Any good Paris wardrobe starts with a lot of black

ike any good procrastinator, no matter how much time I have to prepare for a trip, I'm usually down to the wire in preparing, except for one area - my wardrobe. Sure, I may still be chucking last minute (and often unneeded) additions into my suitcase as we're trying to head out the door, but I'm always thinking - no, daydreaming - about what I'll wear before we've even booked the trip. Even for those not as fashion-obsessed as me, how can a striped Breton shirt not make you think of being on the coast, or a sexy, fashion-forward dress transport you to a night out in a big city? 

OK, OK, I added blue for some color in my wardrobe

Case in point, my last trip to Paris - my Engagement Trip, no less - I ended up having only the clothes on my back, the extra undies in my carry-on and a Sky Team t-shirt, courtesy of the airline (thank you, Heathrow Terminal 5 Opening Day Disaster). So instead of being proposed to in my Vivienne Tam dress and killer Vince Camuto heels along the Seine, I was woken up with a ring and breakfast in bed... in my Sky Team t-shirt. Not that being proposed to was any less special, but it forever paints a picture in your mind and in the stories you tell people. Clothes can not only put you in the state of mind you want to be in, but can also help you appear more like a local than a hapless tourist. Not to mention can make your engagement everything you hoped it would be, sartorially-speaking. 

Can't go to Paris without heels...

... but I'm bringing good walking shoes too!

So I've got my fashionable wardrobe ready and it's not getting lost this time (bar us getting carjacked, in which case, we've got bigger problems). I just hope the weather cooperates with the clothes I'm bringing, as the forecast has been wavering between sunny and warm, and rainy and cool. I guess worst-case scenario, I'll have to go shopping. Darn. 

My bags are (very nearly) packed, my French is as refreshed as it's going to be at the point (get out of my head, damned German!), and my must-eat-at list is prioritized (real American burgers, this amazing wine bar, and Pierre Hermé, of course). I'm 99% percent sure German will unintentionally come out of my mouth at some point and that one, if not more, things will not go as planned, but as long as I don't have to do it in Sky Team t-shirt, all will not be lost. 

I'm off to go throw a few more things in my stuffed suitcase and hit the road... À bientôt!

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Finally - a decent-sized shower! 

n an effort to keep up with my resolutions, as well as regain some sense of purpose after a rather long, unproductive couple of months, I've been antsy to make more home improvements (resolution #5: apartment projects). Since our travels are definitely a priority and budget above and beyond all the places we want to go is limited, I decided tackling some smaller issues would still accomplish a lot for my eagerness to make progress on our place without chipping away too much of our travel funds. Sadly, this means replacing our moldy wood countertops and a cushy new sofa for watching TV will remain on the 'to do' list for awhile.

Something still has to be done about the awful pink-tree tile...

The thing that has been driving me crazy for months is something that didn't even dawn on me to change until just recently - our shower. The tiny enclosure attached above our tub seemed like one of many previous incarnations showering has taken in this apartment, or so said about 10 patched holes in the tiled walls. Our tub is luxuriously large (in fact, it's the only one I've ever been in - swanky hotels aside - that my nearly-6ft/1.80m-tall frame can be contained in, kneecaps and shoulders included), but the tenants before us were apparently fine with a coffin-like shower experience. 

No longer able to stand showers in which the cold plastic liners cling to our skin, we finally went out in search of the proper hardware to turn our shower into a more pleasant and roomy experience. The silver I had originally wanted were found at OBI and Hornbach, but were twice as expensive as the white option at Ikea, so white it was. The result: a shower so spacious that not only one, but two of us can fit inside with ample room. Oh yeah. 

Doesn't look like much, but believe me - vast improvement!

