Tuesday 24 August 2010

gorgeous gothenburg


My first day in Gothenburg I made some nice finds, but the nicest one of all was to find Gothenburg as lovely as I ever remembered it. I go there once every year for the big national book fair in September, but unfortunately never have time to really experience the city outside the fair, except for going to some really nice restaurants in the evenings. I used to go there quite a lot in the past, since one of my best friends has lived there for a long time (and she just got married, so happy happy marriage to Hanna and Malin!). Even when I was little, and we went there with my cousins who live in the same part of Sweden (the west coast), I loved it and actually thought Gothenburg was cooler than Stockholm. I'm not sure I'd like to live there full time, but I'll definitely try and visit more often, besides going to the book fair.



A for me "new" part of the city was the first place I went, cos I'd read about it and driving past it in cabs to the hotel last year I suspected it'd be just my cup of tea. It sure was! Or rather a perfect cup of coffee, that I got from Da Matteo, a coffee shop and coffee supplier I'm pretty sure have the best coffee in Gothenburg. The area is one or two blocks where Vallgatan meets Magasinsgatan, where there are lovely shops every which direction you look. Prickig Katt I've already told you briefly about, and will get back to that in another post, cos I've got a lot of awesome pics from the store. A vintage shop I really liked was Pop Boutique, where I found this pretty dress for 300 kronor. I know it's not really expensive, but I'm always a bit hesitant paying that much for vintage if isn't mint condition, and I also have to fix it. This was mint indeed though, doesn't even look worn. It looks 40's, but is more likely 80's, from Spain. It's a little bit big, but nothing I can't fix, and with a belt this shape might work anyway actually. The fabric is quite warm, not sure what it is, but it'll be a perfect autumn favorite!



Gothenburg is known for it's excellent shoe stores, at least to me. Right now all stores had sales, but seeing it's being the end of summer I thought it didn't make much sense to buy more summer shoes. Sometimes I can be sensible too. No, really, I can. Except that white shoes might not be that incredibly sensible with the kind of autumn weather we usually get here, but there were only white left in my size, and they're so incredibly adorable I couldn't leave without these Vagabond brogue-mary-jane-wedges! Especially since I've discovered this summer that my feet actually like wedges, and I've used to be a flat shoe girl for as long as I can remember. Mostly cos I've thought my feet couldn't take heels, but apparently I've been wrong all these years. All the more reason to make up for it now, and these were on sale for 420 kronor, which is an okay price for quality shoes (I keep telling myself ...). Not exactly Mr Price, but hopefully they'll last longer, if I can remember to buy white shoe polish, and use it. And hope for a lot of sunny autumn days!



The cheapest buy of the day were these little hairpin gingham flowers from Indiska, two for 25 kronor. Very cute indeed. Did you notice how well all these things will go together? I actually just realised this now, looking forward to trying it out one of these days when autumn creeps closer. Maybe I can wear it at the book fair? Go all Gothenburg when in Gothenburg. Makes sense.

Now I'm off to the archipelago for a work conference for a few days, it'll be so nice to leave the city for a bit. As of yesterday everyone's definitely back for school and work, and the streets are so incredibly crowded by people and bikes and cars and stupid skateboarders I almost had a fit walking to and from work yesterday! Not to mention how many times people bumped into me without apologising, in true Stockholm Style, and bikers refusing to consider anyone but themselves in traffic, and cars not stopping when they should ... It's exhausting I tell you! So what better to cure that than to go off into the wilderness, where things will be too quiet for sure, and I'll miss the hectic pace of the city again. I'm weird, yes I am. But what can you do?

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