Never a dull moment in this household. Today we went to Old World in Huntington Beach for a German festival. I got all dressed up in my Lederhosen and off we went! Mary tried to put on her dirndl, but alas, the closet elves had taken the clothes and tightened the seams! So, we are going to the Dirndl Shop, and we are going to find one that fits and hide it from those pesky closet elves.
• “Lederhosen” means “leather trousers” in German.
• They were originally workwear for farmers, hunters, and laborers in Alpine regions.
• Lederhosen are strongly associated with Bavaria, but they’re also found in parts of Austria, Switzerland, and South Tyrol.
• Traditional Lederhosen are often made from deer, goat, or cow leather.
• The decorative stitching is called embroidery, and designs can show regional identity.
• They’re often worn with suspenders, a checked shirt, wool socks, and sturdy shoes called Haferlschuhe.
• Lederhosen became fashionable among nobility in the 19th century, especially thanks to romanticized Alpine culture.
• At Oktoberfest, Lederhosen are common festive clothing, but not everyone in Bavaria wears them daily.
• Short Lederhosen are called kurze Lederhosen, while knee-length ones are often called Kniebundhosen.
• The female counterpart often seen at festivals is the dirndl, though historically it began as servant or rural clothing.
Fun fact: Real leather lederhosen are often considered better when they look worn-in, not brand new.
Right before we departed, Mary found a dirndl that was not attacked by the closet critters, and we departed at 10:25 am!
Through the woods we go to celebrate something?
We arrived around 11:00 am, and the parking was pretty easy. We headed to the Dirndl Haus so Marcould findne a new outfit. She found several, but there were four ladies ahead of us, and they were S-L-O-W, so we decided to eat and come back!
The Dirndl Haus lived up to its name!
Floor-to-ceilingclothes!
I went for the Sausage Trio (Nürnberger, Polish, & Arrogant mini bratwursts served on a bed of sauerkraut) and Beef Goulash Soup (Tri-tip, onions, bell peppers, carrots & potatoes).
Mary knew what she wanted: Schnitzel Wiener Art (Viennese-style schnitzel served with a lemon wedge).
We had a bottle of vino and then did some dessert! Apple strudel comes from Austria and is especially associated with Vienna.
Its roots go back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the thin layered pastry style was influenced by Turkish baklava. The classic version is called Apfelstrudel in German.
I went off the rails and ordered a German Chocolate Cake and washed it down with wine! The combined taste was surprising.
The commonly edible marigolds are calendula (Calendula officinalis), often called pot marigold. Its petals are used in salads, soups, rice, butter, and teas, and they have a slightly peppery or tangy flavor.
Yes, the flowers were edible.
We went to the main event for a while before dropping by the deli to pick up some German cheese and some sugar cones needed for the holidays!
Arriving back at Casa Valencia, I worked on the website while Mary continued painting the yard decorations!
Mary painted until almost 11:00 om and then we crashed!
