No Doors

Dining in Sintra, Portugal

2012-02-12T18:43:00.003+08:00

The Pena Palace in Sintra

We were spending only one night in Sintra and while I was still thinking of where to dine on that one evening, this message came in from Antonio, my new email BFF from Lisbon Explorer:

While in Sintra, you may want to try what many consider one of the best eateries in Portugal. The name of the restaurant is a bit embarrassing, but the dishes are always amazing. It is called "G-Spot", and the prices are mid-range. The whole staff is wonderful and the menu is a good representation of the food revolution that is happening in Portugal. The restaurant started as a collaboration between the chefs of 100 Ways in Cascais, João Sá and André Simões, and Award-Winning Sommelier Manuel Moreira who are very well connected with some major names in the New York culinary scene. If it makes you feel any better, the "G" stands for Gastronomia.

It's an unusually named restaurant I agree, (but remember that chocolate cake that was very popular in Manila long long ago, called BTS? Marketing genius at work there) but with that kind of recommendation, we were hooked and booked.

The front lawn of Palacio de Seteais, our hotel in Sintra. Up on the hill to the right is the Pena Palace

But alas, after finally getting to Sintra and dropping off our bags at our beautiful palace hotel at 7:30 pm, and turning the laptop on (I keep the data off on my Blackberry when I travel), we find this message from Antonio in my inbox:

I just received a call from the G-Spot that they are having an issue in their kitchen at the last minute and they had to close their restaurant for tonight. The owner is very regretful. However, they have arranged for you to dine at another restaurant located very close to the G-Spot, and they will make sure that you get a 25% discount. The name of the new restaurant is called A Raposa. Although I have never eaten there I must trust that João is a reliable source. If you go to the G-Spot at 8:00pm, João will be waiting for you and he will walk you over to A Raposa. I also left this message with Pedro at the front desk, in case you're not traveling with a smartphone.

Like spies in the night, we meet João in front of his closed restaurant at the appointed time. He knows we're just passing through for one night and he is ever so apologetic, explaining the electrical mishap in the kitchen and not wanting to risk opening for fear of making the problem bigger, etc etc.

After chatting briefly about restaurants and food, we hopped into his car and around the corner we went to A Raposa. We are greeted by Sergio, the chef-owner with whom João has worked alongside in the past. More chatting and reassurances ensues, with João telling Sergio to take good care of us.

Sergio of A Raposa

João and Sergio then said their goodbyes to one another, but not without João telling us, when Sergio was out of earshot, "Sergio's is the number 2 restaurant in Sintra, so it is also very good and you will enjoy your dinner." With this kind of extraordinary service from João, GSpot just earned 5 stars from us, and that's without even trying the food.

So now we are in A Raposa, and I'm liking the interiors. We're the only diners on this low-season evening, except for a lady who is probably Sergio's wife, finishing up dinner in one of the tables near the kitchen door. Sergio is our cheerful waiter, maitre d' and chef all rolled into one.

Aperitifs are brought to the table: two glasses of sparkling rosé compliments of João, and amuse bouche compliments of the house. GSpot's bounceback is way over and above what is necessary. But extra attention is always appreciated.

amuse-bouche of duck with melon on crisp wonton

rustic house bread and first-press olive oil

our deliciously deadly foie gras with apples

We ordered one appetizer to share--Foie gras with apples, and finally settled on Bacalhau (Portuguese spelling) for me and Salmon for B. By the way, before going out for dinner, we ate all the "welcome pastries" that were in our hotel room--baaad idea! We were not as hungry as we should've been.

Salmon with lemon risotto

B's salmon with lemon risotto was superb. I really liked this a lot (and I think I ate half of the risotto.)

Bacalhau A Raposo

My bacalhau was nicely prepared and delicious, but it made me wonder if this was really the bacalhau dish that was described on the menu. It wasn't a fillet--it was flaked, there was no cornbread, and I don't think the "signature side dish" is supposed to be a bed of lettuce, potatoes and onions. Nevermind. It was good too.

Considering we were the only ones in the place, the service was very slow. Sergio was very pleasant and accommodating--when he was in the room.

But we were left by ourselves for long periods of time which actually gave me time to walk around the whole dining room inspecting all the interior details. I even looked out all the windows to try and figure out where we were. The ambience was nice and music was Frank Sinatra type. But dinner, although delicious, took longer than necessary.

The view outside the window

I also noticed, from the menus tucked behind the service table, that A Raposa promotes itself as a Tea Room. That explained all the girlie teacups as table settings on the other tables. Their main crowd must come in the afternoon then?

My bacalhau was indeed the correct one, but the chef probably exercised "creative license" tonight

When the bill finally came, it included the 25% discount that was promised by João according to Antonio's email. With all the personal effort that João took to make sure we had a good dinner that night, we completely forgot about it--but it sort of made up for all the lingering we did at A Raposa, so again, it was well appreciated.

Sergio called us a cab, and as we were headed back to the hotel, we agreed that while the food was good in A Raposa, we would have to go to GSpot if we came back to Sintra. With a chef-owner like João , it's no wonder GSpot is number one.

Pasteis de Belem

2012-02-08T08:00:00.006+08:00

When we finally went on a walking tour around Lisbon, Paolo, our guide, noticed my growing obsession for 'pasteis de nata', the Portuguese egg custards that seemed to be everywhere. I wasn't too interested in them at first, because they looked uninteresting. Maybe also because I've tried similar in Macau a long time ago and they were so blah. But almost all the coffee kiosks and pastry shops here had them, and most of the locals were ordering one with their coffee.

I was intrigued so I ended up trying one too, and that was the beginning of my fixation. These were so different from what I had way back. Those were lousy, and these were delicious! Excited about my discovery, I told Paolo that I was now taking every opportunity to eat one--at breakfast, morning snack, snack after lunch, mid-afternoon snack...basically whenever we passed a pastry shop. He then said, or I should say--he emphatically stated that I had to go to the Antiga Confeitaria de Belem, home the original and famous Pasteis de Belem where the tarts are still made exactly as they were more than a hundred years ago. Only a handful of people are privy to the closely-guarded secret recipe and many times you will see the bakers inspecting one tart at a time as the trays come out of the oven.

"Remember, if there's a long line, just go to the very front and into the shop, confidently, just like a local. Go behind the counter and into the cafe. If that's full, keep going in, there's a big room at the back. If that's full, keep going in because there are other rooms just as big. Sit down and just order. For a few euros more, you are sitting and getting served without standing in line with the rest of the tourists."

It's information like this that makes a local guide worthwhile--someone who'll tell you exactly how to do what the locals do so you're not inconvenienced like a clueless tourist.

He then went on to tell us the origin of these pastries: long long ago, farmers used to donate eggs to the church as offerings, and the priests made use of the egg whites (as an adhesive, as starch for clothes, etc), but didn't know what to do with the yolks. The clever nuns baked them into these tarts and as the cliche goes, the rest is history. Paolo was so enthusiastic as he described these egg custards, you would think it was a new discovery for him too.

Their heritage, displayed on the store's walls

With a recommendation like that, we decided to squeeze in a visit even if our only free time was the hour right before dinner. We took tram 28 from the center of town towards Belem and got off 20 minutes later at Jeronimos Monastery, a much-visited Unesco site.

We ducked into the monastery and found a mass going on inside, so like good Catholics, we attended the rest of it even if it was in Portuguese (but spent most of the time actually studying the interiors and staring at the magnificent vaulted ceiling.) After that we walked to the pastry shop which was over at the next block. An exciting dinner lay ahead for us, so we really had no business snacking...but we just had to try this.

Maybe because it was low season, or maybe because it was 8 pm. There were hardly any people in the shop! If Paolo hadn't tipped us about the long lines, we would've never thought this place was popular at all. Well, not until we saw the huge kitchens and the cavernous dining areas inside. They must really get a lot of people in here. Paolo mentioned that they sell thousands and thousands of pastries a day.

After debating how many tarts we should have, we decided to restrain ourselves and try just one tart each. They arrived in a few seconds, still warm from the oven. The custard was luscious and not very sweet, and the pastry was light and flaky. We ate it very slowly, savoring every bite. After we ate the last of the crumbs, we realized we didn't sprinkle the tarts with cinnamon the way everyone else did. Oh well...

They taste much better than they look.

The verdict? These were absolutely the best tarts I had in Lisbon. And if they originated in Lisbon, Portugal, then its safe to say that these are the best egg tarts in the world! Definitely worth the effort coming all the way here if only for the tarts (okay, the monastery too) I'm glad Paolo told us about it, and happy that B also insisted specially since I was getting lazy and wanted to spend the hour before dinner in the hotel, instead of chasing after a tart! At least we were sensible enough to have just one each, so we didn't ruin our appetites for our degustation dinner.

Takeaway boxes at the back of the counter

If I ever find myself back here again, I hope there will be a long long line of people at the counter, and I'll walk to the very front of the line, like a local, and into the back room where I'll order a 2 or 3 tarts. Or maybe 6. Then I'll leave like a local too, with a whole box to take home.

Palacio de Seteais, Sintra

2012-02-01T08:00:00.009+08:00

"And what's this palace over here?" I asked our driver as we turned into the long driveway, our car heading towards what looked like another important Sintra landmark. He had been pointing out all the palaces we were passing, all of them glowing beautifully in the night.

"This? This is your hotel!"
"Whaaat? No seriously... what is this place?"
"It is true! This is your hotel! Very beautiful and very quiet."

I was stunned. I was expecting a small quaint Bed and Breakfast, the type I usually book when B and I travel with no conference to attend or business to conduct. Imagine then my surprise, pulling up into a long driveway towards this palatial building.

The Pena Palace, glowing in the night, can be seen from the front steps of the hotel.

The recommendation for this hotel came from Tours For You, a very responsive land tour operator in Portugal that I found online. I emailed them for hotel recommendations in Lisbon and Sintra, and they responded with a couple of suggestions. In the course of our email exchanges, I mentioned my preference for uniquely interior designed hotels or inns, and my love for everything old. They emailed me back a new shortlist for Lisbon, from which I chose the Britania. For Sintra, they simply said "you have to stay at the Palacio de Seteais."

The Palacio de Seteais website looked very nice, but as I was planning for this trip sporadically and in between holiday events (and isn't Christmas in Manila is so chaotic?), I didn't really concentrate on what exactly I was booking. As long as the price was doable, it looked unique and different...and a room was available? Done. Was I really that dizzy during the holidays that the word "palacio" didn't register in my brain?

After I got over my initial shock, I felt only excitement. Seteais (pronounced Seh-teh-ice) was built in the 18th century, and in 1956 was transformed into a hotel. The spaces are grand and I instantly felt ~~at home~~ transported to another era. Almost all the furniture are antiques, with some very unique pieces scattered around the hotel.

The room was decorated traditionally but was comfortably "modern." Aside from the usual 5-star amenities like robes, slippers and toiletries, there was a Nespresso machine and free wifi that was pretty fast. On the dresser was a tray of traditional Sintra pastries and a decanter of port, thoughtfully laid out to welcome us.

We only had enough time to drop our bags in the room, gobble up everything on that welcome tray and snap a few shots because we had dinner reservations at G-spot restaurant (strange name, but the G actually stands for "gastronomic"). This was a recommendation by yet another online resource, Lisbon Explorer, who also made the dinner reservation for us. Actually, making reservations is not part of Lisbon Explorer's regular service (they provide private guides), but Antonio and I had such great rapport by email (he wrote me very lengthy answers to all my questions, plus offered a lot of other tips about traveling in Portugal) that he graciously offered to arrange it. And it's a good thing he did, but that's another post altogether.

A beautiful 18th century baby grand in the middle of one the hotel's many sitting rooms.

The next day, our walking tour took us away from the hotel again.

Liliana, our tour guide said "if you're staying in a hotel as nice as the Seteais, you have to make time to stay and enjoy the hotel." The 30-room hotel usually gets booked for weddings, and other very special occasions. As soon as we came back from our late lunch, I took Liliana's advice and immediately went around the hotel, poking around all the public rooms, surveying all the furnishings and interior details, and snapping more pictures.

The town of Sintra is described as a fairytale town in all the guidebooks because of its old world atmosphere: cobbled streets, castles and manor homes. Because of its unusual micro-climate, Sintra was the vacation town of the rich and the royalty and so many of them had big private homes here. Many of the huge homes are still private up to today.

It's only a 30-minute train or taxi ride away from Lisbon, and in hindsight, we didn't really need to spend the night here.

I was aware Sintra was a day trip from Lisbon, but having never been to Portugal, I just couldn't imagine how close it was. I thought it would be more convenient to stay in Sintra for one night. Then, since we were arriving in the evening and I didn't want to chance not having taxi, I pre-booked a private transfer from the Lisbon airport directly to our Sintra hotel, about 50 euro. Ouch.

We easily figured out that the distance from Lisbon to Sintra is like that of Makati to Alabang--it's so close! So it would've really been more convenient for us to just park ourselves in Lisbon and do Sintra as a day trip. I was irritated at myself for not planning better, specially when we had to go back to the hotel again to check out, losing precious time exploring Sintra.

Where breakfast is served

What we did right was we took the local train from Sintra back to Lisbon instead of booking another private transfer. It is very easy to do, and our Lisbon stop is the last one, so no worrying about where to get off. We were just cautioned not to take the train after 9 pm because it occasionally fills up with "unsavory youngsters."

Taking the train from Sintra to Lisbon

We really enjoy using local public transport whenever we travel because we feel less touristy. Plus in this instance, we saved major bucks -- the train tickets were only 3 euro each.

the view from our corner bedroom

Then again, had we visited Sintra only as a day trip from Lisbon, we would've totally missed the experience of this gorgeous hotel and our interesting "G-Spot dinner". We might have lost a couple of hours in town, but I appreciated those extra hours as I explored the hotel. So it turns out, in further hindsight of my very first hindsight, my imperfect plan was actually perfect for us.

