Categoría: Life in Düsseldorf

Life in Düsseldorf

Good Food Festival

This weekend takes place the Good Food Festival in Boui Boui Bilk (Düsseldorf).

As I already talked to you about the festival (check here for more information about what kind of food you could find last year at the  Good Food Festival 2015 ) let me get straight to the point.

What did I like the most at the Food Festival 2016:

1. There are many local producers

This year I decided to go earlier (at 13.00, the moment the doors are opened) and it was a wise decision! The place was not too crowded so I had time enough to check all the different stands and to talk with the local producers.

2. New flavours are ready to be discovered!

  • To start I opted for a veggie and gluten free Frittata (made with pumpkin, onion and apple) while a friend of mine tried a veggie burger with home made ketchup sauce.

Good Food Festival

 

  • Then I could not resist to try some Süßkartoffeln (Sweet potatoes) with chutney and pumpkin sauce.

Good Food Festival

  • As a dessert I tried the best vegan ice cream I have ever tried!

I am Love is an ice-cream bar located in Bochum and Essen. The merchant was really nice and provided me with information about the ingredients of the ice-creams (made with soy). Hazelnut flavour highly recommended 😉

Good Food Festival

3. There where special things that will redefine the way we understand cuisine

The moment I saw them I wanted to know more about this revolutionary concept.

 

Good Food Festival

The «DOC´s Essenz» essences are gonna shake up the traditional concept of cocktails. Just with a drop you can provide a drink with an intense new taste.

After a talk with the manufacturer I had the opportunity to add one essence to a home made cocktail. Not only the flavour but also the odor of the cocktail improved drastically after adding the chosen essence.

The product was so original that I  just bought some samples to bring home. I wonder what will happen when I add one of them to a roast… 😉

Good Food Festival

4. You can find some traditional products

After talking with some producers and tasting different kind of products. I decided to buy some home made sauces and some french macarons.

  • The sauces are made with natural ingredients produced in a farm closed to Düsseldorf. Check more information here: issbaldfertig

Good Food Festival

  • The macarons are gluten free and manufactured in a french Pâtisserie which is coming soon to Flinger (Düsseldorf).

Good Food Festival

5. The classics will always remain

A part from all the food that I previously mentioned you can also find some classics like burgers, hot-dogs, german sausages, waffles and greek cheese.

Good Food Festival

And you, have you ever been to a Good Food Festival? Which kind of food have you tried? Did you discover something new? Share your experience!

If you want more information about the manufacturers and the workshops check this website: Good Food Festival. Do not miss the chance to learn more and to try all kind of food this weekend!

 

 

Life in Düsseldorf

Subway & Art in Düsseldorf

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Last weekend it was the official opening of the new subway´s lines in Düsseldorf, that is the reason why I decided to have a look and tell you more about it

As you can imagine the city hall prepared a huge celebration: music, beer, activities for children…

Maybe most of you are wondering why I am talking about a subway line. Well, the truth is that these new lines are planned since 15 years ago and it took so long to build them because each from their 6 stops were created by a different artist. Which means that each stop has its own personality.

Every stop is work of art. Some of them are created to make us to forget that we are using a public transport, others are thought to make us feeling in the space and the are also stops that interact with us thanks to LED screens.

Following you can find an article from the NY Times to get more information about this modern and new line.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/20/arts/design/art-and-3-d-magic-in-a-german-subway.html

During the opening day we could find out more information about the new lines and we could take the subway for free. Here you have a picture with all the new information to do not miss a subway 😉

 

 

Life in Düsseldorf

Kölner oder Düsseldorfer?

Now you can vote and show which is your favorite side of the Rhein 😉

Here you can find the link to vote:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/karstenschmehl/welche-stadt-ist-die-nummer-1-am-rhein?utm_term=.wi4036YGG#.hnWJ20Q11

Which one do you like the most, Düsseldorf or Köln? If you are already living in Germany I am sure you already have an answer to the next questions: Altbier or Kölsch? Kö or Rudolfplatz? Düsseldorf Altstadt or Köln Altstadt? If you are thinking about moving to Germany… You can do a small research on Google to try to answer the question!!

