Coffee & Rave; Rinse & Repeat: Catherine Côté’s Perfect Day

Montrealer Catherine Côté is Reykjavík’s resident neon nail art queen. First, ooh and aah at her work on Instagram at @rainbownails_, then learn about her Perfect Day in the city here.

Morning

The Perfect Day begins with some perfectly-made coffee. Maybe it’s already brewing when I wake or maybe I have one of those alarm clocks that makes coffee, but on the Perfect Day, you wouldn’t wake up to an alarm, right? So I guess it’s just coffee-magic. Anyway, I sip and play League of Legends, except this time, I’m in the Challenger tier and am winning all the games. In reality, I’m actually on a losing streak, but I’d turn it around!

Lunch

It’s 25°C and sunny and I teleport some friends of mine over from Canada for the day. We head to Tjörnin to have a picnic by the water. I have this image in my head of us carrying a picnic basket with a baguette and wine in it, but does anyone actually have a picnic basket? I don’t know, but we also take a private chef who sets up next to our blanket. He’s like a personal buffet and can cook you whatever you want. I’d get some sort of Asian food or poutine, or maybe a poutine-Asian fusion. Along with the fancy food, he serves up all the things you like but just can’t be bothered doing—like cutting a pineapple.

Afternoon

It’s time for bowling at Keiluhöllin Egilshöll. Except, imagine you and all your friends have custom-made bowling outfits with UV fluorescent paint and yellow stripes and sequins. Of course, there are custom bowling shoes and a matching ball to go with it too. Why not?

Photo by Art Bicnick

Dinner

For dinner, we throw a giant bonfire and barbecue next to Jökulsárlón. Don’t forget—it’s still 25°C but the icebergs aren’t melting, the planet is OK, and corona is over. Everyone who is there has gone all out with their makeup and party outfits and it’s beautiful because no one is ashamed to be looking like a fool! Maybe some bands play, I don’t know, I guess we could just teleport them over?

In the heat of the night

I’d say we would have the full rave on some beach but then I’d just be concerned for people’s safety, so let’s hold it at Harpa. Outside, there’s rides and roller coasters surrounding the building, while inside, every room has a special theme. Fire-eaters and hula-hoopers walk the halls and the whole of Harpa is just a neon circus. When it gets really late, we take a ferry to Viðey island to continue the rave and watch the Peace Light light up—except this time, it’s with neon lasers.

Check out Catherine Côté on Instagram and check out more Perfect Day articles here. You can also read a previous Grapevine article on Catherine Côté here.

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