Sea + Air

MMW_Sea+Air

Sea + Air

The 2 Minute Interview

On the road for three years non stop through the European continent marked by change playing 600 concerts in 22 countries, the Greek-German couple Eleni Zafiriadou & Daniel Benjamin built bridges of melodies and sound between cities, countries and cultures.  SEA + AIR’s new album EVROPI documents the current state of Europe – at times in a way prophetic way but also with a wink. We asked each of them what it’s like being a couple that works and creates art together. Well, then it was all about frozen pizza, public disputes and luminaries. But read for yourself… We sure love them to bits! By the way: SEA + AIR are on promo tour for their new album right now and will be paying at Klunkerkranich on Monday, at Übel und Gefährlich in Hamburg on Tuesday, and at Cord in Munich on Wednesday. We’re giving away a pair of guest list tickets for each venue. Send an email titled ‚MY GHOST IS POP‘ to hurra@muxmaeuschenwild.de and tell us where you’d like to go see them.
Name: Eleni Zafiriadou | Daniel Benjamin
Age: thirty-something | 36
City: Freakin’ awesome | Freakenhausen
Job: Performer | Composer
Schuhgröße: 39 | abnormally large!
Favorite note: Can’t stand alone. | 500 Euro note
Contact: seaandair.net

Would you rather dive or fly?
E: Dive.
D: Fly.

You will be reborn as what?
E: A leopard.
D: As me again, but with an illuminated body.

 

Who do you admire?  
E: Real characters.
D: The cashier at the supermarket.

 

You are a couple that lives and works together. What is the greatest challenge?
E: To keep one’s calm.
D: Staying peaceful.

 

Are your live performances better or worse after a (private) fight?
E: That depends on the song we’re playing.
D: We only argue in public, never in private.

 

You’re allowed to listen to only one song for the rest of your life. Which one?
E: Arvo Pärt – Fratres
D: U2 – The Unforgettable Fire (affirmative nod, editor’s note.)

 

Which moment changed everything?
E: The first word.
D: The moment I heard „Darn Floor – Big Bite“ by Daniel Amos.

 

If you had to choose between being deaf or mute, which would it be?
E: Mute.
D: Mute.

 

Where did you grow up?
E: At my grandmother’s.
D: I don’t know. One day, I was 6’4 ft.

 

What is luxury for you?
E: Quality time.
D: Freedom.

Which piece of art would you like possess?
E: Seascape (Wave) by Gerhard Richter
D: A big farm.
If you could change the world overnight, where would you start?
E: With us people.
D: With me. Wait a minute – I can actually do that. haha

 

With which famous person (dead or alive) would you like to have coffee?
E: My great-grandmother.
D: I don’t like coffee. I’d only grimace and not be able to say a word.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
D: Fakes – a Greek lentil soup.
E: Frozen pizza.

 

Which super power would you like to have?
E: Being invisible.
D: The power to heal wounds.

 

A city, a country and a river beginning with the letter „L“:
E: Leipzig, Lala-Land, Love
D: Leipzig, Latvia, Lech

 

What was the last thing that really moved you?
E: David Lynch’s The Elephant Man.
D: „One Time“ by The Roots

 

What should no one know about you?
E: The answer to this question.
D: I’ll have no more secrets after this interview…

 

Which question should we have asked?
D: What makes you happy?
E: The question of „why“.

 

Last Words:
E: Peace be with you!
D: Something I always like to have. haha (Sure thing! editor’s note)

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 20. August 2015 | Tags: , , , , , Keine Kommentare

Julia & Judith (Newniq)

MMW_Newniq

Julia & Judith (Newniq)

The 2 Minutes Interview

Julia and Judith have known each other since their childhood. They really like each other and after successfully manoeuvring through the pitfalls of city life, they decided to do business together as well. About one and a half years ago, they founded the crowd buying design platform Newniq. Julia is Masterette of Design and Judith is Masterette of Overview – that’s roughly the distribution of tasks here. They create new and unique designer pieces for their Newniq shop and on their Newniq blog they fill you in on all the latest design gossip. They’re also planning a pop-up store and have got lots more up their sleeve. We hope to find out more about all of that soon! Oh, and here’s some more good news: Julia is having a baby! Congratulations!!!

