Now new: THE DORF THE MAG #5

Like its predecessors, the fifth edition of THE DORF THE MAG takes a special look at the city and focuses on creative people, unusual places, upcoming highlights and new addresses. The annual English-language print edition accompanying the online portal "THE DORF"(www.thedorf.de) is a city guide with tips for culture, gastronomy and shopping, people and experiences from Düsseldorf. In the anniversary year, the first surprise is already waiting on the cover, which can be brought to life via a QR code using the Artivive app.

Tina Husemann and David Holtkamp have been responsible for THE DORF since 2014. We talked to Tina and David about their new magazine and their city.

Tina and David, five years of THE DORF THE MAG - time to look back. Who was the most typical Düsseldorfer you have interviewed so far?

A few years ago, we interviewed Düsseldorf photographer ar/gee Gleim at Kreuzherreneck. He was a real Düsseldorf veteran and witnessed the wild times of Ratinger Straße in the 1970s and 1980s and captured them in documentary form with his camera. Unfortunately, ar/gee passed away in 2019 at the age of 80. We are pleased to be able to tell and record the story of this original Düsseldorfer on our site.(Click here for the article)

Who have you met through the magazine that has made your life in Düsseldorf better?

That is very difficult to say! All contacts, every interview partner, every encounter inspires and enriches us, our everyday life and our lives every day anew, both privately and professionally.

"Pine Street is a prime example of diversity and cohesion in action."

In the new issue you will find a photo series of the residents of Kiefernstraße. How important was/is Kiefernstraße for Düsseldorf?

The photographer Bernd Schaller is behind the photo series. Bernd Schaller has lived on Kiefernstraße for eight years. Many shots of Kiefernstraße that are on the net are similar and do not go beyond a more or less professional depiction of the facades. With his photo project "Kiefern-Portraits" he gives a face to the people who help shape and form this special place of Düsseldorf day by day. We were very impressed by this approach and find the portraits extremely strong. Kiefernstraße is a prime example of lived diversity and cohesion - which is very important for a city. We hope that Kiefernstraße and its residents will continue to exist in this form for a long time to come.

When can I meet you on Königsallee?

When we cross it to get to Carlsplatz... No, it's not quite that bad. There are a few stores here and there where we go shopping. If you count Manufactum, Heinemann or the Mayersche bookstore as part of the Kö, we're actually there quite often.

You introduce many artists, graphic designers, illustrators, etc.. Why is Düsseldorf such a good place for creative people?

There are probably countless reasons that would go beyond the scope of this article. On the one hand, this is certainly due to the good educational opportunities such as the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences with the Peter Behrens School of Arts or the Art Academy, but also to an art scene and advertising scene in the city that has grown over decades. Added to this is the city's good manageability and short distances. Unfortunately, the constantly rising rents are often not affordable for young creatives.

If I come to Düsseldorf as a day-tripper and am interested in the creative scene - where to go?

In 2021, the premiere of the art and fashion festival "Strike a pose" was a real highlight for us. It will also take place in 2022 and highlight the interfaces between fashion and art across the board. The weekend of the DC Open Galleries (Düsseldorf Cologne Open Galleries) offers art throughout the city and with a view to Cologne. Otherwise, and almost tried and true: A trip through Flingern with numerous galleries and small individual stores always goes. Otherwise, of course, the numerous large museums such as NRW-Forum, Kunstpalast, Kunsthalle and Kunstsammlung. The Velvet Café on Stresemannstraße is one of our favorite spots - and a meeting place for the creative scene.

How has the restaurant scene changed as a result of Corona?

Fortunately, more gastros have survived than we feared. We are currently observing a large number of new openings, including a large number of system gastronomy concepts. It remains exciting to see who will prevail here.

And where should you definitely go as a local/expat in 2022?

For 2022, we recommend a visit to Nørds(@nordsrestaurant) on Lindenstraße in Flingern, which promises Scandinavian, Nordic cuisine. We're really looking forward to that. We're also excited about Kürzer's new brewery location on Fichtenstraße, which is also opening a new gastro. We think the opening will certainly do the corner and the city good.

Your current favorite place in Düsseldorf?

Due to our dog, the courtyard garden. Here are currently also finally installed again the light benches by artist Stefan Sous, which had to give way for a long time to the reconstruction of the courtyard garden. Otherwise we like to be in the Bulle Bistro in the Philara on Birkenstraße.

What are you most looking forward to in Düsseldorf in 2022?

Here's to another bit of "Back to Normality" - with hopefully a nicer summer than this year, the Return of the Rheinkirmes and the many other city events that had to be cancelled the last two years.