The first Finnish south pole expedition 2008

The Finnish expedition will ski unsupported to the South Pole in December 2008. The expedition's journey across the World's coldest continent, Antarctica, is over 1000km long and will take about 50 days to complete.

During this time the two-man expedition will be fighting against extremely low temperatures, freezing winds and physical exhaustion.

There's only a handful of people who have skied to both Poles worldwide. When reaching the South Pole, Kari Poppis Suomela will be the 12th person in the world to reach both poles unsupported.

More info: www.thepole.fi

Hotel Room

Can you call it a hotel if all the rooms are located in different cities of the world?

The founders of the Hotel Room say: "Sure you can. And we call it a hotel even though only the first room, room number 1, is open for business. It's located in Kallio district, in Helsinki, Finland".

THE FIVE CORNERS QUINTET RECORD RELEASE PARTY

Hot Corner, the new longplayer by The Five Corners Quintet is out and causing a stir. Recent gigs have shown that the tracks are steaming on stage as well, and now it's time to celebrate the release by the means of the official record release party in Helsinki. The Quintet will lively up the legendary rock club Tavastia this coming Friday, December 19.

Appearing live on stage, The Five Corners Quintet consists of Teppo Mäkynen (drums/ band leader), Timo Lassy (sax), Jukka Eskola (trumpet), Mikael Jakobsson (piano), and Antti Lötjönen (double bass).

You probably know it already, but let's say it anyway: This one's gonna be hot!

A book about Helsinki vol.2 compiled by Bulgaria Mag

Bulgaria Magazine has done it again:

"The damn best city guide you can ever find about our beloved city"
-Mashmarket crew

"If you really wanna know something about Helsinki, forget Lonely Planet and cop this book here..."
-Top Billin' crew

Get the book here.

Helsinki's metro will run without drivers in year 2013

The operation control system of Helsinki’s metro is being replaced. The modernisation also provides a natural opportunity for automating the system.

According to the target schedule of the contract, the metro will run without drivers towards the end of 2013.

Automated metro services are used by many cities around the world, the nearest of which is Copenhagen.

Finland in 60 seconds

Whitevector: Fly on the wall

Millions of opinions posted online each day influence more and more consumers' buying decisions, brand perceptions and company reputations. Monitoring single discussions is exhausting and makes it difficult to draw relevant conclusions.

Whitevector helps companies to generate consumer insight and to measure the influence of marketing efforts from social media such as blogs and discussion forums. Their analysis methods offer actionable information to be used in brand and marketing management.

More info: http://www.whitevector.com

Indoor Beach Volley hall in Finland

Yes, now we do have the first Indoor Beach Volley hall in Finland, Helsinki! It is called Biitsi.fi Areena and it has three soft courts with extra heated sand, bar, lounge and sauna.

More info: areena.biitsi.fi

Helsinki Waterfront Hotel by Herzog & de Meuron

Architects Herzog & de Meuron have designed Helsinki Waterfront Hotel, a cross-shaped 5 star hotel on Helsinki’s waterfront. The hotel is due to open in 2010.

The façade of the new hotel will be made of glass shaped into waves that will also glimmer like the newly frozen surface of the sea. The luxury hotel will have 200 rooms, a top floor restaurant and wellbeing centre, with a shop and cafe-restaurant at street level.

Top Gear Part1of2 Mika Häkkinen teaches James how to Race!

Top Gear James gets driving lessons from Mika Häkkinen to compete in a local Finnish race. He also learns why most racing drivers are from Finland.

Watch the part 2 of 2 on Youtube.

Lens Politica festival in Helsinki November 19–23, 2008

Lens Politica, the festival of political film and art is organised for the third time. The opening film will be the documentary What Would Jesus Buy?

What Would Jesus Buy? is a comedic documentary directed by VanAlkemade and produced by Morgan Spurlock.

In addition to the films there will be exhibitions, panel discussions, lectures and clubs in the festival programme.

More info:
www.lenspolitica.net

Finland to get a large office complex utilising solar energy

Plans have been drawn to construct a chain of four office buildings, with solar panels covering the south-facing walls of the complex, in the vicinity of the Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport.