My personal opinion: Both cities are charmed and full of life!! Although.. I have already voted for one of them 😉

Seid ihr Düsseldorfer oder Kölner??

Life in Düsseldorf

5 tips to celebrate carnival

carnival cologne germany

Do you remember I have already talked to you about the fifth season of the year? Yes, carnival is back!! Here I give you a couple of tips so you do not miss anything during the next five days.

When to start the celebration

The Thursday of carnival, also known as Weiberfastnacht, at 11.11h. The first thing you should make at exactly 11.11 is the following:

  • Grab a beer (Kölsch, Alt, etc…)
  • Choose the Berliner you wanna eat
  • Say out loud: Alaaf!! Helau!! (remember the word changes depending on which city you are living in)

Question: Why carnival starts at 11.11h?            

There are many theories about this topic. One of the most famous is related to christian symbology. According to it the number 11 is an incomplete and a sinful number. So from that moment (11.11h) until Ash Wednesday people should celebrate and party, because after Ash Wednesday day it starts Lent time. The period of Lent is the time of purification, illumination and fasting that precedes Eastern.

What to wear 

Some germans have a different costume for each day. Other people they just have a different costume for each year. No matter how, the only important thing is to be dressed up.
carnival cologne germany
Question: What should I wear during the Weiberfastnacht to go to the office?

The official day of women people should go dressed up to the office!! (in most of the companies). But a good costume is not enough. Men must wear a tie so that women can cut it. I am sure that many of you are wondering; why should women cut ties? Easy. The thursday of carnival is traditionally the women´s day. Women are the leaders of the city during that day. According to a research made by the NRW history institute the tie is a status symbol of masculine power and to cut it represents the equality between both genders. Personal tip: Wear an old one during Weiberfastnacht day 😉

Eating and drinking

I think this part of the celebration is also clear in your minds: Beer and sausages.

Lyrics

I would recommend you to google so you can check what to sign, how, when and where. Here I show you a list of music groups who sing popular carnival songs so you can start checking them ;):

Höhner: http://www.karnevalslieder.de/Hoehner/Hoehner.php

Bläck Föös: http://www.karnevalslieder.de/BlackFoeoess/BlaeckFoeoess.php

Kolibris: http://www.karnevalslieder.de/Kolibris/Kolibris.php

Willy Millowitsch: http://www.karnevalslieder.de/Karnevalskuenstler/WillyMillowitsch.php

Monday

Rosenmontag parade took place for the first time in 1823. Since then, a carnival committee decides  every year which would be the carnival theme, according to that decision each troupe must build up its float and costumes for the whole carnival time.

carnival cologne germany

Question: When and where to enjoy the parade?

I recommend you to go to Köln, because its parade is the most famous in Germany, although each city has its own parade. Here I show you a few links where to find more information about schedules and parades. Do not forget to bring a huge bag to collect lot of candies!!

http://www.koelnerkarneval.de/

http://www.karneval-in-duesseldorf.de/

http://www.karneval-in-bonn.de/start/index.html

http://www.oche-alaaf.com/

 

Alaaf!!! Helau!!!

Life in Düsseldorf

Brunch in Düsseldorf

Although I thought everybody knew what a Brunch is, it seems I was wrong. So here I show you which I think are the best places to have brunch in Düsseldorf for you to try them ;).

Pempelfort 

Löffelbar

Tußmannstraße 3, 40477 Düsseldorf

Huge variety of brunch!! Among its offer you can choose a classic breakfast with nutella and croissant or a breakfast for two, with eggs, sausages, cold meat… Attention carnivorous!! The burgers are really good here!!! And… Do not forget to try the homemade french fries… really really tasty!!

Ab der Fisch

Moltkestraße 124, 40479 Düsseldorf

I just discovered this place thanks to a friend of mine. Located between Löffelbar and Schnell Veg, this restaurant can surprise you. At the very beginning you might think you are entering to a traditional german restaurant where to eat german food, but… it is not so!! Its brunch menu is small and international. You can order, for example, an italian brunch or an american one. Its original and tasty teas are the best accompaniment for its meals.

