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12/29/2010

Knifes and coconut milk

This is going to be one of our weird posts. At least for those of you who come here for artsy photography.

Since Chris asked for it I present my new knives on this blog.


These are Twin knives (http://www.zwilling.com/) of the Five Star series. It's a Santoku-knife (the big one) and a veggie knife (the small one). The good thing about the Twin website is that there is a kind of guide to knifes, so that you can "choose" the right one for what you want to do with it. I needed a big knife for cutting things like cabbage, until yesterday I only owned steak-knives from ikea and they just don't cut it. ;-) Though steak-knives are perfect for cutting tomatoes because of their saw.
Anyway, I had narrowed it down to a cooks knife and a Santoku knife via the Twin website, so I went to Leipzigs Culinaris shop. Which is the place to go if you need any kitchen accessoiries. After looking around for a few minutes, which is always a good thing in this shop, because there is so much to discover, I asked for the knives and told them I couldn't decide between a Santoku and a Cooks knife. They were really helpful and showed me the knives and I could take them in the hand and weigh them, which is something you should to before buying a new knife. It has to have the right weight and size for you. Same goes for pans in my opinion.
Unfortunately they "only" had the japanese knives (Global, haiku). Japanese knives are unrivaled in sharpness, handling and so on. Chefs love to work with them. Japanese knives are the premium class for knives and they come at a price. And I simply can't afford a knife (big Santoku of Global)
at the moment that costs 100 bucks, be it perfectly balanced or not. Besides that, I didn't want to have a steel handle (Global knives) and the wooden handle of the "haiku" knives simply felt wrong. Besides, I had more or less decided that I wanted a german knife (depending on the price). So after pondering all this for 5 minutes I've decided to get my knife somewhere else and left, feeling a bit guilty for not buying my knife there. However, I had bought other stuff there in the last months and I will go back there, when I need something else. Culinaris is such a fantastic shop.
I went to a big department store of which I knew that they had Twin knives, where I needed 20 minutes to decide which Santoku knife to buy. I tried different handles and took a good look at the blade. And then decided to get this set, because the handle felt right and the blades are fine. It isn't exactly the most inexpensive series of Twin, but it was on sale so I had to pay a few bucks less, then normally.
I've used the veggie knife yesterday evening for a zucchino and an apple, NICEEEEEEEEE. So far, I can recommend Twins veggie knife.


Since I'm back on the Paleo lifestyle (http://robbwolf.com/, http://www.thepaleodiet.com/,
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/, http://evolvify.com/ ), I "needed" to get coconut milk. The best place to get it are Asian markets, they offer several versions of it, while you get only one version at the common grocery store and that isn't pure (carrageen and other stuff). It took me a bit of reading the ingredients lists, but I found this one, which was the only pure one (only coconut and water) at this store, the others all contained E-numbers and therefore aren't safe options. I mean, who except nutrition chemists know what those E-numbers mean and what those ingredients do to your body?! Personally I don't like to eat "food" that contains artificial substances, which sound like chemical weapons.


This coconut milk you can drink pure or use it like cream in soups or stews. It gives food a tropical taste and doesn't have the trouble that dairy products can give you. If you have an autoimmune disorder you should stay away from dairy. Also acne can be due to an dairy intolerance, according to Dr. Loren Cordain. Also the best fat to cook is coconut oil (cold pressed), because it stays stable at high temperatures, which olive oil for example isn't. And before you start nagging, the right kind of fat is good for you!! You can read more about it at the above mentioned paleo websites.

And as a reward for you to read on until this, a picture from Chris and my photography walk yesterday.


Take care.

12/28/2010

San, you are right!


Today i spend 5 hours outside in the cold. So i need a little bit of summer feeling. (photographed near Grimma - a gorgeous small town in Saxony)

Chris

After trudging through knee-deep snow


I just needed a bit of summer. XD This is the baltic sea at the westcoast of the Darss, which is a peninsula and perfect for any type of vacation (as long as you don't want a bustling city ;-). Anyway, I just LOVE it.

