Spending My Birthday in DC

Two weeks ago I spent my 26th birthday in a fine city I’ve come to experience before. The one and only DC had only been worthy of one trip so far, back in 2011, where I had a humongous blast staying in a hostel and committing to a sightseeing-marathon. So for the most important day of the year, I already knew I wanted to get away from this city. I couldn’t be bothered with the hectic bustle’n’hustle of Nueva York but wanted to simply do something culturally appealing. A day trip to DC seemed like the right fit and so it was.

After spending some excruciating five hours on the Chinatown bus (read more on this bus here), we were finally dropped off in the midst of, well, Chinatown, of course. Now Chinatown in DC is a bit different than anywhere else in NY. It appears to be pretty much in the middle of town and very close to all sightseeing attractions, such as the White House, the National Mall, and the quazillion amounts of Memorials. So what could my first stop possibly be after a nerve-wrecking bus ride on my birthday? You named it! McDonalds! Yes, I know, perhaps not the first choice in culinary experiences. I also managed to snag two slices of pizza at We, the Pizza in the evening hours, which didn’t add to an elevated experience in gourmet foods.

Turkish protest in front of the White House

However, I was here for the culture. And culture I got to see plenty! First, of course an obligatory stop at the White House. Always fun to watch the famous brick walls and wondering what might be going on inside. And as in two years ago, another protest was held outside of the gates. This time it had to do with Gezi-Park and the inhuman conditions going on in Istanbul. A nice crowd of Turkish protestors had gathered together, with a heap of onlookers and picture-takers.

Then off to the next stop on my personalized birthday tour: The World War II Memorial and its sparkling fountain! Not without forking over 2 dollars for a small bottle of water at most likely one of the only ice cream vendors lurking around the National Mall. I know, you guys can charge that much because everyone was suffering under a heat stroke, but seriously?

Yes, as you might have figured, it was hot. If not hotter as hot. Albeit not as humid as in New York. Which didn’t make sense to me, especially after my roommate later proclaimed that DC was built on swampland (new information learned each day). Perhaps Manhattan cages the heat in between its skyscrapers. However, the National Mall in DC does not have a lot of shadow because of the lack of trees. So just keep that in mind if you’re going on a trip in the summer.

Reflecting Pool

Anyhow, the first day of June was a fine day for sticking my feet into the Reflecting Pool at the Memorial. Like dozens of other exhausted visitors, too. And here comes the tricky part: You can put your feet in and act respectful but you are not allowed to jump up and down, walk around in the water or even carry a bride through it for a good picture! One of those six Park Rangers swarming around the area made sure to warn us when we sunk our feet in the cooling water. And he didn’t make an exception for the young bride and her groom, who were ushered around by their photographer. As soon as they wanted to pose with their bridal party for what would have possibly been a superb memorable picture, he already came hurrying out of the shadows and intervened. Poor wedding couple! And they had been so good blinking into the blinding sun just moments before because their photographer had thought this to be a great shot!

Young Wedding Party at the World War II Memorial

After cooling off and facing the sweltering heat once again, I decided to bypass all the other memorials (the Lincoln for one) I had already seen the last time and went to the National Mall. My goal was to get a peek at a few museums I didn’t get the chance to see in 2011. I entered the Museum of National History (not without zipping and unzipping multiple bags for security) and made a round past the ancient Star-Spangled Banner. It had been sown together by multiple pieces of cloth during the war of 1812 and after the battle some soldiers had decided to cut themselves a share. Such as a star, which was missing in one corner.

While this was an entertaining museum, the most time I did indeed spend in the Air and Space Museum just a walking distance down the road. From the history of the first man-built plane to great accomplishments in aeronautics – everything there was worth seeing.

My impression of DC’s museums so far? They are all for free, which is great. But they also tend to be a bit smaller than let’s say the Met in New York. At the same time, you have a diversity of different topics so close to each other and how could you possibly become bored of those choices? Definitely worth checking out!

The one and only Capitol

My last stop on this spectacular tour was once again the Capitol. A few snapshots here and there and then I was over it. They have a beautiful garden you can walk. And on that particular evening there must have been a high school prom happening, as excited teenagers were posing in nice gowns and made-up appearances.

