Globalization of interior design

Since last weekend, we now live in an IKEA "Musterwohnung". They even have so-called starter packs that include EVERYTHING you need in your kitchen. It's a pity, they don't have a joint-venture with H&M yet, otherwise I had all I need in one shop...


Well, it's the easiest way to get all you need in just one day. Yes, I'm aware that it is another step towards globalization of culture, but we still plan to add some unique Canadian items over the next months. It's like with fashion - you buy your basic clothes from H&M and add some unique pieces from second hand shops, your grandfather or Armani to create the illusion of individuality.

Oh, and if you wish to go for some original North American culture - there is still

Starbucks

around the corner...

arts and crafts

Last sunday was filled with a lot of arts and crafts. First we (3 to 5 other friends and I) went to the "One of a kind" christmas show at BC Place stadium (football stadium and future host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies) where you can look at/buy clothes, jewellery and other little crafty things from small businesses. It was not "weihnachtlich" at all in a european way but still quite nice, although I didn't buy much.

After that we went out into the sunny november day to the Eastside Culture Crawl, an annual 3-day visual arts festival in East Vancouver. Over 1000 Artists open their studions for the public and you can look at their art and also buy stuff. That was really nice any inspiring.

globalization of schoggi

Noch haben wir hier keine Entzugserscheinungen bezüglich Schweizer Schoggi oder anderen Leckereien. Im Gegenteil. Wir versuchen möglichst keine importierten Waren zu kaufen, sondern die Lokalen Spezialitäten zu probieren und zu fördern. Wenn wir wollten könnten wir hier allerdings Deutsche und Schweizer Produkte ohne Ende kaufen. Das fängt bei Schweizer Käse an und hört bei deutschen Hausschuhen (Birkenstock etc.) auf, es gibt Nutella, Ovomaltine, Lavazza Espresso etc. Allerdigs habe ich gehört dass einige der angeblich europäischen Leckereien mit Vorsicht zu geniessen seien, da einige nicht importiert sondern in Kanada/USA hergestellt werden. Das heisst sie können einige bedenkliche Zutaten enthalten, die in der EU nicht verwendet werden. Zum Beispiel enthalten "made in Canada/USA" Produkte von Lindt und Ferrero oftmals Palmöl, waehrend die europöischen Versionen weniger gesundheitsschädliche Öle verwenden. Und das extrem bedenkliche "High Fructose Coryn Syrup" (HFCS) ist in Nordamerika (insbesondere USA aber auch in Kanada) in vielen Produkten vorzufinden. Guten Appetit!


Display bei London Drug Store, könnte auch irgendwo bei
Denner sein oder?

New appartment

This is how our new appartment looks like now. We have a littel balcony and a terrace and its really light as you can see. Now we have twelve days left to prepare whatever is necessary so we can actually live there! Donations are welcome!!!

running at the beach

No, I am definitely NOT going to practise for the Vancouver Marathon (May 3rd 2009). I just thought since I live right at the beach with great running possibilities and other joggers running by our house the whole day its about time to start too. I bought professional running shoes and after two or three times overthinking this morning I went for the first run at the Kits Beach Park and Vanier Park. Its a beautiful scenery along the beach and the downtown skyline. Of course I am out of shape and the other runners passed me constantly. Still it felt good and I kept going and going for over half an hour. If I get over my "Schweinehund" again, this might be the beginning of a new aera!


Map: greatervancouverparks.com

the little differences

" It's the little differences. I mean they got the same shit over there that they got here, but it's just, just there it's a little different." (Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction)

Example:
Es gibt hier drüben einfach keine "durchschnupfsicheren" (© Tempo) Taschentücher...

My first Starbucks cup

If you ever wondered why anybody should buy one of these ugly Starbuck coffee cups - because it is the only coffee place around, many people go there everyday and if you always take a plastic cup, it's making it even worse. By bringing your own Starbucks cup for a daily refill, you make not only Starbucks but even the environment happy. Or at least your conscience.

