Dusseldorf Diaries

Back, Briefly

2009-10-07T07:30:00.013+02:00

Well hello there! It has been awhile (where does the time go???), and I'm only back briefly, as free time is limited these days, due to a certain little guy. However, I finally figured out how to transfer pictures from my cellphone camera, and so there's a few pics I'd like to share...

I loved the contrast of this one - the mannequin in the modest dress next to the crazy haired mannequin in the more revealing dress.

This is one of my favorites. It's the display from a store in town. I howled when I saw the window - I'm sure many Upper East Siders would be thrilled if this were actually true:

This one is just a nice fall picture from fall a couple of years ago; I loved the reflection in the water (it's a canal that runs along the Koenigsallee, the Fifth Avenue of Dusseldorf).And this last one is from this spring, a momma duck and her ducklings. Cause seriously, who doesn't love baby ducks??

Rauchfrei!

2008-07-13T12:38:00.002+02:00

Finally, Dusseldorf has caught up with the rest of Europe and has banned smoking indoors in restaurants and bars!! The new law went into effect on 1 July, and I finally got to experience the pleasure of dining without the aftertaste of smoke the other night at our favorite Portuguese restaurant here.

Of course, many folks are not happy about this, and I believe the law is being appealed. I saw something on the news the other night about how some establishments are getting around the law by establishing Raucherclubs (smoking clubs) - a woman walked into a bar that had a sign outside reading 'Raucherclub', and threw down her pack of cigarettes and took out her little laminated Raucherclub membership card, and happily lit up. Clearly there is some kind of legal loophole they are exploiting.

You know, if Paris, Ireland and England could successfully do this, Dusseldorf should be able to as well!

Say What?

2008-04-19T21:49:00.003+02:00

In Germany, every non-German movie and TV show is dubbed in German (with the rare exception MTV Germany, which shows some of the finer programming from the US, like Flavor of Love, FoL Charm School, I Love New York, A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila, Parental Control, X-Factor...etc. Not that I watch ALL of those...)

Anyway, this is frustrating, because there are lots of American programs that play here, but that I can't enjoy because of the language. Even though I have seen a good many Law & Order episodes, and know what's going to happen, it's still more fun to watch in English.

Where am I going with this? Well, one of my pet peeves has to do with dubbing and the marketing of American movies, both on the radio & on TV. Some months ago, Jerry Seinfeld's animated Bee Movie was opening here. So Jerry & Renee Zellweger appeared on a very popular variety show, Wetten Das?, to plug the movie. They showed a clip of the movie. Which was dubbed in German, by actors who WERE NOT Jerry Seinfeld and Renee Zellweger.

Um, why were Jerry & Renee there? They actually do not 'appear' in the movie over here. In fact, they have nothing to do with it here. For all intents & purposes, it is a German animated movie. This bugs me.

This is also the case with radio ads. One morning I was listening Einslive, the Rhein area pop/top40 radio station, and the DJs were talking about There Will Be Blood opening that weekend, and then they played a clip of Daniel Day Lewis from the movie. Which was actually a clip of the actor who dubs DDL's voice in the movie. NOT actually Daniel, eh?

The really funny thing is that most Germans don't want to see dubbed movies. When we go to the theater in Cologne that shows flicks only in original version (with and w/o subtitles), the theater is packed with a mostly German audience. Saw Be Kind, Rewind a couple of weeks ago here in D'dorf - theater also packed. Unfortunately, I don't think the dubbing will ever change here - there are too many jobs at stake. But one can hope...

Notes On a Scandal

2008-03-13T21:02:00.003+01:00

Ok, the last thing the world needs right now is another commentary on the Spitzer mess, but I need to get something off my chest.

Since the real identity of 'Kristen' was revealed, I've seen the shift in the focus of the media coverage from Spitzer to Ms. Dupre. That is to be expected, of course - now that there is a face, everyone wants to see this woman who 'brought the governor down'.

That phrase is exactly what is making me fume (amongst other things).

Before anyone knew who 'Kristen' was, this was about Spitzer and his colossally stupid mistake. His ego, his sexual proclivities, his hypocrisy.

All of sudden, however, she has become the 'other' woman. The temptress who caused this sordid mess. All of a sudden, her MySpace page is being dissected for clues: she's an aspiring singer, loves Aretha & Sinatra, had a difficult childhood, but through it all she persevered to follow her dream to come to NYC and begin her music career. Her mom says that 'she's a very bright girl who could handle someone like the governor'.

WHAT THE F*CK?????

People!!! She was not Spitzer's girlfriend. She was the woman he paid TO HAVE SEX. He was not having an affair with her. He wasn't going to leave his wife and daughters for her. Who she really is irrelevant - it is not going to make us all understand why Spitzer did this, and all it does is shift the focus and responsibility away from him. She did nothing wrong (except for working at a job that is illegal, and unfortunately for her, she got caught).

And frankly, if she wasn't pretty, do you really think anyone would care who she was?

New York State of Mind

2007-12-02T13:14:00.000+01:00

Since I've moved here, I've missed New York terribly. However, there are many reminders of NYC around here, which always make me smile. There was one time when I went into a sporting goods store and there was a wall (no seriously, a WALL) of Yankees merchandise (um, hello, they don't even play IN THIS COUNTRY, nor is baseball even a professional sport here).

They love NYC here, naming places after our fine city. There is a chain store that sells trashy clothes called New York, and below is a seedy hotel named Manhattan (note the sex shop conveniently located next door - so pre-Disney 42nd St). What I love is that this one also packs in a little Woody Allen connection. 2-for-1 nostalgia.

I almost peed my pants when I saw this ad. The translation is Law & Order Without End. Back-to-back episodes on Sundays, and another on Thursdays. I watch (when I remember) just so I can hear the opening notes. Of course it's dubbed in German, but seeing as I've seen most of the eps, I can follow along. This next one I caught at the tram stop on my way to school one rainy morning. I looked up from under my umbrella and when I saw the bag, I had to stop for a moment and look around to make sure I was actually in D'dorf, and not on Flatbush Avenue.

Thank goodness I'll be back in NYC in just a mere three weeks...

Bambi

2007-12-02T12:59:00.000+01:00

No, not the adorable Disney deer, but the esteemed (?) German version of the Oscars (well, sort of - the Bambis are given not just for film but for art, literature and TV). The awards ceremony was held here in Dusseldorf(!) on Thursday night. I did not know this until Friday morning, when I went online to People.com (I know, shameful) and saw Katie & her new 'do with Tom Cruise, who had received an award for....courage.

What the f*ck??

I have heard two reasons for this award:
- having the courage to not make mainstream movies (?),
- having the courage to make a film about the German resistance to the Nazis.

Thank goodness there is finally an award for courageous actors like Tom Cruise. I hope the Oscars will follow suit and recognize the legions of actors who are out there in the trenches, being all courageous.

p.s. I am not sure if I spelled courageous correctly - I keep looking at it and thinking that it's not right. But I am too lazy to get up and get the dictionary and look.

I am in love...

2007-11-27T19:47:00.000+01:00

...with this recipe.

I have made it three times, and each time it gets better and better. It's got a lot going for it:

- it's relatively quick
- it's really tasty
- it has protein (good to have in your dinner. Admittedly, it does also have the carbs, but at least they are not white refined carbs.)
- it is SO comforting
- if you have leftover polenta, just refrigerate it and fry/grill it up the next evening as part of your dinner

Pair it with a nice arugula salad and a glass of red and you are set.

I know that K will consider this next statement sacrilegious, but move over Mac 'n Cheese.

p.s. here's an article about the recipe, which i just found while looking for the recipe.

Things are looking up

2007-11-21T22:03:00.000+01:00

A Dunkin Donuts has just opened downtown.

Downtown Dusseldorf, that is.

I had some Munchkins tonight.

They were good.

All Aboard!

2007-05-21T20:52:00.000+02:00

So it has been awhile...however, I've rediscovered my blogging mojo with the events of this past weekend...a ride on the Party Tram! Here in D'dorf one can rent an old tram (holds /seats 60, with standing room) that will take you around D'dorf and environs for a few hours. You bring your own refreshments and food, pile on, and enjoy! This trip was in honor of a colleague/friend's husband's birthday - they rented the Party Tram, picked a route, invited a bunch of people, included a live band (my friend, the accordion-playing teacher, is bass player in another band), and away we went!

We made a few stops along the way (bathroom breaks, and stretching-your-legs breaks), and mingled and noshed and were merry.

It was a gorgeous day, and the coolest part of it was that my mom was able to partake in the festivities (she was visiting this past week, before she headed off to Venice and Paris - what a life, eh?).

On previous Saturdays, I have found myself waiting (impatiently) for the tram to spirit me into 'the city', only to find that what I thought was my ride was really the Party Tram - it always gave me a giggle to watch it sail by, its occupants clearly enjoying their ride. This time, I got to be the one waving to onlookers with gaping mouths.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

2007-03-09T21:04:00.000+01:00

New York has the Idiotarod, and Germany has the Wok WM (the Wok World Cup). We just turned on the TV to find this taking place LIVE. It's like bobsledding, except the course is run on a wok. That's right, a wok.

