FRANZISKA OUT AND ABOUT

This Saturday in mid-April 2025 was special for several reasons. Having worn three different wigs within one day was only one of them. I had started to plan this day out-and-about about two months earlier by calling Franzi’s hairdresser – the one who has been washing and styling my wigs for several years – for an appointment. This time it was not to drop off or pick up a wig, but to have an in-salon appointment for a styling. He and I had talked about that before and this time I made an appointment for early afternoon today. It was time for Franzi to experience that feminine pleasure of sitting in a salon and have somebody work on your hair to make you look the most attractive. It was a warm and sunny day and I decided on one of my short and colorful summer dresses, with 5 denier nylons, white sandals, and a white blazer – just in case. Portraits of the day. Granted, this wig urgently needed to be taken care of. As many times before, I took the bus from our local bus stop to Südbahnhof...

Let us move into 2025, a year that – not even half-way through – has already seen 9 outings. This first opportunity presented itself as a half-day outing, hence, after work, just for the evening. The outfit of the evening consisted of burgundy faux leather pants, a silky white shirt, and a black blazer, combined with a comfy black coat. On the subway. Did you notice the (for the most part) matching pants, handbag, and gloves, and the black and burgundy scarf? I love it. A little bit of shopping And dinner at an Italian restaurant. Fortunately, oysters are a popular item in numerous cuisines across the globe. At one point, I am going to a run a series of Franzi oyster shots. What do you notice in this picture? Correct, January has been a dry month for us for several years, and 2025 was no exception. After this visit to a rather classy Italian restaurant, Franzi visited Frankfurt’s “Club Voltaire.” There are several clubs in Germany with that name, but this one is the oldest thereof. Epo...

That evening in 2017, Franzi went to see a ballet performance. And it was a really great performance. Preceding the show, two huge live projections onto the curtain showed the two main protagonists, one male and one female, for around 10 minutes, during their warmup routine. Fascinating. Franzi had picked her favorite LBD and red blazer; incidentally, the very same combination as during her recent visit to the opera in Düsseldorf ( Link ). That dress must be one the oldest items in her cabinet and I remember buying it together with my wife, one for her and one for Franzi, more than 10 years ago. Unfortunately, we have yet to go out together  both  wearing them. Looking at these pictures, I am also reminded of those 8 cm black heels. They were perfect with the outfit, but I remember having difficulties balancing in them  and  people, mostly women, following me with their eyes. Nowadays, I am more of a pro wearing heels  and  more modest in choosing the heigh...

After that much exciting art, lunch was in order. Finding a good restaurant was a little more difficult than expected. After a while, I found the perfect place, though: the terrace of one of Düsseldorf’s top hotels at the end of Königsallee (King’s Avenue), Düsseldorf’s posh shopping street. And guess what, they were also serving oysters and that in a very classical arrangement. So, what are you seeing her in this picture: four French oysters, two pieces of lemon, wrapped in a lemon sleeve, red scallion vinaigrette, rye bread with cheese, and a glass of bubbles – a pink crémant. To me, that all makes sense, and it tasted just wonderful. I spare you the cultural and nutritive background of this combination, though. The mini French baguette is a little misplaced here, but it was good anyway. Hauptbahnhof (Central Station). In German, we tend to combine words into one. According to the Guinness book of records, the longest German word is Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswe...

If you have read my previous posting, you know what to expect: lots of pictures of Franzi in front of art. I love posing in front of art. It is like becoming part of it. The Class of 2024 of  „Kurfürstlich Pfälzische Akademie der Maler-, Bildhauer- und Baukunst.“ (Electoral Palatinate Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture) or short „Düsseldorfer Kunstakademie“ (Academy of arts Düsseldorf)  presented its graduation assignments. Between 10:15 and 11:00 am it was still pretty slow and fairly empty here, but then more and more visitors showed up and, eventually, also the graduates. The building itself is very impressive for its size, as you have seen in my previous posting. There are lots or rooms and staircases. And apparently there must have been a party recently, because the open balcony was covered in trash and empty, as well as shattered beer bottles. Students! I know what I am taking about. I assume he is dead, that guitarist. Drugs, suicide? You never know. Unfort...

This Sunday was the last day of Franzi’s overall fourth weekend trip crossdressed within the last two years. After checking out at the hotel and skipping breakfast again, coffee (Kaffee) was in order, followed by arts (Kunst). Portrait of the day At a French bistro, enjoying a freshly squeezed orange juice and a café o lait. I was wearing this wonderful light blue silk wrap dress that is also featured in my most popular blog post, called “Weekend trip crossdressed: Perfect weather, perfect dress, perfect day” from 2022. Most of my “weekend trip crossdressed” posts seem to be very popular. The plan for this morning was to visit the museum “Kunsthalle Düsseldorf.” Franzi arrived at 10 am sharp, only to find out – bloody hell – that they only open at 11 am. Who would have guessed that. As I strolled a little further to kill some time, I found this imposing Neo-renaissance building, the “Kunstakademie” (college of arts) with the inviting sign over the door “Sommerrundgang” (Summer Walkabou...

After the change of outfit – pants to LBD – there was a little time left to kill before heading to the Düsseldorf opera. And as the hotel had a – not very spectacular – rooftop bar, there was little better to do than to pay a visit. On the left, you can see a glimpse of the river Rhein, flowing north towards the Netherlands and the “Oberkasseler” bridge crossing it. The area below the bridge is the “old town” of Düsseldorf. At the opera house … … enjoying a drink before the performance. I love this red blazer. It is a very, very bright red. Let’s talk about what happened on stage that night. “The Flying Dutchman” is a legend about a ship’s captain who was cursed to stay on board of his ship, without being able to make a port or for the captain to decease. “Flying Dutchman” is the name of his ghost ship. The story is supposed to have originated in the 17 th  century during the Golden Age of the Dutch East India Company and was first documented in 1790. Richard Wagner’s opera „The Fl...