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Select and Connect!

2008-11-06T20:36:00.002Z

For those of you who think that voting is as boring as filling in a bubble, let me introduce you to the ballot used by the non-state of Washington, DC:

That's right, to vote you connect the broken arrow pointing to the candidate of your choice. To use the catchy phrase: select and connect. Now it's no butterfly ballot, but certainly more fun than a scantron.

One Word:

2008-11-03T21:22:00.002Z

2008-10-05T22:10:00.007Z

October 3rd was Tag der Deutschen Einheit or The Day of German Unity. Every year a different city in Germany hosts a celebration in honor of the national holiday; this year was Hamburg's turn. A huge series of events were planned for the weekend in Speicherstadt and Hafen City (the area where I work; see entry below), including the 2008 Parcour World Championships. (Don't ask me what Parcour has to do with Germany's reunification, unless you want a bad analogy about scaling walls and overcoming obstacles.) It was probably cool, but the weather sucked and I opted to stay at home. (I know, I am lame.)

But I did make it out to 20up and East on Saturday night with Bettina, who skipped over to Hamburg while here in Germany. Here the spectacular view from -- you guessed it -- 20 stories up:

As you can see from this interior shot, the windows are monstrous.

And this is an interior of the trendy East hotel. It's a little too space agey for my taste, but I still dig it.

Important Trivia

2008-09-28T18:11:00.002Z

Here's a little fact for ya:

Did you know that when you buy a loaf of bread at a supermarket here in Germany, it doesn't have any heels? I.e., it doesn't have the two end slices that nobody wants. It starts and ends with a "regular" slice:

Now that is important knowledge to have.

Just Another Day at the Office

2008-09-25T21:18:00.004Z

I left work at about 7:30 pm the other day and was greeted by this view:

The cranes rose stoically into the gorgeous sky and despite all that they represent -- industry, progress, work -- it was incredibly peaceful. I looked to the right and saw an old bike against the railing and the historic church spires punctuating the sky line, underscoring the juxtaposition.

And to the left -- a modern, irregular-shaped building nudging up against an old warehouse.

I must say, my way to and from work is an ever-changing treat. As Europe's largest urban development project, Speicherstadt/Hafen City has such a unique energy and everyday I discover something new. Love it.

2008-09-23T20:43:00.002Z

I don't really have anything new to report on, but I wanted to say hello.

Hello.

Fahrvergnuegen

2008-09-22T23:25:00.003Z

I had my first mini car "accident" last week -- if you could even call it that. As I was pulling out of a narrow parking spot (so narrow I had to climb in the car from the passenger's seat), I brushed the parked car next to me. It was a very small nick, but to be on the safe side I called the police anyway. They were there in less than 10 minutes and, after scrutinizing my international driver's license, left a note on the damaged car. I then also left a note. Thankfully the owner is gracious enough to just forget the incident, especially since she couldn't even figure out where I had nicked her car (yes, it was that minor). So all is well and -- drivers beware -- I am back on the road again.

Good Citizen

2008-09-18T20:13:00.004Z

While in the States I submitted my absentee ballot request and last week I went to my first "Democrats Abroad" meeting. It was an interesting group of ex-patriots, most of whom had been in Germany for more than 10 years. While the all-American barbecue never materialized, I did get an Obama button, which serves as a nice complement to my Obama bumber sticker and t-shirt. Did I mention I'm voting for Obama?

Besides my participation in American politics (this is my first presidential election where I can vote!), I've been hanging out at places like the Pony Bar, where a friend of ours is showing off his creative talents. Here we are. Hanging out.

Artsy Fartsy

2008-09-16T21:06:00.005Z

I caught a few exhibitions in DC and was reminded how top-notch the museums in the city are. At the National Gallery of Art I saw works by one of my favorite artists, Martin Puryear.

Double whammy: in the background you can see a piece by one of my other favorites, Andy Goldsworthy.

The piece below by Dan Steinhilber was at the Hirshhorn, shown as a new acquisition. Steinhilber creates sculptures out of everyday objects -- like this one out of dry cleaner hangers. He's also used paper cups, garbage bags, and packing peanuts with very cool results.

Sometimes you really don't know what you got til it's gone. So please enjoy the free DC museums for me!

Food for the Soul

2008-09-14T20:57:00.005Z

I forgot Pillsbury Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, baked to perfection. Even though I had a major headache I was able to eat four or five.

Anyway, the trip was about more than food. It was about friendship and fellowship. I was blessed with lots of it.

At Wolftrap:

At Wonderland:

In Philadelphia:

At an all-American Labor Day Barbecue:

Food, Glorious Food

2008-09-10T11:03:00.003Z

Before I flew to DC I made a list of things I wanted to do while in the States. Surprisingly, a majority of these items dealt with food. I am happy to say that I satisfied all my indulgences, and often more than once:

Julia's Empanadas: Krystal, Melissa, Ajay, Anand and Nan all helped me scarf down saltenas on two different occassions. Yum.
Endless Chips and Salsa at any Mexican Joint: Nins and her friends shared these with me. I got my fair share. :)
Margaritas: Bettina, Amy, french fries, hamburgers, waterfront views, sunshine, and an ice cold margarita. Perfect.
Oreo McFlurry: Indulged on day 2 with Melissa and Krystal. (Then made my own at home with Anand's Oreo gift.)
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from Baskin & Robbins: Twice with the beanheads. Delicious. (I should note I ate ice cream or some frozen delicacy every single day of my trip except one. Now that is dedication.)
Tryst Frozen Mocha: Tryst has the best frozen coffee drinks ever. Melissa would agree.
American Pancakes: Melissa and Krystal both helped me satisfy my morning sweet tooth.

Now I'm back on my "German" diet (though I am happy to report it still includes ice cream...just not every day). :)

German Julia is Back

2008-09-07T22:02:00.005Z

I just got back from a 3+-week vacation in the States. It was a fabulous time, thanks to all the great friends and family there. I was really able to refuel. Some of my favorite experiences: early morning pancakes, kayaking on the potomac, picnicking at wolftrap, boogying at wonderland, watching movies with the beanheads, driving around pennsylvania, hanging at the pool, latin lovers at cafe citron, real lovers tying the knot, checking out lima and oya, morning and afternoon walks, helix reunion, and so many more moments shared with long-time friends. Thanks to everyone for making it so special. I'll post my pictures soon. In the meantime, here's one of the bridesmaids for Johanna and Keith's wedding:

2008-07-07T22:17:00.002+01:00

I was filling out my Facebook profile today and under interests included some of my favorite artists. It reminded me how much I love and am inspired by the work of Andy Goldsworthy. He composes amazing stuff using natural materials:

All you guys in DC can see a sculpture of his is in the National Gallery of Art's East Wing. It doesn't resonate with me as much as his other work (maybe because it's in a gallery and not outdoors), but it's interesting nonetheless. There's also a great film documenting his work called "Rivers and Tides." A bunch of excerpts are on You Tube. Let me know what you think.

Game, Set, ...

2008-07-01T21:57:00.002+01:00

Sticking with the sports theme, I am proud to say that I finally won a singles match. And it was about time -- this was my tennis team's last match of the season. I have been majorly sucking the entire year, actually, so thank God that I got to have at least one victory. I might have to quit while I'm ahead.

Twas Not Meant to Be

2008-06-30T23:28:00.005+01:00

Spain outplayed, outwitted, and outlasted Germany to win the European title 1-0. This seriously dampened our festivities, but we took it all in stride.

This is where we watched the game. Yes, the TV is rather small. We apparently didn't arrive early enough to score a better spot at one of the many outdoor viewing areas in Sternschanze.

And the gang. Like I said, taking it in stride.

'schland!

2008-06-26T23:07:00.002+01:00

Phew, that was a close one. In the 90th minute, Germany pulled it out for a 3-2 win. Final on Sunday against Spain.

2008-06-24T20:56:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow sees Germany up against Turkey in the UEFA EURO 2008 semi-finals. Since I've embarrassingly missed all the games thus far due to sickness, injury, or lack of interest, I must make it to a screening tomorrow.

We already had our apartment building's glass door shattered after the last game, so I'm hoping the post-game activities this time around will be more peaceful. However, with the high tensions between Germans and Turks here in Hamburg (and throughout most of Germany, actually), it may be naive thinking.

In any case, go Germany. Toooooooooooooooooor!

2008-06-20T20:05:00.003+01:00

Let's add a bit of new color to this old thing.

First, the view from our new place. I love the cupola perched at our eye level whilst we sit in our 3rd floor living room. Now quick note about floors: Germans count the ground floor as just that -- the ground floor (and not as the first floor). Above the ground floor is the first floor, then the second, and so on. So while in German terms our new Wohnung is on the 3rd floor, in American terms its on the fourth. Aren't you learning so much about German life?

