Saturday, September 28, 2013
Shower caps?
I have to admit at first I thought these were shower caps (growing up in a house with a mother who uses them I think this is legit!)....
Nope, they're bike seat covers...
Old Trams
Public transportation consists of trains, buses and trams. Most are modern but some of the trams are the good, old-fashioned originals (as well as the conductors!).
Happy Birthday Grandma Lorene!
Lorene arrived on September 25th, just in time to celebrate her birthday on the 26th with lunch at Flickorna on Djurgarden and dinner at Fem Sma Hus (Five Little Houses) in Gamla Stan topped off with a Princess birthday cake.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Aunt Jan's Top 10 List for Stockholm
Here's my list of favorites - so far! Besides hanging out with the Castles at their apartment and walking with the girls to/from SIS...
1. Biking, walking, and/or running through Djurgarden and stopping at Flickorna for coffee and pastries or lunch.
2. Hitting the many museets - Nordiska, Hallwylska, Moderna, Arkitekt, Millesgarden, Fotografiska
3. Touring the Royal Mews - The Royal Court's transportation department (Horses, carriages, automobiles)
4. Enjoying local restaurants such at sushi and drinks at Happy on the water (Strandvagen). Great people, boat, and hot air balloon watching. Also, Villaggio Grill Italiano (on Riddargatan).
5. Walking the historic cobble streets of Gamla Stan. Especially loved Pelago Bicycles shop near the water. Showcases the importance of this mode of transportation in Stockholm.
6. Exploring the SoFo area on Sodermalm. It's the Brooklyn of Stockholm. Lots of design/vintage boutiques and cafes. Check out Grandpa's (on Sodermannagatan 21), just one of many great little shops.
7. Tasting all that the bakeries have to offer (especially Citron Krakor) - Riddarbageriet (on Riddargatan), Brunkerbergs Bageri (on Regeringsgatan 86 & Dalagatan 91)
8. Shopping - at Mood Stockholm (on Regeringsgatan 46 /Norrlandsgatan 13), Filippa K for their simple Scandinavian designs (on Grev Turegatan), and modern/vintage furniture shops (Modernity, Dusty Deco, etc.)
9. Hopping on a boat to visit one of the many beautiful archipelago islands (Vaxholm, Fjaderholmarna)
10. Visiting Stockholm's Stadsbibliotek - the round library designed by Arkitekt Gunnar Asplund in 1928
(#11 - For visitors. If you purchase anything in Stockholm, be sure to take advantage of the Global Blue tax refund. Obtain form and receipt from shop, sign and turn in at the airport as you leave Stockholm. Tax refunds can range between 15-19%. Easy and takes about 10 minutes.)
1. Biking, walking, and/or running through Djurgarden and stopping at Flickorna for coffee and pastries or lunch.
2. Hitting the many museets - Nordiska, Hallwylska, Moderna, Arkitekt, Millesgarden, Fotografiska
3. Touring the Royal Mews - The Royal Court's transportation department (Horses, carriages, automobiles)
4. Enjoying local restaurants such at sushi and drinks at Happy on the water (Strandvagen). Great people, boat, and hot air balloon watching. Also, Villaggio Grill Italiano (on Riddargatan).
5. Walking the historic cobble streets of Gamla Stan. Especially loved Pelago Bicycles shop near the water. Showcases the importance of this mode of transportation in Stockholm.
6. Exploring the SoFo area on Sodermalm. It's the Brooklyn of Stockholm. Lots of design/vintage boutiques and cafes. Check out Grandpa's (on Sodermannagatan 21), just one of many great little shops.
7. Tasting all that the bakeries have to offer (especially Citron Krakor) - Riddarbageriet (on Riddargatan), Brunkerbergs Bageri (on Regeringsgatan 86 & Dalagatan 91)
8. Shopping - at Mood Stockholm (on Regeringsgatan 46 /Norrlandsgatan 13), Filippa K for their simple Scandinavian designs (on Grev Turegatan), and modern/vintage furniture shops (Modernity, Dusty Deco, etc.)
