finntimes

BEING FESTIVE—A THIN LINE

April 30th, 2013

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

BEING FESTIVE—A THIN LINE
by Ava Anttila

Los Angeles’ Spring is a time of celebrations and festivals.

Here, we have to go to the mountains to watch the snow melt. We have to turn on TV news to see the rivers and lakes flood the lowlands with the Spring run-offs. Our local skies are clear, blue, and sparkling—with the occasional white cloud reminding us of the Finnish flag. We know we face ‘May gray’ and ‘June gloom’ before Summer sets us free to enjoy our magnificent climate again! Even though we do not really have Winter, Spring is special!!

Spring in Los Angeles

We dust off our Winter cobwebs, do our Spring cleaning, put on a new mindset, come outside to enjoy the sunshine and new growth, gather with like-minded people for meaningful (and fun) activities, cheer the flutter of the birds preparing for their young to hatch soon in freshly built nests, and watch our grass and flowers grow.

BUSY AS A BEE

In the Los Angeles area, particularly during the last two weekends in April, there is a frenzy of huge annual festivals and happenings.

We just had the Los Angeles Marathon—a woman crossed the Finish Line first, by-the-way!

Aleksandra Duliba of Belarus has won the women’s race and $50,000 gender challenge in the 28th Asics Los Angeles Marathon

For the last two years, the LA Marathon has used a new, different route which puts the race into the ‘showcase’ category. Last year, the rain failed to prove anything about the new route other than that the water—and the runners, go downhill to finish at the ocean. [And, that California can be cold if you are skinny and wear short shorts!]

A NOVEL EVENT

This year must have been such a joy for the runners from around the world who got a real ‘tour d’LA’ on a glorious day. Instead of circling around the ‘less lovely’ parts of Los Angeles for a few hours in the ‘smog belt’ as they did in the past, the route now is like reading a great-city novel. The story starts at venerable Dodger Stadium and gets better as it moves through the historic city, down Santa Monica Boulevard, gaining momentum as it presses with urgency toward our ever-green “Champs-Elysée” –a super-wide grass center strip shaded by Coral Trees that is San Vicente Boulevard from Brentwood to Santa Monica. The trail tale makes a beautiful climax and denouement as it ends on a beautiful California beach just as the beautiful sun sets peacefully into the golden Pacific. Phew!!!

Coral Trees along San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood

THE PROS GO—AND MISS THE GLOW

The elite international athletes show up for the race, run, pop their appearance fee checks into the nearest ATM, have a quick shower and a meal before heading to LAX for an airplane snooze on their way to the next event. I would guess that nary-a-one noticed that Los Angeles is ringed with snow capped mountains this time of year! But, the joy of the LA Marathon is that all who can scrape up the Registration Fee are welcome to spend the day in a novel way—running, walking, or spinning their wheelchair through fan-lined streets toward a grand sunset [pot of gold] at the end of a long downhill ‘coast’! If you are slow enough, you can even smell the roses!!

We all share in the joy of those participants who have trained, strained, and made it to the Finish Line. We welcome them and offer our LA to them. We sincerely hope they will take our goodwill and love with them when they head home. Although, it is a mystery as to how they will get home since all of the streets around the Westside are blocked off to motor traffic in the vicinity of the race route and there are detours-aplenty because of the 405 construction.

SORROW AND JOY

The line between joy and sorrow is thin –or so it seems.

The thought sticks in my head this month like one of those ‘brain worms’ that haunt your thoughts for no apparent reason. Actually, the term “brain worm” comes from the effect that a silly slogan, ditty, show theme, or song has on your mind as it plays over and over and over again.

I think my ‘worm’ was from one of Simon and Garfunkel’s most beautiful songs from the ‘60s or ‘70s: “…..the line is thinly drawn ’tween joy and sorrow.” It really rings true for me this month.

Having ‘waxed poetic’ about the joyfully triumphant Los Angeles Marathon and its successful new route, that thinly drawn ‘line’ was crossed in another town in which I once lived—Boston.

The Boston Marathon is the premier, by-invitation-only US distance run. Held each year on Patriots’ Day, this year’s 26.2 miles ended at 26.1 miles for all but the most elite superstars. The bomb blasts at the Finish Line sent people scrambling –or worse.

We Finns know and love the performers and the sport of long distance running. Lasse Viren and Paavo Nurmi are Finnish national heroes—and, I think, a Finnish woman actually won the Boston Marathon some years ago. Many come from many lands for the NY, Boston, and LA events. These Marathons openly embrace the international community whose residents are often the winners. We gladly celebrate the greatness and achievement that comes to our shores.

Lasse Viren

The attack in Boston brought the joy of such a beautiful Boston tradition [celebrating Spring and Patriots past] to a collective national gasp of disbelief and horror. A week went by with prayers, sorrow, worry, hope –and outrage.

The attack in Boston brought the joy of such a beautiful Boston tradition [celebrating Spring and Patriots past] to a collective national gasp of disbelief and horror

When the week was done, good had won out over evil –the good guys got the bad guys. Media [and cell phones] had captured images of the brave, kind, caring people: participants, spectators, and the first responders putting themselves on the line for the afflicted. Vivid, moving images such as that of a 78 year old runner being knocked to the ground by the first blast just before the Finish Line picking himself up for the final 15 steps to complete his journey—not knowing if those would be his last steps, but determined to ‘finish’! The carnage could have been much worse had it not been for the selflessness and good spirit of those who came to help.

BOSTON STRONG DEFEATS TERRORISM

My head and heart reached out to my former Boston neighbors upon hearing the events unfold. I had many memories from living in nearby Cambridge while in graduate school. I taught Scandinavian cooking lessons to a Harvard group –I taught high school drama, English, and rock poetry in the area –I directed plays, one with a coffin … ! Memories flood back at times like this.

I had many memories from living in nearby Cambridge while in graduate school

Watertown (where “# 2 went down” last week) was across “Mass Ave” from where I lived behind the Radcliffe Library. My experience with the Watertown Police was quite positive. Our car had been stolen, but was found/recovered (already repainted) in Watertown.

Despite the casualties, at the end of the Boston Marathon ordeal there was a collective sigh of relief in New England, in America, and in the world. A festival of determination, resolve, and courage erupted as the “Boston Strong” community moved forward celebrating its traditions and the spirit of its people. The horror and sorrow turned to joy as the collective spirit came together.

Terror works only when people are afraid. Terrorist tactics are effective only when people are intimidated. Americans are a curious breed—they can seem to be self-absorbed, selfish, and aloof in their quest for “…life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” which is their “… inalienable right”. They seem not to care sometimes. Then, whether it is Pearl Harbor or the Boston Bomb, there comes a time when “enough is enough”, a ‘switch’ is thrown, and THE YANKS ARE COMING!

Boston’s Defiant Spirit on Display at Fenway Park

That Saturday –less than 24 hours after the lockdown was lifted and the 2^nd suspect captured, “Boston Strong” was what it was about. The Red Sox played baseball for the first time since the bombing and, at the Bruins hockey game, even the opposing goalie wore a Boston sticker on his helmet! At the ball game, legend Neil Diamond showed up to lead the fans in their favorite 7^th inning ‘sing-along’ of his Sweet Caroline, a years-long tradition—Fenway Park rocked!! The Metro re-opened. Boston Common was once more filled with families, nannies pushing strollers, joggers running in memory of the victims and in defiance of potential terrorists, citizens showering law enforcement and first responders with cheers of gratitude, and the entire city of Boston earned the respect from the world. Boston lived its new moniker:”Boston Strong”.

legend Neil Diamond showed up to lead the fans in their favorite 7^th inning ‘sing-along’
of his Sweet Caroline, a years-long traditionFESTIVE IS JOYOUS AND HAPPY

The Boston sorrow had brought forth a Festival of Life.

Collectively the Boston event cast a cloak of fear all across the country. All large cities (including LA) went into heightened mode with security. While the expected ‘copycat’ consequences of a surge in bomb squad calls and an uptick in fake threats and other hoaxes followed, local law enforcement erred on the side of caution and dealt professionally with the increased number of emergency calls that is the pattern after high-profile violence.

Like other major cities in America, LA stood strong, kept calm, and carried on as planned in solidarity with Boston. Great Britain stood tall and successfully welcomed the world to their annual London Marathon which features the best and quickest for 26.2 miles!

Nothing fazed people here—or there. They prayed (and then cheered) for their Boston friends. The message was simple: “You go guys! We’ve got your back!”

Huge events planned for this past weekend went on as scheduled. Just like with Spring cleaning –once done, we dust ourselves off, get up, and start all over again.

WHAT A WEEKEND IT WAS

For the young (and the young at heart) Coachella music crowd in the desert, the annual Spring festival has grown from one weekend to two. This year, a ‘special addition’ was a tent with air conditioning and comfortable seating for the older “baby boomer” group.

Each April, Long Beach closes their local streets to high powered racing cars that roar around temporary barriers at scary and very noisy speeds. The Long Beach Grand Prix is a major motor tour event televised around the world. This past weekend was not a time for a casual stroll and window shopping in our near neighbor, but they do draw a huge crowd.

The Long Beach Grand Prix is a major motor tour event televised around the world.

Spring means the Baseball Season ‘Openers’ in LA with the Dodgers playing under new ownership in the National League and the Angels playing in the American League. Not to be out done, both the Lakers and the Clippers were good enough during the Winter to make it to the Spring NBA Playoffs! Oh yes, the Kings and Ducks are still playing NHL hockey as I write.

Just to be sure everyone not cheering a local pro or college team had a good excuse to be outside exercising while avoiding Spring cleaning or the mandatory Brush Clearance prior to Fire Department inspections which begin May 1^st, many Los Angeles streets from downtown to the beach along Venice Boulevard were closed to motorized traffic for a bicycling event called CicLAvia. Foot powered transit only—I believe!

FESTIVALS ARE FUN

April featured several major festivals: The Festival of Books on the University of Southern California (USC) campus and the Annual Scandinavian Festival on the campus of California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

What fun it was to participate in the two day Scandinavian Festival held at Cal Lutheran. There was an awesome Finnish presence. I was honored to stand in for Finnish Consul General and Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps Kirsti Westphalen who had to be away on Finland business. The recent Finnish national preeminence in international accomplishment rankings made it easy to say some good words about the 700,000 or so American Finns—and to remind folks that ‘we’ have been here for 375 years!

Christina Lin with Finnish flag

Joining in the grand procession to the stage for the Opening Ceremonies was Finland Flag Bearer Christina Lin of Finlandia Foundation National. Christina had recently been instrumental in the amazing success of the 60^th Year of FFN celebration festivities. Christina was dressed in a beautiful Finnish National Costume as she proudly carried the flag in the procession and properly displayed it during the singing of the Finnish National Anthem.

Maria and Christina Lin at reception

Maria Kizirian was our Finnish songbird who so beautifully presented “Maamme” laulu. It was fun to get better acquainted as we made our way to the dais.

The Katrilli Dancers were ‘first up’ on the featured Scandinavian Festival performances. This incredibly dedicated and talented group of dancing people headed by the effervescent Pirkko Satola-Weeres is always a treat to behold. Finnish pride, culture, and talent were on display for all to see, hear, and cheer!

The Katrilli Dancers were ‘first up’ on the featured Scandinavian Festival performances

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

The sorrow and grief of a departed Mother contrasted with the comfort and joy of family, friends, and community coming together on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Remembering Raija turned out to be a festive occasion as we celebrated a good, long life well lived.

Ari Anttila

The day was sorrowful/the day was joyful –at the same time. Tears of sadness/tears of joy flowed as poignant memories and funny stories brought our Dear One to mind and midst.

The line between joy and sorrow was thin and blurred!!

ONWARD…

Tiny Arrival: Incubator in Action

Hummingbird Nest:

It is always such a joy to see the miracle of nature. Sometimes, when you give nature a chance, it makes you pause and takes your breath away.

It had been awhile since our sauna had been heated. Preparations for Ӓiti’s Memorial Service required much attention and sprucing up for other areas in the yard. The clutter that accumulates had been cleared and, suddenly, there it was. Following the “If you have it, use it” adage, it seemed to make sense to follow the ancient ritual of our forefathers and mothers to relieve the stress of events and the busy activities of the last couple of weeks. I told my Dad to get ready, I am going to ‘crank’ the sauna.

On the lowest branch of a small tree in front of the sauna I saw the tiniest, cutest, most precious, little bird’s nest I had ever seen

Rushing toward the sauna building to start the heating routine, I was taken aback –literally stopped in my tracks, with what I saw. On the lowest branch of a small tree in front of the sauna I saw the tiniest, cutest, most precious, little bird’s nest I had ever seen. Apparently a little hummingbird (colibri) had decided that this was a safe and wonderful place for its little one to be born and raised. [I got up on a step ladder to look inside the golf-ball-sized nest and spotted a tiny little egg!]

If I do not answer my phone when you call, it may be because I am in the sauna ‘spying’ through the window to be sure that mamma and baby are OK. Let’s hope that the predators leave our new neighbors alone!

Kiisseli in a Meringue Nest:

Rhubarb has long been a harbinger of Spring. And, there is nothing more quintessentially Finnish than raparperi kiisseli or, as my children called it, “rubberberry slime” [sorry about that!].

Rhubarb grows like a weed in the rainy Finnish climate, is used like a fruit, but is actually a vegetable. [If you grow or pick your own, be sure to remember that the green tops are poisonous!]

I like to make my kiisseli like a compote –more fruit, less ‘jiggly’ stuff. Since rhubarb is borderline ‘super-tart and sour’, it needs lots of sweetening if served in dessert form.

My recipe this month presents the rhubarb in a meringue nest. It is festive in homage and celebration of the arrival of the new hummingbird nest by my sauna.

Kiisseli

6 stalks of rhubarb

1 cup sugar

3 cups water

5 tablespoon potato starch* dissolved in ½ cup water

Cut rhubarb stalks into slices.

Boil rhubarb with sugar and water until just tender; about 10 minutes.

Mix potato starch and water together and pour into boiling mixture while stirring.

Take off heat before it boils again.

Let cool.

*Potato starch may be hard to find. I get it at an Oriental Market, of all places.

Meringue Nests

Preheat oven to 250º Fahrenheit

4 egg whites at room temperature

¾ cup sugar

Beat egg whites with electric mixer adding sugar gradually.

Beat until stiff and glossy so the mixture holds a peak when the beater is lifted.

Scrape mixture into plastic food storage bag.

Cut small opening at the tip of the bag.

Squeeze mixture into small rounds in a circular motion on parchment paper lined baking sheet beginning in the middle and working outward.

When the right diameter size, continue to squeeze as you slightly lift and continue around the edge to make two layers more to form a nest.

Bake 10 minutes and turn off heat.

Leave meringues for several hours (or overnight) in oven until dry.

Assembly

Right before serving, fill meringue nests with rhubarb mixture.

Serve with whipped cream and/or in a pool of strawberry sauce.

Alternative

Warm leftover kiisseli in the micro and pour over vanilla ice cream for a quick tasty sweet treat!

∞

This is life in LA now.

The line is thin.

This month, this is how we roll.

April 8th, 2013

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN DATE: April 8^th, 2013

-From snowbirds to oddbirds, there’s a Finn for every occasion.

Finns gathered on the grounds of Hauli Huvila near Reedley, California in the early 1970′s.

There are approximately 750,000 Finns and people of Finnish heritage living in the United States today, according to official statistics. It is an understatement to say that it is a very heterogeneous group of people scattered across a vast geographical area. There are Finns living in every state of the union, as well as a handful of pockets with greater numbers, such as in Minnesota, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Florida’s Lantana – Lake Worth and the Bay Area. Also big cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles – San Diego have sizable Finnish populations. In a totally unscientific way, I have identified the following six main groups of Finns in the U.S. and given each group a nickname:

1) ORIGINAL FINNS: Those later generation Finns, whose ancestors immigrated to the U.S. between the late 1800’s and 1920’s.

2) POST-WAR FINNS: Finns, who immigrated after WW2 in the 1940’s, ‘50’s and ‘60’s.

3) SNOWBIRDS: Florida Finns, who arrived between the 1960’s and ‘80’s.

4) ODD BIRDS: People like myself, who came to this country between the 1980’s and ‘90’s during low immigration years from Finland.

5) OFFICIAL FINNS: The staffs of the embassy in Washington DC and consulate generals in New York and LA plus other governmental agencies, such as Tekes, Finpro, etc.

6) COMPUTER NERDS: The latest crop to land into the country are the IT-people. They immigrated in the late 1990’s to present day. As you can surmise, these six groups of Finns are very different from one another. Each have some connecting characteristics.

The Simpsons producer Bonita Pietila hails from Minnesota. She grew up in a totally Finnish family but was never taught the language.

The Simpsons producer Bonita Pietila originally hails from U.P. Michigan. She grew up in a totally Finnish family but was never taught the language.

ORIGINAL FINNS: As a rule, they don’t speak Finnish, even though I have run into such Finnish speaking Finns in the oddest of places – like in rural Montana and a mountain village in Utah. Amazingly, also many older U.P. Finns still speak it, though many of them have never even visited Finland. These Finns are as American as Apple Pie and you would never be able to distinguish them from the rest of the population.

Taisto Liski with his alter ego. Taisto immigrated to the U.S. in 1967, built a successful car mechanic business and retired after 30 years. He lives with his wife Helka in Signal Hill, California.

POST-WAR FINNS: They not only speak Finnish but also retain many of their Finnish habits and traditions to date. I have friends who belong to this group. Visiting their house is like going back to Finland. This generation often worked in blue collar occupations, such as maids, mechanics and construction workers and earned their living the hard way. This aging group is disappearing fast. Their children and grandchildren are now adults and usually do not speak the language.

Finntimes publisher Tomi Hinkkanen with singer Eino Grön in Pasadena, California. Eikka has lived in Florida for over 30 years with his wife Marjatta. He still entertains people on both sides of the Atlantic.

SNOWBIRDS: They live in Florida and are mainly retirees, although there are also some entrepreneurs and a few very wealthy business people in this group. They of course speak Finnish but oftentimes the retirees’ English skills are poor. Therefore they tend to stick together and organize activities among themselves.

Jouni Passi’s Burbank Spa & Garden is a luxurious massage parlor in Burbank, California, frequented by Hollywood stars.

ODD BIRDS: This group speaks Finnish, although those of them who don’t practice it, lose it. Oftentimes they tend to be female and married to an American spouse or divorced from one. They can be found across the country in a variety of occupations from governmental positions to private entrepreneurs. They blend in the rest of the population. Many of them never attend any Finnish events.

Kirsti Westphalen is the current Consul General in Los Angeles.

OFFICIAL FINNS: These government officials rotate in and out of the country every four years. Their language skills are excellent in Finnish, English as well as Swedish, they retain all their Finnish habits, build connections with Americans, oftentimes socialize with one another and after their time is up, move to the next country.

Niko Ruokosuo, CEO of P2S Media Group Inc., a photo sharing business.

COMPUTER NERDS: They are mainly men, who bring along their families, highly educated, speak fluent Finnish and English and are employed in the high tech sector in high paying positions. Sometimes they are on an assignment but oftentimes end up staying in the country. They frequently travel between the U.S. and Finland and maintain close ties with their friends and family in the old country. These Finns can be found in California’s Silicon Valley, Dallas – Fort Worth and San Diego areas. These people tend to have families in which the wife stays at home with small children.

The shoe manufacturing mogul Sari Ratsula with husband Jussi and son Aku in Orange County, California.

Epilogue: Finnish-Americans hail from different eras, experiences and socio-economic backgrounds. Like all people, they are a sum of their genes, environment and experiences. Against all odds, many second, third and later generation Finnish-Americans retain surprisingly strong ties to their heritage. For them being Finnish is an inner journey to one self. Understanding their background helps understand themselves – their stubbornness, their quiet ways, their fondness for coffee. The present day Republic of Finland is a totally foreign country to them and in their festivals and gatherings they rather wish to remember Finland as it was in the days of their forefathers.

Actress Lisa Niemi, neé Haapaniemi, was born to a Finnish immigrant family in Texas.

But it would be a grave mistake to dismiss them as merely American. They are as Finnish as members of any other Finnish group. Environment affects political views. You will find that a Finn living in a small Texas town is likely to be more conservative than a Finn living in Hollywood. The whole immigrant experience varies greatly between generations and individuals. Those hard-working original and post-war Finns got the full experience of what it is like to start from scratch. The IT-engineer hired by a Silicon Valley company directly from Espoo, Finland, not so much. But whatever the background, place, experience or generation, all of the above are Finns in the true meaning of the word. It is the task of Finntimes to try to bring all these various Finns together to celebrate our rich history and heritage.

A Finnish gathering in North Hollywood, California.

April 2nd, 2013

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

WOMEN

Things to Ponder Category:

Why is there a Women’s History Month when there is not a Men’s History Month?

Women still seem to be considered a minority even though they populate half of the world. Most men will acknowledge that we women have been running ‘things’ for quite a while, even if in a quiet, ‘behind-the-scenes’ way. However, now that so many men now report to women bosses in the workplace, it is best not to press that issue.

Anyway, I am all for celebrating. Any excuse for a party, n’est pas?

The first Women’s Month celebration I can remember was hosted by dear friend Bitte Westerlund, wife of former Consul General Jörn Donner, during their tenure here in LA. It was a remarkable event. Attending were this area’s most prominent women in politics, business, film, and the like. Nothing like this had been held before. All of us attending were so excited to be a part of something new –we felt a universal bond. Connie Rice [no, not the Secretary—she is a civil rights attorney], Beata Pozniak, Elina Vesara, Ruth Goldway, Dr. Leena Peltonen-Palotie, and so many others were brought together by Bitte. It is hard to get Finns together collectively, but Bitte “leaned in” and her personal force has left an indelible mark on the LA scene and on the Finnish women’s dynamic. We are eternally grateful in the Finnish community for her contributions during her time here.

Bitte Westerlund

And…:

This has been a big year for celebrating Women’s History Month.

Easter weekend marked the 100^th anniversary of Suffrage for Women in the US [1913]. Finnish women gained full political rights in 1906, even before our homeland won its Independence. Finland was the first nation in the world to have women elected to its Parliament [1907].

Women representatives at the Finnish parliament in 1907

Finnish women have been particularly on my mind with their awesome accomplishments [no bias—just pride!]. I was led to reflect on the famous Finnish females who have graced our sunny Southern California shores when now retired Ambassador Maria Serenius returned ‘home’ this March. Maria was the first woman Finnish Consul General in Los Angeles.

Ava with Ambassador Maria Serenius

As a ‘fringe benefit’ of being active in local Finnish groups and programs –and, if you are willing to get downtown for a 7 AM breakfast, you get to ‘visit’ with some really neat people. Sometimes those visits are in a ‘small group’ setting as a few of us experienced with the then Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen who went on to serve as Finland’s President for 12 years. I can remember the Finnish pride I felt as Minister Halonen answered a tricky question about Finland’s vaunted neutrality and the NATO participation requirement for membership in European Union that was in final formation stages. The future President proved her diplomatic ‘chops’ with an answer she may have been ‘trying out’ for similar questions from a larger audience in the future: NATO participation is problematic for Finland. Since we have the longest border with Russia, I propose that Finland secure that border and let NATO take care of the rest. Poised, confident, and bold in her answer, there were no follow-up questions on the subject.

Finland’s First Female Ambassador to the United States Visits:

Speaking of famous Finnish females, I hope you got to meet Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Finland’s first female Ambassador to the United States on her recent West Coast visit. The Ambassador joined Consul General Kirsti Westphalen and Honorary Consul Kathryn Mautino in San Diego before being the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker at the Finlandia Foundation National’s 60^th Anniversary Celebration in Pasadena.

Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde at Finlandia Foundation’s 60th Anniversary celebration.

Finlandia Foundation National’s Performers of the Year:

Marja Kaisla (FFN Performer of the Year 2013) and Maria Mannisto (FFN Performer of the Year 2007) each performed in concert for the large and appreciative 60^th Anniversary Celebration audience.

Finlandia Foundation National’s Lecturer of the Year:

Dr. Glenda Dawn Goss

As part of the 60^th Anniversary Celebration, FFN showcased their 2012 Lecturer of the Year, Glenda Dawn Goss, on Friday night preceding the Anniversary Gala. Dr. Goss made Finland’s cultural awakening come to life through her unique presentation on the life of Jean Sibelius. She used music, historical slides, and personal descriptions in her scholarly evaluation. Dr. Goss’s personal perspective comes as a scholar from Georgia (in the American South) who has lived in Finland since 1998.

Dr. Goss made Finland’s cultural awakening come to life through her unique presentation on the life of Jean Sibelius

Those of us in the sold-out audience were taken back in time by a description of the life of Sibelius that also detailed how the Maestro came to be such an important and recognized figure in the United States.

She declared that Sibelius created “…what it means to be Finnish” and, thereby, paved the way for the Golden Age of Arts that was to follow. This was the awakening of the Finnish Identity. I think Finns all have the sounds of Sibelius’s music burned in our hearts, minds, and souls –an affirmation of our Finnish pride.

I can’t wait to read Dr. Goss’s new biography: Sibelius: A Composer’s Life and the Awakening of Finland; University of Chicago Press; 2009.

A Little Girl Remembers:

Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco

As a youngster my parents would put me on a Greyhound bus, alone, headed for San Francisco from the San Jose depot [no one would dare do that today, I know—different time/different rules]. My Pirkko-täti (a vivacious single lady in those days) would take me to a record shop by Ghirardelli Square on those visits. I remember the shop because Sibelius played in the background, just like home! The owner of the shop had a ‘thing’ for my aunt, I think. Once, he bent down and told me “ …you will never be fit to marry unless you know all of the symphonies of Sibelius”.

That long-buried memory came back as I listened to Dr. Goss’s lecture. Still, I do keep playing those symphonies!

More About FFN Lecturer of the Year Program:

LOY is a national initiative by Finlandia Foundation National started in 2006. The program’s aim is to promote Finland and to explain the Finnish-American connection.

An early FNN/LOY I supported at the Beverly Hills Library was a fascinating presentation by Susan Saarinen (granddaughter of Eliel and Loja Saarinen) and Mark Coir (architectural historian). That too was an excellent program with talks that illuminated the international exhibit on Finnish architect Eero Saarinen’s life and work that toured the US for several years. Saarinen’s work in the US [TWA at JFK/Dulles at Washington, DC—and his LA work with Eames of chair fame] is well known and admired.

Susan Saarinen by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

These programs are so well organized, inspiring, informative, and fun!! When you leave, you want to be sure your fellow attendees know you are Finnish too—even though boasting is not permitted!

FFN Is 60!!:

The crown jewel of activities in the Finnish community this March was Finlandia Foundation National’s 60^th Anniversary Gala Dinner and Concert. Finland’s Ambassador to the United States Ritva Koukku-Ronde was the Honored Guest and Keynote Speaker.

Marvin Suomi served as Master of Ceremonies. With Marvin was his lovely wife Marieclaire even though the whole Suomi family was leaving for Japan the next morning when the children’s Spring Break began.

Ava with Andrea McAleenan of Azusa-Pacific University

The evening was informative and entertaining. It was a delight to meet the many Trustees of FFN. Tarja Silverman (a FFN Trustee from New York) was seated at my table. Between us was one of my favorite local Finns and long time friend Heidi Crooks (Chief Nursing Officer of the UCLA Health System). Andrea McAleenan of Azusa-Pacific University (formerly in charge of the EU Center at the Claremont Colleges) dropped by to say hello and to remind us all to attend FinnFest ’13 being held on the Finlandia University Campus in June on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Finlandia University President Philip Johnson was in attendance, as well.

Hollywood in the Desert:

After Awards Season in LA [aka Winter], the fancy gowns are out and everyone is still in a festive mood ready for the next big party. When Hollywood quiets down, the real fun, social scene moves with the ‘glitterati’ to the California desert. They are joined by the “snowbirds” from colder climates who have the resources and resolve to ‘get out of Dodge’ before the snow flies!

My dear old Hollywood friend (the late Greta Peck) loved her ‘Winter’ time with her ‘crowd’ in the warm and welcoming desert with all the activities and ‘goings-on’. She loved to tell tales—but my lips are sealed. In the sweltering Summer months, the place turns into a ghost town. Now, in high season, the streets are bumper to bumper and dinner reservations at the top restaurants are a precious commodity. The parties go on late into the night in this warm, happy party town.

Ava and Greta Peck

A desert resurgence has taken place as a new generation has taken over with second/third… homes in lavish surroundings. Private jets now vie with commercial airliners for space at the Palm Springs Airport. Those who can do live in leisure and luxury. Even those who still work can carry an electronic ‘office’ and are able to shuttle back and forth depending on the season, the reason, or the event. Smiles, tans, and good moods abound. A strong sense of philanthropy dominates the social world and many charities benefit from those ‘goings-on’.

Golf, Tennis, Pools, and Pageants:

Golf, tennis, and pools have long been desert daytime staples. Professional golf and tennis tours have major tournaments in the desert during March each year. Following an afternoon of watching the professionals play, an evening of talk over cocktails and dinner, a good night of great dreams in the balmy, fresh night air, it is no surprise to find the sweet morning stillness at La Quinta Resort broken by the thuds of tennis balls and ‘grunts’. The morning ‘jocks’ have been inspired by their heroes’ performances from the day [or their dreams of the night] before and seek to duplicate the same perfect strokes. After a short bit, the gardeners take over with their equipment manicuring the grounds before the heat of the midday sun. The sequential noise patterns combine to leave a ‘peace offering’ of grapefruit that have been ‘rattled’ from the trees for the guests to enjoy.

La Quinta Resort

As my friend from Washington, DC [VB] and I were quietly doing water aerobics in a small pool in Santa Rosa Cove at La Quinta we noticed Donald Rumsfeld [Gulf War I Secretary of Defense—among his many other accomplishments] ‘chilling’ on a poolside lounge chair. Just another day at the beach—his war is over.

My concert pianist friend [DP] is also a superb tennis player. The Tour Tennis Tournament was ‘on’ and all La Quinta televisions were turned to the tennis action 24/7 –especially in the pro shop where exquisite tennis gear can dress one for success on the court or in your dreams.

Fashion Week:

Fashion Week is also big during this season in the desert. That grand pageant was about to begin with exhibitions and special events scheduled back to back. The night I was there, my architect friend [JJ] from LA was able to obtain much coveted tickets to The Fashions of Leonore Annenberg at the Visitor’s Center at Sunnylands. [The Walter and Leonore Anneberg Estate Sunnylands is a must see recommendation for everyone.]

Fashions worn by Walter and Leonore Annenberg and modern interpretations of those outfits by designers were the focus of the Nightlife series at Sunnylands Center & Gardens

The Fashion Show on March 13^th was abuzz with the beautiful women of the desert. Each designer shown was interpreting (in their own contemporary perspective) the designs originally worn by Leonore Annenberg. Mrs. Annenberg’s original gowns were on display and a runway presentation of the new designs was featured. Among those guests present was iconic black fashion model Betsey Johnson. A martini tasting of infused vodkas and hors d’oeuvres preceded the runway show.

[The Annenberg Estate ‘Sunnylands’ tour provides a marvelous view into American history, but must be deferred for another column. ‘Sunnylands’ (designed by US architect A. Quincy Jones) now offers tours to the public. Tickets are hard to come by, but are worth the effort if you know you will be in the area.]

Leonore Annenberg:

Leonore Annenberg

Leonore Annenberg fits into the Celebration of Women for her accomplishments in the world of politics and diplomacy not only as the wife of an Ambassador, but because she held the rank of Ambassador herself when she served as Chief of Protocol for President Ronald Reagan. More importantly, she worked quietly ‘behind-the-scenes’ facilitating the movers and shakers of American history, as well as, foreign leaders and royalty in historic preparations/negotiations in her homes.

Female Finnish Conductor Coming to LA Philharmonic at Disney Hall:

Finnish Conductor Susanna Mälkki

Susanna Mälkki, Finnish Conductor and Music Director of the Ensemble intercontemporain, will conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra on April 12, 13, and 14. The Concerts will feature works by Poppe, Stravinsky, and Brahms. www.laphil.com.

Scandinavian Festival:

The Annual Scandinavian Festival in Thousand Oaks at the Cal Lutheran University Campus begins on April 20^th. This is always a fun event. Come meet fellow Finns and other Scandinavians. Shop, taste treats, see friends, and enjoy entertainment. Stand with Finnish pride. Come say hello!

New Los Angeles County Jail Chief Is A Woman:

The largest jail system in the country has a new manager, Terri McDonald

Sheriff of Los Angeles County is an elected position. As we know, politicians are noted for telling constituents whatever they want to hear. We have learned to ‘filter’ statements and responses to questions, withholding judgment of our ‘leaders’ until we see their actions.

Lee Baca has mentioned how much he admires the strength and leadership of Finnish women. Words of a politician—words of a diplomat—words to please a constituent—words to assuage a volunteer? Proof is in performance.

Sheriff LeRoy D. Baca has just appointed a woman to manage the nation’s largest jail system. His appointee (Terri McDonald) has earned a reputation as a tough manager. Previously Ms. McDonald was with the California State Prison System where she helped institute major prison reform.

Other Women Warriors:

As I close this column, the ‘wires’ are humming with the news that Julia Pierson has been named the first woman in charge of the US Secret Service.

President Barack Obama watches as Vice President Joe Biden administers the oath of office to incoming U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office, March 27, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

YOU GO GIRLS!!!

March 27th, 2013

Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

51-423-finlandia_60_juhannusproductions-423

Her Excellency Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde praised the foundation’s work and achievements throughout the years.

FINLANDIA FOUNDATION NATIONAL CELEBRATES ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

It was a memorable evening. The food and setting were sensational. Can’t forget the beautiful flower centerpieces, classy program books and the delightful entertainers. Outgoing President Anita Smiley begun the celebration with a light yet meaningful introduction, Marvin Suomi emceed the evening with style and grace, and Finland’s most beautiful woman, Armi Kussela, adorned the occasion like an angel dressed in celestial blue.

60-454-finlandia_60_juhannusproductions-454

Judy Gervais (the Columbia-Pacific Chapter) enchanted the crowd with her contagious smile.

Of course we can’t forget the presenters: such beautiful human beings sharing their hearts and minds in such a joyous occasion. I felt privileged to hear their stories.

48-415-finlandia_60_juhannusproductions-415

Her Excellency Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde showed much appreciation for the work of the foundation

Her Excellency Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde praised the foundation’s work and its achievements throughout the years.

76-541-finlandia_60_juhannusproductions-541

Nadia Lin, the representative of Salolampi Camp students, captivated the audience with her wit and charm.

I loved being part of the event. The glow of the event will be on my mind for a long time—and yours as well, I am sure.

Thanks for inviting Finntimes, and to all involved for combining your unique talents, and hard work to contribute to such a beautiful event.

08-217-finlandia_60_juhannusproductions-217

Singer Eino Grön and his beautiful wife

These are only a portion of the pictures taken. All other pictures were commissioned by Finnish magazine Suomen Silta/Finland Bridge to highlight a cover story that will be published in the near future.

Please help us by naming each person as a ‘comment’ on each picture so that we don’t miss anyone.

About Finlandia Foundation:

Finlandia Foundation’s Mission

To sustain both Finnish-American culture in the United States and the ancestral tie with Finland by raising funds for grants and scholarships, initiating innovative national programs and networking with local chapters.

What Finlandia Foundation Does

As the number of first and second generation Finnish-American immigrants begins to dwindle, it becomes increasingly important to keep Finnish-Americans and their local chapter organizations across the country connected, inspired and committed to maintaining an awareness of their unique and vibrant culture and heritage.

Finlandia Foundation National raises funds to strengthen its endowment and ensure the continuation of its programs. The Performer of the Year and the Lecturer of the Year programs focus attention on the outstanding musical and academic contributions of the Finnish-American community. The winners of these two annual and national competitions travel and perform at Chapter organizations throughout the United States. Finlandia Foundation National also provides scholarships to students with a multitude of unique ties to the Finnish culture. Finally, Finlandia Foundation National makes more than 50 grants each year providing critical and all too rare funding for individuals pursuing the artistic, musical and cultural traditions that represent the heritage of Finland and the diverse interests of Finnish-America. These programs, not offered by any other organization in the United States today, are what make the strengthening of the Finlandia Foundation National organization so compelling.

Finnish heritage and Finnish-American traditions and culture are too rich and too valuable to be lost. By building a solid network of chapters throughout the United States and increasing the number and amount of grants and scholarship for Finnish-American individuals and programs, Finlandia Foundation National will continue to inspire and strengthen the Finnish-American community of the United States for years to come.

Finlandia Foundation National, a California non-profit organization, is governed by a Board of Trustees. Independent Finlandia Foundation National Chapters coast to coast are charted to use the Finlandia Foundation National’s name and logo and operate in support of the Foundation’s Mission.

For more information, visit www.finlandiafoundation.org/

March 18th, 2013

thinkkanen

EASTER 2013

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki

What does Easter mean? What does it mean to you? The answers to these questions are not necessarily the same.

Christian Easter refers to the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning.

Bible’s four Gospels all report the same event, but each in a slightly different way. For example, who were the first Easter morning named guests at the tomb of Jesus?

According to Matthew, Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary”, according to Mark, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, according to Luke, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and according to John, Mary Magdalene.

All four gospels mention that Mary Magdalene was at the tomb on Easter morning. For the other women, the stories are different.
This is, of course, a challenge, the reports are not identical. These texts cannot be harmonized. Is the Bible therefore worthless?

The Lutheran church is not fundamentalist, that is, Lutherans do not believe in the Bible literally. Lutherans take the Bible seriously, but not literally.

The Easter morning reports contain so-called “mythos” material, the stories seem to refer to an important issue without a great deal of concern about the details. Easter message is not in its literal description, but in its meaning.

Easter for Christians is a celebration of life and hope. The physical body of Jesus hung on the cross, Jesus life’s work rose from the dead. Paul describes the church as the body of Christ – it is the resurrection. Good Friday’s immense sorrow is turned into Easter morning’s jubilating joy. Jesus’ disciples left grief behind them and they became bold preachers of the gospel. Jesus is alive, the Roman mighty empire could not defeat him.

What does Easter mean to you?

You are most welcome to Easter worship service

Jarmo Tarkki
Pastor, Finnish Lutheran Church of California and Texas

Come to hear the rest of the Easter message on Sunday, March 24, Incarnation Lutheran Church, Poway, 16889 Espola Rd., Poway, CA. We will begin our worship service at 4 p.m., followed by coffee.

PÄÄSIÄINEN 2013

Mitä pääsiäinen merkitsee? Mitä se merkitsee sinulle? Vastaukset näihin eivät välttämättä ole samat.

Kristillinen pääsiäinen viittaa Jeesuksen ylösnousemukseen pääsiäisaamuna.

Raamatun neljä evankeliumia kertovat kaikki samasta tapahtumasta mutta jokainen hiukan eri tavalla. Esimerkiksi, ketkä olivat pääsiäisaamun ensimmäiset nimeltä mainitut vieraat Jeesuksen haudalla?

Matteuksen mukaan Magdalan Maria ja ”se toinen Maria”, Markuksen mukaan Magdalan Maria, Jaakobin äiti Maria ja Salome, Luukkaan mukaan Magdalan Maria, Johanna ja Jaakobin äiti Maria, Johanneksen mukaan Magdalan Maria.

Kaikissa neljässä evankeliumissa kerrotaan Magdalan Marian olleen haudalla pääsiäisaamuna. Muiden naisten osalta kertomukset ovat erilaiset.

Tämä on tietysti haaste, kertomukset eivät ole yhtenevät. Näitä tekstejä ei voi harmonisoida. Onko Raamattu siis arvoton?

Luterilainen kirkko ei ole fundamentalistinen, ts. luterilaiset eivät usko Raamattuun kirjaimellisesti. Luterilaiset ottavat Raamatun vakavasti, eivät kirjaimellisesti.

Ylösnousemuskertomus sisältää ns. ”mythos” –aineistoa, kertomuksilla näytetään viittaavan johonkin tärkeään asiaan ilman suurta huolta yksityiskohdista. Pääsiäisen sanoma ei ole kirjaimellisessa kuvauksessa, vaan sen merkityksessä.

Pääsiäinen on uuden elämän ja toivon juhla. Jeesuksen fyysinen ruumis roikkui ristillä, Jeesuksen elämäntyö nousi kuolleista. Paavali kuvaa kirkkoa Kristuksen ruumiina – siinä on ylösnousemus. Pitkäperjantain suunnaton suru on kääntynyt pääsiäisaamun riemukkaaksi iloksi. Suuren pelon vallassa olleet Jeesuksen oppilaat panivat surun taakseen ja heistä tuli sinnittömän rohkeita evankeliumin julistajia. Jeesus elää, Rooman mahtava valtakunta ei voinut kukistaa häntä.

Mitä pääsiäinen merkitsee sinulle?

Sydämellisesti tervetuloa pääsiäismessuun,
Jarmo Tarkki
Kalifornian ja Teksasin Suomikirkon siirtolaispappi

Tervetuloa sunnuntaina, maaliskuun 24. päivänä suomalaiselle kirkolle, Incarnation Lutheran Church, Poway, 16889 Espola Rd., Poway, CA. Aloitamme messun klo 16.00, jonka jälkeen kirkkokahvit.

March 13th, 2013

eltimo

STAR WRECK, THE MOVIE

Star Wreck is a series of Finnish Star Trek parody movies started by Samuli Torssonen in 1992.The first movie, simply named Star Wreck, was a simple Star Control-like animation with three ships shooting at each other, but later movies featured 3D CGI, animated characters and, in the latest films, live actors. Often Star Wreck is used to refer to the latest and most popular film Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning.

Star Wreck relates the adventures of James B. Pirk (named after the Star Trek character James T. Kirk), Captain of the starship C.P.P. Potkustartti (English C.P.P. Kickstart). Other characters include Mr. Fukov, Mr. Spook (Finnish: Mr. Spökö), Mr. Dwarf (Wuf), Ensign Shitty and Mr. Info (loosely based, respectively, on Star Trek’s Pavel Chekov, Mr. Spock, Worf, Scotty, and Data).

Star Wreck (full–length)

Star Wreck has enjoyed a relatively large niche following among sci-fi fans, but it was only the latest movie that really pushed it into the limelight. Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning was downloaded over 700,000 times during the first week after its release and the current estimates by the hosting service, Magenta sites, are between 3.5 and 4 million downloads, including mirror sites. This has been claimed to make In the Pirkinning the most popular Finnish film of all time, topping the movie theatre viewings for Tuntematon sotilas (approx. 2.8 million viewers); the comparison, however, may not be particularly meaningful. Numerous TV and magazine interviews of the film’s authors have been published, both in Finland and abroad.

Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning has also been shown on Finnish national television, YLE TV2, on the Belgian national television channel Canvas, and Italian TV-channel Jimmy.

A new Imperial Edition DVD has also been released by Universal Pictures in Scandinavia. With the Imperial Edition release, all the space scenes with Star Trek or Babylon 5 ship models were removed and completely remade.

In 2012 a spin-off called Star Wreck 2π: Full Twist, now! was released. It is made by Swiss film makers, but Samuli Torssonen and Timo Vuorensola will have a guest appearance in their respective roles. There is also a spin-off animated Star Wreck, created by a different author who has no relation to Torssonen’s team, called Star Wreck Asskicker which tells the story of the C.P.P. Asskicker.

March 4th, 2013

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN

Have you ever been walking and, out of the blue, looked down to spot a penny on the ground? …On the sidewalk? …In a parking lot? … Insignificant?/Coincidence? …Maybe/maybe not.

As a decades-long fan/reader of the advice columns of the twin sisters Ann Landers and` Abigail (Dear Abby)Van Buren [both now departed], I remember a many, many years ago letter from a reader who wrote about the significance of finding a penny on the ground.

Raija Anttila

Since my last column in January, I have lost my dear Ӓiti. She was the most wonderful, intelligent, inspirational, caring person ever –and I miss her so.

The Candle Day event at the Finnish Church Service on February 3^rd was very special and poignant. Our inspirational Pastor Tarkki reported on the great work of the Western Congregations he is shepherding on behalf of the Finnish Lutheran Church in North America. While Super Bowl Sunday made for a ‘female leaning’ attendance, great fellowship was the order of the day.

When Pastor Tarkki told of my Mother’s passing, the hugs and support of fine Finnish friends (Pirkko, Mirja, Tiina, Linda, Tomi, Jukka, Mira, and so many others — progeny of amazing Finnish Mothers themselves) meant so much to my Father and me.

Dear friends and family in Finland were kind enough to send loving thoughts. I caught my Finland friend Bitte in a ‘warmer climate’. She and her family were in the middle of a paella course celebrating the big 80^th birthday of her husband, Jörn. If you have access to the most recent issue of Suomen Kuvalehti, you will be treated to an eyeful of our former LA Consul General in all his glory in his Helsinki library.

Triumphant Return—Fanfare Forbidden!

A memorable and special recent visit brought Maria and Tapio Serenius back with us in Los Angeles. The time has gone so quickly since their tenure here. Not just the time, but the advances in technology and innovation that have taken place underlined the exciting ‘wireless’ communication revolution that occurred during now-retired-Ambassador Serenius’ term as our Consul General over a decade ago. Finland was in the forefront. Nokia commanded the cell phone market—even introducing the ‘computer phone’ before Jobs and Apple figured out the ‘app’/’touch screen’ formula. Maria made sure the world knew this revolution was Finnish in origin even though she silently subscribed to then-Ambassador Jaakko Laajava’s admonition that Finns needed to learn to “market” [read: “boast”] –one day!

Jack and Ava with Maria and Tapio Serenius

While billed as a drop-in-nostalgia-visit to an old “stomping ground”, I saw it as a true “victory lap”. Just retired, Maria and Tapio celebrated her stunning diplomatic career with an ‘around-the-world’ tour—months of exotic travel for fun, not work, for a change. I am pleased that we in LA were able to be part of an amazing career at a special place and time in California/Finland history. Maria Serenius came to Los Angeles as our first woman Consul General of Finland. The trail she blazed continues to shine brightly.

Maria Serenius and Ava Anttilla

The far too modest, but typically Finnish, duo brightened our hearts with their presence. Their warmth and their ‘specialness’ made their return conjure very wonderful memories for all of us who have known them and who were part of their ‘reign’.

Let Them Eat Soup!

Tapio –the ever charming, dapper, chivalrous “renaissance man” (who also works as a business consultant), was in my cross-hairs for a ‘brain picking’ even before I knew they were on their way to LA. I was on a mission to learn the secrets to his Bouillabaisse. His was a dish that had been in my culinary dreams since tasting it at a party many years ago.

Ava Anttila and Tapio Serenius

We Finns love our fish and, especially, any kind of fish soup. Finnish Salmon soup is on the menus of the finest palaces of culinary delight in Helsinki, as well as, on the menu at the Presidential Palace […or, so I have heard]. It has been a quest of mine to learn to make the best fish soup as ‘locals’ do it whether here on the Pacific Coast, in Marseille in the South of France, or on the shores of a Finnish lake with perch, pike, whitefish, bream, or ‘whatever’ right out of the net or katiska that morning.

Tapio delivered!! The Bouillabaisse was awesome!!! I will share the Serenius adventure soon.

…Or Not

Our current superstar Consul General Kirsti Westphalen is the Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps representing almost 100 countries in the Western United States. Last week Consul Westphalen and her husband, Abdellatif Mouffakir, hosted an elegant dinner for the Emeritus Members of the Consular Corps and for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

Kirsti is the perfect leader of this international group with her background in various countries, cultures, and languages. Her warmth, charm, and inclusion brought leaders from around the World together with important ‘players’ on the Los Angeles scene. For example, I was seated between Chris Vigueria-Crabtree, a former LA County Head of Protocol (now Program Director for the World Affairs Council), and Elga Sharpe, Chief of Protocol for the City of Los Angeles. Elga is a whirlwind- of- a woman who serves as a perfect liaison between Hollywood and politics. Even though no ‘personal/city/state/national/global secrets’ were breached, the back and forth stories and anecdotes at the table would have made for a fascinating article –or even a book or a mini-series! It was especially delicious fodder considering our pending local Mayoral election. But…my lips are sealed!

