Dienstag, 24. November 2009

Turkey Time...

... but not for me!!!

It is VACATIOOOON!

Tomorrow afternoon I'm flying out of Miami to Curacao. Boss gave me also off tomorrow, so I'll be without my Toss Up family for 5 days - the longest we'll ever be apart since it all started. That feels a little weird since we are a lovely team, but I'm so ready for a good, peaceful Jenny-time. My first real vacation since July 2008 when I was on Gran Canary.

I had some awesome weekends lately, met very, very interesting people, so I'm really hoping this short trip will add to this highlife. Other than that I've got some quite unexpected news from Germany last week, which may mean that I'll be headed over there in 3 weeks... See, I told you... unexpected! :)

Anyways, world get ready for me, because I am!

9 months in the USA!!!
Let's get some Caribbean atmosphere in here... and yes, I'm dancing right now. With my laptop in my hands. And smiling... what else!?





HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU! Have great times with friends, family or while traveling. Be safe and all of you in the States: think of me when you rush into the stores on Black Friday (or buy me something... ;) )

Peace out!

Sonntag, 15. November 2009

15. November

Tanja, a German girl that I met through Meetup and I have spent last Sunday and today with bride's and bridesmaid's dress shopping. She's getting married in July up in Maine and we found her a gorgeous dress (and beautiful dresses for the bridesmaids too!). Of course I can't post a picture, top secret! After the exhausting shopping part, we had us some great Starbucks coffee out in the sun today.

I leaned back, bright sun in my face, blue sky and palm trees around me and thought:

Wow, today is the 15th of November, but it sure feels like the 15th of July!

Sending some sunny greetings to everyone who needs them in cold or rainy parts of the world! :)


Tanja, ein deutsches Maedel was ich ueber Meetup kennenlernte, und ich haben letzten und diesen Sonntag mit Brautkleid- und Brautjungfernkleider Shoppen verbracht. Sie wird im Juli in Maine heiraten und wir haben ihr ein wunderschoenes Kleid gefunden (den Brautjungfern auch!). Natuerlich kann ich kein Bild posten, ist ja alles streng geheim! Nach dem anstrengenden Shopping Teil haben wir dann einen guten Starbucks Kaffee in der Sonne genossen.

Ich lehnte mich zurueck, die Sonne strahlte ins Gesicht, Palmen und blauer Himmel um mich herum und dachte:

Wow, heute ist der 15. November, aber es fuehlt sich an wie der 15.Juli!

Ich sende ein paar sonnige Gruesse an euch alle in kalten oder regnerischen Gegenden der Welt! :)

Samstag, 14. November 2009

24th Birthday

YES! Only 359 more days until I can finally rent a car in the USA without paying the additional fee for drivers younger than 25 (which ended up costing me an extra $250,- when immigrating before I bought my car over here)!!! And it all became possible because I turned 24 on Monday. Whoop! I'm soooo looking forward to next year's birthday and the car that I'll be renting that day. Come on, you already knew that I was crazy, so don't shake your head like that!!! I totally don't mind turning older if it's for the financial benefit.

But how was this year's birthday? Well, it was the second one I celebrated in the States. When I turned 17 I lived in Alabama as an exchange student and went bowling. Seven years later I at least had a beer to cheer to the new year & gained wisdom! Since my boss spent the weekend in Vegas, there was no way I could've taken the day off, so I ended up working until 9 PM. My roommate had invited me to dinner earlier that day and so I had hopes that we could have us a good time. Well, I wasn't thinking about his girlfriend who apparently decided she couldn't let him go out on his own, which I can't really blame her for, as we would've probably ended up in a strip club somewhere ;). So she came along and we just went for a quick meal and beer. That was pretty much my birthday. My colleague Joanna had surprised me with a nice Fossil watch earlier that day and that was pretty much my only gift. Somehow that girl can mind read. Just two days earlier when going out in a black dress, I was thinking about putting on my watch, which has a light blue background. It did not really fit the outfit and I was thinking about getting a watch with a black background. Well, guess!? Yes, the one from Joanna has one! :)

My birthday also marked a very important date in history. 20 years since the Berlin Wall came down! Sunday night I watched footage of it and reports on the internet and a couple of tears left my eyes, because without the events that happened that day, I, born and raised in East Germany, would not be where I am today! I am very thankful for my parents that used the newly gained freedom to travel and who gave me the opportunity to visit 20 countries so far. What a great day!


