Wir ziehen nach Canada um!

The ink has dried on the contract and it’s official; we’re moving to Canada. Matze will begin a new assignment near Toronto next month, and I am so excited. Not only am I excited for Matze’s professional progression, but I’m also excited because I LOVE Toronto.

From the time I made my first visit to Toronto at age 16, and with the many visits that later followed, I was constantly impressed with the diversity and tolerance of the city. Where else can you find virtually all of the world's culture groups and hear more than 100 languages and dialects spoken in one city?

Tagged, Again

Thanks Schokolade Mädchen. It’s always nice to reflect on one’s wacky behavior.

Top 3 Guilty Pleasures:

1. Choclait Chips - I’ve eaten an entire box in one sitting. They're scrumptious chocolate-covered strips of cookies. Just writing about them makes my mouth water; I think I'll buy a box today! It's a pity that they're only available in Europe.

2. Music Videos- A great way to keep up with the latest fashion trends; and dance moves.

3. Watching TV (muted), while listening to the radio and surfing the web- simultaneously. This is absolutely forbidden when Matze is home.

The BEST Seafood Restaurant in the Florida Keys

The Fish House was recommended by Jordan, my masseur at the Hilton in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As he gave me a fabulous deep-tissue massage, he recommended this delicious restaurant in Key Largo. The atmosphere was laid back, the employees were friendly and the food was amazing!. All the seafood is caught fresh by local fisherman and prepared the same day. The food was so good that Matze and I went back the next day. The employees recognized us immediately and greeted us with a warm “welcome back.”

Salzburg - "Salt City"

A couple months ago, Matze and I went to Salzburg, Austria, home of Mozart, and where the “The Sound of Music” was filmed. The country of Austria is also the heimatland (home country) of Arnold “The Terminator” Schwarzenegger, Governor of California.

There is so much to do and see in Salzburg, and lots of history to discover. The people are friendly; there is shopping aplenty, and a wide variety of food to choose from. “I’ll be back!”

A Night with Roy Hargrove

Grammy award winner Roy Hargrove and his quartet performed in Ingolstadt Thursday night, and I have to admit that this was the best jazz concert I’ve seen here since my move. The drummer was especially entertaining. His gestures were animated and so fluid that it looked like he felt the rhythm through his entire body right down to the tips of his toes.

During the first intermission I had a chance to talk with Mr. Hargrove. He thought I was a singer and was certain that we had met before – I wish! Hargrove commented about the interesting crowd and was curious why I, the only brown face in the crowd, was in Germany.

Our conversation ended with the dimming of lights, signaling that it was time for Hargrove and his band to perform their final set. I only wish I had more time to pick this 37 year-old’s brain.

Hey Bro, He looks a little like you!

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by my good friend Schokolademadchen, who has been living in Munich for a year now. I have to say that it was difficult narrowing down my answers to some of the questions.

Name 5 things you love in your new country.

1. European Architecture



2. Germany’s central location and close proximity to other countries



3. The Autobahn. Fast, limit -free driving.



4. Efficiency and order- Sometimes this can be a disadvantage when taken to the extreme.



5. Weissen Bier.
   

Name 4 things that you miss from your native country.

1. Late-night shopping. Grocery store, shopping centers, pharmacies and restaurants are all open late and on Sundays.



2. Really good live entertainment. The standards for live music are higher in the States.



3. Diversity. I really miss seeing people of different shades from every corner of the earth.



4. American restaurants. I’m not of fan of German cuisine
   

Name 3 things that annoy you a bit (or much) in your new country.

1. Impoliteness or just plain rude. This irritates me the most. I’ve been set on, stepped on, pushed aside and cut in front of while standing in line. And not a mumble of the word “entschuldigung” or “excuse me.”



2. Staring. Sometimes I think I’m a celebrity.



3. Grocery Shopping. The inability to find the ingredients needed to cook my favorite dishes.
   

Name 2 things that surprise you (or surprised you in the beginning) in your new country.

1. Safety. In Ingolstadt there is very little crime. Women walk alone at night and only hunters are allowed to own a firearms.



2. Bikers; and so many of them. They have their own lane on the sidewalk, and you better look both ways before crossing the biker lane or else you’ll get run over.
   

Name 1 thing that you would miss terribly in your new country, if you had to leave it.

1. The German Bäckerei and the aroma of fresh baked bread in the mornings.

Happy New Year to All of You

Bombs were bursting in the air at midnight in Munich to bring in the new year. Smoke filled the air, and the remains of fireworks and broken Champaign bottles littered the streets. It resembled a war zone.