Finnish Chef Sirpa delivered a lovely and delicious meal, as always. Each course was beautifully presented on the cobalt blue china with Finland’s Gold Lion emblem. The first course was a codfish mousse with quail egg and salmon caviar on a rye crust. The main course was short ribs with horseradish mashed potatoes. Dessert was a raspberry pastry with blackberries, berry mousse, and whipped cream. Each was a delight to the eyes and to the palate!

I was proud to be a Finn watching Finland entertain the World with such style and grace—and, beautiful tastes! I was happy, too, that my dear Mother (–a stickler for perfect etiquette) had taught me how to navigate through the myriad knives, forks, and spoons that surrounded the glamorous plates. Talk about a “final exam”—seated between two Protocol experts!

The Beat Goes On

While anyone stricken by the death of a loved one knows, at some point one must go forward with the ordinary tasks of life. Life stops, but after the initial shock, Life resumes “…in its petty pace from day to day.”

The first day out of the house with my Dad required the minimum: stops at the drug store, the bank, and the Trader Joe’s in Westwood. The Rite Aid drug store had several steps to get to street level –waiting on the steps something caught my eye: a penny. A trip across the street to the bank and, you guessed it, there was another penny on the pavement in front of the door. Still, we did not pay much attention. At the last stop, Trader Joe’s where I always buy a lot and use a credit card, I ran in to buy just one item and paid cash. The change equaled one cent. The cashier stuffed my 1₵ into my palm with the receipt. The coin fell to the ground. As I picked it up, there it was: a brand new, freshly minted, bright, shiny penny. I got the message! My Mother was letting us know she was THERE –she had made it: she was now a newly minted Angel in Heaven.

Penny from Heaven

Ӓiti always did have a way of getting her message across.

Looking Back

Something sweet, warm, fragrant, and Finnish coming from the oven can be comforting and help sooth Winter [and other] blues.

In the ‘70s, when our children were little, my neighbor and I were lucky enough to have Finnish Au Peres help out in our homes and with our little ones. These lovely young ladies enjoyed hanging out with the Finnish hockey players then affiliated with the LA Kings –I think the Kings enjoyed their company too!

The girls liked going to the Sunset Strip, dancing there (and around the house) to Cindy Lauper’s “…girls just want to have fun”, and sleeping late. One of the girls, Essi, had attended culinary school in Finland. Her recipe for cookies is several decades old and is almost guaranteed to bring hockey players to your door! [Yes, Teemu Selanne is married—besides, he is a Duck and may be immune to ‘King bait’.]

This is a doubled recipe. Why? Because that is the way Essi did it—and it works! You might as well make the whole bunch batch: freeze some, give some away, send some to someone special in a shoe box, put some on a large platter and call over your friends for a Finnish coffee, or, now while the Kings hold the Stanley Cup, it might be fun to find out just how many it takes to fill the Cup! [Remember to save some for your own eating pleasure!]

Jääkiekko: Hockey Cookies

Jääkiekko: Hockey Cookies

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted

3 cups sugar

2 cups raisins

3 cups flour

4 cups old fashioned oatmeal flakes

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup cream

1-2 tablespoons Dark Karo Syrup

Ingredients

Mix dry ingredients; then, add in wet.

Using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, drop cookie dough in mounds onto a greased or Silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake at 375º F for about 8-10 minutes.

Open a window to let the Kings catch the aroma!!

Double click on picture above to view it in larger size

Pennies From Heaven

By Georgy

I found a penny today

just laying on the ground

But it’s not just a penny

this little coin I found

“Found” pennies come from heaven

that’s what my Grandpa told me

He said angels toss them down

oh, how I loved that story

He said when an angel misses you

they toss a penny down

Sometimes just to cheer you up

make a smile out of your frown

So don’t pass by that penny

when you’re feeling blue

It may be a penny from heaven

that an angel tossed to you

February 26th, 2013

thinkkanen

BY TOMI HINKKANEN

Tomi Hinkkanen, editor-in-chief, Finntimes

The earth is flat – or at least that’s how it looks like by reading on-line newspapers from Finland. It seems as if some kind of a paralysis has struck the entire nation. There’s no purpose, drive, mission or, to put it in a more fanciful way – raison d’etre in Finland.

Naantali in winter

Finland has a colorful, even a glorious past. The story is familiar to all Finns. It was a small, brave nation, the first country in Europe to give women the right to vote. It managed to gain independence from the Czar’s Russia and later averted the Soviet invasion in WW2, paid its war reparations, hosted the 1952 Olympics, managed to stay more or less neutral during cold war and acted as a liaison between superpowers. Sibelius wrote beautiful music, Lasse Wiren ran Finland to the world map and Nokia spearheaded Finland into the 21^st century. And then what? Nothing. It seems as if the Finnish story got stuck like a broken record somewhere in the turn of the millennium.

Helsinki from the Baltic Sea

There’s a wonderful documentary Reindeerspotting – Escape from Santaland by Joonas Neuvonen, that brilliantly illustrates the blight of the Finnish youth living in Rovaniemi, above the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Left with no hopes for the future, the kids in the movie turn to drugs with deadly results. It’s a must see film to any parent and is available on Netflix. This particular film concentrates on a group of youths in Lapland. There could be another movie made about another group of people that feel left out from the IT-wonder of the modern day Finland, where it seems you have to be a computer engineer, a sports hero or at least a reality star to get anywhere. I get it. I get the hopelessness that many young people there are experiencing. You see, in a stark contrast, in my line of work as a journalist, I mainly meet those Finns who have made it. Indeed, here in Los Angeles, I get the cream of the crop: beauty queens, actors, directors, scientists and sports legends – exceptional individuals who are talented and crazy enough to go for the gold. After meeting them I often wonder about those people, who didn’t make it. And it does seem to me that there’s a big pool of Finns who for one reason or another feel left out in today’s Finland.

Finnish police in Lapland

In a misguided effort to jump start things, Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen ordered a study to be made on how to steer Finland into the future. A memo about the venture went out to various agencies and organizations, many of whom were eager to participate. So they put a lot of time and effort into writing proposals on how they could help. But the Prime Mister had just the person in mind all along. It was a good buddy of his, philosopher Pekka Himanen.

Philosopher Pekka Himanen

So, the two men toured a couple of government agencies, a virtual hat in hand, asking money for the project. And guess what? The government bureaucrats said ‘yes’ to the Prime Minister – of course we’ll pitch in. It was an offer they couldn’t refuse – you don’t say no to the Prime Minister. The finished report, by all accounts, was very modest. Its biggest merit was that it contained a lot of complicated words and sentences. It ended up costing the Finnish tax payers 700,000 euros, or about a million dollars. I would be surprised if the study was worth the paper it was printed on. Most likely it will be buried in a vault deep under the granite bedrock and some researcher a hundred years from now will find it and wonder, what the hell were they thinking! Read the plan for the study here:

http://static.iltalehti.fi/kuvat/liitteet/kestavankasvunmalli_hankesuunnitelma.pdf

The debacle earned the Prime Mister a new nickname Jyrki Käteinen (cash).

Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen

The incidence is hardly worth mentioning – there are much costlier and more wasteful things politicians have sunk tax payers’ hard earned cash into. It is however, indicative of the fact that there seems to be a general lack of direction – the country seems to be drifting. Now, why is that, you may ask. Is it because everything worthwhile has already been accomplished? Today Finns live in an unprecedented wealth compared to the past. Roads, bridges, mass transportation, healthcare and education are top notch. Finland is an open, democratic society, where women are not only equal – in many cases, such as university enrollment – they have surpassed men. If that’s true, why don’t people feel good about themselves or their lives?

Could it be that the sense of equality has lost its meaning now that men and women are more or less equal? What about gays and lesbians? What about foreigners living in Finland – especially those foreigners that look different from us or pray differently from us and people of color in general, whether foreign or domestic? There’s a dirty little secret the official establishment doesn’t want to publicize: There’s bigotry and racism in Finland. The country has never openly dealt with the race or religious issues, nor the struggles of the LGBT-community the way the United States has done. Things are not perfect here either – far from it – but at least Americans don’t sweep their problems under the carpet. Finns are quick to point the finger at other countries (the U.S. being their favorite target), when things are not up to snuff. In the meantime, an ugly movement is taking root in Finland. It manifests itself in the rise of politicians and one party in particular – Finns (Perussuomalaiset) – dedicated to xeno- and homophobia, as well as chauvinism. This movement lures people with romanticized versions of the past when all was supposedly well. If only Finland didn’t have to support those do-good nothings of Southern Europe. If only gays and lesbians went back into the closet and never came back. If only those (expletive), refugees went back to where they came from. If only women knew their place between the oven and the fist. Yes, then what? According to them, all would be well again. Rubbish! Despite of their rhetoric, I bet very few of those politicians would actually like living in that non-existent past.

Markku and Eeva Hinkkanen with son Tomi at an agricultural show in Turku, 1964

If you look at history, you will notice that every time Finland (or any other country for that matter), expanded the rights of their people, good things happened. And every time people’s freedoms were suppressed, bad things happened. You don’t need government studies written by buddies of politicians to know what to do next. You only need to do the right things. Here’s my memo for the Finnish politicians and unlike some other studies, this one doesn’t cost the tax payers one single cent:

-Increase immigration quotas and influx of refugees into Finland, at the same time setting strict limits on governmental assistance and requiring the newcomers to enroll in schools, learn the language, history and political structure of Finland. The aging country needs new blood and workers – especially in healthcare, care of the elderly and manual and low skill labor positions. Immigration also brings new ideas and energy – both which are clearly present in the United States.

-Make entrepreneurship a lucrative option. Right now in Finland (especially unionized) employees have all kinds of rights and benefits but entrepreneurs are left to float or sink on their own. Small businesses employ half of all private sector employees in the U.S. Entrepreneurship creates jobs and wealth.

-By all means support also big business, such as ship building, by granting government loans they need to be competitive.

-Tap an untapped market: Movie tourism. Lure Hollywood productions and other foreign film productions to shoot in Finland by offering tax incentives to filmmakers (look at Canada and New Zeeland as examples).

-Do more programs like Global Access Program, where Finnish high tech companies get help from abroad to expand their businesses. It is money well spent.

-The government doesn’t have to be everywhere. Lower the unbearably high tax rate by getting rid of unnecessary government agencies, bureaucracies and personnel. Ask yourselves: Does the government really need to subsidize sports, arts, literature – not to mention all sorts of studies? Do the Swedish-speaking Finns (who represent about 5% of the population), really need their own schools, universities and TV stations, or could they perhaps support the programs they want out of their own pocket? In the same vein, why can’t the Finnish-speaking people study other, more useful languages instead of the mandatory Swedish?

-Engage Europe and the world. Be very watchful with the EU, don’t let other countries tread on you or treat you as a cash cow. Offer to act as an intermediary in world conflicts. Put Finland on the map!

-The Finnish education system has garnered praise throughout the world. However, not everyone is a born computer nerd. Offer educational choices (even abroad), to differently talented youth.

-Pass the marriage act between two consenting and non-related same-sex adults. It takes nothing away from heterosexual couples but means a world of difference to gay couples and their families, who so far have been treated as second class citizens. It also puts Finland in line with its neighboring Nordic countries.

-Finland is full of bright, talented, intelligent and well-educated people. My final recommendation is: Let those people shine in their chosen field, do whatever it takes!

February 18th, 2013

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – JOSHUA TREE, CA

PICTURES: TIINA PURTONEN, JONNY KAHLEYN & TOMI HINKKANEN

Tiina Purtonen and Kimmo Heinström know how to survive in the wilderness.

Tiina Purtonen and Kimmo Heinström are a Finnish couple who live in Los Angeles. Both have their professional lives – Tiina works for the Los Angeles Unified School District and Kimmo is an entrepreneur, who manufactures custom-made furniture. But on weekends they shed their city selves and head out to the great outdoors. And you can come along, for they offer camping trips for people interested in exploring California nature.

Tiina and Kimmo’s Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Early in the morning Jonny Kahleyn and I arrive at Tiina and Kimmo’s house in West L.A. The place is already full of activity. Kimmo is in the kitchen, busily preparing some shrimp for our trip and Tiina is doing the last minute checking of the gear spread out on the living room floor. We start our three-hour journey on two cars to the Joshua Tree National Park located in the south-eastern part of the state.

Chulla cacti in Joshua Tree National Park

It is a huge park – almost 800,000 acres. The eastern half of it lies within the Colorado Desert. This area’s elevation is below 3,000 feet. The western half is part of the Mojave Desert and here the elevation is 3,000 feet above the sea level. A park ranger charges us a $15 parking fee at the gate and in we go. A winding road takes us through some spectacular desert scenery.

The desert is totally captivating, thinks Tomi.

Bright red ocotillos are already starting to bloom and everywhere we see the namesake plants of the park – the Joshua trees. We pull over to examine them. When the Mormon pioneers traveled this land, they thought the limbs of the Joshua trees resembled the upstretched arms of the biblical figure Joshua leading them to the promised land, and that’s how the tree got its name. They support a whole host of birds, such as the Red-tailed hawk, Loggerhead shrike and Ladder-backed woodpecker.

Joshua trees dominate the landscape.

We stop at the Chulla cactus forest. They shed nasty little balls full of needles. If you are not careful, they get stuck on your shoes, ankles and car tires and will never let go. However, they do look spectacular in the afternoon sun. Several people stop to take pictures and pose alongside these cacti.

A panoramic view of the Joshua Tree National Park

The desert landscape may look dead and barren in the middle of winter. Looks can be deceptive. Desert plants are opportunistic – all is needed is a good rain shower and the desert will be full of bright flowers and blooms regardless of season.

Tomi Hinkkanen, Tiina Purtonen and Kimmo Heinström

The next stop – Skull Rock – an area full of volcanic rock formations, one of them resembling a human skull. There’s another one that looks like a gigantic elephant’s head complete with the eyes and trunk. We get our exercise climbing up and down the rocks and marveling at this natural wonder.

Cholla Cactus Garden, Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree’s Skull Rock

We enjoy a picnic at one of the campsites. On the menu: tuna fish and chicken salad sandwiches. People have set up camps – some stay in tents, some in RV’s decorated with American flags. The trip continues to the Cottonwood Spring camping area. We luck out and are able to book the very last vacant camping spot. As Kimmo prepares the fire in a fire pit (He has brought along Estonian firewood!), Tiina gets busy preparing supper. In between these activities, there’s time for a game of mölkky. Having never played this Finnish game before, it seems like a silly game at first, but once you get the hang of it, turns out to be totally addictive. Kimmo emerges victorious. The night starts to fall.

Sunset at Joshua Tree National Park

As the last rays of sun disappear behind the mountains, we sit down on camping chairs around the fire to enjoy ricotta cheese salad and Jambalaya made with rice, shrimp and sausage – delicious! Tiina and Kimmo explain their philosophy:

-We enjoy bringing people along our camping trips, seeing things with their eyes. It is rewarding to see people’s expression of wonder, as they see these spectacular nature spots for the very first time, Kimmo says.

Tomi & Jonny at our campsite in Cottonwood. It gets cold in the desert fast after the sun goes down.

The night gets darker. Here and there fires illuminate the different campsites. Many people have brought along powerful telescopes – the starry desert sky is spectacular when you look at it even with naked eyes. Tiina and Kimmo have handy miners’ flashlights on their foreheads.

While Tiina and Kimmo will spend the night in a tent, Jonny and I start heading back to L.A. It has been a wonderful day in the Joshua Tree National Park, thanks to our jovial expert hosts.

To look at Tiina’s wonderful nature photos and for more information about Tiina and Kimmo’s camping trips, check out their website: www.reissulla.com

February 6th, 2013

thinkkanen

Maria Serenius was consul general of Finland in Los Angeles 1997-2001

Maria Serenius was the consul general of Finland in Los Angeles 1997-2001

Maria Serenius has had a long and successful career as a diplomat. She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland in 1975. Since then, Serenius has served in Egypt, Japan, Sri Lanka and Switzerland. She was the Consul General in Los Angeles 1997-2001. After L.A., Maria became the Finnish Ambassador to Turkey and then served as Ambassador to Latvia. She retired last fall. Alongside throughout her various adventures has been husband Tapio Serenius. He is known as a jovial people’s person with a twinkle in his eye, seamlessly blending in wherever his wife’s work took them.

Tomi Hinkkanen interviews Maria Serenius on February 2nd, 2013 in Bel Air, California.

Finntimes interviewed Maria exclusively on Saturday, February 2^nd 2013 at attorney Ava Anttila’s Bel Air home during a garden party the gracious hostess gave in honor of the beloved consular couple.

One achievement from Maria’s consular years in L.A. shines prominently even today. It is the Global Access Program she helped launch with other Finnish agencies, such as Tekes. Each year the program brings around a dozen Finnish high tech companies to UCLA. There they connect with a team of MBA students who create a business plan for them.

Maria in front of the Finnish Consulate General in Century City in 2001

How does it make you feel that the GAP process that you started is still going strong?

-It’s a very rewarding feeling that something that one has planted the seeds has grown and has been so beneficial to Finnish companies. It has also created a quite vast network of people, who have been in contact with each other over the years. It’s been very valuable.

You introduced two new concepts to Finns – small talk and networking – what did you have to go through to get the message through about those concepts in the early years?

-It wasn’t characteristic to Finns to do small talk. We thought it was something for others to do – superficial. If somebody’s talking about the weather or something else that has no meaning or significance right away, the person is shallow (laughs). We didn’t quite understand the significance of that. Then later on they organized courses in Finland on how to do small talk. But Finns and Finland have since changed. Still there is a lingering feeling that talking about petty things is not really dignified.

Serenius in her consular office back in the day

Tell me if I’m wrong but I think in Finland the feeling is that in order for anything to get done, things must go through proper official channels but here it depends more on whom you know and who knows you?

-It’s not only here. I was serving four years in Cairo. In the Middle East and Turkey as well, it is very important whom you know and who is networking with whom. You need to know the connections. In most of the countries in the world it’s not necessarily your position in the government or somewhere else that indicates, how much influence you have in the society. An important part in the work of a diplomat is to dig out those people who are really influential and then network with them. It’s hard work. I did learn to do that here in Los Angeles, because networking is the key to everything here. The consul general in L.A. doesn’t have any position among the people here – they don’t know what a consul general is. It’s up to you to give an impression that you might be useful to people whom you are meeting. When one is an ambassador in Turkey or Latvia, the title is enough. You are an ambassador – more or less all the doors open for you. Here you need to work to open those doors.

Power couple: While Maria was scouting Finnish businesses in Silicon Valley, her husband Tapio worked as a consultant for many such businesses.

And you really did that. Even on weekends you went to Silicon Valley to build relations with the local Finnish companies and movers and shakers there.

-When I came here, nobody in Finland knew what a venture capitalist is. I didn’t know either, but I wanted to learn. So, I flew to San Francisco, rented a car and drove to Sand Hill Road. That is the road where the most important venture capital funds are located (comparable to Wall Street in the stock market). So, I made appointments to meet with some of these people and I did. I started that really from the scratch. They explained the system to me. Once you have had a meeting like that, in the second meeting you must have something to give back. Otherwise you are using too much of someone’s time that is not useful to them.

Silicon Valley – home of the American high tech

So, what did you give back?

-The high tech miracle of Finland! During those years Finland was like a high tech utopia of the world. That lasted only a couple of years. Nokia was on top and we were the most wired and wireless country in the world. So, everybody in America dealing with ICT, high technology, knew about Finland. It was a unique time in history. Most companies and investment funds knew about Finland. The Wired magazine and Red Herring had Finland on their cover.

Maria and Tapio connected with an old friend – chef Sirpa Welch in Los Angeles

You were able to generate a lot of publicity for Finland. Your predecessor, Jörn Donner had given a statement, in which he said one can do the work of a consul general in two hours a day. With all due respect, I think he missed the point. In reality each consul general creates the job description by themselves – isn’t that true?

-Maybe he tried to concentrate on cultural affairs and and didn’t find it interesting. So yes, Los Angeles is one of the few places where you have to create the job. You have to decide the focus. You can spend 24 hours a day doing this and that here and there. But the main thing is: Is it adding value to your work for Finland – to Finnish companies, to people? That value comes only by focusing. We are a small country, a little over five million people and America is so big. So, focus, focus, focus. I was privileged to come at that time. There was momentum in my life and career at that particular stage.

Consul General Maria Serenius outside her residence in Bel Air, spring 2001

You recognized that momentum and focused on high tech?

-I stumbled on it. I needed to do something that would be valuable to Finland.

Out of those contacts that you created in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley and elsewhere, are they still relevant today and have they yielded results?

-For Finland, yes indeed. It has created even more networking and relationships. Not all, but quite a few of them and I’m very proud of that.

Maria at the consul general’s residence, spring 2001

What kind of an experience was it for you to be the consul general in Los Angeles?

-It was great. It was energizing. There’s a feeling here that anything is possible, just do it! Another sentiment here is to think big. Coming from Finland, I was not used to this positive American atmosphere that anything is possible, if you work hard enough. I love that type of a sentiment. Since my time in Los Angeles, I tried to use that kind of a spirit in my work as well. Wherever I went afterwards, I always started by saying: I need you to be proactive, innovative. So much so, that people were joking about me!

Maria and Tapio Serenius said good bye to L.A. in 2001.

-After L.A. I went to be the director general for Africa and the Middle East in the Ministry for Foreign affairs. I did that for three years. It was very challenging. The Middle East was higher on the agenda than Africa in those days and it still is. So, I traveled a lot in the Middle East.

-In the 1980’s I had been in Cairo for four years. So, I already knew about the mentality there and I even spoke a little Arabic. It was a great job to be the director general in the ministry.

Tomi Hinkkanen & Maria Serenius in Bel Air

Then you were rewarded for your efforts and you became ambassador to Turkey, a country of over 75 million people. You were stationed in the capital Ankara, instead of Istanbul, which probably would have been a more interesting place to be?

-Most of my colleagues in Ankara complained bitterly about that – why can’t the capital be in Istanbul! Being a woman there is no problem. I brought Tapio along, but for a spouse it’s quite a challenge if the spouse wants to work. In Istanbul it would have been much easier. All the companies and business world is in Istanbul. It’s a 5-6 hour drive from Ankara to Istanbul. Ankara is more or less an administrative and political capital of Turkey. So, the country is divided in that way. I did travel to Istanbul once or twice a month.

A central business district of Ankara, the capital of Turkey

What was the residence and the embassy like there?

-We rented a house that had four floors. The residence was on the top of that building. It’s a big embassy. There was an office of the military attaché of Finland there. So, at one time we had 37 people working there. I had seven people working at the consular section alone.

What was your focus in Turkey?

-The focus of course deals with the political dialogue with Turkey. At that time Turkey was applying for the EU membership. All the issues related to that fell onto me. Finland supported Turkey’s membership application. Therefore I needed to follow the international political situation very closely. Turkey is a regional superpower. It is also a very important country to Europe. I started a chamber of commerce in Istanbul. We have had business with Turkey for the past 50 years. We had about 30 Finnish companies there. Our trade was one billion Euros a year.

What sort of Finnish companies are there in Turkey?

-All the big ones – the paper companies, Kone, Ahlstrom, Nokia and a whole lot of smaller companies. They have been there for a long time. If you ask about job satisfaction, the starting the chamber of commerce in Istanbul was great.

Tapio & Maria Serenius with hosts Jack & Ava Anttila in their garden in Bel Air

What is the major difference in doing business between the U.S. and Turkey?

-Here you are more or less alone. There is a consular core, but every consul general is on his or her own. The co-operation between the consulates in L.A. is non-existent. We do meet, but we don’t have anything in common. If you are in the capital of a country, embassies work very closely, especially the EU countries. In my time in Turkey, Finland had the EU presidency for six months. It was a big challenge.

Tapio Serenius has adapted to his wife’s various posts. Here he is hugging the hostess, Ava Anttila.

What is it like to live in Ankara?

-Well……(a smile and a long pause). L.A. is a wonderful location in every respect – the people, the American mentality… It does snow in Ankara and it gets quite cold in the winter, but it is sunnier there than in Finland. Summers are hot.

What’s the mentality of people there?

-Turks seem to think that we Finns are their relatives. So, we are always welcome with open arms wherever we go. People in the countryside, everywhere think we are their cousins. I did promote that concept. It’s the language. Our languages are distantly related to ne another. Turks think a few thousand years ago both peoples were living near Mongolia. We started to cross Siberia to Finland, whereas they came down to Turkey.

Maria and Ava

Is there any truth to that?

-No, I don’t think so.

Are Turks outgoing and friendly?

-They are friendly. They have a high sense of honor and integrity. They are hard working. There’s that same kind of entrepreneurial spirit there that you have here in Los Angeles.

Maria and Tapio met new and old friends on their visit to L.A.

-The Ottoman Empire, which lasted for 700 years, encompassed the whole Middle East. The Turks are not Arabs and they don’t speak an Arabic language.

-What is happening in Turkey right now, is very interesting. It is at the same time an Islamic and a democratic country. So, everybody is following, how Islam, democracy and capitalism can live side by side. All the Islamic countries are following Turkey very closely.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was built in the 6th century.

Did you run into any culture shock in Turkey?

-No, if you have a position of an ambassador, there is no problem about being a woman in Turkey, not at all. Not even in Egypt, where I was in the 80’s. It is more challenging to be a local woman there. But to a foreigner with a position, everyone is very friendly and helpful.

It’s a great and an important country and it was a privilege to serve there.

What is the greatest misconception about Turkey that the westerners have?

-They are suspicious about Islam. It has such a negative connotation nowadays. It’s not really fair to judge the whole population because of problems and challenges we have had lately. I think there are also some reservations regarding Turks. There is a large Turkish population in Europe, especially in Germany and Austria. It seems that those Turks that went there in the 1950’s and 60’s are more conservative than the Turkish people in Turkey nowadays. Europeans get their image of Turkey from the migrants. Those immigrants are not so interested in what is going on in the modern day Turkey. They like things just the way they were.

A siluet of Istanbul with minarets raising in the distance

Silhouette of Istanbul with minarets raising in the distance

After Turkey, Maria Serenius was appointed Finnish ambassador to Latvia.

-It’s a small country of 2.2 million people, but all the Baltic countries are important to Nordic countries. We are a part of the Baltic sea countries.

How did it feel to go from Turkey to Latvia?

-It took some adjustment. It was my own wish to be closer to Finland. Latvia is also an interesting, fascinating country. History in the Baltic states and Latvia has been very tough and painful. It is still alive there. That caused a lot of challenges – how to deal with the Baltic countries. Latvia is an EU and NATO country. They don’t have the Euro yet but they want to join the monetary union. Their currency is Lati.

Riga, the capital of Latvia is seen here from the Daugava River. It is the largest city of Latvia with 700,000 inhabitants.

-It is a small country, so for the Finnish ambassador, all the doors are open there. The Latvians admire Finland, the Winter War, our achievements and politics – their opinion is very positive.

-People do speak English, but Russian is a more important language there. 40 per cent of Latvians speak Russian as a first language. More than half the inhabitants of capital Riga are of Russian descent.

Old Riga has historical charm.

What was your focus in Latvia?

-Because both Finland and Latvia are EU countries, the focus was to follow Latvia’s EU policy and security policy, because they are members of NATO. Another task was to promote business between the two countries and culture – everything.

Latvia was the long term diplomat’s last assignment.

-I retired September 1^st last year – five months ago. I was in the Ministry of Foreign affairs for 37 years. Retiring felt great. It was my own choice to retire at 64. That was the end of that part of my life.

Maria arrives in Matamanoa, Fidzi

After retiring, you and Tapio departed for an around-the-world tour – tell me about that?

-We started two months ago. We went to Australia and did the Great Ocean Road (A 150-mile heritage road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnnambool). We went to New Zealand and visited mostly national parks. We hiked and did other relaxing things, concentrating mainly on nature.

Tapio and Maria on the Great Ocean Road in Australia

Maria and Tapio’s around-the-world tour concludes in Los Angeles.

-We are here for 2.5 weeks. It’s wonderful to be back, really great!

Maria with a Green Rosella bird in Australia

It’s wonderful to have you back. How long has this whole trip been?

-Two and a half months. We have never been on such a long trip before. I thought that it would be too much but it hasn’t been. It’s been very nice. I recommend this to the people who can do it – to go and forget about all the problems and challenges at home.

Maria toast life at sunset in Fidzi.

January 30th, 2013

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

LA “SEASONS”

How does that song go? ‘To every season—turn, turn, turn…’

On occasion we have teased about LA’s 5 day Winters. This year the dial did get stuck on semi-cold for a few extra days, but “cold” simply means it is not in the 70’s!

To most Angelenos, “Four Seasons” is a grand hotel in Beverly Hills –or Spring, Summer, Fall, and AWARDS!

AWARDS

That Season is now upon us: Golden Globes, Academy Awards, Screenwriters Guild, People’s Choice …and the list goes on. Just to be sure the other entertainment moguls do not get ‘center stage’, Hollywood arranges Film Festivals from the Sea to the Desert. [Check out Tomi Hinkkanen’s FinnTimes article…] Some are quite ‘fun’ …but, I digress.

SEASONS

You may have noticed that this year’s build up to Christmas saw an outlandish stretch of the ‘buying’ season almost back to August . The mail order catalogues arrived earlier, in greater frequency, and from more vendors—all of whom have their own ‘on line’ options. The local newspapers may have finally stopped losing money hand-over-fist because o f the advertising supplements that made the papers look like they had more than a half dozen readable pages.

For Your Consideration ads are plastered all over trade magazines

At this season, what are called the “trades” (The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and the like) get heavy with special advertising supplements for the movie moguls to promote their latest releases: first for Award nominations and, now, for Awards. Their payoff comes when the Awards make their product a ‘must see’. These supplements create ‘buzz’ that provide a real money-making formula–PROMOTIONS!

PROMOTIONS

One of my favorite things about the Award Season is the series of ‘Red Carpets’ which epitomize the glamour of Hollywood as every little girl dreams it should be! I love the ‘pre-game’ speculation about who will wear whom/what –who will come with whom, and what Joan Rivers will have to say about ‘what’! Watching her wickedly irreverent, naughty repartee show is such fun –especially since her daughter attended the same school as my children. Joan follows in the footsteps of the iconic Mr. Blackwell whose “Best and Worst Dressed” was a must see for decades. I sat next to Mr. Blackwell one Opening Night at the Pantages Theater. Having him compliment my outfit is indelibly etched in my feminine memory bank of great experiences!

Truth be known, there are a lot of ‘sophisticated’ grown-ups who fantasize that special trip ‘behind the ropes’. And, why not? That is what the magic of Hollywood is all about—that is why designers design, make-up artists make up, and jewelers let millions of dollars of jewels walk out their doors with no money changing hands. It is called PROMOTION.

CELEBRITIES

Celebrities become CELEBRITIES through promotion—by the studios, by the events, by the vendors, by their own ‘coolness’/’jerkiness’, by accident [misdemeanors and felonies too], and, occasionally, because of their talent and body of work. Regardless, we build a fantastic ‘reality’ that is out of this world. We love it—they love it—and lots of money changes hands in the end!

I love[d] it!! Great times…grand experiences…opening nights…famous producers… actors and the like…movie premiers…mingling with the glitterati…fabulous parties…..wonderful part of my life. As my dear Dad likes to say “…those were the days!”

Getting to know people (famous or not) as genuine friends is so precious in my life and memory bank. That does not happen via TMZ or Inside Edition—or on the red carpet. It can begin on a long flight, driving someone who did not ‘win’ safely home, or walking a dog. However, it always takes time and caring—not readily available in 30 second ‘clips’.

HOVERING

As a young student at Berkeley during the campus riots of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, it felt like living in the center of the universe. Important things were happening all around. Important issues had their venue. And, I was there—so too were hovering helicopters giving an overview to the tanks and National Guardsmen (with bayonets fixed) below. ‘Sides’ were pitted, one against the other; people were making their voices heard. It was exhilarating—and scary! [One day, as the only person driving a car along Telegraph Avenue, I found myself trapped in the middle with bricks from protesters going over the car from one direction and teargas canisters from the NG in the other; no place to escape, stinging fumes all around…that was really scary!]

UC Berkeley in the late. 60′s

‘Where have all the flowers gone…?’

This ‘flower child’ now lives in a peaceful mountain pass [ok, it’s just a big hill] with giant oak trees, wandering wildlife, scenic beauty, and a few, mostly quiet neighbors. As you know from earlier columns, there are hovering helicopters when there are incidents and accidents, fires, car chases, celebrity sightings, paparazzi stalking, and “breaking news” of any magnitude.

Streetview Camera Car.

While I do not mind the traffic choppers taking an occasional ‘hypotenuse’ to give commuters a quick update on the latest traffic jam, I do wonder how [and why] “that GPS mapping company” and its progeny need to memorialize my private property with overhead shots to supplement shots from cameras mounted on cars traveling this little neighborhood. Family members and Sohvi Koira were unwitting objects of the ‘eye in the sky’ memorialized in photos sent to me via Internet by a tech-savvy friend. Suddenly, I am much more sympathetic with our local celebrities who are stalked by the paparazzi.

CHASING CELEBRITIES

Living where I do for as long as I have, there is a pattern to the ‘noise’ that intrudes on and surrounds us—much like a Finnish woodsman knows when a moose has passed through his forest and his wife knows when someone has been picking her wild mushrooms. The other week I could tell from the combination of police car/fire engine/ambulance sirens, followed by the cacophony of news copters overhead, that something serious had happened just behind. That was the day the paparazzo chasing Justin Bieber’s Ferrari (hoping for a ‘great shot’ when the police pulled the sports car over for speeding) was killed crossing the road. How sad.

The sounds of sirens and overhead news helicopters for Prince William and his bride Kate’s post-nuptial trip to our fair City of Angels were much different, even if of similar volume. Then, we were hosting a Finnish War Veterans’ luncheon event featuring guest speaker Olli Kivioja, former Finnish Surgeon General and President of the Finnish Air Force War Veterans’ Association, who was traveling in the US with his daughter and granddaughter. We should have rented a microphone so our Veteran and Lotta friends could hear Olli’s presentation!

Television news helicopters hovering over the City of Angels

Actually, Will and Kate’s visit ‘sounded’ very similar to President Obama’s many LA fundraising events in the political cycle just concluded….

TRADITIONS—OR, JUST COMFORTABLE ROUTINES

The Christmas season ‘timing’ this year was just perfect for the Finn in me—bookended by weekends! Such years on a calendar are to be relished because some of that ever-precious Joulurauha [Christmas Peace] is actually possible to try to achieve. While I missed my Christmas sauna, my dear Dad kept the tradition.

Not one to trifle with TRADITION, on the morning of 12/30 I had my chance to have some warmth, peace, and quiet in the sauna. Early that Sunday morning, before anyone else was up, I tiptoed like a little tonntu (wrapped in my Marimekko towel) across the yard under the oak trees to my special Finnish spiritual sanctuary, the sauna. Warmth, peace, and quiet. Warmth, peace, and quiet! Warmth, peace, and quiet!! What a fun Finnish moment of refreshment, invigoration, and cleansing as a final, beautiful punctuation at the end of the year. YESSSSS!!!!

Not so fast…Missy! Another routine ritual was yet to come. It was Sunday morning— after the first cup of strong coffee and with Sohvi Koira as co-pilot of the car, every Sunday morning involves a trip to the newsstand on San Vicente in Brentwood to buy the New York Times. This last Sunday of the year, it was a good thing I wore more than my sauna towel!

As we drove into the Whole Foods-adjacent parking lot to buy the paper, neighborhood pedestrians (looking like tourists) were streaming down the street –a swarm of paparazzi with long camera lenses pressed against the windows were poised for action and were ready to strike. While a gaggle of paparazzi is not an unfamiliar sight around Brentwood on a weekend, they are usually outside some children’s karate studio hoping to get a shot of a celebrity’s child acting up in class. Patience, working on boredom, is standard demeanor. There was agitation and energy on this day—something was up!

Shuffling casually [cool, aloof, blasé, but driven by my journalistic curiosity] in the direction of the Whole Foods store after my newspaper purchase, I passed the swarm of cameras. I asked my favorite clerk: “…who now?” Before she could answer, I caught sight of Heidi Klum. Oh, brother!! What you have to go through to get a decent box of blueberries in this town!

‘TO EVERY THING TURN, TURN, TURN …’

After the peace and tranquility of a solitary early morning sauna in a sylvan setting, visiting the harsh reality of a celebrity’s daily existence in ‘our world’ makes you wonder if being a star is so heavenly.

The paparazzi have become an omnipresent Los Angeles reality. You see them around ‘hot’ restaurants, shops, nightclubs, and ‘likely’ events. They gather like jackals –athletic shoe-attired and having a smoke (expensive ‘quick draw’/long-lens cameras in hand), ready to pounce when they hear the word of a “sighting”. Not unlike the predator animals in Kenya or Tanzania waiting, poised as the beautiful and precious prey come to their feeding and watering holes, the paparazzi live in a ‘survival’ world with few, if any, rules.

The paparazzi have become an omnipresent Los Angeles reality

We all recall the paparazzi chasing Princess Diana through the streets and to her death in a tunnel in Paris. Decades later, the same aggressive tactics [and stronger lenses] brought private moment photos of Prince William and Duchess Kate to the public whether they were wanted or not.

Shouldn’t a celebrity be able to buy blueberries or put on a bikini in peace?

…BUT LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND YOU!!!

Funny things do happen—if you have a sense of humor and take a step back.

Several years ago, a young couple came to visit Los Angeles for the first time. While otherwise well traveled, the supposedly ‘cool guy’ husband [hereafter known as GVF as in “grumpy visitor friend”] was totally unimpressed with anything he saw or tasted, despite our best efforts. He even wrote off our 70s and sunny Winter days with “…I like the wind and snow in Chicago”. Okayyyy.

On one of the final days of their visit, it was off to the Ivy for dinner –yes, the one on Robertson with the peeling picket fence and the paparazzi skulking across the street. As usual, the beautiful people were having fun and the dining room was full, except for one table. Our ‘grumbly’ visitor friend suddenly lit up, eyes and mouth wide open, as the Maître ‘d seated guests at the table next to ours. His face flushed as he leaned over and whispered “…is he him??” The question made no sense until I shifted my eyes to the next table where Eddie Murphy had just settled into his chair. GVF was beside himself. The aloof entrepreneur had finally arrived in ‘tinsel town’! Star dust had melted the snowman! Wow!!

The Ivy restaurant on Robertson

Then, things went downhill. We told GVF he could not go over and introduce himself –absolutely not! Shortly after his table had placed their orders, Mr. Murphy got up and headed toward the front door. GVF started to panic—“he is leaving…why is he leaving?” Relieved to hear that the restrooms were just beyond the front entrance, GVF suddenly stood ‘bolt upright’ and made a ‘bee line’ to the head. Mr. Murphy returned to his table and, shortly thereafter, GVF arrived himself with the biggest grin I may have ever seen. He turned to his wife and in a whisper a tad too loud for close quarters announced “I just _ _ _ d next to Eddie Murphy. I introduced myself—we shook hands. I invited him to our table—he said he had guests. I did not wash my hands!” Shhhhhhhh!!

Even the most the ‘hard-nosed’ cool guy came unglued when seeing a celebrity in person for the first time. Fortunately, the invitation for Mr. Murphy to join us at our table was graciously avoided—I would have crawled under that table, for sure!

And the beat goes on…

Last week, I heard that Hugh Jackman had just had a ‘Murphy-type’ experience. Apparently he took a stall in the men’s room for some privacy. Just when he thought he was alone behind closed doors, a beautifully-manicured female hand appeared from under the next cubicle with an autograph book and pen! And, that was before he won the Best Actor Golden Globe!! What grand adventures await him now?

Hugh Jackman

CELEBRITIES ARE PEOPLE TOO

If you tuned in to this year’s Golden Globe Awards show—or were there as at least one Finn we know was, you heard remarkably straight-forward and revealing remarks from a real human being. Jodie Foster’s acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award was noteworthy for its content and candor. While much has been said and written about Ms. Foster’s words since, I was particularly struck by her description of her life distilled from her perspective of celebrity:

You know, you guys might be surprised, …my reality show would be so boring… If you had been a public figure from the time you were a toddler; if you’d had to fight for a life that felt real and honest and normal against all odds, then maybe you too might value privacy above all else. Privacy. Someday, in the future, people will look back and remember how beautiful it once was.

I have given everything up there from the time that I was 3 years old. That’s reality show enough, don’t you think?

Ms. Foster went on to note that she

…want[ed] to be understood deeply and to not be so lonely.

How can you be lonely when a throng appears as soon as you park your car? Surely someone smart enough to earn a degree from Yale can figure that out somehow. Then, I remembered meeting Ms. Foster at a private reception at the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences about a decade ago. Tiny, but poised, she struck me as ‘shy’ even though she clearly commanded the room filled with other stars.

Jodie Foster, Helena Lumme, and Mika Manninen at the Great Women of Film Exhibition reception

That pleasant encounter occurred at the invitation of fantastic Finns Helena Lumme and Mika Manninen who were being feted on the release of their penetrating book of insights and photographs Great Women of Film. That was their second book bringing the sights and insights of Hollywood luminaries to light with photos and words. Their earlier foray into ‘fantasy land’: Screenwriters: Storytellers in Portrait actually asked each writer to tell his/her own story and H&M matched the self-tales with complimentary photos.

Helena and Mika, these masters of marketing, have moved on to other adventures and ventures as evidenced by the e-mail I got from Mika the other day signed Chief Oats Optimist! Check out Simpli OatShake [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMufRx3oK6Q] or simply stop by your local Whole Foods store for some ‘star gazing’ and some Sofi Award winning Oats. Simpli divine ‘Dahling’!

FINNS IN FANTASY LAND

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen is leading the charge in support of the emerging association of Creative Finns that is coalescing as a support group in Southern California. The FACC is joining with the Consulate of Finland to facilitate the ‘break-in’/’start-up’ for Finnish ‘creatives’ wanting to make it big on this big stage.

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen

Helena and Mika’s story of leaving the homeland and conquering both Hollywood and the food industry while seeming to maintain their low-key Finnish ways requires more ‘inches’ than I have left in this column. There are many Finns who can inspire –in front of and behind the camera—in the trades and in the executive suites.

Attention young Finnish creatives: it has been done—there is hope. Erkki and Ilona Kanto wrote a book on how to conquer Hollywood: MITEN HOLLYWOOD VALLOITETAAN? Suomalaisella sisulla menestystä tavoittelemassa-tositarinoita showmaailman mekasta.

Erkki and Ilona Kanto wrote a book on how to conquer Hollywood

More later! I hear the helicopters overhead!!

January 19th, 2013

thinkkanen

STORY: AARON LARABEE

PHOTOS: JACKSON BIERFELDT, JENNIFER RAY, TOMI HINKKANEN, SCREEN CAPS FROM “THE AMERIKANS”

Mika Johnson makes documentaries in Oberlin, Ohio.

Mika Johnson, a filmmaker based in Oberlin, Ohio.

Mika Johnson is an emerging Finnish-American filmmaker who is creating a body of documentary and fiction films that reveal American myths and realities in artistically excellent and entertaining new ways.

Mika’s grandparents lived in one of the exclusive Finnish immigrant enclaves of the Northwestern U.S., keeping language and customs well beyond the usual time of assimilation. Mika’s father was a restless man (a boat surveyor and commercial diver, amongst other things), and Mika himself has been quite a traveler. Mostly raised in the Midwestern state of Ohio, Mika also lived and worked as a filmmaker internationally for six years. His wife Kaori is Japanese.

Mika Johnson with wife, Kaori Mitsushima.

Now based again in the university town of Oberlin, Ohio (home to the first American college to admit students of both sexes and any race, as well as the first music conservatory in the country), Johnson and his collaborator Jeffrey Pence are producing exciting work that is garnering attention.

Mika Johnson lives in Oberlin, a college town in Ohio.

Johnson became inspired to depict the extraordinary within the ordinary faces and places of the United States, a poetic and direct approach that blurs the line between fiction and documentary filmmaking and offers serious entertainment that stands out in the American scene. “The Amerikans” is an ongoing web series of 3 – 5 minute short documentaries that capture the unique quirks, charm, and eccentric stories of people living in the American Midwest.

Don Matis, “a Human Paintbrush”, can be seen in an episode of “The Amerikans.”

In Johnson’s recent film, “Human Paintbrush,” the title character, Don Matis, says, “I’m a human paintbrush…and this brush is deeply rooted to my imagination, my mind, my body and my spirit.” He then demonstrates his technique, dipping his long, wizard-like beard in paint and dabbing and whipping it carefully across a canvas to create intricate patterns that recall flower-covered meadows. Matis, who peers at the camera from beneath a fuzzy purple hat, looks uncannily youthful and has an almost otherworldly gentleness and enthusiasm: he seems like a visitor from some distant time and place. In fact, he lives in Stow, Ohio, the state where Johnson has shot many of his films, where he grew up, and where he has recently found an unlikely source of inspiration.’

“In depicting Ohio – and America in general – I wanted to avoid the stereotypes of farmers, picket fences, and old industrial towns,” said Johnson.

Johnson and crew on location somewhere in Ohio.

Johnson and crew on location in rural Ohio.

To anyone who has seen The Amerikans, the series to which “Human Paint Brush” belongs, this sounds like an understatement. Along with Matis, other subjects of films in The Amerikans include a graffiti artist who writes his elaborate tag on abandoned trains (and insists on being filmed in a mask to preserve his anonymity), and a woman who has collected and meticulously categorized paper napkins for over 70 years, accumulating over 2,000 in all.

Ethel Moyers, seen in the Amerikans'" episode "Napkin Tales," has collected over 2,000 paper napkins.

Ethel Moyers, as seen in “the Amerikans’” episode “Napkin Tales,” has collected over 2,000 paper napkins.

Then there is a writer who has commissioned a silicone model of his head so that his likeness can be preserved in the event of global apocalypse. The short features blend documentary and fiction in a way reminiscent of a more cheerful Werner Herzog, the narration moving seamlessly between the subject’s daily lives and their fantasy lives.

Writer Aaron Larrabee has his head preserved in silicone in the episode aptly named "Head."

Writer Aaron Larabee has his head preserved in silicone in the episode aptly named “Head.”

The Amerikans has garnered attention from PBS and gained an international fan base. It is an unexpected reward for Johnson, who began the series as a side project to a feature film. Johnson returned to Ohio to begin work on his feature, Amerika, after working in the film industry in Japan, Europe, and New York. Amerika, which has recently begun production, is a dark portrait of its title country. It tells the story of Kat, a refugee from a hostess club in Tokyo who flees her homeland and crisscrosses America in the company of various dreamers, degenerates, and oddballs. Johnson lists Finnish-American director David Lynch and famed Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki among his influences. Like Lynch, Johnson is fascinated by the grotesque and mysterious elements of the American landscape. Like Kaurismäki, his work features unhurried pacing, a mixture of trained and non-professional actors, and deceptively simple storylines, techniques he has employed in his previous films, Yonder and The Mountain of Signs.

There’s an ever increasing cast of oddball characters in the series “The Amerikans.”

“It’s this minimalist style that goes back to Bresson, Ozu and Melville that appeals to me,” says Johnson. “Except for Jim Jarmusch, you rarely see this deliberately pared-down approach in American cinema.”

Amerika has begun shooting on locations in Ohio, and Johnson has sited a variety of locations around the country: scenes of both iconic grandeur — the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore — iconic ruin — the urban ruins of Detroit — and everything in between.

Mika’s film shoot took him to the iconic location of Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.

“My goal for the end of the film is to work with dancers from various Native American tribes in a large ritual,” says Johnson, adding, “That will take some arranging.”

Johnson’s collaborators on the project include his producer, Jeffrey Pence, a professor of Cinema Studies at Oberlin College, and his wife, Kaori Mitsushima, who plays the role of Kat.

Kaori Mitsushima plays a role of Kat in Mika Johnson’s movie Amerika.

Amerika also features a cameo appearance by Johnson’s father, Dick, the son of Finnish immigrants from Centralia, Washington, a Finnish enclave whose residents assiduously preserved their national culture, traditions and language long after assimilation.

Mika’s grandparents lived in Centralia, a Finnish enclave in Washington.

