Tag Archives: Expats

German Cuisine – Defined by Sausage, Pretzel and Beer?

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Cornelia | Leave a comment

What’s Up with German Cuisine in California?

German restaurants and German food trucks seem to be in high season these days. I feel there are so many new ones. But do they offer anything new?

I just heard of a new German restaurant in Orange County in SoCal, “Stadtgarten LA“. It sounded promising, I thought. Curious about what kind of German cuisine they would offer I went to check out their website.

I am met with the the restaurant’s name Stadtgarten written in an interesting font, that reminds me of a neighborhood German beer pub from the 60ties. Then I read the “story”: Stadtgarten is a “gourmet hub” in a historic landmark in Fullerton. The experience apparently “highlights bold tradition with every speciality item offered” .

Wow, I am eager to find out more! Did I finally discover some authentic German restaurant that will surprise me with some tasty Schweinebraten (roast pork) with a crunchy crust or a Berliner Eisbein? Perhaps the authentic northern specialty, Matjes, or a juicy Jägerschnitzel, or even just tasty Käsespätzle or Maultaschen?

My excitement to see the menu is put to a worried stop after my eyes are met by the headline “Artisanal Wurst & Bier”.

Seriously!! Yes…, all I see is sausages galore!

Come on! Pleaseeee!!

I scroll back to the “story” that claims that I will experience the “storied taste of Germany, spanning decades of specialty quality and selection”, “with recipes spanning decades brought directly from Germany.”

Am I not being promised a “gourmet authentic cuisine” here? I start feeling a bit offended about what I am actually being offered on the menu posted online.

– The Sausage and its Rise to Power –

Is the Stadtgarten LA seriously claiming that only sausages are making up the storied taste of Germany ? I honestly believe the German Wurst has never been that popular ever (!) than since it’s been pushed to its limits here in the USA. – Sozusagen ‘ausgezuzelt’ (ausgesaugt) bis auf’s Letzte. –

And, I m not even sure if the Wurst frenzy is in fact even happening in Germany itself. The last thing I recently read was that it was now really hip over there to get Eggs Benedict instead of a simple, fried egg… But Wurst!!?

Besides, anyone ever heard of the Vegan Mexican Chipotle sausage or Chicken Habanero & Tequila sausage being part of the German Wurst staple?

I guess I must have missed something growing up in Germany or I’m just getting old….

For me, ‘Wurst’ used to be a fast food served at stands at Christkindlmarkets and other little town fairs. It certainly was present at ALL kids birthday parties, so much so that I couldn’t face a ‘Wienerwurst’ or any ‘Wurst’ for years without slight shudders… until I fell in love with the ‘Käsekrainer’ in Vienna! Since then my sausage taste has been very selective to say the least.

But to call ‘Wurst’, no matter what kind, gourmet food!? That is for sure a social rise for Wurst & Co.

To all the Würstel Dudes (sausages dudes) out there. German cuisine has so much more to offer than only pretzels, beer, and sausages!

It’s not enough to just give a restaurant a German name and slap some German sounding words onto the menu like “share das good times“. Please check your German, otherwise it gives you away as not being very authentic at all!

Having said all that… Stadtgarten LA appears to have a hip, modern and inviting interior (unlike its restaurant name lettering would suggest). It apparently has also created a nice outside beer garden atmosphere, which indeed is hard to find in OC.

Stadtgarten LA may in fact position itself more as a specialty beer pub than a restaurant, if you consider the immense selection of beer that “… can be intimidating to a beer layman” as Edwin Goei puts it in his 2016 article in OC Weekly.

…Nix für ungut!

Author’s note: This article is solely based on the business’ website and its information posted there.

Happy Easter! – Frohe Ostern!

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Cornelia | Comments Off

– Fohes Ostereiersuchen! –

Apparently every fourth German loves to look for Easter eggs according to a survey (Süddeutsche Zeitung) . Be part of it! 🙂

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Posted in Cultural Happenings

Tagged Calfiornia, CaliforniaGermans, Easter, Easter eggs, Expat, Expats, German, Ostereier, Ostern

German Romanticism at San Francisco Symphony

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Cornelia | Comments Off

San Francisco Symphony highlights German Composers and German Talents with upcoming Concerts

San Francisco Symphony has some amazing concerts coming up showcasing not only German composers Richard Strauss and Robert Schumann but also acclaimed German baritone Matthias Goerne, Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck and German violinist Veronica Eberle, “one of the most promising violin talents to emerge from Germany in recent years”. (wikipedia)

San Francisco Symphony invites our CaliforniaGermans members to enjoy these concerts with an exclusive discount of 25% . Tickets must be purchased following the links in this post.

