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Food Of Iceland: Hamburgers
Although Icelanders consider shark meat their country’s traditional cuisine, in reality, the truly traditional Icelandic food is the old-fashioned, fat and greasy hamburger. For decades, you could not travel around the country and buy anything else than a sloppy, slightly overcooked burger.…
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How Does One Become Lord Pusswhip?
Þórður Ingi Jónsson, or Lord Pusswhip, is definitely an oddball when it comes to music. He is one of the rising stars in the electronic music world. He also once interned at the Grapevine. Here, Lord Pusswhip told us what made him…
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Grapevine Playlist: ZÖE, Stefán Elí, PORT & More!
ZÖE – Summer Funeral Zöe will be the perfect medicine for those who once loved Evanescence but maybe won’t admit it. “Summer Funeral,” her debut track, is a soaring, melodic and perhaps accidentally gothic af track that wouldn’t feel out of place…
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Editorial: We Want Human Rights For Your Military Games
US Vice President Mike Pence is coming to Iceland in early September. It’s fair to say that Pence’s personal values about human rights are completely contrary to Icelandic values, especially when it comes to LBGTQ+ rights. There has been huge progress in…
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Just Sayings: “Flýtur meðan ekki sekkur”
This saying is basically another version of “þetta reddast,” which is basically the motto of the Icelandic nation, translating to “everything is going to work out.” But there is a slight difference. Literally, “flýtur meðan ekki sekkur” translates to, “it floats as…
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Icelandic Superstitions: A Dangerous Cup Of Coffee
Are you reading this over an innocent cup of coffee? Well watch yourself—there is nothing innocent about it. Your very future is at stake. According to Icelandic superstition, you need to drink your coffee in a meticulous manner lest you screw up…
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Greenland Considering Buying US Back
The prime minister of Greenland, Kim Kielsen, said in an interview with the danish newspaper Politiken, that the Greenlandic government was thinking about buying America back from the US government. The statement comes just days after Donald Trump, president of the USA,…
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PHOTOS: Reykjavík Pride Parade 2019
The annual Reykjavík Pride Parade was held last Saturday and there, up to 100,000 guests celebrated the rights of all LBGTQ+ individuals. This was the 20th time that the Pride walk was held in Reykjavík, but it’s been a smash hit from…
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Well, You Asked: American Incest (and British)
How do you get rid of bad luck from moving a rock on the black beaches? Asking for a friend ;) Well, first of all, was it an elfstone? If so, buddy, you are fucked. We can’t really do anything for your…
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That Time 15% Of Iceland Went To See Ed Sheeran
When the news broke that Ed Sheeran was going to play at Laugardalsvöllur in August, Icelanders broke a national record, buying over 30,000 tickets within minutes. Keep in mind that 30,000 is 10% of the nation. Sena Live, the organisers, promptly added…
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Icelandic Superstitions: Be Cool, Or The Summer Will Suck
One of the oddest traditions that Icelanders have is to look at the weather the night before the 24th of April—the first day of summer—to forecast the months ahead. It’s vital that summer’s eve is really cold and the ground freezes. If…
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Grapevine’s Editorial: The County/The Country
‘The County,’ the latest film directed by our cover star Grímur Hákonarson, raises hard questions, not only about Iceland’s business mentality, but also about the status of things when it comes to farmers in Iceland. The film attacks a rotten culture that…
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Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood: An Odd Hate Letter To Hippies
Note: This article contains spoilers about Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood.’ You’ve been warned. Let’s start with the positives: ‘Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood’ by Quentin Tarantino has glorious moments that are well worth seeing in cinema. His films are…
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WOW Air Is Dead; Long Live The WAB!
A new low-budget airline has officially emerged from the depths of the brutal bankruptcy of WOW Air. The new airline, WAB, which we reported on last month, is officially in the financial stages, Fréttablaðið reports. Among the crew behind the new airline…
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City Councillor Vigdís Hauksdóttir Accused Of Bullying: “This Is War”
Reykjavík city councilperson and municipal chair of the Centre Party Vigdís Hauksdóttir has been accused of bullying her Chief of Staff, Helga Björg Ragnarsdóttir, after the latter was herself accused of bullying a staff member, who subsequently sued the city last year.…
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Fishing At Elliðavatn: Tight Lines, Tangled Lines
I was baffled when my son came to me one day and told me that he wanted to go out fishing. Until then, Ólafur Grettir, aged 11 and much like his father, had no interest in sports; like most preteens in the…
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War Of The Nerds: Iceland Has Belugas In The House!
So, Iceland has belugas now. We endeavoured to fly them over from China in the middle of June and they are finally here. They were performers in some god awful sea world, but the animals’ new home is in the Westman Islands…
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War Of The Nerds: The Odd Battle Of The Roundabouts
Let’s just be honest about it: roundabouts are nightmarish and confusing structures. It’s like a saddening metaphor for the pointless circulation of life—if you lose focus, some idiot will ram into your side and possibly kill you. The Icelandic way But in…
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Making Of An Artist: Árni Már Erlingsson Is A Bit Careless And Not Too Sensible
Árni Már Erlingsson is an Icelandic visual artist who runs the fantastic Gallery Port on Laugavegur. Here is what made him the artist he is today. Graffiti It’s nice to look back and see where it all got started. When I was…
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Food of Iceland: Harðfiskur
Finally! Food that is not only for the brave or foolish. ‘Harðfiskur’, or dried fish, is basically superfood. Research conducted a few years ago by Matís (Iceland’s food Research, Innovation and Safety authority) found that dried fish is a very rich source…
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Good Weather, Seagulls And Stray Dogs
So, something strange is happening in Reykjavík. There has been reporting of this strange yellow phenomenon in the sky, and our best reporters state that this is something called “the sun.” This has been having surprisingly complicated effects on the people of…
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Just Sayings: “Fram Í Rauðan Dauðann”
The 17th century idiom “Fram í rauðan dauðann” literally means “onward to the red dead.” But what, exactly, is this red dead? Well, there are two theories about that. One is that “the red” just refers to a bloody fight. And the…
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Brynhildur Karlsdóttir: The Layers Of Love On A Performance Art Drive
Brynhildur Karlsdóttir called me on a Monday evening and told me that she was picking me up. She had invited me to her graduation piece from the Performing Arts programme at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, called it ‘Komdu á Rúntinn,’…