And finally, a drink at a bar in Capitol Hill with a dear friend I hadn’t seen in over a year. A nice momentum to end a birthday celebration. On our way back to Chinatown we ran into a bunch of people who were running a marathon. At 11 o’clock at night! Well, I guess craziness exists everywhere.

Luckily the bus ride back was relatively uneventful (except for an old Russian guy who loudly talked on his cell phone) and I was back in 3 ½ hours. A set record so far!

While I thought DC was already quite right for a visit back in March of ’11, this time around I was happy to have seen it during a warm summer month. Even though the cherry blossom weeks were over, other flowers had bloomed and it was gorgeous in a different sense. I also liked the fact that I was able to spend the entire day outside instead of having to warm up somewhere. I’m not sure how hot July and August get, but so far June has been the most perfect month!

[For more pictures on DC go to my Facebook page or
A Picture Every Day: A Trip to Washington DC and A Trip to Washington DC (Part 2)]

Vianden Castle: Majestically Overlooking a Small Country

Vianden town

What is great about Europe is that you have so many countries bordering each other and that the cultures you find existing so close to one another can be as opposite as day and night. Traveling can be a great adventure, as you can cover short distances and land in a whole new world.

When I was back at home, I stayed in the Eifel area for a good one and a half weeks of my trip. The Eifel area is about as rural as it can get: Farmers sowing their fields, children visiting schools with 200 students or less, and villages inhabiting anywhere from 60 to 1,000 citizens. Yes, very rural! The Eifel is adjacent to Belgium and Luxembourg, and where I stayed it was only a good 45-minute-drive to the border of each. Needless to say that I took advantage of the proximity and was in Luxembourg at least once during this momentous trip.

Now Luxembourg by itself is not a big country. In fact, you can drive through it within 2 hours by car, and that’s when you don’t drive particularly fast. Growing up close to the border of this country, I’ve come in touch with many Luxembourgers and the language they speak. Letzebuergesch sounds like a mix between French and German and is the national language of the country, even though it is dying out for several reasons.
First, the country only has 500,000 citizens, who learn French and German in school from the early beginnings. Then, the high amount of immigrants from other countries is determining the country’s culture more and more over the past decades. Currently, it is filled with lots of Portuguese people and I am sure the demographics will change over the years. Finally, Luxembourg of course stands for one thing: International trade and finances, similar to and nearly as wealthy as Switzerland. Meaning, speaking other languages than Letzebuergisch is highly encouraged when working in this business and the capital. Some of my friends from school have applied for jobs in Luxembourg. They told me that during their interview they were asked how many languages they could speak. French was always a plus, but if someone spoke an unusual combination such as English or Russian, this was even better. So I believe any language other than the nation’s mother tongue is greatly encouraged in the working world of this country.

Having a job in Luxembourg means that compared to German standards it will pay a high amount of money. Therefore, what most employees do is simply commuting from Germany to Letzebuerg each and every day. Trier, for instance, is only a 30-minute-drive from the nation’s capital. The real estate prices in Germany are much lower than on the other side of the border so that even more and more Luxembourgers are increasingly moving to this borderline area of Deutschland because they want to save up on money.

As you have probably gathered, the part of the Eifel I grew up in has been subject to an intercultural exchange: Germans drive to Luxembourg to buy gas which is 20 Eurocents cheaper by the liter (about 75 cents cheaper by the gallon). Luxembourgers drive to Germany to shop at the local supermarket or to go out to clubs and bars. Germans, on the other hand, work in and explore Luxembourg City on a daily basis.

Now, this might all sound more exciting than it actually is. But it does make for quite the cultural mix. For example, the Eifel has a dialect which is called Platt. I also call it the farmer’s language. However, people who speak Platt are able to understand Letzebuergesch and vice versa. I don’t speak either but I do understand it and after some hearing practice I was able to understand Letzebuergesch after years of not being exposed to it. I guess that’s another language skill I should add to my resume.

