Dog Days and Sheep's Cold

Perhaps it's the long agricultural tradition or maybe the environmental awareness, but the southern Bavarians are still very in touch with nature and weather patterns.  I think our parents all remember this type of knowledge, but it's beginning to be lost by our generation and the next ones as our daily lives become more and more removed from the land.  Living in Bavaria and Thailand has reminded me of many of the traditions I'd forgotten or never known, as well as taught me new ones.  And if there's one thing I've learned here is that if they've bothered to make a German word for something, it means it will happen with regularity!

Despite a couple of glorious hours of warm sun yesterday morning, it's been chilly and rainy here for the past week or two.

Every year, it's pretty similar...Warm weather comes just before Easter, in time to open the beer gardens.  It's normal that the temperature varies widely throughout the day - it's often a little chilly in mornings and evenings, even in August.  But around the 2nd week of June, it gets downright chilly and nasty. Invariably, it's just a few days after I finally give in and pack away the winter clothes and bring out summer. Luckily this year I planned ahead and left a few things out for the cold times.

In Bavaria, they call this the Schafskälter, which means Sheep's Cold. The cold snap usually ocurrs soon after the sheep are shorn, leaving them very cold and vulnerable. (apparently the lambs and ewes normally aren't shorn until after the schafskälter, as the cold can be dangerous to them). In the Austrian Alps, this can even bring snow at higher altitudes, and here in Munich hail showers are not uncommon.

There is a scientific explanation for this - in Germany and Austria, the land has warmed up, but the northern seas still are quite cold, creating a massive low pressure zone over the area. This brings cold polar air down from the northwest, and reverses the prevailing winds so that it stays here. According to the Bauernregeln.com (roughly similar to a Farmers' Almanac), this early June drop in temperature happens with 89% regularity! 

We do have the Dog Days (Die Hundestage) to look forward to in late July and August. The hottest, driest days of summer, they have been called Dog Days by the Romans, Greeks, and ancient Egyptians. Not because the dogs pant and seek shade, but because they coincided with Sirius (the Dog Star, in the Canis Major constellation) rising at the same time as the sun over the Nile and Tiber rivers.  We know today that it's a regular high pressure area that settles in, but the ancients thought that Sirius brought the weather.

So, while the Hundestage aren't uniquely German, as a good resident of Bavaria, I look forward to spending the hot days under the shade of a beer garden tree, or wading in the Isar!

Parisian Shoes

Herr J alluded to another one of my surgical shopping strikes. I think I surprised even him with the swiftness and efficiency, but really I just wanted the exact same pair of black ballet flats I've had for 3 years. Minus the 3 years of wear and tear.

So our walking tour of Paris included a quick stop in the Repetto flagship store near the Opera.

It may not be the most well-known attraction or the most glamorous of Parisian shoes (we would have spent HOURS had we visited Christian Louboutin!).  However, it's worth a visit for two reasons:

• to buy the most comfy ballet flats in the world
• if you ever loved ballet

New Bolchoi Flats :)For me, it's more the former.  Trying to walk for hours in heels, especially on European cobblestone walks, is painful and it hurts my poor beautiful shoes.  City life has driven me to need flats. And every pair I've tried just give horrible blisters and tear up my heels. It doesn't matter if they're cheap or really well made; they're just all too rigid, and often have flimsy soles. Sadly I've probably wasted a lot of money on inexpensive "comfortable" shoes that in the end are unwearable.  Thankfully a good friend in Singapore introduced me to Repetto, and I'm hooked on the Bolchoi flats with their super-soft leather and square toes.  Light like ballet shoes (feels like wearing nothing on your feet) but with soles that can deal with walking outside.

For those who have a love of ballet, it's a wonderful little store full of history and tutus and pointe shoes and other beautiful ballet attire.  The reason the shoes are so wonderfully comfortable is in their history.  I know nothing about ballet shoes, but these are supposed to be among the best. Founder Rose Repetto was the mother of famous French choreographer Roland Petit.  After she made shoes for Roland’s use, she eventually opened the store in 1947 at this location near the Opera.  They initially made only real ballet shoes, but the legend is that Brigitte Bardot commissioned the boutique to make her a pair of red ballet flats to wear in And God Made Woman, kicking off the chic Parisian trend. 

