I picked my recent, short stay in the Austrian capital to serve the purpose of a style-generating tool for this blogging venture of mine. Your feedback counts a lot, so please share it!

Arrival: Monday, 3/25/13

First Impressions:
From the plane I saw the dreaded white stuff covering the ground, announcing a bad case of unfinished winter, abusively invading the early European spring of 2013. Vienna endured its share of the invasion and the snowy conditions dominated my stay there. Still, soon after my first few steps into the international airport I was warmly greeted by the city’s rich musical heritage. Beautiful panels depicting scores of W. A. Mozart’s music hang on the walls, paying homage to one of Vienna’s most noble citizens. It hit me, right there and then: “Mozart has walked on some of the streets I am about to cross… and so did Beethoven, Strauss and many others. Wow!”

I’m here, momma!

The subway system is fairly simple to understand, with only a handful of lines, which made it easy to reach the Hilton Vienna Plaza Hotel, where I had booked a room for 2 nights.

HINT : the Hiltons in Vienna (there are 2) are not cheap, except if you use Hilton Rewards Points to book your stay, which is exactly what I did. In hotel points, they cost less than most Hiltons in the US!

HINT : breakfast was not included with my hotel reservation, which turned out to be great, since it gave me the chance to experience some of the many amazing cafes in Vienna, which, by the way, were less expensive than the restaurant at the hotel.

DAY 1:

After checking in, on my way to Vienna’s largest church, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, I was blown away by the high density of monumental buildings: palaces, churches, castles. Everything was there, in the middle of the city, modern and old. Tradition and History don’t ask for permission in Vienna: they simply possess your senses.

All about beautiful Easter eggs.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Lunch at Leupold, a traditional Viennese restaurant. The ambiance and charm of the venue made it the perfect place for my first contact with the famous Wiener Schnitzel (a breaded veal stake), potato salad and a cold Kaiser Malz, deliciously dark and creamy.

Leupold, inside.

One never forgets his first Wiener Schnitzel…

• Am Hof Vienna (an Easter-themed street marked): crafts, gifts, food, music. Truly a colorful experience not to be missed. If you are properly dressed for the cold, this is a place where you could spend several hours shopping for the hollow egg ornament that really catches your eye (among thousands to choose from) and breathing in Vienna.

All the designs and patterns you can imagine.

• St. Stephen’s Cathedral: easily the most majestic cathedral I have ever seen (tied with La Sagrada Familia, perhaps), with its noticeable-from-everywhere size and unimaginable richness of details. Visit it and you will see why no ordinary camera-photographer combo can capture all of its magnitude.

Majestic St. Stephen’s, at night.

HINT : nothing will keep you warm if your feet are cold. Don’t make the mistake I made when visiting Europe during the winter… make sure to wear impermeable shoes. Long johns are also a great accessory to have. So much for the experience accumulated from having lived for 14 years in Upstate NY…

DAY 2:

A short walk took me to another very traditional café in Vienna, the Café Landtmann. Sitting there I consumed my breakfast slowly (the “Large Viennese”) and allowed the life on the streets to reach me through the large glass walls surrounding the tables. The place was beautiful, elegant, yet warm and inviting. The food was delicious: breads, butter, cold cuts, a soft-boiled egg. Sparsely placed at the tables around me were tourists and locals alike, packing the air with sounds of German, French and English languages, enhancing the experience for this traveler on that cold, early spring morning.

Ok, I ate a little much at the Landtmann… so what?

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Breakfast at the Café Landtman.

Great way to start the day!

• Visit to Mozarthaus Vienna, one of W. A. Mozart’s three residences during his time as a citizen of Vienna. The apartment contains no more than a couple of original pieces of furniture, but the space is intelligently used to display original music scores and other artifacts which provide some insight on private, tender aspects of the composer’s life. Additionally, some of the space is used for expositions of works by other artists and scholars on the musician’s life and anthology.

• A stop at a café (there are several to choose from) in the afternoon for a cup of hot chocolate and rum, watching the gentle snow falling outside.

The real deal: a food kiosk at the Am Hof.

• Returning to the Am Hof Vienna for a plate of sausage and a tall glass of hot mulled wine (“Gluhwein”), served from one of the kiosks in the market, where the food is presented and prepared. That hot wine will kick the cold right out of your bones… and any sadness right out of your heart!

HINT : hotels like the Hilton usually have a concierge desk and employees who seem to know every corner of the city. The information is free and priceless. Use it! Having a short chat with the hotel concierge employer may lead you to great places that no map will show you, especially when it comes to restaurants, shops and smaller attractions.

