art, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe, Hessen, Hungary, services

Picture framing, heavy German food, and beer…

Bill got home from Budapest on Wednesday, and he brought three new prints with him. If I had gone with him on that trip, he would have bought bigger prints. But, I can’t complain about the art he picked up, because they’re pretty much my style. They are from a Kenyan-British artist named Marcus Goldson, who moved to Budapest in the early 1990s after having trained as a sculptor.

Goldson initially couldn’t afford the materials he needed for sculpting, so he started sketching, and took his art career in a whole new direction. I don’t know if he sculpts now, or just does watercolors. Obviously, he’s got a good business going in Budapest, serving tourists like Bill and me.

Since we were already going to visit Kunst-Schaefer to get the new art framed, I decided to get some older art redone. I bought two paintings in Sofia, Bulgaria, when we visited in 2024, plus I had another painting that I bought in Sofia back in the summer of 1996. My friend, Elaine, and I took a bus from Armenia to Turkey, and then onward to Bulgaria, for a vacation.

Although I was completely broke at the time, Elaine lent me the money to take the trip with her. We had a fabulous time, and I managed to pick up a small blue tinged painting of a windmill. I wish I’d bought another one, because I really like that piece of art, and I must not have paid much at all for it, because I had no extra money whatsoever in 1996. Of course, it’s going to cost about 160 euros to get it reframed!

We parked at the Marktplatz, where the weekly Saturday market was going on full tilt. It seemed like everybody was out and about yesterday, as the weather was beautiful. I would have liked to have walked around the market, but we were on an important mission.

*Some folks were drinking wine in the morning!*

I’ve mentioned before that, when I was growing up, my parents ran their own business out of our home. My mom had a knitting, needlepoint, and cross stitch shop, and she taught countless people how to do needle crafts. My dad sold art and did custom picture framing. So, being in an art gallery is very natural for me, because I literally lived in one for years. 😏

Bill and I made our way through Wiesbaden’s posh streets and walkplatzes to get to Kunst-Schaefer. We passed buskers playing piano, accordion, saxophone, and guitar, adding their own elements of atmosphere to Wiesbaden’s bonny streets.

*The street where Kunst-Schaefer lives…*

When we arrived at Kunst-Schaefer, a young lady welcomed us. She was with a customer, so we took a moment to look around the gallery to see if there was anything I’d want to hang on the wall. Of course, there were things there I would happily purchase, but I’d rather spend the money on another art scouting trip… the next of which we will be commencing in about ten days!

The proprietor showed up, having stepped out to get some baked goods for his Sunday breakfast. He personally dealt with us, as we showed him six pieces to be framed.

It didn’t take long to decide how we would be framing everything. Regular shadow box frames for the Bulgarian paintings, and a plain black frame for the windmill. Colorful frames and matting for the Budapest prints. All of it should be done while we’re on vacation, and by then we’ll probably have another batch that needs to be done. Before we present a VAT form, the total comes to about 700 euros.

By the time we were finished with the framer, I really needed to find a restroom. Bill and I decided to have lunch. For some reason, I was in the mood for German food, so we headed back toward the Marktplatz. Maybe it was because I found out that one of the towns we once lived in, Fredericksburg, Virginia, now has a snazzy German restaurant.

On our way there, I noticed that BrewDog Wiesbaden had closed. I either didn’t know it was going to close, or had forgotten. Bill and I went there a few times for craft beers and sandwiches. I think the last time we went was at Christmas last year. But we didn’t know then that the place would be closing in January 2026, and in September, no one else has set up business in the beautiful old building where it was situated.

I guess the Scottish style craft beers at BrewDog never quite caught on in Wiesbaden. Some people complained about the quality of the food and mice in the restaurant, but our personal experiences dining there were never bad. Too bad… it was a reliable lunch choice for us. But I guess it just goes to show that we hadn’t been downtown in ages! ETA: My German friend says BrewDog basically went insolvent, got bought out by an American company, and the new company didn’t want to operate in Germany anymore. At this point, there are still locations in Hamburg and Berlin.

We went to the Ratskeller instead, where we knew we could have beer and some very decent German food. Because it was so nice outside, we ate outdoors… where we were accosted by many bees. Or were they wasps? I wasn’t going to let them get close enough to find out for sure. I heard one American lady loudly complaining about them. ETA: My German friend says they were wasps.

*Schweinebraten for me, and Frankfurter Schnitzel for Bill…*

My only complaint about lunch is that it wasn’t served as hot as I would have preferred. But the food tasted good. I especially enjoyed the Schweinebraten and the delicious brown gravy made with beer. I was hungry, too. Managed to eat the whole potato Knödel, and some of the Rotkraut, and washed it down with a Weizen. Bill loved his Frankfurter Schnitzel with green sauce and fried potatoes. He had a Helles.

After we ate, we had another round… I had a Doppelbock, while Bill had a Radler. We made the waitress laugh when we tried to say “Doppelbock” properly. Bill had a taste of my rich, dark, malty beer, which came from a bottle.

Finally, we were finished with our leisurely lunch, and decided to head home. There, we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon out on the patio, listening to music and savoring the last warm gasps of summer. The silver lining is that my mosquito bites are finally healing, and pretty soon, they’ll be gone.

