surprise! korean!

Fredrik and I went browsing today. We went to check out prices for things that we’ll need in the house.

We found a Korean restaurant in the least expected place. Hidden in a “business park” area. Restaurang Izumi Gumi.

We were actually looking for some sort of lunch restaurant. In our search, we also discovered the Vivels bakery. If we weren’t really hungry, we would’ve probably bought some bread. There were some seriously nice looking bread. Their jalapeno bread looked pretty interesting.

We ate out of the lunch menu. Fredrik got the yakitori bibimbap. I got the yakiniku bibimbap. It was as good as the bibimbap I’ve had in the Korean restaurants in K-town Toronto.

You’ll have to excuse the blurriness. I took the picture with Fredrik’s cellphone and I have a hard time holding my hands still.

I’d like to see their dinner menu. There are probably other authentic Korean goodness.

Damn… now I want all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ.

Restaurang Izumi Gumi
Svetsarvägan SA
171 41 Solna
08 28 01 01

mmm fish and chips

There’s a girl living in Nova Scotia that I’ve been “conversing” with on Twitter. She writes about fish and chips at Tasty Fish & Chips.

I too am a big fan of fish and chips. The proper kind. Not the breaded kind you get in many places here in Sweden. Perhaps I can go on a fish and chips tour in Stockholm to find the best fish and chips establishment. I know for sure that I’m gonna try to get myself a helping of it this Sunday in London.

Well I’m gonna start contributing to Tasty Fish & Chips. Hopefully my writing will not disappoint.

fried fish and some sort of mayo covered cauliflower

Yesterday I met up with some forum folks at the Southside Pub in Södermalm. Thursday nights are pub quiz nights. We didn’t win but I won a drink.

I had the Irish style fish and chips. I’m not too sure what the Irish do differently from the rest of the UK. It was however not just covered in bread crumbs like the usual fish and chips one gets in Stockholm. It may not have been a delicious bit of deep fried batter covered halibut but it did satisfy me. Until Sunday that is (I’m heading to London on Sunday.).  ;)

The confusing thing about it was the mayo covered clump next to the salad. I thought it was tartare sauce at first but then I found a cauliflower hidden in it. I wonder what the hell that was supposed to be.

There’s a lovely girl in Halifax that blogs about the fish and chips: Tasty Fish & Chips.

Southside Pub
Hornsgatan 104
117 26 Stockholm
08 669 50 52

mmm mmm good

I’ve had a craving for soup in the past couple of days. I would make some soup today but I’m going out to a pub tonight so making soup would conflict with dinner plans.

About a month ago Fredrik and I ate at Stockholm’s Hard Rock Cafe. It’s one of the few times I’m actually willing to go to a Hard Rock Cafe. They offer a fix of North American food when there’s the need.

On our way back to the car, we passed by a soup stand on Sveavägen. It’s times like this that I wish I lived closer/in the city. Perhaps I’ll get some soup tomorrow since I’ll be heading into town to have coffee with a friend from MDH.

http://www.alltomstockholm.se/restaurangbar/article144286.aos

norway… full of norwegians

I met this guy who told me that Beijing was full of Chinese people when I asked him what he thought of Beijing.

So I’m home again. The flat is kinda dusty and full of dirty laundry. The plan is to do some tidying and laundry. Today and tomorrow are both blank days, I’m hoping to get some stuff accomplished around home.

Oslo was nice. The show was a bit packed. It was a sold out show.

The food in Oslo was good. Fredrik and I wanted some fish/seafood but the restaurant we were heading to was closed. We settled for the place next door. Still got fish/seafood. That was pretty nice. Think I’ll try to make the creamy mussel pasta sometime in the future.

Took the train down to Göteborg. Passed a few fjords on the way.

I got really drunk in Göteborg. Fredrik booked us into this super nice hotel. I loved the decor. He picked it ’cause he knew I’d love it.

My favourite was the wallpaper.

Show in Göteborg was pretty good too.

For some reason I find that Göteborg has more of a stylish feel than Stockholm. Perhaps I just haven’t wandered around in some of the more stylish parts of Stockholm. Or it has to do with the size of Göteborg. It’s a smaller city and things are more condensed and concentrated.

Took the train back yesterday. There was an old lady sitting across from me that kept changing her seat. At first I wondered if it was me but after the 3rd time she changed seats, I left it at her.

I should probably get the day going. Don’t want to dilly dally in front of the computer all day. Not to mention I’m at that point that I’m starting to feel like I’m covered in dust and cat hair.

down by the shore

We’re heading to Sandhamn today for a wee vacation of sorts.

It’ll be my first time in the Archipelago.

Unfortunately the cats don’t get to follow. Don’t think they’d like the boat ride too much anyways.

Every summer, loads of Swedes flock to the Stockholm Archipelago. It’s the Muskoka of Sweden. The Stockholm Archipelago is a bunch of islands, Muskoka has a bunch of lakes. According to the tourism website, there are 1600 lakes in the area.

a small piece of france

I went out for lunch with Emmanuelle at Petite France.

I had a hot sandwich with French ham, raclette and onion compot. She had a lax and broccoli pie. She had orginally had her heart set on a croque monsieur but they were all out of croque monsieurs.

I definitely will be heading back in the near future because they have proper croissants and other fabulous French pastries. I’d love to bring Fredrik there for lunch. I think he would enjoy it too. They have a small patio like most Swedish restaurants and it’s on an inner street so you’re not eating road dust while you’re eating your lunch.

yuck

There’s a subway station that I occasionally go to and it always smells like pee.

It’s not some dark corner.

IT’S RIGHT BY THE TURNSTILES, BY THE TICKET BOOTH, IN THE OPEN!!

Obviously everytime I’m at said subway station, I find it absolutely disgusting.

Then I realized that it’s not so much the stench that disgusts me. Don’t get me wrong, the smell of urine is disgusting. But it is the idea of public urination that disgusts me the most.

And I quote Leela from Futurama:

“Animals go in the corner!”

things tossed upside down

It’s nearly half way into the tour and I’m still feeling a bit messed up.

I don’t really know why and how I can make things go by easier. Fredrik said that I was a bit fuddy duddy over the last US tour too. I frankly can’t remember.

I guess that’s how the mind protects itself. It forgets/blocks memories of the really crappy times.

Think about some of your past relationships. Not too often does one remember the fights and the cruddy times. It’s usually fond memories of the past.

Ull’s sitting on the coffee table sniffing for a possible bug.

Spring is here in Stockholm and that means bugs. Bugs = snacks for the cats

He’s sniffed out my yoghurt and musli. No yoghurt and musli for cats!

I used to think eating yoghurt and musli was like eating wood chips. Now I love the stuff. Mind you, I still stay very far away from the ones that have raisins. I don’t like old people in my yoghurt.

second part

Apparently there’s a part 2 to the video link I posted in my last entry…

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=225126&title=the-stockholm-syndrome-pt.-2