In The World

Sometimes it's a bit tricky trying to balance the competing impulses of "You're abroad! EXPLORE!" and "You're abroad to work your dissertation! DON'T LOSE TIME!" I'm pretty fortunate, though, that all my archives are within easy walking distance of each other. What this means is, come lunchtime, when many of them close, I have a good deal of down time to poke around the inner city of Vienna.

Today I grabbed lunch at Soho Kantine, which is one of the swellest little tucked-away spots in the downtown area. A favorite of workers near the Austrian National Library (and the numerous museums surrounding it), the setup is simple: there's a menu outside listing that day's two dishes (typically one vegetarian, one not). You go to the bar, order your dish and a drink, get a token (mine was a Minnie Mouse keychain) and bring it to the kitchen where they dish you up.  You find an open spot at one of the tables, dish your own silverware, and tuck in. It is a cool, cool spot, and does very encouragingly brisk business. (Oh, and lunch is 6 Euro for two courses. Ridiculously swell.)

Silverware hiding nooks

An odd British-American iconography splashed all over the place. I like it.

The Kitchen! And... Queen Elizabeth is a monkey? And a spider chandelier look Vienna is confusing and cool at the same time.

There's an outdoor area too, if you're inclined. Pretty cute IF YOU ARE A SMOKER.

Awww THE CUTEST

MURDERSTICK ALLEY

It's also quick, so I grabbed a scoop of ice cream from Eis Greissler (one of the better ice cream shops in town - I went with hazelnuss, CAN YOU GUESS WHAT THAT IS) and meandered. It is not bad having these surroundings on a lunch break.

Thought this guy was gutting a fish, but now I think he's cutting cloth. Could I have read the plaque? NO TIME I HAD TO GET ICE CREAM

The mall. It is nicer than the malls I remember from my youth.

Anyhow, that was the midday break. Now I'm settled into the Theater Museum library, tapping away at another round of research. Hooray for birds-and-stones on this trip!