Brandhorst

Munich has done it again. For being such a glorified village of a city we really have some incredible cultural opportunities here. Now there's another option on the block - Museum Brandhorst.

While it was under construction I always called it the 'colored pencil museum', because the exterior is an interesting array of colored ceramic pieces. There's no doubt that it's a place of creativity. Inside the collection you can see pieces ranging from some of my favorites including Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Damien Hirst.

There is evidently a lot of excitement, because you had to sign up for a time slot for free admission through Sunday and it's fully booked. Within a few hours time the online time slots were triple the capacity. I prefer to visit museums without being herded through, so my tip is to check it out for the normal 7€ or on a Sunday for only 1€.

If you're not in the Munich area, you can check out some of the pieces here and read more about the museum here.

Travel

Right now we are planning to take advantage of the lagging economy and take a few months off to travel. It may be 2 months, it may be 3 - depending of course on the flexibility of Stefan's job, but it will definitely be exciting.

We're thoroughly looking forward to the prospect of all of this, however it's also slightly daunting because it seems as though we won't have much planning time if we end up going this Fall. That is part of the reason that I am trying to spend time researching and learning about unique and beautiful places that I wouldn't want to miss along the way.

Since Stefan has Star Alliance Senator status from Lufthansa, we are going with their Air Pass or Around the World Fare, unless we travel around Europe or the US.

We've both written out a list of dream places and now we simply need to figure out the best plan of action.

Here is some of our thinking:

North America 50 States / Canada -

• If we travel to the US we can visit a lot of friends and family as well as hopefully make it to a wedding in Chicago. 
  
• We always wanted to drive across the US or visit all 50 states and possibly some parts of Canada.
  
• It would be very affordable given the exchange rate. 
  
• I can show Stefan some of my favorite places that he's never been to. 
  

Places we'd like to visit:
Anchorage, Alaska
Bryce Canyon, Utah
White Sands, New Mexico
Antelope Canyon, Arizona
San Antonio, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Savannah, Georgia
Ben + Jerry's Factory, Vermont

Europe + The Mediterranean -

• There are a few countries in Western Europe that we still haven't been to, as well as most of Eastern Europe. 
  
• We live here, so we should make the most of it and really see everything we can. 
  
• We have our car, inexpensive flights, and the trains.
  
• Time permitting we'd also go to Morocco and Israel. 
  

Places we'd like to visit:
Turkey - Istanbul + Pamukkale
Croatia - especially Plitvicka Jezera + Dubrovnik
Malta
Sardinia
Italy - Matera + Burano
N. Ireland - Giant's Causeway
Greece - Athens + Santorini and the islands
The Baltic States
Morocco - Chefchaouen, Essaouira, + Marrakesh

Asia+ Oceania -

• Stefan has traveled to a few countries, however I've only visited The Maldives. 
  
• Completely different culture.
  
• The Euro is strong compared to the various currencies.
  
• The only con is that I would like more time to prepare for a trip to Asia since I am less familiar with it. 
  

Places we'd like to visit:
Taj Mahal
Nepal / Bhutan
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Seoul + the DeMilitarized Zone
Hong Kong
Tokyo
Thailand
Cambodia - Siem Reap
Singapore
Shanghai
Australia
New Zealand
Islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, + Polynesia

Obviously a trip around the world would include a variety of these places and we are always open for suggestions of your favorite places. 

I put a poll on the right and I'm interested to hear your opinions, which you can enter under 'other'.

life changes

Apologizes for not writing more frequently or responding to your comments in a more timely manner. I truly appreciate them and it's so nice when people take the time to comment or give my blog an award, but lately I have felt awful that I haven't been able to devote the same energy back. I promise I'm working on it!

I have to say I'm still surprised it's not just my family and friends from home who occasionally read this, which is extremely flattering, if not slightly intimidating.

Lately many people in my world have been facing big life changing struggles. As Stefan's Oma says, "Luck doesn't always fall on one side." Sometimes it means picking up the pieces, changing life plans, or making the most of time with loved ones.

Times like this call for appreciating the little things, which I often have to remind myself. That alone isn't always easy being so far away from home and leading such an unpredictable life, but there's a beauty in knowing that support can come from the most unlikely of sources. It's one of those beautiful moments of life beginning again.

