Dedicated to timeless elegance and style, Reason For Beauty aims to be a source of inspiration for those who aim for ideals in a world that resents them
This what your Reason For Beauty Blog Ad will look like to visitors! Of course you will want to use keywords and ad targeting to get the most out of your ad campaign! So purchase an ad space today before there all gone!
I often get cravings for Vietnamese food and despite having thought about making my favourite dishes at home several times, I must admit defeat – it is a daunting task to cook many of them and the availability of ingredients in Norway is scarce. Thus, on chilly winter days like these, I visit Lille Saigon […]
The post Authentic experience at Lille Saigon appeared first on Reason For...
I often get cravings for Vietnamese food and despite having thought about making my favourite dishes at home several times, I must admit defeat – it is a daunting task to cook many of them and the availability of ingredients in Norway is scarce. Thus, on chilly winter days like these, I visit Lille Saigon for a bowl of phở bò (pictured below) to satisfy and warm my belly.
The small, bustling restaurant may not seem very spectacular, but it offers authentic Vietnamese food (along with authentic service). I recommend ordering the fresh or crispy spring rolls (numbers 5 and 4, respectively) for appetiser. Both kinds of spring rolls are juicy on the inside and served with complementary sauces.
The main dishes vary from popular Vietnamese dishes (like phở, numbers 8-11) to more obscure ones (like bún bò Huế, number 14), but also include Westerner-friendly options like beef and broccoli (number 34). By Oslo standards, the portions are quite generous and contain a decent amount of meat and vegetables.
If you are looking for a fancy restaurant experience, try elsewhere. But if you are looking for affordable, authentic Vietnamese food in the heart of Oslo, stop by Lille Saigon for a tasty meal
Hope your new year has been fabulous! 🙂 Today, I am introducing Beauty of Reason, a new section of the blog for the recognition of the phenomenal lives of beauties known not only for their looks, but also their intellectual pursuits. In this profile, let us admire Hedy Lamarr, actress and inventor. Screen siren Hedy […]
The post Beauty of Reason: Hedy Lamarr appeared first on Reason For...
Hope your new year has been fabulous! Today, I am introducing Beauty of Reason, a new section of the blog for the recognition of the phenomenal lives of beauties known not only for their looks, but also their intellectual pursuits. In this profile, let us admire Hedy Lamarr, actress and inventor.
Screen siren
Hedy Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Kiesler on November 9, 1914 in Vienna, Austria. She starred in her first film at age 17 and worked on German and Czechoslavakian productions until the 1933 German film Exstase (Ecstasy) brought her to the attention of Hollywood producers. She signed a contract with MGM, officially changed her name to Hedy Lamarr, and starred in her first Hollywood film, Algiers (1938), opposite Charles Boyer. Often called “The Most Beautiful Woman in Films,” Lamarr’s femme fatale persona and sensual screen presence made her one of the most popular actresses of her day. She starred in films such as White Cargo (1942), Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson and Delilah (1949), and The Female Animal (1958).
In addition to her illustrious film career, Lamarr had a secret hobby: inventing. She was greatly encouraged to pursue this endeavour by airplane designer Howard Hughes, who once wanted to make his planes the fastest in the world. Lamarr deduced that the wings were too square, then analysed the structures of the fastest fish and birds to arrive at a new kind of wing shape. He thereafter provided her with equipment to run experiments in her trailer in between takes. At home, she had a room set aside for tinkering, complete with tools and a wall of engineering books.
Lamarr also worked with Hollywood composer George Antheil on an idea that is considered an important development in the field of wireless communications. In 1942, they patented what they called the “Secret Communication System” and donated it it to the U.S. Navy to help with World War II efforts. The revolutionary “frequency hopping” technology was designed to solve the problem of enemies detecting and blocking signals from radio-controlled missiles: since multiple radio frequencies were used to broadcast a radio signal, by switching frequencies at split-second intervals in a seemingly random manner, only the sender and intended receiver could hop frequencies at the same time and get a clear signal; anyone else listening would hear mere noise. Lamarr and Antheil never profited from their invention during their lifetime and the enormous significance of their invention was not realised until the patent resurfaced in the late 1950s, while private companies were developing a wireless technology called CDMA. Their method is still in use today in modern wireless communications: mobile networks, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS — a legacy that far surpasses that of her films.
Quotes to inspire
“The world isn’t getting any easier. With all these new inventions, I believe that people are hurried more and pushed more… The hurried way is not the right way; you need time for everything – time to work, time to play, time to rest.”
“A good painting to me has always been like a friend. It keeps me company, comforts and inspires.”
“Men are most virile and attractive between the ages of 35 and 55. Under 35, a man has too much to learn – and I don’t have time to teach him.”
“Perhaps my problem in marriage – and it is the problem of many women – was to want both intimacy and independence. It is a difficult line to walk, yet both needs are important to a marriage.”
As 2018 dwindles to a close, it is time to reflect all the gifts this year has brought: great connections, new lessons, and memorable moments! 1. OCON 2018 in Newport Beach Photos by CarisaK Photography. 2. Summer in London Photos by Si Dang. 3. Weekend in Trysil 4. Tacosgiving 5. Exploring Stavanger 6. Going on […]
The post 7 highlights from 2018 appeared first on Reason For...
As 2018 dwindles to a close, it is time to reflect all the gifts this year has brought: great connections, new lessons, and memorable moments!
How was your 2018? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks to you and your continued support, RFB will keep up the momentum for 2019. For now, I am basking in the sunset of a fantastic year and wish you even more success for the dawning new year!