 

Name: Julia | Judith
Age: 32 | 32
City: Berlin
Job: Founder of Newniq, Illustrator and Art Director | Founder of Newniq, Key Accountant und Event Manager
Shoe size: 40 | 40
Favourite Designer: changes on a weekly basis | Julia – obviously!
Contact: julia@newniq.comjudith@newniq.com

 

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
Julia: Fear doesn’t really hold me back from doing anything.
Judith: Bungee Jumping. Just letting myself fall… ha-ha.

 

What is your advice for young entrepreneurs?
Julia: Take a deep breath and keep going. Never lose joy in what you’re doing. Take a deep breath and keep going. Never lose joy…etc.
Judith: Before founding: Be sure to talk about the idea. Often entrepreneurs tend to keep their idea a secret because they’re afraid of someone stealing it. Rubbish! My advice: Talk about it a lot – get as much input as you can. And don’t forget: you know you’re stuff better than anyone else – nobody will be able to steal it just like that. And let’s be honest: If someone really want’s to pinch your idea, they can still do it when you’ve already launched it :)

 

You never leave the house without which accessory?
Julia: iPhone (yeah, what a surprise…)
Judith: A single accessory? I have a whole bag of accessories I never leave without! I like to be prepared…

 

What is your most precious possession?
Julia: My family and friends.
Judith: My family and friends. The simple truth.

 

What can’t you get enough of?
Julia: Liquorice, Loriot, friends.
Judith: Life! May sound a bit philosophical, but that’s the way it is.

 

What is your contribution for a better world?
Julia: Green electricity and Tupperware. I’m pretty sure that makes me an incredibly sustainable person.
Judith: Sometimes I pretend to be Superman. Does that count?

 

Please complete the sentence: I’d like to be … for one day.
Julia: …a whale
Judith: …in space

 

What do you spend too much money on?
Julia: Travelling (Though I’ve not regretted a single cent).
Judith: Eating out. I haven’t mastered the art of cooking yet.

 

With which famous person (dead or alive) would you like to have coffee?
Julia: Robbie Williams. I really need to overcome my teenage crush.
Judith: Oh God, I can’t decide … there are just too many.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
Julia: Greek cuisine with several starters and probably far too much. But you can just take home the leftovers in Tupperware containers.
Judith: I’d „cook“ raclette or pasta. Yeah, I’m a real pro. But there would be fancy napkins and everything would be presented really well. I worked in the hotel industry for a long time – some habits just stick.

 

What are you afraid of?
Julia: That something happens to the people I love.
Judith: It’s such a cliché: I’m afraid of spiders. (If you mean screaming at the top your lungs when afraid…)

 

When did you last try something new and what was it?
Julia: A Latte with almond milk – a perfect way to make me gag. Ugh, yuck!
Judith: I think it was this cell-phone-camera-selfie-stick-thingy – didn’t work. I got bored and went back to taking pictures the old-school way.

 

What should no one know about you?
Julia: How often I sit in front of the TV – crying. (Right now, I’m blaming it on the evil pregnancy hormones.)
Judith: That I’m secretly saving up for a house in Tuscany. 4,58€ is what I have so far. I’d say it’s going pretty well!

 

Which question should we have asked?
Julia: How do I manage to be so incredibly beautiful and well educated at the same time?
Judith: Any – except this one. I just don’t have an answer to it.

 

Last Words:
Julia: Hmm, I should memorize some famous quotes for the next time. They always go down well…
Judith: I like to have them.

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 12. August 2015 | Tags: , , , , , Keine Kommentare

Philip Siefer

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Philip Siefer

The 2 Minute Interview

Philip Siefer invented condoms. Wait, that can’t be right – he’s only 32 years old! Uh, he reinvented condoms. Together with his business partner Waldemar Zeiler he founded einhorn condoms. Finally, a fairly traded, sustainable and ethical condom! Buying condoms shouldn’t be embarrassing. It should be fun. The guys behind einhorn have made it their mission to make contraceptives cool and sexy. The little lifesavers come in super cute packaging that looks like a bag of crisps. We met the busy bee Mr Siefer and asked him all about his first time, hidden fears and awkward physical complaints.

