2011: Looking Back

By Amanda

Without a doubt, 2011 has been the craziest (I mean that in the best way possible) year of my life. In sum, I turned 30, planned a wedding, got married, took a honeymoon in Greece, traveled all over the U.S. saying goodbye to friends and family, quit my job, moved to Belgium, started writing professionally and taking French again, made new friends while trying hard to stay in touch with old ones and settled into life as an expat. Wow. When I think back on the year, so many words come to mind to describe the experience: exciting, overwhelming, challenging, stressful, fun, etc., but perhaps the one that best sums it up is new.

I've had my ups and downs with all of it. Planning a big wedding was incredibly stressful, but the actual day was blissfully perfect, making it all worth it. (Well, except for those few grey hairs that sprouted up in the process.) Our Greek honeymoon was surprisingly chilly, but we found such beauty in the scenery, people, culture and food that we plan to go back for our first anniversary. It was really difficult to say goodbye to everyone we love in the U.S., but we're incredibly thankful for all the new friends who have helped to make Brussels start to feel like home. I was so nervous about leaving my cushy government job in D.C., but I've been loving writing again and hope to do even more of it in the new year. Sometimes it's so difficult to live in a place where everything feels so different, but the good days are starting to outweigh the bad and even when I'm missing home, I can't help but admit that it's an incredible adventure.

Here's a look back at the past year; I have a feeling I'll never forget it!

{January: Celebrating my 30th birthday in D.C.}

{Early April: My bridal shower in St. Helena, CA}

{Early April: Wine tasting bachelorette party in Napa, CA}

{Late April: Our rehearsal dinner at D.C.'s D.C. Coast}

April 30: Our wedding day at the beautiful Carnegie Institution of Washington

May: Honeymoon in Santorini, Crete and Athens

{November: Hosting our first Thanksgiving}

{December: Enjoying some mulled wine in Cologne}

{December: Our first Christmas in Brussels}

It's been quite a year! I'm looking forward to a calmer 2012. (Fingers crossed!)

Happy New Year!

Christmas Scrapbook

Yesterday we celebrated our first Christmas: a) in Brussels, b) married and c) away from family. Though neither of us have strong religious ties, we both love Christmas and knew it would be hard to celebrate with our families so far away. To make up for the distance, we decided to get into the holiday spirit and start some of our own traditions that we hope to continue for years to come. Take a look...

{Up early and in the holiday spirit!}

{The little Grinch}

{Alex's morning biscuit-making project}

{Christmas brunch: fresh biscuits and a veggie scramble}

{Our tiny (but real) tree!}

{Holiday gifts before...}

{...and after}

{Someone couldn't wait to open gifts!}

{Our gifts to each other}

{Harry enjoying some of his favorite treats shipped from CA}

{My awesome new hat}

{A T-shirt from Alex's favorite sub shop in Ocean City, NJ}

{Our roast chicken dinner}

{The set table, full of family classics and some new traditions}

Merry Christmas!

God Jul!

Yesterday, we had a traditional Scandinavian Christmas buffet lunch at Up North, a lovely Scandi restaurant near the Grand Place, to celebrate the holidays with our Swedish friends. It was our first time experiencing the smorgasbord of Scandinavian delights--ranging from smoked mackerel to elk to salmon prepared three different ways--and it did not disappoint. We're looking forward to sampling more of the cuisine when we head to Stockholm in a week to celebrate NYE.

My Bad Week

By Harry

As you know, I've really been liking Brussels--nice big apartment, big windows for people/bird watching and my new status as a sophisticated European cat--but this week has been the worst. I'm actually shunning my humans at the moment and thought I'd make a list to explain why I've begun exiting rooms whenever they enter.

Harry's Formal List of Complaints

1. Excessive entertaining I. I, personally, do not really care for people. They always want to pet me and pick me up...no respect for personal space; it's really very irritating. Unfortunately, my humans do not share my opinion of their race and insist on throwing parties...constantly. Two weekends ago, my mother hosted a brunch for some of her girlfriends, which would have been fine except that I was locked in the bedroom during the meal and then paraded around like a show cat afterwards so that guests could fawn over me before leaving. And, I wasn't even offered any quiche...so rude.

