DAnish Genius

Since I have been here, it seeme the Danes are quite passionate about finding new ways of doing things, designing for functionality and end purpose and literally taking the need and converting it into a tangible object. I really appreciate their commitment to Design.

Even when it comes to scaffolding and restoration projects on the street and suburbs; they think of new ways to best use the space and to make it look as attractive as possible, the aesthetic matters here.

Here are just a few examples of some smart designs:

COOKIE CUP

Love this, so simple yet effective. I hate holding things in my hand and when I am in the comforts of my own home I just stuff the whole thing in my mouth but when I am amongst others and trying to be a lady,...well leaning over continously is just annoying and balancing a plate or a cookie alone on your lap is just as frustrating, crumbs everywhere and so...this makes SENSE! if i find one I will buy one

KNOCK KNOCK

Think this one was bound to happen, a door for one person...unfair!. Lets accomodate the little guys too. Three size options allows toddlers, teens, and adults the chance to open up

BABY WALLPAPER

I dont have a baby yet, but when my little munchkin arrives, I'm shopping up a storm for the cutest outfits and that means my baby comes with for opinions sake. Loving this hook a baby to the wall idea, prams are so bulky and in the way and I am yet to see a spacious changing room and if there is one there is only One.

WET BENCH

Wet bench; bound to happen in a European Winter; well this genius decided to invent a rotating bench so you just turn the wet spot away.

STORAGE STAIRCASE

Space is valuable when living in an apartment and this nifty storage idea is ideal

SPRING NOODLES

Love this one, still quite clumsy when i use chopsticks so I would definitley invest in a couple of these, just wish the spring was a little more inconspicious so everyone would thing you were a pro at noodle twirling

GLOBE TYPING

A ball style type writer, don't know how practical this is but it could be fun and it just looks cool

A NEW TAPE OF SOCCER

This is one of my favourites; practical, genius and affordable to do. This tape is designed with a typical football design , take some newspaper and create a ball, use the tape to tighten and wind it all up and voila you gotta a handmade football. I really think this is such a good idea for impoverished communities.

BREAK INTO LAUGHTER

This one just makes me smile quite wide, tired of people asking you what happened? well your sling will tell the story so you don't have too.





Eating out in Copenhagen $$$$$

Get that fat wallet out and be prepared to PAY... Copenhagen is very pricey when it comes to wining and dining. Which makes my stomach grumble from disgust as one of my favourite past times is to eat out.

I love food but it goes so much deeper than that, I like to think of myself as Gordon's apprentice or side kick when I go into restaurants, from the dim/fluorescent lighting/ service/ freshness/ tempreture/ atmosphere/ mints /decor/ music/ how the bill is brought to the table/  layout/ quality of toilet paper/ bathroom to the entrance, I take it all in and critique it as if I just got  a Michelin star for my fourth restaurant.

I dont just eat, all my senses go into over drive, my eyes get a little wider and I take it ALL in.

In South Africa, eating out wasn't too pricey but Copenhagen..GEEZ!

So when I am wined and dined...you better believe it becomes an event of great proportion.

So like I said be prepared to fork over the cash money for a night out, an entrance ticket for two to Tivoli, one capuccion, one coke, nachos and ribs at Hard Rock and four beers later with a train ticket x 2 included set us back R1600 for the eve. Makes you wanna regurgitate the evening up and hand it back over for a refund.

Having said that, like any place, there are places that offer great food at affordable rates, its just about finding them. Perfect example was last night, we went for beers 10dk each ( crazy cheap) at a little place called Floss in city centre. Hustled on the side street looking all deviant and dressed in graffitti; this little bar was graffitti from roof to floor, to tables and chairs combined with a thick haze of smoke...it felt very youthful and naughty. The kind of place where youd bring a little splif and a group of friends and share theories on life while you laid back in the worn leather couch...LOVED IT

inside of Floss

For dinner it was off to Atlas bAR in Larsbjørnsstræde., a poky little corner treasure, great ambience, not so great service, but the food made up for it wholeheartedly. I strongly reccommend the Pakistani lamb or the enchilada...lip smacking good. I wouldnt say the place is cheap but it is affordable for what you get.

