Hyacinth

Today was such a beautiful day. The flowers have finally bloomed and the sun was shining bright. We somehow even were able to evade the forecasted rain.

One thing I absolutely love about Munich, is that there is a lot of care and attention to the flowers in the city. Even in cement heavy pedestrian zones, there are large planters filled with daffodils, hyacinth, and ranunculus. And it's not uncommon for the flowers to get changed out mid-summer.

I always take note of these tiny details and of course take tons of photos. Be prepared for plenty more!

Reading

One thing I think is fascinating is how much things are censored in America. I still recall being in London when the war on Iraq broke on March 20, 2003. The coverage on the BBC and other British news programs was much more graphic and real than the things that were being shown in America.

My friends and I went to Speaker's Corner that weekend and discussed things with people, which was really eye opening for me. It was my first time in Europe and the fact that something like Speakers Corner existed was an interesting concept.

Sure some people are there for theatrics and rocking next to their signs declaring they had been abducted by aliens, but there was dialogue without aggression and anger. I'm a visual person so it's always nice to put a face to a cause, but it was really interesting to be able to talk to people who are directly affected.

The reason I thought of that is because I really love to read, and entering a German book store with an English section is quite an experience. The books seem more controversial and dynamic. Perhaps on occasion they are hiding in the shelves at other shops back home and I neglect them for less heavy reading. Here there are limited options, so things stand out, and if it looks remotely interesting I'll jot down the title or buy it. I'm especially partial to non-fiction, which isn't so plentiful here.

Every time I come home from the US my bags are packed to the gills with books. It's not even unheard for me to pay extra for a bag simply for this purpose. Some months I will read a book or two a week.

I never thought I would read books online, which is a bit strange since it takes that tactile quality away. I'm pretty old fashioned with things like that.

Then I came across this online book by a professor at Clemson named Skip Eisiminger. It has short stories about random things in life that resonate with me. The book is called Felix Academicus.

Maybe it's my need to read and feel like I am doing something intelligent from time to time, but I've found many universities have interesting things that are free. Even if you're not enrolled you can still take advantage of materials like this. So if you find yourself needing to read something to read you can check it out.

I'm always up for more suggestions too if you're reading something great!

München Munich

Since I am evidently not the only one that adores M. Sasek's children's books, I wanted to share this information.

I was under the impression my mother had found the 'This is Munich' book, when she had found a book titled 'München Munich'. I can't imagine the books are different with the exception of this version being bilingual, which I love.

The illustrations are beautiful, as always, and I love the witty comments like this one in reference to the the Oktoberfest:

"When the 'Gaudi' is over there's always a herzl (gingerbread heart) or a maxi-Brezel (large pretzel) for a souvenier - and a headache."

Although many a Münchener will dispute the notion that their beer gives headaches, even after a day at the Wies'n (an affectionate name for the Oktoberfest that takes place at Theresenwise), you should be reminded that beer is considered food here. And they still maintain their strict purity laws.

Regardless, the humor and illustrations are terrific.

Postcards from yo Momma

My sister knows me so well and understands my sense of humor, which I would hope after 20 something years of living together.

Once again she comes through in sending me a terrific website called Postcards from yo Momma.

Rather than postcards like Post Secret, the website contains messages and emails sent from mothers to their children.

It's definitely hilarious and a fun glimpse into the lives of others. It's also nice to know there are mothers that worry more than my own -who would have thought?

Don't worry mom... your emails won't be submitted to this website, but I will enjoy the fact that other people's mothers can be quite neurotic.

Thanks Meem!

the joys of baking

Thankfully I was able to replicate my father in law's karottenkuchen with great success. There are days like today, where all I need is a little something delicious and beautiful to keep me going.

I topped the cupcakes with a cinnamon vanilla cream cheese frosting.

It looks like I'll be doing a lot of baking and cooking until the weather warms up towards the end of the week.

Here's to hoping for more recipe success.

Karottenkuchen

My father in law is a great baker. He is always making tortes and cakes that are unique and delicious. I keep hoping that Stefan will gain his skills through osmosis or over time, however it's not looking likely. Fortunately, my father in law is willing to share his recipes and entertain my desire to bake.

