(5643,1,'2011-10-03 06:04:32','2011-10-03 04:04:32','As many of you know, after my first year at a public school in Sofia, I was lucky enough to be hired by a private school--the American College of Sofia--to teach English. I\'ve been at ACS for the last two years and this year marks the start of my third year teaching English here.\r\n\r\nI wrote a post yesterday about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">teaching in a public school in Bulgaria</a> while on a Fulbright. At times it was a frustrating experience. Luckily I expected this would be the case so it wasn\'t too shocking. I\'ve heard horror stories about other Bulgarian schools but I was lucky enough to be working at one of the top language schools in the country on my Fulbright grant.\r\n\r\nThis said, the differences between ACS and my other school are like night and day.\r\n\r\nA huge part of this has to do with the fact that because we are a private school we have resources that are unheard of in other schools around the country--decent teacher salaries, computer labs, LCD projectors, a multilingual library, classroom supplies, new (and unabridged) textbooks as well as unquestioned access to photocopies and white board markers. Teachers get their own classrooms and students come to us.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nWe hang posters on the wall and show-off student work. We have calendars on our walls and pictures on our desks. I have colored markers, labeled binders and trays where students turn in homework and pick-up handouts.\r\n\r\nAnother major difference is our campus culture. Students are polite and well mannered.They hold open doors, are quick to say hello and will always ask if they can help you with something be it carrying books, passing out homework or rearranging desks.\r\n\r\nBy in large, they always have their homework typed and ready to turn in. They ask questions, participate in discussion and actively take notes in class. Even student cellphone use in the classroom is limited. Once in great while a phone vibrates in class (and even less frequently rings) but all you have to do as a teacher is put your hand out and students will produce the offending phone. I\'ve never had to ask for a phone all it takes is a look.\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students are respectful of the grades they earn and upon returning homework, papers or quizzes the kind of questions students ask are often: Could you read this comment for me? I can\'t make out what you\'ve written. Or they are extremely apologetic: I am really sorry Ms. Emigh but I think that you added up my points incorrectly. Could you take a look at this? (And yes, I\'m human, I\'ve made that mistake a time or two).\r\n\r\nIt\'s not all puppies and rainbows but in comparison to the first school I worked at in Sofia, it\'s sort of like comparing apples and oranges wherein the apple is crisp and juicy when you bite into it making you want another bit and the orange, well once you peal the orange you realize that it\'s not juicy and it\'s rather chewy and if you decide to eat it you eat it because you\'re hungry not because it tastes good.\r\n\r\nSure our students could stand to work on getting their garbage actually<em> into</em> garbage cans at the end of lunch and at the end of the day but look around the country, it\'s not as if there is a long standing tradition of this. I mean, they are teenagers and at times they behave just like teenagers. Sometimes they make bad decisions for themselves, sometimes they make poor choices, sometimes they don\'t do what you expect but ACS has a clear set of standards which the students know and by in large, respect.\r\n\r\nBut I think I\'ll end on this note today, the thing that never ceases to amaze me are our students.  In the morning, school starts at 8:15 am and I am often at school by 7:20am. At 7:20am there will be students showing up to school and it\'s clear they are at school that early because they like it and feel comfortable here. Likewise, at the end of the day classes let out at 3:15pm and even when I leave campus between 4:30 and 5pm there are students here playing sports, organizing clubs, and sometimes I suspect just hanging out with friends (or hanging out waiting for friends).\r\n\r\nIt just brings me a lot of joy to see students enjoying school and their lives at ACS.','Teaching at ACS ','','publish','open','open','','teaching-at-acs','','','2011-10-03 06:04:32','2011-10-03 04:04:32','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5643',0,'post','',1),(5644,1,'2011-10-02 21:44:02','2011-10-02 19:44:02','As many of you know, after my first year at a public school in Sofia, I was lucky enough to be hired by a private school--the American College of Sofia--to teach English. I\'ve been at ACS for the last two years and this year marks the start of my third year teaching English here.\n\nI wrote a post yesterday about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">teaching in a public school in Bulgaria</a> while on a Fulbright. At times it was a frustrating experience. Luckily I expected this would be the case so it wasn\'t too shocking. I\'ve heard horror stories about other Bulgarian schools but I was lucky enough to be working at one of the top language schools in the country on my Fulbright grant.\n\nThis said, the differences between ACS and my other school are like night and day. A huge part of this has to do with the fact that because we are a private school we have resources that are unheard of in other schools around the country--computer labs, LCD projectors, a multilingual library, classroom supplies, new (and unabridged) textbooks as well as unquestioned access to photocopies and white board markers.\n\nAnother major difference is our campus culture. Students are polite and well mannered. By in large, they always have their homework typed and ready to turn in. The student cellphone use is limited. Once in great while a phone vibrates in class (and even less frequently rings) but all you have to do as a teacher is put your hand out and students will produce the offending phone. I\'ve never had to ask for a phone all it takes is a look.','Teaching at ACS ','','inherit','open','open','','5643-revision','','','2011-10-02 21:44:02','2011-10-02 19:44:02','',5643,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5643-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5645,1,'2011-10-02 21:51:46','2011-10-02 19:51:46','As many of you know, after my first year at a public school in Sofia, I was lucky enough to be hired by a private school--the American College of Sofia--to teach English. I\'ve been at ACS for the last two years and this year marks the start of my third year teaching English here.\n\nI wrote a post yesterday about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">teaching in a public school in Bulgaria</a> while on a Fulbright. At times it was a frustrating experience. Luckily I expected this would be the case so it wasn\'t too shocking. I\'ve heard horror stories about other Bulgarian schools but I was lucky enough to be working at one of the top language schools in the country on my Fulbright grant.\n\nThis said, the differences between ACS and my other school are like night and day. A huge part of this has to do with the fact that because we are a private school we have resources that are unheard of in other schools around the country--computer labs, LCD projectors, a multilingual library, classroom supplies, new (and unabridged) textbooks as well as unquestioned access to photocopies and white board markers.\n\nAnother major difference is our campus culture. Students are polite and well mannered. By in large, they always have their homework typed and ready to turn in. They ask questions, participate in discussion and actively take notes in class. Even student cellphone use is limited. Once in great while a phone vibrates in class (and even less frequently rings) but all you have to do as a teacher is put your hand out and students will produce the offending phone. I\'ve never had to ask for a phone all it takes is a look.\n\nOn a whole, students are respectful of the grades they earn and upon returning homework, papers or quizzes the kind of questions students ask are often: could you read this comment for me? I can\'t make out what you\'ve written. Or they are extremely apologetic: I am really sorry Ms. Emigh but I think that you added up my points incorrectly. Could you take a look at this? (And yes, I\'m human, I\'ve done that a time or two).\n\nSure our students could stand to work on getting their garbage actually<em> into</em> garbage cans at the end of lunch','Teaching at ACS ','','inherit','open','open','','5643-revision-2','','','2011-10-02 21:51:46','2011-10-02 19:51:46','',5643,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5643-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5646,1,'2011-10-03 06:03:53','2011-10-03 04:03:53','As many of you know, after my first year at a public school in Sofia, I was lucky enough to be hired by a private school--the American College of Sofia--to teach English. I\'ve been at ACS for the last two years and this year marks the start of my third year teaching English here.\n\nI wrote a post yesterday about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">teaching in a public school in Bulgaria</a> while on a Fulbright. At times it was a frustrating experience. Luckily I expected this would be the case so it wasn\'t too shocking. I\'ve heard horror stories about other Bulgarian schools but I was lucky enough to be working at one of the top language schools in the country on my Fulbright grant.\n\nThis said, the differences between ACS and my other school are like night and day. A huge part of this has to do with the fact that because we are a private school we have resources that are unheard of in other schools around the country--decent teacher salaries, computer labs, LCD projectors, a multilingual library, classroom supplies, new (and unabridged) textbooks as well as unquestioned access to photocopies and white board markers. Teachers get their own classrooms and students come to us.\n\nWe hang posters on the wall and show-off student work. We have calendars on our walls and pictures on our desks. I have colored markers, labeled binders and trays where students turn in homework and pick-up handouts.\n\nAnother major difference is our campus culture. Students are polite and well mannered.They hold open doors, are quick to say hello and will always ask if they can help you with something be it carrying books, passing out homework or rearranging desks.\n\nBy in large, they always have their homework typed and ready to turn in. They ask questions, participate in discussion and actively take notes in class. Even student cellphone use in the classroom is limited. Once in great while a phone vibrates in class (and even less frequently rings) but all you have to do as a teacher is put your hand out and students will produce the offending phone. I\'ve never had to ask for a phone all it takes is a look.\n\nOn a whole, students are respectful of the grades they earn and upon returning homework, papers or quizzes the kind of questions students ask are often: Could you read this comment for me? I can\'t make out what you\'ve written. Or they are extremely apologetic: I am really sorry Ms. Emigh but I think that you added up my points incorrectly. Could you take a look at this? (And yes, I\'m human, I\'ve made that mistake a time or two).\n\nIt\'s not all puppies and rainbows but in comparison to the first school I worked at in Sofia, it\'s sort of like comparing apples and oranges wherein the apple is crisp and juicy when you bite into it making you want another bit and the orange, well once you peal the orange you realize that it\'s not juicy and it\'s rather chewy and if you decide to eat it you eat it because you\'re hungry not because it tastes good.\n\nSure our students could stand to work on getting their garbage actually<em> into</em> garbage cans at the end of lunch and at the end of the day but look around the country, it\'s not as if there is a long standing tradition of this. I mean, they are teenagers and at times they behave just like teenagers. Sometimes they make bad decisions for themselves, sometimes they make poor choices, sometimes they don\'t do what you expect but ACS has a clear set of standards which the students know and by in large, respect.\n\nBut I think I\'ll end on this note today, the thing that never ceases to amaze me are our students.  In the morning, school starts at 8:15 am and I am often at school by 7:20am. At 7:20am there will be students showing up to school and it\'s clear they are at school that early because they like it and feel comfortable here. Likewise, at the end of the day classes let out at 3:15pm and even when I leave campus between 4:30 and 5pm there are students here playing sports, organizing clubs, and sometimes I suspect just hanging out with friends (or hanging out waiting for friends).\n\nIt just brings me a lot of joy to see students enjoying school and their lives at ACS.','Teaching at ACS ','','inherit','open','open','','5643-revision-3','','','2011-10-03 06:03:53','2011-10-03 04:03:53','',5643,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/5643-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5648,1,'2011-10-03 20:44:46','2011-10-03 18:44:46','Apparently this is my week to talk about education in Bulgaria. I started with <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">my experience on the Fulbright teaching in a public school</a> and then I moved on to <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/teaching-at-acs/\" target=\"_blank\">discussing teaching at ACS a private school here in Sofia</a>.\n\nToday, it\'s a new program <a href=\"http://zaednovchas.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for Bulgaria</a>.\n\nLast spring teachers-in-training came to ACS to observe our classes as a part of the Teach for Bulgaria program. My understanding is that this program is similar to <a href=\"http://www.teachforamerica.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for America in the States</a>. Basically, talented and passionate young people are recruited to teach for two years in high need schools.\n\nIt\'s a hugely ambitious program and I have a lot of respect for the Bulgarians who are currently teaching as a part of this program.','Teach for Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5647-revision','','','2011-10-03 20:44:46','2011-10-03 18:44:46','',5647,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/5647-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5649,1,'2011-10-03 20:46:21','2011-10-03 18:46:21','Apparently this is my week to talk about education in Bulgaria. I started with <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">my experience on the Fulbright teaching in a public school</a> and then I moved on to <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/teaching-at-acs/\" target=\"_blank\">discussing teaching at ACS a private school here in Sofia</a>.\r\n\r\nToday, it\'s a new program <a href=\"http://zaednovchas.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for Bulgaria</a>.\r\n\r\nLast spring teachers-in-training came to ACS to observe our classes as a part of the Teach for Bulgaria program. My understanding is that this program is similar to <a href=\"http://www.teachforamerica.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for America in the States</a>. Basically, talented and passionate young people are recruited to teach for two years in high need schools.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a hugely ambitious program and I have a lot of respect for the Bulgarians who are currently teaching as a part of this program.','Teach for Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5647-revision-2','','','2011-10-03 20:46:21','2011-10-03 18:46:21','',5647,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/5647-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5650,1,'2011-10-03 21:07:44','2011-10-03 19:07:44','Apparently this is my week to talk about education in Bulgaria. I started with <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">my experience on the Fulbright teaching in a public school</a> and then I moved on to <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/teaching-at-acs/\" target=\"_blank\">discussing teaching at ACS a private school here in Sofia</a>.\n\nToday, it\'s a new program <a href=\"http://zaednovchas.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for Bulgaria</a>.\n\nLast spring teachers-in-training came to ACS to observe our classes as a part of the Teach for Bulgaria program. My understanding is that this program is similar to <a href=\"http://www.teachforamerica.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for America in the States</a>. Basically, talented and passionate young people are recruited to teach for two years in high need schools.\n\nIt\'s a hugely ambitious program and I have a lot of respect for the Bulgarians who are currently teaching as a part of this program.\n\nI think it\'s pretty safe to say that most public schools in Bulgaria are kind of a mess--between administrative challenges, staffing shortages, poor textbooks and a general lack of interest on the part of many students. Given this laundry list of problems it\'s hard to even imagine where to start but Teach for Bulgaria is giving it a go.\n\nThe Teach for Bulgaria website paints the picture in even starker terms:\n<ul>\n	<li>The average teacher in Bulgaria is 50 years old (Ministry of Education). Over 38% of teachers are 50 and older. Only 3.4 percent are under 30 and 0.5 percent are 25 or younger (NSI).</li>\n	<li>Students from linguistic minorities and low-income families consistently score lower than their peers from more affluent families on state subject exams.  (World Bank).</li>\n	<li>Less than half of the 15-year-olds in Bulgaria manage to meet the critical threshold in reading and math skills defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (World Bank).</li>\n</ul>\nI have to say that reading these statistics makes me really sad but that I am glad that there are young professionals who are willing to tackle this <em>giant</em> problem.\n\nHere\'s to Teach for Bulgaria!!','Teach for Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5647-revision-3','','','2011-10-03 21:07:44','2011-10-03 19:07:44','',5647,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/5647-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5651,1,'2011-10-03 21:09:06','2011-10-03 19:09:06','Apparently this is my week to talk about education in Bulgaria. I started with <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">my experience on the Fulbright teaching in a public school</a> and then I moved on to <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/teaching-at-acs/\" target=\"_blank\">discussing teaching at ACS a private school here in Sofia</a>.\n\nToday, it\'s a new program <a href=\"http://zaednovchas.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for Bulgaria</a>.\n\nLast spring teachers-in-training came to ACS to observe our classes as a part of the Teach for Bulgaria program. My understanding is that this program is similar to <a href=\"http://www.teachforamerica.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for America in the States</a>. Basically, talented and passionate young people are recruited to teach for two years in high need schools.\n\nIt\'s a hugely ambitious program and I have a lot of respect for the Bulgarians who are currently teaching as a part of this program.<!--more-->\n\nI think it\'s pretty safe to say that most public schools in Bulgaria are kind of a mess--between administrative challenges, staffing shortages, poor textbooks and a general lack of interest on the part of many students. Given this laundry list of problems it\'s hard to even imagine where to start but Teach for Bulgaria is giving it a go.\n\nThe Teach for Bulgaria website paints the picture in even starker terms:\n<ul>\n	<li>The average teacher in Bulgaria is 50 years old (Ministry of Education). Over 38% of teachers are 50 and older. Only 3.4 percent are under 30 and 0.5 percent are 25 or younger (NSI).</li>\n	<li>Students from linguistic minorities and low-income families consistently score lower than their peers from more affluent families on state subject exams.  (World Bank).</li>\n	<li>Less than half of the 15-year-olds in Bulgaria manage to meet the critical threshold in reading and math skills defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (World Bank).</li>\n</ul>\nI have to say that reading these statistics makes me really sad but that I am glad that there are young professionals who are willing to tackle this <em>giant</em> problem.\n\nHere\'s to Teach for Bulgaria!!','Teach for Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5647-revision-4','','','2011-10-03 21:09:06','2011-10-03 19:09:06','',5647,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/5647-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5653,1,'2011-10-05 06:07:25','2011-10-05 04:07:25','I can safely say that the Fulbright is a program which has changed my life. Basically the Fulbright is a fellowship and exchange program and offers hundreds of grants each year to students and scholars all over the world. For me it was Bulgaria. I came here with about 12 other American scholars and similar numbers of Bulgarians won grants to study in the States.\r\n\r\nAs an ETA (or English Teaching Assistant), I was placed in a public school in Sofia to teach English. I ended up leading conversation classes.\r\n\r\nI created lessons plans in such a way to encourage students to speak as much English as possible--to me, with their classmates and in small groups. In 8th grade the goal was to get students speaking as easily and freely as possible and to reinforce the subject material and vocabulary they were already learning.\r\n\r\nThe challenge of course was that kids come to a language school with a huge variety of language skills. <!--more-->My school had the children of diplomats who had studied abroad in English language high schools and it had students who showed up not really knowing the alphabet. The school didn\'t place students in 8th grade based on their English language ability but based on the second language they would study in 9th grade (!!) which is pretty insane.\r\n\r\nSo there were students who were desperately board because their English was already very strong and as a result caused lots of problems in class and students who I am pretty sure didn\'t understand what I was saying and who also caused problems because of this. This set-up stinks. It doesn\'t help the students. Any of them. It\'s incredibly hard to learn when your classmates are misbehaving and even harder to teach anything when you spend your time (ineffectually) disciplining students.\r\n\r\nMy school was not the exception to the rule quite the contrary. The school I taught at that year is considered a good public school. And I know that similar things are happening at language schools all over the country because traditionally in Bulgaria the class that you find yourself with in 8th grade you stay with for the next five years. (A side note: this is not the case at ACS.)\r\n\r\nSo ETAs find themselves in these challenging situations which they have little control over. Problems are systemic and then amplified by budgetary and human resource constraints. Did I mention that most classroom sizes start at 30 students?! (In comparison, at ACS my class size has varied between 15 and 18. A much more humane number.)\r\n\r\nInterestingly in the face of these challenges, ETAs have a couple of choices--adapt to the system (and the culture of apathy), figure out how they fit into the system and make the best of it or to do what they can do and to find some additional outlet for their creative and intellectual interests. As I mentioned earlier this week, mine was (and is) this blog.\r\n\r\nBut another group of ETAs recently emailed me about a project they worked on while in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nThis project is clearly a labor of love--called <a href=\"http://yarn.fulbright.bg/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yarn: Lots of little stories tell one big story</a>. It\'s an oral history project.  As described on their website the project is:\r\n<blockquote>A collection of interviews with students from three Bulgarian Foreign Language High Schools. This project aims not only to provide spaces for students to represent themselves, but to spark further questions and discussions about contemporary life in Bulgaria and beyond</blockquote>\r\nThe collection of interviews is extensive and engaging. This is the kind of project that draws you in and makes you want to listen to all of the interviews. Some are easier to follow than others but that\'s the problem with teenagers in general and the case with any oral history project.\r\n\r\nI think that these short interviews are worth listening to if you want to know more about life in Bulgaria, if you\'re interested in how teenagers see the world and the problems that concern them or if you want a glimpse into the kind of projects that keep Fulbrighters busy during their year in country.','Ever wonder what a ETA Fulbrighter actually does? ','','publish','open','open','','ever-wonder-what-a-eta-fulbrighter-actually-does','','','2011-10-05 06:07:25','2011-10-05 04:07:25','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5653',0,'post','',0),(5654,1,'2011-10-05 05:56:50','2011-10-05 03:56:50','I can safely say that the Fulbright is a program which has changed my life. Basically the Fulbright is a fellowship and exchange program and offers hundreds of grants each year to students and scholars all over the world. For me it was Bulgaria. I came here with about 12 other American scholars and similar numbers of Bulgarians won grants to study in the States.\n\nAs an ETA (or English Teaching Assistant), I was placed in a public school in Sofia to teach English. I ended up leading conversation classes.\n\nI created lessons plans in such a way to encourage students to speak as much English as possible--to me, with their classmates and in small groups. In 8th grade the goal was to get students speaking as easily and freely as possible and to reinforce the subject material and vocabulary they were already learning.\n\nThe challenge of course was that kids come to a language school with a huge variety of language skills. My school had the children of diplomats who had studied abroad in English language high schools and it had students who showed up not really knowing the alphabet. The school didn\'t place students in 8th grade based on their English language ability but based on the second language they would study in 9th grade (!!) which is pretty insane.\n\nSo there were students who were desperately board because their English was already very strong and as a result caused lots of problems in class and students who I am pretty sure didn\'t understand what I was saying and who also caused problems because of this. This set-up stinks. It doesn\'t help the students. Any of them. It\'s incredibly hard to learn when your classmates are misbehaving and even harder to teach anything when you spend your time (ineffectually) disciplining students.\n\nMy school was not the exception to the rule quite the contrary. The school I taught at that year is considered a good public school. And I know that similar things are happening at language schools all over the country because traditionally in Bulgaria the class that you find yourself with in 8th grade you stay with for the next five years. (A side note: this is not the case at ACS.)\n\nSo ETAs find themselves in these challenging situations which they have little control over. Problems are systemic and then amplified by budgetary and human resource constraints. Did I mention that most classroom sizes start at 30 students?! (In comparison, at ACS my class size has varied between 15 and 18. A much more humane number.)\n\nInterestingly in the face of these challenges, ETAs have a couple of choices--adapt to the system (and the culture of apathy), figure out how they fit into the system and make the best of it or to do what they can do and to find some additional outlet for their creative and intellectual interests. As I mentioned earlier this week, mine was (and is) this blog.\n\nBut another group of ETAs recently emailed me about a project they worked on while in Bulgaria.\n\nThis project is clearly a labor of love--called <a href=\"http://yarn.fulbright.bg/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yarn: Lots of little stories tell one big story</a>. It\'s an oral history project.  A','Ever wonder what a ETA Fulbrighter actually does? ','','inherit','open','open','','5653-revision','','','2011-10-05 05:56:50','2011-10-05 03:56:50','',5653,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/05/5653-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5655,1,'2011-10-05 06:06:40','2011-10-05 04:06:40','I can safely say that the Fulbright is a program which has changed my life. Basically the Fulbright is a fellowship and exchange program and offers hundreds of grants each year to students and scholars all over the world. For me it was Bulgaria. I came here with about 12 other American scholars and similar numbers of Bulgarians won grants to study in the States.\n\nAs an ETA (or English Teaching Assistant), I was placed in a public school in Sofia to teach English. I ended up leading conversation classes.\n\nI created lessons plans in such a way to encourage students to speak as much English as possible--to me, with their classmates and in small groups. In 8th grade the goal was to get students speaking as easily and freely as possible and to reinforce the subject material and vocabulary they were already learning.\n\nThe challenge of course was that kids come to a language school with a huge variety of language skills. My school had the children of diplomats who had studied abroad in English language high schools and it had students who showed up not really knowing the alphabet. The school didn\'t place students in 8th grade based on their English language ability but based on the second language they would study in 9th grade (!!) which is pretty insane.\n\nSo there were students who were desperately board because their English was already very strong and as a result caused lots of problems in class and students who I am pretty sure didn\'t understand what I was saying and who also caused problems because of this. This set-up stinks. It doesn\'t help the students. Any of them. It\'s incredibly hard to learn when your classmates are misbehaving and even harder to teach anything when you spend your time (ineffectually) disciplining students.\n\nMy school was not the exception to the rule quite the contrary. The school I taught at that year is considered a good public school. And I know that similar things are happening at language schools all over the country because traditionally in Bulgaria the class that you find yourself with in 8th grade you stay with for the next five years. (A side note: this is not the case at ACS.)\n\nSo ETAs find themselves in these challenging situations which they have little control over. Problems are systemic and then amplified by budgetary and human resource constraints. Did I mention that most classroom sizes start at 30 students?! (In comparison, at ACS my class size has varied between 15 and 18. A much more humane number.)\n\nInterestingly in the face of these challenges, ETAs have a couple of choices--adapt to the system (and the culture of apathy), figure out how they fit into the system and make the best of it or to do what they can do and to find some additional outlet for their creative and intellectual interests. As I mentioned earlier this week, mine was (and is) this blog.\n\nBut another group of ETAs recently emailed me about a project they worked on while in Bulgaria.\n\nThis project is clearly a labor of love--called <a href=\"http://yarn.fulbright.bg/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yarn: Lots of little stories tell one big story</a>. It\'s an oral history project.  As described on their website the project is:\n<blockquote>A collection of interviews with students from three Bulgarian Foreign Language High Schools. This project aims not only to provide spaces for students to represent themselves, but to spark further questions and discussions about contemporary life in Bulgaria and beyond</blockquote>\nThe collection of interviews is extensive and engaging. This is the kind of project that draws you in and makes you want to listen to all of the interviews. Some are easier to follow than others but that\'s the problem with teenagers in general and the case with any oral history project.\n\nI think that these short interviews are worth listening to if you want to know more about life in Bulgaria, if you\'re interested in how teenagers see the world and the problems that concern them or if you want a glimpse into the kind of projects that keep Fulbrighters busy during their year in country.','Ever wonder what a ETA Fulbrighter actually does? ','','inherit','open','open','','5653-revision-2','','','2011-10-05 06:06:40','2011-10-05 04:06:40','',5653,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/05/5653-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5656,1,'2011-10-05 20:35:27','2011-10-05 18:35:27','I can safely say that the Fulbright is a program which has changed my life. Basically the Fulbright is a fellowship and exchange program and offers hundreds of grants each year to students and scholars all over the world. For me it was Bulgaria. I came here with about 12 other American scholars and similar numbers of Bulgarians won grants to study in the States.\n\nAs an ETA (or English Teaching Assistant), I was placed in a public school in Sofia to teach English. I ended up leading conversation classes.\n\nI created lessons plans in such a way to encourage students to speak as much English as possible--to me, with their classmates and in small groups. In 8th grade the goal was to get students speaking as easily and freely as possible and to reinforce the subject material and vocabulary they were already learning.\n\nThe challenge of course was that kids come to a language school with a huge variety of language skills. <!--more-->My school had the children of diplomats who had studied abroad in English language high schools and it had students who showed up not really knowing the alphabet. The school didn\'t place students in 8th grade based on their English language ability but based on the second language they would study in 9th grade (!!) which is pretty insane.\n\nSo there were students who were desperately board because their English was already very strong and as a result caused lots of problems in class and students who I am pretty sure didn\'t understand what I was saying and who also caused problems because of this. This set-up stinks. It doesn\'t help the students. Any of them. It\'s incredibly hard to learn when your classmates are misbehaving and even harder to teach anything when you spend your time (ineffectually) disciplining students.\n\nMy school was not the exception to the rule quite the contrary. The school I taught at that year is considered a good public school. And I know that similar things are happening at language schools all over the country because traditionally in Bulgaria the class that you find yourself with in 8th grade you stay with for the next five years. (A side note: this is not the case at ACS.)\n\nSo ETAs find themselves in these challenging situations which they have little control over. Problems are systemic and then amplified by budgetary and human resource constraints. Did I mention that most classroom sizes start at 30 students?! (In comparison, at ACS my class size has varied between 15 and 18. A much more humane number.)\n\nInterestingly in the face of these challenges, ETAs have a couple of choices--adapt to the system (and the culture of apathy), figure out how they fit into the system and make the best of it or to do what they can do and to find some additional outlet for their creative and intellectual interests. As I mentioned earlier this week, mine was (and is) this blog.\n\nBut another group of ETAs recently emailed me about a project they worked on while in Bulgaria.\n\nThis project is clearly a labor of love--called <a href=\"http://yarn.fulbright.bg/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Yarn: Lots of little stories tell one big story</a>. It\'s an oral history project.  As described on their website the project is:\n<blockquote>A collection of interviews with students from three Bulgarian Foreign Language High Schools. This project aims not only to provide spaces for students to represent themselves, but to spark further questions and discussions about contemporary life in Bulgaria and beyond</blockquote>\nThe collection of interviews is extensive and engaging. This is the kind of project that draws you in and makes you want to listen to all of the interviews. Some are easier to follow than others but that\'s the problem with teenagers in general and the case with any oral history project.\n\nI think that these short interviews are worth listening to if you want to know more about life in Bulgaria, if you\'re interested in how teenagers see the world and the problems that concern them or if you want a glimpse into the kind of projects that keep Fulbrighters busy during their year in country.','Ever wonder what a ETA Fulbrighter actually does? ','','inherit','open','open','','5653-autosave','','','2011-10-05 20:35:27','2011-10-05 18:35:27','',5653,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/05/5653-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5689,1,'2011-10-13 10:20:20','2011-10-13 08:20:20','It\'s that time of year. Fall is here. Men are raking leaves on campus this week and I already know to expect the piles of leaves in what will become an endless cycle this month of falling, raking and gathering.\r\n\r\nI\'ve got my first cold of the year. The annoying kind of cold that keeps you up at night when you want to be sleeping, that prevents you from really focusing during the day but isn\'t so bad that it prevents you from working. Nope, I\'d love to curl up on my couch with a book and a cup of tea but I am at work teaching, grading and suffering from the occasional bout of sneezes. Fall is here.\r\n\r\nThe thing I always manage too forget is that while I love fall, I don\'t love being cold.  I like wearing my fall coat, I love decking myself out in scarves and woolly sweaters, I dig hot cups of coffee on rainy Saturday afternoons but I hate cold toes, chilly rooms and sitting at my desk shivering.\r\n\r\nThis week was really the first week we could have used heat at school. Monday my students sat in their coats and we discussed our current novel. Tuesday some students didn\'t take off their gloves until they absolutely had to and complained bitterly about the cold. Wednesday the heat slowly came on and today my classroom was so hot that I had students begging to open the windows.  <em>Awesome</em>.\r\n\r\nMy apartment? Well that\'s a different story. I have no idea when the heat will be on. The tile floor is cold to the touch and this morning I put on as many layers as possible only to strip them all off at school. Fall is here.\r\n\r\nAnd I love it.','Fall is in the air ','','publish','open','open','','fall-is-in-the-air','','','2011-10-13 10:20:20','2011-10-13 08:20:20','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5689',0,'post','',0),(5659,1,'2011-10-08 20:26:08','2011-10-08 18:26:08','Wow. Wow. A cupcake bakery in Sofia. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223446602/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6155/6223446602_d414364a03_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cupcakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nI heard a rumor about a cupcake place opening in Sofia a while back. I never followed up on it. Then sometime last week, I thought: I\'ve got to find this bakery. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222874159/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6222874159_67601b0857_b.jpg\" alt=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nSo I did what I always do, I posted an inquiry on twitter and later that day I\'d been directed to the website of <a href=\"http://take-a-cake-bakery.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Take a Cake</a>.  And about the same time I found a piece on <a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/take-a-cake/\" target=\"_blank\">Spotted by Locals about the bakery</a> as well. <em>Thanks friends!<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223433388/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6223433388_1521a0177b_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> </em>\n\nTake a Cake is a tiny but super cute bakery specializing in cupcakes.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223404350/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6223404350_db2c441929_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> They aren\'t so easy to find but totally worth it. We wandered around the neighborhood for a bit. In my mind, these things happen when streets aren\'t well labeled and dots aren\'t well placed on google maps.  Luckily I stopped a couple of people for directions and the guy at Costa Coffee on Sheynovo knew where the bakery is.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222920745/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6222920745_07ee9c723d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> The street address is: Tulovo 1. It\'s one of the little streets behind Sofia University--a street that appears to be one block long. Here\'s the best way to find the shop. From the University metro take the Russian monument exit and the underpass to the street San Stefano and at the five way intersection take the street on your right. The shop is halfway down the block on the left hand side of the street.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222877561/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6222877561_933e77f44d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> The cupcakes are beautifully decorated and the shop is immaculate. Today there were probably 12 different cupcakes to pick from.\n\nI started with the pumpkin spice cupcake and an Americano (which was pretty great) and ended the adventure with a coffee cupcake. Yep. For those of you who are counting, I ate two cupcakes. These things are allowed (and encouraged) when you know you\'re going to be writing a blog-review <em>or</em> when you like cupcakes as much as I do.\n\nBoth cupcakes were tasty but given the change in weather and seasons, I think that the pumpkin spice cupcake was my favorite. It was moist, pumpkin-y and a little sweet.\n\nHere\'s the thing, these are not exactly the cupcakes I know and love from my childhood. The cupcakes I tried today are much more reminiscent of a muffin rather than the smooth, fine crumb of cupcakes in the States. They were still tasty but not what I think of as a cupcake. These were something more like sweet muffins with frosting.\n\nWas this a problem for me? Not really. I\'ve come to understand that nothing will be exactly as I expect it in Bulgaria.\n\nDid I like the cupcakes? Oh, yes.\n\nWill I go back? Of course.\n\nAm I complaining? Not really. I just thought you should know. Tasty. Just not exactly traditional cupcakes.','Cupcakes in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5658-revision','','','2011-10-08 20:26:08','2011-10-08 18:26:08','',5658,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/5658-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5660,1,'2011-10-08 20:31:08','2011-10-08 18:31:08','Wow. Wow. A cupcake bakery in Sofia.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222874159/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6222874159_67601b0857_b.jpg\" alt=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI heard a rumor about a cupcake place opening in Sofia a while back. I never followed up on it. Then sometime last week, I thought: I\'ve got to find this bakery.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pumpkin cupcake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223433388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6223433388_1521a0177b_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo I did what I always do, I posted an inquiry on twitter and later that day I\'d been directed to the website of <a href=\"http://take-a-cake-bakery.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Take a Cake</a>.  And about the same time I found a piece on <a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/take-a-cake/\" target=\"_blank\">Spotted by Locals about the bakery</a> as well. <em>Thanks friends! </em>\n\nTake a Cake is a tiny but super cute bakery specializing in cupcakes.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223404350/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6223404350_db2c441929_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> They aren\'t so easy to find but totally worth it. We wandered around the neighborhood for a bit. In my mind, these things happen when streets aren\'t well labeled and dots aren\'t well placed on google maps.  