On Thursday night, Brad and I decided to try the Latin place down the street from our flat called: Caramba. In the process of deciding on where to go, we walked by Café Schmock, an Israeli restaurant, which was packed on a Thursday, (always a good sign) and I put the name in my phone so we could look it up at home. Well, I did and we actually figured out it is a Michelin star winner. How cool! We are definitely going to check this place out.
Anyways, our dinner was delicious and everything went pretty well. However, I felt so bad for Brad. I could tell he was very hungry, so we tried to figure out our order quickly. Wine, an appetizer and Brad went with beef and I ordered a fish dish. Our drinks came quickly, but then the appetizer took forever. It took so long that our entrées actually came beforehand. During our dinner, I said to Brad wouldn’t it be funny if the guacamole never came and we have to try to tell the waitress to take it off our bill. Fast-forward to the end of dinner and that is exactly what happened. Luckily, the waitress spoke enough English and Spanish (surprise) that we were able to straighten it out.
Today, Brad and I went to brunch with the Atchison’s at the Georgenhof. It is a traditional Bavarian restaurant and you guessed it, tons of MEAT! Brad and James had sausages, Cheryl enjoyed a meat/cheese/bread plate and I went with the Muesli and fruit. After a couple of Weiss Biers, we parted ways as the little one needed to eat and take a nap. Brad and I decided to head to an Irish pub located in the city center for some more biers. It was a little hard to find as we had to walk down a small alleyway and then the sign outside said Killians, but when we got inside it was an Australian soccer bar. The bar was packed with a ton of drunken Aussies and I thought if we stayed here it would result in a beer spilling all over me. Therefore, we walked back upstairs and regrouped. After a minute of standing outside, we noticed that people were using another door and then we both saw the sign for Killians. After a pitcher of helles (Brad decided this was the best deal) and a huge basket of fries, we headed home. The bar was cool. Everyone spoke English and the workers appeared to be having a good time…maybe I could work here! We also enjoyed listening to the native Irish man speaking German; you could still hear his accent. Off to watch a movie with Brad, good night!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Help
Since my book club is meeting early next week, I decided to spend time reading. The book is ‘The Help’ by Katheryn Stockett and it was so good that I spent the past three days reading. I could not put it down and absolutely LOVE it! Here is a brief summary of the book:
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
I enjoyed it so much that today I went online to see if Hollywood was planning to make ‘The Help’ into a movie and to my surprise it is coming out this August. Super excited and I hope it comes to Munich!!!
Brad is taking me on a date tonight and I need to get ready…I wonder where we will go!
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
I enjoyed it so much that today I went online to see if Hollywood was planning to make ‘The Help’ into a movie and to my surprise it is coming out this August. Super excited and I hope it comes to Munich!!!
Brad is taking me on a date tonight and I need to get ready…I wonder where we will go!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Back Home in Munich!
Brad and I have been back in Munich for a few days now and I must say that it is good to be home! The aroma of beer fills the air, baskets of pretzels line the streets and German couples/families walk hand-in enjoying this wonderful Sunday, Brad and I know we back in Munich. There is something about a Sunday in Munich that is different from any other place I have ever been. People seem to have a different mentality here and actually enjoy the day instead of constantly thinking about Monday and how they have to go back to work. There are no errands to be run, no prescriptions to be filled, no shopping sprees to enjoy, Sunday is day that is yours to slow down and enjoy the city in which you live. Take in one of the fabulous museums, which are free on Sundays, play a friendly game of soccer in the Englischer Garden, or walk hand-in-hand with someone you love and get lost. I think in the states we forget to take a day all to ourselves and in Munich, you have too.
Since we both have been gone for sometime (Brad two weeks and me nearly a month), our cupboards are bare and the refrigerator empty, we decided to head to Edeka for some much needed groceries and supplies. I must admit, it was a little weird to walk back into a place where you can barely read anything, but found my way pretty quickly and I was even telling Brad where products were located in the store. It is like riding a bike…once you know how, you never forget. Anyways, in an effort not to fall asleep, we unpacked our suitcases and made dinner. We then turned on a movie and shortly after that we were both sleeping on the couch…I think it was about 9 PM.
On Saturday, we were supposed to see James and Cheryl for brunch, but I unfortunately woke up feeling terrible. Therefore, in an effort to not get them sick, we decided to postpone the brunch until next week. I spent the remainder of the day on my favorite chase lounge watching movies, while Brad caught up on some work. I took it fairly easy and by Sunday, I was feeling much better. I think it was from all the flying we had done the week before.
