Woodnotes

It's been a busy week, so this morning we packed up our bag and headed to the beach. It was so lovely just to relax a bit! 

My new go-to bag, weather for the beach or a weekend away is this one from Woodnotes. The bag is made in Finland, from 100% paper yarn. Woodnotes were the first to use paper yarn in a contemporary way like this, and in functional textiles (like bags and baskets). 

I absolutely love this bag; it is super generous in size, which is exactly the way I like it. It is ideal for the beach, the sand doesn't get stuck on the bag and is easy to clean up. 

Hope you have a lovely weekend ahead!

This bag was sent to me as a gift from Woodnotes. All opinions are my own.

Blue Mountains Road Trip

As it happens, we don't get out of town very often and our last trip to Blue Mountains (about 2 hours out of Sydney) was more than 7 (!) years ago. With my cousin and her family in town it was a great opportunity to show them around and do a little road trip ourselves as well. It was a stunning day with not a cloud in the sky, cicadas chirping so loud it made our ears ring. What a beautiful part of the world we live in!

Three Sisters

Wentworth Falls

 

Cicadas everywhere!

 A view from Wentworth Falls

Blooming Wisteria

Stunningly beautiful wisteria is blooming everywhere in Sydney at the moment. 
I just love this time of the year!

Amélie

It is so true that it's the little things in life that make all the difference. Take this bicycle, for example. I've dreamed of having one for years now. It's been one of the things I really missed from Finland, being able to ride my bike everywhere (even in the snow!). Now I finally have one and I couldn't be happier. I present to you - Amélie.

We went for a ride around the near-by lake.

 We stopped to admire the view and enjoy the sunny weather.

                                                and we looked at the ducks strutting around.

 ♥

A Day Out on the Boat

Hello and sorry for the silence!

Summer has really hit Sydney and we've spent a lot of time outdoors. Last weekend we enjoyed a day out on the boat with my husband's parents and it was as lovely as ever. The sun was out and it is always so relaxing to be on the water. 

Unfortunately I got sick on Sunday and woke up on Monday feeling no better. After seeing a doctor I had to be taken to the emergency room where I spent a few hours on the drip because I was getting very dehydrated. I was diagnosed with sinusitis so it'll take a few days to feel better. Today's forecast of 43C will be a challenge, but I'm planning to stay indoors and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated!

I hope your week has started on a bit more positive note and if you are in Sydney today, stay cool!

 

 

Marimekko Sydney Opens!

It's been a long time coming, but Marimekko has finally found its way back to Australia! I was so excited and honoured to attend the opening party of Marimekko's Sydney store last night - and what a party! 

Marimekko represents time-honoured design and exquisite quality, is functional and absolutely meant for everyday use. This is a brand that is part of our Finnish identity, a brand we all grew up with surrounded in our everyday lives from fabrics to accessories. 

Marimekko has found the most beautiful space in the middle of Sydney (located on 66 King Street) with high ceilings that enable multidimensional and truly unique shopping experience. Nordic style is well honoured with wooden floors and accents, beautiful light throughout the space and of course the most outstanding Marimekko products that would make any space look magnificent.

Last night saw many Sydneysiders, including fellow Finns and Swedes, showcasing their most colourful Marimekko outfits and wholeheartedly enjoying the launch party of the year. Everything was carefully planned, from the nostalgic Finnish music from the 60's and 70's, to staff outfits and product display.

Here are a few snap-shots from last night, hope you enjoy!

Marimekko Sydney
66 King Street
Sydney, NSW

Buckwheat and spelt pancakes with chai poached pear and cardamom sauce

Hi friends! 

How did your weekend go? It was a beautiful weather here in Sydney and it's days like these when I feel so happy and fortunate to live in this stunning city. We walked down to the harbour, bought lunch from a near by cafe and sat on the grass to enjoy the views. People were out and about - families with children at the amusement park, artists lined up with their paintings of the famous Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House and people gathered around picnic blankets to spend the day with friends and family. What a perfect setting.

 

For some reason, making pancakes for a weekend breakfast always makes it seem a bit more special. Whether it is the little effort of standing next to the stove flipping the pancakes or enjoying a breakfast that is not your every day treat, they are always as welcoming and warming. What made these pancakes really something different, however, was the chai poached pear and cardamom sauce. Pears are in season now and when they are perfectly ripe I  love having them on their own, poached, in puddings or cakes or in a sauce like this one.

 

 Buckwheat and spelt pancakes with chai poached pear and cardamom sauce

(serves 2)

::Buckwheat and spelt pancakes::

 (makes 6 small pancakes)

300ml brown rice milk

50g buckwheat flour

60g whole spelt flour

1 free-range egg

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon olive oil + extra for frying

::Chai poached pear and cardamom sauce::

2-3 bags Chai tea

1 litre recently boiled water

2 ripe pears, peeled

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon manuka honey

1. Whisk the egg, salt and a tablespoon of oil with the brown rice milk (or milk of your choice). Sieve in the flour and whisk to make a smooth batter. Let sit for 30 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan, soak the tea bags in the recently boiled (hot, but not boiling) water. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then add the pears. Soak the pears, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small frying pan. Pour in some batter (approximately one sixth) and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden. Continue with the rest of the batter.

4. Remove the pears from the poaching liquid. Core and half the pears and place them in to a food processor. Add in vanilla, cardamom and honey and process until smooth. Add in a tablespoon or two of the poaching tea if the sauce seems too thick. 

5. Serve the pancakes warm with the pear and cardamom sauce.

A day at the National Park - Sydney scenery and wildlife

I thought I'd share a few photos with you from last Friday when my partner and I spent the day at the Ku-ring-gai National Park less than an hour's drive from where we live. It was a beautiful, sunny autumn's day and since we rarely get a chance to have a day off like this, we decided to spend time outdoors and do some light trekking and enjoying the nature and the scenery.

Sydney is surrounded by gorgeous beaches and large green areas and it is not hard to see why I fell in love with this city in the first place. On a sunny day like this one, Sydney is really showing off its best assets and the scenery takes my breath away every time. I think in Sydney you get a perfect balance of the city and the country. The countryside is a mere hour's drive away - you can visit farms, national parks and really get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city-life. On the other hand, Sydney also has all the benefits of a big city - museums, restaurants, speciality shops, and so on.

We were so lucky to be able to see so much wildlife on our day out. I always think it's a good sign to see the native flora and fauna  so close to a big city and surely as we entered the national park we saw swamp wallabies, one of them with a little joey in her pouch, kookaburras and even a young diamond python. It was so fascinating to see all these wild animals roaming free in their natural inhabitant.

I couldn't stop taking photos of the scenery and the animals. I took some video too which I've uploaded on VIMEO - so please go and have a look if you want to see more! In the mean time, I'm already planning my next mini-trip :-)