Tag Archives: Herrenberg

Sundays

Schnitzel, song, and sunshine on the Schönbuch ridge…

I had thoughts that maybe Bill and I should venture to Stuttgart for some fun today, but then I decided to do laundry.  As anyone who lives in these parts knows, laundry can be an all day affair, even if you use the short cycles.  I wasn’t finished washing the bed linens until about 1:30pm, which seemed kind of late to be heading out to Stuttgart, especially since we wanted to have lunch.  We decided to go to Herrenberg instead.

As we headed into town, I noticed the ads for the Whisky Messe that is going on right now.  Tickets were being sold at the Alte Brennerei, an excellent place to buy all manner of exotic spirits and wines.  I told Bill I wanted to stop in there today, since we’re out of whisky.  But first, I wanted to have lunch.  I remembered from last year, when we took our dogs, Zane and Arran, on a walk through nature trails on the Schönbuch ridge overlooking the outskirts of Herrenberg.  Right across the street from the nature park, there is a restaurant/biergarten that looked inviting.  We didn’t try it last year, but decided to stop in today, sans dogs.

Lots of trails and a nice little self-service restaurant for your hunger, big or small.

The biergarten at the was full of people when we arrived at the Naturfreundehaus am Schönbuch.  They were serving a few specials along with the usual schnitzels and such.  It’s a self-service place that appears to be quite popular among locals.  In fact, when we walked inside, there was a group of people in a closed off room having a group singalong of some sort.  I was grateful that they were on key, because they sang the same song several times.  I had it stuck in my head the whole time we were dining.

My first impression… it seemed a bit “church fellowship hall” like.

Bill and I both decided to have small schnitzels with fries, washed down with hefeweizens.  I sat down while Bill ordered.

The lady took his order and gave him a ticket with a number on it.  He sat with me to wait.

You can’t go wrong with a local weizen.

Bill laughs as I snark on the singers in the next room.  They were actually entertaining.  I wouldn’t have minded joining in on the singalong.

Finally, our number was called.  We were 122.  Bill picked up our lunches and we commenced eating.

They had large and small schnitzels.  We both got the small size, which was plenty.  I didn’t finish the fries.  I noticed they had a number of nice looking cakes.  I wouldn’t have minded trying out the Black Forest Cake they had, but I refrained for the sake of my behind.

Nice napkins that tell you where you are.

Once you’re finished eating, you take your dirty dishes to the window.  Put bottles and glasses on the counter where you give your order.

 

This was a pretty typical schnitzel and pommes lunch, but I noticed some of the other options looked pretty good.  Prices are also very reasonable.  It’s a nice, no frills place to stop in after your hike in the woods.  I probably would have enjoyed sitting outside in the sun, but I’m glad we caught the German singing group.

They have handy maps for people who want to walk.

A view of the Biergarten.

Across this highway are more trails.

 

After lunch, we went back to Herrenberg, parked the car, and walked to the Alte Brennerei.  I have written about this awesome wine and liquor store more than a couple of times.  Today was our first visit back since Christmas.  Let me warn you… they are experts at upselling!

Interesting sight by the parking garage.

 

We were originally attracted to their Springbank whiskys, but the one I really had my eye on was priced at about 200 euros.  So we turned our attention to Kilchoman, which was one of the distilleries we visited last year during our Scottish whisky cruise.  I picked up a bottle that was intriguing.  Bill picked out another bottle he liked.  We put them up on the counter.  The saleslady, who spoke some English, invited us to try a couple of whiskys.  We were happy to do it.  Of course, we loved the other two she brought out for us and ended up buying four bottles of scotch.  It may be time for me to start a Facebook whisky lovers group…

Good stuff.  I hope it holds us for awhile.

Bill assesses the damage.  But they softened the blow with a gift of Italian tartufos.

 

I think tomorrow, we will try to go to Stuttgart for a bit… and do some harmless sightseeing rather than shopping!  At least lunch was cheap.  It was a mere 23 euros, plus parking was free of charge.  Edited to add, the Nature House is apparently affiliated with the Friends of Nature, which is an international group dedicated to making nature more accessible.  This particular restaurant is open from 11am-6pm.

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Christmas in Herrenberg…

Bill decided to drag me out of the house by my hair this afternoon.  Since it was somewhat early in the day, we were even in time to visit the Holzapfel cheese store, where we proceeded to purchase several cheeses and a few bottles of wine…

There was a large crowd in the store today…  I talked Bill into buying some of the green cheese anyway (pesto Gouda), as well as Gruyeres, and some other Swiss cheese I’ll never eat.


Lots of vinegars, oils, and marinades…

The Holzapfel closes at 2:00 on Saturdays, so we hurried into their wine room and loaded up on some nice dry Italian wines.  The store also has a cafe where you can have coffee or prosecco.  I definitely need to spend more time in this store.  They had lots of chocolate, pasta, sauces, and other gourmet stuff for the discerning eater.

Vino!  We bought three bottles, then went across the street to the Alte Brennerei, where we REALLY stocked up.  As we were checking out, the cashier handed me what appeared to be a nougat.  I tried it later and that’s what I think it was…  very tasty and maybe even homemade.

This was the whisky of the week.  Yes, we bought a bottle.  

Mr. Bill whips out his credit card for two bottles of wine and a bottle each of rum, whisky, and gin.  They let us try the rum and whisky.  I hadn’t been planning to get any rum today, but we found an excellent 20 year old bottle from Costa Rica.  Thank God for credit cards.

We really need to spend more time in Herrenberg.  There are some great stores there, as well as some good restaurants.  And we live only about ten or fifteen minutes away.

If you’re in Herrenberg and like wine and cheese, stop in at the Holzapfel.

And the Alte Brennerei, where good things come in small packages.

I could be sorely tempted to stop in at this store and pick up some cute stuff for the house.

 

We decided to have lunch at Herrenberg’s Osteria da Gino.  It wasn’t very crowded today.  I normally like to go to new places so I can write a fresh review, but today we decided to stop in and have some pizza and pasta.

Festive table.  The bartender raised his eyebrows when we ordered a bottle of wine.

