Keep It Moving

The more I learn about health, the more fascinating it becomes.  Recently the New York Times had a wonderful article entitled Don't Just Sit There.   Basically the message is that to be healthy, we need to move - a lot.  Sitting does not serve us.  In fact, inactivity actually contributes to disease and a shorter life span.   The writer says that lack of movement disrupts DNA repair mechanisms, drops insulin response, increases oxidative stress, and slows metabolic activity within individual muscle cells after as little as 48 hours of inactivity.  She also said that watching an hour of television can snip 22 minutes from someone’s life.  People who watch (sit), on average, 7 hours for TV have shorter life spans and worse health.  Even standing up is healthier, and she recommends rearranging your work station, computer desk, or TV viewing habits so that you can do more standing.  One suggestion I loved, and have taken up, is to brush your teeth while standing on one leg (alternating legs).  This is harder than it sounds, but great for strengthening core muscles.  I'm practicing!

Also, I've gotten into a great routine of going to the gym 6 mornings a week.  On Monday it is Body Pump (weight lifting class), Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Water Aerobics, Wednesday is Zumba, and Friday is called Muscle Blast, also using weights and other strength training.  I have come to enjoy all of these, especially the variety.  And I enjoy the feeling of having new muscle mass in my arms and legs, the ability to put my socks on while standing up in the middle of the room (versus sitting or leaning on something), not getting winded when walking up hills and multiple staircases, and other little pleasures of getting more fit.

So lots of progress!  I've lost 17 pounds.  I'm on half the blood pressure meds now, and everything is going well.  I have no food cravings, and am quite happy continuing to eat the Dr. Hyman way.  Onward and upward!

Why It's Different This Time

Over all the years of my life, I've followed various weight loss diets, too numerous to remember.  And always, of course, I've gained the weight back after the diet was "done".  This morning I was remembering that each time I've dieted I've had a little mantra to comfort myself:  "There will always be enough chocolate in the world for me."  I snorted with laughter at myself when I remembered that.  Each time I've dieted, my intention has always been to hurry up and get the weight off so that I can get back to living "normal" life, i.e. eating whatever I want to, particularly sweet things!  And there was always a fair dose of feeling sorry for myself for having to deal with weight issues.  Poor me!

This time, I haven't used that old mantra at all during these weeks of changing my life around.  The reason is that this time I'm not thinking of this as a weight loss program so much as a health gain program.  It is completely different.  And my conceptual framework has shifted so much as I learn more and more about how the body works and doesn't work, and how what we put into the body impacts all of that.

Yesterday a dear friend sent me a fantastic article called "Heart Surgeon Speaks Out on What Really Causes Heart Disease."  This was written by a long-term heart surgeon, and his thesis is that the theory that doctors have espoused for so long - that high cholesterol causes heart disease - is simply false.   The standard cure, taking statins and eating a low fat diet, is also incorrect he says.  In fact, he says, these recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible.  Instead, it is inflammation in the body and particularly in the blood vessels, that does not allow cholesterol to move freely.  This inflammation is caused by chronic exposure to toxins and to foods that the body is not designed to process.    When we follow the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates we cause repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity. 

He goes on to talk about eating sugar and highly processed carbohydrates, and the impact on blood sugar levels and insulin.  He says What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels.  He describes how the extra weight we carry also adds inflammation to the cells, until soon the body is heading towards certain illness.   The answer, according to this doctor, and to other nutritionists and holistic practitioners, is to return to a diet of foods close to their natural state, not highly processed.  What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet. 

Along theses lines, I'm now in the 8th week of following the Ultra Simple Diet that I spoke about the first time I blogged about this cleanse I'm on.  I've lost 16 pounds as of today, and better yet, I'm now taking only 1/2 of the blood pressure medication I've been on for 4 years.  My BP is just dandy, and I fully anticipate that I will be off the meds entirely in the weeks ahead.  I continue to feel terrific! 

Snacking Well

Being on a long-term dietary cleanse means thinking ahead all the time about what's to eat.  In particular, I want to always have great snacks available to keep me happy until the next meal time rolls around.  I either want to eat fresh fruit and veggies, or something salty and crunchy (but not chips, pretzels, crackers).  I've found a bunch of great snacks, and thought I'd share them here.  First are nuts and seeds, with many variations.  I eat plain as well as roasted nuts, and sometimes flavored ones with curry or tamari flavoring.   We buy pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and spread them out on a baking sheet, drizzle them with tamari, toss them around, then bake them slowly until they turn golden brown.  These are salty and crunchy and good for you too. 

