This evening after work, J and I threw Little Duke in the backpack and headed down to the Deschutes Street Fare for beer, music and tasty food from top-notch food carts around town. The evening was a fundraising event for a local family services organization here in Portland, so on top of all of the above, an all around good night.
Our first food and beer pairing was from Fuego de Lotus, which served up tasy arepas (a Venezuelan-inspired street food) paired with Deschutes Cascade Ale. The arepas -- white masa cakes filled with tasty goodness -- were fantastic. I got the chili chicken and J sampled the pork belly. Yum. We will definitely go back, because Little downed half of my arepa and was kind of ticked that I dared to eat the rest myself. Also, for those of you who are interested, their arepas are gluten free.
Second beer and food pairing was from Perierra Creperie. They served up both sweet and savory crepes, but there was no question which one I would get -- the sopressata, brie, pear, and pepper flake crepe (when matched with banana and nutella) was the winner hands down. M gave it 10 fingers up. I said Yum and was inspired to create our next pizza with similar ingredients. The crepe was a revelation, but so was the beer pairing. Deschutes Pilsner was surprisingly good. I'd actually order it again, which is saying a lot, because I just don't think that many American beer companies can compare to their German counterparts. Well done, Deschutes.
J stayed to listen to the live music and I headed home with M in the backpack. He bobbed and clapped all the way home, just as he did to music at the street fair. He was pretty tired when we came home and gave me hell changing his diaper before bed, but as I kissed him goodnight I got a whiff of waffles and hazlenut -- all was forgiven.
My mom was in town last week to lend a hand with Miles while Jesse had a business trip to DC. On Friday night, she offered to spend some quality time with her grandson (we really had to twist her arm) so Jesse and I could spend a couple of hours alone. We chose to dust off our date night tradition and headed out to Cascade Brewing Barrel House on Belmont Street.
Cascade specializes in sour beers, which is a welcome variation in my opinion to the sometimes overly "hoppy" northwest brews. I am partial to more complex Belgian style beers, especially those that are spiced and dark. My first sour beer was in the form of a rather popular cherry lambic a few years ago -- a starter variety for sour beer drinkers or lambic with training wheels. Two years ago at the Cheers to Belgian Beers festival here in Portland, we sampled a local sour that was pretty awesome. In preparation for our trip to Belgium and Germany last fall, we decided to do our own sampling of Belgian varieties of lambics. We determined that some were very much an acquired taste -- with flavor descriptions that included "horse blanket" -- and others were rather delightful.
Cherry Bourbon Double Red (11% abv) is a sour double red aged in Maker's Mark oak barrels for 9 months. The beer is then aged with sour pie cherries, fresh sour pie base and bourbacide. The result was a wonderfully tangy beer that had hints of bourbon. I was amazed at how much you could really taste the cherries. This was one of our favorites of the evening.
The Bourbonic Plague (12% abv) is aged for 14 months and consists of strong dark porters aged in oak wine and bourbon barrels that is blended with dark porter that was brewed with cinnamon and vanilla. This is probably one of the best beers that I've tasted in a very long time. Its flavor was complex, slightly sour, and full-bodied, but not heavy. I was skeptical about ordering a 12% abv beer, because in Belgium that was almost a guarantee that you'd get a syrupy heavy concoction. This beer was exactly the opposite. Seriously, you have to try the Bourbonic Plague.
We also sampled Cascade's Bourbon Gold Yeller II (in photo on the right), and the '09 Beck Berry. The Beck Berry was outstanding (pictured on the left), but the Gold Yeller II just didn't stand up to the Bourbonic Plague, Cherry Bourbon Double Red -- I wish it had been one of our first sips rather than our last. We took home a bottle of the Bourbonic Plague to enjoy sometime in the near future, since I'm not sure when we'll get out there again in the next few months. However, I can't wait until our next visit so we can try more of the many beers on tap!
My first post took us through the first half of Belgium and Berlin. Now, on to Bavaria and our last few days in Belgium.
