I love Stockholm | How About Orange

May 02, 2011

I love Stockholm

I usually forget to take photos when I'm out and about, but here's a smattering of pictures from my Stockholm excursion. This photo represents my overall impression of the city. Beautiful buildings. Lots of boats. Lots of water.

We spent five nights at Hotel Stureplan, which is located within walking distance of all sorts of shops, restaurants, and museums. Our room looked like this (photo borrowed from Historic Hotels of Sweden). Loved it. The only funny glitch occurred when we attempted to store some dirty clothes in what we assumed was a laundry bag provided in the bathroom. The next day the bag was empty and our socks were missing. We inquired, and the hotel clerk apologetically informed us that bag is for "other garbage" that doesn't go in the regular wastebasket, and our clothes had been thrown away. Oops. Silly us.

The weather was beautiful. We took a boat tour, visited the Photography Museum and the Modern Museum (which turned out to feature mostly photography as well), and the very interesting Vasa, a warship that sank in 1628 after sailing for just 20 minutes. Stockholm has 75 museums, and there were many others I'd have loved to see. Too little time.

At the Royal Palace a group of guards marched by and nearly ran us over when they suddenly did a 180 and marched up the staircase next to us.

We also visited Skansen, an outdoor museum that replicates a 19th-century Swedish town. Native Scandinavian animals also live there, eating mice and admiring their own reflections.

[Stop reading this sentence right now if you're a vegetarian: I ate reindeer at a restaurant a few days later and it was delicious. I highly recommend dining at Nalen.]

But by far my favorite part of the trip was browsing in the dozens of shops, admiring the furniture and housewares. Don't worry; I left a few things in the stores for you. But it was super painful and took enormous self control not to buy everything in sight. Though I don't know how I could have carried a sofa onto the plane anyhow. Along with a few future Christmas presents for people, here are some items that had to come home with me.

You'll notice I became obsessed with fish.

I'm going to bake stuff in this dish and eat cheese and crackers off this tray.


Here's an irresistible mug from the Marimekko shop.

And a piece of fabric purchased at Åhléns department store.

If you're headed to Stockholm, here's a list of my favorite shops:
Ohlssons fabric store
Åhléns department store (home section)
Nordiska Kompaniet department store (home section)
Nordiska Galleriet
Design Torget
Svenskt Tenn (Josef Frank galore)
Lagerhaus (affordable gifts here!)

I need to go back!

55 comments:

Anna said...

looks absolutely amazing! jealous. :)

jenni said...

I'm sorry you lost your socks. But ooooh, what a fun way to buy some new stuff. :)

Happy in red said...

Great, now I wanna go to Stockholm and buy fabric. This blogging is making me go bankrupt! :-)
Esther.

Emily said...

***Swoon***

Love everything. Thanks for sharing the beautiful pics. :)

helena said...

I might be going to Stockholm for work in June - now I really hope that I am - have bookmarked your list in case I do - that crockery is fabulous

Grandma G said...

FINALLY! I've been waiting and waiting for this post! Okay, so we talked on the phone a half dozen times over the weekend, and you emailed pics... but I need to get it ALL, y'know? ;)

So glad you had a great time and a safe trip! Now back to the ol' grind...... (and the post office if you haven't done that yet. ;) )

Love you!
Mum

10Yen said...

When you go back please please please take me with you. It sounds fantastic, and looks fantastic. Maybe we need to rent a plane so we can bring furniture back? ;p I've wanted to try reindeer and your the first person I know of that has tried it! Glad you liked it :D

tinajo said...

I´m so, so glad that you enjoyed yourself in our capital city! I´ve always loved Stockholm myself; even though I was born and raised in the north of Sweden my grandmother lived in Stockholm.

I visited her every summer and had a BLAST exploring museums, coffee shops, toy stores and all of that with her. Now as an adult, I live only 2 hours from Stockholm so I go there once in a while - it is quite beautiful! :-)

(speaking of misunderstandings; when I was in the States for the first time last year, it took me 10 minutes to comprehend how the shower worked...)

Jackie said...

