Those Big and Small Adventures - snapshots of my life and travels

Not All Business

2012-02-11T00:48:00.007+02:00

I downloaded a few photo apps on my Lumia 800, Thumba and Apict to be exact, and was playing around with them earlier. I wanted to share some of these photos here, but they were in portrait mode so needed to chop them up a bit. Looking pretty good, though!

London was cool. I'm not overly in love with the city or anything, and flying there is a bit painful, but I usually have a good time. It feels familiar, I know my way around, shopping is good, entertainment value is high, and the people are nice.

How Night Falls

2012-02-11T00:11:00.006+02:00

I've neglected to talk about how I moved houses in the beginning of the month. It went relatively smoothly as I bought most things beforehand and then just asked the items to be delivered directly to my new place. I also got my new dishwasher today, which was exciting. My new sofa, on the other hand, is still playing hard to get.

I lost my glove today on my way to work today and it made me upset. I've lost so many things over the years that I've developed ways and memorizing methods to avoid that. Luckily, on my way home later, I found my glove. It made me happy. No, actually that seemingly little thing made my day! What a great feeling to get something back you thought you lost for good.

If you look at the above photos, they tell the story of how the night falls. From sunset to the clear blue moment before darkness, to night time with moonlight. Winter is quite magical. No complaints from me on the -20'C temperatures.

London Times

2012-02-02T23:22:00.002+02:00

I spent a few days in London for work the other week and here are some photos. I have to say, I've been extremely pleased with the Nokia Lumia 800's camera capabilities. I have stopped using my regular camera, a very good sign.

Anyhow, besides meetings, we attended the farewell dinner of our agency contact Robin. Not so much of a farewell for us as he'll be moving to Finland next week. We welcome Robin to this freezing land and wish him all the best on his Finnish adventures!

Photos: Burgers at Byron after a long break; Paddington station en route to the airport; Stuffed bunny my agency boys won for me from an arcade grabber machine; Landing at ice cold Helsinki airport.

And Then Came the Snow

2012-01-15T17:42:00.005+02:00

We've had proper winter for a few weeks now and I'm loving it! Although, now that the temperature is down to -8'C, my fingers freeze even when wearing gloves. On the bright side, days are getting longer and we really only have a few cold months left. I still want to go ice skating and possibly even snowboarding before this water-based cotton candy dream melts away.

I've spent the past few weeks preparing for my move at the end of the month. I haven't started packing yet, but I have already bought most of the furniture for my new apartment. I'm really happy for the change of scenery. Having lived in my current place for four years, it's time to double my space and wake up to a new day in a different area code.

New Year's Eve in Paris

2012-01-02T18:06:00.019+02:00

This time around, I welcomed the new year in Paris. My friend Anniina and I had a great time introducing the Finnish NYE tin tradition to other nationalities. Basically, what happens is that you melt tin, then throw it in cold water and what comes out is a prediction of your coming year. Somehow most tin creations look like dragons, but you can also get money.

Anniina's boyfriend's college friend Mike flew over to Paris on a day's notice using his air miles and we convinced him to let us do a makeover on him. After an hour of persuasion he finally said yes so I took him to the only barbershop in Paris for a head and face shave, and then shopping. Someone got a fresh start for 2012. Check out Mike's transformation here.

Summary of 2011

+ Traveled to Paris, Los Angeles, New Delhi, London, Belfast, Greece, Dublin, Oslo, Copenhagen and Malmö. Visited the Taj Mahal - which was incredible.
+ Great summer in Helsinki and first grown-up summer vacation!
+ Excellent year working in social media in a fun, young team.
+ Started taking tennis lessons, got better.
+ Stayed healthy.
+ Got my grad school diploma
- One of my best friends moved to Dublin.

Mission for 2012: 1) Make new friends and reconnect with old ones 2) Travel somewhere I haven't been before 3) Begin to look at apartments to buy 4) Start learning something new. And of course, maintain a positive outlook on life!

Photos: Macaroon shop window reflection near Saint Germain; Peanut The Cat; Lip mirror at Le Bon Marché; Melting tin in the kitchen; Anniina trying to interpret her future.

Christmas Time in London

2011-12-18T13:02:00.005+02:00

I spent a few days in London this past week and it ended up being like a big festival. We had a traditional British Christmas lunch with the good people who own this platform and our media agency. The lunch was at a restaurant called Circus in Soho and they served exotic performances in between courses. The following day, our team went to Urban Golf in Kensington High Street after a full day of meetings.

Living the Amazing Every Day

2011-12-03T22:27:00.017+02:00

I was back in London this week for training and had a lot of fun spending time with many of my co-workers who I don't get to see on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately by mid-week, the flu got the best of me and I had to spend the rest of my trip mainly in my hotel room.

Regardless, before that happened, I went to our launch event Monday night and got to witness the spectacular light show and concert. It was pretty cool, you can watch it here. Because it was a really cold night, our team somehow ended up watching it from a stranger's balcony across the river... Hmm. A big thanks to that guy! Sometimes you have to rely on the kindness of strangers.

Tuesday night, our evening program involved going to Absolut Icebar. We also had dinner there while two caricature artists drew our portraits. Because there was no official after party and I was the most London savvy of the crowd, I decided to do the right thing and show them the way. But I also made sure the party didn't run too late and got everyone back to the hotel safe and sound. How responsible of me!

Photos: The everyday tiles experience at Leon in Soho (I see tiles everywhere thanks to Windows Phone); Big Ben and London Eye at night; Sunset as seen from my hotel room in Lancaster Gate; Icebar in Soho; Waiting for the launch event 4D light show to start (see, more tiles on the left!).

Life's One Big Party

2011-11-20T20:09:00.007+02:00

Friday night was a lot of fun! One of our digital agencies hosted a party here in Helsinki and many of my current and former co-workers were there. My whole plan was to go overdressed, but then I failed miserably because most people were actually quite dressed up.

Saturday I slept most of the day and today I went for a few hour jog and took some photos. I dropped by at my future apartment to take some measurements too so I can start planning how to decorate it. Such a beautiful day out, although very cold!

Photos: Presidential Palace and its reflection; A red restaurant boat; Artsy construction site near Töölö Bay; Tokoinranta in Hakaniemi.

The Winter Wait

2011-11-12T21:25:00.008+02:00

I've spent the past two weeks relaxing and catching up on my workouts. I took my Mom to a Sade concert, a gift my brother and I got for her birthday. And as it happens, my cousin and my aunt were also going so we organized a family dinner at Kokomo. It's pretty incredible how my Mom and two of her sisters look nearly identical these days.

Anyhow, here are some Helsinki pics from last Friday and my new accessories for combating winter! Photos taken with the new Lumia.

Smart Phone World in London

2011-10-31T22:05:00.011+02:00

Our team was in London last week for our biggest annual conference. It was my first time attending so I was very excited! And I weren't the only one. The media, the audience and my co-workers were all going equally crazy. The energy and enthusiasm was palpable.

Besides orchestrating a huge social media content explosion, we hosted bloggers, ran around snapping photos, and drank champagne. The official evening party was good fun, but I also had an awesome time at our unplanned karaoke booth party in Soho. To conclude on a humble note, I have the coolest job (and work with the best people).

Appreciating the City of Helsinki

2011-10-15T18:40:00.010+03:00

I've been on the road so much lately that I'm grateful I've now had some time for calming down at home, or at least in my hometown. My boss was visiting from London this week so we organized a team dinner at Olo, the Michelin star worthy restaurant. It was a good experience, will definitely go there again.

Friday night, Senja and I went to see Britney's Femme Fatale tour concert here in Helsinki. Now I've seen the King of Pop, the Queen of Pop and the Princess of Pop live! Lady Gaga still missing, from that list unfortunately.

I saw my hairdresser / miracle worker Anna today. As I was leaving, I noticed the August issue of Harper's Bazaar at the top of the magazine pile and realized she'd turned me into Anne Hathaway (minus the low cut top). Not bad!

Photos: Esplanadi park today, Saturday; Traditional Savonia pies in Hakaniemen kauppahalli; Trees in Kumpula; Sunset in Kurvi; Britney Spears final performance.

A Week of Guinness and Google

2011-10-09T22:30:00.010+03:00

I returned yesterday from my relaxing one-week vacation in Ireland. I spent most of my time in Dublin visiting my friend Kristiina, but also managed to venture out to Belfast to see Danielle. It was so nice not having to think about work for a week and actually not having to do anything if I didn't feel like it.

Dublin is an interesting mix of new and old. Seems quite English to me in many ways. During the week, while my friend was at work, I did a bit of sightseeing and visited The Guinness Storehouse, St. Stephen's Green park, and the National Gallery of Ireland. We also went shopping together in Dundrum, a big mall on the outskirts of the city, as well as toured the local Google offices and partied with the new international recruits.

Belfast, on the other hand, was a pleasant surprise with a lot of history and grand buildings. The only real downer was when I got to the train on my way back and realized we'd have to take the bus half way to Dublin because of a bomb threat. I finally arrived in Dublin an hour late thanks to this authentic Northern Ireland experience.

Photos: Google rooftop; Cupcakes at Lolly and Cooks; Doors on Upper Mount Street; At St Stephen's Green; Horse carriage near Guinness Storehouse; Kristiina at Grand Canal.

Palm Trees and Friends

2011-09-29T22:03:00.016+03:00

I really wish I had nicer photos from my LA trip last week, but unfortunately I was busy running around Santa Monica and Beverly Hills and didn't really have a chance to experience many new things. I did get to go shopping on 3rd Street Promenade, Century City and The Grove.

I spent most of my time with the visiting Brits who were extremely friendly and entertaining. In the evenings, I often went out to dinner with my dear friend, Trent. We've been friends for over five years now, which is quite an achievement, considering that we've been living on the opposite sides of the globe nearly all this time. I also got to see David, which is always great.

I find myself ambivalent about LA. There's so much to do and so much to enjoy: weather, shopping, going out, palm trees, mountains, beach and the climate. But there's also so much I dislike: poverty, crime, homeless people, pollution, traffic, earthquakes, wildfires, wannabes and other entertainment industry side effects. It's a great city if you can afford a driver, a house in a gated community, annual face lifts, and shopping on Rodeo Drive, but otherwise, it's probably not worth it.

And more importantly, I don't feel safe there. There are homeless people, some of whom struggle with their mental health, but are not getting the help they need. There are uneducated, unemployed poor people who look at you with dollar signs in their eyes. And then there are the rich and entitled who live in an alternate universe and don't really care. Basically, combine a bankrupt state and bad public policy with Hollywood and American Dream idealism, and you end up with a city full of inequality, contradictions and broken promises.

Photos: Rodeo Drive on a Sunday morning; My hotel pool and hot tub; Hollywood sign from The Grove; Ocean in Santa Monica.

All Grown Up Now

2011-09-11T19:00:00.011+03:00

I met up with my friends from junior high and high school today for lunch. We try to get the Lahti gang together somewhat regularly. Helps you stay true to yourself when you have old friends around!

