Flashback Friday: MINI PALAIS

For all the bistros and scuffed tiles in the numerous bistros and cafes in Paris, therehas been a proliferation of non-hotel restaurants still serving bistro classics but in much more sophisticated setting yet still offering prix-fixe menus.  One of these is the beautiful high-ceiling dining room of the Mini Palais, located in the back corner of the Grand Palais right smack in the middle of the famed triangle d'or (golden triangle) of the 8th arrondissement.  Helmed by chef Eric Frechon (from the 3-star Michelin Hotel Bristol), the food is faultless, the atmosphere refined, the service unobtrusive and the crowd more bourgeois than bohemian.

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Mini Palais

Grand Palais,  Avenue Winston Churchill  75008 Paris

Tel : +33 1 42 56 42 42

Flashback Friday: PUNTA DEL ESTE

Panoramic view of Playa Mansa from the terrace.

Punta del Este is known for being the South America's summer playground and aside from sun, sand and sea, there isn't much to keep one occupied which is why it's worth a visit to the Museo Taller Carlos Páez Vilaró

Carlos Páez Vilaró was an Uruguayan autodidact who grew up in Buenos Aires where his works of  graphic art began. He was later influenced by his many travels to Brazil and all over the African continent.  His numerous works include paintings, sculpture, mural art, ceramics, books and even music and he has left his mark in many works from Buenos Aires to Beijing, Cairo to Washington DC.

He returned often to Uruguay and in 1969, he built his summer home by the sea in Punta del Este.  Casapueblo is found in Punta Ballena at the end of a winding road with expansive views of the sea.  This home was conceptualized with his own architectural design audit was here that he works to fill this all-white curvy stone house on a cliff with his final works of art, from the graphic tiles inlaid into the walls to the murals he painted on the terraces.  His sculptures are also scattered around the home along with his many ceramic creations.  He continued to live abroad - in Argentina, the United States and Brazil but eventually moved back to Punta del Este.  It was in this home that he spent rest of his days, painting and working until he died in February 2014 with Casapubelo becoming his final work of art.

Museo – Taller de Casapueblo

Punta Ballena, Uruguay
C.P. 20003

Tel/Fax: +(598) 4257 8041

Tel/Fax: +(598) 4257 9121

Open to the public daily from 10 a.m. till sunset.  

Entry fee for 12 years old and above Uruguayan $240

NATIONAL KITCHEN by Violet Oon

One of the landmark events of 2015 to celebrate Singapore's 50th birthday was the November opening of the National Gallery of Singapore, an architectural restoration that joined two national monuments, the former Supreme Court and City Hall, to display the largest public collection of modern art in Singapore and Southeast Asia.  

In the same building, several restaurants have opened.  There's the high-end modern French Odette, classic Italian Aura spread out on three floors, sophisticated Cantonese Yan, rooftop bar with a view Smoke and Mirrors, innovative Indian Saha, casual cafe and retail shop Gallery & Co and heritage cuisine by celebrated local chef Violet Oon at the National Kitchen by Violet Oon.  National Kitchen was designed none other than the chef's daughter, and she has created a cozy yet elegant space with dramatic chandeliers, black leather booths, mirrors throughout and assorted antique tiles to showcase Singapore's Peranakan heritage.

The lunch and dinner menu is extensive and lists a few Singaporean specialties which may not necessarily be Peranakan like the iconic Singapore Chili Crab and Hainanese Chicken Rice.  There is also a light bites menu served at the Veranda which is open in the evenings.

I enjoyed two lunches there recently and had some decent Peranakan dishes: ngoh hiang -  deep fried beancurd skin filled with prawn, crab and chicken, grilled chicken satay with grated pineapple topped chunky peanut sauce and served with cucumbers and rice cakes, Kuay Pie Tee -bamboo shoot and turnip filled crispy cups and the sambal kimchiam dang -a spicy salad of lily buds with starfruit and prawns, the mixed vegetables and tempeh Sayur Lodeh and the deep-fried sambal eggplant.  The beef rendang and butter floss prawns were exceptionally good but it was the modern versions of traditional Peranakan fare that really impressed me -the refined  cod in creamy laksa sauce and the spicy dry laksa noodles are both dishes that you should not miss at the National Kitchen.

Dessert selections were limited to five classics, of which we've had four: the crepe-like roti jala with gala melaka was lacking in filling, the delicious rice cake kueh being ka, the warm black glutinous rice pulot hitam with coconut ice cream was too soupy, and the yummy pineapple upside-down cake.  Last on the list to try is the kueh dah dah a pandan-infused crepe filled with grated coconut which looked much more interesting than the roti jala we ordered.  I'm looking forward to see what dinner is like and maybe even drinks and snacks at the Veranda.  When you do decide to go, make sure to reserve as the place is usually packed both at lunch and dinner.

