Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast: An Interview with Don Shelby

At the end of this month Sons of Norway is hosting the 29^th annual Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast! It’s an exciting event and this year our slate of speakers is top-notch with the likes of broadcast journalist and event MC Don Shelby, Thrivent CEO Brad Hewitt, Dr. St Olaf President David Anderson and Bishop Ann Svennungsen.

In the run-up to this year’s big event, Sons of Norway has interviewed each of the speakers and over the next couple of weeks we’ll be sharing what they had to say. To kick things off, this week we bring you an interview with Peabody and Emmy award winning journalist, Don Shelby. Mr. Shelby who is well known in Minnesota and throughout the United States for his investigative journalism, community work and his popularization of the Pratt knot, will be leading the event as this year’s NATB Master of Ceremonies.

SofN: Please tell us about your connection to the Nordic American community.

 

Don Shelby: One cannot live in these communities for 35 years and fail to be swept up in the Nordic tradition.  And, before I became a nephew of Norway, my heroes were Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen.  I am a member of the scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars known as the Norwegian Explorers.  And, as they say, 'some of my best friends are Norwegian.'  I am of Welsh descent,  but after 885 AD, I expect that I have a good share of Nordic blood in my veins.

SofN: Have you ever attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast before?

 

Don Shelby: I have attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast and have been a featured speaker.  I have attended past events with my late great friend General Doyle Larson. 

SofN: We are very excited to have you as this year’s MC can you give us a sneak peek into what the audience can expect from this year’s event? 

Don Shelby: At this year's Thanksgiving breakfast you can expect a long list of dignitaries, consuls, and diplomats, plus the cream of the Norwegian crop in the Twin Cities.  And, as always, we will be surrounded by friends who simply wish they were Norwegian, and will behave as though they are Norwegian  for this day of Thanksgiving.  We will be entertained by the finest college choir in America from St. Olaf, as well as the M-Saxteens from the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard.  We will have speakers on the topics of Friends, Family, Faith and Freedom.  As a part of every Thanksgiving breakfast, we will raise money this year for the Second Harvest Heartland foodshelves and the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.

SofN: You probably receive a lot of requests to speak at events throughout the year, so can you tell us a little about what convinced you to participate in this year’s event?

 

Don Shelby: I am often asked to participate in events like the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast, and I cannot say yes to each one of them.  I have developed a method of winnowing the requests down to a manageable number.  I accept those requests made by Gary Gandrud, Major General Richard Nash and any request made by anyone whose name ends in "sen" or "son."  Therefore, I am busy in Minnesota every day of the week.

SofN: Over the years you’ve spent a lot of time focusing on local issues. Can you share your thoughts on the importance of supporting local charities, like Second Harvest and the Minnesota Military Family Foundation?

Don Shelby: I have had a long association with both Second Harvest and with the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.  I'm currently the capital campaign chair for the Washburn Center for Children's new 25-million dollar building in Minnesota to serve the needs of children with mental health issues.  As host and master of ceremonies, I've been a part of the generous giving nature of the Twin Cities and in my career at WCCO and after, have helped raise more than 200 million dollars for causes ranging from the Ronald McDonald House to Cystic Fibrosis and Cancer Research, to town libraries and sports fields for children.  It sounds like a large undertaking, but in a community like ours, it is fairly easy to do.  This community loves to give.  All you need is a good story, a wonderful cause and the people will give. 

SofN: Can you share your thoughts on the role that local events, like the NATB play in making Minnesota a vibrant place to live?

 

Don Shelby: The Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast has set a standard for how to make everyone feel like Minnesota is their home.  The emphasis on heritage old and new is essential in communities like ours.  We are reminded, by events like the Breakfast, that we all came from some place else, and, in order to stay vibrant, we must always hold out the hand of welcome to those who still come to find a home.

