Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt) 2015

Kulturnatt Stockholm: www.kulturnattstockholm.se  

This Saturday, April 25th, is the sixth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. This festival will have almost 400 events taking place at different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

A concert last year, at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Photo by Emma Svensson.

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, dance, games, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a summary to download/print in English (pdf file) on their website (click here), just scroll down a bit for the link. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here. Of course, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel... you can stop by and talk to me and I can help you with more detailed information. You can also stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more information about what is happening! In past years they have had one official After Party (with live music, DJ's, dancing), but this year they are splitting it up and holding parties at four venues in different parts of the city. Free admission and open until 2am or 3am depending on the venue.

Stockholm Culture Night (Kulturnatt) 2015

Posted by zlatin

Kulturnatt Stockholm: www.kulturnattstockholm.se  

This Saturday, April 25th, is the sixth annual Culture Night (Kulturnatt) in Stockholm. It has become quite popular! So, what exactly is a Culture Night? Well, it basically is an evening devoted to all things cultural... and FREE! Different cultural institutions in Stockholm are open during the evening (6pm to midnight), including museums, art galleries, libraries, churches, palaces, clubs, theatres, cinemas and more. This festival will have almost 400 events taking place at different locations throughout the city! And, as I mentioned earlier, admission is free... so this is a great opportunity to get cultural without damaging your wallet.

A concert last year, at Gustav Adolfs Torg. Photo by Emma Svensson.

There is a lot to choose from... art & museum exhibitions, concerts, dance, games, guided tours, performances, viewings and parties. Something for every taste! You can find a summary to download/print in English (pdf file) on their website (click here), just scroll down a bit for the link. More detailed information in Swedish along with the full program with actual events can be found by clicking here. Of course, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel... you can stop by and talk to me and I can help you with more detailed information. You can also stop by the Stockholm Visitor Center or Visit Djurgården for more information about what is happening! In past years they have had one official After Party (with live music, DJ's, dancing), but this year they are splitting it up and holding parties at four venues in different parts of the city. Free admission and open until 2am or 3am depending on the venue.

Goût de France - Good France

In 2010, French cuisine was added to UNESCO's intangible world heritage list... and rightly so! Very few nations have such a gastronomic cultural identity as France. On March 19th 2015, this cultural heritage will be celebrated in a big, big way: Goût de France. This exciting international gastronomical event will take place in 1300 restaurants in 150 countries on 5 continents. Each chef will offer their own French style menu... French digestive, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish dish, meat or poultry dish, French cheese (or cheese plate) and a chocolate dessert along with French wines and digestives (naturellement!). All types of restaurants are taking part, from neighborhood bistros to gourmet establishments.

Good France. Photo by (c) Pierre Monetta

Sweden has long had a close relationship with France, even before the time of Axel von Fersen and Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, and is well represented in the Goût de France. 17 restaurants in Sweden are taking part, 7 of them in Stockholm, and all of these restaurants applied and their menus were approved by an international committee of chefs. The Stockholm restaurants are:

• 19 Glas
• Berns Bistro
• Bistro Jarl
• Brasserie Bobonne
• Broms
• Le Rouge
• Metropol Palais

So, if you are visiting Stockholm on March 19th... book a table and help celebrate French cuisine. And if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me if you need any help booking a table or translating a website (some are only in Swedish). You should be able to find their special Goût de France menu on their websites linked above, otherwise visit this website where you can search for ALL restaurants taking part and their special menu for the evening.

Good France. Photo by (c) Pierre Monetta

But you can enjoy great French cuisine year-round in Stockholm, not only on March 19th. Besides the fine establishments above, here are several other recommended French restaurants in the city: Pastis, Delikatessen, Bistro Bon, Á la Crêpe, Mister French, Naturligtvis, Chez Betty, Brasserie Godot, Napolyon and Grand Escalier. Bon Appétit!

Goût de France - Good France

Posted by zlatin

In 2010, French cuisine was added to UNESCO's intangible world heritage list... and rightly so! Very few nations have such a gastronomic cultural identity as France. On March 19th 2015, this cultural heritage will be celebrated in a big, big way: Goût de France. This exciting international gastronomical event will take place in 1300 restaurants in 150 countries on 5 continents. Each chef will offer their own French style menu... French digestive, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish dish, meat or poultry dish, French cheese (or cheese plate) and a chocolate dessert along with French wines and digestives (naturellement!). All types of restaurants are taking part, from neighborhood bistros to gourmet establishments.

Good France. Photo by (c) Pierre Monetta

Sweden has long had a close relationship with France, even before the time of Axel von Fersen and Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, and is well represented in the Goût de France. 17 restaurants in Sweden are taking part, 7 of them in Stockholm, and all of these restaurants applied and their menus were approved by an international committee of chefs. The Stockholm restaurants are:

• 19 Glas
• Berns Bistro
• Bistro Jarl
• Brasserie Bobonne
• Broms
• Le Rouge
• Metropol Palais

So, if you are visiting Stockholm on March 19th... book a table and help celebrate French cuisine. And if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me if you need any help booking a table or translating a website (some are only in Swedish). You should be able to find their special Goût de France menu on their websites linked above, otherwise visit this website where you can search for ALL restaurants taking part and their special menu for the evening.

Good France. Photo by (c) Pierre Monetta

But you can enjoy great French cuisine year-round in Stockholm, not only on March 19th. Besides the fine establishments above, here are several other recommended French restaurants in the city: Pastis, Delikatessen, Bistro Bon, Á la Crêpe, Mister French, Naturligtvis, Chez Betty, Brasserie Godot, Napolyon and Grand Escalier. Bon Appétit!

Stockholm International Film Festival 2014

It's November and in Stockholm that means it is time for the Stockholm International Film Festival. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the festival, which runs from the 5th to the 16th of November. There will be 201 current movies from 60 countries shown during the festival at several different venues. Besides the movies, there will be red carpet events, special presentations, parties as well as different award ceremonies.

Skandia, photo by Emmanuel Castro Skött

Several movies being shown have already won awards at other film festivals over the past few months... like Whiplash (Sundance), Black Coal, Thin Ice (Berlin), Winter Sleeps (Cannes) and A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Venice). Some other movies being shown have already garnered Oscar buzz, like Wild with Reese Witherspoon. It might seem daunting to have to try and choose which films you want to see among 201 choices, but they have made it a bit easier by breaking down the program in different ways... by day, alphabetically, venue or section. On the "section" side, the films are divided up by genre or type and whether they are part of the festival competition or not. Click here for the program.

Bronze Horse, photo by Isa Olsson.

Certain films are in competition for the Bronze Horse Award (best film) as well as smaller awards (Aluminum Horse- best actor, script, cinematography, etc.). Then there are prestigious awards given annually. These include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Achievement Award and Visionary Award, Director Mike Leigh, actress Uma Thurman and director Roy Andersson have been announced as the winners of each espective award and will be on hand to accept them. The festival has also planned a special dedication to Lauren Bacall, past Lifetime Achievement Award winner who passed away in August.

