Patrick Roger, the Paris confectioner who built his own Berlin Wall made of chocolate, has knocked it down.
The chocolate wall reportedly weighed over a ton.

What a crazy mixed-up world we live in.
I hope the chocolate didn’t go to waste.

Posted on Zeitgeist

The Wine Connoisseur

It’s a chocolatey affair! A fashion show where all the designs are made using chocolate.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

RICHARDS REALM

A confectioner in Paris, France has built a chocolate replica of the Berlin Wall to mark the 20th anniversary of its fall.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

World leaders are gathering in Berlin, Germany today to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago.
The fall of the Berlin Wall expedited the collapse of communism across eastern Europe, the end of the Cold War, and led to German reunification within a year

9th November 1989 ~ News Breaks of The Fall of the Berlin Wall

9th November 1989 ~ Celebrations at the Fall of the Berlin Wall

10th November 1989 ~ Celebration at the Berlin Wall

Today, 9th November 2009, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, German chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are among those expected to be at the Brandenburg Gate. A speech will be made by Angela Merkel, who grew up in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
Thousands of tourists have arrived in the city for an occasion which Angela Merkel has described as, “A celebration of the happiest day in postwar German history”.
The Brandenburg Gate once loomed over the barbed wire barrier that divided East and West Berlin for 28 years until the night of 9th of November 1989.
239 people were shot trying to escape from East Berlin to a new life in the West. Over the years many people attempted to flee East Berlin, by various means including strapping themselves underneath cars and one man even manged to fly his family to freedom in a home-made hot air balloon.
5,000 people successfully managed to make it to freedom in the West.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to descend on the centre of Berlin today to recapture the euphoria that was felt across Europe when the Berlin Wall fell two decades ago.
The commemoration Fest der Freiheit (freedom festival) which is reportedly costing £4.6m (€5.1m) commences events over the following days and weeks to commemorate the collapse of communism across Germany and central and eastern Europe.
The festivities in Berlin, which will be attended by European leaders and other world dignitaries, are expected to climax this evening with the falling of a line of 1,000 huge dominoes, which represent the chain effect of the events of 1989. This will be followed by a huge display of fireworks.

The conductor Daniel Barenboim, who was in Berlin at the fall of the wall in 1989, will conduct a concert on an outdoor stage at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate with his Staatskapelle orchestra.
The music of Beethoven and Wagner aims to capture the joyous mood of the 9th of November 1989, when at approximately 8:27 p.m. East Germans started to squeeze through checkpoints before falling into the arms of West Germans on the other side of the wall.
As well as the Staatskapelle orchestra concert, the descent of a swarm of human angels adorned with huge white wings, from some of the rooftops of the buildings which were constructed along the former line of the wall will help mark the anniversary.
The descending angels will be reminiscent of Wim Wenders 1987 film, Wings of Desire.

In churches across Germany services of thanksgiving are being held, as well as ceremonies remembering the 136 people killed whilst attempting to flee the GDR.
At offices of the East German secret police, the Stasi, candlelit vigils are planned to highlight the plight of all those people who were persecuted by what was once one of the world’s most sophisticated intelligence organisations.

Todays party is being backed by corporate sponsors. Images of Trabant cars driving across the borders will be projected on to huge screens at the Brandenburg Gate. The Trabant images are provided courtesy of German car manufacturer Audi whose logo ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ will also be flashing in large letters.

Not everyone is using this momentous occasion to cash-in, British artist Martin Butler has organised a flash mob via the internet. He wants to put the Berlin Wall back up, using bodies instead of concrete and barbed wire. Martin Butler hopes to gather 33,000 people to recreate the entire path of the Berlin Wall, which was about 100 miles in length.
Martin Butler’s project, ‘Mauer Mob 2009: Recreating the Berlin Wall’ intends to ‘reconstruct’ the Berlin Wall using a human chain. The Mauer Mob (Mauer means ‘wall’ in German) flash mob will see thousands of people will descending on the former route of the Berlin Wall to form a temporary monument from 8:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Speaking about his idea Martin Butler said, “It’s a very simple gesture. I’m not taking a strong political stance. It’s more about asking people to think about division.”
Martin Butler, who stages performance projects with an Amsterdam-based group called the Liminal Institute, has divided the route into 330 segments and is aiming for a total of 33,000 participants.
Apparently over the past few months about 9,000 people have already expressed their interest in taking part via social networking websites Facebook and Twitter etc.
According to reports approximately 4,000 people have said they will show up at event.
Will Martin Butlers idea work? I think it just might, and even if it’s not a complete success it will definitely be a great opportunity to take part in a very unique commemoration for the people of Berlin and visitors to Germany.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

Life in France

A racing car that runs on chocolate?
That’s two of my favourite things; cars and chocolate!

