reykjavík

Ok, enough whingeing: here comes a restaurant review.

EPI and I went out for dinner on Friday night with a couple of friends to Vín og skel [Wine and Shell – NB not the oil company] on Laugavegur. I’d been curious about the place for a while, having heard good things about it. In fact, I’d wanted to try it in its previous location, a bit further up on Laugavegur, tucked away down an alleyway and inside a little courtyard that was supposed to serve as an idyllic sheltered place in summer, where we could all pretend we were on continental Europe, sitting outside and freezing our butts off. But that’s another story.

Vín og skel specializes in wine and shellfish, as the name suggests, and has a really easygoing bistro feel, with the specials written in chalk on a blackboard and so on. We were tucked away in a corner in the back, which was very cosy, and in general the ambiance was delightful. Also delightful was the service … our waiter, who I believe is the owner of the restaurant, had the sort of easygoing charm I associate more with the US or Canada than with Niceland, where the wait staff tends to be either uptight, aloof, rude, or sometimes all three.

It started off extremely well. We ordered vino [they have a good wine list there and even had my favourite white, Gewürztraminer, although not by my favourite producer, but nevermind] and the execution of the wine service was flawless. The waiter also brought an ice bucket to our table, which is not standard here in Niceland [and indeed debatable whether it is necessary in the land of ice – although inside a geothermally-heated restaurant it probably is]. I ordered something called a Fjöruferð [‘excursion to the shore’] which turned out to be a three-course menu of scallops as an appetizer, monkfish as a main course, and the house chocolate cake for dessert. I asked to substitute the cake for crème brûlée, which was not an issue. [Add a point for flexibility and all-round charm.]

Next we were brought a basket of bread with possibly the most excellent tapenade I’ve ever tasted, and soon afterwards came our appetizers, which were delicious. By this time I was ecstatic. Everything had run absolutely smoothly and I couldn’t fault a thing. - Alas, it was not to last. Our appetizers were taken away, and we waited for at least 30 minutes – if not more – for our main courses. Finally they arrived, and sadly were less than satisfactory. My monkfish was tasty enough, but it was way overcooked [an absolute sin where fish is concerned], and consequently tough like an old piece of leather. EPI had ordered a ‘fish trio’ – salmon, spotted catfish and tuna … and it arrived cold. Also, his fish trio shared the same sauce, which seemed rather substandard and contrasted sharply with our previous experience at Grillið, where the three fishes all had their own sauce. Our friends both reported the same dissatisfaction with their food – it was merely average, or thereabouts.

By this time the service had also fallen rather severely from grace, as EPI waited for five or ten minutes for a new set of cutlery [we’d all had ours taken away after the appetizers, but a waitress had brought new cutlery for us all, except EPI] and eventually we actually had to fetch the girl to bring it [did I mention his food was already cold?]. My friend L. had also ordered more red wine and that took forever to arrive, meaning she ate a large portion of her main course without it [unforgivable].

Seeing as the main course is, well, sort of the main course, this put a rather large damper on the experience. Meanwhile, the dessert was just fine – my crème brûlée was satisfying and EPI’s chocolate cake was very good.

I’d like to give them the benefit of the doubt and think that they were having an off day with the overcooked and cold fish, but don’t quote me on it. However, the service was utterly charming, so that carries some clout. Dinner for me and EPI, with a bottle of wine, came to ISK 17.960 [USD 265/EUR 173] and I now see on closer inspection of the bill that we were charged with a coffee we didn’t order. Just goes to show you should always check your bill at the table.

All in all, three out of five for the food, and subtract half a point for charging us for something we didn’t order.

Afterwards we wandered into a few pubs/clubs and wound up at Næsti bar, which is the only place in Reykjavík where you don’t have to shout to be heard [i.e. they don’t play deafening music to make people drink more]. It’s also where all the theatah people hang out, and sure enough, there was dreamy Gael Garcia Bernal hob-knobbing with the locals [he’s in Reykjavík doing a play, if you remember], while all the Nicelanders were trying really hard to act like they didn’t see him. Hilarious. However, that is probably why famous people like coming here – because everyone goes out of their way not to see them.

