The information of Traveling Around The World and special Holidays in Sweden.

Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Friday, February 7, 2014

Stockholm Furniture and Light Fairs

Twelve - Established Nordic Designers
Photo by: Gustav Karlsson Frost, Stockholmsmässan
Almost everyone has heard the terms Swedish Design, Nordic Design or Scandinavian Design, and the terms usually bring to mind clean lines, minimalism, natural products and functionality. Design Week, here in Stockholm, is winding down... the city has been filled with different showings, fairs and shows for people working in the design (furniture, lighting, interior design, fashion) industry. But we (the riffraff who don't work in the industry) have our chance to view all of the latest items in the world of Scandinavian Design tomorrow, Saturday, February 8th, when the Stockholm Furniture and Nordic Light fairs open their doors for the general public.
Lighting trend 14/15 - Natural Elements
Photo by: Gustav Karlsson Frost, Stockholmsmässan
 This is basically two fairs in one... lighting & furniture with interior design elements. The fairs are located at Stockholmsmässan (Stockholm International Fairs and Congress Centre) out in the southern suburb of Älvsjö. I recently blogged about Stockholmsmässan and you can read more there about how to get to the fairgrounds from the Rival Hotel (easy!) plus other practical information. The general public is welcome between 11am and 3:45pm and admission costs 140 SEK. Come and get inspired to do "scandi" redecorating when you go back home!
Thursday, December 26, 2013

How Do You Say "Sale" In Swedish?

Christmas is coming to an end... now comes the time that Swedes call Mellandagarna, meaning "middle days", which is the time between Christmas and New Years. It is the big shopping week here in Sweden and all types of stores drop their prices to get rid of excess stock brought in for Christmas. Wherever you go in Stockholm you will see signs that say REA! which is Swedish for "sale", or perhaps MELLANDAGSREA!
Where to go for the sales? The best place is the downtown area which has the highest concentration of stores. A great place to start is the NK Department Store which is located at the head of Kungsträdgården park. A beautiful store, here you will find everything from food to bedding to clothes to interior design. Across the street (kitty corner) you have the Gallerian Shopping Center with loads of stores. If you exit NK at the basement level you come to Sergelgången, an underground passageway lined with stores and leading to the Sergels torg square. At the far end of the square you come to a street that bisects the square called Drottninggatan (Queen's Street). This pedestrian street is a shopping mecca... heading north you'll first find Åhlen's Department Store and a couple of blocks later the PUB Department Store which is on the corner of Drottninggatan and Kungsgatan (King's Street). Heading east on Kungsgatan, you come to a high concentration of electronic stores like On/Off, Siba and Elgiganten. At the end of Kungsgatan you come to the posh district of Stureplan. Right on Stureplan square you have the Sturegallerian Shopping Center. This whole area, including the street Biblioteksgatan, is where you will find the high-end designer shops. To the east of Stureplan is Östermalm, a great place to find interior design stores... like Svensk Tenn.
That pretty much gives you a good overview of the downtown area. If you think it's too cold to fight the crowds in town, then you can find some great shopping closer to the Rival Hotel. Within a 10-15 minute walk of the hotel we have the pedestrian street Götgatsbacken, the shopping center Skrapan and the hip neighborhood of SoFo... all of which I have written about earlier.
Happy Shopping! For more shopping tips, click here!
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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Stores and Subways on Christmas & New Year's 2013

NK with holiday decorations!
So far I've covered restaurants and museums during the holidays... now on to stores and public transportation! Stores and boutiques all, of course, have their own individual opening hours. But you can generally say that they close early on December 24th & 31st and are closed on December 25th and January 1st. There are always exceptions to the rule! Here are the special holiday opening hours for some of the larger department stores and shopping centers. Take a look at their websites for information about other specific dates.

