Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.07.2018, Side 42

The Reykjavík Grapevine
Best of Reykjavík 2018
42
SALKA VALKA
FISH & MORE
SkólavörDustígur 23 • 101 reykjavík
Steamed Fresh Fish, Traditional Icelandic Fish ‘Stew’,
Fish & Vegan Soups, Smoked Salmon & Vegan Toppings
on Sourdough Bread, Beer, Wine, Coffee & more
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Certificate of Excellence b
y Trip Advisor
We are here!
EST. ICELAND’S OLDEST RESTAURANT
AN AUTHENTIC ICELANDIC EXPERIENCE
BREAKFAST – LUNCH – DINNER – PASTRIES – COFFEE
GRANDAGARÐI 10, 101 REYKJAVÍK
“There is nothing more metal in Iceland than
eating a sheep’s head.”
CITY GUIDE
A Goth Day
In The
City
Dress to depress
Words: Hannah Jane Cohen

Travelling as a goth is always a
struggle. Your metal chains get
caught in airport security, hotels
serve up floral duvet covers, and
minibars lack absinthe. What’s a
ghoul to do? Never fear though,
fellow saturnine sightseers.
Here’s a day in Reykjavík that
Brandon Lee would be proud of.
Breakfast:
Black Coffee At
Reykjavík Roasters
Kárastígur 1 & Brautarholt 2
The interior of Reykjavík Roast-
ers does not scream goth. In
fact, it’s quite the
opposite, with a
cosy intellectual
vibe that’s more
S i g u r
Rós than
Sisters
O f
M e r -
c y .
That
said,
they’ve got the dark-
est brews in the city,
so grab a double
espresso and cuddle
up to your worn-in
paperback Anne Rice.
Pro-tip: Avoid the
window seats if you
want to keep your por-
celain complexion.
Shopping:
Records At
Geisladiskabúð Valda
Laugavegur 64
Just a short slither away is Geis-
ladiskabúð Valda, a tucked away
treasure chest filled to the brim
with goodies. While it sells ev-
erything from Spiderman com-
ics to Super Mario for Nintendo
64, their selection of goth, rock,
and metal music is unequiv-
ocally the best in the country.
Dig around for releases from
Icelandic black metal cassette
label Vánagandr, sleazy horror
films, and even bizarro ob-
jects like
a bootleg Japa-
nese Nightwish
CD. Be careful
though, you
don’t want
to chip your
black nai l
varnish.
Lunch:
Sheep’s
Head At BSÍ
Vatnsmýrarvegi
10
Ne x t t o b u r n i n g
down Hallgrímskirkja,
there is nothing more metal
in Iceland than eating a sheep’s
head. While you can grab one
yourself at any grocery store, pay
homage to your mall-goth roots
and eat one at the
bus station. Pick up
some bitter liquorice
for dessert, then get
bitter.
Activity:
Ghost Stories
& Photoshoot
At Hólavalla-
garður
Suðurgata
If your Vampire-
F r e a k s p r o f i l e
needs some fresh
blood, time warp your
way to the Hólavall-
agarður cemetery in
Vesturbær. There, en-
ter into the canon of
Icelandic ghost sto-
ries (‘draugasögur’),
most of which are avail-
able online, with an im-
promptu story hour. Start
with ‘The Deacon Of Dark
River’ then journey into deep
cuts like ‘The Midwife Of The
Elves’. Finish your afternoon
with some dark photographic
documentation in front of
the Mausoleum, which is
sometimes left open.
Shopping:
Rokk & Rómantík
Laugavegur 62
Before you enter the dark abyss
of Reykjavík nightlife, pick up
some abysmally dark clothing
at Rokk & Rómantik. They’re
the only place to find vinyl
corsets, platform boots, Kill-
star t-shirts, and mesh dress-
es in the city.
Night:
Cocktails & A
Concert At Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22
Gaukurinn is the dedicated alt-
haunt for Reykjavík’s resident
weirdo population. Not only
does it play (g)host to most met-
al/goth/rock shows in the city,
but it also has regular screen-
ings of Buffy, bimonthly drag
extravaganzas and occasion-
al BDSM nights. Along with a
grungy vibe, their cocktail menu
is also aesthetically fitting. Start
with the Goth Moss, a matte
black play on a Cosmopoli-
tan that’s straight out of
Studio 54 Transylvania.
Next, grab a Black Met-
al Brew— a potent mix
of Brennivín, Fernet
and dark stout. Then
loiter in the smok-
ing area and suck on a
Djarum Black. Congrat-
ulations, you’ve completely
lived up to the stereotype.