![Mother Clucker…… DERBY WING FEST delivers yet again!!
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I had an absolute blast at @wingfestuk at @bustler_derby this weekend. The sun was shinin’ the beats were pumpin’ and the Wings were off the charts, incredible.
Honestly, the Wing vendors came from all over the country and they were not messing around this year. With each stand cooking up a Buffalo Wing and a Wild Wing there were just so many ways to tickle your tastebuds.
For us, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch from @eatpoorboys was just genius and we literally licked our plate because THAT SAUCE 😂 Big shout out too to our pals @the.wing.guys @dirtychickenuk and @eatthebird. We gave your Wild Wings 10s all the way 🤪
Thanks again @wingfestuk for putting on such a great event. We loved the addition of the beer puppets this year 😂 and the Iced Gelato Pops. Congratulations to all of those who received awards. We cannot wait to see what you come up with next year.
Wing Fest is coming to London, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol THIS SUMMER so be sure to head to their Insta/Website and secure your tickets because this is a party that you do not wanna miss. Might even try to get over to Manchester myself so perhaps I’ll see you there 🙌🏻
#wingfest #wingfestuk #bustlermarket #derbyfood #derbyfoodie #derbyfoodies #wingswingswings #chickenwingsforlife #chickenwings #derbyshirefoodie #nottinghamfoodblogger #eastmidsbloggers #streetfoodfestival
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So you’re thinking about exploring Finland? I cannot begin to tell you what a great choice this is. Finland is, on the whole a pretty cool place. In 2018 it was ranked #1 happiest place to live. It was also the first country in Europe to give all women the right to vote. Still need persuading? Well let me give you the low down on Finland’s capital, Helsinki. Not only does it have incredible character and charm but there is also just this contagious, vibrant buzz about the place. It’s not a city predominately about sightseeing. I mean there is a lot to see but there isn’t one or two particular highlights that tourists are drawn to. It’s also pretty compact, So much so, that if you only have one day in Helsinki then you CAN still absolutely see a whole bunch whilst also getting a feel for authentic Finnish life. And you can do it all on foot.
So here we have my top tips for how to spend one day in Helsinki and the things you absolutely shouldn’t miss.
One Day in Helsinki – Where to start?
In my opinion, the best place to start your “One day in Helsinki” itinerary is in the beautiful Market Square. The Market Square is located on the eastern side of central Helsinki, between the south harbour and Esplanade Park, just a 10 minute walk from the central station. This square hosts the most famous market in Finland and it’s one of the most popular shopping locations for locals and tourists alike. Now if you like a good window shop, or stall shop as it were here, then this is definitely the place for you. There are the usual Finland-specific souvenirs in abundance but also lots of arts and crafts from local artists. I carefully avoided the reindeer fur items though because that made me terribly sad. Now on to the food….. Well, being right on the harbour there is certainly plenty of fish and A LOT of Salmon. I’m not much of a seafood fan myself but the giant pans of creamy salmon soup and the whitebait with chips certainly did look and smell appealing.
Don’t be too dismayed if none of the culinary delights in the Market Square quite take your fancy because just a few yards away is The Market Hall or the Vanha Kauppahalli. Now I don’t know about you, but I get so excited about a market hall for some reason. Perhaps it was because on this particular day I was freezing and this beautiful building protected me from the cold but……The Market Hall in its own right is an absolute gastro dream. It’s been dishing up local delicacies such as reindeer pie since 1889 (noooooo not the reindeer again). Obviously it wasn’t for me, but there were an absolute tonne of different game pies and so many varieties of gravlax it was crazy. There’s plenty more on offer within the four walls of course; seasonal fruits and veggies, jams, sauces, cakes, hot drinks…. you name it. It has an absolutely stunning coffee shop in its centre too. But if coffee is your thing then please keep reading……
Just a short walk away from the harbour is the Helsinki SkyWheel, trust me, you can’t miss it. If you’re looking for a 360° view of the city then this is the absolute place to be. Don’t be fooled in to thinking that it’s just your average observation wheel either. For those with some serious money to burn there are VIP champagne gondola rides available and even a sky sauna – whaaaaaat? You heard me correctly and yes I am now adding a “Sauna in the sky” to my bucket list. But if you’re just looking for the “regular” ride then a turn on the SkyWheel will cost €13 for adults and €9.50 for children aged between 3 and 11. The experience lasts for approximately 12 minutes and is absolutely accessible for those with disabilities or additional needs.
And last but by no means least, the Kamppi Chapel; also known as The Chapel of Silence. I remember seeing this building on Instagram when I was doing my Helsinki research and being absolutely fascinated by it. The chapel was constructed as a part of the World Design Capital program in 2012 in Narinkkatori square. It’s such an interesting piece of architecture with its orange, curved shape. It kind of looks like something from a science fiction or futuristic film. The square in which the chapel is located is actually a fairly built up shopping area. The intention behind this is that the chapel can be a place of peace and calm in one of the busiest parts of the city.
So there we have my unmissable sights for if you only have one day in Helsinki. Before I go, I do have one other very large recommendation for if you have a little more time to kill. Finland’s capital just so happens to be a very short ferry journey away from Estonia and the magical Tallinn. There will be more about this in an upcoming post but I just wanted to mention it here incase you would like to factor it in to your Finland itinerary. I swear it is 100% worth investigating.
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