On Tuesday my boss returned from Vegas and I got a huuuuuuuge cake! Wow, huuuuuge, I'm telling you, and DELICIOUS! I ended up sharing it with colleagues and customers, gave a big chunk to my boss/nanny and daughter, another big chunk to Joanna and family and still have a big rest sitting in my freezer.


Did I ever mention what great customers I have in my job!? Well, there's some not so great ones as well, but let's not talk about them. Anyways, one girl, that I don't even know the name of, gave me an extra birthday tip and another customer, Ingrid, a Swedish lady, was so cute to drop off a whole gift bag two days later with some Lindt pralines, a card and two decorative items that will definitely find a place in my new apartment! I love to see how some people care!


To sum it up, the cake, the tip, the gift:



Thanks to all the Bday wishes from around the world and my 1st mail to my blog-mail!


JAWOLL! Nur noch 359 Tage bis ich endlich ein Auto in den USA mieten kann, ohne den U25-Fahrer Aufschlag bezahlen zu muessen (was mich bei meiner Auswanderung extra $250,- kostete, bevor ich mir mein Auto kaufte)!!! Und das wird moeglich, da ich Montag endlich 24 wurde. Juhu! Ich freue mich schon sehr auf den naechsten Geburtstag und das Auto, was ich mir dann mieten werde. Ach komm, du wusstest doch schon vorher, dass ich verrueckt bin, also hoer auf mit dem Kopf zu schuetteln! ;) Ich finde das ja ueberhaupt nicht schlimm zu altern, besonders nicht, wenn es von finanziellem Vorteil ist.

Aber wie war mein Geburtstag? Nun, es war der Zweite, den ich in den USA feierte. Meinen 17. verbrachte ich als Austauschschueler in Alabama und ging Bowlen. Zum 24. hatte ich dann wenigstens ein Bier und konnte auf das neue Lebensjahr und die gewonnene Weisheit anstossen! Da meine Chefin das Wochenende in Vegas verbrachte, war es mir unmoeglich den Tag freizunehmen. Also arbeitete ich bis 21 Uhr. Mein Mitbewohner hatte mich am Vormittag aufs Abendessen eingeladen und so hatte ich wenigstens die Hoffnung, dass wir noch einen drauf machen wuerden. Leider hatte ich die Rechnung ohne seine Freundin gemacht, die ihn irgendwie nicht alleine weggehen liess. Das kann ich sogar ein wenig nachvollziehen, waeren wir doch womoeglich in einem Stripclub oder sonstwo gelandet ;). Also kam sie mit und wir haben nur schnell was gegessen und getrunken. Das war so ziemlich mein Geburtstag. Meine Kollegin Joanna hatte mich am Tag mit einer Uhr von Fossil ueberrascht. Das war auch so ziemlich mein einziges Geschenk. Das Maedel kann uebrigens Gedanken lesen. Zwei Tage vorher wollte ich meine Uhr zu einem schwarzen Kleid anlegen, bemerkte aber, dass das hellblaue Ziffernblatt nicht wirklich zum Outfit passte und ueberlegte mir, eine Uhr mit schwarzem Ziffernblatt zuzulegen. Ja nun ratet mal!? Die von Joanna hat ein solches!

Mein Geburtstag war gleichzeitig der Jahrestag eines wichtigen historischen Ereignisses. Vor 20 Jahren ist die Berliner Mauer gefallen. Sonntagnacht sah ich mir Berichte und Filme darueber im Internet an und musste doch die ein oder andere Traene (vor Freude) verdruecken. Ohne die Ereignisse dieses Tages waere ich heute nicht, wo ich jetzt bin. Ich bin meinen Eltern sehr dankbar, dass sie die damals neu gewonnene Freiheit zum Reisen nutzten und mir so die Moeglichkeit gaben bis heute 20 Laender zu besuchen. Was fuer ein toller Tag!

Am Dienstag dann kam Chefin aus Vegas zurueck und ich bekam einen rieeeeesigen Kuchen. Wow, rieeeeeeeeeesig sag ich euch und LECKER! Ich teilte ihn mit Kollegen, Kunden, gab ein riesen Stueck meiner Chefin, ihrer Haushaelterin und Tochter, ein weiteres Joanna und Familie und hab trotzdem noch ein riesen Stueck in meinem Gefrierschrank.

