Vienna
We spent ninety days in a flat on Fillgradergasse in Vienna’s 6th district this past winter. It was an inviting space with an exceedingly heavy front door, urging a slower pace.
The oversized living room with a tufted sofa and grand piano became my most loved corner of the flat.
It’s where red wine found itself on the walls during a Thanksgiving we hosted for Europeans, and where our Christmas tree twinkled, come the holidays. It holds the sound of laughter and scent of simmering cinnamon. The kitchen was my second most loved: a sunlit nook that featured a fully (charmingly so) manual espresso machine and tea kettle that shook as it readied. The small, wooden breakfast table reflected back ring stains of the wine and espresso enjoyed around it. An exposed bulb lit the corner in an unfussy, happy way.
I cherished other details, too: wooden floorboards in a herringbone lay, soaring tilt-and-turn windows with time-worn brass pulls.
The city was a treat to absorb in that time. Vienna is a city of approachable size with an exceptionally nuanced past. Allusions to its former status as an imperial city remain, today layered with an updated spirit and stylish through-pulse.
Personal Vienna Favorites
Cafe Demel — at Kohlmarkt 14 — The most exquisite cafe and my favorite Kaiserschmarrn in Vienna. The interior is scented with vanilla and spiced plums.
Beethoven’s Home — at Probusgaße 6 — It was a rare treat to step into Beethoven’s former home on a drizzly, quiet Tuesday afternoon in winter, as the only guest.
Blumenkraft — at Schleifmühlgaße 4 — For sumptuous, hand-tied bouquets with rigor. I enjoyed my weekly visit in, and displaying the blooms in our kitchen.
Museum of Applied Arts — at Stubenring 5 — Host of Vienna Design Week, the MAK and its stylish cafe are inspiring slices of the city’s contemporary art scene.
Öfferl — at Schottengaße 3a — My favorite grilled sandwich in the city: pastrami, pickled purple cabbage, and white cheese on house-made sourdough with herbed mayo.
Kunsthistorisches Museum — at Maria-Theresien-Platz — My favorite museum for the grand architecture and imperial collection of the Habsburgs within its halls. The cupola soars.
Walther Koenig Books — at Museumsplatz 1 — The most robust selection of art, architecture, design, photography, and theory books, tucked in the Museums Quartier.
Belvedere Palace — at Prinz-Eugen-Straße 27 — Beautiful gardens and art on display to every taste; I enjoyed the Louise Bourgeois exhibition held Winter of 2023.
Leopold Museum — at Museumsplatz 1 — The best location to study Vienna’s darlings of art nouveau and expressionism: Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka.
Hofburg Imperial Apartments — at Hofburg-Michaelerkuppel — The winter residence of the imperial family, swathed in rich velvet reds, blues and greens.
Home Lederleitner — at Mahlerstraße 14 — A tastefully curated homewares shop with multiple locations throughout the city. A delight to browse.
Gustav Klimt’s Studio — at 11 Feldmühlgaße — Situated outside of the city, a glimpse of Klimt’s villa and gardens gave context to the pieces on view at the Belvedere.
Thell — at Schönbrunner Str. 30 — Their Schinkenfleckerl, a truffled ham pasta gratin, was my favorite meal in the city.
Joseph Brot — at Landstraßer Hauptstraße 4 — For Vienna’s best flat white and flaky pastry, made with ingredients sourced from farms throughout Austria.
Julius Meinl — at Graben 19 — The most exceptional gourmet food store in Vienna’s central shopping district, with an even more impressive selection around the holidays.
Kramer und Kramer — at Palais Harrach — A landscape architecture firm with a concept shop in the city’s center. Unique florals and thoughtfully curated homewares.
Augarten Porcelain — at Obere Augartenstraße 1 —This porcelain manufactory has a 300-year tradition of producing the finest tableware and decorative objects.
The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna — at Schillerplatz 3 — Walls used as a paint mixing surface lead you to galleries showcasing a younger generation of the Secession movement’s talents.
Wiener Staatsoper — at Opernring 2 — I saw two programs at the Staatsoper: Pucini’s Il Trittico and Giselle, a performance by the state ballet. Arrive early for pre-curtain champagne and Gerstner confections, or otherwise, enjoy at intermission. Rent binoculars from the coat check for €2, and bring spare change for a hard-bound program (which I love having as a memento).