Luckily I stopped a couple of people for directions and the guy at Costa Coffee on Sheynovo knew where the bakery is.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222920745/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6222920745_07ee9c723d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe street address is: Tulovo 1. It\'s one of the little streets behind Sofia University--a street that appears to be one block long. Here\'s the best way to find the shop. From the University metro take the Russian monument exit and the underpass to the street San Stefano and at the five way intersection take the street on your right. The shop is halfway down the block on the left hand side of the street.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Row after row of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222877561/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6222877561_933e77f44d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe cupcakes are beautifully decorated and the shop is immaculate. Today there were probably 12 different cupcakes to pick from.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ball jar lighting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ball jar lighting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223400506/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6223400506_c06ded0b39_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ball jar lighting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI started with the pumpkin spice cupcake and an Americano (which was pretty great) and ended the adventure with a coffee cupcake. Yep. For those of you who are counting, I ate two cupcakes. These things are allowed (and encouraged) when you know you\'re going to be writing a blog-review <em>or</em> when you like cupcakes as much as I do.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Rows of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Rows of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223418670/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6223418670_1055c266cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Rows of cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBoth cupcakes were tasty but given the change in weather and seasons, I think that the pumpkin spice cupcake was my favorite. It was moist, pumpkin-y and a little sweet.\n\nHere\'s the thing, these are not exactly the cupcakes I know and love from my childhood. The cupcakes I tried today are much more reminiscent of a muffin rather than the smooth, fine crumb of cupcakes in the States. They were still tasty but not what I think of as a cupcake. These were something more like sweet muffins with frosting.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223430904/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6040/6223430904_cc78ba4daa_b.jpg\" alt=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWas this a problem for me? Not really. I\'ve come to understand that nothing will be exactly as I expect it in Bulgaria.\n\nDid I like the cupcakes? Oh, yes.\n\nWill I go back? Of course.\n\nAm I complaining? Not really. I just thought you should know. Tasty. Just not exactly traditional cupcakes.','Cupcakes in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5658-revision-2','','','2011-10-08 20:31:08','2011-10-08 18:31:08','',5658,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/5658-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5709,1,'2011-10-17 05:53:09','2011-10-17 03:53:09','My alarm clock went off this morning at 5:50am and even then it was clear that I have a case of the Mondays. You know, the Mondays. When you realize, <em>long sigh</em>, it\'s Monday. The whole work week is in front of you and you\'re supposed to get out of bed.\r\n\r\nThe problem of course is that your bed is warm and your pillows are just right.\r\n\r\nSo I hit snooze and a few minutes later wrenched myself out of bed. This is especially hard to do when your apartment doesn\'t have heat like mine right now. The tile floors are cold, the rooms are cold so I scampered to the kitchen to make coffee. A must if you\'re having a case of the Mondays.\r\n\r\nIt snowed on and off yesterday morning and in the early afternoon. At times there were huge clumps of snow falling. It was equally beautiful and horrifying. I\'m decidedly not ready for winter. I\'d like to enjoy fall a little longer but last night when I went to bed it was 2 degrees celcius out. This doesn\'t doesn\'t bode well for eating roasted pumpkin outside on the streets, then rushing in to a cafe for a coffee and finally basking in the light of the late fall afternoons.\r\n\r\nBut you can\'t think about these things at 6:10 or you\'ll never get your day started.\r\n\r\nAfter this I went to get dressed. The worst part about is that you have to take your warm pjs off to put cold clothes on.  <!--more-->Oh and there\'s plenty of heat at school so no matter what you do by the time you get to school you\'ll be way too hot.\r\n\r\nSo I am currently rocking layers and a pair of cute blue fingerless gloves that I snatched up at Paradise Garage a couple of years ago, hunched over my computer pounding out this post and waiting for my oatmeal to hurry up and cook. I think this is how Hemingway must have felt in Paris in an unheated apartment before he published his first novel. He describes this experience much later in <em>A Moveable Feast</em>. Well, minus the oatmeal. I have a hunch that Hemingway wasn\'t really an oatmeal kind of guy.\r\n\r\nI am though. I love oatmeal. It\'s warm and creamy and very satisfying. This morning it has cinnamon and raisins. In my book that\'s classic fall. I just wish that I wasn\'t shivering while I am eating. Maybe this means I should go to school--where it\'s warm.','Case of the Mondays ','','publish','open','open','','case-of-the-mondays','','','2011-10-17 05:53:09','2011-10-17 03:53:09','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5709',0,'post','',3),(5662,1,'2011-10-08 20:37:28','2011-10-08 18:37:28','Wow. Wow. A cupcake bakery in Sofia.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222874159/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6222874159_67601b0857_b.jpg\" alt=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI heard a rumor about a cupcake place opening in Sofia a while back. I never followed up on it. Then sometime last week, I thought: I\'ve got to find this bakery.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pumpkin cupcake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223433388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6223433388_1521a0177b_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I did what I always do, I posted an inquiry on twitter and later that day I\'d been directed to the website of <a href=\"http://take-a-cake-bakery.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Take a Cake</a>.  And about the same time I found a piece on <a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/take-a-cake/\" target=\"_blank\">Spotted by Locals about the bakery</a> as well. <em>Thanks friends! </em>\r\n\r\nTake a Cake is a tiny but super cute bakery specializing in cupcakes.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223404350/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6223404350_db2c441929_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey aren\'t so easy to find but totally worth it. We wandered around the neighborhood for a bit. In my mind, these things happen when streets aren\'t well labeled and dots aren\'t well placed on google maps.  Luckily I stopped a couple of people for directions and the guy at Costa Coffee on Sheynovo knew where the bakery is.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222920745/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6222920745_07ee9c723d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe street address is: Tulovo 1. It\'s one of the little streets behind Sofia University--a street that appears to be one block long. Here\'s the best way to find the shop. From the University metro take the Russian monument exit and the underpass to the street San Stefano and at the five way intersection take the street on your right. The shop is halfway down the block on the left hand side of the street.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Row after row of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222877561/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6222877561_933e77f44d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe cupcakes are beautifully decorated and the shop is immaculate. Today there were probably 12 different cupcakes to pick from.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ball jar lighting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ball jar lighting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223400506/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6223400506_c06ded0b39_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ball jar lighting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI started with the pumpkin spice cupcake and an Americano (which was pretty great) and ended the adventure with a coffee cupcake. Yep. For those of you who are counting, I ate two cupcakes. These things are allowed (and encouraged) when you know you\'re going to be writing a blog-review <em>or</em> when you like cupcakes as much as I do.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Rows of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Rows of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223418670/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6223418670_1055c266cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Rows of cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBoth cupcakes were tasty but given the change in weather and seasons, I think that the pumpkin spice cupcake was my favorite. It was moist, pumpkin-y and a little sweet.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, these are not exactly the cupcakes I know and love from my childhood. The cupcakes I tried today are much more reminiscent of a muffin rather than the smooth, fine crumb of cupcakes in the States. They were still tasty but not what I think of as a cupcake. These were something more like sweet muffins with frosting.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223430904/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6040/6223430904_cc78ba4daa_b.jpg\" alt=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWas this a problem for me? Not really. I\'ve come to understand that nothing will be exactly as I expect it in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nDid I like the cupcakes? Oh, yes.\r\n\r\nWill I go back? Of course.\r\n\r\nAm I complaining? Not really. I just thought you should know. Tasty. Just not exactly traditional cupcakes.\r\n\r\nOh and if these pictures remind you of <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> you have a good eye. The wall art and attention to detail certainly reminded me of SupaStar and apparently the two shops are owned by the same people. My love of these two shops makes me want to know about the creators/owners of these shops. Who are they? What inspires them?','Cupcakes in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5658-revision-3','','','2011-10-08 20:37:28','2011-10-08 18:37:28','',5658,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/5658-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5663,1,'2011-10-09 10:02:53','2011-10-09 08:02:53','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\r\n\r\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English. (That\'s a funny thought. Me, a <em>homegirl</em>. In Sofia.)\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\"   \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"574\" height=\"432\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\r\n\r\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward.  This experience confirmed the face that I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\r\n\r\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\r\n\r\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\r\n\r\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\r\n\r\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\r\n\r\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','publish','open','open','','sofia-live-and-my-interview','','','2011-10-09 10:02:53','2011-10-09 08:02:53','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5663',0,'post','',3),(5664,1,'2011-10-09 09:56:38','2011-10-09 07:56:38','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\n\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\n\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"368\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"368\" height=\"277\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\n\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward. I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me.\n\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\n\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\n\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\n\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\n\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\n\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','inherit','open','open','','5663-revision','','','2011-10-09 09:56:38','2011-10-09 07:56:38','',5663,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5663-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5665,1,'2011-10-09 09:57:38','2011-10-09 07:57:38','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\n\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\n\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"368\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"368\" height=\"277\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\n\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward.  This experience confirmed the face that I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me. <!--more-->\n\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\n\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\n\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\n\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\n\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\n\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','inherit','open','open','','5663-revision-2','','','2011-10-09 09:57:38','2011-10-09 07:57:38','',5663,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5663-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5666,1,'2011-10-09 09:58:04','2011-10-09 07:58:04','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\r\n\r\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"478\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"478\" height=\"360\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\r\n\r\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward.  This experience confirmed the face that I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\r\n\r\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\r\n\r\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\r\n\r\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\r\n\r\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\r\n\r\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','inherit','open','open','','5663-revision-3','','','2011-10-09 09:58:04','2011-10-09 07:58:04','',5663,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5663-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5667,1,'2011-10-09 09:59:02','2011-10-09 07:59:02','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\r\n\r\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\"   \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"574\" height=\"432\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\r\n\r\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward.  This experience confirmed the face that I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\r\n\r\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\r\n\r\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\r\n\r\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\r\n\r\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\r\n\r\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','inherit','open','open','','5663-revision-4','','','2011-10-09 09:59:02','2011-10-09 07:59:02','',5663,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5663-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5668,1,'2011-10-09 10:03:59','2011-10-09 08:03:59','Last week I gave an interview to <a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Live</a>. It\'s a funny thing to give an interview because you\'re you and you write a blog about being you in a foreign country. And for the record, it\'s funny but also flattering.\n\nIt\'s flattering to be recognized for the work that you do and the energy that you pour into writing an almost daily blog. It\'s also amazing that I\'ve been writing this blog for three years. (<em>Gasp</em>.) I probably should have had a party to celebrate that milestone. Oh well.\n\nAnyhow, Sofia Live contacted me for an interview for their spotlight on locals called<a href=\" http://sofialive.bg/arhiv/heroes/sugrajdanin\" target=\"_blank\"> \"Съгражданин\"</a> something like \"homeboy-homegirl\" in English. (That\'s a funny thought. Me, a <em>homegirl</em>. In Sofia.)\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"My Classroom and the set-up for my Sofia Live photoshoot\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My classroom and Sofia Live\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6225219909/\"><img class=\"   \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6107/6225219909_e1bb03f66a_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Classroom and Sofia Live \" width=\"574\" height=\"432\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe interviewer and the photographer showed up at the end of the day on Thursday to take pictures and conduct the interview. They were incredibly professional and I was a little loopy after teaching all day, grading for an hour or so after school and then meeting them at about 5pm on campus for the interview.\n\nThe photography part was serious. The photographer with his own lighting and in 10 minutes he was ready to go. He took pictures and I tried not to look to awkward.  This experience confirmed the face that I definitely do not have a modeling career in front of me. <!--more-->\n\nThen came the actual interview which I did in English. I did get the questions in Bulgarian a day ahead but they were difficult questions and I had to go through them with my Bulgarian teacher at school in order to be able to understand the questions. There\'s a chance I could have stumbled through in Bulgarian but my answers would have been surface level at best.\n\nSo we get towards the end of the interview and I am asked the question: if you could have said any famous quote which one would it be? and why?\n\nIn this moment, I am unable to think of a single reasonable quote.\n\nThe two that are tumbling through my head? A JFK quote from a speech he gave in Berlin during the cold war: \"Ich bin ein Berliner.\" This however is clearly not the quote I am looking for.  Kennedy should have said: Ich bin Berliner (I am a Berliner) but instead he said: I am a jelly-doughnut. In no way, shape or form do I need to say I am a jelly-doughnut in my interview with Sofia Live. The other quote? Well it\'s not a quote but an advertising slogan: Nike\'s \"Just do it.\" This is also not going to cut it.\n\nThe only problem is once these two quotes are rolling around in my mind they made it impossible for me to think of a more reasonable quote. So I said something about the impossible task of picking just one quote. Now I can only hope that the answer was inane enough that it doesn\'t make the final cut. We\'ll see.\n\nThe interview is due out sometime next week.','Sofia Live and my interview ','','inherit','open','open','','5663-autosave','','','2011-10-09 10:03:59','2011-10-09 08:03:59','',5663,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5663-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5669,1,'2011-10-09 17:12:19','2011-10-09 15:12:19','As unlikely as it sounds, I hit a car today after my Bulgarian lesson.\r\n\r\nI was daydreaming about Bulgarian grammar and the active present participle--сегашно деятелно причастие. (<em>Right?!</em> How sexy is that?!)\r\n\r\nIt went something like this:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The man who is reading doesn\'t want another coffee... Мъжът, който чете, не иска още кафе. --&gt; Четящият мъж не иска още кафе.</li>\r\n	<li>The teachers who are reading homework want vacation... Учителките, които четат домшана работа, искат ваканция. --&gt; Четящите учителки искат ваканция!</li>\r\n	<li>The mother who has three children must to buy them new clothes... Майката, коята има 3 деца, трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях. --&gt; Имащата 3 деца майка трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях.</li>\r\n	<li>The loving man... Обичащият мъж...</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIt was at this moment in my grammar-daydream that I tripped on a pavement tile and in the process fell off the curb. My feet weren\'t under me so I lost my balance and full-on hit a car. It made a really loud noise and I was mortified. I got up and brushed myself off quickly.\r\n\r\nI assessed the situation. Me: scraped finger and banged-up knee. The car: fine.\r\n\r\nWalking away, I realized the best part of the whole incident is that the car didn\'t have a car alarm.  Frankly had a car alarm gone off when I hit the car that might have made me cry.','I hit a car today','','publish','open','open','','i-hit-a-car-today','','','2011-10-09 17:12:19','2011-10-09 15:12:19','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5669',0,'post','',0),(5670,1,'2011-10-09 17:11:49','2011-10-09 15:11:49','As unlikely as it sounds, I hit a car today after my Bulgarian lesson.\n\nI was daydreaming about Bulgarian grammar and the active present participle--сегашно деятелно причастие. (<em>Right?!</em> How sexy is that?!)\n\nIt went something like this:\n<ul>\n	<li>The man who is reading doesn\'t want another coffee... Мъжът, който чете, не иска още кафе. --&gt; Четящият мъж не иска още кафе.</li>\n	<li>The teachers who are reading homework want vacation... Учителките, които четат домшана работа, искат ваканция. --&gt; Четящите учителки искат ваканция!</li>\n	<li>The mother who has three children must to buy them new clothes... Майката, коята има 3 деца, трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях. --&gt; Имащата 3 деца майка трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях.</li>\n	<li>The loving man... Обичащият мъж...</li>\n</ul>\nIt was at this moment in my grammar-daydream that I tripped on a pavement tile and in the process fell off the curb. My feet weren\'t under me so I lost my balance and full-on hit a car. It made a really loud noise and I was mortified. I got up and brushed myself off quickly.\n\nI assessed the situation. Me: scraped finger and banged-up knee. The car: fine.\n\nWalking away, I realized the best part of the whole incident is that the car didn\'t have a car alarm.  Had a car alarm gone off when I hit the car, that might have made me cry.','I hit a car today','','inherit','open','open','','5669-revision','','','2011-10-09 17:11:49','2011-10-09 15:11:49','',5669,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5669-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5671,1,'2011-10-09 17:13:28','2011-10-09 15:13:28','As unlikely as it sounds, I hit a car today after my Bulgarian lesson.\n\nI was daydreaming about Bulgarian grammar and the active present participle--сегашно деятелно причастие. (<em>Right?!</em> How sexy is that?!)\n\nIt went something like this:\n<ul>\n	<li>The man who is reading doesn\'t want another coffee... Мъжът, който чете, не иска още кафе. --&gt; Четящият мъж не иска още кафе.</li>\n	<li>The teachers who are reading homework want vacation... Учителките, които четат домшана работа, искат ваканция. --&gt; Четящите учителки искат ваканция!</li>\n	<li>The mother who has three children must to buy them new clothes... Майката, коята има 3 деца, трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях. --&gt; Имащата 3 деца майка трябва да купи нови дрехи за тях.</li>\n	<li>The loving man... Обичащият мъж...</li>\n</ul>\nIt was at this moment in my grammar-daydream that I tripped on a pavement tile and in the process fell off the curb. My feet weren\'t under me so I lost my balance and full-on hit a car. It made a really loud noise and I was mortified. I got up and brushed myself off quickly.\n\nI assessed the situation. Me: scraped finger and banged-up knee. The car: fine.\n\nWalking away, I realized the best part of the whole incident is that the car didn\'t have a car alarm.  Frankly had a car alarm gone off when I hit the car that might have made me cry.','I hit a car today','','inherit','open','open','','5669-autosave','','','2011-10-09 17:13:28','2011-10-09 15:13:28','',5669,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/09/5669-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5672,1,'2011-10-10 16:22:08','2011-10-10 14:22:08','A friend recently sent me a link to the Peace Corps Cookbook written for those volunteers living in Bulgaria based on the popular recipes of past volunteers.\r\n\r\nI got a huge kick out of reading through many of the recipes. I figured that some of my readers might as well. So here\'s to the <a href=\"http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/recipes/media/BulgariaCookbook_part1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Bulgarian Peace Corps Cookbook</a>!!\r\n\r\nThere\'s a list of common ingredients in Bulgarian with an English translation. There\'s a list of important kitchen utensils. There are traditional Bulgarian recipes if that\'s your thing and a slew of other interesting recipes from all over the world.\r\n\r\nReading through the recipes got me inspired to try my hand at cooking some new (or at least different) dishes!! Apple pancakes anyone? Or even better pumpkin pancakes?','Peace Corps Cookbook ','','publish','open','open','','peace-corps-cookbook','','','2011-10-10 16:22:08','2011-10-10 14:22:08','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5672',0,'post','',2),(5673,1,'2011-10-10 16:21:20','2011-10-10 14:21:20','A friend recently sent me a link to the Peace Corps Cookbook written for those volunteers living in Bulgaria by past Bulgarian volunteers.\n\nI got a huge kick out of reading through many of the recipes. I figured that some of my readers might as well. So here\'s to the <a href=\"http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/recipes/media/BulgariaCookbook_part1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Bulgarian Peace Corps Cookbook</a>!!\n\nThere\'s a list of common ingredients in Bulgarian with an English translation. There\'s a list of important kitchen utensils. There are traditional Bulgarian recipes if that\'s your thing and a slew of other interesting recipes from all over the world.\n\nReading through the recipes got me inspired to try my hand at cooking some new (or at least different) dishes!! Apple pancakes anyone? Or even better pumpkin pancakes?','Peace Corps Cookbook ','','inherit','open','open','','5672-revision','','','2011-10-10 16:21:20','2011-10-10 14:21:20','',5672,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/10/5672-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5674,1,'2011-10-10 16:23:14','2011-10-10 14:23:14','A friend recently sent me a link to the Peace Corps Cookbook written for those volunteers living in Bulgaria based on the popular recipes of past volunteers.\n\nI got a huge kick out of reading through many of the recipes. I figured that some of my readers might as well. So here\'s to the <a href=\"http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/educators/enrichment/recipes/media/BulgariaCookbook_part1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Bulgarian Peace Corps Cookbook</a>!!\n\nThere\'s a list of common ingredients in Bulgarian with an English translation. There\'s a list of important kitchen utensils. There are traditional Bulgarian recipes if that\'s your thing and a slew of other interesting recipes from all over the world.\n\nReading through the recipes got me inspired to try my hand at cooking some new (or at least different) dishes!! Apple pancakes anyone? Or even better pumpkin pancakes?','Peace Corps Cookbook ','','inherit','open','open','','5672-autosave','','','2011-10-10 16:23:14','2011-10-10 14:23:14','',5672,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/10/5672-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5676,1,'2011-10-12 06:11:56','2011-10-12 04:11:56','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\r\n\r\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\r\n\r\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\r\n\r\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\r\n\r\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"590\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\r\n\r\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\r\n\r\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\r\n\r\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.\r\n\r\n(Oh and sorry for the less than stellar photos.)','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','publish','open','open','','hamburgers-in-mladost','','','2011-10-12 06:11:56','2011-10-12 04:11:56','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5676',0,'post','',4),(5677,1,'2011-10-12 05:52:20','2011-10-12 03:52:20','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\n\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\n\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\n\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\n\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.\n\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\n\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\n\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\n\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision','','','2011-10-12 05:52:20','2011-10-12 03:52:20','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (5678,1,'2011-10-12 06:05:39','2011-10-12 04:05:39','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\n\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\n\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>\n\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\n\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\n\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\n\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a> This time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\n\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\n\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\n\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\n\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision-2','','','2011-10-12 06:05:39','2011-10-12 04:05:39','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5679,1,'2011-10-12 06:07:39','2011-10-12 04:07:39','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\n\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"717\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\n\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\n\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\n\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\n\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"655\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"655\" height=\"491\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\n\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\n\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"717\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\n\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision-3','','','2011-10-12 06:07:39','2011-10-12 04:07:39','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5680,1,'2011-10-12 06:08:29','2011-10-12 04:08:29','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\r\n\r\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\r\n\r\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\r\n\r\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\r\n\r\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"590\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\r\n\r\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\r\n\r\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\r\n\r\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision-4','','','2011-10-12 06:08:29','2011-10-12 04:08:29','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5681,1,'2011-10-12 06:10:34','2011-10-12 04:10:34','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\r\n\r\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\r\n\r\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\r\n\r\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\r\n\r\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"590\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\r\n\r\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\r\n\r\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\r\n\r\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.\r\n\r\n(Oh and sorry for the less than stellar photos.)','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision-5','','','2011-10-12 06:10:34','2011-10-12 04:10:34','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5682,1,'2011-10-12 06:11:38','2011-10-12 04:11:38','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\n\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\n\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\n\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\n\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\n\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"590\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\n\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\n\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\n\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.\n\n(Oh and sorry for the less than stellar photos.)','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-revision-6','','','2011-10-12 06:11:38','2011-10-12 04:11:38','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5683,1,'2011-10-12 18:23:35','2011-10-12 16:23:35','My friend A. recently told me about the best hamburger in Sofia.\n\nNow you can\'t tell me something like this and not grab my attention.\n\nThe best hamburger in Sofia?! We live in a kufte and kabache loving country. Heck, in Bulgaria beef is by far the least popular of the the three big meats: beef, chicken and pork. So I figured that <em>best</em> must be relative. It\'s the best hamburger in Sofia because well, we\'re in Sofia.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236150337/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6236150337_1539fa1724_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe first time we went to Brown Bakery in Mladost we failed to get a hamburger. Apparently the kitchen was closed. Interesting problem for a, um, <em>restaurant</em>. Don\'t get me started on this problem. I think it\'s enough to say: these things happen here and leave it at that. So we had a drink and headed over to a different restaurant for dinner. And I found myself hamburger-less.\n\nOf course, ever since, I\'ve been thinking about hamburgers.<!--more-->\n\nThis week, we decided to take-two on the hamburgers. A. was determined to call the Brown Bakery and to confirm that the kitchen was actually open. Only the phone numbers on the Brown Bakery\'s website aren\'t correct so the line rang and rang and no one ever picked up. Kind of makes you wonder how they\'re running a restaurant but that\'s probably also something I shouldn\'t spend a lot of time thinking about.\n\nSo, we met up and headed over <a href=\"http://www.inyourpocket.com/Bulgaria/Sofia/Restaurants-and-Cafes/Modern-European/Brown-Bakery_86134v\" target=\"_blank\">Brown Bakery in Mladost 1 </a>on Yerusalim 6.  The restaurant was open but at 7pm we were one of maybe three tables. The place was pretty empty. A. double checked to make sure the kitchen was open and serving hamburgers. I wasn\'t close enough to hear what exactly he asked but the girl he asked asked looked at him incredulously--as if asking was a ridiculous question. Given our first experience it wasn\'t.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"590\" caption=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236673840/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6219/6236673840_6dc6a598bd_b.jpg\" alt=\"My Brown Bakery Hamburger\" width=\"590\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis time around we didn\'t even get menus. Who are we fooling? We\'re clearly ordering hamburgers.\n\nBy the time my hamburger arrived I was starving. That\'s the problem with being a teacher and eating lunch at 11:15 am. By 7:30 pm you\'re crazy hungry.\n\nIt looked delicious (but then again, anything you\'d put in front of me would have). Looks can be deceiving but as it turned out, not in this case. This is one tasty hamburger. It\'s huge and the bun was a little too toasty but it\'s a more than acceptable when it comes to hamburgers.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\" caption=\"Brown Bakery: the fork I never touched\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brown Bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6236149765/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6235/6236149765_bf59d626c2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brown Bakery\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter all of the hype and lead up to this hamburger, I was pleasantly surprised. It was juicy and flavorful. The french fries appeared to be homemade and the ketchup and mayonnaise on the side didn\'t seem to be one of the many cheap Bulgarian brands.  Here\'s the one thing, I suspect that the hamburger is a blend of beef and pork meat. I don\'t know this for sure but it didn\'t taste like pure beef to me. This said, I now can confirm that this is the best hamburger in Mladost.\n\nI don\'t know if I feel comfortable arguing this is best hamburger in Sofia. I mean, I haven\'t been to that many restaurants in Sofia nor have I eaten that many hamburgers while in Bulgaria. So, I\'ll leave that argument to my friend A. As a Bulgarian, I think he probably has a better handle on the hamburger-scene in Sofia than I do.\n\n(Oh and sorry for the less than stellar photos.)','Hamburgers in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5676-autosave','','','2011-10-12 18:23:35','2011-10-12 16:23:35','',5676,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5676-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5684,1,'2011-10-12 19:17:03','2011-10-12 17:17:03','Hey,<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\" target=\"_blank\"> I\'m live on Sofia Live</a>!!\r\n\r\nYep, my interview and photos from last week are up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"421\" caption=\"Me on Sofia Live\"]<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\"><img class=\" \" title=\"Me on Sofia Live\" src=\"http://sofialive.bg/media/images/heroes/thumbs_422/karoline_1_49336393.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"421\" height=\"281\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe interview which I gave in English has been translated into Bulgarian so unless you speak Bulgarian or feel like copying and pasting the text into google translate (and reading the super questionable translation), you\'ll just have to look at the photos. Two of the three are great and then there\'s one that is definitely not my best photo. <em>Oh well</em>.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me everyone who reads my blog already knows that I am human. This is just further conformation of this fact.','I\'m live on Sofia Live','','publish','open','open','','im-live-on-sofia-live','','','2011-10-12 19:17:03','2011-10-12 17:17:03','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5684',0,'post','',0),(5685,1,'2011-10-12 18:55:18','2011-10-12 16:55:18','Hey, I am live on the website Sofia Live!!\n\nYep, my interview and photos from last week are up.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe interview has been translated into Bulgarian so unless you speak Bulgarian or feel like copying and pasting the text into google translate, you\'ll just have to look at the photos. Two of the three are great and then there\'s one that is definitely not my best photo. <em>Oh well</em>.','I\'m live on Sofia Live','','inherit','open','open','','5684-revision','','','2011-10-12 18:55:18','2011-10-12 16:55:18','',5684,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5684-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5686,1,'2011-10-12 18:59:18','2011-10-12 16:59:18','Hey,<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\" target=\"_blank\"> I am live on Sofia Live</a>!!\n\nYep, my interview and photos from last week are up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"421\" caption=\"Me on Sofia Live\"]<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\"><img class=\" \" title=\"Me on Sofia Live\" src=\"http://sofialive.bg/media/images/heroes/thumbs_422/karoline_1_49336393.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"421\" height=\"281\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe interview has been translated into Bulgarian so unless you speak Bulgarian or feel like copying and pasting the text into google translate, you\'ll just have to look at the photos. Two of the three are great and then there\'s one that is definitely not my best photo. <em>Oh well</em>.','I\'m live on Sofia Live','','inherit','open','open','','5684-revision-2','','','2011-10-12 18:59:18','2011-10-12 16:59:18','',5684,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5684-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5687,1,'2011-10-12 19:18:09','2011-10-12 17:18:09','Hey,<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\" target=\"_blank\"> I\'m live on Sofia Live</a>!!\n\nYep, my interview and photos from last week are up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"421\" caption=\"Me on Sofia Live\"]<a href=\"http://sofialive.bg/heroes/sugrajdanin/145-karolin-ejmi.html\"><img class=\" \" title=\"Me on Sofia Live\" src=\"http://sofialive.bg/media/images/heroes/thumbs_422/karoline_1_49336393.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"421\" height=\"281\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe interview which I gave in English has been translated into Bulgarian so unless you speak Bulgarian or feel like copying and pasting the text into google translate (and reading the super questionable translation), you\'ll just have to look at the photos. Two of the three are great and then there\'s one that is definitely not my best photo. <em>Oh well</em>.\n\nLuckily for me everyone who reads my blog already knows that I am human. This is just further conformation of this fact.','I\'m live on Sofia Live','','inherit','open','open','','5684-autosave','','','2011-10-12 19:18:09','2011-10-12 17:18:09','',5684,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/12/5684-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5737,1,'2011-10-21 06:01:35','2011-10-21 04:01:35','I got a new haircut.\r\n\r\nI took a few pictures of it. They\'re just okay. But the haircut is great.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My haircut\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My haircut\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6264414446/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6264414446_aaa8cb11ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"My haircut\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIf you\'re dying to see more you can <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">check out Flickr</a>.\r\n\r\nIt\'s nothing too exciting. Basically it\'s the same cut I had two months ago.\r\n\r\nBut I couldn\'t be happier.','A new haircut ','','publish','open','open','','a-new-haircut','','','2011-10-20 21:03:11','2011-10-20 19:03:11','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5737',0,'post','',3),(5690,1,'2011-10-13 10:20:01','2011-10-13 08:20:01','It\'s that time of year. Fall is here. Men are raking leaves on campus this week and I already know to expect the piles of leaves in what will become an endless cycle this month of falling, raking and gathering.\n\nI\'ve got my first cold of the year. The annoying kind of cold that keeps you up at night when you want to be sleeping, that prevents you from really focusing during the day but isn\'t so bad that it prevents you from working. Nope, I\'d love to curl up on my couch with a book and a cup of tea but I am at work teaching, grading and suffering from the occasional bout of sneezes. Fall is here.\n\nThe thing I always manage too forget is that while I love fall, I don\'t love being cold.  