A Walk in the Quarter

This room needs light.

— Quote seen in the window of an interior design architect’s office.

I’ve been under the weather lately, which put a damper on my running routine again — this year hasn’t been great for that so far. To get some exercise and avoid another binge-watching session (recently got hooked on the fantastic KAOS), or falling into the abyss of AI image generation, I decided to explore my neighborhood here in Munich’s Westend on foot.

Lately, I’ve been taking more regular walks around the block. I often leave my earbuds behind, immersing myself in the sights and sounds, or simply focusing on the act of walking itself. Each step is deliberate. The foot meeting the ground. The ground meeting the foot. Contrary to popular and my belief, “The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.” is not a Buddha quote ^{1 2}.

There’s something special about wandering aimlessly, turning corners I never explored before, just a few hundred meters from home. How many ways are there to navigate a single street?

I stumbled upon many small shops and offices—design studios, architecture firms, and photography studios — that I’d never noticed before. Most of these have big windows looking out on to the street, so it’s easy to get a glimpse on the people working there, wondering what it is exactly they are working on. Or on the odd occasion meeting their eye and exchanging a smile.

I also discovered an Italian pizzeria I hadn’t seen before. Curious, I peeked through their open kitchen door. A staff member told me they’d opened a year ago, marking their sixth location in Munich, specializing in authentic Neapolitan pizza. I promised to return and try it soon.

Another delightful find was a book-sharing window — there are several around here — where you can take or leave a book. This one stood out because it displayed the book covers and had limited space.

The walk was wonderfully slow and refreshing, offering me a fresh perspective on “my” quarter. I encourage you to do the same: step out of your door and rediscover the simple joys of your neighborhood. Who knows what hidden gems you’ll find?