BEZT Í HEIMI: Thorvaldsens Bazar
Located inside a dignified wooden building on the corner of Austurstræti and Veltusund, Thorvaldsen’s Bazar is among the oldest shops in Reykjavík. Opening its doors in 1901, t
Immigrants – Pandora’s Box in Iceland
I am really tired of a whole range of arguments that surround the debate on immigrants these days. Everybody knows the story of Pandora ’s Box in Greek mythology. Zeus […]
Simply Speaking
Silence is golden; however, living in a world with nothing but that can be the antithesis of anything bright and shiny. Inhabiting a nation where the native language is miles [&hel
SOUR GRAPES
Dear Grapevine Readers, The past weeks media reports have been overwhelmed by the immigration issue in Iceland. So far the only beneficiary of this talk is the “Liberal Party”
“Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely”
Jóhann Hauksson and Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson’s recent article in the premier issue of the magazine Ísafold sheds new light on the media law controversy two years ago. The art
The Real Face of Icelandic Music
How would you go about explaining Bubbi Morthens to an outsider? Lets start with a few facts. He is the biggest selling recording artist in Iceland, bar none. His career, […
No Compromise, No Rules
Infamous horror director Eli Roth, a trailblazer in his own right, already has a highly publicised (at least around these parts) relationship with Iceland – he says the idea for
War is a Priority Consideration – Peace a Secondary
Professor Kit Christensen of Bemidji State University in Minnesota holds a doctorate in philosophy from Purdue University. His main academic focus has been political philosophy and
Happy 50th Anniversary
I bet you are thinking that this title refers to our cover model Bubbi Morthens. You are wrong, although it seems fitting that the 50 years old Bubbi graces the […]
The Old Men And The Sea
By no means do I morally disapprove of whaling. Whales are intelligent beings, yes, but so are pigs, chickens and a wide range of other life forms regularly slaughtered and [&helli
Don’t Worry; This is Iceland
Her name I cannot disclose. Since it happened I’ve had recurring nightmares about the dialogue that took place that morning. She awoke hung-over, a smidge sheepish from the previ
Reconstructing a City
The future of Reykjavík’s city centre has been the subject of heated discussion since witnessing a decline in shopping in the last decade. The lack of clear urban planning polic
Whaler Down
This November marks the 20th anniversary of the sinking of the whaleboats Hvalur 6 and Hvalur 7 in Reykjavík harbour and the sabotaging of the whale processing station in Hvalfjö
SOUR GRAPES
Hello: My name is Ken Maxwell and I just finished reading the article that you wrote regarding the Mormon Missionaries serving in your area. My son Brennik (Elder Maxwell) was [&he
Putting Pop on the Priority List
How to support the Icelandic music industry and promote Icelandic music abroad has been an issue of debate year after year with no clear answer in sight as to how […]
The Mission is the Goal
“I didn’t pick Iceland. I was assigned it,” says Elder William Ferrell, 22, a native of Utah and a missionary from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose [&he
Connecting Through Music
Musician Will Oldham – sometimes known as Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – has in the past decade or so proved to be an unusually prolific and important voice in contemporary music,
Guantánamo Detainees Released Into Captivity
After three years in military captivity, Rhuhel Ahmed and Asif Iqbal are touring the globe to present Michael Winterbottom’s documentary film, The Road to Guantánamo. It tells t
Best of Kárahnjúkar
As the Kárahnjúkar power plant inches closer to completion, opposition against the project increases. The Reykjavík Grapevine has compiled the major events that have shaped the
Searching for Darkness – a surprisingly successful hunt
Like many Reykjavík residents, I was immensely excited about the planned blackout in the city last week. I had admired the idea of a lightless city since I first heard […]
Yes, He Was the Most Strongest Man in the Universe!
I was writing this masterpiece of an editorial, then the blackout hit and I lost all my data…. I am joking of course. While on the subject of jokes… A few […]