my travels: london

I love travelling and try to hop on a plane every chance that I get. With the pandemic and busy work schedule, I have not been able to travel as much as I like to, which made this trip that much more special!

London was love at first sight! Beautiful architecture, exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail, stunning unique interiors, unmatched restaurant experiences - this city has so much to offer to engage all the senses. All the novelty and excitement of a big metropolitan city was balanced out by a feeling of being “right at home”, a sense of familiarity - ease of navigating English-speaking city with many recognizable brands and stores. Somehow, London feels both new and familiar, metropolitan and cozy, big and small. Two weeks gave me a little teaser; however, I am confident that I will be back to continue to explore.

Here are some of my favorite moments/experiences:

FACADES OF LONDON

Advised by our local friends, we decided to stay in lovely South Kensington neighbourhood. One of the absolute highlights of this trip for me has been exploring the city by foot and soaking up the gorgeous facades with abundant architectural features and details.

HYDE PARK

Staying in close adjacency to Hyde Park meant that many of our daily outings led us through its charming paths on the way to another city neighbourhood. Hard to believe that such a lush and serene green space is in the heart of a city of 9 million!

FOODIE HEAVEN

The restaurant scene is London is unmatched. What an abundance of experiences and wildly different interiors and cuisines. Here are a couple that we had a chance to experience.

We stumbled on this gem on our first night in London. Inspired by Mediterranean cuisine and courtyards, Firebird is an open-fire restaurant and wine bar in the heart of Soho.

Image source: www.luxurylondon.co.uk

Laid back and effortlessly stylish in quintessentially Aussie way, Granger & Co. quickly became our brunch go-to spot. I loved the Chelsea (pictured here) and Notting Hill locations.

Image source: Granger & Co.

Granger & Co. in Chelsea

Many of London’s IT restaurants are embracing the Maximalist vibe. Luscious foliage, jungle textures and velvet banquettes - London’s Amazonico is truly a sensory feast!

Image Source: Amazonico

More is more at Amazonico! Fringe lampshades, decadent fabrics and curved walls ensure this space is anything but boring.

Image Source: Amazonico

Here is Cocotte, French farm-to-table rotisserie with many healthy seasonal homemade dishes and well appointed interior.

Image Source: Cocotte

Annabels was another decadently maximalist restaurant I had an opportunity to check out on this trip. What a wild (quite literally) experience!

Image Source: Annabels

I don’t think I have ever stepped foot in a ladies room more opulently decorated! From pink marble and mother-of-pearl details to walls clad in hand-embroidered wallpaper with whimsical botanical motives to flower ceilings to plush carpets to custom flower mirrors and bespoke furniture, this ladies room at Annabel’s is certainly one of a kind!

Image Source: Annabels

Enjoying honey cake and specialty tea in Notting Hill’s L’eto restaurant with my lovely friend who I got to visit with while in London.

This is NOPI - Ottolenghi’s restaurant in Soho. I have been obsessed with Ottolenghi’s cookbooks and have been making his recipes for years. IYKYK! I was so excited to stumble on his restaurant in London, but of course the place was booked for many days ahead. I am putting it on the list for next time!

Image source: Ottolenghi

GALLERIES

Such an abundantly rich cultural and art scene! I imagine you need to spend a couple of lifetimes in this city to visit even a fraction of the events and galleries!

Victoria and Albert museum

Trying to take it all in at the National Gallery.

A Van Gogh moment at the National Gallery

Vase with Fifteen Sunflowers, Van Gogh, 1888.

ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

We took a little roadtrip to visit friends in the English countryside. Here is a view of Hereford, cathedral city approximately 3 hours drive West of London.

Image Source: www.cntraveller.com

A stop at Barnsley House on the way back for some afternoon tea.

SITE SEEING

With so many friends to catch up with, and so many restraurants and museums to explore, site seeing wasn’t always top of mind. However, we did manage to stop by a few of the iconic landmarks.

First time at Buckingham Palace.

Two days later, news of Queen Elizabeth’s passing would sweep the world and crowds would gather outside of Buckingham Palace to pay respects and leave flowers and cards in Queen’s memory. It was pretty surreal to have a historical event of this magnitude take place while I was visiting in London.

One of London’s defining landmarks - Tower Bridge.

Finally, a special shout out to my love for being a wonderful and patient travel companion. Two weeks felt way too short but we will be back!

my travels: Tulum

As much as I embrace cold and snow as inevitable and even enjoyable part of living in Canada, a mid-February sunny get-away with a side of generous dose of vitamin D is always a nice treat! There has been a lot of attention on Tulum as a beautiful tropical destination lately, so naturally my best friend, my sister and I set out to discover it for ourselves. I put together my list below to highlight everything I LOVED about vacationing in this boho-chic escape.

