Technology

I'm ready for DVDs to be outdated technology.

I was kind of sad to see VHSes go back in the day (all of my favorite movies as a kid were on a VHS), but I quickly adjusted to the convenience of a DVD. Multiple DVDs can easily be transported (i.e. in a CD case rather than in their boxes). DVDs can be played by a personal computer, so a DVD player or TV screen was unnecessary.

DVDs have been mainstream for about the past 10 years. However, DVDs are even more fragile that VHSes were. I'm tired of renting a movie only to find that it skips because of a smudge or scratch, and thus I miss some crucial scenes of the film. Or, I hate looking forward to watching a movie that I own, only to take it out of its case and discover that it has a hairline crack and is now completely unreadable. There goes another $15. I guess that's one way to stimulate the economy--just keep making things breakable so that people keep buying.

I'm ready for the next big technological advancement, replacing DVDs with something else. Looks like it might be digitized or iPod movies, such as those sold on iTunes?

Rest in peace, Newsies DVD that I never got to watch.

Mumbai: Like a Golden Songbird

An interesting article on Mumbai in light of the recent attacks: What They Hate About Mumbai

Sandmann, lieber Sandmann

The Little Sandman is too adorable and to familiar to German children to not blog about. So here's a quick introduction to das Sandmännchen for German Culture 101.

Das Sandmännchen (the Little Sandman) is a TV show dating back before 1989. Before reunification, there were two competing shows in East and West. Children would watch The Sandman (also known as "Our Little Sandman" or "The Evening's Greeting") before bed as he wished them good night. The Sandman would always appear in a different flying contraption for each show, encouraging themes of technological advancement and an interest in space. His evening greeting makes an appearance in Goodbye, Lenin as the main character watches the show as an adult, after the fall of the Wall.

Wikipedia kindly provides the lyrics to the songs, and the youtube videos are below. Enjoy, and schlaf gut.



Here's a good play of just the title music (no images).

Pork and Peaches

Made this recipe tonight. Substituted regular onions for shallots and had no fresh rosemary. Turned out pretty tasty!

Pork Chops with Peaches

Election Reflections from a Student Observer

Well, I neglected to post much of anything during the campaigning season, so here's some reflections back on this incredible election.

Back in 2007, Bush was well out of favor, so a landslide win for the Democrats in 2008 seemed more than likely. At that point, the only one really on the scene was one Hillary Rodham Clinton. It seemed inevitable that we would be progressing from Bush to Clinton to Bush to Clinton. Senator Obama was on the fringes, the newbie with a great talent for speeches, not yet enjoying the familiarity of being a household name as Senator Clinton. To be honest, the first time I remember hearing his name was during all the fuss of the People paparazzi shots of Obama on the beach.

As we approached primary season, suddenly the rising star took off to become a serious contender. Until after Super Tuesday, I really expected that Clinton would clearly dominate or try to dissuade him by asking him to be her VP. But while Mrs. Clinton is certainly qualified, she is a polarizing force. It seems that everyone was starkly divided toward her, with either strong support or intense dislike. In contrast, Obama not only proved himself to be equally talented and qualified, but a uniting force that brings people of many backgrounds together.

Initiate the six-month showdown: Clinton vs. Obama. It was fascinating to be teaching in Austria during this time, and trying to explain to the students what was happening and why it had stretched on so long. I polled the classroom at one point in March, and the majority of the 18-year-olds supported Hillary Clinton (a handful supported Obama and none supported McCain). Yet only a few months later, hundreds of thousands gathered to hear Obama in Berlin and support the presidential candidate.

We all know how it ended. After a bitter season and much division and derision among the Democrats, Obama squeaked by with more votes and was declared the official candidate. We all waited tensely throughout the summer, biting our nails in fear that he might choose Hillary as his VP. Instead, he chose the well-seasoned senator Joe Biden to balance his youth.

Enter the conventions. The Democratic convention was exciting enough, as Obama and Biden began working side-by-side and really seemed to complement each other. But McCain shocked the world with his announcement of the unknown Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Someone asked me recently whether Sarah Palin lost the election for the Republicans or whether they were doomed from the start. I tend to lean toward the latter, but we cannot discount the Palin factor. Her selection electrified McCain's campaign; suddenly conservative voters were rallying with enthusiasm in the same way that the liberals flocked to Obama. She was frank, to the point, and fresh; but she was not ready for the media attention or the interviews or the SNL impersonations. (Do not discredit the power of Tina Fey's Sarah Palin! Tina Fey really solidified America's view of Sarah Palin). Her inexperience and novelty status backfired.

After a few tense last weeks (with much name-calling and mud-slinging), crowded flooded the polls. I maintain that the source of these record turn-outs was not McCain or Biden, but the two younger names on the ballot--Obama and Palin. Voters came out in record numbers to show their support for the electrifying factors of each party. In the end, Change and Hope conquered the straight-talk Mavericks. People took to the streets around the country in cities both large and small to celebrate victory, history, and change.

I've brushed over quite a bit, but also consider More Intelligent Life's Entire Election in a Single Graphic for a hilarious summation.


To close, a drawing that's been circulating. I don't want to emphasize the race factor, but it is not something to overlook. Obama will indeed be our first black president, but I would instead like to stress that he is our first non-white president and one of the youngest elected! We have had many excellent leaders in the past, but many have come from similar backgrounds of well-established white upper-class political families (or dynasties). Whereas Obama--with a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya, born in Hawaii, schooled in Indonesia, educated at Harvard, and working in/with Chicago--not only represents diversity through his skin but through his life story. In many ways, he is the American Dream. We did not elect solely the first black president, but a true American.

Reactions to the Election Abroad

I'm at work, so must keep it short and sweet. Here's an interesting article from an ex-pat living in Wien in response to Obama's election.

Suddenly, it may be cool to be an American again

Election Day

It's the big day in America. The first Tuesday of November. The polls are open and the voters are rolling in.

I haven't had the opportunity to express my thoughts about this election here yet, but suffice to say that it has been fascinating. The old methods of campaigning are gone, replacing by campaigning of the internet age. From this idealist's perspective, it seemed that in this election individuals had a say more than ever before. Anyone could start a blog and publish their views, or spread links to YouTube commercials or parodies rapidly through facebook posts. Online ads are everywhere, and even the hip webcomics have endorsed candidates. These individuals have reached the generation of younger voters, the 20-somethings and college students who live daily on the internet. Indeed, over the past few days, over a million facebook users have donated their status to support one candidate or the other.

If you are an American citizen, please get to the polls today. For years we've been slack and little more than half of the American population has exercised their democratic right and privilege. Let's not take it for granted, and let's make our voices heard. Records have registered, and the younger generation is coming out in hordes. Let's make it an election for the history books.

Even Starbucks is making a push by giving out free coffee to anyone who voted.

Seattle

For a long time Seattle and San Francisco have waited at the top of my mental list of West Coast places to visit. I'll get out there one of these days.

The Times features Seattle this weekend.

Study Abroad and write for National Geographic

Why did this program not exist while I was abroad?
National Geographic Glimpse Correspondence Program

Jeden Montag ist Schnitzeltag!

On your next trip to Vienna, a few restaurants definitely not to miss. These were my favorites in Wien, and arguably the best (for students at least) in the city.

Side Step Tapas Bar, located near the Rathaus. This was my first experience with tapas, but a place that I will never forget. The food is EXCELLENT, and the servers are very friendly and provide great recommendations.

Zanoni & Zanoni, Vienna's most popular gelateria, is located right near Stephansdom. Zanoni & Zanoni offers countless delicious flavors and other dessert options, and it's open year round. Ask about the Blumentüte ("flower cone")-- 3 scoops ("kugeln") for 2€! (Eissalon am Schwedenplatz is another tasty alternative).

The Cafe Beno. I never made it there myself, but this was a favorite haunt of students. Go for Schnitzeltag!

Der Wiener Deewan, a pay-what-you-want Pakistani restaurant near the university. During the last few weeks when I was practically living at the university library, I ate at the Deewan often and saved a pretty penny! Food is served buffet style, and you pay as you leave. The only set cost is for drinks.

The Centimeter, at various locations throughout the city. Everything is served in HUGE portions, measured out according to the metric scale, from a meter-long wurst to a meter-of-beers to beer that is a meter tall. Go with friends and order their signature dish, the Sword. This is a broadsword skewered with turkey schnitzel and pork, with chili, wings, and fries below. Amazing meal, but it will take many hearty appetites to finish it!

The Cafe der Provinz is located near the Rathaus (and not far from a great Italian place whose name escapes me). This cafe is very relaxed and casual, specializing in cuisine from Provence and crêpes. A great option for a full meal, a cup of coffee, or dessert.