The picture was shot with my Nikon F90, no alterations and I don't have a clue what kind of film I used.

12/26/2010

winter walk ...


with my boyfriend.


In the last few days a lot of snow fell. Much too much for some roofs. BEFORE YOU GET ANY IDEAS; THOSE PICTURES WERE TAKEN WITH A TELE LENS. I DIDN'T GO INTO THE RESTRICTED AREA OR EVEN UNDER THE ROOF. I LIKE TO LIVE!


This was an old exhibition hall at the AGRA exhibition grounds in Leipzig-Markkleeberg. AND HERE ARE THE PICS TAKEN WITH THE TELE LENS: AGAIN, TAKEN FROM OUTSIDE THE RESTRICTED AREA!!!






JUST IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING: NOBODY WAS HURT, THE HALL WAS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR SOME VEHICLES.

Beware of flat roofs!

Chris

12/25/2010

It's snowing in Leipzig




I'm glad that i can stay in.

Chris

decorate the Christmas tree...

with a little help from my cat



Chris

Mother-in-Law's Cushion or...

Echinocactus grusonii



This cactus is the perfect christmas gift for my "beloved" mother in law ... next year. I think the sharp spines are long enough to bring me tons of pleasure. Please sit down!

Chris

12/23/2010

Merry Xmas!



I wish you a merry and peaceful Christmas!

photographed in Munich (Odeonsplatz - Residenz)

Kitsch as Kitsch can



Liebe Sandy,

Ich musste heute doch noch mal einen Konsumtempel aufsuchen ... ich wollte etwas umtauschen ... und da habe ich das gesehen ... Servietten und eine Japanese Girl Kerze - die Kerze für den Staub ... an irgendetwas muß er sich ja festhalten. Vielleicht muntert es Dich ein wenig auf und hilft Dir beim Japanisch lernen. Ich bringe es Dir am 27. mit.
(Wenn Du willst, kannst Du den Text ins Englische übersetzen, ich hatte keine Lust mehr dazu).

Chris

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays



I wish all of you wonderful holidays with your loved ones. Enjoy your time off!

12/21/2010

Poor thing!

Any rest area in Germany. This sweet little plush dog sat on garbage can (a little bit longer). Look at the snow cap. Dosn't he look blue?






Chris

12/17/2010

Gewandhaus zu Leipzig - Lamp



Took them last Sunday after the Ravel / Debussy concert, which was awesome. And so it this Lamp that lights the staircase over several floors.

12/16/2010

Don't Lose Your Head!



Christmas is not far off...just 8 days left to buy Christmas gifts. I've already bought one. I hope you're well-planned ;)

Chris

12/13/2010

Munich Botanical Garden & Pop Eyes


My name is Pop Eyes. I'm at home in the Munich Botanical Garden. Have you ever seen one like me?! I'm very trusting and playful. Come and see me soon! Further informations on www.botmuc.de

And now some leaves...




Chris

12/12/2010

reflection



photographed at Mercedes Benz showroom; Brienner Street 1, Munich

Chris

12/10/2010

Three is a magic number


Taken by San in her new flat during the move. Golden hour at 3 PM, I hate the darkness during the winter months. Can I please move to Hawaii?

 As it looks one technology issue is solved, but two others remain. So for the time being you still have to bear with us.

In any case, we also have good news for you, soon another photographer will join us. Li will take on the city of Markkleeberg for starters. And San is bubbling over with ideas for combined effort shots.


Have a great weekend everyone.

12/09/2010

Leipzig at Night series - shadows of the gate

Gate at the municipal departement store at night.

Bear with us, we are both (Chris and San) in technology trouble.

12/02/2010

11/26/2010

Munich

I haven't seen or photographed a lot in Munich, but this will change soon enough.

Munichs Sight No. 1, the Church of Our Lady, I already took a picture of it. Though I haven't been to it, so far. Other things are more important to me at the start, like where to shop, where's the next cinema, is there a sports ground and a swimming pool? And even more important will I find new nice friends and where? How long will it take to lose my saxon accent? From all german accents it is the most unpopular and Germans like to make fun of it.

