Two weeks since the lockdown was lifted. Austria has had 16,358 cases, and 635 deaths, There are 190 in hospital right now, 31 of which are in the intensive care units. Figures taken from the official update Friday 22 May. No second wave right now.
Masks are everywhere. The most popular place to keep them seems to be hanging from the rear view mirror, followed up closely by in the pocket, or hanging around the neck, or pushed down under the chin. All the restaurants and bars have reopened, and life is moving on. The hospitality staff wear masks or visors. I had to laugh yesterday in Linz, I walked by a waiter serving on the terrace with his visor pushed up onto the top of his head in a kind of duck bill way. I fully understand. Talking with one of those plastic sheets in front of your face is awful. Still people are making the best out of it and not wearing them when you don’t have to. Except those that do, and these are the ones you see driving their cars with their masks on. Really? Folks are social distancing of course, to the best of their abilities. That did not include a huge group of leather-clad bikers at a burger stand yesterday. I guess there were around fifty of them, and at least thirty huge bikes. Definitely all one family.
Conclusion? Masks on public transportation, in supermarkets and shops, banks and post offices, gas stations and the like? Everyone is doing it. Still, I do not see it catching on long term.
The countries around Austria will open their borders over the next month, that is the plan. And I cannot wait to go down to the beach in Italy for a few days. I am also planning a few days in Switzerland mid-summer, and will go on the train. Scotland was on the cards but I don’t see a trip to the UK happening this year.
Restaurants are slow, business is not back to usual by any stretch of the imagination. Shops the same. Economy suffering. I cannot imagine how bad the tourist industry is gonna suffer. The government is really pushing the “Holiday in Austria this year and help the industry” theme. Fair enough.
Cookie Kitchen is back in swing, but not as busy as usual. Yet.
MEANWHILE ……………
I have never had a Holy Grail anything, that is until now. Fanfare. Tara introduced me to the NARS Soft Matt Complete Concealer a couple of years ago. It is amazing stuff. However, she also gave @b.londeswuder a sample of the IT Bye Bye Under Eye Full Coverage Anti-Aging Waterproof Concealer. Well I tell you, the IT stuff is incredible. It’s amazing. The texture, the consistency, the coverage, the colors, the tube it is in. The tiniest amount is all you need. My daughter is as blown away by it as I am, we bought our tubes together. Superb stuff. It stays put, does not melt, does not dry out, and I have ordered back ups. The NARS comes a very close second, but second is not quite enough.
Malle’s Rose & Cuir has been my Scent of the Post-Lockdown.
So where y’all at?
“Apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?” Monty Python. Life of Brian.
CQ.
A Bottled Rose 
These posts give me hope. There is life after lockdown.
I can only conclude that Austrians must be a very healthy bunch with so few deaths from that number of cases. Amazing.
I now remember giving Hannah that sample on one of our traditional trips to Topshop. What a result.
I have access to my perfume collection this weekend and will wear Rose et Cuir to cheer myself up. That one still blows me away.
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Dearest Tara! Of course there is life after lockdown. Time to learn to live with a catastrophe. And still we are not starving —– The biggest challenge is the political leaders huh! Yeah, Hannah kept the sample forever, I think there were two, and gave me one at Christmas. It took me that long to be able to order it over here though. But now I can. Oh yes, Rose & Cuir reminds you what it is we love about perfume. Malle said he was working with Ellena now, again, and I hope we do not have to wait years for the next one. But Frèdèric always has a few things going —- xxx ❤
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The figure of 635 deaths, that includes the five hundred and something you had before, right, so not many more since easing lockdown? Scaled up to our population levels, that equates to 4700 deaths compared with our over 40K is it?, depending where you look…And we have 10k still in hospital, though that is significantly down. Your hospitalised figure equates to 1400 here, and you are coming out of lockdown(!). Speed of locking down clearly was the essence. They say air pollution may prove to be a key factor, so you may have been lucky on that score, plus all those Nordic walkers, hehe.
Anyway, despite the catastrophic situation here, we Brits have yet to embrace masks en masse, though I have quite a lot in the house, and it can only be a question of time. I am impressed your restaurants have found a way to socially distance without losing most of their covers. Unless they are putting diners outside as much as poss. So much we can learn from other countries, though a lot is too late I fear. And our summers are a bit more iffy.
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Mme B! No, no big changes since easing the lockdown, Interesting what you say about air pollution, Of course I do not think we will ever know why and what, but the Lombardi area, is one of the most polluted in Italy, and the same area has a very high elderly population.
