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All Things German In California

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Zimt Bakery ships Christmas Plätzchen in California

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No time to bake “Weihnachtsplätzchen”? No problem. Let Zimt Bakery take care of it this year!

The love for baking and fond memories of her Oma Doris from Stuttgart made Alina Tompert launch Zimt Bakery in 2020 during the pandemic. Growing up in California she happily joined her mom in the yearly family tradition of backing “Plätzchen” during Christmas season from an early age on. However, she was particularly impressed by the package of Christmas Cookies that her Oma Doris sent from Germany each year for the holidays. It contained an assortment of about 20 beautiful, unique, lovingly crafted “Guadsle” (the Swabian expression for cookies).

Alina Trompert - Zimt Bakery

After her grandma’s passing, Alina turned to baking from the recipes that she inherited from Oma Doris: “I am thrilled to present the lineup of Zimt Guadsle for the traditional holiday baking, and my own mash-up of modern flavors in our seasonal line up of Plätzchen”.

Zimt Bakery specializes in Plätzchen and Guadsle, the former being Zimt’s modern seasonal take and the latter being Zimt’s traditional holiday cookies rooted in Oma Doris’ recipes. Over the holidays, Zimt Bakery will offer also homemade Lebkuchen Hearts which are customizable with a name or message. And even our furry friends can join in the delight of freshly baked cookies. Zimt Bakery also makes Plätzchen for Paws! 

[Read more…] about Zimt Bakery ships Christmas Plätzchen in California

GASA’s Summer Camp 2020 – German Adventure for Kids

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Southern California’s German-American School Association, short GASA, has its overnight German Immersion Summer Camp scheduled for June 2020.

I think we all can use a little cheering up these days. So, let’s look at summer and the potential of all the beautiful things you can do here in Southern California. If you have children and don’t plan on traveling overseas, you might be looking for something fun and entertaining for them. GASA’s German Immersion Camp offers all that and more!

Planned for June 14th-June 20th, 2020 the overnight German Immersion Camp will take place at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Recreation Center in Orange, CA. The camp is geared towards kids, ages 8-16 years.

During the 7 days and 6 nights of adventure, kids will have plenty of fun with special activities like zip-lining, wall climbing, and swimming. They will learn about the Germanic people and their struggle to remain free with “The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest” and they’ll learn useful skills in a planned Hye Katch Do art of self-defense class. On top, fun activities such as nature hikes, dancing, singing, crafting, campfire, baking, sports, games and fishing round up the German camp experience. All activities will be conducted in German.

Ready to enroll? Check out the link: http://germanschool4kids.org/camps/

Image: ©GASA

California has over 9 Billion in Unclaimed Assets. Do Some Belong to You?

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Did the past holiday deplete your bank account and left you feeling you have started January with a little hole in your budget? Then go check out if the California State Government’s database has listed some unclaimed assets that possibly belong to you! You might just find yourself ending up with some extra cash.

“How can some of my assets end up with the California State government”, you may ask?

“Businesses like banks and insurance companies are required by law to transfer property to the state controllers office if it goes unclaimed for a certain period of time, generally three years. ” (NBC Los Angeles)

What is considered “Unclaimed property”? 

It is generally defined as any financial asset that has been left inactive by the owner for a period of time. Among the most common types of “Unclaimed Property” are: 

  • Bank accounts & Safe Deposit box contents
  • Stocks, mutual funds, and the like
  • Insurance benefits
  • Uncashed cashier’s checks and money orders
  • And more…

There is no time limit or fee for filing a claim! So it’s for sure worth a try to carve out some time to search the database provided by California State Controller’s office. You may be pleasantly surprised. At least, I know I was when I checked the database, just for fun, and found out that apparently I had some unclaimed assets of about $100. Okay, okay,… it’s not groundbreaking, but hey, who doesn’t welcome a few dollars that he didn’t know he had in the first place!

If you want to give it a try, here is the database URL to try your luck!

To find out more about how you keep your property from being turned over to the State Controller’s office, check out the California State Controller’s website here

Image: Pixabay.com – Resources: California State Controller’s Office, NBCLA

FEUER (Ein Gedicht von Claudia Tichy)

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Feuer

Es graut, es riecht – streng – Feuer?
Die Tiere, seltsam, anders
Der Sturm stört, weshalb diesmal? Sonst doch nicht?

Es graut, es riecht – Feuer?
Vorne und hinten, es fühlt sich gefährlich…
Bestätigung ja, zwei, gefährlich?
Nein, wir doch nicht, doch nicht wir!

Doch! Gemeinsames Essen, was tun? Jetzt?
Sortieren, was ist Dir, was ist Mir – WERT?
Gefühl oder Verstand?
Ersetzbar oder Nicht?

Wann gehen? Sorge – die Tiere!
Wohin – check – klar!
Packen – loslassen – verabschieden
LIEBE ja LIEBE

Ankommen, sicher? Gedanken, nein!
Folgen im Jetzt…die Tiere?!
Alles gut! Alles gut?
Nein! Es kommt wieder, es kommt!

Weiter, die Tiere, weiter
Die Nacht, dunkel und gefährlich
Der ständige Rauch in den Lungen
Unwichtig, wohin, die Tiere?!

Wieder ankommen, morgens, alles vorbei?
Jetzt sicher? Die Tiere geschützt?
Ausatmen, kurz endlich schlafen…
ALARM!! Wieder Gefahr…

Weiter, packen, wohin? Check!
Verkehr dicht! Panik und Flucht spürbar…
Unsicherheit – alles verloren – egal!
Egal? JA – wir sind! WIR leben!

Ankommen – aller guter Dinge sind drei?
Bleiben und langsam erholen…
Ungewiss, was kommt danach?

Danach wohin?Wie?
Hilfsangebote überall – überwältigt!
Oberfläche – keine Spur!
Ernsthafte mitfühlenden Kraft und Unterstützung…

Das andere Kalifornien?
Auf diese Art näher gebracht?
Plötzlich verbindend und gefühlt?
Zusammen gehörend?

Miteinander fühlend, trauernd sich freuend
Diesmal tief und ehrlich…
Dankbarkeit und Verbundenheit
Aus diesem gemeinsamen Schicksal

FEUER

.

©Claudia Tichy

Image: Pixabay.com

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Claudia Tichy, originally from Steyr, Austria, lived in Southern California until March 2019. She experienced California’s wildfires in the fall of 2018 first hand, which inspired her to write this poem. In spring of 2019 she moved back to Austria. Read more about Claudia in our XPAT Spotlight Interview with her husband. she now lives in California. Her stories are inspired by her experiences as an educator, a mother of four children and her therapeutical work. Children and families have always been the most important component of her work. Her innermost desire is to share all her experiences with happiness and love. That’s also how her first book  Tesha Discovers The World came about, a book that takes into consideration the sensibility but also the simplicity of the soul. The book reflects Claudia’s intention: not to seduce the mind but rather touch the soul… and with it start a healing motion in the reader’s life. Connect with Claudia Tichy and HealingSystems here.

 

German Summer Camps for Kids In California – 2019

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HAPPY SUMMER – It’s Camp Time!

Have you chosen the perfect summer activity for your child yet? Here are some German Summer Camps to choose from. We will add to the list as we hear of other summer camps out there. Let us know, too, if you hear of one!

GPSSD German Summer Camp in San Diego – from June 24 to July 12 – 3 weeks to choose:

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GermanSchoolCampus Summer Camp in Newport Beach – June 17th -21st – Math Camp or Dance Camp:

MATH CAMP :


Summer Math Camp – $295/week covers fees and materials. Camp will proceed with a minimum of 6 Sign-ups, maximum 12.

DANCE CAMP – Rumba / ChaCha / Samba / Waltz

Learn dancing Rumba, Cha Cha, Samba and Waltz with Martine. Find more info on their website

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GASA’s German Immersion Overnight – Camp at the Irvine Ranch Outdoor Education Center Irvine – June 16th to 22nd

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Tivoli German Summer Camp for Toddlers in Santa Monica – from July 29th – August 2nd

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Let us know about a German Camp near you!!

Featured Image: Pixabay.com

Xmas Gift Book Tip #5 – Kurt Tucholsky’s Whimsical Stories About the Afterlife

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Tucholsky-HereafterOur last book tip for Christmas 2018 makes us indulge in famous German literature. It’s a book that is not only a must for all Tucholsky fans but also for everyone, who loves Berlin and its history.

“Hereafter. We Were Sitting on a Cloud, Dangling Our Legs.” is a collection of humorous short stories by Tucholsky that for the first time appear as a collection in a book as well as being published in English.

“Hereafter”, Kurt Tucholsky’s Whimsical Stories About the Afterlife 

(by Dr. Eva C. Schweitzer )

Kurt Tucholsky is known for his political and satirical stories in the Weimar era, but the famed author also had a whimsical, spiritual side, and we experience it in this book, Hereafter. We Were Sitting on a Cloud, Dangling Our Legs.

Tucholsky ImageBerlinicaHereafter was originally a loose series of humorous short stories. Tucholsky wrote them between 1925 and 1928, while he was on assignment in Paris for his paper, Die Weltbühne (The World Stage). This is the first time these stories are collected in a book — adorned with pictures of little angels from Berlin’s cemeteries —, and also the first time they are translated into English. [Read more…] about Xmas Gift Book Tip #5 – Kurt Tucholsky’s Whimsical Stories About the Afterlife

Xmas Gift Book Tip #3 – Historical Fiction Novel “1918 – Wilhelm und Wilson”

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Magnus Buch 012 (1)100 Years Ago the First World War Ended in 1918. What if…?

What if the world had emerged out of devastating World War I with peace negotiations that had helped restore world order, create balance among world powers, and had called for cooperation among nations?

Hitler, Stalin, and WW II might never have happened!