This way some of the energy needed by the complex will be generated on the spot without putting a strain on the environment. The project is the largest of its kind in Finland, possibly even in the entire Nordic region.

As yet, the Vantaa project is still on the drawing board, and no details are available of the quantity of energy that could be produced. Much will depend on how densely the panels are installed on the south-facing walls of the 30,000 square-metre complex.

More info:
http://www.econia.fi

Madventures 3 is coming

Madventures 3, a high impact travel adventure series which sees its two presenters, Riku and Tunna, go in search of destinations and activities so extreme, that no travel series has ever had the courage to attempt it before.

During the ten-part series, our presenters travel with one camera through 20 countries on six different continents, with their journey taking them from heated war zones to unconquered jungles, from remote deserts to people-stricken metropolises.

As Madventures 3 will be shown on Travel Channel (90 million US households) and on Fiver (UK) the guys will be speak English (instead of Finnish stadi slang).

First episodes are shown in Finland during the spring 2009.

Helsinki Biennale 2008: 25.10.2008 – 25.1.2009

Helsinki Biennale 2008 is a World Fair. Finnish artists have built pavillions and other good mood totem poles typical for world fairs in the cellar of Helsinki Design Museum. More than 50 most interesting artists from Finland and over 100 favorite artists from abroad.

Levi's Igloos - Golden Crown

Levi's Igloos - Golden Crown would like to offer you an experience of Nature. You’ll be staying in a glass roofed igloo or a kammi built into the ground with a direct link to the natural world outside. The unique Utsuvaara region is located at an altitude of more than 340 metres in the very lap of Levi Fell; here, in this peaceful Fell landscape with views stretching far away to the horizon, your soul will relax. And the full Levi experience is just a suitable step away!

More info: www.levi.fi/leviniglut

The Miltton - the first PR Hotel in the world

It’s a venue for brands with egos so big they need something larger and better than the traditional means of communication. It’s also a venue for individuals who want to experience the brands they admire in a more inspiring environment than a crowded mall.

A world of possibilities unfolds as you enter the courtyard of Vuorikatu 8 from the hustle and bustle of Kaisaniemi. Once inside the rooms on the ground floor you can sense the excitement. Depending on the event guests can be rock stars for the duration of a song, venture around in a futuristic mobile jungle and wannabe-nurses can perform surgeries on a gaming console. This is a functional multi-purpose showroom, offering experiences to the visitor.

More info: www.themiltton.fi

Dopplr Announces Financing Round for Global Expansion

Dopplr, the online service for smarter travel, has announced a second financing round from a group of prominent international investors - all users of the service.

Dopplr is an online service for intelligent business travellers.

Dopplr lets you share your future travel plans privately with friends and colleagues. The service then highlights coincidence, for example, telling you that three people you know will be in Paris when you will be there too. You can use Dopplr on your personal computer and mobile phone. It links with online calendars and social networks.

Monte Rosso

Monte Rosso is an urban comedy with fresh and realistic dialogue, groovy sounds and a compelling story. Eki is only trying to chill and get high in a park after a long week at work. He even has a beautiful lady in sight, but a bicycle thief, debts to beefcake crooks and an empty bank account make things a lot more complicated than he was expecting. With no money and in between all the hassle, getting a date and scoring some weed takes Eki toa thrilling ride on the streets of Helsinki.

Music by: Ercola, T.A. Kaukolampi, DJ Street Kobra, Vilunki 3000.

The screening on 22.9. at 21:30 (Helsinki International Film Festival).
Or at the same time on TV1.

View trailer and more info:
http://www.monterosso.fi/

OpenHouseHelsinki 2.10.2008

OpenHouseHelsinki is a fresh urban event, which unconfines spaces normally restricted to public. They organize guided tours into interesting buildings, interiors, landmarks and old and more recent architectural destinations. The tours are free of charge and powered by architects and other experts.

More info:
http://openhousehelsinki.fi/

Dinner in the sky

Dinner in the Sky concept has landed to Finland.

Dinner in the Sky is a unique event meant for anyone who wishes to transform an ordinary meal or meeting into a memorable moment that will leave a lasting impression on their guests!

