Last Day Of The Year: Dinner For One

Today is the last day of the year!
This is a very special day, for one can say: I will take care of 'this or that' next year and in fact means tomorrow. Moreover, one can set new personal goals for the upcoming year. Or one can watch Dinner For One - a very popular short movie (18 minutes) shown every year on New Years Eve (in Germany)...

Dinner for One, also known as The 90th Birthday, or by its corresponding German title, Der 90. Geburtstag, is a comedy sketch written by British author Lauri Wylie for the theatre in the 1920s. German television station Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) recorded a performance of the piece in 1963, in its original English language. This short comical play subsequently went on to become the most frequently repeated TV programme ever (according to the Guinness Book of Records, 1988-1995 eds.; later editions no longer have the category). [Wikipedia] Read more

Einleitung [Deutsch - Video: 2:00 Minuten]
Compliments by Mr. Winterbottom [English - Video: 2:15 minutes]
Dinner For One - NDR: Hintergrund, Geschichte. Fotos und Rezepte [Deutsch]

Last but not least,
HAPPY NEW YEAR - GUTEN RUTSCH INS NEUE JAHR!

Xmas Pre-Dinner

The day before Christmas Eve we were invited to Valma&Thomas' place for dinner, darts, and 'drumming'. I think I can speak for everybody and say that we all had a wonderful time!
A huge thank you to the hosts.
Gallery [ pw required ]
Movies [ .avi format ]

Xmas Card 2005

Our 2005 Xmas Card to you!

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Tip: Hover over the pictures and enjoy.

Merry Christmas [or] Happy Holidays - whatever you prefer these days, have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year!

Feuerzangenbowle

The temperatures are freezing, the chimneys are smoking in the cold, the snow is covering the landscape in solid white, and a delicious smell of fresh-baked cookies is sneaking out of homes. This is the time of Christmas and the time of hot wine punch.

In Germany one calls the wine punch 'Feuerzangenbowle' which is nothing else than burnt punch or flaming fire tongs punch: A sugar loaf is placed above a pot filled with hot red wine, lemons, oranges, cinnamon sticks, and some cloves. One soaks the sugar with rum (50% alcohol) and then lights the rum-sugar combination. The sugar drips (burns) into the spiced wine mixture. This is the cozy part, for everybody is gathering around the fire and enjoys the warmth - waiting for the sugar to be completely melted into the hot wine. Finally, the punch is ready to be served and enjoyed.

Ingredients:
3 bottles of dry red wine (same brand for best results)
1 sugar loaf
2 cups of at least 50% Rum (drip over the sugar)
1 orange (or more)
1 lemon
1 cinnamon stick
3 cloves

My husband and I made it a tradition to make a 'Feuerzangenbowle' every year around Christmas time. Usually friends are coming over - enjoying this event as much as we do (at least I hope). Although we have been living in Southern California where the strong winters are missing, we keep up with this wonderful rite.

Gallery [ pw required ]
Flaming Fire Tongs Punch [ English ]
...The drink, the movie, the cult [ English ]
Pfeiffer mit drei F [ zum Film - deutsch]

Santa Monica-Venice Xmas Run

One more challenge before the end of the year - the 5K Christmas Run in Santa Monica/ Venice ... in order to see whether there has been any improvement concerning my running skills/endurance or not.

I did my first race in March 2005 - the LA 5K Walk & Run which I finished in 29:56 minutes. Now, nine months later I finished the 5K run in 24:23 minutes. For my personal record it is a very satisfying progression. And I can already say that I won't be able to keep this progression consistent for the upcoming year...Nevertheless, I'll keep running.

Thanks to Mara and Klaus for joining me for this adventure! I hope you guys are not too disappointed that there weren't the elves and Santa Clauses we had expected?! - the only reason we indeed went there. Instead we had the best weather one could wish on a December day: 80 degree F, sunny, no wind.

Christmas Run website

24 - 4th Season

Waiting is over, 24 the fourth season is finally on Dvd. Now it's time to get sucked into the drama and action of Jack Bauer's "new adventures" - and that without any commercial breaks!

Fox started broadcasting the 4th season of 24 in January 2005; 18 months after Jack Bauer helped stop a biological attack on the United States. The CTU team has been almost completely replaced with new faces. The first hour starts with an attack on the Secretary of Defense - James Heller...And that's only the beginning of twenty-three more packing episodes.

I am eager to see if a fourth season can really be that interesting and thrilling, and if it can beat the previously shown. 24's first season was so amazing, for it's fast paced interaction accomplished through persistent location switches, the fact that one observes one to four screens all the time, the idea of permanent plot changes, and a free camera movement with up to four different view angles.

I just started watching...

Parsifal

Seeing Plácido Domingo on stage was a must; but seeing him in Parsifal was a challenge, for the opera is 4 hours and 34 minutes long!

But we did it anyway. I am not much of an opera classicist, but I have to admit the music has been wonderful. Richard Wagner wrote a "dream" of music which is more than just superb and terrific - it's impossible to put it into words...
Music samples

Robert Wilson's interpretation of this master piece is unique, for he puts emphasis on little or slow motion to no motion at all. This creates an even larger awareness and dramatic of motion on the stage. The props and costumes are "simple" almost abstract with an Asian touch. The stage's scenery is supported by great lighting effects.

It seemed falling asleep once in a while was part of today's opera visit. One could observe listeners' heads dropping down - even a snoring here and there was present. But not because it was boring, it was because the music makes people dream!

Synopsis [English] - Synopsis [Deutsch]

[Experience it at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles/CA until December 17, 2005]

Do you know what Advent means?

Advent derives from the Latin word "adventus" and means "arrival". It refers to the period of preparations for the celebration of the Nativity - the "arrival" - of Christ, whose birthday the Christians celebrate on December 25th.

The idea of the Advent calendar is to increase anticipation before Christmas (24 days to be exact). It has been known for the last 100 years - shape, size, content has changed over the time. There are the most creative and amazing calendars out there. People try to find new ways and ideas to convey the message of Advent.

Today, we are allowed to open the first door, window, or whatever needs to be open on/at/in our Advent calendar. I got one from Starbucks and I have to admit it's not the most creative one I have ever had, but it's serving the purpose.

If you still like to get one - pick an Advents calendar right here!

1. WasIstWas Adventskalendar [Deutsch]
2. Mathematik Adventskalendar [Deutsch]
3. 24 Leckere Plätzchenrezepte [Deutsch]
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4. 25 fun filled days of suprises [English]
5. North-Pole [English]
6. BBC - Religion&Ethics [English]
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7. Perl Advent Calendar [English]