In the past 2 years, I’ve seen rail strikes, dairy protests and airline strikes. I’ve witnessed bails of hay set on fire and streets running with milk.
What I had not heard of were fires in front of brewery gates , taking managers hostage and protesters handing out free beer.
I suppose they get points for originality?
(http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/lager-heads/files/2010/01/inbevfire_opt.jpg)
Why yes, yes I am.
You see, as a person whose job involves numbers, numbers and more numbers, I am somewhat starved for a creative outlet. In fact, if I get too creative in my job, I go to jail. (um, Enron anyone?)
Enter the save the dates/invitations/website/small details of a wedding. They are the perfect excuse to geek out on design websites & wedding blogs. To spend hours with Adobe (LightRoom, Photoshop, Illustrator). To spend hours scouring the internet for the most original & budget friendly paper suite. To obsess over a unifying “theme” and color palette. To try my hand at DIY projects.
And… to have a mini couples photoshoot.
Oh yes, you read that properly. A couples photoshoot. Ha! An event that was entirely my fault as I’m the one that came to the brilliant conclusion that our Save the Dates should include a picture of us. And not just any picture of us, one that met strict (and not altogether arbitrary criteria) determined by me:
- we both had to be looking at the camera
- we both had to look like we liked (not necessarily love, just like) each other
- we both had to be in focus
- it could not be a picture from a college party (i.e. no basements or beer pong tables in view) or from a bar
We’ve been together nearly 6.5 years. You’d think we’d have a plethora of photos to choose from. False. So false. When this criteria was applied we came up with exactly ONE picture. ONE! From New Years Eve 2007!
Which simply would not do. So we (read: I) decided to take some pictures in and around the venue we’ve selected for the wedding. The only catch was that we had no one to help us with this task. Thus it was BF + me + BF’s spiffy camera + a tripod. Awesome.
We took approximately 75 pictures.
But there were self timer problems:
 |
| Hard to tell from this size, but BF was in the middle of saying “did it take?” Turns out it did. |
And wind problems:
 |
| I don’t know if you can see it, but I am poking BF’s eyes out with my hair. |
And where did the light go? problems:
 |
| From Begijnhof |
Which left us with TWO usable shots. 2/75 = 2.6% success rate. Lovely. The two below are in contention for the honor of “Save the Date Picture” as they scored high in “staring at the camera-ness” and “looking like we don’t want to kill each other-ness.” And, most importantly, neither of them have beer bottles in the background:
 |
| From Begijnhof |
 |
| You wouldn’t believe how fast he sprinted to get into this shot in time. |
I may or may not have logged, oh, 20+ hours in the past week researching, designing (and subsequently scrapping), pricing and obsessing over the perfect “Save the Date.”
Yes. That little card/magnet/picture that 90% of your guests will take one look at, go “Oh how cute!/How original!/Do we know them? Oh right! She’s on your mother’s side of the family” and then throw in the trash. If you are lucky they will make note of the date and try to save it, but let’s not fool ourselves. Outside of your mother, no one cares about those little cards as much as you do.
I know this. I do. And yet I can’t help myself. I have dreams of eco friendly paper. With hand letterpressing. And an original, whimsical design. Or maybe something in the shape of a luggage tag? Or designed like boarding passes? Or an elaborate faux passport with pages for travel information, maps of Leuven and directions on how to get a real passport? Something so wonderful that people will take one look at it and go “Wow! This is amazing! If they did this well with the Save the Date can you imagine how amazing the wedding will be? Date saved!”
Easy enough to do. Except for that pesky little matter of price. Yeah… we have a max. budget of about $1.00 per card. Which is why I’m fairly certain we’ll go the simple (and wallet friendly!) route and send out photo magnets or postcards (supplemented by a killer wedding website) but for now I’m keeping my options open.
