German classes starting January 8th, 2009

Are you interested in learning German? Good news, there is still space available in the adult class of the German Saturday School. Classes meet every Thursday evening from 6:30 - 8:30 PM at the Deutsche Haus, 7901 SE Division Street in PDX. The cost for the 10 week class is $170. Interested? Questions? Please contact the school director at 971.275.0848.

We are back to regular PDX weather...yup it's raining again

I am so glad that the snow is almost all gone...It was great for Xmas but it was enough. We are back to rain, some sun, and weather in the 40's. I wonder is this what winter feels like in Northern Germany? Could you please let me know? I look forward to hear from you...

Swimming...

The girls really want to go swimming so today we decided to try out the North Clackamas Aquatic Center. http://www.clackamas.us/ncprd/aquatic/ This is the best public pool I have been to in PDX. There are slides, a good size kiddie pool with slide, a wave pool (I have not seen that anywhere else in PDX), lap pool, diving pool, and a whirlpool. The girls had a ton of fun. There are family changing rooms complete with a shower which made changing in and out of swim suits easy. This is a much better solution for a family swim than driving out to Bonneville as there is no kiddie pool. However, the air temperature was a little chilly to me. There is some space to walk around, and some tables are set up where you can eat snacks (from the snack bar), or drink a soda. It is of course not TuWass http://www.tuwass.de/0_fr_start.htm, but better than any pools I have been to. It does need a little updating...

There were a few things that seemed quite strange to me

• People were allowed to walk into the pool area with their street shoes to test the water (feel the water temperature. Is it just me? I think its a little gross
• There was quite a bit of sand (at least that is what it seemed like) in the kiddie pool. I could not figure out where it came from as there is no sand box inside?
• Whirlpool only allows people above the age of 18. So there it is not possible to enjoy warmer water with your kids. Here is a picture to the "warm" area at TuWass http://www.tuwass.de/0_fr_start.htm

If you have not been, you should give this pool a try. Have fun...

The "Gingerbread House" and the Christmas Goose

A picture of the "Gingerbread House" the girls and I made, a picture of the Christmas goose, and Ron carving the goose.

Portland after the 2008 snowstorm

Finally a few pictures.  Above you can see what our street looks like (its a little better now), the girls sledding, our backyard, and the lower reservoir at Mt. Tabor.  Can you believe that these pictures are from Portland, Oregon?

Christmas Day...

The kids spent much of Christmas Day playing with their new toys. I spent almost 1-1/2 hours putting together the Playmobil Horse Farm Santa Claus brought Alena. That was quite tedious work...I have never put together any model so this was my first. Let me tell you it looks great!!! But it really did take me over 1-1/2 hours. Totally worth it so, because Alena LOVES it.

The rest of the day was spent, well you guessed it, cooking. The stuffing, and cabbage was made but we still needed to roast the goose, make the gravy, and the Kartoffelkloesse (potato dumplings). I stuffed the goose while Ron seared it, and roasted it for over 3 hours in the oven. It turned out FANTASTIC! The dumplings turned out the best ever. They did not fall apart, were not mushy, just turned out great. What a great day we all had...I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Christkind, or Santa Claus

I think that is the questions many of living here in the States face. Who will bring the children presents? I grew up with the Christkind and, as is German tradition, always got presents on Christmas Eve. Ron on the other hand grew up in the States and Santa Claus would always bring him presents on Christmas Day. So what to do? We obviously are raising our children in the States so Santa Claus is a must. I think that my German roots however also warrant to keep the German tradition. So this is what happens in our house.

The Christkind comes on Christmas Eve and leaves some presents under the tree. Before the kids go to bed they leave a cookie out for Santa Claus with hopes that he will come overnight. I think our kids are super lucky to have both bring presents...

Christmas Eve after dinner, we watched a Christmas movie and came back downstairs to find that the Christkind had visited us. Alena was SO excited. Then yesterday morning Alena was the first person up. She immediately ran over to the tree, and stockings. "Mama der Weihnachtsmann war da. Komm schnell..." she yelled to me and to Ron "Papa, Santa Claus was here. You have to come right away..." What excitement. That's what its all about, the excitement of the kids, right?!

Christmas Eve...we are finally thawing out

Back to normal PDX weather. Well, not quite it snowed again this morning and it now has been raining most of the afternoon. Snow is obviously melting but we had over a foot of snow so I am sure that it will stick for today. Truth be said, I was hoping that it would snow throughout the day today. Just until tomorrow, and then I can be done with snow. I should not complain as we are certainly having a white Christmas.

We have decided to stay in tonight as the roads are so slush, and Ron thinks that they may be freezing. So no mass tonight. I read the Christmas story to the girls earlier today and also made some more cookies. For tomorrow I made the stuffing, and yesterday I already made the red cabbage. I do not feel as prepared as other years so...wonder what I may be forgetting. Oh well, it will be a great evening. The Fleischkaese will be done in a little while, the Kartolffelsalat (potato salad) is done, Gluehwein is on the stove, and presents are prepared...Merry Christmas to all.

P.S.: I will be posting the pictures of the snow yet...

Christmas dinner...

Christmas dinner is saved...It has stopped snowing and Ron was able to pick up our Goose, and the Fleischkaese aka Leberkaese. Are you wondering what we are having for Christmas? Wonder no longer, here are the answers

On Christmas Eve we are having traditional Fleischkaese und Kartoffelsalat. We will go to mass, come home, the Christkind will have visited, and will eat.

For Christmas Day we are having our traditional Goose. I serve it with Kartoffelknoedel (potato dumplings), Rotkraut (braised red cabbage), and stuffed with a chestnut fruit stuffing. Of course I will also make gravy. As for the recipe I am not using any "secret" recipe from my German family. In Germany we actually never had Goose, and there really was never any traditional food for the holidays. I follow the recipes from the Joy of Cooking. This year is my 4th (or is it my 5th?) year of making the Goose. We all love it.

I love having family traditions. That is why we started making the Goose. It is something special, something which needs a lot of time and preparation. Now, please let me know what you are having for Christmas. Will it be something you make every year, or is it different every year. Please let me know. Just post a comment. I LOVE to hear from you :)

Snow & Gluehwein

My shopping adventure was great. Snow everywhere, very few cars, and buses still did run. I just read that Multnomah County (PDX County) declared a state of Emergency today. Look at the new video from KATU news http://www.katu.com/news/36269429.html click on Video...

I have to say that I like this weather. The girls played out in the snow, and Ron walked down to Hawthorne. People were out on cross country skies, snow shoes, etc. - This weather calls for Gluehwein. I just made my very first batch. I confess, that I never made it myself before. We have a fire going, the tree looks beautiful and the Gluehwein...well it just smells delicious :) Here is how I made it

1 bottle red wine
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice of 1 orange
Peel off one orange
1/4 cup of sugar (or a little more to taste)
a few cloves

- Put it all together on the stove and let simmer for about 20 - 30 minutes.

