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| Dala horses
I was raised in a Swedish-American environment in Rochester, New York and hoped that someday, I would visit Sweden and connect with my mother's family. My parents visited in the eighties and had the opportunity to meet my mother's relatives who did not emigrate to the United States. After seeing photos of my family in Sweden, I was struck by the resemblance to our kin in Rochester. There was no doubt that they were related to us. I was intrigued by my cousin Tim, who lives outside of Stockholm. He is a costume designer who designs for celebrities and the Swedish Royal family. After my mother met him, she said, "you would love Tim. You two have so much in common." This gave me more incentive to visit Sweden.
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The doctor had a conference in Stockholm so I asked him if he wouldn't mind cancelling our plans to visit San Francisco in favour of Sweden. He knew how much I wanted to meet my Swedish relatives so the plans changed and Sweden became our destination. After four lovely days in Amsterdam, we flew to Stockholm, the Venice of the North.
I had watched the Steig Larsson trilogy (the Swedish films, not the new American adaptations) and fell in love with Stockholm. I also have had a love affair with Gustavian furniture and interiors for quite some time and this trip would allow me to view Gustavian in its natural environment with the correct northern light. But the most important aspect of this trip was that I was finally going to meet my amazing cousin Tim.
The doctor made a reservation at the Clarion Collection Hotel Wellington on Storgatan in Ostermalm.
This hotel chain is fantastic and a must when staying in the most expensive city in the world. Clarion offers a free breakfast and dinner and the dining room and adjacent lounge are cosy. Swedes tend to use candles often which added to the ambiance of this sweet little space for meals. The food was very good and the 24 hour cappuccino machine, tea assortment and cookies were a bonus. The tidy room was the size of a dorm room but the bathroom was larger and modern. There was very little room to hang clothing so we were forced to keep our clothes in suitcases. However, robes were provided and the view from our balcony was breathtaking. If the weather had been warmer, we would have spent more time sitting on this balcony in the evening, and by evening, I mean 5PM. Yes, Stockholm is pitch black at 5PM in November.
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| Theatre |
Stortorget is the name of the scenic large square in the centre of
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| Gamla Stan |
Gamla Stan, which is surrounded by old merchants' houses including the Stockholm Stock Exchange Building. The square was the site of the Stockholm Bloodbath, where Swedish noblemen were massacred by the Danish King Christian II in November, 1520. As well as being home to the Stockholm Cathedral (a must), the Nobel Museum, and the Riddarholm church, Gamla stan also boasts Kungliga slottet, Sweden's baroque Royal Palace, built in the 18th century after the previous palace Tre Kronor burned down. The House of Nobility (Riddarhuset) is on the north-western corner of Gamla stan.
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| Royal Palace |
Although Gamla Stan is filled with touristy shops, don't let this stop you from exploring the charming narrow streets and eating the outstanding herring (sil) offered in the trendy little restaurants such as the one where we stopped for lunch called Ej Kvitto. The sil we had for lunch had the texture of velvet and the flavour of my Grandma's sil which will always be my favourite. Everyone speaks English in Sweden so don't worry if you are unfamiliar with Swedish cuisine. Swedes are friendly and happy to explain the various foods to you.
With the exception of one dinner, we sampled the local cuisine during lunch. The best meal was at Saluhall in Ostermalm about two blocks from our hotel. This indoor food market was bustling with activity. Locals were buying local fish and meat to take home but most people, including us, were scanning the various restaurants for a sit-down lunch.
We chose Tysta Mari and I am still thanking my lucky stars that I made the right choice. I ate a fish soup that had large chunks of white fish floating in a yummy tomato broth. I asked my cousin Ulla for a recipe and am waiting for her letter. There is nothing that compares to food made with fresh ingredients. I am not a huge fan of fish if it tastes fishy. But the fish in Stockholm is brought in daily from the sea and when seasoned properly, the experience attacks all of the senses throughout the body. I did not want to stop eating that soup, in fact, I was so depressed when I saw the bottom of my bowl. Oh sure, I could have ordered a second bowl, but I was full and didn't want to appear like a total a loser!
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| Saluhall |
Since we had eaten most of our meals at the hotel, we were ready for a night on the town. My cousin Tim arrived at the hotel at exactly 4PM. Swedes are very prompt and if they tell you they will be there at 4:01, you better be ready at 4:01. Being prompt was drilled into my head at a very young age so I am always ready on time. Once I saw Tim in the lobby, we squealed and hugged as if we hadn't seen each other in some time rather than meeting for the first time. And he was everything I had expected and more.
We sat in the lobby for about an hour looking at family photos so he could see what the family in Rochester looked liked. He was struck by the strong resemblance to the family in the states and in particular, how much he looks like my cousin Joey and his sons. Of course, since Tim is a costume designer, he pays careful attention to his own attire. Let's just say he is the coolest person on the planet!
