Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Of Rats and Rattlers: Coming Home to a Working Cattle Ranch
Miranda Ward on surfing cowboys, hitchhiking rats, and how to decapitate a rattlesnake.
Stockholm on a budget
Stockholm is glacially cool, stylish ? and notoriously unkind on the pocket. Susan Greenwood goes in search of some affordable entertainment with the help of a local bloggerThe self-declared capital of Scandinavia is equal parts confident elder brother and shy new boy in class. Stylish? Most certainly. Great for those on a budget? Not always. Although Stockholm does not even figure in Mercer's top 50 most expensive cities, so its reputation appears somewhat unjustified. I met up with local blogger Anna �stman for a tour of her local haunts in hipster Sodermalm, with its thriving cafe and bar culture, and refined Ostermalm, before heading off to explore more of the city's best budget-friendly hangouts.1. Gildas Rum, SodermalmThe counter disappears under piles of cakes, buns and jam tarts, and coffee is served in anything from pretty chinaware with broken handles to serious white mugs. Deep red walls and velvet sofas clash magnificently with multi-coloured fairy lights, explosions of flowers in tabletop pots and dripping chandeliers. It shouldn't work but it does and you'll find yourself slipping into a reverie pretty quickly while the carrot cake near your fork softly calls "eat me".? Skanegatan 79. Mon-Thu 8am?11pm; Fri 8am-8pm; Sat 9am-8pm; Sun 9am-9pm. Two coffees and two tarts for SEK80 (�7.40).2. Caf� String, SodermalmIf you'd like to purchase a table with your coffee, then you may want to consider a latte in String. The glass-fronted cafe spells out its trendy credentials with a black and white chessboard floor, eclectic, colourful furnishings and a young clientele who look like they've stepped out of a Whyred catalogue. You, too, can buy into the beauty by purchasing any of the furniture that takes your fancy. The cafe flexes its cultural muscles with regular poetry meetings, theatre performances and gigs by upcoming artists. But despite its arty attitude, it's also a great place to simply sit and people watch from its huge windows.? Nytorgsgatan 38, cafestring.com. Sandwiches from �3.253. Akkurat, SodermalmAmong all the dark wood and glistening bronze in Akkurat there lurk around 400 types of whisky and 200 beers, although they are rotated so frequently it's easy to lose count. The low lighting and soft murmuring of punters adds to the reverent air. If a monk walked through the crowd carrying some hops he wouldn't seem out of place, because the Trappist ales are an Akkurat speciality ? everything from the 4.5% Chimay Doree to the 11.3% Rochefort 10. To avoid toppling off one of the very tall bar stools, I went for a USA brewed Brother Thelonius (9%) and chose a cheeseburger from the bar menu which embraced ribs, steak and fish and chips with gusto.? Hornsgatan 18, akkurat.se. Beer and a burger for �164. Koh Phanagan, SodermalmSwedes love Thailand and at Koh Phanagan some enthusiastic souls have basically created a full moon party without the sand. Even if you go in for lunch, the lighting is a deep navy blue, with twinkling bulbs weaving in and out of makeshift beach canopies. "I think," said Spotted by Locals' tipper Anna Ostram, who brought me to this slice of Thailand, "we should sit in the tuk-tuk." I avoided the Moo Pat King (seriously hot) and ordered the Nua Nam Man Hoi ? beef, vegetables, oyster sauce (not hot). The restaurant doesn't take reservations so expect to queue on a Saturday night.? Skanegatan 57, kohphangan.se. Main courses average around �155. Snotty Sounds Bar, SodermalmThe Sodermalm district has long been home to musicians and creative typres. In Snotty's there's a touch of the Seventies in the sculpted stools and smooth bar with its stripy wood grain while music posters and album covers pack the walls with distractions. Despite sitting on the uber-hip Skanegatan, Snotty's manages to keep its feet on the ground. Order a no-nonsense beer and hang out.? Skanegatan 90, 4pm-1am daily. Food served until 10pm daily. Pint of beer �46. Pet Sounds Bar, SodermalmIn Pet Sounds, the record store, there is vinyl. A lot of it. So it's logical that in Pet Sounds Bar the music is the reason people come. The bar houses regular DJ nights with a bent towards indie rock but it remains refreshing in its acceptance of anything that is good. Black butchers' tiles nudge the interior towards 80s territory but the funky lighting and walls full of music posters save the day.? Skanegatan 80, petsoundsbar.se Pint of beer from �4.507. Ljunggrens, SodermalmAdmittedly, drinking in a shopping mall is a bit weird. Especially after hours, when all opportunities for retail therapy are closed off. But that's part of Ljunggrens charm ? the low lighting making you feel as if you've broken in with a few friends for an illicit drinking session. Having said that, the giant glitter ball coupled with the industrial architecture also lends a certain theatrical nature to proceedings which can be quite dangerous after a few drinks. In the summer it is a favourite with Stockholmers for the view from its roof terrace.? Gotgatan 36, restaurangljunggren.se. Pint of beer �4.508. The Blue Lotus Caf�, SodermalmEntering the subterranean Blue Lotus from the freezing streets of Stockholm is like walking into a blast furnace filled with humus and curry spice. The effect is instantly warming and you could easily spend an afternoon chatting in one of the cosy corners. The cafe has a lot of vegetarian and organic options on the menu and its decor nods towards India with a jewelled colour theme and ornate wall hangings serving as decorative archways. Move into one of the two anterior rooms and the