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The nicest hardware store I’ve ever seen… and more Italian hospitality!

Now that we’ve settled in somewhat, Bill has decided to try to fix the holes in the wall where the curtain rod is in our living room.  The holes were left by the previous occupants, who apparently hung heavy drapes that pulled the screws out of the wall.  Once he fixes that, I can hang my drapes and raise the Rolladens.  Actually, I’m trying to decide what we can put in our big living room so it doesn’t look so empty.  It’s like we have two living rooms now and one side has art, a rug, and our Bose speaker.  The other side has the couches.

So anyway, we needed to go to the hardware store to pick up some stuff with which to fix the holes.  In our old town, we used to go to the hardware stores in Herrenberg or Nagold.  They weren’t bad hardware stores.  In fact, they reminded me of slightly upscale American big box stores.  Our Toom in Herrenberg even had a small restaurant in it.  Germans are very civilized.

I didn’t have especially high expectations for the MS Holz Fachmarkt.  I figured it would be like all the other hardware stores I’ve been to.  I see by Google reviews that this store gets average ratings.  People seem to either love it or hate it.  I enjoyed my visit today…

The front facade.  Apparently, this is a new location with a nice big parking lot.  Check out the cool kids’ play equipment.  No, they aren’t for your kids to play on, but you can build one for your house.

As soon as I walked inside, I was greeted by the cashier.

All of your garden needs… even Crocs and hats for your kids.

 

I found Bill and a friendly staffer, who spoke English, showed Bill what he needed to fix the hole.  Bill had helpfully taken a picture of the hole, which was useful to show the man so he could advise us of the right product.  The guy even explained the directions to us in English, since the packaging didn’t have them translated.

Then I noticed this “wallpaper”.  In both of our German houses this time, I’ve noticed the walls have this texture on them.  I saw that it looked like wallpaper, but was curious if that’s what it really is.  Sure enough, my curiosity was satisfied.

There were a couple of things I was hoping to find… the kind of things you might find in a Lowe’s or a Home Depot.  Unfortunately, Germany doesn’t embrace one stop shopping quite as much as the United States does.  Still, it was interesting to walk around the store, which was clean and quiet and had some very attractive displays.

Ideas for when the weather improves.

A lounger with a shade!

Isn’t it beautiful?

This was a cool looking door, with the shattered look.  I think it was selling for about 1500 euros.

An artist who makes furniture with trees…

 

I loved the chair, though I don’t know how comfortable it is.  It was made with a cherry tree.

 

Then I spotted a most impressive sight!  This store has a slide in it.  Your children take off their shoes and slide down to the bottom, right next to the coffee bar.  Didn’t I tell you Germans were civilized?

Weee!  My German friend Susanne says that there was a shoe store in Stuttgart that had a slide that went to the children’s section (smart thinking) and a drug store in her little town also had one.  As an American who was denied such coolness as a child, I now feel deprived!

 

When we were finished shopping, we decided to search for lunch.  We drove around a bit, noticing the Hofladens near our house.  We eventually ended up in Hofheim am Taunus, where I spotted a pizzeria called Amici.  It looked promising.

Bill is ready for lunch… and we had a big one!

A little local water in a bottle that reminds me of perfume.

They brought out some bread and olives, and poured generous glasses of Primitivo.

We split an avocado salad that was made with tiny shrimp, pineapples, and garnished with cherry tomatoes, walnuts, and balsamic vinegar.  This was about 13,50 euros and I’m glad we shared it.  It was a lot even for the two of us, but it was very nice.

 

There was an older couple sitting near us and they were obviously regulars.  The very pleasant waitress took excellent care of them, joking and laughing.  Another couple of ladies brought in an adorable six month old baby and a toddler with red ringlets.  They were easily chatting with the older couple, who appeared to be having a great time.  I can see why they’re regulars.  The waitress was super nice and the food was great.

Bill had Rigatoni 435, which included beef and “Stein Pilze” (stone mushrooms).  He loved it, but that plate reeked of fungus!  It was a bit overwhelming for me, especially since I hate mushrooms.

I went with Linguini Scolo, which was basically linguini with “fruits of the sea”.  I couldn’t finish it, because that was a lot of protein.  It was yummy, though… shrimp, “crevettes” (little shrimp), mussels, and vegetables– tomatoes, peppers, and leeks.

Naturally, we had dessert.  Bill had creamy panna cotta, which came with caramel and was probably the best I’ve tasted in a long time.  Panna cotta is often like Jello, but this was a lot creamier.  

I had zabaione with vanilla ice cream.  We had this at Little Italy in Wiesbaden back in October.  To be honest, I liked the way they did it better.  This dessert is really more like a beverage the way it’s served at Amici.  At Little Italy, it was more like a thin pudding.  It’s basically a liquid custard made with Masala wine.  We also had a round of espresso.

As we paid the check, we enjoyed a house shot of Limoncello.  We could have also had grappa or another digestive.  I think it’s a nice touch when European restaurants do this.  It kind of softens the blow of the bill.

 

Hofheim am Taunus isn’t far from where we live, so I can see us going back to this place.  Maybe we’ll even be regulars.  I think that would be alright.  If we’d taken the first house we looked at when we were househunting, which was too small for us, we would have been really close!

Out front…  They had a nice display of wine in the front window, too, with multiple bottles of “Why Not” Primitivo.

And someone’s artistic rendition of Yosemite Sam…  There’s a large train station in this town.  We’ll have to explore it more when the weather improves.

 

All in all, we had another nice afternoon in our new area.  It may soon be time to start a new “Good eats” post, like the one I made for Stuttgart.

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A decadent Sunday lunch at Little Italy Cucina Italiana in Wiesbaden…

Back in October of 2018, Bill and I visited Wiesbaden for the first time.  Our purpose was to househunt.  We stayed in Town Hotel Wiesbaden, a small hotel downtown, with our two dogs, so we tried several restaurants near the hotel.  Little Italy Cucina Italiana was one of the restaurants we dined at, and you can read my write up of that experience here on this blog.

Today, we needed to visit our local military installation for some supplies.  I needed some high-end make up and Bill needed to get my car set up for fueling.  We stopped by AAFES first, and ended up having a very entertaining and longwinded chat with the customer service guy, who’s lived in Wiesbaden since 1974.  He got my Mini Cooper squared away with a fuel ration card and told us all about the history of the military in the area at the same time.  I probably would have enjoyed chatting with him all day, and he seemed willing, but we had more shopping to do.  So once we had my makeup in hand, we headed for the commissary.