Similar to the Eifel area, Luxembourg consists mostly of small towns and villages; aside from Luxembourg City, which has around 90,000 citizens. Vianden is one of these smaller towns but beware, it hosts more international flair than most towns in the adjacent Eifel do. Vianden has the oldest castle in the entire country of Luxembourg. It is one of those towns that come into existence from late spring to early fall, as it is based on tourism and people traveling here from the surrounding countries. When I visited Vianden, it was a bleary, gray day (yet, another one!). No one was walking around outside and only a few shops were open. On our quest to find a nice café or restaurant, we miserably failed. “How do people survive during the winter when their joints are closed?” is all I could wonder about. This question remains a mystery to me, so in case you know or have a theory to share, go ahead!

Vianden Castle on its rocky fundament

Luckily, the castle was open for business and that was the main reason we had come here, anyways. Vianden Castle overlooks the town from a rocky monument. It is believed to have been built from the 11th to 14th century, as the first mentioning of a Count Vianden was around 1040. Built on Roman fundaments, it has risen to a medieval beauty and to date is still being restored by its current owners. A big part of castle life are the knights who once went in and out of their “home”. Therefore, every year in the summer Vianden hosts a Knight Festival for 9 long days in and around the castle. During this time, people perform shows, such as fights, songs, and beautiful birds of preys (who were part of daily life back then). Even a medieval market is open to public, which has food, products and other necessities inspired by the old times (to find more about Vianden Castle, go here).

I would highly recommend visiting this small little town if you are in the area but most likely it is more fun to do during the summer months, as you will find many more attractions open to public, such as the chairlift (catapulting you high up in the air). Oh, and possibly a nice café that is not closed!

[For more pictures on Vianden Castle, go to A Picture Every Day: Vianden Castle and Surroundings]

On Purim, Sabbath, and Hanukah: The Jewish Culture in New York

This Saturday was a big event in the lives of Jewish people: Purim was celebrated on February 23rd, a Jewish holiday revolving around the entrance of Jewish people into the old Persian Empire. Matter of fact, I was even invited to a modern version of the classic Purim out in Bushwick. The joint supposedly hosted 800 blissful party-seekers and lasted until 5:30 in the morning. A lot of dressing up was involved, in addition to drinking and dancing. Purim is only of those few Jewish traditions which have become an important part of New York life.

Most people who come to New York for only a few weeks or months underestimate the Jewish presence in the Big Apple. Sure, you always hear about Hasidic neighborhoods out in Williamsburg (which by now almost do not exist, thanks to the annoying Hipsters extending their realms all the way out into Bushwick and rich students moving into the lofty apartments off Bedford). Even guidebooks mention the Orthodox Jews living in certain parts of Brooklyn (nowhere else in New York; Brooklyn is their kingdom) but also depict them more as an oddity than anything else. Now I myself might be prejudiced in the fact that they are “rare” and nowhere else to see. Perhaps working for a classic Jewish company in Midtown has geared my selective attention towards the kippot, ringlets, and bearded men reading the Torah on the train early in the morning.

Now, guidebooks cannot always be trusted, and you will therefore find proof of Jewish culture throughout the entire City. A fact is that 1.5 million Jews or people with Jewish origin live in New York. Supposedly they make out 12 percent of the metropolitan area’s population – the highest Jewish population outside of Tel-Aviv in Israel.

A friend of mine once said: The Jews rule New York!” – but I was not entirely convinced of his words. True, some stem from rich families and live all the way out in apartments in the heart of Brooklyn with lesser costs attached to them than, say, a house in the Upper East Side of New York demands.

Then my first full-time job was with a Jewish company and, smack, all of a sudden Jews certainly ruled my life. I was working 40-hour-weeks for a non-for-profit organization which was called into existence to distribute Germany’s reparation costs towards Holocaust survivors and (as the years passed) their heirs. This might sound ironic, since you know by now that I am German and grew up in the Southwest of Deutschland. It did appear a bit awkward in the beginning and I remember a few looks here and there from fellow co-workers who were trying to check out my family’s history (and the feelings of insult I dealt with in the very beginning). Least to say that many fellow Germans, including me, had no idea that a percentage of their tax money still goes to this organization (after almost 70 years since the end of WWII).

