Sliding through

I really love snow. Even though I don't get snow days anymore it is still a thrill to wake up to falling snow. We have had quite a bit of it recently, by Hamburg standards anyway. It was beautiful and white and never mind that the shoveling was spotty and the steps up to work treacherous. It was snow!


Today it melted. Not entirely, but enough that the un-shoveled sidewalks are either sheets of ice with water on top or four inches of dirty slush. Slush that is most definitely not snow. So to console myself, and those of you also having uncooperative weather, here are some photos from where the light was nice and there was no slush to be found, except in the form of granita.

walking and eating

Venice is not one of those places I always wanted to visit. I knew very little about it except that it is Historically Important, you can get the itty bitty clams from the Adriatic that are unlike any other clams anywhere (thank you, Marcella Hazan) and, well, canals. So while I was excited to visit I really didn't know what to expect.


Despite warnings, I didn't prepare myself for giant crowds of tourists in teeny tiny alleyways. I also didn't prepare for getting utterly lost on the way from the bus station to my hotel, which was about as much of a straight shot as one gets in Venice. I blame the tour group in front of me. I was heading the same way as they were, but everyone said "Don't follow the tourists! Get lost!" So I did exactly that, to the nth degree. I went the exact opposite way that I should have, was off of my map for the first half an hour and only very, very belatedly realized what I had done. On the upside, I got a rather nice tour of some of the outer neighborhoods of Venice before coming to the monster crowds at the Rialto Bridge. And at least I only had a backpack for luggage.


Despite that rather rocky navigational start, walking around the city was mostly really pleasant. Our hotel was in San Polo, very close to the Frari church and within easy walking distance of just about everything. And we did what we generally do on vacation - ate, walked, saw some art (the Biennalle, actually, which was fun), walked some more and then ate. To the walking and eating we added vaporettos and traghettos (1 euro ferry gondolas, my favorite) and some high-quality people watching.


Much of our time was spent figuring out where we would have our next meal. Normally when we go on vacation we have a PLAN, both in terms of restaurants and specific things to eat. For whatever reason that wasn't as much the case this time and we did a fair amount of random restaurant seeking that devolved into being hungry and crabby. Basically, we are indecisive. We keep walking and looking and then we don't eat lunch because we never find a place that looks just right. And then we get cranky. It's not pretty.


But despite all of that, Venice was...fabulous. We found fantastic gelato, a few lovely restaurants and even some unfiltered Prosecco for an afternoon drink. (I also found the most vicious and enormous mosquitoes I have ever encountered.) Mostly though we just relaxed and enjoyed being in the same place.


And now I would love to go back. I would plan it differently this time (stay in an apartment instead of a hotel, make time to swim, bathe in DEET before sitting beside a canal to eat an espresso granita con panna) but there was so much we did not get to see, and so many foods we weren't able to try. Next time.

Let's start in New York

I was having a hard time writing about my recent trip - maybe because it was so long, or it had so many parts. Or maybe because I became immediately busy and sick after getting home. But I actually think it was that I had to wait to get my film developed to see most of the photos I took. Zoli took the digital camera with him to Taiwan and Italy and I had my manual SLR, so while I took a few digital photos, most of the photos that I really thought about and wanted to see were on the four rolls of film sitting on the dining room table waiting to be developed.


Since that is finally done and the negatives were scanned by the lovely people at the photo lab we will start where I started, in New York. I visited my sister for a few days before my conference and aside from some good eating we also did some exploring on the weekend. We took the subway (obligingly rerouted over the river instead of under) to visit the Brooklyn Flea in Fort Greene. I haven't been to many neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but I liked Fort Greene - the Flea, the farmer's market, the park - it was more peaceful than New York normally is, and really, how can you not like a neighborhood with tomatoes like this?


We also visited the Highline, along with every other person visiting New York that day*, despite the rain. And it was lovely - the weather was too hässlich for any burlesque shows or exhibitionism, but it was fun to see the old railroad tracks in some places, and the views of Jersey City in others.


From New York I bussed to Boston and then to Woods Hole, which is a lovely place any time to have a conference.

Conference summary: Parasites are bad but really interesting, and we're trying to do shit to stop them. Also, lobster is tasty.