Lauren Bacall, photo by Leif Erik Nygårds.

As you can see... a full schedule! All of the pertinent information and tickets can be found on their website. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me for extra help.

Stockholm International Film Festival 2014

Posted by zlatin

It's November and in Stockholm that means it is time for the Stockholm International Film Festival. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the festival, which runs from the 5th to the 16th of November. There will be 201 current movies from 60 countries shown during the festival at several different venues. Besides the movies, there will be red carpet events, special presentations, parties as well as different award ceremonies.

Skandia, photo by Emmanuel Castro Skött

Several movies being shown have already won awards at other film festivals over the past few months... like Whiplash (Sundance), Black Coal, Thin Ice (Berlin), Winter Sleeps (Cannes) and A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence (Venice). Some other movies being shown have already garnered Oscar buzz, like Wild with Reese Witherspoon. It might seem daunting to have to try and choose which films you want to see among 201 choices, but they have made it a bit easier by breaking down the program in different ways... by day, alphabetically, venue or section. On the "section" side, the films are divided up by genre or type and whether they are part of the festival competition or not. Click here for the program.

Bronze Horse, photo by Isa Olsson.

Certain films are in competition for the Bronze Horse Award (best film) as well as smaller awards (Aluminum Horse- best actor, script, cinematography, etc.). Then there are prestigious awards given annually. These include the Lifetime Achievement Award, Achievement Award and Visionary Award, Director Mike Leigh, actress Uma Thurman and director Roy Andersson have been announced as the winners of each espective award and will be on hand to accept them. The festival has also planned a special dedication to Lauren Bacall, past Lifetime Achievement Award winner who passed away in August.

Lauren Bacall, photo by Leif Erik Nygårds.

As you can see... a full schedule! All of the pertinent information and tickets can be found on their website. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me for extra help.

Halloween and All Saints' Day

Whether you celebrate the more commercial Halloween or the more spiritual All Saints' Day, this is a special holiday weekend coming up (Oct 31st-Nov 2nd)!  Halloween does, of course, have its roots in the traditional All Hallow's Eve celebration... but the Americanized Halloween holiday has become more and more popular here in Sweden over the past 10-15 years. On the days surrounding the 31st, don't be surprised to see children and young adults dressed in costumes on the streets of Stockholm. But if you really want to party like a ghoul then you shouldn't miss the Shockholm festival, especially their parade (which is the largest Halloween parade in Scandinavia). The parade takes place on Saturday, November 1st, starting at 5pm from Kungsträdgården park... directly after a pre-parade party (3pm-5pm) with costume contests and other activities. The parade route will go around the old town (Gamla Stan) before returning back to Kungsträdgården for the after party!

http://instagram.com/globearenas

But the festival is more than just the parade! For one thing, they have transformed the Ericsson Globe Arena into the world's largest jack 'o lantern... lit up all week long. You can also stop by the Kungsträdgården park on Oct 30th, 31st or Nov 1st. 3 days of spooky workshops, events, food and music. Check their website for more events, exhibitions and other information.

Skogskyrkogården, photo by
(c) Susanne Hallmann, Kyrkogårdsförvaltningen Stockholms stad

For a more spiritual celebration of the holiday, head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Skogskyrkogården. This is the beautiful Woodland Cemetery, designed by architect Gunnar Asplund and located in the southern suburbs of the city. This site is a great place to visit year-round, but it is especially beautiful (and significant) on this weekend when thousands of people come to the cemetery to leave decorations and candles at the graves of relatives. There will be staff on hand on All Saints' Day (Nov 1st) to help with maps and grave searches and there will be music in several of the chapels. To get to Skogskyrkogården from the downtown area, take the subway (green line) in the direction of Farsta Strand. Exit at the station Skogskyrkogården. Just 7 stops from the Slussen station which is near the Rival Hotel.

All Saints' Day. Photo: Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

And finally, to really get in to the mood... why not partake in a Ghost Walk sightseeing tour of Gamla Stan. This is the old medieval center of the city where many bloody events have taken place throughout the city's history (like the infamous Stockholm Bloodbath!). The guides on these walks really make this history come alive...

Halloween and All Saints' Day

Posted by zlatin

Whether you celebrate the more commercial Halloween or the more spiritual All Saints' Day, this is a special holiday weekend coming up (Oct 31st-Nov 2nd)!  Halloween does, of course, have its roots in the traditional All Hallow's Eve celebration... but the Americanized Halloween holiday has become more and more popular here in Sweden over the past 10-15 years. On the days surrounding the 31st, don't be surprised to see children and young adults dressed in costumes on the streets of Stockholm. But if you really want to party like a ghoul then you shouldn't miss the Shockholm festival, especially their parade (which is the largest Halloween parade in Scandinavia). The parade takes place on Saturday, November 1st, starting at 5pm from Kungsträdgården park... directly after a pre-parade party (3pm-5pm) with costume contests and other activities. The parade route will go around the old town (Gamla Stan) before returning back to Kungsträdgården for the after party!

http://instagram.com/globearenas

But the festival is more than just the parade! For one thing, they have transformed the Ericsson Globe Arena into the world's largest jack 'o lantern... lit up all week long. You can also stop by the Kungsträdgården park on Oct 30th, 31st or Nov 1st. 3 days of spooky workshops, events, food and music. Check their website for more events, exhibitions and other information.

Skogskyrkogården, photo by
(c) Susanne Hallmann, Kyrkogårdsförvaltningen Stockholms stad

For a more spiritual celebration of the holiday, head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Skogskyrkogården. This is the beautiful Woodland Cemetery, designed by architect Gunnar Asplund and located in the southern suburbs of the city. This site is a great place to visit year-round, but it is especially beautiful (and significant) on this weekend when thousands of people come to the cemetery to leave decorations and candles at the graves of relatives. There will be staff on hand on All Saints' Day (Nov 1st) to help with maps and grave searches and there will be music in several of the chapels. To get to Skogskyrkogården from the downtown area, take the subway (green line) in the direction of Farsta Strand. Exit at the station Skogskyrkogården. Just 7 stops from the Slussen station which is near the Rival Hotel.

All Saints' Day. Photo: Cecilia Larsson/imagebank.sweden.se

And finally, to really get in to the mood... why not partake in a Ghost Walk sightseeing tour of Gamla Stan. This is the old medieval center of the city where many bloody events have taken place throughout the city's history (like the infamous Stockholm Bloodbath!). The guides on these walks really make this history come alive...

Stockholm Jazz Festival 2014

Jazz Soppa with Anna Karin Westerlund.

Swedes have long had a special love for jazz music, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that Stockholm hosts a great jazz festival. Once upon a time, this festival was held outside at one venue during the summertime... these days the Stockholm Jazz Festival looks a bit different. The festival has moved indoors and takes place from the 10th through the 19th of October, spread out between 30 different venues in the city. Some venues, like Fasching and Kulturhuset will be hosting many of the concerts, but there are also a wide range of other venues to visit during the festival to enjoy some jazz. All in all, there will be around 130 concerts played during the festival and artists include some international big names like Jamie Cullum, Wayne Shorter and Angélique Kidjo as well as lots of up-and-coming talent!