Hab ich eigentlich jemals erwaehnt, was fuer tolle Kunden ich in meinem Job habe!? Nun, einige sind auch nicht so toll, aber die lassen wir mal aussen vor. Jedenfalls gab mir ein Maedel, deren Namen ich nicht einmal weiss, ein extra Geburtstagstrinkgeld und Ingrid, eine schwedische Frau, brachte zwei Tage spaeter eine grosse Geschenktuete vorbei mit Lindt Pralinen und zwei Dekogeschenken, die in der neuen Wohnung auf jeden Fall ihren Platz finden werden.

Um's kurz zu machen, oben 3 Bilder des Tages.

Vielen Dank fuer die vielen Glueckwuensche aus aller Welt und die 1. Mail an meine Blog-Mail. :)

100. Post / 100. Blogeintrag

Strolling through downtown Hollywood last Saturday after the sportsbar, I discovered this:

Als ich letzten Samstag nach der Sportbar durch Hollywood flanierte, entdeckte ich folgendes:


Kinder Riegel for $9.95, Kinder Chocolate for $7.95. Guess some Europeans really, really miss their extra portion of milk!

Kinder Riegel fuer $9.95, Kinder Schokolade fuer $7.95. Scheint so, als ob einige Europaer ihre extra Portion Milch seeeeehr arg vermissen wuerden!

Samstag, 7. November 2009

Rambling...

I just brought a pilot to the airport... Isn't it usually them bringing us to some place!??? Only 18 more days until I'll be up in the air again! Curacao for 4 days (yes, i finally extended the stay). Marriott Resort and peace of mind, here I come!

By the way, this blog finally has it's own e-mail address:

happyinusa@hotmail.com

Ask me the questions you always wanted to ask. Comment, complain, whatever! :) Mails from tall grown single guys are especially welcome... Haha! ;)

Did I ever mention that I love American sportsbars? The atmosphere is not comparable to the ones in Germany. I'm just sitting in one, Whisky Tango, in Hollywood, FL. Watching guys cage fight and the best moments of today's football games. Since I worked and cruised around with the pilot, I missed it all! Alabama won though!!! That's all that matters.

Anyways, mail me & a wonderful weekend to you world out there!


Dieser Blog hat nun auch seine eigene E-Mail Adresse:

happyinusa@hotmail.com

Fragt mich, was ihr mich schon immer fragen wolltet, kommentiert (ohne, dass die ganze Welt es lesen kann ;) ), beschwert euch (z.B. dass ich manchmal zu faul bin bilingual zu bloggen...) oder was auch immer! Eine Antwort ist moeglich, aber ohne Gewaehr! ;)

Mittwoch, 4. November 2009

WHOOP YANKEES!!!

The Yankees, US pro-baseball team based in the Bronx, NYC, just won their 27th World Series Championship against the Phillies!!!

While I was cruising home from work - both teams tied at that point - this beautiful song came on... and while Rostock, Germany has seen the 1st snow today, I rolled down the car windows, let the 24 °C breeze blow through my hair and sang along!

Whatever my life will bring along in the future, this time right now, living my dream, will be what I will always look back at... with amazement and pure joy!

To the Yankees & their win!



Die Yankees, amerikanisches professionelles Baseball Team mit Sitz in der Bronx, NYC, haben gerade ihren 27. World Series Championship Titel gegen die Phillies gewonnen.

Als ich im Auto von der Arbeit nach Hause cruiste, beide Teams zu dem Zeitpunkt im Gleichstand, kam dieser tolle Song im Radio... und waehrend in Rostock, Deutschland heute der 1. Schnee fuer diesen Winter fiel, kurbelte ich die Fenster hinunter, liess mir den 24 °C warmen Wind durch die Haare wehen und sang lauthals mit.

Was auch immer mein Leben in der Zukunft fuer mich bereit halten wird, die Zeit die ich hier gerade verbringe, das Leben meines Traumes, wird das sein, worauf ich immer zurueck blicken werde... mit grossen Augen und purer Freude!

Good night world!



Sonntag, 1. November 2009

What a great weekend!

Alright, here we go!