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National Kitchen by Violet Oon

1 St. Andrew’s Road
#02–01, National Gallery Singapore
(City Hall Wing)
Singapore 178957

Email: eat@violetoon.com
Call: +65 9834 9935

Private room dining is available by reservation only.

Enter via Coleman Street entrance

Open daily for Lunch from noon to 3 pm, Dinner from 6-11 pm, last order at 9:30 pm

Veranda is open from 5:30 to 11 p.m - last order at 10 pm

ROPPONGI HILLS

My last Tokyo post is all about a whole day in Roppongi Hills, the so-called city within a city of modern skyscrapers, high-end hotels, luxury shops, green spaces, world-class museums, numerous bars and night clubs and lively back streets.

My friend Rumi lived nearby so we decided to meet at the 45th floor lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo for a quick view of the city stretched out below.  We started our walking tour outside Tokyo Midtown where we walked around the park, over the bridge and the tiny brook and by the manicured green areas dotted with park benches to the concrete bunker 21_21 Design Sight off to one side.

From there, we walked several blocks away to the bustling area around Roppongi Hills where the Mori Art Museum and the Eiffel tower lookalike Tokyo Tower are located.  On the way there, we stopped for a takoyaki snack - Japan's street food.  Takoyaki are deep-fried flour balls made with octopus, tempura scraps, green onion and pickled ginger and topped with bonito flakes and Japanese mayonnaise.  Traditionally eaten as an after work bite along with a highball, a shot of whiskey topped up with ice cold soda water served in a large mug like a beer, Rumi knew that it wasn't the right time to eat the takoyaki but she and I decided we wouldn't be able to wait till sundown.  We split a highball and six takoyaki which were delicious and hit the spot for more wandering around the shopping mall nearby passing by the Mori and admiring Maman, Louise Bourgeois' humongous bronze spider sculpture.  We stopped afterwards at the beautiful terrace of The French Kitchen in the Grand Hyatt for a cold drink and some sunshine before walking back and trying to find a simple place for lunch nearby.

We finally stumbled on a small ramen place on a side street.  A vending machine greeted us at the entrance and Rumi dropped the appropriate coins for two bowls of hot ramen topped with roast pork and a medium boiled egg.  As soon as we sat at the counter, we surrendered our tickets to one of the ramen cooks and waited for our order and enjoyed the rhythm and blues music blasting in the restaurant.  I noticed that the place was packed with Japanese men again and we were the only ladies there (just like the other evening at the yakitori place)  and I asked Rumi why it was that Japanese women weren't often seen eating in traditional Japanese restaurants.  She explained that the ladies preferred more sophisticated Western food for lunch than casual Japanese fare.

The ramen noodle soup came with self-serve pitchers of iced tea and the usual condiments of chili oil and seaweed flakes.  We dug in and slurped like the locals and started to sweat from the hot soup and it was only then that we also noticed that all the men having ramen were eating cold ramen to stay cool on such a hot day.  We started to laugh because it seemed like we were in the sweltering American south listening to John Lee Hoooker while enjoying our hot soup and keeping our hair away from the broth.  We finished our ramen and on our way out, we laughed even harder as we realized there were paper bibs and elastic hair ties on top of the vending machine at the front to hold one's hair back from getting into the soup and cover one's clothes from the splatter.  Another dining culture experience shared with my foodie partner Rumi.

We walked lunch off and returned to Tokyo Midtown where we escaped the heat from the streets for a wander around the mall, looking into the Umami boutique (a shop selling umami flavored everything from crackers to sauces to nuts), Toraya (the traditional Japanese tea cake place) and for a quick espresso at Dean and Deluca.

After that, it was a short walk through Hinokicho park to Rumi's neighborhood in Akasaka where we put our feet up and relaxed before heading out to a Yakiniku (Japanese table barbecue) dinner nearby - again filled with Japanese businessmen.  I don't know how we managed to eat several platters of beef and offal with a large green salad tossed in a sesame dressing.  We were both so full that Rumi insisted we go to the local pharmacy for a tiny bottle of an herbal concoction that Japanese drink the night of food or alcohol excess to avoid indigestion and a hangover.  We downed them right then and there while the pharmacist watched us in amusement.  It didn't taste bad, jut like a shot of herbal liqueur without the alcohol.   It was a fun-filled, food-centered, non-stop walking day which gave me a chance to explore a part of town on foot and enjoy the city quirks with a Tokyo native.

