Ske - #8 (english version)

1 What’s happening

#8

Plan your perfect day

On The Christianization

SKE plans your perfect day in Reykjavík: peak inside for further details.

A brief, ironic discourse on the Christianization of the Icelandic nation.

Ske.is 10.07 2015 - 16.07 2015

Your free copy Your guide to what’s going on in iceland

“I am very picky when it comes to food. If it doesn’t taste good I won’t eat it.”

SKE SPEAKS TO ICELAND’S FAVORITE RAW CHEF, SÓLVEIG EIRÍKSDÓTTIR (SOLLA).

Ske

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What’s happening

A “Perfect” Day – Pt. 8 There is no such thing as perfect. A thing cannot be perfect. But when a thing is sufficiently wonderful we may refer to it as perfect for the sake of emphasis – such a thing is customary. Last week, I experienced a day that was wonderful enough to incline me towards exaggeration, and I am confident that if any traveler were to follow in my footsteps, then they too would feel the same. It was, in all honesty, a perfect day.

1. The Pearl – Scientology – 10:00 The Pearl is that strange piece of alien architecture just south of downtown Reykjavík. It is that glass dome that sits atop six water tanks in Öskjuhlíð. If one were unfamiliar with the building’s function and history, and were to venture a guess as to its purpose, then one would most likely speculate that the building was a venue for Scientology assemblies – that it was built by Tom Cruise and L. Ron Hubbard for the express purpose of receiving extraterrestrials. But this is not the case. The Pearl was designed by Ingimundur Sveinsson and completed, largely, at the behest of former mayor Davíð Oddsson in 1991. The Pearl features a revolving restaurant, a cafeteria and an observation deck (and occasionally a DVD market). A friend of mine once stood on the observation deck at midnight, New Year’s Eve, and served champagne to director Quentin Tarantino and Wu-Tang architect RZA: lucky bastard. Anyhow, yesterday, I visited the cafeteria before noon. I took the elevator to the fourth floor and ordered some coffee and a bagel. I then behaved myself in a predictable manner and walked out onto the deck to take in the view. I imagined being joined on the balcony by Jay-Z and Beyonce, and laughing blithely at their jokes. But that was a fantasy merely. I was brought back into consciousness by a discourteous bird who defecated on my dreams.

2. Mountaineers of Iceland – A Polar Bear’s Teat – 12:30 Mountaineers of Iceland is a destination management company that has operated adventure tours since 1996, and which specializes in Super jeep and snowmobile tours. Earlier in the week, I had signed up for the Meet us at BaseCamp tour: a snowmobile tour of the Langjökull glacier (Iceland’s second largest glacier). After having my clothes sullied by bird feces, I hopped into my car and drove east to the Gullfoss waterfall (about a 105-minute drive from central Reykjavík). When I arrived at the Gullfoss cafe parking lot, my guide was already waiting for me in an oversized bus. I climbed aboard the thing and was chauffeured to the Skálpanes basecamp (about a 45-minute drive). During the drive, my guide spoke eloquently and informatively about the surrounding area as I listened. I contributed very little to the conversation besides the occasional ahh and oooh (I am an idiot, geographically speaking). When we arrived at the basecamp I was provided with overalls, balaclavas, gloves, shoe covers and a helmet. I then mounted my snowmobile and rode out into that vast, wild whiteness with my guide. I do not believe that I have ever experienced a more wonderful day in my lifetime. There is something about snowmobiling a large glacier that inspires within one a feeling of humility and reverence; I felt like a flea clinging happily to a polar bear’s teat. It was wonderful.

3. Devito’s Pizza – The Nicest Slices – 18:30

Of all the people I know, my grandfather is the one who is the least concerned with the opinions of others. He is the human epitome of the modern phrase “no fucks given”. He once beat up an entire football team for bullyragging my uncle; he stormed into their midst like a pale tornado and scattered them in a wave of surprise and confusion: yes, sir. Besides being a generally pugnacious human being (with a Judo belt) – he is a lot of other things as well. He is a master mason who once dangled a rival mason from a window for trying to sabotage his repairs; he is a cancer survivor who possesses the most voluminous medical record in Icelandic history; he is a trained yogi who once prevented a man from crossing the threshold of his house with nothing but his mind; he is the author of a series of children’s books, all of which feature me (Raggi Litli) as their protagonist; he is the founder of a local track and field outfit who once threatened to sleep in the hall outside the mayor’s office so as to secure funding (he succeeded); and finally, he is the son of a former alcoholic who once cracked two of his father’s ribs so as to persuade him against going to the bar. Yes, sir: My grandfather has never sought anyone’s opinion besides his own. He follows his own convictions as if they were the holy commandments of some terrible, pagan god. He has lived, loved, fought and struggled – and he has enjoyed himself. Anyhow, what I mean by this rant, dear reader, is this: Leaf through the pages of our humble magazine and find yourself a concert, an exhibition or a restaurant – and then visit that venue without care. Be like my grandfather, but less combative.

Ske Editors: ritstjorn@ske.is Advertisement: auglysingar@ske.is Interview & Editorial: Ragnar Tómas Hallgrímsson Interviewee: Solla Photographs: Joseph Hall Photographs from ATP: Brynjar Snær Photographs from Algera: Joseph Hall Printing: Ísafoldarprentsmiðja Design & Layout: Hlynur Ingólfsson, Lifandi verkefni ehf.

Devito’s is a small pizza place located on Laugavegur 126. Devito’s sells whole pies and slices and it is among the most affordable pizza places in town. During lunch (between 11:00-14:00), patrons can purchase a 10-inch pizza and a ½ liter of Coke for just 1,400 ISK. 1,400 ISK is nothing. I regularly invest three times that amount in my barber’s handicraft – and leave his chair considerably less satisfied (but I am too loyal to go anywhere else). Anyhow, after having my mind blown by a glacier, I desired some calories to restore my intellectual capacity. Thus, I drove back into town and parked my car outside Devito’s. I then ordered two slices and a can of Coke, sat down on one of their bar chairs and stared out the window across the street. I conceived of no thought worthy of documentation, but merely stared like a vacuous mannequin at the occasional passing car. The pizza was delish.

4. Loft Hostel – The Happiest Hour – 19:00 Loft Hostel is located on Bankastræti 7 in downtown Reykjavík (it is a hostel, in case you were wondering). The allure of Loft Hostel lies in two things: its balcony, which affords its patrons a rare view of Reykjavík’s central shopping street; and its Happy Hour (in effect every day between 16:0020:00), which affords it patrons with the opportunity of inexpensive inebriation. Being a man who teeters, often, on the brink of alcoholism (not really though), I am quite fond of happy hour, and I have a friend who is similarly inclined. Thus, at 19 o’clock on that evening, I rendezvoused with this companion at Loft Hostel for a drink. When we arrived we ordered two mugs of Tuborg Classic and paid 600 ISK each. The weather being pleasant, we were forced to temporarily lounge in the interior of the establishment as we waited, like a pair of rabid hyenas, for someone to vacate a balcony table. Fortunately, it did not take long for someone to leave, at which point we pounced on the table violently. We then grabbed a pack of cards and played Olsen Olsen (the Icelandic version of Crazy Eights) on the balcony. He mopped the floor with me. Our relationship soured. But such is life.

