BLOSSOMING BEAUTY SARA SIEPPI IN DAISY DUKES. PICTURES BY PHOTOGRAPHER PASI LIESIMAA/IL, REPORTER INKA NURMISTO AND MAKEUP AND HAIR KATJA TEINILÄ.
BEANIE WITH A BOW
31 JanI HAVE BEEN LAZY WITH MY BLOG UPDATING SINCE I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH TERRIBLE INFLUENZA AND WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. ALL THE SPARE TIME I HAVE SPENT IN BED WITH HOT DRINKS TRYING TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS AWFUL FLU.WHILE WORKING, I HAVE BEEN KEEPING MY HEAD WARM WITH MY FAVOURITE WINTER ACCESSORIES, BEANIES. I LOVE TO PIMP MY BEANIES WITH BOWS TO GIVE THOSE A TURBAN LOOK, WHICH IS TRENDY RIGHT NOW.
READY TO STOCKHOLM SHOPPING OUTFIT ; BEANIE THAT I PIMPED WITH A BOW , BOTH FROM HERE, JACKET, FRINGE BAG AND FUR COLLAR FROM HERE.
HOTEL SCANDIC ANGLAIS IS OUR FAVOURITE HOTEL IN STOCKHOLM, IT´S STUREPLAN LOCATION IS PERFECT, RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF STOCHOLM BY THE BEST SHOPPING PLACES AS WELL AS NIGHTCLUBS. HOTEL IS VERY LIVELY WITH IT´S CHILL OUT LOUNGE, FRESH AND TRENDY ATMOSPHERE , NICELY DECORATED COMPACT ROOMS AND PERFECT BREAKFAST. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE VISITING STOCKHOLM, SUITABLE FOR BOTH BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.
STUREGALLERIET, BESIDE HOTEL SCANDIC ANGLAIS…ONE OF MY FAVOURITES, THERE ARE CUTE LITTLE SHOPS, CAFETERIAS AND RESTAURANTS…
I LOVE STOCKHOLM SHOPPING, THERE ARE SO COOL SHOPS ….. I LOVE BEYOND RETRO, TOPSHOP, URBAN OUTFITTERS, COS AND SO ON, THE LIST IS ENDLESS…. BIBLIOTEKSGATAN, SOFO AREA VINTAGE AND SECOND HAND SHOPS ARE WORTH VISITING AS WELL. 
BACK HOME WORKING, GOT THIS LOVELY BOW TURBAN-BEANIE FROM STOCKHOLM , FROM HERE , 
BEANIE I PIMPED WITH A BOW, BOTH FROM HERE.
THIS BEANIE AND MUFFLER ARE COOL PIECES FROM COOL SWEDISH DESIGNER FROM HERE.
NEW YEAR
30 JanIF YOU EVER GO TO VISIT SRI LANKA, PLEASE DO TAKE SOME DONATIONS WITH YOU THERE…. CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES LIKE PEN, LITTLE NOTEBOOKS, TOYS OR ANYTHING USEFUL….. PEOPLE LIVING THERE ARE IN NEED OF EVERYTHING USABLE AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE DONATIONS THEY RECEIVE FROM TOURISTS. I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS, IF I HAD KNOWN…SINCE WE DIDN´T KNOW , WE ARE GOING TO SEND DONATION PACKAGE THERE AFTERWORDS.
HERE SOME PICS FROM OUR NEW YEAR.
DOES IT MATTER?
25 JanNATURALLY BEAUTIFUL AND SUPER-TALENTED ACTRESS IINA KUUSTONEN. PICTURES BY PHOTOGRAPHER PASI LIESIMAA/IL, REPORTER SARI HANNIKAINEN AND MAKEUP AND HAIR KATJA TEINILÄ.
GLAMOROUS
22 JanGLAMOROUS PIA PAKARINEN. PICTURES BY PHOTOGRAPHER PASI LIESIMAA/IL, REPORTER SARI HANNIKAINEN/IL AND MAKEUP AND HAIR KATJA TEINILÄ.
