Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.07.2013, Blaðsíða 2

Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.07.2013, Blaðsíða 2
Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík www.grapevine.is grapevine@grapevine.is Published by Fröken ehf. www.froken.is Member of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association www.saf.is Printed by Landsprent ehf. in 25.000 copies. Editor In Chief: Haukur S Magnússon / haukur@grapevine.is Editor: Anna Andersen / anna@grapevine.is Editorial: +354 540 3600 / editor@grapevine.is Advertising: +354 540 3605 / ads@grapevine.is +354 40 3610 Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / hilmar@grapevine.is +354 540 3601 / publisher@grapevine.is Editorial | Anna Andersen TRACK MIXTAPE OF THE ISSUE The nice people from LungA sent us some tracks from musicians who will play at their week long art festival in Seydisfjörður between July 14 - 21. They're art kids so they know their shit. This eclectic playlist includes: Rangleklods (DK) - Young and Dumb Ghostigital - Bursting Úlfur Úlfur - SofduVel Master 2 Grísalappalísa - Lóa Vök - Before FM Belfast - We Are Faster Than You Mammút - Salt Now, don't you wish you could hear these songs live? It's not too late to join the festiv- ities! Consider making this your soundtrack for the trip there. LungA Mixtape Download for FREE at www.grapevine.is The Paradox Of Choice Anna’s 27th Editorial Making this issue—the annual Best of Reykja- vík issue—always reminds me of how remark- able it is that a city of our size has so many things going for it. Behind every ‘Best of’ win- ner lies a heated discussion about all of the other places and things that could—and in some people’s mind, should—take the title. It was after one of these discussions— probably about hamburgers or pizza, people are really passionate about those for some reason—that I was reminded of a column that I wrote three years ago, after spending my first six months in Iceland. At the time, I was in a state of limbo—not sure whether to call the US or Iceland home—and often would pon- der how disparate life was in these respective countries, one seemingly over stocked, the other one on the leaner side. Rereading the column, I find I still agree with its premise. But I am also now assured— as you will too be after reading through our extensive “Best of” guide—that while Reyk- javík is certainly no big American city and it sometimes seems downright silly to be award- ing a best of to a place or thing with only one competitor—that there’s more to it than one might initially assume—judging by the tooth- paste aisle alone. -- Here’s some of what I wrote: Despite Iceland’s recession, the standard of living here is still higher than it is in many parts of the world. And, well, having less of things doesn’t have to be negative at all. Ac- cording to psychologist Barry Schwartz’s par- adox of choice theory, more can actually be less and less can actually be more. It sounds like an oxymoron, but in terms of happiness, he argues that it’s not. American ideals often equate opportunity, success and happiness with material things and importantly, the amount of choice we have in our lives. But, even in 2007, when Ice- land had one of the highest standards of liv- ing in the world, how many different types of cereal could you choose from? Laundry deter- gent? Toothpaste? Roughly speaking, the answer is: not very many. Relative to the US, the land of plenty, Iceland has never had an abundance of any- thing. Grocery stores don’t stock cookie dough ice cream. Fresh fruit and vegetables are unreliable. There is a limited (and over- priced) selection of beer. What’s more, given even less choice in today’s recession, a study shows that kids in Iceland are happier than they were in Iceland’s 2007 flat screen and Range Rover consumer craze. What’s the deal with that? Barry Schwartz says less is more. Imagine you are in the States and you run into your local store to grab some toothpaste. You pick one up, but then you can’t help notic- ing that there is an entire aisle full of different kinds of toothpaste. There’s Crest, Colgate, All-Natural, Aquafresh, Arm & Hammer, Oral B, Sensodyne, and Mentadent. There’s gel. There’s paste. There’s white. There’s green. There’s blue. There’s red. There’s white and green, and there’s white and blue. There’s bak- ing soda, fluoride, special whitener, proven this, and proven that, and 2 for 5, buy 1 get 1 free, 5.99, 20% off…etc. etc. etc. Paralysis sets in and you put your original choice back and pick up another one, and then you put that