Enjoy on a cold winter night :)

We are totally SNOWED IN...yes, you are reading correctly this is Portland, Oregon...

It snowed most of last night, and it is snowing again this morning. Our street has not been plowed in days, our footprints in the yard are long gone and covered with new snow. Honestly I have not experienced ANYTHING like this since leaving Chicago and there I only experienced one great big snowstorm. I do not recall having EVER experienced anything like this in Germany. WOW...It sure is pretty, but there is no way we can leave the house with the car. Chains are now required in the ENTIRE Portland metro area, Lufthansa has cancelled their flight into PDX, and I am quite sure (but please do not quote me on this one) will also be cancelling the flight to SeaTac. I-84 the major highway connecting us to everyone else in the Eastern States is indefinitely shut between Troutdale and Hood River. I cannot stop saying WOW...Check this news video out, when you click on the link, click on "Video" http://www.katu.com/news/36269429.html.

As for us, we are still good on food but Christmas is this week so I need to get some stuff. I just called New Seasons and they are open. I will put on my snow pants, two pairs of socks, my thick winter coat (thanks to living in the Midwest), and make my trek out to Division Street. I am hoping that the #4 bus will run to take me down to the store. And yes, I have already called the store New Seasons Seven Corners is open. If worst comes to worst, I will just walk to the store. Good thing we live in the city. I will keep you all posted on my adventure...

Weihnachtsplaetzchen - Christmas Cookies

This winter weather is having me long for some nice Weihnachtsplaetzchen. I already made some earlier this week, but I already have to remake some...Are you looking for a Christmas Cookie recipe? I did put some recipes up on my other blog http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/. The titles for all of them is "cookies". FYI - you can of course swap out the Margarine with butter, and the Soy Milk with regular cow's milk.

PDX almost at complete stand still because of winter snow...

Today PDX is almost at a complete standstill because of the snow and freezing rain we had over night. Yesterday it snowed pretty much the entire day. I have never experienced this here in Portland. Snow yes, but never like this...this has been going on for a week now. During the week the school closures etc. were really (in my humble opinion) on most days not necessary, but the weather yesterday and today really warrants closures. I-84, this is the main artery connecting us to the East of the United States, is completely SHUT between Troutdale and Hood River. Chains are required on all highways in Multnomah County, and chains are required on ALL streets in Washington County...Watch the news http://www.katu.com/news/36269429.html (click on Video). The trains (Max) aren't even running. I do not remember having ever experienced something like this in Germany. Maybe its because the streets were cleared...

Yesterday I had to head over to Beaverton. A trip which should take no more than half an hour took me almost an hour and a half. And yes, the roads were very, very SCARY. Back on the east side I saw people on their skies, pulling kids on sleds, etc.

Truth be said, I do like the white and am very much looking forward to a white Christmas. I am just glad we have enough food in the house to get us through the weekend....Stay warm everyone. As always I would love to hear from you...

Another snow day...

The snow yesterday tapered off around 11 AM, and was completely melted by 3 PM. Nevertheless Alena's school called it an early day meaning that kids needed to be picked up by 1 PM. I admit that there was quite a bit of disappointment about the snow being gone. But hurray, it started to snow again last night, it still is snowing (OK just a little bit) and everything is pretty and white. There is less than one inch on the streets, really, really beautiful, and to my amazement schools are closed again today...Maybe its very icy out. Oh well, hopefully so the snow will stick this time.

It is snowing again...

For yesterday an arctic freeze was predicted and again there was no school. It actually was not bad at all. It snowed a little in the morning which was beautiful, but by early evening it turned to rain which took away all of the white beauty :(. The temperature was supposed to dip down below freezing but luckily it never did. So today school is on and it has been snowing beautiful thick flakes since around 8 AM. It is just gorgeous out there. Let's see if the kids stay in school today so. I am just waiting for the call, that school is letting out early.

One thing about the snow so is that I LOVE it. I know that it will only last for a short little while, but really there is nothing like snow to put me into the Christmas spirit :)

It only rains in Portland...no, we actually are having a winter freeze

Hi there to everyone from the Artic Portland, Oregon. Yup, that's right it is almost arctic cold here with snow on the ground. It snowed Sunday almost all day long and the roads were in complete chaos. We had to go to the west side and without chains it was really impossible to go. Therefore we went on a little adventure, parked the car by the Max Train and took the Train to the west side. Our friends picked us up, but they did have chains on their tires. I don't think that I have ever seen the roads so deserted. 26 a major highway was not plowed, earlier that they I-5 which is the major artery connecting us to California, and Washington State was CLOSED. Yes, you read it correctly, the Interstate was closed. Chains were mandatory on all highways in the Portland metro area. Wow!!! Turns out, that we really only got a couple of inches of snow, but the the city just is not prepared and there are not enough snow plows.

Truth be said so, it actually is nice to have some snow before Christmas.

All I want is a Weihnachtsmarkt in Portland :)...

We were in Chicago over the weekend and went to the Weihnachtsmarkt. Chicago has had a Weihnachtsmarkt since 1996 (when we still lived there) and I have not been back in years. What a fantastic event! It has grown beautifully, there are suppliers from all over Germany and the mood is just like at any Weihnachtsmarkt. Wouldn't it be great to have a Weihnachtsmarkt similar to that here? Here is the link...http://www.christkindlmarket.com/

Things to do this weekend in Portland, 12/6/2008 - German Artist Art Show Opening this weekend in Southeast Portland

Are you looking for things to do this weekend? Or are you shopping for a very, very special holiday present this year? Or you want to treat yourself to something beautiful?

This weekend the Art Show entitled "Surveying the Human Condition" opens at the Fire & Earth Art Center in SE Portland. The show features sculptures by Petra Brambrink and photographs by Friderike Heuer. The opening reception will be held this Saturday December 6th, 20008 from 5 - 8 PM. The address of the Fire & Earth Art Center is 2502 SE Division Street, Portland. The show be this weekend only Saturday and Sunday December 6th & 7th from 10 AM - PM. And take a look at the sculptures...aren't they beautiful?

For more information please also take a look at Petra's web-site http://www.petrabrambrink.com/ and click on "for immediate release.

Things to do this weekend in Portland, 12/6/2008 - German Holiday Event

Are you ready for some more German holiday fun, something to get you and your family in the spirit of the season? This weekend is the German Holiday Bazaar of the Kinderschule in Portland. We went last year and the kids had so much fun. Last year there was a Nikolaus which was fantastic. This year's schedule looks like there will be a lot of music, and singing. Sing-along for the children, as well as songs performed by the children of the Kinderschule. See you all there.

More info under http://www.portlandkinderschule.com/

Adventszeit - time before Christmas...