PEARL OF THE INDIAN OCEAN
18 JanSRI LANKA IS SURROUNDED BY SPECTACULAR GOLDEN BEACHES, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY CLEAN AND IN THEIR NATURAL STATE. THIS TROPICAL ISLAND IS IDYLLIC WITH PALMS PENDING OVER THE WHITE SANDS AND ALL THE CLEAR BLUE WATERS. THE HUMIDITY PERCENT IS BETWEEN 90 AND 100 PERCENT, IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET USED TO IT, LUCKILY THE OCEAN BREEZE WORKS AS A COOLING FAN….
SRI LANKAN PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH TOUGH TIMES WITH THE CIVIL WAR AND TSUNAMI, MOST OF THEM ARE POOR AND HAVE LOST EVERYTHING. IT´S UNBELIAVABLE HOW FRIENDLY AND SMILING THEY CAN BE BE AFTER ALL THAT TRAGEDY. 
ALL THE COLORS OF THE TROPICAL VEGETATION WERE FANTASTIC…
REGARDLESS IF YOU ARE INTO SWIMMING, SURFING, DIVING OR JUST SUNBATHING SRI LANKA GOT IT ALL. YOU ARE SURROUNDE D BY THE WARM WATERS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE RED FLAG WARNINGS ON THE BEACH ALL THE TIME, SINCE THE DANGEROUS CURRENTS ARE VERY STRONG AND THERE ARE NO LIFEGUARDS AROUND.
IF YOU WANT TO BUY SOMETHING , YOU CAN FIND THE BEST DIAMONDS AND TEA FROM SRI LANKA, ALSO SOME CRAFTS, LITTLE SOUVENIRS AND SARONGS ARE SOLD ON THE BEACH AS WELL AS IN LITTLE SHOPS.
WE PLAYED SOME BEACH VOLLEY WITH THE LOCAL BOYS, THAT WAS SUPER FUN….
SRI LANKA SUNSETS ARE JUST MIRACULOUS , ABOUT FROM 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM THE COLORS OF THE SKY KEEP MAGICLY CHANGING LIKE YOU NEVER SEEN BEFORE…IT´S AMAZING AND ROMANTIC ….
HELSINKI – COLOMBO – BERUWELA
17 JanOUR CHRISTMAS EVE STARTED AT THE HELSINKI-VANTAA AIRPORT´S FINNAIR LOUNGE….
WE WERE READY TO FASTEN OUR SEAT BELTS AND CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS EVE , OUR ENGAGEMENT ANNIVERSARY AND MY LOVE´S BIRTHDAY UP IN THE AIR….AND OF COURSE THE START OF OUR VACATION TOGETHER!!!!
SO WE THOUGHT…
WE HAD BOUGHT COMFORT SEATS FROM TRAVELING AGENCY AURINKOMATKAT (FOR EXTRA 200 EUROS PER ONE WAY /PER PERSON), JUST TO MAKE SURE WE CAN COMFORTABLY ENJOY THE FLIGHT, WATCH MOVIES AND SLEEP…..
WELL IT DIDN´T QUITE GO LIKE THAT….
IN OUR CASE , MY TV WAS ON …..LIKE ON THAT PICTURE, BUT DIDN´T WORK AT ALL, YOU COULDN´T WATCH, LISTEN OR DO ANYTHING WITH IT…THE WORST PART WAS, THAT THE FLYING ATTENDANTS COULDN´T EVEN TURN IT OFF….IMAGINE SITTING 10 HOURS THIS NEON BRIGHT BLUE LIGHT FRONT OF YOUR FACE….NEITHER OF US COULD SLEEP OR ENJOY THE FLIGHT, IT WAS A TOTAL DISASTER….I DON´T RECOMMEND BYING THOSE COMFORT CLASS SEATS WHILE FLYING ON A CHARTER FLIGHT….
