When my Russian mother married my Swedish father in Moscow in 1975, all the mandatory references on her 'strong moral and political knowledge' etc. were removed from her labor book (she had married a Western capitalist after all!) and they moved to Sweden. Thus I was born and raised in Stockholm suburbia with two passports, two names + an equal love for both borscht and smörgåsbord.

Please note: I work as a tourleader and because of that, I'm am out traveling for a large part of the time. But give it a try – sometimes I'm home and ready to feed and entertain you!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Surfing, hosting, meeting new people!

Registred on CouchSurfing to make friends in Ukraine, where I moved for an internship in 2011, and it was a success! Will continue with CS forever.

A few of my Stockholm favourites 4 you!

BARS
- Peppar, Torsgatan 34. Metro: S:t Eriksplan. Huge beers and overdecorated interior, especially during Christmas, Halloween and the Swedish crayfish party season (August).

- Tiki Room, Rörstrandsgatan 08 (in the basement). Metro: S:t Eriksplan. Polynesian interiour, colourful drinks. Don't miss to drink the vulcano!

- Nada Bar, Åsögatan 140. Metro: Medborgarplatsen. Good when you suddenly decide that you want to dance a little but don’t feel like paying an entrance fee nor stand in a line but a crowded bar is just perfect.

- Pet sounds bar, Snottys and all the other little places on Skånegatan. Metro: Medborgarplatsen

- Morfar Ginko, Swedenborgsgatan 13. Metro: Mariatorget, www.morgarginko.se

- Häktet, Hornsgatan 82. Metro: Zinkensdamm, haktet.se.
Bar and restaurant with crowded dance floor late weekend nights. Filled with bearded guys working in media/PR/whatever.

CLUBS
Most clubs have an entrance fee (100- 200 SEK) but are often free to enter before a certain time. Check websites for info on events and prices. The best parties are generally independently organized in industrial areas or woods around town and often require a Facebook/e-mail RSVP in order to enter so keep your eyes open for those.

- Färgfabriken, Lövholmsbrinken 1 (south of town). Metro: Liljeholmen or local train/Tvärbanan: Trekanten. www.fargfabriken.se

- Trädgården/Under bron Hammarby Slussväg 2. Metro: Skanstull. www.tradgarden.com
Part one is a summer outdoor club under a huge bridge, part two is indoors and open throughout the cold season with dancefloors and great musical acts as well as exhibitions and performances.

- Strand, Hornstulls Strand 4. Metro: Hornstull. www.hornstullstrand.se
Several bars/clubs/restaurants in a row along the lakeside. 


CAFÉS 

In general, I think Sweden is superior when it comes to sweet pastry. Check out kanelbulle (cinnamon roll), kardemummabulle (cardamon roll), prinsesstårta (marzipan-covered whipped cream cake with raspberry jam and custard), punschrulle (marzipan- and chocolate roll, flavoured with a tiny bit of Swedish brandy), hallongrotta (cookie with raspberry jam filling), kladdkaka (really sticky and wonderful chocolate tart) and… everything else.

- Vurma Bergsunds strand 31. Metro: Hornstull/Birger Jarlsgatan 36. Metro: Östermalmstorg/Gästrikegatan 2. Metro: S:t Eriksplan
Brightly painted with kitsch artwork on the walls. Vurma serves delicious eco sandwiches called things such as “sweetie” and “old aunt”.

- Vetekatten, Kungsgatan 55. Metro: T-centralen and Sturekatten, Riddargatan 4. Metro: Östermalmstorg.
Swedish little cute aunts used to serve seven types of cookies and three types of pastry when inviting friends and relatives for kafferep (coffee get-together) back in the days. These cafés are like a time machine that brings you back to that era. 



- Ritorno, Odengatan 80. Metro: Odenplan

Classical café to sit and read and write or engage yourself in intense discussions with your friends in. Original red/brown ravish interior more or less intact, accompanied by new horrible art work on the walls. 



- Konditori Valand, Surbrunnsgatan 48. Metro: Odenplan

Only recently the first owners who opened the café in the 1950s retired and let their relatives take over the place. Original 50s interior intact, the same goes for the menu. The younger generation only added wifi. 



