Follow the yellow rubber ducky

It's not a secret that one of my all-time-favourites in Tallinn is Sfäär Resto & Store. Opened back in 2010, right before Tallinn got its European Capital of Culture status, the place is still up and running. In this high-ceilinged restaurant and clothing store, interior architect Kristiine Lõuk merged vintage furniture classics, authentic period materials and immaculately white-painted limestone walls into a whole. The restaurant was even nominated for the Best Public Interior in Estonia the year after. In other words, the place is über-cool. Extra points for Ittala tableware and the giant yellow duck.

They've been pretty much sticking to the same recipe for success: the menu barely changed. Go ahead and try their bruschetta with shrimp, tarragon mayonnaise and poached egg (7€). I'm a sucker for it. Or the organic Saaremaa beef tartar (9€) - it rarely gets better than this. Also, a former colleague of mine was a solid believer that Sfäär serves the best Pavlova in town. Well, seems to me that she hasn't been to Cafe More, but I have to give it to you - no one makes Red Velvet cake better than Sfäär. Unfortunately, you won't be able to try any of those two, unless you're fortunate enough and they're listed on the chalkboard next to the bar: they can only be found under the cake of the day offer (3€). But trust me, it's worth the extra mile. Even if it's not there today, I'm sure You will find something satisfying on the menu to ease the disappointment and step into the long commitment with this lovely little resto. Good luck, Chuck!

Le duck

All images from Sfäär.ee

The myth of effortless chic

There is no such thing as effortless chic. If you are secretly harbouring the dream that some day you will be able to consistently, thoughtlessly reach in to your closet and pull out a super-chic ensemble, well, you are fighting a no-win battle with yourself.
The most stylish people I know have spent lifetimes searching for what complements their body shape, their professional and personal lifestyle, local climate and how much they can reasonably budget for this pursuit.
Let me stress that this is not about how much money they have, but how attuned they are to their reality. It's an almost zen-like sense of self-awareness.
They don't obsess daily about what they wear but they all tend to be cautious shoppers. they make the tough decisions in the dressing room, not their closet. It stands to reason that if you only fill your closet with what works then just grabbing things from that closet will be a million times easier... hence the perception of "effortlessness".

Scott Schumann "The Sartorialist: Closer"