I often joke that Germans add apples to virtually every dish. Since living here I have seen apples in salads, potato salad, cakes, yogurts, sauces, and ice creams. When in doubt or if a baked good is remotely moist, the answer is often apples. My mother in law said she never thought about it until I mentioned it and now agrees.

This weekend my father in law made a delicious carrot cake with... you guessed it - apples. His cake reminded me a lot of the lebkuchen from Nürnberg, because it also doesn't have flour and instead uses ground almonds. It's easily the best carrot cake I've ever had.

I'm going to attempt this German recipe with more predictable results. Hopefully I am able to replicate it and put it into my permanent recipe collection, although I will make mine cupcakes with a dollop of cream cheese frosting.

foreign currency

Since Uli + Verena were preparing for their trip, they showed us some of the Australian currency. This comes as no surprise to people who live or have traveled to Australia, however I was so surprised to see that their dollar bills are made of plastic. I also like how their money is so bright and colorful, plus there is even a small transparent area which is quite unique.

When we traveled to Liechtenstein and Switzerland, I really loved the Franc's and that one depicted Giacometti's art work. The US has such dull money. Sure it's laden with hidden figures and symbolism, but I like when countries have more art and color. The only difficulty is remembering it's not monopoly money.

Something else they were telling us about their upcoming trip, was that if a koala is sitting in a tree you could apply a bit of pressure to the top of their head and they would climb down and climb up into your arms. I'm not certain where they got this information, but I am definitely looking forward to seeing their pictures.

schachtelfest

Uli and Verena are heading to Australia for 9 weeks, and Verena's schachtelfest was the last time that we were going to see them before they leave for their trip.

I was amazed when we arrived to what I thought would be a rather intimate gathering. Instead it was Verena and her friend Melanie with nearly 100 friends and family celebrating. Verena's Dad and his band provided entertainment and everyone enjoyed crazy amounts of food - not to mention the drinks, and my favorite - desserts.


I secretly hoped that Uli would have wrapped a ring and proposed, although I knew it wouldn't happen. People don't get married for ages in Germany.

Stefan and I are always met with astonished faces when we tell them we are married, like the lady when I was buying my dirndl. Just moments after she was telling me how to get gravity defying cleavage she went on to tell me how to tie my apron. The way you tie it designates your availability: 'On the right if you are married, on the left if you are single, in the middle if you are a virgin, and in the back if you are the waitress'. Then she said, 'So we'll tie yours on the left.' To which Stefan stepped in and said 'actually we're married'. I loved it.


Back to schachtelfest... our box was one of the last to be opened and I had to laugh because I decided to wrap many boxes of 'nerds' the American children's candy. I wasn't entirely cruel since they were euros randomly taped to them. Needless to say they had a great time opening tham and reading the messages I had written on each box.


The night was a success and everyone had a great time, although I must say I am not envious to the load of junk they received and now have to figure out how to dispose of. Someone even gave them an American flag - unbelievable!

unique German traditions

We are going to a 'Schachtelfest' tonight, for my brother in law's girlfriend Verena.

In Germany there is an old saying that when a woman turns 25 without being married she is an 'old box'. It's a bit of a mockery where she is given many boxes, which are wrapped inside one another. Sometimes they will contain a gag gift, while other times they will contain a small gift that is more meaningful. It's more of a provincial way to celebrate.

We have been collecting and saving boxes for sometime and I am really looking forward to celebrating with her. It's also going to be fun taping origami money inside so she has to open them all.

As stoic and precise as Germans often are, I always appreciate the sense of humor and having unique celebrations even if there is a bit of a gender bias.

Another interesting one was when Stefan and I were engaged, his co-workers decided to have a bachelor's night for him. They started the evening with dinner at someone's house and then gave him a sign to wear. On the front it said 'Bachelor Farewell' and on the back it read 'your last chance'.

After getting him suited up he was handed a basket filled with random things - tools, a baby outfit, a toilet brush... really strange items. The object of the evening is to sell these items and use the profits to buy drinks for the group that he was out celebrating with. He even told me someone offered to buy his shirt off his back.

