vienna

New York's Best: "Vienna 1900"

Filed under: Events, Art

Before you climb the museum stairs to see "Vienna 1900: Style and Identity" head for the Neue Museum's Cafe Sabarsky, a dead ringer for an old-world Viennese cafe. With its Josef Hoffmann and Adolf Loos inspired decor, this cafe is a best bet for great coffee and strudels as well as catching the vibe of the exhibition's, turn-of-the-century Vienna. The museum's 1914 building, an Upper East Side landmark, is steps away from Central Park at 1048 Fifth Avenue at 86th Street. (The museum's name means "new gallery.")

Tags: Gustav Klimt, JosefHoffmann, Kolomon Moser, museum event, museum exhibition, neue galerie, new york city art, new york city events, Oscar Kokoschka, Secessionist art, vienna

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Bo Derek Chosen As Billionaire's Date For Vienna Opera Ball

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Austrian billionaire Richard Lugner has a nearly 20-year-old tradition of flying in a date for the Vienna Opera Ball. Each year he chooses a celebrity date to accompany him to the event. Last year the guest was supposed to be Lindsay Lohan but she missed her flight and was unable to attend.

This year the 78-year-old businessman has chosen the lovely Bo Derek as his date. The Austrian Independent reports that Lugner, who manages Vienna's Lugner City shopping center, said that Derek was his third choice and that two other stars had canceled before he signed her. Previous Lugner dates have included Sophia Loren, Carmen Electra, Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson. The ball takes place on March 3.

Tags: austria, bo derek, richard lugner, vienna, vienna opera ball

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Annie Scott's Incredible Journeys in 2010

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

This year, I am thankful and fortunate to have traveled to 16 countries for my work with Luxist, AOL Travel and Gadling, including Austria, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Barbados, England, Scotland, Switzerland, France, Aruba, Curacao, Spain, Zambia, Mexico, Italy, South Africa and within the United States. Some trips were press trips, and others were my own adventures, like my honeymoon in Florence. Each trip had its own merits, but, as this is Luxist, a year-end roundup of the most luxurious places I was lucky enough to visit is called for.

Here are the top five most lavish and thrilling experiences I had in 2010, where I stayed, and a little more information about each of the trips. Perhaps you'll be inspired to take one of these journeys yourself in 2011!

Tags: Abercrombie Kent, Annie Scott, cannes, Lausanne, luxury travel, Montreux, Montreux Jazz Festival, Oscar de la Renta, Punta Cana, Sanctuary Retreats, Swiss Riviera, Vienna, Zambia

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Viennese Wine - A Tasting With Fritz Wieninger

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Last month in Vienna, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fritz Wieninger, president of WIENWEIN and owner and operator of Weingut Wieninger, one of the most successful and popular Austrian wineries.

Before you go judging, Austrian wine may not be what you think. Austrian wines have had years of unjustified bad press due to lies (poor or sweetened wines falsely labeled "Austria") and a general different approach to the marketing and distribution of their wines. At one time, wine in Austria was far cheaper and more common than water -- and to this day, you'll be surprised by how many Austrian restaurants only serve wine they've made themselves. They don't even advertise it; it's normal.

There are vineyards within the city limits of Vienna -- in fact, there are quite a few of them. Viennese wine has a distinct flavor and rich history; its reputation and commercialization are only now catching up to its quality. Fritz Wieninger and WIENWEIN are leading the pack of vintners who are bringing Viennese wine to the international market with a newfound confidence. I did my best to learn as much as I possibly could from him about Viennese wine. And by that, I mean I drank a lot of wine with him. But first, we went on a tour of his Vienna facilities.

Gallery: Tour of Weingut Wieninger

Tags: Austria, Vienna, Weingut, Wieninger, WIENWEIN, Wine

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Mühlbauer Hats - Vienna's Must-See Hat Shop

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Green riding hat adorned with pins and tassels

Without knowing it, you may have already seen a Mühlbauer hat. They've been worn by celebrities from Brad Pitt to Yoko Ono, and for good reason: they are gorgeous and remarkably well-made. Mühlbauer has 12 locations worldwide and can be purchased at Project No. 8 in Brooklyn and Fred Segal Hats in Santa Monica (that's it for the USA), but it all started in Vienna.

The company began in 1903 with a millinery and small hat shop in Floridsdorf, a suburb of Vienna. Today, fourth generation Mühlbauer, Klaus Mühlbauer, runs the company -- and he and his sister Marlies design all the collections, which are hand-made right in Vienna. The craftsmanship is of extraordinarily elite quality, making it a treat just to try on the hats. Also, if you can't afford to purchase one for yourself, you can pick up a classic Viennese hat pin for under 20 euros, which they make in charmingly quaint styles like fish and flowers with "Austria"-emblazoned ribbons.

