Thursday, May 31, 2012

Bicycle on The Wall

I discovered this frontpart of a bicycle on a building in the 15th district. According to my parents who live around the corner, the building is affiliated to a youth hostel. I´m wondering if the hostel addresses particularly young people who love to ride a bicycle or if the bicycle is just a funny "sign".

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Zacherlfabrik #1

The "Zacherlfabrik", built in 1888 by Austrian architect Karl Mayreder, is reminiscent of a mosque. The Persian-looking façade recalls the economic relations with the country of origin of the insect powder that used to be made there. Today the building is used for exhibitions and concerts.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Flower Head

This head with fabric roses serves as decoration in the window of a jeweler´s shop in the city center.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Sweet Sunday #13

May I introduce Vienna´s currently most popular sweets to you? Cupcakes!!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Curious Girl

A colleague of mine sneaking into the section with the "X-rated" artworks of the new exhibition at the Jewish Museum Vienna. Sorry for the blurriness, I took the photo with my cell phone.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Spittelau

After a blaze in the 1980s, the façade of the District Heating Plant Spittelau was redesigned by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928-2000) whose vision was a life in harmony and in harmony with nature. His architectural designs use irregular forms and incorporate natural features of the landscape. For a photo of an apartment house designed by Hundertwasser please click here.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Reflections #19

Reflections on the façade of the "Haas Haus", designed by Austrian architect Hans Hollein. For more reflections on this building please click here and here.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Blue Window Frames

When I passed by this apartment house, the trees at the doorway caught my eyes at first, but looking through my camera I also noticed the beautiful blue window frames.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Balcony #8

The past few days the weather was fine again... If I was the owner of this small balcony in the 7th district I would haved passed as much time as possible sitting there, watching the people in the street, reading, eating, enyoing the sun... I love all these flower pots and the rainbow flag.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Stripes & Reflections

What a delightful window display! I would love to sit at this table and have a cup of tea...(if it wasn´t in a shop window)...

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Saturday, May 19, 2012

White Out

The sculpture "White out" by Washington based artist Mark Jenkins (*1970) is part of the exhibition "Escape the Golden Cage" that I mentioned already yesterday. Click here for Jenkins'  website.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Escape The Golden Cage

"Escape the Golden Cage", the first urban art exhibition in Austria, currently takes place at the K&K Telegrafenamt (Imperial and Royal telegraph office). The exhibition presents renowned and young artists from Austria and around the world whose works are inspired by street art, graffiti and the urban life. The exhibitions runs through May, 25; the admission is free.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Under The Arcades

Last week we had temperatures around 30° C, this week we are freezing at 10° C... If you still want to eat in an outdoor area, I recommend the small French bistro at Palais Ferstel, where you can sit outside the restaurant but inside the palace and enjoy the beautiful arcades. Fore more images of the bistro please click here and here.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

The Fulfillment

In 2012 one of Austria's greatest painters would have celebrated his 150th birthday: Gustav Klimt (1862-1918). On this occasion several Viennese museums are offering special exhibitions throughout the year.
The confectionary Oberlaa honours Klimt by creating a sweet replication of his oeuvre "The Fulfillment" (1905). The original painting is a design drawing for the mosaic frieze in the dining hall of Stoclet Palace in Brussels and can be seen at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Pallas Athena

The Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, dominates the fountain in front of the Parliament. The fountain was erected between 1893 and 1902 by Carl Kundmann, Josef Tautenhayn and Hugo Härdtl, based on the plans by Baron von Hansen.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Façade Detail #13

A beautiful golden mosaic/relief on a building in Reichsratsstraße in the first district.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother´s Day!

Today we are celebrating Mother´s Day. How about presenting your mother with a heart shaped cake as suggested by the confectionary Gerstner?

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Typical Old Viennese Courtyard

A typical old Viennese courtyard with access balconies ("pawlatsche" in German) in the city center. In the first half of the 19th century most of the middle-class houses had courtyards like this one.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Reflections #18

Old buildings reflected in the modern façade of the "Juridicum", the building of the Faculty of Law.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Art Austria

The day before yesterday I was at the opening of the "Art Austria" art fair at the Leopold Museum: Around 50 renowned exhibitors (galleries) present Austrian art from the 19th century to the present. The fair runs through May 13.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Hanging Out in The Sun

People haning out and enjoying the sun in the courtyard of MuseumsQuartier yesterday in the late afternoon.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Put a Ring on it

Hands with fancy rings in the window of a make up store in the city center.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Wiener Konzerthaus

When the Wiener Konzerthaus was officially opened in 1913 (after only two years of construction), it was one of the most modern buildings in the Danube Monarchy. Built by the renowned theatre architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer in co-operation with Ludwig Baumann, it set new standards for its architecture (a rare combination of Historism, Secessionism and Art Nouveau styles), visitor-friendly atmosphere, construction technology and modern facilities. From its earliest days, the Wiener Konzerthaus has held the highest cultural aims and artistic mission: «To act as a venue for the cultivation of fine music, as a meeting point for artistic endeavour, as a home for music and a cultural centre for Vienna».

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Post Office

In the entrance area of the main post office you can see how post offices looked like in the past.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Delicious

I discovered this sign/artwork in the window of an interior designer in the city center. I like the green colour (my favourite colour) and the old-fashioned font.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Balcony #7

With the current beautiful and very summerly weather (we have temperatures around 30°C) it´s time again to take a look at the balconies of Vienna. I discovered this one in the 19th district. It´s not very spectacular and could need some flowers, nevertheless I would love to sit there and read a book or maybe enjoy a glass of wine with a friend...

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

May Theme Day: Bakeries

"Alte Bäckerei" ("Old Bakery") - the name is deceptive: This is no bakery but a pub. What a pity! In Vienna it´s hard to find old-fashioned bakeries, they have been displaced by modern bakery chains...