Figlmüller claims to have the largest schnitzel in Vienna. Regardless of whether or not this is true, their food is tasty, the restaurant is conveniently located in the first district, and it's well worth a visit. However, this restaurant is very popular with tourist guidebooks, so there may be a wait.

SalmBrau is probably one of the best micro-breweries in Vienna. It is conveniently located very close to the Belvedere.

Zwölf Apostelkeller models itself as a "Stadtheuriger"--that is, an Austrian wine tavern located within the heart of the city rather than on its outskirts. While Zwölf Apostelkeller cannot replace the true heuriger experience, it is a handy option during the winter months when most heurigen are closed.

The Naschmarkt, is a long outdoor market from the edge of the first district (by the Secession building) into the 5th/6th districts. This market has existed for over 200 years by the "river" Wien (from which the city gets its name); it still has great produce but don't be intimidated by the vendors shouting "Bitte schön, bitte sehr!" Be sure to check out the Döner Kebap and the small specialized restaurant-stalls parallel to the produce stalls; sometimes these are rather pricy, but very tasty. Come back to the Naschmarkt Saturday mornings for an extensive antique and flee market. Also, consider the Brunnenmarkt in the 17th district. And there's an excellent 24-hour Turkish bakery not far from there.




And of course, the Heurigen. I'll write up more on that later.

The Rise and Fall of Empires, as told by Coffee

Stumbled across this old treasure from ages ago. In an amusing and surprising essay, Josef Joffe traces the discovery of quality coffee to the downfall of empires. History in a Hazelnut Shell

"There is a reason why the great empires of yore have gone under when confronted with a Melior full of freshly brewed Kenyan Blue. Either you tend to your gold-plated Gaggia or to your F-16. You don't fight with a frappuchino in hand. And as you admire that gentle dollop of steamed milk in your macchiato, what will you think about: the ''halls of Montezuma'' or the beaches of Cozumel?"


P.S. Despite that it might have caused the fall of the Habsburgs, I could use a good Melange right about now.

A Budgeted New York Travel Itinerary

Because sometimes it seemed easier to find the cheap spots abroad than in our own American city: The Frugal Traveler takes on NYC

Two Things

Austrian political front: Freedom party leader Joerg Haider, governor of Carinthia, was killed suddenly in a car accident today. See the full report from BBC. Terrible and very sudden, especially considering his party's success in the recent elections.

And just some numbers for reference on the economy: Consider these numbers from when I was abroad and dealing with the rising exchange rates, and now the current rates-- $1.36 for 1€ or $1.86 for 1 GBP.

Just some specifics in case you were wondering.

Nobel in Literature

Congratulations to Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio, French author and winner of the Nobel Prize! Check out Open Letter's blog Three Percent for more, and be sure to check out the remarkable texts published recently by this new international press.

For your Amusement: Angry Brits and Prescriptive Grammar

Here are some letters to the editor from the Telegraph. These Brits would be scandalized by the American dialect and our "stubborn refusal" to pronounce that darn middle "h" in "why". Enjoy.

Collapse of the English Language

Austrian Politics

The Freedom Party, one of the youngest political parties in Austria which built its platform on anti-immigration, has been making strides as of late.

Far-Right, Anti-Immigrant Parties Make Gains in Austrian Elections

Not sure how I feel about this one. My Modern Austria class taught how this party was formed only in recent decades and taps into the public's desire for change from the SPÖ (Social Democrats) and ÖVP (People's party/former Christian Socialists)--immigration and the desire to preserve their Austrian-ness was one of the touchy topics that FPÖ tapped into. I admit, I find it hard to consider objectively, as my background in American cities has given me a subconscious expectation for ethnic diversity. However, the word is that the FPÖ is less anti-foreigners than it once was, so we shall see.

Drop and Run: How to Print a Blog

I have been terribly negligent. Classes have started and consumed my life, as usual.

No time to amend that now; just a quick note to anyone else out there who has a blog that they might like to print. A friend and fellow study abroad returnee showed me Blurb today, a photobook company that can directly incorporate your blog entries and pictures into a beautiful published book. Haven't had time to investigate yet how Blurb differs from other photobook companies, such as Picaboo or My Publisher, but I assure you that my friend's end product looked phenomenal. I'm going to have to try this out!


As a final thought to apologize for my briefness, the quote of the day by Edgar Allan Poe. Eddie is this week's author for my three-hour English seminar on Tuesdays; we emerged yesterday blinking at the bright sunshine and laughing rather maniacally at the minute details of life. Love it. Think we scared some freshmen along the way.

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."

Embrace the madness. Tschussi!


Love, Lanna

A Heap o' Links

Clearing out some of my bookmarks...

First, on oil again. I really liked this article about the dip in barrel costs recently. Then there's this, a more amusing take on the oil issues.

An interesting post on McCain.

More on the cost of education and how the rising costs continue to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.

A supplement to wikipedia: Knowledge Rush

Notes from Wien: The Spanish Riding School has followed the Vienna Philharmonic and now finally has female members!

Also, check out some authentic Austrian recipes from the embassy.

Closing with an opinions article on Apple and the new iPod.

Enjoy!

On Palin and Oil

Today is Sarah Palin's big day. She's due to take the stage any moment now.

For my part, I'm rather curious to see what she will have to say. Prior to being named McCain's VP for the Republican ticket, she was completely off the map, a relative nobody outside of her native Alaska. In less than a week, the country has rushed to get to know everything about this woman--her background, her family, the skeletons in the closet, and why her inexperience is simultaneously a negative and redeeming factor. Sure, the Vice Presidential role is not necessarily a big one; you're the back-up without much official power, and the position is really whatever you make of it. But you are still one of the most influential people in the country, and there's a good chance you'll be doing a lot of diplomatic work. Important to make sure that you're ready and a fit for the job.

On most issues, I think Palin is getting more crap than she deserves. The press seems to be focusing on her personal life and pro-life, pro-contraception, abstinence-only education stance, digging up anything they can. In terms of her teenage daughter's pregnancy, I have to say, kudos to the family for sticking by their principles and keeping the child, despite the outcry of hypocrisy from the media. Instead, I'd prefer to shift emphasis to Palin's role with the Alaskan environment:

She's doubted global warming and pretty much worked against environmentalists' efforts for a cleaner Alaska. She actually fought to get the polar bears off the endangered species list. She initially supported the Bridge to Nowhere project in Alaska. And she supports drilling in the Alaskan National Reserve for oil... I don't care what the oil companies say, technology hasn't improved enough that that wouldn't destroy the environment. Even McCain is against that.

Palin, like many of the Pres or VP candidates that preceded her, represents more of the same in terms of the energy crisis. She is looking for the answers in the places we have found them before, but does not consider that it may be time to put that famous American Innovation into action, seeking not new oil, but new means of energy altogether.

...More on this to come. Now, to the TV!


EDIT: She's a very talented speaker and good at connecting with the crowd. But curiously, she spoke little of herself, and instead threw shot after shot at "the opponent" (never named) and lavished praise on McCain, telling the life stories that he should tell himself. This was her moment to shine and introduce herself to America; now I feel even more wary.

More on Oil, the Energy Crisis, and American Innovation to come.

The Cost of Education

American college tuition is expensive enough. Every student is overwhelmed with applications for loans, scholarships, grants, and financial aid, trying to make it a little less painful. Some of the richest universities have finally started to do their part to ameliorate this crisis, but many schools do not have the excessive endowment of Harvard or the Ivies to offer students such breaks.

And beyond the cost of tuition, housing, and meals, what else?

What about textbooks? After a semester of being abroad and not having textbooks, I had almost forgotten how expensive they can be.

I always do my textbook shopping on Amazon marketplace. It's important to shop around (be aware of your university bookstore's prices, check for discount reseller stores in your area, and check other websites), but Marketplace has consistently proven to be the most reliable and affordable option for me. You must often compromise dust jackets, clean pages, or wear and tear for a lower price, but I don't mind as long as I can still read it.

However, despite all that savvy shopping and saving, the costs can still be ridiculous. This year especially.

I just spent over $200. On ONE class. To top it off, I just did the math with the university bookstore's prices for new books. Had I bought all my books (five classes) from the school bookstore, it would have cost me $955. NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE DOLLARS!!!!! For books.

This is obscene and absolutely ridiculous. We're only poor college students. We're just trying to learn. We don't have this kind of money!

Marketplace and other discounted resellers have saved me a pretty penny many times in the past. They're helping me out again this year, but sometimes it's just too much.

Transitions

This is the weekend of transitions in New York City. Most of the summer internships ended on Friday, and everyone is packing up their belongings to head home for a few days before school starts. The NYC schools are re-opening, so a flood of students are returning to the city, preparing for freshman orientation programs. The buses are packed, Penn Station is insane, and the taxis are constantly running between the airports--drop one off, pick another up. The interns jump on buses, trains, or planes to scatter and return to their corner of the country, while the NYC students get off those same buses, trains, and planes to move-in to their dorms and get ready for classes.

I'm here for only a few more days and will be joining that mass exodus soon. More entries still to come. Stay posted.

Goin' to Bethlehem

I traveled one last time for the summer this past weekend and went to Bethlehem, PA. This small city in the Lehigh Valley is a great get-away from New York.

Getting there: I took the Trans-Bridge bus from the NY Port Authority terminal to Bethlehem. Tickets work like those for a commuter bus, so you purchase a ticket to the location and you can get on any bus you want (no set date or time). Round trip cost about $40 from NYC; the ride was only about 2.5 hours each way, and the bus came frequently. Not bad!

Things to See Around Bethlehem: Bethlehem is a very relaxing place and a great break from the hustle bustle and crowds of Manhattan. In its heyday, it was the home of the great Bethlehem Steel Mill, the remains of which still stand by the river and rust away. (This otherworldly collection of massive brownish-red pipes, towers, cranes, and warehouses served a great otherworldly backdrop for some footage in the upcoming Terminator film). Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley are also home to many colleges, and the town caters to its college populations. Finally, Bethlehem is a great location for the history buff; it was founded in the 1700s by Moravian settlers seeking freedom of religion and still has many signs of this long history.

However, I came to town for MusikFest, one of the many festivals hosted by the city. As such, there were plenty of crowds, but this had the feel of more of a carnival-craft fair-concert rather than a daily rush. This year, MusikFest started August 2 and continued until the 9th. Everywhere there were signs of the festivity--food vendors along the river*, craft stalls selling everything from quilts to sprinklers to Native American art. Stages were set up all over, and crowds gathered to hear rock, celtic, bluegrass, jazz, funk, opera, punk, and more unique performances, including the performers dancing on flexible stilts and the Phantom-like Bell Master who played the carillon. I loved it all. The Main Street was also very interesting, but packed around 9 at night as the crowds surged toward the stages and bars. I rather wished for more time on my visit to be able to check out all the fascinating little shops that lined the street. Ah well, that will have to be another trip.

Be sure to check the festival schedule before planning your trip--there always seems to be something going on, and something not to miss! However, even if it is a quiet weekend, there will always be something to do in Bethlehem, even as simple as a walk through the old cemetery, a drive up to an overlook of the steel mill, or a picnic in a park along the river. True to its name, there is a star on the hill above the city; it is turned on every night and lights the way to all those around.

*Most of the vendors refrain from using cash this weekend. Instead, the festival sets up booths by each entrance for visitors to purchase tickets worth 50 cents each. Visitors pay the food vendors in tickets rather than cash, and vendors later turn in those tickets to get their profits.

The Towers

I've been living in New York City for two months, but it wasn't until last weekend that I finally made the necessary pilgrimage to Ground Zero. I had not been to the site since August 2001, on a family trip to the city. It is a visit that I put off, but I needed to do.

It was confusing at first. I got off the subway and followed the swarms in the direction of the PATH station and "WTC" signs. I followed the crowds onto a tunnel-like pedestrian bridge that crossed above the site of the Towers. Tourists and cameras lined the walkway, peeking through the grates on the walls to try to get a view of the site below. Just seemed like a lot of cranes and dirt. There were a lot of families present with young children; I remember wondering how these children, who were born after the Towers ceased to exist, would find any meaning in the place that just seemed to be a construction site. I kept walking.

On the other side of the walkway, I saw the water and was determined to keep going. It was coming back quickly now--the dock, the playground, the restaurant. As I got closer, I saw Lady Liberty at last--my first clear view since arriving in this City. I saw Ellis Island. And I saw, as distinct as ever, the white Colgate clock on the opposite shore in Jersey City. For years, we parked our car in the lot beside that clock and caught the ferry across the Hudson, docking each time right below the WTC. The water and park were just as I remembered them. A large stone pathway for runners, a playground a bit farther north (I remembered playing there once after seeing Annie), lots of trees and space. The yacht harbor was even still there, as full as it had been at my last visit.

Turning, the World Financial Center, which I will always think of as the glass Marriott, looked as if nothing had changed--glass and steel, perfectly reconstructed. But there was a severe absence. It was not the construction site that hit me--that is what remains. It was the open space, the absence of two looming towers flanking the small glass building. I could almost see them as I looked up, their space carved out perfectly by the buildings around them, like the empty holes of a puzzle missing two crucial pieces. I had to look away.

Though the outside was deceptively the same, the inside of the glass Center was painfully different. The palm trees are there. The sweeping central staircase is in its rightful place. The glass and steel ceiling is as grand as ever. But the restaurant is gone. I remember sitting at that restaurant after a Broadway matinee, playing with my unwanted water by adding sugar packets and wetting straw wrappers. I don't remember what it was called or what I ate, but I distinctly remember entering the main front doors of the glass center and the restaurant being on our right. Its strange the details that the mind stashes away, the unusual bits of memory that remain vividly alive. It was semi-fancy, and I was being uncooperative that day. We sat at tables just outside the restaurant in the central plaza. There are some tables still there and benches below the palm trees. But the restaurant is gone. The space that once held it has been reconstructed.

The Financial Center which used to connect to the Towers now has large glass windows on its back through which visitors can solemnly view the abyss. There's not much to see. Surrounded by families and whining toddlers, yawning teens, and tourists wearing headsets to tell them about the site, it can be a discouraging visit. The World Financial Center feels like a shopping mall and visitors center; it is eerie to not see the suited men and business women rushing through, grabbing a coffee, and running off to their next meeting. At least Merril Lynch and Deloitte are still there. Maybe cynicism got the best of me; it was a weekend, after all, so naturally it would be devoid of workers and full of tourists. But regardless, I couldn't join the masses by the window; I had to retreat to a forgotten corner of the building and sit and think.

This entire entry has been transcribed from the post-it notes that I scribbled it on while sitting there.

Tor vs. Suvudu

It's the Summer of Sci Fi!

Two separate publishing companies have decided to launch sci fi blogs within the past few weeks. Tor.com is run by Macmillan (as part of its imprint Tor/Forge) and Suvudu is sponsored by Random House but seems less connected with the company. They have similar and pretty cool concepts--provide a one-stop-shop for sci fi fans for everything related to the genre--books, news, movies, comics, and more.

Both were launched in time for the San Diego Comic Con. Tor seems a little more established and interactive right now, with message boards and more frequent posts. However, Suvudu promises to incorporate such features and much, much more with a second launch around October. (In their defense, Tor has been working on their site since Feb-March '08 whereas the Suvudu initiative just started earlier this summer). Should be interesting to see how these shape up! With this competition to give fans the best service possible, it's a good time to be a sci fi fan. I've fallen away from the genre, but might have to get back into it!


In other news, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is back online! Check it out at Hulu. Joss Whedon, of Firefly and Buffy fame, continues to amaze.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Ulysses is often considered the crowning work of Modernism and consistently ranked as THE best book ever written. As such, many readers pick up the text determined to check it off their list of classics but are not warned of its difficulties. Thus, they drop it in frustration and leaving scathing reviews across the web. I ran into a number of these reviews (many of which were written by readers who never finished the text) and was determined to set things right. I enjoyed writing it, so I'll cross-post my review here. Enjoy, and I hope it helps alleviate this situation even just a little.

For reference, I recommend this edition of Ulysses (link to Amazon).

--------------------------------------
ULYSSES by James Joyce
First published in 1922



It is hard to classify Ulysses, and even harder to actually make it through. The book makes you work--it's not about the plot, but about the *experience* of reading.

In this book (I hesitate to call it a novel), the Plot decides that it's tired of being obvious and in the forefront, packs up its bags, and goes on vacation to let the words and Language itself take the centerstage. And Language has a ball--it's as if the words start dancing, laughing, and making fun of the reader as they play games. Just flip through and you'll see what I mean. An entire episode ("chapter") that's written as newsletter headlines? As a Q&A? as 50 pages of ONE SENTENCE?! Let alone the sentence-by-sentence text itself.

Language not only plays a game, but pushes its limits. In the experience of reading this text, you become very aware of where language breaks down. It's hard work to be a reader of Ulysses and have to piece together the puzzle of what's going on. Indeed, many times there's no way of knowing, but that's part of its beauty. This is not a pre-packaged cut-and-dry novel; this is a reflection of the realities and conflict in life. You need to become comfortable with confusion, conflicting voices, and not knowing what's going on. Test the waters with T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land" or similar modernist works.

