Paris

Well, once again I have let my audience down by not posting regularly. However, in my own defense, I have been on the job hunt - and it is exhausting! Let's just say it's a vicious cycle: I can't get a job, because I don't have experience, because I can't get a job, because I don't have experience.... you get it. I'm just hoping graduate school starts sooner rather than later.

On that bright note, to celebrate our birthdays this year, Mr. Gingerbread and I went to Paris, and

it. was. amazing.

It's an expensive city, but totally worth it to see the famous sites and EAT THE FOOD!

We bought museum passes at the airport before navigating to our hotel, the Hotel France Albion (Wonderful place! The staff is very helpful and very kind!!). Getting the passes first was the best travel tip we got for Paris. With the passes, we skipped several long (and I mean LONG) lines at museums. It was about $75-80 for two, four-day passes, and it covers your entrance into numerous museums and sites. 

Once again, we began our European adventure with a free walking tour from New Europe, and I'll tell you again, they are a great investment! It is expected that you tip at the end, but totally worth it. The guides are knowledgeable and entertaining (Shout out to Arnaud!!). They also give you some great tips about pick pockets, which happens to be a bit of an issue in Paris. If a sweet little girl comes up to you with a sketchy, cardboard "sign-up" looking sheet and tells you a sob-story, as heartless as it sounds, say "no, I don't speak English" and walk away. Some will try to distract you while others go through your things. 

We also used the New Europe tours to go out to Versailles. The guide not only navigated the trains to get us out there, but also spent the day leading us through the gorgeous gardens.

Though we did not take a guided tour of the Louvre, they also provide those as well. Speaking of the Louvre, if you love art, or you're a breathing human being - you need to go. You won't see everything in one day, or even in one trip but you can certainly get your "art fix".  On our walking tour we were told some crafty ways to ditch the lines and beat the crowds. We ended up going to the Louvre in the morning and immediately went to see the Mona Lisa to beat the crowds.

I (gently) made my way to the front and got a brief "moment" with the mysterious smile. But don't expect to stand there and soak up the experience. This room quickly fills throughout the day with tourists and field trips. Several other "big ticket" items have crowds, but just be patient. Something our guide pointed out was that the building itself is a work of art. It was a palace and nearly every room has evidence of this. Look up and around you often to see the beautiful architecture. 

Another suggestion would be to have a plan. Decide what items you really want to see, and get to it! Otherwise it can be a bit overwhelming. There are always maps in every language that show you where the more popular items are. Also, do yourself a favor and don't touch (seems obvious... but you would be surprised...) the art. Not only will you be yelled at in French (alllllmost as terrifying as German) but you will also set off this resounding alarm system and everyone will stare at you. Saw it happen, not cool. 

There are other very notable art museums to see, including Musée d'Orsay, the Rodin Museum, 

Musée de l'Orangerie, along with several modern art museums. These are the homes of many famous pieces of art, and you can get into all of these with the museum pass! Take note of signs. Some places allow pictures to be taken, others don't. 

Another noteworthy site is Les Invalides, the home of Napoleon's tomb. He was a fascinating fellow; always portraying himself as a super tall, imposing emperor... 

I knew his tomb was large, but seeing it in real life (and knowing that he wasn't the tallest guy ever) was just incredible. First of all, the surrounding building holds an armory and war museum. My husband is a history buff, so we had to walk through all of that. Yet, I will say I found it interesting as well. Tons of guns, swords, armor, a couple tanks, cannons, ect. 

When you come to the tomb there is a huge open circle and you look down onto the casket (can you even call it that?? doesn't seem like a big enough word...). You can walk down to the surrounding crypt and look up at it as well. The tomb itself is made up of seven, progressively smaller coffins till you get to the man himself. His brothers, son, and some that fought with him are also buried there. 