In Finland the rent is around 10000 euros per session.

Experience 3D in new Flamingo multiplex!

Experience now full length 3D movies in new Finnkino Flamingo multiplex. During the autumn there will be premieres like U23D; a 3D presentation of U2's global "Vertigo" tour and Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D.

Just to mention: James Cameron is shooting his latest full length movie Avatar in 3D.

Finnish Stereoscape is a company specialized in the production of three-dimensional media.

MultiTouch screens

Finnish company called MultiTouch provides bleeding edge technology that enables the construction of large multi-touch displays, which can be either LCD or projection based. Their technology has been designed from the ground up to scale from as small as a laptop display and right up to and beyond huge displays measuring 20m (66 feet) across. It is also the first multi-touch technology, which not only scales so large but also works in almost all conditions from daylight through to complete darkness, even if the users are wearing gloves.

Once again, the product itself is excellent, but why does the viral marketing material look like this YouTube video? As you could have switched of the lights, showed just hands and played some futuristic background music like the competitor does in here.

Fast, faster, restaurant business

Signs of economic depression might be just around the corner in Finland? New restaurants are rising faster than ever. Just to name few of latest ones in Helsinki: Restaurant Mange sud is a new Mediterranean restaurant (Tehtaankatu 34), Thaiger (Porkkalankatu 13G), Restaurant Elviira (Punavuorenkatu 3), Tokyo55 (Eteläesplanadi 2), Bistro Helsinki 15 (Korkeavuorenkatu 4B), renewed Kuu Kuu (Museokatu 17) - kitchen open until 1am every day!

Mom, what's architecture?

Architect guild's new gallery called "Mom, what's architecture?" has opened it's doors (address: Neitsytpolku 8, Helsinki) and the opening exhibition is:

Kari Kuosma: REVELATIONS - at the great exhibiton hall.
Architecture caricatures!

Opening exhibition is open till 5.9.2008, tuesday-sunday 1-6 pm.

More info: http://www.momwhatsarchitecture.com/

Summer festivals @ Alppipuisto

The summer of love and peace climaxes with a new series of festivals in the Alppipuisto park between 26 July to 17 August. It is hard to find a more perfect venue for music festivals in Helsinki. Nestled in a valley, the park is a popular picnic place; a more hippie-spirited alternative to Kaivopuisto park.

Music is complemented with theatre at the Yoyogi Park concert on 9 August; if you like the latest Taratino movie soundtracks, you probably like Angelica Kult *TrashGang*.

The festivities at Alppipuisto end with Elmu‘s public festival on 17 and 18 August. The Live Music Association Elmu celebrates its 30th anniversary, don't miss Pintandwefall, Mattip, I walk the line and The Micragirls.

Eatable diamonds

How about eating some diamonds?
These "diamonds" are made of sugar.

More info:
www.confetti.fi

More not so usual diamonds:
http://finnhits.blogspot.com/2008/01/diamonds-are-forever.html

Low cost airline launches new route between London and Helsinki

EasyJet, the UK’s largest airline, has recently launched its winter 2008/9 schedule for flights from London Luton and London Gatwick.

EasyJet will launch two new routes from London Gatwick: The new services to Lyon (France) and Helsinki (Finland), will commence on 3 October and 3 November and will be available from just £25.99 one way and £32.99 (around 43 euros) one way.

More info:
http://www.easyjet.com

Love Jazz @ Viapori Jazz

The brainchild of Henrik Otto Donner, Love Records is the Noah’s Ark of Finnish Jazz history. Now the flower powered Teppo Mäkynen and his team, the "Excavators of Love" gently lead the most interesting specimen to the pier of Fersen to graze.

LOVE JAZZ
Friday 29th August at 7 p.m. at Tenalji von Fersen (Suomenlinna island) / tickets 20 eur.

More info:
Viapori Jazz (Helsinki Festival)

Levi Spirit - the arctic luxury

The arctic definition of luxury: Levi Spirit area. Levi Spirit area will comprise a total of 46 villas designed by architect Kari Lappalainen.