My Thanks

Four years ago, when I became editor of Viking, my first task was to check final proofs for the December 2009 issue. Now, almost exactly four years later, I'm wrapping up my editorial duties as the December issue heads to the printer. It seems fitting that my tenure at Viking has been four years—the length of time it takes to earn a college degree—because the whole experience has been a real education for me.

I learned something new—often many things—with every issue of Viking that we put out. Some of my favorite topics ended up being those that I started out knowing the least about, such as Norway's progressive penal system (May 2011), the country's oil fund debate (August 2011), and its changing role in the Arctic (March 2012). Our story on Norwegian eco-fashion forever changed my shopping habits (March 2012). And it probably comes as no surprise that the most difficult story was our coverage of Norway's July 22 terror attacks (December 2011). I loved collaborating with Viking Art Director Jill Adler on our design features: Scandinavian modern design (May 2012) and my interview with design guru Genevieve Gorder (August 2011). And my favorite themed issues were without question the January travel issues!

This year's November issue included an article highlighting Sons of Norway's fraternal operations. In it, we looked back at Viking through the years. It reminded me of how many people have contributed to the magazine (and its predecessor publications) since its beginnings in 1904, and what an honor it has been to be a part of it.

Viking made its foray into the digital world a few years ago with our online edition and our contributions to this blog. I look forward to seeing where the magazine will go in the future. I know that its new editor, Ann Pedersen, along with Associate Editor Anya Britzius (whose work you've already been enjoying in the magazine) will chart a great course. I wish them all the best, and I'll be watching and reading along with all of you!

Amy Boxrud is a writer and the former editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo: Nancy Bundt

More Viking Holiday Gift Picks

The holiday season is fast approaching! As you’re making your shopping list, be sure to check out the November issue of Viking for our Scandinavian-inspired gift guide. Of course, not all of our favorite gifts could make the cut. Here are a few more gift ideas that we love.

The Little Scandinavian Girls Sticker Paper Dolls by Barbara Steadman is a perfectgift for little ones. Dress the dolls in eight traditional costumes with 25colorful stickers. $1.50, booksamillion.com

Send greetings to your friends and family with these Rosemaling Design Note Cards, featuring eight blank cards by artwork from Ethel Kvalheim, an award-winning rosemaler from Wisconsin. $12.95, ingebretsens.com

Norwegian company Helly Hansen is known for its outdoor gear for men, women and children. The 3-in-1 waterproof Ashbury CIS Coat has a zip-in fleece jacket to keep you dry and warm throughout the year. $300. hellyhansen.com

Looking for a new crime thriller to cozy up with this season? Check out “Police,” the latest novel in the Harry Hole Series by award-winning Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s. amazon.com

Anya Britzius is associate editor of Viking. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Who Was Gange Rolf?

Rollo statue in Rouen, France

At Viking, we're lucky to have so many engaged and knowledgeable readers. We recently received information from Joe Skodje of Clearwater, Fla. about Gange Rolf, the Viking leader credited for settling French Normandy. How much do you know about this important historical figure?

As legend has it, Rolf was so tall that his feet dragged the ground when he rode a horse, earning him the name Gange Rolf or "Walking Rolf."

During the 9th century, Vikings repeatedly sailed up the Seine, raiding and plundering. To put an end to these raids, King Charles the Simple made a treaty with Rolf, who became known as Rollo (or Rollon) in that area, granting him an area of land around Rouen. Rolf's people from the North (the Normans) settled in such high numbers in this area that it became known as Normandy. Gange Rolf went on to become the forefather of William the Conquerer, the first Norman king of England.

A statue of Rollo stands in a churchyard near the center of Rouen where Joan of Arc was buried. It was erected there in 1911 at the Normandy millennial celebration.

A second statue statue was given to the city of Fargo, N.D. from the city of Rouen. Commissioned in 1912, "it originally stood in a large grassy area next to the old Viking Hotel, just south of the Great Northern Depot on the north side of town," writes Skodje. On July 12, 1912, the Sons of Norway's Supreme Lodge Convention was recessed to give officers and delegates the opportunity to take part in the parade and dedication of the Gange Rolf statue. The statue now stands about a block north of Kringen Lodge in Fargo.