9. Hopping on a boat to visit one of the many beautiful archipelago islands (Vaxholm, Fjaderholmarna)
10. Visiting Stockholm's Stadsbibliotek - the round library designed by Arkitekt Gunnar Asplund in 1928
(#11 - For visitors. If you purchase anything in Stockholm, be sure to take advantage of the Global Blue tax refund. Obtain form and receipt from shop, sign and turn in at the airport as you leave Stockholm. Tax refunds can range between 15-19%. Easy and takes about 10 minutes.)
School lunches
A few weeks into school Audra and Sofia finally started eating the school lunches every day. Every day they still ask what's on the menu... even when it's ox hash (which Gordon told them was beef) they say they'll get lunch. When Audra doesn't like the regular entree, she will eat the vegetarian entree (I can't believe it either!). Audra did ask me if I signed her up at the beginning of school as a vegetarian. I explained that she didn't need to be a registered vegetarian to eat the vegetarian entree... she can eat either choice but that vegetarians would not want to eat the entree with meat.
Audra and Sofia's favorite lunch by far is the Mexican hamburgers... they rave about them almost daily. I've googled the recipe and clearly we've been missing out because it's out there!
My favorite menu item is taco with Mexican accessories (sombreros anyone?)! Gotta love awkward translations!
Just this week Gabby has finally come on board and is getting lunch at school because 'there is usually something' that she'll eat.... with 2 entrees (one vegetarian), soup, salad bar, yogurt, fruit and bread.
Bottom line, mornings are so much nicer!
Audra and Sofia's favorite lunch by far is the Mexican hamburgers... they rave about them almost daily. I've googled the recipe and clearly we've been missing out because it's out there!
My favorite menu item is taco with Mexican accessories (sombreros anyone?)! Gotta love awkward translations!
Just this week Gabby has finally come on board and is getting lunch at school because 'there is usually something' that she'll eat.... with 2 entrees (one vegetarian), soup, salad bar, yogurt, fruit and bread.
Bottom line, mornings are so much nicer!
Funny money
It's generally not a good thing when you start thinking of in terms of Monopoly money.... but it's hard to take it seriously or keep it in perspective when everyday prices are in the 100's and 1000's!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Koh Phangan
We took Audra and Sofia (Gabby was on a sleepover) to a Thai restaurant Saturday night. Despite the decor, it gets good reviews. Because of the decor, the girls thought it was AWESOME! The food was good, however, we waited an hour for a table and an hour for food. Hopefully they were just having an off night.
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| an exit... this is what made Sofia proclaim the restaurant AWESOME! |
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| a wall in the bathroom, which Audra noticed you could see through |
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| in the bathroom stall |
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| yes, I have way too many pictures of bathrooms in Stockholm! |
Tunnel vs. Steps
There is a very cool tunnel to cut through a part of the city for walkers and bikers to use...
or there's the steps...
or there's the steps...
Summer is over..
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Royal Mews
Sunday, September 1st - Jan, Audra, Audra's friend, Santana, Sofia and I visited the Royal Mews (stables) one block from our apartment. The Royal Mews is responsible for transportation (car and for ceremonial occasions- horse and carriage) for the Royal Court and is only open for tours at certain times (in Sept. Sat. and Sun. at 14.00 only). Employees at the Royal Mews are responsible
for care of the horses and The King's motor and carriage park.
The groomswoman who led our tour has been working at the Royal Mews for 17 years and was the first woman hired to work there. She said she felt bad that she was breaking the tradition of the male groomsmen but the King was happy to see a woman as part of the Royal horse procession. Also, when she started working at the Mews the youngest princess was 11 years old and was happy to have a woman to ride with instead of one of the 'old-men'!
The horses are exercised and trained every day so that they get used to crowds, noise, cars, flags waving, etc. We often see the horses on the street on our way to school. They always have the Royal pads and the riders are wearing their official Royal riding jackets, hats, etc. (Sorry, clearly, I do not have the technical names down!) Sometimes we'll see two horses pulling a carriage for practice. After the horses are exercised they are free to run and play in the interior courtyard.
