Helsinki Day

Helsinki is a beautiful city and every time you can find new aspects or see something that has not been there before. Keep your eyes open.

Arrival using public transport, leaving possibility to enjoy more the second drink if you feel like it.

We had a sporty entry to the city with a sports event.

 Sports can also exhaust people - can you spot one?

Let's zoom a bit...

Shopping is naturally part of the city day and it can also be a visual experience.

At Helsinki Market Square, Kauppatori, you can find also great packaging or what do you think about these packages?

Don't be scared if it is crowded. There are not many pick pockets, while it is still possible. Overall Helsinki is a safe city!

Remember to have breaks so you don't get exhausted. Good option is the Old Market Hall, Vanha Kauppahalli, and the Finnish local specialty Lonkero. 

Next door the bistro boat Nikolai was serving salmon soup as well as salty and sweet waffles. The salty ones were great, served with a view.

They are open only for 2 weeks for this year so go there. To secure you know how to behave in their toilet, please read the instructions in English.  

I wondered a bit why there was neck-to-neck a war game advertising and blood donation service...

Comedy festival was also in the city with the funny basketball player Sami Hedberg.

If you for some reason need to work in the city, did you know that you can have access to an office with these views with a price of a nice wine bottle?

Keep your eyes open when walking around.

This one I don't get. Why...?

You might also spot interesting boats like the Delta.

Or Lucky Eight which some hockey fans recognize.

Make sure you see the city also from the sea, several options are available no matter what your budget is, you get access with the price of a bus ticket - or if you are lucky with some other means.

Check out also the Hernesaari terraces, shuttle bus goes from the city centre. Next summer.
...they closed yesterday for this year :o(

Make sure that you return to Espoo, Haukilahden Paviljonki is a great option to cool down. They have great burgers, yesterday's snack was a bit unusual as they don't regularly have sushi.

Enjoy life, have a cool one...!

THE Lunch of the Summer

Finally I had a chance to take my kids for a lunch - in a restaurant in the middle of a working day. THE lunch of the summer!!! It didn't require bells, whistles, balloons, music or showtime, neither any serious discussions, to make it a GREAT moment at least for myself. The food and the company is enough to make it!

If you are into a good steak at plain steakhouse style - or a bit closer to a grill style, go to the Grill Toro at Pohjantori, Espoo, Finland. Nothing fancy, straight forward steak & chips (French fries). Even the side salad is something you shouldn't mention.

What is worth mentioning, is the Ville Vallaton ice cream, Finnish version of the famous Dennis Menace. Enjoying that outside in the sun, doing nothing. Not bad...!

...there is a reason why the place has been open, live and busy since 1970.

Hyvää ruokahalua!

Currywurst in Helsinki, Finland

Ladies and Gentlemen, you can get good currywurst in Helsinki! Yesterday was the restaurant day when anyone can open a "restaurant" for a day. I was in Helsinki down town at Esplanadi park at 4ish pm. Weather was cold & wet a.k.a. standard for November. Still there were quite many options to choose from and I tried multiple.

One of them was not a pop up restaurant but a proper snack kiosk on wheels, serving great currywurst. You can find them normally at Narinkkatori or Rautatientori. Check out more on their website www.currywursthouse.net

If you wish to eat a bit better and to sit down, go to Zinnkeller at Meritullinkatu in Helsinki www.zinnkeller.fi

Fathers Day Sushi - Isänpäivä Sushi

For me the genuine fathers day is 365 days a year and sometimes 366. Today the lunch was
more than delicious sushi from Sushiart www.sushiart.fi at my hoods Tapiola, Espoo, Finland.

If you want to eat onsite, it is smart to book a table as the place is quite small. You should combine a dinner with a movie at next door Kino Tapiola, the classic place...

Happy Fathers Day to all of us, BIG smile and love to my children & wife who have made this possible!!!

Hyvää Isänpäivää!!!

Ice Cream & Shopping @ Espoo!

