Oh Christmas Tree....

I decided to start my vacation a little early with an evening in Chişinau before my flight took off for Germany. Marlena came in we had a great meal at our favorite restaurant (Jerafe) to kick things off.

Andi and Xandi met me at the airport with signs showing they were picking up “Special Agent Lusk” of Peace Corps. When we got to their house, it was absolutely gorgeous (even more so than usual!) starting with the first impression when you walk up the stairs. After a touch of Prosecco (or was it a few bottles?) we called it a night.

After a healthy breakfast (yes, folks… It’s true that Prosecco is the breakfast of champions!) we started the important things like trimming the tree and putting together a plan for the amazing dinner Andi and Xandi were planning for Christmas Eve.

Xandi promised me all kinds of things if I would just help Andi with the tree. (Evidently the arranging of the electric candles is the stuff that divorce is made of!) It actually wasn’t bad and the tree was beautiful when we were finished.

Just some random food prep pictures. (I really don’t know why Andi was stripping down to his boxers in the kitchen. It seemed to make sense at the time!) What, pray tell, was I doing while all of this exhausting work was going on?

Supervising!!!!!!!

OK, so we are up to the 23^rd and I conned Andi, Xandi and Flo into taking me to the Weinachtsmarkt for some shopping and most importantly GLUHWEIN!!!! It was cold, the company was great, and the wine was amazing.

Margie, can you believe that this is Flo? I can’t believe what a handsome grown up he has become. (And he is still a sweetheart and a good sport because he let me take a picture with the cookie around his neck!)

I wish I could take credit for any of the amazing dinner we had, but I have to state up front that I was happily playing soux chef on this occasion. Xandi and Andi were the maestro’s of the evening with one beautiful course after the other. We started with a Lachs mousse surrounded by cucumber and tied with a piece of chive. Even this fish-hater loved it!!!!

Andi makes a great waiter!!!!

On the left are Maria, Inez and Florian. On the right are Helmut and Omi.

Next up… Prawns on a bed of saffron risotto with sautéed root vegetables. Is your mouth watering yet?

As if this could get any better… The main plate was duck with a prune sauce, pumpkin sautéed with rosemary, fresh green beans and dates wrapped in proscuitto. I can’t say that I have eaten many better meals in my life!!!!!!

I didn’t manage to get a final picture of the dessert (maybe it was the corresponding wines that waylaid me?), but it was also amazing. It was a carrot/hazelnut cake with dark and white chocolate mousses. What a great night. Thanks Andi and Xandi!!!!!!!

The 26^th we loaded up Andi and Xandi’s skiing gear in the car and headed for Austria. Far left is the mod squad preparing to head down the “black” slope. The middle picture is my amazing view from the bar at the top of the mountain, and the far right is a shot of Andi and Xandi following my gondola down the mountain on their last trip down. It was beautiful!

New Year's Eve was a blast as well. We had all kinds of fabulous fondue with lots and lots of (OK, OK, I am getting a bit redundant here, I know!) Prosecco!!!!!! Mikey and his wife Anna were over and we danced the night away to hits from the 70's disco era. Suni, if you can guess who this next person is on the TV you win a cookie....

Mikey doing the booty dance!

Anna and Xandi just shaking their groove thing!!!!!

We had a blast and what a way to ring in the New Year!

Back in Moldova to celebrate with my family there. In Moldova they celebrate religious holidays according to the Gregorian category, so they have Old Christmas on the 7th of January and Old New Year's on the 14th of January. I got to celebrate everything twice and that just doesn't suck!

Dean, I think it is fair to say that Sandu and Nikolai loved the cardinal gear. Thanks so much for sending the box for them and thank you for my fabulous presents. You did good, baby!!!!!!!

Happy holidays to all of my friends and loved ones in the States and in Germany. May the New Year be all that you want it to be....

Jennifer