The picture-perfect sunset view from Mefjärd, on Stockholm's archipelago. Photos by Robert Corkery.

On Friday, we went to visit friends at their summer house. The live on Mefjärd, an island at the southern end of Stockholm’s archipelago that you can only reach by boat – we took Waxholmsbolaget. There are no cars on the island, no roads, stores, cafes or bars. Just nature at its finest. The position of Marilyn and Kjell’s house on this narrow portion of the island could not be more perfect – you can look out at the Baltic Sea from either side.

A rainy view of an archipelago home on the way back into Stockholm.

Of course, we finally got to the archipelago on what turned out to be two of the coldest days so far this summer. But we had a fantastic time anyway, hanging outside to enjoy the views. We even got to go to a concert on the island on Friday night: it was a Swedish folksinger named Bertil Olsson who seemed to enjoy telling tales as much as he did singing and playing the guitar.

Every time we visit the archipelago, Robert and I wish that we had our own little stuga (cottage) there. I feel so good when I’m on one of the islands.

Looking toward the beach at Långholmen. Photo by Robert Corkery.

On Thursday, it was once again unbelievably hot. “This may be the last warm summer day we have,” said Robert when he called me around 4 that afternoon as he left the office. “We have to go to the beach.”

So we packed a quick dinner and rode our bikes to Långholmen for a picnic. It wasn’t as packed as on the weekend, so we were able to easily find a place and hang out, swim and watch the boats go by. Later, the Swedish band Kent began playing a concert on the island, so we listened to music and enjoyed what has turned out to be – thus far – the last warm day of summer. Being an optimist, I am hoping we will be graced with a few more warm and sunny days. Soon.

After a month or so of sunny and warm weather, Stockholm has been left parched. The grass is brown and the leaves on many of the bushes and trees are shriveled and brown as well. I have never seen it so dry here. It feels more like Australia than usually wet and green Sweden. So getting rain yesterday and today was a welcome relief. It almost feels like the earth can breathe again.

For years, we’ve called them the naked neighbors. From our kitchen, we can see them: a young couple in their 20s. Most every night while we are making dinner, they are running around their apartment naked. In particular, the woman likes to stand naked in the window or on her balcony facing us. They were hard not to notice. Because they were naked. And just out our window. While we didn’t know them by name, they were somehow a regular – and also amusing – part of our city landscape.

Inevitably perhaps, all that nakedness led to a new name: the naked pregnant neighbor. Then last night as we were making dinner, we saw them pacing the apartment with their new baby. We felt downright happy for them.

One of the best side benefits to looking for an apartment has been exploring the neighborhoods. After you’ve lived somewhere for a while, I think you get stuck in the rut of going to some of the same old places. Searching for a flat, we’ve made all sorts of fun discoveries for new places to eat, drink and relax. Because while we want to stay in the inner city, we’ve been exploring different parts of town and different islands.

We love living on our quiet little street in Södermalm, but think it could also be fun to live in Vasastan, Kungsholmen or Östermalm as well. On Monday night, we found a great outdoor cafe on Kungsholmen that we want to go to again. Last night, we looked at a place in Vasastan and looked around there. But then – don’t laugh – we came back a bit closer to home and had dinner outside in Mariatorget. In our defense, we looked at an apartment there as well…

The search for a new place to live in Stockholm has reached the point that it feels like forever. Every day that we go to look at a new apartment, we think: maybe this is the one. And then we get there and find some strange quirk to the place, like a refrigerator in a closet in the hallway instead of in the kitchen.

Last night, we went to a viewing on Kungsholmen. The neighborhood was great, the price was expensive but OK and the apartment had a balcony and a fireplace. When we arrived at 6.20 for a 6.30 showing, the line of people waiting to get inside was down the street.

“Wow, this place must be amazing,” I said to Robert. And it was very nice. While the apartment had its good points, I don’t think it’s “the one” for us. (Even the washing machine in the bedroom closet seemed like not a bad idea.) And we’re still only thinking about Sunday’s viewing in Mariatorget because it needs a bathroom and kitchen renovation. I’m not sure I’m up for that. Tonight we have another visning, this time in Vasastan. Maybe this one will be it. If not, there’s another tomorrow. And everyone keeps telling us that August is the month that sales really start up again. Apparently, a lot of apartments go on the market then – all that family togetherness at the summerhouse causes divorce! Oh my…

After an exceptionally long and snowy winter, Stockholm is actually having a warm summer. It’s mid July and the grass is brown – it’s a far cry from our usual weather and I am loving it.

Yesterday, we went in search of a good spot to have a picnic and people watch. First we cycled to Djurgården, thinking it would be lively. While there were plenty of people walking around, no one was picnicking. Of course, they were not locals, but all tourists. The locals have left town. So after opting to have lunch on Skeppsholmen and watch all the big tour and ferry boats go by, we opted to try again. We cycled to the beach at Långholmen, thinking it would be more of a local spot than a tourist one. It was packed and the perfect place to enjoy the sun and people watch on a Sunday afternoon.

Our drive through the Mosel Valley was filled with vineyards.

One of the main reasons that I wanted to move to Europe was to be able to easily visit the rest of Europe. I wanted to do all sorts of long weekend travels – to go shopping in Paris, do a wine tasting in Tuscany or see an exhibition at the Tate Modern.

Although I moved a bit more north than I intended to in my dreams, I can still fly to Paris, London, Frankfurt and more in about two hours. In Germany last Sunday, we had breakfast in Germany, lunch in France and dessert in Luxembourg. And then we were back in Germany for a late dinner. I call that living my dream life.

The lunch in France was spectacular, by the way. We dined al fresco at Auberge de la Klauss in Montenach and had food specialties from Lorraine: cold meats, pates, salads, cheeses, potatoes, bread, all acoompaneid by some local white wines. It was all so good. I wish I could have dinner there now.

I am loving the groovy bar at Danviks Tull. We discovered it after going to an apartment viewing on Wednesday.

There’s a different vibe to Stockholm this time of year. Many city dwellers are at their summer homes, leaving just a few cars parked on my street, for instance. Those Stockholmers that are still around are flocking to the beaches and parks to try to keep cool in this ongoing heat wave. And there are tourists by the bus and boat load. I am being asked questions and for directions almost daily and I’ve heard more English being spoken than I ever have before in this town.

Two nights ago, people were playing Kubb – a Swedish lawn game – and picnicking at midnight in our local park. (It helps that it’s light enough to see!) And as we walked home at 2 am last night, people were out and about everywhere on the streets and in the bars that were still open. I love being in the city this time of year. But it sure makes it hard to work when it is this nice out!

Vineyards in the Moselle valley. Photo by Robert Corkery.

Staying in the German wine country, it was bound to happen. But I still think we did overdo it a bit… and by that I mean that Robert and I came home with eight bottles of wine and two bottles of German liquor. We did a lot of wine tasting, plus secco, champagne and beer. We drove through vineyards, met with vinters, toured wine cellars and even went to a fantastic wine festival called the Herxheim Weine and Sekt Symposiomin. It was all so very good. Now I need to stop for a few days. But it’s summer and old friends will be over tonight. So maybe I’ll wait another day…

Even in the shade, it was over 100 degrees for our wine tasting.

It was a relief to move inside to the wine cellar, where it was so much cooler. The Wolf family has been making wines in Bad-Dürkheim since 1791.

In the vineyard, winemaker Michael Wolf led us through tasting a selection of whites and then we moved into the cellar to try the reds.