(Feels like a) Sunday smörgåsbord #039 - 1.4
This week: Helsinki hot spots, Wolverhampton's finest, and Easter aperitivos.
NB: [PW] signifies a paywall, though some providers allow you to read a set number of articles for free.
Hi friends,
Anyone else lost track of what day it is? I regret to inform you it’s NOT Sunday, and yes you may have to go to work, school, the supermarket tomorrow (delete as appropriate), but the bonus is a ‘Feels like a Sunday’ Smorgasbord for you today on Easter Monday.
I just got back from the wilderness last week so I’m still catching up on all the cultural morsels I devoured during my holiday - and reminding myself of those I enjoyed before I left.
As ever, if you’ve read, watched, or eaten something delicious recently, I’d love to know about it. Drop it in the comments for me to explore!
Have a wonderful day
Emma
PS - In case you missed it, here’s my Good Friday post on returning to yoga after an extended break.
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Features & Podcasts
‘True Detective’s Kali Reis: ‘I kept my rape a secret’’, The Times. Andy suggested we watch the final episode of True Detective: Night Country the evening before I headed to the Arctic Circle. My response: absolutely not. We finished it this Friday gone and I was surprised I hadn’t seen the ending coming (anyone else?) Don’t worry, no spoilers here - but it’s not one to say that the cast is fantastic, especially Kali Reis who I’d never seen before. Not only is she one to watch on the screen, she’s also a champion boxer in her spare time.
‘Why is Tom Cruise always overlooked at the Oscars?’, The Times. It felt timely that this article popped up the day after I watched the latest Mission Impossible outing (See: Sunday Smorg #38). As much as I love the MI franchise, I’m not sure Tom Cruise deserves an Oscar for it: is he even acting anymore or are him and Ethan Hunt now the same person!?
‘‘I was cancelled’: Beverley Knight on gay rights, race and her West End renaissance’, The Guardian. I have a soft spot for anyone from Wolverhampton, where my parents both grew up and then met, but it’s easy to admire Beverley Knight for the sheer amount of talent she has. Woefully underrated, her voice has been extolled by the greats (David Bowie loved her, and Prince booked her to sing at his Oscar’s party). Now she’s back on stage in the London production of Sister Act, the perfect backdrop for an interview which covers the many times she went against her own religious community throughout her career.
‘Picasso Museum to show work of Françoise Gilot, ex-partner he tried to destroy’, The Guardian. I wish I could say the level of vindictiveness displayed by Picasso when Gilot left him in 1953 was a surprise, but sadly I’ve heard too many stories of terrible acts done by men who couldn’t sit with painful feelings. If my first thought reading this article on the Picasso museum’s decision was ‘about time’, it’s closely followed by the realisation that this move comes far too late to pay true penance to Gilot. She died in body last year but suffered what she called a ‘civil death’ when ostracised by France’s art world following their separation.
‘‘I’m sorry to have to announce that my cancer situation has developed not necessarily to my advantage’’, Jersey Evening Post. This is a beautiful, life-affirming reminder that we only have one short time on this Earth. Make it count - whatever that looks like to you.
Arts, Culture & Entertainment
American Fiction, 2023 (dir. Jefferson). My list of Oscar-nominated-films-to-watch is still far longer than I’d like, so I took advantage of a lazy Easter Sunday to watch this debut film from ex-Gawker-writer-turned-filmmaker Cord Jefferson. I loved the premise: a slightly stuffy, snobby Black writer, played to perfection by Jeffrey Wright, is finding it tough to sell his latest work (“They want a ‘Black book’ his publisher tells him on yet another rejection. “They have a Black book. I’m Black and it’s my book,” he huffs). In a fit of pique, and spurred on by drama at home, he fakes being a ‘fugitive from the ‘hood’’, penning a pastiche of Black America that becomes (white) publishing’s hottest new read. It was a clever, funny film, and I loved how Jefferson makes his point that Black experiences have been flattened by the white gaze by sneaking a compelling dysfunctional family drama into a film supposedly ‘just’ about racial stereotypes.
