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Internationales Trickfilm Festival, also known as Festival of animated film, was held in Stuttgart for a week. Dates are irrelevant since the festival ended and you can't attend the event. We were kinda absorbed by all the colorful goodness on all kinds of screens throughout Stuttgart City Center so we didn't notify you guys, our loyal readers (all three of you), in time.

Open Air Kino in Schlossplatz was a good move. People on their asses, enjoying the sun and short animated movies during the day, waiting for the main feature in the evening, like Croods, Frozen, Monsters University etc. 

One minor flaw - even though the festival carries the prefix "international" - there were no subtitles, only german dubbing.

We managed to get our hands on some tickets for a small conference about the state of the art in design and gaming. Some of the speakers weren't well prepared but overall impression was pretty good.

Visitors had a chance to attend graffiti workshops, as well as the gamezone - where you could try exceptional mobile games on different devices, and also there was a brand new PS4 (that was always taken by couple of kids).

And to the adults out there how think animated movies are for kids only, do yourself a favor and watch one this afternoon. I bet you a Paulaner that you're gonna buy the earlybird tickets for Stuttgart Animation Fest next year.

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We were off the radar for more than a month, now we're back in Stuttgart. Hometown glory post is pending, until then Fro, Do and Drava.

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I was a kid when Beverly Hills 90210 was on. Dylan had a sweet Porsche 356 Speedster. Couple of years later I stayed at my uncle's place for two weeks and I played the shit out of Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed with my cousins.

I was in love with the Porsche. Every Porsche.

Now it seems that I'm growing up and that love is fading. 

During the Christmas/New Years break - we decided to visit the Porsche Museum. 

Porsche is from Stuttgart. Even their logo says so. Even has the horse. Museum was a little bit disappointing. Ferdinand Porsche made the first Volkswagen beetle (by the orders of the owner of the most famous moustache in the world - not Salvador Dali). No sign of the Beetle in the museum. Maybe it's some kind of licensing issue with VW but it was the beginning for Porsche - it had to be there. No sign of tanks that Porsche also designed and produced. No sign of Dylan's black Porsche. No sign of all those badly designed everyday objects with Porsche signature (coffee machines, adidas shoes and whatnot). 

All the time I felt like something was missing. Not the car turned upside down, that was awesome.

Don't get me wrong - the space is filled with beautiful cars but it seems more like a car collection of a person that has a Porsche fetish than a museum. Maybe it would be better if I had the audio-guide but those things irritate me.

Mercedes Benz had gimmicks, had a story. If you have to choose between the two - go to Mercedes museum (we wrote about it here). If you have time, visit Porsche museum. And maybe form your own opinion - this is just an opinion of a kid who was in love with Porsche and expected a bit more.

[whereisbess]

young love

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In Croatia we got used to organized NYE parties on the main city square (along with bad music and huge fireworks). This year we decided to check out Stuttgart's Schlossplatz expecting the same thing. Boy, we were wrong.

No music, no countdown, no nothing. Except bombs everywhere.

Seemed like a battlefield. That kind of firing power would be enough to take down goverments in some countries. Rockets flew everywhere, some of them found their way to the stars, some of them managed to break a couple of windows. First fireworks in our lives that weren't fun at all. We headed back to our kitchen, to eat and drink and celebrate with friends.

Doesn't matter where you are, it's about who are you with.

Wish you all the best in 2014.

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Do and Fro and the little wooden guy wish you a merry little Christmas! 

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We spent last week in Paris filming a short documentary. 2 days of shooting and 4 days of sightseeing, more than fair share. 

Paris is as wonderful as city can get. All the buildings are camera ready. Language is sexy and even Grandmas have style. It's hard not to get overwhelmed. 

Few tips to stay on track:

Let Eiffel surprise you. While filming next to Seine, our film crew caught a glimpse of it and screamed like schoolgirls because we didn't expect to see it yet. 

Check out secondhand bookstores (Abbey Bookshop, San Francisco Book co. ) & bouquinistes. Diagon Alley experience guaranteed.

Watch your wallet! Pickpockets are pros. 

Make sure you cross Pont des Arts. Even people who cherish freedom in love find it beautiful. 

You will find cheapest Eiffel key chains in front of Sacre Coeur. 4 for 1 €! For few Euros you'll have souvenirs for everybody back home.

If you are under 25 and you are an EU citizen, congrats! Most of the museums are free of charge for you, even Louvre.

In the land where wine is cheaper than beer, don't miss Bar hopping in a local beloved Bastille area.

End your Montmartre day in a small cinema-like concert venue Les Trois Baudets (or Three hookers, yes it's located in sex district ). 10 € for Melanie Pain is a good deal.

Change your profile pic with the one where Eiffel is a centerpiece and try not getting more than 100 likes. 

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Solitude palace is located on the edge of Stuttgart. Heartbreak alert! Don't visit in on a sunny weekend if you are romantically challenged because it is an "it" spot for brides to be. Most of people from Stuttgart take their wedding photos there. That is how nice it looks. 

Solitude location offers pretty much everything you need for a nice picnic: grill spots, big dog friendly woods, cycling routs and enough space not to be in anyone else's business. 

If you are up for some royal fun you can get a palace tour for 4 Euro. You can also awkwardly peek in through the windows for free.

Most of the surrounding rococo buildings are the residence of young artists who are funded by Akademie Schloss Solitude. The scholarship is big and stimulating, let me just add. 

easily accessible with local transportation (bus no. 92 from Feuersee)

for a grand barbecue bring your own grid and coals