This was our first time sitting in the bar area.  It’s very inviting.

Mr. Bill tries the Montepulciano.  The waiter actually had me taste it first, which is a rarity.

Good stuff!  And yes, we finished it before the staffers got their pause.

I had tortellini alla panna.  This was good, but a little rich.  The tortellinis were full of cheese and served with ham.  I managed half.

Bill had a Rustica pizza… sardines, ham, capers, and zucchini.  I tried it and the crust was excellent, but I wasn’t all that keen on the sardines on pizza.  Bill liked it, though, especially with the very spicy pepper oil they brought out.  It’s made with habineros.  

After we were kind of shooed out at 2:20 or so, we went across the street to Bonilla, a sweet/coffee shop and picked up macaroons and chocolates.  The lady who looked after us was very helpful and spoke English.  We weren’t buying gifts, so that made things easier for her.  She put our stuff in a bag and sent us on our way.

Bonilla: a nice sweet shop in Herrenberg.

 

So we were out for about three hours… maybe this weekend’s lunch date wasn’t as decadent as last week’s, but we had a nice time.  And now we’re at home, enjoying the cloudy weather and the wine we will soon be opening.  We really need to go to Ludwigsburg and dump some beer bottles, but I didn’t want to deal with the traffic or parking.  Maybe in a couple of weeks, when Christmas is over, we’ll work out way up there for a beer run.

 

 
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Booze! A guide to wine shops in the Stuttgart area of Germany…

Hello folks.  Every once in awhile, I like to write posts that are comparative in nature.  Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to try out a few wine stores near us and I thought it might be interesting to write about the pros and cons of each.

Naturally, you can always buy wine on post (if you have access and/or purchasing privileges) or at your favorite grocery store like Edeka, Aldi, or Real.  Those locations are givens.  I wanted to highlight stores that specifically focus on wine.  I’ve written about each place before, so I will link to my first posts about them so those who are interested can read about my first impressions.

Vinum!  Our favorite wine store.

Probably my all time favorite wine store in the area is Vinum in Tübingen.  I will admit that I mostly like that store for sentimental reasons.  We used to shop there all the time when we lived in Germany the first time.  I still like to go there and will go out of my way to visit for several reasons.  First off, they have a great selection of wines.  It’s not a huge store, but there are plenty of wines to choose from and quite a few are available for tasting.  They also have wine on tap and, as long as you have a bottle (you can buy one there if you want), you can load up on cheap, good quality wines.

Secondly, Vinum offers more than just wine.  They have a small selection of gourmet foods.  They also sell exotic beers and fine liquors and liqueurs, as well as nice booze related gifts.  Their staff is very helpful and speak English.  Sometimes they host events on the weekends for wines and spirits.  I also think their building is very cool.  It reminds me of a cave.  Bill and I have shopped there extensively, both times we’ve lived in Germany, so we’re very familiar with the store.  In fact, it may be time to pay them another visit soon.

Inside the Alte Brennerei in Herrenberg.

In second place, I think I’d put Alte Brennerei, a wine store Bill and I discovered just a couple of weeks ago in Herrenberg.  Alte Brennerei is a fairly small store in comparison to Vinum, but the proprietor is very friendly, speaks great English, and offers a good variety of wines.  She also has a small selection of gourmet items, though not as many as Vinum does, and will offer to do tastings for small groups.  She doesn’t have a wide range of liquors available or wines on tap, but she does have plenty of whiskys.  Since Bill and I like scotch, we like Alte Brennerei.  A bonus is that right across the street is a cheese shop and right next door is the adorable Lamm Gasthof, a great place for a bite to eat.

Jacques’ Wein Depot in Ludwigsburg.

In third place, I’d choose Jacques’ Wein Depot, a chain wine store that has locations all over Germany.  One advantage to visiting the Wein Depot is that there are a lot of convenient locations.  This store also allows patrons to try almost every wine they sell.

The reason I put Jacques Wein Depot in third place is because when we visited, the salespeople did not seem all that interested in helping us.  This is not such a big deal to us, since we pretty much know what we like.  It could be a problem for less experienced wine drinkers.  Also, I did not get the impression that the guys who were working at the Wein Depot spoke English.  Again, not a huge deal, but potentially less helpful for English speakers who don’t know what they like.

I also think the Wein Depot lacks the charm of of Vinum and Alte Brennerei, stores that have a personal touch.  Jacques’ Wein Depot is a chain; as such, it lacks a certain mysticism.  However, I did think the wines were probably better priced at Wein Depot as opposed to the other two stores.  Generally speaking, that is the advantage of visiting a chain store over an individual location.

Vom Fass.

Likewise, Vom Fass, another chain wine store is kind of similar to Jacques’ Wein Depot.  Although we visited one when we went to Ulm in August, I haven’t yet really had a chance to write a review of one.  Vom Fass also has several locations near Stuttgart and elsewhere in Germany.  It seems to be more of an all purpose store, offering wines, vinegars, oils, and other gourmet items.  Jacques’ Wein Depot, by contrast, appears to be all about the wine.

Wein Kreis in Stuttgart.

There are definitely other stores in the area we haven’t tried yet.  For example, there’s a wine store/ wine bar in Stuttgart we have yet to visit.  It’s right next to the Markthalle, though, and we usually load up on wines when we visit the Markthalle.  Next time we visit Dr. Blair, which should be next week for a cleaning, we will have to stop by the Wein Kreis store in Stuttgart and try it out.  I will definitely update then.

The lovely thing about living in Germany is that there’s always a place to buy great wine for not much money.  You don’t have to visit a wine store to find something good, though it sure can be fun shopping in one!  This weekend, I hope to find a few more wines when we visit France!

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A gorgeous fall Saturday in Herrenberg!

We had absolutely beautiful weather today.  I told Bill I wanted to go out and do something.  We gave some thought to driving to Stuttgart, but I noticed the time.  It was about 1:00pm and I knew we wanted lunch.  Given that a lot of places stop serving lunch at 2:00pm, I suggested to Bill that we stop in Herrenberg.  We did… and we never made it out of Herrenberg today!  Read on to find out why…

We parked in a leafy parking area… 2 euros for 48 hours!

