Pizza Tarts & Spousal Differences

I made these months ago, but never got around to posting them cause I'm sure looking at dumb food someone else has made isn't the most exciting thing, but now you will be seeing them since we had round 2 last night. Somehow I came across this recipe and decided to make it one slow Sunday afternoon. The hardest part was cutting the circles out of the puff pastry dough. No shortage of puff pastry here. I will try my hand at homemade apple strudel Austrian-style one day.



Top it off with drizzled pesto and yummy rucola (arugula) mixed with balsamic vinegar dressing.


Have I mentioned my love for Rucola before? They translate it to Rocket lettuce in English although it's really Arugula. Love the peppery kick and it's gotta be healthy like spinach. I be usin' Rocket lettuce 'round here often. Last night I made one for dinner but skipped the ole circle tart part...It just gets chopped down the middle (or a skewed 'middle' and Art takes the biggest half possible) and devoured.

We like it because of the light, flaky crust...it's like we just got ourselves something at La Madeleine.

Do you need more photos? No, I think that will suffice.

In other news, it's cold here....at least for me, and our heaters have still not come on. That's about the most serious business I got going on. Oh, and Art was stuck in the shower all soaped up this morning when the water went off (because they're working on an apt. upstairs)...poor guy...it is freezing in here in the mornings. It was back on by the time he gathered enough droplets to wipe himself off, step out of the shower and get dressed soap-crusted style.

He had already devised a 'hurricane relief plan' in his head for us suggesting I should possibly shower at the gym and get some water at the store. I yawned, got back under the covers (it was 7:30 am and I got up shortly after, k?) with my iPhone (checkin' emails from last night) and said "Nah... It'll be back on in 2 minutes." This is a typical convo for us. Mr. Over-Prepared meets Miss Under-Prepared, they marry and move to Austria. Most disputes are caused by the stark contrast in this certain personality aspect. One is well/over-the-top-prepared and the other goes with the flow a bit too much. The pup sits back and watches it all laughing that she has them both in the palm of her paw.


"Mrs. U-P does things like match her clothes to her dog...that's about as planned as she gets."
{not really!}


"Mr. O-P thinks deeply, logically, wasn't prepared to have his photo snapped when he turned around and has a cute little curl in the back of his hair."

The End.

Germany's People Magazine

I know I already dirndl-ed you up last week, but it's what I got cooking this week too. I just find it charming, sassy and funny all at once. And, it's pure Austria and southern Germany (Bavaria).

While waiting in the doctor's office (allergist..my nose has been running for 6 weeks straight now), (ps. I got the allergy prick (scratch) test I've always been wanting...my mom is smiling bc she's always thought I'm a hypochondy, and nothing. Minor, minor allergy to dust mites.) Anyways, I found myself perusing this magazine:

Bunte. I'm thinking it's Germany's version of US Weekly or People Magazine.
Their tagline is "Leidenschaft für Menschen" ("Passion for People") or more like "passion for gossip". Naturally, I picked it up over the Der Spiegel.

I thought you might enjoy a peek inside.

First off...the cover story. Boris Becker's wedding. This dude is always in the tabloids over here. A famous tennis player. He used to date Sandy Meyer-Wölden (another tabloid regular) and you'd see their mugs all over the place. Now, apparently he's gone and married ole Lilly.


Sandy and Boris back in happier times.

There aren't a lot of celebs to go around in these parts, so you see the same ones over and over EVEN more here than in America. I know this because these are always lying around at the gym and I pick one up and try to read it (read: look at the pictures) while stretching. It's my own free private library. And since nobody stretches in Austria, it's nice and quiet and lonely on my mat.

So, moving on....they had an Oktoberfest special in this issue and here's what we got:

Oh my.

Something about "17 days of fun until you drop/pass out"

ok, so I'll come out and say it: the Oktoberfest sounds like my worst nightmare...now you know how much fun I am. I hate big, crowded festivals with people everywhere..esp. drunk dressed-up people that stink and get in my way. Oh, hello Houston Rodeo. (ok, so I can do it ONE night..that's it.)

This one cracks me up. Is this German Posh Spice?

Hope you enjoyed.

Tschüß, Baba!

Potlucky

Or as we call it: Topfglück

Amber had the great idea last week for a potluck dinner so we could all get together and enjoy some homemade goodness. Since Amber and David hosted the grand Thanksgiving meal last year and Ania and Thomas some serious Swedish fare at their place this summer, it was our turn to host.

