Our Thanksgiving meal at Maison d’Amer in Hofheim…

After four nights in Türkiye, I didn’t have turkey on Thanksgiving… This isn’t a new thing for Bill or me. Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in Germany, although some restaurants do offer Thanksgiving inspired options for the Americans. Even if I was a big fan of eating turkey, our oven is not really big enough to cook one properly. And since we’re just two people, it doesn’t make sense to cook turkey, anyway. Even if we just cooked a turkey breast, it would probably take us forever to eat it. I’m partial to darker meat, anyway.

Although we could have cooked a nice meal at home, we decided we’d rather go out to eat. Last year, we did the same thing in the same town– Hofheim– which is a really cute hamlet about 20 minutes from where we live. This year, we tried a new restaurant, Maison d’Amer. It was listed on OpenTable.de, and located in what used to be Ariston, a Greek restaurant that I think relocated to Frankfurt. We only got to eat in Ariston once, although we did get takeout from them a couple of times during the COVID era.

Bill was a little confused about Maison d’Amer, because it looked like it had been around since before 2022, and based on the reviews, it appeared to be the inside of another nearby restaurant called Schmiede. Schmiede is another restaurant we only got to try once. But as Bill was researching, it looked like the concept of Schmiede had changed. It was no longer offering dinner, only breakfast, lunch, and aperitivos. We were curious about what was up, especially since it’s been months since our previous visit to Hofheim. We’ve just been really busy this year, and haven’t had the chance to explore our local environs. After yesterday’s superb lunch, along with an explanation about things from our server, we will have to rectify that!

Getting to the restaurant turned out to be slightly challenging. Our usual Hofheim exit from the Autobahn was closed, so Bill went to a different one, which put us in a part of town with which we were unfamiliar. At one point, Bill almost rear ended some guy who didn’t quite make it through an intersection.

Soon enough, we recognized Hofheim’s familiar old town, and we lucked into a parking space very close to the restaurant. I did make a joke about the guy whose parking space we were taking. He was backing out extremely slowly… I said, “He has tortoise nervosa.” If you were around in the 1980s and watched Night Court on TV, you might remember that joke… but if you don’t, here it is.

I have a condition… LOL!!!! I used to love this show!

As Bill straightened out the Volvo in a parking spot, I noticed something strange hanging on a nearby tree…

*What the hell is this? Someone left their keys? And they’re a little rusty, too.*

We walked to the former Ariston Restaurant turned into Maison d’Amer. I got a few shots of the outside.

I was surprised to find the restaurant fairly empty. There was one table occupied by a couple of ladies, but the rest of the place was deserted, except for a friendly waitress who spoke excellent English. She invited us to sit anywhere we wanted, so we took a spot in a back corner on a banquette. I immediately noticed the excellent music that was playing– soulful music that I found myself repeatedly Shazaming. I was glad there were none of those weird Bossa Nova cover songs of 80s hits we were subjected to at the Hilton Istanbul Maslak at this place!

The waitress handed us a printed lunch menu, as well as the regular menu, and a wine list. We explained that yesterday was our Thanksgiving as we had a look at what was offered. I ended up selecting a pumpkin soup with a prawn as a starter, while Bill chose a salad. For our main courses, I ordered the tajine, which was chicken, potatoes, green olives, peas, and carrots. Bill had Shakshuka, an African dish that was bulked up a bit with mashed potatoes and sausages made with lamb and beef. He explained to me that he had encountered this dish on his business trips to Africa when we still lived near Stuttgart. We also enjoyed fresh bread with olive oil and rich balsamic vinegar.

Bill was able to finish his main course, but I had to take about half of mine home. That was because I wanted dessert! Last year, we didn’t get to have dessert, because we happened to finish lunch as the restaurant was closing for a pause. Maybe they would have let us order dessert, but they seemed eager for their break, so we skipped it and went to Hofheim’s little Christmas market, instead.

The waitress was not in a hurry to rush us out, and we ended up talking to her about what was going on with the restaurants. She explained that the guy who had opened Maison d’Amer was the former owner of Schmiede. He had sold it to an Italian guy, who had changed the concept, but not the name of the restaurant. She also told us that the place was always called Schmiede, except for a brief period of time in which a woman had opened a place called Blanca Bistro that sadly closed in 2020 because of the COVID pandemic.

Anyway, when Ariston closed in Hofheim, that was a chance for Schmiede’s previous owner to move to a new place, literally next door. Then, we found out that the waitress had worked at Die Scheuer, where we had Thanksgiving last year, and Easter lunch this year. I then remembered her. She had waited on us once, when we dropped in for lunch! And as were talking, I told her we had lived in Baden-Württemberg, and she said that she’s originally from Tübingen! That’s another city that is near and dear to us!

