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Archive for May, 2012

~* Oops… I did it again *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home, tagged on May 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I’ve never won anything in my life. But if ever somebody arranges the Olympics on absent-mindedness, dreamaway impracticability or getting lost anywhere and  everywhere, you’d be wise to bet your money on me.

This time, I got caught upon our return at the CdG Airport… My passport had expired, ages ago. I’d happily travelled with it – I don’t know how many times – without anybody, least of all me, noticing. To top it all, I had a similar incident with my son not once, but twice last year…

Wool coat Red Valentino, silk shirt from Paris, silver hoop earrings found from Cannes, bag vintage Chanel.

Well, luckily this little hiccups took place in France where one can always trust the anarchistic and rebellious nature of a Frenchman. They resent all regulations, authorities and stipulated practices to the core – and never miss an opportunity to break, bend or go around the rules.

So it didn’t surprise me much when the check-in person just wished me a safe flight with my expired passport.

I’ve forgotten prescription only medication at home and gone to explain my problem at a French pharmacy… And been sold the medicine needed straight away.  “Mais Madame, you know what medicine you’ve been prescribed! There’s no need to waste time and money on doctors.”

Long, long ago I’ve accidentally gone shopping with Serge’s credit card – and been told to just sign my purchases with his name. Some, more uptight cultures might consider that to be forgery… Not France. “Mais Madame! His money is your money too!”

I’ve parked the car in very unorthodox places, and eversoslightly broken traffic rules… Without anybody, least of all the police, so much as rising an eyebrow.

Gotta love those French.

And gotta renew that passport before I travel someplace else… I have a feeling that all of the incidents above would have ended very differently, had they taken place for example in Germany… the US… Finland…

~*♥*~

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~* Au Lapin Agile *~

Posted in Champagne, Home on May 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

A cabaree frequented by singers, poets and artists since 1860 is on the list “1000 Places to See Before You Die“.

Mmmmmm…. Still authentic, poetic, so true to it’s heritage.

An evening of magic.

~**~

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~* Paris my love *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home on May 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Would you believe it, in four hours’ time we’ll be off to Paris!

This picture is by Unjung Jun. But in this little girl, I see myself…

Besides being the most beautiful city in the world, to me Paris is the place of larger than life kind of love – and loss. There I’ve fallen in love the first time ever.  There I’ve promised to love someone for the rest of my life. Gotten engaged. Been unconditionally happy.

And then. At one point I couldn’t even visit the city for a decade as it contained too many bittersweet memories to bear.

There’s so much history between me and the City of Lights. And despite everything, because of everything, I absolutely love Paris.

Let’s see what she has in store for me this time.

I’m ready ♥.

~*♥*~

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~* such a sacred moment *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home, tagged , , on May 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The picture features the beautiful and magically talented Marianlinn Le Fay. You can find her treasures from fb; Marianlinn Le Fay Art and Design.

I wish a truly sunny Mother’s Day to all you lovely Mamas out there!

~*♥*~

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~* gently *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home, tagged , , on May 11, 2012| 1 Comment »

Yesterday was a good day, exercisewise.

I was feeling all smug as I did two gym classes by Tarja Runsten, who, I have to say, is simply the best fitness instructor in all of Finland. She works her group until we’ve all lost the concept of time and place, who we are and where we are coming from. AND most importantly, she makes workouts fun – be it dance, body sculpting, yoga…

I have a sure-fire fitness regime. If I can do one of Tarja’s classes per day without feeling like I’m gonna die, I am fit. If I survive two classes in a row, I’m superwoman.

I’ve never owned a scale and I don’t count calories. I simply drag my booty to Tarja’s classes often enough.

And afterwards, the feeling is like so:

Today I did an easy class of hot yoga. But instead of the workout euphoria expected, I actually started feeling very similar to the day when I fainted at the theatre.

The teacher’s instructions turned into blurry background noise, I didn’t dare to get up as the floor and walls were moving. I couldn’t breathe.

Then I realised. And felt, if possible, even more stupid. I’d just forgotten to eat. Again.

