Jukkapoika

As I promised, there are a shit ton of great Finnish combos most people outside the borders have no idea about. This time I'm giving you a taste of the RRRRRRRRRRRRrrreaggae genre, introducing Jukka Poika. Next to chill notes, and melodies that bring a smile to your face, you got to love this dude for rocking the whole show in Finnish language!

This stuff brings back memories of warm summer nights and park parties with my friends in Finland. I suppose there's not a single song I wouldn't like from this guy. The lyrics aren't the smartest but definitely relaxed and in harmony with his music. Points for Jukka Poika for being an absolutist and a vegetarian.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

I woke up today when my bf called me to tell about the snow in Marburg. After 15min of talking, where I complained about the rain and mild snowless winter of Darmstadt, I stood up and had a look out the window. SNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! Wooooopie woop woooop!! The last thing I expected to see today.

Of course I had to get dressed and head out with my camra to take some solid proof of the awesomeness. I forgot to eat breakfast too, that's how excited I was. Sorry to the people I woke up or left sleepy, random messages of shrieking joy.

mistletoe growing on the front yard

It was like stepping to Narnia through the front door. This wonderland turned a bit too wet for my taste later, however, but I hope we'll get more of the real thing tomorrow.

I really wonder how long I'll be able to get so hyped up over snow every year. It's always as magical as if it was the first time and I feel more home now. Not because I come from Finland but because I always liked Winter more than Summer or Spring.

 

I talked with mom today and she told me some really unpleasant news over the weather in the South of Finland. It's going to be a black Christmas with rain, +3 °C and no snow whatsoever!! What a bummer. I'm really disappointed now, since I've been waiting for the coldness, snow and beauty of the winters I grew up with :( Thanks a lot climate change. I think I have had only one Christmas without snow in my life before.

Quality Time Cheesiness

WARNING: THIS BLOG POST INCLUDES A HIGH AMOUNT OF GIRLY CHEESINESS AND LOVEY-DOVEY TALK

 

There I was, troubled and down because of the issues in my previous post, when my darling boyfriend came to save the Damsel in Distress with a wind of Christmas in his sleeve. Because we'll spend the holidays in different addresses this year, we decided to steal some time for us the weekend before. In Finland we'd call it "Pikkujoulut", a Christmas Party before the actual date. Anyways my gloomy shitty Friday was thus saved by a late night movie and cozy cuddling.

My mister won't like me adding the photo but I can't help AWWing to this one

Saturday's programm consisted of minor shopping, BoboQ and cooking the traditional Finnish Christmas dishes for dinner. I have to say, I was seriously surprised by the taste and success of our attempt! It all tasted like it should have, even if we used some time-saver-cheats with the receipes! With those homey flavours, music and candle light it really felt like the real Christmas Eve.

the dining table made more chic with Marimekko details hohoho

The biggest surprise on that evening, however, was the present we shopped ourselves online. My boy had been scouting for Playstation 3 ever since -I dunno- last summer when we decided to skip the Christmas presents and get ourselves a video game console. The favouring opinion has varied between Xbox 360 & PS3, and some extensive background research has been made ever since. (I've always been a loyal PS-player tho).  Later when the decision for Playstation's victory was settled, we only waited for the budget-friendly bargain to pop up some day. The prices have been dancing wildly between 260~360 euros, when suddenly on Saturday night, on our fake Christmas Eve the humble ad appeared: brand new Playstation3 with 199 euros!! Ka-ching, the Visa-Card flashed, slashed and the order was sent.

dressing up my room to match the holiday spirit

On Sunday we got up late, had a royal breakfast with honeymelon, fresh fruit juices and warm Brötchen. We had decided to study hard on that day, yet somehow it was forgotten in the hot bubble bath and watching the several Youtube-reviews for PS3-games. We have now Lost Planet 2, Katamari Forever and Unchanted 2(/3) on our Must-Buy-Play-list, but we're very open for suggestions! So PS3-people with experience, fans with ideas and knowledge, comment please.

