Kestovaippakauppa - A Review

I was on the hunt for a KAM-branded plastic snap fastener.  My Prym brand one doesn't fasten plastic snaps - only metal ones and eyelets.  Darn.
I immediately looked online at Etsy and other sites that sold craft supplies and equipment- but the shipping was almost double the cost of the pliers themselves!
I asked a Finnish friend to help me look in Finland for reasonably priced (including shipping) KAM pliers and she actually found me a shop IN Jyv�skyl� called "Kestovaippakauppa".
There was the option to order online and shipping would be 3,50� - not bad!  But then my friend and I were able to hang out and catch up.
They weren't quite easy to find in terms of being able to hop on a bus and go on my own - but she thankfully took me there by car and we had quite the experience.
For me -it was a mostly positive one.  For my friend - well, she wasn't overly thrilled by the service, speed or anything but the products she purchased.

It turned out that I have been to this shop before - last year and at night, so I didn't recall how to get there - but recognized the building (it's in the basement floor of a house) once we arrived.
Anyways, what I was looking for was this:

It came with the screw driver, awl, metal rod and other press-dies - just not shown in my photo!

That was easy and my friend translated - then I had to choose button colours....I just asked for a mix.  For 50 pairs of mixed colours - "I'm not picky" I told the store rep helping me.  She was great to work with and very helpful and quick - considering each "set" of snaps consist of 4 pieces.

While my buttons were being chosen and packaged - my friend and I cruised through the single-room shop and looked through all the different fabric types.

I decided I wanted to venture into "cloth-pad land" - hence why I wanted the KAM snaps fastener and snaps to begin with....but of course there were so many fabrics available that weren't sold downtown.
I found a couple pieces of fabric on sale and then my friend pointed out a PUL-type of printed fabric.

PUL is the water proof stuff on one side and usually printed (or a solid colour) on the other side.  Traditionally used for lots of things like cloth diapers, diaper covers, wet bags (for pads or diapers or soiled clothing) or even lunch bags!

I thought it would be wise to buy a piece and asked my friend how much it was - she was told 5� a piece by a different store rep.  These pieces were colourful, modern, fun, great quality and pretty big!

GREAT!  I picked up one and the buttons were ready and the store rep I had began to tally up my sale.

I asked/confirmed with her that the PUL fabric was 5� and she looked at me like I was insane.

After searching on the internet - it turned out it was over 11� a piece.

By this point - my friend finally got her fabrics cut and her sale being processed.  She was already charged with the 5�/PUL sheet and the rep had no idea what to do.

It took forever to get a couple pieces of fabric cut and to sort out the billing.

She was first charged X� with the PUL sheets being 5� each.  Then they calculated the difference - and she was charged the difference - but the lady punched in 0,13� (13 CENTS) instead of 13,00�.

Then the 3rd time....she got charged the difference of 12,87�.

Crappy customer service: We each got a 10 cents discount for the "confusion" of the older store's rep mistake.

Excellent customer service would be:  Take the hit and sell it to us for the price we were told.  Or even 50% off would have been nice.

We could have been in and out within 20-30 minutes tops.  We didn't leave until an hour later.

I'm sorry to say that I won't be shopping there again - not even online (they offer shipping on their site).  Not only is it difficult for me to get to by bus, but the service was really disappointing for my friend and I.

Pick Up JKL: A Review

I assure you that this blog post is perfectly safe to read for anyone of any age.
I am not writing a review about an escort service or any other in-appropriate service one may think of when they hear the words "Pick Up".
I'm also not writing about blind dates or designated drivers either.
Feeling better now?  Keep reading!!

Last night was one of those exhausting nights where the kids were hyped up, I had forgotten to put potatoes on the stove so they were happily sitting in a bag on the table ...or maybe the floor...and I was getting stressed about my up-coming Restaurant Day (which is tomorrow...and here I am blogging while hubby helps empty the dishwasher!)...and decided let's just order take-out.

