Travel Tip Tuesday -Destination Quebec City
I often get asked about where I sleep and eat when I come back from my travels. When I find things worth recommending I am all for shouting them from the rooftops! Though, that can be a double-edged sword. One must weigh the recommendations of treasures with the certainty that such places will become over-run with tourists.
The result is often not being able to get a room/seat at these places on a return visit. Or you find that the establishments will develop such cult followings-that they rest firmly and lazily on their laurels and the quality goes south for the winter…only never to return again.
Be that as it may, I generally decide that on the off-chance six of the twenty-odd people who actually read this blog and decide to visit Old Quebec City, and follow any of my recommendations, will hardly single-handedly scare the locals and the quality right outta the place.
But let me be clear here. I am all about the budget when traveling, so if you are looking for any recommendations for a 5-star luxury resort or a Michelin-starred restaurant, you have definitely come to the wrong place!
But, if you like bang for your hard-earned buck, then your money train has just pulled into the station! Whoo-woot.
Where to stay in Old Quebec City?
Located on rue Saint-Louis in the heart of Old Quebec in Upper Town is a cute budget gem called the Auberge Saint-Louis. This is a quaint and basic hotel that is clean and has comfortable beds, rooms ranging in price from $69-$129 Canadian per night. The cheaper rooms are on the tiny and dark side, but all are decorated in zen-like monochromatic colors of white, taupe, grey and mocha.
Rooms have a small desk and cable TV. Splurge for a suite, facing the street with large French windows that let in tons of warm light, a private bath and room enough to dance. Our room had three large windows that were adorned with the most beautiful stained-glass panels above them. The rate also included a full breakfast-for-two at a neighboring restaurant, just two blocks walk from the Auberge.
And though I can’t find reference to it on the website, if my memory serves me correctly, they have free Wi-Fi.
Where to eat in Old Quebec City?
- For a mid-day coffee and croissant break, head to Paillard. They have the best croissants in Old Quebec and their cafe au lait is served up in bowls, in true French fashion. They have great salads and sandwiches for lunch too. Grab a crusty-doughy Parisian-style baguette for the road.
- Looking for traditional French bistro food at downright bargain prices in a lively atmosphere? Follow the locals over to Les Frères de la Côte, which is the restaurant in the Hotel du Vieux Quebec. Choose from salmon, pizza, confit de canard and osso bucco. But the deal of the century is the never-ending bowls of mussels, prepared in your choice of three different broths, (with extra bread for broth-sopping) all for under $16.
- For a special treat, head to rue Saint-Paul in Lower Town to experience a touch of the South of France. Mistral Gagnant feels like it was plucked right from Provence. The brightly colored decor combined with the seafood-forward menu offers an experience only the French Riviera could rival. Splurge on the authentic Marseilles classic fish soup, bouillabaisse, complete with croutons and rouille. Snag one of three tables in the front window and finish off with a Pastis to help it all go down smoothly.
- The Café Experience. Many long for it and I am no exception. And no, I am not recommending a Starbucks! I found a hidden-gem-of-a-café, in the back streets of Upper Town. Perfect for breakfast, coming in from the rain for a shot of espresso at the bar, wasting hours on your laptop or for a delicious home-made lunch prix-fixe for about $12 Canadian. Chez Temporel exudes charm and warmth with it’s dim lighting, yellow walls and mahogany-colored tables. The croissants are baked in-house and you can milk your coffee all day while reading the paper without fear of being kicked to the curb.
What is most important to you when you travel? Budget accommodations, comfy beds, great restaurants?
Let’s see what Cherrye is serving up this Travel Tip Tuesday!
Online Hotel Reservations
CHEAP HOTELS IN ITALY & FRANCE
Friends & Supporters
Paris Magnifique
I love French Music.
Not all French Music, but more like the French music that everyone thinks of when someone in the US refers to French Music.
The stuff that French cafe's were made of. A combination between Latin-Quarter Jazz, smokey vocals and poppy new agey sounds.
I love to listen it while blogging, or when I'm savouring a glass of red while cooking, or when I'm taking a nice bubble bath or when I need a quick armchair trip to Paris.
Some of my fav's include Madeleine Peyroux, Carla Bruni, Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg. I especially like good compilation CD's, like the Amelie soundtrack. It's the mix of different voices and instruments. I found a pretty good one in Pier One last year for under $10, called Paris Metro. I played the hell out of that one.
