A Cock Eyed Optimist

The BVG strike goes on . With little progress being made regarding a settlement , but what's noticeable is how well the public are adapting . More bicycles are in evidence which, in conjunction with the S Bahn make long journeys possible [ an ideal combi in poor weather]. Car and taxi usage has increased with people sharing costs.
I read that a group of BVG workers are keen to get back working. The union spokes person however is having no such talk. Also he is pushing to extend throughout Easter .To read his rhetoric is deja vu . Dare I say it 'transports' me to Britain , years ago. Let's hope the outcome here is somewhat better !
Today, with winds of up to 24 km/h it had to be SBahn plus bike . Using an iPod kept my ears warm and, riding down the Kudamm singing 'Cock Eyed Optimist' seemed most appropriate.

Two New Items In Leather.

This little green, leather jacket was bought in France . Quilted on the inside , its warm as well. With a price tag of just 30 euro who could say no ?

My belt [yet another passion ] may not be every ones taste but I love it .The staff at Mode und Sparen know me so well and had put this aside just in case . It was way too long but experts at Schuh Konzept soon fixed that for me and, at no cost !

*By the way my ipod dilemma was sorted by ' ratcatcher '. As spot on as with the tip on Belgian Beer. Many thanks and guess who began her Sunday with Dju Dju Belgian Beer on her cornflakes ? Ratcatcher you sure know your stuff !

Pride Comes Before A Fall-

Ok I didn't fall ,as the bed was there , and better laughter than tears . [no point in messing the mascara] But wow, did I feel as if my head would fall off ! Reason ?

As an iPod greenhorn I really believed I'd cracked it . Having cancelled a jaunt to Leipzig I decided to rip lots of new Cd's . Only to discover right at the end that somehow ,the entire contents of my iTunes library has reversed itself . By this I mean that track one of any CD is now played last . Get the horror picture ? How this has happened I simply don't know .What to do next ------ wait for someone who really knows how to untangle my techno string .[ mind you having said that I do have a nasty feeling this is something to do with an hour + of Apple support ]

Still, mess or not ,it was fun surrounded by 2 laptops , 2 phones , 2 cameras , external drives , Cd's and when not talking on air ,listening to the rte lyric fm concert . Hmm maybe they have an ipod download .... On second thoughts NO .

No Master's degree for this geekette . Merely ,Miss Vixen's in chaos.

Negatives and Positives .

Whilst in France ,my laptop had problems with wlan. Back in Berlin most was sorted, but, still left hot spot functionality to test . Hence today's visit to Helva Cafe Bar . Savigny Platz 589, Berlin. http://www.helva-bar.de/ This place is brilliant . Built under the bridge and rail arches the decor is beautiful. Comfort and service are keywords. Plus free wifi connection with sockets for your adaptors, so no fears of battery capacity failing . The menu is small yet excellent. My laptop 'negative' had resulted in my finding this place .. A positive .

Some may say , careful ,you'll get chubby frequenting such places . No worries . The BVG strike [ another negative] continues . Cycling is the solution , so let them strike . It's turning into one heck of a work out .Another postive .

By the way this is a sort of trinity hot spot .Helva Cafe ,Civan hairdresser ,and Amorph Fashion Store are linked, due to the use of the inherited bridge architecture . Thus one can shop, go for a hair cut and finally have a meal and drink. All with one walk through . Unlike a ghastly shopping mall , here there is day light at all times .

If you are Berlin based and unaware of Helva .. try it . Should you be planning a trip to Berlin make Savigny Platz a must do .All the eateries around here are fabulous and Helva a real must do.

* Helva is upholding the no smoking rule. Yet another star rating .

I Don't Believe It !

No this is not a take on that TV character Victor Meldrew.
After a weekend of very high winds and pelting rain, only yesterday gave some respite ,today has capped it all. It began with a bitterly cold whirlwind and then came snow flakes in all directions. Within two minutes of the first flakes, the above picture was taken from my bedroom window .So once again , no bicycle, out with the fur coat and yes the boots . [My big regret is leaving a fabulous pair of riding boot wellies back in France.] Imagine therefore my joy when out came the sun , and the pavements were partially cleared . Off to the bus stop , side roads not being a very safe option for the bike. Then after 20 minutes an extremely cold Miss V realized something was amiss .. BVG STRIKE . Set to last until March 14 this will mean very few buses and no UBahns . Sitting was the only way I could begin to defrost my feet. Then home for a coffee and total defrost.After which ,it's out with the bicycle come what may .

Hmmmm to those who love wind , snow and rain I say enjoy . Cold is no problem . There are after all , so many interesting ways of keeping warm .

Footwear For A Pixie Geekette.

Those who know me , be it in person or via this blog will know my passion for boots and shoes. The former in particular . Indeed it's difficult ,off the top of my head, to say just how many pairs I own .

