Movies in your mother tongue
Submitted by supadmin on Fri, 02/05/2010 - 08:00
Today let's celebrate the home of English language cinema in Cologne - Metropolis. From its sticky floors, to its often glitch jinxed showings, Metropolis is an experience in itself. Please don't think I'm trying to bad mouth the place - I love it, and wouldn't have it any other way. Consider the glass and steel, shiny, flashy Cinedom - it has no warmth, no character and absolutely nothing to set it apart from other multiplexes (apart from the Ben and Jerry's ice cream stand in the foyer, of course...). Metropolis has warmth, character and the ability to make you rem
Boho Bauturm in Cologne
Submitted by supadmin on Thu, 02/04/2010 - 08:00
One of the first cafes I went to in Cologne was the Bauturm cafe on Aachener Strasse. I enjoyed a huge frothy coffee and a breakfast menu that set me up for the day. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere laid back and relaxed - perfect for a late Sunday morning brunch. Roll on a few years and nothing has changed at the Bauturm - the staff are as friendly as ever, and the breakfast menu is still exactly what you need after a night out on the tiles.
25 years of poking fun at carnival
Submitted by supadmin on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 08:00
Love it or hate it, carnival is just around the corner, you're either planning your costume, or planning your escape. The street carnival is accessible for everyone and is generally a whole lot of fun - a time when the serious German attitude is replaced with fun and frivolity for five long days. But you might not have experienced the other side of carnival - the committees, the Sitzungen and the many get-togethers with the prince, the farmer and the virgin, the jokes and the "organised fun".
That sweet soul music
Submitted by supadmin on Tue, 02/02/2010 - 08:00
Old school funk/soul fans will love Lee Fields and The Expressions. Born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina, Lee began his singing career, working with the bands that lay the foundation for funk music, including Kool and the Gang, Sammy Gordon and the Hip-Huggers, and Little Royal.
Robert Mapplethorpe at the NRW-Forum
Submitted by supadmin on Mon, 02/01/2010 - 08:00
In February you can see a major retrospective of Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs at the NRW-Forum in Düsseldorf. Mapplethorpe dominated photography in the late twentieth century and paved the way for the recognition of photography as an art form in its own right; he firmly anchored the subject of homosexuality in mass culture and created a classic photographic image, mostly of male bodies, which found its way into commercial photography. Both during his life and since his death (in 1989), Mapplethorpe’s work has been the subject of much controversial debate.
My Daddy is going away - but that's OK!
Submitted by supadmin on Sun, 01/31/2010 - 08:00
Anyone with kids knows how hard it is to be away from the family for any length of time. If you're in a job where trips abroad are a regular occurance, life can be very hard for the family left behind. Which makes this book by British Army officer, Chris MacGregor interesting for soldiers, sailors, airmen, businessmen, truck drivers, doctors, actors and basically anyone who has to spend extended time way from loved ones. "My Daddy's Going Away" seeks to help kids understand and accept their Dad's absence by reducing their anxiety.
What's rockin' on your radio?
Submitted by supadmin on Sat, 01/30/2010 - 08:00
In my car I have six pre-set radio stations - EinsLive, BFBS, Funkhaus Europa, Radio-Köln, Big FM and KölnCampus. The majority are run by big corporations, make huge advertising revenues and play back to back main stream pop. And who do I find myself tuning into the most?
Rock candy heaven
Submitted by supadmin on Fri, 01/29/2010 - 08:00
When I was a kid, the seaside was all about two things - sandcastles and a stick of rock. You never ate the sickly sweet hard candy anywhere else except on a wet, grey, windswept British beach - it almost felt like a consolation prize. And now you can relive all those wonderful memories in the stick of rock shop "Snoepjes" in Düsseldorf. It's a Dutch/German concept where they sell different varieties of "Rock Candy" in a bag - you no longer have to break your teeth on the stuff - they cut it up into bite sized pieces for you. You can also req
Flow it, show it, long as you can grow it, "Hair"!
Submitted by supadmin on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 08:00
You might think it's a bit of a blast from the past, but by staging the 70's cult musical "Hair" at the Bruckenforum, Bonn is a step ahead of the West End in London. Hair tells the story of the "tribe", a group of politically active, long-haired hippies of the "Age of Aquarius" living a bohemian life in New York City and fighting against conscription into the Vietnam War.
Want to raise your IQ and social status? Karaoke is the answer!
Submitted by Johnnyhollywood on Wed, 01/27/2010 - 08:00
Have you ever wanted to be smarter or more popular? Well according to an article in Focus last year, singing can raise your I.Q. and your social status. I can hear many of you saying; "You haven't heard me sing yet!" and I can relate, because I used to feel the same way. Now, after hosting Karaoke shows for the past 2 ½ years I can say I know better. Mind you, I am not saying I am a singing Superstar, but I can hold my own with a few songs. How does singing raise your I.Q.?