The rooms at the back have this view

Balesin: Your Private Island

2012-01-24T08:00:00.007+08:00

"What are you doing Friday--do you want to go to Balesin? There's one more seat on the plane," my friend Joanna texted me. Are you kidding? Of course I want to go to Balesin. The first and last time I was there was as a kid, ten thousand years ago, when it was still owned by the Tordesillas family and only a few people knew about the island.

Balesin is now owned by Alphaland and is being developed into the Balesin Island Club with membership shares for sale. This is a great opportunity for beach-loving non-Philippine residents to own a share of paradise. By current Philippine law, foreigners are not allowed to own property in the Philippines, however membership shares don't fall under the "property" category.

We went to the lounge at Alphaland's private hangar to wait for our flight. I thought that this concept was perfect for foreigners who wanted to vacation in a tropical island. From an international flight, they would transfer to this lounge a couple of kilometers from away, and take off for the island, eliminating the hassle of negotiating through Manila or any of the provincial airports.

One of their private planes

Balesin Island Club has its own private planes to fly members to and from the island. This particular trip was on a chartered plane because a big group was going (good thing too, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to tag along!) By the way, a "big group" in private club parlance is something like 19 people.

The island is exactly as I remember it-- lush vegetation, white pristine shores

When the club is completed, members will be able to stay in one of six beachside villages: Balesin, Bali, Phuket, the Costa Smeralda, St. Tropez and Mykonos. Each of these villages will be built in the design of those famous destinations.

I suspect that when you're in one of these themed villages, you won't even know you're in the Philippines (except if you're staying at the Balesin Village.) It's quite ambitious, a bit surreal...and very exciting!

The stone for the exterior walls is sourced from the island.

When I was there last October, I saw one of the villas of the Balesin Village--the village that represents the Philippines. The stylized nipa huts are luxurious minimalist one-bedroom units with equally luxurious (but not minimalist) bathrooms. Touches of the Philippines are modern and tastefully subtle -- ikat wall hangings, driftwood lamps, solid narra desk chair.

The view from the villa's front porch. The villas are right on the beach.

Each village will have its own specialty restaurant, serving the "local" food. We had lunch at SALA, the Filipino restaurant of Balesin Village. There will Greek for Mykonos, Italian for Costa Smeralda, French for St. Tropez, Thai for Phuket and so on.

Each of the six villages will have 40 villas--big enough to feel like a cozy community, but small enough to still be private and intimate.

Aside from the villas, there will be a Sports center, an Equestrian center (riding horses on the beach? wow!), a main Pavilion, a spa, and other amenities. I didn't see any "boutique row," which might be nice to have since people are also in shopping mode when they're on vacation and more so when (they think) they're abroad.

From what I gathered from our host Marco Diaz, Sales Director of Balesin Island Club, members will be entitled to 14 complimentary nights a year. Monthly dues are targeted at an affordable P5000 a month, or about us$120. Only a limited number of shares will be available for local residents. Many of the shares have been snapped up by foreign nationals. And why not? Who doesn't want to be a part of a luxurious island lifestyle?

A lot of the vegetation is going to be kept as is even if many smaller trees are being moved around in keeping with the design theme of a particular area. The heritage trees though, like the huge banyans above, are not being touched. It's comforting to see a healthy respect for the environment even with all the development happening in the island.

I hope provincial governments take notice of what a resort airport can look like.

Full-blast construction is currently ongoing. I'd love to see Balesin Island Club when it's fully completed. Can you imagine being in a European beach destination like Mykonos, St. Tropez or the Costa Smeralda in 25 minutes flat? And once on the island, you can cross borders and be back in Asia, enjoying Thai food. Very exciting indeed. Balesin Island Club is six destinations in one, no visas or jetlag required.

Balesin Island Club
9th Floor, Alphaland Southgate Tower,
2258 Chino Roces Avenue (Pasong Tamo) corner EDSA,
Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines 1232
T : +632.846.6205
T : +632.998.9521
M: +63.917.882.5742

Hotel Britania, Lisbon

2012-01-21T07:30:00.006+08:00

I'd never been to Lisbon before this trip, but it seems I was lucky with my choice of hotel. The Britania is just the right type of boutique hotel I appreciate-- small and intimate, uniquely designed, has a a historic background, and is perfectly located. As I said, I was lucky--I didn't see this review until after our stay.

The hotel is part of the Heritage group of hotels that has five properties in Lisbon, all centrally located with three in the Avenida de Liberdade, Lisbon's equivalent of Park Avenue in New York. The Britania doesn't face Avenida Liberdade, but opens up to the street right behind it, making it a more peaceful property than its sister hotels.

The design of the hotel is pure Art Deco. The interiors reminded me of a pre-war Manila home in Malate--high ceilings, simple clean lines, curved edges, frosted glass doors. The color scheme was subdued and relaxing.

Art Deco is a movement that started in the 1920s. In the Philippines, it was the prevailing design in the 40's, when design was moving away from the traditional curliques and borloloys.

The hotel is proud of its original cork floors (Portugal is the world's leading producer of cork), and the history of the floors it's detailed on a bookmark inserted into a pocketbook thoughtfully left for bedtime reading.

This is not a "luxury" hotel in the Shangri-la or the Four Seasons sense, but a property that is luxurious in its character, history and service. Its history dates back to the 40's when it was known as the Hotel do Imperio. Now, the structure is recognized as a historic building, and its total refurbish a few years ago won an award as being a "sensitive" renovation.

The bedroom furniture consists of complete art-deco bedroom suites: matching headboard, night tables and bureau. The drapery and upholstery are luxurious, and the sheets are of a very high thread count.

I liked the living room/library where they served complimentary ginger tea and pastries every evening from 7 pm onwards. We were also welcome to pour ourselves a glass of Port or Ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur) any time of the day or night, as though we were guests in a good friend's home.

Don't you love this circular wooden trolley?

The living room displayed vintage photos of famous people who used to hang out in the hotel during the war. Portugal during WWII was neutral, and many politicians, exiled royalty and other personalities came to Lisbon to wait out the war, or to seek passage to the "free world", America. Remember this scene in Casablanca between Rick and Renault? Omg, can't believe I found this link online. I can watch Casablanca over and over, forever!

Renault: The plane to Lisbon.
Renault: You would like to be on it.
Rick: Why, what's in Lisbon?
Renault: The clipper to America. I've often speculated on why you don't return to America. Did you abscond with the church funds? Did you run off with a senator's wife? I like to think that you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
Rick: It's a combination of all three.

Anyway, back to the hotel--the marketing of the hotel is genius. They play up their "role" during the war, and it all sounds so mysterious and Humphrey Bogart-ish. How can anyone who likes history not like this place? In one small area of the lobby they even display the tableware used in the old Imperial Hotel, and they've preserved the old barber's chair that used to service the Imperial's guests. Coolness factor is high here.

Right around the block from the hotel are high-end boutiques, and a couple of hip bars and restaurants. The "elevator" (what they call their funicular) to Bairro Alto is also a few minutes' walk from here. And as icing on the cake, the service is impeccable. As soon as we checked in, Joao at the front desk handed us a postcard--"to write anyone you wish, and we will post it!" ('old world' effect, right? who sends postcards?) then pulled out a map and gave us our bearings, drawing out routes to places he felt we should check out.

I really enjoyed my stay here and I would definitely stay here again. And that's saying a lot because I'm the type who likes staying in different hotels all the time because it gives me a chance to scope out interesting interior design.

Hotel Britania
Rua Rodrigues Sampaio, 17 - 1150-278 Lisboa - Portugal
Tel.: (351) 213 155 016 - Fax: (351) 213 155 021
email: britania.hotel@heritage.pt

Lisbon's Flea Market

2012-01-20T18:16:00.002+08:00

We were able to catch the Feira da Ladra, or Thieves' Market, on our last day in Lisbon. Just like in any other flea market, there's lots of junk, cheap souvenirs and clothes. But there are also wonderful antiques, old books, prints and ceramics. In Lisbon's flea market, the most exciting thing for me are the azulejos (pronounced azoo-leh-zhos)-- the handpainted tiles that are used extensively in Portuguese buildings and interiors.

The origin of tiles in Portugal actually come from the Arabs. The word "azulejos" has nothing to do with "azul" or "blue", but comes from an Arab word, al-zuleique. The older azulejos were blue, yellow, green and white. It's only later in the 16th century that Chinese influence would create a preference for mostly blue and white.

Many of the buildings in Lisbon are still covered, inside and out, with these beautiful tiles. Stores sell them as souvenirs too, together with other hand-painted ceramic pieces--but it's always more fun to hunt for them in the flea market.

Hand painted ceramics in souvenir shops

In the flea market, the tiles cost about 10 to 20 euros each. Antique shops around the city sell a lot of the old ones from condemned (?) buildings. Or they are probably even pried off existing buildings. It's a good thing the Philippines is not known for azulejos, even if we have some, otherswise they might be stripped from our old churches by unscrupulous people (like myself).

It was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning, and we headed to the airport with our handcarry four tiles heavier. Now that I look at these photos, I like the ones in the pictures more than the ones I took home.

It seems the tiles are always bluer on the other side... oh well.

Timely Reminder

2012-01-17T17:04:00.001+08:00

Nothing better than a strong visual to remind us that time is precious. Once it passes, it's gone, shredded forever.

(from the January Air France inflight magazine)

Albufeira Oceanview

2012-01-16T10:11:00.003+08:00

The view of the Atlantic ocean from the cliffs of the Albufeira is impressive. These are the grounds of the Sheraton Algarve Hotel, which is part of the Pine Cliff Resort--a hotel and timeshare property in the Albufeira, south of Portugal.

The property has extensive grounds and a lot of rooms so it's usually booked for big corporate events during the off season. A couple of viewing decks hug the edge of the property offering a fantastic view of the ocean while the beach below is accessible through a 3-storey scenic elevator.

It's quite a walk from the base of the elevator to the beach--but at least it's all down hill.

What a beautiful, deserted beach!

It's winter in this side of the world right now, but since this area of Portugal lies low on the equator compared to the rest of Europe, it has the mildest climate this time of year. Temperatures range from 16 to 19 degrees during the day, and the sun is always out.

The ocean is freezing though, and anyone would be a bit crazy to try to swim in this hypothermic water. During the summer, the ocean is a warmer and the beach has lots of people.

But the activity on the beach was limited to a few older couples who were trekking the length of the shore, and then disappearing over the rocks on the right. While these older couples were getting fit, guess what we were doing?

Texting people in Manila!

B was probably communicating with his office, and I was texting my sister telling her how to price my things that were going to be in her garage sale. I know...Pa-the-tic.

Maybe resorts should install scramblers on the beach (to silence out phones) just like what they do in some churches. We'll then be forced to focus on the things around us instead of automatically reaching for our phones whenever it beeps.

Imagining the brave voyagers who left these shores hundreds of years ago is certainly more fascinating than pricing gently-used Pottery Barn dinnerware for eight.

Cataplana in the Algarve

2012-01-11T12:41:00.004+08:00

Cataplana is a word that can can refer to a recipe, or to the copper pot in which this recipe is cooked. It's famous and typical in the Algarve or the southernmost region of Portugal. I thought it was similar to a zarzuela de mariscos, but then chef Fernando Fonseca, of the Restaurante Santa Eulalia, immediately said "noooooo, definitely not!"

Maybe the difference is in the recipe or list of ingredients, but chef, it sure looks like a zarzuela de mariscos to me. For that matter, it was a sarsuelang laman dagat! Well, whatever it was similar to, the impressive part was the way it was presented. Our big group of 70 was already seated in round tables of ten that each had a tapas spread laid out in the middle for all to share. These were "Chef's Tapas" as printed on the table menus: fresh oysters, codfish fritters, shrimp turnovers, marinated olives, octopus salad, sauteed cockles and more.

Then for the main course, a huge copper "flying saucer" was being used to cook seafood. Being one of only five women in this big group of men (who were all busy talking business to each other, and not really aware of what was happening at the other end of the dining room), I approached the chef and watched closely.

Chef Fernando eagerly explained to me what he was doing, happy that someone was paying attention to the live cooking. His seafood line up included different kinds of white fish, clams (when I asked what kind of clams, he answered "hmmm, I don't know the name in English, but you know where the salt water meets the sweet water---that's where they live." Okay, that's too specific), big shrimp, and prawns. It started off with minced garlic and chopped red and green peppers sauteing in olive oil, then layering of the seafood with fresh cilantro, flat leaf parsley and oregano and then additionally seasoned with "award-winning" sea salt from the Algarve.

For showing interest, chef gave me a pack of this salt which won a gold medal in a food trade show

After chef Fernando and his assistant layered all the seafood in the giant cataplana, it was covered and left to steam for about 20 minutes. He peeped in a couple of times, to check and to stir. Then it was finally ready to be plated and served. I thought it was an interesting way to serve all those people efficiently.

The chef explained to me that they don't usually cook a cataplana for a huge group of people. The usual cataplana pan is made for 4 to 6 people.

It was served with a side of steamed rice

Of course I was eager to buy a small copper pot, but when I saw it in a store today, visions of my overstuffed kitchen cabinets flashed in my mind reminding me that I recently resolved not to hoard recipe-specific vessels anymore (with the exception of a paellera.)

And then I remembered I received a beautiful red-orange Le Creuset dutch oven from my mil this last Christmas. I'm positive this dish can be done in my new pot (I can hear the chef saying "noooooooo!") Well chef Fernando, thanks for the demonstration. It was delicious! I'm definitely going to try this cataplana in my non-cataplana pot.

Restaurante Santa Eulalia
Grande Real
Santa Eulalia
Resort and Hotel Spa
Albufeira, Portugal

Christmas Chaos

2011-12-24T13:35:00.003+08:00

Christmas 2008. The year we were moving house.