5. The Pond – Walking the Walk – 21:00 Tjörnin is a small pond that lies at the heart of Reykjavík. Visit it today and it will seem a veritable bird party – with geese, ducks and swans behaving boisterously and disturbing the peace. But it was not always so. In the early days, there were no birds for all the birds that ventured to the pond were immediately murdered. It is said that the citizens were always vigilant – like members of a gang – and whenever a goose or a duck wandered into their territory, a gunshot would ring out and some poor feathered verterbrate would come crashing down to the ground. Anyhow, after a long and eventful day, I decided to stroll around The Pond (Tjörnin) in order to shake off my buzz; I had swallowed the contents of a large beer mug and was not eligible to operate a motorized vehicle legally.

And so I strolled down to Reykjavík’s pond for this purpose, and sat down awhile on the bench next to poet Tómas Guðmundsson (statue), on the south bank. Tómas is the perfect sessunautur (Icelandic for person sitting next to one), for he did not pollute the silence with chitchat. We merely sat there and existed (well, I more than he) like two lazy canines. Finally, I drove home.

It was a perfect day.

3 What’s happening

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Music

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Dikta at Rosenberg

HMM: Myrkfælni (Nyctophobia) Next Tuesday a special myrkraveisla (darkness party) will be held at Gaukurinn. Performers include Kælan Mikla, russian.girls, Döpur and Ultraorthodox. Additional artists to be announced on the event’s facebook page.

This Friday, Dikta will be performing for the first time at the legendary Café Rosenberg. Dikta is an Icelandic indie rock band that was founded in 1999 by four childhood friends: Haukur Hauksson, Jón Bjarni Pétursson, Jón Þór Sigurðsson and Skúli Gestsson. Dikta will perform songs from an upcoming album along with stripped down versions of some older classics. Those who are familiar with Café Rosenberg know that it is the venue for a great atmosphere, and we have heard that Dikta is looking forward to performing there.

Where: Café Rosenberg (Klapparstígur 25-27) When: Friday, July 10th, 22:00 Price: 2,000 ISK

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. (Edgar Allan Poe)

HAM HAM is an Icelandic heavy-metal rock band that was founded in 1988. It was active for six years, or until 1994, when it threw an unforgettable farewell concert at the late Tunglið. Later, HAM rose from the ashes like the proverbial phoenix and has since become more powerful than ever, as substantiated by the album Svik, harmur og dauði, which was released in 2011. Following the release of that album, HAM performed at Græni Hatturinn, but they have not performed there since. Now, northerners have become impatient. In order to pacify the frustration of northern Icelanders, HAM will be performing at Græni Hatturinn this Friday, July 10th. Only the most foolish of fools will let this opportunity pass them by.

I love ham. (anonymous) Where: Græni Hatturinn (Akureyri) When: Friday, July 10th, 22:00 Price: 3,000 ISK www.graenihatturinn.is

Where: Gaukurinn (Tryggavagata 22) When: Tuesday, July 14th, 21:00 Price: 1,000 ISK

Kría Brekkan Former múm member Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir, or Kría Brekkan, will be performing at Mengi this Friday. Kristín is a multi-instrumentalist who will be playing all of the instruments herself, which means that this will be a real treat for the audience.

Without music, life would be a mistake. (Friedrich Nietzsche) Where: Mengi (Óðinsgata 2) When: Friday, July 10th, 21:00 Price: 2,000 ISK www.mengi.net

Eistnaflug 2015 (Music Festival) The annual music festival Eistnaflug will be held in Nesskaupstað this week, from July 8th to July 11th and it will feature some of Iceland’s finest rock musicians. This will be four days of joy, happiness, and rock and roll.

Pikknikk Concert Series

The lineup has never been so impressive:

Björn Thoroddsen This Sunday, July 12th, the Icelandic solo guitarist Björn Thoroddsen will be performing at the Nordic House greenhouse for the 2015 Pikknikk concert series. Björn Thoroddsen picked up his first guitar at 10 and has over time become one of Iceland’s leading jazz guitarists. Björn plays pop, jazz, rock, blues and country. Guests are also invited to bring food from Aalto Bistro to enjoy in the greenhouse during the concert.

Ólöf Arnalds

Sometimes the nicest thing to do with a guitar is just look at it. (Thom Yorke)

Singer Ólöf Arnalds needs no introduction; she has been a fixture of the Icelandic music scene since the early ‘2000s and was later signed by the label One Little Indian in 2009.

This Saturday, Ólöf Arnalds will be performing at Mengi with bassist Skúli Sverrisson.

Where: Nordic House When: Sunday, July 12th, 15:00 Price: Free www.nordichouse.is

Where: Mengi (Óðinsgata 2) When: Saturday, July 11th, 21:00 Price: 2,000 ISK www.mengi.net

The Vintage Caravan Auðn Brain Police Muck Dr. Gunni Misþyrming Börn Agent Fresco Lights on the Highway, Sinmara Brim Alchemia Rock and Roll: Music for the neck downwards. (Keith Richards) Where: Neskaupstaður When: Wednesday, July 8th – Saturday, July 11th Price: 2,500 – 15,000 ISK www.tix.is

5 What’s happening

Visit Mývatn and experience the geothermal baths.

www.jardbodin.is | tel. 464-4411

Music

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What’s happening

The Sigurður Flosason Quartet This weekend the Sigurður Flosason Quartet, alongside of Andrea Gylfadóttir (the queen of jazz and blues), will be performing at the Hof Cultural House in Akureyri.

Sigurður Flosason is a classically trained jazz saxophone player and his quartet is comprised of some of Iceland’s finest jazz musicians.

Kaleo This Saturday, July 11th, the Icelandic expatriates Kaleo will be performing at a standing concert at Gamla Bíó in downtown Reykjavík. Kaleo is an indie rock band that was founded in 2012 and it made its first public appearance at the Iceland Airwaves music festival in November of that year. Following the release of two successful singles,

If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know. (Louis Armstrong)

Vor í Vaglaskógi and All the Pretty Girls, Kaleo was signed by Atlantic Records and moved to Austin, Texas.

The band is currently working on a new album and will perform songs from that album, along with older material, at their concert at Gamla Bíó.

Kaleo means Hawaiian.

“the

sound”

in

Where: Gamla Bíó (Ingólfsstræti 2 A) When: Saturday, July 11th, 21:00 Price: 4,990 ISK www.midi.is

Dolly Farewell Party

Where: Hof Cultural House (Akureyri) When: Saturday, July 11th, 11:00 and Sunday, July 12th, 14:00/20:00 Price: 2,900 ISK www.midi.is

Dolly is bidding farewell to the Icelandic club scene next week. In order to celebrate its three lovely years of operations, Dolly will be holding a four-day farewell party featuring some of Iceland‘s finest DJs. Friday, July 10th, Funeral (Undertaker: Kristinn Gunnar Blöndal) Happy Hour between 21:00-23:00 (all drinks 2 for 1) DJs: KGB, DJ Kári aka the foreman, Steindór Grétar, DJ Spegill, Atli Bollason, DJ De La Rósa Saturday, July 11th, Pour Some Liquor (Funeral Directors: Þura Stína and Óli Hjörtur) Happy Hour between 21:00-23:00 (all drinks 2 for 1) DJs: Karaoke m/ Ásdís María, SunSura, GLM, Ómar BORG, Rix, Sigrún Skaftadóttir, Jonbjorn DJ Sunna Ben, Sura, Simon fknhndsm, Viktor Birgisson and Lagaffe Tales Where: Dolly (Hafnarstræti 4) When: Friday, July 10th – Saturday, July 11th Price: Free

Endless Summer 2015 This Saturday, July 11th, Kiddi “Kanína”, H-Tónar and Big Blue Pig (of Taco fyrir mig) will be staging the summer concert event Endless Summer at Bæjarbíó in Hafnarfjörður. The event will feature two Icelandic acts: Koddafar, a jazz fusion band, and CeaseTone, an ambient rock musician who has recently earned a spot at the ATP festival. Alongside of Koddafar and CeaseTone, the indie rock group Side Saddle (New York) and the Los Angeles based reggae group Penny Reel will also be performing.

