Treasures here and there

March 25, 2015March 25, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 9 Comments

At first glance, Finnish antique stores look just like those in New Zealand: goods piled high, customers sorting through, hoping for a lucky find. But there are a few things here that often remind me that I am in Helsinki.

Nordic animals: bears, moose, reindeer, wolves, foxes and salmon. No kiwi pot holders or tuatara sculptures here.

Light shades: it’s customary to take the light shades when you move house in Finland, even when you are renting. It was a surprise to find bare wires hanging from the ceiling when we moved into our place, but that’s just the way it goes. Of course we have light shades in NZ too, but perhaps we don’t have the need to buy them quite so often.

Glassware: there’s always loads of glassware for sale here, especially coloured glass and anything made by Finnish company Iitalla.

Ceramic kitchenware: Likewise you’d be hard pressed to find an antique store here that didn’t have stacks of kitchenware from Finnish company Arabia.

Tea accessories: including Russian tea cups and tea-glass holders, silver teaspoons and ornate samovars. In New Zealand we tend to have more tea accessories hailing from England than Russia, as well as places such as China and Japan.

Dolls: particularly blonde ones in European costume. In New Zealand stores you’d also find, from a different era, brown-skinned dolls in traditional Maori dress.

I went into another antique store recently that specialises in selling tapa cloth and artworks from the South Pacific. The owner told me that these items are highly sought after here, particularly Maori artefacts.

This store reminded me of the warm home of one of my closest friends who always has tapa cloth displayed on her walls.

I know some people may find the selling of cultural artefacts offensive, but on this grey, wet Helsinki day, it was just really nice to see something that brought memories from home.

Lost & Found

March 15, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 21 Comments

Visitors to Helsinki often comment on how well everything works. The trains run on time, the movies start when they say they will and it is very rare to see anyone cross the street before the green man appears, even when there are no cars.

Another thing I’ve noticed is the displaying of lost property. It seems there’s an unofficial understanding that if you find something of little value you drape it somewhere it will be easily found should the owner come back.

As the weather warms up the lost property du jour seems to be gloves. They are everywhere. Strategically placed on bushes, fences and elegantly draped over power boxes.

Which is not surprising really as Helsinki recently came first in an experiment to find the world’s most honest city. Eleven out of 12 ‘dropped’ wallets were returned to the owner with everything inside.

While every city has street crime I haven’t noticed it here. While Sydney is a great city, working in cafes there I witnessed bag snatching, wallet snatching, phone snatching, kids breaking into cars and people trying to steal the tip jar.

We even had one guy who would come in and stuff whole pieces of cake in his mouth and run off without paying. All part of living in a vibrant city of 4.5 million people where there’s a gap between those who have and those who have not.

So to me these Finnish displays of lost property seem like an indication of the overall honesty of the city’s population. True, no one wants one glove but I’ve also seen hats, shoes and sunglasses strategically arranged that have been left behind.

To be honest, Jonny’s Ray Bans disappeared after being left in a Helsinki changing room but he recently had a friend request on Facebook from a cafe worker here that he didn’t know. She was asking him to return to collect the credit card he’d left last time he bought a coffee.

Helsinki Tops World’s Most Honest Cities

Helsinki Metro Runs on Honesty

Beware of falling ice

March 9, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 15 Comments

Now that we’ve learnt how to walk on ice without dying, it’s important that we also know how to walk under it too. Because with the big thaws happening its the ice hanging from overhead buildings you’ve got to watch out for.

The first time a big load of snow was dumped down next to me I actually thought someone was throwing snow at us. But it’s all about timing and mine that day was bad.

Watch out for snow & ice falling off the roof (& people dancing in mid-air)

With your head down checking where your feet go, it’s a precarious job looking for falling ice. Luckily the City of Helsinki takes precautions for us by blocking off sections of the street.

But what are we to do? Wait until spring to use these parts of the pavement?

No, silly. Send young men up there to scrape it off and throw it into the streets below.

I know there must be rigorous health and safety methods going on but I swear this guy was just held up by his mate holding a rope around his waist.

