An American in Wiesbaden

Resolutions of an expat

2012-01-19T05:33:00.000-08:00

The pot (or in this case, domes) of gold at the end of the rainbow? Wiesbaden (literally). Ahhh.... I love where we live.

et me be up-front in admitting I've never been much of a New Year's Resolutions kind of girl. I've never understood why I should even consider something like working out when I hate the gym or swear off overindulging at friend's dinner parties so I stop stumbling home afterwards (although I'm sure much to the enjoyment of the youth hanging at the kebap shops at two a.m.), just because these are supposed to make me a 'better person'. I quite like the curve of my hips - not to mention the treats that get them that way - and the great wine and conversation I get to enjoy with friends. I also hate the idea of making promises to myself that I know very well I won't keep.

But seeing as my new life here in Germany leaves me with a fair amount of, shall we say, downtime, I realized it wouldn't hurt to inject an aspiration or two (or six) into my rather unstructured existence. I think the serious malaise of the holidays culminated at the start of the year with an intense desire to get shit done - starting with some apartment projects I insisted we do on January 1st. While my project is still half done - in the form of still-to-be-filed piles of paperwork and junk I don't need - it did inspire me to put pen to paper and start a list of the things I hope to do in 2012. With any semblance of a professional career 'on hold' and my now-deep immersion in Hausfrau status, I think having some goals for myself will do some good. Publishing it for all to see will hopefully guilt trip me into actually doing it.

1. Improve my German!
I realize this is kind of a no-brainer, but when I really sat down and thought about how much I did not study the language of my new home last year, I was really disappointed in myself. Sure, I can now calm my brain enough to actually focus on - and lo-and-behold, actually understand! - what other people are saying to me and can even attempt unrehearsed conversations without crapping myself, but I've still got a loooooong way to go. My confidence has definitely enjoyed a boost by just floating along and just taking in all the German around me, but my vocabulary (and grammar - oh, heinous German grammar!) will never improve without an active attempt on my part. And so, I'm going to take charge of my German language education this year with more German TV (so good for more realistic conversational vocab), more Pimsleur and other audio lessons and (finally!) finishing my workbooks from the courses we bailed on after they began digressing too much each time a new student started the class. I might not be able to call myself fluent in 2012, but I'm going to try my damndest to make serious improvements!

2. Improve my French!
This is in particular in response to two things that happened at Christmastime: (1) the concert tickets for a show in Paris my husband gave me as a Christmas present, and (2) our trip to Strasbourg which was full of me starting interactions with "je voudrais..." only to end them with "bitte" or "dankeschön". It's very clear that years and years of study done a lifetime ago do not a fluent (or let's face it, even remedial) French speaker make. Being around all that French also reminded me of why I chose French as my foreign language in school all those years ago, unlike most of my contemporaries who took Spanish: it's an incredibly beautiful language. So I'm dusting off my study materials from *gulp* over a decade ago and focusing on Pimsleur French for the next couple months, so that when it comes time to hang out in Paris, I don't sound like just another ignorant tourist.

3. More trekking/exploring
This one's twofold, really: I'm a creature of habit and tend to do the same things over and over again if you let me. There were so many new things about our very own town that we discovered last year, I couldn't believe we still had so much to learn about Wiesbaden and the surrounding countryside. So I'd like to get out more and challenge myself to see new things, but also just to get OUT and do more walking around. Being one of those anti-gym people, I prefer to get my exercise in just getting outdoors and getting things done (walking the dog, walking to the grocery, walking into town for errands...). I want to see more of what our little part of the country has to offer, not to mention walk off the overindulgence of holiday treats that have taken up permanent residence on my thighs.

4. Get my German (EU) driver's license
Honestly, this one scares the bejesus out of me. My 'temporary license' that automatically exists upon coming over has long since expired and now it's officially illegal for me to drive here. So if I want a good-for-life EU license (2013 is when they're making the switch to having expiration dates), the time is now. I've always been a good driver and have been driving some form of motorized vehicles since I was about seven years old, but the idea of going through all the steps of getting a license in a country where I do not fluently speak the language and has a whole new (and much more strict!) set of traffic laws terrifies the perfectionist, well-established driver in me.

From what I understand, I can take the test in English (which I felt incredibly guilty about, until I learned it's upwards of 1,000 questions - egads!), but all the courses would be in German. For my fellow expats here - as well as anyone who's even visited and driven on the Autobahn - you know how serious the Germans take their driving. The thought that I might miss something in class or mix up a translation of some rule has me quaking in my boots. I've seen the little chart of traffic violations and their resulting monetary fines/points deducted from your license (which result from even the most minor of infractions) - it's no joke.

Since no one else I know has had to go through this (my German friends don't have their licenses and the expats I know have all been able to just 'convert' their licenses; disclaimer: my husband did have to take a first aid course in German to do the conversion, but that was all. No test required. Damn him.), I feel as I'm the lone ranger going out into uncharted territory. What if I screw up? What if I fail the test too many times and I can never get a license? What if they insist I drive a manual (which I can manage only if my life depended on it) for my driving test? I suppose all I can do is take the first step...

5. Apartment projects
We still have apartment to-dos that have been on the list since the first day we walked into this place. It's seemingly unending. Again, I sense fellow expats will feel me here. It seems that apartments are much like the American fixer-upper home, only we don't own these places and never intended on funneling so much money into a space that, at the end of the day, belongs to someone else. *sigh..* We learned this the hard way when we had to wait weeks and weeks to be able to buy our fridge, washer and dryer upon our arrival in Germany, because you can't make purchases here with a credit card and - of course! - your apartment doesn't come equipped with such things. Now that we know we must save diligently and pay cash, I've got my sights on a few projects this year, including buying a new kitchen countertop (that's not infested with mold), getting a small couch for our TV room (to encourage the watching of more German television, of course), investing in some helpful and much-missed appliances (how have I possibly lived this long without a blender for margaritas?!) and finally (finally!) repaint the hallway in a color that I actually like. Seems like not a lot, but then there's this to consider...

6. Plan travel for the year
After going travel-crazy our first year here and then having this last year's budget taken up mostly by our trip back to the states, I'm ready to get back into exploring our new continent (and hopefully, beyond). Changes with Russ's job have also shown us that this wonderful opportunity we have to be here may not last forever (please, don't let it be so!), so we're going to to make the most of it. Aside from the spring trip to Paris that was part of my Christmas present, we've got a couple other trips on our wishlist, including finally getting to Thailand and back to the Med. Balancing between all the apartment needs may prove challenging, but I'm doing my best to keep my eye on the prize and be a better saver this year to get there. *dreaming of toes in the sand...*

And so with that, I set off into 2012 with high hopes for myself. I just hope I can live up to it all...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

The holiday black hole (aka - where we've been for the past few weeks)

2012-01-09T03:18:00.000-08:00

Gorging ourselves on treats was just the beginning...

here's both something wonderful and something almost stifling about the holidays here in Germany, at least speaking as an American. With a week of nearly mandatory time off, as everything is shut down, it's difficult to not fall so deep into the holiday-ness that crawling back out to resume everyday life is nothing short of painful (coming from years in retail, Christmas day was often the only day I was relieved from the daily grind). Some days, we just stayed on the couch and watched episode after episode of American TV shows. Other days, we were ambitious enough for hikes in the mountains and even a day trip to France. Then we tumbled right back to the couch, ignoring all else - including blogs, social networking and even an email or two from the folks (sorry guys!).

So what did we do that was so important it was worth all the neglect? Well, here's a bit from all our holiday goings-on...

We did a marathon tour on the final night of our local Weihnachtsmärkte: Mainz, a stop for margaritas (& cinnamon tequila shots!) at our fav Mexican place, then ending at our own Wiesbaden Markt (phew!)

Courtesy of very thoughtful family, we had even more presents than we knew what to do with

(seriously, Christmas morning lasted hours...)

One of my favorites? My mom's handmade treeskirt for our little family, which she whipped up in just a few weeks.

Even Bailey-dog got representation on the family treeskirt, chasing an Eichhörnchen, of course

OK, OK, this one might be my favorite present: a concert in Paris! I can't wait!

Bailey's favorite was clear - a new, stuffed toy to tear apart

(fittingly, a pink bunny, just like on A Christmas Story)

I also scored in the scarf/snood department (obviously)

I made yet another turkey (because really, once you realize how totally easy they are, once a year at Thanksgiving

is not nearly enough!)

I made enough Christmas cookies for an army, rather than just the two - ahem, 2-1/2 - of us that were around for the holidays

Still no holiday snow, but our hike in the Taunus Mountains provided an abundance of spooky fog

Bailey's 2nd trip to Strasbourg, although this time she got an "Oo la la, le chein!" from a passerby. Seems she's even more popular in France.

The Strasbourg Christmas market at the foot of the impressive cathedral - where it's been for over 400 years!

OK, so I lied. Apparently the French make potato sweets as well (???).

Loved all the French in Strasbourg (if only I could still speak it properly...)

My husband - who's birthday is unluckily sandwiched between Christmas and New Years, which means it's forgotten or unacknowledged by most - turned a year older. I did my part to make him feel special.

Our whirlwind tour of holiday markets means we've amassed quite a collection of Glühwein mugs. Might need to have a Glühwein mug party just to put them to good use!

Bailey, learning to love & appreciate her stuffed toy - as opposed to immediate & total destruction

(see: Rocky the Raccoon)

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt

2011-12-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

What a setting for a Christmas market!

omehow my husband came across the Weihnachtsmarkt in Erfurt and we were so blown away by the photos, we immediately added it to our must-see list. Being just over two hours away made it possible to do on his very first day off for the holidays. So on Wednesday, we packed up the car with some snacks - and the dog - and headed east.

When we arrived in Erfurt, a bit later then we'd hoped considering our late start getting on the road and bit of bad weather slowing things down, we soon realized this Markt was much like Düsseldorf in that it was spread throughout various parts of the city. What I've come to like about this is the lack of traffic jams as everyone tries to get around the same small space dedicated to the celebration. It certainly helped out on this trip, seeing as we had to maneuver our four-legged family member through the crowd as well.

The first section we happened upon was the Medieval part of the Markt, done up like a real tattered shanty-town from the 15th century. The booths were strewn with laced-up canvas as their roofs, hand-painted signs and its sellers donned era-appropriate outfits. I wouldn't call myself a Renaissance Faire/Medieval Times kind of gal, but something about the atmosphere in this old German town was contagious, and I almost wished I could swap out my jeans and sweater for a long skirt and bosom-displaying shirt.

Look at that GIANT pan of roasted potatoes!

I just wanted to jump in.

We headed further into the town to explore more of the Markt as it got later, knowing there was still so much more to see. On our way to the next Platz, we encountered a few things that made us laugh:

This little car all decked out for Christmas

(love the mittens on the side mirrors!)

This funny, life-size Brotmann (we thought he was a waffle, but his plaque set us straight)

The next area of the Markt was impressive, both with its ornate architecture and with the culinary find of all the Weihnachtsmärkte to-date: the Hungarian Lángos. This deep-fried flat bread is served either savory, with a choice of various sauces and cheese, or sweet, with just sugar, or Nutella or apple sauce and cinnamon. After our dinner one of spicy sauce and cheese, we decided we'd come back on our way home and get a sweet one (yes, they were that good!). Now I'm really looking forward to a trip to Hungary so I can enjoy more of these tasty treats!

The Hungarian Lángos - my new favorite thing

Making our way down to the final area of the festivities was a breathtaking finale to a lovely evening. As we came further down the curved street, the main Platz, framed by a huge, colorful Ferris Wheel and the amazing cathedral, came into sparkling view. The setting was gorgeous and the set-up still allowed us all to enjoy ourselves, me without getting knocked into and sloshing Glühwein all over myself (an inevitability of the crowded holiday market) and Bailey free from being stepped on.

While we didn't end up there for too long (considering the 2-1/2-hour drive to get there), it was definitely a worthwhile stop on our tour of Weihnachtsmärkte. Perhaps next year, we'll have to spend a bit more time - if for nothing else, to enjoy more Lángos!

Candy apples all colors of the rainbow - but no caramel :(

Only in Germany does a Marzipan potato count as a sweet

Talk about setting the stage!

Frohe Weihnachten!

And so on this final night of Weihnachtsmärkte in Germany, we're off to enjoy an evening at our own Christmas market. Here's to that last Glühwein!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Weihnachtsmärkte Season: A Tale of Two Cities

2011-12-22T06:09:00.000-08:00

Düsseldorf's Weihnachtsmarkt. Pretty, oder?

ith our hopes of spending the holidays in Paris dashed in a pile of unplanned bills and various financial obligations, we've been trying to not let it get us down by seeing more of what our local holiday celebrations have to offer. This past weekend offered quite the tour, with both days filled with a little bit of travel and a whole lot of Weihnachtsmärkte.

On Saturday, we took a trip south into the Pfalz wine region for - what else? - some our favorite Sekt, sold only at the Weingut, and a stop at one our favorite little towns, Freinsheim. We were introduced to it by a German friend last spring (on a wonderful little road trip which somehow I forgot to blog about) and immediately fell in love with its amazing history and quirkiness. The town has apparently been settled since the 6th century and most impressively still remains built around the 15th century wall that once protected the city. Because everything was built - and then rebuilt after the Nine Years' War - around this massive fortress, streets and passageways are often winding, tiny and super-old, giving one the feeling of stepping back in time.

Not surprisingly, the Weihnachtsmarkt there was just like the town itself - small, charming and surely full of centuries of tradition. While there weren't many booths, some of what we managed to pick up was the best we'd experienced anywhere. A small booth selling hard candies - sold at just about every holiday market - had the very best-tasting candies I'd ever tasted (we bought mandarin, apple-cinnamon and milk-rum with filling - yum!). The Glühwein was offered in original, Dornfelder and even a Potugiesier variety, and every one was the most delicious Glühwein we've had at any of the various holiday markets we've visited. It was obvious in this tiny town that they weren't just churning stuff out for mass amounts of tourists. They really took pride in what they served at their Weihnachtsmarkt - and it showed. We're looking forward to making Freinsheim a regular stop at Christmastime.