“Growing up,” says Johnson, “I rarely thought about my Finnish heritage. But now I’m proud when I see the influence of Finnish designers on my work, or a shared aesthetic with directors like Kaurismaki or the filmmakers who did the documentary Steam of Life, Joonas Berghäll and Mika Hotakainen. As a filmmaker, I’d love to discover those elements of Finnish culture that are still expressed in my family, generations later. I have this daydream of being able to visit Finland with my father, who has never been there, and document the process.”

In the meantime, Johnson is keeping busy, between working on Amerika and finishing the last two episodes of The Amerikans. After years spent travelling and working overseas, he says it’s been exciting to discover the creative potential of the American heartland. The latest episode of The Amerikans, Johnson says, is about a beekeeper in Wellington, Ohio, who believes in the healing power of bee venom and treats people by stinging them.

Mika Johnson has found the creative potential of the American heartland.

“I’d never seen anything like it before,” says Johnson. “People swear by it. They get bee stings on the scalp, on the hands, in the mouth. And the beekeeper has enlisted a whole community around this, helping to take care of the bees and even to apply the stings to each other. When I tell my friends in New York and L.A. about it, they think it’s totally exotic. But it’s completely American.”

Mika Johnson's "The Amerikans" series shows a different face of America.

Mika Johnson’s series “The Amerikans” shows a different face of America.

The Amerikans can be seen at www.theamerikans.org

January 3rd, 2013

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES

After months of partisan bickering, the U.S. Congress finally agreed on taxes and cuts on New Year’s Day. The American Taxpayer Relief Act seems to please very few people, and no wonder why. It offers “relief” only in a sense that had the lawmakers not come to a deal, taxes would have gone up for everybody even more than they do now.

The top tax rate will go up from 35 to 39.6% for individuals earning more than $400,000 and for couples making $450,000 or more. The additional tax is subtracted only on the amount exceeding those figures. The inheritance tax will go up from 53% to 40% for estates worth more than 5 million. All wage earners regardless of how much they make – about 77% of the population – will see their paycheck shrink this year due to the comeback of the payroll tax. For an average earner of $50,000 it means an expense of $1,500 a year – roughly the cost of filling the car tank twice a month. The act extends tax credits for college students, low income families and families with children and limits deductions for individuals with incomes of more than $250,000 and couples with incomes of more than $300,000.

These measures will generate $620 billion over the next ten years – less than five percent of the gigantic national debt, which is 16.5 trillion and mounting. 16 trillion is 16 million million, or 16 thousand billion with 12 zeroes. If one was to pay off the debt with hundred dollar notes, tied in packets worth ten thousand each and organized in standard pallets stacked two pallets high, the payment would fill 16 football fields. You can see the national debt here (WARNING: Not for the faint of heart):

Bob Foster is an Adjunct Professor at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He visits Finland each year to recruit high tech companies to take part in the University’s Global Access Program, GAP. In the program, fully employed MBA students work with the companies for six months and create a business plan for each company wanting to expand their business beyond their country borders.

Bob Foster is the director of the GAP program at UCLA Anderson.

Mr. Foster characterizes the American Taxpayer Relief Act as a middle of the road bill that does little more than kicks the can down the road.

“It only defers more serious decisions for two months. If you are a corporation thinking of making big purchases, you are concerned about the economy anyway. You also have to be concerned about the very large national debt – the largest we have had in our history. What are we going to do to get that under control,” Professor Foster asks.

Two months from now the congress will face yet another cliff – the raising of the debt ceiling.

“I can’t remember the gov’t being so out of control in my 70 years,” professor adds.

He says at the root of the national debt is a structural problem.

“I believe one out five people are sick or incapable of working for different reasons. We have a moral obligation to take care of those people. I hear about 42% of Americans pay absolutely zero income taxes. It appears to me that something is wrong. Every citizen of the country should pay something – even a small amount.”

In other words:

“20% of the population falls under social support network. I think there’s another 20% of the population that are taking advantage of the many loopholes, there’s fraud in the Medicare, social security…There is something fundamentally wrong here. We have to fulfill our social obligations but at the same time live within our means.”

Professor Bob Foster has an extensive background as a CEO of various companies.

Foster, who describes himself as a Blue Dog Democrat, says the Republicans’ reluctance to “tax the job creators” argument is not as valid as they claim. However, he notes that the U.S. cannot fork out the money to pay off the national debt just by taxing the rich.

“If you take the one percent of the top earners and take 100% of their compensation – not just some but 100% – it wouldn’t even begin to solve the debt problem. There’s just not that many of them. They cannot finance everybody else.”

Foster’s solution to the problem:

“Simplify the tax code, eliminate a lot of the exceptions that complicate the tax code. Clamp down on those individuals who are fraudulently benefiting from the system.”

Bob Foster would like the government to crack down on tax cheats.

His advice Finnish companies wanting to expand into the U.S.:

“Our recommendations to any company wanting to come to the U.S. is make sure you hire the services of knowledgeable lawyers and tax professionals to prepare your accounting and tax returns in order to be aware of what the law requires and to maximize profits legally.”

Businessman Heikki Ketola serves as a judge in the GAP program at UCLA Anderson.

The Finnish business community in the U.S. has mixed emotions about the tax bill. Malibu-based bar code entrepreneur Heikki Ketola doesn’t mince words scolding the congress.

“They have done nothing but delayed the decision by two months. At the same time they bicker about the debt ceiling. It’s American antics. The congress has already signed off to certain things – building of bridges and aircraft carriers. Now they have to separately decide, whether to pay for them!”

Heikki Ketola calls the debt ceiling negotiations American antics.

Ketola laments the lack of willingness to compromise. Instead, the two parties are at each others’ throat instead of working towards solving the problem. He predicts the impasse will continue and fears filibuster when it comes time to decide on the debt ceiling.

Esa Ylä-Soininmäki is the owner of the furniture company Monte Allen.

Esa Ylä-Soininmäki is the owner and CEO of Monte Allen, a company that manufactures custom made furniture. His company employs 40 people and generates sales between two and three million dollars.

“I think the 450 thousand mark for a tax increase is reasonable. President Obama wanted to set the limit at 250 thousand. It would have hurt too many small entrepreneurs who file taxes as individuals,” Ylä-Soininmäki says.

He himself has an S Corporation, in which the profits are passed on to the shareholders, and are taxed on personal returns. Therefore, if his revenue exceeds the $450,000 mark, Ylä-Soininmäki will stock on inventory at the end of the year to lower the revenue and thus avoid the tax increase.

Esa Ylä-Soininmäki with wife Anne

“On the other hand, the middle class and the low income earners will suffer, because of the return of the payroll tax. In all reality it is a tax increase – the amount of the paycheck after taxes is smaller than before.”

Esa Ylä-Soininmäki says the tax bill did nothing to alleviate his uncertainty about the future.

“It is just as unclear as before. My business is going well and we are even going up a bit, but with all these cliffs and talk about the national debt, one does not feel like investing any more than is necessary.”

He says the uncertainty has lasted for the past few years and also reprimands politicians for the lack of leadership.

Monte Allen has many celebrity clients

Monte Allen deals with celebrity clients who want the very best. Lately Esa Ylä-Soininmäki has acquired two more star customers – Michael Richards, who played Kramer in the TV show Frazier and Jane Fonda.

“Michael Richards has a Mediterranean style house in Pacific Palisades with a gorgeous view of the Pacific. He is as funny as in the show and I always feel like laughing going there. We’ve made him some modern furniture.”

Jane Fonda, 75, is one of Monte Allen’s star clients.

Jane Fonda knows what she wants.

“Jane Fonda has purchased a house in the Trousdale Estates section of Beverly Hills. We’ve been furnishing it since the end of the year – desks, shelves in the media room that are of eclectic, modern style. Jane is a very determined lady, who knows exactly what she wants and is not shy about it. She also takes responsibility of her decisions and is easy to work with,” Esa describes.

President George W. Bush signing a $1.35 trillion tax cut into law June 7, 2001.

Here are my two cents:

The current debt crisis was born during the presidency of George W. Bush. He put two wars on a credit card and at the same time lowered taxes on everybody, including the rich. Therefore, it was necessary to take on debt starting at the end of President Bush’s presidency in the fall of 2008, when the economy was on the verge of a total collapse. It was equally important to salvage the banking sector, the car industry and to stimulate the economy in the beginning of President Barack Obama’s first term in 2009.

Presidents Bush and Barack Obama in the Oval Office.

Now we have to find ways to start reversing the dreaded debt clock. The American Taxpayer Relief Act starts to do just that by taxing the rich their fair share. The wealthy still get off easy, since their earnings are oftentimes in the form of a much lower taxed capitol gains, not wages. For example Mitt Romney only paid 13% in taxes. The obvious way is to reverse the debt clock is to create more jobs to generate more tax revenue. The other way is to cut expenditure, including military spending. There are over a thousand U.S. military bases around the world. Now that the Iraq war is over and the war in Afghanistan is winding down, it is time to take a serious look to see if all this U.S. involvement is really necessary. Other painful cuts have to be made as well. There is nothing so fundamentally wrong with the U.S. economy that it couldn’t be fixed. This country is full of bright people and entrepreneurs. There’d be even more of them, if the broken down immigration system was fixed. Nobody wants to create another Greece, nor duplicate the British style austerity measures that are so harsh that they themselves drown the economy. What is needed is a golden middle road. It is time for the political leaders to stop bickering and to come together for the good of the country.

U.S. House Committee in session.

December 26th, 2012

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn

Elves, Imps, Angels –and Prunes
by Ava Anttila

What a fun, positive, activity filled December it has been in our City of Angels. [Finns always count on the contribution of Elves and Imps to help us with our chores at this time of year!] For me and mine visiting elves and local Tonttus have been in abundance. The energy of the season is exciting!

Preparing for Christmas is unique for us here where Winter is often 5 days long. When it seems ‘natural’ for Santa to hang from a palm tree wearing surfing shorts and sun glasses, it is hard to dream of a white Christmas!! Yes, we do get/give the season a unique “Hollywood spin”. And, somehow, the planets seem to align each year in a way that only those of us experiencing LA can embrace and fully appreciate.

Are You Wearing Your Elf Hat?

Let us begin with two strange contrastingly divergent (yet so “LA”) concepts: the Hollywood Sign and the prune. Before your ADHD internet-wired-attention-span wants to do something else, hear me out! We will ultimately come together for a warm Finnish Christmas LA community hug.

First—‘breaking news’: the most photographed ‘star’ in Southern California has had a major facelift! Yes, the beloved, iconic Hollywood Sign has had a makeover. After many months, lots of money, hundreds of gallons of paint, and much hard work, the Sign is once again brand-spanking new and beautifully ‘snow white’!

While it can be dangerous to look up from the freeway during our annual week of rain, if you let someone else drive [for a change], the rain turns to snow on the mountain peaks that surround –and make, the LA basin. The rain clears the smog and our ‘rings of mountains’ provide a beautiful white frame for the again white Sign! When the sun comes out, the sky is a spectacular Finnish blue that takes your breath away! Check it out!!

Now, About the Prune:

Speaking of makeovers, the LA ‘flack artists’ [publicists] have done their jobs well. If you are new to America or are just trying to find a cookbook with recipes and ingredients to do some traditional Finnish Christmas cooking, you may find yourself in a quandary. That is especially true if you want our Finnish Christmas icon, the prune, for our beloved delicacy: the Joulu Torttu.

luumu kiisseli

If you are looking to make luumu kiisseli or luumu torttu, remember the word “prune” has had its “Hollywood Makeover”. A few years ago, ‘it was decreed’ that the lowly “prune” had to be renamed, remade, and re-titled as a “dried plum”. While, in fact, the prune has always been a dried plum, the new image is meant to go ‘upscale’. You will not find “dried plums” in your old family recipes. And, you will not find “prunes” in your local market!

A few years ago, ‘it was decreed’ that the lowly “prune” had to be renamed, remade, and re-titled as a “dried plum”

The name “prune” had image issues that the industry wanted to ‘facelift’. The not so attractive, shriveled fruit had become a descriptive adjective, not a delicacy to be savored. In fact, it was the butt of crude jokes. Even in the comic strip Dick Tracy, popular since the ‘50s, there was a villain “Prune-Face” whose name alone conjured a clear picture of the character. How do you take the ‘intestinal broom’ for the elderly and broaden its market appeal? Simple! Call it something else! Hey!! This is Hollywood—so the effort to rehabilitate a beautiful, well preserved fruit launched a big ad campaign to eradicate the word “prune” from our lexicon. Done deal. Dried plums rule!!!

As Shakespeare said “…a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” –or something like that.

A favorite of the Finnish Christmas table is Luumu Kiisseli. It is a dried fruit compote that is just delicious. The dried fruit (prunes nka* dried plums, apricots, apples, pears, and raisins) are poached, seasoned with cinnamon, thickened with potato starch (or cornstarch), and chilled. I have a large, clear pedestal glass vessel I use to ‘show’ the wonderful flavors awaiting. Despite my ‘packaging’, to this day my adult sons use their childhood term “Prune Slime” to refer to this wonder of Finnish Christmas! Somehow, “dried plum slop” does not have the same ring and has not made it onto our menu.

*now known as

Activities in the Finnish Community in LA

This month has been incredibly active. The local and visiting elves, imps, and angels have been especially energetic and energized.

Entertainers and Organizers for Suomi 95

The December 1 celebration of Finland’s 95^th anniversary of Independence was a great success thanks to the support of the Consulate General of Finland, Suomi Kerho (as well as, other sponsors), and the effective and dedicated Committee that reached out to our Finnish American community who responded enthusiastically to a memorable—and fun, evening. It was especially touching to have a number of our remaining Veterans and Lottas present as our guests to receive our heartfelt appreciation for their sacrifice and success—and that of their compatriots who preserved our precious freedom.

SUOMI 95, Los Angeles

Pepe Wilberg (featured entertainer), other visitors from Finland, and Team Suomi 95 came by my home to experience some local Mexican cuisine [Chicken Mole] cooked by a Finn (…yours truly) the night before the Independence Day Gala. Since there was no reference to Montezuma the next evening, I guess all went well—we did serve wine instead of water, of course!

Pepe Wilberg by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb

President of Finlandia University Visits Southern California

Philip Johnson, President of Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan visited the Southland recently. Dr. Johnson has maintained, but re-shaped, the historic Finlandia ties to Finland and the Finnish history, culture, and traditions that are so much a part of his Upper Peninsula, Copper country University formerly known as Suomi College. The challenges of running—and funding, a small, private university in the current economic and educational climate are great. Philip’s vision for Finlandia has been influenced by his Lutheran ministry, his admiration for leaders in innovative educational approaches such as in Finland, and his commitment to provide a stimulating, life-shaping experience for Finlandia’s students, faculty, and staff. During the five years of his Presidency and during his visits to Los Angeles, we have had conversations long into the night that resumed again in early morning. The development and implementation of ‘visions’ is an evolutionary process fraught with challenges when it is your job to ‘make it work’. The real-time ‘issue wrestling’ is challenging, energizing, and frustrating, but seeing growth, progress, and results based on the premises postulated is heartwarming.

Philip Johnson, President of Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan

Esa-Pekka Salonen

There is a wonderful feeling of pride whenever our own Esa-Pekka Salonen comes back to Los Angeles for performances. As Finns and as music lovers, we are inspired and overjoyed with the magnificence of his work. [I won’t call him an ‘elf’ even though I can remember the story he told of being “carded” while buying beer at a Brentwood market early in his tenure here.] We were blessed to have our Finnish Maestro on our LA podium this holiday season. I hope you were able to be present for a performance.

Esa-Pekka Salonen (courtesy of LAPHIL)

Seija Gerdt: Art Exhibition and Sale

Seija Gerdt is our own treasure and creative genius in the local Finnish community. Each December Seija hosts an event no Finn –or anyone who appreciates art and artistry, should miss. She is the supreme local artist in glass.

Finnish artist Seija Gerdt

For many years, Seija’s pre-Christmas show and sales event has been an opportunity to see her work and to purchase hand-blown glass and artwork as gifts made by a very talented local Finnish artist of international reputation. This year I was [pardon this] ‘blown’ away by the variety, extent, and beauty of Seija’s work and talent. New visions, techniques, and materials presented in her offerings this year were so inspiring.

Art Exhibition and sale by Finnish artist Seija Gerdt

This event should be any Finn’s first stop for holiday shopping. Forget Rodeo Drive, make Seija’s on Cedar Street in Santa Monica your first stop next year [--or call her for an appointment sooner.] The Glögg is on the stove and a lovely table of nibbles is offered for those stopping by. Sieja is truly a dedicated elf working all year producing magnificent creations for Joulupukki!

Seija Gerdt: Art Exhibition and Sale

Did you know that “Seija Gerdt” used to be “Seija Anttila”. That is how I first got to know her several decades ago. Seija’s [then] husband was a professor at UCLA. Around Vappu, I would get May Day greeting calls from revelers in Finland –some 10 time zones away, starting at 4 AM. Her friends were looking for any “Anttila” in the L.A area. No wonder she changed her last name to Gerdt.

Suomi Koulu Katrilli Party

Speaking of Elves [Joulu Tonnttu], it was a veritable invasion and infestation of the jolly, mischievous, life sized, apple-cheeked creatures that came to life in a ‘conga-line’ formation at the Suomi Koulu gathering in Costa Mesa on a recent December Saturday. The Katrilli danced to the delight of young and old at the holiday celebration and fund raiser for Suomi Koulu. Fun was had by all. My Granddaughter asked if we could bring her little Brother next year!

Suomi Koulu gathering in Costa Mesa

An Angel Passes

One of the dearest members of the Finnish Community, Annikki Wiikari, was celebrated and laid to rest on December 1. She was a long time member of the Katrilli dance group. The Katrilli danced in her honor and provided a Finnish meal for attendees.

an angel passes

Annikki was part of a trio of great Finnish cooks at Suomi Kerho [including Rauha Loponen and Eila Korpinen] who always provide supreme cuisine at events. I remember fondly that Annikki made the most lovely tippaleivat for a big Vappu event we held at Greta Peck’s home a number of years ago. She was a beautiful soul and great Finnish inspiration for us all.

Consul General Westphalen Addresses European American Sheriff’s Advisory Committee

Sheriff Lee Baca hosts a luncheon each December for the Southern California based European Consuls General under the aegis of his European American Sheriff’s Advisory Committee. Finland is a founding member of EASAC which meets monthly to learn about and communicate with the Sheriff on matters of interest in and impact on our local communities.

consul general of Finland Kirsti Westphalen with her husband TV journalist Abdellatif Mouffakkir and Ava Anttila at the European American Sheriff’s Advisory Committee luncheon

This year, Sheriff Baca welcomed the Dean of the Consular Corps –our own remarkable Consul General Kirsti Westphalen, as keynote speaker. Consul General Westphalen’s address was a thought-provoking presentation concerning the survival of the EU (and the US) in these challenging economic times. The social and political pressures on the Euro and the dollar have been compounded by the global recession. The potential consequences are real and pressing. The audience of diplomatic representatives, community leaders, and public officials was impressed and appreciative.

EASAC (European American Sheriff’s Advisory Council) Holiday Luncheon group photo

Holiday Shopping

This was a great year for holiday shopping for things Finnish. I have already spoken of my soiré to Seija’s annual bash. Of course, we are all excited about the new Marimekko store.

Still, one of my favorite events is Suomi Kerho’s annual Christmas Bazaar preceding their Christmas dinner and visit from Joulupukki. This year there was an unbelievable array of baked goods. Laatikkos were on one side of the table with purchasers ahead of the starting time armed with large bags to receive the goods. [The earliest elf gets the most goodies.] Pulla, karjalanpiikarras, spice cakes, Finnish cookies, and an assortment of laatikkoswent ‘like hotcakes’!

Suomi Kerho’s annual Christmas Bazaar preceding their Christmas dinner and visit from Joulupukki

Most Beautiful Christmas Music at Finnish Church

In a beautifully decorated St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Santa Monica, Pastor Jarmo Tarkki led a joyous crowd with the singing of our favorite Finnish Christmas songs. The sing-a-long included our classic childhood hymns, nicely provided in a booklet. In his endearing, impish way Pastor T led us in a favorite ditty “Porsaita Ӓidin Oomme Kaikki” translated as “We Are All Mother’s Little Pigs” –sung in both Finnish and Swedish. A ‘groaning table’ of Finnish treats followed in the Parish Hall of the Church –all delicious contributions by attendees. Thank you all for making this new event a warm and welcoming part of Christmas.

St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Santa Monica

Mira Scott (the angel/elf of the Suomi Koulu and of the Finnish Church) has been instrumental in making good things happen with her great work this year. We all appreciate her in the LA area. She is an inspiration –one we all should emulate. And, Anniina Lukiini-Johnsson’s work for this amazing bringing-together of the Finnish community has been literally a “God-send”.

A ‘groaning table’ of Finnish treats followed in the Parish Hall of the Church –all delicious contributions by attendees

Christmas Preparations

As this column goes to press we are all working to bring a Finnish Christmas experience to our family and friends. While I write, the aroma of rutabagas is percolating from the stove ready to become lanttulaatikko, the piparkakku taikina is set for action, the graavilohi is working in the refrigerator. Rosolli is in the works, the boiled rice is about to go in with pureed carrots for porkkanalaatikko. The one “laatikko” [casserole] I just love to serve because the name is a great topic of conversation is “imellettyperunasoselaattikko”. I like the funny, long Finnish word that I have fun putting on a ‘menu card’ when I serve it to those new to Finnish cuisine. It is basically a simple dish–malted potato casserole from the Province of Häme.

Back to the Prunes…Ooops, Dried Plums!

You probably just finished your shopping, wrapping, basic cooking, cleanup, set up, and are now officially exhausted. Here is a simple dish to make you a star in your own kitchen.

Joulu Tortut (Christmas Stars)

Joulu Tortut (Christmas Stars)

Take a 1 pound bag of pitted prunes (or, now, the politically correct/rebranded “dried plums”). Dump half into a pot. Add enough water to cover the fruit plus ¾ cup of sugar. Boil until soft. Cool. Chop or puree the ‘product’ in a food processor.

Using ‘store bought’ frozen puff pastry dough [thawed, of course], roll out to about ¼ inch. Make squares with a knife or a pastry roller. Score cuts from center to each corner.

Using ‘store bought’ frozen puff pastry dough [thawed, of course], roll out to about ¼ inch. Make squares with a knife or a pastry roller.

Place a nice dab of filling in the center of each square. Bring alternating edges of the pastry to the center, dabbing with water and pressing so they stick to each other. Brush with beaten egg. Bake on a cookie sheet at 400º F for about 10 minutes. Cool. Dust with powdered sugar.

Double-click on picture above to view it full size

Stars are born! You –and the plum!

double-click on picture above to view it full size

Hauskaa Joulua!!

There is a nice saying occasionally seen on ‘bumper stickers’ in LA:

“Practice Random Acts of Kindness!”

Let us all be Finnish elves, imps, and angels who do just that—all year long!!

“Practice Random Acts of Kindness!”

December 19th, 2012

thinkkanen

Fenyes Mansion has gone through a complete renovation and is now open to public.

The fabled Fenyes Mansion in Pasadena recently reopened to the public after a three-year, 1.7 million dollar renovation. It is a fine house indeed, but it is the people who used to occupy it – Yrjö and Leonora Paloheimo – that makes the mansion so special to the Finnish community. This is their story.

On a spectacular Sunday afternoon a group of people gathered in the Pasadena Museum of History got a special treat. Paul O. Halme, Chairman of the Board of the Paloheimo Foundation, gave a special presentation, a look into the lives of Yrjö Paloheimo and his wife, Leonora Curtin Paloheimo and a tour of their home. This power couple built a bridge between Finland and the United States that still stands today.

Leonora and Yrjö Paloheimo in front of their home, Fenyes Mansion

Yrjö Paloheimo was born in Finland in 1899. The youngest of five sons of Kerttu and K.A. Paloheimo, he was born to luxury and privilege. K.A. was a wealthy industrialist, who owned saw mills around Finland. But he was not just another businessman. K.A. was also interested in establishing a cultural identity for Finland, struggling under the Tsar’s Russia. This would be brought about by establishing an artists’ colony on the eastern shore of Lake Tuusula. It would combine literature, visual arts and music under one special place. Lucky for K.A., he had friends in the very fields. Together with novelist Juhani Aho, painters Pekka Halonen and Eero Järnefelt and composer Jean Sibelius, the colony was realized.

“The sons of K.A. Paloheimo were called “the lazy sons”, since they married their neighbors’ daughters – one son married Sibelius’ daughter, the other one Halonen’s daughter and the third one Järnefelt’s daughter,” Paul Halme bemuses.

Attorney Paul Halme giving a tour of Fenyes Mansion in Pasadena

The sons also went into business with their father. One exception to the rule was the youngest son, Yrjö. He studied agriculture at the Helsinki University. After receiving his Master’s degree, the young man set out to west. He first arrived in the United States in the 1920’s. He lived and worked in Los Angeles and Ojai, a mountain community 83 miles north of L.A. In much the same way that a college student in these days would, he experimented with different philosophies, trying to find his own voice. There were other Finns living in Ojai as well at the time. Yrjö held discussions with them about topics such as religion, of which he was said to have liberal views. After this sojourn, Yrjö returned to Finland. But not for long. In 1933 he returned to the new continent, this time for good. Paloheimo was employed by the consulate general of Finland in New York. He was promoted to be in charge of travel promotion. In this capacity he had a chance to shake hands with presidents Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt and became good friends with Roosevelt’s mother, Sara. In 1939, New York hosted the World Fair. Paloheimo was in charge of the construction of the Finnish pavilion as a commissioner. That same fall the Soviet Union attacked Finland. Yrjö mobilized the American Finnish community, working as a Field Secretary for Help Finland, a relief organization. The enthusiasm in which the U.S. Finns embarked on their mission, never left Paloheimo.

A Finnish machine gun brigade near Lemetti, Karelia during Winter War

After the war Yrjö, now an American citizen, found himself in his mid-forties and unmarried. Things were about to chance – big time. In Washington D.C., socialite Leonora “Babsie” Curtin, daughter of the late newspaper tycoon Thomas Curtin, was working at the Smithsonian Institute, studying dialects of the Pueblo Indians. One evening in 1946, a family friend called Babsie and invited her to a dinner party in New York. Yrjö was at the same party. They met, fell in love and married later that same year. Their honeymoon took them to his homeland, Finland. Leonora brought an armada of luggage along wherever she traveled. And as to make up for all those years both had been single, in rabid succession, between 1946 and 1949, they adopted four orphans – Nina, George, Eric and Eva – from Finland. They were promptly dispatched to the best boarding schools America had to offer.

Leonora “Babsie” Curtin Paloheimo dedicated her life to her passions – culture, arts and Indigenous peoples.

Leonora and her family had many cultural interests. Her grandmother, Eva Fenyes, was a businesswoman, painter and pot maker, who traveled extensively. Wherever she went –Egypt, Venice, India – instead of buying a postcard, she painted a picture of the local scenery instead. American Indian cultures were especially close to Eva’s heart. She built houses in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Pasadena, California. After she passed away, it was Eva’s house in Pasadena, called after her Fenyes Mansion, that the Paloheimos settled in. It is a beau arts style house that has three floors and 16 rooms in over ten thousand square feet.

Fenyes Mansion has been a setting for several movies, including the satire Being There starring Peter Sellers,1979.

Yrjö was named Honorary Consul of Finland to the Western United States. So Fenyes Mansion also became the Consulate of Finland. With his excellent connections and people skills, Yrjö Paloheimo set out to put Finland on the map in America.

“If Yrjö Paloheimo was in this room, he would make you feel like you were the most important person. He could come up to you and say, I feel safe because you are here. And you would believe it,” says the family attorney Paul Halme.

Yrjö Paloheimo ran his consular affairs from this desk, displayed in Fenyes Mansion.

“He was a diplomat. And he always went and sought out people and shook their hands. He lifted the Finnish presence here. The consular core from Sweden, Norway, etc. – they really enjoyed him. And all of a sudden, the Finnish presence in Los Angeles was something different than it was before,” Halme adds. Before Paloheimo, Finland in Los Angeles was known mainly for its maids who at the time were working in the better households around town.

In the meantime, Leonora was no shrinking violet either. Throughout her life, she remained focused on her projects and studies.

“She continued to promote art and folk art. She was writing. Leonora and her mother and grandmother owned lots of properties. They had gas stations, etc. But they had hard time doing business, because they were women. Men had a hard time dealing with these women,” Halme points out.

Yrjö Paloheimo served as Honorary Consul from 1948 until 1964. Amazingly enough, at that same time, the Paloheimos were also able to find time to do business, engage in cultural affairs, take care of their children and travel around the globe. And there was still one thing Yrjö wanted to achieve. He yearned for the days when all Finns despite of their political views pulled together to help Finland in need during the war. In that same spirit, in January of 1953 he gathered nine of his most trusted men in the sauna building next to Fenyes Mansion. There Finlandia Foundation was born, in a Finnish sauna. Family friend Jean Sibelius agreed to be its first patron.

Composer Jean Sibelius agreed to be the first patron of the newly formed Finlandia Foundation in 1953.

As you know by now, the Paloheimos were involved in a myriad of businesses, foundations, property, cultural affairs and what not. As they got on in years, it became necessary to put their affairs in order. Fenyes Mansion was the first to go. The Paloheimos donated it to the city of Pasadena as a museum in 1972.

The Paloheimos moved out of Fenyes Mansion and into their other home in Carpinteria, California in 1972.

But there was still a lot of work to be done. Enter Paul Halme, attorney at law. His father- a Lutheran minister in a missionary – had been good friends with Yrjö Paloheimo.

“Yrjö used to talk to my daddy. He said you are my brother. They were very close doing Finnish cultural things together. My father was born in a Finnish family in Massachusetts but as a child he went back to Finland and was raised in Viipuri,” Halme, now 72, explains. He himself was born in Los Angeles.

“Yrjö was bringing me in to handle their affairs because he was concerned. I used to say, well, I don’t know which one of you is going to die first and he said, I’m going to die first. He was worried about Leonora and wanted her protected, because there would be lots of relatives showing up and so forth. Yrjö was the insulation, handling all the business affairs. He was trying to find someone to be in a position to protect her.”

A salon in Fenyes Mansion

Very soon the vast scope of the task dawned on Halme.

“I had to get my head around this whole estate and to try to see what the issues were, because they had many different documents. They had five trusts set up and they had a lot of different moving parts.”

At that point the Paloheimos had three residences in Carpinteria, CA, Santa Fe, NM and Järvenpää, Finland.

“I had many meetings with Yrjö. We would sit down for a couple of hours. We would meet in Carpinteria and sometimes he brought me to Santa Fe. He said, let’s bring Leonora and talk to her, let’s have fun! So, we’d go to the country club and have lunch. He was always very precise about everything. He was not a casual person, nor was Leonora. So, we’d go to lunch. He’d say, OK, where are the women going to sit and where are we going to sit,” Paul Halme reminisces.

Attorney Paul O. Halme runs the Paloheimo Foundation as the Chairman of the Board.

In 1985, the year before his death, Leonora and Yrjö traveled to Finland for the very last time. They had often spent their summers there, staying in their Kallio-Kuninkala house in Järvenpää, near Helsinki. The main building was in disrepair. It had recently served as a restaurant. There Yrjö met Ellen Urho, rector of the Sibelius Academy. Perhaps because of the old Sibelius-connection, Yrjö told her that he would like the place to be associated with music. It was agreed that the academy would take over the buildings and convert them into a learning center. Yrjö Paloheimo never saw the completed work. He died in the spring of 1986. The following year the Kallio-Kuninkala Course Center opened.

Yrjö Paloheimo was a distinguished, formal man with exceptional people skills.

By now Paul Halme had become the lead attorney handling all the Paloheimo affairs. For the last 20 years of her life, Leonora was deaf, so it took an extra effort for Paul to communicate with her.

“She was a very bright woman, very intelligent. She loved humor. I used to put a joke in the letters I sent her. Because she was deaf, I would send a letter in advance. Then she would read it and be prepared to give me answers,” Paul recounts.

A painting of a young woman adorns one of the rooms at Fenyes Mansion.

Leonora passed away in 1999 – 13 years after her husband. Today Paul Halme is the Chairman of the Board of the Paloheimo Foundation. Making his home in Carpinteria, he is busier than ever, dividing his time between Carpinteria and Santa Fe. He tells me he is trying to renovate the New Mexico style Paloheimo house there. Paul’s wife is in a bakery business. Their four children are all grown up now and the Halmes have ten grandchildren. In the meantime, Finlandia Foundation is stronger than ever, giving out grants totaling a hundred thousand dollars a year. They are also a major force behind Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan. 2013 marks their 60^th anniversary, so in March the storied Fanyes Mansion will once again come alive with music, clinging glasses and laughter, as Yrjö Paloheimo’s life work is befittingly celebrated in the place where it all begun so many years ago.

Fenyes Mansion will be the venue for Finlandia Foundation National 60th anniversary, March 22-23, 2013.

For more info about Finlandia Foundation and the upcoming celebration, go to: www.finlandiafoundation.org

November 25th, 2012

thinkkanen

Santtu Winter – a civil engineer and an inventor

It was 1985 when Pertti and Eila Winter packed up their bags in their home town Iisalmi in Eastern Finland and headed west to the Washington State. They settled in Seattle, where Pertti had a job waiting as a pulp and paper consultant in a Finnish company called Ekono. Eila worked in accounting for another company. Nine months later Santtu was born. At the time the family lived in Bellevue, a suburb of Seattle.

“Adventure was definitely a big part of it. They wanted to explore the world a little bit, Santtu, now 27, thinks about the parents’ big move.

He enrolled in the University of Washington, majoring in Civil Engineering and graduated from there in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree. When he turned 18, Santtu got a dual citizenship. His parents moved back to Finland in 2004, this time in the capitol region. The young man stayed behind in Seattle. He fell in love with Amy Schlilaty, a lovely brunette from the affluent neighboring community of Issaquah They got married in the Summer of 2008. That same year Santtu started working for CH2M Hill, an engineering company.

Santtu and Amy Winter now make their home in Portland, Oregon.

“I’m enjoying married life. I think one of my favorite parts of it is companionship. My wife and I are the best of friends,” Santtu testifies. In fact, it was Amy’s studies that brought the couple some 200 miles south to their current home in Portland, Oregon.

“My wife Amy got a residency at a hospital here. She is going to be a dentist. We moved just five months ago. I work for an engineering consulting company dealing with waste water,” Santtu explains.

In addition to his day job, Santtu has been tinkering something with his friends in a garage for quite some time now. It all started when his parents came from Finland to visit.

“They brought a game called Mölkky (mul-kuh), with them. We were on an Oregon coast playing it. It was a lot of fun. When I was in Finland a year or two later, I picked up my own Mölkky set, brought it home and played it at the park with friends. And people would stop and ask, what are you playing,” Santtu reminisces.

Santtu created his Palikka game from an old Finnish tossing game called Mölkky.

Mölkky is a tossing game. There are 12 wooden pins that are 5-6 inches tall and they are numbered 1 through 12. You set them up in a tight, little group. Then you have a slightly larger log that you toss underhand and try to knock off as many pins as you can. The object is to get exactly 50 points by lobbing the tossing log at the tossing line – about three lumberjack steps away from the numbered pins. If a player knocks just one pin down, he or she gets the value of that pin’s number. The same goes with multiple knock-outs.

“So, me and a couple of friends decided that we should take the idea from Mölkky and try to expand on it and make it more versatile. That’s how the idea for a new game was spawned,” Santtu recalls.

“We tried to make it more like a deck of cards or like a dart board. You can play a lot of different games with the same game pieces. The only change we made with the physical set is that we added a 13^th pin that is unnumbered. That opens up a lot of doors of different ways to play. You can play the Finnish game Mölkky and the Swedish game Kubb on the same set, Santtu explains.

Santtu tossing.

The new game is called Palikka, which means “block” in Finnish. It is a labor of love of three men: Santtu Winter came up with the original idea. Kevin Kotecki deals with the business aspect of things. Ryan Boyett is a carpenter, who actually builds the sets in his garage. Another Finnish-American, Marko Wallenius, is an artist, who created the Palikka mascot and the company website.

“We got into it for a couple of reasons. One, it’s a great game. The other was just the adventure of starting a business. I’ve never done anything like this before. So, there’s a lot of learning in how to develop a product and make in profitable. It’s also fun to develop something with your friends,” Santtu lists.

For anyone out there, trying to find a Christmas gift that is not made in China, why not consider a truly original gift – a Palikka set.

“We have a website www.palikkagame.com. You can buy it there on-line. It costs $39.50.”

Santtu and Amy playing the Palikka game.

Santtu and company have sold around 160 sets so far.

“At first I expected most of the sales to come from the Seattle area, because that’s where we started building them. But as it turns out, we have found customers from throughout the U.S. We have shipped Palikka sets to 25 different states. People hear about it from a friend, or they want to get the game for a friend or for a Christmas gift.”

Speaking of Christmas, Amy and Santtu plan to spend it up north.

“We are going up to Issaquah, where Amy’s parent’s live. That should be a lot of fun.”

Winter in Issaquah

November 16th, 2012

thinkkanen

A festive crowd celebrates the opening of the latest Marimekko store in Beverly Hills.

The Finnish clothing and home textile brand Marimekko opened a store in Beverly Hills Friday. The grand opening was preceded by an invitation-only star-studded party Thursday night. Finntimes was there and met the CEO of Marimekko, Mr. Mika Ihamuotila.

The CEO of Marimekko, Mika Ihamuotila with his wife, Helena “Kitty” Ihamuotila.

You have been busy opening stores abroad lately, haven’t you?

-Yes, I just returned from a two week trip to Asia. Last week we opened stores in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Tokyo and Shanghai. Last week we opened a store in Palo Alto, California as well. In the middle of it all, I flew into Helsinki to open our new store there.

There are also spanking new Marimekko stores on New York’sFifth Avenue and Newbury Street in Boston.

-We wanted the best possible location in each city. The new stores are big as well.

Ihamuotila, 48, admits that the opening frenzy is not business as usual for Marimekko.

-This if far from ordinary for us, these are exceptional times.

The Beverly Hills store is the 103^rd Marimekko shop. Since Ihamuotila took the helm of Marimekko some five years ago, the company has opened 20 new stores a year – most of them in Asia and the United States.

Guests arrive at the new Marimekko store, located on 370 North Canon Drive in Beverly Hills.

-If we did not do brisk business, I wouldn’t have the courage to expand so vigorously. We are doing really well at the moment. Our collection has been well-received around the world. Our show at the New York Fashion Week received praise from fashion magazines. A week ago we published our quarter annual report. In it we told our international sales have increased by 23% and our revenue has doubled. It looks good, but one has to remain humble, as the economic situation in the world looks troublesome.

The children’s corner was temporarily turned into a bar on the opening night. The bar served tasty Marimekko drinks, of course.

The Beverly Hills store offers a wide range of Marimekko products.

-Fashion has become an ever important part of Marimekko. Here we have separate departments for men’s and women’s fashions. Then we have bags and even iPad covers. In the new Marimekko stores, our fabrics have been placed in the very center of the store. Many other fashion brands have forgotten their roots. We want to shine a spotlight on our fabulous fabrics. There is also a children’s corner here and all the glassware and ceramics can be found in the back of the store. They are rather new product categories that we didn’t have five years ago. There are also wooden and fabric jewelry here.

Barbara Tuuri tries on a Marimekko fabric. Mika Ihamuotila wants to honor the history of the brand by displaying fabrics in the center of the store.

How well do Americans know about the Marimekko products ?

-We have ten shop-in shops in Crate and Barrel stores. We are increasing our visibility with these new Marimekko stores. Our ambitions are on a totally different level than at any time in the company’s history.

Now that we are in “Hollywood”, do you have celebrity endorsers?

-Last week Sarah Jessica Parker was photographed wearing Marimekko, Elton John wore Marimekko shoes in Saint Tropez and Anne Hathaway has been seen wearing our clothes almost weekly. It seems to me that we are at a time when marimekko clothes are being widely used.

Irina Björklund performs at the Marimekko opening in a Marimekko dress.

Ihamuotila has no plans to use star power in advertising.

-We have no such plans, nor do I think we will use stars in the future either. We think of Marimekko in organic terms. If someone likes our clothes, fine. However, I don’t like the idea of paying a star to wear Marimekko. It doesn’t seem to fit our values. Many other brands pay actors up to hundreds of thousands to wear their clothing.

The marketing is done mainly via media articles and public relations.

TV journalist Abdellatif Mouffakkir and his wife, consul general of Finland Kirsti Westphalen, were taking pictures and trying on mittens at the grand opening of Marimekko.

-We employ one of the best PR firms in the United States. I have had nine interviews with American news media. Through these news articles we aim to inform the public about Marimekko’s values, history, production and design. There’s less emphasis on advertising.

How do you feel now that the Beverly Hills store is reality?

-It feels really good. As I was walking here tonight I saw the store full of people. I passed a restaurant next door that is a favorite place for actors and directors to dine in. They were curious to see what was going on in our store next door. As I saw the bright Marimekko colors through the large windows, I felt proud about our brand and people. It feels incredible but it is true!

Colorful Marimekko dishes are the latest addition to the Marimekko line of products.

Mika Ihamuotila comes from a famous and prestigious Finnish family. His father Risto was the chancellor of Helsinki University and uncle Jaakko was the long time CEO of the Finnish petroleum company Neste. His gradfather Veikko served as a minister in the Finnish government and his mother was a textile designer. The family still owns a manor house in Espoo named Hista.

Mika Ihamuotila discusses with actress Anna Easteden at the Marimekko opening.

Mika Ihamuotila became the CEO of Marimekko in 2007 after acquiring 13% of the company stock. Just a year earlier Ihamuotila underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. It took him months to recover from the serious procedure. Last year he was once again under the knife for the same reason. But you would never know it by looking at the man. He looks tanned, healthy and strong – not to mention handsome as hell. I ask the famously private man about his health.

-Perfect, couldn’t be better, he responds.

Mika Ihamuotila is married to Hannele “Kitty” Ihamuotila, née Mandelin. She was beaming at the store premiere by his husband’s side. They have four sons. Mika Ihamuotila’s hobbies iclude reading, tennis and nature, especially the Finnish archipelago and the Alps.

Kitty and Mika Ihamuotila opened the 103rd Marimekko store in Beverly Hills.

It was a fun opening indeed that read like who’s who in the LA Finnish circles. Consul general Kirsti Westphalen was having fun with her husband Abdellatif Mouffakkir. They were taking pictures at the Marimekko photo booth and trying on mittens. Barbara Tuuri from Warner Bros. was there. The patrons of everything Finnish, Mirja and Ernie Covarrubias were mingling in the crowd, sipping Marimekko drinks. Mirja met up with media personality Sauli Koskinen, who was there with some friends.

Mirja Covarrubias connected with Sauli Koskinen.

Sauli Koskinen came to the Marimekko opening with his friends.

Finnish actresses Susanna Finn and Marjo-Riikka Mäkelä were present, as was the ever so lovely colleague Anna Easteden. Magician turned movie mogul, Iiro Seppänen had just returned from a six-month vacation to see the wonders of the world. Iiro’s Pan Pacific Entertainment focuses on U.S. -China -collaborations. His latest endeavor was a Chinese TV series featuring wing suit jumpers.

These days movie producer Iiro Seppänen spends half of his time in China.

Janne Kouri, who runs a gym for the paraplegics showed up with his banker-wife Susan.

Gym entrepreneur Janne Kouri with wife Susan.

The crowd was entertained by the lovely actress-singer Irina Björklund and her five man band. Irina sang and played the saw – yes, the saw. She recently recorded a brand new album in France in which she sings in French.

Irina and her band, all dressed in Marimekko. From the left: Janne Haavisto, Joe Karnes, Janne Lappalainen, Irina Björklund, Peter Fox and Markus Nordenstreng.

The store looked fabulous. Everything was bright, elegant – and I’m afraid quite expensive. This is definitely not a store for the bargain hunter. A canvas shopping tote for 21 dollars, anyone?

A couple browses Marimekko products in the brand new store.

However, if you want to remember that special someone this holiday season, you cannot go wrong with Marimekko. Finntimes wishes the new Marimekko store the best of success.

Marimekko marketing director Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko was happy after a successful opening.

October 15th, 2012

thinkkanen

LOS ANGELES CONSUL GENERAL KIRSTI WESTPHALEN, EX-CONSUL GENERAL S MANU VIRTAMO AND MARIA SERENIUS TALK CANDIDLY ABOUT THE VERY SUCESSFUL TEKES’ EXPONSORED PROGRAM CALLED ‘GAP’ (GLOBAL ACCESS PROGRAM) . GAP HAS FACILIATED THE PARTNERSHIP OF INNUMEROUS FINNISH COMPANIES WITH THE UCLA ANDERSON SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IN AN EFFORT TO CONQUER THE US MARKET. A FASCINATING STORY IN FINNISH/ENGLISH (W/ SUBTILES).

August 31st, 2012

thinkkanen

Costume designer Susanna Puisto at Disney Studios in Burbank

SUSANNA PUISTO & DANA DELANY

Our Hollywood costume designer in residence, Susanna Puisto, is busy these days working her…um, behind off at the Disney Studios in Burbank. The hit series Body of Proof started shooting its third season there in August. The show stars Dana Delany, whom viewers may remember from the series Desperate Housewives and before that China Beach some 20 years ago. Dana and Susanna met on the set of The Right Temptation – a thriller that was shot in Utah 12 years ago. At that time Susanna was working for another star, Rebecca De Mornay, but ended up helping Dana Delany as well. Dana never forgot the sexy but stylish outfits Susanna created for her in that movie. So, when Body of Proof moved production from Rhode Island to LA, Dana remembered Susanna and invited her to become the costume designer for the show.

The star of Body of Proof, Dana Delany, tailor Syros Roshandel and costume designer Susanna Puisto at a wrap up party of Body of Proof in Hollywood.

Body of Proof is a procedural crime drama. The lead character, played by Delany, is a coroner, who used to be a neurosurgeon but after an accident that injured her hands, had to change careers. An eerily similar accident happened to Delany just as Body of Proof was about to start production of its first season. Dana was driving in Santa Monica. She came to an intersection. There was a car behind her. The female driver kept honking her horn at her, urging Dana to make a left turn. She finally relented and tried to turn left, but a bus crashed right into her car. The lady driver behind Dana fled the scene, leaving Delany in her smashed up car. They never caught the driver. But Dana says she believes in karma. She injured her hand in the accident just as the character she plays in Body of Proof. Dana believes there is a lesson in the accident – never to let anybody push you into doing anything you don’t want to do. Now Dana’s hand is better.

Dana Delany as Dr. Megan Hunt in Body of Proof

Susanna Puisto is the head of the costume department for the show. There are tailors, seamstresses, shoppers and other assistants working under her. Some clothes are purchased at the best boutiques of Beverly Hills, others are made from scratch. She and Susanna are the same size, so Susanna personally tries on clothes designed for Dana and emails the pictures to her. Susanna then supervises the first shot of each scene to make sure the new costume works out OK. She has to be constantly a few steps ahead of production schedule. Dozens of outfits are created for each episode. Many a woman might envy Susanna – she gets to shop Gucci, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. But make no mistake – the working hours on the set are long and she also has to design less glamorous items, such as lab coats… Hey, who are we kidding – Susanna Puisto is in her dream job and just loves every minute of it!

Susanna Puisto on the set of Body of Proof

GAP

Finnish companies have been participating in gap – the Global Access Program at UCLA for 12 years now. In the program, MBA students create business plans for Finnish companies.

The executives of Vianova Systems Finland Ltd. The company creates visual models of large infrastructure projects, such as the subway extension to the city of Espoo.