It's interesting that as we all met and studied in an art focused class, our current paths reflect that background. Three of us are in marketing, two are in graphic design, another two are in fashion and textile design, and one is a jewelry designer. Hmm... Nature or nurture?

Everyday Luxury

2011-09-09T23:57:00.014+03:00

Helsinki is a great place to live in. It's funny that I've only developed that appreciation after having lived elsewhere. And that's even with consciously avoiding developing countries and unsafe areas. I'm such a cliché, I know, but what can you do?

When you travel, you realize certain things. The world is small. You don't have unlimited opportunities. You don't have an endless amount of time. You can only fit so many people into your life. You don't even have that many cool places in this world, or places where for the majority, life is not a continuous struggle.

Keeping all of this in mind, where you do you actually want to be? It's great if you're chasing your dreams in big cities (I've been there) or understandable if you have to accept a job somewhere else because you need to work. But when you have a country like ours where living standards are fairly high and things work like they're supposed to, the real luxury is to be home. Travel is just the cherry on top or an added zero at the end of your salary.

Photos: Herttoniemi manor; Statue in Esplanadi Park; View from Torni Hotel roof; A green wall with Linnanmäki amusement park in the horizon; Sunset at Töölönlahti.

Tea Pots and Post-Its

2011-09-09T23:08:00.008+03:00

Last week, the girls and I were in London again for work. Our single biggest accomplishment was probably the Post-It wall we did for one of our Twitter followers, as he'd gotten married recently. What we wouldn't do for our advocates!

I was pretty sick the whole week, but thankfully my condition improved each day. We had dinner at Wahaca and Byron, both safe and solid options in Soho. The Brits do their chain restaurants well, or I guess I should say that they're more like 'concept restaurants', whereas our chain restaurants are all tied to S-bonus and they're really lame and boring.

Photos: Tea time meets cocktail hour at The Arts Theatre Club in Soho; View from our office rooftop patio in the same neighborhood; The infamous Post-It wall and I, the head giraffe.

Letting Go of Summer

2011-08-28T23:28:00.012+03:00

It was a really warm and sunny weekend at the summer house, but it's becoming clear summer's ending soon. Nature's color palette seems to be moving towards muted tones and now with September knocking on the door, our famous 'nightless nights' are a thing of the past. Fall is slowly creeping in.

At this time of the year, the symbolism of things ending is inescapable. I can't help, but see death in leaves falling. Each day the sun will set a bit sooner, leaving us with dark streets and cold nights. Doesn't make it easier reliving a loss tied to this season.

Festive Times

2011-08-15T21:06:00.011+03:00

Helsinki's most famous urban festival, Flow, took place over the weekend. Thousands of people gathered in Suvilahti to celebrate good music and to unleash their inner hipsters. I even met a guy whose goal was to get more hipster each day. After surviving day one with just a hipster outfit and glasses, he cut his hair short from the sides for day two. On the morning of the third day, he shaved off his beard, leaving him with a very convincing hipster mustache.

I went to Flow on Saturday with my friend Senja and then on Sunday, I tagged along with Sanni and her crew for Kanye West's gig. Sanni's my new "stolen" friend. I always make a point of telling our mutual friend in London that I'm borrowing her again. He doesn't seem to mind.

Business Trip to London

2011-08-07T15:43:00.010+03:00

I hadn't been to London since I moved back to Finland in December so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to go there for a quick visit. Although we spent most of our time in meetings and catching up with emails, we did manage to do some sightseeing and go out for a few drinks.

The guys at our agency are really cool and easy-going. They took us out to dinner in Soho on Wednesday and to the London Eye on Friday (for the suspiciously named "champagne experience"). For some reason, I never got around to going there while in the UK, so it worked out perfectly.

It can sometimes be a bit weird when you're the client and the agencies have to be fake nice to you whether they like you or not. In this case, however, I think we're all working towards the same goal, are around the same age and laugh at similar things - so it's thankfully not forced. Looking forward to more of these trips in the future!

Photos: Anonymous business woman around Green Park; Big Ben from the London Eye; Staff preparing our drinks; London Eye capsule and view over the city; Capsule floor with happy feet.

Visiting Friends in Oslo

2011-07-31T22:23:00.012+03:00

I was visiting my old co-workers from Germany in Oslo this weekend. Many of the guys from our old Nordic team eventually moved home, and since I hadn't seen them in 3.5 years, I figured it was time to stop by for a social call. The weekend involved plenty of online marketing talk, but more importantly, it was great seeing colleagues turned friends.

On Friday, we went swimming and tanning at Huk beach and then later, our for a drink in the city. On our way to the club, we stopped by the Radisson Summit Bar for an amazing 21st floor view over Oslo. We spent Saturday shopping, but headed to my former boss's place for a BBQ later that evening. He and his fiancée have two rescued cats, a rescued dog and now a newborn baby so there's a lot of life in their house.

I had a lovely time in Oslo, although only a week since the massacre, everyone was still quite shocked and shaken. The downtown area was filled with flowers laid on the ground to remember those who were killed. Folks were jumpy when there were sudden, loud noises and some of the people I met said they had trouble sleeping. I wonder whether the extensive media coverage on the topic is helping or hurting.

Anyhow, life goes on and hopefully the people of Norway will be able to turn this tragedy into something positive. Love can triumph hate and fear, but it's up to us to have faith and make it happen.

Why July's Been So Great

2011-07-24T19:04:00.016+03:00

July is my absolute favorite month. It doesn't hurt that my birthday is in July and there's always a birthday extravaganza of some sort, but it's also usually the best month weather wise in Finland. And this year hasn't been any different: we've had tropical nights with +25'C temperatures and the sun refuses to go down. There's also an endless supply of strawberries and fresh peas in July.

What's happened this month then? Last weekend, our amateur Ultimate Frisbee team participated in the annual Hietsu Beach Ultimate tournament in Helsinki. I was there for the first time since 2006. It was funny to notice that even though my current team is much better, than the team I was there with last time, we still sucked just as bad. Tough competition!

This weekend, a friend of mine was in town for a wedding and we picked up where we'd left off. Can't remember the last time I've gone out on a Thursday night, let alone three nights in a row. Really hoping they'd move back to Finland soon so we could see each other more often. We Finnish expats have a special bond over shared experiences, shared values and our mutual love for this country.

Photos: Finnish pancakes with Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and raspberries; Group hug at the end of a frisbee game; Sunset this Friday at the Finnish Fortress.

Greek Island Hopping Cruises

2011-07-14T19:17:00.013+03:00

The reason why I was attracted to Nydri was because I'd read that there are good opportunities for island hopping via cruise boats. In the end, we went on two different cruises. The first one was on Makedonia Palace, a flashy big boat and the second one was on Odysseia, a vessel made a replica of an ancient Greek warship.

In my opinion, Makedonia Palace was a better choice. With this cruise, you get to swim at Porto Katsiki, one of the best beaches in Europe, visit Fiskardo, a village in the island of Kefalonia, have luch or swim at Kioni Bay in the island of Ithaka, go past the fabulous Papanikolis sea cave and stop by at Skorpios, Athina Onassis' private island, for a swim.

The Odysseia will take you for a more slow-pace ride. It first stops at the Papanikolis sea cave for swimming. From there, you go to Spartochori on the island of Meganisi and visit a local olive press. Around noon, you arrive on a secluded sandy beach where they serve food and drinks. Late in the afternoon, the ship stops in Skorpios Island for a swim. The captain dances zorba and gets tipsy.

What I enjoyed the most was Porto Katsiki, thanks to its soft white pebbles and clear turquoise waters. Swimming at Papanikolis was great as well. Many of these smaller islands are apparently popular among the celebrity and VIP sailing crowd, whereas Nydri is more for professional sail boats. It was also really interesting to hear about the history of the Onassis family and the Jackie Kennedy connection, not to mention how the area has developed and continues to develop (they're building a seven-star resort nearby).

Photos: Porto Katsiki; Swimming spot at Kioni Bay; Stairs up the Fiskardo hill; Kioni Bay buildings and shoreline; Roof flowers in Fiskardo; Papanikolis sea cave.

Hike to Nydri Waterfall

2011-07-14T18:34:00.013+03:00

I'm infamous for making people walk plenty (hey, it's a free work out) and this trip was no different. I lured my travel companion for a 7km hike to the Nydri Waterfall, located at the mountains. The day was hot, but I was intrigued to see things outside the touristy village.

We quickly learned that the Greek are not that fixed on numbers, nor with time or distance. The first sign we saw said "Waterfall 3km" and then after walking what seemed to be a kilometer, there was another sign saying "Waterfall 3km". At that point my friend looked like she was about to strangle me under a lemon tree.

The country side where we walked was peaceful with only loud crickets chirping. There are many different fruit and vegetables growing there (lemons, olives, grapes), as well as farm animals roaming around people's yards. There is a tavern on the way to the mountains, which means there's no risk of dying of dehydration or hunger on their way there.

When we finally arrived at the bottom of the mountain path, we had walked around 50 minutes. There is a cool cafe there under the trees where you can buy all kinds of beverages. When we arrived, they were playing music that, in the mountain setting, reminded us of a Western.

After climbing up high enough, we found the waterfall. It was wonderful. We were so sweaty and hot that we jumped straight in the clear, fresh water of nature's turquoise pool. Although it was freezing cold, it was an amazing experience. We even saw big frogs there. On our way back, we stopped at the cafe for five o'clock ice tea, as I apparently look like the kind of woman who goes to the jungle and drinks tea when I wear my summer hat.

Vacationing in Greece

2011-07-14T17:54:00.017+03:00

For part one of my summer vacation, Senja and I went to Greece last week. We're so lucky to have each other for travel company! We stayed in the harbor village of Nydri in the island of Lefkada in Western Greece. It's a fairly small place with a few thousand inhabitants. We wanted to go to Greece and then found this amazing deal for practically no money so we decided to go for it.

Some general pros and cons now. They have the euro, so it's easy to understand how much money you're spending. And then you realize that it's not really that cheap, even though it's obviously less expensive than Finland. They're in the same time zone as Helsinki, which makes it convenient. I also found Nydri safe so that's a bonus.

The local men seem quite eager to meet what I'm tempted to call Western women (not sure I count Greece as part of the Western world?). They're just really broke so they don't even drink in bars and seem to be looking for a love arrangement of some sort. We actually saw a lot of Greek-Finnish couples on our flight, generally inked up older women with younger guys.

The nature in Greece, however, is amazingly beautiful. The area around Lefkada is stunning. They have the mountains, the sea, the sun and perfect beaches. One of our tour guides told us that 25% of people who visit the country, return. I'm sure I'm one of them!

Photos: Relaxed Nydri harbor; Two bottles of Coke; Nydri beach in the afternoon sun; Jumping on a trampoline on my birthday in Luna Park, a small amusement park; Pink sky over Luna Park; Statue of Aristotle who was from Nydri.

Painting Birds and Rainbows

2011-07-02T11:57:00.009+03:00

We had our team day yesterday and went to Kalasatama in Helsinki for graffiti painting. An old co-worker of mine is a graffiti artist and he offered to give us a lesson. I expected it to be one of those things that looks easy, but is really difficult. However, even though it required a lot of effort, it wasn't impossible.