The picturesque town of Freinsheim, done up for Christmas

Bailey is always well-behaved when there's Wurst involved

Very different Glühwein mugs,

but the very best Glühwein we'd ever tasted

Just in case you didn't know what you were eating,

here's a lovely picture of the animal it came from

A fuzzy end to an afternoon full of many mugs of Glühwein

(really only because I wanted the perfect mug to take home)

The incredible medieval outer gate of Freinsheim

- the Eisentor, or 'Iron Gate''

Sunday was a trip with some of Russ' work friends to Düsseldorf, which was quite the opposite in every way from Freinsheim. Where Freinsheim was a traditional small town with small town offerings, Düsseldorf had more of what you'd expect from a major city - everything was bigger and there was just more of it.

Düsseldorf 's Weihnachtsmarkt - or I should say Weihnachtsmärkte, as it's really a bunch of smaller markets connected on a path of lights around the city center - was impressive in its scale and light displays, as well as range of Glühwein mugs (I picked up three different ones to bring home!), but in terms of food and things to purchase, I wasn't really blown away. The atmosphere definitely made up for its average offerings though, as did the light sprinkling of snow we got in the evening.

While we really didn't get to see much beyond the Markt, just being there for the evening, it was our first time to Düsseldorf and we enjoyed seeing a new town. It was also nice to spend some time with folks I rarely get the chance to see and catch up. In the absence of family, friends really do make the season for us.

The Rheinkniebrücke and Rheinturm (which tells the time with the light display down the tower)

Our group, freezing down by the chilly river

One of the most impressive sections of the Markt boasted a beautiful carousel and giant Christmas tree

Holiday stars light the path to the next section of Weihnachtsmarkt

Angels watch over the booths in this section

This raised platform/bar was quite impressive

amongst all the lights

And onto another Markt area...

...where blue 'stars' lit up the sky

The Glühwein stands here were mostly enclosed

- a nice respite from the cold -

and this one even had super-swanky chandeliers inside

After our whirlwind weekend touring Weihnachtsmärkte, we definitely got inspired to see more to fill our holiday since we're staying home and on our own this year. Yesterday, we drove to Erfurt, in Eastern Germany (more on that later), and we hope to make it into France just after Christmas, as their markets go on till the end of the year. There are definitely people we miss this time of year, but it's hard to get too lonely with such amazing seasonal celebrations going on. I feel rather spoiled - I really couldn't imagine not having the holidays done up as the Germans do.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Der erste Schnee!

2011-12-20T01:53:00.000-08:00

Imagine my surprise when I woke up

and saw THIS out the window!

etween our holiday trip to Paris falling though, all our friends leaving and no one coming to visit us, the forecast of only rain for the week seemed like a kick in the teeth. If nothing else, a white Christmas pretty much makes the holiday, but it didn't look like it was going to happen - until this morning! I don't know if it was my husband being more noisy than usual, or that I just knew, but something got me up early this morning and when I happened to look out the window, I started squealing like a child. My snow had come! Not just a lame sprinkling either - an honest-to-goodness white covering of everything in sight.

Like any good snow aficionado, I immediately threw on some clothes over my pjs, did a quick mouthwash rinse and laced up my snow boots. Bailey knew something was up (she probably can't remember the last time she saw me up before the sun), but it wasn't until we stepped out the door that she realized what all the excitement was about. Always unsure at first, it didn't take too long before she was racing around in the snow, burying her face in it and generally acting like a crazed animal. Bailey and I are kindred spirits where snow is concerned.

After walking Russ to his car, the two of us decided to make the most of it - after all, who knew if it would stick (it's looking good so far!) - and headed to the park. Bailey got to do all kinds of running around off the leash (like several other doggies with the same idea this morning) and rediscovered her affinity for eating snow, while I got to take all kinds of pictures and just revel in the early, pristine whiteness that so many had yet to discover today.

So, without further ado, Wiesbaden's first snow this winter:

Crossing my fingers it will keep this up for a White Christmas...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Der Deutsch Zahnarzt (aka - my first trip to the German dentist)

2011-12-01T09:01:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not impersonating Elvis -

that's just the numb novocaine lip (hot, right?)

hen the aching around my wisdom tooth started earlier this week, I was already working on putting off my inevitable first trip to a German dentist. I don't exactly know when my fear of dentists began, but I'm guessing it manifested in my youth filled with dentist-pulled teeth (mine were late to come in) and five-and-a-half years of mouth torture, otherwise known as braces. Oh yeah, and a major oral surgery. So needless to say, my pain threshold for a lifetime has been reached where my teeth are concerned.

Not wanting my pain - or the problem causing the pain - to get any worse, I bit the bullet and called the dentist my friend recommended. After stumbling my way through what should have been an embarrassingly beginner conversation in German, I had myself an appointment for the same afternoon. I enlisted my husband's help in getting there, since after a night filled with horrific mental images probably much more akin to a slasher film than the workings of a legitimate dental professional, I was terrified that, depending on the extent of my procedure, I might not make it home on my own. Note: I'm defending this view, as it's happened before. I had a simple dermatological procedure earlier this year requiring all of two stitches and passed out to the extent that the doctor gave me the candy bar from his lunch and insisted I stay laying down until someone came for me. Yeah, I'm a bit of a baby.

Being a weak-willed, procedure-adverse person, I am pushed even more to my limits by Germans' bedside manner - in that, they notoriously don't have one. I swear the aforementioned dermatologist looked more uncomfortable by my bout of fainting than a young man on a date chaperoned by the girl's father. I could see that he just didn't know what to do (seen the German doctor in Funny People? - that's pretty much right on). Going into an experience where one wants a little coddling is usually a no-win situation over here, but I was about to be proven wrong.

After more stumbling through the paperwork and apologizing for not understanding all of the questions, the receptionist, who is also the dentist's wife and perhaps the sweetest German woman I have ever met, brought me in to the dentist get started. What I'd like to think was a valiant effort in German on my part was quickly overrun by my nervousness (and frankly, lack of vocabulary) and he thankfully realized English would probably provide better clarification so he could do his job. His wife, having the most amazing bedside manner of any medical professional I've ever experienced in my whole life, saw my nervousness and slipped a smooth, wooden heart into my hand for me to squeeze and then gently cradled my face while he began his examination. I was so caught off guard by the tenderness of the the gesture, I nearly teared up. She had blown every preconceived notion - and albeit limited personal experience - with German medical practitioners out of the water!

A quick x-ray and a five minute wait while my husband tried to distract me with a silly iPhone game told us that while my wisdom tooth was looking good (phew!), my mostly-filling tooth beside it had very little protection between the filling and nerve (ouch). He would replace it, this time including a kind of barrier for my poor, overworked nerve. I had a feeling that German efficiency would prevail and I was correct - I was there, so it was happening now (eeek!). Frau Dentist continued to keep an eye out for me and reminded her husband to tell me about the signal if I needed to take a break (she didn't really speak any English). Again - so sweet.

With Germans not being the drug-addled society we Americans are (I can't even get rid of a headache with anything over the counter here, my tolerance is apparently so high), I was further terrified that whatever they had in mind to protect this sensitive nerve throughout the procedure would be undoubtedly too weak. It wasn't until after he put something on my gums and I started to feel the tingle that I even realized I'd been numbed. Like a naive child, I even had to ask if he'd just given me a shot, because I didn't feel a thing (first. time. ever.). He affirmed and kind of chuckled, confused, as if to say "of course you didn't feel a thing, you silly girl, this is my job."

So while the procedure of having a major filling drilled out and then refilled (at one point he started in with something that made me feel like he was sandblasting my tooth and rattling my brain) was certainly no day at the beach, it was entirely pain-free and borderline pleasant, especially upon discovering my two new favorite dental professionals in the world. I paid my €10 co-pay for the quarter but seeing as I requested the better-looking composite fillings (as opposed to the standard, covered-by-state-insurance silver amalgam ones), I expect I'll get a decently sizable bill in the coming weeks. I also have a check-up in a couple weeks, as the dentist wants to see how the pain in that tooth is progressing. I've never once had a dentist care about following up with my pain on something as 'routine' as a filling. Perhaps these Germans aren't such cold, suck-it-up, tough-it-out people after all.

It's funny how when things like this come up in expat life, one really starts to realize how much these interactions are taken for granted wherever you come from - and how much one's ideas about their new culture are challenged. After starting this post, I felt a little silly that I was dedicating such an extensive recounting of something as mundane as a trip to the dentist. But as I've learned, things that might be the norm in one's life in the states, may be entirely different over here. Throw in a language barrier and healthy terror of the dentist, and a mundane experience gets a whole lot more complicated.

After all that, I will say that if and when I do have a problem with my wisdom teeth, I'm so glad I've got my German dentist and his wife to take care of me! Also on the plus side, my new dentist reaffirmed what I've heard from all my previous dentists - I do an excellent job of cleaning my teeth (he even made sure to tell me "this is a big compliment"). Now if only that meant they could stop all the damn drilling...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Instagram holiday season

2011-11-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

very time I walk through our town's Christmas market, which has been open just a week now, I experience this feeling of giddiness that rises up in me and I must contain with a smile in the hopes the Germans don't think I'm crazy for literally laughing out loud with delight. I've become of those people revels outwardly at the changing of the seasons and most importantly, the start of my very favorite time of year: Christmas.

For those of you who think I'm just another crazy going off the Lorelai-Gilmore deep end of holiday-ness with an unhealthy obsession with something as simple as the first snow (which I am anxiously awaiting), in my defense, I come from the season-less, scaled-back, oh-so-PC land of California where any of the feelings of the Christmas season came mostly from inside our house (and no, Black Fridays where people pepper-spray each other don't count). Here, not only is there snow (again, I'm waiting...), but it's like all of Germany just goes Christmas crazy as soon as those leaves start hitting the ground - the street lights, the Markts, the window displays (the only half-decent ones in Europe all year!). Just think - another whole month to go...

(Forgive some of the image repetitiveness for those that follow my TwitPic feed - I couldn't help sharing them again! They really help me capture the old-timey, traditional holiday spirit I feel here.)

The city begins to celebrate the season (in mid-November)...

Somehow my weekly walking buddy looks even cuter when bundled up against the cold

Special eggnog latte (courtesy of trip to the military base)

- 1st in two years!

Der Sternschnuppenmarkt beginnt!

An early Christmas present to myself - a super-warm, wooly hat that makes me feel like an Eskimo snow princess

The season of the Schokokuss

And since Christmas begins over here before the American holiday of Thanksgiving, here's a peek at our Thanksgiving celebration this past weekend...

New recipe of Herb Biscuits (sage & thyme) from Real Simple - amazing!

My Thanksgiving plate *stuffed*

...and the dessert spread: cherry, pumpkin & chocolate bourbon

pecan pies + brownies and cinnamon cream

Here's to a glorious holiday season!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

The final colors of autumn

2011-11-21T06:40:00.000-08:00

had almost forgotten how fleeting autumn is here in Germany. It seems like as soon as the air turns crisp - and the leaves turn yellow, orange and red - it's time for Christmas and winter (unlike in California, where the brown, dead leaves piling up in our front yard seemed to last forever). As much as I love the holiday season, I really do wish fall and all its beautiful colors lasted a little bit longer.

In the past few weeks, we've been spending an increasing amount of time outdoors to enjoy the last bit of autumn. Sure, winter doesn't officially start for another month, but the start of the Christmas market here in town tomorrow and the weather say otherwise. So here's to all the beauty of autumn! Now onto Glühwein, Weihnachtsmärkte and Schnee - bring it on, winter!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Into the woods we go...

2011-11-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

Bailey really couldn't care less about the beautiful autumn colors

- she was just antsy to run around and sniff things

n an attempt to catch some of the amazing autumn colors before they literally all fall away - and to walk off a bit of the amazing food we've been indulging in - we've been heading into the surrounding forests for frequent walks/hikes (which depends entirely on the incline and subsequent soreness). I'm not sure why it has taken us so long to get out into the wilderness that is literally a 15-minute walk from our doorstep, but I'm so glad we've started to make a habit of it.

These are a few shots from weekend before last where we drove far into the countryside, until the colors got so beautiful we had to stop. Germans are such fanatics for walking and hiking, I can't believe I was surprised at how easy it was to find a spot to park the car and a path to start on, from seemingly the middle of nowhere. I had always wondered about the people I'd seen trekking out in the middle of fields from my lazy perch in the passenger seat of our car as we drove by - and now we were those people!

So glad that almost two years into our expat life, we're still discovering new things all the time...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Strick' Dir Deine Stadt!

2011-11-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Why yes, that sign pole is wearing a sweater!

arlier this week as I headed into town, I was stopped in my tracks when I saw a utility box on the sidewalk covered in what looked like a made-to-order, colorful knitted sweater. 'Was this Wiesbaden's answer the to freezing weather on its way?' I thought. But then I looked up and saw the colorful knits covering everything in the Kochbrunnenplatz from tree trunks to handrails to planter boxes. Walking deeper into the city, I saw more and more of these funny little knits on everything from bike racks to sign posts. It was as if a band of crazy knitters went all over the city in the middle of the night, knitting everything they could get their hands on.

Uh, protecting the city's resources from frigid temps, maybe..?

A quick Google search when I got home brought up a Facebook group called Wiesbaden Knäuelt- Strick' Dir Deine Stadt, or 'knit your city', who called upon people to knit things to "prettify Wiesbaden" and celebrate the city being a social business city for one year. I'm not entirely sure what one has to do with the other - or what makes a city officially 'social' in the first place - and the people setting up this project look like they're straight out of downtown Santa Cruz or Golden Gate Park (i.e.- a little kooky), but the results certainly add a little something special around town. As the Weihnachtsmarkt is still setting up, the brightly-colored knitwear for the city is a nice preface to the holiday season to come.