Angélique Kidjo will perform at Kulturhuset.

There is no "festival pass" which gives you access to all of the concerts. Instead you need to purchase individual tickets to each concert. Many of the concerts, on the other hand, are free! You can find out more information regarding individual concerts (including ticket info) by visiting their program page. Unfortunately, the main program is in Swedish... but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can help you with finding some good concerts. Otherwise you can also contact them at festival@fasching.se with any questions. They do have a quick guide in English (with many program points/venues) on their website. It is in pdf form and the link can be found on the left side of the home page.

Carefree, photo by Martin Taesler.

Stockholm Jazz Festival 2014

Posted by zlatin

Jazz Soppa with Anna Karin Westerlund.

Swedes have long had a special love for jazz music, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that Stockholm hosts a great jazz festival. Once upon a time, this festival was held outside at one venue during the summertime... these days the Stockholm Jazz Festival looks a bit different. The festival has moved indoors and takes place from the 10th through the 19th of October, spread out between 30 different venues in the city. Some venues, like Fasching and Kulturhuset will be hosting many of the concerts, but there are also a wide range of other venues to visit during the festival to enjoy some jazz. All in all, there will be around 130 concerts played during the festival and artists include some international big names like Jamie Cullum, Wayne Shorter and Angélique Kidjo as well as lots of up-and-coming talent!

Angélique Kidjo will perform at Kulturhuset.

There is no "festival pass" which gives you access to all of the concerts. Instead you need to purchase individual tickets to each concert. Many of the concerts, on the other hand, are free! You can find out more information regarding individual concerts (including ticket info) by visiting their program page. Unfortunately, the main program is in Swedish... but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me and I can help you with finding some good concerts. Otherwise you can also contact them at festival@fasching.se with any questions. They do have a quick guide in English (with many program points/venues) on their website. It is in pdf form and the link can be found on the left side of the home page.

Carefree, photo by Martin Taesler.

Stockholm's Affordable Art Fair

 "Buy on the spot, love forever". Yes, it is that time of the year again... the popular Affordable Art Fair (Oct 2nd through 5th) is back in Stockholm. The first Affordable Art Fair was opened in London in 1999 and these days you can find them throughout the world, including Singapore, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Mexico City and Seattle. The concept behind the fair is to show that you don't have to be either a millionaire or an art expert to purchase or enjoy great art. This weekend in Stockholm, 60 international art galleries will present thousands of works of contemporary art... from both well established and up-and-coming artists. The art presented is for sale and the price tags run the gamut from 500 to 50,000 SEK. So stop by and either enjoy the art on display or purchase your very own piece of art to take back home with you. Artwork preview!

The fair is held at Magasin 9, which is located in the Frihamnen area. The easiest way to get there with public transportation is to take Bus 1 from Stureplan to Frihamnen (final stop). The bus ride just takes a few minutes. Otherwise the Fair does have free busses departing at the top and bottom of every hour from Karlaplan, which is just six stops away on the subway from the Rival Hotel. More information: click here.

Stockholm's Affordable Art Fair

Posted by zlatin

 "Buy on the spot, love forever". Yes, it is that time of the year again... the popular Affordable Art Fair (Oct 2nd through 5th) is back in Stockholm. The first Affordable Art Fair was opened in London in 1999 and these days you can find them throughout the world, including Singapore, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Mexico City and Seattle. The concept behind the fair is to show that you don't have to be either a millionaire or an art expert to purchase or enjoy great art. This weekend in Stockholm, 60 international art galleries will present thousands of works of contemporary art... from both well established and up-and-coming artists. The art presented is for sale and the price tags run the gamut from 500 to 50,000 SEK. So stop by and either enjoy the art on display or purchase your very own piece of art to take back home with you. Artwork preview!

The fair is held at Magasin 9, which is located in the Frihamnen area. The easiest way to get there with public transportation is to take Bus 1 from Stureplan to Frihamnen (final stop). The bus ride just takes a few minutes. Otherwise the Fair does have free busses departing at the top and bottom of every hour from Karlaplan, which is just six stops away on the subway from the Rival Hotel. More information: click here.

Three Festivals Dedicated to Food & Drink This Weekend!

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

If you are coming to Stockholm this weekend and are interested in fine dining and/or alcoholic beverages... you are in luck! We have three festivals going on in the city that are dedicated to just these very subjects. First out we have two festivals in one... Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and The Taste Experience. The latter festival is for wine, champagne, rum, cognac and tequila. Both festivals are are from the 26th through 28th of September (and then once again next weekend- Oct 2nd through 4th). They are both being held at the Nacka Strandsmässan (congress center) located just outside the city center.

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by bus 71 or 443 from nearby Slussen (approximately a 15 minute bus ride). The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. Click here for specific opening hours, ticket information as well as directions. These festivals are very popular with tens of thousands attending every year. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds.

Cooking class at Chef's Secrets, Taste of Stockholm

The third festival is called Taste of Stockholm. This festival runs from the 26th through 28th of September and is dedicated to the gastronomic world of fine dining. They describe themselves as "foodie heaven"! At the festival you can try the signature dishes of some of Stockholm's best restaurants as well as visit their farmers' market and see different exhibitions. Two program points not to be missed are the Electrolux Taste Theatre and Chef's Secrets. At the Theatre you can enjoy presentations from both Swedish and international chefs where they will either be preparing signature dishes or challenging themselves by preparing dishes with ingredients from a "mystery box". The Chef's Secrets are your opportunity to prepare a dish alongside a top chef. A unique experience! More information. The festival will take place in Wasahallen, located on the island of Djurgården right next to the Museum of Spirits. The easiest way to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel is with the Djurgårds Ferry. For more information on tickets, program and hours... click here!

Taste of Stockholm by Electrolux

Three Festivals Dedicated to Food & Drink This Weekend!

Posted by zlatin

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

If you are coming to Stockholm this weekend and are interested in fine dining and/or alcoholic beverages... you are in luck! We have three festivals going on in the city that are dedicated to just these very subjects. First out we have two festivals in one... Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival and The Taste Experience. The latter festival is for wine, champagne, rum, cognac and tequila. Both festivals are are from the 26th through 28th of September (and then once again next weekend- Oct 2nd through 4th). They are both being held at the Nacka Strandsmässan (congress center) located just outside the city center.

Source: Stockolms Öl & Vin AB. Photo: Örs Gubas

The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by bus 71 or 443 from nearby Slussen (approximately a 15 minute bus ride). The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. Click here for specific opening hours, ticket information as well as directions. These festivals are very popular with tens of thousands attending every year. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds.

