Page 4 » Life and Style

Tiramisù Rustico del Cioccolato

March 13, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

On my first trip to Rome, I broke my tiramisù virginity at Pompi, a local bakery on the outskirts of the city. It was the best-est tiramisù I’ve had, and since then, I have been chasing after that perfect addiction. And just like many things in life, it’s hard to forget the first time, especially when it’s this good!

So, get your spatulas and electric beaters ready! This is one easy tiramisù recipe that you’ll want to keep for your files. It is fast, fun, indulgent, but easy-to-make. And you don’t have to worry about presenting it perfectly because we can get away by calling it “rustic”. Now, I don’t claim this recipe to even come close to Pompi’s, but once in a while, I feel like emulating my travels through food as I have written here. I like to use quality Italian ingredients in the hopes of whipping up a semi-decent version of this pick-me-upper dessert.

Tiramisù Rustico del Cioccolato (Rustic Chocolate Tiramisù)

1 8-ounce (225 g) Savoiardi or lady fingers (*I used Roland from Italy)
1/2 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 8-ounce mascarpone cheese (*I recommend Galbani Mascarpone from Italy)
1/4 cup powdered sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon coffee liqueur
2 tablespoons chocolate liqueur
1 ounce white chocolate baking square, grated
1 ounce semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, grated (*I used 62% cacao, somewhere in between semi- and bittersweet)
unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting (*I like Cacao di Pernigotti)

Line the bottom of an 8x8x2 baking pan with lady fingers; cut to fit. Drizzle half the espresso or coffee over ladyfingers.

In a bowl, beat mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Beat in the coffee and chocolate liqueurs just until combined.

Evenly spread half the mascarpone mixture over bottom layer of lady fingers. Sprinkle grated white chocolate and dark chocolate on the mascarpone mixture. Top with another layer of lady fingers, drizzle biscuits with coffee once again, and spread the remaining mascarpone mixture.

Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours. Sift unsweetened cocoa powder on top when ready to serve.

This is a half portion of the 8x8x2 in the recipe.

Rustic and delicious!

Ok. So, for the grated chocolate that’s sprinkled in between layers of lady fingers, I used Scharffen Berger chocolate. It’s not Italian, but it’s still damn good artisan chocolate from America! And since I don’t have a Bialetti Espresso Maker, I used an instant espresso powder from Italy to make my cup of coffee for drizzling over lady fingers.

This heavenly can of Cacao di Pernigotti can be purchased through Williams-Sonoma. Rich and decadent, ideal for brownie recipes or a piping hot cup of cocoa.

And my favourite vanillas, liqueurs, and eau-de-vies are from Neilsen-Massey, also available through Williams-Sonoma. For my tiramisù, I used Neilsen-Massey Tahitian vanilla extract (blue label), coffee essence, and chocolate liqueur, as pictured below.

A taste of this dessert will definitely take you on a trip down la dolce vita. I bid you arrivederci! for now. Have a great modo Italiano weekend!

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Bittersweet Chocolate, Bottom Layer, Chocolate Liqueur, Chocolate Liqueurs, Coffee Liqueur, Dark Chocolate, Decent Version, Electric Mixer, Galbani, Italian Ingredients, Lady Fingers, Ladyfingers, Pernigotti, Powdered Sugar, Savoiardi, T Claim, Teaspoon Vanilla, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, Whipping Cream, White Chocolate

Le Petit Déjeuner Journal

March 11, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

It is unfortunate that most of us aren’t able to sit down for a proper breakfast, except on vacation or during the weekends. But then again, this relative inaccessibility makes it much more of a special occasion. To me, le petit déjeuner is meant to be a lazy affair; something that encourages you to lean back and enjoy, with minimal time constraints.

Perhaps, that is why the brunch concept here in North America has reached atomic heights! Move over, elaborate dinners with family and friends! The new wave is the brunch get-together! Nothing stirs the day alive like waking up ravenous, then assembling for a lingering tête-à-tête at home or at your favourite neighbourhood joint.

