Tag Archives: lunch

Hessen, holidays

Easter lunch at Villa Im Tal, 2024…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

or, for the vegetarians…

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

For dessert, everyone got:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love this!
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Hessen

Our first visit to L’Osteria in Wiesbaden…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Champagne Bucket trips

Shopping and lunch at Martino Kitchen in Wiesbaden

In a couple of weeks, Bill and I will be going on yet another exciting trip. It’s one I’ve been eagerly anticipating for years. We’re going to Yerevan, Armenia, where I spent 27 months in my 20s as a Peace Corps Volunteer, teaching English as a foreign language to Armenian kids. One of my former pupils got a job as a assistant director with Peace Corps/Armenia. He’s been bugging me to visit my old stomping grounds for years.

The last time we did a Champagne Bucket drawing, Armenia won. So, on November 10th, we’ll begin our journey, arriving in the wee hours of November 11th. I don’t know why, but in the thirty years Armenia has been a part of my life, they’ve never managed to schedule flights that come and go at reasonable times.

A really cute souvenir shop in Wiesbaden, with the “biggest cuckoo clock in the world”. I thought that was in Triberg!

Bill and I will celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary, and my former student will be celebrating a birthday. I decided I wanted to bring a gift to Yerevan, so we went to Wiesbaden and finally visited a cute souvenir shop I’ve passed dozens of times in the almost five years we’ve lived in this area. It has a big cuckoo clock out front that people gather around to watch. I didn’t go there for a cuckoo clock, but I did manage to find something to bring with me to Armenia, with help from one of the employees, who was attentive from the minute we walked into the place. I like to browse unbothered when I go into a business. But anyway, she was nice, and we managed to find a couple of things to help my former student remember me forever. 😉

As we were paying, the proprietor, an older man (probably Julius Stern himself), asked if Bill works for the military. Bill answered affirmatively, so he told us we could bring in a VAT (value added tax exemption) form and get the sales tax back, if we wanted. I doubt Bill will bother, since the VAT forms cost money, and the amount we’d get back wouldn’t really be worth the trouble. They seemed kind of charmed that Bill could speak some German, and asked if we liked living in Germany. We said we love it here, and we’ll stay as long as we don’t get kicked out. And the guy said, “I doubt that will happen.” Isn’t it amazing, the difference in attitudes regarding foreigners? Here, people are mostly welcoming. In the United States, we hear lots of talk about “illegals”. Of course, Bill and I are here legally, and we like to spend money… as the shopkeeper noted.

It was lunchtime, so we decided to drop by Martino Kitchen, a really nice restaurant we hadn’t been to since before the pandemic. We were warmly welcomed by a very handsome young Black man who spoke perfect, unaccented English (or, more precisely, he sounded like a very cultured American). We took a table near the front window, which I preferred to the chef’s table in the back. I like watching the chef working, but there are also a bunch of mirrors back there. I don’t like looking at myself when I’m eating… or really, even when I’m not eating.

Bill and I both decided to have pasta dishes– carbonara for me, and truffle pasta for him. The pasta came with excellent, fresh, brown bread, and we both had wine and a glass of sparkling water. I had a glass of primitivo, while Bill had a delightful cuvee, and I liked his wine so much that I had a glass of that with dessert– a kind of cheesecake for me, and a trio of sorbet/ice cream for Bill. The cuvee tasted like strawberries when I drank it straight, but when I combined it with the plums that came with the cheesecake, it tasted like a really nice fruit punch.

Truffle pasta…
Carbonara pasta.
White chocolate ice cream, multivitamin sorbet, and mandarin orange yogurt.
Schmand (sour cream) cheesecake with plums and multivitamin sorbet.

After our lunch at Martino Kitchen, we went next door to Trüffel Feinkost, a really nice little gourmet shop. Bill found a couple of wines, while I snuck some photos of the shop’s interior. I love these little gourmet places in Europe.

We walked back to the parking garage, stopping to watch tourists watch the “biggest cuckoo clock in the world” chime on the hour. You can see in the photo, Wiesbaden is very gay friendly, too.

Next, we headed on post to the Shoppette, where Bill fueled up the Volvo with gas, and then the commissary, where we bought provisions for me. I experienced a slight case of culture shock as I mingled among fellow Americans. I don’t remember the last time I was in the commissary before yesterday. It’s not a place I love visiting.