Cooking class at Chef's Secrets, Taste of Stockholm

The third festival is called Taste of Stockholm. This festival runs from the 26th through 28th of September and is dedicated to the gastronomic world of fine dining. They describe themselves as "foodie heaven"! At the festival you can try the signature dishes of some of Stockholm's best restaurants as well as visit their farmers' market and see different exhibitions. Two program points not to be missed are the Electrolux Taste Theatre and Chef's Secrets. At the Theatre you can enjoy presentations from both Swedish and international chefs where they will either be preparing signature dishes or challenging themselves by preparing dishes with ingredients from a "mystery box". The Chef's Secrets are your opportunity to prepare a dish alongside a top chef. A unique experience! More information. The festival will take place in Wasahallen, located on the island of Djurgården right next to the Museum of Spirits. The easiest way to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel is with the Djurgårds Ferry. For more information on tickets, program and hours... click here!

Taste of Stockholm by Electrolux

Outdoor Cinema This Week in Stockholm

Photo by Lars Gullnäs, Stockholm Film Festival.

Not only do we have the Stockholm Culture and Youth (We Are Sthlm) festivals this week... it is also time for the annual Summer Cinema. This event takes place between August 13th and 17th and is put on by the Stockholm International Film Festival (which takes place later in November). They will be screening five movies in Rålambshovs Park, one each evening. The movie starts approximately at 9pm, but there is staff on hand from 6pm selling popcorn, coffee and candy. The movie itself is free! They have to start that late as it is too light outside before 9pm. A great opportunity to pack a picnic basket and enjoy a movie in the great outdoors. This park is one of the few in Stockholm where private alcohol consumption is allowed (until midnight), so you can throw in a bottle of wine in your picnic basket. I would get there a little early to get a good spot! As you can see from the pictures, it is a popular event.

Photo by Jasmina Aleksic, Stockholm Film Festival

Each year there is usually a theme to the movie selection. This year, the Stockholm Film Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so as a theme they have chosen movies that have been screened at previous years during the festival. The line-up is as follows:

• Wednesday, August 13th: Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarrantino
• Thursday, August 14th: The Darjeeling Limited by Wes Anderson
• Friday, August 15th: Rust and Bone by Jacques Audiard
• Saturday, August 16th: 12 Years a Slave by Steve McQueen
• Sunday, August 17th: Palo Alto by Gia Coppola

All the movies are shown in their original language with Swedish subtitles, which means English... with the exception of Rust and Bone on Friday (in French). Rålambshovs Park is on the island of Kungsholmen. To get there from the Rival Hotel, take either (blue) bus 4 towards Radiohuset (bus stop is called Västerbroplan) or the subway (green line) to Fridhemsplan.

Pulp Fiction on Wednesday!
www.stockholmfilmfestival.se

Outdoor Cinema This Week in Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Lars Gullnäs, Stockholm Film Festival.

Not only do we have the Stockholm Culture and Youth (We Are Sthlm) festivals this week... it is also time for the annual Summer Cinema. This event takes place between August 13th and 17th and is put on by the Stockholm International Film Festival (which takes place later in November). They will be screening five movies in Rålambshovs Park, one each evening. The movie starts approximately at 9pm, but there is staff on hand from 6pm selling popcorn, coffee and candy. The movie itself is free! They have to start that late as it is too light outside before 9pm. A great opportunity to pack a picnic basket and enjoy a movie in the great outdoors. This park is one of the few in Stockholm where private alcohol consumption is allowed (until midnight), so you can throw in a bottle of wine in your picnic basket. I would get there a little early to get a good spot! As you can see from the pictures, it is a popular event.

Photo by Jasmina Aleksic, Stockholm Film Festival

Each year there is usually a theme to the movie selection. This year, the Stockholm Film Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary, so as a theme they have chosen movies that have been screened at previous years during the festival. The line-up is as follows:

• Wednesday, August 13th: Pulp Fiction by Quentin Tarrantino
• Thursday, August 14th: The Darjeeling Limited by Wes Anderson
• Friday, August 15th: Rust and Bone by Jacques Audiard
• Saturday, August 16th: 12 Years a Slave by Steve McQueen
• Sunday, August 17th: Palo Alto by Gia Coppola

All the movies are shown in their original language with Swedish subtitles, which means English... with the exception of Rust and Bone on Friday (in French). Rålambshovs Park is on the island of Kungsholmen. To get there from the Rival Hotel, take either (blue) bus 4 towards Radiohuset (bus stop is called Västerbroplan) or the subway (green line) to Fridhemsplan.

Pulp Fiction on Wednesday!
www.stockholmfilmfestival.se

Kulturfestivalen - Stockholm Culture Festival 2014

Concert venue GAT, photo by Emma Svensson

The next big festival is just around the corner... The Stockholm Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen), August 12th to 17th. This is one of my favorite festivals. Not only are there lots of things to see/do/experience, but it is all free! The only exceptions are the walking tours which, due to limited availability, cost 20 SEK to reserve a spot. For 6 days and evenings, the parks and squares of downtown Stockholm transform into concert venues, outdoor cinemas, circus tents and playgrounds for children. Food & drink tents as well!

Swedish artist Edda Magnason, one of the many performers at Kulturfestivalen.
Photo courtesy of kulturfestivalen.se 

The theme for this year's festival is "Barcelona" with many of the artists, shows and events coming from the Catalonian city (as well as Swedish artists and shows, of course!). In fact the festival is presented in part with The City of Barcelona, Institute Ramon Llull and the Catalonian government. This is a celebration of the close & friendly relationship between the two cultural cities. As I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of things to choose from... something for everyone, whatever your age or interests. Dance, theatre, art, film, circus, food, cultural walks and literature are all well represented at the festival. For an English program of the highlights, visit their website and scroll down a bit to find a downloadable program in PDF format. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me or my colleagues for more information.

Performance venue Sergels Torg, photo by Dennis Wernersson.

The festival is concentrated in the downtown area... in the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg (GAT), Sergels Torg, Brunkebergs Torg and Norrbro and the street Drottninggatan. All these squares and streets are within a 10-15 minute walk from each other so it is very easy to get around. They are also easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... 3 subway stops, a 10 minute bus ride or else a 30 minute walk through the old town. There is another festival going on at the same time in the park Kungsträdgården. This one is called We Are Sthlm and is aimed at youths between 13 and 19 years of age and features lots of music, culture, sports and entertainment. So if you are travelling with teen-agers, you can just drop them off at this festival before heading to the Culture Festival to enjoy yourselves.

Kulturfestivalen - Stockholm Culture Festival 2014

Posted by zlatin

Concert venue GAT, photo by Emma Svensson

The next big festival is just around the corner... The Stockholm Culture Festival (Kulturfestivalen), August 12th to 17th. This is one of my favorite festivals. Not only are there lots of things to see/do/experience, but it is all free! The only exceptions are the walking tours which, due to limited availability, cost 20 SEK to reserve a spot. For 6 days and evenings, the parks and squares of downtown Stockholm transform into concert venues, outdoor cinemas, circus tents and playgrounds for children. Food & drink tents as well!

