Maltesers

I'm off to the island of Malta later today with a colleague from Coma HQ (let's call her MM -Meticulous M). Having been to Rhodes earlier this month, it seems I'm stalking the Knights of Saint John. I'm not, though.

When I booked this holiday in early summer, I had no idea there would be early parliamentary elections today but what our flight being this afternoon, there's no excuse not to do my citizen's duty and cast my vote. I know some people (well, one person in particular) who's of the "what's the point, anyway" camp, but in my opinion you're not really allowed to complain afterwards if you didn't vote in the first place. We'll see if we have something remotely resembling a coalition when I return next Friday.

Cookie Monster

Sunday afternoon occupation with a positive side-effect: preheating your oven causes the room-temperature to rise. Somewhat. Temporarily.

Country Wedding

Bad (and I mean bad) weather aside, K's wedding reception (the - registry - wedding itself had taken place the day before in Vienna with only immediate family present) at the idyllic location of Niedersulz museum village was great. I loved the bride's outfit and picture-perfect wedding cake. For the second time since FCN's wedding in September '05 (another rainy and cold September wedding) I had attended the wedding of a friend who's not Austrian but who got married in her adopted country and chose a quintessentially Austrian venue. S1 (top left picture) looked the part in a dirnd-with-a-modern-twist and matching jewellery.

On the way to the Weinviertel province, I realised just how ugly the northermost districts of Vienna are and what an industrial wasteland its adjacent suburbs. My German passengers were just as appalled by the lack of scenery and relieved when green fields appeared on the horizon, alternatingly decorated with oil derrics and wind turbines. I was reminded of Indien, a popular Austrian film set in Lower Austria.

Exercising Restraint

Like every year, I am determined not to turn up the heating in my flat until a "reasonable" time. Which would be November, which to my ears sounds justifiably autumny and cold. Last night, the indoor temperature dropped below 20°, which, admittedly, was not exactly tropical.

The real reason why we choose to work in offices? Central heating, obviously:

Last night, I put together 3 potential outfits to be worn at K's wedding reception tomorrow. Informed sources have told me that the venue will be unheated. It's a case of Vanity vs. Sanity, I guess. In view of the fact that I have a business trip followed by a vacation lined up next week, the latter is very likely to win in my case.

Expedition to Antarctica

...also known as choosing your outfit for a wedding reception taking place in the coldest September since 1931. The folks at ORF are not promising a miracle, either:

Something tells me that the word "Schneefallgrenze" does not agree with the strappy silk dress I had in mind. Ah well, I suppose I'll have to resort to what my Mum calls the "onion technique", i.e. piling on layers upon layers.

I am so not turning up in a fleece jumper.

Comatose²

Weather? Old age? General demotivation? I don't know what it is exactly but for the last few days I've been feeling 90  years old and 90 kilos heavy. The only *comfort* of sorts has been the fact that most people I talk to seem to be afflicted with the same curse.

Yawn.

Island Hopping

On Saturday afternoon I aired my (Vienna based) bike for the fist and very likely also last time this year and cycled to the Danube Island with Frida and her family. I hadn't seen my godchild Goldilocks since March and was able to see for myself that my birthday present, a funky oilcloth jacket I had bought in N.Y. fit her perfectly. I didn't ask her to pull the hat over her head, by the way, to preserve her anonimity for the blogsphere, she's obviously used to dodging the paparazzi.

I had brought a huge selection of stick-on-tatoos for the 3 kids to share and the boys (aged 7 and 5) were particularly thrilled, decorating themselves with cars, knights and dinosaurs. I adorned myself with a flower and Frida ended up with a kitten on her cleavage. Meeeeow!

Web 1 1/2.0

When 70% of your regular readers are real-life friends, they prefer to comment offline, like tap you on the shoulder and ask why you haven't written lately or call/e-mail to ask what your most recent post was about.

Innocent until proven guilty

A random thought for a nonrandom reason: Do you have the right to feel annoyed and taken for a fool when a friend acts all coy and evasive when asked a personal but obvious question. Would you do the same in her place?

Conspiracy?

I already knew on Monday morning that this week wasn't quite going to be my week. As if further proof was necessary, a suspicious crunch when nibbling on honey-roasted cashews last night revealed a chunk of premolar. Just what I needed. 

On the Rhodes...

Last week I was on the Greek island of Rhodes for a company event. The schedule was tight, but I did manage to get an impression of the island, like its...

flora

and fauna

its craftsmanship
famous hospitality
not to forget the great architecture:
ok, this was more like it:

happiness in a bottle

What a comforting sight:

An Innocent delivery van (UK license plate and all!) spotted on a Viennese street. I don't know if their smoothies are available where you live or whether you are a poor innocent-deprived creature, but believe me, these are pretty addictive concoctions. I discovered them some years ago on a visit to London and after the first hit was hooked. They don't come cheap, though, so when I spotted several varieties of innocent smoothies readily available in the fridges at the Firm's Dublin office, I couldn't believe my luck and almost OD-ed on them.

Since last year Innocent smoothies - and smoothies only, i.e. no lovely vanilla thickies - have been available in selected supermarkets and Starbucks outlets in Vienna, so Austrians have at last become smooth(ie) operators!