1. FOODIE PARADISE

This truly is a destination for a discerning foodie. From authentic Yucatan food to fusion restaurants to spectacularly indulgent international cuisine to health-conscious, vegan or gluten free offerings, Tulum has quite a generous selection of restaurants to meet the highest of foodie standards.

We ate our way through Tulum trying hard to sample as much of the decadent flavours as we could manage (while still fitting in our bikinis).

My personal favourite restaurants were Gitano and Casa Banana.

Nestled in the jungle, Gitano has a sexy moody vibe with an indulgence for all the senses - carefully designed outdoor space, thoughtfully plated dishes and beautiful tanned crowd, live music, seductive scent of the Frankincense burning throughout, decadently delicious food as well as the greatest of company and conversation, of course!

Image source: InMexico

This vegetarian meal of grilled avocado on bed of aromatic salt, mushroom tacos and tender asparagus was to die for!

Casa Banana is a gem of rustic Argentian cuisine offering flavorful wood-grilled meats, seafood and vegetables. Grilled octopus salad and filet mignon with merlot mushroom reduction were pure decadence.

Image Source: Well-Dressed Wayfarer

2. MAYAN RUINS

Town of Tulum as well as the famous ocean-side strip of restaurants and boutique hotels sit in close proximity to an ancient archaeological site of Tulum ruins which were inhabited as early as 564AD. We took a morning to bike over and walk around revelling in awe in the remains of the ancient Mayan structures.

Fun fact: Tulum means “wall” in Mayan. Early Tulum was built to be a fortress and a religious and ceremonial centre with only 1600 inhabitants living inside of its wall at any one time. Even as recent as 1995, population of Tulum was only 3000. By contrast, today’s population is around 35,000 with over 2 million tourists per year. Tulum has the highest population growth in all of Mexico and its great popularity has, sadly, caused it to grow far too fast to be sustainably supported by its current infrastructure.

3. GRAN CENOTE

Yucatan Peninsula, where Tulum is located, boasts many sites of beautiful Cenotes, which are naturally occurring sinkholes resulting in the collapse of limestone bedrock with access to water underneath. Being inside a Cenote has an other-worldly surreal charm with its perfectly turquoise waters, underwater caves, bats, turtles and other wildlife.

Image Source: Cenote

4. HEALTY SMOOTHIES, BOWLS & COFFEES

Because the food is soooo good in Tulum and also because food is what I care about the most on my travels (or in general, lets be serious), healthy food options deserve a separate point on my list. I loved that while travelling, I still had access to clean, nutritious and healthful food options. Some restaurants worth to be mentioned in this category are: The Real Coconut, Raw Love, Matcha Mama.

One of the many snack breaks we made at Raw Love. Besides some of the most delicious smoothie bowls and fresh coconuts, Raw Love has a few feline friends kicking around (whose company we were lucky to enjoy!)

While in Tulum, I jumped on the latest health trend of mushroom coffee. Medicinal mushroom (such as chaga, reishi, lion’s mane, and cordyceps) are anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, gut-friendly and chock-full of antioxidants. These are added to regular coffee to contribute to the coffee’s health content as well as to lower the amount of caffeine while maintaining the awakening and focus-heightening properties. Pictured above is an iced bulletproof mushroom coffee (which does NOT taste like mushrooms btw!) from Matcha Mama.

5. PICTURE PERFECT BEACHES

Between the perfect weather (it rained for about 10 minutes the entire week), turquoise water and well maintained white sand beaches with an abundance of hammocks, cabanas and food and drink options along the stretch, this was one of the my favourite tropical beaches to date. I’m typically not the beach type as I get bored quite easily and need to look for something more entertaining and adventurous; however, it’s hard to get bored on this beach - between people watching, tanning, and eating, there is enough buzz going on to keep a busy-bee like myself entertained.

6. FRESH COCONUTS ON THE BEACH

This was a daily tradition! Nothing like a fresh coconut on the beach to stay hydrated.

7. MEZCAL COCKTAILS

After this trip, I consider myself to be a converted Mezcal-lover. Mezcal is an alcohol distilled from Agave syrup (literally translated, it means “over-cooked agave”) and has a strong smoky flavour which makes it a perfect base for many deliciously refreshing cocktails of complex and interesting taste.

Mezcal cocktails at Mur Mur

Beach-side deliciousness at Delek hotel beach.

8. HAMMOCK LOUNGING AT SERENA GLAMPING

For second half of our trip, we stayed at this gem of a spot - beautiful Serena Glamping resort hidden away in the jungle, right on the main street. It was surreal to experience this stunning resort with all the comforts of a luxury hotel, the friendliest staff and a distinctly glamping nature vibe. We spent a couple of lazy hours hanging out in the hammocks with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Image Source: Travelocity

Image Source: Travelocity

9. FRIDAY NIGHT AT ROSA NEGRA

Rosa Negra was definitely a great spot to hang out on a Friday night - great margaritas, awesome DJ set and a very happening and busy vibe.

10. CRUISING AROUND ON BIKES

Bikes were our preferred mode of transportation on this trip. Our first Airbnb was in Aldea Zama neighbourhood, from which we commuted to the beach on bikes (approx 30 minutes). After moving to Serena Glamping resort close to the beach, we still rented bikes to go up and down the street during the day.

my travels: paris

Ten years since my last visit to Paris, I was definitely overdue for another adventure in the City of Love! As an interior designer, I have been swooning over beautiful French architecture and interiors for years. Not to mention my obsession with French fashion and food! I knew this time around, I would be able to appreciate the city from a completely fresh perspective. 

Below are my top 10 favorite highlights from my trip:

1.  Climb the Arc de Triomph for best views

Aside from the beautiful architecture of the Arc itself, my visit was made complete by climbing the stairs to the top of the monument. The panoramic 360 views from top of the Arc were well worth the climb. This was, in my opinion, the best view of the city and the Eiffel tower.

2. Stroll down Champs-Elysees 

After a visit of the Arc de Triomph, we spent a lazy afternoon walking down Champs-Elysees for some window shopping. A lot of the luxury French brands have their flagship locations on this street - so much eye candy!!! And, of course, plenty of options for decadent refreshments along the way. Stopping at the original Laduree location for a macaroon or a fresh croissant is a must!

3. Enjoy a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens

The day was made complete with a visit to the picturesque Luxembourg Gardens. We stopped at a store on the way to stock up on fresh baguette, gourmet cheese and charcuterie and a bottle of wine and then savoured all the above shamelessly while watching the sun come down behind the Palais de Luxembourg and the Eiffel Tower visible beyond.

4. People watch on the patio of Les Deux Magots

For a quintessentially French experience, wine and cheese afternoon on the patio of Les Deux Magots came highly recommended and was equally well enjoyed (“Wine and cheese” was definitely the theme of this trip!) From soaking up the surrounding French architecture to observing all the well-heeled Parisians and tourists passing by to the decadent food, we were glad to have made the time for a few lazy hours on this patio.

Image Source: The Storefront Magazine

5. Delicious cocktails at the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz

A warm intimate alcove nestled in the depth of the Ritz at Place Vendôme, Hemingway Bar has an atmosphere that takes you back in time. Frequented by Fitzgerald and Hemingway among other artists and visionaries of their time, it is still a spot well known and loved today. We came for the decadent cocktails, but lingered around for the vibe.

Image Source: Ritz Paris

Bonus: every cocktail comes with a beautiful rose! Cant think of a better way to collect a bouquet :)

6. Walk the stunning Alexander III bridge

This is the most ornate and extravagant bridge in Paris, spanning across the Seine and connecting Champs-Elysées with Les Invalides and Eiffel Tower. A stunning example of the Beaux-Arts architectural style, with its many Art Nouveau style lamps, cherubs, nymphs, winged horses and intricately embellished gilded elements, this landmark is truly a romantic and whimsical work of art.

7. Caroussel 

There is no lack of carousels in the City of Love. The one beside the Eiffel Tower is probably the best known and my personal favourite. Though this area is constantly crowded with tourists, there is something incredibly charming about the sights of the Tour Eiffel coupled with the soft melodic jingling of the carousel and the buzz of the crowd all around.

8. Drink wine on the steps of the Sacre-Coeur church

Ok, there are a LOT of steps on the way up but, trust me, it is worth it (and your Fitbit will be happy with you after a week in Paris!) Armed with a bottle of wine, we joined crowds of tourists to hang out, laugh and take in the views.

Those views - enough said!

9. Get close and personal with gargoyles of Notre-Dame

One of my favourite parts of the trip was the gargoyle tour of the Notre Dame cathedral. There was something very magical about seeing Paris through Victor Hugo’s eyes, imaging where the Hunchback of the Notre Dame spent his days looking out at the hustle and bustle of the city below. It was raining pretty hard during the tour, but it made for all the more beautiful visuals, seeing Paris shrouded in fog in all of its melancholy glory.

10. Catch the magic of the Eiffel tower at night

Eiffel Tower is a stunning sight at any time of the day but seeing it light up at night, reflecting and twinkling in the river Seine below, will take your breath away. Be sure to catch the sparkles go off every hour on the hour :)

WHERE TO STAY:

After a long time of searching on Airbnb and Expedia, we decided on this recently renovated gem (that I have previously come across on multiple design blogs).

I was very happy with the beautiful design of the hotel and the prime location; though be prepared for how small the rooms are (and if you have the slightest bit of claustrophobia, skip the elevator altogether).

Hotel Panache is conveniently located in the buzzy 9-eme arrondissement with no lack of trendy cafés and restaurants in the area. All the main tourist sites of the city are accessible by foot but pack comfortable shoes! Uber is also an option, but personally I always wanted to walk to take in as much Paris as I could!

Image Source: Hotel Panache