The heart of Apolina’s AW19 collection is closely bound with our time spent in Sweden, so this month we visit our friend Sally Agar, in Stockholm. Sally is an illustrator, and mum to two year old Axel.
What's the best way to spend an autumn morning in your hometown?
One of my favourite things about Stockholm is that it's so easy to get out into nature. So my best way to spend an autumn morning would be to pack up a breakfast picnic, or grab some fika from our local cafe, and head out on a walk. There are loads of fantastic walks by the water here. We live on Kungsholmen so often take a stroll along Norr Mälarstrand, or we head out west to Judarskogen for a walk around the lake (great spots for setting up a campfire right by the water). Walking around Långholmen is also lovely in the autumn with all the trees changing colour.
Which is your favourite park?
Hagaparken is the obvious favourite. It's a huge park with wide open spaces and lovely wooded walkways around the lake. We often get fika at Koppartältet near the Haga Nora entrance to the park and then go for a stroll or a game of kick-about.
What's your most inspiring gallery or museum?
Stockholm has some great museums – Skansen is my number one favourite! Yes, it's touristy, but it's such a beautiful space to be in, and there's so much to see and do. I think I've clocked up around 100 visits in the 10 years I've lived in Stockholm, but it still feels like there's always something new to discover there.
Nordiska Museet has some beautiful examples of traditional Swedish crafts, and also an indoor area for children to play and explore.
Thielska Galleriet is also a special place for me. It has a lovely sculpture garden where you can sit and have coffee with views of the water. There are lovely walks around that end of Djurgården where its situated too!
Do you have a favourite spot for dinner with kids?
Dinner out is normally a picnic outdoors when the weather allows, eating out is so pricey here! But at weekends we love going out for lunch (or fika) at Rosendals Trädgård Cafe on Djurgården. It's such a lovely spot with an amazing garden centre and fantastic food, they also have a little playground for kids plus an orchard to run around in. Very popular though, so expect crowds!
Gamla Orangeriet in the north of the city (close to the Natural History Museum) is another favourite. Amazing cakes in a very charming old glass house, with lovely walks by the water and lots of space to explore.
Who serves the best coffee?
I'm no coffee expert, but Fabrique is always a good bet for great coffee and cakes all over the city. They do a great kardemummabulle (cardamom bun) which I can highly recommend!
Il Cafe also has a few different locations over Stockholm with really good coffee and cake selections.
And what’s your favourite day trip out of town?
Last summer we housesat for a friend living out on Ekerö and there were some fantastic places and beautiful nature to visit out there. Rosenhill Trägård Cafe is a beautiful cafe/orchard with a very bohemian, relaxed vibe and great fika.
We also love Torekällberget in Södertälje, it's like a mini Skansen without the tourists! Beautifully preserved old wooden buildings, farm animals, and of course, a great cafe!
For longer trips then taking an old steamer out into the archipelago is magical!
