.SOMETIMES RAW.

Hello and Happy Sunday! 

“Girlfriends, let me tell you exactly how it is. The worst problem every woman faces is called: Man!” 

Cora Hübsch is waiting. For a phone call from a man she spent one night with and had the best sex of her life. She waits for a long time. And what happens if women wait too long for a phone call? They begin to doubt and question the entire dating/relationship thing. So she patiently waits. The phone remains silent. In the meantime and while waiting,  Cora could find a cure for AIDS, split an atom or prepare her tax return. Maybe she can throw away the old christmas tree that sits lonely and sad on her balcony since December. It is going to be a long night. 

A great funny little book when the reader gets the chance to observe how Cora’s life changes through this period of waiting. At some points I could not stop laughing and at others I had to nod blankly because the author, Ildiko von Kürthy is so right on and entertains the reader with tons of irony. I also like Cora’s monologues. “Shouldn’t I just call him back if I feel like it,” she asks her best friend Jo. Jo simply responds “after you had sex with someone and he didn’t call you back for three days then this night meant nothing more to him than leveling out his hormones. Don’t ever call him before those three days passed. Never. Under no circumstances“. Personally, I don’t agree with some of these problems Cora and Jo explain and have; however, Mondscheintarif shows clearly one problem that most women have: to make decisions! Any decisions. Also, some parts are a little exaggerated and you might know how things will turn out pretty quickly. But I loved it nonetheless.

This novella is fun and entertaining but personally even though  I don’t want to follow any “rules” when it comes to relationships. If I want to call someone I do exactly that. Simple. But for Cora and Jo, it is necessary for a woman to live by the rules. The more complicated, the better. Otherwise it would be boring, right? 

I read this book a couple of times already. I even bought my sister a copy and she loves it. Same for the movie. We both know entire passages by heart. It just makes me comfortable and happy when I read it. 

Is this book something I would enjoy? 

First of all, the movie or book is only available in German. However, if you want to practice German, watch the movie. This book is for you, if you are waiting for a guy to call you back after a first date/night. Also, if you love a special mix of humor, sarcasm and melancholia, read this book. Then you will love Cora and the plot for sure. The book is written in the present and switches back to three days ago, the past, which makes the story more interesting and catching. The protagonist Cora has a very refreshing way of telling her story and of course tons of honesty and humor. The book or the movie are just like good friends. Friends you like to turn to if you are not feeling well, if you are lonely or want to talk. 

Book and movie highly recommended. Order the book here. 

Enjoy and have a great week! 

Hello and Happy Thursday!

I love to try new things and when I found out about Blue Tée I had to try it. I am not a big tea drinker but I do enjoy my cup of Winder Castle English Breakfast Tea every morning. Blue Tée is something special, something not only for the taste but also for the eye. With its mild flavor and this awesome bright blue color this tea works great in cocktails or just for a wow-effect. A friend visited me the other day and I made a pot of Blue Tée and she was amazed and loved it. Even Petit Joel tried a sip just because “it changes to reeeeed”. Picky Eater. This tea is also very high in Anthocyanin Antioxidants. Enjoy some insights and pictures of my recent tea ceremony. Stay a while and drink a cup. 

What is Blue Tée?

“Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a climbing vine native to Thailand. Its vivid blue flowers have been used int rational food and medicine for centuries. Traditionally served as a special iced tea to welcome guests in Thailand called Nam Dok Anchan. It is made how with 1/2 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, allowed to cool & served over ice. When the lemon juices is added it magically changes color from vivid blue to royal purple! If you add more lemon it will turn bright pink. This color change is from the powerful Anthocyanin Antioxidants which change color depending on acidity. In water, they are bright blue, in sour drinks they are bright pink. You can learn more online www.b-lure.com. In Thai herbal medicine Butterfly Pea is used for improving memory, circulation & eyesight. The floral extract is also used to color rice, deserts and crepes. This butterfly pea is sourced from a family owned farm in central Thailand where it is lovingly grown using traditional techniques without the use of pesticides or chemicals”.

When the lemon is added you will see the tea magically change from vivid blue to royal purple. If you add more lemon it will turn bright pink! Adjust honey/sugar to taste.

Are there different options to drink this tea? 

You bet! There are so many. I tried both recipes described on the tea box. You can even color rice with blue tée. And freeze the tea and use it as ice cubes. The traditional recipe: 

Nam Dok Anchan

Add tea bag to 1 cup boiled water

Add 1/2 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

 Blue Ice

Infuse 2 teabags in 250 ml hot water, allow to cool. Add to ice tray and freeze. Add lemon and watch the blue ice melt to pink. Great for lemonades, mojitos or any other cocktails.

