Santorini Must Do – Walking Along the Caldera to Oia

Santorini

Fira to Oia is one of the best walks I've done - classic Greek island scenery from start to finish. Think white abodes against the deep blue Mediterranean sky and sea as you walk along the rim of the caldera. This was about as much fun an amateur photographer could have. To top it off, we had a good lunch in Oia.

We were here for a day, one of the stops on our Mediterranean cruise. With the dilemma that we only had limited time and wanted to do something that would allow us to enjoy...

Continue Reading

Cinque Terre – 48 Hours in Italy’s Prettiest Villages

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre has to be one of the most memorable parts of the world. The pastel buildings of the five fishing villages hugging the steep hills, encroaching into the pristine blue sea as seen in the photo of Manarola at dusk has to be one of the more iconic travel photos ever taken. This is great place for walkers and amateur photographers with the villages linked by a series of hiking paths and amazing scenery at every bend. The five fishing villages (hence Cinque Terre which means five...

Continue Reading

L’Astrance’s Pascal Barbot Guest Chefs at Shangri-La Blu

A short stint by Pascal Barbot of Michelin 3-starred L'Astrance in Shangri-La's Blu restaurant gave us in Singapore a chance to try the renowned chef's cooking. I've been trying to get into L'Astrance on my occasional trips to Paris and when I found out he'd be cooking in Singapore, I jumped at the opportunity. Although it's never the same as eating in his eatery itself given that we won't necessarily get all the good produce here, I think that there is so much more available here nowadays...

Continue Reading

Mirazur in Menton – Good but No “Wow” Factor

On paper, Mirazur is set up to be a highly memorable meal with its location outside Monaco overlooking the coast and its Michelin two-star standing and well regarded chef but it ended up being a meal that just fell short of being really good. Perhaps it was because it was lunch and the sun's rays through Mirazur's full length windows made the restaurant a tad too warm to be comfortable. But it may also be that we already had a fantastic meal at the Chèvre d'Or in Eze with a stunning...

Continue Reading

Lark Seattle – Best Pork and it’s Not a Chinese Restaurant

I found one of the best melt-in-your-pork dishes in Lark, Seattle's well established modern American restaurant. It was a nice surprise because we almost didn't order it since there are lots of other choices. Lark presents its food tapas style with dishes meant to be shared and this is a great way to sample more of its menu. Besides the pork, I thought Lark's pasta was good and if I have a chance to go back, I'd probably try a few more pasta and starter dishes. While the dishes are not as...

Continue Reading