Oofta Doofta Midwest Christmas

I was surprised when I logged in to write this blog and saw that my last post was 2 months ago for the London trip! Not to say that the past few months have been lacking in bloggable material, but I just haven't sat myself down to write anything! Notable mentions before getting into the bulk of this would be the Halloween party at Tom and Rich's place, where Bruce and I dressed up as Cecil the Lion and the Dentist (too soon?). And Thanksgiving, which Bruce and I hosted at our apartment for 25 (!!) people! That evening we spent time catching up with old friends and making new ones all while eating a ridiculous amount of food (plus a spoonful more). We were surprised not only that everyone fit in our place, but that we had enough to feed everyone (and we definitely did). A hugely successful holiday spent I think! As for the next biggest holiday...yep, my birthday, good guess, I spent it in Minneapolis/Wisconsin with Bruce and his family.

December 11th we flew out to Chicago where Bruce's sister, Yun, her two daughters, Ellie and Emma, and his mother picked us up and drove us back to her place in Wisconsin where we would call home-base for the next two weeks. Stepping out of the airport, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't need my coat, hat, gloves, and heat warming long-underwear, for in-fact it was a super warm winter there with a balmy 50 degrees. The house is in a new neighborhood and fit us cosily! I knew I was going to enjoy the trip even more with Bruce's mum cooking up delicious Korean dishes. 

After a few days of getting over the time-difference and catching up with family, Bruce and I headed off on our side trip to Minnesota where we began with a stop at the Mall of America. Now..for my fellow East-Coasters who thought King of Prussia was big, the Mall of America is #1 on the Largest Malls in the US list (KOP is #2). The main, and most obvious difference between these two shopping behemoths is the entire theme park located in the center of the MOA, complete with a rollercoaster and other rides the one usually expects to encounter outdoors. Yes, of course we rode one. Bruce got me to go in the Log Flume ride, which was just as far of a drop as I remember when I didn't enjoy the ride when I was younger. But hey, now I can say I did it. 






Moving on! From the mall we drove to Faribault, MN where his aunt, uncle, and cousins live. They welcomed us into their home for the night before we headed up into the twin cities for the weekend.

On the way we dropped by Mankato to get a personal tour of Bruce's Alma Mater, Minnesota State University. A tad bigger than Hood, MSU enrolls about 15,000 students. My favorite part was the fact that nearly the whole campus is connected by underground tunnels so that students don't have to walk outside to get to most places. (I don't ever really want to live in a place that gets SO cold that people build tunnels underground...)

After talking with some of his old mentors there and getting a feel of campus, we got back in the car and made our way into downtown Minneapolis to find the hotel and meet up with some of his friends out on the town. One great thing about big cities (not in Germany...) is UBER! Honestly, for those of you who are used to having it, you should consider yourself very lucky. It is so easy, and makes getting around the city stress free and cheaper! (ok, Uber plug is over). 

That night we had a ton of sushi with Brandon (BJ, who appears in the New Years post from last year!) and John, then met up with Jason later on for some drinks. The cold weather definitely came in that night and maybe we were trying to warm up internally with drinks because we had a bit too much...leading to a bit of a rough morning the next day. Luckily, the downtown area of Minneapolis is connected by the "Skyway" which is above ground walkway that bridges between buildings and is like a mini-city within the city. Shops, restaurants, and businesses line the pathway as you stay warm and enjoy the city at the same time. Again...not sure I could handle a city that gets that intensely cold that they build a whole indoor walkway...

That day I received some beautiful surprise flowers from mum and dad! THANK YOUUU! xo

That night Bruce took me out to St. Paul for my birthday dinner. Not just any time you turn 26 right? He booked at a place called W. A. Frost and Company. Arriving a bit early, we sat down in the lounge area for a few cocktails. If anyone travels out to the Twin Cities, this place is a really cozy place to go, especially around the holidays when it is all decorated! The food was great and the service was super! The plan after dinner was to check out Rice Park and see the lights, but that was soon changed as we stepped outside and found that 6 degrees might be a bit cold for someone wearing tights (not Bruce...). We opted for a night in, enjoying the peace and quiet. 

Saturday morning after a workout and breakfast, we hopped in an uber to explore Northeast Minneapolis across the river. Doing some research that morning I found a local farmers market above the Indeed Brewery (perfect activities for both Bruce and I to take part in!). The market turned out to be a great little exhibition of booths set up around a huge room where people from the area were selling their wares, whether that be drinks, food, clothing, and/or other trinkets! We went around sampling delicious chilies, baked goods, and even kimchi (not as good as mama Voelker's). It was here that I tried my first Switchel which is a natural energy drink made of water, vinegar, ginger, and honey. The taste is surprisingly not too vinegar-y, and is quite refreshing! I sipped on that while Bruce tried some beer down at the brewery. Something I noticed very quickly about Minneapolis is the high number of local breweries. Seems like a fun place if you're a beer connoisseur. 

