Servus München

Fei Scho

2012-01-23T23:00:00.000+01:00

We decided to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dragon at Munich's new dim sum restaurant Fei Scho.

If you're looking for a fun and offbeat little place with great food and a Bavarian slant - this is it. The menu is small, but everything we sampled was delicious.

The schweinekrustbraten dim sum with dunklebiersauce and apfelblaukraut is a fun twist on melding Bairisch and Asian. They have quite a few vegetarian options, too.

恭喜发财 - Gung hee fat choy!

Tartine

2012-01-17T11:00:00.000+01:00

While I actually prefer savory foods, I do have a weak spot for really well made pastries.

They tend to be time intensive to make and slightly difficult to pare down, which can be troublesome if I'm baking for just the two of us. Those factors never usually stop me.

A few months ago Emily and Jeremy sent us the kind of care package that makes your heart skip a beat. It was filled with many treats from home, handmade items, and the Tartine cookbook.

The morning after our arrival in San Francisco we stopped at the actual location to sample Tartine's legendary array of foods. Despite having ample time to decide due to a line that wrapped around the building, I felt overwhelmed deciding exactly what to get. Since there were 5 of us it helped in being able to sample and share, so we ordered a lot of food.

[Here's the Tartine Menu if you want to plan in advance!]

As we waited we saw the pastry chefs working their magic through the window. Sometimes I think it would be so much fun to be a pastry chef, while other times I have to remind myself the job doesn't only entail eating all day and baker's hours aren't great for someone who loves sleeping.

Not one thing we had was just mediocre. I loved all of it.

I'm really looking forward to putting that book to work until we make it back to San Francisco again. Hopefully I can achieve similar results!

Jet Lag

2012-01-15T09:30:00.000+01:00

We just got back from the United States.

It's funny to notice little things after being away, even though it's only been about 6 months since our previous visit.

Some things feel foreign, sometimes I feel a little foreign, and other times I love the familiarity. It's like an old friend who you can pick up with without skipping a beat.

The variety always amazes me, too... the complexions, subcultures, styles, foods - those are things I desperately miss after all of these years away (not to mention friends, family, and my parents' dogs).

Mieka and Josh were happy to see us. Mieka was eager to celebrate my birthday in hopes of stealing a bit of cake (she was unsuccessful). Since she has Addison's disease, she is constantly hungry and will do anything for the smallest kibble. It's sad and sweet all at the same time.

Joshua was so delighted to run in the first snow of the season. I always seem to forget he is such a behemoth and looks like he belongs in a zoo. What a sweet boy he is.

We miss everyone already.

I hope to catch up a bit this week and write about our trips to San Francisco and Ohio. It was such a great visit and so nice to have some sun!

2011 + 2012

2011-12-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

In 2011, we visited :

Paris • Marrakech • Essaouira • Croatia • Bosnia + Herzegovina • Montenegro • Moscow •
Iceland • Boston • Ohio • Venice • Burano • Gaisberg • Florence

We celebrated 5 years of :

marriage • life in Munich • enjoying Oktoberfest

We made a huge array of ice creams and I had some success with macarons, too.

2012 will be another year full of love, excitement, travels, and sweet treats, including:

• Celebrating the New Year in San Francisco
• Going back to Iceland - hopefully to see the aurora borealis!
• Taking an Indian cooking course
• Traveling to Istanbul
• Being part of the lantern world record in Poznań, Poland [I can hardly handle the excitement!]
• Making baked goods from Tartine, Momofuku Milk Bar, Les Petite Macarons, and Heston at Home
• Several weddings
... and I'm sure plenty more surprises we don't even yet know about.

I hope 2012 is a special one for you, too!

Raclette

2011-12-27T00:30:00.000+01:00

While raclette is a traditionally Swiss meal it's still very popular here during the Winter months and great for gatherings.

Even though we've only had snowfall a few times it's still a nice excuse to get out our raclette grill for some Alpine comfort food.

The raclette cheese is the important part. It's stinky, nutty, and surprisingly quite mild, but it melts beautifully and works really well with an array of ingredients.

I'm sure it's due to tradition and the lack of fresh produce, but many of the accoutrements are canned and preserved. We try to add fresh things when possible.

Whenever I think of Switzerland I hear Stefan saying "all Americans go to Interlaken, which people here don't visit."

I'm also reminded of when we visited Zürich while we were back in college. That was a quick way to feel extremely broke.

Cookies + Markets

2011-12-20T19:50:00.000+01:00

One thing I desperately miss about the US around the holidays is how everything centers around food.

It's an excuse to gather, to enjoy, and to eat a bit more than usual with pot-luck style meals and cookie exchanges.

Here people tend to do it all on their own.

I'm always impressed when we visit Stefan's family and there are an array of different cookies all meticulously put together and perfectly bite sized. His Mom has a legendary fondue, which has become a fantastic family tradition, too.

Each year I think I should organize a cookie exchange, because I love variety, but the holiday chaos usually gets in the way. It gets a little trying to make an array of cookies on your own. This year Stefan joined me for a glühwein and evening of baking, which was a lot of fun.

I try to make new recipes, old favorites, and learn some German varieties with lebkuchen and the standard Mürbeteig base.

There seems to be a distinct difference from celebrating in Germany and the US. As with many things I wish that I could meld the two together.

Here people celebrate oftentimes outside and away from their homes. They gather with strangers, neighbors, and friends for Christmas markets and festivals.

The US is a bit commercial with a strong emphasis on gifts, family, and individual traditions.

If we ever move away from Germany I'm certain we'll have an annual Christmas market party - complete with lebkuchen, glühwein, spiced nuts, spätzle, open fires, and undoubtedly our own traditions thrown in.

Here are a few photos from the Tollwood festival, which is an enormous organic around the world style Christmas market, similar to Yellow Springs back home. It takes place on the same grounds as Oktoberfest.

We had some incredible schupfnudeln and spätzle, which came in edible dishes. Isn't that ingenious?

...and of course our fair share of feuerzangenbowle, which a glühwein with rum over pressed sugar that is then lit on fire.

Florence

2011-12-13T11:45:00.000+01:00

Florence or Firenze is a city of prestige, style, and art.

This was the most powerful city in Europe for 250 years or so and really helped Europe come out of the dark ages with currency. It's also credited with creating opera, the most authentic Italian spoken, and Pinocchio. The Renaissance and Neo-Classical architecture from Brunelleschi and Alberti changed the way cities would be built forever. As we walked through the streets I kept thinking it would have been incredible to live during this age of discovery and creativity.

One of the most memorable courses I took in my art history studies was Italian Renaissance art. Seeing many of the things I learned about with my own eyes was really something special.

The landscape alone made such a gorgeous tapestry of colors with the late Autumn leaves, purple mountains, and rolling hills. It's certainly clear to see why it's an inspiration for artists.

We were lucky to visit during the off-peak season. The city itself while sprawling, has a concentrated area for the touristy things, so it probably doesn't take much for it to feel slightly congested. Before our trip I read the Florentines are their own type of people: elegant, cultured, and sophisticated.

Our apartment was right at the Palazzo Vecchio (where the David originally stood) and the Uffizi in the Santa Croce district, which is reputed to have some of the best restaurants.

I think we ate cannolis every morning for breakfast... and maybe a small one after dinner if we weren't enjoying the cantuccini + vino santo.

There seemed to be no shortage of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving in Italy - from the college students biking around to the older tour groups.

I was able to cross a few things off my list of impressive art and architecture to experience: Bottecelli's Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's David, Brunelleschi’s dome, and Giotto's Tower to name a few. We also picked up a kitschy ornament of the David he'll remind us of our trip for holidays to come.

It intrigues me how so many artists had patrons with ties to the church, powerful families, and endless amounts of money. Seeing how art, math, and engineering combine to create some very impressive works makes that money well invested.

We pre-booked tickets to the Galleria dell'Accademia and Uffizi, which turned out not to be necessary since there weren't so many tourists. A little tip if the pre-booked tickets are sold out is to head to this little window between the Palazzo Vecchio and the Cathedral. They have tickets from cancelled reservations for the various museums.

Here are some of the pretty things we saw, ate, and experienced:

Ponte Vecchio

Meats, Cheeses, Cantuccini + Vino Santo

Baptistry Doors

Catholic street art

Giotto's Tower + The Cathedral Façade

Osteria Pepò ... for a terrific wine filled lunch

Medici Palace

The view from Giotto's Tower

gelato + pastries

The Florence Marathon... one of these two won

The Occupy Florence movement

Pretty street decor

Ospedale degli Innocenti by Brunelleschi

Ospedal degli Innocenti details

Motorbikes along the Arno

Ponte Vecchio's jewelry shops

Christmas lights

Uffizi Gallery

Palmanova Starfort... something cool we spotted from the plane window.

As always, I wish that we had more time to explore the city and to visit the outskirts as well.

The Tuscan area certainly has an allure to it.

I'm looking forward to looking at some of the photos my parents took (slides actually) when they visited Italy and Florence on their honeymoon. I'm sure the fashions from the 1970's alone will be a treat.

2012 calendar

2011-12-08T22:00:00.000+01:00

This vintage airline tag calendar is such a great way to look forward to and keep track of upcoming travels.

We already have 3 more trips planned between now and April.

