“Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” John Lennon
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An unexpected experience:
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. This lesson from history, happening now, is a recent firsthand example.
When I explore a new city, I have a checklist of four facets I pursue. Famous food is one of these pursuits.
This is what led me to Café Korb in downtown Vienna. In the region from Vienna to Munich, the Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) is kind of a big deal at breakfast — the Viennese claim to have created it. Café Korb boasts the best in the city of origin. Therefore, this was my singular reason needed to visit.
Witnessing history:
Shortly after 8am on a Tuesday, I arrive and assume my habitual corner seat. There are two old men catty-corner from myself. Each at their own table, yet sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. It’s just the three of us.
My best guess is these two are many-decades-retired businessmen and lifelong friends.
Each gentleman had his own newspaper. As well as a contraption, made of wood and wire, securing and displaying each page. These devices appeared as old and unique as the cafe itself.
Pictured above is the aforementioned contraption — identical from the 50s; still used today. This was an additional clue that time travel might be taking place before my eyes.
Moments later, three more men arrived. Upon entry, each picked up their personal newspaper contraption. Like Soldiers falling into their morning formation, each man (aged 75-85) took their seats at separate tables, while sitting as close as possible to each other.
These three were different than the two men who beat me to the café. All three new members of the gang had doctor written all over them. You could almost see the stethoscope and white coat.
After that, and fashionably late, the final member arrived. However, he was unlike the others in all ways, except in age. He wore all black, faded but fitted jeans, designer leather shoes, and a perfectly pulled-back silver ponytail.
The artist had arrived.
Similarly, upon retrieving his newspaper contraption, he found his seat being saved for him in the middle of them; naturally at his own tiny table — the gang obviously acquainted with his tardy routine.
The lightbulb moment:
For the next 30 minutes, only their group and I occupied the café.
Their natural ambiance was unmistakable. Masters of their widely varying crafts, ritually refining each other’s minds, by sharing and collecting ideas from their longtime peers.
I asked myself, “How many decades have these humans been at this?”
At that moment, something made me Google this café’s history.
The rush of realization was profound.
Influencers, Artists, Physicians, and even an Emperor, had been calling Café Korb their personal meeting place — for more than 100 years.
Sigmund Freud, Elfriede Jelinek, Andy Warhol, and Arthur Miller to name only a handful.
Something about Vienna’s centuries of creatives changing the world with their revolutionary theories, world-changing actions, and musical masterpieces, carries over to this day, within this café.
And I thought I was just going to the place with the great Apfelstrudel.
My intentional disconnection from my professional responsibilities during my visit to Vienna enabled my unexpected connection with history happening that day.
As legendary as my Apfelstrudel was, I’d bet it in a heartbeat that given a time machine to witness the predecessors of the Tuesday morning gang, I would’ve experienced the same unmistakable ambiance, depth of conversation, and quality of human co-creation.
Takeaway:
How many magical moments have I unknowingly missed right before my eyes?
How many have you?
The thought of missing any other unrehearsed event like this shook me.
I implore you to disconnect regularly.
Re-charge, Re-form, and Re-engage.
You just might surprise yourself with what’s been in front of you all along.
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