Since this will be my first and last schachtelfest, I will be sure to take a lot of photos. And fortunately that was Stefan's last night as a bachelor.

thanks mom!

I was talking to my mom about the M. Sasek 'This is Munich' book, and wondering when the reproduction would come out (my guess is this year or next year).

Leave it to the infinite powers that only mother's have... she found a vintage copy for me.

To top it off it isn't an old library copy with tons of markings, it didn't cost an arm and a leg, and it's bilingual with English and German.

I am already excited to look at the beautiful illustrations and to see what kinds of things around town Sasek thought were worthy of documenting.

Trial + error cooking

I figured seeing the final product of my first German recipe would be appreciated.

Let's just say the Caipirinha torte looks better than it tastes, even despite the fact piping it into the cups wasn't a success either. You can take the girl out of America, but you can't take away her love for American style baked goods or her desire to recreate them. My first tip off should have been that I was creating a torte with yogurt, low fat cream cheese... and alcohol. I don't think dairy and alcohol mixing (with the exception of Bailey's or Kahlúa) is ever a good idea.

Even tried and true recipes here are just slightly off, which sometimes forces me to be adventurous. I have to remind myself the water's different, the flour is even different, not to mention using the metric system is another issue. I still recall my mother in law's astonishment that I measured things in ounces, which was something her mother did and seemed so archaic to her. Cooking is entirely a new process here, but I appreciate the challenge.

On the bright side I appreciate that it's made me learn to do things from scratch and discover some great kitchen gadgets, like my digital scale that changes between grams and ounces. (Notice it's helped me find things to make cooking easier, but doesn't guarantee success).

It also encourages me to try random things in hopes that after so many trial and errors I'll happen upon something that makes it's way into the permanent book. I have to admit I still get excited when trying a new recipe, unfortunately few meet my standards to make it into the book.

Which just reminded me of a great gift idea for the person that has everything. It's called Taste Book. You can create a personal and professional looking cook book, which can be edited and added to at any time.

And my favorite... you can add your own photos. While you don't have to use all of your credits for pages at one time, I am still holding out for a few more happy accidents, and for my Grandma to share some of her secret family recipes before I begin creating one myself.

Until then I'll be happy that I have a husband that appreciates any kind of food I make.

Free night in Amsterdam

Our friend Martina has gorgeous apartments both here and in Amsterdam, where she is currently living. She's been trying to get us to come visit for some time, but weekends have been few and far between lately. We are planning a trip and it looks like it will now be in June. We'll be staying with her but we'll also be able to stay at a new hotel that is opening June 21st called Citizen M. They are small prefab style rooms at their hotel near the airport.

Since I love design I often read up on neat hotels and concepts when I stumbled upon Citizen M, which plans to branch all over Europe. This is what their website says:

"So how are we able to provide such high quality for such low prices? The answer lies in our construction. Called ‘Industrial Flexible Demountable’, our rooms are pre-made in our own special factory off-site. This factory ensures that citizenM’s rooms are of a comparable quality to that of a luxury yacht or private jet. Only the best materials are used and our modular system combines functionality with comfort and design. We like to think that citizenM is an evolution in the hotel industry. But since citizenM likes to be a little bit modest, we won’t shout about it. At least not too much."

I'm still wondering just how much a room there costs, but my guess is about 100€.

Well it looks like we'll have an extra 100€ to spend on food and fun, because they had 100 free rooms to the first 100 people to book and I snagged one! I'm really excited!



It was really a bit of a pain, with tons of error messages, but even checking out a funky new concept for free sounds great to me... and I know Martina will be happy that we'll finally make it and not put her out for an entire weekend.

I will say the rooms at citizen M look exactly as they describe them: like they are on a yacht. Except our view will be over Amsterdam rather than the ocean.

The last time I was in Amsterdam was only for one evening when my flight had to be grounded due to losing gasoline - fun right?

I'm hoping this trip will be equally as memorable, but for different reasons. I'll keep you posted.

