Christmas in Germany

Ever since the research phase of our holiday honeymoon in Germany, I have wanted to share some things to do around the country during the Christmas holiday. Many of the message boards have very negative responses towards individuals vacationing at this time since so much will be closed; however, that is just when many people have the time to take a big vacation out of the country. So, for all of you who are trying to make the most of your vacation days, these posts are for you!

from Wikipedia's Christmas market page

First thing's first. How early can you leave for your trip? If you want to see the Christmas markets, keep in mind that these are set up with the idea of shopping for Christmas, so they will be closed when the actual holiday arrives. Most of them are open until about the 22nd but some stretch to the 23rd, so look around and see where you want to go and how late the markets will stay open. Depending on when you leave for your trip, you might be able to visit one or two. I used this website to help me check dates. If you have the chance, definitely add the markets to your list. And make sure you eat while you shop!

For the 24th and 25th you want to plan your trip strategically. I think it is best to spend the actual holiday in a larger city. This improves the chances of having some food options available. If you are staying in a place where you can cook your own dinner, just make sure you do your shopping early. Most businesses seem to close by 2:00pm on the 24th. I would recommend staying in a hotel that offers dinner on these nights in case you can't find anything. We managed to avoid hotel dinner both nights, but we did have to do a lot of walking on the 24th to find a restaurant. That brings me to the next consideration. Pick a location that is walking-friendly. You want to be in the middle of a city where you can walk to restaurants, historical sites, churches, statues, trails, train stations, etc. Don't forget to bring comfortable shoes and plenty of warm layers. In the evening, consider visiting Christmas services at one of the old churches or schedule a night at the opera.

On the 26th some of the museums and sites will be opened again. Even though every tourist stop won't be open, the day is not a loss. Consider how many museums and historical sites you will be able to visit and appreciate in one day. You can spend more time enjoying a few locations instead of rushing all over. Based on the openings, consider what you want to see and where you want to go. Come up with the best blend of both and there is no reason you can't fully enjoy this day.

By the 27th everything should be open again, so set out to those sites you wanted to visit earlier in the week! I suggest exploring at least one castle on your trip. I will share specific details from our own travel itinerary in the coming posts. Good luck with your vacation plans!

Sarah

P.S. If you choose to travel by trains, travel routes and times require careful consideration. We had a great time using trains to get around, but I strongly advise planning your route ahead of time. Check out these two posts on how to make the most of German train travel. Saving Money and Getting Around

My First 5K

I have never been much of a finisher. I have tons of big ideas which are great for starting projects, but somewhere along the way I lose focus and my dedication dwindles. This happened again with my running goals. Over the summer I began Couch to 5K and loved it. The program provided the perfect way for me to ease into running, and I really enjoyed the steady improvements I made each week. Then life happened, my schedule got derailed, and it became much harder to motivate myself to run.

Fast forward- I now want to get back into running so I can be healthier, have an outlet for my job stress, focus on something other than missing my husband, and finally run a 5K. The biggest problem now is starting! I'm pretty sure everyone gets into that "I'll start tomorrow" mentality at some point. Right? Pushing past it is sometimes more difficult than the task on the other side, so I decided to take a new approach and start at the end instead of the beginning this time. 

I woke up yesterday morning and the opportunity I needed was there, so I made a quick phone call and ran a 5K less than 2 hours later. My very first one! A $5 St. Patrick's Day run on base had been postponed due to snow. They let me run with everybody for free (no t-shirt or fancy number) so I was able to get the racing introduction I was looking for. : ) 

Time: 33:23
I feel pretty good about my time considering how long it has been since I have done much more than short sprints or light jogging. Running totally sucked, and I am super sore, but I will be racing again at the end of April and my new goal is to get my time down to 30 minutes. How do you get/stay motivated?

Sarah

Moroccan Chicken Stew

This is one of my favorite stockpot meals, and it works great for dinner parties. Preparation is simple and the smells that take over your kitchen while this is simmering on the stove are absolutely amazing. Best Pinterest find ever.

