Michigan pride!

I can't believe they took the video down. You'd think with a big production like this, they would have cleared copyright issues beforehand. Disappointed :(

EDIT: Here's a different source for the video. Hope it stays up :)

Check out this video!

It just looks like all the teams representing the different Michigan cities/location had SO MUCH FUN! I remember singing in choirs/choruses and it was always a blast and I miss it so much. Besides performing in musical groups, I've also participated in quite a few public events like demonstrations, flash mobs, raves (it was the 90s, OK?), yoga, and the energy participating in a large group event like that has always been fantastic and very moving to me. So yeah, I might have teared up a little when watching this video the first few times. I guess I'm a softie and/or I have developed a little bit of Michigan Pride :)

Back to the video, I think they did an amazing job with it and I'm sure it was a blast to film/produce/perform. IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME!!

PS: Just one question, where is South Haven?!?!

Favorite winter pastime: Puzzles :)

The days are so short already and tonight we even had a slight frost! I guess that means that fall has truly begun, and winter is near. I'm not a big fan of winter, but I was excited to pull out a new puzzle! It has 1500 pieces and will be quite a challenge.

Starting this puzzle made me miss my mom though, because we usually did puzzles together around Christmas time. So much fun! :) Maybe I'll see her later this fall/winter though!

Grandma's cooking: Stuffed Green Pepper with Orzo Noodle Rice and Yogurt

We got tons and tons of green peppers in our CSA this month and really didn't know what to do with them. Then came the bestest idea: try to make stuffed green peppers, just like my grandma makes. My mom and grandma were so lovely, skyped with me for a couple of hours and shared a few of her signature recipes. On Sunday we gave it our best and tried it for the first time:

HOLY MOLY! It turned out soooo good! We all know that normally, even if we use our grandmas' recipes, they never turn out quite as good as grandma's. This one turned out really well though! We were quite proud of ourselves :)

Thank you grandma! <3

I ♥ Pomegranate!

When I asked if the grocery store had any pomegranates in stock, I was told they are out of season. Sad face. I didn't know there was a specific season for pomegranates. I just figured that in the summer, they come from California/Florida/whatever, and in the winter they come from the southern hemisphere... wrong!

After the tree flowers in spring, it takes about 6 months for fruits to be ready for picking! Harvesting time for California pomegranates is October to January, so just a few short months per year. (The season in the southern hemisphere is March through May.) The good news: pomegranates don't ripen after picked, so they store well for months.

Pomegranates are soo good for you! They make me feel fresh and new when I feel low. I tend to crave them after yoga or after I am naughty and have pizza or something. They pick me right up and to me that is the best evidence that they are good for me :)

So long, my tangy, sparkly, shiny friends! Hope to see you again soon!


PS: Now of course I am daydreaming about having a pomegranate tree in my backyard. Sometime, in the future...

Happy Opening Day!

Better late than never...

Thursday was Opening Day (of the baseball season, to all non-American readers) and that's kind of a holiday for me now :) I took the day off which meant I have a four day weekend. I'm using my time to dive into the yoga -- and watch baseball, of course. I've kinda missed it during the winter :)

I hope you are enjoying a long Easter weekend, too!

PS: Go Tigers!!!!!

Hi Simmm!

-- Hi Spring! :)

German Goodies

After seeing this picture, you will surely understand why my (previously half-empty) suitcases were packed full and over the weight limit on my way back to the US...

Hmmmmmmm....

Greetings from Lake Constance!

I'm visiting part of my family down in the south of Germany. Holy moly, I forgot how gorgeous it is down here!

This is lake Constance, on the other shore you can see the Austrian and Swiss Alps.... beautiful :)

Currywurst Pommes :)

A friend of mine finally took me to one of my favorite places to eat Currywurst. Thank you!

Yummm, Lil' Turtle is also enjoying this German delicacy :)

OK, OK, I admit it's not the most healthy dish, but it tastes awesome. I'm sure the Americans would appreciate it as well, if somebody brought it over the Atlantic for them to enjoy! Hmmm, maybe it's my destiny to open Detroit's first Currywurst place... ;)

Home Connection

It was hard to leave our new home for three weeks. Now that almost two weeks have passed, it's still hard... I'm ready to enjoy my last week in Germany a lot (no more work! lots of family time!) and get back home soon.

Meanwhile, I'll be snuggling with Lil' Turtle, while his momma Miss Turtle is hanging out at home with my boyfriend.

 

(Lil' Turtle is trying some good German food: Rahm-Schnitzel.)

You'll be united soon, my dear turtle friends! Promise!

Hotel Room Yoga

Oh my gosh, after 10 days away from the hot room, I was going insane... back unhappy, skin unhappy, hair unhappy, tummy unhappy, mind unhappy. Paired with days packed full of trainings, project work, more work during "breaks", and business dinners, I felt like crap.

