I See Dead People (Oakland Cemetery – Atlanta, GA)

June 11, 2012December 8, 20142 Comments

Well, not really but I did spend the afternoon at Oakland Cemetery. “This garden cemetery, founded in 1850, is the final resting place of many of Atlanta’s settlers, builders, and most noted citizens like Bobby Jones, Margaret Mitchell, and Maynard Jackson. It is also a showplace of sculpture and architecture, and a botanical preserve with ancient oaks and magnolias. Here in this peaceful place the full scope of the city’s rich and fascinating history unfolds before you. From a hilltop in Oakland Cemetery, General John B. Hood watched the Battle of Atlanta, and nearby lie soldiers from both sides who died in it.” (source, www.oaklandcemetery.com)

I decided to check it out as I’d heard so much about this cemetery from professional photographers. It was recently selected by the Atlanta Journal Constitution as Atlanta’s Best Picnic Spot. Now, while I find cemeteries peaceful and like to try to figure out the family ties of those buried within, I don’t have any interest in having a picnic next to Dearly Departed Darryl. It did afford me the opportunity to practice my photography tho!

“Oakland’s acres of Victorian gardens offer a variety of spectacular locations for your special occasion. Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first African American mayor, and Ivan Allen, Jr. became the 26th and 27th mayors of the city to be buried at Oakland, joining six Georgia governors. Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind, is also buried here. So are golf great Robert T. (Bobby) Jones; Joel Hurt, one of the city’s leading developers and entrepreneurs; Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett, Bishop Wesley John Gaines, founder of Morris Brown College; Carrie Steele Logan, 19th Century founder of Atlanta’s first orphanage for black children which continues today as the Carrie Steel Pitts Home, and others who played a role in Atlanta’s evolution.” (source, www.oaklandcemetery.com). I’m pretty sure I’m related to Carrie Steel Pitts (or at least that is the story I plan to circulate…see what kind of ancestry you can make up by hanging out at the cemetery?).

Grave of Maynard Jackson, first black mayor of Atlanta, GA

Funky Little 5 Points (Atlanta, GA)

June 10, 2012December 8, 20141 Comment

My friend, Haskell, and I decided to spend a few hours taking pictures in Little 5 Points and Oakland Cemetery. Little 5 Points (a/k/a “L5P”) is a funky bohemian neighborhood east of downtown Atlanta. Known for unique clothing boutiques (Junkman’s Daughter, Envy, etc.), hookah bars and cafes…it’s a fabulous place to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Nikki’s Nest: Rocabella Santorini Resort & Spa (Santorini, Greece)

May 28, 2012December 8, 20146 Comments

Planning a trip to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini? I recommend Rocabella Santorini Resort & Spa which is located on the outskirts of Imerovigli, at a distance of 1.5 km from Fira. You can hike or take a local bus to the bigger villages of Oia and Fira. My Mom and I spent a lovely week at this resort the last week of May 2011.

Getting There

From Athens, you can either fly (via Olympic Airways or Aegean Airlines) or take a ferry (via Hellenic Seaways or Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus port). The ferries offer an eight-hour trip (which could be either during the day or overnight depending on the season) and a 4 hour hydrofoil. We opted to take the 4 hour hydrofoil ferry (Blue Star Ferries) as it was cheaper than flying. If you decide to take the ferry, you need to know the following: 1) Ferry schedules are suggestions, not fact. You should arrive at least 1 hour in advance as the ferry could leave early (it will state this explicitly on your ticket). Therefore, plan accordingly. A ferry with a 7:25 scheduled departure could actually end up leaving the port at 7:00; 2) Buy insurance. This is Europe and strikes happen. And with the current state of fiscal affairs in Greece right now, I’d definitely recommend buying it for peace of mind. If you happen to purchase your trip via Viator, they will re-book you on a flight to Santorini in the event of a strike; 3) There are assigned seats. You may want to consider an upgrade for more room. Four/Eight hours is a long time to be packed in with other people. The ferry can start to get a little musty by the 2nd hour; and 4) Bring snacks. There is usually a food concession on board but it is a bit expensive. There are plenty of shops around the Piraeus port. Pick up a meal or 2 to go.

Rocabella provides transportation to/from either the airport or port for a fee. You will need to call the resort prior to your arrival to arrange pick-up.

Promotions

I found a great deal thru Expedia which saved me some money. If you prefer to book directly, the resort website also has special deals and discounts. Santorini (and Greece in general) can be a bit expensive. I highly recommend pre-booking to take advantage of early booking discounts and/or free-night offers. Also, if you are planning to visit during high-season (June – August), pre-booking will guarantee your room is available as the island gets overcrowded.

Rooms & Suites

Each room or suite has a jacuzzi, flat screen tv as well as a minibar. There are several types of rooms: Senior and Superior Rooms (full or partial ocean view) and Suites. Be sure to check out the pictures on the resort website or tripadvisor.com as each suite is different (I love the one with the ceiling made of stars!). I pre-purchased the Superior full ocean view room (definitely upgrade to a full ocean view. You will never get tired of watching the sunset over the caldera from your balcony…it’s heaven on earth). When we arrived, we found out we were upgraded to a Superior Suite with a full ocean view.

Nicknamed “The Cave”, this suite was very spacious. However, we asked to switch the next day due to the room having a mildew smell.

The front desk was very accommodating and actually let us choose from several other rooms. We ended up in a Superior Room with full ocean view that was perfect! Notice that a portion of the ceiling has a “faux sky”. Marvelous!

Even with all the concrete, the rooms are comfortable. Each balcony has a private jacuzzi, loungers and a table where you can waste away an entire day while drinking mimosas and reading your Kindle or listening to music while looking at the beautiful blue ocean. The best part? Watching as the sun sets over the caldera. Hint: Order room service and eat “alfresco” on your balcony while the sun descends into the sea. You won’t want to leave! The beds lull you to sleep with the soft featherbed under fresh, crisp linens. The shower is spacious and modern. I could spend all day in there.

Hiking the trail towards Oia. Great workout for hips and booty.

The Fitness Center

I worked out at the fitness center once during my week-long visit. It’s very small, hot and the equipment is a bit dated. I ended up skipping the gym and hiking along the caldera to Oia then back to Fira. Plenty of hills to work the glutes and the views are breathtaking!