Aside from the pure essence of its work, this non-for-profit adhered to the standards of the Jewish religion. To observe Sabbath, from late fall to early spring, Fridays always ended earlier than the usual 9 – 5 hours we were used to. Since traditionally you had to be home before candlelit hours on Sabbath, the organization had to give their employees 2 hours of time to travel before the darkness started. Sometimes we were off as early as 2 PM during mid-December days. Only a half day of work on Fridays – an arrangement most workers had lived by for years already.

Of course non-for-profits are not the only organizations who observe Sabbath. Take for example my two favorite camera stores called B & H and Adorama. Both are owned by Orthodox and Hasidic Jews, and they are also off every Friday at 1 PM already (even during the summer). Now you also know the reason as to why they are not open every Saturday: It is due to observing Sabbath, which lasts from Friday night until Saturday night.

So what exactly is Sabbath and how is it to be observed? Theories vary on this as does the degree of observance. The most striking feature of all is that traditionally it is prohibited to use any forms of electricity. My Orthodox Jewish coworkers told me stories of pre-set oven timers, alarm clocks and pre-charged cell phones. “So you don’t have a social life because you can’t reply to your friend’s messages on your cell phone?” I once asked my coworker Sally. “Of course you can, you just have to be around your cell phone when the message drops in to see when and where they want to meet!” she confirmed after pulling out her smart phone (and showing the handy feature of home screen messages). And in case the Jewish family forgets to turn off their lights or set the timers? They ask random strangers on the street, such as my Asian friend James who was once walking down Bedford Avenue. An Orthodox Jewish boy ran after him and gave him $10 to enter their house and turn off the oven. Not bad for 5 minutes of work.

Not all Jewish people adhere this strongly to their religion’s rules. But Friday night is always a big event. I was once invited to my friend’s Sabbath party out in Bushwick. Together with her Catholic roommate and her roommate’s sister we silently sat throughout the ceremony, which involved pouring red wine into glasses and offering bread to all attendants. The whole ordeal starkly reminding me of the Christian offering, which has copied this tradition from Judaism. My friend had also cooked a variety of meals and guests brought several bottles of wine so that it ended up being a modern-day party after the Sabbath ritual had ended.

And then the many days off work, because the company adhered to Jewish holidays. It hurt my paycheck since I was being paid hourly but it was still nice to have more than the average of free time (especially since America is the land of only 10 day vacations and 5 federal holidays). They gave us off for almost one entire week spread out throughout 2 weeks when Passover came along. Corporate events were always an occasion to taste some yummy (kosher) food brought to the office. Such as the annual Hannukah party which combined the almost 200 people all into one conference room. Or the hummus dips presented during Passover time.

Time at the non-for-profit has taught me many valuable things about a culture you don’t find to this extent in Germany or other (catholic) European countries devoid of Jewish traditions. Of course some oddities were also involved. Such as the Orthodox Jew who insisted on telling my Polish (Catholic) coworker on where to find good wigs at a reasonable price. All because she and her fiancé lived in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn. She tried not to get offended that he thought her waist-long hair was fake… Or the fact that it is a tradition to offer a future fiancé a fancy and expensive bracelet instead of the 5-karat diamond ring most Americans expect for their engagement.

After one year of constantly dealing with Jewish coworkers I found that being Jewish is a form of culture moreover than a form of religion. It also made me forget about the quazillion other cultures this city has to offer, so my next job was a welcome change to a one-sided but nonetheless interesting deal in New York.

Deutsches Einkaufen: New Aldi discounter in Queens!

Aldi is now in Queens! I couldn’t believe it when a fellow co-worker brought with one of my beloved German chocolates to work, claiming he had been shopping at a discounter in Queens. While I had driven past an Aldi in New Jersey two summer years one my way to the Jersey shores, I was rather amused at how far the popular German food store had advanced. However, I would have never thought they made the dream of cheaply imported German merchandise come true, so I had to check out for myself what exactly Aldi has to offer here in the US.

Therefore, today I made my way up to the Rego Park stop on the still significantly impaired R-train. Rego Park is supposedly one of the bigger shopping malls you can find in this borough, together with the Queens Mall shopping center. Aldi was somewhere next to Staples and Payless Shoes. I had troubles finding it at first until I noticed that there are no doors leading to the outside, you indeed have to actually enter the mall. Then I stood in front of it: The brandnew and all-too-familiar sign with the bright orange contour, blue background, and white letters. “Aldi Food Market,”it read, food market being the only term giving away that I was in a foreign country and nowhere close to home.