The event will feature a tiki-themed beer garden. Also, vintage surf movies will be screened behind the bands as they perform on stage (including the events namesake Endless Summer).

She turns around to see what you beeping at.

It’s like the summer’s a natural aphrodisiac (Will Smith, Summertime) Where: Bæjarbíó (Hafnarfjörður) When: Saturday, July 11th, 21:00 Price: 1,500 ISK

A Snoopadelic Party with Snoop Dogg (18+) Ten years after his last concert in Iceland, the legendary Long Beach rap cat Snoop Doggy Dogg returns to Laugardalshöll for a so-called Snoopadelic Party. For three hours, the Doggfather himself will be spinning good music and rapping good rap, as a group of talented dancers performs

on stage. Snoop Dogg will be joined by the cream of Iceland’s rap scene: Blaz Roca, Úlfur Úlfur, DJ Benni B-Ruff, Shades of Reykjavík and KSF, along with Alvia Islandia. Rumor has it that a special secret guest will be making an appearance as well.

Snoop Doooooggy, Do-uh-Wa-UhOooog!

Where: Laugardalshöllin When: Thursday, July 16th, 20:00 Price: 8,990 ISK www.mid.is

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“I was raised by hippies, only they didn’t smoke weed.”

– Solla

Interview: Ragnar Tómas Hallgrímsson Photographs: Joseph Hall

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We Icelanders are a nation of oversized children (and regular sized children too). We are in the business of gratifying our desires immediately. The moment our stomachs make the slightest suggestion of hunger we zip off to the nearest fast food joint and make offerings of fried chicken, hamburgers and pizza. We glut, gorge and gormandize – like kids at a candy store – and after we have done so our stomachs revolt. We repent. We know that we have acted rashly: that we have made the wrong decision. But we cannot help ourselves. We are descended from a long line of impulsive outlaws: Yes, sir. In the same way that the canine is loyal, selfsacrificing and friendly – we Icelanders are impulsive, impetuous and brash. Over the years, however, one among us has been trying to reform us. She has been trying to point out the error in our ways. She has tried her best to stuff carrots and broccoli down our throats and we are starting to come around (just yesterday I poured some almond milk into a bowl of muesli). If you are wondering, then I am referring here to the unparalleled Sólveig Eiríksdóttir (Or Solla for short), who was voted the world’s best gourmet raw chef in 2011 and 2012. For the past five years, Solla, along with her husband, has owned and operated the finest health food restaurant in Iceland, Gló (now in five locations).

Last week, I visited Solla at her newest restaurant in Fákafen. Before our conversation, she gave me a tour of her establishment and elevated my drooping spirit with some coffee and a green juice. I began by asking her what she eats and what she doesn’t eat? In other words, what is her dietary philosophy?

in which animals are raised are terrible – really terrible – and also there are a lot of resources that go into producing meat. I don’t have the statistics in front of me, but the cost of making a kilo of meat, in terms of water, is huge. All over the world there is a shortage of water.

Each kilo of meat costs so much. People need to be more conscious of this fact.

Ragnar Tómas: The other day, I was browsing through the newspaper in order to find stories that I could satirize. I remember reading one headline, during the recent strike, which jumped out at me. It did all the work for me. The headline read something along the lines of, “we must slaughter the pigs to ensure their well-being”; this is such an insane way of thinking. This is a headline that people read and think to themselves, “yes, that makes sense: we need to murder these animals to ensure their welfare”. This reflects how twisted our attitudes are.

Ragnar Tómas: I understand.

Solla: Today, it’s very important to think about the planet. Everything that is organically produced is made with some consideration for the planet.

Ragnar Tómas: I’ve often thought about this. I eat meat, but I know that eating meat is unjustifiable from a moral perspective. I could survive without eating meat, without animals being killed for my sake, and so I am in the wrong.

Solla: Yes. Also, I think that it’s great that the Icelandic Directorate of Health recommends that we abstain from meat a few days a week, not only for dietary reasons, but for environmental reasons as well. Often, the conditions

(Solla stops and greets some customers.)

Solla: Then when my parents meet they started growing their own vegetables, on a little plot of land just outside the city. They were teachers. Teachers have never had high salaries. But they were happy. They taught me to be self-sufficient. And when you learn to eat carrots straight from the ground, just barely rinsing them, you learn to appreciate them. I was raised on a different value system than other people.

There wasn’t a lot of money or material wealth, but I was raised with such a rich understanding of the Earth. I planted seeds and watched them grow. Today, I can taste such a difference between organic / homegrown vegetables versus processed vegetables. And so it’s very difficult to grow up in this environment and then go out and eat fast-food.

“I’ve taken one bite of a McDonald’s hamburger and one bite of a Burger King hamburger, and it was gross. It didn’t taste like food.” – Solla

Solla: What I find scary is that we’ve become such a fanatic consumer society, and cheap fast-food has become so prevalent, that we aren’t conscious of the production process. Our consciousness has waned.

“Yoga really slows you down, your breathing and everything. You become so much more connected to everything.” – Solla

Solla: My own personal dietary philosophy is that I am a vegan who doesn’t eat any animal products. Also, a large portion of the food that I eat is raw. But what I think is most important is that people eat organic food. I, myself, have to eat organic food because of my allergies; I am allergic to animal protein, especially fish, but I was always very sensitive to meat. My parents never ate much meat. I was raised by hippies, only they didn’t smoke weed. Still to this day they grow their own food. But basically my philosophy is this: whatever you’re eating – keep it as clean as possible; as organic as possible. Not only for dietary reasons, but also for the sake of the Earth.

My mother became a vegetarian at the age of 12, much to the disappointment of her parents.

Ragnar Tómas: It’s funny how man is shaped by his environment.

He’s born into a society and just kind of tacitly agrees to everything that’s going on. But you’ve been very active in raising awareness among Icelanders in terms of the importance of eating vegetables and organic food.

(I fumble through my notes …)

Ragnar Tómas: You’re a practitioner of yoga.

Solla: Yes. Ragnar Tómas: I learned yoga from an Indian guru when I was in high school. I was very active for three to four months. I felt that as soon as yoga became a part of my routine, part of my life, my attitude towards food changed dramatically. I no longer craved soda and fastfood. Did you experience something similar?

Solla: Yes, and what was beautiful, also, is that yoga really slows you down, your breathing and everything.