I was too dizzy to have a proper Christmas tree. See that palmera with balls behind?

The last three weeks has been a blur, with all the Christmas preparations going on (hence the lack of posts) Christmas in Manila takes on a different level--it's a mixture of excitement, mayhem, stress, and warm fuzzy feelings. Just last night I got together with yet another group of friends. People I don't see throughout the year, but on Christmas, when everybody is home for the holidays, we make a special effort to have a Christmas meal together. Then we always wonder why we don't see each other more often.

Christmas 2007

But in the next few hours everything will start to peak. Lots of excitement and cheer until tomorrow night--family reunions and exchanging presents. The kids are very excited.

P oundcakes all baked and delivered. Presents are all wrapped and beneath the tree. I should be doing my last minute preparations--a final trip to the supermarket and a couple of more deliveries still need to be made--but can't seem get away from my iPhoto, looking over Christmases past and seeing how the kids are growing up too fast. Boohoohoo!

Christmas 2006

But the spinach dip calls. Merry Christmas to all... and see you in the lull before the New Year!

Faith and G's Dollhouse

2011-12-23T05:00:00.002+08:00

Faith Bradford started her collection when she was 7 years old,

and donated it to the Smithsonian in 1951

I've always had a fascination for dollhouses ever since I saw the Faith Bradford dollhouse at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC more than ten years ago. The history of this dollhouse is so intriguing that there is even a book dedicated to the details of the dollhouse.

Last year, when G mentioned that she wanted a dollhouse for her birthday, I immediately asked the carpenter, who happened to be building shelves in our (real) house, to work on a dollhouse for her instead.

What got her interested in dollhouses was a book she was reading called The Doll People. She read this book two years ago, but keeps re-reading it, along with its sequels the The Meanest Doll in the World and The Runaway Dolls. I looked through the pages of the book, and found a drawing of an old-fashioned Victorian.

Together with the carpenter, I designed the dollhouse after this fictional drawing. I also made sure the dollhouse was made to scale--1 inch to 1 foot, or 1:12.

Anyway, the unfortunate part is I didn't pay much attention to the size of the rooms. They are 8 inches square, and that translates to 64 square feet, or about 7 square meters a room. That's a bit tight for all the miniature furniture I already won on eBay. Yup, I was that excited that I already started bidding up a storm for vintage dollhouse furniture!

Faith regularly visited her dollhouse even in her old age. She died in the 70s.

Look at the scale of Faith's dollhouse above. Now that mansion has the luxury of space! The illustration in The Doll People book deluded me into thinking that a dollhouse that would take miniature furniture is a small thing. Hmm..maybe it could be less rooms.

Surprise!

So G got a 9-room "starter dollhouse" for her birthday, which is maybe 3 rooms too many. We have yet to paint it, and design the interiors--and I'm already thinking of renovating the dollhouse. Funny how "pretend" replicates life.

But you should see what else I found online--miniature Persian rugs and miniature books! We have all 7 books in the Harry Potter Series! G is very excited, but I think I am even more excited than her. Just like our (real) house, this will be a work in progress, and I hope to show you all the details as we go along.

Brown Paper Packages Wrapped up in String...

2011-12-06T11:35:00.006+08:00

These are a few of my favorite things!

I'm was very excited with what arrived in the mail yesterday. Okay, it wasn't really "mail" as in the postman from the Philippine post office. It was the delivery person of my door-to-door balikbayan service from San Francisco who delivered this package. When I order things from Amazon and other websites, I have it delivered straight to Bayanihan Cargo in San Francisco and they just throw it into the next container that's leaving. I get it about three weeks later, delivered directly to my kitchen table, freight collect. Now that's what I call service deluxe!

I hate to sound unpatriotic, but I'm scared to use the post office for books and other online purchases.
I have friends who regularly order books from Amazon using regular mail. Sometimes they could pick up their books with no hassle, other times, they were told they had to pay duty on them, often costing more than the books themselves!

And then that "Florence agreement" brouhaha in 2009 happened, when all of a sudden, Philippine customs was trying to charge duty on books because of one person's (mis)interpretation of the Florence agreement. Refresh your memory with Manuel Quezon's article in the papers back then.

Aha, so the Florence agreement was one of the reasons books in the Philippines are generally cheaper than in some other countries! When I'd go on trips without the kids, I'd buy books to take home to them. Then realized I always ended up paying much more than what I would've paid here! Well, at that time, local bookstores didn't have the titles I wanted -- but happily in the past couple of years, the buyers of children's books of National Bookstore, Powerbooks and Fully Booked are quite with it. So I shop here for the girls' books.

I mentioned in this blogpost that I was foolish to buy the Domino design book online because I read it was going out of print and panicked, only to find stacks of it in National Bookstore at one fourth the price. Grr! So now my philosophy is to look in local bookstores first before ordering online. I guess the guys in customs finally figured out how to interpret that Florence agreement.

But this particular book, I just had to buy online, at full price, because it's fresh-off-the-press from one of my favorite design bloggers. I totally love Brooke Gianetti's blog. I'm endlessly inspired by her design philosophy, her projects, her family values, her down-to-earth personality, her handsome husband...

I only had time to browse the first few pages and it looks like I could've written the text myself because it's exactly how I feel about design too. But I need to block off a couple of quiet hours just to immerse my soul in this book--a quick browse won't do it justice.

So this was a supposed to be a post about the book, but it ended up about the post office system and the importation of books. Oh well, will try again in another post!

Grisaille and Chinoiserie

2011-11-28T00:40:00.009+08:00

My interior-designer friend suggested I install "grisal" panels on the sliding cabinet doors in my den. Not knowing what "grisal" was, I googled it and came up with the word "grisaille," a French term that refers to a painting technique in grey tones that was popular in the mid-1800s.

A value sketch that really isn't because it should be done in pencil...

The grisaille technique is very similar to a "value drawing." In art class, before committing paint to paper, we were encouraged to do a "value sketch" of what we intended to paint as a tool for composition. This way, one can easily identify the light, and dark areas and see how the light moves across the composition. I didn't realize it was a painting technique used long ago for various other reasons.

The American company, de Gournay, which is famous for its exquisite hand-painted Chinoiserie (shin-wah-seh-ree) wallpaper, kept popping up in my google search because it also creates grisaille panoramic murals. I got sidetracked with all the beautiful chinoiserie that is timeless in interior design.

De Gournay, caters to a very high end market and their products are often seen in design books, magazines, and the internet. Their prices are also very high end.

Speaking of chinoiserie, my friend Pam and I went on a "design field trip" and visited the home of a good friend of hers last week. In this gorgeously designed apartment, the dining room had beautiful hand-painted chinoiserie walls. Unfortunately I can't feature this home in my blog because the owner is a very private person. I'm just so thankful that she happily opened up her home to me. Being here felt like I was in an apartment in Paris, instead of in the middle of Manila. It was nothing over-the-top, but Pam was right when she said her friend had refined and cultivated taste.

Chinoiserie walls of the dining room

Meanwhile, at the home of another friend, Alicia, which we also visited that day, the hand-painted chinoiserie powder room made my heart skip a beat. Alicia is not an interior designer, but her aesthetic sense is highly developed. What I find intriguing about her is that she always knows the names of designers that are popular for a particular design--and I'm not talking about the iconic ones like Mies, Eero, or Marcel. Let's just say she knows beautiful design, and she always knows the origin.

After oohing and aahing in her powder room, the name "de Gournay" came up, and I was able to talk about design at her level only because of my recent google search. With this chinoiserie all around me, I felt that the design universe was giving me a sign.

From Michael Freeman Photography

But what is speaking to me right now are these incredible grisaille murals. I would love to have something like this in my home. My stairwell is just white as of now, and the family room...hmm...

In this decorative artist's blog, she shows us the process of one grisaille commission. I'm sure with the number of talented artists here in Manila, I can find someone to do similar.

Hope you learned something new like I did. Just remember that it's grisaille as in Versailles or kampai, and not grisaille as in La Salle or pandesal.

Zebra Stripes in Interiors

2011-11-20T18:25:00.001+08:00

Here is the look I'm trying to achieve with the big mirror I'm looking for. Not only do I love a huge mirror, I also want some zebra stripes somewhere in living room, just like this. I don't need a full zebra displayed on the floor--just one or two accent ottomans (otttomen?)

I love that this living room is up-to-date, but is warm enough to be inviting and cozy. Here is another angle below. A zebra print adds the right type of accent to any neutral interior. It automatically become the focal point of the room.

Here are other examples of zebra accents in the living room.

Even a little goes a very long way. Look at the pillows below.

These two photos below are supposed to be Monique Lhuillier's home in the States--a nice mix of modern and natural elements.

More zebra pillows in another neutral room.

This is some of the furniture I found online. Sorry, I've been collecting this for a while now so I don't remember the sources. I'd love to trade my piano bench for this zebra bench below.

If not that, maybe my little den can have this ottoman as a coffee table.

But the ultimate would be to own this beautiful Louis XVI zebra settee. Ooh la la, I feel love.

Me and My Mac

2011-11-20T17:40:00.000+08:00

My Mac and I are going through a rough time right now. A few nights ago, my Mac wouldn't go past the desktop display, and it wouldn't reboot either! After calming down and forcing myself to put aside all fears of losing my data, I found out that my internal hard drive was maxed out, mostly because of my iPhoto. I think it's about time I figure out how to manage my photo archives better.

My 320g hard drive was way up to capacity, and the only thing to do was to upgrade to a 500g hard drive. While I was at it. I also decided to upgrade my RAM from 4 to the maximum, 8g, and upgrade to Lion and to iLife'11. Meanwhile my life is on hold.

Now my old HD, with all my files, is safely in a metal hard case and acts as my external drive, I now have to wade through the clutter of old files and transfer only the most important ones. The most precious thing to me in the computer is my iPhoto so I just moved the whole thing over with 70k photos.

So now there's a traffic jam of posts in my head. I hope to sort out this Mac stuff soon because I feel lost if my computer is acting up. BRB.

Antonio's in Tagaytay

2011-11-09T21:00:00.003+08:00

I haven't been to Antonio's in a few years so I was surprised to see it expanded and renovated when I finally went there one evening, a few months ago, for a very special wedding anniversary event.

I would've loved to see it during the day because I can imagine how beautiful it would look. The atmosphere at dinnertime is different too, specially when the guests are all dressed formally.

I love the look of monochromatic encaustic tiles.

The weather was pleasant and chilly.

It was quite dark, but I was able to shoot my salad. Everything else did not photograph well, but they were all very delicious. In all the times I've been there, Antonio's has never disappointed.

I couldn't take pictures in the other parts of the restaurant because it was too dark. This big dining room was very dim, but my low-light camera could still capture some of the atmosphere.

Love this chair with the brass nailheads too.

The styling, flowers and giveaways were done by Tonette Rosal of Sophie's Mom Cakes and Confectionery.

On the way out, you'll come across this gallery wall of old photos.

I even bumped into a group of old friends who were also dining there that evening! What a coincidence.

I should make plans to have lunch there one day, so I can fully appreciate the interiors.

Antonio's
www.antoniosrestaurant.ph
+63917 8992866
Purok 138, Barangay Neogan
Tagaytay City, Cavite
Philippines.

I Need a Mirror Badly

2011-11-07T13:25:00.004+08:00

This is the type of mirror you'll find in one of those French or Russian palaces. But one mirror like this will probably just be like a tiny piece of a puzzle in a cavernous mirrored ballroom.

I remember first seeing huge framed mirrors in a restaurant in Makati more than ten years ago. I don't even remember the name of the restaurant, but the interior space was deeper than it was wide and the very ingenious interior designer installed large horizontally framed mirrors on the wall, leaning down away from it--the way old portraits lean away from the wall. The imposing mirrors reflected the diners on both sides.

The Baroque frames were nicely gilded and they didn't look like tacky reproductions in shiny gold. I also remember thinking, if ever this place closes, I would love to buy one of these mirrors.

The place eventually shut down, but I never found out who owned the place, much less what happened to those mirrors. I can't bear the thought of these mirrors languishing in someone's bodega.

This is the size I need

Ever since that time, the image of a huge mirror has been embedded in my mind. And now, I have the perfect place for it at home!

When my husband asked me why I was so obsessed with a chandelier before, my lips just moved to what my soul dictated: "I just need a chandelier in my life." Well, now it seems it needs a Rococo-inspired Louis Philippe mirror too. I especially like the one below on the right with the beading. At least my soul knows that it doesn't need a real antique. It's smarter (and more practical) than that.

This calls for a trip to Pampanga to see how I can get this carved up. I'm on a new quest!
If anyone has ideas or can recommend good suppliers, leave me a comment.

photocredits: None of these photos are mine. I collected them from the internet and can't remember the sources.

The W in Seminyak, Bali

2011-11-06T18:31:00.000+08:00

Like most W hotels, the Seminyak property is modern and unique. It didn't fit my idea of what Bali should look like, which explains my initial discomfort regarding the interiors of the hotel. I've been to Bali twice before with family and we were enchanted by the peacefulness of the place and the rituals of the people. My image of Bali design is mostly of the tropical nature as I mentioned in this post--villas designed organically using natural materials, alfresco bales and outdoor showers.

The open-air lobby of the W is similar to a resort hotel in Honolulu, except for a bar right in the middle of the lobby. Reception desks, which are clearly not the focal point here, are discreetly to one side.

I even noticed a live DJ styling the music that is played everywhere at the W; in the lobby, by the poolside, in the bars, and even in the restrooms.

There are so many different design elements at work here, and only a few of them harmonize with each other. Elements that harmonize evoke peace and restfulness, while features that clash, serve to stimulate the senses.

And that's how I felt all weekend--stimulated. In that sense, the choice of this hotel for the purpose of a business meeting was perfect. I don't think this would be my first choice though for an "Eat, Pray, Love"-type of trip to Bali.

This is the business center and library. I love those sofas.