 

From there we walked (a very long and cold walk) to the next area where we stopped in a small bookshop, of course, and another brewery, of course, called Dangerous Man. 

To be said with a Minnesotan accent

 

For dinner we met with BJ again and Bruce's friend from highschool Damien, at the Korean-fusion restaurant The Rabbit Hole. 

After some bibimbap we uber-d home to get ready for a live music show at The Fine Line. We didn't know any of the musicians playing but we listened to a few of the songs on the website before booking and decided it would a fun night! The venue is a little bit like The Queen in Wilmington (for my Delaware friends and Family). The opening act was Sammy Brown, a young artist, who had a good voice, but it sounded EXACTLY like another artist and Bruce and I spend the rest of the evening trying to figure out who it was...if anyone checks out her music, and knows who we are thinking of, pleassseee let us know!

The next act was Dan Rodriguez who we both really enjoyed (more than the main act actually...). Not only was he incredibly talented but he had great stage presence too! Check his stuff out too! One of my favorites was "All I Want for Christmas is Whiskey"  .

The next artists were Chris Koza and Matt Hires, who were both good, but Bruce and I definitely liked Dan's performance the best. After listening to a few of the main act's songs, we snuck out and walked back home to get ready to head back to Wisconsin the next morning (my birthday!). To celebrate once we got back we went and watched little Ellie in her ballet recital, which at 5 years old, consisted of 2 minute songs of kids either following the teacher's movements, or disregarding them completely out of intense stage-fright or simply being distracted by shiny things. Ellie did a fabulous job and was one of the few in the foremost of those categories! 

That night Bruce's mum cooked an incredible birthday dinner of past with shrimp and spinach, and a mouthwatering chocolate cake. At 26, I think I need to stop putting in a candle for each year! It gets a bit dangerous. It was a fabulous way to spend my birthday and wouldn't ask for anything more!

Tuesday, Bruce, Bob (his brother in law), and I drove down to Chicago to pick up Bruce's Grandma who flew in to visit from Pheonix. Before scooping her up from the airport we stopped by a shopping area to find some coffee but instead we found a game center, not unlike Dave and Busters. Bruce and Bob's eyes couldn't be any wider, so we spend an hour and change playing around and enjoying being kids again. From there we stopped by "The best place to get Chicago pizza" according to Bob, "Lou Malnati's", which Bruce so fondly named "Illiminati's" and proceeded to find triangles everywhere. The pizza was delicious, but was definitely a ton of food! We picked up Grandma G and drove back to the house.

Wednesday was cookie day! Yun and I dipped pretzels and ritz cracker peanut butter sandwiches in melted chocolate then decorated them (quickly, so the boys didn't have time to eat them all, though they tried). Yun also made some delicious shortbread cookies to decorate! These had trouble staying on the counter and out of people's mouths too...

The next day, Christmas Eve, we decided to have our Christmas day because Bruce and I were leaving and Bob had to work early. We told the girls that Santa knew about our plan and would come early too. Yun set up the living room for the girls to find the next day. Sleeping in the basement, I woke to some running feet and squeals, notifying me that they had found and liked what was there for them! Everyone groggily sitting around the tree clutching coffee, we watched Ellie and Emma open their gifts, and opened our own as well! It was the year of bathrobes and socks in the Danforth house that year, everyone would be cozy and warm that's for sure!

Bruce's mum was at it again the the kitchen making a delicious christmas dinner for us all! We started with a cream cheese, spinach, and water chestnut dip, some crab rangoon (which she taught me how to make!), roasted veggies, and some ribs (for the meat eaters...aka everyone else). To finish we had mini cheesecake and the assortment of cookies from the week.

We ended the night watching Martian, which despite being over 3 hours long, was completely worth it! The fact that I stayed up for it should tell you just how great it was. I bought the book before the trip, so now I definitely want to read it! 

Yun was kind enough to drive us back to Chicago airport the next day to catch our afternoon flight back to Germany. The trip flew by, even writing this makes it seem even shorter! I had such an incredible time getting to know his family more, as he has had plenty (maybe too much) of time with mine this past year for better or for worse! I can't wait to see them all again soon <3 

For now, it is getting late here, the jet lag is still definitely in full effect here. But it also could be me being SUPER DUPER CRAZY EXCITED to see Kaitie in like...9 hours!! She's currently en route and I cant waiiittttttttttt to start our reunion week. Keep your eyes peeled for a post about New Years 2016 in PRAGUE!