The reason I haven't had a group of people over yet is because we don't quite have the accommodations. We have a little white table (that seats 4 max) and only 4 chairs. How do we do a dinner for 6? Well, check it out:


A makeshift banquette with Art's glass trestle desk and our sectional.


It worked out perfectly. Gotta make do in Austria-poo.

Amber brought a yum and spicy white bean chicken chili and I made enchiladas. (And Amber brought and alerted me to the fact that there is cilantro here!) Brownies and ice cream for Nachspeise and Thomas and Ania supplied all the beer.



Elsie did her usual and made the rounds sucking out as much attention and love from each person before moving onto the next.


Don't worry. This was way after dinner during chatting and drinking...and these people sorta invited her over to them.


And....she ended her run in papa's lap.

First Topfglück a success....so much fun. Too much fun as I'm sorta slow-goin' today. So lucky (or shall I say glücky?) to have such great friends here....that can cook too! :)

A Glimpse of the Aufsteirern Festival

I wrote about the annual Aufsteirern (can you say that?) Festival last year when Art and I partook in the fun.


What was a nasty morning turned into a really nice night to be outside 'festing'

This year I just did a "walk-thru shooting" around 7pm (when peeps are nice and toasty) on the main street of the festival after my precious coffee time with Amber. (Amber, I never made it to the gym.) My pictures are quite atrocious...I apologize. It was dark and I was going through quick..and sometimes trying to be sneaky..hence the blurries. Several times I was getting glares from girls obviously bored with fellow Lederhosen's ways of wooing and more interested in why her photo was being taken by an obvious Auslander!

Ah....this was such a good dirndl assortment that I ruined with hastiness

I love, love, love checking out all the outfits. Though seemingly all the same in a sea of silk, purple, green and shelved bosoms, every dirndl is actually a bit unique. You can tell the quality from the cheaper versions, but I like 'em all. I especially like me some Lederhosen. I would be lying if I said I didn't find guys sorta cute in their getups. But, I wasn't really looking, so what am I talking about?

A flirtfest auf Deutsch going on at this hour










(let's look at this photo more closely...we have Mary, United Colors of Benny, Jäger (as in Jägermeister) and a gaggle of feathered/hosened fellers. Willkommen in Österreich.)

Next year we definitely need to participate in full attire. Still looking for a rental place!

Creativity Friday

Any of you men, and possibly a lot of you ladies out there, won't give a hoot about this, but gotta spread my love of all things creative. Plus, I don't have much else on this Friday mornin'. I have blog design clients lining up my inbox thanks to Christi who put out a little post yesterday on her P is for Party blog. I designed a new family blog for her and she's popular, so I've already gotten a lot of inquiries. Thanks, Christi! And, if you are throwing a party soon, don't look at her site. You will feel like a crusty loser. Those parties moms (and Christi herself) are putting out these days are unbelievable. I kid...go give it a gander...but it will knock your party socks off.

So, anyways, speaking of people that make you feel sheepish...
I have some admiration and a bit of an envious streak for Stefanie at A Brooklyn Limestone. She started her blog several years ago to share the massive renovation of their...Brooklyn Limestone. And, what they did is pretty dang amazing. But, it doesn't stop there. She designs invitations too. Um...her Christmas cards are WONDEY. And her photos..

Let's show you what I'm talking about:

Kitchen before:


After their own redo:


Yeah.

Master bedroom before:


And now:


Yeah.

All the other rooms are beauty too.

Moving on to her stationary magic. She loves holidays and loves sending out unique Christmas cards.

Last year:

In lieu of the traditional card, she designed and then made her own tea towels using a screenprinting machine, called a Yudu.


Need a Yudu on the doub. (Don't have mainstay kitchen appliances, but a Yudu is necessary in life.)

And it isn't some cheesy, Christmasy design...these are pretty:


Now, let's look at her Halloween invitations from last year:

This is not Martha, I promise.

And some of her house decorations for the party:




She and her husband also travel a lot and her photography is just as good as her other stuff:
From their last trip to Kenya:








They don't have kids if you are wondering. :)

{all photos from A Brooklyn Limestone}

Have a great weekend!