We bought some food staples, but discovered we forgot the Bisquik once we got home.  There’s always something we miss!  Sadly, it’s not as easy to rectify things in Wiesbaden, since there’s only one commissary as opposed to the four in the Stuttgart area.  Nevertheless, I got us some cleaning supplies and junk food I’ve been craving and definitely shouldn’t be eating.  Then we stopped by the Shoppette for some wine to help ring in the new year.

After we were finished shopping, it was about 2:00pm.  We went to Wiesbaden, parked, and headed into the city center.  Our journey took us past Little Italy Cucina Italiana.  Neither Bill nor I really felt like hunting for a place to eat and it was clear the restaurant was not taking a pause.  In we walked, and we were warmly greeted by a lovely waitress who spoke excellent English.

Last time we ate at Little Italy, we dined outside.  This is possible in most weather, since they have installed heaters over the tables.  Inside, the dining room is very tiny, as are the tables.  We took a corner table that was situated very close to another table.  Fortunately, it wasn’t busy.

I told Bill I was in the mood for a really beautiful lunch.  Lo and behold, that’s what I got.  As we listened to 80s era pop hits remade into smooth jazz, Bill and I ate our way through three dynamite courses.  Feast your eyes…

Out front.  I noticed the English speaking proprietor in the window.  I remembered him from last time.  He’s very friendly and good at suggesting things.  The guy walking into the restaurant was memorable.  He appeared to be waiting for a staff member and walked in as if he owned the place.  He had on skinny jeans, walked with a confident swagger, and shook the proprietor’s hand as he caught his reflection in the mirror and fixed his hair.

 

This is about half of the dining room.  It’s not the smallest restaurant I’ve ever been to, but it’s pretty small.

 

The “bar”.

 

Obligatory shot of Bill.

We started with super fresh bread, olive oil with tomato paste, and San Pellegrino…

And excellent red wines by the glass.

The last time we visited, I was intrigued by a raw tuna and avocado appetizer.  I didn’t order it the last time, since it was almost 20 euros and I figured it would be big.  Bill and I split it this time.  I’m glad we split it.  It was delicious and super fresh, but a lot for one person.  It was citrusy tuna with avocado bits, along with a tiny salad.  Topped with a bread stick and garnished with pomegranate seeds that helped cut the saltiness, this was a lovely starter.  At the end, I got just a hint of ginger.

 

My main dish was spaghetti sepia, basically dyed with squid ink, and served with creamy hummer (lobster) sauce and shrimp.  I managed half, since I was saving room for dessert.  This was a bit heavy, but satisfying.  Next time, I’d have it without the starter.

 

Bill went with Osso Bucco, basically a veal pot roast served with a tomato and carrot sauce, and garnished with quince.  Again, a bit heavy, but delicious.  I don’t eat a lot of veal, but I did try this dish.  If you like very tender, flavorful meat that falls off the bone, this is for you.

 

Our lunch was very leisurely and enjoyable.  The staff wasn’t rushed, so the service was excellent and the food was delightful.  It was interesting to people watch, too.  This restaurant is located on a somewhat busy street that brings a lot of foot traffic.  I noticed this restaurant is very popular with Italians, too.  Always a good sign in an Italian restaurant in Germany!

I couldn’t resist having dessert.  I gave some thought to having something off the regular menu, but our bald friend had a suggestion.  He had “baba”, which was basically like a very decadent sponge cake soaked in rum, served with candied cherries, and topped with chocolate ganache.  It wasn’t too large and came in two pieces, so it was perfect for sharing.

Yummy!  The perfect end to a lovely meal.

Bill had an espresso, while I finished my Primitivo.

All told, we spent about 100 euros before the tip, which Bill paid for with a credit card.  The proprietor asked us if we had his phone number.  I’m sure he doesn’t mind guests like us, since we ate a lot and tipped well.  And it was very obvious we were having a good time… I left there gushing, “What a fabulous meal!”

The proprietor wished us a happy new year, then told us next time we’re “boring”, to give him a call.  I had to laugh, since our old veterinarian in Herrenberg made the same error.  There must be something in German grammar that causes people to say “boring” when they mean “bored”.  But hell, I don’t speak German worth a damn, so I can’t make too much fun.  I just thought it was funny.  I’ve been called a lot of things, but boring isn’t one of them.

We really like Little Italy and I think we’ll probably be regulars.  The food is always good.  The service is friendly and professional.  And we’re always warmed welcomed by the man in charge.  That makes it a winning destination… especially since they don’t seem to take an afternoon pause and we like to eat lunch late.

I got a couple of shots of the action at the ice skating rink.  Looks like there will be quite a party in Wiesbaden tomorrow night!

Incidentally, I still haven’t finished yesterday’s Five Guys cheeseburger… I better start walking my dogs more before my ass gets its own zip code.

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A late lunch at La Fonte in Breckenheim, Wiesbaden…

A little gift left by our new landlords… They gave us a gift bag with a huge Lindt Swiss chocolate bar with hazelnuts and a bottle of locally produced Sekt.  

 

The sun came out today and, unlike last week, this past week was rather quiet.  Although I probably would have been happy to hibernate, Bill decided we needed to go out and have lunch.  It was after 2 o’clock when he made this decision, so we were kind of limited in where we could go.  Fortunately, our new neighborhood has an Italian restaurant that doesn’t do pauses and has a Monday Ruhetag.  So once Bill managed to convince me to get dressed and prettified, we beagle proofed the house and drove the one kilometer to La Fonte, the local Sportsplatz’s restaurant.

I have mentioned before that a lot of German communities have sports clubs, and many of the sports clubs have restaurants.  In our old town, Jettingen, I remember two sports complexes, both of which had Greek restaurants next to their sports fields.  The neighboring town, Haslach, had a German restaurant.  Likewise, our new community of Breckenheim also has a Sportsplatz, which has an Italian eatery.  I noticed it got great ratings, so it was easy to convince Bill to visit.  It turned out to be a nice place to spend a couple of hours.

The first thing I noticed was the smell of horses.  There’s a barn nearby.  It seems to be my luck to live in places where there are horses… which only serves as a reminder that I need to buy a place with land so I can have horses in my life again.  I spent the 80s showing horses.