Sometimes, a quick jaunt to the local farmer’s market can produce a sweet, hassle-free start to the day.

Whether it is a decadent savoury sandwich, stuffed omelet, fresh baked goods, crepes and waffles, or fruits and yoghurt, the first meal of the day is often accompanied by fresh fruit juice, chocolat chaud, coffee, tea, or even a morning mimosa. This is how we like breaking the fast, and we have been fortunate to enjoy such liberties at home and in our travels.

Breakfast Bird’s Nest – frazzled egg on a nest of bacon and potato rosti with arugula salad

Croissanwich – Canadian bacon, herbed scrambled egg, tomatoes, and aged Cheddar. Served with orange-mango sparkling water and caramel fleur de sel macarons.

A Moroccan repast of traditional harcha (pan-fried semolina cakes), beghrir (honeycomb pancakes), and local pastries served with butter, jam, and honey.

Rooftop morning meal in Essaouira – honey-lemon loaf, croissant, rghaif (traditional Moroccan fried pancakes), served with the usual sides of butter, jam, and honey. Also with fruits, yoghurt, freshly squeezed OJ and mint tea.

A typical Filipino breakfast – boneless bangus (milkfish) with sinangag (garlic rice), fried egg, with a side of calamansi (a local lemon-lime) and onion – can also be doused with a bit of soy sauce or spicy vinegar.

It’s never too early for sausages in Germany or elsewhere – curry wurst, bratwurst, Baden Baden wurst, Oktoberfest franks with tangy sauerkraut. It may be too early for a beer, though.

Santorini sunrise – fresh baked vanilla-coffee cake, breakfast rolls, a couple of sweet nectarines along with fresh juice and coffee.

Virginia ham and Cheddar cheese omelet with fried potatoes and oil-and-vinegar mixed greens salad.

Plain yoghurt sweetened by raspberries and crunchy granola with petit viennoisserie in the background.

Eggs Benedict with Berkshire ham and Gruyere cheese topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Huevos Rancheros – fried egg with deconstructed avocado, tomato, black bean salsa with tortilla triangles. In the background, Belgian waffles with whipped cream, syrup, and fresh blueberries.

Raw ingredients for my unconventional Croque Monsieur – Italian pancetta and French Comté cheese.

My version of Croque Monsieur – grilled Challa bread (or egg brioche) with tomatoes, oven-baked Italian pancetta, and melted French Comté cheese on a bed of baby arugula.

A sweet life – chocolate pear croissant, raisin bun, and fig crumble square.

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Canadian Bacon, Crepes And Waffles, Fresh Baked Goods, Fresh Fruit Juice, Fried Egg, Garlic Rice, Lemon Lime, Lemon Loaf, Milkfish, Minimal Time, Mint Tea, Orange Mango, Pan Fried, Potato Rosti, Relative Inaccessibility, Repast, S Market, Semolina, Sparkling Water, Time Constraints

Le Petit Déjeuner

March 10, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Breakfast Bird’s Nest – frazzled egg on a nest of bacon and potato rosti with arugula salad

Croissantwich – Canadian bacon, herbed scrambled egg, tomatoes, and aged Cheddar. Served with orange-mango sparkling water and caramel fleur de sel macarons.

A Moroccan repast of traditional harcha (pan-fried semolina cakes), beghrir (honeycomb pancakes), and local pastries served with butter, jam, and honey.

Santorini sunrise – fresh baked vanilla-coffee cake, breakfast rolls, a couple of sweet nectarines along with fresh juice and coffee.

Virginia ham and Cheddar cheese omelet with fried potatoes and oil-and-vinegar mixed greens salad.

Plain yoghurt sweetened by raspberries and crunchy granola with petit viennoisserie in the background.

Eggs Benedict with Berkshire ham and Gruyere cheese topped with Hollandaise sauce.

Huevos Rancheros – fried egg with deconstructed avocado, tomato, black bean salsa with tortilla triangles. In the background, Belgian waffles with whipped cream, syrup, and fresh blueberries.

Raw ingredients for my unconventional Croque Monsieur – Italian pancetta and French Comté cheese.

