Monthly Archives: Dezember 2010

Good Luck

luck.jpg In Greece there is a tradition to give these bulbs as a gift for good luck for the New Year.You find people selling them on the street , in groceries or markets.Got mine from around the corner just to have a good start for the year  So good luck for 2011!  

Travelling

Yesterday I flew from Vienna airport to Athens..After a half an hour delay of the train, my encounter with the Wien airport was a shock..huge rows of people with luggage everywhere, long, long ,long waiting queues and lots of frustration!I was warned that it could be crowded but I did not expect such a chaos(at least not in Austria!).Fortunately I was early enough not to get really stressed (just slighlty!)Once in the plane, I was however compensated with a good breakfast from Austrian airlines and a good sleep So Xmas travelers beware!Do give yourself some extra time for the airport-it can get really crazy

Hope

hope1.jpgThis is a poster in our flat kitchen.It is actually a work by two UK artists Gilbert and George.I really like it.Hope 2011 will be a  cool(not in temperatures) year

Mr Mozart

mozart.jpgWhat’s the best gift when visiting from Vienna?I think Mozart chocolates are a pretty common answer, at least for many of my friends and family!Going home in a few days so decided to buy a few packs for my family.Hope they survive the flight!

build your life better

Tried to tidy up today.Studying arts can get pretty messy!I dont know for other people coming first time to Vienna but I was surprised in the beginning that you rent a room without any furniture.When I was living in the UK all rooms seemed to offer some kind of furniture when one first enters.But now I enjoy it very much that my room is quuite empty since I have the chance to arrange the space the way it feels best everytime.As for basics it is just a visit on Saturday markets and Charity shops or IKEA and you’re sorted pretty fast and cheap!

Cookies!!

cookies1.jpgcookie2.jpgcookie3.jpg Today our flat was smelling delicious!My flatmate spent the day baking Christmas cookies.I was amazed!She must have made about 10 different recipes of Austrian Christmas cookies with all sorts of different ingredients:chocolate, nuts, peanuts,mint ,coconut…She told me she does this every year and prepares presents for all her friends and family.I tried several types of cookies and must admit it was pretty hard to choose my favorite.I think a vanilla one claims first prize..

keeping warm

heat2.jpgheat1.jpgOne might wander what are actually these!Well this is an invention I discovered yesterday.Actually a friend gave them to me to keep my hands warm on the way  home.The trick is to squeeze these bags until a little interior button breaks and then it is a miracle!they start to get really, really warm!I kept them in my pockets on the way home and it was a real treat against the wind and the snow.Supposedly they are re-usable.However still havent figured out how..

Printmaking studios

print1.jpgprint2.jpg No, this is not an abstract painting.It is just the wall of the Printing studios of my department in the Akademie.I think it is pretty cool!I will be spending quite a lot of time next semester in that space since I am now studying at the Grafik department. Printmaking is quite a complicated process but once you get how it works you can actually produce really beautiful works.However it takes a lot of patience since most of the times the best results come out of a long trial-and-error procedure.

Library

library1.jpglibrary.jpgOne of my favorite places at the Akademie der Bildenden Kunst is the library.It is so old but preserved in a way that is both beautiful and discreet. I spent a lot of time there just going through books and magazines or sometimes reading of new notes from the German course before going to class.

Art_Market

Today the Akademie of Fine Arts had it’s own market with gifts and other stuff for one to buy for their love ones!It was pretty nice to hang around and look what people have made or brought along.I had a cup of punsch and watched everyone picking things , checking prices and trying to figure out what is best to buy for whom. Christmas shopping with a low budget  attitude is definitely much more fun. For anyone interested it is also on tomorrow.I think it is worth taking a look. There is always something pretty cool to buy as a present that you can’t find in proper shopsmarket.jpg