 

When we arrived at La Fonte, it was busy.  It looked like there were a couple of parties going on.  Nevertheless, we were welcome, and once they realized we were English speakers, the staff switched to excellent English.  We’re pretty good at speaking food, but I have to admit it’s nice to run into English speakers, even if it cuts down on my German practice.  I am somewhat consoled, though, because I heard some German youngsters leaving the restaurant and actually understood what was being said.  A young boy was eager to get outside and play, but his older brother admonished him to wear a jacket, even though the young boy said he didn’t need to bundle up.  It’s funny… suddenly understanding German is like suddenly tuning into a clear radio station.

Bill checks the menu.  We were seated “outside”, but it was warm enough.  They had a heater out there and the area was enclosed by glass and an awning.  I never would have known we were “outside”.  I’m sure in the warmer months, it’s nothing to open up that area.

 

We settled on salmon with shrimp sauce and noodles for me and veal with Gorgonzola sauce and noodles for Bill.  Both dishes came with generously sized salads and bread.  My dish had a slightly different dressing.  Bill’s was the usual yogurt dressing, while mine was more like a red wine vinaigrette.  

This little guy, name of Milo, is obviously the restaurant’s mascot.  He’s well known and loved.  I noticed the place had many apparent regulars and they were all greeting this adorable dog. 

 

He was so cute in his “I love New York” hoodie.  I might be persuaded to abandon my love of beagles for this little guy.  I was impressed by how well behaved he was, too.

 

Bill enjoys veal, noodles, and Gorgonzola sauce.  He managed to finish everything, even the salad.  I had to take half of my stuff home, even though I was hungry when I went in.  They were happy to pack up my leftovers.

 

Grilled salmon with shrimp sauce and noodles… it came with tiny shrimp and the sauce had a hint of nutmeg.  I really enjoyed it, but only managed half before I was full.  

 

This couple came in with a black version of Milo… and obviously, the owner knew Milo, and so did his cute little dog.  I noticed Milo and the other pooch played nicely in the dining room.  This is a very dog friendly place.  I saw at least two other dogs visiting during our two hour lunch.

We had another glass of Sangiovese for dessert, as well as espresso.  Note the generous pour!

We really enjoyed La Fonte.  I have a good feeling that we’ll be regulars.  The food was good; there was plenty of parking; it’s dog friendly; the wait staff were welcoming; and we can literally stumble to our new home from there.  We told the waiter that we were new in town and he gave us this…

Panettone— Italian cake/bread, just for Christmas…  I guess these folks are from northern Italy.  This was a nice hospitable touch.

And he warned us that if we want to have dinner on a weekend night, to call ahead.  I could easily tell La Fonte is a very popular local hangout.  It was nice to see.  Lots of people seemed to know and love the staff, which is always a good sign.  I am certain we’ll be back repeatedly.  It appears to be a very kid friendly place, too… the kind of place where friends and families gather.  I love those kinds of places.

A moonrise…

 

So we no longer have the enchanting view from our house, but we can still see one not far from where we live.  And the bonus is, I can smell horses from here.  I trust none of them are on La Fonte’s menu.  I’m kidding, of course.  I feel better now, though… even if I didn’t really feel like going out.  It’s time to get back to normal and start having some fun again.  Of course, we did come home to a big mess caused by Arran, the troublemaker.  He got into the trash.  I guess our new system needs refining.

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Lunch at Vapiano in Wiesbaden…

The first time we visited Wiesbaden, back in October of this year, we stayed at the Town Hotel Wiesbaden, which is located in the heart of the city.  While we were there, I noticed an Italian chain restaurant called Vapiano.  Last time I visited Stuttgart, I noticed that Stuttgart has a Vapiano outlet, too.

I was weirdly attracted to the Wiesbaden Vapiano when we were downtown for our first visit.  I’m not sure why.  I usually prefer individual restaurants to chains.  Saturday afternoon, we were hungry and not wanting to search for a particularly special place.  We stopped by Vapiano in Wiesbaden and had a rather different restaurant experience.

The view from the parking garage at the theater in Wiesbaden…  They had the ice skating rink set up for the Christmas market…

The first thing that happened when we walked through the door is that a smiling woman behind a desk– the cashier– handed us each a plastic card.  Having never been to Vapiano before, I didn’t know what the hell was going on.  Then I saw that people were ordering at a counter.  You get into the line that corresponds with what you’re eating.  If you want pizza or lasagna, you get in one line.  If you want pasta, you get into a different line.  Salads are in still another line.

Bill decided he wanted pasta with spicy tomato sauce.  I wanted lasagna.  Since we didn’t know how things worked, I stood next to him while a line cook prepared his dish for him.  You can actually watch the guys boil the pasta and put sauce on it for you.  They scan your item on the plastic card.  If you want a soft drink, they’ll get that for you, too.

Bill an I wanted wine, so after we ordered my lasagna in a different line, he went to the bar and got us a couple of glasses of Montepulciano.  This is also where you get your desserts.

Bill’s pasta was ready before my lasagna was, so he was about halfway through his lunch when the beeper went off for my lasagna.  In retrospect, we should have ordered the lasagna first… not that I think we’ll be regulars at Vapiano.  It was a little too busy and noisy for my liking, although I noticed the workers were good about picking up plates and keeping things reasonably clean.  If I were about twenty-five years younger, I probably would have liked it a lot more.  The food was good and reasonably priced, but I’d rather eat at a place where there’s table service and less noise.  Vapiano is very kid friendly, so it has that going for it.

As we were leaving, we stopped by the cashier, handed her our cards, and paid.  This is also where you can leave a tip, if you like.  I’m pretty sure Bill paid with a credit card and I did notice they were equipped for that.

Below are some photos…

Vapiano has outlets all over the world, including in the United States.  This was our first visit.

 

Go up to the counter with the plastic card they give you.  Get in the appropriate line.  Order what you want and have the cook scan it.  They’ll cook your food and you’ll take it to your table.  You pay at the cashier as you leave.

Go to the bar for your adult beverages and desserts.

Bill’s ravioli with meat sauce.  It wasn’t bad, though it was done a lot sooner than my lasagna was.  Bill liked that the portion size wasn’t huge and the sauce was spicy.

