New Café!

In the spring a new cafè opened its' doors in Vallila: 

Kahvila Suvanto!

One of my dearest friends lives closeby and she'd already visited, so ofcourse we made a date there asap!

This took place in July in one of the warmest days, and it is the sweetest thing to remember now!

I liked the enterior and the atmosphere, and their chocolate cake was goood!

They serve breakfast too with porridge, muesli and such, and is situated in the corner of Suvannontie and Mäkelänkatu. Beautiful Puu-Vallila is right around the corner!

I thought this place would be the perfect place to sit down and just be, read a book or chat with a friend on a rainy Autumn-day!

I want more places like these!!

Afterwards I walked a little in the sweet streets of Puu-Vallila!

     

Go visit Suvanto, you'll like it for sure!

Brunch time!

One of the best brunches in town takes place in the traditional Café Ekberg.

It is so delicious and there's plenty of it!

Especially their scrambled eggs! I had forgotten about that completely! I think it's made in the oven, it's like a jelly cake! Really good!

We were just the two of us, my Mother and myself, oh, quality time, sparkling too!

And the sun was shining outside when we left and walked a little and made some shopping!

Beautiful Sunday!

I love the interior! It brings the likes of Elite, Kolme Kruunua and Sea Horse to mind. Very classy!

Later on I went to visit my dear, dear friend and her newborn baby boy!!

It was beyond beautiful, so cute, so delicate, so breathtaking, and she herself did an amazing job! I'm so happy for the whole family, heart is still overwhelmed!!

Oh!!

Happy Monday everyone!!

Out and about!

Today we woke up to a beautiful sunshine!

So many rainy mornings during this week, but today I put on my sweats and went for an hour-long power walk with the intoxicating tunes of Gotan Project from my iPod.

Now there's a band worth giving a try if it's new to you! I LOVE their music!

I felt so good afterwards, this was a perfect way to start Friday!

Later on I went to check out what's new in Frida Marina, had a salad for lunch in GoodPie Bakery, and a cup of heavenly tea in Villipuutarha!

I also visited Ansa, one of the vintage shops of Kallio, in Fleminginkatu.

I've never really found anything from there, but I like to visit every now and then. It's really cute and again the owner is so sweet!

It's not always about finding something, it's also the atmosphere, to get to live in the middle of a fairytale, past era, touch and smell the dresses, gloves, scarfs, imagine yourself as Grace Kelly for a brief moment!

Grace Kelly with dark hair, that is!

Oh, sweet imagination, don't ever go away!

I've written to you about Villipuutarha before, but it's just a fact that everytime I step in, it feels like it was the first time! A little piece of heaven it is!

This suits my mood perfectly, I can keep on dreaming!

Have a fabulous Friday, dear Friends!!

Rain & Sunshine!

In the morning I thought what to do since the rain was quite heavy. I wanted to go swimming to Uimastadion but would've gotten myself all wet before even reaching the pool, so I was puzzled.

Swimming itself is nice when it's raining. Kind of reminds me of Pippi Longstocking when she decided to water all the flowers outside even when it was pouring down!

But the logistics in me getting to Stadika at that weather made me change my route into tram no.8 and Kallio swimming hall!

And it was so perfect! As if the hall would've still been asleep, it was very calm and quiet, I had my own track and swam away my 1100 meters, aah!

After I got outside, sun had come out!

I had an amazing salad for lunch in Café Cardemumma. I was heading to Café Villipuutarha, but apparently it's closed on Mondays, but I don't think I could've gotten happier anywhere else this time than Cardemumma!

Have you had salads there?

I hadn't, and it was really good!

Loads of main ingredients to choose from: falafel, salmon, cheeses, chicken etc., but the base impressed me the most! Not just the regular tomato-cucumber-lettuce, but broccoli, cauliflower, black and white beans, corn, berries...! Beautiful!

I ate with a good appetite and left very happy!

Go and have a try, it's in Kaarlenkatu, right next door to Villipuutarha!

I headed for a cup of tea to the lippakioski in Karhupuisto and enjoyed the surprising sun beams!

I'm feeling good and relaxed, hope you're too! 

I was so hungry at Cardemumma that I forgot to take pictures!

My bloodsugar reached its normal level again by the time I got to the park so 

camera was ready again!

I also checked out Hoochie Mama's new location, she's moved to Agricolankatu! Nice!

Have to make a proper visit another time, but there's she is!

See you soon, my dears!

A day at the beach!

Oh sweet sunshine shining on me like this!

I hopped on my bike and drove to Munkkiniemi beach today! 

