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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
So Tired Girls Section
German-blooded girl was admitted Batak, lately a lot of movies get a bid. But because of all genre comedy and tender look sexy, she refused. Marissa does not want to get stuck in the same role. "For film, I often offered the role of a girl sexy and comedy. I do not want the same role, I wanted a different," he said in Grand Indonesia.
Flower Widows movie star's girlfriend refuses to ban the sexy again made him reluctant to appear in the film. According to him, Rafael gave him full freedom in making decisions. "All decisions in the hands of me. I have always type independent, so take your own decisions. After all it's just me who knows what is best for myself I'm alone," he said, then smiled.
In addition to refusing a role as girls are sexy, Marissa also reluctant to chase soap opera star in running again. Dense schedule of filming, it became the main reason. "If such thing as shooting stripping, the focus 24 hours. So do not have time to (do) something else. It's not sour, but I want to enjoy something else. After all I have to go back and forth to Bali
, going to Germany as well, so we are not there time, "he said, adding in Bali he was busy managing the business of high-heels shoes. (Eos)
Friday, September 17, 2010
JA Henckels - German Steel Meets Kai Shun Japanese Artistry
There are many "centers" in several countries; Thiers in France, Scheffield in England and Toledo in Spain are good examples. The two giants in the industry today are Solingen in Germany and Seki in Japan. These two cities host a myriad of knife brands and are home to razor, personal grooming and scissor companies as well.
In Germany several companies the city of Solingen is home to several world famous companies. JA Henckels, Wustoff, Dovo, Boeker, FDick, and Victorinox are all companies of international repute. Many of these companies are directly associated with sword making going back for centuries.
In Seki you will find a similar situation; its craftsmen's centuries old association with the famous "Samurai" sword. When swords were outlawed in 1876 the local smith's turned to cutlery and began producing kitchen knives. Today some of the industry leaders from are Kai, Mac, Kasumi, Kanetsume, Global and a host of American companies whose knives are also made here.
JA Henckels, the famous German company of "Twins" fame returned the favor by establishing the Miyabi company in Seki in 2004. Their Japanese line of knives melds the best of German steel making with the beauty and grace of Japanese artistry. The steel smiths of Seki have taken their steel making to an art form, producing much harder steels than their German cousins.
Which is better? There is a trade-off, the high end German made and Japanese chef knives are both beautiful. Both arrive from the factory with very sharp blades. Over time the softer steel knives will dull more quickly than their harder counterparts.
The kicker is this, to sharpen a German steel, 20 degree beveled, knife requires much less effort. Five minutes on a 1000 grit stone, a steel and maybe a strop and you are back in business. Versus the very hard Japanese steel 15 degree beveled, which requires the 1000 grit stone and then a 6000 grit water stone to fine polish the edge and restore its' narrower edge. A professional can do this quickly, an amateur can easily make the knife duller than it was. In fact, most of the Japanese companies recommend that the knife be returned for factory sharpening.
This has been simplified a bit as there are certainly many knives from both Seki and Solingen made with harder and softer steels. Today more than ever before there is so much science an technology in developing steels that each company works to develop the very best product the consumer can buy.
The JA Henckels Professional, the Henckels Miyabi 5000 and 7000 lines and the Kai Shun Classic and Collectors knives are all equally pleasing to my eye. Which one should you get is going to depend more on your taste. With either decision you will indeed get a very high quality set.
Friday, July 16, 2010
German Wedding Customs
First of all, a German wedding celebration typically lasts for days, not just an afternoon. As is common in many European countries, a civil ceremony is a requirement for a legal marriage. This ceremony at the courthouse normally takes place within a few days of the bigger church wedding. The civil service is small, with only a couple of witnesses and the bride in a simple dress of skirt and blouse.
The night before the church wedding, there is an event called Polterabend. This German custom involves smashing plates and china (but not glass) as a sign of good luck for the married couple. The idea is that these plates will be broken, but never the marriage. At the end of the fun, the bride and groom have to clean up all of the shards and pieces. The Polterabend usually turns into a fun, informal party with the couples' friends, family, and neighbors.
Some parts of the church wedding will look familiar to Americans, but certain things are done differently in Germany. One big difference is that the couple proceeds up the aisle together without any bridesmaids, flower girls, or groomsmen. Remember that at this point, the bride and groom are already legally married. The religious ceremony is usually on the long side - up to an hour and a half - and includes a full Mass (for Catholics), a sermon, and singing.
The bride and groom's attire is not all that different from what Americans are accustomed to seeing at a wedding. The bride wears a white bridal gown, although trains are often short or omitted altogether. If the bride decides to wear a veil, she will keep it on at least through the first dance at the reception. One thing that might surprise a lot of people, is that German women do not normally have engagement rings. Instead the couple chooses matching wedding bands as bridal jewelry, which are worn on the right hand instead of the left. Of course, the bride will still wear bridal jewelry, such as earrings and a necklace, to compliment her wedding gown.
As the German newlyweds leave the church, they will be showered in rice. Throwing of rice is an ancient symbol of fertility, and the German custom is that every grain of rice that sticks in the bride's hair represents a future child. The couple makes their exit from the church in a flower bedecked car, followed by a procession of the guests, who tie white ribbons to their car antennas. There is lots of happy honking of horns, and the passing traffic will honk back for good luck.
The wedding reception is an all night affair in Germany (again, this is true in most of Europe). The party begins with cake, tortes, and coffee while the couple has their wedding portraits snapped. This is followed by dancing, the formal dinner, and more dancing until dawn. By all accounts, German wedding receptions sound like really fun parties, with games, toasting, and plenty of beer flowing. The couple's first dance, by the way, is traditionally a waltz. One interesting German tradition involves the couple attempting to saw a log together. How well they manage the task is supposed to demonstrate teamwork, and how well they will work together at chores in their marriage.
The fun does is not quite over when the party winds down. When the newlyweds leave the reception, they will get to see what sort of mischief their friends have created in the bridal suite. A favorite trick is to take apart the bed. Sometimes revelers will also fill the room with balloons, or do other funny things. (Of course it is not only Germans who like to mess up the bride and groom's hotel room. I recall sneaking up to short-sheet the bed and writing "Kilroy was here" on the sheets of my aunt and uncle's room. For the record, I was more of a witness than a participant - I was only twelve years old.)
A German wedding ends with a honeymoon just as an American wedding does. Beaches are popular destinations, and a great place to relax and unwind from the wedding whirlwind. After all, once you have cleaned up the smashed plates, sawed the log, and danced until dawn, who wouldn't need a little rest and relaxation?