Clever

When the time comes and I am pregnant, WHICH IS NOT NOW for those skimmers that see the word pregnant and these videos and jump to conclusions, Art will need to get back to photography and snap me up.


{via}

Ok, not really...because I don't look like her....now or especially when I am preggie.
And, I wouldn't be caught dead in those teenie shorts or a full spandex outfit...nor am I really a fan of maternity photo shoots..but love the song in this one and it's darn cute.

I love all these new stop motion videos (meaning the whole thing is made up of still photos...like a flip book) people (usually mod hipster creative types) are doing.

This one's really great and moving (i had tears at the end) and I can't imagine how long it took her to put together.

What a great way to share and capture the gift of pregnancy, new life and motherhood.


{via}

Peeps are creative, y'all. And I thought I was cool with my Elsie photo collage. (not really)

disclaimer: promise I'm not preg. i've come across these twice now through other blogs and i just find them worthy of sharing.

A Lovely Day at Hilmteich

Ok, I took the grand challenge of writing this post auf Deutsch (mit Englisch unter). I haven't been in class in over three months and I need some practice every now and then. Those of you that speak German, feel free to point out all of my mistakes in the comments section. Those of you that don't...thank you for not knowing the diff!


Hilmteich ist ein Teich (ein größer Teich) und einer meiner Lieblingsbereich in Graz. Du erinnerst dich an vielleicht mein erster Besuch in LederLeitner Wohnkultur, Blumen und Kaffee-shop letzte Winter mit meinem English Club hier.

Hilmteich is a pond (a large pond) and one of my favorite areas in Graz. You may remember my first visit to the LederLeitner home decor, flower and coffee shop last winter with my English club here.

Es ist wieder zuruck. Es ist wirklich ein schön dekoriert und prächtiger platz zu Wetter geniessen wie hatten wir dieser Samstag.

Well, it's back again. It's such a beautifully decorated and gorgeous spot to enjoy weather like we had this Saturday.


Die Vögel haben ein guter platz mit einen Blick gefunden.

The birds found a nice seat with a view.








Ich liebe ihre Auswahl von...Alles!

I love their selection of..everything!


kleinen Herbst-Anzeigen

little fall displays


Was ein schöner, kleinlauter Herbst-Kranz

What a pretty, subdued fall wreath


Der innen-Shop ist rühig weil Alle draußen sind. Wie kann ich ein grüner Topf und Baum nach zuhause mit mir bringen?

The inside coffee shop is dead because everyone's outside. How can I get a green pot and tree home with me?


Die Blumen Shop drinnen ist immer aussieht schön und sie sind immer da beschäftigt etwas einzigartig machen.

The flower shop inside is always looking lovely and they are always in there busy crafting something unique.


Ich habe dir gesagt dass wir manche warzig Kürbis hier haben. Keine Suppe machen mit diese Warzenschweine!

I told you we had some warty punkins over here. No soup makin' with these warthogs!




Ich habe einen Filter verwendet mit diesen Fotos, wie ich sicher dass du kannst sehen. Es macht alles sieht 'vertraumt'...obwohl, in meiner Meinung ist es schon vertraumt.

I added a filter ("old west" by Pioneer Woman) to these pictures, as I'm sure you can tell. It makes everything look 'dreamy'...even though it already is in my opinion.


Der Teich hat Paddelboote zu mieten.

The pond has paddle boats for renting.


Eine niedliche straße unterwegs zuhause dass durch die Universität gehen. Es erinnert mich an Rice University bereich in Houston.

A cute street that goes through the main university on the way home. Kinda reminds me of the Rice University area in Houston.

Es ist sicher hier kühler, (hier ich gehe wieder sage dir über das Wetter...Ich habe meiner Mutter geworden...sie ist schön, hallo Mutti!), aber wir hatten viel Sonnenschein an diesem Wochenende. Als ich typ, meine Zehen sind gefroren drinnen meine Schuhe...unser Heizapparate sind noch nicht eingeschaltet . Die füße von Art sind ok...es ist immer nur mich mit Erfrierung in den Extremitäten.

It's definitely cooler here, (here I go again with telling you about the weather...I've turned into my mother..she's lovely, hi mom!) but we had some great sunshine this weekend. As I type this, my toes are frozen inside my shoes...our heaters have not come on yet. Art's feet are fine...it's always just me with frostbite in the extremities.