{st} copenhagen


A city where history splendor and modern design come together and create an atmosphere of minimalist chic. Today a small piece about Copenhagen.  
Impressively, though a bit unexpected perhaps, it's one of Europe's great dining destinations and Scandinavia's most creative test kitchen.
The picture above is from Noma.



"In an effort to shape our way of cooking, we look to our landscape and delve into our ingredients and culture, hoping to rediscover our history and shape our future" - NOMA


Dining in Copenhagen reflects the city's rarefied aesthetic sensibilities and its constant itch for the new. What turned Copenhagen into a serious dining destination—now flaunting 12 Michelin-starred restaurants—is its increasingly patriotic emphasis on local Nordic sourcing and New Danish cuisine. At Noma, the pioneer of this purist movement, the whole Scandinavian ecosystem is dished up for dinner. The rise of local culinary pride isn't just limited to high-end kitchens: Traditional smørrebrød (open-faced sandwich) restaurants have won new respect, and Danish brasseries such as Madklubben and Restaurant Nimb have made herring plates, fish cakes, and meatloaf stylish again.  International restaurants that reflect the city's new multiethnic face are also driving Copenhagen's dining scene. Kiin Kiin, for example, draws foodie crowds for its ambitious Thai cuisine, and Umami fills up with scene-stealers who know their unagi from their anago. 

Despite all this very busy eating, none of the city's statuesque natives seem to have gained a pound.
For more on restaurants visit Concierge.com 


Strøget is one of Europe's longest pedestrian streets with a wealth of shops.
Are you interested in something a bit less pricy, then go to Vesterbro or Nørrebro where many upcoming designers sell their clothes. Try one of the many designer shops in Elmegade on Nørrebro where designers are present who will gladly fit the clothes to make a perfect match.


These days the Danish capital is blossoming. There is a spring in its step borne from a mixture of some brave new architecture, continued prosperity and a burgeoning confidence in its own charms
Copenhagen is clean, safe and ridiculously easy to get to know, the locals all speak superb English and the transport system makes London’s look like it’s on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It usually makes the top five, if not the top spot, in those ‘most liveable city’ lists. 


The winter is rough on the green patches in the city, but when spring is just around the corner, the colours are slowly starting to show. The leaves on the trees are on their way back, and here, there and everywhere the colourful flowers are popping up. Rosenborg is one of the many places in Copenhagen that has a beautiful garden where you can really soak up the spring. Crocus and other spring flowers are gracing the lawns. 


Torvehallerne, an upscale covered market that opened in September and is the first of its kind in the city. A glass walled indoor market in the working-class-turned-cool Norrebro neighbourhood, Torvehallerne is a mix of organic bakeries, coffee shops and fruit and veg vendors. It essentially showcases the best of all of Copenhagen’s boutique cafes, bakeries and brunch houses. And is home to my favourite, The Coffee Collective. This is a great article on the place. 


Copenhagen is a great city when it comes to exploring the uniqueness of Danish design, the timeless simplicity, quality materials and functionality. Danes are among the leaders in world design.
Whether you are looking for royal porcelain or the latest AV technology, Copenhagen is home to many flagship stores of Danish interior design and furniture.Go explore the huge showrooms – many of which are exciting combinations of museumgallery and shop.If you do not have time for it all, remember to visit Illums BolighusGUBI and CasaShop.
All images via Pinterest



“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” 
Ralph Waldo Emerson -











{st} tallinn



Tallinn is a beautiful Hanseatic town situated at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland by the Baltic Sea.
Like most cities with an eight-hundred-year-old past, Tallinn is a patchwork of historic areas. The city's pride and joy is without a doubt its Medieval Old Town, but equally enchanting is the Kadriorg district, a throwback to the time when Estonia was ruled by the Russian Tsars. Other areas of Tallinn are perfect for those who want to get a glimpse of Soviet-era life, or just want to spend time in the great outdoors. 




The historic part of town includes St. Catherine's Passage. A collection of craft workshops where artists use traditional methods to create and sell glassware, hats, quilts, ceramics, jewellery, hand-painted silk and other wares. The workshops are housed in the small, 15th- to 17th-century rooms on the south side of the lane, and are set up in an open-studio fashion so visitors can watch the artists at work, be it glass-blowing, weaving or pottery making.




There is of course also a modern side to Tallinn. The city is home to a thriving art scene that ranges from traditional, folk handicraft to modern home designs to edgy installation works.  If you're travelling with a laptop, iPhone or other WiFi-enabled device, you can start by seeing how many unexpected places you can get free Internet. Whether you're walking through a city square, sitting on a park bench or relaxing at the beach, chances are you'll be able to pick up a WiFi signal. 


A taste of Tallinn


The Seaplane Harbour is one of the main attractions. With the help of modern multimedia, the Seaplane Harbour in the wooden architecture suburb Kalamaja tells exciting stories about the Estonian maritime and military history promising a “sea full of excitement”. The museum’s display, that comprises of more than a couple of hundred large exhibits, revitalizes the colourful history of Estonia.
Simulators mimicking a flight above Tallinn, around-the-world journey in the yellow submarine, navigating on the Tallinn bay make this museum heaven for kids or adventurous adults.  

Seaplane Harbour operates in architecturally unique hangars built almost a century ago, in 1916 and 1917, as a part of Peter the Great sea fortress. These hangars are the World’s first reinforced concrete shell structures of such a great size. Charles Lindbergh, the man who performed the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, landed here in 1930s.



Tallinn has a lot going for it – its Medieval charm, high-quality shops and restaurants, and English-speaking population are just some of its pluses. The city is big enough and interesting enough to explore for days, but also small and compact enough to give you the full Tallinn experience in just a few hours.



For more information on Tallinn visit this website.
All images from pinterest








{st} swedish design








In May we'll be going on a Scandinavian Tour {st}. 
Starting in Copenhagen and ending in Stockholm (with a few stops in between). 
To get our travel juices flowing I am doing some research. 
Design, culinary arts and elegance are some of the many great things I am finding in this region. 
I'll be sharing some of that here under the heading {st} and of course during and after the trip some great ideas and photos of each of the cities we are visiting. 

Today a first taste of Swedish design. 

I found a great article by Katrín Eyþórsdóttir, she writes "Scandinavian designers were influenced by everything going on around them. With their tradition of craftsmanship and efficient use of limited material resources (due to their relative geographic isolation), they combined the best of both worlds. In line with prevailing democratic social views, everything was made to be available to everyone. The notion of enjoying the work you do was highly regarded, and the idea that beautiful things could enrich people’s lives was kept alive." to read the complete piece (I recommend it) visit this link


"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Design is knowing which ones to keep.” 
-Scott Adams-