sisterMAG50 – Venus & Mars – EN by sisterMAG

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Editorial SISTER-MAG.COM

V E N U S & M A R S Sandro Botticelli, 1485 National Gallery, London

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d e a r s i s t e r m ag r eaders, When we determined the artworks for the 2019 issues at the beginning of the year, it was not a conscious decision to schedule the oldest painting for the anniversary issue – sisterMAG no. 50. It was in 1485 – more than 530 years ago – when Botticelli painted »Venus and Mars« but the subject of the painting, the pacification of warlike acts with love, is as up-to-date as ever. Venus tames Mars, love defeats violence.

Inspired by this basic theme, we put together an especially rich sisterMAG issue. Three sections examine the key topics »Mythology, Art & Botticelli«, »Wedding & Nude Tones« and »Florence & Travels into Past and Future«. We wanted to find out what the mythological affair of Mars and Venus is all about and how this topic of all-embracing love is reinterpreted in a number of ways. Barbara Eichhammer observes the myth of romantic love and Marlen Gruner explains on the basis of the five phases of love when it’s on its peak and how it goes from there. In the big wedding special, we show you how to marry in 2019 and invite you to dream with some of the best wedding photographers. One of the big trends of 2019 are nature and nude tones that we present you in DIYs with great ideas of paulsvera. We also show you the current trends and ingredients in natural cosmetics

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and introduce you to the second part of our big herbs special.

again for you. In our »Digital Ladies Travel«, you find tips for Florence this time. The photographer and sisterMAG friend Saskia from the blog Oh Hedwig went with Biotherm to Brittany for us and brought back many revealing impressions on marine pollution.

The anniversary issue obviously brings many great recipes as well. Discover delicious Midnight Treats, inspired by the »pasticcerie notturne« from Florence. Together with many baking enthusiasts, we tested Tefal’s Cake Factory over the past months and show you the best recipes in sisterMAG 50. The antipodes Mars and Venus attract just like the »complete opposites« of Carole Poirot that harmonise surprisingly well in her recipes. You will instantly want to harvest Giedre’s plums from the »plum and garden« feature.

Exactly like the artwork lead us deep into the past and stretches the arch over more than 530 years, we looked at the past of sisterMAG when we prepared this issue. That’s why we give you fascinating insights into »sisterMAG’s past days« over the next weeks until issue no. 51 comes out. You can expect some exciting prize draws as well. Stop by our social media channels to miss nothing!

Toni, Thea

& the sisterMAG Team

Of course, we travelled

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PA R T I C I PAT E H E R E

uty

Ta b

During the whole month of July you will find on our social media channels as well as in our newsletter numerous prize draws and giveaways, promotions and flashbacks to 7.5 years of sisterMAG! Maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in a huge beauty box full with goodies from our issue partners? Or a box with wonderful table decorations or sisterMAG DIY equipment? Then follow us on @sister_mag and keep your eyes open! Starting July 6th!

DIY

the Mo

Food

# 50x s i ste r MAG

! ing at r b e el c We are

s ay w a Give

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TABLE OF CONTENT

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03 08 12

338

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS OF THE ISSUE DOWNLOAD OVERVIEW IMPRINT

– FL O RE N CE & T RAVE L S

PAGE24 – THE YEAR 1485

IN T O PA ST A N D FUT URE – –

50 ISSUES OF SISTERMAG

THE YEAR 1485

The Team's favourites

When Botticelli painted »Venus & Mars«

DIGITAL LADIES TRAVEL

MIDNIGHT TREATS

SUMMER DRINKS

A magical journey through Florence

Pasticcerie Notturne

Enjoy in colour

PAGE 218 – PLUMS & GARDENS

TEFAL ACTIFRY GENIUS

SUMMER IN THE CITY

92 102 112

Italian inspired recipe

Fashion Feature

– W E DDIN G & N UDE T O N E S – CASSONE PAINTINGS Wedding chests as artpieces WEDDINGS A cultural history HOW TO SAY YES Wedding Trends 2019

150 158 166 174 186 190 202 218 PAGE 202 –RATTAN DIYS

232

PAGE 292 – OPPOSITES ATTRACT

240

264 274 292

FESTIVE DIYS With Paulsvera CUPID The God of Love PHASES & FORMULAS OF LOVE Love made Mathematical THE POWER OF MEDICINAL PLANTS All good things come from nature EXPERIENCE WORLD OCEANS DAY With Biotherm NATURAL COSMETICS Green Cosmetics for natural beauty DIYS IDEAS WITH RATTAN Have fun building, gluing & crafting! PLUMS & GARDENS Recipes by Giedrė Barauskienė START UP SPOTLIGHT With Pars Pralinen BAKING FOR BEGINNERS & ADVANCED BAKERS With Tefal Cake Factory

– M Y TH O L O GY, A RT & BO T T ICE L L I – MARS & VENUS The story of a love affair MARS & VENUS In literature and film OPPOSITES ATTRACT Recipes by Carole Poirot

308

BLASPHEMY

318

CLASSICAL ART MEMES

Religion vs. Renaissance art

Impossible to miss this Trend

326

#CONNECTEDSHECAN With Vodafone

KONTRIBUTOREN Text

FOOD

photo & Video

Lea Becker lea-becker.net

Giedrė Barauskienė giedrebarauskiene.com

Ashley Ludäscher ashleyludaescher.com

Barbara Eichhammer die-kleine-schreibecke.de

Lukas Grossmann lukasgrossmann.de

Chris & Ruth chrisandruth.com

Marlen Gruner marlengruner.com

Sandy Neumann confiture-de-vivre.de

Claudia Gödke claudiagoedke.com

Alex Kords kords.net

Carole Poirot carolepoirot.com

Christian Näthler @iamvolta

Karolina Wiercigroch karolina-wiercigroch.com

Dr. Michael Neubauer

Claus Kuhlmann boheifilm.de Cris Santos @csantosphoto Danny & Ralf danielamarquardt.com

Elisabeth Stursberg @lizziemariees

Francisco Jauregui @franja54

sisterMAG Team

Howreggee @howreggee Jaclyn Locke jaclynlocke.com Karim Maximilian Oeltze von Lobenthal

proof

translation

Alex Kords kords.net

Ira Häussler

Lyndsey Goddard lyndseygoddard.com Maria Zimmermann maria-zimmermann-fotografie.de Melli & Shayne melliandshayne.com

Amie McCracken amiemccracken.com

Christian Naethler @iamvolta

Saskia Sandrock ohhedwig.com

Christian Naethler @iamvolta

Elisabeth Stursberg @lizziemariees

Skylar Beck @stylebyskye

Michael Neubauer sisterMAG

sisterMAG Team

Tali Photography hochzeitsfotografie-koeln.de sisterMAG Team

MODELS Bianca @konfettiimherz

DIY

Hair & Makeup

Anna-Vera Piendl paulsvera.com

Alba Brari albabrari.com

Julia Lange-Schreiner bildschoenesdesign.de

Julia Brari @julia.brari

Emma @emmaslieblingsstuecke

Marlene Sauer @idlehandsawake

Franziska Dominick franziskadominick.com

Franzi @franzisaidwhat

Maritza Lisa maritzalisa.com

Christine Garcia Urbina trickytine.com

Inga Brauer @sunnyinga

Mualla // decorndetails @decorndetails

Marion Bausch @marionbausch

Zarah Djazayeri @schmuckblog

Tina Fischbach @tinafischbach_makeupartist Kamila Mocho kamila-mocho-makeupartist.com

Max & Ricarda wie-hund-und-katze.com Nicola @nicolardk Noemi Ristau @noemiristau

Styling Evi Neubauer pinterest.com/evin

Paula Brenzel

illustration Ivone Prague @ivoneprague Philipa Rabbit philiparabbit.com Nicole Xu @nicolexu_

PARTN ER O F T H E I S S UE You can recognize our partner features through the logo at the top of the page. We thank our partners BIOTHERM, TEFAL and VODAFONE very cordially, because without them this issue would not be possible!

O U R

PORTRAIT C O V E R M O D E L

S I S T E R M A G

MARION BAUSCH

THE COVER PHOTOS Jacklyn Locke

MODEL Marion Bausch

OUTFIT Evi Neubauer

HAIR & MAKE-UP

The digital lady on this issue’s cover is MARION BAUSCH – model, mum and a true sunshine. Even in the 40 degree heat during our shoot, she always stayed calm – and we are absolutely in love with the fairy-like results!

Franziska Dominick

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We would like to introduce Marion to you beyond our cover. The 45year old lives in the German city Heidelberg with her husband and daughter – and she truly loves family time there or days spent in nature. Understandable, as Marion’s other passion – modeling – makes sure that she is always on the go. When we were shooting with her, she just came back from another work trip to South Tyrol. Of course, Marion wouldn’t go anywhere without her phone, she admits that she spends quite a lot of time on social media. However, in the summer months she also likes to turn everything off – to go swimming with her daughter (of course, using high sun protection and staying in the shade). Nights are preferably spent at an outside BBQ with a glass of rosé. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it?

By the way, there is anothe r reason why Marion is such a wonderful fit for one of our ar t covers. She studied art histor y and literature herself. Her

favorite artists are Dalí, Keith Haring and Alberto Giacometti .

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PLUM JAM

CRUMBLE CAKE

FRANGIPANE

HERBS

LEMON MERINGUE TART

CARAMEL CRAQUELIN

FROZEN YOGURT

LIMONCELLO SOUR

THAI BASIL SMASH

SMOKED SCOTCH NEGRONI

GOLDEN PINA COLADA

RASPBERRY MARGARITA

ENVELOPES

GIFT BOX

PATTERN 50-5

DIY WITH RATTAN

VODAFONE WITH NOEMI

VODAFONE

SISTERMAG EARRINGS DIY

SISTERMAG POMPOMS DIY

VIDEOS

DOWNLOADS

MULTIMEDIA

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S T AY I N T O U C H !

Follow along our stories and daily news from the sisterMAG office easily on Instagram! You can find magazine content, behind-the-scenes and snapshots of our contributors. And of course, prize draws, invitations and other exclusive activities can be found on @SISTER_MAG.

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T H E

T E A M ' S

C H O I C E

Favourite Issue

SIST E RMAG

50 issues

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We asked everyone at the sisterMAG office which issue is their favourite. Time to take a walk down memory lane!

TONI | sisterMAG-Founder In the last few weeks – in preparation for sM50 – I’ve looked at many of the old issues. I really liked Issue 11 , where we put our model Maria in a modern armor suit and photographed her in an art gallery to symbolize the topics »History - Business - Art« (In 2014 the issue all revolved around school subjects). Inside the issue you will find such

beautiful and exciting articles as »Women through the ages« with short portraits of Barbé Nicole Cliquot- Nr.11 Ponsardin or Rita Hayworth. In addition, I found the »Colour Wheel Cake« and the »Coloured Smoothies« by Claudi amazing. But I could probably write similar praise for each issue ... ;-)

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Nr.42

THEA | sisterMAGFounder Nr.08

It’s incredibly hard to name just one issue. I love all of them! But the first 10-15 are the ones I know by heart because I did all the layouts by myself back then. The »Grand Hotel« issue, Nr. 08 , is one of my favourites because it includes our first big production outside of Berlin for which the whole team travelled to the island of Ruegen. And I remember sisterMAG Nr.17 with Ricarda on the cover and the different sections with the theme »KEYS« . I’m sorry, I just can’t decide! ;) Which might be a good sign…

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ALEX | sisterMAGFounder

My favourite issue is Nr. 42 . The cover dress inspired by the movie »Metropolis« is just great and the issue includes a very informative article on marathons. A great read!

EVI | sisterMAGDirector Fashion I would like to pick every single one because I have a special relationship to almost every cover. My favourite period are the 1950s. Issue Nr. 39 has so many elements from that time with the influence of Hitchcock, Chagall, Grace Kelly, Yves Klein,

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Nr.27

Nr.25

CHRISSI Senior Content Manager sisterMAG issue Nr. 27-2

(but

also parts 1 and 3) is my favourite for winter. I love cosying up on the sofa and leafing through the issue. There are great cultural stories like the history of the chimney and the Baumkuchen and the beautiful illustrations and photos from Portugal make me daydream about faraway lands.

SOPHIE Senior Content Manager My favourite is issue Nr. 25 »Water Colours« . Even the table of contents includes so many dreamy illustrations. I love the maritime feeling that is sprinkled throughout the whole issue. One of my favourites is the article »A Day By The Sea« - such great writing and beautiful layout.

Miró, the Côte d’Azur. And who else would publish an article about roofers who to me (just like many other craftsmen) represent and create a kind of art that is more admirable than some of the things that are sold to us as such in these days.

Nr.39

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CARO | Editorial I love issue Nr. 48 , inspired by Vermeer’s master piece »GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING« . I love the Netherlands so this issue really represents something to me. The travel guide for The Hague really inspired me – the city definitely moved up on my list of travel destinations! And I love the natural, earthy tones of the issue.

Nr.47

Nr.41

FRANZI Senior Content Manager

Nr.08

From the beach cover & dreamy hotels to the section on literature in the 1920s and the refreshing food feature with its popsicles and cocktails: sisterMAG issue Nr. 8 , inspired by the novel »Grand Hotel« , is the perfect summer read for me. And it’s also the first sisterMAG issue I ever read!

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THERESA Content Manager My favourite issue is Nr.47 , inspired by the floral still life »Vase with Two Shells « by Giovanna Garzoni. I love the cover dress made by Evi and the way it interacts with Hürriyet’s huge floral arrangement! The

Easter party with all of its spring colours and DIYs was so beautifully made and inspiring. It was also the first issue that I worked on from the very beginning and will always be special to me. MARIE Senior Graphic Designer

ILARIA Graphic Designer My favourite is issue Nr. 41 »Grand Budapest Hotel« . The sugar-sweet colour combinations and the variety of topics make reading a treat. I’m a huge sucker for interior design so I loved the article on »The Grand Hotel Design Special« . Great layout and tips.

My favourite issue is Nr. 44 based on Gustave Caillebotte‘s painting »Paris: A Rainy Day« . It was the first issue this year and the first painting that became a Nr.44 guide for us. I love this new view on the arts and find it to be very inspiring – especially the colours and the cover of the issue are incredibly beautiful.

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LALE Photographer & Videographer My favourite issue is sisterMAG Nr. 31-2 »Beneath The Plum Tree« . The beauty shoot about fall trends and berry tones was so much fun!

SOPHIA Content Manager

Nr.33

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One of my favourite issues is Nr. 38 with the wonderful Claudia Gödke on the cover. Just shooting it at the beautiful Henri Hotel brought so much joy. For this issue, I also had the privilege of meeting with the startup »Zeitreisen« and went on my first videoBustour. I loved reading this issue on a slow Sunday morning in bed – fitting for the theme of »Pillow Talk« .

Nr.31

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And now it’s your turn – which one of the 50 sisterMAG issues is your favourite? Tell us on Instagram @sister_mag – we're looking forward to hearing from you!

#50xsistermag

MEDEA Accounting I love issue Nr. 33. The cover is beautiful and it’s great to see all the different takes on the »Breakfast Club« . The articles on schools and our need for individuality are amazing as well!

LAURA Content Manager My favourite sisterMAGissue is the (almost) completely black-and-white issue Nr. 42 about »Metropolis« . The issue embodies what sisterMAG really is: A whole issue dedicated to one specific topic, combining interesting information, great partners and a whole lot of creativity. I also love the unique and beautiful DIY advent calendars of the issue!

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section 1 SISTER-MAG.COM

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Florence & Travels into Past & Future

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S T A T E S C I T Y I T A L I A N T H E A N D

the year 1485

WH E N BO T T ICE L L I PA IN T E D »ve n us a n d ma R s«

The year

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Describing life in the year in which our main artwork for this issue was created, as we do in our monthly series »The Year X«, turned out to be slightly different this time – for two reasons: Of course, international exchange was thriving long before 1485. Compared to our globalised present, however, it was mostly taking place at official levels and less in people’s daily lives. Secondly, there is the question of historical sources. As research for this article has shown, the number of sources is not the problem. The challenge rather lies in finding and accessing the right materials. So, what was happening while Sandro Botticelli painted »Venus and Mars«? 24

L O R E N Z O M A G N I F I C O

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L O R E N Z O D E M E D I C I

Tex t: E l isa be t h St u r sbe r g

Politics & society In Florence, only few are left challenging Lorenzo de Medici's – also referred to as Lorenzo il Magnifico – claim to power. Officialy, the city is a republic, but the Medici family has succeeded in converting their excellent connections and vast fortune deriving from Lorenzo’s grandfather’s prosperous

business deals into a de facto reign. The rise of Florence as the »cradle of the Renaissance« is largely due to the Magnifico’s devotion to the arts and generous financial support for various artists. Starting from the middle of the 1480s, he also accomplishes the diplomatic feat of turning Florence into a pivotal actor on Italy’s tricky political stage.

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history & Politics I This stage is generally dominated by five main powers: Florence, Venice, the Roman Pontifical State, the kingdom of Naples, and the Duchy of Milan. Alliances and oppositions, however, are in constant flux: A period of hostility between Florence and Rome, or rather, Lorenzo de Medici and Pope Sixtus IV. during the 1470s has resulted in a war in which als Naples, an ally of the Pope, is involved. The matter is settled in 1484. Venice, meanwhile, has been trying to invade Ferrara

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but is stopped by Milan as well as Florence and Naples who are now allies. The next argument erupts right in the heart of Naples, when barons instigate a revolt against their king, supported by the Pope Innocent VIII, who has since succeeded Sixtus and is no friend of Ferdinand. Lorenzo de Medici takes the side of his challenged Neapolitan counterpart this time.

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P O P E S I X T U S I V . S E L F P O R T R A I T , R A P H A E L

people I 135 km east of Florence, in the tranquil Duchy of Urbino, the son of painter Giovanni Santi and his wife Magia Ciarla, Raphael, is turning two years old. His rather peaceful circumstances change profoundly with the death of his mother in 1491 and his father hust three years later. Raphael moves to Perugia where he enters the bottega (workshop) of famous painter Perugino. Thanks to his exceptional talent and striking charm, the young artist rises quickly and becomes a painting legend during his lifetime.

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F L O R E N C E , 1 4 8 5

arts & society Early Renaissance is the golden age for artists, scientists, and the bourgeoisie who gain more and more selfconfidence. Humanismus is the prevailing attitude and the view of the world becomes increasingly anthropocentric: An intellectual transfer of power of the individual human being is taking place. The new self-image of citizens as individuals acring on their own responsibility becomes particularly evident SISTER-MAG.COM

in Florence where keeping a personal diary is now en vogue. What's more, as requested by the catasto, a tax system introduced in 1427, Florentines must report regularly on their wealth, income, and expenses and thus gradually start to perceive themselves as indipendent economic parties.

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G A R T D E R G E S U N D H E I T

Literature

D E R E A E D I F I C A T O R I A

public sphere & publishing Although no mainstream yet, the market for printing is rapidly evolving both south and north of the Alps. More and more writings are printed, and books published. Mainz, for instance, sees the launch of the first printed book on herbs in German under the title »Gart der Gesundheit«, (an antiquated expression which loosely translates to »garden of health«). Already, Frankfurt am Main has been identified as a suitable meeting spot after the first »Frankfurt Book Fair« has taken place the year before (the tradition of the current Messegesellschaft, however, does not go back as far; it was founded in 1907 and today's Book Fair takes place since 1949).

Leon Battista Alberti is writing a lot. In 1485, he finally has »De re aedificatoria« printed and published, a treatise on architectural theory in ten books that he had finished some time ago. In the spirit of the Renaissance, it features ample reference to antiquity, in particular to Vitruvius's »De architectura«. Alberti is highly regarded as an architect. Among his achievements is the completion of the famous façade of Florence's Santa Maria Novella in 1470. What he, or anybody, cannot yet know is that this façade is about to become an important source of inspiration for many fellow architects, most notably in the Baroque era. werden sollte. Likewise, his printed work remains a standard source not only for architects until well into the 18th century.

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economy & trade Jakob Fugger is generally regarded as a pioneer of capitalism and a rather successful one, too: According to today's projections, his assets were equivalent to more than 350 billion euros. In other words: To this day, no one has become richer than Jakob Fugger, not even powerful dynasties such as re Medici and other Italian merchant families, to whose predominance Fugger, based in pretty, buzzing Augsburg, represents a heavy counterweight. Pursuing a holistic approach, he complements his wide-ranging SISTER-MAG.COM

network of business partners, rulers and church leaders with generous philanthropic activities such as setting up the Fuggerei, an early â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some say the first ever â&#x20AC;&#x201C; model of a social housing project.

history & Politics II In autumn, Venice is mourning the death of Giovanni Mocenigo, the 72nd Doge of La Serenissima. His reign does not fall in

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a particularly happy period: In 1483 a fire in the Doge's Palace had forced him to move temporarily. The plague keeps flickering (it is also the cause of his death), while the Pope, taking disciplinary measures after a Venetian attempt to seize Ferrara had banished him provisionally from the Church. Unlike the plague though, this conflict, involving also Florence, Naples and Milan, can be solved through a peace agreement concluded in the year before his death.

history & Politics III Meanwhile, in Spain, the Reconquista is in its final phase. The Christians celebrate another victory when they manage to take over Setenil, but it will be another seven years until the final triumph, symbolised by the reconquest

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of Granada. Considering the historical context of the entire undertaking, however, which began in the 8th century, this seems like the blink of an eye which, of course, it really wasn’t for those involved on either side.

people II Simultaneously, the search for a sea route to India is in full swing. While numerous explorers, many of them from Spain or Portugal, are setting sail or are about to, in the town of Medellín in southwest Spain, Hérnan Cortés is just being born. No one can know yet that his future career will be leading him to America, because Columbus has not yet rediscovered the continent. Fast forward several decades, and Cortés and his troops are raiding the Aztec Empire and its capital Tenochtitlan – on whose ruins, again much later, Mexico City will be built.