Now in case you are wondering who is "we" and what is meant by "our" apartment:

2008-06-18T20:05:00.002+01:00

What's this? A desire to blog again? What is happening?! If all my readers haven't gone astray, there still might be hope. Otherwise, I'm posting an online "diary" for none other than moi. But I'll keep all the juicy details for myself. We are, afterall, on the world wide web.
So since January, a few things have happened, two of which I'd like to share. First, I got a new job. No more baking cakes and serving lattes; I've been working at a design agency since March. But then I got an even better job; it doesn't start until September, but if all goes as planned it will be my first with the official title of designer. Keep your fingers crossed or, as they say in Germany, your thumbs pressed. Second, I moved. Not too far away, don't worry. It's perfectly located for all things in my life -- family, school, work, gym, tennis, and Aldi. Aldi, by the way, is the discount supermarket with a candy aisle that will make any Giant or Harris Teeter hang its head in shame.
These developments are the silver lining of a particularly cloudy season. I think the sun is peaking its head around the corner. I wait with hope...or something like that.
I'm heading stateside in August and look forward to seeing many of you then. Please let me know if you will be in the DC area. Is Hotel Helix waiting for another part-ay or what?

All Good Things Must Come to an End

2008-03-03T16:12:00.005Z

I think this blog will be slowly coming to an end. It's just over a year old now (a ripe, old age, no?) and I have lost a bit of interest in writing. I know, I know, I had other hopes for this thing -- a redesign, more design stuff/work, as examples -- but I'm just not up to the task at the moment. Besides, let's be honest, it's not like you don't have better things to do than check this blog, or?

Maybe I'll pull a Cher and reappear in a few weeks/months/years. I'll send you all an email if that happens. In the meantime, pray for spring and all it brings. Because this winter is seriously getting old.

Oh yeah, and I turned 31. Shit happens.

Surf

2008-01-23T22:38:00.001Z

While you're bored on my increasingly-outdated blog, why not check out some other cool sites.

Here are some of my favorites:

http://www.designspongeonline.com/

http://www.designobserver.com/

http://www.etsy.com/

http://www.slate.com/

Thanks for the Call

2008-01-15T21:27:00.000Z

My readership called today and demanded a new post. I am most happy to oblige with Nina's, uh, I mean, my fan-base's request. :)

My last post was about three weeks ago, before Christmas. Several geese, plates of red cabbage, o Tannenbaums, and marzipanbrote later, I safely arrived in 2008 and now I'm in the middle of finals. I know I mentioned I'd post some of my design projects on this blog and I will keep my promise -- as soon as I finish up this semester and can reformat files into postable images.

In addition to school, I'm still working on a web project for my previous employer and at a little cafe down the street. The web project should be done end of January, after which I'll be looking for more work here in Hamburg.

February is my semester break and I'm thinking about going on a solo vacation. I think I'd like to train it somewhere rather than fly (an environmental thing). Any suggestions on where to go? Let me know.

Be well.

Last Christmas I was in Florida, now I'm in Hamburg with Someone Special

2007-12-22T15:12:00.000Z

Fortunately one of my favorite Christmas songs is also beloved by German radio.
Click here to listen (and watch a cheesy video as an added bonus!).

Happy Holidays!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2007-12-18T22:46:00.000Z

There are more than a dozen Weihnachtsmaerkte in Hamburg. Instead of blogging I've been visiting them, sampling the Gluehwein (hot, mulled red wine), Schmalzgebäck (fried dough with powdered sugar), Mandeln (almonds), and Maronen (chestnuts), while freezing my ass off. Good times. Hope you are all getting into the holiday spirit.

More Sites

2007-12-13T21:51:00.002Z

And we're back to our Egypt programming....with the Temple of Hatshepsut, named after Egypt's only woman pharaoh. The limestone cliffs surrounding the three-terraced structure creates a dramatic view.

We also went to the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut (in addition to other royalty) lies. Tut's tomb was discovered in 1922 and it was only recently (within that last two months or so) that they revealed Tut's mummified body, allowing visitors to see his face and feet. And, yes, we paid the extra few bucks to sneak a peek.

Next up was Medinat Habu, where the engravings were carved noticeably deeper into the stone, compared to what we had seen up to that point.

We were growing tired, but there was more to see....we went to the Colossi of Memnon -- the only things left of an ancient temple. (Note the person between the figures, to get a sense of scale).

After going to these ancient sites, we stopped by a tourist trap, er, i mean, alabaster factory to see how vases and figurines are made.

There was also a "soper" market.

And then there was much welcomed peace and relaxation.

B is for Bettina

2007-12-11T13:05:00.001Z

Last week I got to see Bettina in her hometown of Vechelde, about 2.5 hours south of Hamburg by trian. It was wonderful spending time with her, meeting her parents, and seeing where she grew up.

We made a quick trip to Braunschweig, where we visited the Weihnachtsmarkt and enjoyed coffee and cake at a new cafe in the recently rebuilt Schloss.

I unfortunately didn't take any photos of the two of us, but here is a nice portrait of the beautiful Bettina herself.

Egypt will be back after these messages...

2007-12-10T20:11:00.000Z

I can't let too many days pass without mentioning St. Nikolaus Tag, a holiday celebrated on December 6. On the 5th, as tradition requires, I obediently put my shoe by the front door to await a visit from old St. Nick.

I was not disappointed -- my shoe was filled with chocolates, a calling card, and a sweater. (Okay, so the sweater was next to the footwear, not in it.) Sweet. Thanks, Mom....I mean, St. Nick.

Dress Like an Egyptian

2007-12-10T19:22:00.000Z

After a few hours cruising up the Nile and enjoying drinks on the upper deck, we reached the first of several temples we'd visit during our stay in Egypt.

Named Kom Ombo, this was the only temple we visited at night. A stunning introduction to Egyptian culture, the temple included mummified crocodiles (fitting, since half the temple is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god) and what is considered the first engravings of medical instruments (perfect for the many doctors on the trip).

After the one-hour tour, we headed back to the cruise ship....but not before purchasing some sweet galabayas for the evening's party. Here are Chris and Jad decked out in their finest selections.

And here are the newly-weds surrounded by friends and family. The night's festivities included a belly dancing competition (which, thankfully, I did not have to participate in) and general fun and merriment.

And then it was up early the next morning to visit temple #2 -- the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Built between 237 and 57 BCE, it stands today as one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. The many engravings tell a rich story of early Egyptian culture, despite the fact many of the figures and inscriptions were defaced by Christians who inhabited the temple hundreds of years later and considered the work pagan.

No more galabayas, but I promise more temples to come...

Highlight Reel Day 3

2007-12-05T21:13:00.001Z

The next day we were up bright and early to catch a charter flight to Abu Simbel, flying south across the landscape.

You can see here how the Nile's surrounding land benefits from the river's resources before giving way to desert sands.

Then we got to Lake Nassar, which at 500 miles long is the world's largest man-made lake.

The temples at Abu Simbel, originally carved out of the rock in the 13 century BC, overlook this lake, impressing and intimidating visitors who arrive to Egypt from the south.

The archeological site is comprised of two temples -- one as a monument to Pharaoh Ramesses II and the other to his queen Nefertari (though, frankly, Nefertari is completely overshadowed and outnumbered in representation at "her" monument by her husband).

After a few hours and lunch at this site, we hopped back on the plane for a 20-minute trip to Aswan to catch our cruise.

The newly-married couple, along with our group of just under 100, received a warm greeting at the dock -- more dancing, singing, clapping, and music.

And then it was time to set sail!

Highlight Reel, Day 1/2

2007-12-03T19:17:00.001Z

When in Rome.... Of course I had to smoke some apple-flavored sheesha while meeting up with the beautiful bride the evening before the big day.

And then it was Saturday. Let the festivities begin. The wedding was at the Manyal Palace, which boasted a lavish garden that made for an enchanted setting. My pictures cannot do it justice.

The pre-ceremony reception was in this opulent building.

The remainder of the wedding took place outside. Here is the OHS crew awaiting the arrival of the couple, who would walk down the red carpet to drums, tambourines, belly dancing, clapping, and singing.

And here they are. They were gorgeous and all smiles.

After excitedly following the couple along the red carpet we turned the corner to this:

An amazing setting amongst lit rubber trees and a starry sky. My camera sucks at night shots, so this picture is really bad and can't capture the atmosphere of the evening.

There was dancing (lots of it!) on the humongous dance floor; an awesome DJ rocked the music while a saxophonist sweetened the tunes.

So many people came to Egypt to partake in this wonderful celebration of marriage and it was great to experience such joy and happiness in this magical place.

And so the adventures began.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-12-02T19:16:00.000Z

I hope you all had a delicious Thanksgiving, complete with turkey, stuffing, friends, and football. I was packing on that Thursday for a week of activities in Egypt....little did I know what adventures awaited me in this enchanted land.

I'm back now, after an amazing 8 days filled with wedding festivities, galabayas, temples, hieroglyphics, crazy Cairo traffic, sheesha/shisha, the leisurely Nile, and so much more than I can mention right now. I'll share more about the trip (including photos) soon.