Even if I'm not a fan of modern design, I was intrigued by each corner of the hotel. The public restrooms are one-of-a-kind. In some, the lights are so dim and the music pulsating, it felt like I walked into a disco (does that term date me? Discotheque--haha).

One of the unusual hotel restrooms. They're all different.

The first thing you see when you enter the restroom is a statement-making sink. The vanity area is deeper inside, in front of the toilet stalls. I purposely went around the hotel looking for restrooms to see what surprise awaited me inside.

The danger of being too trendy is when functionality is sacrificed for design. Look at that imposing porcupine sink above--the faucet hardly reaches the inside of the basin. When I washed my hands, I made a big mess splashing water all over the floor.

If I were in a Balinese-inspired place, I would probably be sneaking off to the spa instead of staying focused on the meetings. But here, with luminous surroundings and music playing, the last thing on my mind was zoning out inside a spa. After the meetings, it was party-time!

Potato Head Beach Club

We walked along the beach to get to the famous Potato Head Beach Club next door, where we had dinner one evening. In our dinner group of international guests was the lady who owns the Komaneka Resorts in Ubud. She was telling us that she hardly comes to this part of town, because she prefers the quietness of Ubud. I checked out the Komaneka Resorts online and it does remind me of the Bali I know.

We also went to the popular Ku De Ta which is a couple of kilometers down the road

So it seems that Seminyak is the more commercial, palpitating part of Bali, while Ubud is the quiet artistic side. It was comforting to know that Bali hasn't really changed that much then. Bali is just multi-faceted.

Unfortunately this trip was too short to discover all that Seminyak had to offer. At least the W was a destination in itself, if only for the design part.

W Retreat and Spa Bali
Jl. Petitenget
Seminyak, Bali 80361
Indonesia

Phone: (62)(361) 4738106

Fax: (62)(361) 4738104

Email: whotels.bali@whotels.com

Mummy Cookies

2011-10-29T14:01:00.001+08:00

Hey G and C, why don't you make this for your Halloween party later? The mummies look cute. The spiders...hmmm...not really. Show this to Levie so she can buy the ingredients and help you. Have fun and see you soon! Love, your mummy (lol)

Bali Inspiration

2011-10-27T22:37:00.000+08:00

This was the view from my balcony a little while ago. It looks like I could be at the Sofitel in Manila or in a hotel on Waikiki Beach. But that isn't the Pacific ocean you see there--that's the Indian Ocean, and I'm actually in the W Hotel in Bali. I have meetings here the next two days, and unfortunately, I had to make this quick trip alone because kids wanted to stay home for Halloween, and B had meetings in Manila.

The W Hotel is in Seminyak, and although it's quite nice and near the shopping places and restaurants, it doesn't fit my idea what Bali is.

The last time I was here was long ago in December of 2004. We booked the Sukhavati Retreat (now called Sukhavati Bali Estate), a compound of 6 villas, for the New Year holiday of the whole family. I have some photos in my laptop of that particular trip.

The kids were only 2 and 3 years old then! That's Denny amusing C. The service was so good, that I even remember the name of the manager then (Eka) and Denny, who was the number 2 guy. Upon checking their website, I noticed that Denny is still there and is actually the manager now!

All our villas had these outdoor showers that freaked out the men in the family at first. But after a few days, they got used to it, and it was actually the inspiration of an outdoor shower I now have at home!

This is the main pool in the compound. That's my villa up there, with the breakfast patio overlooking the pool. The kids had a villa of their own, and they were so thrilled to be "alone."

There is still one other villa that is high up the hill and separate from the other five. It also has its own plunge pool. This is the honeymoon villa.

I kept these photos in an "inspiration file" during my house renovation. That honeymoon plunge pool was the guide I had for my pool and deck at home. It's also where I first got the idea of having a full-length bench inside the pool. (It should actually be called the "copycat file").

Here below is the pool at home. And that kid above walking on the bench in Sukhavati is the same one walking on the bench at home, 6 years later!

I found Sukhavati only because I was trying to book another 4-bedroom villa nearby. It was all booked up for the dates we needed, so the owner of that villa so generously told us about this place which was new at that time. It was a lucky find, and turned out to be one of our most memorable New Year's trips.

The only thing about Sukhavati is that it's a distance from everything else. Even if they say it's "20-minutes away" (they always say everything is "20-minutes away"), it's actually about 40-minutes away or more because of the traffic. There were always two vehicles at our disposal so we went out shopping, did elephant rides, had lunches out. But we spent evenings in, dining all together "at home" with our own very attentive personal staff!

So now at the W Hotel, I feel like I'm in a nice hotel, but not really in Bali.

I inspected the design details of the room, as I always do, and am impressed by a number of things. The wall textures are nice--one wall is light green wallpaper, and the other wall behind the bed is a brown leather-textured material.

There's a shelf-like drawer under the sink that pulls out.

The bar is nicely designed, and the little room refrigerator under can breathe easily.

The bathtub and the shower share one big "wet room." A very nice idea if you have the space at home.

And what I think is really clever is that this sliding panel of mother-of-pearl and black shell in a check pattern actually hides a TV behind it. I don't really watch TV, so I can keep it closed the whole evening, while I continue surfing on the net.

But first I better go down to check who has arrived and see what's happening for dinner. Maybe I'll feel more like I'm in Bali when I start seeing the dimly lit gardens and pathways (or when I eat Nasi Goreng).

Matryoshka Dolls

2011-10-26T13:50:00.001+08:00

I never thought I'd buy one of these things because I think they are just too typical a souvenir. But after seeing many of them for two straight days, I was convinced I had to buy a couple of small ones for the kids, and maybe even some for their little friends.

They come in all sizes, and some are intricately painted with complicated scenes. But those for simple souvenirs usually come with 5 dolls.

Then I spotted this tiny one, no bigger than 2.5 inches tall. Guess how many are inside?

The first time I opened it in front of the girls, the were squealing with surprise each time I opened yet another doll to reveal the next. They were so tiny, you wouldn't think they would open further. I also had to open them on top of a plate so they wouldn't get lost in case it popped out of my fingers.

The smallest one is as tiny as a grain of rice. There are 10 of them in this 2" doll!

I should've taken a video of their reactions. It was too cute.

Catherine Palace in Pushkin

2011-10-24T09:00:00.004+08:00

One of the major attractions of St. Petersburg is Catherine Palace in a suburb called Pushkin, around 20 kilometers from the city. It's truly a grand scale palace in the manner of Versailles in France. What really struck me at first was the combination of colors- blue, gold and white. It looked oddly familiar to me, where have I seen this beautiful color combination before?

Well hello there handsome! (yes you on the bottom right)

Before going in, we were asked to wear protective covering over our shoes so we wouldn't scratch the floors.

You can almost imagine the grand balls that took place here!

I didn't know where to look. Ceiling? Floors? Walls? There were just too many things to focus on that I could've actually stayed in one room scrutinizing the details. But the crowd had to move so we just went from room to room to room and to even more rooms.

Above this gilt border with cherubs is a trompe-l'eoil illusion of pillars and arches. Amazing perspective and technique.

And this is the ultimate gallery wall, if I've ever seen one. That tall blue structure in the middle of wall is the heating system, clad with delft blue tiles.

Every room has one of these heating systems.

Gilded gaudiness, but amazing nevertheless. These are the wooden floors that we were protecting by wearing those shower caps on our feet! Look how beautiful they are, with different patterns all throughout the palace.

The famous "Amber room" is also in Catherine Palace, but we weren't allowed to take photos inside the room. I wasn't particularly blown away by the Amber room. For me, the Amber Room's history is much more interesting than the way it looks. Maybe I just don't like amber?

This here below is the favorite room of some royal person. Obviously I wasn't listening to the commentary anymore--I was just enjoying the visual feast.

The interiors of this room look like Wedgewood jasperware plates.

Plates! Ah yes! This palace reminds me of a set of plates I have at home! I inherited a set of fine bone china plates from a grand-uncle who probably used it a lot in the 1960s. These plates could be considered ostentatious in this modern day of plain design and clean lines (meaning not many would really appreciate it), but my mom and sister know I like old things, so they sent it to me! They were right, I loved it immediately!

Do you see the resemblance?

So now they are called my "Catherine Palace plates", and I will remember this beautiful palace, and this trip, whenever I use them.

When the Journey is the Destination

2011-10-12T19:44:00.001+08:00

We recently had the opportunity to go on a cruise with a whole group of friends. Actually, it was my brother-in-law's trip that he and his forum mates (whom we also know) planned many months in advance. But just a month before the sailing date, he took on a new job, and all of a sudden he couldn't go on the trip! Unfortunately, canceling this late would incur a 75% penalty!! Ouch! The next best thing was to look for someone to take over his reserved slots and not let the penalty go to waste. And here is we enter, stage left.

B and I were already going to be on that side of the world just week before the cruise date which made us the ones most likely to take over the trip. But an unplanned 12 days away from home?! That sounded quite... ~~exciting~~ irresponsible! We had a few pressing matters on our calendars so weren't really too keen on staying away longer than necessary--But what about that penalty? And the opportunity?

After a couple of weeks vacillating, we decided to. Just. Do. It.

When were we going to have another chance at a trip with a whole group of fun friends, to a destination that wasn't even on our travel radar, and at a cost that was almost nil for us? (wow, now that I type this, it seems like a total no-brainer--why did we even hesitate?) We could always stay in touch with Manila by text and email anyway. And thank God for grandparents who love to see us leave the country so they can have the kids with them. We paid the "name-change-penalty", arranged schedules at home, did some destination research, and then we were on our way.

The first part of the journey was a regular business trip with lots of workshops and enjoyable hosted dinners. But before long it was time to go to Rotterdam and board the ship for those 12 full days of "irresponsible" R and R.

With technology nowadays, one never gets to really leave work behind. Those darn smartphones just keep us so connected. But then that dreaded "no signal" started appearing. Erratic communication slowly weaned us from being in touch with Manila every hour of the day. Then it happened that we could only connect when we were docked at a port (and really, who wants to be texting home when your day is busy looking at new sites and things?) The downtime really happens when you're at sea, but that's also when the texting doesn't work so well.

I also missed buying the internet "special" being offered on the first sailing day--$100 for 250 minutes--which I found too expensive for mediocre connection and for minutes that I would probably wipe out with one log in session. After struggling to stay connected for a number of days, I gave up and decided to just let it go. B on the other hand tried really hard to stay connected, until his phone conked out on the 5th day--as in d-e-a-d. Was this a message from the universe?

And that's when my real R and R began.

Just being in the moment without trying to communicate with anyone else except those who were with me felt strangely new. Twelve days, and Blackberries or iPhones were not being prioritized? What joy! With that kind of freedom, I now found it easy to focus and fully enjoy our travel companions.

It's a fantastic bonding opportunity to be traveling with a big group of friends. On a cruise, it's even better because hotel, restaurant and transportation logistics are out of the way. The ship is small enough for impromptu gatherings at any lounge, bar or library, but big enough so that you can still do your own thing.

One of the best things too about cruising with a big group is that dinner each evening is an instant party with no one having to worry about the menu. We had four tables among us and we sat with different people within our little group each evening, allowing everyone quality time to catch up.

Oh, I have to mention that the Filipino crew members were amazing. Service level was very high and extremely personal. They're generally very thrilled to meet fellow kababayans from the motherland (they are used to meeting kababayans residing in otherlands). Dennis, the security officer on this ship is Filipino. It turns out the company that does the manning for the Holland America is owned by a friend of ours, and Dennis was alerted that we would be onboard! He joined us for dinner a couple of times, and really made sure we were well attended.

Our wine steward, Carding, entertained us each evening with his card tricks and toothpick riddles, and inspired the guys in our group to start showing off their own tricks too. This became a regular after-dinner ritual, extending meals to over three hours each evening.

Dennis shared what it's like to live on board for an extended period of time. He told us how homesick the crew gets sometimes that even if they can eat steak and lobster whenever they want, the Pinoy crew would still rather have the local canned sardines! If they have some, they treat it like a rare and precious commodity, hiding it and eating one little fish at a time. I made a mental note to bring a a few cans of Ligo or 555 the next time we go on a cruise, and to tell all my friends about it too (I just forgot to ask if they prefer the tomato or oil base, spicy or not spicy?)

Without the concerns and demands of regular life, I even looked forward to the long days "at sea". I got to catch up on my reading, hang out at the ~~gym~~ spa, and just stare out into the expansive hypnotizing ocean. Like a retreat, this slow time allowed me lots of time for introspection, reassessment and refocusing. A luxury that is hard to come by at home when everyone is so busy with life in general!

Much as I was enjoying the experience, I have to admit that this trip was a bit too long to be away from the kids. We welcomed the end of the cruise, just as much as we looked forward to beginning the trip. We were heading home recharged and enthusiastic, and with lots of great memories. I can't believe we almost passed up this trip! While work nourishes the need to be responsible, a trip like this nourishes the soul. I'm glad we had our priorities in order.

A big thanks to my super generous BIL for this extraordinary experience. He's actually been on a Baltic cruise before so the only thing he really missed was being in the company of his forum. But they are such a strong forum that this is only one of the many trips yet to come. And if this new job still keeps him from going on those trips, he knows who he can count on to take his place. We won't even dare to think twice next time!

Sad and Grateful

2011-10-07T08:42:00.001+08:00

I join the world in mourning the loss of an extraordinary man.

It was a privilege to have experienced the Apple revolution in my lifetime. Switching to a Mac twelve years ago was the best thing I ever did in my electronic life. Sure there was a learning curve and it took me a couple of months to finally be comfortable without the "right click" of the PC. But once I got it, there was no looking back. With a PC, I learned Excel and Word and yes it was extremely helpful and functional--but with that functionality came frustration, irritation, exasperation! For the last twelve years though, the only feeling I've experienced with my Mac is pure joy. I love my Macbook Pro with my whole heart and brain.

