The Lifeys 2013!

Yes friends, it's time once again for that most hallowed and anticipated annual event--the Lifeys!  Where the Daring Duo (C doesn't get to vote yet) gives awards to the best things in the year.  With no further ado...

Best Trip Abroad--bringing C to her ancestral homeland, March/April  (we wanted a picture right at the "Welcome to the US" sign at customs, but apparently that's not allowed).

Best New Danish Destination--Sandbjerg Gods, Sønderborg, Denmark  (seriously, do a Google Image search for this)!
      runners-up-- Vejle, Denmark and Ry, Denmark

Best Meal Out--lunch in Tucson at the Tucson Tamale Company, March
      runner-up-- dinner in London at Nakhon Thai, August

Best New Thing to Cook--Red Lentils and Spinach Masala
       runner-up-- Almond Butter Cups

Best Books--The Help, by Kathryn Stockett; and
       Island Beneath the Sea, by Isabel Allende

Best Accomplishment--tiny C learning to walk!

Best Month--July

Best New Game--Citadels

Happy New Year!

5K Festivity

It's been an embarrassingly long time since the last time we've blogged, but that's just because we've been busy having adventures for you, dear reader. Today, we're going to bring you up to date on B's birthday and a fantastic Scandinavian tradition, all in one post!

For B's birthday, we had a party themed around "5K". That stands for "koldt" (cold), "kaffe" (coffee), "kakao" (hot chocolate), "kage" (cakes, broadly construed to mean any sweet baked thing) and "kubb" (description follows). You can see why Danish is such an awesome language now - alliteration is so easy!

Kubb is typically a warm weather game, but "varm" doesn't start with "k", so we had to make some allowances. In any case, after all the dark and snow, we were excited about going outside to play a game, even if it was a bit cold. Kubb . . . how can we explain it? It's like if Vikings played croquet. There are two teams, and they take turns throwing sticks at the opposing team's wooden blocks. A full description can be found here. The rules that came with our set also helpfully recommend that one should play kubb "like a Viking, not like a lawyer".

We bundled up and headed out to Skanseparken, where boys played girls in a rousing match. It's not important who won. After one match, we were all pretty cold, so we headed right back in for board games, hot drinks, and cookies. And that time everybody won!

Croatian M makes a hot play!

E lets fly a stick!

PS--Happy birthday to B! And special thanks to American P, who gets the photo credit for this post.

The Lifeys 2011!

Can you believe it? It's been a whole year since the last Lifeys!* Remember how you waited, tense with anticipation, for the day they would debut? Remember how you plopped down in front of your laptop with a package of microwave popcorn, some ice cream, and a handful of wine coolers? Remember how you rehashed them--what we wore, who we sat next to, how our hair looked--all week with your coworkers?

Well, it's that time again. Presenting...

THE 2011 LIFEYS!

Best New Meal: Peruvian Potato Stew (from Viva Vegan! by Terry Hope Romero)

Best New Stand Alone Game: The Resistance

Best New Game Expansion: Dominion Hinterlands
Runner-up: Saboteur: De Uitbreiding!

Best Actually Good Movie: The King's Speech
Runner-up: Midnight in Paris

Most Startlingly Amusing Movie: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
(disclaimer: this movie is, in fact, really stupid and kind of gross, but also hilarious)

Most Mindblowing Food: Peach and Blue Cheese Pizza at the Cheeseboard (B); lime pickle (E)

Best New Artistic Pursuit: Folding Julestjerner

Best New Album: Shallow Grave, by The Tallest Man on Earth

Best Meal Out: Indonesian take-away in Noordwijkerhout, South Holland, The Netherlands

Best Penny Arcade: This Dilapidated Universe (August 24th, 2011)
Runner-up: Surprise Ending (October 31st, 2011)

Best Burritos: Molina's Crazy Burrito, November (B)
The Sunny Side Cafe Tofu Breakfast Burrito, August (E)
Runner-up: Papalote, August (E)


*which can be seen HERE

Weekend in the West! (and North)

E and I took a trip to the northwestern coast of Denmark this weekend with some friends from the department. We rented a summer vacation house for a night, got a car in Aarhus, and drove out to the far side of the country (almost a 2 hour drive!). What was the occasion? Celebrating South African M's successful filing of her dissertation last week!

It was a really nice trip, if a bit cold and rainy. Nevertheless, we had some good walks on beaches, ate good food, played some games, and nobody blew away!

Here are some pictures:

B and E next to Svinekloev Hotel

Dunes!

Walking along the beach are Danish N, British C, and the daring duo!

Something is funny in the state of Denmark

British C works hard to get the perfect shot

In the evening, we hyggered ourselves with some games