Last night I got drunk with some Pedro

This T-shirt is dedicated to Madonna.

Mentalwear’s staff often listens to Madonna. One day they got into an argument over the lyrics of "La Isla Bonita".

Susanna thinks Madonna is singing:
“Last night I dreamt of San Pedro
Just like I'd never gone, I knew the song
A young girl with eyes like the desert
It all seems like yesterday, not far away”

Niina reckons she is saying the following:
”Last Night I drunk with some Pedro
Just like I never drunk, I knew this song
A young girl likes him too much
It all feels like yesterday, not far from me.”

They really do not know what is the official version, but who cares? Everyone is allowed to his or her own version. There is no truth to this matter.

Imagine all the people in the world who cannot speak English. What do they think of "La Isla Bonita"?

Surprise your friends with this handsome Pedro Shirt. Organize a party and compare your interpretations. Have a few drinks and a wonderful evening!

Winter terraces in Helsinki area

Total smoking ban regulations in Finnish restaurants has given birth to about 100 new winter terraces in Helsinki area. For instance Ateljee bar, Corona, Kämp Cafe and La Cocina have a winter terrace.

The Soul & Jazz of Timo Lassy

Those who know what’s what in contemporary jazz coming from Finland have most likely come across Timo Lassy. So far the upcoming tenor-great has excelled in the ranks of the globe-trotting Five Corners Quintet, the Blue Note recording U-Street All Stars, and Jimi Tenor’s live outfit, to name a few. Now it’s time to see what the man is really about, as the Helsinki-based imprint Ricky-Tick Records will release his debut, “The Soul & Jazz of Timo Lassy”.

Emerald wins Greater Helsinki Vision 2050 ideas competition

The winner of the international Greater Helsinki Vision 2050 ideas competition is an entry entitled Emerald.

Emerald is an innovative entry where building is directed both to supplementing existing community structure and to some completely new areas in the urban core and border municipalities of the metropolitan area. The consequent community structure for the whole region is balanced. The choice of focal points for growth is determined by rail transport connections. Residents are encouraged to choose more ecologically viable lifestyles through various active inducements. The service structure is considered from new, innovative, and ecological bases.

Image: A chain of new built islands surrounds Helsinki centre and offers a pleasant maritime living environment and a fast rail connection to the centre.

"Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future" won Sir Banister Fletcher Award for 2007

Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future, edited by Eeva-Liisa Pelkonen and Donald Albrecht and published by Yale University Press in collaboration with the Museum of Finnish Architecture, was awarded the Authors’ Club Sir Banister Fletcher Award for 2007.

The Author’s Club Sir Banister Fletcher Award is presented annually for the most deserving book on art or architecture. This year was the 54th award. It is annually one of The Arts Club’s calendar highlights.

GRAPPO XMAS 07 – Roy Hopiavuori

Galleria Grappo (Pursimiehenkatu 14) presents Grappo Xmas exhibition featuring Roy Hopiavuori and few other artists 30.11.-20.12.2007.

Helsinki10 Design Christmas Market

Great christmas present ideas and hot hot Glögi!
Over 40 Finnish designers have created wonderful and exclusive ideas for christmas presents.

Helsinki10 Design Christmas Market
Eerikinkatu 3.
December 2nd - 23rd.
Mon-Fri 11-20, Sat 11-18, Sun 12-18.

Spencer Tunick @ Galleria Forsblom Projects 16.11.07-6.1.08

Galleria Forsblom's 30th anniversary: Spencer Tunick presents, for the first time in Finland, the installations he photographed in Helsinki in 2002. Some of the photos were released in the Image magazine in 2002.

Galleria Forsblom Projects (Pohjoisesplanadi 27c, Helsinki).

World's first Igloo Hotel chain

See what it’s like to spend the night in a real igloo.

Lapland Hotels is now World's first igloo hotel chain! Four igloos for four persons each are available at Lapland Hotels in Rovaniemi, Ylläs, Levi, Olos, Pallas and Saariselkä.