It makes me think of the hermit crabs in the Maldives. Every single day there was so much action on the shore line. Upon closer inspection I would see the tiny crabs fighting to move into a new shell. Even for the little guys life isn't easy, but everyone fights on, gradually getting stronger and more colorful over time.

All of these little battles are tedious and demanding, but they are what make us appreciate the wonderful things of life and the moments that bring us joy. They add color to our lives as well, and shape us into interesting and complex people.

At the end of the day it's important to be thankful - even for the smallest things, and to realize how difficult life can be for everyone from time to time.

Mozartplatz

At the Auer Dult I found a fantastic old book about Salzburg. It's given me so much more information to include on my tours that I haven't found anywhere else. The information is probably more exciting for me than my tour groups, because I actually get to see the excavations and changes.

I can always tell if people are interested in the topic by how much their eyes are glazing over or if they wander off to take photos. Often times English is not their mother language or they do not speak English very well, so I'm sure it's exhausting for them to take everything in.

Something new that I learned: During one of the WWII bombings (16 occured from 1944-1945) that destroyed 40% of the city, Mozartplatz was hit, however it also revealed 6 foot thick walls of a Roman temple beneath the ground. There was also an inscription stating 'Here lies happiness, let no evil enter'. This city really has so much history and I wish it came with glass floors.

These are the things I ponder while I admire the little details and enjoy Demel ice cream at Mozartplatz (this time I had raspberry and grapefruit basil). If you go to Salzburg you must try their ice cream - it's nothing short of amazing. The flavors are as intense as the colors, but they are not saccharine or overly sweet. Even my tourists full heartedly agreed that it's delicious.

All of the small things do make Salzburg feel like a city where a musical could burst out on the street at any minute - and not just because of the Sound of Music. The blue skies, the little birds, the open plazas, the colorful flowers, and the charming cafés give it a movie set feeling.

Tilt Shift

I'm so in love with this website that Rachel posted on her blog. It's called Tilt Shift Maker and it enables common folk like myself, that don't have a specially designed tilt shift camera to create beautiful photos that look like they are miniatures. After I spent way more time than I care to admit using the site, here are a few of my favorites...

Rome + Cairo

East Greenland

Reykjavik

The trick is to find photos where the focus is on the foreground with a large depth of field and it also helps if there is some height. I'd still like to try bokeh.

I really need to decide what kind of camera to get, which was my birthday gift way back in January. Any recommendations?

Grinzekatze

Stefan picked a restaurant out of our date jar and we made reservations for his birthday dinner at the Grinzekatze. This was the restaurant that was featured on a German TV program called 'Mein Restaurant', where five teams of two in five different cities set out to open a restaurant. Each week people were voted off.

We had met Toby, who was the Munich contestant, last year at a drink mixology course. It just so happened he and his wife were the Munich team that won the entire show.

The Grinzekatze has an Alice in Wonderland theme. The restaurant itself is nice, however the longer we sat there the more I noticed the odd details. Not odd in the Alice in Wonderland sense, but just odd as if it was a set restaurant trying to be a real one. Stefan also commented he wasn't sure what was going on with the decor - it was an attempt at being modern, but with lots of little tchotchkes. The wall paintings were a bit haphazard, which is a shame, because it could be a nicer place. Looks aside, we came to try the food.

The menu is small and the prices are rather high for the quality of the food. Another oddity was that the food looked different from table to table and there wasn't consistency. Some were garnished, while others weren't and the portion sizes weren't the same. I've never seen that at a restaurant.

There was a large crowd and they were turning people away - this was on a Wednesday night. Despite all of the hype, I think this restaurant will go in the same folder as the Gesellschaftsraum. Both are gimmicky and the food was mediocre. It was nice to have tried it, but it won't stand out in my mind as a place to return to.

Black Pearl Cake

I've had this recipe for the Vosges Haut Chocolate inspired Black Pearl cake patiently waiting in my 'recipes to try' folder for what seems like ages. Everyone that reviews it says it's a lot of work, but extremely decadent and delicious. Thankfully Stefan's birthday gave me the perfect occasion to make it.