 

Name: Philip Siefer

Age: 32

City: Hamburg

Job: Chief Executive Unicorn

Shoesize: 42,5

Favourite position: wheelbarrow

Contakt: philip@einhorn.my

What was your first time like?
Brilliant, the best thing I’ve ever experienced. We were both super skilled and knew exactly what we were doing. 

What was his or her name?
Her name was, err, Esther.

 

Do you believe in unicorns?
Yes.

 

The most beautiful word for the most beautiful thing in the world?
Banging, nailing, fucking, screwing, pounding, shagging. All good if the moment is right. Okay, pounding is hardly ever right…

 

What is so embarrassing about buying condoms in a supermarket?
On shelves between dog food, toilet paper, maxi-pads, tampons and pregnancy tests is where you’ll find them. Clothing for your penis to keep sex safe. Wrapped in packaging with illustrations of willies and graphics of Andromeda nebula to turn you on. Or not. Why do condoms look so peculiar?

 

When did you realize you were all grown up?
I have beard and almost no spots. And I’m on first name terms with my mother.

 

What is humanity’s greatest invention?
Sitting! Before that we could only stand or lie. Just imagine! (Helge Schneider is right…)

 

What is your generation’s biggest problem?
There is no problem – that’s the problem. No Problem and too many choices.

 

Which idea would you like to have had?
You mean apart from selling condoms in crisp bags? Well, electricity is a pretty good thing. Oh, if anyone gets it done before me: beaming would be awesome! Which reminds me, ideas aren’t half as important as their implementation. I guess I would like to have implemented the hover board.

 

What are you ashamed of?
It’s not too bad anymore. But any physical illnesses, even if it’s just a cold, make me very uncomfortable-

 

What did you want to become when you were a kid?
A millionaire. 

You’re on a plane and it’s about to crash. Who get’s one last message?
I have a parachute. In any other case it would always be Superman! Sender’s name: Lois Lane

 

Which super power would you like to have?
Ah, now that question ;) Definitely Wolverine’s.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
My cooking skills are pretty basic, but I do cook a lot. For example noodles (the really thin ones) with loads of Parmesan and butter and some truffles. Or quiche? Perhaps Crème Brulée afterwards and then some cheese. Maybe Chaource? And espresso, of course. Bring a bottle of Pouilly Fumé, please.

 

What are you afraid of?
Peace and quiet, and incomprehensible ideologies like racism get me down. The fact that Germany has a huge lobby against refugees is very frightening. I just can’t grasp that sort of attitude and I find it rather strange living among people that think that way. Who knows what else they’re thinking?

 

When did you last try something new and what was it?
I’m travelling to Pellworm tomorrow! That’s the latest thing I can think of, but I love trying new stuff.

 

What should no one know about you?
Oh wow, I almost fell for that! I’m not telling. Ok, red!

 

Which question should we have asked?
Nothing to complain about. Good job!

 

Last Words:
Cytotoxin (well, at least that’s what a German encyclopaedia says!)

 

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 05. August 2015 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Arne & Claudia

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Arne & Claudia

The 2 Minute Interview

Together with her partner Arne, Claudia Hirschberger runs the food and photography blog Food with a View. Last year, they even won two awards because they are so good at it. Arne is a vegan and Claudia is a vegetarian (a mixed double so to speak). That makes cooking pretty easy, but can be a bit challenging when baking. Photographs and food. AND photographs of food. We like! By the way: recently the two popped over to Thomas at Leogant. Rumor has it, they’re planning something to do with water and recipes… We’ll keep you posted! Here’s what else we found out about them.

 

Name: Arne Schmidt / Claudia Hirschberger
Age: 50 / 45
City: Berlin Mitte
Job: Freelancer
Shoe size: 44,5 / 42
Favourite restaurant: Mogg & Melzer | Osmans Schwestern, Herr Rossi…
Contact: foodviewberlin.com

What was the last thing you ate?
A: Homemade Bircher muesli with vanilla and fresh berries for breakfast.
C: Muesli. We hardly ever eat it, but today we felt like it. Usually I have a green smoothie first thing in the morning. That really wakes me up.