 

Both of our times in Germany, Bill and I have lived close to Herrenberg, a small city south of Stuttgart.  During our first time here, we lived near Tuebingen and spent more time there than in Herrenberg.  This time, we live near Nagold, and go there more often.  But Herrenberg has a whole lot going for it, as we found out today.  There are great restaurants and places to shop, as well as friendly people.

They were just finishing up the market when we arrived.  We decided to have lunch at Osteria da Gino’s.  We have also been to a restaurant with the same name in Nagold several times– this one in Herrenberg is different, but equally excellent.  Both times we’ve been in there, it’s been very well attended.

 

Today was actually the first time Bill and I have ever eaten at the Osteria da Gino’s in Herrenberg.  The first time we tried to, it was absolutely packed and we were turned away.  It was pretty busy today, too.  For that reason, it may be a good idea to make reservations if this review tempts you.

Obligatory shot of Bill.

 

The inside of Osteria da Gino’s in Herrenberg is very quaint and smells delicious!  They have an impressive array of wines available.  We ordered a small carafe of primitivo and our usual sparkling water.

Right now, Osteria da Gino is offering a number of dishes with black truffles from the Piedmont area of Italy, as well as fresh mussels.  I like mussels, but it’s one of those dishes I only want maybe once a year.  We had them a few weeks ago in Belgium.  I opted for duck breast in a raspberry balsamic sauce with noodles and fresh vegetables.  I was glad I asked our waiter, who spoke English, what kind of vegetables came with this dish.  It turned out they were serving it with mushrooms!  But they kindly left them off for me.

My duck breast was delicious!  I think that pasta was homemade, too.

Beautiful fresh vegetables, delicately seasoned and still bright with color…  I wouldn’t be surprised if they were very recently plucked from the garden.

Bill prepares to enjoy a very nice pasta dish with vegetables and black truffles.  Those truffles were very fragrant.

Lovely, quaint interior.  I noticed many people enjoying pizzas, which Gino in Nagold does not offer. The pizzas looked excellent.  Maybe next time we’ll try them.

 

Bill and both loved our meals at Osteria da Gino’s in Herrenberg.  No, it’s not like the one in Nagold, which is a favorite place of ours, but it’s probably just as good and offers different food.  We will definitely have to go back.  Today’s lunch came to 52 euros before the tip.

Excellent location right by the main square in Herrenberg.  You can’t miss it.

Cute little market on a corner.

 

After lunch, we decided we might try the little Irish pub in Herrenberg.  I had been curious about it for a long time.  But first, we stopped by a whisky store… and that turned out to be a VERY successful stop on many levels.  Alte Brennerei in Herrenberg sells wines, spirits, and a small selection of gourmet foods.  It reminds me a little bit of Vinum in Tuebingen, though it’s a bit smaller.   I had seen it a few times on recent trips to Herrenberg, but we never seemed to get there when it was open.  Today, we were in luck.

The doors were open wide!

Unfortunately, we were too late to visit the cheese shop across from it, which also sells wine.

The cheese shop closed at 2:00…  The Alte Brennerei is open until 4:00.

 

We walked in and immediately heard a very tall German looking woman speaking perfect American accented English.  Then she switched to equally perfect German.  She was with a man and a child.  The man was clearly NOT American, but also spoke excellent English, as did the store’s proprietor.  The English speaking German customers said the store had a great selection of scotch whiskys.  Bill and I concurred, having recently been on a whisky cruise.

I was impressed by the selection of wines, too.

It’s not a big shop, but there are lots of interesting wines available from all over…

After we chose a few bottles, we went back to the whisky area.  Bill chose one to take home and we talked more with the English speaking Germans.  It turns out they live very close to us, in the town of Jettingen.  I asked the lady if she was American or German, because her English was so perfect I honestly couldn’t tell.  It turned out she’s German, but was raised in the United States.  And she lives right across the street from Tommi’s Bistro, which is one of our favorite restaurants.  She gave me a card and told me to give her a call sometime.  She said she was happy to meet us because there aren’t a lot of Americans where we are.  And she has a cute little daughter who needs to practice speaking English!  I don’t mind, especially since she and her husband have good taste in booze!

After they left, we tried a Viognier and added it to our collection of bottles.  We chatted up the proprietor, who turned out to be an excellent business woman.  She really knew her whiskys and had also spent some time in Scotland.  She’d even visited a lot of the distilleries we’ve been to, including Kilchoman in Islay, which is a fairly new one.  She smiled when I told her the Scots are my people.

I mentioned to her that I have a wine group on Facebook and she said that they would be very happy to arrange a wine or whisky tasting for groups of ten or more.  Alte Brennerei also hosts a number of events.  I picked up a calendar and hope we can make it to a few of them.  I have a feeling we could learn a lot there!  And, just so you know, they accept credit cards.  We used our USAA card with no issues.

They even have Scottish cider.

 

After we dropped off our booze at the car, we headed for Shannon Irish Pub in Herrenberg.  And, let me just say, it’s no Auld Rogue.  We arrived right after it opened at 3:00.  Not many people were there and German and American pop music blared from the speakers.  The bartender was German and spoke no English.  And there was no Guinness to be found.  What they did have was Murphy’s Irish Stout, so that’s what we had.

A couple of shots of the bar area.

Peanut butter “Flips”… definitely a German snack.  Though I can’t complain because I like them.

Another part of the bar…

 

Service was friendly enough, and I noticed that the prices for the whiskys and whiskeys were reasonable.  It just didn’t seem much like an Irish pub as much as it was a German bar trying to be Irish.  It’s definitely not as charming or authentic as The Auld Rogue is.  And I was shocked that there was no Guinness!  That’s crazy!  But, as bars go, it wasn’t that bad…  Just don’t expect authenticity.

The backside of the bar.

 

All in all, we had a great day.  We were reminded that we need to visit Herrenberg more often.  We usually just go there to take the dogs to the vet or pass through to get to Stuttgart.  It’s a great town, though, with a lot to offer.  And Alte Brennerei is definitely a great find for those who like their booze.  Right next door to Alte Brennerei is the Gasthof Lamm, which is a great little restaurant where we had Thanksgiving last year.  Granted, it was German food, but it was cozy and cute and the food was good.

