How was the Ubahn situation? I do not know because Robinhood picked me up + dropped me off #Ganzes paket. The office situation, you will see some new faces but the O.G were still there, someone need to hold the forth 🙂 Meet the Squad from 2.2: Christin + Robinhood + Pörtner + Sebhil + Dennis + Tanja + Anna
I also wanted to involved my non direkt colleague who has to take the offer of early retirement. Christiane + Sylvia + Martina. Hope the best for you, enjoy your free time now 🙂
I’m proudly took a day off on last working day ~ the 30.12.2025. On top of that, left my laptop in the office! #For the first time in 5 years. My shoulder feels so relax not to have to carry it. Thank you for the 2025, colleagues 🙂
Marlyn is completely shut down, ready to fight in the new year 😀 #48 Hours later.
Will we see us again at our last working day in 2026? Only time will tell #Bis dahin… or not haha
Every December I got a new hobby: spending moneyyyyyy!! I like to look on deals whether last minute or not, what could be die passenden Geschenke for my squads 😉
Was celebrating Christmas wie gehabt ~ full package with Claudia. On 24th zum Frühstücken at Leuthold’s 1910 in Castrop Rauxel. Took Sbahn to Hbf + almost private Bus to Castrop Markt as there was only two people then only me and the 61 years old Bus driver who are very healthy. We chatted a long the way until I arrived, he tried to guess where I was from, his Rheinfolge was: China, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philipine, approaching my station he said “oh nooo, please let me know, I’m running out of countries” he was so peinlich he couldn’t named Indonesia especially when he went there in 2023, overall was a very nice and angenehmen fährt 🙂
Heiligabend came Dominik and Guido for Würst und Kartoffelsalat + Jenga game until level 31. I continue the festives on Christmas with Claudia & Julius’ family. They are always very TOTAL, table manner was on point, Antipasti placed beautifully, every possible drinks were there, was very very very professional.
On the 26th Dominik and Guido came für breakfast, we exchange gifts with Alina. Then dinner at Dom’s place only the two of us 🙂 Our first Christmas together #Kuschelabend.
I know Christmas liegt nicht um Geschenke zu beschenken but hey, I’m just a kid, I loveeeee opening & receiving gift, knowing my friends curated it solely for me. At the end of the day, the thoughts are whats counts ~ or not, if its goes to your work related connection, it’s rather a “must” #Think I would behave nicely? #Think again haha
My modified version of our mandatory Christmas song:
Last Christmas, I don’t give anyone my heart.
So the very next day, nobody can gave it away.
This year, to save me from…. hmmm everything haha…,
We wanted to be at Christmas Market in Aachen, because during our first visit ~ Sugarbomb I got the impression that somehow it will be good. Was I correct though?
On the way there, Dom already half happy, he just need the Soda. Good I was already Germanized, made a booking at Warteg, otherwise all 3 hours on the way is umsonst! #They were packed! Very happy to see the restaurant thrived 🙂
Feli followed their IG Account to know they have Adventskalender, for the day we were there, it will be Es Campur für every zwei Hauptgerichte, aaahhh schaffen wir es locker! #Nomnomnom
Now we both has aged hihi our average number is 32 🙂 revisit Aachener Dom ~ still the best one, touch the door #Again. Unfortunately my guess was incorret, the Christmas Market was rather a disappointment. No mühe whatsoever given, I understand everybody wants to cut corners, but really… to the point they didn’t even have plate for Crepes? Dom just got a paper? It’s too much saving money hey.
They don’t have Christmas Tree ~ only Printen as Aachener Printen is famous #Yep, not getting it… Brigitta (Warteg’s employee) said actually there was a Photobox with background Printen, according to her it was very good ~ I however didn’t see it.
We need to cure our Zonk experience, back to the place we know how ~ Warteg for dinner 😀 I need to have something warm, opted for Bakso. Two Hauptgerichte wieder, meaning another Es Campur! How many happy soda Dom had? Three! He was gesodad.
I’m pretty sure we will come back here during Christmas, not only for the Printen Photobox, rather for Warteg’s Adventskalender and their Stempelkarte #Priorität #So many reason to look forward to 😉
My favourite Bitccchhhhhh texted me for one purpose: sychronising our holiday… we do still have some days left! Neither Germany nor Amsterdam are not cold enough, let us hit Poland hey! 😀
She was already there a week earlier with her friend, I jumped into the Wagon afterwards. Played my Uno Reverse card this time a.k.a table has turned, meaning I didn’t plan any, nada, niente, null. Not bother to know where we’ll stay, what kind of activity we’ll do, what to eat etc.
First stop was Wroclaw. I arrived in the evening around dinner time, Irina asked if I want to eat Polish food? Perhaps later, I wanna have Ramen now! Who searched for the restaurant? her #Obviously 😉
While she was waiting in line, she pointed:
I was there in the Galeria-Hof, there are animals, you can have a look and touch it.
