Tag Archives: Stuttgart

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Fischmarkt festing, wine tasting, and steak…

Yesterday, Bill and I were sitting around talking about how we wanted to spend our Saturday.  Although I’m almost totally over the sickness that sidelined me a couple of weeks ago, I still have an annoying lingering cough.  We were looking at visiting a mine near us that is recommended for people with asthma, which I supposedly have.  It turns out the mine isn’t open in July.

Then I realized that the Hamburger Fischmarkt will be over as of tonight.  I do love my fish, even if I don’t always love crowds.  The Hamburger Fischmarkt, which is held every year in cities all over Germany, is always pretty crowded, but there’s good food, music, and plenty of booze.  We headed to the Herrenberg train station, since we knew parking could be a challenge.  Stuttgart is also hosting the Jazz Open festival right now and there’s also a culture fest going on.

We parked at the Herrenberg station and I was immediately confronted by some very charming political statements painted on the walls.  Sometimes graffiti is interesting because it can be a commentary by the people.  Suffice to say, there are people out there who were not impressed by the G20 and let it be known all over the walls.  In the interest of keeping my blog post rated PG, I will not post the pictures here.  Maybe I’ll put them on my regular blog.

There was a large “hen party” that arrived at about the same time we did.  The large group of women had matching t-shirts and whistles, which they proceeded to blow several times before and during the ride to Stuttgart.  We were sitting near the front of the train and could hear them all the way in the back of the car.  They sounded like they were having a lot of fun, although maybe not as much fun as the hen party we ran into in Luxembourg back in 2012.  That party featured a woman wearing a rubber phallus on her nose, adult diapers, and an old lady’s dress.  There was also a guy wearing women’s lingerie and a sign that read “I love penis.” on his back.  That was funny, but what was funnier were the nuns who were in the same car and the Asian tourists who wanted a picture.  And the hen party revelers happily obliged.

Stuttgart was busy yesterday!

 

The Fischmarkt was also very busy.  As soon as we entered the market, we were almost swept away by a current of people walking around, checking out the food booths.  There were all kinds of fishy delights available, everything from smoked salmon to fried shrimp.

 

As you might expect, the focus is on eating and drinking.  We took a seat at a table and a waiter soon appeared to take our drink order.  We asked for a couple of Jever Pils.  Jever clearly invests a lot in this market.  If you want food, you have to get it yourself.  I sent Bill to find us something fried.

 

Meanwhile, I focused on the beer.  These .3 liter glasses were four euros each– actually three euros with a one euro “pfand”.  For those who don’t know, the “pfand” is money you pay to ensure that you bring back the dishes and glasses.  You get the euro back when you bring back the glass or plate.

 

I had to include at least one shot of my disinterested husband…  😉  

 

And he’s always a provider!  He found us some fish croquettes and shrimp.  Both came with super fresh bread and a delicious garlic sauce.  The shrimp were a hit with me.  I liked the fish too, although they brought back memories of eating fish sticks in the late 70s.

 

Bill enjoys the fish… and we listen to the hawkers selling fruit, wurst, and cheese…

 

I was tempted by the crepes.  They smelled delicious!

 

Pickles!

On the way out, we stopped by a stand selling wine.  We had a couple of glasses of champagne.  Then I realized we could walk a ways away from the market and taste some other wines.  We headed to the markthalle, where there is a wine bar called Der Weinhandlung Kreis.  

 

The wine bar is actually a tiny place, but they always have good music played on vinyl and tasty wines.  If you want, you can have a small snack.  We didn’t want.

 

He had red.  I had white.  And I also tried another glass of champagne, one I had not heard of before.

 

I got a kick out of the Guns n’ Roses t-shirts I saw yesterday… and the acid washed jeans!
 

After we stopped for wine, we needed a bathroom.  We had to walk through the culture fest to find one.


I love big signs that advertise WCs.

This festival actually looked pretty interesting.  They had food from different countries, live music, and lots of things to buy.  I think I might have enjoyed that more than the fish market.  With the Jazz Open also going on, Stuttgart was teeming with people!

On the way to the WC, we spotted a wine bar we had not seen before.  We briefly considered tasting more wine, but then looked at the time and realized our dogs were waiting for their dinner and a pee break.

But next time we’re in downtown Stuttgart, we will have to drop by.

More scenes from the summer culture festival, which ends today.  They had some really nice food booths there, including one with Cuban delicacies.

 

We got home from our festing at about 6:00pm, realizing we didn’t have much in the way of dinner fixings.  I got the bright idea to go to Tommi’s Bistro, since it had been awhile since our last visit.  We were the only ones there at about 7:00pm.  The sous chef was hanging out at the bar, playing on his computer.  Nevertheless, we both enjoyed our steaks and, by the time we left, there were two other couples dining.

I had my usual rib eye and wild potatoes.

Bill had a rump steak and pommes.  These were both the smaller cut at 200 grams.  Our waitress last night was awesome, as usual.  She did her best to upsell, although we were both a little too full.  It occurs to me I could use more roughage in my diet.

On the walk home, I noticed someone with a brand new American style two car garage.  I took a photo for posterity.

Tommi’s is going to be closing for the month of August, but is open for the rest of July and after September 1st.  All in all, we had a great time yesterday.  I do enjoy the fish market, although one visit a year is probably plenty for me.  Last year, we didn’t go to the fish market, but we did see Van Morrison during the Jazz Open.  Maybe next year, we’ll catch another show instead of eating fried shrimp (although they were delicious!).  It’s a real treat to live near a city where so much is going on and we don’t have to drive to get there.

Today, we’re hoping to visit a silver mine.  Stay tuned for the write up.

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Partytime!

Last night, I met some people who read this blog regularly.  It always cracks me up when I run into people in the Stuttgart area who have read my rag.  They usually notice Bill first, because I make a point of putting a picture of him in all of my posts.  I put Bill’s pictures in the blog because it’s a running joke that started a few years ago.  Bill and I share a lot of inside jokes.  It’s part of our collective charm, I guess.  The truth is, Bill is low key and not overly fond of being photographed.  He’s become more tolerant because I often manage to get decent shots.

We met the readers at a party Bill and I attended last night.  Our host was one of Bill’s former co-workers, from the time when Bill was here as an Army officer working for EUCOM.  Bill’s former co-worker is retired, like Bill is, and works as a contractor, also like Bill.  I don’t know the guy that well, although we did attend the same Lyle Lovett concert back in March 2009 at the Liederhalle.  His parties are apparently legendary, though, and now that I’ve attended one, I can see why.

We arrived late in the afternoon.  A crowd had already gathered around the grill, where an impressive spread of a variety of meats were being cooked.  We had salmon, chicken, pork, lamb, and beef, as well as an array of sausages made of venison and elk.  There were lots of side dishes, too.  I wish I had gotten the recipe for the corn casserole.  That was delicious!

I sat down and started chatting with people.  There were only a few there that I knew.  After we’d been there for a little while, a couple walked in.  One guy, who hasn’t worked with Bill, took one look at him and said, “The Overeducated Housewife!”  And Bill smiled and pointed at me, which made me laugh.  The guy’s wife came over and gave me a big hug.  I have to admit, Bill is the face of my travel blog… despite the fact that he usually blinks when people take his picture.