AND I DEFINITELY DO NOT RECOMMEND AURINKOMATKAT AS A TRAVEL AGENCY TO ANYONE!!!
THE SERVICE IS POOR AND THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE ORGANISATION ARE DOING EVERYTHING ELSE BUT SERVING THEIR CLIENTS APPROPRIATE WAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DO RECLAMATIONS.
IT TAKES TOO MANY PEOPLE, TOO MANY PHONE CALLS AND E-MAILS FOR THEM NOT TO FIGURE OUT AND UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF THE MOST SIMPLE RECLAMATION, WHICH IS TO RETURN THE MONEY FROM A DEFECTIVE PURCHASE……LET´S SEE HOW MANY MORE MONTHS WE HAVE TO WAITE FOR A SOLUTION……
I HAVE SEEN ALL SORTS OF THINGS, BUT NEVER ORGANISATION ,THAT DOESN´T REALIZE THAT COST EFFICIENCY IS QUITE RELEVANT, TIME IS MONEY AND CUSTOMERS ARE THE ONES KEEPING THEIR BUSINESS ALIVE ??????
SO HAPPY TO SEE THE GROUND….
AND TO LAND SAFELY TO COLOMBO, THE CAPITAL OF SRI LANKA….
AFTER 10 HOURS FLYING AND 4 HOURS SITTING IN THE BUS… LUCKILY OUR DESTINATION, LITTLE FISHING VILLAGE, BERUWELA AND THE HOTEL WAS A SUPER-POSITIVE SUPRISE….WONDERFUL AND COLORFUL SURROUNDINGS, NATURE AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE!!!
POOL AREA WAS RIGHT BY THE BEACH, NICE AND NOT OVER CROWDED….PERFECT FOR US!!!
WE DECIDED TO GO VISIT THE LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLE MARKET WHICH IS HELD EVERY MONDAY…
YOU GET AROUND THE EASIEST WITH TUK TUK, SINCE THE ROADS IN SRI LANKA ARE IN TERRIBLE CONDITION AND EVEN SHORT DISTANCE TRIPS CAN TAKE FOREVER….
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF GOING TO BERUWELA TO SHOP TIL YOU DROP AND PARTY HARDY, YOU ARE HEADING TO WRONG DESTINATION. THERE ISN´T ANYTHING FOR A SHOPAHOLIC OR A PARTY ANIMAL. IT´S A PERFECT PLACE TO REST AND EXPLORE DIFFERENT CULTURE AND NATURE, FOR PASSIONATE PHOTOGRAPHERS, PEACE AND NATURE LOVERS AND OPEN MINDED TRAVELERS THAT UNDERSTAND THAT LUXURY CAN BE DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT PLACES….BERUWELA IS A SPECIAL PLACE WHERE TOURISM HASN´T DONE IT´S HARM YET….
MY TRAVELING ATTITUDE THAT WORKS EVERYWHERE : ` THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY`AND REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR EYES AND HEART OPEN TO EVERYTHING NEW AND DIFFERENT, YOU WILL SEE , FEEL AND EXPERIENCE MORE IN YOUR LIFE…..
I ENJOYED ALL THIS EYE CANDY AND TAKING PICTURES OF ALL OF THESE BRIGHT COLORED EXOTIC FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND FISH. …SO LOVELY, HOPE YOU ENJOY MY FRUITS AND VEGGIES PICTURE OVERLOAD AS MUCH AS I DO…
AND THE STORY CONTINUES…..
GORGEOUS AT GALA
16 JanWONDERFUL SUSANNA LAINE GOES GALA GORGEOUS. HER VENLA GALA MAKEUP AND HAIR BY ME. I LOVE HER LOOK!!!! SHE BOUGHT HER PRETTY PURPLE DRESS FROM KAREN MILLEN.
PICTURE BY WWW,METROLIVE.FI
PICTURE BY MATTI MATIKAINEN / ILTALEHTI AND MTV3
ilovehelsinki 