November is a funny month. It’s already grey and cold, yet not quite winter. For most people, it’s just an in-between month they want to rush through while waiting for the magic of Christmas to arrive.

Still, it has its own quiet charm. There is nothing quite like spending a slow Saturday morning strolling through the local market and shopping directly from regional farmers. While walking around town, I noticed that a few shops and cafés are already a step ahead, putting up their festive Christmas decorations.

As for me? I’m still very much in a cozy autumn mood – though I’m not quite ready to embrace the grey skies just yet. In fact, we’re chasing the sun next week. The suitcases are out, the packing has begun, and we are officially ready for a week off!

Halloween is officially here, and we did something a little different this year!

Trick or treat? Sorry to the kids in our neighborhood back home – we escaped the usual doorstep duty this time around! 👻 Instead, we traded the suburbs for a thrilling, cozy Halloween camping adventure tucked away in beautiful Bavaria. Bohoooooo! 🌲⛺️

The campsite is stunning. Walking around, it is so fun to see how some of the other camping homes are beautifully decorated with lights, webs, and skeletons.

We left in a rush Friday right after work, and in the packing frenzy, we completely forgot all of our own Halloween decorations at home.

We didn’t forget our costumes, though 👻

Our very first fall camping experience – and certainly not our last! 🍂🍂

Also new: shaking along the way 🫐🍓

Long before Halloween became a night of plastic masks, neon candy bags, and neighborhood block parties, October 31st belonged to the shadows. More than two millennia ago in the mist-shrouded lands of ancient Ireland, the Celts braced themselves for  Samhain – a night when the sun died, the new year was born, and the veil separating the living from the dead wore terrifyingly thin. As the autumn wind howled, the living didn’t dress up for fun; they disguised themselves in gruesome shapes to hide from the restless spirits and malevolent demons bleeding into our world. Lock your doors and dim the lights, because the candy-coated holiday you love is built on a desperate, ancient ritual of survival. Bohoooooo 💀

Let’s get the Trick or Treat Party started 👻

Well, there was a lot of murder and blood in and around our van… 🩸

…the living didn’t dress up for fun; they disguised themselves in gruesome shapes to hide from the restless spirits and malevolent demons bleeding into our world… 😁

Somehow, we are all still alive 🙏

The ghosts are gone.

The day after Halloween: leaving wasn’t so easy. Needed manpower to get us out of the mud.

Spooky Camping was fun 👻

Happy fall, you all, but…

Ever been to a kitchen party? We love the concept. 

Imagine stepping right past the “Staff Only” sign and walking straight into the heartbeat of a restaurant.

A restaurant kitchen party is an experiential, high-energy dining event where the traditional barriers between the dining room and the kitchen are completely removed.

Instead of sitting at a private table waiting for a waiter, guests are invited directly into the back-of-house production kitchens to grab food straight from the chefs, mix drinks, and socialize in a lively, informal atmosphere.

And so the kitchen party started 🥳

Still hungry?

No! Can‘t go home without another little snack. Lol.

A great idea to spend a rainy afternoon in best company and delicious food creations. 

Dear Chefs, thanks for cooking. Every single dish was a delight! It was fun to watch your precise work fnishing each dish!

Now home on the sofa! 😁

The Ultimate Rouladen Showdown: Hubby vs. Frankonia (aka My Mum)

Can you actually improve a classic? If you know my husband, you know he’s been trying to perfect the traditional Bavarian roulade for years.

I mean, let’s be real – how is that even possible? My mum’s roulade is simply THE BEST. It’s the taste of my childhood, its comfort food, it’s absolute tradition, it’s just… Mama.

Last Sunday was supposed to be a classic “Mama’s recipe” day. Instead, hubby staged a kitchen takeover. I decided to step back and let him do it his way.

Did he actually beat the master? Check out the results below and judge for yourself!

First difference: cooking the Rouladen „sous vide“, French for “under vacuum”.

Voila! Hubby’s Modern Sunday Roast Twist. Served and ready to eat.

So, what is the final judgment in the Rouladen debate?

My mom officially holds onto the crown for the traditional Bavarian title. You just cannot beat the nostalgia, the perfect balance of mustard, bacon, and pickles, and that rich gravy that tastes like home. It is, and always will be, undefeated.

However, credit where credit is due: hubby didn’t fail. Instead, he invented a fantastic new Sunday roast recipe. It might not be the Roulade I grew up with, but it may earn a permanent spot on our weekend menu.

It wouldn’t be like him if he hadn’t already figured out how to improve it next time.