Could my Bill’s head be turning like Spongebob’s after he was on a commercial?  Not likely.

We really had a good time last night.  I don’t always do well at parties because I either get carried away and run my mouth too much or I feel shy and uncomfortable.  But we were hanging out with a couple I knew from prior events hosted by Bill’s soon to be former company.  We just sat around and chatted about life in the United States.  The couple we spent the most time talking to last night will be heading back to the States after a long stint in Germany.  I am a little sad to see them go now.

A few of my friends who arrived in 2014 have already PCS’d out.  We thought we might have to move ourselves; but it seems we have a new lease on life here… for the time being, anyway.  I’m not complaining, even though I will miss my friends.  The truth is, I’d miss them anyway, since we wouldn’t be going where they are going.  I am very happy that we don’t have to move, although it’s now become clear that even if we had moved, it would not have been back to America.

One thing I noticed while sitting on our host’s balcony was that his neighborhood is a bit densely populated.  Consequently, we noticed quite a few locals passing the party and looking over at us with curiosity.  I saw more than a few expressions of what appeared to be disdain or disapproval.  Granted, our group was large and perhaps noisier than what they’re used to.  But then Bill went to fetch our car and noticed that one of our host’s neighbors was also hosting a gathering and they were as noisy as we were.  In a couple of weeks, we’re supposed to attend a BBQ thrown by our neighbors.  I wonder if people will be giving us the stinkeye if we’re partying with locals.

Speaking of stinkeyes.  I keep meaning to write about this.  Our house sits next to a very large field.  We have a wall of windows and the rolladens are usually up.  Sometimes, when we’re eating dinner, people will pass by.  Many times, they have dogs with them, which make my dogs go berserk.  I notice that as they pass and my dogs go nuts, these looky lous will stop and gawk at us.  I’m usually standing there in my nightgown, trying to wrestle the dogs away from the window so they aren’t too disruptive to our neighbors.  The passers by will just stand there and stare, causing the dogs to bark more and me to give them one of my trademark death ray glares.  It’s probably funny for them to see that.  Maybe that’s why they stare.  Or maybe they wonder why our dogs aren’t trained or I’m not dressed.  I wonder what they’d do if I mooned them…  We might get a visit from the authorities.

I wasn’t actually planning to write about last night.  I didn’t take any pictures.  Someone asked if I would write about the party and I said, “Why would I do that?”  I figure what goes on at a party should stay at a party.  I also figured most people wouldn’t be interested.  But since I know I do have a few regular readers who were partying with us last night, I decided I might as well write.  Besides, nothing salacious happened, other than being on the receiving end of a few disapproving looks from the host’s neighbors.  You can get those anywhere at any time going about your regular business, right?  The food and company were great and we had a fantastic time.  Bill is now picking up a used freezer from his soon to be former colleague.  Maybe later today, we’ll have a new culinary experience or something.  Or… maybe not.

Thanks again to everyone who reads my blog.  I mainly write it to stay productive and pass time.  It is gratifying to know that some people like it and find it useful and/or entertaining.  I’m not doing this for fame or recognition, but I have to admit it does tickle me when we get recognized.  😀

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Ten great date night restaurants in or near Stuttgart, volume 2!

Although this blog was originally intended to be about travel, I have found myself posting a whole lot of restaurant reviews for the Stuttgart area.  It seems my restaurant and local attraction reviews have become more popular than my travel posts ever were.  A few months ago, I posted a list of ten great date night restaurants my husband Bill and I have found since we moved back to the Stuttgart area in 2014.  Since that first post was so popular and we have since been to more good restaurants, I figure it’s time for another list.

As before, I am not ranking these restaurants in any particular order.  I like them all and for different reasons.  All of these restaurants have been reviewed on this blog.  Some restaurants have been reviewed more than once, so if you want to read more, you should check the tags for other reviews.  Many of these places are best booked ahead of time.  In most cases, you can find them listed on OpenTable.  Here goes.

10.  Finch – Degerloch

 

Finch is the restaurant for the Waldhotel, which is a lovely hotel in the Degerloch area of Stuttgart.  Although it’s a bit pricey, the food and service at Finch are excellent.  Bill and I dined there in late March of this year because we were staying at the hotel for easy access to the Porsche Arena.  Finch offers a menu that includes everything from German schnitzel to venison, as well as a few vegetarian and vegan options.  I highly recommend making reservations if you plan to dine at Finch; the venue is small.  I especially recommend this restaurant if you’re also staying in the very nice hotel.

I loved this shrimp tempura appetizer.

9.  Alte Post -Nagold (unfortunately, Alte Post is now closed.)

The Alte Post is the fancy upstairs dining room at Luz Bistro in Nagold.  I have written about Luz Bistro before and, indeed, it was one of the ten restaurants I recommended on my first “date night” post.  The Alte Post is run by the same people, but it’s a much different experience.  The Alte Post restaurant is only open from Wednesday to Sunday and it’s a bit more formal (and much more expensive) than Luz Bistro is.  However, although we dropped a whole lot of euros at Alte Post, it remains a memorable place for a date night.  You can order between three and and seven courses and spend a luxurious evening enjoying all manner of exotic dishes.  Each course is set; you don’t get a choice, except in the number of courses you order.  Reservations are a must, but it truly is an amazing experience for foodies.  Be careful, though.  You could find yourself eating something you never thought you would.

This was a raw lamb course marinated in tomatoes, garlic, and basil.  I don’t usually like lamb, but this was excellent.  

8.  Grüner Baum -Tailfingen

Grüner Baum is a casual French restaurant in a little town called Tailfingen, which is not far from Nagold, Bondorf, or Herrenberg.  Bill and I dined there last fall and I was blown away by the experience.  We sat outside in the charming yard, which is a good bet for a nice day.  There’s also a pleasant dining room for days when the weather is not so good.  I have never not seen this restaurant busy and parking can be scarce, but it’s well worth the effort to get to if only to try it once.  I love this place for the fact that it’s a change of pace and offers something besides Swabian, Italian, or Greek food.  This place specializes in crepes, but there are also plenty of other French delights on the menu. We need to get back there soon!

A little charcuterie…  

 

And a crepe!

 

7.  Ristorante da Maurizio -Stuttgart (this restaurant has changed names; it’s now called Aria)

Here’s a nice Italian entry, located on Calwer Strasse in downtown Stuttgart.  Ristorante da Maurizio is billed as a wine bar, but we were there for the food.  Last summer, Bill and I enjoyed a very pleasant evening repast outside.  It was a prime area for people (and pigeon) watching, but I was very impressed by the food and wine.  And, with a little planning, it would probably make for a nice place for a date.

Sinful burrata appetizer!  

 

Fried perch with peaches and mint!

 
 

6. Zum Reussenstein -Böblingen

I probably don’t need to write too much about this popular Swabian eatery in Böblingen.  I understand this restaurant is already well-known among Americans, especially those who live near Panzer Kaserne.  Bill and I dined at Zum Reussenstein last year having wisely made reservations beforehand.  This restaurant features beautifully prepared Swabian delectables at a fair price.  I’m told the place is owned by a famous German TV chef.

