Uncovering local brews

Helsinki, Organic + Local, Where to find...?

At first, I didn’t realize there was any interesting beer in Helsinki. Then some appeared, expensively , when visiting Juuri or Valimo on Suomenlinna.

Pils (Souomenlinna Painimo), Mufloni Aamupala Stout (Beer Hunter’s), Nokkospils (Ruokapuoti lumo)

Pils (Souomenlinna Painimo), Mufloni Aamupala Stout (Beer Hunter’s), Nokkospils (Ruokapuoti lumo)

Maybe it is just my obsession with nokka (nettles), but I thought that one was particularly wonderful. An interesting alternative to a green smoothie. These all came from the K-Market that is near the entrance to the underground in Kamppi, at reasonable prices.

Hot as Helsinki

Helsinki, Restaurants + Cafes

Helsinki is actually hot. Hotter than it looks.
Escape the heat:

Jump into the sea. Repeat as necessary. Unless you are in Espoo and there is toxic algae bloom because the Baltic is massively polluted.
Visit Cafe Kokko on the north side of Katajanokka and enjoy a breeze over the water and some shade.

Get thee to Forum Box!

Art Design Music, Helsinki, Organic + Local

This is the last weekend for a fun show at gallery Forum Box in Hietalahti!!! It features two artists, but the show is cohesive, playful and beautiful. Read more about it here.

The artists are Kalle Turakka Purhonen ja Mauri Korhonen. I have been twice!. And while you are in Hietalahti, not only is there the water and the lovely market hall, tomorrow there is a special brunch at the boat cafe Nikolai II, featuring fresh produce from the gardens of Siippoo. I am excited by what they are doing with that boat– local organic when they can + live music. Let’s enjoy the ephemera of summer while we can.

Helsinki Art Lending

Art Design Music, Finnish-ness, Helsinki, I <3 Helsinki, Where to find...?

Here is something that should spread like a virus: the art lending cooperative of Helsinki, Taidelainaamo. It is sooo good.

A monthly fee with no deposit grants access to a large catalog of local artists. The monthly fee goes towards the purchase price of the art, so if someone loves something, they can simply keep it for a year or two and it is theirs. But it also opens the door to fickle, promiscuous relationships with pieces, trying things on, changing with the seasons! I love it.

It is possible to browse through works in person in their space below the library on Rikhardinkatu. There are more works available for order online from their truly amazing website. Sometimes when I need relief from life, I like to go search through art works sorted by medium, size, colour, maker. There are other art lending institutions and businesses in Finland, but this one is my favourite. Enjoy.

Helsinki is beautiful

Helsinki, I <3 Helsinki, Nature

I can forgive
snow in June
blistering wind
day after day threatening rain
when it is intertwined
with a sky like this:

Helsinki bliss.

Almost Helsinki: Hidden Hanasaari

Art Design Music, Helsinki

Hanasaari, Hanaholmen in Swedish, is a beautiful little island with a conference center in between Espoo and Helsinki. It is the kind of place that you probably won’t visit unless you are, for example, a Finnish proctologist with a seminar to attend there. This is unfortunate, because it is a hidden treasure of architectural interest.

The conference center is the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Center. Contrary to popular believe, it is not a Finnish Swedish speaking center, but rather the fruit of co-operation between the countries of Finland and Sweden. There are lots of books about the Swedish royal family in the foyer… But more importantly, there is an interesting art collection. It is a beautiful place.

Sculpture at Hanaholmen

But one of the most lovely things I noticed was unintentional:

Colorful cycles at Hanaholmen

A rainbow of bicycles!

Helsinki Vetus: Meri Makasiini

Helsinki, Restaurants + Cafes

A straight-up classic fish restaurant with a great water-side location. A definite marina feel, with some view of big cruise ships and working cranes. At the end of Bulevardi. Our party was very happy and the service was great. They have shaded outside seating.

They were having an asparagus week:

That is most definitely a Hollandaise sauce.

The Crabber’s Salad. Good, with crayfish and shrimp:

A pike steak dish:

A salmon dish, reported to be better than most:

Lovers of water, ships, working ports and good seafood will love this old-school place. I was impressed by their decent wine list and local brews, like cider from the Suomenlinna Brewery. So, while some people are scared-off by the sign, which you can’t miss:

This is classic Helsinki– and a place that does what it does extremely well.

Cold Song

A reliquary by J.J. Eskelin

Helsinki