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Tokyo Midtown

Tokyo Midtown Design Hub

Roppongi Hills

Mori Art Museum

National Art Center Tokyo

Suntory Museum of Art

Tokyo Tower

MOSCOW MUSTS

The Kremlin is the center of it all.  Recently, they implemented an online system for buying tickets and it's first weekend trial was when we there but we did it the old way - get in line and try and snag a ticket as the entries are limited and scheduled.  You can do full-priced ticket which includes the Armory museum, the three cathedrals (Annunciation, Assumption and Archangels), Ivan the great's bell tower, the Patriarch's Palace or opt for several cheaper ticket options which is just for the grounds and Cathedral square usually bought by Russians or locals who like to walk around the Kremlin drink the weekends.  The ticket for the diamond exhibit, which is also in the Armory, is sold separately inside the museum. Be patient as the ticket seller is a babushka who hardly speaks English and there are hardly any signs in English so use sign language and figure it out.  My rusty Russian helped a bit but not much.  Ticket booths open at 9:30 for the first entry at 10:00.  Once you have your ticket, get in the long line and wait until the Kremlin gates open - this took about 45 minutes to an hour.  Once inside, head straight to the armory which is filled with Russian state regalia, ceremonial vestments and crowns and all the precious metals from jeweled crowns to state silver service which should take about an hour.  After that, we walked out towards Cathedral square which gives one a 360 degree view of the three cathedrals and Ivan the great's bell tower.  After a short wander around, we exited towards Manezhnaya Ploshad (Manezh square) to the cobblestoned red square and walked towards the Kremlin clock tower and the iconic St. Basil's cathedral.

It was about time for lunch so after a short tour of red square, we escaped the cold (3C) and entered GUM - the State department store, now fully renovated and filled with high-end boutiques.  When I left in 1997, GUM was just starting to be renovated and was still a mix of Benetton (one of the first Western labels present in Russia) and Russian style shops.  Now, it's a bright, modern shopping mall housed in an architectural marvel from the 1890's filled with upwardly mobile Russians and a few tourists.  We went up to the second floor where we got in another line (remnants of Communist times) to have lunch at Stolovaya No.57 -  a retro Russian-style self-serve cafeteria complete with white lab coat uniformed counter staff dishing out potato salad and smoked fish, borscht and chicken Kiev, pierogi and black bread.  Even the drinks are authentic - from an ice-cold piva (beer) to a kitschy vending machine dispensing super fizzy Russian sparkling water by the glass.  I had the classic chicken Kiev with mashed potatoes while A had a slab of roast pork with cranberry sauce and a beet and smoked fish salad.

From there, we continued our walk around the center and headed towards Tversakaya street, known by its' former name as Gorky street.  Just like GUM, this busy street is now home to luxury hotels and shops but still retains something of the old Moscow.  We visited Yeliseyevsky Gastronom (Yeliseyevsky food store) which used to allow access only to Communist party elite.  This food hall was always a gastronomic mecca but more so today that the shelves are filled to the brim with everything from fresh raspberries to French lentils as well as a large glass case stacked with tins and tins of edible black pearls, caviar.

Another day should be devoted to the Pushkin museum - housed in three buildings - the main one on (Volkhonka street 12) in the center for ancient artifacts, sculpture and 18th century European art, the smaller one on the right (Volkhonka street 10) for private collections and the adjacent one on the left (Volkhonka street 14) for 19th and 20th century art.  We visited the main building on one day and I returned another day with N to visit the Impressionists which was a visual pleasure - rooms and rooms of Monets, Renoirs, Pissarros, Degas, Gaugins and Van Goghs.  

Just in front is the gigantic gold-domed Christ the Saviour cathedral, reconstructed in the late nineties then continue onwards to the pedestrian bridge to cross the Moscow river to the other embankment and walk around what used to be the Krasny Oktyabr (Red October) Chocolate Factory - converted into an urban center with cafes and restaurants, design offices and the Lumiere Brothers Photo gallery showcasing Soviet-era photographs with a cafe and an interesting gift shop, sorely lacking at the Pushkin museum and the Kremlin.

Last but not least the Bolshoi is essential, preferably to watch a ballet in the historical stage or an opera at the new stage or at the very least a tour.  After a six year renovation, the theater which opened in 1856 has retained the gold rococo interiors and red velvet seats but the sound system and acoustics have been updated.  We were able to get tickets for the premier of Alexandre Dumas'  La Dame aux Camellias - a ballet in three acts on the historical stage.   The experience of an evening at the Bolshoi should not be missed and was the best way to spend our last evening in Moscow.

Day trip: PONCE

Here's another suggestion if you'd like to explore a bit of the island outside San Juan. We went to Ponce in the south of Puerto Rico from Dorado and mistakenly took the ruta panoramico (scenic route) shorter winding route that took us through the mountains and lasted two and a half hours.

