One Tip for Prague

Rick Steves said, “Eastern Europe has been really trendy. Prague is the best-preserved city in the region … and the best beer in Europe lands on your table there for 50 cents.”

When and if you go to Prague, I have one tip and one tip only (assuming you have remembered your camera already!):

Buy this.  The Prague Foodie Map.  It’s a PDF guide of the best eating and drinking in Prague written by true food-loving locals with a Google Map you can download to your phone.

You’ll already have people like Rick Steves and the guide book to tell you to visit the Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and Old Town Square but you’ll need someone to tell you where to get that 50 cent beer. 

Answer: Lokal.   It’s a pub too with sausage and goulash but really it’s a traditional beer hall with one beer - Pilsner Urquell – on tap.  Leave the little people at home.  This is a place for serious consumption and dirty floors.

You don’t have to be a foodie (so done with that word!) or flush with Czech Koruna (in the EU but not on the Euro) for the Prague Foodie Map to make sense for you.   It’s useful for all palettes and budgets.   You'll want someone to tell you were to get a "Chlebicek" - the classic Czech open-faced sandwich after all the beer (Bistro Sisters) and where to go if you must have tacos.

Answer: Las Adelitas.  It's in a basement and we did not care because it was real Mexican with a salsa bar and jalapenos and a queue to prove it.

The Google Map part of this guide is key.   When you are touring a city it’s much more helpful to see recommended places in map versus list view and where you can set expectations with your traveling companions as to "how much farther."   As a food lover, traveler and marketer, the Prague Foodie Map is one of the most well done travel finds I’ve actually used.  The authors Zuzi and Jan really know the best eats in their city and now how to package it an way that's accessible for users.  I wish this kind of thing was more available in other cities. They also cover shopping but I was less impressed with those recommendations.  (Not exactly sure Prague is a great shopping destination ...)

After our first score at Sansho, an Asian fusion set menu dinner, followed up by lunch at Dish Fine Burger Bistro (where reservations are required even for lunch) we did not detour from Zuzi and Jan’s suggestions.  Our two other excellent dinners were at Cestr, a modern Czech canteen, and Field, an upscale Czech restaurant focusing on local ingredients.   We did other places on the guide for lunches and coffee and were never disappointed but the three places for dinner were all surprising homeruns.  Who even goes to Prague for food?  Now you can!

We traveled to Prague right before Christmas when the Christmas markets were in full effect (as good or better than some in Germany.)  It’s truly a magnificent city and one that you can “do well” in three or four days.   While the hotel options are plentiful, we stayed in the well located and new Hotel UNIC Prague which had great family rooms done up in the color purple and delicious American sized included breakfasts.  There I go again with the food ...

My inlaws are heading to Prague in less than two weeks.  They've already booked their three dinners.  I can be quite persuasive. 

Our London Briefing

Good morning, Seattle.  Good afternoon, Luxembourg.

Here’s what you don’t need to know about our trip to London but may find useful. 

• Airbnb and big cities.

Always a bit of a gamble, right?   Everyone’s trying to make a buck in the big cities by renting their flat which makes for a lot of choice to wade through and the potential to get either suckered or stuck with questionably clean sheets.  

With limited apartment hotel options in London and the need to lodge more than two people, here’s an Airbnb I can highly recommend.  This apartment is on the South Bank and a bit of a walk (12 minutes by my watch, more than that by my children’s watch) to nearest Tube station, but for what it lacks in obvious convenience it makes up for in being on a very cool, gentrified-within-the-last-5-years-street called Bermondsey.   Kids cool = Franco Manca (pizza) and The Watch House (mind-blowing pastries).  Grown up cool = Village East (bfast, cocktails),  Fuckoffee (coffee, wifi, questions from the 9 year old), Jose (tapas we wanted to have) and The Watch House (coffee, seriously… mind-blowing pastries.)

Not all of us can swing a hotel in South Kensington, so other neighborhoods to check out for lodging are Shoreditch, Clerkenwell and Southwark.   If traveling as a pair, our vote for best hotel /value is the citizenM Hotel in Southwark.   With several trips a month to London, my husband has sampled many hotels and has chosen his second home at The Zetter Hotel in Clerkenwell.

Bonus tip:   Since we are on the topic of Airbnbs and big cities, here’s an apartment (this one centrally located) to recommend in Madrid. 

• Showtime.

With more than 40 theatres in the West End, you can’t go to London and not see a show.  We saw “Bend if Like Beckham: The Musical” at the Phoenix Theatre.  It cost only 29 euros a person to be in the 6th row for a 2 ½ hour feel good celebration of sport and culture and girl power.   Show ends March 5.   For the best deals (like the one we got), go to the TKTS booth in Leicester Square at 10am (be prompt!) for day of tickets.  This method does require show flexibility.   Yes we wanted to see Lion King.  No we didn’t want to stand.

Bonus tip:  Not only is the art & design Victoria and Albert Museum free but it also has an excellent Theatre and Performance Collection.  It’s also the best of the trifecta of free museums in South Kensington (V&A, The Science Museum, and the Natural History Museum) to attempt on a busy Saturday morning.

• Where to eat.

In London that’s not a fair question.  There are so many good places to eat.   Skip Trip Advisor for recommendations and see what Time Out London has to say.  Here’s a previous blog on places we like to eat in London, many of which we visited again.

Bonus tip:  Booking for dinner is always a good idea and turns out to be a necessary one when it’s Saturday and Valentine’s Day. We finally lucked out and got a late table at Rabot 1745, a restaurant in Borough Market where every dish includes cacao. The well established aphrodisiac.  On Valetine’s Day.  Makes sense why the 12 top table was available.

• Chipotle clear.

We did eat at Chipotle and did not get sick.

Bonus tip:  If you are in London, be better than Chipotle. 

• Little Pakistan (or not).

The first time we went to Tayyabs in Whitechapel we waited an hour for our reserved table.  On a weeknight.  The scene in the waiting area could only be described as complete chaos to us as Westerners but typical in other parts of the world.   The food:  worth every minute of waiting.  My husband wanted to bring the boys to give them a little window of what his trips to neighboring India have been (and tasted) like.  After all the buildup about the wait time and commotion this time we got seated in 2 minutes.  As for it feeling like Little Pakistan, it did not.  As for the taste … oh yes.

