Cooking and design shops

Every time we go shopping, we are tempted by the kitchen items stores, which you have to admit are very well stocked with designer items in Denmark. The only problem is that we don't have an XXL kitchen to go with our shopping frenzy! In our small town, I have already a hard time to choose between Inspiration, Imerco, Bahne, Kop & Kande and the local Isenkram. I know, I am spoiled!
In Copenhagen, the most frequented places are Illum Bolighus and Magasin du Nord.
Regarding the brands you can find in the countless shops, you will notice that many of them are Danish: Menu, Royal Copenhagen, Georg Jensen, Trip Trap, Eva Trio (or solo), ... Yep Danish design is still popular!

Copenhagen airport

Many airports around the world are spectacular pieces of architecture (we can of course discuss about Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle). Copenhagen is no exception to this rule, even if the airport is relatively small, some aspects of it are quite remarkable.
This applies to the deserted corridor at the end of the path "A". You can admire there a rather minimalist style characteristic of Scandinavia.

Asides from the architecture, you can also appreciate the large choice of shops: you can even buy your pickled herring in the large shopping mall before boarding the plane, in case you have a craving on board. You can also find the most famous Danish brands (Illum, LEGO, Royal Copenhagen ...).
The airport also has its own little mermaid so that you can avoid making a detour to the real. At least you realize immediately upon arrival that it is tiny!

Another practical aspect is that the airport has its own train station and also the Metro. This means that one can reach Copenhagen downtown within 20 minutes and above all, in a relative comfort. That is really a major contrast with Paris!

Fancy tables

Among the Christmas traditions, there are also the inevitable "Christmas tables" of Royal Copenhagen, the famous china store.
In the store downtown, several tables made by designers displays the products of the brand. And it goes from the more traditional to the more conceptual. Most of them are probably not very practical to have an actual meal!
Here are some pictures of the tables of past years.



Yes, yes, they are cheese-graters lamps.

Copenhagen International Wood Festival

Copenhagen International Wood Festival (CIWF) 2009 was held in August. For those who could not attend, a mini-session to catch up might still be possible. Indeed, 4 of 15 sculptures for the festival have been displaced and were still (at least end of September) displayed on a vacant lot close by the subway station DR-Byen (metro line towards Vestamager).
Hurry because there is a high risk that they will disappear quickly. Otherwise, you can still visit the website with a lot of pictures and videos to discover the great works of all participants. Unfortunately the site is in Danish, so I'll announce the winners for you: Team 13 won the first prize, followed by Team 7, Team 12.
See you next year at CIWF 2010!

China 101

Well, making a Royal Copenhagen plate sounds damn easy.
You take a white plate, a lady with brushes that you just watch working and you put it in the oven (the plate of course), and voila!


Well of course I am simplifying a bit ... In fact, depending on the model, there may be several stages of painting, gilding, more polished gilding, and so on, ... All this is hand-made in Denmark of course which justify the price (at least some of it)! As a bonus, you even get the signature of the artist itself underneath the object.
If you drop the piece right out of the mold, it gives this. Just joking, actually this is a character assembled from multiple print forms.

For the most courageous, Royal Copenhagen offers china painting lessons. There you can learn how to cut the brush end in order to be be able to paint very tiny details and keep it broad at the base to have a back-up of paint. They are so clever... those Danes!

Royal Copenhagen : the visit continues

But Royal Copenhagen is not only a store. It is also worth a full visit!

Upstairs, you can access an exhibition of more traditional models of the brand. The most common pattern is the "blue mussel".

The famous collection "Flora Danica", which puts the flora of Denmark on your plate is also exposed. Everything is available, upon orders... But who is motivated to invest 110,000 crowns in a soup bowl?

Another noticeable particularity, Royal Copenhagen has made a habit of producing commemorative plates every year, at least for Christmas (the laws of marketing also had them produce plates for Mother's Day, Easter or other ...). You can also see the complete collection of these plates in a dedicated room.


Last step: how do your own dishes.

Royal Copenhagen

Royal Copenhagen is THE brand of Danish china. The flagship store of the brand lies in the city center, on Amagertorv.

The facade is obviously the oldest one of the square, from 1616 as written on the building itself.
The emblem of the brand is a royal crown placed on three waves representing the three inlets once controlled by the Danish kingdom.

The downspout is rather special ...

Well, enough time spent at the front, let's now enter the store. Here you can find ... porcelain (mostly). The collections on the first floor are the most recent: Mega and the new one Elements. I think it's a successful adaptation of the traditional motif of the mark, and the transition to color (blue instead of basic) rejuvenates the drawing. But still I do not see myself using it for dinner...

Let's be honest, nothing in there is cheap. Maybe because everything is painted by hand (with the artist's signature on the back of the item please) in Denmark that the price is so high... In the basement, the second choice china is a -little bit- more affordable.
To prepare your visit: http://www.royalcopenhagen.com/
The tour continues ...