We’re open by appointment only
We see many Scandinavians at Christmas time, coming to find gifts as well as all things needed for a Nordic holiday. However, I favor summer at the Chalet. Our forest setting of Western Red Cedar is quite special and everywhere you look there are hydrangea and roses coloring the season. It is also a time when many choose to reserve the Tupa, our outdoor structure, for lunch with friends or an outing for a book club.
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Oleana celebrated 25 years of producing their awarding winning sweaters and knitwear in Bergen, Norway. I have been fortunate to work with Oleana for more then 20 of those years and I have the highest admiration for their quality and ethics.
The program was planned by Oleana founders, Kolbjorn Valestand and Signe Aarhus and was a reflection of their values and artistic interests. The show began with a J.S. Back Suite and dance. It was followed by a welcome from Kolbjorn. There were many highlights, but the comments I heard most were about the performance by Utla, a trio of percussion, Hardanger violin and an tenor sax.
The grand Finale was a performance by Fargespill, a group of 100 children from Bergen, wearing the folk costumes from the 35 countries they represent, including Norway. This truly brought the house down, with smiles and tears on everyone’s face. If you visit the Chalet, we will have the film of the event for you to watch.
We have had a lot of fun gathering all the pieces you will need to really “Hygge”. You will find cozy blankets, candles, Scandinavian cookbooks, chocolate and teas to make your home and life warm and inviting. Caring for the environment is important, so there are many natural products that function well and are earth friendly.
Oleana published their first book, Oleana – the Norwegian Story. It includes this account of Oleana’s visit to Chalet in the Woods in 2010.
We take off from the highway, someplace between Seattle and Tacoma, on the North West coast of the U.S. Laura and John have picked us up at the airport in an aging Volvo Station Wagon. We are driving through the forest and are again silently wondering how it is possible to run a shop in such an out-of-the way area.
Laura informs us about everything that will be taking place. She is our agent in the North West part of the U.S. and also runs “Chalet in the Woods”, a small shop selling mainly Scandinavian goods. When we finally arrive, we are met by two dogs and two cats. Ten sheep are on the sidelines wandering and a large and proud elderly male Llama pretends to rule over the sheep – and seems to have complete control.
Two of Laura’s grown children are also present. They, together with her childhood girlfriend, have all been summoned to assist with the fashion show tomorrow, as are we, although our role is of a somewhat more “guest star” nature. This is only one of our stops during our 12 day North American tour.
It will be a show in the woods, in the Cedar Tree Forest. Fantastic trees are stretching towards the sky. In the garden, in the midst of flowers, bushes, grapes and tomatoes, Hydrangea and roses, appears a large open tent-roof with a back wall. White chairs and small round tables with white, long table clothes are placed where the forest begins, and a real catwalk has been rigged under the tent roof. Sound and light crew are fast at work, wonderful food is brought in for everyone attending.
Many are finding their way out into this forest. Everyone has their own story – and nearly everyone with relation to Norway. For us in Oleana it will again be a thought provoking meeting with many hospitable Americans whose forefathers/mothers are still very present in their minds (an important part of their lives). We hear many touching stories, enough to fill more than one chapter of a book.
The visit to Chalet in the Woods is also an important reminder that there are many ways of doing things. The best is probably to do things differently than what is expected. It is often by doing our own thing, being different, that we stand out in a crowd.
For clients living in a large city such as Seattle, driving south for 1-1/2 hours to Laura in the Woods for shopping becomes a pleasant break. Here they receive foods for body and soul – coffee and cookies, peace and quiet to the chirping of birds. Here they can tell the stories of their ancestors; here people have the time to listen. Here they will find the goods not to be found in the big chain stores. They obviously enjoy themselves in this environment – and come back again and again. The rumors of the “Castle in the Woods” are spreading and everyone is warmly welcomed by Laura herself.
From the book Oleana – fra drøm til eventyrlig virkelighet by Kolbjorn Valestrand, Signe Aarhus, and Solveig Hisdal. Excerpt translated by Cecilie Klaumann.