And the question of the question: is the new Roulade now a „Roulitzel“ or a „Schnoulade“? 🥰

Sometimes, losing a kitchen battle means winning a whole new favorite dish!

Thanks for cooking! 😘😘😘

Are you team tradition or team twist when it comes to family recipes?

Walking through colorful autumn leaves.

Finding a cozy spot to read and drink tea.

Heading out with the camera to capture nature in its autumn colors.

Wearing old favorite sweaters again.

Hops are ready! 🍻

Strolling through the crisp morning air with this beautiful lady 🐶.

Experiencing the Indian summer.

Little reminders that a beautiful autumn often isn’t made of big plans, but of the small moments we too easily overlook.

Fall in 2026 is also when you compared oil prices for too long and hoped the price would decrease… well, it didn’t. In fact, prices doubled (!!!) compared to last year. We ordered half a tank and not giving up hope that prices will decrease. We ordered far too late and had some chilly days and nights in the house already. Ups. Well, not that we wouldn’t be used to such situations. Blankets out. Fleece jackets out. Love the morning ride to work with seat heat on full blast. Good news: our oil delivery arrived earlier than expected: 2 days ago. 

Having breakfast in bed on Sundays – mainly not for the romantic idea but because the bed has a heating blanket. Most wanted spot for all of us, especially Charlie. Lol. 🥐

How about you? Are you still holding on to summer a little bit, or are you already looking forward to the cozy season?

Rhöner Wurstmarkt in Ostheim – a festival for gourmets!

Every two years, Ostheim, my home town, becomes a meeting point for food lovers, especially sausage lovers… and wine lovers… and beer lovers 🥰

It’s all about sausages.

… and beer.

The Wurstmarkt is showcasing the traditional culinary craftsmanship of the Bavarian, Hessian, and Thuringian Rhön ❤️

The best part: meeting family & relatives ♥️

Hardly recovered from yesterday… the day was long or the night short 😉 the after-wurstmarkt-party was also great.

Day no. 2 started with sampling again (well, you should begin the next day with how you ended the previous one, right?).

Different things, super delicious again.

Two days of tasting, exploring, learning, socializing and meeting the family. This was so much fun & so delicious.

Time for sausage-free days… 🙂

Don’t tell the Swabians, but the Cannstatter Wasen is the little brother of the Octoberfest in Munich 😉

Nevertheless, first held in 1818, the Cannstatter Volksfest is now one of the largest folk festivals in the world.

The term “Wasen” comes from old German words meaning a damp meadow, green riverbank, or grassy field. That’s the place of the festival, in the south of Stuttgart.

“Let’s head to the Wasen!” 

That’s the call once again in October. And that’s what we did yesterday. 

A visit to the Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart. Team building (we are definitely not the only company doing that). Introducing this beautiful craziness to our colleagues from Romania… they had a blast! We all had a fantastic time. Getting up the next morning was a bit tough 😅

We have been back from Shanghai since 7 years (and still miss living & working there), others even longer.

Time to catchup again. All of us worked (partially) at the same time in Shanghai. We are still friends today. Perfect reason to celebrate that 🥰

Also China is celebating their Golden Week these days. Nice coincidence. 

We all shared nice memories about our China experiences. Delicious food. Perfect weather. Spending a beautiful day in great company. 

Of course there was dessert, too.

And breakfast the next morning was the best: leftovers 😍

Thanks for coming 🥰

School is officially back in season, which means colleagues are back at their desks, and we were finally ready to kick off our late summer vacation! This time, we were pointing our van towards Eastern Europe to explore the beautiful landscapes of Slovenia and Croatia.

The Green Heart of Slovenia.

It was our very first time in Slovenia, a country often described as Europe’s green heart – and it certainly lives up to the name. We’ve just arrived at our campsite, and it is absolutely beautiful.

We managed to park right on the edge of the lake, surrounded by lush trees, ducks, birds, and squirrels. The atmosphere was very peaceful; we could easily sit here and watch the water for hours. To make things even better, the local people were exceptionally warm and welcoming.

A traditional Slovenian meat platter – perfect for the two of us to share.

Good Morning ☀️

Island Hopping & Istrian Sunsets.

Slovenia shares borders with Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia – and that brings us to the next leg of our journey. 

A bit embarrasing, but I had been wondering what the “HR” country code stands for…

…it took traveling all the way here to find out: Republika Hrvatska = Croatia. Later, our Croatian friend told me that the former country code „CR“ couldn’t be used as it stands for Costa Rica. Aha! That one I remember.