Fantastic ham and asparagus with Hollandaise sauce…

 

5.  Reiskorn -Stuttgart

I am including Reiskorn in this list for those who are dining with vegetarians, vegans, or people who are on gluten free diets.  Reiskorn is an adorable little eatery in downtown Stuttgart.  Its menu caters to those who prefer to eat meat free, although it’s not a meat free restaurant.  Although Reiskorn’s atmosphere is a bit hectic due to its small size, the food is phenomenal and it really offers a nice change of pace, especially for those who have special dietary needs.  Reservations are highly recommended because the inside dining room is very small and it does get busy and crowded.

Vegan, gluten free falafel!  It was delicious!

4.  Buffalo Grill and Bar -Gärtringen (this restaurant is now closed)

Looking for a more casual place to take your honey?  Like burgers and steaks?  You might want to visit Buffalo Grill and Bar in Gärtringen.  Bill and I visited in April to try their burgers, which are, to date, the best I’ve had in these parts.  We enjoyed the restaurant so much that we went back the next day to try their steaks.  To be honest, I liked my burger better than the steak I had.  There’s plenty of parking and a nice outdoor area.  It’s also pretty kid friendly, in case you can’t find a sitter for your date night.  Prices are very fair and reservations are not needed.

Well, it’s not your traditional date night location, but not everyone wants fancy food on a date!

 

As of July 31, 2018, Buffalo Grill and Bar is closed.  🙁

 

3.  Die Kelter -Tübingen

Die Kelter is a really cool restaurant in Tübingen.  It offers a nice biergarten area, a bar, and an awesome indoor dining room.  Although it’s a pretty casual place, especially at lunchtime, there are some interesting options available during the dinner hour.  Vegan and vegetarian options are available, as well as choices for people with more carnivorous palates.  I like to go to Die Kelter for cocktails; they have several creative ones available in their bar.  Above all, I love the atmosphere in this restaurant, along with the way it always smells… delicious!  If you visit on a weekend night, you may want to make reservations.  Die Kelter does get crowded sometimes.

Pastrami and salad at lunchtime.  We have also been for dinner, but unfortunately, I have no pictures!

 

An example of one of Die Kelter’s awesome cocktails!

2.  Restaurant Rosenau -Tübingen

This is another Tübingen restaurant, located on the outskirts of town not far from the hospital.  The dining room is pleasant and service is very competent.  The food could be described as upscale Swabian-French.  On the night we visited, the atmosphere was subdued and very relaxing.  We are definitely due for another visit.

Duck cooked to perfection with Dauphine potatoes.

 

1.  Der Zauberlehrling -Stuttgart

We’ve actually dined at Stuttgart’s Der Zauberlehrling twice.  The first time we ate there, it was 2008 and I didn’t have my camera.  Last time we went was in April of this year and we had a marvelous time.  One thing to know about Der Zauberlehrling is that on Saturday nights, they have “candelight theme nights”.  On those nights, a multi-course set menu with an optional wine pairing is offered and everyone shows up at the same time and gets the same thing.  The food is very good and the service is outstanding.  Also, the restaurant is connected to a quirky hotel, so you can stay the night if you want to.  A la carte dining is offered on other nights, although be aware that this restaurant is not open on Sundays.  If you’re dining on Saturday night, you should definitely make reservations.

Chilled gazpacho with basil ice cream!  This was literally very cool!

 

So there you have it… ten more places to try in the Stuttgart environs.  I am now reminded that Bill and I need to go out to dinner more often and expand our horizons!

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Baden-Württemberg, Sundays

Ten more things to do in the Stuttgart area on a Sunday…

In April 2016, I wrote a post inspired by a rant by a newcomer in one of our local Facebook groups.  The newbie was perplexed about what to do in Stuttgart on a Sunday.  Actually, I kind of felt that person’s pain.  I’m old enough to remember the days when Sundays pretty much sucked.  When I was a kid, stores were closed on Sundays and there was nothing but sports and old movies on TV.  I’d be forced to go to church and come home to brunch.  Then it would be pure boredom, at least until I was old enough to have a horse to ride and clean up after.

Coming to Germany, where stores are closed on Sundays and I don’t get TV, was almost a throwback to those old times.  Of course now that I’m grown, I can drink beer and have sex with my husband, not that we necessarily do that. I learned from my first time living here that time is precious.  It’s no good sitting around in your house when your days living in Europe could be limited.  The first time we lived here, we didn’t quite get two years.  We spent entirely too many days sitting around doing nothing on Sundays.  This time, we are determined to make our Sundays count.  I think you should make your Sundays count, too.  So I’m going to make another list of ten things to do in the Stuttgart area on Sundays.

These suggestions are not ranked in any particular order.  Many of them might have appeared on the first list.  If I double up on a suggestion, it’s because I really think it’s worth doing.  Or I’ve run out of ideas.  Forgive me.  I’m still recovering from my sickness, probably contracted during last week’s excursions.

10.  Go barefoot in the park!

Okay… so I did mention this possibility in my first post.  But I wrote that post before I actually experienced one of Germany’s awesome barefoot parks.  We have one in Dornstetten, which is about a half an hour from where I live in Unterjettingen.  It’s probably a bit further for those of you living closer to the military installations.  If you have kids, this is a great activity.  If you are a big kid, this is a great activity.  After you’re finished hopping across a trampoline, walking through mud, traipsing across glass, and hopefully not falling on your ass, you can have a snack at the on site imbiss.  Bill and I went last summer and Bill, who is definitely not as big of a kid as I am, still talks about it.  I have a feeling we’ll be going back soon.

9.  Visit caves!

I also mentioned caves in my first post, but that was before I actually went to any in the Stuttgart area.  And funny enough, the ones I linked to are ones I haven’t been to yet.  Last weekend, Bill and I visited three (technically four) caves in towns about an hour from Stuttgart.  It turns out this area is full of them and they range in difficulty, but the price is definitely right and they are generally open on Sundays.  If you have young children, I highly recommend the Bärenhöhle, which is very kid friendly and doesn’t take too long.  Afterwards, you can visit Traumland, which is a kid friendly amusement park.  For older kids, there’s the Tiefenhöhle, which is the only vertical cave in Germany that is open to the public.  Fair warning– this cave is pretty challenging and is probably best suited for older kids who respect heights.  If the kids aren’t worn out after the cave, you can venture next door to Kletterwald, which is a ropes course.  Or they can just play on the equipment set up right next to the biergarten.

8.  Visit a Biergarten!

The Stuttgart area is loaded with great places to drink beer.  I have linked to my review of the Schwabengarten, but after almost a total of five years living in this area, we have only been there once.  We are usually partial to biergartens closer to us.  We like the Neckarmueller in Tuebingen or the Longwy Bar in Nagold.  Check your area for good watering holes.  They are especially great to visit after a walk in one of Stuttgart’s many great parks.