However, I am not keeping my options THIS open…
This, uh, original couple took a different approach to the traditional “Save the Date.” They bypassed embossing and went straight for YouTube:
How gorgeous is Leuven at night in the winter?
 |
| From 2010 |
 |
| From 2010 |
 |
| From 2010 |
 |
| From 2010 |
 |
| From 2010 |
 |
| From 2010 |
If my sister hadn’t just set the bar for winter weddings ridiculously, impossibly, stratospherically high, I’d set our date for mid-December. Instead we’ll have to settle for June. Sans twinkle lights. Tear.
Yes, I know I am a terrible updater. Yes, I know I break every resolution/promise/assurance that I will do this writing thing daily/weekly/monthly. Yes, I realize that I am wholly undependable.
My deepest apologies for this unfortunate shortcoming of mine.
Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move on.
Many, many exciting things have transpired over the past month and a half.
We went to a few Christmas markets in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. BF and I ice skated – well, he skated… i fell. Lots. I got horribly, deathly (except not really) ill while all alone in the apartment with only powdered “minute soup” to eat. We went Home for the holidays(!) and, during the short time there, logged 1,000+ miles in the car (really) so that we could attend no less than 6 Christmases, 1 Steelers game, 1 Cavaliers game, the fantastic wedding of my amazing Big “sister” (in the sorority sense) AND the most magnificent event ever – the wedding of my stunning “little” sister (in the biological sense).
Now, not surprisingly, in the midst of all this fabulous Christmas-ing and wedding attending, the question directed to BF & I time and time again was… “SO. How is your wedding planning going?”
“Umm… what wedding?” or “It’s not.”
… was NOT our response! Yes, I know. I’m shocked too. But it’s true. It really is. The wedding planning has been moving along quite nicely if I do say so myself. We have a PLANNER we love, a venue we absolutely adore and….. brace yourself….
A DATE!! (which – bonus – has familial significance! score 2 pts for us.)
I will do my best to provide further details within a reasonable time frame (ha! you’ve heard that before, haven’t you?) but for now, I thought I’d leave you with perhaps the most amusing/frustrating angle (to date) of our Belgian Wedding odyssey:
We have to provide Proof of (Non)Marriage.
Right. BF and I have to prove to the Belgian government that neither of us are currently married. As if BF was secretly a polygamist with a bevy of wives hidden in our 2 bedroom apartment or perhaps a tent in the neighborhood playground? Reallly??? Like someone else could get him down the aisle in under 6.5 years of dating. HA!
[note: the wedding planner explained to us that this is a relatively new law that was necessitated by various immigrants coming to Belgium and then marrying Belgians to obtain the coveted Belgian citizenship. All while failing to mention that they had wife(ves) in their home country. if this is true, I completely understand the requirement. if not, BOOOO Belgium. BOOOO you and your senseless, endless, impossible to obtain paperwork.]
Anyways. Every time someone inquired about the progress of our planning we shared this little gem of Belgian bureaucracy and asked if they had any advice. Oh boy, did they.
Student Friend: “Call a lawyer.”
Lawyer Friend: “Call the courthouse.”
Court Clerk Friend: “Call your mom.”
Mom: “Have them call me.”
At this point, we’re all on hold.
Stay tuned for the further adventures of a [wannabe] Belgian Bride…
I always knew that I was deprived as a child.
I’ve been convinced of it ever since an (equally) spoiled friend pointed out that her parents failed to buy her Barbie’s Dream House when she was 8. How could she possibly have made it to double digits without a multi-level pink abode? One can only guess.
Unfortunately, finding proof of similar deprivation has been difficult. I had Barbie’s Dream house. And Barbie’s Corvette. And all those other things children need to grow up well adjusted and happy. I know I should be content with this situation, however, everyone knows that “well adjusted and happy” is downright boring. Do you know any exciting, accomplished, famous, interesting, genius type people that are both well adjusted AND happy.
Right. I didn’t think so.
So anyways, I’ve spent the last few months searching for something I could point to as an egregious example of deprivation. Something that would allow me to say “Look! My parents were horrible too! I am scarred for life! Now give me a big advance for a memoir on my terribly difficult loving, secure, upper middle class upbringing.”
