Last picnic in Lidingö in a nature reserve

We have to leave our lovely house in Lidingö so we are trying to enjoy all the good things from the island as much as possible. We discovered this natural protected area and decided to stop there for a picnic (and of course take a few pics along the way):Fields with dandelions, cow parsley and buttercups. Say no more. We got the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful nature of the island...I always make more or less the same things when I go on picnics. It's often sandwiches, salads, cooked eggs, fruits, sometimes I make a pie... and I always bring tea! I would love to hear about your ideas for a picnic too to broaden my choices!We love these family times in the nature, it's so so good!And a really cute forest to wander in around the field, what else?They have a little cafe not too far. One of these typical Swedish red house, selling gorgeous cakes and a lot of coffee: If you are ever setting your foot on Lidingö, and it's not winter (because then I recommend skating on a lake): go there! Give me some more picnic meal ideas, I would love to hear them!

Artipelag in the spring

When we went to Artipelag in the summer, I promised to go and check it during every seasons. So we went during the winter. And now we paid it a visit during early spring. And I'm still in awe of the place. I already praised it in my previous posts and explained why. But I will do a little reminder here with a few pictures:This place is truly magical. Any time, any weather and I'm totally bewitched!So Artipelag is a beautiful place on the Värmdö island of the Stockholm archipelago. It's first a museum where you have great exhibitions and a restaurant but it's also nice walk paths with beautiful views and settings. One by the sea and one by a pine forest.When we came last time, it was rather cold and grey but still. The colours were amazing, the  views are stunning and the museum is a great place. Always such a treat!Oh and did I mention the pine forest? I think I did!So comfortable, she didn't want to move for a while......but had to! And it ends with some beautiful birch trees so typical of the north of Europe:I also made a little week-end movie so you can see more:I'm not sure I'll see it in the Autumn. All is a bit uncertain at the moment. But we will certainly try to as I'm sure It would blow my mind (and my camera).

Woodland reveries (Portrait of my children in 2017- three)

I have to find where to take my photography. I have always loved looking for the light and I am always eager to learn more. When the ordinary becomes magic in a picture, it makes my heart skip a little. Robert Schumann said : “The artist vocation is to send light into the human heart” and I'm hoping to reach that stage at some point.In the meantime, taking baby steps, I was suggested by an amazing coach to take my children into a fairy tale story. Because, yes, I love fairy tales (Im making my coming out here). They take you to places, they make you see the world in a different way, they bring the light and the magic. Also, they tell you about how the world and our lives actually are. You learn a lot with them. But in a beautiful way. Just like photography.So why not doing the 3rd monthly portrait project as a fairy tale? Creatures of the woods, half real, half magic. Seeking each other, transforming into fairies, ice queens or animals. Something about Narnia. And my kids just said yes.He was a prince, but then also a wolf. She was an ice queen but then also a woodland fairy. Let your imagination wander. There is always a moment in the story when things get scary. But there is so much magic in the woods...And the reverie starts again, the fairies fill the place:The prince disappeared into the forest to reappear again as a wolf in our garden, but the little fairy snow princess wasn't afraid. On the contrary, she wanted to play.I dont think she realised that there was an angry wolf behind her. Probably because he isn't that angry. And also, she can manage. She believes in magic!They are always cute when they sleep.But also when they smile. Friends in dreamland."Some day you will be old enough to read fairy tales again" C.S. Lewis. It's time!Maybe one day I'll photograph your kids and make some magic too. What do you say?                   

