Today, it happens to be all about me me me and my favourites from up north. And since I’m a sucker for list, here’s my list of things I love about, from and in Sverige. Click away!
Favourite Famous Swede:
The remarkable children’s authur Astrid Lindgren. If you still haven’t read the amazing stories about the Lionheart Brothers, Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter or Mio, My Mio, please do so. Immediately.
Favourite Swedish Word:
Smultronställe = a place that you love and cherish is your “wild strawberry place”. Smultron = Wild strawberry. Ställe = Place.
Favourite Swedish Slang:
Gött = great
Möla = stuff your face with something yummy
Asar = Lurch around doing nothing
Favourite Swedish Sayings:
Smaken är som baken – delad = The taste is like your butt – divided.
Man ska inte ropa hej förrän man är över bäcken = Don’t shout hello until you have crossed the stream.
Favourite Swedish Food:
Without a doubt Falukorv. Followed by a newly baked, big and moist cinnamon bun after this recipe. Mmm heavenly.
Favourite Swedish Candy:
Polly – a little chocolate covered foam-thing with butter fudge filling that has been a Swedish classic since 1965 and can be purchased at IKEA. A must, I tell you. And horribly salty liquorice, of course!
Favourite Swedish Movie:
“En Kärlekshistoria” (A Love Story/Roy Andersson, 1970)
“Tilsammans” (Together/Lukas Moodysson 2000)
“Farväl Falkenberg” (Goodbye Falkenberg/Jesper Ganslandt 2006)
(All are available with subtiles)
Favourite Swedish Webpage:
www.blocket.se – where the Swedes buy and sell their used cars/furniture/clothes/cell phones… Last year, we bought and sold tings for almost two billions on there! Simple, fun AND environmental friendly.
Favourite Swedish blog:
Well, apart from the obvious, I – and almost half of Sweden’s population – love to read this funny a sharp blog by the Swedish journalist and author Alex Schulman.
Favourite Swedish Book:
Apart from everything with Astrid Lindgren I can read Swedish crime until my eyes bleed. The favourite author at the moment is Mons Kallentoft and his novel “Sommardöden” (The Summer Death) gives me the creeps just by standing there in the book shelf.
Favourite Swedish TV-show:
“Mia och Klara”, Swedish humour at its best. Have a sneakpeak – in Swedish – here!
Favourite Swedish Magazine:
Without a doubt Filter. It’s thick like a book and contains billiant, long articles about everything. Literally everything.
Favourite Swedish Brand:
String has made classic and great looking shelves since the 1950′s. Welcome to design heaven!
Favourite Swedish Shop:
Monki makes great and stylish women’s clothes to very much affordable prices.
Favourite Swedish Song:
At the moment, it’s Hästpojkens “Gitarrer och bas, trummor och hat”. (Guitars and base, drums and hate).
Favourite Swedish Royalty:
Our one and only female regent, Queen Kristina (1632-1654) a very interesting and strong character. Amongst the now living it must be the middle kid, 28-year old Madeleine. Both her and her older sister Victoria, our next regent, are getting married this summer. Talk about wedding fever!
Favourite Swedish City:
Göteborg. Make sure to visit Slottskogen, a huge and beautiful park with lovely surroundings, lots of animals and great events. And, more important, have an ice cold beer on the 23d floor of Gothia West Tower.
Favourite Place In Sweden:
Bohuslän, the little county on the south west coast. There’s noting like it. My smultronställe.
Favourite Thing To Do In Sweden:
Right this moment, after writing this, I would probably say to möla Polly while reading Mons Kallentoft and listening to Hästpojken somewhere on a warm cliff in Bohuslän. Try it, it’s gött.
But remember, smaken är som baken so please feel free to share your list!
