On the Move Again!

Looks like we're on the move again, except this time we're heading to the wilds of the Midwest, instead of the mysteries of Europe.

Thanks in part to this Berlin trip, we decided that it's time to say good-bye to New Jersey and hello to ... Illinois?! Yes, we're done with the long commute to the city, crazy day care schedules and constant run-run-running. We've got a smaller city to learn and new adventures to come.

Once again I'm keeping a blog so you can keep tabs on us.  How do you move a full house and family of four to a new state? I guess we'll soon find out.

Change is good.

Leah's Photos: Her Berlin

The last few days in Berlin we revisited a few favorite places. We handed off the camera to Leah, here's what she wanted to capture:

The zip-line swing at the "sandy" playground

Dad with the TV Tower

The boardwalk to the Berliner Dom

Getting Back to Reality

Now that we're home, we have to start re-settling in. It's nice to be home, but at the same time, there's a lot that needs to be taken care of here.

One task, sorting through the mail ....

Seven weeks of mail

We dropped the kids off to day care this morning with much fanfare. Leah and her bff were reunited -- with shrieks and hugs. Then Leah prompted asked us to leave so she could go about her day. Unfortunately, Alice's reaction was quite the opposite. She clung to mommy and cried. I died a little.

Then, it was off to grocery shop and back home to tackle a long list of things to do before heading off to work tomorrow. Back to reality.

One of those things is sorting through trip photos, so I'll be posting a bunch of the gems I missed here in the next few days.

Awake. So. Awake.

The kids woke up ready to roll this morning ... at 3:15am.

We fought back with every tool in our arsenal -- classical music, lullabies, special sleep friends, extra-warm blanket.

At 4:20 we gave up the fight. We went back to sleep while the kids had the run of their bedroom and playroom. But, by than, we were kind of awake, too. Drat.

A lot of good struggling to stay up did.

Meanwhile, I have 12 hours to figure out two Halloween costume that fit this year's theme: Dora and Diego. Somehow, I don't think that's ample time.

Must ... Keep ... Awake

Sure, it's 9pm in New Jersey, but 3am in Berlin and that's where my head is at. But ... must ... stay ... awake or this jet lag will own me.

We kept the kids up to about 7:30pm. Alice rallied, just before she dropped from exhaustion she was running from room to room shrieking with laughter. Leah didn't fare so well, she was sacked out on the sofa barely able to keep her eyes open. On the plus side, there was absolutely no argument when I called "bedtime."

The flight home today was like running a marathon. Nine hours of keeping two small kids occupied. Luckily, my ace in the hole is TV. Leah could sit for hours watching it. Alice, on the other hand, got restless several times -- sending me into the nether-regions of my backpack to produce something that would keep her sitting.

My house looked different to me walking in. The colors more crisper than I was imagining in my head. And my bed couldn't look more like appealing, after weeks on a 5-inch foam mattress we slept on in Berlin, it looked like a cloud ....

Ugh. Must stop thinking about my bed ...

I Hate My Coat, by Alice

As I've mentioned before, Alice hates outerwear. I don't think she realizes it's no longer summer. And Berlin has gotten much colder much faster than home. Here's a fun video of Alice hating her coat on a 40 degree day at the playground. Meanwhile, Leah is blissfully playing in the sand.

Perhaps she'll cover The Seasons at day care when we get home. Otherwise, it's going to be a long winter.

10 Tips for Traveling With a 2-Year-Old

After seven weeks traveling with my demanding 2-year-old, I've learned a thing or two. Here are my tips:

1. Find a hotel near a playground or park area. Like puppies, they will need their exercise. If you wear them out, they will sleep. 
2. Carry food with you at all times. When you are at a deli counter or cafe, order extra to put in your bag. If you're not embarressed, put zip-lock bags in your purse so you can stash more food. They are always hungry. (And, usually thirsty.)
3. There is no shame in letting them watch a little TV. (iTunes on my laptop has been a savior.) You need the rest. They need the rest after sightseeing. Bonus points for finding shows with relevence to travel, like Disney's Little Einsteins. 
4. Picture books are helpful to divert little attention spans. 
5. The tactic "come now or I will leave without you" does not work on a toddler. The preschooler, sure. The toddler will call your bluff every time. 
6. Pack an emergency diaper. Though, inevitably, it will be the one time you forget that you have a major need for one. (Details here are unnecessary.)
7. Keep your sense of humor. Even a tantrum in the middle of a train station will be a funny story later.
8. Toddlers thrive on routine. Traveling takes that routine away. So there's a loss of control for them. Be patient and supportive. 
9. A stroller that is comfortable enough to sleep in is key. But must be light enough to lug up subway steps. Invest wisely.
10. Have a very short memory. If they misbehave, forget about it after 15 minutes. No use holding a grudge. They don't care and it just makes the trip lousy for you. 

