Sendlinger Tor Market

I've not a lot on this market this year, except to say that it still holds the title for having the best Wurst Semmel and I found a new addition~the Kaesekrainer-a cheesy stuffed red wurst.  Yum!  As far as decor and things to buy, I am always drooling over these stars.  One of the neighbors across the street has one in their window and it looks beautiful at night whilst lit.  I just don't know how to go about affixing it to the window....but I do love the way they look!

These are festive, but on the list of things that I don't need....

This is a small market, but one that is fun to stop and have a look around.

And maybe partake in a lovely cheesy wurst.....

Felt balls: my new/old obsession

http://www.pickles.no/wonderful-wreath/

The Hub is away on business again this week.  So......I am left to my own devices...and I think that I might attempt this crafty project.  The apartment needs some holiday cheering, and I just acquired A LOT of felt  balls and a straw wreath, so here I go...........my friend L sent me this link and I think that it is a really great looking wreath. 

Last year, I strung the felt balls into garland to use on our tree and it looked very festive!

So when I went back to my supplier this year, and she didn't have any, I sort of went into panic/withdrawal mode.  Then I found them at another Christmas market stand and all was right with the world again.

The first step in recovery is to admit that you have a problem, right?  Hello, I am a felt addict, and I like it!

Tollwood

We had some very snowy days here in Munich, which was a nice surprise due to the fact that the heavy snowfall last year seemed to come after the New Year began.  So, snow in early December, blanketing the Christmas Markets made everything magical and frosted...and cold. 

The perfect market to visit in these conditions is the one at the Theresienweisen where the Oktoberfest is held: Tollwood.  This is more than just an outside market, as it has tents!  One of the tents is for performances...and this market stays open until 1 am to accommodate the patrons of the shows.  It also has 2 tents for vendors...one is focused solely on world goods-free trade-Unicef sorts of products, the other is your basic market vendors, but just inside away from the elements. 

For some reason, last year, I never made it down to this market.  I can't really say why.  I know that there is a summer Tollwood that is up at the Olympic stadium center, but had heard that it is cheesy and sort of on the cheap side.  Not the winter one, no sirree,  this one is worth a visit...or three!

My friends and I went down to explore Tollwood on this very snowy day, so we decided that a Gluehwein stop was necessary...this stand had a humongous chandelier hanging in the center. Some nice ambiance, no?

And they offered up my favorite variety of Gluehwein~Cherry!

A few pictures of the many things that tempted me inside the tents:

So, after a few presents scouted out and a few purchases (for myself!) made, we were off out into the snowy night again.  We were greeted by lights and beauty that was amplified by the crisp evening air and the snow falling.  Light installations and tents ablaze, we were on our way home.  But, with promises to be back again and to bring the Hubs along next time.

In German, the word "toll" means "cool".  Yes, I think that Tollwood is absolutely toll.

 

Residenz Christmas Market

Continuing the Christmas Market theme, here are some pictures of the market at the Residenz, where it seemed as though most of the food on offer was of the "on a stick" variety!  You have your meat course:

Your waffles on a stick, or as the nice lady told me:  Wafflepops!

And also the candied or chocolate covered fruit course:

I opted for the wurst course, which truly never lets you down! And before you ask, yes, that is blasphemous ketchup on my wurst semmel-some things don't change...mustard is nasty!

A little information about the Residenz: it is the former Royal Palace for the Bavarian kings.  It is now a museum, which you can tour and is comprised of over 130 rooms (this is an excellent rainy day to do when you have visitors in town) and a complimentary museum under the same roof which houses the treasury-some jewels and other important artifacts.

The Residenz is one of those places in Munich that fools you on first sight.  When you look at it from Odeonsplatz, you don't even begin to comprehend the size of this place.  The gardens are open to the public and well tended and utilized by the people of the city...and there is a peaceful serenity to this green space in the middle of the bustling city center.


