Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christmas. Show all posts

Monday, December 29, 2014

Christmas in Germany is what I imagine most families everywhere do. Family you haven't seen in a year drive over and you gather at one place to eat until you don't ever want to hear the word 'food' again. I never experienced such a Christmas because my family outside of its immediate members reside in Japan and living in NY never made it easy to come together. Now it's almost routine to ask Oli which house we're going to on which day and what we should bring and wear.

The morning of Christmas Eve was a peaceful one.



The tree was ready and I had finally finished wrapping the gifts to put under the tree!!


I also made some pancakes! Pancakes are kinda my specialty. If I'm not feeling creative but want a nice breakfast, pancakes are my go to. Pancakes + holiday music = the best way to spend the morning.

After breakfast we went to Oli's mother's house. Her house was literally covered in cute Christmas decorations.





After many hours of tea, coffee, cake, card games, and dinner, we went back home to sleep. It's normal in Germany to open gifts on Christmas Eve but to stay true to my American tradition of opening gifts on Christmas morning, we decided to sleep and wait til the next day to open presents.


The smoking figure Oli put out for Christmas.




Sorry for the photos from blursville and my red puffy face (was a bit under the weather) but we were excited to open gifts!

The gift I was most excited about was the one I gave Oli.

Oli has a pair of Adidas sneakers that he literally wore TO DEATH in the past 3 years. I had several ideas for gifts over the past 2 months or so but then it hit me to replace his sneakers because I knew that unless they fell apart on his feet, he probably wouldn't replace them. I got him the same exact model and great gaggling goose, look at the difference!!! Mind blown.

After present opening and cat feeding, we got to work in the kitchen preparing food for ourselves.


Honestly doesn't get much more German than this, does it?

It was a really nice few days just talking, eating, and playing games. I think it's kind of crazy how this year just flew by and it's already nearing the end of 2014 and the start of 2k15! I am super excited for what's to come. Hopefully this blog will see some positive changes as well. Look forward to my next post, which will be a continuation of some Christmas fun!

Christmas in Brandenburg

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

It's December and that means the holidays are upon us. I don't know about you guys but I have already been pre-gaming for weeks (seriously guys, my body is made of cookies and mulled wine right now). With just a week left to go, I am frantically running around trying to collect some last minute gifts that are both thoughtful and useful because let's face it, when everyone on your list is older than you, you realize that cute pair of tongs that look like a monkey with cymbals is just not going to be appreciated in the same way you think it would.

Luckily, I have many distractions to keep my mind otherwise occupied.




The Advent Collection! To be fair, the penguin one is from last year and it's a somewhatkindofnotvery useful tool to learn German. Oh, and the Mini Mani Manor Advent Calendar from Ciaté is just . . . okay, no excuses, I just really wanted to spoil myself (I've only had an Advent Calendar once in my childhood!)

Then there was also Nikolaustag on the 6th, which as I've mentioned last year, is the day St. Nick comes by and drops off sweets to all the good chickadees of the world. So to all you non-believers out there, here is the proof:


Oh, you thought I meant the proof that St. Nick is real? Psych! I meant the proof that I've been good.

I also went to a few Christmas Markets. Here are a few shots from the one in Spandau (my first one this year!)





It was such a nice market! Way better than some of the central ones. If you are in Berlin and can visit the one in Spandau, I do recommend it!

Now I did mention cookies earlier, didn't I? I invited my friend Jaqueline over to make some sugar cookies with me a week ago. I've been experimenting with cookies for the past few months now so I decided to just kinda whip them up without a recipe and it turned out really well! They are very simple so it's important to use good ingredients, especially good vanilla extract. I've been making my own vanilla extract from some pods I ordered when I was back in NY and they have just taken my cookies to another level. You obviously don't have to make your own extract, but if you can splurge a bit, please use quality ingredients!


Simple Sugar Cookies
Makes 4 trays of cookies

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (I used raw brown sugar)
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup vegan margarine
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet (about 2 tsp) vanilla sugar
3 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used rice)
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F.

In a mixing bowl, cream your margarine together with the sugar. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the butter mixture, a third at a time, mixing along the way. Once it's well incorporated, the texture should be a bit sandy. Now add non-dairy milk, a tablespoon at a time (note: if you need more milk, add a tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a ball but is not sticky). Flour your surface and your rolling pin. Roll out the dough in segments, cutting out shapes with a cutter or knife and adding extra dough to the remains.

Place on a tray with baking paper and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Take them out and cool before adding any type of frosting. Guten Appetit!


Simple Sugar Cookies and Christmas is Comin'

Wednesday, December 25, 2013


Merry Christmas!

Hello everybody and Merry Christmas Eve to you all! I know I've been showcasing my photos from Paris lately but I thought it was only appropriate to [finally] make my Christmas Market post I promised a little while back. So here are the photos from the Christmas Market in Gendarmenmarkt!
Also read to the end for some exciting news and to figure out where Part I is!


The entrance was very pretty as was the large Christmas tree!


Christmas Market at Gendarmenmarkt Part II

Sunday, March 17, 2013

When asked why I moved to Berlin, I jokingly said "Because it's not Paris." Truth be told, I love Paris. Despite some bad experiences I've had in the past, I love the energy and the character Paris has. This need to always look good in the public eye. To eat mountains of cheese and never get fat. To know your neighborhood baker by first name. It's just something I find both comforting and charming.


Les Galeries Lafayette is one of my favorite department stores. Despite the fact that I can't afford anything and the people that work there probably know that, I love to go in and be in the center of all the buzz. Especially during Christmas season, you get to see the beautiful window displays!


Then there's Le Bon Marché. I am of course more partial to their food gallery, but I love to look at House and Kitchen Ware in any department store. Here's a cute array of designer cups I found (above).


The area around La Basilique du Sacré Coeur was of course ringing with sleigh bells as well, with its own mini Christmas Market. I however was too distracted by the sights of the city.

Speaking of sights . . .


The last image is an outdoor market in Versailles, where I went to visit a friend. I tried some of the best bread and cheese there. I also brought back a jar of organic honey infused with chestnuts! Très magnifique!


Lastly, cake time at the Musée d'Orsay! I guess that sums up my time there in December. Of course, it won't be my last. I've met some amazing people and plan to go back!

À la prochaine (until next time)!

Flashback Paris

Friday, December 21, 2012

Paris in a shot IV

Monday, December 10, 2012


Hey guys, how are you today? I've been doing well (although fighting a tiny little bug in the stomach).

Berlin is just as cold as ever (with temperatures going down a whopping -11 C on Saturday). I would say luckily I was in Dresden, except that it was quite the Winter Wonderland down there as well (my feet felt like frozen icecube trays!) However, I can say lucky me I'm going to Paris, because it's a whole 6 C higher!

I'm doing a bit of packing now (warzone in the room), before I head over to the bus. I'm actually extremely lucky I live right next to the bus that takes me straight to the Tegel Airport.

The above picture is a small pit stop Cristina, Laure, and I made to grab a coffee and warm up in Dresden. I'm always in the mood for sweets. I'll post the rest soon!

Ciao for now (or shall I say Au Revoir?)

Dresden and Paris: Update