Reykjavík Grapevine - jun 2020, Qupperneq 2

First 06: Welcome Back!08: Ravens Are No Good 10: Travel! We Know The Cool Spots! (Promise) 15: DesignMarch, What Took You So Long?23: Songs 4 Sex & Dishes32: Reading About Sperm Banks
This issue is
the Reykjavík
Grapevine’s
f irst to be
printed since
C O V I D - 1 9
forced us all
into our houses. It’s becoming
clear how much the pandemic
has changed, not only in the
world, but also for us living in
Iceland. Around 50,000 Iceland
residents are now in one way or
another receiving their salaries
from the Directorate of Labour.
Thousands have lost their jobs,
and the rest of us are struggling
in many ways. I don’t want to
be gloomy about it, but we are
headed for a recession and it’s no
fun. Thankfully, experts believe
that we will get over it quickly,
and what’s more, Icelanders
have a unique talent for find-
ing fast ways out of recessions.
Just look at the 2008 collapse of
the financial system and how
quickly we got ourselves on our
feet again. So I’m optimistic,
although, this time it will force
some of us to look for new ways
to survive. But we will get there.
I’m sure of it.
i } , < ( [
In this issue, we want to take
your mind off things and offer
our expertise when it comes
to travelling. We have been
roaming around the country
for years, hunting for its most
beautiful aspects and compiling
them in our magazine for tour-
ists to enjoy. But we also under-
stand that this expertise of ours
is incredibly useful to Iceland-
ers, who have perhaps not been
travelling in their own country
in recent years and are looking
forward to rediscovering it.
This issue highlights the crème
de la crème of travel in Iceland—
everything from where to camp
with your family, to places that
you should visit, to the many of
the excellent restaurants that
you can find all over the coun-
try. Our advice is simple: don’t
travel like an Icelander, travel
like a tourist. VG
Let’s Allow
Ourselves To Be
Optimistic
Elín Elísabet is an illus-
trator and cartoonist
born and raised in
Borgarnes. At the
tender age of 15, Elín
moved to Reykjavík
and hasn’t looked
back, except for the
annual springtime
impulse to move
someplace quiet
and keep chickens.
Elín likes folk music,
stationery, seal vid-
eos, the country of
Ireland, and eggs.
Hannah Jane Cohen is
based out of Iceland
by way of New York.
She's known for her
love of Willa Ford,
David Foster Wallace,
and other such
"intellectuals." Her
visionary work is
known for expand-
ing the definitions of
emotion, introspec-
tion, and above all
else, taste. Hannah is
also the current Drag
King of Iceland, Hans.
Art Bicnick is Grape-
vine's photo editor.
An international
man of mystery, Art
moves like a shadow
through the subcul-
tures and soirees
of Reykjavík, never
still, o"en ghosting
the scene in a pu#
of blue smoke—the
exhaust fumes of the
elusive, well-travelled
Bicnick mini.
Nico Borbely is
an American-
Italian language and
geography nerd
from Michigan and
Viadana, Lombardy
with stints in several
other countries. He
can usually be found
brewing espresso,
hoarding books,
singing along to
multilingual Disney
videos, or cooking
experimental noodle
dishes.
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
is our Art Director.
He's responsible for
the design of the
magazine and the
cover photography.
When he's not work-
ing here, he DJs as
Terrordisco, hosts
the Funk$átturinn
radio show, or sits at
a table in a Laugarda-
lur café, drinking
copious amounts of
co#ee and thinking
about fonts.
Samuel O'Donnell
Sam is an English
major from The
United States. He
has his Bachelor’s
Degree, and keeps
telling himself that
this is the year he
will begin pursuing
his Master’s. In his
spare time, he enjoys
playing video games,
writing short horror
stories, listening to
all kinds of metal,
and reading.
Andie Sophia Fontaine
has lived in Iceland
since 1999 and has
been reporting since
2003. They were the
first foreign-born
member of the
Icelandic Parliament,
an experience they
recommend for
anyone who wants
to experience a
workplace where
colleagues work tire-
lessly to undermine
each other.
Poppy Askham is a
languages student,
fledgling writer, and
lover of flared jeans
who has fled to Ice-
land in a desperate
bid to escape Boris’
Brexit Britain whilst
she still can. Looking
for a new adventure,
she’s swapped her
hometown Bath
with its crowds of
tourists and famous
hot springs for…
Reykjavik.
Josie Gaitens is a
freelance arts project
coordinator, musician
and writer from the
Scottish Highlands.
She was once errone-
ously referred to as
the Queen of Scotland
by a Malaysian news-
paper and has been
falsely using that title
ever since.
COVER PHOTO:
Art Bicnick
ART DIRECTION:
Sveinbjörn Pálsson
ABOUT THE COVER:
A simple pic from our
archives, a snapshot of
joy and tranquility in our
lovely nature.
EDITORIAL
35: Eat Yourself Around
A Whole Country
36: Volcano Trekking
38: The Post-Harry Potter
World Explained
Find us:
#intotheglacier
www.intotheglacier.is
Daily departures from
Húsafell, Reykjavík and !ingvellir National Park
Experience
the amazing
Langjökull
glacier tunnels