SOLVANG, Oct 4 — There are no tulips in sight, but four windmills stand amidst a cluster of half-timbered buildings that are typical of Danish provincial architecture, with the Dannebrog flying proudly in front or decorating buntings that hang off lamp posts. Emblazoned across is the word Solvang, the name of this town that could easily be mistaken for a theme park or movie set – this is California, after all. The buildings are not replicas (except for the copy of Copenhagen’s Rundetaarn, which houses a pizza restaurant) or simply modelled after Denmark’s quaint farmhouse structures, but are the real deal.
Solvang, meaning ‘sunny meadow’, was founded by a small group of Danish immigrants in 1911 — which makes it just over a century old — who were intent on keeping their heritage and culture alive as they settled into life in the wine-growing region of Santa Ynez Valley, about two hours from Los Angeles. Perfectly preserved, the motley thatched roof buildings along Mission Drive, Alisal Road and Copenhagen Drive — collectively, considered Solvang’s Main Street – now thrive as cafes, bakeries, B&Bs and specialty stores.
Some may dismiss it as tacky and touristy, but that hasn’t stopped over 1 million annual visitors who find their way here to immerse in Solvang’s Scandinavian appeal. And the town knows how to make the most of it, liberally sprinkling reminders of its origins and icons all around.
Drive in from the freeway and you will arrive at Solvang Park first, where you won’t miss the bronze bust of Hans Christian Andersen. Easily Denmark’s most celebrated writer, he is also immortalised at a museum named after him that sits on the upper level of The Book Loft, an independent bookstore that opened in 1970 and stocks a good selection of titles by local authors as well as antiquarian volumes. On display is a working model of the original Gutenberg Press, and a document that was printed with it.
The Hans Christian Andersen Museum, which is free to visitors, opened in 1990 and is operated by the Ugly Duckling Foundation, a non-profit organisation that works to promote awareness and enjoyment of Andersen’s life and work. It occupies a small room with slanted beams, within which they’ve managed to fit in hundreds of his books, a model of his childhood home, paraphernalia, and artworks celebrating the 19th-century author, including a painting by Andy Warhol.
Andersen’s influence is also seen around town; a Little Mermaid statue greets drivers along Mission Drive and from the signboard of a restaurant named after her. Established in 1964, The Little Mermaid Restaurant reopened last year under new management with some updates — the original woodwork and hand-carved beams remain intact — and added Latin flavours to their Danish menu.
If you prefer to stick to authentic eats, you have to make a stop at one of several family-run Danish bakeries and sink your teeth into the pastries that are quintessential to their cuisine. Mortensen’s Bakery is best known for the butter ring, a coffee cake made of real butter, almond paste and custard, and looks like several sugar-glazed cinnamon buns baked into one.
The kringle is another must-try, an almond-filled coffee cake made of layers of butter and shaped like a pretzel. It’s a bestseller at Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery and Coffee Shop, where third-generation baker Bent Olsen is carrying on the traditions founded by his grandfather in the bucolic village of Aerøskøbing in Denmark more than a century ago. Olsen’s giant almond Danish Kringle is big enough to serve up to 12 people, while the Luxury Kringle can feed a party of 30.
Solvang Bakery, meanwhile, delights with their ornately-decorated gingerbread houses that have become just as popular outside of Christmas and Hanukkah. Orders pour in for all occasions, from Easter to Halloween and Valentine’s Day. The bakery ships across the US and besides ready-made houses, you can also order their gingerbread kit. What you’ll get is a pre-assembled plain house that you can decorate to your liking with an assortment of candy, icing and sweets.
These pastries are certainly not shy on butter and sugar, but you can walk it off with a stroll around town and browse through some 200 boutiques that sell an assortment of Danish and European specialties. Porcelain tableware, decorative wrought iron, clogs (look for a gigantic clog outside the shop) and milk maid costumes are among the most sought-after souvenirs.
Visitors also make a beeline for Jule Hus, where it’s Christmas all year round and festive carols fill the air all day. Packed to the brim with shiny baubles, glittery tinsel, nativity sets and blown glass ornaments, this is quite possibly the happiest spot in Solvang. Some items are designed or handmade by their own staff, and there is a fine selection of wooden Nutcrackers, Wendt & Kuhn angels among an assortment of European imports that second-generation owners David Watts and his wife Lauren, personally source.
David’s mother, Claire, was the one who first mooted the idea of a year-round Christmas store in 1967, to some objection from her husband. But any doubts that the Watts initially had about the sustainability of the business were quickly dispelled, and Jule Hus became a Solvang institution.
It also captures the spirit of this Danish village that looks like a page out of a Hans Christian Andersen classic: Authentic old-world European charm ensconced in the warmth of the Californian sun, where traditions are upheld and celebrated every day.
Solvang lies 200 kilometres north of Los Angeles, a two-hour drive on the US Route 101. Every third Wednesday of the month is celebrated as Solvang Third Wednesday, when visitors can enjoy discounted prices and special promotions at participating shops, restaurants and wine tasting rooms. There will also be a Farmer’s Market, and beer and wine walks.
Read more of Vivian Chong’s travel adventures at her website http://thisbunnyhops.com