 

Do you have an idol?
A: You can learn a lot from other people. But they don’t necessarily need to be idols; people are so diverse and have different features.
C: A culinary idol? No, but other people are very inspiring. Friends, family, authors of cookbooks and other bloggers, of course.

 

Who is your favourite photographer and why?
A: Most recently Sebastião Salgado, whose work is currently on show at C/O Berlin, impressed me.
C: Ansel Adams was the first photographer I really took notice of. When I was sixteen, I saw some of his landscape portraits at an exhibition in London. They were electrifying, especially those of Yosemite Park.

 

Sweet or savoury?
A: I like both and in combination together. Especially sweet fruit like dates in spicy oriental dishes.
C: I like the combination of the two as well – we often cook like that. If I had to choose between the two, I probably couldn’t. One of everything, please! ;-).

 

What does your place look like?
A: Classic, minimalistic and rather bright. I keep my original vintage racing bike in the apartment. It’s a nice eye catcher next to the sofa.
C: A little bit of inherited mid-century furniture, a few design classics and some Ikea. My large linoleum table is definitely my favourite piece of furniture, because it seats so many people. And I love flower bouquets, those with lots of little tiny blossoms and grasses.

 

You can’t sleep at night and go to the fridge. What do you fancy?
A: I don’t take anything from the fridge; instead I take a banana from the fruit bowl. I love bananas!
C: A glass of water and a date. And if it’s really bad, I’ll have some warm milk and honey. That always helps.

 

What can’t you live without?
A: Definitely coffee. I don’t have to drink it all day, but I cannot replace it with a smoothie like Claudia. And before bedtime, coffee actually makes me sleepy. A phenomenon.
C: Not a single Sunday goes by without eating cake.

Something you’re really not good at?
A: I can’t peel potatoes. I just end up peeling them to death. I’m absolutely useless.
C: Ball games of all kind.

 

The best thing you’ve ever had to eat…
A: …might have been the berry compote my grandmother used to make. I wish I could have it again.
C: …were Rösti with a fried egg after a hike in the mountains that had lasted much longer than planned – with a lot less food supplies than necessary. The simple and traditional food at the mountain hut afterwards was great.

 

If you could change the world overnight, where would you start?
A: Making good food even more popular. With all the buzz about this topic, it’s still obvious that lots of people don’t know how to prepare simple and good meals and aren’t aware what effect it might have on their health.
C: Since I’ve just been dealing with the subject: provide clean drinking water for all human beings.

 

With which famous person would you like to have coffee?
A: Klaus Kinski.
C: René Redzipi, one of the founders of New Nordic Cuisine.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
A: If we’re both cooking, something without any animal products. It’s fun creating meals that don’t immediately appear to be vegan. Definitely no tofu-schnitzel or anything like that.
C: On a hot summer’s day: green pea gazpacho with lavender and a raspberry sorbet in a walnut cornet.

 

What are you afraid of?
A: I’m not a particularly anxious person. But I’m afraid of the same things most people are afraid of: war, poverty, and diseases. Things like that.
C: I’m afraid of spiders and getting caught in a thunderstorm. And that we might never make the perfect vegan sponge mixture ;-).

 

What should no one know about you?
A: Sometimes I dream about Swiss cheese. It’s my dark side…
C: Store-bought pizza, once a year.

 

Which question should we have asked?
A: How do a vegan and a vegetarian live and cook together?
C: What is your favourite recipe and photograph at the moment?

 

Last Words:
C: …I’ll leave those to Arne.
A: Oh, how nice.

 

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 29. Juli 2015 | Tags: , , , , , Keine Kommentare

Yvonne Kollosche

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Yvonne Kollosche

The 2 Minute Interview

Just a few days ago, Yvonne’s answer to her whereabouts would have started with a big fat B. But now, she’s set up shop in Munich and is hissing the muxmäuschenwild-flag in Bavaria’s capital. Say hello to MMW MUC! Gosh, we don’t know where to even start when describing Yvonne. We’ll try to keep it simple. Not long ago, Yvonne joined our team as Senior PR Consultant and it probably took her less than 30 seconds to have not only us, but also each and every editor across the country wrapped around her finger. She is always dressed to impress, is never short of a cynical joke, has a big mouth and an even bigger heart. We have grown very, very fond of Yvonne and her leaving has left us with mixed feelings. Yvonne, it was great to have you here! And quite frankly, the fact that you’ll now have to commute from MUC to B instead of B to MUC is entirely your problem.

