Mrs. California Housewife: Our trip to Europe

We've spent the last couple of nights in Solvang, California. Sounds European, doesn't it? Well, we had been discussing how likely it would be for humans to discover how to go back in time in the car ride over. We discovered when we got to Solvang, that we had found a fold in the space-time continuum and somehow drove over the Santa Maria mountains and into Northern Europe. The German architecture of the town's buildings play up the history of the town as a settled by Danish educators just after the turn of the century.

It is a little tourist destination with way too many gift shops and a strong penchant for Hans Christian Anderson, the Danish author of many famous children's fables. Also heavily encouraged is the Danish breakfast treat, aebelskivers. These are golf-ball shaped pancakes draped in raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. The Mrs. says Yum! The Mr. says Not worth the hype.

Some other crazy things we found out about Solvang:

* Much of the Oscar-winning 2004 film Sideways was filmed in Solvang and in nearby Buellton
* Patricia Hitchcock, the only child of the film director Alfred Hitchcock, currently resides in Solvang
* Rancho del Cielo, President Ronald Reagan's ranch which served as the "Western White House" during Reagan's two terms in office, is located about six miles (10 km) outside of Solvang.
* In The Simpsons episode "Little Orphan Millie", it was revealed that Milhouse has an uncle from Solvang named Norbert "Zack" Van Houten. Bart has a telephone conversation with a switchboard operator in Solvang, and a wooden "Solvang Air" airliner, whose fuselage resembles buildings in the town, is shown landing at Springfield Airport. Uncle Zack's overwhelming pride in his Danish heritage also reflects Solvang's history from its founding by Danish citizens.
* Ska-punk band Mad Caddies call Solvang their home.