A JOURNAL FOR THE DIGITAL LADY
Issue N째6 March 2013 English Version
transporter 6
Toni's editorial Toni welcomes you to this new issue of sisterMAG
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Thea's editorial About cover & layout of this issue
12 14
Our winner of the Samsung Galaxy Cam 2013 – Year Of Books Donata Proske about the new initiative of sisterMAG
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Startup Spotlight: Blinkist
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Bookwatch Innovation
239 Imprint
canteen 118 Startup Spotlight: Kitchensurfing 126 Spicy Watermelon Salad A new kind of infographic by Sibylle Roessler
130 Guerilla Bakery Portrait & recipes of a new food initiative in Vienna
149 Cookbook Trends All books you need to have in your kitchen, curated by Katharina Höhnk
154 Royal Smushi Trendy food idea: combination of smorrebroed & sushi
TRANSPORTER Download the sectio n
!
Knit Section
188 Knitting – A Voyage Field report by Leonie Kau
194 Be-Knitted in Lecce – Fashion Editorial 208 How to make it right The history of knitting instructions by Victoria Kau
bridge 90 Work Lea Hilsemer about the significance and history of work
96 Home Office
216 Knit this: Hat Tutorial from Purl Soho 220 The Crafters Series: Pom Pom magazine 224 Knitting Party sisterMAG shows decoration ideas & recipes for hosting an knitting party
Ideas how to organise your workspace at home
Holodeck
108 Coworking Max Krüger about the concept of shared office spaces
112 Startup Spotlight: ShopLove
Health ward 168 Crossfit – Strong is the new skinny Introduction of a new fitness trend by Sandra Wolff
179 Don't abstain! Refuel! 182 The Franklin Method Mobility program introduced by Ingunn Abraham
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Digital Native Column About trends and utopias
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Startup Spotlight: wywy
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elle meets techcrunch Introduction of Tech Sites
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Still Live Photography Elodie Love explains the trend and shows tips & tricks for Still Live Photography
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Utopia Digital Museum Introduction of new concepts by Jenni Fuchs
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Architecture & Fashion in Tokyo A city trip by Sivan Askayo
con t
ribu
tors
text & Foto Sivan Askayo L Elodie Love L
text Ingunn Abraham L Jenni Fuchs L Lea Hilsemer Katharina Höhnk L Leonie Kau L Victoria Kau L Max Krüger L Antonia Neubauer L Donata Proske Sandra Wolff
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Foto
translation
proof
Judith DeGraff L
Sabrina Bäcker
Marina Engelhart L
Ashley Ludäscher L
Kathrin Greyer
Chinyere Feasey L
Katharina Rose L
Sarah Müller
Simone Haffner L
Sibylle Roessler L
Antonia Neubauer L
Nicole Hawkesford L
Cristopher Santos L
Donata Proske
Laura Keitel Isabelle Koelling L
make-up&hair
illustration
Lily Beckett L
Elisabeth Weber L
Katharina Kraatz L
Barbara Laneve L
Theresa Neubauer L
Amie McCracken L Marisa Nöldeke L
styling
Layout
Evi Neubauer L
Theresa Neubauer L
Donata Proske
Theresa Neubauer L
Judy Torgard L
Antje Reiche Rachna Sahni L
models Stiene Vandenbulcke Christine Wolgast
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All images of the blue wall: Cristopher Santos
toni's editorial
DEAR READERS A new year is like a blank slate, new and exciting, but also uncertain and challenging. We felt similar late last year, when we thought about the sister足 MAG editions for 2013. We wanted to 足create something new and exciting, a kind of umbrella for the year 2013. What we came up with is an overall theme: 2013 will be the "Year Of Books". This means for one thing that you will find in every issue a number of articles about reading books, writing books, and making books. However, we will not only focus on printed books, but also cover the issue of digital literature. Furthermore, we have chosen a book for each edition, which by its title and its topic sets the tone and content of the respective issue. Our intern Donata tells you every-thing that you need to know about the "Year Of Books" in her article.
A new year is also always another beginning, that is a time when attempts are made to have a look into the future si
and to predict possible events and
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Thea & Toni
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courses. In addition to soothsayers
disruptive innovation properly, which
and astrologers especially the media
was much easier for a "market-
dares to take a look into the future.
outsider" like Apple.
This is not easy because it challenges
Christensen’s
us to put everything present and past in question, so you can see where the next great innovation is coming
"Innovator's
Dilemma" not only provides the underlying shows
explanation,
many
exciting
but
also
examples
from and where it will lead us to. We
of how disruptive innovations, i.e.
have chosen the book "Innovator's
innovations, which help to create new
Dilemma" by Clayton Christensen to
value networks that ultimately replace
guide us in our search for "Trends and
existing ones, change entire markets.
Utopias" - the theme of this issue.
Photos: Cristopher Santos
book
This issue’s articles search for these
Have you ever wondered why Nokia,
"disruptive innovations" to find "Trends
Sony Ericsson or Motorola - for a
and Utopias" in many areas of our life.
long time leading producers of mobile
We start off with Katharina’s feature
phones - were not able to create such
about the latest trends in cookbook
an innovative device like the iPhone?
literature and get to know entirely new
It shouldn’t have been the reason that
concepts in the restaurant space with
they weren’t aware of the opportunities
Guerilla Bakery and Kitchensurfing.
brought upon by the technological
The working world is probably one
innovation "Mobile Internet”, since
of the areas that is changing most
even before the iPhone for example
rapidly at the moment. Whether
Nokia had launched the N95, a
coworking spaces or home offices,
device for Internet usage. However,
we tackle some of these changes. We
they were not in the position - due
have also borrowed the holodeck from
to their former business strategies
Star Trek to show you some digital life
and processes - to address this
innovations such as the first digital 01 /1 3
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museum or developments in still life
to experience so much because of your
photography. In addition, TV has a big
positive feedback and loyal readership
spot. This medium will probably see
to sisterMAG. And we want to continue
huge innovations in the near future.
on this journey with many ideas in
I have made the self-test with a new
technology, content, design and sales
Internet platform for television. Even
that need to be realized. Therefore,
in the gym a lot is changing - with
we founded in January together with
CrossFit and the Franklin Method, we
Alex our own company, the Carry-On
introduce two new approaches.
Publishing GmbH, which will serve us
One of the biggest trends in the DIY
as a basis for all our future endeavours.
scene is definitely knitting. In our
We are super-happy to work on our
workshop everything is about this
big project together!!
ancient craft, which is currently
One of these new projects besides
experiencing a renaissance. As special
sisterMAG is already underway: the
treat we have put together all articles
launch of a new digital magazine -
on knitting from past issues as well
designed for a different audience with
as the present and made available for
a new direction. More information
you to download.
will be revealed soon on our blog, on
The new year was also a very special
Facebook and Twitter.
new beginning for the sisterMAG
Our very own vision for the future is
team. 2012 was an extraordinary
therefore to build a digital publishing
experience. We were able to learn and
house - and what's yours?
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Yours, Toni
TRANSPORTER
symbols Ne w
On the first page of each article, jump to the next article = quick-jump through our issue.
L
External link.
u Internal link.
On the first page of a new article (bottom left), brings you back to the table of contents
Shows you a PDF download (e.g. our recipe cards)
On the first page of each room (section pages) you can directly jump to the next section.
Link to relevant 足Pinterest Board.
A magnifier or a little camera shows you a bigger version of the picture (iPad) or links to the picture on Pinterest (Browser).
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Each issue is unique because of the articles and topics. If I browse or swish through past issues, I however, also have the feeling of discovering the atmosphere of those months and weeks in the layout again. The mood of this issue is that of a cosy departure - a paradoxical mixture of feelings you might correctly note. On the one hand, we have made many changes. We have founded the digital publishing house Carry-On Publishing and there are now three of us with Alex. And our team has grown even further. Donata si st er M AG
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is a great help, even though she lives far away in Ilmenau and studies, but she is always ready for any idea or task. Judy helped me with the layout of this issue! Another member of the team you can see on the cover of the issue: Chrissi supports us in presales and sales, and furthermore had to stand the terrible December cold in the courtyard of the Etsy Labs in Berlin for issue N째6 cover. The T-shirt, which fashion editor Evi embroidered with more than 100 balls of wool, was not very warm! The white skirt is a
Makeup by Lily Beckett L
curtain from my previous apartment (something which is now called upcycling - or recycling J). A special thanks also belongs to the jewellery label Nominations, which provided us with the customizable bracelets for our cover and fashion spread, which was shot in Southern Italy. You can try them yourselves here L. On the other hand, this issue is also pretty comfortable. A trend, which we have specifically addressed, is knitting. All section pages show miniature sweaters, hand knitted with darning
Photographed by Katharina Rose L
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yarn and in the knit section you find even more sweaters made by Evi. The layout is inspired by these balls of yarn: everywhere you find circular elements, the quotations are hiding in the circles, and especially our knitting party on page 186 } is full of circles. As you can see, this time we have produced a lot of features ourselves again! We hope you enjoy the issue and look forward to your feedback via eMail, Twitter or Facebook.
Yours, Thea 01 /1 3
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Heike from »relleomein« wins our Samsung Galaxy Cam
WE HAVE A WINNER! We have a winner for our giveaway with Vodafone L! Heike from the blog »relleomein« has won the Samsung Galaxy Cam L, a digital camera that lets you preview and edit your pictures on a huge screen as well as upload them directly onto Facebook, Twitter etc. Let us introduce Heike who will work with us on a feature for one of the next sisterMAGs. We are really looking forward to it! And .. thank you again very much for all your eMails, tweets and comments. I’m Heike, in my early 30s and in real life I’m a Software Engineer. I'm originally from Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia and now live near Frankfurt in Hesse.
I started blogging because I had decided - despite my interest in creative skills and craftsmanship - for an IT job. In my spare time I love to do creative things and I love
Heike's blog:
relleomein L
photography. Therefore, after moving to Hesse, I began with my blog.
si
I mainly blog about DIY projects and recipes. For the latter, the focus lies on self-developed recipes without milk and onions. Since I’m intolerant to both, I had to muddle through on my own without any substitute products for years.
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Photos: Heike Niemöller
Anzeige Vodafonev
»A life without books is like a house without windows«
THE YEAR OF BOOKS IN SISTERMAG text Donata Proske
Reading is part of our lives since the
world. There are even books treating
very first book that has been read to us
the subject of how to talk about books
as children. We read for pleasure, we
you haven’t read. We are much more
read because we have to, we skim read
interested in the books you have
and we proof read. And just as reading
read and are reading, the books that
stays within our lives, so do all the little
touched you, stayed in your memory
and big stories. Reading makes us
and accompanied you.
explore new things, dive into matters,
sisterMAG decided to put the year 2013
lets us question relations and look at the world from a different angle. As we read every book against the background of our own experiences, the story turns into a very personal and unique product created by the eyes of the beholder. Not only is the story perceived differently by every reader but also the fascination of reading. While some like the smell of
under the guiding theme of “Year Of Books” and will dedicate each issue to topics, architectures and phenomena from the cosmos of literature and reading. As literary discoveries play an important role in this context, we invite you to collect book recommendations with us.
si
the printed pages and the deceleration
Follow sisterMAG on Facebook or Twitter
in times of digital data cascades, others
(#yearofbooks13 L), post your favourite
take great pleasure in re-arranging
book titles, explore the favourite books
and colour-coordinating their books
of others and if you are lucky, you and
or browse through dusty bookshelves
your recommendation might end up in
in antiquarian bookshops around the
one of the upcoming issues. n
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WHICH BO ? 3 1 0 2 OKS DO YOU WANT TO READ IN »The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls« by Anton DiSclafani. Already looking forward to it though it only comes out in June! @JessinBelgium
r This is a nice idea! I just started »E ist wieder da« (He's back) again.
@juli_rott
One of the books I've received and am excited to start reading is Peter Mayle's »The Marseille Caper«
»Grown up digital« -Tapscott
Sandra H.
@lostncheeseland I want to reread »Das Dreizehnte Kapitel«
(The Thirteen's Chapter) by Martin Walser. A
great modern romance in letters.
Elisabeth W. « and ife w 's er el av tr e tim he »t h is fin t rs Fi nina« then hopefully manage »Anna Kare ting on ai w e ar s ok bo y an m so gh ou th al … my bookshelf. Anna K. »The bad girl« - Mario Vargas
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Uschi G.
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Brett
abbit« by R a s a w d o G n e h W » G. a in L . n a Sarah Winm
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Llosa, »Lola Bensky« - Lily
It is A book on my list is »Half the sky«. opabout women and girls - and their ere is pression in the developing world. Th a tea whole movement behind this and e US. levision-series aired last year in th e first It moved me when I read about it th ible time ... I often forget what an incred all life I live and how blessed I am with M. la u rs U ! ve ha I that
Read highlights, so-called blinks, of nonfiction books anytime, anywhere. The experts at Blinkist read the books and aggregate the knowledge and ideas so they can be read in two minutes.
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nki
st.c o
m L
o | @blin kist L | facebook.c
eb m/th
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Explain in your own words the idea of your company. What are you doing?
respective field they write summaries
We are Blinkist and we tackle a problem
complex matters easier to understand.
that many people are probably familiar with: Often we find interesting nonfiction books that we definitely want to read. However, usually time is lacking and even those books that we buy are destined to sit around and gather dust on the shelves. Blinkist is an iPhone App that provides easy access to knowledge and ideas gained from interesting and inspiring non-fiction books. Our new format “blinks” has been specifically designed for mobile reading and provides the core contents of non-fiction books summarized in the form of small units which only take a blink of an eye to read
for and their way of writing makes even
What was the inspiration for your idea? We ourselves had the same problem: Unread books kept piling up on our bookshelves without even being read and we just could not find a proper solution to that. Then, one day, we asked ourselves: First, does a non-fiction book always need 300 pages to convey its main idea and concept? And second, isn`t there enough potential for a new format that matches today’s reading habits by extracting the main content of nonfiction books and making it as easily
through.
available to the public as newscasts
Where do these summaries come from? Directly from the publishing house or from the readers?
How do you finance your company?
The summaries come from our own writers and a network of external writers. All of them are experts in the
and blogs?
Our product development and content production is financially supported via seed funding by Deutsche Telekom’s incubator program hub:raum. 01 /1 3
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How do you earn money?
users to be able to access our app as
Blinkist provides high-quality content
soon as possible.
and solves a real problem that many people are familiar with which is why most of our users are willing to pay for our service. The user has to download our free app and can then choose three books on blinks for free to see how it works. Then, the user can either buy blinks for €1.79 each or purchase a subscription that grants full access to our library for a starting price of €4.49 a month.
Who do you see as your main compe titors? Well, there are already formats such as getAbstract that provide book summaries. However, our approach is quite different especially compared to those products on the market: First, our format adapts to everyday life and modern reading habits. Second, Blinkist does not only offer books about business & economics but also about
Where do you see yourself in five years?
politics & current affairs
Five years from now Blinkist will be an
fair and flexible pricing instead of
established provider for high-quality content that can be read anywhere, anytime. Newly published books will not only be available as hardcovers, paperbacks or e-books but also as
or popular science. And third, we offer overpriced long-term subscriptions.
What have you done before? Three of us went to university together in Marburg where we gained our
blinks.
first entrepreneurial experiences by
Do you plan to implement the concept onto other technical platforms?
the end of 2011 we were introduced to
Yes, we are planning on developing an
eLearning platform PodcastU during
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founding a student consultancy. At Tobias who had already founded the his studies in Bamberg.
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At the heart of our company: the content department. Our first team member was an expert on politics & society and a great writer.
How did you find your company name? Blinkist derives from the name of our new format and is the platform for Last year we finally met again in Berlin after working at strategy consultancies,
blinks.
corporate groups and startups.
How did you come up with your com足 pany colours?
Who was your first team member (in which department?) outside the founding team?
Green stands for growth and innovative ideas which is exactly what we want to offer to our readers.
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In which city are you located?
Main food during starting up phase?
We are based in Berlin. If you are into
Well, Club Mate is simply mandatory
business building you will simply find no
to survive long working hours. But
better place than the city of Berlin.
besides that, we have become very fond
Most often used software?
of Kässpatzen (cheese noodles) – a perfect dish for evening team meetings,
Boring but true: Microsoft Word. The
prepared with five secret ingredients by
content is the heart of our startup
our CCO Sebastian. n
which is why we spend most of the time writing text documents.
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TUBES: A JOURNEY TO
Innovation
In the spirit of sisterMAG's initiative
"Year Of Books" (see page 14 }) we have tweaked the section ›blogwatch‹ into ›bookwatch‹ – a selection of books you shouldn't miss. On this page you'll find the Must-reads about our focus topic INNOVATION.
THE CENTER OF THE INTERNET L
Andrew Blum
An exciting journey inside the infrastructure of the Internet and a passionate plea to preserve the openness and innovative potential of the web.
LITTLE BETS L
THINKERTOYS:
Peter Sims
A HANDBOOK OF
Innovation as product of discovery, not inspiration. How entrepreneurs, artists and creatives go out, discover, test, tweak and start over again.
CREATIVE-THINKING TECHNIQUES L
Michael Michalko
Methods for generating ideas: games, tactics and methods.
WHERE GOOD IDEAS
THE INNOVATOR'S
COME FROM L
DILEMMA L
Steven Johnson
Clayton Christensen
Seven patterns that help to create innovative thinking and to establish respective structures.
When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. Standard book about disruptive innovations. 01 /1 3
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Holodeck
te xt & illustration Thea Neubau
er L
THE COLUMN
Native!
I owe a great deal of my affinity for technology, digital life and innovations to my mother. I can still see myself as a little blond girl at the age of four sitting in front of the TV at 3:45 pm framed by my teddy bear and a doll watchich Star Trek. My childhood was shaped by Picard & Riker, by the socialization problems of Data and creepy aliens such as the Borg or Cardassians. Probably a quite uncommon activity for a little girl. In retrospect I know that these series taught me a lot in terms of the coexistence of different races – or the appearance of wormholes ;). Good science fiction movies have always been striving to draw a truthful picture of the physical and technical relations of actions. Even though I didn’t understand all of it as a little girl, I was nevertheless mesmerized by the flashing displays, the tricorders or – as known from the original version with Captain Kirk – the little communication devices the captain used to swing open with a nonchalant movement of his hand. When I let my eyes wander in public places these days – in cafés, on the train or at the airport – I find that reality is in every way equal to the directors’ and screenwriters’ former dream – maybe even a step ahead. si st er M AG
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translation Donata Proske
When I bought my very first mobile phone, a Motorola RAZR, I couldn’t help but feel an irrepressible suspicion that Kirk’s communication devices must have been used as prototypes. I never got the grasp of the nonchalant hand movement though. Another example: on the first Enterprise they had sliding doors which opened and closed with a characteristic »swish«. In truth, they were moved with ropes by set assistants behind the scenes. Nowadays, the job description of »Sliding-Door-Operators« has gone missing! By now, even the vision of
oversized
panoramic
viewing
monitors has come true. We operate tablets and smartphones with a simple touch of our fingers and communicate via visual telephony – admittedly not with extraterrestrials but with our mothers, sisters or maybe
even
with
our
washing
machine or television which have become »intelligent« in recent years.
According to Star Trek television won’t exist by 2014! A couple of years ago, we would have thrown our hands up in horror at this idea. Today, there is SmartTV, movies can be watched over the internet and the screens keep getting bigger. Maybe we are closer to the »Holodeck« than we think. This is why we dedicate a whole section of the current sisterMAG to this room. Back then, the world created by the makers of the series seemed utopian – a pipe dream. While we colloquially use the term »utopia«and the derived adjective to address conditions or subjects that don’t exist yet, this linguistic usage is in fact misleading. The utopia in the series was not only stemming from the fact that Scotty was able to beam his team into space by simply pressing a button but even more so from the fictitious social order that was depicted in these series.