The Spa

The resort offers spa services. Unfortunately, they were booked solid when I decided to go so I can’t review this area. Therefore, I recommend booking your services prior to arrival.

Dining alfresco.

Dining

The resort has 1 restaurant. We ate there for breakfast and ordered room service a couple of times. Overall, the food was fine.

Activities

In addition to a small fitness center and spa, the resort also has several pools with a DJ playing music in the afternoons. You will find that most of the activity will be around exploring the beautiful island of Santorini. Hike along the rim of the caldera. Go shopping in Fira (which had some fabulous boutiques). Take a walking tour of Oia. Enjoy a sunset dinner cruise or relax at one of the many beaches. There is so much to do, you will find that the time slips away much too quickly. You may have noticed that I mention (repeatedly) watching the sunset over the caldera. Words cannot adequately describe how magnificent it is. You will find yourself waiting for the end of the day to enjoy those magical minutes of breathtaking beauty. So, if the only activity you do is to sit on the balcony and watch the sunset, you’ve done enough. You can read my review of Santorini here.

Rocabella pool at sunset

The magical Santorini sunset in the caldera.

Nikki’s Rating: Fabulous 4

Rating Scale 1-5 (1 = GET OUT NOW; 2 = Seriously?; 3 = Eh, it’ll do; 4 = Fabulous; 5 = Absolutely Wonderful)

Online Dating…That Shi* Cray

May 26, 2012May 26, 20122 Comments

Lord help me. I decided to give online dating another try. Why? Because all of my fabulousness overwhelms me so I need to siphon it off onto someone else (not because I seem to have inadvertently gotten on the seniorsingles.com distribution list…I’m not that old yet, y’all). Ha! So, I paid my money and decided to try my luck. I figure that you have to weed thru the crazies in real life so this may make it a bit easier. But you know what I have found? Crazy can be overwhelming in concentrated doses. My observations so far…

Profile Pictures

First, what is the deal with taking a picture of yourself in the bathroom mirror? Don’t you have any friends? Maybe a neighbor? Or even a timer on the camera? If I have to see one more camera-phone glamour shot, I am going to scream. It’s like picture in picture. I’m distracted by what type of phone you have and if that is a Otterbox case. Don’t do that to me. Phone a friend. Second, put some clothes on. I said it. Especially if you want to take a chest picture and you look like Notorious B.I.G. I can’t take it. Third, don’t put the Christmas picture with your child on the dating website. Bobby Jr. isn’t looking for love…he’s looking for his pacifier. Third, don’t put your wedding photo with a black X over the face of your ex-wife. Seriously. You have other photos to use. That ain’t winning you any matches. Fourth, stop posing next to a luxury car or in front of some McMansion to show your wealth. I don’t believe it. Real rich folks don’t advertise like that. That is how you get robbed.

The Dating Pool

I’ve found that, typically, matches fall into the following categories…what my friends and I like to call “The Dirty Dozen”:

1. Mr. Pop Pops = I set age limits for a reason. I’m not opposed to expanding the limit by a couple of years…but if you are 65, please don’t send me a wink. I’m not trying to meet up with you for the Early Bird Special. That’s gross. I mean, I thought Morgan Freeman was great in Shawshank Redemption but I’m not trying to date him. And, really…after my experience in Vegas, I don’t think I can handle another old man screaming out “WTF?” when the shuttle bus doesn’t arrive on time.

2. Mr. Delusional = This is the guy who has described himself as “athletic & toned” but looks like Mr. Dursley from Harry Potter. This is also the guy that has used up the 26 picture allotment on his supposed “Maserati/Jaguar/BMW/Bugatti”, “luxury home”, and other assorted karate kicking/’staring off into the distance with a suit and briefcase’ photos.

3. Mr. Crazypants = I will say this…I appreciate people who showcase crazy in their profile descriptions. I prefer to read the crazy than hear about it over drinks (where I can’t make a quick escape). Case in point, here is an actual excerpt from a guy’s profile (note that he would also qualify under #9 Functionally Illiterate):

” I’m 100% HETERO however I’m very kinky with the right woman!Im a butt man so she has to have a NICE BOOTY Meaning any size, just has to be kissable,lickable and look good in jeans,panties etc.. lol :)I enjoy the entire female anatomy (ALL 3 HOLES)Yes!!! Even Anal. 🙂 Its a shame i have to be this honest but some people dont read, some people dont pay attention and some people dont get it. Okay.. Back to the profile. Yes..I know.. Im a freak.lol But im respectful and honest. kissing,cuddling, hand griping,sweaty palms lots of romance,passion. MMM…WHEW! But I need to find my queen, She should be emotionally & mentally stable(FREAK IN THE SHEETS & WOMAN IN THE STREETS)Otherwise im Abstinent. One reason is because i have herpes, got it from a dishonest ex. Yes im honest. If you have to many hang ups,claim you want a honest man but have a problem with my honesty.(Dont judge me) If you do, your the hypocrite… Please keep it moving.”

That is a strict cut and paste with no edits. I know it’s crazy. How does emotionally & mentally stable = freak in the sheets & woman in the streets? And this is after he talks about sweaty palms, hand “griping” and being freaky with anal sex even tho he is abstinent because he has herpes? What? Oh, but he is respectful. Can’t forget that. Too many contradictions to discuss. Cray cray. Alas, I opted to “keep it moving.” In fact, after I read that, I just shut down my laptop and went upstairs to take a shower.

4. Mr. Married But Looking = This is the guy who is “Currently Separated” which really means that he is still married but stepping out. Some of the wives don’t even realize this until their friend, Betty, tells them that Leroy is on Plenty of Fish with the screen name “BigDaddyLovaLova”. I’m gonna need to see a notarized divorce decree, buddy.

5. Mr. Love Jones = This is the guy that sends you an email with some sort of poem…that is clearly a template used for all of his initial correspondence. “I want to run my fingers thru your long, flowing hair” Uh, my hair is neither long or flowing. But thanks. I feel like I should be snapping my fingers while reading his flowery words of love. “Your eyes light a fire in my soul and looking at your picture, I realize that my life was shades of grey until I met you and now I see all the colors of the rainbow.” *dead*

6. Mr. Baby Daddy = If your profile lists 3 or more kids under “Children” and Relationship Status as “Never Married”…well, sorry. You seem to be high risk for being a “Cootie Carrier.” I can’t afford to take that risk since I’m recovering from water cancer.