Each concert features an informative talk that begins one hour prior to concerts. Free to ticketholders.

R. STRAUSS AND SCHUMANN WITH IGOR LEVIT

April 27-29, 2017 at 8:00 PM  Davies Symphony Hall

Hailed as “one of the essential artists of his generation,” (The New York Times) Igor Levit performs Schumann’s exhilarating Piano Concerto. Then, envision breathtaking Roman ruins and sweeping rural landscapes in Richard Strauss’ first tone poem, Aus Italien, inspired by the young composer’s trip to Italy. Tickets are available here.

conductor: Fabio Luisi
piano: Igor Levit

On the program:
Schumann
Piano Concerto in A minor

Richard Strauss
Aus Italien

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SHOSTAKOVICH WITH MATTHIAS GOERNE AND TCHAIKOVSKY’S FIFTH
May 25-27, 2017 at 8:00 PM  Davies Symphony Hall

Experience a powerful program of music that grapples with questions of life, death, and fate. Shostakovich’s Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti is brought to life by German baritone Matthias Goerne, praised for a voice that is dark and rich, filled with “red-hot dramatic intensity.” (Bachtrack) Then, Tchaikovsky’s soaring Fifth Symphony fills the hall with its massive orchestral texture and unforgettable melodies. Tickets are available here.

conductor: Manfred Honeck
baritone: Matthias Goerne

On the program:
Shostakovich
Suite on Verses of Michelangelo Buonarroti

Tchaikovsky
Symphony No. 5

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MENDELSSOHN’S SCOTTISH SYMPHONY
May 17-21, 2017 at 8:00 PM  Davies Symphony Hall

Guest conductor Roberto Abbado leads Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3, Scottish. Characterized by vivid pictorial imagery, the music dances and sings the beauty of the stormy Scottish countryside. Plus, German violinist Veronika Eberle brings “introverted intensity and interpretive boldness” (The New York Times) to Schumann’s lyrical Violin Concerto. Tickets are available here.

On the program:
Busoni
Music from Turandot Suite

Schumann
Violin Concerto

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Images: SF Symphony

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Posted in Attractions & Events, Cultural Happenings

Tagged CaliforniaGermans, classical music, Expat, Expats, R. Strauss, San Francisco Symphony, Schumann, violin concerto

Practicing German with Siri

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Cornelia | Comments Off

Practicing German with Apple’s Virtual Assistant, Siri

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Apple‘s iPhone it turns out is not only an esthetic jewel but also a helpful source for practicing some daily German!

My husband recently upgraded his iPhone to the latest version, and gave his old phone to our 10-year old, who has eagerly been waiting for calling an iPhone his own. He happily grabbed his prey, and for the next hour or so he seemed to have completely disappeared.

Looking all over the house for him we finally stopped short in front of his room. Behind closed doors we heard his voice and someone else’s. Surprised my husband and I drew closer wondering who had come to visit him. We certainly didn’t hear the doorbell ring.

Listening in to the conversation we heard him speak German!! The conversation went something like that:

“Hallo” – “Siri grüsst Dich ebenfalls.”

“Wie heisst Du?” – “Siri. Es ist mir ein Vergnügen.”

“Wie geht’s?” – “Mir geht es prächtig.”

“Bist Du ein Mädchen?” – “Ich verstehe nicht.”

“Bist Du ein Mann oder eine Frau?” – “Ist das relevant?”

“Was machst Du?” – “Ich mache die Hausaufgaben für meinen Weiterbildungskurs.” (eine eifrige Siri!)

“Was ist Deine Liebelingsfarbe” – “Meine Lieblingsfarbe…, naja, wie soll ich das in Deiner Sprache ausdrücken? Eine Art grün , aber mit mehr Dimensionen”

“Was ist dein Lieblingsessen?” – “Ich rede nicht so gerne über mich”. ODER Siri antwortet vorwurfsvoll: – “So was solltest du Deinen Assistenten eigentlich nicht fragen.”

“Wem gehörst du?” – “Entschuldigung ..das habe ich nicht verstanden.”