My version of Croque Monsieur – grilled Challa bread (or egg brioche) with tomatoes, oven-baked Italian pancetta, and melted French Comté cheese on a bed of baby arugula.

A sweet start to the day – chocolate pear croissant, raisin bun, and fig crumble square.

A typical Filipino breakfast – boneless bangus (milkfish) with sinangag (garlic rice), fried egg, with a side of calamansi (a local lemon-lime) and onion – and sometimes, soy sauce or spicy vinegar.

It’s never too early for sausages in Germany or elsewhere – curry wurst, bratwurst, Baden Baden wurst, Oktoberfest franks with tangy sauerkraut. It may be too early for a beer, though.

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel

It’s Literally in Reel Life!

March 6, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Once in a while, I like to write about stuff that inspires me to travel. This post is about fictional literary and cinematic characters that made me pay attention to the actual or imagined locale in which the protagonists’ story unfold. Here are just some from my numerous favourites.

1) Character: Tony Montana
Movie: Scarface
Location Inspiration: Miami

Watch Scarface movie trailer here Warning: contains scenes of mature subjects.

When Tony Montana and right-hand man Manny Ribera begin their rise up the thug ranks, they chill out by the pools of The Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami Beach (actual location). Although the hotel has long been renovated, it maintains its louche and decadent vibe. There are 8 restaurants on site, including: James Beard-awarded chef, Alfred Portale’s Gotham, as well as the revolutionary Chinese restaurant from UK, Hakkasan. But to experience the legacy of Cuba’s Mariel Boatlift, visit Miami’s Little Havana district, the hub of Cuban exile community.

2) Characters: Francis, Peter, and Jack
Movie: The Darjeeling Limited
Location Inspiration: The State of Rajasthan, India

Although The Darjeeling Limited Train in the movie is a fictitious creation, it evokes romantic reveries of the slow road through India. The movie was shot mainly in the northern state of Rjasthan, India, specifically in Jodhpur and Udaipur. Popular attractions in Rajasthan are the palaces of Jaipur, the grand monuments of Jodhpur, the lakes of Udaipur, the desert forts of Jaisalmer, the temples of Bikaner, and the Thar Desert near the Pakistani border. The quirky stylings of The Darjeeling Limited movie, with its Louis Vuitton-designed travel luggage, spurred me to include this part of India into my most-wanted destination list!

In the capital of Jaipur, the raw grandeur of Samode Palace Hotel is enough to hold anyone a willing hostage for a few days.

The natural beauty of Udaipur, with its lakes and beechen woods, is among the top attractions in the country. Taj Lake Palace on the banks of Lake Pichola offers a respite from the sun’s heat.

3) Characters: Hercule Poirot
Movie: Death on the Nile (based on Agatha Christie’s novel)
Location Inspiration: Cruising the Nile River, Egypt

Plying the Africa’s longest river is Egypt’s Belle Epoque steam ship, The Sudan. It is also the setting for Agatha Christie’s murder-mystery novel (subsequently made into a movie of the same name in 1978). Sleuth on deck with a classic cocktail or channel your inner writer in the panoramic Agatha Christie suite.

Or stay at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, where the author penned the above novel, as well as where some scenes of the movie were filmed. *As of press time, the hotel is closed for renovations for 2 years.

4) Characters: Julia, Lucy, and Bea
Movie: Hideous Kinky (based on Esther Freud’s memoirs)
Location Inspiration: Marrakech, Morocco

Although we stayed in two lovely riads in Marrakech – here and here – last year, there are many other guesthouses worth exploring. Like the Italianate-Orientalist Dar Darma in the heart of the Marrakech medina. Tip: opt to stay inside the medina, where all the action is!

5) Characters: Port and Kit Moresby
Movie: The Sheltering Sky (based on the book by Paul Bowles)
Location Inspiration: The Sahara Desert

Warning: may contain scenes with mature subjects.

Journey in style with El Khiam Ahlam’s desert caravan and sleep under the starry Sahara skies in luxury canvas tents.