Hope you are well.

Puffy Coat in Full Effect

2007-11-15T19:59:00.000Z

While I was able to boast about the wonderful long daylight hours during the summer, I can now moan that dusk is around 5pm and it's pitch black by 6. But I guess it's only fair. (And by the way, the fair does not only come around once a year here in Hamburg. They build it up for our enjoyment four times annually. But I digress.)

The days have not only gotten shorter, but also colder, as demonstrated by the resurrection of the puffy coat. I first got the puffy coat back in February and wearing it again reminds me of the passage of time, the seasons beginning once again, and as the Lion King/Elton John would sing, the Circle of Life.

Here I am wearing the puffy coat in Frankfurt with Ajay (who, if I may suggest, was not as equipped for the dropping temperatures :)). But, anyway, we had a good time nonetheless. Hakuna Matata.

Ni hao. Welcome to Germany.

2007-11-13T21:36:00.000Z

On the train to Frankfurt, after having to kick them out of our seats, we had a nice exchange with a group of Chinese tourists. First we explained the seat reservation system to them, since the group of 13 kept on sitting in reserved seats and then had to move when the passenger with the reservation arrived. (Turns out they even had a reservation -- two cars down. Oh well.) The funniest was when they asked us how Germans spend their Sundays. They noted, "you don't work, the shops are closed, what do you do?" We mentioned a few of our pastimes -- reading, going for a walk, spending time with family -- to which they inquired, "do you climb mountains?" Um, no. We don't climb mountains on Sundays.

Land of Lebkuchen

2007-11-12T22:57:00.001Z

I spent a lovely weekend in Nuernberg, a city 4.5 hours (via train) south of Hamburg that's famous for its delicious Lebkuchen (similar to gingerbread) and annual Christmas market.

On the way back on Sunday we made a slight detour to Frankfurt, where Ajay had just arrived that morning. We met at the train station in "Mainhatten" -- Frankfurt is nicknamed as such because of its status as Germany's financial capital and for the fact that it is one of only four European cities with a significant number of skyscrapers (and the Main is the river that runs through it). We spent a few hours at local cafes/restaurants, with plenty of time for a cold Hefeweizen and a Wiener Schnitzel.

Cultural Difference No. 39

2007-11-08T20:21:00.001Z

I was at school when a classmate and teacher asked me if I folded or scrunched up the toilet paper in preparation for its use. Apparently they were discussing some research that indicated while Germans fold their TP, Americans scrunch it up. I am exactly as I should be: German American.

Long Weekend Coming Up?

2007-11-07T21:27:00.001Z

Budget Travel reports that visiting Hamburg is a real deal in the next coming months, with flight and hotel ringing up at less than $600 for a quick three-night stay. (On my student budget this doesn't seem like something too spectacular, but I draw it to the attention of you big money-making peeps.)

The Max for the Minimum

2007-11-06T09:51:00.001Z

J-Posh here. I'm on my way to the brand, spanking new TK Maxx. It just opened here in Hamburg about a week ago. It's funny, a few months after I moved here -- tired of shopping at H&M, Zara, and other European stores (yes, it happens that fast!) -- I thought I could use a TJ Maxx, a store that's completely hit or miss, but you're pretty sure you won't see every other person on the street wearing the same thing. And here it is. The Max for the Minimum. Sweet.

I'll Tell You What I Want, What I Really, Really Want

2007-11-04T23:37:00.001Z

A week ago I was sitting in a hair salon noticing that I actually might look my age (gasp!). I'm also noticing how ridiculous it is that I just showed the stylist a homemade collage of Posh Spice pictures as a show-and-tell of how I would like my hair cut.

Despite my visual cues, I don't think my haircut is exactly Victoria Beckham. Nonetheless, it's not bad.

A few days later I'm at a cafe and the woman who owns it, a family acquaintance, notices my new do and proclaims it so "American." I am not sure what is American about it, but her statement seems to be an open invitation for other customers to comment on my hair. So a woman starts to look. And says..."well, I think it's more British than American. Victoria Beckham is starting this trend." She continues rambling about how America proclaims everything British as their own, but I am just amazed that maybe my haircut is kind of like Posh. Rock on.

Distinctions

2007-11-01T17:57:00.000Z

The One Who Shall Not Be Named (TOWSNBN) refutes my "undistinctive Hamburg" comments and suggests that the Harbor and the Alster make Hamburg unique, special...and distinctive. When he asked me to name another city that has a lake smack in the middle of it, I fumbled and guessed...Salt Lake City? (Nice try, right? But, sorry, no lake according to Google Maps.) Okay, I give in. TOWSNBN has a point. The Harbor and Alster are incredible. At night the lights at the Harbor spectacularly set the docks aglow. White sail boats punctuate the blue expanse of the two lakes during sunny days.

But I stand by pretentious.

At least for now.

Where Am I?

2007-10-31T00:46:00.000Z

The Blue Period is over. A new blog has begun.

Arial is being phased out. Say hello to Trebuchet.

More changes to come...when I can find time to do some design work on this thing (right now my creative energies are focused on designing a cookbook, CD covers, and condom packaging, among other things. The blog's design is not widdling its way to the top of my priority list somehow).

Otherwise, I'll still be posting my ever so informative and entertaining posts. Don't go away.

Word

2007-10-29T22:51:00.000Z

My sister sent me the fantastic book Eat, Pray, Love, and I've been burying my nose in it every chance I've had this past week and a half. Sometimes it's like I'm reading my own thoughts. The rest of the time it just makes me think. Like the part when the author is talking with an Italian friend about how the essence of a city or place can be summed up in one word. The two decide that Rome's word is "sex." They go on to give other cities their words: the Vatican is "power;" New York is "achieve;" Los Angeles is "succeed."

I thought about the places I've lived and what word would best define or describe them. Washington, DC, was easy: "networking." Whether it's someone running for political office, a lobbyist, a fundraiser, a pr professional, or simply a young single person, to me the people in DC are always looking to make connections or meet people.

Richmond could be "charm." It's southern, it's sunny, it's easy, but still has some edge, a good arts scene, and tons of independent shops/restaurants/endeavors. It's got great neighborhoods, river access, and outdoor activities. It's simply a charming place to live.

The word that kept coming up in my mind about Hamburg was "pretentious." Granted, I haven't lived here a long time, but this is how I experience it. It's subtle (which I guess is the opposite of the word's definition). Maybe it's more like "quiet snobbery," but that's two words so doesn't count. There's just something about this city that's, well, pretentious. There's nothing about Hamburg that's particularly distinctive (except maybe the harbor industry), but it's generally tidy, clean, organized (this is Germany, remember?), beautiful, green, cultured, active. It's business and leisure, it's city and state, it has waterfront property (lots of it), it's expensive and it's wealthy. In fact, it's Germany's wealthiest city.

Don't get me wrong, I like Hamburg. It has a lot to offer. I like the waterfront/harbor areas, which are really engaged in city life and not blank voids/dividers like the majority of the Potomac in DC/VA. I love the parks. I enjoy the museums, the food, the cake, the people. But I can't seem to get beyond the word "pretentious." For those of you who have been here, am I totally off? What do you think?

What word do you have for your hometown?

Anja Meet Anja

2007-10-23T17:59:00.001Z

And so the afternoon began, with Mom Anja meeting the newest addition to the family, little Anja. And in case you are calculating how many months its been since I moved to Germany (ahem...nine)....

I put any rumors to rest. Little Anja belongs to my cousin Jenny and she also has a very cute brother, Finn (age 2).

But that doesn't mean I can't push the baby carriage. I can. And my cousin Mimi's son Kyld can give me rabbit ears. It's okay. I don't mind.

The rest of the gang is taking it easy -- cousins Jenny, Eno, and Mimi are sans kids for once. Eno says, please, no pictures. But Ursula strikes a pose.

And cutie-pa-tootie Finn will smile for the camera too.

Awwww!

You mean R&B?

2007-10-22T22:11:00.000Z

I was in Germany's equivalent to Best Buy browsing the music selection (not that I buy CDs anymore, but I digress) when next to the Pop section and in between the German-Hits category I stumbled upon the area designated for "Black Music." Yes, there was a sign that said "Black Music." I kid you not. That's their way of categorizing together some of my favorite genres: hip hop, rap, and R&B. It definitely surprised me. I'm not sure what to make of it quite yet -- is it culturally insensitive, politically incorrect, or even just plain incorrect? Or is this how German/European shoppers best understand the music and can relate to its heritage, even though the artists are not necessarily African-American?

Odds & Ends

2007-10-15T19:43:00.000Z

This is my 101th post. The fall season is in fall swing, the leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and my winter coat is back from the dry cleaner and being put to good use. It's freakin' cold here. And because Germans are thrifty, the heat is hardly turned on anywhere. I sleep with three clothing layers, two comforters, and a blanket. I hear in DC it's still in the 80s. Considering I only wore shorts three times this year (one time being in February in Tenerife, which doesn't count), DC sounds like paradise to me right now. A week ago I was talking to Nina and she turned her air conditioning down during our conversation. I was sitting there wrapped in a wool blanket. A few days ago my mom asked me if I was cold because my lips were blue. Yes, mom, I am cold.

