Sterne des Glücks

In uns selbst liegen die Sterne unseres Glücks. (In ourselves lie the stars of our happiness). Henrich Heine (1797-1856)

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Christmas Baubles: The Sterne des Glücks Edit

It’s that time of year and whether you are looking for traditional baubles or whimsical characters, I couldn’t not do a post about all the wonderful ornaments I am finding here again this year in Düsseldorf. As homage to Victoria & Albert (as always!), here are a selection of the best ornaments to hang on your tree this festive season.  In order:

1. Feathered Bird, €14,99, Arthur Platz  2. King Piggies, €6,95, Arthur Platz  3. Doggies in Bling, €17,95, Arthur Platz 4. Hippo in dress; €17,95, Arthur Platz 5. Party Flamengo, €17,95, Arthur Platz >6. Pretty Reindeer, €24,95, Dornröschen 7. Fairies, €39,90, Dornröschen 8. Feathery baubles, €4,95, Schee 9. Queen#s Guard, €7,95, Arthur Platz

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Düsseldorf shop: The Interior Club Refresh your home from one of Düsseldorfs chicest design shops. This is a great shop if you are looking for ideas and inspiration. Forget blonde wood floors and white walls, this is a more nostalgic shop with plenty of original touches and a homely feel. With designs, fabrics and printed wallpaper that cover most rooms in the house and with a friendly (pooch Oskar included!) design service, it is easy to narrow down your personal style. You can also find some furniture upholstered in signature prints or maybe you want to request your own? You can also buy pieces by various designers and products that are of superior quality across the board. Stylish, warm, inclusive and personal, making it a great place for interiors and related gifts too.

The Interior Club

Opening times: Di-Fr: 10:00-18:30  Sa: 11:00-17:00

Address: Orangerie Strasse 6, 40213, Düsseldorf

Tel: [phone]

Website:http: www.theinteriorclub.de

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Düsseldogs: Streetdogs

Dogs always play an integral part of Düsseldorf. In all shapes and sizes, I got to meet some furry companions, including an adopted local favourite ‘Gioia’ (Italian, meaning ‘joy’), for obvious reasons and pooch Oskar, a wannabe designer from shop ‘The Interior Club’. So here’s some weekly fluff for all devotees of canine culture! 

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Düsseldorf Kultur: My top Christmas Baubles to add a little holiday sparkle! It’s hard to imagine today that the first decorated Christmas trees were adorned with apples, candy and biscuits. But on Christmas Eve,1832, a young Victoria wrote about her delight at having a tree, hung with lights, ornaments, and presents placed round it. It wasn’t until the 1840s, after a picture of Victoria's Christmas tree was shown in a London newspaper decorated with glass ornaments and baubles from her husband Prince Albert's native Fatherland, Germany, that these decorations were exported throughout Europe. Glass baubles were first made in Germany, in Lauscha by Hans Greiner who at first began producing glass beads and garlands that could be hung on the trees and later, through popularity,began exporting further afield to America. Today, although glass babubles are still produced as expensive good quality ornaments, they are available in a huge variety of shapes, colours and designs such as these eclectic inspired baubles. More is more trimmings of the season and what could be more unique in passing on these augmented decorations from generation to generation!

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Düsseldorf Shop: Daheim in der Provence

With a recent visit to Provence, I was only too happy to stumble upon this fairly new concept ‘Daheim in der Provence’. Originally ‘Heubel Provence’ for almost 30 years, new life has been injected into this Boutique since findng a new investor in May. A tribute to Provencal tradition, it is the perfect little spot to pick up super luxe treats for home, for you or as gifts!

Located in the heart of Carlstadt on Hohe Straße, you can consider this your ultimate go-to of all things French and stylish. Think tradition with a twist, add a touch of Bohemia and this shop is the perfect spot to stock up on take-home treats or to kit your house out from the endlessly inspiring rooms.

There‘s a good eye at work with some good-looking furniture too, but it’s the finishing touches – soaps, kitchenwear, fashion, home accessoriess and textiles, fine french stationery and the like – that are the real draw. It is also the place to find unusual items, vintage and selected antiques.

The whole lot is simply but beautifully curated to inspire and redecorate your home. Understated, colourful and chic, the lovely Frau Ulrike Weinhold offers a warm and personalised Provence style shopping adventure!

