The Copenhagen ReportThe Copenhagen ReportA little bit about life in Copenhagen - art, music, nightlife, commentary, politics, business and beers Articles
The last Distortion Festival post for 2008...
2008-06-07 11:43:00 The scene at Enghave Plads in Vesterbro last night as the Distortion Festival roared on. Blue skies and warm music. Priceless.www.cphdistortion.dk More About: Post , 2008
The Copenhagen Distortion Festival 2008 in Norrebro...a few pics
2008-06-06 19:14:00 Like there was a choice whether to join or not. When your flat lies just around the corner from the heart of the action, as does the flat of yours truly, you may as well embace the action and join in. So last night the Distortion Festival was as loud and rowdy and amusing as was to be expected.From the 'Obama' Party bus to Christiania Cycle (with build in sound system) that kept the music playing even after it had 'officially' stopped, to the guys with a draft beer tap set up in their ground floor apartment serving beer directly through their window onto the street (now that's entrepreneurial spirit - especially given the outrageous queues at the local kiosks selling beer!) it was an entertaining evening.As the Distortion Festival proves, when the sun shines so does Copenhagen ...and when the sun sets, the fun really begins (even on a Thursday night). Thank goodness for the weekend...and the Distortion Festival in Vesterbro.www.cphdistortion.dkahhhhh, Sankt Hans Torv...the offic... More About: 2008
The Copenhagen Distortion Festival Hits Norrebro...
2008-06-04 22:16:00 On Thursday, the annual Copenhagen Distortion Festival hits Nørrebro. Last year it was a great evening, with the police even cooperating and closing down some streets to traffic until extremely late in the evening (as the music played on...). Tomorrow threatens to be even better - the weather looks to be just perfect, and the Festival gets more and more word of mouth and media attention every year. And it's good. Always. If you're into this sort of thing, at least occasionally.On Friday the festival hits Vesterbro, and then on Saturday is the Final party. But there's something about a mid-week party that can be a welcome relief, even if only once in a while. And the area around Sankt Hans Torv is just the right size to have an intimately massive little happening.www.cphdistortion.dkHopefully more to report shortly. More About: Hits
Somebody PLEASE teach these nurses some math!! (or at least give them a cal
2008-06-03 23:18:00 23,000 kroner x 0,0075% pay increase this year x 60,0% after tax= 100 kroner per month (approximately)or23,000 kroner/160 hours x 0.0075% pay increase this year x 60,0% after tax= 0.675 kr/hour (approximately)Yes, a little bit of math to start this blog entry - please forgive my occasionally rational thought process. The outcome of these little calculations is essentially the reason why nurses in Copenhagen went on strike, and remain on strike several futile weeks later.It's all about 100 kroner per month in salary (after tax) or .675 kroner an hour. To put this another way: if you were offered 149.33 kroner per hour for a job, but demanded 150 kroner, would you turn the job down!!???I'm not trying to be clever here, just a bit sensible!Of course, the nurses union possesses, how shall we phrase this delicately, a questionable level of competence. This opinion, admittedly, stems from the fact that the author's girlfriend was once a nurse, though she gave up that profession some ye... More About: Math , Give , Nurses
Jeg er (ikke) dansker...
2008-05-26 22:38:00 The Danish daily newspaper Politiken is currently running an outstanding - and much needed - campaign entitled 'Jeg er dansker' ('I am Danish'). It features daily photos of 'typical' and 'less-typical' Danes. These less-typical Danes have all to often, in recent years, been cast as something - anything - but truly Danish by a minority of Danish politicians (and their supporters). Sadly, these politicians at this point have all but managed to hijack not only the issues and agenda, but also much of the language of the ongoing 'discussion'.Nowadays, when one hears talk in the Danish media of what (and who) is traditionally Danish and so forth, it is almost left assumed and unsaid that what this means is precisely as it has been defined - in a frustratingly monopolistic way - by this small xenophobic minority.Of course, it didn't help that the one political party that tried to stand up against this issue with their heart and soul quickly fell flat and rather hard on their fac...
