Reykjavík Grapevine - 13.07.2012, Side 30

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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2012
THE NUMBER 1 MUSIC STORE
IN EUROPE ACCORDING TO
LONELY PLANET
SKÓLAVÖRÐUSTÍG 15, 101 REYKJAVÍK AND HARPA CONCERT HALL
BEST POOL: LAUGAR-
DALSLAUG
Swimming is a favourite pastime in Ice-
land. Most towns around the country
have a swimming pool and Reykjavík
has seven of them. They do in fact all
have their charm, but we think it’s safe
to call Laugardalslaug the best pool.
Why? Because it’s huge, it has a bunch
of hot tubs at varying temperatures, it
has a killer waterslide and the stadium
seating blocks out the cold northerly
winds, which are usually accompanied
by sunny rays. Not to mention, it was
just remodelled this past winter.
Note: we used to have two pool
categories, “Best all around pool” and
“Best pool for hot tubbing and loung-
ing.” We’re now simply going with Best
Pool. Why? Because we made Sundhöl-
lin, the oldest pool in Reykjavík, a NEW
institution.
(2011: Neslaug
2010: Laugardalslaug
2009: Laugardalslaug)
BEST ART MUSEUM: REYK-
JAVÍK ART MUSEUM
The Reykjavík Art Museum at Hafnar-
hús has had a great year, hosting some
intriguing and thought-provoking dis-
plays from premier league artists as
well as up-and-comers from the art-
world’s underbelly. The permanent ex-
hibit of Erró’s works is “mind-blowing,”
and by making themselves open and
available to the public by hosting vari-
ous parties and events, they ensure a
steady dialogue with the local commu-
nity. Add to that the constant lectures
and workshops on offer and you’ve got
yourself a pretty vibrant art museum.
Good work, Reykjavík Art Museum,
keep it up!
(2011: Einar Jónsson museum and
sculpture garden
2010: Reykjavík Art Museum
2009: Einar Jónsson museum and
sculpture garden)
BEST GALLERY: I8 GALLERY
While we would love being all innova-
tive and awarding ‘best gallery’ to a
fresh, whippersnapping up-and-comer
art gallery that’s ready to take on the art
world with its edgy art and happening
happenings, it just so happens that i8 is
still way ahead of the rest of Reykjavík’s
pack. Where are all the galleries from
four years ago? Someone challenge i8,
please!
Runner-up: Gallery Kling og Bang often
hosts great shows and remains a must-
visit for the curious art lover perusing
downtown Reykjavík.
(2011: i8 Gallery
2010: i8 Gallery
2009: Gallery Kling og Bang)
BEST MUSEUM: THE NA-
TIONAL MUSEUM
We think The National Museum is kick-
ing ass. It’s Iceland’s largest museum
and it covers everything from the Sa-
gas to a Gameboy from the ‘90s. Well,
not really, but you get the point. “A few
years ago they changed everything up
and there is a beautiful opaque cube in
the middle and the exhibits are beauti-
fully displayed along the walls,” one of
our writers reasoned. “I really appre-
ciate the curating over the last three
years, like the fashion exhibit Tízka, that
was pretty awesome.”
Runners-up: Penis Museum (It moved
to Reykjavík from Húsavík this winter
and it apparently has a lot of people
excited), Icelandic Natural History Mu-
seum (That one is sitting in cardboard
boxes in a basement somewhere, but
we wish someone would unpack it!).
(2011: National Museum
2010: Þjóðmenningarhús)
BEST PLACE TO SPEND A
RAINY DAY: BÍÓ PARADÍS
It was a close race between the swim-
ming pool/hot tub and Bíó Paradís, but
after much back and forth we decided
that the movie theatre is once again the
place to be on a rainy day. Why? There
are lots of movies. They have a huge
area with tables and couches to hang
out. They have games. They have beer.
They have popcorn. And they don’t
just have movies. They tend to have a
unique selection of films that you can’t
see at the chain theatres around town.
We’re also pretty happy that the art
house theatre is still in business. Read
more on page 44.
