Thursday Tunes

A few weeks ago I promised you a playlist for all your kitchen adventures and today I am finally able to share it with you. I tried to put together a good mix of fun, romance, vintage and pop music for you to dance and cook and clean and have fun in the kitchen. The playlist is kitchen approved by me. I listen to it all the time.
Listen and follow it here or directly on spotify and have fun.



xoxo
Ramona

PS: Come back next week for my Christmas Soundtrack Edition.

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Movie Monday

I wish I had the words to describe how absolutely beautiful today's movie was. Far from the Maddening crowd is an adaption of Thomas Hardy's famous book and definitely one of those movies which I will remember for a long time.

I want to try and say a few words about this movie:
The actors are perfectly chosen with Carey Muligan and Matthias Schoenaerts. Chemistry is everything.
The lighting in the movie is stunning.
I loved the many detailed shots and closeups and intricate looks. It was exactly what the story needed.

The movie is intense and there were moments when I almost couldn't handle it anymore but there is so much truth to take from this movie about life and relationships and love and marriage.

xoxo

Ramona

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Thankfulness and hosting an Erntedank Dinner Party

Over the last years my love for the table has grown immensely. And when I talk about the table I don't mean tablescapes. I don't mean candles and cutlery and plates and serveware. Although they are important they are merely a framework for the shared community, the conversations, the encouragement, the life and the friendship which happens when people gather around a table.
If you have been a long time reader of this blog you know this and you might have seen the previous years of hosting my Erntedank Dinner Party (German Thanksgiving) here, here and here. This year was special though because for the first time I was actually able to comfortably seat everybody at one big table. When I set the table I just stood there and looked at it thinking to myself how very blessed I am with this table, this apartment, this life and mostly these friends. I put a lot of effort and work into this dinner party as for me it is saying thank you to my friends. In a world where studies show that less and less people care and spend less and less time with each other because everybody is getting more self absorbed. In a world where we are so concerned with Facebook Friends and Instagram likes gathering people around a table just for the sake of community is not only completely counter cultural it is also in my opinion a necessity. And as it says in John 13 we should love one another and people will see Jesus by seeing our love. So I am making it my duty to gather people, to do what Jesus did, to love one another and make a difference.

Recently I was thinking about friendship and the question for me was who do I want to be sitting at my table. For you it might be something else, but for me it was the people with who I can just be myself with. I don't spend a whole lot of time with each of them and yet I call them my closest friends because I can be myself. I know when we do spend time it is always precious and always fruitful and life giving and I still feel like we are ever going deeper in our friendship. So can I just say thank you? Thank you for being the people you are. Thank you for being yourself with me and allowing me to be me. Thank you for the many years of friendship and learning to accept each other as we are. Thank you for the ups and downs, the tears and laughter. It is in an honor for me to share life with you and make a difference in this world together.

Although the tablescapes, music and food are the framework to what is actually happening at the table they are still very important to me because when throwing a dinner party to bless people there should be a certain degree of excellence and effort.
So I do want to break it down for you and make it applicable to your situation if you are planning a dinner party There are 3 things which in my opinion are important for a successful dinner party:
1. Food
The food you make should kind of be the center of attention as the title dinner party already suggests. I will share my menu with you at the end of this post, but I don't believe you have to be a star cook to throw a great dinner party (I'm certainly not one). What is something you are really good at making? Is it spaghetti, is it a casserole? Make that and make it great. Serve it in your nicest bowls, make a simple salad with it and you're good to go. I personally believe in the importance of appetizers because it gives your guests something to eat and do while they all arrive and makes everybody feel a little bit more comfortable. Keep it simple by serving some roasted nuts in a bowl or set out some charcuterie.
2. Timing
I personally cannot stand last minute running around trying to fix things or getting ready in a hurry. I rather plan ahead and take my time, bust some dance moves in the kitchen, sit down in between, study the recipe again, etc... plus I'm a total planner and that might not be your personality. Yet I still urge you to make a timeline of things you want to finish and a timeline of your food. Believe me when I say you will be much more relaxed and able to actually sit at the table with your friends and that's the whole point, right?
3. Atmosphere
Ok, so this point is very important to me and includes, lighting, music, scent and decorations so basically all your other senses. I am a very strong believer that the way a room is set up changes the atmosphere which has a huge influence on how comfortable people will feel. Like with everything else it needn't be the prettiest flower or the most extravagant thing in the world. I hosted this dinner party for years in our tiny apartment with little room to host the guest and it was always cozy and nice. The key is lighting some candles, turning off some bright lights and putting on some music. This year for example I simply foraged some flowers from the fields I pass by everyday and added some eucalyptus.

Ultimately it is all about you gathering some friends. Let the food nourish the bodies and the conversations nourish the soul and spirit.

xoxo

Ramona

PS: I will be sharing a playlist with you soon with some great tunes for cooking.

