"Little Paris" @ Helsinki and Surviving from a Flu

Winter is still late in Helsinki this year and strange undefinable season is here with frequent minor rains and tricky air temperature when you do not know whether to wear a down coat with a fur hat or a ballerina pumps and a jacket. Perhaps, because of all the reasons above i got flu and my mood is really down - which is when i really need an inspiration from outside, a kick, a vision of something beautiful.

 On my obligatory morning walk with Leo i have visited Korkeavuorenkatu, an area which is called by many people a "little Paris". Well, it does look like Paris. A lot of Jugend style buildings and no ugly modern mistakes in between. Lots of small boutiques and little cafes to satisfy any demanding taste.

Take a look at Korkeavuorenkatu and do not think it is Helsinki. It works, doesn't it?

To my ultimate surprise not far from this corner I found a gigantic antique store, or actually a GARAGE full of treasures - furnitures, dishes, paintings. The space is something like 500 m2. And amazing things are coming there all the time, I saw a truck being unloaded with beautiful white cupboards in rustic style.


Here some treasures of the shop:

Want to create an atmosphere of Parisian street cafe at home? here you go:

An I do not know why I really loved this painting. It is happy but mysterious at the same time.

There are many more nice shops in the street of Korkeavuorenkatu:

The Little Sister of Muotikuu on Fabianinkatu - The White Elephant:

Christmas and particularly Christmas lights and decorations are the motivators for many people to survive through November and December. And I got hooked on the obsession with traditional Christmas stars. Here you see the result. I also love those new lanterns shaped like houses, there are many versions in the shops.

Don't these houses remind you of the beauties of Copenhagen's Nyhavn? Yes, that is my dream destination for a pre-Christmas fairy tale: the land of all-white interiors, delicious scandinavian dishes and trendy clothing brands...

Nyhavn, Copenhagen:

And I do want to see the magic Xmas land of Copenhagen's Tivoli: