When I lived in Vienna, Austria, 10 years ago, the proud imperial city seemed the last bastion of old-world attitudes. A sense of those old empires — the Austro-Hungarian, the Hapsburgs — not only lingered, you could feel it everywhere. The Viennese were resistant to change and unwelcoming of outsiders.

But Vienna, which I have heard many call “the smiling city without a soul,” has changed, and in the best of ways. Rather than throwing out old values and traditions, it’s simply continued them with a greater sense of openness and welcome. The city is much more family-friendly, as I recently wrote in The Boston Globe. But the changes apply to more than just activities for kids.

The revered coffeehouses, once haunted by Trotsky and Lenin, still serve the same fantastic coffee, and the waiters still wear bowties and black jackets. Cafe Landtmann, pictured here, still hosts Austria’s politicians, journalists, and diplomats. But, unlike a decade ago, the waiters are attentive and even — dare I say it — friendly.

“Standoffish” doesn’t even begin to describe the Viennese in the past, but somehow the sunshine has entered their souls. Vienna has an incredible quality of life, with comprehensive and cheap public transport, beauty and cleanliness, and serene walks like these through the Vienna Woods, or Wienerwald. That quality hasn’t changed. What’s changed is that the locals suddenly don’t seem to mind sharing it all with the rest of the world.

When I first moved to New York state, I was prey to all the assumptions and stereotypes that pop to mind when the words “New York” end up in a sentence. “New York … that’s city, right? No trees, no open space, no peace. Just city.”

Well, I was wrong then and was a little ashamed last 4th of July weekend to find myself wrong again. Where I live, 60 miles north (and slightly west) of Manhatten, there’s still a country look to the place, but it’s being eroded pretty quickly by exurbia, that rural bastardization of suburbia. (Note: For a discussion of the definition and lifestyle of Exurbia, visit the Exurbitude blog — today, as a bonus, the author has a very funny description of trying to move the goat paddock at my house last weekend. Let’s just say none of us are born herders.)

So when we drove out the whole three hours to the university town of Ithaca in the Finger Lakes region of New York, I expected to find something pretty similar. And did I? Nope. Of course not. Because wherever I go, what I find is not what I expected. With its vast lakes, wide farmlands and winery fields, and air much less humid and much more cool than it is where I live, I could have been in a different country. My surprise came despite the fact that I’ve long been an admirer of Ronda Roaring’s Web site, I Love the Finger Lakes.

And how I do! I’m a convert. As opposed to the dusty, hot unpleasantness of Napa (relive my experience here), the Finger Lakes wineries boast cool breezes, sweet wines and some unusual merlots, and unbeatable views down to massive lakes. Looking down to Cayuga Lake at the Lamore Landing Winery, we could have been back in Scotland.

We only had three short days in the Finger Lakes, but I’ll be going back. To visit the bird sanctuaries at the Cornell University lab, to shop again at the Ithaca farmer’s market, to hike the umpteen trails through hidden woods and quiet hills.

More people should see the rest of New York state. Because that smidgeon of an island, that little city-state of New York City that enthrals so many, is simply the back door to places far more beautiful, restful, and worth seeing.

These two photos were taken in a giant Asian market and in a small Czech/German bakery.

Where are these food emporiums?

Both are in Texas.

On a recent road trip to Houston, we stopped in the Czech and German stronghold of La Grange.

(Yes, it was THAT La Grange, made famous by the rock band ZZ Top and the Chicken Ranch brothel from the musical “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”)

Along with some de-lish Czech kolaches and pigs-in-blankets (bread-wrapped sausage,) the Weikel’s Bakery product line includes bags of fresh, homemade noodles.

There are plenty of store patrons who still make “schnitzel with noodles,” if you remember Fraulein Maria’s favorites in the “Sound of Music.”

Many Czechs and Germans settled in this part of the state starting in the 1840s and 1850s; that’s why sausage is a big deal with our BBQ,  Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner beer is popular, there are active Texas polka radio stations and you can find kolaches (a fruit or cheese-filled Czech pastry) in a small town between Austin and Houston.

Sprawling Houston (quite a boomtown these days, according to Newsweek) has numerous ethnic enclaves.

The Hong Kong Food Market that we visited was one of four; it anchors a large Asian population in the southwestern part of the city.  The “Hong Kong” in the name is a misnomer - the products were Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Korean.

The live catfish that was yanked out of its tank in the seafood section and gutted on the spot (while still flopping) was almost as mesmerizing as the rows of interesting foodstuffs.

Hmm, catfish with some hoisin sauce on top of noodles, maybe?

Visit Houston in October for their big Asian Festival, held every year since 1979.

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Did you read Intelligent Travel’s post about ‘Foodie Museums’?

Their list of food museums around America sounds like just the thing for a food lover such as myself. Except, that is, for the Spam Museum. That’s a food that brings vivid childhood memories that I thought I’d blocked out. Spam was served with salad and mashed potatos every thursday. And every thursday, I tried to find new and creative ways of getting out of eating it. I simply did not like Spam. I still don’t like Spam. So I guess that’s one museum crossed off my food museum list. But not to worry, there are plenty of others out there to discover.

Such as the Jell-O Musuem in Le Roy, New York. Now that’s one food I have great childhood memories of. Or the Ice Cream Capital of the World in Le Mars, Iowa.

But why not look further afield to the rest of the world? There are plenty of food museums to choose from.

Here’s five that caught my eye…

The Museum of Bread Culture in Ulm, Germany.

The National Asparagus and Mushroom Museum in Limberg, Holland.

The National Museum of Pasta in Rome, Italy.

The Martini Museum in Chieri, Italy.

The Cured Ham Museum and Ibérico Pig Interpretation Center in Aracena, Spain.

Belgium is famous for great beer, mussels and Belgian chocolate (amongst many other delights) but which chocolate is the best?

Never mind the rather recent obsession over dark chocolate….I’m not really a connoisseur, apparently, since I prefer milk chocolate.

I’m not crazy enough to make any definitive brand declarations — as visitors stroll through Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp or Bruges, there are plenty of choices.

Goodness knows, you shouldn’t miss the chance for a chocolate tour, demonstration or tasting.

Godiva and Leonidas are easy to find across most of Europe; I’d rather try something lesser-known.

Neuhaus, Pierre Marcolini, Moeder Babelutte, Wittamer and Manon have their aficionados, and their shop displays are gorgeously imaginative, but for a less-expensive box “to go,” I like Guylian, particularly their sea shell-shaped milk chocolates.

Imagine my delight as I found a box last week at Central Market here in Austin. Obviously, the chocolates that are shipped for export won’t be as fresh as those purchased next to a Bruges canal, but I don’t care; I was just delighted to find one of my favorite Belgian indulgences only a few miles from my house.

Aren’t you proud of me? I didn’t eat any until I had time to take a photo for this post. :)