Sunday cafe

Good Sunday morning everybody! How are you doing? What are your plans for today? In case that you’re starting your day slowly and have some time to spare, I invite you to meet a new guest on my blog as part of my new section “Sunday cafe” ( read the previous post here ). Meet my lovely friend Rita, a fellow photographer, wonderful young woman with bursting positive energy and an addictive laughter. I call her a Hilary Duff’s twin sister. 😀

We went for this Sunday’s chat session to one of our mutual favourite cafes in Helsinki – Cafe Rouge. If you happen to be in Helsinki anytime soon, you can now check out some of my older artworks on display at the cafe.

What’s your name and the story behind it?

My name is Rita Miklán. My family name is pretty unusual, and it is a heritage from my paternal side of the family. My given name, Rita, has a Greek origin as far as I know and it means pearl

How old are you?

I will be 32 next week. Yes, I’m a Libra 🙂

What is your daytime job?

I’d like to say I’m a creative entrepreneur. I am a lifestyle portrait and wedding photographer, but I also have a background in event and media production and on paper I’m a journalist. Now I’m running my own business and doing photography full time.

*Check out Rita’s work HERE!*

What are you hobbies and passions?

I love food, music, dancing, nature, arts and crafts… many different kinds of things! I would love to create more time for these. Now I found a pottery class, so I want to go there regularly to learn how to work with clay. I like to get my hands dirty, and do something different every now and then.

What are the best and worst sides of Finland?

For the best side I would maybe say the nature. It is so close, and from where I live, I just need to walk a bit to be in a forest or on a seashore. I love Helsinki itself, the endless summer nights and I love winter when there is a lot of snow.

The worst side is April. When all my friends from Hungary already post photos sitting in green parks and it’s so grey and cold here. I could maybe mention a few downsides, but my overall experience has been good here, so I make a point to focus on the good things and work with the bad ones the best way I can.

List three things you would take to a deserted island.

I hope it is a tropical island, in that case a hammock, a good multipurpose hunting knife and a magnifying glass (for making fire).

Your favourite trip by now and why?

Our holiday in Portugal with my husband. Then he was still just my boyfriend, but the trip was really amazing. I love Portugal, and we rented a car and drove along the coastline in Algarves. It was simply breathtaking.

What is your life motto? Explain!

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” This quote by Martin Luther King Jr. stayed with me for years. Life throws curveballs and sometimes everything is falling apart, and sometimes you don’t even know where to start. But then you just have to start with baby steps, one thing after another, and it can lead to awesome things. Never know what the future holds, just work towards your goals and life will take you to the right direction.

Where do you come from?

I’m from Hungary. I was born in a smaller town called Szekszárd, and it’s also an excellent wine region. We moved to Budapest, the capital, when I was still a baby, so I visited my real hometown whenever I went to see my grandparents. I grew up in Budapest and was living there until I moved to Finland.

How long have have you been living in Finland, and where?

I will have my 7^th Finland-anniversary pretty soon! I’ve been moving so many times, housing is tough here, so you never know how long you get to stay in a rental. I was living in Pitäjänmäki, Sipoo, Vantaa, Malminkartano, Puotila, Kallio, the center, Pasila, and now I live in Rastila. I guess you can say that I’ve been seeing a lot of different parts of the city.

What’s your knowledge of Finnish language?

I think somewhere intermediate. I understand quite a lot form the radio and tv and from people around me, and I can also keep up simple conversations. Nothing too technical though 🙂

Recommend a book, movie and song

Book: Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles. I think it is nowadays more relevant than ever. Bradbury writes brilliantly and this is the one book that I keep on my shelf, no matter where I am.

Movie: I watch so many movies, but nowadays I enjoy slow flowing, soft movies, like the Mona Lisa Smile or the Steel Magnolias. Oh yes, I also love Julia Roberts and soft southern accent.

Don’t even get me started on music, because I will sit here until tomorrow morning. I listen to a lot of different styles and artists. My latest favorite is “On the road again” by Katie Melua. It’s just perfect the way it is.