The weekend started Friday (as for normal people). After work I decided to dress up and go out despite having to work on Saturday. I was wearing a cute blue dress and one of my new pairs of boots and chose to go to Blue Martini in Fort Lauderdale, a great place I hadn't been to in several months. This was one of my going-out-by-myself-thingys and it's not that bad. I don't have to talk and can soak in the atmosphere, go home when I want to go home etc... Entering the bar, I quickly noticed: That place was packed. I looked around and it was almost as if I heard the bells ring from heaven: At least 50 guys in that place taller than me!!! WHOOP!!! :) What a smile that brought to my face! Yes, I had forgotten: This weekend was boatshow weekend in Fort Lauderdale, which meant a lot of tall European, Canadian and Northern US guys (or shall I say men!?) flooded the city. Great!!! When I finally got a seat at a bar, I was joined by two yachtbrokers from Seattle and Vancouver Island. Had nice talks and later nice dancing with the Canadian guy. When we were dancing, I caught the glimpse of another bar and saw two people I knew. It was Tim & Ashley, friends of Matt's with whom I had gone to the O.A.R. concert at the end of August. We talked for a little bit and they asked me if I would not want to join them for Halloween. What they were talking about was quite interesting, but I told them I had to work Saturday and didn't know if I would make it. Ashley gave me her number (I already had Tim's through facebook) and we said goodbye and I was back with my Canadian guy... haha!

I ended up getting 4 hours of sleep and then Hell's Kitchen was back at the restaurant. I was two employees short (didn't show up to work) when we got slammed. Well, I'm used to handling insanity now, so I did the best I could with my employees that were there and the customers thought I did a great job as almost everybody "over"tipped (more than the 20% that it usually averages in our place). After the rush, I decided to close the restaurant earlier and so I was out by 6 PM. I went home, texted Ashley to hear about their Halloween option again, took a 5 minute nap and got ready...

All I knew was that I was driving down to Islamorada!!! That's one of the Florida Keys and the one and only time I've been there so far was Easter Sunday which was in April... I didn't know what to expect or what we would be doing down there, I only knew that I was pumped to go. With my German leadfoot I got down there in 1h 40min, even before Tim & Ashley, who had left an hour earlier than me, but had stopped on the way in Homestead at their hotel.

They told me to meet them at a place called Pierre's. I'm very glad the Keys just have one main road. That makes places easy to find. Well, I met them and was told that we would go for dinner first. While I had waited I had already heard some music play outside and saw interesting lights, but couldn't really guess anything else, as I was in the parking lot. As we entered Pierre's restaurant, it looked like a fine dining place and it was. We were seated upstairs on the balcony, overlooking a white sand beach area and the Gulf Bay. A Jamaican band was playing, there were bonfires and lots of Halloween party people. I then heard that this was a Full Moon Party, regularly held at this place, but by coincidence this time it was combined with Halloween. Ashley used to work as a bartender 5 min away from there for several years and it's one of her most favorite spots. I can't blame her!!!

We ordered... I started with Pierre's Oyster Rockefeller... My 2nd oyster experience after New Year's 2002 in Rome with my parents. This time in a baked form and VERY VERY VERY TASTY!!!!

My entree was the Australian Lamb Loin with Herb Spaetzle (a little homecountry reminder). This was sooo good as well!

In between our courses a wonderful, beautiful, amazing fireworks went off!



After that the Full Moon Dance Round 1 started.




Different shots from the time at Pierre's & Morada Bay.

Modern Vampire Tim

My boat's by the tower, and my bark's on the bay,
and both must be gone at the dawn of the day.


Preparing Vampire's victim
Tiki Bar
Another round of Full Moon Dance

The pirate is in the Keys... return of the tourist feeling!

Off to Hog Heaven. More drinks, more dance, more fun! And due to time change an extra hour to party!





I headed home at 3:30AM new time and of course I don't drink and drive. I had a couple of drinks at the beginning of the night, but they were all gone by the time we left. Tiredness would've been my greater enemy, but the drive was just fine and I was safe in bed by 5:30AM.

I then perfectioned this weekend with a beach session today. Just plain laying in the sun, listening to chillout music, watching sailboats drive by...

I would say: THE BEST WEEKEND SINCE BEING IN THE STATES!!! :) Islamorada, Pierre's, Morada Bay and Full Moon Parties will definitely see me again!

A Pirate Goodbye! See you next Halloween in 364 days.

PS: Did I mention that I was so excited for my first trick-or-treat on US ground that I had bought 4 bags of candy!? And guess what!??? Not a single person/kid knocked on the door between my arrival from work and departure to the Keys... :(

Halloween Part 2!

I can't tell you what a great weekend I'm having! WOW! This is what I call life!!!

Here is your sneak preview of last nights Halloween Party spot... I'll let you think for a little bit where & what this is. Off to the beach now. Report with more pics and video footage later! Stay tuned.