NYE (Almost) Disaster

This year, we found out why they call it a bottle rocket.

Remember the first time you lit a firework? I don't. We've never really bought them and while there are a few notable holidays where we did light up the street (hi Yakma & Santa Barabara 4th of Julys), I have extremely limited experience. And it showed.

This year we bought fireworks. Even though this is our 4th New Years Eve in Berlin, this was our first time hosting a small party and I guess we wanted a piece of the madness. We were excited. In Ian's case, very excited.

How does Youtube work?

Deep thoughts I have while eating pizza on the Ubahn

We have a YouTube channel that we mostly just abuse. We toss "dad videos" up (just like dad's where he would film events for far too long with random narrative and then proudly show the unedited version) whenever we have time. So the quality is....not so hot.

Somehow, one video has rated a favorite among all the others.

Back to Berlin on House Hunters International

When we received an e-mail about being on House Hunters International, we thought it was spam. That's kind of a big deal and how would they have found our little blog among so many wonderful expats? But they did and yes, YES, we did want to be on it. And so we were.

Our Berlin Apartment Priorities 

• Price - I am tough about our budget. When we first moved to Berlin in 2007, we generally found studio sublets (aka 1 room in Berlin) for around 400 euro warm (meaning total costs including electricity/water & in our case, internet and TV). We had now upped the budget to below 600 warm.
  
• Neighborhood - We prefer Friedrichshain and the former east, but fierce competition had us searching further afield. In addition, Ian works at a kita in Pankow so somewhere close to the school was a plus.
• Transportation - Berlin is big so a U-Bahn or S-Bahn station close to the house was mandatory.
• Length of sublet - We're straight up tired of moving so the longer the better.
• Internet & Amenities - We aren't fancy, but we need that internet.
• Light & Airy - We like places that are light & bright and we don't have to look into our neighbors window. Balconies are my drug of choice.
• Accepts pets - At this point we are packing a bunny and a cat. I'd be happy to turn our home into an animal farm. Ian is resisting.
  

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.

"Germans sure know how to Blow Shit Up"

My dad recently joined Facebook (which is all kinds of funny) and the title of this post is the comment he left on this video of Berlin's New Years. Well played Daddio.

It's true, Berlin's Silvester celebration is not only like nothing I've ever seen before, but like nothing I've ever even seen in my dreams. It's madness. It's excitement incarnate. It's magic. I've written about it 1, 2, 3 times before, but this year was the best of them all.

This year we hurried back from Paris on December 31st to enjoy our 3rd New Years in Berlin, this time with our Berlin friends that actually stayed in town. We ended up on a rooftop for midnight and I can say - without hesitation - this was the best New Years celebration I have ever enjoyed.

Egads - We're Moving Again

I've always liked moving. I guess that makes me a bit of an anomaly. But I like getting rid of all the old things, re-organizing, and making a new Home.

What I do not like, what I am completely and totally over, is looking for a new place. When we moved to Berlin in 2007, we stayed in a total of 2 sublets. It was a relatively inexpensive and pain free experience, so when we returned to Berlin in 2009 it made sense for us to look for sublets again. We have now lived in 6 apartments, been ripped off, and been rejected in our application for our own apartment because we are foreigners. We're tired, so very tired, of this whole apartment debacle. I loathe thinking about how much time, energy, stress, and money we have spent on it.

Silvester in Berlin

Today we are flying back to Berlin from Paris - our glamorous Christmas gift to each other (glamorous in name only - we flew for less than 200 euro, stayed in a tiny studio, and subsisted on croissant). Glorious nonetheless.

It may seem odd that we flew in after Christmas and are retuning before New Years, but we just couldn't tear ourselves away from Berlin. Christmas in Germany is magic. When we went to London in December 2007 we expected their Christmas markets to be English. Nope - just crummy imitation German.

Instead, we prefer to spend Christmas in Germany. Midnight mass in the Berliner Dom, friends, & Weihnachtsmarkt held us hostage.  We've heard that neighboring European countries offer trips for people to visit Germany & the markets. Everyone should be lucky enough to experience the markets once.

