Spring in Frankfurt!

Spring is a good time in Frankfurt. The dark days of winter are finally over and the Germans start to very VERY VERY excited about things. One of the things they like to get excited about is spargel – asparagus. You would not believe how excited these white sticks make the locals…

This was the area outside department store Galeria this morning – a man on a mic, lots of official veggie people, SO many people crowding round to get their hands on asparagus… and a bored sound man eating a sausage sandwich.

But this is what we came for – the green sauce festival! Green sauce is a big thing here in Frankfurt and so we wanted to check out the festival dedicated to this herby, eggy sauce.

There is a closed off section that I think wasn’t open when we went. There are a handful of stalls outside, though, with 3 different green sauces to try with eggs, potatoes and sausages. Sushi circle have some special green sauce themed sushi variaties (none of which are vegetarian friendly) so there are a few things to check out there!

 

Our potatoes, eggs and sauce was so yummy we forgot to take a photo before we dug in! The sauce was pretty sweet and creamy. I much prefer it when it’s chunky and herby but it was still very yummy! The festival is lasting through to next weekend so check it out at the Roßmarkt in Frankfurt!

Coming Up in Frankfurt

So the other day on Facebook someone mentioned this amazing art exhibition that’s basically a room full of balloons. Unfortunately it was the last day, so even though I made it in time, it is too late to tell you all to go see it

BUT I do know of a few cool things happening in Frankfurt in the next few weeks.

Firstly, TLS have a great show coming up called Shakespeare, Anyone? Who wouldn’t want to hang out in a cool bar and just have a bit of Mr Shakes going on? It’s starting in April so make sure you’re free to see it!

The Caricature Museum has a pretty cool collection right now that I went to go see over the Easter weekend, when it was free to get in. I want to find some really funny things there, but these were really sweet cartoons. I hope they’ll have something off the scale funny soon!

Speaking of museums, night of the museums is coming up soon – pay for one ticket (12 euros) and visit as many museums in Frankfurt as you can for one night. I must say, I went last year and it was PACKED and so don’t expect me to be there this year! But it’s a good deal if you can handle places with lots of people.

There is a Holi festival happening in Frankfurt in the summer but the tickets (some of which I wanted to buy…) sold out in an hour. But if you don’t have crap knees like I do, there’s always the Color Run which is the same concept but with the festival being replaces with a marathon. I wish I could go for it… sadface.

If you like beer and fairground rides then you should also try out Dipplemess which is on for another few weeks or so. I went with some friends on the first night and though it was COOOOOLD it was still good fun!

For other good events, check out these pages from the Frankfurt Walking Tour (which is always awesome) for April, May and June!

Scenes from the Christmas Market

Here are some photos I’ve taken at the Frankfurt Christmas market – Weihnachtsmarkt.

People buy gingerbread with cute sayings on it (“My darling” “My loving husband” “best mum ever”) and hang them around their necks. They walk around like this, and I think it’s pretty funny. Like a walking poster board of sugar.

Cheese from the left is scraped and then melted to make delicious fondue.

 

The tree is from Bavaria, near to the Austrian boarder.

 

 

This is my favourite drink - feuerzangenbowle. Alcohol is dripped over a massive lump of sugar, and collects in a cauldron at the bottom. It’s a little stronger than most of the stuff you get at the Christmas market but it’s lovely all the same!

 

Privat – An Exhibition

 

Last weekend I went to an art exhibition called Privat – one that looks into how we are losing privacy in this new technological era. It was a totally spontaneous visit with a friend but I had wanted to go to see this ever since I saw the very eye catching poster (above).

It starts off with scenes from family home movies and handwritten diaries, and goes on a journey right through to a massive wall filled with tiny moving squares of porn. It was really amazing, and I really did enjoy it, but for me it didn’t really go as deep, or reflect on my experience on the net enough. I wanted it to make me really think about what I post on the net – and as I’m not in any porn, and I’ve not been in any weird Swedish youtube soap drama (it was weird… I didn’t get that part) so none of the collections really touched home for me.

Recently, I’ve been close to a few people who really control what they put out online. One such friend restricts their facebook so that nothing aside from a few photos from 5 years ago are visible. Another person refuses to put personal data on there so that companies can’t collect that data. I am pretty much an open book and I wonder if that is a bad thing…

My first experience of the internet was on a school trip to a gadget show in London when I was about 14. Somehow I had managed to get into the “16+ area” and found myself at a computer playing the first version of Habbo Hotel. My mind was blown. I made a little character who looked like me, and was walking round as if in a computer game, talking to people in different areas of the room! When I finally got a computer a few years later, I was one of those teenagers who should have had more restrictions since I was chatting to boys way older than myself, sending them my mobile number and chatting with them. It could have gone so wrong, but I just felt it normal to do this.

