Stockholm, Sweden

My trip to Stockholm and Copenhagen was awesome. It was everything I'd anticipated and more :) I came home really inspired in many ways, it's so important to step out of your daily routine to see how much bigger the world really is, and I take comfort in knowing that there are parallel universes by way of different cities all around us even though we can't see it. Right now in Stockholm someone is riding their bike with a salmon pink ACNE bag dangling from their handles, and somewhere in Copenhagen, someone is taking the train headed to Malmö.

Creepin'

Anyway, the next series of posts will be about my observations of the two cities.

As anticipated, the majority of Swedes were unapologetically tall. Swedish dudes are anywhere between 6'1–6'5....what what? This may not seem like a big deal to anyone else but for me it was huge because everyone here is so damn short, and it was nice looking up for once. The next statement is no exaggeration by any means, 75% of all guys were Ridiculously Good Looking. However, everyone being so hot backfired because no one really stood out in any way. Imagine a J.Crew catalogue come to life. After a while you are so spoiled with eye candy that you don't bat an eye when the model-y barrista chats you up.

Park in Södermalm

Hot Dads. The streets were scattered with stylish young men breezily carrying a baby in the crook of one arm or pushing a stoller–sans Mom. In fact we saw more Dads with children than Moms with children. The most bizarre part was how effortlessly they incorporated their kid into their daily life, as if the child in his left arm was merely a soccer ball or a jacket. This may have a lot to do with this strange phenomenon.

These dads were no amateurs, they were seriously involved and devoted. I think one of the funniest moments of our trip had to do with a metro ride...Cindy and I watched a young family board the train and settle near us. The toddler, sitting alone on the left side of the train, holding an unwieldy drippy ice cream bar that we both later agreed, was placing a lot of trust to such a baby. Cut to the ice cream bar inevitably making a face plant on the ground. What happened next is the stuff myths are made of–out of nowhere the dad lurches towards this scene presumably to shove his kid away from the now dirtyy, dirtyyyy ice cream bar. But instead, picks it up, pauses for a split second and then...furiously LICKS the side that had hit the ground about 3-4 times, and then places it BACK into his kid's hands. The mom then passes a napkin to the dad to wipe his hands, and whew! crisis averted! Little Björn has his ice cream back and life goes on. In the meantime Cindy's face has frozen into a popsicle and we're silently screaming W-T-F?!??! all the way to our stop.

We debated for 10 minutes whether that was the Stupidest Thing we'd ever witnessed or the Best Thing we had ever witnessed. *verdict: Best Thing albeit Disgusting.

This woman floated by, cig in one hand, tech in the other.

Sitting at a sidewalk cafe, people watching was a highlight because Stockholm is very fashionable. I'd have to say that the style was predominently classic border-lining on prep. Nothing crazy trendy like those over at Hel Looks...just clean lines, quality material and nice cuts. It was an honor to be amidst people wearing real shoes (ie. no flip flops, Uggs, Crocs, trainers, ergonomic comfy bullshit, etc) and fitted pants with an actual waistband that doesn't involve elastics or a drawsting of any kind. No Juicy Couture tracksuits, sloppy beach dresses, REI/NorthFace, baseball caps or college sweatshirts, and most importantly cargo shorts/pants. I swear that is some sort of dude uniform here.

Everyone just looked like they gave a damn. What's wrong with caring? I'm so over "comfortable". That is the fast track to getting fat, my friend. (Which, incidently there were none of in the city)

Cardamom rolls and cappuccino break with Cindy

Cindy and I tried to indulge in as many fikas as possible. Sweden is apparently only #2 in the amount of coffee consuption world-wide (Finland being #1... could this all be because of their dreary fng eternal winters?) I am surprised nonetheless. To enjoy fika is to really take a little break from your day and enjoy the moment with a friend. But after sitting around at a more than a few cafes with porcelain cups of lattes artfully poured, and picking at delicious pastries I have to admit I'd had enough. The American in me (wtf) was anxious for to-go cups of no nonsense hot coffee that I could drink whilst multi-tasking and impatiently dashing to my next destination.

Me: Ugh, I need coffee.
Cindy: Want to stop by that cafe?
Me: Uggg! I don't have time for this shit!!

Cut to me reluctantly sitting down to take a break, and wolfing down a croissant, downing my tiny americano in one gulp. "Done. Let's go!" Still disatisfied though, where is that to-go cup?! :)
That ceramic cup was seriously my ball and chain around my ankle

No really, I've always had romanticized ideas of the Scandinavian fika and I wasn't dissapointed. Come over for fika one day, maybe I'll finally make use of that fancy espresso machine I rarely use. (Because let's face it, I give Starbucks all my money, and spill it all over my dashboard while driving... and texting).