HINT : I can’t say enough good things about the Hop-On-Hop-Off (HOHO) buses, available in most major European cities. It is an inexpensive and great way to navigate the city, ensure that you see all major attractions and learn some history along the way. Vienna was no exception. Their HOHO system, which consists of three closed circuits, allowed me to see a lot during my short stay.

DAY 3:

Cafe Central: elegant, cozy and traditional.

The very traditional Café Central was my place of choice for breakfast on the last day of my trip. Visited by many illustrious locals since its opening in 1876, the restaurant combines – rather harmoniously – a laid-back atmosphere with an elegant interior and well-dressed staff. Prices are quite reasonable and the selection of pastries is a serious threat to anyone’s fitness goals.

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Breakfast at the Café Central.

What a great listener he was.

• Visit to the Hundertvasserhaus, a fantastic museum dedicated to the life and work of the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Being a work of art itself, the museum reveals the many creative expressions of this very prolific artist, always guided by a keen sense of humanitarianism and endless curiosity about the human soul. All your senses will be stimulated during your visit, independently of your level of affinity to modern art. The open, beautiful garden-café on the first floor of this colorful building is the perfect place for a little rest and a snack.

The beautiful cafe at the Hundertwasser Museum.

Scissors! Tied again!!

• A quick stop at the Wiener Riesenvad, the old Ferris wheel which gives you a panoramic view of the city and a fun display of its history in the little museum at the base of the attraction. Perhaps this would be a more enjoyable ride during a blue-skied summer day, but it is still worth a peak any time of the year, based on the charm-factor alone.

The master.

• On the way back to the hotel I stopped at the Beethoven Memorial, where a statue of the musical genius rests with angels at his feet. The solemnity and quietness of the season brought his 3^rd symphony to mind. I stood there and contemplated, as the first movement played in my head. I thanked him, respectfully, silently.

Heading back to the airport I carried a tiny bit of the immense cultural heritage of this fantastic city. Along came the certainty of a return, during warmer days, to experience its gardens, its concerts and the Danube. With so much so see, taste and enjoy, Vienna has left a very strong, positive impression in me. “Grandiouse” does a good job in summarizing it.

See you on Planet Earth!

Sigh…

]]> http://pennyinacastle.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/blossoms/ Wed, 22 May 2013 02:55:39 +0000 pennyinacastle http://pennyinacastle.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/blossoms/ This year, while time continued to zip by at its normal pace, spring was slow to come.

This past winter seemed to drag on, including a snow storm in the middle of April that left me feeling abandoned by Mother Nature.  My head knows that the seasons will always change, but this year, in my heart I thought She may have forgotten us.

When it did arrive though, it did so in style.  All the spring flowers, all the trees bloomed at once.  The results have been spectacular.

Carpets of dandelions covered the lawn a sunny yellow. Tiny wild violets hid in the grass.  Purple periwinkle winked in more civilized gardens. Tulips nodded.  The scent of lilacs was dizzying.  The apple blossoms came out covering the trees in white and pink blooms. I don’t think I have ever seen so many. 

They remind me of a time when I was a little girl my daughter’s age playing in local fields and playgrounds.  We stripped the meadows of flowers and trees of blossoms for pretend fairy parties and weddings.  We put them in our hair and made bouquets.  Petals fell like confetti, whirling on the wind.

This year, more than ever, I have noticed the blossoms of spring.  It could be because of the overly long, hard winter.  It could be the passage of my age – winter seems to seep deeper into my bones and take more time and sunshine to thaw out.  I think though, that the most likely reason is that I am acutely aware that for some people I know – friends and family – there is a strong possibility that this may be the last spring for them – or at best there may not be many springs left.  As time goes on, there seem to be more of them.  I wonder how they feel with the turn of each season, each month, each day.

Who knows what lies ahead for the future for any of us really? 

So this spring, so late in coming, I have taken more time to take in the beauty of the blossoms. To note the new leaves as they unfurl a fresh green.  To take time to see and smell the flowers.

This year, there seemed to be more Scillia – my favourite spring flower – than ever under our oak tree in our backyard.  Their fanciful common name, Glory of the Snow, suits them well.  Dark green leaves and bright blue fragile flowers spring up in the dark damp earth just after the snow disappears. They only last a matter of days before their leaves flatten in mats and their flowers turn to seed pods that pop when stepped on. They disappear and are forgotten long before summer arrives.