WEATHER

Right now it looks lovely out there. There’s no wind to speak of, and the sky is mostly brilliant blue with a handful of scattered white clouds. Temps according to Yahoo are 0°C [32F] so not too terribly cold. Sunup today 8.02, sundown scheduled for 7.14 pm.

Yesterday was a perfect day. Brilliant sunshine in the morning, so EPI and I had the instant desire to stick our cross-country skis in the car and head up to Heiðmörk*.

First, though, we had to go grocery shopping at Krónan [formerly known as stupid old Krónan – we shall see if they manage to amend their ways in their brand-new shiny store] to pick up something yummy for dinner that could marinate while we were enjoying the great outdoors. [Incidentally, where besides Iceland do can you bump into the Prime Minister at your local discount supermarket? Methinks nowhere.] As it happened, Krónan had potted Crysanthemums and Begonias on special, so we bought one of each, which was like bringing home sunshine in two pots.

Before heading to Heiðmörk, though, we had a brief stop to make. EPI’s mother would have turned 80 yesterday, had she lived, so first we headed to Blómaval to pick up a rose. [While there, we couldn’t resist adopting a few more flowering plants: three miniature crysanthemums, and four pots of tête-a- têtes, the most delightful harbingers of spring in my opinion.] Up in the cemetery everything was covered in snow, so EPI made an angel on his mother’s grave, just like she’d taught him to make when he was a boy.

Heiðmörk was exquisitely beautiful as always. By the time we got there it was around 4.30 and the shadows were growing long. The sun was still intense, though, and the snow looked it had flakes of glitter scattered on it. We skiied for about an hour and a half, and towards the end the sky was exquisite and snow was all pink and blue. Mind you, it had got pretty cold by that time [with the sun gone and everything] so YT was suffering an attack of Raynaud’s Syndrome, which was rather unpleasant. It must be said: I was not designed for winter sports.

Still, it was totally worth it, and just twenty minutes later we were snug back at home, where we our lamb filets were waiting for us in the perfect stage of marination, along with their compatriot, a bottle of Chilean Merlot. Perfect.

TODAY IS NOT QUITE SO LOVELY

There’s a miserable cold wind out there and the whole day is flat and uninspiring. At noon today the good people of the Westman Islands were being advised to stay inside their homes on account of the weather – apparently they were experiencing the greatest amount of snowfall since 1968 and even rescue squad vehicles were getting stuck. The dreaded cold puddle is still very much active, I see. Right now -1°C [30F] and feels like -8/17F. Sunrise this morning was at 8.30 am and sunset due for 6.50 pm.

* Nature reserve on the outskirts of Reykjavík.

So, I went to my first Expat Quiz Night here in Reykjavík last Friday. Apparently they have them once a month at Café Cultura, in the Intercultural Centre, but then how would I know because I’m obviously not a genuine expat, just as I’m not a genuine Nicelander. [Falling through the cracks: the story of my life *sob*]. In fact I wouldn’t even have known about it if my friend Jonas hadn’t alerted me, which I’m certainly glad he did because a) I had a blast b) we came in second and even won a prize, huzzah! c) they have Leffe on tap up there. The total spoils amounted to about 700 kronur for each of us, which meant we broke even [it cost 500 kronur in] and earned us a small subsidy towards our next beer. Sweet.

On our team [of five] was a guy named Simon, who was holidaying from Toronto because apparently they don’t get enough cold and snow over there. Our conversation went something like this:

YT: So, you’re from Toronto?
Simon: Yes I am.
YT: I used to live in Toronto.
S: Oh really?
YT: Where in Toronto do you live?
S: Cabbagetown.
YT: Oh, I used to live in Cabbagetown.
S: Really?
YT: Yeah. I lived on Spruce Street.
S: I live on Spruce Street.