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Let us take you on a magical journey through Florence!

florence

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Best tips

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Digital Ladies Travel sisterMag Travel series

FLORENce

One thing that should not be missing in our anniversary issue about Botticelli's work is, of course, our »Digital Ladies Travel« feature! Since the artist's life centred in Florence, Italy, we searched for locals who could show us the most beautiful parts of the city that cannot be found in the pages of every travel guide. We came across Skylar from North East Ohio, who runs the beautiful blog »Style by Skye« and currently lives in Florence to study design. In the following feature she takes us to the most interesting museums, shows us the best gelato spots, and the most delicious (heartshaped!) pizza of the city, which will surely tempt many of us to start looking for flights. We wish you much pleasure in planning your trip and leave you with a quote from Heinrich Heine: »If Italy, as the poets proclaim, is comparable to a beautiful woman, Florence is the bouquet of flowers at her heart«.

Text & Photos

SKYLAR BECK SISTER-MAG.COM

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Best shopping street

Arn

Both

e streets ar parallel to us o e g r o g e th LLA E D A Z Z »PIA ICA« L B B U P RE square.

Piazza della Repubblica

VIA DE TORNABUONI

STYLEBYSKYE.COM SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Via Calimala

The best shopping street in Florence is definitely »VIA DE'TORNABUONI« . This street is lined with renowned luxury labels and merchants. The best shopping street for more affordable shopping would be »VIA CALIMALA« .

ni Via de Tornabuo

SHOPPING

PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO

Best view of the city BEST VIEW

Photo: Amanda Dalbjorn

The best view of Florence can be enjoyed from »PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO« . This piazzale is popular for good reason because it’s one of the best spots to gaze over the city’s skyline without climbing hundreds of steps! Although the area is often crowded with visitors, there is ample room to view. »PIAZZALE

M Y TI P I suggest bringing along some wine and snacks! SISTER-MAG.COM

MICHELANGELO«

is my favorite place to watch a stunning sunset.

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Best Italian food GUSTA PIZZA Italian cuisine is vast but when I think of Italian food, I immediately think pizza! The best pizza in Florence is »GUSTA PIZZA« , located across the SANTA TRINITA BRIDGE . Make sure you order a heart-shaped pie!

Best gelato

GELATERIA DEI NERI

I've searched for the best gelato in Florence for months and I'm happy to say I finally found this treasure: »GELATERIA DEI NERI« .This spot is a must for smooth, vibrant, and savory gelato. In my opinion, cherry, pistachio, and ricotta and fig are the best flavours to try.

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LA MENAGERE

U ni q u e & authentic La Ménagère

Best coffee

Best night bar

You truly cannot find a bad cup of coffee in Florence but my favorite is found at »LA

»LA MÉNAGÈRE « is an eclectic spot because the bar downstairs features live jazz music every Friday and Saturday night. This is one of my favourite ways to enjoy Florence at night. It's a more unique and authentic experience for a relaxing evening.

MÉNAGÈRE« . This quaint

cafe near the center of Florence creates an atmosphere that will make you want to keep ordering cappuccinos and find an excuse to come back.

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IL DUOMO VENUS

I couldn't pick just one for this question as there are so many amazing museums in Florence. The 2 most famous and magnificent museums are »T HE UF FIZ I GA LL ER Y« and »T HE GA LL ER IA DE 'LL AC AD EM IA« . But if you have time I would also visit »T HE MU SE UM OF OP ER A OF SA INT MA RIA OF FIO RE « . All of these museums majestically illustrate the rich history of Florence.

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d n a ts r a r o f t o p s t s e B culture UFFIZI GALLERY GALLERIA DELL' ACCADEMIA MUSEUM OF OPERA OF SAINT MARIA OF FIORE

GALLERIA DE'LL ACCADEMIA

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Photo: Ali Nuredini

Best date spot

The entire city is romantic, so an ideal romantic evening in FLORENCE should be sweet and simple. Buy a pizza and a bottle of wine and SIT ALONG THE ARNO RIVER . It's the best way to take in the city while enjoying the scenery, the people, and your special company.

BEST WAY TO TAKE IN THE CITY WHILE ENJOYING THE SCENERY.

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A tourist may miss one of the unique rooftop bars in the city like »View on ART«. It's part of »the Hotel Medici« but the rooftop is open to the public and has tables aligned along the rooftop. This quickly became one of my favourite ways to enjoy a stunning view of Florence.

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Photo: Catalina Todd

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P A S T I C C E R I E

N O T T U R N E

midnight treats

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IE NOT TU RN

Midnight Treats You smell them before you see them - a sweet scent of citrus, vanilla and butter wafts out into the night. It fills your nostrils and leaves you yearning for freshly baked CORNETTI , piped with nutella, jam or custard. Every night, as Florentines switch their lights off, the bakers turns theirs on, working arduously to stock the city bars and cafes with luscious treats by dawn. These »PASTICCERIE NOTTURNE« , secret night bakeries, are in fact wholesale bakeries, closed during the day, but hard at work when most of the city is sound asleep. Hidden in cobbled back-alleys and with unmarked storefronts, they sometimes open the doors

at night to sell their fresh-fromthe-oven pastries to peckish night owls. You quietly knock on the door, surreptitiously hand a few euros to the baker and receive a bag with piping-hot goods: fresh bomboloni, coated in sugar and filled with chocolate, a crispy sfogliatella with a creamy filling, mouth-watering budini di riso or cannoli with ricotta. Grab a bottle of Tuscan Vin Santo and you’re all set for a decadent midnight feast.

Recipes & Photos: KAROLINA WIERCIGROCH

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Recipe DOWNLOAD

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VENUS

MARS

Paste di meliga WITH ZABAGLIONE

Originally from Piedmont, these delicate golden biscuits were born out of tough times. With the rise of prices of wheat flour, bakers started substituting a portion of expensive white flour with cheaper polenta, creating a delicious crunch and a sublime golden

glow. Paste di meliga are delicious dipped in thick, creamy zabaglione - an airy dessert made of whipped egg yolks, sugar and sweet Italian wine. The choice of wine depends on the region - itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moscato dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Asti in Piedmont and Vin Santo in Tuscany.

INGREDIENTS Paste di meliga

Zabaglione

250 g

flour

125 g

extra fine polenta

4 tbsp sugar

100 g

sugar

250 g

soft butter, diced

4 tbsp Vin Santo (or other sweet wine)

(makes around 35 small biscuits)

(serves 4)

egg yolks

2 eggs

peel of 2 lemons

a pinch of salt 45

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HOW IT'S DONE: PASTE DI MELIGA 1.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and lemon peel.

Add butter and eggs.

Working with your fingers, mix butter and eggs into dry ingredients, forming a soft, smooth dough.

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180Â°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and use it to shape biscuits onto the baking tray.

Bake until golden - about 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Recipe DOWNLOAD

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VENUS

MARS

HOW IT'S DONE: ZABAGLIONE 1.

Prepare a pot of water simmering over low heat.

Put sugar and egg yolks into a nonreactive bowl and vigorously whisk until well combined.

Sugar should dissolve and the mixture should become brighter and more foamy - this should take 3-4 minutes.

Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water, creating a bainmarie.

Whisking constantly, gradually add wine.

Continue whisking until the mixture is pale and foamy - for about 5 minutes.

Be careful not to let yolks cook around the edges of the bowl. 47

gently

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Budini di riso Budini di riso - vanilla and citrus scented rice puddings baked in shortcrust pastry - can be found in Tuscan bars and pastry shops all year round. A freshly baked budino and a cup of coffee make a typical Florentine breakfast.

INGREDIENTS

(makes 14 tartelettes)

Crust

Filling

250 g

flour

150 g

100 g

powdered sugar

500 ml milk

125 g

soft butter, diced

125 g

butter

eggs, beaten

egg yolks

4 tbsp sugar

peel of 1 orange

a pinch of salt

3 tbsp Vin Santo (or other sweet wine)

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arborio rice

seeds of 1 vanilla pod

peel of 2 oranges

VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

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Recipe DOWNLOAD

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VENUS

MARS

HOW IT'S DONE: 1.

Sieve the flour on the working surface.

Preheat the oven to 180Â°C.

10. Prepare

tart moulds or muffin tins. Roll the dough thinly and cut out circles that are slightly larger than your tins.

Working with your fingers, mix the butter into the flour.

Add remaining ingredients and knead to form a dough. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, make the filling. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat.

12. Pierce

Add rice and wine, cook, stirring with a wooden spoon for 1 minute.

14. Cool

Add milk, sugar, vanilla and orange peel and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. The rice should be tender and creamy, but not too dry.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Stir in the beaten eggs.

11. Gently

press the dough into the bottom and the sides of the tins. the bottom and the sides of the pastry with a fork.

13. Fill

each tin with dried beans and bake for 10 minutes. slightly and remove the beans.

15. Spoon the rice pudding into the

pastry shells.

16. Bake

for about 20 minutes until the rice filling is golden brown.

17. Let cool and dust with powdered

sugar.

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Baked Bomboloni WITH APRICOT JAM & ALMOND SUGAR

Traditionally fried, these Italian doughnuts are a popular breakfast pastry in Tuscany, as well as other parts of Italy. Best served hot, they’re coated in sugar and filled with vanilla pastry cream, nutella or fruit marmellata.

INGREDIENTS

(makes 14 doughnuts)

350 g

flour

Plus:

50 g

sugar

egg for brushing

7 g

instant dried yeast

cup apricot jam

100 ml warm milk

To coat

150 g

50 g

soft butter, chopped

⁄

cup granulated sugar

⁄

cup almonds, roughly chopped

3 eggs ½ tsp

salt

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1 3

butter

VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Recipe DOWNLOAD SISTER-MAG.COM

VENUS

MARS

HOW IT'S DONE: 1.

Combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.

Make a well in the centre and add warm milk and eggs.

Using your hands or the dough hook, knead the dough until smooth and sticky.

Gradually add butter and continue kneading, until the butter is completely incorporated. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size - about 2 hours.

Line a baking parchment paper.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to 2 Â˝ cm thick.

tray

with

Transfer them to the baking tray, cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for another 30 minutes, until slightly risen.

10. Preheat

the

oven

180

the bomboloni beaten egg.

with

degrees.

11. Brush 12. Bake

for about 8 minutes until golden brown on top.

13. Remove

from the oven and let cool slightly - until theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cool enough to handle.

14. Using

a pastry bag with a plain nozzle, fill each bomboloni with the apricot jam.

15. Combine

chopped and sugar on a tray.

almonds

16. Melt the butter in a small bowl. 17. Working

Using a round pastry cutter, cut out 12 circles.

one bombolone at a time, dip bomboloni in butter, then roll in the almond sugar to coat.

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Foodstyling & Recipes:

C O L O U R I N E N J O Y

summer drinks

CL A UDIA A N D L UKA S'

LUKAS GROSSMANN

Photos: CLAUDIA GÃ&#x2013;DKE SISTER-MAG.COM

VENUS

MARS

Limoncello Sour

Thai Basil Smash

Smoked Scotch Negroni

Golden Milk PiĂąa Colada

Raspberry Margarita

For 2 drinks each

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Limoncello Sour I N G RE DIE NT S

5 cl

Limoncello

3 cl

grapefruit juice

2 cl

sugar syrup

Â˝

egg white

Ice cubes

GA R N IS H

Some drops of Angostura bitters Dried slices of blood orange Grapefruit zest A dash of fleur de sel

PREPAR ATION 1.

Put Limoncello, grapefruit juice, sugar syrup and egg white in a shaker, fill it up with ice and strongly shake it for about 1 minute.

Pour the drink through a fine sieve into two cocktail glasses and serve it with some drops of bitters, grapefruit zest and dashes of salt.

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VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Thai Basil Smash I N G RE DIE NT S

6 cl

gin (e.g. Tanqueray London Dry)

leaves of Thai basil

3 cl

lime juice

2 cl

sugar syrup

Ice cubes

GA R N IS H

Tips and blossoms of Thai basil

big ice cubes

1 tsp

coriander seeds

PREPAR ATION 1.

Roast the coriander seeds in a pan without oil until it starts to scent. Take the seeds out of the pan and put them aside.

Put gin, basil leaves, lime juice and sugar syrup into a shaker, fill it up with ice cubes and strongly shake it for about 1 minute.

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Put the two ice cubes into two big tumblers and pour the drink through a fine sieve onto them. Roughly crush the coriander and spread it on the ice cubes. Garnish the drink with basil tips and serve.

VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Smoked Scotch Negroni I N G RE DIE NT S

2 cl

Scotch (e.g. Talisker 10 years)

2 cl

Campari

2 cl

Wermouth (e.g. Belsazar Rose)

pieces of beech wood

GA R N IS H

Orange peel

PREPAR ATION 1.

Light the two pieces of beech wood with a culinary torch, let them burn for a while, then put two tall drink glasses over them and smoke the glasses.

Put Scotch, Campari, Vermouth and 2 pieces of orange peel into a carafe, add a handful of ice and stir it well with a bar spoon.

Fill up the tall drink glasses with ice, spread the drink over the glasses and garnish them with a piece of orange peel.

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VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Golden Milk PiĂąa Colada I N G RE DIE NT S

Âź pineapple

pinch of turmeric

4 cl

pinch of black pepper

Ice for shaking

Ice balls for serving

white rum (e.g. Wray & Nephew White Overproof)

2 cl

sugar syrup

1 cl

lime juice

GARN I S H

2 cl

soy cream

pineapple leaves

Ice cubes

dash of turmeric

PREPAR ATION 1.

Peel the pineapple, remove the stalk and cut out a 3x3 cm thick and about 6 cm long piece. Cut the rest of the pineapple into rough pieces. Heat the grill or the grill pan and grill the pineapple evenly. Divide the cut-out piece into two even cubes and put them aside. Finely mix the rest of the pineapple

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with rum, sugar syrup, lime juice, soy cream, turmeric and pepper in a mixer and pass it through a fine sieve. 3.

Shake the drink on ice and pour it into glasses filled with ice balls.

Serve them with spiked pineapple leaves, pineapple cubes and a dash of turmeric.

VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Raspberry Margarita I NG RE DI E NT S

GAR NIS H

6 cl

Mezcal

25 g

3 cl

lime juice

freeze-dried raspberries

250 g

raspberries

1 tsp

chilli flakes

2 tbsp

icing sugar

1 tbsp

sugar

Ice cubes

1 tsp

salt

Crushed ice

PREPAR ATION 1.

Finely puree the raspberries and the icing sugar with a hand blender, pass them through a fine sieve and put them aside.

Crumble the freeze-dried raspberries and mix them with sugar, chilli flakes and salt on a dinner plate.

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Dip the rim of two martini or margarita glasses about half a centimetre into the syrup and then into the raspberry chilli salt, tap them a little and fill half of them with crushed ice.

Strongly shake Mezcal, lime juice and 4 tbsp of raspberry syrup with a handful of ice cubes and spread it over the glasses.

VENUS

MARS

Recipe DOWNLOAD

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

I T A L I A N

I N S P I R E D

R E C I P E S

tefal ACTIFRY Genius

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PROMO

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act i f ry by t e fa l Summer is here and you are longing for fresh and light recipes? Look no further than the Te f a l A c t i Fr y a p p w h e r e y o u c a n n o w f i n d t h e Actiprogram ÂťFit for SummerÂŤ with 50 light recipes for the hot season. On the next page, we a re s h a r i n g o u r Ita l i a n s u m m e r i n s p i re d fav o r i t e !

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1 4 0 g G ra t e d Pa r m i g i a n o 1 t s p c u m i n s e e d s Re g g i a n o ch e e s e (optional) 1 8 0 g p l a i n f l o u r, p l u s extra for shaping

2 A c t i Fr y s p o o n s o f oil

300 ml of milk

S a l t , p e p p e r

2 e g g s SISTER-MAG.COM

STEP 1

Beat the milk and eggs together in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until it forms a dense, elastic dough.

ac t yfry by t efal

STEP 2

On a floured surface evenly divide dough into 24 pieces. Using floured hands shape each piece into a ball. STEP 3

Place 12 balls in the ActiFry pan, making sure that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch each other or the paddle. Lightly coat them with oil using a brush. Close the lid.

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TO S I R C : S PHOTO N O I T C E L COL

A M & R I HA

R E U A B U EVI NE

Z N A R F E U P:

N I : L E D MO

S O T N A S PHER

K C I N I M KA DO

/ R E U A GA B R

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A G N I Y N @S U N

VENUS

MARS

with FREE

SEWING PATTERN

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VENUS

MARS

It would not be a complete jubilee edition of sisterMAG if we didn't show you a collection of new sisterMAG sewing patterns! In the summer of 2019 you can look as fashionable as ever with super comfortable jersey skirts! We present to you: five looks for super hot days where you still want to look elegant and feel comfortable! Many thanks to our mom and fashion director Evi Neubauer, who once again made a beautiful, wearable DIY collection! Inga aka @sunnyinga visited Berlin on a hot day and shows the five looks beautifully! Thank you as well! Last but not least: the one and only Cris Santos who is the photographer with the most features in sisterMAG ever (we've counted) :*!

P H OTO S : C R I S TO P H E R S A N TO S COLLEKTION: EVI NEUBAUER HAIR & MAKEUP: FRANZISKA DOMINICK MODEL: INGA BRAUER / @SUNNYINGA

mit 1 GRATIS

SCHNITT MUSTER

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VENUS

MARS

Look 1

PA TT ER N 50 -1 Pencil Skirt made of jersey

m: Find it soon on sistermagpatterns.co Subscribe to our newsletter today!

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N 50-2 R E T T A P G N I SEW ght blue li in p to s s le k c a B

patterns.com: g a rm te is s n o n Find it soo wsletter today! e n r u o to e b ri c s Sub

1-7 4 N R E T T A P G SEWIN pants s s e in s u b m li s Yellow

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VENUS

MARS

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

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VENUS

MARS

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50-1 N R E T T A P G N SEWI of jersey e d a m t ir k s il c n Pe 50-3 N R E T T A P G N SEWI lder bow u o h s ig b a h it w Top Su

Find it soon on ns.com: sistermagpatter r today! e tt le s w e n r u o bscribe to

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VENUS

MARS

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VENUS

MARS

SEWING PATTERN 50-1 Pencil Skirt made of jersey SEWING PATTERN 50-4 Blouse with ruffled collar Find it soon on sistermagpatterns.com: Subscribe to our newsletter today!

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VENUS

MARS

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

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VENUS

SE W IN G PA TT ER N 50 -1 Pencil Skirt made of jersey

MARS

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SE W IN G PA TT ER N 50 -5 Dark blue tiered flared top

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section 2 SISTER-MAG.COM

VENUS

MARS

Wedding & Nude Tones

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H O W

W E D D I N G

C H E S T S

B E C A M E

P I E C E S

O F

cassone paintings

SPL E N DID SPA L L IE RA A N D

A R T

VENUS

MARS

splendid

Spalliera & Cassone Paintings

Text: MARLEN GRUNER The

words SPALLIERA and CASSONE sound rather Italian – and they do indeed come from the language of the boot-shaped country. Translated to English, cassone means »CHEST« while spalliera are the painted »PANELS« that are applied to the upper parts of walls or pieces of furniture (like a chest). Both words play an essential role when looking at Sandro Botticelli‘s »VENUS AND MARS« .

Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars, circa 1485 Tempera on panel National Gallery, London

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Cassone paintings as embellishment on wedding chests As it happens, his work of art is actually a »CASSONE PAINTING« . Scientists think so due to the size and format of the painting. At 69.2 cm high and 173.4 cm wide, the painting is fairly wide and was even painted on wood using oil and tempera paint. But what exactly is a cassone painting? Let’s shed some light! Back in the day, cassone paintings were used to EMBELLISH CHESTS – WEDDING CHESTS of Italian brides, to be exact. And not just any bride: paintings of this kind were mostly found on the chests of FLORENTINE LADIES during the RENAISSANCE period of the Middle Ages.

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VENUS

MARS

Nicola di Maestro Antonio d'Ancona, Scenes from the Life of King Nebuchadnezzar, ca. 1490 Tempera on panel

A hint towards Botticelli’s customer and the place where the painting was commissioned could be the WASP that can be found in the upper right corner of the picture. The wasp is the HERALDIC ANIMAL of the Florentine HOUSE OF VESPUCCI who had a close relationship to the painter. Especially their daughter SIMONA VESPUCCI had taken to him – she was the muse

of many Renaissance painters and was said to be the most beautiful woman in Florence who certainly turned countless heads. Some researchers even believe her to be the inspiration for Botticelli’s Venus. Another hint towards a Florentine background could be the fog-shrouded dome which art connoisseurs have identified to be the dome of Florence.

Sandro Botticelli, Portrait of Simonetta Vespucci as Nymph 1480, Tempera on wood Städel Museum, Frankfurt

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Love as popular theme Even VENUS and MARS themselves could be a hint that the panel stems from a WEDDING CHEST – they were THE COUPLE in GREEK MYTHOLOGY and embodied LOVE like no other couple before them. Incidentally, love, weddings and marriage were popular themes for the embellishment of wedding chests. They were usually decorated all over: the front and sides were sometimes even covered in wooden carvings or

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reliefs made from plaster in addition to paintings. According to connoisseurs, the love between these two famous characters is the focus of the piece. What’s interesting is that the GOD OF WAR , MARS , is shown HALF-NAKED and without his weapons while VENUS is wearing a LIGHT ROBE . Some interpret the painting to mean that the GODDESS OF LOVE VENUS

(and have

thus

love

TRIUMPHED

itself) OVER

THE VIOLENCE OF WAR .

