Downhill in summer

You don’t have plans for today so far? Then hurry to Kaivopuisto and follow the third official Red Bull Soap Box Race in Helsinki.

From up here the teams will start their race for glory.

The event started already at 8 this morning. But don’t worry you didn’t miss that much so far. The most important thing is still to come: the race.

At 12 all teams will present their self made vehicles in the opening parade. Then at 13.00 the first race down Tähtitorninmäki will start and the first teams will compete against each other. Approximately at 17.00 there will be a winner.

If you already want to take a look at the teams and their soap boxes or want to get more information on the event check out their website.

Have fun!

Rock the weekend at Stone's

A great place for the weekend but also for a drink during the week is Stone’s.

It has one of the best and most wide selections of tap beers you can find in Helsinki. Among them you find also pretty unusual stuff like American steam beer and other quite exotic brews. If you can’t decide ask the staff to recommend you something. They are happy to help you and also let you try one or two beers.

Apart from the beer they also have really good food which is surprising for a pub. Check their menu and try one of Stone’s burgers, a small snack or one of their delicious desserts like the coconut cake. The menu changes relatively often and the food is always good.

If you decide to come here more often or even just want to spend several hours here it might make sense for you to apply for their customer card. You get it for 5 Euros right away and save up to 2 Euros starting from your first drink. There are always two really good beers and also some other nice drinks on offer.

Stone’s is located right in the center between Aleksanterinkatu and the main station. You easily get there and back home at any time. Busses, trams, trains and taxis leave right around the corner.

Enjoy!

Delicious Finland

 

You’d like to try food from all the different parts of Finland and like to find out what Finnish cuisine has to offer between Uusimaa and Lappland? Then you should head to Herkkujen Suomi (Delicacies of Finland) this weekend.

It is a food fair on Rautatientori where farmers and small companies present their products to the public. Every tent represents one area of Finland. You can try samples or buy whole meals. 

Take your time to wander around all the stands and try some of the delicious and mainly homemade food.  You also find a beer tent where several Finnish microbreweries have their best beers on tap.

Herkkujen Suomi is open today and tomorrow throughout the day and the entrance is free.

Enjoy!

Experience art

Do you have any plans for tonight? No? Good! Now you do. Tonight is Helsinki’s Night of the Arts. This is organized every year as part of the Helsinki Festival.

During that night art takes over the streets of the capital. You can find performances, exhibitions, theater plays, music and much more in the most unusual places and most unexpected ways.

The list of events for tonight is very long. The whole program can be found online. There is something for everyone. If you don’t want to browse through everything sort the events by neighborhoods, genres or time.

You can even be an active part of the Night of the Arts yourself. Help for example building a giant domino route through the center or show your talent on the open stage.

Most events are for free. The program started already early in the morning and will last until late in the night.

Have fun!

It’s a little bit Fanny

If you are into light, fresh and healthy dishes and like to enjoy that in an airy and bright ambience Fanny might be the right place for you. The glass pavilion in Sinebrychoff park offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and on the weekend also nice brunch for its customers.

The prices are average for the center of Helsinki. Especially for vegetarians Fanny has a lot to offer. No matter at what time of the day you will always find a salad bar with a wide selection of vegetables, fruit, nuts and everything else you desire. But Fanny also has something to offer for fish and meat lovers. Check out their website to see their menu. You can find the daily lunch offers on their Facebook page.

More value for the lunch break

Did you know that most Finnish companies support their employees’ lunch financially? In a lot of companies you receive up to 20 lunch vouchers every month. Depending on the company they can have different values. In most cases they are worth around 8 Euros each. Around two third of the value is taken directly from the employee’s salary. The rest is paid by the employer.

In most companies you can decide how many vouchers you want to receive per month. If definitely makes sense though to always take the full amount since you can not only during lunch hours but also at any other time with them. Most restaurants have special lunch offers around 8 to 10 Euros and almost all of them accept the vouchers. And even in some supermarkets you can use them.

What you should know though is that you can’t pay any alcohol with lunch voucher and that you don’t receive any change if you pay with them.

KAOS at the tram stop

HKL (Helsinki’s public transport) is renewing their tram stops in the center at the moment. And since Helsinki is the world’s design capital this year it couldn’t have been just any new stops. According to HKL the new stops are going to cover a bigger area and will over more possibilities for providing electronic information.

Together with the designer Stefan Lindfors they came up with a new modern design for the stops. The so called KAOS tram stops are going to be inaugurated on August 23^rd. 

For that occasion HKL is organizing an opening party at the new stops at Kamppi on Fredrikinkatu at 21.00. Everyone is welcome.

Dinner above the roofs of Helsinki

Today is the last day for a dinner in the sky. On Rauttatientori you can enjoy a whole dinner or just a glass of champagne with a small snack in a hanging restaurant. The restaurant platform is lifted up into the air by a crane. 40 meters above the ground you have a wonderful view over the whole city while the waiters in the middle of the platform serve your food and drinks.

Depending on the package you choose you are in the air between 20 and 60 minutes. It is a pricy but at the same time unique experience.

Look up the website for more information.

Restaurant Day is coming to town

Sunday is Restaurant Day. This weekend hundreds of pop up restaurants in Finland and the whole world will open their doors again for one day. For the third time this year the Restaurant Day (Ravintola Päivä) is organized. Everyone can open their own restaurant on that day.

a gallery becomes a restaurant for one day

Living rooms, galleries, shops, garages, terraces and lots of other places turn in to cafés and restaurants on Sunday. The variety will be huge again. Just in Helsinki over 300 pop up restaurants will participate. Before you go on Sunday you should really check the website. There you find all the places that are going to be open. Try to make a plan where you want to go and what you want to try. Also download their app to your smartphone to have an overview over all the places also on the go. You should have some cash with you though. Since this is organized by private people you won’t be able to pay by card.

Restaurant Day is always a great experience. You get to try new food and get to meet a lot of new interesting people. Go there!

Welcome to the Helsinki Festival!

Today the Helsinki Festival starts. Till the beginning of September lots of events will take place in the city during that time. 

Check the official website for information on the program and artist that will come to Helsinki. There you can also buy tickets directly. Be fast though. Some events are already sold out.

Your favorite concert is already sold out or you want to save some money? Well, why don't you check out the free events that will take place at Helsinki Festival?

There is something for everyone. Enjoy the show(s)!