A third statue stands in the city of Ålesund, Norway. The statue commemorates the birthplace of Gange Rolf on the nearby island of Giske.

"All members of Sons of Norway should know the history of the man whose statue stands on these pedestals in Rouen, in Ålesund and in Fargo," Skodje writes. I fully agree. Thanks, Joe, for the history lesson!

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 Flickr user Cross Duck.

Dill Lover's Martini

Last week's Viking photo shoot served double-duty. Not only did we shoot three mouthwatering desserts from renowned pasty chef Sverre Sæatre, but we ended the day by getting some photos for our upcoming aquavit feature, which will appear in the same issue. (Note: I said we got photos—not shots—of aquavit!)

Here, food stylists Rachel Sherwood adds some garnishes to a Dill Martini, made with locally produced Gamle Ode dill aquavit. If you enjoy a cocktail now and then, you're definitely going to want this recipe—look for it in our December 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.

Holiday Baking With Viking

Prince Cake

One of the most rewarding parts of being an editor is seeing an idea become a full-blown article. And perhaps no subject is more satisfying to work with than (you guessed it) food! When I first became aware of master pastry chef Sverre Sætre and his cookbook "Norwegian Cakes and Cookies," I imagined his recipes would make a great holiday feature for Viking.

After browsing Sætre's collection, I found three recipes that I thought readers would especially enjoy for the holidays: Thick Lefse with Blueberry Butter, Prince Cake, and Butter Cookies With Almonds. Each of these recipes had a familiar-but-fresh quality to them: something potentially new for our mostly North American readership, but not so unusual or complicated that readers would shy away from experimenting with them.

Another thing I love about being an editor is being able to work with some really talented people. I shared the recipes with Viking art director Jill Adler, who ran with them. She found the perfect props to create a homey, holiday atmosphere. She also brought in the skillful help of food stylist Rachel Sherwood and photographer John Mowers of Unleashed Productions. The results? Deilig!

Look for Sætre's recipes in the upcoming December 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.

Minnesota's Own Nordic Noir

Vidar Sundstøl in Two Harbors. Photo by Shea Sundstøl.

I'm currently reading "Land of Dreams" by Norwegian crime novelist Vidar Sundstøl. Set on Lake Superior's North Shore, the book is Part One of the author's Minnesota Trilogy published by University of Minnesota Press and translated by Tiina Nunnally.

I'm only a few chapters into it, but the book has caught my interest on a number of levels. It's interesting to read a crime novel set in an area of Minnesota I know so well. I'm also enjoying getting aquainted with Sundstøl's Norwegian-American characters, knowing they've been created by a native Norwegian. Finally, I'm intrigued by the author's relationship with the North Shore, an area he initially resisted living in, but came to love, as he described in a recent U of M Press blogpost:

"How did 'I hate this place' become 'I can't leave here'? It was a mixture of two things: The landscape with its special magic and the people with their stories."

Those of us living in the Twin Cities metro area have several opportunities to see Sundstøl in the next few days:

Tues., Oct. 15, 7 PM
Mindekirken—The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church
Q&A, reading, and book signing with the author. The event is free and open to the public, though reservations are required. Call 612-627-1932, email presspr@umn.edu, or go to mnlcp.org to register.

Wed., Oct. 16, 4:30–6 PM
Dock Café, Stillwater
Valley Bookseller’s monthly “Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour” meeting includes a talk by Sundstøl and a Q&A session. Cost is $10 and includes appetizers. Reservations are required; call 651-430-3385 for details. A cash bar will be available.

Thurs., Oct. 17, 1–3 PM
Ingebretsen’s, Minneapolis
Book signing

Thursday, October 17, 7 PM
Once Upon a Crime, Minneapolis
Author Q&A session and book signing

Viking magazine will also have the opportunity to meet with Sundstøl when he's in town. Stay tuned for an interview with the author in 2014!