I like wearing my fall coat, I love decking myself out in scarves and woolly sweaters, I dig hot cups of coffee on rainy Saturday afternoons but I hate cold toes, chilly rooms and sitting at my desk shivering.\n\nThis week was really the first week we could have used heat at school. Monday my students sat in their coats and we discussed our current novel. Tuesday some students didn\'t take off their gloves until they absolutely had to and complained bitterly about the cold. Wednesday the heat slowly came on and today my classroom was so hot that I had students begging to open the windows.  <em>Awesome</em>.\n\nMy apartment? Well that\'s a different story. I have no idea when the heat will be on. The tile floor is cold to the touch and this morning I put on as many layers as possible only to strip them all off at school. Fall is here.\n\nAnd i','Fall is in the air ','','inherit','open','open','','5689-revision','','','2011-10-13 10:20:01','2011-10-13 08:20:01','',5689,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/13/5689-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5691,1,'2011-10-13 10:21:35','2011-10-13 08:21:35','It\'s that time of year. Fall is here. Men are raking leaves on campus this week and I already know to expect the piles of leaves in what will become an endless cycle this month of falling, raking and gathering.\n\nI\'ve got my first cold of the year. The annoying kind of cold that keeps you up at night when you want to be sleeping, that prevents you from really focusing during the day but isn\'t so bad that it prevents you from working. Nope, I\'d love to curl up on my couch with a book and a cup of tea but I am at work teaching, grading and suffering from the occasional bout of sneezes. Fall is here.\n\nThe thing I always manage too forget is that while I love fall, I don\'t love being cold.  I like wearing my fall coat, I love decking myself out in scarves and woolly sweaters, I dig hot cups of coffee on rainy Saturday afternoons but I hate cold toes, chilly rooms and sitting at my desk shivering.\n\nThis week was really the first week we could have used heat at school. Monday my students sat in their coats and we discussed our current novel. Tuesday some students didn\'t take off their gloves until they absolutely had to and complained bitterly about the cold. Wednesday the heat slowly came on and today my classroom was so hot that I had students begging to open the windows.  <em>Awesome</em>.\n\nMy apartment? Well that\'s a different story. I have no idea when the heat will be on. The tile floor is cold to the touch and this morning I put on as many layers as possible only to strip them all off at school. Fall is here.\n\nAnd I love it.','Fall is in the air ','','inherit','open','open','','5689-autosave','','','2011-10-13 10:21:35','2011-10-13 08:21:35','',5689,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/13/5689-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5692,1,'2011-10-14 05:38:16','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Bulgarian Red Cross','','draft','open','open','','','','','2011-10-14 05:38:16','2011-10-14 03:38:16','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5692',0,'post','',0),(5693,1,'2011-10-14 05:59:15','2011-10-14 03:59:15','I bought this notebook a month ago. It just surfaced in my apartment.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242742116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/6242742116_ab9a8cdf83_b.jpg\" alt=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI love Holly Hobbie\'s outfit and the look on her face and the fact that she\'s dragging her umbrella behind her. (She\'s full of awesome.) Today it seems especially fitting given all the rain we\'ve had. Only I am not going anywhere without shoes these days.','School Supplies ','','publish','open','open','','school-supplies','','','2011-10-14 05:59:15','2011-10-14 03:59:15','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5693',0,'post','',0),(5694,1,'2011-10-14 05:56:38','2011-10-14 03:56:38','I bought this notebook a month ago. I just surfaced in my apartment.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242742116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/6242742116_ab9a8cdf83_b.jpg\" alt=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love Holly Hobbie\'s outfit and the look on her face and the fact that she\'s dragging her umbrella behind her. But today it seems especially fitting given all the rain we\'ve had.','School Supplies ','','inherit','open','open','','5693-revision','','','2011-10-14 05:56:38','2011-10-14 03:56:38','',5693,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/14/5693-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5695,1,'2011-10-14 05:57:38','2011-10-14 03:57:38','I bought this notebook a month ago. It just surfaced in my apartment.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242742116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/6242742116_ab9a8cdf83_b.jpg\" alt=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love Holly Hobbie\'s outfit and the look on her face and the fact that she\'s dragging her umbrella behind her. But today it seems especially fitting given all the rain we\'ve had. Only I am not going anywhere without shoes these days.','School Supplies ','','inherit','open','open','','5693-revision-2','','','2011-10-14 05:57:38','2011-10-14 03:57:38','',5693,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/14/5693-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5696,1,'2011-10-14 18:20:10','2011-10-14 16:20:10','I bought this notebook a month ago. It just surfaced in my apartment.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242742116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6036/6242742116_ab9a8cdf83_b.jpg\" alt=\"Holly Hobbie Notebook\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love Holly Hobbie\'s outfit and the look on her face and the fact that she\'s dragging her umbrella behind her. (She\'s full of awesome.) Today it seems especially fitting given all the rain we\'ve had. Only I am not going anywhere without shoes these days.','School Supplies ','','inherit','open','open','','5693-autosave','','','2011-10-14 18:20:10','2011-10-14 16:20:10','',5693,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/14/5693-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5697,1,'2011-10-15 07:14:48','2011-10-15 05:14:48','Just a heads up. I am going to be on Bulgarian National Television tomorrow at 1:30pm. I\'ve been invited to be a guest on a regular Sunday afternoon show. The topic is something like: <em>Spiritual Wanderers</em>.\r\n\r\nThat line, when it rains it pours seems especially fitting this week.\r\n\r\nI think the best part of the story is this: Bulgarian National Television called the PR office at school in order to set up the interview and after the whole thing was confirmed, one woman told me that she thinks, she\'s becoming my PR agent.  sWe laughed about that.\r\n\r\nAnother asked me: are you doing something new on the blog? Me: nope.\r\n\r\nAt least I don\'t think that I am doing anything differently than I have before. I am just here, living my life and writing about it. I don\'t sugar-coat things. I write about a range of different topics and I try to take okay pictures.\r\n\r\nAnyhow: Me+Sunday+Bulgarian National Television.','Mark your calendars (if you live in BG) ','','publish','open','open','','mark-your-calendars-if-you-live-in-bg','','','2011-10-15 07:14:48','2011-10-15 05:14:48','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5697',0,'post','',3),(5698,1,'2011-10-15 07:14:13','2011-10-15 05:14:13','Just a heads up. I am going to be on Bulgarian National Television tomorrow at 1:30pm. I\'ve been invited to be a guest on a regular Sunday afternoon show. The topic is something like: <em>Spiritual Wanderers</em>.\n\nThat line, when it rains it pours seems especially fitting this week.\n\nI think the best part of the story is this: Bulgarian National Television called the PR office at school in order to set up the interview and after the whole thing was confirmed, one woman told me that she thinks, she\'s becoming my PR agent.  sWe laughed about that.\n\nAnother asked me: are you doing something new on the blog? Me: nope.\n\nAt least I don\'t think that I am doing anything differently than I have before. I am just here, living my life and writing about it. I don\'t sugar-coat things. I write about a range of different topics and I try to take okay pictures.\n\nAnyhow: Me+Sunday+Bulgarian National Television','Mark your calendars (if you live in BG) ','','inherit','open','open','','5697-revision','','','2011-10-15 07:14:13','2011-10-15 05:14:13','',5697,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/15/5697-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5699,1,'2011-10-16 07:16:44','2011-10-16 05:16:44','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\r\n\r\n+Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Coffee at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Coffee at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248244437/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248244437_f2b98ce731.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.)\r\n\r\nThe cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\r\n\r\nOh and the cookie on the side?! These were sweet, slightly chewy and I\'d have loved to take a dozen of them home with me. I didn\'t but I\'d have loved to. I ended up with some other things instead. Things that will last longer than a dozen cookies.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243995/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6248243995_770df6cff6.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','publish','open','open','','tova-coffee-the-arts-and-a-decent-dose-of-cool','','','2011-10-16 07:16:44','2011-10-16 05:16:44','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5699',0,'post','',1),(5700,1,'2011-10-16 06:26:59','2011-10-16 04:26:59','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great). In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team funkit.eu. Ah good to know. Even better?! They\'ve opened their own space +Tova--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\n\n\"everything is for sale.\"','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision','','','2011-10-16 06:26:59','2011-10-16 04:26:59','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5701,1,'2011-10-16 06:58:28','2011-10-16 04:58:28','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool. +Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.\n\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\n\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\n\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) The cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\n\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\n\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\n\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-2','','','2011-10-16 06:58:28','2011-10-16 04:58:28','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5702,1,'2011-10-16 07:04:28','2011-10-16 05:04:28','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool. +Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.\n\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\n\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\n\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) The cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\n\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\n\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\n\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-3','','','2011-10-16 07:04:28','2011-10-16 05:04:28','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5703,1,'2011-10-16 07:08:26','2011-10-16 05:08:26','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool. +Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) The cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\r\n\r\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-4','','','2011-10-16 07:08:26','2011-10-16 05:08:26','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5704,1,'2011-10-16 07:10:31','2011-10-16 05:10:31','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool. +Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) The cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-5','','','2011-10-16 07:10:31','2011-10-16 05:10:31','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5705,1,'2011-10-16 07:12:31','2011-10-16 05:12:31','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\n\n+Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Coffee at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Coffee at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248244437/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248244437_f2b98ce731.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) The cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243995/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6248243995_770df6cff6.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-6','','','2011-10-16 07:12:31','2011-10-16 05:12:31','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5706,1,'2011-10-16 07:15:39','2011-10-16 05:15:39','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\r\n\r\n+Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Coffee at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Coffee at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248244437/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248244437_f2b98ce731.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.) \r\n\r\nThe cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\r\n\r\nOh and the cookie on the side?! These were sweet, slightly chewy and I\'d have loved to take a dozen of them home with me. I didn\'t but I\'d have loved to. I ended up with some other things instead. Things that will last longer than a dozen cookies.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243995/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6248243995_770df6cff6.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-7','','','2011-10-16 07:15:39','2011-10-16 05:15:39','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(5707,1,'2011-10-16 07:16:00','2011-10-16 05:16:00','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\r\n\r\n+Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Coffee at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Coffee at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248244437/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248244437_f2b98ce731.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.)\r\n\r\nThe cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\r\n\r\nOh and the cookie on the side?! These were sweet, slightly chewy and I\'d have loved to take a dozen of them home with me. I didn\'t but I\'d have loved to. I ended up with some other things instead. Things that will last longer than a dozen cookies.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243995/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6248243995_770df6cff6.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-revision-8','','','2011-10-16 07:16:00','2011-10-16 05:16:00','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(5708,1,'2011-10-16 07:17:50','2011-10-16 05:17:50','Last weekend at Take a Cake, we were told about a cafe that was also carrying their cupcakes. We were given so-so directions and I figured: I\'ll find it sometime. Then I wrote a post about<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/\" target=\"_blank\"> how great Take a Cake is (and it\'s great)</a>. In this post, I explained how I thought the shops are owned by the same people as SupaStar given their similar interiors.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Small sign on the door +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248246083/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6057/6248246083_9dcfc06f76.jpg\" alt=\"Small sign on the door +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTurns out that I was wrong. These shops have all been designed by the same design/architecture team <a href=\"http://www.funkt.eu/\" target=\"_blank\">funkt studio</a>. <em>Ah</em>, good to know. Even better?! <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/08/cupcakes-in-sofia/#comment-10584\" target=\"_blank\">They\'ve opened their own space +Tova</a>--it\'s a space that feels very Brooklyn-<a href=\"http://www.etsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Etsy</a> cool.\n\n+Tova is located at ul. Marin Drinov 30 which if you\'re walking from San Stefano is at the very other end of Marin Drinov and it really doesn\'t look like much is along this street until you\'re right in front of the shop. There\'s also currently no sign. Maybe that will change, maybe not--the shop apparently hasn\'t been open long.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"+tova from the street looking in\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"+tova from the street looking in\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248245373/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248245373_2ef25e75ef.jpg\" alt=\"+tova from the street looking in\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is open and light thanks to a hung row of ceiling to floor windows along the front of the shop. There are a number of clusters of tables, chairs and couches. It\'s one of the first spaces I\'ve seen in Sofia with a little table and chairs for kids. Does that make it kid friendly? I\'d assume so but there were no kids around when I was there.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243079/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6212/6248243079_4a93d929ee.jpg\" alt=\"The bar +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMore importantly there\'s a long glass bar where you can buy coffee, quiche, cupcakes as well as beer and wine. Just a word about the beer and wine. Yesterday there were rows of wine glasses but not a single bottle of wine to be seen and the cooler for draft beer had a coat and purse draped on it. Both of these things suggest that there <em>will</em> be beer and wine just that it might not be working <em>now</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Coffee at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Coffee at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248244437/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6248244437_f2b98ce731.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"View from the top at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"View from the top at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248767326/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6248767326_ed9d796375.jpg\" alt=\"View from the top at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThat\'s okay. I went with my friend A. for the coffee and to plug through some student essays that have been taunting me for tw0-plus weeks. A., well, she was lucky enough to be able to read her kindle. (Me? Totally jealous.)\n\nThe cappuccino that I had was hot with an excellent ratio of coffee to milk/foam. Bravo. This seems to be a ridiculously hard balance to find in Sofia. I\'ve had more lukewarm cappuccinos that I\'d like to count in this country. In fact, I\'ve had so many I should probably given up and just drink long-espressos but I haven\'t been willing to do that just yet. That\'s the eternal optimist in me.\n\nOh and the cookie on the side?! These were sweet, slightly chewy and I\'d have loved to take a dozen of them home with me. I didn\'t but I\'d have loved to. I ended up with some other things instead. Things that will last longer than a dozen cookies.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Couch at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Couch\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769244/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6222/6248769244_68231b9f4f.jpg\" alt=\"Couch\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248243995/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6248243995_770df6cff6.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and wall art at +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe shop is also full of interesting handmade/homemade things. It\'s like a spacious etsy shop where you can actually touch the things before you hand money over for cutesy-cute postcards, ink and watercolor \"portraits,\" pins and other prints. Oh and there\'s also furniture but I didn\'t spend much time examining these pieces--I am not really in the position to be buying any furniture these days.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248769618/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6248769618_076fc3429d.jpg\" alt=\"Cafe/kitchen/bar area\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI bought an ink and water color portrait with a girl in square framed glasses, braids and a bird in her hair. I also bought a post card of a girl reading a book and an adorable wooden and ribbon pin. The only problem is that now I want my own portrait. I\'d like a version of me with my laptop done in the same style.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Art from +tova\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Art from +tova\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6248881192/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6221/6248881192_49462bc5b8.jpg\" alt=\"Art from +tova\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt felt very weird to just take down the ink and water color portrait that I wanted off the wall but when we asked, we were told: everything is for sale. Well, then. There you have it.','+Tova: Coffee, the Arts and a decent dose of Cool','','inherit','open','open','','5699-autosave','','','2011-10-16 07:17:50','2011-10-16 05:17:50','',5699,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/16/5699-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5710,1,'2011-10-17 05:52:31','2011-10-17 03:52:31','My alarm clock went off this morning at 5:50am and even then it was clear that I have a case of the Mondays. You know, the Mondays. When you realize, <em>long sigh</em>, it\'s Monday. The whole work week is in front of you and you\'re supposed to get out of bed.\n\nThe problem of course is that your bed is warm and your pillows are just right.\n\nSo I hit snooze and a few minutes later wrenched myself out of bed. This is especially hard to do when your apartment doesn\'t have heat like mine right now. The tile floors are cold, the rooms are cold so I scampered to the kitchen to make coffee. A must if you\'re having a case of the Mondays.\n\nIt snowed on and off yesterday morning and in the early afternoon. At times there were huge clumps of snow falling. It was equally beautiful and horrifying. I\'m decidedly not ready for winter. I\'d like to enjoy fall a little longer but last night when I went to bed it was 2 degrees celcius out. This doesn\'t doesn\'t bode well for eating roasted pumpkin outside on the streets, then rushing in to a cafe for a coffee and finally basking in the light of the late fall afternoons.\n\nBut you can\'t think about these things at 6:10 or you\'ll never get your day started.\n\nAfter this I went to get dressed. The worst part about is that you have to take your warm pjs off to put cold clothes on.  <!--more-->Oh and there\'s plenty of heat at school so no matter what you do by the time you get to school you\'ll be way too hot.\n\nSo I am currently rocking layers and a pair of cute blue fingerless gloves that I snatched up at Paradise Garage a couple of years ago, hunched over my computer pounding out this post and waiting for my oatmeal to hurry up and cook. I think this is how Hemingway must have felt in Paris in an unheated apartment before he published his first novel. He describes it much later in <em>A Moveable Feast</em>. Well, minus the oatmeal. I have a hunch that Hemingway wasn\'t really an oatmeal kind of guy.\n\nI am though. I love oatmeal. It\'s warm and creamy and very satisfying. This morning it has cinnamon and raisins. In my book that\'s classic fall. I just wish that I wasn\'t shivering while I am eating. Maybe this means I should go to school--where it\'s warm.\n\n&nbsp;','Case of the Mondays ','','inherit','open','open','','5709-revision','','','2011-10-17 05:52:31','2011-10-17 03:52:31','',5709,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/17/5709-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5711,1,'2011-10-17 05:54:14','2011-10-17 03:54:14','My alarm clock went off this morning at 5:50am and even then it was clear that I have a case of the Mondays. You know, the Mondays. When you realize, <em>long sigh</em>, it\'s Monday. The whole work week is in front of you and you\'re supposed to get out of bed.\n\nThe problem of course is that your bed is warm and your pillows are just right.\n\nSo I hit snooze and a few minutes later wrenched myself out of bed. This is especially hard to do when your apartment doesn\'t have heat like mine right now. The tile floors are cold, the rooms are cold so I scampered to the kitchen to make coffee. A must if you\'re having a case of the Mondays.\n\nIt snowed on and off yesterday morning and in the early afternoon. At times there were huge clumps of snow falling. It was equally beautiful and horrifying. I\'m decidedly not ready for winter. I\'d like to enjoy fall a little longer but last night when I went to bed it was 2 degrees celcius out. This doesn\'t doesn\'t bode well for eating roasted pumpkin outside on the streets, then rushing in to a cafe for a coffee and finally basking in the light of the late fall afternoons.\n\nBut you can\'t think about these things at 6:10 or you\'ll never get your day started.\n\nAfter this I went to get dressed. The worst part about is that you have to take your warm pjs off to put cold clothes on.  <!--more-->Oh and there\'s plenty of heat at school so no matter what you do by the time you get to school you\'ll be way too hot.\n\nSo I am currently rocking layers and a pair of cute blue fingerless gloves that I snatched up at Paradise Garage a couple of years ago, hunched over my computer pounding out this post and waiting for my oatmeal to hurry up and cook. I think this is how Hemingway must have felt in Paris in an unheated apartment before he published his first novel. He describes this experience much later in <em>A Moveable Feast</em>. Well, minus the oatmeal. I have a hunch that Hemingway wasn\'t really an oatmeal kind of guy.\n\nI am though. I love oatmeal. It\'s warm and creamy and very satisfying. This morning it has cinnamon and raisins. In my book that\'s classic fall. I just wish that I wasn\'t shivering while I am eating. Maybe this means I should go to school--where it\'s warm.','Case of the Mondays ','','inherit','open','open','','5709-autosave','','','2011-10-17 05:54:14','2011-10-17 03:54:14','',5709,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/17/5709-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5712,1,'2011-10-18 06:09:39','2011-10-18 04:09:39','I woke up this morning obsessed with pumpkins. Pumpkins and cinnamon to be specific. Fall and pumpkins are apparently inextricably linked in my mind.\r\n\r\nBut really, why shouldn\'t they be?\r\n\r\nIf I could call in sick and skip work, I\'d be making all things pumpkin this morning:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin muffins with walnuts (I don\'t have a muffin tin but that\'s okay)</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin oatmeal</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin cheese cake</li>\r\n	<li>Spicy pumpkin soup</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin pancakes</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin doughnuts (I never make a doughnut before but that\'s not the point)</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin latte (as if I have my own espresso machine... oh and I don\'t think there\'s even real pumpkin in this drink)<!--more--></li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin lasagna</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin and dark chocolate chip cookies</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin butter (I don\'t have the slightest idea how to make this)</li>\r\n	<li>Roasted pumpkin and assorted fall root vegetables</li>\r\n	<li> Pumpkin banitsa (Maybe I\'ll get lucky and this will be on the menu for lunch. Fingers crossed.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nYum, yum, yum. Pumpkin just screams autumn to me. Cozy sweaters, thicker coats, shorter days, scarves and red wine. It\'s comfort food.\r\n\r\nThe thing is, pumpkin is a process in this country.\r\n\r\nLibby\'s pumpkin puree in a can? <em>I think not</em>.\r\n\r\nYou\'ve got to go straight to the source. Enter: whole pumpkin.  So you cut it open, remove the seeds, bake it (for a <em>long</em> time),  puree it and then it\'s ready to use in most of the recipes I grew up with (pumpkin pie).\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I\'ve got to go to school. We\'re doing all sorts of exciting things today. I don\'t have time today (or any day this week) to bake and puree pumpkin.\r\n\r\nSo I\'ve got to postpone my visions of pumpkins dancing through my head. The good news is the thought of dancing pumpkins enough to make me smile everything time I think about it: fat orange and green pumpkins* holding hands and dancing on short skinny legs.\r\n\r\n*Just for the record, in this day-dream the orange pumpkin is American and the green pumpkin is Bulgarian because really, who\'s ever seen an orange pumpkin in Bulgaria?!','Visions of Pumpkins ','','publish','open','open','','visions-of-pumpkins','','','2011-10-18 06:09:39','2011-10-18 04:09:39','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5712',0,'post','',9),(5713,1,'2011-10-18 06:02:33','2011-10-18 04:02:33','I woke up this morning obsessed with pumpkins. Pumpkins and cinnamon to be specific. Fall and pumpkins are apparently inextricably linked in my mind.\n\nIf I could call in sick and skip work, I\'d be making all things pumpkin this morning:\n<ul>\n	<li>Pumpkin muffins with walnuts (I don\'t have a muffin tin but that\'s okay)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin oatmeal</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin cheese cake</li>\n	<li>Spicy pumpkin soup</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin doughnuts (I never make a doughnut before but that\'s not the point)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin latte (as if I have my own espresso machine...)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin lasagna</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin and dark chocolate chip cookies</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin butter (I don\'t have the slightest idea how to make this)</li>\n	<li>Roasted pumpkin and assorted fall root vegetables</li>\n	<li> Pumpkin banitsa (Maybe I\'ll get lucky and this will be on the menu for lunch. Fingers crossed.)</li>\n</ul>\nThe thing is pumpkin is a process in this country. Libby\'s pumpkin puree in a can? <em>I think not</em>. You\'ve got to go straight to the source. Enter: whole pumpkin.  So you cut it open, remove the seeds, bake it (for a long time),  puree it and then it\'s ready to use in most of the recipes I grew up with (pumpkin pie).\n\nNeedless to say, I\'ve got to go to school. We\'re doing all sorts of exciting things today. So I\'ve got to postpone my visions of pumpkins dancing through my head. The good news is the thought of dancing pumpkins enough to make me smile everything time I think about it: fat orange and green pumpkins* holding hands and dancing on short skinny legs.\n\n*Just for the record, in this day-dream the orange pumpkin is American and the green pumpkin is Bulgarian because really, who\'s ever seen an orange pumpkin in Bulgaria?!','Visions of Pumpkins ','','inherit','open','open','','5712-revision','','','2011-10-18 06:02:33','2011-10-18 04:02:33','',5712,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5712-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5714,1,'2011-10-18 06:03:27','2011-10-18 04:03:27','I woke up this morning obsessed with pumpkins. Pumpkins and cinnamon to be specific. Fall and pumpkins are apparently inextricably linked in my mind.\r\n\r\nBut really, why shouldn\'t they be?\r\n\r\nIf I could call in sick and skip work, I\'d be making all things pumpkin this morning:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin muffins with walnuts (I don\'t have a muffin tin but that\'s okay)</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin oatmeal</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin cheese cake</li>\r\n	<li>Spicy pumpkin soup</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin pancakes</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin doughnuts (I never make a doughnut before but that\'s not the point)</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin latte (as if I have my own espresso machine...)</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin lasagna</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin and dark chocolate chip cookies</li>\r\n	<li>Pumpkin butter (I don\'t have the slightest idea how to make this)</li>\r\n	<li>Roasted pumpkin and assorted fall root vegetables</li>\r\n	<li> Pumpkin banitsa (Maybe I\'ll get lucky and this will be on the menu for lunch. Fingers crossed.)</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe thing is pumpkin is a process in this country. Libby\'s pumpkin puree in a can? <em>I think not</em>. You\'ve got to go straight to the source. Enter: whole pumpkin.  So you cut it open, remove the seeds, bake it (for a long time),  puree it and then it\'s ready to use in most of the recipes I grew up with (pumpkin pie).\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I\'ve got to go to school. We\'re doing all sorts of exciting things today. So I\'ve got to postpone my visions of pumpkins dancing through my head. The good news is the thought of dancing pumpkins enough to make me smile everything time I think about it: fat orange and green pumpkins* holding hands and dancing on short skinny legs.\r\n\r\n*Just for the record, in this day-dream the orange pumpkin is American and the green pumpkin is Bulgarian because really, who\'s ever seen an orange pumpkin in Bulgaria?!','Visions of Pumpkins ','','inherit','open','open','','5712-revision-2','','','2011-10-18 06:03:27','2011-10-18 04:03:27','',5712,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5712-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5715,1,'2011-10-18 06:09:33','2011-10-18 04:09:33','I woke up this morning obsessed with pumpkins. Pumpkins and cinnamon to be specific. Fall and pumpkins are apparently inextricably linked in my mind.\n\nBut really, why shouldn\'t they be?\n\nIf I could call in sick and skip work, I\'d be making all things pumpkin this morning:\n<ul>\n	<li>Pumpkin muffins with walnuts (I don\'t have a muffin tin but that\'s okay)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin oatmeal</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin cheese cake</li>\n	<li>Spicy pumpkin soup</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin pancakes</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin doughnuts (I never make a doughnut before but that\'s not the point)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin latte (as if I have my own espresso machine... oh and I don\'t think there\'s even real pumpkin in this drink)<!--more--></li>\n	<li>Pumpkin lasagna</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin and dark chocolate chip cookies</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin butter (I don\'t have the slightest idea how to make this)</li>\n	<li>Roasted pumpkin and assorted fall root vegetables</li>\n	<li> Pumpkin banitsa (Maybe I\'ll get lucky and this will be on the menu for lunch. Fingers crossed.)</li>\n</ul>\nYum, yum, yum. Pumpkin just screams autumn to me. Cozy sweaters, thicker coats, shorter days, scarves and red wine. It\'s comfort food.\n\nThe thing is, pumpkin is a process in this country.\n\nLibby\'s pumpkin puree in a can? <em>I think not</em>.\n\nYou\'ve got to go straight to the source. Enter: whole pumpkin.  So you cut it open, remove the seeds, bake it (for a <em>long</em> time),  puree it and then it\'s ready to use in most of the recipes I grew up with (pumpkin pie).\n\nNeedless to say, I\'ve got to go to school. We\'re doing all sorts of exciting things today. I don\'t have time today (or any day this week) to bake and puree pumpkin.\n\nSo I\'ve got to postpone my visions of pumpkins dancing through my head. The good news is the thought of dancing pumpkins enough to make me smile everything time I think about it: fat orange and green pumpkins* holding hands and dancing on short skinny legs.\n\n*Just for the record, in this day-dream the orange pumpkin is American and the green pumpkin is Bulgarian because really, who\'s ever seen an orange pumpkin in Bulgaria?!','Visions of Pumpkins ','','inherit','open','open','','5712-revision-3','','','2011-10-18 06:09:33','2011-10-18 04:09:33','',5712,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5712-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5716,1,'2011-10-18 06:10:44','2011-10-18 04:10:44','I woke up this morning obsessed with pumpkins. Pumpkins and cinnamon to be specific. Fall and pumpkins are apparently inextricably linked in my mind.\n\nBut really, why shouldn\'t they be?\n\nIf I could call in sick and skip work, I\'d be making all things pumpkin this morning:\n<ul>\n	<li>Pumpkin muffins with walnuts (I don\'t have a muffin tin but that\'s okay)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin oatmeal</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin cheese cake</li>\n	<li>Spicy pumpkin soup</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin pancakes</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin doughnuts (I never make a doughnut before but that\'s not the point)</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin latte (as if I have my own espresso machine... oh and I don\'t think there\'s even real pumpkin in this drink)<!--more--></li>\n	<li>Pumpkin lasagna</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin and dark chocolate chip cookies</li>\n	<li>Pumpkin butter (I don\'t have the slightest idea how to make this)</li>\n	<li>Roasted pumpkin and assorted fall root vegetables</li>\n	<li> Pumpkin banitsa (Maybe I\'ll get lucky and this will be on the menu for lunch. Fingers crossed.)</li>\n</ul>\nYum, yum, yum. Pumpkin just screams autumn to me. Cozy sweaters, thicker coats, shorter days, scarves and red wine. It\'s comfort food.\n\nThe thing is, pumpkin is a process in this country.\n\nLibby\'s pumpkin puree in a can? <em>I think not</em>.\n\nYou\'ve got to go straight to the source. Enter: whole pumpkin.  So you cut it open, remove the seeds, bake it (for a <em>long</em> time),  puree it and then it\'s ready to use in most of the recipes I grew up with (pumpkin pie).\n\nNeedless to say, I\'ve got to go to school. We\'re doing all sorts of exciting things today. I don\'t have time today (or any day this week) to bake and puree pumpkin.\n\nSo I\'ve got to postpone my visions of pumpkins dancing through my head. The good news is the thought of dancing pumpkins enough to make me smile everything time I think about it: fat orange and green pumpkins* holding hands and dancing on short skinny legs.\n\n*Just for the record, in this day-dream the orange pumpkin is American and the green pumpkin is Bulgarian because really, who\'s ever seen an orange pumpkin in Bulgaria?!','Visions of Pumpkins ','','inherit','open','open','','5712-autosave','','','2011-10-18 06:10:44','2011-10-18 04:10:44','',5712,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5712-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5758,1,'2011-10-26 20:47:37','2011-10-26 18:47:37','Phew. My week is in the process of catching up with me. It\'s Wednesday night and I am tired. I had big plans to write a post about my most recent adventure: <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">the new sweet shop in Mladost 1A</a>. But as much as I want to, it\'s not going to happen.\r\n\r\nI\'ve got to do my dishes, grade a little and pack for a long weekend in Rome.\r\n\r\nSure, I am not going to Rome until Friday but I\'ve got book club tomorrow night so it will be a long day for me. A really long day in fact. These things happen though and there\'s not much that I can do about it.\r\n\r\nOh and I am definitely not complaining about going to Rome for four days. I just can\'t believe that I am going Friday after school. Where did this whole month go?!\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I hope that everyone is having a great week!!','My Week ','','publish','open','open','','my-week-2','','','2011-10-26 20:47:37','2011-10-26 18:47:37','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5758',0,'post','',0),(5813,1,'2011-11-12 11:28:52','2011-11-12 09:28:52','I went to a new restaurant in Sofia recently. This is how it was described to me: There is this new place --a  Terry Pratchett based A\'tuin coffee &amp; dinner.\r\n\r\nUm. <em>Okay</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Sign on the floor for A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Sign on the follor for A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165651/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6336165651_71201f81f0.jpg\" alt=\"Sign on the floor for A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFor the record, I said yes even though I had I no idea what this description meant. I\'ve never read a book by Terry Pratchett. (This is probably something I should do. Just like I should probably finish reading <em>Under the Yoke</em>.)\r\n\r\nSo here\'s the deal. The restaurant/cafe space is beautiful. It wasn\'t crowded when we were there, the waitress was helpful-ish but the food was only so-so.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Interior of A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Interior of A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165369/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6336165369_6406bb55a2.jpg\" alt=\"Interior of A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Menu at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Menu at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336922518/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6215/6336922518_546d2971c2.jpg\" alt=\"Menu at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe menu is pretty has an interesting mix of food. They have a vegetarian menu, a meat-inclusive menu and a wine list. The vegetarian menu included foods and flavors that aren\'t very common in Bulgaria. So much so, that there\'s a description in the menu of avocado and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa\" target=\"_blank\">quinoa</a>.  I was surprised to see the description of avocado as this seems to me like a pretty standard grocery store staple but really who knows what quinoa is? I knew that it\'s a grain but I probably haven\'t eaten more than two or three times in my life.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The green menu at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The green menu at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336920780/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/6336920780_bfd7a08fb3.jpg\" alt=\"The green menu at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe non-vegetarian menu has salads, sandwiches and main dishes but I couldn\'t put down the vegetarian menu so I don\'t remember the other menu as well.\r\n\r\nI ended up ordering one of the quinoa dishes. The one I asked for to start with wasn\'t available so I ended up with the quinoa, black olives and walnuts.  This was a shame. The dish I ended up with was fine if not a little too salty. The combination of olives, walnuts and quinoa was texturally interesting but the black olives overpowered the other flavors.  I don\'t think it\'s a dish that I\'ll order again. Basically, it\'s the kind of dish I wanted to like but didn\'t.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336921134/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6336921134_d806bb7b3d.jpg\" alt=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ordered a plate of guacamole which was clearly never going to be what I am used to in the States but this was certainly a surprise.  It had some avocado giving the dish a light-green color, a lot of dill and some other unknown ingredient. It was the kind of dip that you eat and think: not what I was expecting. Then you try some more trying to pin-down the various flavors. I was never successful. My favorite \"oh-Bulgaria\" moment of the whole night was that the avocado-dill dip was served with little triangles of toasted whole wheat bread rather than tortilla chips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The avacado and dill dip at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The avacado and dill dip at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336164595/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6106/6336164595_82788a5786.jpg\" alt=\"The avacado and dill dip at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter much back and forth, A. settled on the the pork roll filled with almonds, figs and something else, maybe olives. The dish was well plated and visually very appealing. The big problem was that the pork overcooked and as a result pretty dry. I could imagine how when well cooked this pork dish would be delicious. Only the one A. ended up with was far from this.