Helsinki Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland. I topped and tailed my trip to Lapland with a night in the capital, Helsinki. It was my first trip and I confess I spent much of both days there in the sauna (see Lifestyle, below). But we did find time to visit the gorgeous cathedral which towers over the city and lucked out by catching the city choir rehearsing for a recital later that evening. We sat in the regimented pews staring up at the white vaulted ceilings and marvelling at the stunning, gold-fringed pulpit as harmonies rang out around us. Divine.
Lifestyle
Löyly, Hernesaarenranta 4, 00150 Helsinki. Finland has more saunas per capita than any other country, with 3.3 million hot boxes across the land. And I can attest to just how common they are: I managed a sauna every night of my ten day holiday there, even though five of those days were spent in the depths of the Lemmenjoki National Park, using water drilled from the frozen lake beside our hut. Knowing that Finns taking their sauna super seriously we decided that on our arrival to Helsinki we’d head to one of the city’s coolest: Löyly, named for the Finnish word for sauna steam. Opened by Jasper Pääkkönen (who starred in BlacKkKlansman), this day-to-night sauna-cum-bar-cum-restaurant is located right on the Baltic, with four saunas and steps that lead into the sea for a (very) refreshing dip. The atmosphere on a Saturday evening was electric, with more Finns than out-of-towners, each piling more water on the coals to up the ante, or mingling in their swimmers with beers to toast the weekend. My favourite was the smoke sauna: so dark you ran the risk of sitting on someone’s lap, but enveloping you in the most gloriously hot, dry, heat that managed to make a dip in the near-freezing waters an attractive prospect. We toasted to our bravery afterwards with cocktails and burgers in the cosy bar.
Sävy, Aleksis Kiven katu 12, 00500 Helsinki, Finland. If sauna was the single most consistent activity I did in Helsinki, the close second was ‘eating sweet buns’. Most days this was a cinnamon roll - we even packed an emergency one in our rucksacks when we headed out into the wilderness - but I don’t regret plumping for one of Sävy’s apple buns one morning instead. These fat, sugary rolls are filled with chunks of slow-cooked, nearly-caramelised apple and are specials of a bakery just around the corner. My stomach is rumbling just recalling it now. Served up with a cup of coffee and a smile from the team at this friendly cafe, it was a great way to start the day - sugar spike and all.
Bistro Gina, Korkeavuorenkatu 34, 00130 Helsinki, Finland. After a week eating rehydrated expedition food I was desperate for a meal that I didn’t have to ‘cook’ myself. So what a treat to be taken to this sophisticated little Italian by a new friend in the city. After a shared starter of salty focaccia I had a delicious carbonara with a side of broccoli (fresh veg - heaven!) and finished off with tiramisu. The interiors were also worth going for: no one does cosy lighting like the Northern Europeans (soz, España) and I was obsessed with the pink marble tables. Thank you Pinja for a lovely meal!
Domingo vermouth and soda. I was gifted this lovely bottle of vermouth by friends for my birthday. It’s named Domingo - Spanish for Sunday, so yesterday seemed a better day than ever to crack it open. I usually enjoy my vermouth ‘straight’ over ice, but nursing an unexpected hangover I decided to mix it with soda water. Add an ice cube and a couple of fat, green olives and voila: an Easter aperitivo that’s softer than it looks. Cheers!
Substacks
‘Weekly Culture Menu 3.12.24’ - The Culture Diet
I’m loving
's spin on the culture that surprises, stirs, and sustains us, split into substantial mains, and topped and tailed with entrees and puds (I particularly love her idea of a cultural ‘amuse bouche’).As a fellow English grad, generalist, and food-and-culture-lover, maybe I’m biased… but I prefer to think it’s just good taste 😶🌫️
That’s it for this week. I hope you find something in this list that sparks joy or curiosity.
If you’ve got any recommendations on articles, podcasts, Substacks or shows for me to dive into, please drop them in the comments. Until next time!
❤️ If you liked this post don’t forget to hit the heart to let me know and help others find my writing.
📮 And if you’re not yet subscribed, all editions of Sunday smörgåsbord are free forever. Sign up for free and get next week’s in your inbox.
I liked "True Detective" although the plot made no sense and didn't come to together at the end. The performances and the environment were terrific. I don't think I know anybody other than you who has been to Helsinki.
I also had Easter cornflake nests (ably assisted in their creation by my 7 year old nephew) - they were delicious :D