Each Lapland Hotels igloo can comfortably accomodate up to four people. You’ll sleep in a top-quality sleeping bag on a raised snow shelf insulated by a mattress and a reindeer skin. All other clothing from woollen socks to overalls is provided by the hotel.

If you prefer unique quality, I would recommend the Igloo Village Hotel Kakslauttanen (in Lapland). They offer 20 snow igloos, 20 glass igloos (watch stars when you sleep) and World's largest smoke sauna.

Loft-style hotel rooms in Hotel Linna

Hotel Linna is extending it's capacity to the adjacent building in the corner of Lönnrotinkatu and Albertinkatu in Helsinki (press release in Finnish). Old tennis and squash halls are renovated to spacious Loft-style hotel rooms and new loft rooms will be ready during the fall 2009. Renewal won't affect to current operation of Hotel Linna and it's restaurant (specilized in snails).

The great success of the recently opened urban lifestyle hotel GLO has inspired the owner Palace Kämp to continue with the innovative lifestyle hotels.

THE STANCE BROTHERS: Kind Soul

The Stance Brothers, "Kind Soul" (RTCD05/RT019), released by Ricky-Tick Records is out now in Finland and Japan, with a European release date to follow shortly.

The Stance Brothers is a new project by Teppo “Teddy Rok” Mäkynen. Teppo has thus far gained fame both as a producer and as an outstanding drummer. He is the drummer and live band leader of the globe-trotting Five Corners Quintet, the visionary behind the late Teddy Rok Seven, and the producer of such Finnish jazz co-luminaries as Jukka Eskola and Timo Lassy, to name few of this all-encompassing talent's endeavours.

For more info and sound please visit:
www.myspace.com/thestancebrothers

Best venue for a business lunch: the Savoy, Helsinki

British business magazine Monocle ranked world's travel top50 list for 2008 and Savoy restaurant in Helsinki was ranked as a Best venue for a business lunch. Also Finnish airline company Finnair was nominated as a most ambitious carrier.

Institutional Investor's List of the World's Best Hotels shows the Hotel Kämp is best in Northern Europe and Scandinavia.

Mini Friday virtual community in mobile phones

Mini Friday is a small research project on virtual community in mobile phones, which is created by Sulake in late 2006. At present, it is only available on S60 2^nd & 3^rd edition Nokia phones.

The company, who already own Habbo Hotel and operate in 31 countries across the globe, created the Mini Friday project in early December 2006. After 10 months Mini Friday crossed 100000 registered characters mark!

Habbo's Avatar Count Rises to 80 million and Habbo is one of the world’s largest virtual worlds for teens.

Cruel horror movie Sauna by Antti-Jussi Annila

Movie director Antti-Jussi Annila, guy who developed for seven years first Finnish "epic poem Kalevala meets kung-fu" movie (Jade Warrior), is now directing another movie; horror movie Sauna. Part of the movie will be shooted in Prague in spring 2008 and the premiere night will be in fall 2008. Annila has said that he wants to make a movie that’s so scary even he wouldn’t want to watch it. We’ll see how well he’ll succeed. The budget of the movie will be 2,5-4m euros (source: Turun Sanomat).

Check out the english summary available on imdb.com.

Avanto Festival 16-18 November 2007

Avanto Festival 16-18 November 2007 (Helsinki, Finland)

The eighth edition of the Avanto Festival will focus on film under the title International Free Cinema. The programme features an extraordinary line-up of moving images that question traditional ways of making and watching films. As a complement to the festival weekend’s boundary-pushing cinematic experiences, the Avanto clubs, this year arranged in cooperation with Äänen Lumo and Potlatch, will offer a wide scope of free music from Finland and abroad.

Marina Village; floating housing area

Marina Housing designs and delivers special floating structures. Modular floating solutions can be combined together, a fact enabling them to design and construct totally new kinds of floating areas with a distinct character (ie. Marina Villages).

Marina Village is a floating housing block that consists of 10-50 independent condominiums. The block consists of the floating piers and the adjoining floating non-attached houses.