DaHeim in der Provence


Hohe Straße 27


40213 Düsseldorf-Carlstadt

Tel.: [phone]

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Kaffee in Düsseldorf: Die Röstmeister 

I am glad to see that Düsseldorf has something of  love affair with good coffee with plenty of roasteries and cafes to get to know, including the recent opening of another new coffee presence of beans `Die Röstmeister`.

Although Cafes have their place, sometimes you don't have time to sit in or maybe you just fancy a brew alfresco. An idea that the passionate Roasterie has thought about for us coffee enthusiasts and market crowds. This quality brand not only has a cafe at Belsenplatz but also goes on tour with their Röstmobil to Gertrudismarkt, Hochdahler Markt, Erkrath, Eller and Luegallee. Die Röstmeister steel-grey coffee van, sells good quality coffee and baked treats to have or to go.  

This small operation also sell beans for at home-coffee-making for those weekends not wanting to drag yourself out of bed. With good coffee and off-beat decor at their cafe in Belsenplatz, I can hapilly spend an hour or two here. It’s a bean bargain too!

Die Röstmeister

Quirinstrasse 1a (Eingang Belsenplatz)

40545 Düsseldorf

website: http://www.roestmeister.com

Tel. 0211 - 247 929 18

Mo.-Sa. 08:00 - 18:00 Uhr

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Düsseldorf Shop: Gemüt-Licht-keit!

Style begins at home, and spring means a spring clean and a fresh crop of items for the abode! In need of some elegant home decor inspiration and interior design ideas, I was happy to get some light inspiration from Lis Span's shop, located in a wunderschön building off Oberkassel's Luegalle.

When it comes to Lighting, Germans know the secret to a well lit room.Winters are special, especially for a time called Gemütlichkeit (meaning cosyiness). Gemȕtlichkeit helps you to feel the bright side of a long and gloomy winter. It's about being at home around friends and family, sharing a meal, without a need to worry or hurry, just a warm sense of belonging.

The German home is a happy home, with a sense of pride and respect. Never an empty fridge or stock of wine, it's all about sharing and caring. Your weekends are about Lingering. Lingering over long, relaxing meal times, to unwind and have deep long meaningful conversations. It's a state of 'mindfulness', mindful eating and enjoying the moment.

Lis Span's shop helps shed light on this specialty with her opulent and characterful lamps that make a powerful statement on any room or table. Custom made by herself, she offers a unique collection to enhance your space to suit your mood and express your style. Her tastefully furnished boutique also features an array of antiques, classic furniture and vases that would make a great contribution to your gemütlich home or as a unique gift. So let the light in, there’s a good eye at work here and Lis's elegance can bring a touch of luxe to the most basic of rooms.

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Düsseldorf Kultur: Immermannstraße

Love Japanese cuisine but worried about getting a raw deal? Then you should head to Immermannstrasse for Japanese and Korean authenticity and the way forward for international cuisine. Filled with numerous Japanese and Korean restaurants and shops, and not to mention the Japan Center with the Consulate General and Nikko Hotel, this street is worth discovering if not for the cuisine then for decorative objects, porcelain, variety of gifts and specialised papers.

Dae Yang is one of my favourite go-to stores for a huge variety of good  noodles and spices at a very reasonable price. You can also be wooed by their colorfully packaged drinks including fresh coconut waters, Aloe Vera juices and iced coffees. Here is a selection of good finds n' things with a bit of street 'flavour'...

Dae Yang

Immermannstr.21

40210 Düsseldorf

website: www.dae-yang.de

Tel.: [phone]

Mo.-Sa. 09:00 - 19:00 Uhr

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Düsseldorf: Fashion Having experienced my first German fashion show last weekend and with the Alexander McQueen exhibition 'Savage Beauty' due to open soon in London at the V&A, it felt timely to reflect on THE catwalk show, looking back at McQueens shows, especially having had some exposure to this exhibition and remembering how his catwalk creations presented an in exhaustable fantasy. Images surround us in the same way that language surrounds us and it is McQueen, who was one of the most cinemantic fashion designers who used the catwalk as a means of expressing his creative vision and not necessarily as a creative platform. For McQueen, the 'spectacle' was a form of communication, in finding different ways of producing visibilities and in breaking down the barriers and often representing where he was emotionally. Looking at themes from his catwalk shows (view the show in the link), 'It's only a Game' uses a futuristic life-sized chess game. Inspired by a Harry Potter scene, McQueen offers up an intricately worked and determinedly youthful collection featuring pieces that whisper of fashion fantasy although always with a typically tough edge, demonstrating the play between power and vulnerability. 

