Seeking Foreigners
Once upon a time, the Reykjavík Grapevine was packed with Germans, Dutchmen, Finns, Canadians, and the occasional American crank, all joining together to voice our curiosities abo
So Sue Me
‘The Nanny State’ is a British turn of phrase, used to describe the general tendency of people in power to continue to legislate ad infinitum, or until every conceivable and [&
The Immigrant Vote
The Intercultural Centre, standing directly across from the National Theatre, plays a vital role in Reykjavík’s immigrant community. Their staff provide an array of services and
The Reykjavík Arts Festival
In Reykjavík, summer gets ushered in in the best way possible, with flocks of artists from around the world. Beginning May 12th, everything from Harold Pinter lectures to Bulgaria
The Melting Pot in a Cold, Cold Place
If you’ve ever wondered what the outer space colonies man will one day establish may look like, then Ísafjörður in winter might be for you. A rustic, spartan island of [&helli
Turning Tricks for Movie Tix
A few weeks ago, I read an article in the local tabloid newspaper DV about prostitution. Someone called Gunnar had phoned the paper to air his frustrations regarding the criminalit
Those People Aren’t That Simple
Morgunblaðið journalist Halla Gunnarsdóttir originally intended to be a primary school teacher, but went to Morgunblaðið in 2003 because she found that her extensive travels w
READ BETWEEN THE ‘( )’
On January 20, 2003, I received a call I’ll never forget. It was a call that split my life in two. It was a call from my squad leader in […]
Regarding All-Caps E-mail Correspondence
Sites and organisations like Gagnauga.is and Snarrót may not be large or thriving here in Iceland, and they certainly fight for a number of good causes, but they are two […
Minnesotans and Sex
In my home, we had two things that we didn’t bring up in mixed company: Minnesotans and sex. Actually, we had a few other topics that were off the menu […]
The Best Place to Buy a Xylophone
If you never leave Laugavegur to do your downtown shopping, you might miss it – Hljóðheimurinn Sangitamaya or, as it’s colloquially known, “that music store with the sitar
Stimulating Company
Whether you are male or female you can probably get rid of some of that tension from your relationship by picking up a few slippery, vibrating, laced, leathery, tight, ribbed [&hel
Kingdom of the Frown
Kenny “CK” Lee sits next to us, munching on a bratwurst. He is all of five feet, round, in his late fifties, with a few teeth missing, but impeccably groomed. […]
Only the Voice is Childlike
If you’ve heard her once, you know the voice. Fragile, playful, original and, okay, childlike, Joanna Newsom sings of sleeping all day, of sprouts and beans, and on first listen
The Quota on Bagpipe Salsa: Infinite
The first real day of summer in Reykjavík was about to end and I headed out to NASA to the Rite of Spring festival with almost no idea what to […]
Happy Trumps Cool And a peculiar sex analogy closer
The Wedding Present play catchy indie rock with lyrics that are really honest and are only about love or about not being in love (which kind of implies being in […]
The Homey Restaurant on the Pond
When you go out to experience fine dining at the steeper end of the price scale, you often find that while the atmosphere may be stylish and the food glorious […]
Hereford Steikhús
Is it the ribs or the place? For whatever reason, Hereford Steikhús, despite the décor and the most competent staff in Reykjavík, including the single best bartender in town, is
Kaffi Brennslan
Kaffi Brennslan has been around for a while, and despite changing owners it has maintained a healthy reputation for consistently good food. Apart from being a restaurant, it’s al
Indecent Clothes
If you want to be one of the hip folks this summer, you might want to sport one of Ósama’s (indecent’s) amusing bilingual puns on your chest. A shirt proclaiming […]
Sour Grapes
Hi Bart, Your website is really interesting and to be honest allowed my brain to survive up in the highlands for three long years. I’ve never understood why you don’t […