Our desserts were excellent, of course. I had a chocolate lava cake with berries. Bill had an almond parfait with persimmon sauce. I loved the plates they were served on! I don’t usually love lava cakes, but this one was done well.

As we were settling up, I had grappa, while Bill had an espresso. Then we made our way home. I took a few more photos. We had sunny weather on the way into the restaurant, but it got pretty cloudy on the way home! As you can see, Schmiede now has a new sign to go with a new concept and a new owner.

That meal at Maison d’Amer was substantial enough that we didn’t need anything else for the rest of the night, although we did sit around and drink beer while listening to music… same as we always do. We will definitely have to go back to that place another time. The waitress did warn that if we want to have dinner there, reservations are a must! But we’re lunch people, especially as we get older!

Unfortunately, our Thanksgiving holiday weekend is going to be cut short. Bill has to go to the US on business next week. But, on the bright side, it’ll give me time to make some music videos and do some shopping. So that’s a good thing, I guess. At least the Christmas stuff is put up.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrated it! I feel grateful for a lot of things this year, in spite of the shitshow that has been going on since Trump came back to power.

Middle East, short breaks, Türkiye

A quick jaunt to Istanbul… (part two)

Featured photo is of a skyscraper near our hotel.

Once Bill got final approval to go to Istanbul, he arranged to put Noyzi and Charlie in our usual “Hunde Pension”. Then we had to pick a flight. Ordinarily, I try to fly on Lufthansa, because I’m collecting points that I’ll probably never get a chance to use. But again, Bill had to use the cheapest option to get to Istanbul, and I wanted to be on the same flight with him, albeit in business class. 😉

Lufthansa or Turkish Airlines?

Originally, the company travel agent wanted to put him on a flight that would make it impossible to get the dogs to the Hunde Pension before he needed to be on the plane. I thought we might end up on an early evening Lufthansa flight that would get us to Istanbul at 11:00 PM, since Istanbul is two hours ahead of Frankfurt. We finally settled on a Turkish Airlines flight leaving Frankfurt on Monday, November 17th at 2:45 PM. It was more expensive than the Lufthansa flight would have been, and cost twenty euros more than the mid morning Turkish Airlines flight the travel agent had suggested.

I like to fly business class on flights within Europe, and probably will fly business next time we go to the USA, too, if we can afford it. I earn more points on those flights, and they offer some convenient perks, like lounge access, free checked bags, and higher weight limits for bags. I mainly like business class because it’s less cramped. I don’t mind flying economy if I sit next to Bill, but since he was flying the cheapest fare in economy and it was a separate booking, there was no guarantee we’d be sitting together. So, since we have the means, I fly business. It gives me a chance to write reviews, too. I think it’s funny that they call it “business class”, when so many businesses require their employees to fly as cheaply as possible!

The least expensive Lufthansa business class ticket I had been looking at would have been about $800. But, since we flew Turkish Airlines, which had more convenient times, it ended up costing me about $1500. Bill’s economy round trip ticket on Turkish Airlines was in line with what a Lufthansa ticket would have been– about $300.

I remembered flying on Turkish Airlines once, back in 1996, with my friend, Elaine. We flew from Izmir to Ankara, but were not able to find any other flights heading east toward Armenia. I remembered liking Turkish Airlines then, but I didn’t have especially high expectations when I was a broke Peace Corps Volunteer in my 20s. I also didn’t get the greatest initial impression of Turkish Airlines by their rather wonky Web site, which keeps sending me ads, but wouldn’t recognize my new Turkish Airlines Miles and Smiles ID number. But, I resigned myself to knowing that at least I’d get the chance to experience an airline other than my usual and trusty Lufthansa.

This was a last minute trip, though, and if I’m honest, neither Bill nor I were feeling particularly excited about it. He had spent more than half of October away, and likely has to go away again in early December. Then when he comes back, there’s another conference at Ramstein, which is about an hour away from where we live. After awhile, all the “TDY” stuff gets pretty tiresome. It would have been nice to do a celebratory trip for our anniversary, rather than travel on business. But, at least Bill still has a good job, and this was a great chance for me to see more of the world.

As the days got closer to departure, I started reading up on Maslak. I knew it was far from Taksim, the area where Elaine and I had mostly been in 1996, but I read there was a metro nearby. And I remembered visiting Armenia two years ago, which has really come up in the world since I left in 1997. Surely it would be okay in Maslak… Well, as I found out, sometimes ancient cities are slow to modernize. This is not to say that Maslak is “third world”, but it was not the most tourist friendly or pedestrian accessible area. I’ll elaborate on that later.