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

Happy Leif Erikson Day!

Happy Leif Erikson Day! This year marks the 49th Anniversary of the Presidential Proclamation of Leif Erikson Day, originally signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and first-issued on October 9, 1964. This was quite an auspicious occasion, considering that the idea was first proposed in 1865 and enjoyed the support of many of groups and individuals, like Ole Bull, F.D.R., and Edgar Allen Poe, throughout the years. But, we Scandinavians are nothing if not tenacious, so even though it took almost a century, we finally were rewarded with the acknowledgement that Leif got here first and beat the better known Columbus by 500 years.

Here’s how it happened: After traveling from Greenland to Norway in 999, and becoming a hirdman for King Olaf Tryggvason, Leif was given a mission: introduce Christianity to Greenland. According to various sources, while Leif was on his voyage to Greenland he was blown off course to a land that he did not expect to see, where he found "self-sown wheat fields and grapevines".

After returning to Greenland Leif purchased a new ship, gathered a crew of thirty-five men, and mounted an expedition towards the land he had found. Leif landed first in a rocky and desolate place he named Helluland (Flat-Rock Land; possibly Baffin Island). After venturing further by sea, he landed the second time in a forested place he named Markland (Forest Land; possibly Labrador). Finally, after two more days at sea, he landed in a place he named Vinland. There, he and his crew built a small settlement which was called Leifsbúðir (Leif's Booths) by later visitors from Greenland. After having wintered over in Vinland, Leif returned to Greenland in the spring with a cargo of grapes and timber. The rest, as they say, is history.
Well, actually, it wasn’t until the 1960’s when a couple of archeologists by the names of Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine Ingstad discovered L'Anse aux Meadows and changed history as we knew it. Their discovery proved that Norse explorers had not only set foot on North America long before Christopher Columbus, but they had settled there, too.

Today, all people of Nordic descent should be proud of their heritage, the great accomplishments of their ancestors, and the contributions that Nordic people have made to the world throughout history. Happy Leif Erikson Day!

Twin Cities' Leiv Eriksson Festival Offers Top-Notch Entertainment

Uranienborg Vocal Ensemble

The highlight of my week was hearing Oslo's Uranienborg Vocal Ensemble, (UraVok) when they performed in St. Olaf College's Boe Chapel last night. The 20-piece choir is currently touring the state. Tonight the group performs at Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, as part of the Minneapolis Leiv Eriksson International Festival. The ensemble will perform at services at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Eden Prairie on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5, and will give a 6 p.m. concert at the church that evening. (If you live outside the Twin Cities metro, you're still in luck: Last night's 80-minute concert is archived on St. Olaf's website.)

UraVok isn't the only top-notch Norwegian group to come to Minnesota for the festival. Two weeks of concerts and events were kicked off by trumpeter Kai Robert Johansen. The comedic duo of Uppstad and Waade from Rogaland, Norway will also entertain audiences at the Danish American Center and Mindekirken on Oct. 6 and 8, respectively.

PATINA

The festival comes to a close with a performance of PATINA, which makes its U.S. premiere at Pantages Theater in downtown Minneapolis. Comprised of 27 rural Norwegian women aged 70 to 80, PATINA "celebrates the beauty, strength, wisdom, and experience of the daughters and granddaughters of the women who fought for and won the right to vote in Norway exactly 100 years ago." (Read more about Norway's celebration of women's suffrage in the June 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.

Global Career Connections

Nørbech

Looking for a job in Norway? Wondering how to make that dream a reality? This month, Viking Associate Editor Anya Britzius caught up with Bjørn Christian Nørbech, managing director of Global Forum AS. Nørbech is heading up two events in Oslo next month geared at international job seekers: a Global Talent Career Fair, Nov. 11 (held at the Konserthus); and a Global Mobility Forum, Nov 12-13 (held at Ingeniørenes Hus). The an edited version of the interview appears in the October issue of Viking. You can also read the full interview with Nørbech here.