Levi Spirit Villas are crafted with remarkable skill and attention to every detail, with the special know-how required for building in the Arctic setting. The functional arrangement of the interior, high-quality materials, and state-of-the-art technology creates a truly unique and comfortable living experience in the Arctic.

Nautor's Swan - luxury sailing yachts

Finnair Blue Wings magazine highlights the Finnish mentality: "The Finnish mentality is that if you're going to do something, you have to do it properly." says the sales director of the Finnish yacht brand Nautor's Swan.

Nautor’s Swan yachts are considered the ultimate ocean-going, performance, luxury sailing yacht of unrivalled build quality.

More info:
http://www.nautorswan.com

Strömsö island

Strömsö Island in the archipelago of Tammisaari (Finland) provides magnificent surroundings for quality leisure. In addition to large lots, luxury Villas are also available (most of the Villas and lots seemed to be sold already).

Beach villas are designed by Finndomo (model: Villa Aava).

Some of their key selling points:
"All the beach Villas have a sea view through large panorama windows."
"Strömsö homeowners’ private beach and pool area close by make Strömsö Beach Villas a unique holiday paradise."

More info:
http://www.stromso.fi
http://www.finndomo.fi/aava/

Reggae breakfast @ Nolla (every sunday between 11-15)

There aren't that much good places for a sunday breakfast or brunch in Helsinki. Here is one nice option (good price/quality ratio):

Reggae breakfast buffet is served at Nolla (Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 21, Helsinki) every sunday between 11-15. Just tested it today and can recommend it! Reggae tunes + toast, bacon, omelette, fruits, juices, etc.

More info:
http://www.ravintolanolla.fi
More options listed by City magazine (in Finnish only)

Finnair lounge: Sauna with a view of the runway

Finns enjoy a sweat bath and sauna people like to have a sauna in every possible place: Now Finnish aircraft company Finnair will open a luxurious Spa and Wellness centre in autumn 2009 adjacent to its new via.Helsinki Lounge in the Helsinki Airport terminal extension. The facilities include ie. a sauna with a view of the runway.

Other crazy places for sauna are:

• Cabinet sauna inside the Hartwall arena (watch a live ice-hockey game while you sweat in sauna),
  
• Fin-Duck is a boat, a sauna, a duck, a summer cottage powered by an outboard motor
• Saunabus is a steaming design exhibition on the road,
• Own Sauna island,
• Sports Academy's sauna is situated in the middle of the sports bar behind a one-way window - where you can see but can't be seen

Fennofolk – New Nordic Oddity 11.6.-28.9.2008

Design Museum's main exhibition in the summer of 2008 will be Fennofolk – New Nordic Oddity, an analysis of Finnish culture from a new perspective. The exhibition and its catalogue will offer a broad overview of the fields of Finnish design and culture, dissolving boundaries and assembling the designers of today's young generation under a single theme. Over 100 of Finnish artists, creative persons, communities and organizations have been invited to participate.

Renewed Korjaamo is open!

Renewed Korjaamo Culture Factory is open; new stage for concerts & theater, 2 new gallery spaces, new cafe (open from 4th of July), even bigger terrace, Korjaamo shop and plus old spaces (bar, etc.). Korjaamo shop offers a good selection of translated Finnish literature, design gifts and bunch of Finnish alternative tunes. Shop reminds me of Kiasma and EMMA shops.

Helsinki Terazza - Rough Guide 2008

Terraces are a big plus, and Helsinkians are able to celebrate summer on a terrace; chill & grill your own food (Kuudes linja, Kaikukuja 4, open every day 17-00), inner yard patio & DJ (Grotesk, terrace, entrance from Erottajankatu), sofas & cool drinks (Olo terrace bar, Kasarmikatu 44, we-sat 17.00-24.00), best view and tourists (Torni Ateljee bar, Kalevankatu 5), island hopping (Valhalla & Valimo, Suomenlinna island).

More info: We are Helsinki - magazine (www.we-are.fi).

MoMa; Outstanding Short Films from International Festivals, 2008

MoMA's (The Museum of Modern Art) annual showcase (June 11–13, 2008) of recent narrative, documentary, animated, and experimental short films provides a glimpse into cinema's future. Most short films are produced by young filmmakers at the start of their careers; at their best, these works are characterized by youthful vigor and a daring willingness to break with cinematic convention.

