Category Archives: Beauty

Season’s greetings

What a pleasure to spend relaxing days at home! The autumn has been busy and intense and I’ve been a lot on the road – traveling between Kuopio and Helsinki, rehearsing in Oulu, visiting Oslo, Barcelona, Berlin, Düsseldorf and Graz. If I remember correctly! It’s all been exciting and interesting but also very tiring. So I’m grateful for these easy days. I’ve had family around, enjoyed saunas and good food, cakes my daughter had baked, lovely chocolate treats and some presents. Bliss!
For ages I’ve wanted to have a facial treatment to clean and take care of my skin. Somehow there’s never time or money and I haven’t had a facial in years – which I’m ashamed to admit since I’m wearing makeup regularly and when performing, quite heavy ones also. So the other night I decided that I should do something about that and made a reservation for HydraFacial treatment at Beautyzone in Kuopio. And I’m so happy I did! I loved the treatment and my skin feels so different, cleansed, soft and the pores are visibly reduced. What I’m rather shocked about is that the woman who did the facial, diagnosed my skin as couperosa – prone to redness. This makes total sense and I don’t understand why I hadn’t thought about that before! So my uneven skin tone is not about poor skin care habits or bad products – it’s about redness that gets worse with aging and the freezing cold weather. I’m glad I’m aware of that now! I need to use good, hydrating, soothing and protecting products and apparently vitamin c is good for redness.
So since I’m in need of a night cream, I went to town today to check out the sales and to find a suitable cream. A salesperson at Sokos was very kind and gave me philosophy product samples to try which is just great because I’m not going to buy a new cream without testing it first.

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I’m especially interested in the miracle worker night cream but also the cleanser and eye treatment sounded great! Let’s see they feel on my skin.
Anttila had all the Lumene products (except the natural code) -40% off! I bought the basic but very good eye makeup remover, the loose translucent powder, nail varnish remover and a new color correcting concealer! Fab. Hopefully it’ll help me with my redness so that I can wear a very light foundation.

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Today I was first time using my Tom of Finland shopping bag by Finlayson- love the black and white simple style.

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I think it’s time to test the miracle worker night cream now!

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Good night!

Johanna

Melbourne day 5

Yes, good day of reading and research! Non-representational theory – very inspiring.

Since Melbourne is a city of great cafes and coffee, I googled for the best cafe in the neighborhood. The best recommendations by far were for St Ali on Yarra Pl so I that’s were I headed for a coffee. I wasn’t hungry so I just had a cappucino with a double shot of espresso and it was really smooth. I really liked the warehouse style of the place and probably will return for a breakfast or brunch one day. Anyway, really nice vibe, good looking trendy customers and great coffee!

Today was also a day of shoe repairs. Last night I was wearing Minna Parikka Cuniculus and realised at some point that I had lost a rubber sole of the other heel. So I had to find a shoe repair which was ok as I had brought a pair of shoes that needed rubber soles put on the leather sole anyway. So I got them both fixed today for 67 AUD which I think it’s a bit pricy but hopefully the quality is good. So my Minna Parikka Aurora pair got a rubber sole today, too!


After I picked up my shoes from the repairs, I popped into Melbournestyle, a beautiful shop on Clarendon St. which I also discovered online. The shop was absolutely beautiful with exhibition space upstairs and Lex from the staff was really generous and friendly. They had a great selection of books, accessories and jewelry, bags, scarfs, cards, cups and the like. I also spotted Marimekko and Iittala brands there. What a delightful visit! And since it’s…well mother’s day soon, I got myself a little present.

The evening I spent studying non-representational theory and sipping some Swords Pinot Grigio.

Johanna

focus on home

Since I’ve been performing at home, I’ve also had some time to think about the small needs I have on home decoration and things I’ve been dreaming of for a long time… This package arrived today with Muuto Dots and Hay tea towels… Such beautiful colours, materials and design. Bliss! It’s amazing how happy one can be about tea towels and hooks to hang one’s bags in the home office! There’s a Muuto Dots campaign at the moment in  the Finnish Design Shop, so have a look if you like them!




