Happy Women's Day!

Dzien Kobiet!
Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of us CooL women a wonderful and surprising day! :o)

Don't forget to grab a doughnut today!

It's this time of the year again!
Fat Thursday - Tlusty Czwartek!
Busy with my baby, I didn't realize it until today. My family and friends have been posting pictures of paczki (doughnuts) since early morning and my mouth is watering now...
Thanks guys! ;-)

If you are not participating in Paczki Eating Contest, you still need to eat at least one paczek today! If not, the rest of the year might not go too well for you... ;o)
This excuse is good enough to indulge in this sugar & fat pleasure. Fine with me and with many Poles! :-D

Let me also recommend another popular Fat Thursday treat: faworki.
Crispy, mouth watering, simply delicious! Mmmm... Mmmm.... Mmmm!
You can find out how to make faworki under the Recipes/Food category.
Happy Fat Thursday!

Krzywy Domek, Sopot

If you like modern architecture, you might find this building interesting.
Krzywy Domek (Crooked House) in Sopot, Poland can be found on a list of "11 of Europe's most bizarre buildings" by CNN.
More information about this building can be found on www.krzywydomek.info

Welcome Little Jason!!

Hello everyone,
I would like to share with you this wonderful news!
I'm so fortunate to say that last month we were blessed with a beautiful Baby Boy!
We couldn't be happier!!! Welcome to this world little Jason!
I hope that you like this blue set that mama made for you ;))

I love you so much!!!

Morskie Oko - Jewel of the Tatra Mountains

It feels like a million years ago... High school field trip

Morskie Oko is one of the most popular and charming destinations when visiting Polish mountains. A must-see place.
You can get there by foot (approximately 2 1/2 hours) or enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride.
Both are fun and you can rest assured that you will enjoy the surroundings.
The view of the lake itself is a cherry on top!

Morskie Oko is the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains (Tatry) and is located in the Tatra National Park (Tatrzanski Park Narodowy).
The name Morskie Oko can be translated as "Eye of the Sea", as one of the legends says that the lake was connected to the sea through the underground tunnel.
It used to be called "Fish Pond" (Rybi Staw) due to natural stock of fish (mainly trout), which is really rare in the Tatra lakes. However, fishing and feeding fish are not allowed.
Beautiful clear water of the lake and the view of the highest peaks of the Tatra Mountains are breathtaking.
Morskie Oko is a great starting point for those who want to reach the highest peak in the Polish Tatra Mountains - Rysy (2,499 MASL). It takes approximately 4 hours plus time for rest.
Visitors can explore different mountain trails in the area and nice walk around the lake takes less than an hour!

For my mom: Banana Bread recipe

Little twist today: from my table to my mom's table.

Polish version first! :o)

Please scroll down for English version.

 

My brother enjoyed this banana bread at our house

and now he wants some more! :)

 

 

Dla mamusi:

Przepis na CHLEBEK BANANOWY:

3-4 dojrzale banany

75 g rozpuszczonego masla

1/4 szkl. cukru

1 jajko

1 lyzeczka ekstraktu z wanilii (lub opakowanie cukru waniliowego)

1 lyzeczka proszku do pieczenia

szczypta soli

1,5 szkl. maki

*1/2 szkl. posiekanych orzechow wloskich

 

1. Widelcem rozgniesc banany.
2. Dodac roztopione maslo, cukier, jajko oraz wanilie. Wszystkie skladniki wymieszac.
3. Dodac make, proszek do pieczenia i sol. Dobrze wymieszac. Dodac orzechy.
4. Mase wylac do natluszczonej keksowki (w moim przypadku sa to dwie keksowki) i piec godzine w piekarniku nagrzanym do 175 stopni Celsjusza.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

 

BANANA BREAD:

 

3-4 ripe bananas

1/3 c. butter, melted

1/4 c. sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking soda

pinch of salt

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

*1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1. Mash bananas with a fork.
2. Add melted butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Mix.
3. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix all ingredients and add walnuts if you like.
4. Pour batter into greased loaf pans and bake for 1 hr at 350º F.
    

The amount of sugar in this recipe is reduced to 1/4 cup

and if you have ripe bananas, trust me, you don't need to overload with sugar!

 



My brother is visiting! A word about tourist visa.

Hello,
It's been a while since my last blog post.
Lots of great things happened and I've been positively distracted.
Finally, I got a chance to host my brother! It's a big deal for me!
For the first time, a close family member from Poland is visiting! :o)

Imagine the distance, the Atlantic Ocean between us, the time difference and plane ticket prices!
We don't get too many chances to see each other.
We're skyping, using social network web sites, sending postcards and e-cards, texting...
I miss my family every day and I'm so grateful for today's technology, but nothing can replace face to face meetings, hugs and laughs!
Horrifying prices of the plane tickets are not the only issue for my family in Poland.
They have to deal with visas, too.
For many people it used to be a discouraging, intimidating and disappointing process (and also expensive one!).
Poland has been waiting patiently for some changes about visas. Different promises and negotiations around this topic took place. Who knows, maybe future will be brighter?...

I believe, that certain things have changed for better though - online application process, short awaiting time for the interview and no long lines in front of the US Embassy!
I was really happy for my brother that he was able to take care of everything and that visa process went really smooth.

All the instructions how to apply for a tourist visa, forms and steps that you need to take can be found on the United States Embassy web site:
http://polish.poland.usembassy.gov/wizy.html
This video, prepared by the United States Embassy in Warsaw might be helpful too.

And one more thing...
Anyone travelling with a tourist visa is expected to be a tourist, doesn't have work permit and can not extend his/her stay in the United States.

I answer this kind of questions a lot. I think, that some people get a little suspicious because of the illegal immigration problem in the U.S., but I try not to get offended. I just patiently explain them "the rules" :)