The upcoming collection for Spring and Summer is called "Hello Josefine" in honor of the youngest addition to the Mühlbauer family, Klaus' daughter. We got a sneak peek at some of the upcoming styles and had a ball browsing around in the Vienna Mühlbauer location at Seilergasse 10 in the 1st district.

Gallery: Favorites at Mühlbauer Hats

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board and Cool Capitals, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: austria, hat, hat shop, hats, Mühlbauer, milliner, millinery, Muhlbauer, vienna

A Tour of the Vienna State Opera House

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Unappreciated in the architects' time. Imagine.

The Vienna State Opera House is surely one of the grandest and most beloved structures in the entire world, but it wasn't always so well appreciated.

Architects Eduard van der Nüll (1812-1868) and August Sicard von Sicardsburg (1813-1868) were the winners of the contest to design the new Opera House on "The Ring" (Ringstrasse) in 1858 with the motto "Fais ce que dois, advient que pourra," which is French for "Do what you must, come what may." Unfortunately, the Viennese were not very impressed with what they did. Many thought the staircase wasn't grand enough (or high enough) or that the style was too romantic. Also, the Ringstrasse was raised by a meter right in front of the House during its construction, leading naysayers to liken it to a "sunken box." Van der Nüll reportedly killed himself due to the criticism, and Von Sicardsburg, who had lived with him, died shortly after of a heart attack. Neither lived to see its opening day in 1869 -- which was the premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Over a hundred years later, following wars and restorations, ballets and operas are still performed nightly in the astonishing space to sold-out houses, and the Opera Ball is the most important ball of the Vienna Ball Season. I cannot imagine a better home for the ornate and awe-inspiring building than Vienna, where culture is king. In May, June, September and October, about 120 live performances are actually projected onto an enormous wall in the square outside the opera house -- free for everyone to enjoy.

Van der Nüll and Von Sicardsburg were woefully under-appreciated in their own time, so let's take a moment to appreciate their work now:

Gallery: The Vienna State Opera House

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: austria, ballet, opera, opera house, vienna

A Peek Inside the Historic Hotel Imperial, Vienna

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

It's a rare treat to stay in a hotel that looks and feels like a palace. Such is the case with Hotel Imperial in Vienna.

This historic property, now part of Starwood's The Luxury Collection, has been serving as host to dignitaries, queens and emperors since its doors opened in 1873. It was commissioned by the Duke of Württemberg for his wife, but, as the legend goes, she didn't like it (something about it not having a garden). Fortunately, the magnificent building was purchased by the enterprising Horace, Ritter von Landau, who wisely decided to turn it into a hotel. The breathtaking, expansive lobby on the ground floor originally served as stables for guests' horses, and in World War II, it was occupied by the Russians, who made it their headquarters until returning it in 1955. The staff famously hid 150 of the hotel's fabulous Persian rugs -- one by one -- in a Viennese bank to keep them safe during the occupation.

Hotel Imperial has naturally undergone several renovations; the most recent was a 10 million euro project in 2000 which converted the hotel's upper floors, once offices and servants' quarters, into additional rooms. The 138 guestrooms now feature flat screen televisions, electronic key access and beautiful amenities from fresh flowers in the unique living rooms to spacious marble bathrooms stocked with Bulgari products. It is the only hotel in all of Austria which offers butler service.

There are a number of reasons to stay at the Hotel Imperial, ranging from its excellent Ringstrassen location to the charm of each room being different, and the appeal of knowing that great composers premiering their work at the State Opera House down the street, as well as dukes, princesses, kings and presidents have slept, perhaps, in your very room. I'd tell you who, but one can really only name drop when the list isn't very long. I've got a Word document seven pages long in front of me, and the names are in small type.

If you don't have the opportunity to stay in Hotel Imperial, it is worth your time to visit the first-rate dining room for dinner, or even the ground floor cafe for lunch -- be sure and get a signature Imperial Torte and the Imperial Coffee Melange. Who knows, you may catch sight of an important visiting celebrity.

Gallery: A Peek Inside The Hotel Imperial, Vienna

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: Austria, Hotel, Hotel Imperial, HotelImperial, starwood, the luxury collection, TheLuxuryCollection, Vienna

Thursday Nights at Vienna's Museum of Fine Arts

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Art

One thing you mustn't miss in Vienna is the Museum of Fine Arts. The building is so astonishing, one assumes it was originally a palace of some kind -- but the Viennese were wise and appreciative of art; the building was built to house the great many collected (and stolen) masterpieces of the Austrian Empire. Their wisdom continues today: they have a delightful Thursday night program for both tourists and locals to enjoy the art and each other.

