mm6 does opening ceremony.

one of my favorite stores in nyc, opening ceremony, has always brought to the forefront the most interesting new designers. many names that i consider household, like pamela love and alexander wang, were lifted to the public forum via the racks of oc. they know what they do, and therefore the store is always such a pleasure to visit.

however, their collaborations keep on adding up and rather than following the usual designer-going-high-street, they seem to do their lines just for the sake of creating a capsule collection that's, yes, limited, but most importantly interesting to their custormers.

obviously, not every collaboration has had me jumping for joy – for example the latest from rodarte felt just infantile when not fussy and deliberate.

but the news from maison margiela had me expecting something good, and i was not disappointed. the clever ideas behind margiela design thinking and the street wearability of oc are combined perfectly. and they created the coolest gif-animation series featuring hannelore knuts to promote it, too.

the boots and leather bag are amazing, and i would not mind the grey v-neck button down or one of the jackets...

the entire line is available online both at the mm6 store (click on the link and you can watch their video, too) and at opening ceremony.

alternative bar.

not for the thirsty kind, this bar is meant for the vinyl aficionado and those who want to preserve their precious cassette tapes and vinyl records.

opening as a part of the city centre library, kirjasto 10, the vinyl bar serves as a platform for beginner dj's (or those willing to learn more) as they offer two quality turntables and a mixer in addition to a selection of records for your listening or practicing pleasure. there's also a recorder to preserve the sound on a cd, in case that's something you're after.

opening tonight, i'm proud to say i have dug from good old my vinyl collection a set of 30 minutes to play in the company of otto talvio, islaja and dj orkidea. the event starts at 7pm and you're very welcome to pop in before 9pm.

pic by mikko rasila

chief cannot let go of the feather toupee and warrior duck gone insane.

it was flow. it was festival. and i was dj'ing prime time on saturday night with stella.

because it was diesel garage and style was expected, we did our best. hence, may i present: the duck hat – my only purchase from a style blogger trip to stockholm.

moreover, since we're ladies and ladies to lady things, we looked our best.

wearing rick owens top and martin margiela mm6 necklace. and a duck.

always.

the time was perfect for partying, from 8 to 10 pm, but lykke li was booked simultaneously. fortunately for us, she suffered from stomach cramps (or so we heard) and cancelled.

the party was off the hook...

this is what i call a pleasant view from the dj booth.

if you were there, i hope you enjoyed it. we did. and will do again. and again. and again.

(did i say again?)

quack.

all photos by mikko rasila.

neighborhood recommendation #20: nibbly chic.

for someone like myself who enjoys great food, but is terrible with arranging their daily schedule to accommodate regular eating – not to even speak about exercise or other hobbies – the variety of nearby restaurants is a crucial part of survival. with my hectic days, the time i can allocate for cooking seems to be evaporating and frequently i notice that an entire day has passed without a single morsel of nourishment passing my lips.

for days when i've had lunch and feel slightly overwhelmed, a tapas bar is a great option for dinner. a small selection of plates provides enough variety and even better if the fare is fresh, organic and local.

ever since restaurant juuri (root) opened i have adored their little "sapas", and their boutique of a grocery store is a destination for tranquil days of cooking bliss. the fact that the restaurant is rather pricey, small and usually full, it unfortunately isn't a place where i'd just pop in for a quick little meal.

a couple of months ago a corner space in the same block just off the design museum was transformed. the basement bar that was first known as bob's which later evolved into the cleverly catchy ob's after ownership change by just scraping the unnecessary b off the windows – how genius is that, huh? – had been hosting local winos for years.

juuri took over and turned the below-street-level space into a cosy wine bar. they named it latva, as in "top of the tree", and serve the sapas familiar from and similar to their original venue.

view from below.

quality organic and biodynamic wines and local brewery products make sure you do not have to stay thirsty. moreover and not meant as critique, the pricing guarantees you enjoy just a couple, carefully selected glasses.

limited edition wines... i heard that this barolo is quite exquisite.

each sapas costs 3,90€ which feels very decent regardless of their minuscule size – the ingredients are local and they're delicious.

our selection.

parsnip chips and spruce shoot gelee.

perch wallenberg and dill sour cream.

perfect for dates or just hanging our when something a little more chic is needed. i already look forward to winter, a glass of beautiful red wine, cheese and conversations with friends.

after the rain.

during the last weekend of my holiday, a hot and humid summer storm passed right above us booming and pouring down water.

afterwards it was calm and green under the ivy-covered terrace.