Bonus tip:  Spicy is the default so it you don’t want spicy, speak up or suffer.

• All about cravings.

You don’t have to be a science nerd or interested in space to enjoy the Science Museum London.  Like right now there’s a special exhibit on Cravings and how food controls us as well as exhibits on Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci.  I’m just now realizing that we had cupcakes at The Hummingbird Bakery right after.

Bonus tip: Skip the 15 minute simulator on the The Mallard:  the world’s fastest steam locomotive (boring!) but do catch the IMAX Under the Sea showing. Trigger warning:  sea snakes. 

• If you miss book stores.

You have to visit Foyles on Charing Cross Road.  If you bring your children, plan to park it for at least a couple of hours.   Not only does it have the biggest selection of children’s books I’ve ever seen but they are also conveniently located next to the biggest selection of cookbooks.

Bonus tip:   You also really need to visit Stanfords, the world’s biggest map and travel bookstore.  If you bring your husband, plan to leave with lots of detailed maps you’ll wonder why you’ll need in the age of Google.  The answer: country roads for cycling.

• University scouting.

Back to back day trips for your 18 year old to visit two of the universities he’s been accepted into  seemed like such a good idea until you realize end to end travel time would be like going from Seattle to Portland on Thursday and then again on Friday.   Nobody wants to do that.   So because it’s about the university and not the city, he skipped beautiful Bath in favor of having a look see at Warwick.

Bonus tip:  beauty isn’t everything.  He loved Warwick.

• Bow down to Nike.

No trip to London with boys is complete without a visit to the Niketown on Oxford Street.   Visits are that much better when a sales person tosses your 12 year old a basketball and asks if he can do the spider dribble … and it leads to a mini ball handling “performance.”

Bonus tip:  Only promise to buy a pair of socks.

• Budget busters.

It’s no secret London is an expensive city but what will catch you by surprise is how much you spend on subways and buses.  Because I worked up a little budget to actual spreadsheet (this too shall pass), I know I spent 130 euros for 3 people over 3 ½ days.  (Under 12s ride free and working husbands are working and not transporting with you.)

Bonus tip:  Tap in AND out otherwise you’ll be charged for most expensive fare. 

• Following in Cameron Diaz’s footsteps.

So no, we didn’t see her.  But our son Colin went to visit an old friend from Luxembourg who is now living in the village of Godalming, 45 minutes outside of central London, where the movie “The Holiday” was filmed.   Seems like a good place for a house exchange and apparently they have Laser Quest there too.

Bonus tip: If you can find them, play dates/hang outs while traveling are strongly encouraged. 

Our Travel Briefing is published when travel happens at various Luxembourg times and rarely updated.

What would you like to see here? Contact me at kateballbach@gmail.com.

Tips for Renting a villa in Europe

Years ago I overheard someone in Seattle talking about their plans to rent a villa in Italy for a week with friends.   Thick in the vortex of the child rearing years and booking out friend dinners three miles away two months in advance I remember thinking “who does that?” and “how… could…you…possibly…” Then I gagged on my not-so-jolly rancher.  

There’s something about the word “villa” that sounds obnoxious and faux European.   Add in Italy and now you’ve created a puddle of Chianti-stained jealousy around you and your friends, all of whom must be the lucky ones with more than 2 weeks of vacation to burn. 

Even if you had the money and time, the thought of planning that kind of vacation seemed daunting and completely out of reach.  I never asked how the trip went but I did file the idea away for later.  I assumed the later would be when I turned 50, when my children fled the nest, or when I sold my screenplay for villa money. 

Then of course I moved to Europe three years ago and became that “someone” who talks about renting villas and then posts pictures of them.  I’ve become that person who no doubt has given you occasions to gag, wonder and lament.  I know this and am sorry for it so please only read on if you’re not in a place of wanting to poke me in the eye. 

My intention is to share what I’ve learned about renting a villa in Europe in a way that could be helpful to those thinking about a trip or aspiring to one in the future.   Most people think about a pan European trip where they travel from big city to big city but if you want to give yourself space to more fully experience the culture, it’s worth considering carving out a portion of your trip for the countryside. 

One important bit of clarification that would have been helpful to me those years ago in Seattle:  When people in Europe say “villa” they are really saying “detached house.”  You need not have sold a screenplay or a company to be villa eligible.  There is a sliding luxury scale from mansion villas with cooks included to modest 2 bedroom villas where linens aren’t always included.  The thing they do generally share in common is that they are somewhere in the countryside where the slow life happens and you really get the chance to use your rusty French, Spanish, Italian or speak the language of hand motions. 

Here then are a few things to consider if you are thinking about renting a villa in Europe:

1.  Most people think about villas in France and Italy and for good reason.  They have a robust rental market and the countryside is full of provincial towns and farmers markets (especially in France) during the summers.  You have to work harder to find villas to rent in Spain that aren’t on the crowded and much less interesting Costa del Sol.  There are lots of websites out there doing villa rentals but the ones I have used are Pure France for France, Tuscany Now for Italy, and Rustic Blue for Spain.  Whatever website you use there is value in having a company that acts as the intermediary between you and the owner and a company that has visited all their properties.  Most of the villas you will find to rent are second homes.

France, exhibit A. (my favorite of all the rentals we have done is this one)

2.  Wherever you choose, you will be driving there.   Of course you can rent a car in Rome, Paris, or Madrid but consider taking a cheap intra-country flight to get closer to your villa and rent a car out of smaller airport which would be easier and potentially cheaper. 

3.  Travel in any month but July or August if you can.  Prices are highest when demand is highest in July and August and you can often get rates 20-30% cheaper in May, June, September, October.  Many US schools get out in mid-June and so if you are school dependent, my strong advice would be to do your Europe travel and villa rental the last two weeks of June if possible.  Most villa rentals also require a Saturday-Saturday stay but may offer some flexibility in the off-season months.

France, exhibit B. ( I loved the summer kitchen in this one.)

4.  Travel with a group.  Generally speaking, the bigger the villa, the more amenities you get.  Many of the villas available to rent are geared towards large parties and we all know how math works.  Two families or a group of friends splitting the cost of one villa opens up a lot more options.   Honestly it doesn’t take much to get the per night charge cheaper than a hotel rate in a big city.