Today, of course, I am not so bad. After a really nasty net stalker last year, I started watching what I say online – like, I wouldn’t do a geotag on anything, or at least not to show that I am out of the house. I cut down my Facebook friends list often, because I spend half my life going to some party or event, chatting with someone for an hour, adding them on facebook then never speaking to them again. All these strangers can see my non-stop facebook diarrhea.

I like to share random personal info – I like to be myself, even online. A friend saw my OK Cupid profile and said that it was a perfect representation of who I am. I’d like to think that people could see my facebook wall or blog or twitter and think the same thing. However, a guy I was speaking to online found my blog after just knowing my first name and job. I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing – good because it means my blog is easily found. But bad because it means that people can easily find “Sherbet” with only knowing a little bit about “Charlotte”.

As I said, the exhibition was good, but not really thought provoking enough for me. I want to question my online visibility more, but it’s hard when it’s the norm to post videos of your baby on Youtube for your millions of viewers, or to broadcast your thoughts when you’re feeling emo to all your Facebook friends.

If you are in Frankfurt, checkout the Privat exhibition (7 euros entry) -

Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt
Römerberg, D-60311 Frankfurt
Hours: Tue, Fri–Sun 10–7pm,
Wed–Thu 10–10pm

Info in English (also photo credit)

Info in German

Sneak Preview – Top List

 

You’re in Frankfurt on a Monday night, have a spare 6 euros and don’t know what to do?! Come to Sneak Preview!

Sneak Preview is where you pay just 6 euros to see a film that isn’t out yet – but on one condition – you won’t know what film it is until it starts!

I’ve been going for over a year now… I’ve been a little lax in recent weeks since I usually have other things to do on a Monday night but it really is super fun every time I go. To show you the wide range of films we’ve had at Sneak, here is my top 5 best Sneak films, and top 5 worst. YAY!

Top 5 best films

1. Hysteria

The best ever was Hysteria. It’s basically the story of how the vibrator came about; set in old time London and starring Maggie Smith who is awesome. This film was not only super funny but educational too! What’s not to like?

2. Moonrise Kingdom

If you’ve not ever seen Moonrise Kingdom, SHAME ON YOU. It’s sooooo good. A whimsical tale of a cub scout who fell in love with a girl, it’s sometimes awkward in the way that young love is often awkward, but is fun for young viewers as well as seasoned film goers. By the way, if you like the fashion from the film, get inspiration here for Moonrise Kingdom outfits!

3. Crazy, Stupid Love

I love Emma Stone. Any film with Emma Stone in it is instantly a winner for me. I wish I was her. She’s so funny and cute and lovely. Not only does this film have Emma Stone in it, but it also has Ryan Gosling, who is my “celeb free-pass“. Omg. Ryan Gosling.

Although any film with these two in would be in my top 5 film anyway, this film is super funny and clever and a blast for all viewers. Did I mention Ryan Gosling?

4. Brave

Disney’s most recent masterpiece. Also, Scottish accents are so awesome. If a guy has a Scottish accent I go weak at the knees almost instantly.

“I’LL BEH FAITIN’ FUH ME OUHN HANNND!!!”

5. Attack the Block

Adam Buxton is amazing. I LOVE the Adam and Joe podcasts, and am a huge fan of everything they do. This film isn’t Adam’s finest work, but it’s still pretty good – A story of “yoofs” from London who come up against enemies a little stronger than the average bobby. It would have been higher on the list but I kind of thought that it glorified yob culture a little bit. It’s something I feel ashamed about as a Brit and I would have liked for the film to show that it’s not cool to be a nob a little bit more than it does.

Top 5 worst films (in reverse order for fun times)

5. Abduction

Twilight guy tries to prove that he can do things other than Twilight, fails.

Most memorably line – “OMG THERE’S A BOMB IN THE OVENNNNN! I’M NOT DYING HEREEE!!”

4. Contagion

The best part of this film was that Gwyneth Paltrow dies in the first few minutes. That’s not a spoiler – she’s dead on the poster. A “scary” film about a super virus that spreads over the world. Makes you want to carry hand sanitiser forever.

3. Cosmopolis

Other Twilight guy tries to prove that he can do things other than Twilight. Fails. Spoilers – nothing happens in this film. Good for fans of the inside of limos.

2. Act of Valor

American navy guys go and save the world from evil terrorists.

While the storyline is ok (though a big pile of biased American propaganda), the thing that makes this film one of the worst films in the world is that they didn’t have real actors but real navy guys. Who can’t act.

Most memorable quote -

“GRENAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDEEEEEE!!!”

1. Black Gold

I just… there are no words. The storyline, the acting, the accents, the logic… everything in this film goes in the “what the fudge” category. I can’t even put it into words. Look it up on IMDB. Watch it if you like pain.