It was started as a joke, conceived by Stefan Raab, the host of TVTotal, a popular talk/variety show. However, it has morphed into an annual spectacle...er, I mean competition, complete with big corporate sponsors (Burger King, SEAT, Liebniz cookies, etc), and live coverage. Of course they make fun of the drivel that sports commentators spew, but otherwise it looks like any other major sporting event. And it attracts some real characters (the one that just 'raced' was weighted down with lead, and only managed one word answers while staring ahead into space, presumably trying to stay 'in the zone' before his go).

In any case, it is amusing to watch. What a way to spend Friday night, eh?

Happy Valentine's Day...

2007-02-14T23:23:00.000+01:00

...to you. You know who you are.

Mwah. (that's a big kiss.)

Gettin' Me Some Sexy

2007-02-11T20:34:00.000+01:00

Ok, I think it is time to come clean and admit that I am going to see JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE in concert!!! We* bought the tickets back in October or November, and were pretty calm about the whole thing after the initial excitement (pretty much everyone at school knew we were going). We splurged and got seats right up front...sigh. And now his tour has started, and from the press he's getting, we will not be disappointed (unfortunately, we probably won't be treated to 'Dick in a Box').

*The 'we' is the girls, not F & I. Although he has expressed his enjoyment for 'What Goes Around...' while listening in the car...

Thursday Craziness

2007-01-23T20:00:00.000+01:00

So last Thursday was a very eventful day. It was about 9:30am, just after 1st period. I was waiting for the German teacher to arrive to teach my students. All of a sudden we are told over the loudspeaker to evacuate immediately. NOT a test. So we hastily and hurriedly get the kids outside in front of the school, right into the developing storm that battered Europe last week. Pouring rain and wind as we stood outside, waiting to hear what had happened.

It turns out someone released a toxic gas into the part of the building we share with the vocational school. They did not (and still do not) know exactly what kind of gas it was, but people were taken to the hospital.

Obviously we could not go back into the school, and we had to wait with the students until they were picked up by parents (many of whom had heard incorrect reports that there had been an explosion at the school). So all the 1st grade (about 55 students) were herded into one of the separate 'self-contained' classrooms where the kindergarten is located. (Other students were sent to the art room & library and sports hall, all separate from the main building.) And there we waited for 5 hours. All this time the wind was picking up, and there were fears that they were going to close the bridges that span the Rhine because the storm was predicted to worsen, and then all those who live in D'dorf would not have been able to get home. (At this point, all public schools in our area had been closed and students sent home; indeed I believe that schools across Germany were similarly closed.)

When we did finally make it out of there, we saw how extensive the police and fire presence was outside the school. Streets surrounding the school were closed off, and in order to gain access, you had to pass through checkpoints. Luckily we were able to recover on Friday - school was closed again because the police were stil conducting their investigation.

I think I am done with emergency evacuations. Three in one lifetime is enough.

Poor Girl

2006-12-13T19:48:00.000+01:00

One of my students had a bit of a meltdown on the lunch line today because another little girl cut in front of her. When she hadn't calmed down after 10 mins, I took her aside to see what was really wrong. With tears spilling down her cheeks, she said, "This is just not my day. Yesterday was not my day also." This coming from a girl who came to school in September speaking not a word of English. And her mom does not speak any English either.

Where did she pick that up from??

Happiness is...

2006-12-11T15:39:00.000+01:00

...listening to NPR on streaming radio, which i was able to do for the first time yesterday. F had to reinstall the operating system on the computer, and now the audio player finally works.

Bliss.

Cover Bands Rock!

2006-12-09T15:16:00.000+01:00

Literally.

Two weeks ago, two friends and fellow teachers, Rik & Lisa, left to move to Canada. There was a big going away fest for them at Buck Mulligan's, a cavernous basement Irish bar. It turned out that there would be live music that night, provided by Lewinsky, a cover band.

Little did we know that they would rock the house. Really - they were amazing. They played Bon Jovi, Gun's 'n Roses, AC/DC, Green Day, etc. (songlist here.) (N, this was like the cover band we saw in Austin when I visited.) Since there are no cabaret laws, we spent the greater part of the evening dancing and singing RIGHT UP FRONT, at the 'stage'.

By the end of the evening, I was hoarse and my knees hurt from all the jumping around. But it was a blast, and me and my friends have decided that we may just have to become groupies...

What is Going on Here?

2006-11-15T20:06:00.000+01:00

So I'm home alone tonight (F is visiting his sister in Hamburg), and I'm actually watching a soccer match. Not because I have to, not because F is watching, but because I want to. Hmm. The match is Germany vs. Cyprus. And while I have my usual reasons for watching - Michael Ballack, David Odonkor, and now Clemens Fritz (yum) - I am also interested in the outcome.*

Oh, one of the players from the German national team is currently playing for a Bundesliga team that is close to our school, and his daughter is enrolled here - he was actually here for parent/teacher conferences yesterday. So...in my warped little brain, I am separated by one degree from Michael Ballack - the two of them still play together on the natl. team - maybe I have a chance after all? (Sorry F!)

OH! In other soccer-related news: I was recently made aware of the fact that many urinals in men's restrooms have a little something extra, a little something fun to occupy the boys while relieving themselves. Are you ready for this? The urinals are equipped with soccer goals. Some of them have an actual little soccer ball hanging that one can try to 'direct' into the goal; otherwise the goal is just to pee into the net. Now, lest you think I am joking, I have actually seen it with my own eyes. I don't even know what to say. Next time I'm taking a picture.

*Let's see if I actually make it through the match - I've become addicted to 'Grey's Anatomy', and have the whole 2nd season to get through...

Better Late Than Never...

2006-11-13T18:47:00.000+01:00

So, I mentioned that we have had other visitors since I moved here. One of the many was Emily, who came last spring for a little over a week. I was off for spring break then, so was actually able to hang out. We travelled to Cologne, a must for anyone who comes to D'dorf - not only is it beautiful, you also get to visit the Chocolate Museum! Here she is enjoying her heavenly hot chocolate in the museum cafe.

We also took a trip to Amsterdam, where we stayed in the Garden Room of the lovely Hanna Penso bed & breakfast. The owner stocked our mini fridge with eggs, juice, milk, jam, butter; provided a coffee maker, water kettle, tea pot, coffee, egg cooker...hmm, what else? Oh yes, every morning she went to the bakery and got fresh rolls (whatever we wanted) and left them hanging on the doorknob for us to retrieve when we got up. The best part? Our little garden table outside, where we ate (even though it was a little chilly out).

We did lots of other stuff, wandered all over Amsterdam (and also some in Dusseldorf). I'll close with a pic of us in Vondelpark.

Panorama

2006-11-12T10:38:00.000+01:00

Here's an amazing pic of Dusseldorf, taken from the observatory of the Rheinturn (Rhine tower). Photo credit goes to the Cape Horn House boys, Terry and Tom, who were here for a visit a couple of weeks ago. We were pretty lucky with the weather (as that is always a crap shoot here), and were able to walk around the city the first day. Here are the boys enjoying a glass (or two) of Alt at the the Uerige, one of the oldest breweries in Dusseldorf.

Florian was home all week, so he was able to play tour guide. While I was at work, the boys took a trip to Cologne, and also to Zons, a well-preserved medieval walled city about 20 mins away from D'dorf.

We had a really great time having you here - thanks again for visiting!

P.S. I also have to give props to all the wonderful friends who have already come to visit: Karin, Thomas & Emily. And of course, my mom! I am truly a lucky person to have had all these visitors.

Out of the mouths of babes...

2006-11-03T18:42:00.000+01:00

...come embarrassing comments.

I was reading a story to the class today. As I was lifting my arm to turn the page of the book, one of the girls raises her hand. Thinking that she had a question about the story, I called on her. What does she say?

'Ms. Millan, it's wet under your arm.'

Mortified, I look down, and sure enough, there's the proof that the deo is not working overtime (and it was only 11:20am!). And as if that wasn't bad enough, a few of the students started wondering out loud, 'but how did it get wet there?'. Oy vey. TGIF. That's all I've got to say.

Brief Update

2006-10-19T20:59:00.000+02:00

So I've been really lazy, tired, busy...and I have not posted. Since the most exciting thing from the past few weeks was our trip to Sweden, I will post a pic from then (even though I really didn't take many pics). It was a FABULOUS trip. Stockholm is now in the top three, joining Amsterdam & Barcelona as my favorite destinations in Europe.

This is a pic of a 7-Eleven. They are ALL OVER Stockholm. It was very bizarre. Of course, I had to go in and buy something. But not a Slurpee - it was too cold for that.

More later.

Quiz Taxi

2006-10-11T20:35:00.000+02:00

I've just watched an episode of 'Quiz Taxi', a popular game show in Germany. Basically, two unsuspecting passengers get into a taxi, and, after giving their destination, are greeted with flashing lights and the announcement by the driver that they are now in the Quiz Taxi.

Contestants can discuss answers with each other, and can call a friend for help with a question. And they are always delivered to their destination! Amusing.

The Perks of Being a Teacher

2006-10-02T20:31:00.000+02:00

You get gifts like this one. So sweet.

Fine Dining

2006-09-28T21:32:00.000+02:00

Tonight, we enjoyed one of Sweden's finest meal: meatballs with brown gravy and Lingonberry sauce. All courtesy of Ikea. In a nod to healthful eating, the meatballs were served on a bed of brown rice. Yum.

F & I are heading to Stockholm next week for a few days - I guess Sweden is on our mind. I've also got some Anna's Pepperkarkor cookies in the house...