Spain, exhibit C. (a group trip example of remote but excellent villa with promixmity to Granada and Cordoba.)

5.  Book early.  You can find available villas anytime but the good ones get plucked up early, especially the smaller and more affordable ones.  I try to book mine in November for the following summer. 

6.  Pick a villa that is further inland or in a region you’ve heard less about.   You’ll pay top dollar in Tuscany and Provence.  Umbria and Dordogne are lesser known but just as charming regions.   The prices go up the closer you are to the water but given that most villas won’t be directly on the beach who cares if you have to drive 45 minutes or 15 minutes if you get a nicer villa further out.  If they say "remote" they do mean it so just make sure you are prepared for what that entails in terms of eating and necessities.

7.  Pick a villa and then map out what you can see in day trips from there.  Almost anywhere you go in France or Italy will have more options for day trips than you could do in a week.  In Dordogne you can even get to the Basque region in Spain for a day trip.  You can find listings of summer farmers markets online and if in France almost be guaranteed a daily market within a 25 km radius.  It’s great to have dinner out in a city but when you are in the French or Italian countryside, it’s better to have lunch out when you are day tripping and then have dinner in.  You’ll also save money on food and wine if you eat most of your dinners in.  I don’t think that’s just my age talking …

8.  Prioritize the outdoor space.    It’s easy to get taken with beautiful interiors but if you are renting during the summer months you should put more of a premium on the outdoor space.   The pool is an easy one to focus on but I also pay attention to the outdoor eating area, the views, and the proximity of neighbors.   If you are choosing to be in the countryside, setting matters a lot.

9.  Pick a villa that is private but walkable to a village.   They aren’t always easy to find but when you find a villa that has lovely outdoor space with privacy AND is walkable to a village, book it!  There’s something about walking into a village for a coffee or baguette that never ever gets old…

10.  Study the reviews closely.  Most people say generally positive things but you can often tell when a place is “fine” and when it’s “truly special” by the tone of the reviews.  “Thanks for a great holiday” is not a review, it’s a warning.  

11.  Look for newly added villas.  This can be a risk because you won’t have reviews but sometimes you can find a gem before the word gets out.  That happened with this one where we were the first renters and now it is almost fully booked for this upcoming summer.

12.  Look for the cheapest villas on the high end rental sites.  Sometimes I will troll on higher end villa sites looking for their smallest properties as you know the quality will be there but the smaller size may not appeal to those looking for a reunion sized villa.

Fall in Puglia, Italy

I haven't been to Cornwall but I read somewhere that Puglia is like the Cornwall for Italians.  With 800km of beach-lined coast, in the last 10 years Puglia has become a hot destination for for the Italian socialites in summer.  Our boy's research informed us that Justin Timberlake got married in Puglia, not Tuscany or Lake Como, three years ago.   Like our trip to Croatia last October, we decided to chase the last of the sun (Puglia is further south than Naples) and explore Puglia during the quieter shoulder season which aligned with our school Fall Break (October 31-November 8.) 

We loved the time of year for our visit and the warm mid 60 degree weather but if we were to advise others who are coming from further away, we’d recommend you plan your trip to Puglia sometime before November 1 (All Saints Day) which seems to be the official day that things start shutting down.  It didn’t detour us, but many of the towns were dead and we needed assistance in finding open restaurants.   Late September and all of October would be ideal.

To get to Puglia, you can fly into either Bari or Brindisi.  Neither are particularly interesting cities to visit but they are easy in and out places to fly into.  You will definitely need to rent a car to explore the area.  We stayed first outside of Fasano which has a number of interesting hilltowns to visit (or read in, see photos below): Ostuni, Locorotondo, Martina Franca and Pogliano a Mare were white-washed charm even with the quiet.   

We ended up in Martina Franca on a Sunday night when the whole well-dressed town seemed to be out for a Sunday evening stroll.  Due to time, we skipped the “smurftown” of Alberobello with his unique cone roofed stoned houses and the limestone caves of Grotte Castellana in favor of hiking along the gorgeous coast of the Toree Guaceto Nature Reserve. 

The second portion of our trip was further south in the "Salento" region near Otranto and Lecce.  Otranto is a picturesque town with a harbor and castle and Lecce is a lively university town that is often referred to as the “Florence of the South.”   Lecce was still buzzing even in November but Otranto wasn't at full capacity.   Here there are fewer small hilltowns to visit but Otranto and Lecce could keep you busy for a few days.   With a more accessible coastline, there is a spectacular drive (and potential bike route) following limestone cliffs from Otranto to Castro.  Of the two areas, we'd give the nod to the Salento region (also a wine region.)

Puglia is filled with beach clubs in the summer, kite surfing is big, and it would be a fantastic place for a cycling trip.  We met one couple from New York who were bicycling when we were there and it's ideal given the terrain and the sprinkling of guest houses.

More than other places we’ve visited, I would highly recommend you plan your visit around where you want to stay.  Southern Italy is filled with these charming “Masserias” which are farmhouses that were built to function as self-sufficient communities but now have been converted into guest houses. There is a huge range of them, some of them double as spas and some of them double as agriturismos, some are in small villages but most are out in the country.  Unlike a hotel, each Masseria has its own unique vibe and set of services so it’s worth hunting around until you find one that is “your speed.”  We stayed in two of them. The first one near Fasano was fine but the second one Masseria Prosperi, outside of Otranto and Lecce was special. 

Masseria Prosperi, a farmhouse with indoor and outdoor pool near Otranto and located 1.5km from the beach, opened two years ago by the wonderfully relaxed Mercedes (who speaks English) and her husband Antonio (who speaks the language of food.)  You have to be comfortable with communal dining and like animals (it’s on a farm but think chic farm not hippy farm where your children and pets are very much welcomed).  If you are a foodie, having Antonio cook a multi-course Puglian dinner set out on the terrace while you mingle with other guests – sending your children to bed upstairs when they are tired – is an Italian experience you won’t get visiting a big city.  If you like a very quiet night of sleep, this may not be the place for you especially if all the rooms were occupied and you were staying in one of the two downstairs rooms. 

