Author: Sam O'Donnell - The Reykjavik Grapevine

Hekla Magnúsdóttir Harnesses The Power Of A Unique Instrument

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In a small garage on Öldugata, a humble studio houses the equipment that Hekla Magnúsdóttir uses to create the type…

Food Of Iceland: Skonsur

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The word “skonsa” (the singular form of skonsur) may remind you of the English word “scone”, but that’s where the…

Abandoned Iceland #8: Golden Circle—Geysir

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Sam travels back in time to April 2020 to explore how things were at Geysir Hot Springs area during COVID-19….

Bifröst: The Bridge Between Humans And Gods

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In Norse mythology, Bifröst is the burning rainbow bridge that extends between the realm of mortals and the realm of…

Get Medieval With It: 1238 Museum Puts You In The Shoes Of A Viking

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Far in the northern reaches of Iceland, nestled in between Mount Tindastóll and Laxárdalsfjöll Mountain, in a town called Sauðárkrókur,…

Diary Of An Artist In Quarantine: Óttar M. Norðfjörð Journals A Creative Life In Lockdown

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Let’s face it. These are strange times. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic. Most of us are just…

Grapevine Playlist: Elín Ey, Hrim, Dirb & More

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Here’s what the Grapevine team is listening to this week. Elín Ey – Waterloo This acoustic cover of an ABBA…

Karítas Hrundar Pálsdóttir’s ‘Árstíðir’: Learning Icelandic Through Literature

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For many languages, there are standards of literature that help ease the intrepid polyglot into the new dialect. When I…

New In Town: Pünk Restaurant

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Don’t be fooled. Nothing about the interior of this place is punk. The pink plush bar stools, the multicoloured lights…

Grapevine Playlist: Goose Bumps And Some Solid Rock

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Bistro Boy – evolve Bistro Boy is definitely our boy. He just released a new EP called ‘evolve,’ and boy,…

Food of Iceland: Flatkaka (rye flatbread)

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Flatkaka is an unleavened rye flatbread. It is made by mixing boiling water with flour and then cooking the dough….

Grapevine Music Awards 2020: Album Of The Year – ‘Sermon’ By Une Misère

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2019 was a banner year for metal quintet Une Misère. Record label Nuclear Blast signed them in January, the same…

Spaceman On A Buggy

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The frozen land of Iceland is a hot-spot for science fiction movies. From the cinematic Svínafellsjökull glacier featuring in ‘Interstellar’…

New In Town: Zorbian

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Do your friends worry about your obsession with shawarma? Have some of your friends stopped eating with you, because you…

Well, You Asked: This One Is For My Haters

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Stuck in a tricky situation? Don’t worry, Grapevine’s advice column is here to help you. How many Instagram followers do…

Medieval Scholars and Hot Tub Enthusiasts

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Summer is practically over. That means that the mild weather we’ve had will soon be replaced by cold winds, rain…

From Hair To Eternity – The City’s Best Hair Salons

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Unless you plan on looking like Tom Hanks in Castaway your whole life, at some point, you’ll need a haircut….

Iceland Airwaves Reveals Their Full Line-Up

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Listen up, fellow music nerds: Iceland Airwaves is right around the corner. From November 6 to November 9, you can…

Five Years To The Day: Holuhraun

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Five years have passed since the beginning of the eruption of Holuhraun. On August 28th, a series of earthquakes shook…

Capelin Shortage Threatens Cod Population

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It looks like a capelin shortage is on the horizon thanks to global warming. Bad news for the cod population….

Artist Auður Gets An Earful From Chairman Bjarnheiður Hallsdóttir

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The Chairman of the Icelandic Tourism Association, Bjarnheiður Hallsdóttir, has condemned the work of Auðunn Lúthersson, better known as Auður….

Pigs Eat All The Chervil In Town; Townspeople Ecstatic

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At the beginning of June, Chervil was growing out of control in Bolungarvík. The bayside town north of Ísafjörður called…

What Are Icelanders Talking About: WAB is here. Pride is here. Jim Ratcliffe, too.

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When it comes to land ownership, one would expect, at the very least, there would be some provision requiring the…

A Whale Of A Conflict: Are Whale Watching Ships Responsible For Strandings?

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A biologist at the Marine Research Institute (MRI) created a stir this week after declaring that whale watching boats could…

Katla Could Erupt In The Next 1-50 Years

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There are signs that Katla could erupt. A geophysicist told Stöð 2 (Channel 2) that he is reluctant to say…