I really like fall, and ever since we have kids I love the Adventszeit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent This is the time when we prepare for Christmas. I make an advents wreath (see picture) and light the candles accordingly. Today we lighted the first candle.

This year we started the season the day after Thanksgiving . Alena and I made stars out of craft foil. Gold, purple, pink (of course :) ) green, sliver...just wonderful. Yesterday I made the first batch of cookies so at least we have some for our afternoon tea. OK - afternoon tea we only have during the Adventszeit. On weekdays I take some time, make tea, eat cookies and sing Christmas songs with the girls. Oh, and yes I have also taken out all of our Christmas books and stories. Tomorrow (on December 1st) I will hang up the Adventskalender (advents calendar for the girls. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_calendar They also sell them in stores here in the States but they all seem to be filled with milk chocolate. Our girls cannot have milk I therefore make my own and they will get a little present every day until Christmas.

Oh, there is one thing that is very different to me living here in the States and that is the Christmas tree. When I grew up the Christmas tree went up on Christmas Eve. My parents decorated it and it was this huge secret what it would look like :) I now compromise. We get our tree in mid December and all of us decorate. More about Christmas later...

A perfect Thanksgiving dinner

It is the day after Thanksgiving and I am sure everyone is still feeling full :) The turkey we had yesterday must have been the BEST turkey I have ever had. One confession here, I am not really a turkey lover but this fantastic. Ron put the bird in a brind; it turned out nice and juicy not the least bit dry.

I have to confess to a few mishaps so...for starters I attempted to make rolls. Attempt is the right choice of word. I made the dough and let it rest. A couple of hours later I made the rolls, let them rest, and put them in the oven. Well, I must admit, they did not rise and were the sorriest little rolls I have ever seen :).

Our next mishap was with the turkey. So we all know a turkey has giblets as well as a neck in its cavity. Well, we found the neck and looked all over (as we thought) for the giblets. This bird must have come without them I thought...Well, we took at the bird after three hours and what did we see poking out at the bottom. Yup, you guess right the bag with the giblets :) Thankfully it was all intact. Bird was still delicious. But can you believe this!!!!

We sat down with all of our sides. Bird, gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, brussels sprouts, cranberries...everyone started to eat until our friend asked "So you decided not to make stuffing after all?". Well, the stuffing was all made and waiting to be baked in the fridge. I forgot to bake it!!! Good thing it only takes 3o minutes to bake.

This was the most wonderful Thanksgiving and we have stories to tell about it.

Thanksgiving

This year we will have Thanksgiving for the first time at our house. My family, and German friends of ours. So maybe it will be Thanksgiving with a German twist?! - Well, I think that we actually will keep it pretty traditional.

We already got our Turkey and Ron will put it in the brine tomorrow. And what about sides...oh yes, my favorites. Mashed Potatoes, Yams (not the canned ones), Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, Gravy, and then I will make rolls. Our friends will bring the Cranberries and Brussels Sprouts. One thing I almost forgot, yes there also will be Pumpkin Pie. That we will buy at Sweet Pea...

Schwaebischer Kartoffelsalat - Swabian Potato Salad

My entire family loves Kartoffelsalat (Potato Salad) this is also a great crowd pleaser, and everyone loved it at the B-day Party yesterday. Here is my recipe - sorry units are metric:-

1 kg Potato's - I generally use Russets
1 large onion
250 ml vegetable, or beef broth
1 bunch Parsley - this is not an absolute must...
5 TBL Oil - I think I usually use a little less oil
5 TBL Vinegar - I like white wine vinegar

1. Boil potatoes in their skins until soft
2. Peel and chop onion into fine squares
3. Drain potatoes, once they have cooled off peel, and slice thinly
4. If using, chop parsley fine
5. Put onions, sliced potatoes, and parsley into a bow
6. Heat up the broth, and pour hot broth over onions, potatoes, and parsley
7. Cover and leave for at least an hour (the longer you leave it the better it gets)
8. Add oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. I like my potato salad more on the vinegary side...

Enjoy everyone....Let me know if you like the recipe.

Prinzessin Lillifee Party for Alena - with Swabian Potato Salad and Wiener Wuerstchen...

Prinzessin Lillifee.... Die Maus

Alena's Birthday Party was yesterday...she wanted a theme of flowers, hearts, and pink. I got (on our annual trip to Germany) Prinzessin Lillifee napkins, candles (for the cake), ballons, party flags, and party hats. The entire room was a dream in pink...http://www.prinzessin-lillifee.de/ if you would like to see what the Prinzessin looks like..OK - so what does that have to do the least bit with being German in PDX? Let me tell you. Here is the German twist to the B-day party...We played the Mausgelassene Geburtstagsparty CD, played games, and I made Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) for dinner.

The games we played are the ones I remember from my childhood. One of them is "Topfschlagen", or hit the pot. You put a little gift underneath a pot and place it on the floor. The

player gets her/his eyes covered, and holds a wooden spoon. The player then crawls on the floor hitting it until she/he hits the pot. The crowd tells the player how close she/he is to the pot by yelling "cold", "warm", "warmer", "hot". Once the pot has been found the player gets the little toy underneath. Its great fun...here is a link I found on the web. http://www.topics-mag.com/edition11/games-toddlers.htm. The second game we played involves a cardboard roll, yarn attached and a gift at the end. There are two players. Whoever rolled the yarn up the fastest wins. The very nice thing is that both kids get to keep their prize...For more ideas look to these pages (they are both in German only) http://www.kindergarten-workshop.de/ and http://www.kindersuppe.de/index.html.

After cake, music, games, and some free play the kids were hungry for Wiener Wuerstchen (aka Saiten Wuerstle, Hot Dogs), Potato Salad, and Pink Lemonade with heart ice cubs. I think everybody had a great time...

Remember the Laugenstangen...

Another Friday, and another day we had Laugenstangen (Pretzelbread)...I may sound like a broken record but they are GREAT!!! Go stop by the bakery. Just like in Germany...http://www.littletbaker.com/

German events this weekend

This weekend the holiday season begins...The German American School is having their annual Christmas Market out at the German American School. It is a really nice event and will start to put you in an early holiday mood. More information under http://www.gspdx.com/

Another fantastic event this weekend is the lecture about Charlotte Salomon's life the title of the lecture is "To Create Her World Anew: Charlotte Salomon’s Story in Art" it is at 1 P.M. on November 23rd, 2008 70 NW Couch, Room 142, Portland 97202. The lecture is by Prof. Mary Lowenthal Felstiner. She is a historian at San Francisco State University, Visiting Professor at Stanford University, author of "To Paint Her Life: Charlotte Salomon in the Nazi Era", and foremost authority on Charlotte Salomon. We went to the concert on October 19th 2008 at the Old Church and it was just AMAZING...I am sure that the lecture will just be as fantastic.