A real highlight was that my Schnupferich (aka Nuuskamuikkunen aka Snusmumriken) isolated my windows from the in-blowing wind and the racket of the street! Ain't nothing more attractive than a man who can cook, fix up your crib, treat you nice AND look good while doing it. Thus once again, I fell head over heels with my baby ♥

♥

Playing Hooky

You know the feeling when you wake up and the day is all wrong already? That's why I still didn't get up today although I've woken up first at 6:45 then 8:50, 8:14 and lastly 10:08. Still in bed, still in pyjamas. It's stormy, gray and cold outside and I just couldn't get up. My body and mind decided not to have this day at all. I was hungry some hours ago but not anymore, not enough to move at least. I've been lying and thinking about things while watching the trees bend in the wind outside my window. Cried a bit.

I'm homesick as hell. I miss my mom very much, maybe the most. Or maybe it's too painful to even think about my siblings. I miss all of it. To be me again, to feel home again.

You see, there is a difference in what I am here and what I am at home. It might not be visible to other people but to me those are two different people. I sound different and am different depending on the surroundings and especially the language. The Elli speaking English is braver, funnier and way more relaxed than the German Eli, forced to keep up the positive & social image, limited with words and means to express herself. But whom I miss the most is the real me, the Finnish Elina, the one I always was but am no more. Now I'm some chameleon hybrid of all those three. Someone I don't like, someone feeling lost.

I miss home but am also troubled with it. I was away so long that some things have inevitably changed. I am no longer an active part of the lifes of my friends, and it never caught me before. I thought I'd come back and everyone'd be waiting for me but instead they have moved on, one way or another. And it's good and it's great but I feel more alone than ever. I've landed in some strange middle space, not being home here or there. The friends I still meet when at home are decreasing by numbers and we no longer send emails regularly to know what's going on. When in Finland, I cannot follow the recent events in politics, TV, music or in my (old) social circle. I cannot follow gossip as I don't know the people we are talking about. I've missed out on parties, sleep-overs, birthdays, hardships, break-ups, engagements and funeral. I haven't been there for the good nor the bad. I haven't been able to be the friend to give support at hard times nor to celebrate the achievements or happy moments of my loved ones. And it hurts for I have missed out on the life that I should have been a part of. That I wanted to be a part of.

photos from the movie The Terminal

Now I'm hanging loose being a stranger in Finland and in Germany. The odd one out where ever I go. Like Peter Pan flying off to Neverland, having his adventures for years, thinking his parents would always be waiting with the window open for him to fly in..

Soul Cakes

 irrelevant video

I'm pretty stressed at the moment with University, up-coming Christmas and some issues with my roomies. Long story short: somebody forgot to tell me that our home phone isn't any cheaper when calling to mobile phones. Thus I just ended up paying 50 euros extra for OCTOBER only and we're still waiting for the huge bill of November & the beginning of December. Not to mention my mobilephone bills. Fucking Fantastic.

I have about 15 days to go before my holiday in Finland, which is truely great believe me, but also sets me a time limit with homework and finding Christmas presents. My room is a mess, the flat is a mess, I have finally money but no time nor the equipment to get myself a bed and some cupboards. (I'm still living out of cardboxes piled up in my 13m²). It stresses me to have so many unfinished unorganized things around me. I mean, I haven't had the time to shop for groceries in 2 weeks! I'm exhausted and can't think straight or plan ahead at all atm.

I'll be visiting my boyfriend's family in Hamburg again this weekend. I love it, and wouldn't change it away but I'm already feeling quilty and troubled with all the things I SHOULD be doing instead. There just isn't enough days in the week or power in my body.

Soooooo.. to inspire myself from week to week in this cold, dark and wet "winter". I focus myself on small pretty little things each day. Like christmas decoration and burning candles.

I'm normally not into Christmas albums from any artist and think they're a sign of a dying career, but when it comes to my all-time-favourite artist, Sting, I have to disagree. For two years now, throughout November till January, I've been listening to "If On A Winter's Night" with awe. The man is a genious, what else is there to say? The album is a collection of old folk music, celtic sounds and churchy hymns in a new wrapping. Take it or leave it. This music helps me to catch my breath from the rat race.

Another thing to cheer me up is the O-sO-deliciOus home made Pear Marmalade from some relative of my honeybun's. (Help me out here, Josi?) Nevermind what kind of dubious bread you managed to score with your last copper, this jam will rock it.

..and so I feel like the Queen of England again, ready to start another battle day with my nice cup of tea and welsh corgis!