You wonder that this vivid color cannot be achieved through sun dried butterfly pea flowers (Clitoria ternatea) alone? Read more about the tea and order here if you are inspired. They claim to be 100% organic and use 100% pure butterfly pea flowers! You can also order the Liquid flower extract. Just add a few drops to your drink. Flavor and Color your water of cocktails. Enjoy! 

Hello and Happy Monday!

First of all, look at those eyes! Okay, now we can start.  Before I had my son I looked at other moms who put their children in front of the TV or gave them an iPhone, iPad in a café or restaurant with a skeptical side-eye. “If I ever have a child, I will never ever let him/her play with those things. They need to be entertained otherwise; through the mother or father,” I thought while taking a big sip of my Campari Soda that sat in front of me while I waited for my lunch. 

When I became a new mother, I did not have any thoughts on media use, apps and whatnot anymore. Later, I occasionally loved to read what is going on in the world while I nursed my son to sleep. I rather listened to his breath  however. I just thought I have some time before all these gadgets become of any concern for my son. Well, I was wrong. In a world of virtually living on our iPhones I clearly underestimated the power it would have on Petit Joel. He was/is more than aware of what is going on. Babies mimic their parents and of course when seeing us with the gadgets in our hands or pockets all the time, my son wanted to discover what the commotion is all about. Initially, he pressed the on/off button for fun but unlocked the phone in no time. I think he was around eight months old when he fell in love with my iPad mini (that has been transferred into his iPad mini – spoiled son!) and I started to download some educational apps for him. We raise our son bilingual and by now he is fluent in English and German but most of the apps are in English so he can practice while to him I speak German most of the time and my husband is away on mission. 

My son is turning three! in October and I would like to share some apps we currently use and he enjoys. With these apps he learns the alphabet, counting to ten, drawing, shapes, colors and so much more. We are not solely using electrical gadgets obviously, but he can play with them at least once or twice a day. Usually after lunch or dinner. On the other hand, my opinion about this particular mother at the restaurant changed. I always take either my phone or iPad with me when we plan a restaurant visit. You know, it is nice to have the phone charged and ready for those moments when you really need it. Let’s just keep it real, there are just those times when I feel embarrassed when Petit Joel has his tiny tantrums and loses it in public. [Thankfully, this almost never happens!] Mostly and these days, I take my son wherever I have to go during the day. Cafés, lunch dates with friends with a toddler are not a problem but if they do turn into one, I am prepared and have something up my sleeve. With these apps, I keep his attention at bay and they teach him something while I have tea and scones with my friend. 

Dr. Seuss. 

Petit Joel loves this app and it is one of the best book apps I have found so far. There are great Dr. Seuss books for babies and toddlers. My son is a bookworm already and he loves to listen, click on things and discover what comes next. This is an app you can use together with your child and read to him/her/them. Read to him if he cannot read yet but he discovers where he needs to click to find out more. There is also a “Read it Myself” option available. I highly recommend this app. 

TINY HANDS. 

These educational apps all work for my son. He is easily solving 3+ level and has so much fun with it. Kids learn about shapes, stacking things, colors, counting and so much more. Most of the apps are free for the first and second level. Get the app here. 

ZOOPER. 

“Learning the alphabet should be a fun experience, and Zooper ABC Animals has plenty of fun bits to keep kids engaged in the activities offered by the app. Animations and sound effects are maximized to bring a joyful experience. Worth a look if you’ve been looking for an alphabet app that can deliver more than just a list of animals, fruits, and common vocabulary”. Get the app here.

Writing Wizard. 

It is still too early for my son to learn how to write but he loves to play around with his app. “This app trains kids to write more accurately in smaller and longer forms. It features a replay mode and detailed reports to aid parents in monitoring their child’s progress. Parents can create multiple user profiles and add custom words. The latest update has features for accented letters and support for French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish”. Get the app here. 

Intro to Colors. 

“Inspired by Montessori color tablets, the app uses RYB color model to teach kids about primary and secondary colors and basic color mixing. Kids also learn about shades/gradients with the help of musical tones. The app supports several languages including French, German, Spanish, and Chinese”. Get the app here. 

Pepi Doctor. 

My son was terrified of doctors. He was afraid to get injections and stethoscope, ear, nose and eye examinations – forgetaboutit. With this app, he is getting more comfortable about doctor visits. Barely cries. Check-mate! “An adorable role-playing app where kids can play doctor and cure common ailments. Along the way, they learn about hygiene and first aid. The games are intuitive and text-free, suitable for toddlers”. Get the app here. 

Maybe this gives you some inspiration. What toddler apps can you recommend? I would love to hear from you.