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Pork roll at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336921512/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6336921512_73caf09be4.jpg\" alt=\"Pork roll at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAll in all the food seemed like it was going to be interesting but in practice, it was disappointing. Luckily, the beer and wine selection was more than acceptable. It\'s really a shame because the restaurant is well designed. It has simple clean lines, good lighting, comfortable seating and an impressive bar but the food, the food was only so-so.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336164939/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6220/6336164939_801037362e.jpg\" alt=\"The bar at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMaybe it\'s the kind of place that I should just stick to for coffee or a drink rather than food. It\'s just hard because I want to like the food. Then again maybe the restaurant will get better after they\'ve been open a little longer--although this mostly seems like wishful thinking on my part. I think that in Sofia a lot of restaurants manage to get by because they have a good location even though their food is only okay.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"A&#39;Tuin and The Mall\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"A\'Tuin and The Mall\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165517/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6336165517_bcfcd8061b.jpg\" alt=\"A\'Tuin and The Mall\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSpeaking of location, on the way out of the restaurant A. said: you don\'t have to tell everyone where I took you do you? I laughed because it\'s not like I can write a blog post about a restaurant and not include the location and because we were at The Mall.  (Yes, dear readers, if you\'re not from Sofia you might not know this: we have a mall named The Mall. <em>Awesome</em>.)\r\n\r\nI guess this is probably the other reason I really wanted to like this restaurant. It\'s a lot more interesting to say: hey I discovered a great restaurant in a mall because really no one expects this but unfortunately, this was not the case.','A\'Tuin Coffee & Dinner','','publish','open','open','','atuin-coffee-dinner','','','2011-11-12 11:28:52','2011-11-12 09:28:52','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5813',0,'post','',6),(5719,1,'2011-10-19 19:12:43','2011-10-19 17:12:43','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\r\n\r\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\r\n\r\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall.\r\n\r\nI love leaves. Pumpkins (I already wrote a post this week about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/visions-of-pumpkins/\" target=\"_blank\">my adoration of all things pumpkin</a>). Cinnamon. Red and orange and yellow.\r\n\r\nI love the long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine.\r\n\r\nI love sweaters and my slippers. And this year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. <em>Right?!</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242741594/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6242741594_3e3aa9dae1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI\'ve never been a lipstick girl. I think that there are some people who are. I\'ve just never been one of them. Now thought it seems to be the perfect accessory for fall. I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the rich colors. Maybe it\'s the way lipstick delineates the two seasons--fall is warm, cozy and rich and summer is hot, sticky and long. Maybe I am just crazy.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I am having fun with it and that\'s all that matters.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','publish','open','open','','i-am-obsessed-with-autumn','','','2011-10-19 19:17:21','2011-10-19 17:17:21','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5719',0,'post','',0),(5720,1,'2011-10-18 20:03:56','2011-10-18 18:03:56','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\n\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\n\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall. I love leaves. Pumpkins. Cinnamon. Red. The long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine. I love sweaters.\n\nThis year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. Right?! Now I don\'t think that lipstick is seasonal but this fall I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the colors. Maybe it just delineates the two seasons.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','inherit','open','open','','5719-revision','','','2011-10-18 20:03:56','2011-10-18 18:03:56','',5719,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5719-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5721,1,'2011-10-18 20:33:48','2011-10-18 18:33:48','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/GA8zdCPFnts\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nEleven minutes of it. It\'s probably more than you really want to watch.\r\n\r\nIt\'s especially hard for me to watch it. I don\'t really remember much of the interview and it\'s super weird to watch myself on tv.\r\n\r\nBut the best reason to watch? The \"subtitles\" Andreytcho added to this clip.\r\n\r\nYou may remember his creative subtitling from such moments as my five-part series on Nova TV more than a year ago (That was a totally weird and funny experience--made even better with the subtitles and commentary. <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/day-2-nova-tv/\">Day 2</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-3-nova-me-the-bus/\">Day 3</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-4-i-dance/\">Day 4</a> and <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/day-5-the-wrap-up/\">Day 5</a>).\r\n\r\nThanks again, Andreytcho!!','Me on BHT','','publish','open','open','','me-on-bht','','','2011-10-18 20:33:48','2011-10-18 18:33:48','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5721',0,'post','',9),(5722,1,'2011-10-18 20:09:15','2011-10-18 18:09:15','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\n\nEleven minutes of it.','Me on BHT','','inherit','open','open','','5721-revision','','','2011-10-18 20:09:15','2011-10-18 18:09:15','',5721,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5721-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5723,1,'2011-10-18 20:25:04','2011-10-18 18:25:04','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/GA8zdCPFnts\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\n\nEleven minutes of it. It\'s probably more than you really want to watch.\n\nIt\'s especially hard for me to watch it. I don\'t really remember much of the interview and it\'s super weird to watch myself on tv.\n\nBut the best reason to watch? The subtitles Andreytcho added to this clip. You may remember his creative subtitling from such moments as my five-part series on Nova TV more than a year ago (Totally weird and funny–<em>right</em>? <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/day-2-nova-tv/\">Day 2</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-3-nova-me-the-bus/\">Day 3</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-4-i-dance/\">Day 4</a> and <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/day-5-the-wrap-up/\">Day 5</a>).','Me on BHT','','inherit','open','open','','5721-revision-2','','','2011-10-18 20:25:04','2011-10-18 18:25:04','',5721,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5721-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5724,1,'2011-10-18 20:25:45','2011-10-18 18:25:45','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/GA8zdCPFnts\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\nEleven minutes of it. It\'s probably more than you really want to watch.\r\n\r\nIt\'s especially hard for me to watch it. I don\'t really remember much of the interview and it\'s super weird to watch myself on tv.\r\n\r\nBut the best reason to watch? The subtitles Andreytcho added to this clip. You may remember his creative subtitling from such moments as my five-part series on Nova TV more than a year ago (Totally weird and funny–<em>right</em>? <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/day-2-nova-tv/\">Day 2</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-3-nova-me-the-bus/\">Day 3</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-4-i-dance/\">Day 4</a> and <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/day-5-the-wrap-up/\">Day 5</a>).\r\n\r\nThanks again, Andreytcho!!','Me on BHT','','inherit','open','open','','5721-revision-3','','','2011-10-18 20:25:45','2011-10-18 18:25:45','',5721,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5721-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5725,1,'2011-10-18 20:30:28','2011-10-18 18:30:28','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/GA8zdCPFnts\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\n\nEleven minutes of it. It\'s probably more than you really want to watch.\n\nIt\'s especially hard for me to watch it. I don\'t really remember much of the interview and it\'s super weird to watch myself on tv.\n\nBut the best reason to watch? The \"subtitles\" Andreytcho added to this clip.\n\nYou may remember his creative subtitling from such moments as my five-part series on Nova TV more than a year ago (That was a totally weird and funny experience--made even better with the subtitles and commentary. <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/day-2-nova-tv/\">Day 2</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-3-nova-me-the-bus/\">Day 3</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-4-i-dance/\">Day 4</a> and <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/day-5-the-wrap-up/\">Day 5</a>).\n\nThanks again, Andreytcho!!','Me on BHT','','inherit','open','open','','5721-revision-4','','','2011-10-18 20:30:28','2011-10-18 18:30:28','',5721,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5721-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5726,1,'2011-10-18 20:34:52','2011-10-18 18:34:52','Yep. Here it is. I am on Bulgarian National TV.\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/GA8zdCPFnts\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"420\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\n\nEleven minutes of it. It\'s probably more than you really want to watch.\n\nIt\'s especially hard for me to watch it. I don\'t really remember much of the interview and it\'s super weird to watch myself on tv.\n\nBut the best reason to watch? The \"subtitles\" Andreytcho added to this clip.\n\nYou may remember his creative subtitling from such moments as my five-part series on Nova TV more than a year ago (That was a totally weird and funny experience--made even better with the subtitles and commentary. <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/day-2-nova-tv/\">Day 2</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-3-nova-me-the-bus/\">Day 3</a>, <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/25/day-4-i-dance/\">Day 4</a> and <a href=\"http://karolinkabulgaria.wordpress.com/2010/02/27/day-5-the-wrap-up/\">Day 5</a>).\n\nThanks again, Andreytcho!!','Me on BHT','','inherit','open','open','','5721-autosave','','','2011-10-18 20:34:52','2011-10-18 18:34:52','',5721,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/5721-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5728,1,'2011-10-19 18:58:38','2011-10-19 16:58:38','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\n\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\n\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall. I love leaves. Pumpkins. Cinnamon. Red and orange and yellow. I love the long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine. I love sweaters and my slippers.\n\nThis year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. <em>Right?!</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242741594/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6242741594_3e3aa9dae1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'ve never been a lipstick girl. I think that there are some people who are. I\'ve just never been one of them. Now thought it seems to be the perfect accessory for fall. I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the rich colors. Maybe it\'s the way lipstick delineates the two seasons--fall is warm, cozy and rich and summer is hot, sticky and long. Maybe I am just crazy.\n\nAnyhow, I am having fun with it and that\'s all that matters.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','inherit','open','open','','5719-revision-2','','','2011-10-19 18:58:38','2011-10-19 16:58:38','',5719,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/19/5719-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5729,1,'2011-10-19 19:11:24','2011-10-19 17:11:24','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\r\n\r\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\r\n\r\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall. I love leaves. Pumpkins. Cinnamon. Red and orange and yellow. I love the long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine. I love sweaters and my slippers.\r\n\r\nThis year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. <em>Right?!</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242741594/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6242741594_3e3aa9dae1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI\'ve never been a lipstick girl. I think that there are some people who are. I\'ve just never been one of them. Now thought it seems to be the perfect accessory for fall. I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the rich colors. Maybe it\'s the way lipstick delineates the two seasons--fall is warm, cozy and rich and summer is hot, sticky and long. Maybe I am just crazy.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I am having fun with it and that\'s all that matters.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','inherit','open','open','','5719-revision-3','','','2011-10-19 19:11:24','2011-10-19 17:11:24','',5719,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/19/5719-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5730,1,'2011-10-19 19:19:04','2011-10-19 17:19:04','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\n\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\n\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall.\n\nI love leaves. Pumpkins (I already wrote a post this week about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/18/visions-of-pumpkins/\" target=\"_blank\">my adoration of all things pumpkin</a>). Cinnamon. Red and orange and yellow.\n\nI love the long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine.\n\nI love sweaters and my slippers. And this year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. <em>Right?!</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242741594/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6242741594_3e3aa9dae1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'ve never been a lipstick girl. I think that there are some people who are. I\'ve just never been one of them. Now thought it seems to be the perfect accessory for fall. I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the rich colors. Maybe it\'s the way lipstick delineates the two seasons--fall is warm, cozy and rich and summer is hot, sticky and long. Maybe I am just crazy.\n\nAnyhow, I am having fun with it and that\'s all that matters.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','inherit','open','open','','5719-autosave','','','2011-10-19 19:19:04','2011-10-19 17:19:04','',5719,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/19/5719-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5731,1,'2011-10-19 19:12:43','2011-10-19 17:12:43','The weather has turned in Sofia. Last week the weather was relatively warm. This past weekend we had snow and now the temperature in the mornings has been hovering around 0 celcius. Burr.\r\n\r\nI dug my boots out, my gloves out and looked all over my apartment for my hat but to no avail. It\'s gone.\r\n\r\nThe point of all of this is that I can\'t stop thinking about autumn. I\'m pumped up about fall.\r\n\r\nI love leaves. Pumpkins. Cinnamon. Red and orange and yellow.\r\n\r\nI love the long afternoon light. Cappuccinos. Soup. Wine.\r\n\r\nI love sweaters and my slippers. And this year I\'ve also been loving lipstick. Weird. <em>Right?!</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6242741594/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6165/6242741594_3e3aa9dae1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Lipstick in Oriflame\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI\'ve never been a lipstick girl. I think that there are some people who are. I\'ve just never been one of them. Now thought it seems to be the perfect accessory for fall. I\'ve been digging it. Maybe it\'s the rich colors. Maybe it\'s the way lipstick delineates the two seasons--fall is warm, cozy and rich and summer is hot, sticky and long. Maybe I am just crazy.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I am having fun with it and that\'s all that matters.','I am obsessed with Autumn ','','inherit','open','open','','5719-revision-4','','','2011-10-19 19:12:43','2011-10-19 17:12:43','',5719,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/19/5719-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5761,1,'2011-10-27 22:12:18','2011-10-27 20:12:18','Great things are happening in Mladost 1A. I don\'t want to make you insanely jealous but it\'s true. On one end of Mladost 1A we\'re getting our own metro stop and at the other end we have a new sweet shop.  (Not to mention the sex shop that opened in my building this past year, the lock shop across the street and the really questionable looking casinos we have.)\r\n\r\nBasically, it boils down to this: I am going to have to make an I heart Mladost 1A t-shirt soon. Watch out Mladost 1. <em>Watch out.</em>\r\n\r\n<em></em>(Or maybe I can outsource this to one of my readers who has more time on his or her hands and for the record if you\'re imagining this t-shirt long with me it\'s important the t-shirt font be <strong></strong>sans-serif.)<em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\r\n\r\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. Only I forgot about them. So I forgot to take them out of my bag and when I got to school the next day I had a bag of cookies in my purse. A bag of cookies!!\r\n\r\nBest surprise <em>ever</em>. There\'s really nothing like finding a bag of cookies in your purse at 7:30 am when you\'re trying to dig out all of the homework you graded the night before.\r\n\r\nFor those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up but in my mind this baba gets a gold star. They are really the perfect mix of crispy and chewy while not being too sweet.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','publish','open','open','','my-neighborhood-sladkarnitsa','','','2011-10-27 22:12:18','2011-10-27 20:12:18','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5761',0,'post','',6),(5733,1,'2011-10-20 20:05:47','2011-10-20 18:05:47','I try not to complain on this blog. But man-oh-man, I bought scented toilet paper by accident yesterday and I hate scented toilet paper. I\'m of the option that scented toilet paper should did not exist.\r\n\r\nHere\'s what happened: I couldn\'t find my normal toilet paper at Billa so I bought some new toilet paper. I hate change. I\'d like to buy the same thing every time I go to the grocery store but sometimes you have to do these things. I mean it\'s not like I can do without.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belana Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263636379/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6263636379_80608c2a99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI looked at all of the kinds/brands/types of toilet paper on the wall of toilet paper. I nixed the colored and anything obviously scented. There are a lot of options. Too many in fact. Luckily I eliminated most of the options right off the bat.\r\n\r\nThis left me with about three choices: one that said sensitive, one that looked like recycled newspaper and one that said \"go green.\" <!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe sensitive brand wasn\'t obviously scent free and the recycled newspaper version looked cheaper that the toilet paper we have in the toilets at school. That left me with the \"go green\" toilet paper.\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t exactly sure what that meant but I assumed that it was scent free. I mean scent isn\'t \"green,\" is it?\r\n\r\nTurns out I was wrong.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Go Green\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Go Green\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637721/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6263637721_9351a45e7d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Go Green\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt seems that the \"go green\" toilet paper smells exactly like the pine scented trees Americans hang in their cars off the rear-view mirror. It\'s seriously intense. I thought maybe it wouldn\'t be so bad after I hung up the roll.\r\n\r\nNot the case.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My &quot;Pine Forest&quot; Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637219/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6263637219_0071d5fb1f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow my bathroom smells kind of like a pine forest. But just to clarify--not an awesome forest, a <em>fake</em> pine forest. I guess that\'s <em>kind of</em> green. Just not the kind of green that I was thinking when I bought the four-pack of toilet paper.\r\n\r\nThe worst part of the story is that I am part-lazy, part-busy and part-cheap and I haven\'t bought new toilet paper yet. It is on my to-do list... but there are a lot of things on my to-do list.\r\n\r\nThe only question that\'s left: when you live in a neighborhood full of block buildings, who\'s house do you toilet paper?!','\"Green\" Toilet Paper ','','publish','open','open','','green-toilet-paper','','','2011-10-20 20:05:47','2011-10-20 18:05:47','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5733',0,'post','',5),(5734,1,'2011-10-20 19:58:28','2011-10-20 17:58:28','I try not to complain on this blog. But man-oh-man, I bought scented toilet paper by accident and I hate scented toilet paper. I am of the option that scented toilet paper should did not exist.\n\nHere\'s what happened: I couldn\'t find my normal toilet paper at Billa yesterday so I bought some new toilet paper. I hate change. I\'d like to buy the same thing every time I go to the grocery store but sometimes you have to do these things. I mean it\'s not like I can do without.\n\nI looked at all of the kinds/brands/types of toilet paper on the wall of toilet paper. I nixed the colored and anything obviously scented. There are a lot of options. Too many in fact. Luckily I eliminated most of the options right off the bat.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263636379/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6263636379_80608c2a99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> This left me with about three choices: one that said sensitive, one that looked like recycled newspaper and one that said \"go green.\" The sensitive brand wasn\'t obviously scent free and the recycled newspaper version looked cheaper that the toilet paper we have in the toilets at school. That left me with the \"go green\" toilet paper.\n\nI wasn\'t exactly sure what that meant but I assumed that it was scent free. I mean scent isn\'t \"green,\" is it?\n\nTurns out I was wrong.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Go Green\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637721/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6263637721_9351a45e7d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Go Green\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> It seems that the \"go green\" toilet paper smells exactly like the pine scented trees Americans hang in their cars off the rear-view mirror. It\'s seriously intense. I thought maybe it wouldn\'t be so bad after I hung up the roll. Not the case.\n\nNow my bathroom smells kind of like a pine forest. But just to clarify--not an awesome forest, a <em>fake</em> pine forest. I guess that\'s <em>kind of</em> green. Just not the kind of green that I was thinking when I bought the four-pack of toilet paper. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637219/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6263637219_0071d5fb1f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\n\nThe worst part of the story is that I am part-lazy, part-busy and part-cheap and I haven\'t bought new toilet paper yet. It is on my to-do list... but there are a lot of things on my to-do list.\n\nThe only question that\'s left: when you live in a neighborhood full of block buildings, who\'s house do you toilet paper?!','\"Green\" Toilet Paper ','','inherit','open','open','','5733-revision','','','2011-10-20 19:58:28','2011-10-20 17:58:28','',5733,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5733-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5735,1,'2011-10-20 20:05:14','2011-10-20 18:05:14','I try not to complain on this blog. But man-oh-man, I bought scented toilet paper by accident yesterday and I hate scented toilet paper. I\'m of the option that scented toilet paper should did not exist.\n\nHere\'s what happened: I couldn\'t find my normal toilet paper at Billa so I bought some new toilet paper. I hate change. I\'d like to buy the same thing every time I go to the grocery store but sometimes you have to do these things. I mean it\'s not like I can do without.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belana Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263636379/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6263636379_80608c2a99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI looked at all of the kinds/brands/types of toilet paper on the wall of toilet paper. I nixed the colored and anything obviously scented. There are a lot of options. Too many in fact. Luckily I eliminated most of the options right off the bat.\n\nThis left me with about three choices: one that said sensitive, one that looked like recycled newspaper and one that said \"go green.\" <!--more-->\n\nThe sensitive brand wasn\'t obviously scent free and the recycled newspaper version looked cheaper that the toilet paper we have in the toilets at school. That left me with the \"go green\" toilet paper.\n\nI wasn\'t exactly sure what that meant but I assumed that it was scent free. I mean scent isn\'t \"green,\" is it?\n\nTurns out I was wrong.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Go Green\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Go Green\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637721/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6263637721_9351a45e7d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Go Green\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt seems that the \"go green\" toilet paper smells exactly like the pine scented trees Americans hang in their cars off the rear-view mirror. It\'s seriously intense. I thought maybe it wouldn\'t be so bad after I hung up the roll. Not the case.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My &quot;Pine Forest&quot; Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637219/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6263637219_0071d5fb1f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow my bathroom smells kind of like a pine forest. But just to clarify--not an awesome forest, a <em>fake</em> pine forest. I guess that\'s <em>kind of</em> green. Just not the kind of green that I was thinking when I bought the four-pack of toilet paper.\n\nThe worst part of the story is that I am part-lazy, part-busy and part-cheap and I haven\'t bought new toilet paper yet. It is on my to-do list... but there are a lot of things on my to-do list.\n\nThe only question that\'s left: when you live in a neighborhood full of block buildings, who\'s house do you toilet paper?!','\"Green\" Toilet Paper ','','inherit','open','open','','5733-revision-2','','','2011-10-20 20:05:14','2011-10-20 18:05:14','',5733,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5733-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5736,1,'2011-10-20 20:06:52','2011-10-20 18:06:52','I try not to complain on this blog. But man-oh-man, I bought scented toilet paper by accident yesterday and I hate scented toilet paper. I\'m of the option that scented toilet paper should did not exist.\n\nHere\'s what happened: I couldn\'t find my normal toilet paper at Billa so I bought some new toilet paper. I hate change. I\'d like to buy the same thing every time I go to the grocery store but sometimes you have to do these things. I mean it\'s not like I can do without.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belana Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263636379/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6263636379_80608c2a99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Belana Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI looked at all of the kinds/brands/types of toilet paper on the wall of toilet paper. I nixed the colored and anything obviously scented. There are a lot of options. Too many in fact. Luckily I eliminated most of the options right off the bat.\n\nThis left me with about three choices: one that said sensitive, one that looked like recycled newspaper and one that said \"go green.\" <!--more-->\n\nThe sensitive brand wasn\'t obviously scent free and the recycled newspaper version looked cheaper that the toilet paper we have in the toilets at school. That left me with the \"go green\" toilet paper.\n\nI wasn\'t exactly sure what that meant but I assumed that it was scent free. I mean scent isn\'t \"green,\" is it?\n\nTurns out I was wrong.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Go Green\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Go Green\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637721/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6263637721_9351a45e7d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Go Green\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt seems that the \"go green\" toilet paper smells exactly like the pine scented trees Americans hang in their cars off the rear-view mirror. It\'s seriously intense. I thought maybe it wouldn\'t be so bad after I hung up the roll.\n\nNot the case.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My &quot;Pine Forest&quot; Toilet Paper\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Toilet Paper\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6263637219/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6263637219_0071d5fb1f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Toilet Paper\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow my bathroom smells kind of like a pine forest. But just to clarify--not an awesome forest, a <em>fake</em> pine forest. I guess that\'s <em>kind of</em> green. Just not the kind of green that I was thinking when I bought the four-pack of toilet paper.\n\nThe worst part of the story is that I am part-lazy, part-busy and part-cheap and I haven\'t bought new toilet paper yet. It is on my to-do list... but there are a lot of things on my to-do list.\n\nThe only question that\'s left: when you live in a neighborhood full of block buildings, who\'s house do you toilet paper?!','\"Green\" Toilet Paper ','','inherit','open','open','','5733-autosave','','','2011-10-20 20:06:52','2011-10-20 18:06:52','',5733,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5733-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5738,1,'2011-10-20 20:57:18','2011-10-20 18:57:18','I got a new haircut. I took a few pictures of it. They\'re just okay. But the haircut is great.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My haircut\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My haircut\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6264414446/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6264414446_aaa8cb11ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"My haircut\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIf you\'re dying to see more you can <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">check out Flickr</a>.','A new haircut ','','inherit','open','open','','5737-revision','','','2011-10-20 20:57:18','2011-10-20 18:57:18','',5737,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5737-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5739,1,'2011-10-20 21:02:38','2011-10-20 19:02:38','I got a new haircut.\n\nI took a few pictures of it. They\'re just okay. But the haircut is great.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My haircut\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My haircut\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6264414446/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6264414446_aaa8cb11ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"My haircut\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIf you\'re dying to see more you can <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">check out Flickr</a>.\n\nIt\'s nothing too exciting. Basically it\'s the same cut I had two months ago.','A new haircut ','','inherit','open','open','','5737-revision-2','','','2011-10-20 21:02:38','2011-10-20 19:02:38','',5737,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5737-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5740,1,'2011-10-20 21:04:15','2011-10-20 19:04:15','I got a new haircut.\n\nI took a few pictures of it. They\'re just okay. But the haircut is great.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My haircut\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My haircut\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6264414446/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6264414446_aaa8cb11ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"My haircut\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIf you\'re dying to see more you can <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">check out Flickr</a>.\n\nIt\'s nothing too exciting. Basically it\'s the same cut I had two months ago.\n\nBut I couldn\'t be happier.','A new haircut ','','inherit','open','open','','5737-autosave','','','2011-10-20 21:04:15','2011-10-20 19:04:15','',5737,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/20/5737-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5772,1,'2011-11-01 21:59:49','2011-11-01 19:59:49','I am back from my Roman Holiday!\r\n\r\nIt\'s wonderful to be back. The thing about travel is that you\'re reminded about how big the world is. What you like about traveling and what you like about being home.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0415\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303641176/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6303641176_a5e2e7f02b_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0415\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI love to see new places, to eat new food and to get a little lost. I like exploring, wandering and walking around. I did plenty of this over the last few days. Rome is a great place for such things and as such, I felt like I had to go back.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\nYep, if you\'re a loyal reader or my MoM you may remember that I went to Rome two years ago. I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/07/roaming-in-rome/\" target=\"_blank\">Roaming in Rome</a> (I was apparently too busy to post any pictures to that post) and <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/10/rome-wine-and-pannini/\" target=\"_blank\">my love of wine and pannini</a> but apparently I couldn\'t be bothered to actually write about what I actually <em>did</em> in Rome.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon from the front\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0421\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303123277/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6303123277_ae3810d10a_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0421\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry this time it\'ll be different only I\'ll have to spread it out over a few posts because well, I\'ve got to go to go to school tomorrow. Funny how that works. Work. Holiday. Work.\r\n\r\nSo back to Rome. The weather was unreal. It was sunny and in the 70s most days. This is fall at it\'s best. Cool in the mornings, long afternoons and nice enough to eat dinner outside near a heat lamp.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon and People\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0425\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303130705/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6303130705_dc7b4fa62d_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0425\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy friend and colleague A. went to Rome with me. We had a grand time. Basically our schedule was this: wake up, get ready, go walking/exploring/shopping, make time for sight seeing, scrounge up some lunch/ a snack/ a gelato, later sneak in a nap and then find dinner.\r\n\r\nHere are a few photos of the Pantheon until I have time to post more tomorrow!!','Back from Rome ','','publish','open','open','','back-from-rome','','','2011-11-01 21:59:49','2011-11-01 19:59:49','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5772',0,'post','',7),(5742,1,'2011-10-22 09:03:49','2011-10-22 07:03:49','Thank-you!\r\n\r\nEvery time I see this jousting-bike guy I can\'t help but to smile. Mostly I see him on my way home from work and this often makes my afternoon.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6268622934/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6268622934_cd86666aca.jpg\" alt=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI think it\'s the combination of the creativity and the sense of humor that I like the most.\r\n\r\nOh and I really dig  his cape.','The Jousting Bike Guy ','','publish','open','open','','the-jousting-bike-guy','','','2011-10-22 09:03:49','2011-10-22 07:03:49','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5742',0,'post','',2),(5743,1,'2011-10-22 09:02:09','2011-10-22 07:02:09','Thank-you\n\nEvery time I see this jousting-bike guy I can\'t help but to smile. Mostly I see him on my way home from work and this often makes my afternoon.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6268622934/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6268622934_cd86666aca.jpg\" alt=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI think it\'s the combination of the creativity and the sense of humor that I like the most.\n\nOh and I really dig  his cape.','The Jousting Bike Guy ','','inherit','open','open','','5742-revision','','','2011-10-22 09:02:09','2011-10-22 07:02:09','',5742,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/22/5742-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5744,1,'2011-10-22 09:03:09','2011-10-22 07:03:09','Thank-you!\n\nEvery time I see this jousting-bike guy I can\'t help but to smile. Mostly I see him on my way home from work and this often makes my afternoon.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6268622934/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6268622934_cd86666aca.jpg\" alt=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI think it\'s the combination of the creativity and the sense of humor that I like the most.\n\nOh and I really dig  his cape.','The Jousting Bike Guy ','','inherit','open','open','','5742-revision-2','','','2011-10-22 09:03:09','2011-10-22 07:03:09','',5742,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/22/5742-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5745,1,'2011-10-22 09:04:53','2011-10-22 07:04:53','Thank-you!\n\nEvery time I see this jousting-bike guy I can\'t help but to smile. Mostly I see him on my way home from work and this often makes my afternoon.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6268622934/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6268622934_cd86666aca.jpg\" alt=\"Bike crossing in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI think it\'s the combination of the creativity and the sense of humor that I like the most.\n\nOh and I really dig  his cape.','The Jousting Bike Guy ','','inherit','open','open','','5742-autosave','','','2011-10-22 09:04:53','2011-10-22 07:04:53','',5742,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/22/5742-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5746,1,'2011-10-24 05:57:43','2011-10-24 03:57:43','I\'ve been catching up on past episodes of the Bulgarian TV show: <a href=\"http://play.novatv.bg/play/256654/?autostart=true\" target=\"_blank\">Lost in Bulgaria</a> (Изгубени в България) which plays on NOVA tv this past weekend. Here\'s the basic \"plot\" of this \"reality\" television show. Two foreigners who happen speak Bulgarian (because they are--or were--Peace Corps Volunteers) find themselves in a variety of different situations in Bulgaria as they try to explore life in this country.\r\n\r\nEach episode revolves around a place and the kind of things that happen in the episode are based \"real\" life in this place. The place, activities and life seem to be normal for the people living them but they are supposed to be foreign for the Americans. The show then plays up the differences between what the Americans know and expect and the various communities they find themselves visiting.\r\n\r\nEpisode one: a village in the Rhodopes.\r\n\r\nTwo: a gypsy encampment on the edge of Sofia.\r\n\r\nAnd most recently a fishing town on the Black Sea.\r\n\r\nThis show is something else. I alternate between feeling really uncomfortable for the American girl and boy to feeling totally uncomfortable for the Bulgarian host of the episode. <!--more--> At times, I\'ve wanted to stop watching but then I make myself continue. As I said earlier on twitter, I\'m obsessed and disgusted all at once with this show. It\'s sort of like a train wreck. I don\'t want to look but I do anyway.\r\n\r\nI mean that\'s the point right? An up close look at someone \'s life with a little drama tossed in for good measure. Only the way this show is set-up it\'s not always clear to me who is laughing at whom.\r\n\r\nAre the Americans on the show laughing at the Bulgarian hosts? Are the Bulgarians laughing at the Americans? Am I laughing at both of them? And generally, the Bulgarian viewers, who are they laughing at?\r\n\r\nAh, I don\'t always know and that\'s what makes it most unbearable to watch. I can\'t always tell who\'s being objectified and used for the viewers pleasure.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I have to go to school now but don\'t worry there\'s definitely more to follow on this topic.','TV show: Lost in Bulgaria ','','publish','open','open','','tv-show-lost-in-bulgaria','','','2011-10-24 05:57:43','2011-10-24 03:57:43','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5746',0,'post','',1),(5747,1,'2011-10-23 08:03:56','2011-10-23 06:03:56','I\'ve been catching up on past episodes of the Bulgarian TV show: <a href=\"http://play.novatv.bg/play/256654/?autostart=true\" target=\"_blank\">Lost in Bulgaria</a> which plays on NOVA tv this weekend. Here\'s the basic \"plot\" of this \"reality\" television show. Two foreigners who happen speak Bulgarian (because they are--or were--Peace Corps Volunteers) find themselves in a variety of different situations in Bulgaria as they try to explore life in this country.\n\nEach episode revolves around a place and the kind of things that happen in the episode are based \"real\" life in this place. The place, activities and life seem to be normal for the people living them but they are supposed to be foreign for the Americans. The show then plays up the differences between what the Americans know and expect and the various communities they find themselves visiting.\n\nEpisode one: a village in the Rhodopes.\n\nTwo: a gypsy encampment on the edge of Sofia.\n\nAnd most recently a fishing town on the Black Sea.\n\nI find the whole thing really uncomfortable and as I watch, I am really embarrassed for everyone taking part in the show. Most television doesn\'t make me physically cringe but I have been.\n\nWhy?