Somehow the rumor that things are so unbelievably slow over here cannot be confirmed. Neither the assumption that in a town like Munich glamour and cosmopolitan life are foreign concepts. Just last weekend the opening of the big retrospective of large format photographer Andreas Gursky turned out to be a massive bash with friends and aquaintances from all over Germany flying in to party. Plus an impressive array of art luminaries from all over the world. Met the artistic director of the art biennal in Dubai. There's something brewing, which will reinforce the new cultural loops between the Arab money world, Asia and Africa, loops the traditional cultural centers aren't part of anymore. The great Gursky show for example will not go to London, Paris or New York after this, but to Istanbul and Abu Dhabi. Point made.
Still not over the homesickness phase of relocating. Went to a Starbucks the other day and got all maudlin. How pathetic am I? Eight weeks ago I would've kicked my ass, if I'd told the Brooklyn me that the faint smell of a double skim dry latte, the light wooden color scheme of a fauxhemian franchise and the mellow sounds of prefab coffee house jazz could get me nostalgic.
Time to get a grip.
2/22/07
Pathetic
6 comments:
Hmmm I did German up to 1st yr university level. I love the language & lit & culture & find everything about Germans & Germany fascinating (u must find a lot of ppl do not share this view). I have heard though eg that financial execs from Frankfurt who get transferred to London can't believe their luck bc London is such a happening place compared to ... well dare I use the word BORING about Frankfurt...? It did donate the concept of a boiled sausage to the world... but seemingly not much else!! I do like your site. I do a blog also, you MUST drop by it's most entertaining and it's @ gledwood2.blogspot and you're most welcome to visit. It's a diary-format blog and quite different to yours...
Anyway all the Best now from
Gledwood
Gotta defend Frankfurt here, which is actually the most cosmopolitan of all German cities, just without the cutesiness of Munich, the pretension of Duesseldorf or the hipster attitude of Berlin. It's where the most interesting mix of people lives, where the most money is made, where the most insteresting architecture is realized and where Germany is very German in a very relaxed way. Kind of like the Chicago of Germany.
Now that really baffles me, dear ak718. I always thought of Frankfurt in terms of the ugliest and most boring city ever...
But, to extend the "Frankfurt is Chicago"-game - is there any city reminding you of Detroit? (without the racial tension, though)
Detroit. Good question. Probably Essen with it's defunct mines and steel factories contrasting the thriving cultural scene. In the East there's plenty of postindustrial wastelands as well. Although that's all more Pittsburgh than Detroit, because the German Auto industry is still quite wealthy...
But do we have a Boston, a Frisco, a Miami (fat chance), a Dallas?
Frivolous, aimless comparison games. Always fun.
For a Boston you need 55 % of Munich, 35 % of Heidelberg, 5 % Berlin and Hamburg's harbor.
Pretty acurate assessment. Deduct 15% of Heidelberg, add 10 more percent of Berlin and 5% of Bochum and you got Baltimore.
For Miami you would have to take a dash of Sylt, a good 30 percent of Munich and import about 30 percent Ibiza, 20 percent of Mallorca and a good helping of the senior citizen parts of Teneriffa.
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