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Where Was It Shot? Flags Of Our Fathers
Apparently, the next best setting for Joe Rosenthal’s famous Iwo Jima photograph was our own volcanic island—specifically, on the Reykjanes peninsula. Clint Eastwood is on top of his game in the film ‘Flags Of Our Fathers.’ He did a pretty excellent job…
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The Name Blame Game: The Icelandic Patronymic Tradition Could Disappear Within Decades
When a local mom was inspired to name her daughter Blær after a character from Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxness’ book, the ominous-sounding Personal Names Committee rebuffed her with a simple, “Nei.” The case dragged on for years, much to the confusion…
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The Costco Craze
The U.S. wholesale giant Costco opened in Iceland in May, taking advantage of the retail boom that has slowly grown up since the 2008 Icelandic financial crisis. As with most American visitors, Icelanders expected Costco’s presence to be cumbersome. But no American…
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Music News: Sama-sem, Hórmónar, Milkhouse
Milkhouse just released their first LP, ‘Painted Mirrors.’ The Indie dreampop band’s 12 new songs feature captivating lyrics in Icelandic and English, sung by 21-year-old Katrín Helga Ólafsdóttir, whose style is reminiscent of a young Björk. “The songs are about how we…
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Miss Iceland Competition Sparks Debate About Fatshaming And Feminism
The Miss Iceland Competition never fails to cause controversy in Iceland. Most recently, glamour model and IceQueen, Ásdís Rán, was harshly criticized for condemning the inclusion of an overweight candidate, Stefanía Tara Þrastardóttir, in the competition which took place last Saturday. “Has…
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Reykjavík’s Cocaine Underworld Reawakens
So far this year, customs agents at Keflavík International Airport have intercepted 20.7 kg of cocaine coming into Iceland, which is more cocaine than has been seized in the past four years total. The contraband is worth over half a billion ISK…
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Foreigners Keep Icelanders From Naming Their Horses Curse Words
Turns out those keeping Icelandic horses from living their best name-lives are foreign horse buyers. So says Jón Baldur Lorange, project manager at WordFengur, the Studbook of Origin for the Icelandic horse. You may have heard of the bizarre committee that prohibits…
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Faces Of Reykjavík: Tamara
Icelanders are sometimes said to be reserved. So we at Grapevine decided to do a few of our reserved countrymen a favour and ask Reykjavík’s faces some of the questions looming on everyone’s mind… Name: Tamara Age: 24, student in Bergen, Norway…
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The Magic Of The Night Shift: Anecdotes From A Sandholt Baker
As the town falls asleep, the streets fill up with the alluring smell of freshly baked pastries and bread. This is when Ruji Leal, who moved from southern Portugal to Iceland six months ago, starts work at the prestigious bakery Sandholt. He…
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Blast From The Past: Tommaborgari
In this issue’s Blast From The Past, we pay homage to Iceland’s first hamburger joint, Tommaborgari, founded by the forefather of Icelandic hamburger culture, Tómas Andrés Tómmasson, a.k.a Iceland’s O.G. burger man. Tommi was born and raised in the old Vesturbær neighborhood.…
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Faces Of Reykjavík: Húbert Óðinn Huntingdon Williams
You know what they say, there’s no better way to understand a city than by finding out what its locals would do with a time machine. Name: Húbert Óðinn Huntingdon Williams Age: 21 From: Reykjavík What would you do if you had…
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Record Breaking Show, How To Become Icelandic In 60 Minutes, Performed For 500th Time
The hit comedy show ‘How To Become Icelandic in 60 Minutes’ will be performed for the 500th time on the 23rd of August in Harpa, making it the longest standing show in Icelandic theatrical history. Never before has a show been performed…
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Thomas Møller Olsen Brought To Court
Thomas Frederik Møller Olsen is being prosecuted by the Reykjanes District Court today, in a case that shook Iceland to its core. Thomas is accused of the murder of Birna Brjánsdóttir, a 20 year old woman who went missing on the night…
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Viking Row From Svalbard To Siglufjörður
The Icelandic rower Fiann Paul, and another eight of the world’s fastest rowers, are currently rowing from Svalbard to Iceland on a 2000km record breaking voyage. The Polar Crew left Tromso, Norway, in early July and are to arrive in Siglufjörður in…
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The Champion
Ever wonder what a day in the life of a champion looks like? Ari Bragi Kárason set the Icelandic record for 100m sprint in July, coming in at 10.51s, thereby beating the previous record of 10,52s which he set in 2016. As…
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Hour Of The Wolf: A DJ Laying Asphalt
“Working in the night is not only working with a different routine—it’s like working a whole different economy altogether,” says DJ Danni Deluxe. Danni has been a big name in the Icelandic DJ scene for years, and is also well known for…
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Time For Pride
“I think I’ve cried every time,” says Eva María Þórarinsdóttir Lange, the six-time president of the Reykjavík Pride management team, about the final day of the festival. After a year of unpaid work and preparation, “Seeing a grandmother waving a rainbow flag…
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New In Town: Jamie’s Italian
Hotel Borg’s lavish art deco architecture, filled with Italian paintings and colorful couches, is the perfect place to unwind with one of UK pop-chef Jamie Oliver’s fine Italian wines or fiery cocktails. The restaurant’s mouth-watering menu is made from top seasonal Icelandic…
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40 New Acts Added To Iceland Airwaves Lineup
Today, 40 new artists were added to the lineup of the Iceland Airwaves music festival. Among the new acts are: GusGus, 200.000 Naglbítar, Pinegrove (US), IDER (UK), Aron Can, Fazerdaze (NZ), Maus, Lost Horizons (UK), and Joey Christ. Maus will celebrate the…
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Iceland To Import Minke Whale Meat As Not Enough Are Hunted
Only 17 minke whales have been caught in Iceland so far this year, which means that whale meat will have to be imported from Norway to meet demand, reports RÚV. Gunnar Bergmann Jónssonn, the CEO of IP Útgerð–the only company that hunts…
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Population of Iceland Increases to 344,000!
The number of people living in Iceland increased by 3,850 during the 2nd quarter of 2017, according to Statistics Iceland, making us a whopping 343,960! The number of males is 174,810 compared to 169,150 females, with a majority of 219,000 living in…
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Environment Minister Björt Ólafsdóttir Advertises Dress In Parliament
Björt Ólafsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources, caused controversy after modelling a dress for the fashion brand Galvan London in the Icelandic House of Parliament last Friday. After considerable criticism, the fashion brand removed the photograph from their Instagram. The…