  • NK department store: open from 10am to 9pm on the days leading up to Christmas. 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 10am to 5pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Åhlens City department store: open from 10am to 10pm on the days leading up to Christmas. 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 10am to 6pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Mood shopping center: 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 10am to 5pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Gallerian shopping center:  open from 10am to 8pm on the days leading up to Christmas. 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 11am to 5pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Sturegallerian shopping center: open from 10am to 8pm on the days leading up to Christmas. 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 10am to 2pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Skrapan shopping center: open from 10am to 8pm on the days leading up to Christmas. 10am to 2pm on December24th, closed on December 25th, open from 10am to 4pm to December 31st and closed on January 1st.
  • Barkarby Outlets: closed on December 24th, 25th, 31st and January 1st.
  • Systembolaget (state run liquor stores): They are closed on Sundays, December 24th, 25th and 26th. On December 31st they close at 2pm and are completely closed on January 1st. So... plan your shopping wisely!
The days in between Christmas and New Year's are called mellandagarna ("middle days") and are some of the biggest shopping days of the year. This is due to the sales! Keep your eyes open for signs saying rea ("sale") or mellandagsrea ("middle day sale"). Buying electronics is especially popular during these days.
Public transportation runs a little differently during the holidays... several days on a Saturday schedule (less frequently) or Sunday schedule (even less frequently). Of specific interest is the night schedule for the subways. Here are the subway's hours on specific days:
  • December 24th- 10 minute traffic until 3pm, half hour traffic in the evening and no traffic at night.
  • December 25th- "Sunday schedule" starting at 6am, including the night (25-26th).
  • December 26th- "Sunday schedule" all day, however no traffic at night (26-27th).
  • December 31st- "Saturday schedule" all day and all night (31-1st).
  • January 1st- Regular "Sunday schedule". 
One note for busses: they cordon offthe area around Slussen from motor vehicle traffic starting at 8:30pm on December 31st (until after midnight). This is because of the fireworks and that people tend to congregate there. This means that several bus lines going through Slussen will be rerouted. If you are out at night and there are no subways and you don't want to deal with busses... you can take a taxi. But be aware of which taxi you take! We recommend Taxi Stockholm. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact us if you need help in organizing a taxi. It is notoriously hard to get a taxi late on New Year's Eve and the taxi companies don't accept pre bookings on this date... so you might want to plan on walking or taking the subway (just in case). 

Friday, November 29, 2013

Countdown to Christmas- Part 2!

The royal palace lit up under a wintery sky.
Last weekend I wrote about the first Christmassy happenings in Stockholm... but this weekend (Nov 29th to Dec 1st) is the official start of the holiday season in Sweden (and many other parts of the world). It is the beginning of Advent, which always starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. It is this weekend when Swedes traditionally consider it permissible (in the name of good taste) to put up holiday decorations at home 
So, what kicks off this Advent Season? Well, to start off with, two more Christmas markets open for the season. The traditional & historic market at Skansen opens on Saturday and will be open each Advent weekend (Sat & Sun). The market in Kungsträdgården opened today (Friday) for business and will be open daily until December 22nd. Two specialty markets are open this weekend and only this weekend. The Royal Mews/Stables have their traditional Christmas fair this weekend (Fri-Sun) and the students at Konstfack (College of Art, Crafts & Design) have their market on Sat & Sun. Click for more information on various Christmas markets this season.
A contestant at last year's competition.
The Swedish Center for Architecture & Design's popular gingerbread house contest has started and the "houses" competing are now on display. You have until December 14th to stop by and cast your vote (they will, however, be on display until January 5th). The theme of the competition is "future forms" and the competitors are split into three groups...1. architects, designers and professional bakers. 2. children under the age of 12. 3. everyone else! The Center is located on the island of Skeppsholmen. 
Last minute preparations of the official tree.
Finally... the official Christmas tree is going to be lit at 3pm on Sunday! This giant tree is a bit of a symbol for Stockholm during the holiday season and is located in Gamla Stan on the Skeppsbron waterfront. Right next to the tree is the restaurant Mr French which I visited a few weeks ago. Not only will they be serving julbord, the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord, but they will be putting on their own Christmas market in their lounge where you can buy traditional market items as well as sandwiches and hot chocolate while sitting around an open fire. 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Christmas Markets in Stockholm

