Gritty & Glorious - Erster Mai

May Day is one of the premiere events in Berlin. Though I had little idea it even existed in the United States, I now eagerly look forward to this kick-off of summer festivities.

This year we took on another part of the celebration we were similarly ignorant of. Have you heard of Walpurgisnacht? I didn't even know how to say it. This day falls exactly half a year from November 1 and has roots in European pagan rituals. A time of bonfires, witchery, and spookiness - I was in.

Arena Berlin

The traditional place to go in Berlin is Mauerpark and I had full intention of going. Friends had intentions of going to Badeschiff. Only half-reluctantly, I changed plans and headed to one of my favorite places in Berlin. After a recent facelift to the surroundings, the open-air club was looking even more magical than usual.

Apartment #7 in Berlin

We finally found it.  The apartment to show on House Hunters International. The place we might really call a home after move after move. The apartment we could love in Berlin.

The problem?

There was a gap of a week from when we had to be out of the last place, and into the new one. Shit. 

Luckily, we found an affordable short term lease that was even convenient to move between the 2 places - sold!...or leased, rather. Here is the apartment tour #7 of our short term in Neukölln.

Hometown Love

Before I wax too poetic about Berlin (because we've had some pretty unbelievably good weekends of late), it's important to look at our recent trip to the States and our favorite corner - Seattle.

Space Needle

The Real Berlin Bears

I never even knew how to say Berlin properly till I visited Ian's class of adorable pre-schoolers.

"Where do you live?
BEAR-lin!"

April, April, der weiss nicht, was er will...

You know, considering all German months are masculine (der Dezember, der Januar, der Februar...), April sure is a bitch.  It's a common saying here in Germany (and Berlin in particular) that April has no idea what it wants.  One minute the sun is shining and you’re singing praises to the gods, and the next moment you're freezing your balls off.  Such was Ebe's and my experience just this past Saturday...

Hühnerhaus - Kreuzberg

Kreuzberg was the first kiez (neighborhod) we lived in this time around. The apartment was a really lovely, if awkwardly arranged one bedroom with crazy high ceilings and a great view of street life out front. We moved there in November (always practical) and it was one of the snowiest winters Berlin had ever seen. Tromping 5 minutes to the Netto filled your boots with snow and made you really question if you needed that tube of toothpaste today.

Kreuzberg

8 Things We Didn't Know About NYC

Favorite Part of My Job

After weeks of trying to hang on to a work schedule amid travels (NYC, West Side & East Side of WA), family reunions, and meet-up with friends in Seattle, we returned to Berlin and I, for one, was ready to work. Our internet connection, however, had other ideas.

We flew Seattle-NYC Sunday March 18th, the day after St. Patrick's Day. Strategically, we planned an evening flight. This turned out to be unnecessary as a stomach flu made swift work of the Porter family on Thursday and we were still a bit weak on Saturday. We were only able to handle a few tiny American beers for St. Patty - a sad send off of debauchery. No matter. We said good-bye to family, then friends, only to be dropped off at the airport and note a 6 hour delay. Shit.

Escape to New York

What is there to say about New York that hasn't been said before? We LOVED our 4 night detour in the city on our way home to Seattle. They say a picture says a thousand words, so in my typical unable to edit fashion....

We've had a lot of success renting rooms/apartments from AirBnB & did so again in New York. The room we stayed in was in a 3-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. The two guys were great, and the room was just as advertised - private, access to rooftop deck with view of Manhattan, wifi, etc.

Re-acquainted with "Home"

You can always tell when real life is is much too fun because your internet world suffers. Sorry Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, work, and -yes- even you dear blog. Being back home in the USA has proved to be all-consuming. Going on art walks with friends we haven't seen in over a year, playing Taboo with family (guess what my Father-in-Law was trying to get me to say with "cum fish"), eating steaks the size of our head....it's been Americana. We hadn't realized how much we'd missed it.

Trip at Warp Speed