{Our 2012 Christmas Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria}

For both of us, it has more or less become a tradition to have our Christmas Eve dinner at Ristorante da Maria. Lady Chef Maria Runggaldier, from Bolzano, Italy is the best Chef in the region and she makes a delicious five course dinner from authentic Italian recipes. Everything fresh and made from scratch; you feel pampered when dining there. Heinz will pour you the best wines as he is very knowledgeable and it makes us feel like we are back 'home' in northern Italy where we used to work and live... Fond memories!

Yep, my eyes sparkle with glee... Happy  to be together!

Since we were going to midnight Mass at Church afterwards, we had a Church friend join us.

She made these photos with my iPhone.

Toasting with a hot cider, which felt great on a cold and rainy day...

Crispy bread to nibble on and this is the hot cider.

Appetizer:

Quiche agli asparagi e prosciutto

Asparagus – prosciutto Quiche, served with herbed olive oil crostini  

First dish:

Risotto con pere al chardonnay

Risotto with Bartlett pears, Chardonnay and cream, topped with basil

Fish-Entrée: 

Gratîn di capesante e gamberi su vellutata di zucchini ed olio d´oliva

Gratîn of Scallops and Shrimp over a zucchini/olive oil veloutée  

Sorbet:

Sorbetto alle pesche

Peach/Lemon Sorbet

I already drank from it, as I forgot to take a picture first...

Maria also makes the BEST Sorbets!

Dessert:

Sorpresa di natale

Christmas surprise

Such dessert I cannot let go... for once forgetting my no-sugar diet!

Church friend Barbara enjoyed it too.

Pieter's espresso cup is smiling at you...

A great dinner with a decaf coffee for me to round it off.

Lady Chef Maria always prepares three different Entrée choices.

♥

It was the perfect food for making us sing out loud at midnight Mass.

Of course, next day we did not have another five-course dinner!

Hope you also had great food for your special Christmas time with your loved ones.

Related link:
{Buon Natale - Our Christmas Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria} previous post by me
Ristorante da Maria link to the authentic Italian restaurant

{Via col Vento Dublin, GA - Oktoberfest and my Dirndls}

Saturday evening we met with our best friends for a special Oktoberfest. Lady Chef Maria from our Italian-Coffee and Wine Bar: Via col Vento - Dublin, GA did treat us to authentic German fare. By the way, Via col Vento means 'Gone With the Wind' in Italian. Maria is the Lady Chef of Ristorante da Maria at +Dublin Farm "Come Home To The Country" 

So out came the Dirndls for wearing again. How I still miss my Salzburger Dirndl with roses... You will see those photos below. Scroll down and have a look.

My authentic German Dirndl what I wore on Saturday.

Husband Pieter in his outfit...

Both of us did pose in front of our Canary Island Palm, with of course one of our felines always in the picture!

It was a great evening - sorry I did  not take any photos.

Previously our best friends in Dublin have hosted several bi-annual Oktoberfest for some 300 people.

Here is Pieter's brother Toon to the left, with his Wilhelmien.

Both of them are no longer alive but we have fond memories of 2002.

How I wish I still had my Salzburger Dirndl... it had roses on it!

This is in the Eifel, Germany in 1971.

Here I wear the Salzburger Dirndl too, overlooking the River Meuse in Kessel, The Netherlands.

Do you also have a Dirndl or any outfit for going to the Oktoberfest?

In Munich it was this year the 176th Oktoberfest but I learned that it is being celebrated now the world over. Even Down Under!

{ROZALEA® Gift keeps on Giving}

Last year from dear friends Maria Runggaldier, Lady Chef at Ristorante da Maria ← (click it)  and her husband Heinz, I received this beauty for my birthday. A ROZALEA® in coral pink. It actually did so well that it no longer fits in its original pot. See for yourself how it emerged from our greenhouse where it did reside during the winter. Photos are from March 13 when it was just put outside on the patio in front of our gazebo.

Darling ROZALEA®

Barty our cat (left) admires it too...

Related articles
{My ROZALEA® CORAL PINK birthday gift} | previous post by me

{My 14th Blog Award}

From Nani in Macedonia I received my 14th blog award, click Kajnani-nani blog. THANKS Nani and I will try to work it out but I will not list 15 for passing it on as that is way too many... Nani had her birthday on February 15, so you might want to congratulate her on that. Belated yes, but still pretty close.

I am also expected to reveal 7 things about myself...

♥♥

1) Just like Nani, I am a WATERMAN.

2) Am very HAPPY that my Mom reached the age of 88 on February 12! She is a WATERMAN too.

Despite her having almost 4 years of kidney dialysis, from March 18, 2008 on, she has reached this blessed age.