Swedish artist Edda Magnason, one of the many performers at Kulturfestivalen.
Photo courtesy of kulturfestivalen.se 

The theme for this year's festival is "Barcelona" with many of the artists, shows and events coming from the Catalonian city (as well as Swedish artists and shows, of course!). In fact the festival is presented in part with The City of Barcelona, Institute Ramon Llull and the Catalonian government. This is a celebration of the close & friendly relationship between the two cultural cities. As I mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of things to choose from... something for everyone, whatever your age or interests. Dance, theatre, art, film, circus, food, cultural walks and literature are all well represented at the festival. For an English program of the highlights, visit their website and scroll down a bit to find a downloadable program in PDF format. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, stop by and talk to me or my colleagues for more information.

Performance venue Sergels Torg, photo by Dennis Wernersson.

The festival is concentrated in the downtown area... in the squares Gustav Adolfs Torg (GAT), Sergels Torg, Brunkebergs Torg and Norrbro and the street Drottninggatan. All these squares and streets are within a 10-15 minute walk from each other so it is very easy to get around. They are also easy to get to from the Rival Hotel... 3 subway stops, a 10 minute bus ride or else a 30 minute walk through the old town. There is another festival going on at the same time in the park Kungsträdgården. This one is called We Are Sthlm and is aimed at youths between 13 and 19 years of age and features lots of music, culture, sports and entertainment. So if you are travelling with teen-agers, you can just drop them off at this festival before heading to the Culture Festival to enjoy yourselves.

Stockholm Gay Pride 2014

The Rival Teddy Björn...

It's that time of the year again! We have several big festivals in the beginning of August. Besides the Music & Arts Festival and Culture Festival, we have the biggest of all Scandinavian festivals: Stockholm Gay Pride! Pride Week is all of this week (July 28th to August 3rd), but with many of the main events happening later in the week (Wed-Sat). Not only is this a time for the LGBT community to party & demonstrate, it is also an opportunity for Stockholmers in general to celebrate the tolerance in Swedish society and the fact that the city has been named the gay friendliest city on the planet... not once, but twice in recent years!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

The festival runs until Sunday, August 3rd, and there are a ton of events each day... movies, seminars, workshops, concerts, performances, parties and (of course) the parade. I can't possibly list all of the happenings here, but you can check the Pride website to see the calendar of events (Park). It is good to know that most events are to be found either in the Pride House or the Pride Park (Östermalms IP). There is an entrance fee to the park and you can either buy a day pass or a week pass. Tickets can be purchased at the door, online, at the tourist information office or at a ticnet outlet. There are also a number of nightly parties at different venues throughout the city each evening... more information can be found in the calendar. QX.se also has a list of the parties on their website (use the calendar function). More info here!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

The Pride Parade happens on Saturday, starting at 1pm at Mariatorget/Hornsgatan and ending at approximately 3pm in Pride Park. This is a very popular event with over 500,000 spectators lining the streets in past years. The fact that it starts at Mariatorget makes it very special for the Rival Hotel... since that is where we are located! One thing our guests should think about, however, is that the main street Hornsgatan will be closed to traffic from 8am until about 3pm. This will make traveling to and from the hotel by car or taxi a little complicated on Saturday. So stick to walking and subways on this day. If you are checking in or out on Saturday, contact us for extra help. Happy Pride!

Stockholm Gay Pride 2014

Posted by zlatin

The Rival Teddy Björn...

It's that time of the year again! We have several big festivals in the beginning of August. Besides the Music & Arts Festival and Culture Festival, we have the biggest of all Scandinavian festivals: Stockholm Gay Pride! Pride Week is all of this week (July 28th to August 3rd), but with many of the main events happening later in the week (Wed-Sat). Not only is this a time for the LGBT community to party & demonstrate, it is also an opportunity for Stockholmers in general to celebrate the tolerance in Swedish society and the fact that the city has been named the gay friendliest city on the planet... not once, but twice in recent years!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

The festival runs until Sunday, August 3rd, and there are a ton of events each day... movies, seminars, workshops, concerts, performances, parties and (of course) the parade. I can't possibly list all of the happenings here, but you can check the Pride website to see the calendar of events (Park). It is good to know that most events are to be found either in the Pride House or the Pride Park (Östermalms IP). There is an entrance fee to the park and you can either buy a day pass or a week pass. Tickets can be purchased at the door, online, at the tourist information office or at a ticnet outlet. There are also a number of nightly parties at different venues throughout the city each evening... more information can be found in the calendar. QX.se also has a list of the parties on their website (use the calendar function). More info here!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

The Pride Parade happens on Saturday, starting at 1pm at Mariatorget/Hornsgatan and ending at approximately 3pm in Pride Park. This is a very popular event with over 500,000 spectators lining the streets in past years. The fact that it starts at Mariatorget makes it very special for the Rival Hotel... since that is where we are located! One thing our guests should think about, however, is that the main street Hornsgatan will be closed to traffic from 8am until about 3pm. This will make traveling to and from the hotel by car or taxi a little complicated on Saturday. So stick to walking and subways on this day. If you are checking in or out on Saturday, contact us for extra help. Happy Pride!

Restaurant Festival: Smaka På Stockholm!

Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 4th) is the first day of one of my favorite summer festivals... Smaka På Stockholm (A Taste of Stockholm). This restaurant/food festival is celebrating its 23rd year this year! The festival continues for 5 days until Sunday and is a great way to sample what Stockholm has to offer in the way of culinary delights. Keep in mind that Friday, June 6th, is the National Holiday for Sweden... so Swedes are off  work and the festival should be extra busy.

Photo: Gunilla Sikström, Smaka på Stockholm

The festival is held in the park Kungsträdgården, located in downtown Stockholm. It has proven to be very popular and attracts about 500,000 visitors annually. The festival is open for lunch and dinner all five days... closing at 11:30pm, except on Sunday when they close at 10pm. The festival is changing a bit this year. Stockholm has become quite the culinary mecca in recent years and the festival has decided to reflect this by inviting in some fine dining restaurants like Jonas and Farang (two personal favorites of mine). Otherwise there are about 25 restaurants partaking in the festival representing a wide range of cuisine... taste of Vietnam, Bouqueria, Flippin' Burgers, Indian Garden, Cevicheria Aji & Ajo, Speceriet and Nam Kang to name a few. Something for every taste!

Chef Johan Jureskog. Photo: Peter Backman, Smaka på Stockholm

Something else that is new this year is the addition of Food Trucks to the festival. I recently wrote about the hot trend of food trucks coming to Stockholm. This festival is a nice way of trying them out without having to track them down! Another new addition is the Salutorget (food market) where you can taste and/or purchase different culinary delicacies... everything from luxury ice cream from Hawaii to oysters to freshly baked sourdough bread.

Photo: Peter Backman, Smaka på Stockholm

Food isn't everything. You have to have entertainment as well! And the festival has plenty of this on the schedule. There will be artists performing on the main stage all afternoon and evening every day. Jazz, Rock, Pop, Soul, Gospel and more. And, keeping with the culinary theme of the festival, there will also be chef duels, cook-alongs and culinary theatre. Entrance to the festival is free of charge! To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is either a pleasant 25 minute walk through the old town (Gamla Stan) or else a quick bus/subway trip. The closest subway stop is Kungsträdgården on the blue line. Talk to me directly at the hotel for more specific directions.

