Vällingby reclaims headlines again
Photo: Gert Wingårdh/Vällingby Centrum
Vällingby Centrum made the headlines all over the world when it opened in 1954, because it was built as a complete sk ABC-city in the suburbs including A) Workplace (Arbetsplatser), B) Housing (Bostäder) and C) Center (Centrum). Vällingby stood as a model for future city planning.
This week Vällingby ones again will reclaim the headlines with bold architecture and bold ideas for the suburb, when Vällingby Centrum, opens their facelifted area. The new Kfem-building, a new departmentstore entirely with fashion, designed by renowned swedish architect Gert Wingårdh, includes some "30 brands that you just would find in the city centre of Stockholm". In the new Vällingby Centrum the price awarded 50's architecture will live on with the new modern ones.
Visit the Archipelago - they move in to city
Photo:
The Stockholm Archipelago consists of 30 000 islands and it can be difficult to choose which ones to visit. Therefore, the Archipelago moves to the City. A new group, Visit Skärgården (archipelago), will open a turist office on Strandvägen in Stockholm. I have written about this before
New Design Gallery opens in Stockholm
A new gallery, Designgalleriet, with focus on mainly Swedish fashion, interiordesign and product design will open in May 2008 on the corner Odengatan/Birger Jarlsgatan in Stockholm.
The idea is to present two different exhibitions per month, including experiments and prototypes of young designers as well as commercial products and well established design companies in Sweden. The initiators are Stefan Nilsson och Karin Sköldberg, well known in the design industry. And Alcro, Offect, Mitab, Orrefors, Kosta Boda, Gustavsberg, Gense, Höganäs and Rörstrand have have all joined as partners and sponsors of the project.
The swedish designers Form Us With Love are behind the interior at the Design Gallery.
Late night shopping tuesday and thursday
Dont miss out on the late night shopping during the Last Tuesday respective Thursday every month.
Tuesday March the 25th its "Late Tuesday" on Rörstrandsgatan etc in Birkastan. The following shops are open until 21: Plezuro, Sally och Sara, Lolodi, Standard, Hudrum, Boutique Sunnanskog, MADE BY, Till bords,
Stil, Sessa, Rara ärtor, PLAGG, People like us, Oscar Lindberg trikåvaror, Milla Milano, Louise´s symaskinshörna,
La riggiola, Kulagården, Hallmans skomakeri, Fler bollar i luften, Design Helena Berggren, Camilla Norrback,
Blå Hästen, Birka Gott, Kaffecompaniet, Salong Lagerqvist, Davidssons Pilates
Englanejd.
Thursday March the 27th its "SoFo night" in SoFo on Södermalm.
Learn swedish?
How to learn swedish in 1 000 difficult lessons is a funny way to learn swedish words such as Skottdagen, röda dagar.
New flight from Rostock
Ryanair will open a new summer route from Rostock in Germany to Stockholm Skavsta. The flight starts June 4.
Two new Michelin Star restaurants
Stockholm has two new star restaurants according to the french gourmet guide Guide Michelin Main cities of Europe 2008, which means 7 star restaurants in Stockholm. Mathias Dahlgren at Grand Hotel and Leijontornet restaurant in Old Town are the two new restaurants. The Mathias Dahlgren restaurant got recognised as a "rising star" which means that a second star is within reach. Restaurant Edsbacka Krog in the Stockholm area is the only Swedish restaurant with two stars according to Michelin Guide and they are keeping it. Operakällaren, Fredsgatan 12, Lux Stockholm and Esperanto are all keeping their star. Mistral restaurant in Gamla Stan closed in the autumn of 2007 and is therefore not included in the list. Read also about White Guide awards, Dagens Nyheters gulddrakar
Guide Michelin also manifests restaurants with good food to a reasonable price, so called Bib Gourmand. New restaurants are Per Lei, Proviant, Ulla Winbladh and Carl Michael, all situated in Stockholm.
Museum of Broken Relationships
Suffering of a broken heart? Instead of burning the collection of love letters you can visit The Museum of Broken Relationships in Stockholm at Edsvik Art Hall from April 26, 2008.
The Museum of Broken Relationships is an art concept which proceeds from the assumption that objects create a space of secure memory in order to preserve the material and nonmaterial heritage of broken relationships. The Museum offers every individual the chance to overcome the emotional collapse through creation, i.e., by contributing to the holdings of the Museum. Read more here
New meeting facility at Skeppsholmen
Photo: Nobisgruppen
In the old "Skating Pavilion" at Kastellholmen, built back in 1882 by the Royal Skating Club and the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, a new city centre meeting place will be created. This unique venue will offer four conference rooms, the largest accommodating up to 30 people. The Skating Pavilion will also be used for exclusive parties and corporate functions. Read more about Hotel Skeppsholmen
New hotel at Skeppsholmen
Photos: Nobisgruppen
In 2009 the Nobis group, also running Operakällaren etc, will open up yet another exciting venue. Långa Raden at Skeppsholmen, in Stockholm city centre will turn into a unique hotel environment with ultra modern design in a historical building from 1699.