As for the locals, I can't imagine what they think of crazy, colorful yarn all over their town. Being the sort who rarely don outerwear much more daring than olive green or navy blue, this much color on full display might cause some to have a heart attack. Me, I'm just enjoying the creativity. It's almost like a little taste of home (ahem, CA). ;)

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

2011-11-10T09:42:00.000-08:00

My pumpkin haul this week, after being hit with the frightening realization that pumpkin season does not last forever

y love affair with pumpkins has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The seasonal chill in the air that signals the introduction of pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin bread back into the day-to-day (at least in America) is my very favorite time of year for the snuggly sweaters and fabulous boots, but mostly for the food that is to come. Come to think of it, I've rather loved all things orange - carrots (so much so when I was a toddler that my mother had to inquire of my pediatrician why my hands and feet had turned orange), clementines, Fanta (OK, not-so-naturally orange) and of course - pumpkins.

As I type, our apartment is filled with the smell of roasting pumpkins that I'm cultivating the flesh from in mass amounts (see photo above) to freeze and use throughout the holiday season. Pumpkin foods should not end with Halloween. There is still pumpkin pie (hello, Thanksgiving?!), pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin cupcakes, pumpkin lattes... and the desire for which does not wane until long after that last leaf hits the ground.

In an effort to keep the pumpkin love flowing, I'm including below a few of my recent favorite pumpkin recipes. The first of which I discovered in a friend's family cookbook and saw again on myrecipes.com, originating from Cooking Light (the 'light' suggestions, needless to say, I disregard). I love this soup because while I often find that savory pumpkin dishes can feel a little heavy and stifling for my sweet-preferring taste buds, the orange and mango in the mix bring a nice lightness to the flavor. I also made a few alterations for my preferences and already converted for our metric uses over here, so here goes:

Thai Pumpkin Soup - one of the latest staples of our autumn diet

Thai Pumpkin Soup
1 (16-ounce) can/ 475ml chicken broth (use more if you prefer lighter, less dense soup)
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin/ flesh from 2 med Hokkaidos, roasted & mashed/puréed
1 (12-ounce) can/ 355ml mango nectar
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (use the good stuff, if you can get it)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced green onions (I'm generous with this amount)
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I'm generous with this as well)
1 garlic clove, crushed

Sriracha sauce to taste

pumpkin seed oil, roasted pumpkin seeds & chopped green onions for garnish

Combine first four ingredients in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil, whisking generously to mix. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and next six ingredients, adjusting red pepper and Sriracha to desired spiciness; cook until thoroughly heated.

Now, I tend to let this sit/simmer for a while to let the flavors really meld. It's always nice to get some more heat from the pepper flakes and Sriracha as the flavors come together.

Perhaps the world's biggest single clove of garlic

I made some pumpkin pancakes last year, but honestly, wasn't blown away by the recipe. Realizing my affinity for baking things with buttermilk, this time around I actually searched 'buttermilk pumpkin pancakes' and came up with a part-time foodie and full-time lawyer's blog called Judicial Peach (he was born in Georgia - cute, right?) for a winning recipe. Needless to say, I'm sure I will be going back to Charles for some more food ideas!

The perfect Buttermilk Pumpkin (& pecan!) Pancakes

Real Buttermilk Pumpkin Waffles

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (I used fresh grated)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 cup shaken buttermilk
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

*I added 1/3 cup chopped pecans to mine

Sift together the dry ingredients – the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices, in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter, in a large mixing bowl, until smooth. Whisk in the dry ingredients, in batches, until well combined. Fold in pecans, if using. Cook in a non-stick (or greased) griddle over medium-low heat.

I found these to be light and fluffy, without letting the dense pumpkin overwhelm the texture of the pancake. These will definitely a weekend breakfast staple for the season (along with pumpkin lattes made with pumpkin syrup I make and keep in the fridge for a week's worth of coffees)!

I've also gotten some requests for the recipe to the Thin Mint cookies I made last month, and as much as I hate to give away my secret site of all things amazing, here goes: Ming Makes Cupcakes. I don't know who this girl is or what she does besides bake up some of the most amazing things ever and give the recipes away for free on this little site of hers, but I'd like to give her a big fat kiss. Everything - and I mean EVERYTHING - I've made from her site has knocked my socks off. I've made several of the cupcakes (including a savory one!) and two of the cookies already, but I'm determined to work my way through her entire catalog of treats.

No more Girl Scout cookies for me (even if I could buy them here)!

Quick tip on the Thin Mints: I found refrigerating overnight - rather than just 2 hours - helps them to keep that perfect circular shape when slicing pieces to bake. The above photo was taken before this realization, hence the wobbly oval shape of an otherwise delicious cookie. Enjoy!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

(Belated) WEBMU - Expats across Germany unite!

2011-11-09T03:35:00.000-08:00

Sunset over Köln

dmittedly, I was a little nervous about joining up with the WEBMU crowd. The name, after all, stands for Whiny Explat Bloggers Meet Up - and whining about things in Germany is the last thing I wanted to do. Whenever I meet expats who have been here longer than I have, I am eager to hear about their feelings and experiences making a new life here, as I hope to be here for the long haul myself. When said expats only have whining to do about Germany, it raises a flag for me and chips away at the naive hopefulness I still feel about how perfect life is here (OK, not entirely perfect, but perfect for me, for now). So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover these expats weren't whiny at all - in fact, they all seemed to be integrated into German life beautifully. Not to mention that they were just awesome people.

St. Ursula's Church, one of the afternoon's excursions

So a few weeks back (yes, I'm grossly behind on this post!), we packed up some snacks and one Frau Dietz in the car and headed up to Cologne for the once-a-year meet-up of fellow English-speaking bloggers around Germany. I had only met Resident on Earth in person before, but most of the others I had had interactions with via their blogs, Twitter or other online networking channels (what would we expats do without the internet?!). It was beyond great to not only put a face with a name, but also learn more about the people behind the blogs.

St. Ursula's is all about the bones...

Yup, there's a skull inside her head too

I'd been to Cologne twice already, but only to visit the Dom on brief day-trips, so it was great to be able to walk the city with local Resident on Earth and see more of it. The afternoon was quite productive with stops at the Bone Church (St. Ursula's - more great photos via Frau Dietz here), a little cafe/cake shop, a walk along the Hohenzollern bridge with the amazing locks lining the tracks and a trip up the 28-storied KölnTriangle for a panoramic view of the city.

Just one of the amazing 360° views from the KölnTriangle's Panorama Platform, which notes all the city's sights on the glass

After touring around the city, we settled in for a very traditional beer hall meal, where we took up nearly half the room and solicited questioning glaces - and actual questions about who we all were - from neighboring tables. It was my first traditional Cologne experience with Kölsch, where they don't stop bringing the tiny, cold glasses of delicious beer until you cover your glass with your tally-marked coaster and make them stop. Quite the opposite of the usual leisurely European meal service!

Not even to a liter yet - a meager start by German standards

The waiter making the rounds in keeping everyone well on their way to drunkeness

The day chock full of excursions and getting-to-know-you chatter came to a close over the annual That Queer Expatriate's Queer Expedition, in which we all hung out at a gay bar in what is known as the Bermuda Triangle - Cologne's gay 'hood. If it weren't for our hour-and-a-half car ride back home (for most of which I was passed out in the front seat), that would have been the perfect way to conclude a great day meeting new friends.

For a group I was a little unsure of joining in the first place, I now find I'm looking forward to next year's meet-up and hoping for the chance to tour through some of the other blogger's towns to see them again before a whole year is up. Big thanks to the local hosts for all their planning and to everyone who made the trek all the way there - bis nächsten Jahr!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Just another beautiful autumn day

2011-11-05T03:02:00.000-07:00

n the midst of a lot going on in the past couple weeks - hosting a big dinner party, feeling a bit under the weather and most time consuming: reconfiguring everything back onto my old (really rather new) computer that is finally up and running again (regretting not getting the Mac) after more than six months - I've been really neglectful. I've been holed up inside and working, or resting, furiously. It's been tiring and uninspired, to say the least.

So the other day when I decided to take Bailey out for a longer walk than usual, it's no surprise that the beautiful autumn colors of our neighborhood did much to rejuvenate me. It seems that even after experiencing all the magic of seasons last year, the transformation is equally magical every year. California's mild, albeit boring, climate has left me gaping like a wide-eyed child at the way the world here can change so drastically and beautifully with each day. Each time I go out and capture pictures like this, I'm convinced I've caught our neighborhood presenting the best colors of the season. Then I go out the next day and see it can get even better.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Wild von Wald

2011-10-21T02:37:00.000-07:00

Luchse und Schweine und Bären - oh my!

have been anxious to go to the Fasanerie since Frau Dietz told me about it many months ago and a few weekends ago there was enough of a break in the rain for us to finally go. The rain stayed mostly at bay, but what killed us was the decision to walk all the way there - more than 5km (uphill!). The walk around the park (more uphills!) was almost ruined by the Jell-O-feeling in my legs, but the furry critters helped keep my mind off my pathetically out-of-shape state.

The forest road to the Fasanerie

What I loved about the Fasanerie was that, unlike animal parks and zoos I've seen before, this was actually set in the woods, as opposed setting up an artificial habitat, which seemed to result in happier wildlife. Rather than the poor animals being carted halfway around the world and forced to live in a place not to their liking just so people can gawk and take photos, it appears as though these animals were all native to the area - or at least, very nearby - and the appropriate fences were just put up around them to keep the top of the food chain from eating the bottom of the food chain and to allow petting and feeding access to those animals that wouldn't eat little children.

Perhaps it was my exhaustion making me impatient, but I was eager to head straight for the big, scary animals (the wolves and bears). Something made me stop in my tracks en route to the outer edges of the park: the Waschbär. First, I had no idea this was the name for the raccoon in German. Second, I thought they didn't exist over here. I had come to rather miss those pesky animals that used to scratch their way up our fence outside our bedroom window every night, at all hours, and prowl around looking for food in our California back yard - and now here was one! I thought raccoons in the states were portly, but this guy was positively tubby. They must have had him on a similar diet to the 'coons we knew so well: spilled dogfood and garbage.

I was also thrilled to see wooden animals for children to play on, conveniently stationed next to the real animals they represented. Germans have a thing for wooden playthings - filling everything from playgrounds to toy stores. Aside from looking so charming and old-school, I love that the culture here still appreciates the simple things and doesn't feel the need to overstimulate children to the point of inflicting ADD. No blinding colors and artificial animal sounds to disturb the peacefulness of this wooded animal sanctuary.

The 'big and scary' animals provided a little excitement, but the wolves remained much less showy than the bears. I only caught a glimpse of one's fluffy tail as he sneaked through the forest. The bears were a bit smaller and less exciting than I'd imagined them to be, one even excusing himself up the hill to sit behind a tree and do his business (which of course brought to mind that famous analogy about what a bear does in the woods...).

By far the most exciting were the Büffel - wooly, enormous and just a wee bit scary (especially considering that tiny, three-wire fence that separated us). This big 'un seemed harmless enough, but she did keep eyeing us in such a way that made you wonder what was going on in that buffalo head. Perhaps we looked like lunch, or perhaps we just looked like ridiculous staring contest partners. Either way, she got bored after not too long and went on her way. The best thing about her though....

... she was a Rasta Büffel, sporting a very long and impressive dreadlock. I overheard the German family next to us say something about the 'Rasta' as well. It's nice to know some things know no language bounderies.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Two years ago today...

2011-10-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

e were starting our journey, not only as husband and wife, but also knowing that in a matter of weeks our new lives overseas would be just beginning. We had no idea exactly what we were in for, but in the excitement of our marriage we were ready for anything. Even our wedding day was a bit of an adventure - flying to other side of the country to be married in New York's Central Park (a place I had never been to until that trip). The sentiment of new beginnings and places continued when shortly thereafter (two weeks for my husband, eight weeks for me), we moved our whole life - dog included - across the Atlantic to start a new life in a country where we could only speak a few words of the language. Like our German, our marriage has made great progress and undergone many adventures, but we still have so much to learn and so much to experience.

Here's to the two years we've spent so far - and to many more!

Wedding photography by Augie Chang

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Some local exploring

2011-10-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Burg Eppstein

n light of the holiday last Monday, we decided to get out and take advantage of an extra day off with some exploring of our nearby towns. Autumn was officially getting started, but the weather was pure summer - hot and sunny. While the dog was certainly game for exploring some new places, her black perma-fur coat made it tough for her to do much more than collapse at first sign of shade. Not that we weren't too far behind her.

My husband had seen a castle in Eppstein on his way through one time and suggested we go there. We spent a few hours walking around the town, enjoying the atmosphere and then up to the castle itself. It still amazes me to see modern-day life so nonchalantly surrounding such a notable structure from the 10th century. On our walk down the hill through town, we saw a little boy playing in his yard that sloped down to the perfect view of the castle and envied that childhood.

With a little time still before we had to be back in town for dinner with friends, we drove a bit further into the mountains and discovered another more modern Burg towering over the valley. It turned out to be more recently claimed for doctors' offices, art studios and a restaurant, but the view from it was stunning. All in all, a pretty perfect autumn day.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

IAA (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung) - the 64th Frankfurt Auto Show

2011-10-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite car from the show - a gorgeous Wiesmann

hat began as an outing idea that I was certain would be catered disproportionately to my husband, ended up being just as enjoyable of an experience for me - and so we ended up the other weekend at the IAA, or the 64th Frankfurt Auto Show. While my husband is not what I'd call a car fanatic, he is a man, and that somehow means he can spout off all kinds of stats about cars I know nothing about. I, on the other hand, mostly like cars for their aesthetics, and of course how they handle when it comes down to actually investing in one. The city-size scale of this event meant there was plenty there to keep us both happy.

The colors, the displays - it was like the Disneyland for car-lovers

Being the auto show of the year, we figured it would be pretty big and impressive, but nothing prepared us for the sheer size of the show and the incredible effort put into the showrooms - and that's before even getting to the cars themselves. We figured a few hours would be enough time to see what we wanted without getting overwhelmed - boy, were we wrong! At the end of the day, we departed with a lasting sense of wonder and a sadness for all that we didn't get to see.