We woke up fairly early on Sunday and decided to hang our three newly framed San Francisco Golden Gate National Parks posters in the living room. The three we picked were Muir Woods, Marin Headlines and Crissy Field. Here is where we ordered the posters in case anyone wants a piece of San Fran in their home or flat (http://store.parksconservancy.org/store/productlist.asp?cat=10&sub=10). Our place is definitely starting to feel homey and now the only thing missing is a little bit of Chicago. Maybe when I go home next, I will find a picture for our bedroom or a few postcards for our coffee table. Brad then found a website that only rates breakfast/brunch places in Munich and he found a spot that was close to our flat called Vorstadt Cafe. We got ready and headed out for Sunday brunch. To our surprise the weather was very pleasant and not too cold, which was very different from Chicago. After a nice walk, we arrived at the restaurant and quickly realized this was a total scene, similar to Circa in San Francisco and it was packed. With no reservations, we were completely out of luck…in Munich, you are unable to wait as restaurants do not force you to leave after paying the bill, which makes it difficult to go anywhere without a reservation (we are learning). We are starting to realize that reservations are a must. Luckily, we had noticed several brunch spots during our walk and quickly found a yummy place. After brunch, we took a walk and visited an art museum. It was a lovely afternoon. Off to make dinner, we are having slop (Brad’s favorite) and I hope it turns out as we do not have the best pan...oh well.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Since we both have been gone for sometime (Brad two weeks and me nearly a month), our cupboards are bare and the refrigerator empty, we decided to head to Edeka for some much needed groceries and supplies. I must admit, it was a little weird to walk back into a place where you can barely read anything, but found my way pretty quickly and I was even telling Brad where products were located in the store. It is like riding a bike…once you know how, you never forget. Anyways, in an effort not to fall asleep, we unpacked our suitcases and made dinner. We then turned on a movie and shortly after that we were both sleeping on the couch…I think it was about 9 PM.
On Saturday, we were supposed to see James and Cheryl for brunch, but I unfortunately woke up feeling terrible. Therefore, in an effort to not get them sick, we decided to postpone the brunch until next week. I spent the remainder of the day on my favorite chase lounge watching movies, while Brad caught up on some work. I took it fairly easy and by Sunday, I was feeling much better. I think it was from all the flying we had done the week before.
We woke up fairly early on Sunday and decided to hang our three newly framed San Francisco Golden Gate National Parks posters in the living room. The three we picked were Muir Woods, Marin Headlines and Crissy Field. Here is where we ordered the posters in case anyone wants a piece of San Fran in their home or flat (http://store.parksconservancy.org/store/productlist.asp?cat=10&sub=10). Our place is definitely starting to feel homey and now the only thing missing is a little bit of Chicago. Maybe when I go home next, I will find a picture for our bedroom or a few postcards for our coffee table. Brad then found a website that only rates breakfast/brunch places in Munich and he found a spot that was close to our flat called Vorstadt Cafe. We got ready and headed out for Sunday brunch. To our surprise the weather was very pleasant and not too cold, which was very different from Chicago. After a nice walk, we arrived at the restaurant and quickly realized this was a total scene, similar to Circa in San Francisco and it was packed. With no reservations, we were completely out of luck…in Munich, you are unable to wait as restaurants do not force you to leave after paying the bill, which makes it difficult to go anywhere without a reservation (we are learning). We are starting to realize that reservations are a must. Luckily, we had noticed several brunch spots during our walk and quickly found a yummy place. After brunch, we took a walk and visited an art museum. It was a lovely afternoon. Off to make dinner, we are having slop (Brad’s favorite) and I hope it turns out as we do not have the best pan...oh well.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Last Day in Munich
Last night we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at Bobby’s Pizza Bar Café with Daniel and Kathrin (the couple who lived in our flat before us). We met them the day we looked at the flat and were excited to go to dinner (first date) as they seemed really nice. I should mention that they may have only wanted to get together because they forgot their remote in the flat and wanted it back, but I guess one of them could have just picked it up. The restaurant we went to is down the street from our flat and is one of their favorite pizza places in all of Munich. We enjoyed wine, tasty pizza and wonderful conversation. We enjoyed their company and hopefully we will be asked on a second date. Fingers crossed!
Since I am leaving for Chicago tomorrow morning, Brad and I decide to spend the whole day together. He does have to work at least one day this weekend and lucky me, he chose Sunday. Also, when we got home from dinner last night I checked my email and noticed that Reggie sent me her kitchen sink cookie recipe (Brad’s favorite) and I immediately decide to make these for Brad. Brad offers to make dinner for me too and after making our list, we head to the grocery store. I am able to find everything for the cookies, except for toffee chips, but substitute it for a chocolate bar with toffee in it. Brad is going to make herb crusted fish, rice with caramelized shallots and cheesy broccoli. Yummy!!! After packing for my trip home, I start making the cookies. The batter turned out well, but took a little longer to put together and since our oven is so small (I can only bake 5-6 cookies at a time), I decided to make them into bars. Surprisingly, they turned out pretty well and Brad really likes them. Hopefully they will last for a while and he will bring some to work with him. Brad starts on dinner, which he will not let me help with as he loves cooking and does not get to do as much anymore. Everything smells delicious and I am looking forward to our dinner, but sad that I am leaving him for two weeks. I wish he could join me, but I know that his job does not allow it…hopefully these two weeks will go by quickly.