I like Livin Spoonful gluten free, vegan, raw sprouted crackers.  They come in a variety of flavors and are crispy and beautifully flavorful.  We just had "pizza" flavor this afternoon and nearly swooned with the pleasure of such yummy taste!  I also buy Mauk Family Farms raw breakfast crusts, and raw wheat-free crusts.  They are a lot like bird seed cakes, mainly seeds pressed together.  One version is a little sweeter because they contain goji berries. But again, if you want something chewy, crispy, and filling, these are your babies!   Another favorite is San-J Tamari Black Sesame Brown Rice Crackers.  They are actually black in color, and we love them just plain, or with some avocado or egg-less egg salad.  All of these items are found at the local health food stores, sometimes in the "raw food" section.

One of my favorite all-time snacks - or meals, for that matter - is what we call "Red Rice".  On this plan, I can eat 1/2 cup of brown rice or quinoa each day.  I mix olive oil and tamari into the grain to taste, warm it up slightly in the microwave (if it is cold), then add 1/2 avocado (chopped) and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.  It is so deeply, deeply satisfying, and easy too!

We roast vegetables in a 425 degree oven.  Put them on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and when they start to look a little toasty brown, remove immediately.  These can be refrigerated and eaten cold with salads or as finger food throughout the day.

Finally, I've been making soups and eating them between meals, or sometimes the soup is the meal.  My most recent favorite is this "Cream" of Broccoli Soup, which has no cream at all but is wonderfully fresh tasting and simple to make.  In a quick half hour you can have a pot of soup that lasts days.

I'm always looking for more ideas.  But for now, these items have been lifesavers!

Adding and Subtracting

Here's an update to the food blogging I've been doing over the last few weeks.  I'm coming up on 7 weeks on the dietary cleanse.  In the last week or so I've experimented with adding back a few things that were absent for the first 6 weeks.  The idea is to add one thing at a time and then watch to see if there is any reaction in the body.  So far I've added back corn, peanuts, nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers), yeasted products (wine, vinegar), and eggs.  So far everything is AOK.  It will be quite awhile before I add back anything with gluten, dairy, or sugar.  Those are gone for now, and maybe gone for the foreseeable future.

I've also added some new classes at the gym, Body Pump, Muscle Blast, and continuing with my beloved Zumba and Water Aerobics.  I'm adding muscle, which is thrilling!

Then for the subtracting - 15 pounds so far, and feeling super healthy.  I'm about to start subtracting some of the blood pressure meds I take, cutting the dosage by 1/2.  Hopefully this will be sustainable, and not cause any problems.    I also subtracted a large box of too-large pants - that felt good!

So that's the math of the day!

To Heal, Eat First

Nearing the end of 6 weeks on this food cleanse, and all systems are go!  Here are some things I'm noticing now.  My skin has gotten silkier and more youthful.  Before I had lots of tiny little rough spots all over my arms and legs that were scratchy and thin.  In the last week or two, those little spots have disappeared and the quality of my skin is much smoother and moister.  Wow!  The weight continues to slide off, slowly but surely.  Sinuses remain clear.  I'm monitoring my blood pressure and have permission from my doctor to cut my BP meds in half in the near future, and eventually to get off of them entirely if I can stabilize my levels.  All of this seems a bit magical, but it is just the payoff for eating a clean diet for all these weeks.  In general, I feel terrific, my energy levels are high, I have no physical complaints at all.  For my age, this is terrific!

I'm reaching the point where I can gradually begin adding a few foods back in, one at a time, starting with corn, then peanuts, then nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes), and moving slowly down the list from there.  The idea is to try something, wait a few days and see how the body reacts, and then try the next thing.  That way, if there is anything that causes a problematic reaction it should be clear what it is.  As it is, I'm quite used to eating this limited range of foods and it would not be a problem to continue for several more weeks.

I read some interesting articles this week.  One in the New York Times was called To Heal, Eat First, and described a program where several of the culinary institutes are enrolling doctors to learn about healthy nutrition and how to cook delicious, nourishing meals.  I've seen several articles about the massive amounts of sugar that the average American eats (something like 158 pounds per year per person), and how many of our processed foods contain big amounts of it.  No wonder our bodies are completely bamboozled!  My awareness about nutrition has been expanding rapidly and is a real motivating factor to keep on keeping on.