Herrenberg is a great little town.  It also seems to be the place to see and be seen.  Last time we were there, we ran into our neighbors from our first time in Germany (07-09) and they knew us right away.  This time, we ran into people who live in our town now!

Maybe tomorrow, we’ll make it to Stuttgart.

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An unexpected change of dinner plans– China Panda in Herrenberg

My husband, Bill, is about to step into a new role at his company.  To celebrate, we were invited to have dinner with Bill’s bosses, as well as his soon to be ex boss who is heading for a new job in Hawaii.  On our way to the restaurant, a very nice looking Greek place in Möhringen, we were sidelined by a massive Stau.  Rain was pouring, traffic was crawling at a snail’s pace, and the GPS put us at at least 45 minutes late for our appointment.  Because it looked like we would be keeping our dinner companions waiting for too long, Bill called and canceled.  Then we turned around and went home an unfamiliar route.  I took note of at least one more restaurant on the way that I want to try sometime.

Although there were a couple of tempting places on our way home, we ultimately decided to have dinner at China Panda in Herrenberg.  It was really about time we stopped there, since in the four years total we’ve lived near Herrenberg, we’d never had a meal there.  I noticed that their very convenient parking lot always had cars in it and they advertise some very cost effective deals on their windows.  Besides, it had been ages since our last Asian inspired repast.

Upon entering China Panda, I took note of a very large group of Asians who were sitting in the very nice bar area.  They were an animated group and I could tell they were enjoying the food.  I took that as a good sign.  I don’t pretend to be an expert on Asian cuisine, but I do remember when Bill and I were dating fifteen years ago and we ended up in a Chinese restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia.  We walked in and were the only Caucasians in the place.  Everyone stared as we sat down, but then we had the most amazing lunch.  I took the leftovers with me back to South Carolina, where I was attending graduate school at the time.  No one stared when we walked into China Panda, but we did end up having a great dinner for not much money.

We were invited to take any open table we wanted, so we selected one right next to the impressive looking buffet, which several guests were enjoying.  I eyed it curiously, but then decided I’d rather order off the menu.  Bill and I each had beer to drink.  His was a Lamm Export from Sindelfingen, a beer that was new for us because we rarely venture into Sindelfingen.  I had a Malteser Hefeweizen.  We both had spring rolls.  For our main dish, I ordered crispy duck with pineapple, vegetables, and rice.  Bill had Szechuan beef with vegetables.  As we waited, I enjoyed the soothing sounds of German pop music and watched a young girl drop a scoop of ice cream on the floor.  The ice cream was there less than five seconds.  😉

These spring rolls were off the chain!  They were very fresh and tasty.  I thought I would only be able to eat one, but I managed to eat both.    

Obligatory shot of Bill sporting a newly fuzzy face.  He’s been working on growing a beard this week.  I think it suits him, but honestly it’s like kissing a Brillo pad in the morning.  We’ll see how long this new look lasts.

The main dishes.  The crispy duck was delicious!  My only complaint was that there were two creepy mushrooms included in the vegetables.  However, there were only two and Bill graciously took them out.  The beef was fabulous.  Very tender and flavorful, with beautifully cooked fresh vegetables and no fungus to speak of.  Yea!  

Again, I thought we’d be stuffed, but we managed to finish most of these two dishes.  Bill took the leftovers with him for lunch today.  When our gracious hostess noticed we were finished eating, she cleared our plates and brought us each a scoop of bourbon vanilla ice cream with fresh melon.

The large Asian group was clearing out and they all got on a big tour bus.  I have seen lots of tour buses full of Asians in other parts of Europe where there’s a lot of tourism, but I guess Herrenberg is on the map.  They seemed to be very pleased as they left.  I could see why.

A nice dessert surprise!

As we were enjoying the fruit and ice cream, I noticed a woman who appeared to be a regular coming in.  She gave the proprietor a big hug and kiss and sat down in the recently vacated bar area.  I think I’d like to sit in the bar area too, not just because I like my booze, but also because it just looks really nice in there.  The bar itself is very ornate and attractive and the room has pleasant lighting.  As I get older and my sweet bloom of youth begins to wilt, I realize that I appreciate romantic lighting more and more.

When Bill called for the check, it was presented with two fortune cookies.  The hostess handed me a strange box.  I wasn’t sure what it was.  At first, I thought maybe she was giving me tea or something.  I honestly didn’t know and she didn’t explain it because she wasn’t an English speaker and my German skills still stink.  It turned out to be a small bottle of plum wine.  We’ll probably enjoy that over the weekend.  Our total came to 34,20 euros before the tip.

Sorry this picture sucks.  It was pouring rain and stormy when I took it.  In any case, if you’re near the train station in Herrenberg, this place is super easy to find.  If you’re driving, there’s plenty of parking.  The food is good.  The service is friendly.  The decor is interesting and inviting and I’m sure we’ll be back.

I give China Panda high marks for food and service.  It’s also a very economical place to eat.  I’m glad we stopped there last night, even if we were supposed to be eating Greek food with Bill’s bosses.  Ah well, I’m sure there will be a next time.

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A beautiful day for wandering and drinking beer!

The weather here in Jettingen is finally fine.  This morning, I decided I wanted to visit the Naturpark Schönbuch with Bill and the dogs.  I noticed the park last month, as we were on our way to Waldenbuch for dinner.  The drive to the park from our house is really pretty and I was hoping to get some good photos.  We set out at about 10:00am and enjoyed a lovely walk through a different forest than the one right behind our house.  Thankfully, I remembered to apply sunscreen and insect repellant.  Bill didn’t and I have a feeling he got some sun today.

I always get a little nervous when I take walks in the forests around here.  Although the paths are well marked and I have an excellent sense of direction, I’m always afraid I might get lost.  But there were a lot of folks enjoying the park today with their dogs, on their bikes, or jogging.  I suppose if we’d really gotten hopelessly lost, we could have just asked someone.