We normally order pizza on Friday nights to go with out sauna night - a nice way to end the work week and the kids are used to it and it's a good rhythm.  But it was Thursday...and it was so close to 8pm that many restaurants stop delivering at 8pm.  I got online and checked with a friend of mine who suggested "Pick Up JKL" - she hadn't eaten there before and wasn't sure if it was good or not - but why not?
Pick Up Pizzeria not only sells pizza - but they also sell Chinese food.  Had I not been to New York before and seen something similar in one restaurant, I would have thought this was an insane idea.  For Jyv�skyl� - it kind of is...but with so many pizzerias around - it's a unique concept and I'm sure that's why they have survived so far.
Here's how the order placing conversation went:

"Hi, are you still delivering?" -me
"Well, where do you live?  Yes well, we can deliver but depends how much you order!"  - her (please note she was screaming into the phone and the background noise was minimal...)
"Oh well, we just wanted two dishes...for my husband and I." - me
"Well, my car is broken...so you need to order at least three - then I can deliver to you.  AND there is 3� delivery fee." - her
So I agree to order a pizza for the kids (and to try it out myself) and I gave her the address, she confirmed they accept bank cards and she'll be there in an hour.

I rushed around finishing up some cheesecakes for tomorrow (I haven't even started anything else really!) and pedaled my bike (I walked beside it while my lovely bike handles carried the cheesecakes) to my Restaurant Day location (Laajavuorentie 5B)...I got some posters and had a quick chit chat with my friends when suddenly my phone began to vibrate and ring...
"I'M LOST!  I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO!  WHERE ARE YOU?"
Very professional lady....so I advise her where to turn and how to get to my building...2 minutes later...
"I DON'T SEE YOUR NUMBER!  I SEE 34!!  HOW DO I GET THERE?! I CAN'T DRIVE PAST THE SIGN!"
I said I'll be there in a jiffy but I can't ride and talk on the phone at the same time AND cross the street safely...
I get there and she found my door after all.  She had a huge Styrofoam box and when I apologized for keeping her waiting, she asked where I was looking for her at.  I told her that I was at a friend's house PRIOR to her coming over and was on my way.
"Why did you go to your friend's home when you knew I was coming here?!" - and the lecturing began....
Finally I lock up my bike, she digs out the food and as I'm digging for my bank card she said:
"So where are you from?"
"I'm from Canada." -me
"Well, you look Asian!" - her  (Apparently Canadians cannot look Asian...fantastic.  Hello stereotypes.)
"Yes, I get that all the time." I managed to say this with a straight face and no hint of humour at all - because let's face it - I'm sweaty, grumpy at her for numerous reasons and hungry.
Eventually I "confess" she's right, I have a Chinese-Malaysian genetic background...then she wants to know if I speak Chinese or Malaysian...nope....
"So, your husband is Finnish?" - her
"No, he's also Canadian." -me waiting for her to go so I can rush the food upstairs...
"Why you live here then?!"
Apparently it's a crime to leave one's home country...? 
"My husband is studying here."
The conversation continues as she asks if it's my first time ordering from her and I said yep and that was that.
"CAN'T YOU SEE THE INTERNATIONAL LOOK OF STARVING ON MY FACE?!" is what I wanted to ask her...
Finally, she is satisfied with my answers and payment - then she leaves happily...in her vehicle that clearly works.   A friend suggested perhaps she borrowed her boss's car - but I think she IS the boss...anyways...

So! The food quality?
Hubby ordered Beef Szechuan sauce and deemed it, "It's okay..." which translates to: Not really the best and I've had way better.
I ordered the Beef with Mushrooms and Bamboo...it was a bit peppery - which is fine...the mushrooms were from a can - big pet peeve as I love fresh white mushrooms...the sauce - not so amazing.  The bamboo was in excessive amounts and that's all I remember about it.  For the amount of bamboo that was in it - they could have cut back by about 1/4-1/2 and added a bit more beef...which tasted weird to me...can't put my finger on it.
I also tried hubby's food and it wasn't very spicy and missed that Szechuan taste I'm used to from every other Asian restaurant I've ever eaten at.
It was pretty late so I didn't bother trying the pizza - but it had real pieces of chicken (various sizes and looked shredded nicely), not the cubed stuff you buy in the grocery store...the kebab meat was probably frozen and the ham was the little match stick pieces of ham that looked more like salami (dark red) to me...I tried some the next day and it wasn't amazing.