Everything from Edwardian children’s wear to embroidered fairground horses makes an appearance. The chessboard motif allows the designer to explore different types of women, oppositions and exploring the variances in beauty from around the world and through different cultures and eras. – Americans face Japanese on the board, redheads are placed opposite Latin Americans and so forth. The importance of 'light' is used to create a mise en scene for the chess game and the exchanging of positions is choreographed differently to the usual catwalk. It is the texture and forms of ‘light’ used that is mainly involved in the making of this show and helps fashion the space by involving you, the spectator, to become part of the imaginery game. In 'The Horn of Plenty' the concept is a play between a profound respect for and the act of the haute, romanticism and death - the cycle of life! The set features a pile of debris - everything from rubbish bags and crushed car parts to broken fairground horses and castaway chairs - much of it recycled props from past McQueen shows. The clothes themselves draw on 1950’s haute couture signatures - Dior’s iconic hounds tooth check, the elegance of Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy, magpie prints inspired by M.C.Escher, or vinyl reminiscent of the splatter paintings of Jackson Pollock. Bird feathers also feature prominently, he loved nature and birds were a feature that returned again and again later in his shows.  The prints promote the power of the eye and the gowns are crafted in what looks like bin-liners or broken records but are in fact highly expensive paper nylon and lacquered silk respectively. Household and recycled objects are transformed into beauty - a play on what is usually seen on the fashion catwalk and the seduction of the commodity. Hats echo the ‘filthy’ theme - washing machine hoses, umbrellas, lampshades and more which present a time of adventure and the disruption to the unchanging social order or perhaps the struggle between tradition and innovation. McQueen’s models stand taller and prouder than ever in hugely elevated footwear. The music also serves to locate the theme and identify Alexander McQueen’s power-dressing at its most elaborate and extreme. In 'Plato Atlantis', Alexander McQueen took his signature engineered print to new technological heights. The collection was the first ever catwalk show to be livestreamed over the internet and every print is unique, engineered specifically for each individual garment. You can see the technological and innovative evolutions through the shows shoes, hair and the robotic cameras. The Armadillo shoe, famously worn by Lady Gaga in collaboration, the moving cameras featured enhances the subject of ‘evolving fashion’, the allienism and metamorphosing of fabrics, the dramatisations of McQueen’s illusionary escapes, demonstrating the shift of using technology within the fashion shows of today. Alexander McQueen often spoke of his desire to reach a wider audience than the insular guest lists of fashion week and his ability to touch so many people is what made him special. “I want what I do to speak volumes,” McQueen told InStyle magazine and he often found beauty in the grotesque, bringing emotion and rawness in not only his clothes but also in his visual promenades. The exhibition that will be shown at the V&A will emphasise his London roots and his incredible creativity during his early years and it's his drama and visual excitement which will make this exhibition so exciting. Tickets are on sale now but be warned they may be sold out soon! Savage Beauty will be on from March 14 to July 19, 2015. You can buy tickets from the V&A here.

Picture credits: mainly screen grabs taken from the online catwalk shows, from my MA work and my own shots.

