Backsplash project

Although when I had my granite done I had a 4" backsplash added, I still felt that the space between the countertops and the cabinets needed a bit of something.  So, as we speak, my uncle is tiling the backsplash around the kitchen in white subway tile.  I'm using a mid-tone gray grout.  Can't wait to see the finished product!  Once it's done I'll post the finished photos of the whole kitchen to get the effect of the new backsplash and the new paint color.

Kitchen gets some paint

God forbid I sit around on a trip home. When I bought the house, the walls and trim in the kitchen were the same color.  It was a nice neutral but didn't allow the woodwork to really show as well as it would with some contrast.  So, I chose a really nice light beige with gray/green undertones and painted the wall part of the kitchen while leaving the trim and woodwork below the same cream color.  It came out great! 

I also got this cutie patootie sign to hang on the wall.  When I first saw the house, the owner had a "Restaurant" sign hanging from the old ladder in the kitchen.  I always loved it so found a place thru ebay that does distressed signs on reclaimed wood - and voila!  I have my very own restaurant sign!

More photos to follow soon...

Walking in a Winter Wonderland - Luzern

This morning when I woke up it was snowing. Now, snow in Luzern is not like snow in Boston. I don't own a shovel. I don't have snow boots. Contrary to popular belief, a Swiss town in winter is not nearly as cold as Boston. We don't have a "wind chill factor" and I've never seen more than about 2.5 inches of snow standing on the ground. It never even gets cold enough for it to get icy on our wet streets.

So, given that there was a little dusting of snow on the town I decided to go out for a walk with my camera to give you a glimpse into my pretty town in winter.

Literally chestnuts are roasting on an open fire all over the town.  The building above is one giant advent calendar and all the bridges are strewn with garland.

December in Luzern

Winter in Europe is usually gray and drizzly. Happily, we've had a few dazzlingly blue sky days so far.

This is the quay directly in front

of our office. I never get tired of this beautiful view.

Here are some fun things to experience at Christmastime in Luzern.

Team Christmas lunch! We had a fabulous lunch at the Old Swiss House complete with giant Wiener Schnitzl made at our table. They are fried in a lump of butter the size of your head (not joking).

At our lunch we continued a new tradition with our 3rd annual Yankee Swap. While getting everyone to understand the concept of stealing other people's gifts took some time, the team is now fully fluent in the strategies. Including gag gifts like a fake mustache (or unibrow) and East German treats called Katzenzungen (Cat's tongues):

Christmas Market

It's very typical in Europe to have pretty Christmas Markets. In parts of Luzern's beautiful Old Town local artisans set up stalls selling their handcrafted goods for Christmas.

An old fashioned lifestyle

During our fairly routine Sunday gathering, one of my friends here in Luzern commented that we get together more often than we did with friends in our own countries (we're all ex pax). It's quite common here to go to a friend's house on a Sunday afternoon or weeknight to make a fire, play cards, crotchet (well, ok maybe only we do that), or watch a movie. We often get together for an impromptu lunch or drink or just meet up for coffee. One of us will text the other "coffee this afternoon?" and the answer is usually "yes!". To me, it's probably what life was like in small towns in the US back in the 1950s - or so I imagine. And it's lovely.

There are more elements of my life here that are very much similar to times gone by. Here are some of the highlights, some of which show up in a slightly different format on my Pros and Cons list on an earlier post.

Workdays
My house is less than a 10 minute walk from work. All of my shopping needs, social needs, etc. are within a 15 minute walk from my house. So, I don't have a car. My walk to work connects me to my community better than a drive-by would. I stop in the bakery on the corner to get a roll for breakfast, or Starbucks on the river. Fairly often my "commute" features a beautiful view of the sun coming up and the sky lightening over snow capped peaks. On more than one occasion I've had to pull out my camera or cell phone to take a picture of the view. Not something I would notice zipping by in a car necessarily.

On most weeknights, stores close at 6:30pm. This includes grocery stores so you need to plan your food shopping for sure. On Thursdays they do have extended shopping hours till about 9pm.

Weekends
On the weekends, stores are open only on Saturday. Even on Saturday they close at 4pm. Nothing but restaurants, cafes and the train station is open on Sunday. Some people complain about the lack of convenience that comes from working around these limited hours. I say, convenience can also be called "life clutter". I had no idea how much of my time was spent running to Walgreens, Home Depot, Target, etc. just because they are "easy" to get to and always open. When everything is closed you are forced to interact and live a real life. Go for a walk or a hike. Meet up with friends. Laze around in a cafe with a book. My fellow Americans, when was the last time you lazed in a cafe with a book? I hope it was recently but fear you won't be able to even remember.

Local shops
Here the idea of the small local specialty store still exists. There are bakeries on every corner here. There is a candy shop. There are shops that sell only pretzel-based sandwiches. There are no stores with the word "Super" in them. When all the stores you need are within a 10 minute walking radius, it doesn't add to your shopping time. And I'll use the word lovely again here.

Interaction
People here walk around, say hello and generally interact. We have a farmer's market that takes up most of the riverwalk twice a week. You'll see regular customers chatting it up with the farm stand staff and people greeting each other while passing. The guy at the coffee shop remembers my order even if I don't go every day.

