Statue-hunting in Düsseldorf

When I was doing some research for our weekend in Düsseldorf, I read about Christoph Pöggeler's 'Pillar Saints', 9 sculptures spread accross the city that represent people from different groups of society removed from their daily routine and put on a pedestal, displayed as individuals. At first I didn't pay too much attention to them but when I tried to find a website in English showing their exact location and couldn't, then I thought (as Barney Stinson would say): "Challenge accepted!". And so the hunt began, which we'll call "Project Pöggeler".

20 clothes

Since fall has officially arrived, I came up with a list of the 20 basic items of clothing I should have for this season, then I started putting them together and 21 different combinations came out! so I thought of sharing them with you, enjoy!

Japan? No, Düsseldorf!

When you look at the following picture, ignoring the title of this post, where do you think I am?

If you thought of Japan, you know that you're wrong, first of all because of the title of the post (I gave too much away with it) and also because the day I'll finally visit Japan I'll be blogging about it for weeks and weeks before even getting there.

Wine tasting weekend

Autumn brings wind, falling leaves and darker colors but also wine festivals and tastings all over Italy.
If you are planing a wine tasting weekend somewhere (Trentino, Tuscany, Franciacorta, Piedmont, etc.) you should be prepared. Besides studying the wine guides (like the Italian Sommelier Association, Gambero Rosso or any other), maps, accommodations and making appointments to visit the wine cellars, you should be dressed properly. For this once, leave at home your high heels and dress comfortably because you might have to walk through the vineyards, and perhaps after the fifth cellar (or the fifth glass, whatever happens first) you won't be holding your balance very well. Enjoy!

Tequila!

Tequila is Mexico's national drink. It is a type of mezcal (the liquor with the worm in the bottle) made from blue agave plants from the region of Jalisco, mainly. Agave plants mature in a period of 7 to 10 years.

To make it, the heart of the plant is cooked and then squeezed in a stone wheel to extract the juice. This juice is then fermented in tanks until it evaporates and then condenses to become tequila. A good tequila is made 100% of blue agave (one of the 135 species of agave in Mexico), so check the label of your bottle to be sure; it has to have a monogram label of the Tequila Regulatory Council which proofs its authenticity.

 There are three types of tequila: blanco, añejo and reposado.
Blanco is the clear one, produced after final fermentation, it has a pure flavor. This is the one that should be used to prepare cocktails.
Reposado is tequila aged in oak barrels for at least two months, its color is slightly darker and the taste is a bit smoother. It can be drank pure or in cocktails.
Añejo is an aged tequila which has been in the barrels for at least one year. It has full flavor and a Woody color. Better drank pure and straight (no lemon or salt).

Tequila is drank pure in a shot glass called caballito or in cocktails like tequila sunrise (with orange juice and grenadine), charro negro (with cola and lemon), paloma (with grapefruit soda, salt & lemon), etc. A caballito of tequila is sometimes served with another caballito of sangrita (a mix of tomato juice, orange juice, pepper and lime). You take a sip of tequila, taste it and feel it in your mouth, then a sip of sangrita. I love this way of drinking it!