Sitting down and sketching was the first challenge. We were all set on doing something kindergarten chic, as in rainbows, clouds and whatnot. To stick with the social media theme, we also decided to insert some of our Twitter followers' handles in there to thank them for their support. In the end, we took elements from all of our individual drawings and combined them, and then started conquering the big blue wall.

Our instructor said he was really impressed with how well we worked together, how we managed to fill up the space in a smart way and how productive we were during the sketching phase. It actually turned out to be a really effective team building exercise. But most of all, we had a lot of fun doing it!

Photos: The team photographing the final work; My Angry Bird; Break time at nearby Ihana Kahvila; The girls painting a tree with Twitter bird; Set of paints.

Chicas Locas in Copenhagen

2011-06-06T20:48:00.008+03:00

With the train service running seamlessly between Malmö and Copenhagen (30min ride, around 8 euros one way), we got to spend some time in Copenhagen as well. My high school friend Ida lives there and she recommended we stroll down the "longest pedestrian shopping area in Europe", Strøget, and then catch a boat tour from the harbor. And so we did!

A few observations from Copenhagen: the guys are tall, fit, ridiculously handsome, and they dress well. We've now agreed that all future bachelorette parties should be held in Copenhagen. Secondly, the place is perfect for drinking outside. Everybody's doing it and it suits everywhere because it's such a sunny, outdoorsy, maritime city.

I can't wait to go to Copenhagen again! This trip was a nice preview, but next time will need to deep dive... Amusement park Tivoli and royal residence are in my future plans.

Photos: Copenhagen harbor; Senja and I at the harbor with our ridiculous(-ly cute) heart-shaped sunglasses; A sail boat spotted on our boat tour; In a tunnel with the boat - resembling of Apple's 1984 ad; Carlsberg boat house; Swan family at sunset.

Summer in the City: Malmö Edition

2011-06-06T19:58:00.011+03:00

Thursday morning, Senja and I flew to Copenhagen and took the train (20min) to Malmö. We had to get a hotel room there because Copenhagen was all booked for the street festival Distortion, but it ended up being a good solution. I'd never been around that area, but almost moved there twice; first to study at Lund University and later for a job in Malmö. In the end, it wasn't meant to be so I never went.

But, it was interesting to go there now and look at the city wondering whether I would've enjoyed it. My verdict is that it's a nice town for a weekend trip in the summer, but probably for not much longer. Shopping is decent and if you're staying central, it's convenient for going out. The city also has a nice harbor area, a beautiful old town, a sizable central park and a long sandy beach - and you can go on a boat tour around the city canals.

Photos: View of the bridge between Malmö and Copenhagen at Västra Hamnen - the Western Harbour; The Turning Torso from Västra Hamnen; Lighthouse; A statue at Malmö's market square; Boat rides near the main railway station.

Eat, Drink, Be Merry

2011-05-22T21:11:00.019+03:00

What a great weekend it was! Saturday morning, I met with my tennis coach early in the morning at an outdoor court for practice. As the sports complex in question is not very conveniently located, I had to run the final 3km leg both ways. But it was nice being out on such a lovely, sunny day.

Because it was pop-up restaurant day in Helsinki, Nina and I walked over to Tervasaari island, where a friend had set up a food stand, and had lunch there. With hundreds of people showing up, the organizers ran out of food, but luckily we were there early. The next event will be in August so we'll get to enjoy the experience again soon.

In the late afternoon, I met up with Josh who works with a friend of mine in London. Josh is in town for business, but had arrived a day early to see the city. We picked up food and drinks from Stockmann and headed out to the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress. Josh, who I had never met before, turned out to be a cool guy. Time went by really fast as we had a lot to talk about.

After returning to dry land, we went to a get-together in Eira. A friend from work recently relocated here so she wanted to organize something small to kick start her Helsinki experience. We continued the night at Apollo with my brother and more work people joining us. The whole night was just crazy fun. It was wonderful to see everyone get along and have such a great time!

Photos: Josh in Suomenlinna; Boats outside Tervasaari; People enjoying the pop-up restaurant in Tervasaari; Josh at Helsinki Cathedral.

In Search of Lomafiilis

2011-05-13T20:43:00.035+03:00

I was going through photos I've taken since I last posted, and the only decent ones I could find, are ones I've taken at home. I just haven't felt inspired to take photos elsewhere, or when I have, I haven't had a camera with me. Especially, since I'm now back to my old N900, which has hit the floor so many times that it has a damaged memory (but I love it for web browsing, Internet radio and Bloomberg TV, so I'm willing to settle).

However, because the next four weeks will be the most beautiful time of the year here, I'm going to challenge myself to take pictures with the same passion as if I were living abroad. Let's see how that goes. I'm also thinking that overall, it would probably make sense to write less emails and more stuff my grand-kids could read, like this blog.

The past six weeks have been great, but it's gone by really fast. With time moving this fast, I feel like I should be already freaking out about settling down, which kindergarten my kids should go to, a midlife crisis, menopause, how to look hot at sixty (start now!), and ultimately my own death. Then, I snap out of it and realize I probably have 50 more years to worry about these things.

Although I'm generally happy 95% of the time, I'm taking conscious steps to increase my adoption of 'lomafiilis', something that my neighbor Niko thinks would be good for me. It's almost like the English term 'holiday spirit', but without the Christmas association. The idea is that when I'm on vacation and traveling, I'm open to doing new things and tend to meet the best people. But when I'm home, I get stuck in a rut and hang out with the friends I already have. Niko's theory goes, that if I pretend I'm on vacation all the time, I'll have more fun and enjoy life more. Screw life coaches, this is it!

PS. Isn't it incredible how the 22cm giraffe fits in that tiny yellow Kinder egg toy container? Everyday design at its finest.

Happy Graduation to Me!

2011-04-02T23:39:00.005+03:00

I finally got my diploma, even though I've been done with school for 18 months... Happy to be closing that chapter in my life. So now I'm officially a Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration. I'm 10 months into my current job and still really enjoying it a lot. And I'm now taking private tennis lessons each week. The plan is to kick ass by summer!

The Incredible Taj Mahal

2011-03-17T23:08:00.006+02:00

What I was really looking forward to on this trip was our visit to the Taj Mahal on our last full day in India. And the Taj didn't disappoint! The symbol of eternal love was amazingly beautiful, even if there's not much going on inside. I'm really happy I got to share the moment with such great people!

The bus ride to Agra took about four hours from Gurgaon, but thankfully we were so tired from the previous night's cocktail party and after hours card game session that we slept most of the ride. But when we were awake, we got to witness the Indian country side and the crazy traffic. Pepsi and Coke are everywhere in India! You have one building covered in Pepsi logos and the next covered in Coke and that goes on for hours, it's insane.

In the end, having all the animals around was quite wonderful. I'll forever cherish my memories of the little piglet I saw near our hotel twice during our trip, as well as the wild boar with a massive mohawk. On our trip to Agra, some guy even tried to make money off a monkey at a rest stop. It's a jungle out there.

Kingdom of Dreams

2011-03-17T22:55:00.006+02:00

During our week in India, we tried to have dinner somewhere new every night. On one of the nights, we went to Kingdom of Dreams, an indoor food court with shopping. The place is staged in a very Disney slash Hollywood fashion, and even if it looks like you're outside having dinner, you're actually indoors and staring at a fake blue sky with clouds. The main attraction there is a Bollywood show, which I unfortunately had to skip because I was simply too exhausted.

Office Space and Modern Surroundings

2011-03-17T22:37:00.009+02:00

One of the little highlights of my week was the bouquet of roses I received for Women's Day. Gestures like that are always great and memorable, even if they're from companies. Because in the end, companies are made up of people. Apparently in China, women get the afternoon off on Women's Day so they can go shopping. At least that's what my Chinese co-workers said.

We also went shopping after work at the Ambience Mall a few times. The shopping was kind of mediocre though, just mid-range Western brands. Having recently lived in London I found it difficult to get excited about Nine West, Aldo and French Connection. On our way to the hotel from there, we drove past the McNuggets featured in the above photo so many times that I started using them as a landmark.

Sightseeing Around New Delhi

2011-03-17T22:07:00.006+02:00

Our sightseeing continued with a visit to India Gate, a war memorial and a prominent landmark in New Delhi. Although the site itself was impressive, the crowd was intimidating. The women try to sell you beaded bracelets and grab your hand to do a henna tattoo on it. With very few tourists in Delhi, many locals stare at you and want to take photos with you. If you stop in one place for too long, the crowd around you starts building up. Had we not had our local guides with us, I would've felt quite uncomfortable.

On our extended bus tour, we also drove past the quirky Lotus Temple, a known place of worship that has won several architectural awards, as well as the main government houses and the neighborhood where the people in power live. The above photos are quite self-explanatory slash your guess is as good as mine.

Visiting Qutb Minar

2011-03-17T21:51:00.003+02:00

Almost as soon as we landed, we were taken sightseeing around New Delhi. Our first stop was the Qutb Minar, which is the world's tallest brick minaret and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you can see from the photos, the tower and the buildings around it are very beautiful!

First Taste of India

2011-03-17T21:04:00.011+02:00

Time for a celebration: I'm back from India, alive! As a true friend, and not just a random stalker, you would know that I just spent a week in India for work. I had a bunch of my co-workers with me, people I would even call "friends" and we made the most of the trip even though we had a hectic schedule. Thankfully, our hosts had planned for some touristy activities every here and there so it wasn't all work.

Going to India is not that easy by the way. You need a visa and malaria pills, and you need to fill in all the same customs/border control forms you need for the US. Quite funny. Like we're all just dying to move there permanently. Also, Nigerians have to pay the highest visa fees of all nations. Looks like someone got burned by email fraud.

First impression of India: A lot of people doing made up jobs (like a guy taking your parking ticket and putting it into the machine for you). A lot of people hanging around by roads, seemingly not going anywhere. A lot of wild boars, pigs, cows, dogs and other animals running around. A lot of people answering nature's call at the side of the road. A lot of construction sites, some temporarily killed due to recession.

Overall, security was extremely tight and we had to walk through metal detectors whenever we entered hotels or malls. But I guess that's what you get with the threat of terrorism and with poor and disadvantaged people roaming right outside your hotel.

Photos: View from the window of my hotel room; Women and men's restrooms at the airport; A local small business owner; Routine security check at our hotel; Super Mart-i neighborhood shopping complex.

The Coldest Winter

2011-02-20T20:11:00.009+02:00

I can't believe February is almost over. Where did this month disappear? I've been focusing on work and working out, and even managed to combine the two on our team day at the Salmisaari sports complex a few weeks ago. I went climbing for the first time (scary, but fun!) and bowling (relaxed, drinking involved).

This weekend, on the other hand, I participated in a two-day tennis course. I've only had a tennis racket in my hand half a dozen times, but I think I have potential as I'm pretty good at sports and have eye for games. I bought a racket from the instructor at the end of the course and made friends with one of the girls, so now I have the necessary equipment and even someone to play with. A pat on the back for me!