I'll keep updating this as time goes by.  I have a blood test due next week, and my goal is to have a marked improvement.  I want to startle my doctor - we'll see!

Week 4: Food and Me, Watching Old Habits Die

Just coming to the end of Week 4 on the new meal plan.  I have definitely settled into it.  Ten pounds have dropped away.  My sinus/allergy problems are completely gone.  I feel energized and strong.  No food cravings at all.  Best of all, my accupuncturist yesterday told me that my tongue looks 100% better than when I started with her a month ago.  She says it looks like the tongue of a small child in terms of health.  I have no idea what that means, but my body knows that things are better.  I am happy to continue with this new lifestyle for as long as it takes - my goal is to get off of high blood pressure meds, and never need them again.

It has been interesting to watch how my old habits still operate, even though they are not driven by food cravings any longer.  I still have the urge to stop at bakeries, to scout out the best mocha-chai, to drive across town for a chocolate croissant or a gordita.  But I'm watching this with the awareness that it is simply about long-ingrained habit, not about actually wanting those things.  It's just "what I do" when I have time on my hands.  So I've been doing other things with my time.  For example, I've become a Pinterest addict and can spend happy hours looking at beautiful art work, photography, and other great things on-line and creating albums of what I like best.  It is fun, inspiring, and free.  There are other new habits I'm working on, like writing and making art, going to the gym almost every day and trying new classes, and striving to be the best grandma ever.  Life is definitely good!

That's all for now. Got to go make my breakfast smoothie!  Yum!

Week Three of Eating Well

I'm calling it Eating Well, because along with everything else I'm reprogramming the way I normally think about food.  I'm into the third week of this, and feeling terrific.  My intention is to continue this particular "cleanse" for six weeks, then gradually start adding back in some foods, one at a time.

Here are some of the details.

What I Eat:  Fruit, vegetables, quinoa, brown rice, fish, lean chicken, beans (such as kidney beans, garbanzos, lentils, etc.), some nuts, seeds, avocado.

What I Don't Eat:  Refined sugar or flour, glutens, white rice, pasta, potatoes, dairy, eggs, citrus (except for lemons), oils (except for olive oil), nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), peanuts, red meat, caffeine, alcohol, and anything containing more than 5 ingredients (processed foods), preservatives, additives, coloring, artificial sweeteners.

It sounds brutal, and it did to me at first too, but really there is more than enough to eat and I don't feel hungry.  I think it is because my blood sugar is under control for a change!  All the "don't eat" things are known allergens that cause inflammation in some people, so the idea is to remove all of them for a period of time and then reintroduce them gradually.  This gives the body a chance to heal any inflammation or illness, and then to find out if any particular food is problematic.

I make a big broth twice a week, using about 20 vegetables: a variety of root veggies, green leafy veggies, carrots, celery, onion, cabbage, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and seasonings.  I can drink this broth any time, day or night, and it is full of minerals and vitamins.

For breakfast I have lemon juice in hot water, followed by green tea and then a big smoothie made with frozen berries, 1/2 banana, rice protein powder, ground flax powder, almond butter, and  water.  It is yummy, nutritious, and filling.

The rest of the day I just eat various combinations of vegetables, brown rice (1/2 cup) and the other things available.  It is easy.

This program recommends evening baths with epsom salts, and baking soda in the water (1 cup of each).  This helps to detox through the skin, and it is very relaxing and warming before going to bed.

I'm taking a few supplements:  fish oil (or some Omega 3), a multi-vitamin, magnesium, and a liver cleansing herbal combination.

And I'm feeling pretty terrific.  No aches or pains, no tiredness, no bloating, lots of energy.  I'm trying to read a lot about nutrition as well.  Have been studying a book called Living Beyond Organic and it is very eye-opening, lots of information about enzymes and how the digestive system works.

So that's my story, and for now everything is going well.  It is the first time I can remember eating differently with a focus on my health instead of on losing a few pounds.  It is completely different!

You Are What You (Don't) Eat

I recently read an article in Harper's Magazine that has started a tsunami of change in my life.   The subject was something I'd never really thought about before, fasting for health or, as the title suggests, Starving Your Way to Vigor.  Apparently sages from Plutarch to Pythagoras knew about the benefits of fasting, and a handful of recent scientific studies have corroborated this.  They say that giving the body a rest from food allows it to turn its attention to other matters, such as cell repair, detoxification, etc.  The author went for 19 days drinking only water, and told a lot of similar stories.  I knew that was not going to happen in my world, but a seed had been planted and was rapidly sprouting!  Everything in the article resonated with me like the pure ring of a struck gong! I couldn't get it out of my mind, and I read a lot of stuff that passes through my mind like wisps of smoke, without leaving even a trace the next day!

I began at once to change the way I eat, by simply letting go of sugar, flour, and many other "white" foods.  It was a start, but it wasn't what I was looking for.  Been there, done that, got the T shirt.  Lately I've been concerned about an array of health problems.  After a lifetime of perfect blood pressure, about 4 years ago I suddenly got high blood pressure and have had to go on medication for it.  My cholesterol levels, while still healthy, have been creeping up.  In the last year I've had a lot of sinus problems, forcing me to use a steroid nasal spray that I hate.  Then about 2 months ago, my kidneys started showing small signs of distress and weakness.  Each time, there have been more prescriptions suggested - a cascade effect, where all systems seem to be breaking down, slowly but surely.  I've always had a weight issue, but this late in life I had resigned myself to it if I can stay healthy.  Obviously that isn't happening.  So my motivation is to fix what can be fixed rather than medicating what can be medicated.  I hate taking drugs!

My partner, Daniella, has had remarkable success in staying off of statins for high cholesterol, thanks to the expert suggestions of an herbalist who put her onto some excellent supplements.  She suggested I contact this woman and ask her what she could recommend for me.  She immediately wrote back to first buy a book, The Ultra Simple Diet, by Dr. Mark Hyman.  I'd never heard of it, but I got it right away and began to read.  And the same evening I got the book, we turned on KQED TV and voila! - an hour and a half program about this diet and this doctor!  I felt as if I had fallen into some kind of vortex!

In short, the premise is to simplify your diet for 7 days (to start), eliminating all the foods that are known to cause allergies in anybody, so that meals are simple and very "clean" and free of additives, etc.  One of the basic theories of the book is that being overweight is a symptom of underlying health problems, often masked for years while the body is falling apart.  The clean diet deals with toxicity and inflammation, and allows the body to rebuild some of the systems that are in trouble.  There's much more to it, but that is the basic idea.  The more I heard about it, the more I became convinced that this was for me.  And so I began to prepare myself and my kitchen for something new!

It has now been 19 days since I stopped eating sugar and refined carbs.  It has been 4 days since I started the Ultra Simple Diet.  I am feeling pretty terrific!  My sinus problems  have completely cleared up and I've stopped using the meds for that.  My energy level is surging.  Weight is coming off at a reasonable pace. And I have no food cravings and don't feel hungry on this food plan.   Best of all, I'm motivated.  Here's what I'm picturing:  keeping at this food plan for another 6 weeks, going back to the doctor in 2 months, having the blood work done, and seeing her reaction to how much better I am!  Then figuring out how to keep it that way!

Zumba-licious

The deep thrumming of drums is punctuated by the random squawk of tropical birds.  The rhythm pulses, and Britney Spears’ breathy, young-girl voice begins to overlay the insistent beat  “this is extra-sex-alicious, and you want a piece of me…”  I twirl my hips and step side-to-side, then dip and swing my arms high, first left, then right, then left again.  My feet struggle to keep pace with the intricate steps, but it doesn’t matter.  By the time I figure out the pattern, we are on to the next variation, now lunging, twirling, then lunging in the other direction.  

“Shake that booty” Mary calls out, and a room full of wagging booty undulates around me.  I am the oldest and heaviest in this Zumba class.  All around me, young women in Spandex fly through the air, their lithe bodies easily jumping with the moves.  I am determined not to falter, not to give up mid-class, even though I consider it constantly.  But I love this stuff!  

In the front of the room, Mary keeps up a fast pace.  Her pony tail swings from side to side, and she wears a headset with a tiny microphone.  “Single single, double”  she shouts.  “Take a walk”, then “Back it up”.  Hot pink ribbons dangle from her hips and her knees, sewn onto her pants so that when she dances they sway and twirl in bright circles.  The music fills the room, bathing us in hip-hop, Latin and African rhythms .   I can feel it vibrating through all my cells.  

