Loppemarked at the Meatpacking District

Looking back at this it was perfect. Let me say this again: per-fect! Just another Saturday afternoon, with the slight change- the weather was indeed tropical. Everything just seems to look better when it is sunny outside and you can finally forget your warm jackets and long boots.It is true what they say: once the summer starts in Copenhagen, it is so beautiful that you do not want to leave it.

We hopped on our bikes, had a nice bike ride to the Vesterbro area and reached the Meatpacking District where the flea market was taking place. It did not look big, but as we had discovered it was full of interesting things. Everybody got something: hats, sweaters, tshirts and a sun tan.

We fell in love with Copenhagen again.

See event here

action hygge.

We had already established that the neighborhood of 2200 is great, this event only confirmed what we already knew: Copenhageners like family spirit, music, beer and good cakes.

There are 2 streets of this kind in Norrebro ( probably there are more but these are the most recognizable): Blågårdsgade and Jaegersborggade. What they have in common is this kind of warmth and closeness of a community where everybody feels welcome. The latter one ‘throws’ events literally on the street probably more often than Blågårdsgade but they also have a lesser impact. What we experienced on the Street Festival was live music with great bands, colorful decorations, people of different ages dancing and having chats what made everybody feel as a part of a community.

Surprisingly, the party was going on for the whole day as the organizers predicted: it was the same spirit from 14 until midnight; only the sky had changed its color. We loved it!

See the event

Wilder/Bejart/Lundgard&Tranberg

In case you have no idea what I am talking about you will figure out in a second. Few days ago our friend spontaneously decided to take us to a ballet show. I was not prepared for it at all, not to mention I did not even know the title. The plan was to eat something out and go to the play. We had thought of Cafe Wilder because it was not too far away from the theatre and we had heard good things about it. We had indeed a feast:

*lamb with mashed potatoes and beans
*Danish specialite: mashed potatoes+fried bacon+caramelised onion
*fish in a saffron sauce ( delicious)
* and steak tartare

After a heavy meal we biked our way to the theatre for the ballet and we found ourselves in front of a magnificent design: by the water, facing the Opera on the other side of the canal and apparently the same architect as the Tietgen Kollegium that everybody is in love with ( including my small person). This is what the architects Lundgaard& Tranberg worked on so far:

http://www.ltarkitekter.dk/da/projects

This is the theatre. And the show? Well, contemporary, very. Quite astonishing actually but made me think that everybody really interprets art differently and sometimes it is hard to figure out what is actually going on. I was advised to look up this person, who died just 3 years ago and had a huge impact upon the ballet that can be called modern: Maurice Bejart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_B%C3%A9jart ).

We hope to have more of spontaneous evenings of this kind!

Song that was played during the ballet performance- everybody had indeed smiles on their faces!

beef bourguignon

As it was stated at the very beginning the aim of this blog is to bring to you not only fascinating places or events but most importantly- food. Exploration of our neighbourhood did not stop only on the Indian Restaurant. Already known to us Gefarlich had offered us only good drinks and fun. The time had come to try their cuisine.

What is funny already at the very beginning is that place has a German name, kind of French cuisine and all of this is in Denmark. The menu offers a lot of fish dishes as well as a bit of the meat ones.

the choices weren’t very varied this night: most of our group took fish and they were very pleased with is. Then we had also coq au vin and I had not heard the reactions because the people were just too far away to hear their comments. However, I went there to try the ultimate French dish: beef bourguingon that had become famous grace a Julia Child.  Quite heavy dish but just sooo tasty. However, the sauce was excellent, the meat was just too hard. Next time it’s gonna be better!

coq au vin

Neighbourhood Exploration

We had decided to do some neighborhood exploration and finally make the ultimate ranking- what is good/bad/overpriced/worthy etc. This time we had chosen to see what the Indian restaurants have to offer- somehow we had a craving for this kind of cuisine and one of us had actually been to India what helps in telling how original the food actually is.

Our target: Natraj Indisk Restaurant ( http://natraj.dk/) just by Laundromat

Score: good ( 4/6)

Interior: Indian oldschool

papadam and mango lassi

a variety of dishes

don’t be deceived by the small plates- the amount of food was perfect, nobody went out hungry!

Positive movement

I am proud to announce that currently this is my neighbour:

Popeye!

We share common space, meaning a variety of food stores, great take-aways and even possibility of a drink at few corners.

There is only one conclusion:

GOOD TO BE BACK!

Flying snow

Warsaw is currently over-snowed. Despite the problems everything seems to run as usual. Except pedestrians being almost unable to walk, cars getting stuck in between the ‘snow walls’ etc. How much of snow there is? Well, 25-30 cm approx. It is not little, it is something. And still, we seem to manage.

Countries such as UK, Spain or France, not used to these kind of conditions are experiencing some problems. Especially when it comes to communication. Flights delayed or not even flying. Everything paralysed. For Central-Eastern it is hard to believe.