I was struck by how much we are like this little blue flower beside the giant oak, countless years old.  Our lives are short and brilliant against the longer scale of time, but each year, each generation brings a new hope.

This year, I collected some of the seed pods.  I spread some a bit further in our yard – a little more to look forward to next year.  Others I gave away to people, in the hopes that they will be here to see them next spring.

Peace River Sunset – Fort Vermilion, Alberta 1

Peace River Sunset – Fort Vermilion, Alberta 2

Sunday evening, on my own, at Fort Vermilion’s boat launch I witnessed the sun drop below the horizon and the dusky, rich colours and lengthening shadows produced – day’s end in the land of the Midnight Sun. The event recalls (and was perhaps inspired by) redjim99’s poem, his 200th, on his ‘notyethere’ wordpress blog, ‘The Road at Sunset’ and his discussion of the illusion of horizon; accurate and cleanly worked – it is worth checking out.

http://notyethere.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/200-posts-on-notyethere-the-road-at-sunset/

Listening to – ‘Thank U’ by Alanis Morissette and David Gray’s ‘My Oh My.’

Quote to Inspire – “I am not an artist. I am an image maker.” – Thomas Hoepker

making soft sounds on the leaves

by the swift river

This is just a really quick little post on some of the sun-friendly shoes that have caught my eye recently, as well as a few of the gorgeous nail polish trends.

I think these printed heels from Topshop, Zara, River Island etc are so cool and all would look great with tan and although the Jeffrey Campbell pair would look great on holidays, I haven’t tracked down the perfect flat sandal for work just yet.

As for nails, I’ve been really into dark reds, blacks and warm browns all winter and the good news is that a lot of those trends are sticking around. But I’m looking forward to trying out some pale nudes, eye-catching metallics and milky whites too.

I’m not really into any of Essie’s new collection for some reason. It sort of reminds me of those tropical flavoured sweets that are always either too sweet or sour.

Inglot has some amazing new shades though, I particularly like their new turquoise high gloss polish in number ’389′.

Happy hunting for your summer shoes

For this challenge I found a couple of these things- a wooden picket fence I painted with hobby acrylic paint and a bouquet of little fake blue flowers stuck in a tiny piece of floral foam that I painted red. I placed these items in a set-up I’m currently using for a series and photographed them with my iPhone, editing them in tadaa. I suppose it’s a comment on the flowers of spring, the details of my childhood and the technology of my present. 

My mom has given us asparagus from her garden when she has seen us recently, and I just love it!  It’s so delicious and tender, and I love finding new ways to fix it.  I love making it with my Venetian Apricot Chicken recipe (and it’s so much better than the store-bought stuff I had for those pictures).

I have also been baking it with olive oil, salt, garlic, and ginger.  I tried that with some orange bell pepper (unbaked picture above) and that was a delicious combination as well!  Another great way to make asparagus is this simple Asparagus and Onions recipe.

Have you gotten any fresh asparagus this season?

I treated myself to a gel manicure last week. No acrylic, no tips. I wish I could remember the name of this polish, because I`m obsessed with it.

2 – straw cowgirl hat – Oh man, why didn’t anyone tell me that straw hats are so amazing? I totally would have gotten one earlier! I bought one recently and it’s perfect for protecting me from the sun. I use it in the garden and at the playground — two places I spend a LOT of time.

3 – a good book – I’ve been trying to read 1Q84 since before it even came out. I even checked out a digital copy for my kindle from the library and I still never even started it! My friend Brad recently loaned me his copy and it’s sitting here next to me taunting me — I suppose it’s time to bust it out and give it a go! I would also like to read Ender’s Game (my favorite book hands down) and The Great Gatsby before I head to the theaters to see their film versions. I like to get a refresher before seeing the film just so I can pick the film apart – haha. No, I don’t really do that. But I do like to feel like I know the story before the film taints my ideas of an already amazing book. I also have a list 20-25 books long that need read for my doula certification. What’s on the top of that pile? Natural Healthy Babies and Children by Aviva Jill Romm and Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. These are required reading for anyone doing the type of (((work))) I plan to do. For me, this is a HUGE list of books and seems terribly daunting and exciting. It’s going to be a great summer for reading!

4 – reusable water bottle filled with herbal infusion – I have a tendency not to drink as much water as I need and have found that if I take the time to brew an herbal infusion that I’m more likely to remember to drink it. So I like to have herbs steeping as often as possible. The combination of dried herbs I use are: red raspberry leaf, nettle, alfalfa,  oat straw, rose hips and chamomile. There herbs are nutrient rich and chock full of vitamins and minerals so I’m basically getting a multi-vitamin and water all in one glass jar or bottle!

