Saturday, November 29, 2014

#Avgeek art you can actually afford

I’m a big fan of art and a big fan of aviation as well. I’m also quite certain that I’m not the only one. As aviation becomes more affordable for humans and more interesting to the mainstream media (possibly also humans, but opinions will differ), the magic of flight and the business of travel touch more and more people every day.

As an increasingly diversified group of people begin to really ‘geek-out’ on aviation, and as firms in the space proliferate, the demand for aviation is really taking off. 


There are a few really capable firms out there (like MotoArt and Fallen Furniture) that are re-purposing decommissioned aircraft parts into stunning pieces of art and furniture, but.... unless you’ve got a FAT STACK of cash or a corporate office to decorate, that stuff is probably outside your budget.

For those of us living within more modest means, 08Left.com offers attractive compositions in the form of framed art prints, posters, coasters, T-Shirts and even sofa cushions.

“We‘ve owned and operated a card and stationery design company called Mango Ink for 9+ years,” says Ryan Miller of 08 Left. “In 2014 we decided to start another website to focus on aviation and travel-themed artwork. 08 Left is a combination of multiple passions: art, design, travel and aviation. Aviation is a form of art. Just think about the boldness, the delicacy, the intricacy and the organization that enables us to see the world. We wanted to create art that would capture some of that.”

Miller says that aviation is for everyone. 

He’s all about high quality product for a fair price. His idea was, and is, to create something that average enthusiasts might actually be able to afford. The main focus of the company’s work thus far is airports: towers, aerial-perspective layouts and stylized codes are among the many designs. Additionally, some very cool options exist that feature various aircraft bits (i.e. noses, windows, turbines, wings) and other flight-inspired presentations boldly shaded and seen from compelling viewpoints.

“It's our style,” says Miller of his bright and uncomplicated, almost 
Warhol-y art. 
“Clean. 
Modern. 
Simple. 
Uncluttered. Colorful. 
It's just what we like and it's the only art we can create – art we would want.”

Miller hopes that others will like the concepts at 08 Left as much as he does. I know I think it’s all just fab. The agreeable price-points are meant to allow folks to build a collection…. perhaps displaying the places they’ve been or the destinations they’ve yet to see.

Posters at 08 Left will run you US $22.99 – US 37.99. Art prints range from $49.99 – $74.99 and metal prints come in two sizes as well. If you’re looking for an airport that isn’t part of the existing offering, these guys are happy to make it for you. 

***A note to readers. The background image for this blog is by 08 Left.





Friday, November 28, 2014

German Christmas Markets are Wicked-Fun

Real misteltoe
The holidays can be a rough time for expats like myself. This is one time of year when the miles between you and home seem extra-long, the nights feel extra dark and the crispy wind feel extra cold. Here in Germany, however, there is something which happens around this time that is so awesome it can make even the home-sickiest expat forget they’re missing home.

Of course I’m talking about traditional German Christmas markets!!!


In Germany, Christmas is called “Weihnachten” or “hallowed nights” and the incredible markets that spring up all across the country near Christmas-time are called “Weihnachstmarkts”.

Weihnachtsmarkts are AWESOME.

I’ll try and describe the one in Hamburg. First, think of a midway at a Fall Fair or the CNE, now replace the carnies with normal people and the cotton candy with warm, roasted nuts. Replace the soda-pop and Slurpees with hot spiced wine and cold beer. Replace the rigged games and made-in-Taiwan prizes with friendly local vendors selling hand-made candles and Fair Trade scarves, painstakingly carved wooden decorations and tiny alpine chalets that double as incense burners. Finally, trade in the rickety Tilt-O-Whirl blasting Ace of Bass and the smell of burning gears with a 1940’s-era carousel and the smell of cookies and cinnamon. Getting the picture?

At a good Christmas market, you can almost feel the magic of the Christmas spirit creeping into your cold, cold heart. Or is that just the Gluhwein? Let’s stop right here for a minute and talk about Gluhwein**.

**Wikipedia says: Gluhwein is a traditional winter beverage (dating back to the year 1420) prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, cloves, star aniseed, citrus, sugar and at times vanilla pods. It is sometimes drunk mit Schuss (with a shot).

Gluhwein in the big glass things

Gluhwein, especially “Mit Schuss” is wonderful. It keeps you oh-so-warm as you meander the corridors of a Christmas market, and it also gets you HELLA-DRUNK if you have more than two. Nearly everyone at the Christmas market is rosy-cheeked and smiling and half-tanked on Gluhwein – it’s a beautiful thing.


