I am not sure how it even happened. This past Saturday was the first time Evan and I had a chance to be at home and have the whole (1300 sq. ft.) place to ourselves. Realistically, with the exception of our two trips and two weddings in the last four years, no one other than us has ever put our kids to bed. Even when we [seldom] do go out on date night, we manage to get home in time for bath and bedtime. While that is our preference, it doesn’t mean that we, like most adults, don’t crave a bit of freedom to go out and feel carefree. In any event, it finally happened when my parents invited the kids out for a whole day of Baba and Deda fun. There was play-doh, as ordered by Sophia well in advance, time with Alex (a surprise to the girls), Rita’s Water Ice, and playground fun. Evan and I dropped the kids off right after breakfast and picked them up after stopping by a wonderful house party my longtime friend was having.
Sophia and Eliza had an amazing time. They felt and looked refreshed, exhilarated and thoroughly loved on. We too were happy to have had more than two hours to ourselves in the city we love. An XLB-filled lunch left us sated and fortified for a few hours at a local beer garden where we enjoyed the glorious weather, a few board games, and the beautiful surroundings. And while I’d like to give you the impression that we wined and dined the entire day, we did not. Before going out to lunch, we made enough [frozen] breakfast burritos to last us a month, baked a pie, made amazing chicken cutlets, and even better salmon avocado summer rolls. There may have been ricotta pancakes topped with raspberries, too. I can neither confirm or deny that. Judge for yourselves.
A good great weekend to round out the summer and hopefully, usher in a new era where the kids feel more secure about visiting and staying with grandparents.
Copenhagen is strikingly beautiful. It is old and also new, eclectic, exciting, crowded, invigorating and yet, despite all that, down to earth and inviting. The first thing you see as you approach the city are the beautiful green roofs of the many churches and palaces. The roofs are made of copper and zinc that has, over centuries, acquired a beautiful patina and has given the city a unique look.
We thoroughly enjoyed our five days in Copenhagen soaking in not just the history but also the modern culture. If we rushed, we could have “seen” the city in two or three days, but would have had to forego the cafe culture, the beautiful antique shops, and the boutiques that carry the latest in Danish modern design. We felt that we would not have done Copenhagen justice if we focused on just the past, on its rich and illustrious history. And so we spent several more days, ambling slowly through the streets both in the city center and a bit further out. Because we wanted to. Because we could.
Perhaps amble isn’t quite the word I should be using. We went fast, super fast, in a hot ride. See below. So hot and so new, no helmets or seat harnesses provided or required. The ride—the cadillac of tricycles is called a Christiania bike and is designed for families or cargo. And while the majority of the time you see sporty Danes wheeling their kids to and fro, you occasionally saw adults in the cargo hold and … me. Starting our stay in Copenhagen off on the right foot, we ventured to Amalienborg Palace which is the official residence of the Crown Prince and Princess. The palace has recently undergone a spectacular renovation that is the epitome of modern Danish design blended into a traditional setting. There is also a beautiful changing of the guard ceremony at noon, for those so inclined.
Having gotten a taste of Danish grandeur, we moved onto Frederiskberg Castle, its surrounding park grounds and the neighboring cisterns. We lucked out because there was a huge music festival that was happening in the park grounds. Since it was open to the public, we strolled through the park enjoying beautiful music and taking in the Danes in their natural environment. The cisterns, a modern glass art museum, were having a special exhibition that was awe-inspiring. The exhibition was a water and sound installation that, given the cavernous environs, made for an incredible audio-visual experience.
If you know me, you know that I will not (at least willingly) forgo a jewelry exhibit and crown jewels were not an exception. The Rosenborg castle houses the crown jewels and was an absolute must. We also saw how the Danish monarchs lived a few hundred years ago; The rooms were a little small and a little spartan. The chapel on the other hand, as you can see, was not spared any expense.
The castle’s gardens are open to the public and make for an excellent place to picnic or enjoy the warm embrace of the afternoon sun’s rays.