Typically I try to make things in small portions, so making a cake is more daunting. After halving the recipe it seemed more manageable, especially for the two of us.

It has some interesting ingredients (wasabi, ginger, and black sesame seeds) for a bit of an Asian flair. Even if you don't like wasabi, I'd recommend trying the recipe. You probably wouldn't even guess it was in the cake unless someone told you. As a side note, I doubled the amount since many reviewers suggested doing so. 

The directions are easy to follow and it does help if you make the ganache and syrup the day before to break up the time. I didn't add all of the sugar the recipe called for and it was still delicious. I'll definitely be making this again.

Cheap Date

Munich has a distinct little area of town called Kunstpark / Kultfabrik, which is right behind the Ostbahnhof. It's said to be the largest club complex in Europe. We frequent the area simply to go to Mitte Meer and while we were there we noticed a billboard for Kantine.

With the power of advertising in full effect, not only did we see they have wood fired pizza, but they offer most of the pizzas on the menu for just 3.30€ on Tuesdays after 6PM. I'll admit it's not the best pizza I've ever had, but it's decent - especially for the same price as a frozen pizza. On other nights of the week they have other specials, however we haven't tried them.

As for the area, it's is sort of strange. It reminds me of Daytona, Florida, without it's somewhat redeeming quality - the beach. There are loads of night clubs and seedy signage, but once you get past that you'll find Kantine in the middle. The restaurant itself made us feel like we stepped back into America, because of the sheer size.

The area is very ramshackle looking, because most these clubs and bars are housed in what used to be factories. At night it's cleverly disguised with bright lights, a multitude of different types of music, and cheap drinks to draw people in. Between Kultfabrik and Optimalwerk (located down the street / through the parking lot) there are well over 40 different venues to drink your life away and mingle with other party people.

Since Stefan and I are content being old and boring we simply go for the pizza and are home before the party crowd arrives.

Fire Rainbow

Yesterday I called my Grandma's house to chat with everyone and wish them a Happy Mother's Day. It's so nice to catch the entire family in one place. It really makes me miss those American family get togethers.

As they passed the phone around I kept hearing about the most beautiful rainbow and how unique it was. Once my sister sent me a picture I immediately recognized it as a rare Fire Rainbow, thanks to the WebEcoist.

Isn't it so beautiful? I never realized wishing my Mom a beautiful day would end up being so special!

They said it was stretched out and slowly became thinner. It only lasted 15 or 20 minutes, so it was definitely great they caught it.

Another work of art is the Sistine Chapel puzzle that my Grandma finally finished. She said it took 5 or 6 weeks from when she began and it was so much work that she thinks she'll be glueing it and having it framed.

Sounds like a wonderful get together had by all... wish I could have been there too!

(photo courtesy of my sister Meem)

happy birthday mom!

Not everyone gets to celebrate their birthday and mother's day in the same week (and occasionally the same day). Then again, not everyone is as special as her!

♥ Love you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

When Mother's Day rolls around I always think 'what would my Mom enjoy today?' Last year we went to the biergarten to enjoy the beautiful day in her honor and decided to do the same this year. She does love a good beer from time to time and once again it was a great day to enjoy outside.

We started the day with breakfast on our balcony. I defrosted my very last Naga cookie from Vosges. My mom and I share a love for these and unfortunately they are out of stock on their website, so I wasn't able to send any her way.

Another thing that I am immensely proud of, that always reminds me of my Mom, is my basil plant. I cannot believe I have my very own - and it's growing! Just last weekend I was talking to Stefan's Mom about it and she said, 'these aren't meant to last, you just throw it away when it's done.' My Mom grows the most insane bushels of organic basil.

I'll admit that I don't really have a green thumb, despite the fact my grandparents owned a green house, which is why I usually stick to fresh cut flowers. Stefan even surprised me with a beautiful bouquet for completing my 'Zertifikat Deutsch' (German language test). How sweet is he?

What's funny is virtually any time my mother in law comes to visit, she brings a plant. Stefan received an early birthday gift - a hanging plant for our balcony, yet I was the one given directions on how to care for it and this time - fertilizer. I don't take it as insult, but more of a personal challenge to actually keep it alive. So far, so good.

