33rd birthday

Happy happy birthday :-)

The day started already with wonderful, sunny autumn weather! After some preparations for the afternoon, we met at our place at 2 pm. Together with some friends we walked to a mini-golf site down here in the quarter of Grünerløkka where we live. Haven't played mini-golf for ages, but I pass this place quite often by tram and every time I pass it I think "we should really try this out one day". And that one day became my birthday which I thought was a good occasion.

 Ginta - doesn't really seem convinced of her shot

 Sona - hmmm, will the ball go straight and in the hole?

 Emil (Sona's nephew - she had to babysit him that afternoon) - he had fun as well!

 Hadrien - standing like a professional

 Amore mio - power shot

 

 The surrounding: the mini-golf site is right next to the green Akerselva riverside.

 Ricardo - full concentration

 Sona and Emil speaking Italian

 Ines - ok, let's give this one a try

 Me - also not too convinced of the direction of the ball

Unfortunately we weren't able to finish playing all 18 holes as we had to leave at one point in order to be back home by 4:30 p.m. For the afternoon I had some more people coming over (friends and colleagues) for a "waffle party". It was a long time ago I had and baked waffles. I thought a Sunday afternoon is the right occasion to take the waffle maker out again - and so why not for my birthday?!
For a couple of hours our apartment was full and we had a good time chatting, drinking and having waffles - the latter being quite a new experience for some of the guests :-)

After the waffle party we were still 4 couples of friends remaining and having a great evening together, playing kniffel aka yatzy (yes, currently very popular among us!), having yummy home made lasagne by my personal Italian chef, enjoying wine & limoncello and having fun. For dessert: some home made, super delicious pasteis (traditional Portuguese cream filled pastry) that I got as present from our Portuguese friends (well done, Hugo!).

I know, mini-golf, waffles and kniffel - sounds like a children's birthday. But we really did have fun I would say. At least I had a really really nice birthday :-) I thank you all - amore mio, Sona & Hugo with Emil, Ginta & Hadrien, Ines & Ricardo, Mari, Wiebke & Øystein, Aurélie & Thor with little Lilly, Stéf - for coming, for your nice presents and for having made this day a special one for me! That was a great way to become 33 :-)

Tapas and wine II

It's already the second time that our friends Sona and Hugo invited us over to their place for a "tapas & wine" evening. And again we had a really great evening in very nice atmosphere and with lots of fun.
As usual, every one brings along some wine and prepares some 3-4 small things to eat. Since I could still find rhubarb in the supermarkets, I looked up a recipe for strawberry-rhubarb-muffins and I admit I was very happy with the outcome. The muffins were super yummy :-) To be re-baked!

On the menu:

• mini beef burgers with gorgonzola cheese
• batatas bravas with alioli
• shrimps with garlic marinade 
• chicken skewer
• humus with olives
• avocado and crab meat salads
• mini-pies with cheese and tomatos
• tomato-mozzarella-basil-sticks
• marinated chicken wings
• crackers with cheese and salami
• olives 
• garlic bread
• fruit salad
• mini-tiramisù
• apple-nut-crumble
• my strawberry-rhubarb-muffins
• Lithuanian dessert liquor

My God, we were sooooo full afterwards! So much yummy stuff!

Thanks for the lovely evening, Sona and Hugo! :-) We really had a great time!

Max' 30th birthday surprise party

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAX!!!

Now, also my "little" brother Max turned 30 :-) How time flies! Already August 4th he went over to the 30s, but it was only beginning of September that we could properly celebrate this special event.
Since my brother himself wasn't to eager to organize something appropriate for this occasion, I decided together with our parents to organize a surprise party for him. After having checked possible dates with his girlfriend Anna, we decided on Saturday September 5th to be the day to party.

Shortly after also the venue was set: my godfather's café & restaurant "Margarethenkreuz" in the "Siebengebirge" (an upland hill range at the east banks of the Middle Rhine river a bit south of Bonn/Germany) - a popular tourist destination for hiking, because of its beautiful natural surrounding. This was perfect for the programme we had in mind for that day: starting in the early afternoon with coffee & cake, then go for a little hike followed by dinner and (dancing) party in the evening.

I had prepared the invitation and tried to get as many people as possible to join the festivities. Our goal was to gather not only family and friends of Max, but also people that had played important roles in Max' life, even if already a while ago. I'd say with relatives and friends (including their partners and kids), we had some 80 people invited. Of course, it's totally normal that not everyone can make it (especially since the event was planned only 3 months in advance). Nevertheless, we managed to gather approx. 45 people :-) 45 people to celebrate Max turning 30 and making this party an unforgettable event for him!

On the party day, my mum and I had already arrived at the venue in the early morning to decorate it with a lot of photographs of Max' childhood (like the cute ones in the invitation above) and youth, showing my brother in various stages of life, moods, shapes, situations... over his last 30 years.

At 2.30 pm then, Anna (his girlfriend) led Max into the restaurant where the guests already awaited him: "SURPIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE!!!" :-)

After coffee and cake we (nearly) all went on a walk through the surrounding area. Unfortunately the weather wasn't really good; it had even started raining a bit. Therefore we opted just for a very short walk (roughly an hour) up to the "Lohrberg" hill and the "Drei-Seen-Blick" viewpoint.

After the little walk, joyful get-together upon return. Some more friends and relatives had arrived.

Buffet in the early evening.

Thanks to Uncle Martin for the musical contribution - always a MUST :-)

Max and Anna on the dance floor.

Me with my godfather "Pauli", owner, manager, chef and bartender at the "Margarethenkreuz". Danke, Pauli, dass wir so schön bei Dir feiern durften!

What a pity we didn't have more and better quality pictures of this event and all the people that were celebrating with us. But I guess those who were present keep it in good memory - especially Max!

Last but not least: thank you mum and dad with Engelbert, Andrea and Anna for your input and help with the organization of the event, as well as to Piet for the light installations.
And big thank you to all who came for making it a great party (and having kept the secret so well)! It was a real surprise. I'd say Max had a great day and he will not forget his 30th birthday.