 

Name: Yvonne Kollosche
Age: 33
City: Munich
Job: PR Pro
Shoe size: 39
Favourite Magazine: Harper’s Bazaar
Contact: yvonne@yvonnekollosche.de

Why Munich?
Well, why not?

 

Something you recently learned?
Change isn’t that painful after all.

 

Early bird or morning grouch?
Definitely an early bird and sometimes grouchy.

 

What’s the background image on your phone right now?
For two years now, a picture of my baby.

 

When you were a kid, what did you want to be?
Rich and famous ;-)

 

What is your child not allowed to do?
I try to keep my child away from sharp objects and open fires…

 

Your three favourite swearwords?
Fuck, Fuck, Fuck

 

What do you do when you can’t sleep?
Excuse me?! I can ALWAYS sleep.

 

What would you really like to experience sometime?
Me keeping a secret to myself.

 

What is your very best feature?
Oh, where do I begin…? Reliability.

 

Something you’re really not good at?
Puzzles. They drive me crazy.

 

What star sign are you?
A proud cancer.

 

Does that fit?
Absolutely. A hard shell really comes in handy sometimes.
What would you change, if you had the power to?
Set things straight in a couple of people’s minds.

 

Tell us a joke.
Two cannibals are eating a dominatrix. One says to the other: Tastes a bit harsh…

 

With which famous person (dead or alive) would you like to sip on some Champagne?
If it has to be Champagne, then I’d say Prince Harry ;-)

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home?
Hmmmm, does preparing a meal count, too? Oh, just come over for drinks instead!

 

What are you afraid of?
Mice.

 

What was the last thing that really moved you?
Great love. <3

 

What should no one know about you?
That I tend to exaggerate. A lot.

 

Which question should we have asked?
Blue or red?

 

Last Words:
… something I really like to have!

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 22. Juli 2015 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Saskia Ballhausen

Saskia Ballhausen

The 2 Minute Interview

In one of our recent issues, we already introduced you to lovely Britta, one part of the dynamic duo that created our new look. Tadaaaa, today it’s time to talk to the counter part: the one and only Saskia Ballhausen! Saskia has not only co-worked with us for a long time and helped us develop our new CD, she is also the force behind the great event design that we implemented for EO Entrepreneurs’ Organization. It’s all neon, you know!? Last but not least, Saskia is our regular translator. We don’t know anyone who could take care of our texts with more loving care than her. More so, Saskia manages to breathe 100% muxmäuschenwild flavour into the English issues of our magazine and supply them with an extra dollop of swag to boot. We like you very much, dear Saskia.

 

PS: What the heck happened June 12th 2011?

 

Name: Saskia Ballhausen
Age: 34
City: Berlin
Job: Graphic-Designer
Shoe size: 38
Favorite font: Oh… there are so many… Sabon by Jan Tschichold
Contact: hello@saskiaballhausen.de

mmw_saskia
 

 

Name a magical place: The North Sea.

 

Where and how do you live? In an Unesco World Heritage Site – a little terraced house with a garden. Totally bourgeois, totally cool. And all this in Britz.

 

What inspires you? Cafè e Cornetto.

 

What would you do without a computer? Bake.

 

The worst possible design sin? Hotel conference rooms… WTF?!

 

Your favourite swearword: Shitte.

 

What moment changed everything for you? June12th 2011.

 

What are you proud of? That I married the best man on the face of this earth.

 

A piece of advice you never thought would come in handy? Trust no bitch. ;-)

 

What are you ashamed of?
That I love watching figure skating.

 

What can’t you get enough of? The scent of lime blossom.

 

If you were allowed one sin, which forbidden thing would you do? Steal an awesome ride and speed to the other side of the world.