Apparently, at one time they were considering knocking down Notre Dame. So Victor Hugo wrote a well-known novel in 1831, "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame", to revive the cities' interest in the church, and it worked! After walking underneath the high, vaulted ceiling, and taking in the massive, intricate stained glass, I felt rather small. It is truly one of the great European cathedrals. Don't miss out on walking to the back of the church outside as well. The architecture is incredible! 

Another church that rivals the stained glass of Notre Dame is La Sainte Chapelle. The majority of the cathedral is stained glass depicting Biblical stories, and it is breathtaking. Though the room was filled with people, it was silent. Everyone was looking up. 

While we were there, they were painstakingly restoring some of the windows. Every tiny piece is removed, cleaned, and replaced. 

Paris is beautiful city, and seeing it from up high is a must. Our guide (cleverly) pointed out that, sure you can wait in line FOREVER and climb up the Eiffel Tower to see the city. However, none of your pictures will have the Eiffel Tower in them. A much better idea is to climb the narrow, lengthy, and winding staircase of the Arc de Triomphe and get your view there. It's cheaper than the Eiffel Tower, and the view is amazing! 

Ok... so you are standing on the sidewalk looking at the throng of traffic in front of you. You look longingly at the happy tourist under the Arc... "How do I get over there without being creamed like so many mopeheads???" Well, don't try running, you probably won't make it. Reportedly, some sort of car accident occurs every 14 minutes around the Arc.  Use the underground walkway that will spit you out right under the Arc. You will then be at the French equivalent of the tomb of the unknown soldier. From there you can climb the steps to get up to the view. You will then be treated to a view of the Eiffel Tower, the city lights, the Champs Elysees, everything.... gorgeous!

We just happened to get there at sunset, but our timing couldn't have been better... 

I'm not trying to bash the Eiffel Tower. It was surreal to finally see it in real life. We went by several times to enjoy the parks and even stayed out to see the light show one evening which begins at 9:00 pm every night. 

There is a ton to see and do in Paris. I certainly have to go back to conquer (sorry Napoleon...) more of the Louvre and the bread. The bread is amazing. Every legitimate bakery has to have a certified bread baker. A local told us how each bakery has it's own style. Usually I loose weight on these trips from all the walking... not this time. What a wonderful birthday present with my sweet husband!!

Get up and go! 

Berlin Basically...

I know... I know... It's been awhile. A lot is going on, maybe too much.

Where to begin... Some of you already know we lost our chihuahua, Gigi, this past spring. It was especially tough because my husband had already moved by then. Yes, we moved to Tallahassee.

Tallahassee, land of the daily rain shower/ lightening attack. But excellent food; I'll get to that...

After a few months we adopted a dog from a rescue. Her name is Betsy and she is lazy and awesome. If you too have a place for an animal that needs a home, I suggest Last Hope Rescue in Tallahassee, Fl (http://www.lasthoperescue.org/). The organizers are extremely friendly and accommodating.

Since my last post I have quit the teaching gig, begun pursuing a new career, baked a whole lot less, and traveled to Europe again.

Over Thanksgiving my husband and I traveled to Berlin. Now, I wasn't sure what all would be there. I let Mr. Gingerbread do all the googling in our house. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. Berlin is a wonderful city. It may not be the first city you think of when you plan your "back-pack" across Europe, but you have to see it.

There is a ton to see and do. I suggest a New Euro free walking tour. "But Anna, I don't want to walk a billion miles first thing in the mid-morning.." Well, suck it up butter-cup. It is well worth the effort! First of all, its free. After spending $1000+ on flight over and a hotel (The Hampton was great, but I'll get to that later), free is good. The tour helps you get acquainted with the city; you learn about your surroundings and how to navigate. When we went, the tours were meeting at Brandenburg Gate by the Starbucks. You get your coffee, walk around Berlin, and ask the guides questions about where to eat and drink - they live there! They provide tours in several languages. (For more information: http://www.newberlintours.com/daily-tours.html, note that there is a Pub Crawl!) The guides are polite, entertaining, and very knowledgeable about the city and sights. (They also provide a tour of the concentration camp). Mr. Gingerbread has done tours with this group 6 times and really enjoyed it!

