1. nespresso
    We just got a Nespresso Le Cube and we love it. We have avoided drinking a cup or five of espresso every night but absolutely love the convenience, easy clean up and easy of having a machine like this which uses little coffee tabs. And I think that when guests come over or you just want a quick pick me up, there are few things better than good espresso. Personally I am looking forward to using my Tupperware milk foamer and making our own cappuccinos in the near future. But sometimes I do feel that just one espresso isn’t enough and a double would be better…so I guess we will have to give their Lungo (I think they are called?) a try soon.If you’re someone that drinks cups upon cups of espresso, this is probably not the best way to go. You will end up spending vastly more. But we are not hardcore espresso drinkers and therefore wouldn’t likely work our way through a kilo of espresso beans quickly enough.

     

  2. furniture stores in Germany
    One thing is certain – there are loads of furniture stores in Germany. Naturally there are staples like IKEA and you will also find many local places as well. But there are also some larger chains like Segmüller, Höffner and Hiendlwhich all have a similar format. These are huge furniture superstores where the masses flock on weekends, any time there is sale of any sort and when they are open on Sundays (which is a special deal here in Germany). You will think they are giving something away for free…and they never are. The furniture you find in these places is what I consider to be typically Germany and we have never bought anything from any of them…nor do we generally go in these stores.There are also quite a few companies that sell furniture from catalogs and online but I have not really been trusting enough to give that a try. I like to see most stuff in person first. We did buy a few cabinets which fit under our sinks in our old house, though. Tchibo is also a store which has furniture from time to time and usually at good prices. But it’s completely hit or miss since they only have items for a few weeks at a time and once it’s sold out, that’s it.

     

  3. do a lot of plants grow in Germany?
    I’d say they do! 🙂 So far I have not met a plant that couldn’t be grown here in Germany. You may have to grow it indoors or in a greenhouse but most things can indeed be grown here. Germany is on a similar latitude to Winnipeg and Moose Jaw in Canada. But our summers are now longer and warmer than usual (thanks global warming) so we have not had any trouble so far growing anything. Even our sweet potatoes and watermelons are still thriving and they generally prefer warmer climates. 
  4. design ideas for “window frosting”
    Aside from the Amorf window frosting which I have discussed several times on here, we also found another company selling static cling and self-adhesive window designs which can be removed with just a small amount of effort. I’m not certain if they sell these products in the US but their website is in English so perhaps you could get them over there somewhere. d-c-fix makes transparent products for glass which can be used on doors, windows or glass furniture. They also make colored strips which can be used on other furniture or as a border on your wall.