Weihnachtsmarkt Cuisine

I follow a very routine and healthy diet during the week and only splurge on dishes when we travel. Once the markets opened, however, all hope for maintaining that diet was lost. We live in the Swabian region of Germany. This means our primary local eats are sausages, beer, and wine, all of which are absolutely amazing. While the weather has currently taken a snowy turn, we were unbelievably fortunate to have pleasant weather to the point of being able to spend all day outdoors eating treats and never getting too cold. The glühwein may have had something to do with that as well...

Specialty nut and candy stands were everywhere. The primary German sweet offered were Lebkuchen cookies, or large gingerbread cookies often decorated and written on with icing. They're much like a giant gingerbread Valentine, as they say things like Ich liebe dich, I love you, and Frohe Weihnachten, Merry Christmas. I didn't make the cookie commitment, but I devoured my favorite cinnamon sugar almonds.

The wildcard mind blowing treat were the Wilde Kartoffeln, or wild potatoes. We got ours with a creamy garlic sauce.

My top picks in the tubed meat category were the chili paprika wurst (above) and the käse wurst (cheese sausage). They were served in their own baguettes, because regular buns are not hardcore enough. One thing I adore, and will miss terribly, is the quality of the food. Even the basics like sausage and wedge fries are so fresh and full of flavor. This ensures you leave full, but not full of guilt and fried food shame. The bread is made just hours before and is still warm inside. I never thought I would enjoy meat and carbs so incredibly much. I am mentally planning a return in the near future.

Weihnachtsmarkt - the Holidays in Stuttgart

Stuttgart rightfully maintains a reputation for having the best Christmas market in all of Germany. The markets are a great place for everyone in the community to shop, eat, and drink lots of glühwein (hot wine). We were able to get a sneak peak of the set up while walking downtown mid November. I was eagerly anticipating opening day. 

My mom came for a visit the second week of December and made a great partner in crime as we walked through every aisle, avidly searching for the ideal gifts for family back home.

During the week she was in Stuttgart we visited the markets three times, two days in Stuttgart and one day in Cologne. We would arrive before noon, when the crowds were minimal. By the time we left mid afternoon, we had to fight our way through throngs of people!

A beautiful, and functional, German pyramid windmill

While shops of all types book ended the markets, there was an ice skating rink and children's train near a shopping plaza in the middle. For years we've discussed wanting to set up a train village during the holidays, and at the markets we had the opportunity to see our dreams come to life. There were conductors for the children's trains and electric trains running through the Bavarian style houses and village scenes.

The night before my mom left, we had a delicious farewell dinner at our favorite tapas place, Besitos. Taking the scenic route back to the train station, we passed through the markets again at night and I am so glad we did. To see everything lit up was beyond picturesque. A brilliantly lit tree towered over everyone in the market square, and a mechanized nutcracker was nearby.

Not only have I been looking forward to these Christmas markets for years, but they held extra significance for us. When moving to Germany, we packed only the essentials of clothes and minimal personal items. Packing any sort of decor never even crossed our minds. Our holiday decorations this season have consisted of poinsettia napkins and a roll of wrapping paper in the corner. As a person wholly obsessed with Christmas and all the festivities that accompany it, to be so close to these beautiful markets has helped me to feel at home.

Westminster Abbey, the Tower of Big Ben

Each city and country we have had the opportunity to visit has been truly enjoyable. However, when the time came for us to leave London, I felt like I would have to be dragged out kicking and screaming. We accomplished such a great deal, yet left so many possible ventures unfulfilled. Can I go back yet?

Saturday was our last full day in London. I do believe we made the absolute most of it.

Our morning got off to an early start. We took the train into London with family, grabbed a sandwich in the station, and made our way to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard ceremony. Although we failed to beat the initial crowd, we scored a great spot behind a line of school children, providing us with a clear view of the palace.

I didn't know the guards had different coats for summer and winter, which naturally makes sense as I'm sure those hats are heat insulating enough. There was some lucky family who was able to observe the changing on the inside of the gates. I want to know who they know and get that view for next time.

Fighting our way though the crowds after the changing of the guard we walked down to Trafalgar Square and over to Westminster to see the abbey, parliament, and Big Ben.

The size of Westminster is overwhelming. Walking down the street, you are absolutely surrounded by the buildings. It was such a cool feeling, albeit intimidating! 