It's tough traveling with such a small volatile thing (much like a walking time-bomb), but it was worth the effort (and embarrassment). She might not remember the experience, but I will. 

Berlin, We'll Always Have...

Things I will always remember about Berlin:

• Einfahrt means exit. teehee!
• East and West are two very distinct areas, even though they are no longer divided by the Wall. 
• The dairy here rocks -- we all indulged in too much yogurt, cheese, milk and ice cream.
• Too much currywurst can be a bad thing.
• Mass transit works on the honor system with occasional ticket checks; a risk-lovers paradise. 
• Seeing Nazi-used buildings has a chilling effect on one's blood. 
• While seeing the remnants of The Wall is awe-inspiring. 
• Schmuck translates to jewelry in German. Heh. 
• When done right, the renovation of a 15th-century neo-baroque building can be beautiful.
• A mall is just a mall, whether it's in Berlin or Paramus. 
• Telling time on the 24 hour clock annoys David to no end. Me: "It's 14:10 already!" Dave: "Grrrrrr, don't you mean 2:10?" Me: "No."  Hehe

Happy Anniversary, Carol and Allan!!! Three years went by fast! 

Get Me Home

Okay. I know I said how much fun we're having and what a privilege this whole experience has been. And it has been. We're so fortunate that we were able to do this, for a lot of reasons. But now, as the flight home gets closer and closer, I'm ready.

I'm ready to get my bed back. And my big kitchen (well, big compared to this Berlin apartment) filled with familiar food (Trader Joe's!). I'm ready to drop the kids off at day care so they can be with other kids that speak their language. I'm ready to see friends and family -- and gear up for holiday madness.

I've missed the end of my farmer's market, prime apple picking and the start of all the TV shows we watch (my DVR is jam-packed).

Okay, so in exchange I've seen Paris and Milan and gotten to know Berlin incredibly well. So, all good. But, yeah, I'll be happy to be home.

See you soon!

Family Trip to the Aquarium

Ehhh!

Nasty reptiles will haunt my dreams.

The Berlin Zoo also includes a world-famous Aquarium, which we skipped over when we first arrived in favor of the zoo. Today, since the weather is getting colder, the aquarium was our destination.

As usual, it's nice to find an indoor haven where we can unleash the kids and let them run wild. Which is what they did, with the handful of other children who were there.

Alice's staring contest with a fish

The first floor was many aquariums with fish and other things you'd expect at an aquarium. Alice liked staring at the fish and Leah was just in a rush to see it all.

The second floor was mostly reptiles (including "Alligator Alley") and the third floor was bugs. I kid you not, ants were suspended from the ceiling and hairy spiders were displayed in the benches. But I don't mind bugs as much as I do reptiles. Snakes, namely. And there were too many of those. And turtles, which I've had an aversion to since I nearly was killed by one as a kid. (No jokes about it being a harmless snapping turtle. It was out for my blood.)

Looking at fish

Overall a successful trip to the Aquarium, which included a stop to the gift shop. (Dave's favorite part.)

Afterwards, we drove along Ku'Dam. What is Ku'Dam? Geez, I've only mentioned it in several posts!! It's the shopping street that took the place of Unter Den Linden once the Wall went up. It was the Western version of a grand shopping avenue. And it's pretty grand, and included all the big names,  though being Sunday, nothing was open.

Well, that completes are last weekend in Berlin. Next weekend, we'll be home and celebrating Halloween. And, since it is Sunday, we'll be watching football -- and event Dave is probably most excited about.

Keeping the Kids Happy

What can you do to keep two kids happy in a small Berlin apartment when it's pouring buckets outside?

Coloring Dora....

Leah took this photo, as well. She finds that it's important to document all the details of her life.

Guest Blogger: David from Koln!

Hello loyal blog readers. My wonderful wife has agreed to let me “guest blog,” but only because I went on a little side adventure on my own, to the wonderful city of Cologne (or, Koln, depending on where you are from in the world).

I landed in Cologne on Thursday afternoon and stayed at the Le Meriden Dom Hotel, which I highly recommend. While checking in, I was notified by the extremely kind and helpful reception desk representative that I am currently a Gold level member of the Starwood Preferred Guest club. This was news to me as I don’t ever remember signing up. But, thanks to my “status,” I was upgraded for free to an executive suite. Don’t get excited, the room was tiny and had a twin bed! Makes me wonder what the non-suite rooms were like.

Meet the kolsch

After about an hour-and-a-half of catching up on e-mail (I was there for work, after all), I ventured out into the city on the hunt for a local brauhaus (brewhouse) to sample some local food and the local beer called kolsch. Despite being provided directions to a specific brauhaus, I wandered a bit and stumbled upon the shopping section of Cologne. But with limited time, I remained focused on my quest to find a brauhaus.