You become so much more connected to everything. You become much more emotionally stable. It’s so often that case that when we’re agitated or stressed our immediate reaction is to go and eat something. We just go and stuff yourself, when there are so many other things that we can do to maintain our equilibrium.

Ragnar Tómas: When did you start doing yoga? Did yoga inspire you to change your diet? Or was it your allergies?

Solla: My grandmother went raw in 1915. Think about it.

(We laugh.)

Solla: I’ve taken one bite of a McDonald’s hamburger and one bite of a Burger King hamburger, and it was gross. It didn’t taste like food. But I wasn’t raised to be prejudiced. Not at all. What I loved about my parents is that they never said, “you cannot”. They just introduced me to these values and then I just lived my life. But I am always going back to my roots. I moved away from home at a very young age. When I was 17, I was living on my own in Copenhagen. I studied there. And I always remember how happy I was when I found a healthy food store, which sold organic vegetables and I felt like I was home. The food tasted like the food that I was raised on. The carrots had this authentic sweet taste.

It was this freshness and this quality that inspired me.

This was during the post-hippy era, and yoga was being advertised at these places. And so while others gravitated towards other forms of exercise, I gravitated towards yoga. It went hand-in-hand with this value system that I was raised on.

Ragnar Tómas: Ahhhh. So we were introduced to it in different ways. I did yoga and started thinking about what I was eating; while you thought about what you were eating and started doing yoga.

Solla: My father was a gym teacher. He was always doing headstands and exercises. So I guess that was a kind of introduction as well.

(Our conversation segues to Gló. I ask Solla how she would describe the restaurant to tourists.)

Solla: Gló is a restaurant where you can find healthful, tasty food at a reasonable price and the service is quick.

This is important to us. People are in a hurry, and when they’re in a hurry they get pushed in the direction of fast food. But we wanted to take the fast from fast food and apply it to healthful food. We emphasize tasty food.

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What’s happening

We take great pains with our food; you can always choose from eight or more salads. Also, I place a lot of emphasis on designing and pairing sauces and dressings with vegetables. Even though you can find meat on our menu, you can also come to our restaurant as a vegan. Also, as regards allergies, if you’re allergic to gluten or lactose, all of these allergies that are on the rise, we try to accommodate you. We work with a very strict set of ingredients. People often think “ugh, what are you gonna make with that?”

And we make something good. That’s our specialty.

(Ben Stiller comes up.)

When Ben Stiller was here shooting The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, I was preparing food for him. He was on a very strict diet. He had visited some nutritional therapist in Hollywood, who had told him that in order for him to stay energized during these long shoots he would have to maintain a clean diet. This woman’s establishment is called Glow, with a double-u (Solla laughs), actually, which is funny. But anyways, he comes to me with this long list, after having fired two other chefs. But because this is my specialty, and because I don’t know anything else, I don’t understand why I can’t make it taste good. I am very picky when it comes to food. If it doesn’t taste good I won’t eat it. But Ben Stiller was very happy. He asked me, “do you know what it feels like, being on top of a glacier, all day, directing and acting, and after a long, hard day, the one thing you look forward to is eating – but then you remember you’re on this strict diet?” So he was very happy with what I made for him. He was always asking me if I was cheating.

Ragnar Tómas: Is this David Wolfe?

Solla: David Wolfe, yes. Anyhow, my daughter, who is the manager of our restaurant on Laugavegur, she’s a little over 20, she went on a trip around the world and ended her trip at David Wolfe’s ranch. When she was there she sent me a message on Facebook and told me that David’s friends were there and that they were juicing. And I said, “that’s lovely”. And then she asked me, “do you know who his friend is?”. And I said, “no”. And she said, “Woody Harrelson. He’s here with his wife and children.

He’s staying in the room next to me”. Then a few days later we’re talking and she tells me, “I’ve got to go, Woody’s friend is inviting us to dinner”. And we say goodbye: it’s all very exciting. Then all of the sudden I get a message: “Mom, do you know who his friend is?”. And I said, “no”.

And she said, “Bono”. She’s there eating with Bono and Woody Harrelson, which is nice. Then they’re having a conversation during dinner and Bono asks her what she’s

Solla: We have received a lot of offers, from Scandinavia and the US. We know that this concept would work overseas. But what we have been doing, because things have moved so fast, is that before taking that next step, we are trying to make sure that we are 100% satisfied with the way that things are going.

Ragnar Tómas: It’s important not to go too quickly.

Solla: Exactly. It’s all very exciting and flattering that people are pleased with our concept. And you can’t imagine how many queries we get, from people sending us an email and saying, “I have this little yoga center and I’m interested in opening a little Gló corner” (Solla laughs).

Ragnar Tómas: There a lot of opportunities.

Solla: Yes. But all of us agree that we want to take things slowly. We don’t want to wake up one day feeling that we’ve gotten ourselves into something that we just can’t handle. What’s important is that we continue to nourish this concept and this idea. We often say that we want our staff to have this glow (Gló); we want them to be real Glow-ers (Glóarar). We just opened our latest restaurant in January and each new location requires tremendous love and care. And when we’ve become satisfied with how everything is going then we start thinking about the next step.

“Bono mentions to her that he’s been in Iceland a few times and that there was this one vegan restaurant that he really liked. Then he says, ‘I think it’s called Gló’ – and she’s like, ‘That’s my mother’s restaurant! Where I work! ‘.” – Solla

(We laugh.)

(Solla then tells me that she cooked for Sean Penn, who starred in Walter Mitty alongside of Ben Stiller, and that he too was on a very strict diet.)

Ragnar Tómas: And Natalie Portman was spotted at Gló a few weeks ago.

Solla: Yes. Also: funny story. One of my best friends is this kind of rock star who travels the world and gives lectures on health. He is the one who drags me over to L.A. every year for lectures. They provide me with bodyguards, because people get quite worked up. You wouldn’t believe it (she laughs). But it’s lots of fun. But this man, he owns two ranches: one in Hawaii and one in Canada.

doing in Iceland and she tells him that she’s working at a restaurant during summers and studying during the winters. And he mentions to her that he’s been in Iceland a few times and that there was this one vegan restaurant that he really liked. Then he says, “I think it’s called Gló” – and she’s like, “That’s my mother’s restaurant! Where I work!”. It was hilarious. Think about it. But people have really begun to think about what they’re eating, and our mission is to make this food tasty and healthful, and to avoid cutting corners. We want to make great food. And because people are always thinking with their wallets, what we do every morning, is get down on our knees and say, “we’re ready: please send us a lot of customers so that we are able to keep our food reasonably priced”.

Ragnar Tómas: And things are going very well. You opened in 2010 and things have really taken off since then.

Ragnar Tómas: Finally, you are such a happy and positive person, so I’m curious: what’s your recipe for happiness?

Solla: I think, you see, that I’m very fortunate. I was born smiling. Also, my father taught me that there is always a solution. I was taught to think in terms of solutions. And if you’re state of mind is solution-orientated then there is always hope. Also, I think that when you’re living this organic lifestyle, you develop a very clean conscience and you know that you’re not doing anything that is harming human beings or animals or nature and so your subconscious becomes satisfied. It knows that you’re doing right. When you observe young children, when they’re eating healthful and good food, they are much more balanced and less erratic. So I think that a man’s diet plays such an important role in his emotional life.