On the basis of real history, Magnus Dellwig is creating a fictional world in his novel “1918 – Wilhelm und Wilson” and imagines a different outcome in the fateful peace negotiations among the world powers at that time. Follow the account of foreign minister Gustav Stresemann and witness through his eyes how (a different) history unfolds…

Magnus Dellwig’s historical fiction novel is packed with the suspense of diplomatic and political drama. As of now, “1918 – Wilhelm und Wilson” is only available in German. Get a taste of the book with the following German synopsis. [Read more…] about Xmas Gift Book Tip #3 – Historical Fiction Novel “1918 – Wilhelm und Wilson”

X-mas Gift Book Tip #1 – The Memoir “Otti Remembers”

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Denise-and-Otti.jpg

Life of a German Teen during WW II. From Enduring Hardship to becoming a U.S. war bride – The Memoir “Otti Remembers”

What was it like for a teen to live in Germany during World War II?

Our first Christmas Book Gift Tip tells you all about it. The memoir “Otti Remember” lets you relive those turbulent times as Otti Baulig Ney remembers and allows you to be part of her life’s story.

“Otti Remembers: German WWII Teen Immigrates to America” – A Memoir

By Leslie Blaize

“Otti Remembers: German WWII Teen Immigrates to America,” offers a rare, first-hand account of those turbulent times. Otti Baulig Ney, 89, from Sutter Creek, Calif., reveals how she endured bombing raids, tuberculosis (TB) and extreme deprivation as a teen during the war years. [Read more…] about X-mas Gift Book Tip #1 – The Memoir “Otti Remembers”

Holiday & End of Year Festivities – Lantern Parades & More

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It’s hard to believe but we are slowly approaching the end of the year! 

First, however, we have all our wonderful traditional German and, of course, American festivities coming up next.

While Christmas season for sure starts with Thanksgiving for the Americans, for us Germans Saint Martin’s Day (Sankt Martinstag) with its festive lantern parades on November 11 rings in the holiday season.

At least that’s how I remember it… Often times the first snowfall covered the city streets in Munich already I recall, when I was walking with my friends in the crunchy snow, our self-made lantern in hands, excitedly singing traditional lantern songs. The air would materialize in front of our mouths so cold it was already, but we knew that a nice hot chocolate would await us at the end of the parade, often together with some delicious cookies and a yummy ‘Weckmann’ as well. Mmmmhhh!

Speaking of lantern parades. If you are looking for some family oriented parades in California, you are in luck!

The following Saint Martin’s Lantern Parades are all happening in Northern California this weekend on Saturday, November 10th . Let us know if you hear of any other ones and we can keep adding them to the list.

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Saturday, November 10th:

Bay Area’s Kinderstube has its annual Laternenfest

WHEN: Saturday, November 10 from 4pm-7pm

WHERE: 842 Key Route Boulevard in Albany

Bring your own lantern or buy one. Get your ticket to enjoy German fare from Glühwein, Weckmänner, Pretzels, Spätzle, Bratwurst and more.

Get your TICKETS here

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Saturday, November 10th:

German School in Novato

WHEN: Saturday, November 10th at 5:30 pm

WHERE: Pioneer Park in Novato

RSVP here

German School in Santa Rosa

WHEN: Saturday, November 10th at 5:30 pm

WHERE: School Campus in Santa Rosa

RSVP here

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Saturday, November 10th:

GISSV San Francisco – Lantern Parade & Festival

WHEN: Saturday, November 10th from 2pm-6pm

WHERE: 4 Funston Ave in the Presidio

More Info here

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PLAN AHEAD for Christmas –

Christkindlmarket – Annual Christmas Market At The Phoenix Club in Anaheim

November 25th, 11 am-4pm in the Pavillion

Free Admission & Open to the Public

Enjoy German fare in a Christmas atmosphere setting with music, art & crafts and Christmas gift market featuring jewelry, European gifts and much more

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WEIHNACHTSGOTTESDIENST – Christmas Service

St.Luke’s Lutheran Church in La Mesa

Weihnachtsgottesdienst – German Christmas Carol Service

WHEN: Sunday, December 16th at 3pm , Sonntag, 16. Dezember 2018, 15:00 Uhr

WHERE: St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 5150 Wilson Street, La Mesa

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Let us know if you hear of any German Christmas Festivities in your neighborhood and we gladly add them to the list!

Image: Pixabay.com

Go Vote! – The Midterms. A Big Deal for California.

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elephant-2798628_1920Tomorrow, November 6th is the General Election? Are you going to vote?

If you are an expat, who enjoys dual citizenship, it is your privilege, but also your duty to go out and vote tomorrow! After all, you chose to be a citizen of the United States, as well as your home country, and part of being a good citizen is going to vote in elections.

“But, it’s not the election for the president…!?”, you might say. Yes, that’s true, but the midterms are just as important an election and your vote counts!

In fact, this year’s midterm elections see the largest number of Californians (19 million!) registered to vote in California’s history, according to ABC7news. Especially this year, California’s voice is important.

So, what’s at stake? The control of the Congress and statehouses across the country. And, 36 states will hold elections for governor as well – including California!

On top of voting for our new governor in these midterms, we Californians will have a deciding voice in regards to 7 (!) congressional seats that are up for election. [Read more…] about Go Vote! – The Midterms. A Big Deal for California.