The other thing that made me cringe every time I was in there was the WC. Like the bath, it too had numerous holes - both patched and unpatched - all over the tiled section and was adorned with perhaps the ugliest, cheapest-looking, most discolored plastic bath hardware I'd ever seen. Using the rest of the spackle and tile paint from our kitchen renovation, I was able to make this minimal backsplash look loads better. Then inexpensive but nice-looking silver hardware made the whole thing look totally clean and new. We had also taken down the heinous mini-blinds that hid our little storage space up behind the toilet a few weeks back and swapped it out for a softer, more colorful half-curtain to let in more light to the tiny, dark room. Sure, there's still the avocado sink and toilet, but every little bit helps. 

While we were out running the errands for all these items, we decided to check out the (usually disappointing) lighting selections again, just in case. Lo and behold, the lights we had actually rather liked a month ago, but passed up mostly because of the price, were on sale. And not just an everyday discount kind of sale, a crazy-huge monster sale, the likes of which almost never happens here in Germany (the American bargain hunter in me is rather sad at this).  See for yourself and marvel at the discount we scored:

Yeah, that's right - 91% off!

We talked it over for all of two minutes before a young girl stopped in front of the display and called to her father to come look at it - and with that, we grabbed all three and I ran to get a cart. I felt a little bad that we snatched these out from under a girl who probably just wanted one for her room, but we needed several to light the whole length of our hallway and frankly, we acted faster. Perhaps this is why Germany doesn't normally have sales like this - it'll bring out the worst in people. Just ask any American who has been hospitalized after a Black Friday stampede.

Our lighting score, just waiting for an electrician to come make it happen

Inspired by the impact these little fixes made after our work on the weekend, I decided to try yet another configuration in our office/TV-room/library (this will make the third time). While I'm still not entirely sure what to do about the rest of the room, I think being able to work while enjoying the view and natural light will make all the difference in my day-to-day routine. I'm so inspired, I think I might actually get some plants to share the space with me. Now that I have some herbs that I've managed to keep alive longer than a week, I think I might even be successful! 

sunlight = inspiration

While every project we do on the apartment means we're settling in to our home that much more, I still can't shake the idea of adventure. The massive layoffs that happened at my husband's office recently - he was one of about five people spared - have brought into question not only our ambitious travel plans (read: doing all we can while we are still lucky enough to live here), but also where we have made our home. His new position will, in a matter of months, not be tied to any specific location, meaning that we could realistically live anywhere in the vicinity of the EU. They have already brought up the possibility of us moving to the UK and offered to help make it happen, but that would probably be the least appealing option (although, an English-speaking country is tempting...). Not to mention that Bailey-dog couldn't accompany us without a super-long and super-dangerous stint in quarantine.

Just thinking about all the possibilities boggles my mind - south of France, Amsterdam, Morocco... really, we could go anywhere as long as it's a short enough flight from the head of this department outside of London (and no Mom, the US's east coast doesn't count). The prospect both fills me with excitement and with fear. Before my husband was offered this job, I never even considered Germany as a place I'd like to live. But now, I've come to love this country, especially where we live, and even identify somewhat with its people. We've worked hard at the language, the cultural differences, just everyday life - not to mention everything we had to give up and leave behind to get here (friends, furniture, the ease of communicating in our native language). The idea of uprooting all that, not to mention all the connections we've made here, seems preposterous. At the same time, not taking advantage of the opportunity to immerse ourselves in other European ways of life seems equally preposterous. When we moved, we realized that the 'American Dream' of a hefty mortgage in the suburbs and 2.5 kids just wasn't our dream, so why not live this nomadic, expat life to the extreme while we can? But that's crazy, right? Right...?

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

inter's disappointments (namely, no real snow, like we enjoyed our first two years here) have thankfully given way to early signs of spring. Even though its official start is still a week away, spring's flowers have been blooming in our local park for a while now. It was an overnight transformation - from bleak and barren, to sunny and flowering - and was a welcome change that hit just as I thought I couldn't take anymore winter.