Solla: Yes, almost too fast.

Ragnar Tómas: No doubt about it.

Ragnar Tómas: There were rumors that Gló would go international.

I thank Solla for a wonderful conversation.

11 What’s happening

Exhibitions

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What’s happening

Ceramic – From the Museum’s Collection Hafnarborg’s art collection is diverse and constantly growing. Currently, there are around 1,400 artworks in its collection, a large portion of which are paintings and sculptures from the latter half of the 20th century. The founders of Hafnarborg, pharmacist Sverrir Magnússon and his wife Ingibjörg Sigurjónsdóttir, laid its foundation by donating their collection of art to the museum in 1983.

Hafnarborg owns various works by Icelandic and foreign artists, including plenty of ceramic artworks.

This summer, in the Sverrir gallery of Hafnarborg, ceramic art by 14 Icelandic artists will be exhibited. These are all works from the museum’s collection, which were made between the years 1984 – 2006.

I – Valdimar Thorlacius The exhibition I by photographer Valdimar Thorlacius is currently on display at the National Museum of Iceland.

The exhibition, which was a part of Valdimar’s final project at the Icelandic School of Photography, features portraits of Icelandic loners, hermits and recluses and of their living quarters, providing a glimpse into the life of those who live alone in rural and urban Iceland. The subjects of Valdimar’s exhibition are either individuals who have chosen to live alone, or who have been abandoned, or remained behind as their loved ones moved away.

The works of the following artists will be exhibited: Áslaug Höskuldsdóttir, Bjarni Sigurðsson, Bryndís Jónsdóttir, Edda Jónsdóttir, Gestur Þorgrímsson, Guðný Magnúsdóttir, Jóna Guðvarðardóttir, Jónína Guðnadóttir, Kolbrún Björgúlfsdóttir, Kristín Ísleifsdóttir, Sigríður Ágústsdóttir, Sigríður Erla Guðmundsdóttir, Sigrún Guðjónsdóttir og Sóley Eiríksdóttir.

Where: Hafnarborg (Strandgata 34) When: June 24th – August 23rd, 2015 www.hafnarborg.is

Nocturnius er hættur að skrifa ljóð (Nocturnius No Longer Writes Poetry) Sigga Björg opened the exhibition Nocturnius No Longer Writes Poetry on July 1st at Gallery Klaustur. The exhibition features drawings and video installations.

Sigga Björg has always been preoccupied with strange animals and creatures. These creatures are often times repellant and horrifying, but at the same time there is also something humane about them. Many of them are big and furry with disproportionate body parts and that live in their own world – which could just as well be another dimension. Often times, it is not exactly clear what is going on, but bodily fluids and embarrassing situations often play a role.

Where: Gallery Klaustur (Egilsstaðir) When: July 1st – July 19th, 2015

Where: National Museum of Iceland When: June 6th – December 31st, 2015 (Open daily between 10:00-17:00) Price: 1,500 ISK www.thjodminjasafn.is

Hreintjarnir

Sumargöngur (Summer Walks) This summer, guided walking tours will be offered in Hafnarfjörður every Thursday at 20:00. The walking tours take about one hour and are open to everyone. Admission is free.

Next Thursday, July 16th, the guided tour will begin at the Hafnarfjörður library. Writer Ragnheiður Gestsdóttir will lead the tour with special emphasis on art in Hafnarfjörður.

Where: Starts at the Hafnafjörður library.

When: Thursday, July 16th Price: Free

Harpa Árnadóttir is known for her experimental paintings, both on canvas and on paper. New works by Harpa Árnadóttir, which celebrate the Icelandic summer in all of its glory, will be displayed at the exhibition Hreintjarnir at HverfisgallerÌ. Harpa investigates nature by capturing both Iceland’s landscape and how light from the sun is perceived through the percipient’s eyes. The exhibition is an ode to transience and eternity, sorrow, the growing season and the ephemeral, with Harpa connecting poetry and visual art in many of her works, bridging the gap between literature and visual art.

Harpa Árnadóttir was born in Bíldudalur in 1965 but grew up in Ólafsvík in Snæfellsnes. After having completed a BA degree in history and literature at the University of Iceland, Harpa turned her attention to visual art. She studied at the Myndlista- og Handíðaskólinn (School of Visual Art and Handicraft) and later did her post-graduate studies at the Valand Academy in Gothenberg, Sweden. Harpa’s artworks have been purchased and exhibited in galleries all over Europe. In 2011, Crymogea published a collection of water-color works and texts by Harpa entitled Júní/ June. Harpa also contributed works to the Points of View exhibition at Safnarhúsið (Hverfisgata), which will be a part of the exhibition for the next five years.

Where: Hverfisgallerí (Hverfisgata 4) When: July 2nd – August 9th

In Passing Dagur Gunnarsson This Friday, June 26th, the exhibition, In Passing by photographer Dagur Gunnarsson opens at the Reykjavík Museum of Photography. The exhibition will feature portrait photographs of different people that Dagur has met: friends and relatives; colleagues who could not escape his lens; and various people he has interviewed as a journalist (which explains the high percentage of artists in this series). Dagur believes that good portraits move our innermost core because they arouse our curiosity and make us react in ways that span the entire emotional scale. For this exhibition Dagur unleashes his imagination and creates stories about each face. He tells us that we “constantly scan the faces we meet”, inspired by a kind of subconscious alarm system. We ask ourselves are these faces friendly or hostile? Related or exotic? Happy or mad?

By observing other people the photographer inevitably looks within and mirrors himself in others.

The exhibition is sponsored by Reykjavík’s Division of Culture and Tourism.

Curator is Harri Gylfason.

Where: Reykajvík Museum of Photography (Tryggvagata 15) When: June 26th – September 13th Hours: Mondays – Thursdays: 12:00-19:00 Fridays: 12:00-18:00 Weekends: 13:00-17:00 www.ljosmyndasafnreykjavikur.is

13 What’s happening

Exhibitions

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What’s happening

Benelux Werkstatte – Helgi Þórsson

Cycle Music and Arts Festival For the first time this summer the Cycle Music and Arts Festival will be held from August 13th – August 16th in Kópavogur.

The festival aims to showcase interdisciplinary artworks by international artists, many of whom are innovators in their fields. These artworks fall into the genres of contemporary music, performance art, visual art, audio art and architecture, with the main emphasis being on music. This is one of the first festivals that focuses on the burgeoning inter-disciplinary scene of music with other genres of art. Artists, scholars and guests will be invited to participate in the dialogue through concerts, events, workshops and symposiums, thereby promoting international collaboration and society’s participation in the contemporary art scene.

The artworks that the festival will showcase promote the idea of recycling by introducing existing ideas, sounds, materials and spaces to new contexts, thereby expanding the viewers’ conception of their environment. Besides such conventional arts festival spaces as the concert hall and the art gallery, events

and installations will also be staged in public places along with other selected spaces with the aim of altering the guests’ perception of their environment.

As part of the festival an exhibition will be held in Gerðarsafn under the direction of Nadim Samman. Samman studied philosophy at University College London before completing a doctorate in art history at the Courtauld Institute of Art. In 2012, Samman, alongside of Carson Chan, directed the fourth Marrakech biennial. Naddam’s projects in 2014 consisted, among others, of Antarctopia: The Antarctic Pavilion; the 14th Venice Biennial in architecture; and Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition, which was a unique exhibition on the Pacific island Isla del Coco. Nadim is one of the two directors of Import Projects, the editor of Near East Magzine and curator at ThyssenBornemisza Art Contemporary.