 

My lasagna.  This was very cheesy and it took some time to actually get to the pasta.  My first few bites were all melted cheese, not that I minded.  It wasn’t a huge serving, which was a good thing.  I have had better lasagna, but this wasn’t too bad.  I just felt sorry for whomever has to wash the lasagna dishes.  A lot of the cheese was stuck to the pan.

Bill had cheesecake for dessert.  It wasn’t very sweet or creamy, but it kind of hit the spot after the pasta.

I went with their version of “Death by Chocolate”.  I used to work at a restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia had a far different and vastly superior “Death by Chocolate”.  Vapiano’s version is basically a rather dry, plain, chocolate cake.  I wouldn’t get it again.

On the way back to the car, I took some pictures of Wiesbaden’s holiday finery…

I am kind of tempted to ice skate, but it’s been about 40 years since my last trip around the rink.  I’m not sure why I never noticed the ice rinks in prior years.

We stopped by our local Rewe for provisions.  I was surprised to see a whole lot of condoms on sale…  As a former public health worker, I’m glad to see them selling condoms.  I just think it’s funny that they do it so openly.  I don’t remember seeing a display like this at an American grocery store.  Not that I mind, of course…

For when you’re feeling festive…

I think we’re going to like living in Wiesbaden.

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Things aren’t bad in Baden-Baden… Part three

Friday, November 16th, was our anniversary.  We woke up bright and early and decided that since it was our special day, we’d eat breakfast at the hotel.  Brenners Park Hotel and Spa offers a lovely buffet breakfast at 41 euros a person.  However, I would say that as expensive as their breakfast is, it’s probably the most economical of all of the meal options there.  You get your choice of whatever’s on the buffet, which includes breads, cold cuts, cheeses, yogurts, fruits, cereals, and an array of fresh juices, sekt, and coffee or tea.  You can also order a hot dish, like eggs or pancakes.  It’s all you can eat, so if you play your cards right, you can eat enough in the morning to last you all day.  Service is, of course, impeccable.

We were seated at a nice sized round table and served excellent coffee.  Then we loaded up at the buffet.  I wasn’t thinking too much about having anything else until the very charming chef came out and asked me if I’d like him to make me some eggs.  It so happens that I love Eggs Benedict and was about to say yes to that, when he offered Eggs Florentine.  Eggs Florentine are pretty much like Eggs Benedict– a poached egg on an English muffin with Hollandaise Sauce.  Instead of bacon, you get spinach.  He offered to shave some black truffles on the dish, too, but I told them to save them for Bill.  I am definitely not a truffle fan.

Eggs Florentine, brought out by a very friendly chef.  I liked that he didn’t give me the stinkeye when I told him of my aversion to fungus.

Christmas trees are coming out…  We happened to see them putting up decorations for the big holiday.  Ours won’t be going up until we’re in our new house next week.

 

After breakfast, we decided to visit the fitness/pool area.  Brenners Park has a very nice spa, which we did use on Saturday.  On Friday, we were content to try out the very beautiful pool area.

The water was slightly warm and the pool was pretty deep.  At one end, it was over my head.  I loved that, since so many of the newer pools in the United States are shallow now.

As you can see, the pool is empty.  A couple of other people showed up a few minutes after we did.  I believe they allow children to splash to their hearts’ content from 4:00 to 5:00pm.  I didn’t see too many children at this hotel, though… only a few.  And the ones we saw were mostly beautifully behaved.  I liked the view at the pool, which offered a lovely view of the trees and the river.

Bill takes to luxury like a duck to water.  

 

After a couple of hours lounging at the pool, we decided to have lunch.  I noticed a sign for Osteria Stomboli and decided it looked like a good bet.  I was in the mood for pasta.  I did take note that at least two times on the front door and once in the restaurant, I saw signs that emphatically stated that this restaurant does NOT take credit cards.  Did you read that clearly?  Credit cards are verboten!  No plastic!  Cash on the nail!  Just so we’re clear.

Luckily, Bill is used to carrying cash.  He brought plenty so we could enjoy wine with lunch.

I had a tantalizing tagliatelle with salmon.  It came with a creamy tomato sauce and cherry tomatoes.  The sauce was delicious and the salmon was cooked perfectly.  It wasn’t too dry and went beautifully with the sauce.

Bill went with linguini with a white wine sauce and shrimp.  He liked his dish, which was also loaded with garlic, but I think we both agreed that my dish was the winner.

 Despite how good my dish was, I couldn’t quite finish it.  The waiter looked stricken when he saw that I had left about half of the dish uneaten.  What can I say?  I wanted dessert.  Also, I get to a point at which I can’t eat any more protein.  Luckily, Bill had room to finish what I couldn’t.  He didn’t want dessert.

This was a lovely Sicilian white we had with lunch.

I took this picture of Bill for his mom, who’s always wanted him to enjoy this lifestyle.

I had Limoncello gelato for dessert.  It was perfect because it was very light and refreshing.  Bill shared it with me and had an espresso.

Sign out front.  No credit cards.  None.

We kept passing this Konditorei and I noticed all the luscious desserts.  We didn’t try any there, but I sure was tempted.  On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the Cafe Koenig, where these delightful sweets were on display.

A sunny shot of the church.

The building near the hotel.  For some reason, I never got around to taking pictures of the Brenners Park Hotel.  It is, in and of itself, a very beautiful property.  It’s decorated with lots of BMWs and Porsches, too.  This is a town where the rich like to congregate, even if it did sort of have a sleepy feel to it.

I took this photo from the balcony in our room.  This time, the mallards had some female friends with them.

Soon, the trees will be bare.

 

We were pretty full after lunch, so Bill went out and found a couple of bottles of wine and some snacks.  We stayed in and talked on Friday night, sipping wine and reminiscing the best parts of our marriage.  You’d think we’d want to hit a nice restaurant like we did last year.  But last year, we stayed local and celebrated our 15th anniversary in Nagold.  This year, we also stayed pretty local, come to think of it.

Bill did present me with chocolate, though.  He said, “These are for you.” as he held them out to me.  This kind of thoughtfulness may be why we’re still going strong after sixteen years.

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Wiesbaden, take two… the dog friendly housing quest continues. Part four

EDITED TO ADD: Castello Romano is now permanently closed. 