Had a salmon salad and some tea with milk&honey in the thermos, took a dip in the sea and had lunch! Aaahh, heavenly!

I like this beach a lot, it's small and cozy. Yesterday a bike trip to Mustikkamaa-beach took place, and that's also one of my favourites! I've decided now that we're in the city, we must explore ourselves a little more than usual. Our sweet Helsinki is such a fantastic summer city, there are lots of places worth visiting with a minor extra effort! Must be active, yes!

On my way back home I made a stop at the famous Tamminiementien Kahvila. It's as romantic and beautiful, bohemian and sleepy as always! A distinct Chekhovian atmosphere! 

The owner, the Russian lady with the big personality is still the same, and honestly, I think she's the spirit of the whole café! 

What would it be without her?! 

Also the damn cakes are still the same...managed to avoid having one, was sipping a delicious ice tea of the house instead, yummy!

Love this place! 

It's also perfect for August evenings with sunset, but those days are still ahead!

The café!

Mille Mozzarelle: The Perfect Sunday Brunch!

Today myself, husband, and three dear friends of ours headed down South to Punavuori for brunch! My friend knew this beautiful little place, and also that the word of their fabulous brunch had spread, so she made a reservation and off we went!
Oh my dears, this was the ultimate experience for a while!!
It's an Italian place, famous for its lunches and brunches, and they really put an emphasis on the ingredients being local and fresh, and that you could definitely tell!
We got delicious starters with cheese for vegeterians and Parma ham and salami for the rest, and different kinds of pastes, rucola, tomatoes, and some youghurt. The main course came on a plate with their own focaccia, more excellent cheeses, jams, fruit, a small salad..so good!! The coffees, delicious teas, juice and some Prosecco made us all lyrical, and as a dessert a heavenly tiramisu served in a glass was the cherry on top of the cake!!
And the service was excellent, such a wonderful start for a Sunday, mille grazie Mille Mozzarelle!!

If you haven't experienced it yet, hurry! But remember to make a reservation, it's a small place and we watched several parties who had to go elswhere because it was completely full. You can find it in Viiskulma, Pursimiehenkatu 7!

A cupcake Saturday!

Hellohello!
It's weekend, and the heavy week has been done! It was good, concerts were good and now some unwinding is in order!
I had a cupcake-date with my sister and her son in guess where?! The Brooklyn Café! Sweet! We had amazing hot peppermint chocolate, smoothie-in-a-jar, coffee and cupcakes! I don't know what's with the American recipes but they were sooo good!! Every Saturday is a Cupcake Saturday in the café, and I'm thinking I should attend more often..!

My sister came back from Japan a few days ago and she brought me some facial masks again! Have to make myself shine! Experiments are on the way so stay tuned! Have a fabulous evening!

Midweek Blues

Today I've been feeling a little blue. Sometimes it just happens for no particular reason. Or well, work's been quite heavy this week but that's ok. Otherwise it's been a beautiful day today with such bright sunshine! I tried to catch some rays after work, and I hope it has some effect on me! I can't remember the day we saw the sun the last time! It was so beautiful, and there's a promise of the spring to come already!
Oh, how I'm waiting for the spring! Despite the heaviness of the seasons I do love them. There's a very unique feel to each one, and after a long winter you really appreciate the warm, sweet summer, the sun that never goes down, the lightness that takes over and makes us all smile! But it's the changes between these two that can make you feel a little confused every now and then.

I decided to make myself feel good and came to have dinner to one of my favourite places: Café Balzac. My sweet husband is at work and he suggested I'd go and enjoy this evening! And this place just does it to me every time! The atmosphere, the music, the food, everything! As I once wrote, it takes me to Paris, instantly! And this time it'll be even more real, since I'm going to be in the City of Lights in just four weeks! I'll concentrate on that!
Have a sweet evening, my sweets!

Café Villipuutarha!

Oh my dear friends, I'm about to introduce you to a true pearl in our sweet city of Helsinki! We finished early at work today so I thought to have a good cup of tea before continuing my Wednesday! This little café is beyond all dreams, such a beautiful, fairy tale garden with excellent selection of teas, coffees, sweet treats and lunch too! I'm thinking if I ever was to put together a café, this would be close to my imagination! It's also a shop with Odd Molly clothes and such but everything goes so well with the interior, it doesn't seem like a shop. Only when you start focusing your eyes you spot things that are for sale. I love it, love, love, love it! Soothing old jazz adds to the feeling of a perfect getaway in the middle of the week and the snowy, rainy weather!

It's located in the corner of Kaarlenkatu and Helsinginkatu in Kallio, pay a visit and you'll leave with a big smile on your face!