Privatised and Downsized Cod
Icelanders’ allotted cod quota was recently cut by a third, which is more than ever before since Iceland won the cod wars with Great Britain in the 1970s and expanded […]
Hopeless Romantics
“This song is about my mother,” began Þórir with his eyes on the floor, “Who unfortunately has never sat in Parliament.” The audience’s eyes, consequently, were all on
The Maritime Museum
Located only metres from the old harbour, the Reykjavík Maritime Museum might seem uninteresting on the outside. On the inside, however, an impressive collection of unique fishery
Great Wall
We here at the Grapevine have been watching the construction of the Great Wall restaurant through our office windows the last few months, so it was with curiosity that we […
Gallery Crush
At various Icelandic art schools, designer/fashionista Óli has a reputation. Having focused his art in the direction of the greater community, he has worked in various underground
Seabear: A Fully-fledged Team
The lo-fi country pop group Seabear will be among the many acts performing at the annual Innipúkinn music festival, taking place in Reykjavík on August 4 and 5. The band [&hellip
Laws on Stripping Laid Bare
In March, Parliament accepted new licensing laws making strip shows illegal in Iceland. According to the new laws which took effect on July 1, the promotion of nudity to attract [&
Surtsey Exhibition
A continuous (and unsettling) loud rumbling sound and flickering yellow-orange light greet you as you approach the entrance to the Surtsey exhibition on the fourth floor of the Cul
A Story of Asylum
According to Red Cross Project Manager for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, Atli Thorstensen, there are currently 20 to 25 asylum seekers in Iceland, some of whom have been waiting for
Icelandic Folk Legends
If the recent reprinting of Alda Sigmunsdóttir’s Icelandic Folk Legends is anything to go by, Jarvis Cocker has started something. Much like the Pulp frontman’s recordings of
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
What were your intentions when you were starting out? Unnsteinn: First it was to win the Samfés (the national youth club organisation of Iceland) singing competition. Þórður: Y
LungA Young Artists’ Festival
682 kilometres from the capital city in the eastern fjords, the quaint town of Seyðisfjörður plays host to a high dose of art and culture during its 8th annual LungA, […]
Angelo
Located on downtown Reykjavík’s main street, Laugavegur, Angelo is a bistro and bar with a relaxed and intimate feel. The fusion style restaurant offers bar and dining areas as
Fljótt og Gott
The journey down to the BSÍ bus terminal for my first bite of boiled Icelandic sheep’s head was not a cakewalk. I wanted to be a man, but I wasn’t […]
Ipswich vs. Gavin Portland
In one corner we have the residents of Ipswich – one of Britain’s oldest and most historic towns – who number about 117,986. Their town is built beside an estuary […]
Saving Iceland Mega Concert
A barefoot girl with long blonde hair reaching down to her lower back was dancing enthusiastically to the deserving catchy beats of Retro Stefson when I entered NASA on a […
Thrash Revival
There’s still hope my friend,” bellowed I Adapt’s singer Birkir. The second band on stage, these hardcore mainstays pounded through Future in You, from their recent 7” rele
The Einar Jónsson Museum
The first art museum in Reykjavík, the Einar Jónsson museum, opened in 1923. The history of this beautiful building goes back to 1909 when the beloved artist offered to give [&he
Arnarstapi
One of the benefits of living in the greater- Reykjavík area is a convenient closeness to nature. It essentially means that no matter how involved in business, barhopping or Nu- [
Round and Round Around Route 1
The last time I came to Iceland, in 2006, I drove the 1,339 km Ring Road in 27 hours. My best friend and I came flying out of Reykjavík in […]
The Lonesome Traveller – Lónsöræfi
On the second morning of my early-season trek from Stafafell to Snæfell, voices woke me up from sleep. I looked around the room, confused. The voices were growing clearer and [&he