Nothing for the Boys

well maybe for Boy George but anygays I've been into wearing lipstick again lately. My experience so far is never to trust lipsticks under 10€ or you'll end up with cracked lips and a messy result. I think I'm too young for a favourite colour or a high-class brand but I'd like to know one day what those Thirty-Euro-Diors are about. The Body Shop & BeYu (the silvery ones in the middle) have served me well but what I also had to try was this toffee-coloured LIPMARKER (on the left) from Maybelline. The shade 780 is perfect but it sadly wears off in no time.

Keep an eye out for Kimbra from New Zealand, a lady 9 days younger than myself with a magical voice & sense of sound! She'll be big on this side of the globe anytime soon as well I predict.

Her musical sessions at Sing Sing Studios are available in high quality on youtube.

Ellie's Cooking Corner gathers again! This time introducing my childhood favourite,

Le Spinach Soup

This is an insanely delicious yet simple soup! So if you're Popeye a fearless home cook or a Spinach friend, give it a try. The original receipe is from here but incase your Finnish isn't enough for a more high-skilled cooking vocab, I'll happily translate it for yous.

What you need:

2 tablespoons butter

2-3 tablespoons flour

1 litre milk (I used less as I think it should stay a bit thicker)

150 grams frozen spinach

1 teaspoon salt (I used more)

(pepper & nutmeg)

boiled eggs to party in the soup

What you do:

1. Melt the butter in a pot big enough to carry 1 litre of soup. You shouldn't have too much heat or the next phase will get tricky. Add the flour and -I-dunno- mix & cook the stuff for a bit but don't let it get brown!

2.  Pour in some of the milk, little by little, and beat the shit out of  it with whirlybird aka eggbeater aka whisk to sort out the flour lumps. Keep adding milk and cook for about 6 minutes.

3. Add le Spinach and your spices and make the whole mess warm again. Serve with boiled eggs and a spoon.  

~Guten Appetit~

I've been a big fan of this dish for as long as I know. Strange child that I am was. In Finland you usually find the soup in every supermarket ready-made in the frozen food section. This was the first time I tried making it by myself from the scratch and I assure you: this is a fool proof receipe! I approve.

Now I'm going to have a nice & quiet evening doing my favourite nothing. Drinking tea (bought 4 different sorts today), listening music, burning candles and handicrafting some Christmas secrets!♥

Heimweh

I'd never said myself to be a big fan of the Finnish music genre but lately I've gotten more and more into it, to my own surprise. It's such a huge shame that we are mostly known from heavy metal and lame-ass bands like The Rasmus and Sunrise Avenue. I tell you there are quite some jewels hidden in the Land of trolls Thousand Lakes. Not all melancholic and agressiv. I bet, not even the half infact!

I suppose my growing homesickness is driving to the arms of Finnish sounds, but who cares. It surely is giving me strenght to carry through the dark season and pride to introduce something new to my fellow Germans and music diggers around the internet. Stay tuned for some Band Posts in the future!

Thus here you go: a Finnish French combo The Dø
Let the music speak for itself or visit the wikipedia article about them here. I've been having their first album "A Mouthful" in my low-capacity mp3-player for about a year and a half now. And being able to store only ~80 songs, that's a lot said!

Mensch und Maß

 

I got a bit carried away with homework we're supposed to hand in this Friday. The main idea as far as I understood was to measure the different parts of our bodies and put that, in an artistic way, to A4 sized paper. The examples our (lady) Professor gave were the Vitruvian man from Leonardo Da Vinci and the Modulor from (the darling of our teachers) Le Corbusier. Well this is a sneak preview of what I made..

Don't get scared now people! I get that nudity might be something scary to yous but I guess I'm too Finnish to see it that way. Everyone's seen booties before so one butt more doesn't make a difference. I don't see it sexual at all. I don't actually care how people see it, I suppose. I like photography and that's what I concentrate on.

not my "bravest" photo

Maybe it's because of my culture, sauna being a big part of it. I've been to homeparties were people later went to sauna together. Men and women mixed. I've seen my friends and randoms swimming naked and that's why nudity to me is nothing new nor embarrassing. The human body is what it is. And I mean, how far is this from wearing a bikini, when you can either see or imagine the rest?