Middle of Gamla Stan


 The dates and times here are for 2013- for 2011, click here!
Now that the holidays are around the corner, Christmas Markets (julmarknader) are starting to pop up around the city... and today your intrepid blogger braved the first winter storm to visit the market in the Old Town to make a report. The christmas market that is located in the main square of the Old Town (Stortorget i Gamla Stan) is the quintessential market and the first to open for the season. It is open daily from 11am to 6pm until December 23rd. Here you can purchase ceramics, hand-made candles, Swedish christmas decorations, arts & craft of the Sami, winter accessories, sausages, fresh baked bread and mustards & jams. There's a lot to snack on as well... hot dogs, waffles, candy and Swedish mulled wine (glögg). It's the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit! Free entrance and just a 12 minute walk from the Rival Hotel.
Santas and...

Another great market is the one at Skansen which is located on Djurgården. This christmas market is open on Saturdays & Sundays from 10am to 4pm up until Christmas. Otherwise there are a lot of Christmassy things going on during the weekdays... Skansen, as always, is the perfect place to experience Swedish traditions. There is an entrance fee to enter the park.

angels.
Kungsträdgården, located right in the middle of the city, has a christmas market as well which is open on weekends, but from the 4th of December will be open daily from 11am to 6pm. The advantage of this market is that it is a stone's throw from serious shopping, like the NK department store, and Santa Claus (jultomten) visits every Saturday & Sunday during the markets opening hours. You can also take in some outdoor ice skating as well. No entrance fee!

A market quite close to the Rival Hotel is located in SoFo. During the autumn it is a farmers market but for the first three Saturdays in December (10am to 3pm) it turns into a Farmers Christmas Market.
Other markets include the one at Beckmans School of Design on Decemebr 11th & 12th and the market at the Royal Stables on November 26th through 28th. Contact me for more detailed information.


wreaths
Another option is to visit a christmas market outside of the city... plenty to choose from! Strömma Sightseeing offers day trips to the island of Utö. They serve breakfast on the way out and, after 2½ hours visiting the market and village, they serve a Christmas buffet on the boat trip back. The trip lasts from 10am to 6pm and costs 850 SEK. There are also markets going on in Sigtuna on the 4 Sundays leading up to Christmas, Dalarö from November 27th to December 19th and in Jungfrusund on the weekend of December 4th & 5th.


Friday, November 15, 2013

Countdown to Christmas in Stockholm...

Photo by Henrik Trygg, Stockholm Visitors Board
This Sunday, November 17th, the Christmas season starts with the traditional skyltsöndag (literally "sign Sunday" though sign refers to window displays). This is the Sunday when the department store Nordiska Kompaniet, or just NK, reveals its popular, holiday inspired, window displays. The big reveal is at 10:50am and there is usually a big crowd ready to oh-and-ah. Part of the reveal is to see what theme the window displays will have. But that is not all... Santa Claus, or jultomten, will be on hand until 5pm accepting wish lists from naughty & nice children. After this Sunday, Santa will be at NK on Fridays to Sundays until the 16th of December, after which he will be in-house daily until the 23rd.
A past, non-traditional, holiday window display at NK.
Skyltsöndag is really just to whet your appetite... the holiday season officially kicks off next weekend with two large events. The first of the Christmas markets (the one in the main square of Gamla Stan) opens for business on Saturday, November 23rd at 11am. It will then be open daily, from 11am to 6pm, until December 23rd. Most of the other Christmas markets open on the following weekend. So this is your chance at getting a jump on your yuletide shopping!
Photo by henrik Trygg, Stockholms Visitor Board
November 23rd is also the date when the official holiday light displays are turned on! This is the third year in the row where Stockholm goes full out in their light displays... using over half a million LED lights to make the city all twinkley. The lighting ceremony will be held at 3pm where Bilioteksgatan meets Stureplan. Stockholm City has put together a brochure/map showing all of the streets, bridges and squares that will be lit up... letting you do a "walking path of light" when visiting Stockholm this holiday season. These maps are free and will be available at the airport, train station and tourist information centers. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, then you are in luck... we will have them here for our guests! Just talk to me after checking in.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Christmas Markets in Stockholm 2013