Dear Steve, please watch Apple from above. Help them make the right decisions, and guide them so they continue to develop products that bring joy to people. The world is much better because of you. We will miss you very much.

Dinner at Sadko in St. Petersburg

2011-09-30T02:50:00.009+08:00

beef stroganoff with mashed potatoes

We wanted to experience the local dining scene in St. Petersburg so we asked our friends at SPb Tours to recommend something local but not touristic. They recommended a place called Sadko, and mentioned in passing that we'd like the ambiance.

The Mariinsky Theatre

Sadko is right across the Mariinsky (Kirov) theatre, home of Russian ballet. The exterior of the restaurant was so unimpressive that the conversation inside the van, as we U-turned to get off on the right side of the road, included silly jokes of being saddened by our dining experience (didn't help that "ko" is Filipino for "me"--Sad ko? Sad me? My sad?)

As soon as we entered though, all our doubts were dispelled by the cleverly done interiors.

The first thing we noticed were the imposing red chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceilings. All around the restaurant were traditional handpainted flowers--the type of flowers you would see on Russian lacquerware.

Signed (by famous people?) dinnerware displayed in the middle of the dining room

The restaurant is relaxed, casual and unpretentious--just the type I like. I couldn't keep my eyes off the massive chandeliers. I thought they contrasted nicely with the simple tables and bentwood chairs.

If you look closely at the pictures, you'll notice that speakers, vents and airconditioning units are camouflaged with the same anthracite color of the walls. I like that kind of attention to detail.

Finally, after scrutinizing the interiors, it was time to order! We focused on the Russian specialties--borscht, strogranoff, pelmeni, blinis... and of course, vodka!

I noticed that a lot of Russian dishes are served with a side of sour cream. The beef stroganoff didn't come with a side of sour cream, but I know the recipe still calls it! G would like Russian food because she likes sour cream.

Pelmeni are like chinese dumplings. Imagine eating a siomai with sour cream? It was actually pretty good. The borscht and the stroganoff were also delicious. The guys on the other end of the table had more food but I was too engrossed with my borscht to get up and photograph their dishes.

The waitstaff was attentive, spoke very good English and got all our requests right. And then, in the middle of our meal, they surprised everyone (at least all those who were there for the first time) by breaking into song! Their voices were beautiful! We found out later that the waiters here are mostly students from the Conservatory nearby. Sadko, by the way, is the name of the main character in a Russian opera.

Our bill was presented inside this matryoshka doll--a nice unique touch. And look how the design on the stylized dolls match the design on the dinnerware. Did I already mention that I like details like this?

We all agreed that Sadko was a good recommendation. The food is good, the staff cultured, and in a city that can be expensive, Sadko is reasonable. I especially appreciated the interiors and the attention to detail.

Lesson: Never judge a restaurant by its exterior. It's not a book. :)

Sadko

2 Glinka St.

St. Petersburg

7-812/920-8228

SPb Tours in St. Petersburg

2011-09-26T21:10:00.006+08:00

The fountains at Peterhof

I was very excited when I looked over the itinerary of our Baltic cruise. Except for Copenhagen, I hadn't been to any of the places on the list: Warnemunde (Germany), Tallin (Estonia), St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Stockholm. I immediately went on "trip-research mode" starting with cruisecritic.com. From the discussion groups on that site, I learned that the only port where a tour guide was needed was St. Petersburg. The rest of the ports are supposedly easy to navigate on our own either on foot or with the hop-on, hop-off transport in the cities.

The Bronze Horseman--Monument to Peter the Great, founder of St. Petersburg

All the ports on this Baltic itinerary are covered by the Shengen visa, except for St. Petersburg. For Russia, you need a separate visa. The information given by the cruise line says that you don't need to get a separate visa if you book the St. Petersburg shore excursion with them, because they have a visa exemption for their passengers. What they don't specifically point out is that all passengers are covered by a 72-hour visa exemption if they can show they have pre-booked a tour with a locally registered tour operator.

This is the Tallin port. The St. Petersburg port is brand new and modern.

With tons of cruise ships now visiting St. Petersburg, there are also many thriving local tour operators focusing on this specific market. Some of the companies that get mentioned a lot on the online boards are SPb, Alla and Red October.

I shot off an email to each of these companies, and the first to respond was SPb. After a few weeks and numerous emails back and forth with Evan, I finally booked a 2-day St. Petersburg tour for our whole group. We didn't need to make a down payment--in fact, we were requested to pay for the tour only on the morning of the second day. With our own tour group, we were able to customize our tours, stop when we wanted and do a few extra things.

We were a big group of 27 people which had to be split into two smaller groups because of differing interests. It worked out because the vehicles of SPb maxed at 16 passengers. This could've been a complicated operation, but Evan had this "yes-we-can-do-that" attitude in all his emails. So impressed was I with his superior command of English, that I suspect he is actually an American or Englishman posing as a Russian.

In our own executive-type vehicle, we visited as many sights as we could squeeze into two full days : the gardens of Peterhof, Catherine’s Palace in Pushkin, Yusupov’s Palace, the Hermitage, Peter and Paul’s fortress and the Church of the Spilled Blood. We also got to experience a ride on the Russian subway, visit a typical food market, and stop at souvenir shops.

Our guide in St. Petersburg was Luba, who is originally from Siberia. She was very knowledgeable and articulate--and was also easy going and funny. Her English was impeccable. To use the cliche--she was a fountain of knowledge, and kept prodding us to ask more questions about St. Petersburg. Everything was so unfamiliar to me, that it was hard for me to put into words the many questions I had in my mind. Mostly I was taking in everything Luba was saying, trying to imagine how a regular Russian survived with all this hardship. What I found most interesting were her own experiences as a university student during the cold war and other stories of her family.

With a local tour operator that focuses on smaller groups, we got personalized service and (being with a group of all hardworking entrepreneurs) everyone was thrilled to have saved a substantial amount of money. This exact tour would've cost much more with the ship's shore excursion, and we wouldn't have been as flexible either.

In fairness to the cruise line and their tour options, they had one tour which was exclusive only to cruise line passengers--the Hermitage Night Tour. The Hermitage stays open on some nights only for these cruise line tours. Half of the group signed up for this night tour (In addition to their 2-day SPb tour without the Hermitage visit) because they didn't want to battle the day crowds at the museum.

The Hermitage Museum

Meanwhile, our half of the group went with the complete SPb program which included some highlights of the Hermitage and found it sufficient. Luba knew how to maneuver the crowd, and as a "group tour", we never had to wait in line for more than 5 minutes. On the evening our friends were soaking up more culture on their night tour, we took the opportunity to dine at Sadko, one of St. Petersburg's local restaurants. It was an experience I fully enjoyed.

St. Isaac's Cathedral at night

It turns out SPb is considered a "new" tour operator since they have been only in operation for 4 years. The owner, Viktoria Rother, has been a tourguide herself for 19 years and is a hands-on owner. I know from the information I gathered online that her husband runs the business in Berlin, allowing Viktoria to offer tours in both St. Petersburg and Berlin (and now Tallin and Helsinki too).

On the second and last day, Viktoria made it a point to meet us, to thank us for visiting St. Petersburg, and for booking with SPb. It was nice to finally meet the entrepreneur behind this well-run operation.

The Hermitage has amazing interiors, lots of it patterned after the Vatican museum

I would highly recommend SPb. It's good to know that there are options aside from the shore excursions of the ship. I think too that independent tour companies tend to bend over backwards to delight their customers. Unlike cruiseship tours, their success really depends on word of mouth and the reviews people give them.

And even if all things were equal with all those offering similar tours, I'm more than happy to support an entrepreneur who's hands-on, and shows that she really cares about her customers. I think Russia needs more entrepreneurs like Viktoria.

E. Murio Furniture Sale

2011-09-21T14:12:00.002+08:00

This beautiful chinoiserie chair, which I featured in this post, is made by E. Murio. Many of my friends have E. Murio pieces in their homes. I really don't know where E. Murio is located, but I know they hold sales in Urdaneta Village park once or twice a year.

The first time I went to a sale a few years ago, I was actually disappointed because most of the pieces had a label taped on it--"Reserved BEA". It turned out to be my friend Bea who was furnishing her beach house. She had beat me to the sale by one day. Not that I was going to buy all that she bought--I just wanted one little trolley, and they were all gone by then. I ended up buying serving trays, one of which I use as my letter caddy at home.

E. Murio is having their usual sale this weekend, so if you're looking for nice rattan furniture, desks, chairs, side tables, trays, and many other things, head over to the Urdaneta Friendship Hall starting Friday. I have to warn you though that my friend Patty happens to be furnishing a beach house now, and I overheard Bea telling her about this sale. Better get there before Patty does.

As for me, I'm being generous with this information only because I don't need anything more for my house. In fact, I did end up buying a trolley from them the next year, but guess what--I realized rattan furniture doesn't fit the look of my segunda-mano, wanna-be-european (flea market) house. I might have to sell it, but I won't compete with the E. Murio sale.

E. Murio Furniture Sale
Friday, September 23, 1.00pm – 6.00pm
Saturday, September 24, 9.00am- 6.00pm
26 Urdaneta Avenue,
Urdaneta Village, Makati City

The Study Room, Before and After

2011-09-18T12:45:00.002+08:00

Let me interrupt all these travel posts with a quick interior design post, which also relates to travel in a way. I'm just so thrilled that the study room is finally, well 95%, finished. I still have to clear some shelves and hang more frames on the wall. The inspiration for this study room came from a picture similar to the one above. I'm attracted to globes, and the eclectic look of old furniture.

This room gave me so much grief. Not only was it irregularly shaped because part of it was under the stairs, it also had these annoying angled areas where the ceiling meets the wall because of the c-joists used to lay the second floor. I was always so irritated in this room because of all the uneven shadows cast by those angles, but I also didn't want to install a drop ceiling because it would make the room seem smaller than it already was.

Friends of ours who had grade-school kids advised us to create a study area on the ground floor because school bags were going to get heavier as the kids got older, and bringing heavy bags up and down the stairs everyday was going to be a major hassle. That was good input because our kids were still in preschool then and heavy schoolbags weren't part of the planning and designing equation.

So how do we make this room interesting enough so that the kids would be enticed to study?

A year back, I searched the internet and found some inspiration and wrote up this post. Yup, it did take me that long to get my act together. But I have perfect timing--G is now just learning about hemispheres, longitude and latitude in Grade 4, and C is learning about Philippine geography in Grade three.

I made a rough sketch of what I envisioned and hired a carpenter and a painter. I squared off those "cornice angles" into false beams and installed halogen fixtures on a dimmer. Then I closed off the space under the stairs. Oh my, what a major improvement! I was now motivated to add some finishing touches.

I could finally install the world map that was languishing in my bodega. I had ordered the world mural from here, and had it shipped to my forwarder in San Francisco, Manny Espinosa of Bayanihan Cargo. Manny just throws whatever he receives for me into a container that's leaving, and it eventually gets delivered to my house, door-to-door about 3 weeks later. A fabulous service and the reason I'm confident to order things online.

I hovered over the painter while he put up the map, making sure the panels aligned properly. There are three ways to install the map: Asia centered, US centered, and Europe centered. I thought long and hard on this one, and in the end decided to install it US-centered because that would put Europe (my favorite destination) on the upper right part of the wall, where I can easily see it. This puts the Philippines and the rest of Asia to the left of the black office chair.

Unfortunately the map was a bit wide and we had to trim 3 inches off the sides, losing a bit of middle China and Russia. I also had to trim about a half a meter from the top, removing Greenland and other northernmost islands of Canada.

The room was close to what I envisioned! All the desks, chairs, file wagon and crystal cases on top of the girls' desks are from Officebusters, a surplus store of office furniture from Japan. The pink chair was a last-minute addition because it appeared in Officebusters. I'm a big fan of Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!

I closed up that hole under the stairs with cabinet doors, creating a useful storage area, and painted the wall with blackboard paint I got from Home Depot. I installed black egg-shaped cabinet pulls which blend right into the blackboard.

On the right wall is a blown up Philippine map, custom-ordered from EZ Maps which I had mounted on plyboard. I also put up our diplomas and I'm still looking for ~~our~~ medals to hang. I do know I want to have more globes in this room. It's a nice collection idea, don't you think?

The room is finally getting a lot of use. The girls like to hang out here with their friends, even on weekends. For me, I'm now very happy and comfortable in the room. How can I ever be irritated if I'm surrounded by maps, making it easy for me to visualize my next trip?

Look at how a globe is made!

The Animals Down Under

2011-09-16T03:10:00.002+08:00

One of G's best friends when she was three was a little Australian boy named Edward. On her 5th birthday, Edward and his brothers (yes, he already had 2 younger brothers when he was only five) gave her a very cute book with a very Australian theme--Possum Magic by Mem Fox. Lita, who's G's ninang and often sends her little stuffed (Australian) animals, would get a kick out of this book.

Last year, I got the girls to finally remove the picture books from their shelves so we could donate them to children's libraries, and make more room for their chapter books. G refused to give Possum Magic away. I don't blame her. It's a very sweet story about Grandma Poss who is able to make Hush, her grandkid, invisible. To make Hush visible again, they have to scour the continent and eat different kinds of Australian food. You meet the animals down under, and then you learn about the unique kinds of (people) food they have in Oz. This beautifully-illustrated book is endearing and educational at the same time.

Some of the animals in the book are really foreign to me so when one of the guys suggested going to Lone Pine Sanctuary to kill some time before our Sydney flight, I immediately agreed.

The kookaburra actually cackles, not laughs.

And I didn't know kangaroos were so gentle. A few of them were roaming freely in open space.

There were scores of koalas in all stages of their lives--toddlers, bachelors, and geriatric ones. Even at these different ages, they're still all slow moving, and asleep most of the day. I've never seen such a lazy animal. It has something to do with their eucalyptus leaf diet and the way their body digests the food.