On to Medford to see the baby, hang with my other sister, see my mom and practice being a good aunt. I learned two lessons. 1. Nephews are fascinating. I spent most of my time staring at him and I wish I was still there doing the same thing. 2. Babies are a lot of work. My sister and her husband are doing a fabulous job and basically taking it all in stride, it's quite impressive. And it was nice to be able to just hang out, go for walks, observe the Medford wildlife and help out, if only for a few days.


It's funny, despite living on the other side of the country from most of my family for many years, somehow since we've been living in Germany the distance feels larger. I was always sad to leave them when I was living in Seattle, but I guess I didn't feel like I was missing anything. But now I know I'm missing a lot and photos, adorable as they are, don't make up for it.

Up next: Venice

*I was somewhat overwhelmed by all the people in New York - or rather, all the conversations I was unable to block out because they were in English. Though I can understand many German conversations now, it is still quite easy to disengage and not listen since it requires extra concentration and effort to understand. I am out of practice blocking out English conversations, however, and I was listening to EVERYTHING.

Year 2, Day 12

If this summer was a whirlwind, September was a tornado. But a generous tornado, the kind that knocks you around a little but doesn't actually cause much damage except some jet lag and one suitcase casualty. And one that takes you to Venice on vacation.

We both spent most of September traveling for conferences in different hemispheres and then for vacation together in Italy. Zoli had the more exotic conference locations (Taiwan then Venice) - my conference in Woods Hole wasn't quite as sexy, except that I got to spend a week in Boston cuddling my nephew. (I'd take him over Taiwan any day.) We were gone for over three weeks - the conferences were interesting and exhausting the way conferences are and our vacation in Italy was lovely, but man is it nice to be home! (We both had conferences close to Hamburg last week as well - who made September and October conference season?)

All that conferencing and traveling is finally finished, just in time for Zoli to leave for five weeks for his annual RAPID cruise. I can't say I'm really prepared, but compared to this time last year this cruise will be a piece of cake. We've been in Hamburg for over a year, rather than just weeks; I have a job and more than enough to keep me busy; I can speak and understand so much more than at this time last year; and I've made friends so I won't be quite as lonely. His boat is supposed to have internet this year, so we may actually be able to Skype while he's gone instead of just email for five weeks (fingers crossed).

While we were on vacation we started our second year living in Hamburg, which is somehow unbelievable . So much has happened and yet it went so fast. We forgot on the actual moving anniversary, but the following evening we had a fantastic meal to end our vacation and somehow remembered that we were on Year 2, Day 2. Appropriately enough we sat next to some Germans and talked with them auf Deutsch until late into the evening. Year 2, I think I'm ready.

Summer so fickle

Remember how at the beginning of July it was hot? And I had to go to the pool after work to cool off because the lab was a toasty 32° C? Ah, those were the days. Since then it's been nothing but rainy with some cold and extra-rainy thrown in. I tend to think of July as my favorite month - it's warm, the days are long, it has my birthday (it now also has the birthday of my new nephew (!)), all the good summer produce is starting to come in and it just feels like quintessential summer. This year however, not so much with the quintessential summer part. In that first mini-burst of heat I was able to make what is possibly my favorite summer meal ever, and it's a sign of how miserable it's been that I have only made this dish twice this summer, total. Normally while the heat lasts it makes an appearance about once a week. It's one of those dishes that requires good tomatoes and basil, which means you're not likely to be able to make it before July, but then you can savor it through the end of August and beginning of September, before the last of the tomatoes disappear.


It's a ridiculously easy dinner, fast to make and not much clean-up. Basically you chop some tomatoes and combine them (juices and seeds and all) with small cubes of mozerella, shredded basil, a wee bit of garlic, and then enough olive oil to let all the ingredients mix and mingle. While the mingling is happening, you heat the pasta water and then boil capellini until it's just barely cooked, and toss it with the sauce so the heat from the pasta melts the cheese. The oil and tomato juice become the sauce, the cheese gets a bit oozy, the shards of basil cut the richness of the oil and oh man I'd really like to eat some right now, despite the fact that it's 10:30 pm and I should really go to bed.

