January 17, 2014

Spain – Valencia Oranges in Moscatel and Orange Marmalade

Valencia oranges on the tree Valencia is the easternmost province of Spain, hugging the Mediterranean coast between Catalonia in the north and Murcia in the south. We drove down the coast of Valencia along highway N-322 en route to the Costa Blanca, a region lined with resort towns nestled between the mountains and the Mediterranean. The resorts are interspersed with sleepy fishing villages that once used to dominate this coastline. The name Costa Blanca was... View Article

January 14, 2014

Spain – Viva La España

Spain. There is something about it that makes you fall in love. I don’t know if it’s the people, the language, the music, the food or the vibrancy that’s in the air or all of these things combined but it definitely swept me off my feet. We arrived in Barcelona by TGV train from Paris and had a short stay en route to our destination on the Costa Blanca along the western Mediterranean (east coast... View Article

January 4, 2014

Christmas in Paris – Champagne at Le Bar du Bristol

Since it’s Christmas and we are in Paris, I wanted to make sure we had a memorable experience to take away. For me memorable has to include good food. Many of the restaurants are closed for the holiday and I didn’t want to spend much time on the phone or online trying to find a place that was open. The next best solution was of course the hotels. I love hotels, especially the 5 star... View Article

January 1, 2014

Paris – New Year’s Eve (No) Light Show at the Eiffel Tower

Paris is known as one of the top tourist destination for New Year’s celebrations and out of all the beautiful places to be around town the Tour Eiffel tops the list (whose list, that’s another question). For years they had an impressive light show at the tower, that included music, fireworks and a count down to midnight. You can go to the tower together with thousands of people and watch the light show from a... View Article

January 1, 2014

Paris – French Pastry Class with Les Secrets Gourmands de Noémie

I happened upon Noemi’s cooking school by chance. After mentioning to a Parisian acquaintance that I am interested in food she recommended Noemie’s cooking school in the 17th arrendissement. When I checked Noemi’s website, Les Secrets Gourmands de Noemie , I got quite excited.  Noemie is the real thing. I registered for a French Pastry class to be held in the morning, after the Christmas holiday. Noémie is a trained pastry chef, having completed her training... View Article

December 26, 2013

Paris – A Class at Le Cordon Bleu

As soon as I knew we were going to Paris I knew I had to take a class at Le Cordon Bleu. This iconic institution has a long and prestigious culinary history and even going to a one evening class was a must, almost regardless of what was being taught. Founded over 100 years ago, the school attracts aspiring culinarians from all over the world and produces some of the best chefs in the world.... View Article

December 24, 2013

Val d’Europe – Largest Outlet Mall in Europe

If you are a shopper you may have heard of this gigantic indoor and outdoor mall about 35 km east of Paris in Marne la Vallee. Promoted as the largest mall in Europe, Val d’Europe attracts travellers from all over the continent and is a shopping destination for Parisians who can reach it by a quick train ride from central Paris. Val d’Europe is close to EuroDisney and represents the Disney concept of creating “idealized”... View Article

December 22, 2013

Paris for Insiders: Foodie Tour of Saint Germain (Part 2)

Continued from Part One here. On we go on our walking food tour of Saint Germain with Sara Garcia from Paris by Mouth. After our last stop at Pierre Hermés shop on 72 Rue Bonaparte we crossed the square in front of the beautiful church of Saint Germain, the oldest church in Paris dating back to the 12th century. It is so interesting to be a Parisian and live among these old monuments. I think... View Article

December 16, 2013

Paris – La Grande Epicerie, Parisian Gastronomy by LVMH

How come I wasn’t invited? Last week on December 9th after a year and a half of renovations and relocation Le Bon Marché opened the doors to the new La Grande Epicerie. This food palace was relocated from the basement of Le Bon Marché and moved across the street to the chic corner of rue de Sèvres and rue Bac in the elite 7th arrondissement. At the opening soiree 1500 of Paris’s culinary and consumer elite along... View Article

December 14, 2013

Cauliflower Soup with Gorgonzola

A couple of nights before I left for Paris Val and I attended a cooking class at the fabulous Mission Hill Estate winery. The topic was Tour de France and it was a culinary journey through the provinces of France. The first dish was, you guessed it, a cauliflower soup. The soup was so creamy and delicious, my favourite dish of the evening (and also the only vegetarian one). Executive Chef Mathew Batey, who taught... View Article

December 13, 2013

Paris for Insiders: Foodie Tour of Saint Germain (part 1)

No other arrondissement in Paris has been painted, written about,  featured in novels and movies, had music composed about it and philosophy debated in it’s cafes as much as Saint Germain Des Prés. Jean Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir philosophized with the intelligentsia at Cafes Flore and Les Deux Magot, Oscar Wilde lived on 13, rue des Beaux-Arts, Picasso painted in his atelier on rue Saints Augustines, Hemingway stayed there and wrote about it, Charles Aznavour... View Article

December 10, 2013

Bonjour from Paris – Les Grands Avenues

Excuse me for a moment while I dab on Chanel No. 5 and loop a cashmere scarf around my neck à la Franċaise. French women wear perfume and when it comes to scarves they clearly elevated scarves-tying technique to a serious art form. Perfume fragrances waft towards you, sometime gently seducing, other times boldly announcing their presence. It’s a personal thing. And scarves, they are everywhere, in shops, on the metro, on the streets and... View Article