Spain - Ronda

After weeks...months maybe, of trip planning for Easter week/weekend we started our southern-Spain holiday in Ronda and very specifically at the Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera.

I will let TJ post about the trip-prep, but it was the maybe the most complex, time-consuming preparation and planning we've (I should say he's, as TJ planned the entire trip,) ever embarked on.

After arriving into Malaga airport, on a bright and early morning flight, and a few hours getting lost on Spanish highways in a little Mini during a downpour, we 'rolled' into the hotel and were greeted with a sunlit patio, a lovely tapas lunch, some crisp, local Spanish white wine and the most amazing room.




It had a fantastic, comfortably elegant living room with large fireplace, a canopied bedroom, huge bath and best of all sunny private porch.

We quickly settled in for an afternoon nap in the sun and only awoke for dinner.



Dinner is served each night in the small dining room/enclosed porch area. It was one of the best meals we had - local and fresh, (as was breakfast the next day.)

We spent the night playing backgammon in front of a roaring fire and caught up on our rest. No TV - only stacks of CD's to choose from. I fell in love with a live Bob Dillon performance at Carnegie Hall.

The next day started with a backroad run through the local hillside - greetings from local farmers, and a horse...and an nice incline to finish.

We only made it into Ronda for brief drive-through - but I couldn't be more happy about our time on this first leg of a 3 city tour. I would love to return...

All pictures are here!

blog neglect...

It has been brought to my attention that it has been some time since I last made a contribution to the blog - which I did not really believe until I looked at my last post about Liverpool...from February.. so a quick recap on what I've been up to before I get back into a routine of more regular posts...
MARCH:
watched Rachel's race down on the Thames:

continued the love/hate support of Chelsea Football Club - and specifically Didier Drogba:

went to work:
(and saw a freshly graffitti'd train on the way in one day which I had never seen before)

went back to Royal St George's to improve upon the last attempt (the course won again):

went to Brugges:
mou-lays and fri-tays (for F Kev):

April:
Vertigo from the away seats at Newcastle:

and enjoyed Spain over the Easter holidays:
(went to easter mass here):
and just relaxed a bit:

Details and more photos to come... I'm off to the golf course now!

The story of the painting...

At the Kempinski hotel where we stayed in Bruges, there were these lovely abstract paintings and sculptures.

TJ really liked them...enough to write down the name of the artist, who just so happened to have a local studio. After numerous front staff could not find where it was, and a quick blackberry search, we had it on our list of places to visit on our last day.

We wandered over as we had an hour or so to spend before heading to the train. As we were trying to find the house on this cobble stone street, a man came out of a door to feed his meter for his car. We discovered that this was the studio we were looking for, took advantage of the open door, and stumbled upon the artist, his dog, his wife and their friends...champagne in hand and just about to tuck into a lovely brunch.

It seems that the door is normally locked....hmmm maybe to keep wanderers like us out?

The artist - was gracious enough to show us around, talk about his work, give us a tour of the house and studio, pour us each a glass, and leave us to look through scores of canvases.

We decided on this....



It now graces our living room - after arriving in London via the artist himself. He just so happened to be coming into town and we had him and his wife to our flat to celebrate the occasion....with some champagne. What a good story about something that makes us smile each time we see, or tell it.

You can see his work here: http://www.koningen.net/

Newcastle.

We had trip number 2 in our football tourism tour - this time Chelsea vs. Newcastle. Jen, Ben, TJ and I headed up there - two of us flew, two by train - and we stayed at the Hotel Du Vin. It was my first time staying at this chain, and I'd definitely recommend it.

Each year a city is chosen to be the "european city of culture'....it is greatly advertised and as the award quotes, many cities use it as a way to reinvent themselves internationally. In the same theme, Newcastle may be my pick for 'european city that Rachel likes - small category.'


It is not large...nor grand...it does not have great shopping...
but the main thing I felt, is that it is trying.

They have a beautiful riverside, with cute old and new bridgets. There is a new concert hall (the Sage), and we stumbled upon some fantastic restaurants and bars. We had lunch at a packed, local, basement level italian restaurant which offered tremendous 'value for money.'

And on Sunday we had a fabulous dimsum.

I think if we came 10 or 15 years ago, it would have been way more industrial. Now it is a nice mix, and I think it has some great city planners hard at work.


(Chelsea won, but I'll let TJ post about that.)

One of the best parts of the weekend was Saturday dinner at the Grainger Rooms (stumbled upon, using chowhound + google maps on the blackberry...best travel tip ever!)

When people ask me what I want to do with my life...really, what I want to truly be - my answer is to own a place like the Grainger rooms. It was like have an excellent meal and fun cocktails at the most relaxed, yet elegant friend's dining room you knew. I cannot adequately describe it, but there was something about it that made me truly feel I was experiencing it for a reason.

There is something so amazing to me about creating a space, atmosphere and experience like that. It is like a modern day, accessible Chez Panise.

Someday...someday....


The hotel had this little 'ski chalet', cigar tent thing outside, with plush leather chairs and a fireplace. We ended our trip playing scrabble outside on Sunday.

And I don't think anyone had a Newcastle all weekend =)

All pictures are here.

London and Edinburgh with Mom.

My mom came to visit and to see the new flat. We have a busy and fantastic week consisting of:

-visit to Tate Modern
-walk in the Heath
-dinners at The Horseshoe, (our new local) and The Wells
-cheering on Oxford and Cambridge at the 'boat race' from the Sons clubhouse

We also enjoyed a trip up to Edinburgh for Mom's first trip to Scotland, (we have some Scottish blood on her father's side.) It is such a fantastic city for a weekend trip.

We had dinner at Rhubarb, one of the best restaurants I've been to this year; and the Witchery, (another Charecky recommendation,) and stayed at the Glasshouse again.

The trip finished up with tea at the Ritz and a lovely walk through St James and Green Parks in all of their spring glory.

It was wonderful for us to see her and spend time together. It is spectacular when we have visitors and visit our families - brings us 'home' again.

All pictures are here.

Bruges!

Bruges has been on our list of places to visit for the past two years. It seems to be on all ex-pat year 1 itineraries. Somehow we've never booked the trip - but this year we were pleased to go there in March via the Eurostar. It was bright and sunny, but quite crisp.



We stayed at the Kempinski, Duke's Palace Hotel - a 15th century converted palace. (hmmm, not too obvious.)

We enjoyed a day of strolling, a nice hot lunch of mussels and frites, some chocolate shopping in the beautiful easter-laden boutiques and loved the quaint streets.

Dinner on Saturday night: we were originally told that De Karmeliet was booked. But after arriving...some how TJ talked us into a table. It truly did not disappoint...thanks Charecky's for the recommendation.

On Sunday had a fantastic run down along the canals, and ran up to the windmills. You can see all the pictures here! And read a good review of Bruges via Jancis Robinson here!

More on the painting later...

Milan!

I met Lauri in Milan earlier in March for a weekend together - with the emphasis on discovering and enjoying the famous shopping available.

It was truly a beautiful, understated, and elegant city. We stayed in the Brera neighborhood, and enjoyed daily morning runs in the Parco Sempione. (Above is a street car in Milan, which you'll also be able to see in San Francisco...as they imported the old ones no longer in service.)

There is a big tradition in Milan of going for an 'aperitivo' between 6-8.
A lovely spot in the Brera that we went to was Radetzky, on the corso Garibaldi.

' In a kingdom where fashion is king and wispy models its princesses, the all-you-can-eat buffet is the last kind of dining experience you’d expect to find. Yet the two coexist in blissful harmony, for Milan is the home of the aperitivo—a tradition that raises the buffet to a new level.

Aperitivo, rich uncle of happy hour, is the beloved Milanese tradition of pre-dinner drinks accompanied by complimentary stuzzichini, or appetizers. Derived from the Latin aperitivus, to open, aperitivo is meant to stimulate the appetite and tease the taste buds, previewing the delights of dinner. Spreads can range from modest olives, cheeses and potato chips to awe-inspiring pastas, pizza, bruschetta, meats, sautéed vegetables and fruit salads. Drinks come with unlimited admission to the food bar. The aperitivo starts at 6 or 7 p.m., and lasts until 9. As little as one drink—alcoholic or not—can be your ticket to the best-kept secret in Italy.'

The duomo was spectacular...and reminded me of a year ago where Lauri and I saw the Taj Mahal together...and the year before that celebrating spring in Paris.



The shopping was amazing - the stores with tons of fresh flowers, intricate and modern window displays...and of course the shoes! I fell in love with a shop called Aspesi.

It was beautiful to have this time together to catch up...and I ended the weekend with a lovely cannoli, (which I have not for about 10 years, from the Italian deli I loved on Long Island.)