We check out the huge map.  When we lived here last time, we lived close to the southern end of this park, but we never visited.  I’m glad this time, we’re making a point of getting out and seeing local sights.  Parking at the nature park is free and plentiful.  

The first of many street signs.  This was near the cemetery, where many people were paying their respects to the dead.  We didn’t visit the graveyard because dogs aren’t allowed.

Teepees in the woods?  Who knows?

Fenced in deer.

They were not bothered by us at all.

 

The boys were mostly oblivious at first.

As we walked further down the road, I could tell Zane was getting thirsty.  A stream ran to our right and he kept acting like he wanted to go to it.  There was no handy spot for him to reach it, though…

And then we happened upon this…  It’s probably not for drinking, but Zane was able to enjoy a few sips.

Around this point, I was getting nervous.  I just let my instincts do the navigating…

We walked up a long hill that about kicked my ass…

Passed what looked like a lumber yard… and I started to hear cars in the distance.

I was very relieved to see this.  This is the sign for the parking lot where our car was.  Right across the street is a gasthaus.  It wasn’t quite ready for business when we finished our walk at about 11:00am.

We went a short way down another trail heading toward Herrenberg.  I wanted to try to get a photo of the view overlooking the valley.

This was about the best I could do…  I bet it would be a lot better in the winter, though the colors aren’t as pretty then.

After our walk, we took the dogs home.  I changed shirts and shoes and we went to Nagold for lunch.  It was packed there today because there was a garden festival going on.  We finally found parking over near the pool area.

I can’t resist water fowl…

There were lots of people in Nagold… including a fire eater.

And if you wanted to, you could have escargot for lunch.  It actually smelled really good, but snails are not my thing.

A pretty shot of the church in Nagold.  Love this town.  It’s super cute and very close to where we live.

 

I was starting to get discouraged as we searched for a place to eat lunch.  Nagold was brimming with crowds.  But then we spotted an empty table at the Alte Post.  We sat down and enjoyed a much deserved beer.

This was so refreshing after our long walk…

Alte Post has an asparagus menu right now, but I decided to have salmon with mashed potatoes, chives, and beurre blanc sauce.  This was absolutely delicious and easy to finish!

Bill went vegetarian and had herbed noodles with a salad and a little sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

The salad was loaded with peppers.

 

We could have spent all afternoon in Nagold, but we needed to get to the Real to exchange a rack of beer and pick up some water and wine.  Also, we have dinner reservations for tonight.

Besides, Nagold was packed…

More water fowl…

I had to take a picture of some tulips growing in our garden.  One of them is half red and half yellow. I hadn’t noticed until Bill pointed it out.

 

I’m so happy the weather has finally warmed up and the sun is shining.  I am definitely ready to put the top down on my Mini and hang out at some biergartens.  We’ve decided that this year, maybe we’ll even see if we can bring our dogs with us.  After an hour of walking, they may be tired enough not to raise hell.  We will have to go back to Naturpark Schönbuch sometime soon.  There are miles of trails to be explored there.

I will have a new restaurant review up today or tomorrow.  Tonight, we venture to Holzgerlingen for the first time.

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A lovely spring day in Herrenberg!

The weather was so nice this morning that I told Bill we had to get out.  Since it was about noon when we made the decision to venture out, we decided to go to Herrenberg, which is maybe a ten minute drive from where we live.  Herrenberg is also about ten or fifteen minutes from where we lived during our first tour in the Stuttgart area.  We used to visit Herrenberg often during our first time here, but we don’t go nearly as often since we moved back in 2014.

We decided to walk around the town and look for a place to have lunch.  We poked our heads in Osteria da Gino’s, a traditional pizzeria different from Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold.  Since Herrenberg’s Osteria da Gino’s was full, we walked away from the main square and happened upon a typical German restaurant.  While Bill was studying the menu, I happened to make eye contact with an adorable Asian child who came out of the newly opened Asian place on the other side of the street.  The boy, maybe four years old or so, grinned playfully at me and was very charming.  Since the place was empty and it had been a long time since we last had Asian food, I beckoned Bill into the newly opened restaurant.

The guy running Asia Gourmet Imbiss did not speak any English, so I was forced to use my terrible German skills.  I’m not sure if he quite understood that my German is terrible.  If he did, he paid it no mind.  We managed to successfully order lunch, though.

We were the only ones in the restaurant at 12:30pm.  The friendly proprietor beckoned us to sit and Bill ordered us a couple of Singha beers from Thailand.  Singha is a pleasant pilsner.

Bill checks out the interior of the small dining room.  

I started with some very tasty fried shrimp with sweet red chili sauce.

Bill had a spring roll.  Both appetizers tasted good and were served piping hot.  

 

We had tried to explain that I don’t like mushrooms, but somehow that information got lost in translation.  I ordered Cantonese duck, which was basically crispy duck with peanut sauce.  It wasn’t very spicy, but there were indeed a couple of mushrooms in it.  Fortunately, I only found two and Bill was happy to take them off my hands.

Aside from the mushrooms, this was a very good dish.  The vegetables were fresh and the duck was delicious.  I noticed the restaurant also offers sushi.  It’s been ages since I last had sushi.  We might have to go back for that.

Bill had a spicy chicken dish with vegetables.  The weird expression on Bill’s face is not a reflection of the quality of the food.  He actually really enjoyed his lunch.

 

While we were enjoying lunch, two more parties arrived.  One group appeared to be English speakers who spoke much better German than I can.  Total damage for our lunch was 24,80.  As we paid the check, the proprietor sent us off with a couple of house shots of plum wine.  We’ll have to go back sometime soon.  That was a nice change of pace for us.

A shot of the front of the restaurant.

Herrenberg was alive with people today.

Everybody was enjoying the cafes and outdoor seating.

We walked up to the big church on the hill.  We had visited once when we lived here from 07-09.  I was almost tempted to try a walk to the berg, but I needed to go to the bathroom and didn’t feel like walking uphill.  Maybe when the weather is a little warmer.

The views from the church level were pretty tantalizing.  Someday, when I’m not feeling lazy, I’ll venture higher.

Under the window is a cute little play area for kids.  How progressive!