That being said, I still strongly recommend it. I read this text with a class, which was most helpful--our learned professor was a guiding light through the confusion and twists and turns and discussions helped lead us through. But there is an infinite sense of peace and accomplishment as you reach the last pages. Like the characters, you were lost, but found your way. The chaos of the world threatened to close in around you, but you found connection.

These words may mean nothing until you have survived the experience, but in the end you will find them to be some of the most beautiful words ever written: yes I said yes I will Yes.

-----------------------------

For a similar challenge dealing with the experience of reading, I recommend: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
Also see: Waltzing Matelda: Belated Bloomsday

West Side Story Revival

A few years ago, I had heard talk of a revival of one of those old Broadway classics, West Side Story. I grew up on this musical and was thrilled at the chance to see it on Broadway myself. Unfortunately, talks of having a revival ready for fall 2005 died out quickly.

Now, it looks like it is finally happening. Though as the NYT announced, this will not be your standard revival. They are not merely adding a new song or scene, but using the story's cross-cultural message to create a new experiment for Broadway--a bilingual musical.

I mentioned this to a few people and received mixed reviews. Who wants to see a musical that they can't understand half of it? Sure, there will be translation screens, but how strange that would be! What about singing along to "America"?

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm in the opposite camp--I love the idea! Granted, I'm a huge linguaphile and I'm comfortable hearing another language and not understanding, but what better musical than West Side? Everyone is familiar with the basic story (what? two feuding families/gangs, two lovers, and a balcony?) and many people know the music. In the past, too many productions have been accused of casting "fake" Puerto Rican Sharks with very poor imitation accents; this production is seeking authentic, native speakers of each language and culture. Isn't that the story anyway--two separate cultures that struggle to mesh, but finally come together? Previously the audience has only been looking through the window in on this world; now we will be able to experience it.

And what better time then now, when Spanish is rapidly becoming the unofficial second language of the US? NYC subway cars are often divided with at least half the signs written in or including español. Many schools are beginning instruction in Spanish at a younger age. Has there really not been a Spanish musical on Broadway yet, or at least a musical incorporating a lot of Spanish? 

Regardless, West Side will always hold a special place in my heart, and this new interpretation takes it even further.  I can't wait!

The Quest for Gelato in America

New feature: Reviews (of restaurants, books, movies, or whatever I feel like talking about).

Today's review is of L'Arte Del Gelato, a gelateria in lower and midtown Manhattan. After spending a semester in Vienna (be sure to check out Zanoni & Zanoni near Stephansdom!) and 10 days in Italy, I have become very picky about my gelato. I'm not a fan of the American imitations that are basically just ice cream and sorbet. With nostalgia and a craving for the European flavors, I am determined to find authentic gelateria... and what better place than in New York City?

Background: For those who are unfamiliar with this artful cuisine, gelato is an Italian dessert that is often mistranslated as ice cream. However, it is creamier and more flavorful than ice cream or sorbet--ice crystals are broken and smoothed when the gelato is made, resulting in more flavor and less watery taste. L'Arte Del Gelato explains the differences in its own words. Like ice cream, gelato is often made from sugar and milk, but with minimal air; some gelato includes eggs and many have fruit. Some of my favorite flavors include Stracciatella (the best chocolate chip you will ever taste), Nutella, Melon, grapefruit, peach, mixed berries, and more. Many good gelaterias also offer experimental flavors, such as apple and rosemary or Twix.

The gelato options might look like this (picture from a 70-flavor gelateria in Firenze):

For more information, see Wikipedia.


The Location: After some googling and reading about the owner's return to Italy and dedication to the old gelato-making traditions, I decided that L'Arte Del Gelato would be my first stop. I tried stopping by the Chelsea Market location during the week, but discovered that that location closes at 7pm on weekdays. Yesterday, I instead tried the location by the NYU campus at 7th Ave and Bleecker street and had success! If I am not mistaken, the Friday and Saturday hours at this location are 11am-1am... not positive about weekdays, but give it a shot! It is right around the corner from the famous Jekyll & Hyde dinner theater, and with lots to do on 7th and on Bleecker (i.e. there was street fair this weekend).

The Details: I stepped in the small shop and examined the options. There were many of the usual suspects--Cioccolato, Nutella, Coconut, Banana, and many more. The workers were very eager to offer samples. I chose a small bowl ($4.50 for two flavors) and settled on my usual of Stracciatella and decided to try passion fruit. In addition to a decent portion of each flavor, the server surprised me by placing a free hefty sample of Frutti di Bosco (mixed berry) on top; she thought I might like this and it would help offset the two extremes of creamy Stracciatella and refreshing fruity passion fruit.

Still, I miss the 3-flavor huge portions of the 2 euro Blümen Tüte (flower cone) at Zanoni & Zanoni.


My Verdict: Not bad! The Stracciatella was excellent! If you have never had gelato before, I strongly recommend heading down and checking it out. The chocolate flakes were just right, and it was richly smooth and flavorful. However, the passion fruit could have been better. Though refreshing and rather flavorful, the consistency reminded me too much of the poor imitations; I had to let it melt a bit before I found it smooth enough.

I'll have to head back in a few weeks and try some alternate flavors--the Nutella looked very tempting! I'm curious as to whether all of the fruit flavors are too stiff, or if it was just a bad day for passion fruit. The mixed berry sample was rather good, but I'll just have to get more to be sure. More gelato to try--what a shame! :)

Bostonian Adventures

Nothing's quite like visiting (one of) the cradles of democracy for Independence Day.

Getting there: I took Lucky Star Bus from NYC to Boston, heading up Thursday afternoon to try to get ahead of the crowds. Despite some mechanical difficulties and delays (the bus broke down along the way), I would use Lucky Star again. The drivers were safe and the service was fine, especially considering the price--$15 each way! And for the record, the ride back was uneventful and we even made it in 4.5 hours despite lots of heavy traffic. Other buses include Fung Wah (the original Chinatown bus), Bolt bus, and Mega bus.

Events for the 4th: Friday we got up early and spent the day on the Esplanade for the free Boston Pops concert. We got in at 10:30 am (after stringent holiday security lines) and camped out with out trash bags, towels, and food to stake our location for the concert (which would start at 8:30pm). It was drizzling in the morning, but thank goodness that cleared up by the mid-afternoon! Many people had brought tents, chairs, coolers, blankets, board games, and more. Kat had made a gallon of pasta salad that we split. Mind you, I'm not usually a pasta salad fan, but this was phenomenal. We basically raided the fridge for anything healthy to put in--zucchini, cherry tomatoes, sprouts, shrimp, diced hard boiled eggs, kale, red and yellow peppers, goat cheese, and so much more! Kat lightly marinated the veggies in balsamic vinegar before adding them to the pasta. It was delicious!

But pasta salad was only the beginning. The Fourth is the day to be in Boston, it seems. Though there are thousands of tourists (the busiest time of the year!), there are also lots of free things. On our way to the T (subway) that morning, we received free granola bars. On a trip to CVS that afternoon, we were handed free containers of organic salad and (right on the next block!) free Pom juice... as much as we wanted! Excellent.

The Pops were quite good. By the time of the concert, the newscasters reported that there were 500,000 people there. Yep, arriving early was necessary. They started with a Bernstein tribute, which included Mambo! from West Side. They switched to some Sondheim, an abridged "Sweet Caroline", and others that I didn't recognize. In honor of the Red Sox's win over the Yankees, the conductor donned a Red Sox jersey and the Pops played baseball tributes, including the Sousa's "The National Game" (with rhythmic whacks with a baseball bat), the theme from The Natural, and a reading of "Casey at the Bat". The first act concluded with the Pops' annual rendition of the Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture", complete with the cannons (the national guard had been practicing all day and freaking us out) and fireworks. (The main fireworks show was after the Pops finished, of course.) After Intermission, Rascal Flatts took the stage. They opened with "Life is a Highway" and played some of their other big songs, while we gathered our belongings and relocated to find a spot to watch the fireworks. We listened to the end of the concert by radio (one more from Rascal Flatts and then the Pops' "Stars and Stripes Forever") and at 10:35pm, the fireworks began over the Charles River! I've seen many many fireworks shows, but Boston surprised me by breaking out some new tricks. Very beautiful! In addition, they were well-coordinated with some pre-recorded music that everyone played over the radio. It was not only a visual display of art, but almost a dance to the music.


