On a wintery week in February, I had my very own Cinderella story. Offered unprecedented access to one of Austria's most ...

Karima el Mahroug, a.k.a. Ruby Heartstealer - the 18-year-old linked to a sex scandal involving Italian P.M. Silvio Berlusconi - is the special guest at a glittering Opera Ball in Vienna.

For many Austrians, a ball ends not on the dance floor but on the street at one of Vienna's famous sausage stands. Once again, those elbow-length gloves must come off — this time, to eat.