Hessen, holidays

Easter lunch at Villa Im Tal, 2024…

Pardon me while I bask in the afterglow of yet another delightful meal from Villa Im Tal, one of our favorite restaurants in Wiesbaden. A few days ago, I asked Bill if he wanted to do anything for Easter. He was up for it. Then I noticed that Villa Im Tal was having a special Easter menu that looked good. I proposed it to Bill, and, as usual, he was game. So, I made us a 1:00 PM reservation for this afternoon on OpenTable.de.

I decided to wear my new earrings and wrap from Novica.com. The rest of my get up was probably pretty casual by most people’s standards. I thought I might like to wear a dress, but it was still a little chilly earlier today and I don’t have any hose. So I wore pants, with the all important elastic waistband, and a bright turquoise colored top, which went with the earrings, the wrap, and my Italian leather purse, which is a lovely Baltic blue/green. I’m glad I mostly stick to similar shades.

On our way to the restaurant, which is in a wooded part of Wiesbaden, I was still going off about an unpleasant interaction I had with someone last night. You can read about that here, if you are so inclined. Bill looked a little stressed and I asked him what was wrong. He said he was focused on the fact that the weather was nicer today. The sun was out; the temperature was up; the trees and flowers are blooming; and it wasn’t raining.

I said, “And you’d like me to just calm down and shut up before you reach over and pull my seatbelt a lot tighter to redirect my attention, right?”

Bill busted out laughing… because, boy, do I know him well! Then he said, “I’d like you to calm down and relax.” He should know by now that it never helps to tell someone to calm down when they’re aggravated. But I do understand that it’s tiresome to hear me going off about something he can’t fix.

And I said, “I’m sorry, Bill. I’m just really pissed off, and I’m tired of scared little weenie ass men who hate that women can vote. Fuck that guy for telling me I shouldn’t vote! He’s lucky I’m not within striking distance of his balls.” (I’m kidding… although the sentiment was definitely there. I would never risk going to jail for a small-minded guy like that. However, if he happened to publicly rack himself somehow, I wouldn’t stifle a laugh. How DARE he tell me not to vote, simply because I won’t vote for the orange guy?!). It’s better, though, that I thrash him with my words instead of a well-aimed kick to the crotch.

We pulled into the parking lot, pleased to find plenty of parking spots available. We made our way to the restaurant, and I was absolutely delighted when we were warmly welcomed by the maitre d’. And then, an even bigger pleasant surprise came from a waitress who has taken care of us on multiple occasions. She gave us a huge smile and said, “The Crossens!”

Let me just say, she scored mega points from me for addressing us by name. I was genuinely surprised and delighted by that. It set the tone for the meal, which was fantastic, as usual.

Since it was Easter, they had a set menu. Everyone got Adamstaler spring bread from Bäcker Klein exclusively for the Villa Im Tal bread with butter and herb spread. And everyone got spring herb and celery foam soup. There were three choices for the main course:

Anglaise fried loup de mer (Sea bass/Branzino)
Mediterranean vegetable and pearl barley risotto | Basil oil

Sirloin steak fried pink in one piece at a low temperature,
spring leek and carrot vegetables | lightly truffled potato gratin

or, for the vegetarians…

Elderberry kohlrabi with truffle savoy cabbage
spinach | Tomato and walnut pesto | grilled asparagus

For dessert, everyone got:

Raspberry rhubarb compote
almond brittle | Chocolate crumble | homemade bourbon vanilla ice cream

This menu was priced at 78.80 for the meat/fish menu, and 68.80 for the vegetarian option. We ordered the house cocktail while we perused the menu. I had the alcoholic version, while Bill went without booze. I’m pretty sure the only difference between the two was prosecco. I could be wrong, though. Our waitress had brought us menus in English, too… not necessary, but a very thoughtful touch.

I went with the fish because I don’t eat truffles. Bill went for the meat. Have a look at the photos of this sumptuous repast. It was quite a wonderful meal, and by the time we were finished, there were endorphins coursing through my body. I had mostly forgotten about the unAmerican asswipe from my hometown who had me fuming earlier in the day.

A lovely Italian red from Tuscany…
The garlic herb spread was divine. So was the butter from Normandy.
I always love the soups at Villa Im Tal. This celery and herb foam creation was no exception.
Expertly prepared fried branzino with a barley risotto with delicious tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and onions and basil oil.
Bill enjoyed his perfect sirloin with truffled potatoes au gratin and vegetables.
Finally, there was the delightful dessert of strawberries, rhubarb, raspberries, bourbon vanilla ice cream, almond brittle, and chocolate crumble. It was so good!
A look at the dining room.

