Category Archives: Fashion

Things to do in Helsinki

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Helsinki was the last Scandinavian capital city to tick off on my ‘to visit’ list. Since visiting Stockholm a few years ago I have regularly travelled around the Nordic regions, returning for the fresh clean lifestyle, the beautiful scenery and innovative cuisine. The welcome I have received from the locals in each country has always been overwhelmingly friendly and kind. The natives are proud and inspired by their surroundings, and want to show it off. Finland has many similarities with its neighbouring countries but also very much has its own identity. Before visiting I imagined I would encounter Marimekko, Moomins and lots of saunas in Helsinki, but what I discovered was far more exciting than just design prints and cartoon characters!

To Stay

Hotel Indigo – This super new boutique design hotel proved itself to be the perfect blogger’s base in Helsinki. Conveniently located, chic in design and efficient in service, we couldn’t fault it.

To Eat

Chef & Sommelier – The ‘new Nordic’ food movement is progressing at vast speed and Helsinki is home to a few leading chefs who are paving the way. The most magical meal I experienced was at Chef & Sommelier where chef Sasu Laukkonen uses humble ingredients to create imaginative dishes.

Ask – A little Michelin star restaurant serving meticulous and magnificent food. The lunch menu is light and lovely using all organic ingredients that are locally sourced, even the wine here is organic.

Nokka – This is one of the more traditional restaurants in Helsinki serving local flavours and authentic dishes. The eatery is currently teaming up with FinnAir to provide meals to their business class services out of Finland. We tasted a set menu of delicious treats including beetroot soup and immaculately cooked duck breast.

Sandro – Sandro is a unique food concept in Helsinki and has garnered a reputation as one of the hippest and tastiest places to eat in town. After a round of sweet fruity cocktails, we were presented with the ‘Marrakech Madness’ feast. This exotic menu includes goat cheese and date pastilla, kofta salad with halloumi and lamb tajine… it was fragrant, comforting and delicious food.

The Cock – This trendy hang-out is the latest venture from the people behind Sandro. The eatery has a chic design and is consequently filled with young trendsetters. We indulged in a feast of varied dishes, including oysters, salads, pastas and a bowl of very memorable sticky chicken wings.

Streat Helsinki – After the success of its premier year Streat Helsinki recently returned for its 2nd year. Street food is an ever growing trend in the city and this was apparent at this popular festival. Thousands of locals and tourists gathered to try the eclectic mix of cuisines available from the 66 food trucks. We loved the burgers from Naughty Brgr created by the winner of Top Chef!

Vanha Kauppahalli – The Old Market Hall in Helsinki has served its customers since 1889. The merchants sell everything from cheese, fish, shellfish, vegetable, fruit and cakes to spices, coffee and tea. Whether you are hungry or not it is worth visiting to look around the beautiful hall and carefully arranged stalls.

To Drink

Good Life Coffee – this much loved coffee shop is in the cool and quirky Kallio district. The café is run by Lauri Pipinen, the Finnish Barista Champion 2011 and their motto “avoid bad life” is very apparent. I tried a smooth and rich flat white from Good Life Coffee though they are best known for their filter coffee.

Trillby & Chadwick – this secret detective-themed cocktail bar is from the creative bartending agency, Son of a Punch, who also run popular bars Liberty or Death and 100 dogs in Helsinki. In true prohibition style there is no sign and no markings outside, just blacked-out windows. Once through the front door, you find yourself in a tiny four-walled room with just a telephone and guests leave via the back exit to avoid being seen. The cocktails are innovative and tasty, we tried the exotic ‘Market Street’ and ‘Hand & Flower’ drinks.

Kaffa Roastery – It is said that as a nation Finland are one of the biggest coffee consuming countries. This characterful café was one of the first independent coffee shops on the scene in Helsinki. They have their own roastery ensuring every cup is of top quality and taste. I tried a creamy cappuccino while I chatted to the friendly staff about their favourite places to go in the city.

To Do

Heather’s Helsinki – Heather is an Australian who has lived in Helsinki for 12 years. She runs the “Fork in Hand” food tour which runs daily on request. You will learn about food, food culture and design as you walk around the centre of Helsinki. Heather gave a group of us a comprehensive and inspiring foodie tour of the city highlighting the delicacies and specialities as well as showing us one of the most atmospheric food markets.

