Taking Bets: Boy or Girl?

Ok, it will be several more weeks until "the big ultrasound" will be done to identify the nugget's gender and other essential body parts. But for those who are dying to know NOW, I had my fortune told via interpretive dance: 

Thank you Dr. Zebrovski! For more information on this mysterious fortune teller, check him out here. While this posting is tagged "Things to do in Bucharest" I can assure you, his powers are EVERYWHERE.

Buffed and Tweaked for Dear St. Patrick

Feeling my hair had started resembling the fur of a Cocker Spaniel, I decided it was time to get a haircut. I booked appointments with some friends at the Velvet Spa. They were accommodating in our late arrival (gee thanks Google Maps) and provided us with fruit in addition to the spread of goodies we brought. 

When you hang with us, you won't go hungry.

Ahh. Scalp Love.

Getting slightly suspicious
about hearing Moon River. Again.

Only one person per treatment meant we'd be alternating in the waiting room, but we were serenaded with the cycling of 80's jazz, classical, and crooner set mixes. As the esthetician slathered thick, moisturizing cold cream on my face, I had goosebumps; but they actually came from the smooth jams of George Michael. 

With my skin nicely greased, it was time for my hair cut. What to do, what to do? I had so many options, but in the end entertained my cute barber by letting her cut some fringe (aka bangs) and try to style my curls, an apparent rarity in Romania. Well, she tried.

Fonda circa 1983?

Sheep dog fringe?

Kim with her sexy sleek 'do.
Me, with my frizzed bob, ready for my close up.

Fresh Feet!

Overall, the afternoon was a wonderful escape. I kindly suggested to the owner that she consider "spicing up" her music, after complimenting her staff on their attentiveness.  But I don't think she heard me over my hair. Go figure. 

Cluj Day 3: Botanic Gardens and Apple Strudel

And today, we had Mark all to ourselves. On my agenda? Breakfast at our "chosen cafe" right on the piazza, Cafe Corso. They had delightful espresso, so we returned for another round.

House dog. 

Pepperoni omlette.

Pancakes.

And off to the Botanical Gardens. I was determined to see their famous 2 meter wide Japanese water lilies. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. I had to settle on carnivorous plants instead. The gardens had much more than the greenhouse, it's spread out over several acres, awesome for meandering and enjoying the fresh air. It is probably better to visit in the springtime, but it was worth making the effort to get there.

 Before our trip ended, Mark and I desperately wanted to return to Cafe Vienna, for a pre-flight gut stuffing kasekreiner and  apple strudel. Their food probably deserves an individual posting, but let me just say that normally I don't even like strudel. However, their strudel is by far the best either of us EVER had. In Cluj no less! So worth the gut bomb and indigestion!

Oscar Meyer nor Betty Crocker stand a chance.

Cluj Day 2: Piatas and Churches

On Saturday Deets and I walked Mark to his next meeting taking opportunity to capture a brief glimpse the neighborhood. I did the best I could considering Mark pretty much speed walks wherever he goes, with or without a twenty pound baby weighing him down.

Centru

Wow. Cars all nicely parked on the street!

Orthodox Cathedral, built 1921-1933

Statue of a LAWYER?! Who knew?

Mark's meeting would be brief, so we hung out at a playground before resuming the sightseeing.

St. Michael's Church, built 1442-1447 

St. Michael's

ORIGINAL painting!

Not pictured: A gaggle of children practicing
their 1st communion prayers. So precious.

Mathias Rex, King of Hungary.

Popular meeting spot on the Piaza.

A gorgeously pink Catholic church.

Helloooo Mary! You look extra dazzling!

Cluj Day 1: Taxidermist Heaven. Or Hell

Mark treated Deets and me to a trip to Cluj, Romania this weekend. He had a few things to do for work, so Deets and I were responsible for finding our own fun.  The city is terribly pretty, and imminently walkable, so I smooshed Deets into his backpack and we were off. First stop, the Museum of Speleology. It was by far, the coldest freakin' museum I have EVER been to. The temperature outside was warmer than the inside, but then the animals are stuffed dead. What do they care?

Hedgehog habitat.

Killed' em with my own bare hands.

Monkey and sloth, friends 4Eva!

Badgers? We don't need no stinkin' badgers!

Scoping out the Wetlands Mural.

He could have spent HOURS here.  

Elephant OVARY! No joke!

I look happy, but really,
the smile was frozen on my face. So COLD.

I finally couldn't take the arctic temperatures anymore, so I packed Deets back up and headed to the Pharmacy Museum. What, you say? A museum dedicated to preserving the life and times of pill makers? Yup. Watch out. Row after row of ceramic containers and wooden spoons. Sad.

Spoonful of newted hogwarts
will clear that right up!

18th and 19th century ceramics
for all your purgative needs.

After a nap at the hotel, we were back in town for some highly recommended good eats at Baracca with Mark. We had their wood fired pizza, completed with beer and a grapefruit-mint-cooler for toasting.

Fresh basil right on your table. Whammy!

Date Night

"Happiness depends upon ourselves and a good steak." Aristotle & Schlink 

Last night we joined four other couples for a lovely evening at Osho, a steak restaurant downtown. The restaurant prides itself on using locally raised cattle in the Hungarian region of Covasna, which is also known for its thousands of mineral springs and spas.

Regions of Romania.
Of note, Harghita is where our friends in Odorheiu live.

Now traditionally if you are a Schlink, a fancy dinner means ordering NY strip, so it wasn't quite treason when I ordered a cheeseburger, but it was close. No matter, Mark was busy demolishing his dinner in absolute happiness. The company was great, wine was tasty, and the meat was perfect. Good beef in Bucharest is quite hard to find, and the last time I had a burger was in D.C. back in October (thank you BTS.) So I was a pretty happy camper too. 

Flat screen decor: so in. 

Blue steel.

Emburger.

A Breath of Fresh Air: Winter in Translyania

Odorheiu Secuiesc this weekend was absolute paradise. We were treated to clear and balmy thirty degree, windless weather, a far cry from Bucharest's trodden ice sluice of a capital. Mark, Deets, Jim and I hiked ourselves silly up the snowy hills with our friends and played games of Jenga between gut-stuffing meals. Always a good time.

View from above: city of Odorheiu

Taking pictures as an excuse to catch my breath.

Wind sprints.

He just told a really funny joke.

Inseparable buddies.