However they do it, the ice has mostly gone in Helsinki and today was feeling quite tropical with a high of 10°. Unless we have takatalvi that is (literally: taka: back or rear & talvi: winter, which means wintery conditions in spring).

In which case you may find the sign pictured above waiting for you as you slide to the bottom of the stairs on your taka – Ei talvikunnossapitoa – not maintained in winter.

Warm vodka and cold service – highly recommended

March 6, 2015March 7, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 14 Comments

You could walk past Kafe Mockba (Cafe Moscow) a hundred times and never know it’s there. Hidden behind thick draped curtains this bar is said to have been opened as a place for the owners of adjoining Corona Bar to escape.

Owned by Finnish brothers and film directors, Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, the bar is full of old film props and promises a ‘genuine Soviet experience’.

When we walked in the bartender reluctantly got up from her seat, ignored our greeting and served us a shotglass each of warm vodka.

I had heard they sell sandwiches but there’s no way I was going to ask. We were lucky to be given a glass of water. The bartender turned on some Soviet music, cranked it up and left.

Soon Hanna and I had the place to ourselves and it was about quarter of an hour before another couple arrived and took a seat near the window.

As we left I could hear them wondering about the lack of service. Kafe Mockba is famous for it and you’d be crazy to expect otherwise. It’s all part of the charm.

Kafe Mockba

Eerikinkatu 1

Aki Kaurismaäki

How to make the best korvapuustit (three treats with one dough)

March 3, 2015March 3, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 14 Comments

I had a baking lesson on Sunday with my Finnish sister-in-law Ilona. She baked while I took notes before having a little sample at the end.

This dough can be used to make various sweets. To make enough for korvapuustit, a few munkit (doughnuts) and rahkapiirakat (quark pies), follow these easy steps:

Heat 5 dcl (500ml) of milk until it is slightly warmer than body temperature. You can use water if you are lactose-free. Crumble in one packet of tuorehiiva (fresh yeast) and stir to dissolve.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Add 1 dcl white sugar, 2 teaspoons cardamom, 2 eggs and mix. Stir in 9 dcl of plain flour (unsifted) and a pinch of salt. Once the mixture becomes thick and sticky use your hands to mix. You want a balance between the dough being thick enough to roll and loose enough so it has enough air in it to rise.

Add 100g of melted butter and lightly mix with hands. Don’t knead too much as the dough needs to stretch. Now it needs to double in size so cover with a tea towel and put aside. A 1950s tea towel printed with Australian birds is always best.

Heat the oven to 200°c. Once the dough has doubled in size scrape it out onto a floured surface. When making korvapuustit you can be quite rough with the dough, it’s okay to push a bit of the air out of it. Divide the dough and put aside the amounts you would like for doughnuts and rahkapiirakat.

Roll the dough into a 1cm thick rectangle and brush with 25g of melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and then roll lengthways.

Cut the dough into triangles with the edge of a spatula. You can freeze uncooked dough at this stage to bake later.

Place the triangles on a tray lined with baking paper. Put them on the bottom edge of the triangle and push down (like you are squashing a pyramid).

Leave a bit of space between them as they will grow. Brush with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until golden.

For rahkapiiraka: These are easier to make if the dough has come from the freezer. Shape dough into little dish shapes with a slight well in the middle. If the dough is fresh poke a couple of little holes in the bottom with a fork. Brush with egg and then mix one tub of rahka (quark) with the leftover raw egg and 1 teaspoon of white sugar.

Spoon the mixture into the wells and press in raisins if you like and bake in oven for about 15 minutes.

For the doughnuts: Shape dough into small rounds with the side of your hands. Don’t be too rough as you want air in this dough so they will rise.

Take a round of dough and punch a hole in it with your finger. Then stretch a bit by spinning the ring on your fingers. This makes a sturdier doughnut shape than if you were to make a sausage and join two ends. You can freeze the raw dough circles at this stage for later use, or fry in oil and coat with sugar when cooled.

Yum! All three of these sweet snacks are best served warm with coffee on the couch while you watch the Men’s 50km cross-country skiing final.