So, good experiences so far. I will be putting a list up of restaurants I have experienced thus far and a little review for those interested, always great to get some insider info when eating out


Bon appetit

Danish afternoon cHRISTMAS tea

Our neighbour from downstairs kindly offered us a traditional afternoon tea at her apartment yesterday, I was so excited for a few reasons, I enjoy walking into other peoples spaces and seeing how they live, what they surround themselves with and so on. I was also excited to try out a Danish afternoon tea, well in this case it was homemade gluhwein and appelskein: Delicious.

Our neighbour had invited another couple with that she will be traveling to France with for December, they own a little villa in Cannes and will be enjoying the Pariesienne way of life for a few days this Christmas.

We started the night with some chit chat and introductions and then got seated around a beautifully red and green decorated table. The night was created by the lighting of the fourth candle.

On the first Sunday before Christmas, one candle is lit, and the most festive and celebrated season of the year begins. On the second Sunday of Advent, the first candle on the wreath and one more candle are lit. The ritual continues Sunday after Sunday until on the last Sunday before Christmas all four candles are lit together. I think this is such a beautiful tradition.

During Winter in Denmark, the light captured and enjoyed is short and so the Danes keep lights on and Christmas lights decorate the streets creating a warmth and coziness.
When you walk the streets at night you will see candles burning in the windows of nearly every danish home.

Interesting fact: Danes light candles, thousands upon thousands of candles. In fact, the Danes burn so many candles that the nation consumes more candles per capita than any other country on earth.

The afternoon dispelled into the night with lots of chatter and laughter. I was honoured to be around a couple and our neighbour who were so well travelled, they really have seen the world. For me; wealth lies in travel and these people were rich.

After mugs of gluhwine and way too many appelskein we rolled back up to our apartment.
Appelskein is a traditional Christmas treat served with icing sugar and blueberry jam.


The hospitality will be reversed in Janauary  and I will be having my neighbour over for something traditionally South African.

Recipe for Gluhwine

To 4 litres of red wine you need:

• Caster sugar (amount proportional to quality of red wine, the worse the wine the more sugar you need, add it to taste, but start with about 2 cups)
• 6 - 8 Cinnamon sticks
• Whole cloves
• 2 Oranges
• Whole allspice
• 2 cups of orange juice
• If you wish to get your friends and yourself tipsy even more quickly, or just to add a little extra kick, add brandy, sweet sherry or port to the mix. (optional but rather tasty)

Method:

1. Pour the red wine into a large pot and put it on the stove on a very low heat – you must not let the wine boil or the world could end… and that is not something you want to risk...
2. I tend to cut the oranges into slices and then put about 4 cloves into each slice, then put them in with the wine.
3. Break the cinnamon sticks in half or thirds and put them in with the wine as well as 10 of the whole all spice.
4. Add in the sherry or port as well as 2 cups of orange juice.
5. Add in 2 cups of sugar and stir.
6. Stir on and off for about 30 mins to give the spices time to infuse with the wine and for the magic to occur, then taste it, and add more sugar as needed (possible up to 4 or 5 cups more in the wine is really bad).
7. Let it cook/infuse/whatever for about 30 mins more (again, not letting it boil).
8. Drink and be happy :)

The grass is Greener on Neither/ Either side?

I couldn't sleep last night, I felt out of my skin, agitated...I had so many thoughts and words erupting from my mind and nowhere to put them...

They say you go through phases when you move to a different country:

Phase One:

There is the excitement and intrigue; you want to take it all in, you are going to heighten your cultural side, visit museums, eat Danish pastries, learn the language and so much more,  but soon you start realise you are going to live here so there is no rush of fitting it all into one weekend and then after that thought ...you say it again to yourself; im going to be here for awhile and the excitement disintegrates a tad

Phase Two

You have probably been here for one to two months, the cracks in the masterpiece you painted are beginning to show, why do they do that? why dont they sell this? why do they sound that way?....and it goes on. The shiny wrapping that was once around this new destination has been ripped off and a duller side is exposed.

Phase Three

Lets be realistic and positive, I'm going to be here for awhile so I might as well make the most of it. You begin to negotiate with yourself. For me, I have come in Winter( thats two Winters in a row!, enough to make a snowman pull the carrot out his face and drill it through his iceman heart)

I am also unemployed during a European crisis in a country that is proudly Danish. So let me add that load to my baggage at arrivals. And I will add another suitcase to the belt; I don't speak Danish either, not a word of it.

After having the "reality bites" converstation with yourself you start Crossing Over.

