COZY days in STOCKHOLM I WINTER but SPRING feelings

Welcome back to my channel, or if you're new, welcome here! With all the preparations for the move, it's been a while since I shared my days with you, so in this video I'll take you along for a couple of days in my life here in Stockholm. It's still quite wintry here and one day it's really really cold, the next day it's much milder and then it goes back to being freezing again. Winter has felt really long this year and as much as I want spring to arrive soon, I know that we can and probably will still get quite cold temperatures and have snow in some capacity all the way through April. I thought I'd go to Djurgården with Skansen and a few other spots and was hoping for some first signs of spring. Spoiler alert, it's even winter year out there, but I did get proper spring feelings in the shops I visited, so if you need a dose of that, stick around. Before I head out for the day though, I want to share about the new spring shoes I recently got, all from Vivaya, the partner of this video. Vivaya is a shoe brand that primarily uses recycled ocean plastic for their uppers, which is so cool, and they're also incredibly soft and comfortable. They sent me a couple of pairs from their new spring collection. The first pair I got is the new Margo 3.0. The previous Margo 2.0 was already comfortable and even APMA accepted, but they've gone above and beyond this time. What I love the most about the Margo is that it's so soft on the foot. I have arthritis in my toe joints and I can't wear anything that's restricting like a seam going over, and with these you can barely feel you're wearing shoes at all. They're perfect for wide feet but also for foot issues like mine. Also the sole is so flexible and the inner sole has arch support. I also love the upgraded heel pillow at the back. There's nothing more annoying than shoes that don't stay on your foot as you walk and this locks your heel in. The second pair of Vivayas I got is the All Day Slip-On Mesh Sneaker. I love how I can just slide my foot in and go and don't need to do and undo laces. Perfect because I tend to pull laces too tight and then feel really uncomfortable, but this way, once I've found a good fit, they stay the same every time I put them on. I also really appreciate how lightweight and bendy they are. A lot of shoes I try on and reject are so heavy and stiff and I find them really hard to wear. These are light as a feather and I so look forward to wearing them as soon as the snow is gone. I haven't had a pair of white sneakers in years and you might think it's super impractical, but these you can just toss in the washing machine and they come out as good as new. The new styles tend to sell out fast so if you're in the market for spring shoes, grab them while you can and use my discount code VBENITA for 12% off. You can find the links in the description box below. So, winter boots back on and let's go! Jörgården is about 4 km from my apartment and I usually walk there and back, but today I'll rest my wonky knee by taking public transportation there. It's fascinating how much more wintry it is out there. Pretty much winter wonderland as I stepped off the bus. I decided to take my furthest away destination first and work my way back towards the city. So Rosendalsgården was my first stop. Rosendal is beautiful any time of year and they're so great at celebrating the seasons. I expected there to be more people but it wasn't crowded at all which was so nice. They've also expanded their coffee shop with more indoor seating in the greenhouses which is so nice this time of year. Everything they offer is organic and it's always hard to choose. I went with carrot cake this time. It's one of my favorite cakes and almost feels healthy. The Rosendal plant shop is beautiful and seeing all the bulbs and spring colors was so uplifting. We don't get to see much greenery this time of year so all this was just what I needed. They have such a nice curated assortment of products aside from plants and gardening related things too. I had to bring a tiny bit of spring back with me. Next to the plant shop is the farm shop. It's also one of those places that feels so cozy when you step inside. So many jams, vinegars and spices alongside with, again, such well curated wares. I've been looking for one of these bowls with a spout that's not too heavy for ages. A short little walk in the snow and I'm at Skansen. Skansen is our famous open air museum and one of my favorite places in the city. No matter how many times I've been, and I've been countless times, I discover something I haven't yet seen. All the old buildings at Skansen are the real deal and were moved here from their original locations. There's a town quarter, several farmsteads with animals and just so much to look at and be inspired by. The ironmongers shop is one of my favorites. The scent of tar in there is just the best. This is the office with two telephones no less, which was very fancy back in the 1930s. Next door is the co-op and behind you find where the ironmonger lived. They create such beautiful seasonal sceneries everywhere and here the ironmonger's family is preparing to go ice skating. I just love wandering around and discovering any time of year. Skansen also has two shops. One is inside the museum area. Again, such a nicely curated shop. On my way back through the town quarter I saw that the silver and gold smithy was open. I'd never been lucky for it to be open before so of course I had to see it. The second Skansen shop is outside the gates so you can visit without entering the museum. They recently changed things up in here and it now feels so much more open and airy. So many beautifully crafted things. On my way back towards the city center I passed by Nordiska Museet, the Nordic museum where I used to work. I recently saw their latest exhibit about Nordic life for the second time and I highly recommend it. I didn't visit the museum itself on this day, I just wanted to pop into the museum shop which is a really nice one. You might be surprised that I as a minimalist visit all these shops but I really enjoy browsing. I like to see what's out there and be inspired and I can do that without buying anything. Sometimes I do get something but then it's usually something practical I need, like a soap or candles. These places that I've visited today are all foundations, I rely on entrance fees and on visitors to spend money so they can keep going and sharing all this with the public. I'll happily pay for something I need here at Skansen or Rosendal rather than in a regular store. The whole area of Djurgården is stunning by the way. If you come to Stockholm I highly recommend visiting. Aside from Skansen quite a few other museums are here like the Abba and the Viking museums. I'm at the stage in my moving process where I'm emptying out the freezer. Breakfast the next day was a toasted hamburger bun with cream cheese and homemade redcurrant jam. Also at this stage of the moving process things get messier at home. I've started collecting packing materials behind the door in the kitchen but since the actual move isn't happening until later I try to keep my apartment still looking nice and tidy. I also still refresh my flowers so it will remain comfy and cozy until I leave. I currently have a thing for carnations. They're so affordable, come in so many different colors and last so long. On this day I went back to Djurgården with my friend Sanna in tow. The Liljevalk gallery is also out there and they have their annual spring exhibit on right now. Anyone can anonymously submit art to it and I did once but wasn't accepted. It's so fun to see what the judges chose this time around. The spring exhibit is a must see for me every year for sure. Upstairs they have other exhibits and I love the brutalist addition to the original building. There's a restaurant attached and of course a museum shop too. A shop I haven't visited in a while, which is on the way back from Djurgården towards the city center, is Svenskt 10. It was full on spring in there with an explosion of color. Svenskt 10 was founded in 1924 by Estrid Eriksson and her offices are on display in the store which is so cool and inspiring. I also love the little miniatures and I think I saw them in an exhibit somewhere else a year or so ago. Back at home some tea and cookies were in order after another chilly but so cozy day. I hope you enjoyed following along. Thanks so much for watching! I'll see you in the next one. Hej då!