Sunrise

2006-09-17T17:05:00.000+02:00

It's just a beautiful sunrise from the other morning. That's all.

"Got You Already a Man?"

2006-09-17T16:52:00.000+02:00

This is an exact quote from one of my first graders. He basically wanted to know if I was married, as a husband here is called a 'mann'. The combination of his height, his earnest look up at me, and his little voice sent me into a fit of giggles. Then he asked, "Is that your man?" about my colleague R, with whom I had just been chatting in passing. What I'm realizing is that 1st graders really can't imagine that teachers have any kind of life outside of school, so they match you up with other teachers - hey, I was talking with a male teacher = he must be my man!

In the past 3 weeks there have been many other funny moments like that one - random comments in the middle of lessons, interesting questions, odd curiosities. It makes every day an adventure - when they raise their hands during a lesson, I don't know if they are going to tell me that they sharpen their pencils at home, or if they are going to answer a question I've just asked. It's a roll of the dice. And I love it. I am so enjoying these students and teaching this year. It is more exhausting (esp because I get to teach them everything), but it's so fun.

And Speaking of Public Toilets...

2006-06-25T14:33:00.000+02:00

...I finally used one here! F and I were waiting for some friends so we could all take a cab to another friend's party lastnight, and I had to pee wicked bad. So F suggested that I go in the public toilet nearby.

I was scared and skeptical of what I might find behind the closed doors, but I had to pee far more badly, so I took the risk and inserted my 30 cents. This entry fee gave me 20 minutes of bathroom time.

The doors slid open with a whoosh (like sliding doors in spaceships). I cautiously peered in, checking for anything unsavory. Coast clear, I gingerly stepped in. The floor looked like it was made out of metal (looked sort of like the steps on escalators), and was separated into blocks. I then realized that there was music playing! (More specifically, Muzak.)

Then it was hand washing time. I didn't want to touch anything there, and I didn't have to. The picture below shows the sink area.

As you can see, there are pictures for soap, water, and hand dryer. All I had to do was 1) put my hand under the soap pic and liquid soap was dispensed onto my hand, 2) move my hands to the right, where water was dispensed so I could lather up and rinse, and 3) position my hands under the dryer to finish.

I pushed the door open button, the Muzak stopped, doors opened, and I emerged from the silver pod into the fresh air. After the doors closed, F and I listened as the pod cleaned itself - we could hear the water being sprayed around inside, and the sound of the floors being slid open to drain the water. Brilliant.

And this ends my tour of the high culture of Dusseldorf.

Pissoir

2006-06-25T14:21:00.000+02:00

This is what the men's public toilets are called here. And they are only for men. What cracks me up is the fact that there is always some kind of visual on the pissoir, to make sure that any man, no matter his reading level (or state of inebriation) can locate a place to take a public piss. Here are some pics of pissoirs.

This one was in Dortmund, in the parking lot of the stadium where some of the world cup matches are being held.

And here is F exiting said pissoir. See the relief on his face?

Here is the Dusseldorf model. Slightly more anatomically correct.

Fascinating, eh?

This One's For You, Karin

2006-06-25T13:18:00.000+02:00

Here are your boys:

This is as close as I could get to them...

Sweden vs. Trinidad & Tobago (2 weeks later)

2006-06-25T12:32:00.000+02:00

Ok, so this post is a wee bit late...no excuse but laziness and busy-ness. Moving on...F and I went to see this match on the 2nd day of the WC/WM. When we arrived at the stadium, we were swept up in a sea of blue and yellow (shirts, hats, wigs, flags, etc.).

There were also large spots of red/black/white (for Trinidad & Tobago) which I was so impressed by - these folks travelled so far to get here to cheer on their team. Unbelievable.

We were prepared with all kinds of documentation: passports, residence permit (for me), and of course, tickets. Expecting to be delayed getting in to the stadium, we were thoroughly surprised (and pleased and relieved) to breeze right in - no frisking, no ID checks. There was a brief bag check (for me), and then we were sent on the next set of turnstiles. The smiling WC employee took the tickets, held them up to the infrared scanner on the turnstile, and - beep! - let us through. Then it was off to find our seats...in the last row of the stadium. Totally unobstructed view, even though I could not tell who was who down on the pitch.

It was an exciting game - ended in a draw, with no points scored - and the Trinidadians were ecstatic. Even though they didn't score, the fact that they held off Sweden from scoring was a big accomplishment. Many of the Swedes who had come in like gangbusters were looking quite glum, slumped in their seats, heads in their hands. However, there were many moments of camraderie on the long walk back to the parking lot - Swedes congratulating the Trinidadians on the match, shaking hands. As the WC/WM slogan says, this is "A time to make friends, say no to racism."

World Cup, LEGO Style

2006-06-18T21:54:00.000+02:00

Ok, I gots more WC/WM stuff to write about, but since it's Sunday evening, and I've got to go to bed, I'll leave you with a clip from a most awesome short film. It's called Helden 06 (Heroes 06), and it's brilliant. Those of you who are soccer fans will recognize some of the players... Enjoy!

WC/WM Miscellani

2006-06-10T12:53:00.000+02:00

- F turning on the TV to watch the press conference held by Juergen Klinsman (German natl. team coach), to find the German national anthem being played by a group of guys blowing into bottles. Seriously.

- During the month of the WC/WM all the major stores will be open late during the week, and will be open - gasp! - on Sundays. This is to accommodate the large numbers of tourists here over the course of this month. Already the unions are up in arms about having to work these extra hours.

- Every single ad I've seen in the past month includes a reference to the WC/WM. See the following:

What does cheese have to do with soccer?? Anyone?

- The adidas ad campaign, 'Impossible Is Nothing'. One of the best ads I've seen. Two Spanish boys in the middle of the dirt plaza in their shabby housing complex, choosing the players for their soccer match (made up of the world's best players). I've included links here for part1 & part 2. Please watch with the sound on. I think it captures perfectly the joy of the game and the power of imagination.

- And again, why I watch. This is some of the Italian national team. Very smart for advertisers to appeal to the other segment of the population. Thanks for throwing us a bone, Dolce & Gabbana.

What's that? You want a closer look? No prob. Enjoy.

World Cup, Day 1

2006-06-10T12:36:00.000+02:00

Ok, I'm trying this again...Blogger ate my last WC post, and I think my anger has cooled enough that I can try again...

So, yesterday was the first day of the World Cup/Welt Meisterschaft (hereafter to be called WC/WM). It was also the date of our last English Dept. Social/Happy Hour. The weather was going to be gorgeous - sunny(!) and warm(!) - so we decided to kill 2 birds with one stone and go somewhere outdoors where we could also watch the match. Seems hundreds of other people had the same idea...

Anyway, my friend S found a spot at one of the places along the Rhine Promenade, where we joined many raucous (mostly German) soccer fans. There were 2 screens set up at this place, and we were equidistant from both. (Other places we passed had set up TVs outside on tables for folks to crowd around.) There was a lot of chanting of German songs and sayings, and really the only time we knew something big had happened was after it had occurred. We just waited for the insane screaming and jumping around. There were many German soccer jerseys, German flags, and painted faces. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so I have no pics to show of the evening. But it was quite something to be a part of this, to watch and get caught up in the fervor. I'll get more of a sense of it tonight, when F and I go to watch Sweden vs. Trinidad & Tobago!

Guns 'n Roses, Reunited - One Night Only!

2006-05-21T14:00:00.000+02:00

Lastnight was A's 80s Rock Birthday Party. To honor this occasion, Axl and Slash put aside their grievances to appear 'onstage' together for the first time in years.

They rocked the house with classics such as 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Sweet Child O' Mine', along with an impromptu 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' (preshow jam).

Mr. T made an appearance...

...as did Joey Ramone, amazingly.

Axl and Slash sharing the love with the birthday girl, one of their biggest fans...

After the success of this evening, tongues are wagging about a G 'n R return to the studio....?

World Cup

2006-05-14T11:21:00.000+02:00

Last week, we received a package that grown men all over Germany weep upon receiving.

World Cup tickets.

That's right, F managed to score 2 tickets to the match up between Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden. However, even though they were actually mailed to us, getting them in our hands was not as easy as one would think.

F got an email from the World Cup people telling him that his tickets were on the way, and would arrive shortly. Since he is away during the week, and I am school during the day, there would be no one here to get them (they won't just leave them in the mailbox). So sure enough, I came home one day a week and a half ago to find the card from the post office telling us that there was a package waiting. F, with a tremble in his voice, asked me to go pick the tix up since we would be in Vienna that weekend.

I raced home from school the next day, trying to get to the post office before they closed. I waited on line, breathless and sweating (it was actually warm in D'dorf), and feeling a little excited myself about getting the tix. I got up to the counter, presented the card, and waited. When the clerk returned, he was actually holding a small box. He then said something unintelligible to me, which turned out to be him asking me for my passport. My passport! Well, I certainly didn't have that with me, as I don't make it a habit to carry it around, and certainly not to pick up things from the PO. As it turned out, even if I had had my passport with me, I wouldn't have been able to pick it up because I am not F, and the box was addressed to him.

