Just blew in from the windy city...

To continue with the wind theme, we're off to Chicago on Tuesday.

The replacement passport did come through in time. Hooray! Just have to pack now.

They're still expecting freezing temperatures too, so my new warm coat will finally come in very handy.

Too hot to trot

I think there is something of the "sod's law" about this, but since I bought my coat, and wore it to the cinema, it has been far too warm to wear it again!

I know there has been a warm snap for lots of parts of Europe, but we have been really shocked by the temperatures. Last weekend, according to the little weather station outside the Sievering Apotheke at the end of the street, it was 17 degrees celcius! On Sunday we left the house decked out for what looked like a warm February day and had to turn back part way to the station as we were sweltering (actually, the main reason we returned to the flat was to get my camera which I had forgotten, but that doesn't sound quite so dramatic!).


The problem is, that we came equipped for winter, with warm clothes, long johns and hand-crocheted hats (thank you Rosie, we have worn them too, though, as yet, there is no photographic proof... maybe next week in Chicago) etc, so this early spring snap has found us entirely unprepared. At least us heading out without coats in February gave the naturally inquisitiveness Viennese something to stare at.

The last resort

I finally found a new coat!!!

After a fruitless wander the length and breadth of the Mariahilferstraße last Thursday I was prepared to throw in the towel, admit defeat, give up my quest and look scruffy until spring. We're hopefully off to Chicago next week though and the temperature at the moment has been somewhere in the region of -10 degrees celcius. So, rather than run the risk of hypothermia or a frostbitten underarm, I decided to explore the local fashion emporia of Oberdöbling (the area where we are living).

There is a gents outfitters literally across the road from us called Schlatte (which naturally we have, rather childishly nicknamed Slattern) that, so far, I had avoided, as venturing in might mean all manner of engagement in tongues foreign. I feared, through misunderstanding, linguistic interference and a tendency to agree with whatever's being said, that I would probably end up leaving with sock suspenders and collar tips rather than a coat.

There was a moment when I was wrapped in a long puffa jacket that made me look like a fat black caterpillar that I feared things may not turn out well, but Frau Schlatte was very efficient and my faltering German not quite as faltering as I expected it to be, and I was quickly kitted out in a rather fine and very warm wool/cashmere mix driving coat. Hooray!

I hope it's still cold in Chicago when we get there!

There's a hole in my jacket, dear Liesel, dear Liesel!

I realised last week with a not significant amount of shock and horror that I had a big hole under the right arm of my coat. This may explain why I have been getting odd looks on the bus/underground recently. When I've been standing up holding on to the ceiling straps I've obviously been flashing my wooly pully to all and sundry!

I haven't had the chance to look around for a replacement yet apart from a lack-lustre wander around Zara on the Kärntnerstraße on Saturday evening, where everything looked either "too young", "too shiny" (and not in a good way) or just odd. I quite like Tracht coats, they are very smart (as well as being ridiculously expensive) but anywhere outside of Austria would also look odd in their own way (though in a smart, expensive kind of way) too.

I am planning a trip to Peek & Cloppenberg on the Mariahilferstraße on Thursday to see if I can fulfill this new (and rather pressing need should the weather stay this cold for much longer) need. Brrrrr!