So, on my recent visit to Starbucks, when I saw this staring me in the face, I knew it had to be mine.
The description alone pulled at the ol' heart strings.
"Inspired by French café culture, this collection is a state of mind- where friends drink coffee, eat, discuss the issues of the day, love and live…all to a soundtrack of stirring music."
Yes please! Sign me up!
So, if you are in the market for a little Paris cafe music wafting through your maison, head over to your local Starbucks or online and pick up a Paris-pick-me-up for $12.95.
Who are some of your favorite French artists? Share some of your favorite French CD's.
Travel Photo Friday : My Melange Sent Me
Well, here we are again. It has been awhile. We took a little break over the holidays, but I am happy to say that Travel Photo Friday is back in full force! I have at least another 4 or 5 pictures on deck- and have my feelers out for a few more.
Awhile back, my friend Joe of Italyville told me he was going to Barcelona. Though it is one of the places on my list to see someday, I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting yet.
So, I was excited and asked Joe to take a photo of Barcelona, so that I could feature it on Travel Photo Friday!
Well, months went by and I had forgetten about it. Until, that is, Joe sent out an email requesting Fabulous Photos of Italy for a project he is working on.
The lightbulb in my head went off and at the end of my email with my photos of Italy, I reminded him that he still owed me a photo of Barcelona. wink, wink.
Joe sent me a reply that basically said that he was going to take a photo of the famous Sagrada Famila, but forgot. He had an idea for a photo but he wasn’t quite sure it represented Barcelona.
He sent this photo of the Arc di Triomf in the Parc de la Ciutadella and asked if he thought I would use it.
Oh Joe. You sweet, funny, Italian, traveling, dude, you!
Now, I don’t know if this is the best representation of Barcelona. But I can tell you one thing.
Not only did this photo make me * deliriously happy* when I saw it- it really made me roll on the floor with laughter.
Can you imagine leaving your hotel for a day of sightseeing, and walking by this guy on the street holding up a handmade looseleaf sign having his picture taken??!!
And I just *love* the fact that Joe blocked out his face in the photo. Brave, but not so brave as to have someone actually recognize him!
I loved this idea so much-that now I am throwing it out there to all of you to carry on the My Melange Sent Me torch.
Wouldn’t it be fun to make a home-made sign and take a photo and send it in? Well, I for one think it would be so great!!!
So, draw your own sign saying *My Melange Sent Me*, and be creative, be fun, be silly, be zanny, stand in front of a monument at home or far away. Just have fun!
You can be anywhere really. Your local cafe, town hall, or near the ocean on your vacation and send your photo complete with homemade sign to me at mymelangesentme (at) gmail (dot) com.
Please include your name and the location of the photo- maybe a short description, and a link to your website if you have one, in your email. I’ll be happy to provide linky love.
I will post every single picture that I get, in a special post. I created a special Flickr set with all the photos as well, so we can have a little slide show fun!
And of course, head over to visit Joe today, he is going to be running something similar involving his logo and Italian-themed photos!
Now, I leave it to you! Spread the word, tell your friends, post it on your blog, stumble it, twitter it, post it on Facebook- whatever social networking you can think of.
Let’s see where this thing takes us.
You have until Friday March 6th to get your entries in. Round-up will take place on Monday, March 10th.
Have a great weekend!
World Nutella Day 2009
Can you believe it has been a year already since the Nutella events of 2008?
We gather here today as lovers of Nutella, the chocolate-hazelnut spread that is worshiped by those who indulge 'round the world!
People all over the globe are celebrating today in whatever fashion they choose. Some may be shoveling it in by the spoonfull-straight from the jar, others have slaved over step-by-step recipes to produce an elaborate Nutella dish.
In our house, Nutella goes so quickly, that we would rarely have enough to make the necessary cut for a recipe. If we are actually thinking of what to do with Nutella, we usually just do something simple and uncomplicated. Like spreading it on slices of apples, or using it as the filling for a crêpe.
Sometimes, it just takes glimse of the label, enticing me to partake by calling my name from the pantry. On stressful days or days where the craving is so great- often the spoon just dives right into the jar and into the open mouth.
Look- I never said is was pretty- just damned good!
Today I will be sharing one of my favorites, Grilled Nutella Sandwiches.
