When visiting Budapest, don't miss Chez Dodo in the city centre. It's absolutely the best place for macarons in Budapest. I just had a tea break there and chose a seasonal giant chocolate macaron filled with figs and goat cheese - not a typical macaron, but super delicious.

Chez Dodo was established in 2014 by Dora (nickname Dodo) and her friend Peter. It all started when Dodo noticed that there's not a really good macarons available in Budapest. At first she tried to make them at home, but the results were not exactly what she wanted, so she decided to go and learn all the tricks of macaron making in Paris.

Coming back to Budapest she made deliciois and experimental macarons for her family & friends at night and still kept her day job. It didn't take long until she made up her mind, quited her job and started macaron business with Peter.

There are 20 different macaron flavours at the moment. I still haven't tried all of them, but my favourite ones so far are Jean Pierre - salted caramel, Juliette - ginger, lemon and Charlotte - lemon, lavender. All the macarons are made on the spot. You can actually watch the macaron making even through the shop window. Only best ingredients are used in these artisan macarons, no added sugar nor artificial flavours.

The shop & cafe area is small & cosy, and super cute with hand-painted hummingbirds on the wall. Love it!

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Älä skippaa Chez Dodoa Budapestissa käydessäsi! Se on yksinkertaisesti kaupungin paras macaron-paikka. Kävin siellä teellä ja valitsin sesongin erikoisuuden jättimäisen suklaa-macaroninin tuoreilla viikunoilla ja vuohenjuustolla. Aika erikoinen, mutta niin herkullinen.

Dora (lempinimeltään Dodo) perusti Chez Dodon vuonna 2014 yhdessä ystävänsä Peterin kanssa.  Kaikki alkoi siitä, kun Dodo ei etsinnöistä huolimatta ollut tyytyväinen Budapestista löytyvään macaron-tarjontaa. Aluksi hän kokeili macaronien tekoa kotona, mutta lopputulos ei ollut ihan sitä mitä hän toivoi, joten hän päätti lähteä Pariisiin macaron-oppiin.

Dodon tullessa takaisin Budapestiin, hän piti päivätyönsä, mutta alkoi tehdä herkullisia ja kokeellisia macaroneja perheenjäsenilleen ja ystävilleen iltaisin. Ei mennyt kauaa, kun hän päätti irtosanoutua työstään ja aloittaa oman macaron-busineksen Peterin kanssa.

Tällä hetkellä eri macaron-makuja on 20. En ole vielä kokeillut ihan kaikkia, mutta tähän astiset suosikkini ovat Jean Pierre - suolakaramelli, Juliette - inkivääri-sitruuna ja Charlotte - sitruuna-laventeli. Kaikki macaronit tehdään paikan päällä ja valmistusprosessia voi itseasiassa seurata jopa kadulta käsin kaupan ikkunasta. Näissä käsintehdyissä macaroneissa käytetään vain parhaita raaka-aineita, eikä niihin lisätä sokeria eikä keinotekoisia makuaineita.

Chez Dodon myymälä ja kahvila on pieni mutta kodikas tila. Päätyseinä on koristeltu käsin maalatuilla kolibreilla. Aivan ihana!

Tampere: Lillan Hotel Café & Butik

(FI) Kesällä tuli piipahdettua Tampereella, jonne veljeni on muuttanut. Tampere ei aikaisemmin ole ollut itselleni mitenkään tuttu eikä siellä ole tullut käytyä kuin joskus vuosikausia sitten. Kaupunki vaikuttaa ainakin kesäiseen aikaan varsin miellyttävältä - on kaunista luontoa järvineen ja paljon erilaisia tapahtumia, kuten kesäteatteria, Tammerkosken sillalla ja Tammerfestia, joihin kaikkiin pääsin myös itse mukaan. Pyynikin kesäteatterissa kävin katsomassa loistavan Niskavuoren nuori emäntä -näytelmän, Tammerkosken sillalla näin Michael Monroen huikean keikan ja Tammefestissa lavalle kipusivat Juha Tapio ja Lauri Tähkä. Suomi-iskelmä ei ole ihan sitä ominta alaani, mutta molemmat pojat osoittautuivat loistaviksi lavaesiintyjiksi.

Tampereella asuva ystäväni Outi vei minut teelle aivan ihastuttavaan pikkuhotelliin Lillaniin. Paikka on avattu tänä kesänä ja se yhteydessä toimii myös kahvila ja putiikki. Ihastuin välittömästi Lillanin sisustukseen ja atmosfääriin. Tanskalaisen oloinen interiööri, omistajapariskunnan ystävällinen ja lämminhenkinen palvelu sekä kahvilan ja putiikin tarjonta tekivät vaikutuksen.

