Visible Monday: Hoops!

Hoops for 3,99 EUR, found at the drugstore

Thank you J.Lo for reintroducing hoops on the fashion-radar. They make a huge difference.

This posting is part of the Visible Monday-project.

Final Destination: Schönbichler

Hello!

Having circled the city centre several times over the past weeks, always on the quest for the right teapot, I almost lost hope.

So today I thought "Why not give it another go and visit Schönbichler"?, having my hairstylists enthousiastic words still on in mind. (my hairstylist does not drink coffee, he knows quite a lot about tea).

Above you see the shop-window of the cake shop Demel in the city centre. This shop is so geniunely Viennese, as is this passageway opposite of Schönbichler.

February is the season for ballroom-events in Austria = Big robes in shop windows.

Another dress I won't wear this ball-season, since I don't visit any ball this year.

Schönbichler, founded 1870 shares space with a German company, Gschwendner, two shops in one and the result is all you could ask for: traditional service and up to date selection on tea, tableware and accessoires.

The modern shop Gschwendner, with the doorstep towards the traditional Schönbichler.
Schönbichler also offers a broad liquor-section, you find mostly men in the liquor-section.

I politely asked, if it is ok to take pictures.
I have been to many tea-stores, but only this served tea and every one is invited to try a cup of fresh hot tea. That little dutch boy, sitting at Schönbichler, freezing from the walks his family and he had during the freezing afternoon, he surely enjoyed the complimentary cup of tea.

Teapots, teapots, teapots ...

... and more teapots!

Leaving the shop, happily putting a big paper bag in my bike's basket:

The side entrance is in a passageway

It was not so much the teapot but the combination of teapot and tea warmer that was challenging. I could have gotten many white teapots with white tea warmer but having had a white tea warmer and teapot in the past (with an impossible barycentre, that's why I don't own the teapot anymore), I wanted to go for COLOUR!

Looking at the broad selection I decided I had to get lucky, finally leave a shop with a teapot and I did:
The tea warmer is Denby in "Greenwich" green.
The integrated teapot-sieve is very finely woven, a feature I appreciate.

The cup in Greenwich green was a side order, -50%. Having searched for the teapot for so long, I thought I deserved a bonus cup. My cup, since I am the only tea drinker at the Paula Residence.

The reason I did not buy a Denby teapot was their size, they were all quite large. This teapot contains 0.7l, which is just right for me.
One thing I am not so happy about today is my back, I went to see a physiotherapist. My back has been annoying but no such thing as a real big pain. Well, now I sit here and my back IS in pain. Yesterday I went to see the therapist for the second time, during the therapy it did not hurt that bad. An information leaflet I'd received after the first session says it's normal and happens very often that the pain might get worse at the beginning of the therapy. The therapist definitely tickled some nerves. pffffffffh. ouch.
However, I will see him next wednesday and ask him if the pain is really part of the normal sideeffects of my back finally getting better. :-/

Oh, and on the good side: he checked my mobility thoroughly and during one move I had to lift my streched legs, lying on my back. He said my abdomenal mucles are fine, because I could lift both legs alltogether without trembling heavily.

And I thought I had close to no abdomenal muscles, since I quit running during the winter months and I only train my abdomenal mucsles after runs. Good to know there is some substance I can rely on.The therapist's office is beautiful! Very calm. And the coffeetable-books are appealing.

Back home I organised a British welcome feast for the new teapot and tea warmer. Apple crumble (forgive the french casserole dish)

to be followed by Honeyed Almond Shortbread:

At last!

How nice, the colour of the vintage Teema table (creamer pictured in front) ware matches the tea warmer.

Oh yes, the ensemble of the pot and the warmer pleases me, a lot. No more steel-thermoses in this living room.

The door to the stairway that leads towards the office is shocking. Ice!
This is how we imagine Novosibirsk, with freezing air freezes inside buildings.

It is really cold in Vienna, -10°C and you can actually feel how it gets even colder in the evening hours. You can't help but feel creepy cold air around your feet, even when the heating is on. That's why my teapot is warm-red and not cool-white.

Have a nice evening!

PS: am I the only one, who is not impressed by The Ides of March? Maybe it WAS a bad idea, reading the synopsis on Wikipedia beforehand. *ggg* I rather watch Il Gattopardo for three hours, oh, I actually did this, yesterday with Friend B. Enjoyable! Films like that should be seen with company and better at home, because our comments made the movie memorable. Especially during the scene, where the dusty family attended mass.

And to quote Lisa, from Privilege: No remuneration was received for this post. The opinions are wholly my own.

One Word: Freezing

Window in the stairway this morning

Now the cold has hit us at large. Temperatures in Vladivostik are mild, compared to the recent temperatures in Austria. Vienna's temperature is comparable to Helsinki's.

Unfortunately some of my plants were way too optimistic and showed up much too early:

Dang. No blooming for the early blossoms. The biting cold killed them.

I don't have time to mourn over my overly optimistic plants, because we are busy mourning over the all too soon loss of our one and favourite breakfast-spot, Orlando di Castello. News are that they will have to go out of business, due to lacking success. Today we went and cherished a last "Soldier"*.

We are going to miss this Café and will have to find another place to meet. Meanwhile Marionnaud has been missing me! Well, they sent me a voucher due to "long time no see". Gut so! Very Well! Frugal January pays off. And no, Marionnaud, you won't see me in February or March, because I don't think it's polite to give me a 5 EUR voucher and ask me to spend 30 EUR at the same time.
Now what kind of attentivness would this be? You think this is a gift? I think it is exactly the kind of attentivness I can easily live without.
Especially when I can stare at iced windows for free, which is at least as satisfying if not more:
Don't you agree, those iced windows feel very "18'th centuryish", which is nice. As long as you don't live in the 18th century and experience the coldness in your bedroom at morning.

Our office-dog might not share my view. I don't remember her having been ever so torpid:

*egg+toasted baguette+fleur du sel + butter