Viking: Tell me how Global Talent week began and its goals. 
Bjørn Christian Nørbech: Norway is getting record numbers of immigrant workers, professionals and students. It’s a big, important topic. Norway is lacking 10,000 engineers and sales people. We are taking a look at Norway’s role in the global labor market. Talented people can work in many places, such as the United States, Shanghai, Dubai and Mumbai. But why would they come to Norway? It’s all about having the global perspective on Norway’s role and the sustainable competitiveness of Norwegian industry. We’re looking at how attractive is it to come here and to what extent are we able to retain the talents and integrate them so they can enjoy themselves and be productive here.

There’s a need for such a meeting place for the stakeholders of global mobility management. This is our third year. The first year we had 150 participants, second year more than 200. It used to be a one-day conference. It’s not enough. We are expanding it to a two-day conference and adding the career fair the first day. The companies looking for the talents can actually meet the talents here in Oslo.

V: What companies and organizations will be represented at the career fair, and what can visitors expect when they attend? 
BCN: Right now we are in the process of approaching the companies. We are getting the co-organizers in place: the University of Oslo, University College of Applied Sciences, City of Oslo, Sons of Norway is probably going to join in as a co-organizer. It will be companies from the private and public sector that are looking for the talents.

V: What kind of global professionals is Norway most interested in attracting? 
BCN: Engineering and IT are the two areas where there’s the biggest need. The business sector in general needs to build relationships across boarders. Understanding the cross-cultural and globalized way of doing business is necessary today. You need not only to have formal competence, but also the global mindset and intercultural competence for success.

V: What are some ways that Norway can attract and embrace talent from around the world?
BCN: Norway’s politicians can decide on laws to promote Norway as an attractive place to come not only as a tourist but to work. We’ve had much more focus on attracting tourists than attracting global talents. It’s increasingly been coming up on the agenda of politicians. Immigrants to Norway traditionally have been thought of as asylum seekers. But this is turning it around to see what Norway needs and seeing people as resources and talents. We want to change the Norwegian perspective on immigrants.

There’s a Norwegian saying that it’s typical for a Norwegian to be good. Yes, but you don’t have to be Norwegian to be good. There are good people in lots of countries. We should open up and be ready to attract them. They are sought-after in many countries. To have sustainable competiveness, that’s what we need. That needs to happen on a political, community and city levels. Lots of stakeholders need to work together with a shared understanding of the current situation and how it will develop in the years to come. That will make a difference. The mobility forum is a meaningful place to discuss this and develop the ideas and solutions in this area.

V: Who comes to speak at the events?
BCN: So far we’ve had participants and speakers from Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, the United States and France. Someone is coming this year from the University of Tennessee. Everything is held in English to be that area where people from everywhere can participate. We’ve already had participants signing up from UK, Denmark and Austria.

V: Tell us about the virtual career fair. 
BCN: We’re also planning a virtual career fair where people from around the world can connect with Norwegian employers. First time this will be hosted in Norway. We’re now approaching the companies. There has been other counties that have done it. It’s been tested and works great to attract global talents from all over the world. We hope we’ll be done early November, early December. It’s like a physical career fair, but it’s on your computer. You can enter a main hall. You choose different rooms that have different companies. Engage in chats, video conferences, pickup info about the company and their job postings. You can find more information at globalmobility.no.

V: How will your relationship with NorwayConnects.org benefit your cause?
BCN: We want to connect with the global talents out there who are interested in Norway. There are so many Norwegians in the United States and Canada. Perhaps some would like to come work in Norway. It’s an obvious synergy. From our perspective, it’s great to have Sons of Norway and NorwayConnects helping us reach out to Norwegian global talents. It will be a fruitful cooperation.