Though they remain a premier shoe supplier to ballet companies, Repetto now is part of Reebok.  After major troubles after Rose's death, Reebok purchased the failing business in 1999 and has turned it around (through a bankruptcy and reorganization) into a trendy fashion brand.  Today they’ve expanded beyond flats into other dance-inspired shoes (heels that look like they could tango all night) and even boots and loafers. I doubt I would buy Repetto boots, but I’m curious if the heels are as comfortable as their flats given their dance background. I would LOVE to find heels I could walk in on European streets for hours!

If you're interested, you can watch a video here of the shoes being made.

Repetto
22 Rue de la Paix
Paris
Metro Stop: L'Opera
Open Mon-Sat 9:30-19:30

I'll still keep wearing the old pair until they completely fall apart (especially for long walks), but now can wear flats to work functions without feeling ashamed of my really beat up dingy shoes.

In the interest of full disclosure, I recieve nothing for writing a post about fabulous shoes. Other than that joy that new shoes always bring. Of course, if Repetto (or other Parisian shoemakers... Yes, M. Louboutin, I'm talking to you!) wanted to send me free shoes in exchange for press on our tiny little blog, I could be bought.  Easily!

My New (Woman) Purse

I'm not sure that I really have to specify, but since we've talked a lot about man purses here on Schnitzelbahn, perhaps I do.

While I really enjoy photography and love my camera, I struggle with how to carry it - especially for a long day of sightseeing. For Herr J - with his larger bag, stronger muscles, and smaller camera/lenses - it's not a major issue. He can easily fit his camera and several lenses in his manpurse, with plenty of room to spare. Plus, and let's be honest here...he doesn't care quite as much how it looks with what he's wearing or how it matches his shoes. This could change once he has multiple manpurses...we shall see....

I had a purse or two that were big enough to carry my camera and perhaps one additional lens. But their shoulder straps are always slipping off (especially when wearing a coat) and give me shoulder pain after an hour or two. When hiking or doing a lot of outdoor walking, I can use my wonderful little camera backpack. It's falling apart (the zipper is on its last legs) but it has some padding and the dual straps are much better on the back. Plus, since it's on there securely, I have both hands free.

The problem with the bag, however, is that most museums here prohibit any backpack style bags, no matter the size. While this bag is smaller than my purse or Herr J's, it's apparently the style that is the issue and the museums force you to check it. You can probably take a Birkin bag through, but not a small, flat camera backpack. Annoying and also I usually carried this as a combo purse/camera bag, so wouldn't want to check my wallet and sunglasses and phone as well.

After too many sore shoulders and annoyances, I had to make a change. I had seen a few really cool ones on US websites, including Kelly Moore's bags which look like a stylish purse from the outside, but are structured to protect your gear. However, the truth is that I'd also been looking for an excuse to get either a George, Gina, & Lucy or a Liebeskind bag. I love the hardware on the GG&Ls or the supersoft leather on the Liebeskinds, but I really liked the idea of getting something German and not yet well-known in the US. Occasionally I'll see a paparazzi photo of someone carrying a GG&L in LA, but it's not yet a well-known brand there. I hope it stays that way! Unfortunately I doubt it, especially now that they make leather versions (beautiful but NOT in the same price range!)...

Basically I was looking for the perfect blend of form and function, of style and structure. So, I took Herr J to go purse shopping.

Don't worry guys, this was not the cliché of dragging your man along for hours of painful shopping, asking if he prefers these Navy Blue shoes to those Prussian Blue ones that look indistinguishable to the average male eye. No, this was more of a surgical strike. I had done my recon, selected potential targets, and planned to have dinner afterwards at Augustiner am Dom. Nothing like the prospect of flammkuchen, zwiebelrostbraten, and tasty beer to hurry the process along!