Crazy, huh? Turns out he’d come to Niceland last year and had been bitten by the dreaded Niceland Bug [to which some foreigners seem particularly susceptible], so he’d turned up again. In the interim he’d been corresponding with Jonas and Eliza [who also showed up at the pub quiz] through the Iceland Review website, and was also familiar with the Weather Report, although he didn’t figure out until a couple of ‘entertainment breaks’ [i.e. cigarette and drink-run breaks] who YT was. At which time he was duly floored, and blurted out: “My God, my virtual life is coming true! You people actually exist!”

Definitely the quote of the evening if you ask me.

THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MORNING SINCE, UM YESTERDAY
It’s gorgeous out there – sunny and cold, with barely a hint of a breeze. [Yesterday morning was gorgeous as well.] It’s set to cloud over around noon, though, with strong winds and precipitation later. Meaning I should get meself out for a run pronto. Temps -5°C [23F] and the sun came up at 8.51, will go down at 6.32 pm.

So, dreamy Gael Garcia Bernal is in town to do a play that opens at the Reykjavík City Theatre on the 21st of this month. Tilsammans.

YT: [to EPI over dinner] I read this interview with Gael Garcia Bernal in the paper yesterday
EPI: who?
YT: you know, that Spanish actor … no, Mexican … you know, who’s here to do that play with Vesturport about the commune thing
EPI: [blanco] no
YT: you know … that guy who played in Babel … who lost the kids
EPI: [blanco]
YT: … Che Guevera in the Motorcycle Diaries
EPI: oh him! Yeah
YT: I read an interview with him in the paper yesterday
EPI: yeah
YT: he says he loves Reykjavík…
EPI: yeah
YT: … wait for it …
EPI: yeah
YT: … because everyone has so much time and nobody is ever in a hurry.

[YT and EPI burst out laughing simultaneously. They laugh and laugh.]

EPI: that’s probably because everyone just wants to hang out with him
YT: probably!
EPI: everyone’s like, ‘Oh no, I’m not in a hurry’
YT: … I’ll just hang out for a while
EPI: I’ve got nothing to do
YT: nothing but time on my hands. Twiddle

[and laugh, and laugh]

APPARENTLY WE’VE GOT SOMETHING CALLED A COLD PUDDLE
And it’s stuck somewhere right near Niceland. Seriously! That’s what it’s called - a cold puddle. And we got saddled with it this year - normally it gets stuck somewhere near Canada, but this year, we are the lucky recipients. This means it’s supposed to stay cold and miserable until the end of March. Isn’t that great? [NO!] Anyway, for the past couple of days temps have been just above freezing, but today they started to drop again, meaning that all the half-melted snow turned to ice. You should have seen me out for my run today, you would have laughed. There was this mega-strong wind coming at me and I was running on ice, virtually, so I never got anywhere. My major success today was making it out to Seltjarnarnes and back without falling on my face and breaking my head. That, and also making it through a grueling four-hour translation exam: English into Icelandic, NOT my strong suit. Never mind when it’s a court ruling about EU Directives concerning broadcast networks in the member states and written in such heavy jargon that three sentences fried about 90 percent of all available brain cells. Due for another round tomorrow, but Icelandic to English this time, which I’m hoping will be slightly easier, less brain cell damage, at any rate. Perhaps enough left to pop a cork of champagne when it’s all done. Temps 0°C [32F], sunrise was at 9:38 am, sunset at 5.47 pm.

PS - to those of you who may be unfamiliar with Reykjavík … the joke of course is that nobody ever has any time in Reykjavík. People run around like lab rats constantly.

Got an email from my uncle this evening, assuring me that he had cast his vote for the Weather Report [last chance, everybody!] and also reminding me that I have some pretty significant ties to the captain’s quarter noted in the last post. Which, as it happens, I had not forgotten, but had simply omitted because I didn’t have a photo of the particular house central to those ties - the house that my great-grandfather built, and where both my father and my uncle were born.

My great-grandfather on my father’s side was a sea captain who graduated from the Stýrimannaskóli in 1912. Like all the other sea captains he built a house in the area, on Öldugata, which - if you remember your lesson from last post - means ‘wave street’ and is a derivative of alda [it’s alda in the possessive case, in fact] - as well as being a woman’s [given] name.

