(FI) Hotelli Punkaharju on nyt kovin esillä, onhan sinne tulossa vaikutusvaltaisia vieraita lounastamaan torstaina. Mahtavat puitteet arvovieraille - hienosti entisöity paikka, paljon kauniita yksityiskohtia ja tarjolla herkullista lähiruokaa. Ja ymröivä luonto on maagisen kaunis!

Punkaharjun hotellin ihana emäntä Saimi Hoyer järjesti upean Fashion Brunchin yhdessä muotisuunnittelija Jukka Rintalan kanssa. Meitä vieraita kestitettiin herkullisilla salaateilla, paikallisilla kaloilla ja kahvin kanssa tarjottavilla sesongin marjoista tehdyillä jälkkäreillä. 

Muotinäytöksessä esiintyi paikallisten mallien lisäksi myös balleriina Jaana Puupponen, oopperalaulaja Tuuli Takala, taidemaalari Johanna Oras sekä Saimi itse. Ihastelin pukuja niin, että kuvaaminen jäi vähemmälle. Juhlapukujen lisäksi mallien päällä nähtiin myös Jukka Rintalan kauniita kesämekkoja.  

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(EN) Hotel Punkaharju has been the talk of the day lately as there will be some influential guests ( two prsidents!) having lunch this Thursday. Magnificiant surroundings for them - beautifully restored place, lots of gorgeous details, and delicious local food. Not to mention the almost magical nature around - lakes, forest & wild flowers!

The lovely hostess of Hotel Punkaharju Saimi Hoyer organized a fabulous Fashion Brunch the other day together with fashion designer Jukka Rintala. On the buffet there were delicious salads, local fish and desserts made of the seasonal berries .

In the fashion show there were local models and with them some Finnish celebs like ballerina Jaana Puupponen, soprano Tuuli Takala, painter Johanna Oras and Saimi herself. I was so fascinated by the gorgeous dresses that sometimes forgot to shoot. There were not only amazing evening gowns but also pretty summer dresses by Jukka Rintala.

Oletko käynyt Punkaharjun hotellilla?

ps. illalla olikin sitten Rigoletto Olavinlinnassa!

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Have you visited Hotel Punkaharju?

ps. the evening continued with Rigoletto at Olavinlinna Castle! 

Rainy Morning In Finland

Summer rain is actually quite nice. It makes the nature green and fresh. Love the scent of a summer rain. And it's nice to have a little walk out there in the rain when the weather is still quite warm.

These pics are taken in Seurasaari where I had my little walk. Seurasaari is an island in Helsinki. Nice place, no cars and there's an easy access via bridge.

Hope you'll enjoy my photos and feel the gentle rain!

Do you enjoy walking in a summer rain?

Been walking in Seurasaari also here, and if you like to see it in winter time click here!

Eggert Pétursson: Flora

I like to visit art exhibitions. It's great to see something inspirational - it can be beautiful, impressive or political, oe even a mixture of all these and actually much more as well. You don't necessarily need to like it and yet it can be good art.If it makes you feel something that's enough to call it good.

Had a chance to visit Pori Art Museum and see an exhibition, in fact, three different kind of exhibitions, but these pics are all from the main event. Hadn't heard anything of an Icelandic artist called Eggert Pétursson, but totally fell in love to his gourgeous paintings. When you look his paintings from a distance they look like abstract colour compositions but a closer look reveals landscapes of very precisely rendered flowers. His paintings are a fascinating blend of botanical accuracy and free painterliness.

This exhibition is called Flora and it showcases Eggert Pétursson's paintings from the early 1990s to the present. His most recent works from 2015 are now on show for the first time. The artist have planned the way every painting is displayed in this open space, meaning all the walls dividing the space and the height where the paintings are hung are decided by him.

The Flora exhibition is open at Pori Art Museum until August 28.

On Wednesdays there's a free 45min guided tour at 6pm. Highly recommended! 

The other 2 exhibitions I saw there were "East Asian Video Frames: Shades of Urbanization", which I found impressive and absolutely worth seeing. "Fluxus ny" was also interesting and gave a new point of view to see art.

ps. I know - once again I got carried away and just kept adding pics here! 

Almost forgot - there's also an arty cafe and an art shop in the Pori Art Museum.

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.