Gourmet Street Food with Mathias Dahlgren

Diners Club's food truck in Stockholm! www.dinersclub.se

Are you visiting Stockholm in the first week of September? Are you a foodie? Then you are in luck! Diners Club is on a tour of the Nordic countries with a gourmet food truck. The tour is called "Street Food by Diners Club" and they will be spending a week in each of the four Nordic capitals. It will be Stockholm's turn from the 2nd to 6th of September! The food truck/street food concept, which I have written about earlier, has become very popular in Stockholm... but this isn't just any food truck. Diners Club's concept is that in each city they are cooperating with one of the city's top gourmet chefs to create the food truck's lunch menu, offering a unique, new taste experience at a great price. In Stockholm they are joining forces with Mathias Dahlgren. Mathias Dahlgren is the owner and head chef of the restaurant that bears his name... a Michelin 2 star restaurant and named as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Mathias Dahlgren www.dinersclub.se

So what will the food truck be serving in Stockholm? What will Dahlgren's take on street food be like? According to the man himself, he is taking inspiration from the food he grew up with and his grandmother Alice. Sounds interesting! If you are in Stockholm on these dates, stop by and treat yourself to a great lunch and see for yourself. The truck will be parked on the Skeppsbron waterfront of Gamla Stan, just below the Royal Palace, between 11:30am and 2pm on Tuesday through Friday and 12noon to 3pm on Saturday. The cost for lunch is 125 SEK... but if you pay with your Diners Club card then it is only 100 SEK. Click here if you want to read about my visit to Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren or click here for my visit to his Matbordet.

Gourmet Street Food with Mathias Dahlgren

Posted by zlatin

Diners Club's food truck in Stockholm! www.dinersclub.se

Are you visiting Stockholm in the first week of September? Are you a foodie? Then you are in luck! Diners Club is on a tour of the Nordic countries with a gourmet food truck. The tour is called "Street Food by Diners Club" and they will be spending a week in each of the four Nordic capitals. It will be Stockholm's turn from the 2nd to 6th of September! The food truck/street food concept, which I have written about earlier, has become very popular in Stockholm... but this isn't just any food truck. Diners Club's concept is that in each city they are cooperating with one of the city's top gourmet chefs to create the food truck's lunch menu, offering a unique, new taste experience at a great price. In Stockholm they are joining forces with Mathias Dahlgren. Mathias Dahlgren is the owner and head chef of the restaurant that bears his name... a Michelin 2 star restaurant and named as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

Mathias Dahlgren www.dinersclub.se

So what will the food truck be serving in Stockholm? What will Dahlgren's take on street food be like? According to the man himself, he is taking inspiration from the food he grew up with and his grandmother Alice. Sounds interesting! If you are in Stockholm on these dates, stop by and treat yourself to a great lunch and see for yourself. The truck will be parked on the Skeppsbron waterfront of Gamla Stan, just below the Royal Palace, between 11:30am and 2pm on Tuesday through Friday and 12noon to 3pm on Saturday. The cost for lunch is 125 SEK... but if you pay with your Diners Club card then it is only 100 SEK. Click here if you want to read about my visit to Mathias Dahlgren Matbaren or click here for my visit to his Matbordet.

"Midnattsloppet" (10k evening race) is tonight!

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

Tonight (Saturday, August 16th) is the date for the Midnattsloppet or Midnight Race. This 10 kilometer race has been held annually since 1982 and has gotten more popular each year with thousands of runners and even more spectators. With 41,000+ runners, it is actually Europe's largest 10k run! The race is run through the streets of Södermalm with the home stretch down the street Hornsgatan, half a block from the Rival Hotel. In fact, this year the racers run past the front of the hotel before turning onto Hornsgatan for the final stretch. What makes this race unique is the carnival atmosphere along the route (there is even a costume competition) as well as the late start time... it's a staggered start with the first group starting at 9:20pm and the last group at 11:05pm. There is even a shorter race, earlier in the evening for children (start at 7:30pm). Click here for a map of the course. Be aware that many roads on Södermalm island will be closed to car traffic in the afternoon and evening, so it is best to stick to walking or subways. If you are not participating in the race, then you can always choose a spot along the course, enjoy the atmosphere, and cheer on the racers!