Our visit to the biergarten this afternoon was wonderful, except we had to celebrate with a sign instead of a real Mom like the neighboring tables. We packed our brotzeit and shared my favorite spätzel at Nockherberg, as the sun shined through the beautiful canopy.

Hope you have as beautiful of a day Mom!

Löwenzahn

We went to visit my in-laws this weekend. It's nice to get out of the city from time to time, especially when we can go visit them close to the Alps.

Once we reached the Allgäu I noticed the fields and rolling hills were virtually all a vibrant yellow. I asked Stefan what the crop was as we sped down the Autobahn at 135mph (215 km/h), and he responded they were Löwenzahn (Dandelions). Never in my life have I seen dandelions look so beautiful.

They reminded me of the rabbit I had growing up and how he loved to eat dandelions. His little nose would become lightly tinted yellow from the pollen. Unfortunately I didn't see any bunnies frolicking about, but that could be due to the fact these flowers were so tall.

Thankfully the cows were out enjoying the weather. The light brown ones are my favorite and they are always plentiful in the Allgäu - aren't they adorable?

Uli's Birthday

I decided to try out my new cookie press for my brother in law's birthday. I love the personalization and it's nice being able to use one of my Mom's old recipes for a touch of familiarity.

The biggest hassle is cutting each and every one of those little letters and characters out, so that they can fit into the press. After that there's the task of washing and storing them, since they are easy to lose, but the results are totally worth it.

The blind debossing reminds me of stationery - which I love. I think they are a fun little way to make a big impact and I'm looking forward to making unique Thank You's and other fun surprises.

Auer Dult

Stefan and I went on a bike ride where he reluctantly joined me to the Auer Dult. After last year I was pretty fortunate, but the carney foods always work in my favor to win him over.

There are so many beautiful details hiding amidst the oddities. I love the covers on these old books. They would look beautiful framed or as a large collection.

I know Stefan was counting his blessings again that we took our bikes and couldn't buy any of the whiteware. I'm always impressed by the large variety and how inexpensive things are. The fish saucier was one of my favorites, but I never really make any sauces, so it would be pointless for me to buy it.

Since this is the largest crockery market, I always look for cookie jars for my Grandma that collects them. There are plenty of 'Rumptöpfe' - which are used for making a fruity liquored punch, however it's really difficult to find a cookie jar. There are so many beautiful designs, but I guess I'll have to commission one of the artists if I want a cookie jar.

As we walked around Stefan slowly gained a bit of excitement once he saw the antique maps, which we both love. I searched through the large box and came up with one of the Alps, where Stefan grew up, and another of Mid-West America, where I'm from. They are both from 1862!

I'd like to frame them to make a collage of important places in our lives. It looks like I'll have to track down Iceland and the Maldives as well.

If you're in the Munich area, the Auer Dult runs until the 3rd of May.

There are also the Jakobi-Dult from 25 July - 2 August, and the Kirchweih-Dult from 17-25 October.

All are located at Mariahilfplatz, which you can get to by taking the U2 Frauenhofer / Klenzestraße, Tram 27, Bus 52 or Bus 152.

Locked Up Abroad

Sometimes I feel like I live under a rock, because I'm not as up to date with pop culture (let's face it - German TV is nothing special... even the Germans agree).

I just learned about a new (at least to me) TV show called 'Locked Up Abroad', and I can't get enough of it. (In foreign markets it's called 'Banged Up Abroad'.

If you don't live in the US or you're not the proud owner of a sling box (we have one, but I still had never heard of the show), you can watch the it via YouTube.

It features true stories of people that barely make it home alive from their international adventures. Some have been abducted, some have made careless choices and end up in jail, but their stories are incredible and harrowing.

Don't even watch the ones about the Philippines without having tissues nearby.

Another series that I really enjoy is Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days. Each episode is an educational, challenging, and controversial look into the lives of others. These episodes can be watched via his website regardless of where in the world you live - (Thank you to whomever made that decision at FX!).

I also learned he'll be doing a movie adaptation of the popular Freakonomics book. I'm looking forward to seeing what that will be about.