Why would I touch an animal at this hour?
No, were only a statue
Ahhhhh! Ok Ok
Saw it, backed at her still on the line waiting. The place doesn’t have good ventilation so we were stinky right after, the Ramen itself was good though! We hang our clothes for two nights in the balcony to reduce the smell. Next day, we did walking tour, ready to learn some Polish history.
Something very funny about this place is the number of Gnome scatter on doorways, alley, windows, street corners etc. What was started as a peaceful protest became an invasion 😉 so much so till the number reached more than 1.100. Forget about the churches or castle, we were on Gnome hunting!
The first Gnome ever to honor the movement is Papa Krasnal. So many distractions during our Papa Krasnal hunt; must buy new gloves ~ obviously can’t pay with card, had to go to ATM; being tempted by Popcorn smell; wait! we have another factor need to be considered here: The Weather, once it got dark, we couldn’t see Papa Krasnal or any other Krasnal anymore. Set our priorities straight and Papa was found!
How wonderful it was to be on the Christmas market freely without feeling like a sardine #Köln experience. Speaking about Germany, why do we have a Bavarian Lion? #Confused.
Wearing a red beanie was the correct choice, it made me visible or genauer gesagt made me Marlyn Krasnal #Part of Krasnale Tribe.
Mr. Gnome, you are such a creativity, thank you for the entertaining 🙂
Tonight is The OG vs The Rookie’s, shall we kick things off?!
It’s 3rd round of Allerheiligen Kirmes! Had Hainka didn’t told me, I would’ve missed it, obviously this comes first other than some singing #Sorry not sorry #Not the only one who feels bad. Traditions are meant to be followed, otherwise what’s the point?
Since Feli always want to come, I asked her if she could join us this time, Dom is on board too. So we were a gang of 5 this year. Once we arrived, waste no time to have our mandatory picture, watch out ~ only the OG here, although our pose were only stand, we need to confirm the position & angle with comparison pictures from previous years #Efforts!
Hainka & Lena were steady as always ~ very good guide, told the Rookie what is what + what we’ve done + where all the attractions were before: how they changed the locations, swapping here and there.
Our essentials throughout the years: AMPEL! 7 Euro for all three flavors ~ my favourite! We cannot skip Froggy! why? Because Lena won it! BOAH!!!! The OG really has experienced in comparison to…. video will do the justice 😉 Promat Hammer still there, wonder if they would ever change to Tecwerk’s #Werbung.
Honey schnapps where the owner sing or tried to talk with customers and he announced: “oh this couple are coming from far away, can anyone guess?” being a German they weren’t the type of answering those kind of questions, from Bodensee. Hainka wasn’t impressed, eh komm, du kommst theoretisch aus Indonesien, es ist doch weiterer als nur Bodensee. Sag ihm doch mal, he did say to the colleague of the owner while he was too busy on his microphone to noticing us. Well, I didn’t gave him my Beitrag anyway so it’s OK for him to ignoring me hahaha. Next in line is Langos 🙂 Food Tour is done, for Schnapps Tour, one more station: Augenbulle.
Strolled around pointing the historical place where I was gekotzt haha which pavements, alley, bar and church #Facepalm. Oh, consecutively met another Lena!
Dom kommt überall mit, he joined Hainka on the Super Supferl #My Wendepunkt Carousel + joined Feli on Voodoo Jumper. Right on the end, we stumbled upon Big Monster Carousel, Lena said it’s the OG, from hundred years…. as if I want to change the prophecy, let’s try. First minute was OK then it was too much, seems age didn’t lie hey? Komischerweise, Achterbahn for me is not caused so much troubled as this one.
Our To-Do List:
Ate what needed to be eaten #Nomnomnom
Schnapped what needed to be schnapped #酒鬼
Played game what needed to be played #Smashed
Rode what needed to be ridden #Dizzy
Met who needed to be met #Hi
Had all the fun that needed to be had 🙂
My boyfriend bought me a Lebkuchen that I was contemplating if I need to eat or use it as Decoration? Well it has 2 years of expiration date, it’s enough to decide until then 🙂 Can you see it? can you can you?
For the past two years, I always rode home ALL BY MYSELF! This year and hopefully for the next years to come, I won’t be ALL BY MYSELF anymore! Why? For I have a big heart now 🙂
Thank you for the evening Hainka & Lena, store your clothes again because those outfits are not going to retirement anytime soon, it’s our OG trademark, watch out!
Background song: it’s the most wonderful time of the year…. not Christmas (yet!), more precisely Food Nerds annual gathering, in a style we know best ~ Tracht & Dirndl to our favourite season Oktoberfest 😀
After having a very authentic Chinese Lunch at Xiang, done set up at Claudia’s: I got the Sofa, she got the air matress, Thomas brought the pump. One last straw, getting ready for Schützenfestzelt where Drake was there during the opening day. Claudia explained that our tent is second Promi Zelt after Käfer.