Springtime shrimp
2008-05-16 00:06:00 Ready...set...PEEL!Springtime in Copenhagen often brings with it a change in diet. As the trees and flowers blossom and bloom, those often talked-about new potatoes begin to arrive, barbeques are fired up for the first time in several months, and so on and so forth.The other day I had an amusing discussion while eating what I was told was a springtime dish worthy of the season at hand - fresh shrimp. The instructions for eating were simple and non-negotiable - take a piece of rugbrod (extremely dark and heavy bread Danes typically love), spread with margarine, then pile it with little shrimps you have painstakingly peeled yourself. Salt and pepper was also permitted.What wasn't permitted was lemon, which to me seemed like an obvious addition to bring out the flavour. 'No, no, no!', I was admonished. Because what matters is the taste of fresh shrimp. I pointed out that adding lemon was really no different then adding salt and pepper, but this was to no avail.This provoked me to su... More About: Shrimp
Go fly a kite...
2008-05-15 23:41:00 See, this is what happens when you have week after week of sunny and warm weather in a country known more for it's cold, (often rainy) cloudy days. You stop blogging and find yourself out and about and enjoying the real world - with many friends who are doing just the same. Ahhh, it's been nice. But I know I will return to blogging. More About: Copenhagen , Kite
Assistens Kirkegaard on a sunny Saturday morning: Hardly a classic Danish f
2008-04-20 22:15:00 There isn't really such a thing as a classic Copenhagen flea market ('Loppemarked', in Danish ). But if there was, it would certainly not be the one found in from of the yellow wall surrounding Assistens Kirkegaard along Norrebrogade every Saturday morning for the next few months. But there's no mistaking that it is indeed a flea market.Nørrebro, as an area of colourful characters and great cultural diversity, is hardly representative of what typically is found elsewhere around Copenhagen, not to mention in the rest of Denmark. It is therefore hardly a coincidence that Nørrebro's Saturday morning flea market really pulls out in an amazingly diverse cast of characters - both a sellers and as buyers.As one of the major veins running outwards from the center of Copenhagen, Nørrebrogade is a prime location for such a market. There are no shortage of those perusing for treasures. From elderly people in electric carts purring along the bike paths, stopping occasionally to haggle for o... More About: Classic , Morning , Sunny
Vinstue 90: Where Carlsberg beer (improbably) comes to life...
2008-04-15 23:04:00 I dislike Carlsberg beer. My reasons are legitimate. There are plenty of beers - both Danish and non-Danish, that frankly have a lot more (and a lot better) taste. Until a few years ago, Carlsberg played every trick in the book in order to choke the beer market in Denmark, which created a pretty dire state of affairs in the shops and cafes across the country. Carlsberg is still pretty good at it, but the jig has now been up for a few years since the door swung open to a wider selection of beers. In particular, thanks to micro-breweries around the country, it seems there is no going back. Supermarkets, kiosks, restaurants and cafes around the city are now stocked with a remarkable selection of beer - many of which didn't even exist a few short years back. Which means that Carlsberg is fairly easily avoided these days.But the other day, I had an experience drinking a Carlsberg beer that was frankly and utterly novel. That is, I enjoyed it. I mean deeply, truly and sincerely enjoyed i... More About: Life , Beer
Looking down...
2008-04-14 23:30:00 A friend visiting town happened to be staying on the 19th floor of the SAS Radisson Hotel. The first time I've had the opportunity to have see this view - so I couldn't resist snapping this pic of the soon-to-be-opening Tivoli. Not a view of the place most people get on a regular basis.And I should also mention that, much to my surprise, the interior of this famous Arne Jacobsen designed Copenhagen landmark is remarkably warmer, welcoming and more cheerful - not to mention very unique - than the military green (and not terribly welcoming) facade of the place.
Grillbar: Seriously, don't go there.
2008-04-14 23:28:00 This is one place in Copenhagen that is all (bad) style and no substance. Yes, it looks sleek and spiffy. But it's complete devoid of atmosphere and character. And to top it all off, the prices are hopelessly lousy. Trust me, there is much much better out there. If somebody in your group suggests a visit to Grillbar, do everything you can to re-direct them someplace else instead. You'll be happy that you did.A 50 kroner bottle of Heineken...what a deal!