The way it works is this: The Finnish technology agency Tekes collaborates with UCLA Anderson School of Management. Tekes and UCLA staff scour Finland and look for high tech companies that have a potential to expand their businesses beyond their country borders. They then gather up suitable and willing companies and bring their executives to LA to meet with the UCLA Anderson’s fully employed MBA students. Each company gets a team of five students to work for them. Together the executives and students discuss the needs of the company. Then the students start their research. They talk to at least a hundred people in the field – competitors, distributors, potential customers and the like. Then the students prepare a 30 page, investor quality business plan. It contains detailed recommendations on what to do and not to do – how to expand the business and where. It will be unveiled to each participating company executives and outside judges in a formal presentation in December. This year 12 Finnish companies are participating in the program. There are 53 companies in GAP 2012 altogether from all over the world. The Finnish GAP companies have revolutionary inventions ready to be monetized. One company makes bone out of a patient’s own stem cells, the other has come up with a gadget that recharges your cell phone cordlessly and the third turns you into a press photographer who can make money out of your pictures. The GAP program has been an enormous success. Over the years it has helped 133 Finnish companies grow and expand their businesses to the U.S.and elsewhere. For more information, go to: http://www.tekes.fi/gap

Kristian Tornivaara, CEO of Surma – a ship design company, with a member of his MBA team on the UCLA campus.

LONG, HOT SUMMER

As Labor Day is upon us, it’s time to glance at this past Summer. I hear it was chilly and rainy in Finland. The same cannot be said about the Summer here in San Fernando Valley. After having lived on the Westside for a few years, we relocated in the valley in June. Within the city limits, the weather in L.A. can vary immensely depending on which part of the city you live. You can have 68 degrees F on the coast and 105 in the Valley at the same time. At first, a fan in every room cooled us down sufficiently. However, come July, the weather started to heat up. When those days of a 100 F (38 Celsius), hit, we had to go and buy an air conditioning unit in the living room. It is a big, bulky thing standing in the corner with the gigantic exhaust pipe propped to the window. Not exactly an attractive conversation piece in the living room – more like a big, white elephant!

AC unit in the living room

That was OK for a while. However, the AC in the living room did nothing to the other rooms. The fan in my bedroom was blasting in full force but it was still too hot to sleep. In my utter desperation, one night I even brought coolers from the freezer to bed with me. The second AC we got is the kind you install on the window. It alleviated the situation considerably. My Summer days started and ended with a cold shower. In the meantime the plants in the garden were suffering in the blazing sun. I had to move some of them in the sun room, where – despite of its name – it is shady.

The ferns like it in the sun room.

The azalea didn’t like that either – it was too hot for it there, so I moved it back out – this time to a shady corner. I started taking our pit bull Monty out for our daily walks early in the morning. After 9 am it was way too hot to venture outside.

Monty the pit bull has made new firends in the neighborhood. His favorite buddy is an all white hybrid wolf named Osso.

I started organizing my other activities, such as going to the store, after sunset. Little by little you learn to live with the heat, just as people in Finland have learned to live with the cold. At least I’m a bit wiser now than some years ago, when I attempted to wash my car in the heat of the day. As I sprayed cold water from the garden hose onto the windshield, it cracked!

El Timo the cat has found a cool place on top of the refrigerator.

August 24th, 2012

thinkkanen

Tourists pose with movie character impersonators in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Movie productions bring money and work to the filming locations. Therefore many states and countries offer incentives for film productions to come and shoot their movies in their turf. So far Finland has remained passive in the matter. But after the formation of local film commissions a few years ago, plans are being hatched on how to lure Hollywood to make movies in Finland.

Warren Beatty directed and starred in the 1981 movie Reds. Though the film was about the Russian revolution, it was largely shot in Finland.

During the cold war Finland had the dubious honor of playing the Soviet Union in several Hollywood pictures. The Kremlin Letter, Telefon, Reds and Gorky Park were all shot in and around Helsinki. It was a perfect match – Hollywood needed a location that looked like Russia. And since filming in the actual Soviet Union was impossible at the time, Finland, namely Helsinki, filled the void. With its similar architecture, all that was needed were a couple of red banners, a Lenin’s picture, plus a few Russian signs and voilà – you were in Moscow!

Helsinki’s Uspenski Cathedral was used for its Russian style in the 1970 thriller The Kremlin Letter.

This, of course, is no longer the case. Today’s filmmakers can simply go to real Moscow – or any other part of Russia for that matter. That has left Finland cold. International movie shoots rarely film anything but nature documentaries there. And why would anyone want to film there? For its natural beauty? A little doubtful in the case of a feature film – there’s a lot of equally spectacular nature to be found in the United States and Canada – for a lesser price. However, Finland does have some historic sights, such as castles, churches, other old building and European streetscapes totally lacking in North America.

Finland offers splendid nature to enhance the look of a movie. Pictured: Repovesi National Park in Eastern Finland.

Hollywood productions are being lured by various countries with tax exemptions, free shooting permits and tax-free purchases. Hollywood favors low cost and cheap labor countries, such as Bulgaria, Romania and to the lesser extend – the Czech Republic. However, the much more expensive New Zealand has also managed to enchant Hollywood. The Lord of the Rings movies, King Kong and the Russell Crowe blockbuster Master and Commander: At World’s End, were all shot there. This summer the Hobbit, the Emperor and the Evil Dead were filmed in New Zealand.

Milford Sound is one of New Zealand’s most famous tourist attractions.

New Zealand Film Commission Director Michael Brook says that under certain conditions they reimburse film producers 15 percent of the money spent there. The island’s other attractions include natural landscapes and opposite seasons compared to the northern hemisphere. So, summer scenes can be filmed there in January. Also, Canada’s Vancouver – a city about the size of Helsinki – has established itself as a Hollywood staple. The city can accommodate 40 big film productions simultaneously. Vancouver will pardon a third of the taxes, if the film crew uses mostly local talent. Also 40 U.S. states offer incentives. For example, Louisiana and New York give a 30 per cent tax relief to movie productions that shoot there.

Finnish film commissioners Päivi Söderström and Teija Raninen at the Scandinavian Locations event in Los Angeles.

Finland and the other Nordic film commissions have come together under the banner “Scandinavian Locations”. Finnish film commissioners Teija Raninen and Päivi Söderström recently visited Los Angeles in this capacity with their Scandinavian colleagues to market Finnish locations to Hollywood producers. There are four regional film commissions in Finland. Oddly enough, Helsinki does not have one. So any inquiries from Hollywood or other international film producers are directed to the local production companies or the city tourism office.

Consul general of Finland, Kirsti Westphalen and film commissioner Päivi Söderström at the Scandinavian Locations event at Hotel Figueroa, downtown LA.

The Finnish film commissioners advertised Finland in Hollywood as a naturally beautiful country with many industry professionals ready to be hired and eager background actors willing to work for a meal. Other advantages of shooting in Finland include flexibility and security.

Turku Castle was seen in the 1967 Ken Russell spy thriller Billion Dollar Brain, starring Michael Caine.

Finland cannot boast about low prices or incentives, though. A free three day search for shooting locations hardly counts as a tempting incentive. Finnish film officials have not even considered tax relief. Instead, the film commissioners have proposed a quirky solution: The producers could apply part of the money back that they used in Finland. The reimbursement would be subject to a scoring system. Criteria would include artistic content, local employment, whether the movie has a Finnish co-producer and whether Finland will retain any intellectual property rights. A jury would then assess each production separately.

Päivi Söderström – a film commissioner from Finland travels once a year to Hollywood to tell film producers about the benefits of shooting in Finland.

Such a system, however, would be highly complicated and impractical to a film producer trying to make his budget. How is he or she to know the outcome of that assessment in advance and be able to accurately calculate the real costs of shooting in Finland? A simple tax credit would be far better. It could include some conditions – such as having to use a certain number of local talent and crew, just like in Canada.

The 2011 action movie Hanna featured breathtaking Finnish winter sceneries. the movie was partially shot in Kuusamo, North Eastern Finland.

It makes a lot of financial sense to try to get movie productions to come and shoot in Finland. Economic benefits can be sizable – especially in rural areas struggling with recession. Motion Picture Association of America – a lobbying arm for the movie industry – recently published a study on the financial impact of movie shoots. According to the study, film productions and state incentives are a boost to the local film professionals and other industries, such as hotels, restaurants and caterers. Producers go to the cheapest possible locations that meet their artistic and other needs. For example, the TV series Body of Proof moved production from Rhode Island to Los Angeles, because the show got better tax benefits in LA. And this despite the fact that the story is set in Philadelphia!

Costume designer Susanna Puisto works on the set of Body of Proof at Disney Studios in Burbank .The show recently relocated to Los Angeles because of more favorable tax benefits.

In late winter of 2010, an American action movie Hanna shot for five days in Kuusamo. The production left a million dollars to the area suffering from high unemployment. Other economic opportunities film productions provide include product placement, geocaching and film tourism.

The 1965 musical the Sound of Music was shot on location in Austria.

The Sound of Music premiered back in 1965. The musical was shot in the beautiful Austrian locations. Even today, the film still draws tourists to Austria. Therefore, it is important for Finnish officials and politicians to come together and come up with a comprehensive scheme that includes heavy tax advantages to lure Hollywood movies to shoot in Finland. Movie shoots bring money, work, fame and visibility to the shooting locations. They boost tourism and interest in the country and benefit the local economy.

Lake Pielinen in the Koli National Park, Eastern Finland

July 31st, 2012

Ava Anttila

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn

Shades of Gray –Linda, That Is –Dallas Is Back!

Hugely popular in Finland in its first incarnation, the TV show Dallas was iconic. We will have to wait to see if the reprise here is picked up there, as well. I must confess, I have become a ‘regular’ for reasons other than the nasty plot lines: Linda Gray is back as Sue Ellen!!!

Linda Gray with others on my patio

While my only personal contact with Larry Hagman (arch villain, J.R.) was bumping ‘chair backs’ with him many years ago at Chinois [Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant in Santa Monica], Linda and I serve on a Board together [Arts Olympus –an arts/cultural support group]. What a lovely, giving, and charming person she is in ‘real life’. As an actress, she is more than willing to use her ‘elbows’ and to mix it up with the ‘bad guys’. It will be fun to watch as Linda’s character Sue Ellen runs for Governor of Texas in the new series.

Big Birthdays for Celebrity Landmarks and Hideaways

I was born at a very early age in a very cold place a certain number of years ago—and qualified for a Finnish ‘major’ celebration and inclusion in Suomen Kuvaleheti’s [Finland’s Time] back page ‘mug shots’ this year. I can remember as a kid looking at that back page of black and white photos of Finns as they aged through the “big” years. Somehow, those folks looked a lot younger this year. For this article, I choose to focus on some other ‘LA ladies’ who have worn their years quite well—and, they are older than I.

Warm, welcoming, elegant, pink –with mysterious and charming feminine energy, the Beverly Hills Hotel celebrates its 100 year birthday this year. If you have been there, you understand why someone described arriving as “…walking into a birthday cake”. The hotel with its iconic restaurant, The Polo Lounge, is the quintessential Hollywood landmark.

The hotel was built in 1912 –before Finland won its independence. In the early years, Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers, John Barrymore, and W.C. Fields were frequent visitors, as were Johnny Weissmuller [Tarzan], Joan Crawford, and Katharine Hepburn. The famous swimming pool and the private bungalows were and continue to be “…if walls could talk” nuggets of Hollywood gossip.

Greta Peck and The Polo Lounge

In my years here and in Finland, I have been fortunate to get to know some really fascinating people. I have always treasured the time I got to spend with my dear friend, Finnish-born Greta Peck who was the former wife of mega-actor Gregory Peck. She would tell stories of the desolate landscape surrounding the Beverly Hills Hotel with people riding horses up and down Sunset Boulevard when Gregory and she first arrived in Hollywood from New York!

Greta Peck loved The Polo Lounge. It was her home away from home, as it was for many others in the movie world. Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall shot the 1957 film “Designing Woman” at the hotel.

In fact, Greta’s ‘home’ home was just a few blocks up the canyon from the hotel. She loved to bring guests to The Polo Lounge for a meal. Arrival there with Greta was a ‘life experience’ as a gauntlet of staff greeted her. From the valet attendant to the Maître d’Hôtel, she received personal welcomes and bows suitable to the movie star royalty she was. During dinner, there was no better, attentive service that I have experienced. You truly felt honored to be there in her presence.

Polo Lounge- Ava with friends at a birthday luncheon

Fond Greta memories were triggered recently when another friend’s daughter had a surprise birthday luncheon for her Mom in the lovely garden patio. [I recommend the McCarthy salad, a classic dish named for former polo player/lawyer to the stars, Neil McCarthy.]

The Bel Air Hotel

Bel Air Hotel newly renovated dining terrace

After a two year closure to remodel this romantic hideaway, the Bel Air Hotel is celebrating 90 years. An oil tycoon and the founder of the residential area now known as Bel Air, Alphonzo Bell, originally built the main structure as his office with stables and a riding ring. The lush Hotel gardens have over 200 plant species.

The Bel Air Hotel has been a favorite escape for celebrities and a venue for Angelenos’ special occasions. The facility is tucked away in a secluded Bel Air canyon off Sunset Boulevard, across from UCLA. As a hideaway for the rich and famous, it was used by the Rockefellers and the Kennedys, among many others who still prefer to remain ‘nameless’. Stars seeking privacy such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, Sharon Stone, Tom Cruise, Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Sophia Loren found serenity on the beautiful grounds. TV anchors and national political figures either ‘miss’ each other or pretend that they have not just seen the other—if you can believe that!

Bel Air Hotel’s outdoor lounge (photo by Ava Anttilla)

With two ‘special’ occasions this year, it was time to check out the new ambiance and cuisine for a lunch and a dinner. From the outside, the pink exterior [like the Beverly Hills Hotel] welcomes guests with its feminine energy –like a hug from a favorite aunt. The famous white swans are still on the pond, but…. It used to give both a breath of exhilaration and a sigh of peace as one passed over the bridge into another world of beauty, refinement, calm, and elegance.

Bel Air Hotel's Steak Tartare, Angus Burger and Sashimi Salad

Bel Air Hotel’s culinary delights: Steak Tartare, Angus Burger and Sashimi Salad (photo by Ava Anttila)

Through the years, the Bel Air has been the home of mahogany, leather, and sophisticated genteel refinement. Now, the bar, dining room, and outdoor terrace are a strange combination of modern wooden beams, hard surfaces, torch/glass heaters, and an apparent attempt at ‘new’ Hollywood glam. Some old friends (including descendents of Bel Air’s founder) are so disgusted and heartbroken by these changes they refuse to return. To me, however, for a chance to eat Wolfgang Puck’s cooking, much can be forgiven. I just close my eyes and taste the food. Now, if they would just get rid of the horrible soundtrack….

I do miss the elegance, peace, quiet, and calm so apparent and so appreciated by celebrities, Finns, and friends in the days of yore.

Anna Easteden

Anna Easteden by Jonny Kahleyn

Finland’s Hollywood hope, Anna Easteden, checked in to tell of her summer news and activities:

In addition to remodeling projects in her home and hosting foreign exchange students, Anna mentioned her new role with the actor who plays Eric Forrester in The Bold and The Beautiful, another Finnish favorite television drama. ‘Eric Forrester’ plays her father in an indie movie in the works.

What a great dramatic actress Anna is, but your humble correspondent would love to play Ethel Mertz against Anna as Lucille Ball. With her gift for comedy and uncanny characteristics, she would be brilliant.

OK…OK… I will let Cathy Bates take the Ethel role so I can get on with writing this column!

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe by George Barris

In 2012 we commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the death of Marilyn Monroe. Brentwood resident Marilyn Monroe was known worldwide and she dominated popular culture in her day—and still does. [Next time you go to Palm Springs, check out the 26 foot statue on Palm Canyon Drive.] She died in her home on 5^th Helena [of the many Helena Streets in Brentwood]. To this day, there is ongoing speculation as to the cause of her death. She was 36 when she died. She is buried in a cemetery in Westwood. You can visit her if you like.

Varpu Lindstrom

Varpu Lindstrom

A sad milestone: the passing of a Finnish literary and academic icon. Varpu Lindstrom died of brain cancer on June 21, 2012 at the age of 63. Professor Lindstom enjoyed a stellar career as a scholar and teacher of History and Women’s Studies.

In one of my particularly vexing legal cases, my familiarity with and admiration of Varpu’s scholarship paid major dividends. She had written about the unique Finnish ‘piika’ tradition of young women who worked for ‘families of the fortunate’ living with the family as if members of the family even though their role remained as a servant. Since my case involved Finns, and the facts/ages aligned, I invited Dr. Lindstrom to testify as an expert witness at trial. Long story short—we won the case and it became precedent California law.

While all lawyers like winning trials and being part of a quotable, precedent case, my real reward was having the opportunity to spend a significant number of hours with a Finn whom I admired greatly. We had dinner to become comfortable with each other—and spent additional time exploring the relevance of her scholarly insights into the facts of the case. What a delight she was! Warm and personable, her facile mind quickly grasped the complexity of the case and the degree of difficulty in explaining a foreign cultural phenomenon to an unfamiliar and skeptical audience. She smiled with calm assurance as she quietly answered all opposing counsel questions during a brutal attempt at cross examination. Checkmate!

Varpu Lindstrom being applauded by colleagues

Later, after the trial was long over, Varpu and her equally brilliant husband, Borje Vähämäki (also a renowned scholar and leader in the area of Finnish Studies), came to speak at a Finlandia Foundation event in Pasadena. What an added pleasure it was to have them for dinner at my home while they were in town. We sat around the table privately hearing of and enquiring about their research and work in Finnish language, culture, and history. It was an enriching experience for which I am so grateful. What minds!

Olympics and 60!!!!

60 years ago, the summer Olympics were held in Helsinki.

1952 Summer Olympics

60 years ago, Queen Elizabeth took the British throne. This is her Diamond Jubilee. If you watched the opening ceremonies of the current Olympics, you likely saw David Beckham driving the Olympic Torch up the Thames in a motor yacht in the grand caldron ‘lighting’ ritual. The last time I saw Mr. Beckham and family in celebration was more modest—just balloons, not giant torches.

David Beckham & Family

And, if you stayed up late enough to see the ‘closing’ of the ‘opening’ Olympic ceremonies, you got to hear the assembled masses sing along with Sir Paul McCartney on a “…NaNaNaNa” Beatles modern classic, “Hey Jude”. You may have even joined in…. Instead of singing, I smiled with recollection of my favorite aunt [see Bel Air Hotel segment] greeting another Franklin Park regular dog walker by remembering his dog’s name, but having to ask to be refreshed on the owner’s name. His answer: “Paul—Paul McCartney”.

P.S.: Happy 1^st Birthday to Finntimes!!!!

July 9th, 2012

thinkkanen

Story, pictures: Tomi Hinkkanen

There’s a new pastor in town. Jarmo Tarkki began his tenure as the Lutheran pastor of California and Texas Finns April 1^st, 2012.

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki

“And that’s no April fools joke,” he quips about his starting date.

The very first impression of the man is that he smiles a lot. I get to attend the first sermon at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Santa Monica. Tarkki involved the audience in the proceedings by quizzing their knowledge of charismatic protestant movements of Finland. He also performed a baby boy’s baptismal to the horror of the boy himself, who kept crying throughout the rite. Afterwards there was a coffee and cake reception for the new pastor. A week later we sit down for an interview with the good pastor at the Glendale Hilton, while he was attending a meeting of Lutheran pastors.

Jarmo Tarkki at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Santa Monica

His official title is Finnish Minister of California and Texas Finns. It is an office of American Evangelical Lutheran Church, but by agreement, his salary is paid by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were 17 applicants to this job. Previously Tarkki had a post in the Danish Lutheran Church in Solvang, California, where he still resides (Although he does not speak Danish, he tells). Jarmo Tarkki first came to the United States in 1978 while working on his doctoral thesis on the subject “questioning religious authority.” After receiving his Ph.D. in Theology, Tarkki served as the pastor in Siuntio, Southern Finland and has also served as a prison minister. In the 1990′s he briefly dappled in politics, wrote newspaper columns and appeared as the host of a popular TV talk show “Mars and Venus”. He returned to the States in 1999 and has lived here ever since. This new post as the pastor to the Finnish immigrants just might geographically be the largest Lutheran congregation in the world.

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki

“The congregation consists of the whole of California, Texas and Mexico. I also serve Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. It has been estimated that there are approximately 60 000 first, second and third generation Finns in California who still identify themselves as such,” the pastor knows.

He has an unusual way of getting around his vast congregation.

“I have my own airplane, Cessna 172, with which I fly from Solvang to San Diego and San Francisco.”

To longer destinations, such as Dallas, he flies on a commercial airliner. Each congregation has a distinctly different flavor.

A reception after services given by Pastor Tarkki in Santa Monica

“Dallas has younger Finns, 30-40 years old, a lot of families with children – Finns who moved there to work for Nokia Siemens Networks and other high-tech companies. We had 105 people there for Mother’s Day worship.”

The pastor squeezes in several functions on these longer trips.

“I flew there Thursday and came back on Monday. All day Friday, there were many meetings. We had a church that evening, the Council meeting and the new pastor’s barbecue party. It was held in a local Finnish home and was attended by about forty people. On Saturday, there was the end of semester celebration for the Finnish school with children and families involved. Then I held confirmation rehearsals for four four candidates for confirmation. On Sunday, there was church service, which culminated in the confirmation. After that I went to the home of one newly confirmed, whose family threw him a reception.”

The new pastor was well-received in Dallas.

“The majority of the Dallas congregation are Finnish, though some of them have American spouses. They are open, cheerful, positive people, who keep in close contact with each other out there, even though the newer entrants are fluent in English. However, there is this sort of Finnish community. It is of great importance, especially on holidays such as Mother’s Day or Christmas.”

Pastor Tarkki gave the Easter service in San Diego.

“Beause there is a Nokia research and development in San Diego, it resembles somewhat Dallas. Then there are the academics – researchers, scientists and the like. There are also a few older folk – Armi Kuusela among others participated in the worship, sitting in the front row with her husband Albert. She promised to come back the next time. The San Diego Finnish congregation is a nice, active community.”

Tarkki has a touching memory from his last trip there.

“I went to see an elderly Finnish woman in a retirement home there. She died only a few days after my visit.”

Los Angeles feels like a typical Finnish community to Tarkki. About 40 people attended his inaugural worship in Santa Monica.

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki with Suomi-Koulu (Finnish school), teacher Mira Scott at St. Paul’s Church in Santa Monica

There is an entirely new congregation in the making in Silicon Valley.

“I assume that in Silicon Valley there are probably similar people as in Dallas. In Berkeley, there is a Finnish Church, the Lutheran Church of the Cross. They had a Finnish pastor there before. There is a Finnish deaconess there, who has presided over services there from time to time.”

The idea is to have Finnish church services in each of the locations six times a year. In addition, Tarkki will travel to Mexico City on December 15^th to give services there to the consular staff.

Jarmo Tarkki wants to invite all western Finns to his church service.

“I want to inform Finnish residents that such a possibility of having a worship service now exists six times a year in these different places. And if someone has a need to contact the minister – whether it be a discussion of pastoral care, baptisms, weddings or funerals – so they can now be handled from here.”

“The idea is to integrate the local Finns in the American Lutheran Church, rather than creating Finnish ghettoes here, where services are given only by Finnish pastors.”

Pastor Tarkki points out that this approach differs from the Swedish model, in which separate Swedish congregations are encouraged.

“In this sense, the Finnish model is really good. When there are no Finnish church services, the congregation is encouraged to attend the American Lutheran Church.”

What is amazing is that Tarkki does all this without any help – he doesn’t even have an assistant. So, this reporter encourages you all to give generously when the collection times comes. There is always need for extra this and that in the church.

Tarkki’s new Finnish congregation differs from his former Danish-American one.

“In Solvang, I did a lot of pastoral work over the phone. People called on all sorts of things. Some Finns will call as well, but the threshold for them to call is higher than for Americans. They are more used to it.”

Church plays a significantly larger role in American lives than it does in Finns’ lives.

“I don’t think there are big differences in terms of religiousness, but the social interaction is totally different here. Our American churches have a strong social function. Many younger people use them as dating venues. The church also has a networking task – reaching out to people. Americans move a lot. If you are a member of the Lutheran church, by joining a new Lutheran congregation, you will instantly gain a network of a couple hundred people. Among them, there is almost certainly a person for every purpose, whether you need a lawyer or a doctor.”

Jarmo Tarkki says that church plays a large role in American lives.

In Finland, on the other hand, the church no longer plays a significant role in connecting people.

“In Finland, there is substantially less need for that. People move around less and they create their networks in other ways. When no one attends church, it is difficult to create any kind of a network.”

In some ways the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church can blame itself for becoming irrelevant. YLE 2 – a TV channel in Finland aired a gay-themed night in the fall of 2010. The Finnish panelists affiliated with the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church largely condemned homosexuality, causing tens of thousands of Finns to resign from the church within weeks of the broadcast. Jarmo Tarkki has dealt with the issue in his own church and former congregation.

“The U.S. Lutheran church made its decision three years ago. After all, it has ordained openly gay people as pastors for a long time. The burning question was: Can a person living in a homosexual relationship be ordained. It had previously been prohibited, but even that was permitted at that time three years ago.”

Tarkki agrees with the decision.

“In my opinion, the American Lutheran Church has acted in a fine way and set an example that this should now be followed elsewhere.”

The American Evangelical Lutheran Church was present at this year’s Gay Pride march in West Hollywood.

He says he has no problem presiding over same sex weddings.

“I could do it even today. It is a matter of state law. When California allowed same-sex marriages, I announced that if anyone should ask such a blessing, I’m willing to wed them and I do not see in any kind of problem in it.”

Tarkki extended his offer to his parish in Solvang, but in the rural community no such couples stepped forward. He had earlier held a series of discussions on the subject with his parishioners.

“There were some people who presented loud and strong views. Others are made equally strong views of an opposite opinion. We had agreed beforehand that this is a secure location to speak. Everyone has the right to express their views, but must also listen to others. We dealt with these things so much that when the American Evangelical Lutheran Church finally made its decision, it was no longer a novelty.”

Tarkki criticizes the church as a whole on human rights.

“The church should always defend the human rights of those who are in need of defending. This includes all minorities, whether racial, religious, or of sexual orientation. We should now be in the world today where the Church has no right to discriminate. It is a shocking situation that a private employer cannot discriminate a person based on his or her sexual orientation, but the church can. It should be the other way around – the church should have led the way.”

Jarmo Tarkki thinks the church leaders in Finland are too timid on human rights as not to “rock the boat”.

“I once had a long person-to-person meeting at the Cathedral Chapter with the Helsinki Bishop Eero Huovinen. We talked about this. Bishop Huovinen thought, as many of the bishops think, that the bishop’s main role is to ensure that the church ship does not sway. I said to him, that it is difficult to rock the church boat, when it’s already half submerged!”

He says in Finland the church is known mainly for the things it opposes.

“The Church has distinguished itself by what it opposes, not by what it is for. That the Church opposes abortion, stores being open on Sundays – supposedly on the grounds that if the stores were open on Sunday mornings, people would not come to church. Well, they will not go there anyway! And then the gay debate. I think that people will form the impression that the Church always opposes something.”

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki criticizes the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church on being known mainly for what it opposes.

The immigrant pastors work sometimes takes Tarkki to unusual places and situations.

“I received word from a prison priest in Finland that I know. He said there is a Finnish inmate in a Las Vegas detention center – if I could visit him? Well, I flew to Vegas on my plane. It took a full day to arrange the half an hour meeting at the Clark County Jail with the detainee. He was visibly surprised and delighted that a Finnish pastor came to see him. It was an interesting meeting. I told him we can talk about anything he wants. That started the conversation. Now, this is exactly what I think the actual work of Church should be.”

Then there was a rather unusual baptismal the pastor was sent to perform.

“I got a request from Ridgecrest to baptize the child of Finnish couple. Ridgecrest is located in Indian Wells Valley, the middle of a desert. Again, I flew there on my plane. The child’s father came to pick me up and was glad to know that the pastor comes from the sky. Then we went to his house. The mother’s parents were visiting from Finland. It turned out that the father is a Finnish Air Force engineer. He develops the F-18 fighter jet Hornet’s computer systems in the nearby China Lake Naval Air Station. We had a completely Finnish baptismal with hymns and all.”

Pastor Tarkki reminisces about unusual situations that his work sometimes gets him into.

There was also a very untraditional wedding that Jarmo Tarkki performed.

“A Finnish couple wanted to get married in San Diego. It was Saturday, and I had to fly there from Solvang. We had agreed that I’d be there that morning. But that day it was still foggy at noon, so I couldn’t take off. Finally at 1 pm the fog had lifted and I was able to get on the way, flying there over Catalina island. I had called the couple before taking off, telling them I was in a tight spot: I had a wedding rehearsal back in Solvang that same evening. I asked them to come to the airport, so I could marry them right there. They were very excited. So, I married them at the end of the runway and had the reception in a nearby private air terminal. Then I jumped on my plane and flew back to Solvang, just in time for the wedding rehearsal.”

Jarmo Tarkki and Dean Nelson, Bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America

Pastor Jarmo Tarkki will be officially sworn in as the minister of the Finnish congregation by Dean Nelson, Bishop of the Southwest California Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The ceremony is set to take place in Santa Monica, California on October 21^st, 2012.

See you at the worship services!

June 27th, 2012

thinkkanen

Reporter, pictures: Tomi Hinkkanen & Jonny Kahleyn

Last October the Foreign Ministry of Finland announced plans to shut down the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles and move its operations to Silicon Valley.

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen at her Bel Air residence during an independence ball.

Finntimes mounted a vigorous campaign to keep the consulate in L.A. where we feel it rightfully belongs. Our readers really stepped up to support this cause. In a couple of months, 641 of you signed our on-line petition. An additional 142 signed the petition at the Scandinavian Film Festival in Beverly Hills. That’s 783 signatures in total. They were delivered to the deciders in Finland, including the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister.

Film director Renny Harlin signing the Finntimes petition to save the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles at the Scandinavian Film Festival in Beverly Hills.

Now our efforts have yielded results. The Foreign Ministry has revised their plans and made the absolutely right decision to keep the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles after all. We have won!

Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles Kirsti Westphalen

Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, Kirsti Westphalen, has worked tirelessly to secure this monumental decision. She spoke exclusively to Finntimes right before the decision was made public.

What was decided about the future of the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles?

“Well, I’m happy to tell you that the Consulate General of Finland will continue its operations in Los Angeles, but with a reduced budget. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other actors in Finland continue to be under tremendous economic pressures. The Ministry reviewed the issue in light of the cost benefit that might have been accrued from moving our Consulate General to the joint premises that we have in Silicon Valley. But as it turned out, the savings were not as substantial as were previously thought. The prices in Silicon Valley have turned out to be exorbitant. This was one of the factors. We will be able to achieve savings and at the same time retain and keep the core functions of the Consulate General – servicing the Finns, who are entitled to consular services.”

Between 7,000 and 9,500 Finns live in the 13 western states that the consulate serves. Many of them reside in SoCal.

L.A. Finns celebrating Juhannus – midsummer – at the Finnish club in North Hollywood.

What will be cut from the budget?

“The major savings will come from our rent costs. Currently the Consulate General occupies an office in Century City. We will be looking at cheaper alternatives, which will not be too far from the current location. We are aiming to relocate in the 405-corridor in West L.A.. Substantial savings can be achieved this way. We also have to cut from our operating expenditure, but in such a way that we still hope to be able to retain our core functions to be of service to Finnish citizens and public diplomacy work on education and clean, sustainable solutions, including the support to creative Finns in Los Angeles.”

Kristian Jokinen is the clean tech expert at the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles.

So, you will not cut any personnel?

“We will be able to maintain the personnel that we have at the moment. We are under staffed as it is and people are working very hard. We are eight persons altogether.”

One major event had to be cut from the Consulate General’s social calendar, though:

“Already this year we will be very careful with our budget. Thus, this year we will not be holding the traditional Independence Day Party at the residence. We want to put our budget into activities that directly contribute to the success of Finland here in the U.S.. I hope that in the years to come, when the budgetary situation will be better, we will be able to get together to celebrate the independence of Finland with a party at the residence. This year, however, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate independence in the Bay Area, here in Los Angeles and in San Diego, where local Finns are planning independence day celebrations.”

Who made this decision?

“All these very painful decisions were reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs along with very highest of our decision makers, including the President of the Republic.”

Even though Los Angeles was saved, some other representations have to be shut down.

“Consulate General of Hamburg, Germany and Consulate in Sydney, Australia will be closed during 2013 and our mission at the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, will be merged with the Finnish Embassy in Vienna. So, this is an ongoing process. These are in addition to closures that have been announced already earlier.”

Finntimes publisher Tomi Hinkkanen promoting the petition to save the Consulate General of Finland in L.A. at the Scandinavian Film Festival in Beverly Hills.

Do you think that the petition on Finntimes played any role in saving the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles?

“I am sure it played a very important role. It was duly noted that the support of the Finnish community on the U.S. West Coast was strongly in favor of maintaining activities of the Consulate General of Los Angeles. It had an important role, as the decision was being reviewed. That in the addition to the fact that the government decided earlier on this year in the so-called “Team Finland Report”, where we are trying to reinforce the activities of Finnish missions abroad, that one must have a strong Finnish presence here in the U.S. West Coast.”

Kirsti Westphalen wants to personally thank our readers.

“My personal thanks goes to you, your readers, Finntimes and your article and petition on retaining the consulate here in Los Angeles.”

Virpi Sidler of FACC and Kirsti Westphalen at the Finnish Community Roundtable event at the Consul General’s residence in Bel Air.

And Finntimes and myself want to thank Consul General Kirsti Westphalen for playing a key role in successfully defending the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles. As the icing on today’s victory cake, Ms. Westphalen will stay on an extra year in L.A., until the Summer of 2013. And a million thanks to all you readers, who signed our petition and made this happy outcome possible.

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen by Jonny Kahleyn

Thank you, Consul General Kirsti Westphalen for saving our consulate!

Links:

SAVE THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF LOS ANGELES

CONSULATE GENERAL OF FINLAND IN LOS ANGELES

June 4th, 2012

thinkkanen

Story, pictures: Lena Hartikainen – West Palm Beach, FL

The Hartikainen family - from the left: Nico, Seppo, Lena and Robert

It was May 1999 in Helsinki. My husband, Seppo Hartikainen came to me and asked, “If I was to be offered a job in America, would you go with me? Spontaneously I replied: “Sure as long as it is not Florida!

Lo and behold, its now 2012 and I’m writing this, out of all places, in Florida. But back to 1999. My husband is a Lutheran pastor and in August 1999 he was offered a job to serve at the Finnish Lutheran Church in Seattle,WA. We though it would be a nice one-to-three-year experience. Our sons, Nico “the drummer” was 12 and Robert a first grader. We are still on that same trip.

The Hartikainens settled in a Seattle suburb called Edmonds, purchasing a fixer-upper there.

When our good friend in Portland, Oregon heard that we are moving to Seattle, he predicted it will take us exactly five minutes to get used it. It proved out to be true. Naturally, the fact that we had both spend quite a bit of time in Vancouver, British Colombia, Canada, which is literally next-door, helped, as we had many friends in the Pacific North West region already.

We loved every minute of the seven and a half years that we lived there, except the traffic. My worst traffic experience was on Monday after Thanksgiving in 2006, when I got stuck on the freeway for nine hours in an ice and snowstorm!

The first years were a bit of a struggle financially for us, as it took longer than we expected to get work permit for me. So I spent the first two years renovating an old house built in the 1950’s . For a city girl from Helsinki, who has never even held a hammer in her hand, I have to say I did pretty good job. I learned how to paint, sand hardwood floors, build drywalls, lay tiles and you name it.

Lena renovated the Hartikainen family home by herself.

I loved every corner of that old house. It was a house with an unfinished basement, which we totally finished adding some 1, 000 square feet of living space. Eventually we even added a sauna. The house was located in the suburbs of Seattle in a little town called Edmonds. It has a terminal where the ferries take you to the Olympic Peninsula.

The Washington state ferries dock in Edmonds.

It was a quaint little town with a lot of charm. We had the Pacific ocean/Puget Sound within walking distance from our home. We couldn’t have asked for more. The public schools were great and our kids blended in in no time. For the 12-year-old Nico, it took a bit longer as he was missing his friend. However, the language of music is the same everywhere. Since he was a talented drummer, the other kids and his music teacher adored him. Nico was enrolled in the pre-IB program and eventually graduated with the IB-diploma from Edmonds-Woodway High School.

The Edmonds marina

It took less for Robert to adapt as he was such an easy going little kid. On the first day however, he was a bit nervous and asked me what he should say if someone says something. “Just use what ever language skills you have and it’ll be ok,” I advised him. So we walk into the room together. As he walks in, he says: “hastala vista baby, I’ll be back!” That was all he knew in “English”. “This boy will do just fine,” the teacher smiled. And so he did.

While living in Washington, Lena had to re-invent herself.

While doing the renovation, I studied for a new career. Professional Life Coaching was not well known yet in the year 2000. My original intention had been to continue my studies in Social Psychology, but as an out-of-state student, the tuition was totally out of my reach, so I found coaching.

The Hartikainens

In Finland, I had worked for Pan Am, Delta and China Airlines in various positions – sales, customer service and management for some 10 + years. But the travel industry jobs were scarce in the late summer of 2001 when I received my green card. Especially after 9/11 they became almost extinct. I still managed to get a job with a tour operator. My job was to organize tours to Scandinavia, Finland, Russia and the Baltic states.

My unfinished degree from Finland was bothering me. So, in 2005 I enrolled in the University of Phoenix, and graduated with B.S. in Management two years later.

While a student, I found a job as a Call Center Manager for AAA Washington. I greatly enjoyed the job for its fast pace and great teamwork.

I also ran my first marathon in November of 2005.

At the end of 2006, my husband told me there was an opportunity for him in Florida. So in February of 2007 we found ourselves in the Sunshine State. This time just our younger son Robert came with us.

After living in the Pacific Northwest for seven years, Lena Hartikainen found herself in balmier Florida.

Nico was already 20 and had just signed a record contract with Photo Finish Records. He and his band Danger Radio were ready to tour the world. We accepted the fact that one must follow one’s dream.

While the rest of the family moved to Florida, the eldest son, Nico Hartikainen pursued his dreams in Hollywood.

Now we are in Florida.

My husband Seppo works at the St. Andrews Lutheran Churchas the Senior Pastor. Robert was enrolled in a small private Lake Worth Christian School in the last quarter of his last year in middle school. Again he acclimated to new surroundings without any qualms.

The Hartikainens at church

In 2007 recession hit Florida, which again made it challenging for me to land a job. I used my coaching skills to help others find jobs and develop their careers by launching FindYourJuice-coaching. But I missed the energy of a larger company. While wondering how to get integrated into the local business world, I co-founded the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce Florida with three other businesspeople. I soon discovered the Finnish companies needed more help than what the chamber could offer. So, with another entrepreneur, I co-founded Optimus Consulting Group Inc. in February of 2011. The first year has been full of excitement and hard work, which is starting to pay off. I look forward to each working day!

Lena Hartikainen went into business by herself in Florida, founding a consulting company.

Meanwhile Robert has graduated from high school and is finishing his first year in Palm Beach State College. Nico has lived in L.A. for the last five years, producing music, both independently and working as a sound engineer for Atlantic Records.

Nico Hartikainen is making a career in Hollywood as a sound engineer and a song writer.

Now that we live in Florida, a steadier stream of visitors come from Finland – most likely due to the more favorable climate and the pool in the backyard.

We did not want to acquire another renovation job in Florida, but purchased a house that had been recently upgraded. Our little Oreo-dog has been with us since 2003 and is loved by visitors and family alike.

The Hartikainen family pool attracts visitors from Finland.

Naturally, due to the role my husband has with the church and I with the FACC we have strong connections to the local Finnish community. So much so, that we don’t feel the need to visit Finland that often – perhaps every two or three years. The boys seem to long for Finland even less, as they are busy with their own lives.

Lena Hartikainen on the beach with her mom, Sisko Antturi

I can’t say I miss anything specific from Finland anymore, as the world is so global and even “näkkileipä” and rye bread can be found at a local supermarket. Naturally we miss family and friends.

The Hartikainen family has happily settled in the United States.

May 30th, 2012

thinkkanen

Reporter, pictures: Tomi Hinkkanen – Oakland, CA

Banker Tea "Tiu" Tuominen took a year off and paid hersef silly to race around the world on a sailboat.

Clipper Race is the world’s longest ocean race. Ten 68 foot yachts race 40,000 miles around the world in a course of one year. There are approximately 450 participants – many of whom are just regular folks without a sailing background. There are three Finns among the sailors. Their boat is called Visit Finland.

Clippers at Oakland harbor

I meet Tiu at the Oakland small boat harbor just as the racers are getting ready to continue their arduous journey. Helsinki-born Tea “Tiu” Tuominen, 39, is a successful banker based in London. She is not new to adventure. Her work in a private equity firm recently took her to Ghana, Africa, where she helped secure financing for small and medium-sized businesses. She heard about the clipper race from friends. Last Summer Tiu married another banker, the British Rupert Melsom. They originally planned to sail together on the same boat.

Tea "Tiu" Tuominen at the Oakland harbor

“Originally the idea was to sail on the same boat, but the clipper organization was of the opinion that it is not healthy for a relationship, nor fair to other people on board,” Tiu explains.

So, it was decided that they would race on separate boats. Tiu is sailing on Visit Finland and Rupert on a Dutch boat called De Lage Landen.

They had been on a couple of test runs on two different sailboats. Other than that, neither had previous sailing experience. But before they journey could begin, they had to participate in a month-long training program and pay the admission to participate in the race – 43,000 pounds (66,500 dollars), each to the Clipper Organization.

Rupert Melsom and Tea "Tiu" Tuominen on a stopover in San Francisco

The race started on July 31^st, 2011 in Southampton, England.

“We had a huge departure ceremony. The British aircraft carrier Illustrious followed us. Helicopters and the media were buzzing around. At that point, I said to myself, wow!”

Tea "Tiu" Tuominen and the boat medic Carter Croft

Tiu shares the small yacht with 17 other crew members. Space is tight and privacy minimal. There are two lavatories on board that are separated from the cabin only by a curtain. Each crew member is only allowed 20 kilos (44 pounds), of personal items. They all have a small bunk bed. Some other yachts are even more cramped . They have to resort to “hot bunking”, meaning that two people share the same bunk, sleeping there in turns.

British captain Oliver Osborne helms Visit Finland on her around the world voyage.

The first stopover was in Madeira, where they stayed for three days. Then it was onto Rio De Janeiro. It took them 25 days to cross the Atlantic to Brazil. Just as they were about to dock in Rio, one of the three Finns on board Visit Finland, Riikka Puustinen, slipped and fell on deck, breaking her wrist. She had to leave the race for the next to legs but later on returned to continue the race.

Riikka Puustinen had to withdraw from the clipper race for two legs due to wrist injury.

Then they sailed to Cape Town. The Finnish ambassador to South Africa threw a dinner party for the Finns. The journey then continued to Australia, New Zealand and China. The longest leg of the entire voyage was the crossing from China to the West Coast of the U.S. It was also the most arduous part of the whole trip.

Tiu points to a spot in California on the map where she was at the time of the interview.

“During the 30-day crossing we only had two days of sunshine. Most of the time the sea was stormy, so we sailed only with small sails. It also took its emotional toll. No sun, it was cold, wet, and clothing or anything else never dried. Most of the crew were sick at some point. Only two people, a medic Carter and I were spared from disease.”

Helming a clipper during a storm takes a lot of physical strength.

“The cold dampness went to the bones. We do not have any form of heating on board. Other boats have electric heaters and air conditioners. We decided to do without them.,” Tiu adds.

It all paid off when they finally saw a familiar landmark in the distance.

“Sailing under the Golden Gate bridge was absolutely incredible. It was one of the best and most memorable events I have ever experienced in my life.”

Clippers arriving in San Francisco under the Golden gate bridge

Life on board is anything but a leisure cruise. This is a competition, so the crew has to sail as fast as possible 24/7.

“We have two guard shifts – four hours at night and six hours during day. When one shift is sailing, the other is asleep.”

So the crew members sleep twice a day, three, four hours at a time.

Tiu shows her bunkbed on board the clipper Visit Finland.

“It has gone surprisingly well. Prior to the start of the trip I was pretty worried, wondered how it would work. Iif one counts the hours, we get quite enough sleep.”

Tiu does admit that being awakened to do a shift is anything but pleasant.

“It hurts, especially in the middle of the night. It is wet, cold, you have just fallen asleep and warmed up. Then someone will wake up and you have 20 minutes to put up to five layers of clothing on. Must put the wet clothes on. Cannot be late, that wouldn’t be fair to the others. Outside it’s raining and it is cold.”

Life onboard is no picnick - the crew has to sail as fast as possible 24/7.

On the deck the task is to sail as efficiently as possible.

“We must always ensure that we have the right sail plan. The sails are changed according to wind. When the wind is on the increase, we must change to smaller sails. When the wind is reduced, they have to be replaced with larger sails. All the time we are trying to get maximum speed out of the boat.”

Derrick Bikea, Tea Tuominen and Nigel Jenkins on board Visit Finland

Sailing is brutal mental and physical work.

“In the beginning people are not necessarily in top physical shape, but as the race goes on your physique gets stronger and your weight drops.”

Everybody participates in steering of the boat.

“It would be too tiresome for only one or two people to steer the boat. I was especially hard during this last leg in the high waves and wind. Steering requires quite a lot of muscle power. It is physically hard. That is why people have to take turns. It raises your self-confidence and helps you get over your fears. On our boat, we have a lot of people who are good drivers. The waves sweep over the boat and whoever is at the helm will get just soaked. You are certainly quite frozen, when finally the watch ends and you get back inside. You will fall asleep right away”

Tiu at the helm of Visit Finland - steering the boat in a storm is arduous work.

Eating and drinking on a boat also differs from meals at home.

“We do not have any fresh food – no meat, fish, vegetables. The sea is full of fish, but we go too fast to fish. There is a water-engine which converts the seawater for drinking water. It’s really good, clean-tasting and cold when it comes to the sea. On tropical sections of the trip, it is warm.”

Galley of Visit Finland is stocked with non-perishables, water is converted salt water from the ocean.

They don’t have showers on the boat, but occasionally crew members are treated to nature’s own shower.

“We have shower gel on deck in case of tropical rain showers. When it rains we, wash in the rain, which is often hard. It is a great luxury for us.”

The starry night sky on high seas looks awesome. Tiu has also seen a lot of nature and sea creatures on the long sea journey.

Visit Finland clipper docked at the Oakland harbor

“There are lots of dolphins. We have seen as quite a lot of whales in the South Sea and the South Atlantic . We have seen their water spouts and whales have dived from under our boat. Once one big dark-gray whale came beside the boat, lifted its head and looked at us curiously. In the middle of the South Sea there were albatrosses. Sea is always full of life.”

Tea "Tiu" Tuominen, captain Oliver Osborne, medic Carter Croft and another Finn, Thomas Linblom in the cabin of Visit Finland

Personal chemistry has worked well among crew members.

“It has gone surprisingly well. Everyone understands, that one must have patience and tolerance towards others. Quite a few – myself included – have learned a lot about tolerance and to give people the time and understand them. In bad moments, you need support from others. You also learn to support others.”

Tiu with husband Rupert in San Francisco. The couple has to spend long periods of time apart.

Tiu admits that trip has taken its toll on her marriage, even though the spouses are traveling on separate boats.

“Yes, because we are separated from each other for so long, and see each other only on stopovers. On the other hand, it has been a good thing in the sense that we have been able to share this experience together. The experience is kind of the same on both. We can support each other better.”

Clipper race around the world has been a transformative experience to Tiu.

All in all, the race around the world has been a life changing experience for Tiu.

“Such an experience is just an incredibly valuable. I believe that in my future work, this experience will bear fruit. I can look back on this experience and get power, ideas and inspiration . You can cope with anything, as long as you have faith in yourself and others. It gets you far.

Therefore, when the sailors arrive in Southampton this Summer, a different Tiu will return from this trip than the one who embarked on it.

“I believe so. A better, improved Tiu.”

Visit Finland is cheduled to arrive in Southampton, England in July 2012.

May 15th, 2012

Ava Anttila

by Ava Anttila

WOW! This was a most jam-packed-event-filled month for your intrepid girl-about-town reporter. Even though my feet never seemed to hit the ground—or my head a pillow, I found love, joy, and Finnish pride abounding with the happenings in our City of Angels.