7. Mr. Imposter = This is the guy with a profile picture of Sonny Corinthos from General Hospital. You know that ain’t you. I’m pretty sure Neil from Young & the Restless isn’t on match.com with the profile name of “thuglovin2012.” One guy had a profile picture of Shemar Moore with the screen name “LuvDokta” and has his profession listed as a Harvard educated cardio-thoracic surgeon. I almost asked if his name was Preston Burke. I guess times are tough after Dr. Christina Yang left him at the altar at the end of Season 2.

8. Mr. Ron Burgundy = This is the guy who is full of himself. You know the ones I’m referring to. “I used to play basketball overseas…I’m a baller and looking for a WOMAN who can handle me both on and OFF the court.” He usually uses the “$” in his profile name. That lets you know that you are dealing with someone who has dollar bills. That’$ right. Sigh. I just don’t have it in me to respond. But, I am super excited that Anchorman 2 is coming out!

9. Mr. Functionally Illiterate = Sigh. Why do I get a headache trying to figure out what he is saying? And for the record, “conversate” is NOT.A.WORD! Lord Almighty! If I have to read, “Im jussa kool dude lookin fo a bangin women to conversate wit” I’m gonna scream. Fellas, please know that is okay to use the singular form “woman” when referring to 1 female. Women is not the catch-all for 1 or more ladies. It refers to 2 or more females. If in doubt, please use spell-check. It’s your friend, not your enemy.

10. Mr. Crazy Fetish = I respect that some people have different interests. But taking pictures with your metal lunchbox collection that is displayed on your dining room table with the caption, “lunchbox lovin”? That is too much.

11. Mr. Race Relations = This is the guy who states explicitly in the first line of his profile that he DOES NOT date black women (even though he may actually be black himself). But he emails you to let you know that he will make an exception for you. Um, thanks???? But I don’t need affirmative action to help level the dating playing field.

12. Mr. Right = I haven’t found him yet but I am confident that he is out there…somewhere. Seriously. Help me find him, y’all. It takes a village.

I’ve pre-paid for 3 months of this. Pray for me.

Race Series: A Letter from Heaven…Cuz that’s Where I’m at After the Warrior Dash

May 22, 2012November 1, 20128 Comments

Old Nikki…unaware of what is about to happen.

The Warrior Dash is billed as “The World’s Largest Running Series”. Not sure what type of process they had to go thru for this “certification”. The race is 3.2 miles of running & obstacles (swimming, climbing over shit, crawling thru mud with some glass & hypodermic needles thrown in [I may have made that last part up], and running thru hot fiyah). My colleague, Jeff, talked me into doing this and after reviewing the information and “obstacles” listed on the website, I wasn’t all that worried. I’m training for a marathon so this couldn’t be that hard, right? WRONG. See me in the picture there on the left? Looking all clean and smiling because I didn’t know that I would have to run thru the bowels of hell? Yeah, I miss her. I think I lost her at mile 1.5.

Fake obstacle course…maybe that’s the first obstacle. To fool you into thinking it’s not that hard.

The race was being held in north Georgia (close to the South Carolina state line) in Mountain City. I picked up Jeff and we headed north to meet up with Glenn, another work colleague. Which…I’m just going to put this out there. Clearly all 3 of us don’t have good decision-making abilities. But, I digress. Jeff is worried that the paramedics will have to airlift him to a hospital during the race. I laugh (or Old Nikki in the photo above laughed…she’s dead now). I had studied the obstacle course (which I have provided for your viewing pleasure) like it was a treasure map. I was confident in what to expect. Like I had read What To Expect When You are Expecting (To Run an Obstacle Course). I figured that it wouldn’t be that difficult. I mean, it’s only 3.2 miles and 13 obstacles. I even had a strategy. I know! I thought I was prepared. Spoiler alert — I was not.

On our way to the race, Jeff and I speculate about how many other people of color we would see. His response? “I think I’m looking at it.” Now, normally you don’t see black folks crawling in mud and trudging across a lake for sport…there needs to be a good reason (like life or death). That’s not what we do. But, it’s 2012. Obama is POTUS. Anything is possible, people. Change we can believe in, y’all. I held out hope that I wouldn’t be the only brown person there. Luckily, I saw a few others. There weren’t many…but change starts small. See? I’m spreading the word now. So to my black people…go out and do this race! Don’t worry about the title and how I said I died. You may live!

Apparently this is the pre-party/race area.

After we park, there is a shuttle that takes you to the actual event. Once we arrive at the venue, we notice an ambulance speeding away with sirens blaring (Clue #1). As we are walking up a hill (Clue #2 because I hadn’t even considered hills would be involved) we pass people who had completed the race and they looked a hot, sizzling mess (Clue #3). Before we get to the registration desk, we see a girl laid out on a freaking STRETCHER and she WAS.NOT.MOVING. (Clue #4). By this time, Jeff has started providing statistics of our chances of getting injured (which did not calm me one bit). I tried to divert our attention by looking at the costumes. Because most folks dressed up as something. We saw Sesame Street characters, Borat (and trust me that a man running in a thong is not cute), a lady wearing a wedding gown…pretty much everything you could think of. Which should have been Clue #5 but I didn’t realize it at the time. That lulled me into a sense of calm…like it couldn’t be that bad. I’m looking at crazy but I don’t recognize the crazy. I’m part of it.

Before I get into the details of actually running this race, I do need to give Leap Frog Events some praise. They had the Warrior Dash event organized like a well-oiled machine (except for when it came time to claim my free beer but I’m not going to deal with that now). The race starts in 30 minute waves. But, while you may register for a 4pm wave, it seemed like you could run in any wave throughout the day. Registration was fast and easy. Race swag includes a cotton t-shirt, medal, 1 free beer and a fuzzy warrior helmet (I will be wearing it this winter so get ready). There is also a huge party at the finish line (complete with a DJ and folks doing the “Wobble”…I kid you not). It was awesome.

Starting line…these fools have no idea what is about to happen. Unless they are repeat fools (folks that do this every year…someone I’m about to be).

The Race

We line up towards the back of the wave so we don’t have to deal with the Bruce Jenners trying to actually race. It starts out with a pretty easy 1/2 mile run slightly uphill. Now, my strategy was based on the obstacle course map above where the water obstacles were at the end. In my mind, this was great because I wouldn’t have to run in water-logged shoes. I should’ve known that made too much sense to be real.