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Düsseldorf Shop: Vantastisch I'm always on the lookout for new ways to eat clean in Düsseldorf to find plant-based, whole food options that will help you on your mission to health. Following a good friends recommendation on a unique health concept store recently opened in Berlin-Kreuzberg 'Original Unverpackt '(that sells groceries without the packaging), I wanted to check out the new vegan shop 'Vantashtisch' as kindly suggested by Claudia Gottschling. It is the first address in Düsseldorf for all things vegan. In London, it's almost overwhelming how many stores, cafes, restaurants there are with bloggers like Deliciously Ella and Hemsley & Hemsley who are a constant source of 'foodspiration' in the kitchen, especially since moving here. But what does the meat loving Germany have in store? Berlin has a huge burgeoning vegan scene with clean eating eateries with an array of lunch options guaranteed to suit any taste and for those creatives wanting some inspiration. Düsseldorf is a little trickier in finding alternative healthy choices when eating out. However, the markets are an essential part of life here - fresh from the land to the table, along with small stores like Reformhäuser which can be regarded as a smaller non-commercial form of Wholefoods (which, BTW, I love!). Most supermarkets stock gluten and dairy free products too – amazing! But I what I do miss are the health focused cafes where you can go and hang out after a class at the fitness studio, somewhere where you can go for super healthy juices, and a variety of clean eating brunches, salads, smoothies, lunches and treats made with love, creativity and goodness while you set-up work or need a break away from your desk. And then there are the superfoods such as your Matcha and your Macca and the choice of nut milks/bulletproof Lattes (luckily I can make these at home). Vantastisch, however, offers a simple yet relaxed, stress-free environment to do your grocery shopping. Fitted with recycled wooden crates to work as the shelving, accompanied by drinks still in their crates (with deposits on them) and with a no-bag policy (like most stores in Germany) – this shop is one to make you ecoconscious. Although not completely zero-waste free, it provides you with more than the essentials that you need to start a healthy clean eating lifestyle and Claudia Gräwe has provided a careful selection of products & organic skincare products that are not always so easy to find. Go to make yourself feel good, stock-up and enjoy a chat about wellbeing! Vantastisch - alles vegan Claudia Gräwe Elisabethstr. 54a 40217 Düsseldorf Telefon: [phone] E-Mail: [email protected]

http://www.vantastisch-alles-vegan.de/

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Düsseldogs: Dogs en Salons! Dogs play an integral part of the German culture, either as companions to the stylish Frau or Mann or as icons in their own little right. You can see them everywhere, on the tram, in cafes, bookstores, – everywhere! Walk past designer boutiques and there will always be a pooch collection, too, and next door you might even find a busy Poodle Parlour. This week I took the time to take a peek behind the scenes of turning a scruff into a cruft! Extremely obedient and friendly, dogs in Germany make it easier for their groomers to add that body and shine. Caring, accommodating and hard working these dog groomers are pampering geniuses who can turn any wild dog's manes into fashionable dog memes! Here are some snaps from the making...

The Poodle Parlours shown: Pudel Paradies Rose Nuggel Niederkasseler Kirchweg 2 40547 Düsseldorf Montag bis Freitag 10 -19 Uhr Telefon: [phone] Mobil: 0173-2737825 Tuckers Hundesalon Rethelstrasse 153 40237 Düsselldorf Telefon: [phone] Mobil: 0172-5372693

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Düsseldorf Shop: VASELINE Concept Store Paying a visit to the Altstadt? That should include at least one sight of the Rhein, a stroll through the cobbled streets and a stop over at Vaseline. The address is Wallstrasse 35 40213 Düsseldorf and for me, is a source of inspiration. A bit like a sweet shop, there are far too many things to tempt you. Vaseline is a concept store, set-up by Rolf Buck, a set designer and stylist for the advertising, fashion and editorial worlds has filled the store with with so many treasures waiting around virtually every corner. And what you see is unique to the place, which is a nice thing in a world of global brands. The shop creates a different way of shopping to get in touch with fashion, art and design interested people such as the delectable Maya who is always on hand to help. Bringing character and variety to the City's streets, the store also provides a great selection of smaller accessories to complement the larger items and provide something special to take home right away along with a multiplicity of animal collectables including this one of a kind stuffed rabbit, design objects, lights and mirrors. Vaseline offers a large variety of creative possibilities for your home for anyone who is looking for something original or wanting to turn their home from flatpack to fantastique! Oh, and by the way, I've got my eye on the Peter Rabbit! Opening times: 12.00-19.00 Telefon: [phone] Website: http://www.rolfbuck.de/contact/

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Kaffee in Düsseldorf: Kaffeeschmiede