Do you have your own literary or cinematic inspirations?

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Alfred Portale, Bikaner, Cuban Exile Community, Fontainbleau Hotel, Grand Monuments, Hakkasan, Hotel In Miami, James Beard, Little Havana, Louche, Mariel Boatlift, Mature Subjects, Pakistani Border, Rajasthan India, Reel Life, Reveries, Right Hand Man, State Of Rajasthan, Tony Montana, Travel Luggage

How To Eat Like A(n) _____ Locally

March 2, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

No matter where you live, it is possible to emulate your favourite culture at home. Obsessing about French sophistication? Ruminating about la Italian dolce vita? Yearning for the laid back life you had in Thailand? Mulling over Mexican fiestas? There are many ways to channel your inner internationalist locally. Learning the language is, perhaps, the most noble of intents, but even that takes time! In my opinion, the easiest way to instant gratification is through food – a topic dear to my heart (and belly). Today, it’s about Italy and France.

A little bit of Italy in your life with mozzarella di bufala.

In a Caprese salad…

In a Pizza Margherita…

Nothing screams “French!” more than dairy…

A rum-soaked mini Balzac gateau…

A Provencal chocolate lime tart…

Go ahead. Indulge.

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Balzac, Bufala, Caprese Salad, Chocolate, Dolce Vita, French Sophistication, Gateau, Instant Gratification, Intents, Italy And France, Laid Back, Lime Tart, Little Bit, Mexican Fiestas, Obsessing, Pizza Margherita, Ruminating, Source Article, Thailand, View Source

Hoarding Historic Hotels in Havana

February 23, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Tourism is Cuba’s moneymaker / cash cow / grubstaker / gold mine / El Dorado. In 2008, 2.3 million visited Cuba, of which 35% are Canadians. As a natural result, hotels and resorts are apace to become world-class, especially in the much-visited capital of Havana. Having said that, it’s premature to expect international standards of service and amenities, since tourism is, considerably, a new development for Cuba. As a general rule, it is prudent to practice a niggling of patience whenever you encounter inconveniences in this Caribbean country, rather than kick up a fuss. However, the friendliness and goodwill of the people will more than make up for any systemic deficits.

Below is a list Colonial-style hotels with oodles of potential – from their majestic facades, to their grand atriums, and to the histories attached to each place. Admittedly, facilities beyond the lobby oftentimes fall short of expectations. But keep in mind, this is Cuba!

Hotel Ambos Mundos
153 Calle Obispo esquina (corner) Mercaderes
Notables: Ernest Hemingway penned the opening chapters of “For Whom The Bell Tolls” in room 511.

The bright, coral facade of Hotel Ambos Mundos

Tile work by the entrance of the hotel

Hotel Raquel
103 Calle Amargura esquina San Ignacio
Notables: Listed as a “Jewish-themed hotel” – not sure what that really means, but it may be because the hotel has a Jewish restaurant and decorative items pertaining to the faith. The Art Nouveau lobby speaks volumes.

The breezy, Art Nouveau marble lobby

Stained glass dome in the atrium

Hotel Florida
Calle Obispo esquina Cuba
Notables: The glass-roofed, Cuban Colonial-style central courtyard is reason enough to linger with a cup of coffee or a cocktail.

The iconic statue by the entrance

The bright, colonnaded atrium

Hotel Sevilla
55 Trocadero e Prado y Zulueta
Notables: A long list of prestigious guests – from diplomats to movie stars – but most well-known as a bolthole for notorious gangster Al Capone, who occupied the entire 6th floor.

Costumed greeters and musicians welcoming guests to Hotel Sevilla

Moorish-and-Colonial-style lounge

Hotel Plaza
267 Ignacio Agromonte
Notables: Anna Pavlova, Isadora Duncan, and Albert Einstein have all passed through its doors.

The pink and white lobby

Hotel Inglaterra
416 Paseo del Prado
Notables: French actress Sara Bernhart, Italian bullfighter Luis Mazzantini “the Skillful One”, and General Antonio Maceo “The Bronze Titan” of the Cuban War of Independence have all stayed in Cuba’s oldest hotel.