As the dust begins to settle, I can see amazing and wonderful things are beginning to happen in ways we can all celebrate. Reflection gives us the ability to see the past, present, and future coming together with a definite synergy. Perspective suggests that initiatives in our Finnish American community are about to take off in ways that are very exciting.

Mother’s Day

First things first: But a few hours ago, I held my baby grandson as my granddaughter pasted ‘stickers’ in her ‘workbook’. Their dad, my younger son, was in my kitchen preparing a Mother’s Day brunch for the mother of his children and for me. As the big bald guy [stylishly shaved head] worked at the same kitchen sink where I occasionally bathed him when he was as small as the little bald guy [too young to have a full head of hair] in my arms, I had one of those OMG moments. Poignant!!

As some of you may know by rumor or because you have been at my house for meetings or parties, a fair number of meals have been ‘hatched’ in that kitchen. Until this Mother’s Day, I cannot think of one celebratory feast where I did not do most, if not all, of the preparation. What a treat this was. Food and service were terrific—I could get used to being spoiled that way!

Still…the vision of generations operating in their own way in the same spaces tugs at the heart strings.

My Ӓiti (who was in her bed in my parent’s quarters) had managed a smile when her caregiver brought her flowers in the early morning and when the great-grandkids came to say hello, but she could not know how grateful I was for her role in getting me to the Mother’s Day that was unfolding before my eyes—and in my heart.

The feminine energy, the outreach, the nurturing spirit, and the quiet caring that make Finnish Moms special, remind us to practice what they taught us in our everyday lives. Let us all live the values of outreach, nurturing, and kindness to one another.

Merry Month of May

Snow or no, LA Finns celebrate the ‘end of winter’ in lots of exuberance!

Greta Peck

There is not a month of May that Greta Peck does not come to mind. She has been properly celebrated in the Finnish American community for a long time. In May of 1998, the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce [FACC] created the Greta Peck Award in her honor in recognition of her lifetime labors and caring, generous support and service to causes she made worthy by her commitment. The inception of the Greta Peck Award was in Marina del Rey Harbor at the California Yacht Club with a big Vappu celebration where Greta was donned LA’s own “Havis Amanda”. [More about Greta later—her quiet Finnish ‘way’ is inspiring and worth emulating.]

The Scandinavian Festival at Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks

This annual Scandinavian Festival event features dancing, food, crafts, and traditions from the Scandinavian countries. It is always fun. Finland is always proudly represented. We get to celebrate Finland and to visit with our kindred spirits.

rsz 020 Scan Fest, Ceremony of Flags, Joann Scott

Ceremony of Flags with Joann Scott and Consul General Kirsti Westphalen at the Scandinavian Festtival

Veteran’s Meeting

The Finnish government honored several local Finns at the last Veteraani Tuki Ryhmä meeting. Certificates and medals were presented to Lotta Sirkka Toth and Veteran Ari Anttila. Pauli Majamäki and Henri Aspen were honored, as well, for their volunteer efforts.

Veteran Ari Anttila and Lotta Sirkka Toth

What a special gathering this monthly meeting is. Suomi Kerho graciously hosts the luncheon which honors our Finnish war veterans –these aging heroes and heroines who still live in our midst. Gunnell Kullbäck prepared a wonderful pea soup lunch proudly wearing her Sisu tee shirt. Our veterans and Suomi Kerho’s quiet support are so appreciated.

Gunnell Kullbäck prepared a wonderful pea soup

Vappu at the Consular Residence: The Creative Hub Event

It was great to take part of the synergistic Creative Hub event put together by Consul General Kirsti Westphalen. Tomi Hinkkanen has posted a wonderful piece about the event.

The Creative Hub event put together by Consul General Kirsti Westphalen

It was like “déjà vu all over again”: reminiscent of events at Greta’s where she used her ‘drawing’ power to bring together people for good purposes, collaborative efforts, networking, and fun. The famous and not-so-famous all gathered in her lovely, memento filled home just because she asked them. Greta’s doors and windows were usually open to the yard and trees with the Eino sculptures and the beautiful view of Beverly Hills in the background below. There was always a buffet arranged by Greta herself. The traditional Finnish vieras kirja [guest book] was always out.

[Greta’s vieras kirja library would tell quite a tale—a real collector’s item. In addition to Hollywood luminaries, Greta’s guests included political and business ‘movers and shakers’ from around the world who mingled comfortably with artists, photographers, writers, musicians--established and ‘up and coming’ talent she wanted to showcase and support.]

Greta must have been smiling during the Vappu celebration hosted by Consul General Westphalen which focused on the Creative Hub development. This is what Greta was all about—this was how Greta went about getting things done: find a worthwhile project; figure out who was needed to make ‘things’ work; throw a party; have fun going to work on the project; celebrate good results with another party!

The Consul General’s party included 130 Finnish ‘creatives’ [creative professionals] who began the evening with a brainstorming session seeking to strengthen collaboration and networking between creative Finns and friends of Finland to facilitate the entrance of Finns into the California market. Among the ‘resources’ the Consul General brought to the issue were representatives from Aalto University, Tekes Silicon Valley, Tekes Finland, the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce, Finnish Creative Industries in Los Angeles, and the varied and multi-talented guests who are regularly invited to Finnish Consulate ‘parties’. In the official press release there is a statement: “At the end of the meeting everyone was encouraged to introduce themselves to anyone they didn’t know and to mingle and network as much as possible.”

It was great to meet new Finnish Lutheran Pastor Jarmo Tärkki, to catch up with old friend Jim Koenig (among many others), and to get acquainted with the new ‘creatives’ in town. In addition to FACC Board members Danielle Kauppinen, Virpi Sidler, William Russell and Christel Pauli, I was happy to sit with Riikka Jyrälä, Hauli Huvila President and Chair of the Suomi 95 event.

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen

The ‘creatives’ input of their visions, wishes, and ideas brought a great synergy with LA locals ready to be supportive in old and new ways. During the event I think everyone got their creative juices flowing. Consul General Westphalen really set the stage in creating the beginnings of a dialogue by recognizing the many parts that can come together and by aligning past, present, and future visions and solutions that can work.

Now, that is what Greta would call a real party!

Cinco de Mayo

Finns in Southern California have an interesting first week in May. Our big Finnish spring ‘blowout’ Vappu on the 1^st of May is within days of the Mexican Cinco de Mayo, the 5^th of May. If you made enough Sima after our last posting, you may have been able to add some tequila for a modified Margarita. Maybe next year!!

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo on Olvera Street in Downtown Los Angeles

As an aside, I wanted to tell you about a fun event we concocted several years back. The FACC put a twist on the annual Vappu celebration with a hybrid Finnish-Mexican celebration we christened “ Silli de Mayo”. It was a big success—or, so I am told. [Watch out for those Finnish Margaritas!! Herring taco’s anyone?? ]

‘Things to Ponder in LA’ Category

As a long term resident of our city of Angels, there are oddities I often ponder.

As I wrote about Cinco de Mayo, I kept thinking about one ‘oddity’ I have observed for decades: the ‘taco situation’ near the corner of Sepulveda and Washington –a stone’s throw from the 405. There are two Mexican restaurants next to each other: Cinco de Mayo [that is the name, not the date] and Tito’s Tacos. Regardless of the time of day, it seems there is always a huge crowd at Tito’s which is on a side street and never much activity at Cinco de Mayo which has great Sepulveda exposure.

Cinco de Mayo Restaurant is located on Sepulveda Blvd, between Venice and Washington in Culver City

Heading north on this 5^th of May, I wanted to check to be sure the restaurant named for this holiday actually had customers supporting it and celebrating the day. Alas, no. Things looked quiet. One man was there. The crowd lined up at Tito’s was abuzz. I went around the block just to get a picture.

Tito's Tacos at 11222 Washington Place Culver City, CA 90230

Tito’s Taco’s has been around since 1959 and has an almost cult-like ‘destination’ following. The tacos are crunchy, cheese laden, with a great salsa. I know why they thrive. But, how can Cinco de Mayo keep their doors open all these years? It must be really boring and depressing to work at Cinco’s watching customers walk/drive by your door on the way to your neighbor when you both serve Mexican food.

Let’s move on to more food fun…

Spring Event for European Community

On a sunny Saturday at the end of April, I hosted the European American Sheriff’s Advisory Council [EASAC] meeting celebrating the anniversary of the expansion of the European Union to 25 nations.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Ava Anttila

EASAC is an effort by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to reach out to the European American communities through selected representatives who advise and consult with the Sheriff and his Department. Once vetted, the representatives are exposed to the fascinating functions and complex components of the world’s largest police force. They meet regularly with the Sheriff and his key aides. The expectation is that each representative will bring the concerns of their community to the Sheriff and communicate their insights into the Sheriff Departments operations and objectives to their constituents. The Consuls General of each European nation are invited to a luncheon meeting annually.

The European American Sheriff’s Advisory Council celebrating the anniversary of the expansion of the European Union to 25 nations

Our Spring Luncheon was a culinary delight. Each European representative brought national delicacies to share. We had allocated appetizer, main course, and desert ‘assignments’, but people could bring whatever they wanted that showed off their culture. Many brought favorite national beverages (hard and soft) for others to sample. I marveled at how some of the Eastern European countries delicacies had a similarity to our Finnish favorite dishes. It seems that cabbage rolls and meat pie exists in many cultures. Yes, I used the Sima recipe published last month—it was a hit! No one brought tequila but the Finlandia I put out did get used. According to the bartender, some used it to spike the Sima !

Sheriff Lee Baca and his wife Carol had a rare chance to ‘kick back’, enjoy some good food, and visit with friends in a relaxed setting

Sheriff Lee Baca and his wife Carol had a rare chance to ‘kick back’, enjoy some good food, and visit with friends in a relaxed setting. In his remarks to the gathering, Sheriff Baca reflected my long-held sentiment that, despite its size, Los Angeles is really a “small town”.

Each European representative brought national delicacies to share

Among the guests at the EASAC event were Finntimes Editor Tomi Hinkkanen and Photographer Jonny Kayhlen.

Meet and Greet

Two days after the EASAC event, another group gathered at my home.

Bill Bloomfield is running for U.S. Congress in my District. He is a successful small business owner running as an Independent who has gathered the endorsement of the likes of Senator John McCain, Governor Pete Wilson, Mayor Richard Riordan, and LA District Attorney Steve Cooley, ….

Bill Bloomfield is running for U.S. Congress

Since Bill once lived in our neighborhood, we invited all of the neighbors plus friends from other areas in Bill’s 33^rd District. A “Meet and Greet” is just what it sounds like. We had an interesting and accomplished group assembled—especially for a Tuesday evening. Despite the ‘after-dinner’ start, we had food and drink to ease the ‘meet’ part of things. Bill did a nice job of ‘greeting’ the guests with a briefing on his reasons for running and his positions on important issues before taking any and all questions. He actually answered the questions—a new kind of politician.

Finnish Consul General Kirsti Westphalen and her husband Abdullatif Mouffakir were invited and attended to watch American democracy in action. I hope they got to see how in LA and the USA communities come together in order to make things happen for the ”greater good”. We open our homes (–and, on occasion, our minds) for direct interaction, for communication, and for debate.

Stranger-than-fiction factoid: Bill is my former husband.

Hubs Roll On

After the Consulate Hub event, we had scheduled a two day visit from an Aalto University [Kauppakorkeakoulu] student, Anu Koivistoinen. Anu is in San Diego for an abroad semester. What fun to pick her up at Union Station and to hear about her life as we began a “whirlwind tour”* of LA.

Anu’s tuliaiset was homemade korvapuusti. In our house, Finnish cinnamon rolls are a ‘guaranteed reservation’ for future accommodations!! More importantly, a young lady’s caring thoughtfulness is another reminder of the joy, spontaneity, and goodness that Finland’s young intellectuals and talents bring with them to America. What a blessing we receive when we share our home, our time, our local knowledge, and some of our life experience, if even briefly.

It is extra-special when showing people around LA you actually experience a “celebrity sighting” which happened with Anu. While making a stop at the Farmer’s Market we actually saw current Dancing with the Stars finalists Katherine Jenkins and Mark Ballas.

*Whirlwind tour:– definition and recommendations to be featured as a topic of another Around LA with Ava column.

Reflections on the Creative Hub

After a last minute ‘photo opp’ at Olvera Street prior to Cinco de Mayo, Anu boarded her train back to her studies and new friends in San Diego. When she returns to Finland to finish her studies she will go with the knowledge and comfort that should she ever want to return, she has a place to begin—even without korvapuusti!

Seriously, we had a chance to get to know someone new, to exchange ideas, to share information, to get and give advice, and to provide support. And, we had fun! Is this not the idea of how the Creative Hub can go forward?

The “Creative Hub” presents a chance to be connected. Why not be open to host a visitor, share a meal, make a place to house someone, create an event, listen to someone’s dreams, think “outside the box”, collaborate to help, or whatever. This is also a great way to refresh your Finnish language skills, learn about current events in Finland or introduce the younger generations to their Finnish ‘cousins’. Open your minds, open your hearts, open your homes to better our community. When we share, we strengthen our Finnish pride. And, Greta’s spirit will come to your party!!

Reflections on Mother’s Day

For your beauty of spirit, love, caring, integrity, intellect, accomplishments, and sisu–thank you, Ӓiti

'Maria' by Jonny Kahleyn

May 5th, 2012

thinkkanen

Reporter, pictures: Tomi Hinkkanen

One must humbly admit that Finland cannot even begin to compete with our dear neighbor, Sweden, when it comes to movie stars and other Hollywood luminaries. After all, Sweden has given us Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman and Lena Olin. Nevertheless, over the years there has been a steady Finnish presence in Tinseltown. Some of the Hollywood Finns have been serious artists, some shooting stars and some just famous for being famous. Here’s a few mental sketches of some Finnish Hollywood celebs, whom I’ve met personally while working here as a journalist since 1994.

Renny Harlin signing a petition to keep the Consulate General of Finland in LA open, January 2012.

RENNY HARLIN

There has never been a bigger Finnish star in Hollywood than director-producer Renny Harlin. He has had a long and illustrious Hollywood career with hits such as Nightmare on Elm Street Part Four, Cliffhanger and Deep Blue Sea. I have met Renny several times over the years. The very first time we met was around 1985 or so, when his very first movie, Born American was shown in Hollywood. I was a film student then, lived in Hollywood and just happened to notice that his movie was being shown in a local theater. Renny had long hair back then that was tied in a ponytail. He was standing in the theater lobby and I walked up to him to introduce myself. He asked me, if I had seen the movie yet. No I haven’t, I said. He then gave me a ticket and invited me to a party in the Hollywood Hills after the screening. Later on I was a young journalist in Finland, when he brought his then-wife Geena Davis for a visit. It was a media circus. I have met Renny at various occasions after that. He is always a gentleman. Last January at the Scandinavian Film Festival in Beverly Hills, he spoke lovingly of his dog Little Harlin, who had died recently. During the post-production of his movie, 5 Days of War, the dog got a special permit on the Warner Bros. lot, where pets aren’t normally allowed. The reason was that Little Harlin was Renny’s muse that helped him edit the picture. Afterwards Renny signed our petition to keep the Consulate General of Finland in LA open.

Renny Harlin with girlfriend Erika Marchino

Harlin is a striking presence. Heads turn when he walks into a room. He is tall, handsome, blond, one of the most confident men I have ever met. Many ladies have lost their heart to the tall Finnish Viking. He’s been elusive about giving interviews lately, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Renny, if you happen to read this, I promise to make it real classy and do the best interview ever written about you.

Renny Harlin and Finnish model Pia Pakarinen at the Scandinavian Film Festival in Beverly Hills, January 2012.

TAINA ELG

I met Taina Elg when she toured with a theater group, performing in a musical version of Titanic in 1997. Elg played the real life character Mrs. Strauss, who rather went down with the ship to remain with her husband than to be rescued alone. Elg was extremely friendly and open, telling me her life story – how she was discovered by an American producer and as a result, went on to sign a seven-year contract with MGM. There her most famous movie was the musical Les Girls, directed by George Cukor. She won a Golden Globe for that role. Taina was not happy with the pictures I took of her with her hair in a ponytail, but let me publish them and the story anyway. Taina Elg is now 82. She lives in with her husband, professor Rocco Caporale in New York. This Summer Elg will appear at the Sodankylä Film Festival in Lapland.

Taina Elg in the 1950's.

MAILA NURMI AKA VAMPIRA

I wrote a whole piece about Maila on Finntimes recently. She was the most original person I have ever met. I know it’s a lot to say, but she was. Born in Petsamo,Finland, Maila created the alter ego Vampira, which she says is based on the Charles Addams character Morticia in the Addams Family. I got to know her after the Tim Burton movie Ed Wood had hit the screens in 1994.

Maila Nurmi in the autumn of her life.

She lived in a converted garage in a blue collar part of Hollywood. She had no car, but would be chauffeured around by young friends who would take her to parties and other events. Maila had been good friends with James Dean, who died tragically in a car crash at 23. She once told me that everybody had abandoned Dean during the production of George Stevens’ Giant – supposedly to strengthen his performance as a lone field hand who in the movie became a millionaire after finding oil. Maila had spent the last night with James before his death. She never quite recovered from it. Maila was an animal lover. She sheltered injured animals in her humble little adobe (I was never invited in), and had named every pigeon that she fed in front of her apartment. Maila had a fiery temper – everything was either black of white to her, there were no gray areas. Hence, her time in the limelight was brief. She introduced horror movies on KABC-TV in the mid-fifties but got into trouble with the management due to her uncompromising nature. She also appeared in a handful of Ed Wood movies, of which Plan 9 from Outer Space remains a cult favorite. Maila died at the age of 85 in 2008. She was a truly original Hollywood character.

Maila Nurmi was a Hollywood original.

TONY HALME

Tony appeared on the Hollywood scene some time in the mid ‘90’s. The big and burly Tony boxed and wrestled and apparently was paid handsomely for both. He also had a big mouth. I never will forget the day I shot a TV segment with him. He climbed down laboriously from his second floor Venice apartment into a waiting limousine at the curb. I asked him about his limo usage. He responded: “I am chauffeured to the boxing matches and back home in a limousine and my adversary is taken to a hospital in an ambulance.”

Tony Halme appeared as "Viikinki" (the Viking), on the Finnish TV show Gladiators.

Tony got into some trouble later on when the police found illegal weapons and drugs in his apartment. He was detained and deported from the U.S. Later on Tony bounced back and got elected in the Finnish parliament (Eduskunta), on a populist platform that emphasized war veterans’ rights and shunned immigrants – refugees in particular. Frequent sick leaves marred his term and he was often incomprehensible. Then came the faithful day in July 2003. A handgun was fired in Halme’s Helsinki apartment. Tony was found inside unconscious. He remained so for days. After a DUI arrest and a stay in a mental hospital, Tony shot himself fatally in his apartment in January 2010. He was 47 years old.

Linda Lampenius had a whirlwind romance with Hollywood.

LINDA LAMPENIUS

Classically trained violinist Linda Lampenius had both looks and talent. After having excelled in music, modeling and acting In Finland, she came to Hollywood in 1997 and was instantly signed up by talent agent Mike Reynolds, who spoke very highly about her to me back then. Linda’s Hollywood premiere happened in the Century Club. She played the violin in a bikini, causing an instant sensation (if not something else as well among male audience members). TV roles in Fame L.A. and Baywatch followed. But then things started to go south. Her business relationship with manager Mike Reynolds soured amidst accusations of swindling. Lawsuits followed. Linda got a difficult reputation in Hollywood that virtually ended her career before it even had begun.

Linda turned heads in Beverly Hills.

I got to spend an afternoon with her. She was dressed in a two-piece outfit that left her midriff bare, showcasing her ample bosom. Heads turned and fire trucks honked. We had lunch in Beverly Hills. She had brought along an old issue of Playboy, in which she was featured. She showed the copy to the producers we met at Caffe Roma. With Linda, there was only one topic that was spoken all day – Linda. This was after her troubles in Hollywood. So, I asked her, if her Hollywood career was now over. She got very upset about that. I dropped her off at the Playboy Mansion, where she was staying. Later on Linda continued her musical career, moved to Sweden and married a Swedish lawyer with whom she had a daughter.

Linda Lampenius left Hollywood after a few TV roles and a whole lot of off-stage drama.

May 2nd, 2012

thinkkanen

Reporter, pictures: Tomi Hinkkanen

Consul general Kirsti Westphalen hosting the Finnish Hub on the tennis court of the consul general's residence in Bel Air.

The newly created forum for the LA Finns, the Finnish Hub, was held Tuesday night at the Consul General Kirsti Westphalen’s residence in Bel Air. 130 guests gathered on the tennis court, where Westphalen outlined the future of the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles. The consulate has been under a threat of closing down due to financial reasons. Finntimes has been active in gathering signatures for the consulate to remain open right here in LA, where it rightfully belongs. We thank each and every person who kindly signed our petition. Westphalen revealed, that the decision about the consulate will be made within days in Helsinki. We will bring you the latest news as soon as they become available. Westphalen would like to create a Creative House of Finland, where artists, scientists, business people and everybody would be welcome under the same roof. It would also serve as an address for Finnish start-ups that require a local presence. Since in the current economic environment funds are scarce, the consulate puts its emphasis on green technologies and education.

Kirsti Westphalen said that the faith of the Finnish Consulate general in LA will be decided within days.

Among the audience, there were executives from Tekes – a Finnish Technology Agency, as well as Aalto University. Also the music world was well represented due to the Musexpo convention that is going on in Hollywood. Merja Laaksonen from Tekes told that they have a budget of 600 million euros that helps Finnish high tech businesses. There is also a 70 million euro creative fund for such endeavors. Laura Laaksonen from Aalto University was doing her dissertation on the internationalization of Finnish heavy metal bands. Local attorney and Finntimes blogger Ava Anttila spoke about the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce, of which she is a member and invited new businesses and individuals to join in. Sami Häikiö was here from Finland. He works for Music Export Finland, an organization dedicated to advancing Finnish music exports around the world. He told the organization has achieved great results, especially in Japan, where Finnish heavy metal is popular.

Cheers to Finland!

After the official speeches, there was an open mike for the audience members. Actress, singer and songwriter Irina Björklund wanted to see, if anything could be done to the facilitate Finnish and other international performers’ entry to the U.S. She said oftentimes performers have to wait for months to get a work visa to perform in the United States. A recent example comes from FinnFest, that was held last August in San Diego. The Finnish musicians had tough time in getting into the country and were questioned by the U.S. immigration officials, who had asked, couldn’t an American performer do the job instead. Westphalen replied that the Finnish government has tried to influence the powers to be. Of course it is up to the American officials to adjust their procedures and practices.

Irina Björklund with guitarist Steven McCormick and cameraman Janne Tamminen

There were also high flying ideas of creating an inn for Finns wanting to visit LA, complete with a restaurant and all. The reality of it is that if anything else, budgets are being tightened and as I mentioned before, the very existence of the consulate is in jeopardy. The government can’t do everything, Westphalen said with a smile . Maria Kizirian had a more realistic idea: Why not create an email list of volunteers, who would be willing to put up guests visiting from Finland in their own homes. And she puts her money where her mouth is. Maria and her husband Paul Kizirian are currently hosting ex-Miss Finland, the lovely Pia Pakarinen in their home, as Pia is busily crafting a career for herself in modeling.

Maria Kizirian, in the middle, suggested an email list of volunteers who want to house Finns visiting Los Angeles.

The meeting lasted an hour and a half. It was truly the most comprehensive information package and a brainstorming session in recent memory held by the local Finns and their friends.

Fitness guru Pauliina Talus

After the meeting, it was party time. There were many celebrities among the guests. Fitness guru Pauliina Talus had finished her Talus Integrated Training System – a workout program that fits the needs of any age or ability. The new Lutheran pastor Jarmo Tarkki was there. He lives in Solvang, California and represents a large area encompassing Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and even Mexico City. The next LA area service will be held at St. Paul’s church in Santa Monica on May 20^th. Pastor Tarkki was happy about the Easter service’s attendance – 85 people.

Sauli Koskinen_finntimes_Tomi Hinkkanen for finntimes.com

Finnish celebrity Sauli Koskinen, right, partied with his friends.

Finnish Big Brother winner from five years ago and singer Adam Lambert’s boyfriend Sauli Koskinen was partying with his friends. Sauli was in great spirits and tanned as ever. I asked him, if it was a real or spray tan. Sauli then took off one of his many rings, revealing a white spot on his skin underneath. Sauli said he takes every opportunity to tan on his rooftop in the couple’s home in Hollywood Hills.

sauli_koskinen_finntimes_com by Tomi Hinkkanen for Finntimes

Sauli Koskinen was tanned as ever and in great spirits.

Early on I spotted a familiar looking blond lady in the audience, then realizing it is Patrick Swayze’s widow Lisa Niemi. She came to the festivities with her mother-in-law Mary.

Patrick Swayze's widow, Lisa Niemi attended the Finnish Hub.

Lisa’s grandparents came to the U.S. from Finland. She said her father’s family was from northern Finland and mother’s family from Karelia. Lisa was in a good mood as well. Her husband Patrick died two and a half years ago of pancreatic cancer. Niemi wrote a book called “Worth Fighting For”, detailing her husband’s battle against cancer. It made it to the New York Times list of bestsellers. She is also a spokesperson for Pancreatic cancer Action Network and has her own website lisaniemiswayze.com

Lisa Niemi wrote a book "Worth Fighting For" about her husband's struggle with cancer

“Patrick lost his battle, but the fight against pancreatic cancer goes on,” Lisa Niemi declared.

April 21st, 2012

thinkkanen

REPORTER, PICTURES: TOMI HINKKANEN

The Finnish Hub

Downtown LA

The young(ish) generation has taken matters into its own hands in bringing together the area Finns. We met at the Publix Pub in the lovely Los Feliz section of town on April third. About 20 people attended. I spoke at length with two young men, Jussi Tuomi and Roope Olenius. They are studying acting at the New York Film Academy, which, despite of its name, is located right here in Universal City. Jussi wants to specialize in comedies and Roope has been active in his music in addition to acting. They invited me to their school’s showcase. It was held at the Acme Theatre in Hollywood to a packed house. Jussi had the questionable pleasure of being the first one on stage. He performed a humorous soliloquy with a blow-up doll! That’s right, a blow-up doll. I think Jussi is on the right track with his comedy acting – he definitely has a knack for it. A few scenes later it was Roope’s turn. His outing was also a humorous one. This was a two man scene about one guy kissing the other’s girlfriend. One has to admire the dedication and courage of these young men – it takes a lot to go on stage in front of everybody and put oneself out there. The next meeting of the Finnish Hub will take place at the Consul General Kirsti Westphalen’s residence in Bel Air on May first. For more information: http://www.facebook.com/events/209166585866390/

Consul general Kirsti Westphalen will host a Finnish hub at her residence in Bel Air May first.

Dumpster diving

Did you know that about 20% of all food goes to waste in the U.S.? One of the common mistakes people make is to throw away food items because the “best before” or “sell by” dates have expired. That doesn’t mean that the item is inedible or dangerous to your health. The date is merely an arbitrary estimate and varies greatly from manufacturer to another. So, I decided to go and check out, what treasures can be found in local supermarket dumpsters. I teamed up with a group called the Los Angeles Dumpster Diving Meet Up Group.

Dumpster diving in progress.

One dark Saturday night we gathered at the Highland Park light rail station. There were ten people altogether – artists, a film editor, a psychiatrist, an office manager and other professionals, even a tourist couple from Holland. We hit dumpsters of two big supermarket chains. And no, we were not digging for food amidst used coffee grinds, cigarette butts and apple cores. Supermarkets pack all items to be disposed neatly into black garbage bags. Oftentimes they are separated by category – fruits and vegetables in one bag, meat products in another, etc. What I found out was that supermarket garbage containers are very well protected. They are locked behind gates and tall fences, with guards occasionally making their rounds on the parking lot. Fortunately the organizers of our dumpster diving tour had a ladder. You wouldn’t believe what we found: Perfectly good bananas, eggs, all kinds of fruits and vegetables, pastries and much more. At the end of the trip, the members divided the loot amongst each other. We estimated there was at least 200 dollars worth of food there. There are of course lots of poor people in this country who actually go hungry each day and do dumpster diving out of necessity. Our group did not consist of those people. They were there to carry on a lifestyle that opposes wasteful living and throwing away good food. These are the same kind of people who diligently recycle, drive a hybrid car and act mindful of the nature and their surroundings. It was an eye opening trip indeed. As an animal owner, very little in our household goes to waste anyway – there is always a little mouth somewhere ready to eat any leftovers or scraps. But after this trip I promise to be even more aware of what I have in my refrigerator, so that everything is utilized and no food thrown away.

Supermarkets throw away perfectly good food. The dumpster diving expedition was a success.

Are you a cell phone jerk?

It shakes, beeps, rings, blinks and demands attention like a cranky baby. The smart phone has taken a possession of people’s body, mind, soul and every single spare moment. Who would have thought a few years ago that a small gadget like that would enamor people so entirely and thoroughly, that they would forsake anything else just to play with it. And I’m not only talking about children or teens – even adults are in love with the gadget.

A smart phone has become ubiquitous.

Linux creator Linus Torvalds predicted it to me 15 years earlier in an interview. He said that soon people will be carrying mini computers in their pockets. Right he was. I have spent a lot of time on the UCLA campus lately. It is amusing to observe a twenty something student exiting a building. One, two, three. On the third step, the cell phone inevitably comes out the pocket. One guy with large headphones was skillfully skateboarding on campus, doing tricks and talking with his buddy on the phone all at the same time, without missing a beat. Another time, two people, lost in the cyber world, actually stumbled into each other head on. It is funny when they are walking, less so when driving. I can’t believe my eyes in the traffic these days. Just about every fourth driver is checking their smart phone at the traffic lights – some even while actually driving. The fact that it is unlawful doesn’t deter them at all, so strong is the pull of that little gadget. It hooks, captures, mesmerizes, entertains, excites and stimulates. Recently I actually had to change lanes to avoid a collision with an oncoming car, because the driver was engaged with the cell phone. The young woman behind the wheel was texting or perhaps updating her Facebook page. As the road curved, she did not notice but started to veer onto my lane. It was only because of my quick maneuvering, that we avoided a head on collision. The young lady continued her driving with a smile on her face, blissfully ignorant of having come so close to a what no doubt, would have been a serious accident. According to statistics, about 5,000 people a year die as a result of distracted driving in the United States. I suspect those numbers are going to go way up, as the cell phone continues to take a hold of people’s psyche. The emergence of the smart phone has also changed the dynamics of friendships and relationships. If there’s a group of three or more people gathered together, you can be sure that at least one of them is immersed in their phone. The incoming email or text message is more important than the person standing next to them. I recently witnessed four women having lunch at the Westfield Century City Shopping Center. Instead of communicating with each other, everyone was deeply involved with their own gadget. The smart phone has robbed us of people’s undivided attention, of all the fun going to town to observe people. There’s nothing to observe any more these days, nobody’s paying attention to their surroundings, everybody is on the gadget. A romantic dinner or a movie night is hardly the same, when instead of gazing into each other’s eyes, both participants are hypnotized by the glare of their gadget. The check out girl or boy at the supermarket is no longer your casual acquaintance – the customer these days is too busy texting while the transaction is going on. I am not against new technology. It can be helpful and beneficial in many ways. What I oppose is totally abandoning good manners and common sense in favor of the uncontrollable urge to use this technology. For too many people, having a smart phone is like giving a drink to an alcoholic — one wants to drink the whole bottle. There is a time and a place to use your phone – and plenty of times and places when NOT to use it. Google has come up with internet eye glasses that allow you to access your phone and the net with voice commands. Silicon Valley is also working on internet contact lenses. I can hardly wait – as if it is not bad enough already. As for myself, after desperately clinging on to my old dumb phone, I finally got a smart phone as a gift. I am very grateful, but intend to use it responsibly and mostly keep it in my pocket. I want to continue enjoying the real world and the people in it. I don’t want to become a cell phone jerk.

Eki Mikkonen of Tours International America is using the phone to connect with his clients.

A nightmare hotel

Last week I visited the bay area. It is always a pleasure to go there, especially in the spring time, when nature in Northern California is at its most spectacular. This time I was staying in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco. I had booked a room in advance at the Jack London Inn for two nights.

A view from my hotel room in Oakland

After a six hour drive, I was quite worn out as I arrived at my hotel. The girl at the front desk handed me a key card. I took the elevator up to my room. An unwelcome surprise waited for me beyond the door. There was only a mattress on the bed – no pillows, sheets, blankets, nothing. And no toiletries in the bathroom either. Back downstairs the girl handed me a key card to another room. Again, lugging my luggage upstairs, I went to the appropriate door and swiped the card once, twice, three times – nothing. The door wouldn’t open. Back downstairs a manager came along with me to test the door. It wouldn’t open for him either. Both the girl at the desk and the manager seemed quite resigned to the fact that they did not have a room for me after all. “What about that first room,” I said. “How long would it take for you to fix that?” They looked at each other, as if it was a novel idea. So, I sat and waited, waited and waited. An hour went by. Finally my room was almost ready. As I entered it, a man inside fixing it explained that he doesn’t normally do rooms. I held my tongue. Finally the room was done and I was able to go to sleep. At one o’clock in the morning I was suddenly awoken by a knock on the door. “Hotel security, this room is supposed to be empty.” I peaked through the peep hole. He looked the part with a flashlight and all. I told him that the room is occupied – by me – and to check with the front desk. As I didn’t hear back from him, I assume he finally got that sorted out. That night the only thing that occasionally woke me up was a thunderstorm that the newscasters next day said to have been the biggest to hit the area in 30 years. The following day I was busy doing interviews in the nearby waterfront, where I was covering an around the world clipper race. The boats were docked at that marina. Then helicopters appeared in the sky. They started to hover above my hotel just a hundred yards away. The block was cordoned off with a yellow crime tape. I asked a policeman what was going on. He said that a man wanted by the police had run into the hotel and barricaded himself in one of the rooms. Fortunately I didn’t need to get in all day, as I was continuing to work at the harbor. When the day was over, the crime tape and the police were gone. The girl at the front desk told me that the man had attempted to get away by dressing as a woman. It did not work and the police arrested him. The front desk girl was kind enough to let me keep my car parked on their lot after my two nights were up, so that I was able to take a ferry to San Francisco on my last day instead of having to try to find parking in Frisco.

Sea lions sunbathing and frolicking at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf

That ferry ride by the way is the best bargain in town – 13 dollars will buy you a round trip ticket – a half an hour each way. Just the scenery is worth it. Staying in a hotel that doesn’t have its act together is not, no matter how low the price.

San Francisco skyline as captured from the ferry

April 7th, 2012

thinkkanen

Irina Brjörklund will take to the stage this month in LA.

In the last couple of years the talented movie star and singer-songwriter has been absent from the stages of her hometown. Now we all can catch her in the act on stage as she will give two performances in the L.A. area. Here’s Irina’s invitation:

Irina will play songs from her French language album Chanson d'Automne on stage.

Hey friends!

I’m opening up for this really cool French band at 2 small LA theaters on April 20th and 21st, and tickets are for sale now online, and for pre-sale only – would love it if you could make it! The theaters are tiny, so please book asap to get seats!

And even if we aren’t the headliners, we’ll still play a 40 minute set with material from our newest album. Hope to see you there!

All info is below.

Love, Irina

Irina is all set to conquer LA with her lovely chansons.

After a long break from LA stages, Finnish actress-singer Irina Björklund will give two concerts in Los Angeles:

Friday April 20th at 8pm at the Santa Monica Playhouse
http://www.itsmyseat.com//events/454548.html
Saturday April 21st at 8pm at Two Roads Theater/Studio City
http://www.itsmyseat.com//events/824133.html

Seating is limited (theaters seat 70 and 50 people), tickets are for sale on links above only, please book asap.

Headliner for the evening will be the band Deleyaman, arriving from Normandie, France.
http://www.deleyaman.com

The French group Deleyaman will follow Irina's performance.

Irina will be opening with a 40 minute set for Deleyaman as a trio with writing partner Peter Fox and Venice based musician/producer Steve McCormick. They will play material from Björklund’s and Fox’s newest, all French language album Chanson d’Automne, that has gathered beautiful reviews across the borders, and stayed on the official Top 50 album list in Finland for 6 weeks. A total of 2 hours of feel good world music in an intimate theater setting, followed by a “meet the artists” reception.

The reception on April 20th will be hosted and generously sponsored by the Consulate of Finland with wine and delicacies. A limited amount of Irina’s newest album will also be available at the concerts for the first time in the US, as well as naturally headliner Deleyaman’s.

Please note that these concerts will take place in theater’s, so approach the concerts as you would a theater play – be early.

Listen to Irina’s newest album here:
http://www.sonicbids.com/irinabjorklundpeterfox

And should you to Irina’s disappointment not be able to attend, but would still like to purchase a physical copy of the album, sent to you directly from the label inFinland:

http://www.recordshopx.com/artist/bjorklund_irina/chanson_dautomne/

April 7th, 2012

thinkkanen

Photographer Jonny Kahleyn took this picture of a small statue in his garden in Los Angeles.

This 12 inch vintage statue of Lady of Lourdes stands slightly bent and is made of bronze.

Easter Sunday is the culmination of the “silent week”. Many Finns in the homeland used this opportunity to take the full week off and head to the slopes of Lapland, the warmth of the Mediterranean countries, withdrew to their summer cabins or just simply stayed at home, taking long walks and enjoying the cool spring weather.

March 14th, 2012

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN –DANA POINT
PHOTOS: JONNY KAHLEYN, WIKIPEDIA
DATE: MARCH 14^th, 2012

A grey whale surfaces

It’s the migration season of the grey whale. Each year, they travel a ten thousand mile round trip from Bering Sea, Alaska, down to Baja California and back. It is the world’s longest migration of a mammal. In the spring time they are heading back to the icy waters of Alaska. We got a front seat to this amazing journey.

Our vessel, the Dana Pride at the Dana Point harbor

The adventure begins at the Dana Point harbor on a crystal clear March Sunday. We embark the Dana Pride, a ship that accommodates 150 passengers. The vessel is fully booked. As we glide past the luxury yachts, a sea lion peaks its head above the water, as if wishing us a good journey. We sail past the breaker. It has been overtaken by hundreds of pelicans that have congregated on the rocks, leaving them white.

A pelican flies by our ship

I go up to the bridge to talk with captain Jack van Dyke. He was born into this, having been raised in a sea faring family. He has been piloting whale watching ships in these waters for the past 20 years and knows all there is to know about the grey whales. There are about 20,000 of them in existence, though some scientists think the number might be a lot higher. It is a baleen whale. The baleen acts like a sieve, to capture small fish, grill and amphipods that it feeds on.

Captain Jack van Dyke has been piloting whale watching ships for 20 years

“We are in a cycle now that is good for whale watching. They spend winters in Mexico and summers in Alaska. This morning we spotted two grey whales,” the captain tells.

Since all the countries on its migratory route – Canada, Mexico and the U.S. – have put it on the endangered species list, the massive, 20 to 40 ton grey whale has very few enemies at sea. One of them is the killer whale.

A grey whale jumps up in the Pacific

“Killer whales rarely attack grey whales, but when they do, they take turns jumping on its back and keeping it underwater, thus drowning it. But the grey whale has a very powerful tail, by which it defends itself,” the captain explains.

The grey whales normally don’t venture off further than a hundred miles off the coast. In fact, they use the coast to navigate and like shallow waters. Since they travel 24/7, there is no particularly good or bad time of day to spot them. They do also sleep, but unlike human beings, they have to consciously think of breathing and surface to take a breath every three to 20 minutes. Therefore the whale puts only one side of its brain to sleep at a time.

A grey whale is seen underwater

“When the right side of the brain is asleep, the left eye closes. When the left side of the brain is asleep, the right eye closes.”

Grey whales are not monogamous. Mating is a complex procedure that takes multiple partners, because there is no leverage underwater. Usually one female and two males are involved. The other male is used as a backboard. The males take turns with the female to ensure that she is impregnated. The gestation period is 13 months. Only one calf is born, normally in warm waters of the south. The tail comes out first, then the rest of the body. The mother feeds her young one up to 80 gallons of fat rich milk a day.

A close-up of a gray whale's double blow hole and some of its encrusted barnacles

“The mother has to feed her calf on an empty stomach for it to make it to Alaska. I have seen a mother feeding her calf in a bay a couple of years ago,” van Dyke says.

A gray whale is thought to live to be 60-70 years old, but captain van Dyke believes they can live even longer than that. The blue whale is known to live up to 200 years.

Tomi Hinkkanen on board the Dana Pride

Back on the passenger deck the captain urges us to keep an eye for whales. People have come equipped with cell phones, binoculars and professional cameras with long telephoto lenses. So far the only unusual sighting is the phenomenon known as the red tide – a blooming of algae. We have sailed about seven miles, when someone in the audience screams out. There is a water spout in the ocean. A gray whale emerges briefly, showing us its back and tail fin. After the whale submerges, it leaves a calm spot in the otherwise choppy waters. This is a young adult of an unknown gender, under five years old and about 20-25 feet long. It “snorkles” – surfacing only barely to expose the two blowholes. Different individuals have different characteristics. This one seems to be quite shy. A couple of more sightings later – nothing. But the captain knows the show is not yet over.

A young grey whale's back is seen off the coast of Dana Point, California

“When the whale gets ready to move on, it arches it back to its limits and then goes into deep dive.”

There’s a false sighting that turns out to be a sunfish. Then finally, at 2.30 position, our whale shows itself for the last time. It arches its grey back to a sharp angle and then submerges to resume the long journey to Alaska. The last part to slowly disappear from sight is the tailfin that seems to wave us goodbye. We are left in awe at this wonderful display of nature. Godspeed!

A grey whale goes into deep dive off the coast of California

March 9th, 2012

thinkkanen

STORY: TOMI HINKKANEN – MALIBU
PHOTOS: MARKKU LÄHDESMÄKI, TOMI HINKKANEN

From the left: Julian, Anne and Markku Lähdesmäki relaxing at home in Malibu

Markku Lähdesmäki is a successful photographer who is known for his surrealist advertising photos. He lives with his family, wife Anne and son Julian on the hills of Malibu. Their luxurious lifestyle was made possible by talent, hard work, studying, risk-taking and sacrifices.

Pacific Coast Highway in California follows the Pacific coastline. As one drives north of Santa Monica, from time to time luxury beach houses obscure the ocean views. After a right turn from the PCH, the rest of the way is done on a winding mountain road that twists and turns like serpentine, ascending high above the sea level. The Lähdesmäkis’ house is located in an attractive area called Sea View Estates that is comprised of just 80 houses. The place has a countryside feel to it. It is hard to believe that Los Angeles is just twenty kilometers away.

Markku and Anne Lähdesmäki in their kitchen

I press a buzzer and the iron gate opens to the front yard. Anne and Markku Lähdesmäki welcome me to their home. We sit down in their spacious kitchen to talk.

Markku Lähdesmäki was born in Pori, Western Finland. His career as a photographer began at age eight when his uncle gave him a camera as a birthday gift. His first paid job was a summer inventory photo shoot for the Satakunta County Museum.

Markku Lähdesmäki started taking pictures at an early age

Markku studied at the Pori vocational school and graduated as a radio technician. When he was adolescent the family moved to Tampere. There Markku and his friend started a photo studio, doing commercial photo shoots for local companies and advertising agencies. Markku met his future wife, Anne Kauranen, through work. She was an art director in an advertising agency and hired Markku to shoot a campaign for Reima-Pukine, a clothing manufacturer. Anne also served as a model and modeled in winter ice fishing overalls and work clothes.

“As I was working on the photos in the dark room, I came to thinking that this AD, Anne is an attractive girl, so I asked her out on a date. We went to a bar to have a couple of beers. Then we walked in the snow and ended up, where we ended up,”

Anne Lähdesmäki is an art director by profession and works with her husband on projects

Markku smiles mysteriously. The couple got married in 1980. Their first son Tomi was born a year later. They decided to move to London to further develop their skills.

“I got a job as an assistant to Ray Massey, who at the time was the best still-life photographer in London. I thought that now I’ll find out what technology is used to make great pictures. However, it turned out that their equipment were older than the ones I had used in Finland. They used a lot of cords, tapes and other tools in London. The biggest revelation was the time, research and painstaking work that went into each image,”
Markku describes.

Anne and Markku returned to Finland, where they received many job offers. Now they were good enough for the demanding advertising market of Helsinki.

“I got to work with the best art directors of Finland. Their ideas were really good. The secret to making a great photo is a brilliant concept. Our Helsinki years coincided with the golden age of advertising. I was a busy photographer. Anne and I were showered with advertizing awards.”

Singer-songwriter Julian Lähdesmäki, who goes by the artist name Julian Jones,performing at a festival in Malibu

Their youngest son Julian was born in 1987. But Anne and Markku still felt that something was still missing.

“The London years had left us with yarning to foreign countries.”

They considered moving to Madrid, Paris and New York. Markku made exploratory trips to all three cities, took in interviews with ad agencies and cased out possible neighborhoods to relocate to.

“Then, Anne’s brother, said he had never heard anyone move away from California. When we came to Los Angeles, we found that this was a familiar place from TV. There were also quite a lot of young Finns there. It made moving easy,”

Markku explains. He got an agent and work based on his portfolio. The family made the big move to a new continent in 1992.

Julian and Markku Lähdesmäki relaxing on their patio in Malibu

The first photo shoot was for a computer manufacturer.

“We had to get a sailboat out on land and make it look like it hadn’t been used for a long time. We found an old sailboat made in Finland on a local marina. It was lifted from water and transported on a truck to Zuma Beach in Malibu. But the truck got stuck in the sand, and did not budge. I went to panic. I was thinking of canceling the entire shoot and sending all 30 people in our production team home. The producer told me to take it easy. By accident, the truck had gotten stuck in a place where the light was at its best. The shoot eventually went wonderfully. The idea was: A computer saves you time to use your boat.”

Nowadays Markku and Anne work through their company, Lightroom, Inc. On an average, they create three ad campaigns every month. They must compete fiercely to win each campaign. Ad agencies send invitations to pitch an idea to three competing photographers. Of these, only one is hired to carry out the campaign. Each photograph pays 10 000 to 30 000 dollars.

Markku Lähdesmäki recently photographed Joe Peschi and Don Rickles for an ad campaign

One of their recent ad campaigns was for Snickers chocolate bars. Comedians Richard Lewis, Don Rickles, and actors Joe Peschi and Roseanne Barr were photographed for the campaign. They were supposed to look dissatisfied, because they had not gotten their chocolate bar.

“These are the big stars. The protocol was very particular about who was allowed to be in the room. You were required to laugh at their jokes. Yes, it was a bit intimitating,” Anne reveals.

“Don Rickles’ shoot was the funniest. He asked where the photographer is from. When I told was from Finland, Rickles fretted that he has no jokes about Finland. Throughout the shoot he then came up with jokes about Finland. People were laughing themselves silly in the background,” Markku reminisces.

Anne Lähdesmäki is printing out an image of Don Rickles, a subject of their recent ad campaign

Joe Peschi, perhaps best remembered as the high-pitched gangster of Martin Scorcese’s Goodfellas was not as easy.

“When I said he should take an angry look, Joe Peschi said that this is his expression, and he will not change it. However, with the right angles and lighting I got a great picture of him,” Markku explains.

The most difficult case was Roseanne Barr.

“She did not want to look aggrieved, nor was she emotionally there for the shoot. Everyone was on their tip toes. We had been shooting for about fifteen minutes, when Roseanne said, haven’t you got enough already. OK, I said. However, I took a risk and showed Barr the pictures I had taken of Peschi and Rickles. Damn, those are great pictures, Roseanne said. Let’s continue the shoot. Now I will give you an angry face. We then shot for another half hour. She wanted to beat Peschi and Rickles!”

Anne Lähdesmäki on a flight above the music room

The Lähdesmäkis live in a modern single-family house high on the the hills of Malibu. The house was built in the early 1990s. They paid just over two million dollars for it and have lived there for eight years. The main building has a kitchen, family and music room with a fireplace and a grand piano. The living room downstairs opens to a back yard with a rectangular swimming pool. The yard has a view down to the Pacific. The four bedrooms are upstairs. One of them has been converted to a gym. The former garage has found new use as Markku’s photo studio. Across the front yard, there is a two-story guest house. Anne’s office takes up the dowstairs. Markku has his own office upstairs. Julian, who is a singer-songwriter, has his music studio there as well.