7.  Try a new museum!

I love to visit quirky museums and the Stuttgart area has its share of them.  The first time we lived here, we visited the Mercedes Museum, which was certainly interesting.  This time, we have visited the Schweine Museum.  A couple of weeks ago, we visited a kids’ science museum.  Yes, people gave us looks for visiting a kids’ museum, but we had fun anyway.  Want something a little more precious?  You can also check out fancy rocks on Sunday…

6.  Feed some monkeys!

If you’ve already been to Wilhelma Zoo, you can venture down to “Monkey Hill”, where very intelligent monkeys will take popcorn from you.  It’s a lot of fun and a great way to kill a Sunday!

5.  Get naked!

I mentioned spas in my first post on this subject.  That post was written before I ever had the pleasure of being naked in front of a bunch of Germans.  A few weeks ago, Bill and I visited Palais Thermal in Bad Wildbad, the very same town where the famous “treewalk” is located (another great Sunday activity in these parts).  We ended up going native at the spa…  I must say, it was a really liberating experience, if not exactly kid friendly (not that that matters to me).  Not into nudity?  You can visit the Paracelus Therme, a spa in Bad Liebenzell, which I understand does not have a textile free area.  Also, the Mineraltherme should be opening again soon–  that spa offers a nude area only in the lower level.

4.  Break out of a room!

Stuttgart has Exitgames, which is an activity where couples or groups try to “break out” of a room.  I haven’t tried this myself, although it is definitely on the list.  Exitgames can be booked online and Sunday slots are available.  Stay tuned.  I have a feeling Bill and I will be paying a visit very soon.

3.  Go for a drive!

This is another activity I have yet to try myself.  Basically, you drive a “hot rod” car and go for a tour.  Fair warning.  You have to be at least 18 and a licensed driver to do this activity, but it definitely looks like fun.  Even better, it’s based in beautiful Calw, which is not far from where I live and I can attest to how enchanting the area is.

2.  Hit a fest!

The above link is to just one example of the fests that are available in the Stuttgart area.  One lovely thing about Germans is that they always find a reason to celebrate.  I found a wine fest in early April because a German friend alerted me to it.  Turns out the wine fest goes on every year.  Many communities offer weekly papers alerting to what is going on, or you could join the local Facebook group dedicated to local events and holidays.  Chances are, if it’s a weekend, someone is having a fest somewhere.

1.  Leave the country!

Remember that France and Switzerland are both less than two hours away.  If you have no other pressing commitments, you can easily take a great day trip to either country.  Just be aware that if you plan to drive on the high speed roads in Switzerland, you will need to purchase a vignette, which you can get at either the border or your local ADAC store.  They are good from December 1 of the previous year until January 31st of the next year.  So if you buy one on December 1, 2017, you have until January 31, 2019 to use it.

In France, you don’t need a vignette.  However, if you take a high speed road, you may end up paying tolls.  Have some euros available for that possibility– and consider sticking around the Alsace region to avoid that possibility.  You may also want to do your homework, since France and Switzerland also close stuff on Sundays.  And don’t forget your passports!  It’s not likely you’ll have to show them to anyone, but there’s always a chance you will need them.

Having driven B28 to France a few times, I can attest to how charming the area is.  You might decide to stop on the way…  The Black Forest has a lot to offer, including several lakes where you can go swimming.  It may turn out you don’t need to cross the border if you happen across a town that speaks to you.  You might even encounter a fest.  I guess my best advice is to not be afraid to wander.  You never know what (or who) you’ll run into.  No, you can’t hit the mall on most Sundays in Germany, but you can find something to do.  Chances are, it will mean a lot more to you than the mall will, anyway.

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Italy vs. Germany…

Well, folks, the time has come to decide what to do next.  Bill’s job ends in 56 days.  A few days ago, he got a tentative job offer to move to Vicenza, Italy as a GS employee.  That would mean he would no longer be a contractor.  Instead, he’d be working in the government service, something that I think would make him happier in the long run.

It’s a good job.  We love Italy.  I hate moving, but I’ve done it plenty of times… If we moved there, it would be my fifth overseas experience and my fourth country.  But…

I think it will take a long time to arrange moving to Italy.  We may or may not get an overseas living quarters allowance.  And while we could live on what the government would pay, it would be hard to move to Italy without help from the feds.  And… did I mention that I HATE moving?  I have done it many times and don’t enjoy it.  And I am perfectly happy staying here in Germany, even though Italy is lovely.

Compounding matters is that we have a Scottish/Northern Irish cruise planned for September.  I will be going on this cruise regardless, even if Bill can’t come.  I can’t buy plane tickets or plan for a hotel room, because we don’t know where we’ll be.  And we also have our dogs booked with Max at Dog On Holiday.  Although this trip is after Labor Day, I worry that we won’t find care for them in Italy.  From what I’ve read, it can take time to get approval to live in Italy, which is a big problem.

A week ago, we were worried about whether we could stay in Germany.  But now, we have a choice between two appealing places.  Both have their plusses and minuses.  I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but it does appear that we won’t be leaving Europe.  That suits me fine.

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I was expecting better from Pier 51…

Every once in awhile, I run across a restaurant in the Stuttgart area that gets talked about a lot.  I had heard a lot about Pier 51, a restaurant that is part of the same group that owns Cube, an expensive and highly regarded restaurant downtown.  Bill and I dined at Cube in January and had a good experience.  I kept hearing how great Pier 51 is.  Yesterday, I decided to book it, thinking we were going to have a fancy night out.

Well… tonight was definitely memorable.  We didn’t have a horrible experience, but it definitely could have been better than it was.  Some of what happened was beyond the staff’s control, but I found the service to be a bit off tonight.  I was also feeling a bit tired and out of sorts, which didn’t help matters.

We arrived at the restaurant at about 6:00pm, which is when we made our reservation using Pier 51’s online system.  There are several parking spots behind the restaurant as well as a garage.  We got there early enough that there were plenty of spots in the lot behind the restaurant.  For those who prefer public transportation, there’s a U-Bahn stop right across the street.  So kudos to Pier 51 for that.

Willkommen…

Pier 51 is convenient to the U-bahn.

We walked into the restaurant and I immediately smelled truffles.  Bill was excited because he was looking forward to trying their truffle fries.  I avoid all things fungal, so I wasn’t as excited.  I noticed all the signs in English and they reminded me a lot of 80s era “Please wait to be seated” signs I might see in a Shoney’s.  The hostess/manager first tried to seat us at a two top next to a large party when there were several two tops open that weren’t near a crowd of people.  I think she caught the look on my face and offered us what appeared to be a good table by a window.  A family of four was seated near us– a couple and their two young, adorable kids, a girl of about four and her little brother, who appeared to be about two.

A waitress came over to take our drink order after dropping off a menu.  Bill ordered mineral water with gas.  She left before we ordered wine.  Her male colleague dealt with us for most of the rest of the evening, but it took him awhile to get to us.  Consequently, we had time to observe the family sitting near us… actually, we had time to listen to their kids shriek.  Apologies to all of the parents of very young kids who might be reading this review.  Bear in mind that I’m almost 45 and don’t have kids, so I’m not used to hearing them do a lot of yelling.  I like kids fine and I understand that they are not really in control of their behavior when they are as young as these two were.  But you know, very young kids have shrill voices that can cut right to your heart and jangle the nerves.  These kids were doing a lot of squealing throughout our meal and their high pitched vocals were anything but adding to the ambiance.

