Rode my bike into town to have lunch al fresco with Canton, who designed our ListeningLounge, at the Osteria – a late celebration of finishing the LL. You’d think I had arrived in a Ferrari, because every waiter had to walk to the bicycle and check it out… you know that Italian pose with one hand on the hips, yes? Customers asked what it was called… Silberpfeil, I should have answered…
I noticed that Canton’s plate was riding on a spoon. At first I figured he wasn’t aware of it, but then I asked about it. He likes to tilt his plates with a utensil so that the olive oil or sauce forms a puddle at his end.
Here is a close-up:
After lunch Canton showed me a new cafe that serves Gelati. It is called Ecco. We picked the strawberry-habanero and apple-mint and both were most excellent. The former had a nice kick to it and the latter was refreshing… then I rode home.
It’s obvious Canton’s an intelligent guy. Every plate should be built like that…like Redwing Pottery from Redwing , Minnisota. We had that at home. There’s always something you want downhill from the rest.
Silberpfeil, ha! Would like to see you biking a Formula 1 track. It’s possible in Hockenheim, btw, just in case you make it there one day. Just pack your bike into your rucksack and take it with you.
I had to look that up: Silberpfeil.
Silver arrow?
How do you like your new bike Ottmar? Does it ride better than a conventional bike?
Yumiko-san,
your translation is right. Silberpfeil is how a legendary formula 1 racing car made by Mercedes was called. When was it? 50s?
Mercedes cars were slightly too heavy back then, so they took off all the colour. The naked car that remained was … silverly looking.
Even today’s McLaren-Mercedes cars are called Silberpfeil but that’s only because of the remembrance. They are by far not that legendary.
Guess you have noticed that Ottmar from time to time drops a remark about watching the formula 1 races.
One whole word for silver arrow. I like the way it looks: Silberpfeil.
I bet all the waiters were truly wishing to take the bike for a spin.
Yumiko-san, one characteristic of the German language is the creation of long one word substantives that in other languages would consist of (far) more than one or two words. the cliché example is: Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänskajütentürklinke.
That’s exaggerated, of course, but possible nonetheless.