Where: Kópavogur When: August 13th – August 16th Price: 7,500 ISK www.cycle.is

On Saturday, June 27th, Helgi Þórsson opened the solo exhibition Benelux verkstæðið or Benelux Werkstatte. Helgi Þórsson (b.1975) was born in Reykjavík.

He studied Sonology at The Royal Conservatory of The Hague, received his BFA from the Gerrit Rietfeld Academy in Amsterdam in 2002 and an MFA from the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam in 2004.

“The exhibition consists of prints, paintings and sculptures where old classics are seen in a new light and new works in an old one. Big questions are asked and answered correctly according to the question, with new information being brought from the dark into daylight, and the old showing us new sides on same subject, in correlation to current social

responsibility, the possibility of an alien race among and many more… the great fantasy you want to belief and is the truth.

Expect nothing and receive greatly. Bring your wallet if you want to make a bargain.

This is your last chance to get your hands on original Helgi Þórsson artwork at a good price. The master is leaving the country for new adventures, according to a telefax sent from his office. Good times and free alcohol.” (www.this.is/klingogbang) Where: Kling & Bang Gallery (Hverfisgata 42) When: June 27th – July 26th (Thursdays – Sundays 14:00-18:00) Price: Free www.this.is/klingogbang

CAUTION (We place this caveat here, among the featured art exhibitions, for the benefit of the reader): Please be warned that art is a dangerous thing; a perilous thing; and should only be observed with the utmost care and caution. Individuals who observe art, worthy art, jeopardize their own ignorance and put at risk that innate conception of themselves which says that they occupy a privileged position within the Universe. Often, such individuals begin to feel less like avaricious, self-interested individuals and more like members of a vast, catholic tribe, until, gradually, they become friendlier towards animals; more solicitous about nature; and more troubled by grand social injustices.

Gourmet Experience

- Steaks and Style at Argentina Steakhouse Barónsstíg 11 - 101 Reykjavík Tel: 551 9555 argentina.is

15 What’s happening

ICELANDIC ARTSCAPES

The artist of Nature Tolli grew up in Reykjavík and rural Iceland, surrounded by cold seas, amidst broad glacier valleys and stern mountains. An Icelander’s relationship with Nature

Tolli Art Gallery is located at the harbour area in the old part of Reykjavík (next to Farmers Market) and there you can find Tolli´s paintings, available in many sizes. All paintings, especially the larger ones are readily sent in special packages to customers worldwide, arranged by the gallery.

is often primal, brutal and grave. Yet Tolli’s appreciation of his country is also subtle and sensitive, portrayed by fleeting textures. He employs oil colours in bold shades, but with the eider-light touch of a water colourist. The images Tolli portrays could be ancient or modern, but they remain timeless, entangled in the powerful authenticity of the artist´s broad vision.

“What makes my country so spell-binding,” explains the artist, “is not simply the

Whales of Iceland

Tolli art gallerí Old harbour Harpa

landscape forms, extraordinary though they are. It is the Arctic light.” Light is life and in Tolli’s world it becomes dynamic and daring, dramatic and eternal.

City Hall Tjörnin

Visit us and enjoy good art in our comfortable and elegant gallery. You are most welcome!

Art reproduction and posters We also offer fine reprints and posters in convenient hard-case tubes that fits in most suitcases.

Hólmaslóð 2 . 107 Reykjavík . tolli@tolli.is

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What’s happening

Blue Lagoon

Snowmobile on the top of a glacier

The Golden Circle 6 times daily

Book your tour now! iceland@grayline.is | +354 540 1313 | grayline.is

17 What’s happening

South Coast & Waterfalls

Paragliding on the South Coast

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

24 HOUR BOOKING SERVICE Book now at www.grayline.is or call +354 540 1313 Sales Office, Hafnarstræti 20, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

Food tips

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What’s happening

Súpuvagninn (The Soup Wagon) My grandmother prepares the best meat soup in the country. She prepares it so expertly that she could leave out the main ingredient (meat) and still beat out the competition by a country mile. Also, there is something about her soup that inspires a feeling of magnanimity, so much so that whenever I partake in her soup I feel markedly less hostile towards my enemies; it helps me see their humanity. Over time, the superlative stature of my grandmother’s soup has made me prejudiced towards other soups, which is why I was skeptical when I visited the Soup Wagon on Ingólfstorg (downtown Reykjavík) last weekend. I almost pitied the proprietors (two brothers) of the wagon, for they did not know what they were up against. Here they were, no older than 25, unwittingly facing off against the Icelandic empress of meat soup: a woman who had spent 60 years gradually amending her recipe, quietly aspiring towards perfection. With these

thoughts jogging through my head, I rested my elbows on the counter and ordered a large portion of their product. Seconds later, I was handed a big Styrofoam container, which I carried off to one of the nearby benches. I popped open the plastic lid and took a whiff of the bowl – finding there was something familiar about the scent. Hmmmm.

Brandishing my spoon, I submerged it into the oily broth and raised it to my mouth, swallowing the first spoonful doubtfully: I detected lamb, rice, carrots, onions and celery, and it was uncannily delicious.

Having gulped down the entire contents of my bowl, I shot a conspiratorial glance towards the truck: either the owners’ of the Soup Wagon had stolen my grandmother’s recipe – or they had handcuffed her to the radiator, and forced her to churn out bowl after bowl of her authentic product under duress.

Whatever the case, I loved it. Long live the Soup Wagon – and long live my grandmother, as well!

Vefjuvagninn (The Wrap Wagon) Lárus Guðmundsson, or Lalli, as we at SKE call him, opened a food truck on Geirsgata (by the Reykjavík harbor) on June 17th. The food truck is called Vefjuvagninn (The Wrap Wagon) and offers two types of wraps: lamb curry and chili con carne. The story behind the Wrap Wagon is curious; Lalli intends on following his dreams and enrolling at one of the most respected schools of cuisine in the world, the Institut Paul Bocuse in France, and he hopes to finance his studies with the proceeds from the Wrap Wagon. Given that Paul Bocuse will be turning 90 next year, Lalli must act quickly if he is to squeeze the final drops of wisdom from the old master chef. SKE visited the Wrap Wagon last week and sampled both the lamb curry and the chili con carne. The portions were just right: neither too little, nor too much. The wraps themselves were perhaps slightly too big for their portions, but that did not detract any from the taste; it was obvious that Lalli cooks his food with passion: the flavors were deep and honest.. There were clear notes of cumin, the lamb was tender and the chili gave real heat (of course, we ordered the wrap extra spicy, and we were not disappointed). The Wrap Wagon is a real fine addition to our Icelandic wrap culture.