If you don’t buy into the commercialization of holidays, like to support local artisans and bakers, and generally want to feel some Christmas magic, I suggest you visit Germany in December and get your ass to a Weihnachtsmarkt. Have some Gluhwein, eat some Schmalzgebäck (think Tiny Tom donuts at wonderland, only more irregular in shape) and buy some incredible, traditional, one-of a kind gifts. I guarantee that 
you will have a blast.


*AND* If you’re REALLY lucky, you might even get to see “Der Weihnachtsmann” (Santa).

















Tuesday, November 25, 2014

"Old Pan" goes to Berlin


Even as a person who comes from a large city (Toronto) and still lives in a fairly big one (Hamburg), I find Berlin to be somewhat daunting. It’s not spotless or beautiful. It lacks tall buildings to lend a skyline or easy points of reference for orientation. It’s got a train map with so many lines it looks like the veins on my grandmother’s legs and the construction going on is so profound that it’s really hard to imagine what anything looks like without pylons, cranes and scaffolding everywhere.

I think anyone will agree with me though, when I say that what Berlin lacks in superficial grace is made up for in history and soul…. Oh, and street art! 


I have a friend here in Germany who recently took a job and a furnished apartment in the heart of Berlin. Last weekend I decided to take a train to visit her. Berlin can be reached from Hamburg in less than two hours via Deutsche Bahn’s ICE (inter-city express) trains. I scored an awesome deal and paid just 25€ each way, but apparently last-minute offerings of around 27-29€ are not uncommon. Despite their relatively close proximity to one-another (close at least in the mind of a Canadian), Hamburg and Berlin could hardly be more different.
The faces in Berlin are a bit more colorful, the gypsy population a bit more visible, the clothes a bit funkier and English can be heard more frequently on the streets.  

If Hamburg is a city of classic homogeneity, Berlin is one of juxtaposition and funky-mod chaos.

Everything I ate in Berlin was reasonably priced or even cheap in comparison with other German cities I’ve visited. The large number of immigrants means more variety. I found the cocktails to be delicious everywhere and naturally we went to see the typical tourist draws like the Brandenburg Gate and the Dom (big church). If you’re planning to visit, make sure you also check out the East Side Gallery, which is where about a kilometer of the mural-bedecked Berlin wall has been left standing. There are several areas in the city where, on the weekend, little flea markets pop up and you can get some crazy things from the past (like wartime documents, passports, photographs and old money), original art and vintage clothing and jewelry… all for a steal.

In the evening I would recommend heading to Ostkreuz, which is another transit hub in East Berlin (the formerly Soviet-controlled area). Here you’ll find a lot of great cocktail bars with a mature-but-not-too-old clientele and a mildly hipster vibe. Again, tasty food is in no short supply. We found an Italian place in this district where meals for 2 people, plus a salad to share and two beers cost €14 (CAN $19.50).

If you feel like taking the party up a notch after bouncing through the Ostrkreuz cocktail bar area, head on over to Ritter Butzke

One of Berlin’s more well-known night clubs, this place opens at midnight – which I think is good indication of the type of party you’ll find here. Three rooms play different varieties of house music and all three have great atmospheres. Germans tend to like really minimal house (no build, no drop, just monotonous beats and the occasional random vocal sample), which is played in the largest room. I don’t like it much but that’s just my preference. I found the music in the other two rooms just fine.
A lot of people in here are on drugs and are chewing madly on nothing, but after my many years of raving in Toronto that doesn’t frighten me… and it shouldn’t frighten you either. People on ecstasy or MDMA are always friendlier than sober or just drunk people. We met some really nice Swiss guys who bought us several rounds of drinks (something rare in Germany) and I was hit on by a 22 year-old who, after asking my age, quoted an old German saying that goes:

“If you want to learn how to cook, you need to use an old pan.”


I didn’t teach him how to cook that night, but I had a great time in Berlin and I’ll be going back soon.




Friday, November 21, 2014

Deciphering Deutschland: Language WTF?!



Silly verbs, vol. 1

Verbs!
There’s saying that goes: “If you want to know what a German is talking about, you have to wait until he’s finished.”