So it's 2015 and where better to start the year with a good Coffee kick! With the new year upon us, one invariably entertain thoughts of starting clean and eating clean! But when it's dark and cold it's not always easy to forgo your daily 'joe a day'. And for me, coffee is a real social medium. It's a lifestyle and one I am not willing to give up!. For fellow coffee enthusiasts here, I want to introduce to you 'Kaffeeschmiede'. Situated on Belzenplatzt, this well-established speciality coffee roastery aspires in all facets as a leading artisan coffee cafe here. They source the finest coffee from Arabia, to design gourmet coffee blends for espresso and filter coffees, bringing high quality, freshly roasted coffee to those who love fine coffee. Using Arabian coffee is also mild on the stomach, but has a full, rich flavor with slight floral tones. All their coffee roasting is crafted by their expert Roasters on lovingly restored and tweaked vintage coffee roasters and my friend Ragip here, is also a maestro at the whole latte art thing. I always pop-in just to see his art. Tamas Fejer however, who is the main man behind 'Kaffeeschmiede' earned his Diploma 'Der Chef-Diplom-Kaffeesommelier' (the highest level of coffee education) at the 'Institute for coffee experts' in Vienna. Roasting is an art, a craft and a science. It's not just about making the right coffee, but also about the cultivation, origin and processing (roasting) of coffee beans. How is the quality of the raw beans? What special features and potential do these beans have? What type of roasting comes with these beans? What could blend in harmony? Tamas and his team not only know all about maximising the chance of pulling the perfect shots and brewing but are also enthralled by their latest hill of beans! They even make a mean Mocha which has been hard to find in Düsseldorf so far. I'm still on a hunt for a good Flat white however (a double-shot of espresso mixed with equal parts milk and topped with velvety steamed milk known as“microfoam”and tastes even richer than a latte). Maybe that's one to add to their list... Kaffeeschmiede undoubtedly is a vital part of the coffee scene here and one of the most respected coffee haunts in Dusseldorf, particularly in Oberkassel. It's also a friendly, convivial environment that makes it a perfect place for sitting down to read the papers over your delicious-tasting coffee or swing-by for an espresso or take-out, stock-up on your beans, smell the beans! Or simply have a good chat with chums Ragip, Dela and Jorgo! Afterall, part of being healthy is being happy, right? For a piece of Coffee culture, this should be on every coffee aficionado's hit-list. Belsenstraße 11 Düsseldorf 40545 Tel: [phone] Handy: [phone] Email: [email protected] www.kaffeeschmiede.de

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Düsseldorf: Tis the season...

With the third Advent approaching and amid the Christmas countdown, the Weihnachtsmarkts are in full swing here in Düsseldorf. The atmosphere is just right with golden views and lots of light brightening up the dark cold days. Besides the Christmas parties and presents, Christmas is also about decorations and the Konditorei Heinemann, one of my regular stops here, knows how to adorn itself for the festive season too. But it is the Christmas markets in Germany that are particularly unique. Germany IS Christmas! As you may know, the history of Christmas markets goes back to the late Middle Ages in the German-speaking part of Europe and in many parts of the former Holy Roman Empire that includes many eastern regions of France and Switzerland. Originally, the fairs provided only food and practical supplies for the cold winter season, but soon the markets became a beloved holiday tradition and a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. And of course, the Christmas tree also originated during the Renaissance early modern Germany so it's no wonder the traditions of Christmas here are all the more important, countervailing the commercialism that often takes over this time of year. Each winter, towards the end of November, the plaza's and streets of Düsseldorf are transformed into a winter fairy tale waiting to be discovered. Decorated little wooden booths line the plaza's with illuminated lights, full of fellow Düsseldorfer's and tourists. Most towns have their own local Christmas market with over 2500 markets in total across Germany. Most commonly feature a navity scene and traditional music and you can find anything from intricate and detailed gifts from Nussknackers to hand-made toys. Then there is the traditional food and drink - a definite feast for the tastebuds which includes treats such as Lebkuchen, Bratwurst, sautéed mushrooms, roasted chestnuts, potato pancakes with applesauce (a particular favourite), raclette, crepes, waffles and of course Glühwein to make your cheeks warm and rosy! The Christmas markets are a must-see if you’re lucky enough to be passing by or visiting during the festive season. So bundle-up in your warmest clothes for some old fashioned festive fun, Glühwein glugging and shopping! And then we only need the snow to make it really magical.