Once again, we enjoyed a wonderful, luxurious, lingering lunch near a fireplace. I was reminded once again why I love living in Europe. This was such a lovely meal! We definitely should go to Villa Im Tal more often. The service is very professional and competent, yet relaxed. The food is always superb. And the atmosphere is so beautiful in its bucolic setting. Best of all, parking is NEVER an issue. They have plenty.

We left the restaurant smiling, relaxed, and happy, and now we might have to go outside and enjoy some time in the newly improved weather. Next weekend, we will be in the Schwarzwald, having a quick rest. So the blog will definitely pick up with some fresh material, as I’ve chosen a very new and apparently very nice hotel in a town called Horben.

For those who are curious about my Novica wrap and earrings…

Someday, we will have to stop by the Ring Kirche and have a look…

All told, we spent about 250 euros today, before the tip. It was worth every euro cent. I would definitely recommend Villa Im Tal anytime you need a special meal for a celebration, a holiday, or just to calm down after one of your countrymen advises you not to vote in an important election. 😉

In other news… our village just erected a new free library schrank in our Dorfplatz! I might have to offload some English books.

Love this!
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Hessen

One last winter blasting…

Well, true to the nature of weather in Germany at this time of year, the weather has sucked today and yesterday. We had a brief hailstorm yesterday that gave way to thunderstorm warnings. Today, it’s cold, wet, and blustery. Consequently, we’re holed up at home. Bill is making roasted garlic bread, and I’ve just reviewed Charles Spencer’s latest book, A Very Private School, which has made me glad I wasn’t born to British nobility.

I will be doing something travel related today, though, as we got confirmation that Noyzi has a spot at the Hundepension for April 5-9. That means we’re free to go away for a few days. I’ve been trying to decide where we should go, as there are so many places to choose from. I originally thought maybe we’d go to Switzerland… and maybe we still will. We do need to make a choice soon.

For now, I thought I’d share a few pictures of yesterday’s icy weather. It never fails. German weather in the early springtime is always very strange. We’ll get a couple more weeks of this weirdness until spring arrives for good.

This video may or may not work eventually. It’s just fifteen seconds of sleeting.

Anyway… hopefully, next weekend’s weather will be nicer. I am wanting to get out of the house and have some fun for a change.

Edited to add: Just as I posted this, the sun came out… but if today is like yesterday, it will soon disappear again.

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Hessen

Our first wine stand of 2024!

March is the time of year when our village, and a lot of others in the Rheingau region, has wine stands. In Breckenheim, the wine stands occur every other week. They’re hosted by clubs as fundraisers, but they are also a great opportunity for people in the neighborhood to get together and be social.

The first Breckenheim wine stand of 2024 actually occurred at the end of February, which is a bit unusual. I believe that one was hosted by the Christian Democrats political group. Bill and I didn’t attend that one, since we aren’t Germans, and no one cares how we vote (although they’d prefer we don’t vote for Trump). Also, the weather wasn’t so great that night.

Then there was another one on March 8th, but Bill was in Bavaria, and I didn’t really want to go drink wine by myself. I’m sure I would have had some company eventually, if only because some people might have wanted to know where Bill was. But I was also making a concerted effort to avoid drinking alcohol while Bill was away, and I succeeded.

We decided to go to last night’s wine stand, as the weather was basically pleasant, and it had been too long since our last one… As you can see by the photos, it was a well attended event. I got a kick out of the Mayor saying “Hi” to us as we passed the wine kiosk. He knows who his American residents are, I guess. I don’t know the Mayor well at all, but I have noticed that he works very hard and really seems to want to do good things for Breckenheim. In fact, I’ve noticed that he’s organized a lot of nice events for our Wiesbaden suburb, since we moved here in late November 2018.

For most of the evening, we sat alone at our table. I think the locals are often wary of sitting with us foreigners. But then, a very nice older couple, along with a couple of ladies about their age, asked if they could join us. It turned out the wife of the gentleman could speak English fairly well, but her husband couldn’t. Bill conversed with the man in his imperfect German. I surprised myself by understanding much of what was said. Speaking German, however, is still pretty painful for me. I’m better at singing in German (memorizing the words). 😉

We had a very nice conversation with the couple, although I think I shocked the lady when we were talking about Donald Trump and I said that my mom had advised me not to go back to the U.S. if I could avoid it. I’m sure things are not as bad as they look from over here… but I do know that the USA is not the same country it was when we left there in 2014.

