Sound of Music, alternative version. Instead of belting out Climb Every Mountain, the Reverend Mother says, “Christ almighty, what took you so long? Now go change out of that silly dirndl, give the guitar to the orphans, and get down to the chapel, it’s almost time for Vespers!” Maria follows the instructions exactly and spends …
Back in January when we went to visit our friends in Germany, we asked them what we should bring from Austria. The answer? Mozartkugeln. Mozartkugeln (literally, Mozart Balls) are an Austrian national treat, a chocolate covered bomb of nougat, marzipan, and in most cases, pistachio marzipan too. They’re delish. Here’s the deal, though. We weren’t …
I go to lots of churches but there’s never anyone in there when I’m poking around. I’m a sucker for iconography and medieval painting and crazy gothic interiors. Beautiful old churches – some of them so old as to have Roman foundations – are all over the place in Austria. This morning the church in …
I was rescued from the sadness of a Seder free spring by the woman who answered my mail to the synagogue in Graz. “Yes, there’s an event you can go to, you just need to email the synagogue, but why don’t you come to our house?” she asked. How could I refuse such a kind …
Last night’s Aigen Ukulele Player’s Association gathering was graced by the presence of Layoush from Hungary, a charming, talkative man who knows how to swing him some Dixie. He says his uke doesn’t get unpacked but once a year when he plays a catchy little tune that he always screws up, but me thinks he …
For the last two weeks I have been hunting for a suitable Seder to attend and tragically, I have failed. When you look for community Seders in my Seattle home, you are presented with endless options — interfaith and conservative and gay and Sephardic and oh, there’s a whole Smorgasbord of Seders to choose from. …