My general opinion? 1/5

- Customer Service is quite sad...I felt bullied into buying the 3 dishes when I really only wanted 2 - and then on top of that she was going to charge me the 3� delivery fee anyway.  If you have a minimum order amount to match the 3� delivery fee - then why not list that on your site?  Slightly misleading if you ask me.  Maybe it was my phone - but the screaming has to stop...I held my phone away from my head a good foot and a half and still could hear her perfectly fine.  (It really may have been my volume on maximum...)
- Food Quality - portion size was good for both the Chinese and the pizza, but the flavour was quite bland.  Could have been more meat on the pizza I think...not so spread out so that the pizza toppings look even thinner (less) than what there was.
I have gotten better taste and quality at Sakura Gawa for my money's worth.

ONLY BONUSES:  Our food was piping hot - despite her being late...that Styrofoam box did wonders.  And they accept bank card as a payment option at the door.  And they use real chicken pieces on their pizza...

Would I order from there again?
No.  I'm sorry but I was quite disappointed overall and would not recommend Pick Up JKL.  Perhaps eating in the restaurant would be different - but the take-away service was blegh.
Sure there's "Well, it's better than nothing!"
Honestly, had we known this experience could happen like this - we would have just had grilled cheese sandwiches for supper.

Review: Sinelli

Sinelli is a great craft store in Finland. They often have great sales, especially after holidays (where stores like Pia - in downtown JKL doesn't) and great displays and exhibits.
Unfortunately, their website is only in Finnish.

For awhile, there wasn't a Sinelli in Jyv�skyl�, where I live, but now there is one - as of May 2011.  It's accessible by bus (it's in the Palokka area) but I often visit a friend in that area - so we swing by there about 2-3x a month.
It's smaller than the Helsinki location but still holds quite a bit.
Lots of rubber stamps, papers, Fiskars products, Papermania (slightly cheaper than the top brands and just as great quality!), Hama and other useful items.
There are often classes available - there's one this Sunday on how to color with a wide variety of products.  But I don't know if I am going yet...still up in the air on that one.

The only major fault I have with this store (this specific location that is) - is that I've been there several times before, spending quite a bit (Christmas card supplies, baby card supplies for friends - etc.) and not once was I offered the oppourtunity to have a "membership card".
It's not a real membership - it's a card with numbers on it and every time you spend a minimum of 15� (total purchase) - you get a stamp.  Once you accumulate so many stamps - you get discounts.
I love discounts and feel more appreciated as a customer when I can use those point or stamp systems.
I am also more likely to shop at your store much more frequently if you have a points system or discount program with regular purchases!
But it took 2-3 trips per month since June 2011 - before I finally got the nerve to ask for one.  I thought it was a minimum of 20� - even still I have spent that much before and still was never offered a card.
And it's not a language barrier thing - I'm pretty sure.  The ladies that work there all speak English to some degree and the least you could have done was offered it to me.  If I didn't understand, didn't have a translator or didn't want one - I'd tell you politely "no thanks".

When my friend asked if I got the card stamped - I said no - she never offered it to me...and I spent more than 15�....so I brought her card with me to show the cashier and asked if I could get a card.
The expression on her face was a bit of shock that I would actually ask for a card.  And no, it wasn't her first time seeing me - I usually go around the same time of the day with my friend and often see this lady there (and other employees)...

I will continue shopping at Sinelli for their wide range of products (compared to that of a smaller store like Pia) and bulk products (i.e. cards and envelopes)- but I was severely disappointed and slightly offended that I was never once offered a chance at getting a stamped card.

