FIKA FOR LIFE

It all started when I moved to Sweden and my native Swedish friends introduced me to the Swedish coffee culture. I was quickly obsessed with Fika and soon the need for a coffee fix became a regular part of my day. These are my journals as I explore the world of coffee and Fika, musings on Swedish culture and lifestyle. So, grab your coffee and join me on my gastro-coffee-nomical adventure.

STAR WARS CELEBRATION JAPAN 2025: DAY 3

Grabbing one more t-shirt at Hall 9. Didn't do my homework In my 'LIVE' feed on Instagram on the last day, I mentioned that it was likely...

Tini Ismail

May 205 min read

STAR WARS CELEBRATION JAPAN 2025: DAY 2

Okay, this took me a while to do after my last write-up because, for the past few days, I have been gathering all the videos and photos...

Tini Ismail

May 152 min read

IIIIIIIIIKEAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Star Wars Celebration would be incomplete without a trip to IKEA. One of my mission statements in life is to "conquer" every IKEA store...

Tini Ismail

May 52 min read

STAR WARS CELEBRATION JAPAN 2025: Day 1

Yes...yes... I know I have not been blogging for many moons now. I have no excuses other than things have been going really nuts for the...

Tini Ismail

May 33 min read

Green can taste this gooooooood!

A celebratory cake that makes me feel like a princess. Prior to truly moving to Sweden, I enrolled myself into a three-month Swedish...

Tini Ismail

Jun 16, 20212 min read

Lördagsgodis

Yet another phenomenon where children can enjoy their sweets only once a week. I first learned about "Lördagsgodis" when I was with my...

Tini Ismail

Jun 2, 20212 min read

MELODIFESTIVALEN & EUROVISION 2021

A song competition that is addictive. I was privileged enough to enter a few songs I collaborated with Isabella for Melodifestivalen. I...

Tini Ismail

May 26, 20212 min read

Fredagsmys

Warm blanket, homemade French fries, LOKA and catching up with "Grantchester" on SVT Play. Friday nights had always been about attending...

Tini Ismail

May 20, 20212 min read

15 Maj: Kardemummabullens Dag

If you like a little bit of bitterness in your buns, this one is for you. As a child, my mother always "forced" me to eat certain food...

Tini Ismail

May 15, 20212 min read

Chokladbollens Dag

Mark your calendar. 11th May every year. What is chokladbollar? Traditionally eaten at restaurants the end of the meal as dessert,...

Tini Ismail

May 10, 20212 min read

Little witches, eggs and bunnies..

Easter like no other. Well, I don't really know how people celebrate Easter. I am not aware of how my Singaporean friends celebrate...

Tini Ismail

Apr 1, 20212 min read

Karl-Bertils Julafton

A heartwarming short film to watch on Julafton... There are good shows including Nyheter på Lätt Svenska (News in simple Swedish) on SVT...

Tini Ismail

Dec 24, 20201 min read

First Riktigt Christmas in Stockholm

How excited can one be when you get to pick your first Christmas tree..EVvvvvERr! It was about more than ten years ago since I bought my...

Tini Ismail

Dec 23, 20203 min read

Lucia

This 400-year-old tradition certainly brings joy and peace to all of us, me included. Lucia or Saint Lucy's Day is celebrated annually on...

Tini Ismail

Dec 9, 20202 min read

07 November is Kladdkakans Dag

Chocolate lovers! Mark this date in your calendar. As I mentioned it on my Facebook page, long before the existence of 'Fikadrottning', I...

Tini Ismail

Nov 7, 20202 min read

Kanelbullens Dag

A cinnamon bun a day keeps the blues away. Oh yes! I remember my first encounter with kanelbulle. My very first fika at IKEA was with a...

Tini Ismail

Oct 6, 20201 min read

Putu Piring Putu Bambu

My little adventure travelling around my birth country in search of putu piring and putu bambu. Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring Opens...

Tini Ismail

Sep 6, 20201 min read

Visually Pleasing

Sometimes what you see is not what you get. GPS gave me the "ring-around-the-rosies" to find this place. It was there opposite where I...

Tini Ismail

Aug 25, 20202 min read

Palt

These dumplings will leave you crawling to your sofa...! Palt is the Swedish potato dumplings that is made of raw potatoes. I cannot...

Tini Ismail

Jul 13, 20202 min read

Smultron

Good TASTY things DO come in small packages. They say that the best things in life are free. Indeed they are free especially when you can...

Tini Ismail

Jun 30, 20201 min read