From London we took the train out to meet a cousin and see her neighborhood. This turned into a tour of her beautiful apartment, tea, and an outing to a restaurant where we had a four hour lunch and I had half a bottle of wine. Bloody brilliant.

We returned downtown to see London from the London Eye at night. I detest heights, so while I truly wanted to do it, I was nervous of my reaction. I am glad to report the hovering high above the city in an enclosed glass case did not make me apprehensive in the slightest. My only complaint, to get on and off the Eye, it does not stop. You literally walk on and walk off. My very accident prone self was not a fan of that part! We finished the evening with more drinks. I had a French martini, actually I had two, which is a testament to how much I enjoyed the first one.

London so far has provided the largest amount of inspiration for me. I just loved the fusion of immaculately preserved history and new age design and ideas. The houses in Surrey, London, and everywhere else along the way were picturesque and exactly what I had hoped. London still upholds a number of their traditions, the changing of the guard and the key ceremony at the Tower to name a couple. While it may be somewhat for the sake of tourism, I consider it to be such a lovely element in their culture. Culture and English accents? Sign me up for London any day of the week.

In London?!

I do hope you are catching on to, and enjoying, my Friends inspired London titles.

On day two of our London vacation, we took the train downtown to the Tower of London. We just missed the poppies which had filled the moat surrounding the Tower in honor of Remembrance Day, but we were lucky to have a sunny, clear day to enjoy.

As I mentioned earlier, we watched a film on the Tower of London. I will always find out more about each site after we return home, but having somewhat of a background on the both fascinating and terrible history of the Tower was helpful. First of all, the gates actually enclose a small community of guards and their families. Their cars and homes could be seen when overlooking the walls at certain points. Secondly, approaching such a large structure that has withstood not only the trials and tribulations of battle, but also centuries of sightseeing makes you grateful to have such an extraordinary place so well preserved. Lastly, in the film they mentioned the final execution to take place on that location occurred during World War II. The chair from this execution was on display in the White Tower. Something like a chair generally may not have captured my attention, but now I not only noticed it, but got serious chills knowing the significance it held.

There is one major advantage to traveling in the late fall, the crowds are still present yet substantially smaller than times we would normally be able to schedule vacations. The Crown Jewels exhibit was awe inspiring The jewels themselves were surreal, but the display itself was well put together with a history of royalty past and a video of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation back in 1953.

Next to the Tower of London was Tower Bridge. The mechanics of the bridge are still fully operational and it can be raised, and is regularly raised, to let ships pass through. Recently, a glass walkway was installed over the top of the bridge, a tourist attraction similar to the Sears Tower glass box back in Chicago. I don't do glass structures above extreme heights and was satisfied with walking across the bridge and taking in the spectacular elements of the iconic bridge.

In Butler's Wharf, just on the other side of the Thames River, we grabbed a late lunch. Tom needed to get his fish and chip fix (when in London!) and I was in need of a drink after such a busy morning! I opted for some sort of healthier fish meal and had a British Royale cocktail In it was apple juice, champagne, liquor, and a berry syrup. I don't particularly care for apple juice, but it was amazing.

Tower Bridge at night

Walking along the Thames, we made our way to St. Paul's Cathedral. We just missed getting inside by mere minutes, but we walked around the grounds and took in the grand silhouette against the night sky.

Thanksgiving, London Style

After spending our Thanksgiving day touring Hampton Court Palace, we met up with family and took the train to downtown London. We arrived at Waterloo station and took a scenic walk along the river to dinner. This allowed me my first true glimpse of marvelous icons, old and new.

London Eye

We were meeting eight other family members at the American style restaurant, Joe Allen, for Thanksgiving dinner. Obviously, other countries do not typically celebrate our wonderful American holiday of feasting on turkey and pumpkin, but this restaurant was an exception.

Clam chowder, steak, and (not pictured) chocolate cake. All devoured while 

sitting next to the American flag.

A three course menu was offered with three options for each course. One option was typical Thanksgiving food (cornbread, turkey, and pumpkin pie were all offered), while the other two were more main stream. I had clam chowder with corn bread, steak, and a flourless chocolate cake. The corn bread was rather dry, but the rest of my meal was amazing. With our main course came sides of brussel sprouts, potatoes, and what I thought were sweet potato fries. They turned out to be parsnips and were delicious. Not unlike a typical Thanksgiving meal, I came away from the table completely stuffed and content.