Moroccan Chicken Stew 

Ingredients:

-olive oil
-1 big yellow onion, diced
-1 yellow bell pepper, diced
-1 red bell pepper, diced
-2-4 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tsp ground ginger
-2 tsp cumin
-1 tsp coriander
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1/2 tsp turmeric
-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 Tbsp smoked paprika
-28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
-1 lemon, zested (add lemon juice to taste)
-cilantro, chopped
-2 boxes plain couscous

Directions:

1. Cook chicken thighs in a pan with olive oil. These will be added in with the rest of your ingredients and can finish cooking while the meal is simmering, but try to get most of the cooking done ahead of time.
2. In a large stockpot, saute diced onion and bell peppers in olive oil. While this is happening, measure out spices and stir together in a small container so they are ready to add to the vegetables.
3. When onions are translucent, add in minced garlic.
4. After a minute or two, dump in your mixture of spices and stir, stir, stir. Your kitchen will smell awesome.
5. Open the can of tomatoes and add them to your stockpot. Stir. I sometimes add a little bit of water (1/2 cup).
6. Cut chicken into small pieces and add to the stockpot.
7. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to low and place the lid on while dinner simmers.
8. About 10-20 minutes before serving, zest in one lemon and add some chopped cilantro. Taste to see if you would like to add lemon juice as well. I have eaten this meal both ways. It just depends on personal preference.
9. Cook plain, boxed couscous and carefully follow "remove from heat" directions.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. It is one of my favorites- so colorful and healthy.

Girls' Night Out in DC

Since rotations keep stealing our husbands away, my friend and I decided to go out on the town for some much needed girl time. We went over to Connecticut Avenue to hang out at Politics and Prose Bookstore and then we wandered next door to Comet Ping Pong for some pizza.

 

Politics and Prose is a sanctuary for book lovers. It has that wonderful ahhhhh.... feeling when you step through the door and is one of the must-see bookstores in America. For such a large bookstore, this place loses none of the cozy, independent book-seller vibes. The book islands throughout the store are overflowing with interesting titles that bring back elementary school memories of DEAR time (Drop Everything and Read). The store features an extensive calendar of events that are free to the public. This is one of the things I love about D.C. There is a really nice collection of free stuff to do here which makes up for some of the overpriced food. Anyway, you can come out almost every night of the year for a book signing or an author lecture, and they occasionally hold multiple events in a day. Politics and Prose also hosts a series of book clubs in their store; you can purchase your book for 20% off and then come for a free book discussion with one of 20 different groups. The highlight of my trip was meeting the Espresso Book Machine. It prints books from start to finish right before your very eyes in ten minutes or less. How cool is that? I recommend printing yourself a book when you come to visit, and don't forget to check out the sale selections on the lower level!

 

Back when E and I visited R & R Taqueria, I set a goal to visit local gems featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives to satisfy my inner foodie and explore the different hometowns we'll have through a career in the military. Comet Ping Pong has been next on the list for a while, so you can imagine how excited I was when I realized it was right next to the bookstore we were visiting! The photo above features the front dining area. Yes, it does look that dingy inside, but it sets the perfect tone for the laid-back pizza joint. If you walk all the way to the back, you will find the namesake ping pong tables. We were there late-ish on a Sunday night, so it was not too crowded and we had no trouble securing a table for pizza or ping pong. The main attractions on the menu are pizza and beer. Our waitress told us the bread sticks weren't that great when we were looking at appetizers, but the pizza came highly recommended. Prices are $14 for a specialty personal-sized pizza and they start at $8 for your basic cheese pizza with additional toppings costing $1-$4. I was a little sad at first that I would not be getting a giant pizza, but the quality more that made up for any qualms about quantity. Each pizza featured generous amounts of toppings and the crust was just right. Get the melted onions on your pizza! They are awesome. I would definitely like to go back for a longer visit and more pizza to do this menu justice.