Finally I can watch informative documentaries as opposed to Galileo, Germany's sorry attempt to being investigative, as they have 'Jumbo Schreiner' gorge himself on one more 'world's largest (insert type of food)'. I wish I was joking.

(photo courtesy of National Geographic)

First Tour of the Season

Even though I have been giving tours to Salzburg for nearly two years, I love going back. Not only do I get to meet interesting tourists from all around the world, I also get to appreciate the different restaurants and changing beauty.

The Mirabell Gardens are blooming and absolutely perfect at this time of year. Everyone was out enjoying the flowers and the sun. The reactions of the tourists are priceless. They are intrigued by The Sound of Music, Mozart, and the fact that this is my job.

My other favorite aspect is stopping at Demel for their amazing pastries. Since the weather is warming up they currently have ice cream and sorbets as well, which are very very good. Today I had green apple and blueberry, although I'm sure I'll work my way through their rotation.

If you live in the area you definitely should consider a day trip - just look at those flowers! If you go, be sure to check out my Salzburg Visitor's Guide with all of my favorite places to visit.

Lindau

My old roommate, who I mentioned taught in Cairo, is now teaching in Columbia. It's been quite a while since we've crossed paths, but we were finally able to meet up today in Lindau. It's a long haul from Muinch - about 3 hours on the train, but it was worth it to meet up with a friend.

Kate was spending spring break in Switzerland and looking for a European teaching job, so it was kismet. We had such a great afternoon chatting about life abroad and all the complexities.

I've been to Lindau before, but we never spent a lot of time checking things out. It was more of a place that we traveled through to get to another point. It's really a charming little place that it's right on the Bodensee (also called Lake Constanz).

These were a few of my favorite details on the streets. The little dogs, outside a book shop, had a sign that said 'caution watch dog', which made me laugh. I also loved showing Kate the 'Osterbaum' that is decorated at Easter with eggs.

I can't wait to find out if she'll be heading this way, as early as August.

Mangostin at the Airport

We flew back from London early - and on Easter Monday, meaning all groceries are closed (except for the Edeka at the airport). Usually we run towards the S-bahn in hopes of not having just missed one.

Instead since we arrived at lunch, we stopped at Mangostin (located in terminal 2 upstairs). Stefan took a sushi making course with his office at their restaurant near the zoo, however I had not tried it yet. Now I will no longer go into a panic and feel the need to search my pantry if we're coming home late or on a holiday.

Just beware - the portions are large, but the food is very delicious.

They also offer parking validation if you drive. I'm guessing only for day visits, not long term parking. There's also a flight viewing deck right next to the restaurant, which costs 2€, which could be a fun day trip for little ones.

Tower Bridge + Greenwich

After lunch we went to spend the rest of the afternoon with our friends, Katie and Rob, in Greenwich. Stefan decided that we need to make a detour and check out the Tower Bridge as well as the Tower of London.

I was surprised to see how busy the area was, but there were a lot of tourist sights in a small area. I loved the shade of blue on the bridge. It gave it a bit of character.

Seeing this old fortress surrounded by so many modern buildings and a modern skyline was really interesting, but it's great that history has been preserved in the middle of the city.

We got a closer look at the financial area of town while taking the DLR overland rail to Greenwich. Once we arrived we saw the Cutty Sark clipper ship, which is currently being resorted, however the big claim to fame is the Greenwich Royal observatory where they maintain the Greenwich meantime - beginning at 0˚longitude.

I was excited to see the observatory and simply to walk around the area. We made several stops along the way for a leisurely evening at the various pubs. It was really cute and felt more like a village.

Dinner included the quintessential fish and chips. Even after several ciders I quickly recalled why the British aren't really known for their food. At least I tried it again.

Katie was in my sorority in college and joined around the same time that I started dating Stefan. I still remember having him deliver surprises to her on various theme nights and she had no idea who they were from.

It was great to catch up and reminisce about all of the great times we had together, as well as the crazy international lives we're both leading.

Katie and Rob will be getting married this September in Chicago, so we're hoping to make it back for the wedding.

I'm really hoping to see them both again soon - either in London or here in Munich. It really makes me wonder why we haven't met up more often as of yet. London's only about 2 hours from Munich and there are always reasonable flights. It looks like we'll have to change that and see each other more often.