COVID-19 and Seattle’s Nordic Businesses & Organizations: Who Will Be Left Standing?

With the full or partial closure of many businesses, institutions, and organizations in Seattle in late March 2020 due to COVID-19, we wonder how are our cherished Nordic haunts, restaurants, museums, and fraternal organizations making it through in Seattle. We talk with Erik Pihl of the National Nordic Museum, Bjørn Ruud of Scandinavian Specialties, Rachel Antalek of Byen Bakeri, and report on the Scandinavian Hour, Nordic Roots and Branches, the Swedish Club, The Dane Restaurant, Nordiska (Poulsbo), the 17th of May (Syttende Mai) Parade, and the Norwegian-American News, among others. If we value these outfits, how can we support them so they survive?
Links
The National Nordic Museum the premiere Nordic institution and gathering place in the Seattle Area has visiting and permanent collections, lectures, concerts, and virtual programming too.
The Swedish Club of Seattle, offering a full calendar of programming, from weaving, to language classes, weekly dinners, and superb Swedish pancakes.
Rachel Antelek and Larry Walsh's Byen Bakeri in the lower Queen Anne area of Seattle, where I buy my lingonberry tarts, skolebrød, prinsessekake, krumkake, and cardamom lattes. I'm told they also sell nutritious food (!). Here's the Seattle Times article that appeared when they bought the bakery in 2019.
Nordic Roots and Branches radio show streaming live at 7pm Pacific on Tuesdays out of Evertt, WA. With host Karen Pauli. Interviews and Nordic music. Facebook site here.
The Dane Restaurant in Seattle sadly did not survive the pandemic. :( This lovely spot is where I interviewed Morton Alfred Høirup when he came to town.
Scandinavian Specialties managed by Bjørn Ruud, Seattle's shop for Nordic frozen food, sweaters, cookware, arts, and fresh cakes and pølse. They'd be happy to ship something to you or have it delivered locally; order online. The shop had some difficult times in the past two years.
Nordiska gift shop, in Poulsbo, Washington (a cute town with a real Scandinavian flavor). Shop online or visit in person.
The Norwegian American News is the oldest Norwegian American newspaper with 24-28 color pages of articles on Norwegian politics, science, sport, arts and entertainment, cooking, pages on learning Norwegian, a page just for kids, and occasionally articles by yours truly. Both print or digital subscriptions include a weekly newsletter. See the Nordic on Tap podcast about the editor-in-chief, Lori Ann Reinhall, as well as their Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter sites.
Syttende Mai Festival for Seattle's 17th of May events claims to have the biggest celebration outside of Oslo. Looking forward to when we can have concerts, luncheons, and the big parade again!
The Scandinavian Hour on KKNW Bellevue (a music variety show where I got my own start on radio), where you can listen to live shows online at 6am & 9am Pacific on Saturdays, 6am Pacific on Sundays. Hosts Seth Tufteland and Doug Warne also conduct some interviews and announce community events. Not many shows like this in the world - well worth checking out.
Other Nordic businesses I'd recommend the Greater Seattle Area are Larsen's Bakery and Nielson's Pastries.

Clothes Stories: A Visit with Fashion Designer Madison Leiren

Beyond keeping us warm and preventing public embarrassment, why do we wear clothes?  What does our dress say about us, who and what we are, and where we come from? Join Nordic on Tap for this dive into the world of fashion design with Seattle-based designer, Madison Leiren of Leiren Designs (https://leirendesigns.com/).  We sit down with Madison to discuss her path into fashion design and the influence of her Norwegian heritage and Norwegian culture in what she creates.  Madison talks about how she custom makes unique clothes such as wedding gowns as well as clothing for men. Finally, we talk about Madison’s experience as a designer in the greater Nordic community, especially in Seattle, and mention a few of our favorite haunts.  We conclude the show by listening to excerpts of songs and hymns derived from classic music, highlighting the inspirational hymn derived from Finlandia, the symphony written by Finnish composer Jean Sebelius.
Links
Leiren Designs, Madison's website and boutique, with examples of her unusual, lacy, Scandinavian-influenced bridal gowns. You can book an appointment right on her website for a consultation at her Seattle shop.
"Clothing with an adventurous spirit", an article about Madison's fashions in the Norwegian American News.
An article (2018)on Madison's work in the Seattle Sister City Association newsletter.
Leiren Designs is also on Instagram.
Check out this beautiful film (2011) of "Wild Scandinavia - Finland", showing the countries pastoral landscapes and dramatic shots of Finland's wildlife (from reindeer to flying squirrels, lynx, bears, and loons) and the beauty of the aurora borealis, all set to Jean Sebelius' Finlandia (full version) by Wildes Skandinavien/Gulo Film Productions.
This video of the Finlandia-hymni, the part of Jean Sebelius' Finlandia with words by Veikko Antero Koskenniemi, is sung in Finnish by the Ylioppilaskunnan- YL Male Voice Choir; shots of modern, mostly urban Finland, accompany the music.