VENUS

But the nakedness could also just be inspired by Botticelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s travels to Rome where he studied nudes on ancient sarcophagi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; although the other interpretation is much more romantic.

MARS

Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars, circa 1485 Tempera on panel National Gallery, London

Apollonio di Giovanni di Tomaso, Cassone with painted front panel depicting the Conquest of Trebizond, ca. 1461

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

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VENUS

MARS

Sandro Botticelli, Venus and Mars, ca. 1485 Tempera on panel National Gallery, London

A lance as connection of thoughts And experts have discovered even more: while Mars appears to be resting, they believe Venus to be attentively watching out over the scene. The LANCE is seen as a CONNECTION and possible carrier of VENUS’S THOUGHTS TOWARDS MARS , as if she wanted to steer his thoughts. The lance is also adjusted so it doesn’t point towards her head but her heart – a possible symbol for the emotions at play. The nature surrounding them is

reduced to the most essential bits, simply framing the lovers to put them in the spotlight. An interesting symbol is the BRANCHES OF MYRTLE that sprout around the heads of both lovers. In ancient Greece, they were the plant of the goddess Aphrodite and have since been seen as bridal jewellery – and thus a definitive sign that the painting belongs to a cassone panel of a Florentine wedding chest.

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Grand chests for the dowry and memories Now the only question remaining is what were these chests used to keep? Research shows, that wealthy Florentine families gave them as WEDDING GIFTS filled with many goods. Wives used the chests to keep their DOWRY including tablecloths and linens or even christening robes and baby clothes. This dowry that the bride was supposed to bring to the

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marriage was kept inside a chest that would be as embellished as possible. In addition to cassone and spalliera paintings, names, chest of armour and dates were included to personalise the chest. If there was enough space inside that Florentine ladies also kept their WEDDING DRESSES inside these chests to keep their MEMORIES of a most special wedding day close.

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VENUS

MARS Sandro Botticelli, Primavera (Detail), 1482, Tempera Uffizi Gallery, Florence

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A CULT URA L H IST O RY O F

weddings

Text: : BARBARA EICHHAMMER Illustrations : NICOLE XU

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weddings

VENUS

MARS

Au drey He p b urn

If I get married, I want to be very married.

Meghan Markleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Prince Harryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding pointed out clearly that getting married is quite en vogue in contemporary popular culture.

Marriage as a social institution has existed since earliest human history. In a short overview, we will show you how the cultural practices of getting married have changed in Western cultural history and how closely connected weddings are with questions of gender, religion, class or social upheavals.

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Middle Ages The

From a sociological and cultural studies point of view, a wedding can be read as a rite de passage, which had already been celebrated in ancient Rome with a three-day-long feast. In the Middle Ages, a marriage ceremony was a worldly and public affair, which was held quite often in public houses or taverns.

The so-called dowered marriage (in German ÂťMunteheÂŤ) was the most common form of marriage.

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It was a legal transaction between two families that was based on a firm contract. The groom received disciplinary power over the bride, which was sealed with the help of a series of marriage rites. Thus, the father of the bride gives her away together with a sword, spear or a hat as a sign of guardianship and disciplinary power. It was then the husband that was in charge of her financially as well

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as legally. Such a patriarchal gender model regarded the bride rather as a commodity on a marriage market, for whom a dowry could be negotiated. Directly associated with such a marriage of convenience were questions of class. Those who did not possess a fortune or dwelling were not allowed to get married. Thus, maids or servants did not possess a certificate of nobility. Even farmers needed the permission of their overlord, at least until the 18th century, if they wanted to get married. It was o n l y from the 12th century onwards that the domestic wedding ceremony was accompanied by an ECCLESIASTICAL RITE. The ceremony took place either at the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home or in front of (not in) church. The clerical

MARS

blessing was still a voluntary ritual, not a legal obligation. But the significance of the church grew constantly. During the 13th century, the church had developed its own marriage laws. In 1225, the FOURTH LATERAN COUNCIL decided that wedding ceremonies have to be performed solely by a priest, not laymen. Whoever defied this rule had to expect severe punishment.

105

The call for an independent and state regulation grew stronger. Thus, Martin Luther was quite critical of the churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supremacy when it came to marriage:

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Mart i n Lu th e r, 153 0

ÂťNo one can deny t h at m a r r i a g e i s a n e x t e r n a l , w o r l d ly thing, like clothes or f o o d , h o u s e a n d c o u r t, subject to secular businessÂŤ

Thus, state authorities should regulate marriage from a legal point of view. During the 15th and 16th century, aristocratic brides wore predominantly COLOURFUL

WEDDING

GOWNS : vibrant blues, yellow,

green or red were very popular as wedding fashion, which were embroidered with silver or golden threads. Since colouring fabrics was at the time quite costly, a colourful wedding dress was also an effective sign of wealth and noble class. Working-class brides wore their

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black Sunday dress because it was the most expensive dress they possessed. It was also during the Renaissance that one of the most popular wedding customs came into being: the BRIDAL BOUQUET . Mostly, brides held posies consisting of fresh, aromatic herbs such as rosemary and myrrh. They concealed body odours and the strong scent of incense in church, and banished evil spirits.

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VENUS

MARS

the clerical ceremony before the civil one. Interestingly, NAPOLEON BONAPARTE was already in 1796 civilly married. It was also the wedding fashion that mirrored the ambitions of the French Revolution: along the lines of ancient democracies, flowing tunic-like garments were more and more popular with female revolutionaries. Thus, during the 18th century, the chemise dress by JacquesLouis David came into vogue. The 18th century also fostered the concept of the bourgeois love marriage, according to historical studies. In his novel Julie (1761) the French philosopher JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU , postulated that love and not duty or finances should be the basis of a marriage.

Thecentury 18th At least since the 18th century, European Enlightenment contributed to the growing separation of church and state. Liberty, reason and equality developed as new ideals. With the FRENCH REVOLUTION , the supremacy of the Christian church came to an end. From 1792 onwards, only civil marriage ceremonies were legally binding in France, from 1836 in England and from 1875 in Germany. Priests were no longer allowed to perform

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Such a view became more and more popular during the Romantic Age. It was part of popular novels like LUCINDE BY

FRIEDRICH

SCHLEGEL

(1799).

The 19th century The

so-called »WHITE WEDDING« – the most common form of wedding, that we still celebrate today – emerged during the 19th century in Great Britain. The term refers to the

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white colour of the wedding gown. Although QUEEN MARY , Queen of Scots had already been married in white in 1559 , it was only with Queen Victoria that the white wedding dress turned into

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an international fashion trend. In 1840 , she wore a white dress with silk satin and bobbin lace at her wedding with Prince Albert. When reports from her »WHITE WEDDING« reached the continent and the USA, many aristocratic brides followed suit. Since chemical laundries were not yet available during the 19th century, white dresses also became quite relevant to the »CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION«

MARS

was promoted by Hollywood films during the 1950S , which showed an idealised image of the white wedding. How much the colour of the dress is a question of cultural areas, is shown by a tradition in China: There, the bride wears red because it is associated with luck and wealth.

The 68

(according to Thorstein Veblen). The colour white signified wealth and social status; in addition to this, it implied connotations of purity and innocence. At the end of the 19th century, the white wedding gown was already the latest craze with aristocratic brides. Middle-class brides could afford this trend only after the SECOND WORLD WAR . The desire for a white wedding

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In fact, after the horror of two world wars, people were craving social stability and domestic order.

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During the 1950S , rather traditional notions of marriage and domesticity developed, which were connected to a patriarchal gender ideology: the husband as breadwinner, the wife as housewife. It is this restrictive gender image that the generation of 68 was rebelling against. SECONDWAVE FEMINISM also brought about a series of social and legal changes. Equality in marriages was a paramount demand. From 1967, the divorce rate rose steadily. During the 1970s, nonmarital partnerships gained more and more importance among young people, so that the number of marriage ceremonies sank continuously. From a legal point of view, cultural aspects came to the fore: SINCE THE

MARRIAGES WERE

Economic insecurities also contributed to the fact, that from the mid 1980s onwards, marriages grew more popular again. ALLOWED.

1ST OCTOBER 2017, SAME-SEX

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LEGALLY

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The wedding until today market While the 68-generation rebelled against traditional role models, unconventional weddings were booming.

Thus, the 1st May 1967 made Las Vegas the place for dream weddings, when Elvis Presley married Priscilla Ann Beaulie in the wedding chapel of the Aladdin Hotel. During the 1980s, a WEDDING INDUSTRY came into being, which offered quick Vegas-weddings and invented the profession of the wedding planner. Nowadays, the international wedding market is worth billions of dollars. Celebrity weddings or royal weddings can turn into mass-media events: William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, for instance, was a global media spectacle. More than two billion people watched the vows of the future British king.

Prince Harry and Meghan had at least hundreds of millions of viewers at their wedding in Windsor. Such live events foster identity formation and group building. The individual relation of two people through a wedding ceremony turns into the relation of cultures beyond national boundaries. The world turns, according to Benedict Anderson, into an »IMAGINED COMMUNITY« . The cultural practice of getting married has turned into a pop-cultural industry: With the global depression in 2008, a new wedding trend has developed: the DIY wedding. In the wake of financial crisis, more and more couples turned to making their wedding decorations themselves. This also shows how societal developments influence our wedding cultures across the globe and vice versa.

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HOW TO SAY

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Wedding 2019 TEXT: BARBARA EICHHAMMER

SOURCING: SOPHIE SIEKMANN

PHOTOS: ASHLEY LUDÃ&#x201E;SCHER

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YES SISTER-MAG.COM

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2019 will be colourful, sustainable and intimate. From urban street food to exciting waffle cakes – these new trends will inspire bridal couples and wedding guests alike.

Photo: Ashley Ludäscher

The German wedding blogger Barbara Eichhammer and the most interesting wedding photographers we know answered our questions – and showed us a selection of their most beautiful weddings.

2019

W E D D I N G trends

WEDDING TRENDS 2019

In real as well as in digital life, weddings are very popular at the moment. The summer season is the perfect occasion for loving couples to enter into marriage and to celebrate it with a lavish party. On Instagram and Co., we can often follow this very closely and get inspired in many ways: What is the bride wearing? Which cake is especially popular? What does the interior design look like and which places provide backdrops for picturesque photos? We took a close look at the »Wedding 2019« and talked to experts from the industry.

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@noni_mode

@chiaraferragni

@karnak_kft

TREND 1

fashion Since Chiara Ferragniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spectacular wedding in 2018, one fabric has become essential for bridal collections: tulle! Thus, two-piece wedding dresses are very popular, which consist of floaty tulle skirts and delicate lace tops. Neckholder and Off Shoulder styles have become popular since Meghan Markleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wedding. In 2019, wedding gowns do not necessarily have to be allwhite: Powder colours, subtle blush tones and gold details turn each dress into an eye catcher. Trendy accessories: Knitted bridal sweaters for cooler evenings, which can also be worn with jeans after the wedding.

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Photo: Ashley LudÃ¤scher

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TREND 2

catering

Photo: Ashley LudĂ¤scher

Family Style Dinner is the new trend when it comes to wedding catering, because it creates a really festive, yet intimate atmosphere. Just like a family dinner at home, the food is served on platters and in bowls, so that each guest can help themselves. A must-have for this season: Themed bars! Most popular with bridal couples at the moment is a gin bar. Alcoholfree alternatives might be a lemonade or coffee bar. On the menu, urban street food and live cooking are trending: Oriental mezze, taco variations and Mediterranean antipasti offer culinary highlights.

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@festivalbrides

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TREND 3

cake

Photo: Dilekerei

In 2019, wedding cakes still do without coats of fondant. Instead, drip cakes are totally en vogue, i.e. cakes that have their icing oozing down their sides. Semi naked cakes are still hugely popular: They come with a very thin layer of frosting, which allows some of the layers to peek through. THE wedding cake trend of the year: Waffle Cakes! This cake consists of a delicious stack of waffles, garnished with fresh berries, fruit, maple syrup or sprinkles.

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@forloveofpampas_uk

@jacasou

@polkadotpaper

TREND 4

location While barns & co were popular wedding locations over the last few years, small, elegant garden weddings are experiencing a revival. Manor houses, country estates and botanic gardens are getting more and more popular as places to celebrate. A major trend is a so-called ÂťMicro WeddingÂŤ, i.e. a wedding with less than 30 guests.

Best Idea: Travel Tags as Seating Chart!

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TREND 5

deco & interior Wedding decors are finally getting more colourful again: Mustard tones and matching colour shades like dusky pink, blush or rustred are gradually replacing the natural greenery tones of last season. Highlights are set by metallics, with rose gold being the absolute favourite amongst wedding couples. Pampas grass and dried flowers are currently highly popular. Letterings of all kind are indispensable: Whether it is welcome signs or neon signs, nicely written messages are there to greet your wedding guests. 120 Photo: Ashley LudĂ¤scher

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Photo: Ashley LudÃ¤scher

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@foragedcreative

@wearyourlovexo

@heavenlynnhealthy

TREND 6

sustainability Releasing balloons into the air is totally old-fashioned! Modern weddings prefer sustainability. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank show us how it works: Their royal »Green Wedding« did not include any kind of plastic. Also the presents fort the guest are more and more sustainable: Seed boms, natural cosmetics or fair trade wedding rings are very popular. Bridal Fashion is spart of this movement, too: Stella McCartney has launched a sustainable Bridal Collection in 2019. The topic »Ecological Wedding« is extensive: How do we avoid power (h)eater or plastic tents? Which locatios offer a very well infractructure to make transportion easier? The longer the guest arrival, the higher the CO2 emisson. And which paper is sustainable enough to get used for invitation cards? All these points could become an interesting own topic for one of our next issues ;)

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Photo: Ashley LudÃ¤scher

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OUR FAVOURITE

wedding photographers These photographers are worth a view!

Photos: Ashley LudĂ¤scher

We all know that a wedding includes many different contractors that make this one day so special for us. In this special feature we want to show you our favourite wedding photographers and talk to them about photography, trends in 2019 and their personal dream wedding. Enjoy!

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Ashley Ludaescher is a wedding photographer based in California – and can get booked around the world. Together with her husband Andreas she shares a passion for capturing true emotions and love on film and exploring the world together. Ashley’s photos are filled with beauty and ease.

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A good eye for special moments

Ashley Ludäscher Dear Ashley, what was the main reason why you became a wedding photographer?

I have my bachelor's degree in photography and have worked as a photographer for over 15 years. Back when I was in school, wedding photography was the very bottom of the totem pole. I wanted to be a fashion photographer and moved to Paris after graduating to work in the industry. I quickly discovered that the fashion industry was not really for me and focused on portraits, lifestyle and travel work. After my own wedding in 2011, I discovered how meaningful and beautiful wedding photography can be. Gone are the days of super posed static imagery – today's wedding imagery is filled with emotion, movement and beauty. I fell madly in love with photographing weddings and 7 years later nothing has changed.

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Ashley Ludäscher focusing on creating a celebration

In your estimation in which general direction have weddings developed in the past 10 years?

that is personal and unique for their guests. Designing a day that really

Weddings have come a long way in the past decade. Couples are focusing

has a bit of wow factor that guests will remember and enjoy!

industry forever. Overall weddings

Which location would you recommend to future wedding couples?

are way less traditional and much

more personal. I love when clients

million amazing

focus on making their wedding day

locations

a celebration of their love but also

recommend

their guests and find ways to really

this

make the day special. Weddings ten

really

years ago saw a lot of burlap and

the question, but

mason jars, which hopefully will

I would tell my clients to choose a

never come back in style (fingers

location and venue that brings them

crossed).

joy and somewhere they feel deeply

How would you describe the typical »2019 wedding«?

connected to as a couple. Also the

more and more on making their wedding a reflection of themselves and their style and I love it. Pinterest definitely changed things in the

and

clients

have

a to

does

– not

answer

Amalfi Coast is amazing and we are

embracing color and unique color

love working there, so I would also recommend that.

happy. After a few years of neutrals,

If life was a fairy tale: Who and where would you love to shoot?

I am embracing all the color at

Oh shoot- that is a hard one! I really

weddings! I think again, clients are

want to go to Africa, so putting it out

palettes which makes my heart SO

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there in the world that I would love to photograph a wedding there! Also Bali & India would be amazing! And

photographing

couples who are kind and open hearted are what make this job so amazing!

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Documentary meets Fashion

Tali Photography Dear Tali, dear Claudia, why did you decide to focus your photography on weddings? We’ve

always

been fascinated by photographing people in their strongest emotions. Every

wedding

tells

another

love story and every wedding is adorned with tears of joy, moments

Tali Photography consists of

of happiness and intimacy. This

the two talented sisters Tali & Claudia from Cologne and Berlin who capture beautiful weddings in Germany and the whole world with their team of second shooters and assistants. Their style is a mixture of photo reportage and a bit of fashion – their pictures are romantic, stylish and noble. More than 185,000 people follow their content on Instagram.

inspires and excites us.

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In your experience: How and where did weddings develop over the last ten years in general? We live in a time in which marriage is not a social must and not accompanied

pressure.

The

weddings of the 21st century reflect that since the wedding vow became even more important.

In your opinion: What does a »Wedding 2019« constitute?

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For us, intimacy has priority. It

We love destination weddings, be it

refreshes us if, with all the planning

Italy, France, Marrakech or Spain.

and the preparations, the meaning

However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important that the

of the day is in the spotlight: the love

couple is devoted to each other and

for each other, the durable decision

looks for a location that fits them

and the promise made in front of the

and they have a connection to.

closest friends and family.

If you could make a dream come true: Who and where would you love to shoot one day?

Which locations would you recommend to future wedding couples?

Tina Kunakey & Vincent Cassell in Brasil!

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Photo: Tali Photopraphy

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Boho-Vintage & and warm tones

Maria Zimmermann

»Maria-ZimmermannFotografie« stands for an earthy, warm picture style. The couples photographer shoots people on their most beautiful day in an elegant boho vintage style – very pretty and natural. Maria describes herself as a funloving optimist – she turned her passion into her profession and ranks cordiality first. She lives in East Frisia with her husband Sjoerd and her children Melina (4) and Joost (2).

Dear Maria, why did you choose wedding photography as your focus? I love photography that is cheerful, authentic

and

emotive.

How

could I realise that better than at weddings? Everything that is important to me and makes my photography unique to me, I find in all the beautiful and extraordinary weddings. People smile, are happy, look fantastic in their wonderful SISTER-MAG.COM

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suits and celebrate love together.

MARS

What is typical for weddings at the moment?

Which location would you recommend to your bridal couples?

I notice that many couples are bolder

I would always recommend the bridal

and more open for new things. Future

couple to go outdoors. Nature offers

bridal couples are more interested in

us so many exceptional possibilities

new trends and options of organising

a wedding. I think that several very

photos:

popular platforms like Pinterest and

forests, gravel pits and much more. I

Google contribute to that. Couples

often see that the vastness of nature,

can get high and inspired by the

the sounds of nature, the warm sun

variety of beautiful design concepts

on the skin or the scent of the forests

and can instantly implement them

or the sea relaxes the couples. They

with simple instructions. It was

can move freely, walk, run and even

a conscious decision of me to

frolic. This has a positive influence

specialise in the bohemian vintage

on the shooting which also affects

field. I identify myself with this style

the pictures. Also, there is no better

and I love and live it like many bridal

light for me than our morning or

couples do.

evening sun.

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shoot

fantastically

water,

beautiful

meadows,

fields,

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Romantic meets a good sense of humour

Lyndsey Goddard

Who and where would you love to shoot one day? I’ve never thought about who I would like to shoot. I am fascinated by all the different people

and

their

personal

stories. It’s incredibly exciting and an adventure for me. But I would like to travel to Ireland, Scotland or Marrakech soon. Being able to shoot the beautiful landscapes – at best,

Lyndsey Goddard is a documentary wedding photographer based by the seaside in England. She shoots weddings in the United Kingdom, in Europe and worldwide. Her photos are honest and unexpected – they sometimes want to make you laugh, they sometimes want to make you cry. Her photos are special and lovely!

I meet great couples I can make happy with my pictures.

What was the main reason why you became a wedding photographer? I'm endlessly fascinated by people, and photography has been a lifelong love, so weddings are perfect for me. I see weddings as social documentary photography and in over 10 years of shooting them and over 275 weddings, I am still 100% in love with documenting the unexpected magic of a wedding day.

In your estimation in which general direction have weddings developed in the past 10 years? SISTER-MAG.COM

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Couples are feeling freer than ever to do things their own way and to not be restricted by what is 'traditional'. The emphasis now seems to be on couples expressing who they are as individuals and as a couple and bringing this to their day.

How would you describe the typical »2019 wedding«? Personally, none of my couples do things the same way; each wedding is individual. Their individuality maybe makes them typical!

MARS

Which Location would you recommend to future wedding couples In the UK, I love working at »The Asylum« , a wonderful old building in south-east London which has peeling paint and the most glorious light. I'm also a big fan of The Dreys , an amazing woodland location in Kent which allows couples to create a festivaltype wedding, with camping for guests and acres of woodland. One of my weddings there had an aerial artist serving champagne

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whilst hanging from a hoop, and the bride also brought her horse as a guest. I love shooting somewhere new and discovering new places, but these are two of my favourites.

If life was a fairy tale: Who and where would you love to shoot? I've been lucky enough to photograph amazing couples and weddings in the most magical places; a hotel made out of sand

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in the Rajasthani desert in India, a vineyard in Poland, a beach bar in Spain, romantic old Italian churches as well as forests and beaches and beautiful old buildings in the UK. If my work continues in this way, then that is the fairytale for me. Although if someone wants to book me to photograph a wedding in Burano, Italy, or Mexico City (I love colour!) then that would be a dream come true.

