Sue's purchases and travels

We are in the SAS Lounge waiting for our flight to Amsterdam and I have been mesmerized for the past half hour watching (can't hear the TV) what must be the Scandinavian AND Male version of Martha Stewart.   In just a half hours time I've seen him renovate a stuga by the sea.  He replaced the door, was sewing pillows for the arm chairs (had the sewing machine set up outdoors), made cheese with his neighbor, created a fabulous smorgasbord of fresh vegetables ( out of doors) which he is now using to create a fresh soup,  and created a storage cabinet for the end of a  sofa,  Now all the neighbors are gathered for a party with singing, fiddlers and dancing.  Sommar with Ernst is fun!

Original Andy Warhol Absolut Ad

Today we visited another of Stockholm's new sights:  The Spirits Museum.  It was an interesting place that offered the evolution of the Absolut Bottle, an exhibit of the original art created for Absolut Ads, and some quirky stations that allowed you to "whiff" some of the flavors present in Absolut.  The Museum is located on the water in two 18th century naval buildings and has an outdoor restaurant at which we enjoyed a late lunch.  We enjoyed a wonderful dinner with our younger cousins who live in a fabulous apartment in Ostermalm just off of Strandvagen.  All of this was preceded by yet more packing...and a little buying in anticipation of leaving Stockholm tomorrow. We will be headed to Amsterdam where we will board a cruise to Norway.

Absolut Prototypes

Labels: absolut, klaradal, spirits museum stockholm, Stockholm, Swedish Antiques, swedish art

Wednesday was spent packing my purchases...it's fun to buy but it's a pain to pack!  I need to do a little more packing and shipping today before we head off to Amsterdam to start our cruise to Norway tomorrow.  Wednesday evening we visited with Peter's cousin Epp in Hagersten.  We walked to dinner at a marvelous place called Lakerbo Vardshus which, Peter,who has spent too much time in California this year said, "had a Great Vibe!".  It had rained earlier in the day but now was sunny and the outdoor tables packed. The place specialized in grilled items.   Most of us had grilled Salmon and a wonderful potato salad with Radishes.  
We were seated away from the grill and the smoke...the little boys pictured below were directly in the path...and thus created their own smoke protection.

A pile of purchases to pack!

Dining Alfresco with family

Blanket protection from the grill's smoke.

Great potato salad with radishes.

Labels: hagersten, klaradal, lakerbo vardshus, Stockholm, Swedish Antiques

After a late start we did some intense shopping at some favorite shops.  One is called "Old Touch" a wonderful mix of vintage clothing and smalls.  While there a young woman was trying on a typical flapper costume.  Apparently Gatsby fever has hit Stockholm and there's quite a demand for festive clothes for flapper parties!  Sound festive.  Also fun are the summer concerts at Skansen.  We saw people lined up for this as we walked from the Abba Museum-just open this year and offers some silly interactive displays!  The summer concerts at Skansen are popular with all ages and feature singalongs with favorite Swedish groups.  We had a dinner in Old Town and then watched the concert on TV.  Tomorrow we venture to the suburbs and start packing our purchases.

Old Touch - A favorite Stop in Stockholm

A few of my purchases today

Koppermans as ABBA!

Late Breakfast at Rica Hotel

Today we shopped!  We first went to the local department store for things forgotten and then the tourist information station and then to an absolute must on every trip to Stockholm-Svensk Tenn.  This is THE design shop in all of Sweden where I oooh and ahhh over all of the fabrics featuring Josef Frank's designs.  My big splurge was a wallet for myself.  (and a Lanyard that was a friend request)  We left there and came upon the Royal Army Band parading past the  Drama Theatre. It was quite a festive touch on a glorious sunny day.  We dined alfresco at a casual place called Sandy's for Lunch and then I took off for shopping at a few favorite second hand places while Peter and David went bike riding. (Stockholm has one of those fun city bike features that allow you to rent bikes from one spot and drop them at another)  We met up again in late afternoon then walked to Gamlastan where we shopped some more then had dinner in the square at Gamlastan.  My purchases included multiple paintings, perfect petite silver piece with handle, red box of vintage spoons, and many more pieces!

Royal Army Band Parades Near Svensk Tenn

Doorway Near Royal Palace

Purse display at Svenk Tenn

View from our restaurant

Colorful painting purchased today!

Labels: Sandy's Stockholm, Stockholm, svensk tenn, Swedish Royal Band

We arrived in Stockholm at 4:00 and I realized that some vendors at my favorite Sunday Flea Market (Hortorget) were still out and selling-thanks to Sunny skies!  I jumped out of the car (Leaving Peter and David to unload the luggage) and hurried to see what was left.  Many vendors had begun to pack up but I did find a caviar spoon, a sweet set of baby cutlery, and unusual hand painted screens that must have been part of a ladies  fan.  I also bought a rag rug, a giant Brown Willow tea cup, and a kosta boda vase.  Peter and David had checked into the hotel so I purchased a bunch of flowers to make it more homelike and then proceeded to unpack and "nest" since we would be here for 5 nights.