Gift guide: Travel

2011-12-07T16:00:00.000+01:00

1. design ahoy typographic letterpress map - be still my little heart
2. Knopf map guides - these are fantastic little fold out maps
3. Rimowa cabin trolley - sleek, professional, and lasts a lifetime

4. travel leather stickers - for letters, photos, and journals
5. sylvansport trailer - for versatile adventures
6. aurora borealis overnight - experience watching the northern lights somewhere special
7. airmail magnet frames - fun reminders of travels past
8. foreign language blocks - it's never too early to get the travel bug
9. city silhouette coat hanger - available in a wide array of cities
10. mini USB cable kit - no forgetting chargers or hauling bulky cords
11. special places map - for the adventure of life
12. The Sinner's Grand Tour - a journey through the historical underbelly of Europe

Gift guide: Him + Her

2011-12-05T15:50:00.003+01:00

1. wallee ipad wall mount - for hands free viewing, as a picture frame, TV, or out of the way cookbook
2. duluth canvas backpack - for a quiet weekend away
3. PB Swiss Tools hex key wrench set - form meets function for the handyman
4. swiss measuring spoons - bringing it back to the boy scout days
5. beer tasting glass set - prepared for any beer that comes his/her way
6. lytro camera - tiny and practical for focused photos every time
7. ice ball mould - stylishly chilled cocktails with ice that melts more slowly
8. personalized air mail stationery - for love letters and other correspondences
9. Fjallrave Kanken bag - perfect for a picnic, day trip, or city exploring
10. holga iphone lens kit - creativity at your fingertips
11. macbook pocket mirror - a comical solution to the compact
12. silver Hendrikka Waage earrings - another reason to fall in love with iceland

Gift guide: Children + Pets

2011-12-04T13:30:00.000+01:00

1. Kid O cutting fruit - it's never too early for good eating habits and training a sous chef.
2. likeabike - learning to ride a bike and balance
3. Alphabet magnatab - letter learning and penmanship
4. iwood / first laptop - creativity over technology
5. log pillow - for indoor camping and those that love nature
6. eames elephants - whimsical and beautiful elephant benches
7. giant ice cream lamp - who doesn't love ice cream?
8. green toys sandwich shop - for foodies in the making
9. pocked microscope - take a closer look at the world
10. sound effects machine - 20 sound effects for comedic situations
11. dogface army man toy - childhood favorite for dogs
12. wire + dine bowls - minimal and various heights for dogs of all sizes
13. you bake `em cat treats - for feline friends

14. dudley the dog - balloon shaped dog toy

15. laser cat toy - entertainment for hours

More pet sites:
nip and bone
Pet Solutions

wag

Gift guide: Cooking

2011-12-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

1. Belkin Kitchen stand & wand for tablets - makes digital recipes easy to view even with messy hands.

2. Wesco Grandy bread box - keeps bread fresh and has a great retro design. We have this and love it.

3. Bew Kitchen Mat - multipurpose mat for drying dishes or keeping bowls from sliding while mixing.

4. Crate & Barrel cheese and cracker server - an excellent way to display and serve.

5. Weck canning jars - for storing, canning, or baking.

6. Ring molds - make a variety of cakes at once.

7. Schnaps decanter - a great hostess gift

8. Triple slow cooker - for entertaining or a variety of meals

9. Sous Vide water cooker - home cooking with gourmet results

10. Thermapen - temperature precision for grilling and pastries

11. Adjustable rolling pin - great for pastries and pizza for uniform baking.

12. Table top pizza oven - fun for entertaining and crisp crust pizza.

Gift guide: Art

2011-12-01T14:00:00.000+01:00

1. sneaker customization kit - for those that want customized shoes or love to design
2. digital time lapse camera - video making made simple and weather resistant!
3. michelle armas calendar - or a painting if someone's been extra good this year.
4. ona camera bag organizer insert - camera protection and organization in a bag you already own
5. coptic marker sketch set - refillable and with replaceable nibs
6. peas USB hub - sleek, practical, and useful
7. uten.silo - organization for offices, studios, or kitchens
8. brush vase - for flowers or paint brushes
9. ipad CF & SD card reader - makes storing photos on the go simple.
10. slice scissors - gorgeous steel scissors
11. iphone case - find something pretty, or design your own
12. pebeo porcelaine 150 - paints to decorate your own ceramics at home

Bird's eye: Venice

2011-11-25T11:30:00.000+01:00

As soon as the weather starts cooling off we tend to venture somewhere warmer.

On our latest trip we spotted Venice down below.
(By clicking to enlarge it, you can read the island names.)

Here's the another map I made of the Venice Sestiere.

And while I'm at it, I found a few more vintage photos of Venice amongst my collection.

Autumn & the Isar

2011-11-06T13:30:00.000+01:00

This is why I wish Autumn never ended...gorgeous blankets of golden leaves at the glowing Isar are just magical.

Munich in September + October

2011-10-20T09:28:00.000+02:00

Rather than writing about everything we've been up to I figure people enjoy photos more anyway.

Here's some of the fun September and October brought our way...

September

visitors decked out in their Bavarian best at the Oktoberfest

brotzeit

plenty of pretzels and beer

Münchener Kind'l street art

October

views from the Gaisberg

Auer dult

Autumn leaves

incredible weather

... as for November, we were once again traveling and trying to decide where to spend Christmas.

Augustiner Oktoberfest Beer Ice Cream

2011-09-24T11:12:00.000+02:00

The natural choice for beer ice cream is Munich's Beer: Augustiner.

Augustiner Oktoberfest Ice Cream (adapted from Antoine Westermann's recipe) has the sweetness of ice cream with the lingering hops and beer flavor. The difficult part is putting enough sugar in to make it scoopable, yet not so much that it overwhelms the beer. My friends Jeremy and Emily have the tip to blend it up before putting it in the ice cream maker to add some air.

If I was in Ohio I think it would pair perfectly with a pretzel cone from Graeter's, but for now I just have to eat it with pretzel sticks. I'll have to bring some cones back on my next visit home.

Marvis Toothpaste

2011-09-20T11:05:00.000+02:00

There's something fun about picking up useful things on our trips. I love to explore the grocery and drug stores whenever we are somewhere new.

I also enjoy offbeat twists on the expected... different products from familiar brands or unexpected flavors that aren't typical where we live.

This Italian toothpaste from Marvis is one such find. It's fresh, not overly sweet, and combines great flavors with a slightly minty finish and beautiful packaging.

I picked up the Ginger Mint and Jasmine Mint (which is my favorite).

If you don't make it to Italy, but live in Munich, you can find it at Die Zahnbürste on Frauenstraße.

It's also available in Florence at the following locations:
Penga - via dello Studio 8
Farmacia Molteni - Via dei Calzaiuoli 7R

Cheapest Oktoberfest Maß

2011-09-18T21:00:00.000+02:00

If you're running low on cash or simply want to experience another of Munich's great characteristics head towards Haidhausen and make a stop at the Muffathalle Biergarten (S-bahn Rosenheimerplatz).

It's likely the least expensive Maß of Oktoberfest beer and costs just 4.80€ for one liter (from Hofbräuhaus).

The atmosphere is charming - right near the Isar River and it's open later than normal biergartens. On weekends they often have live music, too.

The hours are Monday - Thursday (15:00 - open end) + Friday - Sunday (noon - open end).

Maybe I'll see you there!

Raspberry Macarons

2011-09-17T19:55:00.000+02:00

I received my Pierre Hermé Macaron cookbook and began the preparations to create the same raspberry macarons the famed pastry chef first learned with.

Following his 32 step process takes some careful planning and attention to detail. After I got over the minor anxiety over having time things perfectly and obey the stringent temperature readings I got to work.

Here are some tips for making your own macarons... there are several things I learned through this process:

• The shells are reasonably basic. They take a lot of attention, but the flavor comes mainly from the ganache inside.

• The recipe states it will make 72... I came out closer to 40 with tons of raspberry preserves left over.

• Next time I think I will reduce the sugar slightly, because these are certainly sweet.

• They take a fair amount of time (about 4 hours). I now understand why they aren't inexpensive to purchase.

• Mine aren't nearly as pretty as his, because he uses a lot of food dye. Even though I have some that is professional grade, using dye makes me nervous. It just seems so much more artificial when I see how much I'm adding.

• Add the edible glitter before they set... I forgot.

• It might be good to have 2 of the decoMAX - one for piping the shells and another for piping the filling. It worked very well and I loved how simple it is to fill, clean, and reuse. My Thermapen was also great for giving me an accurate temperature reading, which is vital.

• Best of all my French friend, Julie, said they tasted incredibly authentic and she couldn't believe I made them. Looks like I'll be teaching her how to make them soon!

Paulaner Biergarten Radler Sorbet

2011-09-15T22:00:00.000+02:00

In honor of Oktoberfest, and my love for ice cream making, I thought I'd attempt a couple inspired flavors: Radler Sorbet for the end of summer and Beer Ice Cream.

First up is the sorbet...

For this sorbet I created a recipe and illustration inspired by Paulaner's Nockherberg where we often bike for a lazy biergarten afternoon.

A Radler, or 'cyclist', is a biergarten favorite that is a mix of lemon soda and a helles (light) beer. They are refreshing and light.

Here's the recipe I used if you'd like to try it yourself...

Radler Sorbet:

1 bottle of beer (12 oz.) chilled
2/3 cup lemon-lime soda / sprite
1/3 cup sugar

1 Tbsp lime juice
lemon zest

Boil the sugar + soda into a simple syrup
Pour the beer into the sugar syrup mix
Add lime juice + zest
Continue boiling for several minutes
Sieve out the zest + chill
Put into the ice cream maker for ~ 30 minutes.

Prost!

Live the Language 2

2011-09-12T19:00:00.000+02:00

Earlier in the year Live the Language released several videos that were so inspiring. They have followed up with Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Sydney.

Live the language - Sydney from EF Intl. Language Centers on Vimeo.

When is Munich going to be in the mix?!

We have so much to offer...

Viktualienmarkt
Pretzels, Beer, Weißwurst
The Isar River
Festivals (yes, Oktoberfest, too)
Biergartens
Walking the Olympic Stadium roof tops
Nude sun bathing at the Englischer Garten
Christmas Markets
Lakes
Skiing in the Alps

... and plenty more! I even know a few things first hand about living the language.

(thanks, Yagmur!)

Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream

2011-09-08T18:00:00.000+02:00

Chocolate ice cream goes with everything, especially in the Autumn.

As with many recipes using chocolate, coffee is used as a flavor carrier. I don't drink coffee, however the flavor is not noticeable.

There are several other variations in the book, including one using zinfandel and another with mint.

I enjoy it most with a sprinkle of sea salt or crushed pretzels.

Burano

2011-08-21T21:00:00.000+02:00

Burano might just be one of the most magical places. It really is as if it's the end of a rainbow with so many vibrant colors splashed about.

Getting there is relatively easy with a public vaparetto near Fondamenta Nuove. The journey takes about 40 minutes and boats depart roughly every 30 minutes.

While visiting this sweet little island we learned a few things: crime is virtually non existent, there is one school and the high schoolers get boated over to the main land, and each house is only able to be painted certain colors. The colors were the former house numbers, making the island a special little place. It also happens to have some of the least expensive Venetian souvenirs.

bright pinks

pomegranate

glowing façades

tilting church + rainbow homes

whites

shades of red

peeling paint

main canal rainbow row

oranges and blues

green shutters

colorful canal

pretty pastels

stripes + red flowers

emily + laundry day

Ciao + Grazie, Italy!

