Sunday 9 May 2010

Life in the Slow Lane


Window with Rhododendron
Galerie Kandinsky

What are you looking for?
Kristian's Monasteri Restaurant
is tempting you!

This being an equal opportunity blog,
here the same scene again!

When you are done looking,
I would suggest to stop
for breakfast at Café Kandinsky.

Be forewarned:
Tables like this one are not uncommon,
here you run into a serious risk
of whiling away your whole morning!

Something like 101 different varieties
of Staud's heavenly-tasting Konfitüren jams
lie in wait for you - the sweet beginnings of more such
slow food for a leisurely breakfast.

I have yet to find out
why in the world anybody would think
that "Slow Food" was invented in Italy!

Italy of all places is where they
have "bars" where they scan your coffee-IQ
- that secret code trasmitted
instantly to the automatic coffee maker
when your shadow slinks through the door frame
and before you are greated with "Bon giorno, Sua Eccellenza!" -
all meant to expedite your stay at the counter
down to mere seconds!

"Slow Food"
was not "invented" in Vienna either,
there simply was no need to,
Viennese meals
are by definition
a celebration of slowness

in the best sense of the word:
taking more time than is usual or necessary,
not moving too quickly, but proceeding at a low leisurely speed pace!
(That old saying about "words not hurting" does not always apply,
especially not in Vienna,
where "fast" and "speed" should be used
with the utmost care only -
they are best left to traffic reporters
and disk jockeys
!)

Photographed by Merisi
Lerchenfelder Strasse to Neubaugasse Durchhaus *)
Saturday, May 23, 2009

*) Durchhaus: Austrian for a passage way
through one or more buildings
-
The Lerchenfelder Durchhaus
cuts through a whole city block.

View of the Durchhaus
from the entrance
at Lerchenfelder Strasse
Don't forget your bike!

*

Photographed
May 2009
Images and Text
© by Merisi

*



11 comments:

  1. Your pictures make me nostalgic for a place I've never been...

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  2. So many good things here today! Happy Mother's Day to you, by the way.

    I love the idea of durchhausen! Passageways between houses...a bit mysterious, yet practical at the same time...

    And....delicious jams...my mouth is watering...on a fresh croissant.

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  3. The shadows made a wonderful, natural carpet in your first photos. :)

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  4. The Viennese certainly know how to celebrate the daily rituals in life....I love the "celebration of slowness" quote!

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  5. Merisi, once again your post leads me gently, yet irresistibly, toward a goal. The not-so-fast land. The time measure that allow us mortals to actually appreciate our days in our lives.

    Thank you! The photos and words here, and in the preceding posts just help to soothe my soul.

    Many thanks. I am still thinking about that napoleon.

    xo

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  6. It's great to celebrate slowness and I am so glad that there are still countries where it is part of the culture. Your blog is great. I have seen Vienna in winter and now I long to come and visit during spring. It is beautiful.

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  7. I love the way your posts tell a story! Lovely pictures :-)

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  8. It must be a very peacful and relaxing place!

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  9. Please give me some good old fashioned Konfitüren/JAM and I will eat it slowly as can be with a spoon...
    It all looks way too yummy!

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  10. A beautiful emphasis on slow :)

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  11. Leisurely breakfasts are my forte, and this looks just the spot to be in.

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