Winds of change are blowing my way

Summer is almost gone (but never forgotten!), I'm eating ice cream and writing this blog post on my balcony. Life is pretty great at this moment. I have so much to tell you!

Where should I begin? The major news? Yes! Guys, I got into school! I've started to study Hospitality Management in Tampere University of Applied Sciences just two days ago! I'm really happy that I got in and my class is awesome. I've had lots of fun with them already and even though tonight I'm taking a day off of group activities, I'll catch up when I get back from NYC.

Summer went... well while working. So nothing new I guess.

And let's take a small throwback to last weekend. I spent the last weekend in Helsinki attending my dear friend Kipa's surprise baby shower! I baked a cake for her and kept her busy while the others went to her apartment and decorated it. At the same time we were looking out for possible shots for a baby bump photoshoot we were planning on doing. The party was successful and in the evening we left to Vallila to take some photos of the mom-to-be (and the dad-to-be). I stayed the night and on Sunday we continued with Kipa by heading off to Alppiruusupuisto (Rhododendron Park) to take some more pictures that turned out to be just gorgeous, even though the blooming season had been long gone.

So... New York City is waiting for me in only two days! Honestly I'm so excited and terrified at the same time. This will be the first trip I'm doing completely solo. I already have so much planned!

Let's just say that I have hop-on hop-off bus tour, new york city pass (with admission to 6 attractions), helicopter ride over manhattan, a course at magnolia bakery and the cherry on top: wicked on broadway. I've been planning a lot like what to do and what to see on each day, since the NYC pass has attractions that obviously will have queues (even though some give you the opportunity to skip them). So the plans kind of... live through the trip.

I'm also waiting for Monday's welcome party at my hostel and meeting all the new people. I'm hoping that everything will go well and I don't lose stuff (or forget to pack something essential with me).

Alright, so next time I'll write I'll probably be in New York already. So until then!

Life is sweet - enjoy the little things

 

This evening, around 10PM I took my dog out and got all the summery feels from the blooming bushes and trees outside. Then I sat for another half an hour at my balcony, eating a cone of ice cream and just appreciating how nice that felt. My home, my balcony, my life. How many people do that? Just sit down, feel what your feeling, appreciate that feeling and try to remember how that felt for the rest of your life? Because I do. I do remember those little moments, I think of them everytime I'm going through something or if I'm sad or angry. I try to remember those good moments that didn't necessarily take a lot. Maybe just the smell of flowers, warm summer night weather, staring at the partially cloudy sky and eating ice cream.

I've been jamming a lot to Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop The Feeling", which I found out, is actually perfect song for summer in general. Makes me wanna dance whenever I hear it (and yes I've kinda done that in work, my colleagues will prove that).

I have a feeling that this summer is going to be great. 

Last Saturday I hosted my 2nd homewarming party. The first was on April 16th for my colleagues from work and this one was for all of my friends so there was about 25 people packed into my small apartment. We had lots of fun, watched hockey (sadly Finland won all the other games but the final so silver for us... once again) and eventually ended evening in a bar. Where I finally found my courage to sing karaoke.

 

And to other things. I actually got a new camera Canon EOS M, which is way smaller than my #1 camera. However, my Canon EOS 60D is actually so damn heavy to carry around everywhere to actually make it my everyday camera, I decided that it was time to get a second, smaller one but with the same kind of qualities (cause honestly me and pocket cameras are a disaster!). Now I've got it going with me to New York.

I also booked tickets to see WICKED ON BROADWAY. Guys, I'm so excited right now! I'm also gonna see Finding Neverland, but I haven't booked the tickets just yet. And of course I'm trying very hard to get tickets to see Jimmy Fallon bc he's my favorite talk show host ever. Aside from Ellen Degeneres. Oh there are so many things I would want to do and so little time. I booked my accommodation from a very nice hostel in Upper West Side in a dorm of 6 females. So this is really my first time for everything - first time traveling completely alone, first time in New York, first time in a dorm with 5 other people (or less, but we'll see). However, I'm becoming more and more excited about this everyday.