Ponce is the next largest city after San Juan with its' own airport and a world-class art museum, the Museo de Arte de Ponce which is one of Puerto Rico's treasures.  We arrived a couple of hours before closing and were given a quick guided tour by one of the museum volunteers.  She led us through the museum and pointed out the highlights of their permanent collection with the finale on the second floor to see Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton.  The galleries are arranged in a peculiar way with modern art displayed alongside Pre-Rapahelite works which makes for an interesting visit.  There is a lovely outdoor garden with sculptures and a cafe overlooking the grounds.  It's a good day trip especially if you take the highway 52, which we did on the way back home to Dorado, which cuts the trip to Ponce by an hour.

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Museo de Arte de Ponce

Ave. Las Americas 2325

Ponce, Puerto Rico 00717

Telephone: +1 787 848 0505

Email: info@museoarteponce.org

*Open Wednesday to Monday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Last entry at 5:15 p.m., Closed Tuesday

Admission: Adults $6 and Children under 12, seniors and students $3

Daily guided tours at 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., Audio guides $2

BVLGARI 125 YEARS RETROSPECTIVE

On our last evening in Beijing, we attended the opening of the Bvlgari 125 Years of Italian Magnificence at the newly-renovated National Museum of China.  We all met at the lobby of the Grand Hyatt hotel and then rode one of the many cars lined up on the driveway to ferry guests to the event at the museum near Tiananmen square.  We arrived just in time to see the wide expanse of steps and the red carpet all the way up to the museum's entrance.  After hearing a few welcome speeches, the doors to the exhibit were opened and over 1500 guest shuffled their way to the exquisitely displayed jewelry collection.

Soon after, we took another car and went off to dinner at the Great Hall of the People, another massive structure just across the square from the museum where a private dinner for 250 guests took place.  The hall was impressively ornate and was decorated with large red and gold screens where 25 round tables covered in gold and large flower arrangements.  The dinner was a multi-course meal of small Chinese dishes starting with a cold starter of steamed chicken, roast duck and pickled vegetables followed by a clear soup with sea cucumber then a small terra-cotta pot of the classic Buddha jumps over the wall (named thus because Buddha supposedly ate this even if it contained meat since it was so delicious) which had mushrooms, shark's fin, bamboo shoots and more sea cucumber.  Abalone came next then some small dim sum and then the incongruous main course of roast beef with potatoes.  Vegetable fried rice came next and finally, some ice cream.  During dinner, a soprano and a tenor entertained the guests with renditions from classic Italian operas.  We finished at around ten p.m. and headed back to the hotel to pack for our early flight back to Bali the following morning.

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Bvlgari 125 Years of Italian Magnificence

Exhibition from September 4 to November 3, 2011

National Museum of China, Beijing

48 Hours in Beijing: Day 2

On Saturday, we had the whole morning and decided to explore 798 in Dashanzi.  This area of former factories and dilapidated warehouses, including the main Factory 798 which produced electronics, has been transformed into Beijing's trendy art district over the years.  Most of the buildings and warehouses in Dashanzi were designed by the East Germans in the 50's Bauhaus style and Located in the northeast part of the city, towards the international airport, the area has many art galleries and studios, cafes, restaurants, design boutiques, bookstores including a bar situated in the old 798 factory aptly called the Old Factory Bar and anchored by the impressive collection at the UCCA (Uhlens Center for Contemporary Art).

The UCCA was created by Belgian couple, Guy and Myriam Ullens, in November 2007 and is housed in an original 1950's Bauhaus-style brick factory.  Aside from their extensive collection of Chinese contemporary art that the Ullens' own, the UCCA holds exhibitions of other contemporary artists.  On our visit last month, the main hall had a large light structure by Tatsuo Miyajima (until October 8) and a larger art installation by Song Dong (which ended on Sept. 8) reflecting the life in Beijing's traditional Hutongs (courtyard-based residences found in narrow streets and alleys of Beijing), many of which have now been razed to make way for larger, newer developments.

We spent some time at the museum walking through the exhibits then finished our visit with a long look through the stylish UCCA museum store.  There were lots of fun things to be had and we especially liked Sui Janguo's Made in China colorful dinosaur resin scultpures.  In the end, we settled for a poster of Yue Minjun's Great Criticism series to add to our kitchen wall collection.

We walked around 798 and saw the cafes and restaurants start to fill up for lunch with a mix of trendy locals, expat residents and tourists.  On the main square was a large Botero-like sculpture and everywhere else were whimsical street art installations fronting galleries.  For local flavor, there were also several bike-mounted food carts on or around the main square.  We spotted coal roasted sweet potatoes, candied fruit on a stick, assorted fried pastries and a delicious-smelling extra-thin pancake spread with a black sesame paste, sprinkled with herbs and filled with a crunchy cracker which was then folded up into a rectangle piece - a Chinese version of the French crepes.  It was past noon and the day was humid so we wandered around for a bit more before we hopped in a cab to head back to our hotel in the Financial District and spent the rest of the afternoon getting ready for the big museum event that evening.