*In: »The Neutral Zone« – Star Trek NG, Season 1, Ep. 26
Star Trek: Room, in which any virtual world can be simulated using holography and replicator technique.
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An utopia as such – regard less of its classification as positive vision or pessimistic utopia – always has a component critical of society. Classics in the field of utopia like Morus’ »Utopia« or Kleist’s »The Earthquake in Chile« claim that a better society is possible. The
old
science
fiction
series
portrayed this better society and simultaneously put changes in the real world into effect in real-time:
The mind behind all these ideas was screenwriter and producer Gene Rodenberry who did not refrain from breaking through the limits of science and social realities in his series. »Star Trek was a catalyst which always tried to understand human nature and the never ending search for a better world.«
astronaut, flew through space with
One episode in particular out of the multitude of episodes from the five different seasons will always stay in my mind. In »The Neutral Zone« one is introduced to three people who have themselves frozen in 1994 due to an incurable illness raging that year. The cured survivor Ralph Offenhouse – a financier – is shocked by the new social order, or as the captain puts it: »A lot has changed over the last 300 years. People aren’t obsessed with accumulating things anymore; we have eliminated
the Endeavour space shuttle in 1992
hunger and the human want for
in her role as »Uhura« Nichelle Nichols was the first Afro-American Star Trek Next Generation, Season 1, Episode 26
and incidentally played a guest role in »Star Trek Next Generation«. TVutopia and reality reached its climax.
woman on TV who did not represent a slave or a maid. This made her an inspiration for many women. It was in the 60s when the first Afro-American astronaut Mae Jemison watched the adventures of the lieutenant of communication. She didn’t care that the majority of astronauts at that time were white. She fulfilled her career dream and became an
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1 About Trek Nation. At science.discovery.com L
HOLODECK
property. Humankind has grown out of its infancy«. In Gene Roddenberry’s vision the elimination of money, values and property leads to a better society.
been founded online and in real life in
This concept is debatable as socialism and communism have shown that the human race is not (yet?) ready for such a society. Nevertheless, these ideas keep taking roots in peoples’ minds as measured by the number of social startups and non-profit initiatives. The DIY-platform Etsy regularly hosts a big conference under the name »Hello Etsy« which covers subjects like sustainability and small businesses. It was on one of these occasions that cofounder Matt Stinchcomb outlined the idea of the Etsy-coins – as possibility to uncouple from the currency system (possibly more in jest but with a small spark of hope in his voice).
cases is the underlying objective still a
A similar wishful thinking is conveyed by the numerous swap meetups, parties and platforms which have
what's the challenge then?« – »To
still sceptical. How much idealism is behind these initiatives, in how many commercial onw and how workable are these approaches? The need for nice things remains – at least in the year 2013 – among people (me included). Such an idealistic society probably only works under the condition that science will one day be able to determine how to produce goods from energy so that a
»replicator« could replicate the
handbag of our dreams on command. Another interesting issue is stimulated by the earlier mentioned financier Offenhouse at the end of the episode. In response to Picard’s remark that material needs will no longer exist in the 24th century, he wonders: »But improve yourself, to enrich yourself.« – what a noble notion! n
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2 From: »The Neutral Zone«, Star Trek Next Generation
recent years. Nice as this seems, I'm
Watching TV and interacting about it? The Second Screen app »wywy« detects the audio on a current TV show and checks you in. In return you receive bonus points, shopping tips and a live chat. This is just the beginning of the so-called Second Screen revolution.
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w yw
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y.co m
/w L | m o c . k @wywy L | faceboo
tv y wy
L
HOLODECK
Explain in your own words the idea of your company. What are you doing?
the technical possibilities for real-time
TV is more fun with the Social TV App
of useful devices for direct interactivity
wywy. Users can collect TV bonus points while watching TV and redeem them for rewards. They can live chat about the current TV program or buy clothes being worn in their favourite TV series. The app detects the current program through its’ audio and automatically checks in the user. All the »contents« of the programme will be transferred in real-time onto the smartphone screen.
During which TV program is the second screen most used? »How I met your mother« and »Tatort« (a German crime series).
We are intrigued by the endless for
an
between users and the program itself were just not ready.
How do you finance your company? We are supported by Cipio Partners during the early stage phase.
How do you earn money? We offer our technology and the Second Screen products as services to other companies. For the Second Screen app we are planning advertising that is synchronized with TV advertising
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? When watching TV the second screen
What was the inspiration for your idea? opportunities
communication and the dissemination
interactive
television experience, as a result of the sudden proliferation of smartphones. Ever since the start of television the chatter about the TV program was almost as important as the watching itself. The most recent episode has often been then focus of discussion the next morning on the playgrounds or during coffee breaks at work. But
will be as normal as the remote control. We are part of the second screen value chain through an app, through our technology or through other innovative ideas.
Who do you see as your main competitors? Second screen provider like Couchfunk or Zapitano, although this is more a development of the market together with each other. We constantly compare notes and check where we can help 01 /1 3
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each other – for example, how we can help with our audio-recognition technology.
What have you done before? We
both
were
previously
entrepreneurs. Andreas as founder of the language portal bab.la, Tobias at MineWolf (Humanitarian Demining).
Who was your first team member (in which department?) outside the founding team? IT
What is the meaning of your company name?
Andreas Schroeter & Tobias Schmidt
wywy stands for »what you watch yourself«.
How did you come up with your company colours? The colour orange looks good. It’s fresh, young, modern, innovative, bold – simply up-to-date. Which other colour can do that?
In which city are you located? We are based in Munich.
Most frequently used software? Google Chrome
Main food during starting up phase? Coke Zero, maybe now Clubmate? Plus 114, 80 (Pizza Capricciosa, pre-cut at our favourite pizza delivery). n
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sound pic Song: Walk This Land by E-Z Rollers
DMY Berlin: Publisher Toni strolled across the DMY Berlin in June 2012. Trends and 足utopias everywhere! 01
Yes, Toni is a huge Drum'n'Bass fan!
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elle meets techcrunch si
overview table page 34
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by antonia neubauer L reading guide page 38
short profiles tech sites page 40
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At a first glance tech sites – news sites about technology and trends – appear to be only of interest to tech-savvy men keen on start-ups. They seem nothing more than a series of short articles about small, unknown companies supplemented by a couple of updates about Google, Microsoft and Co. in a rather uninspired layout.
As we have told you some times before, we at sisterMAG are huge fans of tech sites, as they are the best source for the latest trends and also you always find companies that finally realize ideas that you have been waiting for. With this article we therefore want to introduce you to some of the most interesting
sites worldwide and to give you some best practise tips for reading. Moreover four tech site editors get the chance to speak for themselves and tell us their highlight articles in 2012, the trends for 2013 and a few of the best Twitter accounts everyone should follow.
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Name & URL TNW – The Next Web
thenextweb.com L
All Things D
allthingsd.com L
The Verge
Geographic Focus
Site Design
Worldwide with North America and Europe as key geographic areas
Recently redesigned International perspec news about Internet for a primarily and culture tablet using readership
North America (part of WallStreet Journal)
Classic Website / Blog layout
Devoted to news, an on technology, the In Fusion of different m topics, different form sources.
North America
Modern web design with pinterest-style layout for latest stories
Intersection of techn art, and culture. In-d long-form feature st news coverage, prod community content.
North America
Responsive web design putting tablet first
Tech blog about web services and web de
North America
Freshly redesigned site with HTML5 features and deep social media integration
News, information & Connected Generatio digital innovation and and inspires people a
North America
Classic Website / Blog layout
Deep insight and ana companies, people an the business of techn
www.theverge.com L
ReadWrite
readwrite.com L
mashable
mashable.com L
GigaOM
gigaom.com L
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Content Focus
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Social Media
Who twitters?
Twitter, ctive on the latest t technology, business Facebook, Google+, Flickr, Pinterest, Linkedin, Tumblr
Changes every week, interesting: Twitter lists, e.g. Apple Top25
nalysis and opinion nternet and media. media styles, different mats and different
@waltmossberg, @karaswisher & AllThingsD EditorsTeam
@thenextweb
@allthingsd
nology, science, depth reporting, tories, breaking duct information,
Not specified Facebook, Twitter, Google+, @verge Tumblr, YouTube
b technologies, apps, sign.
Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linkedin
ReadWrite Team
& resources for the on. Importance of d how it empowers around the world.
Twitter, Facebook, Google+
Pete Cashmore & mashable editorial team
alysis of the nd trends disrupting nology.
@rww
@mashable Twitter, Facebook
Not specified @gigaom
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Name & URL
Geographic Focus
VentureBeat
Site Design
Content Focus
North America
Design based on blog heritage
Disruptive technolog in our lives.
Europe
Company website rather than media site
Business and technol women. Focus on ho and global businesse
Europe
Classic online media Intriguing startups, v entrepreneurs, advic site businesses.
venturebeat.com L
The NextWomen
thenextwomen.com L VentureVillage
venturevillage.eu L netzwertig.com
netzwertig.com L Silicon Allee
siliconallee.com L Gr端nderszene
gruenderszene.de L
Deutsche Startups
Germany, Classic online media News and trends from speaking Internet sce Switzerland, Austria site and stories not publis
Berlin and Germany Classic online media Stories in English abo Germany-based star site
Germany, Classic online media Online magazine for Focus on startups, In Switzerland, Austria site industry.
Germany
Classic online media Daily news about the Interviews, portraits site founders as well as m analysis.
Worldwide with North America, Europe and Japan as key geographic areas
Classic online media site
deutsche-startups.de
TechCrunch techcrunch.com L
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Technology media p to obsessively profil reviewing new Inter breaking tech news.
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Who twitters?
gy and why it matters Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Linkedin
Not specified
logy news for ow to build scalable es.
Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin
Not specified
visionary ce and inspiration for
Twitter, Facebook, Google+
Not specified
m the GermanTwitter, ene. Focus on analysis Facebook, shed anywhere else. Google+
Not specified
out Berlin - and other rtups.
Twitter, Facebook
Not specified
the digital economy. nternet and mobile
Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Xing, Pinterest
Not specified
e Internet scene. s of startups and market segment
Twitter, Facebook, Google+
Alexander (@azrael74)
property, dedicated ing startups, rnet products, and .
Twitter, Facebook
Not specified
@venturebeat
@thenextwomen
@VentureVillage
@netzwertig
@siliconallee @gruenderszene
@Dstartups
@TechCrunch
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reading guide
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Have a look at the sites at your leisure and not just once. Each site has its own, somewhat different focus. Some rely on newspaperlike, daily reporting, others on background reports. The editorial team of sisterMAG for example prefers »The Next Web« for daily news and »netzwertig« for background analysis.
If you identified one or two favourites, it makes sense to subscribe to their newsletter. By this you will receive an overview of all the major issues once a day. You can then deliberately go for an interesting article.
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Find out what social media channels are used by the editors especially. There, the editors often post their scoops, i.e. the latest, exciting news.
Use the various sharing options offered by the tech sites and fill your preferred social media channels with interesting information. We for example are regularly posting news, statistics and studies in the fields of digital life and apps in our Twitter channel 足 @sister_mag.
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If you follow a site over a longer period of time, you will realize through the repeated coverage of similar companies which topics are trending. Like this you were able to pursue the breakthrough of social networks, then gaming and eCommerce. Through their regular reports on interesting new platforms and tools such as Pinterest, you can become an early user.
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What is the USP of GigaOM?
GigaOM provides deep insight and analysis of the companies, people and trends disrupting the business of technology. We really look at the seismic shifts that are taking place -- not the mere trends of the moment, but rather the major shifts in technology that will fundamentally change business. And we put those changes into a strategic context for our readers. 3 main focus topics of netzwertig
We provide analysis and insight on the companies, people and trends disrupting technology and help readers understand how those disruptions will affect business and expose new markets. How is your editorial team organised?
Ernie Sander is our executive editor and he works closely with news editor Tom Krazit. Ernie is responsible for the editorial strategy, budget and staff. Tom oversees dayto-day editorial operations for GigaOM and paidContent. They are supported by our staff of 18 full-time writers and editors, an editorial producer and a copy editor. What is the favourite social media channel of the GigaOM team?
Twitter (but Instagram is a close second). Name 3 twitter profiles, our readers should follow
short profiles @GigaStacey, @katiefehren, @Om si st er M AG
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What is the USP of netzwertig?
Netzwertig.com reports on news and trends both in the German and international iInternet industry. We publish stories and analysis that you haven't read in this form anywhere else in this form. 3 main focus topics of netzwertig
Start-ups, digitalization and their effects on society, the big players within the internet industry.
What was the most surprising story in 2012 for you?
That the German Federal Government has in fact adopted the draft law on intellectual property rights. So much ignorance and lack of understanding for the digital world hurts. Predictions for 2013: tech/internet/ digital trend and rising star in the
How is your editorial team organised?
start-up scene
Decentralized, a physical office is not necessary. Communication is primarily via Skype and email, and we also test every now and then new collaboration tools every now and then.
I skip predictions this year, as they are nothing more than guesswork. No one can predict the future.
What is the favourite social media
No single twitter profile is especially important or somehow irreplaceable. It’s all about the mixture.
channel of the netzwertig team?
We love all :)
Name 3 twitter profiles, our readers should follow
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What is the USP of VentureVillage?
We're people. With personalities. We're not just rewriting press releases about funding rounds. We want to capture the passion, the people and the places that make the start-up scene such an exciting space to be
didn't expect it to be so resonant. It's now at 176,000 likes on Facebook!
3 main focus topics of VentureVillage
start-up scene
Intriguing start-ups, visionary entrepreneurs, advice and inspiration for your business
Predictions for 2013: tech/internet/ digital trend and rising star in the
Managing Editor running things, News Editor, Features and Multimedia Editor, Junior Writer and Intern
Well – I'm really excited about taking online to offline experiences, such as Sofar Sounds, new educational platforms, such as Codecademy, health and quantified self tech, social discovery platforms based on peer recommendations. I could go on!
What is the favourite social media
Name 3 twitter profiles, our readers
channel of the VentureVillage-Teams?
should follow
How is your editorial team organised?
Well, @VentureVillage obviously! As What was the most surprising story in well as that I would say the 2012 for you? @Überlin guys – really cool, wellIn terms of traffic, the one that informed bloggers from the UK and really blew us away was »How to Be @Angela_D_Merkel – she's very German«. It was written by a really honest on her Twitter account :) Oh, talented contributor of ours, but we and me: @linseyfryatt. That's four.
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What is the USP of The Verge?
We started The Verge because we realized that technology was having such a huge impact on culture that we needed a new kind of publication to talk about it. We all grew up reading great magazines, and we wanted to bring some of that to the web, without losing any of the immediacy that online media has to offer. The Verge runs on Chorus, our own inhouse publishing platform built from the ground up — our developers work closely with our editors to build new features and experiences constantly. Our incredible feature layouts are a good example of that collaboration, as are other custom tools like StoryStreams, which help us organize stories that take place over weeks, months, and even years. We're also heavily focused on video production, and we have an incredible
video team that's always pushing the boundaries of what you can do with video on the web. They're making little documentaries alongside our reporting. 3 main focus topics of The Verge?
Our tagline is that The Verge covers the intersection of technology, art, science, and culture. That's a huge set of things, and it allows us to cover pretty much anything we think is interesting. And as technology culture becomes the dominant culture, we've found ourselves doing everything from movie reviews to news about the latest iPhone to interviews with senators about privacy legislation. How is your editorial team organised?
Our team works very collaboratively. Everyone from our Editor-in-chief to our Interns is encouraged to contribute to the discussion and production of our stories. Its kind of one big crazy hive mind.
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What is the favourite social media channel of the The Verge team?
We like them all for different reasons, it just depends on the circumstance. What was for you the most surprising story in 2012?
How quickly and thoroughly mobile devices like smart phones and tablets have taken over from PC's and how much Microsoft has to catch up, despite a series of major launches like Windows 8, and Windows RT. Predictions for 2013: tech/internet/ digital trend and rising star in the start-up scene
The living room is set to be a major battleground this year. In some ways it's one of the last unconquered frontiers in the home, and all of the major players – companies that people interact with every day – are vying for control. Name 3 twitter profiles, our readers should follow
@verge, @joshuatopolsky, @reckless We have created a Twitter list with si
all suggested profiles. Click here to
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Pic&Sound
»Curtains« by photographer
Katrina Leno L found via Flickr L
Song: Sense by
Tom Odell
Album: Songs From Another Love
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We first noticed singer Tom Odeel during the Burberry runway show for spring 2013 because of his beautiful song »Another Love«. Our PICture »Sense« is both melancholical but strong and somehow not sad!
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PHOTOGRAPHY
till
ife
Introduced by:
ELODIE LOVE madame-love.com L
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Still Life Photography is the depiction of inanimate subject matter, most typically a small grouping of objects. Still Life Photography, more so than other types of photography such as landscape or portraiture, gives the photographer more leeway in the arrangement of design elements within a composition. [… It] is a demanding art, one in which the photographers are expected to be able to form their work with a refined sense of lighting, coupled with compositional skills. The still life photographer makes pictures rather than takes them. Knowing where to look for propping and surfaces also is a required skill.
This is the definition of Still Life Photography given by Wikipedia. It’s a discipline I have been interested in for a long time, and which I use in my blog L, mostly through flower photography, sometimes food and other inanimate objects. When you hear the word »still life« or in French »nature morte« (dead nature) you probably associate it with the Dutch and Flemish painters from the 16th and 17th Century, but it is still a growing trend in photography and is a beloved topic for Instagram and blog photography. I will introduce you to Kevin Best, one the most talented living still life photographers and give you some tips to achieve great still life photography at home. si st er M AG
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Click here to see more images!
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STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY AS A TREND
Trend
Still Life Photography is something that has been seen in interior magazines for a long time, but it is also a growing trend on lifestyle and food blogs. The idea is not only to show a new product or a new cake recipe, but to arrange it in a tasteful way that makes you curious or hungry, with a bite missing and some crumbs on the side of the plate, or with some candles framing the new decoration you want to show on your blog. It’s all about visual story-telling and making an image interesting for the eye. It can be anything, a couple of books on a table, next to a cup of steaming tea with a candle, a bunch of flowers with fruits to the side. I like how photographers or stylists can display a scene to make you imagine what happened just before the photo was taken. The growing success of Instagram also illustrates this trend, as the most successful instragramers, such as sandrajuto L and apieceofcake82 L, use a lot of the still life photography composition techniques in their pictures. 01 /1 3
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Masters
STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY THE MODERN MASTERS
International museum of photography in Hamburg, Germany
If you read the kindle book on a Mac, PC, or a colour mobile devise using the kindle software the photos are in colour.
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Lately, I was trying to learn more about still life photography and visited the museum shop of the Deichtorhallen. I couldn’t find any books solely on the subject, thus I continued searching online and found a beautiful book on Amazon called »Still Life Photography« by the Australian artist Kevin Best.
I already knew Kevin Best through a couple of his photographs from the German art gallery Lumas. Kevin’s speciality is the reinterpretation of the Flemish and Dutch golden age paintings. »Still Life Photography« was published in June 2012 and is full of technical and styling tips that can also be used in food or flower photography.