Berlin also has a museum island. You can buy 2 or 3 day passes to all the museums on the island. I say "island" because technically it is an island. I can't remember the explanation (see, you need to go on the tour and find out! Like a little surprise!), but it is. Oh, and though I'm sure I laid eyes on many priceless treasures, the one that was the most memorable was the Bust of Nefertiti in the Neues Museum (New Museum... b/c its new... oh the Germans and their naming...). But like most pricey, memorable stuff in museums, you are not allowed to take pictures of it. And nothing... I mean nothing.. is more terrifying than being yelled at in German. I personally have not experienced the horror, but I've heard things... embarrassing things...

So I took pictures of not so famous stuff... lots of pictures...

The Gates of Nebuchadnezzar and the Ishtar Gate are amazing! The Pergamon museum is a MUST! It was probably the best museum we visited. They have rebuilt huge portions of the Pergamon Altar and towering (no pun intended!) city gates. You could probably spend days exploring the museums on the "island".

Berlin also has a lot of World War II history. If you are interested in that part of history, or just a human being you need to check it out. The remnants of the Gestapo Headquarters: Topography of Terror Museum is A LOT of reading. However, it is well worth it to learn about what was going on in the minds of those in charge during that era. It was bombed (like almost all of Berlin), so not much of it is around. Right above the headquarters, in the picture below is a piece of the Berlin wall. (Ok, if you go into any touristy store you will see these little plastic boxes with "your very own piece of the Berlin wall"... so you can even take it home with you... probably not.) Something else interesting about the Berlin wall is the double brick line that you will see periodically running through the city. This marks the spot where the wall used to stand.

On that note, I will add that everyone needs to see the memorials to the Holocaust. I know on a vacation you probably don't want to be moved to tears by something as terrible as this, but the memorial truly is a sight to see. The artist purposefully does not explain what the blocks of the memorial mean. He wanted you to interpret what the memorial means to you. The blocks go from ground level to way high above your head and back down again on the other side. We also visited Sachsenhausen Concentration camp. And let me just say, everyone should visit a concentration camp. We went in November and it was freezing, even with our coats and gloves. Can you imagine what it was like in January with what essentially were striped pajamas?

On a lighter note, let me briefly share some fun facts about our hotel. The Hampton was delightful and modern. The bed was comfortable, the breakfast was huge and delicious: bacon, eggs, sausage, nutella, toast, pastries, yogurt, deli-style cold cuts, cheese, nutella... I could go on. Let's just say we hardly ate lunch we were always so full from breakfast! Cities like Berlin are a lot of walking, so a big breakfast works well! 

One awkward tiny criticism: the bathroom door was frosted glass; it doubled as the closet door. Ok... me and my husband... nbd... but in-laws? parents? siblings? sorry... I don't want to see the outline/shadow (and frankly not even my husband's) of people doing their "water closet" happenings. So... if you go with the fam... well... just think about it.  

Last thing: Berlin Zoo. In America we would never be allowed that close to wildlife. We went in November and there were still tons of animals out. Our favorite was the "big cat" exhibit. It was inside, so we walk on in.

Lions, people. Lions. And this is WITHOUT ZOOM. They are basically in cages two feet away from you. And wouldn't you know it, at feeding time they all start roaring. You could feel it in your bones. 

Look, more dangerous animals you can get crazy close too. Now... there are safety measures in place: bars, water, trenches... that kind of thing, but it was still pretty extraordinary.  They even had an American Eagle... we dropped by and said hello.  Also, there was a seal guy.

It was like a little, miniature Sea World there for a second. 

Anyways, I hope I have inspired you to get up and go, its well worth it!

