The Stockholm Furniture Fair started like many major furniture fairs around the globe.... Much anticipation and in this case an expectation that we, the MOD crew along with thousands of other visitors that is, would be privy to some of the best design the world has to offer... And we were not disappointed. Sweden and the neighboring countries that make up Scandinavia have held for many years a quiet hold on a large part of the contemporary design scene. The Danes and Finns not withstanding, it has been the Swedes who have taken on the global dissemination of design, and good design it is. From the mass reaches of IKEA to the solid middle class transport that Volvo has exported. The mobile electronics of companies like Eriksson and delicate and timeless glass objects from Orrefors Kosta Boda, all have impacted the way we live and in not such a bad way either. So there we were, after arriving on a efficient SAS flight (love the Thomas Sandell designed accoutrement) and quick taxi ride to our hotel, the Clarion Stockholm. Although a few degrees colder than New York, we were happy to be there and the crisp air and pure white snow were only indications of what kind of design we were about to experience.

The Nordic Light Hotel kicked things off with an opening night party that rocked... Everyone was there, all our favorite Swedish designers, Eero koivisto, Martin Claesson, Ola Rune, Thomas Eriksson, and Thomas Sandell were joined by other superstar European designers such as Tom Dixon and Jean Marie Massaud.

As the party dispersed...everyone like Eero Koivisto, Tom Dixon, Marten Calesson, Marcus Mostrom and Monica Foster decided to take a taxi to Sture Hof (www.sturehof.com) where drinks and conversations were flowing where we happen to converse with Heineken owner who claimed he did not like beer.. As the lights went out at Stur Hof, everyone decided where to continue the nights activities we remembered that our hotel the Clarion Stockholm Upstairs Bar is the only one in Stockhom whose Bar is open until 3am... So the party moved and fun was had by all. Right Martin?

Thursday we slept in a bit and then wondered through the city to visit some of the design showrooms and check out the super cool Stockholm fashion scene.. Good thing we didn't have too much Krona in our pockets or we would have been paying excess baggage on the way home. We ended up at Asplund were CKR were putting on an exhibition of their work.. The famous bartender Maurizio Stocchetto of the infamous Bar Basso in Milan was on hand to mix his famous martinis, a hot sax player, and Pia Wallen jewelry made the party memorable. Later we walked in the snow to the "Residence", a traditional upper-class Stockholm residence outfitted with the latest designs from Offecct. The walk offered a brief respite from the scene we were about to endure that featured jam-packed rooms, free-flowing champagne, and the antics of the Norway Says boys. Never ones to turn down a good party, Norway Says always know where the action is. And action it was until the Stockholm Police Department decided enough was enough and made everyone leave.. Not to be let The Man dampen our spirits we all headed to Café opera and the all white bar that CKR designed, a nice counterpoint to the pink, green, red and blue rooms at the Residence. Didn't make it home before our hotel bar closed that night.. Oh well...

Friday and Saturday were a bit of a blur... The Offecct dinner was nice.. Kurt and Anders always the hosts with the most. Club Riche again.. And then off to the wild blue yonder for our transatlantic flight home. On the plane we reflected on the weeks events. We met a ton of people, had a ton of fun, and will bringing some of the best design in the world back to New York with us.. We will see you again in Milan this April. You will know us by the smiles on our faces, and the cocktail in our hands.