Bangkok Peanut Ice Cream

2011-08-18T20:45:00.001+02:00

Stefan chose this flavor, which brought us back to our Thailand travels.

It's reminiscent of Pad Thai with peanut butter, coconut, lemon grass, and ginger with a bit of an unexpected finish - a cayenne kick.

My in laws were also able to visit, so we could share this with them. They seemed to enjoy this unusual flavor, too.

venice sestiere

2011-08-17T10:45:00.001+02:00

I put this little map together for the various sestiere in Venice. I love that Venice is shaped like a fish and that each neighborhood has its own charm and special characteristics.

Here are some things you may see along the way and the corresponding location of the sestiere in relation to the fish :

Santa Croce - eyes... quiet area to get away from the crowds. Very pretty and a great place to find inexpensive, yet good pizza. Delightful plazas for people watching.

San Polo - heart... the oldest part of Venice with lots of markets & local shopping, as well as a place to find some night life.

San Marco - belly... this is the most touristy area with Palazzo San Marco / St. Mark’s. There are a variety of shops from luxury to tourist kitsch. Lots of hit or miss tourist restaurants.

Cannaregio - brains... an arty area filled with tattoo types and beautiful plazas. This is probably the best area to find quality restaurants.

Castello - tail... right past the Doge’s Palace it’s tourist kitsch - after that it’s more of the local’s area with lots of green space.

Dorsoduro - fins... lively college area with cheapest food, and of course night life.

San Giorgio - best views of Venice + 16th century church

Murano - glass maker's island, good for a half day trip.

Burano - an incredible little island known for lace making and its vibrantly painted fishing village.

Venetian Vacation

2011-08-16T17:05:00.001+02:00

Our long venetian weekend, to celebrate our anniversary, started with a 6 hour drive down to Italy. Despite having a car we haven't taken enough road trips and with Italy so close it was definitely the best choice.

It also meant we could stop at the grocery to load up on wine, cheese, olive oil, and balsamic to bring back on the way home.

The drive is wonderful... through the mountains, vineyards, and past ancient towering churches, castles, and fortresses.

In Venice we stayed at the Al Ponte Mocenigo, and let me tell you it lived up to its reputation. It's really an incredible place with beautiful rooms and a great location in Santa Croce.

Here are some of the things we saw and did:

beautiful animal masks

carnival masks

intricate door handles

decorated walls

quiet scenes near the canal

Catholic saints

ancient narrow walkways

gondolas

gondoliers + their stripes

green glowing canals

rush hour at Riva Degli

Pont della Pagila

bridge of sighs

Saint Mark's Church

Saint Mark's Lion

Torre d. Orologio antique + now

pigeons of the past + present

piazza san marco

san polo + the markets

pretty windows

lots of immigrant workers

ca'd'orio

campo san stae

Doge's Palace

Oksana Mas art work

Grand Canal palaces

local cuisine at the water front

vaparetto rides and gelato

It's sort of strange to visit a city after having already been before. I think back to the first time we went and how mesmerized I was. I'm certain I even said something along the lines of "If I ever win the lottery I definitely want a place here."

Being a more seasoned traveler I notice similarities of places we've been and want to compare places even though they are all unique. All of those experiences make me view the city a little differently.

If you like Venice, you'd probably also like Marrakech or Essaouira, Dubronvik, and Palma, Mallorca. They all share those narrow ancient walkways that make it easy to get lost.

Having waterways as streets sets Venice apart. It also takes a while to get around and is oftentimes quicker to simply walk.

Tijuana + Venice

2011-08-15T19:15:00.000+02:00

Once, many many moons ago, Stefan and I went to Venice.

Believe it or not it was not the first international adventure we took together that title goes to... Tijuana, Mexico. Seriously.

Poor Stefan was a grad student worried about getting stuck in Mexico and we had to get special permission from the University for his visa. He took me to San Diego for my birthday and we decided to take a day trip down to old Tijuana for our first lesson in international travel together. We simply walked through a turn style into Mexico and that was it.

We enjoyed Mangoritas, attempted to find nice silver and leather products, but instead bought tequila, kahlua, and vanilla for my Mom and aunts. This was all before the no liquids on the plane rule. We were astounded that pharmacies advertised all of the drugs they sold over the counter, which are more controlled in the US.

It's sometimes difficult to remember how much we went through to finally be together. Looking back I see how our love for traveling started from the get go.

Our first trip to Venice was during the time we spent two years dating long distance. We drove down to Italy to camp at Lago di Garda. I learned people set up camp at campsites for weeks or even months. Some people had fierce campers and RVs, while people like us had a simple tent. I had never seen campsite bathrooms and showers that were so nice.

We made our way to Venice and it was magical. Sure, there's some of the tourist kitsch, but it's such an incredible and unique place. We drank tons of red wine and enjoyed the food that draws visitors in droves.

We vowed to return to those romantic canals and so that's where we went for our 5th wedding anniversary!

New food options in Munich

2011-08-08T21:50:00.005+02:00

Munich has a few newish food places that are worth checking out...

Wir machen Cupcakes - Cupcakes... American style cupcakes that are creative and not too sweet. (I bought the same zucceroo sprinkles in Hamburg.)

The Bubble T Store - Bubble Tea... The Asian pearl milk tea has finally made it's way to Munich with many options to choose from.

Condessa Gourmet Tacos - Mexican... a new restaurant opening this month with fresh + inexpensive tacos.

Zum Goldenen Kalb - Steak + Burgers... I probably eat beef once a year maximum, but the waygu burger here is really delicious and the atmosphere is beautiful. I'd even go as far as saying it's one of the best burgers you can get in Munich. Now if only I could get a black bean burger...

Pierre Hermé Macarons Cookbook - in English!

2011-08-07T19:00:00.005+02:00

I can barely handle my excitement, because in just over a month Pierre Hermé's famed macaron book will be released in English.

Right now it's available for pre-order, which I of course did immediately. It will be so nice to create those beautiful and exquisite little pastries between trips to Paris (or London, or Tokyo).

This little Lékué DecoMAX is a great reusable way to pipe them out uniform sizes.
(If you live here in Munich, I've seen them available at Kustermann.)

Here is a listing of flavors.

[ETA: Here are some tips and the raspberry macarons I made using Pierre Hermé's recipe.]

Goat Cheese with Roasted Red Cherries

2011-07-28T17:40:00.000+02:00

With fresh cherries all over the city it was no question that our next recipe would be goat cheese with roasted red cherries. I cut the sugar back a bit, because I'm not a fan of overly saccharine things and it's a reality check seeing the exact amount being added. This ice cream still has a very decadent taste and is similar to a cheesecake.

I love ashy goat cheese, so that's what I used. Best of all we were able to share some with Stefan's parents who came up for a visit. My father-in-law preferred this to the Sweet Corn + Blackberries, although they are distinctly different.

I'm already getting anxious to try some Autumn flavors, like cinnamon ice cream with an apple crumble in my Weck jars... or lebkuchen with spiced nuts.

Any other flavor suggestions?

Sweet Corn + Blackberry Ice Cream

2011-07-19T17:00:00.002+02:00

We made our first batch of ice cream from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream's cook book. The book is split into four parts according to season, so I chose to began with Summer's first recipe: Sweet Corn and Blackberry.

The results were absolutely wonderful. We're already looking forward to trying the next flavor, although it takes quite a bit of time to make our way through an entire quart of ice cream.

A variety of her recipes are available online, including the following flavors:

Vanilla Bean
Pistachio
Mint Ice Cream
Cherry Pit Ice Cream
Lemon Blueberry Frozen Yogurt
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Melon Sorbet
Sour-Cherry Lambic Sorbet

In Munich, we are fortunate to have excellent green grocers (my favorite being Gretel's). We also have the 'egg man' that brings fresh eggs to the city from Niederbayern every Friday, but incredibly these ice cream recipes don't use eggs.

Finding many of the other ingredients took a bit of work. Rather than using cornstarch or corn syrup, I opted to use tapioca starch and glucose.

Tapioca starch or flour can be found at the Asian grocery, while glucose can be found at some pharmacies or it's possible to make with traubenzucker. The glucose helps to add elasticity, but it isn't necessary.

Ice Cream Making

2011-06-28T13:00:00.003+02:00

Lately I can't stop thinking about gelato/icecream/sorbet. It's partly because summer with no air conditioning makes cool treats a necessity and partly because I was able to go home to Ohio for a visit and some of the requisite Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.

My best friend Ryan and his pup Rufus joined us making our visit that much more sweet.

Since I can't get Jeni's shipped over here I'm very fortunate that she has a new cookbook so I can recreate her creations at home!

Our beautiful little red refrigerator has one fault - the freezer. It's not large enough to accommodate the section that needs frozen, so we need one that's automated and self contained.

Here are a few accessories that help to make it more fun.

[1. Jeni's Spendid Ice Creams Cookbook 2. Cuisipro Ice Cream Scoop + Stack 3. Ice Cream Bowls 4. Unold Cortina 5. ASA Ice Cream spoons 6. Edible Silver Jimmies/Sprinkles]

Here's to hoping your Summer has been delightful! I'll write about all of the fun we've been having as soon as possible.

Chinese Lanterns

2011-06-21T23:00:00.001+02:00

Where I want to be next 21 June...Poznań, Poland.

Here's another video of the magical event.

(Photos courtesy of EPA.)

Bird's Eye: Washington, DC

2011-06-19T10:00:00.002+02:00

Isn't this an incredible image? We looked out the window on a stop over in Atlanta and spotted the US capitol. I marked some of the sites to make it a bit easier to identify what you're seeing.

Boston

2011-06-18T10:00:00.000+02:00

After Iceland we headed to one of our favorite cities - Boston.

Boston was the first city Stefan and I visited together when we were first dating, so it always holds a special place in our hearts. It's such a charming place with so much character, some European flair, and a lot of delicious foods.

Here are some of the sights from our quick stop over...

Squirrels in Boston Commons

Produce in Chinatown

Mike's Pastry's Cannolis + Lobster Tails

North Square

The Freedom Trail

Paul Revere's House

The Old Statehouse

Greenland from Above

2011-06-17T10:00:00.000+02:00

Several years ago we went to East Greenland, which is probably the most sparsely populated place we've ever visited.

