Virtuoso Life - January/February 2009 - (Page 38)

PASSPORT CITY TO GO EAT Lederhosen-clad waiters serve a wide selection of Wiener schnitzel at Pürstner (Riemergasse 10; 43-1/512-6357), in a circa 1890 home where old hunting trophies line the walls. At The Restaurant Coburg (Coburgbastei 4; 43-1/518-18-800), ensconced in a nineteenth-century palace, you’ll find the perfect accompaniment to entrees such as braised cheek of Iberian pork among the cellar’s 60,000 bottles. For a quick bite, visit the indoor/outdoor Naschmarkt (between Linke and Rechte Wienzeile), where vendors dish up ham on the hoof, barrels of sauerkraut, and international fare such as baklava and sushi from Monday through Saturday. DRINK With its white sofas and floor-to-ceiling windows, the Onyx Bar (Stephansplatz 12; 43-1/5353969), on the sixth floor of the glass Haas Haus, draws a chic crowd that is as interesting to contemplate as the views of nearby Saint Stephen’s Cathedral. Loos American Bar (Kärntner Durchgang 10; 43-1/5123283) feels clubby and intimate, with a Frank Sinatra sound track and a televised “fireplace.” A visit to one of Vienna’s coffeehouses, those bastions of strong brew and stronger opinions, is de rigueur. Try the Café Sacher in the Hotel Sacher Wien (Philharmonikerstrasse 4; 43-1/514560), famed for its chocolate-andapricot-jam Sacher torte. with diamond-studded baubles from sixth-generation jewelers A.E. Köchert (Neuer Markt 15; 43-1/512-5828), one of the high-end shops clustered around Kärntner, Graben, and Kohlmarkt streets in “The Golden U.” STAY The 152-room Hotel Sacher Wien, established in 1876, is renowned for more than its torte. Located across from the Vienna State Opera House and five minutes from the Hofburg Imperial Palace, it’s near the center of the city’s social world (doubles from approximate $538). The 138-room Hotel Imperial, another nineteenth-century grande dame, was built as a palace for the Duke of Württemberg and is bedecked with crystal chandeliers in the glittering salon and a grand staircase under a gold-flecked ceiling (doubles from approximate $1,025). Waltzing Through Vienna Celebrating Haydn and the return of ball season. BY AMY LAUGHINGHOUSE Have a ball in Vienna (clockwise from top): The Musikverein, Hotel Sacher Wien’s signature torte, and the Hofburg Imperial Palace. GO FOR A chance to show off your ballroom dance moves, and for the bicentennial celebration of composer Joseph Haydn’s life. January and February mark the height of the ball season, with dances in venues such as the Hofburg Imperial Palace and the Musikverein. Throughout 2009, the city will honor Haydn with musical performances, exhibitions, and the January 28 reopening of the Haydnhaus (Haydngasse 19; 43-1/596-1307), where the composer spent the end of his life. SHOP In the artists’ district of Neubau, you’ll find a revolving collection of designers at Lila Pix (Lindengasse 5; 43-1/9904351). Waltz away with a bespoke ball gown or a sexy update of a traditional Austrian frock from Susanne Bisovsky (Mariahilfer Strasse 49/2/28b; 43-1/9043731) on Mariahilfer Strasse, the city’s most popular shopping street. Complete your ensemble 38 VIRTUOSO LIFE (HOFBURG DOME) WALTER BIBIKOW/GETTY IMAGES

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Virtuoso Life - January/February 2009

Virtuoso Life - January/February 2009 Contents Editor’s Note Contributors Passport Bon Voyage Suite Talk City to Go Vanity Case Quick Escape Go Green What Matters Design Tour Emerging Europe Essence of Paris Northern Exposures Madrid’s Moment Tasting Notes Global Gourmet Well Traveled Great Outdoors Big Shot

Virtuoso Life - January/February 2009

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