"Ich bin ein Berliner"

Of course, besides the Wall festivities, Berlin is rampant with art and museums and shopping and activities and bizarre places I'm sure I'm not even aware of. I did have myself some fun at the Mall of Berlin. And just walking around the city and taking the U-Bahn and S-Bahn to its different districts is an adventure in itself. Here are a few fun photos of me prancing around Berlin in beanies and scarves and coats, because let me tell you: It was friggin' COLD. Oh, and my sister Jasmin is the phenomenal photographer of this photoset, if you find yourself wondering.

I love the way the textures and patterns of this wall, door, and ground contrast each other, yet are somehow cohesive.

Bears around the city. Here's one in Nikolaiviertel.

Mall of Berlin in Potsdamer Platz. This was halfway through the damage done. In the end, my feet and arms ached, but this was the most incredible einkaufszentrum I've ever been to.

Being original in front of the National Gallery.

Um yes, so this was the most frigid day in Berlin, and I happened to leave my coat in my room and froze my arse off. I  turned to tomato soup and hot chocolate and glühwein for warmth.

We chanced upon this alley and I felt compelled to lean against this wall. Definitely felt edgy that night.































Berlin, ich werde dich vermissen. Bis zum nächsten Mal. 
xx B

The Berlin Wall Came Tumbling Down. 25 Years Later, It's Been Lifted.

Guten Abend, travel bugs! 

Just over a week ago, I got back from Europe. I spent almost three glorious weeks there, which is partly why I've been awol all November. (And gosh, I haven't even posted many photos from my Scotland trip this past June and July, which I was supposed to do forever ago. So here I go with this trip, and then I'll try to eventually get to those dreamy Scotland pictures.) 

I had originally planned this trip last December when I found out that Berlin was going to be holding an immense celebration for the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was so intent on making this trip happen that I even set my phone wallpaper to a picture that read: "Du bist verruckt mein Kind. Du muss nach Berlin." This served as my reminder every time I was tempted to spend too frivolously.

My sister Jasmin and I arrived in Frankfurt and spent the first few days with my family who live in Mainz and in a small town called Rümmelsheim. They are some of my favorite people in the world, and my heart is always full when I visit them. We then made our way to Berlin and spent 5 days there. It was my 3rd time to Berlin, but it's such a large, diverse city and is constantly changing, so it was great fun. We then traveled via train to Paris and rented an apartment there for a week. Then we rounded our trip with our last four days with my family again in Germany. 

Es war wunderschön.

So, I'll begin with Berlin.

For the 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall, there was an 8,000 white "wall" of balloons all along where the wall once stood. Every night, the Lichtgrenze was illuminated, and on clear nights, it was even possible to see the light wall from space. The events and art installations culminated into November 9, which marked 25 years since the wall was torn down.

 We started the day off at The Eastside Gallery, which is the part of the wall that is still left intact. It's now covered with art and graffiti. And if you watched CNN at all that day, there was an old Trabant, which CNN converted into an art installation by asking people from all over the world to sign, and I was asked to sign it! Yes, me!

Later that day, there was a huge ceremony at the Brandenburg Gate, which is where the releasing of the balloons commenced. Huge German music acts performed, including Die Fantastischen Vier and Udo Lindenberg. It was a massive event! Just before the balloons were released, the Mayor of Berlin spoke to those of us in the ginormous crowd, "We're the happiest people in the world and we're thrilled that you brought the Berlin Wall down 25 years ago." Then, one by one, those 8,000 balloons were released into the air. 

We met a man named Axel who told us how deeply connected he felt to the event. He said that seeing the balloon wall took him back to the years when the Berlin Wall stood as a barrier and how horrific a time it was, especially since he was separated from some of his family. The day the wall came down, it was his 24th birthday, and 25 years later, he and his wife traveled back to Berlin to see the wall metaphorically lifted on his 49th birthday. What a story.

Seeing the balloons released into the night sky symbolized hope and unity, and though Berlin is still recovering from its Communistic history, it's still being rebuilt and visitors and citizens alike get to witness the rebuilding in action. To be in Berlin for the festivities was simultaneously sobering and celebratory.  I can't believe I got to be a part of it. I am deeply connected to my German roots, and I'm so grateful that this beautiful country no longer lives in fear, but thrives on hope.

xx  B

Some Danish For Your Thoughts

Hallo, Schätze! September and these first two weeks of October have been busy and filled with fun, ergo I've neglected posting about the past month's ongoings. So for this first post, I'll start off with a little music entry.