Julian Lähdesmäki, aka Julian Jones, is a gifted singer-songwriter, whose debut album "Julian Jones' Gentle Parade" recently came out

There are some downsides to living in a paradise as well. It’s an arduous distance away from LA and the area is prone to wild fires.
Five years ago, a fire engulfed the house across the street from their home. The Lähdesmäkis defied the command to evacuate to defend their house with water hoses. The house was saved from the fire. Since then, the family has held a private fire drill twice a year. Anne and Markku work as a team.

“Our clients are art directors. They are the ones who develop campaigns. I have a personal AD at home, my wife Anne. We plan the photo shoots together. Even when on a shoot, I call her to hear her opinion. We solve problems together.”

Many of the shooting locations can be found a few hours’ drive away from home.

“California offers rugged mountain scenery, desert and seascapes.”

Most of Lähdesmäkis’ time is spent working.

“Being an entrepreneur is hard. People are different than in Finland, and business relationships are not as easy to come by. There is no loyalty. No matter how good a job you do, customers are less loyal than in Finland.”

Markku’s a typical work days are long.

“The day begins with morning coffee and checking e-mails. Projects are prepared on the phone and by e-mail from home. The shoots are are often far away – in another state or country. The preparatory work is done at home,”

the ad man explains. It is windy at the top.

“There’s a lot of competition and it’s really hard. Once you have reached a certain level, you compete with the best. One must try to come up with new styles and images for the portfolio in order to sell oneself.”

His agent helps with getting work. Photographers rarely meet their colleagues, but will closely monitor their doings.

“It always bugs me if someone gets a campaign that I was competing for.”

Markku’s Malibu neighbors include a number of celebrities. Therefore the paparazzi are a permanent nuisance at the local shopping center.

“They are parked by the Malibu Starbucks and are lurking celebrities in their cars. Once they get a whiff of a celebrity, they start running after them like a bunch of lemmings,” Markku laughs.

Anne Lähdesmäki looks out of her balcony. Their home offers spectacular views of the ocean and mountains

Celebrities do not interest him but remaining fit is an important part of the Lähdesmäkis’ leisure activities.

“We go to the gym five times a week, taking a spinning class, where you exercise with a cycle for an hour to loud music. I also bicycle once a week, even though the hills here are quite steep. Sometimes we drive to Zuma Beach and run from one end of the beach to the other. Every time I pick up a small round stone, bring it home and put it in a vase. It’s half full – running rocks from Zuma Beach,” Markku smiles.

Anne, Julian and Markku at the Kiwanis Cook Out festival in Malibu

Anne and Markku go out to dinner a couple times a week, sampling different ethnic restaurants Malibu has to offer. They often pick a beachfront restaurant, sipping margaritas as the sun goes down. So, one would think that they are fully content remaining right where they are, but no.

“We have always moved from place to place. Now we are stuck here. I always imagined that six years in America would be the maximum. But leaving this behind has proven to be surprisingly difficult. The area is so ideal for a photographer. To me, moving is a way of letting go of old ideas, seeing things fresh and new. Yes, it is in my mind all the time,”
Markku Lähdesmäki sums up.

March 4th, 2012

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LAWNDALE

PHOTOS: TOMI HINKKANEN, JANNE KOURI’S HOME ALBUM

DATE: March 5th, 2012

Founder and president of NextStep Janne Kouri

For most of us, getting up in the morning, taking a shower and getting ready for work is everyday routine. For Janne Kouri, it’s a major operation. His life changed forever on a beautiful summer day almost six years ago. A sudden diving accident turned sun, fun and volleyball on the beach into a desperate attempt to save his life. From that moment on, Janne’s life has been a war to regain his mobility and help others in similar circumstances.

Janne has invited me to visit his NextStep Fitness – a nonprofit organization and a gym for paraplegics. I have to admit, I arrive with butterflies in my stomach. Would it be a gloomy place ? Nothing could be further from the truth. As I open the door to the gym, three young people are exercising with state-of-the-art equipment, as upbeat techno music is playing in a spacious, bright and clean gym. The staff is likewise cheerful and young.

NextStep Gym is modern, cheerful and boasts state-of-the-art excercise equipment

Janne Kouri, 36, is working with a receptionist in a glass-encased office by the front door. He is sitting in a modern wheel chair and as I enter, gives me an enthusiastic handshake. I ask him to recount the events of that day – August the fifth, 2006.

”It was a fun, hot day. We headed to Manhattan Beach with my girlfriend Susan and a bunch of friends to play volleyball. I got hot, so I ran on the sandy beach into the sea for a swim. I jumped head first into a wave. But behind it, under water there was a sand bank. I crashed my head into it. After that I did not feel anything, and I could not move. I was conscious the whole time. A wave turned me around. I was floating on my back and I was hoping that someone would see me. I could not move my hands or feet. I thought these might be my last moments alive ”

Seconds felt like hours, as Janne lie helplessly on the ocean.

“Water filled my mouth and lungs. It was difficult to breathe. I wouldn’t have lasted there much longer. I had gone into the water alone. Then a man on the beach came and pulled me away from there. ”

In the meantime the others in Janne’s group did not know anything about the accident. There were thousands of people on the beach that day and Janne’s momentary absence did not raise eyebrows.

“Susan was walking along the beach and saw the ambulances. She thought that might it be me, since she had not seen me for a while. She ran there and found me by an ambulance. ”

Janne was rushed to a local hospital where the medical staff managed to stabilize him. A couple of days later he was transferred to Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles. There he lay for two months on the brink of death. Twice he went into a cardiac arrest but was brought back to life. He has hazy memories from those weeks after the accident – friends and relatives visiting and that sort of things.

“I was so sick and on heavy medication during the first month. I remember being out there and I remember the days when the guys came to see me. I slept quite a lot. I had a 104 degree fever for almost two months. It was really uncomfortable. I had pneumonia.”

The diagnosis was devastating. He had broken two of his neck vertebrae, C5 and C6. They were surgically connected together. Undaunted, his girlfriend Susan Moffat did not sit idly by, but started to make preparations for Janne’s release from the hospital. She started touring different rehabilitation facilities around the U.S., finally finding a doctor named Susan Harkema who practiced at the Frazier Rehab Institute in Louisville, Kentucky. It was the only facility to offer locomotor training – a term Janne mentions a time and again.

Janne is prepped up to use the locomotor excercise machine

“I started to improve immediately at Frazier Rehab. It was quite an amazing place. Rehabilitation began immediately on the first day. I trained there for eight hours a day for total of ten months. I also an opportunity to catch up with other patients. Most of them were victims of car accidents. I do not know what would have happened if I had not gotten there.”

Throughout the ordeal, Susan stood by his side. Janne gets emotional when talking about it.

“Susan was there all the time. I do not know if I would have been as upbeat as I am, if she hadn’t been there. Often, after an accident such as this, the intact spouse leaves from the relationship.”

It was essential that Janne had excellent health insurance. His medical bills totaled a whopping 20 million dollars! After his rehabilitation was over, the couple returned home to Southern California. Janne could not find a gym that would offer locomotor training there.

“That’s how we go the idea for the Next Step. If a suitable gym does not exist, then we have to build one.”

Both Susan and Janne had the business knowledge to pull it off – Susan is in the banking sector and Janne had an MBA from Georgetown University, plus a lot of work experience in the IT-sector. Janne’s father, the late financial guru Pentti Kouri, helped a great deal. Together Susan and Janne wrote a business plan and went to work.

“We organized fund raising parties and charity events. We asked for money from friends, families and applied for scholarships. My school,Georgetown, friends and co-workers wanted to help, when they saw what a good thing we tried to create. People, firms and associations pitched in.”

Activity base trainer Joel Wenger helps Janne Kouri stand by himself

They were able to scrape together a million dollars – enough to keep the gym running for one year. The grand opening of the NextStep Fitness took place on June 2^nd, 2008. However, in the midst of it all, it was totally uncertain, whether the venture would pay off. They did not have enough money to do the market research. But then, during the first few weeks, when customers started pouring in, they knew they had a winner in their hands. That same summer they married in Miami.

Today, the NextStep Fitness employs 11 people and it has about 200 clients. Net sales total $550,000. That includes charity receipts. Members basically pay what they can afford – anything from 75 to 1,600 dollars a month. As of now, medical insurance does not cover the membership fees. Since members pay only about 30 percent of actual costs, the rest – 70% – has to come from somewhere. That’s why Janne is constantly on the road, organizing charity events to collect money for his non-profit foundation. Janne creates a hand-tailored exercise program for each member.

“At first, we talk with the person and assess his/her condition and needs. For us, health is our number one goal and walking two.”

Most of the members – about 60 per cent – have some kind of spinal cord injury. Others have differing forms of paralysis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and brain injury. In other words, they are suffering from a variety of neurological disorders.

I get to observe, as Janne goes through his daily exercise routine. It includes stretching with a staff member, and standing up! Yes, amazingly enough, for the past couple of weeks, Janne has been able to stand on his own for a few moments unassisted. Then it is onto the famous locomotor exercise. It includes a conveyor belt, a harness and a bunch of high tech monitoring equipment. Janne is hoisted onto the conveyor belt in a harness. As the belt starts to move, the staff members guide Janne’s legs on the belt. Another employee monitors the essential data on a computer screen. After a 45-minute workout, Janne is sweaty and ready for a shower.

Despite of his great progress, there are still many things in Janne’s life that are more cumbersome than before his accident. He calls his condition with a term “incomplete”.

“I have a special car, it takes two hours to take a shower, I am unable to put the clothes on me. I need help with morning and evening, undressing, and gaining access into bed. I can not travel alone. I can not get up or down stairs. Many restaurants and bathrooms are inaccessible,” Janne lists. I ask him, if he has returned to the secene of his diving accident.

“I have, yeah. I have been there many times. It will not bring any cold shivers. No, this whole thing has had quite a positive outcome. I can not complain about anything.”

Have you always been so positive, or has this experience changed you as a person?

“I can say that I have always had quite a positive outlook on life. But at the same time, this accident has changed me quite a lot. I have realized, what’s important, and I want to do with my life. It has, of course, changed somewhat.”

About NextStep:

NextStep is a nonprofit organization. It is partnered with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and is a member of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network. Doctor Susan Harkema invented locomotor training with Dr. Reggie Edgerton at UCLA. Christopher Reeve was one of their first test subjects at their laboratory at UCLA. Christopher Reeve believed that this therapy should be available to everyone. That is the mission of NextStep.

Mission statement: At NextStep, we believe all persons living with paralysis and other physical disabilities should have the opportunity to live long and healthy lives. Yet today most of these individuals are deprived of the resources they desperately need for survival because there are no options available to them or they cannot afford them. The NextStep Foundation provides the opportunity for health and recovery through affordable and progressive community fitness, health, and wellness facilities.

To learn more, go to: http://www.nextstepfitness.org/

March 1st, 2012

Ava Anttila

Ava Antilla (tapestry by Finnish Artist Eva Anttila)

By Ava Anttila, Los Angeles

Los Angeles is magical. Here something seems to come from nothing. Imagination defies imagination by defining imagination.

If you can think of it, it is real—or can be made so with the right amount of magic ‘dust’ [sometimes referred to as money] deftly applied!

That is too harsh. While it takes money to make money, in this town there is plenty of that around. The real magic comes from the minds, hearts, talents, and hard work of lots and lots of regular people who spend their days—and nights, making dreams come to life so they can come true.

An idea comes into someone’s head. A script is written, producers line up support, talent is found who know their way around demanding skill-sets in front of and behind the camera, filming takes place with thousands of synchronized details directed seamlessly—or not, with casts and crews of hundreds or even thousands doing their thing, and a movie is born. And, with the help of postproduction talent and skilled ‘flacks’, audiences get to spend their $15 to laugh, cry, shrink in fear, or shout with joy. The best win awards—the rest go straight to video! Supremely talented people surround the magic. This cycle happens all around town, all the time, here in our fair city. We in the Finnish community are lucky to have many of these creatives from our ranks helping make Hollywood the entertainment capital of the world.

The Academy Awards

Judging from all of the air time and ink given to the Awards Season, people are aware of and curious about what happens behind the scenes. The Red Carpet and post-parties have become as big as the Awards themselves. The fashion critiques can be glorious—or they can be brutal. Everything must be perfect! Yet, when the klieg lights go off, these superstars are also real people who wake up in real homes with real children who want a hug before they head off to school.

Gwyneth-Paltrow_1999_Oscars dresses wearing Ralph Lauren

Gwyneth Paltrow wearing a Ralph Lauren gown

We are all fascinated with transformations, especially with how celebrities get their look. While standing in the supermarket check-out line we secretly check out the tabloids who have their paparazzi with super-long lenses letting us know what movie stars ‘really’ look like when they are not on the red carpet. Some pictures are remarkably unflattering. No wonder reality shows featuring before and after transformations are very popular around the globe.

In some way, in every woman is a little girl dreaming of becoming Cinderella. She dreams of how she would be transformed at the hands of real magicians, be whisked off to the ball, and be admired by all who saw her in all her glory as she floated down the red carpet.

Ahhhh…imagination!!

But, in Hollywood, dreams do come true! My life-long girlie fantasy day came in the heart of the 2012 Award Season. Photographer to the stars, Jonny Kayhlen, offered to do a real, honest to goodness photo shoot with me as the subject—or is it object? Whatever…I was excited. This was going to be fun! Just the anticipation was such a diversion from the business of my everyday, no nonsense, serious life. Now my imagination was cranking up. It is amazing how quickly the mind can rally a lifetime of fantasies and random thoughts into a ‘game plan’.

Ava Antilla and Editor-in- Chief of Finntimes Tomi Hinkkanen

Somehow, it was already in my mind that if and when it was appropriate/possible to have a make-up artist work on me, I wanted it to be Riku Campo, the famous Finn. Riku was the featured make-up artist at the Lumene “Beauty Brunch” at the Finnish Consular residence several years ago.

The Lumene Beauty Brunch at the Consul General's residence in 2009.

When Jonny scheduled my shoot, it was smack-dab in the Awards Season, so it was not likely I was going to be able to get an appointment in Riku’s busy schedule. He returned my call while in the middle of a photo shoot in Malibu. To my surprise, he gave me the good news that he could squeeze me in on the day of my scheduled Jonny shoot. The dream was becoming realty—or was I still asleep?

Riku said his work would take two and a half hours …at least!! My heart sank—I use all of 2 ½ minutes to get ready to go out! I feared that Riku was thinking that so much time was needed just to get a tavallinen pulliainen like me to look halfway decent. I was wrong. Fortunately for my ego—and my girlie fantasy, the artistry involved in getting someone “camera ready” is very time intensive in each case. I can see why Meryl Streep thanked her make-up artist in the first sentence of her Oscar acceptance speech. Their work is so important to a star’s success.

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn

I found it fascinating–and amazing, to experience first-hand what the stars do to get themselves presentable for the 360 degree angles on the red carpet. Choosing wardrobe and accessories is a major project requiring more time and energy than mere mortals have—to say nothing of the friends who are called in as ‘consultants’! Once you choose the ‘look’, you have to be able to get the zippers and snaps to ‘connect’.

For real stars, the week before Oscars, ten liters of water/no salt/no food diets, detoxifying bodywraps while trampolining, full body spray tans, and strategic taping are de riguer. There are actually “hair rental” places in tinsel town that are frequented at this time of year—gold extensions were big. Some other extreme beauty treatments noted this year included the $7k ground diamond facial used by Mila Kunis (rubies will cost you 10). The Beverly Hills Hotel Spa features a 90 minute white caviar treatment [outside]. I think I’d rather go for the 5 kilo caviar treatment [inside]–shared with 1,500 other guests at the Governor’s Ball catered by Wolfgang Puck and his staff of 350. Our own beautiful and smart actress Anna Easteden’s beauty secret must be her own Finnish sauna. You go girl!

Anna Easteden by Jonny Kahleyn

It was great to greet Riku at the door on my big morning but, with his many large bags, I thought he might be moving in! Kitchen counters had to be cleared for Riku’s amazing array of beauty products. There were skin colors, eye colors, lip colors, and an amazing collection of eyelashes [the ones he uses for opera singers looked like giant caterpillars]!

Make-up Artist Riku Campo by Jonny Kahleyn

It was fascinating watching him work: standing back, coming in close for a touch here, a dab there. I could not help wondering what he had in mind—and he was working on me! He told me he wanted to make my eyes like Elizabeth Taylor’s (remember Cleopatra?). This was going to be interesting. Turquoise eye shadow, black eyeliner, and, then, the false eyelashes –a first for me. My eyelids felt strangely heavy with my mini-caterpillars, but Riku said I would get used to them. He was right. I even slept in them. I did not want ‘midnight’ to come! I wanted to enjoy my new look and to bat my eyelashes at everyone for another day.

The Photo Shoot

Hollywood photographer Jonny Kayhlen arrived for our session with the Editor-in- Chief of Finntimes, Tomi Hinkkanen. They were greeted by the nervous shoot subject –not quite ready with a head full of rollers. Being new to his surroundings, Jonny investigated shooting locales and lighting opportunities while reviewing wardrobe selections and accessory options. It was fascinating to watch this photographic genius make professional decisions about lighting, camera angles, contrasts and the like.

Ava Antilla

The shoot was not ‘snap, snap—we’ll be back’! Again, the search for Hollywood perfection took hours: inside, outside, in different rooms, Jonny up and down ladders, clicking away, suggesting emotions and poses. It was awesome just to watch Jonny’s creative juices flowing, getting an idea, calling for the next shot. Riku stayed on for a few makeup touchups. What fun!

Riku Campo and Ava Anttila

The sun began its descent behind the Santa Monica mountains, so a few outside shots were needed before the light was lost. Sohvi koira was curious and, needing attention or wanting to get in on the act, joined the shoot. Jonny captured her in some shots—and made her day, as well. [More dog news to follow.]

Ava Anttila

What an experience–a long day and hard work for the Master Artists of Hollywood; a ‘bucket list’ dream lived by your girlie scribe who has a new and lasting appreciation for the genius and craft of those who envision, create, and make magical transformations .

Finns and Hollywood Awards

Did you know that our own Erkki Kanto and Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros are members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), that annually votes for the Golden Globe Awards? There are altogether 85 members in the HFPA.

Kirpi Uimonen Ballesteros, Erkki and Ilona Kanto

We in the Finnish community also get excited about the Oscars, the culmination of the Hollywood Awards Season (in other parts of the country, the season know as Winter). We proudly and fondly remember the Oscar sitting modestly on the mantle at the Finnish Consular Residence. It belonged to then Consul General Jörn Donner. Consul Donner was awarded the Oscar for his work as producer of Fanny and Alexander –the only Oscar won by a Finn to date.

That Oscar was irresistible —to look at, to touch, and to pick up. It is sleek, heavy (8 ½ lbs.), and properly substantial. On my last trip to Finland, I was happy to see Oscar again. My friend Bitte Westerlund, author and journalist—Jörn’s wife, showed me Oscar’s new home. He sits on a shelf in their kitchen in Helsinki right next to the cookbooks.

Recent Happenings in the Finnish Community:

Suomi Kerho Annual Meeting on January 22nd.

News from elections: Treasurer Henri Aspen, Membership Roy Norda, Finance Gunnel Kullbäk, Secretary Sirpa Saarenpää, and Housing Seppo Kotajärvi.

Veteraani Tuky Ryhma Annual Meeting on February 8th

Mark Salo and Seppo Hurme were honored with Bronze Medals issued the 17th of November 2011 in Helsinki. The Honorary Diploma states that the Medals were in recognitions of the work done in honor of the fatherland and its defense. Hääyö Vihdoin (Suomen Filmiteolliuus) [Wedding Night at Last] with Ǻke Lindman, Matti Oravisto, Aarne Tarkas and filmed at Seurasaari was shown to participants after the meeting. Officers elected: President Seppo Hurme, Vice President Henri Aspen, Secretary Pauli Majamäki, Treasurer Mark Salo, Membership Veikko Kautiainen, Hospitality Gunnel Kullbäck.

Hauli Huvila Fundraiser “Hauli Helmikuussa Disco Night” on February 25th.

The dress for the night was “your fanciest 70’s outfit”. Ahvo and Liisa Linnala certainly delivered with duds worthy of Saturday Night Fever on Saturday night! The evening began with a bake sale: Karelian pastries, pulla, bread, cakes, and cookies came and went to eager and thankful shoppers. As Finns say: “like onto hot rocks”(Kuumille kiville).

It was great to run into the likes of Jukka Vuorenmaa and Riikka Jyrälä. Riikka will be heading up plans for the next big Independence Day Gala.

Great News for LA Dog Lovers:

Last week, to the surprise of everyone, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors passed new legislation that now allows patrons to bring their dogs to (outdoor seating available) restaurants. Sohvi koira still has on her Oscar ‘bling’–her pearl necklace for Academy Awards watching. We will be Around Town with Ava now more than ever, for sure, looking and sniffing out for and hoping to run into her leading man, Uggie!

Sohvi koira

Links:

http://rikucampo.com/
http://juhannusproductions.com/new/ (Jonny Kahleyn)
http://www.mtv3.fi/helmi/kauneus/artikkeli.shtml/2012/02/1500753/suomalainen-meikkitaiteilija-oscar-look-on-kovan-tyon-takana

February 22nd, 2012

thinkkanen

Video produced and directed by Tomi Hinkkanen (in Finnish and English)

Rockland the Opera, commissioned by the Pine Mountain Music Festival (PMMF), is an historically-based tragic opera in 14 scenes composed and written by Jukka Linkola of Nivala, Finland, first performed in 2011. It is based on a long-forgotten miners’ strike at the town of Rockland in Upper Peninsula of Michigan’s Ontonagon County. The story follows Finnish miners when they united to strike concerning wages and working conditions. During a confrontation with sheriff’s deputies, two miners were killed and several miners were arrested. Subsequently, many miners left Rockland.

One of the miners, Alfred Laakso wrote an account of the events. Years later his grandson Andy Hill read the account and thought it make for a good piece of musical theater.

The first production of Rockland was in Nivala, Finland on 9 June 2011 at the Nivala Ice Arena under the direction of Jussi Tapola with Timo Hannula conducting. It received generally positive reviews from audience members even though it did not draw as many spectators as the River Valleys Music Foundation of Nivala had hoped.

Its premiere in the New World was in Houghton, Michigan, United States on 15 and 17 July 2011 at the Rozsa Center For The Performing Arts as part of the Pine Mountain Music Festival. The premiere was under the direction of Jussi Tapola with Craig Randal Johnson conducting.

To promote the opera in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the PMMF collaborated with community artist Mary Wright on The Story Line Project. People in the community (mostly schoolchildren) were invited to write a one-page story about an ancestor who overcame hardship like the people in the opera. These stories were then transferred to dishtowel-sized pieces of fabric and hung from clotheslines to honor their ancestors and make them aware of the history on which their lives are built.

Role	Premiere Cast, 9 June 2011 (Conductor: Timo Hannula)
Alfred Laakso, miner and musician	Esa Ruuttunen
Johanna Ahopelto	Tiina Vahevaara
Pekka Ahopelto (Puna-Pekka)	Riku Pelo
William Jackson, foreman	William Joyner
Matti Kivi, miner.	Lassi Virtanen
Hilja, daughter of Heikki Järvenpää	Riika Pelo
Pastor Erkki Rantanen	Petri Pussila
Rauha	Katriina Leppänen
Otto, Rauha’s father	Ari Hosio
John or Jussi	Simo Mäkinen
Sven Polkki, union organizer	Mikko Himanka
Thomas Colton, Director of Mining	Robert Mcloud
Heikki Järvenpää, miner	Tom Häkkilä
Pete Casavino	Ilkka Hämäläinen

Links:

February 18th, 2012

thinkkanen

by Tomi Hinkkanen

Hancock, Michigan

The greatest concentration of Finnish Americans is in Michigan Upper Peninsula.

One of the most puzzling things about The Upper Peninsula is that Finnish-Americans still cherish their roots. The opening of several copper mines in the area brought thousands of Finnish emigrants in the area between 1900 and 1910. The descendants of those early Finns still live in the area and many of them speak Finnish, even though they may have never even visited Finland. Andrea tells me though, that it is a tradition among these Finns to make at least once-in-a-lifetime sojourn to the land of their ancestors. We met local Finnish retirees at Suomi Restaurant in Hancock. They came from various backgrounds, having made their careers in business, civil engineering and farming. They have also kept their forefathers’ faiths, whether Lutheran or Laestadian.

Most of the footage was taken at Hancock, Michigan, a city of 4,600 residents on the North shore of Portage Lake. It also has the title of the northernmost City in Michigan. Finnish influence in Hancock is everywhere. One can see it just by walking down its streets. The street signs are both in English and Finnish, and there are Finnish flags in each street corner. I would soon learn, that many of the locals also speak Finnish.

Also see: http://finntimes.com/?p=243 (U.P. (Upper Peninsula, I love you)

February 12th, 2012

thinkkanen

The Pecks

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES
PHOTOS: TOMI HINKKANEN

Movie fans all over the world remember Gregory Peck (1916-2003) as the handsome leading man of Hollywood’s golden era. His first wife was Finnish-born Greta, née Eine Matilda Kukkonen. Although never a Hollywood star, Greta became a true star in her own right as she spread light on everybody she touched. Greta and Gregory were married for 12 years, had three sons, and remained life-long friends even after their divorce. Tragedy brought them together years later when their first-born son Jonathan committed suicide. She dedicated her life to her children and to charity and is fondly remembered by those touched by her kindness.

Greta Peck and her son Cary

I first met Greta at in 1996 at one of her famous parties at her home in Beverly Hills where old and new friends alike were invited. Later on we befriended and I wrote a few stories about her for Finnish publications. She had a lilting voice and would nod her head when making a particularly important point. Those were her twilight years.

“It’s a wonderful place to live,” She remarked about her Beverly Hills home. “If you can afford it,” I added silently in my mind. When I caught up with her a few years later, her beloved dog Monsieur was no longer alive, and she did not take another animal perhaps fearing that it might end up alone. At this point she no longer made her annual trip to her homeland either. It would be doubtful that any of her friends or relatives would have been alive there anyway.

Greta Peck and Ava Anttila

Gret Peck’s home was like a time capsule. God only knows how valuable was the lot her Beverly Hills house stood on. It was once a part of Pickfair: a property that belonged to the silent film star Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks built in the 1920’s. Later on, the vast lot was subdivided into smaller ones and Greta’s was one of them. It was a one story mid-century modern house with a great view of downtown LA. Around her house, the other 1950’s bungalows had been razed to make way for large and gaudy McMansions that filled up their entire lots. A 1980’s Cadillac was parked in front of her house, but she rarely drove it. Instead, she was picked up by friends to go to her charitable functions. Inside her home, there were several beautiful paintings on the walls, some sculptures and stacks and stacks of old photographs on tables everywhere. At my urging she sifted through them, trying to remember the people in several smart get-togethers the pictures depicted.

Gregory and Greta Peck

Eine Matilda Kukkonen was born at the old Helsinki railway station on January 25th, 1911. Finland wasn’t even an independent country then, but a Grand Duchy of the Tsar’s Russia.

“My mother was traveling to town by train from our country house, thinking that she would still have one month before I was to be born, but I decided to come into this world right there and then. It’s a good thing I was the youngest of four sisters, otherwise my mother would have had a difficult time,” Greta Peck reminisces. Her watchmaker father took the family to the U.S. when she was four. The family settled in New Jersey. At school the teacher always mispronounced her name Eine, so she changed it to Greta. The family name Kukkonen had already been shortened to “Konen” on Ellis Island. So the young lady was known as Greta Konen. At the time, girls were only expected to get married, bear children and become housewives. Greta tried to follow in that tradition. At 18 she married an American businessman, Charles Rice. They divorced after four years and had no children. After her marriage ended, Greta decided to get an education. She attended beauty school and, upon graduation, was hired as a make-up artist by ‘the first lady of American theater,’ Katharine Cornell, who had a touring theater group.

“We toured around the country, traveling by train, and visiting every state. Some performances were one-night-stands. Of course, we stayed longer in big cities, like Chicago. There were about 25 people in our entourage. Each tour lasted for 9 months,” Greta says. After the tour was over, the troupe returned to New York.

“Kathryn Cornell was such an elegant lady. She produced a new play every year with her husband Guthrie McClintock, who was a theatrical producer. They had a beautiful home in Manhattan with a garden overlooking the East River where they often entertained great writers and other interesting people.”

“Gregory Peck was a recent graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, and had gotten an engagement with the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. He had been there a couple of years. The play in which Peck was in was closing. Guthrie McClintock just so happened to be in the last show. He was so impressed that he asked Gregory to join their theater group. And that’s where Gregory and I first met,” Greta recounts. Cornell’s group embarked on a new tour. Gregory joined them in Boston. The play was called “Doctor’s Dilemma”. Gregory Peck had only one line in the last act. He asked Greta for a date at the Merry-Go-Round bar in Boston. They began falling in love during the tour.

Gregory Peck

“Gregory was an ordinary, quiet, serious man,” Greta describes. As the tour drew to a close and the group returned to New York, their relationship began to deepen. In the earlier days Gregory had been so broke that he had to sleep on a bench in Central Park.

“My brother Paul and I shared a two bedroom apartment on 39th street. Gregory shacked up with us for a few months. Then he got an offer from RKO studio in Hollywood and asked me to marry him.”

It was an intimate wedding ceremony with just a few close friends present. Greta was 31 and Gregory 26. They took the oath in a Methodist Church in Manhattan on the fourth of October 1942 and then flew straight away to Los Angeles.

“I couldn’t have traveled with him, if we had not been married,” Greta points out. After the hustle and bustle of New York, arriving in Los Angeles felt like they had landed in the middle of a desert.

“There were only a few houses here and there and hardly any cars. We rented a house near Sunset Boulevard. Greg’s salary in the beginning was a thousand dollars a week, which was a lot of money back then.”

Gregory’s ample salary enabled Greta to remain at home. World War Two was raging on and many of Hollywood top male talents had been enlisted. So, there was a shortage of actors. Gregory Peck was discharged because of a bad back. The young and handsome actor found himself in high demand. He began to shoot movies back-to-back. Director Alfred Hitchcock cast him in his thriller Spellbound opposite to Ingrid Bergman.

Gregory and Great Peck

“We liked Hitchcock a lot. He was a very interesting man. He often invited us to dinner and we in turn invited him and his wife Alma to our house. Also, Ingrid Bergman was good company.”

At that time, the stars spent their lives isolated from the outside world. The already established movie star Gary Cooper and his wife, Sandra Shaw introduced the Pecks into the Hollywood high society.

“They held grand parties at their home for a couple of hundred guests – all top actors and actresses, producers and directors. After a grand five course dinner , there was entertainment and dancing to a live orchestra.”

“Due to Greg’s work we were always invited to many events. It made life interesting. We traveled often for months in New York and elsewhere. And we got our first son Jonathan very early on. So we were constantly living a full life.”

Soon they had two other boys, Stephen and Carey. The family moved to a mansion in Pacific Palisades with a swimming pool, tennis court, and guest house on three and a half acres. The staff included a butler, a maid and a nanny. Gregory’s working pace was intense – he filmed a couple of dozen movies during their marriage. Greta begun volunteering and supporting charitable organizations The war veterans’ cause was especially close to her heart. Their daily routines were interrupted by long trips to Europe, where Hollywood movies began to shoot after the war.

The Pecks

“We lived six months in England, France and Italy. I liked them all, because each country is special in their own way, and I love variety.”

The Peck’s never visited Finland together. Greta went to the Helsinki Olympics in the Summer of 1952 and Gregory visited the country a year later. Media at the time was much more gentle than today. Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper was constantly trying to fish Greta for news about Gregory, but she never told her anything. She remembers having given a few interviews to Finnish reporters. The paparazzi were an unknown concept. The movie studios had their own publicity machines that fed the press whatever they wanted. There was gossip going around about Gregory Peck’s involvement with his co-stars Ingrid Bergman, Ava Gardner and Audrey Hepburn. Greta did not admit to knowing anything about these alleged relationships.

“It never occurred to me. The way I looked at it was that it was just doing his work.”

Gradually, Greta and Gregory began to drift in their own separate ways.

“We just grew apart, there was no drama attached to it,” Greta points out. She neither blames Gregory’s busy schedule, nor any woman for the break-up of their marriage.

Greta Peck and her beloved dog Monsieur

After one trip to France, Greta and the boys returned home to California while Gregory remained in Europe. There he had met the French journalist Veronique Passani, who was 16 years younger than him. She had interviewed him for the newspaper France-Soir. After the interview, Gregory phoned her, asking her out. Veronique was so impressed that she cancelled her interview with the Nobel Prize winner Albert Schweitzer.

“I heard about Veronique upon Greg’s return. It did not startle me in any way, since we had already decided to separate. There was no dispute about it.”

The couple divorced before Christmas of 1955. That same New Year’s Eve Gregory Peck married Veronique Passani. Greta was also to be remarried.

Greta Peck with Tomi Hinkkanen and Linda Brava

“I planned to marry a successful businessman and real estate agent named Howard Hodge. He was a very nice man from the east coast. We had known each other for about four years. But then he suddenly died of a heart attack,” Greta says quietly. Hodge, however, left her money in his will. Gregory helped Greta to buy a house and enlarge it. At first, she spent a lot of time with her ex-husband, their sons, as well as Gregory and Veronique’s children.

“Then Veronique wanted to put an end to it. She did not want me spending time with Gregory. After that, we only met on family occasions.”

A tragedy brought them together in 1975. The family’s first-born son Jonathan who had made a career for himself as a TV journalist committed suicide at the age of 30.

Greta’s sons, Stephen and Carey, helped her a great deal to cope with the tragedy. Stephen shared his mother’s interest in the cause of the war veterans and worked for the Veteran’s Administration. Carey, in turn, carved out a career as an executive in the Los Angeles school district. Greta and Gregory met for the very last time about four months before his death at their grandson Ethan’s football game.

Greta Peck loved to paint

“We enjoyed the game and exchanged greetings, nothing special,” Greta says. She never remarried. Gregory and Veronique stayed together until his death in 2003. Greta’s life after Gregory was filled with charity events, friends, travels, her sons and six grandchildren. Every summer Greta would travel to Finland to see her dear cousin Maire Lilja. At some point, she also owned a beauty salon and a real estate agency. In 1967, the president of Finland Urho Kekkonen granted her the Order of the White Rose of Finland medal for her work for the Finnish WW2 veterans. She was also a member of the Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce and received an honorary doctorate from Finlandia University in 1994.

Greta Peck at home in Beverly Hils

“I enjoy being single – I need my freedom. Gregory was a great partner and we had a good relationship through our sons ’til the end,” she summed up her life to me in 2003. She died five years later, January 19th, 2008 at the age of 96.

She is remembered in the LA Finnish community as an intelligent and charming friend, a devoted mother, and as a bright star who dedicated her life to helping others.

January 25th, 2012

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – REEDLEY
PHOTOS: JONNY KAHLEYN DIEB

This mysterious Finnish man left his small eastern Finland town of Kuusjärvi at the turn of the century. After decades of exploring, traveling and creating a career for himself as a tailor, Hauli found his little slice of heaven near Reedley in Central California. It was a half an acre grape farm alongside Kings River. His little farm grew into a gathering place for Finns from all over California. In his will Hauli left the parcel to all Finns to enjoy. Today the place is known as Hauli Huvila (Villa Hauli), and it is still very much a part of Finnish history in California.

Finns had first settled in Reedley, the lush San Joaquin Valley in Central California around 1905. They had given the areas names such as Astoria Kontri, North and South Kontri. Kontri is, of course, a Finnish version of the word ‘country’. Reedley was indeed a home for hundreds of Finns. Even as late as in the 1930s the place was known as ‘New Finland’.

Kings River view from Hauli Huvila

In the early 1940s, a Finn known as John Hauli arrived in Reedley. He purchased a small parcel of land along the Kings River, just outside the city limits. His intention was to grow grapes there. Soon after, John Hauli erected buildings and a stage where sing-alongs, theatrical performances, and events that promoted worker rights were held.

The political climate of the early 50’s America was marred by anti-communist hysteria, and Senator Joseph McCarthy’s communist witch hunts extended all the way to the remote half acre of land that John Hauli inhabited. People, who visited or did any business at Hauli’s ranch, were spied on by informants, their car license plates were recorded and the information given to the FBI. It was then that, according to local legend, the FBI got wind of a Finnish man who often visited Hauli Huvila and was known to travel from one Finnish organization to another, and recruited a local businessman who went by the nickname of ‘Bozo’ as a spy. Bozo was a local businessman who held many important positions in Reedley and spoke both Finnish and English. The legend tells that Bozo would go to Hauli Huvila and patiently listen to what people, and particularly to what the suspected Finnish man spoke. He would then write down all he had heard and reported back to the FBI. But, as it turned out, Bozo’s reports did not contain any mention of subversive activity or anything to do with overthrowing the government. In fact, the mysterious Finnish man was not a communist at all, but a union activist and a member of the Democratic Party. Even though Bozo himself proudly told the story of his one-time gig as a spy until the end of his life, the FBI denies any involvement. They responded to my freedom of information request by saying that Hauli Huvila was never under observation.

A picture from Hauli Huvila from October, 1962

John Hauli continued to run his grape farm, relinquishing much of the work in his twilight years to trusted workers. John Hauli died in 1956 at the age of 73. Hauli had offered his place to Los Angeles Finns who thought it was too far away (over 300 miles) from LA since, at that time, there were no interstate highways. The only Finnish group that showed any interest was the based in Berkeley and was called the 10th Street Haali Finnish American Cultural Society which leaned towards absolute socialism. The Berleley Finns, as they were known, built a club house and a new two-story main building. In the evenings they would showcase films that praised their far-left ideology on an outdoor screen and even hold political rallies. Such activities only added to Hauli Huvila’s already tarnished reputation amongst the conservative townsfolk of Reedley. By the 1980s, 10th Street Haali Finnish American Cultural Society was a defunct organization the whole place started to resemble a retirement community. Members lived on the grounds in their RV’s and trailers for months or even years at a time and held notorious drunken parties that didn’t go well with their neighbors. Then things literally exploded: One of the men living at Hauli Huvila (who was not a Finn), who suffered from depression, went into his trailer, turned on the gas oven and stuck his head in it. And explosion followed, but the man miraculously survived. After that incident, long-term living was banned at Hauli Huvila.

John Hauli dreamt of Hauli Huvila as a place where Finns and friends are always welcome

By the early 1990s, it was time for a change. By this time the Berkeley Finns were too old and feeble to be able to maintain Hauli Huvila. In 1991 a new generation of Finns from Los Angeles and San Francisco took over the place. They bought Hauli Huvila for 25,000 dollars. A non-profit organization with no ideology behind it (except the Finnish identity) currently runs the place. Under the new treasurer Henry Aspen, things improved considerably as he got the finances in order. That in turn made it possible to start a large scale construction project. The old cabins, worn out by termites and slugs were torn down and were replaced by four brand new cottages. They were mostly by volunteers and were completed last year. One of the cottages has a living room and a bedroom, a small kitchenette and a toilet; the other three cottages are divided into two identical separate rooms. They all are modern, bright, furnished with Nordic-style furniture and adorned with beautiful photographs. Hauli Huvila also has a sauna and a club house that houses a bar and a dance floor. The grounds can accommodate tents and RV’s. The only original things left from John Hauli are grapevines he had planted.

Hauli Huvila comes to life at summer time. The season opens at the end of May on Memorial Day. Other major events are the Fourth of July weekend, a golf weekend in August and the end of the summer season celebrations on Labor Day in early September.

I spent a couple of days around Christmas time with my friend photographer Jonny Kahleyn at Hauli Huvila. We were greeted by the resident caretaker Randy Cameron and his brown Labrador retriever Candy. We were the only visitors and basically had the place to ourselves as winters are quiet there. Everything was spotless and the sauna was heavenly. It was relaxing and atmospheric to walk along the banks of the foggy Kings River surrounded by large bare cottonwood trees in a temperature of about 13 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit). We made a day trip to the Sierra Nevada Mountains which took a good hour drive. The mountains were covered with snow as we reached 6000 feet/two-kilometer altitude. We got to see the gigantic, 3000 year-old Sequoia trees. They are so large that we could even walk through the trunk of one fallen tree. Back at Hauli Huvila, we checked out the clubhouse walls and viewed photo collages from decades past. In the pictures, Finnish folks with their families are shown in different kinds of get-togethers, having fun. As I said in the beginning, Hauli Huvila is indeed the only place in Reedley that reminds us of the town’s Finnish background. And most importantly, it is still there for all of us to visit and enjoy.

THE RETURN OF JOHN HAULI

When I started to investigate John Hauli’s background, hardly anything was collectively known about him. We only knew he was born in 1883 and died in 1956 (only because his tombstone says so). Not much else was known. Through a considerable amount of research and the help of many, I was able to put together a comprehensive view on John Hauli and his enduring dedication to the Finnish people.

John Hauli

John Hauli’s birth name was Juho Hakkarainen. He was born August the 29th, 1883 in Kuusjärvi, (now Outokumpu). It is a small mining town in Northern Karelia near the Russian border. Hauli’s parents were Maria and Mikko Hakkarainen, and he had at least one sibling: a sister named Mari. Hauli studied in Liperi and St. Petersburg to become a tailor and then worked in Helsinki. Hauli first traveled to the United States in 1906 with eight other tailors. He lived for a while in New York City and then later in the often cold and foggy San Francisco where he became afflicted with severe rheumatism.

Kirvu Sanatorium in Karelia (now part of Russia) where Hauli was treated for severe rheumatism

Hauli decided to return to Finland for treatment and was interned in a sanatorium located in a part of Karelia that now belongs to Russia where he fully recovered. He returned to America in 1915, this time to the more pleasant climate of Hawaii. He adopted the name “Hauli” from Hawaiian natives, a nickname for white man. In his 1918 U.S. conscription card, Hauli gives his home address as 159 South King Street, Honolulu, located near the Honolulu harbor. He worked in Honolulu as a tailor for a Scottish national whose name I believe to have been Leo McInerney.

Grape vines surrounding Hauli Huvila

Hauli had pale blue eyes and light brown hair. He was of normal weight, and medium height. Hauli names his sister as his closest relative – Mrs. Mari Leppänen. She lived in Finland, first in Lahti and later in Savonlinna. Hauli traveled very frequently between the U.S. and Europe which was rather unusual for those times. Consider that at the time it took a week to cross the Atlantic by ship. Between 1923 and 1934 John Hauli would sail regularly from New York to Gothenburg, Sweden and then back. From 1934, he traveled about once a year either from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Vancouver to Honolulu and then back to the west coast.

During World War II, Hauli donated money to the Finnish war effort, and shipped as many wooden crates filled with raisins he could to the Finnish Army’s headquarters in Helsinki.

Cabins constructed by volunteers onthe grounds of Hauli Huvila

At some point in the 1930’s he moved back to California and worked on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles for a Finnish tailor whose name was August Ahonen. According to the legend, Hauli went to ask him for a job, but was told that there was no work available. Hauli then promised him that, if he were hired, the shop would never have a shortage of work, but to no avail. He then sat outside the tailor shop, on the curb, until Ahonen finally agreed to hire him.

By the summer of 1947, records show that John Hauli’s citizenship changed from Finnish to American, and that his occupation changed from a tailor to a farmer.

In the early 1940s, the 57-year-old John Hauli bought just over a half acre of land in Fresno County, right next to Reedley, for 1,400 dollars where he settled down. He planted grapes and turned them into raisins under the California sun. That’s how Hauli got the nickname ‘Rusina-Jussi, or ‘Raisin-John”.

View from Hauli Huvila

He had very close Finnish friends who became his adopted family since he had no family of his own, and in Hauli Huvila he had his own little ‘Finland’. To Reedley resident Oliver Vuori who is now 61, John Hauli was like a grandfather. Oliver reminisces fondly of childhood summers spent at Hauli Huvila. John Hauli used to take him and his sister Helen on his row boat on the Kings River to a sandbank to play and swim. When Oliver fell ill with polio, Hauli set aside a room in near the sauna where the boy could rest. Hauli himself slept in an old Airstream-trailer. During his years in Hawaii Hauli had taken to wearing floral patterned Hawaiian shirts and leis, especially on holidays. On regular weekdays Hauli would be seen without a shirt or wearing a tank top. He could play the ukulele, sang Finnish folk songs with his friends, and told children stories about Finland. He didn’t smoke, and as far as we know, hardly drank any alcohol.

John Hauli

In 1953, he made his final voyage to Hawaii on the ocean liner MS Lurlise. As he was aging and had no family, Hauli started to look for a successor to Hauli Huvila. He approached the Finnish organizations in Los Angeles, but they felt that Reedley, located 300 miles north, was too far away . Eventually, Hauli found a taker. The Berkeley Finnish American Cultural Society agreed to take over hauli Huvila. Hauli stipulated in his will that Hauli Huvila should always be made available to the Finnish community, specially children and the elderly.

John Hauli spent the last three months of his life in the Lone Palm Rest Home, a nursing home in Fresno. He died at 73 at four o’clock in the morning of September 6th, 1956. Hauli was buried in the Reedley Cemetery.

Hauli Huvila visitors from the early 70's.

After I had done most of my research as I prepared to write an article for Suomen Silta (Finland Bridge Magazine), I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a story about John Hauli had appeared in that very magazine back in the ‘50’s. So, I contacted the editor-in-chief Leena Isbom. She found the article which was published two years before Hauli’s death, in 1954. In the article, at the request of the magazine, John Hauli tells about his life, where he was born, about his parents, profession and about coming to America. He says:

“I’ve been to Finland seven times, and six times to Hawaii.

I have always been involved in the assistance of Finland. I went to Finland in this capacity in 1947. I belong to the association of the war blind. I have donated my ranch to the Finnish children and the elderly as a place for summer vacations and I have given a thousand dollars for a fund to support this. Now I am spending the rest of my life as a retired gentleman. The young generation takes care of the work.

I hope the best of luck and future for the entire Finnish nation. I have been lucky in America and I am very happy with my fate.”

I would like to thank the following individuals whose contributions made it possible to write this story:

Henry Aspen
Vicki Bittner
Randy Cameron
Ray Halme
Kimmo Heinström
Olli Hämäläinen
Catherine Lark
Carol Krehbiel
Ahvo Linnala
Mikko Viljanen
Tiina Purtonen
Oliver Vuori

Looking over Reedley, CA

Other sources:

The Reedley California Finns – A Verdant Haven in the Sun, by Frank Stohl 1982
Ancestry.com
County of Fresno – the Hall of Records
John Haulin interview, Finland Bridge, 1954

Hauli Huvila/Hauli Villa
Address: 8802 Kings River Road
Reedley, CA 93 654
Phone: +1-559-784-1500
www.haulihuvila.com

January 21st, 2012

thinkkanen

COMING SOON:
The fascinating story of John Hauli: a mysterious man who left his small eastern Finland town of Kuusjärvi at the turn of the century in search of a better life in America and whose legacy lives on in a little piece of paradise called Hauli Huvila.

John Hauli's Hauli Huvila

SUSANNA PUISTO: HOLLYWOOD’S FINNISH COSTUME DESIGNER

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES
PHOTOS: JONNY KAHLEYN

Susanna Puisto by Jonny Kahleyn

Costume designer Susanna Puisto is one of the very few Finns working in Hollywood film industry. Susanna works as a freelancer and is hired separately for each film production. A costume designer creates the clothes actors wear in movies and leads the costume department in any given production. The costumes for a movie are planned weeks before the cameras start rolling. The work requires an artistic eye and a healthy dose of diplomacy.

Susan receives the journalist and photographer at her home in Silver Lake district of Los Angeles. She lives on a hill in a detached house with stunning views of downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers. The home is warmly decorated in pastel colors. The living-room bookshelf is full of costume-design art books. Susanna plays one of the lastest films, MacGruber, from a dvd as a sample of her work. The film is a comedy, based on Saturday Night Live skits and a parody of the TV series MacGyver. It is set in the present time, but the main characters played by Will Forte and Kristen Wiig have remained stylistically in the 80′s.

