Reykjavík Grapevine - 03.12.2004, Blaðsíða 38

TWO TIMES A FISH
Fish-connoisseurs generally fall into one of two main
categories: Fans of seafood or fans of Fish, former lead singer
of neo-progrockers Marillion. As a matter of fact, Grapevine’s
correspondents belong to both categories.
FASHION / FOOD
GLAMÚR
Is Fashion the New Punk?
The coming of winter does not stop new shops from budding and blooming in Reykjavík. It seems like
there is a new wave of young designers with a do-it-yourself attitude towards fashion opening shops on
and around Laugavegur. In this creative spirit it is thought to be unnecessary to get a degree in order to
learn how to design clothes – after all, all you need are some good ideas and the will to follow them.
Tveir fiskar is not particularly
conspicuous in the Reykjavik
restaurant flora. It almost reminds
one of a mythical place that everyone
has heard of but no one has actually
seen, like Valhalla or Legoland. We
were therefore pleasantly surprised
when an almost full dining hall
greeted us when we arrived. There
were only two of us this time around.
Our editor was occupied somewhere
else, although he didn’t want to tell
us where. Our guesses were that is
was either an AA or OA meeting
(they should combine the two, it
would save me time –ed.). Judging
by the chatter on the nearby tables,
most of our fellow diners were
foreigners. We couldn’t help but
wonder if there were any over-
sensitive Greenpeace-types among
them, as the menu read like a who’s
who of cute and/or allegedly nearly
extinct animals: Dolphin, puffin,
whale, etc.
We were seated by a window
with a lovely view of the Reykjavik
harbour. An added bonus was
the fact that a makeshift drive-in
theatre was operating in the docks
area, where the award-winning
shorts from the Nordisk Panorama
film festival were being shown.
The flickering visuals of Rúnar
Rúnarsson’s very entertaining The
Last Valley were a nice compliment
to the lovely meal ahead. Since one
of us has an almost fanatical interest
in smoking facilities, we decided
to investigate that matter further.
Unlike some other places we have
visited, smokers aren’t relegated to
an attic or an alley. The bar/smoking
area was close to the dining hall and
had a comfortably dark and cosy
vibe. Sitting there, we almost felt like
Miles, or even Judy Davis.
When we returned, the
astoundingly gorgeous waiters,
Kristján and Einar, started bringing
us the increasingly delicious dishes.
After a fresh and pleasant assortment
of shrimp and shellfish and smoked
puffin on a savoury mustard pears
chutney, our waiter introduced
“our smallest dish”. It took us an
embarrassingly long time to get the
joke, even after the giant scallops
and shellfish were on the table.
Any embarrassment was quickly
forgotten, however, when we sunk
our teeth into the deliciously juicy
and tender scallops. Next up was a
taster of the salmon and marinade
gills dishes, but the undisputed
highlight of the evening was
undoubtedly the roasted monkfish
with wild mushrooms and port wine
balsamic glaze. Mind-numbingly
delicious and the Italian white
wine we drank with the meal was
exceptionally smooth and pleasant.
The service was also very well
balanced: The waiters were cheerful
and attentive rather than aggressively
obtrusive.
After a refreshing dessert of
sorbets and chocolate soufflé we
retired to the lounge for a cup of
espresso so potent that the less
caffeine-addicted of us had to to
lay awake all night, listening to his
old Best of Marillion CD. In the
morning, when he was finally able
to sleep, he dreamt of both fish and
Fish. A splendid time is guaranteed
for all: Two fish up.
One of the latest and most interesting additions to this
wave of new designer shops is Glamúr. Located in the
basement of a building on Skólavörðustígur, this shop
has managed to cram into its tiny space all a girl (or an
adventurous boy) might need to look great on a good
night out. Glamúr has both second-hand and new
clothes as well as shoes and accessories. There is a rack
of clothes that glimmer and shimmer, a good choice of
knits and perhaps most interestingly of all, a corner with
clothes from new, upp-and-coming Icelandic designers.
Glamúr is the love child of two young couples who
have paired together in running the shop. In a world
of cold marketing schemes this attitude of a happy
partnership in running a business is at the very least rare,
and probably helps to explain the cozy feeling inside
the shop. As with the punk bands of old times, the goal
seems not to be to make a big profit but simply to do
something, as opposed to just sitting at home with all
the talents you may possibly possess, keeping them to
yourself.
Besides being the name of the shop, Glamúr is also the
name of one of the clothing labels sold there. Glamúr
clothes are feminine but have a certain rock and roll
edge to them, black being the colour of choice for most
of the designs. There is some lace and some glitter, and
tops double as short dresses. Each piece is pretty much
unique, so you will never run into exactly the same outfit
that you have bought (and mind you, this is pretty rare
with prices that won’t break your piggy bank) being worn
by someone else. But interestingly, the same fabrics are
used in different designs, which gives the label a homey
and cozy feel.
Sonja Bent is another young designer presented in
Glamúr, her designs differing completely from any
other in the shop, and not only because of wool being
her chosen material. The designer says that clothes are
worn only to be taken off, so sexiness plays a big part in
her designs. Up until now sex is not the first thing that
comes to mind when we think of knitwear, but Sonja’s
designs might make you think twice – I’m talking see-
through knitted dresses here, not woolly socks and leg
warmers.
The thing that makes Glamúr stand out from other
similar shops with second-hand clothing is that here you
get a coherent, not chaotic, selection. There is no need
to spend hours looking for the perfect piece that may
or may not be there. With glamour in Glamúr through
clothes old and new, they seem to be the perfect things to
get dressed in, before undressing.
by Anna Kaarina Koskinen
by Ölvir Gíslason and Kjartan Guðmundsson
38