Friday, May 15, 2009

Spontaneity

Last night while listening to a classical music station Greg heard something that changed our plans for the weekend.  Well, our plans only included being home until going to church on Sunday in Krakow, but also finishing off the other half of a cake in the fridge and --  and this is important -- having vegetarian borscht tonight with the rest of the crescent rolls from last night (yesterday I neeeeeeded chinese chicken salad with crescent rolls and tonight I neeeeded borscht with them).  Oh well.  Plans change.  Apparently.

Instead we'll be taking the other half of the cake and the crescent rolls with us to Łódż (pronounced Wooch, sort of) This is where Greg's parent's live.  This is where we try to put a little culture in our lives when possible (we went to a concert last time, opera, and it's also where we almost went to the nude version of The Magic Flute) And this is where the concert will be tonight that Greg heard about last night.

Łódż is the third largest city in Poland.  It's not the prettiest of cities, as it was a manufacturing city.  Textiles.  The ooooold factories have been standing in their glory (really) unused with broken windows for decades until someone had an idea.  They turned it into this:


Isn't it pretty?  Like a really nice factory from the oooooold days that's been revamped? (they only sandblasted the brick, it was always this pretty, just sorta blackish)  Okay, so you can't really tell what it is, but they turned it into a mall.  It's cleverly named "Manufaktura" and apparently it's in the running for "Best Mall in the World" or something.  It's amazing, though none of the pictures I found really do it justice.  It's huge and there are buildings on all sides.  We go there almost every time we're in Łódż.  There are these fountains the kids can run through: 


and in the evening they dance and light up different colors to the loud music that plays in the courtyard.


In the summer they set up "beach" volleyball in the courtyard, and in the winter there's an ice skating rink.

Well, so back to the point.  In this very courtyard:



it was announced last night on the radio, there will be a concert tonight.  Not just any concert, though.  The Łódż Philharmonic will be playing the soundtrack LIVE to 2001: A Space Odyssey, which will be playing on a huge screen.  There will be 2001 seats and the show starts at 8:01 pm.  (I translated that for you, since you guys don't use army time like we do over here.  In Polish it starts at 20:01)

So Greg said "Drop everything!  Forget about your Borscht tomorrow!  We're going to Łódż!"  Then he called his mother and said something like, "Sorry it's such late notice, but some veeeeery important business has come up for us in Łódż and we'll be there in 20 hours or so. . ."  

So we'll go get the kids from school, eat some lunch (school ends at 12:15 today, 1:10 most days) and head off to Babcia and Dziadek's house (4-5 hour drive).  

I'm really excited except that I've never seen it and we recently watched 2010 (the sequel-ish)and I thought it was the most boring movie I've ever seen.  But being outside with the live music it will be awesome.  Without kids.  With Greg.  

A word about that cake.  If, of a Wednesday afternoon, you realize you reeeally want to make some special dessert, like a cake, since you've been craving a big layered one since you saw Pollyanna a few weeks ago (remember those HUGE pieces of cake they get at the fair?), and one with cream cheese in it, you might be extremely happy to stumble upon this cake.  Then you might make it, only double instead of triple layers because you have not three 8" rounds, not two, but zero.  Only a 10" springform pan.  So you bake half of it, wash, butter, repeat = two layers.  And you find that it is a veeeeery good cake.  And your son requests it for his birthday.  And your husband proclaims it delicious.  And you think it's a little sweet but exceedingly good.  So, anyway, those are some things that might happen if you are thinking about dessert on a Wednesday afternoon.  And then you might end up taking half of the cake to your in-laws with you.  Because your husband might be pontaneous.  (my S diet update is coming in a week or two. . . bet this post made you wonder how that's going)

27 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Seeing those pictures is unbelievable to me! That was my second area, and it never looked so nice (is that rude to say?). When we went to Poland a few years ago, we were amazed at the changes of the cities to modernization. Now we'll have to go again to see Lodz in all its glory, what a gorgeous mall!

Melissa said...

I never saw Space Oddyssey 2010, but I did see 2001, and I can honestly say that the music is the best thing about that movie. It was the most boringest movie I ever seen (sorry, sometimes I just like to use bad grammer and spelling :) Prepare yourself for 20 minutes of flying very slowly over the surface of Jupiter. That's all I'm going to say.

