The Great Escape

Fourth day in Finland -

Greg, Sam, and I decide to have a nice brunch at a cute little cafe downstairs from our temporary apartment. Brunch is going well, food is good, baby is happy. Then I hear a weird noise and think to myself, "it sounds like they have a tiger back there." No, it's no tiger, it's our dog howling his face off.

Me: "That noise, it's Bona."
Greg: laughs
Me: laughs and cringes 

We are just guessing that since we are so close to our place, we must just be hearing him from the apartment. We joke that he's in the courtyard outside, but decide that, that's not possible.

The rest of the meal we discuss whether or not we will continue our day or go upstairs and check on him. Since the barking is continuous and Sam seems tired we decide to head back into the apartment. Upon our arrival, we discover that Bona is in the main hallway. Luckily, some very nice neighbors are also there, they explain that Bona has escaped the apartment three times and they have kept putting him back.

The reason Bona was able to escape the room we put him in was because of the door handle, which he was easily able to jump up and hit, the main door to the apartment also has a handle like this. Knobs would have kept him in.

Bona is going in the crate for a while and we owe our neighbors some wine.

Judgment: Our dog is too smart and we are idiots.

A List for Moving to Finland

Here is a very general list of the things that needed to be done to move to Finland:

Our belongings

 1. Sell Condo/House and car
2. Obtain passports and other paper work
3. Doctor visits - obtain any needed prescriptions and paperwork
4. Decide on shipping methods/company
5. Plan for child care in Finland - daycare, babysitter
6. Buy clothing and products that you would like/need while abroad
7. Buy adapters, most of your electronics and appliances will not work

Our friends singing a going away song :(

8. Find out what is needed to fly your dog - call the airline
9. Coordinate with your vet for the paperwork and vaccinations needed for the dog
10. Say goodbye to your friends and family
11. Find a place to live in Finland

Waiting for our flight

12. Find temporary housing for when you first arrive and none of your belongings are there yet
13. Complete paperwork once in Finland gain access to childcare, transportation cards, supermarket cards, and a bank account
14. Coordinate with the movers to bring your belongings into your new place and unpack

We're on our way to Finland!

Moving to Finland: Moving across the world with a husband, toddler, dog, and all our stuff.

A number of people have told me that I need to journal or write on my blog about my experience of moving from Washington, DC to Helsinki, Finland. Yes, this is probably a good idea. Problem is, I have been really busy moving to Finland!After organizing our stuff for the millionth time, all I want to do is sit down with my bowl of ice cream and mindlessly watch (hmm, what do a I watch, it's so mindless I can't remember) HGTV.

Flying to Finland. How did we get here?

So I'm going to give a brief recap of how this went down:

2008 - 
Greg, "There are some great opportunities to work abroad when you are a manager."
Me, "Okay, that sounds awesome." (Thought Bubble: This probably won't happen)

Moving to Europe is brought up over the years and is still a possibility.

2011 - 
Our son, Sam, is born.
Greg is promoted to manager.
Greg gets sick and has his colon removed.
I'm thinking moving abroad is out of the question.

2012 - 
Greg is better and conversations start in earnest.

Sometime in the Fall -
Opportunities are discussed in the UK, Sweden, Amsterdam, and Finland.

October -
While out of town for work, Greg calls, "What do you think about Finland? It's a great opportunity!"
Me, "No." 
Me again, "It's really cold there and really far away."
Greg, "We'll buy warm stuff, it's not much colder than Syracuse."
Me, "One of the major reasons I left Syracuse was because of the cold."
Greg, "I think it will be a great opportunity and .... (lots more reasoning, that was good, he really knows how to make an argument)."
Me, "Okay, let's do it."

Greg watching SU basketball on a tiny TV.

Piles of stuff

November -
Break the news to family and friends. While everyone was happy for us, they would really rather we stay (I think they really wanted Sam to stay).

December -
Start packing stuff and organizing.

2013 -

January -
Pack stuff, sell stuff, and organize.


February -
Sell condo (I love my condo. Tears), Go to Helsinki and find an apartments (success! I think. We'll see how we like it), pack, organize, sell stuff. Paperwork, lots of paperwork.

View from new apartment

Living room in new apartment

Thursday, February 28 -
The movers arrive for a two-day packing extravaganza. We will be without most of our belongings for about 5 weeks.

Okay, so that should get us up-to-date. More to come (hopefully).

Moving to Finland Judged as a Crazy Logistical Challenge.

Word,
Nicole

Judging La Capilla in Madrid, Spain

Where:  Madrid, Spain

When:  March 10 & 16

Restaurant:  La Capilla (de la bolsa)

Website:  http://www.lacapilladelabolsa.com/restaurant/

I've been back in the US since March 20th, but I can't get the Italian restaurant La Capilla in Madrid out of my mind!  I think I'd hop on a plane right now and travel to Madrid just for the tuna bolognese on pappardella, if it weren't such a crazy, expensive idea.  It may be the best pasta dish I've ever had in my life and that's saying something! I eat a lot of pasta.  I happened upon La Capilla as a friend and I wandered around Madrid my first night in the city.  The next day I left for 5 nights in Segovia, but as soon as I returned to Madrid I headed back to La Capilla with another friend.  I just had to see the place again to make sure I hadn't dreamed it the first time.  It's that incredible.