Yup... it's that time of the year! Well, almost. It is less than three weeks until the first Christmas market opens for business, so I thought it would be appropriate to post a guide of the different Christmas markets in Stockholm this year.
Gamla Stan (old town)- this does feel like the "official" Christmas market of Stockholm in many ways. Located in the main square (Stortorget), this market definitely has the most central location and best opening hours/days. It is open daily (11am to 6pm) from November 23rd through December 23rd. Shop for delicacies like smoked sausages, jams, reindeer jerky and sweets or handcrafted presents like traditional holiday decorations, arts & crafts or knitwear. Otherwise you can buy a glass of glögg (hot, spiced wine) and walk around the market enjoying the atmosphere. Only a 15 minute walk from the Rival Hotel!
Kungsträdgården- also centrally located, this market is found in the square/park Kungsträdgården. While this market can sometimes feel a little less traditional, it really wins on its location as the market is adjacent to the outdoor ice skating rink and across the street from the NK department store with its popular holiday window displays. Open daily (11am to 6pm) from November 29th through December 22nd.
Skansen- historic and very traditional, see how a Christmas market looked in Sweden during the 1800's. Skansen is an outdoor cultural museum (as well as zoo) and has, in fact, had a Christmas market since 1903. Plenty of homemade mustards, jams, sausages, marzipan, breads and cakes as well as traditional handicrafts (leather, embroidery, holiday decorations and more). Very family-friendly with song & dance and activities for children. Skansen is located on the island of Djurgården with regular ferries from Slussen (10 minute walk from Rival Hotel). Open 10am to 4pm on the four weekends before Christmas (starting on November 30th).
While these three are the main Christmas markets, there are many other smaller, specialty markets throughout the city. One such is put on every year by the students at Beckman's College of Design, where the students sell their own designs (decorations, art, jewellery, etc;). Very popular! One weekend only: 11am to 5pm on December 7th & 8th. Location. Another such market is to be found at the Royal Stables/Mews (Hovstallet). Shop for quality handicrafts and delicacies in a unique setting and visit the stables at the same time. One weekend only: November 29th to December 1st (see link for opening hours). Location. If you are staying at the Rival Hotel, contact me directly for more Christmas markets in and around the city!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Shopping - Efva Attling

Efva Attling may not be a name you are familiar with, but if you are planning on purchasing something particularly Swedish and you like accessories in silver then you should keep her name in mind. Efva Attling started her career as a model and a Swedish popstar, but her passion for design caused her to branch out in the mid 90's to avant garde jewellery design, specializing in silver. Her designs quickly became popular and found fans in people like Madonna and Kylie Minogue. These days she designs all types of jewellery, including watches, for men and women and her designs are sold all over the world. Here in Sweden she has several concept stores, two of which are right around the corner from the Rival Hotel on the street Hornsgatan... both "Efva Attling" and "Attling Man" (next door to one another). I find her designs to be beautifully sleek and strong; modern and Swedish.
Click here for more Stockholm shopping tips!
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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Moderna- The Modern Art Museum

Art outside as well!
I'm finally getting around to writing about one of my favorite Stockholm museums... the Modern Art Museum (Moderna Museet). I was there last week to see their new exhibition for this fall: The Moderna Exhibition 2013. This show highlights the work of 54 contemporary Swedish artists, all who have made an impact in the Swedish art scene. Now, to be honest, I found some of the pieces to be a little out there for me... and I love modern art. But all in all it was a nice exhibition with a lot of interesting pieces and I'm all for the age old question: "What exactly is art?". Besides the temporary exhibitions, Moderna has a great permanent collection featuring all of the greats within the modern art genre... Dali, Picasso, Warhol, Matisse, Lichtenstein, Pollack, etc; The collection is, of course, not as extensive as at the larger modern art museums in NYC, Paris or London, though it is thorough and well presented.