Requiring only three ingredients makes them easy-peasy to make, yet delicious to eat.
Grilled Nutella Sandwiches
Italian Ciabatta Bread
Strawberries
Nutella Spread
Cut 2 slices of bread for every sandwich- 1 inch thick.
Heat a grill pan over high heat. When very hot, place bread diagonally on the pan. Place another heavy pan atop the bread to ensure you get those purty grill marks.
Meanwhile, slice your strawberries and set aside.
Turn bread when grill marks appear and grill the other side the same way.
Remove bread.
Spread gobs of nutella on both slices of bread while bread is still hot. This encourages melting. Place sliced strawberries on one slice of bread. Place the other slice on top and cut in half.
Mangia!
There is just something about the combination of the crunchy ciabatta, the sweet berries and the thick ooey-gooey finger-lickin' melty goodness of the Nutella that make this something extra special.
Oh, what say you? You don't like strawberries?
No problem- why not substitute bananas?
Today, however you indulge, and indulge I hope you do, enjoy your Nutella! And lick every morsel from the tips if your fingers…cause this stuff's so good- you would never want any to go to waste!
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And don't forget to tune in for the Nutella Round-up!! On Monday Februrary 9th you can see all the fabulous entries submitted for World Nutella Day 2009 by visiting both Bleeding Espresso and Ms. Adventures in Italy.
You can also follow along on Twitter @NutellaDay, World Nutella Day Group on Facebook, and you can see photos at the Nutella Day Flickr Pool.
Happy Nutella Day everyone!!
It’s Coming…World Nutella Day 2009
Today, I am taking a bit of a breather on the blog.
Actually, all the work is being done behind the scenens.
Tomorrow is World Nutella Day, and Nutella lovers all over the world are preparing today.
Yep, planning our recipe, shopping, baking, taking photos and writing our blog posts for the big event tomorrow. Oh and lots of samplin' going on!
So, while the work is being done, I will offer you a few Nutella related tidbits to entertain you!
Read my entry last year for World Nutella Day 2008.
What say you? Never tried Nutella? Well, Ms. Adventures in Italy has a piece for Nutella Virgins on 50 Ways to eat Nutella.
See you all tomorrow for the Big Day!! It'll be all over the web. On Twitter, on Facebook, on blogs and even on Flickr!
Come visit tomorrow, and spread the word like you spread your Nutella- generously!
Do you love Nutella? Are you participating tomorrow? Are you ready?
Travel Tip Tuesday – 2009 Travelers Choice Awards
Yippie!! It is that time of year again.
The Trip Advisor 2009 Travelers Choice Awards are out!!
And for those of you who aren't a member of Trip Advisor (Sheesh, just wake up from a hundred year nap? what are you waiting for?? Get right over there and join!) it is a free travel site with a forum, advice, photos and tons of travel into from real travelers.
That is what makes these awards *so* special. They are chosen by people like you and me-not travel execs or guidebook writers.
The following are the catagories that were awarded:
Best Bargains
Family Favorites
Hidden Gems
Best Inns and B&B's
Most Romantic
Best Service
Best Luxury Hotels
Best All-Inclusive Hotels
Top Hotel Brands
There are alot of awards to go 'round, but I am happy to report that quite a few hotels in Italy made the cut!
Can I get a whoohoot?!
I am going to highlight winners in Italy for the catagories of Best Bargains and Best Luxury Hotels.
Best Bargains (10 out of the 100 awarded are in Italy)
#1. Hotel Vecchio Asilo - San Gimignano
#10. Hotel Al Ponte Mocenigo - Venice
#55. Hotel Floridiana – Amalfi
#70. Il Nido Ristorante Hotel – Sorrento
#73. Ca' del Dogi – Venice
#88. Residenza del Duca Hotel – Amalfi
#90. Hotel Centrale – Bellagio
#91. Imperia Hotel – Jesolo
#92. Hotel Rosary Garden – Florence
#99. Hotel La Tosca – Capri
Best Luxury (8 of the 100 awarded are in Italy)
#3. Villa Marsili Hotel – Cortona
#13. Hotel Villa Carlotta – Taormina
#14. Best Western Hotel la Solara – Sorrento
#35. Hotel Bentley – Genoa
#39. Palazzo Sant'Angelo sul Canal Grande – Venice
#43. Locanda dell'Amorosa - Sinalunga
#80. JK Place Hotel – Florence
#87. Golden Palace – Turin
And though I have highlighted Italy- there are so many other catagories and lovely hotels featured from around the globe- this is one I'd keep handy and refer to again and again for years to come!