The Indian man who always stands next to me in the back row dances joyfully, without a care for the doing the right steps.  He simply keeps moving, swinging his arms and hips, and nodding his closely-shaven head, his heavy-lidded eyes half shut as he lets the music take him.   Sometimes, when the step-work is too intricate, I watch him instead of her, and follow his movements. “Papa Americano” comes up next, with its jerky soundtrack and beeping horns, and for this one I know all the steps.  I’m smiling so broadly that I am drooling, and I hope nobody notices when I wipe the drool on my sleeve and keep going.  We mimic drumming on conga drums, then move into a swooping motion that is like picking up fallen fruit from the ground and putting it into a high basket behind us, repeat, repeat, repeat, “squeeze your booty”.  By the time we get to the stretches at the end of the hour, I am soaked with perspiration, but completely blissed out.  I made it for the whole hour!  With the sound of that vibrant music still reverberating in my head, I'm off to the showers. 

Pepper Pot

 Many of you know that our little Zuma never goes on a walk anymore (for the last several years) without her stylish Italian muzzle.  This makes her look like a vicious killer, but it is really about food.  Left to her own devices, she eats every edible morsel on the sidewalks and beyond, and in our neighborhood, with a junior high school and high school all within a couple of blocks, that can be a major issue.  The streets abound with pizza crusts, twinkies, chips, chewed gum, spilled popcorn, discarded sandwiches, and so much more, when school is on.  A few years ago we had a MAJOR vet bill when Zuma's appetites nearly took her out.  Since then we've been extra careful.

But last night we went to Bookshop SC to hear a wonderful author (Donia Bijan) talk about her delicious new book (Maman's Homesick Pie), about growing up in a Persian household and ultimately becoming a professional chef.  When we came home, we noticed immediately that the lovely arrangement of gorgeous fall peppers that had been in the center of our dining room table was completely trashed.  Chewed up peppers were everywhere, and literally every single pepper had been tasted.  Some had been mostly devoured!  We knew immediately that Zuma had taken advantage of being un-muzzled. Peppers!  Who knew??!  All I can say is that when we go on our walk this morning, I'm taking two plastic baggies, just to be on the safe side!

Schuuuusssssss!

Schuusss, that's what they say in Hamburg for bye-bye. It is almost sung in a high pitched, melodic way, two long syllables, and we have grown used to hearing that, along with many other memorable and sweet phrases here. Now we have had to say Schuuusss to our dear host family, and return to Santa Cruz.

It rained on Tuesday, and we spent some time packing up and getting organized. Kerstin drove us into the windy and grey center of town. We went to the Kunstmiele and saw a fantastic retrospective of the painter Max Lieberman.







We loved these wonderful paintings, drawings, pastels, and portraits, what a rich body of work they displayed.

After a yummy lunch, featuring something so delicious and utterly surprising, fresh rhubarb juice, we drove around and saw some of the sights, the Elbe River that winds through the town center, the new and enormous half-billion dollar opera house and arts complex being constructed in the dock area (middle photo), and some other new construction projects that are taking shape and transforming the old downtown streets into a vibrant new area for arts and culture.











Kerstin dropped us off at a big shopping mall so that we could have one last chance to drop a few Euros before heading home. Actually we have hardly shopped at all on this whole trip, so we had fun browsing all the stylish stores.

Heinz took great care to prepare the "grand finale" dinner for us, with champagne and a wonderful selection of cold meats, brown breads, and also assorted varieties of pickled herring and salmon. We topped it off with gingerbread cookies, all covered in chocolate or flavored icings. And so ended our last evening with this amazing family. It is difficult to convey the breadth of their kindness and generosity towards us. They spared nothing in making sure that we were treated like honored and cherished guests, every day, in every way. We had hours of laughter and great conversation. We played with their children. They drove us around and arranged numerous excursions and entertainments to please us. We were bathed in their kind attentions for almost an entire week. We hope they enjoyed it even a fraction of how much we did, and we are happy to know that Kerstin can once again focus on her painting and Heinz on his business without having the two American grannies hanging out in the background. They get the medal for tolerance, that is certain!

Our flight back to the US was long and pretty uneventful. We had time to shop in the magnificent Copenhagen airport stores. We stared at the grey and sour landscape in Iceland, we passed through the easiest customs checkpoint ever in Seattle, and we arrived home at about midnight last night, to the wild welcome of our two waggy little dogs. Today we are clearly jet lagged, but glad to be home, and happy to have the memories of the last 3 weeks to savor. Thank you, dear European friends, for all of it!!