The main attractions, of course, were those crazy concept automobiles. In the world of cars, it's fun to dream about what's possible - and at IAA, car makers create the reality. Some are crazy-ridiculous for real life (like Peugeot's 'Batmobile') and some are much more feasible (like the Land Rover - which reminded me of Toyota's FJ Cruiser that went into production after the overwhelming response when it was shown as just a concept), but they are all amazing to look at. Here, a few of the coolest concepts we saw:

BMW

Land Rover

Peugeot

Citroën

Ford

Of course, being of the feminine persuasion, I couldn't help but be attracted to cars for their cuteness and sense of fun. Disco balls and collaborations with the likes of Gucci and Fendi didn't hurt either.

Gucci's Fiat 500

Toyota's Disco in the front...

... and DJ in the back

The new Mini Cooper

Beyond the cars, the atmosphere was just amazing. Germany can be a little austere and lacking in creativity for those of us who value design (beyond just for utilitarianism, of course), and so it was such a treat to see all the amazing effort put into impressing people at the show.

From simple flooring and seating design...

...to the massive displays like a life-size (or rather, movie-size) Transformer

Honda's colorful, creative displays

Two of my favorites were BMW and Mini. Both had immense, amazing spaces that boggled the mind. BMW was massive compared with a lot of other manufacturers, but also had an impressive amount of automobiles - everything from the old models driving around a raised track to several new, very cool-looking concepts. Mini was of course representative of all things young, social and interactive. The only thing I regret is not asking the girls working the Mini booth to take a photo with me, since we just so happened to match in our red pants and dark tops. I did have a brief moment of panic when I realized this though, hoping that no one approached me to ask questions, in German no less, about the cars.

Old model BMWs making their way around a raised track above the showroom

We got to take silly photos of ourselves at the Mini booth & have them displayed for all to see

Oops - I looked like I belonged as part of the Mini presentation

I do have to say that I think the organizers of the event missed a huge opportunity with the females in attendance. The men had the cars - no to mention all the lovely ladies posing next to said cars - to enjoy, but the women, unless they were automobile fanatics, were really just along for the ride. I'm not sure whether it's the girly-girl or former marketing-maven in me, but I felt there was an obvious opening that no one thought to take advantage of.

I was so struck by the amazing colors and sparkling finishes on the cars, I had to wonder why the manufacturers didn't team up with a nail polish brand and have stations where one could get a manicure, or better yet, buy a bottle of limited edition polishes to match these brand new automobiles. I know I couldn't help but fall in love with several gorgeous paint jobs and photograph them in the hopes of finding similar polishes somewhere...

So it was with heavy hearts that we departed for the day, remembering all the amazing things we had seen. While I wished had left with some of those unbelievable car colors bottled for future manicure use, I was satisfied with my super-cool, tech-y t-shirt to commemorate the occasion, as well as the most hilarious vending machine sighting at the Messe/Laatzen subway station.

The U-Bahn keepin' it classy with its vending machine offerings

For all you car enthusiasts, I leave you with the grand daddy of all the cars I saw: the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport L'Or Blanc. My husband went on and on about how fast it can go (ridiculously fast) and how much it costs (ridiculously expensive), but it mostly fell on deaf ears. What can I say - once again, I just liked the paint. :)

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Autumn weather has finally arrived!

2011-10-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

weater weather is finally upon us! It seems the atmosphere has finally caught up with the calendar and the piles of leaves already on the ground. The beautiful, sunny chill in the air this morning has turned into a downright cold, rainy day - and the rest of the week is looking to be the same. Not quite the autumn weather I have been begging for, but I guess I'll take what I can get.

How we can go from digging out summer shorts to cope with the heat one day, to having to turn on the heater and sport socks and slippers in the house the next day is crazy. You would think coming from the often changing, chilly San Francisco Bay area would mean I'm more used to these weather fluctuations, but you'd be wrong. The weather in Germany is something that continues to amaze and confuse me. And make me invest in more coats.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Kitchen update

2011-09-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

That cooktop is no longer just for looks - it's brand new and it actually works!

ver the weekend, we finally got our stove situation worked out. Thanks to a painfully-early delivery, I was looking forward to our first real weekend breakfast in weeks... until I realized that the vast majority of our pan collection was not compatible with an induction cooktop, save some small sauce pans and a random grill pan my husband excitedly came home with during 'American week' at Aldi some months ago. So day one with the new cooktop was French toast, but day two meant a bigger deal with eggs and bacon. Mmm, I missed this!

Finally! One of our favorites: ricotta eggs on toast, with rosemary potatoes & bacon for good measure

The first night with a stove back in our life had me craving pasta - and so spaghetti it was. Then it was onto my other favorite - rice - so I whipped up a stir-fry. It's funny how much you take a little thing like having a stove to cook on for granted until you are without one for weeks!

Not to make the new oven feel underappreciated, I have big plans for more baking this fall - pumpkin breads, my favorite brownie recipe (which is amazing, since I don't even like brownies) and all kinds of cupcakes. Not to mention putting in some major time with my Le Creuset. Now if only the weather would finally turn to chilly autumn so I can start working on some soups...

My signature stir-fry - so easy, so delicious

Taco Tuesday is back! And with margaritas!

Due to some changes with my husband's job, I'm a little apprehensive about doing anymore big kitchen projects until we have a better idea of where he'll end up with his appointed new position with the company. Granted, no job is ever guaranteed, but all the recent changes make me wary about dumping even more money into a rented kitchen renovation. Alas, it looks like those new countertops will have to wait. I hope someday soon we'll feel confident enough in our life here that we can finish what we started, but for now, the smaller cosmetic changes will have to do.

After several failed attempts & trips to OBI for more reinforcements for the disintegrating clay walls, our new shelf is finally up. Yay, storage!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Birthday, take two

2011-09-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Bailey was very excited about all the boxes - and the smells - from the states

or all my frustration and stressing about my recent shipment issues, the final installment of my mom's birthday packages has finally made it into my hot little hands. Aside from the fact I had to get up pre-dawn to have my husband drive me across town (and thank goodness I did - the box turned out to be huge) and my subsequent zombie-like state for the remainder of the morning (how in the world did I used to do this every day to commute to work??), it turned out not to be the hassle I imagined. Luckily, the entire interaction took less than two minutes and no more than my most basic German.

Loads of customs paperwork I don't understand

I get the point that customs needs to check packages now and then to make sure there aren't illegal goings-on, and I'm fine with that. What I don't get is why I've gotten two letters in past few weeks - one Deutsche Post and one FedEx - assuming that these packages clearly marked 'GIFTS' in the customs paperwork are in fact not what they say they are, then demand receipts for said items and hefty fees to be paid. All it took for the one via Deutsche Post to be settled was for me to open one of the items of their choice from my package for them to see the contents weren't questionable and I was sent on my way. I have a feeling the FedEx customs invoice will take a little more to go away, since it will require more of a conversation, as the package is already in my possession and I know very little about customs regulations. So I'm crossing my fingers that my German is up for the likely push back I will receive.

On the plus side, I am still enjoying birthday goodies, two weeks after the fact. I've always loved getting things in the mail (who doesn't?!) and the fact that all these friends and family are so far away makes it feel that much more special when I get a package sent to me halfway around the world. I sincerely hope the recent issues don't put everyone off from sending anything our way, as it means the world to us!

Bailey might have been even more excited about the Pop-Tarts box than I was - lots of sniffing and licking (her, not me)

Bless my mom, she even bubble wrapped the inside so they'd get to me in one piece

An Essie classic (Sugar Daddy) - so pretty!

Ahhhh... the boots I had been waiting (very impatiently) to receive. Love them!

My final haul, not too shabby :)

Easy to see this was a gift shipment, as stated for customs in the first place

Until the next holiday... here's hoping all packages make it without incident. ;)

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

A perfect Sunday

2011-09-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Pretty picturesque, oder?

dmittedly, we're so settled into German life, it's hard to find us anywhere other than on the couch in our PJs, watching movies on a given Sunday (you know, day of rest, everything is closed, etc, etc). But between this Sunday's gorgeous weather and our awesome fieldtrip to IAA (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung - a more in-depth post on that to come) the day before, we were inspired to get out of the apartment and really enjoy the day.

The parrots were apparently visiting from the parks at Schloss Biebrich, albeit pretty camouflaged

We ended up spending a good bit of time in Nerotal park, as the weather was that beautiful, sunny, warm-but-not-too-hot perfection that was begging to basked in. Bailey was also long overdue for some serious outdoor-frolicking activity.

Running, running, running...

The very splashy ducks had Bailey poised for action

- she was ready to jump in after them, if we'd let her

... and she's spent!

Fall or not, Germans take every sun-bathing, bikini-weather opportunity they can get

Once the dog had run herself silly and we had soaked up enough sun to know we had to spend the rest of the day in it, we dropped Bailey off at home to crash and headed down the street to Stadtfest (yes, another fest) for a dog-free, adult afternoon. Of course, upon entering the fest, we found it filled with dogs (with much better behavior than ours is capable of) and children (who were gloriously not screaming), but we still enjoyed plenty of relaxation and alcohol.

I'm often still caught off-guard when I look up & realize the buildings that surround our daily life

A side note on one of the biggest attractions at the fest, the enormous hay bale-beings: While endearing and oh-so-autumn to most, I found them rather creepy - for more than the obvious reasons. My mother loves to tease that when I was a child and we happened by fields with hay bales all over them on a road trip, I would start screaming. Not screaming in a scared, "I think the hay bales are going to eat me" way, but more out of frustration in that "I can't believe they left those bales of hay strewn carelessly all over that field." Being a very particular and organized child, my mother assumed this is what caused such a deep-rooted reaction (stacked hay bales apparently elicited no response... boy, do I belong in orderly Germany, or what?). To this day, my mother never fails to point hay bales out with a laugh. So Mom, this one's for you.

Giant hay people, and yet I managed not to run away screaming

First things first, we grabbed a beer, a bite to eat and a place to enjoy both in the sunshine. Between the picture-perfect setting in the park and the gloriously summer-like weather, it didn't take much more than that to make our day.

Lunch of beer and the ubiquitous Flammekueche - only this time, Mediterranean style. So lecker!

After sufficiently filling our bellies, we were off to discover what this fest was made of. As we soon found out, not too much. There were a few tents of artisan goods, a few of food, a stage with some German-style music being played, but most of the attractions at this comparatively small fest were child-focused: small versions of carnival rides, hay bales to climb on (naturally, I kept my distance) and some farm animals to pet.

Pyramid o' pumpkins

All kinds of autumn produce, including an amazing variety of potatoes

A freshly-shorn (while the children watched and giggled) sheep

One of the very massive cows - held in by a not-so-massive, make-shift fence

Wandering around half the Kurpark only took so long, after which we did the only thing left to do: find something else to eat (and drink!). Russ found a sausage bun of some kind, while I made a bee-line for the corn on the cob, whose tent also happily sold Erdbeersecco (strawberry sparkling wine), which I discovered to be delicious. We sat for a while on the grass, enjoying our fest food and the view, thankful for another weekend of beautiful weather before that inevitable chill sets in for the next eight or nine months.

We live here... *sigh*

We ended up heading home through town, which surprisingly, had even more happening than at the park. Beyond just more kiddie attractions and a whole slew of new cars on display (which frankly, after the auto show the day before, was really just a let-down), the whole town was open - shops, restaurants, everything. I remember when we first moved here and I couldn't imagine how we'd manage when life everywhere just shuts down for an entire day every week, and here I was appalled that shops had all opened up on a Sunday just for the festivities crowd. Funny how things change.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Celebrating another year

2011-09-16T02:58:00.000-07:00

ometimes, it's hard to believe I'm as old as I am. Time seems to pass more quickly with each year. At the same time, when I think about the things I have done - jobs I've held, places I've traveled, people I've met - I feel pretty good about all I've experienced in my *gulp* 32 years. And things keep getting better.

Being this far away from family and old friends, it often leaves birthdays and holidays twinged with a bit of sadness. This is especially true because my mother, even 30 years later, still goes all out and makes me feel like the most special person in the world. My husband made sure I felt the same way this year, half a world away. He took the day off and dealt with the stove repairman, so I wouldn't have to. I awoke to presents and a lazy morning (waiting for said repairman) enjoying some of our favorite shows. He drove us into Frankfurt for burgers and an autumn carnival. Friends joined us for dinner at a lovely new place back in town and we all celebrated with Sekt and cupcakes well into the night (ahem, morning).

Between the presents, the friend and all the treats, I felt truly spoiled. Though I still miss my family and friends back in the states greatly, I wasn't left feeling like my day was totally incomplete. Abundant Facebook, Twitter and phone messages filled my heart. A huge thank you to everyone who made me feel so loved on my birthday- both here and in the US!

So here's a bit from my birthday, in pictures:

Piles of presents - all for me!

Candy inside the new handbag.

Does my husband know me, or what?

Perfect presents to wear on my birthday

September birthday = sapphire nails

My husband scouted out a place in Frankfurt with good burgers

(a highly-covetable thing here in Germany!)

Wearing all my goodies and enjoying an afternoon of absolutely perfect weather in Frankfurt

Swanky Thai-mango soup at my birthday dinner

Delicious ricotta ravioli

I haven't gotten birthday balloons in years - so special!

Even with a very new newborn, my friend somehow managed to make my very favorite cake

Spoiled with gifts. Here, the most perfect autumn scent - ever.

A plethora of amazing products

Two beautiful necklaces from two very dear friends

on opposite sides of the world

Even the German retailers thought of me. Guess this means I get to go pick out yet another birthday treat... ;)

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

It's about time!

2011-09-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

guess we have started to become locals, because in the grand tradition of taking one's city for granted, there are still major things in our own town we haven't done yet - have dinner at the Kurhaus (ok, my husband had a business dinner there, but we have yet to go together), done the couple's trip to Kaiser-Friedrich-Therme bath (I've been, but have yet to get up the courage to go on anything other than 'women's day') and most notably, we'd never ridden the Nerobergbahn funicular railway to the top of Wiesbaden - until now.