It was nice to go to Wiesbaden again, and enjoy a nice lunch in the sunshine. I always enjoy visiting the art guy, too, and patronizing a business that helps us preserve our memories so beautifully. Wiesbaden sure is a lovely city, and we’re now at the point at which we’ve spent the most time of our married life living here. It really feels like a privilege. As much as we both enjoyed living in the Stuttgart area, I think Wiesbaden suits us somewhat better. If only because I seemed to get yelled at less often here. 😉

Well, that about does it for today’s travel post. Pretty soon, this blog will come alive with posts about our next travel adventure, which will take us back to Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, and then a return trip to Dresden. So watch this space! Bill has to go to Brno next week for a couple of days, too, but I don’t get to accompany him. Bummer.

Celebrations, Hessen, Sundays

A summer visit to Villa im Tal…

Yesterday, Bill and I decided to go out to lunch at one of our favorite Wiesbaden area restaurants, Villa im Tal. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve visited this lovely place out in the woods. Every time we’ve gone there, we’ve had a good time, and enjoyed excellent service. Yesterday was no exception.

Our main reason for visiting Villa im Tal was to celebrate Bill’s birthday, which was on July 7th. We didn’t go out on the actual day because he was sick, and it was a work day. He was still sick last weekend, and not up to being around other people. Yesterday, he was feeling about 95 percent recovered from his latest respiratory viral illness, so we put on nice clothes and headed out to the bucolic restaurant where we get recognized by name.

I’m not sure, but I think there might have been some kind of an event going on in the main dining room, so we were seated in the back dining room. It adjoins to Villa im Tal’s lovely terrace, which has a retractable roof and walls. We didn’t want to sit outside, because oddly enough, it was actually kind of chilly yesterday. I brought a wrap with me to ward against the cool breezes that wafted into the dining room.

Below are some photos from yesterday’s delightful lunch. We had aperitifs– a non alcoholic house cocktail for Bill, and a limoncello spritz for me. I usually go for the boozy version of the house cocktail, but I wanted to try something different yesterday. I liked the spritz fine, but I think I prefer the house cocktail. The spritz was a little sweet. We also had the usual bread service with butter and Spundekäs.

I started with tiger shrimp and curry lentils, with cherry tomatoes, frisée, and spiced papada. Now that I’m looking at the menu, I see that they actually brought me the wrong thing. I had wanted a soup that had tiger shrimp in it. But I was definitely not disappointed in the tiger shrimp appetizer. The shrimps, in particular, were absolutely delicious.

Bill had ice cold watermelon with feta cheese, coconut flakes, Persian mint, and toasted flatbread. He really enjoyed that starter, remarking that it would be especially excellent on a very hot day.

Next came my entree of Iberico pork with celery puree and Mediterranean vegetables. Bill went for a vegetarian dish with mother-of-pearl barley risotto, avocado, sun dried tomatoes, curry lemongrass nage, and mangoes. I almost had that myself, as Bill eyed the surf and turf that was being offered. But since I wanted to try the pork, he opted for the vegetarian dish so I could try it.

We had a lovely Austrian pinot noir to go with lunch, and spent a couple of hours just enjoying ourselves, and the beautiful surroundings. The service was perfectly paced, relaxed, but very professional, as usual. And as we were about to order dessert, a pretty woman bearing flowers for the tables came in and smiled. She said, “You’re the Crossens, aren’t you?” Bwaahahahahaha! That doesn’t happen so often in Germany, but they always seem to remember us at Villa im Tal.

*This was a nice smokey pinot that went so well with the pork!*

For dessert, I had creme brulee with strawberry sorbet. Bill had an Albi-cup, with bourbon vanilla ice cream, pumpkin oil, and pumpkin seeds.

I always enjoy having a leisurely lunch with Bill, especially at a nice restaurant. We’re at a point in our lives when lunches are better than dinners, when we go out. Neither of us really enjoys late nights anymore. Besides, a lot of times, lunches are less expensive. As it was, yesterday’s repast set us back about 240 euros, before the tip.

I forgot to get a picture of the gorgeous building. We’ve gone to Villa im Tal so many times that I guess I’m not so dazzled by it anymore. I did notice that there weren’t a bunch of guys hanging out by the Adamsborn natural spring, yesterday (it’s also known as the Carl-von-Ibell-Quelle). They had been congregating there, trying to sell people containers for the water. But I also noticed that it didn’t look like the spring was running. Upon further investigation, I have discovered that the well is not working right now. Too bad, since the water is known for being very cold and free of charge. On the other hand, it’s nice not to have to dodge the guys who loiter there when it does run.

Anyway, that was our Sunday outing. We came home later and enjoyed the rest of the day listening to music, chatting, and drinking beer. Can’t beat that life, although in retrospect, maybe we should have taken a walk, instead. Maybe we’ll do that next weekend, if it’s not too hot.

Hessen, holidays

Easter lunch at Villa Im Tal 2026…

I’m a few days late writing this post about our Easter lunch. I’ve been preoccupied with writing about our trip to Belgium and France. I didn’t want to interrupt the flow of my series with a post about lunch in a restaurant we’ve enjoyed many times.

We decided to have lunch at Villa Im Tal, kind of on a whim. Bill was talking about what he wanted to cook for Easter and I suggested that maybe we should go out to eat, like we did last year. Looking back on my posts, I see that we had Easter lunch at Villa Im Tal in 2024, too. What can I say? We really like this lovely restaurant on the outskirts of Wiesbaden, in its lovely bucolic setting by the woods.

I put on a dress and we made our way to the restaurant for our 1:00 reservation. I noticed no one was hanging around at the natural spring. Usually, a group of swarthy looking men stay there, as if they own the spring. I guess they took Easter off. Villa Im Tal is a casual place, but I felt like putting on a dress… and squeezing into a pair of tights!