Location:Hamburg, Germany

The Heart of the City

We hadn't even seen downtown Hamburg yet, so yesterday Kerstin took us into the center of the city, where we wandered around little shops and galleries (many closed on Monday, alas), and had a lovely tea break in an old cafe. I should say tea and pastry break, because here the bakeries are unbelievably tempting and delicious. Today we each ordered a different kind of fruit strudel and then shared.






Later she dropped us at a very lovely shopping mall, where we spent some enjoyable time exploring what the Europeans are selling. It was quite a lot of fun.

Hamburg is a remarkably green city. There are so many trees and green parks and rivers that you cannot believe you are. In the center of a major city. It is very restful to walk in such an elegant place.


We were struck by the hundreds of brass markers in the sidewalks commemorating the Jewish families who were taken away during the Holocaust. In front of each house where people were taken (often whole streets of very elegant homes) these little markers name each person who lived there, their ages, and what became of them, for example "taken to Auschwitz, killed".





It is very moving to walk along these places and imagine those days when whole families were torn from their homes and taken away to the camps, never to return. It must feel strange to the people now occupying those houses to have that daily reminder just underfoot.

Last night we drove once again into the city, for dinner out in a very old and traditional northern German restaurant, again in the slaughterhouse district. This was the Schlachterboerse, a meat specialty place, where they warn that vegetarians should not even think about coming in. Heinz has a made sure that we experience the true cultural delicacies of food here. Last night was a highlight. He ordered crab soup for me and Daniella, and steak tartar (raw top-ground beef, flavored with spices and served on little brown bread squares). We drank dark German beer, and waited for the next courses. Finally they arrived (we are talking about 10 pm), and Madonna! They were not kidding about serious meat eating. At our table we had "gentleman's steak", pepper steak, calves liver with onions and apple slices, and a huge smoked pork loin with sauerkraut. On the side we had baked potato, mashed potato, roasted potato, and French fries, along with some sautéed mushrooms and a small bit of spinach. We all shared everything, and were so full at the end we could barely move. The restaurant was small and crowded and had the atmosphere of intimacy, gemütlichkeit, and long historic roots.


For a girl who leans heavily towards mostly vegetarian food, this trip has been quite a culture shock. Here it is traditional to have a huge plate of cold cuts on the table at nearly every meal. This includes liverwurst, many kinds of Italian and German ham slices, salamis, baloney-type things, and packets of raw steak tartar, sold here in tubes. There are also meat salads, marinated shrimps, and cheese platters. Heinz has also given us pigs knuckle, and a variety of meats from Bavaria, his native area. One evening he prepared an appetizer that was four kinds of fat (goose, duck, pork and?) each one served as a 1/2 inch thick spread on brown bread. There is not much poultry, but fish is also abundant here, and delicious. We have note yet had a single wurst, and last night was our first beer, but we have had an amazing quantity and quality of wine and champagne. I hate to imagine how hard it will be to get moving in the gym again once we return, which is coming up tomorrow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Barkenkoppel,Hamburg,Germany

Quiet Sunday at Home with the Family

This lovely family has a tradition of staying home together on Sundays and slowing down the pace, doing things together, and resting. We were happy to join them! After a lovely breakfast of yogurt, fresh fruits, and fresh rolls from the bakery,


we took a long walk through a park that runs along a river in this neighborhood. Young Jonathan led the way through wooded trails and local streets, and we loved the dappled sunlight and shimmering water along the way.





When we came back, Daniella taught everyone how to make paper boats. This kicked off many hours of boat-folding, first out on the patio


up in Kerstin's spacious studio. The children then painted all of the boats with wax and encaustic paint to waterproof them.














After dinner, we all went out to the pond in the back yard, where the kids put a tea candle into each boat, then lit them and launched a glimmering flotilla into the darkness. It was magical for everyone!





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Barkenkoppel,Hamburg,Germany

Flea Market, Art, and a Dinner Party

On Saturday morning Kerstin took us into town to explore the Hamburg flea market, a bustling street scene that sprawls throughout one area of the city. She knows that we have a Saturday yard-sale habit, and wanted to make us feel at home. It was fun to see all the junk they have for sale here. Somebody had one of those old-fashioned photo booths where you squeeze into the booth together, pull the curtain shut, then drop your coin into the slot and wait to make crazy faces together. We three squeezed in together for this strip of fun photos.