And since he is the coolest, he chose the best restaurant in Stockholm for our dinner. Now choosing the top restaurants comes with all kinds of perks but since Stockholm is ubër expensive, it was also the most expensive restaurant in the city. But cost didn't matter since I was spending time with the cousin I had longed to meet for the past 25 years.
We walked to the restaurant which allowed Tim to give us a walking tour of his adopted city. Once we reached the palace, he told us about his time there and the work he had done for the Royal family. He also directed us to where he once lived in the neighbourhood of Sodermalm which is the very hip area of Stockholm.
We had wandered around this neighborhood the day before and were thrilled with the number of interesting little restaurants and shops with clothing by young designers - just my cup of tea. When we finally arrived at the restaurant Erik's Gondolen, which was located in this neighbourhood on the top floor of a very tall building, the doctor had a bird's eye view of Stockholm and was able to capture some great night time shots. Erik is a world renowned chef and the menu did not disappoint. We could see the lights of Stockholm while the doctor and I savoured the local sil resting in various sauces. Tim had the toast with bleak roe from Kalix, red onion, crème fraiche and lemon. According to Tim, the best caviar comes from Kalix and after tasting it, I can say that it was the best caviar I've ever had. I chose the deer entree and let me tell you, deer in Sweden tastes nothing like venison in North America. There is no gamey taste and it can be served medium rare. The meal was exceptional from beginning to end and of course, the time spent with Tim was worth the price of this meal (and don't ask how expensive it was, just take my word for it).
It was hard to say goodbye to Tim at the end of the evening. But he had to return home to his little village outside of Stockholm because he was creating costumes for a famous singer's back-up dancers who would be performing in a couple of nights on, get ready; Swedish Idol. We watched the show so we could see his work and I must admit, I really liked Swedish Idol. And of course, Tim's creations were gorgeous.
Places worth a visit:
Everyone we spoke to told us to visit the Vasa Museum. It is definitely worth a visit and it is a short tram ride from the downtown core to the museum area. You can also walk there by crossing one of the bridges that links the mainland to one of the many islands. I love museums but to see a ship, built in 1625, that has been raised piece by piece from the bottom of the sea and carefully rebuilt and restored is impressive.
I urge everyone to take a tour of City Hall and see where they hold the Nobel Prize dinner and ball each year. I have always loved Carrara marble from Italy, but this building is covered in Swedish marble that has the most beautiful coloration. If I ever redo another room, I am using this marble. One room, where the ball is held, is called the Gold Room because it is covered in gold. I learned a great deal about Swedish history and the history of its capital during this tour. I highly recommend it.
Of course, how could one visit any capital city without seeing the palace-Kungliga slottet). One can see King Gustav's fascination with 18th century French interiors which created the Gustavian aesthetic. The royal carriages are much more beautiful than those belonging to Queen Elizabeth.
Once again, we chose a hotel in an area that provided me with all of the eye candy necessary to feed my clothing and designing needs. I did not purchase anything because of the cost of clothing is much higher than other places in the world; however, the window shopping was enough to satisfy me. I was interested to see how many H&M stores I could find within a city block since Stockholm is the home of this funky chain. I found the perfect corner in the main shopping district that had an H&M on all four corners. This is the equivalent of the over saturation of Starbucks in North America. But my browsing goal was to find the design district and the plethora of Gustavian furniture. Well, lo and behold, it was right around the corner from my hotel. If one strolls along Karlaväven and the streets near it, Gustavian furniture is everywhere including antiques and reproductions. I was in Gustavian heaven! Two stores in particular that caught my eye were Fogelmarck and Solgården. From luscious dining rooms sets to Mora clocks, these establishments represent the cream of the crop. The subtle blues, greys, and milky whites used on these pieces would look stunning in any home and as I said earlier, are enhanced by the northern light of Sweden. I would love a Mora clock but will most likely purchase one in Hudson, New York where many of the shops specialize in Gustavian decor.
After 5 glorious days in Stockholm and the experience of a real Swedish sauna in our hotel, we caught another flight to Halmstad, the city of my grandmother's birth and home of Tim's family. The dream of being in Halmstad finally becomes a reality.
Hotel:
Clarion Hotel Wellington. Address: Storgatan 6 (in upscale Ostermalm district)
Restaurants:
Tysta Mari (Saluhall)
Östermalms Saluhall
114 42 Stockholm
Phone: 08-662 60 36
info@tystamari.se
Ej Kvitto (Gamla Stan)
sorry, can't locate the address.
Eriks Gondolen (Katarinahissen Tower)
Stadsgården 6
Box 151 55, 104 65 Stockholm
+46(0) 641 70 90
www.eriks.se
Shopping for Gustavian Treasures:
Solgården
Karlavägen 58, 114 49
Stockholm
08-663-93 60
www.solgarden.se
Fogelmarck
Karlavägen 74, SE-114 59
Stockholm
08-662 63 21
www.fogelmarck.se
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| Tim and me |
And since he is the coolest, he chose the best restaurant in Stockholm for our dinner. Now choosing the top restaurants comes with all kinds of perks but since Stockholm is ubër expensive, it was also the most expensive restaurant in the city. But cost didn't matter since I was spending time with the cousin I had longed to meet for the past 25 years.