 

Flingern 

 

Bethoveen

Ackerstraße 106, 40233 Düsseldorf

It is always a good idea to have a brunch at Bethoveen, one of the oldest places in the city. Did you know that some years ago in this place were only men allowed to enter? Thanks God now women can also go inside, because the brunch menu is really interesting. I recommend you to go there in summer time, when the german sun join us, to enjoy the meal in its outdoor terrace.

Altstadt

Bazzar

Heinrich-Heine-Allee 53, 40213 Düsseldorf

They have not only good brunch offer but well known coffes and teas. Although the place is not that big here you can find tasty classic brunchs: nutella, cold meat, croissant und cheese are the base of its menu. Do not miss them!!

Bistro Zicke

Bäckerstraße 5a, 40213 Düsseldorf

One of the best brunch places in the Altstadt. It is always full due to its assorted menu and its cute decoration. If you wanna eat enough food (not too much not too less) and spend a nice time while having your meal, I recommend you to have a weekend brunch in this place.

 

Next time will be dessert time!! ;);)

 

* If you want to discover new places in Düsseldorf to have a great brunch just click here and check my new post!

Life in Düsseldorf

Carnival is back!

Da simmer dabei! Dat es prima! VIVA COLONIA!
Wir lieben das Leben, die Liebe und die Lust
wir glauben an den lieben Gott und han auch immer Durst

Welcome to Carnival!!!!!

carnival cologne germany

The fifth season of the year is already here!! Although many countries of the world are still celebrating Christmas and others are ready to start the celebration, we are ready for Carnival time.

To be honest Carnival started a couple of months ago. The 11th of November at 11.11 hour Carnival started in NRW. At that moment we stopped working and we started singing Carnival songs while eating Berliner and drinking beer.

Another important fact for that day was the costume. The 11th November people wore a costume at the office and at 11.11 we went out and party until we decided to go home.

Although December is a familiar month, after Christmas we are ready to celebrate and enjoy Carnival as much as possible!

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Here some vocabulary you should learn to do not be lost during Carnival time:

Berliner

Stuffed Berliner are really tasty sweet buns. Some of them are stuffed with strawberry jam, others are stuffed with chocolate but… careful!! Some are stuffed with mustard!! So be careful to make a good choice when you pick one Berliner ;).

Karneval Sitzung

Karneval Sitzungen are private parties organized by carnival troupes. Once you get an invitation you can spend a funny night attending to one of them. Usually they take place during four or five hours (from 20.00 until 1 am) inside the hall of a hotel/restaurant, where the carnival troup and different musicians and comedians live up the soiree. They are really fun!! And a rapidly way to learn Kölsch (the dialect of Köln).

Kölsch

Cologne typical beer (And the official drink during carnival time)

Weiberfastnacht

The day of women, do you remember it? Yes!! That day!! It is our time to cut men´s ties and to party!!

Rosenmontag

The last day of Carnival… snifff… But still germans also know how to enjoy this day. A parade travels around the cities during Rosenmontag. Each troup has its own carriages and they throw candies to the children who wait for them on the street.

Alaaf!! Alaaf!! Helau!! Helau!!

Do not stop saying it during these days!! Instead of saying hello you have to say “Alaaf” as loud as possible 😉 To be honest we should say “Kölle Alaaf” (Cologne is for all of us) however, nowadays, it is enough to say “Alaaf”, people will understand you 😉 Helau is the Düsseldorf word for it 🙂

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Life in Düsseldorf

Santa is coming to Düsseldorf

It is only 4 days left until Christmas arrives and I would like to show you how we do prepare these special days in the NRW region, in Germany.

As I previously mentioned, the most renowned activity during the months of November and December is to visit the Christmas markets. But, why are they so special? In my opinion, the prettiest part of the markets are not the markets itself but the atmosphere that surrounds them.

 

Each city has different christmas markets where to find christmas traditional food: caramel coated almonds, flammkuche, anisette candies, sausages and our beloved and well-known Glühwein. Another possibility is to buy the christmas presents there and to surprise your family with traditional german products such as: Paper lanterns, advent candles, christmas decoration or leather bags.