Crossing Over is what I like to call the comparing game... e.g Its Winter here :(  but its Summer in Sunny South Africa :(  :(   and so you start depressing yourself a little further by comparig your current situations negatives with the shiny positives of home.

Phase Four

In some circumstances it could get worse before it gets better, e.g the country you are in could decide to throw you a horriffic Winter; like nothing you have ever quite experienced.

Or you could skip Phase Four (the lucky one's)

Phase Five:

Things start getting better, going through all the phases has made you grow tougher and you can really see what is going on in your life, you are transitioning. You just need to stick it through...

GRATITUDE

Welcome to the Golden phase; some people just get to phase five and never quite transcend into what I call the Golden Phase. This is the phase whereby you are in a euphoric state, life isnt perfect but its pretty good and you appreciate it for what it is. You have work, sun beams filtered through the window this morning, you are beginning to understand and appreciate the ways of the foreign place you are in, better yet; you are embracing foreign customs whole heartedly. You miss home but you are happy you took the leap and went to a different pasture to graze.

Is life greener on the other side?.....

            Life is what you make of it and only you can decide that for yourself; its gonna take some guts, a strong backbone, in my case; really warm gloves, a few falls, some bitching and moaning, a bit of hurt and home sickness and a lot of frustration.

But we all have the ability to Graduate fellow expats

DECEMBER i love...

* christmas lights  * kisses under the mitletoe   * corny christmas music  * pudding  *snow  * hot cocoa   * hugs and kisses  * late mornings   *late nights   *red, green and silver  *christmas lunch  * holding hands    *feeling warm inside when its cold  *chocolate  * smiles  * smell of fooding cooking  * relax  *busy....and so much more

PICS i like

Dear Copenhagen

Dear Copenhagen

I am writing this letter to you for a few reasons; part love letter, part wish list and a hint of venting.

The darkness has come (Winter) and I have chosen not to complain about it, I know that this all part of your beauty and your cycle and I will not be the moaning woman who just refuses to accept seasons.
I will embrace this chilling winter that you have bestowed on us...but in return I would like you to cut me some slack in the employment arena...

Im finding it particularly difficult to find a job here, mostly because I don't speak Danish, but come on! So with a little give and take I am hoping we can come to some kind of understanding.

Looking forward to experiencing a bit more of your festive offerings this December and really falling in love with you.

Kind Regards

Gem

P.S I probably will love you more in Summer...just saying

Hot in the kitchen

So last night i gotta a bit of Gordon Ramseys magnetic energy and decided to put it to good use in the kichen.

The only downfall was that Gordon wasnt there to see the final product.....one day

Stuffed origanum chicken breast with laid on segment of Orange

• lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• salt
• origanum
• olive oil
• feta
• peppadews
• bacon
• chicken breast
• oranges

PREPARATION:

To start; set the oven to 175 degrees celcius, line a tray with silver foil in preperation for the chicken.
get the stove going and pop some bacon strips into heat them up (remember to not fry for too long, we want to get the strips soft and slightly rippled, the real cooking will happen in the oven)

BASTING:

Combine 4 tbsp of lemon juice, salt  to taste, 4 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of dried origanum, add the chopped fine garlic cloves and stir. Set aside.

CHICKEN:

Butterfly the chicken breasts in preparation for stuffing, lay the heated bacon strips inside, top with feta and peppadews. Pull over the other half of the chicken breast and secure with toothpicks if you find the filling is escaping.

Baste the chicken with the Basting, leave some to re- apply after the chicken has been in the oven for awhile. Pop the breasts in the oven for 30- 35 min. Every 10 min, re-apply basting so all the flavour can really sink in and the chicken can remain moist.

DISPLAY

Get a vibrant colourful plate and cut orange into segments, slice the flesh from the skin. Let the juices remain on the plate and settle the chicken breasts on top of the juice; remove toothpicks from chicken and add the  sliced orange segment on top. Display the other segment on the plate. Accompany with a garden salad.

P.S i served this dish with potatoes but found a salad would have been better as the real heart of the meal is the chicken

Paint strokes

I have a few more days till I am off to London again for Christmas, very excited.

Until then, whilst I am taking a break from searching for work, I am going to get back into my painting; I have painted since I was 18 and I really enjoy it, mixing colours, clashing colours, the strokes and swirls. I have decided to make to start off on smaller canvases for the mean time

I have found some great resources for new ideas and styles that I want to try

Keep you posted on what evolves from all of this....