The Christmas market is held in a smaller courtyard at the Residenz.  It is a smaller, cozy market, mostly made up of food stalls, a knife sharpener, a couple of stands selling vintage Tracht (authentic Bavarian costumes and accessories) and several stands selling Christmas goods.

But the most distinguishing thing about this market is the kid's section.....filled with 6-7 huts of some of the creepiest animatronic santas, elves, trolls, and figures from fairy tales you have ever seen:

The one below is Hansel and Gretel...I didn't get the kids in the pic, but got the witch and her, um, reindeer:

 

This section of the market is started off with a huge talking and singing moose.  It is just his head, like he is mounted or maybe looking in through a window in the hut.  I cannot believe that I didn't get a photo of him singing Winter Wonderland when I went...and I even looked in the archives from last year-nothing.  I will post a picture of him before this market season is over, though....I promise.  He is worth a look at for you all.  I did take some video...maybe that would be better, if I can figure out how to post it, I will.  There is always a big crowd around his hut, and the children are really mesmerized by him and his stories and songs.

In the kid's section there is also an open fire pit.  They burn evergreen bits and wood there-it smells really good.  But I do wonder about the placement of it in the kid section...

 

Please don't think that I am not swept up in the feeling of this market.  I think that the animatronics are quirky and weird, and maybe more than a little bit German...but I know that we probably have customs and things from our childhoods that seem quirky and weird to those who did not grow up with us...and I think that it is really something to have these old set ups from long ago to come and visit year after year and then to bring your children to...traditions in the making.  

And, how can you not like a place that has gingerbread house topped trash cans?

Chinese Tower/Chinesicher Turm Christmas Market

The Christmas market season has begun here in Munich!  This is the time of the year that the snow begins to fall, the air is filled with the aroma of roasted chestnuts and sugared almonds, and Gluehwein!  The Hub and I ventured out on the first weekend to a few markets...here are some pics from one of my favorites in the English Garden-The Chinese Tower Christmas Market.  I do have a few favorite markets-and instead of lumping them all into one post, I hope that you will bear with me while I show you them separately.

I like certain markets for different reasons...and one of the reasons that I like this one is certainly the festively decorated Chinese Tower, but also the delightful Gluehwein that is served in really cute mugs this year:

St. Niklaus made an appearance, handing out fruit bread (?) from his burlap sack.  He was a little creepy....but the kiddos seemed to love it!  I kept thinking about the kids back at home who won't sit on the jolly joyful Santa's lap.  This guy might not fare so well in the US...

I also like this market for one of the vendors that I befriended last year.  She sells felted goods and is my main supplier of boiled wool felt boot insoles.  Toasty warm are your tootsies when you have these babies tucked in your boots!  She is also the one that sold to me the cute felt balls that I used on my Christmas tree as garland last year.

Had to take a picture of these very Bavarian looking gents who were also enjoying the market: 

Cheers all!  Chinese Tower in the backround-can you make out the gold bell ornaments on it?

The only things that makes this almost-finished mug of Gluehwein ok is the cute little strawberry heart and knowing that I can come back again soon!

Schnee 2010!

Guess who moved in to Munich last night while we were sleeping....yup, Jack Frost!  I am feeling a little badly this morning about the geraniums.....but am generally happy that the city (and the Christmas Markets) will have a pristine dusting of snow! 

The Perfect Day

What makes a perfect day?

• time with the Hub in the morning over coffee in bed, talking and listening
• yummy brunch with friends
• time outside in a beautiful setting
• sunshine
• snow on the ground or in the air
• meeting friends and hanging out
• meeting new doggie friends that their owners let us pet and get our puppy fix
• Gluehwein
• quiet time in the house with no computers on and focusing on being together
• a hot bubble bath
• cooking dinner together and sitting down to eat it at the table
• finishing a knitting project
• chocolate
• reading
• putting pajamas on before 8 o'clock

In other words, today was the perfect day.