Anyway, the waiter finally came over and we put in our order.  Bill got a Caesar salad.  I got salmon tartar.  We also got surf and turf for two.  We also ordered bearnaise and pepper sauce and sides of truffle fries and macaroni and cheese, all of which cost extra.  The surf and turf is charged based on weight.  We got the smallest portions available.  That proved to be a good plan, since the portion sizes weren’t too huge.

Obligatory shot of Bill before my temper got too short.

 

The waiter brought out fresh bread and raw vegetables.  There was butter for the bread and two kinds of dip for the veggies.  One of the dips tasted like a sweet pepper relish of some kind.  The other was a very tasty basil garlic cream creation.

I didn’t want to load up too much on the bread and veggies, though…

The table with the little kids must have arrived just before we did because they got their food just before we did.  The food sort of kept the tykes quiet, although the little boy (who probably should have been in a highchair) kept standing on his chair.  I cringed as I watched him reach for one of the plates the waiter was delivering.  I used to wait tables myself and one thing you NEVER want to do is try to reach for something the server is balancing.  Fortunately, a disaster was averted and the food was delivered without incident.  However, neither mom nor dad did anything to correct the boy.

Meanwhile, our wine was delivered.  After pouring some for us, the waiter took the bottle and set it on the bar, probably because we were at a small table.  At finer restaurants, it’s customary for the wait staff to pour the wine.  I don’t necessarily mind this practice as long as the wait staff is attentive.  Otherwise, the wine ends up being held hostage… and boy, did I need wine to get through our meal and dull the squawks from the little kids sitting near us.  Bless their hearts.  It was probably way past their bedtimes.

As we sipped wine, I noticed that the window I was sitting right next to offered a view of the outdoor ashtray.  Several people loitered outside finishing their cigarettes and checking their iPhones.  I might not have noticed this if I wasn’t already in a bit of a mood.  Our server came back and brought us the appropriate silverware for the rest of our meal.

My salmon tartar.  This was citrus cured salmon topped with a thick layer of creme fraiche, avocado, and roe with bits of endive.  The green pearls were avocado creme.  This was a pricy starter, but pleasant enough.  

 

Bill had a standard issue Caesar salad.

 

The manager cleared our dishes after we assured her the food tasted good.  We just didn’t want to get overloaded with food before our main course arrived.

A close up of the surf and turf.  We got a petit filet and split a lobster, which came with drawn butter.  The bearnaise sauce was extra.

I had a side of macaroni and cheese, which tasted like it was made of Gruyere cheese.  It wasn’t bad, although I like my mac and cheese made with slightly more pedestrian cheese.  I finished about half.

Bill’s dish looked the same, except for the truffle fries topped with Parmesan cheese.

 

While we were eating, the tykes at the table near us got up and started running around the restaurant.  Their mother half-heartedly tried to corral them at the table.  Dad, who had a rather prodigious gut with a correspondingly flat posterior that didn’t hold up his jeans, stepped outside for a smoke.  He stood in front of the window next to our table and hitched up his pants after rearranging some “stuff”.  Bill laughed at the faces I made, since it was unavoidable for me not to see what he was doing.  His ass was basically flush with the window.  If we ever dine at Pier 51 again, I think I will ask for a table further away from the front windows and not take the one right next to the front door.

Dad came back into the restaurant.  I noticed his wife was dressed in a pretty red dress and heels.  He was dressed much more casually.  Actually, although Bill and I looked nicer than usual, Pier 51 appeared to be a fairly casual place.  Dad’s wardrobe was fine.  Mom was looking like she was hoping for a date.  Dad was looking like he just wanted to satisfy his hunger.  I watched as two parties got up to leave.  Both had kids as young as the ones sitting near us, although the other kids never made a peep.  As the adults with the young kids passed, I noticed as they gave the family a disapproving side eye.  I don’t think we were the only ones who were weary of all of the screeching.

Around this time, our wine glasses were empty.  Our waiter had fallen into the dreaded weeds and kind of forgot about us.  After awhile listening to more shrieks from the kids, I was really wanting wine.  It took some time before anyone noticed we were finished eating and wanting more vino.  Another waiter cleared our plates and asked us if we wanted another drink.  I said we had some wine.  He thought we wanted to order more wine and I had to point out our half full wine bottle sitting on the bar.  I had briefly considered getting up and rescuing it from the hostage situation it was in.

Finally, the manager clued in and came over with the bottle and poured the wine for us.  Then, for some reason, she took the last bit of it and set it back on the bar.  I noticed her go over and say something to our waiter, who eventually came over and apologized.

The family with the kids finally paid and left.  Our waiter offered us espresso on the house, which we gratefully accepted.  The espresso came with little brownies, which was enough dessert for me.  When the waiter asked if we wanted dessert, I said I just wanted to finish the wine.  Then, I watched in amazement as the waiter walked right past the bottle to another part of the restaurant.  He eventually came back and found our bottle for us.  He poured the last bit and we finished it.

Then we sat several more minutes before we could get the waiter’s attention and ask for the bill.  When he brought us the bill, Bill checked it over, noting that it was under 100 euros.  We sure weren’t expecting a check that low, so we flagged the waiter down again.  Sure enough, he’d brought us the wrong bill.  Our dinners came to just over 200 euros.  Bill paid with a credit card and slipped our waiter a tip in cash.

Look… I know parents with young kids want to go out to eat, too.  And kids should go out to eat because that’s how they learn how to behave in public.  These kids might have been tired and I give the parents props for at least showing up at the restaurant fairly early.  However, when you’re paying several hundred euros for a meal, it kind of sucks to listen to high pitched banshee sounds.  We were only in the restaurant for two hours, but it seemed like we were there a lot longer.  I was definitely ready to go.

That all being said… the food was good.  I wasn’t totally blown away by the surf and turf, but the food was attractively presented and tasted fine.  It was rather expensive for what it was, although it’s not so easy to find lobster in these parts.  About a year ago, Bill and I enjoyed a lovely dinner at the now defunct Ocean’s First in Holzgerlingen and I had a whole lobster there that was better than what we had tonight.  But it’s not easy to get a lobster fix in these parts.  I noticed that Pier 51 had lots of attractive looking steaks available, as well as a few other choices for non meat eaters and a couple of fish dishes.  They also have a cheeseburger that was tempting, though it’s hard to justify spending 23 euros on a burger, especially in Germany.

I visited the ladies room before we left and was perplexed to see this portrait in the stall…  

 

Anyway, I’d probably give Pier 51 another chance, although I think I’d go a little later in the evening. And I would definitely ask for a table away from the bar area, even though the bar was attractive.  I did enjoy the 70s era soul music they were playing, especially after the little tykes were no longer screeching along.  They also get points for having show jumping on the TV monitors.

My curiosity is now satisfied.

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Six miles at the Bärenschlössle im Rotwildpark and Schloss Solitude…

Although Bill and I have now lived in the Stuttgart area for almost five years, we never managed to visit the Bärenschlössle im Rotwildpark or Schloss Solitude until today.  I wasn’t actually planning to visit there this morning, but someone in a local Facebook group mentioned it and made it sound like a great place to see.  And I have heard so much about Schloss Solitude from all of the photographers who do shoots there; they always made it sound like such a beautiful place.  I didn’t even know that one could walk to Schloss Solitude from the Rotwildpark until we saw a sign for it near the Bärenschlössle.  I did not plan to walk almost six miles this afternoon, but I sure managed to do it and had a great time in the process.

