DEAR DIARY / by Editor & Writer Jessica-Belle Greer 

An Organised Life – September, 2022

I woke up at:

8am. Copenhagen was our first stop on a month-long trip through Europe, so I had a slight bit of jet lag, and a great sense of excitement, to get me out of bed in the morning. 

My favourite breakfast spot was:

Room service! Complimentary breakfast aside, I loved mapping out a new city from the comfort of my own hotel room, before throwing most of the planning out the window when I got diverted during the day.

I ate too many:

Pizzas. This may be a surprising answer, but from the organic menu at Mother (in the former meat-packing district of Høkerboderne) to the seasonal slices at Baest (in the must-visit dining district of Nørrebro), we ordered more pizza in Copenhagen than we did later-on in Italy. 

I stayed at: 

The Nobis Hotel, housed in a gorgeous former music academy with a Scandi-cool refurbishment. Our attic room looked over to the dome of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek (holding a private art collection of a beer baron) to the Tivoli Gardens (the nostalgic theme park that attracts squeals of delight). 

My Copenhagen pinch me moment was:

Riding through the beautiful waterfront district, the Nyhavn, on my bike, and my partner admitting that he couldn’t pick me out among the other Copenhagen locals, with their light tan trench coats and dark sunglasses gliding past.

My favourite spot to visit is:

The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Only a 40-minute train ride from central Copenhagen, this sublime museum is found down quiet suburban streets, but opens out to panoramic sea views across to Sweden. The modernist museum building is a masterpiece in itself, as well as housing art by the likes of Alberto Giacometti, Gerhard Richter, David Hockney, Yves Klein, and Yayoi Kusama. Outside, the Sculpture Park is home to seminal works by Jean Arp, Henry Moore and Alexander Calder, as well as blossoming spring magnolia trees.

I wrote in my Travel Journal at:

Any spare moment. There was so much to see and do in Copenhagen that I didn't want to stop exploring – but having my Travel Journal on hand was a great way to add some mindful moments between all the attractions.

My favourite dinner spot was: 

The ever-stylsh Esmée – a Nordic take on a French brasserie. Overlooking the cobbled Kongens Nytorv square (and a stone’s throw from the boutique department store Magasin du Nord), the food was elegant and the people watching was exceptional – a procession of cyclists pedalled home in the evening light. 

My favourite fashion find was:

The Saks-Potts pop-up at the Atelier September cafe. As an admirer of Barbara Potts and Cathrine Saks’ work from afar, I was delighted to stumble across their minimalist yet striking collection in a very aesthetically pleasing part of town. To really look the part, I decided I needed one of their ‘super-cool’ colourful leather coats.

I will always remember:

The canopy of cherry blossom trees over the cycle paths. Passing underneath them, I’d dip my head back to be surrounded by the sweet scent – so much more fragrant here than at home.

My Travel Journal came in handy for:

Noting down both research and reflections for a trip of a lifetime. Travelling for a month requires some semblance of order, and a prompt for memory. I’m still referring to my journal to recommend my favourite experiences, and to note what I need to go back for!