Lunch at Augustiner Keller in Munich was probably one of my favorite meals. We each had an Augustiner Edelstoff, a helles lager, mine in a 1/2 liter glass, Jesse's in the full-on Mass. We each ordered sausage, little pork sausages are in the back with sauerkraut, and in the foreground are the käsekraner (cheese sausages) with potato salad. First of all, the potato salad and sauerkraut were life altering. They may look sort of blob-ish in this photo, but were the best tasting sides I've ever had. Secondly, if you've ever read my blog, you know that I love Corralitos sausages, particularly their Cheesy Bavarian. Well, folks, this is the original Cheesy Bavarian and Corralitos is pretty dead on.
We actually ate quite a few pastries along the way, most of which I never bothered to photograph. Overall, the sweets were quite good in both Belgium and Germany, even ones from chains or mediocre train station kiosks were well above average. This one in particular from the Hofpfisterei in Munich's main train station, called Mohnstreusel, was outstanding. The dough reminded me of a king cake, sort of yeasty and only slightly sweet, with a lightly sweet poppy seed paste rolled in the middle, and a sweet crumb topping.
The trip to Kloster Andechs (monastery) just outside of Munich was amazing on so many levels. The hike out to the monastery was refreshing, the chapel was breath-taking, and the food and beer were top notch. We shared a pork knuckle that seemed almost as big as my head and each had two 1/2 liters of beer. I started out with the Andecher Weissbier Helles (a wheat beer) and Jesse jumped right into the Doppelbock Dunkel (a darker beer). We both enjoyed the Dunkel so much that we each got another. It was probably my favorite beer in Germany.
In Regensburg, we stopped at Spital Brewery for a snack and tasty beverage. I was sad that they didn't have pretzels, so we ordered (what I thought was a fresh cheese dip with veggies). As it turns out, the bell peppers were more of a facilitator to the pound of cream cheese stuffed inside. I didn't complain, it was very good fresh cream cheese, although I thought Jesse and I might fight over the lettuce and tomato garnish. By this point in the trip we craved vegetables.
That night we had dinner in the apartment rented for the night. We picked up a cucumber, fresh bread, cheese, and pickled vegetables for a light meal. It was accompanied by two local beers, Wettenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel and Bischofshof Hefeweisbier Dunkel that only cost €.80 each. I love local beer! We found that the hefe went really well with the cheese. 
This meal in Bamberg was the straw that broke the camel's back (or my stomach). We rolled into Bamburg hungry and sleepy and headed straight for Spezial Brewery for lunch. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious, but the roast wild rabbit in a delicious gravy with a giant knödel (a potato dumpling) and cooked red cabbage was quite a lot of food to handle at lunchtime. Jesse had a pork roast that also came a dumpling and creamed broccoli. As if the food wasn't enough to knock us down for the afternoon, we washed it back with a 1/2 liter of beer (apparently the smallest glass you can obtain in Bavaria). Jesse got Spezial's specialty, the Rauchbier (smoke beer), and I got a Märzen. The food and drink filled my stomach, legs, and eyelids with sand. We both dragged ourselves around town for the rest of the day. I was officially over German food.
On our long train ride (around 10 hours of traveling) back to Belgium, we had a 2-hour layover in Köln. It was insanely cold there and I really didn't want to have anymore beer for the rest of my life, but we pressed on and found a cafe to try a kölsch -- a local specialty. Thankfully the cafe, Früh am Dom, only poured their kölsch in .2 liter glasses. It was the perfect amount for the hour (just a few minutes after 11am).
Our final destination, Ghent, Belgium was all about relaxation. For two nights we made our own dinner at the B&B, which consisted of a ton of fresh salad greens, fresh bread, cheese, and of course, beer. Kasteel (shown in the photo) was actually one of my least favorites of the trip. It was pretty high-octane at 11% abv, but syrupy sweet to the point of almost being nauseating.
Belgium smelled like waffles (and sometime sewers, but mostly waffles). It's a sweet, buttery, delicious smell and I couldn't get enough. We got waffles from a vendor in Ghent and they were probably the most spectacular waffles that I've ever tasted, or will ever taste again. They're not airy like American waffles, but a dense, slightly sweet, brioche type dough. It's cooked in the waffle iron with sugar on the outside that slightly burns and crisps. With the hazelnut chocolate sauce, I could have died happy right there. 
