On May the first, or Maitag, and throughout the month, you will see Maiglöckchen or Lily of the Valley everywhere you look. Flower shops sell bouquets and small posies. You will see images on cards, and people love to give them as a special sweet-smelling token of happiness, joy, and love. What made these little bell shaped flowers such an…
Author: karenanne
Visit the DDR Museum Berlin- An Interactive Museum of East Germany
Maybe it’s because I loved the TV show Deutschland 83 and the film Good bye Lenin, maybe it’s because I’m forever haunted that a city can be divided in half, or maybe it’s the wild wallpaper… but the DDR Museum in Berlin ranks as one of my favorite German museums. This little hands-on museum is a fascinating look back into…
Aldi German Week- Searching for German Food in an American Aldi
I’m always getting messages and comments about how someone could get something from Aldi US… or NOT get something from Aldi US. For years, I didn’t live near an Aldi. My only Aldi experience until recently was in Aldi, Germany. HOWEVER! Wonder of wonders… my visit to my parents in Southern California, fell at the same time as Aldi German…
German Kinder Eggs- Delicious Chocolate Eggs with a Toy Inside
Seldom has a simple candy caused so much joy and so much frustration at the same time. German Kinder Eggs were such a HUGE part of my childhood. We loved getting those fabulous eggs made from smooth and sweet Kinder Chocolate, and as a bonus, there was a capsule inside containing a cute little toy that we could put together!…
The Best Currywurst in Berlin? What is Currywurst? And where to FIND it!
It’s not a shock, if you are looking for the best Currywurst Berlin is the place to go. After all, Currywurst was invented in Berlin… and there is a currywurst stand on every other corner. There is even a Berlin Currywurst Museum! On my last visit I tried as many as I could (in the name of science, you…
My Week in Berlin- Museums, Currywurst, and a LOT of Cake!
My daughter spent a semester as an Exchange Student in Berlin, and I decided it would be a good time to visit. Let me begin by saying… A Week in Berlin is not enough time to see/do/experience and EAT everything I wanted to. But! I’m proud to say that we did give it a try, and we managed to squeeze…
Hefezopf Recipe- An Easy and Delicious Braided German Sweet Bread
My mother loves sweet bread made with yeast dough, especially during Easter. This year (after watching far too many episodes of the British Baking Challenge), I decided to step outside my comfort zone with a Hefezopf. Don’t be intimidated by the yeast or kneading. The dough comes together beautifully in the mixer. As for the kneading, I usually have around…
Threaten To Undo Us by Rose Seiler Scott – My book Review
Threaten to Undo Us Those of you who have followed my website for a while may have heard me talk about how my mother’s family was relocated from their home in Silesia. In all, 12 million German Nationals were forced out of Eastern European Countries after World War 2 as part of a pact made by the Allied Powers. The…
Playmobil for Easter- Fill the Easter Basket with Bunnies & Eggs that Last!
Playmobil 4450 Bunny Spring Workshop When filling Easter Baskets for kids, it’s nice to include something that they can enjoy playing with for a long time. Why not add a set from Playmobil for Easter? I’ve written before about my love for the high quality Playmobil toys that encourage children to use their imagination–>Playmobil Toys. Not only are they well made, and…
Steinbach Company in Germany- Still Making Erzgebirge Magic for the World
“We want to bring the Erzgebirge magic into peoples homes all over the world.” While scrolling through Facebook recently, I came across an interesting comment on the Steinbach Nutcracker fan page… it said that the Steinbach Company in Germany had been purchased, and the factory was up and running again. WHAT! I did some digging, and couldn’t find much……