(2011: Bíó Paradís
2010: A hot tub
2009: Borgarbókasafnið)
BEST PLACE TO SPEND
A SUNNY DAY: HJART-
AGARðURINN
Icelanders like to soak up the sun as
much as possible. Coffeehouses spill
out onto the streets where people hang
out drinking coffee or beer. One such
place is Austurvöllur. You’ll see a lot of
people hanging out on the grass, but
perhaps it’s become overrun? “There
are too many people at Austurvöllur,
too many people playing guitar and
singing Bubbi songs,” someone not-
ed. “Hjartagarðurinn with its shabby,
Christiania-like vibe is nice. They also
have DJs there and you can bring beer
from a nearby establishment.” Read
more about it on page 44.
Runner-up: Austurvöllur
(New Category: Perhaps we never
thought it was sunny enough to do
this one)
BEST BIKING TOUR: NAU-
THÓLSVÍK – FOSSVOGSDA-
LUR
Reykjavík is not a particularly bike-
friendly city. It’s most definitely a car
city. Still, there are some nice places
to bike and one of these is a ride that
starts at Nauthólsvík and takes you
into Fossvogsdalur. There’s a bike path
along the coast most of the way so you
don’t have to compete with the cars or
pedestrians. It’s scenic and it’s a good
work out. The weather also tends to be
a bit nicer in Fossvogur, perhaps be-
cause it is a valley (for better directions
and more information see page 18).
(New category)
BEST ROMANTIC WALK:
GRÓTTA
Grótta is a tiny island on the outskirts
of Seltjarnarnes that’s only properly
accessible during low tide and is the
perfect place to watch sunsets dur-
ing summer and aurora in winter. The
island with its lighthouse positively
oozes romance, and a walk there from
downtown Reykjavík (around five kilo-
metres each way) is very possibly the
most romantic thing you can get up
to in the city. This is doubly so if you
use the opportunity to take a cosy foot
bath in Ólöf Nordal’s sculpture ‘Kvika,’
which is located on your right side as
you near the island on the path parallel
to Norðurströnd. Pack a lunch and im-
merse yourself in the salty sea air.
(2011: Grasagarðurinn
2010: Sæbraut
2009: Öskjuhlíð)
BEST PLACE TO GO FOR A
JOG: æGISSÍðA
Last year Laugardalur was the best
place to go for a jog and it’s without
a doubt still a nice place with its vari-
ous paths sheltered from the wind. This
year one us remarked: “I’m just amazed
that you people jog.” The rest of us jog-
gers or pretend-joggers are most into
Ægissíða, which runs along the coast
in 107 Reykjavík. It’s hard to beat run-
ning by the ocean with the nice salty
sea breeze. While it can get windy by
the ocean, we decided that wind re-
sistance is good training. It’s a beau-
tiful, windy path that takes you past a
famous person’s house, an old fishing
station and football fields. And if you’re
feeling really good, you can run all the
way to Nauthólsvík and take a dip in the
hot tub.
Runner-up: Elliðaárdalur for the bun-
nies.
(2011: Laugardalur
2010: Laugardalur
2009: Elliðaárdalur)
BEST PLACE TO GO FISH-
ING: ELLIðAáRDALUR
Elliðaárdalur valley is a beautiful haven
within Reykjavík’s city limits, perfect for
long walks on bright summer nights. It
is also is home to Elliðaá river, where
you can catch trout (from May 1 – June
15) or salmon (June 20 – August 31) in
a beautiful, peaceful location acces-
sible by bus or bike. Just remember to
acquaint yourself with the river’s rules
and acquire a permit before you start
reeling ‘em in.
(2011: Reykjavík harbour
2010: Reykjavík harbour
2009: Elliðaárdalur)
BEST PLACE TO ENJOY A
zEN MOMENT: DEEP INSIDE
öSKJUHLÍð
We have long found that taking long,
aimless strolls through the hills and
forests (!) of Öskjuhlíð is the perfect
method to clear the mind and spirit.
(2011: Húsdýragarðurinn
2010: Alþingi
2009: Reykjavík Botanical Gardens)
BEST PLACE TO CHEER UP:
THE POND
While it was a refreshing swim at
Nauthólsvík last year, we decided on
Reykjavík’s pond “Tjörnin” this time.
We thought: “What’s a good all-year-
round place to cheer up? People need
to be able to cheer up in the winter too.”
And that ruled out swimming in Nau-
thólsvík. “But the pond!” someone ex-
claimed. “You can go ice skating there
in the winter when it’s a real winter
wonderland, and then you can always
feed the ducks.” Seconding that, some-
one wrote us: “Feed the ducks at the
pond because they're funny and there’s
BEST ART MUSEUM: REYKJAVÍK ART MUSEUM