Autumn Soundtrack

Gusgus – Over



Sykur – Curling



Emiliana Torrini – Speed of Dark



Com Truide – VHS Sex



STRFKR – While I'm Alive

New York and Iceland

Last spring my friend and I decided to travel to New York and Iceland. The idea behind there two locations was the nice offer that Icelandair has; free stopover in Reykjavik for as many days as you wish. Primary reason to go to New York was to go to see the James Tourrell exhibition at Guggenheim museum.

On friday September 6th we got the flight to New York through Reykjavik. We had a nice, although pretty bohemian flat in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was rent through AirBnb, and even though at times it felt a bit like a hostel the location was perfect at the corner of "the hipster mile" Bedford Avenue.

Since my travel companion and I are both quite active persons, we seemed to do some many things during those four days we actually stayed in New York. I personally liked the Brooklyn area better, because for me it looked like a never-ending Berlin. Of course we head to Manhattan couple of times just to note that it was as crazy as I had ever imagined.

Few highlights in New York

Food:

Fantastic Thai restaurant Pok Pok offered great Papaya salad and wide selection of other tasty thai food. Very busy in the evenings, and we had to wait for the table at a bar next door but just for a little while. 

Five Leaves bistro in Williamsburg offered a nice selection of different food. This restaurant was founded by late Heath Ledger, snif. Or the story says that Ledger was about to open it but passed away before the day, and his family had supported the opening from Ledgers fund.

Take away pizza from Juliana's eaten at the Brooklyn park. Yum yum. 

Smorgasburg venue in dumbo offered different foods from restaurants nearby. My selection was an Asian style vegetarian hotdog.

Vietnamese Saigon Shack had also brilliant food. Sandwiches and more, also available plenty of  vegetarian versions.

Jimmy's Diner in Brooklyn had definitely the largest pancakes.

Best breakfast (tomato salad and pancakes, again) was at Diner Nyc also in Williamsburg.

Drinks:

Rooftop terrace at Wythe Hotel offered nice drinks but also a brilliant view above the rooftops. We happened to go the at the same time when Kendrick Lamar had a gig at Williamsburg Park and the view couldn't have been any better.

Drink bar Hotel Delmano had nice cocktails.

Pianos bar was great for some drinks and partying.

Other:

Gigs at Terminal 5. we went to see the STRFKR and Com Truise, both new for me but definitely worth going.

James Turrell exhibition at Solomon R. Guggenheim museum. Fantastic pieces of art, it was good to take time to look at the pieces since they only start working after a careful observation.

Brooklyn Flea, semi-ok open-air flea market. A bit too expensive and organized.

East River Ferry to Governors Island was a nice way to do sightseeing in the hot weather. Although the ferry had slight problems with parking when heading back to Dumbo.

At the Time Square I got basically sick with all the advertisements and noise around there. Central Park was very nice to walk around and at McCarren Park I got to be interviewed to MTV's Nikki and Sara live show. A bit scary to see what comes up with that. Walking from East Village to Brooklyn through the Wiliamsburg bridge was nice alternative for the metro.

On wednesday 11th September we took a flight to Reykjavik, Iceland with a plane called  Eyjaflallajökull (Yeah that was the volcano that erupted in 2010). In Reykjavik there was a nice +8 degrees and it was basically raining sideways. 

Iceland in 4 days:

We had a plan to go to Vestmannaeyjar, volcanic Islands at the south coast of Iceland. We took a bus to Landeyjahöfn harbor where we first heard that the ferry was cancelled due to the weather conditions and finally ended up sitting rough 6,5 hours at the harbor waiting for the ferries that never came. With us there was a girl who lived at Vestmannaeyjar and couldn't go home. I felt sorry for her, but luckily she got a private plane to the islands in the evening. What I heard was that there were some weird owning problems with the harbor-owners and some other stuff, e.g. harbor wasn't built really smart and therefore the ferry can't come there at certain weather conditions. And it couldn't go to another harbor because somebody else owned it.

After the day spent at the harbor we decided that it's reschedule and to see some other stuff, so next day we rent a car, the cheapest and smallest Peugeot 206, and started to explore Iceland.