From what I have been told (by my guidebook), kolsch is only available in Cologne, so I had to sample at least one (two, three) glasses while I was there. After some wandering, I stumbled upon a place called Paffger Kolsch. I found a seat at the bar, and stared in awe (and envy) as the bartender served the kolsch. This wasn’t just pulling on a tap handle, this was talent.

How many is that?

I have to say, kolsch is absolutely delicious and dirt cheap by NY/NJ bar standards. But, you have to be careful. As I was warned, the servers don’t wait for you to ask, they just refill your glass (or, kolsch-stick)... and quickly. The only way to stop it is to place your coaster on top of your glass. Had I not been warned, I might still be drinking at the brauhuas.

In addition to the beer, the local food was also quite good. Based on the recommendation from my guidebook, I ordered the “Halve Hahn” as a starter, which consisted of a large roll, butter, a ridiculously thick slice of Gouda cheese, and some garnish. Not surprisingly, the cheese was outstanding and the bread was light and fresh. Following the starter, I was served a plate of roast beef and sliced potatoes. I’m no roast beef connoisseur, but this was the best roast beef I have ever eaten.

Unfortunately, due to conference calls and other work-related activities, my time at the brauhaus was cut short. However, my hotel happens to be located in a great part of the city, right next to The Dom, or “Cathedral.” While there are many cathedrals in Cologne, this is apparently THE cathedral. And, lucky me, I just had to step out on the small balcony of my hotel, and there it was, like a holy beacon in the night.

The Dom in Koln

According to my guidebook, construction on the Dom began on August 15, 1248. After the conquest of Milan in 1164, the relics of the Three Kings came as spoils to Cologne, which consequently rose to become one of the leading places of pilgrimage in Christendom. The construction of the Dom was a result of those spoils and was designed to purposely surpass all other buildings in existence. Amazing what money does to people.

After a series of meetings in another town located near Cologne, I was wisked back to the airport and headed back to Berlin. It was a short trip, but enough to make me want to return someday.

** Editor's Note: Leave it to Dave to take more pictures of the beer than the magnificent Dom. 

One More Week Until Bye-Bye Berlin!

We're leaving in a week from today, heading home in time for Halloween. In a week, this adventure will be over.

I'm divided about leaving. On the one hand, I'm looking forward to all the comforts of my home and everything I'm used to. On the other hand, this has been a very worthwhile adventure. All that we had to deal with (mostly, the Dr. Jekyl/Mr.Hyde mood-swings of a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old in a foreign country) as been nothing compared to all we got to see and do. And the challenge of it all -- tiring but so much fun.

I now have a preschooler who can spot the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, who can say please and thank you in three languages. And a 2-year-old who will forever be talking about the Milan carousel and the car she loved to ride. Not to mention their new obsession with ice cream.

And I have tons of stories, memories and pictures that will make a kick-ass holiday card. (Watch your mailboxes!)

Needless to say, I would do this all over again.

In the meantime, I've put together a list of things I have yet to do and see. With one more weekend to fill with final Berlin sights.

Then, it will be all over. Who knew seven weeks can go by so fast!?

White on White - Change of View

I've never been a big fan of the whitewash decor I'd see in trendy magazines. It seemed so sterile, and if you've been to my house, you know I LOVE color.

But, while in Milan we had brunch at this lovely little cafe called Bianco Latte (click to see pictures) and I fell in love with the charming white decor. I bought a little white tin house and started contemplating how hard it would be to change my dining room into a white-washed haven. I'm nearly there, as most of the large furniture in that wood is already white.

Isn't that one of the best part of traveling?! To experience things that change your outlook -- and possibly the color of your dining room walls?!

Leah's Photos: Berlin Bus Tour

Leah is a budding photographer. We've been giving her our little digital camera at sights while on this trip to take her own pictures. It keeps her amused for awhile and we get some interesting shots.

Here's three shots from our recent Berlin bus tour:

Her boots...

Her Nana...

Her sister ... in mid-chase!

Annie Leibovitz better watch out!

Berlin: Left to See and Do...

Here's my list of final week activities:

- KaDeWe -- that very large department store I drove past in the car. We keep hearing about the cafeteria on the 6th floor with every food product imaginable (comparisons to Harrod's food department, if you've been to London), and their toy department -- which features Imaginarium toys. Yay!

- Prenzlauer Berg -- that trendy area I also drove thru. It's the "Brooklyn of Berlin" for all the artsy-fartsy hipsters who live there and the families that are now populating it.

- Neue Synagoge -- we have a view of the dome from our apartment, but that's it. It's called "spectacular" in my tour book. It's also in a trendy neighborhood.