Out with the old and in with the new. Having done our due diligence for all things royal, we moved on to places like Freetown Christiania. Pictures are not permitted so you’ll have to trust me when I say that I was not impressed. I respect and support people’s right to live as they choose, but I am not sure I support the dilapidated, anarchist nature of Christiania. It was quite an experience, and one I am glad to have had because it made me realize I am more conservative than I would have admitted to beforehand.
Besides Christiania, we also visited the Glyptotek and the National Museum. The Gylptotek houses an amazing collection of sculpture. Works by Degas, Rodin and many others reminded us the immense talent that these masters must possess in order to capture an instant of the human condition for eons to come. And because any decent museum should, the Glyptotek has a great cafe located in the midst of its green house which serves wonderful coffee, pastries, and libations. Those in the know reserve a table for lunch, and visit the roof terrace, after finishing the exhibition, for 360 degree views of the city. Those who wish to be in the know, should know that the museum is free on Tuesdays and ~$20 otherwise. The National Museum is also worth a visit. I especially enjoyed the impressionist masters exhibit and the peculiar burial stones complete with translated inscriptions from the iron age. Fascinating and low risk since admission is free.
Let’s see… you’re probably hungry just from the exertion of reading this post and wondering if we did anything other than sightsee during our time in Copenhagen. As I mentioned copious times before, sightseeing isn’t just about visiting museums, it is also about eating the local cuisine and partaking in the local cafe culture.
For a trendy experience in a unique atmosphere try Manfred and Vins. Funky, delicious, out of the way, far away from the tourist traps, and serving spectacular wines. Stroll the Jægersborggade, the street on which Manfred and Vins is located and visit local artisans and their boutiques. Clou is a decidedly more upscale establishment that excels in serving Nordic cuisine with a French flare and impeccable service. Amass offers not only spectacular city views but amazing cuisine from an American chef who worked at Noma. We biked to and from Amass, by the way… it was a 40 minute bike ride each way and it was entirely worth it. Copenhagen has a very lively meatpacking district with great restaurants such Kul, Kodbyens Fiskabar, and Gorilla. For a taste of old-school glamour and cocktails done just right, visit Ruby which is situated along a canal in bespoke glamour. For a great cup of coffee and an even better croissant, go to Democratic Coffee situated near the university and across the street from an old synagogue. A visit to Denmark without a trip to an excellent smorrebrod establishment would be a major oversight and I cannot recommend Restaurant Schonnemann enough. When thirsty, do try Mikkeller or War Pigs for a fine hand-crafted brew. Last, and not least, I am here to remind you that vacations are about indulgence which, to me, means dessert. Flodeballer is a danish dessert which consists of a swiss meringue ensconced in a chocolate shell. There are variations which include a bit of sponge cake and a fruit or nut topping and they’re all very, very delicious. I cannot tell you which shoppe made the best, but do highly recommend you try a flodeballer everywhere you see one.
And just like that our trip to Copenhagen and this travelogue have come to an end. Until next time, hopefully soon, hopefully somewhere exciting, and hopefully with Eliza and Sophia who can begin to learn about the vast and wondrous world out there.
Summer 2015 marks Sophia’s first foray into the big leagues … aka camp. We enrolled her into camp in preparation for her starting pre-school this fall. Sophia’s only experience in a group setting with kids her own age has, so far, been limited to two classes: a little gym class when we lived in Maryland and a dance class she attended here in Philadelphia over the summer.
She loved both her classes and we were excited to see her transition to an independent, multi-hour activity. Camp, for her and for us, is a big deal. Sophia will have to learn how to interact with children in a group setting, teachers and counselors. She has to learn to be more independent, to function within specific time boundaries, and follow instructions. As for us, we have to get her ready for camp each morning, drop her off, and pick her up. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that of course there have been tears at drop-off and that is entirely expected though very difficult for us as parents. The only thing I can do, short of pulling her out of camp, is be supportive. Each and every morning if (and this week is really a matter of when) Sophia breaks down during drop off, I say “I know you’re upset and it is okay to feel this way. Mommy is going to be back to pick you up. I will definitely be back at noon to pick you up.” I am told the tears eventually subside (for her anyway).