We had lunch in the meat-packing area in a place called the Bulleria, where there is a floor to ceiling window from the restaurant floor into the meat locker, where hangs a half-carcass of a huge pig, along with some other choice cuts of meat! I ordered some chicken dish, roasted in a casserole, and it was something like a stew of chicken, vegetables, and huge chunks of salt-pork in a soupy broth. Pretty good, if a little fat for my tastes.


After lunch we visited the studio of a a lovely artist friend of Kerstin's, Tita de Rogo Silva. She makes wood blocks and then prints the most whimsical and magical art, huge pieces about 14 feet tall! I think any child would be enchanted by them, and they are very fabulous for adults too.


We came home at about 4 pm to prepare for a dinner party. Heinz had done all the shopping, and Kerstin set a gorgeous table. They kindly invited a group of friends who all agreed to speak English for the evening. There were three doctors, two attorneys, and us, feasting on salad, goulash, and noodles, with a great trifle dessert prepared by Kerstin. The champagne flowed freely, along with many beautiful wines. Heinz keeps a great wine cellar, and he jokes that we will start the evening with a "Golf"' then move on to a "Mercedes" and often we end up with a "Rolls Royce" or a "Bentley" from his cellar. He is a magnetic and charming host who makes sure that everyone feels comfortable, cared for, and appreciated, punctuating the evening with many heartfelt toasts. This memorable party went until 1 am, with much laughter and good conversation.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hamburg, Germany

Excursions to the Baltic Sea

Our second day in Hamburg was planned as a big excursion day. Kerstin and Heinz drove us to the beautiful old city of Lubeck, which sits almost on the Baltic Sea, near the channel to Denmark. This old red brick town was the home of Kerstin's maternal grandparents, as well as the home of Thomas Mann, Gunther Grass, and many other famous German artists and writers. We wandered around the old streets, went up into an old church sttple to look at the view, then sat in the Ratthaus Square for tea time.











This city is also famous for marzipan, and there is a well-known store in the town center which has everything imaginable made of Marzipan, including many of the twins buildings reproduced in the windows of the store completely made of Marzipan!









We took lunch at a place that was a shipping guild hall since about 1400 a.d., and it was a venerable spot, with hand hewn beam ceilings, painted murals from the middle ages, and long wooden benches with brass fittings. The ancient atmosphere complemented the great food we tried, schnitzel, rutabaga soup, wild mushrooms in butter, and delectable green salad.








We visited Gunther Grass's house, and were amazed that not only was he an extraordinary writer, but also an amazing sculptor and painter. His collection is breathtaking, and made me want to re-read his books after so many decades.







At about 4 pm we took off driving again, about an hour away, to the weekend home of some friends of theirs in a village right on the Baltic, where we were invited to a dinner party. But first, we had time for another walk in the woods! (Daniella and Kerstin went to an art galleries instead). But I went off with the men and the teenage daughter, Anna, along a wooded road deep into a forest, where we were assured we would see some game animals. Sure enough, about 20 minutes along the road we heard some noises. At first I thought it was a wild boar, as they saw one of those the day before. But it became apparent that it was elk, up on the ridge above us. We could see two males with big racks of antlers, and they were snorting loudly and making almost a loud purring sound. The men immediately set out up the hill, into the brush, to get closer. We were trying to move silently, and got into some deeply swampy places, but we were able to get up close enough to see them clearly against the meadow and the setting sun. We watched them for a long time, then circled around up the hill above them, and took another trail back to the house. On the walk back we encountered a herd of female elk, about 20 in all, grazing in another meadow. It was all very exhilarating, and invigorating, and we arrived back in pitch darkness with a good appetite for the dinner ahead.




Our hostess had made a big roaring fire in the fireplace, and she served "raclette", something I've never had before. It is a Swiss dish, a cousin of fondue, with a special brazier on the table. Each person gets a personal little frying pan, which we filled with boiled new potatoes, sliced meat, and slices of raclette cheese. Then we put our little pans under the brazier and waited for the cheese to melt all over everything. We did this over and over, and also garnished our raclette with various pickled veggies, another delicious items, and a great selection of wines and local brewed beers. YUM!!


We did not get back to Hamburg until nearly midnight after that, and once again crashed against our pillows like a couple of sinking ships. But oh it was great fun!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hamburg, Germany