Friday night, we decided to walk to a nearby Italian restaurant.  Bill noticed it got good reviews and I was wanting to have a nice dinner somewhere.  Our trips to Wiesbaden have so far been all about business, so we haven’t had too much of a chance to enjoy our new area.  So we wisely made a reservation and walked up the hill from GL Suites to Castello Romano.  It turned out to be a great choice for Friday night dinner.

We arrived at the restaurant a little early for our reservation.  It was no problem and we were quickly seated in a comfortable booth.  The wait staff spoke German, Italian, and once they realized we were Americans, they switched to English.  Once again, I remain impressed by how easily Europeans switch languages.  I’m actually kind of jealous, too.  I need to stop being so lazy and learn more German, at the very least.

Below are some photos from our Friday night dinner.

We passed this cool looking building on our way there.  Looks like they do art retreats or maybe offer space for workshops?  Don’t know… 

Charming area near the restaurant. 

The front door.

I probably said something inappropriate to provoke this response.

Bill enjoys bread and tomato/spicy pepper spread, along with olives.

We shared an antipasto plate, with smoked salmon, vitello tonnato, carpaccio, prosciutto and melon, and mozzarella and tomatoes.

Bill had one of the specials… a John Dory filet with salted potatoes and vegetables.  

I had turbot (Steinbutt) with the same setup.  I love turbot.  

We shared a lovely red wine…

Service was very attentive and friendly, and I got the sense this was a local favorite.  At least two more parties came in, one of which had a tiny baby who was born two months ago.  The grandma was walking around, showing off that baby to the staff.  It almost felt like we were visiting family.  We enjoyed dinner so much that we decided to have dessert.

I had coconut creme brulee with mangos…

Bill had panna cotta with red berries.

Total damage was 105 euros, but we had a three course meal with wine and water.  Service was very friendly and professional and the food was excellent.  I’d go back if I am ever in the neighborhood again.

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Hessen, house hunting

Whirlwind trip to Wiesbaden– our quest to find new dog friendly digs… Part six

We had absolutely glorious weather all weekend.  It was unseasonably warm in Wiesbaden yesterday, so we decided to take a stroll with the dogs, give them a chance to stretch their legs and us a chance to see a little more of the city.  I managed to grab a few more photos and we ran into a fellow beagle owner, who stopped us and enthused about how cute Zane and Arran are.  She showed us a picture of her beagle and I quipped to Bill that having a beagle in Germany is kind of like having a Mini Cooper in the States.  It’s like you’re in a special club!

Below are some pictures from our walk.

Another picture of that beautiful tree in the park.

Wiesbaden has so many fountains!  They’re everywhere!

My friend Susanne says this reminds her of the Salt Lake Temple, only it’s a different color and isn’t LDS.

 

We really didn’t even get the chance to explore the other beautiful landmarks in Wiesbaden… I can see I’m going to have my work cut out for me as I get to know Wiesbaden and Mainz.

Wiesbaden is a very international city– I would say moreso than Stuttgart, which seems more traditional to me.  We saw a lot of Muslims in Wiesbaden, some of whom were openly praying in the park.  I saw many women of Middle Eastern descent dressed head to toe in black, as well as some just in headscarves.  We also saw a group of men sitting on a blanket with one older guy sitting in a chair.  It was something I don’t see a lot of where I live now.  

 

A little bit later, we decided to have dinner, even though I was still pretty satisfied after our Thai food extravaganza.  We passed a couple of Italian restaurants and I decided I wanted Italian food for dinner.  We ended up at Little Italy, which is a tiny restaurant just around the corner from our hotel.

We were looking at the specials, which were written on a portable chalkboard, when a man in a chef’s uniform came out and invited us to sit down.  It was pleasant weather, so we sat outside.  The chef pointed out blankets and a heat lamp over our table, in case we got cold.

Our waiter impressed us by being at least tri-lingual– he spoke English, German,  and Italian.  When he heard me speak English, he was genuinely surprised.  Apparently, we pass quite well for Germans, although his boss in the chef’s outfit quickly figured out we’re Americans.

Bill chose this lovely Super Tuscan wine to go with dinner…

 

This came with the bread… olive oil with a dollop of very fresh tomato paste.

He had a Parmesan tartufo, which consisted of tagliatelle encased in a small Parmesan “bowl” and topped with sliced truffles.  We usually see this made in a big Parmesan cheese wheel, but they do it differently at Little Italy, probably because it’s a very small restaurant.

I had risotto with prawns, onions, and lemongrass.  It was topped with a breadstick.  I really enjoyed this because it was just the right size and very simple.

 

Just after we finished eating, we were thinking about dessert, when a very well-dressed, attractive, petite, older Italian woman sat down at the table next to ours.  She had perfectly manicured nails painted fuchsia, although she wasn’t wearing any makeup.  We noticed the staff at Little Italy knew her and greeted her by name as she sipped a glass of prosecco.  After a few minutes, she struck up a conversation with us.  It turned out she organizes high end luxury vacations, which Bill and I have been known to enjoy on occasion (although we didn’t tell her that).

She told us she hadn’t eaten for two days because she’d been so stuffed at a wedding and she decided that last night, she needed to eat.  So she stopped by Little Italy and ordered spaghetti with branzino.  Before we knew it, this lady was telling us stories about people she’d taken on trips, including one memorable tale about how she’d rented a Mercedes limo to take a client to an opera in Vicenza and the car broke down at a swimming pool.

Bill told her about how he’d been in Vicenza just last week and had Baccalà Mantecato, a Venetian specialty.  He hadn’t cared for it.  It’s salted cod with lots of olive oil served with polenta, which sounds okay to me… but apparently, it sat very heavily on Bill’s stomach.  Our new acquaintance was impressed that Bill had tried it.

Then she showed us pictures of herself and her friends at Carnival in Venice.  They were wearing masks they had made in Venice.  As she enjoyed her dinner, more people who worked in the restaurant came over and said hello.  They were obviously happy to see her, although I got the sense that maybe the chef guy might have thought of her as being too chatty.  She certainly chatted us up, and told us her name is Paola.  I won’t be surprised if we run into her again.  We have a knack for running into people.  Actually, I have a real knack for it– always have, even before I met Bill.

I decided to have tiramisu for dessert.  It was very light and creamy, with ladyfingers that tasted more like angel food cake.