Flying from Iceland to the United States gave us an incredible view of Greenland and its icebergs down below. It also has one of the most stunning airport approaches and landings I've ever experienced. Although the water landings in the Maldives are right up there, too!

I've had a lot of the Singapore Airlines flight crew on my tours and I always love them. Some are from Singapore while others are actually from Malaysia. They have so much fun together and talking with the pilots is always so fascinating. They have funny quotes like, "if it ain't Boeing, I ain't going", because the planes are easier to handle.

According to the pilots one of the most difficult airports to land is in Kathmandu, Nepal. It makes sense since it is tucked into the Himalayan valley, but evidently the pilots have to corkscrew the plane both in and out, which is quite dangerous. Our experience at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu was intense, but only due to the most stringent search we've ever experienced.

Isn't it nice to see the world from above? It's quite beautiful and look at all of those icebergs!

Reykjavík

2011-06-16T11:00:00.000+02:00

A few photos from Iceland's capitol...

a foal + mom

the majestic Icelandic horses

the Pearl

Sólfarið - The Sun Voyager viking ship

66˚N monster truck

cathedral + Leifur Eiríksson

parliament - where women are paid equally to men

colorful homes

dripping sparkles + street art

kria birds + the lighthouse

sea glass

If you're heading to Reykjavík this is a useful map of the city center... and just for fun, 25 Facts about Iceland.

Búðardalur

2011-06-15T09:00:00.000+02:00

On our drive to Búðardalur...

an Earthcheck marker

sweet tiny lambs

Hvammsfjörður's glowing water

a waterfall from the melting glacier

a corrugated metal building... the staple in Icelandic architecture

Snæfellsjökull

2011-06-14T11:20:00.000+02:00

Snæfellsjökull is one of the big sites on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

It's a volcano with a glacier on top and can be seen from miles away.

Greta told us the snow has receded substantially since she was a young girl.

The wind at the top was ferocious and we even had trouble walking, because it was so strong.

The view was spectacular and looked very out of this world.

West Iceland

2011-06-13T21:00:00.000+02:00

West Iceland is covered with dormant volcanoes, craggy cliffs, and incredible landscapes.

We drove around the entire peninsula and these are some of the things we saw...

Kirjufellsfoss

Eyrbyggja Lake

Grundarfjörður Cliff

Roaming sheep

Saxhóll crater

...and a windy hike into the crater

Öndverðarnes National Park Lava Fields

Lava Stones on the beach

Skarðsvík

Öndverðarnes Lighthouse

Stacking rocks in Hellnar on the way to Arnastapi

Snæfellsnes Man + Wife Rocks... and a cave

beautiful rainbows in Búðir

...a lot of rainbows

Icelandic Horses

Glanni Waterfalls

Breiðafjörður Bay

2011-06-12T21:00:00.000+02:00

During our visit Iceland was unseasonably cold. It was so cold in fact that we purchased an extra layer at Iceland's own 66˚N so we could withstand the coldness. Being on a boat only amplified that and we had to remember that this is summer.

Stykkishólmur is part of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which happens to be one of three Earth Check areas in the world. They have a very high level of environmental awareness and do everything they can to maintain the health of their area.

Boats are taken out to sea to be cleaned and the water is some of the purest and most delicious there is. Greta said her son in law even brings jugs to fill up and take back home with him.

Out in the bay we were on the look out for a variety of birds. Some appeared to me to be the average seagull, but we also saw white tailed eagles, a seal, and puffins! The puffins were the highlight and before we saw them we kept joking with Greta telling her she had better have not eaten them all.

Evidently, at least according to the boat captain, it takes 2 years of the puffins to burrow out a little home. These holes have two rooms, one bathroom and one home where they have their babies.

There are thousands of islands in the bay and they are only considered islands if they have grass on them. Many share the same names, because there are so many. We were surprised to see several small islands with a couple sheep grazing. Greta later told us that they also taste incredible. I don't eat mutton, so I'll take her word for it.

We visited the small cove where Erik the Red is said to have hid out when he was a wanted man before heading to Greenland and trying to entice people to come there by saying it's green. Having been to Greenland myself I can vouch for it being a much rougher terrain.

One really fun aspect of the bay cruise is the chance to eat seafood straight from the ocean.

A net was cast and in just a few moments it was filled with the freshest scallops and sea urchins I've ever eaten. The other sea life including the crabs and star fish were put back into the water.

Stykkishólmur

2011-06-11T10:00:00.001+02:00

After driving from Grindavík and the Blue Lagoon we made our way to Stykkishólmur, a fishing village with a lot of charm. Despite only having about 1250 residents it's one of the larger cities in the area.

We decided to stay at Baenir & Braud (Bænir og Brauð), a bed and breakfast. This proved to be a fantastic choice. The owner, Greta, is incredibly welcoming and a wealth of knowledge, great conversation, and travel tips. She honestly made us feel like family and answered any question we had. We got along so well and she kept telling us, "you don't change!"

Each day we were greeted with an incredible breakfast, which included homemade hummus, bread, blueberry preserves and fresh smoothies and enormous array of choices. Needless to say we didn't eat too much for lunch.

Some of the other guests during our stay were very interesting and our conversations usually turned quite humorous. One morning Greta pulled out a map and showed us some of the islands in the area, including one with one single home on it. She said her grandfather had lived there and Stefan said, "Let me guess, in that house?" It turns out he built it himself. As for her grandmother she came from a neighboring island.

The 'big' sites in Stykkishólmur are the church, The Library of Water, and the beautiful and pristine Breiðafjörður Bay. It's very common for tourists to take a detour to Flatey Island or a simple cruise through the bay in search of birds and sea food.

Believe it or not puffin is a very traditional icelandic meal. I had previously only seen them in a zoo, so we were asking Greta all kinds of questions. She told us a man Stefan's size would have about 4 and that she cooks about 50 when she has a big family event. I couldn't help but envision an oven full of those adorable bright beaked birds crammed in the oven trying to escape. When we asked her how they tasted she paused and animately said, "Sooo good!" Although the puffins that come from Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) taste "sandy".

We discussed how people came to Iceland. Many claim they are of Norwegian descent, but their blood tells another tale as many in Iceland are type O, which is more common in Ireland. Of course the Vikings got brought into the mix and Greta said what horrible and awful people they were.

Another of Greta's tips was to follow the local legend to get three wishes. Outside of the city there's a small hill called Helgafell. The instructions are to visit the church, walk up the hill without looking back or talking, and face East to make 3 wishes. You can't tell anyone until they come true - and they will come true she said.

The top of Helgafell is so serene. There are farms around the area and plenty of tiny lambs that's bleating mixed with a strange vibrating bird noise is all we could hear.

It really is no wonder that there are so many legends in Iceland. It's such a magical place with unspoiled beauty. The locals know that and do everything in their power to keep it that way.

Iceland... revisited

2011-06-10T21:00:00.000+02:00

In 2008 we went to Iceland and it was nothing short of life changing. I'm a city girl at heart, but nature is just breathtaking...and I love lava fields. There's so much beauty packed into that tiny little country (coincidentally it's about the same size as my home state, Ohio).

Last time we did the typical tourist circuit with:

Reyjkavík
Grindavík + Bláa lónið (Blue Lagoon)
'Golden Triangle': Gullfoss, Geysir, Þingvellir
Seljalandsfoss
Dyrhólaey + Vík

This time we figured we'd go to explore areas we hadn't seen. Iceland is a place where I've felt overwhelmed, because there is just so much I want to experience. Knowing this will not be our last trip there it's simply an issue of dealing with every tourist's trouble: lack of time.

We took tips from Stefan's Icelandic co-worker who told us to go West, so that's what we decided to do.

First, was the quintessential stop at the Blue Lagoon.

The entire area is so quiet and peaceful. It's the perfect start to a relaxing vacation.

Our days and evenings were spent soaking in the silica laden water, which is so calming and made my skin feel better than ever.

Differentiating from day and night is difficult, because we had nearly 24 hours of daylight, which took a lot to get accustomed to.

In the middle of the night we awoke and Stefan said, "Em, can you turn off the light?" and I said, "No, it's the sun."

Lava is the restaurant at the Blue Lagoon. Each day they have a lunch buffet, which gave us the chance to sample some Icelandic specialities. The cuisine is very fish and lamb heavy, but there was a nice variety of interesting foods.

icelandic rainbow

2011-06-09T17:00:00.000+02:00

... just one of the reasons I adore this beautiful country.

Munich in May

2011-05-31T17:45:00.003+02:00

What a busy month this has been.

we toured the Paulaner brewery and learned how to tap a wooden keg

celebrated a certain special someone's birthday

took a trip to Moscow

said hello to sunny days with endless flowers and creative cupcakes

... and goodbye (or at least bis später!) to good friends

We'll be traveling for the entire month of June to some of our favorite places. I can't wait to share more of our travels!

Moscow

2011-05-25T22:00:00.000+02:00

Way back in 2008 we had planned to visit Moscow. Finally we made it happen.

- Visiting Russia took a bit of work and some hefty visa fees. Through our travels we've definitely learned that it doesn't pay to be an American in need of a foreign visa, because they are often double or even triple European rates.

- After warnings that the Russian consulate is very pedantic, even on German terms, we decided to have an agency handle the rules and paperwork for us.

- Once we arrived at the Domodedovo International Airport and I instantly recognized the scenery from photos of their January attack. Everything was repaired and extra security had been installed.

- It's a strange feeling to see a place and have a personal connection to it when something tragic and heartless happens there. It was a similar feeling to knowing the bombing in Marrakech last month was directly across from the shop where we bought a lantern. It all becomes so real.

- Getting to the city center requires a 45 minute journey on an Airport Express Train and some sturdy elbows to get your ticket beforehand. Evidently people feel very rushed and waiting in line isn't a strong point.

- After entering the subway our map reading skills were tested, because everything, except for several ads, is written in Cyrillic. We typically read the first three letters and devised mnemonics and phrases. There really isn't much that is made to offer any type of assistance to tourists. It made me wish we had one of those photo translator apps, such as SpeakLike or PicTranslator. (I'm among the most techno-unsavvy people, but small translators
like this make me want to enter the 21st century.)

- I printed a bilingual metro map before we left, which was a great asset. I was also hoping to see some of their famed stray dogs riding the subway. There were a couple waiting outside the train station when we arrived, but none navigating the carriages. It could be due to the fact that it was a weekend.