Off to enjoy dinner, a movie and cookies with my husband!
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Since I am leaving for Chicago tomorrow morning, Brad and I decide to spend the whole day together. He does have to work at least one day this weekend and lucky me, he chose Sunday. Also, when we got home from dinner last night I checked my email and noticed that Reggie sent me her kitchen sink cookie recipe (Brad’s favorite) and I immediately decide to make these for Brad. Brad offers to make dinner for me too and after making our list, we head to the grocery store. I am able to find everything for the cookies, except for toffee chips, but substitute it for a chocolate bar with toffee in it. Brad is going to make herb crusted fish, rice with caramelized shallots and cheesy broccoli. Yummy!!! After packing for my trip home, I start making the cookies. The batter turned out well, but took a little longer to put together and since our oven is so small (I can only bake 5-6 cookies at a time), I decided to make them into bars. Surprisingly, they turned out pretty well and Brad really likes them. Hopefully they will last for a while and he will bring some to work with him. Brad starts on dinner, which he will not let me help with as he loves cooking and does not get to do as much anymore. Everything smells delicious and I am looking forward to our dinner, but sad that I am leaving him for two weeks. I wish he could join me, but I know that his job does not allow it…hopefully these two weeks will go by quickly.
Off to enjoy dinner, a movie and cookies with my husband!
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Brad’s Paris to Munich Trip
I had an early start to the day (Tuesday, December 7th), my flight to Paris was at 6:30am so I could make a 10am meeting out our office is La Defense. Given the fact that I speak less French than German (and that is saying something), I printed the directions to the office so I could just hand them to the cab driver. Somehow, the cabbie still managed to get lost. He had to call one of his cabbie buddies for directions to our office. Despite his efforts, I still made it to my meeting on time. The day of meetings were good and we went out to a great classic French restaurant that night. Everyone at the table ordered the Foie Gras, but I just lied and said that I was not a fan of the delicacy. I decided it was not the time to get on my soapbox about how cruel the process is to make it.
The next day was another day of meetings at the Allianz France headquarters on Rue de Richeleu. Paris reminds me of New York City with much more charm. It is not a quiet city like Munich, very bustling and busy, but still retains a unique charm.
In the afternoon it began to snow, we could see this from the window in our conference room. One by one we received word that our flights were cancelled out of CDG. Fortunately, the train from Paris to Munich takes 6 hours, so I thought it would be a good idea to just take a train (rather than stay in Paris for the night). Hindsight is 20/20…..
The first order of business was figuring out how to get from the office to the Paris train station. This required use of the metro which is easy to figure out, but not nearly as cushy as its Munich equivalent. I haven’t seen that many crazy people since I left San Francisco. I made it to the train station with about 20 minutes before the train left. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out the right window to purchase a ticket (not as easy as you would think), before I made it to the train. I bought a ticket to Stuttgart, then a connecting train to Munich.
I arrived in Stuttgart around 9pm and was just a couple hours from Munich. Little did I know that the train from Stuttgart to Munich would be 4 hours delayed (how does that happen). The train that was scheduled to leave at 10pm, getting me home at midnight), was stranded until 2am. I arrived at 4am after all.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
The next day was another day of meetings at the Allianz France headquarters on Rue de Richeleu. Paris reminds me of New York City with much more charm. It is not a quiet city like Munich, very bustling and busy, but still retains a unique charm.
In the afternoon it began to snow, we could see this from the window in our conference room. One by one we received word that our flights were cancelled out of CDG. Fortunately, the train from Paris to Munich takes 6 hours, so I thought it would be a good idea to just take a train (rather than stay in Paris for the night). Hindsight is 20/20…..
The first order of business was figuring out how to get from the office to the Paris train station. This required use of the metro which is easy to figure out, but not nearly as cushy as its Munich equivalent. I haven’t seen that many crazy people since I left San Francisco. I made it to the train station with about 20 minutes before the train left. It took me about 15 minutes to figure out the right window to purchase a ticket (not as easy as you would think), before I made it to the train. I bought a ticket to Stuttgart, then a connecting train to Munich.