La Capilla sits in the center of the Puerta de Sol district of Madrid.  (That's Spanish for "shopping and restaurants.")  The building appears to be an old bank, but I can't be sure because of the renovations.  The interior is incredibly elaborate with a crazy light show and giant Italiante murals.  There's a loft area with a white baby grand piano and a pianist in white tails playing 1940s musical medleys.  The only way to describe the decor is it looks like my gay cousin in Rome and his Iranian boyfriend dropped acid and went to a Sherwin Williams paint store.  Then the Sherwin Williams guy also dropped some acid and everybody picked out paint.  In other words, if Liberace walked in to La Capilla he'd say "whoa! This place is crazy over the top!"  If you think I'm exaggerating, click on the link above.

A trip to La Capilla would be worth it just to see the decor.  The fact that the food is amazing makes it so much more fun - and fattening!  The menu is an interesting Spanish interpretation of Italian food.  The seafood risotto is really paella made at your table by a gorgeous Spanish man who speaks little (or no) English and just keeps smiling at you and he spoons more rice and seafood into your gigantic bowl.  The seafood in the risotto included clams, calamari and langostinos that were perfect.  We shared an order as an appetizer and could have quit there. Correction:  We should have quit there.  Spaniards would never eat as much for dinner as we two Americans did that second night.  However, they were very polite to us as we ordered more and more food.  I've tried to duplicate the Strawberry Gazpacho with Lobster Meat at home, but it comes out like a smoothie with fish when I make it.  When La Capilla makes it, it's heaven.  I'm going to try to duplicate the tuna bolognese at home from a compilation of recipes I downloaded.  However, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to replicate the velvety texture of the La Capilla version.

Remember - it's Spain!  So take a "disco nap," get up and have a cup of coffee and head out to dinner at 11 pm. TLa Capilla is packed by midnight.  And as they say in Madrid......"Ciao Adios!"  Auntie

Passing Judgment - MELT in Leesburg, Virginia

Today my husband and I went out to Leesburg, Virginia to do some shopping.  After a strenuous one and half hours of shopping we decided to have lunch at a local burger place, MELT. I had read about MELT on another blogger's site (this guy is trying to eat at every Leesburg restaurant) and he gave it a rave review. So we decided upon it and were not disappointing. I had the classic cheeseburger and my husband had the diner special - burger includes bacon, pimento cheese, and a fried egg.  We also shared the sweet potato fries.

Everything was very good and also very filling cause the burgers were huge. We were very impressed with the homemade rolls and quality meat, which is not just beef, there's also turkey, salmon, tuna, crab and lamb. The restaurant is family owned and the locals love it.

Judged as a GREAT burger place and definitely where you should go if you are craving a really good burger.   

I apologize for the lack of pictures -- I started eating too fast.

Judging Water Tower Food Court

Place:  Water Tower Food Court, Chicago

Date:  April 23 & 25, 2012

What?  I'm reviewing a FOOD COURT??!!  What the heck?

Yes, I am really going to tell you about the best food court in the world.  I love this shopping mall in downtown Chicago so much that as soon as I land at O'Hare, I head to the Miracle Mile and the Water Tower Mall Food Court.  Yes, me.  The big foodie snob heads to the Food Court.  My only question is "Why can't every food court in the country be run by whoever runs this place?"

Here's how it works:  You go to the entrance on the 2nd floor and a hostess asks you how many in your party.  Then a very nice assistant takes you to a table and flips over a sign that says "reserved."  She hands you a blank plastic card and you are off and running.  You can now put down your coat (it's Chicago after all) and visit all the food stations, booths, wine bar and ice cream shop.  Order whatever you want and the attendant will put it on your plastic card.  No need to worry about cash or debit cards.  No money handling to slow things down or spread germs.  You can order a little bit here and a little bit there and not worry about grabbing your wallet at every cash register.  Save the wallet until you're finished with your meal (and dessert?) and then head out to the cashier with your plastic card.  She'll ring up your order and you can pay by cash, debit or credit.  That's it - you just pay one time for everything.  There's also a sit down restaurant and a take-away food market with another wine and full-service bar. It's really amazing and the take-away is gorgeous appetizers, sandwiches and mac & cheese.  I can't understand why everybody in Chicago isn't obese.  Oh.  Wait a minute.

My personal favorite meal is a giant baked potato from the "Comfort Food" guys topped with some veggie chili from the soup place.  Then I go overboard with the sour cream and cheese.  This festival of carb and fiber pairs nicely with a glass of California Viognier.  The wine bar has a great selection of wines by the glass.  Can you get great wines by the glass at your Food Court?  I think not.  Over the past few years, I've sampled the pizza, pasta, ice cream and Thai spring rolls at Water Tower Food Court.  I always look for Oprah because I heard she lived in the condo building over the Mall.  I've never seen her, but I'm not going to stop looking for Oprah or eating at the Water Tower Food Court.

- Auntie

Passing Judgment: Lunch in Richmond

Urban Farmhouse Market on E. Cary St in Richmond VA. Judged as cute place and a great grilled cheese.

Urban Farmhouse Market Grilled Cheese

Cozy Interior

Wall of doors open to the street.