I just had a great milkshake at Vohveli ice cream bar at Espoo. They have also wafers, or waffles or what ever you call them. On top of the delicious ice cream you can do some shopping. I found a broom for the patio deck and part of a 2 year birthday present for one special little Lady.

Go and check it out, it is worth the drive even from down town Helsinki.
www.vohveli.fi

More of Bar Filemon at Fuengirola, Spain: Rent or buy it!

Referring to my previous post;

Rent or buy Bar Filemon at Fuengirola, Spain so we get it opened again - and the history of the place gets a contingency.

If you are interested, call +34 667 0411 24 or +34 645 5657 48...

To amuse you for today, I will share you a pic of one of the most ugly cars ever made: Fiat Multipla!

This was taken around the corner from Filemon. This would be a perfect car for teenage kids, the new drivers as where ever you are in the car, you are clearly visible and have no chance for kissing out of sight...

Have a great rest of the week!

Despedida Bar Filemon at Fuengirola, Spain

May I have a moment of silence, please.
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Thank you.

That was due to the sad fact that a favorite restaurant in 3 generations in our family Bar Filemon at Fuengirola, Spain has closed its doors for good, unfortunately. That means you gotta find the goodies from some place else...

Hmmmm, I know some places where to go! For example;

• Next door from Filemon. It has changed the owner, but still serve good Spanish seafood goodies, pescados y mariscos. 
• Around the corner from Filemon.
• At the Fuengirola Marina is Fran that has been a good option also earlier.

...and of course new places come and go all the time, go out and try them!

Muchas gracias Antonio, staff and particulary your son from the little extra deed!

Then I of course need to give a tip;
If you fancy a beer that is a bit stronger in taste and perhaps in other ways too, check out Bar Belga in the same corners at Fuengirola. It's in the city, few leaps from the sea front with a very friendly couple hosting it so go and check it out. They are also in Facebook.

My favorite beer from Belgium?
...well, in principle all of them. However, if I'd need to pick one single beer, the only that I am allowed to drink during the rest of my life, it would be Hoegaarden.

Salud!

It's Winter (& Food) Time in Espoo, Finland - Finally!!!

Finally the ground is white!

Well, max 1cm but still... The skating track in Tapiola, Espoo has been open for a month and apparently good enough for skating, but now it becomes more winter-like! I like...!

If you visit Tapiola and you are hungry for an outdoor hamburger, you might find this trailer with lux burgers available. Could be excellent after an outdoor skating!

And if those wheels have rolled somewhere else, you can check out the Funky Burger at Ainoa, the ex-Sokos building's upstairs. You can get the baby below even with 3 steaks.

Or the always excellent Grilli Ribis, my favorite!

Bon appétit!

Food tips for Helsinki area

I had again a pleasure to visit the German restaurant Zinnkeller in Helsinki. Food was good, beer was cold and tasty - all topped with great company. I have told you about my favorite dish also earlier, but here it is:

Or was...I had the garlic snails as a starter and they were fantastic too. No photos available as I was concentrating on the meal. Good food by German founder, now in 2nd generation.

Check it out, they have had also several ice hockey national teams visiting so it is tested by many nationalities. GO!
http://www.kolumbus.fi/zinnkeller/

Another tip is at Tapiola, Espoo: www.sushiart.fi
The name speaks for it self, but to clarify: Japanese kitchen and sushi. If you go for takeaway and are driving, you can stop in front.

It's not the cheapest option, while I still have not found anything good+cheap.

One more for the road:
30 meters from SushiArt is Kilim for Mediterranean kitchen. Great buffet and alacarte, genuine kitchen as the owner is Turkish. www.kilim.fi
 

Rock @ Helsinki Tonight -

If you are at Helsinki tonight and want to listen to some rock - in fairly down-to-earth authentic environment, check out the Classic Cars Café at Jätkäsaari. The first band starts apparently at 9ish and the Texas Oil that plays apparently Hurriganes stuff starts at around 1030 pm.

The place is open also at daytime so pop in for a cup of coffee, beer, shot, pinball or what ever is you choise!