NU SKA VI UT OCH HÄRJA - our YouTube channel

Our super fan, Sooz, recites NU SKA VI UT OCH HÄRJA

Jeppson's Malört and Chicago: a love story

Apparently, Chicago is one of the only places you can find Jeppson's Malört. Malört, a distilled beverage, is the name of a Swedish style of schnapps, flavored with wormwood. The word malört is the Swedish word for the wormwood plant. In the late 1930's Chicago attorney, George Brode, purchased the formula from Swedish immigrant Carl Jeppson.

Jeppson's Malört is certainly not easy to drink (for many), and has been marketed for its "aggressive unpalatability." However, many establishments in Chicago have taken on the challenge of including this self proclaimed "rugged and unrelenting" 70 proof spirit in their drink menus. This article lists a few of the places to try.

Check Jeppson's Malört out on Facebook here.

Here's my favorite find so far: video made by Shawn Rosenblatt of his friends after tasting malört.

Nordic =

When I think of "Nordic" here are a few things that come to mind: pear cider, Ikea, silence, sill, hearts, akvavit, Marimekko, and that Nordic blue that I can't describe but could identify on sight.

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Join us in Chicago in October

Nordic Spirit: A festival of new Nordic plays
October 7-10, 2010
North Park University, Chicago

Join us for a festival of script-in-hand staged readings of new Nordic plays from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark in English translation. All five of these plays are being presented for the first time in North America!

Friday, October 8 at 7PM Sweden
Fem Gånger Gud (God Five Times)
by Jonas Hassen Khemiri

Saturday, October 9 at 2PM Denmark
Rødt og grønt (Red and Green)
by Astrid Saalbach
This play opened at Stockholm City Theatre in March 2010, followed by the premiere in April at The Royal National Theatre in Copenhagen.

Saturday, October 9 at 7PM Finland
Kokkola
by Leea Klemola
Ms. Klemola has been described as the avatar of Finnish theatre.

Sunday, October 10 at 2PM Norway
Verkeleg (Reality)
by Gyrid Axe Øvsteng
We're excited about this first time English translation by Sarah Cameron Sunde!

Sunday, October 10 at 7PM Iceland
ÓHAPP! (MISHAP!)
by Bjarni Jónsson

Location: North Park University--Chicago
3225 W. Foster Ave
$10 per reading/ $25 for series (Students with ID--Free)
for more information, email info@akvavittheatre.org

So loon car fee - but what does it mean?

SÅ LUNKAR VI is a traditional Swedish snapsvisa. Swedes sing this song during Midsommar, kräftskivor, and other times of celebration and it usually involves akvavit or other spirit. Since not everyone we know speaks Swedish, we found a way for non-Swedish speaking people to sing and celebrate with us!

So Loon Car Fee is a version that spells out the Swedish words phonetically (in English, really) so anyone can follow along. The words might not make sense, but at least you'll sound like everyone else, right? The point is to have a good time and get to the end so you can skål.

The title roughly translates to "here we go trotting." That's how we feel sometimes.

SÅ LUNKAR VI
Fredmans Sång nr. 21

Så lunkar vi så småningom
från Backibuller och tumult,
när döden ropar: Granne kom,
ditt timglas är nu fyllt!
Du, gubbe fäll din krycka ner -
och du, du yngling, lyd min lag,
den skönsta nymf, som åt dig ler,
inunder armen tar!

Tycker du att graven är för djup,
nå, välan så tag dig då en sup,
tag dig sen dito en, dito två, dito tre,
så dör du nöjdare!

SO LOON CAR FEE
So loon car fee sews moaning “Om”
front back in bull her oak two malt,
near turd hen rhubarb: Granny come,
deed Tim Gloss air new volt!
Dew, goo bud fail Dean creek car near-
oak dew, do inkling, lead mean log,
den sure stone imp, some oat day leer,
in noon dare arm hen tar!

Tick her do hot cry van air fur you,
Nobel end sew dog day dough end soup,
dog day send ditto end, ditto toe, ditto tray, so turd you nerd away!