A few weeks ago, we ended up with a free afternoon in the company of some friends and decided that it was a good time to take advantage of such a cool attraction right in our neighborhood. With only the slightest hint of drizzle and mostly sun pushing its way into the day, we headed out for a new adventure.

The Nerobergbahn is a sort of hillside tram that operates two cars at a time - one going up and one coming down. The one at the top is pumped full of water to make it heavier and thus more able to pull the secondary tram all the way up the hill. Like seemingly everything is Europe, it's been in operation since the late 1800s (aside from a brief shutdown during WWII and confiscation by those lousy Americans). Getting on at the bottom begins with waiting for the tram to dump all its water to lighten its load for the trip up. Then begins the leisurely ride up overlooking the Nerotal park and the surrounding area.

At the top, we meandered to the lookout spot for the view over all of Wiesbaden. Not a bad view, if I say so myself.

We decided that as late as it was, we might as well eat dinner in the restaurant at the Opelbad, the swanky swimming pool at the top of the hill. Dinner was surprisingly good and not nearly as expensive as expected, considering the setting. That evening I encountered yet another first - my first Aperol spritz. The ubiquitous Wiesbaden summertime drink, most notable for its nearly neon hue, is made with the bitter orange-tasting Aperol, Prosecco, a dash of seltzer and - can you believe it? - ice. Can't believe I waited so long - delish!

Unfortunately, we had lingered too long over dinner and the glorious view that we just missed the last ride down the hill on the Nerobergbahn, so we had to take the trail down. While it was a little bit mucky from the summer rains, it was a lovely little hike that reminded me how lucky we are to live with such beautiful places within walking distance.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Kitchen Renovation - Part I

2011-09-08T06:23:00.000-07:00

Peeling tile, broken dishwasher, moldy countertops...

how'd we put up with this for so long?!

fter the whirlwind renovations our first year here - painting every room, adding window coverings and wardrobes, investing in our first major appliances - apartment projects have settled down. One thing that has since stayed on my mind is the shoddy kitchen (ok, ok, also the avocado green toilet, but we'll get there), which funnily enough, was described as 'installed' in the rental ad, required payment to the previous tenant for the ancient (and as we now know, not entirely functioning) appliances and ended up listed as 'tenant owned' on our paperwork. With no other apartment projects on our list - and holidays temporarily taking a back seat - we were ready to dive in.

Being the overly-ambitious renovator that I am, I of course wanted to gut it down to the circa 1992 cabinets, tile walls and floors included. Naturally, I had to concede that our visas being only a few years at a time and the element of never knowing what will happen, it was too much of an investment. Not to mention the fact that if we did ever move, it would likely be out of Germany, so there would be no way we would take our kitchen with us. For readers new to this German concept of paying for and toting around your own kitchen - from cabinets to sinks to appliances - from apartment to apartment, with the small likelihood that your last kitchen will even fit into the space of your new kitchen, its ridiculousness is unmatched. It is the most wasteful, expensive and just plain makes-no-sense thing the Germans indulge in. They might as well say to renters "here's the bathroom, but by the way, you have to supply your own tub and toilet." In the land known for streamlining and efficiency, this is one area in which the Germans are sorely lacking.

What I hope our kitchen will look like, given time

Having accepted our limitations, I started planning. If we couldn't gut the whole thing, perhaps we could just get new cabinet doors to freshen it up. What bothers me most about the cabinets (besides the chipped finish, the horribly dated handles, and the '90s-inspired grid glass) was awkward upper middle cabinet. With it's smaller size, rotted-out corners and animal-shaped knobs, it brought out deep frustration every time I looked at it.

I don't know why it took me so long to come to the conclusion, but taking it out altogether was really the best thing from both an aesthetic and functional point of view. Not only did it really open up the space, but it let me get at the 20+ years of grime behind it and include it in the tile repainting portion of the project.

Uh, yuck!

I was apprehensive about just painting over the tiles because some preliminary research told me it won't adhere well and will likely chip and scratch easily. Since tearing the tiles out of the 100-year-old wall beneath wasn't really an option, we forged ahead with the only option we found at OBI (the German Home Depot, right down to the warehouse interior and same shade of orange in the logo). I did a few extra rounds of sanding and scrubbing with the special cleaner to ensure the best possible surface for the paint to adhere to, and all in all, I'm pretty happy with the result. The surface is not entirely immune to indentations and paint scratching off, but it's more durable than I would have expected and the shiny, clean surface makes the tile look almost new again.

Before

After

The next big thing was the appliances (the reason this whole project got underway, really). As with everything else, budget was a factor. While we thought Ikea would be the place to go for cheap appliances, they were actually more expensive and much more limiting than options at the big electronics stores. We were lucky enough to score to pieces that were the last ones left and/or floor models, so we were able to spring for a more efficient dishwasher, a name-brand stove and an induction cooktop (which came very highly recommended from the lovely Frau Dietz and her husband) for not too much from Media Markt. Less than a week later, they were delivered.

And so, out with the old (although I do regret not hanging onto Tweety as a memento)...

... and in with the new!

I wish I could say that just having better-looking appliances from this decade makes everything better, but some basic functionality is also key. Our installation was yet another test in putting up with the complete lack of customer service in Germany. Between the deals we got on the appliances, the comparably-small delivery window (which they showed up exactly in the middle of) and how quickly they got the old appliances out and the new ones in, I should have known there would be a catch. And the catch was - the cooktop doesn't work.

Basically the workers threw up their hands and left our oven/stovetop half installed, taking our old (but working!) oven and stovetop with them. A prompt call from the manufacturer told us they could send a technician out to fix the problem - in a week. So I went ahead and scheduled that appointment (for my birthday, no less) and my husband called Media Markt to raise some hell about the lack of concern with leaving us unable to cook for eight whole days. Not surprisingly, they didn't really care. Were they willing to scramble to get us another cooktop from another store? No. Were they willing to cover the expense of us having to eat out for a week? At this, they scoffed. What they would do is try to talk to the manufacturer about speeding up the shipment of the part they miraculously knew we needed. Nice. Thanks for nothing.

I had a brief conversation with Frau Dietz about this on the train the other day, during which she shared an interesting theory behind this lack of 'customer service' that exists (and since her husband is German, I pretty much trust her insights into the German people more than my own). Quite simply, Germans are box-checkers. Did we show up on time? Check. Did we take away their old appliances? Check. Did we install the new appliances? Check (well, sort of). Anything other than checking these boxes is perhaps considered extraneous and only takes away from the task at hand - checking the next boxes on the list. This practicality and efficiency is one of the things I love about Germany, but as a people, it often makes them seem cold and unfeeling. As a customer who just dropped a bunch of money in their store, it makes for an incredibly frustrating experience.

On the flip side, Frau Dietz brought up a good point that if this were the UK (or in the US, as you Americans know), they would've provided a customer service number that, once you finally made it through maze of numerical choices and endless renditions of easy-listening covers, connected you to someone in India who would ultimately be not in the department you needed, only to be transferred multiple times before the line finally disconnects you and you have to start all over again. I suppose there's no easy solution to this one, no matter where you are.

On a positive note, other small fixes in the kitchen have proved invaluable in terms of making the most of the usability of our space. For example, other than two little racks that held barely as much as we drank in a week, we finally invested in a proper wine rack so we can keep all our treasured bottles from local wineries close at hand. A simple hanging rack meant getting rid of the counter fruit bowl and clearing up even more work space. Spices were also buried in our pantry on a tiny shelf that required ducking in and twisting around in a near contortionist position. Now, all my most-used spices are within reach of the stove (that albeit, doesn't work yet). I've also spent the last year and a half cursing every time I reached for a paper towel - the roll free-standing on the shelf - and dropped the entire thing into a sink full of soapy dishes. Why I didn't prioritize a paper towel holder until now, I'll never know. It's all about the little things. Well, and the big things - like a working cooktop.

Aside from getting our cooktop sorted out and two shelves installed where the old cabinet used to be, the next big step will be deciding on which cheap countertop we will put in (since the ubiquitous butcher block tops are five times the price of laminate, the landlord basically said it's our problem - regardless that we rented an apartment with an 'installed kitchen' - and WE don't own the place) to replace the moldy, uneven, poorly cut wood top that exists now. A new sink that doesn't eat into my countertop work space will also be key, and I'm hoping I can squeeze a new faucet out of that budget as well. So our biggest decision for the month of October will likely be... faux wood or faux granite?

Even with everything still left unfinished, the kitchen is leaps and bounds ahead of where we started. So all in all, I'm pleased. I'm envisioning a few months down the line a beautiful, finished kitchen... (and it can't come soon enough!)

*Luke Lucas for Daily Drop Cap via Jessica Hische

Visions of Autumn

2011-09-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

ven though our weather has finally given us a feeling of summer, it's clear that fall is on its way. The calendar has turned to September and now our nights are getting colder, trees are starting to lose their leaves and the colors of autumn are starting to show up everywhere. My favorite season is just getting underway and I'm getting antsy for it to arrive in full force!

Oh yeah, and my favorite part of autumn of all:

(more on that here) ;)

*Daily Drop Cap by Alison Carmichael via Jessica Hische

Reflections on 'Home'

2011-09-01T04:32:00.000-07:00

Ahh... CA

am conflicted about what to say - and even how to feel - about our trip back to California. Was it great to see our family, friends and be there for someone's wedding day? Of course. Did we enjoy eating all our favorite American foods? Our waistlines are giving a big thumbs up. Does visiting make us 'homesick' to be back there? Um, not so much.

The time we spent in traffic - on a daily basis -

meant we could be in another country if we were at home :(

Our first trip back to the states was a mere six months after we'd moved, so things were still so new - our excitement about Germany being the place we were living was still so fresh in our minds. Missing people - and the food - was still a new concept. I have to say that more than a year later, I sometimes miss the food even more (German options are comparatively minimal) and get cravings like a pregnant lady for pickles and ice cream. Admittedly though, I felt awful 90% of the time after indulging in whatever it was I felt I couldn't leave California without eating. Either we've gotten too used to Germany's food or US food quality has taken a serious dive.

In the months leading up to our trip, I became almost voracious for all the choices we had in America - places to eat, places to shop (in reality, just more things to buy). Sure, it gets boring sometimes going to the same two or three places when we go out to dinner here, but I found myself actually getting overwhelmed at the amount of choices everywhere we went in America - the menu at a restaurant, the size of shops, the amount of processed crap available in the grocery store. Even the elaborately-designed storefronts I missed so much started to feel forced. The effort that goes into getting people to buy things in America was exhausting, and it was exhausting to be around.

The clothes, the displays - everything is beautiful

and so well-designed

Not that the polar-opposite in Germany is that much better: most of the time you're made to feel as if you're doing them a favor by purchasing something in their shop. Those overly-friendly salespeople in America (Germans consider such conversation 'fake') are people here you have to practically beg to help you and those abundant choices (especially in my area of weakness - fashion) might be there, but aren't worth what you have to pay for them. Clothes are mostly polyester, shoes are overpriced and horribly uncomfortable (not to mention don't come in my size), but because that's the way it is, Germans don't question it. Germans seem to be creatures of habit; they stick with what's worked just fine for them (and their parents, and their grandparents..). I couldn't imagine an American sitting back and just 'dealing' with only the choices in front of him - it's all about pushing for something more, something different, something better (Which is really just: More! More!)! I suppose this is how supermarkets got filled with entire aisles of different kinds of tortilla chips and breakfast cereals.

Choices abound in America - but who really needs this many varieties of mac-n-cheese?!

In addition to some of our perceptions about America that were further cemented this trip, our feelings about where we felt most at home also came more into focus. This trip resulted in lots of questions about when we were coming 'home' - aka, California. Perhaps after nearly two years, friends and family thought our little adventure must be coming to a close and we'd head back to the familiar. It's funny to me because I finally feel like the more we're settling into our lives here in Germany, the more culture, language and politics we understand, the less desire we have to go back. Even though we've got a long way to get to what I'd consider 'integrated,' there's something so much more appealing to us about the lifestyle over here - less stress, more vacation, the ease of travel... Though, I do miss the ease of communicating - with anyone and everyone - that we enjoyed while we were back. But that too, I suppose, will come in time.

The most 'vacation' we got -

a little coffee and breakfast at the beach one morning

Perhaps the oddest part about going back is how conflicted I felt - about how to feel. While getting all the way back to California eats up gobs of holiday time and money, it doesn't quite feel like a vacation. There's too much on the 'to-do list' for it to be a real holiday. And although we stay with my parents and spend so much time with the people and places we used to be with on a daily basis, it feels almost nothing like home.

As a perfectionist who must unpack and hang up all my things upon arrival on any holiday (including just a weekend), I have a deep-seated need to feel settled. So this idea of feeling out of place in both California and Germany has been a tough pill to swallow (friend and fellow expat blogger Jen over at Resident on Earth has written two lovely posts on this - here and here - that articulate the feelings around this more eloquently than I can). So my love for our new home drives me forward, into an uncertain place where my Type-A-ness is often pushed to it's limits and I can't appease my sometimes frantic bouts of worry about where we'll be in five years and if, my god, will we ever become fluent in German? The in-between is trying and sometimes scary, but I know that the challenge is good for me.

Home again, home again...

Back home, there are still projects to be done, not the least of which is the re-doing of much of our kitchen (new appliances, new, unmold-y countertops, minor face-lift updates). I foresee the months following the update to our kitchen - most notably the working appliances - to be filled with even more baking and general cookery than usual for this Hausfrau. Stay tuned for new kitchen excitement and the inevitably resulting frenzy of baking!

*Drop cap by Linzie Hunter for Daily Drop Cap

More from CA coming soon...

2011-08-09T06:53:00.000-07:00

The favor from the wedding we attended -

a gnome to share our travels with, here at Capitola Beach

till deep in recovery from our trip to the states (not to mention trying to sort out my failing iPhone), I have yet to get into the proper state of mind, or sort through all my trip photos, to put together a decent post about our second trip back since moving to Germany. Needless to say, our perceptions keep changing the longer we're here - some which make us miss it there even more and some that make us embarrassed to be identified as Americans (this comes to mind).

