Friday, December 26, 2014

Helsinki Noir - darkside of Helsinki


“Readers should be prepared to keep the lights on at night after finishing this unnerving collection.”
- Publishers Weekly
 
Helsinki Noir introduction by James Thompson:
“Finland, the myths and truths. Internationally, it has a reputation as perhaps the best place in the world to live. A great economy. A low crime rate. Good and nearly cost-free health care. The needy are provided for by the state and live in reasonable comfort. Finns: peaceful and quiet people, living in the perfect example of a social democracy functioning as it should. A tourist, or even a person who has lived here for a length of time, might well view Finland as such. There is some truth to this, but like every country, Finland has many truths . . .

Finland is, like the theme so often explored in Star Trek, a parallel universe in which, on the surface, all seems normal, but under that shell lie vast differences . . .  As this book demonstrates, Finland is a noir nation [and] this anthology is, I believe, the best representation of Finnish noir ever offered to the international community. Every word rings true. It holds Finland up in a way that not only exposes this wonderful and fascinating country to the world, but acts as a mirror that reflects its people and culture in a way every Finn will recognize, vocalizing those truths that are so seldom spoken here amongst ourselves.”

Purchase online: Akashicbooks.com 

Aurora borealis alarm - be alarmed for auroras!


Be alarmed for auroras! Several hotels in Lapland, Finland offer 24/7 Aurora alarm systems! For example at Arctic Snowhotel guests can turn aurora alarm button "on" and in case there are northern lights in the sky, their alarm system will wake you up! Also Hotel Aurora at Luosto, Lapland offers aurora alarm system. Both hotels provide panoramic view rooms with glass ceiling and walls. And do not forget the original glass igloos at Hotel Kakslauttanen, Lapland.

If you are not able to visit Lapland in Finland, Unique Lapland has brought the wonderful Lapland winter into the city of Helsinki. Snow attractions and activities are available in any weather: igloos, ice sculptures, toboggan hill, kick-sledding and tandem skiing. Everything is built indoors of a huge sports hall using snow and ice. Their weather forecast of the day is always -3 degrees Celsius, no wind, steady weather conditions. Indoor cross-country skiing can be done in a same address at Kivikko Ski Hall.

Insideout - real-life room escape game


Insideout - the first real-life room escape game is now available in Helsinki, Finland.

It's a real world adventure game which simulates online Room Escape games. In the game, 2-6 players are enclosed in their specially designed theme room. They have rack their brains to solve puzzles and collect clues to escape from the room in a race against time.

More info: www.insideoutescape.com

Anyone can fly or surf indoor @ Sirius Sport Resort


At Sirius Sport Resort anyone can fly or surf indoor. Enjoyably and safely. Sirius is located at Pyhtää, about one hour’s drive from Helsinki in the direction of Kotka.

More info: www.siriussport.fi

Are you ready for Takeoff?

Takeoff offers a highly realistic and fun experience flying a commercial airline. The Airbus A320 simulator is equal size of the real one and with high definition visual screens, realistic sounds and highly detailed cockpit guarantees an unforgettable experience. 

Check out their pre-planned flight experiences from various packages, e.g. Helsinki sightseeing or world's most dangerous approaches course (including Kai Tak (Hong Kong's old airport), Innsbruck, Austria and Gibraltar). 

Address: Takeoff Simulations Ltd., Energiakatu 3, 00180 Helsinki, Finland.

More info: www.take-off.fi

Happy holidays! Merry Xmas! Hyvää Joulua!


(Illustrations by Kehvola Design)

Kehvola Design design printed and handmade paper goods. Small company is founded by Finnish illustrator Timo Mänttäri and designer Veera Kehvola. Their own working studio is also a shop (Address: Vallilankatu 21, Helsinki).

More info: kehvola.blogspot.fi

Thursday, June 12, 2014

15 minutes of fame for social media stars


The power of social media is amazing. With an exceptional idea anyone could gather even millions of Youtube views in few days. Or what do you say about these Finnish digital natives?
  • Smoukahontas (Sara Forsberg) published a Youtube video "What Languages Sound Like to Foreigners" and gathered 10 million views in two weeks. Two weeks later she was visiting Ellen Degeneres Show and she signed a several hundred thousand euros deal.
  • Lare Lekman published his aerial sighseeing in Helsinki filmed with a quadcopter. Within few weeks almost 300 000 views for his "My Helsinki" video and I bet his aerial videoshooting services are fully booked for the next few months.
If you want to meet the Finnish vloggers you should check Tubecon the biggest vloggers festival in Finland. Tubecon will be organized on August 16, 2014 in Helsinki.