If you'd like to view the visually stunning, thirty-one page PDF in it's entirely, you can do so here.
I highly recommend that you do, because if you click on the individual hotels listed in the PDF document, a link will take you directly to the hotel's page on Trip Advisor, where you can read every review and other details. Quiet a nifty little trick, I might add.
A small warning though. This one has a drool factor of 9 out of 10…so cover your keyboard. There is a real danger of frying your laptop just looking at the photos!
So, have you stayed at or heard of any of these hotels? Tell us about your experience!
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French Glassware
photo is courtesy of Tongue in Cheek.
It is no secret that the French love them some deliciously set tables.
Whether a table setting at a bistro, a fancy Parisian restaurant or a casual home in Provence, there is always a cetain simplicity and elegance to a French table. A certain je ne sais quois, if you will.
There are so many facets to setting a beautiful French table. Flower arrangements, candles, ornate silverware, crisp linen tablecloths and the dishes themselves, all contribute to a French table setting.
You can easily recreate a French tablesetting, no matter where you live.
Leave no doubt in your mind that we will talk about each facet of these over time. Today, I'd like to talk about one of my favorite items on a French Table.
French Glassware. Oh la la.
I am a sucker for French Glassware. And while there are many elegant, engraved, scalloped, sculpted and hand-blown styles, I prefer the most simple, durable and understated.
It took me weeks of clever Internet searching to seek out one of my all-time favorite bistro glasses. Used since 1927 in cafes all around France, the Picardie glass is made by a French company called Duralex. This classic tumbler is both durable and versatile and perfect for hot and cold beverages.
Who wouldn't love a glass that would look classy, resist breakage and hold water, wine or your favorite coffee drink-all at a rock-bottom price?
Oh, and did I mention they are stackable? An awesome bonus to someone like me, who has hardly any kitchen cabinet space.
But, to my chagrin, the Duralex factory had closed up shop and the once ubiquitous glasses that retailed for about $2-$3 a piece, were no where to be found.
Except of course on Ebay where nasty people were selling them for about $10/glass, because said money-hungry sellers knew that they were in high-demand.
But, I didn't get discouraged and I let my fingers do the walking and found that Cost Plus World Market was carrying them, at obscenely low prices. I quickly scoffed-up a few sets in each size- just for good measure.
These serve as my everyday glasses and I use them for water, wine, juice, iced-tea, lemonade, cafe latte and other coffee drinks. They look great as part of a casual table setting.
Another popluar French company that makes tons of delicious French Glassware is La Rochere. La Rochere, established in 1475 is the oldest glass factory in France! Again, they specialize in crystal clear, durable everyday glassware, achievied by a special recipe of sand, lime and soda. They have a plethora of styles available.
Most of their styles incorporate raised-relief designs that ooze frenchness-like the Eiffel Tower, the Napolean Bee, the Fleur de Lys, and the Dragonfly.
These glasses have a really nice heft and just feel really good in your hand.
Though the designs they offer are lovely, I prefer the classic lines of the Perigord and Richelieu styles. They look wonderful in a more elegant or French country table setting. I adore the shapes, simple little indent pattern and the fact that they are footed.
I prefer to save these goblet and tumbler glasses for a nice table setting, rather than for just everyday. I use them for both wine and water.
And though you could spend beaucoup bucks on high-end French glasses or elegant stemware, like Riedel, I (and my wallet) still prefer the classic durability of La Rochere and Duralex.
And since I hand wash my glasses, and tend to be a bit clumsy when it comes to clanking around the kitchen, I must say that I feel much better knowing that I will have a harder time shattering this French glassware to shards, than an expensive fancy-shmancy hand blown wine glass.
And it is also nice to know that if on the off-chance that I do break a glass, it won't take me six months to save for another glass.
Do you like French Glassware? What is the favorite part of setting your dinner table?
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And it just so happens that I have 2 of the Fleur de Lys and 2 of the Bee La Roche tumblers for sale. $20 for all four. Contact me at mymelange (at) yahoo (dot) com, if interested!