We decided to leave when the sun was completely down, after we’d had a few glasses of the fine local wines. We said goodbye to the couple and assured each other we’d meet again at a future wine stand. I really like Breckenheim. It’s probably my favorite of the three German towns we have lived in so far. The people are very friendly, and it’s surprisingly social. When we told the folks that we’d also lived near Stuttgart, they said “Here, it’s better.” But they also said they don’t know people living down there. I liked the Stuttgart area fine, but people up here really are much easier to get to know. They’re better at small talk, as far as I can tell… or, so it seems, anyway.

Here are a few photos…

And here are a few spring photos from walks with Noyzi…

I don’t know if this machine works… it’s attached to someone’s house. The hammer and sickle is newly painted.
Noyzi now loves Bill very much!

I’m not sure what we’ll do today. The sun is going in and out of the clouds, and it’s a bit chilly and windy. I may work on finishing reading my latest book.

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German lifestyle, Hessen, Luxury

Five hours of foodie decadence at Pizzaro Fine Dining in Groß-Gerau…

On Thursday afternoon, Bill finally got home from his latest TDY trip. I was delighted to see him, especially since he was sporting a white beard. He said he’d quit shaving while he was working the nightshift in Bavaria. I think Bill is adorable when he has a beard, but I don’t enjoy kissing it, and he doesn’t like the upkeep. So, within a few minutes of his arrival home, he shaved. Then we started talking about future food and travel endeavors… 😉

I showed Bill a few places I found for a potential long weekend. We’re overdue for a trip outside of Germany. He said he’d see what he could do for time off, not to include the two days he’s taking to recover from sixteen days straight of non-stop work. I’ve mentioned before, Bill is not a night person, and he’s no longer a spring buck. He gets things accomplished, but it comes at a price when the job is done. I like this, because it means I can plan elaborate short trips, which often turn out to be our most memorable.

Before we make any serious plans for a long weekend, Bill wanted to go out to dinner. There was a time not so long ago when we used to go out to eat all the time. Nowadays, we’ve kind of lost the desire to get dressed up and go out to a restaurant. I think it’s a combination of us getting older and the pandemic, which got us used to hanging out at home all the time. Also, today happens to be the one year anniversary of the death of our beloved beagle-coonhound mix, Arran. While we wanted to celebrate him, we also miss him a lot.

Now… about Pizarro Fine Dining in Groß-Gerau…

At the time Bill proposed a night out, I was all for it. He went on OpenTable.de and found a new restaurant in the nearby hamlet of Groß-Gerau, which the GPS tells us is about sixteen miles from where we live.

Bill started reading about Pizzaro Fine Dining on OpenTable, and then Googled the restaurant. He noted the solid five star ratings people on Google had given the place. He also noticed that the restaurant was mentioned by The Michelin Guide in 2023.

Pizzaro Fine Dining has kind of a unique concept. Instead of having people come in and order what they want a la carte, they offer a set “Nuna Inka” menu, which is a tasting menu of different fish dishes coupled with healing herbs. They also offer “kitchen parties” and “daytime champagne matinees” every other week. Additionally, they have wine events, and are available to be booked for business events or parties. The next wine event, according to Pizzaro’s Web site, will be held on May 10, 2024.

Last night’s fully booked dinner was the Nuna Inka menu. For 125 euros per person, patrons are welcomed into the restaurant at 6:30 PM, given snacks and an aperitif, and then at around 7:15, the first course arrives. Diners are welcome to pair the tasting menu with wine– alcoholic or non-alcoholic. Bill really liked the fact that there was a non-alcoholic wine pairing, which made it possible for him to fully enjoy the experience without worrying about drunk driving. Additionally, patrons are welcome to purchase a glass or a bottle of wine, and stick with that instead of having the pairings. And, of course, there’s always still or sparkling water. Pizzaro has a whole beverage menu with all of the choices.

Yesterday afternoon, I was feeling kind of tired and didn’t feel like getting dressed up and putting on makeup. Nevertheless, I made myself go, because I’ve been cooped up alone at home for weeks. Besides, this blog needed some fresh content… and boy did we get “fresh” in spades last night!

Probably the Rathaus. We will have to go back and explore.
A shot of Pizzaro Fine Dining restaurant…
Handy parking lot… You can even recharge your EV here, and there’s also a public toilet.