Sunhouse - modern prefab homes from Finland

(image: copyright by Sunhouse)

Finnish Sunhouse offers modern prefab homes and summer houses.
I would be happy to see Finland full of these kind of modern houses :-)

It's amazing Sunhouse is not offering any material in English on their website. All models are made out of wood and designed by Finnish architects.

Superpop! in brand new wood pavilion Gösta

(image: copyright by Serlachius museum)

Gösta’s pavilion, a multifaceted wood building, offers modern spaces for art and visitors in Mänttä, Finland. Superpop! is Serlachius Museum Gösta's main exhibition in summer 2014.
The new pavilion shows the international classics of pop art side by side with the Finnish ones.

Superpop! contains about 130 artworks from 23 different artists that represent pop art in many different ways. The artists of the exhibition include Jiri Geller, Damien Hirst, Jani Leinonen, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and many others.

Art museum Gösta will be open in 14 June 2014.

Treasure islands of Helsinki

A new book called (Aarresaaret) Tresure islands of Helsinki by Jarmo Nieminen is out (in Finnish only). The book is about the incredible archipelago of Helsinki. If you can't visit any of the islands you could always browse online the photos by Nieminen.

You can get a touch of Helsinki islands by catching a ferry to some of the islands.
Try island hopping and dinner at some of these island restaurants:
  • Särkänlinna (Restaurant in an old sea fortress) 
  • Lonna (Every Friday there is a popular Poiju club. Even coast guard boat might be needed to help you out there.)
  • NJK (Most popular crayfish restaurant in town) 
  • Skiffer (Famous pizzas on Liuskaluoto island)
More info: Island restaurants in Helsinki

Helsinki Allas - new outdoor complex is out there

(image: copyright by Huttunen Lipasti Pakkanen architects)

The 1st phase of Helsinki Allas is ready. Helsinki Allas contains urban garden and picnic area, cafe and Finnair Sky Wheel. Small curiosity of Finnair Sky Wheel is a VIP cabin. When you purchase the VIP package you will receive a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne and a prolonged flight experience in the VIP cabin. Cabin features a glass floor, leather seats, music and air condition. A lot of gigs and other events will be organized throughout the summer at Helsinki Allas area.

2nd phase of the project is planned to be open in the spring of 2015. Then the new outdoor sea pool complex with outdoor pools and saunas will be available. See the aerial image of the forthcoming complex in my previous blog post. Helsinki Allas is designed by Huttunen Lipasti Pakkanen architects.

More info:
www.helsinkiallas.fi
finnair-skywheel.com/en

Hotel Tegel invites to Fiskars Village


Brand new Hotel Tegel is situated about 1 hour drive from Helsinki. Hotel is in the middle of old Fiskars Village. 13 brand new rooms in an old building next to river are waiting visitors to Fiskars Village. Today there are over 100 artisans, designers and artists working or living in Fiskars Village.
The company Fiskars was founded in 1649 in Fiskars Village and has since become an international corporation. This year Fiskars is celebrating it's 365th anniversary.

More info: www.tegel.fi

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Andy Warhol - An American Story 8.3. - 28.5.2014


The spring season of the Sara Hildén Art Museum opens with an exhibition of Andy Warhol, king of pop art. The exhibition presents around 150 works coming from famous institutions such as the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, the Albertina and the MUMOK in Vienna, and great historical collections such as the Sonnabend and the Ronald Feldman in New York. These masterpieces provide an overview of the crucial years in the career of Andy Warhol, an artist who, while denying he was such, shook the foundations of the academic world of painting and criticism in the second half of the 20th century, changing forever the image of America, and with it, of modern contemporary society.

More info:
Sara Hilden Art Museum

Chimeras



Finnish documentary movie maker Mika Mattila has released a new film called Chimeras. Chinese contemporary art is wanted all over the world. In movie the talented Liu Gang and the father of Chinese modern art, millionaire Wang Guangyi, reflect on their identities amid Western influence. The son of a poor family, Liu Gang, takes photographs of billboard ads, and his rocketing career opens doors to the same jet set lifestyle he criticizes in his art. Identity crisis is imminent. Wang Guangyi contemplates his career and China’s role in the art world.

Screening:
Docpoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
Sat 1.2.2014 19:00 @ Kinopalatsi movie theather

More info:
www.chimerasfilm.com

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