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Authenticity & love

Melli & Shayne

»Melli & Shayne« are destination wedding photographers and videographers – and a couple in love. They have passionately been capturing love stories since 2014. Their couples celebrate authentic and meaningful weddings, without following trends and convictions. Melli and Shayne are currently based in Nuremberg together with their little Boston Terrier pup.

What was the main reason why you became wedding photographers? Working with couples on their wedding day is such a beautiful experience, when you’ve done it once and felt the happiness and love involved with this day, you don’t want to do anything else anymore. We feel incredibly lucky to call this our job and are grateful for every single couple that trusted us to capture their wedding moments for eternity.

In your estimation in which general direction have weddings developed in the past 10 years?

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How would you describe the typical »2019 wedding«? In 2019 we can see a lot of pampas grass, natural materials and colours and also string lights. White chair covers are almost entirely banned. Open air dinners are becoming a thing now, even in Germany and the wedding time line is slowly changing too. Couples now have their ceremony at around 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon and start dinner later.

industry for the past ten years but

Which Location would you recommend to future wedding couples?

since 2014 and we’ve definitely

This very much depends on the

noticed a trend in free ceremonies.

desired country. If couples want to

Couples are becoming braver and are

get married in Italy, we would always

breaking with traditions they can’t

recommend

Agroturismo

identify with. In general weddings

Tuscany, like The Lazy Olive

are also celebrated with less guests

or a Masseria in Apulia. Italy is full of

but higher quality standards. Quality

stunning wedding venues, let alone

over quantity is also a trend we notice

the food. In Mallorca for example

when couples choose their vendors.

it is a good idea to rent a Finca for

Finally destination weddings are

you and your best friends & families.

becoming more and more popular.

Germany has some amazing old &

A big trend in the U.S. and slowly

rustic castles and mansions, like

growing in popularity in Europe too

Wasserschloss Unsleben in Northern Bavaria, or all the charming places around Berlin and in the North, it is hard to pick one specifically.

We haven’t been in the wedding

are elopements; just the couple running away to a stunning place and saying their vows in the most intimate and adventurous setting.

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Most of the time though, our couples have booked their venue and secured a date when they contact us. For elopements we basically can go anywhere in the world from the most Northern point in Norway to the South Cape.

If life was a fairy tale: Who and where would you love to shoot? Not a fairy tale but definitely on our bucket list: A wedding in Morocco, at one of those dreamy Riads maybe and a sunset shoot in the desert. Yes! Our dream couples are people with a high sense of authenticity and similar priorities and aesthetics to the ones we share. The best results can be achieved when we connect on a level that goes beyond the classic client - vendor relationship.

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These magical moments last forever

chris & ruth What was the main reason why you became a wedding photographer? Because

love to create something

that

really

matters

to someone. And the feedback we get from our couples is just overwhelming. We did work in Fashion and Commercial as well but the fact that with wedding photos

»Chris & Ruth« are a married photographer couple from Mallorca and firmly believe in marriage. To capture the magic between two lovers is their personal gift. They travel the world together while capturing the best days of their couple’s lives on photo and create memories that last for a lifetime (or even longer). Over 207.000 Follower on Instagram are part of their special journey. SISTER-MAG.COM

we create memories that means the world to someone is just so powerful.

In your experience: How did weddings generally develop over the last 10 years? We actually just started 6 years ago but we got married ourselves 8 years ago... So in our experience the weddings have changed a lot within the last ten years… We think weddings have become way more unconventional now. For example we have barely photographed any church weddings for over 2 years

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now. Also the dress code is not so

destination weddings, Mallorca is

stiff anymore and we mostly have

definitely a great choice because

couples wearing casual but stylish

there is a huge number of awesome

outfits instead of black tie and tulle.

venues and top service providers…

But that’s a matter of taste for sure.

And of course the weather and

How would you describe the typical »2019 wedding«?

amazing food are a good point too!

It’s all about love and good fun! Even

If life was a fairy tale: Who and where would you love to shoot?

if wedding trends come and go the

Actually we feel like we couldn’t be

most important thing of a wedding

happier right now! We got to travel to

is Love. Having an unforgettable

more places than we ever expected

time with families and friends and

and we got to know the most amazing

to really enjoy the day together. So

humans ever. It doesn’t matter who

yeah, a good crowd definitely makes

is getting married as long as they’re

a difference.

madly in love!

Which location would you recommend to future wedding couples?

As for the destination, we’d love to travel through Israel one day.

It depends! Most of our couples are traveling to Europe for their big day but a backyard wedding at home can be awesome too. When it comes to

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chris & ruth

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Friends instead of providers

Daniela Marquardt Photography »Danny and Ralf« have been a couple for 10 years and live in Dinslaken with their tomcat Sammy. For them, it’s an absolute affair of the heart to accompany the most wonderful days of two people with their cameras. This results in very special and intimate pictures. Danny and Ralf consciously decided on destination weddings – they love getting to know different cultures and being together with people from all over the world.

Why did you choose weddings as the main focus of your photographic work? A wedding is such a wonderful and positive day and all the people we meet that day give exactly that off. They laugh, celebrate, cry… who wouldn’t like to be part of these moments? Also, we love to tell stories with our cameras, to capture all the real moments and

memories

for

eternity.

Storytelling plays a big role for

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our way of accompanying a wedding

and free weddings become much

photographically. We accompany a

more important. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essential for

wedding as it happens, without any

the couples to celebrate THEIR day,

poses. Our absolute priority is telling

THEMSELVES and their love (which

a complete, honest and real story of

is what a wedding is all about).

the day (with our cameras). We love

From our experience, weddings are

to be really close to the couples, to

celebrated on a smaller and more

get the trust of taking part in every

intimate scale now, up to elopements

intimate and emotional moment and

when the couple spends the day alone

creating memories our way.

in a beautiful place â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just them and

In your experience: How did weddings generally develop over the last 10 years?

us, of course. :) We love these kinds

nature and environment now. Less

photographing weddings and found

balloons (plastics) fly, the tradition

out that weddings become more and

of letting doves fly is banned more

more casual and uncomplicated.

and more and confetti is not made

Less people get married in churches

of plastic anymore but of petals or

are

our

third

year

of weddings so much. In our opinion, people also pay more attention to

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other ecological materials. This is an issue we support a lot. We explain to the couple how damaging this is for the environment and which great alternatives there are. Using animals as »eye catchers« for weddings is taboo for us. In our opinion, animals should not be photo objects at weddings. Of course, this doesn’t include the family dog but animals like donkeys, alpacas, camels or doves. Food at weddings has turned from big buffets to small food trucks with many different flavours. »Motto bars« are set up, everything is more personal and casual and gets a festival flair. SISTER-MAG.COM

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What does the typical »Wedding 2019« look like for you? Personality

and

authenticity!

Being free from old traditions you don’t identify with! We observe and photograph this development worldwide.

Every

wedding

has its own charm and can be celebrated in different ways – from completely pompous to completely unconventional.

love

our

couples because they celebrate their weddings the way they like it.

Which locations would you recommend to future wedding couples?

VENUS

Phew……

think

that

this

question can’t be answered. There are so many great places on this planet where we were able to accompany weddings. The lonely beach or the small bay in Mallorca can be as beautiful as the alp in Austria, the cliffs of Ibiza or the Lion’s Head in Cape Town.

MARS

If life was a fairy tale: Who and where would you like to shoot? We honestly can’t answer that or name a specific place or person. We just hope that we can continue to accompany weddings all over the world, to get to know great people and to discover foreign customs and cultures. It’s most important

But if we really had to recommend

to us that the personality of our

THIS ONE location it would be one in

couples fit ours 100 per cent and

Barcelona where we accompanied

vice versa.

a wedding in June: La Vinyassa . A great and unique place!

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W I T H

P A U L S V E R A

Wedding dIYS

FE ST IVE

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Tutorial & Photos: PAU LSVERA

HAIR COMB

ELEGANT

with dried flowers

envelopes

MORE DIYS HERE

GIFT BOX

with dried bouquets of flowers

I n this sisterMAG issue DIY BLOGGER VERA

shows you how to make your next letter, gift wrap or hair comb special in just a few steps with playful and pretty floral details.

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TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD

DIY HAIR COMB with dried flowers

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Instructions

1. Cut a piece of felt (about 2-3 cm wide and as long as the comb) and attach it to the comb with the hot glue gun. 2. Drape the flowers on the piece of felt and attach them with the hot glue gun. Work symmetrically from the outside to the inside. M AT E R I A L S

Hair comb, (e.g. from the drugstore) A piece of felt Hot glue gun Dried flowers, e.g. straw flowers, Limonium, Thistle, Lavender Scissors, if necessary, wooden sticks to spread/ portion glue

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ELEGANT ENVELOPES TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD

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M AT E R I A L S

Handmade paper envelopes Paper with botanical print Baker's twine, sealing wax, and seal Dried flowers

Instructions

Scissors, glue & pencil

1. Remove the inlay of an envelope and use it as a template for cutting the paper with botanical print; cut off the side parts. 2. Using the template, transfer the form to the paper and cut it out. 3. Align with envelope and glue with glue stick. 4. To seal the envelope, wrap baker's twine around the envelope, knot the flowers, shorten any knots, and sprinkle with sealing wax. Fasten the seal according to the instructions.

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GIFT BOX

with dried bouquets of flowers

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Instructions

1. Wrap gift with white wrapping paper. Tear a ribbon from the gauze fabric (important for the frayed edge) and wrap it around the gift. 2. Tie small mini bouquets of dried flowers & grasses and close with a bow made of satin ribbon. 3. Attach to the gift (either with a small safety pin or hot glue).

TUTORIAL DOWNLOAD

M AT E R I A L S

Gauze fabric (e.g. old baby spit cloth; alternatively, you can use linen, silk, or cotton). This can be dyed with black tea, as I have done Dried flowers e.g. straw flowers, Limonium, grains, herbs, thistle Satin ribbon Wrapping paper, scissors, glue

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T H E P E R S O N I F I C A T I O N O F A F F E C T I O N A N D A V E R S I O N

god of desire

CUPID

Text:

CHRISTIAN NÃ&#x201E;THLER

Illustrations:

LAURA HUILLIER

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Cupid. Most of us associate the famous winged cherub with Valentine’s Day – the Hallmark card occasion, not the one born of pagan rituals and martyrdom. Of course, Cupid stands as more than merely a symbol of rampant consumerism. Portrayed in Roman mythology as the GOD OF DESIRE , he personifies

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some of our most fervent feelings: AFFECTION , SEXUAL ATTRACTION , and EROTICISM . As well as our most malevolent: SCORN , SPITE , and AVERSION . What else can one expect from a lineage that includes a paternal god of war and love goddess matriarch?

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CUPID WAS NEVER GOING TO BE AN ANGEL.

The son of Venus, Goddess of Love, he was born out of an affair – one of many – that his married mother was having with the God of War, Mars. A turbulent conception by parents with turbulent personalities. Fitting, then, that in Roman mythology Cupid is the God of Desire.

You won’t find Cupid without his BOW and QUIVER OF ARROWS. You’re probably familiar with his GOLD-TIPPED ARROWS , which render lovestruck those whose hearts they pierce. But a purely altruistic archer he is not. Cupid’s arsenal also includes ARROWS TIPPED WITH LEAD , which kill desire and inflict aversion onto their victims. Indeed, he pierced many a heart with scorn and spite without so much as a box of heart-shaped chocolates to apologize.

Take, for example, the story of APOLLO and DAPHNE . Insulted by Apollo – the god of music, poetry, art, and the sun – over his archery prowess, Cupid fires a golden arrow into his heart. This causes him to fall madly in love with the nymph Daphne. Daphne, however, has been shot by a lead arrow, causing her to loath Apollo. What could be more cruel than to spitefully cast unrequited love?

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There are plenty more pedestrian examples that illustrate the conniving Lothario’s penchant for misdeeds. LUCIUS APULEIUS , who spawned the story of Cupid in his revelatory ancient Roman novel THE GOLDEN ASS , described the little demon as »rash and hardy, who by his evil manners, contemning all public justice and law, armed with fire and arrows, running up and down in the nights from house to house, and corrupting lawful marriages of every person, doth nothing but evil«. Most youths when they’re bored just run from house to house at night toiletpapering the neighbourhood.

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L u ciu s Ap u l e i u s a b ou t Cupid :

» r a s h a n d h a r d y, w h o b y h i s e v i l manners, contemning all public justice a n d l a w, a r m e d w i t h f i r e a n d a r r o w s , running up and down in the nights from house to house, and corrupting lawful marriages of every person, doth nothing but evil«.

You might be wondering about the symbolism of CUPID’S WINGS . These appendages represent the CHANGE IN HEART that can overcome two lovers; where one is always free to fly away in the absence of desire. Or when desire is someone else.

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So why isn’t this duality – of falling in and out of love – more familiar in our perception of Cupid? How did his story get all warm and fuzzy?

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The thing about MYTHS is that they’re passed on by unreliable narrators and through selective filters like a game of broken telephone. This often results in a euphemized version of the original story, like the way you might gloss up a routine brunch on Instagram. In Cupid’s case, the Roman Catholic church Christianized his

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PAGAN ORIGINS . Cupid should

inspire eternal love between two committed partners without room for a wandering eye. There shall be no infidelity; no erotic desire prior to holy matrimony. That Cupid possessed the power to evoke such feelings in gods and mortals alike was too offwhite for an institution flaunting purity. Cupid’s image therefore softened over the centuries to become the ambassador of love we see in marketing campaigns for chocolate and flowers every mid-February.

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The problem with failing to recognize that the ARROW TIP OF DESIRE can be merely FOOL’S

GOLD-PLATED

LEAD is that we develop an UNREALISTIC

PERCEPTION

OF LOVE . Perhaps there is

value in understanding that Cupid’s infliction can spell a ONE-WAY TICKET TO THE SECOND CIRCLE OF HELL (a

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place in Dante’s Inferno for those overcome by sexual love). Contrary to Cupid’s modern image as a philanthropist of love, he invoked NOT ONLY ROMANTIC BLISS but ALSO A FAIR SHARE OF MISERY . In other words, THE PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF LOVE AND DESIRE .

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M A T H E M A T I C A L

Phases of love

H O W DO W E L OVE ?

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Text: Marlen Gruner

Love Rose-tinted glasses and butterfly-filled tummies:

those who experience them are deep in one of the five phases of Cupid â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and clearly in love. Coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s therapist Roland Weber took a closer look at the phenomenon and found many interesting things, like John Gottman who translated love into formulas.

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But first, let’s take a closer look at these phases: Weber says that every couple always goes through his defined phases – sometimes even at different times. Skipping one is impossible. That also wouldn’t be much fun considering that relationships are supposed to become more close-knit and intimate at each stage. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you will actually get closer with each step since the experts agree that you have to go through each of the five phases to find out if being together is even the goal.

It becomes very clear that a long relationship is no guarantee for happiness. SISTER-MAG.COM

But what exactly are these phases, which one breaks the most couples up and what is the formula for love?

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In-love phase During this initial phase, both partners see the world through rose-tinted glasses, hovering on a cloud with butterflies in their tummies. Sometimes, all of these emotions can make the lovey-doves a little dizzy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and let them see the best things about the partner while negative aspects firmly remain in the shadows. According to coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s therapist Roland Weber, this phase can last from three to 18 months depending on the differences in relationships. Oftentimes, relationships end after this first phase because at least one partner is bored without the presence of butterflies and equated being in love with love.

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riticising phase This stage is made for getting to know your partner. The emotions that had you believe that you were in love have decreased â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and, luckily, they are now no longer blinding couples. Both partners can now see character traits and behaviours that they hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t noticed before and might not like. Loving purrs now make way for some

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more critical statements. According to Weber, most couples separate during this phase because they are not capable of seeing their own flaws brought back to them by a partner as it becomes important to work on mutual respect and acceptance.

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ower struggle phase The third phase makes the relationship even harder: Every difference is being evaluated. A partner checks if the loved one really is the right choice or just an impostor. Usually, power balance is fought out as boundaries are

established. The couples that survive this stage learn to love each other for their strengths and their flaws. Reasons for separation during this phase are often a lack of empathy and acceptance.

ptimising phase During this phase, personalities are the focus point. The rose-tinted glasses are long gone, power struggles are over and the couple knows how they both work. This is the perfect time for development: optimising both partnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; personalities. It is now key to

find a balance between you, me and us, and establish a great relationship while bettering oneself. This is also a reason why so many couples split up during this phase â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the famous seven year itch. Some manage to discover new and positive traits in their partner and renew their love.

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T A

rust phase and a whole lot of everydaylife in between. This unites, and the lucky couples are able to put their energy from selfoptimisation towards shared goals and invest trust into a free life with a partner that feels like home.

The fifth phase initiates the most intimate phase of a relationship..

Masks have been discarded since the partner could see through them anyways. Both people now know who is by their side and see what their partner can and can’t do. At this point, couples have lived through highs, lows

formula for love But how do you get to the stage of feeling at home with someone?

Mathematician and psychologist John Gottman developed a formula for love – including predictability of affairs. During the 1970s, the »Einstein of love« did research on US-American couple by listening to 15-minute discussions of each couple every three years. The

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happy ones led him to the famous 5:1 ratio: happy relationships apparently have five positive for every negative moment. Any other way and the negative parts would become more powerful and slowly start to destroy the relationship.

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The four horsemen of the apocalypse At this point, the scientist brings up the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Once they enter the stage, Gottman claims that more than 90% of couples break up — after an average of 5.6 years. They are CRITICISM , or accusing the partner. DEFENSE , when the

attacked tries to justify his or her actions, only fuelling the discussion. RETREAT follows as people put up walls, ignore their partner and become disinterested. The last horseman is CONTEMPT , which messes with the balance of power between two people.

redicting affairs and using humour Some couple may never ever encounter the four horsemen but they still have few positive moments. Gottman talks about a certain emotional detachment, a kind of indifference. Couples just continue to live alongside each other and often look for other flings — a reason for affairs — before finally breaking up. This usually happens after 16.2 years, for exemple, once the kids have left the house. But there is another way: If the four horsemen stay away during

the five phases, the 5:1 ratio is mostly present and positive habits like humour and self-control are nourished. Gottman says that a happy relationship is imminent. To be able to laugh together and calm oneself in a heated situation takes the heat out of discussions and stops them from starting a chain of negative events. Instead, both partners are led to a positive sense of self and the other as well as appreciation — and that is all that matters in love.

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M E D I C I N A L O F P O W E R T H E

nature

A L L GO O D T H IN GS CO ME FRO M

P L A N T S

Text & Photos

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CONFITURE DE VIVRE

In our last issue, we introduced you to the first part of the »THE POWER OF MEDICINAL PLANTS« Feature which deals with the question of what we can do for our body and its balance and how herbal ingredients can help us. Here, we would like to present you the second part of the feature which is dedicated to the big topic »stress«. We all know: stress is not good for our body but yet often present in everyday life. Find here some interesting information about »ENERGY AND STRESS« and some great recipes that can help liberate your body and mind from too much tension.

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d in m , Body ul so and holistic

introspection It is gratifying that these days we do not regard health as merely the absence of illness, but rather that a large part of the population considers a holistic sense of well-being as increasingly valuable. Physical, mental and psychological health have only been mandated by law at the workplace since 2013. More and more, the picture is evolving to that of a being that cannot be seen in isolation only in terms of its function, but which also assigns importance to fitness, hygiene and well-being at all levels. It is certainly a matter of opinion whether balance should be the goal, or whether certain times, situations or circumstances call for one to carry more weight than the others. It is clear that we are responsible for taking care of our own health. Recent years, both in research and everyday life, have seen more focus on

extending the definition of health to a more preventative approach. This, too, can be too much of a good thing and opens the door for self-optimization mania, the dissolution of boundaries and exaggeration. Nevertheless, we all face challenges, want to master our everyday lives, aim to be well and seek to enjoy life. Medicinal plants can assist us in these missions.

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y g er E& nS t r e s s

Stress is not our friend. People suffer from unfavourable working conditions, financial dependency and hardship, challenging relationships and family life, sleep deprivation, too much media consumption and poor eating habits at all levels in today's industrialised countries. SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

NOT HARMFUL IN THE SHORTTERM PER SE.

Our basic intuition still works under stress, helping us to survive and mobilize survival instincts in dangerous situations. Extreme physical reactions remain the same; we only see ourselves exposed to completely different and stronger stressors. Long-lasting stress, meanwhile, harms us. When we get out of balance, we suffer from a lack of mental and physical ability, irritability, insomnia and many other symptoms. Neurotransmitters (the messengers that exchange information between nerve cells) and hormones are also thrown out of equilibrium. In the long run, the effects are fatal: increased susceptibility to inflammation, anxiety disorders, depression, slowed and unfavourable digestion, increased cortisol release, high blood pressure and reduced functioning of an adaptable and effective immune system.

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We can find remedies in the plant world through effective plant substances. So-called adaptogens support us and compensate stress to replenish our energy levels. The term adaptogen was coined in the mid-1950s by the Russian scientist Nicolai Vasilevich Lazarev. He found that certain herbs can help support and adapt the body to stressful situations. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian art of healing, has been harnessing the effects of herbs for thousands of years. Adaptogenic herbs can help reduce the imbalance in homeostasis that occurs as a result of stress. Homeostasis refers to the regulatory processes in circulation, body temperature and hormonal balance. These systems are regulated by various factors, including your hormonal balance.

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Sources: Naturopathic shops, online

STRESSFUL SITUATIONS ARE

Chronic stress interferes with one's hormonal balance, which in turn influences homeostasis. Adaptogens build resistance to imbalance.