Though there are often droughts of good films, Sneak is really good and I highly recommend checking it out. It’s on every Monday night from 9pm at the CineStar cinema. Book online HERE!

TLS Frankfurt

 

I’ve just finished a 6 week improvisation course with the Frankfurt theatre group TLS.  It was SUCH a blast. I went to drama clubs all the time when I was in my teens, but I had to quit them when I got older. I’ve wanted to get back into performing for years but haven’t had the chance – and here was my chance!

It was a small group of just 14 people from all over. Aside from the teacher, there were only 4 other native speakers of English other than myself. It really made the improv games more fun to have international perspectives on things, and I learnt a lot from sharing and experiencing other peoples’ sense of humour.

Each class, we would focus on a different skill in improv – from learning how to set the scene with just one line, to learning to give and take in a scene and how to establish characters. It was made for the complete beginner so it was really easy to step right in there, but even for someone like myself who used to do a lot of this kind of stuff, there was plenty to learn.

On the last class, we had a little performance and I invited two friends of mine to come and watch us perform. It’s been so long since I’ve done anything like this, but it really was amazing. More than that, I made some really amazing friends there too – people I wouldn’t have necessarily met otherwise.

The next 6 week course is sadly fully booked now, but there is an advanced course in January which I would like to take. On the first Saturday of every month they hold a drop in session for a few hours in the afternoon, with tickets to see the professionals perform in the evening.

Even if you are not so much into the whole performing aspect of this, I highly recommend these classes. They are great for meeting new people and letting your hair down.

Find more information on this as well as all the other things TLS does on their homepage.

A Classy Establishment – The Parlour

A few weeks ago I was invited out by a different group of workmates. After a truly delicious dinner of Chinese food, we went over to a bar that I hadn’t heard of before – The Parlour.

Situated in the back streets, near to Apfelwein Klaus and Hige Matsu, we knocked on a door that looked like an average apartment building’s front door, and a smart man answered. It was clearly much classier than I had expected so I felt a little underdressed in my jeans and ballet pumps. Luckily, he let us in.

It’s a very small room, and they discourage people standing at the bar since it goes against the concept of the place, apparently. The only menu was drawn on a piece of paper and as I’m not much of a drinker, I tried my hardest to casually order the Blood & Sand, as if I knew exactly what was in it.

… It looked pretty but I didn’t like it. At all.

Making up for my disappointing tolerance to alcohol and my shameful ignorance in the subject, I found the toilets to be very exciting! As the toilet seat slowly lowered, music started playing (I felt like I was in Japan again…) and next to the seat was a whole table of goodies to try out! SUCH a classy place!

It was a good night there, the staff are nice and the atmosphere was pretty nice too. I’d really like to go there again soon. Maybe this time I’ll ask for something a little less… alcoholic.

If you’re looking for a classy place to take a date (especially if your date is easily amused, like myself) this is the perfect place for you. You can find The Parlour at Zwingergasse 6, 60313 Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt Pro Tip – Library Cases

The other day while walking in Bornheim, I noticed this funny little book case. I thought that it was just a display cabinate until a little boy walked up to it, looked inside and then pulled a book out to take away with him!

As Mister is quite the German boffin these days, I asked him to explain what the sign said and apparently these are library cases. You can take books from them as long as you bring them back, or replace them with other books. The one above is near to Bornheim Mitte station and had a couple of English books.

A week or so later, I noticed that there is one of these cases right opposite my apartment!! This one had a couple of English books in there too!

It’d be nice to share books with people, so I’d like to put books into the case next time I’m there. Maybe one day something I want to read will turn up (or even, maybe one day I’ll be able to read German!!!!)

If you’re in Frankfurt, keep an eye out for these cases!

Crazy Golf

Have you ever played golf on a fully set dinner table? No, neither had I until I found Minds on Minigolf in the Zeil Galerie!

Thinking it would make a nice date, Mister and I set of for a round or two.

It only costs 5 euros each for a game, and there are about 10 different courses to try. If it hadn’t been for me realising that I am terrible at crazy golf and having a paddy in the middle of the place and giving up (!!!) we could have had a whole hour’s fun there. But it ended up with me having a go and then sitting to watch Mister show me how it’s done…

There are a wide range of crazy courses, from the table top one, to this messy bedroom one. They were all pretty difficult!!

The last course had this monster to overcome! You need someone else to man the rope seen on the left here, so that the ball can complete the circle. Mister is awesome and managed to do even this challenging finale.

It’s pretty good fun if you’re not completely useless like I am, and for 5 euros it’s a really good bargain!

You can find Minds on Minigolf in Zeil Galerie, in between My Zeil and the Galeria department store.