- Sture Konditori, Sturegatan 40, Metro: Östermalmstorg

Super-beautiful old times café, I like to sit and read the newspaper here.

CINEMA
The cinemas to visit if you don't wish to watch Spiderman Episode 918731 or Pirates of the Caribbean Episode one gogol.

– Zita, Birger Jarlsgatan 37. Metro: Östermalmstorg. www.zita.se
I love that they play hammond organ music in the bathrooms!

– Sture, Birger Jarlsgatan 41. Metro: Östermalmstorg. www.biosture.se
And I love cinemas that understand the importance of decorating the entrance hall and stairs with gold!

– Bio Rio, Hornstull Strand 3. Metro: Hornstull. www.biorio.se

PARKS
- Hagaparken. Bus or walk from Odenplan
A dreamy English park full of small surprises such as Gustav III:s pavilion (join a guided tour!), the Turkish kiosk, the echo temple and the Chinese pavilion. Bring a picnic basket and come here on a late June night for a midsummer night’s dream experience.

- Tanto (Metro: Hornstull), Vitabergsparken (Metro: Medborgarplatsen), Rålambshovsparken (Metro: Fridhemsplan)
Bring drinks and hifi - these are party parks. There is even a small beach (called Smedsuddsbadet) in Rålambshovsparken so bring your swimwear if you’re not afraid of cold water (for some reason, the water never gets warm here).

- Botaniska trädgården. Metro: Universitetet
The Botanical garden concists of neat little flowerbeds, a Japanese garden, greenhouses with e.g. huge Victoria water lilies and more. Beautiful for just strolling around or jogging.

CONTEMPORARY ART
- Galleries: Find Hudiksvallsgatan in the area of Vasastan - the whole block is full of galleries focusing on contemporary art. Start from Hudiksvallsgatan 8 and ask where to go next. Look out for big opening nights when you can wander from gallery to gallery and try to grab some free wine.

- Magasin 3, www.magasin3.com
Even if it’s located a bit off (you have to take the blue bus nr 1 to the port of Frihamnen) it’s really worth it. They have a café too.

- Bonniers konsthall, Torsgatan 19. Metro: S:t Eriksplan or T-centralen. www.bonnierskonsthall.se

- Färgfabriken, Lövholmsbrinken 1. Metro: Liljeholmen. www.fargfabriken.se
Located in a former paint factory. Besides arranging clubs, this is also an art space and a restaurant.

Marabouparken, Löfströmsvägen. Metro: Sundbyberg. www.marabouparken.se
Located in a former chocolate factory!

- Kulturhuset, Sergels Torg 5. Metro: T-centralen. www.kulturhuset.se
The municipal cultural centre includes exhibitions, shops, cafés, theatre, movie theatre and libraries.

- Fotografiska. The private museum of photography combines blockbuster exhibitions with less known works.

GUIDEBOOK MUSTS
I’m a huge fan of monuments and everything the guidebook tells you to do so this is not a copy paste from the tourist office pamphlets – I really do think that this is worth seeing!

- The Royal Palace.
I worked here throughout my twenties so I might be a bit partial here. But do visit the royal apartments (the rococo interiors of the Bernadotte apartments are my favourite!) and Gustav III:s museum of antiquities (ask the guard – or me – to tell you all the amusing facts about the museum!). In general – take guided tours if you have the time. It gets more interesting then and they are included in the ticket price. If I happen to work when you’re in town, I’ll be sure to give you a private guided tour! The Royal Armoury located in the palace is also cool and even free!

- Skansen, located in the island of Djurgården (walk or take the tram from T-centralen) Open air museum with a Nordic zoo (elks, lynx, bears etc) and old beautiful houses gathered from all around Sweden.

- Rosendals trädgårdar, also in Djurgården. Beautiful gardens, good for strolling around or picnicking. Here you’ll find Rosendal’s palace, built for the first Bernadotte in the Empire style (or Karl-Johan as it became known as in Sweden), and as a tour guide/palace lover I recommend to take a guided tour here (opening hours and prices at royalcourt.se).