This recipe came to me via my mom, via my aunt and uncle, and I don't know where they first encountered it. It's one of my favorites though, and for me it tastes like summer. And despite being rather fickle so far, the weather is looking up a bit - last week was beautiful, it was sunny this past weekend, and today I don't think it rained at all! I may even need to go to the pool after work tomorrow. Perhaps August will be the month for warm days that demand tomatoes and basil for dinner. July, I forgive you - we'll try again next year.


Basil Spaghetti

In my family there were two methods for serving this dish, and each method had its faction: one in favor of mixing all the pasta with the sauce at once, for optimal cheese melting; the other in favor of letting each person mix their sauce and pasta separately, which was better for leftovers. (Bonus - snacking on leftover sauce on toasted bread the next day.) Though I grew up in the mix-your-own camp and was a steadfast devotee for years, I defected at some point to mixing it all together at once. It's true that it's not as good for leftovers, but I live with Zoli. Do you really think we have leftovers? But feel free to let each person mix their own, the cheese doesn't melt as well but it's still mighty tasty. Also, I generally peel the tomatoes, but I have made it many times without peeling them and it's fine if you're feeling lazy or it's just too hot. One last thing - fresh or normal packaged mozzerella are both fine. If you use fresh (it's all I can find here) cut the ball into slices and dry them off a bit with paper towels before cubing it, otherwise the sauce can get too watery.


Basil Spaghetti
Serves 2-3 (can be doubled, tripled, you name it)

3 ripe plum tomatoes
1 ball fresh mozzerella (or 5 oz regular mozzerella)
1 branch fresh basil (20-ish leaves)
1 small clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
1/4-1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 lb capellini (De Cecco is my favorite) or other skinny long pasta

Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Spear a tomato on a fork through it's stem end and submerge in the boiling water for 10-15 seconds. Using a paring knife, peel the tomato, take it off the fork and core it. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Chop the tomatoes into pieces between 1/2-1" and add to a large bowl big enough for tossing the pasta. Cube the mozzerella (1/2 " pieces or smaller for optimal melting) and add to the tomatoes. Tear the basil into the bowl (or use kitchen shears), and add the garlic. Mix it all around and add a glug or two of oil. Add the salt and pepper (be generous with both), add a little more oil and stir again. Basically you want there to be a bit of oil/tomato liquid in the bowl but the ingredients don't want to be swimming. Taste, adjust the seasonings and let sit while preparing the pasta. (I like to let it sit at least 20 minutes before tossing with the pasta.)

Heat a large pot of water for the pasta. When it boils, add salt, then the pasta and cook the pasta until just barely al dente (this will only take 2 or 3 minutes). Drain well, then dump into the bowl with the sauce, tossing immediately to distribute the sauce and melt the cheese. Serve.

July, July

I was contemplating a post complaining about the crappy pseudo-fall weather we've been having, but apparently the weather read my mind and now it's hot. It actually is quite pleasant outside and in our apartment, but my lab faces south. And west. On the river, with nothing blocking the sun, and no fans or air conditioning. The thermometers say it's about 30 degress centigrade inside the lab - it's only 27 or 28 outside. Blech. So that's it, I'm going to the pool, no more bench work for me today! (I will get back to regular postings soon hopefully, we're still trying to figure out our internet at home. Once that's done I will post photos of our semi-furnished apartment.)

Moved and hiding

Moving stinks. Even when you know you're moving someplace better, that the new place will have all kinds of things the old one didn't, it still stinks. Even when you're moving on Midsummer and you have no idea it's 9pm because it seems light enough to be only 6 and you see a double rainbow after dropping off the heaviest load it still stinks. But all of our belongings are now in our new apartment, including a new bed frame, used furniture and adopted plants. Actually, not everything is in the new place - after dropping off the last load at 11 pm last night (they sky was still light), we returned the rental van and then retreated back to our old apartment to sleep and pretend that the chaos of the new place doesn't exist. We have enough clothing for a few days, and the old apartment has a bed with a mattress (something missing from our new apartment) so for the moment we're hiding. We'll deal with the piles of boxes and disassembled Ikea furniture in a few days.