Well, wouldn’t you know, I stumbled right into the example I had been looking for on this otherwise dreary Tuesday morning. I squelched (the sky was the consistency of soup this morning and I took the train. but no umbrella. i’m an idiot.) into the kitchen area at work and… lo and behold was our weekly fruit basket. Amidst the standard apples and bananas were these odd orange things. They kind of resembled a pepper. But rounder. And softer. And not at all like peppers. I was confounded. “What ARE these??”
In the midst of my befuddlement, three of my coworkers came in – one from South Korean, one from Texas and one from Minnesota. They saw me and were about to comment on my amazingly frizzy, drippy state when they were distracted by the orange fruit. In chorus, they exclaimed:
“PERSIMMON!!!”
Per-what??
“Persimmon! They’re sweet but with a slight tang. With the consistency of a mango. You can eat them like an apple and bite right through the skin or peel and eat just the fruit. They are the fruit of the gods. Haven’t you ever had one?? We used to eat them in the fall in Dallas.”
“…and in Minneapolis.”
“… and in Korea.”
“um. No. Missed out on that one.”
So we ate one and it was, in a word, divine. Sweet. Juicy. A consistency somewhere between melon and mango. Appealingly orange. A little sticky on the fingers but totally worth it.
“I CAN’T believe you’ve never had Persimmon! Clearly you were deprived as a child”
“Why YES. Yes I was.”
( so yes. to recap, Persimmon is AMAZING. It is by far my favorite fruit of 2009. Also. I was deprived as a child. I expect a book deal any day.)
Persimmon! <via wikipedia>
Yes, I realize it’s November.
And that my 2009 calendar has more than a bit of excitement left in the last page and a half. The final contender for Favorite Wedding doesn’t compete until December. And the Favorite Christmas Market finalists are still being setup.
However, I am downright AWFUL at this posting thing so, frankly, if I don’t start listing things now, they will never be documented. And you’ll be left with nothing but my favorite German reggae of 2009. And no one wants that.
So, for the first of the Favorites of 2009… drum-roll please…
Favorite [High School Era] Visitors: Tara & Melissa
Honorable Mention: Bridget, a friend from “nerd camp” (i.e. Governor’s school), who met up for dinner in Leuven and Joe, a friend of BF’s, that I never met but apparently slept on our couch for 2 days and was described as “a chill dude.”
Duration of Visit: 7 days, 6 nights
Places Visited: Brussels, Leuven, Bruges and Paris
Connection: Fellow Seneca Valley alumni, I met Tara the summer before 8th grade at basketball camp and Melissa, a neighbor of Tara’s, at the beginning of 8th grade. (8th grade. Over 10 YEARS ago! Decade plus friends. CRAZY. )
Winning Traits: They didn’t win because they were old friends. They were the clear favorites because….
- They brought me THREE cans of Libby’s Spiced Pumpkin Pie mix. And Kraft Marshmallows. (two impossible to find commodities in Belgium)
- They shared my excitement/love/fascination with the Leuven Bread “Automoots” (i.e. the bread vending machine outside the bakeries)
 |
| Tara & I admiring the Automoot outside of Paul Daubijn Bakerij |
- They helped Lou & I sample some of our prized Westvleteren 12. And didn’t laugh at me when I explained how many calls I made to get the beer (100+). Or how many hours I drove for the pick-up (4).
 |
| Tara, Myself & BF with the World Famous Westvleteren 12 |
- They were amazingly self sufficient! Rather than make me feel horribly for having to work full days the week they were here, they explored over half of Belgium completely on their own. Walked into Leuven, took the train to Brussels, walked around Brussels, walked back from Leuven. And then walked some more at night when I met them for dinner!
 |
| Melissa in Brussels…. From Melissa’s Pics |
- They rolled with the distinctly European punches. When we got word that the Belgian rail employees were striking in the middle of their visit (thus canceling ALL train service in the country. including trains to Bruges. the #1 place they wanted to visit.) they were super brave and drove me to work and THEMSELVES to Bruges. And back. Without incident. Amazing.