There will be New York premiere for the secretly shot movie called:DMZ. Directed by Jouni Hokkanen and Simojukka Ruippo. A demilitarized zone marks the border between North and South Korea. What is life like north of the zone?

Hokkanen and Ruippo have been shooting dozens of internationally successful short films like Pyongyang Robogirl and Hong Kong Sars Blues.

ANTON CORBIJN - Retrospective 21.5.-31.8.2008

Since the 1970s, Anton Corbijn’s (1955, the Netherlands) photographs have shaped our image of many musicians and other artists. The ANTON CORBIJN - Retrospective (Tennis Palace Art Museum) presents Corbijn’s four key series of photographs from 1976 to 2002. In addition to photography, Anton Corbijn is known for his music videos and his award-winning film Control (2007).

Anton Corbijn began photographing at rock concerts and for music magazines in the 1970s. Since then he has broadened his range of subjects to other artists, including actors, film directors, painters and writers. Over the years, the documentary approach of his early photography has changed to more conceptual ones: first to well- considered portraits, then to staged paparazzi pictures. The most recent series seen in the exhibition consists of self-portraits.

Identity and roles are at the core of Anton Corbijn’s work. As U2’s Bono put it, “Anton doesn’t photograph who you are, he photographs who you might be.”

Open: Tue-Sun 11 a.m. – 8.30 p.m, Mon closed.
Address: Tennis Palace Art Museum, Salomonkatu 15 (near the Bus Station), 00100 Helsinki.

Young eyes of photo journalism: 30.5.-24.8.2008

The New Generation of Finnish photojournalism is here!

For the first time ever the new wave photojournalists are collected into one big exhibition at the Finnish museum of photography. It includes over 200 images from 44 photographers, and it tells a whole lot of stories from our time. The themes these great photographers work with varies from death sentence to birth, from politicians to sewers. Also the approach to the matter varies and personal touch can be seen in the different styles they represent.

Villa Urpo: luxurious villa on sale

Are you seeking a new holiday house? Now it's your chance.

Urpo Lahtinen was a Finnish magazine publisher who invested his huge profits to arts (Chagall, Picasso, etc.) and constructed his luxurious Villa Urpo.

Now Villa Urpo is on sale after the Foundation of the Urpo and Maija Lahtinen went to bankrupt. Attorneys at law Berglund Partners are now seeking the best offers. The value of Villa Urpo is being estimated around 4 million euros (source: Aamulehti).

SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF THE WORLD BRAND ARRIVING IN FINLAND

Royal Restaurants has signed an agreement with the Small Luxury Hotels of the World brand concerning the Hotel Haven that will be completed in early 2009 at the address Unioninkatu 17; the hotel will be their first hotel in Finland.

According to the annual Luxury Brand Status Index survey carried out by New York-based Luxury Institute, SLH was named as the world’s leading luxury hotel brand, surpassing such traditionally respected brand as, among others, Ritz-Carlton and Peninsula.

According to Royal Restaurants, SLH’s slogan "Caring Luxury" sums up what the Hotel Haven offers its guests. First class service is backed up by high-quality ancillary services. Additionally, conference services, three meeting rooms and an auditorium facilitate the arrangement of meetings for 120 persons in connection with the hotel.

Flow08 line up released

Flow Festival, organised as part of the Helsinki Festival in Helsinki's Suvilahti on 15-17 August, brings together a wide array of internationally acclaimed artists. In addition, the event now presents an area three times larger as that of previous year's.

During its four years of existence Flow Festival, organised by the Nuspirit Helsinki collective, has succesfully showcased top-notch music from jazz to soul, indie to electro, techno to boogie and electronic to organic.

All in all Flow Festival presents 62 acts on 4 different stages during three days.

More info about the artists and Flow08 at: www.flowfestival.com

Futuristic living; Sanjhih vs. Futuro

One of the most impressive Flickr photo set that I have seen in a while; An haunted abandon resort in Sanjhih (Taiwan) reminds me of the Futuro House, the futuristic plastic house designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen in 1968.

