'Vi ses'



Audrey and Anne-Marie have become very good friends...



The brilliant Videbaek family: Tina, Poul-David and Valdimar



Valdimar just turned 1 year; he and Audrey got on well....



Danica... soon to be Seattlite



Mike, Eric and Eric's hair



Lone--always cool and smiling



The scene...



Gitte & Audrey...great friends



Mette: as gorgeous on the inside as she is on the outside



Mike--always the grillmaster



Marian is a total kid-magnet

Next day, we were on our way to Skagen...

Klassisk 65

Restaurant Review
Klassisk 65 (formerly Bodega 65)
Jaegergaardsgade 65, Aarhus Denmark
klassiskbistro.dk

When I lived in Aarhus, there was this disgusting bar, 'Bodega 65' down the street. It has recently become Klassisk 65--a quaint bistro diner where we had an amazing meal with Marian and Anne Marie the other night. The atmosphere is uber hyggeligt: mostly candle-lit, a teeny-tiny place with no more than 10 or 12 tables and uncharacteristically helpful service. Food and drink were excellent--simple but elegant bistro fare, well prepared in a minuscule kitchen.

Our pleasures...

-- House Aperitif: Pousse Rapiere ( a bitter orange cordial) with Cava (Spanish champagne)

-- Artisan bread w/ a fabulous Aoli

Appetizers:
Mike & Anne Marie chose the cold potatoe-leek soup for an appetizer, while Marian opted for marinated asparagus w/ croutons and I, smoked salmon prepared in Ingeborgs manner (fresh artisan rye bread, dill butter, thin slices of smoked salmon covered in layers of salt, sugar and fresh dill-weed, served with a mustard-brown sugar sauce & dandelion greens.)

Main Course:
We all chose Chicken Danoise--roasted chicken with a creamy gravy and roasted new potatoes, served with a fresh rhubarb-berry compot.

Dessert:
Mike, Anne-Marie and Marian: Homemade ice cream, baked in meringues, served with a light cake and berry coulis.
Me: Cremé Brulée (one of the best I have ever tasted)

Wine:
Mike chose an amazing South African chard. called Simonsig.

Food: ****
Service: *****
Atmosphere: *****
Value for $: ****
LAEKKER!

Life @ Villadsensvej 4-- by night



Believe it or not, these pictures were taken at around 9:30pm. Audrey gets put to bed at 7-ish and then the nightlife begins...


Mike, patient as Job, turns out fresh & perfectly grilled fare


Marian, determined not to be wasteful, attempts to convince us that this hard lump of bread she baked 4 days ago, is still completely edible.


Heidi, exhausted but cheerful, tries to stay warm as the temperature falls.


Marian stokes a fire in the pit...

Life @ Villadsensvej 4: by day.



These first 3 weeks here in DK have been spent staying at our beloved friend Marian's house in Aarhus. Located in Risskov and built in 1915, she and a friend purchased this beautiful villa last year. They are in the process of restoring the original windows themselves!



Risskov is located on the northwestern corner of the city, in the middle of a forest located on the coast. From the house (Villadsensvej 4), it's about a 10 minute walk through the forest, to the beach--a walk we enjoy daily.







Audrey's first hand full of sand and her first dip in the Kattegat.



'Mini-tsunami in Aarhus'
Yesterday, as we were enjoying the water and taking these pictures I (Brandi) pointed out a (ferie) boat sailing in the distance that we will be taking to Copenhagen in a week. At this point in time, we're standing out in the water having left our shoes safely on the rocks ashore. This body of water is the Aarhus Bay, part of the Kattegat sea, and has no natural waves as such.

A few minutes later as my back is to the sea, Mike says, "that's strange, the water is receding." I lift my head, tapping into a vague recollection of what this means. Suddenly Mike yells, "a wave! a wave is coming!" Baby in arms, Mike attempts to run from the impending wave while I run for our shoes. The waves were no bigger than a couple of feet, but nonetheless we were not able to outrun them and so we braced ourselves as they caught our legs and shoes (which were still rescued). Not having lived here in several years, I had completely forgotten about the unnatural waves that the ferie causes in the bay. Immediately after, we discussed how similar it must have been to experience the Tsunami in Thailand...and no wonder they couldn't outrun it.

We heart this chair.

--and it's every bit as comfortable as it looks. Function and design in perfect harmony.

Mike and I are very taken with Danish design. Too bad these beauties aren't competing with IKEA's pricing...

Me needy-coffee.


In case you were wondering: no, this is not a picture of me prior to a morning cup 'o Joe. Called the 'Gravballemand' in Danish (Bog man), he is over 2000 years old--the best preserved bog body in the world. He's a part of the permanent exhibition at Moesgaard, a museum nestled in one of the many stunningly beautiful and peaceful forests of Aarhus. Since we LOVE being outdoors, every opportunity for a walk in good weather is promptly seized. The pics that follow are from a recent walk around the forest outside Moesgaard...


Marian and Mike take a look at an old Mill, still used during summers


Just one small peek into the beauty of Gods creation...scenes like this are everywhere.

Name this profile.



Keith Partridge? Alfred Hitchcock? Bryan Adams? Flock of Seagulls?
Are we seriously so cruel as to make fun of our sweet baby girl? Perhaps we should just get her a haircut...?

Our good friend Michela, visiting from Copenhagen...



These sunglasses were Marian's moms back in the 70's...

Fields of gold


Have you ever seen anything more beautiful? These golden fields cover the countryside and are a truly amazing site. Believe it or not, they are at their least brilliant in these pictures-- the blossoms have mostly blown away and are already fading, having peaked a week or so ago.



The weather has really cooled off but we're having fun anyway...just hanging out. Oh--and Audrey went to her first bar--Jakob's, to hear her good friend and Danish Cowboy, Torsten play at the 'Pulse Festival'. (Torsten and his cool wife Fatima, seen below.)

Me and Liam


Baby needs a cup 'O Joe

Hi--Audrey here. Time here in DK is already flying and boy do we drink ALOT of coffee. Look at me in this picture--don't I look like I need some? Good thing Moster Marian makes about 5 cans of French Press a day. Daddy says his colon feels very clean. Funny, my constipation is gone too--seriously. Might also be the 'leverpostej'--which I LOVE. (Danish liver paté on whole grain rye bread.)

Here's me and my auntie 'Marian'--we are very fond of each other





Oh--thought you might like to know that I'm in tight with Liam Neeson. In fact, I think his girlfriend, Mette, should watch out 'cause time is on my side. See, look at us here-getting cozy.





Pulling a guy's beard will get him every time! I may only be 9 months old, but I already have my ways... Daddy is certainly wrapped around my finger!



This is my friend, Silje. (Her mommy is Gitte, shown below.)




We are having so much fun taking long walks in the forests around Aarhus. This forest, 'Risskov' is just 2 minutes away from Marian's house, where we're staying. Noah is leading the way!



My parents still think I need naps twice daily (as if my robust travel abilities didn't impress them enough!) so they try to get me to take them. Here we are just after I woke up. Daddy and Mommy were taking a rest on the bed in Marian's kitchen (trés cool. subject for another blog entry.)


This is Moster with Anne Marie--they own the Villa together. She is such a sweet girl and doesn't even mind my crying.