Frankfurt Airport

On Monday, November 17th, the day after our 23rd wedding anniversary, we took a taxi to Frankfurt Airport. We weren’t even a mile from our house before we almost had an accident at the roundabout near our neighborhood. The cab driver, who happened to be Turkish, almost hit someone who violated German traffic law. Fortunately, he had good brakes and fast reflexes.

When we got to the airport, we had to search for the Turkish Airlines baggage drop. I was the first person in the business class line, and was literally standing on a red carpet as I waited for the desk to open. A very officious lady invited me to drop my bag. She asked me if I was traveling alone. I said that my husband was traveling in economy. She invited him to drop his bag with mine, which was really nice of her. I was impressed. She even put a priority sticker on his bag.

Because I was traveling with Bill, I decided not to use the business class lounge. It would have been the Lufthansa lounge, which I’ve used a bunch of times, anyway. Bill and I made our way to the gate and looked around for something to eat. I would have waited for the flight, but I get really cranky when my blood sugar tanks.

After finding the proper gate, we walked back the way we’d come and ended up having sandwiches at a cafe in the middle of the airport. As I ate my overpriced tuna sandwich, I couldn’t help but miss the restaurants in other airports. For some reason, Frankfurt Airport doesn’t have the greatest selection of eateries. But then, I could have gone alone into the lounge and had whatever Lufthansa was offering. The beer was good, at least!

*Bill had a chicken sandwich and I had tuna with avocado.*

Our flight to Istanbul ended up being about 20 minutes delayed before we could board. I thought it was because of the weather, but my German friend later told me there was also a lot of traffic at the Istanbul airport that affected the flight to Frankfurt. She explained that Istanbul has the second busiest airport in Europe, and is the largest privately owned airport in the world. Having now seen the new airport, which was opened in April 2019, I can understand why traffic might have been an issue! I’ve also just learned that the airport isn’t even fully built yet. That will happen in 2027.

Turkish Airlines flight from FRA to IST…

Once we got on the plane, I was legitimately impressed. On short to medium haul Lufthansa business class flights, you get a seat that is just like the seats in economy class, but the middle seat is empty. On my Turkish Airlines flight, I had a bigger seat with a console between me and the guy in the aisle seat. The leg room was very generous. I probably could have extended my legs without touching the seat in front of me. I actually did do that on yesterday’s flight. The seat had an extra pillow and was well padded and generously appointed. I didn’t test out the seat’s adjustability, but on yesterday’s flight back to Frankfurt, I noticed the lady sitting next to me was using the leg rest that made the seat look like an honest to God recliner! It was just way better than what I’ve typically gotten on Lufthansa in business class.

Below are a couple of pictures that show how much space I had between my knees and the seat in front of me. Granted, I’m short, and I have short legs, but this was the most generous leg room I’ve seen on an airplane in many years.

A flight attendant came around with pre flight drinks. She had lemonade, still water, orange juice, or strawberry juice (or raspberry– can’t remember now). I opted for the orange juice, and it was delicious! She’d even put a slice of fresh orange in it. It tasted like it was freshly squeezed. I think on Lufthansa, they give you bottled water.

Once we were in the air, the flight attendants brought out menus. On that flight, we had a choice of kebab or roasted salmon. But the meal started with Turkish appetizers which, frankly, I couldn’t easily identify. There was also salad, cheese, warm bread, and a double chocolate cake. I enjoyed some Turkish white wine, as well. The salmon was surprisingly delicious. It was not dried out or overcooked, as I would have expected it to be. I really enjoyed the Turkish styling with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, potatoes, and spinach.

Our seats didn’t have screens on the seatbacks, which was fine with me. I was enjoying taking photos from the window, as you can see below… A lot of people were watching videos on their personal iPads.

As we got closer to our destination, we were even further delayed. At one point, the pilot was going to land, but then abruptly aborted. I thought it was because of high winds, but my German friend had been tracking the flight and said it was likely due to aviation traffic. We ended up being almost an hour late landing. But the service on the flight was excellent.

One of the flight attendants was especially service oriented. I got up to use the lavatory and hadn’t noticed it was occupied. I stood in the aisle, and the man who was ahead of me was in there for a long time. When he finally emerged, the flight attendant asked me to wait a moment. I soon got a fetid whiff of why she’d asked me to wait! She went in there quickly cleaned the commode, sprayed air freshener, and even put down a seat cover for me. WOW!! That was impressive, and much appreciated! She really took one for the team!

We finally landed almost an hour later than expected. Bill and I were both pretty tired once we got on the ground. We had to go through passport control and wait for our bags, which took awhile… but at least they came out together.