For a donation of au$16, you can have a picture taken with one of them.

Katsuya-san with a cuddly koala

There were dingoes, wombats, and even a Tasmanian devil.

And finally I chanced upon a possum!

Unfortunately it was fast asleep!

We had a nice time looking at the unusual animals, but this is definitely one of those times I wished the kids were with us.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland
Tel +61 7 3378 1366
Email koala@koala.net

Buzz Bistro, Fortitude Valley

2011-09-04T15:30:00.002+08:00

Tasmanian salmon on potato roesti with horseradish cream and basil oil

We had a quick lunch at Buzz before checking out of the Emporium in Brisbane. The place was full so we just got the next empty table outside on the sidewalk. I wasn't expecting anything special so imagine my surprise when our food came and it was incredibly delicious. The taste, the texture--the combination of the ingredients was perfect.

The very casual restaurant is right across the hotel, in the shopping center. I was told the other restaurants around here were very good too.

One of our friends had the marinated chicken salad with avocado, brie and macadamia nuts. Very good also, but not as good as mine.

And B, who loves duck, ordered the confit duck maryland with the roast pumpkin and cherry tomatoes. I ate part of this too. Everything was so good. I love "Modern Oz" food--where everything starts with the best and freshest ingredients, and then they keep the dish simple and straight to the point. No heavy sauces--just fresh clean taste.

The service was spotty because it was very busy inside the restaurant. One of the guys had to go in and pick up his own dessert from the counter and I waited a quite a while for the coffee. But I still enjoyed the food. I love the food in Australia. And the coffee too!

my exquisite cafe latte

BUZZ | Shop 22 - Emporium, 1000 Ann St, Fortitude Valley Q 4006, Brisbane

tel - 07 3252 0511 | fax - 07 3252 1611 | email - info@buzzfood.com.au

Emporium Hotel, Brisbane

2011-09-04T01:50:00.001+08:00

When we reached our Brisbane hotel close to midnight, after a long day of flying, I was a little worried. The hotel sign was in neon and the lobby glowed pink from neon stripes on the walls. I haven't seen neon in a hotel in a long time, and didn't expect an elegant boutique hotel to have a pink lobby. I was half expecting the hotel to have a casino on the premises.

Then we enter our 4th floor room. Ooh! Nice! I like the modern eclectic design. I go around the room inspecting every little detail--the bathroom, the closets, every little amenity.

My favorite marble color of all time is white Carrara marble (with Emperador brown a close second) and this hotel uses a whole lot of it. I also get design ideas--look at the way they create the incline for the drain in the shower.

There's a full washer/dryer inside the bathroom, and behind closet doors in the bedroom is a little kitchenette that includes a microwave and a dishwasher! Since I'm such a fan of DIY traveling, I'm now wishing we could stay here longer so that I can use the washing machine, and picnic in the room so that I could use the microwave and the dishwasher.

And what's this on the bed?

Some welcome chocolates and a pillow menu. This is too confusing. The pillows they have on the bed are just fine--I don't know which ones they are. My doubts about the hotel faded as fast as I inhaled all the Lindt treats.

I still don't get the design theme though. The room looks masculine with the faux-ostrich leather headboard and the black and taupe striped wallpaper, but across the bed is this floral acrylic panel against an off-white wall. A bit of a design disconnect there.

In daylight the next day, I'm able to see the other public areas of this boutique hotel. There are still too many elements going on at the same time. But at least the lobby lights are off and I particularly like the chandelier in the bar.

The rooftop pool and a small gym are on the 7th floor. There are numerous restaurants around the hotel--and they all looked well-patronized. I particularly enjoyed our quick lunch at a place called The Buzz. The hotel is also surrounded by big home/furniture stores.

the view from the hotel driveway looking out at the shops and restaurants

The hotel is only 20 minutes from the airport, and also 20 minutes to downtown, making it very convenient. I actually enjoyed my stay here a lot that after awhile I even forgot there were pink neon lights in the lobby.

Emporium Hotel
1000 Ann Street
Fortitude Valley
Qld 4006
T + 61 7 3253 6999 or
1300 883 611 (Australian callers only)
F + 61 7 3253 6966

Towel Art on the Rotterdam

2011-08-31T09:30:00.004+08:00

squid? scorpion? lobster? what are you?

Aside from being trained in housekeeping, cabin stewards on cruise ships also learn the "art" of towel folding. Each evening, a towel animal is left on the bed together with a couple of chocolates and the newsletter for the next day.

At first, I completely forgot all about them because they only started appearing on the third night. If the kids were with us, I know they would've been wondering where their little towel friends were. These animals here are from a recent Baltic cruise on Holland America's Rotterdam, in order of their appearance.

This must be a manta ray.

A cute little peacock, left on the night table.

I didn't know what this was. Looks like a a hermit crab without a shell.

A baby bull? These animals are quite small because they're made of hand and face towels only. The bath towels were too big and fluffy to use for the towel animals.

Again, this one is not too defined--is it a croco-turtle? (The girls said this is an anteater)

And on the last night, we had a dorky-looking monkey hanging from a light fixture. They were all cute. Glad I remembered to take pictures of each one to show the girls.

Here are more animals from another cruise line. We had the kids with us then and they were very excited each evening.

They would try to guess what animal was waiting for them on the bed, and we weren't allowed to touch it until they got back from the Kids' Zone.

Then they would play with it until it fell apart.

If you left your shades in the room, this would eventually happen--a cool animal!

This was either on the Princess of Royal Caribbean, I'm not sure, but the towel art here was more elaborate than Holland America's. Probably because there are more kids on these boats.

It also depends on how creative and artistic the cabin attendant is. This granny gorilla facing the TV with the remote in her hands was a funny surprise.

Kids are such an appreciative audience.

Bathers' Pavilion in Mosman, Sydney

2011-08-30T00:39:00.003+08:00

Bathers' Pavilion is another beautifully located restaurant we visited. The restaurant is housed in a historical building right on Balmoral Beach, in Mosman, an upscale residential suburb of Sydney. There are two sides to the restaurant. The left side is a little more formal.

Beyond the leather chairs is the more formal part of the restaurant. We had lunch on the right, the cafe side.

Lita also had a stint here, working in the kitchen and the kiosk. This is also where she started in pastry. Of course she has even more interesting kitchen stories about Bathers. She really can write a book with all her stories.

I had a seared fish on top of a very delicious parsley risotto.

And we also shared a pizza. We actually had quite a healthful meal--look at the bowl of steamed dark green veggies served with lemon. It's not mine! I finished all my risotto.

The view from the restaurant is really beautiful too.

The owner and executive chef of the restaurant, Serge Dansereau, has a number of cookbooks to his name.

The kiosk outside serves take-away coffee, salads and other food so lots of people come by and pick up picnic stuff here. The beach looked empty today but Lita said the kiosk really gets busy.

Above the dining room, on the second floor, is a function room for banquets. This was a sample of a wedding set up.

On the other side of the pavilion, across the function room, there was an ongoing art exhibit of artist Gordon Rossiter which included lot of impressionistic scenes of Balmoral beach.

We only had a short time in Sydney this time, otherwise we would've visited many other restaurants. I better lose some weight before my next visit there!

Bathers' Pavilion
4 The Esplanade, Balmoral Beach
tel +61 2 9969 5050
eat@batherspavilion.com.au

Icebergs, Bondi Beach

2011-08-29T15:28:00.007+08:00

One of the nice things about having a sister who's a chef in Sydney is that we can quickly shortlist the good places to eat. And while we are dining, she can amuse us to no end with the stories of things that go on in the kitchen. Lita's first job right out of the Sydney Cordon Bleu was here at Icebergs. This was a few years ago and I don't remember many of the 'characters' in her stories.

What I remember is that she was so excited to get this job and that she was distracted during the interview with a good-looking chef who she said had "Bondi blue eyes!" I think even if he wasn't cute, it would be distracting to be talking to someone with this gorgeous view in the background, don't you think?

Today, even the patrons are in different shades of blue--what a nice coincidence! It would've been jarring to see a red or fuschia outfit against that background.

We were planning to go to the more casual restaurant across the beach, owned by the same people of Icebergs, but it was closed, so we ended up eating here. Good thing too because it brought to life all of Lita's kitchen stories. I keep convincing her to create a food blog since she has lots of recipes and interesting stories to share--plus she writes very well-- but she's just too busy at work! Maybe eventually when she retires, she'll write a David Lebovitz type of blog.

Iceberg's is a fine dining restaurant, but everyone is casual. I like that about Sydney. Everyone is relaxed.

The salad in the first picture is the Salt baked Gold and Purple Beetroot Salad. I sent it back because I didn't see any roasted walnuts. They brought it back with walnuts, more beets and greens.

Lita had a simple soup which was delicious,

And a squid-ink risotto.

I had a fish risotto which was superb.

And B had a steak! They were all very good.

We looked over the dessert menu after but we didn't have any. Lita's a pastry chef and I told her I'm not paying that much for something she can make for me anytime. Actually, we had been overeating since the first dinner she prepared for us at home, so we were trying to skip calories whenever we could.

The view is fantastic. You can see surfers swimming out in the cold water. The blue of the ocean is repeated in the interiors of the restaurant (and today also the diners). The simple interiors don't grab attention away from the view.

Below is the bar area. Ack--where did that red pillow come from?!

Below the dining room is a public salt water pool that belongs to the Icebergs Bondi Club--I'm not sure if it's related to the restaurant but Lita said that every beach here in Sydney has something like this.

Service was unusually slow today and it was way past 3 pm when we left the restaurant. The other guests, even if they were in business attire, didn't look like they were rushing or leaving any time soon. Maybe when there's a magnificent view to stare at, diners are more patient--they just sit back, relax and enjoy the view!

Icebergs Dining Room and Bar
One Notts Avenue Bondi Beach
Tel 61 2 9365 9000
Fax 61 2 9365 9099
idrb@idrb.com

Collecting Teacups

2011-08-08T09:00:00.004+08:00

I saw these Harlequin Collection teacups by Wedgewood at the David Jones department store in Brisbane. This is the first time I've seen teacups sold in an assorted set, making them look as if they were collected one by one. I love how all of them are perfectly uncoordinated and look truly like a collection--but in terms of "collecting", isn't that cheating?

I would love to add the Wedgwood set to my teacup collection. But by definition, collecting means "to acquire in a systematic manner, over a period of time". So buying a complete set, off-the-shelf, is not really "collecting." That's plain shopping!

This gorgeous pattern is called "Queen of Hearts"

I got most of my teacups from eBay. I chose, I bidded, I won (and lost many) and I received it in the mail--one by one. In short, I "accumulated, over time". I also got a few from flea markets. The only time I bought a set of 6 was at an estate sale auction. So in effect, I bought someone's collection. So okay, I'm also guilty of short- cutting the process of collecting!

The most important thing for me is that my teacups have all been previously owned. I'd like to think that they have"soul", and that they had a life before they came to me. It just makes each of them unique and much more interesting than those bought brand new from a department store.

Over at Myers, the other department store in downtown Brisbane, there were these assorted sets from Royal Albert. The Wedgwood set was Aus$499, and these were Aus$399. O.m.g. If I bought any teacups at this price, no one would be allowed near them! None of my teacups cost more than US$20, most of them less than that, but they're worth much much more. How do you put a cost on "soul"?

I always thought that Royal Albert (by Royal Doulton) and Wedgwood were competitors, but they're actually owned by the same parent company.

I'd never buy a complete collection, off the shelf, for myself. But I'd love to add that queen of hearts pattern to my display case (and maybe another two more from the Harlequin collection). Now I'm on a quest to find those patterns from someone who is giving them some history and soul right now.

May Gibb's Home, Nutcote

2011-07-30T14:36:00.004+08:00

When my sister Lita asked me if I wanted to see Nutcote, the home of May Gibbs, Australia's famous and iconic children's book author and illustrator, I said yes right away. Never mind that we didn't grow up with May Gibbs' books or characters, and I never really heard of her until that day, but we both love seeing homes of artists to see how their home and surroundings inspired their work.

While walking down the path towards the yellow house, Lita and I reminisced about one of our European trips together as adventurous young twenty-somethings--and particularly our visit to Monet's house in Giverny just outside of Paris. We didn't have internet nor mobile phones then, so trip planning was challenging. We managed to get ourselves on a train that brought us to Giverny and back, and during the ride we even befriended two older American ladies who gave us tips on how to travel together and keep track of expenses. Those ladies were probably as old as we are now.

I don't remember much of Monet's house anymore, but I do remember feeling inspired, and happy that we had made the effort to figure out how to get to Giverny.

The original lemon tree in front of the house

Here at May Gibbs' home, we went directly to the back garden which has a beautiful view of the water. I'm sure she drew inspiration from such a gorgeous vantage point, but May Gibbs was more interested in the botanical details in her garden--the little pods, nuts, petals and leaves. These are the things that form the basis of all her storybook characters.

Looking up at the house from the garden

The docent who welcomed us to the house led us through some gallery rooms right by the garden (and under the main house), and invited us to watch the 19-minute video which was looping in the back room.

The short documentary on the life of May explains how her family sailed from England to Australia when she was only 4 years old. In Australia, her drawings were noticed right away and by the time she was 12, she was contributing illustrations regularly to the newspapers.

The second video is about how her characters are all based on Australian plants and flowers and the recurring theme saving the plants and environment. The few other visitors that day seemed to be skipping the video, preferring to visit the interiors right away. I'm glad we watched the video first because it brought May Gibbs to life, and made the house visit so much more interesting.

I found it quite curious that her talent was recognized so early on. It turns out both her parents were artists too so when they noticed her talent, they strongly supported and encouraged it.

illustration from here

The simple house is staged as if she were still living in it, with old English furniture and accessories from that era. Some of the items are original and belonged to her, but most are reproductions. Her original easel sits in the middle of her studio.

photos from here

The studio opens up into this balcony which overlooks her garden, and has the same beautiful view of the Sydney Harbour.