The gift shop...
It is not only the art which makes this one of my favorite museums, it is the whole experience. I love the building itself, light and airy with skylights letting in lots of natural light. They have a great espresso bar which is perfect for a light snack, otherwise they have a nice cafeteria with great views over the harbour and Strandvägen. Their gift shop is the best museum gift shop in Stockholm with plenty of gizmos and gadgets as well as books on art, fashion and photography. They also have a good selection of prints and posters. The museum is located on the island of Skeppsholmen. The closest subway station is Kungsträdgården (blue line), otherwise it is a pleasant 25 minute walk from the Rival Hotel through the Old Town. One can catch a ferry from Slussen, via Djurgården, as well. Entrance is 100 SEK, 80 for seniors and free for children under 19. It is, of course, free with the Stockholm Card. Be advised that the museum is closed on Mondays.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Farmers' Market

During the next three Saturdays (October 9th, 16th and 23rd), between 10am and 3pm, there is an outdoor Farmers' Market in the SoFo neighborhood. Here farmers and craftsmen sell their wares and fresh produce to the public... everything from fruits & vegetables, sausages, cheeses, jams & juices to different types of handicrafts. I always love checking out indoor and outdoor markets when I travel to different countries as you get a real feel for the locals and their traditions and cuisine. This is a good oppurtunity to shop for some unique presents for people back home... or why not get some local cheese and sausage, go back to the hotel, order up a nice bottle of red wine and DVD movie and spend a relaxing and romantic evening indoors?
The market, located on the corner of Götgatan and Katarina bangata, is just a 10-15 minute walk from the hotel. Otherwise the closest subway station is Medborgarplatsen (green line).
Monday, September 30, 2013

Shopping- Jeans, jeans and more jeans!

Sweden has had a love affair with jeans and denim since the end of World War II. Most Swedes have at least 4 or 5 pair of jeans in their closet and in 2006 alone they bought 14 million pairs. I have to confess that I have around 10 pairs myself. These days, instead of only importing Levis and Lee jeans to Sweden, we are exporting Swedish brands to the rest of the world. Acne, Nudie Jeans and Cheap Monday are perhaps the most well known brands... followed by WeSC, Pace, Tiger of Sweden and Denim Demon. Several larger Swedish retailers or clothing brands, like H&M and Filippa K, have their own lines of jeans. Click here for more information about the Swedish jeans success story.
You can find a variety of Swedish jean brands sold at different stores like Åhlens, NK, Solo and JC. Otherwise, if you want to visit the retailers directly, here is a list of the major brands and where to find their stores in Stockholm:
  • Acne has a few stores in Stockholm, but of special interest is their main store on Norrmalmstorg 2 and the store in the vicinity of the Rival Hotel at Nytorgsgatan 36 (in the SoFo neighborhood).
  • Nudie Jeans are mainly sold in department stores and jean retailers, though they do have one store... and it is also close to the hotel, in fact right around the corner from Acne, on Skånegatan 75.
  • Cheap Monday can also be found in several department stores and jean retailers... especially Weekday which has a location right around the corner from the hotel at Götgatan 21.
  • WeSC has a couple of stores in Stockholm, a favorite of mine is located in the downtown area on Kungsgatan 66.
Click here for more shopping tips in Stockholm.
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

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.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Shopping - Gudrun Sjödén

The newspaper Dagens Nyheter recently announced the top three Swedish clothing exporters for the past year. Once again, Gudrun Sjödén was in first place with sales of about 335 million SEK in 2009! Sjödén, who opened her first store in Stockholm in 1976, designs women's wear and accessories as well as home textiles. She is also famous for her enviromental efforts... using eco-friendly textiles, reducing the amount of paper & plastic is shipping and so forth.
A large portion of Gudrun Sjöden's business these days is through post-order, though she does have three shops in Stockholm. Two of them are quite close to the hotel... one store is around the corner on Götgatan 44 and the other is in the Old Town on Stora Nygatan 33. Her flagship store (that opened in 1976) can be found in the downtown area on Regeringsgatan 30. Drop in and have a look at what makes her the #1 clothes exporter from Sweden!
In case you were wondering #2 on the list was street-fashion Wesc and #3 was fast growing Nudie Jeans.
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Click here for other shopping tips!
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Saturday, September 14, 2013