The holiday season is in full swing, with Thanksgiving just gone and streets lighting up in anticipation of Christmas. On Sunday, Eirik and I invited our family over for a Thanksgiving dinner. We opted to skip the turkey this year in favour of tacos to add a little touch of Norwegian tradition to our American […]
The post Tacosgiving appeared first on Reason For...
The holiday season is in full swing, with Thanksgiving just gone and streets lighting up in anticipation of Christmas. On Sunday, Eirik and I invited our family over for a Thanksgiving dinner. We opted to skip the turkey this year in favour of tacos to add a little touch of Norwegian tradition to our American celebration. Here are some pictures from our Tacosgiving…
Tomorrow sees the arrival of December and the return of the Month of Beauty! Count down to the new year with me and treat yourself to a curated selection of art every day in December Be sure to like and subscribe to Reason For Beauty on Facebook to not miss anything!
Photos by YJ Productions As we get older and forge our individual paths into adulthood, it is natural for friendships to evolve. Friends move across the country (or even out of the country) for jobs, relationships, or other opportunities, which inevitably means the logistics of keeping up with the people we love get more complicated. […]
The post Long distance friendships appeared first on Reason For...
Photos by YJ Productions
As we get older and forge our individual paths into adulthood, it is natural for friendships to evolve. Friends move across the country (or even out of the country) for jobs, relationships, or other opportunities, which inevitably means the logistics of keeping up with the people we love get more complicated. After moving to Norway, I am hundreds of miles away from some of my closest friends. Across the distance, I still try to maintain correspondence with a handful of close friends that I made at various stages of life — the kind who I can talk to for hours at a time despite not having contact for months.
Just thirty years ago, the thought of moving across the country would have doomed many friendships; fortunately, the rise of social media has enabled us to keep friends who would otherwise have faded out of our lives. But even with Skype, Facetime, and WhatsApp, it can be hard to keep in touch with friends you do not see regularly — schedules do not align, someone forgets, or misunderstandings arise. Here are some ideas to help your friendship stand the test of time (and distance):
1. Make time for video calls
Two of my closest friends from college live on opposite sides of the world — one in California and the other in Brunei — so we do not get to see each other as often as we did in college. That is why we have each others’ cities on our world clocks and find a time that works for Skype every few months, just to keep updated on each others’ lives — a lot like old times! Prioritising your face-to-face time means ensuring that your friendship continues to grow, even with miles between you.
2. Be open and honest
When it comes to long distance friendships, communication and honesty go hand in hand. It can be annoying when your friend does not return a call or takes three days to respond; and frustrating when it seems like they make no effort to see you. But know that it can be hard to focus on friends that you are not seeing on a regular basis — maybe your friend is still getting used to the distance, is overwhelmed with work, or is having a personal crisis. Check in from time to time, be supportive, and let them come to you. Remember, texting back and forth all the time is not a measure of how successful or strong your friendship is; it is more important to be understanding and appreciative of the time you do get together.
3. Small gestures make a big difference
Send a postcard when you are on vacation. Send a little care package of their favorite things. Send them a random text with an inside joke you shared. If you are shopping and see something that reminds you of them, snap a picture and send it to them. These are all little things that sum up to show that you are grateful for having that friend in your life.
4. Celebrate milestones
Always remember birthdays and other important milestones by sending (at least) a card with a sweet, thoughtful message. Be supportive and celebrate your friends’ wins like they are your own; after all, you are friends because they are awesome and inspire you, right? 😉
5. Quality > Quantity
Friends are around for a season, a reason, or a lifetime, so having truly good friends is so much more rewarding than having many friends. Only you know when it is time to move on and when it is worth putting in the effort. Friendships should fuel you, so know the real gems from the fakes and cut your losses if you feel that the friendship is draining you instead. Invest only in those who will have your back in the long run!
Shoutout to my long-distance besties, Josh and Farah, for inspiring this post!
Initially completed in 1833, the Observatory is the oldest part of Oslo University. In 1834, Christopher Hansteen moved into the building and conducted scientific measurements and astronomical observations for the annual Norwegian almanac. Thanks to him, Oslo (then called Kristiania) moved toward standard time, weights, and maps. Architecture Designed by architect Christian Heinrich Grosch, the […]
The post The Observatory appeared first on Reason For...
Initially completed in 1833, the Observatory is the oldest part of Oslo University. In 1834, Christopher Hansteen moved into the building and conducted scientific measurements and astronomical observations for the annual Norwegian almanac. Thanks to him, Oslo (then called Kristiania) moved toward standard time, weights, and maps.
Architecture
Designed by architect Christian Heinrich Grosch, the Observatory is a three-story building done in a neoclassical style (like most of the university buildings from that time). The focal point of the building is an ornately-decorated rotunda that led to the observation rooms.
Bust of Christopher Hansteen at the Observatory
The Observatory was recently refurbished to commemorate the University of Oslo’s 200th anniversary and is now adorned with instruments and decor from Hansteen’s time. Much of the 19th-century technology was reinstated, such as the mechanically-controlled opening roof in the Astronomical Tower (below).
The Observatory’s Astronomical Tower
The Meridian Room
Perhaps the most important room in the history of the Observatory, the Meridian Room is where Hansteen determined the longitude of Kristiania through fastidious observations of the North Star and collaboration with the Royal Society in London. Initially, he intended for the 0-degree (meridian) line to pass through this room; but the Englishmen beat him by having it in Greenwich (on the outskirts of London) instead.
The roof and windows open up for a 360-degree view of Oslo – from north to south
As the city expanded, the Observatory no longer stands unobstructed on the hilltop. Though it is no longer used for looking at the stars, the Observatory serves as a significant historical and architectural site in Norway’s past journey to become a sovereign nation.
Let me know what you think in the comments below! 
