Viennese Art & Cuisine

The "Wiener Seife" flagship store in the 3rd district has large glass windows which are great for watching. While soaps are being made opposite,  with a coconut oil base and stirred by hand according to old Viennese soap recipes before being cut with piano wires, through the window of the new store you can see how the soaps are packaged, labelled and prepared for sending. Particularly nice varieties: Blue Danube or Viennese Scent.

Alexander Lauber creates very special eau de parfums under the name "Wiener Blut" (referring to the famous Strauss waltz), which are go back to the times of the K&K monarchy. He spent a lot of time in antiquarian bookshops, at flea markets and in the archives of the Hofburg (imperial palace) to get an insight into the perfumes of the imperial era. He has since reinterpreted his former handkerchief perfume recipes from the 19th century in 9 new fragrances.

My greatest new discovery! When Thomas Poganitsch learned that both the last generation of the family business, which had been producing the original Viennese newspaper holder by hand since 1867,  and also its successor wanted to close the business, the immediately integrated the craft into his workshop. Today he produces 5 different sizes, depending on the daily newspaper format, and supplies the whole world including even the New York Times. A beautiful souvenir of Viennese cultural life!

Michael Diewald, who is actually an outdoor freak, enthusiastic (wild herb) hiker and also an aroma researcher passionately collects fruits and flowers. He refines them - partly with chocolate and marzipan. When he's not in the Vienna Woods, he "harvests" the precious flowers which he needs for his seasonal confectionery from many an urban roof garden. Individual tasting workshops can even be booked in his workshop in the 6th district!

As a great friend of nature who holds his bee colonies in great esteem, Thomas Zelenka does everything he can to create a perfect environment for the bees. He looks for suitable gathering places, provides untreated wooden hives and looks after the bee colonies with a lot of devotion. This means that today his hives can be found in many places in the Vienna Woods as well as in the city. The results are delicious varieties of honey, propolis drops, honey bears or even honey candles as a gift idea.

If you love the art of glassworks, then you could watch Robert Comploj in his workshop. He learned his craft from the glass masters of Murano, whose Venetian techniques he combines with colourful reduced designs. That’s how he creates individual glass designs such as vases, bowls and other precious decorative objects. In addition to his use of intensive colours, Robert’s bold approach in experimenting with the form and structure of glass is also highly appreciated. 

As a great-granddaughter of Art Nouveau, Hedwig Rotter is also stirring up the design scene with her precious porcelain collection. In her newly renovated manufactory in the Viennese district of Ottakring she lovingly produces unique, individual pieces primarily for the dinner table and interior such as lamps, accessories or vases. All porcelain products are carefully crafted by hand with a lot of passion for the traditional material and a great love for timeless design.