*The Easter Bunny came all the way from Belgium…*

When we walked into the restaurant, one of the waiters immediately recognized us, but I think he forgot our surname. But then the lovely female waitress who always greets us by name came into the bar area with a big smile. When her colleague couldn’t find our name, she said “I got this!” and found us listed.

*It was a bit cloudy on Easter this year.*

We sat at a table on the edge of the dining room and had a look at the set menu, which is usually what they do for holidays. We’re heading into asparagus season, so I wasn’t surprised to see asparagus on the menu! They had a meat, fish, and vegetarian option for the main course. The rest of the courses were offered to everyone.

I usually go for the fish dishes when we go to Villa Im Tal, but this time, I decided to have the roast beef. First, I made sure the vegetable side was going to be mushroom free. Bill had the saibling (char) filet, which came with barley risotto, basil coulis, and garlic. Both dishes were appealing to me, but I was very happy with the beef, which was more like prime rib than what I think of as roast beef.

Bill ordered a nice bottle of red wine, which was decanted in the novel “snake” decanter. Of course, we also had the house aperitif, too– booze free for Bill. The salad was so pretty, I took two pictures of it! Looking at the vegetarian/vegan offering, I think I would have been pleased with that, too. Of course, we also had the usual bread, with butter and a festive pink spread that tasted of chickpeas.

*The roast beef came with what I think of as scalloped potatoes.*

After we finished our main courses, we spent a few minutes resting, then had dessert… Red fruits, white chocolate mousse, walnuts, and ice cream, with a white chocolate topping.

We were very pleased with this lovely lunch. The food was excellent, as always, and the service was friendly, professional, and familiar. We left there feeling very satisfied and blessed, and of course we were also done eating for the day! I’m glad we went to Villa Im Tal for Easter this year. This weekend, we have plans to visit an Armenian/Georgian restaurant in Wiesbaden called La Boheme. It will be our first time there, so the review should be interesting.

*Villa Im Tal is always a pleasure to visit, no matter what season it is.*

Rhein, Rheinland-Pfalz, Sundays

Our first visit to Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz…

In my last post, I complained about the neverending winter weather and advised that winter was free to scram as soon as possible. Well… ask and you shall receive! This weekend, we’ve had beautiful sunny days with mild temperatures in the 50s. Since it had been awhile since my last outing, Bill invited me out to lunch at the Restaurant Bootshaus Mainz today. He made a 1:00 reservation, which was a good idea. Although the restaurant wasn’t completely full during our visit, it did get busy!

We found a parking spot somewhat close to the Bootshaus. The place has free spots for guests and employees. It’s near a couple of tennis courts, as well as the majestic Rhine/Rhein River. When we arrived, we were told to sit at any two top table that was open. I chose one near the door, which faced the big windows that offered a view of the river.

The table where we sat had one chair facing away from the river, and a bench full of pillows facing toward it. I chose the bench, but had to do some maneuvering to sit comfortably, thanks to all the pillows! Seriously the bench was full of them, and some were pretty big.

An English speaking waiter brought us menus in English. We don’t require English menus, but it’s nice that they had them. A couple of items were not available, including the duck croquettes, which Bill had specifically mentioned when he told me we were going to dine at the Bootshaus. Oh well… now we have a reason to go back! But I would have wanted to go back, anyway, because the food was very good!

I started with sea scallops that came with a luscious carrot puree. Bill had the burrata with fresh tomatoes and crispy bread. The scallops were perfectly grilled and not at all bitter. Bill raved about the burrata, which I also tried. I only wished they’d brought me a spoon, so I could have gotten all of the carrot puree in my dish.

Next, Bill had Saltimbocca made of chicken breast and wrapped with prosciutto, with polenta, broccoli, and jus. I went with the rainbow trout, which was (mostly) deboned and served with beurre blanc, roasted potatoes and spinach with lots of garlic. I loved that the spinach was perfectly cooked and not mushy. That’s not always a feat that kitchens get right. We also had a bottle of locally produced Sylvaner and some sparkling water.

They did not give us bread, but that could be ordered a la carte. Personally, I’m glad they didn’t bring it out, because it would have put me over the edge of being uncomfortably full. They also didn’t serve an amuse bouche, which is also fine with me. The place has a very casual feel, although the food is certainly not what you’d expect to find in a casual restaurant.

*My fish also came with beurre blanc– a lovely butter and white wine sauce for the trout.*

We had a long pause after we finished our main courses. At that point, the couple sitting at the table next to ours abruptly got up and moved to another table. It looked like they had finished eating, too. I wondered if they moved because we’re English speakers, but then I noticed the woman got up a few times and seemed to move stiffly. Bill said she’d been giving us a side eye, but for all we know, they wanted to free up that table for someone else. The table where they sat wasn’t set up for food. Anyway… I will assume they moved for benevolent reasons, and not because they resent us Yanks. 🤭 (of course, under the circumstances, I don’t know that I would blame them…)

For dessert, I had warm cheesecake with ice cream and candy apple cream. Bill had coconut semolina flummery with a pineapple sorbet and a mango ragout. Both desserts were delicious and not too much. However, the cheesecake was definitely served warm, rather than lukewarm. They did have a chocolate lava cake, but if you’ve been reading this blog, you already know how I feel about lava cakes. 🙄 Especially chocolate ones…

Two hours after lunch began, we were finished. The bill came to about 174 euros, before the tip. Bill paid with a credit card, and we made our way home. I might have taken a walk in the very pleasant weather, but I needed to pee, and this restaurant, unfortunately, requires a stout walk and climbing up two flights of stairs to get to the loo. After two trips, I decided I’d rather go at home. There is an elevator for those who can’t do the stairs.

