Hiatus

Hello!

2018 comes with plenty of downtime that I love to spend at home, circling around the kitchen.

One is never enough: Bialetti's iconic Macchinettas

Having explored the facets of Cauliflower, it was time to move on to Brussels sprouts.

I could halt and just admire them as they were. So I did.

Can you tell how much I enjoyed carving trimming the stems? No irony here!

Brussels sprouts are versatile, you can cook them in a pan.

You can also cook them in a casserole.

Experiencing cold times, the casserole was my choice.

A casserole in the oven leaves you with plenty of time. Time to tackle some household chores. The following photos speak for themselves. 

 

Time to check the casserole in the oven ...

Lemon juice is always a good choice.

Barely ready, the meal is already gone. This leads us to the final chapter in the kitchen.

Macchinetta hardly ever soaks in dish detergent, hot water should be enough. 

I made really good use of the hiatus and even managed to finish another photo album. This vacation has been sitting in a box for ages. By ages I mean decades. 2 to be precise. :-o

Sticking and glueing: done. 
Next: journaling.  

Speaking of vacations: In case you plan to visit Vienna next March: You have been warned!

Imagine spring

You know where to look for me:

See you soon!

Paula

Hello Spring!

Hello!

This year winter has decided to stay around a little longer. The cold (-10°C at noon) we experienced early March was unusual. The snow lasted longer than normal. This is NOT what a good morning is supposed to look like in March:

Again, snow.

The weather conditions reminded me of the good cold old days, back in the early 1990's. It takes some serious minus degrees to wear this little loud gem like you would wear a floral or aquatic scent at the office. When it's -10° outside, anything goes.

Mugler's "Angel", an icon from the 1990's

Very much to my surprise Lainzer Tiergarten has already opened its gates. You know where to look for me on the weekends ...

The "Wien Blick", this time with uncommon pastels.

A boar adapted to the cold.

2 years ago I pictured this frozen lake at the Lainzer Tiergarten.

A4 baryte print from the darkroom

Kids and probably parents had thrown snowballs all over the frozen surface. I remember my disappointment back then, when I stood at the lake, wishing for a blank surface. I thought they looked like trash, disturbing.

Well,  I was wrong.

 Imagine my surprise when held the print in my hands: those white irritations aka snowballs create highlights in the picture on a otherwise dull and dark surface - the ice.

This photo is a mood board. This is how I experienced the conditions on an almost daily basis in February & early March: Unpleasant! Cold! Wet!

The nights were better. Calm. Dry.

Moonlight photography on a full moon night. (must have been the last full moon).

What I particulary enjoy about moonlight photography is the fact that all the colours are there 24/7. Only we don't see them all the time. The camera does.

A few hours later: Dawn around 6am

The lights in the distance are hospital rooms. Days at the hospital start early. Days in the neighbourhood not so much:

This is 6.30am. In Vienna the majority of people does not get up before 6.45am

Having experienced so many overcast days you can imagine my joy when dawn turned into this:

Sunbeams, at last!

I could sit and watch the light wandering over the table forever. So I did.

So bright!

I can hear hear the birds singing with excitment.
Can you hear them, too?


Paula

Living Room

Hello!

So we have come to terms with this endless winter. How to spend an entertaining afternoon - or evening - away from your sofa when the park benches are covered with snow?

Good to know Vienna holds plenty of decent answers, such as a traditional Viennese Café:

Café Prückel in Vienna

This old fashioned Café is a place where you can easily spend 2 hours, maybe 3 or even 4 hours with good company. Is it already listed on the UNSECO Intangible Heritage list, such as Pizza? 

Fair prices on the menu encourage consumption. Not to forget vegan options that go beyond french fries and bread rolls, a real kitchen with actual home made dishes and pastries.

Such traditional Cafés can not be taken for granted in times where truly disappointing options pop up every other week, targeting at tourists with convenience food for $$$. 

An oldfashioned Café is a good location for any late afternoon

Why not remain in the time travel mode and see "The Shape of Water" on the big screen?

By big, I mean really big! Mr Paula suggested the Gartenbau Kino for this particular movie and he was right!

This movie theatre opened around the time where "The Shape of Water" is set. The scenes up on the screen mirrored the design of the movie theatre. It was 100% perfect, just like an excetion of the setting we found ourselves in.

The barriere-free stair lift is a recent adaption.

Interiors from the 1960's

Picure me, admiring the beautiful setting

The big screen at the Gartenbau movie theatre

But sometimes the best living room is the one that welcomes you in your pyjamas. 

I can spot a connection to the 1960's setting at the Gartenbau.

Once again, stay warm!
Paula

PS:
I changed the image settings from "Lightbox" to "clickable", so you can enlarge the images if you want to.
Good idea? Not so good, because you prefer to just swipe through the gallery? Let me know!