Local Vistas – are your hidden gems next door: my entry to LAPC#203

Posted on 13 Jun 2022 by Artsy-Foxy-MamaG

What I like about joining photo challenges based on a theme is that it always gets me to reflect beyond its literal meaning. For this weeks LAPC#203 posted by Anne, it is about Local Vistas. As Amy puts it nicely on what this week’s challenge want us to explore:

“What are your local vistas? Where do you photograph when you don’t have a lot of time or are not on vacation? What about your hometown excites you?…”
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/552947/posts/4070253334

If there is anything the pandemic taught us is to look within and enjoy the local vicinity. I for one, coming from the Philippines, enjoy being in Europe much because the quality of life is already good – that a simple stroll along forest parks scattered around the city like Munich, or along a clean river like Isar or a simple breakfast outside in your garden, or in the balcony, etc.etc. – can easily be enjoyed.

Please do not get me wrong. My beloved Philippines is a beautiful country with nice white beaches, rich with natural resources, and the Filipinos are the most warmed people I know, who sings a lot even or smiles a lot even when they have tons of problems. My gift of being able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life is rooted to my being a Filipino. However, we are also poverty stricken and are nagged with environmental challenges like pollution especially in the cities. ~~But this is not what this blog is about.~~ This is about how I experience simple but good life in Munich – those that can be considered as life’s simple/little pleasures that do not cost a penny.

Kids and kids-at-heart can always enjoy being refreshed by this fountain in Karlsplatz Stachus during the summer period. This is one area in the City Center of Munich.

The same spot from the photo above but from a different view. It is simply lovely.

One local secret to enjoying Munich during the summer: target activity, sit with friends at the banks of Isar,
(1) first you guys need to buy a drink (beer or soft drinks, but this is Germany, so maybe beer is the more the appropriate choice – as long as you are of legal age to drink alcohol), (2) bring breze and obazda – buy all these at a local grocery so it is cheaper. (3) Don’t forget to bring your own picnic mat. (4) And lastly, enjoy! P.S. (5) if the water is already warm enough, don’t forget to bring your swimsuit and have a dip. Dipping your feet is also possible. Either way, there are many ways to enjoy.

Enjoy the local beer garden! Beer gardens can be found all over the city or in any part of Germany. They are opening toward summer, late spring.

The best spot to see Marienplatz from a higher angle, away from the crowd is to sit in the sofas provided in Hugendubel Bookstore. Get a book (without buying it yet) and find a nice spot to sit. If you are just there for the view, pretend you are reading a book (giggles) or if you are there for both, read and enjoy the view at the same time.

You see, local vistas (for me) is also about enjoying what you already have. It is about exploring the things you may have disregarded because of close proximity – the so called “right under your nose” (in a positive context). It is also about discovering the hidden gems in a pretty mundane or ordinary scene. It is about seeing beauty beyond the ordinary and unlocking the content heart of a child – within us – that enjoying life does not mean only expensive or grandeous things but also in the simplest and purest form of things.

So that’s it for this entry. If you want to know more about LAPC, check this out https://photobyjohnbo.wordpress.com/about-lens-artists/. And if you like my content, do not forget to consider liking and subscribing my blog. You may also find me in IG and YT. And hope to see you or hear from you here or in my next entry. Have a great day/evening wherever your in the world. Auf wiedersehen!

Creative Fridays Entry#3: a photowalk down memory lane – from Munich’s Glockenback to Vitualienmarkt

Posted on 29 May 2022 by Artsy-Foxy-MamaG

In our pre-baby years, we used to live in the Glockenbachviertel (root word translation – “Glock” – bell, “Bach” – creek, “viertel” – quarter – so bell-creek quarter). It is located very close to the city center of Munich – where Marienplatz is only a walking distance. It is an area where the yuppies, hippies and LGBT community hangs out. It is known for its bars and restaurants closely situated next to each other. I usually describes it to friends visiting or new in the city as the Berlin of Munich but cleaner (not mean to offend Berlin – as it has also it’s own charm).

By chance, I was in the area because a friend celebrated her birthday wherein the bday-dinner became a spontaneous bar-hopping adventure. In short, I took the chance to make the bar-hopping also a photo-walk exercise and here are the shots I took.

“Hats off, hats on” – I have always been amazed about this very specialized store on hats. I guess it has found its niche market and is still thriving.

“Kat & Mae” – my friends posing while waiting for their cocktail orders at Fraubartels Bar (https://www.instagram.com/fraubartelsbar/). Although it is my first time to visit this place, I know this was already in the area 3-4 years ago (or more). What I specially like about this place is that the decos are very artsy and the bar looks really nice.

Still at Fraubartels Bar in Klenzestrasse – https://www.instagram.com/fraubartelsbar/. I played with the photo editing and applied an abstract kind of feel into it.

Cafe Pini!!!! I love this cozy cafe in Klenzestrasse. I specially like their spaghetti bolognese and sandwiches. It is a good place to either meet and catch up with friends or just enjoy the solitude & peace of your ME time. https://www.cafepini.de.
https://www.instagram.com/cafe_pini/

Klenze 42-A – this is our old address. It brings back a lot of good memories.

“Holy Home” – this is indeed the name of this cozy bar. It is situated right beside the Gaertnerplatztheater at the Reichenbachstrasse part. Aside from the drinks, this bar offers a lot of unique deco items which are definitely a delight to the artsy eyes. See more below…

**still at Holy Home:** once you go further inside, there are still some hidden sections you can squeeze yourself into – making it ideal for a more intimate conversations among friends and lovers.