Shopping- Vintage Clothes Fair

Are you an afficionado of vintage clothes? Do you love to visit local flea markets while travelling? Then this event may be perfect for you... on September 25th and 26th, for the sixth time, the Vintage Clothes Fair is being held in Stockholm. Vintage clothes dealers from around Sweden will gather to sell their best finds. Clothes, shoes, accessories, etc; This has proved to be a popular event... last year there was a line to get in, so get there early (the first 100 persons each day get a goodie bag, so that is an added incentive). The fair is open from noon to 7pm both days and the entrance cost is 50 SEK. It is located at Hornstull Strand, the nearest subway is Hornstull (red line) just two stops from the hotel (otherwise a 20 minute walk).
Click here for other shopping tips!
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Monday, August 19, 2013

Shopping- N.K. Department Store


Every major city has its main department stores... New York has Barneys and Bloomingdales, London has Harvey Nichols and Harrods, and Paris has Galleries Lafayette and Printemps Haussmann. The department store most associated with Stockholm is Nordiska Kompaniet, or just NK as it is popularly called. Founded in 1902, this department store has six floors with most of them overlooking the beautiful central atrium. High-end shopping at its best! The store itself is about as centrally located as you can be in Stockholm. In fact, its main entrance is often used by Stockholmers as a meeting point in town... "See you in front of NK!". Above the building you have the famous neon rotating clock that has become a bit of a landmark for downtown Stockholm. Of special interest for tourists is the basement floor where you will find Swedish crystal & porcelin, souveniers as well as the grocery store where you can pick up Swedish delicacies. On the other floors you have a great mix... cosmetics, accessories, mens & womens fashion, home furnishings and books. There is also a restaurant, bar and café which are perfect for when you want to take a break from shopping.
If you can't find what you are looking for at NK, then you don't have to go far to find more shopping options. Across the street you will find one of the larger Hennes & Mauritz stores and the Gallerian shopping mall is just kitty corner from the NK main entrance.
NK's regular opening hours are: Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 10am to 6pm and Sunday 12pm to 5pm. The closest subway station is Kungsträdgården (blue line) or T-Centralen (all lines) exit Sergelstorg.
Monday, July 8, 2013

Indoor Food Market- "Saluhall"


Whenever I travel to a new city, I love to visit their markets. You get a good feeling of the city and the culture's cuisine! Stockholm has a couple of good indoor markets called saluhalls. My favorite is the Östermalm Saluhall, it's in a beautiful brick building from the 1880's located on the Östermalmtorg (square). You enter a large hall filled with vendors selling everything from fresh fruit & vegetables, fish & shellfish to cheeses, chocolates and meats. It's fun just to stroll around and take in the sights and smells, or to pick up your favoite Swedish delicacy. There are also great places to grab a lunch inside... and you know the food is fresh! Several eateries there just have bar seats, great for a quick lunch and a little people watching. A personal favorite is Lisa Elmqvist seafood restaurant. Many of the vendors offer good take-away options if you feel like taking your lunch out to a nearby park for a picnic. The saluhall is open from 9:30am to 6pm Monday through Friday and 9:30am to 4pm on Saturdays, closed on Sundays. The closest subway station is Östermalmstorg (red line), just 4 stations from the Rival Hotel.
Another good saluhall is located at Hötorget (under the SF multiplex). Hötorgshallen isn't as fancy as Östermalms saluhall... but it is larger and you have the added bonuses of there being a liquor store (Systembolaget) inside as well as an outdoor fruit market just in front of the entrance. Be prepared... the vendors at the fruit market are very loud and vocal in selling their wares. They shout "half price only for you my friend" at each passerby. Good places for lunch inside! Open from 10am to 6pm Monday through Friday, 10am to 3pm on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. On Sundays the outdoor fruit market turns into a flea market. The closest subway is Hötorget (green line).
Monday, June 24, 2013

Tip #10 - Liquor Stores


If you have thoughts of stopping at the grocery store to pick up a bottle of wine... you will be sorely diappointed. There are strong laws in Sweden regarding the sale of alcohol. In Sweden all wine, strong beer, alcohol and liquors can only be purchased at state-run liquor stores called Systembolaget. The only thing that can be sold in regular grocery stores is a weaker beer (3.5% or less alcohol by volume).

