Well I'm back!

So during my month hiatus, I was busy! I am now moved in, settled, and unpacked in Northville, MI. I started a new job, and began life back in the USA. It is hard to believe how much my life has changed in just a few short weeks. I has spent more of 2013 in Germany than in the US.

Here are a few things that I miss from Germany already:
- Delicious bakery bread with a crunchy crust
- Cheap Nutella
- Accessible public transportation (U-Bahn und S-Bahn)
- Hefeweizen in 1 Liter bottles
- Travel and Exploring Europe
- Big FM und Ein Hundred Sieben Sieben on the radio
- How is in the norm to bring your own shipping bags to the store
- Classic Mineral Water

Ok coincidence, as I am typing this, I am watching The Avengers. In the beginning of the movie, The S.H.I.E.L.D. is able to identify the location of Loki at 29 Konigstrasse Stuttgart Germany. Guess where that is? The Schlossplatz in downtown Stuttgart.

- Being able to walk everywhere to run errands
- Shopping carts that move in all directions
- The woods behind our apartment in Boeblingen
- The culture

Nortvhille, MI a suburb of Detroit, has a history that goes back to the early 1800's. To celebrate the history, for the past 25 years, the city hosts a Victorian Festival. Friday night the celebration on the streets downtown began with a small craft fair, mini parade, kid's carnival and food vendors. I was determined to see the parade but sadly I missed it twice. First we walked to the end of the block and the crowd was dispersing because we were told that the parade was over and walking away from town (only 15 minutes after it had began, so I figured it was small and not that impressive.) Then we continued strolling around the downtown area for another 15 or so minutes and then noticed a crowd on the other side of town watching a parade. We caught up to the crowd to catch the last two minutes of the parade before it ended and the people in the parade dispersed. The downtown area is not that big, but still who misses a parade twice? It would have been helpful to know the parade route.

Luckily a fresh homemade root beer float from a street vendor put an end to my frustrations about missing the parade.

After an evening of activity in downtown Northville, we strolled through the neighborhood and passed the Cider Mill and Northville Winery. When we were just half a block from the winery when a car pulled up with an older gentleman who asked for directions to 630 Baseline Road. We told the man that we were new to the area but happy to help if we could. I pulled out my handy phone, typed the address into Google Maps and told him to go back a few blocks, make a right, then a left because that is what Google said to do. He thanked us and went on his way. We continued walking for three minutes only to find that the address of the Northville Winery which was just in front of us was 630 Baseline Road. Unfortunately the man was soo close, but trusted young strangers who rely on technology. I do honestly feel guilty for sending him away and can only hope that he made it to the winery eventually that evening. On the other hand, the Winery should really fix their address in Google Maps...

I am excited to spend some time at this gem down the road during the wonderful fall season. As I went for a walk around our apartment complex tonight I could smell the sweet cinnamon and sugar of homemade apple donuts coming from the Cider Mill.

Saturday was another day of festival fun! Ferndale hosted the DIY Street Fair. Myself and two carloads of our friends headed to the streets of Ferndale for crafts, food trucks, beer and live music. We strolled the streets to check out the tents and tables of unique crafts before stopping for a bite to eat. This craft fair was definitely different than the stereotypical middle aged woman fair and was filled with artistic decor and goods made by a younger more hipster crowd. I loved it! For dinner I enjoyed a Creamy Artichoke Grilled Cheese Sandwich on Sourdough Bread from a food truck. It was cooked and in my stomach within 15 minutes. (Much better than our previous Northville Food Truck experience but I will save that story for another time.) For first dessert I had a few delicious beers and for second dessert I enjoyed homemade ice cream. Not just regular ice cream though...mint chocolate chip ice cream with absinthe.

Most of the beer at the Street Fair was provided by Woodward Avenue Brewery. I did have a glass of Pumpkin Pie Ale from Liberty Street Brewery as well. I was not super optimistic about the beer from Liberty Street Brewery since I have been disappointed before but I had to give their pumpkin beer a chance. It wasn't bad, a thinner beer with a mild pumpkin taste and sweeter flavor with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. I have a thing for fall beers, specifically pumpkin beers. I also enjoyed a raspberry beer from WAB and a citra pale ale from another brewery.

We all enjoyed doing some people watching while we drank beer and listened to great live music. I couldn't help but wonder who was people watching me. Here are some of the interesting sights (of many dogs):

- A ginormous Saint Bernard with an interesting name who drooled like it was his job and locked his eyes on our friend's beef brisket.
- A young woman with a recently operated on broken leg with probably the word's ugliest dog in a sweater vest. Seriously I think this dog won the contest.
- Dreadlocks, lots of dreadlocks.
- A man in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Pajama Pants
- The world's cutest Husky puppy with the prettiest blue eyes

So check out the view that I get to wake up to everyday from my apartment window...