If you’ve ever been to Ireland, you can’t have escaped the ever-present Celtic knots. I’ve loved them ever since a trip to the Emerald Island in my moody teens. Looking around the cemeteries and admiring the intricate patterns on the gravestones everywhere. This early exposure to them has probably inspired me to create our Celtic gold reflective slap bracelet featuring Celtic knots.
Celtic knots on St Patrick’s day ☘️ Read More »
The funflector team is wishing everyone a fantastic and safe Independence Day!
This year, we are sending our 4th of July greetings from Paris, France, one of many stops during our very inspirational travels this summer. We have been collecting ideas for future safety reflector designs and of course taken the opportunity to shoot some fun photos.
The funflector team
Happy 4th of July! Read More »
One hundred years ago, my grandfather Walter Bärthel was on the western front, fighting for his homeland, Germany. During his time both in the trenches and behind the front lines, he kept writing and drawing in his diary. He was only 17 years old, just a boy and had not yet completed high school, when he was caught up in the euphoria and propaganda, and joined the army. Those four diaries are an amazing story about his experiences and thoughts from the front and later from his hospital bed. On December 19th, 2014, Walter sketched the landscape near Arras in France covered in barbed wire.
There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about the Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers on both sides sang Christmas songs together and maybe played soccer. On December 24th, 2014, my grandfather wrote the following:
Always remember!
Elisabeth
We will be at a couple of festivals and fairs this fall. If you are in the Chicagoland area, please stop by, get some safety reflectors, learn something new and say hello!
September 7th, Vasa Park in South Elgin, 10am – 6pm
Celebrate your Scandinavian heritage or just enjoy good food, entertainment and Scandinavian gifts anyway. Get in touch with Scandinavian organizations in the Chicago area and shop unique goods and Scandinavian foods from over 50 vendors from across the U.S.A. The festival features Scandinavian entertainment from folk music and dance to ABBA, pony rides and face painting and hopefully as much sunshine as previous years.
September 14, Lake View High School, Chicago, 10am-4pm
September 27, Evanston, 9am-3pm
The Evanston Green Living Festival is an annual community event presented by the Evanston Environmental Association (EEA) and the City of Evanston. The festival is held at the Evanston Ecology Center and provides a venue where local organizations can present their green products, services and ideas to attendees who are looking for ways to lower their personal carbon footprint. This will be our first time exhibiting and we are excited to be part of it.
Warren High School Band Booster in Gurnee organizes a huge craft fair early November each year. Not only was it a good show last year, students also provided a phenomenal service and wheeled all our reflectors and displays to our booth. We are excited to be returning as the Band Booster celebrates its 20th fair!
The Julmarknad (Christmas Market) is our “holiday trip to Sweden” or as close as it gets. Swedish Lucia, music, food (meatball open face sandwiches!), baked goods (lussekatter & Princess Cake!) and Swedish related merchandize and hand made items. Don’t miss this weekend!
Come and Say Hello! Read More »
Before the summer is over, we want to share some more fun from Tivoli Gardens, the century-old amusement park in central Copenhagen, Denmark. We’ve already talked about the rides and interesting architecture. Something else that was different from any American park we’e been to was the work on sustainability.
Tivoli is located in the heart of Copenhagen, across the street from the main train station (Hovedbangard) and with a plethora of bus stops and bike racks surrounding it. Copenhagen is after all one of the most bike friendly cities in the world, and local Tivoli visitors take advantage of it. We had a smooth quiet commuter train ride from southern Sweden, over the bridge, passed the Copenhagen airport before arriving in central Copenhagen. It’s a totally different experience than riding the diesel train from the suburbs to Chicago. (At the airport, the train stops right under the check-in area!)
When ordering a coffee, I was first a bit shocked to have to pay five Danish crowns (almost one US dollar) for the cup. However, it turned out that I got the money back when I returned the mug to a refund machine. They used the same cups for hot and cold drinks, including beer, saving on litter and waste. The refund system also turned out to be a great source of income for the kids while they were waiting for the concert to begin. After a couple of beers, many on the concert lawn gladly let the kids collect the mugs.
While enjoying some wild rides at American amusement parks this year, even my kids wanted to go back to Tivoli Gardens for food and snacks (and for rides of course). Tivoli has both decent fast food and restaurants on their premises. For the meal included in our “Puls Pakke” tickets, we picked Fish & Chips. That might not sound so special, but the Chips (French fries) were organic and freshly made and the fish was simply delicious! Soda came of course in the recyclable mugs…
There is more music than the Champagne Gallop at Tivoli. Friday night rock concerts are included in the ticket price and we enjoyed the 30 Seconds to Mars concert that June night. The ten minute drizzle while waiting for the music to begin, was soon forgotten.
Wow, what a day! The 15 minute wait for the train home at 1AM felt like an eternity for tired kids and mom, but we’ll be back some day!
The funflector team, roller coaster test division 😉
More Fun at Tivoli in Copenhagen Read More »
Did you know that Walt Disney modeled the Magic Kingdom after the century old Tivoli in Copenhagen? In the space of a couple of city blocks, old fashion carousels are layered with modern and stomach turning roller coasters and rides. They are interleaved with parks, a concert hall, an aquarium, an amazing variety of quality food places and ice cream parlors. As we spent last summer in southern Sweden, my kids insisted our replacing our annual trip to Six Flags Great America with a trip to Tivoli. With “Puls Pakke” tickets (entrance, rides and one meal) for 329 DKR ($60) bought online, we set out to enjoy ourselves for the day (and night). As an extra bonus, Friday rock concerts are included in the ticket price and 30 Seconds to Mars did a great concert that June night.
The rides are layered and interleaved. It saves on endless walking and makes it easier to manage kids who want to go on different rides. But it does make it hard to find a place to shoot interesting photos. Here are some of the fun rides we tried.
Buildings are carefully designed to fit in and although the space is tight, they have managed to create an airy feel. Both old and modern ones have interesting details, reminiscent of their time. The stylized green and yellow leaves decorating the wall of the Tivoli Concert Hall give away that it was build in the 1950’s. The railing carries the tune of the popular Champagne Gallop by Hans Christian Lumbye, the first music director and widely popular in-house composer for Tivoli.
OMG, the blog post quickly got very long, so let’s save some yummy food, music and everything else we wanted to show you for another time.
So long & hav en dejlig dag!
Elisabeth
New Rides in the Old World Read More »
The disappearance of my favorite “French baguettes” from one of the local grocery stores kickstarted cravings for all things French and Parisian. Longing for “Pain au Chocolate” (chocolate croissant) that’s not refrigerated nor mushy from overheating. Longing for stone paved sidewalks lined with café tables. Longing for gracefully aged buildings with staircases slowly worn down where people have put their feet for hundreds of years. Longing for the fearless mix of new technology and old traditions. Longing for Musée d’Orsay, the Beaux-Arts train station that now houses more impressionist masterpieces than any museum in the world. Dream with us on Pinterest! I’m ready to pack my bags and go…
Follow funflector.com’s board Paris on Pinterest.
In Paris, as in so many other European capitals, public transportation and your feet are the most convenient ways to get around. Walking, walking, walking… So, what funflector reflectors would I pack for Paris?
The Eiffel tower of course! The ultimate symbol of Paris and France. The icon status combined with a stunning view of Paris’ boulevards, has turned it into the most visited tourist attraction in the world. With that in mind, it is hard to believe that the resistance to building it was massive among writers, painters, sculptors and architects. However, during the 1889 Exposition, nearly 2 million visitors made it to the top level of the 324 m (1,063 ft) tall structure.
The red lipstick symbolizing “Parisian chic.” Makeup should be moderate, but lipstick can be bright red, depending on mood and occasion. If you love Parisian shopping and fashion, head for the area around Avenue Montaigne, Ave George V and Rue Francois 1er, where you find the finest Haute Couture shops in the world. If you’re looking for one-stop shopping spot, or a Parisian shopping extravaganza perfect for a rainy day, visit one of Paris’ famous department stores. Each one has a different personality, but one thing you can be sure of is stunning architecture and anything you’d want for “la vie Parisienne”! Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are two you don’t want to miss. More shopping tips and how to live like a Parisian can be found at parisperfect.com.
The treble clef for the chansons, cabarets and Palais Garnier, the national opera and ballet stage. Gaston Leroux‘s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, widely known from Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s popular musical, is set at Palais Garnier. It’s well worth taking a guided tour through this stunning building!
Can’t go to Paris without a mustache! Imagine what Paris would be today without the painters of the late 19th century, at the height of Paris as the world’s art capital. At that time, mustaches were as common as T-shirts and jeans are today and we can only guess how Monet, Manet or Renoir would have looked without one. There is even a restaurant called “Moustache” on 3 Rue Sainte Beuve. Their menu is intriguing…
When you go to Paris, make sure to have several days so you have time to enjoy the iconic tourist attractions AND the Paris that’s beyond the grand boulevards and polished department stores. Here are some tips on how to do it.