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s e i t i l Qua

Jiaogulan

, g n i c n a l ba , g n i t a l ing stimu z i g r e n e g, n i t a r o g invi

Gynostemma pentaphyllum JIAOGULAN is considered the

Âťherb of immortalityÂŤ by the Chinese. People in China have been drinking tea from this plant for more than 1,000 years. Jiaogulan belongs to the gourd family of plants such as cucumber and pumpkin. In China it grows at an altitude of up to 3,000 meters. The plant also thrives in Europe at mild temperatures. If you want to grow it at home, it is best to do it in a pot. The leaves can be harvested all year round; the highest concentration of active ingredients is when the plant is in bloom. Alternatively, you can buy the dried herb. The effect of Jiaogulan was first discovered around 1400. It was discovered during a census in the province of Guizhou that there was a far above-average number of people

older than one hundred years. After other influences were ruled out, it came to light that the region's inhabitants regularly drank Jiaogulan tea. As a balancing adaptogen, it helps the body resist disease and respond better to stressors. It supports the immune system and increases energy and vitality. Furthermore, Jiaogulan can increase one's libido. With its antioxidant effect, it fights free radicals and increases the production of the body's superoxide dismutase enzyme. The herb can be consumed as a tea. The herbal extract is even more intense in a tincture which, together with other herbs and plants, serves an immune booster.

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Schisandra energy & stress

Schisandra schinensis The small, red berries of the Schisandra (also known as Chinese Magnolia Vine or Five Flavored Fruit) turn reddish-brown when dried and are then used. Also called »wu like zi« – the berry with flavours – it is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a plant that everyone can benefit from as it has uniting qualities and a balancing effect, depending on what is required. The dried berries taste peppery-hot and sour-bitter. They can be chewed throughout the day, but a tincture is better. Schisandra supports energy, vitality, memory and mood, and is excellent for maintaining a healthy liver.

PepperminT - mentha piperita Peppermint has been used as a remedy since ancient times. The areas of application are so varied that peppermint oil should be in every medicine chest, especially in vials. Peppermint has a stimulating, refreshing effect and increases concentration. It helps with headaches and travel sickness. This all-rounder is antibacterial, antiviral, immune-boosting and antiseptic. As an herbal distillate and oil in a mixture, peppermint is the ideal companion on the go to give yourself an energy boost, clear your head and even to wash your hands.

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I n g r e d i e n t s

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Immune-booster tincture

Fo r 2 4 0 m l 90 ml jiaogulan 90 ml huĂĄng qĂ root 30 ml schisandra 20 ml turmeric 10 ml ginger

1. Prepare the individual herbs in a tincture as described above.

2. Use a pipette to drip into a brown glass bottle and close. Stir one teaspoon of tincture in a glass of water and drink daily.

E n e r g i z i n g c l e a n s i n g s p r ay

I n g r e d i e n t s Fo r a 3 0 m l b row n g l a s s bottle 25 ml peppermint herbal

1. Place into a brown glass bottle and shake vigorously. Spray into hands and around head. Rub into hands and inhale.

distillate essential oils: 5 drops peppermint 3 drops bergamot 3 drops neroli 3 drops orange

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energy & stress

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MOOD, RELAXATION, SLEEP

s e i t i Qual

g, n i n e s o lo , g n i x rela p e e l s g n i promot

mood, ion reSlaL Exat EP

LavendeR Lavandula angustifolia

Often our days take place in the fast lane of life. We need a counterweight: relaxation. The body needs relaxation to be able to devote itself entirely to its tasks. Good digestion and metabolism, a healthy cardiovascular system, plentiful sleep and emotional balance are all integral. Sufficient physical activity, time outdoors, meditation and, last but not least, aromatherapy can support us on the way to a more relaxed lifestyle. SISTER-MAG.COM

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Anyone who has ever driven through the Hautes Provence in the South of France during summer will certainly remember the sight and smell of the expansive lavender fields. The real lavender is to be distinguished from lavandin (also known as hybrid lavender), which contains a higher proportion of camphor and is more suitable for cleaning and disinfection. Genuine lavender flowers contain an essential oil with high linalool and linalyl acetate content, as well as low amounts of eucalyptol and camphor. Linalool and linalyl acetate are said to have

a calming effect; additionally, linalool has an inhibitory effect on the growth of some bacteria and fungi. The real Lavender, lavandula angustifolia, also lavandula officinalis, is a member of the Labiate family. It also belongs to the botanical subfamily Nepetoidaea, to which many other herbs such as rosemary, sage, savoury and peppermint belong. If you want to grow lavender at home, do something good not only for yourself but also for the bees, you should cultivate lavender from seeds. Most plants in DIY stores or garden centres are over-fertilized.

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was revered as a sacred plant. Hildegard von Bingen described its anxiety-relieving and calming effect, while Paracelsus used it for heart complaints.

Both as an herb and as an essential oil, lavender is an Âťalmost all-rounderÂŤ. In the kitchen it gives a wonderful Mediterranean touch to lamb and fish dishes together with rosemary and thyme; chopped lavender leaves on fresh goat cheese served with a little honey is a dream.

With its muscle relaxing and s e d at i v e e f f e c t, lavender is e s p e c i a l ly h e l p f u l f o r g o o d s l e e p. A cup of lavender tea in the evening, a lavender bath and a soothing lavender balm applied in the evening is a wonderful selfcare ritual.

Lavender as a healing herb cured many wounds for the ancient Romans and Greeks and 181

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MOOD, RELAXATION, SLEEP

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MOOD, RELAXATION, SLEEP

Qualitie

anti-stress,

anxiolytic, aphrodisia c

Damiana turnera diffusa

ATTENTION: This herb should d e f i n i t e ly n o t b e u s e d during pregnancy Damiana is probably unfamiliar for most of us. This medicinal plant originates from Central and South America and is used for depression, libido disorders and anxiety disorders. A passionflower plant it is in principle possible to cultivate the plant in our latitudes, but one should be a little versed beforehand. It is therefore easier to buy Damiana as a dried herb.

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For the Aztecs and Mayans, the plant was often used as an antistress agent and anxiolytic, as well as an aphrodisiac. A number of studies have shown that the ingredients of Damiana, with its richness in oils, bitter compounds, flavonoids and tannins, are medically valuable. It is used in Europe to relieve anxiety and stress, evoke stimulation and to treat sexual dysfunctions. It can provide women with relief from menstrual cramps and mood swings.

Harness its relaxation by preparing it in a tincture mixed with s p i c e s a n d s o m e h o n e y.

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Chamomile Matricaria recutita

The real chamomile is known for its healing powers against stomach and intestinal problems o r w h e n e x t e r n a l ly applied on inflamed and sore skin. It also makes for a wonderful tea to encourage restful sleep. Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is also suitable for use as a medicinal plant. Chamomile belongs to the family of composite flowers and is related to dandelion, calendula and mugwort. As a rather

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undemanding plant it grows on wild meadows and fallow land but can also be well cultivated in your home garden. Records describing the healing power of chamomile have been around since the Middle Ages, and it has probably been used since ancient times. Leaves and flowers were soaked in water or wine and the extract was drunk in order to restore balance to one's digestive system. Chamomile can be taken fresh or dried. Essential oils, flavonoids, coumarins and bitter compounds make up the healing effect of chamomile, which remedies sleep disturbances, irritability and upset stomach and intestines.

The calming and balancing effect restores harmony and fights stress.

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MOOD, RELAXATION, SLEEP

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Sleep balm 1. Pay attention to the quality of both the Shea butter and the beeswax and buy the best products with organic certification. Sometimes you can buy the wax directly from beekeepers.

I n g r e d i e n t s for 3 jars of 15 ml

2. Melt the beeswax in a water bath,

3 t s p S h e a b u t t e r, unrefined, fragrance-free 2 tsp beeswax 3 tsp jojoba oil essential oils: 20 drops lavender 10 drops incense

then add the Shea butter and let it merge. Stir in the jojoba oil and then take the bowl out of the water bath. Add the essential oil and then pour the mixture into sterile jars. Allow to cool.

3. Since no preservatives are added, consume within 6-8 weeks.

Chamomile bags M a t e r i a l Cotton fabric, handkerchiefs etc. Chamomile flowers

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1. Collect

chamomile blossoms. There are several ways to dry them. If it is sunny and dry, put the flowers in a small bag of folded baking paper and dry in the sun. Make sure that the blossoms are lying separately so that they dry well.

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2. Alternatively, the flowers can also be dried in the oven. Place the flowers on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Dry at 50-60 degrees without circulating air for about 2-3 hours, depending on the size of the flowers.

3. For the bag, cut a 20x15 centimetres cotton cloth. Fold in the middle and then sew up to a small opening on the sides. This can be done with a machine as well as by hand. Then turn the fabric to the right and fill with the flowers. Close the seam.

If it is cooler, warming the bag on the radiator brings additional pleasantry.

l i t t l e

t i p

Put the warm bag on your ear to relieve pain.

4. Mould the bag in your hands to release the odorous substances. Place on or next to your pillow.

download

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PROMO

Photos: SASKIA SANDROCK // OH HEDWIG

biotherm

EX PE RIE N CE T H E W O RL D O CE A N S DAY W IT H

#BeAWaterLover

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Maybe you've already seen it in our Instagram Stories on June 8th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; photographer Saskia from Oh Hedwig took us to Brittany for a Biotherm event focused on World Oceans Day. Here we share more impressions with you and explain what Biotherm is doing to protect and preserve its strongest source of inspiration, the sea. 187

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Biotherm Water Lovers

PROMO

Biotherm products originated in the thermal springs of the French Pyrenees. Their powers as well as the microorganism »LIFE PLANKTON™« living within them were discovered by military physician JOS JULLIEN in 1952 . This power of water continues to play an important role for Biotherm today, and prompted a collaboration with »MISSION BLUE« in 2012. Founded by Dr. Sylvia Earle, the global campaign is SISTER-MAG.COM

dedicated to saving and restoring the world's oceans. As a water lover, Biotherm is also working to protect 17 million square kilometres of ocean, creating Hope Spots in places like the Ross Sea off the coast of Antarctica, as well as the Balearic Islands. Guests of the Water Lovers event were also engaged, undertaking a beach clean-up in Saint Malo in Brittany to keep plastic and other contaminants out of the ocean.

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Waterlover Sun Milk In addition to its social commitment, Biotherm products support the world's water bodies. Biotherm’s »WATERLOVER SUN MILK« is the first ecologically designed sunscreen on the market that not only protects our skin but also the environment. The formula is completely biodegradable and the SPF protection is also ecotested. Of course, as in 1952, the skin-soothing and regenerating Life Plankton™ from the French Pyrenees plays an integral role.

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G R E E N

C O S M E T I C S

F O R

N A T U R A L

B E A U T Y

natural cosmetics

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Text:

LEA BECKER

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The sustainability movement is gaining momentum. »Zero Waste« and efforts to ban harmful ingredients are now part of a balanced existence.

Illustrations:

IVONE PRAGUE

That's good because we all can do something to ensure a greener planet! It doesn't have to be a radical lifestyle change or a timeconsuming commitment either. New ways of thinking and a few tweaks in your everyday life are enough to get started. A green lifestyle as it relates to the oceans is, for example, the reduction of plastic in one's own household. Mindfulness is called for when it comes to avoiding plastic packaging and replacing it with more environmentally-friendly materials. Anyone who wants to

take action in this regard could start in the bathroom and do something good for themselves and the environment. How can this be achieved? With NATURAL COSMETICS . Natural cosmetics are usually packaged in a resource-friendly way, have not been tested on animals and – because they do not contain any synthetic ingredients – are healthy for our skin. ECO BEAUTY is therefore a multifaceted solution worth trying!

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What are natural cosmetics? Certified natural cosmetics should not contain mineral oil extracts, parabens, chemical preservatives, silicones or synthetic fragrances/ colours. As there is unfortunately no uniform legal regulation on what may or may not be called natural cosmetics , you should take a somewhat longer look at the contents when shopping.

The Codecheck app helps you to analyse and understand.

Recognizing natural cosmetics You can also inform yourself with seals and certifications. But be aware that certified natural cosmetics only fulfils the individual criteria of the organization that issues the seal. It is great if you discover several seals on one product, such as BHDI , Ecocert , NATRUE But dealing or COSMOS . This increases the chance of with what we feed making a good choice! Maybe all this our bodies every day reads a bit complicated. That may is also a worthy selfbe true at first glance. love. Which gives us yet another argument for the use of natural cosmetics... SISTER-MAG.COM

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ature in tubes and jars

Natural cosmetics for beginners and eco beauty lovers: the latest trends, treatments and tools...

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Misty fresh

You're looking for a fresh kick to go, huh? Then in summer you should always have a face MIST in your handbag or fridge. It hydrates and nourishes the skin.

bamboo in the bathroom

Zero waste in the bathroom?

Coffee party

Works with washable soap bags, fabric cosmetic pads, bamboo storage containers and wooden toothbrushes. Where can you find them? At www.gopandoo.de or www.bambusliebe.de , for example. SISTER-MAG.COM

Coffee grounds for beauty care? Yes! As a SCRUB it removes skin flakes and ensures a healthy glow. 194

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Vitamin C All-rounder avocado oil The

MINERAL-RICH

Sour isn't just for fun, it also beautifies! AND

INTENSELY NOURISHING OIL

of the avocado supplies the skin with fat and moisture, smoothes wrinkles, makes rough areas supple, and also helps with brittle hair.

Dermatologists swear by the bleaching effect of ASCORBIC ACID on pale skin and pigment disorders.

Korea or Japan?

Welcome to the Stone Age

Both! Korea is considered the trend-setter for new treatments and beauty products. Whether BB cream, cloth masks, bubble masks, sleeping cream or ginger serum, the Koreans inspire and inform us on the way to a perfect complexion (#GLASSSKIN). But the Japanese follow suit: With Zen in mind, they focus on wellness treatments with algae, healthy nutrition, meditation and exercise in the forest for a fresh look.

Let the good times roll with a face roller made of jade or rose quartz. You can use these practical tools from Asia in the morning and evening to RELAX MUSCLES , tighten contours, stimulate blood circulation and complement your skin care routine. 195

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All about the hair!

Shea butter, avocado oil, argan oil and aloe vera are ideal natural hair aids

Exfoliating without plastic

Microplastics are a real plague for nature and people. If you don't want to come into contact with these harmful particles, you should use natural friction particles in SCRUBS . Sugar and salt are a good choice, as are ground apricot stones or rice flour.

our tip Do it yourself with an olive oil-salt mix or a combination of sugar and honey. If you don't feel like it, follow the new trend towards fruit acid exfoliates â&#x20AC;&#x201C; completely without granules. SISTER-MAG.COM

That ensure that dull and tired manes shine healthy again. Whether as an ingredient in shampoo or the main player in a MASK or HAIR OIL , these are always a good investment.

Lather away!

Remember the smell of grandma's bathroom? My grandmother always smelled of ROSE SOAP in winter and lavender in summer. Now you can bring these beautiful memories into your own bathroom as soaps are celebrating a big comeback.

Super trendy: Natural exfoliating soaps and shampoo soaps (soap bars). 196

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lower Power Care

Natural care for skin and hair? Here you go! We introduce you to our beauty favourites for the summer.

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1| Sun salutations! Makes you awake in the morning: Shower additive with YlangYlang from WELEDA Approx. 2 Euros, in drug stores

2| Hairy! SHAMPOO BAR with

tangerine basil scent, nourishing shea butter and olive oil. Approx. 5 Euros, exclusively at dm

3| Oil well Pure avocado oil from

4| Flower Power

FARFALLA

Approx. 10 Euros, via www.najoba.de

Pure luxury: face mask with the best plant extracts from TATA HARPER Approx. 100 Euros, via www.niche-beauty.com

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our beauty favourites for the summer

5| Maskforce Looking for a healthy glow? This face MASK with raspberry oil, papaya powder and date oil is effective. Approx. 70 Euros, via www.susannekaufmann.de

6| Eye bling Supermodel Miranda Kerr has launched her own beauty brand, KORA ORGANICS . We recommend the »NONI RADIANT EYE OIL« with extracts of organic Noni fruit, tomatoes and sea bamboo in combination with Kahai and coffee extracts. Approx. 40 Euros, at Douglas

7| Cleaning aid Gently remove make-up from eyelashes with this eye make-up remover with vegetable oils from DR. HAUSCHKA Approx. 17 Euros, at Douglas

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8| Wake-up call With caffeine, cocoa butter and vitamin E: Exfoliation for the face by I WANT YOU NAKED FROM MUNICH

Approx. 40 Euros, at Douglas

9| Trend Tool Jade roller from ROSENTHAL ORGANICS

Approx. 30 Euros, via zalando.de

11| A rose by any other name

10| Give me a C!

WATER MOISTURIZES

Refreshes the complexion: Vitamin C serum from

and refreshes the skin. Approx. 12 Euros, via www.ecco-verde.de

for mixed and regular skin. Approx. 16 Euros, at dm

PRIMAVERA ROSE BLOSSOM

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DAYTOX

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our beauty favourites for the summer

12| Shine dispenser Makes matte manes shiny again: SOFT SHAMPOO with coconut extract and orange oil Approx. 3 Euros, in drug stores

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C R A F T I N G ! & G L U I N G B U I L D I N G , F U N H A V E

DIY IDE A S W IT H

rattan

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Rattan You’ll know this material from many pieces of furniture. Especially the Thonet chair celebrates our current favourite material: »RATTAN« also known as Viennese netting. The netting is made of six individual strands made from the trunk of the rattan palm to achieve a particularly stable texture. 202

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Basket

by Schmuckblog

After many years out of the spotlight, rattan is now staging a comeback which is why we went on the hunt for bloggers that use this special material for inspiring DIYs. Be surprised by the versatility of this material and have fun building, gluing and crafting!

Rattan-Cupboard by Decorndetails

Clock

by Bildschoenes Design

Rattan notebooks by Idle Hands Awake

Rattan-Hoop earrings by Maritza Lisa

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SKILL LEVEL

Easy as pie, as usual 15 minutes active time, plus drying time overnight

Notebooks

WITH RATTAN |

from Idle Hands Awake

INSTRUCTIONS

DOWNLOAD M AT E R I A L S

1. Using scissors, cut a piece of cane webbing that’s slightly larger than you need to cover the notebook. (To make the fringed notebook in the pictures above, simply use the edge of the cane webbing to cut your piece).

2. Squeeze some tacky glue onto a palette or scrap of cardboard, then use the sponge brush to coat the notebook in glue. You 1 or 2 sheets of cane webbing want to apply what I would call depending on the size of your project a »medium« coat of glue; not so thin that you can barely see it, sharp scissors but also not so thick that it’s just tacky glue (This is the only piled on there. Note that if it’s 98 brand I’ve used and it’s great! Dries hard and clear) degrees and you don’t have AC, the glue will dry REALLY FAST sponge brush for application (fun). Plain notebooks with a smooth cover, like these Moleskines

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IDLE HANDS AWAKE

Marlene Sauer

3. Place the piece of cane webbing on top of the glue and press it down evenly, making sure that all the edges have contact with the glue. Weigh down the notebook with something heavy that covers the whole surface (I used my laptop!) And now we wait — always the hardest part of any DIY project, don’t you think?

2. 4. The glue should be mostly dry in about 30 minutes, but I gave my notebook an hour before handling to be safe. Use the scissors to trim off the overhanging edges of rattan. And just to make sure the glue has totally cured, allow the notebook to sit overnight before using it! (You can see mine definitely needed longer before it was fully dry and clear!)

5. And that’s it! Enjoy your super stylish and totally unique DIY rattan notebooks. 4.

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LEVEL

easy

t tan RaClock WITH VIENNESE NETTING

DOWNLOAD M AT E R I A L S

DIY

by Bildschoenes Design

INSTRUCTIONS

Lid of a wooden box or a disk 1. Mark the middle of your lid or circle of wood, diameter about 24cm and drill a hole. First use a smaller Viennese Netting attachment and a piece of leftover wood underneath the hole to keep Clockwork and Hands the wood from fraying. TOOLS

Drill with 10mm attachment Scissors Wood glue and paintbrush

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2. Using the scissors, cut a piece of the woven cane that is slightly bigger than the diameter of your lid. Try by positioning the cane on the lid â&#x20AC;&#x201C; if the cane covers your drilled hole, shift it slightly and adjust by carefully cutting the material to your needs.

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BILDSCHOENES DESIGN

Julia LangeSchreiner

3. Paint the wood glue onto on side of the netting and carefully place it onto your lid. As soon as it sits where you would like to, weigh everything down with books and let dry very well. Use a small pair of scissors to cut off excess cane and put in the clockwork.

MY TIP

If you want the cane to be completely flat on the lid, dampen it and then press between a couple of heavy books. When it has dried completely, it will be nice and flat without rolling up.

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DOWNLOAD

DECORNDETAILS

RattanM AT E R I A L S

Cupboard

Wooden planks / wooden battens for the substructure (you can pick the thickness you like, I went for 2cm width) Woven Cane / Rattan (around 6 m) Hinges (4x) Base plate Back (usually 2 chipboard panels) Shelves Angles SISTER-MAG.COM

TOOLS

Saw Hammer Battery powered drill Tape measure Sanding paper Scissors Iron Stapler

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. First, come up with a basic plan for your cupboard. Think about the measurements you want. I went for these: Width =110 CM | Height= 110 CM | Depth= 52 CM

2. Now determine the size of your doors and cut the battens accordingly (my measurements 52 X 96 CM ). To make the doors, build a wooden frame by screwing together two shorter (top & bottom) and two longer (left & right) battens. Repeat this step for the second door.

3. Now build the frames for the sides and top, using the same technique as in step 2. Take care that the side parts have the same length as your doors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the width can vary. The top frame should have the length of the two doors and the same width as the side parts so your cupboard will have the right proportions.

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built the body

4. After building the frames, you can now cover them. Cut your woven cane, always remembering to leave some extra material all around. Now cover the frames with your rattan. (Tip: Put a towel over the woven cane and iron it so it becomes softer). Then staple the rattan to the frame.

