Poulette

Good food gives you good mood. Whenever I feel bad/in a bad mood/miserable/sober/stucked in an elevator with crap music/in the train stopped in the middle of the landscape for hours/whatever ... I need good food. This sounds easy to realize but unfortunatly knowing the culinary habits of the German it becomes a quest to find 1) good fresh products (a market ? anywhere ? fish ? what is it ?) 2) a restaurant where you have pleasure to go because the food/wine/service/price/people is what you expect. So because I am a wanderer, everytime I notice an interesting place I keep it for a while and when the need comes I put my coat on and go. There is a free table ? good, it's a good sign, you were expecting me anytime. Yesterday was the occasion to put on the test Poulette . Of course it sounds french (what did you expect ?) because I needed fresh bloody meat and good wine, because you have to know that in the city, outside of heavy Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon (at the most), don't expect to drink anything else in a bar. It's a place I wanted to try because it looks like my parisian brasseries which are my fav and you don't need to wear a tuxedo to enter the place. Also it's near my place and in winter you don't want to spend your evening in a journey. So all ingredients were there to make a good time. And I had. I feel the urge sometimes to have bloody cooked meat in my plate and I could sense it on my lips entering the restaurant. Everything went well, even the waiter speaks french ! We had a little "mise en bouche" to test the wine then french speciality duck livers and then my entrecôte was just delicious (this time not with fries but crispy vegetables). No place left unfortunatly for the dessert though the crème brûlée smelled so good especially when the waiter burns the cassonade under your noise (whaaaaaaaa it's like home !) and the wine bottle (my good Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil) was empty so a good strong express and bring the addition. Ok I admit it's a bit expensive compared with the prices of the city but in this holidays winter Christmas New Year's eve time, it's allowed. And because it was a french night I had to try some other places and a little walk will help the digestion. Poulette is near Kollwitz Platz. We stayed in Prenzlauer Berg and went on the other side of Schönhauser Allee. Near Zionskirche there is a place called Visite ma tente (please come in my refuge, Christinenstraße 24). It's a wine bar but of course you can ask whatever you wish to drink. If you're still hungry you can ask some small plates of ham/cheese. After a while it became very crowdy so it's a good sign, noisy, smoky, french music but soon after a couple of glasses it became obvious that I needed to sleep. Je tombe

Good time

It's been a while since I tried a new place. I must say that after a while you easily take your habits but because visiting an area I hardly go to, I chose to have dinner at Good time . I know their other restaurant near my place because thanks to friends I was simply at the opening. But I never ate. This time it's done. The owner has already 3 places all decorated a different way. But the food stays the same and the menu as well. And this is no disapointment. It's called a cooking with discoveries and I must say I was pleased. Although I thought the price was a bit too high, as soon as I saw the plate on the table I understood it is justified. First because of the quantity (I never thought I could eat that much !) and second because of the quality. A little plus for the presentation with those animals made of food (forget). No particular mention of the service. Again it's Christmas holidays and family groups are going out so yes full that evening. But the table is free quickly because when the plate is gone, the bill is on.

Candy

I just went to see the Golden Compass . It's perfect for the season. You already know the story (you saw this a million times) and from the middle of the movie you know there will be at least a second part (in this case I bet even a third) because you're given too much informations at a time. Nevertheless it's always a good surprise to see how far the imagination can go. I let myself watching the images eating my ice cream without really paying interest at the story (I'm confused with this deamons ...) but I don't care. It's nice and I was happy in the end and that's what counts.

