.SOMETIMES RAW.

Hello and Happy Friday!

So we sat in the car to visit my sister in Cologne. It is a pretty long drive from here – five hours + with all a bunch of construction everywhere. You think you can drive as fast as you want on the German Autobahn? Well, there are certain areas and you can speed for sure and will feel that you are going pretty fast but Racer X is still faster. Check out Tom Hank’s take on the German Autobahn. Hilarious but true. My son is pretty good in the car, so while singing Wheels on the Bus we thought to change things up a bit. There were no odes to windows, wipers and whatnot because boring, and we spiced things up while celebrating a bus full of animals. Fishes and doggies, and sheep, and horses, you get the point. The damn fish on the bus go……(picture me making my best fish face while my eyes are crossed). We sang this song for quite a while. My son loves fishes so this song was requested the most which gave me just a slight headache after I repeated it for the 50th time. It is still a pretty small price to pay if you consider that he is such a great travel companion otherwise. I bet this song is rising in your ears now 🙂 If you would like, read what I have been up to otherwise. 

Reading: This week I focused more on writing and am still reading Nora Ephron’s The Most of Nora Ephron. I enjoy it a lot. I also started The No Nonsense Guide to Green Parenting by Kate Blincoe on my Kindle. It is light, inspirational and funny. Currently, on my to-read list is Margaret Atwood’s book Wilderness. 

Watching/Listening: I remember a great evening when le husband and I spent an amazing evening having dinner, went back home and watched Betty Blue. This movie is very special to me and I can re-watch it a million times. Muhammad Ali’s death last week made me sad. I am not into watching sports but I do enjoy to watch boxing once in a while. When le husband and I were in Cancun for the first time a couple of years ago Muhammad Ali stayed at the same place one week later to take part in a dolphin therapy that was offered at the hotel. I wish I would have met him. He was amazing. I saw I Am Ali the other day and was in awe. The Greatest who flew like a butterfly and stung like a bee. I listened to this recent amazing interview on NPR with Philip Roth. 

Discovering/Learning: The other day I bought myself a Fjäll Räven bag and I am so in love with it.

This magical bag turns into a backpack; le husband will love this. I love the straps on the bag because you can carry it like a briefcase, you can also sling it nicely over your shoulder or you just slip the straps through themselves and make a backpack. Awesomeness! Since I purchased it, I take it wherever I go. Great for shopping, my notebook and computer – everything nicely in place. I just cannot say enough good things about this bag. Get yours! If you are in Germany, click here. When it comes to purses and bags, I am not a typical woman I guess. I have four purses. Le husband bought me a Coach Purse that I adore. My Vuitton that I use mostly and that is really great when traveling with Petit Joel and two Longchamp bags but that is it. I also learned to really enjoy Windsor Castle English Breakfast Tea. When I visited The British Corner and had scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam and a cup of cream tea I was hooked. Ever since, I make my own cup of tea at home and it is so good. Here is how I enjoy my tea: I always use fresh water. I rinse the tea pot with hot water for preheating. Dosage: One teaspoon for each cup and one teaspoon for the tea pot. Pour boiling water over the tea laves and choose a stepping time of 2-5 minutes. For Green Tea have the water cooled down to 80 degrees Celsius and choose a steeping time of 1-3 minutes. Done! 

Looking forward to: Visiting my sister. Even though we had a rough couple of years, arguing and fighting, I love her a lot. The other day I sent her a picture of my dad, her and I all tangled up while I held a book in my arms. This book is a very special book. Zauberer Sausebraus and Stories and we loved it when we were kids. I read to my brother and sister a bedtime story every single night – and usually from this book. It was not easy to find it but my sister bought herself one copy and sent one to my parents house for me. I had tears in my eyes. Sister Love, even though sometimes we had a hard time showing how much we appreciate each other. I am also looking forward to see A Clockwork Orange next week in the Landestheater in Coburg. It is most certainly not easy stuff to watch and take in if you remember the book or the Stanley Kubrick’s movie, but I think overall it will be very interesting to see, considering this is a very violent play, how they will transform it all into a ballet. 

Thinking about: Traveling soon. We were supposed to be in Canada already but things are just delayed. Patience is a virtue and I enjoy every single day I can spend here with my family in Germany. It is all good. This week was stuffed with meeting my friends and hanging out for coffee and cakes and so much talking. I know that this time here will end at one point and something else is around the corner. Something new and exciting. I am open for something new and not sad to leave all this behind. I know I will be fine and my parents are just a plane ride away. 

Have a great weekend. 

Hello and Happy Tuesday! 

I had the worst headache today. Wow, this was no fun. I rarely have headaches and still don’t know why this one was so intense. It started early in the morning and did not stop until in the afternoon when a friend of mine came over with her son. She gave me an Aspirin – apparently this is something mothers carry in their purses these days. Hah! Lucky me, I don’t have to take any medication, so there is no need to have anything stronger than some homeopathic remedies at home. I was so happy when the pain stopped. Thinking about all you poor people who suffer from migraines – damn, this must be so tough. On a lighter note: Finally, it feels like summer. Today was nice and hot; no thunderstorm and crazy weather. Long nights spent outside talking about everything are one of my favorite things to do this time of the year. We just went inside and I thought before I go to bed – this headache wore me out today – I write a couple of lines about my summer bucket list. Do you have one? What do you love to do in summer? I would like to read your comments. In the meantime, here is my list. Enjoy and have a headache-free day! 