Today is the first really bright sunny day since I got here almost a week ago. Its cold and windy but really nice. So I went to the beach for a walk:


Our neighbourhood, two blocks from the beach


Group of jogging mothers at Kitsilano Beach (10:30 am)


Downtown Skyline seen from Point Grey

Vancouver Art Gallery: WACK!! I Jeff Walls I Rapture & Ruin I Kai Althoff

Tuesday was Memorial Day in Canada and after a rich breakfast at Café Zen and walking in the rain, we decided to spend the rest of the day in the Vancouver Art Gallery. Alternatively, we could have participated in the celebrations of the Memorial Day, but most participants were wearing uniforms and I didn't bring my grandfather's POW coat. Well, he always has been a big fan of the US Army who saved his live. So, we got into Vancouver Art Gallery, where the collector made me completely dizzy by flattering how cool my Swiss driving licence was. Well, I doubt that, but anyway...

The first two floors showed WACK!, an exhibition on feminism and arts in the 70s, including pieces of art from painting, installations and performances. Some cool stuff, e.g., many artists playing with her identity like Lynn Hershman, who had constructed the fictional persona of Roberta ("Roberta's Construction") and lived the life of Roberta. After some copycats had created their own Robertas, various Robertas inhabited the US.















On the third floor, some pieces of landscape visualization, e.g., by Vancouver artists Emily Carr, were exhibited. One room showed the mountain as a symbol (see the photo on the left), another the topic of the ruin in landscape art. Which can be seen in the German Bad Muskau Park as well, by the way.

Also on the third floor. some of Jeff Wall's lightboxes were shown. If you're into photography, you really should have a look at his website!














Photo: Jeff Walls

On the last floor, you could smell the new carpet, the artist - or just a crazy hippie in self-made woven clothes - drew attention, and vitrines lured the uncautious visitor. My favourite artist Kai Althoff from Düsseldorf, ok, Cologne..., displayed the dark memories of childhood, rust dripping from the edges of excotic puppets, and his latest working room atelier installation from Berlin. If you have any chance to see him, go!

In summary, I didn't see any coherence in the different exhibitions, but each one was interesting or even inspiring. See you again soon - the next exhibition will be about arts and computer games!

Ankommen in Vancouver

Dagmar und ich sind gut in Vancouver angekommen und nun dabei, uns hier einzuleben. Noch fühlt es sich wie Urlaub an – wahrscheinlich werden wir erst um Weihnachten herum realisieren, dass wir vorerst hier leben. Auf jeden Fall sind wir gut gestartet und es gefällt uns sehr. Unsere jetzige Wohnung ist sehr schön und wir haben eine noch schönere Wohnung für die Zeit danach gefunden. Beide Wohnungen befinden sich in Kitsilano, einem Stadtteil zwischen Downtown und Universität, mit Strand und bekannt als frühere Hippie-Hochburg – für Stadtplaner: heute ist Kits stark gentrifiziert und hat eine ähnliche hohe Dichte an ultahippen Babyshops, Yogakursen, Joggern, Latte-Macchiato-Junkies und dekorativen Hunden in Wolldecke wie Zürich, Berlin Prenzlauer Berg oder Hamburg Eppendorf. Aber schön ist's trotzdem! ;-)

An neuen Modetrends ist uns als erstes aufgefallen, dass fast alle jungen Frauen Gummistiefel in bunten Farben tragen. Sieht nicht nur gut aus, sondern scheint mir eine Notwendigkeit zu sein, da der Dauerregen selbst meine Wanderschuhe durchweicht hat. Wir haben auch schon einige nette Leute getroffen, wobei es uns zugute kommt, dass wir schon drei Vancouverites kennen und darüber hinaus zwei Freundinnen aus Hamburg auch seit August hier sind. Auch die Kanadier auf der Strasse oder im Bus sind sehr offen und nett, es herrscht eine lockere und entspannte Atmosphäre.


Downtown Vancouver an einem verregneten "Rememberance Day"


Pancakes all you can eat im Café Zen


Kitsilano Beach und die Bucht von Vancouver