- Berlin Zoo -- I'd like to return to the zoo to have more playtime on their playground. There's an aquarium there that we didn't see the first time, either. The kids like fish.

- The Pergamon -- this is hailed as the most fabulous of Berlin museums, so working up the courage to take the kids inside. This isn't an art gallery -- it's full of antiquities from ancient worlds -- including an enormous gate once belonging to Babylon. So, it's gotta be more interesting to them. 

I also have a small list of shopping to do for holiday gifts. Mostly, flat or easily packed. Although, there's a certain castle I want for the girls that might qualify as an extra carryon. 

Berlin Bus Tour

It's Nana's last morning in Berlin, so we decided to jump on a tour bus to see everything there is left to see.

Nana has been going out at nap time the last two days to see a bit more than our morning outings. She's actually entering museums and beautiful churches, so I'm living vicariously. I've only seen the outside of these places.

L&A in front of Brandenburg Gate

But today, we're going to cover a lot of ground.

It's a soggy day, luckily the girls both have their own umbrellas -- though if they choose to use them is an entirely different matter. (Mostly, they're dragging along the ground closed.)

We left the World's Heaviest Stroller behind (as carrying it onto a bus is just ridiculous) and took a train to Potsdamer Platz to board a green double-decker Berlin tour bus. It's a 2-hour ride and goes both to East and West sites.

We were a bit worried that the guide wouldn't speak English, but it turned out Martin (who resembled a German Andy Warhol) spoke fluently and even told a few corny, canned jokes he probably amuses all the American tourists with.

Nana and Leah at G'makt

It's a great tour and completely worth it. We hopped off at the Brandenburger Tor, so Nana can take a few pictures. She was a little emotional about being there and seeing remnants of the The Wall, though she can't pinpoint why. My thought is its existence spanned her lifetime -- her generation rioted against it and eventually tore the thing down. So, she has a right to feel the connection.

We were near the neighborhood of Ku'Damm -- the West side's famed walk -- when we jumped of and had currywerst from a stand. They also enjoyed freshly pressed apple juice. Delicious!

Nana heads home tomorrow morning, and we'll miss her! It was a luxury having another adult with me all day with the kids, and getting out in the evenings for solo dinners with David. Also reminds me that we'll be heading home in a week and this adventure will be over. Sniff.

(Internet working in about 5-minute spurts - joy!)

The World Without the Internet

The access to the web went kaputt last Thursday and I've been feeling so isolated as a consequence. I'm lost! I can't believe we lived in a world without it. Seriously.

Not only have I not been able to update this lovely blog (though, not too many newsworthy things have been happening around here), but not checking in on email, hearing from friends/family, looking up information and even finding out the weather forecast. Not to mention, no access to work email -- which I committed to do everyday.

Argh!!!

We finally got a technician on the phone who can help. He's currently "looking into it" and offered to send an email when he's found the solution. Dave: "Um, I have no access to email. Can you call me?" Tech: "Oh, this makes sense."

Meanwhile, we escaped for the night to a Starbucks at the local mall for a romantic evening. Duel laptops, free wifi, a mug of hot chocolate and no eye contact. Ahhh, married life!

East vs. West

Last night, we were invited to Dave's coworker's house for dinner. The coworker is an expat from Brooklyn (Park Slope) who has lived in Berlin for nearly 2 years. Her German boyfriend was also there and spoke perfect English. The food and conversation were fantastic.

Her apartment was beautiful and modern -- decidedly opposite from the dorm-like apartment we've been staying. And she included mushrooms they handpicked this weekend in the meal. Delicious.

Although the conversation skipped around quite a bit -- coworkers, favorite movies and books (we're all committed to our Kindles) -- Bernard, the boyfriend, made several comments about the differences between East Berlin, where we're staying, and West Berlin, where they lived.

Having spent a majority of my time in East Berlin, I had no idea there was a difference. But I saw for my own eyes pulling up to their apartment, there is a vast different. A seeming 20-year gap -- as the East has tried to catch-up to the "modern" West-side since The Wall came down. The East resembles a quaint small city, while the West side has a more Manhattan borough feel with restaurants, shops and crowds.

To think, I almost missed it!

Bernard says that even the population is a little different in the East. Older. More formal. Stuffy. While the West neighborhoods are filled with more worldly, urban people.

I dug out my map and have picked a few very "West" places to visit in the final week here -- including Ku-Dam, a popular street that rivaled Unter Den Linden when The Wall went up.

Full reports to follow. (If I ever get internet restored to our apartment. Grrrrr!)

POSTCARD: Wish You Were Here!

Just a note to say we miss you and wish you were here with us ...

Love, Jessica, Alice, David and Leah