Overall, we had a very nice time at the Bootshaus in Mainz. I think we’ll go back, provided we don’t get deported… 🤭 (I know… I shouldn’t laugh about that, but if I don’t laugh, I might cry…)

A few more photos… the restaurant is also close to the train tracks and the city park, where we attended the wine fest a few months ago. Keep in mind, although we live about twenty minutes away from Mainz, it’s in another state– Rhineland-Pfalz (or Palatinate, if you prefer).

Baden-Württemberg, German lifestyle, short breaks

A winter break in Waiblingen… Dinner at Untere Apotheke (part seven)

As I’ve mentioned a few times so far, Waiblingen has several good restaurants. We didn’t get to try them all, but if we ever manage to go back there, we’ll have to make a point of visiting a couple of the others. One place I wish we’d had a chance to visit is Brunnenstuben. It gets high marks, and looks like it offers great Swabian cuisine.

As it was, though, we did manage a visit to Michelin Guide mentioned Untere Apotheke (Lower Pharmacy), which is located just behind Bachofer. Because Bill didn’t take any classes on Saturday, we made a reservation for 7:00 PM. It’s a good thing we did that, because the restaurant is rather small, and it filled up completely while we were there.

From their Web site:

From Monday to Thursday, we serve our full à la carte selection and all set menus in the evenings as usual – flexibly and entirely according to your taste.

On Friday and Saturday evenings, we kindly ask our guests to choose a set menu of three or more courses. You can customize your menu from our selection – even spontaneously on-site.

We were warmly welcomed when we arrived for our reservation. A couple of young guys offered to take our coats, although there was a little bit of bumbling as they determined what to do with them. I got the sense that they were a bit inexperienced and new to the job, which is fine. We all have to start somewhere.

Bill and I sat at a two top in a corner, on a long banquette that ran along the back wall. As we were looking at the menu, the proprietor came over to say hello and get a drink order. He said he’d seen us at Mamma Roma, the Italian place next door. He was the guy who was sitting at the table behind Bill, talking on the phone, while were having lunch there. I don’t know for certain, but I wonder if the restaurants are owned by the same people. Both offered really good food.

I was surprised that the proprietor had noticed us at Mamma Roma’s, let alone remembered us! Maybe it’s my hair… and the fact that we’re obviously Americans in a town that probably doesn’t get many American visitors. He apologized that they didn’t have a menu in English, but we said it was fine, since we live in Germany and understand “restaurant German” pretty well.

The proprietor suggested a Negroni, which delighted Bill, because it’s one of his favorite cocktails. I thought I might have a conventional aperitif, like sparkling wine, but ended up having a Negroni, too. That was mainly because I’d never had one before. The proprietor did say he could make a cocktail that was like a Negroni, but “lighter”, but I decided to go for the real thing. Now that I’ve had a Negroni, I think I’d opt for the lighter cocktail at a future visit.

The kitchen sent out a lovely “amuse bouche”, which turned out to be a very comforting cauliflower based soup. I don’t usually like cauliflower much, because it tastes like farts to me. I would make an exception for this soup, which didn’t have that flavor at all. It had a slight essence of vanilla.

There were several options available for dinner. We decided to go for the five course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was mostly a good choice, although the wait staff did not seem to know much about serving or drinking wines.

At one point, a waiter brought a wine to us that he couldn’t even identify. He said he was new on the job. I can understand that. I used to wait tables myself, and wasn’t a wine drinker at that time. But, for a Michelin mentioned restaurant, it did seem odd that the waiter couldn’t even tell me what kind of wine I was drinking that was chosen to pair with my food. Like, he had to go ask what type of wine it was– not the specific label, but the actual grape. I think it was a Pinot Grigio.

Anyway… below are some photos from our dinner at Untere Apotheke. I enjoyed every course.

We started with a smoked trout with a horseradish sauce. I took the second photo because it looked like the sauce had turned into a work of art after I had enjoyed the fish!

Next was a “hirsch” (venison) carpaccio, which was absolutely divine. I haven’t eaten much venison in my lifetime, but this was really good. I did give a couple of extra bites to Bill, though.

The third course was sturgeon with cabbage and potatoes espuma. I’d never had sturgeon before, and only had heard was a very expensive fish. It was pretty dense and mild. The sturgeon tasted good, although I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to have it again.

The sturgeon was followed by a ragout of “Ochsenschwanz” (oxtail) with pears and red cabbage. I don’t think I had ever had oxtail before. I know Bill has had it. I enjoyed it, but again, maybe I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it.

We had a palate cleanser of sorbet, followed by dessert, which was Swabian apple cake with caramelized vanilla ice cream. Naturally, I enjoyed the dessert, especially since it didn’t look like a mushroom! It came with a very nice dessert wine that went well.

I did really enjoy the food and wine at Untere Apotheke. The service was very friendly, although the wait staff was a bit “green”. They mostly appeared to be young guys who are just learning about how to wait tables. Again, I totally sympathize. I have been there, myself. And their friendliness definitely made up for slightly bumbling service. I have no doubt they’ll get the hang of things soon, especially given how many people were dining on Saturday night.

