All posts tagged: Stockholm

Miss Clara, Stockholm

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When somebody says Scandinavia, the first thing that floats into my subconscious is clean lines and beautiful, functional design. Well, at least as the top three things with hygge and Alexander Skarsgård – in no particular order. So to even consider going on tour in the land of sleek interiors and not stay in a beautiful hotel or two was out of the question. Enter Miss Clara, Stockholm. From our first experience checking in, where we were greeted by a very friendly and helpful concierge (who later gave me great tips for exploring the design stores of Östermalm), we knew were in a place that was pure class. Then our room, with dark solid wood and billowing white clouds curtains, walls and sheets of crisp white as well, lovely light whether natural or lamp-made, we were arriving into the very aesthetics that Scandi design conjures. A nice hotel is also as good as the little touches, like the Orla Kiely products in the bathroom, the Swedish script on the frosted bathroom window,  and the divine …

A Short Guide to Stockholm, Sweden

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My family is from Stockholm on my mother’s side. Her grandfather’s family, who emigrated to Sydney, had a home that sat below the Captain Cook’s Bridge on the George’s River that they called ‘Stockholm’ in memory of their place of birth. He was a maker of Swedish furniture until a boating accident devastatingly crushed one of his arms. His two brothers went off and married the family maids, much to the chagrin of the rest of the family. If I could transport back in time, I would love to be around in this house and see how these stories of my family all played out. To see how much of the Swedish culture was woven into their everyday lives. Did they break for fika? Did they speak a mix of English and Swedish and did the brothers whisper Jag älskar dig to the maids while they worked? Was there some pieces of furniture made by my great great grandfather that really should be in my lounge room right now? Probably, but I’m not sure I’ll …

Scandi Food Fave: Oaxen Slip, Stockholm

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Oaxen Slip has a giant boat suspended from the ceiling. This painted vessel is hoisted up to dangle from the high ceiling of the bright white dining room, where it sits above wooden tables with retro cinema seating and red leather bar stools. Arriving for the first seating of the day meant we had the pick of the balcony tables, so we plonked in the sun, ordered some plonk and settled in to what was to be a glorious afternoon by the waters of the inner archipelago. We discovered this restaurant in the fab CITIx60 Stockholm Guide, which features everything from restaurants to galleries and hotels to markets, all recommended by creative locals. I was sold on the big, crafty boat scenario, but another alluring factor was that Oaxen Slip is a short ferry trip from Stockholm to the small island of Djurgården (which , you can tell your mother, also houses the ABBA Museum – she’ll be pissed you don’t go) and a little leafy island stroll to get there.   Oaxen Slip is …

Restaurant Love: Svartsö Krog, Sweden

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An hour and a half out of the city by ferry, Svartsö is an island gem in the Stockholm archipelago that is almost worth visiting just for its lovely (and only) restaurant – Svartsö Krog. This dining experience can be filed under Travel’s Welcome Little Surprises. We arrived in Svartsö (as per my previous post on this island adventure) with zero expectations of a delicious meal – rather just a dim hope of any meal – and floated into what was surely some kind of heaven portal. Gourmet (but not wanky) local fresh Swedish food, delivered with friendly service. We couldn’t believe it when our waitress confessed – in the infuriatingly perfect English adopted by all Scandinavians – it was her first week. Even without a booking, we were seated on the wooden balcony, with views out to the water. The eve was starting to get cooler, but there were big rustic blankets at hand should we need them. On learning that food was served until 10pm and the restaurant was open until midnight, we …

Svartsö: Wild Spin in the Stockholm Archipelago

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This mini adventure began in typical wild spin fashion, running at high speed through the crowds of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s old town. We didn’t leave enough time after visiting the Vasamuseet to ferry back from Djurgården, collect our bags from the hotel and get down to the ferry wharf and set sail on our next adventure. So here we were, victims again of our misconception that we can fit a fat itinerary into a thin afternoon, sweating and side-stepping the leisurely tourists of Central Stockholm. But this is a story about the archipelago. We walked onto the gangplank with a minute to spare. The Stockholm Archipelago is made up of approximately 30,000 islands, so as the ferry left the city in its whitewash, we began to float past rocky islands of varying sizes. Some are little more than a jagged outcrop used as a resting place for gulls, others are the size of a private property – and indeed that’s what they are – a pine-clad oasis for a summer home, Swedish flag swinging in the …