2. Excessive entertaining II. Last weekend, my humans spent all day Saturday rearranging furniture and cooking. Mom was constantly shooing me out of the kitchen when I tried to sample the hors d'oeuvres, and dad insisted on using that terrifying vacuum to remove all of my beautiful hair from the carpets...so ungrateful. Then, as soon as the party started, I was locked in the bedroom (again!) and wasn't let out until 3 a.m. when all the guests had left. I was so exhausted from the trauma that I spent all yesterday sleeping!

3. Ribbons. I love ribbons. Seriously, ribbon is up there with tuna, ham, and plastic bags as one my favorite foods. I discovered my love for ribbon two years ago when I ate a lovely red one off a Christmas present my humans had received from a friend (they seemed oddly panicked) and have looked forward to birthdays and Christmases ever since, hoping that I might get to try ribbon again. So, you can imagine my displeasure last week when my humans sat there wrapping presents and didn't even offer me any ribbon. In fact, it seemed like they were going out of their way to keep the ribbon from me, which I frankly don't appreciate.

4. The tote bag. I may not have been able to eat any ribbon, but I did get to eat the entire handle of a tote bag. It was a delicious meal, but I got in so much trouble for it. I don't really understand why--it was just sitting out there, waiting to be eaten.

5. Stolen Christmas presents. A package arrived last weekend from my grandparents, and I know that it contained a present for me. I heard the rattling and I could smell the catnip. I tried to grab the present, but my humans took it and locked it away for unknown reasons. I bet they play with it when I'm not around...it makes me so mad.

6. My sickly mother. My mother got sick last week and has been so grumpy ever since. We haven't been playing as much as usual, so I'm a little bored and tired of watching her mope around. Buck up, mom!

I thought I'd end my blog with a shot of me on my favorite couch. (It travelled with us from D.C.) I know, I look mad, but it's been a trying week. Handsome cat though, don't you think?

Cologne

Last weekend, we took a trip to Cologne, Germany to explore their legendary Christmas markets. The city was packed with tourists feasting on potato pancakes, pretzels, and every kind of wurst imaginable. (As you can see from the photos, we got into the holiday spirit too...yum!) Cologne's eight or so markets, each with its own personality and signature glühwein mug, feature craftsmen peddling handmade goods like pottery, jewelry, candles, candy, etc. We had a great time shopping for family and friends with mugs of mulled wine in hand--the perfect holiday weekend!

On the morning train to Cologne...looking forward to some mulled wine!

One of Cologne's biggest markets, right behind its spectacular gothic cathedral.

A better shot of the cathedral.

At the Früh beer hall enjoying some of Cologne's finest.

Alex preparing to feast on bratwurst and potato salad.

With Mae Liz and Daniel enjoying some glühwein at night.

Pretzels the size of your head.

Mushrooms cooked with red wine and onions then topped with a garlicky cream sauce. Delicious!

Potato pancakes served with applesauce. Mmmm!

The Belgian DMV

By Amanda

One of the things I dislike most about living in a foreign country is that the little things become terribly, overwhelmingly difficult. Insignificant errands or tasks that you wouldn't think twice about at home become terrifying endeavors abroad. My strategy for getting things done involves a mixture of pep talks and self bribery. Last week, I told myself that if I could successfully obtain my vitamins from the pharmacist by speaking French, English, or the awkward mixture that I've become accustomed to, I could treat myself to a few choice items at H&M. (I'm very much enjoying my little sweater and hat reward.) Sometimes, I'm successful, and I leave the store feeling light and confident, like I will actually be able to make a go of it in Brussels. Other times, I leave feeling thoroughly defeated and convinced that life here will never get easier.

This morning, I needed to go to our commune (read: neighborhood administration office) to get a few stamps and signatures to process my work visa. The closest thing in the U.S. to a commune is probably the DMV, so imagine navigating your local DMV as a native Russian speaker, and you'll have some idea of what I was up against. Last week, I received an email from embassy HR informing me that my work visa paperwork was ready, but that I needed to go first to the commune before I could file the paperwork. Feeling terrified, I tried, as I often do here, to play the role of the sweet, but incompetent foreigner in a reply email, explaining that my French is not very good and could they please help me set up an appointment with someone at the commune who spoke English. No dice. I was told that folks at the commune did, in fact, speak English and that I would I need to put on my big girl pants and go alone. I put off the trip for a few days, knowing from tales of friends who had braved the communes with their fluent-in-French husbands that in all likelihood: 1) commune officials would not speak English, 2) the commune would be a mess of lines and red tape that I would have to struggle to decipher, and 3) something would, inevitably, go wrong.