Thomas went off earlier to meet Dan as he proclaimed he just wanted to say ‘Hi’ then stay for one Maß ~ spoiler: he didn’t, went through thick and thin of the night.
Familiar faces from last year started to appears one by one. Once we completed, hau reinnn, were welcomed by some finger foods, me likey! We all directly ordered our first Maß, the Nerdies told I gotta improved, don’t worry it’s on my agenda 😉 I’ll try to make it to the second Maß.
Started pretty good, almost ‘neck to neck’ with Thomas’. Right after, I lost count, he went through his fifth while I was still on my second mwahaha. I can’t get my Dessert due to lost track of time and space, more explanation: (A) Kitchen is closed. (B) Honestly… had it not, couldn’t get anything anymore! My Dirndl felt soooo tight!
Decided to walked around the tent with Elena + Janine. I had one mission: tried to find some Promi. Failed miserably, forget it, look at the crowd, it’s impossible.
Hours of laughter, dances, songs and drinks later…. 不知不觉 our evening of wonder has passed! Thank you thank you thank you soooooo much to:
The one and only powerful couple Claudia & Gio, not only for getting us a table in a correct side so we could stood up on the bench but also to gather the coolest crowd;
Janine & Thomas for opening your brand new house to me. I was there when your home was still full with Baustelle. Thomas didn’t accept money at Xiang, he said to me “Marlyn, you can pay me back with your labor in my Garden” hahaha hope I did my job well 😉
Kai & Coco who somehow amazed by how small I am? Well…. I’m consistent, was already this size since last year 😉
Stephan & Elena, I’m glad we got to talk more! can’t wait to see your next year’s Dirndl, what could it be? hmmmm;
To Dan for not only staying for one Maß like you proclaimed before, hope I can also meet Nino next year!
I’m so grateful Claudia asked me to join, getting a table on Oktoberfest is very challenging. Without you, I wouldn’t even able to experience any of it. Pictures & Videos don’t do the justice on how fun our night was 😉
Food Nerds main crew: Prost to our second & still counting Oktoberfest! #Mandatory picture on the Bavariaring’s elevator 🙂
Quiz time: do you see the subtle difference from 2024 to 2025? #Only Oktoberfest participants will know. What an improvement a year could bring 😉
During the dinner of my belated birthday celebrations last year with my Freunde-Gangs, we discussed about Karneval 2025, how they have a friend who could get us the ticket. Hell yeah to my first Karneval! Julius immediately got a brilliant idea “Du kannst als Asiastischer Reis verkleidet” LOL. I kind of like his proposal, stay true to my roots plus experiencing German culture #Why not?!
That evening, I got serious, couldn’t sleep, was searching the possible Reissack material for my costume. Initially my concept was to buy a big bag of rice maybe 25kg one, cut the label, sew it on white T-Shirts. Or I could be a rice cooker? Claudia said, “no, people in Germany will think you are an Air Fryer”, back to Reis.
How about this packaging?
No, if you wear the real Asian Reis, no one in Germany would understand. I think you should go with the orange “Uncle Bens”
Mehhhh, then the Asians wouldn’t get it.
It was actually easy, your costume will be all white, take “Jasmine Reis” buy some alphabets and sew it on. Hmmm maybe not Jasmine or else people will think your name is Jasmine, Basmati Reis to the rescue!
Everything’s set! Feli came to sew my rice!
She was very dedicated!
Julius was “wow! Es ist wirklich gut geworden” yeap, all thanks to her 🙂
I’m very satisfied with my costumes, it’s a normal one, doesn’t have to invest too much money. We are not a crazy Karneval fans after all, perhaps….. I might can wear it again? or I become a hardcore fans? #Who knows?!
D-day, I did home office at Claudias, Alina arrived later, we inaugurated Karneval with Berliner then off to Stadt mit K! Alaaf. Arrived our Hotel, since our idea were only to drink, therefore had early dinner at Olymp.
Draumfess is the name of the place where we will go celebrate Karneval, about 300 meters away is our Hotel 😉 The celebrations starts at 19:11 but we weren’t there on time haha still on preparation. Claudia thought I could have the white hair spray too, as the color of the rice is white, turns out it’s only enough for hers haha
On the Draumfess itself, they have a system where we need to buy some coupon, no card transaction, everything is with Bar #Germany, come on. We exchanged it with the drinks bzw. Schnapps, Feigling, Kölsch und Wasser.
There were performance from Tanzgruppe Flamme vum Rhing and Porzer Dreigestirn that we didn’t see, that’s why we couldn’t beuerteilen. However we saw a very very superb band called Aluis! I like them a lot, they are all handsome too hahaha what a bonus 😉 They’re really good, not only their faces but also their music, swaying from left to right, jumping #Top top top.