Just outside the hotel

Hotel Telegrafo
408 Paseo del Prado esquina Neptuno
Notables: After the undersea Atlantic telegraph cable was laid from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida, the hotel provided a telephone on each room and dining table.

The hotel’s blue facade

Vintage poster of the Cuban American Telephone & Telegraph Company

NH Parque Central
Neptuno esquina Prado y Zulueta
Notables: Although devoid of history and pedigreed guests, it’s a modern hotel with upgraded facilities and a couple of great restaurants – Paseo (Italian a la carte) and Mediterraneo (Mediterranean and Continental Buffet).

The air-conditioned atrium

Dining at Mediterraneo

Hotel San Miguel
2 Calle Cuba esquina Pena Pobre
Notables: Only 10 rooms available in this hotel just off the Malecon, affording great views of the Havana channel. A Wednesday to Sunday artists’ market is on Calle Tacon across the street.

The beautiful stone facade

Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Calle 21, Vedado
Notables: Probably the most prestigious historical hotel in Cuba, which welcomed to its grand ballrooms and suites the following: Winston Churchill, scientist Alexander Flemming, Buster Keaton, Errol Flynn, Marlon Brando, and American gangsters like Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano.

Evening with a cocktail and a show at Hotel Nacional via Paul Keller

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Atrium Hotel, Bolthole, Calle Obispo, Caribbean Country, Cash Cow, Central Courtyard, Colonial Style, Cuba Hotel, Ernest Hemingway, Gangster Al Capone, Glass Dome, Havana Cuba, Hotel Florida, Hotel Sevilla, Marble Lobby, Natural Result, Niggling, Notorious Gangster, Tile Work, Whom The Bell Tolls

Retro Summer ’09

February 19, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Living in a big city is rather like living in a fish bowl. You forget what’s beyond that enclosure. How could you not? Everything and everyone you need is right where they are: that neighbourhood barista who prepares your caffe latte every morning; that bistro waiter who knows exactly how you want your salad; and that Massage Therapist who kneads your troubles away. On that note, why leave the city? On the other hand, why not?

So, even though the Kool-Aid days of summer had turned to the ashen frost of winter, memories of sultry dog days remain. This summer past, our group of friends and family relished in a customary Canadian holiday-on-the-lam: an exodus to Cottage Country. In our case, it was in Ontario’s Port Ryerse and Port Dover area.

That July day, I wrote in my journal:
“The morning sun sails over a blue-gray lake, casting shimmery zirconium confetti-like streaks across the water. From where I stand, I see the first boats glide the calm of Lake Erie, their sails quivering with the breeze. It is the first of several glorious mornings at Turkey Point beach in Port Ryerse, where lakeside homes back into arcane rivers and beechen woods. Summer is in the air.”

As I sat with my daughter by the pier’s edge watching seagulls circle the sky, I tightened my arms around her. It was a rather chilly July evening, but we decided on ice cream cones anyway. She chose blue bubblegum; I opted for plain vanilla. When I saw my husband gallop around the bend with s’mores, we waved wildly for him to join us. How is life this simple and beautiful all at once? Like fire-roasted marshmallows sandwiched in chocolate and graham crackers. S’more, please!

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Barista, Caffe Latte, Canadian Holiday, Dog Days, Fish Bowl, Gallop, Graham Crackers, Gray Lake, Ice Cream Cones, Kool Aid, Lake Erie, Marshmallows, Massage Therapist, Morning Sun, Plain Vanilla, Seagulls, Source Article, Turkey Point, View Source, Winter Memories

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Tel Aviv

February 13, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

It’s a tall order for a place to dub itself “The City That Never Stops”. But by the looks of it, Tel Aviv – the city in question – is not at all struggling to live up to their slogan.

Tel Aviv is a national employment centre for Israel’s financial and hi-tech sectors, making the average income in the Tel Aviv-Yafo area 20% higher than the national average. This means Tel Avivians work hard, but they also know how to play hard. It is not unusual for restaurants, bars, and nightclubs to stay busy well into the wee hours on work nights – which is, by the way, Sunday to Thursday.