\n\nWell, I can\'t figure out what\'s going on with the Peace Corps volunteers. My basic assumption is that they came to Bulgaria as part of a cultural and educational exchange and that because of this they are culturally savvy and politically aware. But then in episode 2 they spend much of the show digging through garbage cans collecting clothes and plastic bottles and riding on a horse cart. This episode is topped of with a gypsy party.','TV show: Lost in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5746-revision','','','2011-10-23 08:03:56','2011-10-23 06:03:56','',5746,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/23/5746-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5748,1,'2011-10-23 08:57:59','2011-10-23 06:57:59','Today Bulgarians are going to the polls to vote in the presidential elections. It\'s been a busy political season in Bulgaria and as a foreigner it\'s been difficult for me to follow all of the political he-said-she-said.\r\n\r\nI know that I should care but I haven\'t felt invested in any of this political posturing. It just seems impossibly hard to keep up with. (Yes, I realize what a lame excuse that is.)\r\n\r\nWhat I have been interested in are two cultural phenomena related to the elections: first, the various accusations of vote buying and second, the prohibition of alcohol sales on election day. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe Sofia Echo wrote an interesting piece on this practice \"<a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/09/23/1161478_the-vote-buying-business\" target=\"_blank\">The Vote-Buying Business</a>\" and detailed a couple of \"busts\" made by the media.\r\n<blockquote>A hidden-camera story by bTV on September 16, showing brokers offering votes for sale in an impoverished Roma quarter in Plovdiv, led to three arrests the following day. In a whimsical touch, the television station bought votes – being careful to film the money being handed over – for a fictitious political party that just happened to have the initials BTV.\r\n\r\nThe report showed how a list of names, complete with Bulgarian identity numbers (EGN), was handed over. On camera, officials confirmed that the people on the list, whose EGNs were blurred on screen to conceal their identities, actually existed.\r\n\r\nThe three men arrested were in their 30s and 40s. The previous convictions of one include vote-selling, for which he had a 10-month suspended sentence. The other two had previous convictions for fraud.</blockquote>\r\nI think it\'s fascinating that the media seems to be taking a lead on these exposes/busts. Sure it makes for good tv but it also seems to suggest that many other institutions are turning a blind eye to the problem that is until they are forced to look and act.\r\n\r\nOf course this is not a practice I support but it\'s pretty clear to me why it happens. If you can really get 100 leva (or maybe as much as 200 leva) for your vote and you\'re making something like 450 leva a month why wouldn\'t you consider it? Economically, it seems to make sense to the bottom line. I am just thankful I am not in a situation where this is something I\'d need to think about.\r\n\r\nThe other interesting thing is the fact that alcohol is not for sale today and for some reason, everyone seems to feel the need to remind foreigners of this.  My school even sent an email reminder to everyone about the restriction. God forbid I\'m not allowed to buy alcohol one (or maybe two) days a year.\r\n\r\nThe prohibition of alcohol is a little harder for me to get my head around. We don\'t do this this in the States. I suspect that the rational behind this prohibition also has to do with vote-buying but this time is the fear of plying people with alcohol in order to get them to vote they way you want. Still, in a country battling serious voter-fraud/vote-buying banning the sale of alcohol seems more like show than anything else.\r\n\r\nOn this note, if you\'re Bulgarian and you can\'t buy alcohol today you might as well get out there and vote because you <em>can</em> do this today!!','Voting and Elections in Bulgaria','','publish','open','open','','voting-and-elections-in-bulgaria','','','2011-10-23 08:57:59','2011-10-23 06:57:59','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5748',0,'post','',8),(5749,1,'2011-10-23 08:57:23','2011-10-23 06:57:23','Today Bulgarians are going to the polls to vote in the presidential elections. It\'s been a busy political season in Bulgaria and as a foreigner it\'s been difficult for me to follow all of the political he-said-she-said.\n\nI know that I should care but I haven\'t felt invested in any of this political posturing. It just seems impossibly hard to keep up with. (Yes, I realize what a lame excuse that is.)\n\nWhat I have been interested in are two cultural phenomena related to the elections.irst, the various accusations of vote buying and second, the prohibition of alcohol sales on election day. <!--more-->\n\nThe Sofia Echo wrote an interesting piece on this practice \"<a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/09/23/1161478_the-vote-buying-business\" target=\"_blank\">The Vote-Buying Business</a>\" and detailed a couple of \"busts\" made by the media.\n<blockquote>A hidden-camera story by bTV on September 16, showing brokers offering votes for sale in an impoverished Roma quarter in Plovdiv, led to three arrests the following day. In a whimsical touch, the television station bought votes – being careful to film the money being handed over – for a fictitious political party that just happened to have the initials BTV.\n\nThe report showed how a list of names, complete with Bulgarian identity numbers (EGN), was handed over. On camera, officials confirmed that the people on the list, whose EGNs were blurred on screen to conceal their identities, actually existed.\n\nThe three men arrested were in their 30s and 40s. The previous convictions of one include vote-selling, for which he had a 10-month suspended sentence. The other two had previous convictions for fraud.</blockquote>\nI think it\'s fascinating that the media seems to be taking a lead on these exposes/busts. Sure it makes for good tv but it also seems to suggest that many other institutions are turning a blind eye to the problem that is until they are forced to look and act.\n\nOf course this is not a practice I support but it\'s pretty clear to me why it happens. If you can really get 100 leva (or maybe as much as 200 leva) for your vote and you\'re making something like 450 leva a month why wouldn\'t you consider it? Economically, it seems to make sense to the bottom line. I am just thankful I am not in a situation where this is something I\'d need to think about.\n\nThe other interesting thing is the fact that alcohol is not for sale today and for some reason, everyone seems to feel the need to remind foreigners of this.  My school even sent an email reminder to everyone about the restriction. God forbid I\'m not allowed to buy alcohol one (or maybe two) days a year.\n\nThe prohibition of alcohol is a little harder for me to get my head around. We don\'t do this this in the States. I suspect that the rational behind this prohibition also has to do with vote-buying but this time is the fear of plying people with alcohol in order to get them to vote they way you want. Still, in a country battling serious voter-fraud/vote-buying banning the sale of alcohol seems more like show than anything else.\n\nOn this note, if you\'re Bulgarian and you can\'t buy alcohol today you might as well get out there and vote because you <em>can</em> do this today!!','Voting and Elections in Bulgaria','','inherit','open','open','','5748-revision','','','2011-10-23 08:57:23','2011-10-23 06:57:23','',5748,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/23/5748-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5750,1,'2011-10-23 08:59:05','2011-10-23 06:59:05','Today Bulgarians are going to the polls to vote in the presidential elections. It\'s been a busy political season in Bulgaria and as a foreigner it\'s been difficult for me to follow all of the political he-said-she-said.\n\nI know that I should care but I haven\'t felt invested in any of this political posturing. It just seems impossibly hard to keep up with. (Yes, I realize what a lame excuse that is.)\n\nWhat I have been interested in are two cultural phenomena related to the elections: first, the various accusations of vote buying and second, the prohibition of alcohol sales on election day. <!--more-->\n\nThe Sofia Echo wrote an interesting piece on this practice \"<a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/09/23/1161478_the-vote-buying-business\" target=\"_blank\">The Vote-Buying Business</a>\" and detailed a couple of \"busts\" made by the media.\n<blockquote>A hidden-camera story by bTV on September 16, showing brokers offering votes for sale in an impoverished Roma quarter in Plovdiv, led to three arrests the following day. In a whimsical touch, the television station bought votes – being careful to film the money being handed over – for a fictitious political party that just happened to have the initials BTV.\n\nThe report showed how a list of names, complete with Bulgarian identity numbers (EGN), was handed over. On camera, officials confirmed that the people on the list, whose EGNs were blurred on screen to conceal their identities, actually existed.\n\nThe three men arrested were in their 30s and 40s. The previous convictions of one include vote-selling, for which he had a 10-month suspended sentence. The other two had previous convictions for fraud.</blockquote>\nI think it\'s fascinating that the media seems to be taking a lead on these exposes/busts. Sure it makes for good tv but it also seems to suggest that many other institutions are turning a blind eye to the problem that is until they are forced to look and act.\n\nOf course this is not a practice I support but it\'s pretty clear to me why it happens. If you can really get 100 leva (or maybe as much as 200 leva) for your vote and you\'re making something like 450 leva a month why wouldn\'t you consider it? Economically, it seems to make sense to the bottom line. I am just thankful I am not in a situation where this is something I\'d need to think about.\n\nThe other interesting thing is the fact that alcohol is not for sale today and for some reason, everyone seems to feel the need to remind foreigners of this.  My school even sent an email reminder to everyone about the restriction. God forbid I\'m not allowed to buy alcohol one (or maybe two) days a year.\n\nThe prohibition of alcohol is a little harder for me to get my head around. We don\'t do this this in the States. I suspect that the rational behind this prohibition also has to do with vote-buying but this time is the fear of plying people with alcohol in order to get them to vote they way you want. Still, in a country battling serious voter-fraud/vote-buying banning the sale of alcohol seems more like show than anything else.\n\nOn this note, if you\'re Bulgarian and you can\'t buy alcohol today you might as well get out there and vote because you <em>can</em> do this today!!','Voting and Elections in Bulgaria','','inherit','open','open','','5748-autosave','','','2011-10-23 08:59:05','2011-10-23 06:59:05','',5748,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/23/5748-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5751,1,'2011-10-24 05:59:38','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I find the whole thing really uncomfortable and as I watch, I am really embarrassed for everyone taking part in the show. Most television doesn\'t make me physically cringe but I have been.\r\n\r\nWhy?\r\n\r\nWell, I can\'t figure out what\'s going on with the Peace Corps volunteers. My basic assumption is that they came to Bulgaria as part of a cultural and educational exchange and that because of this they are culturally savvy and politically aware. But then in episode 2 they spend much of the show digging through garbage cans collecting clothes and plastic bottles and riding on a horse cart. This episode is topped of with a gypsy party.','The actors ','','draft','open','open','','','','','2011-10-24 05:59:38','2011-10-24 03:59:38','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5751',0,'post','',0),(5752,1,'2011-10-24 05:37:16','2011-10-24 03:37:16','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','5751-revision','','','2011-10-24 05:37:16','2011-10-24 03:37:16','',5751,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/24/5751-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5753,1,'2011-10-24 05:55:55','2011-10-24 03:55:55','I\'ve been catching up on past episodes of the Bulgarian TV show: <a href=\"http://play.novatv.bg/play/256654/?autostart=true\" target=\"_blank\">Lost in Bulgaria</a> which plays on NOVA tv this past weekend. Here\'s the basic \"plot\" of this \"reality\" television show. Two foreigners who happen speak Bulgarian (because they are--or were--Peace Corps Volunteers) find themselves in a variety of different situations in Bulgaria as they try to explore life in this country.\n\nEach episode revolves around a place and the kind of things that happen in the episode are based \"real\" life in this place. The place, activities and life seem to be normal for the people living them but they are supposed to be foreign for the Americans. The show then plays up the differences between what the Americans know and expect and the various communities they find themselves visiting.\n\nEpisode one: a village in the Rhodopes.\n\nTwo: a gypsy encampment on the edge of Sofia.\n\nAnd most recently a fishing town on the Black Sea.\n\nThis show is something else. I alternate between feeling really uncomfortable for the American girl and boy to feeling totally uncomfortable for the Bulgarian host of the episode.  At times, I\'ve wanted to stop watching but then I make myself continue. As I said earlier on twitter, I\'m obsessed and disgusted all at once with this show. It\'s sort of like a train wreck. I don\'t want to look but I do anyway.\n\nI mean that\'s the point right? An up close look at someone \'s life with a little drama tossed in for good measure. Only the way this show is set-up it\'s not always clear to me who is laughing at whom.\n\nAre the Americans on the show laughing at the Bulgarian hosts? Are the Bulgarians laughing at the Americans? Am I laughing at both of them? And generally, the Bulgarian viewers, who are they laughing at?\n\nAh, I don\'t always know and that\'s what makes it most unbearable to watch. I can\'t always tell who\'s being objectified and used for the viewers pleasure.\n\nAnyhow, I have to go to school now but don\'t worry there\'s definitely more to follow on this topic.','TV show: Lost in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5746-revision-2','','','2011-10-24 05:55:55','2011-10-24 03:55:55','',5746,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/24/5746-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5754,1,'2011-10-24 05:38:34','2011-10-24 03:38:34','I find the whole thing really uncomfortable and as I watch, I am really embarrassed for everyone taking part in the show. Most television doesn\'t make me physically cringe but I have been.\n\nWhy?\n\nWell, I can\'t figure out what\'s going on with the Peace Corps volunteers. My basic assumption is that they came to Bulgaria as part of a cultural and educational exchange and that because of this they are culturally savvy and politically aware. But then in episode 2 they spend much of the show digging through garbage cans collecting clothes and plastic bottles and riding on a horse cart. This episode is topped of with a gypsy party.','The actors ','','inherit','open','open','','5751-revision-2','','','2011-10-24 05:38:34','2011-10-24 03:38:34','',5751,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/24/5751-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5755,1,'2011-10-25 05:41:15','2011-10-25 03:41:15','This is just to say that the metro seems to be open all the time recently. Yep. It\'s still a huge hole in the ground. Even though I did hear recently that the metro supposed to officially open in February/March but here\'s the thing, it seems to be open already. Well not that you\'re going to catch the metro from Mladost 3. No you\'re definitely not going to be able to. For some reason, these days no one seems concerned enough about on site security to lock up the fence surrounding the hole making the hole well--open to the public. Kind of.\r\n\r\nI\'d like better <em>fence-age</em> (that\'s like signage) around the metro-hole but then again I am an American and I like fences and for the record I like signs too.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of things I\'d like like a different name for the hole. Mladost 3. <em>Pu-sh</em>.  I think not.\r\n\r\nI still hate that the metro is named Mladost 3 when it\'s <em>clearly</em> in Mladost 1A but I\'ll get over that. Heck, every time I walk by the hole I find myself thinking: I can\'t wait until <em>my metro</em> is open. Yes-sir, my metro. I am hoping that I\'ll never have to call it Mladost 3 if I train the people in my life early enough with phrases like \"my metro,\" \"my metro stop\" and \"take the metro to the end of the line and get of at my stop in Mladost.\" And I guess push come to shove I can always refer to it as \"the stop past Mladost 1\"!!','My (New) Metro Stop in Mladost','','publish','open','open','','my-new-metro-stop-in-mladost','','','2011-10-24 21:05:40','2011-10-24 19:05:40','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5755',0,'post','',1),(5756,1,'2011-10-24 21:05:33','2011-10-24 19:05:33','This is just to say that the metro seems to be open all the time recently. Yep. It\'s still a huge hole in the ground. Even though I did hear recently that the metro supposed to officially open in February/March but here\'s the thing, it seems to be open already. Well not that you\'re going to catch the metro from Mladost 3. No you\'re definitely not going to be able to. For some reason, these days no one seems concerned enough about on site security to lock up the fence surrounding the hole making the hole well--open to the public. Kind of.\n\nI\'d like better <em>fence-age</em> (that\'s like signage) around the metro-hole but then again I am an American and I like fences and for the record I like signs too.\n\nThere are a lot of things I\'d like like a different name for the hole. Mladost 3. <em>Pu-sh</em>.  I think not.\n\nI still hate that the metro is named Mladost 3 when it\'s <em>clearly</em> in Mladost 1A but I\'ll get over that. Heck, every time I walk by the hole I find myself thinking: I can\'t wait until <em>my metro</em> is open. Yes-sir, my metro. I am hoping that I\'ll never have to call it Mladost 3 if I train the people in my life early enough with phrases like \"my metro,\" \"my metro stop\" and \"take the metro to the end of the line and get of at my stop in Mladost.\" And I guess push come to shove I can always refer to it as \"the stop past Mladost 1\"!!','My (New) Metro Stop in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5755-revision','','','2011-10-24 21:05:33','2011-10-24 19:05:33','',5755,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/24/5755-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5759,1,'2011-10-26 20:46:42','2011-10-26 18:46:42','Phew. My week is in the process of catching up with me. It\'s Wednesday night and I am tired. I had big plans to write a post about my most recent adventure: <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">the new sweet shop in Mladost 1A</a>. But as much as I want to, it\'s not going to happen.\n\nI\'ve got to do my dishes, grade a little and pack for a long weekend in Rome.\n\nSure, I am not going to Rome until Friday but I\'ve got book club tomorrow night so it will be a long day for me. A really long day in fact. These things happen though and there\'s not much that I can do about it.\n\nOh and I am definitely not complaining about going to Rome for four days. I jus','My Week ','','inherit','open','open','','5758-revision','','','2011-10-26 20:46:42','2011-10-26 18:46:42','',5758,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/26/5758-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5760,1,'2011-10-26 20:48:42','2011-10-26 18:48:42','Phew. My week is in the process of catching up with me. It\'s Wednesday night and I am tired. I had big plans to write a post about my most recent adventure: <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">the new sweet shop in Mladost 1A</a>. But as much as I want to, it\'s not going to happen.\n\nI\'ve got to do my dishes, grade a little and pack for a long weekend in Rome.\n\nSure, I am not going to Rome until Friday but I\'ve got book club tomorrow night so it will be a long day for me. A really long day in fact. These things happen though and there\'s not much that I can do about it.\n\nOh and I am definitely not complaining about going to Rome for four days. I just can\'t believe that I am going Friday after school. Where did this whole month go?!\n\nAnyhow, I hope that everyone is having a great week!!','My Week ','','inherit','open','open','','5758-autosave','','','2011-10-26 20:48:42','2011-10-26 18:48:42','',5758,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/26/5758-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5762,1,'2011-10-27 21:49:32','2011-10-27 19:49:32','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\n\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a> The amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. For those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up in my mind this baba gets a gold star.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-revision','','','2011-10-27 21:49:32','2011-10-27 19:49:32','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5763,1,'2011-10-27 21:50:31','2011-10-27 19:50:31','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\n\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. For those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up in my mind this baba gets a gold star.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-revision-2','','','2011-10-27 21:50:31','2011-10-27 19:50:31','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5764,1,'2011-10-27 21:55:17','2011-10-27 19:55:17','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\r\n\r\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. Only I forgot about them. So I forgot to take them out of my bag and when I got to school the next day I had a bag of cookies in my purse. A bag of cookies!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"375\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286991728/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/6286991728_859cb33036.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBest surprise <em>ever</em>.\r\n\r\nFor those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up in my mind this baba gets a gold star.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-revision-3','','','2011-10-27 21:55:17','2011-10-27 19:55:17','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5765,1,'2011-10-27 21:55:25','2011-10-27 19:55:25','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\r\n\r\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. Only I forgot about them. So I forgot to take them out of my bag and when I got to school the next day I had a bag of cookies in my purse. A bag of cookies!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"375\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286991728/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/6286991728_859cb33036.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBest surprise <em>ever</em>.\r\n\r\nFor those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up in my mind this baba gets a gold star.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-revision-4','','','2011-10-27 21:55:25','2011-10-27 19:55:25','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5766,1,'2011-10-27 22:11:28','2011-10-27 20:11:28','Great things are happening in Mladost 1A. I don\'t want to make you insanely jealous but it\'s true. On one end of Mladost 1A we\'re getting our own metro stop and at the other end we have a new sweet shop.  (Not to mention the sex shop that opened in my building this past year, the lock shop across the street and the really questionable looking casinos we have.)\n\nBasically, it boils down to this: I am going to have to make an I heart Mladost 1A t-shirt soon. Watch out Mladost 1. <em>Watch out.</em>\n\n<em></em>(Or maybe I can outsource this to one of my readers who has more time on his or her hands and for the record if you\'re imagining this t-shirt long with me it\'s important the t-shirt font be <strong></strong>)<em>\n</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\n\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. Only I forgot about them. So I forgot to take them out of my bag and when I got to school the next day I had a bag of cookies in my purse. A bag of cookies!!\n\nBest surprise <em>ever</em>. There\'s really nothing like finding a bag of cookies in your purse at 7:30 am when you\'re trying to dig out all of the homework you graded the night before.\n\nFor those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up but in my mind this baba gets a gold star. They are really the perfect mix of crispy and chewy while not being too sweet.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-revision-5','','','2011-10-27 22:11:28','2011-10-27 20:11:28','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5767,1,'2011-10-27 22:13:23','2011-10-27 20:13:23','Great things are happening in Mladost 1A. I don\'t want to make you insanely jealous but it\'s true. On one end of Mladost 1A we\'re getting our own metro stop and at the other end we have a new sweet shop.  (Not to mention the sex shop that opened in my building this past year, the lock shop across the street and the really questionable looking casinos we have.)\n\nBasically, it boils down to this: I am going to have to make an I heart Mladost 1A t-shirt soon. Watch out Mladost 1. <em>Watch out.</em>\n\n<em></em>(Or maybe I can outsource this to one of my readers who has more time on his or her hands and for the record if you\'re imagining this t-shirt long with me it\'s important the t-shirt font be <strong></strong>sans-serif.)<em>\n</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986188/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6286986188_434ed43542.jpg\" alt=\"The Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s been a month or more so since I posted about about the new <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop/\" target=\"_blank\">Sweet Shop opening in my neighborhood in Mladost 1A</a>. I\'ve driven by it countless times, I\'ve peered in the windows, I\'ve talked about going but until this week I hadn\'t managed to actually step foot  inside.  So I am happy to report that I finally made it!!<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cake and alcohol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake and alcohol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286468887/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6228/6286468887_b45c8585ed.jpg\" alt=\"Cake and alcohol\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe сладкарница is clean and it feels very modern inside. For a shop that seems to be selling nostalgia it feels a little too nice and modern but it\'s not like I want to go to a run-down hole-in-the-wall sweet shop either. The interior is tasteful without being too much. I think the one draw back is that it feels colder than cozy. I am not talking temperature--rather the decor comes off as cold as opposed to warm and inviting. This however seems to be a trend in much Bulgarian interior design.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Homemade Sweet Shop Menu\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286986894/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6095/6286986894_b2b7c98846.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade Sweet Shop menu\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the best parts of the shop is the display case of cake on the right-hand side of the shop and the bar/wall of alcohol on the left-hand side of the shop. I in no way shape or form expected this. The sweet shops I grew up with in the States only catered to a sweet-tooth.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286470101/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6240/6286470101_6c6f907e9b.jpg\" alt=\"Cakes\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI ended up having a coffee and a slice of cake. It was good. The coffee was pretty standard. Drinkable but nothing to really write home about. The cake was tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Bulgarian Cake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286471623/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6226/6286471623_a7bffe634d.jpg\" alt=\"Cake\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t really know if it was a 70\'s or 80\'s dessert. First of all, I can\'t remember the name of the cake I picked (maybe it had a girl\'s name) and second of all, the shop was also selling tiramisu and rice pudding--two dishes that don\'t scream 80\'s dessert to me.\n\nOf course the big problem is that I don\'t really which desserts are \"traditional\" 70\'s or 80\'s desserts making it hard for me to judge the authenticity of the sweet shop. What do I know? The slice of cake that I had was good and I\'ll go back.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Cookies with loukoum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Cookies with loukoum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6286472563/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6237/6286472563_d3942e6238.jpg\" alt=\"Cookies with loukoum\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe amazing part of the trip? The cookies. I ended up buying some little bite-sized cookies with loukoum baked into them. Only I forgot about them. So I forgot to take them out of my bag and when I got to school the next day I had a bag of cookies in my purse. A bag of cookies!!\n\nBest surprise <em>ever</em>. There\'s really nothing like finding a bag of cookies in your purse at 7:30 am when you\'re trying to dig out all of the homework you graded the night before.\n\nFor those of you not in the know loukoum is basically Turkish Delight. These cookies were so good. They were flaky and buttery on the outside with a chewy bite of loukoum baked inside.  I don\'t know who thought these cookies up but in my mind this baba gets a gold star. They are really the perfect mix of crispy and chewy while not being too sweet.','My Neighborhood Sladkarnitsa! ','','inherit','open','open','','5761-autosave','','','2011-10-27 22:13:23','2011-10-27 20:13:23','',5761,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/27/5761-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5768,1,'2011-10-28 14:06:03','2011-10-28 12:06:03','After school today, I am flying to Rome for a Roman Holiday.\r\n\r\nEvents conspired and I got lucky enough to find a good flight and to have a four-day weekend at the same time. So Rome, here I come.\r\n\r\nI\'ll be back to blogging again sometime on Tuesday evening. Wishing you a wonderful weekend wherever you may be.','A Roman Holiday!!','','publish','open','open','','a-roman-holiday','','','2011-10-28 14:06:03','2011-10-28 12:06:03','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5768',0,'post','',0),(5769,1,'2011-10-28 05:36:04','2011-10-28 03:36:04','','A Roman Holiday?! ','','inherit','open','open','','5768-revision','','','2011-10-28 05:36:04','2011-10-28 03:36:04','',5768,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/28/5768-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5770,1,'2011-10-28 14:05:08','2011-10-28 12:05:08','After school today, I am flying to Rome for a Roman Holiday. Events conspired and I got lucky enough to find a good flight and to have a four-day weekend at the same time. So Rome, here I come.\n\nI\'ll be bac','A Roman Holiday!!','','inherit','open','open','','5768-revision-2','','','2011-10-28 14:05:08','2011-10-28 12:05:08','',5768,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/28/5768-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5771,1,'2011-10-28 14:07:09','2011-10-28 12:07:09','After school today, I am flying to Rome for a Roman Holiday.\n\nEvents conspired and I got lucky enough to find a good flight and to have a four-day weekend at the same time. So Rome, here I come.\n\nI\'ll be back to blogging again sometime on Tuesday evening. Wishing you a wonderful weekend wherever you may be.','A Roman Holiday!!','','inherit','open','open','','5768-autosave','','','2011-10-28 14:07:09','2011-10-28 12:07:09','',5768,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/28/5768-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5773,1,'2011-11-01 21:57:23','2011-11-01 19:57:23','I am back from my Roman Holiday!\n\nIt\'s wonderful to be back. The thing about travel is that you\'re reminded about how big the world is. What you like about traveling and what you like about being home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0415\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303641176/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6303641176_a5e2e7f02b_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0415\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love to see new places, to eat new food and to get a little lost. I like exploring, wandering and walking around. I did plenty of this over the last few days. Rome is a great place for such things and as such, I felt like I had to go back.\n\nYep, if you\'re a loyal reader or my MoM you may remember that I went to Rome two years ago. I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/07/roaming-in-rome/\" target=\"_blank\">Roaming in Rome</a> (I was apparently too busy to post any pictures to that post) and <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/10/rome-wine-and-pannini/\" target=\"_blank\">my love of wine and pannini</a> but apparently I couldn\'t be bothered to actually write about what I actually <em>did</em> in Rome.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon from the front\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0421\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303123277/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6303123277_ae3810d10a_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0421\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDon\'t worry this time it\'ll be different only I\'ll have to spread it out over a few posts because well, I\'ve got to go to go to school tomorrow. Funny how that works. Work. Holiday. Work.\n\nSo back to Rome. The weather was unreal. It was sunny and in the 70s most days. This is fall at it\'s best. Cool in the mornings, long afternoons and nice enough to eat dinner outside near a heat lamp.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0425\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303130705/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6303130705_dc7b4fa62d_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0425\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nMy friend and colleague A. went to Rome with me. We had a grand time. Basically our schedule was this: wake up, get ready, go walking/exploring/shopping, make time for sight seeing, scrounge up some lunch/ a snack/ a gelato, later sneak in a nap and then find dinner.','Back from Rome ','','inherit','open','open','','5772-revision','','','2011-11-01 21:57:23','2011-11-01 19:57:23','',5772,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/01/5772-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5774,1,'2011-11-01 21:58:23','2011-11-01 19:58:23','I am back from my Roman Holiday!\n\nIt\'s wonderful to be back. The thing about travel is that you\'re reminded about how big the world is. What you like about traveling and what you like about being home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0415\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303641176/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6303641176_a5e2e7f02b_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0415\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love to see new places, to eat new food and to get a little lost. I like exploring, wandering and walking around. I did plenty of this over the last few days. Rome is a great place for such things and as such, I felt like I had to go back.\n\nYep, if you\'re a loyal reader or my MoM you may remember that I went to Rome two years ago. I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/07/roaming-in-rome/\" target=\"_blank\">Roaming in Rome</a> (I was apparently too busy to post any pictures to that post) and <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/10/rome-wine-and-pannini/\" target=\"_blank\">my love of wine and pannini</a> but apparently I couldn\'t be bothered to actually write about what I actually <em>did</em> in Rome.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon from the front\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0421\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303123277/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6303123277_ae3810d10a_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0421\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDon\'t worry this time it\'ll be different only I\'ll have to spread it out over a few posts because well, I\'ve got to go to go to school tomorrow. Funny how that works. Work. Holiday. Work.\n\nSo back to Rome. The weather was unreal. It was sunny and in the 70s most days. This is fall at it\'s best. Cool in the mornings, long afternoons and nice enough to eat dinner outside near a heat lamp.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon and People\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0425\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303130705/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6303130705_dc7b4fa62d_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0425\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy friend and colleague A. went to Rome with me. We had a grand time. Basically our schedule was this: wake up, get ready, go walking/exploring/shopping, make time for sight seeing, scrounge up some lunch/ a snack/ a gelato, later sneak in a nap and then find dinner.','Back from Rome ','','inherit','open','open','','5772-revision-2','','','2011-11-01 21:58:23','2011-11-01 19:58:23','',5772,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/01/5772-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5775,1,'2011-11-01 22:00:56','2011-11-01 20:00:56','I am back from my Roman Holiday!\n\nIt\'s wonderful to be back. The thing about travel is that you\'re reminded about how big the world is. What you like about traveling and what you like about being home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0415\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303641176/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6303641176_a5e2e7f02b_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0415\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI love to see new places, to eat new food and to get a little lost. I like exploring, wandering and walking around. I did plenty of this over the last few days. Rome is a great place for such things and as such, I felt like I had to go back.  <!--more-->\n\nYep, if you\'re a loyal reader or my MoM you may remember that I went to Rome two years ago. I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/07/roaming-in-rome/\" target=\"_blank\">Roaming in Rome</a> (I was apparently too busy to post any pictures to that post) and <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/02/10/rome-wine-and-pannini/\" target=\"_blank\">my love of wine and pannini</a> but apparently I couldn\'t be bothered to actually write about what I actually <em>did</em> in Rome.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon from the front\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0421\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303123277/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6099/6303123277_ae3810d10a_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0421\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nDon\'t worry this time it\'ll be different only I\'ll have to spread it out over a few posts because well, I\'ve got to go to go to school tomorrow. Funny how that works. Work. Holiday. Work.\n\nSo back to Rome. The weather was unreal. It was sunny and in the 70s most days. This is fall at it\'s best. Cool in the mornings, long afternoons and nice enough to eat dinner outside near a heat lamp.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Pantheon and People\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"IMG_0425\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303130705/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6111/6303130705_dc7b4fa62d_b.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0425\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy friend and colleague A. went to Rome with me. We had a grand time. Basically our schedule was this: wake up, get ready, go walking/exploring/shopping, make time for sight seeing, scrounge up some lunch/ a snack/ a gelato, later sneak in a nap and then find dinner.\n\nHere are a few photos of the Pantheon until I have time to post more tomorrow!!','Back from Rome ','','inherit','open','open','','5772-autosave','','','2011-11-01 22:00:56','2011-11-01 20:00:56','',5772,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/01/5772-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5777,1,'2011-11-02 21:36:26','2011-11-02 19:36:26','Rome is a crazy city. There are people everywhere. It\'s loud. Everyone seems to have a camera or a baby-stroller and one gets the impression that it\'s impossible to escape from tourists. So you might as well join them!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306312119/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6118/6306312119_6f3b78c999_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOh and did I mention that Rome has tons of crazy traffic?! The streets are narrow. Sidewalks often don\'t exist and people wizz by in cars, scooters and bicycles.\r\n\r\nIt\'s intense and makes me want to take up riding a scooter.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bikes and more Bikes: close up\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303827556/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6303827556_9f2649ff99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt\'s also kind of unsettling.\r\n\r\nI knew I needed to get out of the way but I didn\'t always know where to go. The surprising thing? Well that was the fact that cars stop for pedestrians at corners and crosswalks. Often they stop if you even look like you want to cross the street but sometimes you just have to walk out into the street and wait for cars to stop for you. <em>Ag</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tree lined streets of Rome\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tree lined streets\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306140235/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6306140235_d5235ddd31_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tree lined streets\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nLuckily we were staying in a hotel near the Pantheon and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.\r\n\r\nOn our first full day, we went on a walking tour of our greater neighborhood then we went to the Jewish Quarter, crossed a bridge and wandered into Trastevere. We had a late afternoon nap and then went on a night walking tour. The city is beautiful by day and by night. Then we strolled back to the greater Piazza Navona area for dinner.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306851060/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/6306851060_0b729ec597_b.jpg\" alt=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThere\'s something really nice about a city that encourages walking and not the crazy city walking of New York or Washington DC. The go, go, go walking. Walking with a purpose. Walking that gets you somewhere. In Rome you can engage in walking that lets you enjoy your surrounding, the night (or day), the sights and maybe even the galeto. It\'s walking at it\'s best: walking that slows you down rather than speeds you up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306858948/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6306858948_a5b3817785_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRome this past weekend was a whirlwind. But a pretty amazing whirlwind.  Oh and I took tons of photos. I\'m in the process of uploading them to flickr. It\'s just slow because apparently I am supposed to <em>work</em> after going on holiday. Funny how that works.','Rome on Foot','','publish','open','open','','rome-on-foot','','','2011-11-02 21:36:26','2011-11-02 19:36:26','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5777',0,'post','',0),(5778,1,'2011-11-02 21:36:19','2011-11-02 19:36:19','Rome is a crazy city. There are people everywhere. It\'s loud. Everyone seems to have a camera or a baby-stroller and one gets the impression that it\'s impossible to escape from tourists. So you might as well join them!!