Restaurant Festival: Smaka På Stockholm!

Posted by zlatin

Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 4th) is the first day of one of my favorite summer festivals... Smaka På Stockholm (A Taste of Stockholm). This restaurant/food festival is celebrating its 23rd year this year! The festival continues for 5 days until Sunday and is a great way to sample what Stockholm has to offer in the way of culinary delights. Keep in mind that Friday, June 6th, is the National Holiday for Sweden... so Swedes are off  work and the festival should be extra busy.

Photo: Gunilla Sikström, Smaka på Stockholm

The festival is held in the park Kungsträdgården, located in downtown Stockholm. It has proven to be very popular and attracts about 500,000 visitors annually. The festival is open for lunch and dinner all five days... closing at 11:30pm, except on Sunday when they close at 10pm. The festival is changing a bit this year. Stockholm has become quite the culinary mecca in recent years and the festival has decided to reflect this by inviting in some fine dining restaurants like Jonas and Farang (two personal favorites of mine). Otherwise there are about 25 restaurants partaking in the festival representing a wide range of cuisine... taste of Vietnam, Bouqueria, Flippin' Burgers, Indian Garden, Cevicheria Aji & Ajo, Speceriet and Nam Kang to name a few. Something for every taste!

Chef Johan Jureskog. Photo: Peter Backman, Smaka på Stockholm

Something else that is new this year is the addition of Food Trucks to the festival. I recently wrote about the hot trend of food trucks coming to Stockholm. This festival is a nice way of trying them out without having to track them down! Another new addition is the Salutorget (food market) where you can taste and/or purchase different culinary delicacies... everything from luxury ice cream from Hawaii to oysters to freshly baked sourdough bread.

Photo: Peter Backman, Smaka på Stockholm

Food isn't everything. You have to have entertainment as well! And the festival has plenty of this on the schedule. There will be artists performing on the main stage all afternoon and evening every day. Jazz, Rock, Pop, Soul, Gospel and more. And, keeping with the culinary theme of the festival, there will also be chef duels, cook-alongs and culinary theatre. Entrance to the festival is free of charge! To get there from the Rival Hotel, it is either a pleasant 25 minute walk through the old town (Gamla Stan) or else a quick bus/subway trip. The closest subway stop is Kungsträdgården on the blue line. Talk to me directly at the hotel for more specific directions.

Valborg (Walpurgis) Celebrations in Stockholm

Photo by Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se

Tonight is Valborgmässoafton (or Walpurgis Eve) here in Sweden! This is a great, traditional spring celebration where Swedes gather in the evening, light bonfires and sing traditional songs. Tomorrow, May 1st, is a bank holiday (International Workers Day) so younger celebrants can get a little rowdy. But it is all in good fun. There are official bonfires being lit tonight throughout the city, but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel then there are two that are conveniently close to the hotel... if you wish to witness and partake in the festivities.

Valborg at Skansen, photo by Dan Larsson

The first is in Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen. A torch procession starts at the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan at 8:10pm and winds its way through the old town to Riddarholmen where the bonfire will be lit at 8:30pm. There will be entertainemnt in the form of an orchestra, choir, open microphone and fireworks. They will start selling torches at Stortorget at 7:45pm if you wish to be part of the procession. The second celebration is at Skansen on the island of Djurgården. There will be things (concerts, speeches) going on all afternoon and early evening... but the all important bonfire will be lit at 9pm. Happy Spring!

Valborg (Walpurgis) Celebrations in Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se

Tonight is Valborgmässoafton (or Walpurgis Eve) here in Sweden! This is a great, traditional spring celebration where Swedes gather in the evening, light bonfires and sing traditional songs. Tomorrow, May 1st, is a bank holiday (International Workers Day) so younger celebrants can get a little rowdy. But it is all in good fun. There are official bonfires being lit tonight throughout the city, but if you are staying at the Rival Hotel then there are two that are conveniently close to the hotel... if you wish to witness and partake in the festivities.

Valborg at Skansen, photo by Dan Larsson

The first is in Gamla Stan and Riddarholmen. A torch procession starts at the square Stortorget in Gamla Stan at 8:10pm and winds its way through the old town to Riddarholmen where the bonfire will be lit at 8:30pm. There will be entertainemnt in the form of an orchestra, choir, open microphone and fireworks. They will start selling torches at Stortorget at 7:45pm if you wish to be part of the procession. The second celebration is at Skansen on the island of Djurgården. There will be things (concerts, speeches) going on all afternoon and early evening... but the all important bonfire will be lit at 9pm. Happy Spring!

Liquorice Festival - Lakritsfestivalen

Photo source: Emelie Nilsson

If you are going to be in Stockholm this weekend (March 22nd & 23rd) and love liquorice/licorice then you are in for a treat... it is the weekend of the annual Liquorice Festival (Lakritsfestivalen)! They have had this festival every year since 2009 and to say that it has grown in size would be an understatement. In 2009 it was held in a basement around the corner from the Rival Hotel... now it is located in the Annexet in the Globe Arenas. Swedes do love their liquorice (usually the salty kind)!

Shopping! Photo by: Inger Bladh

There will be plenty of activities on both days like liquorice tasting (including in combination with chocolate, wine and liquor), workshops, exhibitions & contests, live music & demonstrations on stage, shopping opportunities and much more! How about fashion made of liquorice? In the restaurant there will be a special liquorice "flavoured" festival menu composed by chef Elisabeth Johansson. Liquorice-glazed pulled pork sounds tasty!

Liquorice fashion by Funny Livdotter

The festival opening hours are 10am to 7pm on Saturday and 11am to 7pm on Sunday and admission is 125 SEK (free for children 10 or younger). The special "tastings" do cost extra! It is easy to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel... just take the subway (green line) from nearby Slussen, in the direction of Hagsätra, to the Globen station (4 stations). And while you are in the neighbourhood you can always try the Skyview ride to the top of Globen and one of the bars & restaurants under Tele2 Arena!

Liquorice Festival - Lakritsfestivalen

Posted by zlatin

Photo source: Emelie Nilsson

If you are going to be in Stockholm this weekend (March 22nd & 23rd) and love liquorice/licorice then you are in for a treat... it is the weekend of the annual Liquorice Festival (Lakritsfestivalen)! They have had this festival every year since 2009 and to say that it has grown in size would be an understatement. In 2009 it was held in a basement around the corner from the Rival Hotel... now it is located in the Annexet in the Globe Arenas. Swedes do love their liquorice (usually the salty kind)!

Shopping! Photo by: Inger Bladh

There will be plenty of activities on both days like liquorice tasting (including in combination with chocolate, wine and liquor), workshops, exhibitions & contests, live music & demonstrations on stage, shopping opportunities and much more! How about fashion made of liquorice? In the restaurant there will be a special liquorice "flavoured" festival menu composed by chef Elisabeth Johansson. Liquorice-glazed pulled pork sounds tasty!

