Hello from Vienna!
After a month or so of a major life shift and change, I'm finally settled in Vienna for a few months! The first night was a chilly 28 degrees (F) as I strolled through Stephanplatz - a very popular square in the center of Vienna. Although it is full of history and gorgeous architecture, it's kind of like the Beverly Hills of Vienna, with upscale stores and shops. The holiday decorations were still up, and it was magical to say the least. I'm still wrapping my head around the concept of this being a way of life for me, and not just a short vacation.
Stephansplatz, Vienna
Speaking of the cold...
Stephansplatz is so beautiful. However, this California kid is definitely not used to the cold temperatures - day after day. Vienna averages only 70 hours of sun throughout the entire month of January - and only two full days of sun with no clouds! It is winter, and I was well aware of that. But I'm just not used to getting bundled up in my winter jacket every time I step out. This has probably been my hardest adjustment. But...spring is just around the corner, isn't it?
Health & Fitness
One of the first things I wanted to do when I got here was to get into a fitness routine. First, I want to stay healthy and fit - and second, it provides for some groundedness in my life. Fitness is something I know, so it's a comfort zone for me. Searching the internet, I came across Body Concept Vienna located in Stephansplatz. I love this place! The instructors are super nice, and speak and teach classes in English. They have been really good to me and made me feel welcome from the very first class I took. So happy to have found them! I also added weight training to my routine, and happy to have found John Harris Fitness here in Vienna!
My Favorite Thing
It seems like wherever you go, all you see are baked goods. Oh, it is so tempting to taste every baked good that I see! Would you have the willpower to not indulge?? This is why I need the fitness classes!
My Apartment
Staying at Airbnb's will be my home here in Europe, and I couldn't be happier with my little studio apartment! It's small, but modern, bright, and clean. It's also 5 minutes from a metro station that quickly get me anywhere in the city. Here's where I sit and do my work!
Vienna Coffee Festival
This was a really fun event! It was billed as "The World's Coolest Coffee Event!" and it certainly was. I couldn't sleep most of the weekend after all that caffeine! Click here to see my highlights of the event!
Day Trip to Bratislava
My first day trip was to Bratislava, Slovakia. It's only a one hour train ride, but you really feel like you're away from Vienna and in a different country. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and is its largest city. Though it was a bit cold, it had just snowed and was really pretty. The best thing about January is that it is definitely not tourist season, so you can walk freely and dine at most any establishment without a wait or crowds. Click here to see my video of the day!
Weekend Trip to Brno
Finally, I took another day trip (well, this was actually a weekend trip) to Brno. It's only a couple hours away, but I decided to take the weekend and just go and explore. Bnro is in the Czech Republic and has a population of about 500,000. It has a younger, hip vibe due to the many universities there. On Saturday night, I stopped into a karoke bar! I didn't sing myself, but most everyone sang together for many of the songs. This was a room full of people from many different countries, yet we all knew the words to classic songs by Queen and ABBA! It was great fun! Click here to see my video of the weekend!
Professional News
There are two words to describe my goals for this year: Fun and Creativity. And there are two things that are fun and creative for me, and that is screen acting and voice over work. My focus at the moment is to build my social media presence, so if you haven't followed me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube, please do so!
ACTING: I have my first screen acting scene completed! Thanks to Philip Orazio (@philiporazio) for the great direction and production skills. Also a big thanks to the very talented Cora Wilson for being such a great scene partner. Click here to watch!
VOICEOVER: If you haven't heard my voiceover demo yet, just click here! Big thanks to my voiceover coach, demo producer, business mentor, and friend - Anne Ganguzza!
Overall, it's been a really good month. I've gotten settled into my apartment, joined classes, meet some really nice people, and traveled the area a bit. I'm looking to more of the same next month, with travels to Budapest and Amsterdam (Chocolate Festival...yay!)
Thanks for following along!
ACTOR // CREATIVE // VOICE TALENT
TAPP
Bob Tapper
tapp@bobtapper
Outside US: +01 9494846275
Inside US: (949) 484-6275