3) LOVE the warmer weather and can't wait for spring to really start; not just 'teasing' and back to cold again.

4) Felt happy with our new Italian Coffee and Wine Bar 'Via Col Vento' (Gone With the Wind).

Dear friends Heinz & Maria from Ristorante da Maria run it.

I got a special treat on Monday from a sweet 93 year old role-model friend, who invited both of us for lunch at 'Via Col Vento' for my birthday on February 6.

This made us feel like being back in Italy, in the Veneto area...

5) LOVE the State where we live! For an idea of how Central Georgia looks like, see: Georgia Traveler.

6) Am so pleased with the delicious Chocolate Recipe for diabetes type 2, see my previous post: {Our Liz & Telepathy + AMAZING Chocolate Recipe!}.

Had another yummy chocolate heart today after coming home from Atlanta...

6) Proud of my husband Pieter who built a sturdy 3rd bridge across the creek. High enough for high water levels, IF it will rain a lot like previous years.

7) Bought several super healthy rose bushes at Costco today because we lost almost all of ours last year due to the heat and drought. Look forward to some real home grown roses for filling a vase. 

♥♥

And now... passing it on to several lovely blogs. That is always the hard part as there are so many deserving recipients!

1) Princesa Nadie A most romantic blog with flowers and porcelain cups & saucers etc.

2) Anna from The Doll House A highly talented lady with great styling!

3) Valentina from Les Cotrions Another highly talented lady with a lovely blog full of inspiration.

4) Marian from Schunsland Yet another highly talented lady!

♥♥

Please do pay them a visit and wishing you all a lovely day; anticipating SPRING...

{Goddaughter Myriam, whose 2nd child Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia}

Perfect weekend to let you in on some more of our family. Pieter has a Goddaughter, Myriam Vedder, daughter of his middle brother Toon. He married Edith, the sister of Pieter's first wife Thea.

During the years before Lizzy got adopted, see {Our Daughter Liz}, it was Myriam, who spent lots of time with Pieter, and Thea; like their own daughter. Naturally, he became very fond of her. After Lizzy, came to live with them, Myriam, was still included in trips and vacations.

On the left is Myriam, and next to her is her cousin (actually her second cousin by blood) Lizzy, and two more friends that went on vacation together with Pieter and Thea (who is seen in the back). Myriam's parents were the Godparents of Lizzy, so they got embraced with love, from both sides.

Here they are in Switzerland on a vacation in 1972; Myriam, Lizzy and Thea.

Of course time went by and Myriam, got married and started her own life. That took her with her husband to Saudi Arabia, with Royal Dutch Shell, right after their first daughter Sanne, was born in The Kingdom of The Netherlands. Their second daughter Lotte, is born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

When the Gulf War started they of course had to leave. During one of their visits to The Netherlands we happened to be there as well, so the above picture shows a happy Pieter with his two great-nieces as a pink bundle of joy! Sanne, on the left and Lotte, on the right. Sanne, with her curls had an almost angelic face! They both looked precious and still do!

Their work took them also to New Zealand, where they lived and worked. Meanwhile with three children, as Auke, had come along as well.

Auke, is Sanne, and Lotte's, baby brother and he's a handsome young man meanwhile.

Above is Sanne, at her Gandpa's garden under the wrought iron arbor that he'd welded for his roses... This photo is taken four years before Toon passed away. Myriam has transplanted this arbor, a labor of love by her Dad.

This is Lotte, surrounded by sunflowers!

This picture shows all of us, with our lawyer friend Johnny Warren (l) and his wife Hannah, who visited their daughter Michelle, in Brussels, Belgium at that time and did tour with us. We got to visit Toine's De Gaerde, that is very close to Belgium in the province of Brabant, The Netherlands. Pieter, is the 3rd from the left, Toine from De Gaerde, Myriam, and me. They actually do serve coffee, tea and other refreshments and it is a great place to shop for lots of unique gifts, aside from the plants and professional garden design by Toine.
~~0~~
Three years ago Myriam, did surprise Pieter, for his birthday with a special visit, together with Toine. We started off with the Dutch Queen's birthday reception at Naylor Hall in Atlanta with the Dutch Honorary Consul.

Obviously very happy times and Myriam, did even bring for both of us an orange feather boa!

Here we are at Ristorante da Maria for the special birthday party with most of our friends; about 16.

But happy times do end...

Pieter took this photo from Sunday Brunch after the birthday dinner evening, at the Page House Bed & Breakfast. This is a home in the style of Gone with the Wind.

Toine and Myriam already having their last breakfast, special with popover pancakes and fresh fruits. Served in bowls from English Rose by Royal Doulton. Strawberry drainer is from Pillivuyt as well as the Sancerre underplates.

