I still don’t really know how I managed to book the wrong Hotel in a place, where there are only 2 Hotels. Actually there are only 2 houses. One at each side of the road. Jep and the one I was looking forward to spend a nice weekend with Marco was on the other side… so the only thing we did in LaRösa was getting out of the bus, drinking 2 glases of wine and jumping on the next bus out of the valley of Poschiavo. Next time it will be La Stazione della Posta!
But with a weekend ahead, plenty of humor and luck we found another beautiful place to stay Lej da Staz….
Another reason to stay and enjoy summer in Zurich: Frau Gerolds Garten!
A garden in the city to grow vegetables, herbs and plants – a place for gardening and to relax and enjoy fresh food and drinks. I think this is just great and I’m happy that Frau Gerold is just 2 Minutes bike drive from Herr Albisriederplatz, the place I live…
Yesterday at Sport Bar in Zurich I had the chance to try out “Gents”, the new Swiss Roots Tonic Water. Designed and marketed by the Zurich Startup Gents GmbH, this truly refreshing Drink is made carefully out of Swiss ingredients. Among the traditional quinine from chinese bark they use the extract of yellow gentian (GENT is named after the Gentiana Lutea), which is won out of the extract from the roots of gentian that grows in the Swiss Jura. I’m looking forward to introduce GENT to Mr Hendrick’s and Monkey 47… Summer can come!
The Day starts with a Caffe at Tazza D’oro right next to the Villa Vilina Apartment in the beautiful Neighborhood Neve Tzedek. Neve Tzedek means “Oasis of Justice” and is the first Jewish neighborhood of Tel Aviv, founded in 1887, 22 years before the city of Tel Aviv was founded. From there a short walk brings you to old Jaffa with the Fleamarket and some really nice shops of young Israeli Designers. For Lunch or Drinks there are several Restaurants like La Charcuterie, the Puua Cafe or the best Humus at Abu-Hassan. To continue the day I suggest a walk along the beach to the DAN Hotel for an Apéro in a relaxed atmosphere with a great view. The city offers a lot of different quarters and moments, it is such a young city you really feel the moment of growth but the contrasts are big and the ideas seem very differing. The Cultural life is diverse and rich – we had the chance to meet Kamila an amazing singer and to see the Batsheva one of the worlds best dance companies at the Suzanne Dellal Centre.
In the evening the old Port is a nice place to enjoy dinner with a romantic sunset at the Container an open space for Art, Music and good Food. For a late night meal after some Arak shots, Wolfnights is the place to go…
There are many things to see besides Tel Aviv like the Desert and Dead Sea, Jerusalem or the Design Museum in Holon which is really worth a trip!
Thanks for a wonderful start into 2012.
Eat
Buffet van Odette | Wonderful smell
Mondo Mediterraneo | Pure gusto
De Belhamel | Romantic location
Small world | Great food
Drink
Door74 | Ring the bell
Cafetabac | Stand on the streets
Latei | Watch the crowd
Cafethijssen | Play the game
Do
Stedelijk Museum | Collection of modern and contemporary art and design
Noordermarkt | Biological fresh food and fleamarket
The 9 Straatjes | The heart of Amsterdam’s canal district
The Movies | Art house cinemas since 1912
Oude Kerk | Amsterdam’s oldest parish church
Westergasfabriek | Cultural park
Easter Docklands | Architecture
Shop
Sukha | My Favorite
ThePropertyOf | Men’s Bags and Accessories
Blacksheeproad | A mixture of streetwear and high fashion
LockStock&Barrel | Nice collection of different brands
SPRMRKT | Concept store
Meeuwig | Check your oil
Tampopo | Asian delicatessen store
A perfect day in como starts with waking up in the villaflori just enjoying the unbelievable view on the lake drinking a cappuccino in the garden. After that I recommend a relaxing walk to the center with its small streets, cafés and shops to buy some cheese and ham at the market around il duomo di como. You will find a special selection of design and decoration at Dorianda de Petris and if you like shawls as much as I do I recommend passing by A.GI.EMME. Aperitivo at Fresco is followed by a dinner in one of the nice restaurants. Depending on your mood there is the cosy and original enoteca84, the uncomplicated market place or the fancy ristorante kitchen and lots more to explore…
My recommendation for this winter: lime blossom tea infused with ginger and honey.
This is the perfect retreat for simply kicking back and relaxing. Whether with a buddy or for a romantic weekend, the atmosphere in this 300-year-old farmhouse is incredible. Carolyn and Baptist renovated and refurbished everything in 2008. Their tastes match mine through a combination of leaving things as they were and adding fresh, simple accents. They are wonderful hosts and after a sauna and bath we enjoyed an excellent dinner.
I recommend staying at www.townhallhotel.com or at least sipping something cool in their bar http://viajante.co.uk. Say hi to Rasheed, the superb barkeeper who mixed us a couple of specials that weren’t on the list.
Start the day with a walk through www.broadwaymarket.co.uk. Such a great atmosphere and plenty of good shopping, cafes and just wonderfully friendly people! On the way to Brick Lane, pass by the V&A Museum of Childhood www.vam.ac.uk/moc in a beautiful old building with a huge collection of toys… For lunch, try a crispy pizza at www.storydeli.com. Right next to them are some great shops and, a little later in the day, www.cafe1001.co.uk for dancing and clubbing from five in the afternoon ;)
Always a must is Tate Modern, especially at the moment with Ai Weiwei’s installation “Sunflower Seeds” in the Turbine Hall. Take time to watch the making-of movie shown right next to it www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/unileverseries2010/default.shtm
After a nice dinner at www.smithsofsmithfield.co.uk and a quick look at Fabric (building and staff are nice but the crowd is not), we joined an amazing warehouse party (thanks to Marie-Laure) organised by a group of guys – if you want to know more, come up with a very good reason and maybe I’ll let you know…