Bill had Zabaione with ice cream… this stuff was absolutely sinful.  It’s like very rich creamy custard made with marsala wine, with a ball of ice cream in the middle.  I tasted it and could practically feel my ass expanding.  

As we enjoyed dessert, Paola told us about a friend of hers who had died.  She had gone on a trip and was feeling kind of blue when she noticed a cloud shaped like an angel.  She said it was like her friend, Sue, telling her to enjoy her life.  Paola came across as very extraverted.  I’m not sure what made her decide to talk to us.  It might have been because Bill looks like a sweet teddy bear and is basically like that most of the time.

Paola told us that she had wanted to go out and talk to someone.  She said she had gone to the sauna and then the movies, and decided to have dinner out because she needed company.  She thanked us for talking to her, since she lives alone.  It was our pleasure.  She’s a very interesting lady.  That experience kind of drove home that Wiesbaden is probably going to be different in many ways… although it also occurs to me that a week ago, we met Germans from Wiesbaden at the Cannstatter Fest.  Maybe it’s one of God’s little signs that we’re in for something new and exciting.  I sure hope so.  But I especially hope we find a house that won’t drive me batty.

Incidentally, my German friend, Susanne, found Paola’s Internet presence, based on my description of her in the post…  Paola might be a good person to know, since I love my food and wine experiences.

We’ll definitely be back to this restaurant, too.  It was a great find!

Our drive back to Stuttgart was mostly uneventful, except that a trucker tried to run us off the road while laying on his horn.  I think maybe Bill was trying to pass him as he was speeding up to prevent being passed.  Consequently, he may have been cut off through his own fault.  He backed off when he looked into our car and saw me with my iPad.  I suppose I could have taken a picture of his very aggressive driving.  He acted like a total lunatic and probably shouldn’t be a trucker anymore.

Our next door neighbor was in her yard when we drove up.  She greeted us warmly and asked me about my singing.  She is also a singer… and she likes Van Halen.  I’m going to miss her when we go. But now that I’ve seen Wiesbaden, I know that there will be new friends to be made there.

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Baden-Württemberg, Nagold

Friday night at Waldhorn in Nagold…

The Waldhorn… seems to be quite the legendary restaurant in Nagold!

 

Although Bill and I have been living near Nagold for just over four years now, last night was our first time visiting Waldhorn, an Italian restaurant in Nagold.  It wasn’t originally our plan to go to Waldhorn.  We went there because the restaurant we were hoping to go to was closed for an event.  We ultimately decided to eat at Waldhorn because it’s one of a few well known restaurants in Nagold we haven’t tried yet and, pretty soon, we will be leaving the area.  I had wanted to try Waldhorn a couple of months ago, but they happened to be closed for vacation.  After last night’s experience, I’m kind of sorry we didn’t visit there sooner.

When we got to the restaurant at about 7:00pm, things were in full swing.  The place was bustling with people.  Most of the tables were filled with couples and families, all talking loudly.  It’s definitely not the kind of place you’d go to for a quiet evening.  However, I could easily see that Waldhorn is a popular place with the local crowd.  Our waiter was very friendly and spoke English as he led us to the lone available two-top in the middle of the dining room.

Obligatory shot of Bill reading the menu.  Maybe when we move, I’ll come up with a new running joke as my signature.

 

We ordered a half liter of Barbera wine, which came in a carafe.  We also had our usual San Pellegrino.  This restaurant doesn’t offer wines by the bottle.  Indeed, it appears to be kind of a casual place that offers good food at reasonable prices.

The Barbera was very nice, especially after it opened up a bit.

 

Waldhorn offers the usual pizzas and pastas, as well as fish and meat dishes.  I saw that they had quite a few veal selections, as well as some of the better known Italian favorites like tuna carpaccio and Saltimbocca alla Romana.  They also had a couple of pasta dishes with mussels.  I had a hard time choosing, but finally just went with an entrecote, since I wasn’t in the mood to be adventurous.  Bill decided to have Spiedino al pepe, which was basically pork and beef served on a stick with pepper sauce.

They brought out a lovely bruschetta for us.  I usually don’t get too excited about bruschetta, but the tomato topping on this was a little spicy in an appealing way.  Also, the bread was very fresh and tasted like homemade pizza dough.  It was a nice change.

My steak came with an enormous and beautifully presented salad, of which I could only eat half.  It had a light balsamic vinaigrette on it.

Since I was having a salad, Bill had one, too.  His dish didn’t come with salad, so this was extra.  Instead of the balsamic vinaigrette, he had a creamy yogurt based dressing.  He said he preferred my dressing to his, although he did enjoy the whole thing.

Bill’s dish, complete with decorative rose garnish.  It came with a side of cooked vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, and potatoes.  I neglected to take a picture.

And my steak… this was 250 grams and cooked medium rare.  I had asked for it to be cooked to medium, but I don’t mind medium rare.  It came with krauterbutter.  To be honest, I’ve had better steaks, although this one was alright.  If we manage to go back to Waldhorn before we move, I’ll have to be brave and try something less pedestrian.  I noticed a lot of people were enjoying the pizzas.

I was kind of wanting chocolate last night, but ended up finishing with prosecco.  Bill had an espresso.  Our waiter was very charming and offered us a house shot of grappa.

Cheers!

 

Overall, we had a nice time at Waldhorn.  It’s obviously a local favorite and I can see why people like it.  It’s a good hangout for family and friends.  Our bill came to about 75 euros, which I think was pretty reasonable for what we had.  I’d go back.

Nagold is a town I’m really going to miss.  Not only is it super cute and charming, it also has a lot of fun events and several really good restaurants.  I hope we are just as lucky and find such a local gem of a town up near Wiesbaden.  If anyone reading this review is looking forward to moving to Stuttgart, I highly recommend looking for housing in the Nagold area, even though it’s kind of far from the military installations. It’s been a real treat to live so close to Nagold for the past four years.

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Labor Day weekend in lovely Lesa, Italy on Lake Maggiore… Part three

The Handmaid’s Tale gave me lots of nightmares on Saturday night/Sunday morning, so I woke up early.  Usually, when I get up, I’m up.  On Sunday, I was up for maybe an hour before I decided to go back to bed… and then we all proceeded to sleep until about 9:00am.  We never do this.  When I was growing up, I would routinely sleep until late in the morning, but now that I’m in my 40s, I’m usually up at the crack of dawn with Bill.  It was kind of nice to snooze for a bit.