Until then xoxo

German of the post: 


"Minnesota nett zu Ihrem Gesicht , aber , sobald Sie sich umdrehen wir sagen, etwas wirklich bedeuten."
Minnesota nice to your face, but as soon as you turn around we say something really mean.

Wut?? Whale Oil Beef Hooked.

Told you that you'd be hearing from me soon! Time to catch you all up on the most recent European adventure to jolly old London, England. The perks of living in Europe, flights to other European cities tend to be very reasonable. While the airports and airlines are not the most convenient nor luxurious, we saved on airfare, so...its fine...

Friday

Leaving mid-morning, Bruce and I drove down to Baden-Baden Airport to catch our Ryanair flight into Stansted. All went according to plan, including running through the arrivals terminal, just squeezing into the airport tram before the doors closed, and catching a bus into Shoreditch an hour before we scheduled ours! Seemed that luck was on our side for that arrival situation (as for the departure...well...I'll get to that later). 

Last time we traveled to England, we stayed with Grandma and Chris in Chelmsford, which was lovely! But we were definitely looking forward to having more city exploring time, as well as spending time with our friends Tom and Chris. 

Bruce found an Airbnb apartment in Shoreditch, a 5-10 minute walk from the main shopping area. Once we dropped off our things we decided to head out and find a place to eat before seeing Book of Mormon near Picadilly! I have heard endless positive reviews for this production and couldn't contain my excitement for finally getting to see it! Also, Alex was able to find a ticket to join us as well, which was super. The show is hilarious for those of you who haven't had the chance to check it out. Written by the brains behind South Park, the musical covers some major, and often times difficult topics in the news today using humor, blatant (usually offensive) jokes, and incredible talented singers. Tom made a good point, that you are entertained, but also you come out of it thinking about your views on these controversial situations. For the rest of the trip we would often break out into the chorus of "MAN UP!" or "but especially me!"

After the show, we took the tube together back to Shoreditch to grab a few drinks before calling the evening. First, we stopped in a food-booth area set up under an old gas station roof, which offered international foods from tacos to sushi and everything in between. From there we stepped into Hoxton Square to catch up with Alex and plan for the next day. 

Saturday

Waking up, we headed to a breakfast spot nearby our Airbnb called "Friends of Ours". We enjoyed Aeropress coffee, homemade baked goods, delicious smoothies and mouth watering breakfast dishes. I took some food-port photos on this trip, but I don't want to overload you!

From breakfast, the boys had an appointment at Murdock, a popular chain Barbershop in London where they give a proper shave. Bruce, Tom, and Chris got the full treatment with warm towel face-wraps, lathered up with shaving cream and a close shave with the single-blade razor. What shave would be complete without a glass of Whiskey (doesn't matter that the appointment was at 10 right?)

I left the gentlemen to do their thing while I walked Alex to Liverpool Station to meet up with the rest of her group before preparing for their show at the Aloft Hotel. On my walk back I passed so many beautiful or unusual (sometimes both) pieces of street art. Unlike simple graffiti with more graphic or lewd phrases/pictures, the graffiti artists here augment the streets and atmosphere of the city. Whether the artwork was created to spread a message or simply to provide aesthetics, it turned my head throughout this trip!

After picking up the freshly shaved men, we went to a restaurant nearby called Dishoom, which was highly recommended by absolutely everyone we talked to. Featuring Indian dishes with some fancy twists here and there, our meal was incredible. We ordered family style and happily dined, talked, and gushed over the flavorful food.

Rolling out of the restaurant, we began our exploration of Shoreditch. To start we wandered over to the BoxPark (ie. Hipster Playground, named by Bruce), where shops are set up in small, narrow..well..boxes. Not really on a mission, our exploration brought us then through a vintage-shop area near Baker Street where we found some pretty outrageous clothing items.

 

It was here that we stumbled upon a large, metal, windowless phone booth with "Disco Party" stickers all over it. Intrigued, we entered the 2 Euros, chose our song, and squeezed in (definitely past the recommended capacity) to dance to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye (Bruce's unusual choice for a disco party, but at that point, we were squished in a silver box, so really any sort of disco-dancing-movement was pretty much out of the question.

Once inside you could choose to turn on the smoke machine, strobe lights, disco lights, and take pictures! As our song neared its end, we decided to make a bit of a scene getting out by looking overly-disheveled. My scarf ended up with someone else, Tom's shoe came off, and I think there were some extra buttons undone along the way. The faces of the people waiting outside changed rapidly from happy curiosity to confused and slightly worried rather quickly. 