\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306312119/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6118/6306312119_6f3b78c999_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOh and did I mention that Rome has tons of crazy traffic?! The streets are narrow. Sidewalks often don\'t exist and people wizz by in cars, scooters and bicycles.\n\nIt\'s intense and makes me want to take up riding a scooter.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bikes and more Bikes: close up\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303827556/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6303827556_9f2649ff99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s also kind of unsettling.\n\nI knew I needed to get out of the way but I didn\'t always know where to go. The surprising thing? Well that was the fact that cars stop for pedestrians at corners and crosswalks. Often they stop if you even look like you want to cross the street but sometimes you just have to walk out into the street and wait for cars to stop for you. <em>Ag</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tree lined streets of Rome\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tree lined streets\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306140235/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6306140235_d5235ddd31_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tree lined streets\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nLuckily we were staying in a hotel near the Pantheon and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.\n\nOn our first full day, we went on a walking tour of our greater neighborhood then we went to the Jewish Quarter, crossed a bridge and wandered into Trastevere. We had a late afternoon nap and then went on a night walking tour. The city is beautiful by day and by night. Then we strolled back to the greater Piazza Navona area for dinner.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306851060/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/6306851060_0b729ec597_b.jpg\" alt=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThere\'s something really nice about a city that encourages walking and not the crazy city walking of New York or Washington DC. The go, go, go walking. Walking with a purpose. Walking that gets you somewhere. In Rome you can engage in walking that lets you enjoy your surrounding, the night (or day), the sights and maybe even the galeto. It\'s walking at it\'s best: walking that slows you down rather than speeds you up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306858948/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6306858948_a5b3817785_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nRome this past weekend was a whirlwind. But a pretty amazing whirlwind.  Oh and I took tons of photos. I\'m in the process of uploading them to flickr. It\'s just slow because apparently I am supposed to <em>work</em> after going on holiday. Funny how that works.','Rome on Foot','','inherit','open','open','','5777-revision','','','2011-11-02 21:36:19','2011-11-02 19:36:19','',5777,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/02/5777-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5779,1,'2011-11-02 21:37:32','2011-11-02 19:37:32','Rome is a crazy city. There are people everywhere. It\'s loud. Everyone seems to have a camera or a baby-stroller and one gets the impression that it\'s impossible to escape from tourists. So you might as well join them!!\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306312119/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6118/6306312119_6f3b78c999_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me at the Fontana di Trevi\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOh and did I mention that Rome has tons of crazy traffic?! The streets are narrow. Sidewalks often don\'t exist and people wizz by in cars, scooters and bicycles.\n\nIt\'s intense and makes me want to take up riding a scooter.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bikes and more Bikes: close up\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303827556/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6303827556_9f2649ff99_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bikes and Bikes: close up\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt\'s also kind of unsettling.\n\nI knew I needed to get out of the way but I didn\'t always know where to go. The surprising thing? Well that was the fact that cars stop for pedestrians at corners and crosswalks. Often they stop if you even look like you want to cross the street but sometimes you just have to walk out into the street and wait for cars to stop for you. <em>Ag</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tree lined streets of Rome\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tree lined streets\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306140235/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6306140235_d5235ddd31_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tree lined streets\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nLuckily we were staying in a hotel near the Pantheon and we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.\n\nOn our first full day, we went on a walking tour of our greater neighborhood then we went to the Jewish Quarter, crossed a bridge and wandered into Trastevere. We had a late afternoon nap and then went on a night walking tour. The city is beautiful by day and by night. Then we strolled back to the greater Piazza Navona area for dinner.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306851060/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6053/6306851060_0b729ec597_b.jpg\" alt=\"Our feet on the Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThere\'s something really nice about a city that encourages walking and not the crazy city walking of New York or Washington DC. The go, go, go walking. Walking with a purpose. Walking that gets you somewhere. In Rome you can engage in walking that lets you enjoy your surrounding, the night (or day), the sights and maybe even the galeto. It\'s walking at it\'s best: walking that slows you down rather than speeds you up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Spanish Stairs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Spanish Stairs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306858948/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6306858948_a5b3817785_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Spanish Stairs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nRome this past weekend was a whirlwind. But a pretty amazing whirlwind.  Oh and I took tons of photos. I\'m in the process of uploading them to flickr. It\'s just slow because apparently I am supposed to <em>work</em> after going on holiday. Funny how that works.','Rome on Foot','','inherit','open','open','','5777-autosave','','','2011-11-02 21:37:32','2011-11-02 19:37:32','',5777,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/02/5777-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5780,1,'2011-11-03 19:26:03','2011-11-03 17:26:03','Rome was delicious.\r\n\r\nBetween pasta, pizza, gelato and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Gelato: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\r\n\r\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home (and that\'s saying something).\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306699198/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6306699198_c66432dfb0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio gelato and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\r\n\r\nThese things happen sometimes. Without warning I turned into the cookie monster and devoured the two cookies I bought without even thinking: hey, I should take a photo.  But as <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">my flickr feed demonstrates</a>, I did manage to take a lot of photos in three days.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303254691/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6303254691_f83241f986_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pizza production\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pizza production\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303267235/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/6303267235_35478f94b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pizza production\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\r\n\r\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Baby tomato pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Baby tomato pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303254179/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6052/6303254179_4290c105a7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Baby tomato pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Trattoria here\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Trattoria here\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309771156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6309771156_c0f57a1b2a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Trattoria here\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center.\r\n\r\nThe restaurant was about four minutes from the Pantheon and called Osteria del Sostegno. I think it was one of the best meals that I had. The food was excellent, the location unbelievable while still feeling tucked away and a little bit like a secret. The best kind of secret. The one you know and others don\'t.\r\n\r\nI had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad, a simple pasta dish and some house wine.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bruschetta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bruschetta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309764146/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6309764146_009004f14c_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bruschetta\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"House wine\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"House wine\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309759206/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6309759206_259c9ec4e4_b.jpg\" alt=\"House wine\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple.\r\n\r\nSimple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Little pasta sample of A.&#39;s pasta (she got one of mine, too)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Little pasta sample\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309769044/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6309769044_30dc233105_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little pasta sample\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\r\n\r\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Fall flowers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Fall flowers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303278541/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6303278541_4234c00469_b.jpg\" alt=\"Fall flowers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\r\n\r\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','publish','open','open','','eating-rome','','','2011-11-03 19:26:03','2011-11-03 17:26:03','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5780',0,'post','',3),(5781,1,'2011-11-03 18:56:24','2011-11-03 16:56:24','Rome was delicious.\n\nBetween pasta, pizza, galeto and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\n\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home.\n\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio galeto and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\n\nYep, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\n\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center. I had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad and a simple pasta dish.\n\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple. Simple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\n\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\n\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\n\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\n\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','inherit','open','open','','5780-revision','','','2011-11-03 18:56:24','2011-11-03 16:56:24','',5780,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/03/5780-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5782,1,'2011-11-03 19:01:51','2011-11-03 17:01:51','Rome was delicious.\n\nBetween pasta, pizza, galeto and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\n\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306699198/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6306699198_c66432dfb0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio galeto and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\n\nYep, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\n\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center. I had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad and a simple pasta dish.\n\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple. Simple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\n\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\n\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Fall flowers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Fall flowers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303278541/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6303278541_4234c00469_b.jpg\" alt=\"Fall flowers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\n\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','inherit','open','open','','5780-revision-2','','','2011-11-03 19:01:51','2011-11-03 17:01:51','',5780,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/03/5780-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5784,1,'2011-11-03 19:03:16','2011-11-03 17:03:16','Rome was delicious.\n\nBetween pasta, pizza, galeto and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\n\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306699198/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6306699198_c66432dfb0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio galeto and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\n\nYep, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\n\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center. I had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad and a simple pasta dish.\n\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple. Simple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\n\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\n\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Fall flowers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Fall flowers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303278541/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6303278541_4234c00469_b.jpg\" alt=\"Fall flowers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\n\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','inherit','open','open','','5780-revision-4','','','2011-11-03 19:03:16','2011-11-03 17:03:16','',5780,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/03/5780-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5783,1,'2011-11-03 19:02:13','2011-11-03 17:02:13','Rome was delicious.\r\n\r\nBetween pasta, pizza, galeto and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\r\n\r\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306699198/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6306699198_c66432dfb0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio galeto and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\r\n\r\nYep, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\r\n\r\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center. I had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad and a simple pasta dish.\r\n\r\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple. Simple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\r\n\r\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\r\n\r\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Fall flowers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Fall flowers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303278541/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6303278541_4234c00469_b.jpg\" alt=\"Fall flowers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\r\n\r\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','inherit','open','open','','5780-revision-3','','','2011-11-03 19:02:13','2011-11-03 17:02:13','',5780,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/03/5780-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5785,1,'2011-11-03 19:18:11','2011-11-03 17:18:11','Rome was delicious.\n\nBetween pasta, pizza, gelato and pannini what\'s a girl to do?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Gelato: Oh &amp; I&#39;m in the mirror\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306182875/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6306182875_597bf895a9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Chocolate Orange and Raspbery Galeto : I am in the mirror\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI had some fantastic wine and coffee and I ate and ate.\n\nI ate some really great food in Rome this past weekend. So great I feel inspired to try out some new dishes at home.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6306699198/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6100/6306699198_c66432dfb0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee, coffee, coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOh and it turns out I love all things pistachio including but not limited to pistachio gelato and green pistachio cookies. Too bad I ate the cookies so quickly that I forgot to document them.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303254691/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6054/6303254691_f83241f986_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pizza shop in Campo de Fiori\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pizza production\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pizza production\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303267235/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6032/6303267235_35478f94b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pizza production\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYep, I managed not to get pictures of all of it. Even if my friend A. thinks that all I did was take pictures of my food rather than eat it. Really, what\'s the point of having a digital camera and a blog if not to write about the food you\'ve made/eaten/or otherwise enjoyed?\n\nWell there are probably a few other things but that\'s beside the point. My point is this: Rome is a good city to eat in.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Zucchini Flower Pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303784696/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6303784696_06991c42a3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Zucchini  Flower Pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Baby tomato pizza\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Baby tomato pizza\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303254179/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6052/6303254179_4290c105a7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Baby tomato pizza\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe had some of the best street pizza ever in Campo de Fiori. I ate a slice with zucchini, zucchini flowers and probably anchovy paste. This pizza was incredibly flavorful not to mention colorful. The pizza shop is on the main square and sprawling in front of the shop is a flower and vegetable market. The market had a huge selection of fruits and veggies including artichokes, pumpkin, tomatoes and ranger of other fall veggies.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artichokes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artichokes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303812574/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6213/6303812574_89213e33e7_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artichokes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Trattoria here\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Trattoria here\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309771156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6309771156_c0f57a1b2a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Trattoria here\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAmong other places we ate a hole in the wall restaurant recommended to us by friends. The food was good and cheep. Well, for Rome in the city center. I had an artichoke, avocado and parmesan salad and a simple pasta dish.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bruschetta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bruschetta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309764146/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6309764146_009004f14c_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bruschetta\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"House wine\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"House wine\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309759206/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6033/6309759206_259c9ec4e4_b.jpg\" alt=\"House wine\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt every meal I was reminded of one thing: great food can be simple. Simple food well made and with fresh ingredients trumps many fancy fusion-style dishes that are currently popular. There\'s something to be said for a dish with pasta, cheese and pepper or for a salad with greens, parmesan and walnuts. The flavors standout.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Little pasta sample of A.&#39;s pasta (she got one of mine, too)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Little pasta sample\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309769044/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6236/6309769044_30dc233105_b.jpg\" alt=\"Little pasta sample\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt made me think a lot about the kind of cooking I do at home. Often I want something quick, easy and simple. So I throw a a bunch of vegetables together in a pan and hope for the best. Sometimes this works for me. Sometimes it doesn\'t. I don\'t know why I\'ve felt that this is the best way to go because in reality it often means that the \"dish\" takes on the flavor of the strongest ingredient.\n\nThe food experience made me think I\'d be better served focusing on one or two great flavors and textures rather than my jumble of whatever I happen to have on hand. I mean really why not cook a few really great things together than everything in your fridge?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Orange pumpkin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Orange pumpkin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303280155/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6092/6303280155_4db62ff69d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Orange pumpkin\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nA careful selection of fresh, flavorful ingredients shifts the focus and seems to let the food speak for itself. It seems to take less work and less worry. It\'s also mighty tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Fall flowers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Fall flowers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303278541/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6091/6303278541_4234c00469_b.jpg\" alt=\"Fall flowers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy new rule of thumb? 5 ingredients or fewer. So far so good.\n\nTurns out traveling is not only fun but you can learn something too. <em>Who knew?</em>','Eating Rome','','inherit','open','open','','5780-revision-5','','','2011-11-03 19:18:11','2011-11-03 17:18:11','',5780,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/03/5780-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5787,1,'2011-11-04 06:57:52','2011-11-04 04:57:52','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303212439/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6211/6303212439_0fd93bbb1e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI think that part of the magic of traveling is seeing something new and doing something different. On vacation we can be whoever we want (or imagine) ourselves to be.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309479289/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6309479289_890513854e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt home it\'s just us in our messy-mixed up lives. We work, we clean, we hang out with friends, we run errands and we pay bills.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me, lots of people and the Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309979362/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6309979362_e04cee9dbb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIf it wasn\'t already clear to you, I had a really great time in Rome. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. So for the last couple of days I\'ve been thinking about why this is.  I think it boils down to this:<!--more-->\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome gave me a chance to relax and not think about work.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome reminded me how much I like to get out and explore. How much I like discovering something new.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome got me excited about food (and wine) again.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome provided an opportunity for me to be silly and playful.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe thing is the parameters of a holiday are such that they inherently provide many of these benefits. So now that I\'m back in Sofia and swamped with work, life and commitments, I can\'t help but wonder: how can I work some of these benefits into my day-to-day life?\r\n\r\nSo I made some decisions.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Build one night a week into my routine without homework. Leave work at work and just have a night to myself.</li>\r\n	<li>Get my camera out, a comfortable pair of shoes and go exploring for the sake of exploring in Sofia. Look for interesting things I didn\'t know existed rather than going somewhere with a purpose.</li>\r\n	<li>Cook simple wonderful food. Five ingredients or less and pair it with good but inexpensive wine.</li>\r\n	<li>Say yes more often to invitations and have fun doing it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSofia may not have the Pantheon or the Colosseum but so what?! I can best parts of this experience and apply it to my life in Sofia.','A Little Rome in Sofia ','','publish','open','open','','a-little-rome-in-sofia','','','2011-11-04 06:57:52','2011-11-04 04:57:52','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5787',0,'post','',0),(5788,1,'2011-11-04 06:54:31','2011-11-04 04:54:31','\n\nI think that part of the magic of traveling is seeing something new and doing something different. On vacation we can be whoever we want (or imagine) ourselves to be.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me, lots of people and the Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309979362/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6309979362_e04cee9dbb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt home it\'s just us in our messy-mixed up lives. We work, we clean, we hang out with friends, we run errands and we pay bills.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309479289/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6309479289_890513854e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\nIf it wasn\'t already clear to you, I had a really great time in Rome. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. So for the last couple of days I\'ve been thinking about why this is.  I think it boils down to this:\n<ul>\n	<li>Being in Rome gave me a chance to relax and not think about work.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome reminded me how much I like to get out and explore. How much I like discovering something new.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome got me excited about food (and wine) again.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome provided an opportunity for me to be silly and playful.</li>\n</ul>\nThe thing is the parameters of a holiday are such that they inherently provide many of these benefits. So now that I\'m back in Sofia and swamped with work, life and commitments, I can\'t help but wonder: how can I work some of these benefits into my day-to-day life?\n\nSo I made some decisions.\n<ul>\n	<li>Build one night a week into my routine without homework. Leave work at work and just have a night to myself.</li>\n	<li>Get my camera out, a comfortable pair of shoes and go exploring for the sake of exploring in Sofia. Look for interesting things I didn\'t know existed rather than going somewhere with a purpose.</li>\n	<li>Cook simple wonderful food. Five ingredients or less and pair it with good but inexpensive wine.</li>\n	<li>Say yes more often to invitations and have fun doing it.</li>\n</ul>\nSofia may not have the Pantheon or the Colosseum but so what?! I can best parts of this experience and apply it to my life in Sofia.','A Little Rome in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5787-revision','','','2011-11-04 06:54:31','2011-11-04 04:54:31','',5787,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/04/5787-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5789,1,'2011-11-04 06:55:43','2011-11-04 04:55:43','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303212439/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6211/6303212439_0fd93bbb1e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI think that part of the magic of traveling is seeing something new and doing something different. On vacation we can be whoever we want (or imagine) ourselves to be.\n\n\nAt home it\'s just us in our messy-mixed up lives. We work, we clean, we hang out with friends, we run errands and we pay bills.\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me, lots of people and the Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309979362/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6309979362_e04cee9dbb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309479289/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6309479289_890513854e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIf it wasn\'t already clear to you, I had a really great time in Rome. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. So for the last couple of days I\'ve been thinking about why this is.  I think it boils down to this:\n<ul>\n	<li>Being in Rome gave me a chance to relax and not think about work.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome reminded me how much I like to get out and explore. How much I like discovering something new.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome got me excited about food (and wine) again.</li>\n	<li>Being in Rome provided an opportunity for me to be silly and playful.</li>\n</ul>\nThe thing is the parameters of a holiday are such that they inherently provide many of these benefits. So now that I\'m back in Sofia and swamped with work, life and commitments, I can\'t help but wonder: how can I work some of these benefits into my day-to-day life?\n\nSo I made some decisions.\n<ul>\n	<li>Build one night a week into my routine without homework. Leave work at work and just have a night to myself.</li>\n	<li>Get my camera out, a comfortable pair of shoes and go exploring for the sake of exploring in Sofia. Look for interesting things I didn\'t know existed rather than going somewhere with a purpose.</li>\n	<li>Cook simple wonderful food. Five ingredients or less and pair it with good but inexpensive wine.</li>\n	<li>Say yes more often to invitations and have fun doing it.</li>\n</ul>\nSofia may not have the Pantheon or the Colosseum but so what?! I can best parts of this experience and apply it to my life in Sofia.','A Little Rome in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5787-revision-2','','','2011-11-04 06:55:43','2011-11-04 04:55:43','',5787,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/04/5787-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5790,1,'2011-11-04 06:56:30','2011-11-04 04:56:30','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6303212439/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6211/6303212439_0fd93bbb1e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in the Piazza Navona\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI think that part of the magic of traveling is seeing something new and doing something different. On vacation we can be whoever we want (or imagine) ourselves to be.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309479289/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6309479289_890513854e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me in front of The Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt home it\'s just us in our messy-mixed up lives. We work, we clean, we hang out with friends, we run errands and we pay bills.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me, lots of people and the Colosseum\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6309979362/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6093/6309979362_e04cee9dbb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me, people and the Colosseum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIf it wasn\'t already clear to you, I had a really great time in Rome. It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. So for the last couple of days I\'ve been thinking about why this is.  I think it boils down to this:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome gave me a chance to relax and not think about work.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome reminded me how much I like to get out and explore. How much I like discovering something new.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome got me excited about food (and wine) again.</li>\r\n	<li>Being in Rome provided an opportunity for me to be silly and playful.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nThe thing is the parameters of a holiday are such that they inherently provide many of these benefits. So now that I\'m back in Sofia and swamped with work, life and commitments, I can\'t help but wonder: how can I work some of these benefits into my day-to-day life?\r\n\r\nSo I made some decisions.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Build one night a week into my routine without homework. Leave work at work and just have a night to myself.</li>\r\n	<li>Get my camera out, a comfortable pair of shoes and go exploring for the sake of exploring in Sofia. Look for interesting things I didn\'t know existed rather than going somewhere with a purpose.</li>\r\n	<li>Cook simple wonderful food. Five ingredients or less and pair it with good but inexpensive wine.</li>\r\n	<li>Say yes more often to invitations and have fun doing it.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSofia may not have the Pantheon or the Colosseum but so what?! I can best parts of this experience and apply it to my life in Sofia.','A Little Rome in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5787-revision-3','','','2011-11-04 06:56:30','2011-11-04 04:56:30','',5787,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/04/5787-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5791,1,'2011-11-05 17:30:29','2011-11-05 15:30:29','This is my last post about Rome for a while... I might have one more in me but I am getting kind of tired of writing about Rome. It was <em>so</em> last weekend.\r\n\r\nOn our last full day in Rome, A. and I decided to go to the Vatican and see the Sistine Chapel. After that we hit-up St. Peter\'s Basilica. We figured that there would be plenty of tourists doing the same thing as us. Only we had no idea just how many people would be.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"St Peter&#39;s at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Vatican\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6314666100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6314666100_efeae33ff2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Vatican\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWhen we got to the Vatican museum which also houses the Sistine Chapel, there was a line around the block. We stood in this line for 40 minutes. That\'s a long time to stand in line just waiting and waiting. The museum is big (and not cheap). Given the line we stood in, once in it was as if the museum was crawling with people.  Not fun. Un-fun actually. I am not sure if there was a better plan. Maybe we should have gone earlier in the day. Maybe we should have gone later in the day. Or maybe just maybe we should have gone in the middle of winter when I can only imagine there are fewer tourists.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, even with people everywhere, it was worth it. <!--more-->The Sistine Chapel is awesome. And I don\'t mean: hey, awesome t-shirt man. Awesome. No I mean: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration. <em>Awesome</em>. The size and scale of the project makes it hard to imagine that Michelangelo painted the majority of the space himself in something like four years. The man had a way with paint. The colors, the figures, the feeling the space evokes isn\'t like anything else I\'ve ever seen. It\'s hard to believe that Michelangelo didn\'t really consider himself a painter before this project.\r\n\r\nThen to go from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter\'s Basilica is a pretty wild. While in the chapel, it seems large especially when you\'re craning your head backwards trying to take the whole thing in. Of course, St Peter\'s dwarfs the Sistine Chapel but you don\'t really get a sense of this until you\'re walking through the giant cathedral--it\'s apparently boasts the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.\r\n\r\nInterestingly both the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel make you feel small. The first, well, because physically you are small and the latter because it seems nearly impossible to imagine, create and execute a project like that.  Maybe Goethe puts it best when he writes: \"Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.\"','The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel ','','publish','open','open','','the-vatican-and-the-sistine-chapel','','','2011-11-05 17:30:29','2011-11-05 15:30:29','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5791',0,'post','',2),(5792,1,'2011-11-05 17:13:14','2011-11-05 15:13:14','This is my last post about Rome for a while... I might have one more in me but I am getting kind of tired of writing about Rome. It was <em>so</em> last weekend.\n\nOn our last full day in Rome, A. and I decided to go to the Vatican and see the Sistine Chapel. After that we hit-up St. Peter\'s Basilica. We figured that there would be plenty of tourists doing the same thing as us. Only we had no idea just how many people would be.\n\nWhen we got to the Vatican museum which also houses the Sistine Chapel, there was a line around the block. We stood in this line for 40 minutes. That\'s a long time to stand in line just waiting and waiting. The museum is big (and not cheap). Given the line we stood in, once in it was as if the museum was crawling with people.  Not fun. Un-fun actually. I am not sure if there was a better plan. Maybe we should have gone earlier in the day. Maybe we should have gone later in the day. Or maybe just maybe we should have gone in the middle of winter when I can only imagine there are fewer tourists.\n\nHere\'s the thing, even with people everywhere, it was worth it. The Sistine Chapel is awesome. And I don\'t mean: hey, awesome t-shirt man. Awesome. No I mean: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration. <em>Awesome</em>. The size and scale of the project makes it hard to imagine that Michelangelo painted the majority of the space himself in something like four years. The man had a way with paint. The colors, the figures, the feeling the space evokes isn\'t like anything else I\'ve ever seen. It\'s hard to believe that Michelangelo didn\'t really consider himself a painter before this project.\n\nThen to go from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter\'s Basilica is a pretty wild. While in the chapel, it seems large especially when you\'re craning your head backwards trying to take the whole thing in. Of course, St Peter\'s dwarfs the Sistine Chapel but you don\'t really get a sense of this until you\'re walking through the giant cathedral--it\'s apparently boasts the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.\n\nInterestingly both the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel make you feel small. The first, well, because physically you are small and the latter because it seems nearly impossible to imagine, create and execute a project like that.  Maybe Goethe puts it best when he writes: \"Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.\"','The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel ','','inherit','open','open','','5791-revision','','','2011-11-05 17:13:14','2011-11-05 15:13:14','',5791,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/05/5791-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5793,1,'2011-11-05 17:30:12','2011-11-05 15:30:12','This is my last post about Rome for a while... I might have one more in me but I am getting kind of tired of writing about Rome. It was <em>so</em> last weekend.\n\nOn our last full day in Rome, A. and I decided to go to the Vatican and see the Sistine Chapel. After that we hit-up St. Peter\'s Basilica. We figured that there would be plenty of tourists doing the same thing as us. Only we had no idea just how many people would be.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"St Peter&#39;s at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Vatican\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6314666100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6314666100_efeae33ff2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Vatican\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWhen we got to the Vatican museum which also houses the Sistine Chapel, there was a line around the block. We stood in this line for 40 minutes. That\'s a long time to stand in line just waiting and waiting. The museum is big (and not cheap). Given the line we stood in, once in it was as if the museum was crawling with people.  Not fun. Un-fun actually. I am not sure if there was a better plan. Maybe we should have gone earlier in the day. Maybe we should have gone later in the day. Or maybe just maybe we should have gone in the middle of winter when I can only imagine there are fewer tourists.\n\nHere\'s the thing, even with people everywhere, it was worth it. <!--more-->The Sistine Chapel is awesome. And I don\'t mean: hey, awesome t-shirt man. Awesome. No I mean: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration. <em>Awesome</em>. The size and scale of the project makes it hard to imagine that Michelangelo painted the majority of the space himself in something like four years. The man had a way with paint. The colors, the figures, the feeling the space evokes isn\'t like anything else I\'ve ever seen. It\'s hard to believe that Michelangelo didn\'t really consider himself a painter before this project.\n\nThen to go from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter\'s Basilica is a pretty wild. While in the chapel, it seems large especially when you\'re craning your head backwards trying to take the whole thing in. Of course, St Peter\'s dwarfs the Sistine Chapel but you don\'t really get a sense of this until you\'re walking through the giant cathedral--it\'s apparently boasts the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.\n\nInterestingly both the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel make you feel small. The first, well, because physically you are small and the latter because it seems nearly impossible to imagine, create and execute a project like that.  Maybe Goethe puts it best when he writes: \"Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.\"','The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel ','','inherit','open','open','','5791-revision-2','','','2011-11-05 17:30:12','2011-11-05 15:30:12','',5791,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/05/5791-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5794,1,'2011-11-05 17:31:33','2011-11-05 15:31:33','This is my last post about Rome for a while... I might have one more in me but I am getting kind of tired of writing about Rome. It was <em>so</em> last weekend.