‘Tis the season. I am so grateful for December back at home. I hope your holidays came with serenity and brought peace, joy and abundance, I hope it shined light into all corners and melted chaos, fears and injustice. May it bring tranquility and reflection for all creative and good deeds you are planning.
We started the month with a short trip to Finland. Dominick learned about the winter in Finland last year at school and wanted to see it for himself. Since there is a direct flight to Helsinki from Vilnius (and it is a short one as well), we went to the land of snow and saunas for a long weekend. We visited the Suomenlinna sea fortress, library Oodi, couple art museums, bookstores, and, of course, the Christmas market. Several photos in the slider below.
When we returned, the Vilnius Christmas tree was lit up and the market was open.
We got a Christmas tree at home, and I helped decorate one at work as well. There are many ways to get Christmas trees and I learned that you can rent it in Lithuania (for Lithuanian friends: google “eglutės nuoma“). There is a service to rent a tree in a bucket – it is delivered to your house, and after the holidays the company picks it up, holds the tree until the spring and the replants it. We only had to buy a few ornaments and lights.
December is a month to visit friends and relatives. We went on a Christmas train to see Kaunas. Friends from Kaunas came to see us. We went couple times to the National Opera and Ballet theater – they have amazing hot chocolate during the breaks. The taste didn’t change in the past 40 years (meaning, as long as I can remember). Over the holidays we visited my aunt in Marijampolė, my uncle in Kaunas, and our friends in Kaunas (again). We went bowling, watched Willy Wonka in English, saw Žaliakalnis at night and had a few cups of coffee in Laisvės alėja. Lots of photos below.
In Vilnius, we went to see Martynas Levickis. Martynas plays an accordion and he is a very creative and famous Lithuanian accordion player who made the accordion a cool instrument. Indeed, he is very talented. I want to take a small credit for his fame. In 2010, he played in Madison, Wisconsin. I was part of the Madison Vilnius Sister Cities organization at the time and helped coordinate his trip from Chicago to Madison to perform for us. Agnė Vertelkaitė, who worked at the Consulate General at that time, drove him to Madison. Later, there was an article in „Draugas“ about the performance. First, he looks so young at that time. Second, I found emails that we offered him a $100 honorarium for the performance. Now, each ticket at the concert is almost $100.
Andrew is continuing private viola lessons. The teacher included him in the Dvarionis music school winter concert and we attended a great performance of young artists. The stage was decorated with houses from Vilnius - very original and neat idea.
I cannot skip the food column. It was a true joy to go to grocery stores and farmer’s markets for all Lithuanian Christmas-related food items. Herring? – at least 15 kinds to choose from. I learned about matjes herring this time. Karpis (carp) and other fish? – plenty to choose from. Kūčiukai (small biscuits)? – no need to make it at home, many brands are selling them. Beets? – cooked, slightly oiled, vacuumed, your choice if you would like them whole and grated. Mushrooms? – whatever kind and style you like (boletus, chanterelles, dried, fermented, etc.). Poppyseeds?- large quantities and low prices. Meats for Christmas dinner? - tongue, souse meats, pattes, turkey, goose, duck, lamb. The possibilities for desserts were endless, no photos, we enjoyed with our eyes and mouths.
My highlight was a brunch organized by Beatos virtuvė. Beata Nicholson is a well known cook in Lithuania. She just published her ninth cookbook, she has TV programs, several restaurants and a few food items at grocery stores. During the brunch, not only I tasted many of the recipes included in the book and bought the book, but I also met Beata, talked with her for about ten minutes, got a photo and an autograph. Delightful memories.
Happy 2024! View at midnight in Vilnius, Lithuania.