Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.06.2014, Blaðsíða 2

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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 1 — 2011
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
Journalist:
Larissa Kyzer / larissa@grapevine.is
Journalist & Listings editor
Tómas Gabríel Benjamin / gabriel@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
Contributing Writers:
Atli Bollason
John Rogers
RX Beckett
Ragnar Jón Hrólfsson
Vera Illugadóttir
Sigurður Kjartan Kristinsson
Kári Tulinius
Catharine Fulton
Ásgeir H Ingólfsson
Óskar Bragi
Jonathan Pattishall
Davíð Roach
Óli Dóri
Bob Cluness
Kevin Quigley
Björn Teitsson
Haukur Már Helgason
Ágústa Sveinsdóttir
Margrét Arnardóttir
Brynja Huld Óskarsdóttir
Amy Tavern
Einar Steinn Valgarðsson
Hildur María Friðriksdóttir
Jón Loðmfjörð
Mark C. Asch
Ragnar Egilsson
Tangja Guðrún Jóhannsdóttir
Editorial Interns:
Liam Harrison / liam@grapevine.is
Laura Clark / laura@grapevine.is
Arnulfo Hermes / arnulfo@grapevine.is
Art Director:
Hörður Kristbjörnsson / hordur@dodlur.is
Design:
Hrefna Sigurðardóttir
Photographers:
Nanna Dís / www.nannadis.com
Sales Director:
Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / adalsteinn@grapevine.is
Helgi Þór Harðarson / helgi@grapevine.is
Óskar Freyr Pétursson / oskar@grapevine.is
Distribution manager:
distribution@grapevine.is
Proofreader:
Jim Rice
releases:
listings@grapevine.is
Submissions inquiries:
editor@grapevine.is
Subscription inquiries:
+354 540 3605 / subscribe@grapevine.is
General inquiries:
grapevine@grapevine.is
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 repro-
duced 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.
On The Cover: Andrea Jónsdóttir
Reykjavík's Oldest DJ
Cover by: Hörður Sveinsson
(hordursveinsson.com)
Stylist: Katrín Alda Rafnsdóttir
Makeup: Steinunn Sandra
Guðmundsdóttir
Creatives:Benedikt Hauksson
& Magnús Leifsson
Special Thanks: Prikið & JÖR
Editorial | Anna Andersen
Music | Free
The first 20 seconds of “Distant Lover” give
little insight into its edgy, restive and bittersweet
nature, but wispy, fluttering guitars soon reveal the
dichotomy at its heart. Both Linus Lárpera’s breezy
vocals and his distant lover’s calm body movements
juxtapose with the song’s skittish and asynchro-
nous drumbeat, as well as the nervous thoughts
that linger on within both. Furthermore, luscious,
ethereal synths in the song’s break give it a relaxing
‘sentimental sunset drive’ feel as Linus’s wordless
murmurings on the chorus give the impression
of him (and by proxy, you) leaving sentimental
troubles behind. It’s cathartic without being angsty,
sentimental without being self-indulgent and music
to lull as well as enlighten. So drag out that list of ex-
sweethearts and dial into Myndra’s “Distant Lover.”
Distant Lover
Myndra
Download the FREE track at www.grapevine.is
TRACK OF
THE ISSUE
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free track at
Cheers! Skál! Bottoms up!
Anna’s 42nd Editorial
What’s The Deal With
Those Crazy Icelandic
Letters Yo?
Here Is Your Kreisí Æcelandic Frase For Þis Issue!
ÞþÆæÖö
æ
ð
þ
So far, there really hasn’t been much to celebrate this
year. We didn’t win the Eurovision Song Con-
test. Only a third of us are happy with the
government. Thousands have protested
in front of parliament. Our teachers
went on strike. Our airport employ-
ees went on strike. Our pilots went on
strike. And none of them were entirely
successful. Yet, according to a report by
Arion bank called ‘Er kominn tími til að
taka fram kampavínið?’ (“Is It Time To Bring
Out The Champagne?”), the bubbly stuff has made a
comeback.
Of course, as the report suggests, the rise in
champagne consumption probably says more about
the economy and people’s faith in it than it does
anything else. “Most people consider champagne a
luxury good and therefore it is one of the first things
that households, which could previously afford it, cut
down on when times are tough,” the report reasons.
“At the same time, sales rekindle when households
are optimistic about the future.” Thus, the bank sees
champagne sales as a reflection of the current state
of the economy as well as an indicator for its future.
This perhaps explains why sales peaked in 2007
(at 22,106 bottles). After all, we thought we were
living the dream, and enjoying (albeit briefly) the
world’s highest standard of living, according to the
U.N.’s annual Human Development Index re-
port. Then, unfortunately, the bubble burst
in 2008, and we had to come to grips
with the fact that we perhaps couldn’t
afford to indulge in that Veuve Clicquot
(not that there was much to celebrate
anyway…). The so-called kreppa set in
and champagne sales fell 70% over the
next three years, down to 6,624 bottles in
2010 (which was incidentally the year Ne-Yo
released his (sort of) hit single “Champagne Life”).
Apparently though, things are looking up now.
Sales have increased steadily over the last few
years, and there was a 17% jump in sales during
the first four months of this year compared to the
same period last year. But whether or not it’s time
to bring out the champagne depends on wheth-
er you simply enjoy living like every day is your
birthday (indulging in “them fast car nights and
them big boat days”), or if you see it as celebratory
drink (although the fact that we just voted a xeno-
phobic party into the Reykjavík city council hardly
deserves a toast).
On another note, champagne clubs are on the
decline. In the last year, 101 Reykjavík saw two of
them close down, as it turns out they were actually
fronts for strip clubs (and stripping has been illegal
in Iceland since 2010). Today, there is just one such
club left, in 108 Reykjavík, and it apparently sells “a
glass of champagne” for 6,000 ISK (dubious, right?)
and access to a “secluded VIP area” for 1,000 ISK/
minute with a minimum of 10 minutes (suspicious,
no?).
Lest we forget that these seedy institutions still
exist, we decided to include this particular club in
our fourth annual Bar Guide, in which we review
and rate every single bar in 101. Now, shall we go fall
into it or “eigum við að detta í það?” as they say in
Icelandic?
We thought we’d explain. We’re ripping the idea off from
the Icelandair magazine. Go read that magazine if you
can. It’s free.
We like spelling things using Icelandic letters like
‘æ’ and ‘þ’ and also those crazy accents over the vowels.
Like Icelandair’s inflight magazine—IcelandairInfo—says,
the Icelandic language can use accents on all of the
vowels, making them look all unique, like this: á, é, í, ó,
ú, ö, ý (the accent also changes the pronounciation of
the letters. The á in “kjáni” sounds quite different from
the a in “asni”, for instance). We also have an additional
three letters. As IcealandairInfo notes:
(often written as ae) is pronounced like
the i in tide.
(often written as d) is pronounced like
the th in there
(often written as th) is pronounced like
the th in think”
“Sæl frú mín góð! Hvar er eiginlega þetta
Bláa lón sem allir eru að tala um?”
(Saah-iihl froo meen goeth! Quarh ehr ay-
yin-lehgha thett-tah Bl-ow-ah lone sehm
ah-dlir eh-ruh aeth tahwla uuhm?)
Greetings, madam! Where can I find this Blue
Lagoon that everyone keeps talking about?
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The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 07 — 2014
2001
Champagne that costs more than 7000 ISK
Champagne less than 7000 ISK
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Champagne Sales
In Bottles