REYKJAVÍK CENTRUM

Elegant bistro menu Service with a smile Cozy atmosphere Great location

www.cafeparis.is

Lemon Lemon is a juice and sandwich bar located on Laugavegur (Reykjavík’s main shopping street) and Suðurlandsbraut (Reykjavík). Not too long ago, they opened a new restaurant in one of our staff member’s hometown: Hafnarfjörður (in Hjallahraun). And so, in order to celebrate this newest addition to his home town’s food scene, he stopped by for a quick bite and then reported back to us. Being an unimaginative man, who often falls into the habit of laziness, he ordered what he always orders: the Tunacado sandwich (tuna, avocadoes and pesto) and the Good Times juice (avocadoes, lemon, ginger and apples). According to his report, the sandwich was consistent with its usual self and did not attempt to break from character with any unnecessary shenanigans.

What he learned was this: When life gives you Lemon, you walk inside and buy some sandwiches.

19 What’s happening

Pósthússtræti 13 | Reykjavíkurvegi 60 | Borgartúni 29 | tel. 561-0562 | www.osushi.is

Design

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What’s happening

Bardastadir Design: Farmers Market Leopard-pattern coat made from 100% Icelandic wool with real horn toggles.

Swan

Large Double Branch (14K Gold)

Design: Finnsdottir

Design: Kria Jewelry

Beautiful ceramic light with a glazed finish (comes with a socket and a cord).

An 18” gold chain and double branch pendant (also available in silver).

Finnsdottir is a Danish design company founded by the Icelander Þóra Finnsdóttir and the Dane Anne Hoff in 2007.

Jóhanna Methúsalemsdóttir is an Icelandic designer based in New York and the creator of the Kria Jewelry brand.

www.finnsdottir.dk

www.icelandicmarket.com

Farmers & Friends is an online concept store for the Icelandic fashion brand Farmers Market and other products as well, emphasizing Icelandic CDs and books. www.farmersandfriends.is

Willow Design: Færið The Willow hanger provides shelter for accessories, whether a gentleman’s tie, a lady’s necklace, a girl’s ribbon or a boy’s bow, sunglasses or a belt.

Færið is an Icelandic design studio that emphasizes user-oriented products with a Nordic twist. Færið is inspired by Icelandic heritage and traditions. www.hrim.is

Loops Design: Ihanna Home Beautiful pillow cover made from 100% cotton.

Ihanna Home is a fast growing Icelandic design company that manufacturers home accessories with functional and sculptural aesthetics, founded by the award-winning designer Ingibjörg Hanna Bjarnadóttir. www.hrim.is

21 What’s happening

We proudly present our latest collection. The Icelandic designed Tradition watches are stylish and are available in a range of color combinations. See the whole collection on michelsenwatch.com.

Laugavegur 15 - 101 ReykjavĂ­k - Tel. 354 511 1900 - www.michelsenwatch.com

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Things to do What’s happening

Zumba Celebration at Klambratún Iceland’s Circus at Klambratún The circus is coming to town! This summer Iceland’s Circus will be staging three different performances: Heima er best (Home is where the heart is), a large family-oriented performance; S.I.R.K.U.S. (C.I.R.C.U.S), a performance intended mainly for pre-schoolers; and Skinnsemi (Skinntelect), a cabaret circus performance for adults over the age of 18.

Where: Klambratún (By Kjarvalsstaðir) When: See website www.midi.is

Movie Night at Reykjavík City Hostel

Zumba is a fun mix between dance and fitness – both of which are conducive to happiness (Zumba is for everyone, the technique is simple and the music is catchy). This Saturday, July 11th the UN Women Youth Council will be hosting a Zumba celebration at the Klambratún park.

The aim of the celebration is to challenge violence and strife with happiness. The Youth Council has enlisted seven top Zumba instructors, all of whom will be making sure that guests have the greatest time possible. The celebration will last for 90 minutes.

All of the proceeds will go to UN Women, providing impoverished women and girls in third-world countries with much needed support. Visit their website to sign up.

Where: Klambratún (By Kjarvalsstaðir) When: Saturday, July 11th, 14:00 Price: 1,000 ISK Sign up at www.unwomen.is

(Lost in Translation) This Saturday, July 11th, the Reykjavík City Hostel will be showing the film Lost in Translation, starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. The film revolves around the unlikely relationship between two Americans in Japan: a middle-aged fading movie star and a young woman.

Where: Reykjavík City Hostel (Sundlaugavegur 34) When: Saturday, July 11th, 20:30 Price: Free

Ingólfshátíð (Viking Festival in Reykjavík) Ingólfshátíð is an annual viking festival in Reykjavík, in which Icelanders’ celebrate their heritage in the beautiful environment of downtown Reykjavík. The festival sees Vikings and Valkyries clad in traditional leather, silver, wool and flax, carrying out the everyday duties of the Viking age. Guests can observe Viking women quilting and weaving as the men go to war in full battle regalia.

Einherjar, the Vikings of Reykjavík society, is the proud organizer of this festival, with support from other Vikings as well.

For additional information visit the festival’s event site on Facebook.

Where: Austurvöllur When: Saturday, July 11th, 12:00 Price: Free

Harbor Festival in Stokkseyri The annual Harbor Festival in Stokkseyri will be held between Friday, July 10th and Sunday, July 12th. Stokkseyri is a small town in south Iceland (about a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík). The festival offers a wide variety of events and diversions for the entire family, including a bonfire, a sing-along (starring the Icelandic singer Ingó Veðurguð), a ball, kayak trips, a bazaar and grilled food. For additional information visit the festival’s event site on Facebook.

Where: Stokkseyri When: Friday, July 10th – Sunday, July 12th

23 What’s happening

Ske

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What’s happening

Heathen Hangover

“Meditation – a waking flirtation with sleep, too often consummated.”

The Christianization of the Icelandic people is reputed to have occured in the year 1000 AD (officially). Most Icelanders are familiar with the story but they are acquainted with the wrong version. In the interest of enlightening the public, I shall now proceed to relate the true story of that event as told to me by reliable sources (sort of). In the summer of 1000 AD, during a session of Alþingi, two rival factions – the Heathens, represented by Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, and the Christians, represented by Hallur Þorsteinsson – convened to discuss the ultimatum of the king of Norway, Ólafur Tryggvason. The king, who had recently been infected with the germ of the Christian faith and was eager to transmit the virus to his “subjects” – proclaimed that the entire Icelandic population was to willingly expose itself to the pandemic or else suffer the wrath of the great king. Hallur Þorsteinsson, who was an anxious and indecisive man, ceded the resolution of the matter to Þorgeir, a godless hypocrite who had been inebriated for a stretch of six days and was therefore suffering from an agonizing and unrelenting hangover. Unable to think on account of his indisposedness, Þorgeir sought to purcahase some time and, under the pretext of contemplation, announced that he would retire under a fur blanket (a phrase which has since come to signify any unlikely excuse furnished by an individual suffering from the aftereffects of excessive drink). The severity of

Þorgeir’s withdrawal was such that he remained unconscious for one day and one night – all the while the congregation waited, anxiously, for the conclusion of his “deep meditation”. When Þorgeir awoke, he felt the urge to relieve himself and stumbled over to the Law Rock in order to so. Sensing the eyes of congregation resting impatiently upon him, he recalled his duty as arbiter and grew nervous. He then seized on his experience as a lifelong hypocrite and devised an impromptu solution that would later be deemed a triumph among historical commentators*; it is customary among hypocrites to denounce publicly that which they enjoy privately, and so Þorgeir, a master of this art, decreed that the nation would henceforth renounce its barbaric paganism and take up the Christian faith – all the while remaining closet heathens. Being aware of the importance of making extravagant displays of self-righteousness at such moments, Þorgeir tossed his old idols into a waterfall upon returning to his home – and retrieved them the following morning under the cover of darkness. Still to this day the majority of the Icelandic population remains heathen, attending church once a year in honor of the stubborn charade initiated by Þorgeir many centuries ago. *This compromise has been termed the hypocrite’s compromise and is frequently employed by clever children.

