Copenhagen Part 1: Vester Bros in Hygge Land

Oh, Copenhagen...how do I love thee. The more I love a city, the harder it is to sit down and write about it because I don't know where to begin.

I've been in a mopey state since I've come back from Denmark. Design is a huge part of Danish DNA. It's hard to come back to reality when you've gotten a taste of what it's like being in a place that celebrates design to that degree.

Studio Arhoj

The flight from Stockholm to Copenhagen was just under an hour. We took the train from Kastrup to Central Station. It was packed like a can of sardine with everyone just like us, with giant suitcases. Luckily it was only a twenty minute ride. We walked from the train station to our hood, pulling our suitcases over cobblestones as they clip clopped like horses.

Vibeke, our Danish host was a friendly, chic lady. We stood there politely, somewhat intimidated while she breezed about her two bedroom apartment, recommending this and that before leaving us to freely admire her place, because it was so stylish. She had a lot of framed art on the wall, I could tell they were acquired over time, a mix of abstract paintings, a vintage maps of Denmark, and personal ephemera nicely framed and preserved forever. Art for your home should be meaningful.

We fell into our routine of settling in, and hitting the nearest supermarket. There was a good one across the street called Irma. It was a little posh, it seemed we had landed in some version of a Danish Whole Foods. The usual purchases were made; wine, yogurt, Wasa crackers, cheese, and cherry tomatoes for Katee. Brian bought a nice bottle of dill infused Akvavit, and we had shots with a little cornichon pickle chaser. Skål! Really hit the spot.

I did more people watching than actual reading...

Vesterbro was a really hip location to be in. Right off the Vesterbrogade. Our place overlooked a small and bustling cobblestoned courtyard with lots of bars and retaurants. I did a lot of idle people watching from the reading nook. It was lively long into the night.

Cafe Europa

Hyyge. What is it? Hyyge (pronounced hu-guh) is a Danish concept that's hard to explain in one definitive sentence. Basically it encompasses a feeling of cozy contentment and well-being through enjoying the simple things in life. Hygge can be literal–a reading nook with a cup of coffee or a cat on your lap on a rainy day. But it's also about the feels. When you are hanging out with good company, being your true self and laughing all day. It's super hygge when I'm home relaxing, eating candy and watching endless trash tv, and knowing no one knows how skimpy my home shorts are. I'd say hygge is a less smug version of our annoying #blessed.

Finding out the real pronounciation sort of threw off our Gettin' Hygge with it jokes. Anyway, I found this national obsession with all things cozy really endearing. I wondered if hygge was invented as a coping method for surviving the dark and grim Scandinavian winters.

The Straedet view outside HAY

The next day, we walked along the Stroget to Straedet and had a shopping day. HAY, a magical home goods store filled with pretty colors and innovative everyday objets. It is still relatively hard to see HAY designs sold in the US. Among my purchases, a minty green gym hook and a handsome brass mirror I'd been eyeing online.

Colors

Beautiful ephemera

Royal Copenhagen. Of course I fell in love with all the breakables. There were some gorgeous rooms upstairs with really fancy table settings fit for a princess. You know you're old when you're brain blowing over cut crystal goblets and dinner plates. I'm a porcelain breakables fuccboi. Having coffee out of one of the many cup and saucers I've carefully hand carried home from various trips, is my ultimate hygge. 😆

This faded pastel room at Royal Copenhagen

Last but not least, Illums Bollighus. The home-porn store to end all home-porn stores. All the classic Danish super stars under one roof. Beautiful pastel french presses by Stelton, Arne Jacobsen clocks, Georg Jensen candle holders, Kay Bojesen silverware, Bang and Olufson speakers, Anne Black porcelain, Muuto vases and my personal favorite: Normann Copenhagen. Something I noticed was that everything is pretty expensive in Scandinavia. These home goods weren't an exception. everything is precious and comes in it's own proprietary box with the name of the design company, a blurb on the concept of the piece, and photos of the designers responsible.

Pick me up in 4 hours

Items each in nicely designed packaging, no matter how dimunitive

The following day, we commited to a day at the Louisiana Museum. We took the train to Humlebaek after waiting in a ridiculous line at Central Station forever, to get the deal for roundtrip ticket plus + museum entrance for only 210 kroners. I used the time to buy a sim card for my phone, and try some skyr. The 15 minute walk from the station to the museum was a beautiful floral explosion.

We went on a Friday so it wasn't crowded.  The Louisiana was still beautiful and as I remembered it. This time since it was summer, everything was in full bloom and extra sensory. The exhibition at hand was an artist by the name of Tal R. There was a whole room dedicated to his bizarre sculptures. It was very ASMR. Lots of chimes and clock noises.

Smorrebrod lunch with strawberry pie

Of course we took a stair pic

Rube Goldberg of technical disasters

Back in 2012 as Cindy and I ate lunch in the sculpture garden, looking across the blue water at Sweden, I'd never felt so far away from home. From my desk at work, just daily life in general. Time seemed to move at a slower pace. You can easily spend the whole day there without realizing it.

Hej

I used to always picture the Louisiana when things felt stressful. It calms me down knowing that it exists. While I'm making digital trash at work, or attending meetings about meetings about meetings, I just think about people walking around the sculpture garden, talking quietly, enjoying a meal in the terrace, and all the white noise fades away. I see this place as an out of some sorts. Another place one could actually be. Feeling stuck is in our heads, we always have options.

You can see Sweden from here

Walking back to the train station I spotted something so unexpected and magical. Lily of the valleys growing along the edge of someone's front yard. I'd never seen lily of the valleys before in person, (I've done my fair share of research back in the day.. it's just not cold enough in SoCal for them to survive) so it was a pretty exciting moment to spot my unicorn flower. I regret not picking one to keep. At the time I told myself to rise above petty crimes and just be happy that I saw some but......ermmm. 😐

So special

I loved this house

Someone's delightful skinny flag

We got back to Vesterbro by seven in the evening, (4 hours til sunset!) and enjoyed a really hyggelig night in, with takeaway food from the restaurants down below, and lots of candles.

...To be continued.