Preparing for Christmas Ahead of Time

It may now be too early to set up a Christmas tree, but for an alternate option, you can spray paint some branches white, then hang some ornaments, biscuits or candy canes on them to bring a touch of holiday magic into your home.

Chistmas Fair in Lunenburg

The traditional Christmas market in Lunenburg takes place in front of the Lüneburger Rathaus (Town Hall) from whose balcony Siegfried Knoop, trumpet soloist plays a Christmas song every afternoon. Stalls sell handcrafted Christmas decorations and gifts, Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Glühwein (mulled wine). There are also beautiful scenes staged from the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm all over the city center.
Wherever you are, soak up the magic of Yuletide markets and indulge in the delicious traditional Christmas treats.

The Season of Advent

The season of Advent started today. It is a period of preparation before Christmas, and somehow, I enjoy it more than the holiday itself. There are so many holiday projects you can prepare by yourself to bring some festive cheer and seasonal warmth into your home décor.
I've crafted a candle holder from a recycled fence board and some scented candles lying around in our drawers. Our Chritmas center-piece is made up of evergreen branches, fresh fruits and orange pomanders that may last up to several years if made properly.
If you want more inspiration for your creative soul, take a tour on the websites of Martha Stewart and Good Housekeeping.

Flavours of the Vietnamese Table

It has become our habit to eat Viatnamese food once a week, not just because of its nutritional benefits but also because of its distinct taste that comes from the delicate balance of spices and herbs (such as fresh mint and basil leaves, coriander and lemon grass) traditionally used in Vietnamese cooking. Quite often, a Vietnamese meal consists of only a hearty soup. My absolute favourite is 'canh chua thịt bò', that is a hot soup with tomatoes and beef, eaten with steamed rice. I also like their summer rolls (gỏi cuốn) that are served fresh and not deep fried as opposed to Chinese-style spring rolls. Tôi thật sự thích nó.

The Kleine Zeitung Project 2010

I participated again in the design competition of Kleine Zeitung and put together a job ad that will hopefully get me closer to winning the grand prize than the one last year.

Product Packaging

Nowadays, innovative package designers are coming up with ideas that are beyond even the wildest imagination. There are fruit juice packages that imitate the look and feel of the fruit they contain and milk containers featuring the letters of the product's name in 3D.
However, I somehow still prefer packages with a heavy dose of old-world charm. Here are some of my favorite solutions:



1. drinking chocolate from Sarotti
2. safety matches from Thore Gustavsson
3. pancake syrup from De Zeeuwsche Boerin
4. gingerbread spice mixture from Staesz
5. condensed milk from Bärenmarke
6. confectionery from Teekanne
7. soap from Penaten
8. camembert from Rotkäppchen
9. butter from Gut von Holstein

Engineering Wonders No. 2

Driving across the sea is more often not possible than possible; the section between the Dutch provinces of Noord-Holland and Friesland is one of the few places where you can actually do it, via the Afsluitdijk (enclosure dam).
The design of the dike was prepared by the Dutch civil engineer, Cornelis Lely 25 years ahead of the actual construction. In 1916, the government finally gave the green light to commence the plan (mainly to prevent the usual floodings from the sea), but due to the First World War, the works had to be put on hold. The construction eventually begun in 1927 and was completed in 1932, converting the Zuiderzee into a freshwater inland lake, the IJsselmeer. The Afsluitdijk also carries the A7/E22 motorway running from the German border all the way to Amsterdam.
The entire structure looks massive and vastly impressive, who would have thought that it will slowly reach its 100th birthday? I would have loved to see the faces when this whole idea was first proposed in 1891! Then again, most of the greatest achievements of mankind might have sounded somewhat loony when they were first put on the table; but he who laughs last, laughs longest, in this particular case, 30-km long.