Here is the Wikipedia link...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Salomon

A little bit of background about Charlotte Salomon:

Charlotte Salomon, born in Berlin in 1917, grew up in an assimilated Jewish family as the daughter of a surgeon and a singer. Hitler’s rise to power changed the family’s situation drastically and Charlotte escaped in 1939 to her grandparents’ estate in the South of France. The Gestapo arrested her there in 1943 and deported her to Auschwitz, where she was murdered. Before her arrest she gave her complete work to a friend, reminding him: “Please keep this safe. This is my entire life!”

Enjoy these events. - If you go, please let me know how you liked them...

Pseudo Schupfnudeln

Schupf...what? Schupfnudeln, I love them...here is a link that shows how they are being made http://chadogroup.com/oma/schupfnudeln/. To me the great thing about Schupfnudeln are not really the potato "noodles" but the Sauerkraut they are heated up with in the pan together. You get the picture, right? Sauerkraut last night...pseudo Schupfnudlen tonight. So what on earth are pseudo Schupfnudeln? Well it is pasta and then it's fried up together with the leftover Sauerkraut. It's great...remember I love Sauerkraut. And yes, Alena loved it too...

Sauerkraut

How stereotypical a German writing about Sauerkraut :)

Is there anything better on a cold evening than Sauerkraut, Kassler and potatoes? To be exact Salzkartoffeln. I am so glad it is fall again and it is chilly. OK don't laugh but the 50s really do feel uncomfortable...So tonight we are having Sauerkraut & Kassler. I have to admit that I do not like any domestic brands but I can get Hengstenberg Mildessa here in PDX. Both New Seasons Market and Edelweiss carry it. This is almost a staple in the cold season. The Kassler (smoked pork chops) I got at Edelweiss this time. In the past I have gotten them from Gartner's. Gartner's a little far for me, so this time we will give the Kassler from Edelweiss a try. They sure do look good.

Stay warm everyone :)

Fantastic day for the beach...

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach

What a great weekend. The weather just was spectacular all weekend long. Sunshine during the day, and clear cold nights. Very nice...Today we decided to spend the day at the beach. We just love living in PDX. In less than 1-1/2 hr we are at the Pacific in Cannon Beach. What a great place. We met our friends at the beach and just hung out all day. The four girls were playing in the sand while we relaxed. Everyone enjoyed the sand on their bare feet, the serene sound and beauty of the Pacific. We saw the sun turn the clounds in beautiful pink hues. What a great day!

Being from the south of Germany and very far from the ocean, it is just amazing to me how close we are to the Pacific. And to be able to sit on the beach in the middle of November?! Priceless...

Here is some info about Cannon Beach ->http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon_Beach,_Oregon

Sunny Days call for a visit to the Playground

PICTURE TO THE LEFT IS WASHINGTON PARK - TO THE RIGHT IS BERLIN ZOO

It is sunny here - yes, it does not always rain in PDX...- so yesterday we all went to a trip to the best playground in town in Washington Park right by the Rose Garden. What fun everyone had. there are several slides, places to climb, swings, etc. . It is a really fun playground, but I have to

have to say that it is not quite the same as German playgrounds. Why? For one, the slides are steeper, there are more things to do, just very different. So truth be said, the playground here is perfect for the 2 year old, but for our 4 year old the German playground really had a lot more to offer. When we were in Berlin we visited the Berlin Zoo (and no, we did not see Knut). WOW - what a playground!!! The play structure looks like a ship, and you can climb, slide, down...I think Alena could have played on the structure for hours. Swings were made out of recycled tires (isn't that cool?). That of course was an extraordinary playground, but besides that I really found that the German playgrounds offered a little more for young kids. What do you think? Let me know. I love to hear from you.

Here are the links - If you are looking for a great playground in Portland, go to Washington Park http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=841 - It really is fun, and both kids could have spent hours there as well.

For more information about the Berlin Zoo go to http://www.zoo-berlin.de/en/

What's for dinner?

It is fall and I am ready for full-flavored, stew type meals. So you may wonder, are there only German meals in our home? Not at all...I am just thinking about this. It was Chili on Monday- OK I am caught leftovers from the Laternenwalk on Saturday :); German Potato-Leek Soup on Tuesday; a Hungarian type of Chicken Paprika with Knoedel on Wednesday - OK also very Germanic; and today we had Cauliflower-Potato Curry...with lots of ginger

So what does this have to do with being German in PDX? Well honestly not much, but writing this down proves to me that no matter what my kitchen is still very Germanic based :)

Sauna in PDX

The Blockhaus Sauna at Tuwass in Germany


The out door warm soaking pool at Tuwass, Germany (see the snow around it)



The Finish Sauna at Tuwass, Germany

In Germany I love to go to the Sauna. We try to go at least once a week. In the Tuttlingen Sauna there is a Steamsauna with 50 degree C, Sanarium with 60 degrees C, Herbalsauna with 80 degrees C, Finish Sauna with 90 degrees C, and a Kelosauna with 100 degrees C. I personally love the Sanarium with its great light- and aromathreapy, and the Hebalsauna. Ron really likes the Finish, and also the Kelosauna. Then I like to cool off under the shower, jump into the cold soaking pool, and then rest on a reclining chair. Wonderful!!! - Here is a link to the virtual tour of Tuwass. It is of the entire place including the pool area. It will take awhile to load-up but if you have some time, take a look at it...http://www.tuwass.de/0_virtual_tour.htm

Today I really, really felt like going to the Sauna. Good thing we live in PDX as there now also is a private Sauna in SE. It is called Löyly and located on 2713 SE 21st Ave, PDX. They opened for co-ed, women only, and men only times. Co-ed times require mandatory bathing suits. I am used to the German Sauna were it is mandatory to be nude. So that is not so appealing to me. Women/Men only times however are clothing optional. Great! I went today for the very first time. The place is very serene, candles are everywhere, the scent in the air is heavenly, and there is - very quietly - music playing in the background. The cost is $15 for an hour, or $25 for three hours. For the $25 you will get two towels, and a robe. If you choose to go for an hour only pay an extra $3 for use of a robe. There are two sauna's. One is - I am guessing - around 80 degrees Fahrenheit or so, the other is a steam sauna. They are both small but nice.


I did miss that there is not a time in the Sauna (in Germany they are "sandtimers") so it is hard to keep track of the time spent in there. To cool off there is a cold water shower in between the two sauna's. It does the job. - There is an area to get a cup of water, or a cup of tea (add $3 - bottomless cup). Now the location is very, very small so they really tried to fit a ton of stuff into the area. But there are no reclining chairs, but there are matts you could put on the floor to lie down, or you can sit on a bench (a wooden bench) and put your feet up on the table in front of you (that's what I did)...This is my only gripe about Löyly that there is no place to actually relax after the actual sauna bath, and to me the relaxation is just part of the whole experience. At least a couple of recliners would be nice...

