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.

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

Culinary arts continue to boom in Helsinki

Despite the recession the restaurant scene in Helsinki area continues to offer new places of culinary arts. Try these newcomers for something special: Spis, Ask, Pure bistro, Glogatan 4, Pastis, Trattoria Sogno, Muru or Patrona.

And do not forget to have the late night drinks at Liberty or Death and Fafa´s late night pitas for finalizing the perfect experience of Helsinki culinary arts :-)

Starting at the end of August 2013, the current premises of Michelin starred restaurant OLO (Olo will move to Pohjoisesplanadi 5) will house a new restaurant, EMO, where, in addition to the actual restaurant, the all-new Gastrobaari will also be located. According to owners of Olo the restaurant EMO will bring Helsinki an interesting combination of Finnish traditions and high-quality European ingredients. The adjacent Gastrobaari will be a place for guests to come and enjoy good wines along with delicious small dishes.

Are you sweet or salty?

To find out, you may want to try some of these:
Gaijin (Bulevardi 6, Helsinki)
Restaurant Lupolo (Punavuorenkatu 3, Helsinki)
Restaurant Muru (Fredrikinkatu 41, Helsinki)
Cafe Engel (Classic cafe reopened again after the renovation)
Chef&sommelier (They concentrate on organic food at Huvilakatu 28, Helsinki)
Restaurant Saaristo (The best view of Helsinki opens from the island of Klippan, open during the summer time only. Try the Slow Sunday brunch)
K17 Kitchen Cocktail (Kalevankatu 17, Helsinki)
Cafe Mattolaituri (Ehrenströmintie 3 A, Helsinki)
Paven (Island of Pentala, Espoo)

Check these out also.

Interactive bar opens in Tokyo

Do you remember MultiTouch screens?

The world’s largest hospitality multitouch display installation has been opened in Tokyo’s Graffiti Bar. Patrons can draw their own graffiti on the MultiTouch displays, and can browse drink and food menus, interact with their waiters, play games, and enjoy media content provided by the bar. Interactive special effects, including virtual champagne bubbles and lightning bolts, react to touch and objects placed on the tables. VIP cards placed on the MultiTouch displays will trigger exclusive VIP content.

More info:
MultiTouch.fi
tokyo-graffiti.com

Summer in the city

(photo by taivasalla)

"No summer day in Helsinki is complete without a stop at its many outdoor cafés." says the Helsinki.fi article here. Here are some additions to that article. Enjoy!

Flying Dutch & Pikku Dami (Pitkäsillanranta, Helsinki)
"Little Amsterdam" terrace next to Flying Dutch restaurant boat shifts you to Netherlands. Hmm... Well, almost.

Sininen huvila cafe (Linnunlauluntie 11, Helsinki)
The picturesque Cafe Sininen Huvila, or "Blue Villa", offers an amazing view over the Töölönlahti bay.

Cafe Piritta (Eläintarhantie 12, Tokoinranta, Helsinki)
Sense the feeling of Tokoinranta around the year.

Kahvila Tyyni (Helsinginkatu 56, right next to restaurant Töölönranta. EDIT ON 11TH OF JUNE 2011: SEEMS TO BE CLOSED FOR 2011)
Cafe Tyyni is open till September. They provide outdoor movies every Wed, Thu and Sunday evening.


Discover the locations of the terraces via Google Maps.

Metamorphosis of the Menu

Curiosities among menus in the collections of the Hotel and Restaurant Museum
23.2.2010-10.10.2010

The menu collection of the Hotel and Restaurant Museum contains tens of thousands of menu cards from the 1860s until today. In the table setting, the menu card forms a part of the entertainment at formal lunches and dinners. The menu content, i.e. the food items, drinks, their serving order, and the appearance of the menu, are an indication of the nature of the event.

The menu is often a unique production designed for one event only. It may be a card, but it may also be an object. The Metamorphosis of the Menu exhibition presents curiosities from the menu collection, from a deodorant bottle to a reindeer hide, from a high-heeled shoe to a wallet.

Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 11-18
Venue: Cable Factory, Tallberginkatu 1 G, Helsinki
www: Metamorphosis of the Menu

There is always room for a good local service in Helsinki

Pyykkis - New ecological laundry service (Helsinginkatu 16)

Crustum - German bakery in Helsinki (Pursimiehenkatu 7)

Juurenpuoti - brings top-quality Finnish country food products to Helsinki - without middlemen. The Shop’s selection covers a wide variety of food such as organic meat, cheese from independent producers, grain products, bread, etc. (Korkeavuorenkatu 27)

Allotria - Restaurant with a Finnish twist (Hämeentie 68)

Krulla's - Viennese bakery now in a new location. (Lönnrotinkatu 13)

Nip, snack and more

Something new?

Nip and snack: Siltanen
Lunch: Dong Bei Hu (Tuomas Vimma: "Best chinese in town")
Dinner: Restaurant Luomo (Vironkatu 8) - Try classic Gin Tonic made out of Organic Gin

Eat&Joy Farmer's Market Food

The Eat&Joy Farmer's Market sets the focus on local, top quality ingredients and organic food. They offer an extensive list of products:
kyytto-forest cow, poro (wild reindeer), grain pork meat, lake Inari, Saimaa fish and roe, smoked specialties, organic and wild vegetables and herbs, indigenous root vegetables, berry jams, mushrooms, small producer’s specialty cheese, churned organic butter, small brewery cider and special beer, organic whole grain and rye bread, organic flour, including great examples of organic ice cream and artisan chocolates.

More info:
Lasipalatsi, Mannerheimintie 22-24, Helsinki

Best of Finland - breakfast

Klaus K's the best of Finland - breakfast consists of many delicacies which are prepared using the best products of Finnish nature. Breakfast includes game, fish, berries and other, preferably organic products supplied by regional small producers. The bread and pastry selection is prepared by their own baker.

View the menu here.

The breakfast is served Monday to Friday 6.30-10 and 7.30-11.30 during the weekends.

More info:
www.ravintolailmatar.fi
Bulevardi 2 / 4, Helsinki.

Kitch - new eco bar and cafe

Although the Kitch bar and cafe is a new place most of it's decoration and stuff is recycled. For instance Helsinki-based Costo has made the lamps out of the old bicycle hoops and recycled advertising materials. Electricity of the bar is pure wind power and the usage of the electricity is minimized. Fair trade and organic ingredients are priorized, when the menu is planned, etc. etc.

Way to go Kitch!

More info:
Kitch Bar & Café
Yrjönkatu 30, Helsinki
www.kitch.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.

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!

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

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)

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).

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?

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.".