The last night in Ghent, we went out with a bang by ordering mussels cooked in white wine. Prior to the mussels, we shared an order of shrimp croquettes and another abbey ale. I learned the next morning that 1/2 an appetizer and mussels does not a dinner make, especially when paired with stark Belgian brews. At breakfast my head and stomach were telling me that I might have chugged a glass full of gasoline, rather than that Duvel with our meal. It was a wonderful trip, but I knew right then that I was ready to go home.
As I sit at my kitchen table with the window open, the delicious smell of cooking bacon keeps drifting in and out of the apartment. Voila! The first category for my photo posts from the trip: Food. This is probably the best place to start, since an overarching theme during our 2-week trip to Germany and Belgium was food and beer. The main point of our trip (in addition to seeing incredible places) was to sample the wide range of fares that the two countries had to offer.
We stopped in a French cafe that appeared to specialize in tarts, both sweet and savory. Mine was leek and salmon and Jesse's was mushroom and tomato. We each had a Trappist beer with our lunch. I chose the Westmalle Tripel and Jesse's was Rochefort 10, each packing a punch at 9.5% and 11.3% abv. We quickly learned, however, that a beer (especially those potent ones) at lunch made for a very sleepy afternoon.
We only went on one brewery tour, which happened to be at our first stop in Brussels. Cantillon brewery is located on the west side of town, in a bit of a transitional neighborhood, but was well worth the trip. It has been owned and run by the Van Roy-Cantillon family since 1900 and it shows. The pride in their product and process was inescapable throughout our entire visit, especially with the care and detail with which they described the beer as "acidic" not "bitter." After the tour we tasted two of their beers, the Gueuze and Kriek. Both were dry, sour, and definitely not sweet like other Kriek beers. It is definitely a beverage that you would sip on a special occasion, not unlike a very dry champagne. Before returning home, we purchased a bottle of their Lou Peppe Framboise that we'll hold on to for our next anniversary. I kind of like the idea of celebrating with beer instead of wine.
In Bruges, we wanted to experience authentic Flemish cuisine, so we went to a restaurant that came highly recommended by the hostess at our guesthouse. We arrived at 5pm, which according to the front door was the time they opened for dinner, but the owner quickly assured us that they didn't actually open until 6pm. We returned an hour later and were lucky enough to find a table, as nearly the entire restaurant was booked for the evening. I ordered the Waterzooi (a chicken stew with potatoes) and Jesse ordered the beef stew (I can't remember the Dutch name). His came with a baked potato with curried butter melting inside. It was the most fantastic thing I've tasted in a while. We told the owner how much we loved the beef stew and he hustled down to the kitchen to provide us with a recipe! As soon as the weather cools down, I'm going to try and replicate the meal.
After our delicious (and filling) Flemish meal, we walked around Bruges as the sun went down and I took a few night photos. Then, we ended up at Brugs Beertje, a bar that was recommended in our Good Beer Guide Belgium. The atmosphere was relaxed and I was kind of envious of the people who had brought games like cards and Pass the Pigs to play while sipping their beer. Jesse and I sampled two more Trappist ales, the Achel Blonde and Bruin. I love Trappist beers, so I had no complaints other than the fact that I wanted to pass out from the full beer and meal. 
This was our first breakfast in Berlin and pretty much summed up our breakfasts for the remainder of the trip. I was in heaven. When given the option of sweet or savory for breakfast, I always choose the latter. In fact, the best breakfast in my book is last night's leftovers with an egg on top. So, bread, cured meats, cheese, butter, tomatoes and pickles was a-okay with me! 
This was breakfast the second day in Berlin. We had a lot of sandwiches in Germany, but they were consistently delicious whether they had egg and cucumber, or just a variety of cheeses, or curried chicken. I know this photo is a little out of focus, but look at that bread! The bread in Germany was out of this world. Even in Portland, where we have fabulous bakeries, you just can't get rolls of this caliber. Also, schnitzel for breakfast is divine.
Snacks were essential. Our best days incorporated snacks. This was a break in the Tiergarten in Berlin. We purchased the melba toast and cheese called Partykaas (which roughly translated into "party cheese") in Belgium for the plane ride to Germany. I loved the idea of party cheese so much that we even had a little Partykaas dance when I would reach into the backpack. Also, Kinder chocolates are delicious -- Bueno was a big hit.
On the last night in Berlin, we finally got Döners. I think the picture speaks more to their deliciousness than I ever could.