Obstacles 1-3

So, when I see the first obstacle is crossing a muddy LAKE by either walking (in water that at some points is higher than me) or swimming, I immediately was like, “this wasn’t in the marketing materials!” I end up behind some guys dressed as KISS (and using their inflatable guitars as flotation devices…genius. I’m totally going as Prince next year). We finally make it across the lake (all while I’m praying there aren’t any flesh-eating bacteria in there). And as soon as we exit the lake, we have to crawl through mud (and what I am going to assume was mixed with glass because my elbows and knees are scraped to hell) under barbed wire for a bit, then go thru some mesh. Then it’s time to run some more. It’s an easy run (which I knew was too good to last).

Obstacle 4

Another freaking lake? WTF? Why the hell wasn’t this on the map? I walk out to the pier, jump into the lake, sink to the bottom to my death (then back up to the top to my resurrection which I am sure will be short-lived). We had to swim out to a floating obstacle…with shoes weighing you down. This is where things get dicey. I realize that my upper body strength training didn’t work a damn as I couldn’t get my big ass on that buoy. So, Jeff has to pull me up while some poor soul is either helping me by lifting my ass or just copping a feel (which…really? Don’t you see I’m in a life or death situation?). After crossing over the floating obstacles, we have to jump right back into the muddy lake and swim to shore. I got water in my nose and what I thought was my lungs. I’m running and snorting water thinking “I now have water cancer.” Don’t judge me…that could be real. Then it’s time for a new obstacle.

Obstacle 5

Rope climbing. This obstacle was actually on the map and I was dreading it. Now that I know that I have the upper strength of a toddler (or that my arms can’t handle the weight from my hips and thighs…there really isn’t a comforting answer to any of this), I just drop my head. But I’m not a quitter. My Mom read The Little Engine That Could to me when I was little. But I’m pretty sure that Little Engine never had to climb ropes. He only had to climb a mountain and he had the help of an engine so I call cheating. Aaaannnyyyway, I square my shoulders, grab the rope and start climbing…then stop. WTF? Why am I so freaking heavy? And why are other folks climbing over this wall like monkeys? Is my rope defective? So I climb down and try a new one (water cancer causes dementia). Same thing. After what feels like 45 minutes, I finally make it to the top. But now it’s time to actually go over the wall. And The Count from Sesame Street is trying to get on the rope. I’m not finished, buddy. Count the seconds until you see me hit the ground. Finally, I make it over and climb down. Then it’s time to run thru a MUDDY FOREST! Over snakes and tree trunks. Lord help me. This goes on for another 1/2 mile.

New Resurrected Nikki rocking the fuzzy warrior helmet…part of the Fall 2012 Mental Illness Line.

Obstacle 6

I don’t even know what this obstacle is called. You have to climb a wall where the little ledges are spaced about 6 feet apart. It was at this point that I seriously considered skipping it like so many others that had bypassed obstacles that looked too hard. But I refused to quit (and I knew I’d never hear the end of it from my colleagues). Instead, I made a call. It went like this, “Are you there God? It’s me, Nikki. Um, help please?” Somehow, someway, I made it to the top only to find out that I would have to slide down a pole (which was a good distance from the wall). WTH?? The race attendant had to talk me down like I was suicidal. Our conversation went a little like this:

Me: “WTF is this, John?” (I don’t know if that was his name but water cancer makes you want to re-name folks…it also makes you have anger management issues).

John?: “Just lean forward and wrap your legs around the pole.”

Me: “Do I look like a stripper? I don’t know how to do this!”

John?: “Just lean into the pole, it will be okay.”

Me: “This doesn’t look safe. Has this obstacle been certified by a safety inspector?”

John?: *blank stare*

Me: “If I die, I’m totally coming back to haunt your ass.”

I did as he instructed, made it down the pole and promptly hurt my hip because I landed too fast. John, you mutherfucker! This is going to worsen my water cancer. I think I’m now Stage 3 at this point. And as it’s time to run again, I see a mile marker sign that says “1.5 miles completed.” MUTHERFUCKER! I’m not even halfway done with this yet? OMG! That’s when Old Nikki died. Right there at the 1.5 mile marker. Apparently, the water cancer was more aggressive than I first thought. Out of her ashes, New Nikki arose. And she was PISSED that she had to run 1.7 more miles of obstacles.

Obstacles…I don’t even care

Seriously? I climbed over waist-high walls, under more barbed wire, slid down a water slide made of trash bags, climbed over crashed up cars, hurdled over some hot fire and crawled thru mud under more barbed wire (seriously with the barbed wire? Are they a sponsor or something?). Finally, there is the finish line…I almost thought it was another obstacle. Like, “PSYCHE! YOU AIN’T DONE YET. THAT WAS ANOTHER OBSTACLE…A MENTAL ONE. GET TO RUNNING, BITCH!” But, it turned out to be real. And as soon as I was done, I proclaimed that I would NEVA EVA do that again.

Then, as we are listening to The Humpty Dance (yes, you read that right), we decided to put together a team to do Tough Mudder. Which is almost the same except it’s 12 miles instead of 3.2 and the barbed wire is electrified with 10,000 volts of electricity. You know you want to do this too! Clearly I suffer from some sort of mental illness…maybe the water cancer is back?

After we pick up our items from bag check, I ask the lady where the showers are (as I know there has to be a place to wash all the mud off). She points in a vague direction and says, “you just wash off in the lake.” I gave her the side-eye then trudged to the lake (my 3rd of the day) to wash up like my name is Laura Ingalls and this creek is my way of getting clean before Pa asks me why I flipped Almonzo off at the 2 mile marker while yelling “WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET ME DO THIS?”

Overall, this race was actually awesome. I know I complained (and died of water cancer)…it’s hard! But, it was also fun. And, the after party is a riot. It was a good time. If you read this, then you should now be prepared to be a warrior. So, register (and then join me for Tough Mudder in 2013)!

P.S. I had to fly to Oregon on business the next freaking day. I travel ALL THE TIME and never forget to pack major items. But, when I start to get dressed for work the next morning, I realized that I had forgotten to pack my bras. Not only am I apparently out of water cancer remission, I now suffer from Warrior Dash PTSD. Lord help me.

