Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.01.2006, Side 31

GRAPEVINE’S PURCHASES THAT
JUSTIFY EXISTENCE
5900 ISK
Warm as hell and weather resistant, the
ushanka (Russian for “ear-flaps hat”) is
a winter necessity. While most boutiques
sell fox, bear and raccoon ushankas for
up to 29,000 ISK (almost 470 USD),
men’s clothing store Vinnufatabúðin
sells high quality rabbit ushankas for
5,900 ISK. As crazy as winter weather
can get in Iceland, it probably pays for
itself in a week. Available at Vinnufa-
tabúðin, Laugavegur 76, 551-5425 PN
59 ISK
The market for soft drinks made from
malt and tasting like unfermented dark
beer was once completely under the control of the Egils brewing company.
That lucrative monopoly has now been broken, as discount grocery store
Bónus has introduced their own brand, Bónus Malt. This version is not only
cheaper (at 59 ISK per half litre, compared to 83 ISK) than Malt Extrakt,
it’s also lighter and less sweet, with a pilsneresque finish. Goes great with
venison, reindeer, and any kind of pork. Available at Bónus supermarkets,
locations all over Iceland. PN
Ushankas
at Vinnufatabúðin
Bónus Malt
at Bónus
600 ISK
Despite the disappoint-
ment when the bar didn’t
automatically massage us,
this odd little handmade
soap-type product with the
chocolate fragrance has a certain coy appeal.
In a time when cartoon babies talk about
AstroGlide, and in a town where, according
to an extremely dubious but oft-quoted Durex
survey, 60% of the women own battery-op-
erated assistants, being told that a piece of
body lotion melts on the skin feels extremely
retro, and almost charming. Costs about
600 ISK at Lush Handmade Soaps. BC
Honeymo
oners
Message
Bar
As the holiday season ap-
proaches, thousands of sheep
and pigs are slaughtered for
Christmas dinners. Often times,
supply gets too optimistic about
demand, and that means a January full of
discount leftover hangikjöt (smoked lamb)
and hamborgararhryggur (pork back—tastier
than it sounds). The meat is of course frozen
at this point, and is often marked down by as
much as 20% to 40%. You can get a few
months’ supply of Christmas flesh spill-over
for a fair price. Available in supermarkets all
over Iceland. PN
Leftover
Discount
Christmas Flesh
� �
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