Junibacken in Stockholm, the ultimate museum playground for kids

A quick post to tell you that if you are in Stockholm with young children, you have to visit Junibacken! During the last holidays, I took Lily tothere. We hadn't been for a while although we used to take the kids there at every Stockholm visit! It's a lovely and very playful museum.It's dedicated to Astrid Lindgren but also Swedish children literature in general. It all started with a storybook train from the Astrid Lindgren novels. I love this train so much, I think I could almost go there on my own to re-watch it. I'm dreading the fact that it might have been the last time I went with Lily.The rest of the story of the museum you can read on here. The place is overall amazing. It's the most kids friendly ever. Pram garages outside, theatre plays for kids, great bookstore. Lots of playground areas based on Swedish famous children literature. And aside from the train, there is a giant reproduction of Villa Villekula, Pippi longstocking's house. Inside you can find a giant slide and lots of different play sets.Overall, many places to play! Usually, there is an exhibition on a theme related to  famous children's book character. The last one was about the mummins. I also remember a full playground on Elsa Beskow's whimsical world. They moved the playground in the airport. How amazing!There is a nice place to eat with a view on the sea as the museum is on the island of Djurgården. It's all about a circus theme so colourful and playful. And the food is ok, mostly healthy and lots of organic options including on the juices and candies front!And then you can go outside and enjoy the surroundings (even on a snowey day) or the many other museums on the island. That's maybe for another post!And of course we took the boat back home, breaking the ice!Here are the contact details if you wish to go there and you can check on their website (which is mostly in Swedish):JunibackenGalärvarvsvägen 8115 21 StockholmOtherwise, just drop me an email and I'll give you all the tips and information you need!

Winter visit to Artipelag

Artipelag is a great place I mentioned before when I was doing the 52 project. We went there last September. It's  a museum in the middle of an amazing setting. You can spend time wandering outside and then go inside for the exhibition. And their brunch is also very nice! We liked it so much that we decided to go and see it every seasons! If you click below you can see how it looks like in the winter. And if you manage to reach the end, there is a little movie that I made for my instagram account. The scenery when you arrive at the trail to get to the museum is beautiful. I really love discovering a place that has that feel even when it's not spring or summer. Which are definitely my instinctively favourite seasons! You have such beautiful views in that area. And when there isn't many people, it's so relaxing too! Smell of pine trees and sea, sound of birds and wind. What else?And again, the frozen sea is an amazing experience:I did tell him not to go though (despite the millions pictures I took):Despite the wet foot, we had a great time:The exhibition that was on that time was from Lars Wallin, a Swedish haute couture designer. Lily loved it. It was quite an impressive collection of dresses, pictures and drawings. It wasn't exactly my style but it was a great show:And some more takes:The end of the trail to go back is also glorious I thought:Here is a little movie from that time there (plus some more ice skating from the day before):If you are in the area, check out the links to Artipelag and go see it. In the summer, you can take boats from central Stockholm there. It's totally worth it! We will definitely be back in the spring. 

Yayoi Kusama at Moderna Museet in Stockholm

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama

If you are in Stockholm, I would advise you to go and see Yayoi Kusama at Moderna Museet! It's only until the 11th of September though. Of course, you have to like psychedelic obsessive art (or lines and  polka dots, like me). I had already seen one of her infinity installation at the Louisiana Museum in Denmark. I also saw a dot installation at the Tate Modern in London before that and really like it all.This exhibition is an amazing retrospective of her work and life. Installations are fantastic as usual but there are also paintings and movies of her provocative actions earlier in her career. Yayoi Kusama is a peculiar artist. I really like her work and the mental influence in her art. It's also a very easy exhibition to go see with kids. Mine really enjoyed it! If you don't have the luxury to go see it or want to be convinced a bit more, click on read more (don't worry, I'm not showing it all):I have a thing for her infinity rooms and her polka dots obsessions:She is there in many forms, films and texts. But for this one, Lily thought it was her for real:She had also many other obsessions in the past, like food and protuberances. She thought she was seeing the world as a massive field of protuberances. She also had a phase with food. In one of her exhibition in New York in the 60s, she filled a room with pasta and people had to walk on it and really disliked it (well, except the Belgian commentator of the movie telling the story. He really though it was cool, sacré belges!):Another advantage of going to that exhibition is that you get to go to Moderna Museet. That means crossing a bridge with really nice surroundings and later see that arty Island called Skeppsholmen where the museum lies:All in all, I just love that museum:Hope you have the chance to see it!