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!!

Second-hand shops: Vintage Garden!

Hellohello!

I'm back and I have a zillion things to tell you!!

First will definitely be a good reason to take the train to Tampere and visit a small piece of heaven:

Vintage Garden!!

Like all my favourites, this one too has a special thing to it, beautiful jewellery, interior, service, clothes, everything!

The owner was so sweet, she happened to be there just then, and I could've actually stayed and shared thoughts half a day! 

Many times I've said the same thing about vintage, that it's a way of life rather than anything else, and in this beautiful Garden you'll experience it, once again.

I have a huge respect for young women who establish their own businesses believing in themselves and having faith in the concept, giving the rest of us a chance to dream away in the middle of a Monday, or a Tuesday or when ever!

Vintage Garden is definitely a place to go, you'll leave the place humming!!

Otavalankatu 3

Tampere

www.vintagegarden.fi

Oooh...!

I bought myself a pair of earrings, beautiful goldies!

And the thing I appreciate a lot is the packing: a very stylish, 20's inspired silk paper, and a cute paper bag with the logo, very art deco. Just perfect!

Secon-hand shops: Penny Lane

Back to the series of my favourite second-hands! This time Penny Lane!

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful boutiques ever, thanks to the extraordinary round interior: two floors with a balcony that goes around the second floor, and an amazing mirror in the ceiling! You can look down and see the grand piano, the mannequins, feathers, hats, all the amazing dresses, everything!
Everytime I go there I feel like I'm on a treasure hunt! The evening gowns and cocktail dresses are true vintage style, you'll find shoes, jewellery, coats, skirts, blouses, petticoats, the whole package!
And the second floor is a fairytale of its own: bridal gowns, rare old fashion evening dresses and ball gowns, Makes you feel like Alice in Wonderland!
The owner is a beautiful lady with utmost class and grace. She knows everything about vintage fashion, the history, theory and practise and it is always such a pleasure to visit her boutique!

I've thought about the special factor that makes the magic in all these shops I've introduced, happen. It is the fact that to all these owners vintage is a way of life. The shops are like mirrors to their souls. A state of mind that can only happen when passion is involved. Passion for the whole era of time and past decades, love for beautiful, tailored garments, for the whole idea that something is unique and can last forever.
You can feel all that in Penny Lane.

Runeberginkatu 37

Second-hand Shops: Hoochie Mama Jane & Frida Marina

The series continues! This time in Kallio, one of my favourite areas! The edgy feel over there is just perfect for a day of second-hand shopping and flea markets!
These two are my favourite ones!

Hoochie Mama Jane

I love this little place! I've always had the best of service here! The owner, the beautiful Irja Nuru, is such a charming lady, a true hoochie mama herself! She spots your size in a second, and knows all about accessorizing too! She's the perfect example of "practise what you preach" : she loves what she does, knows it inside out, and has become one of the queens of vintage fashion here in Helsinki.
If you're after something to wear in a very special occasion, or just like to play queen for a day, here's the address:

Vaasankatu 10

Frida Marina

And here we have a place which you have to experience! Frida Marina is like a little concept store with a cute little café! You can shop clothes, old dishware and home decor, there's even a range of natural cosmetics! Also such a friendly and helpful staff who carefully picks the items for sale. Really good quality in clothes, loads of interesting pieces organised perfectly! Sometimes you see shops where you get really confused when all the items are just hanging randomly with no order whatsoever, but this is beautiful! Thank you Frida!
Go and make finds, Frida Marina is just perfect for that!

Kaarlenkatu 10

Exclusive: Play it again, Sam

My series of second-hands continues with a true legend and the epitome of vintage here in Helsinki: Play it again, Sam.
This boutique is beyond all dreams, you have to experience it, and it's just impossible not to fall in love with it!
This is not just a boutique, it represents a whole era of time, attitude and beauty, grace, poise and style. All items, whether being a beautiful dress, a pair of shoes, jewellery or girdle, have been selected with an impeccable taste and thought.
The person and the soul behind all this is the Lady of Vintage herself, Arja Könönen, whose personality lights up every corner of the beautiful shop! She's had the boutique for 25 years, and has watched us Finns find and grow into the beauty of old fashion. She was ahead of us all but had the patience, and now this shop is a legend, and is listed where ever the word Vintage is printed from travel guides to magazines, articles and books.
I'm sure all of you know this place, but I think it needs a chapter of its own, truly. Go and get a glimpse of glamour! That's what we need every now and then!!

Rauhankatu 2, Kruununhaka

Second-hand Shops!

I thought to start a series of posts about second-hand boutiques! I got the idea from a sweet reader here in the blog, and think it's brilliant! I'll write about interesting shops where ever I see them, and hope you share your favourites too! Where ever they are!
You all know how I'm a big fan of all things old and nostalgic, flea markets and vintage, so this is perfect! Thank you Nina!!

First stop is Lahti, an hour's drive or train ride from Helsinki. Here my two favourite shops are Florencia and Friikku.

First Florencia!

This is a beautiful combination of vintage, up-and-coming designers and flowers! They have such pretty clothes, truly picked with style and love! Shoes, bags, purses, jewellery, you name it! Plus it's also a flower shop. It's lovely just to pop in and have a chat with the staff which is very nice and helpful, but rarely do I leave with empty hands! This time I bought super cool earrings, to me a reminiscent of 80's ghetto gold! Whoa!

Address: Lahdenkatu 14
www.florencia.fi

Then Friikku!

This little pearl has its first anniversary around the corner! These quality clothes are more of today's fashion with luxury bags and sunglasses, shoes and accessories! Also a very friendly staff, I got a chocolate heart when leaving!
The exitement of these boutiques is that you never know what you find. Like myself, the first thing I spotted was a pair of Melissa's by Vivienne Westwood's Anglomania!
Oh dear, can you guess what happened..?! Yes, I'm now a happy owner of another pair of these candy-smelling beauties!

Address: Vapaudenkatu 14, in the courtyard!
www.friikku.fi

And here you can see my finds in detail!