I had a very interesting user experience reading Kevin’s book. I bought it on Amazon as a Kindle book. I thought at first that this could be a mistake as it is a book about photography with a lot of pictures. On the contrary, I found it was a very interesting experience. I devoured the book in a couple of days, and I love the fact that you can take notes on your Kindle and mark the passages you want to read again later. It was a bit frustrating, though, seeing Kevin’s beautiful pictures in black and white, so I visited his Flickr Gallery L. After finishing the book, I wrote an e-mail to Kevin, asking him if he would be willing to do an interview, and he agreed straight away. Read his answers and click on the images to see them in full size.
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What motivated you to become a Still Life photographer? While studying at The Australian Centre of Photography one of the assignments was to create a still life. In studying the history and symbolism of them I became deeply interested in the process of creating narratives from inanimate objects. I also found the practice really suited my temperament as it requires patience and technical skill.
Mostly landscape, travel
What is it about still life photography that you love?
photography and surreal
I find them very beautiful, they can be deeply
composites.
meaningful and highly contemplative.
What did you do before?
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What do you find fascinating in the paintings of the Dutch masters? They developed a large range of fascinating symbols that resonate to They were technically flawless and
What is the importance of compositional and styling skills for a still life photographer?
able to handle highly complex
A composition gives the eye somewhere
compositions in a very
to travel and somewhere to rest. Styling
harmonious way.
gives the piece a look that makes it
this day.
distinctive.
Where do you find your props for the photo shootings? Do you go to flee-markets, or do you shop on e-bay? I go to flea markets and auction
houses,
antique
stores, eBay, and if I can't find what I want, I make it.
What type of camera and lenses do you use? I use a medium format digital
camera
with
a
50mm equivalent lens.
Do you often use flowers in still life photography? If yes, which flower is your favourite? Occasionally I tackle flower pieces, like the Dutch, I love tulips and irises.
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How do you use Flickr for your communication?
Do you think it is a useful tool as a photographer?
I discuss my works there, get lots of tips
I have been discovered by a number of
from other photographers, from the
galleries via Flickr, have been published
correct stitching on a napkin to details
in numerous magazines via Flickr, but
on ancient violins, it has certainly made
more importantly the constant feedback
my work look more authentic. Other
encouraged me to continue with my
photographers have also inspired me
practice and keeps me motivated.
in subtle ways.
Do you upload every new photo on Flickr? No, only the few I think are worth discussing.
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Still life with apples in the style of Cezanne I've just finished shooting a cookbook, which is mostly french food. It was fantastically challenging. I now have great respect for food photographers. This is the /1 55
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Cezanne [‌]. – Kevin Best on Flickr
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only one that resembles a still life. It's in the style of
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left: Still Life Flowers, Lemons, Violin »A fantastically difficult image to bring together. The table is new as is the rather loud cloth. This was made for a commisson I've been working on, this one didn't make the final cut. Which is still deep in the approval process. I'm quite pleased really, because I really like this and it would be a shame to not be able to edition it.« – Kevin Best on Flickr
right: Still Life with crab, pineapple cup and lemon »This particular still life
features
a
blue
swimmer crab, they are blue, but turn orange when cooked. I spent some time selecting one with a nice pattern. I think the people at the fish markets must think I'm mad. It's in the style of Willem Kalf.« – Kevin Best on Flickr
at home
STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY HOW TO DO IT AT HOME
THE PROPS
Before starting your photo shoot, you should sketch the photo you want to achieve in your head, think about the story you want to tell and maybe take a little tour of your home and look at the little things you like and could inspire you for a photograph. It could be any of the items on the right.
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A globe
A spoon collection A vase or a glass full of wine An object you brought back from a trip abroad A book or a pile of books Some feathers A pretty looking fruit: in classical still life paintings, you find a lot of lemons (often already half-pealed), pears or quinces. A musical instrument
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STYLING TIPS I like to play with fabric also when composing a picture. If you photograph food or flowers, it can enhance your picture dramatically to put your plate, your soup, or a bunch of violets on a coordinated or on a contrasting fabric. Fabric can also be used as a pretty background.
You can tell a story with big and small objects, and create a surprise for the eye of the beholder. The colour can also be very important, you can group some very different items by colour in order to create some harmony.
Another important aspect with collection props for a photo can be the size.
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florals
STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY WITH FLOWERS
CLASSICAL FLORAL STILL LIFE
If you are especially interested in 1. You should put some flower photography, the choice of moss (to be found in most vase is very important. If you want flower shops) at the bottom of to recreate the flower paintings your vase from the Dutch masters, an iron 2. You should then start building medicis vase would be the most the outline of the arrangements with the appropriate. The 17th-century longest branches of foliage. A good rule of still life bouquet usually thumb is that the tallest branches should contains many different be at least one and a half times the height of blooms and foliage. the vase, so that the overall composition looks The Flaming Parrot tulip is a typical flower used in those kind of arrangements, but you can use any kind of tulips. Peonies, ranunculus, roses, anemones, delphinium and lilac can also very well be used for these bouquets.
balanced.
3. Add some of the longer-stemmed flowers to the outline of the foliage.
4. Continue to build up the density of the display with some larger flowers.
5. Put the short-stemmed flowers towards the edge of the vase.
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Click here to see more images!
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MODERN FLORAL STILL LIFE There are no set rules for this kind of arrangement. My tip would be not to mix too much. A bunch of peonies, artistically displayed in a beautiful vase can look good by itself. You can also use just one type of flower, but in different colours. If you want to compose a bouquet using different flowers, consider colour (complementary or monochrome), the size of the stems, texture and scent. If you, for instance, use hyacinths, you don't want to mix these with another very scented flower. The choice of the vase is also crucial. Do you want to play with transparency, for instance, by binding your flowers together with a pretty ribbon and making it visible, or do you want an opaque vase? What I like to do, when I work on an arrangement, is always to use two or three vases and play with the sizes. I like to create a miniature version of a big bouquet, and take a picture of the smaller bouquet with the bigger one in the background. 01 /1 3
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Click here to see more images!
TEXT & PICTURES BY
si
Elodie Love
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& Kevin Best
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UTOPIA DIGITAL MUSEUM text JENNI FUCHS L translation KATHRIN GREYER layout JUDY TORGARD
IN
the 21st century, the world has become a lot smaller. By that I don't mean that
it has physically shrunk, but so much more of it is available at our fingertips courtesy of the world wide web and digital media. Museums have gotten in on the game too, of course. At the end of last year, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam launched their new di-
gital collection with around 125,000 pieces from the museum's collection. Ever fancied having a Rembrandt or a
Vermeer hanging in your living room? The Rijksmuseum believes that its collection belongs to everyone, and the digital images are accessible to the public for free to download and create your own works of art with. The high-resolution images can be freely shared, manipulated and reprinted copyright free, both as entire works or from selected details. Art lovers will be just as excited by this as by the Rijksmuseum's new web feature 'Rijksstudio', which allows users 01 /1 3
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›
› to curate their own virtual art galleries from images in the digital database. Usually it is the museum curators who select artwork for an exhibition, but in the Rijksstudio you can mix and match artists, periods and techniques to your heart's content under any topic or theme you desire. For those who are a little overwhelmed by the choice, there is the option to explore selected highlights, browse the collection by subjects such as animals or biblical si
themes, or refine the search e.g. by
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artist, style, material or even colour. Or you can try the 'Mastermatcher', which asks you five questions (about your preferred style of holiday, date and colour; your favourite Dutch city and who you were in your previous life) to then generate a personalised set of 25 selected pieces in accordance with your answers. They say that nothing can replace the thrill of seeing an artworkfor real – and having visited many, many museums this is something which I would
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wholeheartedly second – but you have
The Google Art Project takes the con-
to admit that the opportunities the Ri-
cept of creating your own digital mu-
jksstudio open up are pretty exciting
seum utopia one step further. Here,
too. Furthermore, no museum would
too, you can zoom in on brushstroke
ever let you get as close to the- art-
details, mix and match artwork as you
work on display as you can by zooming
please, and arrange them in galleries
in on these high-resolution images,
under any theme but – whereas the
as anyone who has ever been told off
Rijksstudio restricts itself to images
by a museum guard will no doubt tell
from the Rijksmuseum's own collec-
you. My self-curated gallery of suns-
tion – the Google Art Project brings
hine yellow pictures was enough to
together over 150 collections from 40
brighten up a winter's day and really
countries around the world! Users can
quite fun to make.
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If you‘ve ever fancied playing at being a museum curator, the Google Art Project is your playground. work that would never be on display in the same museum in real life, or even the same country. I couldn't wait to try this out, and selected Vincent van Gogh from the index of artists – 154 search results! I browsed through, picking my favourites from different collections, and ended up with my own virtual gallery that united van Gogh paintings from 29 different museums in 14 different countries and 4 continents. I have to admit, it was kind of thrilling. You can also add your personal thoughts to each of the images in your gallery, or even upload and share audio and video content. There are some other great features si st er
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tes and maps, or virtual tours around some of the museums with Google's street view technology. If you've ever fancied playing at being a museum curator, the Google Art Project is your playground. Most people won't ever be lucky enough to visit every museum and see every artwork they'd like to. Sites like the Rijksstudio or the Google Art Project provide a great alternative, allowing you to get up close and personal with a Rembrandt or a van Gogh, with the added fun factor of curating your own little exhibition. That said, as ideal as a digital museum utopia might sound, there's nothing like the real thing! n
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›
›
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Rijksstudio invites users to print their pictures on products like T-Shirts, iPhone cases or even cars.
Rijksmuseum Google Art Project
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The Magic-Tate-Ball App provides personalized art picks, which propose an art based on your geographic location, time of day, the weather forecast and the ambient noise.
›
APP TIP:
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For years I have wanted to travel to Tokyo.
ARCHITECTURE & FASHION IN
TOKYO text & pictures by Sivan Askayo sivanaskayoblog.com l si st er M AG
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l I was curious about Tokyo ever since
The future is definitely here.
I was a teenager. At 16 I watched Ridley
The urban environment of Tokyo
Scott’s »Blade Runner« which was an imaginary projection of Shinjuku in the year 1981 as the futuristic Los Angeles in 2019. Years later I watched »Lost in Translation« which increased my curiosity even more.
today is filled with artificial islands, building sized video screens, vending machines that when you give them money- will talk to you, trains you can set your clock by, plastic and neon signs
...and while I have been day dreaming
and never ending streets.
about Tokyo ever since, architects
With a population of over thirty
and designers (curious as well) were drawn by sort of unlimited budgets and almost complete aesthetic freedom and filled Tokyo with gigantic buildings, skycrapters, towers, you name it.
two million and an economic production that is ahead of many countries, Tokyo seems more like its own urban planet, rather than a city. Yet, with all its
So even though it is not 2019 yet, and
vast and massive crowds, Tokyo
the pressure of the future feels far
is clean, neat, efficient,
less urgent in Tokyo than in cities
surprisingly green and
like Singapore or Dubai, Tokyo in the
very livable. l
early years of the twenty first century gives us the sense that the future has already arrived.
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I finally made it to Tokyo in 2012.
l I was there for only 72 hours to shoot two articles in a row. And even for a person like me, who has lived in the midst of Manhattan for the last si st
11 years and always thought that
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New York has it all, after visiting Tokyo, I realized that I was wrong. Tokyo, mind you, DOES have it all. Imagine New York City but on steroids. This was Tokyo for me. l 01 /1 3
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l I stayed in Harajuku area and walked
to Omotesando and Aoyama every day for my shoots. One evening a friend took me to see the scene in Shibuya, and of course, encouraged me to cross through one of the biggest roads, and on a Saturday, my last day in Tokyo, a local friend took me to Ginza, one of the most luxurious shopping area in Tokyo. Well, I’m not a tall person, and some who might see me for the first time, might even call me ‘petite’ and yet, regardless of my size and height, walking in the streets of Shibuya and Ginza, I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland, after she si
drank the juice that made her shrink.
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Both are high end residential and shopping areas.
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Walking down Omotesando wide boulevard with the leafy trees (which, by the way is considered one of the most beautiful boulevards in Tokyo) I couldn’t help but notice the on going trend that top designers and haute couture brands are located in high end architecture buildings, designed by top notch world name architects and interior designers. l 01 /1 3
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Prada Boutique, Aoyama By Herzog & de Meuron, 2003 5-2-6 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-Ku
si
l The Prada Boutique Aoyama is a six story high crystalline form set on a corner site on the Omotesando Boulevard, making it look like a big jewel. The faceted envelope of the building is to enable a maximum volume of sunlight access.
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Unlike other flagship stores, in which interiors are handled by a separate agency, Prada is an integral work of architecture; a total experience.
vertical tubes the elevators. Fixtures are soft and molded, in silicon and suede and the ceiling is formed from perforated aluminum.
Floors intersect rhomboid tubes that span and stiffen the structure; horizontal tubes encase the changing rooms;
The Prada Boutique Aoyama is a glamorous spaceship from a planet where shopping is the highest form of Art. l 01 /1 3
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Mikimoto 2, Ginza By Toyo Ito & Associates, 2005 2-4-12 Ginza, Chou-Ku
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l Mikimoto 2 is the second Mikimoto store in Ginza.
the innovative composite of steel and concrete.
The building facade, colored in faint pink color, (similar color to pearls) retains a hermetic quality, which gives the feeling of being indifferent in the streets of Ginza. With its 163 random and a-symmetric size of the windows, the building definitely stands out.
The building houses four floors of retail space, followed by three floors of multi-purpose and salon space and three restaurants floors at the top. People come not only to shop
The exterior walls are only eight inches thick, (which gives the feeling of a peeling coat to the building) and despite being thin, the walls support the entire load of the building, thanks to
Brand store for pearls – Over a century ago, Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in creating the world's first cultured pearl.
for pearls but also for a fine dining. Mikimoto 2 is both a mechanical structure that holds the weight of the building and an ornamental one; Some might say that it stands halfway between a diagram and a building. l
Quoted from 21st Century in Tokyo, A Guide to contemporary Architecture
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Comme des Garcons By Rei Kawakubo and Takao Kawasaki, 1999 5-2-1 Minami -Aoyama, Minato-ku
l There is something about Comme des Garcons store that makes you stop and stare. Maybe unlike the other stores in Omotesando, Comme des si st
Garcons is one of a triptych of street
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building (the other two are in NY and Paris) has round features and quite blue. The design gives a feeling of a funky retro futurism, somehow also back to the sixties. The store inside is quite minimalistic, the walls have a monochromatic color but the clothes add the colors. l
Louis Vuitton Omotesando By Jun Aoki & Associates, 2002 5-7-5 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku
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l Louis Vitton’s flagship store in Omotesando is designed as a building composed of spaces and boxes rather than conventional floors. From the outside, the building looks like an accumulation of boxes piled with care in a random composition.
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This arrangement of boxes is
and a penthouse. Spaces are
meant to resemble a stack of
arranged in such a way that
luggage trunks; Louis Vitton’s
they are visible to each other.
most iconic product.
The dominant aspect of the
Each box accommodates a
design is the facade, which is
space. The lower spaces are
the interstitial zone between
devoted to retail sales and the
the realm of the city and that of
higher spaces are mainly to host
the store’s interior. l
an event, VIP lounge, offices
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See more work of the travel and life足 style photographer Sivan Askayo on her BLOG l
Bridge
Subtitle
WORK
text LEA HILSEMER
translation KATHRIN GREYER layout JUDY TORGARD
This article starts with the seemingly trivial question: What is work? What is work to us these days? What does it mean to us, especially in times of increasing unemployment, in times of crisis? There is always the ready reply: We
work is, let us first focus on the much
work to earn money. But in work-
more approachable question of what
oriented societies like ours, people
people called work in the past.
who get laid off or can’t find any work
A first systematic classification of
often feel as if they are losing control over their lives—even if their material situations seem to be bearable from the outside. This indicates that there is much more to work than earning money. It structures our everyday life. It introduces us to new people. At best, working is fun and gives us the feeling of fulfilling ourselves. Instead of trying si
to answer the difficult question of what
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the concepts of ‘work’ and ‘working environment’ can be found in Plato’s The Republic from around 370 BC. There Plato considered work to be nothing more than an inconvenient and
undignified
necessity.
Those
who carried out physical labor thus constituted the lowest social status in the state. Those so-called workers represented a downright contrast
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to the rest of society. The name
people work as a punishment for their
ÂťworkersÂŤ reveals their meaning,
disobedience.
indicating that this class had to work
Representatives
for the rest of society. Hence, in order for a few to enjoy freedom, many others had to surrender their own freedom and sometimes even pay the price of being excluded from society. To be exempt from work was considered a privilege of people who were free, and the possibility of idleness was a virtue.
of
the
Age
of
Enlightenment played a substantial part in the breaking away from this ancient concept of work, as well as of that of being contingent on Christian ethics. In the middle of the 17th century, political philosopher Thomas Hobbes linked the two concepts of work and power, transforming work
The notion of work in the Early Middle
into a fundamental concept of society.
Ages had a lot in common with the
John Locke developed an entirely new
one in antiquity insofar as work was
perspective at the same time saying
primarily regarded as hardship and
that work goes hand in hand with the
nuisance. However, at the same time
acquisition of rights. This new notion
it was conceived as a divine mission.
contradicted not only its ancient
During the expulsion from paradise,
concept where work meant having
God Himself as the Creator gave
no rights at all, but also differed 01 /1 3
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completely from the concept of
»The busier we are, the more acutely we feel that we live, the more conscious we are of life.«
the Age of Reformation where work was linked to the promise of salvation in the afterlife. This new notion of work concentrated on this life. This is where the history of the modern concept of
– KANT
work as we know it begins. Instead of viewing it as the lowest human activity, work now refers to human abilities, to our potential. The
unused
interesting fact is that during that
time. For
time, work served to again divide
instance,
society into different classes. While in
Kant said in one of
antiquity work meant being excluded
his lectures on ethics:
from society, you would now only be
»The busier we are, the more
considered a citizen when you worked.
acutely we feel that we live, the more
In the course of this, the relationship
conscious we are of life.« And that
to leisure and idleness changed as
we do not feel life passes us by from
well. Work was not supposed to be
leisure alone, but that we also feel a
perceived as a burden and toil but
certain deadness.
was rather seen as a valuable activity
In the Age of Enlightenment a
that filled you with pleasure and joy.
differentiation between useful working
This seemingly welcome development
people and useless privileged idlers
meant
became legitimate. The principle
that
work’s
counterpart,
si st er
leisure, could
of
no longer be perceived as a luxury of
measure of society that everybody
idleness but was denounced as empty,
had to compete with. Economism
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performance
was
made
the
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Photo:
Cristopher Santos
for consumption changed at the same time. The concept of work was further narrowed to the concept of employment. Work became a commodity and hence, the work-oriented society, which we are part of today, was born. Looking back at the historical development of the term ‘work’, it becomes apparent that its meaning changed from being an instrument of subjugation and oppression to the complete opposite. Today, work is associated with independence. This historical overview began with the notion of freedom as being free of became a legitimate and
generally
accepted
work. Today, our notion of work is based on the assumption that we only
interpretation of the world towards the
gain freedom through work.
end of the 18th century, influenced by
Given
economists like Adam Smith or David
regarding the provision of work that
Ricardo. After the abolition of the
we have been observing for several
class-based feudal order triggered
years now, a new uncertainty has
by the French Revolution, capitalism
arisen about what work means to
eventually became the prevailing
people and what its point is. In the
economic principle. Henceforth, there
context of the sociopolitical debate of
were laborers and self-employed
the past years, you have heard from
entrepreneurs who operated between
time to time about the theory that the
supply and demand, offered work
work-oriented society was running
and labor power. The possibilities
out of work.
significant
changes
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1 Kant zitiert nach Conze: 1972, S. 158
the
It is not very likely that this is true. However, our concept of work is constantly changing as well, without a doubt, and this change creates new opportunities. A crisis always gives room for innovation and change. Because of the fact that
We need to keep in mind that considering work to be the sole meaning of life, the blind fixation on efficiency and productivity, is doomed to failure.
work becomes more flexible and less stable, new trends for vocations open up. The place of work loses its once clearly defined boundaries, mixes with and blurs your privacy and free time because of newly opened up types of virtual working from everywhere to anywhere. This way, new opportunities arise to link employment with other types of work and new models of dividing the working lifetime can be developed. But instead of a newly gained
closely, as we need to keep in mind that considering work to be the sole meaning of life, the blind fixation on efficiency and productivity, is doomed to failure. Many of our needs will not be satisfied by work, but rather with non-work. »This is especially true in the case of our need for clean air, potable water, for space, tranquility, beauty, time and social relationships,«
si
freedom, the fact that the boundaries
writes André Gorz, and he is right.
between work and free time blur can at
Philosopher
the same time indicate the beginning
who clear-sightedly observes and
of a development where even the last
describes social phenomena refers
bastion of a work-free environment
in
will be conquered. Thus, there the
»Müdigkeitsgesellschaft«
need to watch future developments
Societies) to the loss of the ability to
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his
2010
Byung-Chul
published
Han
essay (Fatigue
Photo: Cristop
to n a S r he
s
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the mere inability to do something. It is the potential not to do. When you reflect on the significance of work, it is to be questioned whether the significance of work lies within work itself, or whether it lies within the facilitation of its counterpart; the time off work. Or if maybe only the combination of both makes sense.
be idle. He describes being idle as a
It is a nice thought, I think, that true
negative potential that can indeed be
freedom also needs the freedom not
distinguished from the impotence,
to do. n
Sources Gorz, André: Kritik der ökonomischen Vernunft. Sinnfragen am Ende der Arbeitsgesellschaft. Berlin 1989 [3rd ed. 1990]. Han; Byung-Chul: Müdigkeitsgesellschaft. Berlin 2010.