We headed to California specifically for a dear friend's wedding, but the rest of our time there was jam-packed with seeing family and friends, gathering all the things we can only get in the states, and generally spending hours on frustrating freeways jam-packed with people who don't deserve the privilege of a driver's license (let's just say that if I had a dollar for every time someone almost ran into us, it would nearly have financed our trip). So long story short, we could really use a vacation after our vacation.

More to come on our adventures in California...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Germany - I'll miss you (these next few weeks)...

2011-07-14T09:44:00.000-07:00

Kicking off the Mainzer Bierbörse with a Kölsch

ith all the internal struggling I've been having over our German assimilation - or lack thereof - I have to admit that I'm going to miss home (aka, Germany) while we're visiting California (no longer home) in the next few weeks. There's so much I'm looking forward to that we don't have here - friends and family, wonderful gourmet food, great shopping - but there's plenty I'm not looking forward to as well - the horrible drivers, the endless traffic, being repeatedly 'sized up' by other women, that windy, wet coastal air that makes my hair look as if I've stuck my finger in an electric socket. I'm heading over with almost equal anticipation and apprehension.

All the love-hate feelings I've been struggling with reminds me a little of an experience from my childhood. One year, my parents moved us across town and I landed at a new school. I quickly became close with a girl in my class there, but when she presented me with one half of those ubiquitous 'best friends' necklaces, my naive nine-year-old mind thought: "But I already have a best friend (with whom I shared a similar necklace) from my old school!" Somehow, I thought that accepting another 'official' best friend meant I was somehow being unfair to my other best friend. Similarly ridiculous, I've felt that to be truly settled here, I needed to cut myself off from my American ways. But really, I've got the best of both worlds (or rather, countries) by being able to visit and enjoy the things I love in America but then come back to Germany and enjoy the life here I love so much.

So while I'm stuffing my face with In'N'Out Burger, wine tasting in Napa, and shopping till I drop, I'll still be thinking of you, Germany. Here are just a few things I will miss...

Urban fence vineyards

Fest treats like warm, sugared nuts in every flavor imaginable

Poffertjes!

And of course beer, like these Belgian gems scored at the Mainzer Bierbörse fest

Incredibly beautiful apartments

Incredibly beautiful sunsets

Crazy German words, like this one with three 't's in a row

Of course, what I'll miss most of all...

that face!

Auf Wiedersehen for now, Germany - we'll be back before you know it!

*Daily Drop Cap by Alejandro Paul

Feeling the pain at the (American) pump?

2011-07-06T07:09:00.000-07:00

Image by Michael Koploy via Good

or all of you who are complaining about the increasing gas prices in America, I found this lovely infographic that provides a little perspective. Unless you would like to move to Mexico or the United Arab Emirates (and I'm guessing that'd be a no), you actually have it pretty darn good - no, make that great - compared to the rest of the world.

So next time you're at the pump, pretend you're in Europe and do a quick calculation on what your total would be - then smile and do a little jig, because you're really only paying about half that. Lucky you!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Reflections on America's birthday

2011-07-04T11:37:00.000-07:00

America birthday cupcakes -

best dark chocolate frosting, thanks to Martha Stewart

merica's birthday this year falls at a time when I'm feeling a little conflicted about life - and location. For some reason, I've been missing America so much more lately than in our first year here. Food cravings, friend cravings, and just a general, gentle pull at my heartstrings. Am I just missing my family? Or good restaurants besides the two or three we've found worth eating at? Or is it something more, like having a career (let alone a job) or the ability to pursue pretty much anything I'd like?

Some days, I just want to go where it's easier. But I know that waving my white flag and trekking our little family back across the Atlantic only trades one set of problems for another. Sure, I could communicate freely at any place of business (and actually get decent customer service, to boot!), but I'd be paying more for housing, health care and transportation. While gas is significantly less in the US (no matter how much Americans howl about how high the prices are), I'd be forced to own a car due to the lack of decent, comprehensive public transportation, which includes a hefty monthly payment and the need to drive significantly more to get to where I needed to go. My daily commutes in California were anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour and a half - each way. I'll never forget how hard I laughed when we first experienced what Germans referred to as 'traffic' during peak commute time around Frankfurt. It was lighter than mid-afternoon traffic pretty much anywhere in the SF bay area, not to mention that it moved like a well-oiled machine (because those rule-crazy Germans know how to drive). I won't even go into how much we'd pay for an apartment in SF like the one we have here in Germany (let's just say it would be at least 4 times the price). Ugh.

The US definitely stands out amongst the rest of the world here, but not in a good way (Chart via MotherJones)

My family and US friends would be closer, but with minimal vacation time from work (oh yeah, because in America we couldn't afford to be single-income any longer), there'd be less time to actually go and enjoy being with them. When my husband's company was recently purchased by a larger one, everyone was issued all the new company's policies to review. He discovered that working for the same company is the US, it would take an investment of 20 years in their employ before one accrued 25 days of holiday a year. Here in Germany, 6 weeks is standard - from day one. Americans, on average, put in 378 hours more per year than Germans (that's a whopping 10 weeks!). I think America's deep-seated attachment to capitalism is admirable, but as the economy and society change, it might be time to consider a more people-friendly way of running businesses. Without a good quality of life, what else is there? Money surely can't buy you time.

In America - the SF bay, particularly - I could have my pick of just about any kind of restaurant to eat out at and anything and everything you could imagine at the grocery store, but the quality would certainly be lacking. Reading labels in the German grocery store was an exercise in actually being able to understand an ingredients list. An unending, unpronounceable list of chemicals and the ubiquitous American corn syrup was surprisingly absent in almost everything (except, of course, from the American import section). Preservatives are also rare, meaning food in the grocery and in restaurants is perishable, and therefore fresh. Instinctively, it makes me think that Germany cares more about what it feeds to its people than America does. America seems to focus merely on profits, rather than the crap they're stuffing into their foods, and therefore the ever-expanding bellies of the population.

Would you rather shop here...

or here? C'mon - no contest!

(Photo from MSLK)

While it is completely shallow, the shopping in the states is something I miss terribly. I buy a lot less over here, as do most Europeans, which I think is a good thing. I can't tell you how much crap I got rid of when packing up our cluttered home in California in preparation for a more pared-down lifestyle in Germany. What I do miss about shopping in America though is the show of it. Because America is such a consumerist society, so much money and effort goes into getting Americans to buy things - amazing selections, constant 'deals' and sales, beautiful store windows. Oh, the windows... While we're back, I think I may spend an entire day in a lounger in front of an Anthropologie and just take it all in. There's a level of presentation and creativity that exists in American shops that is completely absent here. Even if I wanted to pay an exorbitant amount for a shoddy-quality polyester shirt here, the utterly uninspiring windows and cheap-looking mannequins hardly motivate me to go inside. The one thing I do love about shopping here is the price you see is the price you pay - no guessing game on what the tax will be when you get to the register; it's all included.

Even with all the 'pluses' I rack up on the side of living in Germany, and Europe in general, I can't help feeling a calling from the place where I spent the first 30 years of my life. Maybe it's the ease of the day-to-day that appeals to me most right now, considering the day-to-day is what fills my days in the current absence of job and career. But just because something is easier doesn't it mean it's the right thing. I remember having a French woman working in a Belgian bakery here in Germany tell me she'd been in the country for 10 years, but she struggled with the language. I realized then that the life of an expat is a long road.

When my family was out to visit over Christmas, my mother remarked how we were still in 'vacation mode' with our life here. At first, I was greatly offended. We were learning the language (granted, slowly), making German friends - we were residents of Germany, for goodness sake! But time and perspective made me start to think that maybe she was right. With limited cultural integration and language skills, it's easy to see Germany through rose-colored glasses. Sure, there's the low-level frustrations we still experience, like the lack of customer service or the utter ridiculousness of paying to install a kitchen in a rented apartment, but really, we don't know enough to understand all the issues that German citizens face and why we might or might not be better off over here for the long haul.

I guess what it boils down to is that it's impossible to say one country is wholly better than the other for me. One country holds my citizenship, the other holds my residency. I just feel torn since each one now holds a piece of who I am, yet neither feels 100% like home.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

A totally belated Amsterdam recap

2011-07-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

he only preconceptions I really had about Amsterdam were canals, bikes and the obvious - coffeeshops. While all those things were there, in abundance, I was pleasantly surprised by the other things we found - wonderful food, great shops and some of the most beautiful sky I've seen. Luckily, the rain that threatened the whole week we were there only fell in a drop here and there, and a brief shower on our final day. Otherwise, the weather reminded me a lot San Francisco - windy with a sea-based chill that made my hair thankful for what it was not missing in California.

Mmm... giant, juicy burgers, thick-cut fries and a regional Fanta flavor - Cassis

Our first day was only a half-day, since we drove up, but it still gave us time to get out and get a feel for the city. And get our hands on what we were told are the second-best burgers in Europe (harder to find than the one might suspect)! Being an American living in the land of pork, a perfect burger or amazing steak are things to covet while traveling. That's right In'N'Out - I'm coming for you when we're in California this summer!

The architecture was also even more impressive than I expected. The cute little blocks along the canals were just like in pictures, but the way they are slanted and jumbled together was so curious. The more we travel to older towns like this, the more I appreciate skylines that aren't cut with the jagged, towering silhouettes of skyscrapers. It makes it easier to see what life looked a hundred of years ago and appreciate the history and enduring culture in such beautiful cities.

Forget the leaning tower of Pisa -

Amsterdam's got more uneven architecture!

Even the little details were amazing

Sticking to our usual game plan of just hanging out and trying to live like locals, we did lots of walking around the city, in addition to our two days of biking everywhere. While we didn't make it to any museums, we did manage to get in on a cheese tasting at the Reypenaer shop....

... and some whisky tasting at Whiskycafé L&B - home of over 1,000 different whiskies! - including a lovely Nikka whisky from Japan.

We ate traditional Dutch fare, like bitterballen, a sort of fried, doughy-meat ball thing (better than it sounds)...

pannenkoeken, a crepey-pancake, sweet or savory...

and Indonesian food, very big in Amsterdam.

We saw animals, fuzzy and cute...

and scary and strange,

funny signs...

and the funniest, tiniest cars we'd ever seen!

All in all, it was a great trip to a great city - and I'm pretty sure we'll be back. This was definitely a city we could see ourselves living in. The food, the biking culture, the fashion - oh, the fashion! It was just nice to be in a town where the median age was anything below 50 and the height of style included something other than a fur coat with a face. I love where we live, but it was nice to feel like we were among peers, nevermind the fact that we don't speak Dutch. And since everyone got around on a bike, women could enjoy the loveliest heels, making me very jealous. If for nothing else, I could go back just for the cheese and the shopping (Scotch & Soda for my husband and WE for me).

Thanks for the memories, Amsterdam! We hope to see you again someday!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Have you written anything lately?

2011-06-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

While I haven't been listening to The Cure a lot, similarly, what I have written hasn't been worth sharing

nce again, I've let time (and creativity) get away from me. I blame a deep spring funk resulting from dreary weather, chick drama, the epic failure of our second major kitchen appliance (my beloved oven!) and the consistent refusal of our new internet service to actually provide working internet - not to mention a few days of illness, thrown in for good measure - basically a bunch of crap I would rather not have to deal with. The two other entries I've started in the last month remain abandoned in my Blogger draft files; my heart just wasn't in them. And so here I am, hoping any and all possible readers haven't assumed I'd fallen off the face of the earth.

With the forecasted sun and break in the rain expected to start tomorrow, I'm optimistic that things are turning around. Additionally, we had a lovely outing with friends last weekend, despite the alternating sun and downpours, and are enjoying a nice four-day holiday weekend now. Sure, we're still going to be out a huge chunk of change to replace our kitchen appliances (just loving being a German renter right now), but at least the other big chunk will come out in the form of shoe shopping in the states next month. *squealing with delight!* Hope this year's holiday is still in the cards too...

I swear I'll post something more promising soon. In the meantime, I'll stick to the kind of funk I prefer - my girl Nikka Costa. Hey spring funk, get off my sunshine!

*Darren Booth for Daily Drop Cap

Biking in Amsterdam

2011-05-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

That's right - I rode a bike & I didn't die!

(Mom, aren't you proud?)

msterdam was amazing - so much more than I thought it would be. I promise to post more on our trip, but first, I must gush about the bike culture there. I'm sure this seems silly to most, but being the most uncoordinated person on earth, I dreamed of biking stylishly through this town as if I were in a photo from The Sartorialist (who happened to be in Amsterdam the very same weekend!). Not only had I not been on a bike in many years, but I had a rather embarrassing incident involving a scooter (I didn't make it much further than the driveway before having an 'accident'). Needless to say, I was very scared about the reality I would encounter trying to bike with perhaps the most experienced casual bike riders in the world.

1st stop after getting bikes - Espressofabriek in Westerpark for latte and Dutch apple pie. Boy, did I need this to muster up my courage to bike into the center of town!

Before even arriving in Amsterdam, I read a very enlightening article via Joanna Goddard and felt immediately better about how much safer it is to bike there than in the U.S. After my dad and brother had to help a man on a bike a few years back that was hit by a car (that then drove away), I was (& remain) convinced biking in the states is just too dangerous. If only U.S. cities would prioritize better bike lanes and drivers were better... The double bike lanes, the bike traffic lights and all other traffic (trams aside) that allow bikers the right-of-way make for the perfect biking city.

We biked to gelato on the far side of the city - Pisa ijs - best in Europe, no doubt (we went 3 times)!

So I had convinced myself that we should bike along trails out of the city, perhaps for a picnic by the sea, to avoid all the traffic in the middle of the city. What I learned after our first day with the bikes is that the city is so well catered to bikes, it's really hard to be scared or put yourself in any obviously dangerous situations (as long as you follow proper biking etiquette!). I also learned that after one day of biking around, my knee - and bum! - hurt so bad, there was no way I would make it on a two-hour trek to the sea. Instead, we biked around the city on Saturday, which was much less crowded than I expected, perhaps even less so than during the week.