"Midnattsloppet" (10k evening race) is tonight!

Posted by zlatin

Photo by Yanan Li, Stockholm Visitors Board

Tonight (Saturday, August 16th) is the date for the Midnattsloppet or Midnight Race. This 10 kilometer race has been held annually since 1982 and has gotten more popular each year with thousands of runners and even more spectators. With 41,000+ runners, it is actually Europe's largest 10k run! The race is run through the streets of Södermalm with the home stretch down the street Hornsgatan, half a block from the Rival Hotel. In fact, this year the racers run past the front of the hotel before turning onto Hornsgatan for the final stretch. What makes this race unique is the carnival atmosphere along the route (there is even a costume competition) as well as the late start time... it's a staggered start with the first group starting at 9:20pm and the last group at 11:05pm. There is even a shorter race, earlier in the evening for children (start at 7:30pm). Click here for a map of the course. Be aware that many roads on Södermalm island will be closed to car traffic in the afternoon and evening, so it is best to stick to walking or subways. If you are not participating in the race, then you can always choose a spot along the course, enjoy the atmosphere, and cheer on the racers!

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

The Ultimate Shopping Map & Guide for Stockholm

In my line of work, I often get asked "where do I go to buy...?" and "where is this store located?". Especially as many visitors have heard about popular Swedish interior design and fashion brands. Luckily, my job has just gotten a little easier thanks to Maria Öijer who has put together the "Ultimate Shopping Map" for Stockholm.

This map comes with a comprehensive guide/book with an explanation of each store, shop, café or other point of interest on the map. Available in English or in Swedish. Instead of only a large fold-out map of the whole city, this map also has blown-up insets of different shopping districts... like funky SoFo, high-end Bibliotekstan, popular Gamla Stan and more. Of special interest for guests of the Rival Hotel is that one of the map insets shows all of the great shops in our neighborhood of Mariatorget! You can click here for an earlier blog article about the shops near the hotel. This map with guide is a perfect way to find the best shopping area for you! I like that they have ice cream shops and cafés marked out as well... just in case you need to take a little break from shopping.

While we do not sell the Ultimate Shopping Map here at the hotel, it can be purchased at several stores in our area... like Designtorget, Papercut and WOS (links to store address). The cost is 125 SEK. However, if you wish to pre-purchase the map to help plan your trip ahead of time, you can order the Ultimate Shopping Map through their website. Not only do they offer free shipping, but you also save a little money as they only charge 115 SEK for the map & guide when you preorder. Click here for earlier blog articles about shopping in Stockholm.

The Ultimate Shopping Map & Guide for Stockholm

Posted by zlatin

In my line of work, I often get asked "where do I go to buy...?" and "where is this store located?". Especially as many visitors have heard about popular Swedish interior design and fashion brands. Luckily, my job has just gotten a little easier thanks to Maria Öijer who has put together the "Ultimate Shopping Map" for Stockholm.

This map comes with a comprehensive guide/book with an explanation of each store, shop, café or other point of interest on the map. Available in English or in Swedish. Instead of only a large fold-out map of the whole city, this map also has blown-up insets of different shopping districts... like funky SoFo, high-end Bibliotekstan, popular Gamla Stan and more. Of special interest for guests of the Rival Hotel is that one of the map insets shows all of the great shops in our neighborhood of Mariatorget! You can click here for an earlier blog article about the shops near the hotel. This map with guide is a perfect way to find the best shopping area for you! I like that they have ice cream shops and cafés marked out as well... just in case you need to take a little break from shopping.

While we do not sell the Ultimate Shopping Map here at the hotel, it can be purchased at several stores in our area... like Designtorget, Papercut and WOS (links to store address). The cost is 125 SEK. However, if you wish to pre-purchase the map to help plan your trip ahead of time, you can order the Ultimate Shopping Map through their website. Not only do they offer free shipping, but you also save a little money as they only charge 115 SEK for the map & guide when you preorder. Click here for earlier blog articles about shopping in Stockholm.

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.