Friends of mine flying allover- Spain/France/UK somehow managed to do it. However, if you get stuck on an airport with almost nothing to do at some point you will have to eat. There are few points about Copenhagen Airport Catering:

*little variety of food services

Sas airlines

*Expensive

*not tasty

In short: a disaster. One of the best Airports when it comes to food services I had encountered so far is London Heathrow Terminal 5: a vast variety and good (expensive, but still, it is an airport).

So if you plan to fly somewhere and you see there is snow outside, get yourself some homemade sandwiches with whatever you like best and just take it on board. Not only you can do it, it is the only survivor tip that you really need!

Subway= underground

subway_eat_fresh

Yes we can ( as Obama once said)! Well, I have been travelling here and there and I will tell you one thing : food is crucial when you are travelling. You eat because you have to, you eat because you are in a new place and above all because you are BORED.

This is how we end up choosing what we like the best from fast foods. I mean the slower fast foods ( not McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC etc.). We are talking about : Pret-a-manger, Starbuck’s and Subway ( and maaany more). I mention these three because somehow they are stuck in my head:

*Pret-a manger has very good slower fast-food ( coffee ok-ish)

pret-a-manger sandwich

*Starbuck’s- absolutely no idea why it got so famous. They offer coffee drinks with a coffee taste but I guess thay have nice logo. On the other hand : who can tell me about Starbuck’s phenomena? I have no clue.

* and SUBWAY.

starbucks-logo

The latter is astonishing sandwich-making place, where they make you think that you decide what you eat and you eat fresh stuff. You choose: bread, type of sandwich, with cheese or without, and then the vegetables and sauce. Nightmare. Too many choices. I had chosen one and stuck to it ( 15 inch veggy delite, cheese, everything apart from onion and pepper with southern sauce- see? I learned it by heart).

I have to tell you that Subway is expanding! They made it in the center of Copenhagen just near Norreport station few months ago and they had opened recently 2 new ones in Warsaw. The one in Copenhagen, however, is a really grimm place. I have no idea why. The interior, no music, it’s somehow empty and emotionless. And maybe it is how it is supposed to be: just eat and go.

Complaints?

1. Sandwiches always over toasted

2. Coke has no bubbles and is watery. Apart from that there is nothing more you can spoil, can you?

Plus’s? Well, it’s cheap. If you have to choose McDonald’s or Subway choose the latter, Between McDonalds and Burger King choose the former.

France meets Denmark

Yesterday was a big day. Climate conference took another turn- this time we had a demonstration that apparently ended in some riots ( as my journalist friend told me around 40 people got arrested and nobody injured). Whole this mess came completely unnoticeable for me. Why? Because in 10 minutes I had moved to France and I will tell you how.

My best friend and her sister came over for one day only ( my b.f. studies in Lund) and we had to be very organized. I had sent them on a canal tour and when they came abck it was already dark and they were starving. Our next point of destination was Cafe Sommersko ( menu and address: http://www.sommersko.dk/) – we wanted to treat ourselves a bit. It was recommended by another friend of mine so I thought- last chance to try it.

interior of sommersko

We had moved to France. All the dishes were typically French ( maybe not all of them but a great deal was): Croque Monsieur, Salade Chevre Chaud, Moules Frites, Steak au Sauce Bernaise… I could go without looking at Danish descriptions to know what they offer. Well, it was very good. But as an-almost-French-snob I would say that it could be a *bit* better ( well, at least the things I know from France are a bit different). Lets not exaggerate then and say that it was veeerryyy good for Danish standard! And interior is also a French/Danish style. So are waiters who tell you that you should eat something with something and that your choice was completely wrong.

Well, no wonder that all this madness just did not occur to me. Apparently I was 2 hours in France. Then my relatives started calling me from all around the world to check if everything is fine, but it was. How could it not be- Sommersko is the best hiding place!

Colorful Weekend

Meatpacking District Christmas Market was a very “warm experience”! Placed outdoors you could try very nice cheese from Spain and France, as well as amazing wines and glogg,of course. After that you could indulge yourself in some independent creations, some of them that we had found in an actual store “ART REBELS” was actually quite expensive..

We ended up on a glogg indoors- in a bar that we had always wanted to see, on the right corner of one of the buildings. The atmosphere was very charming, glogg very warming and people extremele nice. This is a remarkable memory from it :

A Family

Then we had headed to Tivoli, it was already dark and amazing. I also had a “cotton candy”, “candy floss” or however you call it, you know, the pink fluffy thing made of sugar that children enjoy immensely. At this point I was one of them. Especially a merry -go- round that I always wanted since I was 5.

Merry- go -round Tivoli

I think we got in a Christmas spirit. Maybe a bit too early.

Polish Christmas song. Without it Christmas is not Christmas

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