Oh and on a slightly non-personal note - my friend made a rather large purchase of over 100� and only got 3 stamps...maybe there's a limit or someone can't do math - not sure yet.  But if 1 stamp is equal to minimum of 15� and she spent well over 100�....shouldn't she have gotten at least 6 stamps?

Just a thought.

(So be brave and ask for your points card wherever you go - because the customer service won't necessarily be willing to give it to you automatically).

Extra Alphabet and an awesome deal

Today I woke up with a "feeling"....
One of those feelings where I didn't want to go downtown but I had the urge to shop.  And I felt like the second-hand shop nearby, Sillinteri, was calling my name...
I rarely ignore those feelings or sudden urges to cruise through a second hand store - because more often than not - I find something at a wonderful price and something useful for my son or the home...

Today was no exception.

I wasn't feeling all that great today (possibly coming down with a cold?) and started my morning with a trip to the playground with my (almost) 20-month old...he was bored and only wanted to keep eating crackers - so my "Shopping Senses" got tingly and I walked over to Sillinteri...
I didn't get a basket right away - thinking I wouldn't find anything bigger than a novel or a cloth diaper...
Well, wasn't I wrong!

I found 9 Chick-Lit novels (Queen of Babble series by Meg Cabot, The Nanny Diaries and some others) in English and all super cheap.....I grabbed a basket as the hood of my son's stroller wouldn't hold or support all of them.
Then I saw a laptop for 2�!  Not any kind of laptop but a children's laptop!  I confirmed with one of the workers that the label said it worked (although the power key is stuck - it thankfully auto-shuts off)...
And look at the inside of this thing:

Fisher Price's Laugh & Learn Preschool laptop

Note the funny alphabet?  � is a Swedish "A" and � and � are Finnish letters

I continued on and found some cloth diapers - which I'm constantly collecting if I can find them at cheap prices!  This way I'm prepared for whenever we have another kid (no rush! I just love a sale!) - and often times, I find bigger cloth diapers and can slip them onto V�in� now - so we save on disposables too!

Well, I was about to leave when I decided I'd do another quick run through and hit up some aisles I had previously missed...

WOW! Good thing I did!
For 20�  I found a baby back-pack carrier...no not a Manducca (I have a Patapum - which is quite similar) - but a "Deuter Kids Comfort III "!
What does that mean? I had no idea either...I just saw it's sturdy frame, it's hiking-like style, the big zippered enclosures for diapers etc. and the real eye catcher?  The sun/rain roof!

It still has the original foam and plastic protection on it!

Now, my husband wasn't terribly pleased when he saw I came home with "more stuff we probably don't need" - but once I did some research online and saw how much money we saved - even he couldn't disagree with this AMAZING find!

Okay - let's do some math and I shall explain what I learned about the "Deuter" brand.

The Deuter brand is a Germany-based company - mostly hiking and camping equipment stuff....kind of like MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op in Canada) I guess!

And then I started looking up this specific model of back-pack carrier....

• It was rated one of the Top 10 carriers in 2011 in a Youtube video....
• It's normally sold for 200-240�...(on MEC's site - I saw it for 315$ Canadian + taxes)....I PAID 20� FOR THIS!!!  And it's practically brand-new!
• It has large compartments to carry diapers and a hydro pack if you have one...
• There is a little zippered pouch near the hip band which contains a little mirror that sticks inside with velcro!  This way you can keep an eye on your little one and see how they are doing!
• Sun/rain roof can be zippered away or opened
• High back for the child - so their head and neck don't snap back like many other carriers do...
• Lots of room for a child to grow and move around in - without being in control of the walk! (aka if V�in� wiggles a bit - I often don't feel it because this carrier is so sturdy and has great padding).
• A kick-stand so you can fit your child in there without it toppling over
• Easy to adjust!
• The chin rest/pad is removable and you can wash it by hand!!  My son loved this feature and looked so comfy resting the side of his face on it while dozing during our trip to the grocery store.
• Here's the site with more specific information

Look at the TERRIBLE neck support from the Patapum! (This was taken when he was  17-months old)  Thankfully he didn't seem to mind this pose...but it was really scary to see him hang his head backwards like this!