I had to bring the card with me to Vienna and have F fill out the back stating that I was authorized to pick up the package, and then of course I had to show my passport and sign a paper acknowledging that I had received the tickets. Security is very tight for this Cup, and FIFA has gone to great lengths to ensure that only those people who bought the tickets through the lotteries attend the matches. Each ticket is barcoded, has some kind of chip in it, and has your name printed on it. I will also have to bring my passport to the match. So even if I didn't want to go and wanted to give my ticket to someone else, it would not be possible.

Here are some pics of what was inside the box from FIFA: a destination guide for Germany (including info about what to know before you go, getting around, communications, getting money, currency converter, and useful phrases, including, 'What team do you support?'); a tournament table (to keep track of the matches and winners); a handy plastic sleeve (to hold your tickets) with a lanyard to wear it around your neck (like a backstage pass for a concert); and a yellow/red card (I guess to give you some feeling like you have some control over any decisions made on the pitch).

F has just bought himself a Panini book, where he can collect and paste stickers of all the players in the World Cup (my friend K's boyfriend is also doing this, so I don't feel quite so much like I'm the only one living with a man-child. In fact, they will probably use us as a conduit to trade stickers...).

The reason I watch football. (His name is pronounced MIK-hai-el, sort of like Barishnykov.)

Yet more Vienna...

2006-05-13T20:29:00.000+02:00

Was having problems uploading more pics, so I've split it into 2 posts...continuing...

The Votivkirche (Votiv Church). The church was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph after an attempt on his life was made. The Emperor survived, and ordered the church built on the spot where the attack happened. It is especially beautiful at night, when it is all lit up.

Some shots from the Naschmarkt, an outdoor food court and market. These are different oils and vinegars.The stalls and restaurants are all crammed together and cover about 2 blocks. It's a bustling place, and as you meander through you are seduced by the scents of flowers, fresh breads, fruits, vegetables, and the myriad cuisines being served there. Yum.

A giant vat of sauerkraut. (The one on the right was almost completely empty.)

F making use of his strong olfactory sense...there were lilac trees all over the city.

Even the water fountains are beautiful!

More Vienna

2006-05-13T19:41:00.000+02:00

As I mentioned, Vienna is a beautiful city, with some memorable architecture (not all my taste, but impressive nonetheless). Here are some more pics around the city...

This is the parliament building. Massive. Grand. Picture does not do it justice.

Many buildings had statues lined up along the edges of roofs like this.

Inside the Museums Quartier, where there are several museums flanking the courtyard. There are also restaurants and much space to just relax. These stackable 'benches' were scattered around the courtyard in the MQ. Great for lounging.

Marathon Man

2006-05-08T21:35:00.000+02:00

As I mentioned, F ran in the Vienna City Marathon this past Sunday. He was part of a team of four from his company, who ran as a relay team. F's stretch was 9 km, and he started about 2 1/2 hours into the marathon. Here he is searching for his teammate and the 'handoff' so that he could start his leg.

F, victorious after his well-paced 9 km.

And here is his nifty medal for participating.

One of F's colleagues and I spent the day running from meeting point to meeting point to cheer on those from the team who were arriving for their handoff, and psyching up the others while they waited. One of the meeting points was along a shaded, woody lane, and there were great big loudspeakers pumping Mozart...a great accompaniment to the runners.

p.s. F has been wanting to run the NYC marathon, and after he was done running, we went to a kiosk to get a snack - guess what was blaring through their speakers? Ol' Blue Eyes and 'New York, New York' - perhaps next November...? Go Floki!

Rock Me, Amadeus!

2006-05-08T21:14:00.000+02:00

Just returned from a quick jaunt over to Vienna for the weekend, where F ran in the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday. When F was on a project in Vienna last fall, he always urged me to come visit, but I never did. And boy am I sorry I missed out on it earlier, because it is a beautiful city. Stunning architecture, friendly people, great open spaces and parks in which to hang out. There were many 'Mozarts' scattered around the cultural points around the city, armed with binders of information about Mozart and the city (no pics). I did feel bad for them, bewigged and clothed in brocade coats in the midst of sunny 75 degree heat.The weather was beautiful, so we didn't get a chance to visit any of the many museums, unfortunately. However, this means that we will definitely be back for another (longer) visit...

Grrrrr....

2006-04-03T21:44:00.000+02:00

So I just spent all this time writing an update, as I now have a computer that works (Danke Floki!), and then Blogger decided to disconnect and I lost everything. So...since I'm tired, I'm just going to post some pics from our awesome ski weekend in Austria. I'll put the rest on flickr this week...it was really glorious.

Technical Difficulties...

2006-03-20T21:59:00.000+01:00

Sorry it has been a while since I've posted. Mostly it's because I've been really busy at work (and thus at home). However, now my problem is this: every time I'm on the computer, it shuts down on me. And F is not around to help me at the moment. It's probably a virus...

Anyway, I'm sure nobody wants to read about viruses. There's lots to catch up on: International Day, skiing weekend in Austria,...um, there was some other stuff, but now I can't seem to remember it. Oh well. I will try to post from work this week, if possible.

TTFN.

This Is Why I Live in Germany...

2006-02-18T16:10:00.000+01:00

...to go to parties in castles. Seriously.

A, the accordian-playing friend from school recently moved into a new apartment that is situated in this complex. A few weeks ago he had a housewarming (or as his invite read, a 'tower-warming') party, as he is literally living in a tower. It is the most charming place ever. It's not that big, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in charm and character. It's got a beautiful fireplace, a small living room/dining area, and a cozy loft area upstairs. The floor is made out of thick wood planks, the whitewashed walls are accented by criss-crossing dark wooden beams, and there are a couple of old wrought-iron chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The complex is owned by an architect (who was at the party), who individually screens people who want to live there (I believe there are 9 apts. available). One of the other buildings houses a well-reviewed restaurant, and the architect also keeps an office there.

Later in the evening, after sitting around drinking wine by candlelight, A and his bandmate brought out their instruments, and a boisterous jam session ensued, with some brave souls dancing in the center of the room. If I closed my eyes, I could feel as if I were enjoying a medieval Saturday night.

Here are some more pictures of the complex.

"Look to the Cookie"

2006-02-17T13:00:00.000+01:00

This is a quote from a very funny episode of Seinfeld, The Dinner Party. In it, Jerry delivers an ode to the power of the Black-and-White cookie as a symbol of racial harmony.

What does this have to do with life in Dusseldorf? Well, the other day I went into my favorite bakery here (it's also one of the best), and while I waited for my bread, I noticed, in the case in front of me, a reminder of my youth: a Black-and-White cookie! These were one of my favorite things to eat growing up in Brooklyn. So I was rather surprised to find them in a bakery in Dusseldorf. I asked the woman behind the counter for one, and as I was excitedly telling J about eating them growing up and about the Seinfeld episode, the woman told me what they were called:

Amerikaners. I kid you not.

So, I leave you with a picture of an Amerikaner, and with Jerry's ode.

"The thing about eating the Black and White cookie, Elaine, is you want to get some black and some white in each bite. Nothing mixes better than vanilla and chocolate And yet somehow racial harmony eludes us. If people would only look to the cookie all our problems would be solved."

p.s. I just found a recipe for Black and White cookies (along with some history).

E's Corner

2006-02-17T12:49:00.000+01:00

Today I am debuting a new feature on this blog, "E's Corner". While this violates the 'mission statement' of this blog (which is to write about life in Dusseldorf), I am doing this because E is a really funny person, and as she doesn't have time to maintain her own blog, I am going to be posting snippets from her emails that I find particularly funny. Here goes...

my v-day night:
1. worked with the half-cute, half-annoying manager at xx. i enthusiastically worked my ass off to show what an A+++ employee i am (after my past 1.5 weeks of e-as-troublemaker nonsense)! he was soooo thankful. i'd better hear about how he raved about my excellent work habits soon, so everyone can stop worrying that i'm a slacker.

2. i got about 100 compliments on my heart sweater, and every time i would cry out "thank you! happy valentine's Day!!!"

3. my coworker had gotten me a box of chocolates (oddly enough). but before i even got there, this TOTALLY annoying guy i barely know (and don't like) had already opened my sealed box and taken about 4 chocolates for himself. i (and everyone else around) was so pissed. that's some nerve, esp. from someone i don't like.

4. i ate a chocolate heart-shaped lollipop from (yes you guessed it) m's wife, and enjoyed flaunting it to all my coworkers.

5. we were packed, had record-breaking godiva sales, and the small section of valentine's day cards had a constant crowd around it all night long, with people reaching over each other to snag last minute (literally! till 11pm) valentines day cards for their forgotten sweethearts. some married guy totally and disgustingly flirted with my coworker while asking for gift suggestions for his wife. creepy! there were even guys sheepishly buying romance novels. it was the greatest night ever!

*-------------------------------------------*---------------------------------------*

so i think i'm in love with my book, is that possible?
-i smile at random when i think about it (which is basically all the time, though i suppose i'm not actually smiling all the time).
-my heart races and my breath quickens when i'm about to start reading it.
-i sit around and analyze the characters' motivations and thoughts all day long.
-i have a strange feeling of excitement and anxiety. i can't wait to read it but dread it being over.
-i lose track of time when i'm with it, and convince myself that no one will notice if i'm back a few minutes later from break (and then feel guilty, while i smile to myself, when i'm back).

is that love?
if it's wrong, i don't want to be right!