Sanjhih resort reminds me also of the Le Palais Bulles (France), another utopistic creation by Finnish architect Antti Lovag.

More info:
Wikipedia (Futuro)

Habbo: One of the World's most valuable Digital StartUps

Silicon Alley Insider (SAI 25) ranks and values some of the world's leading private digital companies (not all, but some). It has ranked Finnish Habbo the 9th most promising digital startup in World (valuation 1,25 billion USD). Habbo Hotel is known among youngsters worldwide.

The success has raised scam sites like Gabbo Hotel, Habbi Hotel. Sulake is taking serious actions against scam site owners.
But who is scamming who?

The Finnish Film archieve presents: Coen brothers movies 2.5.-15.8.

Have you seen the Oscar award winner (Best Motion Picture of the Year): No Country for Old Men?
It's directed by the Coen brothers. The Finnish Film archieve presents most of the Coen brothers movies during this summer: Blood Simple (Sundance Film Festival 1985: Grand Jury Prize), Miller's Crossing (1990), Barton Fink (Cannes film festival 1991: Best director & Golden Palm), The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Man Who Wasn't There (Cannes film festival 2001: Best Director).


Screenings:

ARIZONA BABY (Raising Arizona) 6.5., 9.5.
BARTON FINK 20.5., 23.5.
BIG LEBOWSKI (The Big Lebowski) 10.6., 13.6.
BLOOD SIMPLE 2.5., 3.5.
FARGO 3.6., 6.6.
LADYKILLERS (The Ladykillers) 8.8.
MIES JOKA EI OLLUT SIELLÄ (The Man Who Wasn't There) 13.8., 15.8.
SIETÄMÄTÖNTÄ JULMUUTTA (Intolerable Cruelty) 5.8.
VAARALLISTA PELIÄ (Miller's Crossing) 14.5., 17.5.
VALTAPELI (The Hudsucker Proxy) 28.5., 31.5.
VOI VELJET, MISSÄ LIENET? (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) 18.6., 22.6.

Showroom Finland

Showroom Finland is a Helsinki based company marketing Scandinavian design products.

More:
http://www.showroomfinland.fi/

Address:
Pohjoisranta 2 E, Helsinki

Recycling factory 3.-4.5.2008

This special recycling event includes a swap shop market, products made from recycled materials, information from environmental and recycling organisations, workshops, shows, exhibitions, and sales of organic and fair trade products.

Place: Cable factory, Helsinki
More: www.kierratystehdas.fi

Helsinki in Berlin: 50 Finnish artists coming to Berlin in April 2008!

Berlin has been the capital of something or other for 400 odd years now: from the Kingdom of Prussia to the German Empire. This spring, Berlin will also be the capital of Finnish music. "Helsinki in Berlin" is an unprecedented push to get quality Finnish music the kind of attention it deserves. Check out the dates and venues for 50 different acts: http://www.myspace.com/helsinkiinberlin

100% Finlande

100% Finlande, a cultural season presenting Finnish culture in France opened in the beginning of April. Similar cultural seasons, presenting different countries, have been organized in France for almost twenty years now. They are based on agreements made on governmental level. The 100 % Finlande season brings during three months altogether 250 Finnish events and 500 Finnish artists to France.

With 7 million euros budget the producers of the 100% Finlande have managed to create massive events around the France. Especially take a look at their official blog and 100% Finlande site:

http://www.100pour100finlande.fr/
http://www.100pour100finlande.fr/-Blog-.html

Sensor instruments: wave your hands

New group UNI formed.

The combination of acoustic instruments, analog keyboards, computer based digital electronics, synchronized visual elements and new sensor instruments makes this group a unique enterprise in the musical scene. All the members are experienced and praised long term professionals that have been involved in most of the existing music genres.

The music of UNI is influenced by many different types of styles. Jazz improvisations, world music flavors, contemporary experiments and electronic sound worlds put together form an exceptional mixture.

Hidden wine cellars of Helsinki

Wine consumption is growing fast in Finland. Nice wine cellars try to meet the higher demand. Here is a list of few good ones to try in Helsinki (most of the links are in Finnish only): G. W. Sundmans, Olo wine cabinet, La Bodega, Carelia, CWC, Sörnäisten viinikellari, Wine cellar of Ruttopuisto.

