hotel review: le meridien nice

(Nice, France).  For our stay in Nice, we chose to stay at Le Meridien Nice - mainly because we got the entire duration of our stay on Starwood points.  Nothing really beats free.  

However, I have to admit that when our uber driver pulled up to the hotel I was a bit disappointed, especially after seeing the other grand hotels during the drive.  The outside of the hotel left quite a lot to be desired - sort of outdated and adjacent to a large McDonalds.  Don't get me wrong - I enjoy McDonalds occasionally but I don't usually want it attached to my hotel.  But was I too quick to judge?

brown's vs. markey's: the battle for the best lobster rolls

Sunset behind Brown's Lobster Pound.

In a small town located in New Hampshire's tiny coastal stretch are two fairly famous lobster restaurants. On a recent road trip of New England, Mr. Sazy Rock and I decided to wade in on the local argument as to which Lobster Pound was better: Brown's or Markey's.

The drama could not be better. These establishments are literally (not figuratively) across the street from each other. Only a somewhat busy highway separates them.

We decided not to get a whole lobster because we only had so much stomach and so little meals between us. After all, this was an impromptu stop on our way to dinner in Portland, ME. But, to make it fair, we decided to get lobster rolls from both.

travel zen on friday: view of the beach in nice from castle hill

If you are in Nice, you should definitely walk up to Castle Hill and enjoy the gorgeous views of Nice.  It's healthy and free - what more could you ask for?

my experence using uber in nice, france (summer 2016)

(Nice, France).  On my recent travels, it has become a habit for me to research whether my destinations have uber.  It's advisable to check right before you arrive since uber is still relatively new in many areas where the laws may be unclear and/or where uber is subject to attack by local taxi organizations (literally or figuratively).  For example, last year when I went to Paris, uber cars were physically being attacked so I refrained from using uber while I was there and opted to pay for the overpriced taxis.  This year, however, I read several articles and blogs which confirmed that uber was widely used in Nice and was preferred by the locals - being cheaper than taxis.

When we landed in the airport, I checked my app and lo and behold, there were uber cars available.  I recall reading that there's a "Kiss and Fly" zone where the uber cars pick riders up.  So my husband and I simply found the zone, requested a car, and then we were off to our hotel!  So easy!

Since my French is basically non-existent despite years of high school French courses, it was helpful to be able to type in the destination point, instead of trying to tell the driver where to go - especially since many of the drivers we encountered did not really speak English.  

We used uber several times in the city successfully so I would definitely recommend it.  Nice is pretty walkable for tourists so you may not have to rely on cars for much - but it was definitely useful for going to and from the airport.

But again - remember to check before you go since the situation may change.  When we went to Budapest after Nice, we found out that uber had just been outlawed there, which was quite disappointing.

lubec: thoughts on visiting the easternmost town in the contiguous usa

Lubec.

Mr. Sazy Rock's mantra in life - and subsequently, mine - is to "Go Everywhere, Eat Everything." Inevitably, we visit different places and sample the cuisine. But, on top of that, we like to - as much as possible - meet the locals. 

On our recent trip to Lubec, Maine - a small town that boasts of being the easternmost city/town in the contiguous US - we saw, we ate, and we met the locals. It was an amazing thing. 

Lubec's Main Street.

First, Lubec borders the Canadian border. Getting there is a matter of crossing a short bridge behind the town's post office. 

That is the bridge to Canada, just behind the Lubec Post Office.

Second, Lubec used to be a striving fishing town until about 22 companies left in the 1970s and 1980s. But, there are still a few lobster and sea urchin fishermen/women that remain. The population is about 1,200 and "swells" to about 2,500 during tourist season. 

Water St. Tavern. Behind it is Canada.

Third, it's a great place to see the sunrise (especially by the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse) because at certain times, such as during the Equinox, the first place the sun shines its rays on in the USA is in Lubec. 

We saw West Quoddy Head lighthouse and the marker for the easternmost point of the contiguous USA. The lighthouse was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson. 

Marker for the easternmost point in the contiguous USA.

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

We ate at Water Street Tavern & Inn (the easternmost tavern in the contiguous USA) and feasted on a two and a half pound fresh Maine lobster. It was fresh and sweet.

A two-and-a-half pound lobster at Water St. Tavern.

We drank at the Lubec Brewing Company (the easternmost brewery in the contiguous USA). The Red Ale was rich and deep. 

Lubec Brewing Company.

