Guide to Travel Food
Harðfiskur: Lightweight, won’t go bad, chock full of protein. On the downside, your clothes could end up smelling like fish if you don’t double-bag it. Bread: Whole grain brea
CRASH
The whites hate the blacks. The blacks hate the Hispanics. The Hispanics hate the Asians. And everyone seems to hate the Arabs, who are really Persian. Welcome to LA, or, […
We’re Not Upset About: Mr. and Mrs. Smith
One would assume that a feature-length film about the joys of domestic violence would draw our ire. Just as one would assume that a movie with a $100 million budget […]
So Who Owns SHELL?
Within the course of our research into the oil scandal, we came across this press release on Shell’s website (www.skeljungur.is), dated October 25, 2004: “Hagar hf. has bought
ManhattanSelf-titled
Deep into the year 2005, we were surprised that we were asked to review this 2003 demo. What is more, we were surprised to hear the sounds of 1993 Alice […]
THE FLEECING OF A NATION
In an even bolder move, in 1996, representatives from the three oil companies wrote up an agreement among them detailing how they would divide the gas market among themselves at [&
Here Comes the Flood
Protests against the project so far have mostly been a few peaceful, largely ignored, demonstrations. One group, SavingIceland.org, is appealing to protestors both in Iceland and a
Come for the Whales; Stay… As Long As You Can
Whenever you talk whale watching in Iceland, you hear the stories about Húsavík. It is not atypical to come across the blue whale on the tours there, and their hit […]
Healing the Wounds of Violence
Why did you go into this line of work, assisting battered women? It all started three years ago. I am a rape survivor, but I hadn’t dealt with my experience […]
Look at Me, I’m Rugged
The Grapevine filled a van with people who hadn’t left the city all year, and headed out for a day of rafting and barbequing at the Arctic Rafting headquarters near […]
Sick Bags to Icelandic Scrabble,
Would you believe me if I told you that there is a man out there who collects air sickness bags? That he has over 1700 different ones? Yes, it appears […]
RAUÐARÁ STEAKHOUSE
Heavily romantic. Huge candlesticks. Accompanied by my sister, we were quite pleased, after a drink in the upstairs parlour, to be relocated by the waitress to a table more suitabl
The White StripesGet Behind Me Satan
When White Blood Cells came out, everyone was wondering where Jack White got such a rootsy, genuine sound. With Get Behind Me Satan, Jack finally shows his hand. It turns […
Hudson WayneThe Battle of the Bandidos
This band has been mislabelled the local alt country band; their roots, especially as demonstrated here, are more 80s English and Australian pop slowed down. Most of the nine track
Helgi ValurDemise of Faith
I’m looking at the album photos and listening to the CD, I can’t understand how Joe Cocker crawled into the body of what looks like an 18-year-old Icelandic boy. It’s [&helli
Touch Sveitaball, May 28, Þinghús Bar and Grill, Hvammstangi
If you think Icelandic nightlife begins and ends in 101 Reykjavík, you’re missing a celebrated and notorious section of the local culture. As one local told us, “Sveitaball”
PanVirgins
These five kids from Hafnarfjörður, who produced this album themselves, present tight hard rock worth respect. While the guitars, often mixing palm muting with harmonics, don’t
Huun-Huur-Tu and Nina NastasiaMay 28, Smekkleysa
It’s not too common to attend a concert which has true crossover potential when it comes to age and social groups. Still, a recent sunny Saturday afternoon youngsters and hipster
ÍSBÚÐ VESTURBÆJAR
The old joke about selling ice to the Eskimos gets a dose of reality in Iceland: Icelanders love ís, or ice cream. The sheer quantity of ice cream consumed on […]
el racó
El Racó is a new Mexican place by Tryggvagata, where there used to be a … Mexican place. Unfortunately my knowledge of Mexican food is quite limited, and so when […]
the bagel house
The Bagel House only arrived on Laugavegur two or three weeks ago. They serve bagels. The bagels are good, the raw material fresh, the guy who was working there when […]