Happily Ever After
On July 2, 2008, Katrín Þóra Víðisdóttir and Erla Björk Pálmadóttir became the first same-sex couple to be officially blessed by an Icelandic church, at Melstaðarkirkja i
Contributing to International Welfare
A few years ago, the Icelandic government decided to contribute to international peacemaking and established an organisation known as The Iceland Crisis Response Unit, ICRU . Its a
To Warn or Not to Warn, That is the Question
I hail from a surfers’ paradise in the Caribbean, where the ocean gets rowdy and unpredictable with undertows and strong currents. The most dangerous beaches all have warning sig
A Necessary Evil
To a foreigner, the concept of a ‘Sveitaball’ can be confusing. The word “sveit” can be defined as “country” or “countryside”, and the word can literally be transla
Investigating The Icelander
Dublin-based artist Fergal McCarthy is currently staying in Reykjavík for a one-month artist residency. Grapevine met him at his studio, drank coffee and learnt about his two proj
How to Survive a Recession
As seemingly amusing as it may be that people would need rescuing from a catastrophe taking place only in their minds, that is sometimes the case. When you think about […]
The Image of Iceland
Luckily most nations were named before the existence of nation-branding. If people would have been as business-minded in medieval times as now we would never have heard of Iceland.
Mundi
Mundi Vondi, fashion designer, visual artist and fairly nice guy, is most widely known for his role in the controversial artistic group MoMS (who have used their own urine as [&hel
A Real Horrorshow
Or How I stopped Worrying and Started to Love MetalWell, where to begin? While I’m sitting here in my bed at 4AM on a Sunday night, still smelling of beer and […]
Three Years of Fashion
Last weekend, designer shop The Naked Ape celebrated its three-year anniversary. Owned by designer Sara María Eyþórsdóttir, the shop has made its mark in the fashion industry f
We Got It for Cheap
Hey. Welcome to another instalment of Cheap Reykjavík, where the Grapevine’s resident misers share some of their patented money saving tricks and tips. If you’ve got some mise
Introducing: Hugleikur and the Monsters
Vol. 1: 'The Deacon of Dark River'We spoke about the need to enlighten our English-speaking friends on the joys of Iceland’s sinister creatures, and how they could be put to [&he
Great Moments in Icelandic History
Bill Clinton eats a hot dog at Bæjarins BestuIt was a bright and sunny day, on August 31, 2004. People smiled to each other, strolling easily down the streets of […]
Fear and Loathing in Reykjavík
The low-down on pubbing in the cove of smokeIn our constant quest to help you, the average consumer, we sometimes have to dive deep into the denizens’ of Reykjavík’s underbell
Public Restrooms: A Beginner’s Guide
I have recently spent some time travelling. The nature of travel is that it takes you out of your comfort zone – your everyday routine where you know how and [&hellip
The 2 Birds Have Flown
When I tried to catch up with him I realised he was stationed in Denmark so a phone call would have to do. When a female-ish voice answered me, my […]
Re-establishing 101 Reykjavík
It hardly went unnoticed this spring when Reykjavík’s controversial mayor, Ólafur F. Magnússon, appointed musician-slash-jack of all trades Jakob Frímann Magnússon (no relat
When in Iceland Do as the Icelanders
When one encounters a new culture, the best way to immerse yourself is with your palate. Sniff and taste your way around until your guts feel Icelandic. Don’t scoff at […]
A Cosy Colonial Store
Cosy is a word that gets thrown around a lot. A lot more than it should actually. But sometimes, it is just the right word to describe a place that […]
This Festival Is Really Called ‘Flight of the Testes”
Eistnaflug chief Stebbi Magg is desperately clinging to the notion that the festival he spearheads isn’t exclusively a metal festival. That the roster includes rocks indie- and p
Kimi Records’ Summerjoy
Since the Akureyri based publishing company Kimi Records entered the fray of Icelandic publishers, the industry’s activity seems to have increased a great deal. I haven’t gone