 

We then dropped off at home to get all dolled up before Alex's show. This is when we found the wonders of Uber. I was able to use Uber with Beth in DC, and it was extremely convenient, affordable, and simple (I sound like a commercial huh?), but I didn't use the App on my own. We swindled the system a bit and got a free ride to the Aloft hotel in the Docklands area. Not only did this gig give me the opportunity to see Alex once more but I also was able to see the Chelmsford crew, Grandma, Chris, and George! After attacking each other with hugs and catching up, we settled in to listen to Alex, Caitlin, and Taylor performing their hearts out as SoulFlare. (They have shows in Brussels, Stuttgart, and Munich if anyone is around those places and want to hear some excellent artists!)

 

I was ALSO able to meet up with a fabulous friend from Korea, Lysianne!!!! who now lives in London and brought her friend to the gig as well. It was so surreal to see her again, as the last time we met we were crazy workout buddies in Korean university gyms. She looks gorgeous and we caught up, feeling like no time had passed. We said our goodbyes to Alex, Grandma, Chris, and George and made our way back to Shoreditch. Lysianne has some crazy connections pretty much everywhere so she got us into a club near our Airbnb called Village Underground which is located in a giant, old, brick warehouse. While the music opted on the side of the same-beat-over-and-over which I find a tad difficult to dance to, we spent some more time together before walking back and falling into bed.

Sunday

This day, Bruce and Tom had some secret surprise for us. No hints given. Chris and I were blissfully unaware of the amazingness that lay ahead of us as we got yet another amazing breakfast in the city. This time it was a coffee brewery and restaurant called Ozone Coffee. (Are you writing all these places down?)

From Ozone we took the train up to Camden Town which, according to Amanda Ball the last time we were in London, is the COOLEST PLACE EVER! It lived up to this review and more! I wish we had more time to walk around. The buildings along the main street on thew way to Camden Lock reminded me a bit of South Street in Philly with the statues and crazy building decor, as well as the unusual merchandise spilling onto the sidewalk. Camden Lock is a whole other adventure in itself! We walked through and found whole sections filled with hand-made trinkets, clothing, jewelry, and most importantly...food... (I'm telling you, it's time for a serious diet after this trip). Chris and I picked up a delicious falafel wrap as they all sat down with a beer. 

 

Uber-ing (now a verb) to the stop where we would pick up the bus to the surprise, Chris and I were getting more and more excited! Suddenly we looked and our bus pulled up in front of us COVERED with Harry Potter pictures, scenery, and characters. We would be going to the Harry Potter tour at the Warner Brothers Studio (cue dying of excitement)!! Hopping on the bus to find Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone playing on the TV, we talked about everything we might see throughout the tour.

The Studio was used to film the Harry Potter series for over 10 years. It is now a permanent exhibit of sets, scenery, props, costumes, and so much more. I don't want to ruin any surprises for those of you who will go (and ALL of you should!), so I won't say too much. It is a completely self guided tour, so if you're one of those people that wants to read absolutely every sign, tag, and touch-display option, than you can totally feel free to do so. My favorite part was just seeing the extreme detail put into the sets. That guy whose job it is to put dusty pinecones into baskets in the back right corner of Hagrid's hut did a fabulous job I must say. I also enjoyed seeing the overwhelming joy and excitement in the young kids taking the tour. One girl started yelling for her mom and pointing excitedly at the wand display case saying, "MUM! It's ACTUALLY Harry Potter's wand!! The REAL one!" 

 

 

Bruce followed along, enjoying the tour but maybe not as intensely as I. Funny coincidence, which was probably a set up from Bruce looking back on it...Before leaving for the trip I was wondering what book to bring. About 5/6th of the way through Shantaram, I wanted to finish it but the book weighs about as much as my suitcase. I opted to bring my Kindle, which as it so happens has all of the Harry Potter books on it. Bruce causally suggested that I read one of those, since we were going to London and everything...smooth Bruce..real smooth. So! Reading the 7th book and walking through the tour just made it even more special. After the sets and props area, you get to walk onto the Hogwarts Express platform where the train sits waiting for passengers. I thought it was a great touch that they set up train cars in chronological order as you walk through the train from their first ride to the final book including important props and subtle hints. 

 

Next you're brought to the Backlot Cafe where you can get your first taste of Butterbeer. I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering what it tastes like after hearing about it in the books and watching them sip the mysterious treats in the movies. Turns out it tastes a bit like a Cream Soda with some thick whipped cream on top. Super sweet, yet not bad overall! I can now say that I've tried Butterbeer. (Life Goal checkmark). 