Things to See Around Boston: Saturday we went into Boston to explore the city. I met up with a group of friends from Vienna and enjoyed a mini-reunion in the States. We headed to Faneuil Hall (aka Quincy Market) for lunch. This huge market consists of hundreds of stalls of all different sorts of food. I eventually decided on the obligatory breadbowl of New England Clam Chowder--absolutely delicious! The canned versions or college-food versions can't compare. We walked for a while to the Old North Church, the graveyard, and along the waterfront, watching boats on the harbor and catching up. I was told that I *must* have a Boston cannoli before I left, so we headed to Hanover Street in the North End. We walked past numerous appealing Italian restaurants and eventually found Mike's Pastry. This famous location was ridiculously crowded, so we headed one block further to Modern Pastry. There was also a line out the door here, but much shorter. (Remember, Independence Day is the busiest time of year in Boston!). We waited only about five minutes and soon were order.

Modern Pastry offers the choice of a variety of cannolis. Shells: plain small ($1.50), plain large, large with chocolate-dipped edges ($2.75), or large and completely chocolate-covered shell. Filling: Ricotta, vanilla creme, whipped creme, or chocolate creme. I chose the chocolate-dipped edges and ricotta. The filling was freshly squeezed into the shell right after you order, and it is topped with powders sugar. We took our string-tied boxes from Modern Pastry and sat on a bench a block down to enjoy our prizes; we attracted quite a few stares from hungry passerbys who then headed to the bakery themselves. ^_^

From the North End, we wandered South for a while, exploring the posh Beacon Hill neighborhoods and finally ending up in the Boston Commons. I relived my childhood and found the "Make Way for Ducklings" statues and the swan boats. :) Also, the little kids wading in the Frog Pond were ridiculously cute.

To finish the day, we jumped on the T and headed to Cambridge and Harvard Square for dinner. We stopped at the delicious Pho Pasteur Vietnamese restaurant (the stir-fried noodles were amazing, and be sure to get some tea for only a dollar!) and topped it off with some ice cream from Lizzy's. Charles River Crunch= dark chocolate and toffee crunches. I'm sold. :) With our ice cream cones in hand, we wandered the grounds of Harvard and sat on the steps of some of those grand buildings. Unfortunately, I did not get a frappe, which I have learned is the quintessential (Bostonian) milkshake. I'll use that as an excuse for another trip. :)

Sunday morning we headed out for one last meal before I left. We chose an amazing breakfast joint in Somerville--the Ball Square Cafe. The Moroccan eggs and home fries were delicious (I sampled), but I ordered the french toast special--each slice consisted of two thick pieces of french toasted Challah bread sandwiching goat cheese and pears in the middle. I've never had anything like it, and it was amazing. Highly recommended! Also, the waitress was very friendly, the owner eagerly socialized with the guests, and the main chef (Omar) was very approachable in the back. It felt like a very friendly community oriented place--and the prices weren't bad either! (Rumor is that Omar used to be the main chef next door, but after a fight with the management there, he moved over to Ball Square Cafe and lowered his prices).


Final Thoughts: Boston felt friendly, interesting, and easy-to-maneuver. Also, I hadn't realized how many colleges are in the area, and so close to one another (MIT, Harvard, and Tufts are consecutive stops on the T). The T felt clean and clear; I'll post more on this later. For reference, rides cost $1.80 with the Charlie Card. Sometimes the crowds were overwhelming (read: heading back after the concert and fireworks), but for the most part it was a healthy break from the insanity of NYC. Not to say that Boston isn't crazy in her own way. :)

Beyond Genres: Recommendations

Tell me about a book that you read recently and enjoyed or a book that is an all-time favorite. Don't try to guess my tastes; what is one book that changed your life?

This is the question that I posed to friends, strangers, students, parents, family, and professors, creating the following list of recommendations from all genres. Popular book organizers (like Shelfari, GoodReads, and LibraryThing) allow users to display what they have read, and the sites generate a list of recommended books based on (similar to) what you have read. However, sometimes you desire something completely different that is still a good read. Thus, I started collecting book titles.

This list has been in the makings for years, but it only officially took off this past spring in Wien. For the first time, I have transcribed my pile of recommendations--notes on post-its, ticket stubs, napkins, or whatever scrap was handy--to form a full list. These are books were read and loved by a myriad of different people, with a vast variety of interests and tastes. If you are reading this, please continue the list and leave a comment with a favorite book of your own!

I purposely have not sorted by genre, and only grudgingly separated the non-fiction books at the bottom. Yellow titles or authors refer to those that have been strongly recommended by multiple people. Enjoy.

The List
-Khaled Hosseini, Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
-Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated
-Margaret Atwood, (esp Blind Assassin, Robber Bride, and Handmaid's Tale)
-Milan Kundera, Unbearable Lightness of Being

-Neil Stephenson, Snow Crash (also The Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, and the three-volume Baroque Cycle)

-Ian McEwan, On Chesil Beach and Atonement
-William Gibson, Neuromancer (followed by Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive)

-John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance

-Mervyn Peake, Gormenghast novels

-Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

-James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner

-Keith Donohue, The Stolen Child

-Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things and Good Omens

-Charles Dickens, Bleak House

-Ovid, The Metamorphosis

-Albert Camus, The Fall (and The Stranger)

-J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
-Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
-Michael Ende, Neverending Story (Die unendliche Geschichte)

-John Crowley, Little, Big
-Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
-Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections
-Herman Hesse, Demian
-Kim Stanley Robinson, The Years of Rice and Salt
-any & all Kurt Vonnegut
-William Goldman, Princess Bride
-Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
-Frank Beddor, The Looking Glass Wars
-Peter F Hamilton, Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained
-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
-Wayne Barlowe, God's Demon
-The Bhagavad Gita
-Cormac McCarty, The Road
-Bret Easton Ellis, Less Than Zero
-Jon Meacham, American Lion
-John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany
-Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth
-Lois Lowry, Number the Stars
-Eloise McGraw, The Moorchild
-Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

Non-fiction:
-Steven Beller, Rethinking Vienna 1900 [To counter Schorske's widely-read Fin-de-Siecle Vienna]

-Greg Mortenson, Three Cups of Tea

-Michael Pollan, Omnivore's Dilemma

-Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
-David Sedaris, Naked

-Susan Faludi, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women

Contributers: AR, MK, MW, BB, PW, KS, Mrs. S, KM, Prof. G, Prof. H, LS, LG, CR, DC, EB, PM, GN, BB, MA, KS, FP, KS, MS, SW, MD, DP, KC, and many others... THANK YOU!

Keep this list going, and comment with your own favorite texts or authors. What are some of your all-time favorite books? What's something that you read recently and loved? What book startled you or changed your perspective on life? What would you recommend (to anyone) from any author, any genre?

Fußball, Soccer, Football

EuroCup 2008 is winding to a close with Germany's last minute victory over Turkey. Tomorrow is Spain vs. Russia, and Sunday is the finals.

The EuroCup, held every four years, is supposedly the third biggest sporting event in the world (after the Olympics and the World Cup). This year it is hosted by Austria and Switzerland, two small countries that were sadly out of the running rather quickly (there was a joke for a while that neither would be able to score a goal during their own tournament!). The finals will be in Vienna: to the despair of the cultural centers, which have suffered from depleted ticket sales and admissions. [The State Opera--probably vying only with the NY Met as the top Opera house in the world--had to cancel a ballet. That's unheard of! And I admit, I cringe at the thought of rich fans defouling the beautiful Burgtheater.]

The Fußball insanity is very real. Even in early 2008, Wien proudly began to produce banners and signs to advertise the tournament. They extended the U2 subway line to go directly to the stadium. And like the NY Times article says, they did indeed add cleats to the statues outside the Künstlerhaus (formerly THE art institution and exhibition hall, right beside the Vienna Philharmonic's MusikVerein).

Sometimes it's hard for Americans to fathom; the closest would be comparing it to the USA's obsession with our version of football (a term which I never understand, as Amer football only uses the foot to punt...). Fußball--almost the same word in every European language--divides but unites. For continent-wide tournaments like this, it divides across national boundaries as each country roots for her own team. In many ways, the sport promotes nationalism with a fervor that's rarely been seen since the end of WWI. But it also unites and shows the strengths of countries that may be less politically or economically powerful. Former Eastern Bloc countries, notably Croatia and the Czech Republic, were some surprises who advanced well into the tournament (see Croatia's defeat of Germany. It was a big deal). However, the most successful underdogs or black horses would be Turkey and Russia. (Turkey defeated the former two countries with stunning/devastating last-minute goals). Despite heated political debates as to whether or not Turkey and Russia count as Europe and whether the former will be allowed into the EU, both countries were admitted into the Euro-centric tournament and have advanced to the quarter-finals. Indeed, with a large Turkish immigrant population throughout Europe and a strong anti-Turkish sentiment felt by the "natives", it would have been interesting to see how things played out had Turkey advanced once more.