Photos: View North East from the Salmisaari penthouse patio; View West towards Länsiväylä from the same patio; Sunset in Kamppi.

Fresh Winter Air in Paris

2011-02-02T20:53:00.016+02:00

I was visiting Paris and my friend Anniina again this past weekend! I've given up on the EasyJet evening flight from Helsinki because the odds of making it to the RER B train (or bus) at the Paris end is practically non-existent. And that means you have to get a cab, costing around 60e to get out of the airport, which then completely defeats the purpose of flying on the cheap.

So this time around, I flew Blue1 there, which lands around 7PM in Paris. Their track record in delays is awful, but I was in luck and arrived early! However, the flight was operated by Augsburg Airways, and somehow the food and drinks were free and there was a lot of leg space for everyone. Great experience!

Saturday, Anniina took me to Le Bon Marché, the world's first department store. After a few hours of shopping, we headed to a restaurant near Opéra that offers a great galette (salty crêpes) and crêpe (sweet) combo for lunch. We continued our shopping tour in and around Printemps, but with limited success. I did manage to buy a box of Ladurée macaroons for my co-workers. They were well received, and no wonder: after all, they are considered the crème de la crème.

In the evening, we had dinner reservations at Kong. They have superb views over Paris and of the Louis Vuitton headquarters across the road. The food was surprisingly good and the service was excellent, even though some of the online reviews weren't that flattering. We continued the night away at a string of bars, and shockingly, stumbled upon a whole unlocked building of Balmain and Christian Dior offices. Another shock came when I discovered a squatting toilet in a public parking garage. That just left me speechless. I mean this is Paris, not Guangzhou!

Photos: Le Bon Marché; A flower shop; Lunch with Anniina; 20kg of Nutella on the wall; A beautiful fur coated lady applying lipstick.

Cold But Beautiful

2011-01-16T16:08:00.014+02:00

When I went outside Saturday morning, it felt like summer. Obviously no thanks to the temperature, -12 degrees Celsius, or the 50cm snow, but because the sky was blue and you could tell that it was going to be a sunny day. I met up with Kristiina for badminton, then had lunch at thai restaurant Lemon Grass in Kallio with Nina. After lunch, I walked all the way downtown, snapping photos on the way.

If the favorite past time of fall 2010 was shopping, in spring 2011 it's working out. I've gone work out crazy now that everything's close by. I rejoined my old gym (for Body Pump and Body Attack), re-enrolled in dance classes, have gone running and played badminton. And I still have ice skating, bowling, tennis, floorball, and swimming on the agenda. I need to avoid doing the same thing twice in one week or I get bored. If you have more ideas for me, please leave a comment!

Photos: Tokoinranta and the frozen Baltic Sea; Helsinki Cathedral; Esplanadi park and the moon; Pitkäsilta bridge; View of Merihaka concrete jungle from Pitkäsilta; Ympyrätalo (The Round House) in Hakaniemi.

A Little Summary of 2010

2011-01-11T22:21:00.016+02:00

I know I'm a few weeks behind, but I feel obligated to continue my tradition of summarizing the past year in the form of a pros and cons list. So here it goes!

Summary of 2010

+ Got my dream job and learned the importance of perseverance in following your dreams. Every 100th 'no' may turn out to be a 'yes'. Yes!
+ Traveled to Stockholm, Berlin, London, and Paris.
+ Had the amazing opportunity to live in the UK for 5 months. Got to explore London and met tons of great people, some of whom I would even call friends. Excellent chance to network within the company.
+ Warmest and sunniest summer in history.
+ Great health: no injuries or illnesses.
+ Mom moved to Helsinki: so cool and practical.
+ Started my own social media endeavor.
- Dealt with uncertainty around employment contracts in the first half.
- Spent three hours every day getting to work in the UK. Never again!
- Lost a family member to cancer.
- Met three new guys with notable potential, but no real boyfriends. Still, warmly recommending tech industry for meeting presentable, educated men with jobs.

Something good every year! No need to abandon optimism, it seems like.

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-02T22:32:00.006+02:00

New Year's Eve, what a great excuse to get dressed up!

Saying 'See You Soon' to London

2010-12-27T21:46:00.014+02:00

And so my time in the UK came to an end. Nearly five months flew by, just as I had expected. I made a dozen new friends, got to explore London and did a lot of fun things. And one of my new friends from this trip, Anna, will continue to keep me company in the new year at the office in Espoo. Hopefully, I'll manage to keep in touch with the rest of them as well. It would be a shame to lose touch.

Having gone in not expecting anything, I was pleasantly surprised. I met such nice people wherever I went. Even our remote office grew in on me after I got to know my co-workers better. And having to commute three hours every day got less painful as I got used to it. I fell in love with my apartment, even if it were in the woods. The shopping was pretty great overall, even in Guildford. Not to mention that there are always a million things to do in big cities.

I experienced a hundred different emotions, although knowing I was only staying for a limited time, homesickness wasn't one of them. I know I'll miss London a little, yet, I'm happy I left on a positive note, not dragging it out to the point of exhaustion and numbness. See you soon, London! I'll cherish my memories of you. But now, new adventures await.

Photos: A bottle of Moët opened; A theater in Chelsea; Thames and the City; A copy of Stylist, the best free women's magazine, available on Wednesdays around London or at French Connection stores all week long.

A Spring Day in December

2010-12-14T21:31:00.016+02:00

We had such a nice day out here in Guildford on Sunday that I had to go out for a long walk. It felt like spring after the snow had melted and the sun was shining! My original plan was to go to London for sightseeing, but figured it was better to recharge batteries after the wild night we had on Thursday.

Before Sunday, I'd never been to Onslow Village, which, according to Wikipedia, is a suburb of Guildford. So if a suburb has a suburb, does it make it a sub-suburb? Nearby, are also two local hot spots, Guildford Cathedral and the University of Surrey. I still didn't quite make it to the campus though so I may have to return. Wondering around can be quite rewarding!

Photos: Homes at Agraria Road and Farnham Road; Typical English houses on Wodeland Avenue; Drunken Santa escaping out of the window; Good people of Guildford doing their Christmas shopping on the High Street; A pub by the river called The White House; Debenhams department store and Guildford Castle as seen from the railway station entry point at Wodeland Avenue and The Mount.

The Ultimate Christmas Party

2010-12-11T15:15:00.008+02:00

We had the Christmas party of our local country team this past Thursday and it was a lot of fun. We started the day with a strategy session and lunch at the Royal Geographic Society in Kensington, then walked down the road to the Natural History Museum rink for ice skating. Definitely one of those activities where us Nordics have a natural advantage!

As our hotel was across the road from the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) where our evening party was to be held, we all got ready in our rooms. I had a girly make-up and hair session in my room with South African Carolyn who recently joined my team. After we'd made ourselves presentable, we went to Brompton Bar & Grill for drinks and team awards. Hello, champagne.

At 7.30PM sharp, we were literally knocking on the massive wooden doors at the V&A. Once we got in, we got to see how they'd turned the museum into a club. There was an N8 photo booth (with a wind machine and Christmassy props) that made everyone look amazing. Besides our own crowd, there were also agency people, as well as our local customers. And as a surprise to everyone, Faithless performed. The highlight of the night!

Photos: Science Museum ice skating rink; Penguins that help people skate; Main entrance of the V&A; Faithless performing; Walking into the museum, which was full of security guards.

A Day of Culture in London

2010-12-05T23:13:00.016+02:00

I visited three London cultural institutions today: British Museum in Bloomsbury, Tate Britain in Millbank and Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. I started the day solo, but in the afternoon, my Finnish co-worker Satu joined me. She's been living in London for almost two years so she was an excellent tour guide.

It was about time to get out of the house after spending -what seemed like forever- in Guildford. I had to work from home Thursday and Friday as trains weren't running properly because of snow. Thankfully, the snow has now melted, and hopefully it's not returning any time soon - these guys can't handle that white stuff at all. Looking forward to an exciting week this week! Lots of good things to come...

Photos: British Museum's spacious main hall; Man and seagull in Millbank; A boat on Thames with tree branches blocking the view nicely; Male torso at British Museum; Tate Britain's Millbank entrance.

Girly Weekend with a Finnish Friend

2010-11-28T18:58:00.019+02:00

My dear friend and former Macau roommate, Senja, was in town for the weekend. Saturday, we started the day by shopping in Guildford, then took the train to London and continued the shop tour there. Our first stop in London was the Cologne Christmas Market in Southbank, but because it was too cold to function (-3°C), we soon headed indoors.

For lunch, we had burgers at Byron on Wardour Street in Soho. The burgers there are so good, I keep going back. Even the sides are amazing, and who wouldn't love drinking cider with their burger. Such a great place. To balance out our masculine infatuation with beef, Senja and I got cupcakes for dessert from a nearby bakery.

Even though they'd closed Regent Street and Oxford Street from traffic this weekend, it was still a nightmare getting around. There were simply too many people doing their Christmas shopping. Our day turned out successful as we both found what we were looking for: for Senja, it was a New Year's Eve cocktail dress, and for me, a pair of heels to wear at the company Christmas party.

When we got back to Guildford in the early evening, we grabbed our white towels and headed to the spa in my apartment building. Equipped with a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and swimming pool, it's a great place for relaxation. And as none of my neighbors were around, we got the whole place to ourselves. Such a great start to a fun Saturday night...

Photos: Chic mother and daughter combo at Cologne Christmas Market in Southbank; Tasty burger at Byron; Michael Jackson musical billboard; Liberty department store on Great Marlborough Street.

One Light Equals Ten Bankers

2010-11-26T21:20:00.008+02:00

I was in Canary Wharf the other day running errands. If you have a thing for skyscrapers, like I do, you'll love it. And thanks to the many international banks that are headquartered there, you'll also love it if you're into bankers, or more generally, guys in suits.

Although, I have to say I've started to see business suits as increasingly trivial, thanks to the sheer volume of them I see daily. That's probably the reason why there are so many black tie events in London. How else could people tell work and a special occasions apart?

From Canary Wharf, I headed to a completely different environment: Tottenham in North London. Or in other words: high unemployment, poverty, gangs and gun crime. Yikes! We went there for a Champions League game. Fortunately, nothing bad happened, except that Bremen lost. I also got to experience my first restaurant where you can bring your own alcoholic beverages. How economical and classy!

Just Another Week Living My Dream

2010-11-20T23:14:00.019+02:00

My LA friend Louise and I went to London's Somerset House for lunch and art last Sunday. We ended up seeing the Matthew Williamson photo exhibit, as well as René Gruau's magnificent illustrations for Christian Dior. Louise has been a great resource during my time here, as she always seems to know the latest bars, stores, events and exhibits.

Later in the week, my co-worker Anna and I went to a Finns' networking event at the London School of Economics. I spent the night at Anna's place in Shepherd's Bush and got to meet the household's adopted cat, Vince. The chubby cat probably has a dozen aliases and a bunch of suckers around the neighborhood who feed her. But, she's so cute and cuddly that she can get away with it.