I then went on, fully entering the twilight zone: The common sight of shopping carts stacked to the side, but no Euro needed to snag one. German Choceur chocolates neatly rowed up in the beginning of the aisle, together with Schogetten, another brand that rings so close to home. True, the selection was tiny compared to what Aldi offers at German stores. Schogetten had three different flavors, whereas it usually offers 7 and more in its country of origin. And right next to the German chocolates? Captain Ahoy’s chocolate chip cookies and other American brands. Gourmet tartar sauce next to Hershey’s ice cream sauce. The list of controversies goes on!

Tartar sauce right next to…

…. Hersheys syrup!

German brands mixed with American goodies – who wouldn’t get confused at first. It took me a while to shut my mouth and actually make it through the entire store to get an overall impression. Of course the fresh produce, such as veggies, fruits, and dairy products, are not imported from across the ocean. However, especially now during the Christmas season you could find German cake and a goodie called “Stollen,” which is a pastry made of raisin bread and filled with either almond paste or other sweets.

Christmassy stuff

Meat and milk comes from the US. I did find gingerbread that was exactly the same I bought when still back home. Even the price was not too much higher for most of the products. Schogetten cost around 80 euro cents, whereas here you can get them for one US Dollar. Stollen is 5 bucks and I believe you get some for almost 4 Euro back home. I overheard a German woman excitedly explaining that this is the real deal back home and that you really have to try it to experience a true German Christmas feeling. I shot her a freaked out look and went on, more uncomfortable than ever.

It appears that the German discounter has been able to successfully apply the concept of keeping the shopping experience cheap in this country. But I was rather baffled when I saw the marketing strategy they use: Aldi Truths! Truth #25, for example, states that “the same is always better when it costs less.” Duh! I am unsure if these truths are also stated in its country of origin, I, however, have never seen them around and have decided not to be a big fan of them.

One of Aldi’s Truths

Regardless of the store not being overly pricy, I still had to pay $15 for a few sweets I bought, and I am certain I would have not spent that much in Germany itself disregarding worldwide inflation and economy crisis. An ecofriendly Aldi paper bag costs 6 cent, but you have to be careful as the paper is rather thin and if you can, get more than one. The best is simply to carry your own bag with you, as you would in Germany. You can also purchase a cloth bag for the price of $2, but I opted against it, since I am too embarrassed to don’t want to be running around with an Aldi bag when I do regular food shopping.

Even though I would have thought to be less homesick and more pro-American Aldi before I visited this store, the opposite effect showed: I am actually not sure I ever want to go back for fear of spoiling all the reasonably good memories of the real German Aldi I am used to. It was more of a bizarre experience to shop among English-speaking people in a store that offers a few German products, half of which are made in factories in Illinois or Mexico, despite the German name attached to it. The products have an English packaging and nutrition information is giving according to standards in America, not Europe.

Christmassy stuff

The entire shopping experience painfully reminded me of the analogy of Coca Cola: You might be able to buy it everywhere but it does not necessarily evoke a feeling of being at home. On the contrary, it can let you wonder how far American thinking can spoil your feeling in pride of German merchandise.

Oh, and after reading some reviews on Yelp, I guess American consumers think it is a huge deal that cashier’s can sit. I guess it can be…

But get your own impression of things! Aldi has now also opened doors in Manhattan as of October of this year. Find more infos on their Web site at Aldi.us. Happy shopping!

No German words included in this post for fear of losing my mind!

Celebrating an All-American Thanksgiving in New York

Of course this post was a must! I didn’t get to write one last year, so suffer this year!

Officially, this year was my third year I had the chance to take in one of America’s biggest holiday celebrations in the Big Apple: the one and only Thanksgiving Day. Informally also known as Turkey Day, Stuff-my-Face Event and under other symbolic nicknames.

The two occasions before really did not count: Last year had been quite depressing with a friend flaking out on me, leaving me stranded in a theater and with a depressing movie, and a burger meal at a local bar. The year before last year had been exclusively German as two high school friends showed up, dragged me to the highly overrated Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and cooked a meal. Therefore, this year offered what I had waited for so long: An All-American Dinner surrounded by friends, good booze, and the chance to contribute in some sort of way.

