What the Blog?

After a bit of a travel break, I'm back! We went to Heidelberg (again) for an overnight with the visiting grandparents, and had a lovely time in the very walkable Alstadt.  We stayed at the Gasthaus Hotel Backmulde , in the heart of town, after a short drive over from Mainz. Although the hotel has (limited) parking, P8 is just a few blocks away and very reasonable at 17 euros / day. They even have family parking right by the elevator! We loved the little hotel - the three-bed and two-bed rooms (16 and 18) were very spacious, breakfast was perfect, and we could easily explore the city just by walking around the corner.  We started with quiches, grilled sheep's cheese with veggies, and tea and cake at the lovely Cafe Schafheutle . The garden seating was covered and warm, and the lively atmosphere and friendly waitstaff made it easy to stay and thoroughly enjoy our lunch. We continued to wander, mostly popping in and out of shops, finding a collection of unique items...

When I told my mom I was moving to Germany, one of the first things she said was to keep an eye out for Gabor shoes. Although I have no idea how she knew about the brand, it was further proof that she knows a lot more than I do about shopping. Thus began my education into the world of German-made shoes. There are a lot of well-made shoes here, under a number of different brands, and I've finally made sense of what styles suit mine - and price areas. There are also a million shoe shops, but also zalando and mirapodo  for online shoppers like myself, both with an inclination to send discount codes regularly. One of the best lessons I've learned about shoes here - is side zippers! I still don't see this elsewhere, but a lot of shoes have laces and side zippers - it makes getting shoes on and off worlds easier! It also looks pretty stylish. It can be hard to sort out which brands are worth the prices, so enjoy my guide below -- Caprice - slogan, "walking on air...

Tchibo. They're everywhere. When I got here, I was so confused by the store-within-a-store, that also had its own standalone stores. Why did their inventory change so often? Where was their stuff made? How come they sell coffee AND sports bras? While I can't answer a lot of these questions after 5 years here, I can say Tchibo is a quirky little brand that has rotating items, usually around a theme (and often seasonal). I am finally starting to get a sense of when to expect what at Tchibo (spring cleaning, winter onesies for everyone in the family, workout gear for the new year... you get the idea). It can be a great source of useful, and fun / not useful items for the house AND they even sell furniture on the website. Overall, I've been happy with my Tchibo purchases. Women's clothes can be hit or miss, but their ladies' pjs as well as almost anything for kids are always a hit. I appreciate their wide usage of organic cotton and fair pricing. Some of my best f...