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There are certain things that make you love Germany because they are so German. Perfectly timed DB transit, wine festivals, Trölsch Bakery for their delectable sandwiches, decadent Latte's at the famed Cafe Einstein in Berlin, the perfectly paniert Wienerschnitzel at the Post Cantz or http://www.stylefruits.de/ .

Modetrends, styling tips and shopping excursions pave the way for this fruitful site. Whether you are a new mum heading back to work or a stay at home mum wanting to get out and do a little dancing, this site embodies enough pizzazz for everyone and for every purpose. I like to think of stylefruits as a fashion bible for those looking to amp up their closets.

Breaking each wardrobe ensemble down by price will keep you 'sitting pretty' within your style budget and/or help organize pieces and accessories you currently own. So fear not fashionably challenged BB reader, stylefruits will help you, with ease, rub shoulders with the genetically and fashionably blessed at your next soiree or help you feel comfortable sitting amongst the young snotty set within the cubicle jungle.

crazy for Mercedes-Benz!

After more than six years living in the heart of German automotive engineering, we finally paid a visit to the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart.  It was a perfect outing for a cold February Sunday afternoon.

My girlfriend gave us a tip, if you arrive at 4:30 you pay half-price admission which cuts it down to only four Euro per adult.  The museum closes at six pm but with small kids, an hour and a half is just the perfect visit length.

The boys ready and willing to explore!  The museum offers an audio guide, also for kids, the type where you point the device at a number to get the explanation.  

You take an elevator to the top of the museum and work your way down, starting with the oldest models first.  

I loved this old style headlight

Wouldn't this be fun to take a ride in!

At times it was tough to stay hands-off, but they had a modern tour bus that the kid could climb in and pretend to drive.

An Austrian postal bus

Little brother was thrilled to run down the ramps at top speed.  No stroller needed here!

Big brother hijacked the camera and took about twenty shots of these models.  I think we need to get him his own digital camera soon, some inexpensive point and shoot......  

Final stop was the racing track.  You can sit and watch old racing films while checking out the real thing on the floor below.

We had a great time, but one warning about this museum; it gets you really hot to buy a Mercedes-Benz!   Next stop for us this winter is visiting the Porsche museum, just about 15 minutes drive from us in Ludwigsburg.  This could get dangerous!    

Happy Valentine's Day from Germany!

There is no big fuss over Valentine's day here in Germany- a few flowers gifted, but no exchanging valentines in schools or big commercial fuss (yet....).

We had a little celebration, and a bit of creamy, rich German chocolate (inside these adorable felt bags) is always well received!

Sending you sweet Valentine wishes wherever you are!

Rubber Ducky, You're the One

Yes, that title is a Sesame Street shout-out. And, with all the great products promising to nourish our parched winter skin, we owe it to the god of yellow plastic a chance to satiate our souls with boiling bath water and great products pledging to keep us moisturized. Indeed, a life without hot baths is no life at all.

After immersing myself in a tub full of hot water, I began reading the packaging of my (and the girls) favorite product labels. Who said bath time was was about the works of Kafka? I quickly recognized not all products are created equal. For example, studying the labels on my preferred shampoo, compared to the Heikster's 2,00 euro man brand, made me realize I should be using his products instead- less alcohol and less chemicals should equal a shinier head of hair, right? And what about all the scientific research that has gone into making my bath time more enjoyable? Within an hour of complete submersion, I noted the affect intense study and research can have on one's body. Their level of commitment, ensuring people all over the world a pleasurable bath experience, has continually heightened my bath know-how by taking a normal tub full of water to a self-indulgent pampering one. Ahhhhhhhh, the miracle of science.

Of course, all those years of testing and marketing has shelved less than stellar products. Dutifully, for you, I have unwrapped the pretty packaging and uncovered some of my favorite bath products for kids and adults alike.

Although nothing beats the original, Mr. Bubble (still one of my all time fav's), Europe has an extensive list of noteworthy bath products. Afraid you are going to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a little luxury? Nonsense, I have found a few surprises that will not leave you feeling like you are bathing in the toiletries aisle of the Dollar Store.

If you know anyone in Germany, be sure to have them send you a plethera of local drugstore, DM's, Alverde products. They are FABULOUS. I adore their entire face and body line. For the bath I rely on the Dusch-Peeling Kokosraspeln Lotusblute and cannot live without the Meeresalge for for my face and Feuchtigkeit. And at 1,25 - 2,95 euro a pop, you better believe I load up on their products!!

Whenever the Heikster is in Brussels working I make sure he picks me up an assortment of my favorite Le Petit Marseillais products my cousin introduced me to awhile back. They are a great, inexpensive way to moisturize the family and make you feel jovial. Perhaps it is the delicate scent or lovely refreshing feel that makes me feel cheery...their products are simply amazing.

