stockholm weekend pics: a day in värmdö

värmdö is a lovely area to explore for a day, as we did on this occasion, or a weekend as we have done in the past. we go to our usual spots...

first, gustavsberg to visit the local bakery, their chai latte is very good and you can't go wrong with any pastry but i love a good tosca (think almondy caramel). then we hop into the shops. gustavsberg for their plates, bowls, and cups. we were gifted coffee cups from them and they are lovely. they also sell lisa larson's pottery (i'm coveting the black cat pictured below). ittala is another outlet that i like to browse and i bought their blush coloured flower pot which now sits on my coffee table and makes me happy. there was a new little artisanal boutique with all the oils and honey and sausage you could want plus much more. we walked away with licorice (for stefan) and chips (for me). 

lunch was next at siggesta gård where i indulged in two seasonal appetizers... mushrooms on toast and crayfish soup. both were eye-rolling good. they also have a little shop where we picked up their homemade ketcup and apple musteri. of course, we visited the alpacas (or are they llamas?). 

our last stop was the artipelag, the museum in the woods with views of the baltic. rolf hanson's exhibition was showing which was not stefan's cup of tea although he liked his earlier work a bit more, the stair paintings "permeate a creeping sensation of discomfort, one can disern a ghost walking down the stairs toward an endpoint". i, instead, enjoyed his later more abstract paintings, especially "sine nomen". afterwards, we walked via the water walkway enveloped in its quiet and peaceful surroundings.

it's been awhile since we took a day trip. here's hoping for more of them.

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!