Inside the church.

One of the bells on display.

We can see the road to Haslach from here…

A view of the countryside.

 

We decided to get some ice cream and headed to the Cafe Gelateria La Piazza, where we used to go all the time during our first tour in the Stuttgart area.  As we walked into the place, I noticed an older couple sitting close to the door.  They recognized me even sooner than I noticed them.  I heard them say, “Jenny?”  At first, I thought they were our current landlords, but as I got closer, they said the magic word “Pfäffingen”.  They had been our neighbors!  I guess I haven’t changed much, because they knew me even though we hadn’t seen each other since 2009.  The wife bears a strong resemblance to our current landlady, which is part of the reason I was initially so confused.  They could be sisters.

Much to my embarrassment, I don’t think they ever told me their names when we were their neighbors, so I didn’t know what they were today.  However, when we lived here the first time, I often used to talk to their daughter, Claudia, who’s about 7 years younger than I am.  She and her husband and young son, Robin, lived in her parents’ house.  It took them a long time to talk to us when we were neighbors, mainly because the parents speak no English and in those days I spoke zero German whatsoever.  Claudia could speak some English, but was not so sure of her skills (which were pretty good, in my opinion).   The ice finally broke when my dog, Flea (RIP), whined when he saw Robin.  He wanted to play with the little boy so badly.  It was very cute and Flea charmed them enough that they decided to talk to us.  After that, we were on friendlier terms.  It took months, though.

Anyway, my German is still terrible, but I can at least form simple sentences now and understand a lot more than I used to.  I managed to tell them we live in Jettingen now and Bill is out of the Army.  They asked about my dogs, Flea and MacGregor, both of whom have gone to the Rainbow Bridge.  I told them we had two different dogs. They told us Claudia and her husband, Holger, have another child, a girl named Julie.  I tried to tell them to say hello to Claudia.  My guess is that they will tell her hello and mention to our old landlord that we’re back in Germany.  The funny thing is, yesterday I told Bill that I had a feeling we were going to eventually run into our previous landlord.  Instead, we ran into our neighbors!

I have an uncanny knack for running into people.  A few years ago, when Bill and I lived in San Antonio, we went out to dinner one night and ran into a guy I worked with at a tiny summer camp in Star Tannery, Virginia.  I hadn’t seen him since 1994.  He and his wife, who had been a counselor in training at the same camp that summer, were out for pizza.  It boggles the mind that we ran into each other.  San Antonio is a big city and there are a lot of restaurants there.  Yet I ran into him and his wife.  Another time  during our year in Texas, Bill and I were eating at a restaurant in San Antonio and we ran into my dentist.

Years prior to moving to Texas, when I was waiting tables in Williamsburg, Virginia, I waited on people from Belfast, Ireland who happened to be next door neighbors to another guy who worked at that same summer camp in Virginia.  This kind of thing happens to me all the time, though.  Twice, I went to Washington, DC to visit the Peace Corps headquarters and ended up running into people I knew when I was a Volunteer in the 90s.  One was a guy who had served in Armenia with me and the other was a Volunteer in Bulgaria who had let me and a friend crash in his apartment in Sofia for a week.  What are the odds we’d be visiting there on the same day?  Crazy coincidence, I’d say.

Bill looks for ice cream.

I went with a chocolate sundae.  

Bill had Eis Cafe.

 

I’m glad we decided to go into the konditorei instead of sitting outside or going to the other Eis cafe that wasn’t so busy.  And I have no doubt that we will run into other people who used to know us.  The world is small.  So those of you who think I’m an annoying blahger better brace yourselves.  😉

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Our Thanksgiving meal and other delights…

As I wrote earlier today, we decided to go out to a restaurant for our Thanksgiving meal.  Although I know I could have found a place that offered really good and somewhat Thanksgiving appropriate food for our celebration, I ended up choosing to dine at Herrenberg’s Gasthaus Lamm Inh. Wolfgang Mezger.  I chose this place because on Trip Advisor, it is listed as Herrenberg’s number one restaurant.  I figured that since it was a gasthaus, it would have the hearty fare I was craving.  I had visions of Stuttgart traffic and decided we should stick closer to home.

Earlier today, I also had the idea that I would like to go to the SI Suites near Kelley and visit the Schwabenquellen spa, but when Bill found out it was textile free, he was having none of it.  We compromised and decided that later we’d visit the Mineraltherme Boeblingen.  I even gave some thought to visiting the textile free area by myself.

Before we went out to dinner, though, I had some household chores to do.  Since I don’t have a job that pays me big bucks, I like to earn my keep.  So on Thursdays, I vacuum the house and typically do laundry.  This morning, the weather was absolutely shitty.  Bill took the dogs for a walk and I did my vacuuming.

**Skip this part if you have a weak stomach.  I’ll let you know when to read again…**

About an hour after they returned from their walk, I heard the sound most dog owners dread.  Arran had vomited up something extremely foul all over my ugly hallway rug.  It was so nasty and vile smelling that I almost sympathy hurled.  Bill grabbed one end of the 5X8 rug and I grabbed another.  We took it outside, where the weather was misty and cold.  I brought Bill lots of hot water with vinegar and baking soda while he kindly cleaned the rank smelling rug for me.  It’s still sitting outside deputrifying.

Arran’s puking episode made me nervous, since when you look up “dog’s vomit that smells like poop” on Google, most sites tell you it’s a veterinary emergency because your dog has surely got a bowel obstruction.  However, Bill had seen Arran eat some kind of feces while they were walking in the field behind our house.  I know Arran well enough to know that he fancies himself a poop hunter while on walks…  but he doesn’t have the iron constitution of his predecessor, MacGregor, who was a true connoisseur of all things crappy.  Arran usually throws up when he eats shit; that’s why I tend to keep him on a short leash behind our house.  Since Bill was walking him today, he had a little more freedom to get into trouble.  Anyway, fortunately after his one extremely disgusting vomit fest, Arran was fine.

**Nasty part is done… weak stomached readers can read again…**

So off we went to the Mineraltherme.   I was drying clothes before we left and had the dryer running.  Bill was nervous about it, so we went back and turned the dryer off.