While taking a break from the exhaustive sights in London, I stumbled across a glorious spa, Sanctuary, in covent Garden. I fell in love with their services and products. Without spending a ridiculous amount of money, I came to appreciate their rich lathers and beautiful notes within each product. So aromatic, in fact, you may just want to bury your nose in them permanently. A few other favorites include Sanctuary's Body Wash and Mande Lular body souffle. Being a die hard foodie, anything with the word souffle in it equals instant happiness.

My all time favorite post bath indulgence. With a light scent and instant absorption, this family favorite has become a staple in our household!!

German coffee time

One of the traditions of german culture that I have truly embraced is coffee time. For the gray(ish) hair set, this can occur as often as every single day at as early as three, but never later than four!  It's taken me a good six and a half years living here to figure this out.

In our family we use coffee time to celebrate birthdays, playdates or quiet sunday afternoons when there is almost no shopping other than online to be had.

I grew up baking with my mother and still enjoy it tremendously, now getting my boys to help.  My hubby and I bought a neubau (new building) apartment about two years ago and we had a US plug outlet built into the kitchen (the line runs down to the basement where we have a transformer) so I could plug in my beloved Kitchen Aid and a few other appliances we bought stateside.

For this playdate I was making cupcakes with melted chocolate in the center

I've come to wish all my American recipes were given in weight.  "1 stick" of American butter is not how european butter is packaged!  I now have a conversion chart and just weigh everything.  

It is sooooo much fun to help mix!

Batter ready!

Chocolate chunks in the middle

Decorations for the kiddies.  They baked up perfectly in my new Christmas present gold muffin/cupcake tin from Williams-Sonoma

Success!  By the way, Germans call all cupcakes "muffins."  I'm often trying to explain to them we've invented two categories so we can also eat cupcake-like creations for breakfast!    

Baby Belly Party

I remember driving to my baby shower in late October, barely fitting behind the wheel and looking forward to unwrapping endless amount of gifts for baby Lola. I also remember driving home, thinking, what the hell am I supposed to do with all this stuff?

Suffering from Babytopia, I allowed myself to graciously accept the hundreds of gifts (when my parents do something they usually do it big) and started unpacking and filling baby's empty dresser and closet with things I absolutely needed, according to my mother.

Enter 2011, where I've had over 5 years to reflect on U.S. thrown baby showers and events. Since moving to Germany I have yet to be invited to one shower of any kind. Pregnant foreigners find themselves wishing, hoping their new found friendship with the nice German lady down the hall will evoke the statement, "you know what, I'm going to throw you a baby shower" and fail to EVER hear those words. Quickly realizing the only way you are going to score free gifts is the care package your parents will send when the baby is born, you give up the dream and surrender to the items you will inevitably have to buy yourself.

Is this necessarily a bad thing? No. I strongly believe we do not need to bask in the glow of society enforced baby articles that are 'pivotal' in child rearing. As a matter of fact, many of these so called must-have pieces will never be used. I do agree, however, that throwing yourself a small expat oriented baby shower is a must do. Spending time with your girlfriends before the big day is a wonderful way to release any nervousness you may be feeling or a good time to ask questions and/or concerns to those with child. Besides, you are bound to get a few new pieces (not 100) that baby will definitely put to good use.

If you are new to Germany and not sure where to find party paraphernalia for your small gathering, I did a little research and found a great German company, Baby Belly Party, willing to give you party ideas, tips, invitations and any other shower essentials to help make your day special.

Method Tanning

After staining several good sheets, bathrobes and white shirts I decided it was time to help myself, and my family, feel good about my skin color or lack thereof. Basically, at the request of my family (and friend Michelle), I have stopped using distinct chemical after-smell tanning lotions and went completely white for one day. Results? Sullen mood, confusion to other white folk and stain free clothing (i.e., no need for Vanish).

Yes, white is beautiful, but for someone who continually stays out of the sun and wears frilly hats when there is some, I depend...no wait, rely on the bottled stuff. Obviously, feeling uncomfortable in pure white skin I decided it was time to explore our fascination with the browning method. Finding subjects to interview was hard. Spanish and Mexican friends, Lidia and Geraldine were automatically not considered due to their natural olive skin tones, Skinny A also out because she does not realize how white she really is. New mom, Michelle, just had a baby and could care less about the subject and the rest of my clan is strictly Italian. Welcome, my husband, the Heikster, the only white person I know that is currently whiter than me.

Me: What is your tanning philosophy?

Heikster: Face first, no body. I am a sun chaser (if you know what I mean) sitting in shade is for losers (i.e., my wife). We need natural sunlight to thrive, not your stinky bottled stuff.

Me: But my stinky bottled stuff makes me feel more colorful and confident.