Now if this nice spring weather would just keep up though next week for our trip to Paris... *crossing fingers*

Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

Wish these had worked out... 

he last year and a half of being a full-time glasses wearer (after years of contacts) has made me rather excited to be using eyewear as a fashion statement, rather than just bringing the world into focus. I mean, you wear them more prominently than just about anything else (honestly, most people don't even notice shoes, which are my other obsession), so why settle for just one option? While they are usually too expensive to even consider more than one new pair every few years, I've been thrilled to find options like Warby Parker, Jimmy Fairly and even sites with discounted name brand frames that make changing it up a legitimate possibility. 

Now on the hunt for the perfect pair of big black glasses, I've had a hard time settling on something, as the last thing I want to do is, well, settle. My first attempt (see above photo) was rather disappointing since they couldn't be touched without squeaking like crazy and it was confirmed the lenses weren't fitted properly in the frame. Opting to not test my luck again ordering something all the way from the U.S. when this might happen again, I figured my best bet was to find a pair nearby. Jimmy Fairly is the French Warby Parker, but I wasn't sure I was wowed by any frame (other than these awesome ones I'd want in sunglasses), not to mention the fact they only offer the try at-home program in France. My next stop in researching options brought me to a few brand-name discount sites based here in Germany, the most deeply-discounted and reputable-looking one being SmartBuyGlasses. The prices made me wonder why anyone would ever pay full retail!

A competitor site, MisterSpex, is a bit more expensive, but they let you try on a few pairs at home first (albeit, only after putting down a hefty deposit for the price of all the frames). Knowing I could get my money back, I figured 'what the heck' and sent off for my four favorites. Below are the two from the bunch that I decided are serious contenders,  but I'm still not convinced I've hit on exactly what I'm looking for (like this, this and this). 

First and foremost - I love the black! For years, I've loved black glasses on other people, but felt like with my porcelain skin and then-platinum hair, it was just too jolting a look on my overall paleness. Now being a redhead, all that has changed. I'm also really big on the angled sides, which I think detracts from my seriously prominent cheekbones. I like the really clean, simple fronts - no logos, no temple detail. What gives me a moments pause is my worry that they are too close to a pair I already have in terms of width and lens height, making them a bit further from what I was hoping to find and perhaps not unique enough to justify a whole new pair.

I can't lie, I've been pining for a pair of Tom Fords since he first started making glasses, but never could dream to afford them until now (I found these for less than half the usual going rate!). Even imagining them in black - which were sold out via this site - I'm not sure the shape is the most flattering (they too much resemble the shape of my big forehead, perhaps..). I love that they are closer to that more 'square' lens shape, but there's something I can't put my finger on that has me unsure about these ones. 

There are also two pairs I've tried on here in town that I still can't get out of my mind...

These I was drawn to originally because of the great grey shade, but I have found that they are available in black as well. The size seems to more perfectly fit my face and they do give me more of the taller lenses that I was looking for, but I had put them on the back burner as my husband wasn't a big fan. I still really like them, even though they're not 100% like the Nerd Brille I was searching for.

I picked up these original Wayfarers as a fluke, thinking I wouldn't like them at all. Turns out, I loved them! They were just thick and over-sized enough, but looking back at the photos, they seem to overwhelm my face so much more than they did in person. They were actually the only pair yet that both my husband and I had an immediate positive reaction to, and you can't go wrong with a classic (right..?). Perhaps I should stop poring over all my choices and just go with what I loved right off the bat...

Friends and strangers alike, if you've managed to make it through this rather lengthy post of my hemming and hawing, I would love to hear your opinions. I think I've spent too much time in front of the mirror debating these frames, not to mention countless trips back into the same local shops to the point they probably figure I've started casing the joint. Is there an obvious standout here that I'm not seeing? Do you have any frames that you would recommend I try? Should I keep looking for something better..?