Then we found a cab to Maslak, which was driven by a very friendly local who drove like a madman. He commented that our hotel wasn’t the best for tourism. He was so right about that. I was a bit alarmed as he pulled up and a Hilton staffer came out and swept the car for explosive devices! But for better or worse, there we were in Istanbul, in an area full of skyscrapers and bright lights. It was definitely urban.

*Hilton Istanbul Maslak… official Hilton photo.*

Checking in at the Hilton…

A friendly Hilton staffer invited us into the hotel, and I put my purse and computer on an x-ray scanner. Bill and I walked through a metal detector, which really took me aback. I guess they’ve had some trouble recently. We checked in, and were assigned room 1711. More on that in the next post…

*You might call this an artsy impression of our entrance to Istanbul… It’s not easy taking photos at night from an airplane!*

Hessen

Anniversary #23 at Villa im Tal…

A whole lot has gone on since I last posted in this blog. The biggest thing is that my husband’s fifth grandchild was born on Monday. She’s tiny, but feisty, and very beautiful. The next biggest thing, of course, is that we’re celebrating anniversary number 23 today. And to be honest, we were kind of “meh” about it, mainly because there’s so much happening right now.

My husband’s new granddaughter is a big thing, but so is everything in the news… and the fact that tomorrow, Bill and I are both flying to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines. He’s going there to work, and I’m tagging along. I’ve been to Istanbul before. It was about 30 years ago! But even the idea of going to to Istanbul is kind of overshadowed by everything else right now! You’d think I’d be excited about visiting Turkey again, so many years later. To be honest, though, I’m thinking about how it’s time to put up the Christmas shit and hunker down for the holidays.

Anyway, because it’s our anniversary, we decided we should go out. And because Villa Im Tal always offers us excellent service, great food, and a relaxed atmosphere in a beautiful area, we decided that’s where we’d go. And they didn’t disappoint today. As usual, we had wonderful, warm, friendly service, and we spent a luxurious afternoon enjoying delicious food in a gorgeous setting. In fact, they even gave us the prized table in the corner turret…

Right now, it’s goose season. Christmas is just around the corner, and Wiesbaden has already put up decorations. Since the menu had a lot of items that had mushrooms and truffles in them, Bill and I both decided to have the special goose menu, which offered delights that featured goose. Below are some photos from our amazing repast…

*Champagne for me, and a non-alcoholic house cocktail for Bill.*

I didn’t ask how much Bill spent on lunch, but I feel sure it wasn’t as much as what he spent on dinner at Pizarro Fine Dining last weekend! And this time, their credit card machine was working, so we won’t get a bill.

The very cool wine decanter that looks like a snake…

Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll board a flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul. It will take about three hours, and we’ll debark at about 8 PM Turkey time (two hours ahead of us in Germany). Then we’ll spend four nights in Istanbul. I’ll do my best to get some good photos, and Bill will work… and maybe we’ll do some shopping. It’ll be good to see Istanbul again since 1996. And I’m glad I’ll be there with Bill, who can share the memories. Today, more than most days, I’m reminded that we must enjoy the time we have together and never take it for granted. You never know when it will all be over on Earth.

Watch this space for my reports on Istanbul! Here’s to 23 more wonderful years with my Bill.

holidays, Luxury

A little Swiss serenity: Three Michelin Stars at Cheval Blanc… part four

After we had our breakfast at Bachmann Confiserie, Bill and I decided to take a walk around the Rathaus area of Basel. I got some photos of the local scene, including the Saturday market, and the very cool courtyard in the Rathaus. I got videos of people who were busking, although they weren’t all that exciting. I think I was too focused on our 12:45 PM lunch reservation at Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl, the Michelin three star restaurant at our hotel, Les Trois Rois. We went for lunch, because dinner was fully booked. It turned out to be a good thing we had lunch instead of dinner, given how long the lunch took to enjoy.

Below are some photos I took on Saturday morning. It was sunny, but cold and windy. I was really glad I bought more merino wool turtleneck sweaters from Celtic & Co. They really came in handy.

*I loved the inner courtyard of the Rathaus, which was beautifully painted.*

We ended up walking near the Basel Historical Museum, which was once a church. I took a few photos, and then on Sunday, we paid a visit, which I will write about in the next post. For now, here are some more photos…

*I will write about our visit here tomorrow…*

We went back to the hotel and got changed. We were advised that we should dress “smartly”, with no athletic wear, polo shirts, tennis shoes, or jeans. I noticed that this request wasn’t strictly enforced, although of the nine tables at Cheval Blanc, most people had dressed appropriately. I was originally planning to wear a dress, but decided it was too chilly. I wore pants and a sweater, accented with jewelry and a pretty wrap from Novica. Bill wore what you see in the below video…

When we sat down, the Maitre d’ immediately mentioned that he had gotten a note about my aversion to fungus. He offered substitutions that were suitable. We were surprised that he mentioned it from the start. The entire wait staff was so polished, friendly, and professional. It was extremely impressive! And just today, I have read about some of the staff members who found themselves becoming gastronomy experts because Chef Peter Knogl recognized their talent and promoted them!