All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m Ready for My Close-Up

May 11, 2012December 8, 20146 Comments

To quote the 1950 film, Sunset Boulevard, “All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up.” What woman doesn’t want to do a boudoir photo shoot and be all glam & sexy? I started out buying this package with the intent to lose all this weight and be like, “BAM! How you like me now?”…but, that didn’t quite work out. Ha! Rather than reschedule the shoot (again) until I can look like Skeletor from HeMan, I realized that I was focused on the wrong thing. I have historically taken a Nation of Islam approach to weight loss…by any means necessary. Be it Atkins (staying in Phase 1 forever), starvation, weight loss pills, being a workout fiend…you name it, I was doing it. The problem was I couldn’t maintain the “extreme measures lifestyle”. Even when I lost a lot of weight (and in some cases, maybe too much), I was never satisfied. I always found something I needed to improve. Something that was imperfect. What I saw in the mirror wasn’t what other people in reality saw when they looked at me. All I saw were all of my failures, insecurities, baggage, failed relationships, bad decisions, etc.

When I told my best friend that I thought the leather seats in my car needed Botox because they were cracked from all of my weight sitting on it, she told me to put the crack pipe down. If only. I mean, couldn’t she see that if I was on crack then I’d be skinny? Now, I may be trying to steal her dvd player for a “weight loss hit” but I’d still be thin!

I have been caught up in the “industry” standard of beauty for so long, I can’t remember a time when I was ever satisfied in my own skin. I felt I looked more like Ursula the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid than Princess Tiana from Princess & the Frog. I would covet the figures on magazine covers that sold me a faux reality based heavily on airbrush & illusions. I thought, “If I eat 3 beans a day, I can look like that!” But it never happened because I’m just not built that way and there came a point when my sanity broke thru the haze of phentermine & 2-a-day workouts & I realized I was miserable AND hungry. I wanted a biscuit and could care less about skinny jeans.

Then it hit me…it’s okay to be “imperfect.” I figure that if God created me this way, then I am perfect in His eyes and that is all that matters. Now, am I trying to look like Precious and run off with a bucket of chicken? No (although some chicken does sound good…focus Nikki). I am just taking a smarter approach to weight loss and changing my mindset. I eat what I want in moderation and workout. I am focusing on pushing myself beyond my preconceived limits (both mentally, physically and emotionally). In the here and now, I decided to strip myself bare & accept myself as I am. By allowing myself to be photographed like this, I am telling myself that it is okay to be me.

I’m not Naomi Campbell thin (and my iPhone 4 cost too much to throw at someone…they can get my old Motorola). I’ve never had the figure of a supermodel and I want a bowl of ice cream just thinking about being a size 0. The only way I will ever be that size is to smoke crack and meth with a side of smack. Healthy for me is being a size 8/10 and having a some junk in the trunk…to keep me warm in the winter. I have decided to define beauty for myself as I strive to get back to that size. I am committing myself to living a healthy lifestyle and seeing how far I can push myself in certain physical endeavors (i.e. marathons & triathlons).

Honestly, I’m just trying to be happy with myself. To that end, I figured I’d release my poorly hidden diva (because y’all know I am the first one to jump in front of a camera) and get my photo shoot on. I can pick out plenty of things I need to work on but I choose to see someone who doesn’t look half bad. So, I’m not going to make excuses and say the camera added 20 pounds, because as Shakira would say “hips don’t lie.” I’m just going to continue on my journey and look as fabulous as I can until I reach my destination!

I know this has felt like a “Dear Diary” entry but there is a key difference…Holly Hobby isn’t on the cover and my brother isn’t trying to crack the code to spill everything to my parents during dinner. Special shout out to Sarah at Sarah Esther Photography who handled the shoot. She is FAB-U-LOUS! I really cannot say enough great things about her. Sarah is so creative & her work is phenomenal! In fact, she is photographing my brother’s wedding this summer. Girl’s got skills! She’s also running another boudoir photo special so definitely check her out!

Without further ado, here are a few pics from the shoot (which were shot at the W Hotel in Buckhead). Thanks for listening to me share my hangups and entertaining my vanity!

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Nikki’s Nest: Radisson Blu Scandinavia (Copenhagen, Denmark)

April 6, 2012December 8, 20142 Comments

The Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel (located at Amager Boulevard 70 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is 8 kilometers from Copenhagen’s Kastrup airport and about a 5 minute walk from the Islands Brygge Metro station. This hotel has 26 floors (500 guest rooms and 42 suites that feature 7 different styles), four restaurants, a bar and a casino (billed as the largest in Northern Europe). I spent 5 nights at this wonderful hotel and would definitely visit again.

Promotions

Denmark is on the Danish Kronor (DKK) so for those of us with weaker currency, it makes fiscal sense to take advantage of the promotions. I highly recommend pre-paying for hotels that have offers which include breakfast (if your travel schedule is not subject to last minute changes). As a general rule, I would not recommend pre-booking a hotel too far in advance (at max, a month or so) just because you never know what can happen (i.e. the hotel goes out of business or starts a major renovation that will affect the quality of your stay). Breakfast tends to be pretty expensive unless you can find a cheaper alternative nearby (although there is a gas station next to the hotel which sells pretty tasty pastries for cheap). By booking ahead, you can save up to 20% on the hotel’s current rates.

Rooms & Suites

There are 5 types of rooms available: Standard, Business Class, Junior Suites, Scandinavia Suites and Family Room. The Standard & Business Class rooms are all the same size and have almost the exact same amenities with the exception of the Business Class rooms being on the upper floors and having Nespresso coffee machines.

I booked a Standard room but was upgraded to Business Class (on the 17th floor) and it was wonderful! The view is phenomenal and the room was really comfortable. Very contemporary and updated.

view from the hotel room

The Fitness Center/Spa

The hotel offers a decent-sized gym (which is free) and 2 squash courts. Now, since you don’t know me, I could say that I worked out at this gym everyday but my pants are screaming out, “LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE FROM FAT THIGHS RUBBING TOGETHER.” So, let’s just say that I did check it out and leave it at that, k? It is one of the better hotel gyms I’ve been to though. The Spa offers aromatherapy & Scandinavian massages, facials, reflexology and ear acupuncture.