Bill is leaving for Bavaria again this afternoon, and he’ll be gone until November 8th. It’s going to suck, but I think I’m going to try to make good use of the time. Perhaps I’ll make some more music videos, get some reading and writing done, and get on the proverbial wagon, so I don’t end up needing medical services in Yerevan. 😉

We were going to carve jack o’lanterns yesterday, but the weather sucked too much, and it was getting dark. I didn’t want to do them inside because of the mess. I thought maybe we’d do them today, but it’s still raining. So, I’ll probably carve both of them tomorrow, if we don’t do them before Bill leaves this afternoon.

This isn’t the most exciting post, but in a couple of weeks, I expect I’ll have a lot to write about. I know I have a few readers who will be interested, because they were in Armenia with me, back in the day. So stay tuned… and wish me luck over the next ten days or so.

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Sundays

Mexican food with a San Antonio touch in Mainz!

A couple of weeks ago, when we were still in Czechia, a friend of mine who lives near Ramstein Air Force Base posted about a really good Mexican restaurant near where he and his family live. Among the comments on that post was also a suggestion for Mexico Lindo, a Mexican restaurant in Mainz, which is a college town about 20 minutes from where we live (which is not near Ramstein).. I made a note of the restaurant and when Bill invited me out to lunch today, I suggested we try out the Mexican place in Mainz. I heard it had a San Antonio flair, as if maybe the owners were of Mexican descent and came from San Antonio, Texas.

We had reservations for 1:30 PM, but we really didn’t need them. The restaurant was relatively quiet, save for the Mexican music and the sound of quiet chatter from the mostly German clientele. I do know this restaurant is known among the American community, but I didn’t see evidence that we were among a lot of our countrymen today.

I started our visit off with a visit to the ladies room, which was reasonably clean, albeit in a downstairs location. After we took care of essential business, Bill and I decided on what we’d be having. I was really tempted by the fajitas, which are available in all beef (with peppers and onions), all marinated chicken, or a mix of chicken and beef, and come with rice, beans, cheese, guacamole, and the usual vegetables, but it seemed like too much food and attention.

I ended up going for the Super Taco, which was a large flour tortilla with beef chunks, gravy, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, fresh cheese, and guacamole. It was 16 euros; I finished half and brought the rest home. Bill went for the barbacoa, which was very tender beef in tortillas with spicy pico de gallo, rice, and refried beans for 16,50. I think I liked Bill’s dish better than mine, although both were good. The issue with my Super Taco was that the cheese wasn’t melted, which weirded me out. Also, the cold toppings cooled off the beef rather quickly.

Bill had a Dos Equis beer, while I had a Kristalweizen. His beer came with a lime wedge; mine came with lemon. Next time, I’ll have to try one of their Margaritas, which I hear are very good. They’d have to be pretty good to beat Bill’s! A full range of cocktails, beer, wine, and soft drinks are available.

Service was friendly and relaxed, and we had a bit of a wait before we had the chance to ask for dessert. We split an order of Fried Ice Cream, because Bill had never had it before. I hadn’t had it since the late 1980s. It was pretty good, but quite sweet and gooey. I’m glad we split it.

Overall, we enjoyed lunch very much. It was very good, especially for Mexican food in Germany. Although the Mexican scene has improved a lot in Germany since we first moved here, restaurants can be hit or miss. This one is a good one, especially for Germany. It was nice to get out of the house, even though it’s pretty gloomy outside today. The restaurant is located near a shopping mall, so parking in a garage is convenient. You may also be lucky enough to score a street spot.

Below are some pictures from today’s outing!

Front of restaurant…
Atmosphere
El Guapo himself.
Beer and chips with salsa.
Super Taco!
Barbacoa
Fried Ice Cream
Pay for parking.
Moi!

I think the total was about 40 euros or so for the food… We had the option of paying by card or with cash. Bill paid in cash. It was well worth the trip. I think next time, I’ll go for the Fajitas or maybe a Chimichanga. I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those. And there will definitely be a Margarita next time, too!

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Lunch at Momenti di Vita Italiani in Hofheim!

We had pleasant weather yesterday, so Bill and I decided to take a quick trip to the nearby city of Hofheim. I really just wanted a change of scenery, but it was also time for lunch. We parked at our usual venue, the indoor lot at the Chignon Centre, which is an indoor shopping mall. It was kind of weird walking through there maskless. A few people still wear masks indoors, but for the most part, that custom has been abandoned… at least temporarily.

