It's called Stockholm Syndrome

Because you'll never want to leave

Stortoget, The main square in Stockholm’s old town.

As I begin, I want to mention that this newsletter’s theme is Stockholm syndrome. Even though I was not a fan of One Direction, I am in fact a HUGE fan of Harry Styles, so before formally starting, I’ll include a Youtube video of him singing “Stockholm Syndrome” at Rockefeller Center in NYC during the Today show.

Now, moving on to the main content. When I was a teenager in the 90’s, I used to read a lot of fashion magazines. Many models in those magazines came from Scandinavia, including Dutch model Karen Mulder. Among the Swedish models, there were names like Vendela Kirseborn and Marcus Schenenberg. (Swoon!) I also remember seeing a poll that claimed that the most beautiful people in the world were from Sweden. Since then, I always thought of it as a “seeing is believing” situation. About a year ago for our first year wedding anniversary, one of the places my husband and I went to was Stockholm. (Followed by a trip to Budapest afterwards) But let me tell you, that poll was accurate. Whether it’s the local barista or someone casually walking their dog, around 90% of the population looked like models. To give a clearer idea to any of my Gen Z readers, imagine that many of them resemble 26 year old Swedish influencer, Matilda Djerf.

What is it about Sweden? Is there something in their environment that blesses them with naturally excellent genetics, including ideal height and facial symmetry? God only knows…

But in addition to the attractive individuals, the city itself is incredibly captivating. While it’s a significant urban center, it maintains a serene atmosphere unlike bustling London. Navigating through the city was remarkably convenient.

We chose to stay at the Sparrow Hotel, located in the Östermalm neighborhood, which happens to be conveniently situated in the center. On our initial day, our flight touched down just a bit past 1:30PM, and our check in time wasn’t until 3PM. So, we opted to take a stroll around the neighborhood to get acquainted with the nearby establishments. To my surprise, we stumbled upon “Bröd and Salt”, a local bakery chain that happened to be on my list. Everything here is prepared fresh, including sourdough and lactose free options. I couldn’t wait to savor my first bite of kanelbullar (Swedish cinnamon buns), and we also indulged in some kardemummabullar, which are cardamom buns.

After our delightful treat, we made our way back to our hotel, checked in, and took a brief rest before venturing out for dinner. Prior to every trip, I make it a point to compile a list of restaurants and use Google Maps to figure out which ones are in close proximity to our location.

I came across a restaurant from our list that happened to be nearby and decided to give it a try. It turned out to be perhaps the best dining experience we had throughout our entire stay! My husband often worries that if we start with a great place, everything else that follows might not measure up.

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