There are six guest rooms (the two upstairs back rooms being the best) and it’s possible to rent out the entire house with a group of friends.  The furnishings are nice but not at all fussy.  The only person worrying about a trail of water from the indoor pool to the room will be an American mother.  Service is attentive and always welcoming, tested by multiple cappuccino orders at breakfast. Don’t be discouraged by the lack of curb appeal when you first arrive at Masseria Prosperi because once you step inside and around to the back, you’ll forgive the tired, unloved property that sits in front of it.   Mercedes' sister and mother run a more well-known nearby Masseria called Masseria Montelauro.

Other places to recommend:

• Borgo San Marco – a family-friendly 15th century Masseria with 18 rooms outside Fasano.  Like Masseria Prosperi, one of 16 places to stay in the region recommended on i-escapes (my most reliable website for finding places to stay in Europe) and one we considered.   We ended up staying at Masseria Alchimia instead which is more self-service but given the time of year and the "magic" of the guest house experience, I'd choose a more immersive Masseria.
• Le Capase Resort Salento – We drove by this resort which has a beautiful natural setting on the Salentine Peninsula.  Prices look reasonable.
• Borgo Egnazia – a large, village sized Masseria with 63 rooms and the location of Justin Timberlake’s wedding outside Fasano.  Recommended in this recent Conde Naste article which has 10 other Masserias to recommend (Masseria Prosperi among them) which would be an excellent read (and much more helpful than my post) if you were considering a visit.

Walks along the coastline are wonderful, perhaps even more in the off season where you often have the place to yourselves.  If you go, we'd recommend:

• Beach walk along Toree Guaceto Natural Reserve north of Brindisi or a sandy beach mixed in with rocky coves.  No beach clubs or services except for trash cans. 
• Baia dei Turchi public beach north of Otranto (probably very crowded in summer)
• Torre Sant’Andrea north of Otranto (the link here is for a listing of many other beaches in the area.)
• Along the Salentine peninsula between Otranto and Castro. 

The food in Puglia with it's focus on fish and greens is the best we've had in Italy so far.  Before Antonio's cooking, we were given excellent lunch and dinner recommendations by the woman who owned the first Masseria near Fasano.  The best of those were:

• Il Punto, an elegant fish restaurant on the water in the ugly - and I mean ugly- town of Torre Canne.  One of the only times traveling when we arrived embarrassingly under-dressed for Sunday brunch.
• Il Cortiletto, an unassuming place in the small town of Speziale, where you get a 9 course antipasta feast before the main dish.  A truly special dining experience worth going out of the way for.
• Chichibo, a typical large well-established fish restaurant serving locals and tourists in the heart of Polignano. 

London: A Taste of Two Markets

You can go to a food market and take pictures or you can go to a food market and eat.  It is hard to commit to both things at the same time.   If you happen to be in London and are thinking about visiting the Borough Market (maybe on your list) or Brixton Village Market (probably not on your list) for a bite(s) to eat, do yourself a favor and leave the camera behind.   Based on the few photos I did take, I obviously had my priorities right.

Borough Market is London’s oldest and most well-known market near the London Bridge.  Everyone knows it like they know Pike’s Place Market in my hometown of Seattle.  Set under a rail viaduct, the market snakes around into several sections that you are best to scope out before calorie committing.  Much of the market, which includes traditional food stalls and lots of street food takeaway options, is under cover.  The full market is open Thursday-Sunday with only a portion of it open on Monday-Wednesday.   It seems like the week days are geared toward the food wanderer in search of a £5 lunch and the weekends to the home cook collecting for a gourmet meal.  It certainly was busy with business suits and students at Tuesday lunch time but definitely not unbearable.   There is limited seating in the greenhouse or the garden of the Southwark Cathedral (which you must enter through the Cathedral to access) or you could take your food along to the South Bank.   Or you can inhale it while standing.    

I choose the longest queues, which in one case I had no idea what for until I saw the hog on the split.   After the salty, fennel seed spiked pork goodness on a ciabatta roll with rocket salad and a simple dressing at Roast Hog, I lined up for vegetable pad thai at Khanom Krok (which though tasty really isn’t a pleasure to watch being cooked as street food), and finished with seared scallops topped with a fistful of crunchy bacon bits over a stir fry of veg at Shellseekers.   That all happened in two hours.  I did toss the ciabatta roll to “make room.”  There was a killer toasted cheese sandwich I’d read about, Ethiopian food that looked delicious and so.much.more but without a partner in dining crime, I had to surrender until dinner.

On Wednesday morning I was back in Borough Market for a slow filter coffee at the seriously good Monmouth Coffee and a to-go piece of ginger cake at Bread Ahead.   Because Borough market is right near the London Bridge Station, it was conveniently on my way to Wednesday’s market exploration further south and outside central London in the up and coming neighborhood of Brixton.

Brixton Village (aka Granville Arcade) is everything Borough Market is not.   While Borough Market is filled with students, young professionals and tourists, Brixton is a multi-ethnic community largely of African and Caribbean descent, musicians and young people.  Brixton is the last Tube stop on the Victoria Line.  You’ll notice you aren’t in central London as soon as you exit the Tube.  There’s a lively street market that runs down the spine of the mixed residential and chain store neighborhood.  You’ll see every kind of fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, and flea market junk along the street market which leads to a covered arcade called Brixton Village.  Quieter and clearly gentrifying, Brixton Village is filled with nice vintage shops and a vibrant range of eateries that would take days to sample.  It’s more casual sit down than take away.  Brixton Village is where you go to eat your heart out and then pick up a few gifts. 

With an article in TimeOut London as my guide, I had a hard time choosing between Caribbean fried fritters at Fish, Wings and Tings, South American empanadas at El Rancho Del Lalo, Pakistani street food at Elephant, dumplings at Mama Lana and thai food at KaoSarn.  I decided on Thai and was blown away by the classic Larb salad of minced chicken with ground roasted rice, chili, mint and lime juice.  Reviews on Trip Advisor (why do I even check anymore?) say prices have gone up and they run you out over the dinner hour, but I still consider a £8.90 a cheap eat and the lunch hour was definitely leisurely and they were happy to chat with me.  It was only a salad but it was the best Thai I’ve had since the US.  If you are hungry and not sure what you want to eat, you will no doubt find something that strikes your fancy and doesn’t hit your wallet at Brixton Village.  And there were several good looking coffee shops too.