Five hours of food…

We arrived at Pizzaro Fine Dining at 6:30 PM, parking our car at the handy public lot right across the street from the restaurant. We were greeted personally by Chef Julio Pizzaro, and his friendly and capable waiter, who impressed us so much last night by speaking almost perfect English. It’s not that we’re surprised he spoke English so much as that our language is so pervasive in Europe now, and we don’t even have to ask people to do it. To be honest, it kind of puts us Americans to shame. There were only a couple of times when the English word for something escaped the waiter’s memory. Fortunately, ten years of living in Germany this time has made us both pretty proficient in restaurant German.

We had a seat at a table in the corner. My back was to what appeared to be a wine library. I took note of the music, which was a delightfully eclectic combination of jazz, world music, and 70s era pop. I found myself repeatedly “Shazaming”, when it was quiet enough in the restaurant. I’ll be adding more to my personal playlist, thanks to our visit to Pizzaro’s! Aside from the music, I also enjoyed the lighting, which became colorful after the round of snacks. With each new course, the lights changed, which added to the unusual ambiance.

Feast your eyes on the parade of very fresh food we ate last night… As you can see, it was very heavy on fish, which I enjoyed very much. In fact, I commented to Chef Pizzaro that it was a real pleasure to have such different cuisine in Germany.

Ready for action!
Non-alcoholic pairing…
Alcoholic pairing…
Forelle (Trout) with Togarashi and Jamaica Blüte
Amaebi (Shrimp) with Hecht Kaviar and Huancaina
Buttermakrele (Mackeral) with Bottarga and Hierba Luisa
Bread service– this was sourdough bread Parisian style with butter infused with algae.
Tuna Toro with Edamame and Soja
Basking in the blue lighting…
The main event required colors to go with all the flavors!
Hamachi with Alge and Leche de Tigre
It required chopsticks and a special spoon from Peru…
The non-alcoholic pairing for Bill for the next course…
Jackobsmuschel (Scallop) with rice and Chupe Sauce
Steinköhler (Pollock or Cod) with Loche and Aal (eel)
Special 2001 wine that went with the optional Wagyu beef course.
For 25 euros a person, you can have the most delicious Japanese beef…
I had mine plain, because I don’t eat mushrooms. It was absolutely sinful.
Mascarpone with Manjar Blanco and Maca…
Shiso with Bergamotte and Mango.
Optional petit fours with coffee for 10 euros per person.
And of course, the obligatory Williams schnapps as a digestive.

This meal was– no lie– one of the best I’ve ever had in my life… and I have had a lot of good food. Every course practically exploded with different flavors and textures. There wasn’t a single course that offended me, and the only time I needed any kind of change was with the optional Wagyu course (25 euros per person). I don’t eat mushrooms or truffles, and that course had both. Bill enjoyed his the way Chef Pizzaro created it, while I just tasted the plain beef. Oh my GOD… that beef practically melted. It was so tender and flavorful!

While this was a long evening with lots of food and wine, I was neither stuffed nor drunk when we left there at about 11:30 PM. In fact, I remarked to Bill as we were eating that I was feeling markedly better, physically, than I was when we came into the place.

Remember when I mentioned that I was feeling kind of tired and not wanting to venture out anywhere? Well… I think there really were some healing qualities to the herbs in those dishes. Because after I had the first dish, following the three rounds of “snacks”, I literally started feeling better, physically. It was kind of cool. And I didn’t know the dishes had any healing herbs in them when I made that comment, as I didn’t read up on Pizzaro Fine Dining before we went on this culinary journey.

On our drive home, Bill and I kept talking about how amazed we were by the food and wine experience we’d just had… and how we’re definitely going to have to go back another time. But– word to the wise– this experience is not cheap. When all was said and done last night, we’d spent almost 500 euros, before the tip!

We’ve dined in some pricey establishments before, but this one was probably the most expensive of them all. But that included nine courses served at a leisurely pace, wine pairings, two bottles of water, the Wagyu supplement, a glass of 2001 Pauillac to go with the beef (16 euros), coffee and petit fours. The only option we didn’t add on is a cheese course (15 euros). We could have spent significantly less if we’d wanted to do that. But we were having such a good time, I just wanted Chef Pizzaro to take our money.