 

 

Here I show you a list of some markets I have already visited (and I would like to recommend you):

Düsseldorf Weihnachtsmarkt

http://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/top-veranstaltungen/duesseldorfer-weihnachtsmarkt/

Köln Weihnachtsmarkt

http://www.weihnachtsmarkt-koeln.net/

Aachen Weihnachtsmarkt

http://aachenweihnachtsmarkt.de/

And if you wanna find out quiet and unknown places I recommend you the following markets:

Solingen Weihnachtsmarkt

http://www2.solingen.de/C12572F80037DB19/0/BE926AB8173E80D6C12576740029D540?OpenDocument

Leverkusen Weihnachtsmarkt

https://www.christkindchenmarkt.de/

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!! FROHE WEIHNACHTEN!!! MERRY XMAS!!!! JOYEUX NOEL!!!

Life in Düsseldorf

Good Food Festival


Boui Boui Bilk is a well known place located in Bilk, Düsseldorf, where diverse kind of events take place during the year. Boui Boui Bilk is considered as an open cultural platform. During the whole year a huge amount of events are offered: modern and contemporary art exhibitions, night markets, gastronomic events, fashion events, second hand markets… The place looks like an old fabric which transform itself depending on the hosted event.

 

As I already mentioned german people love to organize different kind of outdoor events, at least here in Düsseldorf. The weekend of the 3th of October (an important day here in Germany due to the commemoration of the German reunification) took place the Good Food Festival.

During two days people could come to Bilk to enjoy different international food. Although the decision was hard, we decided to try some different specialities:

Cheviche de pescado Peruano 

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Really tasty. The mix between sauce and fish was highly recommended

Empanadas from Argentina

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A bit spicy but I would recommend them to try tastes which are difficult to find in Europe.

German Hamburger 

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A classic served with cheese and lettuce

French chocolate mousse and chestnut cream

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One of the best desserts I have ever tried!!!. Amazing texture and incomparable taste.

But there was a huge variety of food: vegan food, jamón from Spain, yufka, sparkling wine….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the whole weekend people could take part in different kind of workshops:

– Bier tasting

– How to prepare a perfect chocolate mousse

– Bio Wine tasting

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If you live in Düsseldorf or somewhere around I would like to invite you to the next food event taking place the 26th of November.

          Guten Appetit!!!!!!!!

Life in Düsseldorf

Sunset and Food in Düseldorf

And once again September arrived…

Some of you have to come back to the office, some others are still enjoying the holidays… and for those of you who still want to enjoy this german sunny days I would like to introduce you some cute places which I recently discovered in Düsseldorf.

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Zur Sennhütte 

Located close to the railroads, this small bar is a unique place to have a drink under the sun while enjoying a good conversation .

The place has two terraces, a shadowed one just in front of the main entrance (Rethelst. 96) and sunny one located next to the railroads.

Although it sounds incredible, the place is quite relax and charming. The small wooden tables and benches are distributed all around the terrace decorated with colored cushions. In the menu it is easy to find all kind of drinks and different kind of dishes.  Inside the bar the ambiance is charming and rustic at the same time.

It is a high appealing place to enjoy a nice sunset.

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Strandbar Tropicana

 

Opened from middle April bis October this bar is located at Meerbusch Camping, just in front of Keiserswerth.

Highly recommended to relax after spending the day at the beach. Its looks like a typical spanish “chiringuito”; sand floor, hammock, chill out area, tables protected form the sun by  beach umbrellas…

Furthermore it is easy to find some “aperó” as well as different kind of food and drinks. You have to try it! 🙂

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Happy September!!!

Life in Düsseldorf

Gourmet Festival Düsseldorf

This week we are going to talk about food. As I previously told you in German it is usual to organize street festival during the summer season to enjoy the good weather. Ready to know more about it?

Gourmet Festival Düsseldorf 2015 

Last weekend took place the Gourmet Festival Düsseldorf. I have already talked you about this festival. During two days the Königsalle was filled with stands full of food.

The visitor could find everything. The avenue was surrounded with international and national stands where people could eat german, french and brazilian food, among others.

The festival takes place once per year since four years ago and it is a good opportunity for restaurants to come into contact with possible clients.

I hope that I have whetted you appetite and that you are motivated to take part in this gastronomic event. We read us again next week! 🙂

Food is our common ground, a universal experience – James Beard