We looked around at some of the places where we’ve previously dined, as well as places we’ve wanted to dine, finally ending up at Momenti di Vita Italiani. This restaurant is right in the middle of the town, along the main drag. Though there weren’t a lot of people sitting inside the restaurant, the outside area was bustling. In retrospect, we probably should have eaten inside, if only to avoid the smokers and flies. But at least we could people and dog watch, which I did.

This restaurant has a very extensive menu. They had specials on a large easel, as well as on a smaller one on the table, plus they had the usual pizzas, pasta dishes, and Italian dishes found at most Italian eateries in Germany. Bill and I both decided on specials that were on the smaller, table easel. He had a glass of Pinot Grigio, while I had a Lugano to go with my dorade filet with wild garlic and asparagus pesto. Bill had linguini with sundried tomatoes, black olives, and mascarpone cheese.

Near us was a large table of English speakers. It sounded like three Brits and an American. They were talking about politics. Across from my was a couple who brought their two dogs. One was a very sweet and well-behaved Bulldog. The other looked like a very fit Rhodesian Ridgeback, who was barking at every dog who passed. We spent a couple hours on our leisurely lunch, and spent about 60 euros with the tip.

Below are some photos from our brief outing. It was brief, because the dogs weren’t that pleased that we were going out, but sometimes, I need to get out of the house without the dogs for my mental well-being.

Weekly market was going on.
Wine Chalet! We stopped there on the way out.
I didn’t know that Hofheim had a bagpiper school!
Upcoming summer festival.
Bill looks pleased.
Bill’s linguini… it was delicious. We took some home.
Dorade filet with intense wild garlic and asparagus risotto.
Produce stand.
We stopped at the Wine Chalet for wine.
I asked for Rose, but he brought me a Riesling.
Don’t feed the pigeons!
I went too light on the makeup.
We took the scenic route home.

I asked Bill to take the “back way” home, rather than the Autobahn. I like to be reminded that there are some pretty areas near us. Thanks to the pandemic, we haven’t explored this area as much as we should have by now. I’ve been wanting to go on some weekend outings, like we did in Stuttgart. Hopefully, we’ll get around to that again, soon.

I’m not sure what we’ll do today. It’s a bit cloudy outside. I might just give the dogs much needed baths and work on reading my latest book. I’m glad we managed to get out yesterday, though. It’s always a pleasure to visit Hofheim. We should do it more often.

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Lunch at Benner’s Bistronomie and the last day of Wiesbaden’s Wine Fest!

We didn’t go anywhere on Saturday. I got kind of a late start and, by the time I was finished with my Saturday chores, it was already about 1:00pm. The sky was dark, and rain was promising to fall, so despite Bill’s desire to venture out, I demurred. Since we stayed in on Saturday, I agreed to go out yesterday. Bill made reservations at Benner’s Bistronomie, located in Wiesbaden’s grand Kurhaus.

Benner’s is in the location that used to house a restaurant called Lambertus. We ate at Lambertus in April of 2019. I remember liking the place, especially since the inside of the Kurhaus is historic and beautiful. I didn’t know Lambertus had ceased operations, but we were game to try the new tenant in the old world European building. I’ll say one thing for Wiesbaden; it sure is a pretty town! There’s a lot of graceful architecture and grandiosity, especially downtown. It’s what some Americans might call “fancy”.

Our reservations were for 2:30pm. We made them for later because yesterday was also the last day of a wine festival in Wiesbaden we’ve been trying to get to. We were going to hit the wine fest last week, but I was inconvenienced by a certain monthly visitor and didn’t feel like going anywhere.

Like Saturday, it appeared that we might be in for some rain. When we approached Benner’s, there were a few people sitting outside. The server who spoke to us in unmasked German advised that we might want to eat inside because it would be more “gemütlichkeit” (pleasant, cozy). Noticing the heavy dark, grey clouds, we agreed– as she reminded us to wear masks. We put them on and went inside; no one asked to see proof of vaccines or anything, not that I was expecting them to do that. So far, we haven’t run into anyone who cares if we’ve had the shot(s).

I’ll state right away that our lunch was excellent. The food was very good. The service was friendly, if not a little bit absent-minded. We had to remind the server to bring us sparkling water. We also happened to be there at the time when a lot of people were wanting coffee and cake. Having waited tables myself, I know that the coffee and cake orders can be more work for less money! Anyway, here are some photos from yesterday’s repast!