You will never be starved for choice in this Mediterranean seaside city. For instance, the Tel Aviv Port, although no longer harbours ships since the opening of Ashdod Port 40 kilometers away, is brimming with restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs, and fashion shops. To the south of the coast, the Old Yafo (Jaffa) Port takes the honour as the most romantic place to have an outdoor seafood dinner after gallery-hopping around its cobbled town centre. Inland between the two ports, Neveh Tzedek has emerged as the new artist colony, attracting creative types to its hip social scene and, subsequently, injecting new life into the once dilapidated quarter. And farther into the heart of the city, Rothschild Boulevard and the Sheinkin neighbourhood bring some trendy, upscale flavour to the financial district.

Largely secular, Tel Aviv is gaining a cosmopolitan reputation in the Middle East that is comparable to Tehran and Beirut in the 70′s. And here’s why eating, drinking, and simply being merry in TLV (airport code) is a way of life.

Eat…
Boya, Tel Aviv Port, Tel. 03-5446166
It’s listed as seafood joint, although it has offerings on meats and pastas as well. The food is pretty decent and their garlic bread, just absolutely divine. However, it is still not strong enough to be considered one of Tel Aviv’s premiere restaurants. It can be argued, though, that despite its cheesy corporate look, Boya has one of the loveliest views of the sea from its patio or from behind its floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Brunch is a special affair with choices for healthy, French, Middle Eastern, or American breakfasts.

Boya via inisrael

Mul Yam, Tel Aviv Port, Tel. 03-5469920
Its high-end prices matches its high-end reputation. With ingredients flown from around the world, Mul Yam is THE place in Israel to sample the best seafood: Nova Scotia lobster, Brittany oysters, and fish from New Zealand. This is pure haute cuisine!

Mul Yam via inisrael

Kimmel, Hashahar 6, Tel. 03-5105204
A lively – albeit a bit crowded – rustic restaurant serving tapas-style dishes made for tasting and sharing. From the well-edited menu comes: eggplant stuffed with pesto, sheep’s cheese, olive tapenade, and mushroom sauce; goat cheese ravioli with sage, cream, sweet potato and mushrooms; cured salmon in dill and lemon, with onion, capers, ginger, celery, and sweet pepper cream; ostrich filet grilled with lemon and garlic; chicken in teriyaki, sesame and eggplant on fettuccine; mushroom stuffed with goose liver in plum and fig sauce.

Pasha, 8 Ha’arbaa, Tel. 03-5617778
It’s a modern restaurant serving traditional, kosher Turkish food. Starters are excellent: a variety of mezes such as cacik (yoghurt with cucumber, mint, olive oil), hummus (mashed chickpeas, tahini, paprika), cevizli biber (red pepper paste, walnut, spices), patlican (smoke-grilled eggplant mash with garlic, herbs, lemon, olive oil) are served with house bread made for sousing. Kofte (meatballs), pargiot maklouba (seasoned rice casserole with chicken), and taboon-cooked kebabs of lamb, beef, and chicken are all well-spiced mains. Finish with a gigantic ice cream plate to share and tea served in tiny glasses.

Piccola Pasta, 53 Ben Yehuda, Tel. 03-5290643
A quaint, little Italian restaurant with a homey, neighbourhood feel. There is an extensive menu with appetizers like asparagus antipasti (asparagus in butter, brandy, grappa with garlic bread and Parmiggiano); antipasti plate (fried eggplant, fried zucchini, basil, fresh mozzarella, salted ricotta, pesto, sweet peppers and garlic bread, and aceto balsamico). Their pasta dishes are simple yet hearty: mushroom & anchovies; salmon in cream sauce; pesto & tomato, to name a few. The tiramisu dessert cup is a sweet end to the meal.