For fellow Germans, this holiday has no great meaning other than Americans gaining yet another 15 pounds, bragging about being in the kitchen all day long, and watching TV with the whole family. For my family, it has more of a meaning, as we celebrate it regularly, thanks to our bi-cultural household and keeping American traditions alive in a foreign country. The traditions were known to me; celebrating it with anyone except for the family rather not.

I probably would have been a bit more anxious had I not received an invitation to my friend’s party well in advance: Thanksgiving Extravaganza, hosted by three people at a Crown Heights apartment. Needless to say, I was very excited! How could I not be? 10 people had said they would be there, the invite looked great, and the concept was simple: Do not show up empty-handed! True vegetarian as I am, I opted for a veggie casserole and a few bottles of sparkling wine. A reason to celebrate, after all!

Labeling my glass with name and images – hooray!

As the date drew closer, the recipes and plans became more extensive. Typical New Yorkers as they were, half of the guests decided to flake out last-minute with some really lame excuses. “I can’t squeeze in another dinner, I am invited to two others already,” one guest wrote. “If my dog is not invited, I cannot come either,” were the words of another. The list goes on, but in the end, it looked like it would only be 5 meager guests with a shitload of food that had been prepared for way more people than expected.

True enough, as I got to the apartment yesterday early afternoon, the huge turkey was baking in the oven, two sorts of stuffings had been prepared the night before, a huge dish of homemade Mac’n’Cheese was waiting to be eaten, chopped potatoes were about to be fried, collard greens were sitting in a dish…. The list of pure deliciousness goes on! And I had yet to create my casserole out of vegetables meant for more than 5 people. Somehow it all was accomplished, though, with the help of the hosts: A self-proclaimed chef, a hobby baker, and an experienced pasteles creator (this is a Puerto-Rican dish).

Wine and eggnog party

While waiting for the food to cook itself, we started off with eggnog made by one of the friends. Supposedly she had mixed it according to a recipe that was more than 200 years old (or “something ridiculous like that”, as she herself expressed it). Quite strong in taste but nonetheless delicious, this must have been the highlight when it came to drinks. And boy, did we have enough of those! 2 bottles of sparkling wine, 2 bottles of red, 2 bottles of white, eggnog, and more to come as the non-cooking guests arrived, happy to hand over a bottle instead of food.

In the end, it truly did turn into an All-American Dinner: A guy from Baltimore, two girls from Pittsburgh, and a Native New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent. Her idea were the pork and veggie pasteles according to a family recipe, which in the end were never eaten out of lack of stomach space.

Surprisingly, my casserole turned out to be quite tasty, as were the other dishes mentioned above. While the turkey of course could not be amiss, I must have missed somewhere along the line that Mac’n’Cheese is a must when it comes to Thanksgiving. And somewhere in the background, almost forgotten, two pies and home-made peanut-butter fudge cookies waited patiently for their turn to be devoured.

The one and only pumpkin pie!

After two plates I was officially full. My friends tried to squeeze more in by taking turns in lying on the living room floor and waiting until their stomach would magically empty out for the next round. We must have eaten for three hours straight, slowly stuffing ourselves until the point of no return, when three more guests showed up with, alas, more wine: A North-African guy and two French girls. So we had a multi-continental evening after this one, which turned the party around another 180 degrees.

Friend lying on floor

At 11 PM, most of us were simply exhausted. The leftovers, about two thirds of food, were packed away or bagged up, to be taken by some of the guests. Half of the group decided to end the evening in a bar, while the other half had enough. After all, Black Friday was happening and some had to work (including me).

To read more about the ultimate craziness happening during one of America’s most insane shopping days, go to last year’s post. It certainly is still valid today, especially after I carefully evaded the masses at Herald Square when walking to work!

I guess I should ignore the fact that on this day, as on July 4, some friends are sensitive towards the real meaning of Thanksgiving and see it as hypocritical that America celebrates the day extermination was brought upon the Native Americans.

handmade decoration – you trace your hand and cut out the form to get the turkey