I love the colours and the details of the tea towels! Sometimes I really do think that winter is such a beautiful time of year; time to turn inwards, to home and candles, warmth, cozyness, sauna, wool, intimacy…

Johanna

Thoughts for the week

I will be working all week in Kuopio. I’m doing EU admin and stuff like that, so during the day time pretty much sitting in the office. Being in Kuopio allows a good exercise rhythm at the Element Studio (today indoor cycling and dynamic stretching) which is great. I will be doing some more indoor cycling this week, as well as cross training, Kinesis and kettle bell. I passed today the newly opened restaurant Urban and I think I have to go and have lunch there this week. It wasn’t open as I walked by early in the morning but it surely looked great. It’s definitely the only restaurant in Kuopio with Eames DSW chairs with wooden legs! Hey, it’s about time…

Lately I’ve been reading a lot about space, place, urban planning and cities (for example Massey and Lehtovuori). It’s so inspiring and exciting. I still have to complete a chapter of Massey’s For Space and then read some articles for my next essay. I recently received support from the Finnish Cultural Foundation for my upcoming work and all this reading is very important for that piece, too. I also need to get going with the process of the upcoming work but it’s always such a big step for me to start pinning down ideas… I rather leave things open and undecided as long as possible – but that’s not so great always.

The spring is approaching quickly and days are filled with more light and sun. The week before last I cycled to work a few times but now we again have more snow and it’s again colder. But I’m so much looking forward to the ice free roads, runs and cycling to work!

My spring looks very busy and challenging. Lots of work, several trips abroad and a lot to read and write. But I’m really looking forward to my trips to Oslo, Dublin, Brussels, Chicago and New York. Of course exercise is going to be a great challenge because of the traveling. For me it’s really difficult to maintain a balanced work out routine when I’m traveling and away for home a lot. I wonder if it’s ever going to get any easier… Probably just more difficult! But oh how much I’m looking forward to the Marcolini chocolates in Brussels! And what to do and get from New York? I’m so happy to be revisiting Chicago and New York – it’s almost embarrassing.

My adopted sister Maija is currently in Australia. Earlier this year I found out about the Chanel CC cream but unfortunately, it’s not available in Europe or North America – at least not yet. But Maija flew via Singapore and I asked her to check out if the CC cream would be available there… So yesterday she texted me saying that she’s got the CC cream for me! Isn’t it weird how excited one can get about make up and cosmetics..? I bought the Armani Maestro make up fluid from Berlin earlier this year (with Maija) but I haven’t been 100% happy with that product… Maybe the Chanel CC cream is the solution, especially for the summer…

Are you a fan of the HBO series Girls? I’m going to watch a few episodes now.

Happy belated international women’s day!

Johanna

Kuopio, a lively city?

What an intensive week I had. Spent a day in Jyväskylä and another one in Helsinki. Had a lot of thoughts about cultural policy, arts funding and arts management. In Helsinki I saw a performance by a graduating MA student – a very highly educated dancer entering into this insecure, unstable, problematic and debated field and business. Maybe it’s because I’m evaluating her final work that I’m somehow very conscious of all these rather negative issues in our field. And I’m not sure what I think about it. Part of me of course wants to encourage her and everyone and a part of me is really sad because it will be hard. On the other hand, it might not be hard for her at all and what is hard for each person varies so much anyway…

I gave a talk about ANTI in a seminar on Wednesday and it was kind of inspiring to hear and learn about other festivals and events in the city of Kuopio. The city is finally making or renewing its marketing strategy and festivals and events are of course a big part of the brand and image of the city. And if Kuopio wants to be a lively city, I think ANTI is doing the best job in the cultural sector.

So I was in Helsinki on Friday and realized that I wasn’t at all interested in going to the Habitare fair. This is a bit strange as I’m usually very interested in design. I’m not even sure when it was that I last visited Habitare (maybe last year?) but it was a bit of a disappointment so this year I didn’t really even consider it. But my desires were fulfilled last night in the 20th anniversary birthday party of Visio which was an inspiring event combining style, fashion, design and gourmet. I was so happy to participate and very, very proud of Kari and Sari. The venue was great, the old VR-makasiini factory building, which could be this amazing venue for all kinds of events, parties and performances in Kuopio but is hardly ever used. I know they had a lot of problems to get all the necessary permissions to organize this event there but I’m so proud they did and I really hope more people would start doing the same. Kuopio needs something like that! And Kuopio wouldn’t be the same without Visio = Kari & Sari. Think about this: these two very inspirational people who didn’t have to do anything wanted to organize this event which included a fantastic hair/fashion show, very well designed and organized venue with music, lights, BMX performer, lots of sparkling wine and gourmet deserts. And they invited about 500 people to enjoy all this for free! All I can say is thank you. And I love you!
With Kari & Sari

And I got to wear my golden Finsk shoes! Lovely.

We took a lot of pictures from the show…hopefully I’ll get to post a few later.