Not all restaurants are surviving this, a fair number are having to close, it is awful. There are a lot of diners outside though, yeah, but there always is. And when it is too cold they have heaters outside! Who knows where we are all gonna end up. Can only sit tight and go with whatever flow. Hugs V. ❤ ❤
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Here in Florida, US, we have been in phased reopening mode for a few weeks. Cases/deaths are trending up again, but the governor is pushing reopening as our economy is heavily dependent on tourism/recreation. With the holiday weekend, everyone will be out at the beach or on the water. The public library I work at is planning to begin curbside pickup on June 1, but not walk-in service until a later date. As a children’s librarian, the distancing feels so odd, as we are very hands-on/face-to-face. But we have already lost patrons to COVID & don’t want to lose more. I just heard my husband (76 years old, health issues) explain to his daughter, a nurse, how much he loves her, but that we both will be wearing masks & trying to keep space today as we attend her mother’s funeral. It’s all so strange. As the US nears 100,000 deaths, I’ve lost track of how many cases, but hope all of you are well & getting by economically.
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The numbers from Austria are incredible. We have had 2,500 deaths just in the city of Montréal alone (the worst epicenter in all of Canada), population 2 million. Austria is just under 9 million. You did very well.
Things are looking up though, the good weather has finally arrived, the stores reopen Monday, and hopefully next month they will start letting restaurants open. Not a lot of masks here, mostly physical distancing and mandatory handwashing stations at store entrances.
Got my flower baskets out on the balcony, been baking cookies and bread, and watching the lilac bloom. I’m going out on a sniffing walk this afternoon, I know where all the lilac bushes are in a 2km radius. Next week is a bike ride through the enormous lilac hedgerows on our northbound bike path. Yay!
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Sorry about the tardy reply TaraC. (well everyone really) Weekends are full of cookies and in-laws and setting down at the computer takes a back seat. I prefer the physical distancing and hand washing, I mean we all do, and it will go back to being just that I think. The masks will be ditched as soon as possible. I am making sure I have stash at one though. If something like this happens again, and we al know it might, I want a mask from the start. I just love your last paragraph and throw my arms around you in a big hug! Sounds good. Thank goodness for spring time and lilac, and most of all for bikes!! Love your Canadian updates. ❤ xxxxxx
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I’m glad life is getting at least in the direction of “normal” somewhere. We’ll be looking at you as an example (or guinea pigs? 😉 ).
I stopped following where we are at this point: once anything changes, I’ll know.
Our office will stay closed at least until July 25th, so two more months of WFH. I hope, weather won’t be too hot, because even with the A/C it heats up during the day in our house.
Off to check if that wonder-concealer is available here 🙂
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Hi there Undina! I think we are a cross between a guniea pig and an example. I guess you weather will get hot though? At least sometimes. Ha! I cannot keep up with the US, way to broad a spectrum, and so many different rules for different areas.. I have absolutely no doubt at all that you can get IT products in the States. It is worth checking out, get a sample. And you need to warm it a little before putting it onto the skin. And less is more. Let me know if you try it. Hugs to you all and the obligatory coffee obvs. ❤
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Glad things have opened up in Austria and you are able to travel at some point in the very near future. We have barely opened up here in NY/NJ and when more restrictions are lifted, they will be lifted with requirements and other restrictions. Re: mask wearing while driving (by myself) — my practice is to put on the mask right before I leave the house where I can wash my hands before putting in on. Once I’m out, it stays on the entire time even if I am running various errands that require driving from place to place. The only time I pull it off before I get home is when I know my last destination is home and I won’t be encountering anyone else. Also, I haven’t been out long enough to require a public restroom visit which itself gives me the willies even on the best of times!
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Hi there Hajusuuri! Oh that is interesting that you keep the mask on. I take it off the second I get out of whatever store I am in. BUT New York/NJ is a total different story. I have met up with a couple of friends there over Zoom, and I would wear a mask the whole time to tbh. Absolutely shockingly awful. Our public restrooms around here, have hand sanitizer and paper towels in them. I don’t know what the scene is in the cities. Sheesh. The times are truly changing. Great to see you. ❤ xxx
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Hey Val,
Great to read you’re doing so well.
Can you tell me what the under eye thing is for? Why do you need something special for there? I can’t seem to work it out.
Portia xx
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The skin is delicate there and often a different colour, darker shadows etc. It covers and smooths it. It also covers blemishes. And it stays out. You can use or alone, but I put it on top of my foundation, using a Beauty Blender most of the time, and powder on top. Baking. I am sure you do that too, just maybe not with concealer as well. Concealer is an essential item, I have to have it. It is why I look like I am 40. Ahahahaha hahahahaha.
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OK. I understand now.
The makeup I use is TV greasepaint. The only colour change we use is for contouring highlight and shadow. We also put it on with a trowel. Yes, we do powder it to set it like cement.
40? You never looked that old yet Val.
Portia xx
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Seriously. A good concealer is a magical thing. And setting it, as is the thing ideal thing to follow up with, does originate from the drag make up. 💋
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