Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Seine
One of my favorite activities in Paris is a cruise down the Seine, which in my opinion, is the city's most beautiful boulevard. I have been to Paris 3 times, and each time, I made time for this cruise. It is so serene and you get a chance to see the city's major monuments (such as the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre) and watch the river activity. Plus, visiting Paris means for most people, lots of walking. The cruise can thankfully provide a much-needed rest for tired feet.
Macaron
I admit with a little shame that one of the things I was most excited about our trip to Paris is to finally have a macaron, my favorite cookie invented by the French, in France. I love its moist, chewy interior and crunchy, egg shell-like exterior. It comes in a wide variety of flavors from the traditional (e.g., vanilla, chocolate) to modern (e.g., rose, jasmine). Based on a brief internet research, the best macarons are to be found at Laduree and Pierre Hermes, so we went to both while in Paris (sidenote: here is an interesting blog post from Hipparis.com about the rivalry between the two).
I loved the macarons at both places. My favorites were the coffee and the caramel with salt ones from Laduree. What I would do for some right now!
I loved the macarons at both places. My favorites were the coffee and the caramel with salt ones from Laduree. What I would do for some right now!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
A year ago: Istanbul
Last year, I was fortunate to visit Istanbul. Few places resonate with history and culture as strongly as this city, and I felt so blessed that I was given the chance to visit.
Highlights:
(1) the Blue Mosque, an imperial mosque built around 1609-1616 and an example of classical Turkish architecture
(2) Hagia Sofia (Aya Sofya in Turkish), Istanbul’s most famous monument built over a millennium ago and a stunning place with its soaring dome, mosaics and stained-glass windows.
(3) Topkapi Palace, which was the heart of the Ottoman Empire and served as the sultan’s residence and government center
(4) Basilica Cistern, an awesome underground structure built by the Byzantines in 532 to store water
(5) Istanbul’s Bazaar District, where you can find the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Both are real markets filled with both Turks and tourists. At the Grand Bazaar, established in the 15th century, you will purportedly find 5,000 vendors. It was definitely sensory overload! At the Spice Market, built in 1660s, you will find shops selling dried fruits, nuts, teas, and of course, spices. It is paradise for a foodie.
Highlights:
(1) the Blue Mosque, an imperial mosque built around 1609-1616 and an example of classical Turkish architecture
(2) Hagia Sofia (Aya Sofya in Turkish), Istanbul’s most famous monument built over a millennium ago and a stunning place with its soaring dome, mosaics and stained-glass windows.
(3) Topkapi Palace, which was the heart of the Ottoman Empire and served as the sultan’s residence and government center
(4) Basilica Cistern, an awesome underground structure built by the Byzantines in 532 to store water
(5) Istanbul’s Bazaar District, where you can find the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market. Both are real markets filled with both Turks and tourists. At the Grand Bazaar, established in the 15th century, you will purportedly find 5,000 vendors. It was definitely sensory overload! At the Spice Market, built in 1660s, you will find shops selling dried fruits, nuts, teas, and of course, spices. It is paradise for a foodie.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
48 hours in NYC
It's great having a sister-in-law that lives in Manhattan. In April, we had a chance to visit her. Despite several visits in the past, I don't think we will ever run out of things to do in NYC. This visit was short but very much fruitful!
We stayed at the wonderful Hotel Indigo Chelsea. We love this hotel. Great location (just a few blocks from Penn Station). Stylishly decorated. Great and attentive staff. More importantly, relatively affordable for a Manhattan hotel.
You can't go wrong with a NYC bagel for breakfast. My husband's delish everything bagel from Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company:
We had our first trip to High Line Park. I've been wanting to visit this mile-and-a-half-long elevated public park since it opened last year. High Line is the reworking of a 1930s elevated railway. It is such a great public space perfect for a lazy stroll.
Because I love food markets, we also visited the Chelsea Market.
Sister-in-law lives in West Village near the small and beautiful Abingdon Square Park. We stopped here to rest our tired feet for awhile.
We also went to Brooklyn to check out Prospect Height and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. The cherry blossom trees were beyond beautiful (actually, the whole place was).
We also had a chance to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Inspiring. A must-see for everyone.
A visit to NYC means many great meals. We had perfect meals at Spotted Pig (pictured below) and Boqueria. Highly recommend!
I'm pretty obsessed with cupcakes, so of course, we had to visit a bakery or two. I tried cupcakes from Billy's Bakery and Magnolia Cafe. My vote for the better cupcake goes to Magnolia Cafe (their cupcake is pictured below). Billy's Bakery was not at all bad, just too sweet for me.
I can't believe how much we did in 2 days.
Hope to see you again soon, NYC!
We stayed at the wonderful Hotel Indigo Chelsea. We love this hotel. Great location (just a few blocks from Penn Station). Stylishly decorated. Great and attentive staff. More importantly, relatively affordable for a Manhattan hotel.