Marina Village can include both vacation homes and permanent residences. Also the completed village can differ in size and form depending on the location. Marina Village is designed to fit into the surrounding architecture, nature or cityscape. The Village can consist of nothing but homes, or, alternatively, it can be an integral part of a boat marina as well. Also other functions are possible in a complete Marina Village: for instance a floating restaurant/clubhouse in combination with a lively marina.

Marina Housing is planning to design several Marina Villages around the Finland in the near future.

Stone's war - zombie movie

Marko Mäkilaakso is a tenacious film-maker. When film school turned him down, he started making his own short films and music videos, eventually establishing an award-winning career.

A few years later, when the Finnish Film Foundation refused to fund his debut feature on the grounds it was a horror film, Mäkilaakso took the project to neighbouring Lithuania where he proceeded to set it up as a $5m English-language zombie thriller.

Set during the Second World War, Stone's War follows a platoon of US and Finnish soldiers who confront an army of zombies on the border between Finland and Russia. It was inspired by Zack Snyder's Dawn Of The Dead remake. "I'm not a huge zombie fan but I wanted to give it go," recalls Makilaakso.

Movie will be released in March 2008. Check out the teasers on their MySpace site.

Original Jaffa posters from the late 1950's

Last year Hartwall company maximized the brand awareness of the legendary Finnish Jaffa lemonade by spreading out the Jaffa posters from the late 1950's. Now it's possible to order these posters designed by Finnish graphic designer Erik Bruun.

More info: www.bruundesign.com

G-litter: Keinukaruselli

An unique sound is a rare thing, but G-Litter came pretty close on this, on their astonishing debut LP. Now they finally have released some new material: Keinukaruselli (Pingispong records). Only problem; where to get this new stuff? Lifesaver store (Laivurinkatu 41) might be the place to go?

The Micragirls: Garage / Punk / Rock

The Micragirls, all girl band that has more balls than the male bands tobether...Great stuff?? You can get your sweet but!! The Micragirls are what trash-garage-punk-rockarolla is all about. Mean, nasty, filthy, inept and wild! They are armed with great tough songs full of bizarre tales of meaningless mayhem.

Restaurant Grotesk: gourmet food without tense mannerism

The owners of the Demo (Michelin star restaurant) have just opened a new restaurant called Grotesk (Ludviginkatu 10, Helsinki). New place offers mid-budget food without tense mannerism (three course meal about 35-50eur without drinks).

Let's see how the owners have solved the unfortunate sudden death of the young talented chef de cuisine of Grotesk.

Diesel is raping Karhu sneakers

Diesel has released a viral campaign starring Finnish Disco guru Åke Blomqvist. Viral video is promoting Diesel's new retro sneakers.

When you take a closer look at the original video of the Finnish Disco guru posted to YouTube 2 years ago, original video clearly shows Åke is wearing Finnish "Karhu originals" sneakers. Well, mash-up is a mash-up. Get your Karhu originals from Finnishdesignshop.com.

The Millioners - Most Sexiest Music

Around the same time in early 2003 as world´s first cloned sheep Dolly died, The Millioners was born. It all started in a shady session which took place at an old warehouse in Helsinki, Finland. Young men with different musical backgrounds came together as one.

They like to call their music "disco music". But it´s not some shitty disco you can rollerblade into and wear a stupid wig. They like their disco dirty. Like italo disco, which is a big influence for them. Kano, Cerrone and so on. French acts such as Daft Punk, Serge Gainsbourg, Michel Polnareff and Alan Braxe have also inspired The Millioners a lot.

Download for free Up to you (Ercola remix) MP3 from their website.

FogScreen breaks into clubs in Los Angeles and London

FogScreen, Inc., creators of the world’s first walk-through projection screen made of "dry" fog, are proud to announce that the FogScreen™ projection screen is now prominently featured at the entrance way of Markus Thesleff’s new nightclub Maya in London and David Judaken’s new Los Angeles nightclub, Opera.