Le Bazar de Cuisine

There is a beautiful little cooking shop located in Haidhausen called Le Bazar de Cuisine. Every time I pass I feel as though I am in a magazine spread. The windows change frequently and there is always some kind of interesting table decor or cooking instrument that beckons for me to do some cooking and baking myself. Another thing I love is how personal it seems - they have old fashioned price tags, which are just adorable. It also reminds me of an old Grandma's house that is filled with treasures... even though these treasures are all new.

Today after a long day of spring cleaning I am trying to decide just what it is I want to bake. I am considering a Caipirinha torte with the recipe being entirely German. Caipirnha is a drink that is very popular here and it comes from Brazil. It combines muddled limes, brown sugar rocks, ice, and Cachaça - which is a sugar cane alcohol (typically the brand 'Pitu'), for a refreshing drink. I'd assume the torte (or in my case mini cupcake tortes) can't be too bad either.


US style Brown sugar is a hot commodity here in Germany. I have found a decent substitute called Mascobado, which is whole cane sugar that is unrefined, however, I am going to let you in on a secret. Often times obscure foods from America can be found at the Asian groceries here. They have sweetened condensed milk and just yesterday I happened to find some brown sugar from Thailand that looks quite promising. It has the same wet sand consistency as the brown sugar from the US and I'm quite excited to try it out.

Hopefully between my deciphering of a German recipe and this brown sugar, I will be able to create something like the one pictured in the recipe. If not I guess I will have the ingredients to create a 'caipi' for myself.

(Caipirinha Torte photo courtesy of Kraft foods)

just in time for April Fool's

I like random street art and this one is really creative. I saw it via the Wooster Collective. It's called the 'air bear' and was made by a NYC street artist named Joshua Allen Harris.

The link also has video so you can see the bear in action. When the wind comes up from the subway grates the bear inflates, which could be a metaphor for traveling 'green' and keeping the polar bears alive by saving energy. That's my art historian view, or you can take it at face value as an interesting outdoor instillation.

Now wouldn't that be a great April fool's day surprise? I'd love to see people's reactions.

sunrise

This morning I woke up to my very own Rothko, courtesy of Mother Nature and the one hour time change. Rothko's probably wouldn't have been so matchy, but I stood there in awe of the striking colors. It was spectacular.

I kept reminding myself of the old sailor's rhyme:
'Pink skies at night; a sailor's delight. Pink skies in the morn'; sailor's be warn.'

I prefer to think it signifies a great week ahead.

weekend wrap up

I love the frilly and floral qualities of Tord Boontje's lights. As we were walking to Gast, a delicious and simple restaurant that runs off the open kitchen concept, I passed a shop and instantly recognized his 'Midsummer's Light' pendant lamp in the window. Boontje's aesthetic mix of natural with the technological create some striking pieces. I also love that he returns to nature for inspiration.

He currently has an instillation at Swarovski in Innsbruck through 2009 and I still need to make my way to see it. Despite my lack of interest in the zillions of Swarovski shops that seem to dot every European city, I would be willing to visit the one in Innsbruck since he is involved. I had to laugh when we went to tiny Liechtenstein last year to find their headquarters are there. Swarovski is truly inescapable.

Dinner at Gast, was great as usual. They have a huge variety of fresh pastas, pizzas, salads, and rice dishes. I've also seen their menu for a breakfast, but we haven't made it yet. If you're interested in an inexpensive and delicious meal, you can find Gast at the Gasteig, one of Munich's performing arts centers, at Rosenheimerplatz.


This weekend we also enjoyed the Mark Rothko exhibit at Kunsthalle, which is part of Fünf Höfe. It was a retrospective, which are always fascinating. I love being able to see how an artist progresses and they had these really neat digital monitors that enabled the viewer to flip through pages of his sketch books simply by touching the screen. It brought me back to the abstract expressionism from my 20th century art history courses. We noticed many of the pieces were on loan from his daughter Kate. Interestingly he also holds the record for a post-war painting sale - in 2007 he had a piece sell for $72.8 million. I wonder what he would think of that. Fünf Höfe has several exhibitions through the year and they are always quite good. The space is beautiful and I love that they integrated art into a frequently traversed area of the city.