Liquorice fashion by Funny Livdotter

The festival opening hours are 10am to 7pm on Saturday and 11am to 7pm on Sunday and admission is 125 SEK (free for children 10 or younger). The special "tastings" do cost extra! It is easy to get to the festival from the Rival Hotel... just take the subway (green line) from nearby Slussen, in the direction of Hagsätra, to the Globen station (4 stations). And while you are in the neighbourhood you can always try the Skyview ride to the top of Globen and one of the bars & restaurants under Tele2 Arena!

Olympic Celebration in Kungsträdgården

Swedish medalists, photo from Swedish Olympic Team.

Well... the Winter Olympics 2014 are officially over and the Sochi Games turned out to be Sweden's most successful winter olympics in history. The team is returning home with 15 medals (2 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze)! If you are in Stockholm tomorrow evening (Monday, February 24th) then a fun thing to do is head down to the park Kungsträdgården and welcome home the Swedish Olympic Team. This tradition of welcoming home athletes from world championships and olympics has become very popular over the past couple of decades... so there should be a large crowd! The party starts at 7pm and besides seeing & hearing from the medal winners, there will be live music and a look back at the best olympic moments (from a Swedish perspective, of course). Even if you don't speak Swedish, it will be a fun festival feel to the evening... just make sure you are wearing blue & yellow! Located in the downtown area, Kungsträdgården is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel. It is either a 20-25 minute walk through Gamla Stan, 3 stations on the subway (T-Centralen, exit to Sergels Torg) or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Olympic Celebration in Kungsträdgården

Posted by zlatin

Swedish medalists, photo from Swedish Olympic Team.

Well... the Winter Olympics 2014 are officially over and the Sochi Games turned out to be Sweden's most successful winter olympics in history. The team is returning home with 15 medals (2 gold, 7 silver and 6 bronze)! If you are in Stockholm tomorrow evening (Monday, February 24th) then a fun thing to do is head down to the park Kungsträdgården and welcome home the Swedish Olympic Team. This tradition of welcoming home athletes from world championships and olympics has become very popular over the past couple of decades... so there should be a large crowd! The party starts at 7pm and besides seeing & hearing from the medal winners, there will be live music and a look back at the best olympic moments (from a Swedish perspective, of course). Even if you don't speak Swedish, it will be a fun festival feel to the evening... just make sure you are wearing blue & yellow! Located in the downtown area, Kungsträdgården is easy to get to from the Rival Hotel. It is either a 20-25 minute walk through Gamla Stan, 3 stations on the subway (T-Centralen, exit to Sergels Torg) or a 5 minute taxi ride.

Stockholm International Film Festival (2013)

Today (November 6th) is the first day of the 24th annual Stockholm International Film Festival... 12 days of cinematic delights, awards and red carpet events. It really is too much to list out here in the blog, so I will just write an overview and you can click on the link above (or links below) for more information about the festival, movies, tickets and events.

Skandia. Photo by Emmanuel Castro Skött

"Freedom" is the theme of this year's festival and this will loosely tie in different aspects of the festival. Breaking it down in numbers, the festival is 12 days long and features 180 movies (from over 50 countries) being shown at 9 different venues throughout the city. More numbers? There will be 5 parties/events with themes as varied as LGBT, Horror and Bollywood. 18 prizes and scholarships will be awarded during the festival, including the Bronze Horse and Stockholm Visionary and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The coveted Bronze Horse. Photo by Isa Olsson

Festival visitors have several options when it comes to tickets... whether purchasing a membership card or single tickets (in advance or at the theatre). Choosing between 180 movies to see might sound daunting. Luckily, the festival organizers have sorted the movies into different sections to make it easier for you to search for a favorite. Some sections are based on themes like Twilight Zone (horror) and American Independents (self explanatory?), others by competition/award while others by type, like documentaries. Movies are all in their original languages with, for the most part, subtitles in English. Click on the movie you are interested in (on the festival website) for more information about the movie including language and subtitle. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and are interested in seeing a movie during your stay... come talk to me directly and I can help you navigate through the choices and tickets.

Stockholm International Film Festival (2013)

Posted by zlatin

Today (November 6th) is the first day of the 24th annual Stockholm International Film Festival... 12 days of cinematic delights, awards and red carpet events. It really is too much to list out here in the blog, so I will just write an overview and you can click on the link above (or links below) for more information about the festival, movies, tickets and events.

Skandia. Photo by Emmanuel Castro Skött

"Freedom" is the theme of this year's festival and this will loosely tie in different aspects of the festival. Breaking it down in numbers, the festival is 12 days long and features 180 movies (from over 50 countries) being shown at 9 different venues throughout the city. More numbers? There will be 5 parties/events with themes as varied as LGBT, Horror and Bollywood. 18 prizes and scholarships will be awarded during the festival, including the Bronze Horse and Stockholm Visionary and Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The coveted Bronze Horse. Photo by Isa Olsson

Festival visitors have several options when it comes to tickets... whether purchasing a membership card or single tickets (in advance or at the theatre). Choosing between 180 movies to see might sound daunting. Luckily, the festival organizers have sorted the movies into different sections to make it easier for you to search for a favorite. Some sections are based on themes like Twilight Zone (horror) and American Independents (self explanatory?), others by competition/award while others by type, like documentaries. Movies are all in their original languages with, for the most part, subtitles in English. Click on the movie you are interested in (on the festival website) for more information about the movie including language and subtitle. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel and are interested in seeing a movie during your stay... come talk to me directly and I can help you navigate through the choices and tickets.

Autumn Markets, Vintage Clothes and Beer & Whisky!

If you are coming to Stockholm this coming weekend (September 27th to 29th) then you chose a great time to visit Stockholm with lots going on in the city!

Photo by Anna Yu, Skansen

A personal favorite is the Autumn Fair at Skansen, which is located on the island of Djurgården. This is an annual event taking place during the last weekend of September... a traditional autumn market with a historical feel. The market takes place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Not only can you purchase this season's honey, marmalades, breads, cheeses and vegetables, you can also meet the farmers and other historical characters associated with farmer markets. Besides edible treats, you will find textiles, woodwork and other handicraft for sale. There will be traditional market games as well as live music. You can also try the oh-so-Swedish split pea soup. I mention this as I often get asked where one can try this traditional dish. So the answer is Skansen this weekend! After the market, make sure you don't miss having a walk around Skansen... both to see the village as well as the zoo with Scandinavian animals like moose, seals, reindeer, bears and more!

bakatframat.se

Another annual event this weekend is the Vintage Clothes Fair (Vintagemässan) taking place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. The best vintage clothes stores from all over Sweden are represented at the fair, which takes place at Drottninggatan 81. Entrance to the fair costs 60 SEK. While their website, which I linked to above, is in Swedish, there are some great pictures (for inspiration) of clothes and accessories which will be on sale at the fair.

stockholmbeer.se

Finally... if marmalade and vintage dresses don't do it for you, then you can always stop by the Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival! This a popular annual event attracting visitors in tens of thousands every year. As if beer & whisky wasn't enough... for the third year in a row there will be a sister festival going on next door called Taste Experience which concentrates on wine, champagne, rum, tequila and calvados! The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. The festivals take place on Friday through Sunday. But if you can't make it this weekend, then you have another chance on October 3rd through 5th! Click here for specific opening hours, ticket prices as well as directions. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds. The festival takes place at Nackamässan in Nacka Strand. The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by taking bus 443 from Slussen (10 minute ride). Stop by and talk to me if you are staying at the hotel and I can give you more detailed directions.

