Bradford Elyseés – Wouldn’t stay anywhere else..

Located in an exceptional area between the Champs-Élysées and Faubourg St-Honoré,I  discovered the charm of an authentic Haussman-style hotel. Haussman was appointed by Napoleon III to give Paris a new look and create space in the cluttered city. Haussmann and his team of architects constructed a unifying architectural façade that changed the shape of Paris. As well as coating the city with a unifying style, they also constructed new public buildings, such as L’Opéra , as well as many other buildings. This is what Bradford Elyseés offers its guest. Parisian charm and lots of space.


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Stylish and Swish – The Buddha Bar Hotel- Paris

At the corner of the Faubourg Saint-Honoré, on Rue d’Anjou, you will tucked away the beautiful Buddha Bar Hotel- Paris. A fusion of classical French architecture blends with swish oriental design to transport you to world of the Buddha Bar legend.

You are welcomed by the red glow of chinese lanterns that lead to the reception and out into the courtyard too. Check in swift and w are taken to our lovely room with a sloping roof and big windows looking out onto the court yard. We were there in August 2014 and the weather was warm but the air conditioning was superb!

 

The courtyard by day...
The courtyard by day…

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Château d’Etoges – An appointment with Romance & History

Both castle hotel and residence of charm, the Château d’Etoges invites you in the heart of Champagne , where you have an appointment with history , authenticity, charm and tranquility. Located in the heart of Champagne, near Epernay, just 90 minutes from Paris , the Château d’Etoges is full of romance, charm and history. The grounds are something to behold. Staff is top notch. The restaurant Orangerie is one of the finer restaurants I have eaten at in France! But lets leave that for another time 🙂 .

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IMG_9207Thats us, Jasmine and me, post the champagne 😀 !

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Oh Lyonnais! – Aux Lyonnais

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Lyonnaise-style charcuterie platter

I spent many years as a child feasting in France, thanks to my father who loved his food and introduced us to it at a young age. One of my favourite memories of child hood was tentatively dipping my spoon into the hot bowl os Quenelle. First the sauce creamy with lobster and then the wonderful taste of Brandy! Ah!, it was a moment of anticipation and then pure joy. Continue reading

Lah de dah! – Lunch at Laduree

THE HISTORYOF LADURÉE HOUSE

This Parisian tea rooms’ history is intimately tied to the history of the Ladurée family. It all began in 1862, when
Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller from the southwest of France, founded a bakery in Paris at 16 rue Royale.

Today the Famous tea room is so much more We had 4 meals here and can’t wait to go back for more. Here’s a picture journey of many lazy, wine filled lunches spent there 🙂

Deepika Sahney Reddy, I hope you enjoy your meal …

For the menu, click here. Its worth a look!


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Granada

Granada, Gin and tonic, Iberian ham Padron peppers, the MOST beautiful women, lovely architecture, squares with dancing in the evening, tiny streets full of entries, happy people and of course Alhambra! Here’s how I remember Granada 😉

988fbe82972f6d066639fef160afe35eGin and Tonics, Iberian ham and…

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IMG_6893Padron Peppers. My Favourite Vegetarian tapas. A very mild chilli fried with sea salt. For a great recipe try this one. Its from honest cooking.com
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Will the real Santa Claus please stand up! Of the Sami, Reindeers and Huskies

One of the oldest living cultures in Norway, and possibly the world is that of the Sami people, who have been surviving in the barren landscapes of Sami Land (the area commonly known as Lapland) for thousands of years. We spent a lovely afternoon at their temporary dwelling outside Tromso. We played with the reindeers…

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The city of a thousand spires! – Prague

Prague, a city of a thousand spires, the historic old town with its beautiful buildings and the magnificent astronomical  clock. full of cafes and shops and most importantly the VAT refund centre (yes, you get your VAT refund in the city even before you leave the country). We spent hours strolling around the square and its many bylaws. The cafes facing the clock fill up at the hour to watch the change of time. Its was a five minute stroll from our hotel that overlooked

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The famous Charles bridge and Prague Castle. Prague was like walking through a glass in historical architecture. We never took a cab during our one week there. The sausages and beer available at every start corner, although cliched are a must. One of the best restaurants we went to was Kampa Park. Over looking the river, with a terrace at river level, the atmosphere was beautiful. A must visit. Another Restaurant we really enjoyed was Bellevue for contemporary european cuisine. For local food ideas try this guide by Joseph Reaney who writes for Forbes.   Go early and watch the sunset while sipping sundowners at both restaurants. Watch the colours of Prague change as nighttime sets in. It is a beautiful sight!
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