One reason boots are a favourite is because of my feet. Extremely slender and quite small this results in nightmare difficulties when buying shoes . Leather must be very soft . Length is fine but the width of 85% of all shoes on my pixie tootsies is such that footwear simply slips off when I walk . One reason why boots are ideal, as they stay put around one's leg and sometimes knee ! However there are times one needs a simple and practical shoe. Thus it was with delight I found this pair of truly geekettish yet pixie shoes . Sensually soft, they stay put , fulfill a criteria, yet still flatter the foot.

It's actually quite nice being a pixie Vixen. As they say,' small is beautiful '.

Collectables .

I'd planned to make a video but decided against . So here's a little picture of a very happy yours truly with the latest additions to my snowstorm collection.

From left to right we have :-

Two French doves . Bought in Mont Lucon .Then Luxembourg , this was a gift .

You then see a Paris snow storm. Finally a very unusual one found in Claremont Ferrand . Home of Michelin . It contains the Michelin man. All set upon what else, but a tyre . Now you may wonder what is the silver ,circular item I'm pointing at .

Not a snow storm and sure as heck no space ship . Any ideas ?

What's To Be Seen In Berlin

Well ,-- on the 23rd February Miss Vixen saw :-

A wonderful Beethoven Concert at the Philharmonic Concert Hall .

The usual classy advertising posters. Here you see one for an exhibition in Hamburg. ( Having been an artist's model she enjoys art )

Then yet another , but no ,not for snowstorms , though it looks like one . This is part of much larger piece re a documentary of the Berlin Philharmonic tour of Asia. Within the globe one sees Sir Simon Rattle and the Orchestra . Finally , a strange shadow . 'Foxy lady on a bicycle ? ' Could be .

Moon Magic Makes Me Happy .

This amazing sight had me outside taking the above photograph ,wearing less than I should .
However, as every moon vixen knows, such an activity is worth any amount of goose bumps.The aura was so amazing as it contained a spectrum of colour which sadly, my camera couldn't capture .

If you get a chance, try viewing it. Who knows, maybe you too will feel the magic .

Some French & Fragile Beauty .

Whilst in Vichy I found a very pretty calendar with words for each month in French .
Since the combination of learning with pleasure is part of my educational philosophy I bought it .
January's illustration was a watercolour depicting snow drops and the following words:-

'La joie de contempler et de comprendre, voila le langage que me porte la nature'
Albert Einstein.

Throughout my travels , numerous , superb examples of nature were spotted and recorded. These snowdrops were in the Hunsruck area. Winter does have a beautiful side as these fragile blooms remind us. So I share the image with you.
Have fun translating the French and / or go to google and find all Einstein quotes . A worthwhile activity any day .

A Trinity Weekend .

I’m back from France after an amazing time . As recent postings show, a lot has been seen , done , not to mention, eaten. So you can imagine the excitement last Thursday on discovering a journey to Luxembourg was planned . After which a visit plus stop over in a truly beautiful part of Germany where a series of villages proved ideal for the filming of the German TV series Heimat.
The seven hour trip to Luxembourg was through some interesting regions of France , so a real plus. Luxembourg itself proved exquisite hence the only regret was that time there was so short . Enough though to experience ‘adventure’ , fine cuisine , breathtaking church architecture and lots of fun .
Saturday evening and the small German town of Morbach where the restaurant at Hotel St Michael provided exceptionally fine cuisine ! The following day meant leaving for a tour of all the villages used in the series Heimat . Base was at Woppenroth in a quaint pension.[which , by the way, boasted a swimming pool] This area of Germany proved magical and looking over the landscape you could almost hear Beethoven’s 6th symphony .Sensational.
Then today after a hearty German breakfast came the drive to Frankfurt am Main for my return journey by train, to Berlin . These last few weeks have been full , fun , very varied , and unforgettable .
The two collages give but a flavour. One is a small sample of Luxembourg shots where a snow storm was given to me ! The other shows the Hunsruck area used for Heimat .

Getting To Be A Habit !

Today began with cornflakes a la Belgian Beer etc ... superb . Then a spot of work and more .

Eventually out for lunch where a half of red was served . Oh my , was it any wonder a rather dizzy Miss Vixen collided with a STOP sign . Could this be a warning ? Mind you it seemed to improve my French .

ps ) now for a bit of fun .Which song springs to mind when you see this picture ? Yes I did actually see this as opposed to pink elephants

Sunday Getting Stoned .

No, not with drugs. That is not my style . Instead Sunday began with a swim followed by a late breakfast / lunch in a very strange bar - pub . On then for a magical mystery ride to find ancient monuments . This area of France is a mass of such . The climb up to these amazing stones was well worth it . All are huge. Some resemble sacrificial slabs .Others like chairs [Miss Vix held court ] after escaping slaughter that is . I did try my best to lever the huge stone but reckon that task would be best left to Atlas . Yours truly will stick to swimming ,cycling and other kinds of sport.

News Update

News Headlines:-

No I haven't won the lottery . Not to worry ,too much wealth could spoil my outlook.

In France this morning the trial sampling of Guiness with cornflakes took place. Result .. delicious , especially when mixed with apple and gooseberry juice ( so healthy ) and , it's set me up for the day.