I love taking people to art museums, because it's nice to be knowledgeable and tell people about the area that I studied. Stefan was asking me even seemingly simple things about the different mediums and the differences between oil paint and gauche, so it was a bit back to basics, but it brought a little smile to my face.

We definitely need to make museum visits more of our weekend repertoire. I miss seeing the art as well as the other patrons, since museums and galleries seem to draw and eclectic crowd.

Olympiadorf

At the suggestion of Troy, from Munich Daily Photo, I went to see the last remaining units in the Olympiadorf.


I remember being slightly shocked and intrigued by this bunker style student housing when I initially came to Munich and went to the Olympic park. They were brightly colored and looked slightly decrepit. It's a dichotomy since Munich is known for being a posh and wealthy city and this looks like a small piece of rebellious Berlin within.

Seeing the reconstruction made me recall my own university experience with 'the ghetto', - an affectionate name for a fabulous neighborhood of university owned housing. While it is undergoing a facelift of it's own, it is an essential part of what gives the university a major sense of community.

When I went to see the Olympiadorf remnants there was a feeling of sadness and hope as I strolled through the blocks of housing. It reminded me of my university days and how it slowly has become less recognizable. During my visit students were moving out and talking to each other from their roof top patios and dogs scampered around as they waited on their owners to say their last goodbyes. The ivy on the buildings clung for life adding a beautiful contrast on the colors.

The feeling of hope radiated and I appreciated the unique artistic displays that the students had painted on the facades of their homes. Some were more literal than others with replicas of Piet Mondrian, Roy Lichtenstein, and Keith Haring.

The news hit that these units were going to be a thing of the past and students decided to have a party which quickly escalated into outsiders deciding they could help in the destruction. Sadly, broken windows, fist fights, and fires broke out and the party promoters had to call riot police in August of last year. Photos can be seen at Sueddeutsch Zeitung. Rather than renovating, it is less expensive for the units to simply be rebuilt.

Another unexpected shock to me was how it reminded me of a cleaner version of Christiania, the squatter type neighborhood located in Copenhagen pictured above. The colors of Christiania added to it's allure, however when curiosity caught the best of us and we decided to visit I was really disappointed. The concept of Christiania was to provide for each other, which sounds good in theory, but I couldn't really respect the conditions that these people chose to live in or their attitudes towards outsiders. I like to tell myself these people were so busy caring for each other that they simply didn't have time to care about their city. The area was litter filled and lacked the 'hippiness' I was told it was filled with.

Having visited the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio many times, I think I have a fair comparison of how a self respecting hippy village looks. It's a place of pride, natural living, and even draws free concerts from Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and other friends of resident celebrity Dave Chappelle.


I am intrigued to see if the new village, which is scheduled for completion in 2009, will have as much character as it does now.

Thanks Troy for the inspiration! Check out his blog, it's really informative, not only for Munich but many other European cities.

Another thing...if you are visiting Munich in the near future, there is a beautiful view from olympic tower B on the 15th floor. You can see the entire BMW plant, Allianze arena, olympic park, Frauenkirche, and on a good day even the Alps.

M. Sasek

I am quite fortunate because my mother-in-law is a complete bibliophile. Granted, we don't really share books because it's easiest for us to read them in our native tongues. However, I appreciate the wealth of knowledge that she is and the fact that Stefan grew up with books surrounding him (this has made him more tolerant of my ever expanding book collection).

A couple years ago I started collecting the books of Miroslav Sasek. Some of the most beautiful illustrations and sweet city portraits can be found in these wonderful children's books.

Another reason I feel such a connection to M. Sasek is because he adopted Munich as his hometown, I love thinking about him walking these very streets. I'd be very curious to know more about his life here, although not much is known other than he died in 1980 and had one son. You can read a bit more about him here.

The great news is that his 18 'This is....' books are being reproduced. While the old copies from 1959-1974 can be acquired through old library sales and book shops handling antiquities, I enjoy being able to order them and have a replica of the original without the hunt.

The down side is while it looks as though the entire collection is being reproduced, I am still waiting to hear when 'This is Munich' will hit the shelves. I have to remind myself to patient. Thank you Rizzoli for republishing these phenomenal books.