Today I went to the gym after a multiple week hiatus and I was warm for about a nanosecond afterwards. I even cracked open the window a bit as I made my way home. The gym is the only place it will ever be hot indoors here in Germany. Apparently they are too thrifty to turn on air conditioning or fans, so there are tons of people working out, with no air circulation. I sweat a lot, so it makes me think I am doing a really strenuous workout. But if I'm honest it's only because the place is 90 degrees. They are also too thrifty to turn on the lights. They've got a late night lounge atmosphere going on, the lights are so dim. They say they are being environmentally conscious and don't want to waste energy, but they are probably skimping on electricity so they can use our 70-100 euros monthly dues for some really good staff parties. Who knows.

On other news, the movie Helvetica was really interesting. But I don't think you guys are really into fonts, so I won't bore you with more details. Oh, but I will say that one of my favorite quotes of the evening was from the guy who lectured beforehand about his 138,000+ font collection -- he said men with hobbies are harmless. I thought about it and I agree.

For some reason, an unusual amount of people are arriving at my blog from searching "i miss you like the deserts miss the rain." Who knew that phrase/song was so intriguing to people.

Anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the fall season -- autumn scents, pumpkins, hiking, oranges/reds/yellows, football, and everything else associated with this time of year.

This Land is Your Land

2007-10-09T09:45:00.000Z

I just finished reading Bill Bryson's hilarious The Lost Continent, a travelogue of his 38-state journey across America in a creaking Chevette. It's actually packed with educational information (like that the Great Lakes -- equaling about the size of the U.K. -- form the largest expanse of fresh water on Earth), but his anecdotes were what made me laugh out loud...and awakened a sense of nostalgia.

Maybe I liked it so much because I am so far away from home and all that he writes about, but I recommend it nonetheless for anyone who wants a fun, breezy read and some good laughs.

36 Hours

2007-10-05T18:50:00.000Z

The New York Times has a great "36 Hours" series where they suggest a 36-hour itinerary in a specific city. Thanks for passing along the October 7th article on Hamburg, Jamie. I will have to take them up on their suggestions. And I invite you to do the same!

From The New York Times:

36 Hours in Hamburg
"HAMBURG, the maritime and media center of Germany, is a city of jarring juxtapositions. The industrial waterfront heaves with rusty docks, while its center is filled with emerald parks, blue lakes and cream-colored villas. Sex workers ply their trade along the neon-lit Reeperbahn, while old-money families have made this Baroque port into Germany's richest city. And despite playing second fiddle to the cultural juggernaut that is Berlin, Hamburg breeds its own brand of the cosmopolitan cool — with a large Turkish population, gay enclaves and fashion centers — who mingle at chichi restaurants and steamy underground clubs. Where else but this high-low metropolis can you window-shop for Cartier diamond necklaces during the day and slum it with punk rockers at night?"

Design in Hamburg

2007-10-04T13:49:00.000Z

Hamburg's second design festival starts tomorrow, with a week of exhibitions, open houses, lectures, seminars, and other events, on all things design (fashion, furniture, product design, communication design, architecture, etc.). Our classes have been cancelled for a few days so that we can participate in the various activities and I promise to do at least one thing (the ambitious person that I am). Next week I'm going to a screening of Helvetica, a documentary that uses a single typeface as a springboard to explore the past 50 years of graphic design and our "global visual culture." I'm really looking forward to it, as I've been itching to see this film for a while.

In case you are wondering, Helvetica is a sans-serif font similar to Arial (the typeface I use for the body text of my blog) that grew immensely popular in the 1960s. You have probably seen it numerous times today -- on everyday signs that say No Loitering, Push/Pull, Exit, Ladies/Men, etc.. Otherwise, think of Toyota, Panasonic, the Gap, or Lufthansa -- these companies all use Helvetica to represent their brands. The font is either praised for its clean, crisp lines and modern aesthetic or blasted for being "bland, unadventurous, and unambitious" (ueberfamous graphic designer Neville Brody).

Okay, because I should know that a picture is worth a thousand words, why don't I just show you.

Subway sign in New York City:

Poster for the film:

Now that you know more than you ever wanted to about Helvetica, what say you? Universally appealing or standardly boring?

Promoting Stereotypes

2007-10-03T20:05:00.001Z

I found the list below on Facebook (which I am now mildly addicted to, thanks a lot!). The items in bold I find particularly funny and/or true.

--

YOU KNOW YOU'RE GERMAN IF....

You separate your trash into more than five different bins.
Your front door has a sign with your family name made from salt dough.
You carry a "4You" backpack.
You eat a cold dinner at 6pm.
You call your cell phone "handy" and a projector "beamer".
You have no problems with nude beaches and saunas.
You have asked your Asian-American friend, "No, but where are you *really* from?"
You have gotten splinters from environmentally friendly toiled paper.
You call an afternoon stroll "Nordic Walking".
You are shocked when you have to pay for dental care.
You own a pair of jeans in a color other than blue.
People start talking about Hitler and Hofbräuhaus when you tell them where you're from.
Tenth grade was all about dancing lessons.
You work 40 hour weeks and have 6 weeks of vacation a year, but complain about hard times.
Your childhood diet consisted of Alete and Zwieback. Your college diet consisted of Miracoli and Döner.
You were educated about sex by Dr. Sommer.
You yell at people for jaywalking.
You grew up watching "Löwenzahn" and "Die Sendung mit der Maus". And Baywatch.
You think college tuition is an outrage. [JN note: they just instituted a 500 euro/per semester tuition fee last year or something and indeed people are outraged. 500 euro. that might buy you one credit of a three-credit course at a private university in the States.]
You routinely go 100mph on the highway and tailgate heavily.
On your last day of high school you made your teachers sing Karaoke and jump through hoops.
You wear brown leather shoes.
Your first audio tape was Benjamin Blümchen and Bibi Blocksberg.
You have ended an English sentence with "..., or?".
You can tell at least one Manta joke.
You're a college student in your 11th year.
Your first sexual experience was on Sat1, Saturday night at 11pm.
You spent hours in school learning to pronounce "th".
You expect chocolate in your shoes on December 6th.
You complain that in other countries everything is dirty.

October 3rd

2007-10-02T22:08:00.000Z

Tomorrow, October 3, is the "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" -- the national holiday celebrating Germany's reunification in 1990.

Brief background from wikipedia:

"An alternative choice [for the day of German unity] would have been the day the Berlin Wall came down, namely November 9, 1989, which coincided with the anniversary of the founding of the first real German Republic in 1918 and the defeat of Hitler's first coup in 1923; however November 9 was also the anniversary of the first large-scale Nazi-led pogroms against Jews in 1938 (so called Kristallnacht), and the day was thus considered inappropriate as a national holiday. [Um, yeah.] Therefore, October 3, 1990, the day of formal reunion was chosen instead.

Before reunification, in Western Germany the "Day of German Unity" was June 17; this was an interpretation of a failed 1953 revolt staged by East German workers mainly against a raise in work quotas. The revolt was crushed with Soviet aid; the exact number of fatalities is unknown, but estimated at somewhat above 100. In East Germany, the national holiday was October 7, being called Day of the Republic (Tag der Republik)."

So, yeah, we get the day off. Wohoo!

Go Ladies!

2007-09-30T17:35:00.001Z

Since Germany's men's team didn't win the World Cup soccer title, Germany's women's team did. ;) They beat Brazil 2 to 0 today, defending their title. For all you across the ocean, at least America won third. :)

Strange Phenomenon

2007-09-27T19:50:00.000Z

Yesterday during class we practiced elevator pitches, an exercise in persuasion in which we had to sell our creative idea to a fictitious CEO of an advertising agency.

In several instances, I played the CEO. Interestingly, the first time I did, I pictured myself as a man. In my head I was playing a male CEO. It was so strange. I didn't notice it until I sat down and thought, wait, why was I imagining myself as a man? The funny thing is that Jessie, who was pitching her idea to me, imagined me as a man, as well. In her mind, she was selling her idea to a guy.

It certainly surprised me that my mind worked in this way, as I of course think women are fully capable of holding top positions. I guess it shows how much society shapes my thinking. I poked around a bit and found that in 2006 there were only 13 women CEOs among Fortune 500 companies; 20 in the top 1000. If I am not seeing or hearing about women in executive positions (and movies and tv series certainly underscore this reality), maybe it's no wonder that I'm less inclined to picture a woman in the top, managing role. And, in this case, less likely to even play one myself.

The Tribe Has Spoken

2007-09-26T21:20:00.000Z

Enough about 'high art,' this is about Survivor. You know, the show that was popular back in 2000 (sorry, J-Ho). Germany isn't afraid to copy. I was flipping through the channels last night and got caught on the German version which is called, coincidentally, Survivor.