Anyway, if you prefer more traditional. Try Helsinki Vodka. Look at their slogan: "How Finns relax".
What?

Finnish electro scene: beat beat beat

Is it burning your ears or not?
Try and decide: Eero Johannes, KA SO RE, JESSE (album release party @ Korjaamo 12.4.08).

Excellent stuff.

Postres: Restaurant of the Year gained Michelin star

The best Finnish restaurant of the year 2008 is awarded to Postres. La Société des Gastronomes Finlandais (Suomen Gastronominen seura) awards annually the restaurant of the year. For some reason this has been correlating with the Michelin star nominations in past few years. No exception this year.

Postres gained it's first Michelin star this year. As did another newcomer Carma. Chez Dominique holds on to its two stars and Demo preserves the star it gained last year. G.W. Sundmans has lost its accolade, meaning that Helsinki (and Finland as a whole) now has four starred Michelin eateries.

The Sommelier Blog summarizes this nicely: "All the star restaurants in Helsinki are now small privately owned, it was not actually a big surprise to me that G.W. Sundmans lost their star. I think that this is good wake for Royal Ravintolat to sharpen up and really start thinking in new way and making their restaurants more different from each other.".

Unique residence built inside bedrock/earth

Live in the cave!!

Finnish company Seviso Ltd claims they have a global patent on a solution, which allows for construction in places that would have previously been impossible:
- unique, residence built inside bedrock/earth
- economical
- energy-efficient, savings in heating costs
- blends into the landscape, the building is adapted to its natural surroundings
- allows for unique solutions
- safe
- durable - no wear caused by weather and no major renovation work required in the future

Green cloud: ARTISTS LIGHT THE SKIES OF HELSINKI

Every night from the 22 to the 29 of February 2008, the vapour emissions of Salmisaari power plant in Helsinki will be illuminated to show the current levels of electricity consumption by local residents. A laser ray will trace the cloud during the night time and turn it into a city scale neon sign. Nuage Vert is a communal event for the area of Ruoholahti, which anticipates esoteric cults centred on energy and transforms an active power plant into a space for art, a living factory.

More info: www.vihreapilvi.org and Nuage Vert

Kasino A4 magazine

Kasino A4 is a magazine. And it is that in the true sense of the word, it does what every excellent magazine should do: fuses quality photography, insightful writing and strict graphic design into one inspiring package. Kasino A4 is distributed in 18 countries.

Superlife Lab; think big!

Massive Entertainment and Leisure complex Superlife Lab is planned to be built into the Helsinki area (Leppävaara, Espoo). Construction of Superlife Lab should have started in 2013, but the project is on hold. Complex is planned have an indoor skiing center, Snow World (indoor snowboarding all year round), hotel, Xtreme Water Park (surfing & spa), indoor climbing center, events & congress hall, restaurants, multiplex cinema with 12 theathers and several lifestyle shops.

Project is coordinated by Evata Development Ltd.
More about the project in Finnish here and here.

Snowvillages are here!

Lapland is full of snow hotels, snowvillages and igloos. Just to list few of them: Kemi snow castle, Snowvillage in Kittilä, Snowland in Rovaniemi, Heta snow castle in Enontekiö, Harri Niva snow hotel in Muonio.
Also I mentioned 2 months ago about the World's 1st Igloo Hotel chain!

Modern classical music @ Bar Belly: Klasari-klubi

New Finnish modern classic music enters the bar scene: why won't you have a pint and listen the freshiest Finnish classical music at bar? Now it's possible; Klasari club (klasariklubi.fi) is organizing classical club event once a month at Bar Belly (Uudenmaankatu 16-20).

I want to be a DJ

"I want to be a DJ (original mix)" is a very catching tune by Finnish Roberto Rodriguez. Tune is almost 2 years old but still very very catching as are most of his tunes. Listen yourself.

Utopia coming real?

Live above the sea! Nice plans were introduced by the construction company YIT couple years ago: residential nucleus is formed of totally 7 buildings by the sea. This year 2008 the first two buildings are ready, BUT the closer look reveals these two buildings are yes near by the sea but not above sea. Hopefully these "above the sea" apartments are built also in the near future!