- Ulriksdal’s palace
Yes, I want you to visit ALL our palaces! I used to work here too and it was my favourite palace to guide because of it’s insane interiors and peculiar former inhabitants! Check info on royalcourt.se. Located in a beautiful park with possibilities to swim and to have a tasty fika (se Good to know-section) in the palace café. Only open during summers.

- The National Museum
19th century style museum – marble pillars, richly decorated ceilings and walls etc. This museum displays art from the 17th, 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries + some design and handicraft. They usually have great temporary exhibitions too and the restaurant Atrium has a nice vegetarian buffet. Currently under reconstruction and therefore making temporary exhibitions at the Art Academy on Fredsgatan.

FOOD
- Hermans Vegetariska Restaurang, Fjällgatan 23B. Metro: Slussen. 


Vegetarian smörgåsbord (buffet), veg. BBQ during summers. Good food and beautiful view! This whole street is included in guidebooks because of the panorama view of Stockholm.

- Tranan, Karlbergsvägen 63. Metro: Odenplan. www.tranan.se
I seldom eat traditional Swedish food (except for Christmas) but this place has great meatballs. It’s also a nice bar with artists performing. Otherwise, Old Town (Gamla stan) is full of tourist pleasing medieval cellars that serve some traditional Swedish dishes for those who are interested. Btw, traditional Swedish food includes: elk, reindeer and all kinds of fish and seafood. Traditional side dishes: lingonberry jam (my grandfather even eats it with lasagna!), green peas, boiled potatoes.

- Operakällarens bakficka

The slightly less expensive alternative among the Royal Opera restaurants. I’ve only tried the meatballs but they are GOOD. I can also recommend drinking beer from silver glasses in the pricier sibling next-door.

- Pelikan

Classical and nice place for well-prepared Swedish traditional foods.

- Ramen Ki Mama, Birger Jarlsgatan 93. Metro: Tekniska högskolan. kimamma.se/ramen
Super tasty ramen! I drool when thinking of their Wantan Men dumpling soup.

- Lao Wai, Luntmakargatan 74. Metro: Rådmansgatan. Very good Chinese vegan/vegetarian restaurant. Not your average fried chicken place.

- Texas Burger, Hantverkargatan 63. Metro: Fridhemsplan or Rådhuset
Best burgers in town! I get hungry just thinking about this place. All the burgers are available in vegan versions too. 

- Lily’s burger, Hornsbergs strand

Insane burgers in a nice setting! The veggie burger comes with avocado and God’s gift to one’s taste buds: Västerbotten-cheese cream.

- La Neta, Barnshusgatan 2. Metro: T-centralen/Östgötagatan 12B. Metro: Medborgarplatsen
Mexican taqueria, so good!

OTHER
- K Karaoke, Odengatan 87. Metro: Odenplan. www.kkaraoke.se
As for me, I would never go up on a stage in a regular karaoke club and torture total strangers with my broken voice. With only friends present, I don’t care, which is why K Karaoke is so good: here you get your own little room! On weekends it’s very popular so you might have to book your room in advance.

- Centralbadet

I love this old art nouveau building, which was created 100 years ago as a holistic project combining health and aesthetics. It contains a swimming pool, hot tubs, several saunas and also a bar/restaurant. Cheaper on weekdays + for students.

BOOKSTORES
- Rönnells Antikvariat, Birger Jarlsgatan 32.
Cozy, old second hand book store.

- Konst-ig, Åsögatan 124. Metro: Medborgarplatsen
Shop your art books, magazines and your new calendar here.

- Akademibokhandeln, Mäster Samuelsgatan/Regeringsgatan. Metro: T-centralen, Hötorget or Östermalmstorg. 

Biggest bookstore in town.

GOOD TO KNOW
- Fika
The most essential Swedish word that foreigners who stay in Sweden for a while tend to miss a lot afterwards. No matter how much newcomers claim that their own language has a matching expression, that’s not true, which they all eventually realize. It's a whole culture that might involve coffee, tea, snacks, pastry, sandwiches, gossiping, cigarettes or pretty much anything else. It can be quick but it can also go on for ages. There is even a Swedish law regulating everyone’s right to fika at least once during working hours.

