The first weekend in October I finally had the chance to go to Sweden and see Stockholm and Therese who moved there almost a year ago already!
Riding from the airport it looks like Maine....
Once I got into the city I met up w/ Freddy PUMA's nordic's rep and we did work stuff around the city. Here's what we saw along the way....
This elbow here is the only lift/elevator in Sweden that you have to pay to use. About one euro. Iain and I go up there, but those pictures come later.
Dear Sweden Sporting Goods Store, please note that route 95 goes North to South on the East Coast of America. San Francisco is on the west coast. As such, 95 goes no where near SFO. Please correct your sign as you are educating Sweden incorrectly. Tak, Kara
Found this great vegan-vegetarian-eco food store in T's neighborhood. Picked up some raspberry rope.
Gotta love a town that sells Cupcakes.
Not sure what they sell here, but I'm sure this place would come in handy on fancy dress nights and if anyone ever wanted to be a hooker.
Sneakers N Stuff is the main sneaker freaker boutique in Stockholm....I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest they might be biased if this is their door handle.
Sjalvforsvar means Self Defense. I just love the ABBA-esq photography work. Could you imagine Abba Martial Arts? I'm gonna have to recommend that class....
This is for ANDI
Indian restaurant where we ate the first night, across from T's place.
T's apartment
Back at the Indian place. Earlier was just to reserve a sitz-platz.
After dinner we went over to T's friend Emma's flat where we met up with a bunch of cool girls. Then we were off to see a Fashion show. Here is the bar/club it was held at. Super cool interior and used to be a punk rock place back in the day. Needless to say we arrived after the fashion show took place. duh.
Therese and Emma
Freddy, our PUMA nordics rep who I spend the days working with & came out w/ us on Thursday night, Therese and me.
They were giving out bandanas to put in your coat chest pockets, but having no pockets, I turned mine in 80's aerobic style. The people here (outside of our group) were so schikymeiky/ too cool that I just couldn't deal. So here I am giving it to the man.
Mina's cool necklace. You can have your own via http://www.hm.com/.
These two sisters were great. Their mum is Swedish. Their dad is Polish, raised in Argentina, met their mother there and then they moved the family to Chile which is were these girls grew up. Now they're in Sweden working and going to school. That is a global family.
Our crew out that night.
Friday back out in town.
Little dude w/ a great hat.
Sweden loves Obama, check.
Walking around the old city island...
THE gnome store in Sweden.
Maybe THE coolest St.George statue I've seen. Rivals the one in Florence.
Postboxes.
This is the palace for the Royal Swedish family.
Looking across the water to the National Museum.
Palace Guard.
Most photographed block in Stockholm.
Nobel Peace musuem.
How much is that Doggie in the Window #1.
Then I walked over to the island called The City, which is the modern/finacial/office/shopping section to meet T for lunch and pick up Iain who had finally arrived.
Green Peace superhero, check.
Then Iain and I went back to T's neighborhood. Lingere from one of the sexy shops on her block.
Doggie in the Window #2. Real life dog + fake goose. what.
Iain and I stopped at this super cool cafe overlooking a park to grab some food and tea. Totally awesome and good food.
In Stockholm it's also normal to leave your kids outside unattended.
Genie bowl of sugar, check.
Then we wandered up to the top of the hill to see some great views. Yup that's an island of rollercoasters.
Please note how big that cruise ship is in the distance squeezing itself through the channel.
Doggie in the Window #3. This dog didn't like being photographed.
That's either Jesus or Che on the trash can.
Here I am up on top of that high platform from earlier.
Pirate ship, check.
We met up w/ T after work and popped into this cool little deli to get some dinner. We didn't eat this guy, but look how big he is!
After dinner we met up w/ T's friends, went to two places, then ended up at this bar/restaurant called Pet Shop Sounds on T's island in her neighborhood. Very cool.
Emma dancing.
T's James Brown impression
Emma's James Brown impression
Iain's James Brown impression mit props, extra 20 pts.
My James Brown impression
Our inspiration.
Saturday crusing around T's neighborhood.
How much is that doggie, I mean Gorilla, in the window?
Pants-frei Stockholm
Super cool store called Grandpa
That is a real ferret on her neck. Vomit.
Another cool and recommended store 6/5/4.
Iain reading the black comedy joke book T picked up at Grandpa's earlier. We really need this translated to English. It was hilarious.
Waiting for the Sea Monkeys to grow.
Out for Sushi. I couldn't figure out at first why dinner was so awesome. I was with great friends, in a great city, in a cool restaurant, eating great food and drinking great wine - which I already knew was great. But there was something more....oh, yes, we were listing to HIPHOP all meal. yeeessss, Stockholm.
Looking down the street. Ohhh all the lights.
Therese, Iain, Emma and me.
Sunday Fun Day....
More ridiculous candy in Europe. At least these teeth you can pretend are yours before you eat them.
Then back in the old island, T brought us to this shop that has an ancient keller and bottom floor. Super cool.
Then we walked over to the Museum island to go to the Museum of Modern Art.
The island is very park/college campus like. Neat.
After the museum, we were exhausted and needed coffees. Here we are in the museum cafe.
The table was glass with all sorts of trash shown underneath it.
Yes, Paris, I love you too.
At the coat room, getting our jackets. The coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
Therese's tired.
Therese and me.
Iain, Therese, and me.
WHHAATTT? Tron roller disco. Sign me up.
Walking back to T's place to make dinner and chillax before we all head home the next day.
"Elevator for maximum 525 kilos or 6 people" Hiss = elevator. FANTASTIC.
This is the joke book mentioned earlier that was the obsession of the weekend. The title is "can you really laugh at this"
Flying home. Usually I don't ask for window seats, but wanted to check out Sweden from the air.
Awesome weekend all around spent with two of my favorite people in a cool city. Met great people, ate great food, was cultured. And, another country checked off my list. ;)