That pretty much sums up the first few days of our trip. More to come tomorrow in European Road Food Part 2!
My final is this afternoon! Lots of studying ensued last night (with the help of a Session study guide of course). I'm off with my Mom for a fabric shopping extravaganza at Fabric Depot, before pouring my brain onto a piece of paper.
I'll be back full time on the blog next week when life cools down a bit (for real this time).
As we're nearing the end of J's week-long birthday fest, I decided to cook something new for dinner. The criteria was simple: anything not involving the oven. I had some fresh kale, a nice bulb of fennel along with random fresh herbs. I'm always amazed at how often Mark Bittman's blog for the New York Times syncs perfectly with my plans for weekday meals. His recent post on "More Vegetables, Less Egg" was truly an inspiration for the height of fresh vegetable season. Also, I'm pretty sure this ladybug crawled out of my greens bag from the farmers market. Good luck for me!
My frittata was more or less the filling from the Greek Mixed Green Pie that I made back in June -- a bulb of fennel sliced thin, 2 bunches of kale, a bunch of dill, a bunch of scallions, and 1/2 cup of feta cheese. I used three eggs, which in J's mind did not constitute a "frittata." He put on his skeptical face as he poked around the kitchen while the "frittata" was cooking, but agreed after the first bite that it was tasty -- as long as I didn't try to pass it off as an actual fritatta.
I have to admit, my relationship with fennel in the past has been a shaky one. When sliced fresh, the bulb closely resembles the smell of licorice -- one of those foods (can you call it a food?) for me that triggers an instant gag reflex. However, when browned with a little scallion and butter, it is a delectable treat. I have J's Mom to thank for fennel's second chance in my life. She makes delicious pasta with Italian sausage, fennel, (tomatoes?) and not much else. It is outstanding.
Anyway, the "frittata" was not the prettiest dish to photograph, but it certainly made up for its lack of appearance in taste. We paired it with fresh corn (on the cob for Jesse, cut off the cob for me) a few slices of sourdough bread, and a tasty Belgian beer, Scaldis. The feta melted and browned just a little to make a nice crust on the bottom, and the slight bite of the kale was balanced out by the sweet fennel and onions. Definitely a keeper! I'm actually quite excited to try the recipe again with an entirely new set of vegetables and herbs. Perhaps potatoes, bell pepper and thyme next time? The possibilities are endless.
The Bridgeport Stumptown Tart release party last night was a lot of fun. We met a few friends from kickball for a drink or two before heading over to PGE Park for a Beavers game. The beer was not exactly what I expected -- it's partially my own fault though. Whenever I hear cherry beer, my mind immediately jumps to Kriek beer. I knew going into the night that we were getting a cherry wheat, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed when I took that first sip.
It was tart and refreshing, and probably one of the best cherry beers that I've had in a while. I just expected it to be little more complex given that it started with Bridgeport's Fallen Friar, which I love. Don't get me wrong, just because it wasn't a Kriek, didn't stop me from enjoying a bottle and a half. It's a great summer drink.
After happy hour, we walked over to the ballpark. Miller Light apparently sponsored the evening and declared it 80s night. I didn't really have anything that resembled 80s attire, but I did have a military style jacket and found a white glove at Goodwill. My homage to Michael Jackson. It's the best I could do in just a couple of hours. I think on any other night my effort might go unnoticed, but given that the city was abuzz with the news of his death, I was quite popular at the ballpark.
Overall, it was an awesome night. Good beer and great new friends.
I am totally excited to report that Bridgeport Brewery's new seasonal beer is a Belgian! YAY! (Also, how awesome is it that the Oregonian has a designated beer writer?) Jesse and I are going to swing by the release party tomorrow night to try out samples and pick up a bottle (or eight) of the Stumptown Tart Cherry Wheat Ale. According to Bridgeport brewmaster, Karl Ockert, the Stumptown Tart is their (excellent) Fallen Friar Trippple that has been aged an additional three months and then infused with 2,000 pounds of Oregon sour cherries. Here's a video of the interview from today's Oregonian (for some reason the video wouldn't embed). In other beer news, Jesse discovered on a recent business trip (from a bartender in San Francisco) that Belgium has a beer weekend every year. Guess what? We arrive in Brussels on the first day of the 11th Annual Belgian Beer Weekend. What luck?! I had no idea about the festival when I booked our airline tickets to Belgium way back in February. This afternoon I'm doing some research to find a room in Brussels for the weekend. I hope it's not too late, given that we're only about three months away from the big trip. Three months! I can't wait. I just got a newly released edition of the Rough Guides travel book for Belgium and Luxembourg. The festival is a good reason for me to crack it open and read it from cover to cover.
