Tamper-Free Iceland
The foil seal has been torn back about 60% of the way, but not removed. When I see this, my ears start to make that ‘WooooOOOOOOEEEE!!!!!’ noise that usually precedes [
The Working Man
Hannes Bjarnason was a consultant and project manager for a small company in Norway before very recently moving to Iceland and then deciding to run for president. For much of [&hel
The Activist
Andrea Ólafsdóttir was the last to announce her candidacy for president, on May 1, International Workers’ Day this year. Born in 1972 in Húsavík, Andrea chairs the Coalition
Seven Year Ink
In a country where an opportunity to show off skin at the local swimming pool is as commonplace as a trip to the mall, it’s not so surprising to find […]
The Mountaineer
Through his 63 years on Earth, Ari Trausti Guðmundsson has enjoyed a varied career that has entailed him earning a degree in earth sciences, writing award-winning books of fiction
The Television Personality
Þóra Arnórsdóttir is a 37-year-old mother, journalist, and presidential candidate. As a reporter and game show host for the state-owned broadcasting corporation, RÚV, Þóra h
How Can We Immigrants Choose Our Representatives?
The first Multicultural Assembly in Reykjavík in November 2010 saw the first elections for Reykjavík’s new Multicultural Council. This council, which consists of seven immigran
The Negotiator
A hulking home computer produced in 1982 sits on Stefán Haukur Jóhannesson’s desk at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in place of what is usually his sleek government-issued de
The Incumbent
Incumbent President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is Iceland’s fifth elected president. If re-elected on June 30, he will become the longest-sitting president in the history of the Re
Why So Many Covers, Reykjavík Grapevine?
For this very special presidential election issue, we decided to run six different covers featuring every candidate in the 2012 Icelandic presidential elections emulating incumbent
Sour Grapes And Stuff
Hi there. Thank you so much for your current issue, i got it yesterday and enjoyed reading it sitting in my little garden while drinking iced coffee and eating danish. […]
Aren’t There Six Presidential Candidates? Where is your Dr. Herdís Þorgeirsdóttir Cover? Do You Hate Her? Are You Biased? WTF!?!
It is very true that one of the six presidential candidates is mostly absent from The Reykjavík Grapevine this time around. It saddens us greatly that the venerable Dr. Herdís [&
News In Brief: Early June Edition
June began on an optimistic note as the Pig Farmers’ Society of Iceland announced that it was going to create two organic, free-range pig farms, a welcome change from an [&he
___________ For President?
Iceland’s presidential race has certainly been interesting to follow over the last five months. Only days after incumbent President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson delivered his New Yea
The Presidency At A Crossroads
Iceland is one of the few nations in Europe that holds general elections to choose a president who is basically a figurehead. Most presidents of this kind in Europe are […]
The Bars Of Weekends Past
Running a bar in Reykjavík has never been the most stable of businesses. Indeed, for the past twenty years, 101 Reykjavík has seen hundreds of bars open their doors briefly [&hel
Why Do Icelanders Drink Like College Freshmen?
Icelanders are not the kind of people who go to a pub to drink a beer or two over the course of an evening spent chatting with friends. Quite the […]
23 Awesome (Or Not So Awesome) Vanity Plates
Among his claims to fame, MP Árni Johnsen successfully lobbied for legalising vanity plates on vehicles in Iceland and became the first proud owner of one when he snagged “ÍSLA
QUIT BEING SUCH A FUCKING ASSHOLE ALREADY, YOU GODDAMN COCK!
Ah. It was a wonderful Menningarnótt. It could have been any night, but it was Menningarnótt. Fresh from seeing Ólafur Elíasson reveal his grand light-show façade thing down b
So What’s This New Constitution I Keep Hearing About?
After the 2008 financial crash there were loud calls for a new Republic of Iceland, where fat cats would have no more power than the public. The logical starting point […]
Little-Big Boat In A Bloody Ginormous Ocean
Last month The Wall Street Journal (WSJ)’s Charles Forelle praised Iceland’s unprecedented emergence from economic catastrophe. He was keen to note how Iceland has come out sme