- We did a self guided Metro tour, which is actually quite easy to do. One ticket allows you to stay underground as long as you'd like, so it only costs 28 rubles (approx. 0.70€ or $1) to change between stations.

- It is also permitted to take photos in the Metro, which really is like a museum.

- Being in the subway was interesting, because there are always people standing around. Evidently it's a popular place to meet up with friends. It made me a little bit nervous, because there weren't clearly marked exits. Typically we followed the crowds, but it would be nice to even have some kind of directional icon for safety's sake.

- The militia police roam everywhere and it is advisable to carry your passport - or a copy - at all times. Our hotel had a small informative booklet about local customs, which also recommended this.

- I also read that should you be stopped it may be best to open your passport yourself to the proper visa as opposed to handing it over. We thankfully did not encounter any issues, but were extra cautious having known friends that have had problems.

- Russians are extremely superstitious, so said our guide book. It was comical to see people tossing coins and almost immediately after the coin would hit the pavement someone would take it. There was even a little old lady with a magnet. She was certainly shameless.

- The guidebook also stated what a huge deal it was to have clean shoes, which appeared to be a big object of pride.

- St. Basil was really striking, yet smaller than we had envisioned. The colors are vibrant and the architecture is certainly beautiful.

- More onion domes can be seen by going to the Kitay-Gorod area.

- There were several trends we noticed: brown cars, expensive over the top flashy cars, excess polyester, a love of white, white shoes and white pleather, virtually every woman wearing mile high stiletto heels, baggy bottom tapered leg sweat pants for guys, and one that actually looked nice was flesh toned tiny fish net tights for women.

- We saw an enlightened Homer Simpson before an unknown movie premier. Every day we passed this square close to our hotel there were metal detectors and a lot of security.

- We paid a visit to the Novodevichiy Convent, which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

- The neighboring cemetery is the second most prestigious place to be buried and includes the graves of Boris Yeltsin and Nikita Khrushchev.

- Most of the food wasn't anything special, however they did have Hazelnut M&Ms (they tasted a little smokey) and a lemon lime mint soda (which was great). We were expecting things to be more expensive and had quite a bit of cash left over at the airport, so we picked up a key chain to transform into a Christmas ornament and a bottle of cranberry vodka in a matrioshka bottle.

- Overall Moscow was a lot how we had envisioned it, although there were a few things I didn't quite expect. Racism is rampant. The tourist booklet at the hotel said not to venture out at night if Asian or dark complected. It wasn't dusk until around 22:00 in mid-May.

Kotor + Perast

2011-05-15T11:00:00.000+02:00

The border crossings from Croatia into the neighboring countries was very telling. We needed extra insurance to go to Montenegro. As we arrived at the border we were told we would have to pay 10€. Having just converted all of our money into Croatian kuna that's all we had, so our fee came closer to 15€. We also got a laugh as the man proudly told us it's Montenegro they use the Euro, although as of now they are still an EU candidate. The waited lasted eons.

- The landscape is different, the architecture has a very communistic appearance, and Russian was on many signs - without the blacked out spray paint we had seen in Bosnia.

- Along the drive we had an interesting talk about communism. I enjoy talking to Stefan and his parents about that, because for them it was closer to home they have very vivid memories of the East and West Germany, as well as the Iron Curtain days.

- I distinctly remember the fall of the Berlin Wall and department stores selling large chunks of it. A classmate of mine brought one in. Stefan remembers how scarce bananas were, because they were such a luxury good that people were buying them with their reunification money. A friend of ours that grew up on the East said her family instantly went on a cruise and her father told her she could save money when she's old.

- Montenegro has a lot of fascinating history even before their foray into communism with the Illyrians, Byzantine Empire, defeating the Ottomans, and having close ties to Venice. Their independence was gained from Serbia just 5 years ago and it will probably be several generations until people can appreciate the communist fall.

-The Adriatic coastline of this tiny country is incredibly beautiful. There are mountains, glistening waters, and small medieval towns along the way. We stopped in Perast, which is a quiet little city where the main attraction is chartering a boat out to the islands.

- The larger city of Kotor, which is further down the coast is enclosed in an enormous wall that circles the Old Town. The hike to the top has incredible views over the city, however we opted to enjoy the day like the locals.

- It seemed like everyone in town was at the cafés and restaurants or down near the water front enjoying the coastal way of life, so we joined them after wandering the intricate maze of streets.

- Around town the worn walkways give way to beautiful old buildings that are covered in window shutters. It's a quaint and charming little place with the perfect mix of history and natural beauty.

Međugorje + Kravica

2011-05-12T10:00:00.000+02:00

Međugorje is a Catholic pilgrimage site where 6 children were said to have been visited by the Virgin Mary in 1981. It is visited by people of all faiths with an emphasis on peace.

Large organized tours assemble and Mass is performed in an array of languages. With so many hopeful people in one place it really has an incredible energy.

There are a plethora of shops with rosaries, statuaries, and other religious goods. One area, to the left of St. James Church, has many priests and confessionals again in many languages. It was fascinating to see which had the largest lines.

Since we weren't able to make it to the Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, we settled for the Kravica Waterfalls, which is one of the largest in Herzegovina. The Trebizat River flows into this 100m wide, 25m high expanse of impressiveness. Natural beauty really never ceases to amaze me.

We arrived shortly before dusk when the light just glistens across the landscape. Surprisingly there weren't many people around, which added to the ambiance. Kravica Waterfalls are breathtaking!

Bosnia isn't a huge tourist destination, but it certainly has a lot to offer and positively surprised us in so many ways.

Mostar

2011-05-10T16:00:00.000+02:00

After spending a bit of time in Croatia we set out on a road trip through the surrounding areas. The drive along the coast is really incredible. There were moments where we had to remind ourselves where we were, because it felt so similar to road trips we have done along the coast in the US.

- Getting from Dubrovnik to Mostar takes a few hours, but it's such a scenic drive. There are also several border crossings, first into Neum (Bosnia), then back into Croatia through Metković, followed by a more stringent and time intensive crossing into Bosnia. It was advantageous to speak German, which always makes me happy to not only have English to rely on.

- Once in Bosnia it was interesting to see so many signs where the Russian has simply been spray painted through. It was a very clear sentiment that the Bosnians are finished with that.

- The medieval Ottoman influence is visible in Mostar immediately after arriving to this picturesque city. If it weren't for the very distinct signs of war it would appear to be out of a fairy tale.

- We immediately walked over to the banks of the Neretva River. The water is mesmerizing and so crystal clear. That serenity was interrupted by a man throwing about 7 pairs of shoes out of his house into the water flowing below. Definitely strange. It made us wonder how the river stayed so clear if people used it as a wasteland.

- The Stari Most is one of the big tourist sites in town. Unfortunately bridges are often bombing targets during wars and this was no exception. The stones of the original bridge were supposedly made from a combination of horse hair, eggs, and wax paste.

- The food has a very Ottoman / Turkish influence and included Ćevapi / Ćevapčići, Kebabs, and Baklava. It was quite good, although my Grandma's baklava still holds out as the best I've ever had.

- Later in the day we'd also witness several young men being paid to jump off of the bridge. This seems to be a coming of age tradition for the men of Mostar. I have no idea how much money they made in doing this, but as they hit the water below it sounded quite painful.

- The bumpy cobble walkways on both sides of the bridge are filled with shops and restaurants catering to tourists. There was a lot of pomegranate inspired art work.

- Minarets decorate the skyline and the city remains to be divided down religious lines, even for the support of sports teams.

- We walked through the quiet nearby market and neighborhoods to observe the less touristy areas. Many of the buildings have deep scars in their façades. As we walked down a quiet street we were surprised to see a group of young boys shooting at each other with pellet guns. With the marks of war everywhere it seemed even more of a reality.

- Nature has reclaimed some of the ruins, which is interesting and beautiful to see. It's certainly a place of renewal and regrowth.

- Bosnia and Herzegovina is probably not the first place think people of taking a holiday, but it has a lot of natural beauty.

Next up... Međugorje and Kravica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Electrolux Pop-Up Restaurants

2011-05-07T12:45:00.002+02:00

Sadly Nomiya, the instillation restaurant atop the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, is closing. We were lucky to visit twice - once for Stefan's surprise birthday and to celebrate the 1.1.11 New Year. Both were unforgettable experiences.

Electrolux has started The Cube, a new pop-up restaurant venture in Brussels, which will run until 3 July.

After that it appears Stockholm and Moscow will be added to the mix.

(photos courtesy of: Electrolux)

Ohio's African Safari

2011-05-06T11:00:00.002+02:00

A few years ago I went with my parents to visit The Wilds, a sanctuary in my home state of Ohio. This conservation center helps to educate people by giving them incredible a first hand safari experience in America's heartland. It's also partnered with the Columbus Zoo, which famed zoo keeper Jack Hanna calls home.

In addition to their safari outings they have recently introduced the opportunity to stay overnight in a yurt at Nomad Ridge. The Wilds encompass about 10,000 acres, which is ⅔ the size of Manhattan, so you might have to remind yourself that you're not in Africa.

Dubrovnik

2011-05-03T14:55:00.001+02:00

Dubrovnik, Croatia is one of the jewels of the Adriatic. It's quaint and charming nature made us always want to visit, so that's just what we did over the holiday.

As my Italian friend Andrea said, he thought of it as 'a daughter of Venice'. That may be true if the canals are replaced with steps, because this is clearly a city of stairways. We kept discussing how difficult it would be to navigate the city with heavy luggage, children, wheelchairs, or injuries.

We rented an apartment through Airbnb, which was really nice. It always makes traveling feel less touristy and they have an extensive list of incredible properties. People can even list their own homes or spare rooms, too. If you'd like a $25 discount towards an Airbnb stay just leave your email in the comments or click the envelope on the right and I will send you one.

The good news is after trekking up and down the stairs all day there was an extra excuse to eat gelato - as if we needed one. We loved the gelato at Poklisar right near the harbor. They had one called Extra Black, which I think Stefan may have eaten every single day.

The old town is very simple to navigate and where we spent most of our time. At the harbor we'd watch the fish in the crystal clear water and fishermen would come in with their catches, occasionally even selling them to people waiting nearby.