Jealousy

So it's done with Christmas now. Closed the Christmas markets, destroyed the nice papers with rubans and boxes full of toys and presents, to the trash the Christmas tree, back to the wardrobe with the tacky decorations (don't make it last, please), cleaned the floor, packed the bags of family and friends ... until next week. We haven't finished the first orgy that we have to think about the second one, my stomach never follows the rythm. Lucky us there is some sport to do thanks to the sales that started now. So no time to waste, make the credit card burned and go !
It's like jealousy. It comes always back. Try to hide it but it is stronger than us. It shows on your face. Last time in a bar I was talking to a guy because he was trying to take a picture a strange way so it poped up. His girlfriend apparently had fears with her husband because she promptly came around him (litteraly) and wrapped him with her arms kissing him in front of me. Poor dear, you have nothing to teach me and you don't impress me. Let me just say to you that on the contrary you make me want your husband which is wrong but the hunt now is becoming interesting, thank you. And yes be careful with your husband because he is really yummy... and I am very hungry. Jealousy is a matter of no trust. If you're confident with your half there is no trouble. It must work both ways of course. It happened that only one trusted because he never thought about anything else and the other half was a nightmare imagining things that would have had never happened only if ... he never had the stupidity of sharing his feelings and put the ideas in the other one's head : too bad. Now he's on his own. Oh, baby, you cry now ? too late. Told you before to be happy and to put no pressure on your man's shoulders. Man is a trustfull when he's feeling free but don't forget to attract him as often as you can. We had this conversation before. I'm quite flattered if my man is approached by someone else. At this very moment there is this very special look between us saying "hey Baby look at me now, I'm all yours but ... ain't you get excited ?" Oh yeah I am Love, and you will understand very soon how much : either we leave right now for the next available room/toilets/bathroom/whatever or if the threat is a bit too "approaching" then I see my man walking back because he knows that my claws are very sensitive. Of course I am jealous but if you manage it the right way it can put in your sex life a bit of pimiento. But no abuse. Jealousy can destroy the relation faster than you think because the first thing you try to do (you're scared of everyone) you isolate your half from the friends. Very wrong. Let it go. You hate shopping anyway. And that gives you a holiday as well when he's not there. Maybe you'll get a little present ? so enjoy ! and stop pretending you can't trust him. First you gave him the idea, secondly you looooove being miserable and that is desperately boring (get drunk now and smoke something) and third if you act like that it means that you're not confident with yourself so the work should come from you. In the meantime do your nails again, you just scrached the table. Who is he and what is he to you ?

Instantanés

Instantanés

Pictures inside Bode Museum

Bode Museum

For the design of the Kaiser Friedrich-Museum (renamed Bode Museum in 1956), the emperor Wilhelm II commissioned the head government building officer Ernst von Ihne, one of the best-known exponents of "Wilhelminian Baroque". In order to achieve the appearance of a building rising from water the architect arranged the three-winged building around several interior courtyards so that the exterior facades immediately bordered the banks of the river Spree. A dominating dome and two opulent staircases lend the building a stately air which is underlined further by the decorative elements such as the monumental pilasters, demi-columns and window surrounds. The former general director of the museums Wilhelm von Bode himself made suggestions concerning the lighting of the rooms and their proportioning. The art works were shown within the context of original ceilings, fire places, door jambs, tapestries and furniture. Bodes presentation concept, aimed at a general effect of authenticity, was influential throughout the world. The museum was opened in 1904. During the Second World War much of the building, especially the dome, suffered great damages. Beginning in the 1950s, step by step the museum was reconstructed and put back into use. In the 1990s, general restoration began with the first parts of reconstruction work; in August 2000 construction works for the basic restoration followed. The Numismatic Collection has been open to visitors at the Bode Museum since 22 October 2004, opened on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. On 19 October 2006, the Bode Museum was re-opened in its entirety, displaying the Sculpture Collection, the Numismatic Colletion and works from the Gemäldegalerie - Old Master Paintings.

in Staatliche Museen zu Berlin - Museum Quarters - Berlin-Mitte, Museum Island

Street lights

window shopping

Instantanés

Joyeux Noël !

Merry Christmas ! Frohe Weihnachten ! Feliz Navidad !