My first clear shot of the water.  It was full of huge carp, turtles, and ducks.

The Rotwildpark is a large park very near Vaihingen.  There’s a beautiful lake there and many walking and biking trails.  I saw plenty of people with their dogs, although we left Zane and Arran at home.  I even saw a couple of dogs taking a dip in the lake, although I’m not sure if that’s verboten or not.  Once we parked at one of the many parking lots– free of charge, I might add– we set off for the Bärenschlössle, where we planned to have lunch.

This is where we parked…  These map signs are all over the area so you’ll know where you are. 

 

Lots of kids were playing on these wood sculptures, which were all over the park, especially near the Bear Castle.

The Bärenschlössle has a self-service restaurant where once can get sausages, pretzels, or a linsenteller.  There was also a teenager selling ice cream from a small stand.  I didn’t actually go into the restaurant because it was full of people.  Instead, I got us a table on the balcony overlooking the water and offering a great vantage point for people watching.  A lot of people were at the park today, taking advantage of the relatively sunny and warm weather we had for most of the day.

This was lunch.  It cost 18 euros for four very fresh wurst, two pretzels, sweet mustard, and two beers.  It hit the spot for our big walk.

 

A bird bravely stopped by to say hello.  This one was almost tame.  It actually took me some time to get my camera and the bird hung around long enough for me to capture an image.

After lunch, I went to the ladies room and happened to arrive there at the same time as a bunch of local women.  One of them said something to me in rapid fire German.  I responded in embarrassed English “I’m American.”  She responded in perfect English that she thought I should go first!  I was happy to oblige.  And with that bit of business taken care of, we started walking along the main drag toward the castle.

As we walked along the paved main drag, I took note of the cookout and play facilities for kids.  It looked like a number of people were taking advantage of the opportunity to picnic.

 

We stuck to the main road from the Bear Castle, but I noticed there were many more rustic looking trails.  You could probably visit there several times and never do the same walk twice.  To get to the castle, you have to cross a somewhat busy intersection after you go over a bridge.  Then, you share a dirt path with many bikers and whatever animals have traipsed through and left pungent smelling calling cards.  If you decide to walk to the castle from the Rotwildpark, I recommend watching where you step.

The walk to Schloss Solitude was about four kilometers.  Here’s Bill checking out the map before the driveway to Schloss Solitude.

 

This was my first time visiting Schloss Solitude, so I don’t know if today was a typical weekend.  We saw several wedding parties, including one that appeared to be from India.  We also saw a cute little girl having her first communion pictures taken.  There’s a museum at the castle, though we didn’t check it out.  I was in too much of a hurry to process the beer I had at lunchtime.  We stopped in the Der Kleine Cafe for cake and a weizen.

We were in luck!

 

Many people sat outside and caught some rays.  Bill and I sat inside and I got a good look at the display case full of pastries.  Bill and I both had Black Forest Cake.  I think it may have been the best I’ve ever had.

 

This was delicious!

 

After our cake and beer break, we walked around the grounds and I took some photos.  Like I said… lots to see today.  Plenty of people were there enjoying the views, green grass, flowers, and majestic architecture.  For some reason, I was reminded a little of Colonial Williamsburg, even though the castle looks nothing like what you’d see in Williamsburg.  I grew up near there, though, and I definitely had a sense of deja vu at Schloss Solitude.  Below are some shots I got this afternoon.

I seem to have caught one couple kissing.

One of many happy dogs we saw today.

Having grown up around horses and missing them terribly now, I had to take several shots of the horses at the castle.

A duck hauls ass in the water.

Lots of people were taking pictures of their kids on the bear sculptures.

It’s not an outing if I don’t take at least picture of graffiti or stickers.

I have to confess that my feet were hurting after that walk, mainly because I need new hiking shoes.  But I do feel pretty good after walking almost six miles.  Bill just told me he’s feeling very relaxed after our energetic stroll in the woods.  I would definitely recommend visiting this beautiful park in Stuttgart if the weather is good.  We had a nice visit today.  And you can’t beat the price, either!  Next time we visit, we’ll have to actually tour the Schloss instead of just walking around it.

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Chinese food and high end grocery shopping in Stuttgart!

I had fleeting thoughts of attending the Spring fest in downtown Stuttgart today, but Bill and I are getting too old to enjoy big crowds and really loud music.  Besides, for a long time, we had been wanting to shop at Feinkost Böhm, which is a really nice (and very expensive) food store.  When Bill realized that Feinkost Böhm has a sushi restaurant, we decided that was where we were going to spend our Saturday afternoon.  It’s been ages since we last had sushi.

We parked the car in an adjoining garage.  My Mini Cooper convertible, which we bought on the way back to the States in 2009 and which still has under 30,000 miles on it, fit very neatly between a Porsche and a BMW.  Sadly, my car is currently filthy, so it looked pretty sad between those sexy sports cars.

When we got to Feinkost Böhm, we found it teeming with people.  The sushi restaurant was packed and I was dangerously approaching hangry mode, thanks to a high carb breakfast this morning.  We walked back outside.  Bill asked me if I felt like going to a Turkish place near where our dentist’s office is.  I said no, which disappointed him.  But then, as we turned onto the main shopping drag in Stuttgart, we spotted China Garden’s huge sign on Königstraße.  It had also been ages since we last had Chinese food.  We walked up two flights of stairs and were promptly welcomed to sit down at a freshly vacated table by a window.

The big sign… you can’t miss it!

I see on Google that this particular restaurant does not get good ratings.  That’s a pity.  Today, we had a pretty good experience.  We both had hefeweizens and I had a bottle of mineral water.  Then we both ordered specials.  I had the crispy duck with asparagus and Bill had spicy chicken with peppers and onions.  The service was pleasant and the food got out to us quickly.  It also tasted good.  I felt a lot better in no time at all.

Bill checks the menu.

My crispy duck arrived quickly and was kept warm on a heater.  It came with white asparagus, bamboo shoots, carrots, and peas.  

Bill’s chicken was very tender, though not really that spicy.  I enjoyed both dishes, which came with a big pot of rice.

 

Total damage for this lunch was about 47 euros.  We left there full and contented.

The decor is very traditional looking.  It’s surprising to find this place on a higher level of an office building.  I happened to notice the music, too.  At one point, they were playing an odd Asian inspired cover of James Taylor’s classic “You Can Close Your Eyes”.

Fortified by lunch, we headed back to the Feinkost Böhm, which was still teeming with people.  Bill grabbed a cart and we started taking in the scene.  Lots of people with expensive tastes were walking around the place.  It was like Whole Foods on steroids.

We stopped for cheese first.  I’m not a cheese lover, so I let Bill do the choosing.  He left with goat cheese and a hard mild cheese.