Thora said...

I wish we were that spontaneous! Have fun being on a date!

Annette Lyon said...

Have a fun trip (that's actually a really cool looking mall).

And now I want some cake.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

The fact that my husband is allergic to nuts suddenly seems very, very tragic to me.

Have fun - the concert sounds amazing!

Lara Neves said...

I love being spontaneous like that! Sounds like a fabulous concert! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Anne said...

What fun for you! Good for Greag and his spontenaity. And good for you for going along with it!

Have fun!

Erin said...

That cake looks so good, but a little too complicated for me (especially because I only have a 10 in springform pan too). That concert sounds AWESOME!

Anonymous said...

Wow. I wish I could go there and experience all of this. It's beautiful! I'd love to see more of Poland.

gramalee said...

I saw 2001 twice and fell asleep twice. :) The music is awesome, though! Have fun! xo

Heidi said...

I thought they didn't really like sweet cake OR peanut butter in Poland. It looks perfect for the people who live at OUR house, though! Yum!

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

That mall looks cool, I WANT that cake, and I bet the concert was nice--even if you (and I) aren't Space Odyssey fans. Just great to get out with the spouse in the open air and eve of it all. :)

melissabastow said...

I am really impressed for your husband's spontenaity, and that he included you. My husband doesn't do spontaneous. He also doesn't really do dates. And he never even lets me take cake on our roadtrips to see his parents which I think is borderline cruel.

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

Hey--I literally just DREAMT about that cake! I want it right now so bad I think I may have to run out and buy some peanut butter cups to sustain me until I can get it made! What are you trying to DO to this pregnant lady?!

Kazzy said...

Concert sounds cool, and the old factories look even cooler. I love architecture and renovations. Have a blast. Have missed reading you.

Little GrumpyAngel said...

The mall looks awesome! And it sounds like you will have an amazing date with your hubby. Actually, it sounds super cool. I'm not a Space Odyssey fan so I don't even know what the show is about, but just the thought of sitting in an outdoor concert in that beautiful setting sounds super wonderful.

Melanie Jacobson said...

I miss you when you're gone and I'm happy when you post. Have a great time!

Heather of the EO said...

I hope you have a great time! I'm sure it will be a really unique experience.

And how spontaneous of Greg! I'm looking forward to hearing how it went :)

Mrs4444 said...

Sounds fun! I hope you had fun.

Emily said...

Wow! This looks like a cool place. I bet it was a good time.

But what I want to know is, did you finish the cake?!

Mmmm cake. I need to go on a diet, too. Shhh don't tell anyone.

Alison Wonderland said...

I think that sounds awesome and I'm extremely jealous. I almost got to go on a date (sort of) stupid drive-in...

Anonymous said...

That cake is a SHAZAAM! kind of cake! And Pollyanna always makes my mouth water, too - although I would seriously throw up if I had to eat a 1/4 of a whole watermelon!

These pictures are amazing. I would love to run through the musical, light-up fountains at night!

Anonymous said...

Poland sounds like an exciting place to live and full of history. Hope you and husband have a wonderful time together.
Some time ago, I started collecting dolls for my granddaughter, everytime someone goes away, I ask them to bring me back a doll...of course, I pay for doll. I would love to get another one from Poland, I actually have two that I bought at a yard sale but would love another....if ever you would like to do some doll shopping, please let me know...I'll send money first so you don't have to put out anything....and, of course, pay for shipping to US.
Thanks for considering.....

Shauna said...

Hope you have a super weekend!
♥ HUGS ♥

J. Baxter said...

There were all sorts of thoughts flying around in my head, but somehow, all I can think of now is cake. And cream cheese.

I don't know how your diet is going, but this post was NOT good for mine!

charrette said...

Have a GREAT time! The concert will be fabulous! The time alone with your husband? Even more so! And you are making me salivate the way you talk about that cake! Holy cow, girl!

p.s. I love borscht!

charrette said...

I'm back again...because, AHAHAHAHA! No WONDER you were eating all that crazy stuff! :) Been there, done that!