The Story of Vanha Kauppahalli

With the rennovated Vanha Kauppahalli a new gem came to Helsinki. Ravintola Story is located right in the middle of the old market hall and is a wonderful place for a break on your grocery shopping tour.

Story offers delicious smaller and bigger treats. You can have a filling handmade burger or some cocos curry clams accompanied by a glass of wine of their wide selection from small wineries from around the world. Or just go for some sweet or salty freshly baked pastry together with a cup of coffee.

All the food is for take away as well as to have there. But take the time and suck in the athmosphere of the beautiful old market hall while enjoying your food. Watch the people pass by or look out onto the harbor through the big windows.

Check it out and enjoy!

Fingerpori also in English

Fingerpori is one of the most popular comics in Finland. It is published in several Finnish newspapers around the country. Unfortunately for expats and tourists the jokes of the comic strips stay hidden if your Finnish skills aren't excellent.

But the good news is that now also non-Finnish speakers can read Fingerpori. An English version of selected Fingerpori comics has been published in the book "Fingerpori from Finland". You can get it from book shops everywhere around the country or online. The price ranges from 15 to 20 €.

Have fun with Fingerpori!

Car drivers be prepared

No, the weather is not that bad yet. Actually this is one of the warmest Octobers in a long time. But anyway if you are a car driver you should prepare for winter.

Have you already changed to winter tires? If not it's about time. You can do that yourself or let a garage take care of it (for around 30 €).

Also be aware that the speed limits have been changed on the highways. During the winter the fastest you can go in Finland is 100 km/h.

Drive safely!

Music from out of nowhere

If you walk through the Sanomatalo you might get a bit confused. Wasn't there just some music coming from somewhere?

The Sanoma Group, one of the biggest media groups in Finland and resident of the building has put up quite a cool sound installation here. In different parts of the main aisle you can hear there different radio programs.

Give it a try and walk through it yourself. Sanomatalo actually also has quite a nice café with a good view towards Musiikkitalo and Kansalaispuisto.

Morning light

Thanks to the end of the daylight saving time we can all get up one hour later. This also makes the mornings a bit brighter again.

Have a good start into the week!

Hello Wintertime!

Did you wake up to the right time this morning? For those of you who missed it, the time was changed back to winter time. Last night one hour was added again.

If you still happen to confuse the time at an appointment, don't worry. You will only arrive one hour early, not late.

Have a nice Sunday!

Bookfair weekend

Books, books, books. This year's Helsinki Bookfair takes place this weekend. Find out about the lastest trends and best sellers, talk to publishers and authors and find a few new additions to your book selection at home. 

This year's guest of honor is Italy. To see the whole program of today and tomorrow check out the program online.

And it's not just all about books. With the same ticket (16 €) you also have access to the Music Fair as well as the Wine, Food and Good Living Fair that are held at Messukeskus at the same time.

Late Oktoberfest

You haven't been to the Oktoberfest in Munich? Well, luckily it is not too late to get the Oktoberfest experience even now. And even without traveling. During the weekend the Beerfest is in Helsinki.

On Rautatientori right in the city center the big Beerfest tent invites you to come and join the party. The entrance fee is 17.50 €. Inside an entertainment program with music and show is awaiting. And of course you can get some snacks and food and of course beer.

For more information check their website and buy your ticket right away online. The tent opens on Friday and Saturday at 16.00 and stays open till midnight.

Have fun and a great weekend!

First signs of winter

This morning Helsinki woke up with a slight white cover. The first light snow fell last night. 

 

But this most likely doesn't mark the beginning of winter. Temperatures are forecasted to rise again towards the weekend. But it shows that the cold time of the year is close.

Library on wheels

The library system HelMet in the capital area works flawlessly and is just really good both in terms of service and selection. But there is even more to it than just the normal libraries. Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa also have their own mobile libraries.

Big busses filled with books drive through the cities and stop at several destinations every day to make the library service even more accessable. You can just come here and browse through the books or even reserve your book to be brought to your neighborhood by bus.

For the schedule and all stops check out the timetable of the library busses in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa.

An Alko with flair

In Finland you unfortunately won't find those nice small wine shops you might know from other countries since wine always has to be sold in the state owned Alkos.

But the closest you can get to one of those beautiful intimate shops would probably be the small Alko at Vanha Kauppahalli at the harbour. The wooden shops inside the market hall has some of the athmosphere of what you might be looking for. Obviously due to the size the selection here is also quite limited. It is anyway worth a visit. 

Check it out!

Seurasaarenselkä in October

The days get shorter and the sun comes out later every day. Temperatures are falling and the nights bring the first frost.