5. When the doors are done, put them on an even surface and build the body of the cupboard around the doors. If your cupboard is supposed to have feet now would be the time to make them. Then attach the doors to the body using the hinges. 6. Finish the body of the cupboard using screws and angles. When itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done, you can put in the side panels and finally attach the lid.

TIP : Put a towel over the woven cane and iron it, so it becomes softer

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IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN ALSO ADD

SHELVES AND PAINT YOUR CUPBOARD.

7. The last step is to attach your back and the base panel. To do this, lay your chipboard panels onto the body and attach it with nails or screws. If you want, you can also add shelves and paint your cupboard.

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n a t t a R y s a E Hoop earring MARITZA LISA

DIY & Crafts

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M AT E R I A L S

INSTRUCTIONS

Gold earring postsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; get a pair that has a hole or loop at the bottom (or back) on each post to connect with your jump ring. (I got mine on etsy)

1. The rattan hoops may have some natural holes for your jump rings. If they do not, pierce a hole near the top in each hoop using something sharp (I used a hole reamer).

32mm Rattan earring hoops (I got mine on etsy) Gold colored earring backs Gold colored jump rings (I used 2 for each earring) Jewelry making pliers (I used 2 for opening and closing the jump rings)

2. Open your jump rings with pliers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I used 2 sets of pliers (one in each hand) to twist (one side toward you, the other side away from you) each jump ring so that the ends opened forward and backward. DOWNLOAD

3. With the jump ring ends open, put the earring post on one end then connect with the 2 jump rings and the rattan hoop. 4. Close the jump rings with pliers. 5. Repeat for the other earring. 6. Add the earring backs to each earring.

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Ba ske t

with Rattan SCHMUCK BLOG

ZARAH DJAZAYERI

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M AT E R I A L S

INSTRUCTIONS

Woven cane 45x50cm*

1. Take your Viennese netting and wrap it around your wooden disk once to gage the length you need.

Holzspan: Bastelspan 1 Rolle* Hot Glue Gun: Set with Glue Sticks* Wooden disk: 6 pieces* Leather strap or a piece of ribbon Leather strap 1 meter* Scissors

2. Add around 1cm as area for the glue. Now cut your woven cane. 3. Use a hot glue gun to attach the bottom all the way around your disk. Trim off excess cane if necessary. 4. The base for your basket is already done! For a clean edge, take some wood shavings and glue them around the top rim using your hot glue gun.

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Ba ske t wi th

Rattan

built the basket 2. 5. Now for the lid: glue one 7. Use a leather strap or a nice smaller and one slightly bigger piece of ribbon and string wooden disk on top of each it through the hole you just other. drilled. Simply glue the bottom ends to the inside of the lid. 6. Then drill a hole into the middle of both disks.

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Built the lid

There you have a small DIY basket made with Viennese netting! Fill it with pens, cosmetic products or anything else.

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A L L

A B O U T

P L U M S

plums and gardens

FO O D FE AT URE

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Recipes & Photos

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s m u l p

All about

Our garden is a plum garden, and we have only several apple trees. I like jams, chutneys, and cakes made of plums. This year once again saw an abundance of plums in our garden. This is not always the case since we do not use any chemicals in our garden and it is not easy to protect berries from insects. Pink, yellow, and blue plums transformed into neverending photoshoots around plums.

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Recipe

D OW NLOAD

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Plum Jam with ginger and cinnamon ING R EDIENTS For 1,5 l jam: 2 kg

Plums

2 kg

Sugar

3-5 tbsp lemon or lime juice (optional if plums are sour) 1 tbsp

ground cinnamon (powder)

1 tsp

ground ginger (powder) P R EPA R AT ION

Step 1

Step 4

Wash plums and leave on towel to dry. Then halve them and remove pits.

Increase the heat and let jam boil for about 7-10 minutes. Stir constantly

Step 2

Step 5

Put plum halves into a heavy pot, add 150 ml water (250 ml if plum flesh is not very juicy) and simmer until plums become tender.

Take jam of the heat and let cool for about 30 minutes. You can leave the jam chunky and ladle it into sterilized jars. Alternatively, you can blend it until smooth. Store fridge. Chunky jam is good for desserts, porridge, yogurt, while the smooth version is ideal for baking cakes and making sauces.

Step 3 Add sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and ginger. Stir well with a wooden spatula and simmer until sugar dissolves.

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Recipe

DOW NLOA D

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Warm Crumble Cake TOPPING

I NG R ED IENT S 1 kg

plums

200 g

cold butter

4-5 tbsp light brown sugar

200 g

plain flour

20 g

100 g

oat flakes

butter

2 tbsp ground hazelnut (optional)

Serving: 6-7 portions

175 g

light brown sugar

1 tsp

vanilla extract

0,5 tsp

salt

PR EPA R AT ION Step 1 Wash plums and leave on towel to dry. Then halve them and remove pits. Step 2 Preheat the oven to 180-190 Â°C. Step 3 Make the topping. Cut butter into small pieces and, using your finger, mix together the butter, flour, oats, hazelnut, sugar, vanilla

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extract and salt in a large bowl until you have a rough crumble mix. Step 4 Put a saucepan over a medium heat and melt butter. Add plum halves and sugar, and cook on low for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Step 5 Transfer plums into 3-litre baking dish and pour the crumble on top. Step 6 Put the dish on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until crumble is golden. Serve warm. It's extra delicious with vanilla ice cream!

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Frangipane

with plums ING R ED IENT S

D OU G H

FILLING

90 g

cold butter

140 g

soft butter

180 g

flour

100 g

sugar

1 tbsp

powdered sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

50 g

flour

140 g

almond flour

a pinch of salt

4-5 large plums, wash, halved, pitted 2 tbsp

melted butter

1 tbsp

powdered sugar

Serving: 6 portions.

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Recipe

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Recipe

DOW NLOA D SISTER-MAG.COM

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P R EPARATION Step 1 Grate butter on flour, add yolks, powdered sugar, and salt. Knead ingredients. Leave dough to cool in fridge. Step 2 Roll the dough or spread it in the tin (25 cm) with your fingers. Leave to cool in fridge for 20 minutes. Step 3 For the filling, beat the soft butter with sugar and salt. Add eggs, one by one. Mix in flour and almond flour. Step 4 Spread the mix onto the dough. Place plum halves on top. Brush with melted butter. Bake in the oven at 160 Â°C for 30 minutes. Step 5 Brush with butter again. Cover the top of the cake with baking paper or foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Step 6 Dust with powdered sugar when the cake is baked and has cooled.

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p u t r sta t h g i spotl

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p u t r a st t h g i l t o sp

PA R S P R A L I N E N

PA R S P R A L I N E N . C O M

INDUSTRY PAT I S S E R I E HEADQUARTERS BERLIN FOUNDER KRISTIANE KEGELMANN PA R S P R A L I N E N PA R S P R A L I N E N

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PARS PRALINEN: WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU DO?

I, Kristiane Kegelmann (born in 1990 in Munich, Germany), completed a traineeship in classic confectionery and, upon graduation, took up a leading position at the prestigious Viennese Royal Confectionery DEMEL to become a master at the craft. Since 2014, I have also been actively working as a sculptor. My work has been exhibited at the MAK Museum für

Angewandte und Zeitgenössische Kunst Wien (Museum for the Applied and Modern Arts), as well as galleries, and has been published in several publications, including Vogue Germany and Time Magazine. I live and work in Berlin. In 2016, I started to work on exclusive, unique, and individual editions of chocolate truffles – since 2019, these are available under the label „PARS“ (lat.: part/ piece). With a PARS truffle, you have a very special kind of delicacy on your hands. They stand for a seduction of the senses; a moment of pause and joy. Ingredients are of incredible importance so this moment of indulgence can

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p u t r sta t h g i l spot

truly unfold. The product and what it is made of can only impress in its natural diversity when the ingredients are produced mindfully and in the ways of sustainable farming. Our PARS truffles are a product that unfolds its enchanting effect on special occasions. If such a special day should stay in the minds of your beloved guests, the pieces can be given out or added to a buffet of desserts. hey will surely leave every connoisseur with a smile on their face. Our unique product will be available at KaDeWe from Fall 2019 and is also being handmade by a small manufacturer

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in China, available for sale in Beijing (BOOMPOPS). It is also the truffle of choice for brands like Louis Vuitton, Porsche, Audi or Ziegert Immobilien to spoil their guests and customers with a sensual specialty. We also regularly receive orders for weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations. HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR PARS PRALINEN?

I have always enjoyed discovering the world with my hands. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I decided to enter the world of confectionery/ patisserie and completed my Meister (highest level of craftsmanship in

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Germany). At the K.u.K. Hofzuckerbäckerei Demel in Vienna, I created spatial cakes and figures of sugar. But all of this wasn’t enough. I wanted more than just the outer shape of my creations to be convincing; I wanted the inside to have an appropriate meaning, too. My path lead me not only into the arts – through sculpting – but also to reconsider the chocolate truffle in a completely different way. So I started creating utterly novel fillings for my PARS Editions. The result charms in both shape and content so that the consumption of each truffle sets off an unusual firework of the senses.

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WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS? WHAT IS THE CONCEPT BEHIND PARS PRALINEN?

Every step of work is completed by hand, which makes every piece unique in its appearance. Our chocolate truffles offer the opportunity to keep our contacts in the areas of gastronomy and agriculture and to pass them on. We use the highest quality ingredients from small producers and exceptional products, most of them produced organically – but not necessarily as great quality is not determined by a certificate. Often the ingredients come from the region

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p u t r sta t h g i l spot

around Berlin (with the exception of a few ingredients like our chocolate, which comes from reliable producers of the highest quality – we only use Chocolate Naive from Lithuania and Felchlin from Switzerland). This not only makes for great taste but also offers us the opportunity to experiment with seasonal ingredients. We know the origin of all our ingredients and are a small part of the circle of work that produces a product which ensures that farmers and small producers can make a living. WHO IS YOUR TEAM MADE UP OUT OF?

We work with a small but great team in every area. I am still producing myself with the support of several freelance colleagues on

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bigger projects. Since our small company was only founded in 2019 (before this I worked on everything with my former assistant), we’re still in the process of setting everything up. As soon as we have reached a certain regularity in our orders, we will employ fulltime pâtissières. One colleague works in marketing/social media/communications and a photographer is responsible for product photography and videography.

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WHAT DOES A T YPICAL WORKING DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? DO YOU EVEN HAVE ONE?

We rarely have a typical working day. Everyone but Laura, who is responsible for marketing, works only when orders come in. We produce according to the amount ordered with pretty flexible times – when there is a lot to do, we work more. When we have bigger orders for bigger events, we work in shifts as a team when there’s a smaller order, I work on it myself.

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p u t r sta t h g i l spot

DO YOU HAVE A RITUAL OR A SPECIAL TRADITION ON WORK DAYS?

Shared meals are very important to me. I cook a meal for the entire team to keep up interpersonal contact and develop more team spirit. Before we start a working day, everyone sits down for a short meeting to talk through the order of the day – depending on how many people are working on that day. WHICH GOAL S DO YOU HAVE FOR PARS PRALINEN? WHICH PRODUCTS OR CHANGES ARE PLANNED?

II want to establish PARS Pralinen with a regular line of production where a team of permanent employees works on manufacturing. A small, well-oiled company that stays small enough to be able to stay true to its values and quality; doesn’t lose room for experimenting with new flavour combinations and shapes, techniques, and materials, but still draws enough attention to get the values the products represent

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out there and raise awareness for them. For such a special product, it’s about the special ingredients and producers who do honest work. A chocolate truffle for special moments that can enrich such a moment and remain something special. After all, chocolate in itself is not actually an everyday consumer product because it would not be possible to farm cocoa in a humane and responsible way to meet demand. That consciousness is an important point. Our small selection of 3-5 truffle editions that are available in our online shop changes every couple of months and involves the ingredients that are available. At the moment, we have a variety with delicate Sicilian lemons and elderflower that has been harvested just outside of Berlin and we’re working on a new filling with lime and rose blossoms that we get very fresh and that bring a special flavour into the game. We also love realising exclusive clients’ wishes and developing individual fillings.

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with the Tefal Cake Factory

BA KIN G FO R BE GIN N E RS A N D A DVA N CE D BA KE R S

PROMO

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Production Fr a n z i s k a W i n t e r l i n g L a u r a Fr e n z e l Photos L a l e Tü t ü n c ü b a s i

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PROMO

Celebrations deserve to be celebrated duly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially in summer when there usually is an abundance of weddings, birthdays, picnics with friends and slow family afternoons drinking coffee on the balcony or out in the garden.

Always needed: Cake, cupcakes and more baked goods that make celebrating life just that much sweeter!

As much as we love being inspired by food features, spending hours on Pinterest and being creative in the kitchen: on some days, we simply need quick and sure success! Using this as a starting point, we teamed up with four bloggers to try out the TEFAL CAKE FACTORY . This is a baking machine that uses its 5 PROGRAMMES to create everything from lava cakes to cupcakes for you. Join us for an introduction to the device, learn which recipes are our favourites and how we use the APP for constant inspiration. Enjoy the bakes and if you already are the proud owner of a CAKE FACTORY share your creations using #MYCAKEFACTORY !

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@ F R A N Z I S A I D W H AT

@KO N FETT I I M H ER Z

@EM M AS LI EB LI N G SST U EC K E

@N I C O LA R D K

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PROMO

lava cake

CHOC T H E W O W - E F F E C T

f r o m t h e C a k e Fa c t o r y

Most of us will probably feel their mouths water when thinking about a chocolate cake with liquid centre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; luckily this is a speciality of the Tefal Cake Factory. Thanks to sensors, the baking machine knows exactly when the batter is perfectly baked on the outside and beautifully soft on the inside.

Follow these s t e p - by - s t e p i n structions to make them:

wat c h t h e v i d e o

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PR OGR A MME 5 | 13 MI N.

PRO GRAMME 3 | 1 7 MI N.

COLATE LAVACakes I N G R E D I E N T S

3 e g g s 180g dark cooking chocolate (55% works best) 150g cubed butter 7 5 g c a s t e r s u g a r 45g plain flour S U M M A RY

Step 1

P.5

Melt the butter and chocolate using the PROGRAMME P5 - CHOCOLATE MELTING . Step 2

Mix the sugar, flour and eggs in a bowl. Step 3

Add the melted chocolate/butter to the mixture. Step 4

P.3

Divide the mixture equally between the moulds, then place them in the Cake Factory. Cook the lava cakes on PROGRAMME 3 for 15-17 minutes, depending on how runny you like them! Step 5

Leave to cool for a few minutes before removing from the mould. 245

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F R U I T Y , F L O R A L -

both!

PROMO

You love flowers and are craving a fruity bake? Then the apple roses we made with Nicola will be perfect for you!

I DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CAKE FACTORY TO PREHEAT, BUT CAN START BAKING RIGHT AWAY - PERFECT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME.

recipe with the app SISTER-MAG.COM

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1 .

P R O GRAM ME 3 | 45MIN | 225Â° C

APPLERoses I N G R E D I E N T S

2 .

Fo r 6 R o s e s : 1 , 5 r o l l s o f p u f f p a s t r y 3

red apples, for example Gala or Pink Lady

a d a s h o f g ro u n d c i n n a m o n

50 cl water 1

lemon

S U M M A RY

3 .

STEP 1

Wash the apples and cut them into thin (1-2mm) slices. Put the apple slices into a pan along with water and lemon juice. STEP 2

Bring to a boil and let it bubble for 30 seconds. Then take the pan off the heat. STEP 3

Spread the slices on a big, clean dish towel. Cover with a second towel and lightly press to soak up excess moisture.

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4 .

PROMO

Nicola @ N I C O L A R D K

The 22-year old from Berlin is what is called a newbie influencer.

5 .

Step 4

Roll out the pastry and cut it into 6 pieces, each of them 6 cm wide. Step 5 6 .

Lightly dust each piece of pastry with cinnamon. Place the apple slices on the pastry right up to the edge, letting the round parts peek over the cut off pastry. Fold the bottom part of the pastry over the bottoms of the apple slices and roll everything up into a pretty rose. Put them into the cake tins. Step 6

7 .

Put the tin into the Cake Factory. Start the P.3 PROGRAMME 3 for the indicated time. Step 7

Let cool for 10 minutes and carefully remove from the tins. Serve warm with crĂ¨me fraĂŽche or cold with icing sugar and enjoy.

8 . SISTER-MAG.COM

C A K E FA C T O RY

248

Her boyfriend gave the Business Administration student the idea to start a blog. Since she always loved taking pictures and having her picture taken, she decided to take matters into her own hand and developed a structure for her

feed, what she wanted to present and quickly rose to success with her rainbow-inspired colour concept. We’re excited to see where she’ll take her channel next – at the moment, we’re in a yellow phase!

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PROMO

WITH THE APP, I CAN FIND MORE THAN 200 RECIPES FOR

plum cake

INSPIRATION, THAT WORK FOR ME, WITHOUT BEING AN

D E L I C I O U S S N A C K F O R I N B E T W E E N

EXPERT AT BAKING.

Bianca and her daughters developed a recipe for us that both kids and grownups enjoy and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s super easy to make for beginners. The best thing: it tastes incredible as you can probably see from the pictures! SISTER-MAG.COM

recipe with the app

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PROGR A MME 1 | 3 6 MIN UTES

PLUM

Cake

I N G R E D I E N T S

1 0 0 g

margarine

1 0 0 g

sugar

packet of vanilla sugar

eggs

1 TBSP lemon juice 1 9 0 g

flour

1 TBSP baking powder (10 g) 6

ripe plums

Icing sugar to dust

S U M M A RY

Step 1

1 .

Mix the margarine, sugar and vanilla sugar in a bowl. Alternate between adding an egg and 1 TBSP of flour while always stirring well in between.

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PROMO

2 .

Step 2

Add lemon juice and sieve in the rest of the flour along with the baking powder. Step 3 3 .

Pour the cake batter into the buttered tin. Quarter the plums and place them on top of the batter. Step 4

P.1 4 .

Put your tin into the cake factory. Start the PROGRAMME 1 for the indicated time. Step 5

Let the cake cool before taking it out of the tin. Dust with icing sugar.

C A K E FA C T O RY 5 . SISTER-MAG.COM

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Bianca

@ K O N F E T T I I M H E R Z

31-year-old Bianca uses her channel to show how a patchwork-mum uses lots of humour and love to get through everyday life with three kids. Together with her three friends, she also writes on their blog, Milf CafĂŠ, where the four of them authentically report on both funny and informative aspects of family life.

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F R O M T H E C A K E FA C T O RY

PROMO

F O R C R E AT I V E B A K E R S

own creations

Besides the recipes in the Cake Factory App and in the added recipe booklet, you can of course create your own recipes. Emma is a true expert on this and created these beautiful cupcakes for us – a perfectly fresh summer recipe! Here’s how to make them:

WITH THE TEMPERATURE ADAPTATIONS, I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE RIGHT TEXTURE - AND BAKING BECOMES EASY! SISTER-MAG.COM

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1 .

P R OG RAMME 2 | 20 MIN .

STRAWBERRY es k a c up C SODA

2 .

I N G R E D I E N T S

eggs (M)

90 g sugar 1 TSP vanilla sugar 1

pinch of salt

120 g flour 2 TSP baking powder

3 .

4 0 m l n e u t r a l v e g e t a b l e o i l 7 0 m l Fa n t a o r o r a n g e s o d a F O R T H E T O P P I N G

200 g strawberries 200 g quark (similar: yoghurt with around 20 % fat) 200 g cream

4 .

4 T S P v a n i l l a s u g a r 2

sachets of Gelatine-Fix

5 TSP strawberr y powder F O R T H E D E C O

Small strawberries

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PROMO

5 .

S U M M A RY

STEP 1

Beat the egg with the sugar and pinch of salt. Add lemon juice and cream and stir vigorously. Add flour and baking powder and mix well until smooth.

6 .

STEP 2

Add 40 ml neutral vegetable oil and 70 ml Fanta or orange soda, stir and divide the batter equally between the muffin tins. STEP 3 7 .

P.2

Put the tin into the Cake Factory. Start the PROGRAMME 2 - MUFFIN AND CUPCAKES for the indicated time. STEP 4

Let cool completely before taking the muffins out of the tin. Emma

8 .

@EMMASLIEBLINGSSTUECKE

Mother of 2 kids and baking lover Emma made her passion into her profession

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9 .

STEP 5

In the meantime, make the topping: Add cream, quark and vanilla sugar, Gelatine Fix and strawberry powder to a big bowl. Beat vigorously until you have an airy cream.

10.

STEP 6

Puree the strawberries and add. Keep in the fridge until needed. STEP 7

When the muffins have cooled down, decorate with the cream and slices of strawberries. Store in the fridge.

recipes with the app

It all began with a love for baking small and big treats and a passion for hunting down whimsical and delicious recipes. Now she works as a freelance food stylist and

food photographer so she can live out her creativity. Her loyal community enjoys almost daily her recipes for colourful and sweet creations.

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1 1.

T H E D E C O R AT I O N M AT T E R S

Chocolate Cupcakes

PROMO

And last but not least, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to introduce you to Franzi who used the Cake Factory with her two kids. The three of them kept to the recipe during baking and got creative when decorating their creations. Get ready for sprinkles!

THANKS TO THE COOL TOUCH WALL, THE SURFACE OF THE CAKE FACTORY DOESN'T HEAT UP AND I CAN ENJOY BAKING WITH MY KIDS!

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1 . P R O GRAM ME 5 | 7 MIN .

PR OGR AMME 3 | 16 MI N.

CHOCOLATECupcakes I N G R E D I E N T S

2 .

Fo r 1 l o a d 90 g chocolate 50 g butter 2

eggs

80 g sugar 60 g flour Â½ T S P b a k i n g p o w d e r ( 3 g ) 140 g cream

3 .