We walked to the restaurant which allowed Tim to give us a walking tour of his adopted city. Once we reached the palace, he told us about his time there and the work he had done for the Royal family. He also directed us to where he once lived in the neighbourhood of Sodermalm which is the very hip area of Stockholm.
 |
| Sodermalm and tower where we ate dinner |
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| Sodermalm |
We had wandered around this neighborhood the day before and were thrilled with the number of interesting little restaurants and shops with clothing by young designers - just my cup of tea. When we finally arrived at the restaurant Erik's Gondolen, which was located in this neighbourhood on the top floor of a very tall building, the doctor had a bird's eye view of Stockholm and was able to capture some great night time shots. Erik is a world renowned chef and the menu did not disappoint. We could see the lights of Stockholm while the doctor and I savoured the local sil resting in various sauces. Tim had the toast with bleak roe from Kalix, red onion, crème fraiche and lemon. According to Tim, the best caviar comes from Kalix and after tasting it, I can say that it was the best caviar I've ever had. I chose the deer entree and let me tell you, deer in Sweden tastes nothing like venison in North America. There is no gamey taste and it can be served medium rare. The meal was exceptional from beginning to end and of course, the time spent with Tim was worth the price of this meal (and don't ask how expensive it was, just take my word for it).
It was hard to say goodbye to Tim at the end of the evening. But he had to return home to his little village outside of Stockholm because he was creating costumes for a famous singer's back-up dancers who would be performing in a couple of nights on, get ready; Swedish Idol. We watched the show so we could see his work and I must admit, I really liked Swedish Idol. And of course, Tim's creations were gorgeous.
Places worth a visit:
Everyone we spoke to told us to visit the Vasa Museum. It is definitely worth a visit and it is a short tram ride from the downtown core to the museum area. You can also walk there by crossing one of the bridges that links the mainland to one of the many islands. I love museums but to see a ship, built in 1625, that has been raised piece by piece from the bottom of the sea and carefully rebuilt and restored is impressive.
I urge everyone to take a tour of City Hall and see where they hold the Nobel Prize dinner and ball each year. I have always loved Carrara marble from Italy, but this building is covered in Swedish marble that has the most beautiful coloration. If I ever redo another room, I am using this marble. One room, where the ball is held, is called the Gold Room because it is covered in gold. I learned a great deal about Swedish history and the history of its capital during this tour. I highly recommend it.
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| exterior of City Hall courtyard |
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| Blue Room where Nobel Prize winners enter from the grand staircase |
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| Gold Room |
Once again, we chose a hotel in an area that provided me with all of the eye candy necessary to feed my clothing and designing needs. I did not purchase anything because of the cost of clothing is much higher than other places in the world; however, the window shopping was enough to satisfy me. I was interested to see how many H&M stores I could find within a city block since Stockholm is the home of this funky chain. I found the perfect corner in the main shopping district that had an H&M on all four corners. This is the equivalent of the over saturation of Starbucks in North America. But my browsing goal was to find the design district and the plethora of Gustavian furniture. Well, lo and behold, it was right around the corner from my hotel. If one strolls along Karlaväven and the streets near it, Gustavian furniture is everywhere including antiques and reproductions. I was in Gustavian heaven! Two stores in particular that caught my eye were Fogelmarck and Solgården. From luscious dining rooms sets to Mora clocks, these establishments represent the cream of the crop. The subtle blues, greys, and milky whites used on these pieces would look stunning in any home and as I said earlier, are enhanced by the northern light of Sweden. I would love a Mora clock but will most likely purchase one in Hudson, New York where many of the shops specialize in Gustavian decor.
Hotel:
Clarion Hotel Wellington. Address: Storgatan 6 (in upscale Ostermalm district)
Restaurants:
Tysta Mari (Saluhall)
Östermalms Saluhall
114 42 Stockholm
Phone: 08-662 60 36
info@tystamari.se
Ej Kvitto (Gamla Stan)
sorry, can't locate the address.
Eriks Gondolen (Katarinahissen Tower)
Stadsgården 6
Box 151 55, 104 65 Stockholm
+46(0) 641 70 90
www.eriks.se
Shopping for Gustavian Treasures:
Solgården
Karlavägen 58, 114 49
Stockholm
08-663-93 60
www.solgarden.se
Fogelmarck
Karlavägen 74, SE-114 59
Stockholm
08-662 63 21
www.fogelmarck.se
1 comment:
What a great trip! Sounds like exactly what you were hoping for. We were in Stockholm two summers ago and had a blast. Loved Gamla Stan, loved the Vasa museum. I would like to go back some day for a more extended period of time.
Bill
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