We really enjoyed this experience, even though it was VERY expensive. I love watching Bill’s face when he eats something that blows his mind. That happens a lot when he eats cheese…

This lunch went on for about four hours, and it was course after course of exquisitely and immaculately prepared food. There were a couple of courses I didn’t want, because I don’t eat truffles or mushrooms, but I don’t think mushrooms were on the menu. We both substituted another course that featured foie gras. Bill had the course with truffles, while I had a hamachi course. And since I don’t eat much cheese, I had two desserts, while Bill enjoyed an array of cheeses. The service was absolutely impeccable, and the Maitre d’ was very charming. He reminded me a little of Justin Timberlake… or maybe Rick Astley.

Every time the staff put down a dish, it was delivered at exactly the same time. The staff members were always paying close attention to each other and coordinated everything seamlessly. Everything was marvelous, right down to the dishes used, which my German friend says was Limoges porcelain. We have been to several Michelin one star restaurants. This was our first three star experience. We did notice a difference, especially in the number of people dining at one time. Cheval Blanc only seats 30 people.

The whole “shebang” cost 320 Swiss Francs per person, just for the food. A slightly smaller experience was available for 285 Francs, but what’s the point of that? As long as you’re spending the money, you might as well go for the whole thing. We also had two bottles of water, a round of champagne, a bottle of wine, and armagnac. Check the photos for the eye-watering bill! It was totally worth it, though.

I think the Maitre d’ might have feared that I was going to be overly picky. He asked me if I had a problem with oysters. Since I grew up near the beach, I am a big oyster fan! I just can’t do earthy flavors.

By the time lunch was finished, we were both pretty tired, and in need of some time to rest and digest. It was starting to get dark outside. Dinner at Cheval Blanc starts at 7:00 PM, so I guess the wait staff was enjoying a break before the next meal. I was pretty glad we did lunch instead of dinner. Bill and I tend to want to stay in more at night, these days.

We went to the room and changed clothes again. Bill went out to find some wine and snacks. I took a few more photos of the Rhein/Rhine… We stayed in the rest of the night, absolutely shocked by how delightful lunch was. We missed turn down, and the housekeeping staff left us a note saying they were respecting our privacy and to call them if we wanted them to come back and turn down the room.

*An Italian restaurant that bordered our balcony.*

Yes, we really spent about $1000 on lunch. That is the most we have ever spent on a meal. I never thought we would ever drop that much money on a meal, especially a lunch. However, we don’t regret doing it, because the food was truly earth shattering. I mean, there were so many flavors and they just burst in the mouth.

Service was flawless and meticulously coordinated; I heard the staff easily speaking German, English, and French. It was one of those incredible culinary experiences that most people just don’t have often… or at all. I feel extremely fortunate that we were able to dine at Cheval Blanc. We also met Chef Peter Knogl, who came around and spoke to everyone at the nine tables in the restaurant. I didn’t know he originally came from Germany. He really impressed us! I can see why he’s earned his stars.

Now, I want to book another stay at the Bareiss in Baiersbronn… They have a three star Michelin restaurant, too! We’ll have to see what the future holds. For now, I’m just so happy we’ve been able to have these experiences at all. And if you have the time and the means, and you like “haute cuisine”, I would absolutely recommend visiting Cheval Blanc. Just make sure you save up your Swiss Francs. Don’t think of it as eating a meal. Think of it as investment in your life experiences!

Hessen, Sundays

Post election lunch at Villa Im Tal…

Happy Sunday, folks. It’s been a truly crazy and shocking week, and like a lot of Americans, I am pretty horrified at what happened back home on Tuesday.

Anyway… we do still have a short while before the chaos starts. Yesterday, Bill asked me if I’d like to go out to lunch today. I said I would, and he told me that Villa Im Tal was offering a goose menu. Now is the time of year when Germans eat goose. I don’t often eat it myself. I got traumatized years ago when one of my aunts served it at Thanksgiving and it was very gamey. But here in Germany, goose is a lovely dish. We decided to make a 1:00 PM reservation and take advantage of it.