I could, and I will, regale you with countless stories of our adventures in Denmark but wanted to share a few odds and ends, things we found unique, sensical, surprising or otherwise noteworthy.
The Danes are a tall set. There were multiple instances where I found myself too short to see a mirror mounted above a sink. I am 5’2.5 by the way. And yes, that half inch is very important—to me. An added bonus for Evan is that in addition to being a nation of giants (just my perspective, really), they also don’t carry petites, and as such, I wasn’t able to accomplish any clothes shopping.
This really is the land of endless summer sunshine. The sun is bright and it shines from very early on and until very, very late (at least in the summer). The sun set sometime around 9 or 10 PM when we were there and it stayed fairly light for another hour still.
You won’t find frumpy or cluttered spaces in this country that is the birthplace and epitome of modern decor. I noticed that many homes decorated their windowsills with various accents from lamps to candle, pottery or fine porcelain figurines. The windowsills were beautiful and gave a passer-by a quick peek into the personality of the home and its dwellers.
Kids, kids, and kids galore. The Danes, unlike Germany for example, are happy to be fruitful and multiply children. We saw many families with multiple children and many of them had three!
Fitness is high up on the list of priorities for the Danes. Although I only saw one gym, we saw many people biking and jogging along the banks of the Øresund.
Though important, fitness does not trump the amazing diet that the Danish population enjoys. Enjoying the fruits of the land and sea, the Danes follow a diet that is extremely similar to the one I grew up with. Breakfast is a big deal—cured meats, cheeses, breads, butter and dairy products are all staples on the table. A large and filling breakfast tends to carry you through to lunch which is enjoyed later than is typical for us at around 1:30 or 2:00. Smørrebrød or open-faced sandwiches are typical for lunch as are hot dishes. Beer flows freely even for those who have to go back to the office. The evening meal is much later (at least in the summer) and often enjoyed outdoors, soaking up the last sun-rays of the day. Small dishes and plenty of them are served for dinner chased with plenty of good wine and beer. Most surprising to me was the lack of vegetables we saw in the diet. Well, perhaps not vegetables, but rather salads. Carrots, peas and whatever else is seasonal was incorporated into the absolutely mouthwatering Danish cuisine. That said, I saw no salads, no heaps of lettuce or pounds of spinach weighed down with heavy dressings. Just as well, I didn’t grow up eating salads either and did not observe any obesity issues in the former USSR and not in Denmark either. Maybe these Danes are onto something? Maybe pickled herring and smoked mackerel, of which there were plenty, even at breakfast, is the magic diet food? Perhaps it is all about moderation, or the urban lifestyle?
Snacking was not at all common and neither was eating on the go. Coffee breaks and drinks, however, were observed with great enthusiasm. Evan and I were only too keen to try and blend in with the locals.
Dining, drinks and coffee were enjoyed at incredible leisure. In fact, it was very obvious that the locals viewed time out with company as not about the meal but more about spending time with company. It was as though they were paying for the time that can be spent at this establishment over the sole enjoyment of sustenance.
Picnicking is central to the culture and much supported through the many, many green spaces this small nation enjoys. Green spaces and clean air. The air, even in Copenhagen, one of the cleanest I’ve breathed in a long time. No great surprise as Denmark is powered entirely by wind power.
And last… not least… even the littlest royals, back in the day, enjoyed posh seating. This must be the most decadent high chair known to mankind ;-).
In years past, I was of a mindset that there is no time to waste; I liked to get off the airplane and rush to our hotel, drop off our bags and get started with sightseeing. However, I have come to believe that the journey itself is worth savoring.
Our vacation didn’t begin just when we landed—it began when we boarded our plane. As I enjoyed a leisurely glass of sparkling wine, remnants of last minute stress of packing/cleaning/cooking started to ebb away.