First we drove to see the traditional Golden Circle sights: Thingvellir where the tectonic plates meet, Geysir (to be honest it was a geysir called Strokkur that was bursting the water) and Guldfoss fountain. Those places were nice, but they were really crowded with all the other tourists.

Next we head down south to see the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss fountains. Out of these two the Seljalandsfoss was my personal favorite, especially because one could walk behind it. After that we went to Vík for night, and visited it's famous black sand beach. Vík is a funny little village of approximately 290 inhabitants, and it's located very close to volcano Katla which is assumed to erupt basically any day now. Jaiks!

Next day we continued driving towards Jökulsarlon ice lagoon. The road over there was amazing, large lava fields, snow-topped mountains and the ice that came all the way down to the fields. Jökulsarlon itself was very beautiful but also very sad. It looked a bit like a cemetery for the ice mountains. 

On our way back we wanted to visit the border of the ice. On the first spot we couldn't go there because they were filming a Matt Damon movie, but the next spot was just a few kilometers away. Our little Peugeot was truly at it's limits on a bumpy road, but somehow we managed to keep it in one piece and got to see the ice.

After that we drove back rough 400 km to Reykjavik. About an hour drive before  Reykjavik we saw couple of hitchhikers and decided to take them to the backseat. That was the first time ever I took hitchhikers, and those guys turned out to be very nice two british students. Altogether we drove about 900 km in two days. Well done Peugeot!

In the evening we went eating to restaurant Snaps, where I ate fish for the first time in some 7 years. And later had few drinks at Kaffibarinn. I was a bit granny and went home early, but my friends continued until the end. Next day we took a bus to Blue Lagoon, which was perfect treatment for the hangover. We went to Keflavik where the airport is and got upgraded from guesthouse to a fancy hotel room. Woop woop!

On monday morning it was time to say bye bye to Iceland and head back home. During that little stay I fell in love with Iceland and definitely want to go back there again. Things I didn't get to do were to ride those cute horses, walk on the glacier  and to visit one of those abandoned/natural spa places.

My weirdest moments so far

Few years ago I joined an adult ballet group called Wannabe Ballerinas and ever since (and bit before also) I have found myself in weird situations and roles ever since. Here are some of the highlights:

4. Bunny in the Ballet show

My ankle was bent twice during the past 6 months and I couldn't really dance, so I performed as a sidekick bunny in the show From Helsinki With Love. Funny stuff: From the spooky mask one couldn't see much so walking around in stage lights was very difficult and some bunnies hit each other every now and then.

Photo Markus Meyer

3. Astronaut in the ballet show

After bending the ankle for the first time I wasn't able to dance at the Wannabe Ballerinas X-Mas Special. Instead I had this fantastic sidekick role as a rapper-astronaut. Funny stuff: The outfit was made of some kind of plastic material that didn't breath at all. We called the outfits sweaty-bags.

Photo Tommi Hynynen

2. Black person at Jaffa commercial

I was a black person carrying ballerinas in a live commercial that took place in movie theatre. Funny stuff: we were wearing black stocking in our heads so our faces were covered and we wouldn't be seen.

1. Discovery of the Week – My ass!

Has nothing to do with ballerinas, but definitely the weirdest! While working at a newspaper there was a section called Discovery of the Week in which some new innovation was tested. I was modeling for the section when someone found underpants with filling. The idea was basically to have a bottom like J.Lo or something. I felt like I had a diaper in my pants, though sitting was very comfortable. And the picture of my ass was in the national newspaper with title "Discovery of the Week. Unfortunately no photo available.

Keisari 66 American Pale Ale

Nice new American Pale ale Keisari 66 from Nokian Panimo! Fresh taste and can that I designed! Must-have summer accessory.

Evolution of a Drawer

Somehow I often find myself buying thing that are almost right. But not quite. This drawer was one of those purchases. I liked the shape, but not the color. Therefore I spent sunday evening painting it.

Friday morning hand

Something new

Winter shoes from Sebago. Nice!