All in all, the week followed familiar patterns. I went to our office in Farnborough, our office in Soho, our agency's office in Mornington Crescent, and also worked from home. I have to say I'm really happy with my job at Smartphone Company. After all the pain and misery looking for jobs last year, I'm now living my dream. How crazy is that?

Photos: Agency coffee lounge area in Mornington Crescent; A lion and Big Ben; Somerset House on the Embankment side; A fallen fall leaf.

Big Brother, Meet Big Ben

2010-11-12T21:56:00.012+02:00

My brother came over for a visit last Friday. We spent the weekend doing touristy things in London which, in this case, mostly meant shopping. It was nice to show my brother around! It made me realize I'm starting to know downtown London quite well and that realization makes me very happy.

Tuesday night we went to The Oat Sheaf in Fleet for one of my co-workers going-away party. The restaurant tries too hard (and not quite nails it) with the food, but it's so cozily decorated that it makes me feel like I'm at a Swiss chalet after ski. I find it incredibly refreshing when people bother dragging their asses to pubs in remote locations. Change of scenery is healthy.

And the activities didn't end after my brother left. Yesterday, our agency took us clients for a long Mad Men inspired drinking lunch. Then later, we went out with our extended team in London. The evening was kick started at a happy hour, then we rode a private double-decker to Bloomsbury Lanes for bowling, pool and karaoke. Following an after party at Little Italy in Soho, a few of us rode back to the hotel in a crammed little rickshaw. So all in all a great night out!

Photos: Big Ben; Cartier store on Old Bond Street; London Eye and fall foliage; Suspicious-looking-yet-delicious chicken and mushroom pie at Market in Camden Town; Sneakers at Nike Town on Oxford Street.

Shopping in the City

2010-10-31T11:12:00.015+02:00

A new mall opened in the financial district of London, the City, on Thursday, so I decided to go there on my way home from an agency meeting. The place is called One New Change, and despite the awful name, it actually has decent low to mid-range shopping with amazing views of St. Paul's Cathedral.

On a side note, I hadn't even realized that the City line from Bank underground station takes you to Waterloo in less than 5 minutes as it makes no stops on the way. May have to integrate that into my future travel plans.

Photos: St Paul's Cathedral from Cannon Street; Main view of St Paul's Cathedral from One New Change; Bread Street; View of Tower 42 from Queen Victoria Street.

Petite Parisienne in London

2010-10-24T12:11:00.013+03:00

My friend Anniina was in London this weekend with her boyfriend J. We got to spend the whole day together on Saturday, shopping around some of the best mainstream shopping areas in London: Knightsbridge, Regent Street and Oxford Street. One of the coolest things I discovered was that Selfridge's now has the largest shoe department in the world with 4,000 pairs of shoes on one floor.

From my friend Louise's recommendation, we had dinner at Inamo, an interactive oriental fusion restaurant in Soho. The interactivity lies in the fact that you order your meal by selecting it with a touch pad on a screen projected to your table. The waiters then only deliver the food to you. Although it is a different, fun concept, they unfortunately still had some execution problems. But thankfully, the food was good.

Earlier in the day, we also tried out Cox Cookies & Cake, a cupcake shop close to our Soho office. That's another cool experience with sinfully delicious cupcakes, neon lights, and hot male employees in black leather aprons. As you can see, with so many visitors arriving, I'm stepping up my game when it comes to being a good host and an in-the-know tour guide!

Photos: Marilyn cupcakes at Cox Cookies & Cake in Soho; Massive stiletto at Selfridge's; Green exterior of Athenaeum Hotel near Green Park; Anniina changing the theme of our table before ordering food at Inamo; Harrod's department store in Knightsbridge.

Mom's Visit to the UK

2010-10-10T18:53:00.012+03:00

These past couple of weeks have actually been quite fun - which is insane considering everything that's been going on. I've had a few good nights out (karaoke) and made new friends, so I guess I'm relatively on track building up a social life from scratch. It's always nice discover that it is possible to meet good people wherever you go.

And what's also great, is that my Mom flew to England on Friday and we got to spend a nice weekend together. We went to see The Lion King (the musical) in London, walked around Guildford, and baked Finnish cinnamon buns. I love my Mom, she's the best.

Photos: Stoke Park Gardens; Finnish cinnamon buns; Sitting on steps in the woods; The Tea Terrace cafe - all in Guildford.

Evening Run Scenery

2010-09-26T15:05:00.013+03:00

Here are some photos I've taken on my evening runs. I usually go to Stoke Park as it's really great for running. My poor knees appreciate running on grass instead of concrete. Can't wait for the full fall foliage! It's going to look amazing out here in the woods.

Photos: A runner and a big tree in Stoke Park; Park entrance; Sunset from behind a fence; London Road train station.

Saturday Chaos at Portobello Market

2010-09-25T22:54:00.007+03:00

Even though I go to London several times a week for work, I rarely have time to spend the whole day exploring the city. After waking up to a beautiful, sunny, fall morning, I decided to head out to the big city for some sightseeing.

One of my chosen destinations today was Portobello Market. It seems to be a popular tourist hangout, especially on Saturdays, as well as a place for street food, street musicians, and vintage clothing. But for a Finn who's used to maintaining her personal bubble, the density of the crowd was a bit too much to handle. Waffles and escape!

Photos: Houses and people on Portobello Road; Asian girls posing with street performers; Fruit stall; Electric Cinema playing "Eat Pray Love".

Bank Holiday Weekend

2010-08-30T18:09:00.008+03:00

It's the final day of a three-day weekend, thanks to August Bank Holiday. Not entirely sure what it means, except that I don't have to go to work today, and frankly, that's good enough for me. This is possibly the only day off I've had, and will have, all year.

I tried a Thai restaurant called Sir & Madam last night. Green curry with chicken and steamed rice was £8.95 and tasted quite authentic. Can't wait to finally make friends here or have some friends over for a visit so I can visit some of the local pubs. I did go out in London last week with my co-workers. So nice to get out of the house for a change!

Photos: River Wey canal; Boat House restaurant; Lido outdoor pool; Alice in Wonderland -esque path through the bushes. With these photos, I can happily conclude that I've photographed everything there is to photograph in Guildford.

A Modern English Village

2010-08-25T20:41:00.016+03:00

I'm delighted to announce that I finally found the energy to head to Guildford Spectrum, the local sports complex. I went there for Body Pump, but you can do all kinds of sports there. They have an ice skating rink, a pool, a gym, a bowling alley, a sports arena with badminton, basketball, and volleyball courts, as well as an outdoor track and field stadium. I'm left with no excuses not to work out!

Photos: Sunset over Castle Street; Tunsgate Square mall; Towards the Western end of the High Street; Two steel balls inside the Jabberwocky Maze on Allen House Grounds; Eastern end of the High Street.

Charming Old Guildford Castle

2010-08-25T19:46:00.016+03:00

Because the weather was suddenly nice on Monday after I got home from work, I walked around town snapping photos. Here are some photos around the Guildford Castle, built in 1066. I'm starting to think that's the main (and possibly only) tourist attraction here. And I did spot some tourists on my walk. Americans in their white sneakers. Spotting them is almost too easy!

Photos: Guildford Castle; View South of the castle; Path leading up to it; View North, overlooking the town center; Another side of the castle.

A Relaxing Weekend

2010-08-22T20:04:00.006+03:00

This weekend was great. There's something comforting about browsing through a thick September issue of a fashion magazine. There's so much hope for the new season, for fashion lovers and advertisers alike. Eating ice cream, taking a bath, shopping for cocktail dresses, watching comedy shows, and lounging in bed with my MacBook - that's what great weekends are made of!

I also walked around Guildford and realized that: A) the town center is very small, B) there are beautiful houses with amazing views up on the hills; C) the main hill is as steep as those in San Francisco, D) there's a very nice outdoor pool here, in case the weather ever gets better.

Baby Steps Around London

2010-08-20T21:37:00.020+03:00

This week, I can finally say I'm starting to settle in. I've taken the train to London several times now to get to work and can navigate the subway pretty well. I made one new friend this week, resulting in invites to two upcoming BBQs, which will presumably be great venues for meeting more people.

New friend count: 2 (to keep this count legitimate, I'll only include people who friend me on Facebook and who I could call).

My first friend Liz was kind enough to show me around London on Sunday. We started our afternoon walk from Waterloo, explored the South bank of the river Thames, and then crossed the Westminster Bridge to get to the other side. As we walked past St James Park, we saw pelicans! I don't think I've ever seen a real life pelican before.

Photos: View from Golden Jubilee Bridges towards the London Eye and Big Ben; A South bank sandcastle performance; Artwork outside The Royal Festival Hall; Pelicans at St James Park; People shopping at Carnaby Street in Soho.

Adjusting to Life in Guildford

2010-08-14T21:38:00.016+03:00

My first week has been interesting, but busy. When you work 9 to 5 and commute over an hour both ways on top of that, you barely have time left in the day. And the funny thing is, all the stores, except the grocery store, close around 5.30PM during the week, so by the time I get home, nothing is open anymore.

Luckily there are the weekends, and London, of course. On Friday, I went shopping in London on my lunch break and realized that our office is in a great shopping area. Makes my life so much easier (and fun)! Also, I was surprised to discover that London has Whole Foods grocery stores, an LA favorite. And that they sell rye bread, a Finnish favorite.

Next on my agenda is to make friends in both cities. I'm already off to a great start: I spoke to at least two dozen new people this week. And I made one new girlfriend. However, what I've come to realize is that meeting new people is easy, getting to know them and letting them into your life - that's the hard part.

Photos: High Street, Guildford's main shopping street; Street sign covered by leaves and a random palm tree; View towards the town from Bright Hill; A pair of shoes I bought from Reiss; A lovely courtyard.

Moving to the UK

2010-08-11T22:47:00.009+03:00

I spent last weekend packing, which was pretty stressful. But, I did make time for a lovely bon voyage brunch at Siltanen with my girls. In the above picture, you can see the Berlin breakfast plate (around 12 euros). I love it how my brother doesn't think there's enough food on there.

Sunday morning, it was time to fly to London and move into my new apartment in Guildford. The apartment is great, I love it. I have a lot of space, an amazing kitchen, there's a pool and a hot tub in the building, and I'm really close to all the stores here. Can't wait to go shopping this weekend!

I started work on Monday, so I've been rushing to the train in the mornings. Interestingly enough, it turns out I'm not just working in one location, as it was originally suggested, but in two different locations. Thankfully, one of the offices is located in downtown London, so I'll get to see much more of the city now.

Exploring Pihlajasaari Island

2010-08-01T18:21:00.005+03:00

Kristiina and I went to Pihlajasaari today. I've been hearing how great the beach is there so I was excited to go for the first time. And it is really nice, at least for Finland! If you're interested in going, the boat leaves from Café Carusel in Merisatama and a return trip costs 5.50 euros.

We had a nice time on the island, walking around. We even visited the nude beach there by accident. As soon as we realized everyone else was naked, we made a 180 degree turn and escaped quickly. For lunch, we went to the only restaurant on the island. I had salmon soup, which turned out to be a safe option. Must go back next summer!

