Boo, a Jack Russell/beagle mix from Seattle, loves the vintage Swiss Army blanket his mom, Ginny, ordered. Apparently, the blanket makes the ideal cover for Ginny’s sofa. Boo being a pooch of good taste, recognizes that and appreciates the extra snuggle factor the blanket brings to the sofa. Nap on, Boo!

Boo gets comfortable on his Swiss Army blanket.

Our four-legged pal, Louis (an Australian shepherd mix) from Des Moines, believes that a Swiss Army tote makes the perfect pillow. When the bag is on the floor, Louis curls against it and gets ready to take a much-needed afternoon nap. Just don’t chew those leather handles, Louis, or you might find yourself using some old regular pillow. Like a people. Yipes!

Louis gets ready for a nap with his Swiss Army tote/pillow.

The lady that puts the "grrr" in growl, Miss Greta.

As 2011 comes to an end, it’s time to announce the winners of our much anticipated (yet never duplicated), EuropeanMarket Golden Greta Awards. This year, the award committee had difficulties compiling a list of the best (and the worst) of our travel experiences. But, after much discussion and a few cocktails, we now reveal our winners. So, roll out the red carpet, turn on the spotlights, and put on your glittering party clothes as we bestow our 2011 Golden Gretas. Drum roll, please…..

Best In-flight Bar Service—Air France

When an airline serves free Champagne to economy class passengers, there really isn’t any competition. Air France wins this category. And, yes, I might have had enjoyed more than one glass. Someone had to be a tester for this award competition.

Dinner is served onboard Air France.

Best In-flight Meal Service—Air France

Not only do they put some other carriers to shame with their bar service, but Air France wins this year’s award for best economy class meals. Flight attendants pass out menus (just like they do for the folks riding in the front of the plane). Then,  return to take and present your order. Here’s a sample of one meal we enjoyed—soybean, corn, and cranberry salad; roast chicken in grain mustard sauce with rice pilaf and vegetables; French cheese; and chocolate raspberry cake. Yum!

The wonderful and cozy Hotel La Marisa.

Best Hotel—Hotel La Marissa

Located in the charming French beach town of St. Jean de Luz, the Hotel La Marissa wins as our favorite home-away-from-home for 2011. We loved it from the minute we arrived at 1:30 a.m. after a long trip. This small hotel offers comfortable rooms, delicious breakfasts (Basque cheese, rolls, cherry jam, ham, yogurt, and robust coffee) set either in the breakfast room or on the patio. Plus, and this is what sets this hotel apart from the rest, Ms. Sylvie oversees everything with an eye to her clients’ comfort. She’s assisted by Mehdi (the manager) and the other top-notch crew members. Perfect!

Best Small World Moment—Café Latin

At the Café Latin in Paris we met Sly, our waiter. Turned out Sly spent time working at a resort in northern Wisconsin about 15 years ago. So, we talked about the Green Bay Packers, Friday night fish fries, cheese, summer sausage, Milwaukee, and Madison. We made Sly an honorary Cheesehead.

Jenny Craig who?

Best Dessert—Rice Pudding with Nut Brittle

We enjoyed this incredible creamy, updated classic treat at Le Kaiku in St. Jean de Luz, France. Presented in a glass, the pudding was in layers—at the bottom was homemade caramel sauce, then rice pudding, and then some wonderful nut brittle. We ordered one and split it. Big mistake. Sue wasn’t interested in sharing.

Worst Time Trying to Leave an Airport—Bilbao, Spain

This has to rank as one of the most frustrating 50 minutes of my life. We landed in Bilbao at 11:30 at night (probably our first mistake). Then, it was time to load the rental car, exit the airport parking ramp, and drive to St. Jean de Luz, France (about 1.5 hours away). It also might have been helpful if I had gotten better directions. Well, well, well. Or as they say in Spain, “Silly Americans shouldn’t drive at night.” We circled the Bilbao airport for at least 30 minutes. 30 minutes looking for an exit. 30 minutes looking for anything that looked like a road toward France. After 40 minutes we did travel down a dark road (Sue claims it was a farm path) and passed Bilbao’s sewage treatment plant. After 50 minutes, we finally found the correct highway and headed for France. At that point, I dropped an entire OPEN bottle of Coke on my lap. Have you ever sat in wet pants? For 90 minutes? It wasn’t a fun drive. I’ll leave it at that. Oh, and there might have been cursing.