I started slowly by taking my son to the nearby library, about 10 minutes away from our door and other than the fact that I did not properly adjust it - it was still quite comfortable!  I didn't have pains in any one particular spot of my body - which was a real joy!

So we returned some things at the library and I rushed home to adjust it as well as I could - and off we went to the grocery store (which is about 15 minutes away - walking at a lazy pace pushing a stroller)....With the exception of the hot temperatures (not the carrier's fault!) - it was a pleasure to carry and use!

I only brought 1 plastic bag with me because I didn't want to put eggs in the carrier's zippered pouch and a baguette wouldn't fit either...but for the most part - a lot of things did fit and yes it does add weight - but it's worth it for the convenience of not having to carry extra bags!

We met with my husband on the way back and he was really impressed with how comfortable and well-supported V�in� looked in it!

When we got home this is what happened:

He didn't want to get out of it!

When Travelling to London Heathrow Airport....

If you are not planning on staying in London and have another flight to catch  please ensure you have at least 4-5 hours between flights.


Why? Well, here's our trip home...(So much for that previous glowing review Air Canada!)

We were flying from Halifax to St. John's, Newfoundland and then to London...THEN to Helsinki.
Simple right?  We checked in our luggage and got our boarding passes and the Air Canada rep at the desk notified us that we have to pick up our luggage in London and re-check it in AND THEN go through customs and security again.
We had less than 2 hours to connect to our next flight...FYI Heathrow is a monster-huge airport...


We looked at this girl like she was nuts and she said yes we definitely have to go through customs.

Our flights were smooth and easy and for 30 minutes we hovered in the air in circles (you could see the little white plane and green line going in circles literally on the map on TV) above Heathrow.  Why? Probably because all the lanes were booked!  So we went from having almost 2 hours to having less than 1.5 hours to get on the next plane.
Thanks to this delay, we missed our flight entirely.  We had to wait 45 minutes in a SUPER huge line up (as we have Canadian passports and are listed in the "All Other Passports" line up in which there are less than 6 reps clearing customs)....The staff doing customs and security both asked us "Why are you clearing customs?!  Don't bother rushing - you aren't gonna make it."
Funny...we were thinking the same freaking thing.
 We were not impressed and went to British Airways to get our new flight.  They said we had to go to Air Canada and get them to re-book us....

1st Trip
We go to Air Canada and the young fellow books us in and says, "Well, I don't know if you're flying with British Airways or Finnair.  Go check Finnair and if not - go to British Airways. There's a flight at 1020am...you still have time to get in there."  (It was 8:15am or so....)
(Insert death look but with a happy voice).

We go to Finnair who has 0 record of us being there and march over to British Airways.
They have Tim registered and printed a boarding pass for him (flight is not at 1020am...but now at 1230pm)...
Nothing for me and our son, V�in�. (Insert not impressed look and stern voice).


2nd Trip 
I go back to that young man and give him a death stare that would make Darth Vader proud and a voice of a reprimanding teacher...and he says, "Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss.  I just got a call - there...*twenty minutes of me standing there he types* now you're booked.  Go back to British Airways and they'll print out your pass."

I go back and British Airways says, "You are here with a reference number but your son is still not listed as infant and doesn't have a reference number."
(I am threatening to choke the Air Canada rep in front of the British Airway reps and they smiled calmly and said, "We'd recommend flying through to Toronto with Air Canada next time then BA all the way to Helsinki in future...you wouldn't go through this garbage if this was us!" Thanks - good to know.)