**still at Holy Home**: who says an old phone cannot be used as a deco. This is definitely an art-candy.

The last top of our spontaneous bar-hopping/photo-walk is the Robinsons Kuhlmann Bar at Corneliusstrasse 14. https://robinsonkuhlmann.com

“shots! shots! shots! – everybody…” I was playing around with the photo using Snapseed to inject an abstract painting effect into it. I think I missed painting abstract. So this is just it for now.

On our way to Isartor, we passed by **Paradiso Tanzbar (Dance Bar).** Did you know that Freddy Mercury used to hangout in this bar when he was living in Munich. I can understand the people lining up outside in order to get in. As to this photo, I was also playing around with it in order to get that abstract painting feel.
https://www.paradiso-tanzbar.de/
https://www.instagram.com/paradisotanzbar/

So we had a walk from corner Ickstatstrasse – Klenzestrasse to Isartor and we passed through the infamous Vitualienmarkt (another favourite part of mine in Munich). It is a food market mostly from the local farmers. Products sold ranges from vegetables and fruits to gourmet delights like cheese, wine, salami & other cold cuts among many many others. It is right next to Marienplatz and has also restaurants and a beer garden to enjoy. It is said to have started since since 1807, except on Sundays and public holidays. Below is a gallery of photos taken during that.

Before this post gets really long, I hope I was able to bring you with me as I had this delightful tour around the City Center area of Munich, specifically from Glockenbach to Vitualienmarkt. And who knows, you might one day visit Munich and this is definitely the areas not to missed. And for those who share the same love with me for Munich, let me know which parts are your favourites and why?

So bye for now and see you or read you in my next creative adventure. Aufwiedersehen!

“A Photo Walk” to remember – Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge #117

Posted on 4 Oct 2020 by Artsy-Foxy-MamaG

This week’s LAPC takes me to actually do the actual task (because before I just checked my photos and see if something will pass for the said challenge). I’m glad though because it encouraged me to have a walk around the Hood. Since it is Sunday, I brought the whole family with me. While my husband Jay is pushing the baby pram, I snapped with my iPhone (since I forgot my camera at home and I did almost forget about this task) the following photos:

“Der Felix ist da!” (Felix is here, in English) This is a tradition in Southern Germany (and I have seen this also in Switzerland) that everytime a new baby is born, they hang something like this in the photo outside the house of the newly born kid. We did not do this though when my daughter was born in April this year. We are a pretty rebellious non confirmist pair. Shhhh!

The morning mist has left its mark in these beautiful flowers, the things you can only witness during early morning walks, when the Sun’s rays are not yet so intense. Taken in Fürstenried neighborhood in Munich.

Such a tall building not to notice, no wonder it is called a Hochhaus (hoch is high in German). And I still need to figure out, and maybe ask the locals why it is called “Sparkassenhochhaus” (sparkasse meaning savings bank in German). Hmmmm,…

This is where the Citizens or residents meet, organized by the City. They offer a lot of acitivities like meet-ups for kids, mothers, etc. I will try one of their offerings one of these days. You may see a lot of meeting places like this all over the cities and towns in Germany.

**Remnants of the Easter Egg Hunting? Looks like! As it is already Autumn in Germany, the leaves are turning orangy and yellow – really a magical scene to witness!**

Who would not miss this humungous view of the Kare Building. These “twin towers” is our compass going back home as we just live nearby. Kare is a furniture store mostly offering one of a kind and colorful designed home items. There is a nice cafe/resto at the 4th floor (if I remember it correctly) with a big wonderful terrace where you can see (on clear skies) the Frauenkirche and the Alps.

**This colorfully-designed bike was park outside of Kare and me and my husband were wondering if this is part of marketing, just art or that someone stole the seat of this bike. Hahah! You decide!**

It was indeed a nice and productive walk and I am glad that I took part in this challenge hosted by Amy If you are new to this and wants to participate, check out this link .

So goodbye for now and have a great Sunday and new week ahead!

Lens-Artists-Photo-Challenge #116 on Symmetry but I would call this post: Symmetrically Beautiful

Posted on 27 Sep 2020 by Artsy-Foxy-MamaG

Capturing “Symmetry” in your photos is a conscious effort for a photographer, especially for a hobbyist like me. Thanks to Pati for this challenge that I come to realize as I checked my photos that I have not been really conscious about “symmetry” at all. Haha! I have so many should-have-been-the-one photos for this challenge but it was not captured fully or symmetrically. Gottseidank I still have some that can qualify and here they are…

As you go up the Planetarium in Deutsches Museum in Munich, you will notice this staircase spiraling down/up. It was one sunny afternoon and I was fascinated by this so I took a shot. To be honest, I do not know that this could be an example of a radial symmetry. Thanks to Patti again for the education.

You will see these buildings around Munich Lehel – this kind was very famous during the Founding Time or Gründerzeit in German – which happened at the end of the 19th century wherein there was a rapid industrial expansion.

The windows in this Church in Munich shows so many horizontal symmetry.

I see symmetry all over in old but magical cities in Europe like Paris

So that’s it for my participation on this week’s LAPC#116. If you are new to this and wants to participate https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/come-join-us-a-new-weekly-photo-challenge/

Ciao and keep safe everyone!

The World Through My Lens

Posted on 14 Jul 2019 by Artsy-Foxy-MamaG

I studied communication because I have always been passionate about the topic. Photography is one of those things I love about it. Below photos are how I saw the world around me captured in one click of the shutter. Hope you enjoy!