Iceland review - 2013, Side 27

ICELAND REVIEW 25
hEALTh
people are always thinking about
what you put in and on your
body and now people are also
thinking about the mind and the spirit
and that’s what we want to help with,” says
Guðrún Kristjánsdóttir. Along with her sis-
ter Jóhanna, Guðrún has opened a treasure
chest of delights in Seltjarnarnes, a seaside
town bordering on Reykjavík.
Their little shop and café Systrasamlagið
(‘The Sisters’ Cooperative’), located right
next to a gym and swimming pool, hosts
a range of ethically-sourced products from
around the world: yoga mats from Los
Angeles, jewelry from India and croissants
from a local Icelandic bakery. There’s also
a wide selection of freshly-made smoothies
and juices, as well as organic tea, coffee and
milk—even makeup.
“We’ve had a great reception. This shop
used to be a hotdog place and now it’s
a new step for this neighborhood,” says
Jóhanna, who has worked in the health food
sector for 25 years. “Yes,” agrees Guðrún,
whose background is in journalism and the
arts, “more and more people want to be able
to buy something healthy and they don’t
want to have to drive a long way.”
The location of the shop is also some-
thing dear to the owners’ hearts. “One of
the reasons we decided to open the shop
here is because this is where we were
brought up. Our grandmother and grandfa-
ther used to live there,” says Guðrún, point-
ing to a house called Skáli across the street.
“Our father and mother live here near the
sea, also. That’s one reason we’re so con-
nected to Seltjarnarnes.”
The decorations in the shop also reveal a
little of their family history, as well as adding
to the rustic charm. In the corner, balanced
against a wall, are a set of old ladders, turned
into a makeshift magazine and newspaper
stand. “This set of step ladders belonged to
my grandfather. He was a ship captain, and
this chair here, with the little steps attached
to it, well, that was my grandmother’s.”
In their bid to promote a healthy lifestyle,
the sisters also sell Icelandic designer Unnur
Valdís Kristjánsdóttir’s float caps and accom-
panying leg floats, creating buoyancy when
floating in water. “Here in Iceland we have a
swimming pool culture and using this float-
ing cap in the pool is like a kind of medita-
tion,” explains Jóhanna.
Partnering with the neighboring World
Class gym, weekly classes are going to be
offered at the swimming pool on techniques
in relaxation and meditation using the floats.
“People have used these floats in Iceland’s
swimming pools, the countryside’s natural
springs and even when they are ocean swim-
ming,” says Guðrún.
Just as I think my visit is over Guðrún
brings me a chia seed pudding made with
coconut milk, cashews and cacao. “This is
very rich in Omega 3 and it’s the kind of
food that the Aztecs used to eat before they
went off to war.” As I float away on a cloud
of bliss I know I must come back for more. 
Overlooking the ocean near Reykjavík is a new shop that inspires the mind,
body and soul. Mica Allan went to explore and indulge.
the ‘cooperative sisters’
of systrasamlagið,
guðrún (left) and
Jóhanna Kristjánsdóttir.
aladdin’s Cave