I felt pretty wrecked on Saturday morning after our late afternoon of tasting delicious Belgian-style beer. My brain was foggy and I just wanted to kick up my feet and relax for the afternoon. As I mentioned earlier, we had quite a few drink tickets leftover due to the fact that we received very healthy pours on Friday (and felt compelled to drink the entire contents of our glasses). Against our bodies' wishes, after Graham headed for home on Saturday we got dressed and strolled over again to the beer festival to complete our list of tastings.
I think there were 24 beers that had used the the Wyeast 3822, Ingelmunster Belgian yeast strain this years competition, so it would have been impossible to try full glasses of them all at Friday's pace. This time we employed a different (and wiser) strategy to ensure that we wouldn't pass out at 2pm from too much brew. If we tasted a beer that we didn't like (or felt did not measure up to the name of Belgian-style), we simply poured it out at one of the many beer buckets around the pub. It was a much better system and ensured that we had enough room for a glass each of our favorites at the end.
I have to say that there were a lot of good, drinkable beers (some that if bottled or on tap, I would have on a regular basis). However, the point of a beer competition is to find a great beer for the award. Other breweries clearly hadn't ever tasted a Belgian-style beer, or were just feeling uninspired so they decided to brew an IPA, Stout, or Porter with Belgian yeast. There were a couple that were very disappointing.
Double Mountain Brewery from Hood River, OR produced two varieties of a dark Belgian (10.8% abv) called Ingelmonster. We only tried the barrel-aged variety on Friday and when we went back to try the second on Saturday, they were all tapped out. I'm not sure if it was curiosity on the part of tasters -- it's not everyday that you stumble on a beer in the US with almost 11% alcohol content -- or if it really was that good. I loved the Ingelmonster Barrel and Jesse chose it for the People's Choice Award, so I wonder if the other variety wouldn't have been my top choice? I guess we'll never know. My People's Choice Award went to a beer called Streaking the Quad (9.4% abv) by Deschutes Brewery from Bend, OR. It was a little lighter in color than the Ingelmonster, but no less tasty.
I can't wait for the published results of the People's Choice Awards. I wonder if our beer-drinking palates are in tune for finding a good Belgian-style brew?
I used G's visit this week as an excuse to get back in the kitchen and experiment. He and J were my guinea pigs (and I was very satisfied with the results). I made it very clear from the time G arrived that I didn't want him to ever feel hungry. I always feel bad when people come to my house, but feel shy about eating. G, thankfully, took my advice. He arrived on Wednesday right around dinner time and I had a veggie lasagna still warm on the stove. I was a little nervous, because a large percentage of the veggies consisted of collard greens -- he had a mental block about eating them at Thanksgiving this past year, so my uneasiness was not unfounded. I held my breath as he took his first bite, but then he went back for seconds. I thought maybe he was just being polite. Then, he grazed a little after dinner. Score! Mikey liked it.
Thursday night after our hike at Multnomah Falls, we had veggie burritos. G is a fan of tofu, so our last minute dinner concoction was a success. I also tried my hand at a new pie dough recipe and made an apple tart. I was a little nervous about unveiling my creation to someone other than J, so as I brought it to the table I begged that they not judge me against their Mom's baked goods standards. G joked by assuring me that he'd only judge my tart against Safeway quality (so I was assured a win). We all laughed heartily as we took our first bites. The pie crust wasn't as delicate as I had hoped, but it wasn't terrible either -- G and J managed to choke down two servings. I'm definitely going to try the dough again sometime soon.
Of course, the visit wouldn't be successful without J taking his brother out on a run to experience the city. While they were out on an hour-long jog, I tried my hand at making homemade bagels. I have to say they rocked -- a perfect part of an afternoon meal. We paired them with hummus, cream cheese, along with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and onions. G had three. I'm pretty sure it wasn't just to be polite. I quickly learned that with two grown men in the house, "leftovers" is a concept of the past. Right now, there's one lonely bagel sitting in the kitchen and I'm not sure if it will make it until noon. I think J and I will be whipping up another batch again very soon to enjoy with smoked salmon and capers for a treat.