So yes, life is what you make it. I've always been a person who wants to live and explore, even if I've always been scared of doing it alone. But I'm really not. Not anymore. I might be carefree and I don't take life seriously (or like my mom tends to say; you have no clue how life works). Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But I will figure it out. Because after all it's my life and it's my world. And I'm trying to make the best of it everyday. Try it if you haven't. You might be surprised.

love,

Her name was New York

It feels so unreal. It was only about six months ago when I was planning a trip to Paris with my godson and his family but plans changed due to some miscommunication. So about half an hour ago I booked flights to New York! 

This trip is first of sorts for me. First of all, my first trip to New York. I fell in love with Los Angeles and I think the same will happen here. Second of all, this is my first trip alone. Or well, when I went to Ireland I went alone too but... not alone. I had support from other exchange students and I made some great friends while I was there too. But this time it will be just me, myself and I.

Seeing New York, just like seeing Los Angeles, is on my bucket list. Another thing on my bucket list: seeing a Wicked on Broadway. So yes, I'm going to do exactly that. And if I'm lucky enough, I'll be seeing Finding Neverland as well. I've been in love with that since I found out that Matthew Morrison is playing J.M. Barrie in the Broadway version. And while he isn't performing anymore, it is still a great play with great songs so I'm truly hoping that I am that lucky indeed.

For now, I don't really have any solid plans. For the first time I'm able to see what it is to actually travel alone and I'm half excited and half terrified about it. I'm a social person but also sort of shy. However, I don't have problem in opening my mouth if the situation needs it. But I know I'll be fine. Right now there's butterflies in my stomach.

Lately I've kind of thought about life and just decided to reach out for my dreams (well, those that are reachable). Seeing New York being one of them. Seeing Empire State Building, Broadway, Times Square, Madison Square Garden and the Statue of Liberty. And well, shopping of course. Money's just money, you work hard and you get it, but experiences are priceless. Seeing world is priceless. While I might not be a millionaire or rich, I save up and when I have enough, I go somewhere. I'd lose my head if I got stuck here at home for the whole summer.

So now, dear readers, I need tips! Tell me places that I need to see, shops I need to visit, how to work the NYC subway (and what kind of card to buy if I'm there for a week), how to get from Newark to Manhattan, where to get cheap(er) Broadway tickets etc. I literally want to hear about everything!

love,

Ahoy ahoy!

top & dress: modcloth shoes: sievi purse: michael kors

I spent the last weekend baking and visiting Helsinki. My godson celebrated his seventh birthday on Saturday and on Friday I baked a cake for his party. I've baked a cake since he was three or four I think. Last year it was Teddybear's Day Out, year before that it was Mickey Mouse and before that it was Cars. This year he requested a princess cake on the inside, him and the family dog as decorations. And I delivered. Now I'm not nearly as professional as some home bakers but I enjoy it and I think I'm getting better each time, especially since I usually tend to make cheesecakes and cupcakes. Cakes... well not so much. Sugarcrafting is also super fun and I enjoy it a lot, but I'm really hoping to take a course one day.

 

Even though it wasn't 100% what I wanted (like how the green cover wasn't smooth and non-wrinkled), I liked how the characters turned out to be. I was a bit nervous since I had never crafted humans before. In the end it turned out better than I expected really. And the only thing that mattered was the sparkling eyes and wide happy smile on my godson's face when he saw the cake. He was really adorable going all "look at my awesome cake" to the guests. Yeah I might've been a bit proud too, but it's still not perfect. Perfect doesn't even exist.

On Sunday I woke up in the morning and started driving towards Helsinki. I was meeting with Kipa there (you know, the blonde girl from London post ;)!)and attending Viini, ruoka & hyvä elämä (wine, food and good life) fair there. I was particularly interested in the cake decorating championship competition. The cakes were superb, and one of the two of my favorites won the whole competition. Such talent!

After walking around the fair we headed out to the city centre, visited Lush (which is like my ultimate downfall because of the pretty soaps and smells <3), Forum and Fazer before heading to Vapiano to eat. Vapiano has been kind of our tradition for such a long time. Good food, excellent company and oh god the desserts too! We both were so full before leaving towards her apartment where we spent a little while before I headed to my car and drove home.

Such a lovely weekend, I can't say anything else.