- Some of the clothing was pre-determined, since they were based on well-established skits, so we had to use them. But there was only one piece of each garment and we needed a dozen. So, we had to have them taylor-made at a high price.

A common misconception is that a costume designer creates each and every piece of clothing by him or herself. In reality, they are obtained from all possible places – department stores, used clothing stores, from other designers, and from costume rental facilities. Only those clothes that are not available anywhere else are planned from scratch. A costume designer is a foreman with a budget and team. A typical studio film has a a costume budget that equals to about one percent of the total budget i.e., in a 10 million dollar movie, it is one hundred thousand dollars.

Susanna Puisto by Jonny Kahleyn

Susanna’s workdays are busy:

- I go to the office at eight o’clock in the morning. I start by having a meeting with my team, and give them their tasks which include shopping for clothes and making returns. We also do product placement, that is, we will contact clothing manufacturers and designers who want visibility for their clothes. The background actors need costumes as well. My principal assistant and I go to the first fitting at 10 o’clock. Afterwards, we upload images of the cast wearing their costumes and email them to the director. Then we go shopping for future fittings.

One of Susanna’s latest works include a drama based on a true story called “From the Rough”. She began designing outfits for it six weeks before the filming started.

- The film is about golf, so we had to learn quickly about everything related to golf. I did not have any previous experience of the subject, but that’s only a matter of studying. My motto is: there is no need to go to the outer space in order to make outfits for a space movie. You learn something new from each assignment.

A good costume designer understands and highlights the thematic content of the scene.

- I was costuming Josh Lucas for a movie “A Year in the Mooring”. He wanted to wear a colorful t-shirt in a very dramatic scene. Isn’t that an awfully happy-looking t-shirt for such a dramatic scene, I asked him. Bad things happen to people who wear happy-looking clothes, he responded.

Susanna is known in Hollywood for her good relations with major stars. Rebecca De Mornay is one her friends who constantly asks Susanna to design her costumes. Even Val Kilmer, who has a reputation of being difficult, succumbed to Susanna’s will.

- We didn’t have any problems. In the first fitting I started to hand him his costumes: ‘this is number one, number two, number three …’, and he just looked at me. Then I started going through the rack and removed the ones which I did not feel right for Val now that I had met him. “I usually do that”, Val blurted out. Oh really, I replied. ‘Doesn’t anyone tell you no’, he asked. I answered, ‘No, do you want to be the first?’ ‘No’, he replied.

Susanna Puisto by Jonny Kahleyn

Susan has also worked with Renny Harlin on the film The Cleaner.

- I love Renny, he is absolutely wonderful!

In the thriller “Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”, she got to design for Michael Douglas.

- We talked on the phone first. Michael wanted to imitate the Republican politician Mitt Romney who wears tailored suits. I took it as a starting point. Douglas was used to wear specific brands, but I had a contact with the Italian clothing company Canali that makes fabulous suits.

They met for the first time at the Universal Studios.

- Michael is absolutely wonderful – a class act. They don’t make men like that anymore. He drove from his bungalow to my office in a golf cart. Michael was interested in my background. In the middle of the fitting, when my stomach began to rumble from hunger, he offered lunch.

- Once the costumes were tailored, I met Michael again in the Beverly Hills Hotel to make sure everything was ok. His wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones came along. ‘Good job,” she said, ‘Michael could use a change.’

After the filming was over, Douglas wanted and got to keep the outfits Susanna had created.

Once in a blue moon the designer can also influence casting. Susan proposed a Bulgarian-Finnish actress Vera Jordanova for a horror film Hostel II as a villainess.

- I was hired as costume designer on the movie. So, I met with director Eli Roth and producer Dan Frisch. I asked if they have already cast the part of Axelle. They said no. Then I spoke the famous words: I have a friend. They checked out Vera on the internet and called her to come to an audition. She got the part.

One cannot pin Susanna to say anything negative about any star. A large part of the job is to be able to massage big egos.

- They are all demanding. One can never say ‘no’ to anything. One has to be diplomatic. We are called the dream team. We want to please. After all, actors are the ones who have to wear the costumes. If they don’t want to, I cannot force them to do so. My job is to help the actors in their work, not make it more difficult. The costume department is often compared with the art department. I always say that they have nothing in common for walls don’t have opinions.

SUSANNA PUISTO
Born: in Helsinki
Parents: journalist-writer, Tuula Poutasuo and steel industry businessman, Raimo Puisto (divorced)
Background: The family moved to Spain in 1979. Since then, Susan has lived in Monaco, the Bahamas, New York and San Francisco, where she studied acting. Susan moved to Los Angeles in 1990 in order to become an actor. She got a job instead as an assistant costume designer for a TV series. She assisted a costume designer for three years. In order to become a costume designer herself, Susanna had to do free work on indie films and theater to prove herself. A theater play called Big Al spawned her first paid work as a costume designer for a TV pilot, and launched Susanna’s career.
Marital status: Divorced, no children
Hobbies: Traveling, nature hiking, going to galleries and playing with her dogs Misty and Scruffy.

January 15th, 2012

thinkkanen

Sheriff Lee Baca, Consul General of Finland Kirsti Westphalen and Ava Anttila, Esq.

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SHERIFF LEE BACA
REPORTER/PHOTOS: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the largest sheriff’s department in the world. It provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. People from every country in the world live in the county. Therefore the sheriff keeps tabs with all nationalities – Finns as well. I recently met Sheriff Baca at a European-American Advisory Council luncheon in the sheriff’s headquarters in Monterey Park.

The 69-year-old Sheriff Leroy “Lee” Baca, was born in East LA. His own ethnic background is Mexican and Spanish. Lee Baca has had a long career in law enforcement. He began at the LA County Sheriff’s office in 1965. He has been Los Angeles County Sheriff for the past 13 years. Sheriffs are elected and Baca is currently serving his fourth term. The first thing that catches one’s eye about Mr. Baca appearance is his terrific physical shape. Baca wakes up every morning at 5.30 and goes for a run. He calculates having run an equal distance as that of three times around the Earth over the last three decades.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca

The European-American Council is the forum to by which the sheriff keeps in touch with the local Finns. There were Consuls General of several European countries present at the luncheon – Finland was represented by consul general Kirsti Westphalen and a prominent member of the council, attorney Ava Anttila. The council is not just about PR. For example, if a particular country’s citizen is suspected of a crime here, the sheriff can turn to that country’s representative for information. The sheriff has similar information sharing networks with other world countries as well. In this spirit of sharing information, we sat down for a frank one-on-one interview.

Q. Thank you, Mr. Baca for taking time to talk to Finntimes. Have you ever been to Scandinavia?

Yes, I have been to the Netherlands as well. The whole point of those visits is the connections between Los Angeles and the Scandinavian world.”

Q. Have you been to Finland?

Yes, I have. I find Finland to be fascinating, because we all know that Helsinki is a very important city. Internationally speaking it is very diverse. I believe that the Finnish society has made significant contributions to the western world.

Q. About the LA County jail system – can you give us a picture of how many places for inmates do you have and how many actual inmates?

Well, we have capacity for 20,000, we have 16,000 inmates. The important thing about it is, 80% are pre-trial – they have not been tried or convicted yet. It makes it interesting and challenging to me that many of them are in jail for serious drug dealing crimes, crimes of violence obviously. We have about 700 murderers waiting for trial. Sometimes they are in jail locally for 2-4 years. A couple of them have been in there for five years and they still haven’t been convicted. So, it is a challenging responsibility. But I believe that education is an important part of incarceration, so I’m offering education courses for these individuals, so they can improve their lives while they are in jail.

Sheriff Lee Baca with the European-American Council

Q. One of your celebrity inmates is Dr. Conrad Murray, who is probably going to sit his entire sentence in your jail system. Being a high profile inmate, he needs special protection from the other inmates and that means more tax payer dollars, correct?

It’s interesting. We have 24 sheriff’s stations. We have smaller jails. I believe his sentence should be served in one of those stations. It would be with less security obviously, because he is not a security risk. I think you are correct in saying that he is someone who is a target of some perhaps more aggressive inmates. But in a smaller sheriff station jail he would be best suited.”

Q. There has been some trouble especially in Men’s Central Jail. Former commander Robert Olmsted has emerged as one of your toughest critics. He said in a recent LA Times interview, that he tried to warn you that deputies were getting away with using unnecessary force, beating up inmates. He says you ignored his warnings. What do you say to his allegations?

We, his allegation is completely out of context. I knew of the force issues, because of six deputies that got into a fight at a Christmas party. He tells me after I learned already. That’s not a very good warning. He should have told me before he retired. And that’s my response to his concern. He and I spoke. He told me he tried to warn his supervisors, but when I spoke to his supervisors, they said he didn’t try to warn them. So, the guy strikes me as being a little odd. If he knew about these things, why didn’t he tell me while he was working there instead months later when he is retired and left the department.”

Q. Maybe he was afraid that there would be retribution if he came forward before his retirement?

Well, he should be strong enough to understand that anything that is under his command, he has the responsibility to correct himself and not blame others above him.

Q. But in one way or another, there was a communications error and the information did not reach you in a timely manner?

That’s correct.

Q. You mentioned the Christmas party brawl between the deputies. Those were the deputies who worked at Men’s Central jail?

Correct, which Robert Olmsted was the captain there and he was also a commander over that captain. So, it was totally in his control. If he knew about this, he should have done something.

LA County's Sheriff Lee Baca and journalist Tomi Hinkkanen

Q. KTLA did a report about the so-called 3000 block gang of deputies, who have their own hand signals just like members of street gangs. Those were the deputies who got into this Christmas brawl. How have you dealt with?

Well, those deputies, first of all, they were not a gang. And secondly, they didn’t have hand signals for themselves. They took a photograph off duty and used what were commonly thought of as gang type signals. But it is not a fact that they were operating like a gang in jails. We don’t have gangs in county jails. Every deputy has specific assignments. They don’t work together as a group. They are spread out to all the different cells. So, they were friends. The KTLA report with even the allegations that they were a gang are completely false. They were just new deputies assigned to the sheriff’s department – been on for 2,3 years. You don’t have a chance to form a gang under those circumstances. So, my answer to this is that the news took it upon themselves to make this sound like this is worse than what it really is. Nonetheless, I fired six of the deputies for getting into the fight. You initiate a fight, that’s unacceptable. That’s where they made their mistake and now they are gone.

Q. The former commander Olmsted also claimed that in Men’s Central Jail there was a culture of disobedience – writings on the office walls saying “don’t feed the animals”, things like that. Have you heard of this kind of a culture prevailing in Men’s central Jail?

It’s not a culture as much as it is an act of wrong doing by – who knows who. When this happened, commander Olmsted was the captain of the Central Jail. He should have done a criminal investigation. He did not. He basically said, let’s just fix the problem in terms of painting over graffiti. A report was made, but in my opinion a crime report should have been initiated. And in that place we would try to find out who did this and then severely discipline this person who did it. So, you see, a few mistakes have been made along the way. But this is not me trying to be critical of commander Olmsted, but at the same time I rely on captains and commanders to fix problems. And it appears to me that commander Olmsted, then captain Olmsted didn’t fix the problem to the extend that he should have. That’s all I’m saying.

Q. So, have you looked into this “don’t feed the animals” signs and other forms of disobedience, or wrong doing?

I have, but you cannot go back three years and say, we sufficient timeliness. It should have been done at the time it was discovered, when Olmsted was captain. He should have commenced a criminal investigation.

Q. I have seen some reports, where inmates have come forward, who have said that they have been beaten up by the deputies in the jail system. Is that still happening?

Inmates say they’ve been beaten up, but they don’t say, what were the circumstances in which they were involved in fights with deputies. It’s easy to say that they were beaten up, but those who have not reported the force – the deputies are supposed to report all the force they use – we discharge those deputies who don’t report all the force. No one has been harmed to the extent that they are permanently incapacitated, or even killed in the hands of deputies. The biggest concern that the inmates have is other inmates attacking them. Most of the fights that the deputies get into are provoked by the inmates. But I do believe that we can do a better job. That’s why I have a force prevention policy, because some of the inmates, who the deputies themselves have used the force, tell me, are people, who have mental issues. And they don’t have any context as to how to control themselves. So, when the deputies try to move them from one place to the other, whey resist and then force is used and then there is a fight. Of course, let me make clear that in a jail operation, where inmates are violent, the deputies must always win. If we don’t have control a hundred percent during fights, we wouldn’t have anyone that we would be able to protect within the jail system, particularly inmates on inmates. So, every inmate that attacks a deputy or gets into a fight with a deputy, is ultimately going to lose. That’s the reality. And for some that have lost, they say, I was beaten up. But they never say what they did to strike the deputy.

LA County's Sheriff Lee Baca

Q. There is also an ongoing FBI investigation into the jails and officer misconduct. What is the status of that FBI investigation and when can we expect results?

I don’t know what the status is and when the results will be, but we welcome the investigation.

Q. You mentioned in the beginning of the interview that you have implemented policies, where inmates are being taught. Can you tell me about that?

Yes, we have several programs. The first is the merit program where we teach them life skills and they enjoy learning about these. How to build a stronger character in relationships with their loved ones – children in particular. That’s one of the most successful programs we have. The other is the Imagine 21 program, which also builds stronger self control tools – people, who are addicted, people, who have violence in their background – they learn to live life in a more positive way. But it takes a lot of steps and a lot of communication with our instructors to build that confidence. Most people in jail are depressed and stressed and have anxiety. And what we do is we teach them how to live a positive life and not a negative life. Those are very successful programs. And that’s going on now, as all these other issues you mentioned have happened, we still have other alternatives for the inmates. But the biggest factor is, in my judgment, a person in jail or prison should be educated when they come out and be better prepared to go back into the community and live a productive life.”

Q. What is the average time an inmate spends in one of your facilities?

The average ones that are sentenced – now remember, only 20% are sentenced, the other 80% are awaiting trial, like I mentioned earlier – they spend about 45 days. And that’s generally long enough to make a change.”

Q. Are they normally young people?

No, they are of all ages. They run from young to old.

Q.Finally, what would you like to see happen with the jail system, if you got your wish?

Two things, I would like to have more staff, because this is part of the problem. If you have less supervision, then there is a likelihood that you will have more force. I need 91 more sergeants, more deputy personnel and then I would like to have every inmate have an educational plan, so that their time spent in jail is more productive than just serving punishment.

January 3rd, 2012

thinkkanen

Vivi Friedman

Now cracks a noble heart.
Good night, sweet princess.
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
(Hamlet, V.ii.359-360)

It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we inform you of the passing of Vivi Friedman yesterday, January 2nd, 2012, after a long battle with cancer.

Our condolences to Vivi’s partner Steven and relatives. Ha-Makom yenahem etkhem be-tokh avelei Ẓiyyon vi-Yrushalayim.

Here is a story we ran just a few months ago on the premiere of Vivi’s first feature film in the United States:

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – WEST HOLLYWOOD
PREMIERE PHOTOGRAPHS BY JONNY KAHLEYN/TOMI HINKKANEN

Finnish Vivi Friedman’s first feature film ‘The Family Tree’ premiered on the big screen last weekend in Los Angeles and New York. The film boasts a star-studded cast: Dermot Mulroney, Hope Davis, Chy McBride, Selma Blair, Jane Seymour, and others. Vivi Friedman is not yet a household name, but she is well-known in the advertising world. The 43-year-old director has had a long career in TV commercials. She has directed spots for both Finnish and international companies and is represented by an agency in Germany. In America, ad agencies don’t seem to bother much with subterfuge while European TV commercials often tell a clever little story with a twist (revealing the advertised product or service at the end). Vivi became known for these kinds of story-driven commercials. Vivi Friedman came to the United States 20 years ago. She studied at Rochester University in New York and at UCLA in Los Angeles. However, she admits that school was not really something for her and that she got most of her training in the field. In Hollywood, Vivi familiarized herself with the production process of American movie-making by taking on production assistant jobs here and there. Then she made a short film called ‘Certainly Not a Fairytale’.

Vivi Friedman directs Dermot Mulroney and Hope Davis

“My agent sent copies of the my film to various producers and agencies, and one of the recipients was screenwriter Mark Lisson’s manager who was looking for a director for Mark’s script. I then met with Mark and we got along great. That’s how it all started,” Vivi recalls. Along with the writer, Allan Jones produced. Alan didn’t divulge the exact budget amount, but said it cost less than five million dollars to make. The Ohio-based movie was actually filmed in Los Angeles in 2008. The tight budget allowed for only 25 days of shooting.

‘The Family Tree’ is a dark comedy about a family in crisis. The parents are on the brink of a divorce, the teenage son is mixed up with a fundamentalist church and its gun-worshipping pastor, and the daughter struggles with her sexuality. The Burnetts get a second chance when the mother (played by Hope Davis) loses her memory due to a head concussion and starts believing that everything is fine with the family. This reboot starts the chaotic sorting out of the whole family mess.

Vivi Friedman at the LA premiere of 'The Family Tree'

Before the cameras were able to start rolling, Vivi had to ‘sell’ her film to some top Hollywood names. With the help of a good casting director, she succeeded in attracting a stellar cast to her first directorial effort. The first one hired was Dermot Mulroney for the role of Jack Burnett, the husband and father of the family. Mulroney is perhaps best remembered from Julia Roberts’ 1997 film ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding.’

“Dermot has a dry sense of humor. He is fantastic as an actor. He totally put his heart and soul in a role that required him to be less than his usual handsome leading man,” Vivi describes. Dermot is reunited with his ‘About Schmidt’ costar Hope Davis who plays the mother and his wife Bunnie.

“Hope is aware of her talents and she has an enormous scale as an actor. She took the young actors under her wing. She says that once you have made a movie together, you are like family members with them for the rest of your life.”

Dermot Mulroney and Hope Davis in 'The Family Tree'

Brittany Robertson, Max Thieriot and Jane Seymor complete the Burnett family as the teenage daughter, son, and grandmother.

“Jane is fantastic. She appears at the end of the film in a scene that requires her to cry. When we were discussing that, Jane asked, if I wanted her to cry from the left eye, from the right eye or from both eyes.”

Chy McBride plays Bunnie’s neighbor and lover. He agreed to show an intimate body shot for the film.

“Chy said that he would rather not appear naked. I said that I just want to show your ass. He replies, oh that? Go ahead, it’s in good shape!”

The featured cast is also full of familiar names. Keith Carradine is the gum-chewing, gun-toting priest. Christina Hendricks of the TV series Mad Men is cast in a similar office manager’s role. Selma Blair portrays a lesbian teacher.

“Selma is just as wild in real life as in her roles. She is an incredibly wonderful person. She questions everything but agrees to everything as well.”

The premiere night at the Laemmle 5 Theater in West Hollywood attracted a great audience who applauded enthusiastically at the end.

Vivi Friedman

VIVI FRIEDMAN

Family background: Vivi was born in Helsinki in 1967. She spent her childhood years in Nummela, Southern Finland. Her brother Sami works for the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE).

Education: University of Rochester, NY, UCLA, CA. Career: Started making TV commercials in 1989. Has made spots for Aktia Bank, Asuntopörssi (a real-estate company), Lumene (cosmetics) and Valio (dairy products). Directed a short subject ‘Certainly Not a Fairytale’ in 2003.

Vivi Friedman

Personal life: Vivi is in a relationship with Steven Kaminsky, a post-production supervisor.

‘The Family Tree’ movie trailer:

Links:

http://www.thefamilytreemovie.com/ (Official website)

http://www.vivifriedman.com/

December 19th, 2011

thinkkanen

EDITORIAL: SAVE THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF LOS ANGELES
By Tomi Hinkkanen, Los Angeles, CA
Photograph by Jonny Kahleyn

Plans are in the works to move all or some functions of the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles to Silicon Valley, some 350 miles (550 kilometers) north of LA. The worst scenario would be the complete shutdown of the consulate in Los Angeles. This is a very bad idea that should be soundly rejected. You can help by signing the petition below this message.

Finland has had representation in the Los Angeles area in one form or another for over 60 years. The Office of the Vice Consul of Finland opened in Los Angeles in 1948. The first Honorary Vice Consul, later Consul, was the legendary Yrjö A. Paloheimo. The Consulate General offices have been located in the Century City section of Los Angeles since the early 1980’s. Over the years the consulate has promoted Finnish arts, education, technology, businesses, culture, tourism, and even Santa Claus. The Consulate General in LA represents 13 Western States that have 70 million inhabitants. Some 7,500 to 9,000 Finnish citizens live in its close proximity. Out of those, about 4,000 Finns call Southern California home (versus approximately 2,000 in the Bay Area).

Southern California has a highly motivated, dedicated, caring, and diverse Finnish community encompassing individuals of many professional and socio-economic backgrounds that range from regular hard working Finns to artists, painters, sculptors, actors, filmmakers, musicians, researchers, scientists, students, educators, business people, lawyers, medical professionals, retirees and, yes, even us journalists. The Consulate General of Finland has been the magnet that has brought all these people together. Gatherings sponsored by the Consulate General have been extremely beneficial as they offer Finnish and American experts of various fields a chance to meet and interchange knowledge and experience. Under Consul General Kirsti Westphalen, the consulate has been especially active in organizing events around various themes important to the success of Finland and it played an essential role in promoting FinnFest in San Diego, held in August 2011.

Trends come and go, and the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles has always adapted accordingly. The ex-Consul General Maria Serenius was instrumental in starting the Global Access Program (GAP) in collaboration with the Finnish Technology Agency Tekes and University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Each year GAP brings Finnish high tech companies to UCLA where fully employed MBA students create strategic business plans for those companies. The program has been extremely successful. During the last 13 years, some 120 Finnish companies have participated in GAP with many been able to expand their operations to the United States thanks to the program. Tarja Halonen, the president of Finland, has just acknowledged the importance of GAP by granting its director, UCLA Anderson Business School professor Bob Foster, a Knight, First Class, of the Order of the White Rose of Finland medal. Furthermore, the GAP program has been extended for the next three years. This would not have happened without the help of the Consulate General.

Recently, the Consulate General has recognized the emergence and importance of green economy and green technology that offer great possibilities for Finnish companies, and it has acted as a liaison between the Finnish clean tech cluster and the American know-how in the area. The Consulate General has also been a major promoter of the Finnish education model (which has emerged as a new Finnish export) by organizing seminars and gatherings on the theme.

The Consulate General of Los Angeles has, for many years, worked closely with all Finnish public and non-governmental entities such Finnode, Finpro, Finnish-American Chamber of Commerce, FinnFest as well as many others in the spirit of House of Finland. All parties have been extremely satisfied by this co-operation and with its quality and direction. The Finnish community has been served outstandingly by the competent staff of the Consulate General.

California is the eight largest economy of the world. Los Angeles particularly as the second largest city of the United States and the second largest media market offers the best possible location for the Consulate General of Finland in the Western United States. Los Angeles has a large and diverse population. Trends are born here. It is estimated that over 50% of the internet content is generated here. Hollywood, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and vast array of institutions of higher education such as UCLA and USC are all in Los Angeles. The lovely residence of the Consul General in the Bel Air section is fully paid for and owned by the Finnish Government and offers an excellent showcase for Finland. Los Angeles is the place to be. Without putting down the good people of Silicon Valley, it is clear that Finland would not get anywhere near the visibility, attention and results there it gets in Los Angeles. A consulate in the far reaches of Silicon Valley wouldn’t even be practical to a casual Finnish tourist visiting San Francisco. It would only serve the interests of high tech industry (who are already represented there by Finnode and Finpro). We recognize the need to save money, but it would be penny wise and pound foolish to close down the Consulate General in Los Angeles which best embodies the direction all Finnish representations abroad are aiming for, namely promoting a very competitive Finland. The closure of the Consulate General in Los Angeles would not be in the best interests of Finland. Therefore, I urge you to join me and reject these plans. The Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles is near and dear to us and we want to keep it right here, where it rightfully belongs.

Please sign the petition below this message to save the Consulate General of Finland in Los Angeles.

Sincerely,
Tomi Hinkkanen
Publisher – Finntimes

http://www.change.org/petitions/keep-the-finnish-consulate-general-in-la

December 14th, 2011

thinkkanen

FINNISH EDUCATOR PASI SAHLBERG TOURS THE U.S.
Reporter: Tomi Hinkkanen
Photos by P. Shalberg, Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho, Karri Huhtanen and ’Tungsten’

Finnish education system has repeatedly been ranked as the best in the world.
We asked Paul Sahberg, one of the most qualified experts in the area, what is so good about it and what could be done to improve schools in the United States.

Q. Could you give us your title in English, explain what Cimo is (what does it do, who is behind that organization, etc.), and what do your duties there include. Also, if you could tell us a little about yourself – your background, family, etc?

My title is Director General at CIMO. CIMO is the Finnish Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation that operates as an agency of the Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland. CIMO advances internationalization of Finnish society by offering students and youth opportunities to international exchange, internships, development cooperation and joint projects. CIMO serves as an information service point for foreign people who are interested in studying in Finland and supports teaching Finnish language in foreign universities, e.g. Columbia University and University of Madison in Wisconsin. CIMO has 110 staff in Helsinki and 22 in foreign universities around the world. I am director of CIMO.

I was born in Oulu, Finland and studies in Turku and Helsinki universities before receiving my PhD in Jyväskylä university. I have worked as teacher, teacher educator and policymaker with the Finnish government. I lived in Washington, DC, for five years in early 21st century working for the World Bank and have been back home now for two years. I am author of Finnish Lessons: What can the world learn for educational change in Finland? Teachers College Press, 2011).

Team work in action

Q. Finland has been ranked the best country in education. Could you talk about the criteria, what organization did the ranking and what was found to be so exceptionally good in the Finnish education system?

I would be careful to conclude that Finland has the best education system in the world. First, there is no commonly agreed criteria for making such ranking of education systems. People and especially media often use the Programme for International Student Assessment or PISA by the OECD (based in Paris) to compare education systems internationally. PISA is a useful tool to learn more about how education systems are working but it is just a part of the story. We need to look at participation, drop-out and graduation rates, too. How equitable education systems are, in other words, how they provide opportunities for different learners to succeed is important. And, of course, we need to look at how much education costs for tax-payers and parents before we can say whether education system is good or not.

Second, we have more comprehensive and comparable data only for about one third of worlds education systems. So, being best in the world only refers to this part of the globe. Finally, PISA only deals with school system upto age 15 trhat is in the U.S. the end of junior high school. We have very little data of the performance of high schools or universities in the world.

Finland has been successful with its K-9 school system in all respects mentioned above. Finnish education system is probably the most equitable, accessible and affordable in the world. It also produces high learning outcomes. But since we can not say much about high schools or universities in Finland in the international perspective I would say that we have very good basis for our education but would remain silent about the education system as a whole at this point.

Q. In the United States, much emphasis is put on evaluating each school and ranking all schools in terms of academic success. Parents even move to areas with good schools. Some people would like to give students / parents vouchers so that their children could attend a better school. Now, could you explain us, how this is done in Finland and how does it differ from the American system?

Well, the first think in Finland is that we don’t measure our schools using external standardized test as is done in the U.S.. These test almost solely assess academic achievement and in very few subject areas. Therefore Finnish parents don’t know where the good schools in the sense of academic performance are. Actually, most Finnish parents don’t think that this is the most important issue in the first place. For many it is more important to be sure that the school offers programmes and support that their children need. Parents offen choose school that is in the neighborhood and if they don’t, they look for a school that has more arts or sports or foreign languages for their child. Academic achievement in primary schools is secondary issue. It turns to primary issue in upper secondary school.

Q. What do you do in Finland, if one particular school is found to have problems, like bad teachers, violence on campus or poor academic success?

Schools are governed by municipalities. Therefore all these issues must be processed and solved within and by the municipality. Finland has systematically worked over the last two decades to upgrade school leadership to the level where school principals are able to deal with most of these issues independently. In some cases they need support and advice for other schools or the municipality. The government never intervenes in these matters unless there is a serious legal matter that requires more thorough authority. Finnish schools are also closely networked in the municipalities and are able to help one another when difficulties emerge.

Q. There is a tendency in the U.S. to reward good schools and good teachers and punish bad schools by withdrawing funding from them and dismissing bad teachers. Is this kind of “carrot and stick” method used in Finland?

Because we don’t have data from standardized test, we are not able to label schools or teacher ‘good’ and ‘bad’ as is done in the U.S. commonly. Rather than punishing teachers or schools we concentrate on identifying those who are struggling and likely to end up in troubles early and then make support and resources available to help them out of that situation. This is a very different policy than ‘carrot and stick’ that you mentioned. We think that merit pay to teachers based on students’ standardized test scores is a bad idea. However, we do think that teachers who work more should be paid more. And this is what we do here. All teachers are paid the same throughout the country. When teachers progress in their seniority path, their salaries also gradually increase.

Q. There have been school shootings both in the U.S. and Finland. What have you there learned from these incidences – can anything be done to prevent them?

First of all, these are very very sad incidences regardless of where they happen. I think that these acts of crime are not motivated by school alone but, at least in two Finnish cases, more by the society in which young people live. I have noticed here in Finland that we have an increasing number of young people, often boys or young men, who spend much of their free time with the Internet, computer games or TV and thereby away from other people. We have, unfortunately, more and more single-parent families where children lack proper parental love and care. To prevent any further bloodshed in our societies or schools by anybody we need more love, caring of one another and humanity in our schools. I think we should seriously reconsider our thinking about technology in schools and whether increasing it in schools is really a smart thing to do. Instead, I believe, we should transform our schools as places for social interaction, mutual responsibility and well-being where all young people would belong to a community. If we let things go and leave it upto the world of entertainment to decide, I am afraid we are doomed to a road of more violence and sadness in and out of our schools.

Q. You have visited the U.S. several times and toured schools here. What do you see are the major problems in the American education system and what kind of advice could you give to remedy them?

Indeed, I have seen schools in different parts of the U.S. and learned a lot. First of all I want to say that we in Finland have learned a lot from American educators and schools. Teaching methods, innovative schools and teaching self-confidence in schools in American schools have been inspirations to the Finnish education system. We all have problems in our schools, even we here in Finland. I think American education today suffers from three main deficits. First, I think you rely far to much on standardized data from academic knowledge tests. In this respect American education system is over-tested and under-assessed. By this I refer to classroom assessments that teacher do and use for monitoring the progress of their students. Current testing system is expensive, focuses on narrow part of curriculum and leads to teaching to test as several American research projects have clearly shown. Second, in many states you have moved to hyper-accountability in schools where individual teachers are held accountable for their students’ performance. Teachers’ pay is tied to this accountability system that has led to massive misconducts and corruption in schools and districts as we have seen in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. I think that as accountability gets stronger in school system, responsibility and trust get weaker. When we lose trust in schools and school systems, only bad things are ahead. Third, there is a serious devaluation of teaching as a profession in America. Half of teachers leave their profession before the end of their fifth year in service. Teaching is a primary career choice for decreasing number of high school graduates. This is kind of catch-22. Poorer intake in teacher education leads to lower-than-expected quality of new teachers who are not able to convince younger generations that teaching is a noble job. Although Teach for America may help some schools and be an experience for some young professionals who teach in that program, I doubt it will ever be able to solve the deeper rooted problem of teachers in America. Charter school movement and involvement of larger corporations in public education will further jeopardize the moral of teachers and ethos of teaching profession in America, I am afraid.

Q. How would you rate the American school system?

American school system will in any case remain an inspiration to others. It is an innovation-rich system with some of the best schools in the world operating in it. Unfortunately, as I see it, American school system today is moving to wrong direction. It is moving away from whole child idea where well-being, happiness and health of children would matter the most. It gives too much value to numeric data and misses the human side of schooling. And by doing so, American schools are able to serve only some of the youth in their communities, not all of them. I think American school system can make the transformation that its current leaders are hoping to see but it requires rethinking of some of the core policies and reforms of today.

Q. You give lectures in the U.S. about the Finnish school system. Could you talk about that. Where do you give these lectures and to whom, what has the reception been and what are the most often asked questions that your audience members ask you?

I speak to very diverse audiences in the U.S. ranging from State School Officers to superintendents, principals, teachers, students, parents an business leaders. Most people know very little about Finland or Finnish education. They often ask how do we test our students, how do we find bad teachers, what children do after school day, and how to build trust in the school system. I often hear also comments about Finland being homogeneous and small and therefore not comparable to the U.S..

Q. Finally, could you share an anecdote about your own family, perhaps something interesting about your own school days or if you have children, about their school?

I often tell people about my son who has already completed his schools successfully. When he came home from school I often asked him about homework he got for the following day. His regular answer was ‘I did it already on my way home in the bus’. And that is true. Finnish schools don’t believe in homework. They rather provide children time during the school day to completed whatever they are asked to do for the next day. My son did all sort of other things after school that he found interesting: played music, played basketball or just hanged around with his friends. I think it is very important to hang around without any plan when you are young.

Mr. Sahlberg is currently on a speaking tour in the U.S.

Here is his schedule:

12/5 Chicago, Univeristy of Illinois at Chicago
12/7 Washington DC, Finnish Embassy
12/8 New York, Columbia University
12/9 Nashville, Vanderbilt University

1/12 Washington, DC Education Week Conference
1/13 New York, Harvard Club
1/17-18 San Francisco, Stanford University

December 12th, 2011

Ava Anttila

‘AROUND TOWN WITH AVA’

REPORTER: AVA ANTTILA – LOS ANGELES

Veterans’ Meeting

The Veteran’s support group met at Suomi Kerho on November 9^th . Seppo Hurme, President, opened the meeting with Pauli Majamaki serving as Secretary pro tem. Several Veterans were in attendance along with one Lotta, Elma Maisac, and her son. A topic of discussion at the meeting was the possibility of a joint Finnish event featuring the military orchestra that performed at Finnfest 2011. They would like to come out to Los Angeles in November 2012.

Following lunch the members watched Härmästä Poikia Kymmenen, director Ilmari Unho’s 1950 film with Tauno Palo in the starring role. The film deals with 1860 West Pohjanmaa themes.

Finnish Church’s 94^th Birthday

The congregation gathered in the afternoon of November 13^th at the Finnish Lutheran Church to partake in the celebration with worship and music. Michael Armstrong played the organ, Wesley Radlein played violin, and there was a special presentation with bells.

Patti Lamb on the kantele is always a special treat.

All enjoyed the refreshments that included salmon soup.

FACC Pikku Joulu

The warm glow of a traditional Finnish Christmas greeted members of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce last Sunday afternoon. Winter presented itself here in Los Angeles –not by a snow storm, but by a brutal windstorm causing power outages from downed trees and branches.

The sounds of Finnish Christmas carols welcomed guests who gathered around the piano, glogg cups in hand, for a sing along. Michael Armstrong performed as pianist. The traditional buffet included lanttulaatikko, porkkanalaattikko, imelytettyperunalaatikko, rosolli, and salads, as well as, a whole poached salmon and home smoked trout. A Finnish meat pie was personalized with the F.A.C.C. initials. Luumukiisseli and riisipuuro were accompanied by joulu torttu and traditional cookies.

Independence Day-Helsinki

The most romantic Independence Day news ever: On Independence Day, before proceeding on their way to the Presidents Palace for the Gala, long time Los Angeles resident and former FACC Board member, the renowned doctor Pertti Rintahaka and his beautiful Diana became engaged!

December 5th, 2011

Ava Anttila

FINNISH INDEPENDENCE
by Ava Anttila – Los Angeles

On December 6, 1917, the fiercely independent Finns became self-governing. Independents became Independence. Much with Finns and about Finland happens quietly. At 6:00 p.m. [properly 18:00], 2 lights appear in windows all over Finland and in Finnish homes here in Los Angeles. If you are looking – and if you know what you are looking at, you will know that Finns are celebrating their freedom and independence.

Finland has celebrated Independence Day for 94 years. The United States has celebrated for 235 years — since July 4, 1776.

Finland is such a young country that we who are the 1st , 2nd , 3rd , and 4th generations of free Finns can feel the recentness of our Independence, revel in the security of freedom, and feel the joy it has brought to the great people of Finland who live, create, and thrive wherever they are living.

There is a connection to Finland’s history and how/why she has delivered to the world such amazing world class leaders in so many demanding fields. Finland’s ‘story’ is the reason, I believe. Part of that ‘story’ runs like this:

In 1155, the first missionaries arrived in Finland from Sweden. Finland became part of the Swedish realm (those street signs in the two languages have a legitimate history!) In 1809 Sweden surrendered Finland to Russia, with the Czar declaring himself as a constitutional monarch over an autonomous Duchy. In 1917, Finland declared its independence and was recognized as a new state by the Soviet Union, France, Germany, and Sweden –with Finland soon becoming a Republic, with a President as its head of state.

Venäjän kansankomissaarien neuvoston päätös tunnustaa Suomen itsenäisyys

In 1939, the Soviet Union attacked Finland and the Winter War was fought.

In 1941-44 (in what was called the Continuation War) fighting between Russia and Finland resumed, with some territory ceded to the Soviet Union at the war’s end.

Finland was never occupied by the Russians and, thanks to the warriors we honor on Independence Day, Finland preserved its independence and sovereignty.

Our history is part of how we think and live as Finns. Yet, the ‘story’ is so recent it is ever fresh in our minds. How many people in the world can say they personally know some of the people who are responsible for the freedom of their country? Very few, indeed.

Even here in Southern California, we have local Finnish war heroes and heroines who preserved Finnish independence in the two wars with Russia still living among us. On December 6th each year we get to personally thank them for fighting for the independence and the freedoms Finns everywhere enjoy. My beloved father is a war Veteran and my dear mother is a Lotta—both are in their late 80s. The Veterans who are still mobile meet bi-monthly under the Veteraani Tuki Ry (a support group) banner with Suomi Kerho as their quiet hosts.

Source: Koti-Rintama Sotavuosien Suomi Naisten Ja Lasten Silmin

Whenever I take my father to meet with his contemporaries at those Veteran meetings, at the Finnish Lutheran Church services, or at the too frequent Memorial Services, I am reminded of how truly fortunate we are to have grown up under such strong, though often silent, heroes. In my decades of Finnish activism, I can think of no event that was more satisfying than helping organize the various disparate Finnish groups in a cooperative salute to our Finnish War Veterans and Lottas on the occasion of Finland’s 80th Anniversary of Independence. We had a grand, formal Gala! And, the Finnish community turned out in record numbers to salute our national heroes as they marched down a grand stair case into a cheering ball room with their medals shining and their chests puffed out in pride as their accomplishments were remembered—not so quietly on that evening in 1997! Even then, many were using walkers and canes. Now, there are far fewer of them and they are a bit frailer, but their Sisu remains as always. When we celebrate Independence Day each year, I hope all local Finns will take the opportunity to seek out and thank those Veterans and Lottas who are still with us for their legacy all Finns enjoy. But, please speak up—the hearing ain’t what it used to be!

Polkupyöräpataljoona

On Independence Day, here and in Finland, we thank and honor those surviving heroes and heroines, the Veterans and Lottas. We gratefully remember the many others who served: our fathers, uncles, brothers, and grandfathers, as well as our mothers, aunts, sisters, and grandmothers. We remember with reverence those who paid the ultimate price and those now at rest in the cemeteries of Finland and elsewhere.

Whether fighting to preserve Finland’s independence against all odds, leading the high tech world into a new millennium, guiding the planet into responsible green living, creating the world’s premier educational system, conquering the arts or athletics, finding solutions to the riddles of science, or conquering cuisine, there are certain Finnish qualities her history has created in its people that stand out: values, hard work, quiet dignity, integrity, Sisu, and a dedication to quality. These are the qualities we see in the Finns in Finland. These are the values Finns are brought up with to respect and to live by. These are the attributes of the great Finns that have made Los Angeles their home, for whatever period, that have made Los Angeles claim them as theirs.

Air surveillance Lottas on duty (Image source: Koskimies 2)

I am a long time resident of this great City of Angels –Los Angeles. At this time of year I ponder how fortunate we have been and continue to be the Mecca for such Finnish greatness. Los Angeles has drawn the leading people in modern history in the fields of music, medical research, academics, diplomacy, education, technology, entertainment, business, industry, athletics, and other exotic endeavors. Yet, at the core of contributions lies the strong core of skilled trades people, merchants, entrepreneurs, and adventurous Finns who have come here, thrived in this environment, and given this world so much with so little fan fare.

Independence Day is a great time to hail Finland and the character of her people. So, as you drive around Los Angeles–by Disney Hall at the Music Center, by the Olympic Stadium at USC, by the UCLA Genetics Building, by the UCLA Anderson School of Business, by the Nokia Theatre, by the hockey rinks, and by the many other venues that celebrate Finnish contributions, remember the Finnish character (and characters!) that brought greatness and creativity to Los Angeles. Then, when you get home, light a blue candle and a white candle in your window. Be thankful for the gifts that freedom and independence create in the human existence. Reflect on your heritage. And, look outside and wave to that person walking by quietly with their eyes down—most likely a Finn with a smile of recognition!

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn

November 29th, 2011

thinkkanen

SUVI KOPONEN by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb - copyrighted 2011

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES
PHOTOS: JONNY KAHLEYN

SUPERMODEL SUVI’S GREEN HAVEN

Suvi Koponen’s modeling career got started at 16 when she won a Finnish modeling TV show. The top prize was a contract with modeling agency which led to quite a splash at a Prada show in Milan. She then moved to New York City where she fell in love with a tall and handsome model named Tyler Riggs. Last summer the couple moved to Los Angeles and purchased a house in the leafy Sherman Oaks area. Life is smiling at the young couple as they look forward to welcoming their first Christmas in their beautiful new home surrounded by lush green vegetation.

Tall, gorgeous Suvi Koponen, 23, was born in Helsinki and grew up in Vantaa. She is the oldest of three children. Her mother is a kindergarten teacher and her father is the manager of an assisted living facility.

“Our home had goats and horses, Suvi remembers fondly. She led the life of a normal school girl until one day she spotted an advertisement in the paper calling for young people to audition for a reality TV show called Mallikoulu (Model School).

“I was supposed to go audition for the show with a friend, but she could not take time off from school, so I went alone and was accepted as a contestant. The show taught us how to be better models, and we weren’t humiliated if we didn’t do well as I’ve seen in some shows in America. A model must have a natural ability to be photogenic and be able to act natural in front of the camera. The more one works at it, the easier it becomes. I ended up winning the competition. The prize was a contract with a modeling agency Paparazzi”, Suvi recounts.

Suvi Koponen and Tyler Riggs by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb - copyrighted 2011

Suvi and Tyler

“Already during the taping of the show, they took us to a modeling school in Milan. There I signed with the modeling agency Women. Later on I signed with the Women of Paris as well. The following Summer I went back to Milan for a month followed by a month in Paris.

Even though Suvi is currently being represented by several modeling agencies, she has not abandoned her very first one: Finnish Paparazzi agency which is led by the grand old lady of the Finnish modeling world, Laila Snellman.

“It is my mother agency and they have always been very supporting”, Suvi acknowledges. She quickly started getting modeling gigs on the world’s runways. At 18 she made quite a splash at a Prada show in Milan, a turning point in her career. After modeling for Prada, everybody wanted Suvi for their fashion show. She then moved to New York to better be able to pursue her career.

Fall is the busiest time for a model. That’s when New York, London, Milan and Paris have fashion weeks.

Suvi Koponen in Michael Kors

“Some people may think we just get there and walk the runway. What people don’t know is all the background work a model must do in addition to that. First you go to casting to meet the people who make those shows and then you will be called for a fitting which may be at any time of day or night. You must show up at each show hours earlier so that they can do your hair and make-up. Then you have to run to the next show. Models do not sleep at all during that month. You are constantly on the move and flying from city to city”, Suvi describes.

In the fashion world, there are three different types of modeling jobs: runway, editorial and catalogue. Runway models are not paid extremely well, but runways are extremely important for models because that’s where they are seen by fashion moguls. So, runway gigs can lead to editorials. Editorials are photo shoots for fashion magazines such as Vogue and they take place in a studio or on location. Pictures from catalogue shoots will appear either in designers or department store’s catalogues.

Suvi Koponen in Herve Leger

“When you do good shows, you get good editorials and that will lead to catalogue work which pays the best money, Suvi clarifies. Some catalogue work can pay ten thousand a day.

She is at a point now where she does not have to do all the runway shows – people know her and like her. However, runways remain in her repertoire.

“The fashion moguls want to see whether you have gained or lost weight. Some girls do not eat at all and will become too skinny. Or they have gone through a lot of stress which may result in acne problems. No one wants a model that doesn’t look her best”, she blurts out. “As far as exercising, a runway model gets so much exercise by running from place to place that no further workout is necessary during the fashion weeks”, she says with a smile.

Common afflictions in the modeling world are bulimia and anorexia nervosa.

“Of course I have seen both. When you go from a fashion show to another and run into the same models, one can only notice that some of models don’t eat at all. But what do you do? Everyone has different schedules. I try to look after my closest modeling buddies.”

SUVI KOPONEN by Jonny Kahleyn Dieb - copyrighted 2011

Suvi and Joyce

It hasn’t been all work and no play for Suvi, though. A young man by the name of Tyler Riggs caught Suvi’s eye.

“We met a couple of times while working in Milan and just hung out together. We met again a few years later in New York and started dating. We’ve been together now for over two years”, Suvi says with gleamy eyes. Tyler Riggs, 25, is originally from Florida. He is a successful model in his own right and has aspirations of becoming an actor, something that played into the couple’s decision of moving to Los Angeles.

“Tyler has been going to drama school for two years and wants to be an actor. And I had been wanting to move from New York for quite some time because life there was so stressful.”

They made the big move last Summer.

“We drove here from NYC in mid-June. It was a great experience. We took our time, made some stops such as in the Grand Canyon and slept in motels along the way. After arriving in LA, the first couple of months we lived at my boyfriend’s manager’s place. We started looking for houses. We found this house and moved here in August.”

The Mediterranean house is located on a quiet residential street where gigantic trees provide well needed shade in the hot San Fernando Valley. Restaurants and shopping are within walking distance. The house has a large living room with a fireplace, and an equally spacious dining room as well as a well-equipped kitchen and three bedrooms. There is also a good-sized backyard perfect for the dogs Joyce and Stevie.

Most of her work is still booked via New York. Since she now lives in Los Angeles, I ask her if she has gotten local modeling gigs.

“My looks are not suited for the Los Angeles market – I do not have fake boobs!”
Nowadays she flies to New York and elsewhere for work, and the LA home offers Suvi a much needed respite from the hectic modeling world.

“We try to cook as much as possible at home. The food in Los Angeles is a lot healthier, and we get to buy a lot of locally grown vegetables and fruits.

Suvi and Joyce

They are eagerly waiting for the holidays when Suvi’s family will come to visit.

“My parents and my siblings are coming here for Christmas. I’m so excited because it is my mother’s first trip to the States. And they will get to see my house.”

At the conclusion of our chat, I ask Suvi to give advice to a young person interested in becoming a model.

“Don’t listen to what others say. You must be a really strong person to be able to take all the criticism. We models basically sell our face and body. It is a difficult career for young girls and boys. You just have to keep your head up and be self-confident.”

November 12th, 2011

Ava Anttila

‘AROUND TOWN WITH AVA’

Ava Anttila by Jonny Kahleyn

REPORTER: AVA ANTTILA – LOS ANGELES

Finn Fest Organizers and Performers Feted

Consul General Kirsti Westphalen chose a perfect California night, October 12th, with a full moon over the Consul residence in Bel Air to celebrate the FinnFest 2011 organizers and performers. Also, the spectacular night of Southern California weather welcomed Inspectors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Helsinki, Finland who shared in this special evening as significant guests.

Ms. Westphalen opened the festivities by thanking all the FinnFest crew for their spectacular dedication and successful efforts to put the spotlight on Finland today. The Consul General saluted the teamwork that put on such a wonderful event featuring modern Finland. The Consular staff and FinnFest crew were honored by her touching words of thanks and praise.

Those in attendance included Henry and Eeva Syvanen; Honorary Consul in San Diego, Kathryn Mautino; and actress Anna Easteden who had delighted all at the FinnFest Gala as Master of Ceremonies. In continuing dedication of the theme of FinnFest, a special ribbon cutting celebrated the Consular residence’s official “greening”—newly installed solar panels. The delicious cornucopia of Finnish Fall fare featuring cabbage rolls, beet salad, salmon and fabulous salad was enjoyed by all.