“Magst Du orange?” – “Das möchte ich lieber nicht sagen.”

“Hast du auch mal Bauchweh?” – “Das kann ich nicht beantworten.”

“Erzähl mir einen Witz” – “Zwei iPhones stehen an der Bar… Den Rest habe ich vergessen.”

Manchmal hat Siri aber auch einen Witz auf Lager, dann klingt das so: “Auf der Wiese: Schaf zum Rasenmäher: “Mäh!” Sagt der Rasenmäher: “Du hast mir gar nichts zu befehlen!”

After having been somewhat reluctant to hand our child another digital device I had to revise my opinion. Apart from practicing his speaking skills, he also listens to Siri’s pretty well pronounced German, and he can improve his writing as well since one can also read the answers in German on the display.

Of course, should you like to go beyond the basic German Q/A s, you might still want to consider taking a real German language course… 🙂

Siri is Now Pitching iBooks (the-digital-reader.com)
Our Siri guide: How to merge your life with Apple’s witty virtual assistant (digitaltrends.com)
How to best use Siri – Siri at a Glance (Apple website)

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Posted in "Sprechen Sie Deutsch" - California Neighbors, Editorial

Tagged Apple, CaliforniaGermans, Expats, iPhone, learning German, Siri, virtual assistant

Granny Aupair – A Different Take on the Traditional Au Pair Concept

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Cornelia | Comments Off

granny-mit-familie_copyright-ilona-gehrke-1

Invite a German Speaking Granny to Look After Your Children

As expats we often miss that our children won’t be able to grow up with their grandparents. Not only does it make us feel at ease to have someone experienced to help raise our children but it’s absolutely precious to have someone look after them, who will also pass on some German traditions and values we ourselves most likely grew up with. Not to forget the nice benefit of having our kids be exposed to speaking German whilst they grow up far away from Germany.

Following the principles of an au pair service the German company Granny Aupair in Hamburg has been filling that ‘Granny void’ since 2010!

Have a German “Leih-Oma” Stay With You!

If you can’t have your own Oma stay with you, have a ‘Leih-Oma’ share in your family’s life overseas. That way your kids don’t have to miss out completely on the enriching grandparent experience. There is so much to learn from an older generation and Granny Aupairs come ready to share their generational wisdom while nurturing your children.

Granny Aupairs are active, adventure loving women aged 50 and above from all over the world but mainly from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They offer a wealth of life experience and most often have raised families of their own. Child care, cooking and keeping a household in check is nothing new to them. They are experts in it!

An Enriching Cultural Experience For The Entire Family

“Since 2010 more than a thousand ‘Grannies’ have travelled to over 50 countries” with Granny Aupair, which was founded by Michaela Hansen (55) in Hamburg. Over the course of their stay many Grannies have become friends with the children and parents alike and have knit close bonds. Susanne, a mother in the USA mentions: “We had such a great experience that we had several Grannies over the last few years, and two of them have come back for a second stay. The children are really happy when a Granny comes again. We also had a “Granny Reunion” in Frankfurt in July this year with our family, my mother, and four grannies. It was wonderful to see all of them together!“

Many women, who choose to become a Granny Aupair are looking for a new challenge after they have retired or their own children have ‘left the nest’. They still feel adventurous, enjoy traveling and are in search for something granny-brigitte-in-kalifornien-2
meaningful to pursue. Granny Aupair Brigitte Köfler from Bregenz, who cared for a family of six in Los Altos felt very enriched by her Granny experience and puts it this way: “I got to know so many wonderful people during my stay…The family I stayed with was absolutely fantastic and they made me feel like a true part of them. The fun with the children and to feel so warmly appreciated was very fulfilling.“

According to an article in the British Telegraph and a 2014 annual survey by Nannytax there is in fact a trend that many families prefer hiring older, more life experienced women to look after their offspring. Granny Aupair offers just that on an international level.

I Am Ready For My Granny Aupair. How Does It Work?

Families and single parents all over the globe can now easily find their Granny Aupair. To get more detailed information and browse the database of Grannies, who are ready to be part of your family, you just simply have to register free of charge at www.granny- aupair.com . Once you have found a Granny you feel fits your family, you need to become a member to start a conversation…and you are on your way to an enriching adventure!

Granny Aupair – Jetzt oder Nie!www.granny-aupair.com