Night Circus | Erin Morgenstern
It doesn't happen very often that I get completely thrown into a a book's world. Erin Morgenstern describes an extraordinary poetic event in her stunning new debut novel NIGHTCIRCUS: A circus that comes every now and then and only at night … What a journey. I absolutely loved it. I am waiting for the circus arriving here in Munich – and for Erin's new book.
The book cover illustration is especially beautiful and has been crafted by Helen Musselwhite. I just love her sensitive paper-cut illustrations. Don't you?!
[© book cover Helen Musselwhite | © photo Kelly Davidson]
The best exotic marigold hotel
A wonderful cast (JUDY DENCH | BILL NIGHY | PENELOPE WILTON | DEV PATEL ...), wonderful british humor, wonderful indian colors. It was my personal "be-as-happy-as-you-can-be-after-a-movie" since Le fabuleux destin d'Amelie Poulain.
The very best marigold hotel is a movie which makes you want to grow old or go to India immediately. Or both. I just love the positive attitude that turns you into a complete optimist.
My favorite line: "Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right, then it's not the end."
[© photo FOX]
Marina Abramovic | The artist is present
The hardest thing is to do something which is close to nothing.
The last years I always have been to the Berlinale film festival watching at least 4 films a day or more. This year I heavily reduced this number to one film a day. This year I actually see something of Berlin as well besides cinemas, busses and the underground.
There is one film I want to pick out: I was especially moved by the new documentary "The artist is present" about Marina Abramovic and her preparation for her major retrospective of her work, in the museum or modern art in New York from March to May 2012. I am not very much a fan of performance art, but this film in particular has taught me to give this certain form of art at least a chance.
Very pure, very touching, extraordinary moving. Her work is radical but the piece at the MOMA is beyond radical. In my point of view she transformed the most meaningful expression of us humans into a piece of art: LOOKING SOMEONE INTO HIS EYES AND BYOND THEM.
[© photo Marco Anelli]
Santino Primavera der Salon
Over the last months I was developing an identity and a website for Santino Primavera. A star-hairdresser from in Munich. It was a huge project which started in November and last friday the saloon had its opening party.
It was so much fun working together with this young, feisty and creative italian. Thank you, for your undivided faith and the artistic freedom Santino! This is very rare among customers. And it helps to let the project grow organically. I really like this.
Santino Primavera der Salon is a very stylish and chic saloon and so we went for a stylish and chic graphic appearance. Unfortunately the embossed black printing with GMUND PAPER has been deferred.
Still. The whole design turned out MOLTO BELLO anyway!
Have a look yourself!
or visit his website: www.santinoprimavera.de
(The only thing I am really wondering about is, that he is my third hairdresser that asks me for an identity. Of course it proofs that Munich has thousands of hairdressers of course. Still. I guess I have to go to London if I want to design fashion brands.)
[© photo Frl. Pfeiffer]
DIY Wave
Do It Yourself is everywhere and the last two years it really spread around my circle of friends. There is nothing better than finishing a project and finally realizing that you have a free afternoon in front of you...
Since my wheat allergy has stopped me from eating sweets (and pizza or anything unhealthy "wheaty" thing nearly) I decided to mess around in my recently very unused kitchen.
Banana-Chocolate Muffins.
The recipe for the chocolate muffins I got at smittenkitchen my very favorite recipe website. To pimp the muffins a little bit I did roast little pieces of banana with honey and mixed it under the dough.
Unfortunately the muffins did not really raise (due to the spelt-flour or the bananas maybe) but they taste delicious anyway.
I love to get my hands dirty once in a while! And now you have to excuse me, I have 23 muffins to eat.
[photo © Fräulein Pfeiffer]
Manifesto 2012
# more art
# more beauty
# more time for important thoughts
# more handmaking
# more risk
# more output
# more reading
# more fresh air
# more laughing
# more cello
# more baking
# more thinking first about myself
Every new Day
The new year is arriving and so are the thoughts about a new calendar. Planners and organizers are my passion. If I could, I would have at least 5 of them. Sadly this would make more mess, than it would help to organize myself.
I have kept all my calendars since I was 13. It is a pretty nice collection. And once in a while on a lazy sunday I would take them out of the box take a trip down memory lane.
Every December I am getting really excited about searching the ONE for the upcoming year. To pick the right one, can be very difficult. It has to have a beautiful design and needs a practical layout, it has to have the right size and can not be to heavy. I will look at it every day, so it has to be love at first sight.
There are so many different ones – fun ones, amazing ones, just nice to look at ones, functional ones,...
Here are my TOP EIGHT that have been in the inner selection for 2012:
TYPODARIUM – The Daily Dose of Typography
FEDRIGONI ANALOG-DIGITAL – concept by PHAGE
TYYP – with different types of paper and special designers infos (for example, DIN scales) equipped
LAUREL DENISE – the concept and layout is very well thought trough. (My very precious one for 2012)
BUBBLE CALENDAR – pop a bubble every day
POCKET CALENDAR and SKETCHBOOK by Peter Bi?ak – very beautiful indeed – seen at TYPOTHEQUE – comes with a grid to design your own type.
TYPOGRAPHIC WALL CALENDAR by Harald Geisler – not that new, but still amazing that modern vintage touch
DOT ON – a simple and functional way to organize projects throughout the year (This wall calendar is already hanging at my studio wall waiting for its dots)
There is only one more thing to do...to design my very own Frl. Pfeiffer calendar for 2013...
[© Typodarium, Phage, Tyyp, Laurel Denise, Bubble Calendar, Peter Bil'ak, Harald Geisler, DotOn]
Ina Kent
As an Austrian girl I am a big fan of Austrian designers (of course).
I came across INA KENT and her storytelling bags about a year ago. I loved the multiple functionality of the bags and the colours and the shape and the quality of the leather... everything – I fell for the bags immediately and I had to buy one immediately too. Only a small one for my small pocket though.
Today I came across the design studio who is responsible for the corporate identity of INA KENT. I like the simplicity of the logo and the luxury impression the image concept is giving. It perfectly fits to the extraordinary bags. They are located in Austria too (of course): MICK GAPP I am curious if they are fixing Ina Kent's website too soon...
Now I started saving for a big bag.
[photo: © MickGapp | Lisa Fleck | Helmut Rasinger]