travel zen on friday: notre dame and the river seine

An iconic spot: the Notre Dame Cathedral (and a tiny view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance) along the River Seine.

travel zen on friday: jardin du luxumbourg

One of my favorite spots in Paris is the Jardin du Luxumbourg. Located in the left bank near the Sorbonne, it's a great place to stroll and get away from it all.

how to fan girl at restaurant l'arpege in paris

L'Arpege.

Chef Alain Passard is one of the most famous people in the culinary world. His restaurant, L'Arpege, consistently gets three Michelin stars and is a fixture on the World's 50 Best Restaurants List. He focuses on vegetarian cuisine although he does offer meat and fish as well.

I first heard of Chef Passard when a friend served me an "Arpege egg" one time at a dinner party. My friend's version was creamy scrambled egg topped with caviar served in an egg shell. Since then, I've been wanting to try the real thing.

When Mr. Sazy Rock and I recently visited Paris, he wanted to go back to Arpege to get himself up to date on the city's dining scene. I was more than happy to tag along. I was very excited to finally eat the famous Arpege egg.

The Scene

The diners were both food tourists and French people alike. We arrived fairly early and the place was mostly empty. But, by 9 pm, when most people ate, the place was full and buzzy. Men wore jackets and women dressed smart. I should note, however, that I saw a French speaking couple wear jeans.

The Service

What excited me was Chef Passard working the room and greeting every single diner. In fact, when he first started greeting diners, I thought he knew them personally. He was that friendly. Instead, those folks were just regular diners like me and Mr. SR. When he finally came by our table, he joked with us and noted how much Mr. SR seemed to enjoy eating their bread. After saying hi, he went back to the kitchen.

video: what is a bouchon?

Join me and Mr. Sazy Rock as we dine in a real bouchon in Lyon, France at Comptoir Chabert. I hope you enjoy our short video.

travel zen on friday: lyon

A view of Lyon and the River Saone.

video: dining at paul bocuse's l'auberge du pont de collonges in lyon, france

If you've ever wondered what it is like to dine at Paul Bocuse's temple of gastronomy - L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges - in Lyon, France, I've shot a short video below. Enjoy!

have you ever wondered how the british house of lords dine?

The menu at the Peers' Dining Room.

If you've ever wondered how those Lords in the British Parliament ate, well, now you can somewhat have an insight. As a quick primer, the British Parliament is made up of two houses - the House of Lords (similar to the Senate in the USA) and the House of Commons (similar to the US House of Representatives). Their office is the Palace of Westminster where Big Ben is located. If you are a Downton Abbey fan (like me), a period drama about the lives of the upper and lower classes of wartime Britain, Lord Grantham would have been a part of the House of Lords.

Within the Houses of Parliament are dining areas. The Peers' Dining Room is the restaurant where the Lords eat. Usually, only Lords are allowed to dine there, unless invited by a Lord (or when they decide to - on very rare occasions - open it up to the public. (The House of Commons has its own dining area and Lords cannot dine there unless invited by a Member of Parliament ("MP"). So, if Lord Grantham was visiting London (and if he were real), he would have had access to the Peers' Dining Room.

During our last visit to London, Mr. Sazy Rock (a dual citizen of the US and the UK) got wind of a rare opening of the Peers' Dining Room. Lords and MPs were out and about campaigning for and against Brexit so the powers-that-be decided to open up the Peers' Dining Room for a short period (about one week) to plebeians like us. As an aside, 2015 was the first year that the powers-that-be opened up the Peers' Dining Room to the common folk. It was such a success that they did it again in 2016. Pre-Brexit, we were told that they had plans to do it again. I don't know how those plans will work post-Brexit.

travel zen on friday: view from the tate modern

 One of the many joys of London are the free museums. This is a view from the balcony of the Tate Modern: the Millenium Bridge and St. Paul's Cathedral.

London

hedone: hedonism for the mouth

Hedone.

One of the highlights of my last trip to London with Mr. Sazy Rock was a meal at Hedone. Our expectations were very high. Yet, Hedone still met them.

Let me explain. My brother in law dines at Hedone. A lot. As in he-dines-there-so-much-he-has-a-chair-with-a-plaque-with-his-name-on-it "a lot." He's been dining there since it opened and we think he's dined there over 200 times. When Mr. SR lived in London, he and my brother in law ate out a lot and talked about it. The bottom line is: we trust his palate.

So, on our recent trip, my brother in law treated us to a meal at his favorite restaurant. We went for lunch because we knew it was going to be a long lunch. As the restaurant's name suggests, we were in for a pleasurable meal, and we wanted it to last a very long time.

Hedone.

travel zen on friday: rubik's cube in budapest, hungary

Did you know that the Rubik's Cube was invented by a Hungarian?  We learned that during our walking tour near the ruin pubs where we saw this amazing graffiti art.

le chantecler restaurant in nice, france

(Nice, France).  As part of our friends' 40th birthday celebrations in France, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Le Chantecler - a gorgeous Michelin-starred restaurant located in the storied Hotel Negresco along Les Promenade des Anglais.   It is a very posh place so we definitely dressed for the occasion.  (Tip - Before dining here, check the dress code on their website.)

The lobby was beautiful but quiet and empty like a museum...

We enjoyed some drinks at the hotel bar before dinner which is highly recommended simply for location and people watching.  Then we entered into the grand hotel lobby into the formal dining room of the restaurant (which had surprisingly pink table cloths). 

Very very pink table cloth... but check out the gorgeous dishware!