\n\nOn our last full day in Rome, A. and I decided to go to the Vatican and see the Sistine Chapel. After that we hit-up St. Peter\'s Basilica. We figured that there would be plenty of tourists doing the same thing as us. Only we had no idea just how many people would be.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"St Peter&#39;s at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The Vatican\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6314666100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6314666100_efeae33ff2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The Vatican\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWhen we got to the Vatican museum which also houses the Sistine Chapel, there was a line around the block. We stood in this line for 40 minutes. That\'s a long time to stand in line just waiting and waiting. The museum is big (and not cheap). Given the line we stood in, once in it was as if the museum was crawling with people.  Not fun. Un-fun actually. I am not sure if there was a better plan. Maybe we should have gone earlier in the day. Maybe we should have gone later in the day. Or maybe just maybe we should have gone in the middle of winter when I can only imagine there are fewer tourists.\n\nHere\'s the thing, even with people everywhere, it was worth it. <!--more-->The Sistine Chapel is awesome. And I don\'t mean: hey, awesome t-shirt man. Awesome. No I mean: extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration. <em>Awesome</em>. The size and scale of the project makes it hard to imagine that Michelangelo painted the majority of the space himself in something like four years. The man had a way with paint. The colors, the figures, the feeling the space evokes isn\'t like anything else I\'ve ever seen. It\'s hard to believe that Michelangelo didn\'t really consider himself a painter before this project.\n\nThen to go from the Sistine Chapel into St. Peter\'s Basilica is a pretty wild. While in the chapel, it seems large especially when you\'re craning your head backwards trying to take the whole thing in. Of course, St Peter\'s dwarfs the Sistine Chapel but you don\'t really get a sense of this until you\'re walking through the giant cathedral--it\'s apparently boasts the largest interior of any Christian church in the world.\n\nInterestingly both the Basilica and the Sistine Chapel make you feel small. The first, well, because physically you are small and the latter because it seems nearly impossible to imagine, create and execute a project like that.  Maybe Goethe puts it best when he writes: \"Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving.\"','The Vatican and the Sistine Chapel ','','inherit','open','open','','5791-autosave','','','2011-11-05 17:31:33','2011-11-05 15:31:33','',5791,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/05/5791-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5795,1,'2011-11-06 10:50:49','2011-11-06 08:50:49','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\r\n\r\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"SkaraBar Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266613/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6317266613_8bc54085e7.jpg\" alt=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Me at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Me at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266007/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6317266007_4804226723.jpg\" alt=\"Me at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one.\r\n\r\nNot me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"P. all dressed up with kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317786054/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6317786054_0c90ecac0f.jpg\" alt=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\r\n\r\nI\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salads at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317279697/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6317279697_57753af8e5.jpg\" alt=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salad at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317784986/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6317784986_0f4751212d.jpg\" alt=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nP. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta. I\'ve had it all--good, bad and everything in between. Undercooked, overcooked and just right.\r\n\r\nAnd this kufteta? It was unbelievably good.\r\n\r\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785760/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6317785760_f009e77d49.jpg\" alt=\"Kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.\r\n\r\nAnd on a final note, the menu also lets you order grilled meat by the kilo. I tried to convince P. that we should do this. He was having none of it. This is either because he\'s boring or because he\'s more reasonable than I am. Ultimately, it was probably a good thing. We had a hard enough time eating what we ordered.\r\n\r\nNow the only nagging question I have is: when can I order a kilo of kufteta?!','SkaraBar in the Park ','','publish','open','open','','skarabar-in-the-park','','','2011-11-06 10:50:49','2011-11-06 08:50:49','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5795',0,'post','',9),(5796,1,'2011-11-06 09:54:56','2011-11-06 07:54:56','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\n\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\n\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\n\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one. Not me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.\n\nThe menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\n\nI\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\n\nThe salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\n\nP. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta.\n\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\n\nI had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.','SkaraBar in the park ','','inherit','open','open','','5795-revision','','','2011-11-06 09:54:56','2011-11-06 07:54:56','',5795,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/06/5795-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5797,1,'2011-11-06 10:42:36','2011-11-06 08:42:36','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\n\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"SkaraBar Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266613/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6317266613_8bc54085e7.jpg\" alt=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Me at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Me at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266007/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6317266007_4804226723.jpg\" alt=\"Me at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one. Not me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317786054/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6317786054_0c90ecac0f.jpg\" alt=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a> The menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785760/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6317785760_f009e77d49.jpg\" alt=\"Kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a> I\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317279697/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6317279697_57753af8e5.jpg\" alt=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a> The salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317784986/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6317784986_0f4751212d.jpg\" alt=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a> P. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta.\n\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Wine\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785536/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6317785536_dda5f96a52.jpg\" alt=\"Wine\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" /></a> I had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.\n\nAnd on a final note, the menu also lets you order grilled meat by the kilo. I tried to convince P. that we should do this. He was having none of it. This is either because he\'s boring or because he\'s more reasonable than I am. Ultimately, it was probably a good thing. We had a hard enough time eating what we ordered.\n\nNow the only nagging question I have is: when can I order a kilo of kufteta?!','SkaraBar in the park ','','inherit','open','open','','5795-revision-2','','','2011-11-06 10:42:36','2011-11-06 08:42:36','',5795,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/06/5795-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5799,1,'2011-11-06 10:46:53','2011-11-06 08:46:53','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\r\n\r\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"SkaraBar Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266613/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6317266613_8bc54085e7.jpg\" alt=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Me at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Me at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266007/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6317266007_4804226723.jpg\" alt=\"Me at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one.\r\n\r\nNot me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"P. all dressed up with kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317786054/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6317786054_0c90ecac0f.jpg\" alt=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\r\n\r\nI\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salads at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317279697/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6317279697_57753af8e5.jpg\" alt=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salad at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317784986/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6317784986_0f4751212d.jpg\" alt=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nP. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta.\r\n\r\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785760/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6317785760_f009e77d49.jpg\" alt=\"Kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.\r\n\r\nAnd on a final note, the menu also lets you order grilled meat by the kilo. I tried to convince P. that we should do this. He was having none of it. This is either because he\'s boring or because he\'s more reasonable than I am. Ultimately, it was probably a good thing. We had a hard enough time eating what we ordered.\r\n\r\nNow the only nagging question I have is: when can I order a kilo of kufteta?!','SkaraBar in the park ','','inherit','open','open','','5795-revision-4','','','2011-11-06 10:46:53','2011-11-06 08:46:53','',5795,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/06/5795-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5798,1,'2011-11-06 10:44:36','2011-11-06 08:44:36','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\n\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"SkaraBar Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266613/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6317266613_8bc54085e7.jpg\" alt=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Me at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Me at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266007/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6317266007_4804226723.jpg\" alt=\"Me at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one. Not me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"P. all dressed up with kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317786054/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6317786054_0c90ecac0f.jpg\" alt=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785760/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6317785760_f009e77d49.jpg\" alt=\"Kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salads at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317279697/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6317279697_57753af8e5.jpg\" alt=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salad at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317784986/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6317784986_0f4751212d.jpg\" alt=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nP. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta.\n\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"375\" caption=\"Wine\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Wine\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785536/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6120/6317785536_dda5f96a52.jpg\" alt=\"Wine\" width=\"375\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.\n\nAnd on a final note, the menu also lets you order grilled meat by the kilo. I tried to convince P. that we should do this. He was having none of it. This is either because he\'s boring or because he\'s more reasonable than I am. Ultimately, it was probably a good thing. We had a hard enough time eating what we ordered.\n\nNow the only nagging question I have is: when can I order a kilo of kufteta?!','SkaraBar in the park ','','inherit','open','open','','5795-revision-3','','','2011-11-06 10:44:36','2011-11-06 08:44:36','',5795,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/06/5795-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5800,1,'2011-11-06 10:51:56','2011-11-06 08:51:56','Last night P. and I met up for dinner. He suggested either <a href=\"http://www.skarabar.com/\" target=\"_blank\">SkaraBar</a> or <a href=\"http://www.spaghetti-kitchen.com/home.php\" target=\"_blank\">Spaghetti Kitchen</a>. After a quick glance at the online menus we pretty quickly settled on SkaraBar although Spaghetti Kitchen has a pretty intense website.\n\nWe met at the University metro stop and walked over SkaraBar in Zaimov Park behind the theater.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"SkaraBar Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266613/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6230/6317266613_8bc54085e7.jpg\" alt=\"SkaraBar Sofia\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe restaurant itself really isn\'t very big and they\'ve managed to squeeze in a lot of tables. The thing is this doesn\'t make the space feel crowded. Far from it in fact, it makes it feel cozy.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Me at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Me at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317266007/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6112/6317266007_4804226723.jpg\" alt=\"Me at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy big moment in the restaurant was this:  I walked in and asked for a table in Bulgarian. P. followed me in. We sit down and are given menus in Bulgarian. We carry on in English for a bit and at some point, the waiter hears P. speaking English and swipes his Bulgarian menu to exchange it for an English one.\n\nNot me. I get to keep the Bulgarian one I\'ve been given but P.\'s menu is taken from him even though his Bulgarian is much, much better than mine. As a point of pride, P. then asks the Bulgarian menu back in Bulgarian. The waiter seems slightly surprised by this whole exchange and gives him back the Bulgarian menu.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"P. all dressed up with kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317786054/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6317786054_0c90ecac0f.jpg\" alt=\"P all dressed up with kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe menu at SkaraBar is pretty short. Basically it\'s two pages. This seems pretty reasonable for many small restaurants in the States but in Bulgaria the 10 page menu is pretty standard issue. Often what this means in these restaurants is that it\'s impossibly hard for me to pick something. Too much choice. And, there\'s the issue of quantity over quality.\n\nI\'m all for a smaller menu of fresh well prepared food. Of course, the problem for me was that even with a smaller menu I still wanted to eat everything on it. Funny how that works.  So, we ended up ordering three salads, some bread and a plate of kufteta.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salads at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317279697/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6317279697_57753af8e5.jpg\" alt=\"Salads at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe salads: Селска салата (the village salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper and cheese), Кьопоолу (a salad/spread made out of roasted eggplant and peppers) and a \"salad\" with tomato sauce and боб--beans (which I don\'t see on the online menu). The kufteta--Кюфтета от месо--were really great. They were flavorful and cooked to perfection.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Salad at SkaraBar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317784986/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6049/6317784986_0f4751212d.jpg\" alt=\"Salad at SkaraBar\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nP. and I agreed that these might be the best kufteta that we\'ve ever eaten in the country. That\'s saying a lot. I\'ve lived here for three years and P. has lived here for at least that long--maybe longer. And it\'s pretty impossible to live here and not eat a lot of kufteta. I\'ve had it all--good, bad and everything in between. Undercooked, overcooked and just right.\n\nAnd this kufteta? It was unbelievably good.\n\nThe one interesting thing about the kufteta at SkaraBar is that they are identified on the menu as kufteta from meat. <em>Oh</em>. I thought that the default assumption was that a kufteta was made out of meat unless otherwise noted. Now I\'ve seen kufteta from potatoes before on menus but never kufteta from meat. I also really liked that someone felt the need to clarify that the kufteta are made from meat but that this person felt absolutely no need to specify which type of meat--pork, chicken or (gasp) beef.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Kufteta\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Kufteta\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6317785760/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6217/6317785760_f009e77d49.jpg\" alt=\"Kufteta\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI had a glass of the house wine. It was good. Very drinkable. P. had a beer. Then we had to ask for the check and go home. There was no room for dessert but the dessert I saw other people eating looked delicious.\n\nAnd on a final note, the menu also lets you order grilled meat by the kilo. I tried to convince P. that we should do this. He was having none of it. This is either because he\'s boring or because he\'s more reasonable than I am. Ultimately, it was probably a good thing. We had a hard enough time eating what we ordered.\n\nNow the only nagging question I have is: when can I order a kilo of kufteta?!','SkaraBar in the Park ','','inherit','open','open','','5795-autosave','','','2011-11-06 10:51:56','2011-11-06 08:51:56','',5795,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/06/5795-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5822,1,'2011-11-14 06:57:52','2011-11-14 04:57:52','The thought of going to school this morning was made that much better when I realized, I have a new computer at work!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"My old beast of a work computer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"My old work computer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6343273944/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6035/6343273944_1fb710dfd2.jpg\" alt=\"My old work computer\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGood-bye old computer. You taught me a lot about patience, prioritizing my work and taking deep breaths. However, I am not sad to see you go.\r\n\r\nHello, desk! It\'s nice to see you.','Good-bye old computer ','','publish','open','open','','good-bye-old-computer','','','2011-11-14 06:57:52','2011-11-14 04:57:52','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5822',0,'post','',1),(5802,1,'2011-11-07 21:48:09','2011-11-07 19:48:09','This morning I saw this billboard. At 7:10am. That\'s why the light isn\'t very good. I didn\'t make sense to me the but for some reason I was with it enough to take a photo. Now that I am looking at it again, it\'s not much better. I have no idea what it\'s selling.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"@&#39;,Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322915201/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6322915201_c9bc66231a.jpg\" alt=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThoughts? Any idea what this is for?\r\n\r\nIs it something I should know? And now I am horribly uncool for not knowing this?','Um? What is this? ','','publish','open','open','','um-what-is-this','','','2011-11-07 21:48:09','2011-11-07 19:48:09','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5802',0,'post','',14),(5803,1,'2011-11-07 21:42:21','2011-11-07 19:42:21','This morning I saw this billboard. At 7:10am. That\'s why the light isn\'t very good. I didn\'t make sense to me the but for some reason I was with it enough to take a photo. Now that I am looking at it again, it\'s not much better. I have no idea what it\'s selling.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"@&#39;,Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322915201/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6322915201_c9bc66231a.jpg\" alt=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThoughts? Any idea what it\'s for?','Um? What is this? ','','inherit','open','open','','5802-revision','','','2011-11-07 21:42:21','2011-11-07 19:42:21','',5802,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/07/5802-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5804,1,'2011-11-07 21:43:19','2011-11-07 19:43:19','This morning I saw this billboard. At 7:10am. That\'s why the light isn\'t very good. I didn\'t make sense to me the but for some reason I was with it enough to take a photo. Now that I am looking at it again, it\'s not much better. I have no idea what it\'s selling.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"@&#39;,Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322915201/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6322915201_c9bc66231a.jpg\" alt=\"@\',Mmmmm@~te! Mladost Billboard\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThoughts? Any idea what it\'s for?\n\nIs it something I should know? And','Um? What is this? ','','inherit','open','open','','5802-revision-2','','','2011-11-07 21:43:19','2011-11-07 19:43:19','',5802,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/07/5802-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5828,1,'2011-11-17 20:05:09','2011-11-17 18:05:09','It\'s been a sad state of affairs at my house for the last couple of days. Here\'s why: the quarter ended on Tuesday and grades/comments are due on Friday. I am behind. Somehow this year, I am<em> really</em> behind.\r\n\r\nI am not sure how it got so bad.\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I\'ve been out of milk for a couple of days. That means no morning coffee with a splash of milk.</li>\r\n	<li>I took the garbage out two (or maybe three) mornings ago and just tonight realized that I need to put a new bag in my garbage can.</li>\r\n	<li>I loaded the washing machine and forgot to run it. <em>Awesome</em>.</li>\r\n	<li>The only dishes in my sink are coffee cups.</li>\r\n	<li>I wore black socks with gray shoes today because it was too much effort to change them or to pick out other shoes.</li>\r\n	<li>I can\'t remember the last meal I cooked at home. Maybe pasta.</li>\r\n	<li>And apparently bananas come to my house to die.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nNow I\'ve got to get to the work of digging myself out. Enter: writing.<em> A lot</em>. Then I\'ve got to get my life together. And maybe do my Bulgarian homework.','Sad State of Affairs ','','publish','open','open','','sad-state-of-affairs','','','2011-11-17 20:05:09','2011-11-17 18:05:09','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5828',0,'post','',2),(5809,1,'2011-11-30 11:30:15','2011-11-30 09:30:15','Over the last couple of weeks I\'ve been re-reading Conrad\'s novel <em>Heart of Darkness</em>. It\'s one of the books that I teach in 11th grade and it\'s not exactly light reading. I\'ve also been re-reading <em>Lord of the Flies</em> by William Golding for 10th grade. Neither of these books are exactly uplifting novels. In fact, there have been a few afternoons where I find myself kind of down after teaching the whole day about the darkness of man. It doesn\'t help that at the same time the days are getting shorter and dusk is falling sooner.\r\n\r\nDespite the fact that these are heavy books, I like the act of re-reading them. The temptation of course in the act of re-reading something (especially for work) is to read quickly, to skim, to jump a head, to hurry through the novel. The pleasure however comes in the act of slowing down. The second (or <em>sixth</em>) time through a book you don\'t have to worry about what\'s going on, who the characters are or what is going to happen. You can let the book wash over you. You can experience the book in a new way.\r\n\r\nThis year in re-reading <em>Heart of Darkness</em>, I was struck by a passage from early in the novel. I knew it but had never thought about it relationship to my own life. Then I became obsessed by the thought: what if I am like the Romans in England or Marlow in Africa?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nSo let me give this quote a little context (and let me apologize for the fact the quote is a <em>little</em> on the long side). Marlow is sitting on a boat <em>the Nellie</em> which is on the Thames River and he begins to think about what England must have been like for the Romans when they first arrived. The England he imagines is wild, uncivilized in contrast to the England which he is clearly familiar with.\r\n<blockquote>Imagine him here-- the very end of the world, a sea the color of lead, a sky the color of smoke, a kind of ship about as rigid as a concertina-- and going up this river with stores, or orders, or what you like. Sandbanks, marshes, forests, savages,--precious little to eat fit for a civilized man, nothing but Thames water to drink. No Falernian wine here, no going ashore. Here and there a military camp lost in a wilderness, like a needle in a bundle of hay--cold, fog, tempests, disease, exile, and death,-- death skulking in the air, in the water, in the bush. They must have been dying like flies here. Oh yes--he did it. Did it very well, too, no doubt, and without thinking much about it either, except afterwards to brag of what he had gone through in his time, perhaps. They were men enough to face the darkness. And perhaps he was cheered by keeping his eye on a chance of promotion to the fleet at Ravenna by-and-by, if he had good friends in Rome and survived the awful climate. Or think of a decent young citizen in a toga--perhaps too much dice, you know--coming out here in the train of some prefect, or tax-gatherer, or trader even, to mend his fortunes. Land in a swamp, march through the woods, and in some inland post feel the savagery, the utter savagery, had closed round him,-- all that mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest, in the jungles, in the hearts of wild men. There\'s no initiation either into such mysteries. He has to live in the midst of the incomprehensible, which is also detestable. And it has a fascination, too, that goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination--you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate.\" (p8-9)</blockquote>\r\nWhat resonated with me in reading this passage is the sense of cultural superiority, the idea of going to the end of the world--some place utterly different, the impossibilities of obtaining familiar food and drink, the need to brag later about surviving the experience, the hint that one may travel to escape debt (or to make a fortune), the confrontation with the unknown in a foreign land and finally the effect that this has on one.\r\n\r\nThis year, I read this passage and thought: oh my god, what if this is me in Bulgaria?\r\n\r\nThere are times where I feel like I am living at the very end of the world. Times where I feel like I am living in the wilderness surrounded by concrete flats and wild dogs. Times where I wish that I could get my hands on the food of my childhood. Times where I think: at least this will make a good story later. Times where I complain bitterly about the cold weather and the poor transportation in this country. Times when I wonder, what am I doing here when I am certainly not making a fortune as a teacher in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nBut what I got really hung up on was this idea of a place that is at once incomprehensible, detestable, fascinating and abominable. There is a tension here that I recognize.\r\n\r\nI am fascinated with Bulgaria but in many ways it\'s a place that resists knowing. I\'ve been here for three-plus years. I keep looking, thinking and writing about this country and my experiences here. Still, in many ways, I find this place confusing. It\'s difficult to live here. I find myself looking and looking (in fact, sometimes I can\'t look away) but no matter how much I look the place does not yield to me.\r\n\r\nThe difference of course between me and Marlow is that I\'ve gotten off the boat, so to speak. I live in Mladost. I\'m learning the language. I take the bus (and the metro). I eat the food and drink the local spirits. I shop locally. I\'ve always got my eye out for what\'s new and interesting in Sofia. I have Bulgarian friends.\r\n\r\nBut Marlow is right when he states, \"There\'s no initiation either into such mysteries.\" We jump in and do the best that we can. No one can teach us these things. We\'ve got to figure them out ourselves.','Reading and re-reading Heart of Darkness ','','publish','open','open','','reading-and-re-reading-heart-of-darkness','','','2011-11-30 09:15:34','2011-11-30 07:15:34','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5809',0,'post','',1),(5810,1,'2011-11-10 10:41:21','2011-11-10 08:41:21','Over the last couple of weeks I\'ve been re-reading Conrad\'s novel The HEart f','Reading and re-reading Heart of Darkness ','','inherit','open','open','','5809-revision','','','2011-11-10 10:41:21','2011-11-10 08:41:21','',5809,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/10/5809-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5811,1,'2011-11-11 06:57:05','2011-11-11 04:57:05','I\'ve sort of known that I was getting a cold for a few days.\r\n\r\nMonday I had a little tickle in my throat. Tuesday after teaching only two 90 minute classes I felt like I\'d been run over by a train of students. Wednesday at the film premier of \"Midnight in Paris,\" I got really cold and then came home and promptly drank two mugs of tea. I woke up Thursday with a full blown cold.\r\n\r\nThe kind of cold that you feel in your nose, in your sinuses, your head and your ears. <em>Awesome.</em>\r\n\r\nFor good reason, yesterday, I got a late start on my way to school, I had return home to grab something I\'d forgotten, I rode a super crowded but to school, I got off the bus only to be yelled at by the police guards who surround our school campus--hello police academy and Mladost police station. I was late, late,late and told them in English that I didn\'t understand them, flashed my ID angrily and kept walking quickly.\r\n\r\nI figured that if they needed something else from me that could catch-up with me. Then I promptly wanted to start crying and alternately was glad that my students didn\'t see me get snappy with a police man because really I am not that person. There was really no need for me to respond in rapid fire English knowing full well that these men don\'t speak English.<!--more-->\r\nThat\'s when I realized: Hey, you\'re not having a bad day. You\'re sick. You have a cold. This thought was followed promptly by this one: Actually, you\'ve been under the weather all week.\r\n\r\nHow do I know? Well because I haven\'t written a real blog post in a whole week because every time I sat down to write, it seemed to impossible to get my ideas in order.\r\n\r\nRemember that blog post about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/07/um-what-is-this/\" target=\"_blank\">a billboard message in Mladost</a>? Well, I swear that I googled the phrase and got nothing well, my dAd schooled me because he googled the phrase and found a really lovey-dovey kissy-kissy youtube video. He\'s apparently better at the internet than I am (and in one respect he definitely is: he\'s<a href=\"http://wallawallalocal.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> back at blogging again</a>! Oh and if you\'ve ever wondered about my childhood home? It\'s the second one in his <a href=\"http://wallawallalocal.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/a-beautiful-fall-walk-to-shady-lawn/\" target=\"_blank\">most recent post on autumn in Walla Walla</a>).\r\n\r\nBut it hasn\'t been all bad this week. Even though it\'s the end of the semester and students and teachers alike are slightly crazed, I got a new computer at work yesterday. Sometimes a girl has to be thankful for the little things. Oh and sometimes she finds a penny under her giant old computer and a shocking amount of dust.\r\n\r\nNow I must go to school and organize my life.','The Cold','','publish','open','open','','the-cold','','','2011-11-11 06:57:05','2011-11-11 04:57:05','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5811',0,'post','',5),(5812,1,'2011-11-11 06:56:19','2011-11-11 04:56:19','I\'ve sort of known that I was getting a cold for a few days.\n\nMonday I had a little tickle in my throat. Tuesday after teaching only two 90 minute classes I felt like I\'d been run over by a train of students. Wednesday at the film premier of \"Midnight in Paris,\" I got really cold and then came home and promptly drank two mugs of tea. I woke up Thursday with a full blown cold.\n\nThe kind of cold that you feel in your nose, in your sinuses, your head and your ears. <em>Awesome.</em>\n\nFor good reason, yesterday, I got a late start on my way to school, I had return home to grab something I\'d forgotten, I rode a super crowded but to school, I got off the bus only to be yelled at by the police guards who surround our school campus--hello police academy and Mladost police station. I was late, late,late and told them in English that I didn\'t understand them, flashed my ID angrily and kept walking quickly.\n\nI figured that if they needed something else from me that could catch-up with me. Then I promptly wanted to start crying and alternately was glad that my students didn\'t see me get snappy with a police man because really I am not that person. There was really no need for me to respond in rapid fire English knowing full well that these men don\'t speak English.\n\nThat\'s when I realized: Hey, you\'re not having a bad day. You\'re sick. You have a cold. This thought was followed promptly by this one: Actually, you\'ve been under the weather all week.\n\nHow do I know? Well because I haven\'t written a real blog post in a whole week because every time I sat down to write, it seemed to impossible to get my ideas in order.\n\nRemember that blog post about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/07/um-what-is-this/\" target=\"_blank\">a billboard message in Mladost</a>? Well, I swear that I googled the phrase and got nothing well, my dAd schooled me because he googled the phrase and found a really lovey-dovey kissy-kissy youtube video. He\'s apparently better at the internet than I am (and in one respect he definitely is: he\'s<a href=\"http://wallawallalocal.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> back at blogging again</a>! Oh and if you\'ve ever wondered about my childhood home? It\'s the second one in his <a href=\"http://wallawallalocal.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/a-beautiful-fall-walk-to-shady-lawn/\" target=\"_blank\">most recent post on autumn in Walla Walla</a>).\n\nBut it hasn\'t been all bad this week. Even though it\'s the end of the semester and students and teachers alike are slightly crazed, I got a new computer at work yesterday. Sometimes a girl has to be thankful for the little things. Oh and sometimes she finds a penny under her giant old computer and a shocking amount of dust.\n\nNow I must go to school and organize my life.','The Cold','','inherit','open','open','','5811-revision','','','2011-11-11 06:56:19','2011-11-11 04:56:19','',5811,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/11/5811-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5814,1,'2011-11-12 10:16:58','2011-11-12 08:16:58','I went to a new restaurant in Sofia recently. This is how it was described to me: There is this new place --a  Terry Pratchett based A\'tuin coffee &amp; dinner.\n\nUm. <em>Okay</em>.\n\nFor the record, I said yes even though I had I no idea what this description meant. I\'ve never read a book by Terry Pratchett. (This is probably something I should do. Just like I should probably finish reading <em>Under the Yoke</em>.)\n\nSo here\'s the deal. The restaurant/cafe space is beautiful. It wasn\'t crowded when we were there and the waitress was helpful-ish.\n\nThe menu is pretty has an interesting mix of food. They have a vegetarian menu, a meat-inclusive menu and a wine list. The vegetarian menu included foods and flavors that aren\'t very common in Bulgaria. So much so, that there\'s a description in the menu of avocado and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa\" target=\"_blank\">quinoa</a>.  I was surprised to see the description of avocado as this seems to me like a pretty standard grocery store staple but really who knows what quinoa is? I knew that it\'s a grain but I probably haven\'t eaten more than two or three times in my life.\n\nThe non-vegetarian menu has salads, sandwiches and main dishes but I couldn\'t put down the vegetarian menu so I don\'t remember the other menu as well.\n\nI ended up ordering one of the quinoa dishes. The one I asked for to start with wasn\'t available so I ended up with the quinoa, black olives and walnuts.  This was a shame. The dish I ended up with was fine if not a little too salty. The combination of olives, walnuts and quinoa was texturally interesting but the black olives overpowered the other flavors.  I don\'t think it\'s a dish that I\'ll order again. Basically, it\'s the kind of dish I wanted to like but didn\'t.\n\nWe ordered a plate of guacamole which was also','','','inherit','open','open','','5813-revision','','','2011-11-12 10:16:58','2011-11-12 08:16:58','',5813,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/12/5813-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5815,1,'2011-11-12 10:45:08','2011-11-12 08:45:08','I went to a new restaurant in Sofia recently. This is how it was described to me: There is this new place --a  Terry Pratchett based A\'tuin coffee &amp; dinner.\n\nUm. <em>Okay</em>.\n\nFor the record, I said yes even though I had I no idea what this description meant. I\'ve never read a book by Terry Pratchett. (This is probably something I should do. Just like I should probably finish reading <em>Under the Yoke</em>.)\n\nSo here\'s the deal. The restaurant/cafe space is beautiful. It wasn\'t crowded when we were there, the waitress was helpful-ish but the food was only so-so.\n\nThe menu is pretty has an interesting mix of food. They have a vegetarian menu, a meat-inclusive menu and a wine list. The vegetarian menu included foods and flavors that aren\'t very common in Bulgaria. So much so, that there\'s a description in the menu of avocado and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa\" target=\"_blank\">quinoa</a>.  I was surprised to see the description of avocado as this seems to me like a pretty standard grocery store staple but really who knows what quinoa is? I knew that it\'s a grain but I probably haven\'t eaten more than two or three times in my life.\n\nThe non-vegetarian menu has salads, sandwiches and main dishes but I couldn\'t put down the vegetarian menu so I don\'t remember the other menu as well.\n\nI ended up ordering one of the quinoa dishes. The one I asked for to start with wasn\'t available so I ended up with the quinoa, black olives and walnuts.  This was a shame. The dish I ended up with was fine if not a little too salty. The combination of olives, walnuts and quinoa was texturally interesting but the black olives overpowered the other flavors.  I don\'t think it\'s a dish that I\'ll order again. Basically, it\'s the kind of dish I wanted to like but didn\'t.\n\nWe ordered a plate of guacamole which was clearly never going to be what I am used to in the States but this was certainly a surprise.  It had some avocado giving the dish a light-green color, a lot of dill and some other unknown ingredient. It was the kind of dip that you eat and think: not what I was expecting. Then you try some more trying to pin-down the various flavors. I was never successful. My favorite \"oh-Bulgaria\" moment of the whole night was that the avocado-dill dip was served with little triangles of toasted whole wheat bread rather than tortilla chips.\n\nAfter much back and forth, A. settled on the the pork roll filled with almonds, figs and something else, maybe olives. The dish was well plated and visually very appealing. The big problem was that the pork overcooked and as a result pretty dry. I could imagine how when well cooked this pork dish would be delicious. Only the one A. ended up with was far from this.\n\nAll in all the food seemed like it was going to be interesting but in practice, it was disappointing. Luckily, the beer and wine selection was more than acceptable. It\'s really a shame because the restaurant is well designed. It has simple clean lines, good lighting, comfortable seating and an impressive bar but the food, the food was only so-so.\n\nMaybe it\'s the kind of place that I should just stick to for coffee or a drink rather than food. It\'s just hard because I want to like the food. Then again maybe the restaurant will get better after they\'ve been open a little longer--although this mostly seems like wishful thinking on my part. I think that in Sofia a lot of restaurants manage to get by because they have a good location even though their food is only okay.\n\nSpeaking of location, on the way out of the restaurant A. said: you don\'t have to tell everyone where I took you do you? I laughed because we were at The Mall (yes, dear readers, if you\'re not fro','','','inherit','open','open','','5813-revision-2','','','2011-11-12 10:45:08','2011-11-12 08:45:08','',5813,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/12/5813-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5816,1,'2011-11-12 11:26:58','2011-11-12 09:26:58','I went to a new restaurant in Sofia recently. This is how it was described to me: There is this new place --a  Terry Pratchett based A\'tuin coffee &amp; dinner.\r\n\r\nUm. <em>Okay</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Sign on the floor for A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Sign on the follor for A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165651/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6115/6336165651_71201f81f0.jpg\" alt=\"Sign on the floor for A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFor the record, I said yes even though I had I no idea what this description meant. I\'ve never read a book by Terry Pratchett. (This is probably something I should do. Just like I should probably finish reading <em>Under the Yoke</em>.)\r\n\r\nSo here\'s the deal. The restaurant/cafe space is beautiful. It wasn\'t crowded when we were there, the waitress was helpful-ish but the food was only so-so.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Interior of A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Interior of A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165369/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6336165369_6406bb55a2.jpg\" alt=\"Interior of A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Menu at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Menu at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336922518/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6215/6336922518_546d2971c2.jpg\" alt=\"Menu at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe menu is pretty has an interesting mix of food. They have a vegetarian menu, a meat-inclusive menu and a wine list. The vegetarian menu included foods and flavors that aren\'t very common in Bulgaria. So much so, that there\'s a description in the menu of avocado and <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa\" target=\"_blank\">quinoa</a>.  