V: Will there be companies or groups at the events who can help young professionals navigate the visa process or other processes required for a foreigner to work in Norway?
BCN: With the career fair, we offer a service package called Norwegian in a Box. It includes a beginners course in Norwegian, cultural sensitivity training, skiing lessons and paperwork (for a work permit). This will help companies trying to recruit people from around the world. We want to make the accessibility easier for the global talents.

Ylvis Begins Season 3 on Norwegian TV

Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker, or Ylvis

If you're a fan of social media, there's a good chance you've already seen "Ylvis-The Fox." The music video, created by the Norwegian parody-pop duo Ylvis, has gone viral, with more than 30 million views since it was released Sept. 3 of this year by brothers Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker.

Bård Ylvisåker is quoted on the Ylvis website regarding the success of the video: "This song is made for a TV show and is supposed to entertain a few Norwegians for three minutes—and that's all."

The video was created to promote the third season of the duo's TV program, "I kveld med Ylvis," which began on Sept. 10 on TVNorge. Here's a clip from of the show from an earlier season.



Check out our Nordic Life profile each month to learn about more movers and shakers in Norwegian pop culture—from this month's interview with musician Eivind Opsvik, to our upcoming profile of actor Ingrid Bolsø Berdal. You'll find it each month in 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.

Norway Elects New Center-Right Government

Viking, August 2013

If you've been following the latest election news, you know that Norwegians will soon have a new government. A center-right coalition, led by Erna Solberg of the Conservative (Høyre) party, is expected to form a government with the Progress (Fremskritt) party, the Liberal (Vestre) party, and the Christian Democrats (Kristelig Folkeparti). While current prime minister Jen's Stoltenberg's Labor party (Arbeiderpartiet) still managed to receive the most votes in today's election, the party failed to hang on to its governing power, due to the weak showing by Labor's coalition partners, the Socialist Left party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti) and the Center party (Senterpartiet).

Want to learn more? You can read more about the election results in English at newsinenglish.no. And Norwegian newspaper VG.no has one of the best election infographics I've seen on its homepage. Finally, if you're looking for some background information on the election, including the basic platforms of the major parties, be sure to read our election guide, "Viking Goes to the Polls," in the August 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. 

Send Us Your Holiday Memories

While it's only Labor Day, the Viking staff is working on our upcoming holiday issues, and we want to hear from you! We want our readers to share a favorite yuletide tradition or memory. Maybe it was singing Norwegian Christmas songs and carols in your home or church. Or maybe your family went julebukking or attended a Lucia pageant. 

My strongest holiday memories are related to food, and I'd be willing to bet this is common for many Norwegian Americans. My father celebrated (and still does!) his Norwegian heritage by making rosetter, fattigmann and rullepølse. And all of us kids got in on the fun of making mounds of fresh lefse for our Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve dinners. Of course no Christmas Eve would have been complete without the lutefisk. My mom usually wanted to serve meatballs along with the fish; my dad agitated for spare ribs. There would always be discussion, but my mom usually ended up winning that debate—I guess it was all part of the tradition.

Now it's your turn. Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or memory rooted in your Norwegian heritage? Share it (in 50 words or less), along with your name and lodge, by emailing vikingeditor@msp-c.com. We'll select some of our favorites for publication in the November 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. 

Image courtesy of National Library of Norway. 

Moods of Norway Brings New Style, New Store to Minnesota

Today we've got a very special post! To mark Moods of Norway's 10th anniversary and the opening of their latest boutique at the Mall of America, Sons of Norway interviewed Stefan Dahlkvist, one of the founders of Norway's coolest fashion collectives. 

SofN: Please tell us a little about Moods of Norway; how did it begin and what was the original vision?

SD: We were a group of very friends, who liked to dress fun and sharp with attention to detail. After years of international travels and studies abroad we picked up on how people view Norway from the outside. We wanted to tell the exotic tale of Norway in a fashion wrapping. Therefor "Moods of Norway". In this premium lifestyle brand, we combine a true Norwegian heritage with International fashion trends and the outcome is a very new and fresh expression.     

