The move to Australia has been a long time coming but now that I’m here it all feels very abrupt. The Englishman got wind of a potential Sydney posting months ago so we’ve had plenty of time to get used to the idea. But no matter how organized the packing job, or how much advance … Continue reading
In the blink of an eye, my two years in France have come and gone. Nice and I have had a classic romance: I was infatuated with the light and the color when I arrived and then reality set in and I had to work hard to learn the language and ingratiate myself in order … Continue reading
Istanbul is known for its incredible food and before I left, everyone I talked to told me to “eat everything!” Our first dinner set the bar high. Tired after working all day (and walking all day in my case) we decided to stay on our side of the Bosphorus and by luck of the draw, … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Rotenburg restaurant – Naharayim, Israel This out of the way spot takes “hidden gem” to a new level. About an hour and 45 minutes northwest of Tel Aviv, what is now a welcoming, rustic restaurant is housed in what was an old border inspection center for the defunct Valley train line that crossed from Israel … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: The boundary Roof top, Shoreditch London is known for its grey, drizzly weather, but when the sun does come out the city is dazzling and a peaceful rooftop bar is the perfect place to enjoy a balmy evening. The Boundary, one of Terence Conran’s projects, is a beautiful boutique hotel with three restaurants … Continue reading
If you are a woman of any size, age or shape and you’ve walked down a street in any city in the world, you’ve experienced it: the whistles the cat calls, the winks, the terrible pick up lines. The language may vary, but the message doesn’t. I’ve spent enough time in enough countries now to … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Yalta restaurant – Jaffa, Israel Jaffa in Southern Tel Aviv is the city’s hip, bohemian center, with a huge sprawling flea market, and cool restaurants, bars, and shops down every street. The flea market (open every day except Saturday) extends through the the bustling little area with old timers hawking all manner of … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Fernandez and Wells, St Annes Court London is rammed with fabulous restaurants and the five Fernandez and Wells locations are welcome additions to the city’s culinary landscape. Each spot has slightly different offerings, focusing on espresso, cured meats, cheeses and delicious wines. The St. Annes location is a tiny welcoming space tucked in … Continue reading
This week’s question is about affordable, Europe, solo travel ideas for June: Hi Katie I need some travel advice, have 10 days in june that I’m taking off. I want somewhere in Europe that’s quick, cheap and warm. I don’t want to spend a lot of money, but I do want a new, interesting, fun place where … Continue reading
When my friend Hilary emailed me a few weeks ago to say she was going to Istanbul for work and wondered if I could swing a trip east to meet her, I thought for all of two minutes before booking my flight. The Bosphorus Sea had always grabbed my imagination and Istanbul was a city I was dying … Continue reading
Spring is slowly emerging here, but there is not much springing taking place yet. My local friends tell me it will be another month or so before the warm weather is here to stay. I’ve been longing for summer with its sultry heat, rich, saturated colors and seemingly endless hot, still, nights. Spring is more fleeting, … Continue reading
Madame Perruque was on fire this week. We were continuing our critiques of magazine ads and Juliet, an impossibly tall, thin, Cuban woman – who looked like she had just breezed off the pages of Cosmopolitan herself – made her way to the front of the class. Her choice was a steamy, full page ad … Continue reading
Today’s tip: Fishs Eddy, New York I came across this shop many many years ago and I fell in love immediately. Fishs Eddy is a New York shop that sells delightful dinnerware and crockery and I am always blown away by their creative and beautiful designs. The flagship store is near Union Square on Broadway … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Pura Tirta Empul – Tampak Siring, Bali Ubud and the surrounding villages in the middle of the island are thought of as the spiritual heart of Bali. And the purification and water temples at Tirta Empul are thought of as among the most important spiritual places in Bali. Foreigners are able to visit the … Continue reading
I’m part way through my second semester of French classes and truth be told, I’m in over my head. Things have accelerated quickly and I have the distinct feeling that the students folded into the chairs around me understand a lot more than I do. I like being in school though and I figure even … Continue reading
I love Aimee Bender’s writing. And like everything she writes, The particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is fantastic. Like her short stories, this book is both magical, and somber. She creates beautifully detailed characters who are simultaneously relatable and fantastical. Rose Edelstein is nine years old when we meet her, and it’s at this tender age that she … Continue reading
Les Distilleries Ideales is my favorite bar in Nice. It’s in the old city with prime real estate on a busy corner with delightful early evening sun. They have a full drinks menu complete with cocktails and whiskey, but most people come here for the beer. There is a good selection of imported beers on draught … Continue reading
The Secret History by Donna Tartt is one of my all time favorite books. The epic is over 500 pages, but once I turned the first one i couldn’t stop until I got to the last. The tale begins with a California teenager who is drawn to the glamour of an exclusive, private boarding school … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Nice Opera House With the miles of beaches, dozens of museums and endless restaurants to offer, going to the opera isn’t the first thing you might think of when imagining a visit to Nice. It should be. Located in Nice’s old city just steps from the sea front, the gorgeous opera house is … Continue reading
