Easel Like Sunday Morning
I missed the last bus home on a Saturday night and unconsciously decided to stay until closing time in a well-know bar in downtown Reykjavik. A few seconds before I […]
RECAP: The Tale of Dumbass-Hrói
Our summer Saga series has taken us to Norway and Sweden (and will again) but has largely skipped all things Danish. We wouldn’t want our former colonizers to feel left […
Starting Tonight: Ljósanótt
On August 31 the doors of Reykjanesbær burst open in a proud and colorful display of culture and tradition. Due to its proximity to the now closed US Naval Base, […]
Plain Vanilla Shutters Its Doors In Iceland, Fires All Its Staff
Plain Vanilla, the Icelandic start-up behind QuizUp, fired all 36 members of its staff this morning, and will close its doors in Iceland. Kjarninn reports that while the company wa
Happening This Weekend: Tattoo Expo
Yes, it hurts. Yes, it does last forever. No, it doesn’t “mean” anything. Yes, it will be there when I’m 70. Trust us, get a tattoo and you’ll be answering […]
Pirates Continue Tumble, Independence Party Squeaks Into First
A new poll from Market and Media Research shows the Pirate Party continuing its downward trend since last March, while the Independence Party has now managed to edge into first [&h
Björk Digital Exhibit Launched With Virtual Reality Press Conference
Björk today launched the ‘Bjork: Digital’ virtual exhibition in London with a virtual reality press conference. The singer, from Iceland’s School of Technology i
Health Ministry Workgroup: Limit Some Drug Crime Sentences To Fines
A workgroup assembled by the Ministry of Health has recommended that the punishment for the possession or use of illegal drugs be limited solely to fines. The prospect of jail [&he
Kaupthing Bankers Awarded Bonuses In Closed Meeting
In a closed door meeting held yesterday, the holding company of Kaupthing bank awarded bonuses to certain “key employees” totaling 1.5 billion ISK, with some receiving
Rúnar Helgi Vignisson: “The Mountains Wrote My Books”
In an interview with the Icelandic Literature Center, you suggest that the Icelandic population finds short fiction to be an inferior form. Do you feel that short fiction is becomi
Straumur: Drugs, Masculinity And Depression
Kef LAVÍK is the best-kept secret in the Icelandic music scene. They are two guys in their early twenties hailing from Höfn í Hornafirði, way jaded beyond their years, who [&he
Machine-Free Tattooing Under The Northern Lights
Boff Konkerz did his first tattoo on the most tattooed man in the world, Lucky Diamond Rich. “By a series of random events I ended up sharing a room with […]
A Tale Of Two Sweaters: The Wearable Art Of Ýr Jóhannsdóttir
In the Ekkisens basement gallery on Bergstaðastræti, Ýr Jóhannsdóttir sits organising a large pile of colourful sweaters that will form her solo exhibition, entitled ‘Sweate
Photo Gallery: Whale Watching In Reykjavík
A Whale Of A Tale “I just want to see one,” said the little boy while clutching his mother’s pant leg and walking along the plank onto the boat. From […]
Lunch Dish Of The Week: Ga-LAMB-orama At Apótek
In Iceland, “I’ll meet you tomorrow” means anything from five days to a month. It’s a confusing and hopeless act that leaves many people questioning if it’s really a stat
“We Just Want An Ordinary Life”
Torpikey Farrash and Maryam Raísi, a mother and daughter from Afghanistan, are hoping against the odds to fulfill one simple dream – to lead ordinary lives in Iceland –
Laugardalur Campsite To Be Open All Year Round
In response to increasing demand, the Laugardalur campsite in Reykjavík will now be open all year round, but the site is also being used by people who are between homes. […
Katla: “Overdue” For Eruption, But Not Showing Imminent Signs
Although the volcano Katla is considerably overdue for a major eruption, the current seismic activity around it does not yet indicate an eruption is imminent, a professor of geolog
Artist Talk: Björn Steinar Blumenstein, Product Designer
Since his graduation from the Iceland Academy of the Arts, where he studied product design, Björn Steinar Blumenstein has been working in Sjávarklasinn with a group of designers
The Saga Of Icelandic Cinema: ‘Country Wedding’
“It’s a film about two families that are forced to spend time together,” ‘Country Wedding’ director Valdís Óskarsdóttir explained to the Grapevine in 2008. “They can
DJ Of The Week: Áskell
Over the past ten years, Áskell Harðarson, aka Housekell, has made a name for himself as one of Reykjavík’s most prolific house DJs. He is currently working on releasing The [