Outdoor living
The Swiss are very outdoorsy and it rubs off on those of us who moved here. While I haven't taken up downhill skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing I have tried cross-country skiing and have done my share of hiking. You'd be amazed how many people just walk around with their family, friends or significant other on a weekend day. On a nice day in Luzern there are hundreds of people out for a stroll around town or by the lake.

Of course, there are negative hold overs to the 1950s here - everyone smokes like a chimney and they have pretty archaic ideas about the role of women but all in all, I'm very grateful to have experienced this kind of lifestyle and hope I remember to carry it back a bit more whenever the time comes to leave.

My place in Luzern

When I first moved to Luzern I lived in a fab 2 story apartment built when Henry VIII was king of England. After buying the Melrose house I clearly needed to go a bit cheaper so moved into a "1.5 room" (studio with kitchen) in the Old Town of Luzern. Here's the thing - I like it better

than the pricey place. I think I've sprinkled in photos here and there but I haven't done a blog on this place itself and it deserves one.

Everyone says the best part of the place is the amazing roofdeck and it's true. Not only is the deck huge and perfect for parties but the views are truly breathtaking. The shot at the beginning of the blog is one example of the view facing Mt. Pilatus. Turn 180 degrees and you're staring at the old medieval defense wall and towers and the sunsets here are spectacular. You should recognize the photo introducing my blog as my favorite all time photo of Luzern and it was taken from the deck of course.

Here is the inside - it's mostly one big greatroom on the top floor of the building. Tons of light comes in these huge windows

This is my fireplace and one of my favorite elements of the place. Almost makes you long for winter.

So, what's the downside you ask? Well, let's just say that some young couple in `76 must have been quite happy in this kitchen.

Bunker kitchen notwithstanding it's a cozy little nest for my weeks in Luzern.

Piemonte Italy

There are many well-known areas of Italy - Rome, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Venice, Sicily, etc. Piemonte is not a place I'd heard much about. But when my friend Jess and her hubby Chris invited me to tag along to visit the Piemonte area during truffle season, I was more than game.

We rented a little car and 4 hours later - voila! We were in the Piemonte area. Southwest of Milan and near Torino (otherwise known as Turin of shroud fame), this area is well known for its red wines (barbaresco, dolcetto, etc.) and it's rare white truffles.

I'm sure it's famous for its beautiful views too but it was sadly very foggy the whole weekend. But it's still a beautiful area.

But the best part was the food. Ah, the food. These little pillows of heaven are called ravioli plin. On the left we have some plin stuffed with cheese and rosemary just in butter - heaven! One the right is a version with fontina cheese and black truffles. I ate these things 1-2 times per day.

And then I just took some fun photos

Pros and cons of living in Switzerland

While it's a great life here it isn't perfect. So, here are the pros and cons of living here in the Alps:

Pros

Everything’s clean and everything works

You live in postcard-like beauty

You can walk everywhere but the airport, and for that there is a direct train

The food is fresh, locally grown and delicious

It doesn’t get as cold as a Boston winter or as hot as a Boston summer (usually anyway)

You can get to most any European city within 1.5 hrs by plane

Hop on the train and go 2 hours west and you’re hearing French, south and your hearing Italian

Within a 10 minute walk you can be on a beautiful nature hike

It’s a much more relaxed lifestyle than in the US. Low on errands and high on family/friend time

Low taxes and everyone has health care

Cons

An American size M is an XL in Switzerland (no joke)

If you cross the street before the walk sign is lighted you’re likely to get yelled at by old ladies

A take out order or pad thai will set you back $16

You can’t get Light beer

The sky is gray from November thru March

Swiss old people blow past you walking on the uphill hiking trails

There are no Dunkin Donuts

Men with mullets abound

Everyone smokes

Playing with a new camera in Lausanne

Two hours on a direct train from Luzern brings you to Lausanne. It's a French speaking town about 45 minutes from Geneva on a big beautiful lake.

Although my trip there was for a work meeting, I managed to sneak about an hour to play with my new point and shoot digital camera - a Sony Cybershot.

Anyone that knows me knows how much I love photography so although the day was gray and misty and it was mid-October I was on the hunt for texture and color in pretty Lausanne.

From the streets to the rooftops there is texture everywhere in Europe. Beauty and function go hand in hand.

If you squint and get very close to some of the colorful displays you could almost imagine yourself on a hot summer day by the sea.

No time to shop... the meeting's about to start...

ah well. Until next time - au revoir!

Making a difference in New Orleans

Cultural Care sponsors the rebuilding of a library at St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, the school was heavily damaged and Cultural Care has been raising funds to help stock and decorate the library for its' elementary school children. During a meeting in New Orleans in October we were lucky to be able to visit the school and read to the children. They were beautiful, attentive and thrilled to have visitors. They were especially excited to meet our staff from around the world. They saw books from Korea, Australia, Venezuela, Argentina, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Chile, Finland, France and more. We were rewarded with their excitement, smiles, and tons of hugs.