- Systembolaget
A century and a half ago, Swedes drank brännvin (vodka) for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it’s understandable that the government now has monopoly on selling alcohol in the shops called Systembolaget and that our alcohol taxes are extremely high. VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION: No matter how tired you are on saturday morning – be sure to get up in time to buy you saturday night wine before 3 ‘o clock when Systembolaget closes. For your local Systembolaget opening hours, check systembolaget.se. If you miss to buy your liquor, you’re doomed do drink folköl (2,8% or 3,5% beers from the supermarket) or buy expensive drinks in the club.

- Förfest
Since alcohol is very expensive in Swedish clubs, party nights usually start with a förfest (pre-party) in someone’s home. This means everyone brings their own alcohol (bought in advance in Systembolaget) + crisps (as a dedicated crisp lover, I’ve tried a huge amount of crisps during the past 25 years and the conclusion is that Swedish crisps are the best – don’t miss it!).

- Stor stark
If you don’t know what to order in the bar, just order a stor stark and you’ll be served the cheapest draft beer.

WEBSITES
sl.se Time table + info on local transport in Stockholm. Note: the public transport is very expensive and anyway you always find the best places by walking around by foot so if you’re not too tired or located very far off, I recommend walking or hiring bikes. The city centre isn’t that huge.
sj.se Time table for trains to other cities
flygbussarna.se Buses to the airport
eniro.se This is where you find all Swedish addresses and phone numbers

Interests

Sleeping late
Biking
Videoke
Dancing incessantly to hard bass
Reading in cafés
Playing the piano
Trying to write
Drawing
Drinking wine
Being lethargic
Dancing on the table
Always ending up working as a barge-bearer on some Russian or Ukrainian river

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: I am curious (yellow), Nader and Simin: a separation, Survive Style 5+, Shimotsuma Monogatari, Et maintenant on va où?, La vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2, Green Papaya, Dumplings, Tillsammans, Les Amours Imaginaires, Inglorious Basterds, Gone with the wind, 101 Reykjavik, Women without men, La Notte, Tacones Lejanos, Ghost World, Kuryer/The Messenger, Primorsky boulevard/Seaside boulevard, I am love, Chastye moe/My happiness, Shapiro Show, Chungking-express.

Music: Coctail music, French/Ukrainian/Russian/Soviet/Israeli pop, Arabic disco, Cambodian 60s rock'n'roll, punk. I'll be happy to exchange playlists!
I'll be happy to exchange playlists!

Books: Venedikt Erofeev, Svetlana Alekseevitch, Jonathan Franzen, Sara Stridsberg, Milan Kundera, Siri Hustvedt, Doris Lessing, Virginia Woolf, Marguerite Duras, Anaïs Nin, Kajsa Ekis Ekman, Karin Boye, Gun-Britt Sundström, Moa Martinsson, Anton Chekhov, Sven Lindqvist, Sofi Oksanen, Kazuo Ishiguro, Torgny Lindgren, Steve Sem-Sandberg, Alain de Botton, Lázlo F. Földényi.

Comics/graphic novelists: Liv Strömqvist, Mariane Satrapi, Daniel Clowes, Adrian Tomine, Lina Neidestam, Nina Hemmingsson, Mats Jonsson, Knut Larsson, Art Spiegelman.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Forced my friends to fulfill my pop star dreams and participate in a fan video to the rare Kristina Orbakaite children's song Fakir:

http://youtu.be/t0OTytc70dg

Teach, Learn, Share

I received a traditional Soviet style education when it comes to piano – Russian teachers beating your fingers until you know a classical piece by heart so that your parents can show you off to their friends. So now I would love to learn jazz piano!

I can assist if you're interested in Swedish/Russian culture/language/politics, and art history/architecture in general!

Countries I’ve Visited

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bulgaria, France, Sweden, Ukraine

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