Otin kännykällä muutaman kuvan Lillan Hotel Café & Butikista. Toivon mukaan niistä välittyy edes jotenkn paikan ihastuttava ja kotoisa tunnelma.

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(EN) This summer I popped into a Finnish city Tampere, where my brother has moved. Tampere has never been very familiar for me and I hadn't visited there for ages. Anyways, the city seemed to be pretty nice at least in the summer time. The nature is beautiful with lots of green areas and lakes around. There were also many activitues such as outdoors theatre, concerts and festivals, which all I had chance to take apart. 

A friend of mine who lives in Tampere took me to an absolutely charming litte hotel called Lillan Hotel Cafe & Butik for a cup of tea. The place is very new and was open this summer. I immediately fell in love its interior and atmosphere. The Danish style decor, the owner-couple's warm & friendly service and the variety of products both at café & butik really impressed me.

I took a couple of snapshots of Lillan Hotel, Café & Butik with my iPhone. Hope you can somehow feel the lovely & cosy ambiance of the place.

Good Morning!

What would be a better way to start a day than a nice cup of tea - or coffee, if you prefer that - in a nice & cosy surroundings?

The weather is still pretty warm also in the mornings so it's so nice to sit outside and have a relaxing moment before going to work. 

VII district in Budapest is full of unique cafes, bars, restaurants and small stores. One of my favourite places for tea and cakes is Goa Mama. There's also an interior shop called Goa in the same premises. That place is full of gorgeous pieces!

Goa Mama

VII, Király utca 21.

This mint tea is so refreshing.

Have a fantastic Friday!

Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing in Tampere

If you happen to visit Finland and especially the city of Tampere and don't know what to do there after being in the amusement park called Särkäniemi and done some shopping, go to Amuri Museum of workers' Housing. It's a great way to see a part of history of Finland. The palce is located just a few meters out of the city centre so it's easy access by foot. 

Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing has five residental houses and four outbuildings in their original location. The homes outdats from 1882 to 1973. There's also an early 20th century cobbler's shop, a bakery  from the 30s and a cooperative shop and a haberdashery. 

In one house there were usually living four families. In every house and room it's described who lived in that place - what was the occupation of the parents, how many children there were and what ages they all were.

When I arrived to the homes of the 40s and 50s it already started to look a bit familiar. I could spot some items that I had seen in my grandparents' homes and in the shop there were very familiar products that haven't changed at all - such as my favourite Finnish Fazer Blue chocolate! The blue package and golden logo is still exactly the same. 

If you're intrested in you can find more details here!

BTW, I know less is more but somehow I got carried away and just kept adding pics here - actually I planned to put much more.

Freshly baked blueberry pie

Don't forget to pop in to Cafe Amurin Helmi (the Pearl of Amuri)at the location. There's a great bakery on the spot. Had a slice of glutenfree rhubarb cake with vanilla custard. 

The museum is open during the summer season between 10am-6pm, closed on Mondays. 

Kávétársaság - A Nice Cup Of Tea In Budapest

There's a new place for coffee and tea in the centre of Budapest at Nádor utca. The place is called Kávétársaság (something like 'coffee society' in English). It doesn't only serve tea & coffee but also sells them as well as high-quality coffee machines. The shop for the machines is downstairs. You can find tea, coffee and other items related to them in the middle of the shop.

Tried there White Pai Mutan tea by Swedish Johan & Nyström - also available in the shop! - and Northern Berries by the same company. Both excellent! And the gluten free chocolate cake was heavenly!

The interior of Kávétársaság is really beautiful and well-made. Lots of black and white - my favourite combo - and a hint of colour in the floor tiles. Gorgeous custom-made mirrors and nice pendant lamps hanging from the high ceiling.

Pop in when you're in the neighbourhood!

Kávétársaság

Nádor utca 14, V Budapest

Andante - Have A Cup Of Tea!

Just by accident popped in to this cafe at Freda in Helsinki. A place full of retro vibes. It was a pretty chilly outside - no rain but hefty wind. Typical Finnish summer weather. So a cup of tea sounded perfect. Had delicious white tea which was served in a glass carafe. There're also gorgeous looking cakes but as I was on my way for lunch decided to skip all the sweets - not an easy task for me.

PS. There's also a flower shop in the corner.

Andante at Fredrikinkatu 20, 00120 Helsinki

Cafe Sokerilla

Look, what a cute cafe I found at Vääksy! And the sun is shining!

One minus - there's no glutenfree products. But have to mentioned that the green tea was fantastic!