Kulttuurisauna – The sauna culture is impossible to ignore in Finland and most people have a private sauna in their house or apartment block. This trendy and stylish sauna is on the water’s edge so guests can take a dip in the harbour after a steamy sauna session.

Kampii Chapel of Silence – This unique building stands out, an otherworldly smooth wooden building designed by KS2 architects. It has won numerous architecture awards and is the perfect place for a moment of reflection. This minimalist chapel opened in 2012 and is open everyday with free entry for all.

Helsinki Day Spa – Helsinki Day Spa was founded in 2005 and was Finland’s first urban spa located in the centre of the city. The spa is housed in the historic Rake building and is carefully designed to calm guests as soon as they walk through the door. The treatments are effective with a medical focus, the trained therapists will target problems ensuring guests leave feeling healthier and happier. We experienced the Quick Fix and Go facial, which takes just 30 minutes but gives your skin a zingy boost.

Suomenlinna – this incredible UNESCO world heritage site makes the perfect excursion. The little island is an inhabited former sea fortress and is beautiful, especially in summer. The blue walking route runs from the north to the south, about 1.5km, and takes in all the main sites including the Dry Dock, King’s Gate and a number of museums. It is the most sought-after place to live in Helsinki, with only 900 inhabitants at one time. The island is easily reachable by a 15 minute ferry which runs regularly from the main harbour.

To Shop

Marimekko – When I think of fashion in Helsinki it is the Marimekko ‘Unikko’ flower print that comes to mind. This Finnish design company has been renowned for its original prints and colours since 1951, and when I visited the flagship shop I noticed tourists buying in bulk. The company designs and manufactures apparel, bags, clothes and textiles, all with the striking classic patterns. We headed to the outlet store on the outskirts of town to pick up some floral blue fabric to make curtains for our new living room.

Karl Fazer – Karl Fazer chocolate was launched as a milk chocolate bar in 1922, and has grown in popularity ever since. We were lucky enough to enjoy coffee and cake for breakfast at the main Karl Fazer store in Helsinki one morning of our trip. This institution stocks the very best chocolate in town and is available in flavours to suit everyone. Today, every second chocolate bar consumed in Finland is Karl Fazer Milk Chocolate. My favourite was the recently-released Salted Popcorn bar.

Iittala – this glassworks was founded in 1881, a Finnish design brand specialising in design objects, tableware and cookware. The brand is renowned in Helsinki and the beautifully simplistic objects are very versatile being used for a range of uses. I spotted the classic clear objects in many of the restaurants and bars I visited.

Paper shop – It is no secret that I am a stationery addict, and this shop satisfied all my paper cravings. Papershop is stocked full of artistic handmade cards, exciting craft equipment and inventive paper products. I spent a while wandering around admiring all the pretty things.

Salakauppa – Salakauppa translates to ‘secret shop’ and housed in a bizarre glass cube, it is certainly not your average souvenir store. All of the products in this tiny shop are designed by Aamu Song & Johan Olin of Company and are the result of excursions to very exciting, yet old fashioned, factories around Finland and neighbouring countries. Company’s design is purely based on each factory’s story and function. The items are unique and utterly lovely – I fell in love with the connecting father and son leather satchels.

Many thanks to the Helsinki Tourist Board for all their help on this trip.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 254

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Harriet Hastings co-founded Biscuiteers with her husband, Stevie Congdon. They are also co-directors of leading London catering company Lettice and parents to four young Biscuiteers.

“We came up with the idea for Biscuiteers on a weekend in New York. We were sure that there were lots of people who are as passionate about biscuits as we are and that there was a real opportunity to set up a biscuits gift business online that was completely different from anything else in the market – biscuits that would look as beautiful as they tasted. In fact, biscuits that people would want to talk about.