  • Threatening clouds!
  • Benner’s bar… and a sign about COVID-19 rules.
  • I opted not to “pimp my meal.” I think truffles are overrated.
  • The inside of the restaurant before the coffee and cake crowd showed up.
  • My darling husband.
  • The Schinken (ham) was exquisite and melted in the mouth! I don’t usually like it that much, but I definitely loved what they had at Benner’s. It was a “gift” from the kitchen. Bill liked the truffle butter, but I was grateful for the plain.
  • I started with tempura coated prawns with mangoes, chili mayo, and what tasted like a peanut soy dressing,
  • Bill had a big plate of beef carpaccio. We really should have shared one starter; they were pretty big.
  • I had dorade filets on risotto. In the English menu, this was called “sea bream”, but I thought bream was turbot. Anyway, it was excellent. I couldn’t finish it.
  • Bill had vegetarian bucatini with lemon and greens. His dish was also substantial and he brought half home.
  • We had no room for dessert… and we were eager to hit the wine fest!

After paying with a credit card and tipping in cash, we headed out to the wine festival. Much to our surprise, there was security there, but it seemed that they really just wanted to make sure everyone was registering with Luca or Corona Warn, the two contract tracing apps being used in Germany right now. I definitely like Corona Warn best of all the apps, since it does more– holds my vaccine certificates (which again weren’t checked) and allows me to scan the QR code for contact tracing. It’s also in English. Luca just does contact tracing. I also have Cov Pass, but it’s not as user friendly for Americans, since it’s in German.

Below are some photos from the wine fest. They had one tent that was serving food, and several wine tents. We only visited one, and I tried several different vinos…

  • It was still cloudy and drizzly when we approached.
  • A young guy was cleaning the rain off the benches and putting up umbrellas.
  • We decided to sit under the roof of the Colonnades.
  • Pretty soon, this place was hopping.
  • Nice wine, although I liked what I had at the Hofheim Wine Market last week somewhat more.
  • This couple seemed amused by my jovial mood. They inspired me to try the Sekt!
  • Always a provider.
  • Cheers!
  • The sun came out after another shower.
  • Bill gets me a rose.
  • This was probably my favorite of the three I tried.
  • By the time we left, the weather was positively glorious!
  • It was a kid friendly event, too.
  • Live entertainment was setting up as we were leaving. We noticed our spot was quickly claimed.
  • I was grateful a public restroom was opened for us… and I didn’t even have to pay to use it.
  • Wiesbaden was looking better on our way out!

Although we got rained on and it was actually a bit chilly outside, especially for August, we had a really nice time at the fest. I was reminded of how much I’ve missed these kinds of events since the pandemic started. Things are definitely not normal here, but they’re much more normal than they were a year ago. I’m grateful for that… yesterday was definitely a morale booster!

We have plans to go to the Black Forest at the end of the month. We will visit Stuttgart to see our dentist, then spend four nights in a beautiful spa resort in Baiersbronn, about 30 or 40 minutes from where we used to live. As much pain as we went through in our last house, I am glad we lived there. It gave us the chance to explore the Black Forest on many day trips– we completely missed that experience the first time we lived in Germany! And now that we don’t live so close, we have an excuse to vacation down there. Maybe that’s one gift of COVID life… if not for the pandemic, we’d be wanting to go farther afield, and we’d still be missing the closer gems available to us right here in Germany.

I don’t know if we’ll get around to taking a “big” vacation this year. If we don’t, I’m happy to keep enjoying long weekends in places that aren’t too far away from us. Especially if the weather stays agreeable.

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Another great lunch at Martino Kitchen in Wiesbaden…

Bill and I decided to venture into Wiesbaden for lunch. We didn’t have reservations anywhere, so we started walking around the town just to see what we could find. The first thing notable that we passed were three buskers, swarthy men playing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. One guy was playing clarinet; another guy played accordion; and I’m not sure what the other guy played. I was so charmed by the music that I handed Bill a handful of change so he could tip the guys. Some folks don’t like buskers, but I enjoy them when they’re good. I like to tip them, especially when they make me cry. I’m one of those people who gets emotional by good music. It’s probably a good thing I wasn’t a Duggar.

A Holacaust Memorial in Wiesbaden… with an explanation kindly translated into English, too.

We continued walking, but no place really called to me. I smelled something good near a Holocaust Memorial, but never was able to find the source of the pleasant aroma. I spotted an interesting looking Croatian restaurant called Mauritius, but didn’t feel like crossing the street. My back hurt, and it was chilly. I wore a sweater and my Irish cape, which was just enough, but just barely.