Another nice thing so is that you can get a massage while there, a nice foot soak, or even a facial.

Give it a try. It is almost like being home...at least its as close as we can get. I certainly will be back Check it out online at http://www.loyly.net/

Laternenfest

Yesterday we held our third annual Laternenfest at our house.

What is a Laternenfest? - It is one of my fondest childhood memories. What is a Lanternenfest. It is a procession as soon as it gets dark of children carrying Laternen along with adults. Everybody is singing "Laternensongs". Here is a link to a Laternenfest I found on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY0GUAyRNjI. The Laternen are generally handmade. In the video on YouTube it looks like the kids made them in Kindergarten (Pre-school), we made ours in the Spielgruppen, and at home. As for historic relevance the procession is to honor St. Martin. Here is the link explaining a little more about it on Wikipedia. The entry states that children go door to door - I am not familiar with that part of the tradition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin%27s_Day

We had about 70 children and adults for our Laternenfest. People started coming over starting at 4:30 and we started the procession around 6 PM. It was a pot-luck. I had made Chili, Weckenmaenner. We had home-made Gluehwein....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluehwein. Prior to the procession everybody hung out at house. Yup, 70 people. Let me tell you that no heat was needed. We actually had to open windows as they steamed up.

Our procession was wonderful. We walked through our neighborhood here in SE PDX, it did NOT rain, and sang our songs. Our neighbors were wondering what we were doing...so close after Halloween. So much fun. The lanterns showed us the way, and we sure were able to be heard throughout the neighborhood. Some people left after the procession, the rest of us hung out at our house. The kids played hard, and the adults enjoyed each others companies. I know that I had a ton of fun.

Are you missing Laugenstangen?

Yeah, its Friday. Spielgruppentag...before Spielgruppe we stopped at Little T Baker on SE Division street to get some Laugenstangen. OK, I know I just got back from Germany but I already miss Laugenstangen...What a treat and at $1.75 they are really affordable. Are you in the mood for something else? Well, the bakery actually offers sandwiches, a ton of different desserts all in a sleek, but cozy, urban setting right here in Southeast Portland. And if you want a Salami-Sandwich on a Laugenstange...you have come to the right place.

And here is something else. You want to have Brezeln for your next event? You can special order and they will make them for you. Call so for qty., pricing, lead-time etc.

Enjoy

Contact information is -

little t American Baker
2600 SE Division
Portland, OR 97202
Phone: 503.238.3458

MO-SA 7 AM - 5 PM
SU 8 AM - 2 PM

Rainy Days make me want to go to the pool....

On rainy days I love to go to the pool. The problem however is that I have not really found a indoor pool I really like. So I am on the search for pools...earlier this year in the spring we drove out to Bonneville Hot Springs Resort. It is a really nice pool, large out door soaking pool, and a "sauna". I write "sauna" because, there is no rest area, no cool off pools, and of course everybody in the sauna is wearing a bathing suit. That is rather strange to me...

Today was a nice rainy fall day here in PDX, and we decided to go swimming. In the quest to try out new things we went to the soaking pool at the Kennedy School in NE PDX. I have to say the pool is very nice. The changing area, showers, are quite rustic - but the pool itself is very nice. We had the pool to ourselves. It is outdoors, the water is very nice and warm, you can turn on the jets, float in the water, look at the sky, and feel the rain drops on your head.
Besides the changing/shower situation it is - very nice!!! We did have lunch and a pint afterwards. The whole family was quite happy...

One more thing to the shower/changing area situation. The changing area is right by the pool, the showers however are by the bathrooms which is across the hall. The bathrooms are also across from one of the larger meeting rooms. So picture this...the girls and myself wrapped in towels, barefoot walk through the hallway, past the meeting room (oh, and the doors were open), to the showers. 15 minutes later we did the same thing on the way back...this is a little different...

Here is the link to the Kennedy School Soaking Pool - http://www.kennedyschool.com/index.php?loc=57&id=120

Link to Bonneville Resort - http://www.bonnevilleresort.com/spa_pool.htm

Election Day...

The big day was finally here and at long last we are no longer inundated with political ads. In all aspects this was a historical race. An African-American running for President, and on the other side a woman running for Vice-President. I have never seen such excitement about politics. People wearing their buttons, T-Shirts, bumper stickers, etc. proclaiming you has their vote. I do not recall having ever seen anything like that in Germany. But truth be said, I have been living in the States for a very long time. So please let me know if you feel that is incorrect. Are people in Germany showing their "color" by admitting whom they support?

We spent the election day evening at our friends house on the other side of PDX. Driving back home on Hawthorne, there were fireworks (yup - fireworks), people on the streets dancing, cheering, crying, drumming...This is (to draw an analogy) how I imagine the streets in Germany were when the German soccer team made it to the finals in the 2006 World Cup. But to see this to celebrate an election...

Our Trip to Germany - final thoughts

What a great trip we had!!!

We stayed in Nendingen in an apartment right of the hiking trail, and right off the fields. It was wonderful. Alena (our oldest) went to Kindergarten for the full time we were there. What a fantastic experience. This is the second year she has attended Kindi in Germany and it is the best!!! Full emergence into German. She has been telling everyone that she has two Kindi's a German and an English one.

Besides that it has been great to go to the market twice a week, get great Bretzeln every day...We ended up going swimming every second day! The girls LOVED it. Check out the great pool in Tuttlingen here http://www.tuwass.de/0_fr_start.htm. They were so excited every time we drove to it. - I LOVE to go swimming, but also had some time by myself as I went to the Sauna at the very least once every week. The Sauna in Tuttlingen is fantastic as well. Check it out here http://www.tuwass.de/0_fr_start.htm.

I already wrote about our great trip to Berlin. We also went to the Bodensee (Lake of Constance) pretty much on a weekly basis. Another place the girls loved was the http://www.affenberg-salem.de/. Monkeys roam free, and you get popcorn to feed to the monkeys. Alena actually fed the monkeys. One piece of popcorn at a time. When the monkey wanted a second piece right away she looked at him, pointed to him and said "you have your mouth full!!!!". It was really funny :)

Bottom line about our trip it was great, and staying close to five weeks is just the perfect amount of time. Honestly so, I would like to be able to go at least twice a year. Once for a shorter period (no less than two weeks) and the other time for a longer period of time. But for now I am happy to be back in Portland :)

Are you looking for a German emergence program for your Pre-schooler

Did you know that there are a couple of options in PDX for German language emerging programs for young children?

• The German American School offeres a program Preschool through 5th grade --> check it out at http://www.gspdx.com/

The other options is the Portland Kinderschule. It is a co-operative program and specifically for children aged 3 -5. It is a great little school and they still have spaces available for this school year. WOW - what a great opportunity, full German emerging and still spots open....

• Check it out at http://www.portlandkinderschule.com/. It looks and feels like a typical German Kindergarten...