Berliner Dom 22.12.2007

Berliner Weihnachtskonzert 2007

The "Encore"

Magic

It's a tradition : every year we go to the Berliner Weihnachtskonzert and this will be my present to you. It was played last Saturday 22nd, December 2007 and it was amazing. First because it takes place at the Berliner Dom, which is a very nice place, all with spirits and gold. Imagine you're under the coupole in this Christmas atmosphere with candle lights : it's not very warm but the people all together stay still in a religious way. Even if you're not religious, you feel those moments as anything special could happen, not only because of the time of the year but also with people's mood. Anyway, back to the place everyone is expecting the concert because no only the musicians is visible. The Rundfunkchor Berlin knows how to make an entrance and they did it again : The entire choir arrived sliently from the sides of the Cathedral and disposed themselves around us in circle. After clearing their voice they started to sing. It gave us the thrill. Can't explain. When all your senses are sollicited and they all react. Even the tears were ready to roll down the eyes. And it was only the first song. Maybe we were all surprised by the debut of the concert. A friend of mine was expecting only a concert version and not a choir. After the first two songs the choir took place behind the orchester and carried on the programm. The children choir (Staats- und Domchor Berlin) joined them and solists as well. Of course because it was standing ovation at the end there was an "Encore". This is the video part. It's the first one made with the camera-phone so please have indulgence but the sound is really good. The pictures were taken that night too and you can enjoy the download of the concert by clicking on the red link as usual. After the concert the Rundfunkchor had prepared glühwein that we drank outside in the cold watching city lights from Christmas Markets. This is the concert list :

Michael Praetorius / Jan Sandström :

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

Arvo Pärt :

Sieben Magnificat-Antiphoren

Frank Martin :

Kantate für die Weihnachtszeit

(Advent + Besuch der Maria bei Elisabeth, Jesu Geburt + Die Hirten)

Erhard Mauersberger :

Vom Himmel hoch, o Englein kommt

Macht hoch die Tür

Anton Bruckner :

Ave Maria für gemischten Chor a cappella

Johann Sebastian Bach :

Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier

O Jesulein süss

Michael Praetorius :

In dulci jubilo

Johann Eccard :

Übers Gebirg Maria geht

Max Reger :

Schlaf, mein Kinderlein

Franz Gruber / Hanns Miessner

Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht

I wish you will enjoy as much as we did at the concert.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, wherever you are in the world.

Lilac Wine

Airports

I flew to Paris. I love airports. I spent so many hours in those and I still like it. Some are very nice and relaxing, some are ugly and stressfull. It’s a microcosm of the ideal world. All people together going in the same direction waiting for the same thing. I think I had all kind of adventures in airports. The delay of course, falling asleep, flight canceled, wrong terminal, no pilot, flat tyre (of the plane freezing cold in Göteborg) snow storm (Toronto), overbooked, trowley rolling alone on the alley and breaking itself next to me... It's one of this moments in life you just can't do anything but admit. Sometimes elements are against you and learning patience is all about it, which I don't. Or getting drunk, which I do but it's rare that the hostess comes with alcohol on the tray, although ... . It happened once on a flight to Miami : I spent a big time on the flight with the steward in the rear drinking the mini bottles of gin. He then invited me to Fort Lauderdale but I don't know why, I felt like trapped. I was expected anyway and it was too far from my place. The flight was empty, we had to wait 6 hours in Paris because there was no plane, those stories. Actually it was welcome. Another time the personnel wanted to have fun so after take off they just took some carbonic snow and ran from head to rear of the plane screaming. Of course that made an impression. I clapped my hands. But most of the time it's just enough to wait so the best thing is to put some good music in the ears : Kalimba

San Francisco

I’d like to go back to Union Square. It’s exactly this feeling : being arrived. I don’t think people borned there can understand what it takes. I remember eating strawberies on the pier watching sea lions : that was a bit surreal. And this ocean all around : that’s really something.

Water Cologne

There is on the slide show a picture where 4711 is to be noticed. The click on the red number will explain everything.

Heidelberg