Independent and Persistent Nation Seeks Political Leaders
Recently I heard someone say that retired politicians were their own partys’ worst nightmares. In the case of Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson, this might be accurate. Hannibalsson has
Nýhil Poetry in the Grapevine:
Valur B. Antonsson (b. 1976) is a poet and a graduate student of philosophy. In 2005, he was awarded the prestigious “Jón úr Vör” poetry prize, and subsequently published hi
“Beware the Óvissuferð”
For the past few months I have been chronicling my immigration to Iceland, and the cluster-fuck that it has been, right here in the Grapevine. Lately, though, things have started [
The Grapevine Goes to the Movies
Getting Drunk On Movies It used to be the alcohol: gallons of it on weekends, yet whosoever drank a single beer on a Monday was labelled a drunk, but while […]
Look Out, Reykjavík!
If you read the last issue of the Grapevine, well, you’re probably not alone. Ever since I arrived in Iceland (admittedly, only just over a week ago) I have been […]
A Witness to the Execution
Television reporter and aviation-enthusiast, Ómar Ragnarsson recently published an open letter in Morgunblaðið where he invited local V.I.P.s on a guided tour of the area affect
A Building As Honoured As Its Inhabitants
The oldest secondary school in Iceland, Menntaskólinn in Reykjavík (MR), which is perched on the small hill by Lækjargata, won’t go unnoticed when you walk through the city ce
A Cult Called KR
“I try to attend all games, it doesn’t matter who they are playing. You see, this place is my second home and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in […]
Reality Check
I flew to America on a Tuesday, pretty much due to bad timing. Tuesday, in Iceland, is Rock Star: Supernova night, when we find out who’s likeliest to get voted […]
Halló Akureyri!
How To Make a Small Town Sweat Downtown Akureyri, just past midnight – I found the fast food stand Nætursalan already packed. In a single huddle, leaning against the glass [&hel
Nick Cave’s Love Affair with Iceland Continues
In October 1986, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds visited Iceland. The visit has long since entered the annals of Icelandic rock n’ roll history, not for the musical performance [&hel
Change In the House of Arts
Last September, Hafþór Yngvason was appointed the director of the Reykjavík Art Museum. This September however, he is truly taking the reigns. During his first year on the job,
Núðluhúsið
The first thing that one notices upon entering Núðluhúsið is a small handwritten sign proclaiming ‘Free coffee!’ hanging directly over a pot of said liquid. As we were abou
Galileo
Having previously enjoyed what I recall to be good pizza in a comfortable environment at the downtown Italian restaurant Galileo, I had certain expectations arriving there on a Fri
Indian Mango
The recently established Indian Mango, located on a Laugavegur side street, is probably the best addition to the Icelandic restaurant landscape in recent years. The owner, George H
Old Habits Die Hard
As Reykjavík’s oldest shopping street, Laugavegur, has evolved over the years; old shops have closed while new ones spring up constantly, but locals have always been able to cou
The Beatle Manifesto
Introduction in which the narrator reminds of his existence A spectre is haunting the streets of the world, the spectre of the Beatles. It’s as if the earth is preparing [&hellip
Good Intentions Fall Short
In the terminology of “the industry” (read: the entertainment industry), the phrase “to pull a spinal” is reserved for situations where, despite the producer’s best inten
The Lonesome Traveller: Kjölur
Kjölur – a strip of barren land stretching between the glaciers Langjökull and Hofsjökull, slicing the country north to south like a fence. This highland route, impassable in
A Punk Rock Way to Travel
For the average tourist not in possession of a car, native or otherwise, getting from place to place in Iceland can be a hassle. Choices are usually limited to some […]
A Viable Alternative to Pumping Gas
Highly advanced prosthetic limbs. Microwave ovens. Studies on the significance of Herbert Read’s use of adjectives in his later works. Without scholars, none of these things woul