Fall - my favorite season

Fall is my favorite season. Here in the United States it starts with decorating for Halloween, carving pumpkins, getting costumes for the kids etc. I just LOVE it. Have I mentioned that I love orange :) - I have heard that kids now also go "Trick or Treating" in Germany but are asking for money. This is a little different to me. I would love to hear how Halloween is celebrated in Germany. Let me know. Write a comment, or drop me a line.

After Halloween it is time for all of our GREAT German customs, and festivities. We start out with the Laternenlauf for St. Martin's Day. To learn more about St. Martin's Day check out Wikipidea at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Martin's_Day. We already made our Laternen at Spielgruppe for the big day. If you would like to know how to make your own Laternen check out the following web-site. There are fantastic links. One caveat so, I am not a very crafty person, and I was able to make great Laternen - http://www.martin-von-tours.de/laternen/laternenbasteln/index.html (the links for the different types are to the left hand side)

So what do we do with our Laternen? We learn songs, and then we walk as close to November 11th as possible with our lit Laternen through the neighborhood. We (Spielgruppe) have gathered for the last three years at hour house. Walk through the neighborhood with our Laternen, sing songs, and afterwards hang out at my house for a pot-luck. The neighbors were all very surprised...but it is SO much FUN for the kids. Oh, yes I do admit this, for myself as well :)

Have fun...Let me know what you are doing for St. Martin's Tag. Are you familiar with this custom? What songs do you sing?

Berlin - what a great city

We are currently in Germany and just came back from Berlin. WOW - what a great city. I think that you could easily spend weeks there and never be bored. I am just so impressed.

More about our Germany trip soon :)

Hello from Germany...Brezeln

We are on holiday in Tuttlingen...and the Brezeln here are just great :)

We are having a great time and are enjoying the Sauna, nature, as well as great German food...

Laugenstangen a.k.a. Pretzelbread in SE PDX

A new bakery has opened this summer in SE PDX. The bakery been started by the former head baker of the Pearl Bakery. Its name is the "little t baker" and yesterday I stopped by for the very first time. From the car I saw that they carry Laugenstangen a.k.a. Pretzelbread. Wow - I have never had these in the States and seeing them on display caused me to immediately pull over and park. The Laugenstange was absolutely delicious. Not quite as crusty as I am used to at home, but really, really good.

So, if you miss Germany just so much that you need a good Laugenstange head on over to the "little t baker" located on 2600 SE Division Street in SE PDX. There is also coffee, and of course bread, etc. I cannot talk about the bread, croissants, or others as I have not tried them. There is also a web-site check it out at http://www.littletbaker.com/.

Enjoy!

Bread...where to find great bread in PDX

Do you ever miss good crusty bread? Good thing if you are in Portland, Oregon because there are few great bakeries.

The Pearl Bakery has Vollkornbrot, "Broetchen" (aka rolls), great crusty bread, etc. The shop/cafe is located in the Pearl at 102 NW 9th Ave. When we go for breakfast I generally order the "Mohnbroetchen" and a nice Soy Latte. Yum! - They supply fantastic raspberry jam, and (if you like) butter for the Broetchen. They are also selling the bread on various Farmer's Markets around town and their bread is sold in other stores such as Pastaworks as well. The official Web-site is www.pearlbakery.com

Another great bakery is Fleur de Lis in Northeast Portland. I especially love their Multigrain bread. Crusty, full of grain, hearty, just like you would expect a bread from a German bakery to taste. The multigrain is available in two sizes. Go visit their cafe/story at 3930 NE Hancock St, Portland, OR 97212Phone: (503) 459-4887, or buy their bread at farmers markets around town. I have seen them at the Hollywood, and Montavilla Farmers Market.

There is a third bakery which is truly German. "Fressen" has outstanding bread. All of it is fantastic. The bread is available at various Farmers Markets around town, or you can place your order on the Web, or by phone. They actually also offer Bretzeln :). Check it out on the Web-site at http://www.fressenartisanbakery.com/

Are you looking to connect with other German speakers in PDX?

Are you looking to connect with other German speakers in PDX but have not found any of us? Don't worry any longer, there are so many of us that it is hard not to find contact and make friends. Below is the information on a few groups here in PDX...

www.germanamerican.org --> German American Society of Portland also includes sister clubs, and links to other events such as Stammtisch, Spielgruppe, etc. This is a good starting point as there are many great events, a monthly journal, etc.

http://www.austrianspdx.org/ --> Austrian American Society of Oregon

http://german.meetup.com/493/ Meetup Group "Deutsche Maedels of the Northwest"

http://german.meetup.com/390/ Deutscher Stammtisch (note there are two)

There is also a Women's Group, a German mother's group, etc. Please contact me to get more information on any of these groups.

The third Oregon weekendtrip this summer...

Our last weekendtrip in Oregon for this summer was to Government Camp --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Camp,_Oregon. Just a short one hour drive from PDX and we were in the middle of the National Forest in Government Camp at 4,000 feet. - This "mini break" was very different to our previous two adventures. This time we stayed in a very nice condo, stayed for three nights, AND there were pools. What luxury!!! A nice heated outdoor pool, a small hot tub and a seperate very large hot tub. The girls had a ton of fun in the pool. Here is the link to the condo complex we stayed at --> http://www.collinslakeresort.com/

The weather was unfortunately not the greatest, but still we had lots of fun. One afternoon we drove up to Timberline Lodge which lies at around 6,000 feet. We took a little walk and the girls played in the snow. As you can see there is snow in August...

the other day we took a small tiny little 2 mile hike around a lake in the National Forest (see picture above). OK - so you ask what does this have to do with Germany, or Germans in Portland? Let me explain...

Government Camp is a small resort town in the middle of the National Forest. There are hotels, and restaurants with names like "Edelweiss", and "Rathskeller". The town tries to have a semi Alpine feel. I say semi because it is an attempt, quite cute, and just so very different to the alpine villages of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany :) There is hiking in the summer and it is great don't get me wrong. It is however so different to European hiking. In South Tyrol we went hiking last year and there is always a destination with a hut. You can have food and drinks at the huts, they are always very nicely cared for and the trails are clean. Here on the other hand there are trails, but the destinations NEVER (unless you hike up to Timberline Lodge) have huts. It is nature pure. Just a very, very different experience. It is possible to hike in the Mt. Hood National Forest for hours without seeing another human being, therefore it is essential to be prepared as people get lost. - Hiking in the Alps as well as hiking in Mt. Hood National Forest are both GREAT, just two very different experiences...

A hot day in Portland...