Thanks to the relaxed pacing of last night’s dinner, we had the chance to chat with the chef, who personally brought out some of the food. After immediately pegging Bill as an American guy who works for the Army, Chef Pizzaro told us he’d gone to college in Michigan. He landed in Groß-Gerau because his wife is German. What a gift it is for those of us lucky enough to live close to his restaurant! As we were leaving, we thanked him profusely once again, and promised we’d be back for another visit. And now, I’m spreading the word to others, in case anyone else wants to meet Chef Pizzaro. Just be sure to make a reservation and bring your credit card or lots of euros!

I would not call Pizzaro Fine Dining a child friendly restaurant, although there was a table with two well-behaved children in attendance last night. Dress is casual elegant, although I did see people in jeans. Chef Pizzaro doesn’t do substitutions, except for pescatarian, which must be requested at least 24 hours in advance. Vegetarian options are also not available. If you have allergies or intolerances, you can let the chef know and he will make adjustments for that reason. My advice, though, is to just let Chef Pizzaro take the wheel. He really is a wizard!

We’ll have to visit Groß-Gerau again and check out this town…

The featured photo is another shot of the Hamachi ceviche, which was my favorite of the courses… although that beef was certainly a contender!

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Hessen, holidays

Bring on the Easter eggs…

The featured photo was taken last year. I’ll probably get a 2024 era photo later today.

It amazes me how time flies. It seems like we just had Christmas, and now it’s time for Easter. I have been noticing that, along with the new blooms in gardens and on the trees and bushes, we also have some “eggs” showing up in the neighborhood. I’ve seen a couple of Ostereierbaum (Easter egg trees) springing up in the village.

A few years ago, I wrote a blog post about the German tradition of people putting up an Ostereierbaum in their yards to help celebrate the spring holiday season. I haven’t yet taken any pictures of the ones I’ve seen in Breckenheim, but I did happen to walk Noyzi while a huge crew of neighborhood folks were putting up our Dorfplatz Easter display…

Based on our local Facebook group’s postings, it looks like there was also trash pickup. I really like this community spirit in our neighborhood. People are friends with each other and they work together to make the community better. It’s a spirit I rarely saw in the United States, although I do think Gloucester had its moments… at least back in the 80s. I’ll bet there was beer and/or wine drinking after this chore was accomplished.

I’m sure I’ll see the newly erected Easter egg decorations as I walk Noyzi later. I’m glad it’s Sunday, because that means that Bill will be home in just a few days. It would have been nice to have company yesterday. The weather was pleasant… or, at least it was sunny outside, rather than cold, cloudy, and depressing. The sun lifts my spirits and makes me want to plan trips!

But first… we have a new family member who will hopefully be joining us very soon… Stay tuned!

Edited to add: A few more 2024 era photos…

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Hessen

I survived another winter in Wiesbaden…

I don’t have much to write about today, as Bill is on another one of his TDYs to Bavaria, and I’m here alone, pondering the future and whether or not I want to be part of it. I have come to hate March in Wiesbaden, because it pretty much means I’m going to be alone for a good portion of the month. The weather tends to be psycho, too… although today, we have very nice temperatures and sunshine.

I decided to take some photos around the neighborhood. It usually cheers me up to see the beginnings of spring, as the first flowers start to bloom. One thing I do love about life in Germany is that so many people are great at gardening. I love to see the vibrant colors and smell the fragrances of fresh blooms. Pretty soon, we’ll be in the thick of nice weather again, and hopefully that will improve my outlook on things. But for now, I do still at least have the pictures.

Below are some neighborhood shots I’ve taken over the past few days, hence the different skies. Notice the local church is celebrating a birthday. I like the daffodils; they remind me of my hometown, an unofficial “Daffodil Capital of America”.

Eleven more days of this solitary lifestyle. Hopefully, things will be more exciting then.

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anecdotes

Try it… you might like it!

Last night, George Takei’s page shared an AITA post about a German woman who was upset because her American boyfriend refused to go to an “all-nude” spa with her. If you follow this blog, you might already know that I am an American, and I am a fan of the German “all-nude” spas. I’ve written about our experiences a few times, and based on the hits I get, I know that this topic is interesting to people all over the world.

I will confess, it took me a long time to work up the courage to try a nude spa. Once I walked into the Palais Thermal the first time, though… (my very first nude spa experience), it took me very little time to join in the fun and bare it all. My very self-conscious, modest husband, Bill, soon followed. We both quickly realized that being nude in a German spa is no big deal. Everybody is nude, and no one cares what your body looks like. The focus is on wellness and health, not ogling and gawking. I was VERY proud of Bill for trying it, by the way. I thought he never would, but once he tried the spa and didn’t die of embarrassment, he became a fan.