Evan and I iterated over our itinerary quite a few times before settling on two major destinations—The Danish Riviera and Copenhagen. The Danish Riviera, located just an hour away from Copenhagen, is the spectacularly beautiful northern coastline of Zealand. Small towns and villages dot the rustic shell and rock-filled beaches welcoming mostly Scandinavian, well-heeled families during the spring and summer months. Unspoiled, unpretentious, offering clean air, delicious food, and artisan crafts, it is easy to see why many families choose to spend their vacations here.
Having made Gilleleje our home-base in the Riviera, we spent two and a half days taking leisurely drives to a few small villages, visiting a few castles (this one and this one), a museum, catching up on Nordic cuisine, and resting. We stayed here and enjoyed meals here, here, and here. The hotel was amazing; simple (no TVs), unpretentious, right on the sea which meant we slept with our windows open lulled by the gentle waves. We can’t recommend it enough and should you want to visit, this is pretty much the only option since most people own or rent cottages. We enjoyed every single meal, too and highly recommend these restaurants among the many, many other options along the coast.
While the Riviera and Denmark isn’t my home, I felt very much at home there. We are so thoroughly charmed, that we’re set on brining the girls here for a summer vacation in a few years.
We’re half-way through summer and, for our family, that can mean one thing — birthdays! The summer birthdays have arrived and we happily celebrated our cousin’s 9th birthday. Sophia couldn’t wait to get to the party and once there, enjoyed playing with all her cousins. She especially enjoyed the backyard—something that we don’t have here in the city. Eliza enjoyed all the attention and copious time with her aunt, uncle and grandparents. And for us, as usual, we got a break from being 100% hands on with the kids and caught up with our cousins. Both Evan and I look forward to “the birthday season” that has become a yearly tradition. We also have a similar season in October with three kid birthdays that month, too!
Having not gotten enough of backyards and the quiet, we ventured out to celebrate Evan’s Dad’s birthday. We didn’t do the celebration justice last year having just welcomed Eliza, so there was little chance of us missing his special day this time around. Replete with chocolate cake, we headed home to nap, rest, relax and get ready for the week. We did brave the hot evening and headed to Race Street Pier to catch a breeze, a view, and let the kids run around.
Sophia loves going to the pier and watch the yoga classes that are offered there. She is now trying to imitate #mylittleyogi
A date night for parents of young children is not a right, it is a privilege. A few weeks ago someone asked me if Evan and I go out for a date night every weekend since we live close to family. I had answered that we do not, and felt that I had to explain why not. True, we have able and willing babysitters and are surrounded by many exciting places to be, culinary and otherwise. But, we don’t go out often because the kids are only going to be this young for so long and we relish our time with them. We also enjoy taking them out with us, introducing them to the city living, and lastly, going out can be pricey. That being said, once in a while, a date night is a necessity.
I had taken a 4:40 AM (that is not a typo) train to DC last Monday to attend a conference on data fusion. As excited as I was to start up business travel, I was (rightfully) dreading the train ride up. It was, just as I expected, as dreadful and draining as I imagined and… and then some. Not being able to stay away from the girls for too long, I came back Tuesday and made a day-trip to DC on Wednesday. All that travel, plus maintaining a household had left me drained and longing to have a few hours of adult conversation, to be served on, and to linger over a glass of wine.
But before there was date night, there was plenty of quality family time. In case you don’t know by the look on her face, she means to do something mischievous!
Sophia tried out roller skating courtesy of Alex’s old skates and Eliza, as usual, was keen to observe how they worked.
We delighted in the summer’s warm weather and the city’s green spaces having discovered a new (to us) community garden. So inspired by the beautiful summer’s bounty there, we are thinking of getting a space and doing a bit of gardening ourselves.
And then there is this crew. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I longed for the day that Sophia and Eliza would walk hand-in-hand and we could go for a walk on a whim and without having to bring a stroller, too.