I was surprised to see the description of avocado as this seems to me like a pretty standard grocery store staple but really who knows what quinoa is? I knew that it\'s a grain but I probably haven\'t eaten more than two or three times in my life.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The green menu at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The green menu at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336920780/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/6336920780_bfd7a08fb3.jpg\" alt=\"The green menu at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe non-vegetarian menu has salads, sandwiches and main dishes but I couldn\'t put down the vegetarian menu so I don\'t remember the other menu as well.\r\n\r\nI ended up ordering one of the quinoa dishes. The one I asked for to start with wasn\'t available so I ended up with the quinoa, black olives and walnuts.  This was a shame. The dish I ended up with was fine if not a little too salty. The combination of olives, walnuts and quinoa was texturally interesting but the black olives overpowered the other flavors.  I don\'t think it\'s a dish that I\'ll order again. Basically, it\'s the kind of dish I wanted to like but didn\'t.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336921134/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6239/6336921134_d806bb7b3d.jpg\" alt=\"Olive, walnut and quinoa dish at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ordered a plate of guacamole which was clearly never going to be what I am used to in the States but this was certainly a surprise.  It had some avocado giving the dish a light-green color, a lot of dill and some other unknown ingredient. It was the kind of dip that you eat and think: not what I was expecting. Then you try some more trying to pin-down the various flavors. I was never successful. My favorite \"oh-Bulgaria\" moment of the whole night was that the avocado-dill dip was served with little triangles of toasted whole wheat bread rather than tortilla chips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The avacado and dill dip at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The avacado and dill dip at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336164595/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6106/6336164595_82788a5786.jpg\" alt=\"The avacado and dill dip at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter much back and forth, A. settled on the the pork roll filled with almonds, figs and something else, maybe olives. The dish was well plated and visually very appealing. The big problem was that the pork overcooked and as a result pretty dry. I could imagine how when well cooked this pork dish would be delicious. Only the one A. ended up with was far from this.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Pork roll at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336921512/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6097/6336921512_73caf09be4.jpg\" alt=\"Pork roll at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAll in all the food seemed like it was going to be interesting but in practice, it was disappointing. Luckily, the beer and wine selection was more than acceptable. It\'s really a shame because the restaurant is well designed. It has simple clean lines, good lighting, comfortable seating and an impressive bar but the food, the food was only so-so.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"The bar at A&#39;Tuin\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"The bar at A\'Tuin\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336164939/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6220/6336164939_801037362e.jpg\" alt=\"The bar at A\'Tuin\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMaybe it\'s the kind of place that I should just stick to for coffee or a drink rather than food. It\'s just hard because I want to like the food. Then again maybe the restaurant will get better after they\'ve been open a little longer--although this mostly seems like wishful thinking on my part. I think that in Sofia a lot of restaurants manage to get by because they have a good location even though their food is only okay.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"A&#39;Tuin and The Mall\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"A\'Tuin and The Mall\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6336165517/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6224/6336165517_bcfcd8061b.jpg\" alt=\"A\'Tuin and The Mall\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSpeaking of location, on the way out of the restaurant A. said: you don\'t have to tell everyone where I took you do you? I laughed because it\'s not like I can write a blog post about a restaurant and not include the location and because we were at The Mall.  (Yes, dear readers, if you\'re not from Sofia you might not know this: we have a mall named The Mall. <em>Awesome</em>.)\r\n\r\nI guess this is probably the other reason I really wanted to like this restaurant. It\'s a lot more interesting to say: hey I discovered a great restaurant in a mall because really no one expects this but unfortunately, this was not the case.','A\'Tuin Coffee & Dinner','','inherit','open','open','','5813-revision-3','','','2011-11-12 11:26:58','2011-11-12 09:26:58','',5813,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/12/5813-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5817,1,'2011-11-13 11:52:53','2011-11-13 09:52:53','This past summer I was told by a black-Audi-driving dad that his son would carry my suitcase and bag.\r\n\r\nHe followed this up with the quip: that\'s what boys are for. I smiled and reluctantly handed my things over. You see in my family, I was taught not to pack more than you can carry. I was also taught: when in Rome, do as the Romans do (which is a pretty good rule of thumb when it comes to living abroad).\r\n\r\nI have to admit, it was nice not to carry my bags but I felt a little bad about it.\r\n\r\nI later spent some time thinking about the whole situation. We\'d just driven from Sofia to summer camp. We\'d spent the whole four hour trip wizzing by slower cars, passing them seemingly whenever we felt like it and then zipping back into our lane to avoid on coming traffic and now the son was shlepping my bags around.\r\n\r\nAnd for a moment, I wondered how did I end up here? A place where men drive fast and boys carry bags. And seemingly nobody thinks twice about it.\r\n\r\nCut to this week where I\'ve found myself thinking about, reading about and discussing masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria once again.\r\n\r\nHere\'s what happened. First, based on a novel we\'ve been reading I asked my students to write recently on the question: What does it mean to be masculine in Bulgarian culture? And feminine? Then for the last week (or so) I\'ve been staring at this crazy billboard for Happy Restaurant as I wait to cross the street to go to school each day. Finally, I was asked in <a href=\"http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1110787\" target=\"_blank\">an interview for Trud a Bulgarian newspaper</a> the question: what do you think about Bulgarian men?<!--more-->\r\n\r\n<strong>At School</strong>\r\n\r\nMy students had a lot to say about this topic. In my own words, here are the highlights. Bulgarian men are expected to be strong (it\'s okay to take supplements to achieve this), to make money (ideally a lot of it), and to be the head of their family (and as such to make decisions for his family). Bulgarian women on the other hand should be pretty, nice and raise children. None of this really surprised me because really these are the traditional gender expectations for much of the world.\r\n\r\nWhat surprised me was the way without prompting most of my students connected their examples of what it means to masculine in Bulgaria to Bulgarian history explaining that, these pressures to be strong and to take care of one\'s family grow directly out of the five centuries of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nThen I read a lot about how these ideas of masculinity and femininity appear in the lives of my students. Boys included the need to be fit and to play sports as well as the need to occasionally physically defend the school\'s name by throwing punches while girls discussed the difficulty of of balancing school and their parents expectations. For example, completing their school work while also cleaning their rooms and learning to cook while their bothers watch tv or play video games.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Billboard</strong>\r\n\r\nThen the day I finished reading my students\' writing, I saw this billboard in Mladost. Ug. It\'s everything I hate about gender stereotyping but at the same time, I think it\'s uniquely Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322913805/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6322913805_b0ca9cb9de.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHe\'s got a giant piece of meat on his fork and is actively eating it while she\'s demurely cutting her food. He\'s got a spread of food in front of him while she seems to have much less. He\'s got his elbows out and in her space while her arms are more or less tucked in making space for him.  He\'s enjoying the food eyes closed or nearly so but she\'s aware of the fact that she\'s being watched and is looking directly at the camera.\r\n\r\nThe Bulgarian take on this whole thing seems to be the man\'s flowered shirt which is reminiscent of the embroidered shirts men wear as part of the Bulgarian national costume. It\'s also worth noting that in the V of the shirt\'s neckline he is also wearing a necklace--a pendant of some sort. Both the necklace and the neckline of the shirt highlight the man\'s broad chest.\r\n\r\nThen there\'s their hair. She\'s pretty clearly a fake blond with her hair pretty simply pulled back in a rather unflattering ponytail while he\'s got a big blond highlighted patch on one side of his head and a lot of work went into his spiky hairdo. They seem to be caricatures of themselves and I guess by extension caricatures of all Bulgarians.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Interview</strong>\r\n\r\nFinally there was the interview I had for the newspaper Trud. The husband of my Bulgarian tutor I. writes for the newspaper Trud and he asked to interview me for a spotlight in the newspaper. I agreed. Who am I to say no to the husband of my Bulgarian tutor? And as he put it, I\'ve said yes to everyone else and I don\'t even know them. <em>Good point</em>.\r\n\r\nHe showed up to school one afternoon last week for the interview. It was crazy afternoon. I was suffering from a cold, I had a group of students meeting in my classroom, I had students who wanted me to look over drafts of their papers and I hadn\'t had a minute all day to think about the interview. All things considered, that\'s probably okay.\r\n\r\nSo I was asked a bunch of standard you\'re a foreigner in Bulgaria questions. Then came the question, what do you think about Bulgarian men? I just looked at J. and laughed. I told him in Bulgarian: I don\'t know.\r\n\r\nHe told me that I. (my Bulgarian tutor) told him to ask me this question. <em>Thanks, I</em>. Then I answered the question.\r\n\r\nBasically, I said this: I work with lots of teenage boys and they are quick to laugh and to joke around but the Bulgarian men I know who are my age are much more serious and less quick to laugh and joke around (which I think is sad). Then I talked for a little bit about the way Bulgarian men are quick to offer to carry things for you which in my mind is gentlemanly (but complicated).\r\n\r\nThat\'s the thing masculinity is complicated.  Now I am pretty sure that J. wasn\'t looking for an answer from me about socio-cultural implications of masculinity in Bulgaria. I think that he was more interested in my experience dating Bulgarians but I wasn\'t really prepared to share any of these stories in a widely read national newspaper.\r\n\r\nThis is probably because I\'ve found Bulgarian men frustratingly difficult to figure out. It boils down to this: I can\'t tell if you\'re just being nice to me or if you\'re flirting with me. So generally I decide it\'s safer to assume the first and proceed as such.\r\n\r\nSo there you have it a wholly unscientific glimpse into masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria and my thoughts on the subject.','A Glimpse into Masculinity (and Femininity) in Bulgaria ','','publish','open','open','','a-glimpse-into-masculinity-and-femininity-in-bulgaria','','','2011-11-13 11:52:53','2011-11-13 09:52:53','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5817',0,'post','',16),(5818,1,'2011-11-13 10:49:19','2011-11-13 08:49:19','This summer I was told by a black-Audi driving dad that his son would carry my suitcase and bag. He followed this up with the quip: that\'s what boys are for. I smiled and reluctantly handed my things over. You see in my family, I was taught not to pack more than you can carry. I was also taught: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.\n\nI have to admit, it was nice not to carry my bags but I felt a little bad about it. I later spent some time thinking about the whole situation. We\'d just driven from Sofia to summer camp. We\'d spent the whole four hour trip wizzing by slower cars, passing them seemingly whenever we felt like it and then zipping back into our lane to avoid on coming traffic and now the son was shlepping my bags around.\n\nAnd for a moment, I wondered how did I end up here? A place where men drive fast and boys carry bags. And seemingly nobody thinks twice about it.\n\nCut to this week. This week I\'ve found myself thinking about, reading about and discussing masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria once again. <!--more-->\n\nHere\'s what happened. Luckily for me, it breaks out nicely into three parts. First, based on a novel we\'ve been reading I asked my students to write recently on the question: What does it mean to be masculine in Bulgarian culture? And feminine? Then for the last week (or so) I\'ve been staring at this crazy billboard for Happy Restaurant as I wait to cross the street to go to school each day. Finally, I was asked in an interview for Trud a Bulgarian newspaper the question: what do you think about Bulgarian men?\n\n<strong>At School</strong>\n\nMy students had a lot to say about this topic. In my own words, here are the highlights. Bulgarian men are expected to be strong (it\'s okay to take supplements to achieve this), to make money (ideally a lot of it), and to be the head of their family (and as such to make decisions for his family). Bulgarian women on the other hand should be pretty, nice and raise children. None of this really surprised me because really these are the traditional gender expectations for much of the world.\n\nWhat surprised me was the way without prompting most of my students connected their examples of what it means to masculine in Bulgaria to Bulgarian history explaining that, these pressures to be strong and to take care of one\'s family grow directly out of the five centuries of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria. Then I read a lot about how these ideas of masculinity and femininity appear in the lives of my students. Boys included the need to be fit and to play sports as well as the need to physically defend the school\'s name by throwing punches while girls discussed the difficulty of of balancing school and their parents expectations. For example, doing their school work while also cleaning their rooms and learning to cook while their bothers watch tv or play video games.\n\n<strong>The Billboard</strong>\n\nThen the day I finished reading my students\' writing, I saw this billboard in Mladost. Ug. It\'s everything I hate about gender stereotyping but at the same time, I think it\'s uniquely Bulgarian.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322913805/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6322913805_b0ca9cb9de.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHe\'s got a giant piece of meat on his fork and is actively eating it while she\'s demurely cutting her food. He\'s got a spread of food in front of him while she seems to have much less. He\'s got his elbows out and in her space while her arms are more or less tucked in making space for him.  He\'s enjoying the food eyes closed or nearly so but she\'s aware of the fact that she\'s being watched and is looking directly at the camera.\n\nThe Bulgarian take on this whole thing seems to be the man\'s flowered shirt which is reminiscent of the embroidered shirts men wear as part of the Bulgarian national costume. It\'s also worth noting that in the V of the shirt\'s neckline he is also wearing a necklace--a pendant of some sort. Both the necklace and the neckline of the shirt highlight the man\'s broad chest.\n\nThen there\'s their hair. She\'s pretty clearly a fake blond with her hair pretty simply pulled back in a rather unflattering ponytail while he\'s got a big blond highlighted patch on one side of his head and a lot of work went into his spiky hairdo. They seem to be caricatures of themselves and I guess by extension caricatures of all Bulgarians.\n\n<strong>The Interview</strong>\n\nFinally there was the interview I had for the newspaper Trud. The husband of my Bulgarian tutor I. writes for the newspaper Trud and he asked to interview me for a spotlight in the newspaper. I agreed. Who am I to say no to the husband of my Bulgarian tutor? And as he put it, I\'ve said yes to everyone else\n\nMasculinity and Feminity in Bulgaria What does is mean to male and female in Bulgaria?','Masculinity (and Femininity) in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5817-revision','','','2011-11-13 10:49:19','2011-11-13 08:49:19','',5817,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/13/5817-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5819,1,'2011-11-13 11:30:35','2011-11-13 09:30:35','This summer I was told by a black-Audi driving dad that his son would carry my suitcase and bag. He followed this up with the quip: that\'s what boys are for. I smiled and reluctantly handed my things over. You see in my family, I was taught not to pack more than you can carry. I was also taught: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.\n\nI have to admit, it was nice not to carry my bags but I felt a little bad about it. I later spent some time thinking about the whole situation. We\'d just driven from Sofia to summer camp. We\'d spent the whole four hour trip wizzing by slower cars, passing them seemingly whenever we felt like it and then zipping back into our lane to avoid on coming traffic and now the son was shlepping my bags around.\n\nAnd for a moment, I wondered how did I end up here? A place where men drive fast and boys carry bags. And seemingly nobody thinks twice about it.\n\nCut to this week. This week I\'ve found myself thinking about, reading about and discussing masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria once again. <!--more-->\n\nHere\'s what happened. Luckily for me, it breaks out nicely into three parts. First, based on a novel we\'ve been reading I asked my students to write recently on the question: What does it mean to be masculine in Bulgarian culture? And feminine? Then for the last week (or so) I\'ve been staring at this crazy billboard for Happy Restaurant as I wait to cross the street to go to school each day. Finally, I was asked in <a href=\"http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1110787\" target=\"_blank\">an interview for Trud a Bulgarian newspaper</a> the question: what do you think about Bulgarian men?\n\n<strong>At School</strong>\n\nMy students had a lot to say about this topic. In my own words, here are the highlights. Bulgarian men are expected to be strong (it\'s okay to take supplements to achieve this), to make money (ideally a lot of it), and to be the head of their family (and as such to make decisions for his family). Bulgarian women on the other hand should be pretty, nice and raise children. None of this really surprised me because really these are the traditional gender expectations for much of the world.\n\nWhat surprised me was the way without prompting most of my students connected their examples of what it means to masculine in Bulgaria to Bulgarian history explaining that, these pressures to be strong and to take care of one\'s family grow directly out of the five centuries of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria.\n\nThen I read a lot about how these ideas of masculinity and femininity appear in the lives of my students. Boys included the need to be fit and to play sports as well as the need to occasionally physically defend the school\'s name by throwing punches while girls discussed the difficulty of of balancing school and their parents expectations. For example, completing their school work while also cleaning their rooms and learning to cook while their bothers watch tv or play video games.\n\n<strong>The Billboard</strong>\n\nThen the day I finished reading my students\' writing, I saw this billboard in Mladost. Ug. It\'s everything I hate about gender stereotyping but at the same time, I think it\'s uniquely Bulgarian.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322913805/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6322913805_b0ca9cb9de.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHe\'s got a giant piece of meat on his fork and is actively eating it while she\'s demurely cutting her food. He\'s got a spread of food in front of him while she seems to have much less. He\'s got his elbows out and in her space while her arms are more or less tucked in making space for him.  He\'s enjoying the food eyes closed or nearly so but she\'s aware of the fact that she\'s being watched and is looking directly at the camera.\n\nThe Bulgarian take on this whole thing seems to be the man\'s flowered shirt which is reminiscent of the embroidered shirts men wear as part of the Bulgarian national costume. It\'s also worth noting that in the V of the shirt\'s neckline he is also wearing a necklace--a pendant of some sort. Both the necklace and the neckline of the shirt highlight the man\'s broad chest.\n\nThen there\'s their hair. She\'s pretty clearly a fake blond with her hair pretty simply pulled back in a rather unflattering ponytail while he\'s got a big blond highlighted patch on one side of his head and a lot of work went into his spiky hairdo. They seem to be caricatures of themselves and I guess by extension caricatures of all Bulgarians.\n\n<strong>The Interview</strong>\n\nFinally there was the interview I had for the newspaper Trud. The husband of my Bulgarian tutor I. writes for the newspaper Trud and he asked to interview me for a spotlight in the newspaper. I agreed. Who am I to say no to the husband of my Bulgarian tutor? And as he put it, I\'ve said yes to everyone else and I don\'t even know them. <em>Good point</em>.\n\nHe showed up to school one afternoon last week for the interview. It was crazy afternoon. I was suffering from a cold, I had a group of students meeting in my classroom, I had students who wanted me to look over drafts of their papers and I hadn\'t had a minute all day to think about the interview. All things considered, that\'s probably okay.\n\nSo I was asked a bunch of standard you\'re a foreigner in Bulgaria questions. Then came the question, what do you think about Bulgarian men? I just looked at J. and laughed. I told him in Bulgarian: I don\'t know.\n\nHe told me that I. (my Bulgarian tutor) told him to ask me this question. <em>Thanks, I</em>. Then I answered the question.\n\nBasically, I said this: I work with lots of teenage boys and they are quick to laugh and to joke around but the Bulgarian men I know who are my age are much more serious and less quick to laugh and joke around (which I think is sad). Then I talked for a little bit about the way Bulgarian men are quick to offer to carry things for you which in my mind is gentlemanly (but complicated).\n\nThat\'s the thing masculinity is complicated.  Now I am pretty sure that J. wasn\'t looking for an answer from me about socio-cultural implications of masculinity in Bulgaria. I think that he was more interested in my experience dating Bulgarians but I wasn\'t really prepared to share any of these stories in a widely read national newspaper.\n\nSo there you have it a wholly unscientific glimpse into masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria.','A Glimpse into Masculinity (and Femininity) in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5817-revision-2','','','2011-11-13 11:30:35','2011-11-13 09:30:35','',5817,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/13/5817-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5820,1,'2011-11-13 11:30:50','2011-11-13 09:30:50','This summer I was told by a black-Audi driving dad that his son would carry my suitcase and bag. He followed this up with the quip: that\'s what boys are for. I smiled and reluctantly handed my things over. You see in my family, I was taught not to pack more than you can carry. I was also taught: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.\r\n\r\nI have to admit, it was nice not to carry my bags but I felt a little bad about it. I later spent some time thinking about the whole situation. We\'d just driven from Sofia to summer camp. We\'d spent the whole four hour trip wizzing by slower cars, passing them seemingly whenever we felt like it and then zipping back into our lane to avoid on coming traffic and now the son was shlepping my bags around.\r\n\r\nAnd for a moment, I wondered how did I end up here? A place where men drive fast and boys carry bags. And seemingly nobody thinks twice about it.\r\n\r\nCut to this week. This week I\'ve found myself thinking about, reading about and discussing masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria once again. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nHere\'s what happened. Luckily for me, it breaks out nicely into three parts. First, based on a novel we\'ve been reading I asked my students to write recently on the question: What does it mean to be masculine in Bulgarian culture? And feminine? Then for the last week (or so) I\'ve been staring at this crazy billboard for Happy Restaurant as I wait to cross the street to go to school each day. Finally, I was asked in <a href=\"http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1110787\" target=\"_blank\">an interview for Trud a Bulgarian newspaper</a> the question: what do you think about Bulgarian men?\r\n\r\n<strong>At School</strong>\r\n\r\nMy students had a lot to say about this topic. In my own words, here are the highlights. Bulgarian men are expected to be strong (it\'s okay to take supplements to achieve this), to make money (ideally a lot of it), and to be the head of their family (and as such to make decisions for his family). Bulgarian women on the other hand should be pretty, nice and raise children. None of this really surprised me because really these are the traditional gender expectations for much of the world.\r\n\r\nWhat surprised me was the way without prompting most of my students connected their examples of what it means to masculine in Bulgaria to Bulgarian history explaining that, these pressures to be strong and to take care of one\'s family grow directly out of the five centuries of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nThen I read a lot about how these ideas of masculinity and femininity appear in the lives of my students. Boys included the need to be fit and to play sports as well as the need to occasionally physically defend the school\'s name by throwing punches while girls discussed the difficulty of of balancing school and their parents expectations. For example, completing their school work while also cleaning their rooms and learning to cook while their bothers watch tv or play video games.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Billboard</strong>\r\n\r\nThen the day I finished reading my students\' writing, I saw this billboard in Mladost. Ug. It\'s everything I hate about gender stereotyping but at the same time, I think it\'s uniquely Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322913805/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6322913805_b0ca9cb9de.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHe\'s got a giant piece of meat on his fork and is actively eating it while she\'s demurely cutting her food. He\'s got a spread of food in front of him while she seems to have much less. He\'s got his elbows out and in her space while her arms are more or less tucked in making space for him.  He\'s enjoying the food eyes closed or nearly so but she\'s aware of the fact that she\'s being watched and is looking directly at the camera.\r\n\r\nThe Bulgarian take on this whole thing seems to be the man\'s flowered shirt which is reminiscent of the embroidered shirts men wear as part of the Bulgarian national costume. It\'s also worth noting that in the V of the shirt\'s neckline he is also wearing a necklace--a pendant of some sort. Both the necklace and the neckline of the shirt highlight the man\'s broad chest.\r\n\r\nThen there\'s their hair. She\'s pretty clearly a fake blond with her hair pretty simply pulled back in a rather unflattering ponytail while he\'s got a big blond highlighted patch on one side of his head and a lot of work went into his spiky hairdo. They seem to be caricatures of themselves and I guess by extension caricatures of all Bulgarians.\r\n\r\n<strong>The Interview</strong>\r\n\r\nFinally there was the interview I had for the newspaper Trud. The husband of my Bulgarian tutor I. writes for the newspaper Trud and he asked to interview me for a spotlight in the newspaper. I agreed. Who am I to say no to the husband of my Bulgarian tutor? And as he put it, I\'ve said yes to everyone else and I don\'t even know them. <em>Good point</em>.\r\n\r\nHe showed up to school one afternoon last week for the interview. It was crazy afternoon. I was suffering from a cold, I had a group of students meeting in my classroom, I had students who wanted me to look over drafts of their papers and I hadn\'t had a minute all day to think about the interview. All things considered, that\'s probably okay.\r\n\r\nSo I was asked a bunch of standard you\'re a foreigner in Bulgaria questions. Then came the question, what do you think about Bulgarian men? I just looked at J. and laughed. I told him in Bulgarian: I don\'t know.\r\n\r\nHe told me that I. (my Bulgarian tutor) told him to ask me this question. <em>Thanks, I</em>. Then I answered the question.\r\n\r\nBasically, I said this: I work with lots of teenage boys and they are quick to laugh and to joke around but the Bulgarian men I know who are my age are much more serious and less quick to laugh and joke around (which I think is sad). Then I talked for a little bit about the way Bulgarian men are quick to offer to carry things for you which in my mind is gentlemanly (but complicated).\r\n\r\nThat\'s the thing masculinity is complicated.  Now I am pretty sure that J. wasn\'t looking for an answer from me about socio-cultural implications of masculinity in Bulgaria. I think that he was more interested in my experience dating Bulgarians but I wasn\'t really prepared to share any of these stories in a widely read national newspaper.\r\n\r\nSo there you have it a wholly unscientific glimpse into masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria.','A Glimpse into Masculinity (and Femininity) in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5817-revision-3','','','2011-11-13 11:30:50','2011-11-13 09:30:50','',5817,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/13/5817-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5821,1,'2011-11-13 11:53:59','2011-11-13 09:53:59','This past summer I was told by a black-Audi-driving dad that his son would carry my suitcase and bag.\n\nHe followed this up with the quip: that\'s what boys are for. I smiled and reluctantly handed my things over. You see in my family, I was taught not to pack more than you can carry. I was also taught: when in Rome, do as the Romans do (which is a pretty good rule of thumb when it comes to living abroad).\n\nI have to admit, it was nice not to carry my bags but I felt a little bad about it.\n\nI later spent some time thinking about the whole situation. We\'d just driven from Sofia to summer camp. We\'d spent the whole four hour trip wizzing by slower cars, passing them seemingly whenever we felt like it and then zipping back into our lane to avoid on coming traffic and now the son was shlepping my bags around.\n\nAnd for a moment, I wondered how did I end up here? A place where men drive fast and boys carry bags. And seemingly nobody thinks twice about it.\n\nCut to this week where I\'ve found myself thinking about, reading about and discussing masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria once again.\n\nHere\'s what happened. First, based on a novel we\'ve been reading I asked my students to write recently on the question: What does it mean to be masculine in Bulgarian culture? And feminine? Then for the last week (or so) I\'ve been staring at this crazy billboard for Happy Restaurant as I wait to cross the street to go to school each day. Finally, I was asked in <a href=\"http://www.trud.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=1110787\" target=\"_blank\">an interview for Trud a Bulgarian newspaper</a> the question: what do you think about Bulgarian men?<!--more-->\n\n<strong>At School</strong>\n\nMy students had a lot to say about this topic. In my own words, here are the highlights. Bulgarian men are expected to be strong (it\'s okay to take supplements to achieve this), to make money (ideally a lot of it), and to be the head of their family (and as such to make decisions for his family). Bulgarian women on the other hand should be pretty, nice and raise children. None of this really surprised me because really these are the traditional gender expectations for much of the world.\n\nWhat surprised me was the way without prompting most of my students connected their examples of what it means to masculine in Bulgaria to Bulgarian history explaining that, these pressures to be strong and to take care of one\'s family grow directly out of the five centuries of the Ottoman occupation of Bulgaria.\n\nThen I read a lot about how these ideas of masculinity and femininity appear in the lives of my students. Boys included the need to be fit and to play sports as well as the need to occasionally physically defend the school\'s name by throwing punches while girls discussed the difficulty of of balancing school and their parents expectations. For example, completing their school work while also cleaning their rooms and learning to cook while their bothers watch tv or play video games.\n\n<strong>The Billboard</strong>\n\nThen the day I finished reading my students\' writing, I saw this billboard in Mladost. Ug. It\'s everything I hate about gender stereotyping but at the same time, I think it\'s uniquely Bulgarian.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6322913805/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6223/6322913805_b0ca9cb9de.jpg\" alt=\"Happy Restaurant Billboard in Mladost\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHe\'s got a giant piece of meat on his fork and is actively eating it while she\'s demurely cutting her food. He\'s got a spread of food in front of him while she seems to have much less. He\'s got his elbows out and in her space while her arms are more or less tucked in making space for him.  He\'s enjoying the food eyes closed or nearly so but she\'s aware of the fact that she\'s being watched and is looking directly at the camera.\n\nThe Bulgarian take on this whole thing seems to be the man\'s flowered shirt which is reminiscent of the embroidered shirts men wear as part of the Bulgarian national costume. It\'s also worth noting that in the V of the shirt\'s neckline he is also wearing a necklace--a pendant of some sort. Both the necklace and the neckline of the shirt highlight the man\'s broad chest.\n\nThen there\'s their hair. She\'s pretty clearly a fake blond with her hair pretty simply pulled back in a rather unflattering ponytail while he\'s got a big blond highlighted patch on one side of his head and a lot of work went into his spiky hairdo. They seem to be caricatures of themselves and I guess by extension caricatures of all Bulgarians.\n\n<strong>The Interview</strong>\n\nFinally there was the interview I had for the newspaper Trud. The husband of my Bulgarian tutor I. writes for the newspaper Trud and he asked to interview me for a spotlight in the newspaper. I agreed. Who am I to say no to the husband of my Bulgarian tutor? And as he put it, I\'ve said yes to everyone else and I don\'t even know them. <em>Good point</em>.\n\nHe showed up to school one afternoon last week for the interview. It was crazy afternoon. I was suffering from a cold, I had a group of students meeting in my classroom, I had students who wanted me to look over drafts of their papers and I hadn\'t had a minute all day to think about the interview. All things considered, that\'s probably okay.\n\nSo I was asked a bunch of standard you\'re a foreigner in Bulgaria questions. Then came the question, what do you think about Bulgarian men? I just looked at J. and laughed. I told him in Bulgarian: I don\'t know.\n\nHe told me that I. (my Bulgarian tutor) told him to ask me this question. <em>Thanks, I</em>. Then I answered the question.\n\nBasically, I said this: I work with lots of teenage boys and they are quick to laugh and to joke around but the Bulgarian men I know who are my age are much more serious and less quick to laugh and joke around (which I think is sad). Then I talked for a little bit about the way Bulgarian men are quick to offer to carry things for you which in my mind is gentlemanly (but complicated).\n\nThat\'s the thing masculinity is complicated.  Now I am pretty sure that J. wasn\'t looking for an answer from me about socio-cultural implications of masculinity in Bulgaria. I think that he was more interested in my experience dating Bulgarians but I wasn\'t really prepared to share any of these stories in a widely read national newspaper.\n\nThis is probably because I\'ve found Bulgarian men frustratingly difficult to figure out. It boils down to this: I can\'t tell if you\'re just being nice to me or if you\'re flirting with me. So generally I decide it\'s safer to assume the first and proceed as such.\n\nSo there you have it a wholly unscientific glimpse into masculinity and femininity in Bulgaria and my thoughts on the subject.','A Glimpse into Masculinity (and Femininity) in Bulgaria ','','inherit','open','open','','5817-autosave','','','2011-11-13 11:53:59','2011-11-13 09:53:59','',5817,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/13/5817-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5823,1,'2011-11-14 06:57:28','2011-11-14 04:57:28','The thought of going to school this morning was made that much better when I realized, I have a new computer at work!!\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"My old beast of a work computer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Medium\" title=\"My old work computer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6343273944/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6035/6343273944_1fb710dfd2.jpg\" alt=\"My old work computer\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGood-bye old computer. You taught me a lot about patience, prioritizing my work and taking deep breaths. However, I am not sad to see you go.\n\nHello, desk! It\'s ni','Good-bye old computer ','','inherit','open','open','','5822-revision','','','2011-11-14 06:57:28','2011-11-14 04:57:28','',5822,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/14/5822-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5824,1,'2011-11-15 07:19:25','2011-11-15 05:19:25','I\'ve got two new Bulgarian blogs I am following and that I want to share.\r\n\r\nOne is this English language/Bulgarian language blog <a href=\"http://www.egosiastic.com\" target=\"_blank\">Egosiastic</a>. This is a daily fashion blog written by a thirty-something Bulgarian. Here\'s what I dig: she takes great photos and writes in both English and in Bulgarian. What\'s a girl who\'s trying to learn Bulgarian do and who also likes fashion to do? It\'s a little slice of heaven.\r\n\r\nThe other is an English language blog <a href=\"http://theothereurope.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Other Europe. </a>This is more like a weekly blog written by an American living in Bulgaria with his family. He\'s apparently a journalist and freelance writer. He\'s got some beautiful photos on his blog and he\'s busy telling stories about life in Bulgaria. They are thoughtful, slightly wry stories without any complaining or moaning about being an expat in Sofia.\r\n\r\nEnjoy!','Two blogs to check out','','publish','open','open','','two-blogs-to-check-out','','','2011-11-14 21:52:02','2011-11-14 19:52:02','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5824',0,'post','',2),(5825,1,'2011-11-14 21:51:32','2011-11-14 19:51:32','I\'ve got two new Bulgarian blogs I am following and that I want to share.\n\nOne is this English language/Bulgarian language blog <a href=\"http://www.egosiastic.com\" target=\"_blank\">Egosiastic</a>. This is a daily fashion blog written by a thirty-something Bulgarian. Here\'s what I dig: she takes great photos and writes in both English and in Bulgarian. What\'s a girl who\'s trying to learn Bulgarian do and who also likes fashion to do? It\'s a little slice of heaven.\n\nThe other is an English language blog <a href=\"http://theothereurope.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Other Europe. </a>This is more like a weekly blog written by an American living in Bulgaria with his family. He\'s apparently a journalist and freelance writer. He\'s got some beautiful photos on his blog and he\'s busy telling stories about life in Bulgaria. They are thoughtful, slightly wry stories without any complaining or moaning about being an expat in Sofia.\n\nEnjoy!','Two blogs to check out','','inherit','open','open','','5824-revision','','','2011-11-14 21:51:32','2011-11-14 19:51:32','',5824,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/14/5824-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5826,1,'2011-11-14 21:53:07','2011-11-14 19:53:07','I\'ve got two new Bulgarian blogs I am following and that I want to share.\n\nOne is this English language/Bulgarian language blog <a href=\"http://www.egosiastic.com\" target=\"_blank\">Egosiastic</a>. This is a daily fashion blog written by a thirty-something Bulgarian. Here\'s what I dig: she takes great photos and writes in both English and in Bulgarian. What\'s a girl who\'s trying to learn Bulgarian do and who also likes fashion to do? It\'s a little slice of heaven.\n\nThe other is an English language blog <a href=\"http://theothereurope.wordpress.com/\" target=\"_blank\">The Other Europe. </a>This is more like a weekly blog written by an American living in Bulgaria with his family. He\'s apparently a journalist and freelance writer. He\'s got some beautiful photos on his blog and he\'s busy telling stories about life in Bulgaria. They are thoughtful, slightly wry stories without any complaining or moaning about being an expat in Sofia.\n\nEnjoy!','Two blogs to check out','','inherit','open','open','','5824-autosave','','','2011-11-14 21:53:07','2011-11-14 19:53:07','',5824,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/14/5824-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5829,1,'2011-11-17 20:04:55','2011-11-17 18:04:55','It\'s been a sad state of affairs at my house for the last couple of days. Here\'s why: the quarter ended on Tuesday and grades/comments are due on Friday. I am behind. Somehow this year, I am<em> really</em> behind.\n\nI am not sure how it got so bad.\n<ul>\n	<li>I\'ve been out of milk for a couple of days. That means no morning coffee with a splash of milk.</li>\n	<li>I took the garbage out two (or maybe three) mornings ago and just tonight realized that I need to put a new bag in my garbage can.</li>\n	<li>I loaded the washing machine and forgot to run it. <em>Awesome</em>.</li>\n	<li>The only dishes in my sink are coffee cups.</li>\n	<li>I wore black socks with gray shoes today because it was too much effort to change them or to pick out other shoes.</li>\n	<li>I can\'t remember the last meal I cooked at home. Maybe pasta.</li>\n	<li>And apparently bananas come to my house to die.</li>\n</ul>\nNow I\'ve got to get to the work of digging myself out. Enter: writing.<em> A lot</em>. Then I\'ve got to get my life together. And maybe do my Bulgarian homework.','Sad State of Affairs ','','inherit','open','open','','5828-revision','','','2011-11-17 20:04:55','2011-11-17 18:04:55','',5828,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/11/17/5828-revision/',0,'revision','',0),