But, more importantly, we met locals. At the brewery, we chatted with Julie the bartender and her husband Bob, Leroy and Steve, but we missed Gale - the owner and Brewer. We heard stories (or myth?) about the drunk surveyors who drew up the the US/Canada map, which resulted in the island next to Lubec becoming a part of Canada instead of being part of the USA. We also heard about war stories from our new veteran friends, their ancestries from England, local gossip, and even got the lowdown on the application of macro economics in Lubec. At the tavern, we met Jim the proprietor, Valerie the server, Matt the cook, and Theresa the former cook and Matt's mother. From them, we heard more of their backgrounds and individual stories.

We ended up not seeing the sun rise - in May, the weather was still ghastly. It was raining and the temperature was in the 40s and 50s. But, it was still a special visit meeting great food and wonderful people. 

Our visit was not just a matter of saying that we've been and eaten in the easternmost town/city in the contiguous USA. It was a matter of meeting people from everywhere and anywhere. Trips like this make our mantra to "Go Everywhere. Eat Everything" a lot more meaningful. 

travel zen on friday: the colors of bogota

Bogota.

shopping for omorovicza skincare in budapest (and getting an amazing facial)!

(Budapest, Hungary).  Before I visit any new place, I always try to do a little bit of research on the local shopping - i.e., crafts or specialty items unique to the area.  While Hungary is known for things such as paprika, lace, and folk art - I wasn't particularly interested in such items.  The most famous wine in the region is the sweet dessert wine (Tokaji Aszu) and I definitely planned to get some of that - but what really interested me was trying out some skincare - namely the Omorovicza skincare line which is based on the "healing waters of Budapest".  Although it is available in the U.S., I was hoping to get it cheaper from the source.

restaurant review: harry sasson in bogota

Outside Harry Sasson.

While researching places to eat while visiting Bogota, I wanted to make sure that our limited time in the city would not be wasted on bad meals. There were a few candidates and the final choice boiled down to Harry Sasson, which has received a lot of favorable reviews and has been dining destinations for heads of state. So, Mr. Sazy Rock and I thought that Harry Sasson should be a no-brainer.

The Scene 


We were not disappointed in Harry Sasson's aesthetics. Located in a beautiful and tony neighborhood of Bogota, the restaurant looked like a big, fancy European home. In fact, we almost missed it because the facade did not particularly look like what a restaurant's facade should look like. But, google maps did not lead us astray.

travel zen on friday: russ & daughters for a special bruch treat

Scrambled eggs and caviar is a treat that I reserve for special occasions - what better place to indulge than at Russ & Daughters in NYC?

be back soon!

Apologies but no blog from me today!  I'm off to Nice and then Budapest and will be back with more food pictures, reviews and recommendations in a few weeks.

Happy Travels!

restaurant review: andres carne de res in chia, colombia

Outside Andres Carne de Res.

About an hour outside of Bogota is a tiny town called, Chia. It is known for a party restaurant called, Andres Carne de Res. It is also a steak heaven. There is a branch in Bogota itself. But, people I've met have suggested that the one in Chia is a lot more fun.

Andres Carne de Res.

The Scene

travel zen on friday: a kite surfer in cartagena

Cartagena, a beach side city, is lucky to have a lot of breeze to help with the heat. Locals and tourists take advantage of that breeze by going kite surfing. I took this picture in the late afternoon and the sun's fading rays created this golden color. Happy Friday!

A kite surfer in Cartagena.

hotel review: avalon hotel in beverly hills

(Beverly Hills, CA).  Recently I had a staycation at a local boutique hotel - the Avalon - located on Olympic Boulevard - with my best friend.  I picked it based on the photos of the newly remodeled rooms and the website description that each room had dvd players because we were hoping to bingewatch some old tv shows, but unfortunately, that turned out to be untrue.  None of the rooms had dvd players...

But aside from that misfortune, how was our stay?

dining with a real life "most interesting man in the world" at juan del mar restaurant in cartagena, colombia

It's a shame I cannot officially review my meal at Juan del Mar because the food was delicious and the atmosphere was so much fun. I can't, in good conscience, review it because the proprietor would not let us pay (we did tip generously though). Although I believe I can still be impartial despite the free meal, it seems cheeky for me to so. So, I thought I'd just tell you why I think it's a fun restaurant that serves good food with full disclosure that we only tipped. Plus, I met Mr. Juan del Mar himself, the most interesting man in the world. Seriously.

Juan del Mar

Mr. Sazy Rock's colleague recommended we check out Juan del Mar and proceeded to introduce us to its proprietor, Juan del Mar Iglesias. Why do I think he is the most interesting man in the world?