Thank you cards are sprawled on my desk waiting to capture our sincere gratitude for the friends and family who came out to celebrate Eliza’s birthday. Eliza loves every single gift she was showered with. We tried our best to find a home for each new item in our compact play area including this:
This chair, not the dolly, though we love the dolly, too. This chair, to us, is extra-ordinarily special. It is special because it was hand-painted by our nephew Alex especially for Eliza on the occasion of her 1st birthday. We seem to have started a tradition in our family where the girls receive a hand-made piece for their first birthday. My father made a doll’s bed for Sophia. My sister added to the already-special piece by hand-making all the bedding including the two-tone pillow cases and a real quilt.
When I really think about it, the doll’s bed (sitting sadly in our storage) and this beautiful chair are just things. Many kids have little beds for their dolls and chairs, but these were made for our kids—someone took the time to think about the girls, spent hours designing, polishing, painting, and sewing something that will be used time and again. This chair will stand the test of time; It will be with Eliza (and Sophia) as they grow up together and, one day, they will pass it on to be used by their kids, and their kids’ kids. More than that, they will pass on not just the item, but the story and lesson that goes on with it. Being an aunt or a cousin isn’t just about the label. It is about the relationship you choose to have with your cousins or nieces and the time and effort you invest in being with them. Little she may be, but she knows she is loved—there is no other way to validate her knowledge than the wide smiles she gives to those who surround her (with love).
I am blessed to have a nephew who values the importance of family and a sister (and brother-in-law) who have cultivated this in him. The chair, the chair is beautiful.
Let me state right up front that the 4:40 AM train I was on bound for Washington D.C., this morning is quite an experience. Having to wake up at an uncivil hour of 3:45 AM sparked thoughts of changing my day job to that of a stay-at-home mom. I was fortunate that I could wake up as close because the trip to the train station takes me 10 minutes vice 30+ minutes from the suburbs.
I could have taken the train yesterday or even late at night but I didn’t want our wonderful weekend to end. Independence Day was July 4th and most everyone, myself included, had a 3-day weekend. We took advantage of the luxury that is a long weekend and spent time with family in the country. We visited Evan’s family on Friday where the kids played and splashed in the still-too-cold pool and the adults doted on them.
Saturday brought a visit with my family where we celebrated my sister’s birthday. Though the celebratory dinner was in the evening, we headed there early to spend as much time with my family as possible. My parents set up a corner for the kids with crates of toys and games that were once Alex’s (my nephew). In addition to the toys and games, there were crafts (Sophia’s favorite). Sophia played so beautifully on her own. She explored each crate and made sure to put its contents back before moving on to another activity. Eliza made use of her not-so-new walking skill to explore the house and run around in the yard. Both the girls spent some time exploring my mom’s vegetable garden and ate its bounty at dinner.
Not believing that anyone should bake a cake for their own birthday, I baked peach cupcakes with brown sugar cream cheese icing in honor of my sister. My brother in-law is not a fan of chocolate and these were perfect since they were light, not chocolate, and incorporated peaches which are finally in-season.
We headed home rested and relaxed, and with lots (and LOTS) of delicious eats packed to-go. I mean really, who would say no to home-made blintzes, apple cake, and the likes?
We couldn’t think of a better way to round out the weekend than a trip to a playground and the farmer’s market. I was sad to see the weekend come to an end especially since I had an awful early train, but I know the next weekend is just five days away.
Summer is here. I mean, really, it is finally here to stay. Beautiful, bountiful, baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables call out to me at our local Farmer’s market. I couldn’t resist. This weekend was not unlike most other weekends which involve a bit of cooking, some meal prep for the week ahead and good company, too.
Cherry Pie. With a “Go Big or Go Home” attitude, I passed on the typical 8-inch pie dish and made a slab pie. The ingredient list for both the pie was short and sweet. Sour cherries, flour, butter, salt, sugar and cornstarch and that is how it should be. A homemade, all-butter pie crust can’t be beat for taste.
And while the pie was cooling, I managed a few snacks that would hold everyone over until dinner and … pie.
Toasted bread with cream cheese and macerated strawberries topped with basil and a few cracks of black pepper. Surprisingly savory and a perfect bite with a light white wine before dinner.
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