*The weather today is cold, dark, and dreary…*

It was chilly and foggy today, and I almost regretted making that appointment for lunch. But then I remembered I had a knit dress that I bought last year and hadn’t had a chance to wear yet. I also bought some new Dansko dress shoes that needed a maiden voyage on the town. I got dressed, put on some makeup, curled my hair, and we headed off to the beautiful restaurant that was once a “Forest House” on the outskirts of Wiesbaden. The whole way there, Bill and I were talking about the election.

As we approached Villa Am Tal’s familiar facade, the tension melted away. It’s a beautiful place in the forest that looks like a castle. When we walked through the door, the hostess smiled at us and welcomed us by name. We’ve been there enough times that they know us. And she apologized, because she hadn’t had a chance to translate the menu. We laughed and said it was okay, since we’ve been here a long time and can speak restaurant German.

As we were headed to our table, we chatted a little about life in Germany, and she made a remark about how maybe we prefer it here, under the circumstances. We nodded and said, “Yes… we definitely appreciate Germany.”

Silly selfies…

We sat down, and our excellent waiter poured hot water on the tiny rolled up towels for our hands, warning us not to eat them. LOL… we had long ago learned that lesson and laughed, as he said he’d had guests who had tried to eat the towels. He asked us if we’d like aperitifs. We went for the house cocktails– non-alcoholic for Bill, and fully loaded for me. It was made with white wine, Sekt, lime, and mint. Bill’s version had non-alcoholic wine. I think I liked his drink even better.

While we were looking at the menu and wine list, they brought out the usual bread. It had goose spread (rillette) and Spundekäs, a local cheese spread.

*I love the bread… I have to try not to eat too much of it because it takes up too much room!*

Ultimately, Bill decided to go for the goose menu, while I went for the Saibling menu (Arctic char fish). These are three course meals, but of course, one can also order a la carte. Villa Im Tal has vegetarian options as well as offerings for meat eaters.

The wine Bill selected wasn’t available, so the waiter brought him a sample of the house Primitivo. We liked that, so we ordered a bottle of it, along with our usual sparkling water.

My menu came with a pumpkin and muscat soup with a Parmesan cheese wafer. Bill’s goose dish had a field salad with wurst. Then we had our main courses. I was pleased with my fish with cous cous, pea and mint puree, and pumpkin. Bill’s goose had a potato knoedel, red cabbage, and roasted chestnuts. I tasted the goose and it was delicious! I also loved my fish, which was cooked perfectly and not dry at all. I finished the fish, but had to bring home the cous cous and peas. Bill brought home some of his goose. We’ll enjoy it later, as we prepare to go to Belgium tomorrow.

After we finished our main courses, we took a brief pause to talk and enjoy our wine. Then it was time for dessert… white chocolate mousse for Bill, and dark chocolate mousse for me. My dessert was paired with cherry sorbet and amarena cherries, crumble, fruit, and white chocolate. His came with mango sorbet, meringue, fruits, and white chocolate.

After we finished dessert, a very nice waitress came over to speak to us. She had recognized us by name back in March, when we last visited the restaurant. We had a brief chat about Villa Im Tal’s history and I quipped that it’s one of our favorite places to dine. We will keep coming for as long as we’re able… as long as we don’t get deported, anyway. 😉

There’s an event going on at Villa Im Tal right now, to raise money for sick children. Art was displayed in the dining room and down by the restrooms. This was an effort to make life a bit sweeter for unfortunate children suffering.

We stayed a bit after the kitchen closed, but no one rushed us. In fact, as we were leaving, the restaurant was still pretty full. The bill came to about 247 euros. It wasn’t cheap, but it did offer a pleasant afternoon for us… and a break from the doom and gloom of this week’s dreadful news. Sorry… I know some people are delighted, but I feel pretty sick to my stomach about the results.

On our way out, I noticed the trees and a very decorated car…

I probably should spend more time walking in the woods. Maybe it will bring me some peace. The area around Villa Im Tal is a good place to do that. Maybe I could lose enough weight to ride horses again. But then, maybe not… if I keep eating at Villa Im Tal!

Today was time and money well spent. I’m glad we went. Tomorrow, we will head to Belgium for a few days. Bill will work, and I will wander around, take photos, and probably drink a lot of beer. Stay tuned!

Hessen

Yet another great lunch at Landhaus Diedert!

Last night, while Bill and I were processing the afternoon spent with our neighbors, drinking beer at our little Oktoberfest, we decided we’d like to go out to lunch today. Bill went looking for appropriate lunch venues, and finally decided it was time for us to go to one of our favorite places, Landhaus Diedert. We’ve been to this restaurant numerous times. It’s always a pleasure, as the food and service are top notch, and the restaurant itself feels like someone’s beautiful home. It is, indeed, also a hotel, although it doesn’t feel like a hotel. It was originally a Kloster.

