may / 2021

 

kai: the only pic i have of kai this month... he spent most of the time studying for his final exams but had a moment, when it was all done, to help his mom spring clean :)

stockholm weekend pics: gin tasting with stockholm bränneri

 

for stefan's birthday, i surprised him with a gin tasting from stockholm bränneri. we love their gins, hello pink gin, infused with rose petal and rhubarb. its pretty pink colour comes from the lingonberries. their dry gin takes on a nordic taste with juniper berries, elderflower, and more botanicals.

their non-gin drinks, the aperitifs, are so lovely as well. svart (black) is infused with roast coffee but there's a bit of herbiness to balance the bitter. and, i actually love it, with some ice cubes. it's perfect. and the röd (red) with its swedish apple cider, orange peel, and roots is a favourite as a spritz drink.

funnily, both the netherlands and vancouver, canada came up in the stories that were shared. did you know that gin comes netherlands? stefan had no idea and he knows all sorts of odd trivia. and, the owners of stockholm bränneri came up with the idea of a gin distillery during their vacation in vancouver, canada while visiting distilleries there. so cool. perhaps this is why we love the place so much. 

they also hold events throughout the year, but especially during the summer months, with local businesses producing the food. we've been to a few and can't wait to visit again.

after ingesting so much alcohol, we went to johan och nyström for some food and fika. it was our local go to cafe when we lived on södermalm and it was lovely to be back in the neighbourhood.

hope you are having a lovely weekend!

we are swedish citizens!

sometime in december, the three of us became swedish citizens. this makes me laugh out loud since we never expected to be here as long as we have... when asked we'd say we planned to return to canada in a year or two. it's been six in a half years now. and, we don't speak swedish! we get by, some of us better than others but i don't take hours at the supermarket anymore, i get the gist of an article i am reading in a design magazine, and when a preschooler is asking me to throw back his ball, i can understand that too :)

i do love sweden and its capital, it's taught me six things:

image from here

1. two single-sized duvets are the best: you probably thought that every couple sleeps under one duvet, right? not in scandinavia. at first, it looked a bit funny, this two-duvet system. but it's been amazing. i get my heavy thermal one and stefan, a warm sleeper, has his flimsy one. no one pulls the cover, win-win. now only if i could solve his snoring problem!

my own image

2. having a positive winter mind-set: embracing winter is the hallmark of scandinavian family life. kids play outside at school, wearing light-reflecting vests over their snowsuits, even when it's dark in the daytime and snowing. the swedes like to say that there is no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing. so, we dress appropriately and go outside. sometimes, it's the last thing you want to do, to go outside when it's cold and dark, but inevitably, it's always better than i thought it would. you feel refreshed and healthy, taking in the wind, the air, the smell of winter. i never regret having gone outdoors, even for a quick walk in the woods.

image from here

3. "lagom" is the perfect amount: attention to details and life itself... interiors, beauty, nature, traditions, architecture. lagom is about living a balanced, slower, fuss-free life. taking the time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. for example, i love candlelight which i never thought about before. now, stefan lights candles in the evening and it makes the whole place cozy, just perfect. we've accumulated quite the collection of candleholders since our arrival in sweden. and another feature of lagom is the fika paus (break with coffee and a little treat). it can be informal catch-up with colleagues or friends once or twice a day. or, it can be a or a more formal, scheduled one in the calendar. when we first arrived, some shops and places of business would be closed for their fika paus, it was unbelievable yet pretty awesome that the swedes take the time.

image unknown

4. adopting the morgondopp (the morning dip): the swedes love to bathe and the one type of alfresco bathing that stands out is the morning dip. it is usually enjoyed between may and september when the temperature is above 10°C but there are the hardy types that go year round. wearing their robe, they bike or walk down to the local bathing deck and take a dip. depending on the temperature, they may linger a bit. 

while i haven't adopted this ritual per se, i have definitely acclimated to the cold waters around here. at first i was hesitant to swim in the cold waters but now, almost 7 years of living here, i no longer hesitate. As soon as i hit the water, i feel completely alive and while my instinct is to get out (so cold!), i stay in. it's an incredibly humbling experience and so relaxing to feel the warm sun and cool breeze on my body afterwards. if i am not by an ocean, i have been ending my showers with a cold-water blast and while it may not be as empowering as a saltwater swim, i certainly wake up!

