Stockholm är bra!!!
Oh my God, where to begin?! First of all: this was a surprise trip my partner arranged. Indeed, some kind of wonderful!
So the first challenge was packing my stuff, while trying not to spoil the surprise. A few hints soon came my way. And a very good description was: ‘Venice of the North’. Because Stockholm is all made of lots of ‘islands’ connected and surrounded by water. Normally we would freeze our butts off, but it was extremely soft for the time of year. Some clouds, but also lots of sun!
We had a very beautiful flight, due to the clear and breathtaking view. A swift drive to the hotel and a very spacious room. We stayed at the Berns hotel. Not just a hotel, but also an Xkst. place to party and eat! “A boutique hotel with a heck of a lot of history that shows continuing support to the arts through its salon-inspired attitude”, according to ‘www.suitcasemag.com’. One of those arts, is the art of music. Stay tuned as I elaborate on this piece later on!
Arriving on a Friday afternoon, we soon went looking for a place to lunch after checking in. And so lunch was the first experience we will certainly remember. Stockholm is not so crowded a city as we are use to in the Netherlands. As great as the name, as tranquil the streets were. People were strolling calmly in the center of Norrmalm. So for us to pry where to have something tasty to eat that afternoon. When soon we spotted a idyllic window and we decided to take a peek inside. Crowded, thus quality we presumed. There was a small waiting line, but concluded it would be worth the wait. And it was! Surprisingly enough it was a non-alcoholic restaurant. And no, we’re not severe alcoholics, but we do enjoy a drink alongside our dish. But, we adjusted very quickly and were provided with water as much as we would possible could want. Very healthy indeed! I had a very rich chicken salad, with couscous, fruit and nuts. Satisfying, and I felt really charged afterwards.
So, off we went on a mission to find a place for our ‘VRIJMIBO’. What?! ‘VRIJMIBO’! That’s what we Dutch folks call our get together on late Friday afternoons in the city bar. And yes, our search was highly rewarded! For there it was, hidden in behind a wooden door: ‘A bar called Gemma’. What a pearl and what a passion for drinks! The owner and master brain behind this concept was present and was very willing to tell us about the birth of his idea! ‘Cause Gemma is not you girl next door! It is an abbreviation of five letters that breathe the soul of this meeting point (visit and ask!). A place to relax, to connect, to have some delectable flavours, to witness the art of mixology, meet friendly faces and just sip as the hours pass by… And so they did! Time to make plans for dinner. Surfin’on ‘Google maps’ and strolling through Norrmalm we came across a very cosy looking place called ‘Ling Long’. Yes, you saw correctly; the name you saw melted into the ice cubes! An Asian food sharing concept and a (cocktail)bar connected.
After some freshening up our rumbling stomachs led us to this restaurant with an charismatic ambiance. Friendly personal and a diligent composed menu with sticky ribs, braised meat and flagrantly seasoned rice. Very, very tasteful! And lots of choices to go by! Be sure to check out Ling Long next time in Stockholm en stay tuned for more hotspots & stories……