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798 Art District in Dashanzi

Most galleries are closed on Monday

Map of 798

List of 798 shops & services from Time Out Beijing

UCCA (Ullens Center for Contemporary Art)

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 - 7:00, Closed on Monday
Free admission on Thursdays

Beijing Bound

After spending the whole summer in Bali, we are off on a mini-break to Beijing to attend the opening of the exhibition celebrating Bvlgari 125 years of Italian Magnificence at the National Museum of China.  The 125 years was celebrated in 2009 with the opening of the exhibit in Rome which was followed in 2010, by an exhibit in Paris' Grand Palais.  The Beijing exhibit will run from September 4 to November 3, 2011 and will showcase all the iconic Bvlgari creations from 1884 up to the 21st century.  It's our first visit to China (not counting innumerable trips to Hong Kong) and we're looking forward to discovering a new city.  It will be interesting to say the least.  As Facebook and Twitter will be difficult to access, I'll be posting about our Beijing weekend when we get back.

Paris Museums and ANGELINA

Saturday afternoon was spent at the Musée Nissim-Camondo, a mansion overlooking the Parc Monceau filled with Moise Camondo's collection of late 18th century art, furniture and decoration. The museum showcases the home as it would have looked when Moise and his children lived in it. The rooms have been lovingly preserved and the furniture and decorations are exquisite as is the architecture of the mansion itself. The bathrooms and kitchen were modern for their time and showed the wealth of the Camondo family. When Moise's son Nissim died in the first world war, he changed his will and bequeathed his home and everything in it to the state to be made into a museum in memory of his son, Nissim. Moise died in 1935 and the museum was inaugurated in 1936. The last of the Camondo family, Moise's daughter, Beatrice and her two children died in Auschwitz in 1943. Such a tragic end and an incredible legacy - a museum worth visiting.

After a late breakfast on Sunday morning, we went to another museum that A had never been to and that I had last visited in 1993. It was a bitterly cold day and we almost left the queue and gave up but we were let into the museum after about ten minutes. There were quite a lot of people waiting in line because it was the first Sunday of the month when all museums are open to the public for free.

L'Orangerie, originally built in 1852 to house orange trees during the winter, was opened to the public in 1927 first to display Claude Monet's Les Nympheas and later to house the collection of Jean Walter and Paul Guillame. Renovations began in 2000 and when the museum reopened in 2006, Claude Monet's works which were previously underground were now brought up to the first floor where light filtered in and the rest of the paintings were transferred down below. Now, the collection is presented in a modern space with large windows letting light in from the Jardin des Tuileries.

It was past one when we left the museum and headed over to Angelina on the rue de Rivoli, another of our Paris favourites. As always, there was a line of people waiting to be seated. This time the wait was longer than at the museum but we were indoors and right beside the display counter of patisserie which made the wait bearable. Most people were having Angelina's famous Africain (thick, dark hot chocolate) and a pastry but we decided to have a light lunch and shared a club sandwich and a salad with anchovies and hard-boiled eggs. Breaking tradition, we shared a Cafe Liegeois (coffee ice cream), even if it was so cold outside instead of the usual hot chocolate. We wanted to browse around Galignani, the bookstore, right beside Angelina but they were closed so we put that off for the following day, our last in Paris.

CHOCOLATERIA SAN GINES

All day Friday was spent doing errands - getting a U.S. visa for the nanny, checking out computer prices at El Corte Ingles, pakcking the kids off to go and sleep at my friend T's house for the weekend and tracking down our suitcase which finally appeared around at around 5:00 p.m. and turning in early.

We woke up early on Saturday to give us some time to explore the Madrid. After a wonderful breakfast at the Ritz, we crossed the street to the Prado museum which we always plan to visit when we;re in Madrid but never had the time to. Luckily, we didn't have to queue for tickets and went straight into the new entrance right below the church of San Jeronimo el Real . We spent most of the morning walking through the Prado and admiring the works of royal painters Velazquez and Goya. Most of the works are religious-themed and realist that we realized we enjoyed our last visit to the Thyssen-Bornemisza more. Unfortunately, the Rembrandt exhibit had already finished and the cloister was closed for renovation work so after a quick look throught the current sculpture exhibition, Among Gods and Men, we left past noon and walked back to the Ritz. On our next Madrid trip, we'll make an effort to visit the Reina-Sofia.

After our cultural morning, we decided to visit another Madrid insitution, the Chocolateria San Gines. Located behind the church of San Gines on the pedestrian street, Calle Arenal, this is where locals come for their daily dose of churros con chocolate. Open 24 hours, this cafe/bar is usually packed in the wee hours of the morning when clubbers from nearby disco Joy Eslava have their snack before heading home. The young crowd is then followed by Madrilenos having their breakfast until about 10 a.m. Later on, San Gines is filled with non-Spanish churros lovers like ourselves who dare to eat churros out of the traditional breakfast schedule. We arrived to a semi-full cafe, plonked ourselves down on one of the marble-topped tables and hastily ordered a portion of churros with the accompanying cup of thick hot chocolate.