HELSINKI BURLESQUE FESTIVAL

HELSINKI BURLESQUE FESTIVAL 31st Jan - 2nd Feb 2008

Bump 'n' grind, shimmy and shake Helsinki, it's time for the 1st ever Burlesque Festival in Finland!

2nd February 2008 restaurant Kaisaniemi will offer you an evening full of hootchy kootchy and hot-hot-hot hip shakes. Do you dare to visit the hidden tavern of mystical tropics, enter the secret heart of vice? Forget your problems and enjoy the company of pompous pirates, exotic beauties, sharp smugglers, side-show freaks, crafty cowboys and seductive servants.

In the shadows of the night who will You be and who will You meet - The Brazilian bombshell Carmen Miranda or Phantom - The Guardian of the Eastern Dark?

Mika Kaurismäki opens Brazilian restaurant Bossa in Helsinki

Finnish film maker Mika Kaurismäki is opening a new restaurant in Helsinki: Bossa. The two-floor eating place at Annankatu 21 will be Brazilian and Latino themed and will have a bar side and an à la carte dining area.

The restaurant will have a capacity of about 300 people and will offer Brazilian food, wine, beer and other drinks.

There will also be live music on offer at Bossa, starting with Brazilian music about once a week. Later on, Kaurismäki would also like to programme a wider range of music performances.
Bossa will likely officially open around the 15th of November.

Mika Kaurismäki is the elder brother of director Aki Kaurismäki.

Mika Kaurismäki earlier co-founded the well-known Moskova and Corona (Eerikinkatu 11) bars in the centre of Helsinki.

Language course in a toilet

"I never have a glass of whisky at 8am in the morning." and same in Spanish. Ambient sound surprises in a dark toilet of the La Cocina restaurant (Kluuvikatu).

Another weird toilet (ladies bathroom) in Helsinki is on the 14th floor in the hotel Torni. It's holding the title of the "Toilet with a best view". Going there for the first time feels a bit weird since the walls are basicly all window. But since you’re sitting on the top of the city, no one can see you, but you can see everywhere.

Some other funky toilets in Helsinki restaurants are situated in Kuurna (Meritullinkatu 6), Bob's Bar (Ullanlinnankatu 5), Stockholm Diskotek (Yrjönkatu 31), Kola (Helsinginkatu 13),.

Helsinki. Kallio. Hip bars. Luft. Kuudes linja. Kola. Soul kitchen.

Just couple years ago Kallio district in Helsinki was full of cheap&shitty beer-halls. Well, it still is, but nowadays Kallio offers excellent alternatives.

Thanks to Dj Lil Tony (Toni Rantanen) more and more new hip bars are rising to Kallio.

Kola (Helsinginkatu 13) was one of the first ones, then came Club Liberte (Kolmas linja 34), Kuudes linja (Kaikukatu 4; entrance from the inner yard), Soul Kitchen (their á la carte menu reminds an old LP vinyl cover, Fleminginkatu 26), Sävel (Hämeentie 2) and Porvoonkadun baari (Porvoonkatu 19). Latest newcomer is Luft (Aleksiskivenkatu 30).

After the strict smoking ban one can nowadays breathe in "always good tunes" bars like Rytmi (2. Linja 2) and Ompu (Siltasaarenkatu 15).

Hostel: part II starring Vera Jordanova

Hostel: part II is a horror movie produced by Quentin Tarantino. Finnish supermodel Vera Jordanova is playing one of the main roles. Premiere is shown in Finland @ Nightvisions Horror movie festival (26.-28.10.2007).

Felix Zenger - Awesome human beatbox

Drums, scratches, bass, vocals, effects, percussion – and just one mouth! Finnish beatboxer Felix Zenger not only produces a wide array of sounds, imitations of musical instruments, and fast complex rhythms, but above all uses his mouth to create new and original music. The 20 year-old, awarded with Artist of the Year honors at the 2007 Funk Awards, has already performed with the J.B.'s (James Brown RIP), DJ Q-bert, Lew Soloff (Blood, Sweat and Tears) and The Coup.