 |
| “I got this.” |
- They saw more in Brussels & Bruges in two days than I have in two years!
 |
| The Mannekin Pis WITH clothes. I’ve never seen him so stylish. |
 |
| Pierre Marcolini bakery. Again, bakery. Not store. Read: SUPER fresh. |
 |
| They went to the to the top of the Bruges cathedral! |
 |
| I really need to see the view from the top of the tower for myself…. |
 |
| They toured “De Halve Maan” Brewery. |
- Melissa, i.e. MARRIOTT GOLD MEMBER, hooked us up with an amaaaaaaazing room for not one but TWO nights in Paris. As well as unlimited access to the Marriott Executive Lounge
 |
| Believe me, by Paris standards, this room was incredibly spacious. Downright luxurious. |
note: If you EVER get the opportunity to travel with a “road warrior” (i.e. a consultant who racks up lots of points with hotel chains), TAKE IT. We may or may not have had 6 or 7 cappucinos in the executive lounge. As well as 7 or 8 desserts. 4 appetizers. And a bottle of wine. A piece. For free. mmmmmmmm….
- Since BF was in Dallas with our camera, they let me borrow cameras AND took 100s of amazing pics on their own (Melissa gets total credit for all pictures in this post). Haven’t seen Tara’s yet but I’m sure I will be blown away when I do.
 |
| Pretending like I know how to use Tara’s Canon. I don’t. |
 |
| Tara getting what I’m sure is a fantastic shot outside the Eiffel Tower. |
 |
| Playing Paparazzi. |
Obviously, there was no competition in this category.
Instead, I leave them with one challenge: to outdo themselves by visiting next June!
Somehow I’ve managed to hear this song on my way to work EVERY day this week. Various stations, various times, SAME song.
Same German Reggae song. Yes, German. Reggae.*
Fortunately for YOU, this morning it was played on a station that broadcasts songs in such a way that the title scrolls across the radio. Otherwise I would have no idea how to look it up and share it with you.
So here you go. On the off chance you haven’t heard the musical stylings of German wannabe Rastafarian Peter Fox on your morning commute, I’d like to present “Haus Am See.”**
* Well, slightly Reggae. Peter Fox calls himself a “hip hop/reggae” artist but this song is much less reggae-esque than many of his others. But. I find the whole idea of German Reggae so comical that I’m sticking with it…
** Haus Am See roughly means “House at the Lake” in German.
“The returns on dollar assets, no matter how good they have been, are just not good enough relative to the returns you can get outside of the U.S.”
Although the article hints there is hope the dollar could get a boost as the global economy stabilizes, the overall outlook is grim.
This wouldn’t be THAT big a deal considering BF gets paid in Euros, BUT, we have a WEDDING to pay for in the next 8 months. If the Euro keeps strengthening that could translate into hundreds thousands of dollars of additional, empty expense.
BOO.
p.s. something when pretty wrong with that last post. I wrote paragraphs and paragraphs of witty, entertaining prose. Complete with pictures. Stunning pictures. And video. Oh the video! Awesome, dancing Germans video. Sadly, none of it saved/posted. And the thought of redoing it right now is daunting. So… I’ll fix that this weekend and commence with wedding news for the remainder of this week!
Much has happened in the last week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks (!).
Went to Alsace. Had a minor Mini accident (again). Had a visit from the mom. Played a convincing tourist in London. Checked out Barcelona for a long weekend.
Obviously, none of this was without issue. There was a crying scene (or two) at the airport that led to me asking to see the manager of Ryan Air (yes, me! asked to see a manager! i didn’t believe it either when the words just popped out of my mouth…) There were baggage issues. And key issues. And bus issues. And passport forgetting issues (for the record, England is a different country than Belgium…).
Among other things.
So where to begin?
How about pictures & videos? Everyone likes those. As the only pictures/videos I have online at this point are the ones from Alsace, we’ll start there.
First things first. Alsace. Where is it? And why would anyone go there?
 |
| From Year in Review |