Apologies to Ilona for not getting more photos that included her lovely face. I would have also included more photos of us eating these delicious snacks but some of us were still in our pyjamas…

How I Came to Run an Art Gallery in Helsinki

February 26, 2015October 31, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 12 Comments

I was engrossed in Google Maps the other day, looking for an art gallery I wanted to check out but could not find anywhere. Finally I looked up, and there it was. I was standing right outside.

Lokal describes itself as 72% art and 28% coffee, which is a pretty good blend to me. It specialises in local, independent artists and designers and holds themed exhibitions.

The current exhibition is ‘Never Never Land’ and features playful pieces from various artists, including some of the most stylish miniature houses I’ve ever seen.

The store is full of gorgeous design objects, with more available online and worldwide delivery.

I had a really nice chat with owner Katja Hagelstam, who opened Lokal in 2012. A courier came in as we talked and when she had to leave for a few minutes to give him a parcel she looked at me and said, ‘You’re in charge.’

Unfortunately not much happened. I didn’t even get to sit in my cool new office or make anyone an espresso.

But nothing got broken and Katja seemed very relaxed when she got back. Lokal is moving ten doors down at the end of this month and as I left there was no mention of me being in charge of packing or carrying boxes so I assume my contract is over. It was good while it lasted.

LOKAL – now at Annankatu 9, Helsinki

Distracted by Design

February 17, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 11 Comments

Like many people, I hadn’t stepped inside a library for years until I had a child. We don’t Wriggle & Rhyme no more but my love affair with libraries has, ironically, been rekindled.

Photo credit: Petteri Kantokari

Of the five Helsinki libraries I’ve been to, Rikhardinkatu is my favourite. Opened in 1882 it was gifted to the city by Anniskeluyhtiö, a company licensed to serve alcohol.

Designed by architect Carl Theodor Höijer, it was the first building in the Nordic countries to be built as a library. It is spread over four floors and has lots of great different places to sit and read.

I popped in early yesterday to do some printing and had a great time taking photos before the library filled with different discussion groups and people making use of the study areas.

There’s a big room full of children’s books in different languages and the top floor is home to the library’s British collection.

Although quite large, the smaller spaces on each floor create a cosy feeling and there’s one to suit every mood.

The library is also unique in that it has a large collection of art work, built up over 20 years, from which you can borrow.

As I walked out of the library I had a smile on my face thinking of all the lovely design features and how someone takes good care of all the plants. I got about three blocks before I realised I had left 17 pages of paper sitting on the library printer.

Rikhardinkatu Library

Art Collection for Borrowing

An important lesson in Finnish

February 11, 2015October 31, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 12 Comments

With such a mild winter, the sea near Kaivopuisto is not quite frozen and resembles a big bay of slushy pea soup.

Across the soup lies Uunisaari, a small island that is a 3-minute boat ride away in summer and connected by a bridge in winter.

The island was once home to varnish producers and coffin makers. Today there is a restaurant and, of course, various sauna.

There’s also a swimming beach which can be used in winter for ice swimming when a hole is cut in the ice.

The island is popular with dog-walkers and there’s even a spot to sit and watch big chunks of ice as they float out to sea.

On the day I visited I was surprised by how many boats there were, left from summer and now filled with ice and snow.

I heard recently of a visitor to Finland who marvelled at the prolific Finnish artist Älä Koske, whose name they had seen everywhere in art galleries and museums. (Älä koske is Finnish for Don’t Touch).

So luckily I can speak Spinach and let you know that Uunisaari is definitely worth a return visit in summer – although you’ll probably find the fabulous Cafe Suljettu* has gone.

*Suljettu means closed

Uunisaari

Meet me at Old Market Hall

February 7, 2015October 31, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 23 Comments

A short walk from Market Square is Helsinki’s old dame of market halls – Vanhakauppahalli.

Built in 1888,Vanhakauppahalli (Old Market Hall) was recently closed for renovations and reopened in June 2014. The building is a cultural heritage site and protected by the National Board of Antiquities.

On a cold winter’s day, with the wind coming in off the Baltic Sea, it’s a relief to get inside those heavy front doors. Inside, a walkway circles the hall, shouldered on either side by cafes, bakeries and fishmongers.