Fortified by our noontime snack, we went to Calle Serrano (near Colon) and made our way down Madrid's main shopping street cutting through trendy streets like Jorge Juan and Ayala for some serious window-shopping before heading back to the hotel.

After a short rest, we walked towards the Las Letras area of Madrid and tried to find a tapas bar for a quick lunch. There are many right behind the Palace hotel off the plaza Neptuno (Neptune's fountain) but all of the ones we entered were packed with smokers and eating in a cigarette-fogged atmosphere was out of the question so we walked towards Plaza de los Cortes and stumbled on a small corner tapas bar/restaurant - El Rincon de Cruz Blanca. The place wasn't packed and there were only a few smokers at the bar having a beer. We settled onto a corner of the long marble-topped bar then asked for a few tapas - boquerones en vinagre and morcilla until we saw the entrecot con patatas (rib-eye steak with fried potatoes) and couldn't resist sharing one as well. We finished off our meal with cafe solos (espressos). Service was quick and efficient and the food was surprisingly good so the restaurant turned out to be a good find and centrally located.

London Day 2: Museums and the annual summer sales

London Scenes clockwise from upper left: the Bibendum building, the main hall at the Natural History Museum, the facade of Oliveto on Elizabeth Street and a bicycle with a basket from Jerobaoms.

We all got up very early and made our way downstairs to The Lounge for some breakfast but the place was full so we were led to the adjacent room of Pearl, celebrity chef Jun Tanaka's fine dining restaurant where breakfast is also served. The buffet was not that interesting and the atmosphere at the restaurant was a disappointment - cold and formal, not a place I'd like to have dinner in anytime soon. Pity as the cuisine of Jun Tanaka must be good.

After a quick breakfast, we went to Brompton Cross right by the Bibendum building to take a walk and enjoy the surprisingly warm and sunny London day. We window shopped to kill time before the museums opened at 10:00 a.m. From the Fulham road, we walked to Exhibition road in South Kensington's museum row to the Science Museum. Our 6-year old went running from exhibit to exhibit but enjoyed the basement gallery with the Secret Life of the Home where he could try everything.

Then we headed next door to the Natural History Museum to the Red Zone for the Earth displays then down to the Green Zone's Creepy Crawlies exhibit. At that point, we're all tired and hot and decide to go to lunch at earlier and change our table booking from 1:30 to noon. (next post on our lunch at Oliveto).

After lunch, we hit the second day of the annual sales and went straight to hip and happening Harvey Nichols and then to legendary Harrods. After several hours of retail therapy, we stopped for a quick energy-boosting espresso and macaroon at the ground floor Laduree before heading upstairs to the Toy Kingdom department then to meet a friend for tea the Georgian Restaurant - a full day in London of museums, shopping and eating.

The long weekend: Madrid

Thursday

The AVE from Malaga to Madrid was such a luxury compared to the stress and unpredictabiltiy of air travel. The train left on time, we had no problem with our luggage and we were served complimentary drinks, snacks and newspapers in Preferente class. We arrived exactly as scheduled at Atocha station in downtown Madrid and took a very short taxi ride to the Ritz hotel where we would be staying for three nights. Check-in at the hotel was a breeze and we were upgraded to a junior suite on the smoke-free fourth floor which overlookeed the Prado museum and the convent of San Jeronimo.



After unpacking, we crossed the street to the Westin Palace hotel where we had dinner at Asia Gallery. The food was disappointing - spring rolls that had pieces of roast pork and cabbage - a very strange combination, the kung pao chicken was made with bland chicken breast and served with soggy peanuts and a cornstarch-thickened sauce, shrimps in black bean sauce had a handful of shrimps and an abundance of red peppers. The only decent dish was the crispy shredded beef and even that had a hint of curry flavour instead of the usual sweet-spicy Szechuan sauce. It was a mistake to eat there but we were hungry, it was nearby and we were craving for some Chinese food. Asia Gallery is definitely going on my restaurant black list. We went to bed early after that.

Friday

The next morning we had a wonderful breakfast at the Goya restaurant with the tables laid with silver, starched linen and crystal. We had croissants, café con leche, poached eggs on brown toast with bacon and fresh orange juice to start the day.

