You may have noticed with all the blogposts that we immensely enjoyed Helsinki. But we didn't know that Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, was located at only 2 hours by ferry from Helsinki. And did you know that it's only 3 hours by train to Saint Petersburg?! We took the ferry to Tallinn without any Read article…
Author: Judith de Graaff
Lokal Helsinki 72% art 28% coffee
In the middle of Design District Helsinki you can find this Design gem called Lokal. They call themselves a "concept store and home to Finnish art, design and craft". Lokal is a mix of an art gallery, design shop and coffee corner, run by photographer Katja Hagelstam. She opened Lokal in 2012 to showcase the Read article…
Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden in Helsinki
When you want to take a break from the snow and cold in winter-y Helsinki you can either go to a sauna or visit the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden. Actually I like both options equally, although the latter is a slightly more visibly pleasing activity 😉 In all the places that I travel to, I try Read article…
Alvar Aalto Studio in Helsinki
Kabang! After a very nice bike trip from our apartment in the city center of Helsinki, we arrived in a residential neighborhood of the Finnish capital. There are no street signs that indicate where to find Alvar Aalto's studio, and seen from the street it hardly stands out. A handful of Japanese tourists wander in Read article…
Suomenlinna: a not so Helsinki Secret
Everyone, truly everyone: from Helsinki locals to avid travelers, told me to visit the Unesco World Heritage site of Suomenlinna when in Helsinki. It felt a bit like: "You have to visit the Eiffel tower", which usually makes me want to skip a site or monument alltogether. But not in the case of Suomenlinna: it Read article…
Ipi Kulmakuppila in Helsinki
Last week we were interviewed by Radio Helsinki about our trip to the Finnish capital as #HelsinkiSecret residents. Live on air (you can listen to the podcast here), we met ice hockey player Eetu Pöysti from the Helsinki Jokerit and Minna Särelä, CEO of Design District Helsinki. Together we spoke about Finnish food, design, my Read article…
Hel Yeah, a week of Helsinki Secrets!
Hel Yeah! We had the most amazing week in Helsinki! Robert and I spent a week as residents of the #HelsinkiSecrets residence to explore the Finnish capital as a local. Before leaving I made a short list of things I wanted to do in Helsinki: eat a Runebergintorttu (a Finnish almond & rum flavoured pastry), Read article…
Au revoir Paris, hei Helsinki!
Two weeks ago I walked past Le Carillon and Le Petit Cambodge for the first time since the Paris attacks. I never really felt the urge to see the places where such tragic events took place, with my own eyes. Somehow I ignored that they put up colorful buntings shortly after the attacks. On the Read article…
Mama Petula plant concept store in Paris
Happy Valentine's Day! No hearts or roses here today, but big heaps of green love! Yesterday I was invited by Caroline to the opening of her (long-awaited) plant concept store Mama Petula in Paris. Last summer she was given the opportunity to rent a small house on the site of a former hospital in the Read article…
Urban Jungle Bloggers #26
Usually Wally is always around when I'm shooting a new Urban Jungle Bloggers post, but for this special Jungle Animals editions he couldn't be bothered. Fortunately Otta was more than happy to walk around the little jungle I prepared on our dinner table. She loved it, especially nibbling on fresh Philodendron leaves, her favorite. Living Read article…