Those fish on the platter are awesome. I really want that mug too. Clearly need to put Stockholm on my wish list!

Unknown said...

Oh, I've wanted to go to Stockholm for so long! I love all the things you bought. Thanks for sharing your trip:)

Jessica Jones said...

Tinajo, I hear you! If my husband hadn't already known to put the hotel key card in a slot to make the lights turn on, I'd have been in the dark for a loooong time.

The Needle Shop said...

Great job capturing the essence! I'm right back there. :)

Unknown said...

I visited Stockholm two years ago with my class for our annual class trip and it was amazing! Great weather, amazing architecture, and such cheap products!! We visited during the economic crisis, so things were ultra cheap :)
We went to skansen too, and Gronalund amusement park and went on a boat tour through the city, it is definitley a memorable place to visit !!


The Creative Muslimah @ www.thecreativemuslimah.blogspot.com

tina - Half Of What I Say said...

Wonderful post, we were there last summer. Stockholm is the only city I would consider packing up and leaving Canada for. I just loved everything about it.

Red said...

Oh wow. These are amazing. I love the trees in that one picture you have, all blooming a bright pink. Somehow I didn't think there would be cherry trees in Sweden...Go figure. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

GRANSTAV said...

I´m glad you like it.
It is a beautiful town. But when you live here you forget it.
Thanks for reminding me :)/sanna

urbanite jewelry said...

I lived in Europe for a year and Stockholm was by far my favorite place! Lagerhaus was one of my favorites too! I want to go back!

kari said...

I absolutely love the patterns on the plateware and fabric. So beautiful! I'm jealous! :)


findingartinthemiddle.blogspot.com

clearlytangled said...

i visited stockholm a couple of times when i lived in helsinki, and also really enjoyed the city.
definitely liked the vasa museum.... and i LOVE LOVE reindeer.
looks like you made some great purchases. adore the fish!

mysterymoor said...

I've always wanted to go there!!!

Katie Truelove said...

I hope to make it there some day! I'm definitely sending this to a friend who is visiting Stockholm this summer though!:) Also, I thought of your blog this weekend when I hosted an orange bridal shower:)

Waiting said...

Glad you had fun! I really liked my time in Stockholm, it is not only pretty, but very clean.

What great finds you made! I especially like the fabric.

mikapoka said...

Hi Jessica, I guess this is my very first comment so far: love your Stockholm pics and what a beauteous weather, though. Have fun, ciao!

swimnc said...

So glad you got to Svenskt Tenn and got to see the Joseph Frank stuff($$$$) and also Åhléns for more affordable stuff, used to work at Åhléns as a teenager. The Vasa ship is my husbands favorite story of all times ... he is American and I am Swedish. There is a saying in Sweden when you take a "snaps" (shot) ... take it like the Vasa Ship ~ bottoms up! Ha ha ha ... glad you enjoyed the "backside" of Sweden [ha ha ha ... I am from the frontside ~ Goteborg] Cecilia

Bego said...

thanks for the recommendations, i've copied them all :)
funny story about the socks, haha

Jessica Jones said...

I know. Note to self: do not put belongings in any sort of hotel bag. :)

Cecilia, you're right. The Joseph Frank store is more like a museum since it all costs so much. Lovely to look at, though. I didn't know the Vasa was so much a part of popular culture. I'll remember that next time I have a drink. :) Funny!

Crafterella said...

I LOVE the photo of that owl, you took so many wonderful shots.
I jealous of all your fabulous souvenirs, my favorite are the tray you'll be eating cheese off of and that beautiful fabric!

Kristina said...

so glad you had a nice trip, and so wanting to go myself! Love all the things you bought.

Niki said...

i freaking love that mug

Anonymous said...

Looks amazing!

Nice pictures!, and very nice fishes :)

Leslie said...

I've been to Stockholm. It is among my favorite cities. I didn't get enough time at the Vasa. It was so interesting. Thanks for sharing the pics.

lisak said...

I also love Stockholm! No matter the season it is a beautiful city. It's not difficult to decide what to leave in the "other" trash bag in order to fit all of the new purchases you make. I passed on the reindeer meat!

rilojane said...

