After work at the Volksgarten

 Every year there is a week that calls me to the Volksgarten. It's the one week where you find lilacs in bloom. The park is as central as you can get in Vienna.

Initially I went there to enjoy the smell of syringa in full bloom, but the light was too intriguing.

 Vienna City Hall in the background

 A few weeks from today, people will enjoy these seats in the cool shade. Today it was 17°C.

 

 Syringa as beautiful as every year.

 Hanami, followed by crow watching. 

Best down time I can imagine, following around a crow. Take your time. 

 Be sure to leave the garden before this gate closes!

 I know Vienna by heart. What I did not know until recently was the fact that the Belvedere garden is really dull in early spring.

Two weeks ago while cherry trees all over they city were in full bloom, not a single plant nor flower was in bloom at the Belvedere garden. Disappointing, the least. But not tragic. ;-)

This year (like every year?) the lilac season and the tulip season coincide.

DIY coffee pot cozy - reinvented design

Hello!

You remember my original DIY coffee pot cozy?

The last year has been successfull in terms of nice minimalism hacks.

Not long ago, I came up with the idea of a reinvented DIY coffee pot cozy design which works without the clothespin.

Those of you who had the pleasure the time to watch a woman get dressed get wrapped with cloth which ends up in a kimono, will easily see, where this comes from: from Japan.

Wrapping a woman with cloth, wrapping a coffee pot with cloth ... it's obvious!

        

A woman who wears a kimono somehow has this humble appearance. I guess that's part of the kimono-idea: wrap her up so she can't move freely.
There was never the risk of a freely wandering coffee pot at the Paula Residence, still I appreciate the humble look. This coffee pot is meant to serve us and it serves us well.

Nothing like a decent list

Hi again!
 
Before I get back to the January Cure, let me entertain you with a photo I shot in Siberia last summer.
I highly doubt everybody is as much into curing his/her apartment as I am. ;-)

The photo below shows the Port Baikal station, a former station of the Transsiberian railway, now a dead end.
At the bottom today's posting you'll find out more about these old, neglected tracks of the world famous railway in Russia.

Department Store in  Port Baikal

Now back to the apartment. 
I am a fan of lists. For those of you who share the love for decent lists, the January Cure's second assignment is made for you. Today you are asked to write a project list.

What is better than a list? A project list! Here you can find assignment #2 at apartmenttherapy.com  
At the end of the article you also find the Cure calendar, you can download it.
In case you want to join, you can register for the daily mails (they end by Jan. 31, no worries!)

Here you can see what the upcoming days have to offer:

 I remember myself cursing while trying to master the kitchen weekend. No way I could do the oven, the fridge and all the cabinets in two days. To my surprise the oven is still very neat. The frdige is not bad. And the one cabinet, next to the oven still contains only goods I need for baking. Perfect order, installed one year ago. 

For those of you, who have not gone through their clutter in various drawers for a long time:  There is always a light at the end of the tunnel! 

Ok, now this was a cheap bridge.

I feel like posting this photo ...  mainly because I think it is beautiful. 

Secondly, because tonight Mr Paula and I finally presented the Transsiberian-slide show (no more than 120 photos) at a friend's house. The tunnel (photo above) was part of the original route of the Transsiberian railway. Due to a hydroelectric power station, built around 1960 in Irkutsk, the original route had to be transferred - the old tracks close to lake Baikal and the river Angara were lower then the new water level. The tunnel above was part of the old route, which was not flooded. Today it serves as a tourist attraction, an attractive attraction. I really like this photo. And yes, it was shot on film. 35mm Fujifilm. :-)

This deal might work out: The January Cure Transsiberian Review. hehe.

Meanwhile, take care, it's slippery out there!
Paula