Author: Andie Sophia Fontaine
Missing in Iceland: Popeye’s
Once upon a time, you actually had a plethora of choices when it came to fried chicken in Iceland. There…
Word of the Issue: Glatað
The word of the issue this issue is glatað. This is a word you will hear quite often in the…
Time Capsule: Vísir
This space is normally reserved for those corners of Reykjavík that have held up against the tides of time, anachronistic…
Russian Navy Conducting “Exercises” Near Snæfellsnes
Grapevine has confirmed reader tips that the Russian Navy appears to be conducting exercises just north of Grundarfjörður, in Snæfellsnes….
“Major Deception” Occurred With Bank Sale, Investigation Finds
The Parliamentary Investigation Commission (RNA) has concluded that the German bank Hauck & Aufhäuser was never an investor in The…
Iceland To Abandon Currency Altogether
Sources close to Grapevine within the Central Bank have confirmed that Iceland is going to abandon its age-old love-hate relationship…
Missing In Iceland: Handguns
I’m from Baltimore, a city known to the rest of the world thanks to two TV shows: ‘Homicide: Life on…
News In Brief: Eurovision, Capital Controls and the Sigmundur Davíð-Donald Collusion
The top story of the past two weeks is without a doubt the lifting of the last of the capital…
Four Ways That The Tourism Industry Is Eating Itself
And four ways we can make it sustainable. Dr. Ben Henning is not a tourism expert. Rather, he works in…
Iceland’s New Gold Rush
An Icelandic company, with financing from a Canadian company, hopes to mine for gold all over Iceland. One elected official…
Island Life: Weird & Wonderful News From Around Iceland
1. A man in Reyðarfjörður was cleaning his house, originally built in 1925 (although he himself moved in in 2010),…
Time Capsule: Mokka Kaffi
Visiting the Art Deco-infused Mokka Kaffi is like stepping back into the 1950s. In fact, this cozy little place was…
Ask A Scientist: How Come Icelanders Are Lactase Persistent?
Are you lactose intolerant? You may take solace in knowing that you share your condition with most of the world’s…
Word Of The Issue: Legkaka
The word of the issue this issue is legkaka. Normally, this space is reserved for Icelandic words that have no…
“Papers, Please” Isn’t The Answer
by Samuel L. Levesque and Andie Sophia Fontaine
Four reasons to repeal Article 14 of the new law on foreigners: Recently the Icelandic Parliament passed a package of…
Hunger-Striking Afghan Arrested, Will Be Deported Tomorrow
Abdolhamid Rahmani, an Afghan asylum seeker who went on hunger strike nearly three weeks ago, has been arrested. He is…
Missing In Iceland: Trains
A couple times a year, we see news stories about a possible train connecting Keflavík airport and Reykjavík. Sometimes this…
Reykjavík Time Capsule: Pétursbúð
In the US, there’s a thing called a “bodega”. This refers to a kind of convenient store, usually of the…
End Of Capital Controls: Changes Little For People, Changes Much For Business
Headlines made around the world that Iceland has lifted the last of its capital controls does not actually change very…
Man Disappears, Family Asking For Help
Artur Jarmoszko, who has not been heard from since March 1, is being sought by his family, who contacted capital…
The Woodsman: The Modest, Surprising Beauty Of Gluggagallerý
In a quiet residential neighbourhood of east Reykjavík, retired fisherman Sigurður Petersen can be found most afternoons sitting in his…
It’s Electric Car Time
by Mary Frances Davidson and Andie Sophia Fontaine
Ah, the poor electric car. It has been a long road for you, hasn’t it? Clunky batteries that take a…
The Battle Over Beer
by Valur Gunnarsson and Andie Sophia Fontaine
Iceland’s Parliament is currently debating whether to allow alcohol to be sold in supermarkets, and everyone has a strong opinion…
The Freedom To Call Someone A Poop
A subject of heated discussion in Icelandic news lately has been freedom of expression. Here in Iceland, as in other…
The Search for Fireflies is Over
by Halldór Armand and Andie Sophia Fontaine
Everything is faster than it used to be, more efficient, more convenient, digitized. This is obvious. The pizza, the love,…