We finally started heading back to where we started, and a young woman in a cast passed me and said, “Schöne Poncho.” It took me a minute to realize she was talking to me, and admired my pretty blue cape, which I bought from Aran Sweater Market last spring as consolation when Bill went out of town on business. He’s going away again on Monday, but I have a feeling I’ll be shopping for Christmas presents instead of consolation prizes.

We thought about going to Little Italy for lunch, since it’s become a favorite, but they were very busy. So we rounded the corner, and stopped at Martino Kitchen, where we enjoyed a really nice lunch last spring. I remembered loving the food last time, even if I didn’t love that they have mirrors all over the dining room, so you end up catching glimpses of yourself pigging out.

A kind waiter invited us to sit down at the end of a shared table. We had a look at the menu, which had changed since our last visit. I had some trouble deciding what I wanted. They had a white tomato soup that looked really inviting on such a chilly day. I ended up going with lobster risotto and filet mignon, sitting upon pureed cauliflower with almonds and over baked carrots, along with a glass of Tempranillo.

Bill had the fall version of the smoked salmon carpaccio (I had the spring version in April) and pasta with an Alfredo sauce and black truffles. I don’t enjoy the smell of truffles, so Bill was kind enough to ask me if I minded if he ordered it. Since I could smell it anyway from other tables, I said it was fine with me. He really enjoyed his dish, which he washed down with Rioja.

We ended with cheesecake for me and a mocha banana Napoleon for him.

Here are a few photos from our lunch. It was very good, although I’m not sure I enjoyed it quite as much as I did the first time.

  • Bill reads the menu…
  • The lobster risotto was a hit. It was available in starter and main course sizes. This was the smaller one.
  • Smoked salmon carpaccio, chilled with walnuts and crispy bread.
  • My dish was substantial. I had to take part of it with me. The beef was perfect, although I’m not a cauliflower fan.
  • Bill’s pasta with black truffles was also a winner, although I don’t eat truffles.
  • My favorite part of the meal. I love the cheesecake at Martino Kitchen. Bill’s dessert was also good, although I liked mine more.

Here are a few other pictures from our walk.

  • Near the Holocaust memorial.
  • Interesting mural.
  • Something you don’t see every day in some places.

We stopped at AAFES on Hainerberg after we ate. Picked up a few more puzzles for me to do while Bill is gone, and a couple of games to play when the weather gets too yucky for venturing out. Tis’ the season, don’tcha know? The cashier was cracking me up. The guy in front of us had a big widescreen TV and paid $600 in cash. The cashier gave him $51 in change and said, “Go get yourself some Popeye’s”.

When he rang up Bill and me, our total came to $51.80. I said, “Hey, that guy in front of us could have paid for ours, too.”

Then we shared a hearty laugh. Sometimes it’s fun to hang out with fellow Americans on the installation, although I pity the lady who had to use the toilet after I did. Let’s just say, the big lunch had an effect on my bowels… and it was her unlucky day. TMI, I know… I live for being inappropriate. It’s one of my few joys in life.

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Lunch, lounging, and “littles” at the Mineraltherme…

I gave serious thought to going to the Sindelfingen Street Fest this afternoon.  Then I looked up at the cloudy sky and decided I’d rather spend the afternoon naked with a bunch of Germans.  I told Bill we should go to a spa, since it’s been ages since our last visit.  Poor Bill is such a good sport.  Although he knows I love a good spa day, the thought of going to one strikes dread in his heart, especially when we go to ones that have textile free areas or are entirely textile free.  But he loves to make me happy and he can’t deny that after a few hours at the spa, he always comes home relaxed.

Bill takes a deep breath before enduring the horror of bathing suits.

At first, I was kind of wanting to visit the Schwabenquellen, mainly because when we went the last time, it was a lot less crowded than the Mineraltherme in Böblingen usually gets.  However, the Schwabenquellen’s restaurant is not as good as the Mineraltherme’s is and it’s not as close to where we live.  It’s also entirely textile free, which I know Bill is leery about.  Sure enough, when I made the suggestion, he said he preferred Böblingen, so that’s where we went.

We arrived at the Mineraltherme at a little after one o’clock and enjoyed a very nice lunch.  Of the spas I’ve been to in this area, I would say the Mineraltherme has the best restaurant.  It offers somewhat healthy, upscale dishes instead of the usual pizzas, burgers, and brats offered elsewhere.  Today’s lunch was no exception.  We each enjoyed wine– I had a Riesling and he had a Gray Burgundy, along with our usual sparkling water.