I want to ask this guy… Why go to Germany as an exchange student if you don’t want to embrace the culture? My guess is that she got tickets to Friedrichsbad in Baden-Baden, which is NOT cheap. However, it is a very nice experience.

It was with that truth in mind that I decided to leave a comment on George Takei’s post. I noticed several Germans “liked” my post, but one person– name of Sasha– decided to berate and insult me for posting that the American boyfriend “doesn’t know what he’s missing.” Sasha started by saying my comment was “ridiculous”, because just because I like something, that doesn’t mean everyone will. Then he (I’m assuming it was a “he”) continued by leaving uncivilized and insulting comments about everything from my intellect to my appearance.

The dude in Takei’s article later followed up with this conclusion…

She should have asked him before buying the tickets. BUT– by not even considering her proposal, he’s missing out on an interesting experience.

I finally shut down Sasha after he said I “wasn’t very bright” by “agreeing”, with a laugh reaction and the comment “Whatever you say!” He “liked” it and fucked off, much to my relief.

I wonder what that was about. Was he looking for a fight with a stranger? Was his goal to try to humiliate me? I don’t think he got what he was looking for, because I just laugh reacted at him repeatedly, and resisted the urge to comment with annoyance or nastiness. I did advise him to keep scrolling or simply fuck off, if he didn’t like my comment, but his reaction was to continue being rude, rather than having a discussion.

I will agree that not everyone likes nude spas. However, this guy has obviously never even been to one, and would never even consider going to one. It kind of makes him a wimp, in my book. If he goes and doesn’t like the experience, that’s one thing. But by just giving in to the idea that nude spas are weird and make him feel “uncomfortable”, he’s definitely limiting himself. I wonder why he’d want to be an exchange student if he’s so afraid to try new things.

Put it this way… what’s the worst thing that might happen? He’s not going to die. If he started to die, he would be rescued. Germans are great at rescuing people who are in trouble.

Does he think people will laugh at him? In all the times I’ve been to nude spas, that has never happened to me. And I have a body that might inspire laughter. In fact, the vast majority of people who go are there to relax. They are focused on themselves, not you. The one exception is the time we went to the Mineraltherme near Stuttgart, and there were American teenaged boys there who had probably come thinking they’d see “hot” women in the nude. I am sure they were sorely disappointed.

Is he afraid he’s going to be “grossed out” by other people’s bodies? If so, he might want to think about his attitude toward other people. We were all born naked. Everyone has “parts”. It’s not really a big deal if you see someone else’s parts. You can avert your eyes. Most people stay in the water, anyway, when they’re nude. When they get out of the water, they wrap up in a towel or a robe. In fairness, though, the Friedrichsbad isn’t really like that. The time we went there, we were nude pretty much the whole time.

While I understand that a lot of people are embarrassed and self-conscious about their bodies, it might be worth trying a nude spa. Personally, I find them quite liberating, but that’s probably because people take spa culture very seriously in Germany. The focus really is on HEALTH and WELLNESS, not sexual attraction, shame, or humiliation. It’s one very pragmatic aspect of German culture that I love. In fact, I am way overdue for a visit to our local spa. Almost all of the ones I’ve been to have been beautiful, peaceful, heavenly places. I’ve always left them feeling relaxed and wonderful.

While I might agree that the German girlfriend shouldn’t have bought tickets before talking to her American boyfriend, I also think he should get over himself and give the nude spa a go. He might be surprised by how positive the experience can be… and if it doesn’t turn out that way for him, nothing says he ever has to do it again. I mean, I tried going to a gynecologist and hated the experience, so I don’t go anymore. No harm, no foul. 😉

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videos

Our many travels…

Some of you might know that I sometimes make YouTube videos. Most of them are musical in nature. Some are snippets of things I catch while I travel and put on this blog.

Today, I decided to make a video of some of the beautiful places we’ve been over the past 12 years or so. I recorded two songs to go with it. I think it’s a nice video– it’s a change of pace, and occupied most of my morning. I hope some folks will check it out. This video is also shared on my main blog, although the post itself is kind of different.

This was a lot of work!
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Hessen

Our first visit to L’Osteria in Wiesbaden…

Happy Presidents Day. It marks the end of our current long weekend. The sun came out briefly, prompting Bill to invite me out to lunch at L’Osteria, a pizza restaurant chain here in Germany. I’ve seen several of these outlets in our recent travels, and I guess Bill was curious about them, too. We had never been to one before today, although they seem to be everywhere we’ve been lately.