And is exactly the same. Even the host is Jeff Probst-esque.

Speciman A:

Specimen B:

Call me Slacker

2007-09-24T19:04:00.000Z

So I haven't written in a while...but not because I'm slacking....but because I have a busy schedule this semester. In an effort to save some time and money (because, let's face it, I'm not a young sprout any longer and my money tree is growing at a slower rate than usual), I am trying to complete the second and third semester curricula simultaneously. I hope I can hammer it out. It's only until February, so that light at the end of the tunnel should keep me going.

So, otherwise....I wanted to follow up on the Documenta. I intentionally posted the pictures without any explanation (I told you I'm not slacking!), as it mirrored our experience of the gigantic, five-building exhibition. All of the objects were shown without labels and it wasn't until we bought the catalogue -- basically the label text -- for 35 euros that we got a better understanding of the work's and the artist's intentions/meanings. In the late afternoon we participated in an exhibition tour of one space, which greatly increased the value of the experience. Because, seriously, without commentary it was extremely difficult to fully appreciate the works outside of their aesthetic appeal or form...even for someone with a minor in art history who has worked in the museum field and regularly visits museums. And, yes, that would be me.

I will write more about each individual photo later (with the excpetion of photo one which is obviously just me standing in front of a documenta sign...though the signs would be worth commenting on...they were easily transportable (light) and really cheaply made. The fact that they weren't afraid to show their cheapness contributed to their success, in my opinion.) -- because now I really am slacking.

Peace out.

Documenting Documenta

2007-09-10T23:14:00.001Z

Map Quest

2007-09-07T18:08:00.001Z

When I couldn't accurately recall the state capital of America's sunshine state -- Florida -- I decided it was time I start studying my geography again.

This now accompanies me on my metro rides:

A few minutes here and there really help.

Documenta in Kassel

2007-09-04T09:22:00.000Z

This weekend we're heading to documenta 12, supposedly regarded as the most important exhibition of contemporary art in the world. It only comes around every five years -- always in Kassel, Germany -- so I figured I wouldn't wait until 2012 since I'm here in Germany now.

Questions this year's installment poses for art and its public:

Is humanity able to recognize a common horizon beyond all differences? Is art the medium for this knowledge?

What constitutes life, when everything is subtracted which does not belong essentially to life? Does art help us to penetrate to what is essential?

What is to be done, what do we have to learn in order to cope intellectually and spiritually with globalisation? Is that a question of aesthetic education and cultivation?

Interesting stuff. I'll let you know of any answers we discover.

Say Cheese!

2007-08-31T17:10:00.001Z

Posing for the camera.

Okay, let's be serious.

Back to Miniatur Wunderland (they wanted to go!!!).

Feeding the elephants.

Go HSV! (Final score: Hamburg 4, Budapest 0).

Wilkommen

2007-08-29T17:26:00.001Z

JoJo and Keith arrive.

And I get crapped on.

It's my lucky day!

German Observations, vol. I

2007-08-26T21:45:00.000Z

A few observations on German culture collected over the past six months:

1. So you may have heard that Germans obey crosswalk signals like there's no tomorrow. There could be no car in sight or earshot, no other pedestrians around, and a German will still wait for the "walk" signal before crossing the street. It's true.

2. In general, Germans obey the law. Like the above-stated traffic signals. And the speed limit. And parking restrictions. They also obey the rules. If you aren't officially registered as part of the team, they won't put you in as a sub under a different name even if they are a player short and will have to default the match (not that this happened to me or anything!).

3. Speaking of traffic, driving etiquette is pretty much the opposite as that in DC. If a driver puts on his blinker to change lanes....wait, wait for it: the other drivers let him/her in!!!! And, like, immediately!!! Seriously. I've never known the blinker to have such power. And did you know that, if another driver cuts you off or gives you the finger or some other evil gesture, you can report him to the police? And the offender actually gets fined. Can you imagine the volume of calls DC's police department would be getting? Or the fines I would have paid! :)

4. A street festival in Hamburg basically relies on one formula: tents with beer + tents with sausages + tents with crepes + tents with sweet roasted almonds + fireworks = Street Festival! I don't even want to know the line item in the city's budget for fireworks. Okay, they are some of the best fireworks I've ever seen, but money is literally going up in smoke.

5. Talking on the phone is mega expensive so people keep phone conversations to a minimum or SMS (text). You can get a cell phone plan with 100 free minutes (yes, 100!) and free nights and weekends for around 40 euros/month, with additional minutes costing 39 cents/min.. Would Verizon even offer a plan with such ridiculously low minutes?

6. The word soul (Seele, could also mean spirit or core) is used quite often and in a secular context -- in newspapers, magazine articles, conversations, as a topic of discussion. I appreciate that there is concern and interest for this part of being, and that this depth exists in the media and among friends/acquaintances outside of a church/synagogue/mosque/etc.. In the States I feel like the idea of soul/spirit is primarily reserved for a religious setting.

Okay, so that's my spur-of-the-moment "German Observations, Vol. I". Any other German observations are welcome. Anyone else who has been to Deutschland want to share?

PS

2007-08-23T21:17:00.000Z

Not sure if I mentioned this, but my sister Kat is studying in South Africa this semester. It's all part of her global studies curriculum. Pretty cool, huh? This Hamburg thing is pretty tame in comparison.

So Much to Say

2007-08-23T20:32:00.000Z

So much not to say. Not really anything new going on here. School is starting again end of next week. I still have a few projects to get done beforehand (they assigned stuff during the break). And naturally I hardly got to any of the other things I wanted to do during our four-week semester break. Oh well. C'est la vie. Can you believe it's almost September? Crazy.

All in the Family

2007-08-19T21:02:00.000Z

This weekend was a full family weekend, with my cousin's 47th birthday celebration in Luebeck, a Sunday afternoon with my grandmother, and an evening barbecue (they call it "grilling" here) with my aunt, uncle, cousin, and her family of four. Perfect was when my cousin asked his five-year-old son (who I've only seen as an infant) if he remembered me and, peering through his round glasses, he confidently replied with a yes. Too cute.

It's a Girl Thing

2007-08-17T07:20:00.000Z

My new summer 'do. Okay, it's August, but better late than never.

Notice the Hamburg t-shirt.

I haven't had hair this short since the third grade. When I was once mistaken for a boy. Nice.

Count 'em

2007-08-16T08:15:00.000Z

Only 12 more days until Johanna and Keith start their European adventure, beginning with a few days here in Hamburg. Can't wait!

Off to Market

2007-08-11T20:16:00.000Z

While the U3 subway carries passengers between the stations Hoheluftbrücke and Eppendorfer Baum, Tuesday and Friday mornings finds the dry real estate below the train tracks bustling with people shopping at Hamburg's Isemarkt.

Here you can find fresh fish to meet any recipe's demands...

organic sausages, ham, and cheeses...

Fresh eggs for 12 to 33 cents each...

Sweet peaches, succulent pineapple, mangoes, oranges, and in-season fruits....

not to mention flowers, vegetables, breads, olives, jams, and anything else you might need and want for your kitchen.

Despite the rain, it was a sweet Friday morning exploring the market for the first time, sampling some greek spreads, and enjoying a latte machiatto in the festive and colorful atmosphere. While there, I couldn't help but think of the Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown, and the great space it offers below the buzzing traffic for something like this.

Mini Me

2007-08-10T15:13:00.000Z

Hamburg is home to more than 40 museums, including the Hamburg dungeon, a coffee and spice museum, an Afghani culture museum, an erotic art museum, a `blind`museum, a customs museum, and......Miniatur Wunderland, which we visited on Wednesday. This museum is a mini wonder; it showcases the world's largest model train and is -- shockingly enough -- the most-visited tourist attraction in Hamburg (at least according to claims on their website).

It's freaking weird.

They have created a mini world, including Las Vegas (shown both by day and by night).

And a lot of Hamburg's famous areas. Here is Hamburg's Michel, a baroque church built in the late 1600s and the beloved landmark of our city. The picture below gives you a sense of scale.

In addition to Hamburg and Las Vegas, the museum features other German areas like Harz and Knuffingen, additional American landscapes (Mount Rushmore, Miami, Grand Canyon), plus Scandanavia.

And detailed scense like a couple sunbathing in a field of sunflowers.

And a dead person found by police in a river.

Like I said, weird.

Z is for Zoo

2007-08-06T12:25:00.000Z

Summer finally arrived and with beautifully warm weather we headed to Hamburg's Hagenbeck Tierpark (zoo) for their Romantic Night. The zoo was open until 11 pm (seriously confusing the poor animals who had to stay up past their bed times), more than 15 groups of musicians played classical music throughout the park, people picnicked around the grounds, and fireworks capped the evening.

Our first stop was at the gerbels. Okay, to be honest, I'm not sure if they were gerbels...I was too impressed by their little community, complete with a chapel (not shown), to pay that much attention.