To see how the view from Seurasaarenselkä changed during one year you can see the pictures of the previous months here.

Raw pleasures at Café Kokko

Raw food is a huge trend around the world. And also in Helsinki you can find places that offer the healthy alternatives to cooked and processed food. One of them is Café Kokko.

The cozy two stroage cafe in one of the beautiful old brick buildings in Katajanokka was opened this summer. Here you find a wide selection of raw cakes and pastries. 

They might not be everyone's thing and are way less sweet than other pastry but you should definitely give them a try. You can also have one of their delicious smoothies and of course good coffee.

Sit at one of the comfy sofas and feel just like being invited to a friend's place. Check it out!

Sunny and cold

After the first minus temeratures during the last nights the sun is out today and it is perfect weather to enjoy the Saturday.

Have a nice weekend!

End of season at Lintsi

The time for outdoor amusement park visits is coming to an end. And this weekend Linnanmäki celebrates the end of the season with the traditional Carinival of Light (Valokarnevaali). 

From today till Sunday you can still use all the rides at Linnanmäki. During the evening the whole park is illuminated with all kinds of different colors. And even if you are not into rides at all it is worth to just wander around in the park.

Also during the Carnival of Light Linnanmäki has a full program and lots of great live music shows on stage. As always the entrance as well as the admission to the gigs is for free.

Check it out and don't miss the big end of season fireworks on Sunday evening! Today they open at 17.00. On Saturday and Sunday the park is open from 13.00-22.00.

Run, Lasse, run!

Paavo Nurmi was not the only famous Finnish runner. In the 70s a new talent revived the legend of the Flying Finns: Lasse Virén

The long-distance runner from Myrskylä won four times Olympic Gold for Finland in 1972 and 1976. Today you can find a statue of him right around the corner from Paavo Nurmi at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. But apart from that also an annual 20 kilometer run in the Sycamore Canyon in California is named after him.

Lasse Virén still a very well well-known figure in Finland and even held a seat in the Finnish Parliament twice in recent years for the Kokoomus.

If you happen to pass by the Olympic Stadium, pay the two Flying Finns Lasse and Paavo a visit.

Lighten up your day with a piece of cake

Did you know that you can get some of the best cakes in Helsinki at Herkku and the backery at Stockmann? They make and sell some sweet, delicious cakes and pastries.

Get them for take away or have a slice right there.

Art underground

When waiting for your metro at the Kamppi station you always have something to see. And that it due to the changing art exhibition down there.

The big glass box on the platform already displayed installations from various Finnish and international artist. And there is always something new to discover.

At the moment you can see Dennis Oppenheim's Kissing Rocks on display. You will always also find an explanaition about the artists and their installation in Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian. Take a few minutes for a closer look next time you pass by there.

What's with all the #viski posts?

You most likely saw lots of your Finnish friends posting something about whiskey (or rather viski) on their social media accounts. In case you don't know where the sudden interest in this high precentage drink comes from here a short explanaition.

Helsingin Sanomat titled yesterday that Finnish officials had forced private bloggers to take the word viski off their website. This rose a lot of irritation and understandably protest on Finnish social media. As it was reported later every 4 seconds a post containing the word or hashtag viski was published on Twitter throughout the day.

Later on Sunday the responsible state agency denied ever having forced bloggers to change their content. The whole situation is still very unclear and will surely be under investigation during the upcoming days. For more information on the topic please read the linked articles and stay tuned on YLE News.

Have a nice start into the week!

Colored leaves

The leaves have changed their color. Now brown, yellow and red dominates the Finnish nature. But the fall beauty won't stay for long. The first leaves already start falling.

So if you want to enjoy the beautiful fall scenery, head out into the woods for a nice Sunday walk today.

Have a great and relaxed Sunday!

Food Helsinki? HEL YEAH!

Helsinki is probably one of the most exciting food cities in the world. With its wide variety of outstanding restaurants it provides something for every taste and every budget. Helsinki can easily compete even with cities like Paris and New York.

The guys from HEL YEAH! have now made it easier to find all those great restaurants, cafés, bakeries, markets and street food places with their brochure Food Helsinki? HEL YEAH! They have devided the city into five districts, maped all the places you should check out and put them in price cathegories.

Check out this excellent guide and start exploring the amazing food szene of the Finnish capital.

The Christmas chocolate is already here

Yes, it's already time. The supermarkets have put the Christmas chocolates, candies and sweets on the shelves. This will of course annoy some. But if you plan on travelling abroad or are just here as a visitor at the moment you now have the chance to already take some of the good stuff with you. Maybe as a nice souvenir or for your Christmas abroad.

