One of the best things about my French classes, are the friends I am making. Rie, is one such friend. She is an incredibly sweet and smart pastry chef from Tokyo and luckily for me, she agreed to teach me how to make some desserts. The Englishman’s kitchen here in Nice has a gigantic oven … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Bar Pilar During my tenure in Washington, DC I can’t tell you how many times the words “where should we go for dinner” came out of my mouth. In 2006 when I first arrived there, the pickings were pretty slim, but this bright star of a neighborhood bar came to the rescue over … Continue reading
Today’s tip: Sunflower Restaurant Sunflower is a tiny hole-in-the-wall Vietmaese restaurant in San Francisco. They actually have two locations, one in the Mission and one in Potreto Hill. You could easily pass this place by, writing off the shabby storefronts as any other run-of-the-mill place. There isn’t much ambiance- when I brought my mom here, … Continue reading
Today’s tip: The Pavilion London is full of fabulous parks. But Victoria Park in East London might be my favorite. Overshadowed by the more famous Hyde Park and others,VIctoria Park feels almost private a lot of the time. With vast, perfectly manicured green lawns, grand, towering trees of every texture, size and shape, walking and … Continue reading
Today’s Tip: Abu Jamal Hummus shop in Ramallah. (972 298 4773) The sign on the window says Abu Jamal has been selling hummus and falafel here since 1952. The sparse room with a domed, stone ceiling certainly looks like it has been sitting here on this corner for quite some time. Abu Jamal is one … Continue reading
Nablus in the West Bank in Palestine is known for a sweet called Kanafeh. I’d never tried it, and wanted to see more of the region, so the Englishman and I hopped in the car and made the 45 minute journey north to sample what is thought of as the best Kanafeh there is. In … Continue reading
Coffee is an integral part of travel. It is for me anyway. From the first piping hot cup in the morning, to the afternoon pick me up, or the punctuation after a particularly wine infused lunch or dinner, coffee is a daily ritual I love to partake in.
Today’s tip: The cabins at Kadita In Northern Israel, just north of the Sea of Galilee, the upper Jordan River Valley is one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Whether you like bird watching, hiking, or just want to see a different part of the country, this area, with its wide open spaces, … Continue reading
The great creaking travel machine that is my summer has gained some momentum and feels nearly up to speed. The Englishman and I returned to Nice from Corsica and then almost instantaneously boarded our next flight back to London to keep the Birthday celebrations going. The weather cooperated beautifully with our cautiously optimistic plans for a … Continue reading
When I tell people I live in the south of France, I am met by jaws slack with envy and any number of variations on “must be nice” in reply. And to be sure, there are plenty of wonderful things about living here. It is indeed very nice. But I don’t live in the south … Continue reading
This lovely little boulangerie has everything from baguettes to fruit-filled tarts, and two little tables out front that catch the afternoon sun. The woman behind the counter is always friendly, and at €1 for an espresso, it’s the best deal in town. I adore this bakery. Their pastries, sandwiches, pizzas and quiches are out of … Continue reading
The Englishman and I said our last goodbye over two months ago at the airport in San Francisco. Fittingly, we said hello again last week at the airport in Nice. The two of us have had countless rendezvous in airports all over the world: from Cairo, to Rome, to Tel Aviv, to London and Portland, … Continue reading
My neighborhood here in Nice feels like a little microcosm of modern France. From my balcony I can see the ethnic diversity and historical layers that make up the area. I love the combination of cultures that come together here. As I try to make this foreign city home, I am in good company with … Continue reading
When I planned my escape from Washington all those many months ago, I wasn’t thinking that far into the future. After all, it was only a matter of weeks between the day I hatched my plan to flee the confines of my desk, and the day I actually arrived in the French Riviera. I was … Continue reading
I could barely contain my excitement as I ran-walked to the train station to visit my newfound amour. I felt a little sheepish as I bid my French teacher au revoir, but as I boarded the train and settled in for the 40-minute journey, the guilt was immediately replaced by anticipation. Velvety rich cappuccinos, steaming … Continue reading
I have been in France for nearly a month now, and the Englishman has gone back to work, so I am on my own for the first time, and the vacation is over. I have vastly overblown my resources in the past few weeks, flitting around Nice and Corsica and Italy as if I am … Continue reading
