Thanksgiving and Slovenian Peacekeeping Cakes

the groaning table at our Thanksgiving party last Saturday

On the heels of the report of my first successful Thanksgiving here in Slovenia,* some New York friends sent along an interesting an article from the New Yorker (abstract here) by a woman who's cooked Thanksgiving in seven different countries. It was a harrowing tale, and one section especially jumped out at me:

"The worst was a dinner I put together in Södertälje, Sweden, in the fall of 1975, for the families of three Yugoslav workers from the local Saab-Scania factory. It wasn't the food that failed. My cranberry (well, lingonberry) sauce was good, and the turkey, fresh from my babysitter's boyfriend's mother's oven, across the street, even better. But my guests, as history soon showed, didn't really think of themselves as Yugoslavs. They though of themselves as Serbs, Slovenes, and Croats, and, while, they had always been agreeable and even effusive when we talked alone, they were not in the habit of breaking bread together. The conversation was, putting it nicely, strained; it flowed with the slivovitz that the men had brought, and each of them brought two bottles. They were close to brawling when the Slovenian's wife opened a box of homemade pastries -- flaky, buttery, mille-feuilles layered with thick whipped cream.** Peace returned to the kitchen table in my borrowed flat and lasted until, flushed with compliments and brandy, she smiled at the Serbs and Croats and said, "Slovenians make the best cakes."

* Super holiday party. 15 people strong. Juicy turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and more!
**kremšnita without a doubt

Caffeinated

The Captain got an espresso and then another espresso. From our weekend at the spa in Podčetertek.

Summer

We've not yet been to the seaside, but we've been enjoying summer nonetheless. Here are some images.

Being Back

I'm slowly getting used to being back in the wilderness.
We had some friends visit this weekend. It made me re-appreciate the place.


wild strawberry picking at draga




at Peričnik Waterfall


don't i look super fit here? he he


at Vrata


at Mostnice


at Vrata


Peričnik


at Bohinj

Berlin Diary #Final (for now): Wheelville Guide to Berlin

For your travelling pleasure (and so I don't forget), I'm posting a guide to my absolute favorite places in Berlin. I will keep updating as I remember stuff.



Books
Another Country - Riemanstr. 7 (Kreuzberg -U7 to Gneisenaustr or U6-7 to Mehringdamm)
It's kinda the best place in the world ever. Do go there for Friday night dinner party, yum!
Motto - (Kreuzberg - U1 to Gorlitzer Banhof) actually more of a magazine shop. but full of interesting reads

Clothes
Garage - clothes by the kilo, Ahornstr. 2 (U1-4 to Nollendorf)
Mauer Park Flohmarkt(Prenzlauerberg, U8 to Bernauer)
Razzo's Second Hand, Sybelstraße 25 (Charlottenburg, S to Charlottenburg, U7 to Adenauerplatz), also just wander around this hood it is FULL of second hand shops
Think Shoes, Kantstr. (Charlottenburg, U7 to Wilmersdorf or S to Charlottenburg)
Vamp Star - Schwedterstr. 22 ( -Prenzlauerberg) - run by real cool Japanese dudes with great designs for a good price. they also have a booth at Mauer Park every Sunday
Second Hemd, super cheap- Prinzenallee at Bellermanstr. (Wedding - U8 to Pankstr.)

Culture
Circle Culture gallery - Gipstr 11 (U8 to Weinmeister)
Festsaal Kreuzberg (Kreuzberg - U8 or U1 to Kottbusser Tor)
Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Mitte, S1,2,25 to Unter den Linden then M100 through Tiergarten)
Maxim Gorki Theater - Am Festungsgraben 2 (Mitte)

Food & Drink
Anchor, nice little bar on Kottbusser Damm (Kreuzberg - U1/U8 to Kottbusser Tor)
Cafe do Brasil, brasilian (Kreuzberg - U7 to Mehringdamm) super yummy buffet!
Ho Vang, fantastic vietnamese (Mitte - U2 to Rosa Luxembourg Platz)
Hotel, nice little bar - Marianenstrasse 26 (Kreuzberg - U1/U8 to Kottbusser Tor)
La Femme - multiple locations in Wedding and Kreuzberg, good brunch!
Mustafas Gemuse Kebab, killer chicken and veg doeners right outside the station (U7 to Mehringdamm)
Pagode, thai - Bergmanstr. (Kreuzberg -U1 to Gneisenaustr or U7 to Mehringdamm)
Pasternak, great Russian brunch buffet on Sundays, Knaackstrasse 22-24 (Prenzlauerberg - U2 to Senefelder)
Room 77, burgers and nachos - Griefstr. 77 (Kreuzberg -U8 to Schonleinstr.)
Vor Wien , nice bar/venue, Skalitzer 44 (Kreuzberg, U1, U8 to Kottbusser Tor)
White Trash Fast Food , good American food, Torstr. 201(Prenzlauerberg - U8 Rosenthaler Platz)

Gifts/Shopping
Alte Schoenhauser Allee - The whole street is worth a look, in fact roll down Neue Schoenhauser Alle when you're done (Mitte, U2 Rosa Luxembourg, U8 to Weinmeisterstr.)
Butlers - Hackescher Markt (S to Hackescher, U8 to Weinmeisterstr.)
Harry Lehmann perfume shop, Kantstr. 106 (Charlottenburg, U7 to Wilmersdorf or S to Charlottenburg)
KaDeWe (Kaufhaus des Westens), famous old department store, it's all about the upstairs food hall!, (U1-3 to Wittenbergplatz)
O.K. , cool kitschy tchotchkes from around the world- Alte Schonhauser Allee (Mitte, U2 Rosa Luxembourg, U8 to Weinmeisterstr.)
Rossman - various locations, they have great cosmetics and other little nice things to give as gifts

