Some Like It Rockabilly: Meet Reykjavík’s 1950s Couple
Smutty Smith and Katrín Rósa Stefánsdóttir’s flat is covered with photos. In addition to a wall cluttered with Elvis memorabilia and concert shots of Smutty with a plethora o
The Skeleton On The Hill: A Look At Hallgrímskirkja In Its Infancy
Hallgrímskirkja is arguably Reykjavík’s most emblematic landmark. The Lutheran church was commissioned in 1937 and was built over the course of forty years, between 1945 and 19
Taking Pride In The Past And Future
The annual Reykjavík Pride is almost upon us, and there is a lot to look forward to. In addition to the parade itself, which sees up to 100,000 people gather […]
Digging Up Reykjavík’s Roots: Excavations Around The City Reveal Stories Of Iceland’s Past
Around 870 A.D., a Viking named Ingólfur Arnarson bravely sailed off from Norway (possibly because of a blood feud, but that’s another story), and eventually landed on this rock
POOP NEWS
As the Icelandic tourism industry continues its unfettered growth, the local media has been diligent about reporting on the tourism-related events that matter. Events such as poopi
It’s Alright, Martin!
“Festivities are known to have occurred at Sæból by fjord Dýrafjörður, at Flankastaðir on Reykjanes, in Reykjavík and Árnessýsla county. They dwindled throughout the 18t
News In Brief: End of July 2015
Complaints about Iceland’s tourism industry being poorly organised are hardly new at this point, but this July was particularly shitty. Some tourists at Þingvellir couldn’t fi
PRAISE ME, PLEASE!
Browsing the news this past October, a headline on local newspaper Morgunblaðið’s website caught my eye: “Icelandic Girl In The New York Times.” My interest was stoked. Who
So What’s This Crumbling Healthcare System I Keep Hearing About?
In recent years, a number of recurring news stories have appeared on the front pages of Icelandic newspapers, greeting the nation in the morning like a bag full of poo […]
Anna’s Second-To-Last Editorial: Poop Ahoy!
Dear Grapevine readers and contributors who haven’t already heard, After nearly six years at this magazine, I’ve decided to vacate my position as editor. It’s been great, it
Catherine Côté Brings Her Rainbow 3D Nail Art To Iceland
A sparkly pink linoleum floor cluttered with pairs of worn-in Doc Martens and clunky platform shoes marks the entrance to Catherine Côté’s home. The only custom 3D nail artist
Guest Post: The Top 10 Reasons Icelanders Should Attend Manitoba’s ‘Íslendingadagurinn’ Party
The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba—Íslendingadagurinn—celebrates Icelandic culture and heritage through a fun, family-friendly four-day event, held every August long weekend i
Did We Just Detain A Man For Carrying HIV? —Debates On Monday #24
“Man under arrest, suspected of infecting women with HIV” ran Vísir’s first headline on this story, early Thursday. “Suspected of infecting women with HIV” headlined
A Cure For Whatever Ails You
Let me begin with a confession: sales of my books don’t pay the rent, so I’m obliged to lead plant and mushroom walks, which don’t pay the rent, either. Not so […]
Scandinavia Explained To The English Speaker
To the outsider, the Scandinavian countries tend to all look the same. This is, in fact, not entirely true. First of all, Scandinavia refers only to Norway, Sweden and Denmark, [&h
What Does It Take To Become A “Friend Of Iceland”?
The term Íslandsvinur, “Friend of Iceland,” first appeared in Iceland’s media in 1874, in the annual Fréttir frá Íslandi (“News from Iceland”). Fréttir frá Íslan
Better Than Any Modern Travel Book: A 16th-Century German Travel Poem About Iceland
A mysterious man visited Iceland sometime between the years 1554 and 1586, when Hanseatic merchants ruled the ports and trade in Northern Europe, including those in faraway islands
Tourists: It’s Not You, It’s Us
Some of you may have noticed that Grapevine’s been reporting a lot of news about the misadventures of tourism. I say tourism, rather than tourists, because the distinction is
Your Metabolism Surprised Us All — Debates On Monday #23
During the latest middle-ages, the era I grew up in, the library at my parents’ home included handbooks for interpretations of dreams. Themes were listed alphabetically and t
A Quiet Riot: Documenting Iceland’s Constitutional Reform
In the years following the financial crash, a popular narrative of a ‘new’ Iceland emerged. This was an Iceland which had solved all its problems forever and for all time by
SlutWalk Aims For Record Breaking Year
The annual worldwide SlutWalk originated in 2011, in response to the comments of Toronto Police Constable Michael Sanguinetti, after he told a York University audience, “Women sh