Kino

2006-02-14T11:17:00.000+01:00

It's a gray Tuesday morning, and I'm sitting here listening to Johnny Cash (saw 'Walk the Line' lastnight). Yes, I do own Johnny Cash (thanks Devo!). Anyway, we've got the week off from school, and I'm relishing not having to get up to go anywhere (although I did have to get up early yesterday to go the first of my dr. appts - what a strange experience, to be recounted in another post). At the beginning of this week off, I was thinking it would be the perfect time to start my exercise regimen, you know, get into a sort of 'routine' before I go back to the grind...well, it's Tuesday, and I've only managed to do one 20 min session of power yoga. Baby steps. All I want to do is lay around on the couch and knit and watch movies and eat popcorn...which leads me to the original topic of this post: kino - the movies. Specifically, the movie theater.

One of the difficult things (for me) of living here is the scarcity of movie theaters where I can see english movies, in original version (no dubbing - they're crazy about the dubbing here!). There's one theater that is 'technically' in Dusseldorf, but really it's way out on the edge of D'dorf, so not always the easiest to get to. It's a multiplex, and so the offerings are usually more big budget, mainstream films. Of the 10 films they are showing, maybe 1 or 2 (3 tops) will be shown w/o dubbing, either with german subtitles or not. And the movie times for those are not always so convenient. But it's ok. There are also a few smaller art-house theaters sprinkled around central D'dorf, but they don't always show movies in OV (original version).

Thankfully, there is a theater in Cologne, the Metropolis, that is a saving grace, moviewise. They show all movies in OV. We discovered it when F was living in Cologne, and have made several trips there since moving to D'dorf. It's a funky little place, perfectly artsy, with the requisite boho, cinephile employees - but without the usually attendant snobbery. It's cozy, with a couple of tables in the 'lobby' area, and a small, well worn wooden bar/counter behind which is the concession stand. You can sit and sip your coffee, beer, or wine, and munch on your chosen snack. Yup - that is one of the great things about going to the movies here - you can enjoy a beer or a glass of wine before or during your movie. And you have a choice of salty or sweet popcorn! The theaters at the Metropolis are not that big, but the seats are cozy (and there are several loveseats scattered amongst them), and when you are snuggly ensconced amongst your fellow cineastes, you feel like you are having a true moviegoing experience, the way it was meant to be.

Milestones

2006-02-11T13:51:00.000+01:00

So yesterday I finally faced a big fear of mine - and survived. This fear has plagued me a for a while now, so of course, the anxiety level surrounding this seemingly innocuous task had mounted to semi-epic proportions. (Okay, maybe not semi-epic, but I embellish for effect.)

I made my first doctors appointment. In German. By myself! Now, I will admit, I had already tried to make an appointment with another doctor, but had to abandon the mission when the woman on the other end of the phone started asking me questions for which I had no answer because I didn't understand a word she was saying. I didn't hang up on her - thankfully my friend V was sitting there with me for moral (and linguistic) support, and so I just passed the phone to her when I started hyperventilating and she completed the appointment for me.

I still had another problem: I needed to make another appointment. So, with the old aphorism about 'getting back on the horse' in mind, I decided to try again later that day. (Also, my friend S tracked me down and made me come to her office and do it.) I tried a different approach this time: I would be on the offensive - I wouldn't give them any opportunity to ask me any questions. So here is a transcript* (with English translation):

Phone rings, and is finally answered.

Woman: Guten tag. Schlafen guten moechte praxis werden guten schlafen. (ok, this is German gibberish, as I have no idea what she actually said after 'guten tag'.)

Me: Er, guten tag. Frau Millan hier. Ich moechte ein termin mit Dr. Neiss machen. Bitte. (Good day. Ms. Millan speaking. I would like to make an appointment with Dr. Neiss. Please.) (I always forget to put the please in the middle of the sentence, and therefore add it at the end. )

Woman: Blah blah blah....schon mal bei uns? (Blah blah blah...been here before?)

Me: Diese ist mein erste mal. (This is my first time.)

Woman: Blah blah blah... (Blah blah blah...)

Me: (beginning to get flustered) Er, entschuldigung, ich spreche ein bisschen deutsch, und verstehe ein bisschen deutsch auch. (Er, excuse me, I only speak a little German, and understand only a little also.)

Woman: (Laughs, not unkindly.) Oh, ich spreche ein bisschen englisch. Ich spreche langsamme. (Oh, I only speak a little English. I will speak slowly.)

We both laugh. I try to continue in German.

Me: Ich spreche langsamme auch. Ein frage. Haben sie ein termin acht April? (I will speak slowly also. A question. Do you have an appointment for eight April?)

Woman: Nicht for 8 April.....ist Samstag. (Not for eight April, ....it's a Saturday.) (Doh. I wasn't reading the calendar correctly. In case you are wondering, I asked for a date in April because I knew that the GYN didn't have any appts in Feb or Mar.)

Me: Ach, tur mir leid. Sieben April? (Ach, sorry. Seven April?)

Woman: Ja, um wie viel Uhr? (Yes, what time?)

Me: Neun Uhr? (Nine o'clock?)

Woman: Ja, in ordnung. (Yes, all is fine.)

Me: Haben sie andere frage fuer mich? (Do you have any other questions for me?) (I was praying not...)

Woman: (Laughs.) Nein, alles in ordnung. (No, all is fine.)

Me: Ok, vielen dank for dein hilfe. (Ok, thank you so much for your help.)

We both laugh, then hang up.

I was so pleased with myself for having done this successfully (I say successfully because I actually ended up with an appt!). This is an example of what I have found here - if you try to speak German to people, even if you do it poorly, they will most likely be very accomodating - they do appreciate the effort. I always try to begin conversations in German, but my problem is that when they start talking back to me, it's too quick for me, and I also don't have the vocabulary/grammar to understand what they are saying, so things deteriorate really quickly. In person, I can rely on elaborate hand gestures. But speaking on the phone is a whole other ball of wax (what does that phrase actually mean???). However, I was very lucky to have someone very nice on the phone with me, and her speaking slowly was a big bonus. (Mom, I hope you are happy - I'm finally going to the doctor!!)

* some of what she said was reconstructed with the help of F. My grammar in this conversation is not correct, but this is how I said everything.

Remembering Cam

2006-02-07T19:47:00.000+01:00

Last week I received the very sad news that Cameron, my Favorite Dog
Ever In This World, had passed away. He had been ill with a rare form of cancer, but with the loving care bestowed upon him by his humans, K & A, he was doing well. In fact, he had cheated the odds, and outlived the original survival time frame given by his doctor.

There are not enough adjectives to describe Cam - he was, as others have said - a gentle giant, sensitive, patient, noble, loving, expressive, soft, warm, neurotic...I could go on. All I can say is that he has ruined me for other dogs - the bar has been set so high that I can't imagine ever meeting another dog that could measure up to him. But I suppose that is his gift to us - we will surely never forget him. I know that I won't.

Clubbing in Dusseldorf

2006-01-29T03:50:00.000+01:00

I just returned from a girls' night out tonight for L's birthday - fondue at her place followed by dancing. So we went to the Palladium here in Dusseldorf, where it was hip hop/R&B night. (This Palladium being the same as the one in NYC in name only.)

I have never in my life seen so much of the following in one place:

gel, white leather, faux mohawks, gel, acid wash jeans, love handles over the jeans, gel, Dolce&Gabbana t-shirts, overtanned faces, studded belts, and gel. And there was one young woman who was channeling Britney Spears - fedora and all. It was truly insane.

You don't pay cash for your drinks. Upon entering the club, you are issued a card that is punched out with an elaborate hole-puncher by your bartender when you order a drink. No money, no tips. You pay when you leave the club. And if you lose the card, you have to pay 40 or 50 euros.

We did a fair amount of dancing - but unfortunately the music left a bit to be desired. The highlight was when they played Mariah's "Get Your Number". I may have to strike the Palladium from my list of hotspots in Dusseldorf...

I Heart British Airways!

2006-01-09T18:43:00.000+01:00

So I'm back now in D'dorf after a whirlwind visit back in NY. I wish I had had more time to see people and hang out, but it was a good visit, nonetheless.

So, I was a little late getting to the airport, and when I got there, the line to check in was extraordinarily long...so I pulled out my Us magazine to keep me occupied while I waited. When I finally made it to the counter, I asked the woman if there was a possibility of getting a window seat. Her answer? "Never mind a window, I've got to try to get you on this flight."

Shit. All I could think was that I get bumped from this flight and have to go back a day later, which would mean missing a day of work (which they would frown upon highly).

So I waited with fingers crossed, foot tapping restlessly. And then, figuring I had nothing to lose, I timidly asked, "What about an upgrade?" Expecting a tart response, I was quite surprised when she answered, "Well, it looks like the computer is way ahead of me - they've already upgraded you!"

Yippee!!!

The upgrade was to business class, and since they don't serve food in biz class on flights after 7:30pm (according to a survey, biz class flyers would rather sleep than be interrupted by food), I would have to eat in the British Airways lounge. And eat I did: fresh roasted turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, roasted butternut squash and green beans, and a nice cold glass of pinot grigio. The amount of food they had on offer was insane - all fresh and delish.

When I boarded the plane, I was walking through the first section to get to what I thought was biz class. But then I realized that I had gone too far, and backtracked to my seat....which was in the FLAT BED SECTION!!! As if the lounge experience wasn't enough, now I would be able to recline fully and sleep.