My Summer Bucket List

1. Love
2. More quality time with family outdoors or anywhere 
3. Figuring out a way to go back to Martinique this year. This place is paradise. 
4. Beach, beach and more beach. Hopefully, Mexico soon. 
5. Long nights spent outside talking and drinking wine
6. Fireplaces and bonfires 
7. Hanging out at lakes and ponds and soak in some sun
8. Make more smoothies 
9. Eat healthier overall by eating light things. Fruit and veggies!!!
10. Picnics 
11. Make popsicles with my son (I have been trying some awesome recipes that I will share soon!)
12. Do everything I do a little slower 
13. Grand Canyon 
14. Canada 
15. Host a dinner party or at least have some friends over for a BBQ
16. Kiss and Love le husband more
17. Wake up earlier. 
18. Be more gentle with my body and appreciate that I am healthy and able to do whatever I want 
19. Create something 
20. Spent more time writing; especially my book
21. Try new summer recipes and use fresh herbs with everything 
22. Read books outside on a blanket 
23. Wear dresses and high heels, just because 
24. Drink Windsor Castle English Breakfast Tea <3 
25. Smell more flowers
26. Camp
27. Visit a new park with my son
28. Feel free
29. Buy more fresh produce at the local farmers market
30. Watch the evening primrose and stars with my godmother
31. Get out of my comfort zone
32. Eat outside whenever possible
33. Walk, run and discover more
34. Practise Yoga more often 
35. Laugh more

Hello and Happy Saturday! 

I had a really great time the other day with my friend at The British Corner in Coburg. Scones, Clotted Cream, strawberry marmalade and Cream Tea are fantastic and served at the little café inside the store. There is so much more to see and discover; especially if you are a fan of the British Lifestyle. Birgit Eibl is the owner of this lovely store. She adores Great Britain, the British English language – well, WHO does not?, British traditions/lifestyle, and even British humor so much that she wanted to bring Great Britain through this gem of a store to Coburg. [A tiny history lesson on Coburg: Coburg itself has a relationship and history to Great Britain. Prince Albert (1819-1861) is the name you need to remember and if you get a chance to walk to the Coburger Marketplace you will find his monument at the center. Albert’s wife, Queen Victoria of England, had this monument erected at the town square to commemorate her beloved husband  who had already passed away in 1861. Prince Albert, as the second son of Duke Ernest I of Coburg, established the House of Saxe-Coburg in Great Britain through his marriage to Queen Victoria in 1840. The house subsequently took on the name of Windsor during the First World War]

If you step into The British Corner, you will be in awe most of the time looking at the plethora of British products and enjoying the British flair and lifestyle. Birgit Eibl selected everything you will find in the store with love and wants this place to be a meeting point for everybody who enjoys British things. My friend and I had a blast. There is so much to take in. You will find accessories for your living room, garden, tea room, beauty products, British cookies, books in English and German [I purchased Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – because you just have to have this book at home – cough, twice!]. You will also find chutney, British chocolates, BBQ sauces and everything you need for a nice picnic and gardening. 

What I love the most about the store is the little tea room that is so cute, seats approximately 8 people comfortably and is even child friendly. Well, let’s say, you can bring your child, but I would rather not. Just because it is so nice to drink a cup of cream tea without interruption and to experience the store in peace. My 2 1/2 year-old son was with my friend and I and he was easily entertained by a board game that was already on the table to view, but just not for long. Then he was on his way to “discover the store himself”. You get the point. Go there to enjoy a perfect cup of tea with friends and experience a little Great Britain in the heart of Coburg. I loved it so much. Here is what I purchased: [I love the Grace Cole Refreshing Body Mist. It smells so good. Mine is the Warm Vanilla & Sandalwood. My son is all over Peter Rabbit ever night!] 

Do you plan a special party, birthday, wedding or a British Theme Party and would like to serve your guests something really awesome and different? How about a typical English Tea Time Party? You can order English Cream Tea, Clotted Cream, Homemade Scones and Homemade Strawberry Jam and even sandwiches, soups and Apple Crumble at The British Corner. Just contact Birgit Eibl for details. She mentioned that they even deliver your order. Sounds awesome and it is just something different and special, no? 

The British Corner

Nägleinsgasse 1
96450 Coburg
Telefon: +4995613550424
E-Mail: birgit@the-british-corner.de
www.the-british-corner.de

The British Corner on Facebook [click like to be up to date on new events, life music, Whiskey tasting and so much more]

Opening Hours

Monday – Friday, 10 am – 6 pm 
Saturday, 10 am – 1 pm

This review can also be found on Trip Advisor.