Birdie Nam Nam

Every morning I get up at least 1 1/2 hour before I am leaving for school. The main reason is that I love breakfast, and I like to spend time on both making and eating it. The season has changed and it is now time for grød (porridge). This is how I make mine:

I bring some quinoa to the boil on low heat, while I shower. After about 10-15 minutes I add oats, water, frozen raspberries, raisins and a little bit of salt. I put it in a bowl and top it with almonds, cinnamon and mashed apples. I drink coffee and water on the side. For some reason I get extremely thirsty from eating porridge.

Usually I am full and happy for at least 3-4 hours after a portion of this wonder breakslow.

Sunday we went into the forest to find another smaller kind of mushroom. I really enjoyed to get out of the city and into the quiet colorful nature, where you get the feeling that a bear, an elk or a even a mummi character is waiting for you around every corner. A cup of coffee is much needed after three ours of deep concentration, and it tasted fantastic with biscuits on the side. When I came home it took me more than an hour to clean the mushrooms, but trust me they are worth it. Other than that I have started to wear warm cheap sweaters from the market and mummi plasters, even though I don't really need them.

A week ago I finally finished the wrist warmers for Leena... after remaking one, they had been on their way for some time.

Today I have had so much kitch coming my way, and I just love it! First I woke up at sunrise, and decided that being such an early bird pancakes was the only thing that made sense. After that and coffee I headed towards the market. I love to just walk around there and watch people and the weird things they sell. Oh yeah, and I found more or less a complete fall wardrobe. Not a bad start on a Saturday morning. Later I had yummy leftovers at Leena's place, and she introduced me to Regatta - the most kitch café I have been at here in Helsinki. Inside it was really cozy with things to look at everywhere, and people sitting close to each other with coffee and buns. We sat outside and shared a cinnamon bun while the sun set.

The weekend is best spend eating pancakes with banana, blueberries, walnuts and raspberries for breakfast and going for a long walk in the sunshine. Saturday the weather was perfect and orange leaves fell on the ground in front of us as we walked from Pasila to the city. All weekend I kicked back and relaxed in good company, it was much needed after one intense and very rewarding first month in this beautiful city.

Finally I got a chance to look into the new Copenhagen Food magazine. I have been trying to get a hold of it because of an interview with The Cabbage Bitches (Kål Kællingerne). I have followed Emilia's blog PROVINS for a couple of years and thereby gotten familiar with their project. They have a really cool and fresh approach to cabbage. They make cabbage events where they cook, talk and try to change peoples idea about this very old school vegetable. Check out their blog here.

Everyday I hop on my bike and go to my university TaiK is situated in an old ceramics factory called Arabia. I like the small details in the building like the shabby stairs and all the beautiful books in the library. Have a nice Sunday evening everyone!

This weekend I will share the beautiful light in Helsinki with someone very special. Three days without phone and skype chatting... I can't wait!

As you probably found out I really like to spend time at flea markets. Saturday I went to the big indoor Valteri market just around the block from where I live. And here I didn't even need to bargain, because things were so cheap. So I got home with a lamp, a pair of shoes and a black leather bag (I will show it to you another time) and only 4 Euros had left my wallet. The Nivea cream will get my dry hands through fall while the smell reminds me of childhood.

Yesterday I rode my bicycle from my school (the old Arabia factory) to Kapeeli (another old factory) in the opposite part of the city. At Kapeeli I attended two exhibition openings mainly with photography. The place was really nice even though openings are not my thing (too many people and opinions). But I saw some interesting pictures and books of course... On my way home I enjoyed how the sky got really dramatic as night falled. I love to be surrounded by the 'almost darkness'.

I was just going through my photos from the first 16 days here in Helsinki. And a lot of them are of food and snacks. For example the salty pastry Riisipiirakka on the first picture which is my new favorite afternoon snack. There where also many shots of trees, the sky, some books I really want to buy before I leave, interesting gates and of course pictures of the beautiful Finnish dusk.

For me habits tend to change when I move to a new place. So far Helsinki has made me appreciate filter coffee in the mornings, cycling in the woods nearby and crocheting while drinking Bedtime Tea at night.

This weekend in Helsinki has been all about hanging out, digesting the first week at TaiK, riding on my bike, observing people and window displays, getting lost in the dark, finding my way again and calming down at home.