5 -  my new bike and bike trailer – For my birthday I received a new (used) bike from Pat and his parents. We also received a bike trailer for Harriet at the baby shower from our friend Jonah (AWESOME!) and I’ve been getting out and about with Harriet almost every day lately. Harriet LOVES our bike rides and I am getting a major workout pulling Harriet, the trailer and the diaper bag behind me. I can feel my body toning up and becoming leaner and more toned. It had been a very long time (more than two years!) since I had ridden a bike and I missed it so intensely and now that I’m back behind the handlebars I can hardly imagine not riding! There is something new and awesome about riding with Harriet, it feels so celebratory and I get so energized having her with me — I’ve noticed that when I’m pulling that load I am better capable of handling the stress of it. When I’m alone I get worn out so  much faster even though I’m pulling less weight. That feels so special to me. I love her energy and the energy she gives me! There is also something very nostalgic about riding along with Pat next to us. When Pat and I were first dating we would ride everywhere together and that all ended shortly before I became pregnant. Now we ride along and it feels new yet totally sentimentality!

***Harriet and I both wear helmets when we ride — SAFETY FIRST!! if you want recommendations for a kid’s helmet please ask!***

6 – a large thick scarf – I seriously can not say enough about how important scarfs are to my every day! I use them for everything! I wrap it around my neck while I ride my bike to protect myself from the wind. Scarfs are the added layer I need once the sun goes down and the Bay Area weather gets intensely chilly even on the hottest summer days. I use scarfs as impromptu picnic blankets, head wraps, makeshift satchels and of course as a fashion accessory! I could hardly live without scarfs in any weather!

I had blueberries and lime in the fridge- ta da! An idea was born. What better combination to use the lemon balm with than blueberries and lime? Add maple syrup and it was a thirst quencher concoction made in heaven. 

Warm days don’t get any better than this!

So my super fancy “glass” was none other than an empty glass jar of raspberry jam! I thought it looked cool. Plus, upcycling is such a great thing!

Put all ingredients into the glass container, close lid and shake. Enjoy! What’s also cool about this container? I can keep the lid closed and take it with me wherever until I’m ready for some thirst quenching extravaganza! 

So how healthy is this drink? I thought it would be fun to do a little research on the health benefits of each ingredient in my Blueberry Limeade. Here’s what I found. Source cited at end of descriptions.

Did you know that lemon balm is known for its calming effects therefore is an aid for anxiety and sleeplessness? It’s also a natural pain reliever and is taken for headaches, menstrual cramps, and toothache. Info from WebMD

Blueberries are highest in antioxidants than any other fruits. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and Fiber. Info from WebMD

Maple syrup is a natural sweetener which boosts your immune system, has anti-cancer properties (may be more effective against certain cancers than broccoli, blueberries, carrots, + tomatoes!) and is rich in Zinc (protects the heart, controls diabetes) among other health benefits. Info from NaturalNews

Lime aids in weight loss, digestion, and healthy skin. Info from OrganicFacts

Hope you learned something new! I was most surprised by the health benefits of Maple Syrup. I think that I’ll have it more often. Of course because it’s still a sugar…should be consumed in moderation (like anything else!). 

Love me some macro shots. Images w/ Canon 5D Mark ii. 

Hope you’ll try this one! Feel free to substitute lemon balm with mint. 

As I drive off this morning I see this little round bird and my first thought is I want a baby. .

As I Drive away from the store after work I see these ducks and my first thought is I want a baby.

This two color, pink and white azalea, is one of my favorite spring flowers.

…pictures of people taking pictures…

…way passed bedtime…

The autography was totally worth the yawns.

Copyright © 2013 · Photos by Brandy Somers. All Rights Reserved · friendlycitylens.com & brandysomersphotography.com. This material may not be copied, downloaded, altered, cropped, reproduced, or printed without express written consent. Thank you for respecting my creative property.

© Sandra Alcorn 2012

It was on the first day of Spring one year that Mr Petal & Pins proposed we get married.

The plum  tree is one of the first trees to burst into blossom in my garden and this Garden Fairy’s Wardrobe design was made from the blossoms last Spring.

It’s a wedding gown – for a garden fairy – and since today is our wedding anniversary I thought it the perfect thing to post.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE