captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> coming up. man of letters. how eric sees the world. how advent calendars are moving with the times. and a star chef. how a new berlin restaurant got a michelin star. "euromaxx" highlights. here is your host. >> a warm welcome to the show.

winter has got all whole of europe and its clutches, causing quite a bit of problems. there are some upsides, especially if you are in a place sculptor. mastricht just kicked off its first festival. they create works based on the life and achievements and one of their famous musicians. we went to find out the fascination of sculpting in ice. >> he has come all the way from canada. at home, he is an industrial designer. but he found working with ice fascinating. >> it was right in my backyard. we pulled it out of the lake,

and it behaves so beautifully. it slides, and tools clyde along. it is a very interesting material to work with -- tools glide along. the ice tools are extremely specialized. nobody makes them. you almost have to make them yourself. sometimes you can modify a chisel and aaddd handles, but for most of them you need to make carbide-steel blades that stay razor sharp. >> chiseling a sculpture is not without peril. first, the machines are put into action before the more delicate work begins. meanwhile, other artists are putting finishing touches on their works.

this artist started working with us six years ago. >> the most difficult part is that the light reflects inside the sculpture as well. it's the surface of the back and it reflects to the inside, and you have to play with that. and to also take care that you will not lose all the details by all the reflections that go everywhere. ♪ >> over 50 artists have gathered here from belgium, portugal, russia. they have one thing in common -- fetting one their most famous sons. the sculptures also include a violinist stratavari. all of it is related to the famous violinist featured here appearre. event he basilica.

it is a lot of details of such short-lived work. in a few weeks, they will be puddles of water. >> in little time, there is a lot of people visiting. >> rarely do we get to see it at the end. the data we are done, we walk away. we do not even get to see it live -- the day we are done, we walk away. >> it is the art, not the artists themselves. >> when you stop and think about it, we must look at and deciphers scores of different lettering every day of for life, whether it is the science at the bus stop or the cereal

boxes. all of them influenced us in some small way. we were taken around the city of berlin and were given explanations of some interesting things about tidemarktypography. >> he has a passion for letter fonts. the typeface designer identifies what era they came from. for example, alexander platz. >> in the "e," the middle bar is lower than usual. and you can sense that in the typeface, that it was once at the center. >> he has offices not only in berlin, but also in amsterdam,

london, and san francisco. he designed the typeface used by audi. a few years ago, he redesigned the magazine, "the economist." since it traded in its old way of, its sales have doubled -- since it traded in its old layout, its sales have doubled. his secret to success? a good font is when you did not notice. >> you read a text. the medium is as invisible as air. if we stop to think about it, we would probably start coughing. of what is perceived subconsciously. >> back in the 1980's, he described how restaurant signs affect us. >> the words are written in

spaghetti type, letters are spread out like pizza dough. your mind is on ancient inscriiptions. >> tantalizing and -- analyzing typefaces has remained his passion for the day. >> i have to identify everything. i cannot read everything without knowing what flaunt it is not -- font it is in. on the highway, i learn n the signs by heart. there are people who would rather watch women, but my eyes are on the typeface 3 >> the differences are often difficult to distinguish, but it is these details that matter. because small nuances are what the designers change -- the

thickness of waters, the distances between them, their former-- the thickness of letters. it often takes months for him and his team to develop a completely new font. >> 90% of a typeface looks like any other. an "a" has to look like an "a." but the 15% of the way i have is what i used to create distinctions. >> one of his most prominent projects was designing fonts for the german rail operator. letters with a little and it is a relative of which are effective do to their familiarity. -- which are effective do to

their familiarity. >> and typefaces for long or short text, different schedules. they have to be affected. they are the voice of borjdeutse bann. >> and he has another passion -- fonts that provide orientation. after german unification, he developed the science of for transportation. -- the signs for german transportation. >> it has too many arrows pointing in the wrong direction. it's white on blue, and the blue comes from the highway system. that is what you get when a bureaucrat thinks he can reform the system. anything it can be done wrong is done wrong. >> he can get annoyed about that

bad fonts, but this is a labor of love for the designer. >> that is an original way of looking at the urban environment. here in germany, the countdown to christmas eve is under way. this is the most apparent in the daily ritual of opening another door of your advent calendar, which my daughter is enjoying right now. traditionally, there is a little sweet or a small gift behind that door, and this season, there are many more exciting at the surprises that await -- advent surprises that away. >> celtic, not sweet. --salty not sweet. this calendar has recipes. the designer has won several prizes for this.

>> the challenge is to combine tradition and modern design aspects to make it something that is still relevant to everyday life today. it has to make people want to buy such a traditional thing like an advent calendar for themselves are as a gift. -- or as a a gift. >> this tower of gift boxes can be filled with 24 treats. you open the lid rather than doors. instead of sweets, this contains a proverb for each day. ♪ advent calendars are more popular than ever in germany. sales have been increasing steadily since the 1990's. last year, around 70 million were sold. still, some people prefer to make their own. >> i'm putting one together

myself. i bought the gives. it is going to be a little potted christmas tree with 24 presence hanging on it. >> my aunt made one for me yourself. she has packed it with all kinds of things, but i do not know what yet. >> the advent calendar was invented in germany to help children through the wait for christmas. its 19th century cursprecursors include bible verses and a christmas clock that was turned every day. in 1903, a bookseller had the idea of printing a calendar with proverbs on it. children could stick a picture on it each day until december 24. >> nowadays, almost all advent

calendars are filled with chocolate, suites, or toys, all kinds of things. it was originally supposed to be a time of fasting. now it has become a time for indulging your sweet tooth. >> this exhibition in dresden traces the evolution of the calendar with a focus on the post war era in east and west germany. in the east, with secular designs, and in the west, with christian ones, the tradition was upheld. in the 1950's, calendars group popular in both germanys. the trend to spread over europe and to the united states. today, there is a huge variety. >> there are advent calendars for mobile phones. there are scratch of calendars. there is one with tea bags.

there is a mathematics advent calendar with the question every day. and at the end, you can win a prize. the variety is never ending. >> this luxury version costs 760,000 euros. isidor's conceal vouchers for -- it's doors contain vouchesrs for a boat. this one has a resolution for not to eat all of this week's up one-third this one may buy a hamburger design company -- hamburg design company has a character of a famous figure. >> this restaurant boasts 13 michelin stars. the chef was named chef of the

year in 2007. he rose to become to lanier director of the -- to become culinary director. he now has his very own restaurant. >> he is at the top of this game. this summer he opened his own restaurant in central berlin and was awarded a michelin star two months later. its also been given 18 points in a restaurant guide. he loves being his own boss. >> i'm answerable to no one apart from the banks and my guest. we always have a responsibility to our guests. we have specific ideas about house staff, how they are trained, and what we give the guests. if we fail to deliver, we accept

responsibility. but when we do deliver, we are the ones you get to take the credit and we are very happy -- who get to take the credit and we are very happy. >> he brought his team to open his own restaurant. he has a sterling reputation, and everyone wants to work with him. not only does the already have one michelin star, he has been given an esquire. he is tipped to get an additional start next year. >> it was not a great surprise to get the star, but i was pleased to be awarded an esquire. to be told that we would be on track to get a second star. that would mean a lot to was. >-- to us. >> his wife is the restaurant manager. the couple were closely involved

in the interior design. the restaurant can seat up to 80 guests and it is always booked out. >> personally, it is gratifying. a lot of people were skeptical because they thought we would never have succeeded without a major hotel behind us, but i feel we have managed to prove what we are capable of. [laughter] >> now 36, he has earned his success party comes from the under privileged background, growing up in a troubled part of berlin in joining a gang as a teenager. then he trained as a chef and found his vocation. these days, his life revolves around his restaurant, which she was to be perfect, down to the original japanese dinnerware.

when he does something, he does it properly. >> i don't necessarily want this design, but i think the color is inspiring. the blue and pink are strong and intense, they glow. look at this one? the embroidered cured waherry blossom. i will be thinking of this design when i go back to my restaurant and how precise and delicate it is. >> the asian influence is dominant is his style. -- in his style. he believes in hierarchy. >> [speaking german] ." >> he turned his back on french

cuisine years ago. instead, embracing asian flavors. his variation on peking duck impress the experts. >> i would say what i do is celebrate food. my cuisine is very light, very feminine, and the flavors are intense. there is always an underlying as city and a certain delicate sweetness -- acidity and a certain delicate sweetness. my dishes are spicy. but it is not fierce. >> he dispenses with carbs, such as bread and potatoes, anything that could compromise flavor. he is uncompromising. >> i was very fortunate because i had a tough childhood. but i found my calling as occurred working in a kitchen can be very demanding. it can be an aggressive environment. even when i was a trainee, i

realize i had talent and i had something to offer. so i worked very hard to establish myself. >> his new restaurant offers a one of the most exciting eating experiences in germany today. and it might soon have not just one but two michelin stars to prevent. >-- to prove it. >> in lombardi, a modest city, is well worth a visit for its rich, architectural heritage which covers from medieval to renaissance and baroque styles. fine cuisine, extraordinary design, and excellent shopping.

>> from afar, the most beautiful square can be spotted easily, thanks to the massive dome. it's astronomical clock has given the time since the 16th century. it is filled with antique treasures. in the museum, you can visit 80,00a 2000 year old villa. then there is a crucifx on display. the painting on the cross dates back more than 1600 years. >> the amazing thing about my job is that i'm surrounded by all these wonderful things. i have an enormous amount of respect for these objects. this place is about tradition, history, and culture.

to give an example, there is the monastery, but you do not find all of it here and museum. you discover it across the entire city. >> the pedestrian zone downtown is filled with shopping opportunities. an interior design store is an extraordinary shop bursting with extraordinary finds. the name could mean 100 things. a whimsical idea lies behind each of these objects, and it is not immediately obvious what everything is. >> when you think of italian design, a certain designers' stand for will famous design. we do not carry these grants. instead, we concentrate on unknown items that will one day

become famous. >> it lies in a fertile region of italy. gourmet specialties can be bought in the delicatessen. the shop's name means fine taste. whether it's pastat o or hard cheese, made around here. the same applies to the sparkling wine. >> food from this region is the real deal. we do not do things half-hearted occurred >> our cuisine is a rich and flavorful. what i mean is that our cuisine is really good, especially since we are passionate about our cooking. we are passionate about the wind, the water, the fresh pasta

-- the wine. without passion, the food without taste good kurt >> at the end of the day, it's off to the piazza with scores of bars. >> the people are very calm and content. they have a sunny nature and like to have fun. i know these people well because they stop by for an apparent even before heading home -- an apperitif before heading home. >> this is one of the most popular drinks. it is a mix of the sparkling wine. a great way to toast another lovely day here. >> before we say cheesrrs, a

quick reminder that you can find our highlights on our website. with that, our time is up. best wishes and until next time, bye-bye.

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