Thursday nights at Vienna's Museum of Fine Arts are catered by Gerstner, one of Austria's finest caterers (and perhaps one of the world's). Purchase a 48 euro ticket in advance to gain admission to both the museum and a roped off area in the center of the museum where you can feast on appetizer and dessert buffets, as well as be served your choice of delicious entree. Drinks are not included, but plenty are available, from spirits to Viennese wine, and the staff is attentive and friendly. The best part of all this is that you can dine at your leisure from 6:30 to 10:00 PM and visit the various exhibits between courses.

Have a bowl of bisque and a glass of champagne, visit the Bruegels, munch on a Caprese salad, visit the Raphaels, order a bottle of red and a delicious filet, go see the Rubens, choose a few little desserts, then see more by Velazquez, Dürer, Titian, Tintoretto and others. Doesn't that sound like the best way to spend a Thursday evening? Personally, I'd have trouble topping that.

Visit the Kunsthistorisches Museum website for more information on the Gerstner Art & Delight Evening Buffet.

Gallery: Kunsthistorisches Museum - Vienna's Museum of Fine Arts

My visit to Vienna was sponsored by the Vienna Tourist Board, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: Austria, Gerstner, Kunsthistorisches, museum, Vienna

The Sacher Torte

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

The Sacher Torte is a legendary Viennese treasure. This delicious chocolate treat, served at the Hotel Sacher, has been enjoyed, imitated and even served as the subject of much debate.

The Sachertorte is comprised of layers of chocolate cake and apricot jam encased in a rich dark chocolate icing and served with whipped cream. I wasn't going to bother with such a simple confection, but a friend in Vienna told me that it had blown her expectations away and so, one night after a ballet at the State Opera and some sausage from the famed sausage stand nearby, I made my way across the street to the Hotel Sacher to try it.

Oh my god.

Though the Sachertorte is normally served as a slice of cake, you can get a mini version -- I recommend this as it can't be good for you, but I have to say, I probably could have eaten not only a slice, but the entire cake. There is something magical about the flavor. I don't know what to tell you, other than that it is somehow transcendentally greater than the sum of its parts.

Gallery: The Original Sacher Torte - and a Peek Inside Demel

Tags: austria, chocolate, Demel, dessert, hotel sacher, HotelSacher, sacher, sacher torte, SacherTorte, vienna

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How to Eat Tafelspitz

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

If you should find yourself in Austria and served a generous, yet rustic meal of Tafelspitz, you'll need to know what to do. Look no further than Luxist; we've got you covered.

Tafelspitz is a traditional Austrian meal meaning "tip [of meat] for the table." Big copper pots of beef, bones and vegetables (all together) are typically served. They are still simmering, so it's important to eat your meal correctly and in order.

The first step of eating Tafelspitz is the soup. Ladle a generous helping of the hot broth into the soup bowl you've been given. Enjoy -- those Austrian noodles are especially tasty.

Next, ladle out a bone. This is not for the delicate. Bone marrow has only recently become popular in the United States, but is a time-honored traditional food in many European countries. Chunks of bone will be in your Tafelspitz pot, and you are to scoop them out and eat the gelatinous marrow inside. Spread the marrow on slices of bread. According to my Viennese friends, it's a fatty, yet nutritious food, comparable to the fatty-yet-nutritious values of avocado. I ate it prepared this way myself and can report it's very tasty -- just don't let the texture ruin your experience.

Tags: austria, bone marrow, BoneMarrow, dining, tafelspitz, vienna

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Attending a Ball in Vienna

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Though the art of social dance is a tradition forgotten by many, in Vienna, ball season is alive and well.

Every year, more than 300 grand balls are held. Ladies and gentlemen in gowns and black tie assemble to waltz, see, and be seen in some of Austria's finest venues, including the Imperial Palace. I had the pleasure of attending once such ball this year, The Coffeehouse Owners' Ball, held annually at said location with a guest list of over 5,000.

The Coffeehouse Owners' Ball, like most balls in Vienna, is open to the public. Just as every child in Vienna is taught social dance as a school requirement, every single person in Austria is eligible to attend most balls, simply by buying a ticket. Table seating and drinks come at an additional cost, as do carriage rides, fabulous dresses and other associated expenditures, but in Vienna, you'd be a fool not to attend at least one of these important societal gatherings each year -- and if you're a tourist, it's an experience you will never, never forget.

A typical ball evening begins with dinner, as one must prep for a late night of dancing. Then, most guests head to the ball venue around 7:30 PM to see the opening ceremony -- though I'm told "professional" ball goers, or people who've been attending several balls per week for years, tend to skip the ceremony and arrive at 11 or so when the real "party" starts. Depending on which ball it is, the ceremony may be less or more lavish. The Coffeehouse Owners' Ball included not only singing, dancing, and speeches by dignitaries and, of course, coffeehouse owners, but a presentation by Austria's most accomplished debutantes, who must apply and audition for a coveted debut slot at one of the larger balls.