The good news is that there are many stores spread out thoughout the city, 23 in downtown Stockholm alone. The stores are large and have a huge variety to choose from. The staff is very knowledgable and happy to help you pick the perfect bottle of wine to go with dinner. The bad news is really their opening hours. They generally close at 7pm on weekdays and 3pm on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays and holidays. So it takes a bit of planning, no popping out last minute before a party for a bottle of wine. You have to be 20 years old to purchase alcohol at Systembolaget (18 years old at restaurants and bars). Check their website for more information.
Monday, June 17, 2013

Swedish Design - Svenskt Tenn



Svenskt Tenn is one of the premiere Swedish interior design and furniture stores and is also one of Sweden's oldest design companies... 80+ years. They are especially well known for their beautiful textiles. The form designer Josef Frank is closely associated with the store. He emmigrated to Sweden in 1933, escaping Nazi oppression and worked at Svenskt Tenn until his death in 1967. The store is celebrating the fact that Frank would have been 125 years old this summer with an exhibition of his work. The exhibition runs from June 10th through August 15th, 2013.
Svenskt Tenn is located on Strandvägen 5 in the Östermalm neighborhood. The nearest subway stations are Östermalmstorg(red line) and Kungstädgården((blue line).
Sunday, June 16, 2013

Shopping- IKEA


What's a visit to Sweden without a trip to the world's biggest IKEA? Come and pray at the altar of Swedsh design and efficiency! It is located southern suburbs of Stockholm, in the area known as Kungens Kurva. There are free buses going back and forth from the city and the trip takes only 20 to 25 minutes. The buses leave from Vasagatan 18 (across the street from the Central Train Station) at the top of every hour between 10am and 7pm. The buses leave Ikea on the bottom of every hour between 10:30am and 7:30pm to take you back to town, stopping first at Hornstull and Fridhemsplan before the final stop downtown.
The store itself is open between 10am and 8pm everyday except bank holidays when they close at 6pm (closed Christmas, New Years and Midsummer). Even if you are not looking for furniture, there are lots of Swedish knick-knacks and food for sale. The restaurant on the top floor is extremely popular... cheapest lunch in town!
Monday, May 27, 2013

SoFo neighborhood


Some PR genius came up with the idea of naming this area SoFo, both a play on the name Soho and an acronym of its location... South of Folkungagatan ("gatan" = street) as seen on this map. While this neighborhood doesn't have the size or scope of SoHo in NYC or London, nor the art & theater scene, it does have a bit of the bohemian feel. I especially like the streets Bondegatan and Skånegatan.

During the day you will find plenty of cafés and small, unique boutiques selling everything from music to furniture to vintage clothes to kitchy interior design trinkets. Some favorite stores are Grandpa, Beyond Retro, Pet Sounds and Coctail. There is a nice park area at Nytorget ("new square") with some great cafés nearby. In the evening there are a wide selection of restaurants to visit, though no late night bars as this is a residential area. Some favorites here are Thai Koh Phagnan, funky Pet Sounds Bar, gay-friendly Roxy and the classic Pelikan where you can get good, rustic Swedish cuisine like meatballs and Pytt-i-panna. The last Thursday of every month the neighborhood has a SoFo-Night where the stores are open extra late until 9pm.

I don't think that this is the prettiest or hippest area of the city, though it is an authentic Stockholm neighborhood and a great place to stroll around and see how Stockholmers live!

Right on the border of SoFo (on Götgatan) you have Skrapan shopping center. They boast being open a little later than other malls (8pm on weekdays, 6pm on weekends) and having stores that are not usually found in Swedish shopping malls. It is located in one of the few tall buildings in Stockholm. The name itself is a Swedish nickname for skyskraper, though it can't compete with the real ones in NYC or Chicago. At the top of the building is a restaurant & bar called Och Himlen Därtill with great views over the city!