The sun was out Sunday morning, so after yet another breakfast of cornetti, eggs, and ham, we took a walk to the lake.  Rose Apartment is very close to it.  There’s what appears to be a private boat slip just yards away from the front gate.  The slip also has a gate, but it was left ajar on Sunday.  We went down to check it out and found a couple sitting there, enjoying the views and massaging each other.

A few shots of the boat ramp near the Rose Apartment.  It’s one house away from the property.

Not wanting to intrude on the couple’s private moment, we took the dogs for a walk down the narrow lane, running a gauntlet of barking dogs in their spacious yards.  I noticed that many of the houses in Lesa had at least one dog and the yards were mostly spacious and fenced in.  One man was working in his abundantly productive garden as we passed with Zane and Arran.  He own dog was enthusiastically barking at us, while the neighbor across the street had two dogs running along the fence, vocalizing.

Lesa has a public beach of sorts.  There’s what appears to be a beach bar there, right next to the lake.  It’s not the most developed beach I’ve ever seen, but a few people were there milking the last rays of summer sunshine.  Another couple brought their dogs and let them wade in the lake.  I was content to take pictures.

A dog run…  It appeared to be privately owned, run by a dog sitting/training business.

Here is a picture of the “beach club”, which was basically a place that served snacks and probably rented out umbrellas and such.  There were a few people there on Sunday, enjoying the sunshine.

This is not the greatest picture, but as we were walking back to the house, we ran into what appeared to be a “Vespa” rally.  Dozens of people on scooters passed us on their way to the beach.  It was like a parade of scooter enthusiasts.  I don’t know if there was a race or a rally about to happen, but it was definitely an interesting spectacle.  I suppose if we’d wanted to, we could have also watched the football/soccer game going on at the local sports complex.

 

After awhile, we decided to go into town to see what was going on.  First, we went to Arona, which is a somewhat large town on the lake maybe ten minutes away from Lesa.  We didn’t stay because there were many people in the street and no parking to be had.  Since Bill had already messed up the bumper on the RAV 4, he wasn’t looking for another scrape.  We went the opposite direction, back through Lesa, and stopped at Belgirate, another lakeside town that appeared to be a little bit quieter on Sunday.  We parked on the side of the road and I got more photos.

Belgirate is a little more picturesque than Lesa is, though I wouldn’t say it’s larger…

We strolled along the lake, enjoying the sights and sounds and trying to decide where we’d have lunch.  We finally settled on La Bruma, a nice looking restaurant on the main drag.  They had some tables set up near the lake and were doing a swift business.  I felt a little sorry for the waitress, who was busting her butt repeatedly crossing the street laden down with food.  It’s pretty hard to get a bad meal in Italy, though, which makes dining there a pleasure.

La Bruma.

 

Another obligatory shot of my handsome husband, Bill.

Bill ordered this really lovely red… it reminded me of fruit punch without the excessive sugar.  It was bold and fruity, slightly spicy, and very nice with what we ordered.  I’m going to have to see if I can find this locally.

Service was a little bit slow at La Bruma, although it was otherwise professional.  As I mentioned previously, they were having a busy day, so it took awhile to put in our orders.  We weren’t in a hurry, though, and the weather was fine.

A little amuse to start things off… crostini with chopped tomatoes.  They also brought out rolls and breadsticks that did not appear to be homemade.

I ordered entrecote and this time, the waiter heard me and actually delivered what I ordered.  This steak wasn’t bad, although there was a bit of gristle.  It was also not as hot as I would have preferred.  Again… weeded wait staff.  

Bill had salmon with “cauliflower mayonnaise”.  He said he liked it, although it was a little bit salty.  I noticed some kids at the next table having spaghetti and kind of wished I’d ordered that instead.  It looked really good.  

Dessert was the best part of the meal.  Bill had what was kind of like a deconstructed cheesecake, complete with graham crackers and red fruits.  It was delicious!

I had a chocolate souffle.  This hit the spot quite nicely.  We also had espresso, this time made in a machine instead of in a pot.  I believe this meal was about ten euros less than our fish lunch on Saturday.  To be honest, I enjoyed the fish more, but like I said, it’s hard to get a bad meal in Italy.

I was glad to see a well stocked dog station, too.

Below are some more photos from nearby Belgirate.  I think this time of year is a nice time to visit.  It’s not very crowded, yet the weather is good.

One nice thing about Italy is that you can go grocery shopping on Sunday.  We decided to stop at the market one more time so we could fill up our wine suitcase with local wines.  I also loaded us up on pasta, Italian soaps, cookies, and cheese.

I ogled some fruit.

And noticed the street shared a name with a guy on my Facebook friends list.

 

As we were about to go back to the house, I saw a father with his little daughter, maybe about five years old or so, sitting on his lap, steering their car into the parking lot.  At first, I was a little shocked.  It’s been awhile since I last saw a dad doing that… although my dad did it, as did a lot of my friends’ dads.  Nowadays, kids have to be strapped down or helmeted for just about everything.  While the safety conscious side of me might have disapproved at the sight of a five year old “driving” (and at first, it really did look like she was driving), the more reckless side of me found it a refreshing sight. I miss the days when kids could do that sort of thing and parents didn’t have to worry about someone calling CPS.  Of course, I mentioned it on Facebook– most of my old fart friends approved, but there was one comment from someone who disapproved.  I was surprised there weren’t more.

Anyway… Italy is nice because it reminds me of a time less controlled by laws.  It was nice to see a dad sharing a bonding moment with his daughter.  On the other hand, we did leave there with a nasty calling card on our car.  So maybe it’s a tradeoff.

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Baden-Württemberg

Celebrating 46 years circling the planet at Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold and drinking “crispy” wine!

Yesterday was my birthday.  It was a great day, even though I’m now officially even closer to turning 50.  Bill and I usually try to do fun things on birthdays, although last year, when I turned 45, we spent a rather hellish day driving home from Belgium and got caught in multiple traffic jams.  The upside is that we came home with a lot of great beer, chocolate, and fantastic memories.

This year, Bill went to work, and I enjoyed a rare imported CD on which I spent lots of cash.  I also listened to my landlords cut the grass and the road workers repairing the street that runs in front of our house.  The duplicate tickets I ordered for Paul Simon’s concert in Dublin next month also arrived, so I can breathe easy that we won’t be going to Dublin simply for the Guinness.