I know many people lose their shirts in Las Vegas... is losing your socks in Stockholm the new trend?

Thanks for the pictures! And for the referrals... though, honestly, I don't see a trip to Stockholm in our near future. :)

jae_em said...

I hope to go to Sweden one day. How was the food? Also, good thing just socks were only thrown out!

feltonthefly said...

Quite honestly, I never even thought about going to Stockholm...and now it's on my list of place I've really got to visit! Thanks for the great post and the great list of places to visit while I'm there : )

Janet, http://www.feltonthefly.etsy.com

M Dawson said...

Wow - this is totally amazing - and inspirational - you must be buzzing with ideas, I know I would be!!

Shirley said...

Love these photos and amazing hotel room!! :)

Lindsay said...

okay why are european places so much more artistic than stupid america? i absolutely LOVE those fish plates.. i want to marry them. the end.

Jeanee said...

That tray is TOO CUTE!

Megumi said...

Wow!
Envy!
Jealous!
Such a great place!

Joanna said...

I live in Stockholm and it makes me proud to here that someone loves the place :)
Btw, love your blog

Anonymous said...

Oooh, thanks for this post. I am Swedish but live in Australia and LOVE looking at photos especially of Stockholm when I get home sick. Doesn't help, but love it nonetheless... It is a beautiful city, and yep the shopping rocks!

Rose Clearfield said...

It sounds like a great trip! I definitely didn't need to know that there is a Marimekko store haha.

HarmlessColor said...

I like the fish a lot!
(And I'm glad I'm not the ONLY non-vegetarian in the blogging world! Ha! And yes, game meats can be so good!)

Curly said...

Wow, it's so cool to see someone describe your hometown, and in positive ways too! Of course, i love to live here, but as GRANSTAV said, you forget it when you live her :)
I really love your blog and your tutorials, so it makes me extra proud that you liked Stockholm. Silly, I know. I hope to visit Chicago some day, the hometown of my proffession.

Unknown said...

Ahhh!! I'm so happy that you had a wonderful trip to Stockholm! What a dreamy place :o) I think Åhléns is my favorite department store, ever. I wish they had one in the U.S. I am wondering now when my next trip to Sweden will be!

Anonymous said...

I loved Stockholm when I was there a few years ago. I don't often want to go back to places, but I definitely want to go back and go out to some of the islands. There are cool things in every single shop there. It's incredible.

And reindeer is delicious. It's not any different than eating beef really - if you get the free range stuff.

mary said...

fyi, eating off fish dishes is a lucky way to start your new year. though, i think yours are a bit nicer than mine :)

Laura said...

Oh, I would LOVE to visit Sweden! The blooming trees look similar to the cherry blossom trees we saw on our trip to Washington DC a couple of weeks ago!

Kajsa said...

Always nice to see your city through someone elses eyes, as said before in the comments: when you live there you tend to forget to look! So thanks for the view!

I have moved to the other ( :) back-) side of Sweden (Göteborg, also worth a visit!) but somehow Stockholm is still _my_ town. I'll give it a few years more to be replaced in my heart... :)

paivi said...

That plastic bag (and the bin) in the bathroom is actually for tampons and sanitary pads.

Yetunde said...

oooh, i just love scandinavian design!
btw, were they able to get your clothes back, or was that it? that would suck, but hey, a good reason to go shopping, right?

Johanna said...

Perfect timing! I'm visiting Stockholm for the first time next week! I can't wait to check out some of these places. I also love the Stockholm print you shared on in your previous post.

Rebecca said...

Our family stopped in Stockholm last summer on our cruise. It was my favorite country out of all the countries we visited. [sigh] I hope to go back someday.

BTW, I love your new fabric line!

Bansko Bulgaria said...

Yes this sity is awesome. Been there twice before. I also like to travel in Europe. I remember my holiday trip to Bulgaria. We descover a very cut and cozy place Banya village hoteli. It is a very nice SPA resort near a huge mountain Pirin.