Happy Hour!

You know what time it is Prikið, Bankastræti 12

All weekdays from 16:00 - 20:00 Beer - 500 ISK

Vegamót, Vegamótastígur 4

Thursday till Saturday from 22:00 - 01:00 Beer - 750 ISK Wine - 750 ISK

Stofan Café, Aðalstræti 7 All days from 17:00 - 20:00 Beer - 750 ISK Wine - 950 ISK

Kaldi Bar, Laugavegur 20B All days from 16:00- 19:00 Beer - 650 ISK

At Public House Gastropub we put an emphasis on serving fun dining along with some quality ambience.

We use Icelandic ingredients but we add some japanese flair to our dishes because we like to have fun with our food and drinks.

Hlemmur Square, Laugavegur 105 All days from 17:00 - 21:00 Beer - 600 ISK Wine - 600 ISK

Slippbarinn, Mýrargata 2 All days from 15:00 - 18:00 Beer - 500 ISK Wine - 500 ISK

TRY OUR PHGP TASTE OF ICELAND

Smurstöðin Restaurant, Austurbakki 2 I‘M TRAPPED Slow cooked LAMB SHANK doughnut | Apricot jam

All days from 16:00 - 18:00 Beer - 500 ISK Wine - 600 ISK

LOL Cured PUFFIN with liquorice | Cherries | Blue cheese sauce

Barber Bar, Laugavegur 66-68 All days from 16:00 - 19:00 Beer - 650 ISK Wine - 650 ISK

SENBAI Thyme smoked ARCTIC CHARR on a senbai cracker | Dill mayo | Chimichurri

TATAKI REINDEER TATAKI with Icelandic blue cheese | Smoked sour cream | Amazu ponzu

Loftið, Austurstræti 9

PUBLIC HOUSE GASTROPUB Laugavegur 24 | Tel. 555 7333 publichouse@publichouse.is #publichousegastropub publichouse.is

All days from 16:00 - 23:00 2 for 1

25 What’s happening

Made in Perlan

This croissant is among many other delicious offerings made in Perlan earlier today for you to enjoy with the spectacular view overseeing the city in any direction.

C

A

F

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Fashion

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What’s happening

Sindri Jensson

Hildur Ragnarsdóttir

Húrra Reykjavík

Einvera

The People Behind the Scene Once again it is that time of year when fashion weeks are being held around the world and 2016 spring and summer collections are being debuted. It is interesting to think that orders are being placed now for products that will be appearing in stores six to eight months from now. This week, for example, fashion week will be held in Berlin and the fashion week in Copenhagen is scheduled to take place in the beginning of August. I attended my first fashion week in 2007 and I estimate that I have visited around 35-40 such festivals since. The reason why I refer to these events as festivals is because for those of us who work in the fashion industry this is exactly what they are: a kind of annual celebration where people from the fashion industry, all over the world, come together. This is why I love watching the people who attend fashion week and their clothes. One can often spot mini trends and larger trends long before they become mainstream. During these fashion weeks, photographers are busy taking pictures of those in attendance for

it is they who are responsible for ordering new products and setting new trends.

Those brands that are showcasing new products during these fashion weeks are also clever, and, in some sense, more ecofriendly than other larger brands who sell mass-produced clothing. The reason being that these brands produce so-called “1-2” collections that they showcase, and then produce clothing from these collections according to demand, and we, the retailers, receive our orders six to eight months later. The biggest brands, however, produce 10-20% more of their most popular products, allowing the retailer to re-order certain products that sell well. Whatever your opinion of the fashion world, one thing is for certain: the fashion world is fascinating. I could not imagine a more fun industry to work in because it is always impossible to predict what direction fashion will take; one will never become completely omniscient as regards the industry. There is always a new brand around the corner, waiting to be discovered.

Sarah Harris – Style Icon After having seen a picture of that beautiful gray hair on the internet, I decided to do some research and find out who this super stylish gray-haired woman was. I discovered that her name is Sarah Harris and that she is the Fashion Features Director of the British Vogue. Her style is minimalistic and simple. She is a big fan

of jeans and sneakers. When Sarah was 17 her hair started to turn gray, but instead of dyeing her hair she decided to embrace it.

This is the origin story behind that perfect gray hair: all natural, what else! Follow her on Instagram @sarahharrisuk.

27 What’s happening

Svarfadur Valley is Iceland’s most beautiful place, according to its people, the Svarfdaelings. A few years ago, all sheep in the valley were quarantined and destroyed because of scrapie, a fatal and infectious disease. That’s when they founded the Herding Society, a venerable club of shepherds, car mechanics, carpenters, schoolteachers and plumbers. They are also poets and singers and festive men. And they continue to herd every year, despite the fact that there is not a single sheep left in the valley.

The Svarfadur Valley Herding Society: Skál fyrir þér!

Léttöl

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What’s happening

All Tomorrow’s Parties Ásbrú, Keflavík July 2.-4.

29 What’s happening

Algera Fiesta Flow July 4th

Who needs oil when you have rain?

Landsvirkjun is one of Europe’s leading renewable energy companies.

Visit our interactive exhibitions at Búrfell and Krafla Power Stations this summer.

Free admission from 10 am – 5 pm every day.

Route information at landsvirkjun.com/visitors

Cinema

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What’s happening

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

HRÚTAR

JURASSIC WORLD

HUMAN CAPITAL

LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | ÁLFABAKKI KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK

SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ BORGARBÍÓ AKUREYRI

SMÁRABÍÓ | HÁSKÓLABÍÓ LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | BORGARBÍÓ ÁLFABAKKI | SAMBÍOIN EGILSHÖLL

BÍÓ PARADÍS

8,2

98%

8,8

8,6

BÍÓ PARADÍS

SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

7,6

81%

SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

36%

6,2

70%

ENTOURAGE

SPY 1001 GRAMS

7,4

SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

95%

BÍÓ PARADÍS

ÁLFABAKKI | KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL SAMBÍÓIN AKUREYRI |

GIRLHOOD BÍÓ PARADÍS

7,4

30%

6,8

95%

87%

6,6

96%

7,6

SAN ANDREAS BAKK SMÁRABÍÓ | HÁSKÓLABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | BORGARBÍÓ AKUREYRI

TOMORROWLAND

ÁLFABAKKA | KRINGLUBÍÓ

6,6

50%

ÁLFABAKKI SAMBÍÓIN, AKUREYRI

TED 2

SMÁRABÍÓ | LAUGARÁSBÍÓ

SMÁRABÍÓ | HÁSKÓLABÍÓ LAUGARÁSBÍÓ | KRINGLUBÍÓ | SAMBÍÓIN EGILSHÖLL | SAMBÍÓIN KEFLAVÍK | BORGARBÍÓ AKUREYRI

7,1

INSIDE OUT

48%

6,7

50%

8,9

98%

31 What’s happening

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