The local L’Osteria opens at 11:30 AM for lunch. The door was wide open as we approached and the outside was set up for those who preferred to eat outside. It’s February, but unusually warm– about 54 degrees or so– so eating outdoors isn’t out of the question. Especially for Germans, who are big believers in bundling up for the weather.

As I approached the door, I caught a whiff of a local sewer, which wasn’t the greatest first impression… but they can’t help it if they’re near a sewer, I guess. We walked in and were welcomed to sit anywhere we wanted. I chose a spot near the impressive bar. There were menus on the table, so I started looking. It was very quickly apparent that this chain is all about pizza, although they do offer salads, appetizers, and pasta dishes.

I like pizza, but not so much the kind one finds in Germany. For one thing, sometimes it doesn’t taste like they use mozzarella cheese. For another, they seem to make them for one person, even though they’re always way too big for one person to eat. I opted for tortellini with ham, while Bill had a pizza with prosciutto. We shared a half carafe of Montepulciano and a big bottle of San Pellegrino. More people started to come in for lunch while we waited…

Did I lie about the pizza? It’s very thin crusted, though.
The tortellini was good, and there wasn’t too much of it. I did kind of struggle to finish, but Bill ate two of them for me.

We enjoyed the wine and conversation over the food. I noticed another couple sat near us and shared one pizza, which, frankly, I’ve never seen before in a German pizza place. The barman/waiter had cut it in half and put it on separate plates. I think if I had to do it again, I would have liked to have shared a pizza with Bill. He brought half of his pizza home with him.

The food at L’Osteria was good. The restaurant’s ambiance was not too fancy, and very family friendly, with pop music playing. I noticed the Uber Eats guy came in several times while we were eating. He was doing a brisk lunch business.

I was feeling pretty good about our visit, but then I visited the ladies room… and just as I was about to relieve myself of some processed wine and water, I realized there was no toilet paper in the stall. I went to the other stall, where there was an almost empty roll. There was just enough for me and maybe one more person, if all they needed to do was pee. So, after Bill used the restroom, he asked if I was ready to go, as he’d already paid our tab. I told him we needed to let the barman know that they ladies room needed a restock of toilet paper. The guy had disappeared into the kitchen, so Bill popped his head in and informed him that the restroom needed attention.

Other than that, I enjoyed our visit to L’Osteria. I would go back, although I probably would prefer a restaurant that isn’t part of a chain. Still, it did the job of filling us up and was convenient and reasonably priced. Most everything on the menu was priced between 12 and 16 euros. And now my curiosity is satisfied. Next time, maybe I’ll brave ordering a pizza.

The restaurant, by the way, also appears dog friendly. I noticed a doggie bowl in the foyer as we were exiting.

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dental

Less than 24 hours in Stuttgart…

Bill and I just got back from our latest jaunt to Stuttgart. We usually go down there to see our dentist, Dr. Blair, who is the best dentist either of us have ever had. We missed seeing him in October because our appointment was originally made on a holiday, and there was a miscommunication. We went down there and found no one in the office. After that, Bill got busy and/or could never get the receptionist on the phone.

We finally got an appointment for noon today. Ordinarily, we’d stay for a couple of days and do a few fun things down in our old stomping grounds. Unfortunately, Bill is currently very busy with a work project. He also just took last week off work while his mom was here. So, instead of staying for a couple of days, like we normally would, we just went down for a night and came back late this afternoon.

Although our trip was short, it was very productive and a lot of fun! It began with a stay at the Wald Hotel, which is our favorite Stuttgart area lodging so far. I had actually considered booking a different hotel, as I thought maybe Bill would want to take the train instead of driving. There are a couple of hotels that are near the Hauptbahnhof that I thought we might try. 

The Wald Hotel is not close to the main train station, but is somewhat close to the U-bahn. However, getting to the hotel from the station requires a walk, which is not fun while toting a bag. Bill ultimately decided he’d rather drive, because we’d have to check out of the hotel and then do something with our bags. We knew we’d be walking around Stuttgart while waiting for our appointments. Once Bill decided to drive, I booked the Wald Hotel, since I knew it would offer everything we’d need.

Instead of booking fancy suites, like I have the last two times we’ve been there, I booked one of the comfort rooms in the new part of the hotel. That was a mistake, mainly because the shower in our cheaper room– unlike the ones on the ground floor– was just an ordinary shower, rather than one of the awesome spa showers that are in the more expensive rooms. In my opinion, the extra money for the bigger room is worth it, mainly because of the spa shower! On the other hand, it has been a few years since I last stayed in one of those rooms. Maybe they took them out.

