a glorious winter

january 2016 was filled with brightness and snow; winter took centre stage.  a chill in the air, a freezing one that invigorates you and wakes you up.  you go out into the snow to play and walk and grill with friends.  you cozy up in a cafe with hot tea and warm pastries.  

nyckelvikens is such a place, a perfect little place.

our best friends!

skating on the lake - kai is spoiled for ice rinks now!

and, finally, sledding the hills of our neighbourhood park vitabergsparken!

i will savor this winter.  february has lighten up and dusted our roofs with a bit of snow but it doesn't last like it did in january.  a little more would have been nice.  in the meantime, my boys and i are seeking out more winter adventuring in the dolomites for a week... we're going to italy today!

see you back here in March!

8 / 52 weeks

kai: a drawing for his dad.

the stockholm beard

i learned recently that sweden holds an annual beard competition in the city of malmö.  i thought it was the funniest thing ever.  but the beard is no joke.  the selection process, done by a jury of barbers, hairdressers, and other important persons in the industry, apparently takes weeks. 

it was one of kai's first impressions, when we moved to sodermalm... alot of beards!  sodermalm is referred to as the hipster island of stockholm - anything you read about it mentions a reference to hipsters.  it makes me giggle a bit because sodermalm is made up of all sorts of people, predominately families hanging out in parks and cafes.  i love its diversity... and yes, while the amount of beards can be a bit ridiculous, i wouldn't live anywhere else in stockholm.

i am working on a guide to sodermalm post to share with you all, stay tuned.

the art print is by lisa bengtsson.

stockholm weekend pics, gamla orangeriet

amidst the bergianska trädgåden, by the sea, is an old conservatory that has been converted into a lovely cafe.  gamla orangeriet offers fresh pastries, organic food and according to stefan really good coffee.  i can imagine it being a popular summer destination with its outdoor terrace and when the plants and flowers are in bloom.

it's beautiful and i can't wait to visit again but perhaps on a sunnier day.  on our way out of the gardens, it began to snow with the wind pushing us along and cold... i wished we were still seating in the cozy greenhouse cafe.

i hope you had a lovely weekend!