Most Awkward 10 Minutes Spent with Border Agents—Lake Constance, Switzerland

The Swiss are a thorough people. And, a secure people. So secure that in September, while driving from Germany to Switzerland, the Swiss Border Patrol stopped us. We both thought, “What the French toast did Chris do now?” Chuckle away, gentle reader. After I stopped the car, a very stern and official looking soldier instructed me to get out of the car. Then, in his best German/English combo said, “Passports, bitte.” For the next 10 minutes, he and another agent went over our passports, my driver’s license, my international driver’s license, and our luggage (and let me say we have a lot of luggage). I think they thought we were smuggling cocaine. Yup, just a couple of drug runners from Wisconsin.

When I retire, be sure to visit me in St. Jean de Luz. You can't beat this view.

Favorite Location—St. Jean de Luz, France

We’ve been fortunate enough to visit some wonderful locations across Europe, but this year’s winner is the French town of St. Jean de Luz. Located in southwest France, St. Jean de Luz, sits on a bay facing the Atlantic Ocean. Sandy beaches stretch for miles. If there was a European address we’d move to for retirement, this just might be it. Did I mention the sangria?

Best Customers, Vendor Partners, and Friends

The last award is the most coveted and it belongs to all of you. We wouldn’t be here without your business and support. We appreciate all of you, so come up on stage and accept your awards. But, please try to keep your acceptance speeches to the allotted time. We’re on a tight budget with the network.

So, I jumped right in at one of our first stops, Lauscha, Germany and the glass studio of Michael Haberland. Michael makes exquisite glass ornaments. OK, let me admit, I was a tad intimidated by the flames. I seemed to do a decent job of spinning the hot glass, but not so much when it came time to form the ornament. Mine turned out looking like an infected appendix, not a round glass sphere.

Also in Lauscha, I took a turn painting ornaments. Hmmm…looked easier than it was. There truly is an art to dipping the glass balls into the paint, twirling them, and shaking off the excess paint. Then, the ornaments are placed upside down on special racks to dry before they move along to the next step in the decorating process. I was fortunate to get out with red paint all over my hair.

In Hof, Germany, at Eagle Products (makers of fine wool and cashmere scarves and blankets), it was time for me to learn how to comb blanket fringe. Who knew fringe needed to be combed before each blanket is wrapped and shipped? The nice German lady teaching me told me I took too long with each blanket. Living by the words—time is money.

Our friend, Hanspeter, had me carving a cow while in Brienz, Switzerland. Brienz is the center of woodcarving in Switzerland. Beautiful pieces ranging in size from small toys and Christmas decorations to life-size creations for use in cathedrals and churches. As I sat down at the bench to start work on my cow, Hanspeter said (insert thick German accent here), “I will now call the ambulance.” Hmmmmm….what kind of support is that?

Next stop, Zug, Switzerland, where I worked the counter at Aeschbach Chocolates. A chocoloate-lovers paradise. In the cocoa-scented sanctuary, our good pal Simone, had me working the counter. Sue laughed because none of the customers were interested in having me wait on them. I said it was because my German isn’t the best. Sue said it was because they didn’t trust me to take an order. Again, a complete lack of support. What’s up with that?

Now, next time you decide to comb blanket fringe and want to do it the correct way, just give me a call. I’m the guy with the answers.

Get on the bus, Gus.

Earlier this week, I had a message from a Trip Advisor member asking for advice on the best way to travel from the airport in Paris (Charles de Gaulle) to the center of the city. My first answer was a taxi (based on the amount of luggage the Ellibees usually drag along on trips), but I also suggested they check out Air France’s bus shuttles—Les Cars.

On our last trip to France, we had a transfer at CDG. Our flight to Bilbao, Spain was cancelled and the next available flight was in 8 hours. So, the helpful Air France customer service agent suggested we hop on one of the Les Cars and head into the city. Wow! This was a fantastic, easy way to get into Paris. I think the price was about $25 each way, so less expensive than a cab (OK, if you own a taxi service in Paris, please don’t send me hate mail).

