Glein
Local Hero Sebastian Leitinger from Glein
The designer about his ambivalent relationship to Viennese Gemütlichkeit and why it's sometimes better to turn left in Vienna.
In our portrait series "Local Heroes" Sebastian gives us an insight into his personal Vienna.
What do you like about the area? What is your relation to the 7th district?
The diversity of the creative scene and the restaurants. You can go anywhere in the 7th and you’ll find an interesting cafe/restaurant/shop/atelier. I like especially the corner between the 7th and the 8th, because there is a lot going on here right now, and long-established and somewhat sleepy structures are mixing with the new.
What can one buy in your store? What is your passion behind it?
At Glein we aim to create good products at an affordable price. We work on minimalistic designs and produce directly for our customers. We only use high quality materials and cooperate with the best workshops around Europe. Through direct trade we can skip the markup and the consumer receives a luxury product at a fair price.
The whole idea was born from my very own fascination of minimalistic design and beautiful material. If you disconnect production from sale, you have to calculate the trade margin which often leads to a cut of material costs. This lack of quality is often compensated by a loud design. We work against that approach and try to work out a simple design vocabulary in the most beautiful composition.
Only in Vienna
Heurige(wine taverns)
Just around the corner there is the „Stadtheuriger“ in Piaristengasse.
Or you can head out to 17th/18th/19th district or even to Klosterneuburg, e.g. Heuriger Hirt
Better somewhere else
Electronic dance beats and a decent club culture. I believe in Vienna people rather drink than dance.
Sweet Vienna
Apfelstrudel at Café Prückel or coffee and cake at Café Jelinek.
Hearty Vienna
Blue-cheese-Salami-croissant with apple sauce at Salettl Pavillon! You should also try a goulash at Glacis Beisl or in Amerlingbeisl’s yard.
When it gets dark
Dinner at Victus&Mili, afterwards to Gartenbaukino followed by a drink at Hotel Intercontinental.
Not in any tourist guide
A ride with a pedal boat on the Old Danube.
Your favorite place
Cafe Espresso in Burggasse.
Must-see
For summer, plan a visit to one of Vienna’s public swimming pools – the Neuwaldegger Bad is very special, but also Krapfenwaldbad with its stunning view over Vienna. Strombad Kritzendorf, Bad Vöslau’s or Bad Fischau’s thermal baths. In winter, I recommend the beautiful Amalienbath.
You can skip, although in the guide
Mariahilferstraße. You better take a left or right before you reach it!
What do you love about the city?
I love and hate the so called Wiener Gemütlichkeit (coziness) at the same time. In Vienna everything takes a bit longer and every move affords a certain struggle. But on the other hand, it definitely is more cozy than in other places – and in the end everything will be fine.