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Düsseldorf: An homage

It is with great honour to interview this special lady who has played a very important role in my life since moving here. She is woman of the quirky variety, with individual glory, sometimes bashful and with willful feminist strength. This well travelled, cultured woman has cycled across the world, has fought cancer and continues to live with the most youthful heart 20 years on after her deceased Lawyer Husband passed away. A German teacher, she has tought German for Japanese businesses here and nowadays Japanese children who are wanting to better their German for school (Düsseldorf as has the third largest Japanese community in Europe in case you are wondering). Then there is of course me! Introduced by a family friend, I have been having lessons with Dörte on a weekly basis and a lesson is never dull. Besides from learning German, we laugh, she tells me about her latest trips, culture events, contemporary art, culinary insights, latest purchases (often for her small students), latest gossips and more recently her life story! And in return, I help her with her iPad, iPhone apps and travel bookings! Accompany her to a cafe and everyone will know her. If anyone has a pre-conception of a strong German Frau – I think Dörte meets it. A tough cookie, her fearless approach to life is empowering and uplifting. And of course a quirky woman comes with a quirky cat, my big buddy named Oskar. I asked her a few questions about her life and I hope you enjoy the interview as much as I enjoyed interviewing...(written in both English and German) English: You have a huge collection of art in your home, sculptures in particular.  Can you explain about some of the sculptures you own? Most of them are from sculptress Josef Mössmer, a good friend of my deceased husband. He decided in honour of my husband, to donate a sculpture for my husbands grave, but now, for special reasons it is in my living room. I love this abstract form and can touch this often and think of my husband. It is better here, than on the grave!

As an avid collector of Contemporary Art, if you had unlimited space and money, what would you still collect? I would not collect anything different to what I already have. I have the art that I have paid for and that I really love. If you could meet any designer/artist living or dead, who would they be? This is difficult to answer because the person (the artist) is often different to my view of them in my mind. I think it would be disappointing. You have told me many stories about your friendship with Photographer Lewis Morley (who is famous for creating many of the era-defining images of the 1960s) and your brother, who is also a photographer. What are your best memories of Morley? We visited many exhibitions in Köln and it was always beautiful to hear what he thought too. As a Woman of the world, what inspires you? Young/Contemporary Theatre, when they show our world and I can resonate myself in it. You have been a teacher in the Japaneses Community for sometime. What brought you to teaching and what have you learnt about the Japenese Culture? I love the German language and I would like to communicate and share with others. I have seen many things in Japan and within their culture that have astounded me, their beauty can be found in the simplest of things. As a lover of the German language, which tips can you recommend for learning and understanding the complexities of it's Grammar? Read books and listen to the radio! As a fellow Düsseldorfer, what do you find are the best things about living here? I love living here because I like the 'Rheinländer' people. On the other side, man can visit many places in no-time such as (Opera, Theatre, Museums etc), it is such a good city to easily get around. Also, the 'Rhur' area (an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia) lies near Düsseldorf where there is a large cultural industry – festivals, museums, exhibitions etc. There is always something on! Although you are well traveled, which countries would you still like to visit? I would like to visit Brazil again. I have had the desire since 1981 maybe because the last time I was there, I was young!

Deutsch: Du hast eine große Kunstsammlung zu Hause, vor allem Skulpturen. Kannst du etwas über die Skulpturen sagen, die du besitzt? Die meisten sind von Josef Mössmer, ein guter Freund meines verstorbenen Mannes. Er entschied in Angedenken seines Freundes eine Skulptur auf das Grab zu setzen, die nun aus besonderen Gründen in meinem Wohnzimmer steht. Da sind aber noch 4 von J.M. Ich liebe die abstrakte Form und fasse sie oft an, denke an meinen Mann. Hier ist es besser als auf dem Grab! Als große Bewunderer zeitgenössischer, wenn du unbeschränkt Platz und Geld hättest, was würdest du sonst noch sammeln? Ich würde nichts anderes tun als ich tat, ich habe nur die Kunst gekauft, die mir sehr gefiel. Wenn du einen Designer/Künstler lebend oder tot-treffen könntest, wer würde es sein? Das ist schwierig zu beantworten, denn die Person (der Künstler) ist anders als ich ihn mir vorstelle. Ich denke, ich wäre enttäuscht. Du hast mir viel von Deiner Freundschaft mit dem Fotografen Josef Mössmer erzählt und von Deinem Bruder, der auch Fotograf ist. Was sind deine schönsten Erinnerungen an Mössmer? Wir haben viele Ausstellungen in Köln besucht und es war immer sehr schön. Als eine Frau von Welt, was inspiriert Dich? Junges Theatre, wenn es mir unsere Welt wie einen Spiegel vorhält, das heißt ich erkenne mich auch darin. Seit geraumer Zeit unterrichtest du in Düsseldorf lebende Japaner. Was hat dich zum Unterrichten bewegt und was hast du über die japanische Kultur gelernt? Ich liebe die Deutsche Sprache und ich möchte sie anderen vermitteln. Ich habe in Japan und in der japanischen Kultur viele Dinge gesehen, die mich erstaunt haben. Ihre Schönheit kann sich in den einfachsten Dingen widerfinden. Als Liebhaber der deutschen Sprache, welche Tipps kannst du zum besseren Lernen und Verständnis der anspruchsvollen Grammatik geben? Bücher lesen und Radio hören! Als Düsseldorferin, was gefällt dir am besten am Leben in Düsseldorf? Ich lebe hier gern, weil ich die Rheinländer mag. Außerdem kann man alles in kurzer Zeit erreichen (Oper, Theater, Museum usw). Auch liegt Düsseldorf in der Nähe als Ruhrgebiets, wo das kulturelle Angebot sehr groß ist. Obwohl du viel gereist bist, welche Länder möchtest du noch besuchen? Ich möchte einmal nach Brasilien. Ich war 1981 da und habe seither Sehnsucht danach, vielleicht weil ich Jung war!