Sheinkin Shawarma, 2 Sheinkin, Tel. No. 03-5252704
A hole-in-the-wall falafel and shawarma place that can seat, perhaps, 6 people in the bar. The spit-grilled beef, lamb, and chicken are moist, juicy, and aromatic. Have your shawarma pita with a couple of perfectly seasoned, crunchy falafel balls for the ultimate street sandwich. Don’t forget to douse some hot sauce!

Drink and be merry…
Evita, 31 Yavne, Tel. 03- 5669559
A popular gay bar that welcomes straight peeps with open arms. Flashy videos are projected on the wall, but the real entertainment lies in observing the mating calls of the openly gay crowd.

Kibbutz Bar, HaTa’arucha 3
An open-air bar with cheap beer and kibbutz-style Israeli music. It’s a great place to have a cold drink on a humid summer night amidst bales of hay, a John Deere tractor, and twinkling little lights.

Kibbutz bar via inisrael

Nanuchka, 28 Lilienblum, Tel. 03-5168178
A Georgian-style (former Soviet Union) bistro-bar that plays a mix of re
tro, pop and Middle Eastern music. The main room is usually crowded, so opt for a cozy nook at the back. Dancing on the bar is encouraged.

Pri Hagefen, Ehad Ha’am 4, Tel. 05-79439571
A wine-store-cum-tasting-cellar with übercool, dreadlocked bartenders at the helm. Pri Hagefen, translated as “fruit of the vine”, is a well-stocked bar that features Israeli wines from over 70 estates. This is the best place to taste pomegranate vino, such as Rimon. The owners also run Nana, the restaurant across, and a guesthouse.

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Artist Colony, Average Income, Boya, Creative Types, Employment Centre, Fashion Shops, Garlic Bread, Heart Of The City, National Employment, Neveh, Outdoor Seafood, Premiere Restaurants, Romantic Place, Rothschild, Seafood Dinner, Seaside City, Tel Aviv Yafo, Tlv Airport, Tzedek, Wee Hours

Kritamon Restaurant

February 8, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Hello! Today, I have a guest blogger by the name of Melissa Lindo, who is also my good friend and sister-in-law. An intrepid traveller and avid foodie herself, she brings to the table a refreshing review of this secret little restaurant just outside the town of Heraklio in Crete. Here, Melissa shares their fantastic dining experience at Kritamon.

“In a quiet village just south of Heraklio lies this hidden gem of a restaurant – a paradise for foodies like my husband and I! We both have such different palates yet we loved each dish so much that we devoured them like we hadn’t eaten in years. The wonderful owner and chef, Dimitris Mavrakis, explained to us that most of the ingredients are retrieved from the mountain behind the restaurant. We didn’t realize how different food could taste if it was fresh, largely unprocessed, and cooked to perfection. In fact, we enjoyed the meal so much that we returned the very next day. While the prices are astoundingly low considering the quality of the food, we are certain that this may all change one day. The chef is going to be a big star soon, and this hidden gem will be a secret no longer. We feel incredibly lucky to have experienced it when we did.”

The entrance to the charming restaurant

The patio for al fresco dining

Having some local ouzo and grapes

Grilled zucchini

Greek salad made from the freshest organic ingredients

Escargot and mushroom risotto

Graviera cheese with pistachios, sesame oil, and carob honey

Apprenticing with the chef?

Kritamon
Main Square, Ano Arhanes, Crete
Tel: 2810 753092

View Source Article

Filed Under: Life & Style, Travel Tagged With: Al Fresco Dining, Arhanes Crete, Blogger, Carob, Charming Restaurant, Escargot, Foodies, Greek Salad, Heraklio, Hidden Gem, Intrepid Traveller, Main Square, Mushroom Risotto, Organic Ingredients, Ouzo, Palates, Quiet Village, Sesame Oil, Source Article, View Source

Laundry Day in Havana

February 6, 2010 By lizzie Leave a Comment

Havana is, no doubt, an enigmatic place. Despite the ramshackled grandeur of its outer city, the local tableau is that of a harlequin of intense and vivid colours. You never know what lies beneath some of its bedraggled walls until waltzing neighbours and washing lines whisper some sense of life into the sprawling alleyways.