Springtime atmosphere
2008-04-14 22:53:00 Late Sunday afternoon (around 18.oo), Sankt Hans Torv. Spring is in the air. More About: Springtime , Atmosphere
Spring arrives in Copenhagen...well, sort of...
2008-04-06 17:42:00 Sunshine. Shades. Outdoor cafes. Blankets. Gloves. Winter parkas. Hmmm, it must be Spring time...in Copenhagen . A moment in time captured Saturday afternoon in front of Illum on the main walking street, Stoget (that is Støget, to be perfectly correct). More About: Sort
Cinema Tips...
2008-04-01 00:06:00 In light of the ongoing Natfilm Festival 2008, here is the shortest of posts, one with only two purposes:1. A little cinema tip: For those visiting Copenhagen (or brand new to the city) and looking for a cinema with a bit of character and an above average programme, Grand Teater would not be a bad place to start.2. For looking for one and only one film to see this year at the Natfilm Festival, might I suggest Honeydripper. A beautiful film sure to put a smile on your face. And still one more showing at this year's festival.Grand: Let the show begin... More About: Cinema , Tips
Too much to choose from during Natfilm Festival 2008
2008-03-31 00:06:00 The annual Copenhagen nightfilm festival is back - having started last Friday. The Natfilm Festival is a fantastic 10 days of lesser-known films from around the world and it's another outstanding line-up this year. A quick skim through the program turns up a plenty of choice not a lot of time - with most films only showing a couple times and around 25 to 30 films showing each day around town, it's just not possible to see everything you might wish to.the old-school charm of Posthus TeatretOne thing that is always great, is the chance to watch films in smaller theater's that one doesn't always frequent - for example, Husets Biograf, (or my personal favourite) the tiny family-run Posthus Teatret (entrance pictured), which is down in the center of town and only open on special occasions. It's a one room theater that hasn't changed much in 35 years. What it misses in modern comforts, it more than makes up for in charm - which it simply oozes. Nothing better than grabbing a beer or... More About: Choose , 2008
Say good-bye to winter...
2008-03-30 23:49:00 ...the last of the winter fun for 2008A week ago in parts of Sjelland last weekend there was actually plenty of snow (enough to even have a bit of fun...) - but with 10 degree temperatures and above over the next days, it seems that just maybe the last of winter is now behind us......a rare species in Denmark the past few winters - the snowman...but plenty of confused geese More About: Copenhagen , Winter , Good
Parallel Parking
2008-03-27 19:16:00 The arrival of the Oslo ferry (in reverse gear) every morning just after 9.00 at the Nordhavn ferry terminal (departure daily at 17.00). Thank goodness the captain (he or she?) never misses. More About: Parking
When a (Copenhagen) blogger quits...
2008-03-26 18:51:00 Sometimes you don't realise how much you have appreciated something until it's pulled out from under your feet. On Sunday, Sabine over at Oh - Those Danes...! announced she was stopping her excellent blog. Now that is not only a shame, but a real loss for those seeking an (English) window into Denmark. Hopefully she decides to leave her extensive archive of posts online, as they are a real treasure-trove.For Sabine has been a truly prolific blogger on the subject of Denmark and the Danes.I would describe her approach to blogging as rigorous (far more rigorous than mine) - rarely did has a day passed in the past couple years without a post from her (or an explanation for why there wouldn't be one). She never failed to find something insightful, pithy, amusing or clever to attach to one given issue or other - in succinct and reasoned posts. And rarely has she missed tackling the big issue of the day in Denmark, whatever it was.Rarely have I found myself disagreeing with her, though... More About: Blogger , Copenhagen
It's a bird, it's a plane...it's a Segway.
2008-03-21 12:46:00 The Segway . Efficient, perhaps affordable, and apparently not really legal to drive on the streets of Denmark - which is kind of annoying. But only if you get caught, of course. For those who have had enough of cycling, but don't want a scooter... More About: Plane , Bird
Getting that Islands Brygge and (new) Vesterbro feeling...