There's something universal about dribbling a black and white ball, whether you're playing in a glamorous turf stadium in Wien, or on a dusty street corner in Brasil. To quote Aishah Schwartz, "[T]he beauty of soccer is that it transcends cultural, religious, and social divides. It demands dialogue and the forging of a collective identity, for no single player can score alone; the overall experience is a true test of tolerance and endurance. 'To be able to equip girls with just a ball and see them turn into ambassadors for athletics is the key to creating positive social change'" [see the full article on AYSE and girls' soccer in Afghanistan].

Bibliophiles rejoice!

There's a new bookstore in town!  Zoomii Books just opened its doors this week... well, figuratively. Zoomii is a new concept by web developer Chris Thiessen. I love this site already.

Catering to those of us who love entering a bookstore and browsing the shelves to find a new read but prefer Amazon prices, Zoomii is not just a virtual bookseller but a virtual book STORE (the books are on categorized shelves showing their covers and everything!). Just click, drag, and scroll to move around and browse the thousands of books. All books are from Amazon's catalog and all purchases go through Amazon, but Zoomii is a fun new way to find great books.

There's still kinks (sometimes the graphics take a while to load, some of the books are miscategorized), but it's a start. Even though I will still prefer the unique feel of small independent sellers (the musty smell of the volumes, the dimly-lit room, the old creaking board below your feet, the comfy chairs in the corner to curl up and sample an unrestricted "excerpt" before purchasing...), I buy the majority of my new books on Amazon. I'm not sure yet how much I'll use Zoomii when I'm not browsing, but heck: It's a lot of fun just to play with.

Check it out!

Wien in the Movies

Following nicely after my Bloomsday post, be sure to check out the film "Before Sunrise", especially if you have ever been to Vienna. Ignore the DVD cover and ads that promote this film as a cheesy romance chick flick... rather, this is a movie about dialogue and coincidence and how complete strangers find connection ... all in less than a day. (It actually takes place on June 16-- Bloomsday). The dialogue is incredible and thought-provoking.

The entire movie takes place in Vienna. I watched the film again shortly after arriving back in the States, and easily recognized Westbahnhof, Heldenplatz, the Risenrad in the Prater, the Kleines Cafe, the top of the Albertina, riding a Straßenbahn around the Ring (and seeing the Parliament and Volksgarten in the background), and more. My favorite was one of the later scenes (the second cafe, when the camera cuts to four different tables)... I instantly recognized this cafe as the Cafe Sperl, which I frequented. It is bizarre and thrilling to be watching these places on screen, as the backdrop of a film that I already love.

Its sequel is "Before Sunset", which takes place in Paris. I have never been to Paris, so I don't have the same intimate connection with the setting of that movie, but I still strongly recommend it.


In addition, if you are going to Vienna, be sure to rent "The Third Man" ('49). This is a classic and an excellent film, set in the late 1940s when Wien was still divided and occupied by Russian and Western powers. Additionally, check out "Amadeus" ('84), which is a famous and interesting portrayal of Mozart's life.

Some other films about Vienna (that I have not seen; these are some other titles recommended by a travel guide):
-Indien ('93)
-Funny Games ('97)
-Siegfried ('24)
-Dog Days ('01)
-Lovely Rita ('01)
-Der Bockerer ('81)
-Sisi Trilogy ('55-'57)

Send me your reviews if you see them.  Happy watching!

Belated Bloomsday

As a Lit nerd, I am upset that I somehow forgot to celebrate Bloomsday this year. Bloomsday, or June 16, is a day to celebrate James Joyce and one of his greatest works, Ulysses. In this text, which is often ranked as the greatest English novel of all time (though it is debatable whether the form is actually a novel), Joyce follows his main character Leopold Bloom on the streets of Dublin through the course of one ordinary day. June 16, 1904. Because of this incredible work, that ordinary day has become extraordinary.

I was actually in Dublin in 2004 only a few weeks after the centennial celebrations of the day--traditionally, a pub crawl through Dublin. I also noted that browse plaques had been installed by the sites mentioned in the work; that's right, everything in Ulysses takes place on real locations. Joyce was meticulous. Even though he never returned to Ireland after 1912 (Ulysses was published in 1922), Joyce did his research well and ensured that every location in the text is a factual 1904 location--streets, pubs, you name it! Pretty intense.

Though most of the world has never heard of Bloomsday and could care less, one rare bookshop in Philadelphia also holds celebrations for the day. This is the Rosenbach, which houses one of Joyce's original manuscripts. I want to this celebration last summer, and it was very well put-together--entertaining and enlightening! Plus, it was a huge gathering of English nerds. Naturally, I felt right at home.


So here's to you, James Joyce. Hats off to you, your works of literary genius, and the entire Modernist movement that Ulysses inspired. Happy Belated Bloomsday!

Offshore Drilling: Digging Deeper into the Hole

Bush is urging Congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling.

Why do I feel like we're only digging ourselves deeper into this hole of dependency on oil? Didn't we want to wean ourselves off of that because, oh yeah, it's a non-renewable resource. Let's think about that definition. If it's non-renewable, that means there's a limit. We're going to run out. One year or one hundred years from now, oil does not last forever. Maybe by damaging the environment, prices will go down a few cents... only to skyrocket again in a few months. But that's ok. By that point, a new president will be in office. Let the New Guy deal with it.

Europe hasn't solved the problem either, but at least they're ahead of us. Let's take some notes and focus on improving alternative sources rather than trying to cling to oil until it is completely exhausted. Improve the public transportation in cities, improve the speed and reliability of long-distance trains (esp Amtrak) to offer alternate means of transport. This would ease the oil squeeze slightly while alternative research is perfected.

I'm sure that I will have a more developed rant on this topic in the future. For now, I must call it a night.


Final Thought: When I began my planning for Europe, I was worried that I would need an International Driver's License in order to travel around the continent. I needn't have worried; I could get anywhere that I desired by train.
Not so in the States. This needs to change.

One Last Bow: Tribute to RENT

Rent opened in 1996 and soon became an international sensation. With a stage almost devoid of set and actors in everyday clothes, its appeal is in the complex characters who seem so raw, authentic, fascinating and yet universal. It is a story of love, loss, real life struggles, and friendship. This musical was a big part of high school for me, and I'm sad to see it close this September. At the Tony's last night, the current cast was united with the original cast to give one last tribute performance.

Cycle of Intimidation: Learning a Foreign Language

I need to learn to not be intimidated by every foreign language I am learning.

First it was French. Though I flourished in the high school classroom, I winced at the thought of trying to use (or understand!) Français in the world beyond those four walls. Though I didn't realize it at the time, looking back I realize that I really was in it more for the grade and for friends than for the language. I learned what I was required to learn and did well, but never pushed myself beyond that. Thus, I flopped when I got to college.

Then there was American Sign Language. A beautiful language. After taking a class every semester for the past five semesters, I'm happy to say that by last fall, I was competent--terrible, but competent. If I was given a specific topic (naming countries, telling a practiced story, etc), I passed with flying colors. But I had no social skills for day-to-day events. I gave up going to the weekly Silent Coffee nights (ASL students' social gathering), and after a semester abroad with no practice I fear that I have the little that I had. I can no longer take ASL classes, so my only option is attempting to socialize using only ASL.

Finally, I began German. It's strange that this is the language I've studied the least, and yet I am the most comfortable with it. In Wien, everyday Deutsch became second nature to me. I never had the courage to speak German with a native speaker who knew that I spoke English, but I loved hearing it around me always. I loved speaking it with friends and the Deutsch-isms that worked into our daily speech. At home, I missed the sounds of that language, and I was sick of hearing only English all the time. Now in the City, I hear Deutsch frequently once more, as many students from Germany live in my apartment. However, here I face a conflict of interest: every time I encounter a German girl-- as I brush by her or as she holds a door for me, for example-- I am caught between an "Excuse me" and an "Entschuldigung", a "Danke" and a "Thank you". And thus, the words become twisted in each other and caught in my throat, and I become the rude, ugly American and say nothing.

I hate that after five months in Österrecih, I still do not have the guts to offer a simple courtesy word to a native speaker who knows that I am American.

Feedback or advice is always welcome. And to conclude this language post, here is an old video that remains one of my favorite ASL vids:


Browse YouTube for other amazing ASL vids. Also, check out Scnappi and my German music post if you haven't already.

Vienna Notes

Mercer has released its annual Qualitiy of Living Survey, and Vienna is now ranked as the Second Most-Livable City in the World. Note the dominance of European cities at the top of the list, especially in Germany and Switzerland.