The tables in Untere Apotheke are a bit close together. We sat next to a male couple who kept sneaking glances at us, probably wondering why we were in Waiblingen, intruding with our “Americanness”. I may be a bit sensitive, given what’s been going on in our government, lately. But I think they soon figured out that I’m definitely not a follower of the regime. 😉

I would certainly be happy to dine at Untere Apotheke again. It was a fine place to enjoy our last evening in Waiblingen.

One more post to go before this series is finished!

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss Studies… Sizzling in Zürich! (part four)

Tuesday, July 1, turned out to be a somewhat lazy day. It was very hot outside. Bill had a somewhat later start at the C.G. Jung Institute, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. I was amused by the rolls he bought, which had little Swiss flags in them. I’m sure there’s an official name for these, but I don’t know what it is… Edited to add: They are called “Weggli”.

After Bill left for his classes, I slathered on sunscreen and got dressed. I decided to go back to the lake, if only because I figured it would offer cool breezes and opportunities to people watch some more. Instead of going straight back to the park where I’d been going, I turned in the opposite direction. I passed by the Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, a public beach that offers bathrooms and a restaurant. I was curious about it and might have gone it, if Bill had been with me. Ultimately, I decided it would probably be too noisy for me, and since I wasn’t wearing a bathing suit, I kept walking.

*Creepy entrance to the Strandbad. Reminds me of toadstools.*

Continuing past the entrance to the Strandbad, I gazed at a different section of the lake. I saw two men who looked a lot like Mormon missionaries. They wore suits, although it was so hot that they carried their jackets. They also stood close to each other, as if they were companions. But, as they had their backs to me, I couldn’t tell if they were missionaries. Then I noticed one of them had a beard, and the other looked like he might be too old to be a missionary. I noticed that a lot of men in Switzerland dress formally for work. That was probably what I was seeing, rather than Latter-day Saints.

Looking further down the sidewalk, it appeared that the way was going to be less conducive for pedestrians. So I turned around and went back to my usual spot at the lake. I actually had to wait for a bit, because the bench was taken by someone else. By the time I was able to claim it, the sun had moved to a point at which the area was no longer shady. At least I got some more photos. The lake is so beautiful. I also got some video, as I stood by the water’s edge and enjoyed some gentle splashes.

Gives you a feel for how things were last week, during the heatwave in Switzerland!

After a short while, I realized that I was hot, sweaty, and worried about sunburn, in spite of the sunscreen I’d applied. After a short while, I decided to go back to the apartment, where I hoped after doing some writing, I might get further into my latest book… but, if I recall correctly, I ended up falling asleep and taking a very long, deep nap for a couple of hours.

Later, when Bill came back to the apartment, we decided to try an Italian restaurant called Miracle. It was just down the street from the apartment, on the way to the lake. We would have preferred to sit outside, because it was so hot on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the outside tables were taken by a large group of locals. So we sat inside, and enjoyed a very lovely dinner, in spite of the heat. I especially liked the aperitif, with was made with prosecco, lime, and mint. Bill had his usual Campari with soda.

For dinner, we started with bruschetta, and then I had fried shrimp with chili-coriander butter and salad, while Bill had Loup de Mer, with lemon basil butter. The food was very good, and beautifully presented. Service was friendly and professional. We had after dinner drinks instead of dessert– grappa for Bill, and a refreshing limoncello cocktail for me.

We walked back to the apartment and ended our Tuesday with sleep. I enjoyed Miracle. I would have liked to have gone back there again. It was a bit hot the day we visited, but I can see why this place is a local favorite.

The next post will be a departure from the lake, as on Wednesday, I went to the botanical garden. More on that in part five.

adventure, C.G. Jung, Education

Swiss studies… Watching life unfold at the lake! (part three)

Monday, June 30th, was an exciting day for Bill. He’d been looking forward to taking seminars at the C.G. Jung Institute for years. On his first day, he had an early lecture, so we got up early. He bought more wonderful bread at Wüst, and we enjoyed coffee and juice. I was already a bit nervous, because the proprietor at the Apart-Hotel Hugenschmidt advised us that they would be cleaning the apartment on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They requested that we not be in the apartment from 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

Those are the hours when I usually do my writing, but given how hot it was last week, it was just as well that I went to the lake. Bill looked so cute, dressed for class and carrying a backpack. The tram outside made it quick and easy for him to get to the Institute.

After I made a quick YouTube video, I headed to the lake. On the way there, life started unfolding in front of my eyes. First, I saw a sweet black cat. I made a soft “ssssing” sound, which attracted its attention. It meowed at me and came over, rubbing against my legs. Then it turned and went another direction. I like cats. We used to have them when I was growing up. Unfortunately, although Bill also likes cats, we can’t have them in our home. He’s very allergic to them. I am also supposedly allergic to them– and dogs, horses, and rabbits, too. I still like to say hello when I can.

Next, I saw a young man running down the street with a big smile on his face and his arms outstretched. He passed me and enveloped a young woman in his arms in a joyful reunion. It reminded me of when Bill came home from Iraq.

I walked a bit further and ran into a very fit looking couple. The female half wore extremely tight leggings that outlined an obvious camel toe. They looked like maybe they were exercise instructors, headed to the gym.