This art is horrifying to me. I am a mycophobe.
This show always seems to be on in Stuttgart. It’s about dating.

We had a pretty easy late afternoon drive down to the Degerloch area of Stuttgart last night, and were rewarded with a fairly empty parking lot at the hotel. We easily found a spot right by the entrance, went in, and picked up our key cards and a voucher for a free round of drinks. 

Once we dropped off our bags, we headed down to the bar, where we were greeted by lovely Cosima, who took care of us when we visited Wald Hotel last spring! She remembered us, and was delighted when I said I remembered that she’d told me her name is Italian. Cosima said she was only working in the bar by chance, as she was filling in for a sick colleague. She is in a training program, so she’s been working all over the hotel in different capacities. I thought that was pretty great, since she’s becoming proficient in all jobs required in a German hotel.

Cosima made us a couple of rounds of drinks, and was kind enough to book us a table at Finch, which is the gourmet restaurant at Wald Hotel. We’ve eaten at Finch several times, but last night’s dinner was the best we’ve had there yet. I had a wonderful lamb’s lettuce salad with orange slices, croutons, and hazelnut dressing and crispy duck with Savoy cabbage, and bread dumplings. Bill had a leek soup with duxelles, and wild boar with mashed potatoes and mushrooms. We also enjoyed dessert– white chocolate mousse with blood oranges for me, and a banana almond cheesecake for him. And we had lovely wine from France, as well as a digestive, hazelnut for Bill, and pear for me…

Salmon tartar amuse
Leek soup
Lamb’s lettuce salad with oranges and hazelnut dressing… delicious!
Dining room
Crispy duck
Wild boar
White chocolate mousse
Banana and almond cheesecake with banana ice cream and caramel…

My only complaint about our stay at Wald Hotel is that the mattress on the bed was too firm for my liking. It felt a bit like sleeping on a sidewalk. I remember last year, the mattress was also too firm for me. However, I don’t remember having that problem on previous stays.

After a nice Eggs Benedict breakfast in the hotel restaurant, we went back to the room, packed up, and processed a bit. Breakfast is not included in the room rate and could be considered expensive– but aside from a generous buffet, they also offer hot selections that are prepared to order and included in the price. We both had Eggs Benedict, but we could have chosen from a number of different items.

Eggs Benedict
View from our window.

Then we went to downtown Stuttgart to wait for our appointments with Dr. Blair. It was kind of a special day, since there was Fasching going on. Lots of people were dressed in costumes and there was music. Some businesses were also closed, including the Markthalle, which is a great food and wine market. We were lucky enough to have sunny and somewhat warm weather, for February, anyway. I took some photos… 

Looks like they knocked down a building and exposed an old sign.
Evangelical church
Closed for Fasching!
I loved this tie. The shop wasn’t open, but I will be looking online.

Dr. Blair was glad to see us. Bill broke the news to him about his broken tooth, and the dental implant process in process with a Wiesbaden area dentist. Dr. Blair was very understanding, and wanted to know about the type of implant used and the process the other dentist used for the sinus lift Bill needed. He had good things to say about my teeth, which were thoroughly cleaned… (gums are sore tonight). He gave me an Implant Pass, which shows the type of implant I got in 2016. He wanted me to show it to Bill, so he could get the information about his implant. That way, if it breaks, the next dentist will have the information.

We made appointments for August, then headed out for lunch at Abacco’s Steakhouse, a steak joint where you get your steak served on a hot stone. I hadn’t wanted to eat there, but there was a big Fasching party going on at the Paulaner Bar next door. I wanted to get photos!

Sizzling steak and sizzling dancers!

We both had small rib-eyes with house fries. Bill’s was from Uruguay, and mine was from Argentina. It wasn’t that easy to eat steak after our cleanings. Maybe we should have had pasta or soup instead… but at least I’m still not hungry many hours later. We each had a beer, then went to buy some Berliners, which we had noticed being set up just before we went to see the dentist.

Steak!
Lots of building going on downtown…

Below are some photos of the Berliner or Krapfen (Pfannkuchen– doughnuts) and other associated doughnuts. Tis the season to get them! 

Our drive back to Wiesbaden was very easy, with no traffic whatsoever, and no building projects. The only drawback was the less than beautiful weather. But at least we got some sunshine while we were down in our old stomping grounds! And now, Noyzi is back home, too!

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