View from our Table at Agaton

Our Tiramisu Dessert...Grattis at Agaton Restaurant!

We chose to have Dinner in old town at Agaton, one of our favorite restaurants.  David had a pizza, I a salad topped with cray fish and Peter a pasta dish.  We enjoyed our dinner outdoors with a great view of Lake Malaren.  We told the Maitre'd  that Agaton is our favorite restaurant and that we have been coming for 10 years.  He then insisted that we have dessert "on the house"-some wonderful Tiramisu!

City Hall Sunday Evening

Doorway in Old Town

Walking back we did lots of window shopping and took these photos.  It is now after 11 pm and it is relatively dark but still not pitch black.  Tomorrow I hope to do lots of shopping and try out a new flea market.  Good night!

Labels: Agaton, city hall, gamla stan, Hortorget, Stockholm

We awoke to a rainy and cool Sunday.  (But we've come to expect that in this part of Sweden)  The hotel, rather than cursing the darkness, did as most Swedes do and lit candles to brighten the morning.  Peter and I were the first to breakfast and I took this photo of the breakfast buffet-before the three generations of  Kopperman family arrived.



We headed out around 10:30 for the five hour drive to Stockholm.  We stopped along the way at McDonalds.  I am always so impressed that the employees of McDonald's in Sweden are fluent in English...unlike many of the employees of McDonald's at home! They are also incredibly good looking and dressed in their plaid shirt uniforms looks like models from a catalog.

Labels: light a candle, mc donalds, paarps gard, swedish dining

Peter's Cousin Jaak and his wife Wenche provided yet another fun evening of food, drink and song.  We had the dining room of Paarps-Gard  to ourselves and enjoyed a meal which included Fresh Asparagus (from the restaurant's own garden) Reindeer (Hunted on their own grounds) and an unusual "cheesecake" made with almonds and heavy cream.  There were speeches, toasts, and multiple performers.  The night officially ended at 11:00 but most of the younger cousins stayed on until 1:00 in the morning  and enjoyed more song, drink, and fun!

Late night jam with the cousins

Peter and David at the start of the evening

Peter's Sister and her husband, Tom (left)  join Peter and  his Swedish Cousins in the wee hours!

Me with Peter's Cousin's Beautiful Wife, Nina

Labels: jaak lohk, paarps gard, peter lohk, reindeer meat, Sweden, swedish country hotel, wenche lohk

We stayed last night in a small guest house in the town of Svenljunga.  It had been so hot early in the day that we fell asleep with our windows open.  When we woke up this morning the room was an ice box!  The temperatures had dropped from the high seventies to the low fifties...brrrrrrr.  We spotted this moose statue, dressed for midsommer, when we left the hotel and headed to  Jaak and Wenche's to give Wenche her birthday present.  I knew she would love one of those sweet floral planters we stock at Klaradal that are hand made in San Diego.  And she did.  We then began our drive to the countryside.  On the way my eagle eye husband spotted something even better than a loppis (flea market): he saw Reindeer!  I jumped out and took a few pictures before they took off!  The rest of the drive was uneventful.  We checked into the Paarps-Gard hotel in Hacksvik and spent the afternoon eating, playing cards, resting and blogging! Tonight is the big birthday bash!


Reindeer Grazing!

Midsommer Moose

Jaak and Wenche's Country House

Since so many of their  family members had come to Svenljunga to celebrate midsommer and  the 75th birthday of Wenche   (The wife of Peter's cousin)  -there were people from Norway, Germany, the States, Stockholm and Gothenburg who made the trek- Jaak and Wenche decided to host an evening midsommer event. We had a lovely dinner in the historic town hall. We first, however, enjoyed sparkling wine outside while being serended by a fabulous fiddler! The dinner started with herring, knackebrod and tradtional swedish cheese. There was schnapps, and beer and lots of toasting and song. Dinner was a delicious poached salmon with new potatoes and dessert consisted of sweet Swedish Strawberries.