I sat down, in a bit of shock, and 30 seconds later, I was being offered a glass of champagne. And while I sipped my bubbly, I was massaged by two bikini clad, heavily muscled men, while a third fed me chocolate dipped strawberries...

Ok, I'm kidding about that last part. But I did have the option for a little snack - warm chocolate chip cookies with hot chocolate that was served with whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings. Divine. I kept thinking of that Seinfeld episode where Jerry is bumped up to 1st class and Elaine has to stay in coach. If you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.

Oh, and further bonus? As a biz class traveller, I got to skip the insanely long security line at Heathrow (when I changed flights). Instead of having 200 people in front of me, there were...4.

How am I ever going to be able to go back to coach?

29 Again...

2005-12-13T20:34:00.000+01:00

F and I decided to finally have the oft-talked-about-but-never-planned party on Saturday night. It was advertised as a holiday party, but some friends already knew that it was my birthday on Sunday.

I was quite excited, as this was my first real party - my apt. in Brooklyn is big enough to accommodate a maximum of 4-5 adults (and one Cam) semi-comfortably. So I really have not had much experience planning one of these things...I started to get all Martha Stewart the week before: cutting out silver snowflakes to hang from the ceiling, getting a variety of lights (snowflakes, red stars, multi-colored, white) to hang around the apt to make it a little cozier. And of course, candles.

The day of the party was a bit stressful. Well, not at first, actually. Since I had hung all the lights and snowflakes on Friday night, I felt like the most time consuming part was over...

W-R-O-N-G.

Because I thought I had all this time, I spent more time than I should have in the city getting some last minute noshy stuff, and also looking for something new and sparkly to wear to the party. Yeah, not so smart. By the time I got home I was beat, and then had to deal with the sudden mess that seems to accompany F's return home from a week away at work. Plus dealing with all the little things that the cleaning people (yes, you read correctly) rearrange when they are here. If you've seen me under stress, you know that I am not always the most pleasant person to be around...F told me that if I didn't calm down, he would leave and go stay in a hotel (!).

Of course, the first folks showed up before I was ready, but my friend C helped me get other things ready while F tended to the guests. I finally got ready (changed my shirt, put on some makeup) about an hour after people showed up. I was also still cooking during the party - I had to make the Spicy Cheese Crisps from the Everyday Food Mag (I will post the recipe shortly - they are really easy to make and very yummy - like homemade Cheese Nips, with a little bite). But in spite of my stress, everything went really well.

One of the best parts of the evening? After most folks had left, F & I were hanging with L & A, two of my friends from school. A is one of the new German teachers - he's young, very laid-back (picture a German surfer dude with shoulder-length blonde hair, who's got a funky VW van). Well, he was getting ready to leave (he'd just brushed his teeth and was going to go sleep in his well-furnished van) when L noticed that he had his accordion with him. Yes, you read correctly - his accordion. We begged him to play us a song. We were treated to 2 songs, the second of which was the theme from 'Amelie' (one of my favorite movies). What a great way to end the evening.

P.S. If you click on the Flickr montage on the left, you'll connect to a small, but soon to be added to, group of pics of life here in D'dorf...

2005-12-06T20:49:00.000+01:00

Witness above rarely seen footage of the intrepid panda-cuddler, A.M. This photo was taken on one of her early expeditions in search of the elusive miniature panda. She is pictured with her trusty assistant and fellow panda wrangler (note his rugged vest and his knit cap to keep warm during those long hours waiting for the miniature panda to emerge from its lair). As you can see, even then she demonstrated a clear knowledge and aptitude for handling the panda; keeping it close to her while supporting it from the bottom.

She continues her successful career with the descendants of that first miniature panda. Her work has come into focus again because of the increased desire to cuddle pandas due to the birth of the baby panda at the National Zoo.

Pottery Painting

2005-12-04T15:17:00.000+01:00

Last year, while out exploring with my friend J, we discovered the most lovely little alleyway leading to a courtyard off of a busy street in Derendorf (a neighborhood in Dusseldorf). The alleway is cobblestoned, and opens up into a lovely courtyard. In this courtyard we found a flowershop, an antique furniture store, a little French cafe, and a paint-your-own-pottery place called Manufattura! The places are so rustic and charming. When J and I were there last spring, we sat and had a wine outside of the cafe and marvelled at the charm of this little hideaway.

It turns out that my friend A also knew of this place, and she and I talked at length last spring about going to paint some pottery. Well, we finally made a date and did it on Saturday! It was great fun - it's a cozy little space, and you feel as if you are in someone's converted small barn. You sit at old wooden tables (there are 3 of them in there - one of them is a long one that probably could seat about 10-12 people; the other two tables seat about 4-5 people), armed with colored glazes, brushes, pencils (for sketching your designs beforehand), and unleash your artistic self. Added bonus? The cafe will bring you your cafe latte. It was so great to just forget about everything and focus on something creative for a few hours.

My First Star Sighting Here!!

2005-12-03T22:12:00.000+01:00

Coming from New York, one gets used to the weekly (or sometimes daily) brush with celebrities. Since I've been in Dusseldorf, I have not had any star sightings at all; in order to get my fix, I read Gawker and live vicariously, thinking, "Oh yes, I remember that time when I also ran into John Turturro on 7th Avenue...".

So...today F and I met up in the city to go to the Weihnachsmarkt to walk around and have a little Flammkuchen and Gluehwein. We were doing a little shopping afterwards, and I was waiting for him outside of Galeria Kaufhof, one of the department stores here. He called me to let me know that he was just waiting to pay, and then he stage whispered, "Guess who's in front of me in line?" "Who?" I asked, thinking, "Who the hell is going to be in front of him? It's not like it would be a celebrity..."

Well, I was wrong. After trying several times to say this person's name (it's someone who goes by their first name only) in that stage whisper, I finally understood what F said. I excitedly asked him where he was, and then I was off into the store, bounding up the escalator to the 3rd floor.

As I came came up to the 2nd floor, I came face to face with my target. I had to think quickly, and so I just said, "Excuse me, I'm sorry." And then I think I touched his arm. I stammered, I had no idea what to say, so I just said, "Uh, I think you're great." Doh. He said, "Thanks, that's very nice of you to say." Then he cocked his head to the side and asked, "Where are you from?" I told him I was from New York but was now living in Dusseldorf. Then he shook my hand and said, "Thanks again."

I found F upstairs, and breathlessly told him what just transpired. He just chuckled. So we went back downstairs and then saw my new friend having his gift wrapped. F wanted me to go over and take a picture with him (I had my camera around my neck just like a dorky tourist). I tried to retain a shred of dignity and just ushered F out of the store.

Oh, I forgot to mention who he was - have you figured it out? It was none other than Heidi Klum's husband, Seal. And let me tell you, he is quite dashing and debonair in person. Sigh.

I'm Dreaming of a White...Thanksgiving?

2005-12-03T21:53:00.000+01:00

It's been a week now since the expat Thanksgiving. The morning of the big day I woke up to find Dusseldorf blanketed with snow. It had started snowing the night before, but I had no hopes of finding any left in the morning; usually when it snows here, it doesn't last long (because of our proximity to the Rhine, I believe). This time, however, we were all surprised.

I quickly grabbed my camera because I wanted to preserve this moment (and because it also looked so purdy). This is the view out the living room window.

After a day of snow, we were all in a cheery mood when we arrived at A's place for dinner. There was so much food: pumpkin soup, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, homemade sage/apple/bacon stuffing, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, corn, fresh baked biscuits, cornbread, homemade cranberry sauce. Here's the turkey, just out of the oven.

And then there was dessert: 2 pumpkin pies (one with rum, one without), 1 apple pie, and 2 banana breads.

It was a really great evening - very mellow, with lots of good conversation, and many laughs.

Thanksgiving

2005-11-25T23:00:00.000+01:00

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and here in Dusseldorf it's just another day. No crazy 'Black Friday' shopping sprees to signal the official start of the Christmas season (although Christmas lights and decorations were up in stores and around town as of the end of October...). The Weihnachtsmarkt season has officially started, however. So that means that in the center of town there are many little houses/stands set up to sell crafts, food, tchotchkes, Gluehwein (a hot spiced red wine - yum), and other goodies. Think of the Union Square Holiday Market, and you get the idea. But I digress...

I started out talking about Thanksgiving...it was a little strange to realize that I wasn't going to be spending it with my family back in Brooklyn this year. I know my friends at school were feeling the same way about missing the festivities with their families back in the US, so one of them decided to hold T-day at her place. Well, there will be around 21 of us going over there tomorrow, food in hand. She's making the turkey and stuffing; the rest of us are bringing everything else: several pumpkin and squash related items, veggies, bread, desserts, and - oh yes - wine.

I mentioned to my friend A that this will be the first Thanksgiving without the traditional family dysfunction. We won't be falling into our usual roles as we do when we are with family. Should be interesting...I'll let you know how it goes...

Pandas

2005-11-16T19:19:00.000+01:00

Ok, some of you probably already know this, but I'm obsessed with giant pandas. Specifically, one Tai Shan, the 18 week old giant panda cub born in the National Zoo. At this point, I can't even remember how I found out about the little guy, but I'm hooked.