They brought out a very nice lentil salad amuse.  It was well seasoned with cumin and filled out with eggplant.  I don’t usually love eggplant, but I did enjoy this.

Our waitress was pleasant and spoke English.  Bill ordered one of the specials, spaghetti with tuna mixed in a tomato sauce, pictured below.

It was a pretty big dish!  He said it was tasty.

A moment of seriousness before it was time for me to try my dish…

I had a “Kartoffel trifft Fische”, a baked potato covered in sour cream and served with smoked salmon and a simple green salad.  I enjoyed this dish, although I wish I had asked them to go very easy on the sour cream.  I don’t like sour cream that much and even if I did, I wouldn’t use as much as is pictured here.  But the salad and smoked salmon were really enough to satisfy me anyway.

 

Lunch came to just over 40 euros.  Because we hadn’t yet entered the spa, we paid for it in cash.  I always enjoy eating at the Mineraltherme.  I wish other spas had restaurants as nice as theirs.

Then we got in line to pay basic admission and get our wristwatches, which allow you to purchase things without using cash in the spa and keep track of your time.  At this writing, it’s 12 euros per adult to visit the upstairs and part of the downstairs portions of the Mineraltherme.  If you want to go into the Saunagarten, which is textile free, you have to pay another 6 euros.  This is done by scanning your wristwatch at a turnstile.  On your way out of the spa, you pay a machine for any refreshments or other extras you get while you’re in the spa.

After we paid our admission, we went into the unisex locker room, which is full of small dressing rooms so you can “suit up” in private.  The Mineraltherme underwent a large renovation last year and they made some improvements to the locker room and some of the other facilities.  We spent the first hour or so enjoying the pools upstairs, which require the use of a bathing suit.  It was somewhat busy when we first got there, but not too bad.  But then, as time went on, the spa began to fill up.  I started noticing some rather inconsiderate behavior, which I’ll be bitching about in the following paragraphs.

One thing I don’t really like about the Mineraltherme experience on weekends is that it gets very crowded.  People bring their kids and act as if the spa is a Freibad.  I don’t really have so much of a problem with the kids up in the clothed area.  I accept that parents like the spa and they’re going to bring their children.  Most of the children at the Mineraltherme have been well-behaved, although I did see a couple of them hogging the pool noodles and not being very careful about where they were swinging them.  I didn’t need a pool noodle myself; I pretty much float on my own.  However, I did almost get beaned by one when one of the inattentive kids was horsing around.  I don’t find having to duck pool noodles a very relaxing experience, but I’m willing to accept that kids are welcome there.  So be it.

I have more of a problem with people who bring their young children into the textile free area.  Technically, youngsters under 18 are allowed down there if they are with an adult.  Personally, I think it’s a bad idea to bring children into that area.  It’s not because I’m uptight about nudity.  On the contrary, I’m all for it among consenting adults.  Consider this, though.  In the textile free area, the adults are walking around naked or wearing a towel or a robe.  You’ll see all kinds of things that might need explaining or cause uncomfortable staring, even if you do your best to avert your eyes.  For example, I saw one guy today with a very large metal ring hanging off of the end of his junk, Prince Albert style.  I don’t have kids myself, but I can just imagine explaining that one to a nine year old.

Also consider that people drink alcohol down there, just as they also do in the upstairs area.  It seems to me that adults drinking booze while naked is not necessarily compatible with hanging around with school aged children.  And… this is a big thing for me… the adults have paid an entrance fee so they can relax and unwind.  That is what spas are for.

Where’s Alice to set people straight when we need her?

I don’t find it very relaxing when a kid is hogging the jets in the pool, screaming and yelling, running amok, or staring.  I have less of a problem with kids watching couples practically fucking in the pool, which frequently happens at the Mineraltherme, than I do with them watching egregious violence on TV.  On the other hand, I’m not sure it’s something that they necessarily need to be seeing.  In fact, I’m not sure it’s something I need to be seeing, either.  But whatever… when in Rome (or Germany), right?

I counted at least five grade school aged kids in the textile free area today.  I also saw a few American youngsters who appeared to be high school aged.  They were loudly making jokes about bringing dates to the spa.  One of them was squirting water with his hands, like an oyster, and basically acting like he was at a naked pool party.