SofN:  Has your collective vision for Moods of Norway evolved over time?

SD: No, the fundamental idea is still the same, but naturally our inspiration for the different collections change with the seasons. We still believe that fashion should be fun, and we love to explore the Norwegian traditions in a more contemporary setting. 

SofN: Today Moods of Norway has such a unique style can you tell us where the company draws its creative inspirations from? 

SD: The inspiration for the concept is the clash between the Norwegian country side (in our case, Stryn) and international hot spots around the world.  

SofN: Last month marked your 10^th anniversary. Congratulations! When you, Simen and Peder first set out, did you ever envision the level of success that Moods of Norway now enjoys? 

SD: No, we never thought that we would grow this fast and get tho this level this early, but the vision from the start was clear; to create an international premium lifestyle brand. And we are extremely proud and happy that so many people like what we do.  

SofN: What can you tell us about upcoming Moods of Norway collections? 

SD: The fall 13 collection is called "fiddlers and waltzers" and has clothes for both the "cocktail swingers and the waltzers". We have great items for both men and women both for work and for when it is time to go out on the town. The best way to experience the collection is to come and visit us at Mall of America (142 South Avenue) 

SofN: I’ve read that Moods of Norway creates happy clothes for happy people. Tell us more about that.

SD: We are true fans of a happy outlook in life and if we can help people to feel a little bit more positive through our designs, we have succeeded.  

SofN: Over the years, Moods of Norway has expanded to include a number of stores in the U.S. What has that experience been like? 

SD: The experience has been very exciting and we have learned a lot. In May 2009 we opened our first store in West Hollywood, in Sept 2012 we opened our flagship in SOHO New York and now Sept 6th we will officially open in Mall of America. 

SofN: You are opening a new store at the Mall of America on September 6th. What made you consider Minnesota/MOA as the 3^rd and newest location for your boutiques? 

SD: Since we already are represented on the both coasts, now was the time to explore the midwest. With the very Scandinavian feel of Minnesota and given the success of the Mall in Bloomington we think that we have found our perfect fit for our 3rd location. We are truly excited to be able to offer the people of Minnesota a new, unique and fun way to upgrade their wardrobe.

SofN: What kind of experience are you bringing to customers at your newest location? 

SD: We hope to be able to give our customers a truly unique and fun shopping experience.  

SofN: We understand you are running a promotion for visitors to your newest store in the MOA. Please tell us about that. 

SD: Yes, we want to offer our customs an introductory discount of 10% with your first in store purchase. All that is needed is to like us on Facebook and sign up in the Moods of Norway Store (142 S. Aveneue). When signing up you can also enter to win entrance to our very exclusive "really really blonde party" sept 5th, where you can meet the designers of Moods of Norway for a great time. 

Soup and More Soup!

Børsens Spiseri on Svinøya

With an expected high of 97 degrees in Minnesota today, it's not exactly soup weather. And yet the Viking team has been testing hearty soup recipes this week. We're working ahead of the season in order to bring you our October cover story: three delicious soups from Norway's historic eateries.

One of the recipes we'll be featuring is fish soup from Børsens Spiseri in the Lofoten Islands. I was lucky enough to visit this charming historic restaurant in Svolvær earlier this year. Tucked into an old warehouse on Svinøya, one of the oldest neighborhoods in town, the restaurant has been serving hungry fishers and travelers for generations.

In addition to the fish soup, be sure to check out the recipe for a delicious carrot soup with king crab from Seilmakerfruenskro, a restaurant on the island of Lyngør, off Norway's southern coast. And mushroom lovers will want to try the creamy chanterelle soup from Per Gynt Gården in Gudbrandsdal. (Note: this is not your average cream of mushroom soup!)

You'll find them all in the October 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.