2. Stockholm: June 9, 2024

God kväll (Good evening)

After our very long day yesterday (about 32 hours of travel—door-to-door), we sort of settled into our room at the Bank Hotel which is located in a very central area of downtown Stockholm and about a block from the water. The hotel, as its name implies was originally a bank. The building is from the art nouveau period and actually has gone through a few incarnations, but it was a bank longer than anything else. Built in 1910, it was the head office of the Södra Sverige Banking company, but later housed a succession of other banks.. and for a time was an exhibition hall and a law library. It’s quite impressive with very large, very heavy bronze double doors. At the entrance there are stone sculptures of an owl (wisdom?) and a squirrel (thrift?).

We got a bit of a late start, but headed to Fotografiska for brunch. We took two different Metros and then walked a bit (actually our total steps thus far today—and it’s not over yet is 14,250 steps and 9 flights… I think my phone app is in shock). Fotografiska is a photo museum that has a really good restaurant, known for its Sunday brunch and for its commitment to sustainability as well as fine dining… and has a waterfront location (how can you go wrong?) Located in an old warehouse with high ceilings, the museum’s restaurant (not sure if it has its own name) is proud of its plant-based menu which is supplemented with farmed fish and sustainable meat. There’s an on-site composting system, and all the salads come from a hydroponic farm that is in the basement of the museum. When we ordered our mimosas they told us that the orange juice (which was a bit bitter) comes from Rescue an NGO that uses what we call “ugly fruit.” They had a nicer name for it.

OK… Brunch was quite wonderful… with things like slices of potato bread topped with crème inglais and roe; baked eggs with bread crumbs, asparagus, and some kind of cream; lingonberries with coddled cream. After brunch we strolled through the photo museum which had both a Cindy Sherman exhibit, some of which was devoted to selfies, and also an impressive exhibit that highlighted 10 award-winning photographers who created images to help explain climate change.

Then we walked to Slussen Station, where I was determined to find “Humor,” a sculpture I had read about—a manhole cover propped up with a hard-hatted worker (made of bronze and wood, I believe) with barricades all around. Public art so real that people walk right by thinking it’s actually a worker poking his head up from the ground. I walked and walked exactly where it is supposed to be, but could not find it. The funny thing is that this “art” has been located there for several years; when I couldn’t find it I asked several people who work in the area daily—the florist, the guy who sells the transit passes, and the hotel desk clerk who works in the building that is literally just behind the location. No one had ever seen it. But there is a lot of real construction going on all around that area, so perhaps it has been relocated… ??? Anyway, if you are headed to Stockholm in the near future, try to find it and send me a photo! https://www-stockholmkonst-se.translate.goog/konst/humor? _x_tr_sl=sv&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc&_x_tr_hist=true . Very frustrating…

A quick stroll back to the Metro and we are in Gamla Stan, the old section of Stockholm. The little neighborhood of Gamla Stan was the actual city of Stockholm in the early years. While the area dates back to the 1300s, most buildings that are still standing are from the 1600s and 1700s. It’s one of those totally charming sections of an old European city with tons of narrow lanes lined by houses and shops, and streets lead up to the palace and the church. We strolled for a few hours and eventually headed back to the Metro to our hotel… but not before we went to Ramsgarden to see the “ants”— giant sculptured ants in front of some kind of office building. And then the rains came as we made for cover in the metro and back to the hotel…

And then we went for dinner to a little place called “Woodstockholm” – not sure where we heard about it. But it was a great choice. We thought that perhaps the name of the restaurant had something to do with Woodstock NY, but we were wrong. The story is that there was a group of friends who were really good woodworkers, and they formed a small company making wood furniture. They sold the furniture to some restaurants and then, because they all liked to cook, they decided to open a restaurant (in 2012, I think) and they used furnished the restaurant with their handmade furniture – they built all the tables and chairs, etc. (quite nice and great craftsmanship). They also had a concept for the restaurant: use locally sourced food and have a theme for the menu which changes every two months. The themes have been things like “trains,” or “a favorite country” or “a particular chef,” etc. This month’s theme is “E4,” the major highway in Sweden that goes from the north to the south of the country and passes through most major cities. In addition to the well-crafted furniture, the restaurant has a lot of funky stuff around.

So we had the Haparanda (named for a city way up north) — whitefish roe and horseradish wrapped in kohlrabi roll. And we had Kebabenkase (lamb and tahini and a spicy pepper and some other stuff sitting on a flatbread) for starters. We followed this with reindeer tartare with lingonberries and spruce and some paper thin chips (dish was called “Danger for Reindeer”) which was great with a lot of “kick;” and then we shared one main course: baked sole (that was incredibly tender and melted in your mouth) with asparagus and au vin blanc sauce (called Kungena Kurva). We couldn’t help ourselves so we had to order one dessert: the “Self-Pickling” which was strawberry, lime and wild chamomile which was created like fine ices… By the way, they carry the two-month long theme into decorations at the restaurant, so we were surrounded by road signs and construction helmets and maps. It’s a tiny place—probably only 5 tables for two and then one long counter which seats about 12 people, and a small bar where you can also have dinner. Highly recommended.

Public transit back to the hotel and now I’m exhausted. Many more to tell, but it will have to wait.
Adjö — Fern