After living in this magical land of beer and schnitzel for about a year and half, I can verify the validity of this statement. The German language is a genuine clusterf*#% of rules and grammatical formulas that are incredibly puzzling to most native English speakers … and speakers of many other languages, for that matter. I’m currently trying to learn it and yeah, wow.

OK. So, let’s try to understand why the above statement is true.

In English, the placement of the verb/verbs in a sentence isn’t super important. Sure they sound really dumb in some spots, but it’s generally flexible.
*in case you forgot, a verb is an ‘action’ word i.e walk, run, talk, jump etc.

In English you can say: I had a wild party last night and my neighbor called the police.
Or you can say: Last night I had a wild party and my neighbor called the police.

See how ‘had’ moved there? First it was the second thing in the sentence (after 'I'), then it was third (after ‘last night’ and I) No problem, right? And see how ‘called’ is 3rd from the end? Why, that’s the perfect spot for that verb! Looks great there, doesn’t it?

Not if you’re a German.

In a typical German sentence, the verb MUST be the 2nd thing in the sentence. If there is another verb, it goes at the end. Wünderbar!

In German you can say: Ich hatte letzte nacht ein verrückte Party und mein Nachbar hat die Polizisten angerufuen.   
Or you can say: Letzte nacht hatte ich eine verrückte Party und mein Nachbar hat die Polizisten angerufen.                  
 *note that nouns are ALL capitalized. WTF?

See how ‘hatte’ (had) did not move? First, it was the second thing in the sentence (after I), then it was second again after ‘letzte nacht’(last night). And see how ‘angerufen’ (called) is right at the end in both?

Verbs are like the kings of the German sentence, the rest of the words will just arrange themselves around these stubborn jerks and bask in their sunshine. The one at the end is really infuriating because no matter how many details you add to that sentence, it DOES NOT MOVE.

For example: Ich hatte letzte nacht eine verucktes party mit zehn rote hunde und zwei scwarze Eisbären und mein Nachbar hat, wegen den Lärm die Polizei angerufen.

LITERAL TRANSLATION!!!!!: I had last night a crazy party with ten red dogs and two black Polar Bears and my neighbor, because of the noise, the police called.

AHA! Proof! Just look at that bloody sentence! You actually don’t know what the heck is going on until it’s well and truly over. 


Oy Veh.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Gary Larson's av-doodles

I've always admired Gary Larson's talent. His single panel "Far Side" comics were syndicated in almost 2000 newspapers for 15 years. They can appeal to just about anyone, and without the use of vulgarity or belittling any specific group. Simple and earnest, his highly-relatable (and sometimes silly) sketches made us laugh for years... one tableau and clever caption at a time.Though he retired in 1995 for fear of becoming repetitive, Larson's body of work is profound and will no doubt remain popular for many years to come. 

Here are some of his best cartoons featuring aviation and the wonder of flight:








Thanks for the chuckles Gary!



Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Travel accessories for people who really just don't care

Do you march to the beat of your own drum? Do you really just not care at all what others think of you? Do you love to travel? If you answered “YES!” to these questions, I salute you! Being different isn’t easy.

Here are some travel accessories that might appeal to you:

1.  I’m tired and I don’t care

This is an oldie-but-a-goodie. The SkyRest Travel Pillow (a.k.a. that massive tray-table sleeping wedge) has been a staple of the SkyMall catalogue for as long as any of us can remember. The man shown sleeping in the photo is basically a celebrity. Bless his heart! He looks so serene. For the low, low price of just US $29.95, you too can drool all over your tray-table and garner looks of jealously and admiration from your fellow passengers. And if you’re really lucky you might just become a celebrity too; because thanks to the wonders of mobile technology and social media, “passenger shaming” is now a thing.


2. I’m tall and I don’t care

This one really has the internet up in arms. The Knee Defender got some major press recently after a United Airlines flight diverted to Denver because two passengers had a fight over the use of it… and that is not the only reported disturbance. The device is cheap (US $22) and simple: two plastic bits clip onto your open tray-table and prevent the person in front of you from reclining their seat. Many airlines have banned the product and some have likened the use of a Knee Defender to smoking or doing drugs on the plane. This one could get you in trouble, but its fine as long as you don’t care.


3. I’m probably lost and I don’t care

T-shirts emblazoned with trite statements or "grey-area" humor are the hallmark of the person who could not care less. For the indifferent globetrotter, this one by SpreadShirt is ideal. You’re probably the kind of person who doesn’t worry much about whether they’re in the right hotel, at the right gate, on the right plane etc. When used properly, this shirt ensures that OTHER PEOPLE can easily determine where you’re supposed to be, and worry about s#^% for you.


