Author: Sam O'Donnell
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…
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…
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….
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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….
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…
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’…
New In Town: Zorbian
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
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
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
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….
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…
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…
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…
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….
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….
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…
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…
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…