Be my Valentine “Lost”
One of the worst things you can go through is an anti-climax, because it is important enough to make you cringe at the onslaught of tumultuous emotions that occur afterwards. [&hel
A Letter From the Moon
What you are currently reading is an opinion column in a magazine called The Reykjavík Grapevine. Said magazine is mostly aimed at English-speaking tourists who happened to think
The Immigrant Representative
Maybe you could start by telling our readers how you came to enter Icelandic politics. The municipal elections in 2006 pretty much convinced me to get involved. I was not […
Share Your Ancestors
Iceland’s genealogy is nearly done. “Finishing” a whole nation’s genealogy would be unthinkable in North America or Western Europe, where one looks back at previous centuri
A Loss for Democracy
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or so it would seem, judging from the recent Parliamentary elections in Iceland, Saturday, May 12. Before the elections, the [&
C’est la vie for Pockemon
The French art festival Pourquoi Pas? has brought some fantastic music, dance and art to Iceland’s shores in the last couple of months. Pitched as one of the highlights of [&hell
From the Editor
Finally, the elections are behind us and we can all exhale and relax a little bit. At least until the presidential election next year. When is it time to start […]
Hljóðheimurinn Sangitamiya
If you never leave Laugavegur to do your downtown shopping, you might easily miss it – Hljóðheimurinn Sangitamiya or, as it’s colloquially known, “that music store with the
Sour Grapes
Dear writers, reading your comments on the Jyllandspostencartoons we are sure you in Iceland never had to deal with neofascism called islam. Hereby I would advise you to read the [
So, How Do I Like Iceland?
It’s a popular custom as well as a national joke to ask someone, “How do they like Iceland?” within the first five minutes of their arrival in the country. Upon […]
The Virtues of a Hot Bath
Now, I am not a proponent of many things, except maybe some obscure bands that I assume people will think I’m cool for liking. Don’t get me wrong, I like […]
Why Should I Vote For Your Party?
Guðmundur Steingrímsson The Social Democratic Alliance The Social Democratic Alliance is the only political party in Iceland with a policy that is on the one hand aimed at freedo
Reykjavík Burns
It was just before two p.m. on the last day of winter, Wednesday, April 18. Hressó – a popular bar & bistro located on Austurstræti 20, in an old wooden […]
From the Editor’s Chair
As I watched an historic part of Reykjavík burn down, about two weeks ago at the time of writing, I felt a little sad, both for the people who lost […]
Kisan
Concept shop Kisan on Laugavegur is a true paradise for shoppers in desperate need of a last minute birthday gift or in search of some fashionable or nifty new items […]
Sour Grapes
Dearest Ed & Grapevine, Allow me to apologize for my previous letter to Grapevine and its suggestion to alter your national treasure of undead 13th century grammatics. If was a
Of Elections and Identity-crises
Icelanders are soon to be offered an opportunity to express themselves actively on political questions and exert influence on the political system under which they live. On he 12th
The Fisherman’s Burden – too many fish in the sea?
After reading a recent Liberal Party advertisement in the papers, shockingly not a joke despite being printed on the first of April, I wasagog with a mix of utter shock […]
Crying Out Loud
In 1997 Annette Sorensen, a Danish actress, was visiting her Brooklynbased husband in New York City along with their 14-month-old daughter. One sunny afternoon they decided to freq
Will Your Party Support the Continued Build-up of Heavy-Industry in Iceland?
Ármann Kr. Ólafsson The Independence Party For a long time, the simplicity of the Icelandic economic system was cause for concern. It was based on few foundations where the fishi
Iceland™: Now 10% off!
Simon Anholt is the founder of the Anholt Nation Brands Index – a survey that ranks countries according to global perception, that is, the strength of the nation’s brand. Condu