As we were Madrid with our six-year old, our plans were made to accomodate him so we went on a tour of the Santiago Bernabeu football stadium which is the home of Real Madrid. It was a well-organized and comprehensive tour. We saw the bleachers and the special boxes, the trophy room and the football pitch, the bench where the players sat during games and even the changing rooms which had power showers and a jacuzzi. After that, we headed off for some lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. The burgers were good and the children's menu was a steal at €9.45 including a drink and a scoop of ice cream. We all had a nap after lunch then got ready at around seven. I went downstairs to the intimate wood-panelled Velazquez Bar to have a drink with my good friend, Therese, then the boys joined us (my husband and son) shortly after. We decided to walk to the Gran Via where we had a reservation at Madrid's oldest Japanese restaurant - Robata. What a change from our dinner the previous evening - the food was authentic - the sushi and sashimi were fresh, the yakitori was very good, the prawns and vegetables tempura were crispy and light and the agedashi tofu was delicious. Robata has been on the same location off Gran Via on Calle Reina since 1992 and is a favorite with both locals and the Japanes community of Madrid. We walked off our yummy dinner and returned to the hotel close to midnight.

Saturday

Bright and early after another civilized and delicious breakfast at the Ritz, Therese picked us up and we went to Las Rozas Village for some retail therapy. Out of the sixty plus boutiques at this outlet mall, the ones I recommend for some fantastic bargains are: Bodum and Le Creuset for the home, Loewe, Carolina Herrera, Pedro del Hierro, Purificacion Garcia and Hoss Intropia for Spanish fashion and Camper and Petit Bateau for children's clothes and shoes. After a few hours of shopping, we went to La Moraleja and had a quick lunch at Argentine grill restaurant - Clerico. After lunch, the boys went to visit my brother-in-law and his family while I stayed with Therese so we could "chitter-chatter" as my son says.

We were all tired after a long day and so after Therese dropped us off at the Ritz, we decided to spend the night in and have room service, pack our bags and go to bed early.

Sunday

On our last morning in Madrid, we had a quick breakfast then headed to the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum across the street. The best part about staying at the Ritz is that it is located in the golden art triangle of three fantastic museums: the Prado, the national museum; the modern art museum - Reina Sofia and the private collection of the Baroness Thyssen-Bornemisza. An exhibit on Modigliani's works had just opened a few days before that we wanted to see. Unfortunately, tickets were sold out until 2:00 p.m. so we decided to see the permanent collection instead which is amazing as well. 800 works of art all owned by a private individual which is quite impressive. Our visit ended at the museum shop where our son was allowed to choose a treat and promptly decided on a wonderful colouring book of unfinished drawings that the child completes with his own designs.

We then walked to the little street behind the Westin Palace hotel where there are loads of little tapas bars. We tried to get into a few well-known ones but they were jampacked so we ended up in a chain called Cerveceria Gambrinus which is like a Mc'Tapas - the food was typically not very good and the service was spotty but we had a train to catch and not much time to wait around for a spot at one of the better tapas bars. After lunch, we walked back to the hotel, checked out and headed to Atocha station where we had enough time to buy some magazines before boarding the AVE back to Malaga.

GUGGENHEIM BILBAO RESTAURANT

Early the next morning after a quiet breakfast at the Villa Soro, we set off westwards towards Bilbao, about 100 kilometers away from San Sebastian. The drive was easy and very green with the hills and trees of the Pais Vasco (Basque country), a welcome change after the over-construction we see everyday in Marbella.

We arrived before noon and walked on the riverbank towards the main entrance of the Frank O. Gehry designed Guggenheim which opened to the public in October 1997. The museum was built as part of a grand plan to redesign and modernize the city of Bilbao along with Santiago Calatarava's new city airport, Federico Soriano's new Conference and Performing Arts Center, the construction of a Sir Norman Foster designed metropolitan railway along with a new footbridge crossing the river at Uribitarte also by Calatrava.


There was a temporary exhibit of the works of German artist, Anselm Kiefer alongside the museum's permanent collection of modern installations and large-scale works by celebrated artists like Jeff Koons large flower puppy, Jenny Holzer's LED columns, Yves Klein's Fire Fountain and Louise Bourgeois' large spider called Maman (a copy of which we had previously seen outside the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa). One of these - The Matter of Time by Richard Serra - can be experienced by entering the different structures of double ellipse and spiral among others and creates a strange dizzy and claustrophobic feeling. We entered the small spiral and didn't dare go into any of the others after that.

We continued on to the first floor to see the rest of the works by Anselm Kiefer then headed on to the museum store to look through the numerous art books and items for sale to kill time before our reservation at the restaurant. There is also a cafe and a prix-fixe menu restaurant aside from the Martin Berasategui (a three-star Michelin chef) managed Guggenheim Bilbao Restaurant.

