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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 of music that gets under your skin, crawls around, lays eggs and then hatches into spiders that bite you until you listen…
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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 similarities end. They’re more like American pancakes. In fact, a side by side comparison of skonsa and pancake recipes indicates that there…
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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. Sound off in the comments below and tell us where you want us to go next! Thanks to GoCar Rental for providing…
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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 the gods. In reality, Bifröst is a quiet town, with not much going on around it. I am told it is a…
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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, lies the 1238 Museum. Since opening last year, the 1238 Museum seeks to immerse visitors in the experience of the Icelandic Civil…
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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 trying to get by. Amid all of this confusion, Óttar M. Norðfjörð, novelist and head writer for ‘The Valhalla Murders’ (‘Brot’ in…
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Grapevine Playlist: Elín Ey, Hrim, Dirb & More
Here’s what the Grapevine team is listening to this week. Elín Ey – Waterloo This acoustic cover of an ABBA classic lends the tune a whole new tone. While the original is fast and upbeat, this version is slow and melancholy. I…
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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 studied French in college, the standard was ‘Les Jeux Sont Faits,’ Sartre’s staple of existentialist French Literature. It accomplished the task of…
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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 in the hanging foliage, the menus of artisan tacos and fruity drinks, the playlist with house pop remixes, all give more of…
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Grapevine Playlist: Goose Bumps And Some Solid Rock
Bistro Boy – evolve Bistro Boy is definitely our boy. He just released a new EP called ‘evolve,’ and boy, has Bistro Boy done just what the title says. The album is a beautiful ambient-fused electro with a lot of soul. He…
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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. Back when Iceland was settled, ingredients such as grain were scarce, so moss was often used to supplement the flour. As time…
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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 month they released their first single ‘Damages.’ In November, they dropped their debut album ‘Sermon,’ which found its way onto essentially every…
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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’ to the eerie Dettifoss dominating the opening of ‘Prometheus,’ the country is chock full of peculiarities that don’t resemble anything Earthly. Especially…
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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 always suggest eating at Mandi? If you answered ‘yes’ to either of these questions, don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal for people living…
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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 you need to be considered an influencer? Why? Do you want to be some kind of semi-famous shill for capitalist giants who…
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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 and, eventually, snow. For residents of Iceland, the long winter is traditionally a harbinger of extended stays indoors with books—stories to keep…
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From Hair To Eternity – The City’s Best Hair Salons
Unless you plan on looking like Tom Hanks in Castaway your whole life, at some point, you’ll need a haircut. In Reykjavík, there are so many places to choose from, it can feel like a paradox of choice. Luckily, the folks here…
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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 see sets by the best and brightest artists the world has to offer, all in the comfort of our cosy little island.…
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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 the region of Bárðarbunga, culminating in an eruption on August 29th, which only lasted four hours. Then, on August 31st, a much…
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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. Björn Birgin, professor of mathematics at the University of California, Santa Barbara spoke on the radio this morning. “It’s a worrying trend,”…
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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. She worried his music could have a negative influence on young people, and posted her opinion about him on her Facebook page,…
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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 on the piglets Glóð and Gná as specialists. They had the distinguished duty of eating the chervil. The two specialists took to…
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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 purchaser to reside in the country in which the land is purchased. This has proven not to be the case in Iceland,…