LONDON CALLS FROM A RED PHONE BOOTH

LONDON called ten days ago and said i should really pop on over for a cuppa and a scone sooner rather than later... so off i went for afternoon tea.

This is my second time here and I fall more in love with London each time I visit, the architecture, parks, greenery, little cafe's, smell of coffee and so much more; allure one to stay.

although the weather is warmer this side than Copenhagen, the greenery and quaintess can compare. the nights are long and days way too short. I must say the trip this side was a breath of fresh air and a good little getaway from Copenhagen.

Big Ben, Buckingham, H&M, Oxford street and A Winter wonderland dazzled my eyes. London is beautiful this time of year and if its a christmas tingle in your body that you want, this is the place to be.

No trip is complete with a few bends and turns, some excitement and fun, fatigue and hunger, coldness and aching feet... so stay tuned for some short stories on London...should be amusing

• A TEACUP SERENADE AND NAUSEATING SPINNING
• A STROLLER, INFANT, TODDLER AND POINTY BOOTS WITH MILES TO WALK IN LONDON, AND DID I MENTION QUITE A FEW SHOPPING BAGS
• I LOVE LONDON AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY

VAI ITALIANO

My love for all things Italian (well most things)..the pasta, the wine, the vineyards, the language, monica belluci, the accent, the culture, the class... and i could go on.

Living in Europe has made me get my ass in gear because I always dreamed of going to Italy and practicing my italian even if it was weak. I want to fill my belly with a traditional pasta made by a mama in the kitchen. I want the sun on me in tuscany and I want to be with the one I love and take photos of everything else my heart falls for.

So, my Italian is nowhere near where it should be, so from today, its Vai Italiano!!! an italian lesson 5 days a week till I reach my destination.

BUONA FORTUNA TO ME

p.s if theres a language that speaks to your heart, learn it. Even if you dont live there, have a language goal. Travelling across the world has taught me that the understanding of more than one language puts you in good stead; culturally and from a business perspective.

CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOUR

The round tower is a definite must see and a 2min walk away form Christiana, so convenient to see both.

A 30dkk fee will get you to the top, 400 steps later. A narrow staircase and a bit of waiting for other tourists to pass you by, be patient and the wait will be worth it. The view is priceless.

The staircase gets more and more narrow as you reach the peak, gold railing and brass/copper steps lead the way to the top. The wind was chilling and my fingers literally froze but it was definitely worth it.

Christiana "losers paradise"

Of all the top ten things to do and sight searching for top tourist sights, the chance to see Christiana intrigued me the most.


Just some back ground info; Christiana is a "free town", it came into being in 1971. Basically it is a self governing neighbourhood whereby the people live freely. If you live in Denmark, you will understand why this place is so magical, with all the tax and restrictions, the town of Christiana is a breath of fresh air.

The former military area was taken over by locals and the rest is history. Christiana is a state within a state governed by its own people with its own rules. Its a paradise for vagabonds, gypsyies, homeless, abandoned, soul searching people.

Violence, guns, stealing etc is all banned, as well as hard drugs. The use of cannabis and light drugs is seen out in the open and sold freely at stands.

Christiana is truly a unique little place, using its surround to construct a canopy of safety for those who choose to not be part of a governed society.
Artwork, graffiti, arts and crafts, graphic designed bicycles and so much more can be seen.


Many say this treasure and top tourist attraction will not be here forever and if you are able to grab the chance to see it you must. The government and Christiana seem to be in limbo at the moment, after many riots and protests; the fight for Christiana is what the people seem to want.

No photographs are allowed to be taken, the people of the area are very protective of their haven.
But just to paint the scene; rastafarians and all kinds pass you by, groups are huddled aroud metal barrels of fire, tourists have grabbed a sliver of sun to sit and drink their beers, theirs a smokey hazy as you pass by a table selling cannabis and all kinds of smoking tools. Their is a designated area for a market whereby you can buy woolen beanies, silver jewellry from mexico, arts and crafts and the best fallafells ever!

The well trodden path leads you past groups of people in the grass enjoying the afternoon, bicycles whizzing past and a bridge that just sets the scene, sail paper boats are floating in the lake and if you look closely you will see a teapot set on the waters surface.

The colours, the fragrances, the faces...its beautiful


A definite must see.