Time for Hotel Room Yoga. I set up some towels and tried to practice in front of the mirror which was not well positioned at all... and of course the heat was missing... oh well, I made it work.

After 90 minutes of Bikram's voice from my iPhone, I was feeling happy and healthy again. Yay!

(You can buy Vol1 Standing & Vol2 Floor Series here or on iTunes. You will get a complete 90 min class given by Bikram Choudhury himself!)

I'm in Germany.

I've made it safe and sound. I have eaten Currywurst Pommes twice so far (yay!). I'm living the business travel lifestyle (a lot of work, eating out every. single. meal) and it's kind of annoying. No yoga so far; I miss it.

More interesting posts to come (hopefully). I just didn't want my readers to think I've drowned in the Atlantic ;)

Namaste.

What I miss: Currywurst Pommes Mayo

Hands down, my favorite German fast food item is Currywurst, a sliced up bratwurst (sometimes they use a different sausage) slathered in curried ketchup... LOVE! A side of french fries (Pommes), of course with lots of mayo... oh man... it's been tough to make do without this in the past year.

Currywurst with Pommes Mayo, also lovingly called Mantaplatte

(picture somewhere on flickr, couldn't find exact source)

BUT!!! Not for much longer will I have to long for it desperately. My flight to Germany is booked, and in less than two weeks I expect to indulge in this delicacy again :)

I will be in Germany for three weeks, two of which will be work-related travel and one will be vacation! I can't wait to see my family and friends! It also feels really funny that I will be away from home for three weeks... or will I? Where is home, anyway?

I'm just happy and excited and anxious and everything at once! Yay!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, dear friends and readers! I hope you get to spend the holidays with your family and loved ones.

We will have a family dinner (BF's family) and then unwrap our presents tonight, on Christmas Eve, just like in Germany. Here in the USA most families seem to unwrap presents on Christmas day morning (December 25), but my boyfriend suggested we unwrap tonight, just like I'm used to from home <3

Hugs to All! Enjoy the holidays!

Full circle

It's my blog's first birthday today... Happy Birthday!

Photo from ABC Cakeshop & Bakery


These last few days have really felt like I've come full circle in the last year. It's winter again, just like when my journey started. I've been packing boxes again, just like I did a year ago. This year has been quite the ride, and it's been hard at times of course, but it's also been AWESOME! I am SO SO SO glad I took this job and opportunity to move across the ocean.

It's going to be my birthday soon, and then Christmas, so normally this would mean seeing my family and friends. But alas, not this year. This has definitely caused me some heartache. I have been away from home often, even as a child (boarding school), so I felt basically as prepared as one can feel before moving across the ocean to live on another continent. I had never been away for more than a year at a time though and now I can honestly say: I know what "homesick" feels like.

My new friends and friends who feel like family have been wonderful. I have really enjoyed having them around for holidays and special occasions, but... on occasion it makes me miss my family even more. Never fret though, as a trip to Germany is in the works. It will not happen before 2012, but oh well! I will enjoy the anticipation until then :)

Anyway, I am proud of myself and happy and grateful for all the new friends and old friends, and family, and supporters, and helpers I have had this past year.

♥ Thank you so much, All! ♥

Vacation!!!

After eight months of work, I finally have a week off :))) And you can all take a wild guess about where I went on DAY 1......

Gosh, I love South Haven, MI <3

More South Haven...

You can take the girl out of Germany, ...

... but no chance in hell that you can take the Autobahn out of this girl!

This is the Michigan State Police, disagreeing with my German driving style.

To my grandmother

I love you. Please feel better soon. I'm so sorry that I cannot be with you right now. I will come and visit soon.
It is my favorite time of the year right now in the US. All the trees with the pink blossoms make me so happy :) You would love them as well. Thank you so much for showing me how to enjoy the little things in life. I love you!!!!!!

What I miss about Munich: Alternative movie theaters

I checked out an alternative movie theater in the area yesterday. I really liked it and I hope I'll make a habit of going at least once or twice a month! Nothing comes close to Munich's movie theater scene though... there are tons of theaters and most of them show non-Hollywood stuff. LOVED them so much! And I miss them, so I am very happy to have found a new happy place for myself :)

Most important addition to my kitchen, or: Hummus from scratch

 I looove hummus, but of course not the store-bought kind. With all the yoga I've been doing (day 6 of my first Bikram yoga challenge!), I've been craving my famous Simmm-style hummus ;) I finally bought an immersion blender today, so let the hummus-making begin!

Finally! I've missed it in the last couple of months... the store-bought just tastes funny to me. (Arent't those little whole-wheat pitas cute?)