3rd and final trip
I stand there with our Passports in hand (Tim and V�in� are patiently waiting by British Airways and I think, at this point, my husband is terrified of me) and the reference numbers for myself and my husband...
I have a look on my face that screams "I am so kicking you in the nuts if you don't get this straightened out..." and my voice is so cold I think Lord Voldemort might be proud of me...
"Listen.  This is my 3rd and FINAL trip to see you to get this straightened out.  This is what needs to be done and I am beyond fed up with having to run back and forth and hope I catch the 1230pm flight to Helsinki." (it's almost 11AM by this point!)
He explains that he doesn't understand why I need a reference number or whatever, because V�in� is an infant and would be in my lap anyway.  Fine - I get that.
THEN HE SAYS: "Here - take the ticket to them..that should make them happy.  And I hope we don't see each other again and I mean that in the kindest of ways Miss."

WHY DIDN'T HE GIVE ME THE TICKET THE FIRST OR SECOND TIME I SAW HIM?!
And it's not like he was waiting long for it - he calmly walked to the printer and it was already sitting there...because he avoided talking me and looking at me when he saw that I was in the line again for the 3rd time and decided this was his prime time to type like mad...

So...if you travel via ANY AIR LINE and they tell you - you have to stop in London and you have less than 5 hours to get to your next flight - fight it!

The reason why we're so upset is because we have 2 dogs at home with a dog sitter and obviously the airlines aren't going to pay for the extra time the dog sitter has to be with them if we kept missing flights.
As well, we're travelling with an infant who is very sensitive to time differences..he was accustomed to Canadian time and London is 2 hours different from Finland.  THEN we were late leaving by 4 hours...so jet lag was a major concern for us - seeing as Finland has 20 hours of sunlight now...

Review of Air Canada

Now, I have never flown Air Canada before but have heard glowing reviews (occasional luggage issue but otherwise fine) and although my husband and I had "Scattered Seating" (we weren't sitting anywhere near each other) -when we arrived at the gate they quickly corrected it and we sat together in the center of the plane with the center seat free to put the baby if he wanted to.  The movies were wonderful and a wide selection (I saw "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" a bit of "Little Fockers" -but decided it was too funny for me to watch while flying and trying to pay attention to a 1.5 year old and "The Tourist" which I enjoyed a lot)....

Because we were slightly delayed (1 hour!) from leaving Frankfurt we were given extra drinks and the entertainment stuff was left on except for the occasional update.

We got lucky (due to that scattered seating bit) and had 3 seats to ourselves.  Of course, our son preferred to sit in my lap....but we were in the center of the plane and it was roomy enough!

The food wasn't too bad .... vegetarian option and a chicken option. 

Staff are billingual (it's mandatory if you want to work for this airline - friend of mine couldn't speak French and couldn't stay and work for them) and super duper friendly!

Funny thing is - when we touched down in Halifax (a couple days later) - I heard a report on the radio that a young man who was doing a stint with his Missionary was trying to board an Air Canada flight and has a severe peanut allergy.  So he brought his epipens and tonnes of medication just in case because he was en route to Fiji....apparently he was refused his seat and they took off without him because of the quantity of his medication he needed.  (I don't know the FULL story but that was all that was said on the radio).
I've heard wonderful things about Air Canada and heard the occasional lost luggage story....

But for what it's worth - it's way better than American Eagle(Airlines) or Continental....

*I forgot to mention - that when we flew from Toronto to Halifax - the seats had individual TV sets again, however no ear plugs.  You had to either bring your own or remembered to bring a pair from the previous flight!  They charged $3.00 for a pair of ear phones...I am assuming you got to keep them for all of your future AC flights....major downfall on that one Air Canada.

Germany makes Great Chocolate...but technology...???

Alright so here I am blogging from Canada!  Specifically from Nova Scotia, Canada...aka my home place!

We travelled to Helsinki via bus (about 4-4.5 hours) around 1230am Saturday morning and arrived in my parents home at about 1230am Sunday morning (Finnish time).

**This is where I pre-apologize for all those typos that are BOUND to happen because I am using a North American keyboard....**

Once arriving at the airport in Helsinki, we made our way to our check-in location and we were flying with Lufthansa (German) to Frankfurt, then with Air Canada to Toronto and then to Halifax.  That's right - no USA stops.  We've had so many issues with stopping or flying with the US - that we could not be bothered to do it again. (Remember in October they didn't offer a hotel and we were crashing at the JFK airport?!)

