Archives for May 2008

Personal Pasta in Bad Homburg

The Trattoria Fantastico in Bad Homburg is known to many German TV viewers as “Stein’s” – the restaurant in the ARD detective series “Polizeiruf 110“.

But for local residents it is an Italian restaurant with a difference. Here the guests can order not only from the menu, but they can also be personally advised by the staff.

They help the guests to find their perfect combination of fish, meat and pasta – all freshly prepared and served with the appropriate wine.

At lunchtime they serve set menus in three different price categories, consisting of either a main course and a starter.

The restaurant can also be booked for private events of up to 50 people.

Located just off the main shopping area (Louisenstr.) in Bad Homburg, it is easily accessible for visitors to the town wishing to try an Italien restaurant with a difference – and to enjoy “Mediterranean moments with Pino and his team”.

For more information, visit the restaurant’s homepage:
www.trattoria-fantastico.de

Did you buy carrots today?

A while ago I was invited to a group on Facebook called “On May 15, 2008, everybody needs to go out and panic buy carrots” – a group with over 200,000 members!

I wondered how many people would actually go out and do this and kept a keen eye on the BBC News website today.

I’m sad to say that the idea doesn’t seem to have spread to my part of Germany. I went to my local supermarket this afternoon, but there were still plenty of carrots in stock and I didn’t see anyone buying any either.

The idea shows the power of so-called social networking sites: there are surely not many groups online with that many members.  But although Germany does have such sites, they do not yet seem to command the power over the people that they do in English-language countries.

Christi Himmelfahrt

Christi Himmelfahrt is known in English as Ascension Day. It is celebrated on the 40th day after Easter Monday.

The name comes from the New Testament, where it is described how Jesus ascended to heaven having shown himself to his aspostles 40 days after the resurrection.

The day is a bank holiday in all of Germany as has been since 1936, although it was not celebrated in the GDR between 1967 and 1989.

The day is also known as Vatertag – Father’s Day and many clubs and organisations hold their annual parties, open days or outings on this day.

In 2008 Christi Himmelfahrt fell on the same day as Maifeiertag!

To hear a simple explanation and a short discussion in German, listen to the podcast:

(Press the “play” button to listen to the podcast)

Download a transcript

Download the MP3 file | Subscribe to the podcast

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