Saturday 2 April 2011

Breakfast in Paradise

Once upon a time ... Café Noi


Saturday Morning
You were busy filling your wicker basket
with delicacies from the Farmers' Market
while the breakfast fairies at Café Noi
steeled themselves for the onslaught
of hungry early morning market aficionados.

The Outdoor Tables
will be quickly occopied
by the lucky early birds.
Latecomers
will have to content themselves
with a table inside.

Thou Shalt Not
covet thy neighbour's
bowl of green tea,
nor his caffè Melange!

Do Not Covet
his Kalamata olives,
nor his chickpea dip!

Do Not Covet
thy neighbour's soft-boiled egg,
nor his caffè latte!

Fill Your Heart with Wonder
instead, about the beauty of the flowers
your neighbour is so freely
sharing with you!

Thank the Gods
for the perfection to which
the cook has fried your eggs!

Marvel about the Hand
that brewed your espresso macchiato,
and the waitress' magic way
to put it in front of you
just so -
art in motion.

Photographed by Merisi
on the sunny morning
of Saturday, April 25, 2009,
at Café Noi,
Peyergasse 12,
where heavenly breakfasts
are being served every Saturday
starting at 9am,
right next to the Farmers' Market.

*

2 April 2011
A repost,
and Café Noi
is but a memory,
the owner closed up shop
and moved back to
Western Austria.
What a loss
for Vienna!

*

Images and Text
© by Merisi

13 comments:

  1. Merisi, I remember this post, and how I wanted to have a chair at any of the tables in your photographs. I remembered the reference to the unseen folks who were up very early to make sure that breakfasts would all be delights.

    And so, it is sad to learn that the Cafe Noi is no longer open for a Viennese breakfast. Alas.

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a charming morning, Merisi! I´m so jealous ;-))

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah!
    The remembrance of things past.......

    Such a loss
    and such a glimpse of lilac!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I feel like I just read a sad story. But of course, change is part of life and I hope that the owner of the Cafe, after making many Viennese people happy for years, will continue his or her mission in the new place. And I hope that someone else will continue to make market shoppers happy in the old location. Have a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Frances,
    yes, it is sad that Café Noi is gone, but there is good news too: another café has opened in its place. From what I hear, much in the spirit of the previous owner.

    Svet,
    I am almost jealous of my own self:
    I have not managed to get back to that farmers market for more than half a year. I planned to go today, but all those pollen in the air sidelined me. :-(

    Elizabeth,
    I can't wait for the lilacs painting the city's gardens and parks, filling the air with their sweet fragrance.

    Simona,
    from what I have read, the owner moved back to her native Vorarlberg. As sad as her leaving is, she has set a very high standard for those who follow in her steps. I consider myself lucky having enjoyed her culinary skills for a quite a few meals.

    ReplyDelete
  6. most amazing images, feels like we were there right with you, regards illanique www.illaniquevanaswegen.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your photos are simply edible!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Someday when I finally get there, I am using your blog for as my Rick Steve's guide for where to go. I think you need to do a book ... but a color coffee table book of Vienna. It's just always so beautiful visiting here!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just when I was thinking I wanted to be there! Only to find that they come from here ...how amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lol, I am afraid that I would covet everything, but the fried eggs...I am so pickey about my eggs, yet everything else looks charming, and very appealing~

    ReplyDelete
  11. So wonderful when everyday food is treated like a sacrament -- as it should be!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ah, but you were one of the lucky ones to eat there before his/her departure! I was laughing with a friend this morning in San Francisco, as we passed folks dining outdoors along a busy street where I would have eaten inside, away from all the fuel exhausts and loud noises. We talked about the lovely places in the world that we had seen where dining outdoors was a joy, something to be savored as the scene we had passed was not.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is making me very hungry!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a note.