Beck, Ulrich: Schöne neue Arbeitswelt. Vision: Weltbürger. Frankfurt a. M. 1999. Engler, Wolfgang: Bürger, ohne Arbeit. Für eine radikale Neugestaltung der Gesellschaft. Berlin 2006.
Conze, Werner: Arbeit. In: Brunner, Otto / Conze, Werner Kocka, Jürgen: Arbeit früher heute morgen. In: Kocka, / Koselleck, Reinhart (ed.): Geschichtliche Grundbegriffe. Jürgen/ Offe, Claus (ed.): Geschichte und Zukunft der Arbeit. Frankfurt a. M. und New York 2000, p. 476-492. Historisches Lexikon zur politisch-sozialen Sprache. Stuttgart 1972, vol. I, p. 154-215.
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2 Gorz: 1989, S. 308
Home + Office
HomeOffice
Flex office, flextime, part-time - the modern world of work is becoming more flexible and offers more opportunities for your own models, where and when to do your tasks. One concept, which is discussed widely in this context – not only among freelancers – is »Home Office«. Working from home has many advantages: no set times, no required business attire and the possibility of undisturbed working. One may not forget the disadvantages however: it requires a greater discipline to live »Home Office« successfully. Either the motivation is lacking, and you can easily distract yourself by doing your laundry, vacuumcleaning and many more chores around the house. Or in the opposite case, the line between leisure and work begins to blur. You start your workday at the breakfast table and find no end in the evening – after all, you can literally fall off your desk chair into your bed!
si
During the last year, sisterMAG has already gained some experience in the »Home Office« area. On the following pages, we therefore prepared some visual suggestions on how to make your home office both appealing and practical. Furthermore, we included some of our tips and tricks about working from home.
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Home Office Judith de Graaff – Dutch Graphic Designer living in France
Where do you work?
I work from home, in the Oise region just north from Paris. I share a huge desk with my husband in our main living room, overlooking the Oise 足river. One advantage and one disad足 vantage of a home office!
One advantage: no commuting - One disadvantage: no colleagues (can also be an advantage!)
Check out what Judith creates here:
BRIDGE {1} Buro Set by Jeremy & Adrian Wright. LEXON Design. || {2} Mini-drawers MOPPE made of wood. IKEA $14,99 || {3} Desk Set in Yellow by poppin. $51 || {4} Desk HELSINKI. Maison Du Monde. €399 || {5} Desk Chair by poppin. $350
Tipps
What is your favouri te item on your home office desk?
My favorite items on my desk, after my iMac, are my succulent plants. And one of our cats often sleeps on my desk as well. But he's not an item. One tip for anyone who wants to put together a workspace at home?
Invest in a comfortable chair!
No pyjamas! If you are wearing your nightgown when answering eMails and working on tasks, it definitely gets difficult to feel professional. Best practice: start your day as if you were going to the office: Have a shower, do your hair, dress nicely. Then sit down at your desk! Stick to a timetable Even at home you should make yourself a plan when to work (the nice part: you can easily change it according to sudden events). If you are working in a team, this makes it also easier for colleagues to reach you. Clean up in the evening If you step into chaos in the morning, it is hard to start working. Somehow cleaning up in the morning also takes more time. In the evening you simply want to get done faster in order to go to bed! 01 /1 3
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Styling & Interior Design:
Tiferet Lifshitz L
Photos:
Yael Hahn L
and Anat Gafni L
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Office appartment A multifunctional 足appartment in Tel Aviv which serves as office and appartment full of design inspi足 ration & details
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TIFERET & ANAT ABOUT THE SPACE The office was designed for Blumberg Capital. The owner of the company – David Blumberg – lives in San Francisco. My partner and I based our concept on the idea that the office in Tel Aviv also needs to be used as David's home when he comes to Israel. The office is being used on a daily basis for young clients who need to present their startup ideas as well as very wealthy investors. Therefore, when entering the office/appartment, there is an initial feeling of home and business.
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BRIDGE {1} Table LOURMARIN. From Maisons Du Monde. €1.190 || {2} Striped file folders from Crane&Co. $15 || {3} Lamp from Impressionen. €219 || {4} Printed cushion from Lucas Gondim. Via Society6. $20 || {5} Occasional Chair »Essex«. From Coco Republic
Who are you and what do you do?
Tiferet Lifshitz, an interior designer/home stylist. I work with Anat Gafni. Where do you work? I
work from home, and have a home office. One advantage and one disadvantage of a home office! Advantage - being
in my comfort zone in an area I know and love increases my productivity. Disadvantage inclu-
If you need peace and quiet, choose a room that is more private and distanced from the noise. /1 10
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(kids, home chores etc).
A tip I can give is that anyone who chooses to create their office at home should choose the place in which he/she feels the most comfortable. For example, if you like to work where there is movement and people, the office should be designed by or in the living room.
01
des various distractions
Tiferet says …
Tipps Which task first? Not always easy but a great feeling: finish unpleasant tasks with high priority first. JUST DO IT :)! Breaks! Relax for a minute, switch off your brain, walk a little bit (e.g. to buy flowers for your home), drink a glass of water or go jogging – after you've taken a break everything is a little lighter and you get much more productive! Don't forget lunch! Although we do have every possibility to cook for ourselves at home, many fall into the trap of going through the workday on snacks and sweet treats. That is not only bad for your figure but also increases your stress level. You should use your lunch break to meet up with friends or colleagues. If you don't have so much time, you should prepare your lunch in the morning alongside breakfast. Define & write down goals It easily happens that you »muck about« in your home without actually finishing something. Clear goals for a week help tremendously. You should write these down or tell them friends/family. That way you feel much more obliged to actually achieving these goals!
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What
was
this
pro
ject like? What is your favourite part of the redecoration?
The project was exciting. We took a place which looked really bad, dark,
{1} Writing desk Clash from Fashion For Home. €479 || {2} Light bulb with colourful cables. Mattias Ståhlbom – muuto E27 || {3} Acryl Riser from russell+hazel. $60
and got a free hand to do what we want. So we had the freedom to design how we think the office should look. Favorite part in the office is the main entrance hall with the hanging lights in various colors. What is your favourite item on your home o ffice desk?
Not my desk :) but my husband says his favorite item are the fresh flowers … always feels nice to see them when you spend a lot of time near the computer.
{4} Lamp »Solaris« in Black and Gold from Fashion For Home. €169 || {5} Gramercy Tufted Loveseat in Grey from terrain. $1298 || {6} Aqua Signature Ballpoints. From poppin. $12 for 12 pens || {7} Glass Memory Box from Cox&Cox. £18,50
text MAX KRÜGER L
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I knock the snow off of my shoes, greet Philip behind the bar and take the old cargo lift to the third floor to pick a desk for the day. On a Monday morning at 9am the Silent Room of betahaus | Berlin, one of Germany’s biggest coworking
spaces,
is
completely
empty. Besides the betahaus staff themselves, nobody here has fixed working hours. Nevertheless, in 2 hours the place will be buzzing with coworkers – freelancers, founders, entrepreneurs, outsourced employees of other companies. Everyone who does not work in a traditional office can find a desk here. Coworking is a relatively young phenomenon, born in 1999 in San Francisco.
Nowadays,
coworking
spaces can be found worldwide. It is not just a niche market which is targeted by them anymore: four years ago Berlin had a total of three coworking spaces. Today there are well over thirty. Just as numerous as the spaces
are the professions that can be found here. Designers of various kinds, developers, journalists, architects and a lot of startup companies decide to work out of a coworking space instead of their kitchen table, a café or an expensively rented private office. The idea is simple: you rent a space at a desk and inside a community. So what drives people into coworking? On the one hand, the workspace is cheaper and more flexible to handle than a private office. Prices range between 10 Euros for a day-ticket and 230 Euros for a private desk for a whole month. It’s up to the user to decide when he uses the desk. Also infrastructure plays a role in the decision to use a coworking space: internet is standard, and most spaces include a printer and copy-machine into the package. A more exciting advantage is the synergetic effects that a coworking space can create. Due to the numerous
professions
that
hang
out
there,
and
the
many
opportunities
to
start talking, it becomes easy to jointly discover new ideas, get qualified feedback on your own product or even recruit colleagues for your company. Coworking provides easy access to valuable professional knowledge
and
experience.
The
bigger and more dynamic a space is, the greater the chances to profit from these synergetic effects. At betahaus | Berlin, freelancers mingle with startups, investors such as venture capital funds and even corporates such
as
Deutsche
Telekom.
In
addition, the user can book a wide range of workshops that try to teach missing knowledge in a few hours and ignite new thoughts. The relatively high fluctuation of users guarantees constantly fresh faces and ideas. Some become coworkers for the motivation that the community offers. si
A coworking space is also a place to try
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out new ideas, get confirmation from other coworkers and even receive consulting. Quite a few startups have been started there, and even more projects were kicked-off. Coworking can offer the courage it needs to design your own working life. Some of the things people do here to make a living don’t even have an official title. The community is also an incentive to come here in the morning. Whoever is tired of talking to the cat at home can find real partners for a real dialogue, colleagues and sometimes even friends. Coworking has many faces. Next to places with space for everyone who only needs a laptop and a desk are also highly specialized spaces, such as the »Nadelwald« at Friedelstrasse in Berlin-Neukölln. Here everything revolves around sewing. The owner, Swantje, provides her customers with twelve professional sewing machines of various kinds. And again it’s the knowledge and experience present, that makes the ticket worth the price.
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Nadelwald offers workshops and office hours on all kinds of sewing techniques. Whoever finds spaces like betahaus with its 3000 sqm and over 200 users too big might find a desk at spaces like »Wostel«. The fifteen desks here offer space for about 25 coworkers. Even if the exchange of ideas with new people is important, most coworkers stick to their space. Therefore, smaller spaces such as Wostel, with its equally small and stable community, present an additional reason, why people start to co-work in the first place: structure. Renting a desk can help to differentiate between work and leisure. Watching others come and go offers assistance in deciding when it is time to go home or whether one is lazy or not. The constant temptation of cleaning the windows, which often seems so seductive at home is kept
at bay, just as spending too much time on Facebook and such: you came here to work, not to procrastinate. And besides, someone might be looking over your shoulder.
Coworking is the place to try out new ideas get confirmation or even consulting.
Curiously, the freely chosen working hours don’t look too different from conventional offices. When I leave betahaus around 7pm it has become quiet. Some screen-lit faces are still there, but the majority has gone home. Only a handful of people use the possibility to work at night. It becomes clear: even if some here don’t always feel the need to define their work, defined working hours are appreciated. n
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ShopLove is an iPad App that creates a visually appealing and simple shopping experience. The user can find the best brands and online shops for fashion and interior design in one single app.
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Explain in your own words the idea of your company. What are you doing? shopping experience for the iPad that
Your initial idea was to build a food platform. With ShopLove your focus is on fashion and interior – why is that?
is visually appealing and simple. Just
Talking to our friends and first potential
as people were able to order the best
users, we discovered that such an
products from the world’s high street
inspiring shopping experience could
shops from a sales catalogue, with
also be suitable for tasteful fashion
ShopLove they can now find the best
items or interior design. All of our
brands and online shops for fashion
friends were excited about an App
and interior design in a single App on
that made you want to go shopping by
the iPad.
showing you large-scale pictures of
With ShopLove we want to create a
What was the inspiration for your idea?
beautiful products and about being able to do this in a relaxed way in an App. At first, adding fashion and interior design
With a few detours, we eventually
was a kind of experiment to establish a
came up with the idea of ShopLove.
broader range of products to start off
In January 2012, the three of us were
with. In this version, we still kept all
in a little Italian restaurant in Munich,
of the gourmet articles and cooking
and, as passionate amateur chefs, we
equipment from our original idea. The
wanted to find inspiration for recipes
tests in the following months made it
with an online shopping experience.
very clear that we could only show a
The end product was an idea for an
limited amount of food with fashion and
online cooking magazine that had links
interior design. The cooking equipment
to websites where you could buy the
is still in our product range today.
ingredients and cooking equipment for the recipes. As a visually appealing
How do you finance your company?
App for the iPad and with the unique
We were really lucky that we found
possibilities of the user interface, it
a business angel who was instantly
was supposed to create a whole new
inspired by our idea at the trade fair in
experience
Berlin where we showcased the first
linking
entertainment,
inspiration and shopping.
prototype of our App. In the following 01 /1 3
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months, we found a few more angel
shopping hub above all online shops for
investors, which enabled us to take up
a fun and exciting shopping experience
equity from private investors, in addition
on mobile devices.
to our savings, in the summer of 2012.
How do you earn money?
Do you have plans to go international with ShopLove?
We get commission for every purchase
Plans for internationalisation are al-
made because of a click to a shop from
ready being made, but only concern Eu-
our website. Of course this motivates
rope for the time being. It will be nice
us to always show the most beautiful
for our German users to see the best
products from all 70 shops that we are
shops and trends from other countries
now linked to.
on the App.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? We want to become the personal
Who do you see as your main competitors?
online shopping magazine with the
Two similar Apps have just been
best products for every user. In 5 years,
launched in the US (two weeks after
we hope to be the number one App
our App). In Europe, ShopStyle is our
for discovering stylish products on the internet. Or in other words, as the
only competition.
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FOUNDERS
Hendrik Braun | Maximilian Beller | Timo Trupp
What did you do before?
name by seeing it on our business cards
We were all studying at university, but were actively working on other projects and had already founded our first businesses.
at the trade fair in Berlin, it became our
Timo built up an online shop for a particularly luxurious shoe shop with his father, Max was running an online shop for high-end jeans from the US and I (Hendrik) started a social network with an attached online shop for pet supplies.
Who was your first team member (in which department?) outside the founding team? In IT & development and in corporate
brand name.
How did you come up with your company colours? The colours have been used ever since the first version of our logo was printed on our business cards, because they are appealing to both males and females and elegant at the same time.
In which city are you located? We are located in the capital of Southern Germany – Munich.
Most often used software?
development.
ShopLove ;-)
How did you find your company name?
Main food during starting up phase?
Timo suggested ShopLove as the
Coffee from our beloved Severin coffee
project name in the very early stages
maker, one of the first things we
(in March). After identifying with this
bought. n
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canteen
At Kitchensurfing you can hire a chef based on your taste and preferences, who then prepares a meal for you at your home. So far available in New York, Berlin and Boston, it is planned to expand the offer to other cities soon.
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Explain in your own words the idea of your company. What are you doing?
happier if we had a cosy dinner with
Kitchensurfing is a community of
that doing that in a home was better
talented chefs and people that enjoy good food. People enjoy Kitchensurfing because we make it easier to enjoy more time with your friends and family – you can have a larger party and the cost is less than going out. If you have young kids, it’s a much better experience. If you want to use food as a gateway drug to culture, you can actually talk to the chef or even have them teach you a few
friends at least once a month – and than in a restaurant if you wanted to have more than six people.
Who is using Kitchensurfing so far? What are the most common occasions? We’re very popular for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. A lot of couples or smaller groups have really enjoyed doing things that are part meal
tricks.
and part education. We’ve also made a
What was the inspiration for your idea?
if you have young children, it’s hard to
I’ve been working on technology
restaurant. When people realize that
products for a long time, but sometimes I get tired of sitting in front of computers. The last time that happened, I decided to open a restaurant with some friends. I loved the experience, but one of the things I saw was that there are many, many talented chefs all over the world and that being a chef is hard – they work a lot and the pay is poor. My cofounders and I saw a way of giving them a new outlet for their talent and also giving people an amazing food experience. We all realized that we were much
pretty big splash with young families – find a babysitter or take them out to a you can have better food prepared in your own home, they’re pretty excited about it.
What is the most wanted dish? I don’t know if I can say that there is a most popular dish. Traditional Italian and French food is very popular, but so is Asian cuisine. But we have a wide variety of chefs: Thai, Korean, Moroccan, etc. – and once people try Kitchensurfing, they get a little more adventurous with their choices. 01 /1 9
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How do you finance your company?
What did you do before?
We’re lucky to have a very supportive
I started off as an eighteen-year-old
group of people behind us that believe
senior software engineer in the first
in what we’re doing. Many of them
dot-com boom. More recently, I founded
are founders of well-known Internet
a company called Mobile Commons,
companies.
which is used for fundraising and
How do you earn money?
advocacy by pretty much every major non-profit and political campaign in the
We take a small percentage of every
United States. I’ve also worked on some
transaction from the chef’s side. The
»just for fun« projects like augmented
way Kitchensurfing works is that you
reality cartoons and opening a few
order online ahead of time, then the
restaurants in New York City.
chef does all the shopping, cooking,
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Who was your first team member (in which department?) outside the founding team?
We’ll be in many, many cities around
We managed to find a bunch of incredibly
the world and an excellent home
smart, talented young people to help
cooked meal or the fanciest food you
us work on building our community
can imagine will be available with a
and all the on-the-ground brass-tacks
button tap on your mobile phone.
things people do not like to talk about
and cleaning up for you.
Who do you see as your main competitors? We have some technology companies in the same space, but they’re not direct competitors. A much more important
but which are necessary when you build an Internet company. They all started as interns and have grown into positions in customer support, chef outreach, and many other things.
thing for us to overcome is people’s
How did you find your company name?
comfort level with having a chef in their
We wanted a name that was playful and
home.
fun and that spoke to both chefs and
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Founders: Lars Kluge, Borahm Cho & Chris Muscarella
potential diners. We really started
Main food during starting up phase?
off by saying that every kitchen is an ad
We have chefs coming to visit us all the
hoc restaurant waiting to happen and
time, so we don’t really do the standard
that’s where the idea of chefs on the
startup pizza routine – we have really
move came from.
delicious food around us pretty often.n
How did you come up with your company colours? We like warmth – in people, in surroundings, in emotion, and in food.
