All Dogs Go To Heaven

On July 15th, my home as I know it changed forever.  They say "all dogs go to heaven" but I just wish it didn't have to happen so soon.

About three weeks ago we got the devastating news that Maverick had tumors covering his liver and spleen and his prognosis was not good.  The vet even said surgery wouldn't give him much time.  I flew home that weekend to make sure he knew how much I loved him.  I had plans to come home two weeks after that but couldn't risk it and I'm so glad I did.  We did all of his favorite things with him like taking him on the boat, on long walks in the park and swimming in pool.  Maverick swims in the pool everyday and floats on the raft like he's the king.  We had such a great weekend.

Throughout the next 2 weeks he had good days and bad days but ultimately grew uncomfortable.  Maverick passed away on July 15, 2015, just 3 months after his seventh birthday!

He loved to cuddle in the blankets and suck on his stuffed animals.  He loved to eat ice and peeled apples while he ate them like he was a human.  He slept on the vents on the cold floor and loved to snuggle up close in bed so you could share the pillow.  He knew the tricks that would get him a treat and did them without being prompted.  If you weren't paying the slightest bit of attention to him, he would sit there and put his paw in your lap to make sure you noticed him and to get you to scratch behind his ears.  The minute you stopped he'd look at you like "umm you're not done!".  If everyone was in the kitchen, he'd lay in the middle of floor just to be near everyone.  He liked to sit on a seat in the car and didn't mind trying to share.  He was a dog that thought he was a human and we treated him as such.

From the moment we brought him home he fit in our family like a glove.  Going home will be different without his warm, enthusiastic welcome.  He would get so excited and make sweet whimpering noises that we called the "crying hello".  He couldn't control himself- he was so happy to see the ones he loved when they walked in the door (not everyone got the crying hello)!  It will be different without him snuggling up on the couch and creeping closer and closer until he's laying on top of you.  It's going to be different without him begging for a walk and stretching by the door the second you pull out your sneakers.  Home is going to be different without him there.

I'll love you forever, Maverick.  You were the best dog I've ever known.  Thank you for always being a cuddly, sweet and warm friend.  I'll miss you!

EURO TRIP 2015 | Day 7: My Birth Place

For 25 years I've been hearing about the place I was born.  My parents have told countless stories of their life in Germany- where they lived, their military lifestyle, the friends who became family, the travels they went on.  I've heard about all of this anxiously waiting for the day I could experience it for myself and fully visualize their stories.  Although this part of the trip is not as "touristy" as the rest, it was some of my favorite.

My parents started dating in high school, and a few years later when my dad was graduating from West Point and my mom from Rutgers, they put Germany at the top of their list of places to get stationed.  My parents got married in August 1987 and left for Germany in September.  Nearly three years later, in April of 1990, I was born.

Throughout their time in Germany my dad worked at the United States Military base in Hanau- not too far outside of Frankfurt.  My dad showed us the base, which has since become something else but the buildings are the same.  He showed us the buildings he and his friends that we know worked in and where the tanks were kept and re-told stories of working on the base.  My parents told us about how my mom and her friend used to drive around the bank truck for the soldiers to gather their checks and exchange money.

We then walked through the town of Hanau and to the Marktplatz, which is a market in the center of town where they sell tons of fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc.  They also have food stands/trucks.  In the center of the Marktplatz is a statue of the Grimm Brothers, who are famous for writing folk and fairy tales.

After visiting Hanau we headed to Hammersbach, which is the town my parents lived in and the born where I was born.  This was very surreal.  The town is like most German towns with houses pretty close together, narrow roads, and separated from the next with lots of fields and meadows.  Up the street from their old house was an arch that was symbolic of the town.

There is a bar/restaurant that my parents and their friends constantly talk about.  They spent many nights there and always brought their visitors.  They tried to take us there and once we arrived realized that it isn't the same.  The outside looked the same, the inside had a few changes, but the ownership and menu and overall feel (they said) had changed.  They were so upset!

In all, it was a wonderful day exploring the town my parents lived in and where I came into the world.  It was such a unique thing for me and I loved it!!

EURO TRIP 2015 | Day 6: Rhine River Cruise

On Day 6 my dad finally joined us on our European adventure.  We picked him up from the airport and headed to Bingen for a Rhine River Cruise and Weingutz (wine tastings).

The Rhine River Cruise was very nice.  We saw a ton of castles and wineries along the River.  We got to relax and tell dad all of the stories from our trip so far and enjoy the scenery.

After the cruise went to a few Weingutz to taste local wines.  I loved this because you literally walk up to people's houses and ask to taste the wine- very similar to that in Epernay, France with the Champagne.  The wine was so delicious and we bought our fair share of bottles to take home with us!