The hotel will offer 78 first-class rooms, a restaurant featuring a lounge and a terrace facing the waterfront, and conference facilities for up to 30 people. Read about the new conference venue on Skeppsholmen and read previous blogs about the hotel.
Three new attractions at Gröna Lund
Phtos: Gröna Lund
The Gröna Lund amusementpark on Djurgården opens on April 26 with three new attractions and with focus on themes in the park. According to a press release this is one of the largest transformations in the modern history of the amusementpark. The 125 year anniversary will also be a celebration of the classical Tivoli environment in the older area, with a new entrance and with a new retro futuristic environment on Jetgatan.
Three new family attractions
Tekopparna (Tea cups) - classical rotating teacups attraction
Flygande elefanterna (Flying elephants) - a flying carouselle
Lyktan (lantern) - A rotating "free falling" carouselle.
Esperanto and Lux is best - White Guide
Photo: White guide / Lux Stockholm people
Six restaurants in Sweden were chosen in the White Guide category "international master class" - All of them situated in Stockholm. White Guide is Swedens equivalence to Guide Michelin.
International masterclass
Esperanto was chosen best restaurant from a foodexperience perspectiv and
Lux Stockholm as the best restaurant from a total experience perspecitve.
The other six international master class restaurants in Stockholm are:
Edsbacka Krog, F12 Restaurant, Mathias Dahlgren, Oaxen skärgårdskrog. Mathias Dahlgren, Matbaren was also chosen "The Best Environmental Experience" and Lux Stockholm awarded "Best service"
7 Stockholm Restaurants chosen Swedish master class
Vassa Eggen, Pontus!, Operakällaren,1909 Sigtuna Stadshotell, GQ, Leijontornet and Divino. Sigtuna stadshotel in Sigtuna was also chosen "Star of the Year",
Enjoy opera in a 18th century theatre
The Drottningholm Slottsteater, is one of Europe´s best preserved 18th century theatres and a UNESCO World herritage. It was bult in 1766 and is a unique attraction with its original scenery, 200-year old stage machinery and interior decoration virtually untouched by the passage of time.
In the season of 2008 the Drottningholm Slottsteater will play three operas. We open the festival with performances of Haydn's comic opera Life on the moon (Il mondo della luna), and then a new Monteverdi production of The Return of Ulysses (Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria). A third opera at Drottningholm this year will be Florian Gassman's L'opera seria.
Super arena in Stockholm
The new National Arena in Solna, Stockholm is going to be amazing. The outer shell of the arena will be illuminated and can change expression with the events. The arena itself will be multifunctional, a place for sailing, skating, music and sportsevent. The national arena is the central part of the Arena City.
Arena City - a new part of Stockholm
Stockholm is growing rapidly and the Globe Arena, situated south of Stockholm, will be complemented by a large national arena north of Stockholm.. The former industrial area close to the lake Råstasjön in Solna north of the city centre will turn into an attractive living and entertainmentarea. The new entertainment and nationalarena, Swedbank Arena, will be able to entertain 50-67 000 people. A residential area for 2 000 families will be built, a large shoppingcentre, 10-12000 square meters of offices, 160 000 sqm of different types of premisses will be bult. In connection with the arena a hotel with 3-400 rooms will be built. SL will also invest a lot in Solna station. The station will be moved closer to Arena City and the "Tvärbanan" train will be extended from Alvik to Solna City.
The whole area is named Arenastaden (Arena city) The construction start is planned to late autumn 2008 and will be inaugurated in 2012.
Stockholm - The Shopping Capital of Scandinavia?
The Stockholm suburb Solna Center, where the new national arena will be built, will also host Scandinavias largest shoppingmall. 230 shops on 100 000 square meters will be built. Solna is a popular residential area in Stockholm. I will write more about the whole Arena City area tomorrow afternoon...
Buy your ticket to the ABBA museum now
The news that Stockholm's new tourist magnet, ABBA the Museum, will open during a glittering Opening Week June 3-7 has quickly spread around the world. People from 32 countries have already bought tickets for the opening week.
On March 13 at 10 am (local time), the official booking office for reservations for ABBA the Museum will open. You can buy tickets both for the Opening Week and the rest of 2009, at the museum website.
The most sought-after tickets are naturally for the Opening Week, June 3-7, 2009. If you would like to experience this exciting and festive week, be prepared to go online at 10.00 a.m on March 13.
10 ideas to an affordable Stockholm
What can you do in Stockholm when you are travelling on a limited budget? I got that question the other week and decided to share my ideas with you all. Here are ten of my ideas...
1. Top attractions for free: Three of Stockholms most important attractions are all for free: Stockholm City Museum, the Culturehouse and The Old Town of course.
