Yesterday was a full day. . . of waiting! There are four teams competing for the time of the designers so we have to take turns. It’s interesting to hear the other teams talking to the designers about their book projects, and we’re learning so much, but hey, let’s be honest, we keep waiting for our turn! It’s like we’re happy for them and all but what about us!? Haha!

Rudi served us another amazing lunch and we got to talk more with Anna, Josh and Lunetta who are all great! Dianne and Pierre left yesterday. Listening to them all talk is so interesting. The drive and commitment they all share for their projects and for art is infectious. Josh and Lunetta are working on a book about Santu Mofokeng, the photographer from South Africa. Anna is working on a book of photos from Cuba.

We finally met with Victor at 5:00 and he showed us all the work he’d been doing during the day flowing the text and pictures into the new specs and we can envison the book emerging in its new design. It’s new for us and exciting after working on it in the current design for 13 years! We like it! The text will need to be edited down here and there to fit the new column widths and this will have to be done soon. Steidl flew to Paris today for something with Lagerfeld but he’ll be back tonight.

We went out for dinner to a restaurant recommended by Josh called Zum Szultenburger on Prinzenstrasse on the other side of the main square. At one point we got a little lost so when we stopped in the apothecary to buy a few things, we asked a lady for directions. Her English was pretty good and she was friendly so she told us a few stories about the city––such as the girl with a goose in the fountain of the main square. Since this is a university town, all the people who graduate with their doctorates have to kiss this girl in the fountain. She is believed to be the most kissed girl in the world. The goose is to warn her of danger. There are flowers hanging all over the fountain from recent graduates. We love this city!

While we waited for an outside table at Zum Szultenburger the waiter served us schnapps and beer! I had the huntsman’s dinner. Ken had schnitzel with peppers and onions. The portions of schnitzel were enormous! Another waiter came to talk to us during his break about his interest in Civil War history and he and Ken conversed for a while until the head waiter gave him the sign to get back to work. But before he left he gave us each a ferne brancha! I’m not used to so much alcohol! Luckily we didn’t have to drive home! But you just have to watch out for all the people on bicycles cuz you can’t hear them coming up behind you!

It’s now early in the morning…the sky is getting light and I can’t sleep. I’m way too excited about how the day will go since Steidl is back today and will undoubtedly take us all forward.