Rain On My Parade

When I’m traveling, I always feel as if there’s a pressure and a never-ending scramble to do it all.  This often times generates a tiny bit of chaos, and a tiny bit more of mess and madness.  In this attempt to achieve, see, and do everything, it’s easy to forget the importance of doing nothing—to take a day for yourself to just take a breather, slow down, unwind, and loosen the knots and screws that have been given every opportunity to wind themselves up tightly...very tightly.  Remember, it's lefty loose-y. 

Thankfully, I’m in Berlin, a place that receives as much sunshine in a year as the not-so-sunny state of Alaska.  And so I’ve decided that on days the sun decides to be a party pooper and a no-show, I won’t take it as a setback.  I will take the days the wind and rain decide to party crash as a reminder.  Days like today, are days perfect for a bit of me-time, a bit of one-on-one with my current flame, my one and only for the time being...myself.  

Gloomy days like these are ideal, actually, for a nice long afternoon in an internet café.  I know, I never thought I'd pair the words "gloomy day" and "ideal" in the same sentence either, but times have changed, people change, and most importantly, weather changes.  Therefore, today, I will browse the web like a mad woman, waste my time scrolling through Facebook as if I’m on a quest, and watch the sun go down, all the while catching up on my Keeping Up With The Kardashians in my peripheral vision.  It will be a day of gluttony and guilt-less pleasures. 

I’m sorry, give me a few minutes.  I’m waiting on a plate of fries and chips, or I guess being in Europe, it’d be more appropriate to say chips and crisps. 

I'm sure there'll be plenty to share, so if you'd like to join me...

I'll be at St. Oberholz, located on Rosenthalerstr. 72a, 10119 Berlin, Germany, just outside of the Rosenthaler Platz U-Bahn Station.

The only thing that could and would make this situation better is if I spoke coffee...but even that won't rain on my parade.  Actually, please do.  Do rain on my parade. 

Happily crunching and happily munching,

Kimmy

Compromising Compromises

If being in Europe has made me realize anything at all, it is the fact that I can’t do it all.  Those kindergarten teachers that made you believe that you could do anything?   Well, they weren’t exactly lying to you, but neither were they telling the good, wholesome, and honest truth. 

The fact of the matter is that while I truly believe that you may be able to do anything, you sure as hell can’t do everything.  It’s a sacrifice—a compromise, and it’s one that really forces you to sit down and choose your battles, and to do so wisely.  Hungry for lunch?  Alright, which is it going to be: a döner kebab or currywurst?  Because as much as you can wish for a bottomless-pit-of-a-stomach, the fact of the matter is, you still haven’t found that magic genie dwelling in that magic lamp to grant you your three magic wishes.  So, thirsty for travel?  What can I get for you today: a weekend trip to Prague or Budapest?  And would you like dessert with that?  Or a pair of Birkenstocks?

These are problems, that aren’t problems, but actually are.  As I’ve said before, they’re compromises.  You sacrifice one thing to do another, fifteen slices of cake for a pair of Birkens and three concerts for a plane ticket, but it’s these sacrifices that add value to what you eventually do choose to do, and where you choose to do it.  Because you’ve so wisely picked your battles, each and every experience that you do get to experience is that much richer.

Anyway, the point is... the point is... the point is we really need to figure out where to place Donatella because she’s barely speaking to anyone… only kidding, but a nice large packet of Haribo gummies for the first person to guess what movie that line is from.  Speaking of Haribo gummies, they are so much better in Germany…They’re kind of fruitier and juicer if that makes any sense at all…ok, sorry for that ramble, but the actual point is because you can’t do it all, it’s important to make sure that of what you do choose to do, you do it well.  Enjoy what you eat, truly truly take in all that you see.  Travel with purpose and make the most of your time and experience.

Here are a few photos of the East Side Gallery.

They're beautiful works of art painted on pieces and portions of the remainders of the Berlin Wall.

I'm sure you're all somewhat familiar with this piece!

This one was just way too cute...I can't even..

You can bet that I walked this stretch with purpose!  Only kidding, but not really. 

Until next time,

Kimmy

Potsdam in Pictures

Last Saturday, we had a day-long excursion to Potsdam.  And I mean that in the most literal way possible.  One of our advisors on the trip kept his pedometer on, and by the end of the trip, it read 18 miles.  My legs nearly fell off...they actually did mid-trip, and I had to take a breather to put them back on.

In all seriousness though, it was a long and tiring trip.  The thought of it is actually leaving me rather short of breath.  So, in the interest of my wellbeing, I'll save my words and leave you with a photographic documentation of the day!  

Enjoy the fruits of my labor..haha!

Yours,

Kimmy

Sweet Dreams and Sweeter Realities

Some things only happen in dreams.  When I was younger, I was so into stationary, writing utensils, and pretty much any accessory related to the two.  I would literally have three different types of pencil sharpeners for my one pencil and one lead pencil.  But what can I say?  Kids are strange—I was strange.  But hold up, it gets even stranger. 

One night, I had a dream that my mom took me to Big Lots.  We walk through the door—my eagerness ensuring that I was five steps in front of my mother at all times.  Once she caught up to me, she kneeled down and grabbed me by the shoulders, as all loving mothers do, and granted me my ultimate wish.  “Kimberly”, she said, “I have a $50 dollar gift card that you can spend however you’d like”. 