In which city are you located? Kitchensurfing is based in Brooklyn, NY. We have some people on our team in Berlin (my two cofounders are German and used to live in Berlin), Boston and in Poland.
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Kitchen For a while now, infographics have been a big trend in the World Wide Web. The visual representation of numbers, facts and relationships is not only an eyecandy, but also makes it easier to grasp information. This trend has also found its way into the food sector. For this issue of sisterMAG, S 足 ibylle Roessler from the acclaimed blog
FUNKYTIME L had a look at the trend and created this visually 足beautiful recipe of a hot water足 melon salad. See more ideas for
Infographics
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If you want something, then just do it.
GUERILLA BAKERY L interview Thea Neubauer | photos Agentur Freiland L
What is Guerilla Bakery? Once a month, we three sisters get together and make various kinds
Who is behind Guerilla Bakery? Who does what? And what do you usually
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of h omemade baked goods – from
do when you’re not baking?
cupcakes and strudel to natas (sweet
Guerilla Bakery is us - three sisters
Portuguese puff pastries filled with
that originally come from Vorarlberg.
pudding) and crumble cake – and sell
But we have been living in Vienna
them for about two hours in form of
together in one house with separate
a pop-up bakery at various locations
flats for quite a while now. One of us
in Vienna. After two years of Guerilla
is an actress and the other two are
Bakery, we finally started our online
journalists. But we all do the baking,
blog www.guerillabakery.at in order to
selling and are carrying things around
share our recipes, ideas and culinary
(and oh yes … our friends and partners
life with others. We have always wanted
are also forced to help). So, there is no
to be actively involved in shaping the
real work allocation. At the beginning
city’s life, especially to convey this
it was me – Isabel – who did all the
special Sunday feeling of having a cozy
drawing, made all the posters and
»Kaffeeklatsch« (German for getting
wrote all the signs etc. Now, I don’t
together and gossiping) with friends.
have the time anymore, unfortunately.
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When and how did it all begin?
How often does such an event take
About five years ago we came up with
place?
this idea on our couch. However, it still
Usually once a month.
took us a few years until we actually
What kind of treats do you make?
put the idea into practice. If I remember correctly, it was in March 2011 when the youngest of us posted an event on Facebook and all of a sudden t here were 20 people in our flat on that Sunday (10 of them were total strangers to us) – it ended up in a nice gettogether, though. For our second bakery session one month later we had to go to another, much bigger flat. People were waiting in line for about an hour – three floors down the staircase. After 45 minutes we were completely sold out.
Most of our treats are cupcakes. However, you won’t find any of those classic ones that come with dough that is too dry and way too much buttercream on top. Instead you will get exactly what its name already suggests »a cake in a cup«. Why? Because they are much easier to be portioned, eaten and wrapped up. People love our »Devils Chocolate Cupcakes« (with a liquid center) or the »Sticky Elvis Cupcakes« with
crunchy
bacon,
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(sweet Austrian pastries containing
Do you have something like a dreamlocation where you would love to sell goods some day?
flour as a main ingredient) or natas.
Phew. I think we would love to
and peanuts. But we also make cheesecakes, strudel, golatschen
Not to forget all the seelentröster (comfort food) in glasses: homemade chocolate pudding or rice pudding, crumbles etc.. We simply make everything we feel like trying and that fits perfectly well into the season. So, it is important to us to use apples and not strawberries during wintertime and to buy local and organic products, even if it is quite expensive and not always that easy to get.
ourselves. Together with a furniture store, musicians – DJs or artists – we would design the interior just the way we like it. An open kitchen would be great to prepare and bake everything right there in front of the people. We would serve good coffee while soft music is playing in the background. How lovely that sounds... !
"Pratersauna". But we have also
What is your next step? Would you like to expand? Where do you see yourselves in one year from now? You said in an interview with the Falter, Vienna’s city magazine, that you set yourselves some kind of an expiration date – when will that be?
been to the "Hafenjunge" (a great
Well, we won’t open up our own
graphic design studio which is also a
restaurant … maybe we will write a
shop and a coffee house at the same
cooking book or so. We don’t see the
time) and to various cafes.
end yet but we do see many people
Where have you already sold your goods? We started selling our baked goods in our own flat, then in the "Hotel am Brillantengrund" and in the club in Vienna
open up a temporary coffee house
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who copy our idea. So our idea is
breakdowns – on every single Guerilla
obviously perfect for today’s times.
Bakery weekend. Franchise – that is
Besides, everyone likes cake anyway.
kind of hard to do. After all, we want
And if no one shows up to our events
everything to be and taste just the way
anymore, that’s fine with us too.
we like it: not perfect but homemade.
Could you imagine supporting your idea in other cities as some kind of a franchise-campaign? What do you think of people who copy your idea?
What do you like best about Vienna’s coffee house culture?
Not only in Vienna but throughout
reading the newspaper. But we don’t
To sit around for hours while having a cup of coffee, watching people and
Germany you find people who copied like grumpy waiters and waitresses our idea. However, most of them though. probably underestimate how much
definitely won’t get a lot of money out
You have just redesigned your brand completely. What was for you the most important aspect in terms of packaging and the visual
of it. But you will get a lot of nervous
representation of Guerilla Bakery?
work and effort go into putting a project like this together and that you
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Well, at the beginning we made all the
with our own hands) we thought was
posters and price tags etc. ourselves
a great idea just as the play of colours
and then some day a friend of mine
(the spots of watercolour). So, we
(he owns the agency Freiland) had that
simply loved all of it.
brilliant idea of making us our own CD. We were very fond of his idea but we also wanted to keep the homemadefeeling which is why it wouldn’t look too perfect. We wanted the design to be girlie but not just plain nice, to keep the handwritten style and to use colours we fancy. After we showed
Are small coffee parties on a Sunday truly the revival of the Biedermeier era? Or would you consider your popup bakery as a rebellion against all those modern coffeehouse chains? At the beginning we didn’t think about any of it, to be honest with you. We
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the graphic designers what we like,
just wanted to DO something without
we gave them free rein. At the end
thinking too much. Well, on the one hand
we were absolutely delighted with
I do see people retreating from public
the presentation. Media, for example,
life and focusing on things like cooking,
doesn’t know what we look like so to
writing hundreds of thousands of blogs
use our own fingerprints (handmade
about »better living«, DIY and cooking
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opens up and women feel incredibly
Would you describe yourselves as r ebellious?
cosmopolitan because they have just
Just recently in the subway a punk
followed a recipe from a blogger in New
dressed with H&M clothes called me
York while knitting a scarf at the same
a »snobby upstart or something like
time. All shopping streets in the world
that« and then I thought I am probably
look alike but then there are websites
100 times more rebellious and open-
such as Etsy and Dawanda that continue
minded than him with his 14-years.
to boom by offering handmade goods
So, I would say »yes, I am rebellious«.
and unique items. I personally don’t like
But it’s not because of Guerilla Bakery.
coffeehouse chains, and I also don’t like
It’s because of the fact that we are just
the Viennese coffeehouses that much
the way we are. I personally don’t see
(because the coffee usually tastes bad).
baking or knitting as rebellious acts.
But there is an audience for everything.
For me a rebellion is the way people act
I guess we just wanted to show that if
in their everyday life. And in Vienna you
you want to do something just go ahead
are already considered a rebel just by
and DO it!!!
being polite.
etc.. But on the other hand everything
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What is your favourite dish?
chocolate cheesecake I am always
Phew: Right now its freezing outside
making right now and which does not
which is why I am crazy about my sister Vanessa’s cookies and crumblecupcakes. During summer I am into Sarah’s
cheesecake-cupcakes
with
crumbles and tons of strawberries. And
need to be baked in the oven. But we all love those recipes most that make people say words like »Woooow….. Mmmh….Ohhhh« and that don’t keep us too long in the kitchen. n
besides that, I very much like the white
You can find more infos and recipes at guerillabakery.at L or on their Facebook page L
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Have a look a t the very sweet vid eo about Guerilla Baker y. But be careful! Afte rwards you'll definitel y crave for some cupca kes!
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ABOUT THE CORPORATE DESIGN Frank Netzband developed Guerilla Bakery's Corporate Design with his agency Freiland . The designers put a lot of thoughts into the logo and all the other necessary elements such as fonts, colours etc. Most important aspect of the redesign: The production of all media and packaging must be easy and inexpensive. The Freiland team even developed an own font for this purpose. Thereby the beginnings of the Bakery were referenced, when signs and stickers still were handdrawn or -written. The "corporate typeface", which consists of elongated letters without descenders – a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters – is used on signs and price tags, as well as on their website. For body text, however, they decided on a free font called "Fjord"
which is also available
as Google Web Font. The Corporate Design of Guerilla Bakery is colourful and full of wit. Sketchy illustrations are coloured by watercolour blobs. Stickers and posters read words like "sugar orgasm" or "cookielingus". n 01
More pictures
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e h t m o r f s e p i c e R y r e k a B a l l i r e u .G not only o d y r e k a B la il r e u G f The three girls o ome s w o h s o ls a t u b s e bake themselv t a e k a m to u o y r fo s e of their recip home.
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Mini-frittatas Frittatas are the classic Italian omelettes. Normally they are made in a pan and are served as starters or main dish – both cold or warm. Here we bake a mini version in little muffin forms, thereby creating a perfect portion to eat in a few bites.
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No more expensive truffles from the confectionery on High Street: Guerilla Bakery's orange truffles are just as good as theirs – actually they are better because they are made with love and passion!
orange truffles
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One apple a day … that apple tastes three times better when it is served in combination with marzipan and airy puff pastry. They are super easy to make and great in combination with vanilla sauce, cranberry marmelade, ice cream …
Apple quiches
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sweet potato mini-tartes with chickpeas, spinach & For ca. 12 tartes mozzarella 1 pck puff pastry
1 big sweet potatoe
sweet potatoe and scrape the inside. Mix sour cream and cream cheese in a separate bowl, add spinach and chickpeas to this mixture. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Cut puff pastry into little rectangles and put those into the muffin form.
Butter
Fill with the prepared mixture and
top off with a few more pieces
1 onion
1 Pck fresh baby spinach 50 g sour cream 55 g cream cheese 150 g chickpeas 1 pck mozzarella
of
mozzarella.
Sprinkle
with
pepper and bake at 180°-200°C for 20 minutes (the cheese should have melted, the pastry should be golden brown). Serve warm.
salt and pepper 1. Bake the sweet potatoe in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes at 170-180°C. 2. Mince onion into fine cubes and sweat in butter. Add spinach into this pan and fry for a few minutes. si
3. Butter a muffin pan. Half the soft
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Mini-Frittatas d to with spinach, drie 8 eggs matoes and goat cheese 240 ml milk salt and pepper 225 g sautéed leaf spinach 80 g diced sautéed mushrooms
Kitchen
3 tbsp diced dried tomatoes
1. Chop chocolate into little pieces
85 g soft goat cheese
and put into a bowl. Put butter and
1. Preheat oven to 170°C and butter
orange zest into a small casserole
a muffin form. Beat together eggs with milk, salt and pepper. 2. Put a tablespoon of spinach and mushrooms
into
each
of
the
muffin forms, fill up with the milkegg mixture. Sprinkle with dried tomatoes and pieces of goat cheese. 3. Bake for 25 minutes (the egg should be firm, the frittatas turning golden brown).
continue stirring until the mixture ALMOST boils. Sieve the buttercream mixture into the chocolate bowl, really squeeze the juice of the orange zests using a spatula (you want to get the good orange aroma). 2. Let the mixture sit for a minute, then beat this mixture with the orange extract (and optional food colouring) until it is soft and smooth. Cover
orange truffles
and let it melt. Add heavy cream and
ca. 20 pieces
with foil and put in the fridge for 2 hours. 3. Form your truffles: Take mixture out
57 g butter
of the bowl using a teaspoon. With
your hands shape the dough into
½ orange (only the zest)
2 tbsp heavy cream
balls, roll them in powdered sugar
250 g white chocolate
and let them cool off in the fridge
½ tsp orange extract
for at least another 20 minutes.
30 g powdered sugar 01
(red and yellow food colouring )
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Apple-quiches 1 pck puff pastry
4 apples
cinnamon grounded cloves
1 vanilla bean
1 roll marzipan
pine nut juice of 1 lemon bit of butter 1. Preheat oven to 180째C! You may peel the apples, but you can also use them in whole with their skin. Cut into little pieces. Instantly sprinkle apples with lemon juice. 2. Season apples with cinnamon and cloves and scraped out vanilla seed. You can add brown sugar. However
si
Download all recipes
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the marzipan already adds a lot of sweetness. 3. Put pine nuts in a pan without oil or butter and brown them (careful, they burn very easily). Add nuts to the apple mixture. Optionally you can also add raisins, soaked in rum. 4. Take puff pastry out of the package and cut out big circles using a glass or cookie cutter. Put them into the buttered muffin form. Put a piece of marzipan into each pastry and add apple mixture. Top with a few flakes of butter. 5. Bake for ca. 20 Minutes. They taste great with vanilla sauce, cranberry marmelade or icecream.
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COOKBOOK TRENDS THE GREATEST RECIPE COLLECTIONS text & conception KATHARINA HÖHNK – VALENTINAS-KOCHBUCH.DE L layout JUDY TORGARD
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ot so long ago, cookbooks were practical friends that gave us concise, factual advice. They were well respected, but they certainly didn’t have everyone in raptures. Those days
are gone. The cookbooks of today seduce and inspire. They reflect our lifestyle. And this is proving to be very popular. The sales figu-
res for cookbook publishers are on the up. This is not only the case in Germany, but is, in fact, an international development. As long as the publishing houses continue to surprise us with forthcoming books from season to season, we’ll remain excited.
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DIY IN THE KITCHEN If you can buy everything yourself, then DIY is definitely more exciting. Trying and experimenting will be fun enough in itself. Seriously though, it tastes far better too!
A COUNTRY COOK'S KITCHEN Time-tested kitchen skills by Alison Walker (Rizzoli Publishers) A cookbook that is as charming as it is diverse. Whoever takes a look inside will want to dash off to the kitchen and get cracking right away. We thought the orange marmalade was exquisite, the crumpets divine and don’t even get us started on the heavenly spiced pears! In short: Alison has it down. As does photographer Tara Fisher.
THE ART OF FERMENTATION An In-depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World, by Sandor Ellix Katz A book for everyone who likes getting down to the bottom of things and isn’t content with superficialities. History, concepts and processes – Sandor Ellix Katz has an answer for everything and has followed up every how and why for us.
THE KIMCHI COOKBOOK by Lauryn Chun ( Ten Speed Press )
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Kimchee is basically the trademark of Korean cuisine. In this book, the Asian art of preserves puts its best face forward. Smells and textures are to be found that open up a whole new world and yet wonderfully blend with the known world, as shown in the Cooking-with-Kimchee- recipe section.
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SO SWEET, SO GOOD A new era of sweets is upon us. Or rather: a new era of bakers, pastry makers and sweet lovers. Wherever you look online, sweets are being celebrated. Pretty as a picture and delicious. Who doesn’t want a taste?
THE VINTAGE TEA PARTY YEAR by Angel Adoree (Mitchell Beazley) If you enter Angel’s world of tea parties, you will find yourself in a world of your own. This is where you break with traditional cookbook genres, where you live a passion and the reader dares to dream. At the same time, Angel puts a lot of love into the recipes. Splendid!
PASTRY by Richard Bertinet ( Ebury Press ) Richard Bertinet‘s collections of recipes are some of the best among baking books. The master baker’s skills are desirable, they are what we strive for. Until now, bread was near and dear to him. We can finally indulge in pastry.
SWEETS Himmlische Verführungen für den ganzen Tag by Nicole Stich (GU) – German language Nicole Stich, darling and pioneer in the food blogosphere. We were eagerly looking forward to her next book to be published. Now that it has been published, we are delighted. Sugar, crèmes and fruits, oh, simply everything the sweet cooking world desires. Off we go to the land of milk and honey (blog: deliciousdays.com L). 01 /1 1
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HOW TO BE FAR AWAY IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN Remember the times when we traveled the world? When time had no meaning and we were constantly out of cash? But we didn’t care, for the journey was the reward. This all has changed now. Fortunately, there are cookbooks with their recipes that we can take comfort in. They bring faraway smells and sensational tastes close to us in the blink of an eye.
JERUSALEM by Ottolenghi and Tamimi ( Ten Speed Press ) Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi enjoy hero status in the foodie community. Not only is their history captivating (Ottolenghi is from Israel, Tamimi from Palestine, both live in London), but also their ability to compile a collection of modern and luscious recipes that are rich in flavor and texture and are always quite the eye catcher. Well, as I said, they are heroes.
EVERY GRAIN OF RICE by Fuchsia Dunlop ( Bloomsbury) Fuchsia Dunlop is a modern adventurer. She is drawn to Chinese cuisine. She was the first cook from the Western world at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine—as the only woman among almost 50 men. We immerse ourselves with relish in her Chinese home cooking dishes that she presents in a way that our mouth is watering
CREPES by Martha Homberg (Chronicle Books ) No time to go to France this year? It is of course almost unbearable for a foodie not to press your nose against the patisseries or be blissfully overwhelmed at the cheese counter. But at least you can make your own crepes at home. There is hardly any better book to raise your spirits than this one. Vive la France! si st er M AG
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VEGGIES ARE ESSENTIAL The passion for vegetables is the new motto these days. Meat is not locked out, but it finds its way less and less frequently into our kitchen. So now veggie recipes have to prove that they are not only saturating but also make you happy. And they do.
RIVER COTTAGE VEG EVERY DAY by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall ( Bloomsbury Publishing) Hugh is veg-tastic! He writes cookbooks that turn us into groupies. Witty, with ease and absolute connoisseurship in this field. Home cooks feel at home here. With Hugh, you don’t just cook during the weekends but also after work in the evening.
ÖSTERREICHISCH VEGETARISCH by Katharina Seiser & Meinrad Neunkirchner ( Brandstätter Verlag ) – German language Where other cookbooks resort to the international trea sure trove of ingredients, these two authors remain faithful to their culture. Fortunately, imitations of Wiener Schnitzel & Co. are nowhere to be found. What’s special about it is the collection of every-day recipes with local vegetables that undergo delicate refinements and are combined in surprisingly new ways.
TENDER by Nigel Slater ( Dumont Verlag ) In his book Tender, Nigel Slater combines what most people want and only some can: gardening and cooking. Whereas it is usually true to say that cooking starts with buying groceries, in this case it starts in the backyard. Nigel’s recipes are the same as always—easy, subtle and simply yummy. 01 /1 3
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We want to create a land of fantasy.