Heikster: Yes, but you are ruining our sheets and the kids say, "Mama smells funny."

Me: Oh.

Heikster: If you would confidently sit outside with me, in the sun, you wouldn't smell up the house with your bottle dependency.

Me: Yes, but with sub-zero temps and angst for solariums (cancer, cancer, cancer) I need to use something for personal color.

Heikster: Your skin. No need for color right now.

Me: So why do you have that face tanning mechanism in my closet?

Heikster: I don't want to burn when skiing.

Me: But you work too much, when do you plan on skiing?

Heikster: (Sinister grin) in March. You're okay with that, right?

Me: Whatever, off topic, be serious.

Heikster: Look, your self tanner (although good...brownie points here b/c of ski trip) is okay, but the natural stuff is more...natural. I realize age is a factor, and you are afraid the sun will increase your wrinkles, but that is why I work so hard, so you can enjoy facials.

Me: Okay, you just said, "increase your wrinkles" so, you're saying I have a lot of them?!? AND when facials no longer work you plan on 'working hard enough' for me to enjoy the effects of Botox? Nice!!!

Heikster: You women are so complicated. No matter what men say you will turn it around and use it against us. All I am saying is that natural sunlight and a little vitamin D can only be good for you, not your manufactured packaged stuff. Besides, sometimes your legs do not match the color of your ankles.

Me: Well unless you plan on investing your cash on the plastic surgery industry you need to either A: enjoy my favorite, leaves a little stain but has no stink, one day L’Oreal Self Tanner (great product!!) or B: invest stock in Botox practitioners.

Heikster: Being white is all right, even though you look a little more tired. Why are you worrying so much about this topic anyway?

Me: Because I freaked Michelle out with my out of the bottle tanner at her birthday party. All she could say was, 'wow Kim...you are really...tan."

The conversation, albeit longer than the written word, stayed true to point. Women, no matter what we do, will never win. Either we look tired and ghost-like or we smell unnatural and cling to our colorful symbolism within the bottle.

Personally, I prefer the pre 80's no solarium effect where color in some countries meant poor, and no color meant status. Unfortunately, the tan craze of my High School years ruined this ideal for me and forged the colorless (me) into a world of tanning debautury. I would rather deal with a mismatched leg and ankle issue than rely on the burnt hot dog look from the sun or the dangerous rays from the solarium. Thoughts?

Frozen Ausblick

Yesterday we took a short family outing, direction up.

We rode up to the top of the Stuttgart Fernsehturm (TV tower)!  It was quite a frozen Ausblick (view) as winds were high and temperatures below zero.  But it was a nice mini adventure highlighted by traditional european cake and coffee time in the warm cafe at the top.

Now, for our more glamorous high adventure at the top of Rockefeller Center in NYC, check out Top Notch!

Good times...good friends

Sharing my evening with friends, good food, good wine, and a little Sex (and the City) makes me an incredibly happy person- any excuse to cook is a good one!! I adore my girlfriends...they are the most amazing women ever. Thanks ladies for a memorable evening...

My homemade, Mediterranean style Hummus

Delicious Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Blue Cheese with Toasted Walnuts and Pear Crostini's

Feta Artichoke Crostini's

Good food and good company!!

This is what Sunday evenings were made for. No better way to start the week.

Cold hearted snake

I truly want to believe my latest purchase, Rodial's Snake Serum, actually works. It's promise? To reduce facial contractions in 2 minutes. So of course I was walking (very quickly) home to tear open this box of Neuropeptide/liposome line filler miracle potion and transform myself to a freeze like state for the remainder of the day. I warned my husband of it effects beforehand and apologized for lack of emotion after application one- they do guarantee 'instant results'.

Still being able to move my forehead, squint my eyes and evoke emotion (after initial use) I thought I just spent a small fortune on...crap. After using the product 2x a day for 28 days in a row, however, (for research purposes :-) the Serum actually softened the creases around my eyes and subtly softened the crease between my brows, which has gradually deepened since the birth of my first daughter, Lola.

Whenever a product is incredibly hyped by the likes of Sienna Miller or Gwyneth Paltrow, I wonder if it's a PR push or if the bloody product actually works. In this case I can honestly say I was quite thrilled, the sacrifice I gave to the maquillage god in order to rectify this situation, actually worked. Unfortunately, my husband, still confidently differentiating between my emotional status of happy and sad, would agree to disagree.

I have yet to test Rodial's tummy tuck, crash diet, boob job (I just invest in Victoria's Secret push-up series) bum lift, stretch mark eraser or glamtox set, but to put things in perspective, I never, ever finish anything. Haven't in years. But my Rodial snake Serum is gone, gone, gone, and I'm sad about it. I can give no higher recommendation.

Check out the results of my personal Before and After photo shoots for yourself...thoughts?