Next band is Fiasko, I only like their last song, sadly I couldn’t find it anywhere on YouTube, the lyric was “machs Gut! bis zum nächsten Mal” 🙂 There was a kind of Coldplay moments where one or two giant balls were thrown away, confetti, etc.
In every Karneval, they have Princess, Bauern and someone else.
Then the Guggenmusik Zieefägge, I don’t know what to expect, they are coming with a Truppe. I felt a bit weird for the flag holder… I mean can’t you have a stander for your flag then play some instrument? Hmmm
Not forget to mentioned DJ Pultt for all the music in between live performances 🙂 Without you, who will accompany our drinking session?
After all of that, I’m d-o-n-e! When we return back home, we arrived exactly at 11:11, the special number for Karneval fans! I even sofort got back to Dortmund, need to lie down on my bed, getting old has never been real #Snozzzzeeee
Thank you my friends for the evening, I really like it! any events to let me turn a valve, let off steam, verkleidet, drink and dance to the…. Karneval music hahaha. Will join again! Perhaps I’ll upgrade myself by taking a day off on Rosenmontag! #Man immer schlauer werden.
I spent too many times on my phone, saw one reel on IG where Mercado in Spain changing the way of dating, by simply putting upside down pineapple in their shopping cart for someone who open to date #I know, it does have another meaning in the USA. Sent it to Feli saying “I gotta go grocery shopping in Spain”, be careful what you wished for #Genie is hearing. Few weeks later she sent another reel showing the same concept in Edeka Germany. Do I have Edeka near me? Yeap about 1,5km away.
As if the distance is not a problem, it came literally to my Rewe!
They did put it in the middle, instead in the front where people getting in #OMG, complaining, proof I’m already eingedeutsch. Even Hainka texted me saying “you could change the basket”
It’s real, not reel anymore, didn’t I wished for this? After hearing Sophie grabbed the pink basket, can’t remember if Feli did that too hmmm… well, I’m not on any App, this is the traditional way where people got rejected for real and not with Emojis.
Proud me, I took it! did someone talk to me? of course not, they’re Germans! What do you expect 😉
Nevertheless I have done my part #Klopf mir stolz auf die Schulter.
First step is always the hardest, from now on I’ll be brave on taking any baskets.
A peculiar traditions millions of German do on NYE is watching a black and white English language television sketch called Dinner for One. First time I watched it in year 2020 with Julia, they were all laughing ~ only one not. It’s safe to say “we have a different kind of humour” don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t bad or so, it’s just not as funny as what the Germans thought.
The whole sketch was about 2 same sentences repeated by James the Butler to Miss Sophie and her answers. What are those two sentences? You’ll see 😉
One day, Hainka texted me regarding Kirmes Soest in November, ah yes! need to remember the dates; Gevelsbergs is end of June, Schwelm is at beginning of September while Soest ist November. We decided to go on the first day because other than that day I would be in Berlin, when I’m back the Kirmes is finished. Me, Hainka and Lena were the fixed member, Hainka said Monicita & gangs will join too. Well, in that case I’ll ask Feli + PV. I know PV is not a big fans of Kirmes but I don’t want him to feel left out. In the end….. it doesn’t even matter ohhh ohhh why? Only the fixed member made it 🙂
This guy inspired me! I told both of them we need to dress the same like last year. Check our photos!
We reminisce our last year path; repeated the one we liked : Ampelschnapps + try the Bullenaugeschnapps #Lecker! + skip the one we don’t #No crazy carousels #Safe Kirmes I want
My favourite game which I cannot restrain from: Froggyyyyyy still with Promat Hammer. I will keep playing until I got the froggy!
Oh gosh 😀 was very confused as to why the frog is still there when I know I hit something, I could hear the sound yet no Frogs jumping haha #Nicht den Tisch kaputt machen
What was the two sentence from Dinner for One that they said over and over again?
In less than 24 hours we will step into new years, will we have same procedure as every year in 2025? 😉
Last working day in year 2024, Monday the 30th of December. Rise and Shine, no-sunny-day in Germany. #Somethings stays the same.
Empty the Bahn, were only 2 including me in the wagon O.O
Arriving NW at the same time with Thomas, Krissy and Matthias were already in the reception. Hallo! Kollege des letzten Arbeitstages 😀
Who else? meet the last man standing crew from 2. Flügel 2 featuring Pörtner, Christin, Sebhil, Dennis, Thomas, PV und meine einjährige Tasche #Toddler who has a sister now! Stofftasche von Alina 😀 #Work work work work work
We have more or less the same member with last year #Wir halten die Stellung! Are we (still) the fittest amongst the fittest or maybe the one that should’ve planned their holiday better haha #Always 2 ways to see it
