Explore: Scandinavia House

While I was in New York City last week my co-workers and I set up our home base at the Scandinavia House on Park Avenue. The Scandinavia House is the Nordic Center of America and most of the space is open to the public.

As you approach Scandinavia House from the street, the first thing you notice is the dark wood scaling up the edifice of the building. It's a bit unexpected amongst all the glass sky scrapers.

Hanging over the entry way are the flags of all the Nordic countries represented by Scandinavia House. It has a bit of an Olympic vibe to it.

From the street you can also see one of the gift shop's displays which boasts a major collection of Marimekko.

This month the Scandinavia House gallery was featuring work by three photographers, which was showcased by this poster which I found quite humorous. How can you look at a llama with a straight face?

The sign on the front door to the House feels very official.

When you enter Scandinavia House the first thing you notice is the gift display. The colors look like fruit punch.

The Scandinavia House gift shop is full of treasures.

You can pick up mini cookbooks of traditional Scandinavian recipes.

You can learn to bake Norwegian cakes and cookies.

You can drink tea from Stockholm.

You can takes notes in a beautiful, mustard yellow notebook by Lotta Jansdotter.

Beyond the gift display is the restaurant called Smorgas Chef.

The menu boasts Scandinavian favorites like herring, gravlaks, Icelandic cod, Norwegian salmon and of course, Swedish meatballs.

There is a birch tree growing in the middle of the restaurant and the sight of it took my breath away. You just don't normally see that in a restaurant.

The chairs at each table are brightly colored and there are small pots of flowers accenting the butcher paper table cloths.

The walls of the restaurant feature photographs taken in Scandinavian countries.

At the back of the first floor is the actual gift shop (or, the gift shop part II). This part of the store had sections set up by color like this red themed display:

And a black and white theme:

I loved this pillow with the bird cage on it.

There were adorable cards that were a bit cartoonish, including one of a chef that I couldn't help but love.

As you walk up the front stairwell to the second floor event space you can't help but notice the funky light fixtures.

From inside the event space the lights look like they are floating above Park Ave.

Should you ever choose to host or attend an event at Scandinavia House, the second floor event space has a beautiful, outdoor patio.

It's the ultimate urban oasis.

Each day when we left Scandinavia House I was continually enamored with this strip of Park Avenue. A girl could really get used to this neighborhood.

I feel so lucky that my home base for my work week in the Big Apple was such a gem.  You too can experience the beauty of Scandinavia House - the gift shop, restaurant and gallery are open to the public. Visit for yourself at 58 Park Avenue, between 38th and 37th Streets.

 

Molly Galler

Welcome to Pop.Bop.Shop. My name is Molly. I’m a foodie, fashionista, pop culture addict and serious travel junkie. I’m a lifelong Bostonian obsessed with frozen confections, outdoor patios, Mindy Kaling, reality television, awards shows, tropical vacations, snail mail and my birthday.

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