Imagine, you were a citizen of a usually quaint pretty small town situated close to the Polish border and, all of a sudden, George Clooney crossed your path! Or one of the ‘Inglorious Basterds’. Or perhaps you would happen to bump into Bill Murray right in front of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’. Theoretically, you could. Practically, although the mentioned protagonists were physically present, you would probably have had to be satisfied with a clandestine glimpse of the desired human objects (one of which was voted „sexiest man alive“ not too long ago) from afar. With film sets meticulously cordoned off and actors well protected against curious intruders at all times, one does not just walk into stars of such calibre at random! Not even in the narrow alleys of remote Goerlitz. Unless, of course, one becomes an extra in one of the productions – allowed to play an (in?)significant role within the twinkling orbit of much-admired international celebrities.
Topic: Europe
Handy for events: The portable hotel
Tell someone about on-site accommodation along with the description „box style“, and you’ll usually not harvest much enthusiasm. Unlike the familiar containers utilised as office space and living quarters on regular construction sites around the globe, this innovative temporary housing scheme stands for a comfy hotel arrangement rather than the interim solution it actually is.
German Voorst-appeal entices ze Londoners
No Carbs, Fräulein?
It is an undeniable fact: The common sausage is not a stunner to look at – nor does it photograph well. No matter the species, a regular Wurst’s mere shape and colour are giving food stylists a hard time: There is absolutely no way to let it shine. Yet, once thrown on to the grill and noisily sizzling, its distinct aroma promptly exerts its wondrous magnetism and lures entranced workers and bankers, housewives and business women, young, old or canine straight into places such as Herman ze German’s. London’s cosmopolitan denizens, its native population and tourists alike seem to succumb to the multiple stimuli exuded by the authentic German sausage … if the verifiable afflux accounts for anything. The Bratwurst (pork & veal), Bockwurst (smoked pork) or the Chilli Beef Wurst (pork & beef) on the menu all are eligible for ennoblement, thus crowned the sausage of sausages: the legendary Currywurst.
Germany. Zeche Zollverein: Diamonds are Forever
Events above the pit-web
The actual pit may have been shut down decades ago, but the lifeblood of Zeche Zollverein, one of Europe’s largest industrial monuments, is pulsating powerfully through its veins to this day. Bestowing upon it a new purpose by turning its extraordinary properties into an event location seemed a brilliant idea, whereby the challenge lies in simultaneously complying with the constraints a recognised UNESCO world heritage site has to bow to. The venue shakes up an impressive cocktail of modern industrial architecture corroborated by the moving history of a legendary colliery – and has rightly become a much-regarded landmark – and a meaningful symbol for the Ruhrgebiet region. Zeche Zollverein is the indisputable epitome of coal mining activities in Germany.
Virtual excursions in Ireland
Forty Shades of Green on Google Street View
Not only the number of meeting variants is constantly growing, their degree of creativity increases as well. Ranging from the regular office get-together to the classical congress, popular in-between solutions like BarCamps, Open Spaces, casual World Cafés, Brownbag Sessions and whatnot, have been sprouting in mushroom-like fashion, only to be accompanied – or replaced – by the next unconventional novelty at the wink of an eye. But what if there isn’t time for an exchange face-to-face and/or the cost for it is unwarranted? In that case, one might want to opt for a virtual meeting instead. And, for the sake of the concept’s purity: Why not enhance it with a stressless, equally virtual „fringe programme“? An „excursion“ to the Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s west coast could be a rewarding experience.