It wasn’t very busy at the restaurant today. Some people ahead of us pulled into the parking lot and we parked next to them. And then we were seated at the table next to theirs on one side, and another couple with an adorable terrier on the other side. The people we parked next to had main courses and left rather quickly, but the other couple shut down lunch service with us. Bill and I had a very sumptuous two hour feast. I doubt I’ll need anything else until tomorrow morning.

We started with aperitifs– a non alcoholic rose for Bill, which tasted like Christmas punch. I had a prosecco based cocktail that smelled of fresh oranges. We enjoyed fresh bread with the drinks as we decided on what we would have for lunch.

One of the soups wasn’t ready to serve yet, which was no big deal. I had my eye on the Wachtel (quail), while Bill had a salad with Pfefferlingen mushrooms and bacon. For our main courses, I had salmon with ricotta filled tortellinis, while Bill had deer saltimbocca… I really enjoyed both of my dishes, but Bill’s deer was so tender and delicious. I don’t usually eat venison myself, but I think I would have enjoyed what he had, with its chestnut puree. Have a look!

*I had quail with a salad… This was delicious, and a bit pricey!*

I couldn’t finish my salmon, so I asked for it to be packed. I wanted dessert. While we were waiting for it, we struck up a conversation with the couple next to us. They had an adorable, well-behaved little dog. It turned out their dog, a four year old named Archie, was very friendly and cute. We showed them pictures of Charlie and Noyzi while we waited for dessert. Chocolate ganache with sour cream ice cream and berries for me, and flambeed pineapple with coconut ice cream, watermelon, and mango puree for Bill… All the while, we bonded with the couple next to us. I love how dogs are such great ice breakers in Germany.

*The chocolate ganache is off the chain!* *I say that, even though it was a lava cake.*

As usual, the food, service, and ambiance at Landhaus Diedert were outstanding. We have yet to have a bad time there, or a disappointing meal. It’s such a pleasure and a treat to get to spend time with my favorite person in a place with such great food.

Naturally, I highly recommend Landhaus Diedert. And you can see more of their excellent dishes in this blog, if you do a search. If you’re in Wiesbaden or its surroundings, you should stop by for a fabulous meal.

Baden-Württemberg, Luxury, Schwarzwald, short breaks

From Horben to Wiesbaden: Time to go home to Hessen!

Tuesday morning eventually arrived, and it was time to pack up and go home. I can’t say I was sad to be going. As much fun as we had in Horben, I was missing Noyzi and my bed, which has a foam topper on it and is easier on my back. The weather had also taken a turn for the worse. It was raining outside, and the temperature had dropped about twenty degrees, at least on the Fahrenheit scale.

We were ready to go back to our normal lives in Hessen, but if we had stayed another night, it probably would have been a spa day for us. I regret not having a massage while we were at Luisenhöhe, if only so I could enjoy that wonderfully aromatic vanilla scented fragrance they used there. But that gives us a reason to go back sometime, if the opportunity ever arises.

Bill loaded up the car while I put on my face. Then we went down to breakfast and enjoyed one last innovative meal. I really enjoyed the staff at Luisenhöhe. Most of the people working there truly seemed to enjoy their work, especially those working in the kitchen. The equipment is state of the art, and the head chef truly is a genius. Or maybe I just don’t get out enough.

Below are some photos from our final breakfast, served once again by the smiling waitress who took care of us the previous four mornings. The night before, Bill had spoken to the bartender about the Chemex filtered coffee system they had in the bar. He wanted to try it, but unfortunately, the barista said it wasn’t possible. I don’t know if it was because he didn’t know how, or because they didn’t have the available equipment. We did learn, however, that coffee drinks are included in the price during breakfast. The barista brought us a couple of Americanos for our trouble. I wish I had thought to ask them where they get their coffee. It was really good.

We had a “sausage salad”, that I suspect was made from the goat pastrami we had in the previous night’s dinner. There was goat yogurt with granola, pears with pistachio nuts, wonderfully fresh brioches, milk rice, fresh fruit, and a poached egg on spinach…

Since we had already packed the car, all that was left to do was check out. So, with slightly heavy hearts, we headed to the reception and tallied up the damage. Four nights at the Luisenhöhe, with the optional dinner board, wine every night, tips, and multiple visits to the bar, set us back 3,400 euros ($3,700). Yes, it was expensive, and in some ways, I think it was a bit overpriced. I think the room rate was too high, but I think the food was worth every euro cent.