Design District Helsinki - The hub is growing

SoHo in London/New York, SoFo in Stockholm and Design District Helsinki (DDH) in Finland.

Helsinki offers an ideal place to get to know Finnish design and to buy top-class Finnish design products. Located in the centre of Helsinki, the Design District Helsinki is an area full of design and antique shops, fashion stores, museums, art galleries, restaurants and showrooms. Unfortunately not all the best shops and bars are part of the DDH hub.

See the DDH map available on designdistrict.fi.

Flushing your toilet with design water

About year ago the bottlers of trendy "Voss" water from Norway wanted to limit local access to its source in a southern valley in Agder, since the local residents used "Voss" water even for flushing the toilet. At the same time the trendiest hotels and restaurants were charging as much as $10 dollars for a single "Voss" bottle. The trick was excellent branding: Pure water. Hip bottle.

Now Finns are replicating the concept "Pure water. Hip bottle." by releasing the Veen spring water. VEEN bottle received the international ”Best bottle in glass” 2007 -award in Mexico City September 2007. The bottle is designed by Architect Antti Eklund from Finland. If you want to taste the VEEN at least Ilmatar restaurant (Bulevardi 2-4, Helsinki) serves it in Finland.

Rhythm Funk Masters, Afro American Arctic

Strangely enough, an afro-beat band from Finland!! Why not? Rhythm Funk Masters’ music isn’t actually pure afro-beat, but it also combines elements from different music styles like jazz, funk and rock to it. Each band member brings in his own character. To say it in a simple way, they play instrumental afro-beat, funk and jazz music with a strong Scandinavian flavour. Rhythm Funk Masters was formed in 2003 in Helsinki. They’ve had some gigs every now and then, but now they’re going to get more active that they got their first album out (available at Levyvirasto.net)! Afro-American-Arctic is recently released in Finland and Japan.

Visual artist Jiri Geller @ Gallery Krista Mikkola 11.10. - 4.11.2007

Jiri Geller's exhibition @ Galleria Krista Mikkola (Neitsytpolku 9, Helsinki). Jiri is part of the Helsinki-based art collective ROR (Revolutions on Request). International breakthrough is near?

EDIT (27th of October 2012): Jiri Geller is part of the Showroom Helsinki collective at the moment.

Kolo and Maja; alternatives to an ordinary hotel stay

Kolokoti.fi (in Helsinki) has two Finnish homes for guests to use. At Kolo and Maja you'll find furnitures, paintings and installations from Finnish designers. Ask for the sauna availability that can be arranged if free!

Pop artist Jarmo Mäkilä's exhibition @ Galleria Forsblom

Gallery Forsblom Projects (Pohjoisesplanadi 27C) presents Jarmo Mäkilä's exhibition (Oct 11 - Nov 11).

Bar Nolla

New bistro & bar Nolla (Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 21) reminds much of the Erottaja bar (Erottajankatu 15-17) but is more "clinic like": minimalistic scandinavian decorations. Always good tunes (ie. new rave, electroclash, punk disco, indie dance) by local dj's like DJ Kalleliini, Erkko.

Live with a Shaman in the middle of nowhere in Lapland

Do you want to live in middle of the wild forest with a real Shaman (Nulituisen shamaani @ Levi)? Book a "room" from the sleeping chamber.

Explosive ravioli at the La Société du Cochon

How it feels when food explodes inside your mouth? New restaurant La Société du Cochon (club of the pigs) will be opened in November (Address: Mannerheimintie 14). Experience the explosive Ravioli and other hifi molecular gastronomy. They emphasize; most of the ingredients will be local and organic.