2. Sightseing almost for free: Buy a Stockholmcard (including 75 attractions, sightseeing transports) or a travellingcard (transports) and take one of the blue busses. Try bus 3 or 4 from Södermalm to the Radiohouse or Norrtull and see the whole city. With the Stokcholm card you can also go with Nybrofärjan ferry to Djurgården island for free.
3. Why not take the subway and see all the art on the stations. The subway/underground in Stockholm is also called the worlds longest artgallery - 110 km long and with 90 of the 100 stations decorated with art.
4. Excercise for free. In the summer you can swim in the lake, for free, or join the Friskis & Svettis aerobics classes in the Rålambshov park for free. Walking is great excersice and cheap, as well. You can walk to all the sights and shopping in Stockholm. Stockholm has also great view points, the list is here
5. Stockholm for free - site in swedish about all events and things you can do in Stockholm for free. Check out GratisiStockholm.
6. A great way to explore the city is by bike. Stockholm City Bikes have bicycles all over the city which you can borrow for a small fee.
7. Contemporary art: Stockholm is one of the trendiest places to buy contemporary art. Why not check out some of the galleries in Stockholm for example at Hudiksvallsgatan or at the new photogalleries.
8. Two world of three world heritages: The Woodland Cemetary and the Drottningholm Palace gardens are both on the UNESCO world heritage list. You can reach them both with bus and underground. The palace entrance is included in the Stockholmcard.
9. For children. A new childrens attraction, opening this year, will be free of charge.
10. Entertainment for free. Put on your best clothes and go to Café Opera Veranda. During spring they will invite some of swedens best artists to perform unplugged.
New artgallery dedicated to photos
Photo: Gerry Johansson, exhibition at Double Elvis Gallery until March 23
Stockholm has been an attractive place to find exciting contemporary art. But according to City there has been few dedicated photo art galleries in Stockholm. With the new Double Elvis Gallery on Kocksgatan in SoFo, Södermalm this will change. The Gallery works together with Linkimage. So enjoy some loveloy photos and a cup of coffee in the café. Another photo gallery will open in May, this time on Östermalm named Gun Gallery.
Fotogalleries
Double Elvis Gallery, Kocksgatan 52, Södermalm
Gun Gallery (not opened yet), Runebergsgatan 3, Östermalm
Fotografins Hus (photo house), temporalily at Konstnärshuset, Smålandsgatan 7, City
Galleri Kontrast, Hornsgatan 8, Södermalm
Gallery FB+, Sveavägen 117, City.
Sightseeing skating outside the Royal Palace
This winter has been like no other winter - almost totally without any snow or cold weather. This means that most traditional winter activities such as lake skating, skiing etc have been very limited. But don't despair - new winteralternatives have arised: Skating outside the Royal Palace... isn't that just a great place for an ice rink? You get at least three sights at the same time as you excersise: The Royal Palace with the changing of guards, the Old town and the view over the lake... The plastic ice skating rink will be open until easter.
Love is in the air - at the Opera and Berwaldhallen
Photo: Berwaldhallen
- March 14, ClubBerwald, Radío Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Susanna Mälkki and soloist Kirrill Gerstein piano
- April 4, Gaysingle evening and Gustav III ballet performance, The Royal Swedish Opera
- April 11, ClubBerwald, Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Daniel Harding and soloist Malena Ernman mezzo.
- April 11, Single-evening, minus 40 years old, and Falstaff opera performance, The Royal Swedish Opera
- April 21, Single evening, students, and Falstaff opera performance, The Royal Swedish Opera
- April 28, Single evening, plus 40 years old, Falstaff opera performance, The Royal Swedish Opera
New direct flights to Stockholm
Photo: Norwegian
Dubai and Atlanta are two of the new direct flights that will be launched during 2008:
Fly Nordic opened direct flights from Geneve (2/2) and will open from Nice (14/3), Tallinn (30/3), Bordeaux (3/4), Alicante (5/4), Malaga (5/4), Dubrovnik (26/4) and Split (26/4).
Adria Airways opens a direct fligt from Ljubljana to Stocikholm, starting 30/3
SAS opens direct flights from Stavanger (30/3), Zagreb (31/3), Edinburgh (4/4), Palma (5/4) and Tromsö (23/6)
Skyways opens a direct flight from Halmstad, Sweden to Stockholm, from 31/3
Sterling opens direct flights from Burgas (23/3), Napoli (31/3), Firenze (1/4) and Murcia (1/4)
Delta Air Lines opens direct flight from Atlanta, USA starting 4/6
Atlantic Airways opens a direct flight from the Faroe Islands to Stockholm on 19/6
Ryan-Air opens a directflight from Edinburgh to Stockholm, four times a week, starting 8/9
Norwegian opens a direct flight from Dubai to Stockholm, three times a week, from 28/10