2008-03-17 09:11:00 By: Tim Anderson (timothyanderson2005@gmail.com)Constructi on, construction, construction. And falling prices. The Copenhagen housing market is quite a thing to get a handle on these days. On one hand is a rapidly growing number of apartments for sale (with rapidly dropping price tags), on the other is a pile of ongoing and recently completed housing projects - most of these were conceived and started quite some time before the housing market in Copenhagen went belly up some 18 to 24 months ago - after a lengthy and sustained period of rapidly rising prices. So there's plenty of units in these new buildings available if you like what you see.There are a few intense pockets of construction around Copenhagen - each characterised by lots of visible 'for sale' signs. Perhaps the most ambitious of these development areas is found along the harbour front on both the Vesterbro and the Islands Brygge sides. The buildings are visually quite compelling, though their price tags are less so -... More About: Feeling
The cost of being here...
2008-03-13 16:21:00 So here you have it, in a nutshell... From economist.com, right here. It's not cheap to live in Denmark, but of course it has been said that you get what you pay for. And that is most certainly true, especially in this case, at least if you ask me... More About: Cost
Bikes and (sleeping) babies...
2008-03-10 08:27:00 'I'm dreaming in the rain, yes dreaming in the rain...'Of all things that could said to be 'Danish' (of which there are a fair number), perhaps there is none moreso than the belief that babies and young children should take their naps outdoors during the day. Yes, that means 12 months per year. It also means rain or shine. The odd thing is that I've live in the country long enough to begin to feel that it makes a certain amount of sense - though in all honestly I can't really explain why, it just kind of does after a while.The procedure goes like this: bundle baby up, put baby in carriage out back somewhere - either by an open window or close to the door, but generally (these days) with one of those 'baby transmitters' that let's you know when the baby starts making noise. In bad weather cover the carriage up.So heading out to work the other day, a little over an hour later than usual (big work party the previous evening, creating the need for an extra hour of sleep), I wa... More About: Babies , Sleeping , Bikes
Even in paradise there are still (incompetent) bureaucrats
2008-03-07 00:59:00 There has been much talk in the Danish media in recent years, and by Danish politicians, about how important it is to attract foreign talent into Denmark since there is a growing labour shortage. Particularly, but not exclusively, in the area of maths and sciences and especially those with PhD's.Of course, it's one thing to toss around lofty rhetoric about how welcome foreigners are in Denmark and so forth (at least, the well educated fully westernised ones), it's another thing to bring your army of bureaucrats in line with this thinking. Which brings me to this story I am about to share - which I will do by sharing the email exchange that took place around it.It's a series of email a good (non-Danish) friend was involved in, which he forwarded to me, between himself and a hopeless bureaucrat at the Danish tax office, while trying to deal with some tax (skat, in Danish) problems that resulted from him going abroad to work. Apparently the memo that foreigners were now welcome in... More About: Paradise
This is not a real estate prospectus...
2008-03-04 08:54:00 If you are familiar with Copenhagen, you may recognise that there is something notable in this picture. It's taken coming down towards the Amerikakaj/Dampfærgevej area of the city (where the Oslo ferry arrives shortly after 9 each morning, and departs at 5pm sharp every afternoon).You see, there are relatively few buildings in Copenhagen - residential or commercial - that exceed 5-6 stories in height. Sure they do exist, but in comparison to most major cities there just aren't that many. This is one of them - it's a brand new development I think it's worth singling out for some attention for it's excellent architectural design.While industrial and commercial architecture in Copenhagen all too often leaves something to be desired, the same cannot always be said of residential construction projects, of which there have been a few of note over the past years. On my way to and from work every day, I pass by this one - it's actually two buildings. Unfortunately, the location and su... More About: A Real Estate , Estate , Real Estate , Real
9 of the best?
2008-03-01 11:54:00 Normally the start of the new year is a good time for a retrospective...but since that didn't quite happen, hey, better late than never.So here's a little quick hit list of 9 posts from the 3 years - chosen because of their popularity - and the fact that they were some of my favourites to write.1. Introducing the Danish citizenship test2. Closing time in Copenhagen (Part 1)3. Closing time in Copenhagen (Part 2) - To feel or not to feel4. A late night threesome on Vesterbrogade5. A problem of integration (and a modest proposal)6. The sound of the popping bubble: A bit about psychology and Copenhagen's housing market7. A stroll down Istegade (Part 1)8. A stroll down Istegade (Part 2): Istegade the Hipster (and Istegade the Kitsch)9. On a sunny Sunday in CopenhagenHope you like them to!