I was a little hungry when we got to the spa.  We first stopped in their restaurant and I had a glass of Riesling and a nice bowl of carrot and ginger soup.  It was served with a somewhat soggy piece of bread covered with melted mozzarella cheese.  Bill had a ham and cheese panini and a beer.  They served us a house shot of soup, which I didn’t eat because it was made with mushrooms.  I don’t ever eat mushrooms, but even if I had liked them a little, I was still a little grossed out by Arran.  The earthy mushroom aroma was doing nothing for my stomach or my nerves.

My carrot ginger soup.  It was okay, though probably could have used a little salt… or maybe more ginger.

 

Bill’s panini.  He declared it “substantial”.  He also enjoyed the wild mushroom soup shots.  

We spent the next couple of hours enjoying the pools at the Mineraltherme.  Although Bill is generally reluctant to go there, he’s always relaxed when we leave and never regrets going.  We did have a good time, despite getting a few peevish looks from a couple of older gentlemen.  I didn’t go down to the textile free area today because we didn’t have time.  One of these days, I will disrobe and enjoy the freedom of being naked in front of complete strangers.  I may need more Riesling to do it, though.

We got home at about 5:30 or so, took the dogs out for a wee, and I washed our swimsuits and such on a short cycle.  I put them in the dryer.  Then we left for our dinner at the Gasthaus Lamm.  On the way there, I started feeling nervous about the dryer.  I went as far as to look up on the web to see if we were taking a big risk by letting it run while we were out.  I had visions of coming home to an obliterated house and two dead dogs.  At the same time, the rational side of me told me I was being ridiculous.  I now know that leaving major appliances running when you aren’t home is probably not worth the risk or my neurotic worrying.

Bill parked the car and we headed for the adorable Gasthaus Lamm.  Although the restaurant is clearly popular with locals and we used to visit Herrenberg all the time when we lived here the first time, we had not been there before.  When we entered the building, we were immediately charmed by how cozy and quaint it is.  Make no mistake, the Gasthaus Lamm in Herrenberg is a very small venue.  You may wish to make reservations before going for dinner.

Herrenberg at Christmastime… sehr cute.

We were warned that we would be sharing a table.  Sure enough, we joined a German couple at a rather private little four top tucked away in a corner.  We had a good view of the bar, where the young, attractive waitresses were slinging beers.  The place was pretty much packed and it was all Germans, having a good time on a Thursday night.

Outside of the restaurant.

 

It was a little like being home at Granny’s house in the restaurant, since we were sitting at a table with a couple of people we didn’t know and the place was wall to wall people.  Those who went to Longwood with me in the 90s may remember Macado’s restaurant during that era.  The ambiance was much more authentically charming at Gasthaus Lamm, but the space constraints were very similar…  Those who don’t know what I’m writing about can just imagine themselves in a really cute but tiny, cozy restaurant.

We started with Schimpf Christmas beers…  These were nice, though somewhat pedestrian.  They did chase away my thirst, though.

Bill ordered the special wild boar being offered tonight with spatzle and red cabbage slaw.  It came with a little pot of gravy to go with that already on the meat.

I had a cordon blue schnitzel with fries…  I awarded points when the waitress asked if I wanted ketchup or mayo to go with my fries.  That rarely happens!

This was what our plates looked like when we finally quit eating.  The food was very good.  Bill’s boar was especially good.  But it’s for people who have huge stomachs!  

For dessert, we both had hefeweizens.  This was very good.  Reminded me a bit of Franziskaner.  I had never before had either of the beers offered at Gasthaus Lamm, but I liked them both.  I especially enjoyed the Berg Ulrich Bier.

Obligatory Bill shot, after our German stranger dinner companions departed.  It was a little odd sitting with them, because it seemed like both couples were trying to pretend the other couple wasn’t there.  The table was rather intimate, rather than the long table I was expecting.  Also, I know people think I look dumb when I photograph food for this blog.  I did like the little alcove, though.  It was nice and private, otherwise.  The other couple was nice enough, too.  Anyway, breaking bread with strangers and family is what Thanksgiving is all about, right?

A shot of the bar from where I was sitting.  Other people were sitting on the other sides.

 

As I was sitting on the cute little bench, I noticed my buns were warm.  It reminded me of our old house, which had a masonry heater.  When we used it, the bench would heat up and I’d have a nice warm butt…  warmer than sitting on the dryer or getting a good spanking.  But actually, last night I was just sitting over a heating vent.  What a thrill it was having my buns toasted in a restaurant!

A shot of the other side of the table from where I was sitting, again after the other couple left.

Wall art.  They had a lot of cool stuff on the walls.  We also tried that beer…

A message on the bottom of my glass… Is it German or Schwabish?  Who knows?  It’s backwards as well as in a language other than my mother tongue.

Anyone want to translate?

 

Our total bill came to 44,60.  That was for two very substantial and tasty meals and four beers between us.  Service was pleasant, friendly, and competent.  Our servers seemed to take pride in speaking English to us, even though when it comes to restaurants, we can sort of get by in German.  The lady who took our reservation also spoke English.  The food was very good, though the portions were huge.  It seemed like more of a bar atmosphere than a restaurant, but clearly the locals love it.  We will definitely be back…  In fact, we need to get back into the habit of visiting Herrenberg.  I had forgotten how cute it is, especially at this time of year!

We came home and happily found our house still intact, despite my decision to run the dryer while we were out.  The dogs were glad to see us and are now blissfully sleeping on my new sheets.  I am about to join them.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Stay tuned, because we will make up for last week’s lack of restaurant outings this weekend!

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Germany, restaurant reviews

Dinner at Mauerwerk in Herrenberg…

After two weekends of being cooped up at home, I was more than ready to go out tonight.  Originally, we thought we might go to Tuebingen and try a couple of places we’d visited last time we lived here.  But then, Bill remembered that there was a cool looking restaurant in Herrenberg that didn’t exist when we were here last.  Also, even though we live close to Herrenberg again, we hadn’t gone out to eat there in ages.  So we headed for Mauerwerk, a restaurant on the main drag through Herrenberg, at about 6:00 or so.  It was probably a good thing we went when we did, since we didn’t have reservations.  We happened to score free parking in a lot for the Volksbank.

