I woke up this morning and went for a 5.5k run along the Isar river. It was 3 degrees, but the scenery made running so easy and fun. I really don't enjoy running in Toronto, I think mostly because I often do it in the middle of the city and there isn't water or nice scenery. Both Berlin and Munich have beautiful paths along water, and huge parks. They are very pedestrian and bike friendly. I didn't realize how much I missed having trails and nature (especially water) around me - I was always next to water and parks in Ottawa, and first lived at High Park in Toronto. It really made me stop and think about where I live now and taking advantage of nature more.
After my run, we went for a traditional Bavarian breakfast - weißwurst with sweet mustard and a pretzel. I also threw in spetzle because it's my fav and I was craving it from the night before. Yum! I tried Eva's sweet pancake with applesauce which was also awesome.
Next we went to Museum Brandhorst, a modern art museum that was actually built for a couple of art pieces. It was neat to see the interplay between the architecture and the art. The collection rotates regularly, so there were many artists I was hoping to see that weren't displayed. Most of the collection was extremely minimalist and abstract, so much of it wasn't very accessible. There were a number of Warhol pieces, which I really enjoyed, and it was neat to see some of the techniques used in the art.
We then walked around the city, ultimately ending up at this really amazing traditional market with all kinds of vendors. They had everything - dolls, chandeliers, knives, dolls, antlers, maps, lithographs, antique cameras, jewellery, and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and I easily could have gotten something for each of you there. It was incredibly busy so Eva and Sebastian took turns with Max so we didn't have to push our way through the crowd. I fell in love with so many cool things but didn't end up buying anything because I had no idea how to get it home and many of the items were quite expensive and/or fragile. I would say my favourite thing was the Wolpertinger (pictured).
For dinner Eva and Sebastian made an amazing beef dinner with squash. While they were cooking, I fed Max and kept him occupied.
As you know, I'm into food science, but if you multiplied my interest by 100, you would get Sebastian! About a year ago he mentioned this propane induction heat tool that he crowd funded, which heats the top layer of anything at an ultra high heat, while not cooking the rest of the dish. It's perfect for things like beef or pan-seared tuna. The beef was first cooked in a water bath to get the precise temperature for medium rare. Once it was properly cooked, Sebastian used the tool to put a crust on the outside. The result was perfect medium-rare beef completely through with a crisp light char all around the outside. I'm drooling just thinking about it. They served it with squash in a cream sauce which was a lovely balance.
After dinner we had a glass of scotch and talked for a while, before heading to bed. Once again, it was a full and active day, and we were all pretty tired.