The rabbits didn't have it bad, either. Their campus included a windmill.

Note the grey rabbit all the way on the left. One ear is sticking straight up at a 90 degree angle!

This elephant is yawning... he must be bored of all the strange people staring at him.

But he's not going to turn down a snack. No, this is not just a picture of the back of my head. It's a picture of the back of my head after just having fed a carrot to an elephant.

The zoo also had an aquarium, where we saw these friendly animals.

See you later, alligator. On the Nile, crocodile. These rhymes aren't just nonsense. This Nile crocodile is sleeping..and it turns out we will see him later. On the Nile. In November Mona is getting married in Cairo, with the wedding activities including a cruise on the famous river.

Hope to see you later, too!

More Random Pics

2007-08-01T20:47:00.001Z

Some more random pics in an effort to keep things a bit fresh so you guys will keep visiting my blog (it's all for you, people. All for my readers. :)).

Me and Nins at the Block House.

Friends from school during a coffee break.

My cool friend Jessie, who even looks super cute with her eyes closed.

Me and Jessie at a Goth party. Oh yes, I am so square.

Lost in Translation

2007-07-31T10:39:00.000Z

In the past six months I've made many, many language blunders as I'm getting my German up to speed. Most of the time my mispronunciations or word mix ups still get my point across, but they often also result in a few chuckles. A few recent laughs:

Baeren v. Beeren: I was working at Das Kleine Cafe describing a cake with baiser (meringue) and beeren (berries), except I pronounced beeren like baeren, telling the customer that the delicious dessert had bears in it. You know, like the kind you run away from in the woods. Careful now, this cake may bite. Grrr.

drucken vs. druecken: I'm at school in the computer lab and want to print something on special paper, so I kindly yell out to the other students something to the effect of: "excuse me, I'd like to drueck something on special paper using the color druecker. Is anyone druecking anything or can I go ahead and drueck? Except drueck (unlike druck) doesn't mean "to print" or "printer," but "to push, to crush, to squeeze." Um, yeah. People, I'd like to crush my paper now, got a problem with that?

punzen vs. brunzen: Typography has its own terminology and naturally I'm learning it all in German (thank goodness Johanna gave me a book about typography in English so I can cross-reference!). The empty shape/space a letter contains -- like the circle in an p, g, or o -- is called a punzen. While studying with my friend Jessie I called it a brunzen. This word means "to urinate." I was close. Quite close.

wiegen, wagen, wage, wiege: I had a doctor's appointment and the doctor asked me how much I weighed. Tangent: Going to the doctor here is great -- it's like meeting a medical expert in his living room, sitting down on the couch/chair, talking about your physical ailment, and then maybe he/she checks something with his stethoscope. No undressing. No gown. It's very comfortable. Anyway, so I was telling him that I had actually just stepped on the wiege that morning so could give him an accurate number. But, while the verb wiegen means "to weigh", the noun wiege means cradle. Wage is the noun for scale, and wagen the verb means "to risk." Apparently I'm not the first to make this mistake as there is a German joke about this mix up: An American goes into a pharmacy and tells the pharmacist: I'm looking for a wiege, I would like to wage something. Get it? :)

Finals

2007-07-25T19:05:00.001Z

So, things have been pretty busy here. As you know, Nins was visiting for two weeks. On Friday, Katja joined us and it's been a full house. I'm also in the midst of "finals" at school and have a lot of work to do. Finals consist of creating two books that feature projects done during the semester, taking a written test for Typography, illustrating a story, and completing a computer project to show proficiency in Adobe Illustrator. Very different from my finals at UVA. Anyway, I'll try to squeeze in a few posts before August 3, and otherwise write more after that.

Mamma Mia! Dios Mio!

2007-07-19T20:28:00.000Z

Wednesday night Nina, Ursula, and I went to see Mamma Mia! at Hamburg's Operettenhaus and it was quite the spectacle: colorful costumes, a hand-clapping crowd, a generally fun and upbeat storyline, and of course the music -- ABBA songs....in German. Maybe it's just me, but Dancing Queen in German doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Nonetheless, it was an evening of singing, dancing, and high drama. About three minutes into the second act, the theater lost power and we were treated to free drinks at the bar...except they ran out before we got there. After 45 minutes, the show started again, only to have the stage set jam 30 minutes later. Mamma Mia! Here we go again! Another 20-minute delay and we were back into the swing of things, but by then the momentum was lost and the kids sitting behind us were just about delirious. Still, I'd say: thank you for the music. Thank you for the music, ABBA.

Things I Learn in School

2007-07-17T21:22:00.001Z

How to pose as a "W" for a typography project:

Go Cougars

2007-07-17T21:07:00.000Z

For all you OHS Cougars, you probably remember Sachin (you know, the cool guy who was voted "most likely to succeed"). Well, his older (and, yes, successful) brother and Nina's good friend, Savitra, was here for a quick visit. Nina and Savitra relived their Oakton thespian days (think Oklahoma and My Fair Lady) and laughs ensued. We also shared quotes, business ideas, a walk to the Elbe, and an outdoor farwell dinner:

Visitors are always welcome, no thespian training required. ;)

--

2007-07-15T20:19:00.001Z

Hope everyone had a good weekend and is off to a good start to the week. We had a solidly sunny weekend for the first time in over a month, and it finally felt like summer. With a hurt toe (long story), I worked at the cafe, finished some projects for school, and spent time with the family.

Sunday we went to our Tante Reni's place in Hoisdorf (a small town about an hour outside of the city and where my grandparents used to live) for spargel (asparagus) soup. Here's us:

My love for Nutella surpasses any and all food rules, so a natural companion to the spargel soup was:I was also introduced to these "chocolate sandwich slices" which is basically like putting a chocolate candy bar on a piece of bread. And I'm not saying that in a bad way.

New Post

2007-07-10T21:17:00.001Z

It's been a rough week, but thankfully Sonita arrived on Saturday and has been great company. Aside from spending some time at the cafe where I work and generally just talking and catching up, our big Sunday activity was a boat tour of the harbor.

On Tuesday we welcomed Nina, who arrived complete with a Ghanaian hat and maraca.

We toasted our first evening together at a wine festival at Hamburg's Rathaus.

Cheers to friends and family.

TGIF

2007-06-22T20:05:00.001Z

Hope everyone has fun plans for the weekend. I'm working at the cafe tomorrow and may be going to Leipzig for a quick visit with Kat (she's getting baptized on Sunday). My mom has excellent weekend plans. Make that three week plans. She's officially vacationing in Sylt, a German island in the North Sea, off the west coast of Denmark.

Yes, I am jealous.

Summer Solstice

2007-06-21T21:30:00.000Z

Today was the longest day of the year, the summer solstice. It reminds me of the winter solstice parties we used to have at The Textile Museum when I worked there. Yep, it was the politically-correct holiday party and those TMers really know how to throw a good one. Rachel, who has worked at the TM for more than seven years, can vouch for me. Right, Rachel? :)

And I Miss You. Like the Deserts Miss the Rain.

2007-06-19T09:18:00.001Z

As I'm hearing about fun summer times in DC (like Ajay sleeping in his Woodley Park-parked car after a night on the town :)) and reading washingtonpost.com -- and as some of the "newness" of Hamburg wears off -- I'm beginning to miss Washington a bit more.

Like my Dupont Circle neighborhood.

And the Dunkin' Donuts across the street from my apartment. :)
But most of all, friends. You guys.

Like all you lovely ladies in this photo, taken early February. A mere four months later, Abigail now has a beautiful baby girl, Kim is pregnant with a boy, Krystal quit her job and may be moving, Rudd is still working furiously, and Noeleen is planning a wedding.

Since February, Bettina's company got bought out and she's still working hard and partying it up. Melissa was accepted to tons of awesome grad schools and is preparing to attend the University of Chicago in the fall.

Heather and Brad moved from the suburbs into the city, and are planning yet another move to Boston.

Lana and David got married and are now on their honeymoon.

Sonita is taking a break from work and traveling around Europe as I type. Hamburg is on her itinerary starting July 6.

And my awesome sister Nina is packing for a work-related trip to Ghana, after which she's swinging by for a visit (can't wait). In the background, Ajay is enjoying a martini...which he seems to be a doing a lot of these days. :) Just kidding, Ajay.

And so many others who are doing cool things -- Jaime and Jamie have new jobs; Johanna is about to do the Avon Walk; Anand: are you still working on your book?; Mona is planning a wedding in Cairo, Jenny and Sean one in VA/DC; Mariah keeps me laughing with her blog; and all you cool peeps who I miss hanging out with, playing tennis with, dancing, Wonderland, grabbing a drink, coffee, etc., etc., etc.

I miss you guys! While I wish I could share more closely in your life adventures, I love hearing about them from across the ocean. So, don't forget to keep me posted. :) Talk to you soon and hope to see you.

Things that Make You Go Hmmmm

2007-06-17T20:47:00.000Z

Don't really know what to write at the moment, so I'm posting some "Bushisms" I found on Slate.com.