I’d had a rye cracker in the morning and nothing else all day. No wonder I was feeling like a half-drowned kitten who couldn’t scoop herself up from the gym floor.

Fine, Universe. You win. I’ll learn my lesson.

My body is trying to tell me something and maybe it’s time I listened.

I’ll start taking it more gently.

I’ll try to sleep enough (even if I open a good book in the evening).

I’ll remember to eat. I already eat stuff that’s good for me but I’ll start doing it regularly.

I’ll get some fresh air every day. Especially when there’s no time for it.

I’ll hug, kiss and laugh. Every day.

After all, there’s more to a woman than the shell…

Gotta be kind to the soul as well ♥.

~*♥*~

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~* Lights will guide you home *~

Posted in Home, Inspiration, tagged , , on May 11, 2012| 3 Comments »

Coldplay live at Glastonbury

~*♥*~

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~* 99 kisses! *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home on May 9, 2012| 1 Comment »

Yesterday,  we had one of those win-win situations at home. I promised my youngest son to kiss him as many times as the number till which he could count in French (he’s half French).

This apparently motivated my baby quite a bit, as he exceeded his previous record (30) and went on to 99!

Don’t you just wanna kiss him all over too!!!

 And again, there was an old attic flat in Kruununhaka, filled by a whole lotta kisses.

And a whole lotta giggles 🙂 .

~*♥*~

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~* Flashmob Copenhagen *~

Posted in EverydayPoesie, Home, tagged , , on May 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

This is what I call Everyday Poesie.

~*♥*~

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~* Road Trip Africa *~

Posted in Home, Inspiration, tagged , , , on May 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

…strange yet true association I have with this song I stumbled upon:

When I was 6, and we lived in Zambia, we toured quite a bit of Eastern Africa. By car, with no air conditioning.

I sure got to understand, at grassroot level, what a very large continent Africa is.

Bumpy dirt track roads, neverending distances, relentless heat and 14-hour daily trips with no stops meant that some amusement had to be created for the 3- and 6-year old girls in the car. Luckily (as we didn’t have a cassette player in the car) my dad was a great singer. Karhunpoika sairastaa, Mikki Hiiri merihädässä, Rosvo-Roope, Pieni tytön tylleröinen, Ihme ja Kumma… With his spirited renditions of his own childhood classics he somehow managed to keep us entertained for hours on end.

I still know the full production of Georg Malmstén by heart.

This chorus, that my dad sang to me sooooo often as a lullaby, has followed me all my life. Strangely, especially at times of sorrow, I return to it and find some comfort. Sorry dear foreign readers, I wouldn’t dream of translating these lyrics as I could never capture the childhood innocence implied with mere words.

“Maailmassa monta
On ihmeellistä asiaa,
Se hämmästyttää, kummastuttaa
Pientä kulkijaa”

The song embedded, Hopeinen kuu / Silver Moon by Olavi Virta was my father’s own all-time favorite. We used to have horrible taste with my sister, as we’d loudly protest in favor of children’s rallies whenever he belted out this tango…

Now that I heard it again, after decades, it brought an incredible storm of nostalgia to my heart.

Ei tulla koskaan, voi tällaista iltaa…

Oih.

~*♥*~

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~* Come alive. *~

Posted in BohemianCharm&VintageChic, Home, tagged , , , on May 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

“Return to things that are meaningful, and bathe inside of them.
Do the things that somehow make you come alive.”

–Viktor Egelund–

Photo Minna Hepburn: Pintrest

I guess we all have a list of things to do in this life.

What’s on yours?

I have so many things, most of them simple and easy, yet here they are, on the to-be-done -list. Still.

Such as.

Being present. In the moment. For my children. For my mother.

Climb a mountaintop. Visit Tibet.

Enjoy a sunset in peace and silence.

Fulfill a secret dream, too fragile, too personal, too precious to tell a soul.

To love. Deeply. Unconditionally. Profoundly.

To wake up to sunrise, full of tomorrow.

How  hard can all that be?

Uh… Peculiarly very much so.

~*♥*~

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