130 g mascarpone 60 g raspberr y jam 1 2

big raspberries

100 g raspberr y jam S U M M A RY

Step 1

Wash the raspberries and fill each of them with raspberry jam. Keep in the fridge. Step 2

Put chocolate chunks and butter into a bowl and put it into the Cake Factory. P.5

Start the PROGRAMME 5 for the indicated time. Then stir into an even mixture using a fork or whisk. 259

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4 .

PROMO

STEP 3

Beat the eggs with sugar. Add the chocolatebutter-mixture and sift together the flour and baking powder before adding it as well and stirring it in vigorously with a whisk. STEP 4

Add a teaspoon of the batter and a jam-filled raspberry to each muffin tin. Pour over the cupcake batter. STEP 5

P.3

Put the tins into the Cake Factory. Start the PROGRAMME 3 for the indicated time. Let cool before taking out of the tins.

9 .

STEP 6

Beat the cream and mascarpone until stiff. Stir in the raspberry jam. Put the cream into a piping bag and keep in the fridge. STEP 7

When the time for decorating has come, use the raspberry cream to decorate the cupcakes. Finally, add a jam-filled raspberry on top.

recipe with the app

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1 0.

5 .

C A K E FA C T O RY 6 .

Franzi

7 .

8 .

@ F R A N Z I S A I D W H AT

Mother of two Franzi shows her community her take on a heartoriented and relaxed parenthood. In her daily Instagram stories, she shows us her everyday life, gives tips and shows the true life of a mum in all its colorful facets.

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section 3 SISTER-MAG.COM

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VENUS

MARS

Mythologies, Art, Botticelli

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W H E N

V E N U S C H E A T E D O N H E R V U L C A N W I T H M A R S

H U S B A N D

venus & mars

T H E ST O RY O F A L OVE A FFA IR

VENUS

MARS

& Mars Even though the goddess of love Venus was married to Vulcan, she had affairs with several other men. Best-known is the one with Mars â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which Vulcan stopped in a clever way.

Text: ALEXANDER KORDS

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the Tales

Some millennia ago, the ancient Greeks conceived lots of tales to explain the world around them. The dark night? Caused by the goddess NYX who looks like a big black bird. The sun? A burning chariot the god HELIOS steers across the sky every day. The Greeks believed that almost everything was controlled by a designated deity. The »ROYAL FAMILY« consisted of ZEUS , the father of the

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gods, his siblings and children who resided on MOUNT OLYMPUS . The Olympians had rather incestuous relationships: Zeus had children with his sister HERA , and some of them entered relationships with their half siblings. HEPHAESTUS , for example, a son of ZEUS and HERA , was married to APHRODITE who was a daughter of Zeus – although she was »only« adopted.

VENUS

MARS

Risen up from

the sea The ROMANS didn’t show much creativity when they took over many Greek deities and their special fields. They only changed their names: They called ZEUS JUPITER , HEPHAESTUS was renamed VULCAN and APHRODITE became VENUS . The myths themselves, however, remained untouched by the Romans for the most part. That’s why Venus came into the world the same brutal and absurd way: Her father URANUS was emasculated with a sickle by his son SATURN , and the

267

semen streaming from the cut-off genital fell into the sea Venus rose from soon after. The painting »THE BIRTH OF VENUS« Sandro Botticelli painted around 1485 shows the goddess of love and beauty standing on a scallop shell, shortly after she came out of the water.

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GOD

of metalworking

After Venus was introduced to the gods and came into their midst, Jupiter adopted her and made her the wife of Vulcan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his son he had with his wifesister Juno (as Hera was called by the Romans).

When VULCAN was a baby, he was ridiculously ugly which is why the other gods laughed at him all the time. Since he also cried a lot, his mother Juno furiously threw him from heaven to earth. The poor guy hurt his leg when he fell down and limped his whole life. On earth, SISTER-MAG.COM

he developed a special talent for handling fire and metal and, among other things, forged the sceptre of his father. For his mother, he crafted a golden throne. However, he installed a trap. When JUNO sat down on the throne, invisible fetters held her back from getting up again. Only after she assured VULCAN that he would be readopted into the circle of gods, he freed her.

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The aggressive

Lover The marriage of VENUS and VULCAN didn’t seem to be exciting since they both looked for alternatives. Vulcan had at least four children with other women, and VENUS wasn’t averse to extramarital affairs either. Her longest liaison was the one with MARS who the Greeks called ARES and who also was a son of Jupiter and Juno. Mars was the aggressive, brutal and literally »martial« god of war and the complete opposite to his sweet-tempered brother Vulcan. Nevertheless (or maybe just because of that), Venus was attracted to her adoptive brother. They had no less than five children, one of them being Cupid (or Eros, as the Greeks called him), the small god of love with bow and

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arrow. The fact that Venus’ husband didn’t notice the five pregnancies of his wife is just a side note of the absurdity of classical mythology

Incidentally, you can read about Cupid and his story here in sisterMAG - Christian Näthler took a closer look at the love messenger for you.

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VENUS

MARS

Held up to

ridicule Ultimately, the love affair of MARS and VENUS was discovered after all – namely by SOL , the Roman equivalent to the afore mentioned sun god HELIOS . He told VULCAN , and the cuckold made a plan of revenge. He forged an invisible net and put it around his wife’s bed. When VENUS welcomed MARS once again, the two of them got caught in an embarrassing position. To finish the humiliation, Vulcan

invited all gods to Venus’ bedroom so they could examine the trapped pair of lovers. Since the gods couldn’t stop amusing themselves, a LONG LAUGHTER is sometimes called »HOMERIC« today.

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With his move, Vulcan also took another revenge for the experiences of his childhood when he was laughed at for his ugliness. SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Ancestress of the

Romans Another prominent affair of Venus was the one with ADONIS – even though he was a mortal and therefore beneath her divine dignity. According to the myth, ADONIS was killed by the jealous MARS who had turned into a boar. Venus was so heartbroken about the death of her lover that she used his blood and her tears to create a flower: the red pheasant’s

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eye (Adonis flammea). Venus also had affairs and children with BACCHUS (the Roman Dionysius) and MERCURY (Hermes), both sons of her adoptive father JUPITER. Thanks to another man, Venus obtained a special status for the Roman people. When she dated ANCHISES , she gave birth to AENEAS , one of the heroes of the Trojan War. His son ASCANIUS later founded the CITY OF ALBA LONGA that, over time, developed into Rome. Ascanius who was also called IULUS is said to be an ancestor of CAESAR . As a matter of fact, one of her affairs made VENUS the ROMANS’ »GREATGRANDMOTHER«.

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F L O R E N C E ,

A R O U N D

1 4 8 3

»venus and mars«

SA N DRO BO T T ICE L L I

VENUS

MARS

Ch arlo tte S c h i l l e r i n Okto b er 1823

» y o u ' l l h av e a h a r d t i m e g u e s s i n g w h o ' l l b e the next to marry after you. it is goethe, who loves a lady in bohemia. t h e g i r l i s i n f at u e t e d w i t h t h e p r i v y c o u n c i l l o r . ( . . . ) i h o p e t h at g o e t h e w i l l n o t a c t u n w i s e at t h e a g e o f 7 4 . «

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Text: MICHAEL NEUBAUER

Is there an age for love?

I don’t think so. Love has been a central topic for all of humanity, along with POWER and INFLUENCE . Since the 4TH CENTURY B.C. , the daughter of Jupiter and mother of the »divine« Aeneas was called »VENUS« (Greek Aphrodite) and worshipped for her love and feminine grace. Always accompanied by »AMOR« (Eros), she gave her affection to the old Italian war god »MARS« (Ares), father of Romulus and Remus, the symbol of all masculinity and protector of the state. Plenty of material for mythical interpretations in literature and art!

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ÂťVenus and MarsÂŤ was painted by Sandro Botticelli around 1483 . The Florentine Botticelli was an important figure of the early ITALIAN RENAISSANCE . Renaissance means rebirth, in this case of antiquity. Man is once again placed at the centre of artistic creation.

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VENUS

It’s a large work – 69 cm high and 173 cm wide – painted with oil on wood. The painting stretches the viewer’s gaze. VENUS and MARS lie in the front plane, filling the entire width. There is a STRONG CONTRAST between the alert Venus, covered in a precious dress, and the completely stripped Mars, in shame, covered only by a cloth. Does superiority here stand alongside weakness, harmony against confrontation?

MARS

The facial features of Venus are smooth, with little character, and certainly not related to a specific person. Nevertheless, one’s gaze first wanders to her open, awake face. Mars, on the other hand, has his eyes closed, head tilted backwards, with lips pleasurably open. Is he dreaming, perhaps, about their romance? This is where the opinions of experts diverge – is the scene pre- or post-love? (1)

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VENUS

In addition to the two god figures, FOUR SMALL MYTHICAL BEINGS stand out, three of them behind Venus and Mars. They grip MARS’ LANCE , a line that directs the transverse course of the picture. Their quick-moving faces reveal their knowledge about the two lying in front of them. The left satyr carries the bottom of the lance, his face hidden by Mars’ polished helmet. The middle one’s childish face flashes a mischievous smile as he

MARS

grasps the lance. The right jack is perhaps the most important one. He blows air through Mars’ conch into his right ear, but why? Is he sending a secret message from Venus to awaken him? Meanwhile, a fourth faunal mythical creature is pictured in the bottom right of the frame. Clad in armour and holding the handle of a sword, he hints at the warlike nature of the God lying above him. Several WASPS buzz around the head of Mars and are seen

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by historians as a reference to the VESPUCCI FAMILY in FLORENCE , whose coat of arms they form. (1) The background of the picture is a calm, flat landscape that merges into a mountain range, certainly the Apennines near Florence, on the horizon. The original hangs in the National Gallery in London.

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VENUS

MARS

»Venus, Mars and Amor« created a painting of almost identical composition around 1505 with »VENUS, MARS AND AMOR« . His work can be found in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. The CLIENTS of the painting cannot be proven with certainty. Was it the famous MEDICI FAMILY or the Florentine VESPUCCI FAMILY ? Was it to crown a wedding or was PIERO

COSIMO

it only meant as a »TRIUMPH OF PEACE OVER WAR« ? (2) Historians agree that it could best have served as a mobile display or wall decoration on suitable occasions. In any case, there is agreement regarding the statement of the painting: »THE VICTORY OF LOVE OVER VIOLENCE.« (1) An eternal ideal.

(1)

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»Victory of Love Over Violence« Throughout this sisterMAG issue, we explore various examples of how the »Victory of Love Over Violence« has found its way into literature.

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VENUS

Odysseus and Penelope Adapted in film: »ULYSSES« , 1954 , starring Kirk

Douglas, Silvana Mangano and Anthony Quinn »THE ODYSSEY«, in two parts,

1997, starring Armand Assante, Greta Scacchi and Isabella Rossellini

MARS

Ulysses was a heroic warrior in the Trojan War. Victorious, he set sail to return to his kingdom, wife, Penelope, and child, Telemachos, on the island of Ithaca. Ongoing battles, inclement weather, and other adversities delayed his imminent arrival for years. Meanwhile, native suitors pressed Penelope for love and favour. However, she remained firm in keeping her once promised loyalty and love for Ulysses and waited for him – with success!

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Minna von Barnhelm and Major von Tellheim COMEDY by GOTTHOLD EPHRAIM LESSING »MINNA

five

VON

acts,

titled

BARNHELM

ODER DAS SOLDATENGLÜCK« .

It premiered in HAMBURG in 1767 . Film adaptation under the same title by DEFA in 1962 starring Marita Böhme, Otto Mellis, and Christel Bodenstein. 1763. The SEVEN YEARS’ WAR is over. A face-off between Prussia and Saxony, plus a large number of other nations and principalities. Prussia belonged to the great victors. The PRUSSIAN MAJOR VON TELLHEIM was already disgraced before the end of the war because he had not behaved

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»Prussian« enough in occupied Saxony. On the contrary! He had found favour with the young, beautiful SAXON NOBLEWOMAN MINNA VON BARNHELM . They demonstrated their love to the outside world through an engagement. Financial worries forbid him a wedding, and so he reluctantly withdraws. With charm, cunning, and reason, Minna succeeds in winning him back. With this comedy, Lessing writes a typical work of enlightenment. Minna is not passive but a self-confident and self-interested heroine who guides love to victory.

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VENUS

Josephine and Napoleon JOSEPHINE 's life with Napoleon

was portrayed in 32 FILMS . Needless to say, the list of prominent actors and actresses in these roles is abundant. In 1794 , ALEXANDRE DE BEAUHARNAIS , an officer of the Rhine Army and former chairman of the French National Assembly, died under the guillotine of the Jacobin terror regime. Left behind is his wife, Josephine. In 1796 , she marries the much younger NAPOLEON BONAPARTE , whom she knew from earlier years. She becomes Empress of France, he loves her

MARS

more than she loves him, and the marriage remains without children. Their DIVORCE therefore follows in 1810 , since for her, there is nothing to gain maternally. Rich severance payments – she remains empress; money doesn’t matter – preserve her luxurious lifestyle. She resides in her castle estate, Malmaison, near Paris, and in the SPRING OF 1814 , she welcomes one of the victors of the wars of liberation, the Russian TSAR ALEXANDER I . Through her continuing affection and love for Napoleon, who had meanwhile been banished to the island of Elba, she softens many a harsh verdict by his opponents.

Burg, Manuel, »Die Welt« vom 30.05.2014 (3)

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Elisabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy Novel, »PRIDE AND PREJUDICE« , by JANE AUSTEN , from 1813 . FILMED under the same title in 2005 , starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, and Talulah Riley. The novel takes place during the transition between the 18th and 19th CENTURY NEAR LONDON . The BENNET FAMILY , belonging to the nobility but not wealthy, has five girls, who are to be married as status-consciously as possible in order to pre-program »pride and prejudice «. This is especially evident in the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELIZABETH AND MR. DARCY. ELIZABETH is a beautiful

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young woman – funny, smart, and self-confident. She doesn’t like the rich Mr. Darcy at all. He, on the other hand, doesn’t admit his feelings towards her, because she has nothing to offer materially. Confusion, intrigue, further young gentlemen, which inflict girls’ hearts, above all also that of the mother, let Elizabeth’s virtues, beauty and joie de vivre, increasingly win over Mr. Darcy. He falls in love with her. But she refuses to marry him. They both realize that false information, foolish reactions, and repeatedly arising questions of status stand

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MARS

between them. Only slowly does Elizabeth recognize Darcy’s sincere character. This feeling gives her the strength to resist the hostilities of his family, to fight for him, and to finally say »yes« in answering, »Will you marry me?«

Jane Eyre and Rochester Novel by CHARLOTTE BRONTË , published in 1847 . Filmed under the title JANE EYRE starring Mia Wasikowska, and Michael Fassbender (2011 ). Jane is a simple woman in the 19th CENTURY , independent with a strong will. She works as a GOVERNESS for the ward of a single gentleman, EDWARD ROCHESTER , who initially takes little notice of her. She falls in love with him. He is attuned to strange incidents, a fire in the

house, and accidents for which she is responsible. He asks for her hand in marriage, but it doesn’t happen. For years, he had hidden his schizophrenic wife in the attic room. Jane flees. Finally, her affection for Edward triumphs and she returns to the old but burnt down home after further peculiar events. Edward has gone blind in the meantime, but her determination and great love bring them together as a couple.

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Bertha nd Carl Benz In 2011 , a biography of the duo was shown in a television film. In 1885 , CARL BENZ put the first practical automobile, BENZ PATENT MOTOR CAR NO. 1 , on the road. He drove, in disbelief, and rather skeptically eyed by those who described it as a »carriage without horses«. After studying mechanical engineering at Karlsruhe Polytechnic, he founded his first MECHANICAL WORKSHOP in MANNHEIM in 1871 . This was made possible by the love and financial contribution of his girlfriend, BERTHA RINGER , whom he married soon afterwards. Bertha had her dowry paid out early and helped Carl to get started. The costs for his goal to develop a two-stroke engine were high. The company had to be

transformed into a public limited company in order to gain capital. The road was rocky, especially as everyone involved in the company remained skeptical. »Only one person waited next to me in those days when the downfall was about to begin. That was my wife. Bravely and courageously she raised new sails of hope«, he said. (4) In true marketing fashion, it was her who drew attention to this technical innovation by driving the BENZ PATENT MOTOR CAR NO. 3 from Mannheim to Pforzheim

and back over a distance of more than 100 km, paving the way for the automobile’s future. Carl and Bertha Benz had five children and lived in Ladenburg am Neckar.

Benz, Carl Friedrich: Lebensfahrt eines deutschen Erfinders S.45 (4)

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VENUS

MARS

Love, perhaps the most beautiful relationship between two people, can move mountains, and defeat violence and conflict. But love also has the power to create collisions, dissonances, and hostilities. Antiquity also provides examples of this: Cleopatra and Caesar, and eventually Cleopatra with Marc Antonius. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choose the right love!

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R E C I P E S

B Y

C A R O L E

P O I R O T

opposites attract

FO O D FE AT URE

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p o p

s e t i s

VENUS

MARS

attract

Photos & Recipes: CAROLE POIROT

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Recipe

DOWNLOAD

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VENUS

MARS

No Bake Lemon Meringue Tart - SWEET & SO U R -

INGREDIENTS FOR THE BASE

FOR THE FILLING

200 g

digestive biscuits

150 g

caster sugar

95 g

butter at room temperature

large eggs & 2 egg yolks

Juice & Zest of 3 lemons

100 g

butter, cut into cubes

STEP 1

HOW IT 'S DONE: THE BASE

Start by whizzing the biscuits in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.

Tip the mix into the tart mould, press it into the mould and up the sides until smooth.

Alternatively, you can also put them into a plastic bag and bash them with a rolling pin.

Put the form into the fridge for the base to cool and harden.

Add the butter and mix until combined.

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STEP 2 1.

HOW I T 'S DONE: THE FILLING

To make the filling, fill a medium sized saucepan 1/3 full with water and bring to a simmer.

Once thickened, take the bowl off the heat.

Put the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest into a heatproof bowl and whisk together.

Now drop the butter cubes into the mix whilst continuously whisking.

Now place the bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch the water) and keep whisking.

Once all combined, leave the curd to cool to room temperature before pouring it into the tart base

Chill the tart for a couple of hours.

Keep whisking the mix until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

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INGREDIENTS FOR THE MERINGUE

50 g 100 g 25 ml

egg whites caster sugar water

STEP 3 1.

HOW I T 'S DONE: THE MERINGUE

To make the meringue start by putting the sugar and water into a small saucepan on a medium heat. Whisk the egg whites on a medium speed until they just start to turn fluffy.

Using a sugar thermometer, heat the sugar to 120C.

Now, whilst continuing to whisk the egg whites, slowly pour the hot sugar down the side of the bowl into the egg whites. 297

Turn the speed up and keep whisking until the mix has cooled down and is thick and glossy.

Now you can decorate the tart with the meringue.

If you have a blow torch, you can add a bit of colour to the meringue by torching some of the peaks.

Refrigerate until serving.

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Recipe

DOWNLOAD

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VENUS

MARS

Salted Caramel Craquelin Cream Puffs - SWEET & SA LTY, CREAMY & C RUN CHY -

MAKES AROUND 20. CRAQUELIN CUT TER SIZE & CHOUX BUN TEMPL ATE SIZE: 5.5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 CM. INGREDIENTS FOR THE CRAQUELIN

FOR THE CHOUX BUNS

100 g

250 ml water

unsalted butter at room temperature

120 g

light brown sugar

120 g

flour

STEP 1

salted butter

140 g

flour

large eggs

HOW IT 'S DONE: THE CRAQUELIN

Put the sugar and butter into a bowl and mix until combined.

Add the flour and work into the mix until you have a smooth dough.

95 g

Roll the dough between the sheets to a thickness of about 2mm.

Now place the dough (with the sheets) into your freezer at least one hour.

Flatten the dough slightly and place between two large sheets of parchment paper. 299

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STEP 2 HOW IT 'S DONE: THE CHOUX BUNS

Preheat your oven to 190C (fan assisted).

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw 5.5-6cm circles onto the paper. Then turn the parchment paper over so the dough wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch the pencil marks. These are the templates for the size of your choux buns.

Fit your piping bag with a plain, large nozzle.

Put the water and butter into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium heat.

As soon as it boils, take the saucepan off the heat and tip all the flour into it in one go.

Use a wooden spoon to quickly mix the flour into the water.

Return to the heat and keep mixing until the dough comes off the sides of the saucepan and forms something of a ball.

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Take the saucepan off the heat and leave to cool for 2 minutes.

Now add the eggs one by one working them into the dough with the wooden spoon between each addition.

10. Keep

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stirring the dough until smooth.

VENUS

put the dough into your piping bag and pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet using the circles you’ve drawn as guidelines for size.

MARS

11. Now

12. Take

the craquelin out of the freezer and leave to rest for 2 minutes.

templates, cut out craquelin »biscuits«, place one on top of each choux bun and press down lightly. 14. Put

the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

15. Once

13. Using

the same cutter you’ve used for drawing the circular 301

done, remove from the oven and immediately pierce a small hole into the side of each bun to release any moisture.

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INGREDIENTS FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL CREAM

200 g

sugar

250 g

butter

2 x 250ml doulble (heavy) cream Â¼ tsp

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Fleur de Sal

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VENUS

STEP 3

Put the sugar and water into a medium saucepan on a medium to high heat.

Heat the sugar without stirring until it starts to melt.

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HOW IT 'S DONE: THE CARAMEL

Once melted, swirl it a little until it reaches a medium brown colour. Add all the butter (be careful as the caramel will spit and splatter!) and whisk into the hot caramel until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all melted together.

Now pour 250ml cream (keep 250ml for the cream filling) in slowly whilst continuously whisking.