A British research team have developed a fully sustainable racing car that runs on chocolate.
The car actually runs on a biofuel that is made from mainly chocolate, but there’s a lot more that makes this car an extraordinary contribution to sustainability.
The body of the car is made using recycled carbon fibre, flax, and recycled resin, the steering wheel is made from carrot pulp. The lubrication for the moving parts in the car are made from plant oils.
Despite being the most environmentally friendly car on the Formula 3 circuit, it’s not slow.
This car has a top speed of 135mph, and with a little help from the turbo charger it does 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds.

Dr Kerry Kirwan from the University of Warwick, England, is the lead researcher of the project and despite the idea of ‘green’ motor sport often being greeted with cynicism, he is confident that it’s definitely a feasable option.
Dr Kirwan said that the idea behind this project was to help people understand that “being sustainable and green can be incredibly sexy, fun and fast” and that they hope to “show ways for the future, for people to race and be green.”
Dr Kerry Kirwan is confident that the car which cost £500,000 to build, will not embarrass itself.
He said, “We believe it is the world’s greenest car but it shows that being green does not have to be boring.”

Ross Brawn, the F1 team boss, and racing drivers Lewis Hamilton and Adam Carroll have given their approval to the project and the car.
The car, called the ‘WorldFirst Formula 3 Racing Car’, but is also known as the ‘flying carrot, took part in its first racing competition in the Formula 3 Championship final on the 17th October at Brands Hatch.

While I’ve no doubt there will be many ‘green’ people who think this is a great idea, I’m not so sure.
Running a car on chocolate? I prefer to eat my chocolate.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE

I eat healthily and exercise regularly, so why isn’t my body slim?
How do slender woman stay so slim?
I appreciate that there are woman, and men, with serious eating disorders, but I am talking about the women in the public eye who are very slim but say they are healthy and that they do eat.
There are so many skinny women celebrities who are constantly plastered all over the media, usually for being too skinny.
Being in the public eye, a celebrity, famous, whatever you want to call it, no doubt has many benefits, but there is always pressure for them to look good. For many celebrities this means being uber thin, which they then get critcised for, but they really can’t win because if they gain weight they will make the news with headlines calling them fat or pregnant, or both!

There are so many beautifully slender celebrities in the media, including Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, Keira Knightley, Nicole Richie, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Beckinsale, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller, Paris Hilton Naomi Watts, Angelina Jolie, Kate Bosworth, Nadine Coyle, Geri Halliwell, Lindsay Lohan, Ashlee Simpson, Gwen Stefani, Gwyneth Paltrow, Isla Fisher, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Courteney Cox, Diane Kruger, Juliette Lewis, Chloe Sevigny, Kate Hudson, Mary-Louise Parker, Mena Suvari, Mira Sorvino, Natalie Portman, and Renee Zellweger to mention just a few.
I want to make it clear that I am not one of the people who think any of these woman are unwell or too skinny. These woman are all different shapes and sizes, and I think they all look absolutely gorgeous.
So how do they stay so slim?

I know many people will say, that these women don’t eat. That simply isn’t true though; if they didn’t eat they would be dead - wouldn’t they?
I think they are probably pretty healthy, as most of these skinny woman have given birth to healthy babies, so that must mean they are healthy - mustn’t it?
Then again, there are many women in third world countries suffering from malnutrition who have also managed to conceive and deliver a live baby.
So being able to conceive and deliver a baby isn’t necessarily relevant to being healthy.

I am confused!
When I initially started writing this I simply wanted to know how busy working mothers like Victoria Beckham managed to live their hectic lives and stay so slim.
I thought that they must be healthy, but now I’m not so sure.
I just want to know how it is possible for a mother of three children; Victoria Beckham, to have a 23 inch waist.
Twenty three inches! That’s almost the same size as my thighs!
When I look at my thighs I can’t imagine my waist ever being that size.
But then it wasn’t so long ago that the average waist size for a British woman was 23 inches, and now it’s reportedly 33 inches.
I guess modern life with all the labour saving electrical equipment we have in our homes really has made a difference to the average body.
Thankfully my waist is well under 33 inches, so for once being below average is a good thing!
However, the older I get the fatter I’m getting. It seems that although I am eating much smaller portions than I used to when I was in my 20’s, I am finding it increasingly difficult to stop my body ballooning to the shape and size of a sumo wrestler.