Menu

Amuse:

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Blue Cheese
Amuse-Gueule de Roquefort
To pass:
Salad with apples, goat cheese and walnuts
Buttermilk honey bread served with sage butter and homemade butter
To share
Caramelized beetroot tarte tatin with Crème Fraiche
From field and garden:
Roast beef and red wine gravy with potatoes and haricot beans
Sweets:
Gingerbread sorghum cake and cream cheese mascarpone frosting
All natural red velvet cake with goat cheese thyme icing

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Movie Monday

Since I haven't been watching too many movies lately or at least not ones to share (read: Pitch Perfect 2) here it has been a while. But today I am going to share a wonderful piece, a true story of World War 2 and art: Woman in Gold

I think most people actually know the famous painting by Gustav Klimt called "Frau in Gold". The movie is centered around the story of how this picture was returned to its lawful owner.
Helen Mirren is exceptional per usual and overall this movie takes snapshots out of history just the right way. Also really well done is the way language is portrayed.
I strongly suggest you go ahead and watch it.


xoxo
Ramona

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Movie Monday

I cannot believe I never shared this movie with you. And yes again I am sharing a sort of sports movie, but you should not miss out on it.

I'm not going to say much about Invictus other than I wanted to jump up in my seat shouting, "Amen and Hallelujah". There is so much we can learn from this movie.
Clint Eastwood put together a great cast, amazing music and a well balanced story between sports and politics.

xoxo
Ramona

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Single and ready to Mingle

I took this picture last Saturday as we celebrated my brother in law's birthday. The brunch in the woods on this perfect fall morning was amazing. All my friends were there, there was a fire, food, friends (the perfect trio if you ask me) and babies everywhere. There was this moment when my sister took a picture of all the young dads with their kids. I stood and watched when a friend passed me and said, "that's the moment". He didn't mean the moment of a picture being taken but the moment you realize you are not part of that "club". You kind of stand on the outside looking in and wonder when that train passed and why you are not on it.

It is in those moments where it is so easy to fall into the pit of loneliness and I would be lying if I told you I never feel lonely or desire to be married. In all honesty this summer has been pretty tough on me when it comes to being single. But what I have found is the importance of spiritual nourishment. I mean sure I can throw myself a single party with Ben & Jerry's and a romance movie or listening to Bon Iver's "Can't make you love me" on repeat and I'm not saying this never happens or is completely wrong I would just like to point out the fact that it isn't very wise and doesn't give me a whole lot of perspective. So in those times I try to draw ever closer to God. I turn on worship music and just allow God to soothe my soul, to carry me through this.
If you were to ask me for THE key to staying a happy single when all of your friends are married with kids this would be it. To draw closer to God because ultimately - and this goes for anybody regardless of your relationship status - only God can fulfill and complete us not another person.
At the same time I believe we need to realize that our relationship status doesn't define who we are. We find our definition, our purpose in God and He has a unique plan for us and that means that our live happens NOW. Not when I'm married, not when I have children so stop postponing your life to better times. Live now, live your calling, go travel, see places, buy the house. And while you are living it God will be moving and putting things together and I don't just mean relationally but in general as we live in faith God is transforming us into the person we're intended to be.
And the best thing is you don't have to do it alone. Go invest into friendships, into people. Make that a priority in your life. Invite them to your place, fill your walls with good food and laughter and conversations where you open up your heart and you help each other draw closer to God. Because then these people also become accountability partners. We need people who we are accountable to because honestly we are not immune to temptation because we are not immune to our own desires and emotions. The question is what are we going to do about it. Can I just suggest you don't compromise your standards for what seems convenient or feels good?! I would rather stay single than make compromises. I'd rather wait for somebody who I can not only build a life with but build the church with, build people with and make a difference for eternity.
And for that we need to draw closer to God, be in His Word and surround ourselves with friends and mentors and people who we allow to speak into our lives.

That said I just want to encourage you. You are not alone. Look around you. See where God has already brought you and allow him to continue His good work in you. See what amazing people He has placed in your life.

Being single isn't a bad thing and it surely isn't a wrong thing. It is just the season you're in right now. And others are in other seasons of their life. And we all know every season has their purpose.

xoxo

Ramona

More posts on being single:

Why am I single?
Epic
To build a home
Lessons learned

Solo Valentine's

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Movie Monday

I am very picky when it comes to romantic comedies and it takes a lot for me to like them mostly because they have become so bad over the years containing too much bad language and losing a lot of humor.
Having said that The Proposal is nothing like that.

It is one of my favorite romantic comedies and I have watched it many times already and still laugh at every single scene. It is funny, good with the romance, witty and not too typical. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds have great chemistry.

So anyways, go watch it again and again and again. Best line: "Margret, stop talking!" This line gets me every time!

xoxo

Ramona

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