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Düsseldorf: Stijl Design Market

Meet some of the anti-diva designers from the Stijl Design Market which was held in Düsseldorf over the weekend. The fair initiated by Christian Voigt and Sebastian Hübschmann is a market that offers designers and labels from all over Germany a temporary home for their innovative, stylish products, projects and ideas.

Various design products, jewellery, furniture, clothes, accessories and much, much more were on sale for those wanting a little inspiration and something different.

The featured designers here are just a pick from the savvy and rooted creatives that took part and the next design market will be on the weekend 8-9 Novemeber in Nuremberg.

But to all the designers and organisers who were here in Düsseldorf - thank you for a Stijles Weekend!

For more information:

http://stijlmesse.de

Designers featured in this post:

Stephanie Heinrich: Jeweller (@yourstokeepstyle)

www.yourstokeepstyle.com

Karina Wendt: Glass, porcelain and industrial designer

www.karina-wendt.de

Nina Kastens: Jeweller (@NKjewelry)

www.http://www.ninakastens.com

Matthias behind Korbholz: wooden watches & glasses (@kerbholzeyewear)

http://aufdemkerbholz.de

Photos were taken with an iPhone 5c

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Kaffee in Düsseldorf: Il Pastaio

Bongiorno! As it's a Monday, it only seems fair to talk about 'Il Pastaio', a chic, small light-filled, authentic Italian Delicatessen and Espresso bar. When you wake up and you're in need of a coffee, the best place to be is by Erminio's side at his classy little bar. Since moving to Düsseldorf, I personally always take comfort in being around people when in a little cultural shock! They say there are 5 stages of cultural adjustment: 1. Preliminary stage 2. Initial euphoria 3. Irritability 4. Gradual adjustment 5. Adaptation and biculturalism 6. Re-entry phase I think I am swinging between 3, 4 & 5! So, when I am in town, feeling a little 'frustrated' or just in need of a 'pick me-up' I take a seat at Il Pastaio and cultivate the habit of listening and observing, rather than merely seeing or hearing.  Surrounded by the 'Senhoras' dressed in their best, the charismatic duo create their coffees disarmingly smooth and sublime yet wickedly with a kick, making them the perfect precursor to a day's shopping or an afternoon of work. Erminio Biasin and Friedrich Conzen set-up Il Pastaio in 1984, with a dream to set-up an Italian Kitchen. Quick and uncomplicated, the team sell the highest quality of Italian fresh products with the authentic Italian easiness, charm and humor which sets the perfect scene to soak up and enjoy the entwinded experience of Germany and Italy! It is no surprise that the Espresso bar is a popular go-to for many Düsseldorfer's and marking their 30th Anniversary this year Il Pastaio has become somewhat of a ritual for many.

If you want to enjoy one of Düsseldorf's friendliest coffee spots and superb Italian bites, then go here to pick up stories and people watch... Il Pastaio Henrich-Heine-Platz 1 40213 Düsseldorf Tel: [phone] Mobil: 0171 646 12 13

http://www.il-pastaio.de/