There are also greengrocers selling seasonal produce from Finland and overseas. It’s a great place to go for specialty mushrooms and berries, as well as big suolakurkku (gherkins) you scoop out of an open bucket.

For lunch I usually head straight for Soppakeittiö (Soup Kitchen) where the menu always consists of one meat soup, one vegetarian and their delicious seafood boullabaisse, served with lemon-infused sour cream.

On my most recent visit however I stopped at Story, where the food counter is sure to whet your appetite. I had a cappuccino (equivalent of a NZ flat white) and lohileipa (smoked salmon on bread).

After lunch I walked the circuit, marvelling at the number of things you can do with salmon. In my mind I always hear the southern drawl of Bubba from the movie Forrest Gump (salmon bbq, salmon cocktail, salmon pie…..).

There are other forms of protein on offer for the more adventurous too, like Russian King Crab and Spanish jamon.

As well as traditional Finnish offerings there is also a vegetarian cafe and a stall selling Vietnamese filled-rolls, spring rolls and salads.

And there’s an Alko, the only store in Finland selling wine and spirits. This one is touted as being ‘the world’s smallest Alko’ (which is a little bit like American teams winning the ‘World Series’ in a competition only open to American teams).

There are other Market Halls in Helsinki but this is one of my favourites. If you get a table by the window you can watch the ferry to Suomenlinna making it’s way past the huge cruise ships churning up the frozen sea.

Go with a friend or go on your own – just make sure you go. I’ll be the one making my way from coffee, to soup to dessert and back as I make my way around Old Market Hall.

Vanhakauppahalli – Eteläranta, Helsinki

Ravintola Story

Note: I was approached by Meetings Booker to write about my favourite meeting place in Helsinki. This is not a sponsored post and all thoughts are my own (as was that open salmon sandwich, which I cannot stop thinking about). www.meetingsbooker.com

An amazing discovery in the Finnish forest

February 3, 2015October 31, 2015 / Mel_inHelsinki / 17 Comments

I went on an island adventure the other day. Well, I walked to Lauttasaari, an island about 3km from the city centre and connected by a wide bridge. The sea looked amazing as I crossed over, the mild temperatures evident in the partially frozen water.

Home to just over 20,000 residents and the Finnish Sauna Society, Lauttasaari is about 4km square in size. I walked around one side and back along the coast relishing the rarely shining sun.

And then the most amazing thing happened. I came across a village of mini houses, set amongst the trees.

I was stunned. Painted in different colours these tiny houses were set evenly apart and looked well-loved but as though all the residents had simply up and left.

I marvelled at how tiny they were, just a minute’s walk from the beach and it was surprising to see that some even had chimneys!

They are of course kesämökit (summer cottages), a huge part of Finnish life. Helsinki city empties over summer as nearly every Finnish family heads to theirs. Even with the long winters, on average Finns use their summer cottages 80 days of the year.

It’s amazing to see photos of the same cottages in summer here – the difference in the landscape is incredible and you’ll even see this cottage with the same dress hanging in the window.

Apparently in the 1920s, the City of Helsinki offered poorer residents tents so they could experience summer vacations. Soon people began to ask to be allowed to build something sturdier and in 1946 an architect created a single design for the cottages, which were allowed to be 12 square metres in size. The residents own the cottage, there is no electricity, water is only turned on in summer and there are shared outdoor toilets (Source: Green Hearts).

We’ve yet to experience a holiday in a kesämökki and I can’t wait to see inside – although these tiny cottages are not typical of most summer cottages in Finland. But I’ll be sure to visit again in summer when the leaves and grass have grown back and they are once again full of life.

City Cottage – Inside a modern-day example of one of these summer cottages

Little House on the Baltic – the story of the owners

The Essentials of Cottage Life – Visit Finland

Hey Helsinki

A New Zealand girl in Finland

Author: Mel_inHelsinki

Treasures here and there

Lost & Found

Beware of falling ice

Warm vodka and cold service – highly recommended

How to make the best korvapuustit (three treats with one dough)

How I Came to Run an Art Gallery in Helsinki

Distracted by Design

An important lesson in Finnish

Meet me at Old Market Hall

An amazing discovery in the Finnish forest

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: