Côte d’Azur: Monaco

Ah... Monaco, Monaco. All the glitz, glamour, multibillionaires, fast cars, yachts and bling that one cannot get enough of in Dubai. And snobbery. Wait, but no. Curiously enough, I did not get that. In fact, I felt more like everyone was there just to relax and enjoy themselves along the Mediterranean coast, with a lot …

it’s uncanny what life throws at you when you least expect it

I was watching a program this week featuring El Celler de Can Roca, a 3-Michelin star restaurant in Catalonia, Spain, apparently the top restaurant in the world, when I thought: it would be such a nice treat to eat at such a place for one of my birthdays... As I watched, I could only imagine what a delight …

Côte d’Azur: Nice

Mention of a trip to Côte d'Azur immediately brings to mind a plethora of wonderful sensory experiences - the smell of sea salt and sand in the air, sailing through the Mediterranean with the breeze whipping through your hair, the sun warm on your bare feet, your skin cool and refreshed after a dip as the sun warms that damp stickiness on …

Paris Insider: Le Timbre

The afternoon I arrived back in Paris from 3 weeks of travelling, I was introduced to this adorable hole-in-the-wall. "Le Timbre" literally translates to "The Stamp" and it is most fitting for this 20-seater. Le Timbre offers only one menu per service so unless you have major objections or any allergies, you will be having your meal as the …

Champagne: the go-to wine for celebrations in France

Birthday? Crack open a bottle of champagne. New job, promotion? Get out the champagne! New baby? More champagne! A weekend lunch with friends and family? Champagne, please... Only the sparkling wine from the Champagne region in France can be called champagne. Not reserved just for weddings and New Years, champagne is usually served as an aperitif with a …