LAFF Annual Luncheon

The Los Angeles Finlandia Foundation held its Annual Luncheon to celebrate its 37th year on November 6th at Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Kriss Larson and the Scandia Gammaldans Band. Linnea Jackson, Katirilli Finnish Folk Dancers and the Kalifornia Kanteles provided entertainment. Christina Lin presented Honoree Award of the Year to Marilyn Kujala. Pastor Rueben Perttula announced after the invocation that next Sunday, November 13th, the Finnish Lutheran church will be celebrating its 94th anniversary. All are welcome to the event beginning at 1 p.m. A special musical tribute will feature a bell player who previously moved the audience to tears with the rendition of Finlandia.

Spotted in the audience, surprise visitors from the homeland, novelist/chef Eino Nurminen and his wife Anja. Also in attendance was former head of Finnair in New York, the ever-dapper Pentti Rosenberg with wife Dolores.

The stirrings in a Finnish soul are always satisfied with the appearance of the beauty of the sounds of the Kanteles, the deeply moving melodies that are so meaningful to the fabric of the nation. The pageantry, the playfulness, the costumes of the Katirilli dancers delighted us with the joy of our heritage. The treat of these performances showcased the remarkable dedication of these volunteer efforts that keep these precious traditions alive for the Finnish community.

Note of Loss

One of the great local Finnish ladies, an “angel of the kitchen” at Suomi Kerho Finnish Center, has left us and will be remembered on December 11 at a memorial service. Rauha Loponen was the ever-present force and muse of Finnish heritage cuisine for so many of us. For countless years she tirelessly put together the menus for Suomi Kerho, the Veterans, the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce and others with their events. There was always a smile and a hug, a helpful hint a deference and the quiet modesty of a Finnish hostess. For the ‘epicurious’ of us, a poke into the kitchen yielded the reward of a nugget of wisdom and the true comfort of our homeland. Rauha (a name which means “peace” in Finnish), you will live in our thankful hearts and kitchens as inspiration.

Michael Jackson’s MD Found Guilty

LA is a great town. For the past several weeks in one ‘eyeful’ I have taken in the breathtaking beauty of Disney Hall walking into the solemnity of the courthouse for a hearing and in one ‘earful’ was distracted by the ever present airplanes circling with banners and cheering factions of crowds for the media ‘circus’ outside for the Jackson matter. All within the same few blocks.

Now it is over; another celebrity trial. The convicted felon hauled off in handcuffs likely won’t be in jail for long. The airplanes will return to where they belong –at the beach advertising beer and suntan lotion. I love LA!!

November 7th, 2011

thinkkanen

DARUDE, THE FINNISH STAR DJ TOURS NORTH AMERICA
REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – ATLANTA, GA
PHOTOS BY MICKEY McNULTY AND TIM WILSON

Ville Virtanen, aka Darude, is best known for his 2000 hit single Sandstorm. He has sold over five million records. For the past decade, Ville has been touring the world, doing DJ sets in more than 40 countries. Ville has been ranked as one of the top 100 DJ’s in the world. He has moved to Georgia with his lovely wife Michelle. They have a 2 year-old child. The family lives in an Atlanta suburb, Georgia, where Ville works in his home studio and collaborates with artists around the world with modern techniques.

Q. Tell us a little about your background. How and when did you get into music?

I’ve always been interested in music, been listening to dance music for years, started making my own music 1996 after some friends of mine showed me what they were doing with just a computer and some freeware programs. I realized that I could make my own music and decided to have a go at that. I bought my first PC and started fooling around with it and losing too much sleep… I never thought about ‘making it big’, I was just making music because I liked it so much. I tortured my friends with my early production and sent some demos to magazines and radio stations in Finland in ’97 and ’98 and also to some record companies and got some good feedback, but nothing more. I made music on my own and also had two separate projects with two of my friends. On a Wednesday night in August ’99 after his DJ set I gave my later-to-be-producer, Jaakko “JS16″ Salovaara, a demo CD (my third one for him actually) which included my original demo of ‘Sandstorm’ (and some other tracks of mine) which got Jaakko’s attention. All I wanted was his professional opinion of the tracks and some tips about better sounds and things like that. What I got was a phone call a week later. We met the same night in the same club in Turku, Finland, and agreed on working together. We spent two or three days in his studio and the next Tuesday Sandstorm (plus his JS16 remix) was ready as you hear it now on the single. It took a few weeks to get the track mastered and to get the singles from the plant and to get it on the Finnish Dance Chart. After three weeks it was number one and stayed there for 16 weeks. The things snowballed from there and I started touring in Finland, then Scandinavia, Germany, Holland, France, Spain, UK, US, Australia, all over the place.

Q. There is a funny story about how you got your stage name Darude. Could you tell that to us?

When I was studying my first year in Turku Polytechnic we had a party at my classmate’s apartment. We were eating and drinking and playing records and I guess I was feeling really, ummm, “happy” as I played one favourite track of mine of that time, ‘Rudeboys’ by Leila K, several times in a row. In short, it’s because of that my friends started kind of mockingly calling me ‘Rudeboy’. I started using that as a nickname online and as my artist name when I started making music. Later on it got shortened to ‘da Rude’ (I didn’t wanna be a ‘boy’ which was then put together by the graphic artist when the single cover for my first single ‘Sandstorm’ was made; it looked visually better like that so… ‘Darude’.

Q. When people think of musicians they think of a band with live singers but you work differently. Could you shed light on this to those who don’t know about it?

I’m the first one to admit that I’m not the greatest live instrumentalist on earth… My music-making is based more on my ears and my sense of style and sounds, and I work in the studio with computer software and synthesizer and effect unit and other gadgets. I DO compose, though, all the time, every day, even if there’s a general misconception that “that techno music” can be made automatically with a push of a button”… Not true. In a way, an electronic musician can be compared to someone composing for the whole symphonic orchestra, as the producer/composer is often making everything from drums and percussion to bass to lead instruments, their harmony counterparts and everything in between, singing (demo) vocals + they usually have at least partly studio engineer’s and producer’s hats on, too. I usually start from somewhere, whatever it is at the time, a rhythm, melody, a bit of lyrics, and start building from there, one Lego at a time, finding and creating bits that fit together and eventually will create bigger combos and parts of the final full track.

Q. You stuck gold with the hit single Sandstorm. What gave you inspiration to compose it?

In the beginning I tried to learn stuff from other peoples’ tracks, and now later on I still get kicks and inspiration from other people’s great music. The vibe is the key thing, the right mood. Sometimes it might be a track, sometimes it might be a single sound or a drumloop that does it for me. With Sandstorm it was a certain club in my hometown where the DJ played good uplifting trance. I went there 2-3 nights a week just to listen to the music and practically ran back home, switched on my gear and started to make music. After one of those nights and early mornings ‘Sandstorm’ got the basic form and sound it still has.

Q. Every four years or so you release a new studio album. Do you work alone in your studio composing the songs?

I’m usually alone in the studio, but I collaborate with artists around the world all the time via the internet. I make a basic track frame and send it over as separate instrument etc files, they work it further, send it back and I take it further again. We go on like this a couple of times, and every now and then we chat via email, AIM and Skype until we’re happy and get to the finishing part. The same goes for vocalists; they often have their regular studio, or their own one, where they record vocals and they send them over and I put them in the project, edit, mangle, and ask for more lines, like variations, ad libs, harmonies, or altogether new melodies, until we’re both happy.

Q. There is a whole secret world out there of star DJs who travel the world, playing in clubs. Teel us about your gigs: where do you play and who is your audience?

99% of my gigs these days are DJ sets, consisting of up to 50%, or sometimes even more, of my own material, either my own tracks and my remixes and the rest is great banging music new and old. I play all over the world, I’ve played in over 40 countries, but the last couple of years my main territory has been North America. I play mainly in clubs, but every now and then also bigger arena and outdoor events. My audience is quite broad, usually from 18 or 21 to people in their 40s and 50s, and I’ve even got a couple of grandmas & grandpas showing up here and there, too, which is amazing! I also love doing underage shows, but unfortunately those are not as common as the usual club nights.

Q. For years now you have played various discos, clubs and dance events in the United States. What does the club scene look like these days?

I think US has a great dance music culture, though it still is way more underground in general than it is in Europe, but there’s been growth and breakouts to Top40 the last decade, especially the last two or three years. Mixing and matching sounds and artists from different genres has been the trend the last couple of years, and I like that a lot. These days the DJs seem to be playing a wider variety of styles in their sets and not only ‘trance’ or ‘house’ etc, so the sets are more interesting and also that way might be of interest for wider audience as well. I think the electro house wave of the last couple of years has brought a breath of fresh air to dance music because there has been several top40 breaking tracks so the general public has been exposed to the sound as well, not only the clubbers. Trance has been merged with all kinds of things like electro, rock, r’n'b and it’s all exciting, it keeps the music alive and approachable for both long-time producers and new-comers. I think the US has always had a great scene, but it just hasn’t gotten widely recognized until recently. Dance music is not just “that techno” any more, but accepted and cherished by mainstream media and people outside the usual clubbing crowds.

Q. As an outsider to the club world, I have to ask you: Why does the music have to be so loud and how do you protect your ears?

The best clubs create a full audio-visual sensory tickling experience, where the music is heard and the bass is felt in your body, and the visuals, lights and lasers support all that with rhythmic movement, mood affecting and ambience creating colours, images on screens… I’ve worn professional ear protection since the very beginning, custom-molded earplugs with -15dB near-flat frequency response filters. I love my earplugs, and I’m almost religiously spreading the word about them. Granted, the custom molds are costly, in the +/-$200 range, but if you work in a club or other noisy environment, you owe it to your ears to get them, they’re a perfect fit, comfortable, protect your hearing really well, yet you can hear the music and people speaking really well. Contact your local audiologist for details, there are a lot of places who can do the molds, and many of them use Etymotic Research filters (Google it! )

Q. There has been a lot of press about drug-related incidents in clubs, such as a death of an overdose at the Electric Daisy carnival in LA about two years ago. Do drugs flow freely at these venues?

There are definitely drugs in the club scene, sure, and I in no way support any kind of drug use, I’ve never touched any of that stuff, but I think it’s unfair to label electronic dance music “drug music”, like I often hear, because there are drugs in every genre and every profession. Take rock’n'roll, reggae, goth and numerous more, you name it, I’m sure you’ll find both users and suppliers… And check out behind the scenes in the medical world, med students and doctors self-medicating… Or to the business suits world, where some people work 18 hours a day, I don’t believe it for a second that it’s only caffeine they’re on… I KNOW, the above sentences are big generalizations, and I don’t mean that EVERYONE uses something, so my apologies to anyone offended, but I’m just trying to make a point.

Any overdose, fatal or not, is horrible; but I, as a producer and a DJ, performer of an event, can’t be held responsible if someone that I don’t know decides to pop pill that are known to be not the safest thing in the world. It’s their call, and I have nothing to do with it. I don’t make music on drugs and I don’t make music to be specifically listened on drugs, either.

Q. When is your next record coming out and what are your future plans?

My next release will come out very soon. It’s a DJ compilation called ‘Salmiakki Sessions Vol. 1′ mixed by me and consisting of several remixes by me, a couple of previously unreleased ones, too, and some Finnish favourites of mine from the last year or two. I’m also working on an original artist album, but it’s way too early give any kind of deadlines, let alone release date, yet. It’ll definitely go to the 2012 side. Before that there’ll be a Darude & Randy Boyer remix on our label EnMass Music’s latest release ‘Welcome To The Future’ by Kristina Sky & Randy Boyer feat. ShyBoy, which got its first ever airplay on BBC Radio 1 exclusively by none other than DJ legend Judge Jules. The release date is November 15th and you can already pre-order from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/preorder/welcome-to-the-future-feat./id474392104) and take a listen to it there or on www.soundcloud.com/enmassmusic.

Q. Finally, can you give us a little peek into your private world – are you married, dating, single, any kids?

I keep my private and public music life pretty much separate, but it’s no secret that I’m married and I have a 2+ year old kid. We currently live in Roswell, GA, USA, and we also have a place in Turku, Finland, where we stay a couple of months every year.

Links:

www.enmassmusic.com
www.darude.com
www.facebook.com/darude
www.youtube.com/darude
www.twitter.com/darudevil
www.myspace.com/darude
www.soundcloud.com/darude

Photographs by:

Ekat kuvat – Mikey McNulty
www.mikeymcnulty.com

Kaks viimeist – Tim Wilson
www.amfek.com

October 31st, 2011

thinkkanen

Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Ambassador of Finland to the United States

AMBASSADOR RITVA KOUKKU-RONDE – QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Reporter: Tomi Hinkkenen – Washington DC

On September 1, 2011, Ritva Koukku-Ronde assumed her post as the appointed Ambassador of Finland to the United States. Ms. Koukku-Ronde is the first female Finnish ambassador to the United States.

Q. You have had a long career at the Foreign Ministry of Finland – what are your most memorable posts and experiences?

Actually, all my posts have been extremely interesting and memorable. It is impossible to single out any of them because they were all unique and rewarding experiences in their own ways.

Q. Have you submitted you credentials to President Barack Obama yet and if you have, can you describe the event and what was Mr. Obama like?

I submitted my credentials to President Obama on September 9 during a short ceremony at the White House. He was very sympathetic and interested in Finland.

Q. Oftentimes the world of diplomacy is shrouded in secrecy and regular people do not know much about what is going on behind closed doors, but could you talk about some of the things you are working on right now to further improve trade, culture and the collaboration between Finland and the U.S.?

I will focus on advancing the relationship between Finland and the U.S. in the areas of economy, education, security, environment, high technology and culture – to mention just a few. As a member of the European Union, Finland is also keen to see the transatlantic cooperation grow stronger.

Our work at the embassy happens on many levels, from having discussions with decision makers to organizing cultural events and policy seminars to communicating with the American public. All these activities help further improve collaboration between Finland and the U.S.

Q. Finland has been trying to get to the U.N. Security Council as a non-permanent member. As a permanent member in the Security Council, the U.S. has a lot of clout in selecting non-permanent members. How are you going to convince the U.S. to give Finland a term at the Security Council?

Finland has actively contributed to the UN’s unique role as the guarantor of peace and security, promoter of sustainable development, and advocate of human rights and democracy. In the international fora Finland has earned a reputation of an active and reliable actor. We Finns wish to carry our responsibility as a member of the international community. Our candidacy for a seat in the Security Council is a reflection of this objective.

Q. The tightening of the U.S. immigration policies has all but ended immigration from Finland to the U.S. It is now more difficult than ever to immigrate in the U.S. You can see this in a concrete way for example in Florida, where the once thriving Finnish community is slowly dying, because no new immigrants are coming in. Are there any bilateral agreements in the works between Finland and the U.S., or EU and US to facilitate the immigration both to and from the U.S. to Finland / EU?

The U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) is the appropriate agency to answer all questions regarding immigration to the United States.

President Obama and Ambassador Koukku Ronde

Q. One bright spot in the otherwise sagging economy, both in Finland and the U.S., has been the high tech sector. A good example of this is the GAP (Global Access Program), the collaboration between UCLA and Tekes. In the GAP program, Finnish high tech companies team up with UCLA Anderson School of Management students, who create business plans for the Finnish companies. This enables the Finnish companies to grow and expand into the U.S. and other countries. The program has been a smashing success. However, it seems to me that there is competition between Finnish semi-governmental and official organizations to vie with the same clients (the Finnish high tech companies) and snatch them away from GAP. Do you think it is time to close ranks and for all the Finnish organizations to work in collaboration rather than competition with each other?

I can’t speak directly to the example you mentioned but, in the case of our embassy, all the different Finnish actors —the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Forces, Finnode, Finpro, Tekes and VTT Technical Research Center—operate as a “House of Finland.” This means that we work together and make the best use of the wide variety of expertise and know-how that we have under the same roof to further enhance and deepen relations between Finland and the U.S.

Q. Finland has about 30 Honorary Councils in the United States. These unpaid individuals are supposed to represent Finland in their geographical areas. However, this writer has gotten a very inconsistent image of these honorary councils. Some are very active and helpful indeed, others, not so much. For example, I recall a cross country road trip from California to Florida that I made a couple of years ago. I e-mailed honorary councils in states along the way, asking about Finnish people and activities that I could write about in the media. I never heard back from most of them. Is it time to somehow revamp the whole honorary council system?

Overall, honorary consuls serve as an important and invaluable resource for Finland, and their service is greatly appreciated. Like you mentioned, honorary consuls are indeed unpaid and serve in their positions voluntarily. They assume the duties of the honorary consul in addition to all their other professional and private responsibilities, and I believe it is understandable that some have more time to devote to their consul roles than others.

Q. President John F. Kennedy famously said in his inauguration speech: “Ask not what the country can do for you. Ask what you can do for the country.” What can we Finns who live in The United States, do to benefit Finland?

In their daily lives, Finns living in the U.S. already represent Finland in many ways. From my perspective, all Finns, Finnish Americans, and Finnish organizations in the U.S. form a so called “Team Finland” that shares the same goal of improving and deepening relations between our countries. We may have different ways of working toward that goal, but we all benefit from a strong relationship between Finland and the U.S.

Also, I would like to encourage all Finns and Finnish Americans to visit our website, finland.org, and follow us on Facebook (http://facebook.com/FinnishEmbassyWashingtonDC) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/FinnEmbassyDC) to keep up to date on news regarding Finland and Finland’s role in the U.S.

Q. What is the most important thing you would you like to accomplish during your term as the ambassador?

During my term, I would like to see the manifold relations between Finland and the U.S. grow even deeper and more far-reaching..

Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde’s Currilum Vitae:

1 September 2011 Ambassador of Finland to the United States of America

2009-2011	Under-Secretary of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
2005-2009	Director General, Department for Development Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
2003-2005	Deputy Director General, Department for European Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1998-2003	Minister, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Bonn, Berlin
1996-1998	Director for the United Nations Development Issues, Department for International Development Cooperation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1995	Special Adviser to the Director General of the Political Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1994-1995	Counselor, Political Department, Unit for the European Union and Western European Countries, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1990-1994	Counselor, Deputy Head of Mission, The Hague
1987-1990	Second Secretary, First Secretary, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Finland, Nairobi; Focal Point to UNEP and UN Habitat
1987	Attaché, Department for International Development Cooperation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1986	Attaché, Embassy of Finland, Bonn
1985	Attaché, Press and Cultural Section, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
1982-1985	Free lance Journalist
1982	Master of Arts (history), University of Tampere

Links:

www.finland.org

www.thisisfinland.fi

twitter.com/FinnEmbassyDC

www.facebook.com/FinnishEmbassyWashingtonDC

Embassy of Finland, the first LEED certified embassy in the U.S.

October 23rd, 2011

thinkkanen

STORY: PIA PAKARINEN
REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES
PHOTOS: JONNY KAHLEYN
MAKE-UP AND HAIR: KRISTINA DUFF

Pia Pakarinen by Jonny Kahleyn (copyrighted)

The Finnish beauty queen was crowned Miss Finland in March, 2011, and by September she had abdicated her crown amidst terrible press. “What happened?” we asked Pia as she arrived in America for the very first time.

A year ago nobody knew anything about Pia Pakarinen, a 21-year-old country girl from Juuka, Northern Karelia. Then, last spring, she won the Miss Finland beauty pageant and became an overnight sensation. The beautiful and well-spoken blond bombshell seemed to be everywhere. With great triumph, the Nordic maiden was sent to the Miss Universe contest in São Paulo, Brazil. That’s when things started to go haywire. Reports began appearing in the media that Pia insisted that her entourage be brought along and that she demanded money for interviews. She returned from Brazil empty-handed and was said to be canceling and/or missing gigs that she had previously agreed to do. She then dramatically gives up her Miss Finland title in a live TV-broadcast and denounces the organization behind it. Pia Pakarinen was a persona non grata in Finland. There was only one thing to do: Go Hollywood!

Enter Maria and Paul Kizirian, a couple who work at the Network modeling agency in Los Angeles. The Finnish-born Maria happened to know Wille Wilenius, a friend of Pia’s.

“Wille Wilenius contacted me to ask if it would be possible to introduce Pia Pakarinen to the people of Network. Paul had written an article for the Network website about Pia while she was competing in Brazil.”

That set the ball in motion. Maria Kizirian decided to take the bull by the horns and created a full schedule of meetings and events for Pia on her week long trip. The beauty queen arrived in Los Angeles on Friday, October the 14th. That weekend she attended movie industry parties that led to other meetings.

I and photographer Jonny Kahleyn first met Pia the following Sunday at Temptu make-up studio in downtown LA where we briefly shook hands. At first glance, she looked like a girl next door with her hair pulled back into a ponytail rather than an international beauty queen. But as soon as make-up artist Kristina Duff started working her magic on Pia, her eyes started to take on deeper dimensions, and her cheeks were brought out with blush. Her face was airbrushed with an instrument that looked as if it belonged in a doctor’s office and her hair was teased and blow dried to look like a lion’s mane. And, all of a sudden, this gorgeous woman was standing in front of me, looking demure yet seductive in a sixties-inspired electric blue gown that left her knees bare. We sat down to talk. The second impression, after her great beauty, was the calmness about her. It was as though she had remained unscathed by all the negative publicity.

“It’s my first time in America. I am impressed how friendly and talkative people are here. I like it when people can just come up to you and start a conversation.”

When she entered the Miss Finland pageant, she still lived in Eastern Finland.

“Me and my boyfriend moved to Vantaa (near Helsinki), in May.”

She does not seem startled by the sudden publicity.

“Everything has happened quite naturally. One thing has led to another.”

Kristina Duff, Pia Pakarinen, and Jackie Fan at Temptu Pro Studios by Jonny Kahleyn (copyrighted)

Kristina Duff, Pia Pakarinen, and Jackie Fan at Temptu Pro Studios in Los Angeles

I ask her about the whole pay-to-play fuss, where she was being accused of trying to cash in on interviews while competing for Miss Universe crown in Brazil.

“While we contestants were there, all press interviews were supposed to go through the Miss Universe organization. They had press there and we were allocated specific times to be with them. Of course we gave those journalists interviews that were published all over the world.”

Things got a bit complex when reporters started calling her from Finland.

“Since I only had my own personal phone, I said to them that I should get some compensation. They did not ask how much or If I was asking for a few dollars or a million. Then the headlines appeared that I was demanding money for interviews. I only wanted to get my phone bills reimbursed. It costs even when you just answer the phone abroad. Former contestant had told me that after returning back home from pageants; they had to pay thousands of dollars in phone bills. And that’s not fair.”

The papers also claimed that Pia had asked for 5,000 Euros just to appear at a publicity party.

“I know nothing of that. Those matters are between Finnartists agency and the client, so I can’t say anything about that.”

Pia Pakarinen and Kristina Duff at Temptu Pro Studios in Los Angeles

There was also the incident where Pia had agreed to pose in a pin-up calendar put out by Maria’s Hospital in Helsinki. She was supposed to submit a publicity photo to the organizers. But Pia allegedly never responded to their repeated requests. Finally the gig was given to another model.

“I was in Brussels at the time and no one asked me for that promo photo. It was done and ready for them, so I could have sent it to them any time.”

She says she never received those emails or phone calls and that the whole thing was a misunderstanding.

On September 16th, Pia appeared on the live talk show “Korkojen kera” (With Interest). A tearful Pia, who showed up in the TV studio wearing her Miss Finland crown, took it off and resigned her Miss Finland title right then and there. The broadcast was on Friday. The next Tuesday she was due to meet with “Miss Baron” Eino Makunen to discuss her difficulties. Pia explains why the resignation could not have waited until after that meeting.

“I wanted to appear on the live TV broadcast because my words had been distorted and misconstrued in the past. I wanted to explain myself with my own words. It was not an easy decision. I had tried to talk to Finnartists (the organization behind the Miss Finland pageant) to improve things, but to no avail.”

She ponders for a long time when asked what this experience has taught her.

“Well, you always learn something new. There is always room for improvement – nobody is perfect. And I feel that I tried to improve things and get help. But it was never given to me.”

So, for better or for worse, Pia moved on and formed her own company, Luxury Promotions.

“I run it with the help of my boyfriend, professional footballer Niko Väyrynen. He has a financial background and takes care of the bookkeeping and other paperwork.”

The couple has been together for three and a half years. They make their home in Vantaa. Are we going to hear wedding bells anytime soon?

“We haven’t talked about it. We live together taking day by day.”

Through her company, Pia offers her services as a model and a hostess. She says she is working now more than ever before. I ask her if people who hire her will get a reliable working partner.

“There have been all kinds of stories in the papers, but I have received only positive feedback from people who have actually worked with me. They know what kind of a person I am. If someone wants to believe in the news stories, then go ahead. I let my work speak for itself.”

That’s a deal. We decide to test Pia’s modeling skills in practice. Our gang, producers Maria and Paul Kizirian, make-up artist Kristina Duff, photographer Jonny Kahleyn and I hop onto a rented minivan and head out to Malibu, the playground of the rich and famous, for a photo shoot. We chose Leo Carrilo State Beach where many famous movies, such as Grease, The Karate Kid, The Usual Suspects and Inception have been filmed. The reason for its popularity with Hollywood lies in its uniqueness from other Southern California beaches with its dramatic volcanic rock formations and the only sea cave within hundreds of miles.

It is early afternoon and the tide is rising. Pia poses professionally for Jonny, while Paul and I take turns holding the reflector. Every now and then Kristina retouches Pia’s make-up and brushes her hair from her face. It all may seem very glamorous, but we had to avoid other crowds of people and other photographers while it was getting cold and downright stormy. We climb to the sea cave with the tide rushing in and gigantic waves washing ashore, flooding the place we were standing just seconds before. Even though Pia was cold and at times shivering due to the strong winds, she never utters a word of complaint. She takes the waves, wind, onlookers and arduous hikes on the rocks in stride. The long shoot ends at dusk. We climb back onto the minivan and head back to LA tired but happy. I found Pia to be an extremely professional, reliable, co-operative, smart and charming person to be around with.

Pia’s LA week was eventful. She was taken to industry parties, visited the taping of Dancing with the Stars at CBS Studios, met with the Network modeling agency people as well as producer Chad Oman at Jerry Bruckheimer’s office. Maria and Paul Kizirian also showed Pia the less glamorous side of town. She visited the Occupy LA encampment in downtown.

Pia Pakarinen and Kristina Duff on location in Malibu

“It was an interesting experience. I heard opinions from the people. They had camped out there in front of City Hall.”

Pia also attended a ride-along in an LAPD police car in the notorious South Central district. She saw the local police work in action – how they stopped and frisked suspicious characters, responded to domestic disturbance calls, and found drugs in one suspect’s car.

The purpose of the trip was to introduce Pia to Hollywood bigwigs in order to get her modeling career started in the United States. She sees herself more as a photographic model.

“I am perhaps not tall enough for runways (5’7’’), but there is plenty of catalogue work that I could do. Contacts are essential in this field. I would like to see how far I can get. I am very interested in working abroad.”

Pia was originally supposed to return to Finland on Friday the 21st, but she prolonged her trip in order to meet the CEO of the Nework modeling agency, Paul Fisher, who had been out of town. He is the man behind supermodels Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiefer. Her first visit to Hollywood couldn’t have ended on a better note.

Links:

www.piapakarinen.fi

www.thenetworktalent.com

www.kristinaduff.com

Temptu Pro Los Angeles

www.mariakizirian.com

October 9th, 2011

thinkkanen

Mikko Meronen by Tomi Hinkkanen

STORY: MIKKO MERONEN
REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – IRVINE
PHOTOS BY TOM HIKKANEN PRODUCTIONS

Mikko Meronen designs children’s toys for fast food chains. The toys advertise children’s movies and attract kids to the hamburger restaurants.

Designer Mikko Meronen sits calmly in his office filled with toys of all kinds. The Strottman company is located in a nondescript office building, one of many similar looking, that dot Orange County’s City of Irvine. The phone rings constantly and the computer keeps beeping as new emails pop on the screen. It is an unlikely place to create whimsical kids’ toys. For years Mikko worked in a similar office but for a different company, Equity Marketing, which manufactured toys for the Burger King chain. A few years ago he changed companies but the work remains pretty much the same. His current employer, Strottman, designs for Wendy’s Hamburgers and other fast food chains. Mikko is the lead designer. He is like a conductor. But instead of musicians, his orchestra consists of art directors, graphic designers, industrial designers, as well as freelance illustrators and cartoonists.
“When I first started my career, my job was probably 90% art and 10% business. Now it is vice versa. We have to make well thought out business decisions. I no longer design the toys or necessarily have to invent them. But if the group produces something that is not good, I have to get involved”, Meronen describes.

Mikko Meronen by Tomi Hinkkanen

How does one become a hamburger toy designer? The Finnish-born Mikko’s journey into the hamburger toy world started by taking a bite of the Big Apple. He studied in the New York School of Visual Arts in 1987 – 1991.

“We studied everything: sculpture, drawing, painting and graphics. I got an A in each subject. My painting teacher said that I should be a painter, the sculpting teacher said that I am a sculptor, and so on. But an artist must have something to say. Van Gogh did not paint for money, but because he had a burning desire to do so. I told the teachers that I had nothing to say. It is mental masturbation to paint a picture, put it up, if it does not interest me. That doesn’t appeal to me at all. I realized that I am an entertainer of the masses. I am interested in pleasing the widest possible group of people as possible.”

After graduation, Mikko got a job as a studio assistant at Equity Marketing where he remained for 15 years,gradually ascending in ranks to finally become the head designer.

Sometimes a film is successful, but the toys are not.
“Shrek is a good example. Both Shrek movies made 300-400 million dollars at the box office, but the toys they did not sell at all. Why not? You have a donkey, a princess, the green man and a cat. There was no motif to tie them together and make children want the toys.”

Mikko Meronen by Tomi Hinkkanen

Over the years Mikko has designed thousands of toys. One of his favorite campaigns was for the Dreamworks animated feature ‘Stallion – Spirit of the Cimarron’.

“It was a movie about horses. They don’t normally interest boys. The team worked for a couple of weeks, but the end result was a fiasco. I found an old book of radio toys. There was a picture of a view master and a horse. At that moment the skies opened up and an angel choir sang. I knew immediately what the campaign would be. We made a horse whose legs moved. The horse was on a stand that had a landscape background. The background could be inserted into the base, from which images could be seen in 3D. The movie took place in the 1890’s, when that kind of a toy already existed. I got a creative orgasm of that.”

For years Burger King took bids from two toy designers from which only one was selected for each campaign.

“There were two dogs and one bone every time. And since every deal is worth millions, you can only imagine what pressure that created every single month”, Meronen sighs. After a while Burger King gave up on the monthly competitions and learned to rely solely on Mikko. Still twice the number of toys were designed for each campaign. The customer selected the ones to be used and the rest would go to the trash.
At Strottman, Mikko’s task is to keep the calendar full of toy campaigns year round. Each campaign takes a year to realize, so Mikko must be constantly one step ahead of the times and competitors. His job is to identify suitable films that are in production and negotiate tie-in deals with film studios. Then the designers hit the drawing boards. They create the toys from scratch and send them to be manufactured. A team of 10 people produce 20 campaigns a year. In other words, a toy per day.
Each campaign begins a week before the movie opens and lasts for a month. Toys sold in toy stores are carefully targeted to a specific gender and age groups, but hamburger toys have to please all children.
“For the longest time the aim was to find a popular children’s film that would sell as many kids meals as possible. Today, we listen to the mothers, fathers and children. The majority of parents want to spend more time together with their children. Today, every toy is designed so that the kid is able to play with it alone and together with a parent.”

Mikko Meronen by Tomi Hinkkanen

The toys must also meet stringent safety regulations. Under no condition should the child be able to swallow the toy, or stick it in his or her eye, ear or nose. An accident usually means a costly lawsuit.

“One other company made diving sticks. When they were thrown to the bottom of the pool, they stood there upright. When kids jumped in cannonball, you can only imagine where those sticks ended up”, Mikko laughs. In addition to safety concerns, there are also monetary ones. Each promotion usually consists of eight million toys. The production cost of each toy must be kept under 50 cents. The rise of oil price directly affects the production costs of oil-based plastic toys. The toys are manufactured in China. Now the country has begun to flex its financial muscles. “The pay for many years remained almost constant. Now the Chinese want more money. China has raised their minimum wages and continues to do so. Thus, the work becomes more challenging.”

Mikko Meronen by Tomi Hinkkanen

In recent years additional pressure has come from within the United States, a country that battles childhood obesity. A number of local laws now prohibit offering toys with kids meals, if they do not meet certain nutritional requirements. A couple of years ago a Finnish nature magazine named hamburger toys as the most unnecessary product of the year. The toyman is not swayed by the insult. “Families that eat fast food are generally not well-off. Take for example a family in LA with seven children where the father is a mechanic and the mother works as a dishwasher. That family does not have much money. My mission throughout the years has been, that even though these toys are free giveaways, they do not have to be crap. With the money that I am allocated, I do my utmost to create as cool toys as possible. These toys go into the hands of children who do not have a lot of toys.”

October 5th, 2011

thinkkanen

: Maila Nurmi and Tomi Hinkkanen

STORY: MAILA NURMI
REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – LOS ANGELES

I had the pleasure of knowing the fascinating Finnish-born Maila Nurmi aka Vampira. She was perhaps the most unique Hollywood personality I have ever met.

Maila was a true character who loved animals and was in perfect tune with the 20-something crowd who idolized her. Even though she was living in poverty when I met her, there were flashes of elegance and glamour in her life. She was very comfortable in her role as a fixture in the cult circles of Hollywood where pop-culture icons are cherished and celebrated. In spite of the fact that her actual time in the limelight was short-lived, she remains a true Hollywood icon.

publicity photo for film 'Grave Robbers from Outer Space' (later called 'Plan 9 from Outer Space')

Our friendship began after Tim Burton’s biographical movie ‘Ed Wood’ starring Johnny Depp hit the screens in 1994. The film was about B-movie maker Edward D. Wood, Jr., who went down in history as the director of the worst movie ever made, ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’.

The release of ‘Ed Wood’ resurrected the career of one of the stars of ‘Plan 9’ who was portrayed in Burton’s movie: Vampira. The actress behind the original Vampira was Maila Nurmi. For years she had been leading a quiet life while living in a dilapidated apartment on Hudson Avenue (in a less than glamorous part of Hollywood). But now, because of the movie ‘Ed Wood’, Maila was back in vogue. She was interviewed for numerous documentaries and TV programs. Hollywood’s goth youth found a new idol in her. She was often picked up in a hearse to go to parties and premiers. It was then that I approached her to do a feature news story about her life for the Finnish television. That started a friendship that lasted for many years.

Maila Nurmi and her beloved pigeons

My first date with Maila Nurmi happened on a rainy and dreary January day in 1995. She had agreed to meet me at a diner close to her Hollywood apartment. I remember she wore her favorite color, black, and had a bow adorning her hair. On that first lunch she warned me about ordering French fries with my cheeseburger. “It makes your skin look bad”, she said. We negotiated a small 300 dollar fee for a one day shoot. I don’t usually pay for interviews, but in this case the fee was in order for she had no steady income. I later learned that she didn’t to go on social security because she feared that government would come after her for some back taxes.

We shot the TV story on various locations around LA that were meaningful to her: the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the exterior of her old apartment in the Hollywood Hills, a memorabilia shop in Hollywood where her pictures were sold, and the Griffith Observatory where sculptor Kenneth Kendall’s statue of James Dean stands. Maila knew both men.

We had an absolutely fabulous day during which she poured her heart out to me. After that day, I felt I knew her quite well already and we kept in touch. I normally visited her on Saturdays when we would go to Sizzler’s for lunch and talk. And boy, the stories she told!

Maila as a young girl with a little monkey

She was born in Petsamo, then a part of Finland, December 11th, 1922.

“My very first friend was a mouse who lived in the closet. I followed his movements, except when the closet door was closed and I didn’t see him.” That was her only memory from Petsamo. When Maila was two years old, the family moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts. In those days it was a small fishing village. Her father Onni Syrjäniemi was a journalist and an ardent demagogue for the temperance movement. Her mother Aina Sofia Nurmi was a newspaper editor and a translator.“My mother was an alcoholic, but a good mother”, she said.

Her first memory on the new continent was true to her nature which was both melancholy and macabre: “I was playing on the sand dunes by the beach when a local fisherman stopped by to chat with me. Later I heard that he had gone to the sea and drowned. I had been the last person to see him alive. I still remember that fine man.”

Maila was a born performer. At four, she sang hymns in a Finnish church. At nine she acted in radio plays. At 15 she won a scholarship to Oregon University to study drama. In 1941, at the tender age of 19, Maila traveled to New York to become an actress. She went to auditions and got small roles on Broadway as a choir girl. She supplemented her income by working as a hatcheck and cigarette girl in clubs. The high point of her New York years was a role in the comedy ‘Catherine was Great’ starring Mae West.

“Mae West was great. I was afraid of her, though, for she cursed a lot and I had never heard such language before.”

Maila left New York and headed west where, for a few years, she worked as a pin-up model.

Early pin-up photograph

“I was then married to my first husband and he wasn’t completely over his ex-girlfriend who was the most famous bikini model at the time. I was a little chubby back then but I lost weigh and decided to become one of the most popular pin-up girls of America. I never do anything half way. It took a lot of work since posing in front of a camera did not come naturally to me.”

While working as a model, Maila befriended Norma Jean Dougherty, who later became known as Marilyn Monroe. She was also close friends with James Dean. They would sit together in Googie’s coffee shop in Hollywood and talk for hours. When Dean died in a car accident at the age of 24, the tabloids fabricated stories that Maila had put a curse on him. She was distraught for years because of that.

In the 1950’s Maila Nurmi reached the peak of her career.

Early pin-up photograph

“I wanted to become a preacher and needed money. Television was new then. I thought I would do well on TV since I had been performing in front of people all my life.”

At that time cartoonist Charles Addams’ the Addams Family was not yet on TV, but appeared as a newspaper comic strip. Maila decided to parody one of the characters, Morticia Addams. Maila Nurmi’s alter ego Vampira was born. The local KABC-TV in Los Angeles hired Maila, or rather Vampira, as the presenter of Saturday night horror movies. They were shown at the midnight timeslot which was considered the worst possible. That didn’t bother Maila. She put all her energy into her character which she played to perfection.

“I was a romantic and a puritan. I wanted to create a character that was everything that I hate in a person: a personification of evil. I thought I would have to get people’s attention by giving them what they wanted: breasts, net stockings, and phallic symbols. Once I had gotten their attention, I could preach to them. But I never got to that point.”

Early pin-up photograph

The Vampira Show premiered May 1st, 1954. Despite the lousy time slot and poor movie selection (the TV station paid a hundred dollars for each movie), Maila’s program was a hit. She was rewarded by an earlier time slot. Maila grossed 60 dollars a week for her gig. To achieve the famous thin waistline, she didn’t eat a bite for two days preceding the show. And every week she would take a Turkish bath to further shed the pounds. Rigorous fasting later led to health problems, but nobody knew about the pain it took to bring Vampira on screen. She would appear at the beginning of the movie and during commercial breaks, always telling naughty jokes and making fun of the celebrities of the time. In the ‘50’s TV broadcasts were live so that, unfortunately, there are no videotapes of Vampira’s show, but some kinescopes remain and can be seen in a documentary called Vampire: The Movie. Her gig at KABC-TV lasted a little over a year. At that point the TV station wanted to acquire the rights to the Vampira character. She told me that when she fired when she refused. She went on to sat that she was blacklisted and could not get other TV or film work afterwards.

Publicity photo as Vampira

Desperate for money, Maila accepted an offer from Ed Wood to appear in his sci-fi thriller ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ on the condition that she did not have to utter a line in the film. It starred horror actor Bela Lugosi who died before the filming even began. That didn’t deter the entrepreneurial Wood. He had shot some footage of Lugosi while he was still alive and incorporated that into his movie. The rest of the time another actor played the Lugosi character while covering his face with a cape.

Maila Nurmi as Vampire in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) -Wikipedia

“Ed didn’t give me any other kind of direction except “walk there and when I say stop, stop.” He was a tender, caring, and friendly man who loved animals.”

It is ironic that Maila Nurmi became best known for ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’. The film earned the title ‘the worst movie ever made’ for a reason. The actors were given ridiculously pompous lines written by Wood himself. The sets look home-spun and there were flying saucers made out of car hubcaps. The script seems to have been written in the spur of the moment and is full of inconsistencies. After that, Maila appeared in a couple more horror movies and then retired from show business in the early 1960’s. She supported herself by working odd jobs (she once gave an interview where she called herself ’a lady linoleum layer’). Then she opened an antique store in Hollywood called ‘Vampira’s Attic’ which lasted for 15 years. In the 1980’s, she unsuccessfully sued Cassandra Peterson for copying her Vampira character.

At home in Hollywood

After the Tim Burton’s Ed Wood movie craziness of the 90’s died down, Maila made a living by making and selling her own paintings. She also appeared at horror and sci-fi conventions where she sold autographs and pictures to fans. There was even a collectable doll, an action figure made of the Vampira character. In 1998 Maila appeared in her final movie role, Aris Iliopulos’ ‘I Woke Up Early the Day I Died’ along with a star-studded cast including Billy Zane, Tippi Hedren, Christina Ricci, Andrew McCarthy, and Ron Perlman. The script was written by none other than Ed Wood who had died in 1978 at the age of 54.

The captivating smile of a true Hollywood legend

“I am a half recluse – and by my own choice, but because of the circumstances: poverty, illness and old age. But then I have these new young fans who have come into to my life. And I still appear in videos and play cameo parts in movies, so I have a little bit of a career left. My existence as a senior citizen is a small, mouse-like way of living.” Mouse-like as that mouse that was her first friend.

Maila Nurmi with director Aris Iliopulos and actress Karen Black at the premiere of her last film 'I Woke Up Early the Day I Died'.

Many a Saturday Maila and I would sit on the pavement in front of her apartment, talked, and fed the pigeons. She had named them all and knew every single one by name. An all white one was called Lana Turner. She would tell me stories about James Dean, her husbands, and the career that never quite took off.

One day her landlord announced that her house was to be demolished and that she needed to find another place to live. I was happy to find out that some of Maila’s friends managed to find her a nice place to live. We didn’t keep much in contact after that for one reason or the other.

Maila Nurmi by Tomi Hinkkanen

About eight years later, I read in the paper that Maila had passed away. She died on January 10th, 2008 of natural causes at the age of 85. That made me reminisce of the rainy January day 13 years before when our paths first crossed. Her body laid for some time in the city morgue before friends were able to collect enough money to give her a proper burial. Later on, I visited her grave at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery where we had once filmed a segment for our TV news story.

Her tombstone is small but appropriate: it has her name, birth and death years and an engraving of the Vampira character that made her famous. The text on the bottom reads: ‘Hollywood Legend’. And that she most certainly was.

September 7th, 2011

thinkkanen

REPORTER: TOMI HINKKANEN – PHOENIX, AZ

very young students and parents at SWIMkids USA

Seven hundred children drown every year in the United States, most of them in their family’s swimming pool. The majority of the deaths could have been avoided if the children had known how to swim.

Swimming is the third most popular form of exercise in the U.S. after walking and exercising with equipment. There are almost seven million Jacuzzis and nine million swimming pools in the country which, compounded with natural waters, claim more than 3,000 people each year. Of those drowning victims, 700 are children. Accidental drowning claims a quarter of all children who die between the ages of one and four. More than one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger. For every child who dies from drowning, another four receive emergency care for submersion injuries. Near-drowning accidents may cause permanent brain damage to hundreds of kids.

Eighty-eight percent of children’s swimming pool fatalities could have been avoided if the children had known how to swim. Swimming skills have also shown to reduce children’s deaths in natural waters, such as flowing rivers, by 40 percent. Until recent years, pediatricians have recommended children to start receiving swimming lessons at the age of four. They now encourage children to be taught how to swim at the age when the child begins to walk, or at about the age of one.

In an Arizona-based children’s swimming school, kids start at an even earlier age. Swimkids USA, a swimming school in Phoenix, starts them out as young as at 3 months old. Swimkids was founded in 1971 by Lana Whitehead.

“I am a teacher by profession. I went to YMCA to teach my 4 month-old baby how to swim. At that time nobody was teaching babies how to swim. It was something out of the ordinary. YMCA saw me and asked me if I would develop their program in Northern California. I developed the program for them and went on my own after that”, Lana explains. Since those early days, approximately 50,000 children have learned how to swim at Lana’s swimming school. Former students are now bringing their children and grandchildren to her school. Lana’s rule of thumb is: The sooner swimming lessons begin, the better. However, the baby must first get a clean bill of health from a doctor. Lana taught her son to swim at the age of four months. At Swimkids, it all begins with relaxation in the water. Parent and child are constantly in contact with each other.

“It is very easy to teach babies to swim. It is very bonding. The water resistance covers the entire body. Water has 600 to 700 times the resistance of air. So, the pressure on the body actually encourages neurological development. The other thing about the water pressure is that it deepens the emotional bond between the parent and the child. They are skin to skin, face to face, touching in the water. Touching is very important. It actually supplies the child with emotional memory. So, there are a lot of good reasons to start early.”

The Baby is first taught to float on his or her back.

“We want to get them so that they can relax. We work with them on buoyancy and balance. We put them on their backs and work with them, teaching them how to float on their backs and relax in the water. That’s probably the safest you can be. If you are in danger, turn over to your back where you can breathe and relax.”

It will become a reflex for the baby to turn on their back upon exposure to water. Then the baby’s head is gently pushed under water and lifted up.

“We work with submersion. So, we push down and lift their head so that they can get a breath.”

student todler at SWIMkids USA

This way the baby learns the connection between the lifting of the head and inhaling. Lana says that sometimes babies are drowning even in small containers of water because they do not understand to lift their big and heavy heads up.

“Children especially in Arizona, California and Florida are drowning – not just in swimming pools, but in inflatable pools, buckets, bathtubs and toilets. They get disoriented when the face goes in because their head is so heavy. They don’t know that if they lift their head, they can get a breath. That’s very tragic. We teach them to self-rescue, to push down, and lift their head and get their breath.”

Then, little by little, the baby is taught to turn around his stomach and swim toward the edge of the pool. It will take months. Lana urges parents to train at the beginning of the baby several times a week.

There are things that the parent should never do with a child in the water. A popular game that parents play with their kids seems harmless at the outset: Jump into the water, Dad or Mom will catch you.

Lana Whitehead, founder and president of SWIMkids USA

“Parents play this game, not realizing that it is dangerous: Jump to mommy or daddy in the pool. They don’t realize that if you are not there, the child thinks he or she can jump in and be safe. They don’t realize that if there’s nobody there, nobody is going to catch them.
Children have to learn to swim first. They can’t just jump to mommy or daddy, get caught and think – what a fun game!”

Recently in California, a 35-year-old intoxicated father dropped his seven-year-old son from a tourist boat to the ocean in Newport harbor, because the boy was crying. Fortunately the boy was rescued by the people in a passing boat. The father now faces child endangerment charges. Lana Whitehead says that a child should never be forced into the water.

“That’s no joke, that’s awful: it is a matter of life and death!

Drowning is a silent and fast event. In one moment a child is on the surface, a moment later already drowned. In 70 percent of cases, children have been accompanied by an adult at the time of drowning. The majority of successful rescues have happened within two minutes of submersion. After ten minutes under water the majority of children will perish. Small children should never be let go further than an arm’s length of an adult in the water.

“Swimming lessons make a child safer around the water, but you always still have to have barriers, and layers of protection: you need to have a fence around the pool with a locked gate; you need to learn how to administer CPR; you need to practice touch supervision, and the child needs to learn to swim. If you do all these layers of protection, the chance of a problem is greatly lessened.”

For more information go to:
www.swimkidsusa.us

: student todler at SWIMkids USA

: very young students and parents at SWIMkids USA

: Lana Whitehead, founder and president of SWIMkids USA

RECENT POSTS

About Finlandia Foundation:

Finlandia Foundation’s Mission

What Finlandia Foundation Does

News from Finland

Finland in the US Newsletter & More

WATCH YLE TV NEWS FROM FINNTIMES

Archives

Meta