Echosystem - brazil funk som de Helsinki

Echosystem is a 7-member Orchestra from Helsinki, playing funky tunes spiced up with sunny Brazilian rhythms. In a fresh way, they combine the Brazilian tradition with jazz, funk and contemporary club music producing a unique sound that varies from chic latinjazz to hectic breakbeat.

Their debut album "Madaga" is now released in Japan also!

Pingstate - Art of a Visual Community, Book 1

Pingstate - Art of a Visual Community, Book 1 is a collection. It presents 42 rising stars who work with pictures on both sides of the line that moved an inch. These healthy, playing adults are involved in developing a visual language for 21st century Finland and they made this book free of harassment by parents, cops or clients. It was born as a collective effort and on its own terms, because it wanted to.

Pinsgstate.nu is a web community, the members of which work in visual culture, often in a commercial context.

New Finnish Documentaries @ Docpoint film festival

Docpoint film festival does the reality check: 23.-27.1.08. There are bunch of new Finnish documentaries available. Shame I missed the Arto Halonen's Shadow of the Holy book. It's a film about the Ruhnama, also known as The Book of Soul, written by now deceased Turkmenistan's dictator Saparmurat Niazov.

Jani Leinonen @ Galleria Krista Mikkola 8.2.–2.3.2008

"Dumped ads" is the title of the latest exhibition by Jani Leinonen. Banana girl Chiquita, raisin mannequin Sun Maid, chocolate girl Geisha and many other figures pop up in Jani's paintings.

Galleria Krista Mikkola: Neitsytpolku 9, Helsinki.

Diamonds are forever

Would you like to live forever? Now it's possible, well in a way. Algordanza is offering a new kind of burial. After the cremation the ashes of the beloved person are delivered to Algordanza Finland (link in Finnish) and they produce the high class and sertified diamond out of the ash. Creepy.

www.in-drunk-you-are-blockhead.fi

Old propaganda campaigns are back, but with more street credibility than ever. The on-going "in-drunk-you-are-blockhead" campaign is targeted to teens&youngsters who tend to get too drunk too often in Finland.

Test the simple game and watch the campaign film on the site! Also the posters are awesome. Model vomiting in her handbag and clubber pissing in his pants. Cool or embarrased?

Surpringly the campaign is produced by the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. Federation promote the interests of producers of beer, cider, long drinks, soft drinks and mineral waters in Finland.

I thought their interest is to sell drinks as much as possible! But hey we live in Finland. Moral is the keyword here. Good.

Unique design hotels in Helsinki

In year 2008 upcoming design hotels will stimulate the Helsinki hotel scene: Former red-light brothel house (okay it was over 100 years ago) is renewed and new Hotel Helena (Pohjoisesplanadi 5) will be open in autumn 2008 (source: Kauppalehti, in Finnish). EDIT 2013: Olo (a Michelin star restaurant) will move in to Pohjoisesplanadi 5 in August 2013. The plans of Hotel Helena did not become reality at all.

Earlier I mentioned about the upcoming (fall 2009) loft-style rooms of Hotel Linna and alternatives to ordinary hotel stay (guest house Kolo & Maja). EDIT 2013: Hotel Linna is now GLO Art Hotel and loft-style rooms did not become reality? Maybe because of new hotels Haven and Fabian?

The largest private restaurant corporation in Finland Royal Ravintolat Ltd have noticed the demand for unique Hotels and is planning (article in Finnish) to launch a competitor to GLO, Klaus K and old prison Hotel Katajanokka. New hotel Haven will open during the year 2008 to Unioninkatu 17.

We'll see if the plans of the Alvar Aalto & Artek hotel (article in Finnish) will become real by the year 2010. Design hotel by world-class architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron would be a nice new landmark. EDIT 2013: Helsinki City Council rejected Katajanokka hotel project in 2010.

Other unique hotels to mention: Totally new concept was developed for Hotel Helka in 2006 - inspired by Finnish Design and Finnish nature. This theme can be experienced everywhere - in furnishing, service and music.