Vienna is also featured in NYT's travel section this weekend.

Day 1

And NYC Lesson #1: If you have to walk 3 blocks to the subway and then another 4 blocks after you arrive at your stop, do NOT wear heels. Especially not when it's 97 degrees outside. Instead, do what the smart kids do-- wear sandals and just change into heels outside of your office building.

Needless to say, my feet are not too pleased with me right now. I don't wear heels on a regular basis, so the uneven pavement, desire to get out of the heat, and lack of practice walking was not a good combination. It was a miracle that I didn't fall on my face.


Otherwise, my first day was great. Learned one of the perks of working at a publishing company--namely, free books. Today I got a travel guide to New York City. ^_^ It was exhausting though, and after the long trudge home during rush hour, it was a relief to get home and find that I had AC at last. The past few days were rough-- record temperatures, and I was only armed with a small fan. Much better now.

Old Classics

When we were young, my mom used to sing my siblings and I songs that she remembered from her German class. Today, with the inventions of Youtube and iTunes, I tracked down a bunch of them with her.

Du, Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen: a German drinking song; I only remembered part of the refrain "Ja, ja, ja, ja!". The Youtube options weren't so great, but Useless Knowledge.com provides lyrics, melody, and sheet music. See the iTunes store for some full versions.

Muss i'Denn zum Städtele Hinaus: a German folksong, which was adapted by Elvis Presley to become "Wooden Heart" (though I believe he modified the meaning of the song a bit). Lyrics and translation here and youtube has a few decent versions, such as a recording by the Von Trapp Family Singers.

Sag' Mir, Wo Die Blumen Sind: ("Where have all the Flowers Gone?") This was a nice find; it's one of my mom's favorites. It was translated into Deutsch and first performed by Marlene Dietrich, as seen below. Later recordings included Joan Baez, who worked with Peter, Paul, and Mary on the English version.


Schnitzelbank: a rather silly song, in which any two rhyming objects can be inserted into a verse (the Animaniacs demonstrate this while singing the so-called "international friendship song"). A user on YouTube has also created an amusing video in which the Deutsche metal band Rammstein performs the song. As is the nature of the song, it changes with every singing, so thus there's not many recordings; however, I'm told that there are entrepreneurs in Germany who work as professional rhymers and Schnitzelbank writers. ^_^

**Maintenance Note**

As of tonight, this blog has officially been returned to EST (or 5 hours behind GMT). For all the posts in Vienna and Europe, simply add 6 hours to the time stamp in order to determine at what local time the post was actually made.

Starting next week (in New York City), I hope to update my posting frequency to at least two per week: one post looking back on something from Wien (I have a list of topics that I meant to cover), and at least one commenting on the City or the current events of the world.

Bis Später!

Schnappi das kleine Krokodil

This may be the cutest cartoon that I have ever seen. The fact that it's auf Deutsch only increases the appeal to me. :) I really wish I could see his TV show now.

Week One: Re-entry

My computer is still on Austrian time. I've been back in America for a week and settled in, but my computer's clock is just one example of how Austrian ways have affected my readjustment to American life.

CURRENCY: My first hit of reverse culture-shock was in the airport, just after going through customs. I had a long layover, so I purchased some food for dinner. It was bizarre to me to be using American bills again. After the colorful Euros that are distinctly different colors and different sizes for every increment, it seemed dull and confusing to be using only yellowy-green bills of the same sizes that looked very similar. Also, as I reached to pay, I found myself opening the change pouch and seeking a two-dollar coin; it took me a split second to realize again that there was no such coin, and I quickly handed over a five to avoid counting any more change. ^_^

TRANSPORTATION: It was nice to be in a car again, but strange. Besides the trip to Bad Aussee, I have not been in a car in five months. Though it's wonderful to have the convenience of a car again, after seeing the cost of gasoline, I'm really starting to miss Wien's reliable public transportation.

SHOPPING: I arrived home late on a Saturday night, and I have to admit, it was nice to have stores still open the following day. In Wien, everything is closed on Sundays--only the tourist spots and cafés remain open. This always required careful planning during the week to ensure that we had enough food to get through the weekend; last minute trips to the grocery store were not an option. (Speaking of grocery stores, I intend to continue to bring my tote with me. You have to pay for plastic bags in Österreich or bring your own, and this eco-friendly habit has stuck to me. It will be nice to be able to use a credit card to pay again... American cards were often only accepted in the touristy areas).

RESTAURANTS: Restaurants were another challenge. After five months, I have become used to walking in and seating myself, to ordering auf Deutsch ("Ich möchte..." oder "Ich hätte gern..."), to staying as long as I like, and to handing the server the full payment and telling her how much tip to include for herself ("Machen Sie das drei Euros" oder "Stimmt schon" if you don't need change). Suddenly it seems strange (and unwise?) to leave tips laying on the table; it seems rude how frequently servers approach and try to hurry customers along--encouragingly asking for orders, removing plates, asking if they want the check, etc. And yet I know it's not rude, merely different. Additionally, it is a relief that I can again ask for a doggie bag and take left overs home; in Austria such practice is considered very rude.

Also, I'm convinced that the food tastes different here. Not homemade food, but in restaurants. American restaurants now seem bland to me and boring, as if they're not real or missing flavor. I can't quite pin it. Maybe I became used to cooking my own food; when we did eat out, it was usually at a an Austrian heurigen or something similar, which basically solely serve delicious hausgemacht Essen. Homemade foods for that one location, not chains of restaurants with identical menus and ingredients processed and shipped across the country.

MISC: I miss having a big meal at lunch. I miss saying "Grüß Gott" constantly, esp when walking in to stores or checking out at the supermarket. But I love having a dryer again. I miss seeing dogs *everywhere* of all breeds and sizes at every time of day and all over the city. But most of all, I miss hearing Deutsch and other languages around me. English suddenly seems boring. I miss the challenge of daily life, when merely trying to buy vegetables at the Naschmarkt could be an ordeal. I became a pro at those basics. And strange as it sounds, I miss not being able to understand languages around me; I miss listening to the music and rhythm and picking out a few words and trying to understand. It was exciting, and just by looking around and listening--reading signs, watching screens, listening to music or people--I challenged myself to learn and gain more.

The next big adventure is coming soon enough: NYC in two weeks.

Stay tuned.

Once more from Österreich!

Well, that's about it then. The hours are winding down, and my last day in Wien is almost over. I leave diese schöne Stadt tomorrow morning to return to the States. This will be my last post from this side of the Atlantic, but I've enjoyed keeping this blog. I will continue updating in the States--there's plenty of partially drafted entries about Vienna that I just never had a chance to finish, plenty of observations I still want to share, and plenty of adventures lying in the months ahead. After all, I'm about to move to one of the largest cities in the world. New York City, here I come!


The past few days have been very surreal. I've said my goodbyes, I've been doing everything that I've wanted to do all semester, I've been stocking up on Viennese food/goods that I won't be able to find in the States, I've had my final fill of Melange and Kebab. But the finality of it all still hasn't quite hit home. I could go on living in this great apartment for ages, walking through the Naschmarkt each day, going to the Opera or Musikverein often, passing familiar sights that now remind me of this home. Reverse-culture shock is going to be fun, but I'll return one day.

Bis später, Wien. Danke für alles.

Cinnamon and Pork

Papers are finished, and 4/5 classes are complete. *breathes*

Last night I made dinner for my roommates using a bunch of ingredients that I had lying around needing used up. I adapted my meal from a recipe that Kat taught me. She usually cooks this using ground beef, but I had a package of pork "goulash" cuts (pork cut into small chunks, one of the least expensive meat options here) and substituted that.

Cinnamon Pork mix
Recipe from: Kat
Serving Size: 3-4 people

-1 package ground beef or small boneless cuts of pork (equivalent of "goulash" cuts)
-2 onions
-rice (approx 2 cups)
-raisins (I used two large handfuls)
-cinnamon, paprika, and chili powder
-cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, whatever you prefer)

First cook the onions in a large skillet and powder them with cinnamon. Cook until translucent and caramelized. (This is also a tasty snack in its own right, as my vegetarian friends quickly discovered). Meanwhile, start the rice. Kat's tasty trick: add a bouillon cube of chicken or veggie broth to the boiling water; the rice will absorb this flavor.
Remove onions and set aside. Add meat to pan until the meat is browned. While it cooks, powder it with *lots* of cinnamon, and also paprika and chili pepper to your liking.
Once cooked through, keep the meat in the pan and add the raisins. Stir around until raisins are puffy. Add all of the rice and onions back into the pan. Mix around, letting the juices coat the rice and form a tasty mixture. Remove from heat. Grate some cheese on top and mix in so that it melts slighty. Spoon out, and enjoy!