- Anna 

London

Well, tomorrow another school year begins. I know I haven't been the most consistent when it comes to  posting, but last year was EXTREMELY busy. I wish I could share all the details, but suffice it to say, I was working my booty off... not literally... literally I added 5 or 6 pounds to my booty... but it's ok. I have time to cook again. The second year of teaching is far kinder than the first.

The highlight of the year was the trip my sweet Mr. Gingerbread took me on for our first wedding anniversary. He took me to London, and even though we went in December, there was surprisingly nice weather. 

Aside from a few accidental flashes when there wasn't supposed to be... and a brief, but stern, reprimand from a beef eater (as if light deteriorates the outside gate of the building or diamonds... it doesn't... I looked it up...)... it was an excellent trip. 

I saw this little school bus on the Thames... it's a tourist attraction, but it looked really unsafe. Needless to say, we did not ride the Magic Boat Bus...

And this was our tour guide at the Tower. He was the coolest!! He took us into this chapel at the Tower, and he said the Queen gave him permission to let his daughter get married there. How cool is that?? That girl becomes the "astronaut" in every one-upper conversation about weddings from that day on!

Westminster Abbey was easily one of my favorite spots. There are some extremely old tombs in there, and many famous memorials. Darwin, Jane Austin, Shakespeare... we spent hours walking around reading the walls. There were even a few from the plague era... ew...
Unfortunately, there is no photography in there, and that made me sad... I was photo crazy this far into the trip... talk about a buzz kill...

That's me at Buckingham Palace... seriously, the only day it rained...

This is Cleopatra... now the only Cleopatra I have ever seen is the reenactment actress on the History Channel. She was not looking to good 2000 years later... 

Aaaaaaand this is my DumDum. 

Needless to say, it was an incredible trip. My sweet husband took me out to dinner, and because he had already been to London, showed me all the great sights as well. We stayed at a wonderful B&B next to Hyde Park.

Also, Gigi is doing well. She sleeps a lot, and is aspiring to learn how to sit and stay.  If you have bacon the sit part happens really quickly... I want her to be a therapy dog. Does anyone know how hard that would be? She seems to be the type of dog they are looking for from what I've read, but she won't stay.

I hope you all are doing well. Be looking for a great recipe in the next couple of days, because it's coming!!!!

Halloween!

That super sugary day is coming quickly.  I don't hardly have time to bake anymore, so I stayed up late (I have the bedtime of a "Quilting Club" president) to do some catching up. The orange icing is a little "creamsicle", but I did the best I could with my cheapo food coloring.

I thought I would share some of my Halloween memories from when I was a kid....

Normally, kids dress up like ballerinas, ninjas, and pirates and walk around collecting candy in the biggest pillow cases they can find.

Not when I was growing up.

Every good presbyterian kid knows that Halloween is really Reformation Day.  I've mentioned before that I am a P.K. ("preacher's kid" for those of you who've never been to Christian summer camp or "iYouth for Awesome Praise and True Friendship" youth group), and my dad would have had a conniption if we had dressed up to support that pagan holiday.

So instead of being a harmless ballerina, or worse a woodland fairy with sparkly wings (I really wanted some... like bad...), I dressed up like I was from the middle-ages and hung out with the other creepy church kids.  It took a really long time for my brothers and I to start trick-or-treating, and once my younger brother got started, he was never going to stop.

Don't get me wrong. I'm glad my dad taught me just about everything from Church history. I nailed History 102 to the wall (no pun intended Martin Luther fans...) because I already knew most of what Dr. Pierre lectured about.  Dad probably saved me from childhood obesity as well.  Think of all that candy I missed out on!

Anyways, now that I am married and have my own little apartment, I will be leaving the light on for the little ballerinas and pirates. I even went to the store today and bought the candy! I am one pumpkin away from Halloween perfection!!!

And, I am slowly working my way towards my winter fat storage.  It's only natural to gain weight around winter time, bears do it... and it's almost November, so if you haven't started yet, you better get to it! Start with these rich chocolate cupcakes with vanilla (creamsicle colored) icing!