I crossed the street and walked to the park near the lake, where there are benches. I saw a man doing yoga by the Heureka sculpture. A dog came over to say hello, and then I noticed a woman dancing. She wore a sweatshirt, shorts, shades, and ear buds, and danced by the lake side, completely oblivious to the world. I watched her in amazement. She was completely uninhibited. I kind of admired it. And, of course, there were lots of ducks to watch…

This isn’t a super exciting video, except for the dancing lady. I could have watched her all day!

I walked around the lake area and took lots of pictures… I even sat for awhile near some boats, watching more waterfowl, in an attempt to kill enough time so the apartment could be cleaned. As it turned out, I should have stayed a little longer.

I took a slightly different route back to the apartment, passing the Plastic Surgery Pyramide Clinic. I later found out this is a private hospital where people have everything from breast reconstruction to facelifts done. I noticed they also had an outlet for La Prairie, a VERY expensive skincare/cosmetics brand that I first saw offered on SeaDream Yacht Club, a luxury cruise line. I read about the clinic, and most people had rave reviews for their experiences there. One woman left a very disturbing review of a doctor who had, apparently, taken advantage of her while she was in a weakened state. To be honest, her account sounded fictitious. Perhaps she had more going on than just physical illness. I didn’t get a good picture of the actual hospital, but these pictures are of clinics affiliated with it. I bet it costs a mint to go there.

I went by the apartment at about 10:45, but it still hadn’t been cleaned, so after a potty break, I walked to the COOP neighborhood grocery store to pick up a few things– napkins and sugar for my coffee. I also got a few other items. Bill and I both visited that store a couple of times. It was very convenient to where we stayed, but the layout was frustrating, and it seemed like people were always descending upon it en masse. We both found shopping there a bit nervewracking. There was a larger COOP store a little bit further in the opposite direction. That store offered more stuff, but was only marginally less annoying. However, we’ve been to other COOP stores in Switzerland, and have not found them to be so hectic. Maybe it just has something to do with the neighborhood. Below are a few more photos I took on the way back to the apartment.

When I got back to the apartment with the stuff I got at the store, one of the proprietors was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom. I startled her, but I needed to put some things in the refrigerator. She pointed out that there was a beach towel in the armoire. That was good to know, although we brought our own… and then didn’t end up using them, after all!

I decided to go back to the lake to give the lady a chance to finish her work. I’m glad I did, because there was more stuff going on…

*I’m not sure what they were doing, but by the time we left on Sunday, it looked like they were building a platform in the lake.*

When Bill got back from his seminar, at about 6:00 PM, he was very excited. He’d had a good day learning about psychology, and now he was ready for dinner. We ended up at Le Beaujolais, a Greek restaurant right next to the apartment. The waiter was friendly, professional, and kind, and the food was excellent. Bill had lamb, and I had Dorade and Seelach filets. Then we had ice cream for dessert!

*Sadly, there were no bags to be found for hygiene purposes. But that’s not something that worries me anymore.*

A man showed up with his cute dog and sat next to us. The dog was so sweet, and made me miss our dogs, Noyzi and Charlie.

It may seem like not a lot happened on Monday, but I truly did enjoy sitting at the lake, watching people go about life. I really should have jumped in the lake, though.

Hessen, Sundays

Another relaxing lunch at Villa im Tal… until it came time to leave!

The second part of our culinary inspired weekend occurred at Villa im Tal, one of our favorite local restaurants. We’ve been there a number of times over the past few years. In fact, we’ve been so many times that most of the staff recognize and warmly welcome us. Such was the case yesterday, when we were rewarded with a bright smile from one of the wait staff, who invited us to choose a table. I ended up picking the one we sat at the last time we visited, around the Christmas holidays.

I always enjoy going to Villa im Tal, because even though it’s just a few minutes’ drive from Wiesbaden’s city center, it’s located in a gorgeous wooded area near a natural spring. There’s plenty of parking, and it’s very quiet and peaceful there… most of the time, anyway. There are some people appearing to be of Middle Eastern origin who usually hang around the spring with plastic containers/jugs for collecting the water. I suspect they try to sell the jugs to people. They were there yesterday, but didn’t cause an issue when we arrived for our 1 PM reservation.

Right now, it’s asparagus season, so Villa im Tal has a “Spargel Karte” (asparagus menu). The asparagus actually comes from the fields near where we take our dogs for boarding (Greisheim). They also have their usual offerings, which change with the seasons. As we sat down in the comfortable chairs (nice and wide, and deep enough for my ass), we ordered aperitifs– refreshing house cocktails made with lime and mint. Bill got the non-alcoholic version. We also got our usual bottle of sparkling water.

For lunch, I started with the avocado and asparagus tartar, which came with pink grapefruit, pink peppercorns, and marinated watercress. Next, I had the grilled Anchorena Black Angus Roast Beef, which came with Béarnaise sauce and, roasted potatoes and asparagus.

Bill had South Tyrolean mountain ham with salted butter, gherkins, and horseradish flakes, followed by Iberico acorn-fed pork, Sicilian caponata, chorizo and potato rösti. He ordered a bottle of primitivo from Puglia, Italy, which our server kindly poured into a special decanter made by Riedel. I looked it up when we got home. It’s called “Mamba”, which is a type of snake.

I was mostly enjoying the relaxing music, most of which were Brazilian covers of songs from the 1980s done by several different artists. I was so intrigued by the revamped Bossa Nova style covers of the songs that I later downloaded several albums, especially by Sarah Menescal. I had never heard of her before yesterday, but she’s now on my HomePod playlist. Some of her covers were of songs I never would have thought could be turned into Brazilian Bossa Nova music. I can’t say I necessarily love the songs, but I am amused that she turned them into something unexpected. I mean, she even covered a Guns n’ Roses song!