When Bill’s work day was over, he came home, presented me with a new iPad, and took me out to dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant in the entire Stuttgart area.  I’m writing, once again, about Osteria da Gino in Nagold– not to be confused with the Osteria da Gino in Herrenberg, which is also a great place to eat.

If you check this blog, you will see that I’ve written about Gino’s awesome restaurant in Nagold many times.  We discovered it in the spring of 2015, when I read glowing reviews on Trip Advisor.  Nagold is very close to where we live and it’s a super cute town, so it’s always a pleasure to go there in any event.  Dinner at Gino’s is always a treat, and not just because the food is amazing.  Gino and his wife are simply awesome people, richly endowed with the gift of hospitality.  I never feel like I’m a customer when I eat at their restaurant.  I always feel like family… albeit family that pays a check at the end of the meal!

Below are some pictures from last night’s glorious birthday dinner!

Obligatory shot of Bill, reacting to one of my crude jokes.  He’s always good for a laugh!

He gives me this look when I’m on the hot tamale train, which doesn’t happen very often these days.  I did decide to get “dolled up”, though, since it was my birthday and my former English professor, who is now a Facebook friend, wanted me to post a new profile picture.  I was happy to oblige.

We did not make Gino or his wife aware that it was my birthday when we made the very necessary reservations.  It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because they always treat us like family.  But I did tell the chef that I was “older”…

So Gino’s wife brought me a flower!  

 

It’s not a good idea to visit Gino’s without making a reservation.  In the colder months, people dine in his very small dining room, where it’s very likely that you’ll be sharing a table with another couple.  In fact, two years ago, Bill and I celebrated my 44th birthday at Gino’s and we shared a table with a French and German couple.  The wife was from the Nagold area and they had come to town to visit her family.  It was their first time at Gino’s and, since it was raining, we ate indoors.  I remember how much fun we had getting acquainted with the couple, who were raving about the food.

Last night, we had beautiful weather and a perfect temperature, so we ate outside at a two top.  When outside tables are available, it’s more likely that you’ll have a table to yourself, although that’s not a given.  We saw at least three couples sharing a four top in the course of our dinner.  I have yet to be presented with a menu at Gino’s.  He usually just offers us what he has, although I know he does have a menu.  I kind of like to let Gino take the wheel.  I have never once been disappointed.

Antipast!  The usual orange and fennel salad and a new offering– a mixture of sausage, cheese, carrots, and red peppers…

Fresh bread…

And the rest… beautifully grilled peppers, zucchini, and eggplant, as well as burrata with fresh tomatoes, salami, prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe, cheese, and dried ham.  

 

We washed this down with prosecco, then Gino’s wife asked us what kind of wine we’d like.  Neither Gino nor his wife speak English and though we’re doing better than ever with German, we still have a long way to go.  So when Bill was describing the kind of white wines we like, I said I enjoy “crisp” wines. Dutifully, Bill described it in German–  knusprig– which does mean “crispy”.  But really, it’s more of a word for “crunchy”– kind of akin to the cracklins on a Schweinshaxe or maybe a bowl of Rice Krispies.  Who drinks crunchy wine?  Well, I might try it once!  Anyway, although there is really no such thing as “crispy wine”, our order of “knusprig wine” got a big laugh!  The wine Gino’s wife brought us was less “crisp” and more “toast”, but it went very well with our fruits of the sea inspired dinner.

Followed by warm, lemony octopus…  I do like a little octopus, but I can’t eat too much of it because it’s very dense and protein rich.  But this was a nice prelude to what came next.

 

Normally, after we have the long antipasti phase, Gino brings out a simple pasta dish, then we have either a meat or fish main dish.  Last night, Gino had fresh lobsters.  He brought one out to us before he turned it into our dinner.  It was still alive!  I was so shocked, I didn’t get a picture of the poor, doomed soul.  Nevertheless, I can’t deny that I love lobster and I am not a vegetarian.  And if I hadn’t had him for dinner, someone else would have.

This was the main event… lobster with pasta and a pleasantly spicy tomato essence.  While my Texas husband could stand more heat, this was just perfect for me.  It was just a notch hotter than the preferred German level of spiciness, to remind us we were eating at an Italian restaurant.

 

Not everyone had lobster last night.  We noticed some people were served clams.  Some people had pasta with black truffles and perhaps a main course of osso bucco or a steak.  I noticed one couple enjoying pasta with Seeteufel (a type of fish).  You just never know what Gino will surprise you with… although the antipasti is pretty standard and you will never get pizza because Gino doesn’t do pizza.

I couldn’t finish all of the pasta because I knew I wanted dessert.  When Gino chided me for not finishing the pasta, I said “Dolci!  Dolci!”, which made him laugh.  One of the ladies who works in the kitchen brought out what is pictured below…

Fresh strawberries, panna cotta, hazelnut chocolate cake, blueberry ice cream, and something very coffee flavored…  Again, you never know what’s coming!  We were also treated to many happy football fans, driving around Nagold blasting their horns when their teams won.  The atmosphere was truly joyful.

As you can see, lots of people were enjoying Gino’s magic last night!  We had such a wonderful time!

 

Total damage for last night’s dinner was 147 euros.  We always pay cash, although Gino does take credit cards.  I should mention that you don’t have to have as many courses as we did.  One couple brought their tiny baby with them and only had a main course and wine.  When they left the unfinished bottle on the table, the chef chased them down and corked it for them.  They seemed very appreciative.  One other thing I noticed was that most of the people dining last night either seemed to know each other or knew Gino well.  But then, I don’t think Gino has ever met a stranger.  He is really a very gregarious guy who was born to throw parties.

It’s safe to say that this is my favorite restaurant in the area and I’ve tried a lot of them.  No one else offers quite the experience Gino does.  We need to visit him more often.

Well… here’s my new selfie.  I’m sure my English prof and everyone else who didn’t like my WTF face is happy now.

Last night’s dinner was definitely a rip roaring success.  If you’re looking for a very different kind of Italian meal, I would highly recommend Osteria da Gino’s in Nagold (not Herrenberg– though again, that’s also a nice place.)  Just call first, come with an open mind, and don’t be intimidated by the language.  I promise, Gino will take good care of you!

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