Serving Italian Prosecco in Baccarat crystal fluted champagne, with spicy Thai cashews from Trader Joe's.

One last supper with our Thai friend and her American husband. Since Myriam, and Toine, also love spicy food, I did make the special Thai Tom Yam Koeng soup. For the table setting I used the placemats with rose pattern from Le Jacquard Française with matching napkins. Had just the perfect roses to go with that; Royal Bonica. I used the Alvin Bridal Rose round silver soup spoons and for the Chicken Satay with Rice and Asparagus I used the Gero Zilmeta Menuet 528. Chargers are French Pillivuyt Sancerre and the soup bowls and dinner plates are the Rose pattern from Gien, again both available from Replacements Ltd.

Pieter with Goddaughter Myriam...

Crystal is Baccarat Piccadilly  from France.

Cheers!

{LOOK what's blooming now...}

In the dreary time of winter it is sometimes a miracle how certain plants can surprise us 'unexpectedly' and even outside of their usual blooming season. Maybe it is because of the long hot and dry summer that they wanted desperately to make up for it NOW?... Whatever the reason, inside the greenhouse our salmon red Pelargonium geraniums are blooming at their best. So I like to share them with you here.

Capturing their beauty in the sunshine, showing all stages of budding and full bloom.

Look at this perfection! We received them years back from our dear friends Heinz & Maria for Pieter's birthday in April.

From Lady Chef Maria from 'Ristorante da Maria' and their B & B. Link about a post I did on it, you find below under Agriturismo & Geraniums - Pelargonium.

Those buds do resemble a rosebud that's why I used this silver rose vase.

Hope you enjoyed our pelargoniums!

Related link:

AGRITURISMO & GERANIUMS - PELARGONIUM | previous post by me

{Our New Year's Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria}

Wow, we are pleasantly full and had a delightful evening together at Ristorante da Maria. They were sold-out to twice their capacity so we were lucky for having reservations! That would be the very last dinner for 2011...

Hope you too had a delightful New Year's Eve and wishing you and your loved ones a Happy New Year with good health, love, joy and peace!

Related articles

{Ristorante da Maria - Best Italian Food in Central Georgia!}  previous post by me

{Ristorante da Maria - Best Italian Food in Central Georgia!}

Last year we did start already the tradition of having a delicious Italian Christmas Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria. Since our family on this side of the ocean consists of only the two of us, that's the very best we can do. It was again a great evening. We enjoyed for about three hours the five-course, elegant Christmas Eve Dinner, cooked by Lady Chef Maria Runggaldier. Next we went to Church for great organ music with caroling before the actual Midnight Mass. A perfect Christmas Eve for us. Pieter got sick the next day with the flu but right now he's doing much better. For all those living near Macon, Georgia or anywhere near Central Georgia, there is still the option for New Year's Eve to have such delicious five-course dinner. What better ending of the year 2011?! Just to show you how the menu for Christmas Eve looked like, for making you mouth water... Everything on the menu is made from scratch; using the best quality fresh ingredients!

Sure, for both of us having lived and worked near Venice, this is HEAVEN! Maria is from the city of Bolzano, the northern part of Italy and she is quite a Lady Chef!

Guess my readers from Italy will recognize these yummy dishes!

It makes us quite happy and that's why I want to mention Lady Chef Maria here.

By the way, it is her husband Heinz who helps serve her delicious food... Heinz is from Innsbruck, Austria.

Do you also have such a great favorite restaurant nearby?

Related article:

Buon Natale - Our Christmas Eve Dinner at Ristorante da Maria | previous post by me

{4th Advent}

The final Sunday of Advent is there and soon we have Christmas! Another short and speedy year... Are you having the same experience too? Especially if one is not feeling totally fit, it kind of slips through your fingers. There is no halting to time, we are forced to move forward with the masses. But again I'd like to show some Advent photos to you.

Inside our veranda, in front of the shaded windows. Shadows from the live oak cast onto the linen shades due to the sunshine we had on Saturday. The green cotton Zweigart Aida tablecloth now with a Mason's Mandalay Chartreuse plate for the brass spiral candle holders.

In the back is a group of angels looking on, all from South Tyrol, Italy.

The one on the left is a ceramic one and was a gift from Italian friend Maria from Ristorante da Maria and the others are all wooden angels from Italy.

Our healthy Sago Palm makes it look more exotic, like our years living in Indonesia where we spent Christmas in the tropics.

Seen is also the Lampe Berger with Cherub from our private collection.

All the angels - cherubs

Wishing you all a Happy 4th Advent!

Related articles

{3rd Advent} previous post by me
{2nd Advent & Great Family Time} previous post by me
Christie's Mandalay by Masons