There is also a slideshow of his illustrations that is worth checking out.

Simply stunning!

fun book ideas

I was reading bluelines, the Martha Stewart blog dedicated to her magazine 'Blueprint', which has sadly been cancelled, when I came across the blank board books sold by Romp. This is a delightful little shop in Brooklyn. (I'm beginning to think with all of these creative and great things in Brooklyn that it's calling my name).

I absolutely love the youthful quality of these adorable blank books. The possibilities are endless and inspiring. While they would be a fun and meaningful afternoon project with children or baby shower activity, I am also thinking they would be great personalized gifts with a little more sophistication.

I've most definitely not lost my love for book making, however these are inexpensive and immediate. I also think they would be great to journal in while traveling and create personalized travel guides tailored towards the lucky recipient.

This weekend we are supposed to have beautiful weather, so I'll probably hit the town and look around for some inspiration.

Life is too short

When you are a lady of leisure with idle time to burn, much like myself, you often consider things that you could or should be doing. I'm not talking about the household chores, but all of the possible career paths and life choices. The things that make life interesting. The difficulty is not knowing how long we will be living here to know how much of myself to invest in these endeavours... not to mention crossing the language barrier in a foreign country.

Being in an international marriage means that at least one of us, at all times, will be the foreigner. Right now Stefan has a different kind of battle, considering he's an international business man and speaks English and German fluently (on the down side he works crazy hours, but he is passionate about his job). I, on the other hand, have plenty of interests that I would consider sinking myself into, but have other obstacles to conquer along the way - namely the German language, social system, and the political and bureaucratic games that are unique to every country. Granted, these are the same things that make me appreciate the opportunity to live in a foreign country and really challenge myself.

The unfortunate thing is that even with so much time to ponder what I want to be when I grow up, the secret is I am still quite clueless. I've had a number of jobs in my life to know things I am not interested in doing, but I am excited for the time when I am able to do something great. Sure I love being a tour guide - it's probably the best job I've had to date, but I yearn to do more.

I was thinking about this today for a variety of reasons... Spring is a time of new beginnings, Stefan and I have major life changes in the next few years, and I finally entered Geobuch - the book store located at Rosental 6. The reason I list this travel book shop is because to me it contains a wealth of possibility and experiences. The glowing globes in the windows draw me in and the collection of books inspire me.

I love life and the possibility of it. I'd probably even come back for another one if I was able to. With as many interests as I have I think I would need several more lifetimes to accomplish everything. There is one common thread that I notice with my interests- they make people happy. And here is a sampling:

Art - I love art history, archeology, architecture, art education, and museum work, which are all visual communication that people from every walk of life are able to take in. I love the link to the past and understanding how old societies did things, as well as modern works that the people of today will be remembered for. Let's hope it's not another strip mall! All people are creative and I think it's really essential to have some form of a creative outlet. Hence my need to take zillions of photos and make arty things as shown to the left.

Travel bookshop owner / writer- While I'm nearly finished with my second self published children's book, I would like to write a real book. If I lived in a city long enough I also think it would be great to have a shop like Geobuch or Globe Corner Books. Did you notice the graffiti monkey?


Florist - my grandparents owned a massive greenhouse before I was born and I wish someone in the family would have taken over it. Being surrounded by color and beauty all day sounds like an alright life to me. Especially if I could make visually stunning arrangements.



Non-profit work - I'd love to do any kind of work that helps people for the greater good. Perhaps that is due to my benevolent side.






Letterpress stationer - sure it may be an archaic title and job, but for me it's deeper than that. I appreciate hand written correspondence and the personal nature of it, as well as the tactile quality. I never met someone that didn't love getting mail - so why not make it high quality mail? Having the space and finding a Vandercook press is another obstacle.

Pastry chef - while I don't want baker's hours, I love beautifully made desserts that are elegant and delicious. People always love cakes and cookies. I'm also a big fan of various interesting chocolates, like those at Vosges.




I definitely have an interesting adventure ahead of me and I'm enjoying life as it happens.