Sunday, March 20, 2011

La Favorite

Today was one of those perfect sounding Sunday's when planned and it turned out to be even better when experienced. The sun was shining in the Hagen, which always puts everyone in a good mood, and the plan was to visit Denmark's oldest confectionery for coffee and cake before watching the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Film Institute. We topped it off with an impromptu stroll through the Botanical Gardens which was the icing on the cake.

La Glace is one of those places you walk by and admire from the outside that lives up to all of your expectations when you finally make it inside. It has a friendly staff, a quaint atmosphere, and cakes and confections galore. Even though I have lived in Europe for a year and a half, I was overwhelmed with how quintessential European this little place really was. From the cramped space, to the vintage photographs on the wall, to the old school water fountain, to the antique coffee pot, everything had an element of history and intrigue.

The place was founded in 1870, but who knows how long the building has been there. Even though it was 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, when most Danes are at home enjoying their families, and 99% of all businesses in Denmark are closed, a stream of people, young and old, tourist and resident, were waiting to be seated or waiting to get inside. We lucked out and found a table as soon as we walked in the door, and took our time soaking up the delicious atmosphere and fantastisk company.

La Glace is definitely one of my favorite places so far in Copenhagen and today was another great memory to add to the list of life in Denmark.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Memories of Rhoni

The purpose of this blog is to write about my life in Denmark. However, every once in a while something so important happens in your home country that it is all you can think about. That for me over the past couple of weeks has been about praying for justice and peace for my cousin Rhoni. I have no doubt that Rhoni has been at peace for the last 3.5 years, as that is just the sort of person she was, but I think her soul would rest a little bit easier knowing that her Mom and Dad and brothers can finally begin to heal.

Memories of her have come flooding back over these past couple of days and my first thought was to write them down in a paper journal, as I did before I moved to Denmark and began writing about my life online. Then I thought, how liberating it would be for others to have a chance to know her, how I knew her. Not as the victim or woman portrayed to be hopelessly in love with a local hero, but as a phenomenal, striking, amazingly beautiful personality of her own.

We were always family, but we became friends shortly after I moved to Chicago in 2001. She had lived there for nearly a decade before I moved to the city, and was many years older, but that didn't stop her from seeking me out and becoming like a big sister to me over the next 8 years. We would meet for brunch or lunch and keep up with each others lives via email throughout the years. We didn't have a regular meeting schedule, but always knew when it was time to see each other again. When we did meet, I was always blown away by her beauty. She radiated it inside and out. The sort of person that you stop and stare at when she walks into a room. People would literally ask me who she was, when we were out together. I'm not sure she ever knew that.

We shared stories of family. She told me I had my mother's eyes and I told her she reminded me of my sister Renee. She told me of her dreams to go into fashion while I was just beginning to figure out mine. The more we talked, the more we realized how similar we were. She was reading about the "Blood Type" diet at the same time I was. We both believed in the benefits of using natural products and eating organic foods. But the one thing that stays with me in our last conversations was our shared belief in a higher purpose, energy, or spiritual realm. A way of living your life where you focused on the good and brought those positive things into your life.

She was in a really good and happy place before she left us. That is the one comfort that I go back to again and again. I hope that good place stays with her in the next realm, and I pray her family can find it again after enough time goes by on earth.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Concert at Christiania

I was lucky enough to have been recently invited to a concert in Christiania, a "freetown" in the middle of Copenhagen with a hippie vibe, featuring an Afro beat band called "Who Are You People." It was one of those nights where everyone smiled at you and the mood was completely chill.

It could be said that the location of the concert, or the mood of the music, or whatever was floating in the air that night, might have had something to do with the 'relaxed' vibe everyone was feeling, but it could also have been one of those nights where people were just a little bit kinder to one another, or a combination of all of the above.

Either way, it was a breath of fresh air and for a second I thought I was back in Madison, Wisconsin attending the "Berkley of the Midwest", dancing to Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans at the Crystal Corner. Which, for those that have no clue what I am talking about, means I was surrounded by good people and good music and "life was good." It was nice to feel that familiarity again, if only for one night, in my new country of residence.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Fastelavnsboller

I've lived in Denmark for 18 months now and this is the first time I have heard of Fastelavn. It's a carnival or special time of year when children (and adults) dress up in costumes and get candy and oranges by hitting a wooden barrel (similar to a piƱata) with a black cat painted on the outside. In the old days a black cat actually used to be inside the barrel and was thought to ward off evil spirits.

Sounds a lot like Halloween in the States to me, except there is not a delightfully delicious pastry to go along with the event called a Fastelavnsboller. (Which is so Danish!) And one of the reasons I love living here. The bakeries and the pastries and wonderful customs that are still celebrated even though no one actually knows why at times.

Fastelavn also comes at the same time of year as Mardi Gras which is a big carnival in New Orleans, that is celebrated all over the States. In French it means Fat Tuesday which is the last day of feasting on rich foods and drink before fasting for Easter begins on Ash Wednesday. Even though Denmark is not a religious country, it's comforting to know that similar traditions are an annual calendar event here as well.