Once the ceremonies are completed, the ball begins. At the Coffeehouse Owners' Ball, Professor Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer, Austria's etiquette expert, announces "Alles walzer!" or "Everyone waltz!" -- and that they do.

Tags: Austria, Ball, Dancing, Elmayer, Vienna, Viennese, viennese waltz, VienneseWaltz, Waltz

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J & L Lobmeyr - A Chandelier Emporium Suspended in Time

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Video

If you love chandeliers, you must absolutely add Vienna to your list of places to visit. The imperial style of architecture and palatial interior designs include unfathomable chandeliers everywhere from the Vienna State Opera House to restaurants and even shopping centers.

One landmark not to miss is the legendary J&L Lobmeyr shop. J&L Lobmeyr is a family business with a rich heritage over 100 years old. The shop was built in 1895 and is the last "originally kept" shop remaining in Vienna. Watch the video and look at the design to see what that means. The style of the sales floor is quite purposefully open; Lobmeyr was and is a place for the wealthy to see each other and be seen. More privacy is available upstairs for the shyer clientele.

We met with owner Andreas Rath (a 6th generation descendant of the original Lobmeyrs who runs the store with his two cousins), who explained that Lobmeyr's chandeliers are restored and/or created in a workshop just ten minutes away. The artists make a point of creating the chandeliers in the same way they were made in their originating time period. A Baroque chandelier, for example, will be made as it was during the Baroque era. Lobmeyr's is the last workshop in the world doing several of these procedures (such as old-style gilding), as this often involves dangerous chemical poisons. "We have several skilled people, and one unskilled one," joked Rath.

Tags: Austria, chandelier, chandeliers, JL Lobmeyr, JlLobmeyr, Lobmeyr, Vienna

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Austrian Billionaire Pays $150,000 for a Date with Lindsay Lohan

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

Austrian billionaire Richard Lugner is continuing his 19 year old tradition of buying a celebrity date to one of Austria's premier social events, the Vienna Opera Ball, and this year the lucky lady will be none other than Lindsay Lohan. Lugner is a 77 year old divorced father of three that apparently gets a kick out of paying for bombshell celebrity escorts -- in years past he's had the likes of Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, and Sophia Loren on his arm for the event. This year Lohan was his second choice, after British actress Katie Price became unavailable, and rumors suggest she's turning out to be a high-maintenance date as she's refusing to choose a gown ahead of time and Lugner is going to be partly responsible for making sure she doesn't drink during the event (including having all the liquor removed from the mini-bar in her hotel room).

Source

Tags: austria, lindsay lohan, LindsayLohan, richard lugner, RichardLugner, vienna

Austria, Switzerland Top World's Best Places to Live

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

vienna Europe – the same corner of Europe, actually – claims the first three spots in Mercer Consulting's annual Quality of Living Survey. Vienna, Austria and Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland lead the list, followed by Vancouver, Canada and Auckland, New Zealand in a tie for fourth.

Little has changed for the top half of the top 10. Last year, Zurich nabbed the top spot, and Vienna and Geneva shared the #2 spot. Vancouver is unchanged year-over-year, and Auckland's #5 finish last year is roughly the same as its tie for fourth in 2009.

Not only are the top places to live ostensibly enjoyable, you're more likely to be there for a while. Life expectancies in these cities start at 79 years. It's better than living a nice long life in a dump, I guess.

The United States doesn't appear until the bottom of the top 30, with Honolulu and San Francisco. From Asia, only Singapore picks up a spot in the world's 30 best places to live. South America and Africa are not represented at all. It's strange, I half-expected to see Mogadishu on this list.

Of the 215 places listed, Baghdad has the distinction of finishing last. Sometimes, common sense prevails.

Source

Tags: africa, asia, auckland, austria, baghdad, california, canada, geneva, geneva switzerland, genevaswitzerland, hawaii, honolulu, iraq, iraq war, IraqWar, mogadishu, new zealand, newzealand, san francisco, SanFrancisco, singapore, somalia, south america, SouthAmerica, switzerland, vancouver, vienna, vienna austria, viennaaustria, zurich, zurichswitzerland

Dream Getaways That Can Happen in A Weekend

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Although 2 week vacations are awesome the trouble is that it's often so hard to get away that they rarely (if ever) happen. But why delay that trip to Paris or Buenos Aires til who-knows-when? A long weekend, which is much easier to do for most people, can be more than enough to have a fabulous time in an exotic far-off location if you do things right. Vienna, Milan, and even Sydney are realistic possibilities. Why take the chance that a trip to your dream location might never happen when you can be there later this month? 1, 2, or 3 nights is better than none at all, right? I'd say so.

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Tags: australia, france, italy, journey, journeys, paris, sydney, trip, trips, vacation, vacations, vienna, weekend, weekends

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