We arrived in Svenljunga to sunny skies but, as is typical of a midsommer day, the clouds soon gathered.  The celebration started at 2:30 with music by a small band and singing by young girls in summer dresses with rings of flowers in their hair.  In the midst of these performances we had to raise our umbrellas as torrential rains started, again, to be expected in Svenljunga at midsommer.  When it came time to march in the midsommer pole Peter and David (thanks to Peter's cousin Jaak) were invited to participate.  The rains came to a stop as the pole was delivered and raised.  It was beautifully decorated with birch branches, lupines and a Swedish flag.  Shortly after the pole arrived so did the dancers in national costume.  They performed for quite awhile and then formed a procession and followed a Swedish Flag that led them to the exit.   When the professionals were finished the children and parents started to dance around the pole.  In Sweden even the most jaded of teens will feign embarrassment as they join their mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, in this most festive tradition.   During the dancing the community sold cookies, slices of cake and, of course, coffee!  We headed out around 4:30 as the skies once again darkened with the threat of rain.  Alas....I realize I took the photos at midsommer with my camera, rather than my phone, and I have forgotten to pack the USB cord which allows me to download photos.  Darn!  I could use a dammit doll right now!  I promise to stick to my phone from now on and perhaps, once I get to Stockholm will be able to purchase something to help me fetch these photos.  (there were so many adorable kids there...my favorite was a chunky ginger toddler with the most gorgeous ring of flowers in her hair!)

We woke up to glorious sunny skies in Grenna and headed on the road to Svenljunga Sweden for their midsommer celebration.  Once again Peter and his eagle eye spotted an Antik Loppis sign which said it was oppet.  (open)  We drove in and found a small little outbuilding filled with an assortment of things.  I bought a wonderful school poster from the 1920's.  I've had a print of a rooster one in the shop (not sure it is still there)  This is the real deal and is of two birds...I think partidges or perhaps grouse.  I found it for a fraction of what one normally costs at Flea markets.  Also in this little treasure chest of a barn I found: a darling key hook that was a flat figure of a woman in national costume, (I think from Rattvik); a pewter ladle with black handle; and a candelabra made in the old style (photo below) We slowed down to stop for gas and were quite lucky because we discovered the police had set up a speed trap at the gas station-had we not slowed to stop, they would have stopped us!  While at this station we discovered that coca cola is offering personalized cans!  Same price as normal...just search for your name.  We found David's name and bought him a can.  The station was quite popular as you can see from the line-everyone was getting ready for midsommer-especially the woman with flowers in her hair!

Labels: antik, coca cola personalized, grenna sweden, loppis, midsommer, svenljunga sweden, Swedish Antiques

More fabulous flowers at Classic Swedish Door

We arrived in Grenna about 3 in the afternoon which left us plenty of time to shop before dinner.  Our hotel is a charming place called Grenna Garden and is located just off the main street.   We knew there wasn't a lift but also discovered that the two flights of stairs we needed to climb were winding!  Luckily we had off loaded a few clothes from our giant suitcases so we just had small bags to carry.   We freshened up and then headed out to tour the town.  Grenna is known as the town that discovered Polka Mints....peppermints.  Every other shop is a candy store featuring the said mints but also some soft creamy caramels which I've already chosen (spoiler alert) as a gift for the Klaragals.  We ventured into a used book store run by an elderly gentleman who, unlike most Swedes, did not speak English.  I was able to express my interest in a fabulous small watercolor that featured, of all things, pall bearers.  It was a little pricey but I bought it for my own collection of primitive art.  The man showed us an old book in which "my" watercolor and others that he had in the shop were printed.  Near the end of the day I found a new shop, just in business one week, called Retro Grenna.  There I purchased a number of vintage pillow cases, Norwegian pottery, and a funky tray holder.  We enjoyed dinner on our Hotel's large outdoor patio (Pizza and Swedish Beer) and then walked down to the sea side where we watched cars line up for the Ferry to the nearby island of Visingso AND enjoyed a dish of polka mint ice cream!  By the time we walked back it was only 8:30 in the evening but we were more then ready for bed!  Tomorrow is midsommer and celebrations with family in Svenl Junga!

Costume Girl with Candy Samples in Grenna

Entry to my new favorite shop:  Grenna Retro!

We landed in Stockholm, Sweden Thursday morning, a glorious Sunny day,  picked up our Volvo Station Wagon Rental, and immediately began our drive to Svenl Junga where we will be spending midsommer.  The trip is rather long (and we were quite jet lagged) so we planned an over night stop in Grenna Sweden.  We made a few stops along the way....especially when we saw the sign Loppis...which means Flea Market or Garage sale.  Our first stop was in Varberg where Peter made a b-line to System Bolaget (their state run liquor store) for some wine and I went to Myrona-a charity resale shop.  I found a few fun things there - a ceramic bird candle-holder, a piece of Quimper, and a great vintage Christmas cloth...among other things.  We also stopped in Nykopping-a charming town on the Baltic Sea. The gorgeous flowers that overflow from every planter and window box along the way makes me long for cooler temperatures at home so that we, too, could have  flowers that look like an ad for miracle gro!  We had a yummy Salmon lunch outdoors, did a little shopping and then hit the road again.  Peter...who is much better at sleeping on planes than am I was the designated driver for today's trip.  I mostly slept in the back seat with a promise by my "boys" to stop for all Loppis and Antik signs!  Next stop...Grenna!

Labels: Nykopping, Stockholm, Swedish Antiques, Swedish ceramic, Swedish linens, Varberg Sweden