Wild…

As we were enjoying the excellent food and relaxed ambiance out in the woods, I remembered how I said on Saturday night that I thought maybe I liked Landhaus Diedert better than Villa im Tal… I think I might have changed my mind yesterday. But that might be because lunch was not very busy. It was Whit Sunday, after all. Today is Whit Monday.

For dessert, I had the Affogato al caffè, which was a scoop of house made bourbon vanilla ice cream served with a small pitcher of freshly brewed espresso. You pour the espresso over the ice cream. Bill had the Albi-Cup, which was a scoop of bourbon vanilla ice cream topped with roasted pumpkin seeds and served with a small pitcher of Styrian pumpkin seed oil.

When we were finished with our two hour lunch, the bill came to just over 200 euros. Bill paid for it with a credit card and gave our lovely server a tip in “Geld” (cash). A group sitting by one of the large windows walked out with their large, well-behaved, white male poodle. I wondered if Noyzi would ever calm down enough to join us at Villa im Tal.

Below are some photos:

Cool decanter!

I went outside to wait for Bill to finish using the restroom and took a look at the terrace, which is enclosed with what are probably electric walls and roof. This makes the space usable in the cold months. I took a picture of the rustic looking gazebos, where people dine when the weather is fine. We did have sun yesterday, but it was unusually chilly. Villa im Tal is also close to a horseback riding facility, which is always bittersweet for me to see. Horses were, at one time, my whole life! Unfortunately, I gave them up a long time ago, but I really miss having horses in my life.

*A front shot of the Ring Church, which I shared photos of in yesterday’s post.*

So then it was time to leave, and that large group of Middle Eastern appearing folks had congregated around the spring, which is very close to the parking lot at Villa im Tal. I noticed one grandmother looking woman with a little girl, who was excited about the horse I pictured above. One of the men had parked a very large van near the exit of the parking lot, which made it a tight squeeze to get our car through. Bill was reluctant to try to get through there, but one of the men was insisting it was possible. It was, but only with about an inch to spare. Bill was quite annoyed that these guys were loitering there, obstructing traffic, and commandeering the spring.

But, as we were driving away, I told him to relax and not let those stupid guys ruin what was a very lovely lunch. I’m not sure what they are doing at that place. It looks to me like they’ve unofficially taken it upon themselves to hang out there and harass people into buying their plastic jugs. As long as we were able to get out of there without an accident, I guess no harm was done. Too bad they can’t be arsed to be more considerate, though.

Overall, it was a very nice afternoon. Of course we’ll be back.

Hessen, Rhein

The international language of dirty looks…

I was dying to get out of the house today. Normally, on Saturdays, Bill ends up doing chores or sleeping in. But we have good weather today, and the temperature is finally warm. I wanted to do something besides hang around in my nightie all day. We thought about several things we could do this afternoon, and finally decided to take Noyzi and Charlie to the Bootshaus Flörsheim. It’s right next to the Rhein/Rhine River.

I think Bill and I were assuming we were going to be visiting a much more casual, low key restaurant today. A couple of years ago, we took Noyzi to this place on the Rhein that was near Mainz-Kastel. Looking back, I see we took him there May 28th in 2023. That place was also called Bootshaus, but it was a different one, with a very laid back Biergarten that served drinks and sausages. It was more like a stand. The place where we went today was a real restaurant. I think the other place also has a real restaurant, but the day we went, they just had their little beer stand going.

Because we were directed to a different establishment, we were a bit confused as we approached the restaurant. But we didn’t need to be. It was very dog friendly, and several canines were enjoying time with their people today.

I was a little nervous about dining at the place, because it had been awhile since we last took the dogs out. I expected the less fancy place with grass on the ground and Bratwursts on a grill. But the dogs ended up mostly doing okay. Noyzi was nervous and a little chatty, but he was not as spooky and nervous as he’s been on previous outings. That didn’t stop a few folks from giving us side eyes as they inexplicably decided to sit near us.

Bill and I ordered beers and water. To eat, I had a Caesar salad with chicken and bacon, while Bill had beef croquettes with salad and sauces. It took awhile to get the food, which offered us time to get the boys more settled. Noyzi sat after a few minutes and eventually rested on the pavement, only to spring up when a person approached, especially someone with another dog. Noyzi made friends with one guy’s adorable puppy, who actually tried to mount Noyzi. That was ambitious of him, because Noyzi is about four or five times his size. Charlie was also nervous, but less so. Since he’s smaller, he’s also easier to control. Below are some photos from the Biergarten.

We brought a bottle of water, but Bill didn’t bring a bowl. I told him to, but he forgot. At one point, some guy brought a bowl over to Noyzi. It had a little water in it. He got excited and bumped into it, making a racket. A lady sitting near us had given us the side eye a few times. I knew she was going to do it again when Noyzi crashed into the bowl. I was ready for her and headed her off with a side eye of my own. 🙄

I know… that’s not nice or particularly mature, but they’re dogs, and dogs are unpredictable. I can’t help it if they freak out. Children also make mistakes in public. Show some grace and realize that within the hour, we’ll be leaving your life forever. Aside from that, it’s hard for dogs to learn how to behave in public if they never go anywhere. Noyzi has made a lot of progress over the years. I was overall very pleased with his behavior.

The woman got the message and quit glaring at us after I returned fire. Isn’t it funny how so much communication is non-verbal? Dirty looks are definitely international language… kind of like music.