Tonight, I’m going to settle down with a baguette, good (French) cheese and wine and enjoy Paris through the eyes of Gil Pender in “Midnight in Paris“, Woody Allen’s romantic comedy fantasy.
A bientôt,
Elisabeth
The Swedish hustomte (house elf/gnome) is a quiet little guy, dressed mostly in gray and red, living at your house or farmsted helping out by taking care of things around the house and keep everyone safe. You better be nice and serve him rice pudding on Christmas eve!” That’s the intro text to our pinterest board “Tomtar“. In the mid 17th century, the quiet Swedish tomte also took on the role as Father Christmas and became the Tomte with capital T. At dusk on Christmas Eve, the Tomte walks around to deliver gifts – in person! – to all nice kids.
The other day, I looked at our Pinterest tomte board just after putting down the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain. (If you haven’t read the book, you should, or at least listen to Susan’s TED talk. Whether extrovert or introvert, it will give you an additional set of glasses through which to see the world and your near and dear through.) All of a sudden a lightbulb went off as I realized that the Swedish tomte is introvert while Santa is a fine example of the American extrovert ideal.
Search for images of “Santa” and you will find an abundance of photos and drawings of Santa where he looks straight into the camera, happily smiling and waving. He loves to be the center of the universe and knows all his power poses.
The old world has come back to Chicago! The German Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza is open until Christmas and offers authentic German wooden and glass ornaments as well as Bratwurst, Pretzels, Strudels and Glühwein (mulled wine). See our blog post from last year about the Chicago Christkindlmarket.
For the second year, the Swedish American Museum also has a booth at the market and that’s where you go to get your Tomte fix. Tomte can be translated to gnome, elf, Santa, Father Christmas, nisse, Heinselmänchen depending on what language you prefer. Today, I volunteered in the booth and tried to count the “Cute!” (or “cuuute!”) but quickly lost track. The tomtar are all handmade in Sweden and come in many styles and sizes – and they are truly cute!
Traditional Angel chimes, modern moose or dalahorse chimes are available as well as wooden toys and books. Since most Swedes wear reflectors, the museum has teamed up with funflector.com to spread some Swedish safety culture and offers a wide variety of funflectors! There is even a tomte funflector!
The Chicago Christkindlmarket is open every day from 11am to 8pm (to 9 on Fridays and Saturdays). The Swedish American Museum Booth is #52. located outside the main market, East of the Daley Center, close to the intersection of Randolph and Dearborn. Stop by next time you are downtown Chicago and say “Hi” from The funflector Blog!
Elisabeth
Christkind is to German kids what Santa is to American. Christkind visits on Christmas day to put presents around the tree. Kids are kept away with closed doors to the living room until a little bell is heard. That means Christkind has finished its mission and the family can be let in to marvel at the pile under the tree. Christkind (“Christ Child”) has long golden hair and angelic wings and is a central part of opening ceremonies at many German Christmas markets, which are often called “Christkindlmarkt”.
Here is a glimpse of the Nürnberg Christkindlesmarkt
Chicago has its own Christkindlmarket with tight ties to the Nürnberg one on which it is modeled. The opening ceremony (Nov 20, 2012, 4:30pm) often gets visits from the Nürnberg mayor and the previous Nürnberg Christkindl. This year, you can meet & greet the Christkindl on November 22, 11:00am, right after the Chicago Christmas parade.
Being brought up with a mix of Swedish and German Christmas traditions, I love to go to the Christkindlmarket for some real German Bratvurst, Kartoffelpuffers and to look at the handcrafted ornaments that look just like those my grandmother had. Except for skyscrapers instead of small half-timbered houses surrounding the market, it does take me back to Germany for a little while. German vendors come all the way here just for this, which gives it an authentic flair.
This year, there is a new section at the NE corner of the plaza. That is where you will find the booth of the Swedish Amercian Museum, filled with Swedish ornaments, handcrafted collectible tomten (Santas), Angel Chime rotary brass candle holders, wonderful wood toys for children, funflector® safety reflectors in fun shapes for kids and adults, and a wide assortment of Scandanavian books.
Here are some pics from previous years:
Elisabeth
Chicago Christkindlmarket Read More »
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