Finding a spot to lock one's bike up is challenging, to say the least

While I wasn't the mess on a bike I expected myself to be, I certainly lacked the grace of the locals. They could perfectly time their passing of cross-traffic and always did so looking incredibly chic, women complete with the high heels that biking allows. The tourists were easier to spot in their chunky athletic shoes and complete disregard for the rules of the biking road. One of my biggest pet peeves while traveling is people who don't try to understand any of the rules or cultural norms of the place they are traveling to (If I read one more American's review of a European restaurant saying it took too long to be waited on, I may scream. Note to these Americans: Europeans take time to enjoy their food. It is not a race. Someone constantly leaning over your table is considered rude.).

As scared as I was in the first place of biking, I made sure to read up on how to be a safe biker in this city, both for myself and those around who would be subjected to my lacking bike skills. Saturday meant less people in general in town, but it meant more tourists on bikes - tourists who would stop right in the middle of the bike lane to scream at someone half a block away, rather than pull out of the path and avoid causing a pile-up of bikes. By the end of two days of biking the city, I had caught on well enough not to cause any damage - and to already be cursing the tourists. I suppose that's one of the side effects of being an expat, as my friend Jen so poignantly explained - I don't identify with the American tourists, but I'm not quite a European either. It's both a blessing and a curse to live in the in-between, but I suppose I'm finding my way.

Enjoying last afternoon with the bike with a picnic in Vondelpark

& the best ham & cheese baguette ever

courtesy of De Kaaskamer

As good as our drivers are here in Germany, I'm not sure I'd be up for biking through a busy city here without those wonderfully wide bike lanes and special traffic lights just for bikers. In Amsterdam, bikes reign as the preferred mode of transportation and are treated as such. Perhaps one day we'll live there and I too can live the bike lifestyle and wear my stylish heels around town. Until then, I guess we'll just have to visit more (darn).

More of Amsterdam to come...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Rheingauer Schlemmerwochen

2011-05-10T12:04:00.000-07:00

very time I think we've got a lull in local festivities, I'm proven wrong with the recently-acquired knowledge of yet another enter-the-name-here fest, usually centering around wine. This past weekend we learned from our friends who live in the Rheingau (kind of the German Napa) that it was the final days of Rheingauer Schlemmerwochen, translated as "Rheingau's Gourmet Weeks". While we didn't find much in the way of gourmet food or entertainment or art, just walking through the vineyards, making stops at various wineries to enjoy a glass or two was enough to feel like a celebration - even though we could do this every weekend, if we so desired.

For our first stop of the day, we hiked nearly to the highest point in Geisenheim and enjoyed wine and snacks overlooking the valley. Not that it's unusual around here, but we noticed as more patrons came, we were the only ones there that didn't qualify for senior citizen status. In fact, it became quite the joke because first they were just older, then came ones hobbling in with canes and as we left, a woman in the parking lot was being helped into her wheelchair. I sure hope I'm still touring the wineries at their age!

It was another one of those perfect outings where the weather was warm and sunny, the scenery was beautiful and the wine was delicious. I wonder at what point I'll be able to stop reminding myself 'I live here', but I'm certainly enjoying the feeling of being on a permanent vacation in this wonderful new country of ours!

The view at our first stop of the day

Even the bread is shaped like grapes at the winery

Our jug of wine, surely poured fresh out of the barrel

Ample pathways through the vineyards makes it easy to walk from winery to winery

Ahh, glass of sparkling Rosé overlooking the vineyards...

Grow baby grapes, grow!

Prost to an amazing day!

More festivals full of wine in the months to come...

But next up - Amsterdam! Weather is looking to be not terribly warm, but at least the forecasted rain appears to be pushed off till the day we leave. European roadtrip - here we come!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Spring holidays in Europe

2011-05-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

The deeply intense hues from German dye kits

nce again, I've let time get away from me. In my defense, I was fighting a bit of stomach flu last week (or maybe it was residual Easter waffle coma...) and didn't do much at all. Either way, I'm back now and ready to report on the spring holidays.

Our waffle brunch that could've fed a small army

Now, I'm not a religious person, but the holidays (Easter, Christmas, etc.) always meant time with my family and comfort food. Being over 9,000 kilometers away from them now, friends have become our family and time spent with them helps ease the realization that we're so far away. The food helps too.

With a four-day weekend to work with, we ended up at a BBQ hosted by friends whose patio overlooks the Rheingau vineyards that Friday and for the big day, we hosted a waffle brunch that turned into hanging out all afternoon and everyone joining us for dinner. The glorious weather was a perfect accompaniment to the festivities.

The amazing vineyard view from friend's patio

Still wanting to wish my parents a happy Easter, I called them only to discover they had to be back at work the very next morning. I couldn't believe they didn't have Monday off. I guess I often forget about America's prioritization of the bottom line over personal time.

My mom's shop is her own, but after helping her there in the year before I came over to Germany, I know first-hand how snippy (some) people could be whenever she decided to close early one day or go away on a holiday - which was been a total of four weeks in the three years she's owned it. It's in such stark contrast to the mindset over here. I can't tell you how many times, usually in August or January, we'll walk to a restaurant or shop only to discover that they're on holiday, often for a whole month or longer. People take holidays extremely serious - and why not? Downtime is important for one's sanity and I love that Europeans recognize that.

Collage put up by amazingly creative office around the corner from us (must improve German, just so I can work there) - love that they ate Fish & Chips and the guy fake-crying at the bottom. Don't they look like a fun bunch?

Later that week, there was another 'holiday' of sorts (at least for the British) - the Royal Wedding. I admit I wasn't overly interested in it when I heard, but all the television coverage sucked me in and felt like all those Brits cheering for their new princess/duchess/ style icon. Since Kate and I have the same name (in entirety, save the new last name and royal title, of course), it was kind of nice to daydream about becoming a princess. The amazing fashion wasn't too bad either.

Ah, British style...

I knew the British had a thing for hats, but I had no idea how serious this was until watching the wedding coverage - they seemed to get more attention than any of the dresses. The few women who decided not to don Philip Treacy on their heads looked next to naked. I definitely had some favorites - Camilla's and an un-named young royal's teal side-hat - and some that left me wondering. Poor Princess Beatrice it seems will never live down her avant-garde hat choice for the event, but I must admit, if this is how young royalty experiments with fashion, I much prefer it to the dyed-black hair and pierced faces of America's youth. At least she was buttoned up from chin to knee and looked proper.

Forget the Beckhams (money does not make you royalty, after all), I think Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece was the clear fashion winner among the guests, hat and all. Her hat was not stapled to her forehead and she wore a gorgeous embroidered Chanel (sigh...). Her hair looked so lovely I'm almost tempted to go back to blond (almost). Tell me this isn't the picture of perfectly fashionable royalty:

It's times like this I truly wish I were European. The royalty, the formality, the tradition. But most importantly, congratulations to Will and Kate! I hope they have a long and happy life together.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Die Brille in Deutschland

2011-04-19T06:08:00.000-07:00

I adore this short film 'Catch a Tuesday' by Oliver Peoples featuring Zooey Deschanel - & it's glasses. So classic!

ast year, I made the decision to correct my very fuzzy vision with glasses rather than my usual - and quite expensive - contacts. In addition to being easier on the single-income-couple's wallet, it meant I was already adapting to the glasses-wearing German culture. Seriously, there are eyeglass shops on every block. Sometimes two.

For my first pair of glasses A.M. (After the Move overseas), I went with the classic "Nerd-Brille" - the bigger, heavier, '50s-throwback frames that have been popping up all over the fashion-conscious for the last few years. Since the height of fashion around Wiesbaden are the ubiquitous furs on the senior set and the Louis Vuittons slung on the arms of the nouveau riche (not sure what statement they're trying to make, considering LV's checkered past), I'm mostly alone here in my attempt to be on-trend. You just can't tear Germans from their metal-framed, architectural specs.

This year, I knew I would need some prescription sunglasses once the sunny season stared, naturally, as I would now need to shield my eyes from the headache-inducing rays AND see at the same time. Since the gorgeous weather has started early, I enlisted the help of my amazingly multi-lingual friend (fluent in four languages, like any good European) last weekend in ordering a pair of Persols I had been coveting for years - my first prescription sunglasses ever. I realize it's somewhat cheating to take a translator, but after my husband finished having his coronary upon finding out what it costs just for his wife to be able to see, I wasn't about to take any chances.

I have found that in circumstances such as this, where there are a lot of technical words involved - and especially when a lot of money is going to be spent - it is critical to understand every last detail. In my defense, my first trip to the same store to ask a few questions ended up with a little English, some broken German, and no one really understanding any of it. I call this an all-or-nothing situation - either my German is good enough to communicate and understand everything, or I need to find someone fluent in English. Since I hate to make anyone here cater to my native language, I took some insurance that there would be as little room for confusion as possible, and even understood a lot of what was said. At least I handled my first German eye exam in German (and at least she knew what I meant when I read the über line when she asked me to read the unter line). It's all about the little victories in these situations.

So while I will not be embracing the severe, designer-obsessed frame trends so popular with the Germans, I'm at least embracing the German way of using eyewear as a style statement rather than just a functional necessity. I am so inspired to see the comeback of glasses in my country of origin as well, whether through super-cool short films from the likes of Oliver Peoples or the creation of companies like Warby Parker, which not only offers great frames that won't break the bank, but also donates a pair to someone who can't afford it for every one sold (I plan to get at least a pair or two when I'm back in the states this summer!). Since my husband first asked me out when I was wearing my glasses, I'll take it as a sign that Dorothy Parker was indeed wrong - men DO make passes at girls who wear glasses.

Here's one more short film that single-handedly proves that glasses can be sexy:

Devendra Banhart at the Rainbow House - Director's Cut from Oliver Peoples on Vimeo.

Of course the glasses, the music and the architecture (oh, that house...) are amazing, but I love how it shows the simple sexiness of being at home, reading and black winged eyeliner. I would just like to crawl in and live in that video (and in those amazing Myriel sunglasses - be still, my heart, maybe I could sell a kidney...). Perhaps I'm on my way once I get my new frames... and some better black liner.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Hello!

2011-04-18T01:48:00.000-07:00

'm kind of obsessed with this song right now, but can you blame me? Here in Germany, the media and advertisers pick up on new songs and use them like they're going out of style. I've only heard this on the radio or seen it on VIVA once or twice, but ads and televisions spots are promoting with it like crazy. Needless to say, it's gotten stuck in my head and I can't get it out.

American media does this with new music as well, but as of late, they tend to get stuff that's really under the radar and use it in really awesome and fitting ways. I don't think Germany's marketers are quite so savvy. Case in point: Right now, ProSieben television station is using Rihanna's 'S&M' song to promote it's line-up of programming, including The Simpsons and Two and a Half Men. Now don't get me wrong, I have no problem with sex or s&m, even on daytime television, but I'm left wondering exactly how it relates to these programs.

It's like German marketers listen in on their teenagers, hear whatever song they're listening to and slap it into a promo. C'mon guys, it takes a little more work than that! Perhaps I need to fast-track my German language skills, if only so I can get a job in marketing (which is what I did in a previous life in America) and show these folks how it's done.

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Jeden Tag ist Dönerstag!

2011-04-14T05:13:00.000-07:00

y husband first told me about the existence of this t-shirt and now I've found where I can buy one for my very own. I'm sure there isn't a German who would be caught dead in it, but for this expat, I find it tremendously funny. For those of you who don't know Döner kebap, it's an amazing Turkish/German specialty that is rather like Germany's version of fast food - and yes, there's one on nearly every corner. And I say 'Turkish/German' because, much like the American-created burrito, the Döner kebap was created in Berlin.

Even though we haven't tried too many local kebap places, we have quickly discovered our favorite - a tiny little shop in Idstein with the best pita-like, sesame bread and tasty meat that's not too fatty. The fact that the guy makes killer Pommes as well only adds to its appeal. Mmm... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

The tee is also a play on words - 'Donnerstag' is the word for Thursday. Kind of like 'Thai-day Fridays' at my husband's office, Döner kebap lunch runs often occur on - you guessed it - Thursdays. I think I'll put in a request for my own Dönerstag Donnerstag for dinner!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Not intended to be a factual statement

2011-04-13T04:46:00.000-07:00

h America, you should be ashamed of your politicians - and your media! One would almost expect both to stretch the truth for votes - or ratings - but to out and out lie? This peek at the now infamous fib - on the Senate floor, no less - by Republican Senator John Kyl about Planned Parenthood's services reaches a new low. The fact that Fox took it one step further and offered up Walgreens as a substitute for Planned Parenthood's comprehensive women's health care further shows that no one is holding these fibbers accountable for what they deliver to the American public. No matter which side of the abortion debate one falls on, lying about the facts in an attempt to take away much-needed health care services only hurts those who don't know, or can't afford, any better. Shame on you, Senator Kyl and Fox!

As outraged as this made me, Stephen Colbert has a way of focusing on the ridiculousness of such statements and offering comedic relief from what is otherwise just a very sad situation. Please do see his entire segment on Kyl and Fox's statements and enjoy a little slice of American politics (I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at this one). BTW, as someone who has had a colonoscopy, I admit I find the Walgreens option much more appealling. ;)

If you're so inclined, join the conversation on Twitter and make your own asinine statements that can then be qualified with #notintendedtobeafactualstatement. I'm feeling inspired about all the ways I can use this politically-inspired, 'get out of jail free' card... the opportunities are endless!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Full swing spring

2011-04-12T05:33:00.000-07:00

The tree blooms in Nerotal have appeared for the season

pring, complete with its weather fluctuations and blooms aplenty, has made it's glorious entrance. While we've been spoiled with sun and record highs in the past weeks (25C in March!), the spring rain has been trying its damndest to make an appearance. As I write this, the weather today has literally flip-flopped between bright sun and chirping birds to grey skies and rain-streaked windows countless times (currently, we're enjoying the latter - boo). Oh wait, the sun is peeking out, again...