This is the Marien Square with the Town Hall in the center of Munich.

11/25/2010

So I moved


and I like it except for the fact, that I'm offline during the night, since I haven't bought a surfstick yet.

11/24/2010

Seeing the light: I'm finally moving out!!!


Good morning everyone. Today is the big day. I'm moving out into my own studio, 2 1/2 weeks of moving and I'm still not completely done and there are some issues to be fixed in the next weeks (finding a nice bathroom mirror, replacement of the bed on Friday, sorting the books, moving the furniture).

But I will finally live my own life!!! No discussions about what to eat, what to wear and what to do. Finally my own "castle". Wohoooooooo.

And we are having the first snow for this season today. XD Fitting since Christmas Market started yesterday evening.

Have a great day everyone.

11/22/2010

Me at the moment, me on Wednesday



The left bowl shows how I feel at the moment, the bowl on the right shows how I'll feel on Wednesday, when I moved out!!

I LOVE THOSE BOWLS!!!!

11/21/2010

The Pinakothek der Moderne



My first museum visit in Munich. I enjoyed it very much!
With four major museums presenting art, works on paper, architecture and design under one roof, The Pinakothek der Moderne is one of the world's greatest collections of 20th and 21th century art.
Sunday ticket costs only 1 €!

Chris

11/20/2010

my sweetest birthday present


When chocolate dresses up you get pralines. Handcrafted chocolates - a perfect piece of art. Look at www.sama-sama.de

Chris

Happy Birthday, Chris



Since you love this blog so much, I thought it would be fun to congratulate you this way.

11/19/2010

Zombies on the Underground - Prejudice


The Underground - my favourite means of transport - fast, on time, warm. But there is something weird about it - I haven't seen one happy or smiling face on the tube - not a single one. Everyone wears the expression on the upper picture. Is everyone frustrated in this city, is there nothing funny around here? I love to laugh and when I think of something nice, I will show it to the world and not hide it.



Why did I look even more sad then the people on the tube yesterday? Me and my boyfriend were dining at an asian eatery. At the next table sat a young couple, maybe they were 20. Both agreed that they would never ever accept someone from eastern germany as a friend on facebook. (Eastern Germany or the "New Federal States" were reunited with Westgermany in 1990. Funny thing we just celebrated 20 years of the German Reunion. You would've thought, that there isn't a border in the heads anymore. )
Ossis are lazy and she would prefer to marry someone from India than an Ossi ("Ossi" is a term for people from the east of Germany, "Wessi" is for people from the West of Germany. When used than they are deprecative.)

They didn't notice that we are from Eastgermany. It makes me feel anxious, that young people have such prejudices. I'm pretty sure that they never met an Ossi or even talked to one. Cross your fingers for me, that this was an exception and not everyone in Munich/Bavaria thinks this way.


Chris

(translation by San - italian writing added by San)

11/17/2010

Combined efforts


Every now and then we (Chris & San) are hitting the road together to take special pictures. 
Since I (San) have also a Style Blog (on headwear) I often need pics of me and sometimes it's better to get them taken by a person and not just the camera with timer and tripod. The above picture is from our Spy Shoot. I brought the idea and clothes and Chris brought camera and editing. I really hope you like it.

There will be much more combined projects to come, so watch out for them.

Cheers,
San (and Chris)

11/14/2010

today is the day - welcome to Munich

Right now i'm on the motorway A 9 - enroute for Munich. Not alone...with a really nice carpool and good music. Leipzig is also the driver's hometown. He works since two years in Munich.

Chris

11/12/2010

Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig - Völkerschlachtdenkmal





The Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig is the largest memorial complex in Europe, with a viewing platform 91 metres above ground. It was erected to commemorate the Battle of the Nations of 1813. Germany remembers the victory of the european army against Napoleon.
Architect: Bruno Schmitz. Construction period: 1898 - 1913.

11/11/2010

11/10/2010