Well, it has certainly been too long, hasn't it? Hi! I have been gone for a while (so sorry!), doing just about a million things, but I'm back now and I'm so excited to get back into this blog! For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently visited Sweden, where my boyfriend lives. I stayed with him in Strömstad, a town located on the West Coast, for almost three weeks! It was amazing, to say the least. Right when I landed in Oslo, I felt a sense of comfort, and when we arrived two hours later in Strömstad, I felt right at home. It is a boat town, where many people come to vacation in the summer time, and it is simply lovely. There are delicious cafes on almost every street, very friendly people, and pretty scenery (I mean, does it get any better than getting to look at the ocean any time of the day?). With all of that said, I am looking forward to sharing more of my experiences here on the blog, as well as a deeper look into the Swedish culture that I have fallen in love with so much. For now, here's a look at some of my favorite places that I visited when we drove to Stockholm for a few days! Enjoy! If you've been to Sweden, I'd love to hear about your favorite places in the city, or where you'd love to go someday!
Stockholm is a city that I could not get enough of. It's a big, bustling city, and a big walking city, though there are a lot of cars, too. I loved the colorful, old buildings, cute cafés, and I especially loved all of the spots I was able to visit. I am dying to go back already, and next time plan on staying for an extra night. There is still so much that I want to see + do! Also, side note: We totally forgot to bring the dsl-r camera with us, but we still managed to get some great shots. That proves how cool and photogenic this city really is!
If there's one thing I did a lot of while in Stockholm, it was eating! I got to have my daily fix of cinnamon buns at the local 7-11, and our hotel supplied breakfast every morning, which was lovely, but there were a few restaurants that really stood out on this trip!
Located in the hip part of Stockholm called Södermalm, this meatball dish-only shop is tiny with really cute vintage tables, and their meatballs are all organic! We both ordered the special of the week, which was meatballs with creamy macaroni. The other offering was classic meatballs + mashed potatoes, which also looked tempting.
This restaurant is also located in the neighborhood of Södermalm, and every dish comes packed wirth garlic. You can also order garlic shots (if you dare). Apparently there is a really cool bar downstairs which we didn't get to visit but hopefully I'll get to see it next time. I ordered meatballs (duh), and they were amazing! Creamy garlic mashed potatoes + lingonberries came on the side, and it was delicious. The restaurant had a rock'n'roll/punk feel, and was playing great music.
An organic gelato shop with locations all over Stockholm. I wanted all the flavors but decided on a raspberry + peach combo.
One of the highlights of our trip was going to the ABBA Museum. The museum itself was an explosion of disco balls + colorful costumes, and I couldn't get enough! Each room was themed and followed their careers from the beginning. Oh, and you can do karaoke to their songs, take advantage of the many photo-ops where you can pretend to be sitting with them, or answer a phone that they speak into if you're lucky enough to be standing there when it rings, and take quizzes along the way! I can't wait to go back again. The museum is located next to Gröna Lund, a giant theme park where many music artists perform (including Zara Larsson, whom we ended up being way too tired to see, so sad!), as well as the zoo and many other museums. It's on a cute island that you can drive into from the rest of the city.
A cool record shop also located in the neighborhood of Södermalm. They have a great collection of records, cute branded t-shirts, and of course, a great name.
KUNIGUNDA
An adorable boutique located just down the street from Pet Sounds Records. When I walked in, I noticed the cutest pastel colored clogs and 1950s inspired dresses, as well as basics such as striped 3/4 length sleeved tees and more. I wanted to buy everything in sight!
An adorable boutique located just down the street from Pet Sounds Records. When I walked in, I noticed the cutest pastel colored clogs and 1950s inspired dresses, as well as basics such as striped 3/4 length sleeved tees and more. I wanted to buy everything in sight!
We stayed in the neighborhood of Riddargatan, at a cute boutique hotel called Story Hotel. It is teeny tiny, with no actual reception area, but instead a small desk and check-in computers. We found the location to be perfect as we could walk to literally everything we wanted to go to (or take a quick subway ride). Our room was cute and spacious, and the bar and restaurant were both super yummy. Highly recommend!
Haymarket by Scandic
We didn't get a chance to stay here, but I insisted on stopping in ever since I first saw it while searching for hotels, and it was BEYOND words. The moment you step into the grand lobby, you feel like you've stepped back in time to the golden age of Greta Garbo, but you also feel like you've been transported into a Wes Anderson movie. On the right you find a bar with plush, velvet jewel toned chairs, and to your left is the restaurant Greta, with pink and white striped ceilings and beautiful tiled floors. We sat by the window and had a few beers while I indulged in a pretty dessert and took about a THOUSAND photos.
We didn't get a chance to stay here, but I insisted on stopping in ever since I first saw it while searching for hotels, and it was BEYOND words. The moment you step into the grand lobby, you feel like you've stepped back in time to the golden age of Greta Garbo, but you also feel like you've been transported into a Wes Anderson movie. On the right you find a bar with plush, velvet jewel toned chairs, and to your left is the restaurant Greta, with pink and white striped ceilings and beautiful tiled floors. We sat by the window and had a few beers while I indulged in a pretty dessert and took about a THOUSAND photos.
We went into Old Town, aka Gamla Stan, a few times, which is located near Södermalm, and houses some of the oldest and most posh buildings in all of Stockholm. I loved the cobblestone streets, tiny alleyways and cute cafes adorning each street. I managed to take a few shots in my Unique Vintage dress and Sandgren clogs, and totally matched my surroundings! Gamla Stan is also where the Stockholm's palace is (if you wanna take a tour). You can find info on that HERE.
Hope you enjoyed my journey through Stockholm! There were many more places we checked out that I was unable to mention, but these were for sure the highlights! Until next time, xoxo.