Seriously… my mind was blown at just about every meal. It was very healthy and fresh, and there were so many interesting combinations of ingredients that I never would have expected. Everything was beautifully presented, and the staff seemed to really enjoy their jobs. The setting for the hotel is exquisite, with flowering trees, green hills, and when there’s no Sahara dust, blue skies. I bet it’s stunning there in the autumn. I hope I can find out firsthand, even if I do think the room was slightly too “spendy”. I’m sure they need to charge a lot, though, as I read it cost about $60 million to build the hotel, which is very cutting edge. It’s powered by geothermal means and has a green roof.

The receptionist thanked us for staying, gave us a couple of bottles of sparkling water, and a tin of the hotel’s special tea as a parting gift. We headed down to the parking garage one last time. Then we were on our way home. I took a few more photos as we left the beautiful Freiburg region. I do hope to be back someday soon. As you can see in the photos, the weather did change a bit…

We got home in the early afternoon, after a completely uneventful drive north. I started doing laundry, and at about 5:00, Bill went to get Noyzi. I wasn’t there for the reunion, but Bill said he was delighted to be picked up after a few days hanging out with his canine friends at the Tierpension Birkenhof.

I don’t know what we’ll do this year for a big vacation. We usually go away for a week or two. This year, we’re expecting a new canine family member, who will be joining us from Kosovo at some point in the near future. We had been talking about visiting Iceland, but then we heard about the volcanos erupting. I have been getting some tempting offers from Hebridean Island Cruises, which I have to say is probably my favorite cruise line. I just wish they went to places other than the UK. But I do have my eye on a cruise in Ireland that I might decide to book. We’ll see.

Actually, Bill and I have been talking about doing more short trips, but on a regular basis. We used to do that a lot when we had less money and time to travel. It would definitely help keep my travel blog more interesting. But that plan remains up in the air for now.

Anyway, that about does it for my series on Horben and the wonderful Luisenhöhe. I do hope the hotel is a success, as I’m sure it will be. We really enjoyed ourselves. I hope we’ll be back again. Stay tuned for my usual “ten things I learned” post.

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.

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.

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.*

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…

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.

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.*

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.

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!

Sundays

Sublime lunch at Landhaus Diedert…

After the tough week I endured, Bill decided that we needed a nice Sunday lunch. He decided to book us a 1:30 PM reservation at Landhaus Diedert, which has become one of our favorite fine dining restaurants in Wiesbaden. We have been there a few times now, and we have never been disappointed any time we’ve dined there. It’s become a favorite place for Sunday lunches, although we have a few other go to establishments we frequent.

We arrived a few minutes before our reservation to find their main parking lot full. I got out and waited for Bill to find a place to park, which turned out to be on the other side of the Biergarten/park area for kids. The weather was perfect today, so everyone ate outside under the massive oak trees. And what a divine lunch we had… feast your eyes!

I started with a glass of Sekt. Bill had a non-alcoholic sparkling drink made with cranberry juice. We had a round of their wonderful bread, with salted and unsalted butter, and a red pepper hummus.

For our first courses, I had burrata, which was very fresh mozzarella and cream with candy sweet cherry tomatoes and basil pesto. Bill had a colorful green salad with bacon and fried Pfifferlingen mushrooms. I normally get a little freakout out eating cheese and fresh tomatoes, but burrata is different. German cherry tomatoes are so beautiful and flavorful. They married perfectly with the basil pesto.

For our main courses, I had roasted Barberie duck breast with Asian inspired vegetables and Dim Sum. The vegetables were carrots, beans, and edamame. Bill had shrimp served in a sizzling Le Creuset frying pan, with olive oil and peppers. We washed it down with a locally produced Pinot Noir.

I got a video of the shrimp sizzling away… I almost got the shrimp myself, since it was clear they had no mushrooms. But I ended up with the duck, which was also a very good choice.

Living in Germany doesn’t suck… most of the time, anyway.

Naturally, we had dessert. I had a cherry filled chocolate eclair with chocolate mousse, cherry sorbet, and sliced cherries. Bill had warm lemon cobbler with sour cream ice cream and citrus fruits. Since he takes medicine for his high blood pressure, I ate the grapefruit.

Dessert was wonderful!

And a few final photos…

We definitely love dining at Landhaus Diedert, which has a long and storied history in Wiesbaden. It’s definitely a great restaurant to visit if you need some culinary style pampering!

The drive to and from there isn’t too shabby, either… Wiesbaden is a very beautiful city.

Total damage before tip was about 200 euros. Yes, it’s a lot, but it was so worth it after this week. I definitely want to bring Bill’s mom there sometime. I think she’d love it as much as we do!

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: excellent service