The commune office looked just as I expected: a mix between a refugee camp and a scene from the movie Office Space. I found an employee and gave him my best "please take pity on me, I'm an idiot" smile and showed him my forms. He pointed me to a series of lines, and I walked past a group of irritated, bored folks in search of the right line. Then, a savior: A young woman wearing a cheery red sweater waved me over to her desk. I ran. "Do you speak English?" she asked. "Yes!" I said with a grateful grin, assured that this little angel would fix everything. But, it was not to be. According to my little friend, the embassy's directions were completely wrong, I needed to visit an additional government building for some stamps and signatures before she could help me, she was very sorry. Ugh. To be continued...

Thanksgiving II

Here are some more Thanksgiving photos courtesy of Mae Liz!

Alex carving the turkey.

The spread.

The hosts!

The reluctant host.

Trivial Pursuit action shot.

Thanksgiving

By Amanda

Last week, Alex and I achieved what I consider to be a major life milestone: hosting our first Thanksgiving. There was a lot to be nervous about: trying to recreate our favorite family recipes, ensuring that our guests (a lovely Swedish couple) enjoyed themselves, and finally, properly cooking our frozen Butterball turkey so as not to infect our guests and ourselves with salmonella. (We were particularly concerned with the last item on the list!)

Since it was our first Thanksgiving 1) as hosts, 2) as a married couple, and 3) in Brussels, it was particularly important to us that it be successful. So, in classic overachiever fashion, I created a menu and food preparation schedule weeks out so that we would be able to pull it off. Our menu combined recipes from both our families and a few extras that we've picked up along the way.

Amanda & Alex's Thanksgiving Menu

Hors d'oeuvres

Homemade onion dip (We made it once for a NYE party, and it became legendary)

Cheese plate with sliced baguette

Main course

Classic green bean casserole (A favorite of my brother, Will, and I)

Potato filling (A delicious Pennsylvania Dutch take on stuffing--it was always my favorite thing on my mom's Thanksgiving table)

Spinach salad with candied pecans, pomegranate seeds, and goat cheese

Cranberry chutney (Alex's mom's delicious recipe)

Turkey (Fingers crossed!)

Gravy (Another terrifying charge)

Dessert

Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream (My mom's yummy recipe)

Since our dinner was planned for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we used Alex's Thanksgiving holiday to start cooking.

Alex preparing the chutney. Cute apron, huh?

Me working on the onion dip. It's time-intensive, but always a crowd pleaser!

When the big day came we were set...except for one thing: the turkey. Due to the lack of fresh turkeys in Belgium, we bought a 10-pound frozen turkey at the American Air Force base. Following the instructions on the packaging and my detailed schedule, we popped it into the refrigerator on Wednesday morning to allow 3+ days for the turkey to defrost. When we unwrapped it on Saturday, however, it was still frozen. Starting to get concerned that the principal dish would be missing from our Thanksgiving table, we threw the turkey in a cold water bath and crossed our fingers. (Then I made the first of a series of panicked calls to my mother in California for advice.) After 30 minutes in the bath, it seemed pretty well defrosted (and we were running out of time), so we threw it in the oven. Four hours, one broken meat thermometer, and two additional panicked calls to California later, we took the slightly underdone turkey out of the oven, just as our guests were starting to arrive. Though the turkey could have used a couple more minutes in the oven, it was good, and the sides and dessert were great. My personal victory of the night: making delicious gravy. I didn't know I had it in me!

Alex serving our guests, Mae Liz and Daniel.

The plated meal. Not bad for Thanksgiving rookies!

After dinner we played Trivial Pursuit, girls v. boys. Harry volunteered to referee.

Overall, a great debut. Not as good as our respective moms' spreads, but a good start nonetheless. We're looking forward to next year's feast...