Chic? Mais oui!

Another week goes by, another design exhibition 'goes down' in Europe. This week in Saint Etienne, south-eastern France. Big whoop, you say.

So what sets this one apart? Well, it was recently started by design students - a refreshing tonic in these times of corporate-sponsored design events - and it's almost exclusively French (which means the english-language press material is incredibly obscure - check out the official website for a giggle).

The main exhibition of the 12 day event is "Cohabitations", commissioned by French designer Matali Crasset, which looks at new ways of conducting modern living and social interaction. Ironic then that the site of the exhibition, the Cité du Design, should itself be a former ammunitions manufacturing plant.

With the Design Biennale only taking place for the fourth time, most contributors to the exhibitions are still French. However Berlin designers, V+W, are turning heads with their clothes-swapping, friend-making "Relationchip" project aswell - showing that, sometimes, it's worth going along to these design events after all. al

Make some noise: St Martin's Day

The sound of thumping bass booming through the streets of Berlin is hardly a new phenomenon. But when it's accompanied by a brass band and kids with lanterns, you have to start asking questions. And so it was that I stumbled upon St Martin's Day.... or rather, it bumped into me.

Little known in the english-speaking world, St Martin's Day is the celebration of the Roman Catholic saint, Martin of Tours (316AD - 397AD). Mainly recognised in the Catholic regions of Belgium, Holland, Austria and Germany, the festival takes place on the evening of the 11th of November and involves parades of schoolchildren through the streets, who sing songs (with musical accompaniment) and move from door to door collecting treats.

It's popularity in traditionally Protestant areas of Germany remains a bit of a mystery however. Perhaps as a type of 'euro-halloween'? al

It's back! The big freeze is on again.

One week ago on the streets of Prenzlauer Berg coffee drinkers were lazing about in the late autumn sun, talking of an "Indischer Sommer". At 23 degrees Celsius, it was the warmest 26th October in Berlin's history.

But now in November, the locals are nowhere to be seen - sub-zero temperatures have frightened everyone inside and even the sun has decided to not come out this weekend. For the next few months the forecast looks good for indoorsy-types: Meterologists say that a warm October means a cold winter. al