ROYAL SMUSHI a portrait by the owner of the royal café Rud Christiansen
Danish for "Butter & bread" usually a buttered rye bread + topping
Royal Smushi Cafe concept was
– however in a smaller and perhaps
actually conceived by wanting to
more inviting culinary form that
break the constant repetition of cafe
pleased both eye and palette – with an
design and food that was clearly
emphasis on "small is beautiful" and
based on huge café chains.
also with consideration for smaller
Also there was no café anywhere in
servings by respecting the need for
the world that incorporated Danish
fewer calories and using fresher
design and food. Likewise it had never
and healthier mixes of ingredients.
been tried before to incorporate
If a SMUSHI was a painting, then
Danish manufactures of well known
only the necessary colors and forms
designers into a product placement
were used and the artist would know
scenario, where you would actually
exactly when to stop. There would be
get to see and try these various items.
no excess paint that wouldn’t benefit
Also in Denmark we have an old
the artistic impression but only
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tradition called Smoerrebroed, which
confuse the eye of the beholder.
is becoming less and less known
In our world today, it is important to
especially by the younger people. Thus
give the customer a sanction where
we believed, it was time to reinvent it
they can enjoy an hour or two in a
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land of fantasy. Royal Smushi Cafe has
place but also where the customers
all the elements of a fairy tale – with
become each other’s spectators.
a very feminine touch of colors and
We had no great illusion of becoming
gastronomy – but always remembering that this is a café, not a museum or a fancy restaurant. Thus the Royal Café gives the customer this luxury
the first Danes in the cafe world to venture into the very complex Japanese market. From a business perspective there was really no basis
feeling without having to pay luxury
for this, other than the fact that we
prices. Knowing that a majority of
had an idea which we felt could work
cafe customers today are female and
globally. Traditionally Japanese people
younger, Royal Café still has managed
like Scandinavian design and food and
to secure a wide spread audience in all
after having opened in Copenhagen
genders and age levels. Thus allowing
we were quickly visited by a great
the clientele to be everything else than
number of Japanese customers, who
boxed into a specific category – and
all showed their appreciation by what
by this we have managed to keep the
we had achieved. So with thumbs-up,
place full of a yin-yang spirit where
we thought that we would try to find the
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right location. We actually succeeded
– where The Royal Cafe will welcome
in finding both. The professionalism
their future guests on the ground
of a company like Ito En which has
floor next to the main entrance. We
proved their ability to produce great
now have three cafes in Japan: two in
tea and other beverage related
Tokyo and one in Kurashiki the south
products, as well as in just a few
of Japan.
years to become leaders in the cafe
Our main goal by creating a "new"
business with the TULLY's chain - we
cafe - was not to make a repetition
were indeed very lucky and honored
of what already had been done in the
to be chosen by them. Also we were
past, but to keep a red line between
fortunate enough to having been
our existing cafe in Copenhagen by
given the opportunity to get the most
using new surprising elements of
prestigious space – probably in the
design and interior. We incorporated
world – for the location of our café:
two very tall golden trees with leaves
in the middle of Ginza in the heart of
that were incorporated by lighting the
Tokyo. But not only that – also in a
various natural seasonal colors that
totally new and beautiful building –
exist in Japan and Denmark - spring,
the MITSUKOSHI Department Store
summer, fall and winter. Thereby
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we achieved the Danish picnic feeling
our beloved Danish rye bread, which
when the customers dine nder and
is a bit darker than normal bread. We
around these trees. These trees along
also use many toppings and dressings
with our very long table and beautiful
and
"historical funky" glass wall, the eyes
and also compliment the dish. Our
constantly can explore new details of
intention is to keep the SMUSHI as
Danish humour and its colorful past.
close to our original Danish concept
The result we feel - will again enable
– because everybody enjoys the taste
our customers to dream themselves
– but of course we will also respect
away from the daily hustle and bustle of
the Japanese pallet of seasoning and
the ever more demanding life awaiting
tastes
outside the doors.
original recipes.
SMUSHI is a combination of sushi and
In Denmark we have many traditional
smoerrebroed in the sense that they
cakes and desserts that have often
are both smaller and easily consumed
been forgotten by the new generations.
bites of food that satisfies both the
It has been our focus to create these
pallet and the eye. However SMUSHI
recipes again and experience with
is, as opposed to sushi, prepared with
their particular taste. These recipes
a numerous of ingredients spanning
really value the ingredients and the
from vegetables – raw, cooked, pickled
combination of often simple tastes
– and meats – pork, beef, chicken,
stemming
duck which are grilled, smoked, cured,
found in nature result in simple but
cooked and boiled as well as seafood
delicious delicacies. In The Royal
like shrimps, crabs, salmon, eel,
Cafés in Japan, we will continue in this
herring or cod prepared in likewise
effort. Our menu varies through the
numerous ways. All is served on or with
day starting in the morning, adding
various types of bread, particularly with
lunch, afternoon teas and snacks and
colorful
items
without
from
to
complete
compromising
natural
our
products
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Fusion of Danish and Japanese traditional dishes
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our newly invented concept called
innovation everywhere you look. We
DAKAYA for the evening clientele –
feel that Japan is one of the world’s
done in a light and elegant way.
most energetic and most adaptable
When entering The Royal Cafe, you
environments for innovative thinking
should get a feeling of Denmark and
- but also a place where innovation
by dining there you should experience
becomes reality and is not just
also a taste of Denmark.
an unrealistic dream – because
It is our hope that we will bring a
of people’s appetite for new and
new and inspiring link between the
stimulating creations, however never
Danish and Japanese culture and by
compromising quality or honesty. We
creating our dishes. We do believe
respect this way of thinking and we
there is a place for us – even in a
will do our utmost to live up to this
country where there is vast amount of
respect. n
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Kitchen
Fish Meat vegetarian sweet
smushi recipes PHOTO: ASHLEY LUDĂ„SCHER L
D Fish Smushi 
summer recipe
70 G/2.5 OZ RICH SOUR CREAM THE JUICE OF 1/2 LEMON 100 G /3.5 OZ BOILED POTATOES 1 TSP COARSELY CHOPPED DILL 1 TSP COARSELY CHOPPED CAPERS 1 TSP APPLE CUBES
Hvide Sild
white herring page 34
1 TBSP FINELY CHOPPED RED ONIONS Mix the sour cream with lemon
juice.
Crush
the
potatoes lightly and fold them into the sour cream with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Smushi Construction On a piece of buttered rye bread (oblong), place a spoonful of crushed
potatoes.
Place
a
white marinated herring on top and decorate with glasswort,
All recipes originally published in the official SMUSHI Cookbook L (Fadl's Forlag)
red cress and thin slices of red onion that have been soaked in ice water.
Kitchen
winter recipe  Fish Smushi D CELERIAC MILK SMOKED EEL 1 PEAR MACADAMIA NUTS OIL, LEMON JUICE, CRESS
Celeriac puree roget al
smoked eel page 63
Dice a celeriac into chunky cubes and cook the cubes in enough milk to cover them. Strain the celeriac, but keep the milk. Blend the celeriac to a fine puree with half the milk and a lump of butter, and season with salt. Let the puree cool off in the fridge.
Smushi Construction Place a piece of smoked eel on a buttered piece of rye bread of a similar length. Top with celeriac puree and a salad of fresh pear cubes and macadamia nuts tossed with oil, lemon juice and salt. Sprinkle with sprouts and cress, and decorate with eatable flowers. 01 /1 1
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D meat & Poultry smushi 
summer recipe
BOILED HAM MAYONNAISE SALT & PEPPER DIJON MUSTARD LIGHTLY BLANCHED PEAS BLANCHED GREEN ASPARAGUS CUCUMBER (THINLY SLICED) RED ONIONS CRESS SPROUTS
skinkesalat
ham salad page 81
Ham Salad
Smushi Construction
Dice a good boiled ham and mix
Cut out a buttered piece of rye bread
the cubes with mayonnaise.
with a cutter. Leave the rye bread in
Season with Dijon mustard,
the cutter and fill up the cutter with
salt and pepper. Add lightly
ham salad. Give it a gentle squeeze
blanched peas.
and carefully remove the cutter. Top with two blanched pieces of asparagus in a cucumber twister. Decorate with thinly sliced red onions that have soaked in ice water,
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cress, sprouts and pea sprouts.
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winter recipe meat & Poultry smushi D
Kitchen
PICKLE (SEE RECIPE L) ORANGE JUICE BABY CARROTS 200 G MINCED BEEF 1/2 TBSP SALT 200 G MINCED PORK 1 EGG
Forloren Hare
Mock hare
50 G/17 OZ FINELY CHOPPED, BLANCHED ONIONS 10 G BREADCRUMBS
page 108
PICKLED BABY CARROTS Mix 2/3 basic pickle* and 1/3 orange juice (boil freshly squeezed juice before use). Blanch baby carrots and put them in the orange pickle. Let them pickle for ~24 hours before use.
»MOCK HARE« Mix minced meat with salt. Add egg, breadcrumbs, cold bouillon and rest of the vegetables. Let it rest in the fridge for an
100 G POTATO PUREE
(bake potatoes and scrape out inside)
80 G COLD CHICKEN BOUILLON 30 G BLANCHED CARROT CUBES 30 G BLANCHED CELERY 30 G BLANCHED FIELD MUSHROOMS LONG PIECES OF BACON
hour. Lay a cross of small pieces of bacon, place a scope of minced meat in the middle and shape the bacon around like the back
SMUSHI CONSTRUCTION
of a hare. Roast it in the oven in a deep
Butter a piece of rye bread and top
roasting pan with a bit of water and bouillon
it with a slice of mock hare and
at 170 °C/338 °F for approx. 25 minutes.
pickled baby carrots. Decorate
Fry them crispy just before serving.
with marjoram. 01 /1 3
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D vegetarian smushi 
all year
ASPARAGUS (WHITE & GREEN) BUTTER WHITE BREAD OLIVE OIL SALT & PEPPER LEMON ZEST MOUSSELINE (SEE RECIPE)
asparges
Asparagus page 137
Mousseline The easy and perfectly acceptable way: Whisk 2.5 dl/8.5 fl oz cream with approx. 5 g/0.2oz. instant Hollandaise powder, and season with lemon juice. The original way: Whisk two egg yolks in a bain marie with 30 g/1 fl oz. Hollandaise reduction till it is stiff and fluffy. Fold in 100 g/3.5 fl oz melted butter and let it cool to room temperature. Season with si
salt and spoon it into a piping bag.
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Smushi Construction Steam two asparagus in a bit of water and butter till they are almost tender. Cut them in half. Roll a thin slice of white bread around the asparagus. Fry the roll in butter on the closing side first. You can use a tooth pick to hold the roll together. When the roll is golden, pour a bit of olive oil tossed with salt, pepper and lemon zest on the asparagus. Let the roll cool off and make a couple of mousseline tops on top. Decorate with fresh herbs.
Kitchen
all year sweet smushi D WHITE BREAD 50 G SUGAR
50 G CREAM
250 G MIXED BERRIES 1-2 ELDERFLOWER HEADS
Cut a square piece of white bread and cut a round whole in the middle. Coat the bread in a mixture of 2 eggs whisked with 50 g sugar + 50 g cream. Fry the bread on all sides till it is golden.
elderflower Berry jam Bring the ingredients to a boil while skimming. Let it simmer for 10 minutes, then pour it into jars.
Granola
250 G CANE SUGAR 0.5 DL ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL
Mix the dry ingredients. Heat up oil, sugar, syrup and vanilla and mix it into the dry ingredients. Roast it in the oven at 160°C for 25-30 minutes
125 G MILLED OATS
till it is golden. Let the granola cool off and store in a dry place.
25 G CHOPPED ALMONDS 25 G CHOPPED PECANS 2 G SALT 25 G SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Smushi Construction Heat up the French toast and fill the hole in the middle with jam. Mix granola with maple syrup, place on top and decorate with mint leaves.
30 G BROWN SUGAR 35 G SUNFLOWER OIL 15 G HONEY 25 G WALNUTS 1/2 VANILLA POD SEEDS 15 G MAPLE SYRUP
arme riddere
French Toast page 158
health ward
A controversially discussed star shines on the sky of fitness
CROSSFIT – STRONG IS THE NEW SKINNY More than two decades ago, Greg
for determining the fittest woman and
Glassmann, a former American High
fittest man on earth.
School Physical Education teacher,
The quintessence of America’s new
developed a new highly intensive training method with the stated goal of improving strength, endurance as well
fitness trend, whose programming is also used by many police and fire departments or military organizations,
as overall functional fitness without
is quite simple. The main goal is
having the same workout schedule
to train one’s own body for every
every day.
day challenges by doing complex,
In 2000, he founded CrossFit, Inc.
demanding coordinated movements
which has been expanding since.
that involve various muscle groups at
According to his website there are
the same time.
4,500 CrossFit-Gyms and more than
Classic
35,000 accredited CrossFit-trainers
(clean&jerk
worldwide. In cooperation with R eebok,
powerlifting elements (squats, bench
a subsidiary of Adidas, CrossFit has
press and deadlift) are combined with
now its own sportswear collection and
bodyweight exercises (pull-ups, push-
organizes the annual CrossFit Games
ups etc.) or sprinting.
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weightlifting and
techniques
snatch)
and
HEALTH WARD
text SANDRA WOLFF | illustration ELISABETH WEBER – ELLIJOT L
CrossFit does not take place at a classic
room with treadmills and numerous
gym but in so called boxes where you
flat screens.
won’t find any typical fitness m achines
takes place in big, sparse rooms only
or a cardio-
equipped with the most essential
Instead, the workout
ILLUSTRATION: EW – ELLIJOT
things. Barbells, dumbbells,
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kettle bells, medicine balls, jumping ropes and rowing machines make the heart of every CrossFit fan beat faster. Amateurs, however, probably think of torturing PE lessons. The heart of every CrossFit-Routine is the workout of the day, short WOD, often being named Don’t stop after women or soldiers killed in action. WOD’s when you’re consist of elements mixed tired, stop in various combinations when you’re and have to be completed done! within a certain amount of time or have to be repeated as often and as fast as possible. For Example: five pull-ups, ten push-ups, fifteen squats or running as many rounds as possible within a timeframe of 20 minutes. This training program is called Cindy. As soon as the clock ticks, loud noises
and aggressive music set in. Shouting teammates motivate the athletes to give their best until they reach their personal limits. Dripping with sweat, grasping for air and full of happiness drop the athletes to the ground. However, these intense and demanding workouts are the reason why more and more experts question the CrossFit training method. Technically sophisticated exercises are being repeated in a state of physical exhaustion which increases the risk of injuries tremendously. Professional boxing with qualified trainers is therefore indispensible. Classes
that
teach
the
techniques of complex movements as well as certain health-enhancing basics are mandatory for newcomers as well as advanced Crossfitters to avoid severe sport injuries.
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exact
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A central element of CrossFit is the strong community experience. Physical and mental exertion make CrossFit athletes reach their limits, the team spirit helps to overcome those limits. Two successful representatives of the German CrossFit community took their time to answer our sisterMAG-Questionnaire. Please describe CrossFit in three words: Fun, Success, Variance. When and why did you start CF? I started at the end of 2009. My boyfriend “discovered� it one year before and he then started doing CF together with me aside from his football training with the Vienna Vikings. Today he owns the CrossFit ACE.
PROFILE NAME: Paloma Schreiber AGE: 25 Jahre LIVES IN: Vienna
What kind of sport did you do before starting CF?
PROFESSION: Student at the University for Applied Arts in Vienna
As a child I was into ballet, then volleyball and capoeira and after that I did six years of kick boxing.
CROSSFIT-BOX: CrossFit ACE in Vienna
How does your typical weekly workout schedule look like? CrossFit does not have a typical workout schedule. Every day is different. The majority of the workouts is a combination of metabolic conditioning exercises, gymnastics, weightlifting as well as other functional muscle building exercises. What are your favorite and least favorite CF-exercises? I prefer the Olympic weightlifting. For me it is the most challenging exercise since it is not only about strength but most importantly about technique and concentration. I could totally live without the running exercises, though.
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How have your body and face changed since you started doing CF on a regular basis? More muscles, less fat. My “mind” hasn’t changed a lot though since I have always been doing quite a lot of sport. But I have never ever done any sport that is so much fun to me. Do you have a nutrition plan or are you on a special diet? No. But I love to cook every day which is why I never eat any fast food or anything similar. "Stone Age Diet", more about this on page 178 }.
Do you follow the Paleo diet? And what do you think about it? No. But I do support eating natural and pure food or considering food as some kind of medicine. However, I can’t live without dairy products plus I would have to torture myself to be consistent with my diet on special occasions or when eating out.
si
What is your friend’s and family’s opinion on your outstanding commitment to CF?
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Those who tried it instantly fell in love with it, just as I did. And those who prefer a wellness day usually shake their heads. Do you sometimes also have “weak moments” in everyday life that you just want to spend with your friends on a couch, watching a movie, eating your favorite pizza and a whole box of macadamia nut ice-cream for dessert? Yes, of course and quite often. But those aren’t weak but deliberately chosen and very delightful moments that nobody should miss out on! What do you like best about CF? Feeling one’s own body, having fun working out and being part of such an incredibly diverse CrossFit community. Are there any disadvantages? Caution: Risk of addiction! According to your opinion, what are the most popular and most common misconceptions or misunderstandings concerning CF?
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What advice would you give to a CF newcomer? To be patient for about two weeks. And after those two weeks you will feel a difference, even in your everyday life. What does CF mean to you and what is the greatest impact CF had or has on your life?
Butterfly Situps
ILLUSTRATION: THN
Many people don`t start CF because they get scared when watching videos of professional CrossFit athletes and lose their self-confidence. But there is a fitness level for EVERYONE! Besides, you are not always that exhausted after a workout that you drop to the floor. CrossFit is much more than working out hard. Doing CrossFit will improve your strength, technique, coordination, your overall explosiveness etc.
{1} Lie on the ground, put a folded towel under your lower body, the soles of your feet touch each other, knees fall to the sides. Put your stretched arms above your head.
I am in a much better shape and in some respects I think I also got a bit more self-confident by doing CF. What would you tell women who don`t want to lift weights because they are scared of turning into a f emale hulk? I can only tell from my own experiences that it just feels incredible to become stronger, faster and more flexible – especially more sexy - with every day of training, plus it keeps you motivated. My advice: Compare one kilogram of muscle to one kilogram of fat. What has more volume? l
{2} Contract belly muscles and pull yourself up while your fingers pull in the direction of your toes.
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PROFILE
Please describe CrossFit in three words:
NAME: Melissa Wegner
Fit for life!
AGE: 23
When and why did you start CF?
LIVES IN: Ansbach
Mid-2010. I was invited to my first workout by a friend of mine. Since then I have been working out five to six times a week. Why? I was convinced by the CrossFit community. Together you are pushing yourselves through the work outs and that brings you together. We sometimes even meet outside the “box”.
PROFESSION: studies Food Management at the University of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf CROSSFIT-BOX: CrossFit Ansbach CrossFit Vienna
What kind of sport did you do before starting CF? Before CF have never really done any sport seriously. I just did some swimming as a lifeguard and took standard dance lessons. So, during my first workout I noticed immediately that I wasn`t in such a good shape. I couldn`t do any pull-ups or push-ups and couldn`t run a single kilometer without being completely out of breath. How does your typical weekly workout schedule look like? vv Mondays through Wednesdays: Olympic style weightlifting, strength exercises, endurance workout vv Thursdays: rest day vv Fridays: power lifting, endurance workout vv Saturdays: Olympic style weightlifting, a particularly intense workout vv Sundays: rest day What are your favorite and least favorite CF-exercises? I prefer the Olympic weightlifting elements: Clean & Jerk and Snatch. Those exercises take up most of your discipline and need a lot of training but you can actually
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see the progress plus the Snatch just looks really cool. My least favorite CFexercise? You could ask that question every CrossFit athlete and all of them would probably give you the same answer: BURPEES! Or Wallballshots? Or Thrusters? Or…. ? How have your body and face changed since you started doing CF on a regular basis? I have broader shoulders, bigger thighs and my stomach is a bit more flat than before. However, CrossFit is not about idealizing your body, but about getting in GREAT shape. You train for real and everyday life plus you don`t run that easily out of breath anymore carrying water bottles, climbing stairs or helping friends move. My mind has clearly changed as well. CrossFit teaches you life changing lessons, for example to endure the probably hardest five minutes of your life, to just grit your teeth or to keep fighting, even if it’s hard. And I guarantee you that you will feel so
much better and happier after you have finished your workout. The entire team gives its best, you earn the respect of your teammates and you develop a better sense of what your body is capable of. Your work Do you have a nutrition plan or are you on a special diet?
out is our warm-up!