Dining

There are 4 dining rooms — Kyoto [Japanese], Mamas & Papas [American and Italian], The Blue Elephant [Thai] and The Dining Room (which is on the 25th floor). I ate at 2 of the restaurants (Kyoto and Mamas & Papas). Overall, I found the food to be pretty good. The wait staff is helpful and accommodating.

Overall

I found this hotel to be comfortable and a great value. I didn’t try the casino as I refuse to pay to go gamble and Denmark was kind of expensive. The rooms and food were pretty good and the location is excellent. You are pretty central to most of the attractions (Christianshavn is just across the lake, and City Hall & Tivoli Gardens is a 10 minute walk away). Copenhagen is a beautiful place to walk (or ride a bike) and this hotel is perfectly situated.

Nikki’s Rating: 4 “Fabulous”

Rating Scale 1-5 (1 = GET OUT NOW; 2 = Seriously?; 3 = Eh, it’ll do; 4 = Fabulous; 5 = Absolutely Wonderful)

The Fascinating Finns — Moose, Reindeer & Bears, Oh My!

April 5, 2012December 8, 20144 Comments

I had the pleasure of spending 3 days in Finland (2 full days in Helsinki [Vantaa] and a quick day trip to Nokia). Unfortunately, I had to work most of the time and didn’t have any time to sightsee other than for 15 minutes before dinner one evening. Therefore, unlike my other posts that cover most of the top attractions of the city, this post will focus more on what I’ve learned about Finland and my experience with the Finnish people.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I arrived in Helsinki. The one thing about “travelling while brown” is that you have to always be prepared to be the subject of stares. Which is fine if you are just curious and not ignorant. Especially if I’m visiting a country where there aren’t many other people of color. I have to say that I believe my skin color actually provided me with an advantage in Finland.

I had the pleasure of travelling with a Finnish attorney (Jura) who took it upon himself to try to educate me in everything Finnish during my 3 day trip (complete with trying to learn Finnish phrases…and I am now proud to say I know 3 words…ha!). As a sidenote, Finnish is HARD. There are like 19 letters in the word “fish” (or something crazy like that).

Jura explained to me that the Finns don’t do small talk and niceties. It’s not that they are rude, but they just don’t see the need for a lot of extra conversation. And, with it being so cold, I understand why (I mean, who wants to stand around hearing about Laaki’s corns when you can’t feel your fingers?). However, he was surprised in the responses I would get everyplace I went. The Finns were super nice and went out of their way to be of service. He said it’s because they know I’m a tourist but I like to think it’s because they know I’m special 🙂 From the hotel to the restaurants, it was like being among friends.

My absolute favorite moment was getting to meet Jura’s father. He is a big bear of a man and was the absolute best! He picked me up from my hotel to take Jura and myself to the train station and even walked us to the train station platform then waited to make sure we got on the train safely. At the end of the day, he was waiting for us to get off the train to cart me back to the hotel (and Jura to the airport). That is hospitality at its best!

I’m naturally chatty so I asked a lot of questions about their history (which seemed to be a very subject of many). Below are some interesting facts I learned during my stay:

1. Santa better hide Rudolph because reindeer was on EVERY menu that I saw during my 3 day stay.

2. In addition to the reindeer, the Finns eat bear (watch your back, Yogi…maybe get with Rudolph in Witness Protection or something) and the Helsinki airport even sells bear liver pate. I’m sure that just made you salivate…I’ll wait while you go to Google and search for companies that ship internationally.

3. The Arctic Ice Bar. Words cannot describe how much I wanted to check this place out. Trust me, if I had stayed over a weekend, I’d have been in there with the club-offered parkas freezing my booty off while setting my drink on an ice table. Per their website, “Inside the icebar the temperature is a constant -5C. Upon entry to the Icebar guests are given a warm cape and gloves to wear.” That is awesome! Of course, the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time was from a reviewer on Trip Advisor who said, “You won’t find a lot of locals in the ice bar. We think it’s a damn silly idea to pay extra to be cold as we get enough of it for free.” Ha!

4. The Finns are required to learn an additional language in primary school (i.e. Swedish, Russian, etc.) and it is required that all men (not sure about women) serve for 9 months – 1 year in the military.

5. Finland was once part of Sweden, then Russia before becoming its own republic.

6. This country has 187,888 lakes and 179,584 islands which was created by the effect of the Ice Age (much like the Norwegian fjords).

7. Want to visit the Arctic Circle? Just go to the top of Finland! You can freeze to your heart’s content.

8. Northern Lights. Finland (like Alaska) is known for its Northern Lights. In northern Finland, you can experience 24 hour darkness in January/early February and 24 hours of sun in the summer.

9. Looking for a great place to eat? Try out the FishMarket (which has a great choice of fresh fish prepared in a variety of ways) or Farang (which is delicious Pan Asian food with a Finnish flair) in downtown Helsinki.

10. Finns like to hunt and one local favorite is moose.

Below are the few pictures I was able to take in downtown Helsinki. Notice how the lakes are frozen around the boats. Unreal that it was that cold.

Nikki’s Nest: Hilton Helsinki Airport — Vantaa (Helsinki, Finland)

April 4, 2012December 8, 20141 Comment

photo courtesy of Hilton Hotels

The Hilton Helsinki Airport Hotel — Vantaa (located at Lentajankuja 1 in Vantaa, Finland) is about a 3-4 minute walk to the Helsinki airport terminals and 30 minutes by car to the center of the city. This hotel has 5 floors (the 5th floor is the Executive Floor) and a full-service restaurant and bar. I spent 4 nights at this wonderful hotel and would definitely visit again.

Promotions

Finland is on the Euro so for those of us with weaker currency, it makes fiscal sense to take advantage of the promotions. I highly recommend pre-paying for hotels that have offers which include breakfast (if your travel schedule is not subject to last minute changes). As a general rule, I would not recommend pre-booking a hotel too far in advance (at max, a month or so) just because you never know what can happen (i.e. the hotel goes out of business or starts a major renovation that will affect the quality of your stay). Breakfast tends to be pretty expensive unless you can find a McDonald’s nearby. By booking ahead, you can save up to 20% on the hotel’s current rates. Which you can use towards buying some bear liver pate (which is apparently a Finnish delicacy). 🙂

My room at the Hilton Helsinki (Room 240)

Rooms & Suites

There are 3 types of rooms available: Standard Guest Rooms, Deluxe & Executive Rooms, and Suites. The Standard, Executive & Deluxe Rooms are all the same size ( 28m²/301sq.ft) and have almost the exact same amenities with the exception of having access to the Executive Lounge for those staying in Executive & Deluxe rooms. The King Junior Suite has a separate living area, is a bit larger (58m²/624sq.ft) and has Executive Lounge access as well as a private sauna.

