San Francisco and Oakland, here I come (if only for a brief visit)

Danielle Irissa Keiser 

is EXCITED for the following things 
(which do not occur in Germany):

Oysters.

Seeing my incredible, beautiful and love-saturated friends.

Lake Merrit (never thought I'd say that.)

California wine.

The Shears, the Bursells and the Kramers.

The Golden Gate Bridge. 

The rolling fog. 

Cecelia Bedelia the she-wolf princess superhuman.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

Legit, fresh and delish sushi.

Margaritas and REAL Bloody Marys.

A Massage with Sara. 

I'm such a bad blogger

I've been MIA for over a month - wtf? I am sorry I am such a bad blogger. 

Since turning in my 3 incredibly LONG papers for Jacobs, I've been traveling quite a bit. Alrik, a very good friend of mine, came to visit after never leaving the US. After a few cold days in Bremen, we spent New Years in Berlin, went back to Bremen (where I got the flu) then hung out in Barcelona. After that, I flew home to California where I have been for the past week. 


Some trip highlights: 


Bremen: 

• Martina took us to an adorable and affordable restaurant in the Schlakte called Schröters (this is a picture of the desserts we got: schokolade granache, johannesbeere sorbet and glüwine mousse.) 

• Schüttinger's Happy Hour is still amazing (beers are 2 Euro from 5-7)
• Jacob's University is so pretty when covered in snow

Berlin:

• Weinachtsmarkt was SOOO wonderful! My friend Claudi and her bf Alex were great tour guides. 

• Mexican food in Germany is not so wonderful, although Ta'Cabron tried. 
• Fireworks are legal and crazy and scary and beautiful. 
• Bars were open till 9AM. Shout out to Bar 11 ;)
• Lots of Irish Coffee, lots of dönner
• The Bundestag was heavily patrolled for the fear of a terrorist attack 
• The temp. changed 11 degrees from one day to the next

Barcelona:

• DOES NOT DO BREAKFAST! There are no huevos or breaskfasty-like foods; only crossiants and coffee or teeny little baguettes with chorizo inside of them
• Gaudi was a brilliant, crazy and magical architect. Sagrada Familia and Park Guell were unbelievable sights to behold. 
• Tapas and wine at any time works for me. Especially when the wine is 10 Euro a bottle and shrimp croquettes and padron peppers are on the menu. 

• The light fixtures/signs that line each street are so awesome. They really put a lot of thought and energy (literally) into lighting up the streets in beautiful and decorative ways. 
• Botafumiero is the most expensive restaurant on the planet. Don't go there unless you are a bazillionaire. 
• The market, La Boqueria, was simply marvelous. The way the fish, the figs, the fruits, the candies, were stacked, ready to buy and pretty much eat, was truly spectacular. I love fresh markets. 

Oh, and I'm totally over modern art. Although the Hamburger Bahnhoff in Berlin was interesting and the Miro Museu in Barcelona was unique, I've decided that I'm just not into modern art. I don't get it, and I'm over trying to. 

Given Me Joy - Marc Evans

I've been listening to Air Lounge internet radio and this song came up. Never heard it before, but I looooove it. It's like Luther Vandross meets Gil Scott-Heron meets Daft Punk...
Although they seem religious (and maybe they are to some), I think these lyrics are as romantic and sweet as poetry gets... 

She calls me sunshine

Saying that my face is big and bright as the sun shining through my smile into her heart 

 I’ve been called a lot of things before but never anything remotely close to celestial
See I know for sure she was heaven sent, I trust that she would know a fallen star if anyone would
At a time when I thought no one would see me shine, she removed her shades… revealing eyes more beautiful than exaggerated animation
Eyes that sang to me like Stevie Wonder lyrics being delivered by Donny Hathaway
Piercing my soul and reminding me of how good it feels to be loved unconditionally and then teaching me to love that same way
She calls me sunshine, but she sees in me that of which God has blessed me. The gift of song and lyric and the ability to love and even if I already didn’t love her for who she was, I’d love her for the gift God has given me in herShe calls me sunshine and she sees in my eyes a light, a light of hope, a light of love, a light of joy, a light for which she’s responsible but the truth is, that my eyes just reflect her sunshine.

She’s given me joy.

death by papier

The snow comes and goes. There will be 4 inches one day, and the next day, POOF! it is gone. I am puzzled.

I am thoroughly overwhelmed with my papers. Why I am writing this post is beyond me. I cannot get myself to formulate cohesive or focused thoughts about anything. WHY did I go back to school? Ah yes, to learn HOW to do this...

I am soooo excited for the next few weeks. Christmas, Alrik, Berlin, Barcelona, then home to LA and a visit to the Bay.

Just got to get past these papers, these damn papers....

When it spills, it gushes...

There is a veritable Niagra of blood coursing through my umbilicus

The sounds are a deafining roar inside the meat pump of the body.

- Alex Grey

http://www.futurehi.net/archives/000572.html 

Tut-tut, it looks like SNOW

A view from my window: a barren field in Bremen-Nord

♪... It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go ... ♫

Successful Renovation!

We finished renovating the Graduate Student Lounge!!! We stripped the dark, nasty, dull, cluttered and dated elements and transformed the three rooms into bright, optimistic, creative, open and pro-social spaces!!! 


Countless hours and late nights went into this project - I am so pleased with the final product and turnout of the party (OVER 80 PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!) Everyone had a great time and seemed to really like what we have done!! :)


BEFORE: 

dried blood red permeating every wall of every room

  

Me, Dom, Vanine, Karin & Louise in big room. The blue curtains completely clashed with the red walls.

Rion, Dom, Louise, Stefan and Marina in the old coffee break room. Inconsistent, immature pictures plagued the walls and extra drinks were always shoved behind the door.

AFTER!!!!

Karina, Marion & Natalya in the NEW Coffee Bar room. Dublin Mint-colored walls now feature grads black and white photos.

Cristina & Nourdine in the old coffee break room - now called the PANORAMA ROOM, which has a Terra Cotta/beige motif

Tanya & Louise sitting in the bright, new foyer below a new, description Map of Die Welt

Me & Magda in the new Coffee Bar room. Red was transformed to white to convey simplicity.

Big mirrors decorate the walls of the sunny foyer to bring in light and warmth.

Black and white photos taken by the grads pepper the entire space. Here, grads are relaxing, enjoying some beers at our new kitchen table. 

All photos were taken by Louise Elali.