Saturday 8 November 2008

Vienna Off the Beaten Path


Café Sinfonia
Schubertring 4
A laid-back Viennese café,
between Schwarzenbergplatz and Stadtpark,
with a lovely upstairs dedicated to non-smokers.
Serves what may well be Vienna's largest Melange,
that perfect Viennese Java marriage
between Italian cappuccino and French café au lait.

Café Teitelbaum
Dorotheergasse
This fine small place, tucked away in Vienna's Jewish Museum,
serves excellent poppy seed strudel
(can I be sued if I say it's probably Vienna's best?).
The ambrosial poppy seed filling
sashays onto your dessert plate almost in the nude,
covered only by a few caramelized layers
of see-through, paper-thin fig strudel dough leaves.
Oh, what a luscious way to sin!

Wiener Werkstätte Textilmuseum
Schwarzenbergstrasse 10
The Textile Museum in the downstairs rooms of
the Backhausen Interior Design shop showcases works by
Josef Hoffmann, Kolomon Moser, Otto Prutscher,
and other artists of the Viennese Arts and Crafts period.
Backhausen, an Austrian textile manufacturer
with more than 150 years of tradition,
was a supplier to the Wiener Werkstätte cooperative,
and produces their original designs to this day.

On the Left Bank
Of the Vienna River

A great way to walk off some of the calories
one cannot avoid when living the
Kaffeehaus life.

The easiest access to the Left Bank Promenade
leads through the beautiful Art Nouveau River Gate,
at the southernmost edge of the Stadtpark.

Pavillino
Lounge & Bar in the Stadtpark
Johannesgasse 33
Easy transition from Coffee Hour
to Happy Hour and beyond!
Tree-shaded gardens on balmy evenings,
or from the inside looking out through glass walls,
whatever the season,
here's an easy place to forget the bustle of the city.

Footbridge over the Wien River
Stadtpark
City Park

For more secret city tips
from around the world,
follow this link to
The Guardian's travel blog,
by columnist Benji Lanyardo.

Thank you
to Elizabeth of "About New York",
who asked me to take part in this quest.
Click on the Johann Strauss image above,
to find out about her Manhattan secrets
!

*

Photographed yesterday,
on a rainy Saturday morning
in November
.

20 comments:

  1. Clicking on the images will lead you to other Viennese sites, always on my blog. The last image, Johann Strauss playing his waltz, will lead you to Elizabeth's Manhattan!

    A wonderful Sunday to all of you!

    A note to Tara, regarding roses in November:
    Yes, as of this past Friday, there were still roses blooming in Vienna's rose gardens!

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  2. Very beautiful photos...

    Great post Merisi...

    Have a good sunday too !

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  3. Your photographs are lovely! Thanks for sharing.

    I wish to be in Austria during autumn and hope to get that opportunity better sooner than later.:)

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  4. Great images as always.
    I am considering a vacation in Austria next year.

    Half time in the country, half time in Vienna.

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  5. Thank you, Webradio!

    Indicaspecies,
    thank you, and may you soon be able to enjoy an Austrian autumn!

    H. Peter,
    thank you!
    Vienna's a great starting point, to venture into the countryside. Imagine, Salzburg is only 2 1/2 hrs away, and all those beautiful mountains and lakes in between!
    Enjoy the planning stage, good luck!

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  6. What a delightful way to explore hidden Vienna from one's living room :-)

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  7. Every metropolis has an easy place in its unique sense of tranquility against in defiance of the City's hustle and bustle. Very good contribution for City Secret's.

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  8. The black and white chair looks so modern and chic - but I know it was made almost a century ago.
    I will have to come to explore Vienna very very soon.

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  9. Love all these places to visit.

    Paz

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  10. Merisi, these photos are lovely. You make my mouth water for a visit to Vienna!

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  11. You do have the gift for finding beautiful and interesting things to show us from Vienna! Thank you.

    Someday I hope to visit in person and see the land of (some of) my ancestors, but in the meantime, a visit to your blog always provides a tasty morsel.

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  12. Merisi,
    Elizabeth points to you and a good blog spot it is.
    In Wilson the new Starbucks is huete as we get.
    Thnx. for your posts. G

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  13. Merisi,
    That Kaffeehaus life is for me! I have eastern-European roots and grew up on poppy-seed pastry. It's my soul-food! And textiles! The Wiener Werkstatte! I'm on my way...
    Catherine

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  14. Gday Merisi, Its been a while since my last visit,I lost you and now ive found you again I hope you dont mind if I add you to my side links..
    Beautiful photos, and a lovely walk through the streets of Vienna,

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  15. Wandring Star,
    it was fun out there, and I didn't mind the rain (don't ask my camera, though *g*).

    Nihal,
    I agree, a 100%,
    even in busy New York City one can step into absolute quiet bliss by turning the right corner.

    Elizabeth,
    that whole Arts and Crafts period was such an innovative one, I love the British artists' work also very much. And yes, to Vienna you must come! ;-)

    Paz,
    come and see! :-)

    Lorenzothellama,
    book a flight! :-)
    (And no, the Tourist Office doesn't pay me. *g*)

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  16. Sara,
    Vienna makes that task easy, Sue! :-)
    I hope you will be able to visit soon.

    Manspace,
    welcome, and thank you! :-)

    C.Andrako,
    you know what is so not funny?
    I still have not found a way to truly enjoy it, meaning spending there regularly hours? I love walkinga round Vienna so much, that I spend most of my available time doing that. I won't complain, though. ;-)

    Jeanette,
    welcome back! :-)
    I'd feel honored if you'd put me on your blogroll, thank you!

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  17. hey hey, Benji here from the Guardian... cheers for taking part in this, your pics are superb.

    Now how about passing the tag on to another city blogger? Let's see how far this can go!

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  18. Great photos! How I would love to explore your city.

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  19. Too many secrets...
    ya lost me after No.2
    Desole..

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  20. I guess I have to go to Vienna now to visit the Cafe Teitelbaum.

    Elayne Teitelbaum
    Las Vegas NV

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