We started planning Biscuiteers properly in the spring of 2007, testing our biscuit recipes in Stevie’s catering kitchens. From the start we were committed to using the very best natural ingredients to get the flavour we wanted. We then started planning our launch collections, working on our designs and deciding on the big occasions. We wanted the biscuits to be beautiful and witty. We called them ‘collections’ because we knew we wanted to launch them seasonally like fashion collections and to keep refreshing and developing the range.  It was important that we found our own style- distinctive designs that would make our biscuits instantly recognisable.”

Biscuiteers launched online in September 2007 with the mission statement ‘why send flowers when you can send biscuits instead?’ The business has grown enormously but the biscuits and still made and iced in exactly the same way. They are all handmade using old fashioned non-industrialised techniques. Many of the icers are artists and enjoy creating new designs and perfecting existing ones regularly. Every single biscuit is lovingly made from the start to finish and each one is therefore totally individual.

One of the real joys of iced biscuits is their incredible flexibility. The experienced icers at Biscuiteers do some wonderful work copying logos, fashion designs and all sorts of products. They often work on exciting commissions, including a collaboration with Anya Hindmarch to create a tin of her handbags and a circus tin exclusively for the Conran Shop. They  have created bespoke designs for outstanding brands such as Mulberry, Boden, Swatch, and Burberry among many others. The imaginative biscuits are also used for press launches, as iced place names and biscuit card invitations or party bags.

In 2010 they published their first book ‘The Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits‘ to much acclaim. It has since been translated into a number of languages and introduced the brand to a worldwide audience.

You will also find Biscuiteers in Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, The Conran Shop, as well as Colette and le Grand Epicerie in Paris.

In October 2012 the doors opened to the very first Biscuit Boutique & Icing Cafe in Notting Hill.  Showcasing the much-loved Biscuiteers biscuit, chocolate and cake collections, the Boutique also has a drop-in icing cafe where they host themed icing lessons, children’s icing parties and is the home of the Biscuiteers School of Icing where you can be taught by expert icers to ice like a Biscuiteer.

More information and order a box of beautiful biscuits here: www.biscuiteers.com

Hot on the Highstreet Week 252: Shopping in Stockholm

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This was my second trip to Sweden’s capital city, a place which is dominated by design. We visited for just two days and my mum and I were on a mission to discover the top Swedish designers, produce and crafts. Here are a few of our favourite shops on the Scandinavian highstreet.

Grandpa – This quirky shop sells scandinavian and international fashion, interior, vintage, books and gifts. It is a good place to pick up a local souvenir or gift.

Stutterheim – These brightly coloured handmade raincoats are the ultimate Stockholm accessory. Striking and trendy they will make you crave the wet weather like never before.

Hasbeens – These wonderfully made wooden soled shoes have become so popular that they are now found in shops worldwide. Based on the clog styles from the 70s Swedish Hasbeens creates traditional handmade shoes that will always be in fashion and will last forever.

Nitty Gritty – This chic shop started out in 1991 in Stockholm as a counter reaction to all the mainline clothing department stores dominating the market in the early 90’s. Beautifully curated and thoughtful the shop is a great place to browse through interesting Swedish designers and unique products.

Byredo – This is one of the few Swedish independent perfume brands and produces lovely pure scents. The fragrances are made with only five core ingredients, and smell fresh and vibrant. I fell in love with Mister Marvelous, a unisex scent which has won several awards.

Palmgrens – Established in 1896 by saddlemaker Johannes Palmgren this beautiful and luxurious leather designer is a Swedish institution. I loved the iconic leather-trimmed rattan tote, but there are many more styles and accessories to choose from. Sadly the beautifully craftsmanship comes with a hefty pricetag.

Svenskt Tenn – I wish my home could look like the inside of this shop. This famous Swedish design company has stunning fabrics and designs that would add character to any room. The flagship store also serves a Swedish afternoon tea in the salon upstairs.

Nividas – The word Nividas is Esperanto for ‘we see’. This new brand was founded on the idea that our eyewear should be adaptable to our lifestyle, for various occasions and different moods. The stylish glasses and sunglasses are very wearable and affordable.

Hope – If you want to leave Stockholm looking like a chic Scandinavian head to Hope and pick out a monochrome outfit. Founded in 2001 by designers Ann Ringstrand and Stefan Soderberg Hope has a lovely selection of masculine garments for men and women that were originally based on men’s utility-wear.