04.04.11

kaffibarinn

i think we all knew this iceland-telling would take a long time, given the cumulative effect of my tendency to digress, my working in an office on non-iceland-related matters, and my deep and abiding fondness for talking about iceland (it will probably get worse rather than better now that i've actually been there), but in the interest of full disclosure: it will be a haul.

on friday afternoon (that is, day two) we went to kaffibarinn, 1% of which was initially owned by damon "face that launched a thousand pairs of knickers" albarn. it was britpopsterless that day, but it did boast freya, a friendly icelandic sheepdog mix; admiring her led us to her owner, (a different) damon, an equally friendly icelandic guy who'd spent ten years in london. at one point he asked me to mind freya and dashed out of the bar, returning ten minutes later with a massive sheet of adhesive moustaches (which he then distributed around the room). "it's moustache march." well, obviously. we were then overtaken by a pod of men in tuxedoes, in for a pint before a choir performance. "it's the handsomest choir in iceland," they said. damon introduced us to jonas, a tuxedonaut who worked at the foreign ministry; he and joe talked shop while damon explained why we needed to break into the sculpture garden next to hallgrímskirkja ("just hop the fence, god will protect you"). jonas then extricated himself with apologies, explaining that he had to warm up before the performance. ah! they were the choir. exeunt tuxedoes to the room upstairs.

9 comments:

jamie said...

the lady mag is not holding iceland month in celebration? huh.

love the video.

LPC said...

In Northern California we are used to handsome men's choirs. A mustache parade, however, that would be new and different.

Amanda said...

The Office of Non-Iceland-Related Affairs

kidchamp said...

"say, have you heard of The Office of Non-Iceland-Related Affairs? these are their mascots, TONI and RA."

g said...

I think you mean RAGNAR and SNORRI.

kidchamp said...

i thought these were RAGNAR and SNORRI.

Rachel (heart of light) said...

I only wish there were more time on that video. They sound excellent.

Peonies said...

Dammit, you are warming me to Iceland.I don't want to be warmed to Iceland.  I STILL HAVEN'T FORGIVEN ICELAND. 

kidchamp said...

we did make a number of deeply rude gestures at eyjafjallajokull for you. more on that soon.