So Lufthansa has a system that you print your boarding pass from an electronic kiosk then check your luggage in with a representative.  Easy peasy.
Oh wait - here's where the title comes into play....Lufthansa's computer systems were down.  So they couldn't even check in baggage!  We were advised kindly it would take about 30 minutes and the reps in Germany were working hard to get it up and running.
Sure! No biggy!  It's only 30 minutes and we had plenty of time to make it to our flight.

1 hour later...still nothing happening but those with their boarding pass were in line up to check their baggage (once the system was up...).  So here we are, waiting in the front of a line (of several) to print our boarding pass....

Finally - the systems are still down but we can join the crazy line ups for checking in baggage....and the reps up front were taking things down manually.....Oh my!
We waited in line for about 30 minutes and then *cue Angels music of some sort* the computers were back up and running!  Just as were about to go to a rep!  YAY!

The flight was under 3 hours and shockingly - despite all the delays with the baggage and passes - the flight left on time and arrived with 10 minutes to spare!

So, although Lufthansa had a major blip with the technology - they handled the situation smoothly and we got there on time to connect to our Toronto flight!
Kudos Lufthansa!

Review of: The Royal Cardinal Hotel (Paris)

During our stay in Paris (April 27-30th, 2011), we stayed at The Royal Cardinal Hotel in the Latin-Quarter of Paris.
You may have read my previous posting about our trip to Paris - it was quite lengthy - but here are the pros and cons of the hotel based solely on my opinion and experience there.
Please note it is a 2-Star rated hotel and that the hotel itself does not necessarily look like the photos portrayed on their web site.  We had a single bedroom at a rate of a little over 104�/night.

PROS:

• Staff are friendly and bilingual (for the most part)
• Very conveniently located near the Finnish Institute, in which my husband was participating in some conferences (approximately 10 minutes walk down the road at a slow "tourist taking everything in" pace)
• Crepperie across the road
• Continental breakfast is delivered to your room before 10am (cost is 6� per person per breakfast) which includes � a baguette, a croissant and your choice of beverage (hot chocolate, tea or coffee or juice)
• Not sure if this is recorded either - because during check-out -we were asked if we had had any breakfasts and how many in total
• **Please note if you order tea or coffee - you get hot milk  - not cold...as a North American - we usually put cold cream or milk in our hot beverages to cool off the drink...so this was new to me and just as delicious!
• Close to a pharmacy and a grocery shop called "Monoprix"
• Just close to lots of things in general - took less than 30 minutes to walk to the Notre Dame
• Supposedly has WI-FI (wireless internet)
• Cable television, flat screen and high up on the wall (away from a curious baby! BONUS!)
• Balcony is available on all floors (from the outside it appears that way) - however, the plants are not maintained and they were brown and dead.  
• The decor in the hall way (spiral stair case) is beautifully painted
• 1 Key per room and you leave it at the desk and don't have to worry about losing keys
• You punch in your requested wake-up time on the phone
• Shuttle from Hotel to airport is available at 17� /person (minimum 2 people) - however I don't think they have a way of keeping record of it.  Because we were asked at check-out if we had booked one...

CONS:

