An Exploration of Curiosities
Cemeteries train the eye to glance downward. As if the thought of death weren’t somber enough, most are flat and gray. The only breath of life – occasional wilting flowers that rest beside headstones. If you have the opportunity to visit the cemetery, Père Lachaise in Paris, you’ll find it …
Nineteenth century French painter, Amélie Beaury-Saurel was a trailblazer. You’d be mistaken to give Dans le Bleu the once over. This painting is more than a pretty face. On first glance, Beaury-Saurel appears to have painted an idle lady of leisure, but in fact, the woman is …
“How much better is silence; the coffee cup, the table. How much better to sit by myself like the solitary sea-bird that opens its wings on the stake. Let me sit here for ever with bare things, this coffee cup, this knife, this fork, …
It’s been two years since I moved to the land of lederhosen and schnitzel from Austin, Texas. In no certain order, below are my observations…. – Germany has an equivalent to the Mason-Dixon Line, and dialects change accordingly – Germans have an aversion …
A dream vacation to the tiny Greek island of Santorini was booked. It was surreal to imagine what I’d admired in the glossy pages of a magazine becoming a reality. I found a chartered flight on Condor Airlines, booked a traditional white cave residence and had …
( “The Chocolate Girl” by Jean-Étienne Liotard ) Café Maldaner is often crowded and customer service is hit or miss. I still believe it’s worth a visit, or in my case, a dozen. Spinning through the turnstile doorway transports you to a bygone era of a …
My heels and head were confused as I entered. The GPS read Wiesbaden, but my eyes saw Paris. Clusters of blood red roses accentuated by flickering candles topped tables draped in crisp white linen. Reflective silverware became bookends to napkins shaped like crowns. Hundreds of …
Dieter Ege’s gunmetal rimmed spectacles complemented his well-groomed gray mane. A tailored suit rested on shoulders with impeccable posture while a crisp white collar framed a poised jawline. For 30 years Mr. Ege has managed a historical property in Wiesbaden, the Schwarzer Bock Hotel. Stepping …
In Wiesbaden, regardless of season, there is a tasty staple at every festival – Flammkuchen. Pizza dough is heavy and requires more effort than its German cousin, flammkuchen. With a quartet of simple ingredients (water, flour, oil and salt) and the omission of yeast, this …
A door handle disguised as a rolling pin, that was enough to get me through the door of Dale’s Cake Cafe. But it’s the chandelier dangling over a glass case filled with an assortment of mouth-watering baked sweets and savory quiches that brings me back. …