I give our relatives major props for thinking to take us to a holiday dinner while being so far away from our families back home. While we weren't necessarily homesick, spending the evening at a big dinner with loved ones helped to create a really special memory for both of us. Maybe next year we will bring our London style menu to the Thanksgiving table with some clam chowder, steak, and a bold American flag hanging in the background!

London, Baby!

As anticlimactic as it may sound, my ultimate dream vacation has always been London. Theoretically it lacks the exotic allure of a far off foreign land where you must learn a new language and immerse yourself in an unusual culture. London, however, has been at the tip top of my must see list before we even left for Europe.

Being so far away from home in the holiday season can be difficult, so for the Thanksgiving holiday we managed to find solace in our amazing hosts and tour guides to the city, as Tom has a good deal of family living in London's surrounding neighborhoods. As we were boarding our flight the night before Thanksgiving, Tom asked me what I was most excited about on our visit. My answer, and undeniable first thought, was "They speak English there!". Oh how I miss being able to walk into a store and converse comfortably with anyone inside. 

Obviously, we didn't make the flight simply to enjoy some proper English with an endearing British accent. To prepare we watched a documentary on the Tower of London and I did my research on everything Kate Middleton. We were ready for an adventure filled time. 

Turkey day began with a walk along the Thames to Hampton Court Palace. We began with a walk through the surrounding gardens, the vast amount of separate, perfectly manicured and maintained gardens was overwhelming. 

This castle is primarily associated with Henry VIII and his numerous wives in the 1400's. Centuries after his reign ended, new construction began, creating the back apartments, and William III and Mary II moved in circa 1689. Intricate stone and wood workings are incorporated throughout the inside and outside, many with monograms and family symbols. Above is a W and an M intertwined for William and Mary.

While walking through the gardens, a magnificent view of the palace roof and its numerous chimneys can be seen. Each chimney varies from the next. They were all created by different craftsmen and each one wanted to leave their own unique touch.

Henry VIII's astronomical clock is still preserved in the tower. It not only lists the time, but the month, day, position of the sun, astronomical sign, day of the year, moon phases, age of the moon in days, and hour when the moon crosses the Mediterranean, multi-functional to say the least! The beauty and integrity of each layer is mind boggling, as it was created in the 1500's and only recently restored.

We spent the entire afternoon touring the palace. An audio guide was provided and gave a great deal of information regarding the use and time period of each section and room. The weather was chilly, but we warmed up with steak pies in the cafeteria located on the grounds. 

Kate Middleton's dress was made just beyond these walls.

I genuinely did not know much about Hampton Court Palace until our visit. Since our return, I have watched nearly every YouTube video and documentary I could find on both the palace and each of the inhabitants. The history is fascinating, plus it has all of the makings of a top novel: death, love, divorce, promiscuity, and power struggles. Factual and enticing stuff.

Two Americans in Paris

After braving the cold for our evening boat ride, we returned to the neighborhood where we were staying. We had heard of an Americanized restaurant in the area and were very curious to check it out for ourselves. Now, we don't often get a lot of American food (except for fast food, gross), so at the end of an exhausting and cold day, comfort food was what we needed.

We went to a place called Coffee Parisien where we had American presidents on our place mats. How awesome is that? It made me miss my president place mat I had as a kid! We were off to a great start. The restaurant was very much like a diner back home and I loved it. I ordered coffee, a bowl of chili that was delicious and the size of my face, and we had sundaes for dessert. I went from starving to unbelievably full in a very short period of time.

I want these place mats.

For our final morning in Paris, we joined our host in exploring the vast markets just across the street from us. However, we were departing in mere hours and I had yet to indulge in a true French pastry. We wandered down to the end of the block where we found a bakery brimming with fresh baked treats of all kinds. I don't just mean donuts and that sort, they had decedent pies and intricate desserts, any type you can imagine. We each got some sort of huge, fresh pastry and ate it while wandering the neighborhood like two very giddy children. Not very Parisian, but super delicious and relaxing.

Before leaving, we picked up macaroons for me to try. I got a raspberry, chocolate, and praline. The praline was amazing and easily my favorite. We will be returning to France in two weeks for the Christmas holiday and I look forward to seeing what other luxurious treats I can find!

Paris in the Moonlight

Paris was much more welcoming our second day. While the morning began as overcast, the sun came later on. We took the Metro down to Les Invalides where we walked through gorgeous architecture and Napoleon's Tomb.   

Our entire day was spent walking. We did have Metro passes, but we would walk to one site and agree to maybe just walk one place more. Ultimately, we walked the entire area from Napoleon's Tomb to the Latin Quarter and back to the Eiffel Tower. 

Saint Germain-des-Pres is a well known shopping area which also happened to be a fantastic connecting route to all of the locations we wanted to visit. While the streets were still crowded, it was slightly less touristy than the Champs Elysees. 

To break up our walking, we went into a restaurant with a fantastic sidewalk cafe that not only had heat lamps, but blankets.

Most may associate the French with their fine wines, but Tom has a favorite French beer, Desperado. I played it safe with a pino noir. The "salads" which accompanied our meals weren't much of anything to look at, however my duck and mashed potatoes were delicious. From the restaurant we walked to the Pantheon. 

As you can tell, it was under construction on one side. This area is much more near to a university neighborhood and many people in the area were students relaxing and reading books. 

From the Pantheon we walked through the famous Jardin du Luxembourg. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and many Parisians were out taking advantage of the sun. A fountain located in the middle of the gardens had many people huddled around it as they were racing sail boats decorated with flags from various countries.

Eventually, we made our way back to the Eiffel Tower and to our cafe from the previous afternoon to enjoy a chocolate chaud before our evening boat tour. We walked for literally hours and deserved a bit of rest. I have been told things in Paris are horribly far apart and you shouldn't plan to walk from many tourist sites to another. This certainly may be true if you're older or are traveling with a large group of people, I found it nice to walk all over the city. Besides, you get to see so much more and how landmarks relate to one another.

The Eiffel Tower is obviously an icon of French culture and it can be seen from most every focal point in the city. As long as you know were you should be in relation to the Eiffel Tower you can really use it to navigate many city points. My favorite was when we were approaching the tomb earlier in the day and just over my shoulder and behind me, I was able to see the tower through the trees.

Now, just because the weather was better than the day before by no means meant the day was warm. When the time came for our boat tour along the River Seine, Tom wanted to go "as late as possible". No. I agree, seeing the sites at night is absolutely amazing, especially as they reflect off the water, but once night fell we really didn't need to push our luck by going even later.

I braved it in the exposed portion of the boat for the trip down the river. Once we turned and began to head back however, I went inside! We were fortunate enough to get a boat with an interior portion, not typical of an hour sightseeing cruise. I do have to give credit where it is due and agree that Tom had the better idea of the Seine cruise at night, where I would have gone during the day. Freezing wind and all, the illuminated structures were absolutely worthwhile.

Louis Vuitton for the Evening

Walking distance from where we where staying for the weekend, a new art museum and cultural center had just opened days before. The Louis Vuitton Foundation was designed by Frank Gehry, the same man who designed the snake bridge and outdoor amphitheater in Millennium Park back in Chicago. Loving Chicago as I do, and working across from Millennium Park for the last two years, I was very familiar with his work and knew to expect something futuristic and, to be honest, rather out there in terms of style and structure. 

The iconic LV monogram on the exterior

The lobby housed an information desk and gift shop as well as a restaurant. A number of art galleries, all from works of various artists, were spread throughout the building. Each gallery included a brief biography of the artist and their prominent works. The likes of Sarah Morris and Taryn Smith were included. Some areas were film, many were paintings, and one was even an auditory form of art where one individual at a time was allowed in a contained room to take in the full experience.

Tom studying up on his art. Spoiler alert: they were all lovely blank white squares.

The most intricate of the galleries featured video, scaled structures, and meticulous designs of the building itself. A large screen on the wall projected the exterior progress and construction work through all seasons and temperatures. This provided for an amazing appreciation of the difficulty to create such a building with unique support systems all along the outer concrete walls. 

A suspended design of the Louis Vuitton Foundation

While the structure itself was intended to be the main focal point upon approaching, the lighted water feature was brilliantly lit up against the dark of night.

We ended our evening with a walk through the park to a local Italian restaurant. Copious amounts of wine and pasta allowed us to refuel after our art filled evening. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to not only see a site I never would have known of, but to be able to do so that soon after its initial opening.