I know nudity is much more acceptable here in Germany than it is in the United States, but it’s still kind of a shock to my American sensibilities when I see young kids hanging out in the nude area of a spa, where grown people are trying to relax.  I think it’s inconsiderate for people to bring their kids in there.  It’s kind of akin to people who bring young kids on luxury cruises that aren’t equipped for kids.  It’s not really fair to the children or the other adults who have paid the price of admission.  Naturally, a day at the spa costs a lot less than a week on SeaDream I, but the concept is still the same.

Anyway… I don’t plan to write a letter of complaint or anything.  It was just something I was thinking about today at the spa.  I did leave there feeling more relaxed than I did when I came in and I’m sure I’ll go back another time.  I probably ought to show up in the mornings on weekdays, when kids are more likely to be in school, or maybe find a place that is strictly for adults.  I just think the local Freibad is probably a better place for kids to be, rather than the spa.  But that’s just little ol’ childfree me, sharing my opinion.  Incidentally, I also hate the term “littles” for children, but it is what it is.

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A beautiful day in the neighborhood…

We have beautiful weather in southwestern Germany today.  Since the sun was shining, Bill and I decided to head to Nagold for lunch.  Today we ate at Luz Bistro, which has become one of our favorite local restaurants over the past few years.  We sat outside and were immediately presented with the latest specials.  Right now on the weekends, Luz Bistro is offering a grill menu and an asparagus menu.  Although I wasn’t thinking of having steak when we sat down, I noticed the grill set up outside by the terrace.  We’ve always had good experiences with grilled dishes at Luz Bistro, so Bill and I decided to go for it.  I had the rib eye and Bill had a filet.  They also had roast beef and wurst.

 

Bill enjoys the sunshine and a hefeweizen.

Both steaks came with green salads, complete with potato salad underneath.  The dressing was light, creamy, and garlicky.

Bill’s filet was 180 grams and cooked to a perfect medium temperature.  The steak came with baked potato covered with sour cream and herb butter.

My 250 gram rib eye was absolutely delicious.  In fact, I think it may have been the best steak I’ve had in Germany yet, even better than at Christophorus.  I don’t like sour cream, so they kindly put it on the side for me.  I think that steak was cooked over charcoal.  It was outstanding.

My dish was priced at 40 euros while Bill’s was 37 euros.  However, for that money, we got a lot of food that we weren’t able to finish!  Total bill for our lunches and beers was about 85 euros before the tip.  While we were eating, we got to watch a lot of kids and dogs playing in one of Nagold’s many fountains.

The fountain in this picture is where lots of kids and dogs play.

Whenever someone in the Pups of Stuttgart Facebook group asks about where to take their water loving dogs, I always suggest Nagold.  Not only do dogs get to play in the fountains, they also play in the river pictured below.  At the end of this post, I will include a short movie I took last summer of a guy who brought his three dogs to play there.

Today, I didn’t see dogs in the river, but I did see lots of people soaking their feet in the water.

 

More dogs in fountains!

After you’re finished letting your dog swim, you can stop by the Longwy bar for a drink… or maybe take a hookah break.

This was the line to get into Nagold’s awesome pool.  It was packed!

 

No hookahs allowed.

I’m dying to try that slide, but on a day when it’s not so busy!

 

I have really come to love Nagold since we’ve lived in Jettingen.  If we end up moving to Italy this summer, I am sure I’m going to miss Nagold and the rest of Germany.  The thought of moving fills me with dread, even though I do love the idea of living in Italy.  We’ll see what happens.  For now, I think we’ll just enjoy what we have here.

If your dog is a swimmer, you might want to visit Nagold.

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A leisurely lunch at Cube in downtown Stuttgart!

Once again, I’d like to wish my readers a Happy New Year.  Bill and I have been chomping at the bit to get out and try a different restaurant.  We finally managed it today when we took advantage of the holiday and had lunch downtown.

Some time ago, I told Bill about Cube, a very nice restaurant at the top of the Stuttgart Art Museum.  For the past few weeks, he’s been trying to get a reservation.  He finally managed to get one for lunch today at noon.  We were the first patrons to arrive and the dining room was completely empty when we checked in.  Minutes after we sat down, people started filing in and I noticed that quite a few tables around us had “reserved” signs on them.  Cube is very popular at dinner time, but apparently it pays to make reservations for lunch, too.

A lovely Piedmont Barolo for lunch…  The bread was very fresh!

