Gran Delicato Café

The Finns are known to drink a lot of coffee. In fact, they consume the most coffee per capita. But it's amazing how often a Finnish cup of brown gold tastes like half warm, stale creek water; the last thing that one would expect when passing the Meira Oy coffee roasting factory, a few blocks away from our house in Kallio. Perhaps it is a matter of taste. The Finns who are responsible for most of the coffee seem to be quite happy with their products.

Me and Elles have found a few like-minded if it comes to making a proper cup of coffee. Perhaps they make the best coffee in whole of Helsinki. And besides this, they sell great ciabatta (chapata in Finnish), for example with graviera and grilled aubergine. I'm talking about the Gran Delicato Café (or 'Delicato' for short). Our favourite Saturday afternoon stopover café on Kalevankatu 34.

Bierhuis Rotterdam

A week ago we went to check out the brand new shopping centre Kamppi in the centre of the town. Having spent just a few seconds inside the mall, we were surprised by a bar annex grand café 'Bierhuis Rotterdam'. Yes, a 'Dutch' pub! Of course we went in and spent the rest of the afternoon there, drinking Grolsch (Dutch) beer. The manager was very happy to have us, genuine Dutch people and in return of our effort to teach him and his staff some Dutch jibberish, we got some free Grolsch beers.. Proost! They are having a special on 'Koninginnedag' (Queensday) starring Willempie and Maxima (our future king and queen), so pay them a visit the 30th of April...

Friendly Finnish Drunks

We had a little chat with two Finnish drunk men in the afro bar 'Exodus' in Kallio, a few blocks from our house. Constantly competing with each other to catch some of our attention, these guys were quite entertaining. And nice to talk to. Kippis!

EXTV Afterparty

A short impression of the afterparty of the EXTV presentation in the third floor of Media Lab. Teijo brought a little present for us: a few litres of 'traditional Estonian wodka' in plastic bottles, reindeer meatballs from Lapland and a box of vanilla ice cream. Pipsa was celebrating her last day in Media Lab, I guess she was dancing for the rest of the night.

Rastila Retkiluistelu

Retkiluistelu (adventure ice skating) on the sea in the Rastila area, together with Elles, Matthieu (Savary), his sister and Fanny (Vilmila). What a beautiful place and what a beautiful day. The track goes around a little island, just before the coast with a little wooden house on it. Notice the Finnish mums skating on the ice with their baby carriages! Isn't that amazing... I practised skating on the speedskates (Noren) again that Elles her dad gave to me. After two rounds (4.5km per round) my shins and ankles were killing me again, but, but, but, last week I only managed to do one round.. So that means I am progressing!

Making Of...

Last thursday were the presentations of the EXTV / Out of Control projects. We presented our interactive TV format 'The Dadaphonic Magic Show' there. Tired and happy, although I did not manage to do the video part of prototype. The place was stuffed with teachers, co-students and some people from the business. We are going to work a bit further on the concept. Or at least I am.

Here is a funny 'making-of/blooper' video that we had put together over a plastic cup filled with Wodka+Water while strolling from the fourth to the third floor of Media Lab to the 'after party'.

Curt Lindström

We went to see the Jockerit play against HIFK in the Helsingin Jäähalli. We were sitting behind the Jokerit coach, Mr. Curt Lindström. He was far more interesting to watch than the match...