kai is 18!

somebody turned 18! 

i set up the table then waited for an approriate late morning hour to burst into his room with donuts, balloons and a happy birthday song.

breakfast pancakes - the same ones stefan has been making since kai was a babe - and prezzies next!

an apple watch

then the obligatory photo opt... he has so much patience for me :)

stefan makes a cake just as kai requested... coffee (cream) and almond (sponge) shared with our bestest of friends :)

lastly, dinner at svartengrens, so freaking delicious is all i can say. if you haven't been, please go. They like meat, and if you like meat, then please go. they choose locally raised beef, reared and butchered in a sustainable way direct from the stockholm archipelago. and, they source the veggies the same way, from people they know and trust. they do everything from scratch, dry age, smoke, pickle, and make stock. then there's wine and bubbles, cocktails and micro brewed beer too. it's one of kai's favourite places.

i love this guy so much! happy birthday kai (insert heart emoji here).

weekend pics: glad midsommar!

glad midsommar!

if you didn't know already, midsummer is the most celebrated day in the swedish calendar. so much so that swedes get the day off. i know, crazy and lovely all at the same time.

just as we did with our good friends ximena, petter and their girls, swedes gather for a beautifully rustic affair involving:

dining alfresco - we were in the garden! it often rains for midsummer and this year was no different but it stopped and the sun came out just in time of our arrival to our friend's place. their garden is a place you want to be, not only is it pleasing for the eye but good for soul. every time, reveling in the quiet and calm of nature. they have done incredible work on this little plot of land, take a peek at the new greenhouse they built. love it.

good food - traditionally it would be sill och potatis (herring and potatoes) but with petter at the bbq sill is the last thing on your mind. his 'melt in your mouth' ribs were ridiculously good. and in place of potatoes, we had grilled sweet potatoes, nothing beats grilled veggies in my book. and, stefan's focaccia bread was a hit... just dip in some good olive oil and salt. for dessert, we sprinkled all sorts of toppings on our vanilla ice cream.

drinking - prosecco and rum cocktails!

hopping like frogs around the maypole - well, we didn't have a maypole this year but we still had silly fun listening to music by flight of the conchords. many laughs were had!

finally, swedish tradition dictates that if a single woman gathers seven different types of flowers and places them under her pillow on midsummer's day, she'll dream of the man she's going to marry. well worth a shot, it might be that tall, blonde swede sitting across from you :)

so grateful for such a lovely day! hope you had a lovely midsummer celebration too.

travelogue: svartsö (black island) for a wedding anniversary

to celebrate our anniversary - twenty-four years! - stefan and i spent a weekend on svartsö, one of stockholm's larger islands in the central archipelago.

we brought our bicycles, but you can also rent from the village shop, which allowed us to easily get around between our hotel, skärgårdshotell & vandrarhem, on the north side and the krog, a beloved restaurant among the locals, on the south side. the road is lined with rocks, lush forests, and pastures with grazing horses and the occasional deer.

at the krog, we enjoyed a beautiful and fun evening on the lovely terrace, with a view of the baltic. our meal was superb, food that stands out and you remember, flavour exploding in our mouths with every bite. first, hiramasa with grapefruit and green chili followed by focaccia with sardines and hot sauce. when we returned for lunch the next day, we just had to order the focaccia again, it was that good. our main was duck, grilled with pak choi and green pepper sauce. we ended dinner with a delish rhubarb and star anise panna cotta.

just to remember, bob the lactation consultant was a hilarious story. to retell it here would loose it's appeal but we had a good laugh to the bemusement of the others in the restaurant. i apparently have an infectious laugh.

in the middle of woods, it's quiet and peaceful and lovely. we especially enjoyed our well-stocked breakfast basket, eating under the trees. of course, in sweden, breakfast always includes egg with creamy caviar... my favourite. 

our first swims in the sea were lovely. i have come to love swimming in cold water :) 

and marriage after 24 years? i think i'll hang onto him for another 24 years or so.

we will be happy to come back here!