Photos: Me on a dock; View of the Baltic Sea; Colorful huts and sand on the beach; A pretty little shell I stumbled upon; A sail boat we spotted on our way back.

The Shortest Trip to Paris

2010-07-19T16:18:00.012+03:00

I was in Paris again this past weekend for a brief visit. I flew in Friday night after work and flew back home Sunday evening, which meant that I needed to focus my touristic efforts on Saturday. It was great seeing Anniina again! I'm happy she's enjoying her life there.

So what did I do in Paris this time? I spent Saturday morning shopping the soldes. My first stop was COS in Marais. I then took the subway to Opera and made my way towards Louvre and beyond from there. Plenty of walking involved! In the afternoon, Anniina and I went out for lunch and shopping around Saint-German. On our way back we walked through the Jardin du Luxembourg. Oddly enough, the weather was cooler in Paris than it was in tropical Helsinki.

After a refreshing nap, we got champagne from the grocery store and started our little pre-party. Because we wanted to dress up (Anniina even did my hair), we went to Kong, the restaurant and club made famous internationally by SATC. It's a cool venue, although definitely one of those places where beautiful people get together, and where (rich, generally) older guys meet (model hot) younger women. Paris seems to have a lot of that going on in general.

Sunday, we slept in and then went to the city for lunch. Surprisingly few stores are open in Paris on Sundays. Apparently the rule is that you can keep the store open if it has touristic value (located in Champs-Élysées), if it's a flower shop, if you have just one employee, or if you don't respect the rules. And some don't. Finns would never dare to disobey the rules like that!

Photos: Jardin du Luxemburg; A French flag in Vavin; A delicious strawberry cup; Opera; Anniina and I out for lunch; View towards the Eiffel Tower from Le Pont Neuf bridge.

Rooftop Terrace Birthday Party

2010-07-11T13:03:00.013+03:00

I turned 25 on Friday, but organized a party the previous weekend because the space I wanted to use would've not been available any later. It all came together at the last moment as it turned out that I was, in fact, allowed to keep my reservation to TBWA's recreational penthouse in Kamppi, even though I'm not an employee anymore.

The party was fun! There was a lot of vodka cranberry punch and sparkling wine for my guests to get their drink on. I was glad Anniina was able to make it, as she is living in Paris and not in town all that regularly. Kristiina also came and was nice enough to help me organize things, but unfortunately, Senja couldn't make it as she's currently traveling around Asia.

I've been quite happy with the way this summer has turned out. Besides the exceptional weather, I honestly enjoy going to work every day. I get to work on exciting projects with extremely talented international people. And in about four weeks, I'll be heading to our UK office for some months for an international assignment. Can't wait to reunite with my LA friend Tarvi in London!

Photos: Me on the rooftop deck; Senate Square for general summer night mood; Anniina and her boyfriend Jordan; View from the penthouse towards Torni around 4AM.

Summer Weekends in Suomenlinna

2010-07-11T09:12:00.009+03:00

The weather has been amazing the past few weeks. Kristiina and I have had so much fun going to the Suomenlinna Sea Fortress on the weekends. Although it's a popular tourist spot and a great place for tanning, picnics and weddings, there are also people who live there year-around. The island ferry leaves from the main market square Kauppatori and the ride is "free" for those of us with a valid public transportation pass. For others, it's around 2 euros.

Photos: Kristiina tanning on a rock; Suomenlinna vegetation; Maija's 25th birthday picnic; Boats in the Baltic Sea; Me on the bridge next to the ferry; Anna and Kristiina walking down a bridge; Kristiina posing with a French poster as a tribute to her time in Paris.

A Holy Matrimony

2010-06-22T19:11:00.010+03:00

I attended my 19-year-old cousin's wedding in the beginning of June, but have been slow to report. I can't believe she got married so young. Now, I'm officially an old maid. Not that I really care. At almost 25, I still have a few good years ahead of me. Above, a few photos I took around the Hollola Stone Church and at the after party in Lahti.

Attending a church wedding made me realize how nonreligious I am. Considering that I'm agnostic, I don't think I could have my wedding ceremony in a church. It would feel fake. I'm sure my ultra-religious grandparents are now turning in their graves. Too bad.

Having switched jobs recently, life has been quite hectic. I've enjoyed my new job. It's great to be back in marketing and working with men again. They're a whole different breed, but it's a welcomed change. I'm learning a lot and having fun!

Football Weekend in Berlin

2010-05-17T20:34:00.013+03:00

My brother Unne and I traveled to Berlin this past weekend for the German Cup final. Our trip got off to a not-so-great start after landing at Tegel airport. It turned out someone had called in a bomb threat for our plane while we were in the air. Thanks to the call, we were greeted by ambulances and the German FBI and had to remain in a secured area for nearly three hours.

After we were finally allowed to leave the airport, we checked into our hotel near the Zoologischer Garten. Later that night, we went to a sky bar called Solar, recommended to me by my Berlin friend Helle. What a cool place! We had dinner at the restaurant on the 17th floor and then cocktails at the 'intimate' lounge bar on the 18th floor.

The next day, we went shopping in Kurfürstendamm and Friedrichstrasse. I bought two pairs of shoes, a pair of jeans and two skirts. This was possibly the first time in my life when I managed to out-shop my highly stylish brother.

Later on, we headed to the Olympic Stadium for the Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich game. It was incredibly chilly out, but the stadium was huge and the atmosphere great. The crowd was cheering and singing their teams' songs. Unfortunately, our team, Bremen, lost 4-0.

My brother's friend who plays for Bremen invited us to the team party at Spindler & Klatt in Kreuzberg. I got to see many of the players up close, although honestly, I have no idea who they are. From there, we eventually took the party to FELIX. I had such a fun night out with the boys! We were literally the last people to leave the club. Seems like we Finns always need someone to tell us it's time to go home.

Photos: Rainy Kurfürstendamm; Soccer promotion at Nike Town where fans got their picture taken and put up on the wall; German Cup final at the Olympic Stadium; Bremen supporters with their green flags; My brother and a mystery lady at the Wittenbergplatz subway station; Ice cream at Ice Cream; Park in front of KaDeWe.

A Fun Vappu in Helsinki

2010-05-02T09:31:00.007+03:00

Friday was the eve of Vappu, or in other words: mandatory party day in Finland. It was Senja's first Vappu in Helsinki, so she wanted to witness the "Mantan lakitus", where a high school graduation cap is placed on the head of the Havis Amanda statue. There were so many people it was impossible to move. God, I hate crowds.

From there, I took Senja to our Mikkeli reunion spot on the steps of the Helsinki Cathedral and introduced her to some of my old classmates. There, we met a few Scandinavian Google guys who were in town visiting a friend of mine, their old co-worker from Dublin. We decided to join forces and all went out together for cocktails, and then later karaoke and dancing. Such a fun night out!

Here's What Spring Looks Like

2010-04-11T10:45:00.007+03:00

Amazing weather over the weekend! Senja and I took some photos in front of Stockmann on Saturday to celebrate the occasion. I'm starting to love Saturdays again. Late lunches followed by cocktails with friends. So much fun. Suddenly, I feel like I live in a city filled with great friends. How did I ever get so distracted to think otherwise?

Happy Easter and Hello Spring!

2010-04-02T11:56:00.006+03:00

Here's my loyal companion for the holidays: Lindt Bunny. He's a cheap date. I'm sure there's a rule about not getting too attached to your chocolate bunny... His survival past Easter looks unlikely as I already lick the foil while he's asleep. BTW, yesterday was the first day of spring here in Helsinki. Sunny, +6.5°C! Can't wait for summer!

Printemps À Paris

2010-03-08T13:19:00.015+02:00

I visited Anniina in Paris this past weekend for the second time. It was extremely nice to escape the snow and break away from my routines. Spring was almost there, although it got cooler towards the end of my trip.

I arrived late Thursday night and was supposed to take the RER B train to the city. Unfortunately, it had stopped running early so I got close to being stranded at the airport. Thankfully, a local business man who sat next to me on the plane was going in the same direction as I was, so we ended up sharing a taxi.

Friday, Anniina had to work (she works in marketing at a cosmetics company) so we just met up for lunch. I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Opera neighborhood and visited some shops, including the renowned department stores Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.

Later that night, we went to Salon International de L'Agriculture, a state fair of sorts, at the Paris Expo. Besides farm animals, they had designated areas for French food and world food. The French hall was interesting, as besides continental France, they also had booths for places like Tahiti, Martinique, Madagascar, and Guadeloupe. The Caribean rum punch turned out to be quite dangerous.

Saturday, Anniina and I started the day with pizza at Pink Flamingo in Marais. Afterward, we went to Centre Pompidou's observation deck for the magnificent views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower. We also had a fun night out somewhere in Paris, but I actually had the most fun while we were still at Anniina's reading French Vogue, drinking champagne and watching the traffic on the Périphérique.

Sunday we managed to visit the Vanves flea market before it was time for me to go. I had a pleasant flight home. I found it very relaxing to be above the clouds, looking at the shapes of the shoreline and watching the pink sunset over the frozen ground.

Photos: The Eiffel Tower from Pompidou's observation deck; View of a rooftop garden from Pompidou; Rue de Castiglione; A woman unable to walk properly in her super high high heels; American Apparel store door sign; Pizza at Pink Flamingo; Galeries Lafayette; View of the Périphérique from Anniina's kitchen; Mojitos in candle light.

Sunday's Cake Lovin'

2010-02-26T17:21:00.003+02:00

Last Sunday, Kristiina and I went to Kakkugalleria for some all-you-can-eat cake in celebration of her 25th birthday. (They charge 11 euros for tea/coffee and cake.) The slices were so big that we ended up sharing. Here's a delicious piece of chocolate cake. By the way, I can't wait for my trip next week! So excited, I want to start packing already.

Trent Visits Finland

2010-02-12T19:13:00.012+02:00

My dear friend Trent was visiting Helsinki (and Finland) for the first time this week. I tried to be a good host and show him as much as possible while he was here and I think overall I did a good job. The goal was to make him like the city in the winter so he can come back in the summer and love it.

Knowing how Trent enjoys political history, I took him for a tour of the Parliament of Finland Saturday. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the topic. She explained everything from Finland's history to how the parliament works. An interesting detail in the building itself is the paternoster elevator that only MPs are allowed to use.

I introduced Trent to Finnish food. I made him try the two seasonal treats: laskiaispulla, a sweet bun served around Sledding Day, and Runebergintorttu, a pastry honoring Finland's national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg. I made him some Finnish crêpes, which are thicker than French ones. We also went to a few Finnish restaurants for traditional Finnish cuisine.

Overall, it was a fun, hectic week! It was cool that Trent finally got to meet a few of my friends and my brother, considering that I've made friends with a lot of his friends over the years. I'm really happy that he was invited to speak at a seminar here so he had to come.

Photos: Trent standing on the steps of the Parliament of Finland; Where all the decisions are made; Parliament cafeteria; Stacked plates at the cafeteria; Helsinki Cathedral; View from Trent's hotel room at Klaus K. on Bulevardi.