Lita, engaging the guide in deep artistic conversation

The ladies who guide the tours are enthusiastic volunteers all well-versed on the life of May Gibbs. Many of May's watercolor portraits hang in the rooms, but unfortunately I wasn't allowed to snap any shots inside the house. Too bad, I would've wanted to take detailed shots of the nicely-restored interiors.

This picture doesn't show the most interesting thing about the kitchen--the stove and the counters.

Photo from here

There's a little coffeeshop on the premises that is also run by volunteers, so sometimes it's open and sometimes it's not.

Nutcote is a happy place visit in Neutral Bay. It's not only interesting to those who are familiar with the Gumnut Babies, but to anyone interested in history, art and creativity. I know my girls would love to see this place, and they'll even be interested in the Gumnut Babies after visiting the house.

If I lived in Sydney, I would take Thursdays off and sign up for this art course right away!

I left Nutcote House excited and inspired--and that's from someone who didn't even know any of May Gibbs' characters before coming here!

The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

Aside from being a "museum house", Nutcote is now also a venue that hosts children's birthday parties and weddings.

Nutcote House


	5 Wallaringa Avenue
	Neutral Bay
	New South Wales
	2089

	enquiries@maygibbs.com.au
	+61 (0)2 9953 4453
	+61 (0)2 9953 0302

Stylish Condo Living

2011-07-15T01:48:00.006+08:00

My friends Joanna and Ramon Duarte have a beautiful home on a high floor of a Makati condominium building. With designers nowadays putting their distinct mark on their projects, I really appreciate it when I walk into a home that reflects the personalities of the people who live in it instead of that of the designer. Ramon and Joanna's home reflects their personalities: stylish but relaxed, elegant but warm, cozy, practical and inviting. I love the hardwood floors, the muted red and yellow walls, the furniture, the tabletop accessories...

Joanna is the hardworking entrepreneur behind the successful chain(s) of children's clothing stores that include the brands Big and Small Co., Spin, Orange Juice, and HAB Maternity. Ramon is a computer-savvy finance and bank guy whose interests include photography, audio and other highly technical stuff I don't quite understand. Both have excellent taste and I know they could have designed their home by themselves. But with their busy schedules, they hired the services of talented interior designer Ana Olondriz.

Joanna said Ana was decisive and practical, using most of the furniture they already had, and adding pieces only where needed.

I think it was wise of them to hire an interior designer. A couple of years ago, a group of us were either building or renovating homes all at the same time and Ramon and Joanna surprised us all by being the last to start, but the first to move in! Ana was knowledgeable and focused, and gave them valuable advise. Meanwhile, in my own home, I'm still undoing some did-it-myself design mistakes! Maybe I should call Ana and get it over with.

Below is the main living room, which also doubles as the family room. Look at those wall shelves that keep all the objets d'art together for mass impact. But that's not all...

Taaa daaaa!!! The Chinese paintings are mounted on panels that slide open revealing a flat screen TV! The family gathers here for movies together. The living room is really lived in, and not just saved for the occasional guest.

The cabinets on the side cleverly hide unsightly things like stereo equipment and subwoofers

When I asked who was the genius who thought of this design, Joanna said it was a collaboration of Ana and Ana's son, Sandro. Of course! Who else could it be? Sandro Olondriz is popularly known as the go-to artist for faux finishes on walls and furniture. His wife, Monica, is my favorite chandelier artisan. When I couldn't find a chandelier I liked, they custom-made one for me. They've been doing wall finishes, chandeliers and furniture for many years now. Their list of past clients is kilometric and includes a lot of Manila's tastemakers.

The powder room made cozy with an antique mesa altar

The hallways and walls are personalized with the couple's art collection including paintings by the kids.

Jaime's paintings done last year, when he was ten or eleven

A gallery wall of family pictures.

An ante-room before the master bedroom serves as an office, keeping work separate from the rest area.

Eight-year-old Rocio's bedroom is girlishly sophisticated. Btw, this wasn't a planned shoot. I just happened to drop by one afternoon for a quick chat with Jo, and decided to take pictures while I was there. The condo was very neat and orderly.

A late-blooming homemaker, Joanna recently discovered that she enjoys cooking and baking. On days that she manages to get home early, she'll be in her kitchen creating something delicious. She even invites friends over to give her cooking lessons. I think that's what happens when a kitchen is nicely designed and comfortably planned--it becomes very inviting even to a non-kitchen person. I overheard that she is now supplying a restaurant in Makati with her baked goods. She just might start another career as a baker!

It is obvious that the designer and the homeowners collaborated harmoniously on this project. Function was not sacrificed for style, nor was style sacrificed for function. Every corner of the house is maximized and enjoyed by the members of the family and nothing here is only "for show."

When words used to describe a home can be also be used to describe the people who live in it, that's when I can say the interior designer has been successful--and this home is a perfect example of successful design.

The Impeccable Interiors of Ralph Lauren Stores

2011-07-11T09:00:00.003+08:00

Honed-granite surfaces at the checkout counter

I always visit the Ralph Lauren store at Ala Moana mall in Honolulu because I like the interiors very much. Last year, Ralph Lauren opened two flagship stores: one in Paris, and the other in New York, adding two more prestigious locations to his list of flagship stores in existence. The Ala Moana store in Honolulu is small compared to his other stores that sometimes occupy a whole building, but the attention to detail is the same.

The store has a tropical resort look, in keeping with its Honolulu location. Palms in planter baskets fill corners, sisal rugs cover stone-textured tiled floors, and zebra ottomans give that extra design punch. I want a zebra ottoman but I have no idea where to get one. Locally, the Michael Kors stores in Rockwell and in Rustan's Makati have zebra ottomans. I want one! Maybe I'll source a zebra-printed cow hide and just have one custom made?

I want this ottoman!

The pictures in this post belong to different years (from 2008 to 2011) that's why you'll notice the mannequins wearing different clothes. The homey interiors haven't changed in the last four years and yet it doesn't look dated. That's what I like about Ralph Lauren's interiors--they're timeless.

“That’s always been my philosophy: timelessness, not trends,” Lauren says. In his opinion, cutting-edge buildings date quickly and offer no spiritual satisfaction. “I like materials that get better with age, like leather, marble, and exotic woods,” he continues.

That exact quote is taken from this article.

The store in Manhattan. Picture from here.

The millwork is exemplary, and the attention to detail is impeccable. The details are luxurious but the overall look is casual. Take a look at the lighting on the display shelves. I took this photo below eye level because I wanted to see how the lighting was executed.

A peek under the shelves reveal two rows of t-5 bulbs expertly hidden in channels above each shelf.

By the way, the back, sides and top of these display nooks are all neatly lined in a felt-like fabric. There are no bare, just-painted shelves or walls in the store.

The dressing rooms have sisal carpets and beautiful wallpaper. Some have flattering wall sconces.

I just noticed that the Chinoiserie wallpaper in this Honolulu dressing room above (photo taken in 2008) is the same one they used in the NY store that opened only last year.

The VIP dressing room of the elegant Manhattan store. Photo from here.

I don't really like clothes shopping so I didn't even notice the clothes in the shop. Did you ever enter a store only because you liked the interiors? I do this a lot, many times not even paying attention to the merchandise.

I also didn't intend to take the behind of this sales person, but I didn't want to risk her telling me not to take pictures, therefore the shot from behind. I really wanted to have a photo of this sofa and the lounge chairs which are elegant in silhouette but upholstered in casual denim. You've got to love Ralph Lauren for contrasts like this!

These imposing jars are dramatic, but are softened with the plants propped on top.

And lastly, another settee in timeless rattan. There are slow-moving ceiling fans throughout the store too, reminding you that you're in a tropical locale.

Ralph Lauren stores are usually true to their location, incorporating local touches to their classic interiors. I look forward to visiting other Ralph Lauren stores to see what other looks I can pick up for my own house (aside from that zebra ottoman!)

Hotel Londres in San Sebastian

2011-07-04T14:01:00.006+08:00

There were two hotel options for our short two-night stay in San Sebastian during our Spain road trip. The first one, Hotel Maria Cristina, and the other, Hotel Londres y Inglaterra by the water. My dentist friend Teresa recommended we stay at Maria Cristina since her family recently stayed there. She gave it a glowing review saying that it was centrally located and beautifully interior-designed. I looked at the hotel website and loved the traditional design. But Beng, savvy traveler and the person in our group in charge of booking our accommodations for the road trip, had found Hotel Londres. Beng has this knack of finding unique lodgings and amazing deals without sacrificing style and quality.

Since we were traveling off-season, she was able to get a really good deal at Londres for our full-sea-view rooms, something Maria Cristina couldn't match. Hotel Londres fronts the famous La Concha beach.

Belle Epoque interiors

We arrived at twilight and quickly checked into our rooms. We couldn't fully appreciate the view because it was dark, but I already liked all the period details I saw. Although it looks like a fairly big building, Londres considers itself a boutique hotel.

I didn't take many pictures of the room since we were rushing to meet the gang downstairs for dinner. We were going to over to the pintxos bars, a short walk from the hotel.

Edna and David

It's a romantic walk by the beach from Hotel Londres to the pintxos bars.

We woke up the next day to this lovely view.

I even spotted this couple, whom I thought I recognized as my friends Larry and Roselen (Larry gets up very early, and also wears a red jacket). I took many shots of their romantic early-morning stroll, planning to surprise them with some journalistic candid photos. Turns out it wasn't them! Haha!

The expansive La Concha beach at low tide. This was also taken from our little balcony.

Later in the day, the tide comes in. It's all very pretty. Look how empty San Sebastian is in February. I love traveling off season.

Our goal in San Sebastian, however, was not the view. San Sebastian supposedly has the most Michelin-starred restaurants per square kilometer in the world. We were here for a gastronomic experience. We were booked for lunch at the three-star Arzak the next day. At night, we were going to "slum" it pintxos-hopping. We were all ready and very excited to pack on all those pounds.

Coffee table book displayed at the reception desk

Paris in August?

2011-06-22T16:36:00.006+08:00

Freezing in March

That's always a big question. Half the people I ask, including my cousin who lives there, says "No" (That's also because she won't be there!) Then there's the other half that say, "Yes! It's still Paris!"

Most Parisians leave the city in August to take their annual vacation. A few years ago, our July trip in Paris went into the first week of August and I didn't notice anything different. But a few recent emails back and forth to a respected dealer at the Clignancourt flea market revealed that she and other dealer friends will be out of town from the "second week of August til the 29th", and that the flea market will of course be open, but will be "quieter" in August.

Me and my cousin Bea, probably texting one of our moms

One nice thing about traveling to Europe during their summer that we can travel light and packing is easy. Being from a tropical country, it's always a bit stressful to travel in the winter because packing requires more thinking--what sweaters to bring, what coats to use on top of cocktail dresses, what kind of shoes to pack. Sometimes I'm already overweight and I haven't even left!

At Porte de Vanves last week of July

This thread below is cut-and-pasted from Fodors online Forum, which I always click through before a trip. The original poster is not me, but I'm asking the same question right now, just in case there are any new answers. Anyone else with helpful input?

Paris in August? Please Help Me Decide...         Posted by:                     fishskis              on    Aug  7, 10 at 9:27am             Posted in: Europe           Tagged:               France                        Jump to last reply         
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I am supposed to leave in a little over a week for a last minute  weeklong solo trip to Paris. But....I am having serious second thoughts  about going due to always hearing that one should not go to Paris in  August as "everything" is closed and the city is dead, etc.

Can someone with knowledge on this subject please advise as to what the  real situation is. Are most restaurants closed? Patisseries,  Boulangeries, Stores, Boutiques, etc. Please note that one of the  reasons I love Paris is the food, and I have been able to book some  restaurants that remain open, though I wonder if the chefs will be in  town - I suspect not.

I have heard such conflicting things I do not know whether to go or to  postpone my trip. I have been to Paris several times, and I love it. I  am going to be in Paris next April, and I am just wondering if I should  try to go somewhere else, or maybe limit my time in Paris and maybe add  another city to my trip, or try to do a completely different trip. 

(I also prefer cooler weather to hot weather, but as long as it is not  brutally hot and humid, I'll be fine; if I am going to travel in August,  I will have to deal with this in many possible destinations)

As you can tell, I am confused...and the time is getting very short to  make any changes or cancelations...Thank you for your help.   

26            Replies |                  Add a Reply                         

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cheryllj on Aug 7, 10 at 10:35am
No, "everything" is not closed in August.

I went to Paris in August on my first trip there and it certainly didn't seem empty to me. I've since read, like you have, that many restaurants are closed, but I don't remember having a hard time finding ones that are open. It's a huge city, for crying out loud, and people need to eat.

But given that you've been there several times, and are planning to go in April, I'm wondering why you chose Paris for this trip in August. Was there a reason for the trip? Why Paris instead of somewhere you haven't been, somewhere that might be nicer in August?
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saige on Aug 7, 10 at 10:37am
Museums and other attractions will probably be open, but many smaller shops and cafes may be closed as they are escaping the heat and vacationing outside Paris during this season. You can still have a wonderful vacation in Paris during August. It's a time to enjoy a less crowded city and more relaxed Parisians.
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suze on Aug 7, 10 at 10:48am
I'm no expert, since I have only been to Paris once. But it happened to be in August. The weather was pretty darn hot that ime I was there, but other than that I didn't notice any of the negatives you've mentioned like 'everything' being closed. If you are sensitive to heat, I would suggest getting a hotel room with air-con. And I spent a lot of time in all the beautiful parks around the city.
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suze on Aug 7, 10 at 10:51am
In re-reading your post my question is the same as Cheryl's.

Since you don't like the heat, have been to Paris before, and are going again in April. Were I in your shoes, yes I'd go somewhere else for this particular one week's upcoming trip.

