Experiencing Bavaria

Journeys become untold stories insisting to be told. Why?  Because they push us out of our comfort zone. At any moment we are pushed to engage with people we can’t speak with, taste unknown food and drinks, hear commotion around us that we don’t understand, find our way when we don’t know where we are and experience firsthand what we have only read about. For me there is nothing like undertaking modern adventures in historic lands. We had a unique opportunity to experience Bavaria with Bavarians! We were invited into their beautiful home and treated like family. Our hosts introduced us to the history, customs, dishes and desserts, castles, gardens, restaurants, cities of Bavaria. 

Our incredible hosts, in their beautiful kitchen, enjoy a view of the garden. I love the colorful Eames chairs with their wooden table.

Rothenburg is a medieval walled town in Bavaria. We enjoyed the cobble stone lanes, flowering window boxes and half-timbered houses of this fairy tale dream town. Rothenburg is home of the original Rothenburger Schneeball and Leyk porcelain candle houses.

Ulm is another beautiful city we enjoyed exploring. In 1805 after winning the Battle of Ulm, Napoleon separated Ulm into two cities, even today Ulm and Neu Ulm are divided by the Danube River. Ulm is actually in the state of Baden-Württemberg, while Neu Ulm is in Bavaria. Um Minster is a protestant cathedral. It is the world's tallest church and was one of the tallest buildings in the world before the 20th century, after the Eiffel Tower and Washington Monument.

Einstein's Birth Place

During our time in Ulm there was a rain storm, we stopped inside an old tavern for drinks and to stay dry. I include this photo because I often admire European center pieces. Aren't they simple, natural and yet beautiful?

We wanted our children to visit the famous castle of Neuschwanstein. The castle is set in the gorgeous Bavarian Alps near Swan Lake and was once home to the interesting Ludwig II.

Our generous hosts introduced us to a couple of special dishes. One breakfast we had a bakery fresh pretzel with a smoked weisswurst.  Weisswurst is a white sausage made from veal and pork and typically flavored with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom. I don't usually like sausage but this was delicious! All three of my kids, not to mention my sausage loving husband, loved it! Another meal we especially enjoyed was Schwaben fried beef with onion and cheese spatzle.

Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Real Pittsburgh Family | Baby "D" 1st Birthday

Baby "D" and I had fun in Mt. Lebanon Main Park the other day. We played with a gold balloon and pearls, ate cake, sat in a suitcase, and pushed a baby in a stroller. She is so sweet and so much fun! I asked her mom a couple of questions about her child and her 1st birthday.

Write 3 adjectives that describe your child.

When she is content she is happy, sweet, and playful. She can be fiesty and show her "not impressed" face when she is displeased!

What did your child wear to his/her photo shoot?

Pink bubble tutu dress, gold moccasins, and a gold lace crown

How did you celebrate your child's birthday?

A backyard pink and gold themed birthday party with grandparents, friends, and neighbors. Including her favorite foods, rigatoni with meat sauce and watermelon. She loved her dairy-free cake. She enjoyed being pushed by her big sister and a troop of 7 year old girls in her new push car, and playing with baby friends in the bounce house.

What was your child's biggest accomplishment over this past year?

Transitioning with ease to the young toddler room at her day care. This includes new nap times, nap mats, sippy cups, circle time, and big kid snacks. She adapted more quickly than her parents!

Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Summer Days in Cologne, Germany

I loved to wake up early and walk to the neighborhood bakery for fresh bread, which conveniently opens at 6 a.m. everyday.

I was always excited when my favorite bakery associate was working. Not only did she greet me with a smile, she also sang Neil Diamond's, "Hello Again!" I quickly learned that there is a bigger selection the earlier you arrive. I love to arrive early and try something new. I perfected the point and nod ordering technique which always made my family laugh when I told them about it. We loved everything we tried from the pan de chocolate to the rye buns sprinkled with whole grains to the fresh pretzels. I also enjoyed ordering delicious coffee.

My family was usually up by the time I returned and we'd sit together on the back porch to enjoy our delicious bakery surprise.

After breakfast the kids and I leisurely got ready for the day and often relaxed in our back yard while we waited for our turn in the shower. The kids also colored and wrote in their journals.  

Later in the morning, the children and I would head out for our daily adventure. We tried to do something new every day, we often took long walks just to explore our area and see what we could find. We found parks, interesting stores and restaurants, coffee shops, parks, playgrounds, the Rhine, even a second hand clothing store. Some days for a bigger adventure we headed into the center of Cologne to visit the Cathedral, Rhinepark, zoo, a pool and to shop.

Like most locals we shopped at Kaiser's, the local grocery store, several times a week, partly because our refrigerator was small and partly because we enjoyed being out and about. One of our favorite lunches were pretzel sandwiches we also enjoyed bratwursts, caprese salads and pizzas. Our grocery list often included knoppers (a square candy with layers a wafers, creme, chocolate and hazelnuts), dill yogurt dressing that we put on our vegetables, and natural yogurt in a glass jar.

Many days we enjoyed lunch at Steak and Grillstube. Since my husband is European he typically ate his main meal at work, we tried to eat our main meal at lunchtime as well. We'd enjoy the daily menu because when you can't read or speak German the menu isn't very informative! Somedays we loved our food and other days we were completely surprised that we had actually ordered the food that was in front of us! For example I was so excited for lasagna day, but it turned out to be salmon alfredo lasagne. Another favorite activity was supporting our local ice cream shop. Who can resist delicious Italian gelati for only one euro! We tried flavors like pinu pegnuin, mango yogurt, hazelnut, stracciatella, and my favorite tiramisu!

Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow us on Instagram and Facebook.