Icemagic, Finnish "ice master"

Icemagic creates ice sculptures for companies and private parties. They have done ie. the decorations of the Arctic Icebar (Yliopistonkatu 5; entrance from La Bodega) in Helsinki. The Arctic Icebar is a chilling experience in a nightclub! Inside the icebar the temperature is a constant -5 C. Upon entry to the Icebar guests are given a warm cape and gloves to wear.

gTIE - ties with rock 'n' roll attitude

A new Finnish collection of ties, chokers and knotted scarves called plastrons with the brand name gTIE was launched in March 2007. gTIE is an idea of a personalized tie with graphic details and more than a shake of that rock ’n’ roll attitude. Office&showroom @ Nordenskiöldinkatu 3.

Cuba Cafe is open

Kim Heiniö, the owner of Korjaamo bar and Fanny Goes to Hollywood, has opened a new bar called Cuba Cafe (Erottajankatu 4). On the drink menu there are 12 different mojitos (even Diet Mojito!!). You can also rent a Party Room for own private parties.

Art fair Suomi 07

ART FAIR SUOMI 2007 once again presents the hightlights of Finnish contemporary art in October this year (@ The Cable Factory and MUU Gallery).

A21 Lounge in Helsinki

New A21 Lounge (Annankatu 21) offers a compact space for brainstorming, events and training. During the weekends (Fri-Sat) it's open for public. Just ring the door bell and get in. Nice cocktails!

Loft apartments

It’s nice to see how old empty factory buildings are getting a new life in Helsinki area (links in Finnish only, sorry): Personal Loft apartments in old factory (Tapanila), old radio factory (Tali) and old silk factory (Tikkurila).

Exceptional timepieces by Harri Koskinen and Stepan Sarpaneva

Nice souvenirs: VAKIO watches designed by Harri Koskinen and limited editions of exceptional Sarpaneva timepieces designed and manufactured by Stepan Sarpaneva.

Electronic Helsinki vol. 1

ELECTRONIC HELSINKI VOL.1

1. Lunar Mascot: Story
2. Millioners: Bodyintouse
3. Musa Basha: Sherpa Boy
4. Dj Pataässä feat. the sensitive man: Just vain sulle
5. Uusi Fantasia: Kenkä Joe
6. Ercola: Sumthang
7. PJVM: */*****
8. Imatran Voima: Nuttin´but leachin´
9. Mr. Velcro Fastener: Masters of the unipherse
10. Dj Vilhelm: Pan o´ rama
11. Boyz of Kaligula: Nazitiger
12. ALInEN: Testio
13. The Five Corners Quintet: Before we say goodbye (Jori Hulkkonen Remix)
14. Polytron: Red Whine

Electronic Helsinki vol. 1 CD cover is designed by Paola Suhonen /IVANAhelsinki. Buy the CD/MP3's from Levyvirasto.net online shop.

Pimp your paintings

Few days ago I went to see artist Jani Leinonen’s Taidetuunamo (art tuning carage) in front of museum of contemporary art Kiasma. Excellent idea: bring your crappy paintings and Jani will pimp your paintings :) I only got disappointed, when I noticed someone else was doing the “pimping”. Maybe Jani just creates the ideas & signs masterpieces? Anyway, go and see the exhibition!

Putsch ‘79, electro-disco

Excellent Finnish electro-disco group Putsch ‘79 is a collaboration between Pauli Jylhänkangas and Bangkok Impact’s Sami Liuski. If you like music from Daniel Wang and Morgan Geist/Metro Area you definitely need to check this out. Buy their tunes from emusic.com.

Monte Rosso, life in urban Helsinki

The makers of Madventures TV serie are doing a new short film called Monte Rosso (link in Finnish). Movie will be released during the spring 2008. I just noticed Madventures DVD’s are subtitled in English, but I guess much of the spirit is lost while it’s translated. Spoken stadi slang is the thing ;)

Outstanding exhibition by Markku Laakso

Artist Markku Laakso’s new exhibition at the Galleria Heino (Uudenmaankatu 16-20) is coming (29.9. - 21.10.2007). Go and check it out!

Tunes of the day: Hannulelauri

Worst name ever, but good tunes: HannuLeLauri = Space Punk, Laser Boogie, Techno Rock, Alien Disco.