I was tempted by the champagne bar… sadly, I didn’t wait long enough for my camera to focus.  There’s also a very impressive wine and liquor area.  Some wines are available for tasting.  We ended up getting a couple of Rieslings and a Gruener Veltliner, as well as a Sangiovese.

 

Feinkost Böhm is loaded with pricey goodies from all over the world.  You can find everything from escargot to mango flavored vinegar there.  I had to laugh, though, when I saw them selling things like Pepperidge Farm chocolate chunk cookies for over 6 euros a bag.  As I noticed the American goods, I was reminded that they were probably loaded with high fructose corn syrup.  Someone must buy them, though.

Your escargots…

Lots of meats…  Bill bought us a Scottish roast for about 30 euros.  It’s big enough for the two of us.

Very fancy vinegars.  I took this shot because the colors were so pretty.

There’s a sushi bar apart from the restaurant.  We picked some up for tonight’s dinner at home.  You can also sit at the bar and have wine with your raw fish.

Fancy oils abound…

And fancy desserts, too.  We came home with a small Sacher torte and an “American” chocolate cheesecake.

And there’s lovely produce, though we didn’t get any.

 

All in all, I believe Bill spent about 180 euros on our small order of food, although it’s very nice quality stuff.  We like trying different things from around the world.  We found Spanish tuna, bierwurst, Italian butter, fresh squeezed orange juice, and some exotic cookies from Scotland and Switzerland.  This store also has some beautiful food baskets that would make nice gifts, although they probably cost a fortune.  Luckily, Bill was able to use his credit card with no problem.

A less frilly shopping experience in downtown Stuttgart is the Markthalle, which also offers exotic goods, but for seemingly less money.  Every once in awhile, we like to splurge… although I don’t know if I’m going to want to go back to the Feinkost anytime soon.  There are way too many people in there at any given time and shopping there is as nervewracking as it is expensive.

After driving past a protest attended by polizei in riot gear, we stopped by Patch on the way home.  I had a good laugh when I noticed one of the security guy’s shoes.  He had silhouettes of curvaceous women on the sides of his sneakers.  They reminded me of the silhouettes of women one sees on the mudflaps on trucks.

All in all, it was a nice day downtown.  It was good to have Chinese food again.  And tonight, we’ll enjoy the sushi we were craving.

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Celebrating swine in Stuttgart…

Pig out!

Need something to do on a Sunday?  May I suggest Stuttgart’s kitschiest museum?  It’s a place utterly dedicated to the pig and the largest pig museum in the world, the Stuttgart Schweine Museum.

I don’t remember where I first heard about this place.  I want to say it was mentioned in a local Facebook group.  I know I also saw it highlighted in an online magazine article about quirky museums.  What can I say?  My people are originally from the same area where Foamhenge existed for years (it has since been moved to a new location).  I’m a sucker for the surreal.

I suggested a trip to the pig museum last weekend, but Bill and I were sidetracked by beer and wine tastings.  I thought we might go yesterday, but then we decided to go to Herrenberg today.  We thought about postponing our trip for another week when I realized how beautiful the weather is today.  I thought maybe the Schweine Museum might be better on a rainy day.  After some discussion, Bill and I decided we’d go… and then maybe drop by Killesberg Park for awhile.  Little did we know how absolutely HORRIBLE traffic was going to be.

At this point, we were very close to the museum… it still took about ten minutes to get there.  I think there was a game going on, which also made parking difficult.

 

Bill made me laugh pretty hard as we drove through one of Stuttgart’s many tunnels.  The GPS told him to make a U-turn and he said, “What?  I’m not making a U-turn!  Screw you!”  He gets pretty funny when he converses with computerized objects.  Thanks to the traffic going to a football game and the neverending road projects going on in the big city, it was kind of a challenge to get to the museum.  Once we got there, we had to find parking, which wasn’t so easy since a lot of people going to the game were availing themselves of parking at the pig museum.  Fortunately, we drove my Mini Cooper…

Props to Bill for his parking job.  He managed to squeeze into a tight spot.

 

Pigs are everywhere at the Schweine Museum.

The Schweine Museum has a very nice biergarten in the front and back.  There’s also a nice restaurant (called the Schlachthof Restaurant) on the first floor of the museum.  My guess is that many people come there for the food.  We saw plenty of people who were obviously in the area for football having lunch at the biergarten.  It was pretty full when we arrived, but had emptied out somewhat after we finished lunch.  It’s worthwhile, by the way, to stop in for food at the museum.  They had some great stuff, naturally inspired by pork. For those who aren’t pork eaters, there are other selections available.  Vegetarians and vegans might be a bit challenged, though.

Come on in… sit down and have a beer and a cigarette, if you want.  Smoking is allowed.

 

Someone (not me) obviously got bored while waiting for their order…  I have to admit being impressed.  It never would have occurred to me to add these features to the beer coasters.  I decided to be a good Samaritan and take these with me, lest any innocent children see them.

 

Bill laughs when I show him the adulterated coasters.

 

For lunch, Bill chose the barbecue pork burger, which came with onion rings, potato wedges, and kraut.  I had bratwurst, which also came with potato wedges and barbecue sauce.  Bill and I were delighted with the quality of the food.  I noticed that the company providing the food is the same one that owns Ampulle Dry Gin and Beef Club in Stuttgart.  We visited that restaurant last July and enjoyed it.  I’m glad to see they know what to do with pork, too.  Edited to add:  My German friend, Susanne, says the museum was founded by Erika Wilhelmer, who is the grandmother in the family that owns the Wilhelmer Gastronomie Company.  Wilhelmer Gastronomie is the force behind several food oriented outlets in the Stuttgart area.

The usual beer…

 

My fancy bratwurst.  It was very fresh, although the BBQ sauce reminded me of what they put on currywurst, minus the curry.

 

Bill’s pork burger.  It was a hit!  

 

Other choices included everything from salmon filet to pork t-bones to beef.  They also had salads and soups, as well as a kid’s menu.  Our lunch was about 36 euros before the tip.  Service was a little slow, but the servers were working hard.  It was a beautiful day and they were very busy.

 

After we ate and visited the loo, we went into the restaurant to find out how to visit the museum.  They lady running the museum had stepped out for a minute, so we ended up waiting for a few minutes.  After she sold us our tickets, a guy came in and started asking about the restaurant, at which point she pitched the museum to him.  I don’t know if she was the owner, but I would not be surprised if she was.  I read that the museum was moved to Stuttgart from Bad Wimpfen, a location near Heilbronn, just a few years ago.  The museum was housed in much smaller quarters in those days, but still made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest swine museum in the world.

The swine museum itself is on two floors.  I didn’t see any elevators, so I would guess this attraction would not be suitable for mobility challenged people or those with strollers.  I wouldn’t swear to this, though, so if this post makes you want to visit and you have mobility challenges, you might want to call ahead.  It costs 5,90 per adult to see the museum and that is the most you’ll pay for an hour or two of kitschy pig related fun!  Below are some pictures I took while browsing the exhibits, almost all of which had English translations of what we were looking at.

Pigs like this one are everywhere!

 

Outside, in front of the museum, there’s a lot to see.

Artwork near where you buy your tickets.  Looks like they had private dining rooms in that area, too.

Hours.

