Noosh – A Sensual Introduction to Afghanistan
Noosh looks like nowhere else in Vienna. Large, bulbous, coloured lampshades hang down to different depths from the ceiling. The manager, Khaled Khushdel, who designed the décor himself, calls them “Afghan tears”. The inner walls are lined with thickly plastered brown clay that gives the large single room a cosy feeling. “My partner was against [...]
The Gate Crasher: Sodom and Gomorrha
An upside-down cross hung over the dance floor as I stepped into the Sodom and Gomorrha party at the disco Grelle Forelle on the Danube Canal. This was the first time I’d ever jumped the line. It may have been due to gate-crashing-cojones, or just the drinks I’d already consumed, but who cares? I was [...]
Night Life Face Lift
It’s a late Saturday night as Vienna commuters descend into the Künstlerhauspassage at Karlsplatz to find themselves surrounded by flamboyant revellers. They are on their way to Rhinoplasty, one of the city’s least-secret parties. A quartet of bearded men dressed as Valkyries, with neon braids, hold court in front of Club-U – Top-40 hits and [...]
Wäschermädelball: From Laundress to Princess
Amiss from ball season for decades, the Wiener Wäschermädelball (Viennese Laundresses Ball) will take place on 16 February in the Etablissement Gschwandner in the 17th District. In the 19th and 20th century, Laundresses’ Balls were well-attended public events on the outskirts of Vienna. The audience consisted mainly young laundresses and destitute men, but disappeared along with [...]
Toasting the Diplomat Musicians
Ambassador John McGregor’s exquisite piano playing echoes in my mind as we pass the Karlskirche to the French Embassy on Schwarzenbergplatz. We’ve just been to the annual “Ambassadors in Concert” at the Musikverein and, as we stroll along, my friend and I hotly debate the varied skills of diplomats and friends on the programme, among [...]
Ma Crêperie: Warm End to a Cold Night
It was the first night that was noticeably colder in Vienna, a nip in the air and a sting to the wind. On Grünangergasse in the 1st District, we found Ma Crêperie, a family-owned, Lebanese-French restaurant, where a fireplace lit in the corner of the dining room and the choice of music – Bon Iver, [...]
“Punsch” and Play
Advent in Vienna is a time for candles, cookies and Christkindlmärkte, and for Austrians the experience of this cold time of year wouldn’t be complete without Punsch and its cousin, Glühwein. And in the same way, live entertainment often sweetens the deal with carols, dancers and brass bands. Originally brought to Europe by the English East [...]
Bangkok: Authentic Thai With a Loyal Following
From the outside it doesn’t look like much – just another Asian take-away eatery. Actually, it almost blends into the building on Joanelligasse in the 6th District. But once you decide to try it out, any previous reservations are left at the door. Bangkok-Vienna is anything but ordinary. On your second or third visit, owner [...]
Ice-skating on the Rooftops of Vienna
The largest ice-skating rink in Vienna opened 17 Nov. in front of Schloss Wilhelminenberg. Spanning 200m², Schloss Wilhelminenberg On Ice is also the highest ice rink in the city, situated on the Eastern slope of the Gallitzinberg in the 16th-District portion of the Wienerwald. With the motto “Ice skating over the roofs of Vienna”, views [...]