You can't go wrong with a NYC bagel for breakfast. My husband's delish everything bagel from Brooklyn Bagel and Coffee Company:
We had our first trip to High Line Park. I've been wanting to visit this mile-and-a-half-long elevated public park since it opened last year. High Line is the reworking of a 1930s elevated railway. It is such a great public space perfect for a lazy stroll.
Because I love food markets, we also visited the Chelsea Market.
Sister-in-law lives in West Village near the small and beautiful Abingdon Square Park. We stopped here to rest our tired feet for awhile.
We also went to Brooklyn to check out Prospect Height and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. The cherry blossom trees were beyond beautiful (actually, the whole place was).
We also had a chance to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Inspiring. A must-see for everyone.
A visit to NYC means many great meals. We had perfect meals at Spotted Pig (pictured below) and Boqueria. Highly recommend!
I'm pretty obsessed with cupcakes, so of course, we had to visit a bakery or two. I tried cupcakes from Billy's Bakery and Magnolia Cafe. My vote for the better cupcake goes to Magnolia Cafe (their cupcake is pictured below). Billy's Bakery was not at all bad, just too sweet for me.
I can't believe how much we did in 2 days.
Hope to see you again soon, NYC!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Happy Bastille Day!
Photo taken in 2007 while visiting L'Arc de Triomphe during Bastille Day. The arch was commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon after he conquered most of Europe. The arch was then completed in 1836 and it now keeps the memory of the dead killed in World War I (1914/1918).
It's also a fabulous place to view Paris from above.
Signed,
Extremely excited about our upcoming trip to Paris
Friday, April 9, 2010
Favority Stays: Hotel Mezzanine
In beautiful Tulum, we stayed at Mezzanine, a boutique hotel owned by New Zealanders that comes with a talented Thai chef and a friendly and helpful staff. It is hip and stylish without the pretension.
The only warning: every Friday night, the hotel hosts a party complete with a famous guest DJ from around the world. The party attracts lots of revelers and the music plays until the early hours. So if you will be in Tulum on a Friday night and are not exactly a night owl, consider staying elsewhere. With the exception of Friday night, Mezzanine is quiet and chill.
The hotel is located just a few yards from the ocean.
Mezzanine has only nine rooms, and none of them have alarm clocks, AC, TVs, and telephones (the hotel does provide Wi-Fi). It is completely solar-and wind-powered (most of Tulum's beach-front hotels are off-the-grid). Every part of the hotel is absolutely beautiful.
We opted for one of the ground-level rooms, which has the cheapest rate. It has an open floor plan, which took awhile to get used to. Other than that minor issue, we found our room comfortable, and I loved its modern decor.
The hotel allows free use of its bikes.
Mezzanine has a restaurant that serves delicious Thai-inspired food
To put it simply, this place is heaven!
The only warning: every Friday night, the hotel hosts a party complete with a famous guest DJ from around the world. The party attracts lots of revelers and the music plays until the early hours. So if you will be in Tulum on a Friday night and are not exactly a night owl, consider staying elsewhere. With the exception of Friday night, Mezzanine is quiet and chill.
The hotel is located just a few yards from the ocean.
Mezzanine has only nine rooms, and none of them have alarm clocks, AC, TVs, and telephones (the hotel does provide Wi-Fi). It is completely solar-and wind-powered (most of Tulum's beach-front hotels are off-the-grid). Every part of the hotel is absolutely beautiful.
We opted for one of the ground-level rooms, which has the cheapest rate. It has an open floor plan, which took awhile to get used to. Other than that minor issue, we found our room comfortable, and I loved its modern decor.
The hotel allows free use of its bikes.
Mezzanine has a restaurant that serves delicious Thai-inspired food
To put it simply, this place is heaven!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Favorite Stays: The Argonaut Hotel
During a long weekend trip to San Francisco (October 2008), we stayed at the Argonaut Hotel, which was exceptional. I decided on this hotel partially because of its high rating among reviewers on Tripadvisor.com and partially because I have had great experiences with Kimpton Hotels. Our room and the public areas were clean and stylishly decorated (the hotel has a nautical theme). The employees were so friendly and helpful. Even though the neighborhood is crowded and busy (Fisherman's Wharf), it was quiet inside the hotel. There is also complimentary daily evening wine reception. The four-story timber and brick landmark building was built in 1908 as a warehouse for the California Fruit Canners Association.
The lobby:
I think these chairs are adorable. People sat here during the wine reception.
The building:
The hotel is located on the corner of Jefferson and Hyde.
Our room:
I love the L'Occitane toiletries the hotel provides.
Our delicious California-style chowder with French sourdough bread (a meal can't get more San Franciscan than that!) at the hotel restaurant, Blue Mermaid Chowder House:
The lobby:
I think these chairs are adorable. People sat here during the wine reception.
The building:
The hotel is located on the corner of Jefferson and Hyde.
Our room:
I love the L'Occitane toiletries the hotel provides.
Our delicious California-style chowder with French sourdough bread (a meal can't get more San Franciscan than that!) at the hotel restaurant, Blue Mermaid Chowder House:
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