I stayed in a Standard Guest Room and it was fab-u-lous! The layout of the room is wonderful and the room is not only contemporary but also very ergonomic. The windows are soundproofed so you have total silence while you sleep (assuming you don’t have noisy neighbors). This is great as it cancels out all the noise from planes landing & taking off.

If I didn’t already love the room, the bathroom would have sealed the deal. All rooms have bathrooms with a separate shower and tub. And the added treat? The tiled floors are HEATED! Yes!!!! Since I traveled over there during their winter season, it was a delightful surprise to step out of the shower onto a heated floor. No slippers necessary!!! Seriously, more hotels need to do this. While I’m not a fan of Nicky, whoever her daddy hired to design this place is a freaking genius!

The Fitness Center/Sauna

Sauna (photo courtesy of Hilton Hotels)

Gym (photo courtesy of Hilton Hotels)

The hotel offers a decent-sized 24 hour gym and sauna. Now, since you don’t know me, I could say that I worked out at this gym everyday but my pants are screaming out, “LIAR, LIAR PANTS ON FIRE FROM FAT THIGHS RUBBING TOGETHER.” So, let’s just say that I did check it out and leave it at that, k? It is one of the better hotel gyms I’ve been to though.

Dining

Restaurant Gui (photo courtesy of Hilton Hotels)

You can dine at the Restaurant Gui where you can choose Finnish dishes (reindeer) or traditional dishes (club sandwich, salmon, hamburgers, etc.). Breakfast was included in the cost of the room (for Advance Payment reservations or those staying in Executive and Deluxe Rooms or Suites). It’s buffet-style and they have a wide selection to choose from (cereals, eggs, bacon, sausage, etc.). Overall, I found the food to be pretty good. I am not adventurous enough to try reindeer or bear but I did have the club sandwich and chocolate soufflé. The wait staff is extremely helpful and accommodating. You really can’t ask for better customer service.

Restaurant & Bar Gui lobby (photo courtesy of Hilton Hotels)

The hotel also has a fully stocked bar next to the restaurant which offers an open fireplace where you can sit and drink. Which was especially helpful since there was a snowstorm during my visit.

Amenities

In addition to free use of the gym & sauna, each room offers free wireless internet service, LCD flat-screen televisions, a coffee/tea maker (including a selection of teas), Crabtree & Evelyn products, iron & ironing board (do not take this for granted), nightlight and a safe (just to name a few). For a complete list of amenities, be sure to check out their website.

Overall

I found this hotel to be comfortable and a great value. The rooms and food were fabulous. The only negative (if you are using this hotel as a base during a visit to Helsinki) is the distance to the center of the city. However, if you don’t mind the commute or are looking for a great place to stay before taking an early morning flight, this is the place for you! Want to know more about Helsinki? Check out my city review here.

Nikki’s Rating: 4 “Fabulous”

Rating Scale 1-5 (1 = GET OUT NOW; 2 = Seriously?; 3 = Eh, it’ll do; 4 = Fabulous; 5 = Absolutely Wonderful)

Oslo, Norway: Beyond the Heated Sidewalks

March 15, 2012December 8, 20145 Comments

I had the good fortune to spend 4 days in Oslo. This city reminds me of Zürich and Geneva in that it doesn’t really have the energy or distinct architecture that London, Paris, Rome or Amsterdam has. And while I found the city to be kind of “blah”, the city sightseeing tour and museums were actually pretty interesting.

A few interesting facts about Oslo:

1. It was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved during the reign of King Christian IV. It was rebuilt closer to Akershus Castle, and renamed Christiania in his honour (also spelled Kristiania in the late 1800s). In 1925, twenty years after the dissolution of personal union between Norway and Sweden, the city reclaimed its original Norwegian name, Oslo. (source Wikipedia)

2. This city rich. And I am not kidding (a regular pizza & Diet Coke from a chain called Pepe’s Pizza cost me $50 USD! I wanted apply for Norwegian food stamps so I could eat.). In 2009, Oslo was rated as the most expensive city in the world (now it’s second only behind Tokyo). The guide on my tour said that they have a lot of oil (and continue to keep discovering more of it) which allows them to save money since they don’t have to import it from the Middle East. They ration the oil to avoid a shortage in the near future (they feel they have enough to last the city for approximately 75-150 years).

3. The main pedestrian street (Karl Johan Gate) and various sidewalks throughout the city are actually heated (which you can do when you are rich). The city uses hydro electricity which powers most of everything there.

4. The Vikings didn’t actually wear the hat with pointy horns (you know what I’m referring to). According to the tour guide, this was made up for a play and kind of just stuck.

5. Norwegians love al fresco dining…even in the winter. I was surprised to find that most restaurants had their outdoor seating sections open while there was still snow on the ground! And it was packed. Most restaurants provide blankets or furs to snuggle up in while you dine. We actually tried this one afternoon and while the air was brisk, it was actually pretty nice.

Nobel Peace Center (Oslo, Norway)

Nobel Peace Center

The Nobel Peace Center was opened in 2005 and is absolutely fascinating…and very humbling. As I viewed the exhibits, I realized the strength and courage these people had to face opposition and fight for something they believe in. I was humbled to remember that I take for granted the fact that I can voice my opinion, own a home and have my own career.

The Nobel Peace Prize was established by Alfred Nobel (who was Swedish) in his will. He gave no reason for this but some feel it was to assuage his guilt over being the inventor of dynamite. The Nobel Peace Center is divided into 3 main areas (1. Main Exhibits; 2. Current Nobel Peace Prize Winners; 3. Former Nobel Peace Prize winners) with various other small areas.

Afghanistan Exhibit

The current exhibit is on Afghanistan and contains the soul-searing photos from Lynsey Addario and Tim Hetherington and short films by 3 brave teenage girls in Kabul (which you can view on the website).

