Sadly I missed the entire day the 15th and did not write in my blog… first day in 2014, I think, that I skipped. This saddens me. At least I was having a nice time, though, which explains the absence.
Month: June 2014
Coffee – and World – Cup
Standard“I missed the whole World Cup getting you coffee.”
– Man missing La Copa Mundial spent the whole time running to and fro in Prenzlauerberg, Berlin fetching coffee at my behest
Married to the TV – Wasting Berlin
StandardI am in a fantastic city (Berlin) and also have an article I need to finish writing that has been hanging over my head for ages. All these options and obligations and what do I do?
Of course, I watch a beyond ridiculous German television reality show (in German, of course – which I don’t understand at all – half the process was trying to figure out what was going on) called 4 Hochzeiten und eine Traumreise. Horrible. Its premise is three couples competing to have the best wedding or something similar – the brides each rate the others’ weddings (and different aspects of the weddings – food, entertainment, dress, etc.). It was nothing less than astounding in its stupidity – and I am nothing less than stupid for watching.
However, in the end, when tacky couple Rana and Samer won “best wedding” (if you could call it that) and then the dream trip, the whole 45 minute nonsense turned out to be worth having watched because of the bizarre physical reaction of the groom. He mimicked a kind of “boxing-match, rapid-motion, punch-to-the-gut” motion. TO HIS WIFE. Really, follow the link and click on the video called “Rana und Samer fliegen auf die Seychellen.”
This has provided an entire evening full of laughter, replaying this in our heads.
here in berlin world cup
Standardstaying for a wee bit in mitte/prenzlauerberg, in berlin, watching opening match of the world cup (brasil and my beloved croatia).
berlin always amazes me.
“you’re still not in it.”
“i am just looking at you because you’re bossy.”
more soon. i need to get my hands on some sweet rice flour and some xanthan gum.
Berlin
StandardOff to Berlin tomorrow; meanwhile, here is something that crosses my mind a lot:
“People are hired by companies and quit managers“
Hotel Frustrations
StandardNaturally when I have not had any sleep and have then trudged wearing too many hot clothes in too-hot weather to the center of town, I am staying in an unfamiliar hotel. No less than three times did I have to go back to the front desk because my key was not working in the elevator nor on my room door. Brilliant. Eventually they gave me a different room but the desk clerk accompanied me to make sure the new key would work. Lo and behold – it didn’t! Haha. All the batteries in all the doors are apparently wearing out at once. Normally this would not bother me, and it is not the staff’s fault. But in my tired crankiness, feeling exhausted and far too hot, I just wanted to cry. This after I started off my day in the most killer way – slamming the index finger of my left hand in my car door.
I definitely just need to go to sleep and put today behind me.
On the other hand, I was able to compare someone to Miss Piggy (which was deemed “spot on” by an observer), and that made us laugh – so at least there’s laughing amidst the wee annoyances.
Scandinavian Women on English-Language TV?
StandardI wrote up a whole list of Scandinavian male actors who dominate English-language TV but am having trouble thinking of any Scandinavian women on TV at all. And the two who do spring to mind are far
Connie Nielsen – The Following / Boss / Law & Order: SVU
Malin Akerman – Trophy Wife / Suburgatory (both RIP)
Connie is Danish but her acting career seems to have been mostly English-language – and Malin was born in Sweden but grew up in Canada.
Who am I missing?
Gluten-free pistachio cake
StandardI am not normally interested in recipes that make use of pre-made mixes. But in my urgency to find gluten-free recipes, I read this one on the Daily Hiit blog.
I plan to give it a try in my next bake near the end of June.
Gluten-free pistachio cake
1 box of gluten-free vanilla cake mix
1 box pistachio pudding mix
1/2 cup coconut oil (microwave solid oil for 15 seconds)
1 cup ginger ale
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
powdered sugar for dusting on top
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a bundt cake pan with coconut oil. (Dust with a little bit of cake mix and/or gluten free flour if you prefer).
Mix the cake and pudding mixes in a bowl. Add coconut oil and ginger ale. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add almond extract and chopped pistachios. Blend thoroughly.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Toothpick test the cake when it has been in the oven 45 minutes. It should be moist, not overcooked. Cake will spring back from pan when done.
Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cool, dust top with powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator.
Scandinavian Man Invasion on TV
StandardAnyone as obsessed with TV as I am knows that Nordic TV shows have asserted a kind of quality and dominance that has garnered well-deserved praise and attention (and the inevitable English-language – and other – remakes, as with The Killing mirroring the Danish Forbrydelsen and the Swedish/Danish production Bron spawning American/Mexican offshoot, The Bridge, and UK/French offshoot, The Tunnel).
Amidst the sea of fantastic Scandinavian television show choices, one cannot overlook the strength and ubiquity of the Scandinavian actors on English-language TV shows. TV has been taken over by Scandinavian men… I will undoubtedly forget some of them (yes there are that many!) but the most notable that spring to mind right now include some pretty startling, arresting performances:
Mads Mikkelsen (Denmark) in Hannibal
Ulrich Thomsen (Denmark) in Banshee
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Denmark) in Game of Thrones
Joel Kinnaman (Sweden/USA) in The Killing
Alexander Skarsgård (Sweden) in True Blood
Bill Skarsgård (Sweden) in Hemlock Grove
Peter Stormare (Sweden) in The Blacklist
Of note, Stormare is also starring in a series of Volvo Trucks ads (not unlike Jean-Claude Van Damme!) that champions Swedish values – see below. Stormare rules – cannot help but think of him again frequently now that there is a TV version of Fargo. He was a highlight in the film version.
Better safe than sorry!
Look at him “fika” all by himself!
Might not want to try “allemansrätten” wherever you come from (especially the USA where “stand your ground” might take precedence)
Nowhere in the world will you see as many dads with prams!
Substantial Swedish food!
Lagom! The Swedish Goldilocks complex!
Darri Ingólfsson (Iceland) in Dexter
Christopher Heyerdahl (Canada) in Hell on Wheels (honorable mention since he is not really a Norwegian but beautifully plays a Norwegian who shifts like a chameleon into different identities as it suits him but is known in the beginning as “The Swede”)
Updated
Gustaf Skarsgård (Sweden) – Vikings (Yes, there are a lot of those Skarsgårds!)
Kristofer Hivju (Norway) – Game of Thrones (Finally – a real Norwegian to add to the list!)
Silicon Valley – Mean Jerk Time
StandardI keep saying it – and laughing about it – but Silicon Valley is a bloody hilarious show. You really must watch it if you haven’t been.
The most recent episode – the season finale – in which the guys spend hours working on equations to figure out how they could most efficiently jerk off the greatest number of guys in the Tech Disrupt audience cracked me up.
Also cool – seeing the Opera Software logo prominently displayed in the background. The good old days.