In Britain the Press are agonizing over two grotesque characters .-

a) Archbishop Rowan who , having stated that Islamic law should be introduced to UK , is now in a state of shock re the wave of protest. ( Lucky him . Were he in Saudi advocating support and representation of Christians he'd be suffering more than shock ).

b)Then one particular paper is wondering if Blair could be Europe's George Washington .

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/09/weu109.xml

Quite simply, no . Washington didn't deal in lies , hence it seems odd , absurd , ridiculous etc to even consider this master of deceit being likened to him . With Blair I reckon the ghastly Uriah Heep is more in keeping .
ps) Have you signed the petition re blocking him as Euro president ?

Euro Lottery Fever .

When it comes to gambling I'm a no go person but :-

Yesterday I began the day by knocking over a large box of pins. Since this entailed picking them up I was informed by an 'oracle' that good luck would be mine and as the Euro lottery was standing at some staggering record amount buying a ticket could be classed as prudent .

Thus followed a remarkable day with lots of amazing finds . This 11th century church for one .

Then a strange white cat decided to put on a rolling cabaret . En route to Aubusson at the checkout of a supermarket came my first win . A gift box re Asterix at the Olympic Games .In Aubusson tickets were duly bought. Lottery fever is now with me . As the Beach Boys sang,

'Wouldn't It Be Nice '

Calling all Europeans.

Not only cornflakes and fruit juice prove refreshing but , some interest in matters political .
Today I received the following link in the form of a comment ( see previous post )
http://www.gopetition.com/online/16745.html To this anonymous reader I say a big thank you and yes, I've signed .

The prospect of Mr Insincerity Blair being permanent president of the EU fills me with dread , nausea and dismay. If you have the time ,read the post 'Miss Vixen Predicts' , 13 May 2007 .

Then click on the link here or listed at the right under links and ,even if you have no interest stop to consider the following :-

It's your taxes that will pay to keep this odious man and his freeloading wife in a manner you can only dream of . If that doesn't stir you ,then sorry , this means brain death has surely taken place .

So from an English lady who resides in Germany ,is currently in France , often in Denmark ,and who loves Europe ,I ask all to unite . Warmongers are not wanted . Say 'No' to Blair .

Start Your Day The Vix-Fizz Way .

It's been some time since my last tips for healthy living . Mind you some may say the following doesn't qualify but I urge you to try and most of all ,enjoy ..
Cornflakes with milk were never my thing . Instead I eat with orange or grapefruit juice poured on . This may sound odd but believe me, it's delicious . Today, as promised, room service served my cereal ,not only in finest Limoges porcelain but with Buck's Fizz to pour on . The result ? One more than lively Miss Vixen and that is extremely wild !
Management agreed that this could be a regular breakfast choice and variations may well be possible . eg) Use of Guiness ...........

Any other suggestions .

Monday With Mademoiselle la Renarde

Let's see this as a mini French lesson . Mademoiselle la Renarde equals Miss Vixen and here she is at a Renault garage with, what else but an orange car . Ever political c'est moi .Now if only they would see their way to using this as advertising , who knows I could get a gratis model !
Secondly ,forget Germany, the French can beat them with their signs and notices . Mind you ,I can think of a few cities where this should be displayed . It reads , 'urinating is forbidden. ' or 'dont take the p.... out of Miss V[Berlin and New Delhi take note ] Later, on the way home a wonderful evening sky highlighted what I've come to refer to as my Triffid trees. Aren't they spooky ? So from France and replete with yet more red wine this is Mademoiselle la Renarde signing off . Au revoir.

Miss V and the French Rolling Stones ?

This little collage is just for fun . So here we go . Yet another facet of my time in France .

Tope line .Left to Right.

Painting spotted in a gents toilet ( and yes I did go in ).A swinger in the nice sense . Miss V on the well , not in it . The gentlemen is a friend of a friend . Good cook too .

Second line Left to Right .

Bright eyes takes on a whole new meaning , Miss V as a singer .. errr not really Marianne Faithfull .The Stones reborn ( a French man , A Belgian man and a Scots man . Musical EU )

Bottom line .Left to Right .

The Church at Charroux . then two already explained .

How To Sin In Style in Charroux

As you are aware I love to sin ,and high on the list is ice cream .
Saturday found me in the tiny village of Charroux .. A place reknowned for it's beauty and original architecture [What's that you say, "Rather like Miss Vixen "]
After lots of meandering tiny streets and alley ways , Saint Sebastien , a cafe and resteraunt supreme was a must . There I was served the best ice cream ever . Three scoops..pink grapefruit, pistachio and caramel .Never have I felt like so much like Oliver Twist and asking for more . All the cakes and ices are made on the premises . Another tip to note, ready for your Easter or Summer travels .

Do go to google and type in charroux.
*The church at Charroux gives a strange sense of deja vu to anyone who knows Berlin . but more of that another time . Right now coffee time and after riding a bike this is a must .