 

What would you cook for us if we visited you at home? Spaghetti Bolognese. Then we can have a battle :-) And a freaky dessert.

 

Which super power would you like to have? Mary Poppins’ powers.

 

What was the last thing that really moved you? A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of listening to an amazingly talented violinist in the tube. She played so unbelievably well that it literally brought tears to my eyes.

 

What should no one know about you? That I eat Nutella by the spoonful.

 

Which question should we have asked?
Feast or famine?

 

Last words: Don’t go into the light, Carol Anne!

 

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 15. Juli 2015 | Tags: , , , Keine Kommentare

Max Maendler

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Max Maendler

The 2 Minute Interview

Max is the founder of Lehrerkolleg, the network for dedicated teachers. So, while many are complaining about education systems, Max creates long-term solutions to improve the curriculum and learning environment of German schools. Three thumbs up! In addition, Max is also Chapter President and European Chairman of EO Entrepreneurs’ Organization. That is how we met. Last week and under the aegis of Max, we organized the 4-day conference EO Unlimited. Another thumbs up for the wonderful collaboration! At the moment, Max and his family are living in the middle of a building site – Max will tell you himself how that happened. And yes, there are actually cool guys that are really into math. Q.E.D.

 

Name: Max Maendler
Age: 40
Location: Berlin
Occupation: Unternehmer
Shoe size: 42
Favourite subject at school: math
Kontakt: www.lehrerkolleg.de

 

What would you do, if you weren’t afraid?
I’m actually pretty fearless and enjoy life.

 

Which company would you like to have started?
Hilti.

 

What was your latest screw-up?
I had less brains and spent less time choosing a site manager than I would to recruit new interns. And that is exactly why – one year later – the five of us are still stuck in our far too small apartment.

 

Who is the most inspiring person you’ve ever met?
Petra (his wife, editor’s note.)

 

What motivates you?
When someone says: That’s impossible.

 

Which moment changed everything?
The Big Bang.

 

What is so special about Berlin?
Having the freedom to do whatever you like without people looking you up and down.

 

What was humanity’s best invention?
Aspirin.

 

With which personality would you like have a cup of coffee?
Nelson Mandela.

 

If we came to visit you at home, what would you cook for us?
Mushroom risotto.

 

What are you afraid of?
Death.

 

What would you change, if you had the power?
Let one million refugees come to Europe.

 

What were you recently moved by?
My cargo bike.

 

What should no one know about you?
Not telling…

 

Which question should we have asked?
Why did you start the Lehrerkolleg?

 

Last Words:
Best Regards.

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 08. Juli 2015 | Tags: Keine Kommentare

Billy & Micha

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Billy & Micha

The 2 Minute Interview

Together, Billy Wagner and Micha Schäfer run the Nobelhart & Schmutzig. Billy has been voted best German Sommelier and is one of the most assertive restaurateurs around. Shoes on or off, no bottle with great contents should get in his way – it’s just tequila he can’t stand. Micha is a family guy, foodie virtuoso and as chef de cuisine, he is responsible for culinary indulgement at Nobelhart & Schmutzig. We met the two gents and sussed them out about fastidious taste, anxiety and the moment that changed everything. Cheers!

 

Name: Billy Wagner / Micha Schäfer
Age: 34 / 27
Location: Kreuzberg / Tempelhof
Occupation: host & sommelier / chef
Shoe size: 42 / 43
Favourite recipe: almost burnt bread, ice-cold raw milk and chives / muesli with lots of raisins
Contact: Whoever is looking for me, will find me. / Just drop by the restaurant – I’ll probably be there.

Tell us your favourite magical place!
B: May 1st – Kreuzberg at 5.am. before it all starts.
M: Home.

 

Where do go out to eat?
B: Osteria Centrale at Bleibtreustraße and Long-Men‘s Noodle House at Kantstraße.
M: I’m munching myself through Berlin.

 

What inspires you?
B: The Panorama Bar at four o’clock on a sunday afternoon – Laurent Garnier playing LFO.
M: Necessity.