So, our outing was successful and Herr J provided invaluable advice. Really!

Though it is not my typical style, I ended up getting a messenger style bag. I had planned to get something that at minimum had a shoulder strap, though I gravitated to the tote-style bags that had both handles and straps.  Herr J accurately pointed out that (1) this design will better distribute the weight, (2) keep my hands free for taking photos, eating ice cream, holding a beer, or all of the above, and (3) the construction and fasteners used on the messenger bag are much sturdier and can handle the weight and wear & tear that will come from carrying around a D700 and a couple of lenses (Here threre's room to spare after a D700 with 24-70mm attached, plus 70-300mm and 100mm macro).

It also needed to have a secure zip closure, in case I'm somewhere that pickpockets are an issue.

I chose the blue, so that it would work for all seasons and with black or brown. That's the girly part of things... In the past few years, I find myself gravitating towards red or blue bags, since they are much more versatile with shoes and coats. Now that I have to think about wearing coats much of the year.

How has it worked?

This bag has surpassed all my expectations. In my travels for work, it has turned out to be a perfect laptop bag as well! That was a big surprise, and a huge help when I have travels or a lot of walking. Not the most formal bag, however, so I have my eye out for something sturdy but a bit dressier (I'm thinking red this time, probably leather). 

Sightseeing in Stuttgart

The Hoffsicle

Apparently The Hoff has now conquered Britain, as Del Monte has made a raspberry-flavored popsicle in his image (to celebrate National Ice Cream Month).

I don't even know where to begin...Let us know if you're in the UK and tried one. Better yet, send a photo!

Paris

We met up with one of Herr J's friends in Paris for the weekend. A very short trip, but lots of fun to report...great food, the Louvre, new shoes, loads of walking, and even bigger loads of photos. ("I'm going to bracket that and tonemap the heck out of it!" was something I heard often.

I'm off for a business trip for a few days, and haven't had a chance to sort through all the pictures.

Until then, here are a couple of lovely skies. We were lucky to have some very dramatic clouds, changing constantly through the days. (And happy that the rain held off until Sunday night)

Pansies

When we visited at the beginning of May, Nymphenburg Gardens didn't have many formally planted flowers, with the exception of beds of pansies in two locations.

I've always liked pansies, but never thought they were that special. Until our May Day morning walk.

The pansies planted by the main palace had the most amazing effect from the night's rain.

 

   

 

In front of the cafe were beds of a different variety of pansies. These were sprinkled with pollen rather than rain drops, but were the most vibrant, frilly pansies I'd ever seen.

 

Observing the Culture's Language

We've been watching The Big Bang Theory on DVD lately (great show, if you haven't seen it!!). The basic premise is geeky young scientists befriending (and in one's case, dating) the hot girl across the hall - and all the funny misadventures that ensue.

In the first season's sixth episode, the boys attend Penny's Halloween party and have trouble interacting with the other guests.  As they sit together on the couch amid a room of beautiful people socializing, the follow conversation ocurrs:

Leonard: I want to get to know Penny's friends...I just don't know how to talk to these people.

Sheldon: Actually, I might be able to help.

Leonard: How so?

Sheldon: Like Jane Goodall observing the apes, I initially saw their interactions as confusing and unstructured. But patterns emerged. They have their own..."language," if you will.

Leonard: Go on.

Sheldon: Well, it seems that the newcomer approaches the existing group with the greeting, "How wasted am I?"  Which is met with an approving chorus of, "Duuude.

It struck us that standing in Marienplatz or outside the Hofbrauhaus is a great place for a similar experiement.  Seemingly overnight - as May turned into June - the predominant language in these areas switched from German/Italian to English.  Listening to the young American tourists and groups kicking off their summer study abroad, we found ourselves making a similar observation.

The standard interaction?

Dude, how many beers did I have last night?

The beer here is, like, so good.

Yeah, but they're, like, sooo big!

Have you been to the Hofbrauhaus yet?

Ahhh...Munich in summer, from the point of view of the under-21s!