I would love, just out of curiosity, so spend a whole week with Victoria Beckham, just to see what she really eats, and how much she eats, and to find out how much exercise she does.
I imagine that although she obviously does eat, she probably doesn’t eat as many calories a day as I do. I wonder how long I would survive living her life, how long I’d be able to cope before I raided the fridge for chocolate?
So, do I want to be thin, slim, skinny, whatever you want to call it?
Yes. I most definitely do.
Am I willing to eat even less than I do now?
No.
Although I try to eat only when I am hungry, I don’t find it easy, as I tend to feel hungry pretty much all the time - except when I’m asleep!
I also comfort eat. Ah, so maybe that’s the answer. That’s why Victoria Beckham is so slim, she doesn’t need to comfort eat because she can always comfort herself by going shopping.
That’s it, I’ve figured it out. Victoria Beckham is slim because she is rich.
So, all I need to do is find a way to make as much cash as Victoria Beckham has.
Trouble is I hate shopping. So even if my bank balance was as healthy as Victoria Beckham’s I doubt my waist measurement would match hers!
I suppose I’ll just continue wishing I was as slim as Victoria Beckham et al as I sit on my ever increasing backside messing about online scoffing chocolate!
Oh well, I guess I’d better get used to the fact that elasticated waist clothes are in my future.

Posted on Zeitgeist

The Wine Connoisseur

I have found inner peace; here’s how you can, too.
I read an article that said the way to achieve inner peace is to finish everything you start.

Today I finished two bags of crisps, a chocolate cake, a whole packet of biscuits, two bars of chocolate, and two bottles of wine.
I feel better already.

The Wine Connoisseur

I like this painting by Christophe Ruckhaberle.

Here’s what the Saatchi Gallery says ~
The tea party in Christophe Ruckhaberle Untitled plays an optical illusion; this pleasant image deconstructs itself into a myriad of coloured components, oscillating between narrative scene and formalist abstraction. Ruckhaberle approaches this painting as a compositional jigsaw puzzle, each element an individually delineated shape filling a gap in the whole: L-shaped knees disjointedly connect to rectangular skirts and socks, geometric furnishings float without a sense of grounded order. Through subtle repetition of form, Ruckhaberle creates a systemic visual harmony; a contrived soothing comfort through which a surreal suspense passes almost unnoticed.

I don’t necessarily agree with the above blurb, I like the simplicity, the bright colours, and the relaxed feel of this piece. There is a nice and warm vibe abut it … the cake is an added bonus.

Life in France

The residents of Buenos Aires zoo have an Easter egg hunt of their own, after zoo keepers make them bunnies and eggs filled with tasty treats.

I’m sure the Polar Bear and the Lion enjoyed their meaty easter treat - personally I prefer chocolate.

Happy Easter

The Wine Connoisseur

I love chocolate.
It’s almost my favourite ‘food’!
Lately I have been scoffing quite a lot of it.
My increasing waistline has made me decide to cut down ……. just a little.
I usually buy bars of dark chocolate from Lindt, and our fridge always has a couple of packets on a shelf in the door for whenever the fancy takes me.
In fact a friend on Facebook mentioned the Lindt brand to me recently, and I commented that our fridge was overflowing with lost of bars of their delicious chocolate.
I decided to take a photo of my chocolate stash, to go with this post, and as I opened the fridge door to take the shot a couple of bars fell off onto the floor - I said it was overflowing!
Anyway, I decided to place the chocolate on a table to take the photo because it was difficult to see what was what with so many packets squashed onto one of the shelves in the door.
After I had placed the chocolate on the table, I noticed that not one single bar was actually made by Lindt - Ooops, I have obviously eaten all of them already, which no doubt explains the tightness of the waistband on my jeans.

There may not be any Lindt chocolate left, but there are a couple of packets of Côte d’Or, and some surprisingly tasty own brand bio chocolate from Carrefour. I like organic chocolate, it really does taste delicious, but then what good quality chocolate doesn’t taste delicious? I have rarely met a bar of chocolate I didn’t enjoy.
My favourite chocolate is usually plain dark chocolate, with a high percentage of cocoa. I do occasionally try other flavours including an Orange chocolate from Lindt and a Creme Brulee chocolate also from Lindt, and the ones in this photo which include a yummy dark chocolate truffle ~ so rich and creamy, a green tea ~ not sure if I like it, a bio milk ~ too good to stop after just one square, a Lichi ~ interesting but I doubt I’ll buy it again, a lemon and ginger ~ haven’t opened it yet as I don’t like ginger in sweet things; I bought it for Richard - don’t know why as he doesn’t really eat chocolate and several regular plain dark chocolates with varying percentages of cocoa from, 70% - 90%.

All good for you; as a little bit of what you fancy does you good, and all delicious!

Life in France