I just got back from Germany and I had an amazing time! Everything was great, though it’s changed a lot, and I asked the Germans a lot of questions about things that they took for granted, like “how do I buy a ticket for this streetcar? Am I on the right streetcar/train to (destination)? How…
Month: February 2008
Germany Here I Come!
At last, my flight for Germany is about to be called, and I’m off to to fairy-tale land, er, Germany. For all my intentions of winging it (or as the Germans would say “driving in the blue”), I find myself pretty well-scheduled. I’m starting off in Dossenheim, a suburb of Heidelberg, where I spent my…
Cupertino Whole Foods versus Austin Whole Foods
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Shelly in her town of Austin, Texas. One of the places she lead me to was the Whole Foods store, which also happened to be the headquarters of the worldwide holistic-substenance Whole Foods chain. In a word, it was mind-blowing. I had never…
How Comic-Con is Like Oktoberfest or Mardi Gras
I had a fit today when my hairstylist told me he’d lost my appointment, so I’d have to reschedule my haircut. In short, I’m having issues about reservations these days, especially about them getting lost or botched. I sat in shock for a day after receiving confirmation that our company actually had reasonable hotel rooms,…
Happy Chinese New Year! (and the Girl Scout Cookie Intrigue)
Last week Neil asked me if we could go to a homeschoolers’ park day again, and I was delighted to oblige. We usually go to a San Jose group which meets on Thursdays, but regrettably usually only has teen boys. But on Tuesday I was feeling stir-crazy, and another group, which happens to have more…
Zipcar: the new urban transport
I saw my first Zipcar on Saturday, as I pulled into the Trader Joe’s in Daly City. It instantly struck me as a brilliant service: a car you can borrow (that is, rent) quickly in urban areas for all those tasks you miss a car for: such as buying up groceries or other supplies, taking…
Child Protective Services Threatens to Fine Germany’s “Idol”
In preparation for my trip to Germany, I’m watching YouTube clips of “Deutschland Sucht ein Superstar,” (DSDS) Germany’s version of “American Idol, and reading Germany’s tabloid newspaper, Das Bild. The two converged recently in a story that puts the nanny into “nanny state.” Just as context, DSDS is a lot like “American Idol” and the…
A Surprising SuperBowl
As is our family custom, Peter and I watched the Super Bowl, each of us picking a different team to root for. I as much had the New England Patriots chosen for me, because my team lost last year, and it was widely assumed they’d easily win the Super Bowl. The only question was, by…
Marie Antoinette Makes an Appearance at the Legion of Honor
Today I dragged my children to Lincoln Park to visit the Legion of Honor. It’s one of my favorite museums, and though the current exhibition wasn’t that compelling to me, I haven’t been there in over a year. I’ve been having trouble finding a weekday free enough from other commitments, and when I do take…