Read 'em and weep, people.

"There's a lot of blowhards in the political process, you know, a lot of hot-air artists, people who have got something fancy to say."—Washington, D.C., May 17, 2007

"My relationship with this good man is where I've been focused, and that's where my concentration is. And I don't regret any other aspect of it. And so I—we filled a lot of space together."—on British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington, D.C., May 17, 2007

"Forms of government matter, in my opinion. It matters how—the nature of the government in which people live."—Tipp City, Ohio, April 19, 2007

"Information is moving—you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it's also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets."—Washington, D.C., May 2, 2007

For more reasons we can't wait for 2009, click here.

G8 Great?

2007-06-11T22:09:00.000Z

So over here the news outlets are proclaiming the G8 a (mild) success, with hostess Chancellor Angela Merkel being hailed by German newspaper Die Zeit as a "superstar." What are they saying in DC about the summit, specifically Bush's hesitance on defending the environment, his rumble with Russia, and the stomach ache?

Herzlichen Glueckwuensch

2007-06-11T08:40:00.001Z

Yesterday was mom's birthday and we enjoyed a sunny, blue-skied day celebrating. A late breakfast with fresh broetchen started the day.

We then went to a charming cafe in Blankenese, a town known for its beautiful views of the Elbe River and homes tucked into the hillside.

My mom and Ursula (pictured below) used to visit this cafe with their mothers when they were growing up; this history added to the nostalgic atmosphere of the quaint place.

With my mom's close friends, we inhaled the breathtaking views and delighted in the company.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Shake and Bake

2007-06-07T10:24:00.001Z

Today was my first morning working at Das Kleine Cafe (see prior entry) and my first cake did not result in disaster (which for me, means it was a success :)). I made a Russian Zupfkuchen. After forming the crust from the chocolate dough, the remaining dough is zupfed (zupfen = to pluck) into small pieces and placed on top of the quark-based filling. Quark is a milk-based product not usually found in America. I would describe it as a mixture between yogurt, cream cheese, and ricotta cheese -- it tastes more like plain yogurt, but has the thicker consistency of cream cheese/ricotta.

Some pictures of a Zupfkuchen I found online:

Mmmmmm. :) Saturday I go back for more cake baking and coffee making.

Summer Lovin'

2007-06-06T08:06:00.000Z

Summer days driftin' away, but oh oh the summer nights. And here in Hamburg, the days are extra long and the evenings a pleasure. The sun rises at 4:55 am and sets at 9:45 pm -- allowing for about 17 hours of daylight and 6 hours of star gazing. (In comparison, DC's sun is rising roughly an hour later, at 5:44 am, and setting an hour and 15 minutes earlier, at 8:30 pm.)

The extra hours of daylight means I can play on the unlit tennis courts until 9:30 pm and then drive home without having to put the lights on (a little awkward, but cool). It also means I can't get to bed before midnight.

KJJ

2007-06-06T08:00:00.000Z

Katja and her boyfriend Joel stopped in for a visit to Hamburg from Leipzig and Denver, respectively. Here's a picture of us after the "meet our dad" lunch. Of course, everyone loves Joel.
He's so niiice. Seriously, a great guy and together he and Kat make a wonderful couple. Even dad said so! :)

Run, Lola, Run

2007-06-03T14:40:00.001Z

I participated in my first German race this weekend...a nice little 4K. Not a 5K, but a 4K, and let me just say it's a perfect little distance. Two and a half miles, a quick jog around Hafen City. I ran with my friend Leo and his co-workers, as part of a 10-member team.

Leo and I pre-race, with the thumbs up:

Afterwards the guy I'm dating (wait, did I fail to mention I I'm dating someone? :)...more on that later) met up with us and we went out for dinner in the Schanze (the hip, trendy part of town) for an organic salad with chicken and tofu sausage (I know, sausage made with tofu should be a crime in Germany, but it was actually pretty good.).

Latte Machiatto Anyone?

2007-05-31T10:21:00.000Z

The best latte machiatto I've found in Hamburg is at Das Kleine Cafe, a cute cafe appointed with mismatched bistro tables, mahogany chairs, and local art work, and located about a fifteen-minute walk from home. And the cakes. They are amazing. Pictured below is a small piece of "kalter hund" (literally translated as: cold dog). The recipe is simple -- butter cookies layered with a rich, chocolate butter made with rum and espresso -- and the result is fabulous.

I've been thinking that working at Das Kleine Cafe (translation: the small cafe) could be a fun, part time job that would allow me to interact with the locals, earn some pocket money, and sample the delicious treats.

So I got a job there. The deal was just sealed this morning and I'm really excited. The pay is shit, but I'll learn how to bake all the fabulous desserts and make a mean machiatto. I'll be working one or two weekend days a month, so not too often, and the cafe opens at the reasonable hour of 10 am. It seems to be a perfect set up (don't need to get up too early, close to home, only a few times per month, a little extra cash, a little bit of cake). I start next Thursday and will let you know how it goes. :)

Same Same, but Different

2007-05-29T20:20:00.000Z

My life is pretty different than it was in DC: I'm a student versus a working professional. I'm a stranger in this place, rather than someone who is familiar with the city and its surroundings. Instead of friends, the people who know me are family.

But some things will never change: I love chocolate. I play tennis. And I go to museums.

A great exhibition that I visited for the second time yesterday is a retrospective of Austrian artist Erwin Wurm. Titled The ridiculous life of a serious man. The serious life of a ridiculous man., the exhibition features humorous and interactive sculptures (among other media) that visually comment on consumption, productivity, thinness, obesity, status, and art.

His "one minute sculptures" only become sculptures when people engage with them -- as shown in the picture below of "keeping a cool head," which I did. These one minute sculptures take banal objects, like a dog house, chair, or a refrigerator, and ask people to interact with them with specific instructions. This interaction creates a fleeting work of art (most positions cannot be held for more than one minute) that is ever the same and also always different.

Another interesting component to the exhibition was a project Wurm did on idleness. He drafted rules for idleness -- watch TV all day, sleep for two months, don't close your mouth when you eat, be indifferent, take a nap on the office toilet, be too lazy to argue, and more -- which were then represented with photographs of him adhering to these rules. Oxymoronically (is that a word? hell, my english is in decline), in his quest for idleness he had to exert a tremendous and laborious amount of discipline and effort.

There were lots of other cool inclusions in the exhibition (like a sculpture of negative thoughts and a fat Porsche), but I'm going to take instruction from the idleness rules and go to bed.

Ciao, ciao.

No News is Good News

2007-05-24T20:05:00.000Z

So, not much new to report, but I thought I'd throw up a post. The weather has been great and I've been playing a bit of tennis (especially since my dad is visiting and he likes to play). Katja and her boyfriend will be in town this coming weekend, so I'm looking forward to that. On Saturday night we're having a traditional German spring meal of spargel (asparagus, the white kind), ham, and potatoes, all served with hollaindaise sauce. Yum. On Monday we're going to a piano concert at the Musikhalle. And just so you're assured that I do things other than play and have fun, my work is starting up again and school is keeping me busy. :) More soon...

Aces All Around

2007-05-18T17:41:00.002Z

Hamburg annually hosts the Rothenbaum tennis tournament, a master series event and lead up to the French Open which begins end of May. Since I got snubbed on French Open tickets (they use a lottery system and I didn't win), this was a perfect opportunity to see the top players in an intimate setting in my hometown.

Eva, a friend of mine from the tennis team who happens to be a graphic designer, and I went to the tournament on Thursday. We scored some sweet seats in row 8, with a great view and an afternoon of sunshine.
On the right is the number one tennis player in the world, Roger Federer. This guy is amazing. He played with precision, patience, and absolute effortlessness. Sometimes you could hardly hear the ball hit his racquet before it went shooting over the net. He beat 19th-ranked Ferrero (seated left) in two sets, no sweat.

Here's Federer preparing to return serve. A group of red-and-white-clad youths spurred the Swiss player on with melodic chants of "Roger, wir lieben Dich!" (Roger, we love you).

In addition to having the world's current best players (unfortunately I missed Nadal), the Black Rock Classic, the "tournament within the tournament," featured stars at the top of their class when I was growing up -- like Goran Ivanisevic, pictured above in awful capri pants. (I know, Nadal wears them, too, but at least he can pull them off.)

And Boris Becker!!!! Yep, Boris Becker. Who can forget the German tennis star who, in 1985, at the age of 17 became the youngest player ever to win Wimbledon (or any grand slam title for that matter). His distinguishable red hair is now bleach blonde, but he still wowed the crowd with his tennis.
Becker played Austrian Thomas Muster, winning in three sets (last set was 13:11!). The atmosphere was tremendous. Of course all the Germans were excited to see "their" tennis legend. Since it was an unofficial event, music played during change overs (think songs like "Eye of the Tiger") and fans shouted things like "the knees, Boris, don't forget to bend the knees."