The moment we sat down we were embraced with a cloak of finely orchestrated service.  Course after course arrived - each more beautiful than the next, as you can see below...

 

By the end we were bursting at the seams, yet not so full that we weren't able to end the night with another nightcap at the hotel bar.

The entire experience was extraordinary and highly recommended.  The elegant, posh surroundings, impeccable service and beautiful plating made the entire meal from beginning to end magical and nearly theatrical.  But while I enjoyed my meal immensely, I can't go as far as to say that it was the best meal I had in Nice.  That honor would go to Restaurant JAN (reviewed here).  The bill at Le Chantecler was also about double the cost of JAN.  I think the choice  really boils down to whether you care more about the actual food versus the entire dining experience.

lamb chops: london's iconic dish?

There are plenty of iconic dishes in London to choose from. Last week, I wrote about the Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad from St. John. Today, I submit that the Tandoori Lamb Chops at Tayyabs is pretty iconic as well.

The Tandoori Lamb Chops at Tayyabs.

Tayyabs is named after the last name of the owners of a Punjabi restaurant in the Whitechapel area of Greater London. Although it is very near Brick Lane, which is known for South Asian restaurants, Tayyabs is the better option because the food is just amazing (and affordable). 

travel zen on friday: pemaquid point lighthouse

One of Maine's many lighthouses. The one pictured below is in Pemaquid, ME.

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse.

le voilier plage: beach club in nice

(Nice, France).  The beach in Nice - like the beaches along the Amalfi Coast in Italy - is quite rocky and lined with private beach clubs.   There are free, public areas along the beach interspersed between the clubs.  Either option enjoys the same view and water - but with the club, you get a lounge chair, shade and full food/drink service.  In the U.S., I would probably not consider paying for this type of "luxury", but I was on vacation so why not?

"nose to tail": london's iconic dish?

The Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad at St. John.

Admittedly, there are plenty of iconic dishes in London. That is, those widely known and well-established dishes that scream "yeah, that's London."

I will submit that St. John Restaurant's Roasted Bone Marrow and Parsley Salad is one of London's top iconic dishes. After all, the dish was arguably popularized by a well-respected chef -- Fergus Henderson -- based on his well-known philosophy of cooking -- nose to tail. 

travel zen on friday: vegas lights

Sunset view from our room at the Palazzo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

my experience flying from burbank to las vegas on a private jet with jetsuitex!

Ah... so this is how the rich fly...

A few months ago a Travelzoo email landed in my inbox with what seemed like an amazing deal - fly on a private jet to Las Vegas at the same price as a roundtrip economy ticket!  So spurred by my love of a bargain, I booked 2 roundtrip tickets for my husband and me for an impromptu trip to Vegas.  The total was less than $400 for both of us.  So how was the experience?

quiet reflections in london (video)

Travel Tip: If you would like to enjoy some quiet time while in London, Postman's Park in the city provides such a place. It is tucked away in a little corner of the city.

Also, within the park is a Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice. Yes, people who have sacrificed their lives while trying to save others. Reading through the plaques commemorating heroic deeds should remind us all that people are inherently good, which is sometimes difficult to remember when inundated by all that we see on the news.

Sometimes, travel requires a time to reflect. I hope you enjoy the short video below of Postman's Park.

travel zen on friday: portland head light

Maine has plenty of lighthouses. One of them, the Portland Head Light, is seen in the picture below. It was commissioned by the first president of the United States, George Washington, in 1790.

restaurant review: le bistro gourmand

(Nice, France).  As a lactose intolerant person, French cuisine tends to be too rich and creamy for me.  But there are some homestyle French bistro food I enjoy with the aid of lactaid pills.  In my search for good bistro cuisine in Nice, I came across this helpful blog - www.bestofniceblog.com - which has wonderful tips and recommendations for Nice.  

Our group took up one of the dining rooms which was quite light and airy.

 Based on the review there, my friends and I decided to dine at Le Bistro Gourmand, and it was a lovely surprise.  

have you ever wondered where the buffalo wing was invented?

Have you ever wondered where the Buffalo Wing was invented?

The Home of the Original Buffalo Wing.

travel zen on friday: wizarding world of harry potter in universal studios hollywood

Finally got to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Hollywood and it was awesome!  Loved walking through the village and trying Butterbeer.  If you are a fan of the books or movies, you'll love this!

restaurant review: restaurant jan (one michelin star restaurant in nice, france)

(Nice, France).  In Nice, we were joining a group of friends for their birthday celebrations so it was a rare situation when I did not plan or organize any of the meals.  Fortunately the food planner was also an avid food and wine lover so he planned all of our group meals beautifully.  For our first large group dinner he chose Restaurant JAN - an incredibly well-reviewed restaurant with one Michelin star.

Here is a sample menu - they offer several choices of prix fixe.  I think we went to the chef's choice which had more than 6 courses.  While each course is deceptively small, all of us were pretty full as we neared the end of the meal.  So how was the food?

restaurant review: eventide in portland, maine

Eventide Oysters.

Portland has been getting a lot of love in the food world. Portland, Oregon, that is.

And, that's great. Portland, OR is a great eating city. But, I have to argue that Portland, Maine is just as great, if not better.

The Scene

Eventide is a small seafood restaurant on the outskirts of downtown Portland near the port. Although, Portland is so small that being on the outskirt is not really all that far. When we stopped in for brunch, most tables and the bar area were full. Luckily, we found a great spot near the oysters at the bar.

travel zen on friday: sunset in seabrook, nh

Sunset behind Brown's Lobster Pound.

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!