Following the wine tasting we headed to dinner at the Brathahnchen Farm hidden in the country and down narrow back roads!  It's a chicken farm my parents used to go to while they lived there.  It's the last place they went before becoming parents.  Cute, I know! The chicken was absolutely delicious.  Kind of salty, but sooo fresh, and juicy!  It was served with french fries and applesauce.  We had delicious soups too.  The chicken also came with dips for added flavor- a garlic one and a sweet one, almost like duck sauce from a Chinese restaurant, but I preferred it plain.  The place was adorable- so German!  It had big wood tables and the chairs were covered in sheepskin.  The only lights were the ones right above the tables, which added to the character of the place!

It's definitely a place to check out if you're in that area.  Next up: my birthplace!  This was a really fun and surreal day for me!

EURO TRIP 2015 | Day 5: Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg was the first town we explored in Germany.  Its adorable buildings, pedestrian-only and cobblestone streets lined with shops and restaurants, located right on the river with a castle over looking the town is exactly what you would picture when you think of places in Germany.  Heidelberg was ridiculously cute.

We took the tram up to the castle to explore and then continued up to the top of the small mountain.  We had delicious goulash soup and pretzels overlooking Heidelberg.

When we ventured back down the mountain we headed to the Marktplatz, which was adorable.  It's like a town square with lots of tables that belonged to the different restaurants lining the street.  We shopped and explored the streets before dipping into the cutest German bar in town.  They had a Beir Garten out back but we decided to sit at the wood bar and admire the atmosphere of such a traditional place.

We then continued to walk around, grabbed a few snacks and headed to the bridge to get a different view of the town, castle, and bridge entrance.

That night we headed a few miles outside of Heidelberg and on our way to Frankfort to a restaurant my mom and dad had found while living in Germany called Die Kartoffel.  This place was tucked in another cute town of Ladenberg.  At this place they bring your meat to you on a hot stone and you let it cook to your liking.  One of the most delicious steaks I've ever had.  I enjoyed the fact that you could cook different pieces differently- from rare to well-done by the amount of time you left it on the stone.  And the variety of sauces they gave you were delicious too, although the steak certainly didn't need it because it was already so rich in flavor.

I really enjoyed touring Heidelberg.  There is nothing like the rich culture, atmosphere and character you'll find in a German town.  Up next, touring the area my parents lived and the place I was born.  This part of the trip was really special and so incredible!

EURO TRIP 2015 | Day 4: A Day in Brussels

After France we made our way up to Belgium for a quick stop in Brussels before continuing on to Germany.  I wasn't expecting to love Brussels as much as I did and really wish we had more than just one day here.  The waffles, chocolate and beer is enough to make you want to stay forever, but also the adorable Grand Place and beautiful shops make it a city you can't help but fall in love with at first sight.  That's exactly what happened, well once we actually got there.
Like I mentioned before, we drove everywhere on this trip.  So as we were driving into the city, we hit some places that were definitely not touristy.  My mom's immediate response was, "I'm not impressed with Brussels!"  I told her that if someone's first glimpse of Philadelphia was South Philly, they wouldn't be impressed either and that she needed to chill for a second and give it a chance.  Sure enough, once we hit the heart of the city, she loved it!  We all did! Brussels was a sweet, sweet surprise.

When we arrived we immediately looked for delicious waffles and figured we couldn't go wrong at the Waffle Factory.  These were literally the best waffles ever, as to be expected.  We each had sandwich-like waffles varying with lunch meats, cheeses, spinach and vegetables.  Seriously, delicious.

We headed down the street and into the heart of Brussels- the Grand Place.  I've said it before and you'll hear me say it throughout my posts about this trip- I love the "pedestrian only" areas of these cities.  The areas that are lined with beautiful buildings and shops on cobblestone streets that you can literally walk in the middle of because there are no cars, people (and sometimes dogs or horse carriages) only.  It's so charming.

Since we had conquered the waffles, both for lunch and dessert, it was time to find the chocolate and beer.  Right there in the Grand Place is the most delicious chocolate I have ever had in my entire life.  It may sound dramatic and cliché but it's the truth.  Neuhaus chocolate is heaven on earth.  We each bought a few pieces to enjoy and immediately regretted not buying more.  My sister, Kaylee, literally savored every single bite of her chocolate and it was almost annoying how slow she ate it.  Probably because I wished I still had some too.  The chocolate was that good.
We continued to explore the city before heading to Delirium Cafe for Belgium Beers.  Delirium Cafe is located in the center of a big pedestrian-only area with tons of restaurants and shops near by, not far from the Grand Place.  The outdoor seating of these restaurants pretty much back into one another, leaving a small path for people to pass by.  Delirium Cafe has an "old pub" feel to it.  It has a huge bar with lots of wood seating.  We tried a dark, a light and a cherry beer- all delicious and noticeably high in alcohol content.



We had a wonderful day in Brussels. I loved getting a feel for this cute, quaint city and would definitely make it a stop on another trip! Now, off to Germany.