 

Our server spoke excellent English and offered us a menu in German or English.  I told her either was fine, so she gave us an English menu.  I noticed there were weekly specials available, a set menu, and a la carte items, as well as a very extensive wine list.  Bill and I both decided to order a la carte.

It had just started snowing when we sat down.  One of Cube’s biggest draws, besides the very creatively prepared food, is the tremendous view of the Schlossplatz in Stuttgart.

 

I was really enjoying the smooth jazz music piped into the airy dining room.  It might have been turned up a bit loud for some tastes, but they were playing some pretty good songs.  I even heard interesting jazz remakes of songs by New Order and Hall and Oates (which may date me a bit).

Bill checks out the wine list.  He selected a nice bottle from the Piedmont region of Italy.

And a good sniff…

 

I was intrigued by the spicy Thai soup which came with lemongrass, chicken, ginger, and snowpeas.  Unfortunately, the menu did not mention that it was garnished with mushrooms, which I cannot eat.  Bill had ordered the soup of the day, which was white bean.  We traded starters.  He ate the Thai soup, which he said was very good, but slightly hard to manage because of the large and very fresh snowpeas.  I enjoyed the creamy white bean soup, which was very velvety and smooth and appeared to be garnished with wilted violet petals.

This is the bean soup, priced at about 6 euros.  I thought I got a shot of the Thai soup, but I’m not finding it on my phone.  Pity, because it was almost ten euros.

Cube offers a lot of nice looking salads and we saw several pass us on the way to other diners.  Bill and I went for heartier fare.

My duck leg, served with red cabbage, potato pancakes, and bilberry sauce.  The bilberry sauce was interesting.  It was kind of like a cross between blueberries and cranberries.  I really liked the potato pancakes.  The duck was so tender it was falling off the bone, although it was a bit rich.

Bill had the beef stroganoff, which seemed to have a Swabian flair with spaetzle, pickles, and beet.  There was a dollop of cream on top.  The beef was very tender and expertly cooked.  I even tried some myself, since there were no mushrooms in it.  

The whole time we were dining, the server maintained control of our wine, keeping it at the bar behind us and attentively pouring it.  Toward the end of our lunch, she got busy and we had to remind her to let us finish!  I’ll say one thing for Cube.  It’s good to go there if you have plenty of time to enjoy your meal.  We spent well over 90 minutes having lunch, although we had three courses and wine.

I had wanted the chocolate creme brulee, but they were out of it.  So I settled for the “lukewarm chocolate cake with berries”.  Bill said, “I bet it’s a lava cake.”  He turned out to be pretty much correct.  It was a nice dessert, though.  Beautifully presented and tasty… even if I don’t love lava cakes.

Bill went with fig ice cream with plums.

 

Total damage for our lunch was 110 euros before the tip.  Cube offers free WiFi for smartphones and tablets, but they ask patrons not to use laptops in the restaurant.  All in all, we had a very nice lunch at Cube, although I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly intimate place to dine.  The dining room is very open.  I liked that the tables were not very close together, though.

I wouldn’t mind going back to Cube for dinner sometime.  The food is very good and the service is quite competent.  Now I want to try Cube’s sister restaurants, like Pier 51.  Word to the wise.  I have read that Cube is not air conditioned, so it may be best to plan you visit when the weather is cooler.

After lunch, we headed back to the parking garage by way of this awesome food store called Feinkost Böhm.  As God is my witness, I had never seen this place before, despite my many trips to downtown Stuttgart over the past year.

This place is a haven for upscale food shoppers and sushi lovers…

You could have a ball in here, as long as you bring plenty of cash.

They have mushroom butter and lemon butter…

And lots of milks…

Chocolate of all sorts…

And a very impressive (and expensive) wine selection, complete with someone there to help you pick something out. 

Got cheese?

And coffee, although they didn’t have my precious Peet’s…  😉

Lots of fish, though it appeared to be mostly stuff you can easily find in Germany.  There’s also a sushi bar.

And you can even get Pepperidge Farm cookies, although you will pay much more for them than you would at the commissary.

Nice looking meats…

Oils, vinegars, and olives…

And a generous produce section.

 

Although I was a little tempted to pick up a few things, we didn’t end up buying anything today.  However, I can see us bringing some bags and doing a shopping run at some point in the future when we feel especially indulgent.  I’d like to try the sushi bar at the very least.  It’s been ages since I’ve had any.

We had a very nice afternoon in Stuttgart and will need to have another lunch date again sometime when we have the chance.

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