Johanna

Love the Doll Eyes

After coming back from Joensuu on Thursday, I did go to Sokos’s ’beauty week’ event and met the same Lancome representative who already has introduced me to the new Doll Eyes eyeshadows. Unfortunately, the Baby Pop was sold out but after taking a closer look at the Baby Romance palette, I realized that I will definitely use it among other products to look better, since I also been using some professional lash artist glues to improve my lashes. It has a lovely bright silver and metallic darker brownish grey which are just great colours. It also has two shades of pink, one is very light and bright and the other one a bit darker. In my everyday make up, I use most often a pink eye shadow. I’ve had a lovely Guerlain palette and I’ve used up the pink so this new lovely Doll Eyes palette will be in every day use. Very good. Yesterday I made my eye make up using all the colours in the palette and my partner said in the evening t that it looks really good. He doesn’t usually pay much attention to my make up, let alone analyze my eye make up so that was rather surprising. But it just shows that the colours are great and they really work for me.


Sokos had an offer that if you also buy a Lancome skin care product, you’ll get a gift containing a cleanser and toner. Since many of my friends are absolutely crazy about the Lancome Genifique Serum, I decided to try it as well. Besides the cleanser and toner, I also got a tester of a new serum and Genifique eye concentrate…and an umbrella! Horray! All very well needed during the autumn.
We got a surprise visit last night when Tatu and Anniina came over. We spent a mellow evening eating low carb pizza, lovely cheeses, drinking wine, listening to and playing music and discussing intensively, as always.

Johanna

 

 

 

Kuopio, Jyväskylä, Joensuu, Kuopio…

Today I gave a talk about A Space for Live Art and UP TO NATURE EU funded projects in Joensuu. My talk was part of the Taiteen, kulttuurin ja luovien alojen rahoituspäivä, translating roughly ‘funding of arts, culture and creative industries’. Sounds terrible but it was quite inspiring actually. Riikka Leskinen from Cimo talked about the EU Culture Programme 2007-2013 and then I gave practical information about our projects, how we got involved in them and what is the everyday like managing the projects. It was also great to see Mari Karikoski from the Arts council of Finland and Hanna Susitaival from the regional arts council of Pohjois-Karjala.

Now I’m on my way back to Kuopio, proofreading (for the hundredth time) the upcoming ANTIVERSARY book. But it should go to print today! Hurray. Ahhh, the ANTI Festival is coming up veeerrryyyyyy soon and I’m beginning to feel the excitement…

This week I’ve been already in Jyväskylä so it’s been a rather challenging week in terms of exercising. I’ve had rehearsals of Acts of Clothing as I’m performing it soon in Jyväskylä, had a Pilates class and yesterday Zumba. Tomorrow I’m back to studio with Acts of… and will have functional training sessions both on Friday and Saturday. And on most days I’ve cycled to work. So should be a pretty good week, enough aerobic and strength training.

Last week I got a -20% reduction coupon for Sokos’s beauty week and I’m now wondering if this would be the time to get the new Lancome eyeshadow… I really like the Doll Eyes Baby Pop….hmmm.


What do you think?

Johanna

 

perception

I’ve been warming up Twirling World show with Sonja, working on the ANTI 2011 programme details and the upcoming book. I’ve been cycling, doing Kinesis and Zumba. Went for a day to Helsinki. And wondered about the flowers in the garden. You cannot imagine how much joy the rhododendrons bring me! And they are all going to bloom this year – very soon.



Johanna

exercising and preparations for shows

So next week we kick off with two shows of Twirling World. Monday will be stressful with technical rehearsals, building up the space, getting all the little bits and pieces together. But it’s great to perform the piece again! I just hope we’ll have audience. I’ve bought new silver blankets and tights for the show, also Tecni Pli to do my hair with Ghd…

This week I’ve taken it pretty easy and spent time at home. I’ve done some wallpapering, a lot of Kinesis and functional training as well as Zumba. Outi at the Functional Studios leads fantastic Zumba classes! They are a great way of getting aerobic exercise and she sure makes you sweat and jump so that your heart rate hits the max. I cycled to the city a couple of times this week but the roads were rather icy and dangerous (especially without winter tyres…). And the snowstorm yesterday didn’t make me happy either. But today is sunny and  above zero degrees so I’m hoping the snow melts quickly so that I can start cycling on a regular basis.

All the ladies clothes and jackets were on sale (-40%) in Anttila and after my training today I went to have a look if they have any nice Nanso dresses, skirts or tops. Anttila’s clothing section is not really for me but some of Nanso’s clothes I like and came home with two tops.

Now it’s time to go and listen to Jukka Poika and Raappana at Kulttuuriareena 44!  And since the gig is open to all ages I’m going with my son.

See you there?

Johanna