Les Cars is a fantastic, relatively inexpensive, comfortable way to journey into Paris from either Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports. The buses have several stations at each airport and then, depending on the route, several stops in the city. You purchase your tickets at the airport station, then the staff load your luggage onto the coach. Buses run every day from about 5:45 a.m. until 11:15 p.m. Check routes, schedules, and prices at:

* Airfrance.com or www.lescarsairfrance.com/en.html

If heading to Rome, Alitalia just started offering a similar service called—Alitalia Bus. The coaches run from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (Terminal 1) to several stops in the city. Having been to Rome, I say, “Leave the driving to someone else.” Learn more at:

* www.alitalia.com/en_en/your_travel/organize_your_travel/alitaliabus.aspx

Then, to make the subject of airport/city transfers even more timely (and speedy), I received an email from Austrian Airlines promoting their new Red Cab service. Love this! When you book your online reservation, you can reserve an Austrian Airlines cab to take you from Vienna’s airport to your destination in the city (and back). Plus, you can choose the vehicle type—Mercedes E Class or minivan. Prices start at 29 Euros. Get more information at:

* www.red-cab.at/

So, if your travel plans take you to Paris, Rome, or Vienna, check out these options along with regular taxi and rail services. They’re a great way to get going.

Just a few items for a one week trip.

My other favorite story, usually part of the pack it “light” article is how to only take something the size of a one-quart plastic bag as your luggage? Wow? What the French toast? Do people really do that? Is that even an option when you aren’t staying in a Romanian youth hostel?

I freely admit I’m a horrible packer. I bring way too many things on a trip, whether we’re going for a weekend or a week. I tend to throw too much of one thing in the suitcase, like 10 shirts for a four-day trip. What? I’m not changing twice a day, but my reasoning is I might spill something on the shirt…or shirts. And, I can’t walk around with a giant coffee stain on the front of my shirt.

Those of you that have travelled with me, know that my suitcase is usually groaning at the zipper, soon to burst like a water balloon, scattering socks, shoes, and hair care products across a three-county area. I’ve got a packing problem.

With another trip coming up this week, I’m looking for help. Anyone have any great suggestions? Please let me know.

While we’re on the subject of packing, here are some tips from the pros:

1. www.tsa.gov/travelers/customer/claims/pack.shtm

2. www.fodors.com/news/story_1901.html

3. wedding.theknot.com/honeymoons/honeymoon-planning/articles/16-tips-for-savvy-honeymoon-packing.aspx (good tips even if you’re not heading out on a honeymoon—rumor has it that Will and Kate checked out this site).

It made me think about Vienna and its long history of coffeehouses. In fact, the city’s residents have been enjoying coffee for centuries. Yup, there were coffeehouses long before Starbucks and they were in Vienna.

In Vienna, enjoying a cup of coffee is an art form. In no other city (with all respect to Seattle) do the residents enjoy this rich, seductive beverage with such finesse. Hundreds of coffeehouses and cafes line the city’s streets. It’s here the Viennese drink their coffee, enjoy some dessert (and I can confirm the city offers some fantastical desserts), read newspapers, engage in conversation (or gossip), or play billiards.

How did Vienna discover coffee? Well, according to legend, during the Turkish siege of the city in 1683, a young Polish officer, Georg Franz Kolschitzky, snuck around the enemy lines and delivered an important message to the pan-European troops defending the city. This act turned the course of the battle and the Turks retreated. For his bravery, Kolschitzky received a small piece of land and several sacks of coffee beans left behind by the Turks.

So, Kolschitzky built the city’s first coffeehouse and the rest is history. Today, residents and tourists (over 90 percent report stopping at a coffeehouse or café during their visit) enjoy the quiet ambience and offerings of the city’s coffeehouses. If you want to get a taste of Vienna close to home, try our imported Austrian coffees. A cup (or two) is the perfect way to start your day, extra cream optional.

Coffee Choices:
Just a few of the ways you can enjoy a cup in Vienna—

Wiener Melange—the classic made with black coffee, hot milk, and a topping of foamed milk.

Fiaker—black coffee mixed with cognac and topped with whipped cream; named for the city’s horse-drawn carriages.

Franziskaner—black coffee mixed with foamed milk topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder.