Winter Cruise to Stockholm

2010-01-11T13:40:00.009+02:00

Last weekend, my friends and I went on a Silja Line cruise to Stockholm. We had a great time catching up as we haven't spend much time together since high school. Whereas Kristiina and I went on to study business, Maija and Riikka studied design together in Lapland. But now that we all live in Helsinki, we can go on fun cruises together.

We spent Saturday shopping and walking around Stockholm. We started day by having brunch at String in the Södermalm neighborhood. They have an inexpensive brunch for just 65 kronor (6.5 euros), which included pancakes, among other things. Afterward, we continued the day downtown because our fingers and toes were freezing, even indoors. Berlin-like Södermalm is too cool for heating it appears.

Photos: Riikka reading a map at Café String; shopping for tax-free cosmetics at ship; Åhléns department store; Riikka and Maija on Drottninggatan shopping promenade; Silja Line and Tallink cruise ships in the Stockholm harbor.

New Year's Masquerade

2010-01-01T14:28:00.004+02:00

My new American friend Leyla organized a cool masquerade on New Year's Eve. Here's a lovely photo of Senja and I at the party. Hope you all had as much fun as I did saying hello to 2010!

A Little Summary of 2009

2009-12-22T20:32:00.007+02:00

I believe it's time for the annual report. And oh, I did get a new job offer from my current employer. Although it's just for another 3 months, and then, hopefully the economy will skyrocket and I can get a more permanent contract.

+ Finished Master's thesis
+ Visited Barcelona, Budapest, Tallinn, Pärnu and Paris
+ Got an amazing job
+ Made great new friends at new job
+ Amazingly inexpensive apartment
+ Improved financial standing
+ Beautiful summer
+ Had someone to lean on and laugh with
+ Got closer to the truth

- Interviewed for 30 different positions
- Spent most of the year within four walls and on the computer
- Two closest friends moved to Paris
- Dealing with uncertainty
- Felt emotionally drained at times by job hunt, thesis and love life

As I've said in previous years: what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

In The Dark

2009-11-28T15:49:00.007+02:00

At this point I have two months of work behind me, one month ahead. It's been fun! I like the people there and I like how they give me good feedback. No clue what I'll do after my contract ends. Let me know if you have a great job for me! Otherwise, I need to continue the job hunt, which I have already started.

It's strange to think I could be leaving Finland again. Not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I love traveling, nice weather, meeting new people and exploring new cities. On the other hand, I hate loneliness, packing, bureaucracy and feeling out of place. And it's a bit crazy to buy the same IKEA furniture ten times. You could just stay home, light up euro bills and watch them burn.

Photos: Mary Poppins billboard at Lasipalatsi; Old bus station and new bus station Kamppi.

The Little Joys In Life

2009-11-06T18:55:00.008+02:00

Yay, Pocky! I got some the other day from Tokyokan, the Japanese grocery store here in Helsinki. I love the strawberry ones! I used to buy them in Macau all the time, they're really good. There's also a store called Behnfords in World Trade Center Plaza that sells imported goods from the US and the UK. Cool, even though it does ruin the concept of bringing "tuliaiset" (=gifts from abroad).

I went to the sauna last night for the first time since last winter. There has always been a sauna in my building, but I haven't felt comfortable going there alone because it's a bit creepy at night. But, now that my relatively-new-neighbor Katja agreed to come with me, I finally got to go. It was really relaxing, I need to go more often. Helps you sleep.

The night before, Senja and I visited the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art. I've yet to see the Picasso exhibit in Ateneum, the Finnish National Gallery. The paintings will be there until the beginning of January 2010, so there's still some time left. I can't believe this year is coming to an end soon. It's gone by incredibly fast!

Falling For Fall Foliage

2009-11-02T21:47:00.012+02:00

I walked home from the gym Saturday morning and took these wonderful photos with my phone. I still have a hard time understanding how getting home from downtown takes just 5 minutes by subway, but 40 minutes by foot? That's a proper workout!

I feel like my work is interfering with my workouts. And not just work, the days are getting shorter again so it's practically impossible to run in daylight outside office hours (which in Finland are 8 AM to 4PM). I need to get back on track! Photos: Eläintarhantie, towards Hakaniemi

First Weeks At New Job

2009-10-23T19:58:00.018+03:00

Having started at my new job, I've been quite busy lately. I have been dying to blog about my experiences, but I've been missing photos. Today, I finally managed to take some pics. Yay! Unfortunately, when I did my camera tour, the meeting rooms were all booked which meant I wasn't able to photograph them. I'll definitely do that later, they're pretty cool.

What I love about the office: free candy on Fridays and stacks of free newspapers and magazines to take home every day. I've always been hooked on print media, so as silly as it sounds, this is a dream come true. After working for a cheap German company, I even appreciate my new fancy laptop and phone. There's also a masseur that comes in a few times a week and offers his services for the price of a movie ticket. Working people have it so good!

Even though I enjoy the agency life, I'm only there half a week. I spend the other half at a client's office because I'm their new part-time publicist. It's a Finnish multinational company, which means I get to write in Finnish and English. Their office has a fish pond and a nice restaurant with inexpensive buffet lunches (dessert included), so it's a win-win.

In case you're wondering what I do at the agency: I work with the rest of the PR team, trying to get exposure for products or brands in the media, as well as developing strategies and messages for our clients' internal and external communications. We have some great brands as clients so I find the work quite exciting! I love brands and products. Although more in a business sense; I'm only a recreational shopper.

Hired! And So The Adult Life Begins

2009-10-02T18:09:00.004+03:00

Yay! I got a job today after about a 100 applications and 25 interviews. Starting from next week, I'll be working at a Helsinki marketing communications agency that's part of a well-known global advertising agency network. I hope this brings hope to all of you looking for jobs out there. Don't give up, your next great job is just around the corner! [Photo: Avinguda Diagonal 1, Barcelona]

A Long Weekend in Paris

2009-09-29T13:11:00.024+03:00

As you can see from the pictures, I traveled to Paris last week. I arrived there on Thursday, but was too tired to do anything that night. Friday, Anniina and I went walking around the city and bought a lovely 12-pack of macaroons. We sat down on a park bench to eat them. I liked the beige (vanilla?) and brown (chocolate) ones. The poison green ones are pistachio. Overall, quite decadent and delicious, although six was maybe a few too many for one person. Macaroon OD!

In the afternoon, I went to Louvre and D'Orsay. I finally saw the Mona Lisa. It was really nice not to have to pay anything to get in because in Paris, you can visit most museums for free when you're under 26 and an EU resident. Also, on the weekends, you can buy the public transportation day pass for about 3-4 euros when you're under 26. That would take you to the airport and Versailles quite inexpensively.

Friday night, Anniina organized a party at their house. Kristiina and Helene were there, as well as my old co-worker from Spreadshirt, Camille. She brought along Emmanuel, the French Country Manager, who I met a few times at Spreadshirt offices in Leipzig and Berlin. We ended up going out to a club that was on a boat, assumingly on the river Seine.

Saturday, Anniina and I woke up late and had crêpes for our afternoon breakfast at Montmartre. On our way there, we walked past Moulin Rouge. When we got to the top of the hill, there were a lot of people (tourists) sitting on the steps of the Sacre C œ ur church. Not a big fan of the crowds, we quickly left and went out for sushi around the Bastille area. I had tuna and salmon maki and California rolls. It's been a while! After we ate, we went out for Mojitos near by.

Because we took it easy Saturday night, we had a lot of energy on Sunday. After finishing all of Jordan's yummy homemade waffles, we decided to go up the Eiffel Tower. We walked all the way up to the 2nd floor, but then took the elevator to the top from there. The view was amazing! Paris is HUGE! And all the buildings looked really white. Sunday night, we went to an English-French quiz night and then to a karaoke bar from there. The bar was called St. Michel, so in Finnish: we were in Mikkeli. Home away from home!

Pictures (from top): In front of the Louvre glass pyramid; View down from the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower; View North from the top of the Eiffel Tower; Jordan's homemade waffles with banana slices and maple syrup; Crowd flocking around the Mona Lisa at Louvre; Sacre Cœur at Montmartre; Posing with the Eiffel Tower; A box of macaroons; Anniina sizing up a macaroon.

PS. I think I did a good job trying to speak French! Turns out Anniina and I had the same French book "Sur le vif" back in the day. Depeche-toi, Jacques!

Close To Graduation!

2009-09-05T18:41:00.005+03:00

I have wonderful news! I finally finished my Master's thesis earlier this week. Now, if I would only find a job, I could go ahead and graduate. But until then, I'm doing a second minor in Digital Media Studies. As much as I don't mind going to classes and having a lot of free time, I would trade it in a second for a career, a nice apartment, and some hard cash.

Lahti From A Tourist's Perspective

2009-08-23T14:12:00.014+03:00

I was visiting my parents in Lahti again this weekend and realized that most of the photos on my blog that have been taken there look quite depressing. So I wanted to change that! I went around the city pretending to be a tourist, and in the process, actually bumped into real tourists from the UK. The weather was great Friday and Saturday, although you could definitely sense that fall is almost here.

While I was walking around Lahti, I realized what an athletic city its is. There are two track and field stadiums and a ski jumping stadium right downtown. And in Kisapuisto, you can do all kinds of sports in summer time. I saw people play soccer, tennis, oudoor floorball, basketball, and beach volleyball, right next to each other. In the winter, there's snowboarding, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and ice skating in Lahti.

What's even cooler is that there are lakes everywhere. There is lake Vesijärvi, where the marina is, Pikku-Vesijärvi with a nice big park around it, and several other small lakes with their own beaches. In the summer, you can also swim in the pool that's on the bottom of the ski jumping slope (you can't see it in the picture here because it had closed already).

Photos (from top): Lahti City Hall designed by Eliel Saarinen in 1911; Salpausselkä Skiing Stadium; Lahti marina; Lahti Historical Museum in what used to be the former main building of Lahti Manor House, built in 1889; British tourists photographing the fountain in front of the museum; The Musical Fountain next to pond Pikku-Vesijärvi; The Museo wing of my former school, Lahden yhteiskoulu, finished in 1899. I went to school there between the ages of 11 and 18.

Like A Hurricane

2009-08-18T11:29:00.009+03:00

Last night, I biked to Ultimate Frisbee practice, but when I got there, this huge dark cloud had also arrived. Luckily, the cloud suddenly began to withdraw and our game was not interrupted by rain. Eventually, the sun even came out.

I've been playing frisbee all summer long now and hopefully we'll get to go on all through September. Not only is weather an issue, but also as days get shorter, it will get too dark too early for us to play.

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love Ultimate Frisbee. It's the most fun game there is! I get to run like crazy, strategize, practice my throws and catches, and be competitive. What's not to love?

Summer Days In Barcelona

2009-08-14T11:04:00.016+03:00

As a graduation present, my Mom took me to Barcelona last week. We had an amazing time there! The city is extremely beautiful and has my three favorites: sunshine, palm trees, and the beach. Our hotel was in a quiet neighborhood, close to the beach and right next to the Diagonal Mar mall (which in our experience had the best shopping in all of Barcelona).