It has been hot here...really hot, almost 100F hot. Our high today was around 95 degrees (35 degrees) and it was almost unbearable. We do not have air conditioning here as generally it really does not get this hot. A few days a year, and we thankfully do not have the humidity that is a hallmark of the Midwest. So what to do on such a hot day? Too hot for the zoo, OMSI is probably too crowded with people wanting to take advantage of the air conditioning...so we decided to go swimming. I have to admit first that swimming here (or anywhere in the US) is not my favorite thing. Why? I honestly think that the pools in Germany just have so much more to offer. For example here is the link to Tuwas in Tuttlingen http://www.tuwass.de/0_home1_kurz.htm. As for outdoor pools (Freibad) they ALWAYS an area where you can lay. ALWAYS grass, trees, water playground, restaurant, drinks, playground, etc. , check it out at http://www.tuwass.de/0_home1_kurz.htm. The surrounding lakes, as well as the lake of Constance all have great "Schwimbaeder". OK but now I am getting off track here :) Today we went to Creston Pool here in SE PDX. Guess what? There are actually some strips of grass surrounding the pool (inside the enfenced pool area), you can sit there, if you come early enough you can get a lawn chair...it was GREAT. Still not the same, but for here it was just fantastic. So this is my tip of the day...Creston pool in SE PDX where you will find some grass to lie in :) Here is the link http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=1107&searchtext=creston Have fun swimming and stay cool...

German Movie nights start up again in September

After the summer hiatus movie nights will start up again on Thursday, September 4th, 2008 at 8 PM. The location is 7901 SE Division Street in Portland aka the Deutsche Haus. The movie shown on September 4th will be "Das Schloss" (The Castle), 1997 directed by Michael Haneke based on the novel by Franz Kafka.

Germans on Mount Hood...

This weekend we are spending in Government Camp. Saturday we drove up to Mount Hood and Timberline Lodge. German friends of ours came along and we took a short little walk around Timberline Lodge. On our walk we ran into another German which I just recently met. She was showing off the mountain to a friend who was visiting from Germany.

Isn't it amazing that you meet people you know outside of town? Really amazing to me...I do not remember ever meeting people we knew by accident either in Chicago, or in the outlying areas.

We ate dinner at the restaurant of Timberline Lodge and there was another German couple. Later I hung out with our girls in the lodge area where we met another German/American family. I know I keep repeating myself but it is just amazing how many Germans are in Portland, and Oregon.

Fun at Fubonn Shopping Center - aka the largest Asian Shopping Center in Oregon

Friday before the German Spielgruppe the girls and I had so time to kill. We needed some food so I thought about going to Fubonn. At 9:15 AM the mall was close to empty, great '80s music, merry-go-rounds, and a ton of interesting stuff to look at. Fubonn has the largest Asian grocery section around and it is so fun. Lychee's by the bag; whole large fish, live oysters, live mussels, live crabs...besides that a HUGE selection of rice cookers, woks, big (and I mean really big) bags of rice, mochi, Chinese beer, any type of Asian food, condiment etc., you can think of. But you know what else they have? HARIBO...yup exactly "Haribo macht Kinder froh und Erwachsne ebeso"...sweets I grew up with. I also saw Toblerone, packaged Marmor Kuchen, how much fun we had. We danced, sang, bought a couple of interesting looking items, and the girls also rode the merry-go-round :)

In the mall there is also a store offering nothing but tea, tea cups, etc.; a Sheisheido store; Chinese bakery...just amazing. Look at it here http://www.fubonn.com/index.php

After our excursion we went to the Spielgruppe, then back to the all American world. I have to say that it one of our "multicultural" days.

Wurstsalat...do you really mean sausage salad?

Every now and then I really have the urge for comfort food. Comfort food for me is Linsen und Spaetzle (lentils & spaetzle) in the winter, Kassler und Kraut (smoked pork chop & sauerkraut), and my absolute all time favorite Wurstsalat. I LOVE Wurstsalat and yes, it is true it translates to sausage salad in English. Does not sound right in English! So what is it...as far as I know it is a Southern German thing. The Wurstsalat I make contains Fleischwurst, onions, chopped pickles, a little oil, vinegar, and some pickle juice. Mmmmhhhh! I love it and I actually made it yesterday. Sadly so my husband does not like Wurstsalat at all, but both of our girls also like it a lot. It is probably one of those things that you need to grow up with in order to like it. Just like Root beer. I just started to like Root beer a year ago...that is after having tried it time and time again for almost 13 years :)

But going back to the topic Wurstsalat, I used Gelbwurst yesterday and it also turned out great :). In the region I am from you can generally order three different types of Wurstsalat...Wurstsalat - the "plain" version, Schweizer Wurstsalat (Swiss) - includes Swiss cheese, or Schwaebischer Wurstsalat (Swabian) - this one is made out of blood sausage and I have to admit not one of my faves...my personal absolute favorite is the Schweizer Wurstsalat.

I do not really have a recipe for the type I make, but if you are interested drop me a line :)

Day Trip to the Beach...

The location of Portland is just so fantastic. In less than an hour we are in the woods, a little over an hour we are at the beach, and we also have two flight connecting us daily to Europe. WOW! - After a couple trips to the woods over the past couple of weeks we were totally overdue for a trip to the beach. Initially we thought about trying to get a room for a night, but its August and chances are slim being pretty much impossible this time of year without any pre-planning. Oh well...good thing the beach is only a little over an hour away from our house.

We left around 10:30 stopped for breakfast and then headed for Cannon Beach. We packed a beach blanket, some beach toys, change of clothes for the girls and off we went. To get to the beach you have to cross the mountain range, drive through the middle of the dark deep woods and then seemingly out of nowhere the Pacific appears on the horizon. It is just so amazing. To me being from Southern Germany it never seizes to amaze me how within a short period of time we can be at the beach, in the woods, or by the mountain.

Cannon Beach is very, very busy this time of year and parking spots are hard to come by. Luckily there are a lot of different beach spots a little further down 101. We were prepared to drive down 101 a little further but lucked out and got a parking spot right downtown only short walk to the beach. At the beach we put down our blanket, went with the girls to play in the estuary, then just relaxed as the girls played in the sand. At the beach you hear the ocean roar, take in the wild beauty of the pacific...all in all it is so rejuvenating. Before we left to get back to town we took a short walk towards Haystack Rock and our batteries were recharged.

You can learn more about Cannon Beach on its official Web-site http://www.cannonbeach.org/

Camping Part II with a German twist

We went camping again last weekend for one night. Our campground of choice this time was the Milo McIvor State Park by Estacada. http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_142.php

The park is less than an hour away from our house. It amazes me how in less than an hour you can go from urban to totally rural. The campsite was very private and we were surrounded by great, big trees. Birds sung and we actually saw hawks close up. We took a little tiny hike to the hatchery and a deer crossed our path. Again, how amazing is that less than an hour outside a large city?! This time I did miss the convenience of a European campground just a little bit. Why? Let me tell you...I forgot the propane cartridge and since there is no store on the campground I had to drive to Estacada to get one. At least we were able to get the propane. The upside was that I got to see a little of Estacada. To me it looks almost exactly like one imagines a town from the wild west :)

So where is the German twist...OK - Ron cooked dinner again (see picture), we toasted marshmallows, made Guacamole, and then we also made Stockbrot. My sister told me about Stockbrot. It is really fun. Basically its bread you cook on your stick over the campfire. The recipe is also easy. It works best if you put the bread dough on bamboo sticks, just make sure that you do not use more water, or make sure that you bring along extra flour. Here is the recipe for 4 people, easy to increase, decrease etc.