I've also got my mother addicted, and we trade stories about him as if he were our own little cub. There was a point when we seriously considered how we might 'borrow' him for a little while. Especially on those days when his mom, Mei Xiang was being brusque with him. However, they have also shared some incredibly darling moments together, like when Mei comes lumbering in and scoops him up to cuddle him and give him a thorough cleaning. I know he can't hear me, but I nonetheless speak to him, giving him encouragement when he's trying to do something new and difficult. It's been so amazing to watch him develop and learn skills like walking and chewing on his feet (just like human babies do!).

I seem to have forgotten to mention how it is that we are able to watch our little guy: there is a Panda Cam which gives us unlimited access to his whereabouts and goings on. Check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Mom's Visit

2005-11-01T20:04:00.000+01:00

About a month ago (damn, how time flies!) my lovely mom came to visit me here in D'dorf. We had a whirlwind week of activity: first an afternoon spent in D'dorf exploring the Rhine area and the Altstadt (that's me and mom along the Rhine), then down to southern Germany to F's village to celebrate his father's 65th birthday and his retirement, then back up to D'dorf the next day before setting off for our Amsterdam Adventure.

Unfortunately, things took a bit of a turn for the worse...

Mom got sick, and I regressed to being about 13 years old. Sullen, and oh-so-fun to be around. I have apologized profusely, and mom, I'll say it again: I'm really, really sorry.

Although we had some rocky moments, I think overall it was a good trip...we stayed in a charming B&B in the heart of the Jordaan area run by this adorable couple, Ken & Vlad (Ken hails from CA and used to be a pastry chef, and Vlad was a dancer - he even knows Misha!). We stayed in a recently renovated duplex room, with a brand new Italian bathroom - beautiful tiles, jacuzzi bathtub, rain shower, and, oh yes, phallic fixtures. But more on that another time...

The weather was beautiful, and we spent many moments lazing about in Vondelpark (Amsterdam's Central Park, below), and just wandering around the city on foot. We were told that it was a fluke that the weather was so good; they normally do not have successive days of sun and warmth. I've realized that I now have an idealized vision of Amsterdam - every time I have visited (3 times since I moved here) it has been gloriously beautiful. I don't care - I think I'd still love Amsterdam in the rain...

So mom, thanks again for coming to visit! Next time I promise I'll behave...

Jingle Bells?

2005-11-01T19:50:00.000+01:00

Monday and Tuesday were a holiday here in Dusseldorf, and since the stores would be closed today (Tuesday), I decided to go into the 'city' to do some shopping yesterday. Imagine my surprise when I went into one of the department stores here to find it completely decorated for Christmas! Christmas?!?! Yesterday was October 31st, not November 25th. Heck, it wasn't even November 1st! I didn't realize that they were crazier here than in the States with Christmas marketing.

My internal clock is a little screwed up - once I see those decorations I start a countdown to Christmas. I'm now feeling as if I only have less than a month until Christmas (which in my case would mean less than a month until I'm home in NYC). Unfortunately, I still have almost 2 months until I get to fly back and see everyone...sigh.

Karaoke Lives!!

2005-10-22T19:18:00.000+02:00

I believe that most (if not all of you) reading this blog know of my love (read: obsession) with karaoke. Well, it has been a while since I have climbed the karaoke stage to perform, and I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to arrange an evening of karaoke fun when I come to NYC in December. Fear not - you have been spared - my thirst for song has been quenched, my hunger sated.

My friend S and her boyfriend P just moved into a new apartment, and she recently had a housewarming party to celebrate. Well, one of my compatriots, P, has a karaoke machine, and he brought it to the party. Well, you can guess how the rest of the evening went. This is a picture of my friend A and I belting out something. At one point later in the evening we had a marathon session, when we sang 'Bad Girls', 'Do Ya Think I'm Sexy', and another song with this theme (the name of which I cannot remember a week later. Hmmm.). I was mighty impressed with A - she sang with a mike in one hand, and in the other hand a half-full glass of red wine with nary a drop spilled.

First Aid

2005-10-22T19:01:00.000+02:00

As a teacher, I am required to have First Aid certification. We were supposed to have a two-day course during orientation back in August. However, that didn't work out, and the course took place today and last Saturday, from 9am until around 4pm. I will admit, I was dreading this, as my weekends are the only time for me to recover from the week just passed, and refuel for the upcoming week.

It turned out to be a really interesting 2 days, and I learned a great deal - while I hope that I am never faced with a serious trauma situation, I feel fairly confident that I could provide some help (after getting over the initial shock and fear). One of the things I learned that struck me was the fact that in Germany you are not only morally obligated to help, but also legally obligated. So if you see a car accident, if someone passes out in a store, someone falls off their bike, etc., and you stop and look but don't help, you can be criminally prosecuted. If you have taken a first-aid course (which ALL German drivers must do in order to obtain a driver's license) then your obligation is even greater. We were told that if we are assisting someone who has been in an accident, and there are people standing around gawking who refuse to help when asked to do so, and don't leave when asked to do so (because they are not helping) we can write down their license plate number or take their name down and turn them in to the polizei. If people stand around and look and don't help, they are just as criminally liable as if they had caused the accident themselves. Crazy, huh?

I find this moral expectation/obligation interesting (for lack of a better word). It goes in contrast to the Germany of 60 years ago - I don't recall this moral conscience existing then. Is this now a by-product of that time, that experience?

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

2005-10-13T23:23:00.000+02:00

So I've got a few nuggets of amusement to share...

A group of girls who were my students last year accosted me one day recently. Their mission? To find out my age. I told them that was my personal information, and there was so much whining and pleading that I relented and told them that I was older than 30, but younger than 40. The ringleader, aghast, let out a bloodcurdling, eardrum-piercing shriek. "You're older than 30???!!??!! I thought that you were only 28!" I walked away thinking that I was glad it wasn't my birthday yet...

One of my current students came up to me after math class recently to ask about my musical tastes. She's one of my favorites, a husky, slightly tough-seeming (none of the boys mess with her), sweet faced girl with a Louise Brooks bob. She quietly asked, "Ms. M, do you like to listen to music?" I told her I did. I thought she would ask me about some top 40 group/singer, so I was caught off guard when she next asked, "Do you like System of a Down?"

When I recovered my composure, I told her that I knew some of their songs, and that I did like them. She nodded her head and quietly said, "cool." We talked a little bit about their new album (her verdict: pretty cool), and then she went off to her next class. (Her older brother is the resident musician - plays guitar, writes his own songs, wants to start a rock band. So no surprise that she's into System of a Down.)

There are more tidbits, many more, but I'll spare you (and you know who you are, sitting there rolling your eyes, thinking, "oh boy, another story about her students..."). I am trying to be better about this...

A Costly (and Stupid) Mistake

2005-10-03T22:39:00.000+02:00

This past Wednesday, 21 September, was 'Back to School Night' at my school. This was an evening when parents come to meet with teachers, look at their child's books, and basically get a better sense of what is going on during the school day.

As a homeroom teacher, I had to give a 1/2 hour presentation to my students' parents, after which I was ambushed by the parents of my students from my other classes (math, english, science) with questions and requests for special attention for their child (these requests of course came from the parents of those children with whom I have the biggest problems because of their behavior. Figures.). By the time I got out of school and home it was after 10pm. As if I wasn't already exhausted after being at school for over 12 hours, I had a parent meeting the next morning at 8am to discuss a student who is having some problems in math.

Before you begin to wonder, 'what the f*ck is she going on about??', this is all to give you a sense of where I was mentally by the next morning, the morning of the costly (and stupid) mistake.

So...on Thursday morning I managed to get up early (or earlier than usual) so that I would get to school before 8am. I was feeling pretty good about being a bit ahead of time instead of rushing. I got my stuff together, and then went to the door to leave. I usually just then grab my keys as I walk out the door, but this time I picked up another set, as I was looking for F's car keys (he had asked me to close the sunroof on his car before it rained). I was annoyed because I couldn't find the car keys, and so I just put that set back on the hook, went out the door, and closed it behind me.

As the door shut, I realized with horror that I did not have my keys in hand. I stood there, not believing what had just happened. But I had to get to work and to this parent meeting, so I just continued downstairs. Well, I got to the front door of our building, and tried to open it, but it was locked, and when the door is locked, you need your key to open it.

Now I started to panic.

I was trapped - I couldn't get in my apt, and I couldn't get out of the building. We have only 2 neighbors in the building: J, who lives next door, and the dentist, who has her office on the floor below us. It was only 6:45 am, and the dentist wouldn't be there until at least 7:30am, so I couldn't wait there for her to let me out. I hated to ring J's bell at this hour, but I had no other choice. Thankfully, she was home (and awake), and she let me out.

I left F a frantic message, realizing that he couldn't come back from Frankfurt that night because he was going to Hamburg for a work function. So he was my 'secretary' (his words) and he arranged for a locksmith to come at 5pm. J would let me in to the building, and we would wait together for the locksmith.

The locksmith did come - he was a portly fellow (big like Brian Dennehy) who put on a good show - grunting and shaking his head and tsking at me about how difficult this job was. Anyway, after 25 mins he gave a big heave against the door and went flying through it. Luckily the door didn't sustain any damage.

My wallet, however, did . The picture you see above is the bill for my mistake. It cost 120 euros just for this joker to show up. I am looking into the possibility of having a key sewn into my flesh so I never forget my key again.