The trip made me realize that I should really start studying Spanish. I learned so many new words and the pronunciation comes quite naturally for a Finnish speaker. Whereas in Germany, I always felt extremely self-conscious about trying speak German, I had less problems trying to express myself in Spanish.

Photos (from top): On Avinguda Diagonal with the Agbar Tower in the background; Rooftop patio café at MACBA; Clouds in the sky at Diagonal Mar; View over Barcelona from Tibidabo mountain; Tibidabo amusement park; Sitting on a bench at Bogatell beach; Barceloneta beach.

Visiting Budapest

2009-07-28T23:24:00.008+03:00

On Monday, we left our country side accommodation behind and booked a hotel in Budapest.

Since we had such limited time, we decided to go see the typical sites: the main shopping promenade Vaci Utca, the Great Market Hall, and the Danube river, which divides the city into two areas: Buda and Pest. Thanks to David's recommendation, we had lunch in his old neighborhood. Because our hotel was in the 7th district, near the wonderful five-star New York Palace Hotel, we went there for ice cream later in the evening.

Photos (from top): Erzsebet Bridge; View of the Danube river from the Erzsebet Bridge; Square at the North end of Vaci Utca; Shoppers on Vaci Utca; Great Market Hall; New York Palace Hotel restaurant.

Formula 1 Grand Prix in Hungary

2009-07-28T22:03:00.015+03:00

This past weekend, I was in Hungary with my family for the annual Hungaroring Formula 1 Grand Prix. My Dad celebrated his 60th birthday last fall, and after having had a big party for his 50th birthday, we decided to do this low-key family trip this time around. Much more fun, if you ask me!

I had never been to a race before so I was excited to see how it all goes down. At the qualifying, we got more than we bargained for after Ferrari's Felipe Massa crashed his car at Saturday's qualifying, right in front of our eyes. It seems like he's made a lot of progress since and is now on the road to recovery. That's great news and even more so knowing that his wife is currently 6 months pregnant with their first child.

Sunday's race was cool and much less dramatic. They drive insanely fast and so loud that you have to wear earplugs. The audience was mostly male, European, and shockingly, only mildly intoxicated. Besides the race, I couldn't stop staring at the mountains in the horizon. It was beautiful. Hungary is also great for star-gazing at night.

Considering what a non-American sport Formula 1 is, I was pleasantly surprised to see Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls there, supporting her British boyfriend (and the winner of the race) Lewis Hamilton. A little Hollywood flare is exactly what F1 needs... Not just dirty old Flavio Briatore banging all the supermodels.

Photos (from top): Watching the race in the Danube section; Race cars and the audience; F1 cowboy fashion; My healthy meal choice with turkey, potatoes and a Heineken; Ambulances at Massa's crash site.

Afternoon At The Amusement Park

2009-07-23T22:17:00.008+03:00

My brother and I went to the Linnanmäki amusement park today here in Helsinki. I hadn't been there in maybe 10 years so I was really excited about everything! That is until my brother wanted us to go on the Pirate Ship. Even though I felt sick just looking at it, I decided to go and see if I'd like it this time around... I walked out completely pale and dizzy. But it's all good. By that time, both of us were ready to go home.

The photos (from top): Posing with my new best friend, the French Fry Man; View from the top of the Ferris wheel towards Kallio Church; On top of the Ferris wheel with my brother; with the Töölö Bay in the background; One of the rides I went on; Waterfall; Trying to find my way out of a maze.

Where City Meets Country

2009-07-18T16:58:00.011+03:00

Here's a mixed collection of summer photos from Helsinki that hopefully show the versatility of the city. Living practically downtown, I rarely leave the peninsula to explore the Northern part. However, this past weekend I decided to go on a bike ride to see what's out there.

And what did I find? Green fields and a river, just 7km (4 miles) from downtown. I was actually surprised to discover that there is a hint of farmlife within the borders of in Helsinki. It also turned out that the city is very bike-friendly, although the freeways are always there, regardless of the city, to make navigating a bit more challenging for the pedaling man.

The photos (from top): Kids playing on the Hietaniemi beach; Green fields in the Viikki neighborhood; View from Makasiini terminal towards the Helsinki Cathedral; Vantaa River flowing into the Gulf of Finland in Helsinki's Vanhakaupunki; Mannerheimintie at midnight in June.

Birthday Weekend In Pärnu

2009-07-13T15:14:00.017+03:00

This past weekend, three of my friends and I went to Pärnu in Estonia to celebrate my birthday. Our Lindaline ferry was canceled on our way there as it was too windy so we had to take the bigger cruise ship to Tallinn. From there, we took the bus to Pärnu. The weather was nice Friday, but unfortunately on Saturday it rained so we couldn't go to the beach.

It was nice to visit Pärnu with Helene because it's her hometown and she speaks Russian and Estonian. This was my third and Kristiina's second time there. Senja was a first timer so it was cool to show her around town. Helene was really excited about everything and made sure we tried all the local delicacies. Such as the Famous Dutch Meatball. Hmm...

Photos (from top): Kristiina and I sitting on some steps; Georg, the classic Pärnu restaurant on Rüütli, the main shopping promenade; Hotell Pärnu, the Soviet style hotel in the center of the city; The Famous Dutch Meatball; Hotel floating on the Pärnu river; (below:) Lifeguard booth on the beach; Our hotel, Scandic Beach Hotel, and a changing room; The beach at midnight.

Just One Of The Flamingos

2009-07-02T21:04:00.007+03:00

To enjoy the last day of the on-going heatwave, Senja and I went to the Helsinki Zoo today. The zoo is located on an island called Korkeasaari, which is also the zoo's Finnish name. Although it's possible to get there by land, we decided to take the ferry from Kauppatori. The ride is only about 10-15 minutes.

During our visit, we got to see a tiger, lions, bears, snakes, peafowls, wallabies, baboons and all kinds of other interesting creatures. My favorites were the flamingos and the peafowls because they look stunning. The tiger seemed like a big kitty cat when he was taking his afternoon nap. I would really like a pet so maybe he can come stay with me when the zoo people go on vacation.

Photos: Flamingos and my 'flamingo pose'; A peafowl running around; Senja and one of the animals that all look alike; A big bird; Tiger's nap time.

Weekend Party Pics

2009-06-28T20:33:00.011+03:00

Great weather made a comeback! Friday night, we went drinking at Koff Park which is a popular pre-bar hang out place. The park was packed! I bumped into some of my old high school friends there. It's funny that everyone's moved to Helsinki, or at least visit often. I know more people here than I should.

Saturday, Anniina and I went to two parties. The HSE 'pool party' on the roof was very frat party like... Couldn't take it for more than 10 minutes. But luckily, James' BBQ was a lot of fun! I got to meet new people and mingle with the international design crowd.

Photos (from top): Senja and Valtsu's speakers; the park and the pink sky; Anniina and I; Anniina at pool party; Anniina at BBQ. Guess which party Anniina liked better?

Midsummer Flames

2009-06-21T13:27:00.008+03:00

I was in Lahti for the Midsummer holidays and walked to the marina Friday night to watch the traditional bonfire. The weather wasn't too pretty, but luckily it didn't rain. Besides that, I mostly wrote my thesis all weekend and then Saturday night, I went to see my Dad's band play.

These are the longest days of the year here with the sun rising around 4AM each morning and setting at 11PM at night (in Southern Finland). It's sad to think that now, again, it's all downhill from here. The inevitable countdown to the dark winter has begun.

Helsinki Summer Photos

2009-06-18T21:41:00.007+03:00

Here are a few Helsinki photos from my camera phone... In case you foreigners wonder what it looks like around here in the summer. My thesis is coming along great! I should be able to hand in the first half on Monday if I get some writing done this weekend.

Just Another Week

2009-06-08T23:03:00.004+03:00

Like wonderful weather so often, the sunny period didn't last. This past week the weather was cool and cloudy, or in other words, typical Finnish summer. I voted in the EU elections, went to a job interview in Vantaa (for a job I didn't really want, or get), and wrote my thesis. Quite an uneventful week really.

Friday night, Anniina and I went to see my Nokia thesis supervisor Dan's band play. The event was actually pretty cool, because besides the band, they also had a burlesque show as well as Phil hosting and doing his stand-up. I've never seen a burlesque performance, and I've never seen Phil do stand-up live, so there are two things I can check off my list now. All in all, it was a fun night! I should really go out more often, especially now that it's summer.

I feel like I've been bad for not having taken any outdoor photos lately, so here's a photo of me from a week ago. Posts are always more fun with photos. Not sure if anyone noticed or cares, but I changed my blog header, and I guess the name of my blog as well. I've never really thought of this blog as having a real name and I haven't really tried to brand it. I guess I'm still waiting for the right name to come along.

Saturday By The Pool

2009-05-30T14:56:00.008+03:00

Senja and I went to the Helsinki Swimming Stadium pool today. Originally made for the 1940 Olympics (which were canceled because of the war) the stadium was eventually used in the 1952 Olympics. These days, the pool it's in recreational use - so in other words: it's in my use.

The weather was wonderful today and it should stay that way for the next couple of days. I like! I tan! My life has a sense of purpose again now that I'm determined to get a good tan this summer. I realized though that SPF 20 is too effective for this latitude... Need to get less protective sunscreen to maximize benefit.

Summer Forecast

2009-05-24T19:31:00.005+03:00

Summer is here, I'm so excited! Since I'm still unemployed (=student), I'll have a pretty flexible schedule this summer. My thesis does need to be 95% done by mid-July so I need to put some serious effort into that. But, when I'm not writing my thesis, I'll probably be tanning on the beach or on our rooftop patio, or working out. I booked a kayaking trip through my gym, but that won't be until later this summer. That's going to be so much fun though, I haven't been kayaking since Leipzig!

The next few months are going to be pretty interesting because my friends are in motion. My Macau roommate Senja's moving to Helsinki today (for good), which is awesome. Danielle and Tarvi will both be visiting Helsinki... Then unfortunately in August, Anniina and Kristiina are moving to Paris, Anniina for her man and Kristiina for school. I have to go visit! Unfortunately, that also means that I need to keep my eyes open for more cool girls to hang out with.

I've booked a few trips for summer too (only Europe though). Stay tuned! I'll definitely have a lot of photos and stories to post when I'm abroad again. But that said, I've been really happy now in Finland. I love having my own space, my own stuff, as well as my friends and loved ones! This is a pretty nice country after all (if you speak Finnish).

The Coolest Neighbors

2009-05-14T20:26:00.007+03:00

We've kept quiet about the fact that Kristiina has a celebrity neighbor, Usher. But now, Shrek has also moved to her building in Punavuori. Celebs are flocking to Helsinki. You heard it here first!

Golf And The Green

2009-05-04T18:32:00.011+03:00

Saturday, Kristiina invited me to Mäntsälä (30min North of Helsinki) to play golf and have dinner with her Dad and her stepmom. They've been renovating their house there for the past 10 years and it's starting to look really nice. The house actually made me think about how it wouldn't be that bad to live in a house, because you could have parties and BBQs, and all that fun stuff. Great night!

Doesn't Kristiina look amazing in this photo?? Such a pro!