Since it was Easter time the markets were bustling and there were Catholic processions through the city. My favorite details were the tiny candles that were lit all around the Old Town and the gorgeously decorated Easter eggs. On our flight over I read they give them their shiny luster with bacon grease.

The biggest tourist site is probably walking to the walls of the Old Town, which was made even more incredible by thick fog that swept through and added a bit of mysteriousness.

From above it's easier to see the marks of damage from both war and the earthquake that ravaged the city. At one of the gates there was even a sign showing where the city had been hit.

There is remaining damage along the Stradun. Pits and pock marks litter the marble ground.

It really made it clear at how Serbo-Montenegrian Army forces were relentless. There is a disheartening first hand account and video of the attacks here.

Many of the bright red terra cotta roof tops are rather new due to the attacks.

Fortunately the city was able to repair itself and rebuild rather quickly. Local lore challenges young men to stand on this owl spout facing the wall on one foot and take off their shirt for luck in love.

The city is romantic enough without the comical challenges. The light shines over the historical streets and Adriatic in such a magical way.

Italian influence can also be seen in the Baroque architecture, such as in the St. Blaise church where Pope John Paul II once celebrated Mass.

Dubrovnik is also a hot spot for cruise ship stop offs, although once the throngs of people leave for the evening it's very mellow and a great time to walk the wall or shop in peace.

This cute little pup had just come in from a day on the boat with his Dad. Another sweet one in town was Uje, a beautiful shop with local products. I especially liked their lemon olive oil in simple olive shaped bottles.

Doviđenja, Dubrovnik - until next time!

Frühlingsfest in Munich

2011-05-01T23:00:00.001+02:00

The Frühlingsfest isn't as popular as Oktoberfest. With only 2 beer tents it's a much smaller scale, but it's still a lot of fun.

We visited with our friends Emily and Jeremy, who sadly are moving back to San Francisco soon. They will be greatly missed! It's still nice to pack in a bit more Bavarian fun before they say goodbye to Munich.

If you head to the Hippodrom, I highly recommend the spätzle with pears on it, but it's definitely enough to share.

The fest runs until May 15th.

The Balkans

2011-04-28T13:30:00.005+02:00

We just returned from a wonderful trip to the Balkan area. Our travels took us to Croatia, Bosnia + Herzegovinia, and Montenegro.

It was very eye opening, because I vividly remember the end of the Second Yugoslavia and the Dayton agreement. Stefan kept saying, "These are the names of the cities I heard about on the news when I was young."

Each city had it's own character and charm. The dynamic between the countries was also very interesting. Border crossing was quite telling at what kinds of relationships the countries have. Signs on the streets reiterated that, too.

Along the way we visited several cities, as well as a lot of natural beauty. It's a region of contrasts, recovery, and hope. Next month we're heading East again. I'm intrigued to see the similarities.

More photos + info to come!

Rosemary Ginger Lemonade

2011-04-25T17:00:00.000+02:00

One of my very favorite restaurants in all of Munich is Daylesford Organic. The food is fresh, seasonal, and organic. I also believe they have the best chocolate cake in the city.

Nearly every time I visit I get the Rosemary Ginger Lemonade. It's spectacular.

Here's how I make it at home: It's easy to use fresh ginger since the blender takes care of it and sieving it removes the fibery bits or stop by the Asian grocery for some in a jar that is great to have on hand for cooking and baking, too.

The restaurant doubles as a shop with various spices, sauces, wines, and seasonal products. Additionally they have rosemary scented cleaning products, which are biodegradable and make my kitchen smell lovely.

Shop House Southeast Asian Kitchen

2011-04-14T18:40:00.004+02:00

If you live in the US, or Washington DC in particular, it looks like there will be a new restaurant worth trying - the Shop House Southeast Asian Kitchen. It's the creation of those that brought the world Chipotle, which we are still patiently waiting for here in Munich. Don't forget to send them an email!

The types of food will take influence from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and other Southeast Asian countries. I can hardly wait!

If only Washington DC was on our travel route this summer. Friends + family in DC, let us know what you think and hopefully we'll get to visit you soon.

Paulaner Brewery Tour + Free Beer

2011-04-11T22:00:00.002+02:00

I've always thought the breweries here should offer tours akin to those offered at the champagne houses in Reims. Last year I read about the sightseeing beer tour, which pays a visit to Spatenbräu.

We're bigger Augustiner and Paulaner consumers, so I filed it away as something that might be fun when we have visitors.

Today I booked a Paulaner tour, which includes a tour of the brewery, beer taping course, tasting of 3 beers, a brotzeit, and a 2 course meal. The discounted offer is good for the next week with random dates from May through October.

Is it sad that I will be proud to hang my beer taping course certificate?

Another date to mark in your calendar, if you're in Munich, is 23 April. This is the day of the Reinheitsgebot anniversary for the purity law that went into effect back in 1516. The city celebrates with 1000 liters (Maß) of beer for free.

To be part of the celebrations make sure you're at the beer fountain at Oskar-von-Miller-Ring 1. It will probably be a little chaotic since it's on a Saturday this year. Prost!

Bunnies

2011-04-05T13:00:00.001+02:00

These Lindt chocolate displays always make me happy to see all of those metallic bunnies in a row. This year I've even seen white and dark chocolate available.

Ethnic Restaurants

2011-04-02T13:00:00.002+02:00

It's been way too long since I've written about places in Munich. These are a few restaurants worth checking out if you live here or are passing through. They all have a great ambiance and unique, but delicious food.

Milagros • Pavesi Picnic • Nomiya

Looks like I'll have to take Stefan out for a date night! It's difficult to decide if we should visit something new or a familiar favorite.

The Great Wall

2011-04-01T16:00:00.001+02:00

(This post is a follow up from our trip around the world. I will be writing a recap for each place we visited during our 4 month trip. Prior to Beijing we also visited India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau).

We signed up for a tour of the Great Wall through our first hotel. They had two options - a private, yet inexpensive shopping tour, or a private tour that was about 5 times the price. We didn't really have plans for the day outside of visiting the Great Wall, so we figured why no go the cheap route, because we'd have the same amount of time at the Wall either way.

- Our guide and driver picked us up and we set out for the famed Great Wall, which is about 40 miles from Beijing. We chose to visit the Mutianyu section, which proved to be a good choice, because there weren't many people around, but first there were a few other things to visit.

- Along the way we stopped at a Jade shop, which stressed that it was government owned, so we could expect only the best at reasonable prices. The sales assistants were like shadows, which really didn't make me want to spend time looking at anything.

- In order to subsidize the cheap tour we later learned it was required for us to stay in the shop for a designated time so our guide could get a sign off that she was indeed there. It was really interesting for me to see how the tour world works elsewhere and actually an interesting look into China.

- Not everything was shopping related. We also visited the Ming Tombs, which aren't visited by the Chinese who have a bit of superstition about death and graveyards. We had to say in Mandarin 'I'll be back' and then something that sounded like 'lo lie lee', meaning 'I've come again'. I was just excited to learn some Mandarin so I could greet the driver telling him I've come again. He laughed a little bit, but probably only out of kindess.

- The drive to Mutianyu took roughly 1.5 hours. Along the way we noticed many gray brick buildings in the small communities. Occasionally there would be a bright splash of color from pennant flags hanging over an area, but outside of that most of the color was from cabbages on the ground or the last few persimons lingering in bare trees.

- We stopped for a delicious Chinese meal at a small local restaurant before making our way to the bottom part of the hill, which was really steep. We walked through the various vendors selling sometimes hilarious souvenirs such as panda hats. There was also the option of taking a toboggan back down. Definitely kitschy and unexpected.

- Once we arrived at the top we were in awe that we were standing on the Great Wall. It was our year for visiting monumental ancient architecture with our visits to the Pyramids in Egypt to the Temples at Angkor Wat - and now the Great Wall.

- It's absolutely incredible to see how the Wall effortlessly weaves around the mountains like a ribbon. Some areas are more dilapidated, while others have been refurbished.

- Thankfully there were even times where it felt as if we were alone so we could really take in the scenery. Getting out of Beijing's smog ridden air was also something we appreciated.

- The last stop on the shopping tour was a tea ceremony, which was fun and informative. We were told the differences between the teas and able to sample oolong, jasmin, lychee black tea, and a very old Chinese Pu'er tea.

- Our hostess had an old tree stump style table the also had a small terra cotta figure soaking in water. Stefan asked what it was and then she told us a 'pee pee boy'. We, of course, were puzzled. She proceded to show us how it worked - if she boils water and it is hot enough to use for tea she can pour it over this figurine and cold water comes out.
As she demonstrated she held it up and I got sprayed in the face. We both remained composed and I continued drinking my tea, but I am sure she got a great laugh out of that after we left. They also gave us one with the teas we purchased.

- As we sampled the various teas I asked her if the oolong was 'monkey picked', because I know they have been marketing some teas that way in the US. She looked at us oddly and then said the pu'er tea was sometimes called monkey picked, because the women look like monkeys when they are picking it. That was definitely not what I was inferring, nor did I know this. I'm sure the look on my face was pure astonishment.

jamie

2011-03-24T15:00:00.002+01:00

Stefan and I love to cook together on the weekends. For my birthday I received a subscription to Jamie Oliver's magazine, which is phenomenal. From the recipes to the fonts, stories, photos, and city guides - it's hands down one of the nicest publications out there. I love it even more because we get to spend time together and enjoy the delicious results.

The great news is that it's also now available in German.

Oddly the first issue they translated is a year old.

Both issues have Italian themes and next month's English issue will be about Marrakech, which he's also previously done. There are so many other types of cuisine that I'm hoping he covers, too - like Indian, Asian, Mexican, French, German...

Maybe next month I'll find some more recipes to use my Moroccan spices.

[images courtesy of: Jamie Magazine Ltd. and Gruner + Jahr AG & Co.]

Past Travels + such...

2011-03-21T16:00:00.000+01:00

I'm just about finished with editing all of our trip photos from our around the world trip. I never thought this day would come.

These are the places I've yet to finish writing about: Beijing, Japan, New Zealand, The Cook Islands, Hawaii, California + the Southwest US, New York City, Savannah + Charleston.

We have a few more trips already booked for the coming months and we're trying to decide what to do for our 5 year anniversary, which is going to be here before we know it.

I dug up these photos from my antique photo collection as to where we are heading next...