400 gr flour

1 Pack yeast

400 ml water

1 pinch of salt

- mix it all together and let rise for a little while

Have a great day everyone...

Kaffeklatsch the Portland way :)

So what on earth is a Kaffeklatsch?! - Here is my definition on the topic, keep in mind I have been in ex-pat for almost 15 years and please correct me if I am not quite accurate...

Where I come from women invite each other over in the afternoon for coffee & cake. Usually a few girlfriends get together, drink coffee, have cake, and may later on have a glass of bubbly :) The setting I know for this is ALWAYS at a table, the table is ALWAYS set with silverware, china, etc. It's by no means formal by German standards. In any case, so today I invited a bunch of my friends from the Spielgruppe (playgroup), as well as other German speaking friends over to our house for a Kaffeklatsch. Of course there was coffee, I also baked a couple of cakes AND chocolate chip cookies (very American :) ), but here is were I changed the rule. All in all we were 11 women, and about 17 kids. So I did not set a table, I did not put out the china, did not set the table (too many people :) )...no, totally un "PC", we had paper cups (hot/cold of course), paper plates, the cakes were set buffet style and we a hung out in the yard as the kids played.
And I think all of us had a great time :)

It is really funny so how traditions I grew up with become again relevant and important as I live so far away from the place were I was raised.

Grieskloesschensuppe for lunch :)

I am so excited that I found Griess to make Grieskloesschen at Edelweiss. I bought it a while ago and am finally making them today. Griess in English is called "Farina Wheat" and let me tell you I searched for it in our regular grocery store for a long, long time. Today is finally the day that I am making them :)

Soup in summer? Well today is quite overcast and a tiny bit chilly so is there anything more perfect than Gieskloeschensuppe? OK - Flaedlesuppe would be fantastic Too :)

There is a new Newsletter available

The latest Newsletter was just published. You can read it online at

http://www.germanamerican.org/newsletters/newsletter.pdf

Summertime = Berrytime

Finally summer in Oregon. The girls and I went berry picking on Sauvie Island yesterday. We have lived in Oregon now for over six years and I admit that I was never that fond of blueberries...I come from Southern Germany were there also lots of fruits are grown. I grew up with berries, but not with blueberries. I think (please correct me if I am wrong) that they may just not grow there. But Oregon Blueberries...there is nothing like it. So the girls and I went to the first U-Pick Farm yesterday and were so disappointed that over the weekend people picked most of the ripest berries. Thankfully there is more than one U-Pick Farm. We went to the next and WOW!!! Our buckets of berries filled up in now time. Alena and I were picking them, while Mia Rose (2) just stood in the bushes and ate the berries by the hand full right of the bush. Amazing. - Then we went to the Raspberries and were just as successful...But what does all of this have to do with Germany and Portland. Let me tell you...when we were done I drove around the island (both girls were napping) and it reminds me so much of Germany. On the Bodensee there is the Reichenau were also produce is grown. It is quite similar to Sauvie Island, but of course, everything is so much more spread out over here. But it is amazing to me that within less than 1/2 hour you are outside of a about 2 Million metro area and right in the farmland. So yes, it is just like home (Germany) but different....

More information under http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvie_Island

Fleamarket - we had so much fun...

What a success :) We had so much fun at the Flohmarkt. Lots of great stuff; unfortunately we missed out on a great Foosball Table. By the time we got there it was already gone :(
The girls however scored a bunch of great stuff. Bargain dress-up clothes, tiara, Barbie car...They were so excited.

On the back of the grounds the food court was set up. Brats, Frikadellen (aka Hamburger), Zwiebelkuchen. Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake) were served inside in the great hall. The event was a great success and it was the first time this event was held. In my opinion there are lessons to be learned for future events as all Brats were gone by 2 PM and the Kuchen was also gone by 3 PM.

What a great event...we hung out, listened to the music, Alena loved the bounce house and both girls loved the puppet show.

Congratulations to the planners of this event on a a FANTASTIC job. I cannot imagine how much work it must have been to put this together. We are looking forward to this even next year.

Fleamarket is today, July 19th, 2008 at the German Haus

Remember, the first annual flea market is today from 10 - 6 PM at the German Haus at 7901 SE Division. It should be a ton of fun. Puppet show, Storyteller, Bounce house and more for the kids; Book exchange, arts & crafts, Bratwurst, Beer garden, Coffee & Cake and so much more...

Please let me know what you think about the event :)

Sparkling Water besides Gerolsteiner...

I grew up on drinking Sparkling Water and have a real problem drinking tap, or still water. It just has no fizzle, no fun to it. So for the longest time I have been buying Gerolsteiner at Trader Joe's. To me, Gerolsteiner has to much fizz (I know, I know I am being a bit whiny...but in Germany I like "medium"), I do not like the Poland Spring water and am just not getting enough water. But I went shopping at Whole Foods Market last week and got their Italian Sparkling Mineral Water. It comes in a six pack, and its GREAT. Exactly as I like it. It has fizz, but not too much fizz. Its just right...

Camping in Oregon...

In almost 15 years my very first camping trip in the U.S....Growing up in Germany we went camping all the time. Whenever there we had vacation we packed the trailer and headed south. Later on (in my European life :) ) I went camping quite frequently and really generally enjoyed it. So what happened I ask myself, why have we not been camping in the US?

To me European Campgrounds are never out in the wilderness. There is always a coffee shop, little restaurant, store where you can buy stuff. The bathrooms are generally clean, spacious and heated...so when I heard people going to camp in the NW I only heard "wilderness", and imagined a totally, totally rustic experience. And not to forget the wild life we have in Oregon as in bears, mountain lion, etc....

OK so finally we went on a one night camping trip (Thanks to the Oregonian travel section a couple of weeks ago :)) The park was Silverton Falls State Park (FYI - http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_211.php) and it was GREAT! - The girls loved it, playground was in sight from our campsite, the bathroom/shower facilities well they do not compare to what I have used in Europe but they were fine, but here is the really, really great part. Each campsite has a fire pit and pick nick bench. If that is not fantastic then I don't know what is. Of course we had a fire, grilled "Wuerstle" over the fire which both girls loved, and then (my first) all American the toasted Marshmallow...quite interesting. So I take back everything negative I have said about camping in Oregon. It really was great, and we certainly will camp again soon. Truth be said so, a few days only a whole week would be a little too much for me still...