Sunday ART Brunch – A very special culinary event by Danny Frede
4. April 2018
We just could not wait: Our flowers blossom already in April.
“A magic dwells in each beginning” is probably one of the most quoted passages when it comes to talking about new beginnings. These lines are well-known even among people who are not familiar with Hermann Hesse’s poem “Stufen”/“Steps“. Of course, we do not want to tear Hesse’s words out of their original context and reduce them to the “chopped-up” brevity of kitchen calendar wisdom (as we feel far too much passion and respect for literature!). Therefore, and because this poem provides so much insight and inspiration, we have put an English translation of the entire text at the end of this blog entry, for all of you who enjoy philosophy and literature as much as we do. Translating poetry is an art of it’s own that we truly admire, but are not capable of. Thus, we searched through the internet, and found a translated version that certainly is different from the original when it comes to syntax and grammar, but reflects the meaning of „Steps“ quite well. Unfortunately, there is no name of the author of this translation and interpretation. We found it in the internet as a rather „ancient“ entry from 2007. We would like to say „Thank you“ to the unknown interpreter (Achievement in Mind). Please read the translated „Steps“ below.
This much-quoted “magic” actually describes the excited anticipation and, as it were, “magical” mood quite well, in which we have prepared this change of name over the past few weeks with so much passion and energy. Perhaps the new measure of effort is “coffee in liters,” prepared and drunk on long days that turned into long evenings and sometimes even long nights. At this point, our heartfelt thanks to the honourable world’s best grandmaster of the Internet Andreas Vorbau, who – despite this exhausting experience! – still is our friend! Without his help and great support, there would definitely be no bits and bytes and for us, and we would feel pretty lost in the vast outer space of the world wide web.
The switch from our traditional traditional name to another, definitely was no easy step for us (and, above all, not a reckless one!).
Since we took over the Hotel Gästehaus Meererbusch in June 2009, we have carefully modernized our house step by step, we have improved and broadened our range of services. Our focus is on “sustainable accommodation” as a guideline for a consistent, continuous innovation. (We will talk about “sustainability” more in a separate entry.)
Despite all innovation, we have never lost sight of the tradition of our hotel. The well-established history of the house as a “guest house” of the villa settlement “Alt Meererbusch” since the 1920s has always accompanied us – and thus, as our hotel name as well.
However, very good reasons speak in favor of getting rid of the “guest house” in the name. Because “Gästehaus” is also the name for a category of accommodation that is significantly lower in quality and performance than our hotel as a 3-star superior hotel. The “guest house” in the name leads to confusion and misunderstandings among guests, especially those who are new to us.
Therefore, we now refrain from the “guest house”, and turn to another characteristic that has also belonged to us since the very beginnings of the hotel: our house is a prestigious villa, which is located in the midst of a significant residential area with a great history. In fact, our house was one of the architectural “model houses” built by the then builder Friedrich von der Leyen to show potentially interested citizens how they could reside in newly planned villa colony “Alt Meererbusch”. Planned as a private home, however, our house was from the beginning a hotel for the guests of the new neighborhood in the new settlement. In short, we simply use the new name to reflect on another but equally ancient tradition.
We look forward to welcoming you for a sustainable overnight stay as a guest in our house. With this in mind
we send to you our „sustainable“ greetings from the new old “Hotel Villa Meererbusch”.
Yours sincerely,
Michaela and Michael Hagen
Steps (Stufen)
by Hermann Hesse
As every blossom fades
and all youth sinks into old age,
so every life’s design, each flower of wisdom,
attains its prime and cannot last forever.
The heart must submit itself courageously
to life’s call without a hint of grief,
A magic dwells in each beginning,
protecting us, telling us how to live.
High purposed we shall traverse realm
on realm, cleaving to none as to a home,
the world of spirit wishes not to fetter us
but raise us higher, step by step.
Scarce in some safe accustomed sphere of life
have we establish a house, then we grow lax;
only he who is ready to journey forth
can throw old habits off.
Maybe death’s hour too will send us out new-born
towards undreamed-lands,
maybe life’s call to us will never find an end
Courage my heart, take leave and fare thee well.