Kaffee mit Schlag—coffee, either hot or cold, served with a generous amount of whipped cream, if you want to splurge ask for a Doppelshlag which provides more whipped cream than coffee (Yes, please!).

Discover more about coffee, Vienna, and Austria:

Vienna Tourist Board—www.wien.info

City of Vienna—www.magwien.gv.at

Austrian Airlines—www.aua.com

How did my airplane love affair begin? I think it was back in the late ‘60s. We lived near the airport in Madison and from our yard I had a pretty good view of the planes taking off and landing. The Northwest 727s, North Central Convairs and DC-9s, and the Ozark F-27s heading for far off, exotic destinations like Milwaukee, Beloit, LaCrosse, and Rochester.

Today, I’m a collector of vintage airline memorabilia. Typically, I search for items on Ebay, but sometimes stumble on a great item in an antiques store. What attracts me to these items? I think there’s something about the adventure and excitement that air travel brought to the public. Plus, many of the items I collect have fantastic graphics and photographs. And, it’s cool to see images of people dressed in their finest enjoying a flight to a new destination. Men in suits. Women wearing hats, high heels, and gloves. Most everyone smoking and enjoying a cocktail. Air travel was treated like an event.

When we travel, I usually try to scout out an air or transport museum. Here are a few that you might want to check out next time you take to the skies. Happy travels!

* Kansas City, MO—Airline History Museum—http://www.airlinehistorymuseum.com/index_old.htm

* Milwaukee, WI—Mitchell Gallery of Flight—http://www.mitchellgallery.org/

* Dallas, TX—American Airlines/C.R. Smith Museum—http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/airlineMuseum/airlineMuseum.jsp

* Atlanta, GA—The Delta Heritage Museum—http://www.deltamuseum.org/M_Visit.htm

* Paris, France—Air France Archives—http://www.airfrancemusee.org/en/musee.php

* London, England—British Airways Museum and Heritage Centre—http://www.britishairways.com/travel/museum-collection/public/en_gb

* Dresden, Germany—Verkehrsmuseum— http://www.verkehrsmuseum-dresden.de/

After two days at the show and several days of walking the streets of Paris, here’s our observations on the latest trends from Europe.

1. A Trip to Belgium—Belgian style was the big theme. Imagine European country-style in muted colors—lots of white linen, beige, gray, (and their sibling—greige), and taupe. The woods used in casegoods are treated to a white-wash or taupe finish. Accessories include pieces in white and black. The black adds some drama. Lots of mirror-surfaces or silver finishes on accessories. Get started with some of our Belgian linens.
2. Pop Goes the Color—We loved the eye-popping color that was everywhere at the show and in store displays in Paris. Think lime green, cherry red, lettuce, citron, grape, and hot pink. Really nice to see since we were from cold, snowy Wisconsin and let’s be honest, the weather in Paris was GRAY. We soon hope to carry some new linens that carry this theme of bright, fun color. Looking for a shot of bright color now? Take a look at our German felt luggage tags and  Italian vases.

Great color from a Parisian florist's sidewalk display.

3. For the Fur of It—Fur, real and faux, was everywhere in Paris and at the show. On the streets, Parisians were out in their fur coats, vests, stoles, boots, and hats. And, some crazy, wild fur purses for the ladies.  At the show, fur (I’m thinking it was faux) saw action used in throws and accent pillows. Not lovin’ this, but to each his own.

4. At Home Comfort—Being comfortable at home was probably the one big over-arching theme. Lots of the exhibitors stressed spending time at home and making your house more comfortable and welcoming. Lots of candles (room fragrances), accent pillows (all sizes), blankets/throws, comfy seating pieces, and multi-functional pieces. And, lots of fun things for the kitchen—espresso/coffee makers, baking pieces, etc. to create a little of a restaurant experience at home.

To learn more, take a tour to these sites:

1. Flamant—the Belgian home furnishing store.
www.flamant.com

2. City of Paris—http://en.parisinfo.com/

The lady. The legend. The Greta.

For this monumental occasion, let us introduce our first Golden Greta winners for the year spanning December 2009–December 2010. So, settle in, pour yourself a glass of cheer, and enjoy:

1. Best Navigator in a Foreign Land—Margaret E. Yes, leave your Garmins and TomToms at home. When you travel, bring along a good map and Sister M. She has our father’s gene for knowing exactly where to go and which direction the car is headed. Especially helpful when trying to get out of Rome’s airport.

