Author: Sam O'Donnell
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Hekla Magnúsdóttir Harnesses The Power Of A Unique Instrument
In a small garage on Öldugata, a humble studio houses the equipment that Hekla Magnúsdóttir uses to create the type…
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Food Of Iceland: Skonsur
The word “skonsa” (the singular form of skonsur) may remind you of the English word “scone”, but that’s where the…
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Abandoned Iceland #8: Golden Circle—Geysir
Sam travels back in time to April 2020 to explore how things were at Geysir Hot Springs area during COVID-19….
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Bifröst: The Bridge Between Humans And Gods
In Norse mythology, Bifröst is the burning rainbow bridge that extends between the realm of mortals and the realm of…
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Get Medieval With It: 1238 Museum Puts You In The Shoes Of A Viking
Far in the northern reaches of Iceland, nestled in between Mount Tindastóll and Laxárdalsfjöll Mountain, in a town called Sauðárkrókur,…
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Diary Of An Artist In Quarantine: Óttar M. Norðfjörð Journals A Creative Life In Lockdown
Let’s face it. These are strange times. We’re in the midst of a global pandemic. Most of us are just…
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Grapevine Playlist: Elín Ey, Hrim, Dirb & More
by Sam O'Donnell and Valur Grettisson
Here’s what the Grapevine team is listening to this week. Elín Ey – Waterloo This acoustic cover of an ABBA…
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Karítas Hrundar Pálsdóttir’s ‘Árstíðir’: Learning Icelandic Through Literature
For many languages, there are standards of literature that help ease the intrepid polyglot into the new dialect. When I…
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New In Town: Pünk Restaurant
Don’t be fooled. Nothing about the interior of this place is punk. The pink plush bar stools, the multicoloured lights…
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Grapevine Playlist: Goose Bumps And Some Solid Rock
by Inês Pereira, Valur Grettisson and Sam O'Donnell
Bistro Boy – evolve Bistro Boy is definitely our boy. He just released a new EP called ‘evolve,’ and boy,…
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Food of Iceland: Flatkaka (rye flatbread)
Flatkaka is an unleavened rye flatbread. It is made by mixing boiling water with flour and then cooking the dough….
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Grapevine Music Awards 2020: Album Of The Year – ‘Sermon’ By Une Misère
2019 was a banner year for metal quintet Une Misère. Record label Nuclear Blast signed them in January, the same…
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Spaceman On A Buggy
The frozen land of Iceland is a hot-spot for science fiction movies. From the cinematic Svínafellsjökull glacier featuring in ‘Interstellar’…
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New In Town: Zorbian
Do your friends worry about your obsession with shawarma? Have some of your friends stopped eating with you, because you…
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Well, You Asked: This One Is For My Haters
Stuck in a tricky situation? Don’t worry, Grapevine’s advice column is here to help you. How many Instagram followers do…
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Medieval Scholars and Hot Tub Enthusiasts
Summer is practically over. That means that the mild weather we’ve had will soon be replaced by cold winds, rain…
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From Hair To Eternity – The City’s Best Hair Salons
by Sam O'Donnell and Valur Grettisson
Unless you plan on looking like Tom Hanks in Castaway your whole life, at some point, you’ll need a haircut….
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Iceland Airwaves Reveals Their Full Line-Up
Listen up, fellow music nerds: Iceland Airwaves is right around the corner. From November 6 to November 9, you can…
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A Mythical, Haunted Walk Around Reykjavik
Your Friend In Reykjavik is a small, family-run tour company, organising walking tours, pub crawls, and food tours. The Grapevine…
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Five Years To The Day: Holuhraun
Five years have passed since the beginning of the eruption of Holuhraun. On August 28th, a series of earthquakes shook…
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Capelin Shortage Threatens Cod Population
It looks like a capelin shortage is on the horizon thanks to global warming. Bad news for the cod population….
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Artist Auður Gets An Earful From Chairman Bjarnheiður Hallsdóttir
The Chairman of the Icelandic Tourism Association, Bjarnheiður Hallsdóttir, has condemned the work of Auðunn Lúthersson, better known as Auður….
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Pigs Eat All The Chervil In Town; Townspeople Ecstatic
At the beginning of June, Chervil was growing out of control in Bolungarvík. The bayside town north of Ísafjörður called…
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What Are Icelanders Talking About: WAB is here. Pride is here. Jim Ratcliffe, too.
When it comes to land ownership, one would expect, at the very least, there would be some provision requiring the…
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A Whale Of A Conflict: Are Whale Watching Ships Responsible For Strandings?
A biologist at the Marine Research Institute (MRI) created a stir this week after declaring that whale watching boats could…