04/18/16 day 16: Stuttgart, DE

Up for a modest German breakfast at 930, which although pretty basic, was somehow a relief. It's not good to get used to a breakfast buffet. I had my soft boiled egg, coffee, and yogurt and felt like a normal human.

On the road shortly after 11 for a nice 2 he drive through the Schwäbische Alps which is mainly pastures and small wooded areas and tiny one horse villages. Made it to Stuttgart around 1:30 and took Johannes' tip for best Döner in Stuttgart (Alaturka on Olgastrasse) and it didn't disappoint. Way more traditional Turkish. Fresh baked breads, fresh fixings (including grilled veggies), and a thicker more sour creamy sauce which they smeared on the inside of the bread pocket. I asked for "very hot" and by the end I couldn't feel my lips. Great success!

Döner with a side of Sigar Börek which is fried cheese in a light filo dough and that same sour cream sauce. It was tasty. Happy we went.

Next stop was the hotel which was only a 15 min drive away. I enjoyed a 40 minute nap before getting cleaned up for the show. Johannes picked us up at 5 and we were at Im Wizeman by 5:30. Tonight we are doing a "dinner show" style show. Which has been sold out for weeks. Three 30 minute sets with breaks for the food to be delivered. Our friends Virginie and Ralf surprised us yet again! This is their fourth show of the tour that they've seen. True friends and fans. Ralf is also an artist and designed some cool handmade postcards for us to take home. Virginie is a photographer and always has some good shots to share. This is a power couple!! So great to hang with them again.

I thought the show went over really well. We've always said our music is perfect at dinner parties and here we are playing a dinner party... It wasn't completely silent for our sets but that's to be expected. They were discussing the food (the chef had a three course meal prepared) and the different wine pairings. It was loose and fun and relaxed and relatively light lifting for us. We had Johannes up to do a song together and added "peaceful easy feeling" to our set. It was the first time Im Wizeman, the venue, has done something like this and they were really happy with the outcome. After the set I met a young couple at the merch table. They were there because the young guys parents were at the Parchim show in 2009 (with Clint and Kaleb or "click" and "boom") and bought a CD... This is 7 years ago people!!! I was completely floored. They even asked us to play their wedding in July but we won't be in Europe then. I remember that night in Parchim so clearly, especially when everyone in the room starting singing the chorus to "sign your name" by Terrance Trent D'Arby. Since that time we call it "The Parchim Effect."

After the set we got to try the food, which was really tasty, and hung with Johannes and his girlfriend Monika and the staff. Great group of people. Excited to come

back soon!