“The British war photographer Tim Hetherington’s photo series Infidel provides a rare portrait of masculinity, camaraderie and vulnerability among American infantry soldiers. For nine months in 2007 Hetherington lived side by side soldiers at a base in the remote Korengal valley. Tim Hetherington was killed during a grenade attack in Libya in April 2011.” (quoted from The Nobel Peace Center website)

Notice the dog above has a collar made of bullets. There was also a short documentary film being shown of the soldiers in daily life. I’m not usually an emotional person but that film brought me to tears. It’s hard to understand what war is like if you have never served in the military. That glimpse into their lives broke my heart. The toughness they exude in the still photos (with all the tattoos and the obvious hazing) was countered by the fear during gunfire and the tears for fallen comrades. I highly recommend you check it out.

“The American photographer Lynsey Addario’s photo series Veiled Rebellion is an intimate and personal portrait of women’s lives in a patriarchal society. Addario has photographed women in Afghanistan for 11 years.” (quoted from The Nobel Peace Center website)

Her photos captured everyday living (from the birth of a child to the autopsy of someone who recently died). There were scenes of happiness from a typical wedding and the sadness of living in poverty. But there was a theme of hope. You could see the women getting stronger and happier as the years went on and they gained more freedoms.

“Anders Sømme Hammer and Christoffer Næss work with three girls in Kabul who want to change their society. Using hand-held cameras, the girls document their lives in the Kabul Cards video documentaries.” (quote from The Nobel Peace Center)

These videos were so touching. There were several videos of the 3 girls doing every day activities (shopping, trying on make-up, interviewing other teens). It really gives you insight into the culture and mindset in Kabul.

SHEROES

From there, you can walk upstairs to the SHEROES Nobel Peace Prize laureate exhibition 2011. The exhibition provides you with the biographies of the 3 brave heroines and laureates: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Leymah Gbowee from Liberia and Tawakkol Karman from Yemen. I saw Leymah Gbowee on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart a few months ago and was absolutely mesmerized by her. She is smart, funny and completely engaging. And, she was able to convey the enormous effort it took to gain women certain freedoms in Liberia. The one thought that kept running through my mind was that these 3 women were courageous and not easily intimidated by more powerful men. That takes a lot of faith and strength. It’s amazing how you can be inspired by the contributions of others.

Past Nobel Peace Prize Winners

I have to say, I was so excited to see this room. It is so cool…dark with ambient lighting. Very peaceful. As you can see in the picture at the left, each Nobel Peace Laureate is featured on a small tablet with their name, year of being the recipient (and reason why) and their speech. I did find it interesting that Yasser Arafat received a Nobel Peace Prize but Ghandi didn’t. Really? But my favorites are Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Theresa, President Barack Obama and Nelson Mandela. Amazing!

The Viking Ship Museum

This small museum houses 3 unearthed Viking Ships and I found the history fascinating. I didn’t realize that the Viking burial ceremony was similar to the Egyptians. Their belief was that the dead needed food and drink (2 oxen were killed and dough was supplied), weapons, animals, clothes and their ships (basically everything they owned) in the afterlife. Horses and dogs (even a peacock) were killed and buried with the dead (including bridle mounts). I’m not sure if the dead had access to Cuisinart products to cook up the meat and bake the dough.

There were also tapestries (which I was not allowed to take pictures of) that had scenes of Viking life and burial. It looked very similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics! Another detail I was unaware of is that the Vikings owned slaves (but not from Africa).

All of this information was obtained when 2 Viking Ships were excavated. The Oseberg burial mound, which contained numerous grave goods and two female human skeletons (two women…one, aged 60–70, suffered badly from arthritis and other maladies; the second was aged 25–30. It is not clear which one was the more important in life or whether one was sacrificed to accompany the other in death). The ship’s interment into its burial mound dates from 834, but parts of the ship date from around 800, and the ship itself is thought to be older. It was excavated by Norwegian archaeologist Haakon Shetelig and Swedish archaeologist Gabriel Gustafson in 1904-1905. This ship is widely celebrated and has been called one of the finest finds to have survived the Viking Age (source Wikipedia).

Then there is the Gokstad ship. Shortly after the 1880 New Year the sons of the owner of Gokstad Farm, having heard of the legends surrounding the site, uncovered the bow of a boat and its painter while digging in the still frozen ground (source Wikipedia).

Holmenkollen Ski Jump

You can’t go to Oslo in the winter without checking out the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. It just so happens that the FIS World Cup occurred the weekend I was there. The ski jump is 60 meters/197 feet high!

This is a popular place for not only ski jumping but regular skiing as well. I decided to try the ski jump simulator and after 4 terrifying minutes, realized that I would never try it in real life. I’ve never been one to be afraid of heights and love rollercoasters but this was where I drew the line. Imagine looking down 197 feet (and I don’t even know how they get to the top of the jump). The amazing thing is that you speed down the course then fly off the end (as the jump) and stay airborne for a while before trying to land on skis. I would be dead with 2 broken legs.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

Vigeland Sculpture Park covers 80 acres and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures all designed by Gustav Vigeland. 58 of the park’s sculptures reside along the Bridge, a 100 metre (328 ft) long, 15 metre (49 ft) wide connection between the Main Gate and the Fountain. All are clad in bronze and contribute to the Human Condition theme of the park. Here visitors will find one of the park’s more popular statues, Angry Boy (Sinnataggen). Visitors could enjoy the sculptures while most of the park was still under construction. At the end of the bridge lies the Children’s Playground, a collaboration of eight bronze statues, all in the likenesses of children at play.

The Fountain (Fontenen) was fabricated from bronze and adorned with 60 individual bronze reliefs. Portraying children and skeletons in the arms of giant trees, the Fountain suggests that from death comes new life. On the ground surrounding the Fountain lies an 1800 square meter mosaic laid in black and white granite. It took Vigeland a great deal of time to establish the monument: from 1906 to 1947.

The Main Gate to Vigeland Sculpture Park is forged of granite and wrought iron and serve as an entrance to Frogner Park itself (source Wikipedia).

The Monolith Plateau is a platform made of steps that houses the Monolith totem itself. 36 figure groups reside on the elevation bringing with them the “circle of life” message. Access to the Plateau is made via eight figural gates forged in wrought iron. The gates were designed between 1933 and 1937 and erected shortly after Vigeland died in 1943 (source Wikipedia).