Check it our - or ignore it for a few more weeks :)

Red Espresso

Have you every tried red espresso, cappuccino or latte? No? Well, then it is time. At Fazer Cafés around town you now have the chance to try them.

But what is red espresso really? Actually it is rather a tea than a coffee. Rooibos is prepared in the same way as normal espresso. The result is a hot beverage that has a little hint of both tea and coffee. The versions with milk, like cappuccino and latte, which have the same red color as the espresso, remind a bit of Chai Latte.

Give it a try. And if you go for a cappuccino or latte, try it with cinnamon and honey. Enjoy!

Herring and more from Åland

The boats from Åland are in Helsinki again. As every October farmers and fishermen from the Archipelago between Finland and Sweden come to Helsinki to sell their fresh products straight from the boat. The so called Silakkamarkkinat (Herring Market) is held already for the 272nd time this year and is the oldest traditional event in Helsinki.

And despite the name you can get much more than just herring here. Also other delicacies from
Åland like pickled fish, handicraft from the island and of course the traditional archipelago bread can be found here.

The market is still on until Saturday. Don't miss it!

Early Crazy Days

Stockmann's Hullut Päivät (Crazy Days) start again. From tomorrow until Sunday there will be lots of great deals again. If you are planning on getting something there, check out their offers beforehand online and arrive early. Some things might be sold out in no time. And keep in mind that this time Stockmann opens its doors at 7:00 already.

If you want to avoid the huge crowds of Stockmann at Aleksanterinkatu in the city center, consider to rather visit some of the smaller Stockmann stores around Helsinki. They have the same offers and are much more quiet. You find a list of them on their website.

Happy Crazy Days!

First real fall days

After a gray weekend there seem to be a few more cloudy days ahead during this week.

Don't let that get you down and have a great week!

Helsinki on Ello

HelsinkiIn can be found on the new add-free social network Ello now under ello.co/helsinkiin. If you also have an account already go ahead and follow.

Since Ello is an invitation-only service, at least at the moment, you might not have been able to join yet. In that case you are in luck. Comment on this post and win an invite to Ello.

Looking forward to seeing you on Ello!

Food, food, food for 10 €

Yesterday Syö Helsinki started again. For the next two weeks 35 restaurants around Helsinki and Turku offer selected dishes for just 10 €.

Among the participating restaurants are the Hard Rock Cafe, Woolshed, Sumo, Mille Mozzarelle, Santa Fe, Basecamp and many many more.

Syö Helsinki continues till October 16. For more information on the offers and all participating restaurants take a look at the City Syö website.

Enjoy!

Helsinki - the beautiful capital of Finland

And here is another great video of this beautiful city made by the guys at VisitFinland.


Enjoy and keep in mind that it's just a few more hours till the weekend starts!

Finnish style burger bun

Finns love rye bread. It tastes good and it also is much more healthy than white bread. But did you know that in Finland you can even get your burger with rye bread?

And not just at the Finnish Hesburger chain but pretty much all burger places, including McDonalds offer rye bread as an alternative to the usual burger buns. If you want to give it a try, then look out and ask for ruisleipä next time you order a burger.

Enjoy!

Tech news from expats for everyone

If you are into technology you've go to check out the new TechXpats Podcast from Helsinki. It's produced by a bunch of tech interested expats from the captial area. Every Wednesday they come together to talk about the lastest stuff happening in the tech szene. But they also talk about expats' life here in Helsinki.

Here are a few words from them directly:

Being expats ourselves, we decided to focus on the latest etch news, but also incorporate advice and information for other expats - as we're all aware of how difficult it can sometimes be when moving to another country and adapting to living in a whole new environment and culture. We regularly recommend apps and sites that can help people in their day-to-day lives, as well as take and answer listener questions on all things tech. In the coming weeks we will also be starting a weekly feature on startups. This will focus on not just local startups, but startups from around the world, from both locals and other expats.

We've got some really great guests and features lined up for future episode. So as we keep recording and producing, our podcast will hopefully become better and better (we're all still quite new at all of this), and we'll be able to help and entertain more and more people out there!

 

This week they indeed already have an exciting guest on the show. Adam Christianson from the MacCast podcast www.maccast.com will be discussing with Stephen, Ken, Guillermo and Anu.

Visit their Facebook, Twitter and Google+ page where you can also get in contact with them directly and ask questions or give feedback. Also check out their first episodes. You can get their podcast through iTunes or Feedburner.