back and pick another one. You reach the end of the aisle with no idea wheth- er the flashy New Colgate with extra power- ful mint burst gel, proven to whiten teeth in less than 14 days, endorsed-by-Dr. Dennis- toothpaste is the right choice, but you grab it anyway. When you try it out and analyze your pur- chase, you find it’s kind of foamy and you think maybe it tastes a little funny. You start doubt- ing your choice because you can, and now think you should have stuck with one of the other ones you briefly picked up. This leaves you feeling a little unhappy. Okay, maybe this is ridiculous. Maybe the av- erage person doesn’t brood over their tooth- paste purchases, but the point is that while more choice seems like it should make us happy, it paradoxically does just the opposite. Now, imagine you are in Iceland and you run into your local store, pick up a tube of tooth- paste and run out in less than two minutes. You are happy with your purchase because you wanted toothpaste and you now have toothpaste and it was a simple purchase be- cause you trust Colgate over EuroShopper. You go on with your life and think about more important things. With less choice, you have fewer expectations and you don’t think about how the paste is too foamy and tastes funny. I don’t know to what extent happiness is in- versely correlated with size of toothpaste aisles. But, I do find a certain ease living in Iceland’s relative simplicity and I have felt that along with the plethora of choices in the Unit- ed States also comes unnecessary complica- tions and stress. -- That said, it’s clear—judging by the passion- ate reader letters and answers to our call for votes on Facebook—that people think highly of a lot of places and things in Reykjavík. And although it sometimes seemed silly picking the best of something with only two possibili- ties, it’s also clear that fewer choices doesn’t mean that those two possibilities aren’t really great. And with that I’m off to the land of plenty to stock up on toothpaste and all of those other great toiletries. See you in a couple issues from now! Cover Illustration: Sigurður Oddsson www.siggiodds.com 2 Contributing Writers: Atli Bollason Bob Cluness Ragnar Egilsson Sindri Eldon Helgi Hrafn Guđmundsson Sylvia Hikins Snorri Páll Jónsson Úlfhildarson Anna Millward Ari Trausti Kári Tulinius Journalist & Listings editor: Rebecca Louder / rebecca@grapevine.is Journalist: Ingibjörg Rósa Björnsdóttir / ingibjorg@grapevine.is Online news editor: Catharine Fulton / catharine@grapevine.is Editorial Interns: Shea Sweeney / shea@grapevine.is Tómas Gabríel Benjamin / gabriel@grapevine.is Parker Yamasaki / parker@grapevine.is Adrienne Blaine / adrienne@grapevine.is Alex Ardri / alex@grapevine.is Kaisu Nevasalmi / kaisu@grapevine.is Art Director Hörður Kristbjörnsson / hordur@dodlur.is Design: Guðmundur Úlfarsson / giu@grapevine.is Photographer: Alísa Kalyanova / www. alisakalyanova.com Sales Director: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / adalsteinn@grapevine.is Helgi Þór Harðarson / helgi@grapevine.is Distribution manager: distribution@grapevine.is Proofreader: Jim Rice Listings: listings@grapevine.is Submissions inquiries: editor@grapevine.is Subscription inquiries: +354 540 3605 / subscribe@grapevine.is General inquiries: grapevine@grapevine.is The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 9 — 2013 Founders: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson, Hörður Kristbjörnsson, Jón Trausti Sigurðarson, Oddur Óskar Kjartansson, Valur Gunnarsson The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly from November through April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The Reykjavík Grapevine is distributed around Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Seyðisfjörður, Borgarnes, Keflavík, Ísafjörður and at key locations along road #1, and all major tourist attractions and tourist information centres in the country. You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored (no articles in the Reykjavík Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not the advertisers’). www.fontana.is Be in your element GEOTHERMAL STEAM ROOMS THERMAL BATHS SAUNA The perfect rest stop between Thingvellir and Geysir Open everyday 10-23 Make sure your Golden Circle tour completes the geothermal experience Visit the Laugarvatn Fontana wellness centre. Relax in steam rooms over a natural hot spring and open air thermal baths. Afterwards try local delicacies in our café. Ask us how the locals at Laugarvatn use the steam baths!
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