lack of windows allows you to forget the snow and indulge in an Indian summer.? Katarina Bangata 21. Sandwiches from �4.609. Grill, OstermalmNowhere is style embraced quite so enthusiastically than in Grill, where each room is decorated in a different theme ? from a chintzy, turn-of-the-century parlour to an outdoor Italian bistro. When it's busy, you have no say as to where you sit ? so if you have a thing against Colorado ski chalets, you may want to look elsewhere. Is the menu cheap? Not really ? mains start at �16 ? but everything on the menu is grilled (hence the name) to perfection, which when coupled with your surroundings makes for a quirky and tasty evening.? Drottninggatan 89, grill.se.10. Le Bar Rouge, Old TownOh I know it's the old town and if you don't want to look like a tourist you walk quickly around those cobbled streets pretending you don't think it's pretty and head straight into Sodermalm. But Bar Rouge is an exception. Decked out like a turn-of-the-century boudoir, the red lighting and velvet seats capture decaying opulence in a way staring at the nearby Royal Palace for 30 minutes certainly won't. The tipple of choice is cocktails ? frankly anything else wouldn't be nearly bourgeois enough. If you're on a budget, avoid the adjoining restaurant but the bar snacks are reasonable at around SEK50 (�4.60).? Osterlanggatan 17, lerouge.se. Cocktails from �7.50Further information: visitsweden.comStockholmFood and drinkBars and clubsCity breaksBudget travelSwedenShort breaksTop 10sSusan Greenwoodguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Green travel clinic
Live Q&A: to mark the launch of the Guardian Green Travel List 2011, Richard Hammond, founder of greentraveller.co.uk, answers your questions on how to enjoy a greener holidayTravel companies are falling over themselves to claim how green and responsible they are, but who can you trust and what are the main issues? To mark the launch of the Guardian's Green Travel List 2011, Richard Hammond, founder of Greentraveller.co.uk, will answer your questions live between 1-2pm on Tuesday 23 November. Post your question in advance and join Richard Hammond for expert advice on making your next holiday a greener one.Read the results of last year's Green Travel ListNominate a green initiative for the Guardian Green Travel ListThe Guardian's Green Travel List is a guide to companies worldwide that have shown evidence of commitment to community, place and the environment. If you've been inspired by a company, project, organisation or eco initiative, we'd love to hear about it. We're particularly looking for innovative projects, such as hotels that provide their own renewable energy, visitor centres and attractions that have significantly cut their carbon emissions, low emissions transport initiatives, and authentic community projects worldwide that genuinely give back to the local people and the destination.Please send suggestions to: info@greentraveller.co.uk, stating clearly:1. The name of the project and relevant website2. The category you'd like to nominate it for, choose from the following:AccommodationTransportDays Out/Visitor AttractionsCommunity ProjectsHolidays3. Why you think it should be included in the Green Travel List (200 words max)Green travelEthical holidaysEthical and green livingRichard Hammondguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Video: Inappropriate theme park photos
Filed under: North America, United States, Theme ParksConsider this a public service announcement.
I have always felt like the costumed characters at theme parks had a pretty thankless job. My biggest aversion to the job used to be the thought of how hot it must be inside one of those get-ups.
But still, I figured, it must be fun to make all those kids happy.
Now, thanks to a video of theme park photos circulating on the Web, my eyes have been opened to a myriad of indignities that the people who portray characters at theme parks must suffer.
Besides the crotch-grabbing children -- and wow, there must be a lot of crotch-grabbing children -- there is always that chance that a camera will catch you at just the right second and make it look like you are ogling a tourist in a tank top. Worse yet, your prosthetic spindly fingers could get caught in a tourist's tank top.
The world has Ellen DeGeneres to thank for this eye-opener. She asked viewers of her talk show to send in their theme park photos that "just aren't right."
Take a look before you apply for that costumed character job next summer.
Video: Inappropriate theme park photos originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
I have always felt like the costumed characters at theme parks had a pretty thankless job. My biggest aversion to the job used to be the thought of how hot it must be inside one of those get-ups.
But still, I figured, it must be fun to make all those kids happy.
Now, thanks to a video of theme park photos circulating on the Web, my eyes have been opened to a myriad of indignities that the people who portray characters at theme parks must suffer.
Besides the crotch-grabbing children -- and wow, there must be a lot of crotch-grabbing children -- there is always that chance that a camera will catch you at just the right second and make it look like you are ogling a tourist in a tank top. Worse yet, your prosthetic spindly fingers could get caught in a tourist's tank top.
The world has Ellen DeGeneres to thank for this eye-opener. She asked viewers of her talk show to send in their theme park photos that "just aren't right."
Take a look before you apply for that costumed character job next summer.
Video: Inappropriate theme park photos originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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