The two pictures above show who eats the most pork out of 75 of the 196 countries in the world.  Austria is #1.  USA is #21.  Not surprisingly, several countries heavily populated by Muslims come in last.

A pig inspired barbecue.

These helpful signs are translated in English, so you won’t wander from room to room learning by osmosis.

I would actually love to have this table.  I love this kind of stuff.

 

Pig booze?

Sexy pigs.

 

Today, I learned that pigs are rumored to have 30 minute orgasms!

X-rated pig stuff.  This is just one picture of several I could have taken.

Although most of the exhibits in the pig museum are good clean fun, I will caution those who are sensitive about sexually explicit exhibits.  There is one room, easily identified because it’s red, where there are some items that may not be suitable for children or uptight adults.  However, this room is easy to skip and you have to look closely to find the sexually explicit pig figurines.  I almost missed them myself, until Bill pointed them out to me.

For Lego lovers!

Kids play area!

Someone should have given us this for our wedding…

 

All in all, Bill and I really enjoyed our visit to the Schweine Museum.  It’s an inexpensive and fun place to visit, the food is great, and you will learn some surprising facts about pigs.  They have exhibits about everything from where pigs come from, to their intelligence level, to what it takes to hunt them.  I had no idea, for instance, that male boars in the wild are so cunning and dangerous.  There are also some interesting exhibits about where certain pig related sayings come from, such as “Casting one’s pearls before swine” and “Even a blind pig can find an acorn sometimes.”  I’m proud to report that I know more about pigs today than I did yesterday.  I would recommend this museum to anyone else who likes a little porking.

When pigs fly?

We also tried to visit Killesburg Park today, but there were way too many people there and it was impossible to find parking.  Maybe next time, we’ll take the U-Bahn and get there earlier in the day.

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Staycationing in Stuttgart #2… the Wald Hotel and Finch Restaurant

Tuesday, March 28, 2017 was a day Bill and I had looked forward to for months.  On the 29th, we would both see Sting perform in concert at the Porsche Arena.  On the 28th, we’d have a lovely meal at a hotel restaurant called Finch.

Early that morning, Bill took our dogs, Zane and Arran, to Max at Dog Holiday.  In the afternoon, Bill came home early from work.  We packed our bags and headed toward Stuttgart.  As it turned out, we had appointments to get our teeth cleaned that day.  We made the appointments last fall, before we even knew Sting was coming to town.  When Bill found the appointment card in his coat pocket, he gave some thought to rescheduling.  But then I reminded him that we’d be in Stuttgart anyway and might as well kill two birds with one stone.  So our staycation began with getting our teeth cleaned.

After we visited Dr. Blair downtown, we headed to the Wald Hotel, which is located in a sports complex very close to the TV tower (Fernsehturm).  We were quickly and professionally checked in and given room 309.  The room was familiar, since it was much like the one we had last summer.

Comfortable bed with duvets rather than sheets and blankets.

A small sofa with a table and complementary beverages in the mini bar (beer, water, and apple schorle).

The view from our balcony.

And the balcony itself.

Fabulous rainfall shower.  Unfortunately, there is a window that faces into the room, so if someone showers early in the morning, the whole room ends up illuminated.

After we dropped off our bags and got cleaned up, we headed to the hotel’s bar. Wald Hotel has a very nice bar area manned by an Italian gentleman.  Bill recognized him from our last visit, after he made us excellent martinis.  This time, we asked for gin and tonics, which he made with Hendrick’s gin and garnished with cucumbers.  Refreshed by the cocktails, we decided to enjoy some dry red Italian wine while we waited for our reservation.

A very nice gin and tonic.

Bill enjoys a rare cocktail.  He usually drives, so he doesn’t often get cocktails in bars.

Yes, we killed this bottle of wine.

At 7:30, we went to Finch and were seated in a beautiful window booth that offered a lot of privacy.  The booth was big enough to seat six people, so we had plenty of room.  Our server was very professional.  When Bill spoke German, she responded in German.  And then she graciously asked if we’d like menus in English.  We took her up on the offer.

Really nice booth at Finch.

And this gorgeous window in our booth… it was all ours.

The amuse.  I think this was chicken with basil pesto.  It was very good.  We also had very fresh bread with salted butter and harissa spread that was supposedly a little spicy… by German standards, anyway.

I ordered the shrimp tempura as a starter.  This was a delightful beginning to the meal.  The shrimp were lightly coated in crispy tempura batter, served with a tiny salad with berries, mangos, and a delicious dressing.  However, I was especially excited with the male waiter who brought my dish used an old fashioned atomizer to spray port on the shrimp.  He beamed at me when I blurted out, “Oh, I love that!”  This dish was pricy at 19,50, but it was still very good.  I actually liked it more than my main course.

Bill had the game consomme, which consisted of oxtail cannelloni and sherry.  I didn’t taste it, but Bill said he liked it.  At just 10.50, it wasn’t as costly as my starter.

I had the beef tenderloin as my main course.  It came with Savoyarde potatoes, green asparagus, and Madeira.  I think they also sneaked in some mushrooms.  Fortunately, the wine we had before dinner dulled my senses enough that I wasn’t totally creeped out.  Bill tasted what I thought were mushrooms and said they tasted like bok choy.  I’ll take his word for it.  The beef was extremely tender and the asparagus and potatoes were excellent.  I just wish that other ingredient had been mentioned.

Bill had butter glazed venison loin, which came with hazelnut spaetzle and braised chicory.  I don’t usually eat venison, but I tried Bill’s dish and I think I think I preferred it to mine.  If we had eaten at Finch a second time, I might have gone for the venison.  It was very good.

We usually order a bottle of wine to go with our fancier meals…  ah hell, who am I kidding?  We order it whether our meals are fancy or not.  This time, we decided to have wines by the glass.  I had a glass of locally produced sekt.  Then Bill and I both had malbec to go with our main courses.

As you can see, Bill *hated* the venison…. NOT!  I always enjoy seeing him eat game.  He’s got Arkansan roots and likes things like deer, rabbit, and the wild boar.  My choices are usually more pedestrian.

 

For dessert, I had the white chocolate and mascarpone cheesecake, which came with cherry Jello and a cherry sorbet.  I’m not really sure what the “juice” was next to the sorbet.  It was good.

Bill loved his dessert, the Wald Hotel Classic baked French brioche, which came with apple compote and vanilla sauce.

Finch offers a fairly good selection of choices on its menu.  If I had wanted to, I could have had fish or a German styled delicacy like schnitzel.  There were also options for vegans and vegetarians, although I did not see a children’s menu.  But, to be honest, I don’t really think the Wald Hotel is really that suitable for kids, anyway.  It’s a very elegant hotel that seems more geared to business people and those who like peace and quiet.

I did think the prices at Finch were somewhat high, but that could be because I’ve gotten used to eating out here in the hinterlands.  Also, though the prices were high, portions were generous.  My filet was especially big for what it was.

If we stay at the Wald Hotel again, we wouldn’t mind another dinner at Finch.  On the other hand, the hotel is close to a few other places I’m still dying to try.  So we’ll see…  For now, I’ll offer my recommendation of Finch, especially if you’re staying in the hotel.  It doesn’t disappoint.

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