4.  I’m very anti-social and I don’t care

If this product appeals to you, you’re probably a jerk. But, since you don’t care if people think you’re a jerk or not, you want it. Maybe you already have it. This veil of secrecy and seclusion is called the “B-tourist” and is the brainchild of some Israeli design students. It has a handy pocket for your pepper spray and industrial-grade hand sanitizer. I am very keen to hear from anyone who has seen this puppy in action.

Not sure how you can get your hand on one of these, but it’s photographed from almost every conceivable angle here: http://www.designboom.com/design/idan-noyberg-gal-bulka-flight-comfort-b-tourist-strip-05-12-2014/

5. I am not sober and I don’t care

It’s hard not to marvel at the last accessory on the “I don’t care” list. The ingenuity of it! Drinks at the airport are always too expensive and many airlines now charge for booze as well, what’s a person to do? Look no further than “Flip Flasks”, the perfect footwear for the traveller who cares so little about hygiene (or anything, for that matter) that they’re prepared to drink out of something that has foot AND dirty floor-junk all over it. These babies come in three styles: Plain, pot leaf making peace sign, and skull and crossbones. WARNING! this product is not intended for use in US airports where shoe removal is mandatary.



Call the pilot!

Still frame from awesome show intro
A few months ago I went to Las Vegas to attend the Future Travel Experience conference and exhibition and finally see the American desert, which I've been fascinated with for years. It was my first time in Vegas as well as attending this particular conference, so I was pretty excited. On top of that, I would be hanging out with Mary Kirby, founder and editor at Runway Girl Network (an aviation news portal that I write for) and Seth Miller, a talented aviation journalist, blogger and friend.

In Sin City we also met up with videographer Roger Williams, with whom we'd cooked up an idea for an aviation web-series. We were going to shoot a pilot!!

We had a very fun few days listening to thought leaders in travel technology, airline top brass and the supplier community, and spent a lot of time shooting video. We decided to cut all the footing into short vignettes so as not to tax our viewer's attention-span. Seth and Mary's vignettes were ready first, but today I saw one of mine.

While I'm still a bit uncomfortable watching myself on camera, I'd call this short clip and the others a success. Many thanks to Roger Williams for the great camera/edit work and cool intro sequence. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this concept.

We're going UP!

Watch Mary Kirby: http://vimeo.com/108640740 
Watch Seth Miller: http://vimeo.com/109216170 
Watch me :) http://vimeo.com/112032994







Why Hamburg is now home

I took my first real job fresh out of college (2008) with an aviation trade magazine and website called PAX International. In the beginning I felt way out of my league, but every day my confidence grew and so too did my fascination with the industry. I was determined to learn as much as I could, make connections and improve the publication.

23 year-old me at my 1st big
 trade show (ITCA) in Barcelona
Pretty soon I found myself attending trade shows and conference in fun (and often sunny) places like South Florida, California, Dallas, Barcelona and Nice. Not too shabby. Another place I traveled to often was Germany... specifically Hamburg, as it was/is the home of Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) - the world's largest annual trade-show for cabin interiors, in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC). 

While not so sunny and a little more serious than Barcelona, for example, it was clear to me that Northern Germany was a hot spot for aviation and I continued to travel there for Aircraft Interiors Expo every year. 


We took this photo when
 I came to visit in June 2012
Then in April 2012, at the end of a great AIX in Hamburg, I got ditched by some friends in a dark and sweaty nightclub in the red light district. Moments later I found myself being chatted up in that same sweaty nightclub by a cute German guy. We could hardly understand one another over the music and through the language barrier, but he assured me that he was a pilot. He eventually succeeded in convincing me that he was probably not a serial killer and his friends were hilarious, so we hung out for the rest of the night.

In June 2013, after more than a year of way-too-long Skype chats, millions of text messages and lots of lonely nights, I said "F#$% it." I quit my job at the magazine, sold my belongings and bought a one-way ticket to Germany. 

I won't say it's been easy leaving Toronto, my friends, my family, poutine, pea-meal bacon and the English language to come to this place, but I'm glad I did ... and I'd do it again.

Author's note:  He was not a pilot BTW, that was just his pickup line. I still like him.