So does this mean that we will see many more Icelandic folk coming to the Baltic’s this summer or will it be another escape route for the Baltic people in search of brighter horizons. Not so sure that Iceland will be able to provide them with new pastures but for sure the Baltic’s could benefit from a few Icelandic visitors from time to time.

If you are not familiar with anything from Iceland check out my friends great band STEREO HYPNOSIS who have played many times in Riga before – always welcome back here guys!

I for sure will be looking at escaping to Iceland with this route! See you soon Reykjavik!

Unlike other city maps, who simply show you where things are, this handy free guide offers you the chance to read a little about each place on the map. It is clear and well illustrated and written by a local from Riga.

If you happen to be visiting Riga you will be glad to know that there is a map of the city that you can actually read! It is a free map offered by a group of Estonians, who are moving into mapping the world. Although you will now be thinking “Why is an Estonian making Latvian maps”? and the answer is that they are simply better at map making! They did however, employe the assistance of a Latvian local to fill in the information.

Very kindly, they have featured us in their nice clean website and you can find the link HERE

We met up with a Latvian who was living abroad this weekend and she was eager to get to the Latvian Embassy to make her vote. It seems that across all of the worlds Latvian Embassies were full with voters, with over 70% of the Latvian population going to the polls, much higher than during elections.

As with all issues involving state language, you are unlikely to find many European Countries where such tensions are exposed and clear as in Latvia. Around a third of Latvian citizens from 2.1 million are Russian speaking and a certain section of the minority still do not have Latvian citizenship. A pro Russian language group ‘Mother Tongue’ collected enough signatures to force the Latvian Parliament into making a referendum.

Now the issues here are not simply about allowing people to legally conduct all aspect of life in their native tongue but it has also been seen as a direct attempt to divide Latvian society. This has in some degrees worked well with plenty of discussions and debates popping up across the web.

The result was predictable with a vote of over 75% against the change. Lets see where this all goes. It has already cost the state a small fortune to put up the referendum!

This particular referendum shows us that there are underlying cracks in the ethnic tensions within Latvia. Some suggest that these may be used in order for Russia to have more control over Latvia, others who suggest the time has come to issue the 300,000 residents of Latvia who are non citizens with official Latvian passports, let us just see where it goes.

The exhibition is a good chance for you to visit local young artists works but also to enjoy the Latvian Arts Academies exceptional building. An early 20th Century, Red Brick, Neo Gothic masterpiece.

If you like art and like the chance to see some fresh landscapes works then this is a great option for you. Free entrance and the exhibition can be found on the second floor of the Arts Academy 13 Kalpaka Blvd.

Opening times Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri – 11:00 – 18:00 and Thur – 11:00 – 19:00

The film is being screened as part of Americas ‘Black History Month’ and an introduction to the film, will be presented by Kerri Spindler-Ranta, The U.S. Embassy Cultural Affairs Officer. The classic cinema K Suns on Elizabetes iela will host the event.

The documentary is a story of the movenment carried out by Blacks and Whites alike between May 1961 until November 1961, where by violating segregated race laws, they hopped to bring about a change towards equality.

For those of you interested in the show, pop along to see a film that has won awards at the Sundance Film Festival and also in the Silverdocs Documentary Festival. A great film, in a great cinema and an important story from our not so distant past.

A coffee shop is a coffee shop, is it not? Well until recently in Riga, you had the choice of the Double coffee chain or a mixture of fancy to down right grotty cafes to take a coffee break in. Since last year, Coffee Inn, a Lithuanian coffee chain appeared on Riga’s streets and has established a few of its cafes in the old city.

Personally I do not like coffee houses but this little space situated on my favourite street, Terbatas iela 7, has something different about it. Well in fact, it is different because I like the way it appears to have been simply thrown together.It seems a few of the younger fashionista’s and bohemian types also like it, as every time I enter the place I feel like I just returned to my Art School canteen.

Old furniture, some home made lampshades, a lick of paint and there you have it, a brand new cafe! Well, it gives hope to those young entrepreneurs who wish to develop a space in Riga, you no longer need mirrors and a fancy interior designer, who has half their hair shaved off and a tattoo of Felix the cat on their leg! You can do it yourselves with some old armchairs and plastic cups!

They have some interesting books on a few shelves, including one copy of ‘Cycling Europe’ which I looked like it was published in the 80s.

All round good coffee, fair prices, interesting excuse for quiche and a selection of cookies, cakes and other typical coffee chain delights. The only difference with this space is that it somehow feels very comfortable and relaxing.

I was a bit disappointed when I asked for a coffee in a mug and they informed me that they just use cardboard cups. That kind of blew my day. What a shame, it was all going so well. Lesson learned so next time I shall bring my own mug.

Basically this space offers you the chance to fill up a container with frozen yoghurts, Add the toppings you want and then pay for it all by weight. Sounds cool! I didn’t try as it is was – 20 when i visited but i took some photos and will make a taste update to you all one day.

I like the idea though, reminds me of a sweet version of Pelmeni XXL, the over rated self service dumpling service in Riga. The only difference being is that the staff at Yo Yo, seem to smile a bit more!

I bumped into this cafe last year and should have mentioned it earlier to you all. However I really wanted to keep all of those yummy muffins to myself and so I kept my mouth shut! To put it simply, this place is a high quality, fair priced, innovative and fun cafe in Riga. Let me tell you that in Riga such a space is not easily found and so we want to share it with you all!

Not all of the muffins are as sweet as you would think, I have tried a Mozzarella muffin, a Chicken Curry muffin as well as some of the more classical variations such as my number one – The Almighty Caramel Muffin! You can also find a frequently changing selection of baguettes, cakes, cookies and drinks. Most of all in my favourite muffin mole hill is the service with a smile as seen in the photo below!

If you are walking around Riga with a sweet tooth and a few Lats in your pockets, then run down to Gertrudes iela 9. It is small and cozy but I hear that they will have a new store opening soon, so check out  www.muffinsandmore.lv for more info. Happy eating!

Renovation Project - click image for more info...

Riga Night Market situated next to Riga Central Market, is known for its wast selection of fruits and vegetables and very agreeable prices on products, also for its odd working times – from late evenings to early mornings. This gives an opportunity for smaller farming businesses to sell the products during night-time and get back to work next morning.

The area is part of the UNESCO world culture heritage list and it was decided to give the place a new cultural facelift. The Night Market is still located at the Spīķeri Warehouse district – an old harbour and trade area of Riga – used up to early parts of 20th century.

Nowadays it is planned that the area will become the new “cultural center” of Riga – already we have KIM? exhibition hall there, a fancy restaurant and some other creative and interesting shops. Unfortunately the “Dirty Deal” nightclub, that we loved so much for its wild parties in Summer is closed and now we have rock club “Ziggy” in its place. Also Riga Gheto and Holocaust museum is in the same area.

You can check one of the Project Proposals here – designed by ARPLAN SIA. I seem to be critical of these things sometimes – they all look good on AutoCAD renderings but in real life its just boring concrete blocks and some glass.

The good stuff I think is that this project is giving better access to the river side and also easier and safer way to cross the highway that unfortunately separates most part of Riga from easy access to the Daugava river. Bike paths also seem to be integrated in this project.

I consider it would be perfectly OK and “cultural” to leave the market where it is as that would be more historically related and would give much wider insight of the actual life in Riga. In one place you could have your Party, your Culture and your Potatoes.

Party at MIIT_TIIM

As everywhere and always is is the case that any self respecting hipster will not admit if he is a hipster or not, so it takes a bit of creative observation to spot a hipster place – as it is a bit more than just neon trainers, Raybans and cheesy post-neo-pseido90ies-electro-pop(that could be Moscow district or your mom too)  – or maybe not.

The sudden winter has forced hipsters to leave their fixie bikes at home and go around on foot. We have here a list of some places that we or our friends like to call hipster hip:

• For fashion and retro vintage minded hipsters we have PĒRLE – vintage stuff, clothes in daytime and parties and music in the evening.
• For day to day meetings and evening drinks we go to MIIT_TIIM – witch is also a bicycle workshop and cafe – you can also get a custom made or restored(hipstored as we say) single-speed or fixie bike there for a hip price.
• Business minded hipsters or those who want to be seen in public with their new macbook would go to Satori Birojnīca in Berga Bazārs – Central District of Riga. Satori it is a book shop, a social meeting space, a cafe and an Wi-Fi spot with shared printers, scanners and fax-machines, you can get access to news and government databases too.

This is just a short list of Riga for a hipster travellers – don’t get stuck in the old town – walk around the Central District and discover other places too, or join our Retro and Vintage Tour or Bike Tours or request a special Riga Hipster Tour.

Vintage/Retro market at MIIT cafe

The girl in the middle runs a hip fashion blog – check it out for other Riga related hipster stuff and her hipster friends.

Some ask if we at E.A.T. Riga are hipsters too. The answer is NO! We were hipsters before it got mainstream! Our bikes have brakes and some of them have more than one gear too . Hipsters were in Latvia already in 1969 – check this video on Youtube!