'Cause I'm always where I need to be

Do dodo do do do do...

Konk 2008

The Kooks. British band, I could listen to their first album 'Konk' and will enjoy it so much. I must said I liked it that much that did not continue to listen to the other albums but now I will because of course when you got tickets to the concert, you prepare by listening to the songs so you can sing (or pretend to sing) the songs, right?

Well, I will do. I guess they'll play songs from the recent album because of couuuuurse concerts became the real deal for singers and bands. They want to promote their new stuff. But I really hope they sing many songs from their 2008 album.


This will be the first concert of 2015 and this year I have the wish to go to more concerts, in Gröna Lund for example. Lenny Kravitz is back, and Sam Smith ... well I only know one or two songs but I'll prepare for that one too. I like so far the two songs. Hmmm Marilyn Manson also but weeeeell, not really convinced. Maybe. 

Gröna Lund green card

Good thing with the Gröna Lund green card (no, no green card like to go to live in USA legally) gets you 'free entrance' for the whole season May-September (not sure if May or last days of April included this year). Anyway, this costs 240SEK which means 480MXP. Awesome, right? 

I enjoyed the past concert of Lenny Kravitz in Gröna Lund. He had an opening band called Vintage Trouble which I really liked. Let's see next August 3rd 2015. I hope they get Ed Sheeran to come to. I am liking his songs :) and well, if we talk about wishes, Arctic Monkeys PRETTY PLEASE!

Where are the Xmas markets?

You can think that one of the great and amazing things of living in the North is to have a White Christmas; so, Santa, Rudolph, lots of lights decorating everything and of course, Xmas markets. 

Well... this 2014 I have not see that much around here. There used to be a Xmas market if we can say so in Sergels Torg, like the center of the Center. Not this year. Only a few places are opened in the street level, but nothing on the Plattan level.

This goes the same for Kungsan. On the first Advent I barely saw a little Xmas market. The real and big enough Xmas market was opened on the 2nd Advent. Why????? 

At the moment I have not been there at Gamla Stan, where the other Xmas market is, but I fear is gonna be so little and be disappointed, well anyway there are always the same little shops there.

I do really miss the German Xmas markets. Lots of lights and decorations, big and well organized, great food and beverage options and well... huge Xmas spirit. Do I have to say more?

So, at the moment: no snow, no Santa (because if he is not having Xmas markets, why bother to come), no Rudolph, duh, and not too much lights.

Hope you are having greater Xmas markets at you city, dear reader :)

Photo from decoration at Sergels torg. Poor reindeer, all alone. C'mon bring him more friends!!!

City of sights

Stockholm, den 27 juli 2013

It was a great day, a promenade in the city,

good company, awesome weather and bright sunny sun!

We end up here, eating a cherry pie (home made, not by me)

with the proper vanilj sås! We enjoyed the hugs and the laughs. 

Summer is coming, maybe sooner than we thought. I hope we can have

more days like these, with so good friends, so good pie and so good treasured memories.

Tack, Stockholm!

Evert Taubes Terrass

Oh, the snow!

Winter time! (even if I may say, it is still autumn)

Few days ago I took some autumnly pics and was amazed about the yellow, brown, and even some red landscapes... KABOOM!

On Friday, Oct. 26th 2012 the first snow covered Stockholm, yeah, not that much but still, a visual alert that winter is here!

Two years ago, the first snow came on October 22nd, 2010. That winter was SO cold, with so much snow and was like a test of survival skills for me, happily I passed ;-)

Kista alléväg, SE - 2010/10/22

On 2011, the winter was so delayed, the first 'snow' came until December. I was afraid I was leaving to Mexico without watching snow over the town. I had few days of snow, you know, for my winter cravings.

This year, the summer was very short. I can say that as my fan was being used for few time, compared to previous summers. In my head, I thought about a colder winter, forecasting snow in October and yes it happened.

Skytteholm, SE - 2012/10/26

Well, time to get the warmer clothes out of wherever they are, gloves, scarves, jackets, boots, etc. And let's not forget about the Glögg and Pepparkakor! The X-mas markets are going to open soon, I will bring you a post about it. I love X-mas markets :-D

"I'll stop the world and melt with you, yeah"
[Nouvelle Vague - I melt with you]

Some days of the week...

What I found amazing of society is the ability to make from actions, customs.

How an event take place in a regular basis and it came to the point that people of that society do it because "it is so".

*All following information is written based on Stockholm experiences.

Wednesday

People go to pubs. It is considered as a "little weekend" and yes, most of the coffee places, bars, pubs at Universities, open more time than on Tuesdays, for example. The environment of a Wednesday is visible while walking on the streets of places like Söder (Södermalm) or Medis (Medborgarplatsen) or even at the subway. I think is like a break, to take a breath and get to Friday in a smooth way.

Thursday

Pea soup and pancakes day. I noticed that all Thursdays at the Restaurant of the University is offered this dish. Was it something happening there or what is offered in other places too? Yes. Thursdays are for the pea soup with pancakes, it is just so. I have the impression this has a more deep and interesting history behind but so far I have not heard any that is truly convincing.

Friday

I read in some blogs from foreign students that they knew Fridays are for family get-togethers but as I have not heard that and usually a Friday looks like a Wednesday but more crowded, I won't affirm anything yet. I might come up with some interesting facts later.

Saturday

Ramdomly, I have heard that the Saturdays here are for kids to get candies, maybe that is the reason of seeing children and teens with smiles on their faces specially on that day of the week. It is not only "Lörsdag", it is "Lörsdagsgodis". All this came from the result of something called Vipeholm experiments (1950's). These experiments aimed to provoke dental caries in order to get knowledge about it. 

So, after all the experiments and results, guidelines related to caries control lead to "educate" children and parents to get candies only one day of the week. This practice overcome the years and so far I can notice how the candies disappear on Saturdays.

Sunday
Actually, I do not know something specific about activities on this day, I just know that after 5pm all stores are closed (or most of them) and the city became more quiet. 

This post has a "further research" part and it is to investigate the histories behind the costums, and will be glad to get more knowledge on this.

"It's just another manic Monday, I wish it was Sunday, 'cause that's my funday"

Manic Monday - The Bangles