Autumn Markets, Vintage Clothes and Beer & Whisky!

Posted by zlatin

If you are coming to Stockholm this coming weekend (September 27th to 29th) then you chose a great time to visit Stockholm with lots going on in the city!

Photo by Anna Yu, Skansen

A personal favorite is the Autumn Fair at Skansen, which is located on the island of Djurgården. This is an annual event taking place during the last weekend of September... a traditional autumn market with a historical feel. The market takes place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Not only can you purchase this season's honey, marmalades, breads, cheeses and vegetables, you can also meet the farmers and other historical characters associated with farmer markets. Besides edible treats, you will find textiles, woodwork and other handicraft for sale. There will be traditional market games as well as live music. You can also try the oh-so-Swedish split pea soup. I mention this as I often get asked where one can try this traditional dish. So the answer is Skansen this weekend! After the market, make sure you don't miss having a walk around Skansen... both to see the village as well as the zoo with Scandinavian animals like moose, seals, reindeer, bears and more!

bakatframat.se

Another annual event this weekend is the Vintage Clothes Fair (Vintagemässan) taking place on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. The best vintage clothes stores from all over Sweden are represented at the fair, which takes place at Drottninggatan 81. Entrance to the fair costs 60 SEK. While their website, which I linked to above, is in Swedish, there are some great pictures (for inspiration) of clothes and accessories which will be on sale at the fair.

stockholmbeer.se

Finally... if marmalade and vintage dresses don't do it for you, then you can always stop by the Stockholm Beer & Whisky Festival! This a popular annual event attracting visitors in tens of thousands every year. As if beer & whisky wasn't enough... for the third year in a row there will be a sister festival going on next door called Taste Experience which concentrates on wine, champagne, rum, tequila and calvados! The entrance fee (250 SEK) gets you into both festivals. The festivals take place on Friday through Sunday. But if you can't make it this weekend, then you have another chance on October 3rd through 5th! Click here for specific opening hours, ticket prices as well as directions. At the festivals you will find tastings, classes, exhibitors, competitions, restaurants and bars. Please note that you need to be at least 20 years of age to enter the festival grounds. The festival takes place at Nackamässan in Nacka Strand. The easiest way to get there from the Rival Hotel is by taking bus 443 from Slussen (10 minute ride). Stop by and talk to me if you are staying at the hotel and I can give you more detailed directions.

Festival: Taste of Stockholm

One last summer festival to go before we can look forward to autumn! This festival, Taste of Stockholm, is actually part of a series of gastronomical, fine-dining festivals (Taste Festivals) taking place in major cities around the world. It is now Stockholm's turn this 6th through 8th of September. Unfortunately, the only English version of their website is through a Google translate button (found under the heading "Socialize with us"), which doesn't make for the best translation. But I will try and give you an overview. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, come by and talk to me for more in-depth information.

Gourmet pizza from Gastrologik!

The festival takes place on the island of Riddarholmen, which is just adjacent to Gamla Stan (old town), and is split up into different sessions. Lunch & dinner on Friday and Saturday and an extended lunch session on Sunday. Tickets are purchased per session and the festival grounds close between the sessions, allowing the restaurants to prepare for the next session. For example the Friday lunch session is from 11am to 4pm and then the festival reopens at 5:30pm for the dinner session which lasts until 10pm. There are three types of tickets... regular entrance, premium and VIP. Tickets can be purchased in advance online (at a slightly cheaper price) or at the entrance to the festival. Talk to me or the hotel reception if you are staying at the Rival Hotel and wish to go!

Top Chef Jonas Lundgren, 2009 Bocuse D'or silver medalist

There are plenty of events, happenings and things to do at the festival... check their program to decide which session to attend. Certain events, like dining in pop-up restaurants require prebooking and cost extra. Otherwise there are several restaurant tents, a marketplace, bookstore, "taste theatre", classes and more! This is a festival for those who are interested in fine-dining, gastronomical experiences... foodies and Michelin star gourmet cuisine galore. Many famous, star chefs from Sweden will be there, including Björn Frantzén from Restaurant Frantzén, Jonas Lundgren from Restaurant Jonas, Kim Öhman from Farang, Magnus Ek from Oaxen Krog, Niklas Ekstedt from Ekstedts, Danyel Couet from F12 and Gustav Trädgårdh from Sjömagasinet. As you see, many of the top rated restaurants in Sweden are represented!
Pictures provided by Taste of Stockholm.

Festival: Taste of Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

One last summer festival to go before we can look forward to autumn! This festival, Taste of Stockholm, is actually part of a series of gastronomical, fine-dining festivals (Taste Festivals) taking place in major cities around the world. It is now Stockholm's turn this 6th through 8th of September. Unfortunately, the only English version of their website is through a Google translate button (found under the heading "Socialize with us"), which doesn't make for the best translation. But I will try and give you an overview. Otherwise, if you are staying at the Rival Hotel, come by and talk to me for more in-depth information.

Gourmet pizza from Gastrologik!

The festival takes place on the island of Riddarholmen, which is just adjacent to Gamla Stan (old town), and is split up into different sessions. Lunch & dinner on Friday and Saturday and an extended lunch session on Sunday. Tickets are purchased per session and the festival grounds close between the sessions, allowing the restaurants to prepare for the next session. For example the Friday lunch session is from 11am to 4pm and then the festival reopens at 5:30pm for the dinner session which lasts until 10pm. There are three types of tickets... regular entrance, premium and VIP. Tickets can be purchased in advance online (at a slightly cheaper price) or at the entrance to the festival. Talk to me or the hotel reception if you are staying at the Rival Hotel and wish to go!

Top Chef Jonas Lundgren, 2009 Bocuse D'or silver medalist

There are plenty of events, happenings and things to do at the festival... check their program to decide which session to attend. Certain events, like dining in pop-up restaurants require prebooking and cost extra. Otherwise there are several restaurant tents, a marketplace, bookstore, "taste theatre", classes and more! This is a festival for those who are interested in fine-dining, gastronomical experiences... foodies and Michelin star gourmet cuisine galore. Many famous, star chefs from Sweden will be there, including Björn Frantzén from Restaurant Frantzén, Jonas Lundgren from Restaurant Jonas, Kim Öhman from Farang, Magnus Ek from Oaxen Krog, Niklas Ekstedt from Ekstedts, Danyel Couet from F12 and Gustav Trädgårdh from Sjömagasinet. As you see, many of the top rated restaurants in Sweden are represented!
Pictures provided by Taste of Stockholm.