It's actually a really good homework as we can use our own measurements later in life and career by being able to check every width and length where ever and whenever! The big discussion now is whether showing my bootay (butt to be exact) is too much or not for University homework. What do you think? Quick replies are appreciated!

eww :---D haha toes are soo gross

Nighty night folks!

ReBoot

You got it Nancy! All week I've been waiting for my new babies to arrive and join the Boots family! I've never done internet shopping with clothing or shoes before cos I'm: a) cheap and b) skeptic about the sizes and quality you can only test after ordering. I've been looking for black basic bootsies for the whole autumn now as brown just doesn't go with everything. In the local shops I've only met satisfactory price-and-looks combo, since I pretty much knew already what I was looking for. (Which makes finding it practically impossible.)

Thus I went through the vast variety offered by online shops. I'm mostly acquainted with the Finnish market and actually found in Dinsko, a Swedish shoe chain, a lot of pleasing options but they only operate in Sweden, Finland and Norway. I'm gonna check their sales after Christmas personally! Ellos.com works around Europe but not in Germany so I couldn't order anything from there either.

Then oh then, I found my lovely darlings from Nelly.coms stock! They aren't real leather but that suits my vegetarian ass just fine. No need to invest in chemicals to keep them in shape! I circled them a few days and then about a week ago my knight with a white credit card sent in the order ♪ Woopie Woop ♥ My man is so great..

I was so scared that they'd be too small (38) since they don't come in 39 anymore. To my joy they fit me perfectly = Success! I'll be wearing these babies with a wide grin every chance I get from now on ^__^

my old & most-used cowboys

I should've made a "before" photo cos they look gorgeous now

While waiting the package, I took my other family members to meet the Shoe Doctor as they've been suffering from partying lately. I guess I need to get me a pair of pretty high-heeled rubber boots since clubbing is really the killer for leather shoes. Mine were covered in beer stains, bruises and shoe prints as they've gotten trampled and raped in the run.

the best every weather, every season shoes

I've inherited the old Blundstones from my boyfriend's mother as she got herself a new shinier pair. Well check these out Josi! Like brand new! Honestly people, Blundstones might present for some of you the ultimate farmer shoes, but whether you're a hill-billy or not, you cannot deny that these are simply the best, most comfortable and durable shoes ever once you've slipped them on. So easy, so stylish. No China copy can match these babies and one of these days these boots are gonna walk all over you!

That's why they also deserved some love, care and chemicals.

Wax for blondies and waterstop for blundsies

I wish warm & water-resistant Saturday for all of my readers ♥

Ear Candy not Ear Wax

Ain't got much to say today. Work work work it work it. Sharing a playlist I've built for my fanclub myself in Grooveshark. Let me proudly present:

Ballad for Teddy on the Run

Dedicated for open-minded music friends and nightly handicraft moments. Enjoy.

Hedgehog Moment

This University shit is hard..
All of our homework, miniature building and learning is building up rapidly and today I feel like I'm drowning. Either I'm stupid or my German sucks but I'm struggling to understand our assingments. It's seems like there is ALWAYS something crucial I don't get, which later costs me 8 hours of extra work!

AN EXAMPLE!
I had developed a real nice concept to one of our bigger projects this term, the Room of Silence. I'd processed it here and there, done googling, sketched my ass off all Sunday and even discussed about the possible materials with my dad! Then today I go to the lecture, ready to show my product to the teacher: BOOM he doesn't even want to check the sketches - our homework, BOOM the glass wall in my building is against the assingment regulation, BOOM the roof cannot be diagonal and BOOM the measurements given were the only ones allowed and not the maximum size of the room. In a nutshell: I need to start ALL OVER AGAIN!

from weheartit.com

And ladies and gent's this was not the first time.. you can guess how I feel at the moment. If I hadn't got the huge pile of work on my back, I'd call it quits for tonight, crab myself a mug of Glögi (kiddy non-alcoholic Glühwein aka Glogg) and crawl between blankets & pillows and watch a period drama with my stuffed bunny Risto.

Pride and Prejudice would do the trick.. I love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

Syksyily

 It's such a crispy clear day that I just had to grab my camra and try to capture it in frames. Introducing my street, building and backyard in fashionable autumn colours..

My favourite tree infront of my window lost it's leaves the other night

Bike and the Gang

Inviting you to roll around in the leaves?

I look like an abandoned corpse

yellow staircase takes care of feng shui