Finally back online

2005-09-26T00:42:00.000+02:00

Yes, I know it has been awhile since I've posted...I'm sorry. It's been a crazy few weeks (or month) since school started. I've got a full teaching load, and I'm also doing some administrative work - I'm the coordinator for the 3rd & 4th grades. This means that I meet weekly with the other primary school coordinators and with the director of the school to talk about school stuff, as well as to discuss students and any concerns I (or any of the 3rd & 4th grade teachers) have about said students. After I meet with the director, I then have to have meetings with the 3rd & 4th grade teachers to disseminate info. So...all in all, not that exciting, but it's keeping me on my toes, and it also will look good on my resume...

School is going well - I really like my students a lot, which makes a huge difference (I actually don't mind going to school every day, as opposed to last year, when I dreaded it).

Things have also been busy on the non-school front: F and I have gone away a couple of weekends (to Strasbourg, after a friend's wedding, and just this weekend to Hamburg), and the weekends that we haven't gone away have been devoted to some home improvement (in this case that means going to Ikea to buy stuff to help organize and beautify the apartment, and make it more livable for 2 people).

So I will try to update with some detail now...enjoy! (Or laugh, as I'm sure you will after this next post...)

Dining Al Fresco

2005-09-04T22:26:00.000+02:00

Due to the unusually good weather the past couple of weekends, F and I have finally been able to eat out on our balcony. We were hopeful and bought a table and chairs at Ikea in the spring, but weren't really able to use them until now.

We're hoping that Dusseldorf will experience an Indian summer so that we'll have some more opportunities to enjoy being outside.

Alias

2005-09-04T19:43:00.000+02:00

I've been advised by my advisors that it might be best for me to write under a pseudonym as to protect my identity (and my job). So henceforth I will be known as Franciscovna. I will also begin refering to any friends/colleagues by only the first initial of their names. **

The origins of my 'nomme de blogge'?

Top Secret. Classified.

Well...not really. If you ask, I will explain it to you.

** all names changed to protect privacy.

Sense and Sensibility

2005-08-30T21:14:00.000+02:00

A short post, as I am drowning in schoolwork...this is the first week back at school, and today was the first day that I had my new homeroom of 3rd graders. I love them. Truly. I was doing orientation with them for the 1st two periods today, and was at the point of discussing expectations for behavior. I asked if anyone could tell me how they are to behave in class, and one of my prize students raised his hand and earnestly said, "We should behave sensibly."

Well, I nearly melted right then and there. His teacher from 2nd grade is one of my British colleagues, and when I heard him say that, I just knew he had picked it up from her.

A couple of my little girls have started calling me Mrs. Mulan. Got to nip that one in the bud.

Ok, back to work.

Copyright Infringement

2005-08-27T13:21:00.000+02:00

I was at school the other day, and one of my fellow teachers excitedly showed me her bottle of water (water is a big industry here - nobody drinks from their taps, they imbibe from giant bottles of water). It is from an Italian manufacturer, and it is called "Levissima Allegra". That is not the only instance where my name appears on a mass-market product. There is also a German fashion/beauty/lifestyle (aka "women's") magazine called Allegra.

I feel I have moved up here - I'm no longer associated with an allergy medication and its side effects.

Scheisse!

2005-08-24T01:06:00.000+02:00

This means 'shit' in German. It is a word I used more than once today. It was the second day of orientation week at my school. And I just found out that the classes I was told I would be teaching, I am in fact not teaching. When the school year ended last July, I went home to NY feeling good about what I was told I would be teaching: english, social studies to my 3rd grade homeroom class, and beginner english to 4th and 5th graders. No more math!

Today I found out that there have been some changes - I'll still be teaching the 4/5 beginner english class, but the english and social studies are being taught by other folks, and instead I am teaching math - again - and science...!

Science? Me? Anyone who knows me knows that is not the best idea. I don't like bugs, which, based on our brief science teacher meeting, are going to be a part of my lessons. Not just any bugs, but mealworms. The word itself - mealworms - makes me feel all squeamish.

I'm so bummed. I'll just have to hope for the best.

My how I've grown...

2005-08-22T20:43:00.000+02:00

A general rule of customer service in Germany is that there is none (this is according to all the German folk I've met here so far). I've been told that salespeople will literally hide from you in order to not help you when you are shopping. Now, this has not been a problem for me, as the less opportunities for me to speak my broken Denglish, the better. That said, I have had mostly favorable experiences while shopping, actually having salespeople ask me if I need help when I'm wandering aimlessly around a store. These experiences are easier for me to handle now, as I recognize the word 'hilfe', which means help in German. When asked, I usually reply, "Nein, danke, ich bin..." and then I point to my eye, because I still don't know how to say that I'm 'just looking'. However, that all changed this past week when I was in Frankfurt visiting Florian...

Since Florian was working during the day, I occupied myself by heading down to the main shopping area to, well.... shop. So I wandered into Karstadt, one of the big department stores, primarily to use their ladies room. But as I got off the escalator, I encountered the bras, and remembered item 4 on my To-Do list: "get bras". So I started looking around, and found one that I liked. I reached for the tag to check the size, and didn't see any numbers that made sense to me. I froze. How was I going to find a bra that fit (always a trying task) if I had no idea what size I was over here? Florian would be of no assistance in this matter. I continued to wander around, thinking that if I just looked at the cups of the bras, I'd be able to tell what size I might be. Not very scientific, nor accurate, as it turned out.

Then it happened.

I heard, "blahblahblah.......hilfe?" And I thought, "Yes. Yes. I need help." I swallowed my pride and fear and said, "Ja, bitte, ich weisse nicht meine..."**and since I didn't know the word for size, I ran both index fingers under my chest (as opposed to just pointing to my breasts). The saleswoman seemed to understand, as she turned on her heel and indicated for me to follow.

The next thing I knew, she had wound a tape measure around me, just under my chest. Then with a flick of her wrists, the tape measure was up around my breasts. I should mention that the saleswoman, who was probably in her early twenties, stood about eye level with my chest. She quickly determined my size.

80D.

Russ Meyer immediately popped into my mind. 80D? I was relieved that I now knew what size I was, but I couldn't help feeling like it was time for breast reduction surgery. When you come from a land where bra sizes are measured in smaller numbers, it's a bit of a shock to your system to come here and learn your size. I'm looking at the tag from one of the bras I eventually ended up buying, and these are the equivalent sizes listed:

EU 80 D (European Union?)
F 95 D (France?)
I 3 D (Italy?)

Now obviously the European Union Constitution does not stipulate that all member nations have the same sizing regulations for women's undergarments. And I guess that if you live in France you have a really great feeling about your assets, while living in Italy might have a negative effect on your body image...I'll be sure not to buy any undergarments when I visit Italy.

** Ich weiss nicht = I don't know

Missed the Pope!

2005-08-22T02:41:00.000+02:00

It is Sunday, the last day of the new Pope's visit to Cologne for World Youth Day (WYD). If you have seen any of the coverage on the news, you know that there were a few people in Cologne for this event. In case you didn't know, Dusseldorf is about 1/2 hour away from Cologne, and so Dusseldorf was handling the overflow of people who couldn't fit in Cologne. There were young folk from all over the world here - all congregating and travelling around the city in groups, usually following a person raising aloft a flag of their country (I imagine so as not to lose their countrymen and women).

It was a fascinating thing for me to see, this overwhelming devotion and excitement (as I am not a religious person, this kind of fervor is rarely aroused in me; however, my growing fascination with Robbie Williams may be the thing that does it). I must admit, it was also a little scary - total mob mentality in action. I went out of town (to visit F in Frankfurt) on Wednesday, which was the official second day of WYD. I arrived at the main train station here, and had to fight my way through the throngs of youth milling around and chanting in the main level of the station. The groups seemed to be dueling - one group would start chanting something in their language for a few minutes, and then erupt into a loud scream and finish with thundering applause. Then, while one group was chanting/singing, another group in another part of the station would begin their rallying cry. I thought I would escape it once I got up to the platform where I would wait for my train to arrive.

Wrong.

There were what seemed like a few hundred kids up there, repeating the same scenario as downstairs, which is a little scarier when you are precariously standing on the edge of a train platform. I think the reason there were so many still downstairs was because they couldn't all fit on the platform! I figured out that they were all waiting to go to Cologne, and I panicked because I knew that my train would stop in Cologne on its way to Frankfurt - I thought I was going to have to press in to the train with all of them and find a seat (I had reserved a seat for the wrong train - long story). I was soon relieved when the local train to Cologne pulled in across the platform and they all piled in without injuring themselves or any innocent bystanders.

It seems that it was a big success for all involved, and quite something to witness.

Mein Erste Post (My First Post)

2005-08-21T21:00:00.000+02:00

Welcome to my blog, where I hope to chronicle my (mis) adventures learning to live in Dusseldorf, Germany. I moved here from Brooklyn, NY on New Year's Eve 2004 to live with my long-distance boyfriend, F, and to start a job as a teacher at an international school.

Before you think, "Oh, wow, the word 'post' is the same in German and in English," I must inform you that the title of this post is an example of 'Denglish'. Not to be confused with Esperanto, Denglish is an amalgam of German & English words and phrases. If you want a more thorough explanation and some other examples of Denglish see: http://www.wordspy.com/words/Denglish.asp

As I am new to the German language, I make liberal use of Denglish, and will most likely continue to do so, much to the amusement (and occasional chagrin) of F.