Right now, I follow the so called “Paleo-Diet” to 95%. That means I only eat meat, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruits, some starch-products and no sugar. Noodles, bread and dairy products are strictly forbidden as well. Athletes who follow that diet recover a lot faster after a workout and have much more energy. Besides, my skin looks way better, I also concentrate better and I need less sleep. What about the last 5%? Well, I am also just human. J Do you follow the Paleo diet? And what do you think about it? Yes, and I totally love that diet. At the beginning it was a bit tough. But I just can recommend it to everyone to try 01 /1 5
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Burpee ILLUSTRATION: THN
and follow this diet for an entire month. You can really feel and see the difference afterwards. All of my friends who tried this diet once changed and reorganized their nutrition plans by adding Paleo elements to it. However, no one follows it 100%.
{1} Bend knees, place your hands under your shoulders on the ground
What is your friend’s and family’s opinion on your outstanding commitment to and great enthusiasm for CF?
{2} Jump back with both feet while bending your arms and lowering yourself to the ground.
Do you also sometimes have “weak moments” in everyday life that you just want to spend with your friends on a couch, watching a movie, eating your favorite pizza and a whole box of macadamia nut ice-cream for dessert?
I probably go on people’s nerves since I pretty much talk and post about nothing else but CrossFit. But most of my friends are also into CF. So, all in all I think that all of them are proud of my athletic performances and my commitment to CF and that they always wish me luck.
Mmmmmmh!! Macadamia nut ice-cream!! I told you, I am also just human. J What do you like best about CF? What I like best about CrossFit is the community. That might sound kind of romantic but it’s the truth. Are there any disadvantages? CrossFit is and will always be a lifestyle: Once you have tried CF, it won’t ever let you go! So, RUN!
{3} Revert this motion quickly and quickly jump up. Clap your hands above your head. si st er M AG
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What are the most popular and most common misconceptions or misunderstandings concerning CF? First: As soon as women start lifting weights they will soon look like bodyguards. Second: CrossFit is not for beginners. Both are wrong. What advice would you give to a CF newcomer? Especially at the beginning it can be really tough – not to mention taking the stairs after a workout. But it`s definitely worth persevering. What does CF mean to you and what is the greatest impact CF had or has on your life? For me CrossFit is more than just some kind of sport, it is a lifestyle. Every day I am looking forward to working out and I am not exaggerating. I am proud of my body and want stay fit and healthy for many more years to come which is why I watch my diet as well as my way of life, even outside the “box”. What would you tell women who don`t want to lift weights because they are scared of turning into a female hulk?
When life knocks you down, do a Burpee!
Doing CrossFit you will get more muscles. But the fear of turning into a female bodybuilder is completely unfounded. And those who don’t want to believe me should take part in a CF-workout and have a closer look at all the women who are working out at the CrossFitGym. I would be quite surprised if someone found a female hulk since I haven`t met one yet. 01 /1 7
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Find out even more about the Paleo Diet and Fitness on this blog L.
EAT Meat Fish Seafood Eggs
Diet NOT ALLOWED
Milk & dairy products grains
processed foods, which
Fruits Vegetables Nuts
include sweets and candy, alcohol, instant meals
ILLUSTRATION: EW – ELLIJOT
Honey
The Paleo diet, also referred to as caveman or Stone Age diet, is a modern nutritional plan based on eating plants and wild animals similar to what cavemen are presumed to have eaten during the Paleolithic era. Supporters of the Paleo Diet argue that today’s typical Western diet is responsible for the epidemic levels of si st er M AG
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numerous civilization diseases. Critics on the other hand question the evidence for that thesis referring to various hominid species that didn`t have a consistent diet plan during the Stone Age p eriod (lasted for about two million years) and to the fact that for example quantities of consumed meat also varied. n
INFO: PALEO DIET
Paleo-
HEALTH WARD
Recharge your batteries within 25 days using Ayurveda
DON'T ABSTAIN! REFUEL! Restore your energy, enjoy purer skin, stronger hair, improved digestion and reduced cravings for sweets and meat – doesn’t this sound tempting? After sumptuous holidays and fancy dress parties comes the time to do yourself and your body some good. Fasting is not the only way to regain strength and energy for the warm season: there is now an easier way with less sacrifice. Have you ever been on a fasting cure? No solid food, just
HOW TO GET THE ENERGY KICK It doesn’t take a lot to stimulate your digestive capacity. You can detoxify and still supply your body with everything it needs in order to regain strength and vitality.
water, tea and juices. The Lenten Fast has a long tradition and aims at reinvigorating body and mind. At the same time it helps to lose weight but as we abstain from solid food, our body experiences some kind of an emergency situation: the digestive system is weakened and all the nourishment that is taken in is being stored. This holds true not only for the duration of the fasting period but also for the time afterwards when the body prepares for
Oral hygiene: During the night toxic debris deposits on your tongue and manifests itself in a white coating which should be removed in the morning before brushing your teeth.
the next fasting period and regains the pounds which had laboriously been lost beforehand. Abandon the Abstinence! If you don’t feel tempted by the idea of classical Lenten Fast, try an Ayurveda treatment with green smoothies and wheatgrass drinks instead! Green smoothies consist of leafy vegetables and fruit puréed to delicious smoothies by a high-performance mixer. The leaves are bursting with rich nutrients but are hard to digest. By mixing them, the
The power of water: A glass of warm water just before breakfast activates digestion.
Super-Smoothie: Treat yourself with a daily green smoothie or wheatgrass drink as concentrated source of vitamins, proteins and minerals. 01 /1 9
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cell walls are broken down to make the
of the common wheat plant. It provi-
nutrients bio-available to your body.
des chlorophyll, amino acids, mine-
In case you don’t own a high-perfor-
rals, vitamins, and enzymes. Further-
mance mixer, wheatgrass-drinks are
more wheatgrass contains no wheat
the perfect alternative. Wheatgrass is
gluten, is therefore integrable into a
a food prepared from the cotyledons
gluten-free diet. n
sisterMAG gives it a try! The Feinstoff concept immediately sparked our interest. How does wheatgrass powder taste like? How long does it take to notice the effects – are there any in the first place? We therefore ordered one of the Feinstoff sets to give it a try! You will hear about Thea's experiences in the next sisterMAG issue.
This is how it works:
Have a green smoothie with wheatgrass powder every morning!
What we are going to test?
Whether the Naturya wheatgrass treatment yields the promised effects:
Mix 1 tsp of Naturya wheatgrass powder with ¼ l of water or juice.
—— more energy
Enjoy your smoothie consciously and slowly.
—— stronger hair
Let 20 minutes pass before you start with your breakfast.
—— less cravings for meat and sweets
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—— purer skin —— help sluggish digestion —— rich supply of protein
HEALTH WARD
Try Naturya wheatgrass powder for FREE with Feinstoff & sisterMAG! 1. Become a fan of sisterMAG and Feinstoff on
Facebook!
Lunch habits: The wheatgrass provides your body with sufficient nutrients causing a change in your eating beha vior within 25 days.
2. Send Feinstoff a short message containing
your name and address and a reference to the sisterMAG article. Feinstoff gives away 1 set of Naturya wheatgrass powder (lasts for 40 days) to the first 20 participants! Additionally, Feinstoff gives away a Vitamix TNC 5200 high-performance mixer among all participants who post a short field report on the Feinstoff Facebook wall. From crushed ice to avocado pits – the perfect mixer for green smoothies can handle them all!
Meal times: As there are times of better and weaker digestion you should avoid to eat between 2 and 5 p.m. and – if possible – also avoid meals after 7.30 p.m. Avoid cooling foods: Raw fruit and vegetables should be avoided just as well as dairy products and cheese as these groceries have a cooling effect and thereby impede the digestive fire.
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THE FRANKLIN METHOD: THREE ASPECTS OF MOBILITY Movement starts in your head: How to easily master your daily life with joy, an understanding of your body and the power of imagination. text INGUNN ABRAHAM L
T
he sound of the alarm reminds me
people. Although
that I am meeting a friend tonight to
in the beginning my
go to a new movement class. This class
weaker self just wanted
is based on the work of Erik Franklin
to sit down on the comfortable
who took the idea of ideokinetics
couch, I was happy by the end of the
(image/movement)
class and every fibre of my body felt
to
create
his
revolutionary method of synthesizing
light.
touch,
We are a colourful bunch: the warm,
movement
and
hands-on
anatomy on the basis of the newest human and sports medicine. I am simply hoping for better flexibility and less pain. The flyer seems encouraging and promises an interesting workout based on your own imagination.
delicate musician
movement with
the
educator,
the
occupational
tenseness, the mother and daughter open to a new body experience, a retired couple wanting more flexibility, an eager physiotherapist, an agile
clothes
woman in her 40’s with back problems,
and a water bottle, I enter the bright
my friend with a damaged knee and
ballet hall with its shining mirrors
me with my hip pain. First, we are told
and beautiful wooden floors, ready to
to feel what is going on inside our body
relax my neck among a small group of
for two to three minutes. How are we
Armed
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with
comfortable
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left arm. Easier, higher, further. I am actually stunned by how the power of imagination affects my flexibility. feeling physically today, right here, right now? This particular, intensive way of self-perception is going to be an important part of the three-hour class and fully opening up to it will lead to several new body experiences.
The following coordination exercises make our brains receptive to actively focus on the shoulder girdle. I “sponge” the shoulder muscle which means I squeeze it with one hand while imagining how used water is pressed out of the muscle. With delight, I feel fresh spring water flowing into it. We
We take each other’s hands and swing
try to imagine different pictures: for
our arms with strong impulses, let
example how melting ice cream, liquid
them swing with the lightness of the
honey or a warm bubble bath glide
moment. Then, we raise our left arm -
down over our shoulder girdle. After
but only in our t houghts - with the help
practicing the left side, I notice how
of our imagination. Repeat. Sense the
relaxed my left shoulder looks in the
aftereffects. And to my great surprise,
mirror. It is about an inch lower than
I discover that while swinging both of
the right one. But there is more. Hip
my arms one after the other, it is a lot
flexibility, bounce and elasticity of my
easier to do so for my mentally-trained
left leg are by far better than those 01 /1 3
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of my right leg. Now the other shoulder is in need of training to balance things out. We sit on mats in a circle and curiously listen to explanations about the human anatomy. How the body is built up, what moves where and how bones and muscles, even organs, organ systems, connective tissue and blood vessels are part of the respective movements.
How the trunk and arm are organized,
comes almost too early, I could have
how the arm is connected to the body
stayed like this a while longer.
and what the shoulder girdle does.
Still lying down but now without an
In pairs of two, we focus on movements
exercise partner, everyone puts balls
again and feel how the different that are specifically designed for the
si st er
muscles react to each exercise.
Franklin Method under their shoulder
Afterwards, during a constructive
blades, and later under the upper arms
break, my exercise partner lies on the
too in order to shift the upper body in
floor and I gradually slide my hands
all directions. Rolling the ball is easier
and arms under his shoulder girdle.
on the joints than for instance doing
Even as a beginner, I can clearly feel
exercises on the machines at the gym.
how his shoulder blades sink into my
To put the method to one last test, each
hands like two heavy bags of grains
of us chooses their preferred picture
and how they relax, regroup and get
for their imagination. And I can see
tonified. We switch. Now it is my turn to
the result in the mirror – shoulders
relax completely.The waking-up part
hanging loosely on my relaxed and
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HEALTH WARD I understand that a little effort of imagination can improve personal and / or specific activities, whether I'm sitting at my computer, standing in the k itchen or walk around.
swinging diaphragm, the kidney as the door to vitality, preventing arthritis in the hip joint, the lungs in motion and upright body. The
the harmonic nervous system. n
brain saves this state of feeling good, and it can access this memory later if we are in need of relaxation.
The
Franklin
Method®
is
being
evaluated in Germany at the moment and is about to be recognized by insurance
We end the class dancing or rather
companies. The Franklin Method is the
gliding freely through the room, space-
only physical training method worldwide
consuming and light as a feather. I
that primarily focuses on working with
have come to understand that the
mental pictures. What makes it so
small effort of imagining something
special is that this method turns away
can improve personal and/or specific
from machines and a predetermined
activities, whether I am sitting at
set of exercises. Whether you are a
my desk working on the computer, beginner or have experience with standing in the kitchen or walking exercising, whether you are young or somewhere. old – everyone can learn the FM and We all plan to come back for more
use it whenever and wherever.
classes: We will continue the journey
For more information, books and
through our bodies and continue
addresses for training visit
exploring the dynamic spine, the
www.franklin-methode.ch L 01 /1 5
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Knit Section
Knitting
Gorgeous Knitting Supplies
Illustration: ThN
KNIT SECTION
text Leonie Kau L
January 2012. A typical January in Hamburg: the days are short, mostly grey and very cold. The magic of Christmas is gone, the energy we still had at the turn of the year – paired with our good intentions – gradually fades. Good wishes for the new year still reverberating in our lives, everybody secretly yearns for spring. At least this is the way I feel. My education and training is finished, the job search still in process but I'm still not entirely sure in which direction I should steer my life. In this mood, I receive a call from a dear friend. We chat about this and that and plan the next reunion. Finally she asks me, if I would like to visit a knitting class with her. In the latest issue of a German lifestyle magazine she found out about a little knitting café in Hamburg’s »in«district Schanze and that there was still space in the next beginners’
class. Next day we sign up for the course in early February. And my journey begins. When I first opened the door to »mylys«, I had no idea how regularly I would be visiting this space over the next few months, how many more times I would open this door. »mylys« L (which means my local yarn store, a common term in the English language, but not very known in Geman), opened by Naima Hakim in March 2010, has two doors. The right one leads directly into a yarn store. Hand-dyed wool by different manufacturers from around the world is piling up in white shelves in the foyer area. The two rear rooms invite visitors to linger: for example by spending time spooling wool, browsing in knitting books and magazines, exchanging ideas and – of course – by knitting. In one of these rooms our course begins. 01 /1 9
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mylys Hamburg
Betta, the teacher for the next three evenings, introduces herself and the project she especially designed for the beginner’s course. We will all end up with a handmade hat, I note in disbelief. I start In the my first experiments following under the strict, yet patient eyes months I of Betta. The other continue my course members, I feel, journey. Or is are more likely to be knitting the described as »returners« journey it to knitting, to whom this self? course is addressed as well. After a little practice at home I finally get the hang of knitting – and cannot put down my needles anymore. My hat is slowly growing, stitch after stitch. I really enjoy the feeling of wool in my hands and the sound of my knitting needles. At that point, I still cannot imagine which options knitting will open up to me. At last, on the third day of the course, I have learned all the basics that you need for knitting (and I don’t realize this until much later as
well). Betta patiently finishes up the threads of my head and I am proud about my first self-knitted project. In the following weeks I am a constant guest of »mylys«, I discover
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the numerous English and German knitting magazines, search for wool for new hats, which I give away to my loved ones, and plan new projects. I experience a »Knit Night« for the first time – this is an open knitting meeting held in the winter months every second Friday in the shop – and I am delighted! Knitting together is colourful, entertaining, helpful and always inspiring. When I want to be part of this community, I enter »mylys« through the second door, the one to the left. It leads to a small café where homemade treats and sweets are served. Enjoying the special atmosphere of the space, I sit there and knit. And thank goodness that shop and café are interconnected – that way I can easily get new wool without the inconvenience of travelling across the city! In the following months I will continue my journey. Or is knitting the journey itself? – In July I visit Paris and one of my first ways in the city leads to »la droguery«, a beautiful handicraft
shop in the 1st arrondissement. Here crafters of the 21st century can find everything they yearn for. Some things I quickly recognize like the large ball winder, on which an employee handles large hand-dyed wool strands and forms them into balls, where the thread flows easily from the centre. Or the books and magazines that provide inspiration for future projects. But there are also new items: small, thematic magazines, which are self-published by »la droguerie« L or small boxes with all materials (tutorial, wool, little accessories like buttons etc.) for a small project, mostly for toddler or baby clothing – I spontaneously name them »ready-to-knit«-boxes. I haven’t seen such boxes in Germany yet. I want to save the idea, maybe create my own little boxes to give away to other knitting enthusiasts. Before I leave the shop I choose a few buttons to sew onto my first handmade cardigan. That way I can sew a little memory of my trip to yet another beautiful handicraft shop 01 /1 3
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onto my own garment. Whenever I close the buttons on my jacket, I am reminded of a beautiful summer day in Paris. The highlight of all my voyages in 2012 is definitely »loop« L: A knitting shop situated in the heart of London. Experts call it »knitters’ heaven«. Rumours say that it might be the most wonderful shop in Europe. At home at »mylys« I am assured that every knitter, who travels to London, must definitely visit this little two storey shop full of wool, wonderful haberdashery accessories and with a unique atmosphere. However, it will still be a while before I push open the heavy wooden doors in Islington.
si
In the meantime, it is early fall, I somehow stumble upon »ravelry« L – the network for knitters and crocheters. It really was only a matter of time. For a few days I cannot stop logging on and quickly realize why this site is a must-have for any knitter. My enthusiasm for this site is still as untarnished as on the first day, which is why I don’t even
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know where to start with telling you about the possibilities of this (free) membership platform. Apart from your own notebook, where you can save your projects, add pictures, tips and notes, you will find a vast number of tutorials (including a large number of free instructions), information about wool and their manufacturer, forums and groups. First and foremost: you will find inspiration! The possibilities seem endless to me. I can look for releases of my favourite designers, check out what other people have done with the wool I recently purchased. Using the function »friend activity« I can follow my friends’ projects, see what they plan to knit or add them to my
favourites. In short: it is wonderful (caution: highly addictive) and definitely worth a visit. At the end of November I return from a trip to London. I bring back a nicely labelled bag reading »loop – gorgeous knitting supplies« which is filled with wool and memories of another store. Like all the other experiences from the last few months, this visit has charmed me. Knitting and everything about it makes me happy. The voyage, as I have discovered in my first year as a knitter, is infinite. It begins everywhere and ends nowhere. It enriches, changes you, it infects you and – foremost – always leaves you wanting more. n
Links for your »voyage«: eL d s. ly y m : rg u b m a H s ly My Loop London: loopknitti
ng.com L
erie.co Droguerie Paris: ladrogu
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Ravelry: ravelry.com L
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Photos Cristopher Santos L Styling Eva-Maria Neubauer L Makeup & Hair Barbara Laneve L Model Stiene Vandenbulcke
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Handmade pullover with fur sleeves – Download tutorial & pattern D || Skirt made of shiny fabric – Tutorial in sisterMAG N°1 || High Heel Pumps in Brown: Cinti via Zalando || Bracelets: Nomination L
Lime-coloured swea ter: COS L || Checked skirt inspired by Louis Vuitton: handmade – tutorial in the next issue || Golden flats: Kurt Geiger L
Handmade top made of fake fur – tutorial in the next issue || Jeans: stylist's own || Pumps in Black: andrea puccini || Necklace "Sahara": Sveva via reyerlooks.com L
Handmade crochet pullover in mint green || Violet bonnet: Escada Sport || Mint coloured pants: ZARA TRF || Pointy flats with silver tip: Stuart Weitzman || Silk scarf: COS
Hand-painted polo shirt pullover: Esprit || Skirt is painted and stamped using potatoes: Download tutorial D || Blue high heels with bow: Palazzo Bruciato L || Purse with crocodile leather appearance: F urla L
Handmade cotton pullover: Download tutorial D || Wide circle skirt with floral pattern: handmade || Belt: stylist's own || Blue pumps with bows: Palazzo Bruciato L
How to make it right
Knitting Instructions and their hidden messages text  Victoria Kau L
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The design of this page was inspired by Breanna Rose's wallpaper »Floral« L
Do you still remember how you
it to you. You can then just
learned to ride a bike? I do very clearly:
imitate him/her and learn
how my dad held on to the back rack
it for yourself. Before
while pushing me from behind and
there were books,
promising not to let go. After a short
most
while he did anyway – and I could
whether
suddenly ride all by myself!
or physical, was
It is this particular moment that I still
transferred orally.
recall – our garden, my little bicycle, and my summer dress. I, however, don’t remember how I actually learned bike riding. Just like I don’t remember how I learned swallowing, speaking, or walking. This is because these actions belong to the category of tacit
knowledge, mental
With the invention of book printing and
Knitting is one of those physical techniques that – once learned – becomes implicit.
textbooks
(that only dealt with teaching
arts,
crafts
or other techniques) using words as well as images became
knowledge. Tacit knowledge is the
popular.
kind of knowledge that is difficult to
Knitting is one of those physical
transfer to another person by means
techniques that – once learned –
of writing it down or verbalising it.
becomes implicit. However, learning
It’s simply knowledge you possess
knitting without a teacher is quite a
without knowing why or how.
challenge. Today, books, magazines,
The best way to acquire tacit knowledge
and video tutorials seek to bridge that
is to have someone show and explain
gap.
