lifestyle
German books on generation Y: crisis of ego and well-being
In the last year, two women writers have described generation Y, which was born in the eighties and nineties. Whilst one author evokes pity and the other admonishes, the pair agree on one thing: things can’t go on they way they are
lifestyle, lifestyle, psychology, germany, book review, economical crisis, eurogeneration
London to Berlin via Amsterdam: hyper-local citizen journalism grows
‘Hyper-local blogging’ concerns new blogs or online magazines characterised by their dedication to a particular area or locality. They may be a hub for local restaurant reviews, digital archives for local history or grow into daily, regional online magazines. Editors, contributors and readers explain their popularity
lifestyle, netherlands, amsterdam, germany, berlin, london, united kingdom
Multiculturalism in Copenhagen: naked truths
Despite the chilly climes of February in Copenhagen, hip youngsters from a university student union were slipping out of their jackets and shoes for us so we could catch a glimpse of where their outfits had originally been fashioned. China, Bangladesh and Turkey provided the look of the young Danish metropole. Multiculturalism is imprinted in Danish society just as it is on the labels of their clothes. It's not so visible though; for example, Greenlandic cinema remains a niche art form in a country with a Greenlandic minority. On the outskirts of the city, refugees from the Middle East live almost forgotten in an accommodation centre, Sandholm. Even the hippies from the commune of Christiania close themselves in from mainstream society. It's a sympton of the last decade in Denmark. Events such as 9/11 or the uproar over the media's publication of the caricatures depicting the islamic prophet Muhammed marked a coalition of the right-wing and conservative liberals, who established strict immigration policies and the like until a new social democratic government took over in 2011. Can the proclaimed happiest people on earth loosen up finally, or should Denmark's pocket communities keep worrying about wrapping up warm? (Image: (cc) LarsDaniel/ Esben Bøg/ Flickr)
Are you the 2%? 5 things you (don’t) know about consumption
15 March marks world consumer rights day, yet the statistics show that only 2% of EU consumers are fully aware of their consumer rights or of their impact as consumers
lifestyle, consumer rights, economy, shopping, european union
Do 'Turkish toilets' deserve their name?
There are many clichés that Europeans attribute to the Turks. One which emphasises a common and biased stigma comes from the French language - about a facility called the 'squat toilet' which technically also has Bulgarian, Greek or Japanese roots...
lifestyle, tower of babel, mustafa kemal atatürk, turkey, stereotype , france
‘Desi Boyz’ and a German girl: am I now a bollywood star?
A European traveller who accidentally becomes an extra for the latest film of India's 'Tom Cruise', Akshay Kumar, winds up filming and reflects on her experience after watching the completed movie in the cinemas. Part II of a travel diary
lifestyle, cinema, mumbai, bollywood, culture, india, culture calendar
A-Z glossary of European terms of endearment
From the coasts of Portugal via the Balkans to the Urals, locals become cannibals, zoophiles, astronomers and gastronomists when they give their lovers pet names. Here are some tips on nicknames to use when trying to hit on that cute foreign boy or girl, whether you are serious about hooking up abroad or just having a good-natured laugh
‘Why can’t German men flirt?’ - a German man answers
A few days ago I came across an article online by a young British girl who describes her experiences with men in Germany. I often stumble across articles from women who claim Germany to be a developing nation with respect to flirting. Yet why is this the case and where are all the emancipated women?
lifestyle, lifestyle, feminism, germany, men and women, emancipation, nightlife
God Save my Shoes: one French woman explains why
Women own at least five pairs of shoes according to the debut documentary by Franco-American director Julie Benasra, which celebrates women, sexuality, shopping and shoes. Any less means you’re not a real woman
Silencio: Paris club where David Lynch is more Papa Smurf
You certainly will not be greeted by 'Silencio, no hay banda…' upon entering David Lynch’s exclusive Parisian club, which opened in the French capital on 6 October. Although the name of the club is a tribute to his cult movie Mulholland Drive, don’t expect to find Rita, dead corpses or unresolved mysteries here, advises one Italian journalist
lifestyle, cinema, paris, david lynch, culture, culture calendar
Asexual awareness week: what’s wrong with preferring cake?
Asexuals form a colourful and diverse community of people who don’t want sex and want their little-known sexual orientation to be acknowledged and respected, especially during a special awareness week between 23 to 29 October. After all, what’s wrong with preferring cake, which is one of the symbols they use to promote themselves?
lifestyle, lifestyle, sexuality, asexual, men and women, sex, society
'Eurogeneration': 'Warriors' conquer Europe's metropolises
They are pictured standing proudly in front of the setting sun on the anonymous urban stages of Europe. They are all warriors, young champions of the first European generation. This generation still hasn’t figured out what makes up a European identity, but nonetheless embody this identity subconsciously, whether they are from Budapest, Vilnius or Lisbon
lifestyle, photogallery, photo, europe, exhibition, eurogeneration, art
I like Mostar: are there really no tourists who want to go to Bosnia?
Mostar and I go back a long way. Ours is the story of a missed encounter – in 1998. Fast forward to September 2011: cafebabel.com organises the annual network meeting in Dubrovnik. On learning that the city is only 150 kilometres away from Mostar, I decide to revisit the city I never reached
lifestyle, identity, lifestyle, balkans, bosnia and herzegovina, mostar, war
UNPOLISHED: understanding Poland through interior design
The exhibition of Polish design has been touring Europe since 2009. The project aims to define the identity of Polish design between glazed tiles and paper sofas. We notice an abundance of designer couples, a trend of making works from minimal materials and a link to Poland’s past in Paris
lifestyle, art exhibition, best of cafebabel.com, poland, culture, design
Twitter feed: reactions to Steve Jobs death
The CEO of Apple was without a doubt the biggest genius of the last decade. He passed away after suffering from pancreatic cancer at the age of 56 over the night of 6 October. Social networks such as facebook and twitter have overflooded with 2.0 tributes
lifestyle, death, culture, consumers, technology, united states, social networks
Director Tomasz Baginski: ‘We Polish often lack the ability to distance ourselves from issues’
His mini-film depicted Poland’s six-month presidency of the EU as a passionate dance and cost around 130, 000 euros to make. Poland’s most famous animation producer is a 2002 Oscar nominee in the short animated film category; so why so much criticism?