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

t's hard to believe February is almost over - it seems as the though the new year only just began. I swore as I climbed out of last year's spring funk (it's hitting early this year, I believe from a lack of fun and magical snowy winter weather), I wouldn't let this happen again. Alas, here I am, over a month since my last blog post, still mostly waiting till noon to shower and spending unhealthy amounts of time on Pinterest and eating sweets. Boo on me. 

No snow, but a seriously frozen stream

Cannot believe these folks are so blatantly breaking the rules - 

that's so un-German of them!

Hearing all my fellow expats in the colder parts of the country complain about all the snow makes me just a little jealous, as we've only gotten little sprinklings here and there, but nothing snowman-worthy. My mother emailed me in a panic as the sensationalist American media was referring to the recent cold snap across Europe as a 'Death Freeze,' in an effort to put to rest her visions of us frozen mid-stride on the sidewalks à la The Day After Tomorrow. I suppose this is a little scary, but we never got anything like this where we are. The cool part of such cold weather - like in Amsterdam - makes me feel a bit let down that I didn't what I've come to expect as our regular German winter. Bailey-dog also missed her usual frantic gallivanting through the snow and nosing around until she resembled someone with an '80s drug addiction.  

A break in the weather (it was literally hailing and snowing 30 mins prior), meant acting like kids at the playground on a trampoline...

... and zip-line! 

On the plus side, the goals I wrote down for myself in the new year haven't just been stuffed in a drawer and forgotten about. While the German drivers' license hasn't really progressed and apartment projects are awaiting a build up of more funds, the other week I finally had a break-through with my French audio lessons. I had been listening for them for about a week and frustrating the hell out of myself, as every prompt to answer a question meant I replied... in German! (I've said it before and I'll say it again - Europeans who can jump around between two, three, even four languages impress me like you wouldn't believe, and make me feel just a little bit retarded for basically falling apart once I attempt more than two at a time) I felt as if the years and years of French I had studied (granted, back in the day) was lost in the recesses of my brain, buried beneath what has now been years of attempting to learn German. But then the most amazing thing happened - one day, all of a sudden, I was able to respond to those prompts in French without even thinking about it. It was as if something in my brain just needed to get back into French mode and everything I thought I had forgotten started coming back to me. Now this isn't to say I'm going to be terribly strong conversationally for our trip next month, but I'm hoping it will at least get me a little respect amongst the notoriously-hard-to-please Parisians for a solid attempt. Cross your fingers that I don't make une idiote of myself!

Somehow while focusing solely on the progress of my French, I've realized my German has settled into a not-so-terrible place. I've been able to have (granted, fairly basic) conversations with various repair men and my neighbors in the last few weeks that have surprised even me. And like my recent French successes, I haven't had to think about it too much - it just comes. After living her for over two years, I'm sure most Germans - and the more studious expats - wouldn't be terribly impressed with my skills, but I spent the first year and a half mentally berating myself every time I said the wrong thing (or worse yet, was at a complete loss of words), so I'll take the good where I can. I even got up the courage to try on lipsticks at a make-up counter the other day and not only chatted with the girl working there about the color I chose, but also managed to compliment her on her hair and talk about wanting to do something different with my own. I suppose it's these little things that will one day add up to me being a fluent speaker and I'm enjoying each win along the way. 

Perhaps even more exciting are the travel plans we've been able to nail down in the coming months. Not only did we find a great apartment for our six days in Paris next month, but I've found great eating opportunities (what any good holiday is all about!) and even connected with a few more expat bloggers there, one of whom I even hope to meet up with while we're visiting. Additionally, we finally booked several nights in Riomaggiore during my mother's visit this summer. Not only am I getting back to the Mediterranean and the Riviera - where I first fell in love with Europe and the lifestyle here nearly two decades ago - but I get to show my coastal-living mom what my favorite coast looks like - not to mention all the amazing seafood, pesto and wine! If we can just get our second summer holiday and trip to Thailand booked, I'd be the happiest woman alive. 

Now to just get through the next four painful, grey weeks of winter weather... 

*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische

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

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