or drop me a note at vikingeditor@mspcustomcontent.com.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. 

Photo courtesy of Doug Bratland.

Happy New Year from Viking!

Happy new year from the staff of Viking magazine! While 2013 may have just started, our staff has been busy planning our editorial line-ups for months. We're excited about what's in store this year.

This year's travel issue—a January tradition—has already arrived in many members' mailboxes. In it you'll find an article on Norway's famous Hurtigruten coastal steamer. You'll also find ideas for urban adventures in Oslo, Norway's capital city. At the request of one of our readers, we've created a guide to alternative accommodations in Norway—think big savings! And finally, we'll inspire you to plan a getaway to pursue a passion—such as rosemaling, woodcarving or genealogy—and give you the resources to get started.

 In February, in honor of Valentine's Day, we'll celebrate Love by highlighting four notable Nordic couples. Adventure lovers will want to read about Les Stroud, aka TV's "Survivorman," and his 10-day experience in the Norwegian mountains.

We'll share a conversation with Norway's internationally acclaimed crime writer, Jo Nesbø, in March, as well as Easter brunch recipes with a decidedly Nordic twist.

What would you like to see in Viking in 2013? While our calendar is brimming with ideas, we'd still like to hear from you. Share your comments below or email your suggestions to vikingeditor@mspcustomcontent.com.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Welcome, Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve, or julaften, as it's called in Norwegian. All across Norway at 5 p.m. church bells will ringe julen inn, (ring Christmas in), signifying that the holiday has officially arrived. If you would like to hear the lovely sounds of these bells, NRK has collected them from 22 churches all over Norway. The radio program, called Kim Alle Klokker (Ring All The Bells), has become a tradition on NRK's P1. Here's a link to last's year's bells. Those who don't read Norwegian can simply scroll down to enjoy the nearly two-dozen audio files from across the country.

For those interested in learning more about Norwegian radio, stay tuned for the February issue of Viking. We'll highlight information on streaming programs online, as well as radio apps for your smartphone. In the meantime, enjoy the bells and God Jul from the staff of Viking magazine! 

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. 

Photo courtesy of Flikr user bentekalsnes.

The Most Beautiful Voyage

Coming up during Christmas week there’s going to be a great new program being broadcasted on Public Television channels across the U.S., called A Norway Passage-The Most Beautiful Voyage.  The one-hour program is drawn from a remarkable live, six-day, 24 hour per day documentary, titled Hurtigruten: Minutt for Minutt, produced in 2011 by NRK, Noway's national broadcaster.

The program, which follows the voyage of Hurtigruten’s NordNorge ship takes the viewer along to witness some of the most beautiful Norwegian landscapes and vistas. I’ve watched the video a couple of times already and was really impressed with the combination of breathtaking visuals, informative narration and opulent soundtrack. It’s definitely worth an hour in front of a TV or computer screen.

Now, if you’ve got more time on your hands and really want to get the full effect, I encourage you to watch the complete 134 hour broadcast (it takes a minute or so to load, but is well worth it). If your time is a bit more limited, though, definitely check out the Most Beautiful Voyage broadcast. All you have to do is check your local listings to see when it will run during Christmas week.

If you do watch either of the programs mentioned here, I’d love to know what your favorite part or location was. Share in the comments below.