Additionally, Kat really likes cooking with cinnamon, and here's another favorite that's even easier:

Cinnamon Soy Pork
Recipe from: Kat
-1 package small pork cuts or other meat
-soy sauce
-cinnamon
Let the raw meat soak in soy sauce for an hour or so before cooking. Then add to a skillet (might need to add a little more soy sauce), powder with lots of cinnamon, and cook until browned and cooked through. Serve with rice. Delicious!

The U4 Incident

Swamped with papers, and two exams on Monday. We're in the final stretch.

This is the U-bahn I ride every day: "Alpengluehn" metro-gig


Also, as announced two days ago, Slovakia will officially adopt the euro on 1 Jan 2009. Use those korunas now!


More in a few days.

Theatre and Musik

I'm terribly cultured. Monday I went to see King Lear auf Deutsch at the Burgtheater. This was my third time seeing a production of King Lear, so I had no problem understanding what was going on, though I couldn't understand any of the German (it's translated into an archaic "Shakespearean" German, naturally). I was especially amused because the second scene opened with Edmund and Edgar bouting, with full gear. Not only was I happy to watch some fencing (albeit, stage fencing) but it seemed to make an appropriate metaphor for relationship between the two sons of Gloucester. Es tut mir Leid, I'm a bit of a Lit dork. ^_^

Last night I went to the MusikVerein one last time to see the Vienna Philharmonic perform Mahler's Third. This was my first time actually seeing the Philharmonic (though most of the members are also part of the Opera's orchestra). The Wiener Philharmoniker, considered one of the top three orchestras in the world, is immensely popular and thus it is very difficult to get tickets. I was lucky to get a Stehplatz ticket because I bought it well in advance.

Also, it's incredible how much I've learned about classical music since being here. Prior to coming abroad, I considered classical music enjoyable and knew the basics and the big names. However, after spending a semester in one of the world's centers of classical music and surrounded by very talented vocal and instrumental students, my initial ignorance is painfully clear. Since January, I have heard the names of countless famous composers, artists, and writers referenced constantly in classes. I have seen the graves of Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, Schönberg (all in the Zentralfriedhof), and Bach (in Leipzig). I didn't know who Mahler was when I first came to Wien. Now, I can't seem to get away from him. ^_^ His Symphony No. 3, with the sweepingly enormous size of the orchestra and the length of time and the grandeur of the movements, was quite a moving experience. Also, I received the surprise of also hearing the Vienna Boys' Choir the same night! (I had given up on seeing them in person long ago). The Boys' Choir, a women's choir, and an alto soloist performed the vocal accompaniment to the Mahler piece. Needless to say, the stage was very full. One of the best orchestras in the world + one of the best choirs in the world + an incredible orchestral piece = an excellent night and fittingly appropriate for my last concert in Wien.

American foods?

Input or ideas appreciated!!! Thursday will be my last day at my teaching internship. As a final lesson, my teachers have asked me to teach the classes about American foods and bring in some examples. However, I'm having some trouble coming up with things that I can bring in. I have two classes of 13-year-olds, about 30 students each.

I will definitely be bringing:
-chocolate chip cookies
-banana bread
-peanut butter & jelly sandwiches (sliced into bite-sized pieces ^_^)

I planned to cook an American breakfast (pancakes, french toast, eggs, maybe bacon and hash browns, etc), but it will be hard for me to transport any hot items and make enough for so many students. Any other ideas???

EDIT: Thanks for all the suggestions and help. The kids absolutely loved the food, and they were really enthusiastic about learning the recipes. Definitely a success and a great last class!

Bad Aussee and the Salzkammergut

Yesterday was Der Erste Mai (May Day) as well as Austrian Labor Day... a national holiday! Classes were cancelled, and parades and festivities went on throughout the day. In the evening, we went to the Prater to half-priced rides and fireworks. (Unfortunately, the fireworks were lame because they only lasted 5 minutes ^_^). Today the fun continued, as this weekend is Stadt Fest Wien (the Vienna City Festival). There was music and tents (and balloons!) in Heldenplatz as well as performances and special events throughout the city.

But as promised, jumping back a few days to recount this past weekend:


Last weekend I visited Monika, my German teacher from the intensive period, who lives in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. This region is very scenic, full of snow-capped mountains, reflecting lakes, and small authentic towns. Monika was in Vienna for a conference, so she picked me up in the afternoon and we drove out to Bad Aussee (approx 4 hrs on the Autobahn). She simply requested an important stop along the way: the Lindt chocolate factory! :D The factory (in the middle-of-nowhere!) had a small shop selling very discounted delicious Lindt chocolate, and also had a tray of some free chocolates to sample. Mmmmm. I only bought a small box worth (about 8 bags of Easter candies for only 5€), but Monika bought two large boxes and a mixed bags... perfect for having on hand for classes and students. This was a delicious side-trip.

We arrived in Bad Aussee around 6pm, and as I walked through her front door, I was immediately greeted by her friendly Dalmatian Kiara and her two cats, Molly and Lily. I missed having close contact with animals, and I really enjoyed having pets for the weekend. Additionally, I wish I had taken a picture of the house. It was yellow and green, complete with typical Austrian woodwork and balcony. I had my own "holiday apartment" downstairs, with views down the street into the town and with the mountains beyond.

The next morning, Monika took me into town. I was impressed by how she seemed to know everyone--from the neighbors that drove by or were walking their dogs to the people that worked in the shops! First we stopped in a Dirndl shop where I was able to see some examples of the traditional Austrian garb. A dirndl consists of a bodice, white blouse, skirt, and apron, and most towns have developed traditional colors for their dirndl. For example, the Ausseer dirndl has a green bodice, a pink skirt, and a purple apron. These colors would be worn for young and old alike for traditional festivals.

A few blocks down, Monika was able to shop me the dirndl factory where they hand-print the fabric. It was very interesting to watch the woman work! She taped down a large square of the fabric on a flat worktable and used a long wooden block for a mold (dipped in paint) to press the pattern. I observed her making a plaid pattern (so just a plain block), but there were also carved blocks on the side that would create patterns such as small flowers or stags.

Next, we stopped in a gingerbread shop! Gingerbread is another traditional food of Bad Aussee. I bought a little bit to sample, and I can't wait to try it! :) From there, we walked through the town and she told me some more about its history. Bad Aussee is a spa town located on the point where two rivers from the Alps merge into one. It is famous because of the real-life Cinderella story of Archduke Johann and Anna Plochl. Anna was the daughter of the postmaster of Aussee. Johann, the brother of the emperor, met Anna and fell in love with her, ignoring social customs to marry the girl from the lower class. Ausseers are very fond of this story, and have a statue devoted to Archduke Johann because of everything he did for the region.


After exploring Bad Aussee, Monika drove me to Hallstatt. Hallstatt is the oldest town in Austria and one of the oldest in Europe-- it is 7000 years old!!!!!!! Its name has even been applied to a period of the Iron Age. Its Salt Mines also have some interesting more recent history as a treasure trove of the Nazis. Its beauty (argued to be the most beautiful town in Austria as well as the oldest) earned it a spot as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located very scenically on the edge of a lake and framed by the Alps. Here is a view across the lake from Hallstatt:


There are extensive salt mines in the mountains nearby; for centuries, the men worked in the mines, while the women loaded heavy piles of salt upon their backs and trekked for miles to transport the salt. Numerous monuments throughout Hallstatt honor these women, who had to continue their work even when they were 9-months pregnant. Many children were lost because of this hard life style. Today, however, Hallstatt flourishes instead from tourism rather than salt and the Salt Women are a thing of the past.

Another interesting part of the town was the ossuary at the Catholic Church. I have never seen anything like this before! Because the town is so old and there is so little space (the houses are almost one on top of another!), the church had little space for a cemetery. They would use their limited plots for temporary graves after a person died; however, after a while, their bones would be dug up from the grave and the space would be re-used. The bones were marked with the name and dates, decorated, and put on display in the ossuary. This is a picture from inside:


After Hallstatt, Monika drove me through a variety of other towns, including the more spaced-out Gosau (so many green fields), and scenic views of Dachstein and other major Alpine peaks. The views were stunning.

Sunday I left in the morning to return to Wien. (See the previous entry for notes about the wonders of the Austrian breakfast I was served each morning!). Overall, it was a wonderfully relaxing weekend, and just the right medicine I needed for the end of the semester. I really hope to come back to the Salzkammergut one day though, hopefully to spend more time and hike between the various town, and who knows? Maybe if my German is good enough, I will follow in Monika's footsteps and retire in a wonderful town like Bad Aussee.