In the two years we’ve been in Tbilisi we’ve probably walked past Caucasian and Oriental Carpets Gallery down by Sioni Cathedral in Old Tbilisi no less than a hundred times. The inviting storefront always caught my attention. A rotating cast of carpets draped over the fence and laid out on the street to tempt any […]
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One of my absolute favorite Georgian foods is khinkali. While the name is unique to Georgia, of course, the concept is fairly universal: delicious dumplings. I grew up eating the Polish version – pierogi – and have fond memories of going to the Polish deli with my parents and then frying them up on the […]
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Today is Orthodox Christmas, so I thought it would be fitting to briefly talk about Tbilisi at Christmastime. We were a bit bummed when planning our failed R&R and then our impromptu trip to Helsinki and Stockholm that we would miss out on the spectacular Christmas season here at home. However, since Georgia is on […]
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Recently I’ve gotten back into baking. For some reason, I went on a bit of hiatus for the past several years. I think in part it was our desire to eat healthier, and we really don’t need six dozen cookies for two people with little to no self-control. But, I really enjoy baking, and I’ve […]
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One of the more fun things we’ve been able to participate in as part of the Embassy community these past few years is the annual Marine Corps Birthday Ball. I grew up fairly far removed from the military world, so when Sean started working for the DOD I got a crash-course on all things armed […]
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One of the most popular – and most beautiful – Georgian souvenirs is enamel. It seems everywhere you turn in Tbilisi there’s another shop showing off these vibrant and intricate works of art. I know by looking at these pieces that a great deal of time and effort goes into making them, and a few weeks […]
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Inadvertently, Sean and I have made it a pattern to visit Christmas markets in Europe for our first major vacation at a new post. In 2015 when we left Dushanbe for the first time, we went to Germany and Brussels to get a good helping of Christmas spirit. Last year, we did the same with […]
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About an hour south of Tbilisi lies the unassuming village of Marneuli. At first glance, it looks like any subsistence agricultural town. Herds of farm animals roaming the pastures, quaint houses made of stone and brick, and residents living in extreme poverty. Most of the income in this area comes from outside sources such as […]
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Although I spent 23 years living in Wisconsin, yesterday was my first-ever Green Bay Packer football game. I know some people have been wondering why it took so long for me to partake in one of our state’s great traditions. I have several reasons. For one, my parents are from Chicago, and though my dad […]
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Yesterday was our first full day back in the U.S., and our first full day back in Wisconsin since Christmastime 2017. It also happened to be the first day of the Wisconsin State Fair, so naturally, we had to go. I have fond memories of the fair from my childhood. My brother and I insisting […]
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