i armed myself against the tropical weather with a silk dress and sandals. simple, flowing and airy.

silk dress by cos, necklace by martin margiela mm6.

sandals by carin wester, dirty toes my own.

turku modern had me dancing through the entire weekend. 

killer team.

i was asked to dj at a friend's 40th bday party in june. although the place was not something i usually would play at, it was one of those "cannot refuse" situations and, naturally, i had to say yes.

this request was a special honor: it's always a pleasure to know that the person you're going to dj for shares a similar passion for music. moreover, the ability to surprise while also creating comfort with familiarity – and never needing to compromise – feels rare and, quite honestly, great.

champs, sweetie darling.

some acoustic entertainment gave us a much needed break.

a high was also finally having the chance to realize a plan i had with another friend. we had talked about playing together since five years ago, and this was it: we were going to kick it together.

music, maestro!

oysters. creepy.

and boy did we kick high and hard... a night of billy idol, omd, lcd soundsystem, sigue sigue sputnik, bananarama and some obscure goodies that had the bday boy dancing all night.

shake your coconuts.

all photos by robert lindström.


my next back-to-back dj-extravaganza will take place at flow festival, namely the diesel garage. if you happen to be in town, come by and dance!

cobblestones.

during our holiday we kept the promise we made last year: we decided to stay nearby and share our time between the cottages and destinations close by.

one tuesday afternoon we hopped in the car and drove to porvoo, a quaint little town outside of helsinki. the wormhole of thirty minutes drops you strolling the small streets of the second oldest city in the country.

by the river and amongst wooden houses you get a faint glimpse of what life in one of finland's largest cities of c18 could have been. nonetheless, it is hard to imagine that this little town was the hotspot of fur trade and a commercial hub.

today the town is a hilly cobblestone maze but, nevertheless, highly walkable. the streets are calm and beautiful on a summer day. courtyards hide old storage buildings and secret gardens worthy of fairytales. i am sure that on dark august nights you can hear pixies buzzing amongst the rosehips and the house gnomes hold meetings under the plum trees with the occasional smashing sound as ripe fruit bounces off their slouchy caps.

there are little shops selling handicrafts and the sort of interior design, trinkets and knickknacks one expects to find adorning the shady blue and white rooms of seaside villas in the archipelago. the similarity between the stores and their goods boggles the mind. but they seem to stay in business...

porvoo hosts lovely, intimate cafes and some great restaurants, such as the escargot farming establishment, timbaali, famous for serving their own little critters.

we stopped by the little chocolate factory for some fresh artisanal bars.

our late lunch spot of choice was johans, a summer restaurant overlooking the river. their "pienet" ("little ones") we're delicious tapas-like portions of traditional scandinavian fare and my fish with barley risotto simply adorable – highly recommended.

pienet.

before leaving we enjoyed coffee and cake on the terrace of café helmi which is a late c18 house decorated accordingly.

a little sparrow showed up to share some cake with the other patrons.

if you're willing to travel locally, porvoo is a perfect day trip destination on one of these hot summer days. the most idyllic way to travel is by boat, but if a three-hour cruise feels too long or you're prone to seasickness, you can get there quickly by car.

go enjoy a little fairytale of yer own.

heavenly holiday.

i've been back to work since monday. it ain't easy, let me tell ya...

luckily the office is rather quiet and most people in finland are still out on their vacations which means my mailbox is neither overflowing with urgent messages nor responses to questions i cannot even remember posing. there's an air of leisurely laggardness while we take short breaks on the couches or grab a cold drink before resuming work.

our holiday was a relaxing fortnight spent in the countryside. we started off at the garden cottage where a choked garden greeted us with significant toil. after careful weeding and watering we were able to save most of what had so suddenly bursted with energy.

the holiday brought the domestic goddess out: i baked fresh bread.

wild strawberries.

tuesday night we visited turku for a some of culinary delights.

chez dominique pop-up bistro in turku.

a chilled grüner weltliner and a shiny happy camper in t by alexander wang top.

my swing.

midweek we drove up the coast to the sea cottage we've been forced to neglect most summer. there life was all about relaxation: sauna, fishing, reading, eating and naps in the hammock.

fresh pesto made from our own basil.

jorma-irmeli enjoying the sea air.

fresh chanterelle risotto.

our own organic broccoli and potatoes with salmon.

dirty feet, bright sun and a happy little dog. hammock by marimekko, romper(y garment) by uniqlo.

i hope your summer days were (or are!) hot, humid and heavenly.