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.

We love camping. We love camping even more with friends. But where we love it the most? In the middle of a vineyard 🍇 

We know this place; we used to come here with our old VW bus. The scenery is beautiful, and the wine tastes delicious. I truly love the Pfalz and its wine. 

Camping. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about why people – including myself – are so drawn to this lifestyle. Over the past eight months, it’s a question that has kept returning to me. I always assumed I loved camping for the freedom. But now, I think the real reason runs deeper.

As humans, we constantly want more. A nicer home. New clothes. The next travel destination. Achieving the next goal, crossing off the next task. Even when we have everything we could possibly need, we still try to optimize, plan, buy, and build. More comfort. More options. More of everything. Somewhere along the way, we stop noticing how cluttered our lives have actually become.

And then, you go camping.

Suddenly, you are living on just a few square meters. Half of your household is missing. You end up wearing the same three outfits anyway, and every meal is eaten under the open sky. You have your coffee right outside the caravan. You eat only when you are hungry. You sit together with friends until it gets dark. Everything is reduced to the absolute minimum – and that is exactly why it feels so damn good.

Maybe we don’t need more at all. Maybe, from time to time, we just need less.

Less stuff. Fewer appointments. Fewer expectations. Fewer obligations. Stripping it all away allows us to realize what we are truly missing.

Looking forward to our next camping adventure: 2 new Eastern European countries we haven’t visited yet. Looking forward to living on just a few square meters with half a household, wearing the same clothes for 2 days. Lol. Eating outdoors. Having coffee with a view to a lake or the sea. Looooove the idea of all of this.

5 days to go 🥰 Wohoooooo.

And just like that, August is gone.

It was a month defined by beautiful weather and an abundance of homegrown tomatoes. We watched the sky put on a show during the solar eclipse, and captured endless beautiful sunsets and sunrises. We celebrated my sister’s 50th birthday, made a long-awaited trip to Franconia to see friends, and officially bid a sad farewell to Aperoli.

Hello September! Happy Birthday, hubby!

2 more weeks and then we are off to our summer vacation 🚐 🏊 🏖️🍹

The Black Moore sits on the Lange Rhön, where Hesse, Thuringia, and Bavaria meet. It is the largest and most pristine raised bog in the High Rhön region. Because of its rare, untouched state, it received environmental protection early on. Today, it ranks among Bavaria’s most beautiful geotopes. It is strictly protected as a core zone within the UNESCO Rhön Biosphere Reserve.

Every year, over 100,000 people visit the Black Moore. Smart visitor management protects this sensitive habitat from being trampled.

A wooden boardwalk guides guests through sections of the moor, offering educational information boards. Meanwhile, the largest area remains strictly reserved for disturbance-sensitive flora and fauna. Visitors can still enjoy magnificent views of this natural treasure from the observation tower. 

You should stop by, it’s beautiful! 

Worth a visit!

Summer started early in May and hasn’t disappointed!

Hot, sunny, daily BBQs, and thriving on a homecation without A/C while colleagues are away. Loving almost every minute! 😎✨

And don’t forget:

Happy summer! Enjoy & make the most of it!

Agree with Pink:

“Hey beautiful people!”

It’s HOT out there, so do yourself a favor – drink plenty of water, find some shade when you can, and don’t forget to laugh a little.

Summer isn’t about looking perfect… it’s about making memories, dancing barefoot, singing too loud, and soaking up every moment.

Stay cool, stay kind, and keep that wild, beautiful spirit alive. You’ve got this!

Sending you all the biggest summer hugs and so much love. Enjoy every sunny day!

12 years ago. Greenville to California. 10 guests. A wedding dress in the cockpit, and a Mustang convertible with a guitar in the back seat. The ultimate intimate destination wedding.

We ended up getting married at Andretti Winery in California, but choosing the spot was quite a journey! Living in South Carolina, we were torn between Germany, Ireland, Denmark, and Hawaii. The deadlock broke a few months earlier on our way home from a skiing trip. Freshly engaged, we stopped in Napa Valley for lunch, sat in a vineyard, and instantly fell in love. It just felt right. And of course, we ate big fans of California.

And besides, it never rains in (Southern) California. 

We hired a wedding planner and officially kicked off the planning! My only wish: Saying “I do” right in the middle of a vineyard. Hubbys conditions: a vintage Camaro and a key lime pie wedding cake. Spoiler alert: we managed to get all three! 🥰

Talk about a leap of faith! 😅 Right up until the last minute, we were pure nerves. We had never seen our venue, tasted the restaurant’s food, or met my makeup artist in person. Plus, we were just crossing our fingers that our paperwork was actually correct for a US wedding!

What can I say? We did everything right! An old, beautiful Camaro brought us to the vineyard – and even though the brakes barely worked, we arrived safe and sound. My dad walked me down the aisle, but not before offering me a getaway ride to the airport just in case I changed my mind. He actually had his car keys ready in his pocket, parked and set to storm off! My makeup was absolutely perfect (I still use that same lipstick brand today). It was a gorgeous day filled with deep purple accents and beautiful hydrangeas.

August 1st, 2024, started as a beautiful, sunny, but windy day. My sister-in-law was playing the flute for us until the wind completely blew her sheet music away. Hey, something has to go wrong, right?

The next morning, my mom told us that she had fallen down the stairs. (Classic “something has to go wrong” energy!) Luckily, she was okay, just left with a very sore ankle.

To top it all off, both of our moms almost wore the same dress! That’s what happens when you celebrate your engagement in Ireland, and your families meet for the first time only to realize they have the exact same taste. Lol! Thankfully, my sister-in-law remembered the coincidence, and my mother-in-law found a different outfit just in time.

Once the official ceremony wrapped up, the real magic began. We gathered our ten closest loved ones around one long table nestled beneath lemon and olive trees. The evening flowed perfectly through five delicious courses, each paired with incredible wine. There were plenty of happy tears during day and especially during my dad’s speech, followed by more wine, a slice of key lime pie, and the sweet sound of flute songs carrying us past midnight. It was pure amore.

A very beautiful day. 

Afterwards, we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge for our honeymoon. We stayed in a beautiful little apartment right on the beach. Though it was only for a few days, it was the perfect getaway. It was all we needed.

PS: 2 weeks later was an earthquake in our wedding location… lucky us!!!

Cheers to 12 years! 🍾🕺🏻💃🏻🥂

How did the last 12 years look like?

Marriage is work. But it’s worth it with your person.

Let’s see what’s next 💜