Sites
Berlin Zoo
Brandenburg Gate
Hauptbanhof
Humboldthain Park
Hackeshcher Hohe/Markt
Mauer Park
Potsdamer Platz
Tiergarten
Treptower Park

Things I Wanna Do/See Next Time
Badeschiff
Berlin Unterwelten (Berlin Underworlds, tunnels under the city!) tour
Cocolo Ramen - Gipstrasse 3 (U8 to Weinmeister) - I passed by this place and even through the closed fence, I could smell them making the noodles from scratch!
Ha My restaurant
Helmut Newton Museum
La Scala
Panorama Bar
Rock Cafe Halford (U5 to Frankfurter Allee)
The Shy Chef
Soylent Bar - Friedrichshain (U1, S to Warschauer)
Stasi Museum
Tacheles
more galleries in general
more flea markets
more music, shows, dancing!

Useful Online Resources
bvg.de
exberliner.net
iheartberlin.de
berlin.unlike.net

Overrated Things
Curry 36 and currywurst in general (it's disgusting!)
Ku'Damm shopping area (they have the same shops all over town with less crowds)
Monsieur Vuong, vietnamese restaurant

Berlin Diary Number 10: Berlin in My Bones

I think the thing about being anywhere for a month is that you have, at once, the feeling that it is gonna go on forever while at the same time the superego reminder that your time is running short and that you cannot plant roots. Favorite haunts are filed away as travel tips for others, the maps in your head, the ways you learned to burn your trail through the place will quite possibly have to be relearned when you return. Your last days become frantic dashes to reconnect for one last time with the people and places you liked the best, but you can never get to them all and you know it. And so I was in Ostbanhof station on Sunday morning, having parted ways with the last of my Berlin last-nighter all-nighter buddies (who were heading out to a disco at 6am), thinking about meeting up with one last friend at a bar a few stops away, when my body just said no, when I realized I had to let go, pack my bags, and catch my flight.

Sloshing through rainy Berlin streets to the shuttle to Schoenfeld unto checking in my overstuffed luggage. Catnapping in the terminal and then up, up, and away.

The Captain was at the airport to get me and drive me the rest of the way home. His face was like a dream. I couldn't remember all the contours, I just thought "WOW, who is this hot guy picking me up at the aiport? Lucky me." But then we talked and joked, and I remembered the tones and the Familiar and the sun was shining (ahh, sunshine) and we drove and drove and then I was HOME.

Upon arising from my first night back in my own bed (ahhh), my heart lept because I was right where I wanted to be. But as the morning turned into afternoon and I plowed through my luggage explosion, I couldn't help but sidle over to my computer and type in a quick cheeky search:

"cheap flights berlin"

Details filed away in my brain. I will undoubtedly be back, and back, but soon.

Here are some pics from my last few days in beautiful Berlin.




on Bergmanstrasse




my trip to KaDeWe




last day with friends from German class


at a dentist's office on Kottbusser Damm


at my local U-bahn station


last day with friends from German class, aw memories!


My super cool classmate (he's a brotha from Philly) made fried chicken for my last day. It was FANTASTIC!


last brunch - La Femme on Badstrasse


last dog walk


Humboldthain Park


Humboldthain Park - Rose garden


i dashed to Harry Lehmann perfumerie for last minute gifts


beautiful shop


at Ostbanhof - 5.30 am, full of party people

Berlin Diary Entry 3: Coming Through

Another reason why Berlin is great is because people pass through here. I have overlapped with so many people coming from Western Europe, leaving back to the states, here and there. They fly into my life and then back out, but I am the better for all those long or short encounters. Sadly the trade winds almost never blow through Slovenia. I am hoping my being in Slovenia will produce an adequate magnetic force to pull more interesting and fun people from around the world in and around...I need them, Slovenia needs them.

Here are some of my latest photos.


Hackescher Markt


Weinmeister Strasse




beautiful food at the Brazilian restaurant


the place to go for the best of the wurst (curry wurst is wretched, one of the worst things to ever cross my lips)


Charlottenburg is garden-y and bourgeois. Like the Park Slope of Berlin


a mysterious installation at rosa luxembourg platz


international vat of mystery at the Kreukolln Turkish market


it's been coming up fluffy Simpsons clouds like every day


quite possibly the best doner in town. yum!


this is criminal


Potsdamer Platz



P.S. In an effort to minimize my tinges of homesickness, I've been listening to Radio Student all morning. Thank God for internet radio!

P.P.S. This place is incredible but I kinda feel like my eyes and brain need a break. Trying to cultivate a napping habit.

The Crisis of Credit explained

I know this a little off-theme for this blog, but I thought this short film was highly informative and something everyone should see.

I am of the firm belief that because of the nature of our market and the amount of exposure most companies here have had, Slovenia has only seen the tip of the iceberg of the financial crisis compared to many other countries around the world. But I think within at most half a year, things will dramatically change here. Needless to say, I am trying to spend conservatively, plant a BIG garden this year, and master the fine art of food storage for the winter months.


The Crisis of Credit Visualized from Jonathan Jarvis on Vimeo.

Deeelish

I stumbled across what may be my new favorite candy.



Slowly but surely Slovenia is coming up aces with good quality and kitschy gifts to take with me on holiday.