15 March, 2018
Hygge / Hoogah
As the weather has taken yet another wintery turn this week I have indulged in a spot of Hygge (pronounced Hooga)! Hygge is a Danish word and although there’s no direct translation, it basically means ‘cosiness’ or as us welsh would say, ‘cwtching in’! It’s about creating a soothing atmosphere and experiencing the simple pleasures, may it be food, drink or company. To me, Hygge means curling up in my favourite armchair wearing some fluffy pyjamas, sipping a glass of wine or a gingerbread latte, with the fire lit and a candle burning. It’s about taking half an hour for myself, away from the daily chores, be it spent reading a good book or simply listening to the rain falling on my conservatory roof.
Having recently visited Finnish Lapland, it’s easy to see why Hygge is so important to inhabitants of the Scandi countries. Their winters are very cold with very little daylight, so Hygge is a big part of their culture. Everything from their food, drink, furnishings and clothing are suited to Hygge. Scandis make very good use of lighting. Lamps, candles and fairy lights are visible everywhere against the dark days. Danish people are constantly listed as the happiest in the world and it’s no coincidence that they place such importance on Hygge.
This Winter I embraced all things Scandinavian and converted my conservatory into a Hygge space – somewhere I can sit and be cozy. After the Christmas lights came down, the room seemed so dark! I looked at how I could create Hygge lighting. I bought a set of white fairy lights and draped them across the windows and a simple yet effective lamp from IKEA. I bought some Nordic style throws from Aldi for my arm chairs and a sheepskin rug for the tiled floor. These few items really transformed the space without breaking the bank! There’s something very comforting about sitting here in the evening having a relaxing half hour to myself, especially when the weather is so unpleasant!
I have even compiled a ‘Hygge emergency kit’ after reading ‘The Little Book Of Hygge’ by Meik Wiking. It consists of a candle, a stash of chocolate, a book, a warm jumper and socks, all to be enjoyed with a nice glass of wine or a G&T!
A perfect place to Hygge is ‘Hoogah’ (68 Brynymor Road, Swansea, SA1 4JJ). This is a fairly new addition to the coffee shop/bar scene in Swansea. Their focus is on socialising with friends and family, savouring the moment, sitting around a table enjoying a glass of wine and good food. Hoogah has a cosy and warming atmosphere, with blankets and candlelight. Sourcing ingredients from local suppliers they serve brunch, lunch and dinner. They also serve a range of botanical cocktails, local craft beers, smoothies, juices, mulled wine, hot chocolate and of course…coffee by Coaltown Coffee Roasters.
I’ve visited Hoogah a few times. Each times I’ve had a flat white (standard)! I have sampled their cinnamon bun, Christmas spice cake and Humous toasted pretzel (A pretzel with humous, Serrano ham, smoked cheese and chilli flakes). All were delicious!
The bakery items are sourced from ‘Little Valley Bakery’, an artisan bakery in Parkmill. The owners of Little Valley are part of the team behind Hoogah, alongside a local bar manager. I haven’t yet visited Hoogah in the evening, but the botanical cocktails, sourdough pizzas and food specials, such as fondue, look very tempting. It’s well worth a visit, especially when there’s another cold front on the way!
Hoogah is open Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm.
One thought on : 1
Love this. Can’t wait to have a fire and have some Hygge time with some fika. In the mean time I will make donwkth my candles and lamps 😃👍🏻 XX