I kid you not, I almost peed my pants out of excitement; however, because that would delay my shopping spree, I didn’t.  Instead, I darted to the pencil sharpener aisle and picked up at least 20 ladybug-shaped sharpeners, making sure that I had equal numbers of blue, yellow, red, and green ladybugs.  I kid you not when I say that it was a dream come true.  I was on cloud nine.  That is, until I woke up.  Once I awoke, my dream-come-true became my biggest disappointment.   I have never fallen from cloud nine so rapidly, nor have I ever lost 20 ladybug-shaped sharpeners so quickly. 

Growing up, I realized rather quickly that some things only happen in dreams.  In reality, my mother would never grant me a $50 shopping spree at Big Lots to spend on ladybug sharpeners.  And I’m thankful for that.  In retrospect, I was, at times, an extremely strange child with extremely strange interests.  In retrospect, 20 ladybug pencil sharpeners seem more like a nightmare than a miracle.  

There are some dreams, I've realized, like all the knife-wielding clown dreams, that are better off left in dreamland.  There are others, however, that leave you better off if and when they enter the world of reality.  

Today was one of those, and it didn’t even have anything to do with Disneyland.  It did, however, have anything and everything to do with Preussenpark Park, located on Fehrbellinerplatz, 10707 Wilmersdorf, otherwise known on the weekends as Thai Park! 

Apparently, years ago, Thai families would gather at Fehrberliner Park to gamble and gossip over spreads of Thai cuisine and picnic blankets.  Over time, these weekly potlucks transformed into an unofficial Thai marketplace, or food fair.  Today, Thai families gather weekly (as long as the weather permits), set up their blankets and umbrellas, and sell their home cooked Thai dishes to the German public.  I’ve found Bangkok in Berlin!  I kid you not…it’s a dream come true.

Being an eager beaver, I arrived during set up...

But that also meant that I was one of the first to get served!  This was a chicken curry!  It was spicy and way too good... I probably could have had three more bowls of this...The stand I got this from also had curry with beef and pork and few fried appetizers!

If you can't tell, I'm beyond happy--I'm stoked!!

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, it did.  There were so many families and stands selling papaya salad.  Those that know me know that this is one of my favorite dishes in the whole wide world, and when a Thai couple is making it in front of you...I mean, it really can't get any better.  

It was literally a plate of pure perfection, pure magic, pure bliss--whatever you want to call it.  He even remembered the salted crab.  Bless that beautiful man.

The lawn filled up fast, not only with vendors, but also with customers!

And the eating didn't stop there.  Before this, I had three desserts... A banana sticky rice dessert wrapped in a banana leaf, coconut jello with taro bits, and some mango sticky rice!  These, I believe were fried curry cakes?  I'm not exactly too sure, but whatever it was, it made my tummy extremely happy!

If tummies could talk...

Mine wouldn't.  The pure bliss, excitement and happiness would have shut it up.  But actually though, today was perfection.  It was a dream come true, and it didn't even have anything to do with Disneyland or ladybug pencil sharpeners!

Yours,

Kimmy

Let It Go

When you have to get something out of your system, I’d strongly advise that you do.  Trust me, you’ll be happier that way.  If you’re feeling gassy or bubbly, let it rip until you’re as flat as a can of coke left out on a California afternoon.  If you’re feeling sad, cry a river, and if you’re concealing a super power that allows you to turn things into ice, let it go, let it go, don’t hold it back anymore.  In all seriousness though, some times, getting something out of your system leaves you lighter and happier.  Other times, it leaves you heavier and happier.

Take döners for example...

Ever since my experience with my first döner… yesterday…(I have a problem, I know…), I’ve been craving for my next one.  I swear it’s not my fault.  That garlic sauce that they spread on your döner?  It’s not garlic sauce—it’s actually laced with crack.  So, naturally, this döner craving had to be dealt with, and being as responsible as I am, I dealt with it.

Located on Torstraße 125, 10119 Berlin, a few friends and I had our second of many döner experiences at Grill und Schlemmerbuffet Rosenthaler Platz.  Afterwards, we took a nice stroll around the block and came upon Efa’s Frozen Yogurt on Weinbergsweg 24, 10119 Berlin.

Efa’s was apparently voted as one of the top 10 frozen yogurt shops in Berlin, and I can definitely see why!  Their yogurt is extremely smooth and thick.  They also sweeten their yogurt with agave nectar rather than sugar!

Once we had our sweet treat, we continued with our wanderlust to Kadewe, the largest department store in Berlin!

And luckily for me, there was a farmer’s market going on across the street!  Some things, as much as you try, just don’t and never will leave your system.

And with that, I also don’t see why I would want any beautiful beautiful market to ever ever leave my system!

Being in Germany, this farmer's market, as well as I'm sure many of the ones I'll be going to, sold sausages in a case! 

Here are some of the things I picked up!!  So, apparently it's white asparagus and strawberry season here in Berlin!  I haven't had the chance to pick up any white asparagus yet, but the strawberries are absolutely delicious!  They're so tiny, and I'm not too sure if they're wild, but if they aren't, they're everything I'd ever imagined wild strawberries to be!  

Oh, it's been a happy day.  The power of getting things out of your system--what did I tell ya?

Cheerio,

Kimmy