#4: Pear cider, pink chairs, and not walking into random doors (however beautiful they may be)
My first week in Stockholm in 12 photos!
I’ve been in Stockholm for about a week now (of seven). I’ve spent most of this week wandering around the city, turning down random streets and seeing what happens (also usually getting lost). My step count goes crazyyy. To be honest I’ve not really been on my photo game BUT I have managed to take some (super mid) iPhone shots of random things I have come across. Somehow they pretty accurately summarize my time here so far... so here goes.
ESPRESSO HOUSE IS EVERYWHERE. Espresso House is Sweden’s Starbucks, only it has actually good espresso and half their pastries are vegan. Espresso House is the only place I’ve found so far where you can work at your computer any time of day, since most coffee shops here either ban computers entirely or don’t allow them after 11 AM, because vibes. (Actually I think it’s to encourage real-life conversation which is actually pretty cool.) I’m currently working on a little map of coffee shops I can reliably use my computer at. So far there are two.
CHOKLADBOLLAR. (pronunciation unclear) I haven’t tried a ton of pastries yet, and the main reason for this is the Chokladbollar (Chocolate Ball), which is so insanely good that it’s basically not worth it to try anything else. It’s a traditional Swedish pastry with a chalky, chewy kind of texture I haven’t ever tasted before. We do fika at 2-3ish pm every day here, which basically means you get a coffee and pastry (so chokladbollar, in my case), and just chill for a bit. Possibly the best idea I have ever heard of.
MORE TRADITIONAL FOOD. This dish I had at a vegan restaurant the other day is apparently super Swedish. It was vegan meatballs with a curryish sort of sauce, mashed potatoes, and Lingonberries. I didn’t exactly have a place to file this flavor profile in my head but it was definitely something and I would probably eat it again.
VEGANSK. Speaking of vegan, the first Swedish word I learned (out of personal necessity, and also because it’s pretty similar to the English one) is “vegansk” (vegan). I don’t actually know how to say it because everyone here wants to speak English to me but I see it everywhere!
PEAR CIDER. Also really good and really Swedish is pear cider. It is far cheaper than cocktails and has become my go-to.
MORE FOOD. This post is very quickly becoming food-focused but I am trying to make dinner at home to cut costs a bit. I have been so tired by the time I get back to my apartment so I’ve just been making a little tofu salad. I don’t have seasoning at the moment so the dressing is lemon juice (interestingly, the lemons here do not have seeds, at least not the ones at the store under my place). I also bought a basil plant so I can put basil on everything! So much green!
PINK CHAIRS.
MORE PINK CHAIRS. These ones are in my room. I brought my Powell’s Books mushroom from home and am currently reading “On Freedom” by Maggie Nelson (my favorite author). I haven’t been able to find it in my local bookstore in the US but it was randomly sitting alone on the shelf at the airport bookstore in Helsinki. The book discusses freedom in the realms of art, sexuality, drugs, and climate, and it’s incredible so far. (I feel very intellectual whenever I break it open on the bus and start underlining things.)
EVEN MORE PINK. They know how to pick their colors here. I really enjoyed this usage of (what looks like) Futura with these pinks. The graphic design here in general is pretty fun to consume.
OLD TOWN. This is Gamla Stan, the “old town” and center island of the Stockholm archipelago. Everything is adorable on this island and also very touristy. (Funny story, I accidentally locked myself into a basement because I saw the coolest, oldest, most medieval-looking door I have ever seen sitting slightly ajar and decided to look inside, and then a little further in, and then ventured partway down the stairs, at which point the door swung shut and locked me in. I think it was a bed and breakfast (?). I eventually got out after fortyish minutes but it was not my proudest moment, and it ended up involving a building manager in Malmo, some British tourists, and a lottt of deep breaths. (Was feeling very thankful I’m not claustrophobic.) I am now trying to practice common sense as I wander the city, lol.
RAIN. It has been beautiful and hot the last few days, but today it rained… hard. When it rains here, it storms. It comes down in sheets. I learned to bring a raincoat everywhere just in case. Here is my friend/track & field coworker Marta (we found out randomly we’d be in the same city for a few days — she was shooting a Diamond League meet).
Also thought this little impromptu sticker mural was cute!
ily! chlo <3
That was an incredibly fun read. It really gives me a sense of it. Thank you for collecting and sharing these observations!