Croatia is another first-time visit for us. And just like that, we’ve crossed the border. We are ready for a bit of island hopping, starting with the lush, green peninsula of Istria.

We made our way to Cape Savudrija, an area famous for its rugged rocky beaches and hidden swimming coves. We are staying in a charming former fishing village on the westernmost tip of Croatia, complete with boats, the absolute best seafood platters, and magical sunsets.

Croatia, I’m already completely in love.

Here’s the Beauty.

A truly unique way to dock a boat. Local fishermen hang their boats from special wooden cranes along the pier to protect them from rough storms and high tides.

A picture-perfect view, especially as the sun begins to dip.

Preparing our private little outdoor cinema.

The air here smells sweetly of pine, and the sea is incredibly clear.

Eventually, it was time to trade the sea for the mountains and forests. We accepted an invitation from a good old friend we hadn’t seen in years.

There are two main types of truffles: white and black. The white variety is incredibly rare; globally, it grows only in Tuscany, Piedmont, and right here in Istria.

Google Maps and Siri were not much help when it came to finding our friend’s house, which was beautifully hidden deep in the woods.

Against all odds, we finally made it!

A delicious Croatian BBQ in the best company. Thank you! It was so wonderful to see you all again 🥰

After a heavenly night in the woods, we moved on south.

Driving over the bridge to the Island of Krk.

We traveled from Krk to Rab, known as the “Happy Island of Croatia,” in search of sandy beaches and warm sunrays.

And we found it 💛

Sleeping in. Starting the day with a cappuccino. reading a book. A bit of painting. Lazy hours at the beach. Going for a swim. Sunbathing… just loved living on Croatian Island time.

Enjoying a lunch at the beach.

Taking the ferry back to Croatia mainland.

On our way back home, we made another stop in a land of endless sunshine and mild climates. Tucked away in the western part of Slovenia near the Italian border, the valley sits in a beautiful region where the Alpine and Mediterranean worlds collide.

Sleeping right next to the vineyard 🍇

A true gastronomic adventure paired with wonderful local wine to accompany the meal. What a spectacular surprise to end our the trip!

Two weeks passed so fast. Too fast. That was the best idea to chase late summer in Slovenia & Croatia 🥰 🌟 🏖️

We arrived in Croatia and stayed right on the west coast at Cape Savudrija. That’s the westernmost point of Croatia, located at the northern tip of the Istrian peninsula. 

Because it sits right on that westernmost “cap,” it offers completely unobstructed, legendary sunset views across the water. Lucky us! The sunsets here were pure magic.

We’ve all done it – you’re driving home or stood in your backyard or at the beach, you looked up, and the sky was suddenly ablaze with streaks of violent pink, deep amber, and fiery red. You pulled out your phone, snapped a picture (or hundreds, lol), and thought, I’ve never seen a sunset quite like this one. And you’re completely right. You haven’t.

It is true that two sunsets are never exactly the same! While the sun follows a rigid, predictable schedule, the sky acts as a fluid, ever-changing canvas. Every single twilight is a localized, temporary masterpiece that will never happen the exact same way again.

Last nights localized masterpiece ✨

If you’ve ever wondered why your evening view looks wildly different from one night to the next, it all comes down to a delicate mix of physics, weather, and the air we breathe.

Here is the science behind the magic or the sweet but not so romantic sunset fact: 

• The Filter (Atmospheric Scattering): As the sun dips, its light travels through a much thicker layer of atmosphere. This naturally filters out short blue wavelengths, leaving behind the long, resilient reds, oranges, and yellows.
• The Mirror (Cloud Cover): High, wispy clouds act as giant mirrors. They catch and reflect the sun’s final rays long after it has dipped below the horizon. Low, heavy clouds do the opposite, absorbing the light and turning the sky a dull gray.
• The Wildcard (Particles in the Air): Dust, salt, and humidity scatter light in chaotic ways, sometimes creating deep purples or neon pinks.
• The Pacing (Geography): Your position on the globe dictates how fast the sun drops. On Croatia’s coast, the sun cuts across the horizon at an angle that stretches the twilight into a long, slow-fading spectacle. Loooove it.

Every evening is a combination of variables that will never align the same way again. It is a beautiful reminder that nature’s best art is entirely temporary.

Next time you look up at twilight, you are genuinely witnessing a temporary, localized masterpiece that will never happen the exact same way again. 

Our masterpiece two nights ago.

I am officially a forever sunset lover.