 

What moment changed everything for you?
B: My job at the Essigbrätlein in Nuremberg in 2001.
M: My first day as a chef. New Year’s Eve 2009. Two hours of absolute failure.

 

What’s so special about Berlin?
B: That Monday is a Sunday and Monday is party-day!
M: People give other people a chance, which is great.

 

What was your favourite food when you were a child?
B: Schnitzel, carpaccio, rocket, tomatoes, foie gras, oysters and cheeseburgers.
M: Dry, raw pasta.

 

Were you fastidious?
B: I still am.
M: If anything, I was rather frugal.

 

Which problem would you like to solve?
B: Get rid of assholes that believe they are in the right yet only come up with excuses.
M: Everything concerning logistics in Berlin.

 

What would you have never done without alcohol?
B: Discover beer, schnapps and wine.
M: I am a decent person.

The perfect product:
B: A person that knows what they’re doing and at the same time is not an asshole!
M: A story well told – witty and alluring.

 

What can’t you get enough of?
B: Dancing.
M: Lobetaler organic lemon yoghurt.

 

What sinful thing would you like to do?
B: Not telling.
M: Drink alcohol.

 

If we came to visit you at home what would you you cook for us?
B: Oven baked vegetables by Roberto Vena with lemon, salt and fresh goat’s cheese from Capriolenhof.
M: Nothing. I only cook for my family and myself at home. No one else.

 

What are you afraid of?
B: I feel good and safe. I have no fear.
M: That the sky will come crashing down on my head.

 

What were you most recently moved by?
B: The opening of Nobelhart & Schmutzig.
M: The birth of my youngest daughter.

 

What should no one know about you?
B: I’m a virgo. So I’m meticulous and very orderly. People who work with me know this.
M: I tend to be prejudiced. Especially against men without beards.

 

Which question should we have asked?
B: Can you open a bottle with your shoe?
M: Mr. Schäfer, may I ask you a few questions?

 

Last words:
B: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-elQDdfZQOM
M: No guts, no glory.

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 08. Juli 2015 | Tags: , , , , , Keine Kommentare

Conny Schulze

mmw_ConnySchulze1

Conny Schulze

The 2 Minute Interview

Conny Schulze is a TV Journalist, author and together with her husband Thomas she runs the May am Ufer located in Neukölln. She works long hours at the bar, keeps the whole place going and comes up with exciting projects. Her latest coup is called Social Cuisine – a start-up focused on the integration of refugees and helping them build a economic base for their future life in Germany. We like! This Saturday and just on time for World Refugee Day, she’s organizing a cooking event with the fantastic Mughal-cuisne chef Tajuddin Shaikh. We’re not quite sure how to pronounce all of that, but we do know that it’s going to be super scrumptious. So don’t miss it!

 

Name: Conny Schulze
Age: 52
Location: Berlin
Occupation: Journalist, author and owner of May am Ufer
Shoe size: 38
Favorite food: Linguine with green beans or potatoes with homemade pesto
Contact: hallo@may-am-ufer.de

 
Tell us your favourite magical place!
Felstentor on Mount Rigi at Lake Lucerne.

 

Where are you from? I was born in Bremen and grew up on a barge. I’ve loved water ever since.

 

Do you have an idol? I don’t really think much of having an idol and trying to be just like it. I’m glad when other people’s ideas inspire me or enable me to have a different point of view on things. Basically I admire all people who like changing their perspectives every now and then.

 

Which problem would you like to solve? Social inequality. The refugee policy in Germany and Europe really bugs me. Especially the general overextension and people’s idleness to do something about it. Everybody can do something to help people to make their life easier in a foreign country and to relieve others of their fear of the unknown.

 

What can you not get enough of? Inspiration.

 

What forbidden thing would you like to do? Living in a city like Berlin, where everybody crosses the street at a red light, I find life so stimulating and exciting that I don’t stop to think about doing anything illegal. But if I could make a change for the better, I would try to get my hands on some secret information and blare it out to the world.

 

When did you realize that your were all grown up? When I started being less concerned about what will happen to me tomorrow.

 

Which piece of art would you like possess? Till Warwas’ picture of clouds. It’s in our restaurant as a loan. At the moment…

 

Tell us a joke! A frog in a wheelchair comes into a French restaurant and asks: Does is taste good? (oops! editor’s note.)