Whisk until all combined and smooth.

Pour the caramel into a clean bowl and leave to cool.

Put the caramel into the fridge and leave to cool completely.

Fill the piping bag with the caramel cream mix and pipe a good amount of cream into the bottom part of the choux bun.

Place the top part on the cream.

If you fancy, you can dust the cream buns with icing sugar.

TO ASSEMBLE

With a sharp knife, cut the top 1/3 off each choux bun.

Whisk the 250ml cream until you have soft peaks.

Now add the cooled down caramel and fold into the cream.

Put a large star nozzle into your piping bag.

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Recipe

DOWNLOAD SISTER-MAG.COM

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Pistachio & Honey Frozen Yogurt and Amaretto Poached Doughnut Peaches - HOT & COL D -

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PEACHES

FOR THE YOGURT

400 g

300 g

Greek Yogurt

450 ml water

70 g

pistachios

50 ml

2 tbsp honey

caster sugar Amaretto

7-8 doughnut peaches

STEP 1 HOW IT 'S DONE: THE YOGURT 1.

Roughly chop the pistachios.

Put the yogurt into a bowl and mix the pistachios and honey into it.

Freeze over night.

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HOW IT 'S DONE: THE PEACHES

STEP 2 1.

Put the peaches into a large bowl.

Fill a second bowl with ice cold water.

10. Add

Boil your kettle or bring water to a boil in a saucepan.

11. Cook the peaches for 5 minutes

Pour the boiling water over the peaches and leave for 30 seconds.

Using a slotted spoon, take the peaches out of the hot water and put them straight into the iced water to cool down.

Now you can peel the peaches.

Put the water, sugar and Amaretto into a large saucepan.

On a medium heat, bring the mix to a boil.

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Lower the temperature for the mix to simmer. the peeled peaches and cover with a lid. on one side, then turn them around and cook for a further 5 minutes from the other side.

12. Take

the peaches out of the poaching juice.

13. Turn

the heat up and bring back to a boil.

14. Reduce 15. Serve

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the syrup by half.

the iced yogurt straight away with the warm peaches and hot syrup.

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R E L I G I O N

V S .

R E N A I S S A N C E

blasphemy! A R T

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M A R S Sandro Botticelli,

The Birth of Venus,from 1485 until 1486, Tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

SISTERMAG 50 | 07 / 2019

Text: CHRISTIAN NĂ&#x201E;THLER

BLASPHEMY! Religion vs. Renaissance Art

In simplest terms, to commit blasphemy is to act in a way that shows contempt for God or religion.

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Examples of blasphemy include burning the Bible or the Qu'ran, vandalizing a church, or worshipping satan. But it can also include less egregious offences, such as the flippant portrayal of religion and promotion of vanity, temptation, and sin through art. While blasphemy laws have loosened or been completely eradicated in many parts of the world since the 16th Century, both legal and extrajudicial punishments on the grounds of blasphemy still exist today.

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Sandro Botticelli, Adoration of the Magi, circa 1476, Tempera on wood, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

The etymological roots of the term »BLASPHEMY« extend from the Middle English blasfemen, Old French blasfemer, and Late Latin blasphemare – to blame, slander, and speak evil of. To commit blasphemy means speaking evil of or attacking a very specific subject: God and religion. And it

doesn’t have to be as blatant as setting fire to a church or tattooing the devil on your chest. Depicting heresy – beliefs or opinions contrary to orthodox religious, namely Christianity – through art is also considered blasphemous by religious authorities.

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While most modern Christian societies enjoy a secular order, a separation of church and state in which art is protected under laws governing freedom of artistic expression, this was of course not always the case. In his 2006 book »Blasphemy: Art that Offends«

S. Brent Plate writes, »no work of art is blasphemous in and of itself; it must be deemed so from within religious and/ or political power structures … blasphemy needs both an artist and an accuser« . When the Italian Dominican friar and preacher GIROLAMO

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wrestled control of Florence from the ruling MEDICI , he seeked to strengthen Christianity’s grip on society. Part of establishing a pious republic was banishing from society the sins of desire – lust, gluttony, greed – born from the Italian Renaissance. That included RENAISSANCE ART . It’s not that religion had no place in art, because it certainly did. Savonarola’s problem was that the lines between divinity and pleasure became increasingly blurred.

SAVONAROLA

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S. Bre nt Pl ate writes:

no work of art is blasphemous in and of itself; it must be deemed so from within religious and/or political power structures...blasphemy needs both an artist and an accuser.

Fra Bartolomeo, Girolamo Savonarola, circa 1497-1498, oil on panel, Museum of San Marco, Florence.

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Sandro Botticelli, Primavera, 1482, Tempera, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

This led to perhaps the fabled BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES , which took place in FLORENCE on FEBRUARY 7TH , 1497 . Ordered by Savonarola and true to name, the bonfire saw thousands of objects burned under the new rulerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s divine mandate. The objects included art, books, cosmetics, ostentatious clothing, playing cards, mirrors, musical instruments, manuscripts of secular songs, and sculptures.

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Sandro Botticelli, The Mystical Nativity, 1500 Oil on canvas, National Gallery, London.

Among the most notable works rumoured to have been burned in the fire are paintings by the Early Renaissance artist SANDRO BOTTICELLI . Irrelevant to the veracity of this account is the fact that Botticelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prolific career as an artist effectively came to an end after Savonarola assumed control of Florence. Botticelli was a loyal follower of Savonarola and willingly burned his paintings in partisan allegiance. Ironically, SAVONAROLA

WAS

EXECUTED

for heresy in 1498 . Botticelli died

in 1510 ; two years later, the Medici would briefly return to rule. Artists and scholars who feared they would be persecuted as heretics by the stringent Catholic church could again dabble in the pagan (unpure) origins of their faith .

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Botticelli’s works reflect aspects related to PAGANISM , a set of pre-Roman spiritual and religious beliefs considered uncouth compared to angelic Christianity. While we don’t know which specific paintings were burned at the bonfire, we can assume they alluded to pagan motifs. Of course, many of his masterpieces that endured also reflect impurities Savonarola

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will have deemed blasphemous. Botticelli’s most renowned work, »THE BIRTH OF VENUS« , depicts the goddess of love as a noted adulteress whose affair with Mars gave birth to the god of sexual lust, Cupid. Another of his gems, »CALUMNY OF APELLES« , is an allegory for hostility that defies the dignity of God .

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Sandro Botticelli, Calumny of the Apelles, circa 1496/97,Tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

MARS Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus,from 1485 until 1486, Tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

Such representations would turn few heads today, even among the religiously devout. But in an age where the Catholic church seeked to increasingly exert control over every aspect of society, sin portrayed merely in ALLEGORY justified banishment on the basis of blasphemy.

Sandro Botticelli, The Birth of Venus,from 1485 until 1486, Tempera on panel, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

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T R E N D T H I S M I S S T O I M P O S S I B L E

Classical Art Memes

A N IN T RO DUCT IO N

Text: ELISABETH STURSBERG

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They can make us laugh aloud at the most inopportune times and their main venue are social media: classical art memes. All you need is an image of a classical artwork, or even a zoomed-in detail, and an added text comment, implying, for instance, a short dialogue between two depicted people. In this or similar forms, art memes have conquered a substantial portion of whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening on Instagram. One of the largest accounts: CLASSICAL ART SHIT has convinced more than half a million people to follow its postings; CLASSICAL ART MEMES OFFICIAL

with around 480.000 followers is not far behind. Art memes are undoubtedly a mass phenomenon, but why? Surely not because everyone and all their Insta friends have suddenly discovered a passionate love for the classical arts, or have they? 318

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Classical Art Memes

There is not only the distinction between verbal and visual memes. A look at the history of the term »MEME« reveals quickly how diverse the concept really is: cultural artefacts from songs to stars and their lifestyles, concerts, products, or the brands behind them – all are memes according to the general definition. ROY ASCOTT , for instance, describes memes as »any unit of communication in which some distinctive set of semantic values might be identified.« It follows that classical art memes on social media, on which we focus in this article, are a special subspecies of memes.

»Any unit of communication in which some distinctive set of semantic values might be identified.«

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Consuming memes is therefore interpreting how the individual elements relate to each other. Why do we often find the result of this so funny?

Fusilamiento de Torrijos, Antonio Gisbert, 1888

When the teacher asks a question and you're trying to avoid eye contact

• The post as a whole: The »unit of communication«, an image plus a written comment (the post’s signifiers) • The interpretation of the content: : The »semantic value«, the truth value (content), which the observer assigns to this particular combination of signifiers SISTER-MAG.COM

Because we can relate. Memes manage to capture in a nutshell distinctive moods, situations, feelings that each and every one of us has probably experienced in at least a similar way. If this is the case, the meme is relatable. It is like someone understands exactly how we felt about something at a certain moment. And for those cases where we cannot personally relate to a depicted situation, there is always: Schadenfreude. The notorious sentiment that we all experience but would rather not admit – here we can enjoy it in the most harmless way. Harmless because the meme not only shows a fictional situation, while probably severely exaggerating its drama, it also often does not even show an »actual« person, just a painting (of course, sometimes real people can be identified in the painting, but the point here is that memes work just as well with anonymous subjects). Most of the time, that is. Sometimes, following the rules of yet another subspecies of classical art memes, the two are now being mixed. 320

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Classical art memes have another essential function:

They show how close classical painters were to our emotional states today; of course, they were. Who is to say that a certain facial expression in a painting that becomes part of our joke was not meant in exactly that way? By letting us speculate, more or less seriously, about the true intention of the painter (Is the depiction of the model’s physiognomy on point? Is there a certain intention behind portraying them in this way and not differently? Or can we effectively observe a limit to the artist’s abilities? Just have a look at

MARS

Dierick Bouts, Justice of Emperor Otto III

Thanks, it's the depression

You look depressed

a compilation of Renaissance cats.), the art becomes more approachable – both in terms of questioning the circumstances under which it was created and by whom, and the traditional reception of the original work, which in the case of famous paintings is often enough dominated by reverential acceptance. 321

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This might be less true for art historians, curators, or auctioneers. But who has not felt intimidated by the sheer notoriety of great (and medium) masters implying that their works are to be accepted as given, and perfect?

When you have the perfect meme for a situation but you have to search through youre 8.000+ archive to find it.

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The grand, in a way ritualised presentation in most museums contributes to raising this threshold further. Yet, a sharp, original eye and a little humour are certainly not harmful, and while the existence of objective criteria for the artistic quality and historical significance of paintings is by no means being denied here, the viewing of art is also always an inherently subjective experience. Secondly, even in many masterpieces, there is perhaps one facial expression or detail that did not turn out quite as intended. Portraits are also not always idealising: Everything filters do for us today used to and still depends entirely on the painterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills and goodwill (only that until not so long ago, there was simply not the alternative of taking a photo). 322

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Anders Zorn, Sommarnöje, 1886 MARS

Summing up, we can say that art memes are often enough merciless in their humour and they can be surprisingly dark, nihilistic, and brutal.

Your boat looked bigger in your profile picture

But they get the humour of many users, and the medial and historical distance allow for sufficient abstraction so that we can find even objectively tragic situations very funny. The scene’s self-irony and the creative ingenuity of the makers (Who are the makers of memes?!) are another major plus.

What memes and their popularity say about us and our online communication behaviour regarding feelings has not yet been studied in depth.

The phenomenon is potentially revealing, however. We all – more or less consciously – deal with our feelings and have the need for exchanging with others. The main advantage of memes, next to their uncanny empathy, is that we do not have to show ourselves at all. We can be entirely anonymous. How, you ask, if we, at the same time, post, share, or like memes from our personal accounts, meaning at least our followers and friends know what we are doing? Well, it is because our true intentions remain unknown. Posting, sharing, and liking memes enables us to participate in a collective exchange of feelings without requiring us to reveal whether a particular meme has any real

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Eugène Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People, 1830

significance for us. Whether we liked it because we agree, because we feel understood, or because we simply find it entertaining is irrelevant. What is relevant is that we can become part of a collective therapy session without having to admit to anything. Again, this is possible because the memes’ humorous main level creates sufficient distance (Perhaps we are just laughing out of mild compassion?) as well as thanks to wild exaggerations, behind which there is maybe a grain of truth.

In our online communication, structured by social networks, art memes have at least two other functions. Similar to emojis, they can easily and most efficiently replace written language.

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When a second cashier opens up

After all, a picture says more than a thousand words, and even more if it contains additional words! Tagging someone under a meme can be an expression of empathy, or simply a way of maintaining a contact or spicing up a conversation. The amount of time required is minimal – this is by no means a critical observation, just realistic. What’s more, some memes producers appear to hold socially critical and distinctive political views which, in the form of comical snippets, can easily be communicated to a benevolent audience.

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Optimistically, one could assume that the memes make classical paintings popular with a broader public.

There is another perspective on classical art memes that does not seem to play a significant role in the debate either, surprisingly, considering the sheer size of the »market«: What does the boom of art memes mean for the art itself?

But how realistic is this without information on the respective artist’s name (in most cases) and often enough tiny zoomedin details from which only professionals can figure out which artwork they belong to? The potential effect could also, more pessimistically, be seen as a trivialisation of the art which, through its metamorphosis, is reduced to a parody, ridiculed, and whose real intention is pushed into the background by the new meaning of the meme. Do memes ultimately make visits to the museum obsolete, and how do museums perceive the trend? All interesting questions to which, certainly, there is not just one right answer.

Lovers of art, memes, museum visits, and serendipity should check out Stefan Draschan's work . His photos are a brilliant example of art memes in which the art recaptures its traditional significance. And no – unbelievably, they are indeed not staged. 325

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#ConnectedSheCan

VO DA FO N E

under

personalities, careers and visions.

Vodafone present you inspiring

them with their careers or made

their careers with the help of

plays a big role what »empowerment

#ConnectedSheCan

–

this motto, we and our partner

They share with us tips that helped

power

them stronger after a defeat. It always

women

who

built

technology.

#ConnectedSheCan – this is also a community of women who pull their strength and success from supporting each other, networking and working together. They are women who have a decisive influence on the changing digital society, on inclusion or the protection of our environment!

by technology« means specifically means to them. 5G technology enables a Paralympic skier to go downhill alone and without her guide. An investor can significantly help shaping the German technology landscape with investments. And thanks to technology, a young mother manages the balance act between child and career. Who are these

In short video portraits, we ask

women and how did they achieve all

six women questions about their

this? We show you on the next pages!

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Photos: CRISTOPHER SANTOS Video: CLAUS KUHLMANN

Noemi Ristau

Speed Stunt

At 12 years old, Noemi Ristau got diagnosed with Morbus Stargadt – a disease that made her almost completely blind by the time she was 18. Her former passion, skiing, seemed to be a thing of the past. But thanks to innovative technology, this is not the case anymore: Noemi is the first blind German skier who started at the Paralympics. Her guide Paula guides her via headset and Noemi skies behind her, following her instructions.

Noemi’s ambition and her goal to live like a fully able-bodied person are now taking her even further. Together with Vodafone and video transfer via 5G network, she was the first blind skier ever who went down a slope alone – without a guide.

Noemis Speed Stunt

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Noe m i Ri sta u

» O n ly a f t e r I m a d e i t, I r e a l i s e d t h at I a c t u a l ly w e n t d o w n t h e hill by myself«

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To get to know Noemi better, we asked her 7 questions about completely different areas of life. Find out what skiing means to her, which challenges face her every day because of her illness and how technology helps her:

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»For me, #ConnectedSheCan« is a way for women to fulfil their dreams together by supporting each other. Thanks to the connection to my guide, I can ski independently again. It’s a connection that leads to more freedom and lets us reach our goals together.«

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Daria Saharova moved from Riga to Munich when she was 18 years old. It was a fresh start she experienced as a crucial turning point in her life. Today, she doesn’t only feel connected to her new home in Germany but also built the foundation of her career while studying innovation and technology management. DARIA SAHAROVA

Daria has always been interested in start-ups: »Entrepreneurs inspire me«, she says. »They’re driven, sometimes a little crazy in a good way and they know their customers and markets like no one else.« As venture capitalist, she now works with D a ria Sa ha rova entrepreneurs in tech start-ups every »My goal: Improving the day by investing infrastructure and offers of a city the venture capital w i t h d i g i ta l t e c h n o l o g i e s , b u t a l s o of companies in m a k e t h e m m o r e s u s ta i n a b l e . T h i s their ideas and also applies to mobility as well technologies.

a s t o i n d u s t r i e s l i k e r e a l e s tat e , c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d p o w e r s u p p ly. «

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As a partner of the venture capitalist Vito ONE, Daria supports tech start-ups, especially in the areas To Daria, #ConnectedSheCan of construction and means building her own network. energy, in their idea »Unfortunately, many women still and founding phase. underestimate how important a good Why are these two areas network is for their own career. For me, such an exciting field for relevant and solid connections are the innovation? »In the smart key elements for success.« city of the future, technology and connectivity will play a decisive role«, Daria says. That’s why she is the co-founder of the 1E9 DENKFABRIK , that officially starts on 11 July with a CONFERENCE in It’s the goal to bring together Munich. visionaries and entrepreneurs from all over the world and to develop a positive narrative for the future together. »We want that 1E9 helps developing D a r i a’ s m o s t new ideas, partnerships and i m p o r ta n t networks that bring Germany lessons for forward as a technology location. powerful Projects should be created that women make the world better. Women are especially welcome!«

Listen to the (German) interview with Daria in the sisterMAG podcast

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Anna Figoluschka Anna Figoluschka never planned on founding her own company. After her son was born, she went back to her full-time job. But she repeatedly encountered certain boundaries: »I quickly discovered that it’s quite the stretch to pick up a three-year-old from day-care on time and switch to being a mum and taking care of our home.« This way, she had the idea for a digital tool that makes it easier for parents to organise the care for their children.

The solution Anna developed: The app KidPick. At her own risk and without external investors, she brought the slightly different family calendar to life: »I was only driven by my own passion and need for such a tool.« KidPick joins all appointments and contacts and lets you schedule playdates, determine who is responsible for picking up or organise the next birthday party.

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But that’s not all: Anna is continually developing her »DIGITAL

PARENT

SUPPORT

TOOL« , as she calls it. She wants

to create a platform where entrepreneurs can develop their products and tools further. The community can also find supporting partners from the areas of politics and economy!

Are you curious and want to learn more? Over the next weeks, you get to know our women better in video portraits on the Vodafone magazine » F e at u r e d « !

To Anna, #ConnectedSheCan means using technology and connectivity to master being a parent – the balance between motherhood and entrepreneurship. But it also means to connect with people in the digital space and to accompany them on their path – be it as an occasional babysitter or by developing further interesting tools!

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PARTNER

2019

JUNE

s i st e rMAG i s pu bl i s h e d monthly! READ NOW 

ALEX Sales

MARKETING & ADMIN

W H AT H A P P E N E D SO FAR »A YEAR OF ART« - That's what we

called 2019 for our sisterMAG issues. In January, it started with an impressionist painting by the French painter GUSTAVE CAILLEBOTTE followed by a colorful and abstract screenprint by ABEL MARTÍN. In March, the famous »THINKER« of the sculptor AUGUSTE RODIN was the inspiration for the magazine, in April GIOVANNA GARZONI'S »Vase of ﬂowers with two shells«. How will this year continue? With many great artworks by KLIMT, BOTTICELLI AND RICHTER. We can't wait to hear your thoughts!

TONI Marketing & Finance

CAROLIN Content Distribution

MEDEA Administration

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OPERATIONS

THEA

CREATION

SOPHIE

Chief Editor & Design

Content Management

FRANZISKA

CHRISTINA

Content Management

SOPHIA Content Management

THERESA Content Management

LAURA

EVI Fashion

MARIE Design & Creation

ILARIA Design

LALE

Content Management

Video & Design

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IMPRINT

SISTERMAG – JOURNAL FOR THE DIGITAL LADY www.sister-mag.com Chief editor

Theresa Neubaue, Antonia Sutterr

Operations

Theresa Baier, Laura Frenzel, Carolin Kralapp, Medea Moir, Christina Rücker, Sophie Siekmann, Sophia Werner, Franziska Winterling,

Fashion

Eva-Maria Neubauer (Fashion Dir.)

Design

Theresa Neubauer (Art Dir.), Marie Darme, Lale Tütüncübaşı, Ilaria Trombí

Contributing Editors (Text)

Lea Becker, Barbara Eichhammer, Marlen Gruner, Alex Kords, Christian Näthler, Dr. Michael Neubauer, Elisabeth Stursberg, sisterMAG Team

Contributing Editors (Photo & Video) Ashley Ludäscher, Chris & Ruth, Claudia Gödke, Claus Kuhlmann, Cris Santos, Danny & Ralf, Francisco Jauregui, Howreggee, Jaclyn Locke, Karim Maximilian Oeltze von Lobenthal, Lyndsey Goddard, Maria Zimmermann, Melli & Shayne, Saskia Sandrock, Skylar Beck, Tali Photography, sisterMAG Team Translation Proof

Alex Kords, Ira Häussler Christian Näthler, Elisabeth Stursberg, sisterMAG Alex Kords, Ira Häussler, Christian Naethler, Amie McCracken, Dr. Michael Neubauer, sisterMAG Team

Published by Carry-On Publishing GmbH, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, Germany. Re-use of content is only allowed with written permission of the publisher. There is no liability for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs. The Carry-On Publishing GmbH assumes no liability or guarantee for the accuracy, currency and completeness of the information provided. All information is provided without warranty. Contact: mail@sister-mag.com Management Sales Marketing

Antonia Sutter, Theresa Neubauer, Alex Sutter Alex Sutter (Sales Dir.) Antonia Sutter (Marketing Dir.)

N E X T I SS U E BEGIN OF AUGUST! FO L LO W U S O N I N S TA G R A M TO D I S C O V E R MORE!

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