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Knitting is uncomplicated enough to be fun, and adequately demanding not to get boring.
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For centuries, knitting was taught in
considered lazy and at odds with pu-
families, guilds or convents. Back in
blic decency. Every book contained a
those days knitting was a much more
foreword in which the author admo-
private matter. People earned a living
nished the reader to be industrious
with knitting and trained apprentices.
and obedient – virtues all combined
Only in the 17th century did instructi-
in no better activity than knitting.
on manuals (also called how-to-texts)
Knitting is uncomplicated enough to
become a known book genre that prospered with the breakup of the guilds in the 18th century. Authors of these books tried - with detailed instructions and drawings - to demystify the technique of knitting. It is however assumable, that girls (and a few boys) had usually learned knitting at school or at home already. These books therefore served as further education.
be fun, and adequately demanding in order not to get boring. A very useful means, therefore, of keeping women quiet - especially as there were far more than just socks to knit. In the 19th century, a great variety of beautifully designed magazines appeared containing knitting, sewing and crocheting instructions. Large with wonderful graphics and model drawings,
si st er
At that time, knitting had become an
they encouraged women to produce
occupation used to teach girls and
numerous (often useless) items. Not
women virtues and moderation. They
only were there tons of bags, hats and
were expected to stay at home, pro-
tablecloths, but also egg bags, foot
duce something useful without being
covers and little bags for threads and
employed (which was then taboo) and
cut-offs. The high-quality magazines
keep their minds off any possible de-
as well as the pretty crafts in them
baucheries. According to these dog-
tempted the customer and crafter
mas, knitting books of that time burst
into buying, browsing and imitating.
with moral obligations. If a woman
Thus both magazine and crafted item
didn’t knit or sew at home she was
became a must-have and must-do; a
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Modische Masche, 1/1968 reward for eye, hand and mind – and
men at the front and were economi-
a well-camouflaged ideology.
cal with theirs. In the pages of 1940s
In the beginning of the 20th century,
Vogue, you could learn to unravel old
women began to defend themselves against the female obligations of the time. They left their homes, took up
pullovers and knit new ones from the wool, if you so wished. Who would want to give up style just because of
sports, established associations and
war?
fought for their rights to vote. As a
In the post-war period, knitted fashi-
result, the moralising remarks in the
on was no longer in demand but by the
knitting books gradually diminished.
1970s, the natural homespun look had
Magazines that once only featured
become fashionable and knitting was
craft topics, now also dealt with po-
popular once more. In the GDR espe-
litical and societal subjects. Knitted
cially, crafting became a huge trend.
items become more practical, looser,
Stylish clothes were hard to come by
and more comfortable. In addition,
and everyone walked around in the
the two World Wars brought an end
same clothes, prompting the rise of
to the innocence of knitting. Efficient
DIY. There were a few GDR magazines
women knitted warm clothes for their
that contained crafting instructions as 01 /1 3
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well as re-
The fact of the matter remains that
quests made to
no text, drawing or photograph can
the female reader to produce
teach knitting as well as a real per-
something for practical - as well as
son. This is once more proved by the
aesthetic - purposes. The message
knitting video tutorials, which can
was clear: use your spare time wisely,
be found on countless video portals,
thank you very much!
blogs and websites. These tutorials
One of the most famous magazines
are living proof of skill sharing. As
of the period was Pramo (a German abbreviation for practical fashion). It contained a lot of removable patterns and instructions. At that time, photographs were used for the first time to show the knitters’ hands and the wool in detail. When compared with the drawings of the last century, si
these did little to further the cause.
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often and whenever they like, users can watch their own private teacher - ideally only his/her hands and viewed from his/her perspective. Digital media hence encourages the popularity of analogue pursuits. Craft fans, it seems, spend as much time seated in front of their computer screens as they do with their craft projects. The virtual and the tactile appear to now
KNIT SECTION Modische Masche, 1/1968
There is no other craft that has been charged with as many connotations as knitting.
coexist in a 21st century symbiosis
as a natural, physical
of sorts. In addition to the videos, the
act. More often than
users happily propagate ecological
not, there is usually a
and individualistic messages. Keen
secondary purpose be-
knitters are often seen to be creative
hind the act. Whether peo-
idealists who abhor mass production
ple knit in order to earn a living,
and cheap labour.
to subordinate to the patriarchal soci-
If you take a closer look at the texts,
ety, or to make an individualistic-eco-
images, and videos about knitting in the past decades and centuries, you may notice they are a lot more than
logical statement, there is no other craft that has been charged with as many connotations as knitting - in the
technical instructions. They become
instructions as well as the practice.
- in accordance with the particular
An instruction is an instruction is an
social context - guidelines for life or
instruction but it is worth searching
even for making it right. Knitting is
for the secondary, hidden meaning be-
one thing. Regardless of whether it is
hind age-old pastimes. Not to worry,
taught by a person, book, or video, it
though – these little manipulations
is quickly internalised and performed
are mostly harmless. n 01 /1 5
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The lovely team from Purl Soho l in New York are an institution when it comes to knitting, DIY and blogging! Their projects always become instant hits in the bloggosphere, on Pinterest and Facebook. For this special edition of sisterMAG they allowed us to share the instructions for their "Super Soft Merino Hats" with you! Photos: Purl Soho L
Materials Purl Soho's Super Soft Merino l, 100% merino wool, 87 yards per skein. How much Super Soft Merino each hat requires: »» Baby - about 36 yards »» Toddler - about 47 yards »» Kid - about 58 yards »» Women's - about 69 yards »» Men's - about 80 yards A US #11, 16-inch circular needle A set of US #11 double pointed needles A jumbo stitch marker (optional)
The Pattern Gauge 3 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch
Finished Sizes Baby (Toddler, Kid, Women's, Men's) 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) inches circumference 6 (6 3/4, 7 1/2, 8 1/4, 9) inches high
Basic Hat Pattern THE CUFF
Cast 36 (42, 48, 54, 60) stitches onto the circular needles. Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches. round 1: *K3, p3, repeat from * to end of round. Repeat round 1 four (4, 5, 5, 6) more times. THE BODY
Knit every round until piece measures 4 1/2 (5, 5 1/2, 6, 6 1/2) inches from the cast one edge. THE CROWN
Baby: start the crown with round 9 Toddler: start with round 7 Kid: start with round 5 Women's: start with round 3 Men's: start with round 1 01 /1 7
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One Stripe Hat 1: *K8, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (54 stitches) round
round
2: Knit.
round 3: *K7, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches) round
4: Knit.
5: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (42 stitches) round
round
6: Knit.
round 7: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (36 stitches) round
8: Knit.
Changing to double pointed needles... 9: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (30 stitches) round
10: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches) round
11: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (18 stitches) round
12: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (12 stitches) round
Following the Basic Hat Pattern (above)... With Color A, cast on and knit the cuff. Cut Color A. With Color B, knit to 1/4 inch of crown. Cut Color B. With Color A, knit 1 round and then knit the crown.
Three Stripe Hat Following the Basic Hat Pattern (above)... With Color A, knit the cuff and the body until piece measures 2 (2 1/4, 2 1/2, 2 3/4, 3) inches from the cast one edge. Cut Color A. With Color B, continue to knit the body for 2 (2 1/4, 2 1/2, 2 3/4, 3) more inches. Cut Color B. With Color C, knit 1 round, then knit the crown.
Pinstripe Hat
round
13: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (6 stitches)
Following the Basic Hat Pattern (above)...
Cut the tail and thread it through the remaining stitches. Weave it into the inside of the hat. Weave in the other
With Color A, knit the cuff.
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*With Color A, knit 2 rounds. With Color B, knit 1 round. Repeat from * to end of hat.
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MINI-INTERVIEW
Pinstripe Hat
YOU HAVE A VERY STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE! HOW HAVE YOU GAINED THIS REACH?
One Stripe Hat
By creating meaningful content and by selling only our most favorite things. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE CRAFTING RESSOURCES ONLINE AND OFFLINE?
We find most of our inspiration in nature and beautiful imagery. WHY DO YOU THINK, YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO KNIT AND
Three Stripe Hat
Basic Hat (one colour)
CROCHET AGAIN?
There are so many inspiring things going on out there in the craft world now, so we believe they have more exposure to it than ever before. FAVOURITE PROJECT FROM PURL BEE BLOG?
The Double Seed Stitch Blanket l made with our new Super Soft Merino yarn. This ran on our blog in January of this year. 01 /1 9
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THE CRAFTERS ist a regular series in sisterMAG where we introduce people and their creative craft or profession.
„HELLO! WE’ RE POM POM. NICE TO MEET YOU.» text LEONIE KAU L With this lovely (as well as unusual)
wonderfully colourful and refreshing,
welcoming Meghan Fernandes and
is supposed to become something
Lydia Gluck introduced themselves
meaningful and lasting hence also
and their new knitting magazine to
translates their own understanding
their readers in May 2012. The first
of craftsmanship and handmade into
editorial explained their idea to create
print. »We're going to make sure
a »bright, new knitting magazine« and
every issue of ›Pom Pom‹ is one you're
therefore engaged every knitter right
going to want to settle down with,
away since many of them feel that
mug in hand, to read through and then
a lot of magazines on the market
revisit again and again for the patterns
right now are too classic and
and projects«, is how they therefore
some even feel a little dusty.
address their readers in Issue 2 which
This is at least the feeling Lydia (25) and Meghan (28) had when they first met three years ago through work, at »loop« L, a famous yarn shop in Islington,
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was published in late summer 2012. »Pom Pom« is not supposed to be an ordinary magazine. The goal is that the issues will grow into their creative readers’ hearts – and shelves!
London. Their common joy for
And it seems that they already have
creativity and knitting bound
reached this goal. The booklet, printed
them together right away.
on high quality paper, has its very
You can literally feel this
own unique charm. The photographs,
passion just by holding one of
for which so far only friends and
the now four A5 sized issues
acquaintances have posed, the text,
of »Pom Pom«. The magazine,
layout and, of course, the knitting,
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crochet and recently craft instructions
to the worldwide interest in »Pom
have a distinctive character. The
Pom«, which wants to take up this
presentation is lovely and thoughtful
vibe, further develop it and allow
with attention to detail. Anyone who
»intelligent creative types« a modern
orders an issue receives a lovely
approach to knitting. However, Lydia
packed parcel, the magazine nicely
and Meghan do not limit their target
wrapped in fine paper and each with
audience to a specific age group, but
a personal note. Besides knitting
want to reach all people who like the
patterns, which are certainly the focus
style of their magazine. Since this is so
of the magazine, you can find crochet
colourful, something can be found for
patterns, short articles about knitting
everyone’s taste buds. This diversity
and great recipes.
might also result from the fact that,
When asked about the source of their
since Issue 2, other independent
inspiration, the two founders name
designers have started contributing
different influences. Lydia says that
and publishing patterns in »Pom Pom«.
she still draws much inspiration from
Quality is extremely important to
her year abroad in Mexico. However, the
the two young editors, which is why
British capital probably plays the most
the curation and selection of each
important role for the two
Londoners-by-
choice, who originally come from the U.S. and Wales. This revelation is not surprising at all when you look around London. The city is young, colourful and diverse – aspects that si
of course contribute
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individual instruction is crucial. Their
that long, you might want to take a
motto: »All killer – no filler«. And there
look online and check out their blog L,
really aren’t any placeholders in the
which takes on the feel of their paper
four issues, 500 copies were printed
issues. There, »Pom Pom«-readers
of each. The first edition is sold out
are kept up-to-date, get little tastes
completely and the demand is growing
of the next issue and are sometimes
worldwide. Lydia and Meghan proudly
even treated with a free pattern.
report that »Pom Pom« already travels
Dear »Pom Pom«, nice to meet you,
to Australia, Japan and New Zealand.
too! See you very soon.
While we are still struggling with winter in Europe, Meghan and Lydia are sitting in their studio in London’s east and are already working on the fifth edition of »Pom Pom«, which will be published in May, picking up the »Camping Vibe«. If you cannot wait
b e w e h t n o m o P m o P
g.com L Website: pompomma L g a m m o p m o p @ r: te Twit Pom Pom at Ravelry L
and Etsy L
Styling: sisterMAG L si
Photos: Ashley Lud채scher L
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Wool: Artesano Yarns L Location: Wolff Verlag Berlin L
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When
we
decided
for knitting as a focus
Wonderful natural wool in blue and brown from the British Online Shop artesano . The wool looks especially nice when displayed in baskets or enamel bowls.
of this issue, we definitely wanted to have a knitting party. The party took place at the historical address of "Unter den Linden" in Berlin Mitte. While enjoying tea and a piece of cake, some handled their first stitches, while others continued working on their pullover project. On the next pages you will find many ideas and tips for your own knitting party. Have fun with our projects, recipes and DIYs with tutorials and 01
patterns for download.
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N rty NITicSkEpCaTIO SKtr
A big chunk of bright red yarn welcomes our guests at the big entrance door. This red yarn leads up the stairs to the first floor, where our party takes place in the rooms of Wolff Verlag L, a small publishing house, focused on history, art and literature.
An afternoon at Unter den Linden
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Books & magazines For our friends who still need an idea for their next project, we put out knitting books and magazines. We use little pom poms in different colours as bookmarks (click on the scissors to see the tutorial)
Anna (above) studies an old pattern. Ashley (bottom right) forages for ideas in vintage issues of the magazine ÂťGarn & WolleÂŤ. Wonderful: vintage magazines from the 50s. You can find them on ebay or at flea markets.
top: The bouquets are tightly wrapped in white yarn. Dipped into water they soak the water and will hold up for a few hours standing nicely in a corner without a vase.
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Marshmallows covered in white chocolate. The wooden sticks are wrapped in colourful wool.
Circles and balls are the theme of the party: pompoms, balls of wool or our cake centerpiece: it is a nut cake with chocolate frosting, fully covered in chocolate hazelnut balls.
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The walls are covered with oversized prints of old fashion magazines (click on the printer to download some pictures). The buffet is brimming with marshmallow sticks, our ball cake, colour足 ful sweets, home足made chocolate and mini blueberry cakes.
A sweet buffet
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Tea cocktail
stick decora used marmelade can find their gla your leftover ya Secure end with h a wooden stick g
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Little balls Delicious tea cocktail for chilly of wool on a afternoons: Infuse peppermint ate each glass (we and green tea. Pour 10 ml elderjars). Thus, everyone flower syrup into each glass, fill ass again. Simply roll up with the tea. Add a slice of arn into little balls. lemon. hot glue and glue on k. Fixate with hot glue.
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A square-cut basket serves as goodie bag for our guests. It is filled with wool from artesano, a handmade letter (made out of wire – download tutorial below) and a white primrose. As decoration we made knitting needles using wooden sticks and beads, dipped in blue paint.
Chocolate & wool
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On the right: handmade chocolate, wrapped in transparent paper. It is super easy and you can get very creative. Our guests got white chocolate with cranberries and pecans, as well as dark chocolate with dates, popcorn and some almonds. Simply melt chocolate, pour onto aluminium foil and sprinkle on dried fruits, nuts etc.
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KNIT SECTION
The best reward is to take home a finished project at the end of the afternoon. On Pinterest we found these L little, crocheted bows. At our party, several of these cute accessories were knitted. We created a tutorial for you to download (click on the scissors).
Knitted bow
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Outlook OUTLOOK
Outlook April
We visit BARI where local Paola shows us around.
Already read all of the articles in this magazine, even knitted a pullover along the way? Well, it won't be long until our next issue in April 2013! The focus will be on one of our favourite holiday destinations – a country full of opposites …! The rooms will include a beauty parlour, a cinema and of course a big kitchen – after all sisterMAG visits Italy! Spring Greens: Giulia creates recipes that bring spring into our k itchen!
Jeans and shine: sisterMAG shows you how to sew and recreate the looks of the runway!
IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA OR WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO SISTERMAG, JUST SEND US A MESSAGE TO MAIL@SISTER-MAG.COM
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IMPRINT sisterMAG – A Journal for the Digital Lady www.sister-mag.com eMail mail@sister-mag.com Twitter @sister_mag Facebook fb.com/sister.magazin Editor in Chief Deputy Editor in Chief Fashion Director
Theresa Neubauer Antonia Neubauer Eva-Maria Neubauer
Contributing Editors (Text)
Ingunn Abraham, Jenni Fuchs, Lea Hilsemer, Katharina Höhnk, Elodie Love, Leonie Kau, Victoria Kau, Max Krüger, Donata Proske, Sandra Wolff Contributing Editors (Photo) Sivan Askayo, Judith DeGraff, Ashley Ludäscher, Katharina Rose, Sibylle Roessler, Cristopher Santos Design Illustration Translation Proof
Theresa Neubauer (Art Dir.), Judy Torgard Elisabeth Weber Sabrina Bäcker, Kathrin Greyer, Sarah Müller, Antonia Neubauer, Donata Proske Marina Engelhart, Chinyere Feasey, Simone Haffner, Nicole Hawkesford, Laura Keitel, Isabelle Koelling, Katharina Kraatz, Amy McCracken, Marisa Nöldeke, Antje Reiche, Rachna Sahni
Published bi-monthly by Carry-On Publishing GmbH, c/o Neubauer, Korsörer Str. 7, 10437 Berlin, Germany. Re-use of content is only allowed with written permission of p ublisher. There is no liability for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. Management
Antonia Neubauer, Theresa Neubauer, Alex Sutter
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Alex Sutter (Sales Dir.) Christine Wolgast Antonia Neubauer (Marketing Dir.), Donata Proske 01 /1 9
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