Yesterday I turned 24, and Anil took to me to the Laemmle NoHo 7 location to watch a film called Copenhagen. This is the main track from the film's soundtrack. It's a Danish song titled "Vi To Er Smeltet Sammen" by Stoffer & Maskinen. You can feel the heaviness and affliction conveyed through the song, regardless of whether or not you speak Danish (which I don't). 

"Vi To Er Smeltet Sammen" Stoffer & Maskinen

Monmartre

"Monmartre"

by Brittany Cardinas

There was this woman.

She had short white hair

That curled just below her

Ears and wisped across her forehead.

An ebony beret contrasted her locks.

She cradled three baguettes in her

Left arm. From head to toe, she

Donned all black—her shawl, her

Stockings, her gloves, 

Her laced shoes. The basket

Of tomatoes and various greens

She carried in her right hand

Seemed to weigh down on her

As she trudged up the steps of

Monmartre. She looked up for

A moment, and when I met her

Eyes, I saw a basket weighing

On her spirit too.

Best Car Song Ever

Going on a final road trip before summer comes to a close? The right music is essential. I thought I'd share with you my favorite road trip song that never fails to uplift the dampened "Are we there yet?" spirit:

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers

So whether you're driving 500 miles or 5 miles, this song will have you and everyone in the car bouncing, singing, and trying in vain to emulate the  formidable but very cool Scottish accent. 

Los Liones Trail

     As it is, I'm not an exercise enthusiast. Growing up, I was never into sports, even though I sometimes feigned interest because most of my friends were athletically inclined. You know how people get stage fright? That's how I feel on a field: My muscles tense up and I get deer-in-headlights syndrome. Therefore growing up, my only consistent form of physical activity was ballet. Since I haven't properly danced since college, the only acceptable form of exercise to me now is walking. Personally, I prefer forest hikes or long walks along cobblestone streets in old-world European cities, but Los Angeles isn't exactly copious in forests or cobblestones. There are, however, a number of good hiking trails in the county, such as the hike up to the Hollywood sign, Runyon Canyon, Griffith Park, etc. 

     A couple weekends ago, I hiked one of the trails in Pacific Palisades with some friends. The Los Liones trail spans 7 miles, abundant with winding corners and frequent inclines but an easy hike nonetheless. The dirt trail boasts gorgeous views of Santa Monica Bay and all of those swanky Malibu homes.  Aside from the deathly L.A. heat (I have a passionate aversion to the sun), the hike was fun and made for great photos.

     Hilary Swank was also there, looking as beautiful as you'd imagine in a sundress, a beige sweater, and big sunnies. I walked right past her and smiled and said a neighborly hello to her and her family without knowing it was her until a friend pointed her out. I should have asked for a picture with her like some of my friends did, but my car was already driving away by the time I mustered up the courage, and I felt too bad bombarding her during her private moment with her mom and dad and two cute doggies. I had to be content with gawking from a distance. That's something I'll regret forever. 

P. S. I love you, Hilary.

A little mid-week poem

"Five Chimneys"

by Brittany Cardinas

A slope of grass

   descends,

    ending abruptly

at the shallow end.

Black rocks

          peek out

      as white foam

                 cascades

                       over--

At times gentle,

At times harsh.

   Above,

the house of

grey stone

and five chimneys

observes the oscillating affair.

So much to say.

Nothing
 to say.

Mardy Bumming with the Arctic Monkeys

Happy midnight!

I just got home (finally snuggled in bed) from an Arctic Monkeys concert at Staples Center. In my experience, concerts either cause you to love a band/performer so much more or devastatingly less, and with the Arctic Monkeys, it is clearly the former. Alex Turner, with his slicked-back hair and intriguing hip movements, has an aura that commands attention as soon as he walks on the stage. (Okay, and perhaps his aura also give off a pompous vibe, but hey, he's a rock star.) His voice, somehow simultaneously hollow yet rich and deep, is as captivating live as it is on recordings. The entire band contributes to their compelling presence-- the drummer, guitarist, and bassist remained engrossed in their music throughout the entire concert, and it's evident that each member puts in an abundance of time and effort into his work. 

They opened, of course, with "Do I Wanna Know", inevitably included performances of oldies such as "Mardy Bum" (a forever favorite) and "Old Yellow Bricks", and so many other captivating performances of their songs, including a three-song encore. I especially enjoyed the abundant use of strobe lights, spotlights, and various types of light thingamabobs I'm sure I've never heard of. At one point, everyone in the audience held up their phones with their flashlights illuminating the darkened stadium like stars in the night sky. That was my favorite part: feeling suspended in the sky surrounded by twinkling stars. Below is a picture of it along with some other photos from the night. I wasn't able to get any close ups from the suite box we were sitting in, but these photos should suffice. 

