Describe your town with… ola djupvik from pom poko

Tell us a little about the place you live. Oslo is the capital of Norway, but a small city by international standards. To us, it’s large enough to be exciting and small enough to feel like home. There are lots of parks, and if you get on the train, you can easily go hiking in the forest or go to another city altogether. What’s the traditional food like? Norway’s traditional cuisine is not very popular among young people. If you want to try, there’s flesk og duppe (bacon with vegetables and béchamel sauce) or kjøttkaker i brun saus (meatballs in brown sauce). Favourite places to hang out? We usually meet our friends at concerts, but otherwise we’d probably go to places with cheap beer and take it from there. In the summer, the parks of Oslo are nice to hang out in. We really like Cinemateket, as well – an independent cinema showing new and old films. Best places to go vintage shopping? Grünerløkka is definitely the vintage capital of Oslo, although most of it is a bit expensive. If you want stranger stuff, you can hit up Fretex or the Sunday markets in Birkelunden. Where would you catch a good gig? Oslo is a really cool city for gigs! Some of our favourite venues are Kafé Haerverk for improv, noise or alternative music and Nasjonal Jazzscene Victoria for jazz or world music, plus Caféteatret and Blå for a mix of styles. What’s the stereotype about Oslo, and is it true? Besides the stereotype of being expensive (which is mostly true, sadly), there’s the idea that Norwegian people are antisocial and unwilling to talk to strangers. I don’t think that’s true – it just depends when you approach them. People in bars or at parties are open and eager to meet others.