With bellies full, we went to the Japanese Garden for a nice stroll and then headed over to the "Cheer for Belgian Beers" festival. I did not take a single photo of our time tasting beer, but it was awesome. J and I still have a few more on our list that we didn't get to try (due to the healthy 6oz pours in our "taste" glasses). We're thinking about stopping by tomorrow to round out our sample group before voting accordingly for our favorite of the festival. Jesse and I each came up with different favorites, but I have to say, I liked both equally. My pick was for "Streaking the Quad" by Deschutes Brewery, which was a
G is heading out this morning for his trip back home to California. It was great having him for a visit and I really enjoyed hearing about his time in Los Angeles. He's really making a good life for himself. I certainly hope he's in Portland again sometime soon.
Yesterday was a bit of a blur. I had to do a lot of computer updates in attempt to get my laptop to stop behaving like a petulant child. As a result, my head and eyes ached and I wanted to kick my feet and scream. Now, I realize that I probably hadn't eaten as much as I should have yesterday (my jaw was kind of achy from the Novocaine shot) and food just didn't seem appealing. I broke the first rule in my book of life: Never tackle computer issues on an empty stomach!
Anyway, having realized the err of my ways, I decided to make myself a good hearty breakfast of two eggs, toast and some avocado this morning. To take a step back, Jesse discovered the Jumbo eggs at Trader Joe's a couple of weeks ago and now every time I send him out for groceries he picks up a dozen. I don't care, really (if I were making custard I would have hit the jackpot this morning). The eggs are more Jurassic than Jumbo -- like goose eggs rather than chicken eggs -- and I think I've discovered why.
We've had an absurdly large ratio of double yolk eggs in the TJ's Jumbo containers -- probably 5 or 6 in the last two dozen. If you go for that sort of thing, at only $.40 more a dozen they're a good value. Personally, I'm kind of hoping the novelty wears off with Jesse. When I crack an egg, I really do only want one yolk! This morning though, I cracked the first egg and one of the yolks broke. I was pretty bummed at the prospect of only having one runny center -- that's the best part, yolks on toast. So, I cracked another and what do you know, another two yolks. So now, I'm chowing down on a Jesse-size (Jumbo) breakfast. I can't complain, it'll power me through the laundry and house chores that I have to do today.
I planned tonight's meal with a heavy load of chores in mind. We're going to make a quick, yet delicious, taco dinner with the last bit of carnitas that I made late last week. This will be an exact repeat of the taco night we had this weekend because it was so good! When preparing for the original taco night, Jesse and I had a philosophical discussion in the beer aisle at Trader Joe's about whether it's a sin to drink good, dark beer with Mexican food. As we perused the section of Lagers and Pilsners, we found Simpler Times (TJ's equivalent of Budweiser, but with about 1 1/2 times more alcohol). Beer in a can? I know, but it was perfect to wash down the spicy tacos. And at $3.99 for a six-pack you can't get a much better recession beverage. I'm looking forward to cracking open a Simpler Times and enjoying carnitas tacos after scrubbing the bathroom this afternoon. And yes, I think I'll drink it right from the can.
Currently, I'm hanging out in the Oakland airport at the Pyramid Taproom. They have delicious beer on tap, but only pre-made salads and sandwiches (which are actually quite good, but not the delicious burger like I had hoped). I guess it's a trade off, because the unfiltered Amber is the perfect end to the day. If you count all of my travel, I have effectively worked an average of 14-hours for the past two days. However, the proposal is almost done and now out of my hands. All I have to do is keep my fingers crossed and wait! I really hope we get this project.
More on my trip to Los Angeles tomorrow! I promise!
After browsing online for ways to redeem our frequent flyer miles yesterday morning, I sent an email to Jesse at work hinting that maybe we should take the plunge and book a trip to Belgium and Germany. Luckily, Anna and I were out for most of the afternoon, so I was able to contain my excitement about the prospect of a trip until dinner time. Jesse got home a few minutes before me (enough time to decompress from the office) and I immediately started bubbling over with ideas. I thought he'd be a harder sell, since planning for a giant trip hardly seems like the prudent thing to do while the economy is totally in the shitter. However, he was on board -- maybe not as insanely excited as me, but pretty darn happy about the prospect of finally going on our honeymoon.