It wasn’t easy to eat the salad while holding Noyzi, so Bill took over so I could finish. Then, we finished our beers and paid the check. I got a few more photos while Bill used the bathroom. There was plenty of free parking at the Bootshaus. That’s a definite plus!

We are now back, and Noyzi is behind me, resting, panting, and farting. We need to get him some dog food made of poultry. It’s now cloudy and looks like it might rain.

I don’t know what we’ll do tomorrow. Maybe we’ll go somewhere and do something fun. Or maybe we’ll find another Biergarten and take the boys. The sooner they learn how to behave in restaurants, the better off we’ll be. I think Charlie will be a pro in no time. Noyzi might need a few more lessons.

Hessen

We tried out Akropolis Restaurant in Erbenheim…

Although it is Memorial Day weekend, Bill has been working on a project at his job that took him away yesterday morning. To make it up to me, he decided to take me out to dinner at Akropolis Restaurant in Erbenheim, a suburb of Wiesbaden. We had never been to this restaurant before, and it had been awhile since our last Greek food repast. I was all for going out last night at first… but then, as the weather got gloomier and it threatened to rain, I kind of wished we were going to stay home and snuggle. Nevertheless, we went out, anyway.

Bill was fretting about the parking situation at the restaurant, which is located right next to a train stop. He needn’t have worried. There’s a little dirt lane by the restaurant where people park their cars, free of charge. The restaurant also has a very small lot with a few spaces specifically marked for patrons. We arrived just as the train was stopping.

The restaurant was doing a brisk business when we arrived last night. We had a choice of two tables. There was a two top by a stained glass window, or a three top by the wall. We went for the three top and used the extra chair for our jackets and my brand new purse. Below are a few shots of the neighborhood near the restaurant. I was eerily reminded of Vaihingen, near Stuttgart.

I really liked the art in the restaurant, especially where we were sitting. I even took a couple of photos. I was less impressed by the music, which was too loud for my taste, and sounded like Greek pop. I also didn’t like the chairs, which were well cushioned, but uncomfortably narrow, and they all had armrests. Granted, I am overweight, but so are a lot of other people… I’m sure if I was uncomfortable, other patrons have been uncomfortable, too. There was a larger man sitting behind me whom I’m sure didn’t like the chairs, either. That said, I guess I need to take more walks and drink less beer. Maybe my ass will get smaller.

*The tree art was especially interesting. It was textured. I’d like to hang that in our living room.*

Bill ordered a bottle of wine and a large bottle of sparkling water for us to share. For dinner, I ordered pork gyros with potato “chips” (more like soft medallions) and t’zatziki. Bill got the bifteki, which was a mixture of chopped beef, lamb, and vegetables stuffed with cheese. Both dishes came with a small, simple salad, which I really appreciated. Bill finished his dish, while I took about half of mine home. Maybe I’ll finish it today or tomorrow.

When it came time to pay, there was an issue with the credit card machine, which, for some reason, wouldn’t accept Bill’s card. Fortunately, he had enough cash to pay the check. I think it came to about 77 euros, or so. We killed the pain with a house shot of ouzo.

It was still daylight when we got home. We enjoyed the rest of the evening inside, listening to music. Today, it’s kind of cold and rainy. I liked the Akropolis Restaurant fine, although the chair was uncomfortable. After awhile, I didn’t notice it that much. If we go back, I’ll probably order a different dish, as the gyros were a little too seasoned for my taste.

I’m not sure what we’ll do today… perhaps we’ll visit post and price new mattresses. We REALLY need a new one, but our bed is an American king, and it’s hard to find those on the German economy. We bought our first bed and mattress together at the PX on Fort Belvoir, about 20 years ago. We still have that mattress. And we bought another bed set and mattress at a Haverty’s in Georgia back in 2009. That mattress is in dire need of replacement. It’s like sleeping in two valleys. But it may be a real pain to buy a mattress from AAFES (the PX), because it will probably have to be ordered, and that will take awhile. Plus, there’s the issue of getting it set up– I’m not sure if they offer a white glove service. We’ll investigate it, just the same. My back needs a break.

Below are a few photos I took of a beautiful yellow rose bush in my neighborhood. I love how Germans take care of their gardens and have so many beautiful flowers in the spring, even though it wreaks havoc on my allergies…

I also replaced my beautiful green leather purse this week– the one I bought in Florence, back in 2022. The strap on it needs repair. I ordered a brown version of the same purse from the same retailer in Florence, Pelleteria Fratellini. I like the brown purse, and it will probably go with more things… but I really love the green one. We’ll have to get the strap fixed. They didn’t have any green ones in stock when I looked last weekend.

I was amused to see that one of our neighbors was apparently getting rid of a desk. I happen to have an identical IKEA desk that I inherited from our very first German landlord in Ammerbuch. At the time, he worked for IBM, but he now works as a mental health therapist in Tübingen. We really liked him. Before we met our current landlord, he was the best landlord we’d ever had. I think he and Bill have a lot in common. I hope he’s doing well.

*This desk is just like mine, except it’s in better shape. My desk was originally purchased by our first German landlord.*

Well, that about does it for today’s post. Very soon, I’ll be planning our trip to Lithuania for my birthday. That will be exciting, because Lithuania is another country to cross off our bucket list. It will be the first time either of us have visited.

The Traveling Overeducated Housewife

…the wanderings and ramblings of a boring housewife…

Tag Archives: restaurant reviews