I arrived in Stuttgart around 9pm and was just a couple hours from Munich. Little did I know that the train from Stuttgart to Munich would be 4 hours delayed (how does that happen). The train that was scheduled to leave at 10pm, getting me home at midnight), was stranded until 2am. I arrived at 4am after all.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
December Book Club
Brad left yesterday morning for Paris on his first business trip and it was my first night alone in our flat. At least I scheduled my book for last night and had something to do while Brad was away. Everything went really well with the ladies and I think they had a nice time. We read “The Gift” by Cecelia Ahern, which is about people who hide secrets and how you cover yourselves in layers until the right person unwraps them and discovers what is inside. Sometimes you have to be unraveled in order to find out who you really are.
Every day Lou (main character) battles with the clock. He always has two places to be at the same time. He always has two things to do at once. While asleep, he dreams. In between dreams, he runs through the events of the day while making plans for the next. When at home with his wife and family, his mind is always some place else. But on his way into work one early winter morning, Lou meets Gabe, a homeless man sitting outside the office building. Intrigued by him, Lou gets Gabe a job in the post room. However, Lou quickly regrets helping Gabe as his very presence unsettles Lou – and how Gabe appears to be in two places at the same time? As Christmas draws closer, Lou starts to understand the value of time. He sees what is truly important in life yet at the same time he learns the harshest lesson of all.
It was a bit sad (like most of Cecelia Ahern’s books), but a quick read and I would recommend it. Anyways, we had yummy appetizers (healthy homemade guacamole, cheese plate, etc) and good conversation. I learned a lot about the Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR for short), the office in Munich that deals with all sorts of citizen residency. Brad and I never had to go here as our relocation agent took care of everything for us (visa’s, work permits, address registration etc) but I guess it can be pretty terrible. After listening to the women tell their stories, I came to the conclusion that it is exactly like the DMV and we all know how awful that can be. I also learned that I am not alone in the hair falling out in huge clumps situation and we came to the conclusion that it is due to the high amounts of calcium in the water. I was starting to think I had some kind of disease and was about to schedule an appointment with my doctor, but I guess no need.
Brad is coming home tonight from Paris and I need to figure out what to cook for him. Therefore, it is time to head to the market with my list and just in case, my German translation book.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Every day Lou (main character) battles with the clock. He always has two places to be at the same time. He always has two things to do at once. While asleep, he dreams. In between dreams, he runs through the events of the day while making plans for the next. When at home with his wife and family, his mind is always some place else. But on his way into work one early winter morning, Lou meets Gabe, a homeless man sitting outside the office building. Intrigued by him, Lou gets Gabe a job in the post room. However, Lou quickly regrets helping Gabe as his very presence unsettles Lou – and how Gabe appears to be in two places at the same time? As Christmas draws closer, Lou starts to understand the value of time. He sees what is truly important in life yet at the same time he learns the harshest lesson of all.
It was a bit sad (like most of Cecelia Ahern’s books), but a quick read and I would recommend it. Anyways, we had yummy appetizers (healthy homemade guacamole, cheese plate, etc) and good conversation. I learned a lot about the Kreisverwaltungsreferat (KVR for short), the office in Munich that deals with all sorts of citizen residency. Brad and I never had to go here as our relocation agent took care of everything for us (visa’s, work permits, address registration etc) but I guess it can be pretty terrible. After listening to the women tell their stories, I came to the conclusion that it is exactly like the DMV and we all know how awful that can be. I also learned that I am not alone in the hair falling out in huge clumps situation and we came to the conclusion that it is due to the high amounts of calcium in the water. I was starting to think I had some kind of disease and was about to schedule an appointment with my doctor, but I guess no need.
Brad is coming home tonight from Paris and I need to figure out what to cook for him. Therefore, it is time to head to the market with my list and just in case, my German translation book.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Thursday, December 2, 2010
One more Christmas Market with My Mom
I just got home from dropping my mom off at the airport and picking up the package Marty sent to Brad. We went to the airport a little earlier today as my mom wanted to enjoy one more Christmas Market. My mom actually ended up buying a bottle of gluhwien from a vendor as she decided this was her favorite from the whole trip.
We enjoyed some yummy crepes and our last mug of gluhwein in Munich.
Afterwards, I got on the U-Bahn and headed back to Munich. An older German couple sat down with me and I actually understood what they were saying, which was really cool. I am starting to see my hard work pay off and I hope I do not lose it when I go home in a few weeks. After picking up Brad’s package (I wonder what it is), I stopped by the store and then walked home. I did have to use the tram for the first time and have to admit that I was a little nervous. The tram is public transportation above ground like a bus, but runs on rails and for some reason, I think it is more confusing than the U-Bahn.
Wir vermissen dich – die Gauntletts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)