autumn driving

Yesterday we had a little drive around a lovely autumnal part of Sweden called Södermanland. First stop was the tiny little place - and rather boring I might add... - of Flen.

I've heard about a second hand store in Flen - from my hairdresser who's a real expert on second hand/vintage findings - that's suppose to be so good. A place for great findings like old designer bags - how about an authentic Gucci bag for around 50 sek? - etc.

Unfortunately I must say it was quite a disappointment. I suppose that since it has been written about in magazines, more people have found it and if you don't live close to Flen - about 2 hrs drive southwest from Stockholm - there's no chance you can visit the store regularly for those "amazing findings".

We had lunch at a rather nice restaurant/motel in Flen called Loftet (The Loft). The vegetarian selection of food is reasonably good, their complimentary salad buffet is even better and also the home-made breads. So I opted, like I tend to, for a herbal vegetarian steak with vegetables and (as it happened, overcooked) potatoes.

We then made our way through really lovely little villages, countryside and lakeside in Södermanland. We toyed with the idea ofpopping by the so called cake-castle of Taxinge. In my humble opinion more than a tad overrated, for a really good meal (with dessert) I so do prefer the small, cosy, family-run establishment of Taxinge Krog (Taxinge Inn) close to the castle.

Instead we made a quick stop at the shop/café Mångfaldens hus (The House of Multiplicity) in Turinge. It's a big two-storey house absolutely crammed with interior decoration stuff, many niceties but also a lot of cheap looking stuff with a pricey price-tag. The café unfortuntaely didn't offer anything interesting. Was is to be a Saturday afternoon without coffee and cake? Ah, the disappointment!

When we came to the southern outskirts of Stockholm M suddenly had the bright idea of café Lyran. A fantastic looking old wooden villa from 1867 in the suburb of Bredäng - where I actually spent most of my childhood, ah in those days when it was actually idyllic to live in Bredäng... - originally built as a summer house. The villa is situated on a cliff overlooking a gorgeous view of the lake Mälaren and sitting on the veranda you can see the whole way to Stockholm city! It's just so. very. lovely...

When I was a child we often came there with my old aunties, grand-parents and so forth and I remember THE thing to eat then was either the shrimp sandwich or the yummy apple cake with custard, or perhaps both if it was a special occasion.

I also used to visit the place regularly with friends when in high school - it was in those days my inclination for afternoon tea was born - but I hadn't been there for many years now. It was really very nice to come back to that charming place, and now you're also allowed up in the old tower which has of course an amazing view!

Though, unfortunately, the cake I chose (Tosca pear cake with custard) very tasty; too sweet and it sure would have benefited from a little more toffee tasting Tosca-topping. M's big slice of the old time Swedish favourite Princess cake was really good though. And being spoiled with a big slice is always nice!

My tummy didn't act up too bad during all this eating, which I'm so grateful of. So I hope I'll be able to meet a friend for coffee/tea this week to come. I've actually having had to cancel on her twice as lately due to these problems...

And talking about this issue, the gastroscopy tests turned out to show nothing strange. Sigh. I suppose I just have to live with this and have my good days and my bad days and do the best I can with food.

The photo above has absolutely nothing to do with the autumn drive or cakes at Lyran, it's (once upon a time) three weeks old sweetie S*Luddkolt's Quintus Quex, red spotted British shorthair. Picture taken by Åke Sandström.