We discussed potential dates over a delicious bowl of vodka pasta and decided that anything less than a week in each country would be inadequate. This morning over coffee, I perused the airline website and before I knew it, we were looking over our calendars and settling on the exact dates. Then, click, click, click, we booked two round trip tickets to Belgium (leaving September 3rd and returning September 18th). The decision to just take a trip was impulsive, yes, but in reality we've been planning on this vacation for nearly two years (and when you have the opportunity to fly overseas practically for free, you kind of have to jump at the chance). Also, it will coincide with our second wedding anniversary and I can't think of a more awesome way to spend it!
After booking the tickets, we grabbed our bikes and rode straight down to the library to pick up some travel literature. There are so many guide books out there that it was hard for me to choose just one or two. I think after sampling several from the library I will have a better idea of which ones provide the kind of information on the kind of experience we want. Then, I'll narrow it down and purchase a couple for us to carry around.
Jesse also has a few books that he wants to purchase that deal solely with the highlight of this trip -- beer. I've already perused a couple of the Belgian guidebooks and picked out a few breweries and an abbey to tour and, of course, sample the fares. At this point, Germany is still a bit up in the air. We're having a hard time deciding whether to focus our time just on Munich and southern Germany (with a side trip to Austria), or to split our time equally in Munich and Berlin. I think as I read more the answer will probably be pretty easy.
I'm not exactly sure how I will even sleep for the next seven months anticipating this long awaited vacation, but somehow I'll have to manage!
Right about this time last year, I wrote my first posts on our future plans and my exciting first visit to Portland. One year later, we're here and settled. I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the past year and realized that Jesse and I have accomplished a lot! I sat and read through my blog archives this morning and realized that my posts in February last year looked a bit different than they do now. While work, moving boxes, and tape were the focus of my attention last spring, it seems that food and projects (whether for work or pleasure) have dominated my daily routine since my arrival in Portland.
My life has changed a lot since our move and I'm just now starting to feel comfortable with my contributions to our household. Monetarily, I am not contributing in the way I did in D.C., but I am cooking a lot more and we're eating a lot healthier than before. As a result, we feel better, and I've been able to pare down our budget considerably. Also, I realized that instead of obsessing over having a full-time job that I should enjoy my time off and volunteer, continue experimenting with food, and dream about fun things in the future.
So today, that's exactly what I'm doing -- dreaming of fun things in the future. I talked with my good friend, Lauren, on the phone last night. It was good to catch up with all of her news and mine, but it was also wonderful to hear her talk about the trip she is planning to Italy with her husband, Ken, this spring. They're flying into Milan and visiting northern Italy, hitting Venice and Florence along the way. It sounds divine and I can't wait to get all of the details about their travels. It made me think about that trip that Jesse and I have been planning since before our wedding (a trip that we hoped to take as our honeymoon). Since our love was founded on beer and grilled cheese at Toledo Lounge happy hours in the early days of graduate school, we decided that a beer tour of Europe would be the most awesome honeymoon ever. Belgium and Germany produce our favorite brews, so our itinerary is pretty much set -- one week in each country. Of course, life happened and our move to Portland was much more important than a trip overseas. Life is still a bit hectic now to think about a big trip, and neither of us really want to travel to Europe in the summer, so this fall seems like the soonest that we could even think of going anywhere.
However, that hasn't stopped me from doing research on the feasibility of a vacation in September. I checked online and found out that we have enough frequent flyer miles to book round trip tickets to either Brussels or Munich. Throughout our move, we have been very careful to not touch the travel fund that we saved before our wedding, so our two weeks in beer paradise would not really affect my iron-clad budget. This afternoon (after going on a fabric-hunting trip with Anna to make a roman shade for her baby's nursery) I am going to the library and parking myself in the travel section. I'll probably also make a pass through the stacks to see if I can scrounge up a few books for Jesse on Belgian ale.
I know, I know, it's a long shot, but a what's so wrong with a little daydreaming?