Recipe is courtesy of JoyofBaking.com.  Also, try her vanilla icing, it's quite good!

Enjoy!

Where has my life gone...

Unemployment was not really that fun.  I mean, I had just moved to a new town, so I didn't know anybody.  I didn't know where anything was, and wouldn't want to go by myself anyways.  My husband worked an 8-6 job; it was just lonely.  The apartment could only be so clean, I could only bake so many cookies.... and I was definitely not going to work out more than once a day (which turned to zero times a day after a visit to the back doctor...).

Now I have a job, and as you can see from the date of my last post, it soaks up every moment of my day.  Usually, I wake up at 6 so that I can get to work early.  I do this mostly for the copier...  If you're a teacher, you know what I mean.

Today there was finally a respite from the grind.  Appropriate for a Sunday.  So I baked some more whoopie pies.  These are AWESOME!!  They are from JoyofBaking.com.  The cookies are a lot softer than the last recipe I tried, and the icing is tastier too.  I'm not a big fan of crisco in icing, but it really does make it nice and fluffy, and doesn't taste too bad either!! Crisco can do anything...

(photo courtesy of Joyofbaking.com)

I probably ate three of these in the amount of batter I consumed.  I was wondering why I ended up with an odd number of cookies...  Oh well... P.S. I bought one of those cool, slidey ice cream scoops. So all my whoopie cookies were the same size, and they look amazing!

The ice cream scoop inspired me to make more meat balls this week.  I am perfecting my own recipe.  It is coming along, but could still use some tweeks here and there.

I hope this reminds my readers I'm still here, and I will try to post more often.  P.P.S. this week someone (cough, cough) will be 24.  While someone else (cough Mr. Gingerbread cough) turned 30 last week.  He's half way to 60, and I'm almost half way to 50... yikes...

I miss my blog...

Well friends...
I guess this is working life...
I hardly cook, clean, or blog.  And not because I don't want to, because believe me, I miss baking a lot.  I want to try pretzels again and maybe this time not suck at it!

However, for right now, this is my view.  My calendar (of which I have two, and somehow still managed to miss a faculty meeting...), my tape and stapler which students always seem to need, and my pencils, which I thought by marking would keep them from being stolen... oh how silly a thought that was...

We went back to Mississippi for Labor Day and had the usual Granny's House fair. Not to mention my dad's smoked tenderloin.  So good! Always tender and delicious! We also managed to meet Tropical Storm Lee head on.  The entire weekend it POURED.  A real "gully warsher" or "frog strangler" if you will.... These are super southern phrases if you are not familiar.  Thankfully we chased the storm all the way back to Florida and didn't see another drop of rain.

However, as soon as we returned it was back to the grind.  I find myself asking every night, how do I teach these kids? How do I get them to care about their education and see their own potential? I hope I am doing everything I should be.  I hope I am not being too hard on them.  I read that I am to keep my standards high, and that some will rise to the occasion.  I just hope they hurry up and rise so I can start sleeping better!

Today I would like to share my recipe for my favorite icing.  I could eat it straight if I knew it wouldn't kill me.  Cream Cheese Icing.  It goes on everything.

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 Stick of butter (and none o' that fake stuff... you know what I mean!)
1 (8 oz.) package of Cream Cheese
A little milk (2-3 tablespoons as needed)
2-3 Cups confectioners sugar
A tiny bit of Vanilla (1 teaspoon or so)

1. Put your cream cheese and butter out till they are room temperature and very soft.

2. Cream the cream cheese and the butter together in a mixer.  Add the vanilla and milk.

3. Start adding your confectioners sugar till it starts to take on the icing consistency.  If it gets to stiff add more milk, if it gets too loose, add more sugar till it's just right.

4. Spread on anything that will hold still and enjoy! Especially some Red Velvet Cake!!

BTW: if you have not read "The Help" I strongly suggest you pick it up. It is a beautiful story, and written by a Jackson, MS native to boot!