my own image

5. celebrating the sun: good weather here is short-lived and we know it. when there is a ray of sun, swedes will be fill up terraces and park with their faces towards the sun, eyes closed and enjoying the moment. they are outdoors meeting, eating, reading, sunbathing, resting... just celebrating the sun, regardless of the season. i can't help but smile whenever i see this sight, it makes me very happy to see such appreciation for the present moment because it could be gone the next day.

during the summer months the sun is visible for most of the day and into the night. many swedes take a four-week vacation in july, which is supported by their employers, to enjoy the daylight and nature. some businesses simply shut down in july which shows swedes deep appreciation for nature and light.

my own image

6. you don't need a car: stockholm is small enough to make it easy to get around by foot and bike. and, the public transportation - punctual and clean - makes not having a car preferable, even when visiting places just outside of stockholm. friends who do have cars rarely use it, preferring transit or biking, as we do (the three of us walk/bike to work/school). and, we walk through one of the cleanest capitals in the world. 

while stefan didn't think he could last without his two-seater car, he has surprised himself. shifting from a driving commute to walking, he says he's happier. researchers found that one's happiness, going from driving to walking, increases as much as if they'd fallen in love! don't worry, he gets his driving fix when we vacation :)

in other december news, take a peek at the following posts: cozy december days, prepping for christmas, christmas time, and new years eve!

weekday dinners out: something old and something new

our local brewery, nya carnegie bryggeriet, mentioned here many times, simply does the best burgers and they always offer the most delish vegan dish. when their patio is open, right by the water, it's a win-win situation. not to mention their chamgpagne beer, which i love!

coco and carmen, owners of the punk royale restaurant (which we still have to try), was a new to us restaurant located in ostermalm, the fancy part of downtown stockholm. we met friends ximena and petter for a much needed night out. stefan and i went a bit earlier, by boat, to wander around before meeting up.

it was exactly what we had hoped with good food to gush over (chef's choice). i still go on about the quail wings and lux caviar, just so good. of course, the company is always delightful... being in the comfort of friends is simply the best... conversation, laughter, and liquid in our drink glasses never ran out :)

hope you are having lovely weekday evenings too!

stockholm weekend pics: a sakara picnic

cherry blossoms, like most places, are a big thing here. they are a symbol of springtime in any place with four seasons. and with places, like stockholm, with such long winters, looking forward to the flowers blossoming is a welcome activity. 

they bring such joy, it's fun to people watch, seeing countless people taking selfies with the pink flowers and enjoying picnics. usually, people gravitate to kungsholm parken to view the pink lovelies. however, we discovered that swedes also make their way to our neighbourhoood. at luma parken, by the tram stop, a teeny area of cherry blossoms can be filled with people taking selfies with the flower. 

and we immediately said yes when invited by nils and jenny to picnic at luma parken. they supplied the picnic food - sushi, cheese, olives, and crackers and we supplied dessert, courtesy of magnus johansson bageri, of course.

stefan and i couldn't help but think about the street we lived on in vancouver, lined with cherry blossoms. i love how a little thing, like flowers, brings such happiness. and time with friends, there is always laughter when we get together with these two :)

it wasn't all pink flowers, some spring cleaning took place too. this brings me happiness too... tidying, cleaning, re-organizing.

and ylva... she brings such joy and is always looking for comfort.

hope you enjoyed cherry blossoms too... and have a cat to cuddle (if not, adopt now!)

10 swoon worthy gifts for mother's day (or an upcoming 23rd wedding anniversary, hint hint)

pic from flowery

1. a weekly home delivery bouquet... a friend loves her subscription.

pic from scandinavian walls

2. poster of frida kahlo, love the colours.

pic from svenskt tenn

3. love the contrasting silver elephant candle holder on its gold plate. we are accumulating quite the collection of candle holders, as one does when living in darkness most of the year!

pic from flattered

4.  i know it's april but, right now, in stockholm, we are revisiting winter. it's been cold and snowing! would love these boots.

pic from klee larson website

5. painting by vancouver artist klee larson, swooning over the pinks and blues! her whole family is creative and they own a lovely corner café called le marché st. george.

pic from svenskt tenn

6. can never have enough pretty little vases. 

pic from desenio

7. this forest photograph is serene, it would be a reminder to take a breath and slowly exhale.

pic from svenskt tenn

8. a cute teapot to match the cute mugs i was gifted for my birthday... i drink copious amounts of tea in a single day.

pic from cappelen dimyr

9. i have been coveting this rug for awhile... saving my pennies.

pic from gustavsbergs porslins fabrik

10. lisa larson's black cat has been patiently waiting for me to bring it home, since i first arrived in sweden.

happy may everyone!