Spring

2011-03-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

These are a few of the things I really can't wait for... thank heavens Spring is around the corner! I know I'm not alone in thinking the gray and dreary days can get extremely depressing. We've had a few sporadic sunny days, but I will be thrilled once they are consecutive.

Hopefully the weather is nice wherever you are!

Marrakech

2011-02-22T14:00:00.001+01:00

One of my painting teachers in college told me he thought I would really enjoy Marrakech and now I can tell him that he was right. It was so nice to be able to spend so much time exploring the city, because there is so much to see and do.

The area is conducive to getting lost - even if you have a reasonable map, which often leads to some interesting places.

The Djemaa el Fna...

is where most roads lead and at night this UNESCO site really awakens with an array of characters, foods, sounds, and smells.

- One of my favorite things was sitting at the little café on the corner and watching the action down below at dusk and watching the early evening action. The light was magnificent and it steadily faded into night.

Snake Charmers

Produce Market...

it felt like we were stepping back in time to see the weights + scales that were used.

Goods Markets...

one of many places to buy tea sets, clothing, carpets, decor + household items.

Transport...

seeing donkeys, horses, carts, motorbikes, and cars sharing the roads.

Souks...

there were a large array of goods for sale, but the light beams shining through the thatched roof was especially beautiful. (Side note: Stefan had no idea this slab of meat was behind him.)

Souks at Night...

so quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of the day.

Escargot...

food may be safe, but dishware can be problematic since there aren't great washing facilities - or so we were warned.

Terrasse des Épices...

this was our favorite restaurant. The ambiance and food were both fantastic. It was recommended by Jamie Oliver. Ironically we saw signs with 'Jimmy Oliver' and 'Jimmy Holliver' painted on many restaurants at other places around the city. I read about this one on his website.

Guéliz...

Considered 'New Marrakech' and has a very European feel. It's also an easy place to go for things with marked prices instead of bartering.

Guéliz • 16 café...

Modern foods and fantastic pastries

Guéliz • Grand Café de la Poste...

another recommendation by Jamie Oliver. The food here was terrific and the restaurant was very elegant. It drew a very interesting set of characters.

Koutoubia Mosque + Gardens...

beautifully tended with orange trees, greenery and a bit of shade.

City Walls...

those little holes allowed for the expanding and contrasting of the stone as it was being built.

Tanner's District...

even as soon as we approached the area men would come up with photos of the colorful Fes market to show us in hopes of guiding us there (In Marrakech it's not as colorful). Many people and children are more than willing to offer help back in exchange for some pocket money, although it's easy to visit on your own as well, which is what we did. The children were sweet - they would start yelling 'fermé (closed)' if you ventured down a residential dead end.

Palais Bahia...

one of the most visited sites in Marrakech. There are so many beautiful patterns, textures, and architectural details.

Jardin Majorelle...

this botanical garden is really something special. It was designed in 1924 during the colonial times by a French expat.

Memorial to Yves Saint Laurent

Oasis...

it's incredible to think this is more or less in the middle of a desert, because the area is so lush and green.

Marjorelle Blue...

Not quite Yves Klein blue, but quite similar and equally as beautiful.

Train Station at dusk

Mosques

Palmerie

Camels

Lantern shop...

I wanted a bright colored lantern and there was only one shop where we saw them for sale. I tried to negotiate for one and the man told me they start at 600 dirhams, which is about 60€. I went with the approach of knowing what I'd be willing to pay and being willing to walk away, which is what I ended up doing.

- We went back another evening with a plan and had a different sales man. Stefan tried his hand and incredibly the starting price was mysteriously 400 dirhams, or 20€ less than I was initially offered. Typically giving 10-20% of their initial offer and not more than 50% is fair market value.

Spices + Tagines...

we also brought back lots of spices and this little tagine trio, which is currently home to a variety of salts on our table, because I certainly love salt - and having a useful reminder from our travels.

Moroccan Riads

2011-02-18T10:00:00.001+01:00

Something wonderful about Marrakech, and all of Morocco, are the gorgeous riads. Each of these traditional homes provides a small oasis from the chaotic hustle and bustle of the city. They are relatively small for hotel standards with typically 5 or 6 rooms, a courtyard, and often beautiful roof top terraces.

Upon looking for hotels I have to say I was overwhelmed, because there are so many impeccably styled options. In the end, we chose Dar One during our first stay in Marrakech and Riad Awa after our return from Essaouira. Neither were exactly easy to find, which tended to be the theme of the old Medina with its winding streets and back alleyways. Behind unassuming doors are these brilliant and spacious abodes.

At Dar One, our suite even had its own private terrace overlooking the city. It was relaxing to go up and hear the nearby storks clacking as they sat perched atop the mosques. I also loved to hear the call to prayer echoing through the city.

The owner, Jean Pere, was very inviting. He told us he lives out in the country, although he stops by the riad frequently and often with his two dogs in tow, who appeared so worn out they hardly batted an eye when we pet them. The maps that we were given had many wonderful restaurants and locales marked and with those we set out to explore the city. It was a great introduction to the Medina.

At Riad Awa our room had a gorgeous headboard that was etched concrete with built in lights and beautiful intricate details everywhere you looked. Once again it was a very relaxed atmosphere... so relaxed in fact that people didn't lock their room doors when they were out in town.

Both riads had great roof terraces with quiet areas to relax in after busy days exploring the Medina.

If you're planning a trip to Morocco it's best to know the riads typically take cash payments and you'll have to get Dirhams once you arrive, so plan for that, or make sure they know you'll be paying with Euros beforehand!

Munich globe

2011-02-17T22:00:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I've even written about life here in Munich. We're trying to get through the Winter, which has been pretty mellow, but it's still pretty incredible how fast the gray days can take over and really be mood drainers.

Thankfully there are small things bringing smiles to our faces.

I spotted this globe of Munich while Stefan and I were out and decided it would be great to add a pretty little glow to our apartment. It's the perfect place to survey the city and map some of those new restaurants we've been meaning to try.

Essaouira

2011-02-11T14:00:00.001+01:00

We wanted to get a grasp on seeing two completely different areas of Morocco, so we set out for the coast using the Supratours coach bus for a scenic and comfortable 3 hour journey through the desert.

- Along the way we even saw goats in a tree - no joke. I really wish I could have taken a photo, but I had just enough time to wake Stefan and say, 'Look, goats in a tree!'

We also stopped at a rest area in the middle of the Argan fields. I wasn't aware that Argan oil is made from nuts that goats eat and the pits they are unable to digest. Sort of like that super expensive kopi luwak coffee from Sumatra. Isn't nature grand? The Argan pits then get pressed into the oil, which is edible and also used in beauty products.

- Although unsuccessful at photographing the goats in a tree, I do have some photos of the rest stop dogs, which differ from the Saouirian dogs, who were clearly a mix of dachshund and chihuahua.

- Once we arrived in Essaouira we instantly noticed the sea side feeling of the town - blue and white buildings with many boats and fishermen wandering through the bustling streets.

- Place Moulay el Hassan is where the port and Medina collide.

- The port was packed with boats. Beautiful blue boats everywhere.

- Sometimes it seems so incredible to me to consider how differently people grow up all around the world. We saw some boys playing in the port and on the boats. The feeling of community is omnipresent in Morocco. We encountered that in different ways several times. It's interesting to see children roaming about on their own and being so independent at such a young age.

- Small markets and shops under arched doorways at virtually every turn.

- The Moorish influence was evident with little tiles similar to those in Portugal.

- The blue color was also splashed throughout the city in various tints and tones.

- The monochromatic colors of the city provided a beautiful backdrop for the pops of color.

- The alley ways wove through around the Medina and we were happy that our host had picked us up, because finding this riad would have never happened.

- Something I loved about Morocco is you really have to be in the know. Hiding behind seemingly simple façades are elaborate homes, restaurants, and markets. It's so much fun to wander about and get lost amidst the striking scenery.

- Other times the façade is merely that... like on those pyramids of spices. So picturesque, but really just spice painted on a figure underneath.

- Every meal was served with bread and olives. I think I need to incorporate more lemon herb olives into my diet. Best of all a small bag could be purchased from the street vendors for 30¢ and bread was just 10¢.

- It was a little startling to see entire slabs of animals dangling from meat hooks. One evening we saw 3 cats begging in front of a stand.

- Whenever we travel I love to look at the details and analyze how they should fit into the greater world, because every place I go has something incredible to offer. In Essaouira, one of my favorite things was the lack of chain stores - everything was local. Being on the coast the fish were plentiful. They had two fish markets, one near the coast that catered more to tourists and this 'souk au poisson' for the locals, although both were willing to cook up whatever you'd like right on the spot.

- Locals seemed to enjoy the slow pace of life. When the call to prayer would happen we noticed shop keepers would turn a stool upside down and leave their stall trusting things would be OK. It was nice to see that kind of honesty.

- Wandering through the markets surprised us, because the items for sale were different than those in Marrakech. The small woodworks, bright babouche shoes, Fatima's hand silver jewelry, and tiny tagine spice trays were more prevalent.

- I always love the lanterns and was surprised that many shops didn't have brightly painted ones that I would expect.

- We enjoyed many traditional pastries. I need to learn how to make them!

- We caught a couple of the legendary sunsets from the ramparts. Despite January normally being their wet month, we had spectacular weather the entire time. This time of year the sun has the most brilliant glow over the narrow streets.

- Near the ramparts it was very interesting to watch the stray animals compete for attention. A woman, who we later realized was a local painter, was excitedly greeted by a few dogs. It was really a great exchange. She knelt down and gave them attention, which surprised me, because as I've been told in the Islamic faith Mohammed liked cats and therefore dogs are seen as unclean. One scampered after her as she walked on and we later spotted him sunbathing close to her. At another point a dog and cat fought for attention from some French tourists.

-After a few days in Essaouira we were heading back to really delve into Marrakech's hustle, bustle, and dusty red Medina.

- As our bus drove towards the main road out of town I noticed a witty spray painted doorway that said, "I'm Muslim, don't panic." With that we went into the warm light that grazed the landscape and made everything seem to glow on the way back to Marrakech.

Spices

2011-02-10T13:00:00.000+01:00

Since I've been cooking up a storm recently I wanted to reorganize my spices so they weren't taking up so much space and so they would be more uniform.