As we walk outside from the Cafe we see the Knightbus, Number 4 Privet Drive, part of the Hogwarts bridge that was blown up in the final movie, and the house from Godric's Hollow. I enjoyed the lack of too many gimmicky photo ops in this section. They could have easily had the sign come up "magically" in front of the house, or the shrunken head in the front of the bus, but this tour is about seeing the actual props and sets, not about the touristy Disney World-style experience. 

 

The next part was incredible! This is when they get into all the mechanics and engineering behind the scenes. Using videos and displays, the tour provides and inside look into the machinery involved in sets, props, and most importantly, the creatures of Harry Potter. Seeing a Hippogriff bow to you in real life is something you'll never forget. Following the path through the set of Diagon Alley, past Flourish and Blotts, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and Ollivanders, we came out to the scale model of Hogwarts used throughout filming for long-distance scenes and other weaving/winding shots around the campus. Again, the intricate detail involved was mindblowing. I loved trying to guess what rooms were where in the castle based on the books and movies. Super nerded-out throughout the tour. It would be embarrassing, but *shrug* I'm proud of it. 

To Dobby (didn't see any socks!)

for Papa

Of course the gift shop was full to the brim of anything and everything Harry Potter. You could walk out of there decked from head to toe in authentic Hogwarts student gear including your wand, owl, and textbooks.

Needless to say I was like a kid in a candy shop the whole tour and will never ever forget it! If you ever get the chance to check it out...not doubt in my mind DO IT! (said in Shia Labeouf style)

We got back home pretty late and opted to grab some wine and snacks and do a movie night together inside. 

Monday

Woke up from a crazy dream where I was constantly stressed and angry about being late for and missing our flight because no one was ready nor as concerned as I was about getting there.... 

With a travel day ahead, we made our way back to Dishoom (told you we liked it) for their brunch, which was also highly recommended. Drinking Chai and enjoying a nice meal before the trip back, we talked about how much we enjoyed our trip and our favorite parts. While it was only a long weekend, I felt like it was a much longer trip! We did so much, but it wasn't overwhelming. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Then things started to unravel. Our flight from Stansted leaves at 2. Gate closes at 1:30. Our pre-purchased bus back to Stansted was scheduled for 11:23 on our confirmation print out. We arrived at the stop at 11:10 (because...I like to get places early). 

11:25 we were thinking the usual London traffic had kept our bus back. 

11:30 nearly 8 big red buses of the same number had come and gone past us

11:40 a bus with the name of our company drove by on the other side of the road without stopping

11:45 I called the customer service for the bus company. 

11:53 finally got in touch with the customer service and she was checking on our coach

11:55 a bus from our company turned onto the road and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

11:56 the bus drove right past us despite our waving and running along side it

11:56:30 lost signal with the company, due to running away from the public wifi I had found

12:00 Ran into Shoreditch High Street train station, bought tickets to Stansted (for an exorbitant amount I might add). Realized that the train doesn't go there directly and we would have to get a train to White Church, then to Liverpool, then to Stansted.

12:03 Got on the train in the wrong direction

12:05 Called an Uber to Liverpool Station

12:35 had moved a mile and a half to Liverpool station

12:39 sprinted in and caught the express train to Stansted leaving at 12:40

Sitting on the train, I was thinking about how we would call Grandma to stay in Chelmsford for a night when we missed our flight. Which I'm sure my job would have been fine with, as there's nothing we could have done. Bruce has just started a new position, so I'm not sure he would have had the same response from his higher-ups. 

1:30 pulled into Stansted Airport (keep in mind, our gate closes at this time)

We sprinted to the check in desk. One lady said "Nope, I think you have missed your flight". After checking with a coworker, we are told that they hadn't started boarding yet. We ran to security and somehow sugar-talked our way into the express security line for free (we must have looked super frantic...I definitely felt like we were...) Then we ran the mile through the ridiculousness that is the Stansted Airport DutyFree shopping area and restaurants. Seriously. Why can't the gates be first and shopping be last? Anyway. We get to the doors to the airport tram to take us to the terminal where our gate sits (Again...gates first...food and overpriced items last...)

Running from the tram we sprint up to our gate and join the very end of the line to finally exhale as we squeeze into our seats sweating and flustered. Holy shmoly. What a way to end a trip. But we made it back without any issue and ended the weekend off right by watching the 8th movie of Harry Potter (and by watching I mean passed out on the couch while Bruce watched it). 

Nothing crazy planned for a little while (that was a big trip...) But will keep you all updated!

Until next time xo

German Phrase of the Post

"Ich schwöre feierlich, ich bin ein Tunichtgut" 

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good