Images of Copenhagen
2008-02-29 01:51:00 It's the street art, graffiti and all the other 'noise', such as cultural spamming, ad jamming and so forth, that really brings a city to life, I've long believed. And Copenhagen has some fantastic murals, spread around the city. And incidently, notice the distinctly Copenhagen style street lights... More About: Images
Temple Bar: Don't worry about the couches, just enjoy the beer
2008-02-28 21:27:00 To many, Temple Bar on Nørrebrogade in Copenhagen, is surely a dependable 'standby' kind of place, pretty much any night of the week (and especially on weekends). A place that is very much like an old - very old - comfortable (and rather ugly) sofa that you just can't bring yourself to throw out. In fact, Temple Bar is filled with ratty sofas and chairs upstairs that they really should bring themselves to throw out.It is perhaps for this reason that year after year living here in Copenhagen, I have resisted the urge to frequent the place. In fact, until last week, I had never even set foot there. This was not because I doubted that it was a dependable place for having a drink and a chat with a friend or two. Rather, whenever it has come to finding a place to grab a beer in Norrebro, there was just always some place else that always pulled us in. Temple Bar just seemed like it would always be there when, eventually, it was needed. And so the years went by.So I stumbled in there th... More About: Beer , Enjoy , Worry
The Guardian comes knocking...
2008-02-28 19:57:00 Thank you very much! This is one link to The Copenhagen Report that, in my mind, I've always wanted - but yet that came completely out of the blue.Fantastic. In fact, I'm chuffed (link for non-Brits).You see, if I was to answer the timeless question (in many versions), "which newspaper would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island" (you know, that question...) I would most certainly say The Guardian (though I must admit I would miss the sports section of The Toronto Star).Incidently, on a related note, if stranded on the same island and forced to choose between having an iPod filled with music and a sexy female companion of my choice, I'd take Pernille Rosendahl (one of my favourite Danes...formerly of the Danish band Swan Lee, these days The Storm) without a moment of hesitation) and allow her to serenade me to sleep every evening. Ahhh......and now back to normal blogging. More About: The Guardian
...and now for something complete different*
2008-02-18 21:04:00 ...like a little bit of history. It struck me recently that this blog has all but eschewed history. Copenhagen's history. Denmark's history. Or to put it another way, in the world of The Copenhagen Report, Danish history began around September 2004. Or to put it still another way, this blog is seriously stuck in the present. (Well, there was that recent link to that excellent clip about the smiley vikings...)This is odd for a couple reasons. One being that Denmark has a rich (and in some aspects, rather widely known...) history tumbling way way back, century upon century. The second is that the author's girlfriend, being a history student, thoroughly enjoys wading around in the dark annals of Danmark's past...which makes the author, at times, feel that he deserves an honorary degree in the subject as well.So the other day I was introduced to the blog of one Jacob Christensen, who was kind enough to write a short entry linking to a couple of my posts (always appreciated, thanks!)... More About: Complete
Is Nørrbebro really burning?
More articles from this author:2008-02-17 20:42:00 by: Tim Anderson (timothyanderson2005@gmail.com)There has been a lot of talk about the violence around Nørrebro lately. It can be heard on the streets, behind closed doors and not least of all from the talking heads in the media. It is essentially nonsense.There has been something of an 'uprising' in Nørrebro over the past days, though the reality is it's the same old crowd generally found hanging out somewhere around Stengade and Griffenfeldtsgade (and sometimes around Blågards Plads later in the night). The police have a pretty good beat on the area (it's like 3 small streets) since there's always always a few people lurking around looking 'unsavory' - though I would prefer to use the term 'bored'. It's a feature of every city of any size.Speaking of bored, that is a fair description for the media in Copenhagen as well. It's forgivable - they've got a lot of print space and air time to fill, and some weeks there's just not a lot going on. So when something happens, li... More About: Burning 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
|
 |
|
 |
