Don’t Ask Nanna: About Restaurant Etiquette
Hi Nanna, OK, I was out with friends for dinner at Gandhi and while we were eating I put on my best Apu accent and made some jokes. “Thank you, […]
It’s Bad, But It’s Not That Bad: Correcting Snowden
Make no mistake, the events leading up to the collapse of the Icelandic government are truly horrific. They reveal a high level of secrecy, corruption and arrogance of power that [
Don’t Ask Nanna: About Restaurant Etiquette
Hi Nanna, OK, I was out with friends for dinner at Gandhi and while we eating I put on my best Apu accent and made some jokes. ‘Thank you, come […]
Retirement Home For Houses: And Something About Swastikas.
The house at Þingholtsstræti 9 wasn’t removed because someone sprayed a swastika on it, although that is what you were thinking, right? No, dummy, the house was removed because
Humans Of Reykjavík: Svarti Álfur
Living in a modern world where social media is rampant, it can be hard to be sure of who you truly are. For Svarti Álfur, which means “Black Elf,” it […]
Blast from the Past: Illicit Love in Öskjuhlíð
It used to be that Öskjuhlíðin hill was the best place to go in RVK for an American-style dating experience. You could park your car overlooking the city, and there […]
Readers Write: Becoming A Grandfather
Dear Grapevine, I am happy to share with my Icelandic friends that I am in the hospital waiting for my daughter Stefani to give birth to her first child, and […]
Gasping For Air: United Silicon’s Enduring Problems
By the time you read this, the United Silicon plant in Reykjanes will have been closed. Temporarily, mind you, while “necessary upgrades and maintenance” are performed. If thos
The Icelandic Executioner: The Nazi Informant Authorities Saved
In June 1945, large crowds of Danes and Icelanders celebrated as Esjan, the first ship to arrive from Iceland since WWII ended docked in Denmark. Finally, the numerous Icelanders w
Pizza In the Sky: World’s First Drone Delivery Service Arrives In Iceland
It’s a plane…it’s a bird…actually, it’s flying hamburgers. Drone delivery is making its way to Iceland, making it the first of its kind in the world. Goods can no
City Hall May Take Hard Swing To The Right Next Spring
Reykjavík City Hall might end up looking very different from its current form when municipal elections are held next spring. A four-party band of centre-to-left parties, which com
News In Brief: Early September Edition
Our top story: someone has finally had to answer for what was found in the Panama Papers. Júlíus Vífill Ingvarsson, a former Reykjavík city councilperson for the Independence P
Icelandic Facebook Groups: Family living – the true story – ICELAND
The primary characteristic of Icelandic humour is self-deprecation, and nowhere on Facebook will you find a better example of this than in the group ‘True Story’. Although the
Ask A Scientist: Why Is Reykjavík So Dusty?
One of the unfortunate features of Reykjavík is that it tends to get pretty dusty, especially in the spring. Air quality declines, and lots of blame is thrown around; air [&hellip
Literal Shit: You’re Soaking In It
One of the star attractions of the Icelandic countryside is bathing in a natural hot spring or naturally formed pool. It’s a subject we’ve covered in numerous travel articles a
Word Of The Issue: Örlagabytta
One of the things Icelanders do better than most is alcoholism, which is probably why we have 300 words for drunks. While the availability of good words is extensive, one […
Missing In Iceland: Cat Cafés
What pairs well with a good cup of coffee? Cute, cuddly, and playful cats sitting on your lap, of course. Unfortunately, you can’t experience this in a café in Iceland. [&hellip
Hour Of The Wolf: Game Designer By Day, Bouncer By Night
“I’m a bouncer, I throw people out and maintain order,” says Tumi Sveinn Snorrason. Working late nights at Prikið, Tumi has seen his fair share of rowdy drunks. For him, [&h
Last Words: Calling Out the Copy Cats—A Food Rant
Dear Food Purveyors, Stop taking Icelandic diners for a ride! On one hand it is hard enough to have to contend with the dairy monopoly MS warping collective palates with […]
The Costco Craze
The U.S. wholesale giant Costco opened in Iceland in May, taking advantage of the retail boom that has slowly grown up since the 2008 Icelandic financial crisis. As with most [&hel
Ghost Story: The Midwife Of The Elves
As many of our readers know, Iceland has Celtic roots. In addition to bringing over a lot of the myths and legends of the Norse people, Icelanders also borrowed Celtic […]