I first saw this idea on delicious days, however I modified it to suit our needs - changing up the colors of the labels so I could categorize differently and typing up each spice's name in both German and English.

These are the spice tins. They are perfect, because they are light safe, air tight, have screw on lids, and you can put expiration dates on the bottom. Now I can just grab the ones I need for my recipes and get cooking.

I ordered 60, so I can always create my own mixes or have a home for the new things I pick up in far away cities. We bought loads of Moroccan spices while we were in Marrakech, and now they are perfectly nestled in my drawer with my kitchen scale and the rest of my collection.

Persian Love Cake

2011-02-04T22:00:00.000+01:00

We have had so much going on recently, but I've still managed to make time to make home cooked meals each night, which I really love.

Lately I've been making a lot of Indian inspired foods including this beautiful Persian Love Cake in honor of the pending Valentine holiday.

The flavors are very interesting: cardamom, rose water, lemon, saffron, and pistachio. I added some heart healthy pomegranates, too.

It's such a luxury to have good food, made from scratch, and to try new recipes that remind me of places we've been.

This is definitely a good recipe to surprise your sweetie with or to make yourself as a sweet and exotic treat.

Live the Language

2011-01-31T20:00:00.002+01:00

EF - Live The Language - Paris from Albin Holmqvist on Vimeo.

Have you seen these incredible and gorgeous little videos from Gustav Johansson, Niklas Johansson, and Albin Holmqvist?

They warm my heart and make me squeal with delight. These are the simple pleasures of travel... seeing, learning, and doing - and so beautifully presented. Really spectacular!!

So far cities include: Beijing, Barcelona, London and Paris.

Each video brings me back to my time in each of these cities.

I can't wait for the German version. They remind me of my own language school experiences.

Don't they make you want to jump into language school as soon as possible?

creative outlet

2011-01-25T10:00:00.001+01:00

Nearly every time I feel as if I am finished going through travel photos I see something else and feel inspired.

I love paint, watercolor, and the juxtaposition when combined with photography. Without delving too deep into art and art history (which is my background) it's the dichotomy between photographers using light to 'paint' their images and with painters creating with nature that really fascinates me. They are such different mediums, but can be united in striking ways.

There are quite a few creative projects going on for me and many more brewing... these are a small sample of some of the things I've been working on.

Art is just so therapeutic. My Mom always said people need a creative outlet and I whole heartedly agree - especially when I can combine it with my loves: art, travel, and Stefan.

Marrakech Menara

2011-01-22T14:00:00.001+01:00

One of the prettiest airports I've ever visited.

Flight to Marrakech

2011-01-21T18:00:00.000+01:00

Our flight to Marrakech was through perfect weather, which enabled us to see much of what was down below including:

The exact moments when we cross the Pyrenees mountains (where my family's dogs are from)...

When we left Spanish airspace and crossed onto the African continent.

Beautiful remote villages with very interesting topography. Incredibly this photo has only been color corrected.

The red buildings that are everywhere in Marrakech... and perfectly suited for some tilt-shift photography from the plane

As-Salāmu`Alaykum*

2011-01-20T22:00:00.000+01:00

We are finally back from our Winter hiatus. Morocco is full of energy, beautiful colors, patterns, cheerful residents, and delicious foods. The warm African sun was fantastic and that glow was radiating, especially at dusk.

In addition to Marrakech we also visited the beach in sleepy sea side Essaouira. They were wonderfully different from one another, but both incredible in their own rights.

I'm really trying my best to get through editing these photos, especially because we have quite a few more trips lined up before the summer sun rolls back around. I can't wait to share the great things we saw, ate, and experienced. We even tried our hand at price negotiating... Stefan is clearly more seasoned than me.

* Peace be upon you, in Arabic.

Photo Booth

2011-01-11T23:11:00.002+01:00

...always worth a visit - even if there was too much developer, which made me look like I had a 5 o'clock shadow comparable to Stefan's.

This is a great site to find them near where you live or if you're heading out on a trip.

New Year's 2011

2011-01-03T11:30:00.016+01:00

Once again we were reminded of Paris' beauty and why we've fallen in love with the place.

We had a two day celebration for New Years Eve and New Years Day on the roof top of the Palais de Tokyo.

Best of all was talking to some of the museum workers, especially about the art heist next door, which happened a week after we visited last May. It's such an audacious theft. We were looking at the window where the person got away and imagining where the works are now being stored and by whom. It's absolutely fascinating.

Hopefully the photos will pick up where the words fail me. It's an incredible city that never gets old.

The iconic Eiffel Tower - sadly there were hardly any fireworks + around 2am they shut the lights off completely

Pierre Hermé, who has a white truffle macaron for the season - it's delicious, as is everything that guy makes.

Patrick Roger's fantastic chocolates - the dark chocolate citron vert is perfection

Pretty + delicious pastries

Centre Pompidou

The I love you wall in Montmartre

Lots of cheeses

Grenelle Bridge Lady Liberty

Love locks

The Notre Dame

Street Art

... more Street Art

Jusqu'à la prochaine fois - à tout à l'heure, Paris!

Parisian New Year

2011-01-01T23:11:00.000+01:00

It is going to take me days to pour over the photos we've taken in Paris. To say we had an amazing time bringing in the New Year would be a massive understatement.

Hope 2011 is treating you just as well!

Bonne Année

2010-12-31T23:59:00.002+01:00

Saalbach-Hinterglemm

2010-12-28T21:00:00.001+01:00

Right after Christmas we headed to Austria for a fun getaway with friends.

Spectacular views of the Alps

Serious snowboarding

Lots of aprés ski glühwein

Fantastic sledding

The perfect skiing weekend

This is exactly how Winter should be.

`Tis the Season

2010-12-23T19:00:00.001+01:00

Our advent calendar is winding down, which I am actually going to miss. It's been fun to surprise Stefan each morning before he heads off to work. My aunt sent me the Elf on the Shelf a couple years ago and he's been making surprise appearances all around the apartment as well.

This past week we visited the Tollwood, had a candle light cheese fondue, bought and decorated our tree, watched a Christmas movie, and had a delicious breakfast to name a few of the advent calendar surprises.

Since I haven't seen many of our ornaments for the past two years there were some great treasures to rediscover. Somehow I forgot my angel that always makes me smile. I picked her up my very first Christmas in Germany at the Weltladen while my sister was visiting.

I also forget how so many trees here resemble bushes and for some reason the lights come as a lasso. I can't quite figure out why this is a good idea. Untangling Christmas lights is never fun, but when there isn't even a single end to work from things get interesting rather quickly.

Whenever we travel we like to pick up an ornament or something small that can be hung from the tree, which has lead to a really fun collection. Each year I love to unpack our Christmas decorations and reminisce over the exciting things we've done together.

I've wrapped Stefan's gifts and they are nestled so nicely under the tree. I'm very excited for him to open them, but I might make him wait until American Christmas on December 25th.

Olympic Sites + Temple of Heaven - Beijing

2010-12-21T19:00:00.006+01:00

Beijing

2010-12-20T16:00:00.000+01:00

(This post is a follow up from our trip around the world. I will be writing a recap for each place we visited during our 4 month trip. Prior to Beijing we also visited India, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Macau).

- With just a few short months to plan this monstrous trip we had decided to follow good weather, which made packing relatively simple - or so we thought. Our flight to Beijing was delayed due to snow, which meant leaving sun and sweltering Hong Kong (90 ˚F / 32C) and arriving in dark and snowy (30˚F/ -1C) Beijing.

- That wasn't the only part of the bumpy start to China. No taxi wanted to take us to our hotel. We lucked out by waving a business man over to take the cab that rejected us and he instead talked to the driver and helped us on our way. The problem was our directions to the hotel weren't very helpful, and although he knew of the neighborhood he wasn't sure on the exact street. At one point he got out of the car to smoke a cigarette, because he was clearly frustrated. Thankfully we had a phone and were able to call the hotel. Twenty minutes later it was clear to us why he did not find it, because it was down a tiny alley way. As for the cost of the city tour - a mere 3€.

- We all laughed and he was so incredibly nice - speaking Mandarin to us while we had no idea what he said. It was probably along the lines of this being the last time he picks up Westerners at the station. So if you come to Beijing and encounter cab man 233355, he’s great.

- During our stay in Beijing we split the time two different hotels, one is a traditional courtyard style and a super modern design hotel near the Forbidden City. While changing hotels probably doesn’t sound like too much fun to most, we like that it gave us a base is different neighborhoods. They were very interestingly different.

- The first neighborhood was really cute with a lot of character and provided to be a great place to discover an authentic area of Beijing. Our hotel even have a tiny rabbit in a bird cage and fish near the water for good feng shui. The area seemed to be serious China and I was more than happy I packed a point-to-it-style icon dictionary. Everyone was so helpful and even somewhat excited to practice their basic English.

- Beijing is super easy to get around and navigate, even if your Mandarin isn't so hot. Incredibly the subway only costs about 20¢, so it's also very affordable.

- ‘The Chairman’ Mao dominates the skyline and red flags are flying everywhere. It was difficult not to get distracted from the little Chinese children with their slit pants - even in the freezing weather. There were a few children whose parents wanted them to have their photos with us, however the children were afraid even with us getting them with a 'Ni hao' and smiles.

- The area is really impressive as it is huge and very regal feeling, despite it's not always pleasant history, where hundreds of people were killed. We walked the entire square and passed various monuments included the mausoleum of chairmen Mao. A funny thing was that the entire time they played a 60th anniversary of new China movie on big screens in the middle of the square; we could definitely see that they take their country seriously. There were not a lot of people around which added to us feeling we were in a massive place.

- The oldest gate of Beijing is towards the South side and has a quite touristy, but beautiful street called Qianmen Street. It was interesting to see the old side streets coupled with the new modern area that was built to look older. It really felt like a movie set.

- One of the most famous places to have Peking duck is also on this street. That was one of the things Stefan constantly talked about before we came. He had to have duck in Beijing. I almost lost all hope as I looked at the menu and saw duck tongue, duck gizzards, and an endless array of other duck and animal bits. I settled on some shrimp. Stefan was very excited to receive a certificate from his duck that was raised on wheat and spring water.

- Even with the cold temperatures I couldn't turn down a tea ice cream. We ordered both a jasmine and a matcha cone and they were great. I will probably be dreaming about them for a while.

I will write separately about the Olympic sites, the Great Wall, and the Forbidden City.