My great-grandfather named his only daughter Alda [well, Guðrún Alda, actually, but she was always called Alda], which probably says something about his strong ties to the sea. And because it is common here in Iceland to name children after their grandparents, I wound up with the same name as my grandmother - Alda, meaning ‘wave’. When I moved back to Iceland nearly 14 years ago, the first apartment I bought was on Bárugata, which - you’ll recall - also means ‘wave street’ and happens to run parallel to ‘Öldugata’ - ‘Alda’s street’ - where my great-grandfather built his house, and where both my father and my uncle were born. In fact, I looked down on both ‘wave streets’ from my window - Öldugata from one side of the flat, and Bárugata on the other.

And thus concludes the story of YT’s ties to the captain’s quarter.

AND AS OF TODAY, I NO LONGER HAVE PERMISSION TO BITCH ABOUT THE WEATHER
Because today totally takes the cake in the miserable weather sweepstakes. It was awful. In fact I decided to white-knuckle it through my endorphin withdrawal today, despite the fact that I was desperate for a run, because the weather was so damn ghastly. What was it, you ask? Blizzard, snowdrift, freezing rain? Hell no, that would have been fun. This was the coldest mutha of a wind we’ve had for years, a mean wind that blew through in violent spasms and just sounded bad. There was not a single bit of humour in the weather today - it was just nasty. Right now we have -8°C but feels like -18, and that’s 18F and feels like 0°F. [Yeah yeah, I know you have it worse in Minnesota, and believe me, I sympathize!] Sunup today 10.13 am, sunset 5.10 pm.

PS in case anyone is interested in knowing where this captain’s quarter and environs are located, here’s a map.

I had a meeting in town today, and on the way back home I walked through the area known as skipstjórahverfið, or the ‘captain’s quarter’. About a century ago, sea captains made up Reykjavík’s elite - they were the people with influence, and they were the people with money. They built stately homes in the west end of Reykjavík, near the harbour, and those are still some of the most beautiful homes in the city. The streets in the area are all named after the sea - and the sea in Icelandic has lots of different names. This house, for instance, is on Öldugata, which means ‘wave street’. Incidentally, ‘Öldu’ is a conjugation of alda which also happens to be a woman’s name. As we know.

The captains’ homes were some of the first in the city to be made out of concrete, although the timber houses with corrugated iron siding continued to be ubiquitous . Many of those timber houses have been preserved and restored, like this one. It’s on Bárugata, which as it happens also means ‘wave street’ - bára simply being another name for ‘wave’ - as well as being a woman’s name. I used to live on Bárugata, just up the street from here:

Unsurprisingly, the school for training captains, navigators and other seafaring people - Stýrimannaskólinn - was centrally located in the captain’s quarter. The building is no longer used as that, though - they built a larger school decades ago. Today it’s used for … I don’t know what. Maybe just decoration. It’s located at the top of Ægisgata - ‘Ægir’ being another name for ’sea’, and also a man’s name. Correction! It’s actually at the top of Stýrimannastígur, meaning ‘navigators’ path’. oops!

And finally we have this wee box of a house, not much bigger than a doll’s house. Methinks it may be the smallest house in Reykjavík, although this is merely a home-grown theory. At any rate, you can believe that no captains lived there - it’s located on the edge of the captain’s area, you know, where the paupers lived. It’s on Vesturvallagata, which just means ‘western plains street’ and - plainly - has nothing to do with the ocean.

Okay then! That concludes our little tour for today…

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WINTER IS STILL WITH US
It’s actually really cold at the moment - it was around -5°C when I took those pics [I’m guessing 22F] but it was absolutely calm, so it didn’t really feel that frigid. Later in the afternoon the wind picked up, though, and now with windchill it’s liked a deep freezer out there. According to the weather office we may have record lows in the next couple of days - it’s set to go down to -8°C with considerable wind and that, my friends, translates into what the Nicelanders call kuldaboli - ‘cold bull’ [yeah, don’t ask me why]. Currently -3°C and feels like -11 [27F, feels like 13F]. The sun came up this morning at 10.16 and went down at 5.07 pm.