Apparently, all that map reading has done something to Sister M.'s eyes.

2. Worst Experience in a Rental Car—See Number 1. Picture Sue B., Sue E., Sister Margaret, and Me in a Fiat Croma station wagon. It’s hot. We’re tired. And apparently, there isn’t signage for the Autostrada heading north. I think we circled the airport 4 or 5 times. Finally, without using blinkers (Sister M.’s hand gestures stood in for blinkers) we made our way out of the traffic-clogged road circling the airport. And, the four of us were still speaking.

3. Most Applause Given to Americans—Yes, the same June ’10 trip to Italy. Back at the Rome airport. Have left the rental car and now stuffing all of our luggage (think too many suitcases for four people) into a small Fiat taxi. Our driver stacked, restacked, shoved, cursed, and stacked until all the suitcases fit. The crowd of people in the taxi line broke into applause as we all piled into the remaining space and left. With all that clapping I felt like President Obama or Oprah.

4. Best Macaroons—These little cookies are all the rage. But, have to confess, the best are at Pierre Ledent in Brussels. Fell head-over-heels for the caramel, strawberry, and chocolate. Went up a waist size in my pants.

Dinner is served on Swiss—Chicago to Zurich.

5. Best Inflight Meals—Is there such a thing as good airline food? OK, good airline food in economy? My friends, I’m here to say, yes there is. This Golden Greta goes to Swiss International Airlines. They have taken the standard, “chicken or pasta?” and made it into something you might serve at home. Plus, they offer hot towels (again in economy) before each meal and little Swiss chocolate bars when you disembark. Can’t beat that!

6. Nicest Gesture to Wacky Americans—This category has multiple winners. Too many to mention. But, I’ll give a few highlights—the ladies in Eisenach, Germany that paid for our parking because I didn’t have the correct change; multiple waiters and waitresses that smiled (and laughed) as we worked our way through countless menus using our poor (select one) French, Italian, or German; the store clerk in the Czech Republic that left the shop and walked down the street with me to show me which highway we needed to take (here’s a surprise….we were lost). Just a few examples of the warmth and good cheer we’ve encountered. Don’t let anyone tell you Europeans dislike Americans. We haven’t experienced it.

7. Best Go-to-Guy—Neighbor Terry G. Wow! What would we do without him? Terry does a little of everything for us. He takes product photos. He lets us borrow tables for our open house. He brings me empty cardboard boxes to re-use and save a tree. Plus, he and Mrs. G. run us to the airport when we go on our adventures. They rock!

8. Best Tech/Web Guru in a Starring Role—Our man, Nathan, of Manufactory Design. Nathan keeps all systems running around here. Plus, he’s VERY patient with two people that were around when Ma Bell converted phones from rotary dial to push button. I still haven’t recovered from that bit of technology advancement.

9. Best Customers and Friends—Well, that’s all of you. Each of you deserve a Golden Greta for supporting EuropeanMarket, in this, our first year in business. We couldn’t do it without you. We appreciate all of you and hope to hear from you in 2011. Thank you!

Our Christmas tree hunt is a ritual we’ve done together for 18 Christmases. Each year we go through the same evergreen dance. One of us votes for a skinny tree, the other for a chubby, full tree. One wants a tall tree. The other wants a short tree. What to do? To keep peace in the family, I’ve learned to just agree with Sue and let her make the final choice. 

After the tree is selected, I carefully saw it down and then drag it back to the car. This usually involves holding onto Greta at the same time. She doesn’t seem to like that large green thing following us.

December 2009 Christmas tree hunt. No rain like 2010. Greta supervising the tree removal.

Now, some of you might believe the search for the perfect Christmas tree involves the art of compromise and good negotiating skills. I actually think it has more to do wanting to get out of a cold rain and get in the car. Is that a brandy waiting for me when I get home? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

Let us know where you stand—live tree fan or artificial tree fan?

See our collection of beautiful ornaments from the Czech Republic, Germany, and Switzerland. 

Learn about all things Christmas tree, including types and proper care by visiting the website of the National Christmas Tree Association:

www.christmastree.org/