The Mews is a large, red brick building with a large interior courtyard built around 1851 when the king at the time had around 110 horses. The Royal family now has around 14 horses at the Mews. There are several apartments in the front of the building where the grooms-people and some Royal employees are lucky to have apartments.
The groomswoman who led our tour has been working at the Royal Mews for 17 years and was the first woman hired to work there. She said she felt bad that she was breaking the tradition of the male groomsmen but the King was happy to see a woman as part of the Royal horse procession. Also, when she started working at the Mews the youngest princess was 11 years old and was happy to have a woman to ride with instead of one of the 'old-men'!
The horses are exercised and trained every day so that they get used to crowds, noise, cars, flags waving, etc. We often see the horses on the street on our way to school. They always have the Royal pads and the riders are wearing their official Royal riding jackets, hats, etc. (Sorry, clearly, I do not have the technical names down!) Sometimes we'll see two horses pulling a carriage for practice. After the horses are exercised they are free to run and play in the interior courtyard.
The Mews is a large, red brick building with a large interior courtyard built around 1851 when the king at the time had around 110 horses. The Royal family now has around 14 horses at the Mews. There are several apartments in the front of the building where the grooms-people and some Royal employees are lucky to have apartments.
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| Interior archway entrance |
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| Interior courtyard |
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| Interior courtyard |
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| Interior courtyard/entrance through the archway |
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| interior courtyard |
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| 1969 Royal Mercedes - note the crowns on the wheel wells |
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| 1951 Royal Caddy... |
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| very Blues Brothers! |
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| Crown on the Mercedes |
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| Royal tack for special ceremonies... there are many different versions! |
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| The stables |
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| Small arena |
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| A Royal coach |
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| Sofia thinks they look like giant baby carriages! |
Extra Bonus!
Thanks to the helpful mums at the Stockholm International School (SIS) I learned that everyone living in Sweden (citizen or not) gets a Barnbidrag or Child Benefit Allowance.... it's a nice little allowance!
So here's your word-math problem:
1,050kr ($160)/month/child and if you have more than one child you get a bonus 500kr ($75)/month
$160x3+$75 = $555/month!
Gordon and I are looking for restaurants to try on our newly funded date night!
Other things I learned:
So here's your word-math problem:
1,050kr ($160)/month/child and if you have more than one child you get a bonus 500kr ($75)/month
$160x3+$75 = $555/month!
Gordon and I are looking for restaurants to try on our newly funded date night!
Other things I learned:
- Most Swedes observe the sweets only on Saturdays rule... we're trying to make that transition!
- There is a TV tax, 2,076kr ($325)/year
- Your name must be on your door to receive mail
- Kids (up to 12 years old) travel free on the T-bana (trains), buses and trams from Noon Friday - Sunday night
- Emergency is 112 (NOT 911)
Sofia's Swedish
Walking to the Post with Sofia on Thursday I asked her what she learned in Swedish that day (it's one of her favorite classes). She said she could only remember one word, s-e-x. Luckily I know that means six but it's still funny to have your 6 year old spell s-e-x out to you. I asked if she learned the rest of the numbers, she had, but she said s-e-x was the easiest to remember. She then also remembered atta... eight. We'll be working on the rest of the numbers this weekend!
Package of Care
A very nice surprise arrived in the post on Thursday from our sweet Atlanta friends! Regular mail is delivered on bicycles, so when a package arrives you receive a notice in the mailbox. Our location for picking up packages is the Coop grocery store. The Post counter is a space literally between the meat department and the ice cream case. Unlike the USPS waiting in line here is quick and painless!
Thank you, Lynda, John, Ben, Ella and Zeke!!!
Thank you, Lynda, John, Ben, Ella and Zeke!!!
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| The Post counter at the Coop on Karlavagen |
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| The excitement builds! |
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| U.S. candy!! |
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| Twizzlers, popcorn, granola bars, chocolate, Junior Mints and more! |
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| The Twinkies were my favorite!! |
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