 

With which famous person would you like to have coffee? I’d like to have some tea with Paramahamsa Yogananda, the author of „Autobiography of a Yogi“.

 

If we came to visit you, what would you cook for us? My husband does the cooking.

 

What are you afraid of? Violence.

 

What were you recently moved by? By the story of an Ethiopian woman who arrived in Germany after a terrible odysee and is now to be deported.

Which question should we have asked? What would your husband cook for dinner-guests?

 

Last Words:
Om.

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 19. Juni 2015 | Tags: , , , , Keine Kommentare

Matthias Ruff

 

Matthias Ruff

 

Das 2 Minuten Interview

Matthias Ruff describes himself as an initiator and catalyst for transformation projects. Let’s translate: Matthias is cool and does fantastic things. His latest coup being the Forever Now Festival, which is all about self-perception, self-fulfillment, mindfulness and fitness and will take place for the first time this autumn at Neue Heimat in Berlin. The best yoga teachers, mentors and media will be gathering. Forever in the moment, forever now. Find out here about what else he does when he’s not smuggling revolutionaries from Egypt or cooking children’s meals. And, of course, it goes without saying that we also asked him about the meaning of life. ;)

 

Name: Matthias Ruff
Age: 48
Location: Berlin-Mitte
Occupation: artist, yoga and meditation teacher, process moderator
Shoe size: 43
Favourite thought: The moment has its special significance, particularly due to its timeless dimension.
Contact: matthias@forevernow.eu

 

Transformationsfestival/Neue Heimat
Who or what inspires you?
Good art. I last came across some during the Gallery Weekend at the Ngorongoro exhibition in Berlin-Weißensee.

 

When was the last time you did a good deed for someone and what was it?
I try to do good everyday. Today, I was there for a friend and colleague and just listened to her for half an hour.

 

And when was the last time you did something good for yourself?
I try to do that everyday, too. My daily yoga and meditation practice treats me to something good and valuable every day.

 

Tell us your favourite magical place!
The Sinai. This mountain desert in Egypt has a magical power.

 

What is the meaning of life?
It is important to find the meaning of life again and again, to keep redefining it over and over. I can only answer the question on an existential level — and not with concepts of philosophy or the financial world’s motives for profit. For me the meaning of life is the reality of being and becoming, of space and form. It’s the differentiated experience of this deep creative power of connectedness, unity and love — and letting it unfold its full impact.

 

If you could change the world over night, where would you start?
I would immediately start changing the food industry. We throw away about 50% of food in Germany while people are starving in other parts of the world. In my opinion that is the No.1 scandal. And it’s caused by the system.

 

What is your generation’s greatest problem?
Unfortunately many are at a standstill and to this day, sticking to approaches from the nineties.

Which book, film and record should everyone have read, seen and listened to?
The underground techno record „The Rings of Saturn“ by X-102 has stuck with me for many years. Gilles Deleuz’ book „Negotiations“ has had a lasting effect on me. It is extremely rich in content — it’s practically the complete twentieth century squeezed into one book. The film „Pride“ has recently touched me. It is also a very funny film about transformation.

 

You will be reborn as what?
I’ll stick to Franz Beckenbauer and his legendary interview in the BILD paper: I’d like to be reborn as a woman.

 

With which celebrity (dead or alive) would you like to have a yogi tea?
With Rainald Goetz. But I’d prefer an after-work beer.

 

If we came to visit you at home, what would you cook for us?
Chicken wings with mashed potatoes. It’ll sort of be like a kid’s meal.

 

What are you afraid of?
Not getting enough sleep.

 

What should no one know about you?
About how we brought an injured and traumatised revolutionary from Egypt to Germany.

 

Which question should we have asked?
What is so exciting and sexy about silence and meditation?

 

Last Words:
Partial solutions are not real solutions. Anybody who wants to make a difference must see things in their entirety. That is why our festival consists of really quiet and very loud moments alike.

 

Kategorien: People | Autor: | Datum: 27. Mai 2015 | Tags: , , , , Keine Kommentare