Truly an all aces event.

Thanks, Mom!

2007-05-18T16:28:00.000Z

Mother's Day was on Sunday and I've been remiss about writing about the special occasion. My mom has been especially supportive over the last few months and I certainly wouldn't be "going deutsch" without her. Her practical help with settling in to Germany has been invaluable, her continual encouragement and optimism lifts my spirit and pushes me towards my goals, her corrections improve my German, her patience with me is appreciated, and her tips make sure I wear socks on days that are chilly and eat my fruits and vegetables. It was an especially sweet Mother's Day that I could be here to thank and honor her in person this year. A belated happy mother's day to all the moms out there and the children you serve. To several friends who've lost their moms, I am thinking about you and know your moms are proud of the wonderful people you are. To the mother's-to-be, a new adventure and special role await.

Happy Birthday

2007-05-14T22:23:00.000Z

This weekend, Hamburg's harbour -- the second largest in Europe and seventh largest in the world -- celebrated it's 818th birthday in style. Dubbed as the biggest port party in the world, the weekend included a tug boat ballet, several stages with musical performances, a promenade of delicacies (think currywurst, pommes, beer) and arts and crafts, fireworks, and more.

Despite looming clouds and intermittent showers, we started the birthday celebration with a boat ride from Teufelsbrueck to the Fischmarkt (the same trip we took, Krystal and Matt) and were greeted with a rainbow.

As twilight neared, the lights on the many boats created a festive atmosphere on the water.

While more than one million people were expected to join in the festivities, the damp weather seemed to have kept many at home. But the devoted crowd toted umbrellas and walked along the promenades.

The celebration was sponsored by Jever and they appropriately displayed several ads on the Captain San Diego.

After the firework display, all the boats tooted their horns for several minutes as the ships shuffled to get back to the docks. It was a great, loud, deep sound that echoed across the water and fit the close of Saturday's harbour celebration perfectly.

Three and Counting

2007-05-09T22:24:00.000Z

Sunday marked my three month anniversary. I can't believe how fast it's gone. And while there's still so much to learn, discover, meet, improve, do, see, and experience, I'm fortunate to have had full and rich initial months in Hamburg. It's been a whirlwind, with a lot of different/competing/opposing emotions and experiences. I think that's what's called life! And at least it's not boring. I need to spend more time reflecting on this first installment and think more seriously about what the year(s) ahead will hold and what my priorities are. I will do so. Thanks to you guys for being interested enough to read my blog the past three months and for offering encouragement by way of your emails. I really appreciate it.

Pics

2007-05-06T20:04:00.000Z

So, some photos from the last few weeks.

Above is me and Quasim at the Elbe River, where we went for a walk along the water and enjoyed the spring time weather.

It's really peaceful along the Elbe, with a wide walking/biking path that stretches for miles, mature trees, refreshing breezes, a few cafes along the way, beachy areas for grilling, and a great view. This past week I've been running here.

On the other side of this walking path is the tremendous harbor, which is the second largest in Europe and seventh largest in the world. They have several festivals/events during the year, and a few weeks ago a brand new cruise ship was introduced and inducted here. More than 300,000 people crowded the banks to see the spectacular laser and firework show.

Hamburg is indeed a pearl!

R.I.P (International) Pandora

2007-05-05T15:00:00.000Z

Due to new licensing restrictions, Pandora isn't able to stream music to listeners in most countries outside of the U.S. anymore, which means while you guys in Washington are finding music you like through this awesome site, I'll be listening to my stale collection (guess I really have to warm up to German schlager or increase my music budget). If you have suggestions on music or sites similar to Pandora, let me know. Otherwise, keep on supporting Pandora -- a free service! -- by logging on, creating music stations, and enjoying the music.

Hamburg Meine Perle!

2007-05-02T22:59:00.001Z

Here's one of the German Schlager and a must-know here in Hamburg:

Hamburg, meine Perle
Du wunderschoene Stadt
Du bist mein Zuhaus
Du bist mein Leben
Du bist die Stadt
auf die ich kann

Hamburg, my pearl
You beautiful city
You are my home
You are my life
You are the city where I can

Don't you wish Washington, DC, had a song like this?

Tanzen, Strand, und Bier

2007-05-01T20:05:00.000Z

The first of May here in Germany is somewhat comparable to America's Labor Day -- many demonstrate or protest for worker's rights, and offices and shops are closed. Of course, this is also an excuse to stay out late the night before and perfect for "Tanz in den Mai" ("Dance into May"), held on the evening of April 30. I went out with a few acquaintances to a bar in Eppendorf to experience this German phenomena and sure enough, there was lots of dancing (and singing) to German Schlager (pop songs). Oh yeah.

Since today was a day off (and I neither demonstrated or protested, though Kat did), I hopped on my bike and met up with an acquaintance to check out Hamburg's several "beach bars." Situated along/above the Elbe River, these outdoor bars are only set up from April to September and have a full "floor" of sand, palm trees, beach chairs, music, drinks, great views of the harbor, and occasionally even a pool! There are seven of these bars running along the river, with only one having direct access to the Elbe. Here's a link to one place. It's really as though you were on the beach.

I'm getting culturally-acclimated to Germany and testing out beers more frequently and even drinking in the afternoons! :) Now, don't worry, I'm not going alcho on you. Today I had an "Alsterwasser," which is half beer and half mineral water. Yes, I'm still a lightweight.

Loving Leipzig

2007-04-30T13:04:00.000Z

I went to the former-east-German city of Leipzig this weekend to visit my sister Katja, who is enrolled in a master's program at the university there. It was so great to spend time with her, meet her friends, and get acquainted with the city she calls home (well, for now, at least). We walked around the downtown area, ate currywurst, rode the street cars, and for a mere two euros heard the Boys Choir sing in the famous Thomaskirche, where Martin Luther lectured, Mozart played the organ, Wagner was baptized, and Bach served as cantor in the 18th century. Again, amazing and impossible to grasp the history and influence of places such as the Thomaskirche.

On Sunday we went to an old cotton mill now converted to galleries, studio spaces, and offices for creative agencies (architects, designers, furniture makers, etc.). While the exhibited artwork was hit or miss, the architecture, neighborhood, and creative energy at the Spinnerei were fantastic.

How YOU doin'?

2007-04-26T22:52:00.000Z

When people answer the phone in Germany, instead of saying "hello," they say their last name. Since there are two Neubauers in our household and there's been some confusion, I answer the ringing telly with my full name. Of course I say it using the German pronunciation, because, hey, this is Germany. So, it sounds roughly like: Yool-y-ah Noy-bow-ah.
When Nina calls she pretends like she didn't hear me and makes me say it again. When Quasim called he said I sounded "so German" (or something like that).
Anyway, so the other day I answered the phone as normal, but I guess I said "Julia" really fast, so it sounded like "You-ya." Nina was on the other end, waiting to ask me how I was, and she in turn said "How You-ya?" It was funny. It doesn't sound funny now as I type it, but you gotta trust me on this one. Nins, it was funny, right? :)

Yum....internship

2007-04-26T22:16:00.000Z

I had my first interview in German, for an internship at a packaging design firm (yes, people, an internship. I'm back at square one on more things than you know!). They do really cool work for things I love, namely chocolate, cookies, and ice cream. Two examples below -- yes, Melissa, that's your beloved Shoko & Keks! Even though I stumbled through the interview in my subpar, heavily-accented German, I got the internship. I'm not sure if our scheduling/hours needs will match up or whether things will work out, but at least I have some German interviewing practice (and one that ended in a positive result).

It would be so cool to work at the firm, though, and be part of the brainstorming sessions, the design process, food styling, photo shoots, and of course the tastings! (Hey, the outside has got to match the inside :).) We'll see.

Most Likely To...

2007-04-23T22:20:00.000Z

With spring blossoming across the city, it's easy to see why Hamburg is the greenest city in Germany. In almost every neighborhood I venture into, large trees are sprouting leaves and public parks with fresh grass appear at seemingly every corner. In fact, 22 percent of the city is landscaped or offered as recreational space, making it no surprise that the Japanese have nicknamed Hamburg "the city with the green roof." It really is especially beautiful this time of year, as all the "green" makes its debut.

Aside from being the greenest city in Germany, I've come across some other superlatives for the hanseatic city of Hamburg (HH).

R.I.P
This is kind of an odd one to brag about, but Hamburg has the largest park cemetery in the world. My maternal grandparents and extended family members are buried at this 988-acre resting place (as a reference, Central Park is 843 acres).

London Bridges Falling Down
Although it's not readily apparent, I've known that Hamburg has more canals than Venice. But I didn't know that Hamburg boasts more bridges than Amsterdam, London, and Venice combined.

International City of Mystery
Hamburg is the world's second-largest consular city behind New York, with more than 90 consulates. Who knew?

Hot off the Press
And, this is a good one for my personal career interests -- Hamburg is the media capital of Germany, producing over half of all the newspapers and magazines sold in the country.