Pic Today 6/30/12

A SIMPLE AUSTRIAN MEAL

One of my best meals, in Vienna,

was at Weibels Wirtshaus.

Down a quiet side street,

between Singerstrasse and Schulerstrasse,

this authentic restaurant (400 years old)

serves only traditional Austrian dishes

to a local clientele, and features

rare and hard-to-find Grüner Veltliner wines.

The vegetarian seasonal special that night featured:

Geröstete Eierschwammerl mit Ei

(roasted chanterelles with egg & parsley potatoes)

Eierschwammerlcremesuppe

(creme of mushroom soup)

Schupfnudeln Funghi e Gnocchi

(potato noodles shaped like sausages)

Halffrozen Holunderblüten

(elderflower sorbet)

No tourists at this classic Viennese restaurant,

just delicious authentic Austrian fare!

Wunderbar.

Pic Today 6/29/12

GUSTAV KLIMT:

VIENNA SECESSION ART MOVEMENT

In the late 19th century,

there was a powerful "secession" from European art,

led by a group of progressive artists in Vienna.

At the forefront was Gustav Klimt (1868-1918),

painter, sculptor, architect.

His art, style and design left an indelible imprint

on the direction of 20th century art and architecture.

The most notable center for this "break away" design

is the Secession, built in 1878, which attracted

Viennese artists and designers who stressed

purer geometric forms into designs.

The gold dome of the Secession Museum is

a "shrine of Klimt design and art",

and contains the famous unfinished Beethoven mural

and a collection of his erotic paintings.

Vienna celebrates the great works and design

of Gustav Klimt at the Belvedere and Secession museums

this year (honoring the 150th anniversary of his birth.)

Pic Today 6/28/12

(NOTES FROM VIENNA)

ST. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL

The massive St. Stephen's Cathedral is situated

virtually in the center of old town Vienna.

It is a landmark hard-to-miss throughout the city,

as Vienna is a town without skyscrapers.

And yet, this grand daddy of Gothic churches

was its own skyscraper during the Middle Ages.

Construction of the original church structure

was completed in 1160. The 450-foot ornate tower

was finished in 1433. (It took 65 years to finish.)

The cathedral is undergoing almost constant restoration

due to the porosity of Middle Ages limestone.

There are catacombs beneath the church,

with 11,000 persons buried there.

(72 of the Habsburg rulers are entombed here.)

There are 23 bells, 18 altars and famous tombstones

attached to the outsides of the church walls.

The roof is covered with 230,000 colorful ceramic tiles!

The marble pulpit, beneath a golden starburst,

is outside at street level.

Here the bishop could preach to large public crowds

against the Ottoman Empire, which helped with their demise.

But on a bright, sunny afternoons

the real show is inside the massive cathedral . . .

with stained glass colored reflections

putting on a show for the faithful.

Truly amazing,

inside and out!

Pic Today 6/27/12

(NOTES FROM VIENNA)

WALKING THE CITY

The best way to view the capital

of the once-grand Habsburg Empire is by foot.

The center of Vienna is skyscraper-free

and pedestrian friendly.

The city is dotted with quiet parks,

connected by quaint electric trams and

packed with 18th-century architecture & palaces.

In the center of old town is the famous

St. Stephens Cathedral.

If you get tired of walking, and need a rest,

you're never far from an outside cafe

for a coffee, beer or Sacher torte.

Vienna is a people watcher's dream!

Pic Today 6/26/12

(NOTES FROM VIENNA)

VIENNA HAS

A SWEET TOOTH

(You will absorb calories

just looking at this post!)

Oh my!

The Viennese love their pastries . . .

the most amazing eiscreme and gelatos . . .

apple strudel and Sacher tortes (of course) . . .

every imaginable cake and creme filled delight . . .

The Viennese take icing to a high art form.

Sweets that will have you singing.

And swoon!