Maybe Amsterdam? Would be cooler since it's further north?
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fishskis on Aug 7, 10 at 10:55am
Thank you for the replies. Cheryllj: You asked a very good question. I miss Paris, even though I was there less than a year ago, and will be returning in about 8 months. But I am questioning my decision given some of the reasons stated above, as well as your point of visiting somewhere that I have not been.
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cheryllj on Aug 7, 10 at 10:57am
Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Edinburgh . . . I can think of a lot of places that might be a little cooler and more pleasant. (And I've never been to Copenhagen or Edinburgh, so those are high on my personal list.)

I loved Paris in August, but it was my first time there and I didn't know any better. I enjoyed it a lot more in April and October, in subsequent trips. I don't mind heat in general (I'm from MS and know heat), but it's different when you're sightseeing all day, out in the sun and standing in line, and a/c is not as common as home.
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suze on Aug 7, 10 at 11:07am
OK I'll say it again with more emphasis that I did above... it was *HOT* when I was there. Sweating kind of hot. It was a heat wave the three weeks I was in Europe that trip (was Switzerland and Venice before Paris).

To the question about things being closed, that I don't think is anything to worry about. The temps, if you don't like heat, I think is a valid concern.
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cheryllj on Aug 7, 10 at 11:17am
I'm not planning a trip in August, but now that I think of places that might be fun, I'd want to go to Iceland. It might get up to 70 on a "hot" day, and the sunshine lasts well into night, great for sightseeing.

But fishskis, it only matters where YOU want to go. It sounds like you should save Paris for April, if you're worried about the heat and the closings. Are your tickets changeable, without getting hammeredon penalties? And you can go wherever? Look at the map and go north.
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Seamus on Aug 7, 10 at 11:51am
If this were your only chance to visit Paris I would say do it, but it does not sound like that is the case. Weather can always be fickle, but when we were in Paris a couple weeks ago in there were several days that were indeed quite hot - what my niece called "butt crack sweat hot." On the streets of the city temps are somewhat magnified. Immediately prior to Paris we were in Amsterdam and it was pleasantly warm but not hot like Paris. So, much as I love Paris, if you don't like heat stay out of Paris in August - or at least make sure the place you are staying has formidable AC and pack lots of cool linen and extra strength deodorant.
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danon on Aug 7, 10 at 11:56am
I was in Paris second week of July and it was really hot...
Hard to predict the weather. London could be cooler.
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kappa1 on Aug 7, 10 at 12:47pm
I would not worry about heat in August in Paris at least for this year. I live in Geneva and usually Paris weather is similar, sometimes a little warmer, sometimes a little cooler. Every summer I tell myself the peak heat is over when August arrives. The hottest is usually July and this year is not an exception. It has been quite cool to nicely warm since a few weeks. On the forecast I see Paris weather for the coming days between 23 to 28 celcius, that's about what Geneva is having.

And of course as said above, there are plenty of things open in August even though some are closed for summer holidays. It's a big city and never shuts down.
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kerouac on Aug 7, 10 at 1:20pm
Yes, where is the heat you are talking about? We in Paris are hoping that it will warm up some.
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fishskis on Aug 7, 10 at 1:26pm
Thank you all for the replies. I am not overly concerned with the weather; I checked the forecast and it does not look too bad; the alternative trip I was contemplating was to Asia, which I vetoed due to the heat.

As for other options, I am somewhat limited in that I am using miles for my flights, and I got lucky with a non-stop RT to Paris from LA, but other destination options are very limited. I generally do not travel in August, and I try to avoid hordes of tourists if possible (even though I am one too).

I just wonder if the city is dramatically different from other times of the year. Not to sound too corny, but I wonder if the "soul" of Paris will somehow be missing? If all the Parisiens (I hear it is literally about 50%) are gone, and the city is filled with tourists, is Paris not really Paris? If I go out to dinner, and every diner is speaking english, will I even feel like I am in Paris? This, of course, is an exaggeration; but my concern is real. If 10 % of stores and restaurants and patisseries are closed, no problem; if 50% are closed, then the entire city will obviously have a completely different feeling.

Since this is my window to go (until my planned trip next April/May), my feeling in booking it was that any trip to Paris is far better than no trip to Paris. Though now, I am questioning that premise a little given the reality that if I don't go on this trip, I will have the miles and the unspent dollars for the next trip, to wherever that might be.
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kappa1 on Aug 7, 10 at 2:30pm
I see, from your first post too your concern is not about the weather.

Still your are concern is not mine. I rather enjoy somewhat emptier (depending on where you go) Paris in summer. Dramatically different ? No, not nearly but that's my opinion.
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joyling on Aug 7, 10 at 2:52pm
Currently in France, I in Paris last week for a week, it is pumping. The countryside villages are quieter.
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PatrickLondon on Aug 7, 10 at 3:21pm
The "everything closes" thing is much less true than decades ago. I spent two weeks in Paris two years ago. I wasn't chasing round all the "big sights", since I've seen them often enough, but there was plenty to see and do (and the weather wasn't that hot then, and if today's weather in London is anything to go by, isn't now).

I blogged about what I did iin those two weeks, if you're interested:

http://autolycus-london.blogspot.com/2008/08/ca-cest-paris.html
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kerouac on Aug 7, 10 at 5:58pm
Yes, the idea that Paris closes and that the Parisians are gone is about 20 years out of date. For one thing, tourism has (unfortunately) doubled in the last 20 years and for another, the extended vacation time (5 weeks minimum for everybody) plus the compensatory time due to the technicalities of the 35 hour work week law means that Parisians (and all of the other French) have plenty of free time to use, so now they cut it up into bits and pieces all through the year. In the company where I work, I have 39 days of vacation and 11 compensatory days = 10 weeks off. I never take more than 2 weeks at a time, sometimes just 3 or 4 days. That's pretty much how all of the younger generations do things now. The days when people would tinker around in their country house for an entire month are pretty much finished.

Anyway, the principal thing that you will notice about August in Paris is that the vast majority of tourists are Italian and Spanish. Naturally, all of the other nationalities are there also, but in smaller numbers.
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Christina on Aug 8, 10 at 1:56am
August has a different feel in any major city where I've been. It is different than the main part of the year when lots of business is going on, in the Fall when things are starting up like school, etc. this is true in every city (at least in the US and W Europe) that I know. So Paris in August will feel different from Paris in October or Paris in May, but it is still Paris.

I don't know why someone would think everything in a major European capital would close in one month of the year, even things that are open all year long, like museums. People live in Paris, everything can't be closed. But things may be slower, but they are that way in other cities, also, as I said. They are that way where I live in Wash Dc.

Most tourists don't hang out with local residents, anyway, so the fact that a lot of Parisians may be gone on vacation doesn't really matter. Most museums and sites like that are full of tourists, anyway (well, museums have some locals who visits, but so what, you can't even always tell whether someone is French or Italian or whatever if you aren't talking with them).
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nytraveler on Aug 8, 10 at 2:10am
All major attractions will be open. Major stores and most smaller stores and restaurants will be open. Some smaller family restaurants may be closed - but not enough to be an issue. the city will not be dead- it will be mobbed with tourists.

As for the heat - as long as your hotel as good AC you should be OK - but do realize that many restaurants and stoes will not. Weather may be warm or may be hellish (I've been when it was 90+ and humid for a week at a time) - if so do things in the early am and evenings.
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suze on Aug 8, 10 at 10:12am
Can I ask where in the world you are reading or hearing this stuff???

If 50% of the normal population of Paris leaves in August &/or 50% of the stores are closed, I'll eat my hat!

I do agree about the weather this year, same as Geneva and Paris are often similar, so is (believe it or not) Seattle to Geneva. It's been cool this summer both places.

The summer I was in Venice/Paris was a freakish heatwave, I do realize that.
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fishskis on Aug 8, 10 at 10:27am
Suze, To answer your specific question, the 50% of Parisians leaving Paris came from a quote in a recent National Geographic Traveler article. As for the 50% of stores closing reference, that was just a question of my trying to gauge if Paris in August is a ghost town, or just a lot quieter than normal.

I have heard so many differing opinions on this subject, though now I am starting to see one consistency: that in the past, the advice not to go to Paris in August may not be as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. The voice of my mother saying never go to Paris in August might be outdated.

Thank you for the replies, they are very helpful.
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kwren on Aug 8, 10 at 10:43am
I've been to Paris in August and it was fine - don't be concerned - you will have a great time. The only thing that was closed that bummed me out was a specific tiny bakery because I had lived across the street from it when I was growing up. We had no other problems at all so you should not worry about anything other than AC in your hotel and what to pack. Have a good time!
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suze on Aug 8, 10 at 11:57am
Thank you for answering. Wow. I just can't believe that is a fact (that 1/2 of the population of Paris goes somewhere else in August) & quoted in National Geo Traveler no less.
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mari5 on Aug 8, 10 at 12:04pm
It's always been a known and true fact that August is when the majority of Parisians take their "leave",~~ In all books written by people living there it is evident. HOWEVER: having said that, it appears to have changed somewhat in the past several years,,,and that is intersting and good to know. Thanks for the insight. I know some people who went in August with NO hotel A/C and really were uncomfortable.
(someone mentioned Edinburgh...August is Tatoo and Festival month,, horribly overcrowded and accomodations are hard to come by.)
What about Scandanavia? Weather would be pleasant.
However ,if the OP so loves Paris ,then it would be good to see it in August, for variety, and see for herself if there is a difference than when she has been there before.
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mari5 on Aug 8, 10 at 12:10pm
What about "slipping" over to Zurich and/or the Bernese Oberland in the mountains for part of your trip.?
Just a thought...but perhaps you like CITIES better. Zurich itself is very cosmopolitan.
(and I'm the one who just above said it might be interesting for you to SEE Paris in August~~~ to judge the difference from your other trips. ~~~IF there IS any!

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kerouac on Aug 8, 10 at 1:06pm

Now if you would like to see one of the main national museums with fewer people than usual, you can try the Quai Branly museum. It's the only one where local visitors outnumber tourists.

Climbing Diamond Head

2011-06-20T20:18:00.004+08:00

Nothing is as iconic of Honolulu as Diamond Head. Looming over the southeastern part of the island of Oahu, Diamond Head is also popularly used by the locals as a reference point for giving or receiving directions. North, south, east, west are hardly mentioned, but "you go Diamond Head", or "you go Ewa (e-vah)", meaning you go 'away from Diamond Head' are common. There are also the terms "mauka" for "towards the mountains" and "makai" for "towards the water". Interesting ya? Read more about local directions here.

In all our years of traveling to Honolulu, I never once thought of going up the summit of the crater (although B did it a number of times during his solo walks). It was a good time to get the kids to do a trek and finally see what the view was like from up there. I googled a bit to see what the trek was going to be like and came across "there are lots of steps", "there's a tunnel, bring a flashlight", and "go before 9, so it's not so hot"--enough little warnings to put me off a bit, until my niece Sam said--"What?! It's sooooo easy, the kids can easily do it. Even easier than Manoa Falls!" We did Manoa Falls last year.

With that encouragement, I was pumped and ready to go. We were there right before noon, we didn't have a flashlight and we even forgot our water bottles! So much for preparation.

It begins on a paved walkway which turns into a dirt trail. Hardly any incline yet. This is no so bad...

The trail up is very gradual. It helps that the sun, mercifully, is not out. It's a nice breezy day--like all days in Honolulu, but there are clouds today. We hardly break a sweat.

There's lots of time to stop and smell these spiky whatever-they-ares, as well as take lots of pictures. We're all very thirsty at this point but there's nothing we can do.

No water and still smiling.

We also encounter a few tourists coming down, some wearing leather shoes and sandals, although I definitely I wouldn't recommend that! We're even more encouraged when we see a toddler walking down the trail.

Wonderful scenery from one of the vista stops, right before the really strenuous part of the hike.

Now the steep ascent begins. A couple of hundred steps I think. At least they are concrete and evenly spaced. When G complained about the steps, I told her "Hey, remember those slippery uneven boulder steps going to Kayangan lake in Coron? You did that, and that was a hard climb compared to this!"

Going to Kayangan lake in Coron, Palawan. This was tough. Good thing it was short.

Right after the first set of steps is the "dark tunnel". Surprisingly it's even nicely lit up with walkway lights. (This is really the first world, what can say?) So much for needing a flashlight!

After the tunnel, there are more steep steps up. We managed them by stopping every now and then.

And finally, there's a spiral staircase that leads to the observation deck up above.

This is what the spiral staircase goes through. There are no openings to the other floors except to the third one on top leading to the observation deck.

In the topmost level before exiting to the observation deck, there's an enterprising dude is selling "I survived" certificates for $2.00 each. You write your name on the blank line and he stamps it with a Hawaii State dry seal. It might really be legit, but what a great racket! He should've also been selling water and shave ice.

And finally, the summit of Diamond Head!

The view of Kahala

The view of the crater and the mountains

And towards Waikiki

We stayed up there for about twenty minutes enjoying the fantastic view and the forceful wind. It was past one, and we were not only thirsty, we were also getting hungry. Time to go down and get some nourishment!

It wasn't a very strenuous trek at all, perhaps because it was a perfectly cloudy and windy day. Maying told us that her long-time-ago-pregnant sister-in-law did this trek daily up until the day she gave birth!

water, water!!

At the end of the trail there's a water fountain and even a clean bathroom. Can't say we were suffering.

After gulping almost a liter of water each, we went to the Kapahulu branch of Waiola and rewarded ourselves with shave ice!

with ice cream at the bottom of course!

B also picked us up with this in the car. A dozen delicious cocoa puffs from Liliha Bakery! I think we didn't lose any weight on this trek.

And that ends our little hike for this trip. Which trail should we do next? (and what should we eat after?)

"We climbed that!" The view from Mika's hotel balcony.