{Postcards from... Munich}

The Glockenspiel

Hi all!

I just got back from a quick, but no less festive, trip to Munich, Germany.  ‘Tis the most wonderful time of year there, with lights strung along the city’s streets and market booths swarming around its famous Glockenspiel – a giant coo-coo clock centred in Marienplatz square.  Markets, selling all sorts of handmade fare – from ornaments to nutcrackers – lure shoppers forward, while wafting smells of freshly grilled bratwursts and piping hot glühwein (mulled wine) keep crowds lingering.  Filled with the holiday spirit, I bought myself a hand-blown glass bird (vögel) ornament and indulged in a cup of glühwein, with an added shot of Amaretto, with some friends – a sweet way to enjoy the chilly December snow.  For some more alternative fare, I checked out the markets just outside the city’s centre, where massive tents of markets and bars set up camp, selling more bohemian and global-centric crafts.  For the full Germanic experience, I ended my nights with a stein of beer at the Hofbräuhaus, a traditional beer hall with a live German ooompah band and many boisterous patrons.  After completing my holiday shopping, I ventured to see the Schloss Nymphenburg – a beautiful palace housing one of the prettiest collections of portraits in its “Gallery of Beauties.”  A beautiful end to a lovely weekend.

Wishing you a festive holiday season!

Cheers, Jenn

Christmas markets

Drinking gluhwein with friends in the snow

Market tents

Inside the Hofbräuhaus

Inside the Schloss Nymphenburg

Some travel tips…

Hotels
Hotel Bayerischer Hof
Promenadeplatz 2-6
80333 Munich, Germany

Restaurants
Lowenbrau – a traditional Bavarian restaurant, festively decorated for Christmas.

Spatenhaus – a traditional Bavarian restaurant, in a casual and rustic-themed setting.

Haxnbauer – a traditional Bavarian restaurant, known for their pork knuckles.

Augustiner am Dom – a Bavarian restaurant, serving the best spätzle of the weekend.

Bars

Hofbrauhaus Munchen – a traditional German beer hall, giant in size, with steins and banquet-tables to match, accompanied by live music – the perfect igniting forces for some table dancing. A full food menu is available as well.

*Note – it can be hard to get a table as it operates on a first-come first-serve basis.

Polar Bar – on the roof of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, serves up hot mulled wine, among some splendid views of the city.

*Note – only open during the winter, alternatively the Blue Spa Bar during warmer months.

Falk’s Bar – in the Hotel Bayerischer Hof. White moulded walls and ceiling, brilliantly lit with by an electric blue bar.

{Postcards from... Edinburgh}

Edinburgh at night

This Halloween weekend I ventured north to Scotland’s Edinburgh – a prolific gothic city, composed of grey, windy cobblestone streets and looming turrets.  Only an hour plane ride away from London, Edinburgh is the ideal city to toast to ghostly ghouls as it is filled with glorious and gory histories.  Highlights include the Edinburgh Castle, a medieval fortress from the 12^th century, where Mary Queen of Scots once lived and legends of revenge reign supreme.  There her lover was dragged from his dinner and stabbed 56 times – ouch!  Also, the Holyrood Palace, the current Queen’s summer home, enchants crowds with its majestic glory and decomposing abbey.  Aside from the city’s histories, its effervescent energy runs through the streets from its many bagpipers and William Wallace impersonators to its shoppers scoping out tartan keepsakes.  In the spirit of the holiday, I dined at The Witchery – an intimate eatery, with intricately carved wood-panelled walls and thistle and rose tablepieces, dangerously illuminated by candlelight.  Their menu offers traditional Scottish specialities like haggis (a kind of sausage containing sheep’s heart, liver and lungs) and grouse (a game bird).  Unsurprisingly, I skipped the main course for a chocolate torte with pistachio ice cream – my preferred holiday treat.  Hoping your Halloween was equally sweet!

Yours, Jenn 

The Royal Mile

Holyrood Palace

The abbey at Holyrood

The Witchery



Edinburgh Castle



Some travel tips...

Hotel
The Balmoral
1 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ
Tel: +44 (0) 131 556 2414

Restaurants
The Witchery
Castlehill
The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2NF
Tel: +44 (0) 131 225 5613

Stac Polly
38 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1SX

Shops
Ness
Ness Castle
336-340 Lawnmarket, Royal Mile, EH1 2PH
Tel: +44 (0) 131 225 8815

Ness St Giles
367 High Street, Royal Mile, EH1 2PW
Tel: +44 (0) 131 226 5227

{Postcards from Hong Kong}

Hong Kong, as seen from The Peak

Hello from Hong Kong!

With two weeks behind me, my Asian adventure ends in Hong Kong – another cosmopolitan city with commanding skylines, comprised of a plethora of skyscrapers and a tropical island backdrop (imagine Manhattan, only larger, plopped down in the middle of Hawaii).  Whether from its famous Victoria Peak, the Stanley waterfront, a chic city bar, or from the back seat of one of the city’s many red taxis, the cityscape charms me with its beguiling views, by day and by night.  While the city’s modernity is apparent, especially when seeing commuters embark on their daily inclined track of escalators, the island’s culture remains present.  One day, I took a short subway ride to see Hong Kong’s Big Buddha, a sight made visible via a cable-car ride over the city’s mountainous terrain.  My outer-island trek, followed by a traditional Dim Sum lunch of freshly-made dumplings and noodles made for a dually cultural Chinese experience.  The incitement for my trip, and perhaps the cherry on top of my vacation, was the wedding I was invited to here in HK.  The affair, a mix of Eastern and Western traditions, such as the bride wore red, white, and purple gowns, perfectly proves how blended Hong Kong is in design, tradition and culture – a delightful discovery to leave China with.

Yours, Jenn



Red taxis driving through HK



The Stanley waterfront



Escalators in Soho



Cable-cars en route to Big Buddha



Big Buddha at a distance



The bride all dressed in purple



HK by night





{Postcards from Shanghai}

The Pudong at night

Hi from Shanghai!

Having spent three days in Shanghai, I understand why they call this city the “Paris of China.”  This city, a bustling, modern metropolis (having more skyscrapers than NYC), with both European and Asian influences, is primarily a city of light, with the Pudong as its crown jewel.  The Pudong, an area, mainly comprised of financial statement pieces, illuminates at night along the river, while hotels, restaurants and bars intermix among them, allowing for the most spectacular views – a sight I happily indulged in over cocktails.  Opposite this financial mecca, The Bund, a more colonial European crown of buildings sits, twinkling back at its contemporary counterpart with Shanghainese old-world glamour.  Although the massive skyscrapers remain the city’s focal points, its more quiet neighborhoods are equally impressive.  I enjoyed walking through its classic Old City and serene Yu Yuan gardens in the morning, as well as, its trendy French Concession district at night.  During my stay, I also ventured outside the city’s center to Zhou Zhuang, a water village, often referred to as “the Venice of the East.”  These areas, sprinkled throughout the city, dually remind me of the city’s history as well as its urban progress. All in all… I ❤ SH!  Now, my Asian adventure continues to Hong Kong…

Yours,  Jenn

The Bund at night

Elevators at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, 87 flights high (looks kind of like a peacock)

Old City

Yu Yuan gardens

French Concession district at night

Zhou Zhuang

Advertisement in the Pudong

{Postcards from Beijing}

The Temple of Heaven

Nihao! (Hello in Chinese)

This is my first trip to Asia and I have been in Beijing for four hot and hazy days.  The city's expanse as well as its modern design infused with old-world Chinese charm is an amazing sight to see and comprehend.  Their famous Birdcage stadium, built for the 2008 Olympics, is sandwiched between two dynasties' palaces, The Forbidden City and The Summer Palace.  I loved touring these palaces because their entire structure and design is saturated with symbols, for example: lions act as father and mother gatekeepers, dragons display power, and yellow pays tribute to the imperials.  One day, after a two-hour drive through the countryside, I walked along The Great Wall of China, another ancient marvel of mass and design.  With a long, hot day behind me, I ventured to the Hou Hai lake district at night, where red lanterns glitter against the backdrop of the lake and music fills the air with energy.  On my last day of touring, I visited a Hutong neighborhood, where I indulged in an old-fashioned rickshaw ride through its small and windy streets.  And lastly, much to my eyes’ delight, I toured the Lama Temple, a Buddhist temple and monastery, where incense burns steadily, monks draped in red and yellow robes chant from their scriptures below their giant gilded god, and common-folk worship beside them.  With each day I was entranced by Beijing’s ever-present design and old-world allure.  Now, the journey continues to Shanghai...

Yours,  Jenn



The Summer Palace



  



The Birdcage stadium





The Great Wall of China




The Hou Hai lake district





Rickshaws in the Hutong





Smiling Buddha at Lama Temple




Male lion gatekeeper at Lama Temple



{Postcards from... Provence}

Bonjour!

I just got back from taking my summer vacation in Provence.  Among the fields of gold, green and purple, chateaus with pastel-painted shutters, framed by mountains, speckle the landscape.  While walking through the countryside, I stumbled upon this charming abode.  Parched from my walk, I headed back to my lodgings where I indulged in a glass of Pastis, a locally-made liqueur, with a cloudy, pale-yellow color and the flavor of black liquorice – a refreshing treat at the end of a hot day.  The next day I lunched with friends in Aix-en-Provence, a small city nearby, famous for its artistic patrons, as well as Van Gogh’s “Night Café.”   And from there I proceeded to and ended my vacation in Marseille, a port city on the Cote d’Azur - holy boats and what a sunset! 

Hope you enjoy the rest of your summer too!

Yours,

Jenn