Good Taste is the Worst Vice

Imperial Vienna

There are still plenty of reminders of the Habsburg Empire in Vienna today - it's part of the charm of the city. We popped into Café Demel for cups of Schoko-Baileys, rich, boozy hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.  It still proudly bears the designation "K. u. K. Hofzuckerbäcker" - K.u.K. ... continue reading...


Steirereck, Vienna

One of my favorite vacation luxuries is a long lunch, whiling away a few hours with wonderful food and wine before stepping into the afternoon sunshine for a postprandial stroll. So on our last day in Vienna, we arranged for lunch at Steirereck, located in the Stadtpark just outside the ... continue reading...


Next: Hollywood

D is a movie buff.  He'll happily watch anything - even movies he himself describes as "terrible" (sometimes I think he likes those the best!).  So if there was ever a restaurant made just for him, Next: Hollywood is it. Take a look at the trailer and see how many movie references you can ... continue reading...


Salzburg: a few of my favorite things

We made the most of our short visit to Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and setting for the Sound of Music.  Read on to hear about our favorite things! Sporer This little shop on the Getreidegasse was at the top of my Salzburg list - no surprise since the schnapps we had while visiting my father ... continue reading...


Japanese chicken salad

Who wants to cook after getting home from work on a hot day?  Not me! That's where chicken salad comes in - no need to heat up the oven or stand over the stove, and it's pleasantly cool to eat. I decided to recreate an old favorite of mine from Sushi House in Palo Alto, which features a tangy ... continue reading...


Lunch at Le Bontemps, Medoc

During our day on the Left Bank we had lunch at Le Bontemps - the small-town French restaurant of my dreams. Short, seasonal menu?  Check. (Fittingly, written on the top of an old wine barrel) Unassuming location, in a small building complex?  Check. Husband and wife team?  Check. And ... continue reading...


Touring the Left Bank, Bordeaux

Our second day of touring in Bordeaux took us to the Left Bank, home to D's favorite wines.  The Left Bank is on a peninsula, jutting up between the Gironde River and the Atlantic Ocean, and includes the famous wine appellations of Margaux, Pauillac, and Saint-Julien. As we drove, Henri pointed ... continue reading...


Touring the Right Bank, Bordeaux

Considering how much Bordeaux D and I have enjoyed over the past many years, it's perhaps no surprise that one of the highlights of our recent Europe trip was drinking our way around visiting our favorite wine region. We arranged two full-day tours with Henri Challeau of Bordeaux Wine Travel, who ... continue reading...


The Belvedere and Plachutta, Vienna

Our second day in Vienna dawned beautiful and sunny, ideal for a morning stroll to the Belvedere Palace.  Originally built in the early eighteenth century as a summer palace for Prince Eugene of Savoy (actually two palaces, an orangerie, and a massive garden - yep, just a basic summer home!), today ... continue reading...