Later that night when I was back near the Borough Market, I bellied up to the tapas bar for a glass of wine and waited my turn for a table at very popular Brindisa Tapas Kitchen.  There are 5 locations throughout London.  A cute guy, who also happens to be my husband, met up with me there after his work and my 36 hours of eating.   Finally I had a partner in dining crime and while not as as heavenly as what you'd get in Spain, the fried sea bass with mash and charcuterie and queso plates were terrific.

If you are on a time budget when in London, Borough Market is a sure bet for a quick lunch and an eye-popping food experience.   If you time to commit to a longer lunch, the range of food options available at Brixton Village is well worth the adventure.

I'm Out!

I am usually not a generous survey person. A lot of kindness evaporates when a solicitor calls asking for “Mr. Ball-batch” when the Mrs. is clearly on the line. I change sidewalk lanes when I see those young people with clipboards. I know all the hidden website places to find the no thanks "x."

Yesterday was one of the exceptions. I got an email with a request for a listener survey on a podcast I’m quite fond of. Also the email sender’s name was Quinn, the same name as my first born, which should have nothing to do with it and yet it weirdly did. They both have two "n’s"! Quinn, the one in my email, promised the brief survey would take approximately 10 minutes.

I followed the link to the survey with optimism. I like this podcast and I want them to keep doing it. By about question 15 I started to fatigue. As fond as I am of the podcast, for something I only engage with about once a month I’d simply run out of things to say about it. Then came the question of “how busy I am” on a sliding scale which felt disingenuous to answer any other way but “not very to average” given that I already told them I had 10 minutes to spare. Then came the open ended question about how the podcast had caused me do something different in my life. I thought this maybe ambitious for a form. After all, I didn’t agree to the 10 minutes with the expectation of baring my soul and writing a narrative. When I tried to skip over it, I got the RED letters that I needed to complete the last question. I went back and answered “n/a.”

I made it several questions beyond the “n/a” but didn’t end up finishing the survey. (Note to survey makers: sometimes the survey completion status bar is not your friend. Note to Quinn: sorry, mate.) While a better survey person, a more loyal listener, or a person with less sensitivity about their busyness may have completed the survey, I don’t consider my abandoning the survey a character flaw. I do however think it’s interesting to understand how and when people decide, “I’m out!”

Our online selves leave conversations, which I've heard called ghosting, whenever the conversation gets hard or boring or someone’s Uncle Eddy adds something completely awkward. We leave long articles in search of the digest version or because someone posted one of those “Tasty” videos showing us everything we need to know about making Beer Mac ’n’ Cheese in 30 seconds. We get sucked into a reality TV show because for a few minutes it seems to be hitting on something genuine and then something gross turns up and we’re out.

We do have to filter things online because not every article or even “Upworthy” post merits our full attention, but the problem is when our online habits bleed into our real selves. When approximately 10 minutes of face to face conversation – without a digital interruption or other tabs open- feels like a really long time. When we prematurely say “I’m out!” when the conversation takes a wrong turn or before we’ve left any space for a deeper conversation to bloom.

I did an experiment with my middle son yesterday. I asked him on the ride home where it was just us if he wouldn’t mind putting his phone away for the whole ride. (It’s interesting how agreeable our kids are to doing this when we are willing to do the same.) In the first five minutes, we covered the lunch menu and our usual topics and then he added, “You know you are worse about your phone than I am” to which I could only say, “I know!” We then covered new conversational ground and when we finally got home some 20 minutes later, he said, “Wow! that was a long ride wasn’t it?” to which I said, “I know!”

Good conversation takes time and it takes work. It takes not giving up in the pauses or asking dumb questions to fill them. 12 years old especially do not like the dumb questions.

Later that night as I sat the boys down to a rushed dinner, I was multitasking at the desk. I was busy looking for hotels in Stockholm while my older son was trying to tell me about the recent news of the Czech Republic and their treatment of refugees. I kept on with the Stockholm search (the hotel options are many and beautiful!), but I did open another tab to BBC News to search on Czech Republic. By the time I left the hotels for the news, the conversation around the table had moved on to who had the Parmesan cheese.

Yeah. Missed it. The conversation. The irony of me being the one with the laptop open at dinner. It happens. All you can do is say “I know!” and try better next time.

Next time was later that night. I did the same experiment with my older son on a dark ride home when it was just us. (He too was happy to put his phone away for the car ride, but only after he texted his gf goodnight.) We did not talk about what he just texted or school or college (a favorite parent topic at the moment and a not-so-favorite topic of a high school senior.) Instead we talked about funny “only in Luxembourg” things that happened at his practice. I told him about the other Quinn and the survey and ABOUT the podcast I really like and how long 10 minutes is and he told me about “the rule of 8” he learned from his 7th grade math teacher to make me not feel so bad about aborting the survey and then we started to make up funny survey questions and we couldn’t stop laughing. We laughed all the way home and into the living room.

Phones down is no guarantee you will end up in a belly laugh, but doesn’t even the possibility of it make it a 10 minute exercise worth trying?

Dream gods

Ever have one of the dreams where you absolutely cannot do something really easy – like signing your name or making a garden salad- that in waking life you have either mastered or people of your age no longer find complicated? Then because you’re desperately trying to find the salad spinner with hungry guests waiting, you snoozed your way to getting up late.

I would feel so much better if I had been trying to make puffed pastry or a long putt. Salad is my game.

The problem with these silly dreams is that if you don’t take a moment to right size your beat up confidence ship and tell your mood where to get off, you’ll rush to the shower, pump the conditioner before the shampoo -again- and nick yourself shaving with one of the razors with the bumpers you spent extra money for to avoid these kinds of things. And then because you’re already late and band-aiding your cut, you won’t have time to practice your signature and prove the dream gods wrong.

You’ll then head to the kitchen, call it a cereal morning, and turn on the stove for coffee *with caution.*

Unattended, dreams that question your competence are sure bets for either a sucky or super productive, list making day. I usually follow the sucky path. If it’s raining like it was the morning after, it’s all but guaranteed. For me it reminds me that I’m underemployed, unable to speak French, and a creative who studied stupid accounting. Things that on most days, I’m at peace with. Most days I know that salad is not my only game.

I know, I know, it was only a dream! But I’m one of those people who a) puts a whole lot of stock in looking for signs and wonders and b) really, really needs good sleep.

You’ll then head to the car, because when you’re late everyone needs a ride, and drive *with caution.*

Moms that drive quietly with a carload of children buried in their phones are sure bets for sad feelings about shuttle service being your second game, until … a voice you recognize:

“Mom, did I tell you that you really remind me of Mrs. X.” Knowing this to his most favorite teacher of all time who is fully employed not just teaching but inspiring students and who you know speaks multiple languages, you ask: “Really? Why?” to which he replies in a tone you know has no other motive but to share his feelings, “Because you are both smart and kind and outgoing and I notice that sometimes you both like to be quiet.”

I know, I know, it was only a few words. But the words probably wouldn’t have been said unless quiet beat out grumble. And, if one of the people who knows you best sees your game and sees you doing it smartly and with kindness, then the dream gods have to be wrong.

Summer in Iceland

If you want to know how small Iceland is consider these two facts:  1) Until moving to Europe, we knew exactly one person from Iceland.  Though Thury now lives in Seattle, we happened to bump into her at the Reykjavik Airport on the day of our departure.   2) A few weeks ago we were at a party seated next to a couple from Iceland.  Though they now live in Luxembourg, not only were they surprised to hear that we visited their tiny hometown in Selfoss during our Iceland trip but that we also had a (bad) photo of their favorite Selfoss restaurant still on our iPhone camera roll.  That’s the kind of chance encounters you have when you visit a country with a population of only 325,000.

So, Iceland.  Rewinding a couple months ago for this post.

One of the many benefits of being an expat is an annual home trip.  We usually take ours in August when European beaches are jammed with the entire European labor force and their brothers, aunts, and second cousins.   Plus there’s no place like Seattle in August, or so I thought. 

This summer we, at my outdoor loving husband’s urging, decided to take Icelandair up on its well-publicized offer for a free stop-over in Iceland from Europe in route to the US.  You can stopover for up to seven days going either direction at no additional airfare.  I, of the outdoor liking kind, agreed to four.  That was before I consulted the Internet for average weather temperatures in August (brrr…..) and before I conferred with my three children who let me know I was in effect robbing them of their Seattle time (grrr….). The good news is it only takes one steamy photo of the Blue Lagoon to turn that frowny face upside down.   

Iceland started heavily promoting themselves as a tourist destination after the 2008 financial crisis as a means to boost revenue but the tipping point for tourism take-off was the 2010 eruption of the Volcanco Eyjafjallajökull.  This was the eruption that temporarily closed the airspace for 6 days and stranded 8 million passengers.  While the situation was unpleasant for those impacted, it did put Iceland and it’s geological wonder front and center in the global news cycle for 6 days.   With a blanket of TV footage, curiosity and interest peaked.   The number of annual tourists to Iceland doubled between 2008 and 2014. 

Chances are good once you tell someone you are heading to Iceland, much like seeing the car you just bought everywhere on the road, you’ll start noticing friends and friends of friends who’ve been.  I don’t know how most people do their Iceland stop-over but if the number of Reykjavik Excursions buses is any indication, many of them seem to be doing packaged bus tours or hitting the Blue Lagoon (near the airport) and Reykjavik and calling it 36 hours.   While there is nothing wrong with that approach, especially if time is limited, in my opinion Iceland is the ideal place to rent a car and do a self-driving tour. 

For starters, there is only one ring road around the entire island making it hard to get lost.  I am sensitive to getting lost and there simply aren’t enough roads in Iceland to make that a possibility.  Second, with a population density of 35 people per square kilometer versus 3 in the US, part of why you you’d visit Iceland is to get a humanity break. Being with a busload of people with selfie sticks would kill that vibe.  Third, while Reykjavik if a fine city - you can totally see it in a day and would be more than able to give out directions by 4pm.  Aside from the unusual looking Cathedral in central Reykjavik and glassed Opera House on the harbor, the architecture is all pretty flat and functional.   City hopping isn’t really an option as towns outside of Reykjavik are more village-sized and gateways to an outdoor attraction.  The reason to go to Iceland is squarely on the vast shoulders of the rugged and wholly unique landscape. 

Given the pride of Iceland is the outdoors, the best words of wisdom are to come prepared for it.  Think layers, waterproof clothing, sturdy shoes and several swimsuits.  Conditions change in a hot minute and usually without much warning.   We had ideal but completely atypical conditions without any rain.  When we have since mentioned that to people from Iceland, they seem to know the precise days in August we were there. 

The nice thing is that without the mental clutter of a long list of competing activities to do, you can give your full attention to the ever changing light.  Bubbling hot springs turn up at unexpected moments.  The vistas alternate between fertile and stark land.  We only scratched the surface touring around South Iceland, the most visited area with many of country’s best natural jewels, but it was enough to quiet the soul and long for another visit.

With the exception of a failed attempt to hike through the Thorsmork National Park past the site of the 2010 volcanic eruption at Eyjafjallajokull and a successful “city mountain” hike up Mount Esja outside of Reykjavik known mostly to locals, we didn’t much venture off the beaten track.  Unlike other places where you might be inclined to try the road not taken, the road around The Golden Circle is worth doing.  Where else can you see a still active geyser, a deafening waterfall, and 6,500 year old volcanic crater now serving as a window on the groundwater – all in the span of an afternoon?

What to do:

A guidebook on Iceland is very helpful as you set out your plan.  Many people like us start with Southwestern Iceland but there is also a lot to see in The West Fjords and Northwest Iceland.  A longer trip around the island would be a fun adventure.  We however made our base camp in Southwestern Iceland and did day trips from there. 

Hveragerdi Hot Springs.  Nothing reminds you that the earth’s core is hot, really hot, like a hot spring with white steam baiting you to come get warm and cozy.  Hveragerdi, 45km east of Reykjavik, is the capital of hot springs and the town we choose to stay in for the first three nights.   They have a geothermal area above the town.  It’s a short hike to the hot river and there are walking paths that continue beyond there.  Free.

Kerio Crater.  A 55m deep volcanic crater.  You can walk around the top of the crater and walk down into it.  Small donation requested to visit.