• 1 elevator and it can be small if breakfast is being served or trays are being removed from rooms in the morning, as there's a table inside that folds out from the wall.
• Once, the elevator was locked open on the bottom floor (as they were preparing and serving breakfasts to other clients - understandably) and this was a great inconvenience as we had a huge suit case and while I made it to the bottom with my son on my back - I noticed the staff were merely chatting (one was prepping the next tray for delivery) and the one who was doing the delivery eventually went in and had nothing extra to bring....seeing as the hotel is 6 floors - this could be a great inconvenience to those needing to depart quickly and with luggage.
• The shower was confusing to use - but even still - the water changed temperatures regularly (to ice cold to scalding hot) and changed in pressure and amounts.  The last day there - I couldn't even get one!!  The water was barely dripping from the overhead shower head...I was not impressed at all.
• For those expecting high amounts of services - these were not available (no list or booklet by the phone that I could see):
• No Room service (aside from breakfast that seems to be the same everyday)
• No Laundry service
• No ironing table or iron
• Didn't see a Bible for those that like a bit of late night reading
• No emergency sewing kit (I don't always see them but occasionally)
• No lint brush or shoe horn or shoe brush (we had this all in Estonia) and I do realize not all hotels offer this as well - but for those that perhaps are used to it - it'd be best to bring your own.
• **However, there was an electronic safe in the closet**
• We were not notified (nor did we think to ask as "Continental Breakfast" is usually included in the hotel fees) of the cost of the breakfast until we sleepily got into the elevator.  Cheaper than eating out - but the baguettes could've been fresher.
• The walls are pretty thin...so if you're thinking Paris is the City of Romance and thinking of getting romantic with your loved one - bear in mind - the whole floor will probably hear you.  The door is quite thin as well - and it was easy to hear anybody in the hall at any time of the day.
• This was a huge issue for me, as my son was teething (and still upset after being given pain medication) and the neighbours next door repeatedly pounded/knocked on the wall.  Thankfully, I know they were not asleep prior to our arrival around 10pm - as I could hear their television and chatter.  However, it's annoying and a pain - so I ended up yelling through the wall my apologies and had half a mind to leave them an angry note.
• I asked if the WI-FI connection required a password, I was advised there is no password - and had to assume that the network would be listed under "Hotel Cardinal" or something similar to the name of the hotel we stayed in.  There was no such network and any other network we could find, required a password.
• My husband was with a colleague who asked how to access the WI-FI (in fluent French) to the lady manning the front desk and she had no idea what "Wireless internet" or "WI-FI" even was...despite the promotion of it on their website and a large and bright pink/purple sticker on the front door.

So as you can see - I tried to make mental notes (written ones too) of average hotels in comparison to this one...There is a reason this place has a current 2 star rating.  

I do not want to sound overly harsh or rude - but this place would only get a 1-star rating from me because the grill next door was delicious and of it's convenient location.

The water tasted a bit off too - but perhaps that is all throughout France - as suggested by a colleague of ours living there currently.

Restaurant Review: Rosso Pizza

Each month - or as frequently as I can - I will do a Restaurant Review for a restaurant that I have eaten at in Finland.

1st one up to be reviewed is Rosso's Pizza.  Rosso's Pizza is a chain restaurant (think Pizza Delight, Pizza Hut or East Side Mario's) and here are some pro's and cons of the place.

Pro's

• English menus are available
• Credit cards, Visa Electron (debit) and cash
• Serves alcohol for those who wish to sip and dine
• Kid friendly - child menu and play area usually available
• Reasonably priced lunch menu
• Nice salad bar throughout the day
• Wide variety on the menu
• Lots of seating available and pretty spacious to include stroller space!
• Friendly service
• They use FRESH WHITE MUSHROOMS!!!  Most pizza shops here use canned and already sliced mushrooms.

Con's:

• You can end up waiting a very long time for your bill.  I've previously had my child dressed and my coat on and the table was cleared but no bill was presented until almost 15 minutes later.  Oh and it wasn't packed or overly busy.  15 minutes to me is incredibly long when your 15-month old is screaming his head off!
• It can be quite expensive and many other pizza shops sell a pizza of a similar quality and flavour for a fraction of the cost.
• Vegetarian?  Well there are some good options (notice I'm not saying fantabulous) but not many.  And the pizzas often all have tomatoes on them (I hate tomatoes)...unless you make up your own pizza, which is more expensive (I think).

There are fortunately 2 Rosso's Pizzas in downtown Jyv�skyl�.  One is inside the Jyv�skekus (?) with the movie theater and H&M and the other is located across from the Town Church.

Oh and as typical of all Finnish restaurants - you're charged for water (plain water that's right) and refills.  **Remember - all prices include taxes and you don't tip here.**