Belgium Beer Run

Once again, I am off planning other trips instead of finishing the one I just got back from. Let's pick up from our impromptu road trip on our Belgium Beer Run.  

Pics of our trip down to Cologne

What Moving 6 times in a Year has Taught Me

Yes - we have really moved 6 times within Berlin this year (8 if you count our 2 temporary stays on friend's couches - one planned, one not) . Why? I think the prominent point is that we're crazy.

Perfect Summer Day...in September

As summer draws to a close, I feel like

"Wait! But I didn't have all the summer fun I wanted to! The outdoor movies, swimming at badeschiff, and bike riding are still on the to do list!"

The seasons don't seem to care, but we are fighting back. Having just moved to Neukoelln (post about our near constant moving coming soon), and both of us finally having bikes, it seemed the time was right for an epic bike ride. Mind you, it's been since we were last in Berlin that I rode a bike (approx. 3 yrs ago).

Nervously, I saddled up and we were immediately off on a blissful ride down a trail and out into the openness of Templehof. Recently an airport, it has been shut down and is now a truly enormous park. We had walked through a tiny portion of it with Ian's dad & took some pics, but the park is made for cruising around by bike. It felt amazing to be riding on tarmac that once sent planes into the air and watch the Fernsehturm change in appearance in the distance.

Video Trip: Copenhagen

Along with the missing photos, we have just recently discovered some missing videos! (More like Ian take the video & promptly forgets about it.) Nevertheless, here are a few videos of our travels.

Copenhagen

Tivoli Gardens
Lovely, small, and expensive

(Post where we Rate the Danes & describe our adventures)

Italy

Venice



























Best pics & ratings of Venice

Bologna

Ratings for Bologna

Cinque Terre

More pics of Cinque Terre

A Gay Affair: Berlin's CSD

With New York finally legalizing Gay marriage & Berlin's Christopher Day Parade this Fri/Sat- we were feeling like happy rainbows. We missed our Seattlites & Seattle's always wonderful Pride Parade, but we were pretty sure Berlin could bring it. And it could. With leather chaps.

Wer hat die Wahl, hat die Qual

Statue at Schiller Park

 Apartment troubles continued to plague us as we searched for a place for June. We found the third apartment that we totally fell in love with, arrived first, and were told she was going to wait to make her decision until after the other applicants had seen it. WTF. She ended up choosing a single person v. a couple. Sigh...nothing we can do about that.

Then we found a place in Friedrichshain. Though at the top of our price range, it offered an absolutely amazing location among bars, & restaurants and fit all of our ideal criteria. "We'll take it!" However, as a good west German he wanted to get the sublet approved from his landlord. We have undoubtedly rented some places illegally, as I bet a few of the renters haven't informed their landlord of our deal. Though this is theoretically risky as your rental agreement is null without approval, it is the norm of many sublets. We were eager to have everything on the up & up and submitted the necessary documents. Unprovoked uneasiness prevailed in our joint mood. We had everything we needed, but lady luck has not been kind to us lately.

She proved unkind once again. We were rejected, with an unexplained "Nicht erwuenscht." In vain, the sublettor tried to contact the agency. Fear was now allowed to run rampant as we had to move the next week and once again, possibly had no place to go.

Taking the tact of the proactive, I started contacting places once again. I set-up 2 appointments as we waited for the Freidrichain sublettor to make up his mind. To sublet illegal, or not.

Luckily, the first place was gorgeous. In a Northwesterly neighborhood (Wedding) we haven't had much interest in, the apartment more than satisfied our every wish. Lovely wood floors, tons of room, full balcony, wifi, TV, washer, dishwasher, AND- cats allowed. Plus there was a bit of kinship as she thought she had the place rented out, and just the day before her subleasor had pulled out. Reluctantly we told her we would let her know & made our way to the next appointment. Checking our e-mail, no word from Freidrichshain.

The next place as in Neukoelln, the neighborhood we had been ripped off in and a bit of an English language enclave.  We were wary, but desperate. we headed to the hinterhof and found a very strange apartment. The place was mostly hallway with an awkwardly shaped kitchen, tiny bedroom with single bed, and cluttered & small main room. We made small talk and were in agreement as we left- no thanks. It's a bizarre thing in Berlin that apartments in the same price range can come in such a vast range of qualities.