Gullfoss Waterfall.  A beautiful and powerful waterfall that is worthy of a visit.  Because it’s Iceland and they don’t sweat safety regulations, you can get close enough to feel the spray.  Free.    We saw several other waterfalls in the South but their Iceland names don’t seem to stick with me.

Geysir.  It’s fun to walk around the geothermal field with some dormant hot springs and some still active geysers and wait for the shooting tower of water.  You don’t even have to be patient as the Geyrir performs every few minutes.  As both Gulfoss and Geysir are big tourist attractions, you will be in some company but they do a nice job of not obscuring the beauty of nature’s highlights.  They also have good bathrooms and visitor centers at both stops.

Bruarhloo.  A gorgeous canyon formed by the river Hvita with interesting rock formations.  It’s situated between Geysir and Gulfoss and so very easy to access. For much of the time, we were the only ones there.  Maybe our most favorite stop to scramble around.

Thorsmork National Park.    Situated between mountains and glaciers, this park is endless with hiking trails.  But due to not having a 4x4 vehicle the hike we planned morphed into a less interesting walk through a lava field. 

How to get there:

For those in Luxembourg, we flew Icelandair out of Brussels and found inexpensive (and manageable walking distance close) long term parking.

Getting around:

There are multiple car rental companies on site at the Reykjavik Airport.  You should splurge for the four wheel drive.   We didn’t and regretted it.  Many of the trail heads are over rutted terrain and require a four wheel drive.  A two wheel drive says “I’m here to walk.” A four wheel drive says “Someone in my party is here to hike.”  Also be aware that the maximum speed on the entire island is 90kph.  With the open road and not very many cars, driving this slowly requires constant vigilance or me as a driver.  We did get pulled over (but not ticketed.)  Finally, it’s a bit desolate between Reykjavik and the airport so remember to gas up if needed before heading to the airport. 

Where to stay:

If you are traveling to Iceland in the summer, it is important to get a jump on accommodation.  Hotels and guest houses fill up quickly.

Frost & Fire Hotel, Hverhamar, 810 Hveragerði, Iceland; +354 483 5949;  Simple rooms with even simpler bathrooms in natural setting (each room exits directly to outside) one hour outside of Reykjavík close to sites in south of Iceland.  Well on the beaten path for good reason.  Not fancy.  Excellent breakfast included in rates.  Easy parking.

Kvosin Downtown Hotel, Kirkjutorg 4, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland; +354 571 4460; Nice, clean hip hotel apartments.  Centrally located with a price tag that reminds you of it.  Worth the splurge for one night.   Fixed breakfast with homemade muesli, yogurt and sourdough bread at next door’s cozy Bergsson Mathús included.  Not as easy street parking.

Where to eat:

Iceland portions are more US like than European like.  However like everything else in Iceland, eating out is expensive. Best to pull out a map to remind yourself how far away you are from everything in Iceland and you’ll forgive the high prices.

Kjallarinn Kitchen Bar.  Newish restaurant in Reykjavik tucked in a cave recommended to us by the hotel.  Fish, international fusion heaven on a plate.  Spendy but delicious and inventive dishes.  Best meal.

Apotek Kitchen Bar.  Hard to miss restaurant in the center of Reykjavik with seafood and free range lamb with a twist, 6 course dinner menu with much cheaper lunch and brunch menu.  Went once for brunch and a second time for lunch.  Nice atmosphere minus the ugly American returning her dish because it didn’t come out on a hot plate.   

Tryggvaskali Restaurant.  THE restaurant in Selfoss mentioned above.  Old house converted into charming restaurant where it’s possible you might even be seated in your own room.   Very small menu but the salmon with barley, baby broccoli, caramelized butter and blueberries is really all you need to know. (Also there is a hamburger on the menu.)

Kjot & Kunst.  If large portion size, traditional cooking and eating carrot cake out of thermal oven sounds interesting (and it did to us twice), this restaurant in  Hveragerdi gets the job done.  (We preferred it to restaurant at our hotel.)

An Easy Recipe

Photo courtesy of Anna Andersen

You know how sometimes your friend tells you, “I’ll send you the recipe. It’s so easy!” and then you open it up and think: liar, liar, kitchen on fire.

I’ve dished it as many times as I’ve been served it. In fact this week I had lunch with a new French friend who I’d met at a mutual friend’s birthday brunch, over one of my raspberry breakfast crumble bars. Where there are groups of women and good china out, we do like to put our best fork forward. The fruity bars were no Coq au vin, but anytime there is a food processor and two part baking process you won’t be whipping it up during a commercial break. You’ll be calendaring it for your next assignment.

In our email exchange before getting together, I forwarded the recipe with the “easy” disclaimer. I wanted to sound hopeful and competent. As we parted after a lovely lunch, she said: “Oh, and thanks for the recipe. I was going to make it but ….that was involved, no? I should send you some French cake recipes. They are very simple.”

Well, that was Tuesday. Today is Friday and I have a new outlook on easy.

This morning I was in my kitchen at 6:50am. By 7:07am, there were biscuits. Not just any biscuit but the lightest, tenderest, tastiest golden biscuits ever to grace an Ikea plate. In places where measuring precision and light touch is required (“don’t overwork the dough” may be the most open to interpretation baking instruction ever), I have a very uneven and sometimes inedible past.

But these biscuits. These biscuits were CHAMPION’S LEAGUE. My audience swooned. I briefly played the kitchen martyr. There was none left by 7:27am.

The secret? Two ingredients. That’s right – two ingredients. No butter. No pastry cutter. Definitely no Bisquick for 3,000 miles. Only a wooden spoon and two ingredients: self-rising flour and heavy cream. A recipe where anyone can be a hero.

I wouldn’t have believed it either except if you’ve ever made a recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt from Serious Eats.com, you know this guy is serious about the science of good food. The recipe, the truly easy recipe, is called, “Two Ingredient Never-Fail Cream Biscuits.” It's not a new idea. Kenji even admitted: "But not everything worth making is brand new."

After I polished off the last biscuit I hid this morning, it got me to thinking about how Jesus summed up what we needed to know by telling us to do two things: love the Lord our God *with everything* and love our neighbor *as ourselves*. That these two things Never-Fail. It seems like as we get more comfortable in our own kitchens of faith or where there is an audience to impress, we often try to add in more ingredients and over complicate the recipe. But I wonder if we tried to stick to the basics, these two ingredients, would we be lighter and more tender?

One might argue that heavy cream can stand on its own. Flour, like love for your God, definitely cannot. It is an important ingredient but it can’t rise – do what it was meant to do- all by itself. It needs to be worked into the fat of relationships, the ones you choose and the ones you don’t. Then when the flour is coated in the richness of risking love, showing mercy and overthrowing self for the sake of our neighbors (here I must mention the ones we can’t find any little thing to agree about), does it finally come together into dough. It’s sticky and must be handled with care. But once the two loves are mixed in roughly the right proportions, it now has the potential to withstand the heat and produce something very, very tasty.

It’s that easy, no?

Fall Hiking in Switzerland

With so many places to see and limited time, you need travel short cuts.   Person to person recommendations are often the best.  We asked our Swiss friends Christian and Iris for their favorite day hiking destination in the Swiss Alps.  Avid hikers both before and after kids, their favorite spot is LENK IN SIMMENTAL which offers easy valley hiking, more challenging and varied mountain paths, and higher more technical alpine climbs.

GSTAAD is a destination in the Berner Oberland with an international reputation but nearby Lenk in Simmental has the Swiss reputation.  It has been awarded as one of the best Swiss holiday family resorts for both its winter and summer activities.  Like Gstaad it has a charming, picturesque village but it trades the designer label shops for more outdoor stores and a working population.  While it caters to the outdoor enthusiast, it feels like a more authentic Swiss village.  For those of you familiar with recreational areas in Idaho, Lenk is the Hailey to Sun Valley’s Ketchum.

Sitting at an altitude of just over 1000 meters, Lenk is in the Simmental valley about 65km southwest of Interlaken.  The valley has 600km of walking trails and 290 km of mountain bike trails for all levels, so plenty to keep busy for a long weekend.  One of the attractions is the compactness of the outdoor activity which means no time is wasted in getting to your activity.  It's a great destination for both families and older people.

With a recent dusting of snow on the highest peaks and idyllic late September weather, the only challenge was choosing which of the hiking and mountain trails to do.  (We weren't looking to do any of the more advanced alpine or overnight trails, much to my husband's dismay.)  There too we had help from the owner of the hotel that was also recommended to us by Christian and Iris.  (see below in “Where to Stay.”)

On the first day, we took the gondola up to LEITERLI above Lenk.  There is an easy 3km loop hike on the top with beautiful vista views and interesting sign posts (in Swiss) about Lenk’s history.   There are several additional trails to do from the top which, if the weather is good, we’d recommend over hiking back down to Lenk.  From Leiterli back down to Lenk there is a discovery Marmot Trail (3 km) and Lynx Trail (6 km) aimed at kids but its ankle breaking steep and not quite as interesting for older kids.  There is another themed trail called the Alpine Flower Trail with 95 plant species that would have been lovely to do when the wildflowers are in season.

On the second day, we took the bus to IFFIGENALP (which is not accessible by gondola.)  From there we did an up and net down hike past several beautiful waterfalls and lots of cows.  One of the treats of hiking in Switzerland are all the old chalets en route where you can usually stop for a drink and buy some locally made cheese.    We extended what would have been a 3.5 hour mountain hike finishing in Simmenfalle into a leisurely 5 hour stroll.  Had it just been Brett and Lawton on the hike, they would have traded the stroll for a 600 meter add on climb to Flueseehutte.  The two of them are already plotting their return.

Getting there:

It’s a 5.5 hour drive to Lenk in Simmental from Luxembourg without traffic.  Expect some delays near Strasbourg and a few tolls in France.  The last hour of drive is on windy two lane road so it’s advisable to drive in daylight.  You will need to stop and buy the Swiss autobahn toll sticker (cost of 40 Swiss francs for one calendar year) when crossing into Switzerland.  If you fly, nearest airport is in Bern which is 1.5 hours by car or 2.5 hours by train.   From Zurich Airport it is 2.5 hours by car and 3.5 hours by train.

Getting around:

It is nice to have a car but if you are staying in the town center of Lenk, you can easily manage without one.  The Lenk bus leaves regularly from the train station in the town center to many of the trail heads and in some cases (where roads are only open one direction on an hourly schedule) is a better option than driving.  

Where to Stay:

At our friend’s recommendation, we stayed at HOTEL SIMMENHOF, Lenkstrasse 43 | 3775 Lenk Im Simmental, Lenk-Simmental 3775, Switzerland; +41 33 736 34 34; Family-run hotel 1km from the center of Lenk; large spacious family rooms available; indoor pool with smaller outdoor pool; free and excellent WiFi; exceptionally kid friendly; hearty breakfast offering included; onsite restaurant for dinner; free parking and shuttle service into Lenk; owners are as helpful and good as any tourist office.  90% of guests are Swiss.

If you have a few more francs to rub together or you want to be in town, LENKERHOF GOURMENT SPA RESORT is the highest rated hotel in the area and looked to be a special spot, Badstrasse 20 | Postfach 241, Lenk-Simmental 3775, Switzerland; :+41 33 736 36 36.

There are numerous other hotels in the town as well as a number of rental properties.  Because it is mostly a skiing destination, you should have ample lodging options for hiking seasons.

Where to Eat:

One does not travel to Switzerland for the food, but a warm Rösti (elevated hashbrowns with cheese and often an egg on top) after a day of hiking goes down easy.   There are 27 restaurants listed on Trip Advisor in Lenk.  We asked around for recommendations, which landed us at these two spots for dinner both of which worked well.

Hirschen Lounge Bar, Oberriedstrasse 1, Lenk-Simmental 3775, Switzerland; don’t mistake the red and white table clothes for pizza; interesting menu with excellent Rösti and very good vegetarian Spätzle with local chanterelles; average pasta dishes and make your own hamburgers; slightly slow service but the night was also quite busy.

Elk Bar & Restaurant, Oberriedstrasse 13, Lenk-Simmental CH-3775, Switzerland; large more modern than traditional Swiss restaurant with excellent terrace; aside from the parsnip soup and house salad nothing that floated above average but food is simple, service was good and there’s something for everyone on the menu.