Outside of the restaurant.  For once I thought to take photos before it got too dark.

Mauerwerk is a cultural center housed in a building that used to be a church  It’s now a very cool, contemporary restaurant that adjoins a stage/theater.  I gathered from looking at the posters near the restrooms that they have live music and other shows there sometimes.  There’s also a small bar area near the stage.  We didn’t really explore the area where the musicians play, though.  Our minds were on the food.

A very pleasant waitress greeted us and invited us to a two top table with an excellent view of the bar.  She spoke German to us, but the bartender overheard me speaking English.  We were offered English menus at that point, but told them it was okay… we generally understand menus in German.  I just can’t speak German worth a damn.  My comprehension is getting better though, especially when it comes to reading.

After a few minutes, we were ready to order.  We had a bottle of sparkling water, some very nice red wine from the Languedoc region of southern France, a couple of starters, and our main courses.  I knew I’d need to pace myself.

Very nice French wine… 

This amuse reminded me a bit of a donut without sugar.  It was served with a rosemary cream spread.  I liked it.  It wasn’t too strong.  And I am also a sucker for fried food.

Bill thinks about what he wants…

 

I had a curry soup with shrimp.  Bill had smoked salmon with seaweed salad and an wasabi type sauce.  The soup was very good and had a little zing to it, though I only ate about half.  Didn’t want to get too full for the main courses.  Bill loved his smoked salmon, though the portion was pretty huge.  Actually, I think the soup and salmon would make a very nice lunch.

 

The food choices at Mauerwerk are rather eclectic.  They offered “tapas” as an appetizer, though they were not really Spanish.  Several choices were Thai inspired, though a few were German.  Bill’s entree seemed to be influenced by Mexico.  Above, you can see the beautifully presented salmon filet I ordered.  It came with potatoes and onions and was artistically presented.  The salmon was beautifully cooked and flavorful.  I appreciated that it wasn’t too well done.

Bill’s tasty burger.  It came with fingerling potatoes and a side of what seemed to be salsa.  The burger had guacamole, bacon, salsa, and a rather strong cheese.  Bill liked it, though the cheese might have been too much for a cheese wimp like me.

Though we were full, we decided to have dessert anyway.  Bill had a mango inspired bread pudding.  I liked this because it wasn’t sweet at all, save for the side of housemade vanilla ice cream… The portion was large, though.

I had chocolate mousse.  One ball was chocolate, another was white chocolate, and it came with a lovely array of berries… blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and currants…

 

By the time we were finished eating, the restaurant was pretty full.  People were turning away because there weren’t enough big tables.  I think if you want to come on a weekend, it makes sense to get a reservation.  The food is well prepared and the portions are very generous.  I thought the prices were fair, too.  Our bill was about 90 euros and we tipped the waitress generously because she did a good job.  I noticed she spoke English, but didn’t much to us.  I think she was afraid of making a mistake, though my German is enough to make anyone cry…  I’m pretty sure credit cards are accepted, though we paid in cash.

I was impressed by the scotches being offered.  I also spotted a bottle of 15 year old El Dorado rum from Guyana (probably my favorite rum) and locally made Monkey gin. On Sundays and holidays, Mauerwerk offers a breakfast.

I would say Mauerwerk is best suited for adults who like beautifully presented contemporary cuisine. I didn’t see any kids at the restaurant and am not sure how well they are catered to; I didn’t think to look, either, since I don’t have any kids.  Again, I would recommend making reservations if you plan to go on a Friday or Saturday night.  It looks like things regularly get busy there.  Reservations can be made by phone or email.

We had a great time and I am sure we’ll be back.  Mauerwerk has a lot of ambiance and character going for it besides offering good food and service.  If you’re in Herrenberg and looking for a nice place for a meal, I think Mauerwerk is a good bet.

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A review of Thermopyle Greek Restaurant in Herrenberg, Germany…

Last night, on our way home from the airport, it occurred to Bill and me that we didn’t have much food in the house.  I suggested we stop for some Greek food in Herrenberg.  We remembered Thermopyle in Herrenberg from the last time we lived in the Stuttgart area from 2007-09.  We only ate there a couple of times, when our friend The Mad Scientist in Entringen was away on holiday.  But we did remember that the food there was very good and it’s a popular place with the locals.  Often, when we pass this restaurant, we see it packed with people.

This would look better in the daytime; but that’s the sign, anyway.

It was snowing last night, so I figured maybe it wouldn’t be quite as busy.  We found a place to park near the train station.  Upon entering Thermopyle, we saw that quite a few folks were out enjoying Greek food, but there was still room for Bill and me.  The very friendly proprietor, whom I remembered from our previous visits, invited us to sit down.

Neither Bill nor I were very hungry.   Fortunately, Thermopyle offers some smaller dishes for people with smaller appetites.  Bill had a small gyros with a Greek salad.  I had souvlaki, which came with a small salad.  He also ordered a half carafe of a Greek wine called Imiglys, which turned out to be a bit sweeter than we prefer.  Next time, we’ll get our usual Nemea or Athos.

My salad.

Bill’s salad.

The food was very good.  Bill’s Greek salad was very large and beautifully presented with butter beans and feta cheese.  My salad was simpler, which was fine with me.  The souvlaki came out on wooden skewers, which were kind of hard to maneuver because the meat kind of stuck to it.  But once I got the meat off the sticks, I was very happy.  I really like the way Thermopyle does t’satziki, with plenty of garlic.  Our dinners also came with crinkle fries, which reminds me of being a kid in the 70s.

Yummy!

We were not offered ouzo when we called for the check, but that was okay.  We both had plenty to drink over the weekend.  The bill came to around 35 euros.

Service was fast and friendly and the proprietor shook our hands before we left!  I’m sure we’ll be back, although I’m still partial to my friend The Mad Scientist at Agais.  As an aside, I think this restaurant is worth visiting if only because of all the pictures in the place.  The guy that owns it has had his photo taken with a bunch of famous people, including Don King.

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