"Wer hat die Wahl, hat die Qual", Ian told me. "Who has the choice has the misery."

Well said Germs. To go with the maybe in Friedrichshain, or the sure thing, a perfect place in not our favorite hood. When we thought about it and the decision turned out to be easy. We went to live in Wedding.

We called Marie in Wedding & we happily became her sublettors. Whew! Less than an hour later Rolland in Friedrichshain called. He was ready to do the sublet. Arrrrggggggg- why couldn't you have decided that the night before. We let him know we couldn't wait and had taken the other apartment and there seemed to be no hard feelings, I am sure he found someone. But oh the agony! Sometimes, it really is too much.

Enough apartment drama! We're ready to enjoy Berlin in the Summer.

Balcony! It has been so hot we have been living on this thing

Living Room- shot from the dining area

Living Room

Lady subletting is a make-up artist. She's got crazy stuff

Bedroom

Lightening & thunder storm. A beautiful show


Want more pics and stories of apartments in Berlin? Click the apartment label for full gory details of our many, many moves and read What Moving 6 times in a Year has Taught Me.

Weissensee- A Nice Place to Stay

Ian guides us through Apartment #4. Our little savior, the tiniest bathroom haver, our month long haven after the rip-off, our place in Weissensee. 




Want more pics and stories of apartments in Berlin? Click the apartment label for full gory details of our many, many moves and read What Moving 6 times in a Year has Taught Me.

May ends with a bang! Literally

I hate questions about the weather. I'm not much for small talk in general and bland questions about how is the weather feel like they are inauthentic. How about the infinitely more interesting and to the point:

What have you been up to? 

That will indicate the weather, will it not? If we we have been out sunning ourselves at a lake (and stabbing ourselves in the foot) you learn something much more interesting and can infer the weather's been glorious (yea Berlin! sorry NW Washington).

I appreciate Germans take on conversation. There is no word for "small talk". (Going Kraut has an excellent post on this). The book, a Xenophobe's Guide to Germany has an excellent section on this. 

"Germans prefer their informal exchanges of opinion to concentrate on...the enormous strain they are under, the terrible pressure of work, their appaling hardships, the manifold symptoms of their stressed condition, doomsday and other uplifting topics."

I do realize these questions mostly come from Ian's grandparents, and in writing this I am thinking more about their background and realizing they were farmers. In today's world, you can comfortably swim (inside) when it's cold and go running (at the gym) when it's raining. Funny to think about a time when the weather affected the average's person life much greater. Touché Porter grandparents. Well played.

One thing I do love about the weather here- THUNDERSTORMS! This is our last day in our temporary place (video of the apartment tour coming right up) and we have enjoyed a few of such storms through the giant windows overlooking the garden. Here is the latest inter-laid with church bells. It's a beautiful symphony no?

Mystery in the Berlin Bathroom

We are lucky to have this temporary apartment to call home in Weisensee. We have really grown to enjoy the area and the place is crazy funky. There is a boar's head that the guys grandfather shot. Awesome.

The bathroom's potential is maximized, but it is literally a closet that was re-done into a bathroom. Tight! And what we were really curious about- What's behind the shower?



Want more pics and stories of apartments in Berlin? Click the apartment label for full gory details of our many, many moves and read What Moving 6 times in a Year has Taught Me.

Use Your Hands! Eating in Berlin

 Dolores - Mission style Burritos in Berlin

We had a real "America-Fuck Yeah" eating kind of weekend. To keep up our energy while apartment searching we checked out the much hyped Dolores. Berlin has got the goods on food and cheap bites are the city's specialty, but good Mexican food is scarce. When we arrived in Berlin in 2007 restaurants billed as Mexican were more often Spanish - or not even close. Today's growing taquerias are getting closer, but pickles in the salsa, poorly treated tortillas, and an absolutely pathetic spice level still has us missing the Mexican food of home.

We were excited to try this place, based on San Francisco Mission style Mexican. We were surprised to enter and find a cooler Chipotle-style restaurant. Ian ordered a burrito with beef, awesome cream (Ian's re-named sour cream FYI), and an unusual spicy peanut sauce. I went for a burrito bowl, which most resembled nachos with house-made corn chips, corn salsa, and mole tofu. Innovation & flavor! Not authentic to Mexico, but some seriously tasty food for under 5 euro. Dolores, we are in your debt.

The Bird - American Burger Joint in Berlin 

On Saturday we ended up at another joint billed as Americana. The Bird has a bit of a kick-ass attitude and tells it's diners how to eat. In all fairness, Berliners, and Germans in general, appear to have a serious deficiency when it comes to dining. They won't use their freakin' hands! The Bird addresses this:

"Note: Burger eating does not require a fork and knife
It ruins the burger, violates several laws of nature and drives the cook nearly to the point of running amok with a hot spatula. We don't provide big rolls of paper towel for nothing. Please pick it up and get it into you, it's just better that way."

We have twice seen a German take apart a burger in this cruel & bizarre manner, taking a bite of pure bun. What are you doing!? French fries are provided with tiny forks, we've watched burritos be dismantled this way, and the sausage vendors appear to be the only ones selling food that escapes this terrible fate. I like a fork & knife. I am embarrassed to say I am a little finicky on picking wings etc. apart with my hands. But the atrocity of eating a burger with knife & fork will not stand, man!

The burgers at the bird were tasty, but unfortunately a bit too expensive & served on a roll that more resembled an english muffin. Good for right then, but doubt we'll be back. Keep up the good fight on table manners guys.

My evolving feelings on this place can be found on Yelp

German Bill Etiquette 

We have thoroughly been schooled on one thing we are still trying to feel comfortable with. In Germany, you have to ask for the check when you are ready to pay. None of this rush-you-out-the-door, waiters gotta make that money, table turnover, attitude. Feeling guilty about asking, we think it is nice to say "When you have a minute, can we get the check?" Our German friend explained this is actually kinda rude. Sounds like we are being sarcastic, like "If you can stop being lazy and bring us our check that'd be grrrrrreeeat." Touche. German manners.

For some real burgers that bite, check out this crazy animated short. BEWARE: it's bloody & beautiful.

Hambuster from Hambuster Team on Vimeo.

 

Eurovision- A Love/Hate Relationship

When we first came to Berlin, we were up for anything and when a friend suggested staying in to watch a singing competition we happily agreed. And what a show.  This was

Eurovision

Never heard of it before? Either had we. This song competition between European nations (although I am confused how Israel is grouped in there) is a crazy mess. Some performances are good. Some performances are fun. Most performances are crazy tacky and terrible. Sequins! Lights! Dancing! Madness!

Unfortunately, in the past few years everyone started singing in English. Luckily, that does mean you can hear some hilarious pronunciation and understand some bizarre lyrical choices.

Example A: Maldova

This guy's were actually our favorite. The Princess on the unicycle? The hats? The monocle!?

Example B: Russia

This was the winning performance on our first watch in 2008. We were transfixed by the Russian Olympic skater and his itty bitty slice of ice. 

Song quality doesn't seem to matter because when it comes to voting, the countries vote for their friends. Each country gets several votes so,
Austria votes for Germany and Switzerland and vice versa,
Spain votes for Portugal and Italy and vice versa,
etc.

Proof in point - someone totally random won.

AZERBAIJAN - seriously? This led to a flurry of Tweets: "Where's is Azerbaijan?"

Somehow I almost forgot another favorite: Ireland's totally unhinged Jedward.

Watching this European throw-down has become a beloved tradition. Go Germany!

 

Update: 2014 Competition

The finale is taking place on May 10th and I can't wait to catch the madness. For details,

What is Eurovision?

Surprise Video (Only Partially Well Recieved)

Last time we were in London, this happened: Dec 5th, Day that will live in Infamy. Spur of the moment, we made a video in Piccadilly Circus with a surprise announcement. Unfortunately I am having trouble tracking it down, but it was just a sly hand wave with a ring that got some of the parents in a tizzy, and caught my dad blissfully unaware until my mum informed him we had just announced our engagement. 

As we wandered the square once again, we looked at each other & just couldn't resist freaking out the parents again:



We know- not very nice. My parents thought it was funny... once they got over their heart attack that it was, indeed, a joke.

To add to our current video extravaganza, how about a re-post of the video our good friend Phil helped us make for the wedding.

The English Horse Races!

I can't begin to tell you how excited I was for my first British horse race. This was to be a highlight of our visit to London. 

For the uninitiated, my family is horse mad with most of my youth spent riding horses and many happy family outings to the track.  I was happy to take this obsession England side on our latest adventure and was ready to loo fancy while still going a but berserk.

"C'mon! Go number 6! 

RUN Devil's Horn! 

Get after him Johnson!"

I was particularly excited as the English really do it up. As generally sloppy Americans, the races are attended in the ubiquitous jeans & a t-shirt with plastic cups of budweiser beers being marked up to to $7.  

Not so for the Engs. Locally brewed cider, pims (which we still missed trying-next time), ales, and bitters are on hand for the same price you'd find in a pub. And the hats! For everyone who saw The Wedding (you know what I am talking about- don't act like you didn't watch the royals get it on), you are now well aware they are into hats. Feather hats, bowler hats, big hats, teensy hats were on display. I actually quite liked them and think I will be looking for one of my own. 

The most important difference, however, is the racing. In the US race tracks are common, but jump racing is not. Our horses run almost exclusively on dirt and flat on the ground. The races we were going to see were Jump races. 

Important Differences between flat & National Hunt (NH):

• Weights: Flat jockeys in the UK are expected to ride at weights between 7st 5lbs (103lbs) and 10st (140lbs). NH jockeys on the other hand carry weights between 9st 7lbs (133lbs) and 12½ stone (175lbs). Many people think that a jockeys height is important; it is not possible to be too tall for racing, but ability to do weight is a must.
• Distances: Flat racing occurs between distances of five furlongs and two and a half miles. Jump racing occurs over distances of two miles to four and a half miles.
• Start: Flat racers begin races from a starting stall, which is much like humans starting running events from blocks. They ensure an accurate, fast start (whether or not runners or riders wish to take them up on that is another matter!) However, jump races begin with a flip start, involving a tape spreading across the track, and being dropped: a level start is not quite as important in jump racing due to the longer distance of the race.
• Falls: Falls happen more in NH racing (for obvious reasons!). Jump jockeys generally have shorter careers than their flat racing colleagues due to the higher chances of falls - jump jockeys are reported to fall, on average, once in every 12 rides.
• Titles: Jockeys who are new to either types of racing are allowed to take a bit of weight off their horses back - this makes up for their lack of experience and will hopefully encourage trainers to use the services of a newcomer on some of their horses. The majority of riders are able to claim 7lbs at the beginning of their careers, although in some circumstances, riders can take upto 9 or 10lbs off their horses back. Once a rider has achieved 15 winners, he drops to claiming 5lbs, i.e. with greater experience, the jockey can no longer ride with such a useful weight allowance. Many claimers drop from 7lbs, to 5lbs, and then to 3lbs: once they reach a total of 90 winners, they lose any claim they had. Jockeys who are open to these weight allowance in flat racing are called apprentices, in jump racing, these people are called conditionals. Many people term them as (7lb/5lb/3lb) claimers.
• Season Length: The flat racing season begins in March and ends in November. Here after, flat jockeys either ride abroad, or stay to compete on the All Weather racing circuit. Jumps racing has no such 'holiday' - NH racing occurs throughout the year, although summer jumps racing does not generally run at the high level of the winter months.
• Money: Riding fees in jump racing are greater than in flat racing. NH jockeys earn approximately £115, while their flat colleagues earn about £85

I could barely contain myself as we took the train out there and actually walked across the course to reach the grandstands from the train station.

Parade Arena on a gorgeous day

Walking on the course to get to the stands.

Sir Ian

First Pass

Final Jump

Plus:

• Cambridge: Quaint as F@#%
• Cardiff Love
• London: Day 1
• London: Day 2
• London: Day 3
• All UK posts 
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