Bailey trying her best to lay in a sliver of sunshine

It turns out that amidst the new beginnings of the season, I will not be getting the job that I applied for - which is actually a good thing. I'm assuming they went with someone with actual, you know, accounting experience, which is most assuredly not me. Just the tutorials my husband was giving me caused my head to hurt. But more than having to do some serious on-the-job training, I would've had to work for the most dispicable boss. Just the other day, he said "Du bist Dümmer als du bist" (sort of the German equivalent to "you're dumber than you look") to an English-speaking colleague whilst in a meeting, thinking he wouldn't understand. What he didn't account for is that my husband would understand and relay the message. Nice.

So, long story short, three cheers for me not getting the job! In effort to let the things I actually know how to do not go to waste, I'm committed to blogging more often and submitting some freelance writing pieces to various travel blogs; I'm even working to apply for a proper freelance position here in Germany. I'm pretty confident I can write better than I can balance debits and credits, anyway.

In recent culinary news...

Not as pretty as I'd hoped, but I tried *ugh*

I attempted my first buttercream roses the other day in honor of the lovely Frau Dietz's birthday party. I'm not sure why I tried to do something so outside my abilities a mere hour before the party began (thank you, YouTube tutorial!), but I think I was trying to make up for the fact I failed to make her something special on her actual birthday. Since it is my understanding that Germans aren't big on the whole 'gourmet' cooking at home thing, most party goers were blown away by my rather lame attempt and a few even offered a sort of wife-swap situation. What a way to show my hubby how good he's got it!

Between more writing and cooking, I'd like to request a bit more weather like this, please:

Although with her always-on black fur coat, Bailey might beg to differ with me...

Off to take advantage of the chilly weather with a nice warm bath, a glass of wine and a book. I'm starting to wonder why I was so set on getting out of this whole Hausfrau situation. I think I've got it pretty good myself...

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Ode to Real Simple food

2011-04-07T03:49:00.000-07:00

Excuse the crap quality photo. Still looks tasty though, right?!

think my friends here believe I'm some kind of cook who knows what I'm doing. Alright, I can bake pretty well, but actual cooking of meals is an undertaking I've only recently embraced as a deutsche Hausfrau. I must admit that this revelation is due to equal parts free time, inspiration from chef extraordinaire Frau Dietz and my Real Simple magazines. Even though I have the time, I still don't want to spend the entire day in the kitchen preparing dinner. And honestly, the more steps that are involved, the more stressed it makes me.

My Real Simple magazines (which arrives here about six times a year - thanks mom!) have proven indispensable for making meals that are easy, delicious and don't make me want to pull my hair out by the time dinner is ready. The only frustrating bit is when they call for something we don't have here in Germany - like the rotisserie chicken for the gingery peanut noodles with chicken (above - btw, absolutely delicious as cold leftovers). At least that one was an easy fix- sauteed chicken breasts in sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic worked out just as well, if not better.

Sadly, it's not always so easy. I'm eagerly awaiting another trip to the food paradise in Frankfurt know as the Kleinmarkthalle for chipotle chilis. I know there's an Hispanic counter there and I'm crossing my fingers I find what I need so I can make the delicious-looking chipotle beef tacos with cabbage and radish slaw.

Le Creuset - I love you

Last week, I made the amazing creamy chicken with biscuits, utilizing our still-new Le Creuset in lieu of a slow-cooker. If you have the food processor, I highly recommend making the easy, delicious biscuits from scratch rather than buy pre-made from the store. I lucked out that the issue I received right after buying our Le Creuset was focused on slow-cooker recipes, which are surprisingly easy - and faster! and more moist! - to convert to a proper oven pot. I've become an immediate convert and now just come up with reasons to use it!

I'm thinking the curried chicken with ginger and yogurt for tonight...

*Daily Drop Cap by Linzie Hunter, via Jessica Hische

Weekend of spring, sun & wine

2011-04-04T05:41:00.000-07:00

Hillside vinyards in Johannisberg

ine season officially started this weekend with the first tasting of the year, and was gloriously ushered in with bright sun and temps in the 20s (that's in the 70s F!). The weather was so gorgeous, I ended up visiting with a friend and eating decadent desserts on the winery's patio just to soak up more of the summer-like weather, rather be down in the cool wine caves. There's nothing like actual seasons of weather to make one appreciate the first truly gorgeous day of the year.

Yeah, we live here *sigh*

Sadly, the beautiful weather from Saturday turned to grey and eventual drizzle late on Sunday, but the temps were warm enough for a doggy outing to the river for a little swim. We invited doggy friend Carter and his people, thinking his thick, curly coat would enjoy a cool dip in the water. Perhaps it was Bailey's crazed behavior, or maybe the waves that would wash to shore from the wake of a boat, but he was having none of it. Paws were all that made it in.

Carter's thinking 'What the hell is that crazy dog doing

way out there?'

Walking along the river as the weather grew grayer and colder, we happened upon the people who truly embrace every little change in weather - standing in a block-long line for ice cream. It's so funny to me how once the ice cream shops re-open for the season (because here, unlike CA, they're not year-round!), everyone flocks to them, whether the weather is in agreement or not.

Schloss Biebrich

Meanwhile, we shivered in the park behind the Schloss for a while, enjoying the prehistoric squawks of the parrots that live in the trees (how had I not yet experienced this?!) and the wedding photography taking place on the grounds. When hunger and cold finally won out, Mexican and margaritas seemed like the obvious conclusion to such a great weekend.

I'm crossing my fingers that our next wine tasting excursion in a few weeks arrives in conjunction with the same sunny weather. One day of summer-like weather and already I can't stand being back in spring's rain!

* Daily Drop Cap by Alejandro Paul, via Jessica Hische

Spring cleaning (aka - Reflections)

2011-03-31T01:37:00.000-07:00

pring has officially sprung and I finally feel like I've started to crawl out of the winter funk - both literally and figuratively (hence, my long blogging absence). In addition to just the dreary weather, I've been battling with a nearly-new, dying laptop (say farewell to all the photos I've kept on the harddrive for the last six months - without backing up! *sigh*), but mostly, I've been struggling with those feelings again of 'who am I and what exactly am I doing?' Without a computer and photo library to blog from, I've been stuck with even more of this free time to reflect - and question.

Spring explodes in the park in literally a matter of days!

Last year, I spent my winter and early spring days hard at work on our then-new flat - painting, assembling all sorts of Ikea goodies and generally learning how to be a housewife. With the grand entrance of the sun and spring flowers, I've come to the realization that I too must make a change. I have no house projects keeping me busy and no formal language classes to fit into my schedule. It's time to get out and do something productive. So I've submitted my CV (aka, the resume in the states) to the one and only English-speaking job I know of right now and am crossing my fingers that they're willing to overlook my lack of formal accounting training and focus instead on my superb English skills (which is actually a requirement for the position - lucky me).

In local news, politicians have been putting up posters in the last few weeks and it was interesting to see, at least from my limited, non-fluent-German view, the kinds of people that run for office here. It's sad that it seems politics everywhere is tainted with immorality, but perhaps this is why I have no interest in politics anywhere. Naturally, this puts me at a disadvantage, as most Europeans bring up politics when talking with an American and will likely know much more about what's going on than Americans do about their own country. Europeans' worldliness is humbling.

Unfortunate names for politicos:

Schlampe means 'slut' & Popel means 'booger'

In other news...

Thanks to my mom, I'm back in American necessities: Excedrin, brown sugar and, of course, caramel corn

Bailey is still a crazy, stick-eating dog - she's just doing it in the sunshine now

It's not even April & already we've had roll-your-pants-up and lay in the sun kind of days. Ahhh...

So, cross your fingers I end up with a job before too long, a fixed computer harddrive so I can continue blogging with more regularity and for more sunny days to enjoy our beautiful parks (and Biergartens)!

Our favorite winery cordially inviting us to their spring wine tasting - that's right, once a year is not enough

Up next in April are weekends filled with wine tastings and birthday parties. Looks like we're sailing into summertime with nothing but good times ahead!

*Alex Trochut for Daily Drop Cap, via Jessica Hische

Valentine's Holiday in Prague

2011-02-18T04:41:00.000-08:00

The view from our room on the sunny day of arrival

inally - we made it to Prague! Visiting the Czech Republic has been on our must-see list from the moment we moved to Europe. Aside from hearing all the rave reviews, I must admit I had a bit of a more personal reason for going - my family history. Not knowing much about that side of my family, I was told my maiden name was of Slavic origin. As someone whose ethnicity was often questioned (I was once asked if I was of Asian decent - as a 6-ft-tall blondie, yeah, that makes sense) and was always missing that 'where I came from' element in my life, I was curious to see what I'd find here.

Aww, flowers, champagne and fruit my honey had waiting for us

When we arrived on that beautiful Saturday morning, it was crisp and sunny. After a bit of relaxation from a hectic morning rushing to the airport, and enjoyment of the fruit and champagne my husband ordered for our arrival, we set out to explore the city. We tend to be the kind of travelers that just meander and get a bit lost (often unintentionally) rather than embark on tours and museum visits. I'm sure we missed some major landmarks, but this is the way we like it.

The amazingly detailed & designed buildings...

..and beautiful colors reminded me a bit of Barcelona

Now, I'm not much of a history buff, but the oldness of the city showed itself in every blackened facade and crumbling walkway stone. It was very clear how touristy this city is with the juxtaposition of what was preserved and what was abandoned. While I saw some of the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen, it was impossible to ignore the equally abundant run-down, broken and graffiti-covered buildings on nearly every corner. Perhaps part of it was the weather, but this gave the city a heavy, almost depressing quality.

The Cinderella-esque spires of the Týnský chrám, or Church of Our Lady before Týn

Day two meant more city sight-seeing, only this time with a constant light snowfall. While it made for a magical setting, it was tough to stay warm enough all day on foot. This was our second Valentine's holiday spent in snow and I've decided that next year we might have to fly south and enjoy a sunny, island break from the dreariness of winter. I'm definitely a convert to actual seasons, but have found one can get quite restless after a few months of persistent grey landscapes and frigid temperatures.

Old and new architecture come together

Despite the freezing temperatures, we decided to brave the cold and trek up to the Prague Castle. I have since found out this is the largest castle complex in the world. Beyond just it's imposing shadow on the river, the views overlooking all of Prague are amazing.

The iconic Charles Bridge (Karlův most) and beyond, Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

The rooftops of Prague

The changing of the guards, & the rather unwelcoming gate, at the entrance to the castle complex

On our walk around the neighborhood of the castle, we were assaulted with tourist traps left and right. One of the most basic was the ubiquitous Starbucks presenting itself just as the cold got to be too much. Luckily, we discovered this great little stand right next to it that offered not only hot Glühwein, which sadly has long-since disappeared with the holiday markets in Germany, but the most delicious sweet pastry called Trdelník. Wrapped around a rotating stick, it's grilled and then rolled in sugar and nuts. This might have been my favorite Czech discovery.

Hmm, Starbucks or Czech specialties ... tough decision

In a somewhat unorthodox decision, we decided to spend Valentine's day on a train out to Kutná Hora to see the kostnice Sedlec, also called the Bone Church. Aside from giving our feet a rest on the hour ride out, we knew it was a one-of-a-kind place that we couldn't miss. This Roman Catholic chapel is unlike no other, as it's decorated with bones of over 40,000 people who died in the 14th century plagues and the 15th century Hussite wars.

The bones are quite a spectacle

From the descriptions and photos online, it paints a very macabre and frightening picture of this place, but honestly, it's more awe-inspiring than anything. I didn't find it to scary or creepy. Unlike anything else, it was definitely worth the visit.

The chandelier is made with every bone in the human body

The artist's name in bones in front of his massive handiwork

After a day looking at the remains of dead people, we did have a more traditional Valentine's plan - a seven-course tasting menu dinner. At first I was a little apprehensive about such an extravagant meal, but I got over that as soon as the first amuse bouche melted gloriously on my tongue. It was such a notable experience, I plan to dedicate an entire post to it, so stay tuned!

One of the many amuse bouche from Valentine's dinner - lobster risotto fried in coconut with Parmesan foam

Our final day in Prague brought the sunshine back just in time to snap a few glorious photos before catching our plane home. While I wish the sun had stuck around a little more, the city was a gorgeous one that was worth touring in rain or shine (or snow!).

Just another ornately gorgeous building

The Astrological Clock and Týnský chrám

I had high hopes of being able to at least speak a few words of Czech whilst there, especially considering my Czech heritage, but a language filled with so many consonants and so little vowels proved too big a challenge for my western-language-filled brain (case in point, the word for 'Thursday': čtvrtek. Seriously?!). In the end, I felt satisfied I was able to mumble a few 'thank yous' (Děkuji - "Dye-koo-yi"), if only after hearing the correct pronunciation from several Czech people. Phew! And I though German was difficult.

Partly in an effort to feel connected to a heritage older and more definable than just 'American', I had also hoped to see some resemblance to the people of this country or names similar to my maiden family name. Other than a pair of almond eyes here and a high cheekbone there, I found less of myself in this apparent country of my origin than I expected. Perhaps it's due to the globalization that has taken hold in so many more countries than just the United States, but it seems harder and harder to identify oneself with only one country or culture. As someone who is becoming more of a global citizen herself, I can't help but feel both saddened at the lack of a true 'home' - in the sense of location, culture and heritage - and excited at the prospect of learning and adopting ways from around the world.

Flying into the sunset, we headed home...

until our next adventure!

*Daily Drop Cap by Friends of Type via Jessica Hische

Valentine's Puppy Love

2011-02-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

appy Valentine's day! As we head to the Czech Republic for a long holiday weekend, I'm leaving you with something that fills my heart - dogs. As the masters of unconditional love, these precious pets are the best representation for Valentine's day I can imagine.

Inspired by a Design Crush post that made me melt, I thought I'd post some of my very favorite doggy pics from folks I know and spread the puppy love for the holiday. Who says Valentine's has to be about people? Dogs show their love in so many ways; to quote my favorite literary dog, Enzo: "I only have gestures."

Hope these warm your heart!

A very special thank you to all my friends who shared their precious pups!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische