magpies, blackbirds and italian design

Here in the Punavuori neighborhood of Helsinki we find a pristine example of a Fiat 600 or in Italian, Seicento . Think of it as a cousin to the Mini Cooper and VW Beetle. This is the perfect car for navigating narrow streets and saying, “Ciao!” plus you can take it home with you and stick it in a closet when you’re done driving for the day. The yellow building behind the Fiat was built in 1889 and designed by Selim Lindqvist and currently houses the Ministry of Employment and the Economy  should you need that sort of thing. Apparently the building is also on a block called Magpie. A Finnish cover of The Beatles‘ “Penny Lane” references the Punavuori neighborhood. No mention of that in the original Beatles lyrics but maybe the magpie is a reference to Paul’s “Blackbird”? Doubtful.

Here’s a video clip of a ’59 Fiat 600:

http://youtu.be/EXphbv2so3I