Goodnight, and shine bright like an iPhone. xo B

Song of the Summer

"I Follow Rivers" debuted in 2011, so it's been around for a long while, but I re-stumbled upon it during a random shuffle on my iTunes playlists a few months ago, and it's definitely my song of the summer. It's has that European je ne sais quoi and brings about positive vibes during coastal drives and drives through the city. Also, you can't help but think of De rouille et d'os and La vie d'Adèle while listening to it. You just can't.

"I Follow Rivers" by Lykke Li

An Ode to Ernest Hemingway

An adventurous, afflicted, pensive man once said, 
"Write hard and clear about what hurts."
Here's to you, Ernest.

"An Ode to Ernest Hemingway"

   by Brittany Cardinas

To write hard and clear about what hurts,

One must write, and one must hurt.

There is certainly no shortage

Of hurt in this world,

So one must never stop writing.

The world should be laden

With so many pages

That we find solace and commiseration

Around every street corner

And riverbank,

Every cobblestone path,

Every mountain pass,

Every rain cloud,

And every particle of dust from

Deserts and attics and lonely corners

Rarely frequented.

So hurt and write

And find comfort.

Such is life.

No longer a Sassenach to the Outlander Fandom

 On beginning the book and the television series:
(Don’t worry, for your sake—and mine— No spoilers included)

So last week, I just began reading Outlander. First published in 1991, the ongoing book series, which was recently joined by an 8^th novel, is acclaimed internationally. My sister Jasmin first recommended it to me years ago, my mom’s cousin in Germany has read every single Outlander book that’s been translated into German thus far, and now I’m only left with regret for not reading it sooner. Recently, my friend Lindsey and I have started a long-distance, two-person book club and are reading the semi-historical, semi-fantastical story together.  (Wow, that was a lot of hyphens in one sentence.)

Diana Gabaldon’s writing is eloquent and captivating, making the roughly 800-page novel well worth the read. As of yet, here are a few of my favorite quotes from the first couple chapters:  

• “It’s a good country for myths. Things seem to take root here.”
• “Getting up once in the dark to go adventuring is lark. Twice in two days smacks of masochism.”
• “With no nearby city to veil the sky with light, the stars here held undisputed dominion over the night.”

What makes it more exciting for me is that the book is set in Scotland, and I only just got back last month from my holiday in Scotland, so reading about places I've just visited, such as the Scottish Highlands and the city of Inverness, makes me feel more connected to the story I think, than I would had I not been there. I can still vividly picture the ruins of Urquart castle and feel the fog encompassing me while boating on Loch Ness, so when it’s described in the book, I resonate with it all.

I’ll post more about the book after I’ve finished reading it, because in this post, I’d also like to focus on the new Outlander television series! The red carpet premiere occurred just last week, only 2 hours south from me at San Diego’s Comic-Con. It will officially debut on the Starz network on August 9, but Starz has made the pilot episode available online one week in advance. 

Let me tell you: It lived up to the hype.

Click here to watch the full episode.

The first episode, titled “Sassenach”, covers the first three chapters of the book. Of course, there were minor discrepancies here and there, as with all book-to-television or book-to-movie instances, but that can only be expected when you’re trying to cram pages of characters and description into the exposition. Despite omitting certain characters and scenes from the first three chapters, the episode stayed true to the essence of the story.

My favorite scene in the episode was the dance of the druid maidens clad in white. Ethereal and beguiling, the scene was even more mesmerizing than I had imagined it to be while reading the book. I also quite enjoyed the scene with Claire’s frantic run through the forest while an overture of bagpipe music ignited excitement in the hearts of the audience (or maybe just me). I’ll stop there with scene descriptions so as not to give away any storyline or plot for those of you who are still Sassenachs to the Outlander fandom.

The decision to cast Caitriona Balfe was a good one, in my opinion, as she comes pretty close to how I imagine Claire in the book. However, she did smile too much for my liking in the first half of the episode, for her character anyway, although I get that all the optimism was just to mask her underlying unhappiness and discontent. As an aspiring actor, I do understand the need to not “play the problem,” so I understand a lot of her acting choices in the scenes.  It was a bit excessive, that’s all, especially being aware of Claire’s thought process in the book. However, it might just be a personal preference thing, and I thought her performance throughout the rest of the episode was excellent. As for Jamie, Sam Heughan was the perfect actor to cast for his character.

I’m pulsating with excitement for this whole series, especially because it consists of so many elements my soul resonates with: forests and fog and rain and Europe and adventure and myth and history and beautiful accents. What isn’t to love? (besides all that smiling)