Conor Oberst Gig In Stockholm

Despite of his young age Conor Oberst is by far one of the most productive musicians with his solo career and several bands. I totally adore his talent, lyrics and music. I got to see two Bright Eyes concerts in Sweden in 2011 and instantly booked tickets to his solo gig in Filadelfia Church in Stockholm in January.

Bright Eyes Debaser Medis Stockholm Feb 2011

Bright Eyes WTAI Gothenburg June 2011

A good seat really makes a difference! I sat some 5 meters away from the stage so that I could really enjoy the performance full.

 

  

And it was such a wonderful concert: Setlist - absolute top gigs I have ever been!

One of the curiosities with Conor is his collaboration with Swedish band First Aid Kit, whom I also like a lot. Therefore it is often the sister duo visits Conor on stage and he also visited their latest record on song King Of The World.

Johanna and Klara Söderberg with Conor in Stockholm Feb 2011

While in Stockholm it is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the town...

... and catch lots of other events, like Ola Salo's Swedish version of musical Jesus Christ Superstar in Göta Lejon. As being a big Ola fan I had already seen the musical when it was first performed in Malmö in 2009, but then I sat quite far away. This time we got the seats in very front and that really gave added value to the performance!

My favourite Stockholm museum Fotografiska had amazing and partly also a bit disturbing David LaChapelle exhibition. One could wish that we get this kind of high profile exhibitions also to Helsinki.

I also went to independent movie theatre Zita see the award-winning movie Eat Sleep Die, which has yet not arrived to Finland. Touching story about immigrants and job situation when "you do not have a change, take it". The film comes to the new Season Film Festival in Helsinki in April.

Learnings from the trip: always aim for a good seat!

Pop-Up Restaurant Tokyo Girl

Bali-Hai on Iso-Roobertinkatu used to be my favourite restaurant when it first opened in 2007. At the time it had the same cool concept as my previous hangouts Tori and Slussen. However, I did not visit the place anymore during the past years as the owner changed and the quality went down.

After Bali Hai closed in December 2012, there is a pop-up restaurant Tokyo Girl in the same premises.

Tokyo Firl, Iso-Roobertinkatu 35-37

Restaurant is serving only in January and it is a test of the new restaurant concept by Richard McCormick, the guy behind several Helsinki restaurant, such as Shanghai Cowboy, New York Ninja (Korjaamo) and Siltanen. He has lots of thing going on as Shanghai Cowboy will move to Annankatu and new restaurant Krog Madame is opening in February.

Some minor changes in interiors, but still same furniture and overall lay-out. A bit too dark as you could not read the menu without mobile phone light and not really see what you were eating. The food was thai-inprired, really tasty and good value for money. And really friendly service by fashion deigner Antti Asplund.

There is lots of good things going on in Helsinki restaurant life!

Lux Helsinki - The Light Is Loose

Lux Helsinki is an annual light installations event in Helsinki. This year there are 13 different installations present as from 4th till 8th Jan 2013.

Casa Magica's video installation Emergence is really visible in the heart of Helsinki screened on the facade of Helsinki Cathedral.

Emergence

Pink Caravan is a mobile light installation changing its location every day. On Friday 4th January it was located at the Finnish National Theatre, which was shining in pink. 

Pink Caravan

Fire Troupe Etna performes their installation Kehrä - Disk at Kiasma twice every night.

Kehrä

Kiasma walls are lighten up by fluorescent lamps in installation Linear Array.

Linear Array

At Kiasma courtyard there is an installation Sodium Sun where the light from sodium lamps imitate the ligh of sunset. And you can see all the way to Olympic Stadium Tower.
 

Sodium Sun and Variant Spectrum 2

Memory Of Stone installation lightens up the gateway to Baana.

Memory Of Stone

Hakasalmi Villa and courtyard have magnificent led lights all around.

Little Spirits

Lantern Park at Hesperia Park is really successful as there are so many different kind of fascinating lanterns all over the park .

One can walk along Töölönlahti all the way to Operahouse admiring these interesting lanterns.

After Töölönlahti walk there is light installation Cosmogole at the Amphitheatre of the Finnish National Opera. Lots of cosmic planets turning to different colours. This one was my favourite one!

Cosmogole

My walk ended to the Olympic Stadium Tower, which was lighten up with variable colours and a green laser light.

Variant Spectrum 2

This was now third year in a row I was at the event and it gets better and better every year!

2011

2012

2013

I warmly welcome more events for the winter period to lighten up the long cold winter!

Tasty And Easy Goat Cheese Pie

Savory pie is perfect dish for a get-together and I have really tasty recipe for a goat cheese pie. It takes an hour, few basic ingredients and is a guaranteed success.

For pie crust you need 100 grams butter, 3 decilitres flour, 1 decilitre grated cheese and 3/4 decilitres water. Blend hand-warm butter (do not heat the butter) with flour and grated cheese with your fingers and then add water.

Tap the dough flat on pie dish (diameter appr. 27 cm) and add stuffing. Base for the stuffing is 2 decilitres sour cream (kermaviili), 2 eggs and 150 grams of grated cheese. Then you can choose which flavours to add. I often use goat cheese and artichoke hearts, but you can also add sun-dried tomatoes or whatever you want.

Then 40 minutes in oven in 180 degrees...

... and some roasted pine nuts and on the top as garnish and voilà!

New Cafe in Töölö: The Exhibitionists

Yes, yet another great new place in Töölö as The Exhibitionists has opened on Museokatu.

Their concept is to serve coffee, books and art. There are also pastries, juice and avocado smoothie on the menu.

Extremely good service and stylish, yet cosy place. 

Such an inspirational environment to enjoy your coffee break - and plenty of reading to go with your coffee!

I already got two punches in my loyalty card!