08 September 2014

♥ Ouma ♥

I wrote a bit about some of my grandmother's old pictures that I scanned way back when. It seems that Google searches for 80th birthday invitations point the odd visitor here, so here, on my lovely gran's 80+ birthday, is the actual collage I made back then.

This formed the outer part of each folded invitation. I think I made it so large for printing cost reasons, so I could print multiple (possily two?) 'insides' on one 'outside'. Of course I then didn't think and calculate properly and ended up printing double the amount that I needed. But my gran liked it so much that she was very happy that she could send most guests their very own invitation.

27 August 2014

Last summer: Shows, tests, and giggles

If you haven't seen Leonard Cohen live, do yourself a favour. Best scenario: see him at the O2 Arena in Berlin so that when he sings "first we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin" you can join in the excitement. Wow. What a show.

That was the main reason we visited Berlin last summer, and then I booked my TestDaF to coincide with it so that I could write with a friend. After we showed that test who the bosses of German are, we sat under some blue evening skies and giggled about stuff... though I can't remember what.

26 August 2014

Last summer: Jungles

So this catching up is going speedily... uh, not. But at least I've received one email so far, triggered by the nostalgia these pictures brought up. Now just to keep editing and uploading... and to reply to that mail.

As you might have guessed, this post is basically a little bit about the urban jungle, but mostly about the jungle that is the botanical gardens in Berlin. All I can really remember is that it was hot in very sweaty but not entirely unpleasant way. Alas, this summer has been a bit low on that kind of joy. All the more reason to live in the past.

Finally, just as a parting shot, two views – one Photoshop stitched, one normal – of a cool tower near the place where we saw some sound installation art in Prenzlauer Berg, where all the grown up yuppies go to live with their kids.

15 August 2014

Last summer: War and ice cream (or beer)

If you're in the Checkpoint Charlie area you might spot the ice cream parlour kalter Krieg – haha, get it? Makes you wonder whether we'll be able to come up with such a catchy name for whatever the hell is going on in the world right now, and then maybe in thirty years we can name a gourmet pickle store after it or something.

Given the amount of free history you have access to in Berlin, we just checked out a few things outside of the Checkpoint Charlie Museum and then headed over to the Topography of Terror Documentation Centre. Always good to take some time out of your gorgeous summer day to spare a thought for those who suffered at the hands of crazy people. After which it is advised to go buy some beers go and hang out with your friends in the park and the city.

Because – thank goodness – life in Berlin is a fair bit more relaxed compared to back then.

01 August 2014

Last summer: Shiny architecture

Turns out that if you Google "Jugendstil Berlin" you'll find lots of pictures of the Hackesche Höfe, but you needn't go to so much trouble, since I need to take at least five pictures every time I walk through there.

Okay, you got me, I guess that's only four. Let's round it out with some other shots that are more or less related to the architecture theme.

The final shot being of a kind that I'm sure someone somewhere has dedicated a hashtag to: the architecture selfie. Maybe it's a personal collection waiting to happen, because it happened again in May at the Reichstag... but it can't be helped – buildings are just shiny like that.

31 July 2014

Last summer: More market cool

There's not much more to say – if you don't love a good market I can't help you. As previously mentioned I picked up some fabric, and then we took home some Turkish cherries, because obviously imported products are cheaper than local ones – welcome to Europe. Furthermore, stacking things is great, especially if said things are fruit and vegetable boxes. Somehow the best graphics and colours seem to be bold and limited to about three colours. I recently found myself seriously coveting a giant watermelon box in front of the supermarket here. Currently I am in mourning since it's gone now. But Berlin! The theme is Berlin. I guess the only other thing to say is that these people are cool, but in that unattainably effortless sort of way. If you're going to look like you're trying, don't bother playing.

30 July 2014

Last summer: Market colours

Berlin's Türkischer Markt: A good place to find things to add to your fabric collection and/or enjoy general colourfulness .