The restaurant's modern modern interiors with its' colorful paint-splattered walls and red-upholstered chairs and banquettes fit perfectly with the museum's impressive and eye-catching shape. We were the first to be seated and had time to peruse our menus before settling on the 6-course Sensations tasting menu (pictured in order below). The best one out of the six courses for me was the intensely-flavored third course of Roast vine tomato stuffed with baby squids with a black risotto and fresh cream. One of the specialties of this region is chipirones (baby squids) which is always present in Basque country menus. This version was a stellar take on the lowly squid with the sweetness of the tomato complementing the strong flavor of the squid ink risotto and the baby squids. Our meal ended with a very interesting yet simple dessert of warm dark chocolate juice with a milk and anise ice cream and crunchy almond meringue leaves. This is another flavor combination that I've tasted several times in Spain - liquorice and chocolate. We had a half bottle of Azpilicueta along with some still Mondariz and Illy espressos to finish. Sated and sleepy with headed back to San Sebastian and had a well-deserved siesta (afternoon nap) dreaming about the wonderful meal we just had.

Weekend in Madrid

Since we moved to Spain a year ago, we've been to Madrid on several occasions but were able to see only a a bit of the city each time.

Last June, my husband was on a business trip so we flew to Madrid all together. While he was at work, I explored the city with our 5-year old son.

All he wanted to do was stop at each playground we saw and ride the red double-decker bus of the Madrid Vision tour (two routes: classical or modern Madrid). It's cheesy but the most convenient way to see all of Madrid's sights within an hour and especially entertaining for children. We got off at the Palacio real and where he really enjoyed seeing the Apothecary (which he could relate to as the potion room from "Shrek 2") and the armory that showcased all the knights armour and weapons. The royal palace is right beside lovely gardens with a large playground and several maze hedges where he ran around for hours. We had lunch one day at the terrace of Cafe Gijon, Madrid's famous artist's hangout since it opened in 1888 and another day at the garden of the Ritz Hotel where we were staying.

In February, we took the train and my good friend Therese took me around the up and coming Chueca neighborhood that is Madrid's hip area for new restaurants and young designer's boutiques. We wandered around the small streets, went window shopping and had a coffee in a scruffy bar filled with young artsy types. We continued on to Calle Serrano in the barrio Salamanca where the scene changes completely. This is where the city's best shops are - from Loewe to Carolina Herrera to Purificacion Garcia. We had lunch at Thai Gardens on Calle Jorge Juan where recently many new restaurants and shops have also cropped up.

This time, we decided to drive to Madrid (around 600 kilometers) and spend 3 days exploring the city a bit more. We left home at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday afternoon and arrived at around 11:00 p.m. We stayed with Therese in La Moraleja, a very nice neighborhood a few kilometers outside Madrid.

On Friday morning, we took the car into town. We walked to the Gran Via and stumbled on the modern restaurant, Mercado de la Reina we sat at the marble-topped bar for some breakfast. The place was packed and the prices were very reasonable. We all had Lavazza cafes con leche with Pan con tomate (toasted bread with tomato puree and olive oil) and an excellent slice of tortilla. Afterwards, Therese and I walked to the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum while my husband, our son and the nanny took the Madrid vision tour.

The Thyssen-Bornemisza museum is in a lovely building on the Paseo del Prado very close to the Spain's equivalent to the Louvre, the Prado museum. The museum has an excellent permanent collection but since we didn't have enough time, we only went to the temporary exhibition "The Mirror and the Mask: Portraiture in the Age of Picasso" (running until the 20th of May). There were ten rooms of portraits exhibited from Picasso, Van Gogh and Gauguin to Schiele, Modigliani, Freud and Dali. We put off the museum's permanent collection for another visit. The museum also has a nice store and a a lovely restaurant with a large terrace.

From there, we met up with everyone else in Barrio Salamanca. We had planned to have lunch at a newish restaurant called Pan de Lujo but when we tried to make a reservation for Friday, we were told that there was nothing available. While walking along Jorge Juan to find a restaurant open for lunch before 2:00 p.m., we saw the modern, white facade of Pan de Lujo and decided to walk in and try our luck with a table. We were the first customers in and were told that we could choose whichever table we wanted near the front as the back area near the garden was already fully-booked.

We settled in a large table right beside the window and admired the modern interiors for at least twenty minutes before someone actually came up to the table to bring menus and take our drink order. In the meantime, clients started to arrive and the place began to fill up.

Drinks were brought along with side plates which remained empty. We didn't see the waiter again till he came with our orders half an hour later. Bread, which we imagined was their specialty because of the name Pan de Lujo (Luxury Bread) was never served until the main courses arrived. The bread basket was composed of an uninteresting selection of rolls and bagel-like bread that was bland and hard. We were never served the accompanying flavored olive oil that all the other tables had as well.

The menu at Pan de Lujo is supposedly modern Spanish fusion. Since we were not that hungry, we opted to have only main courses. The waitress warned us that since we didn't order any starters, we would have to wait for a long time (since when are clients punished for not being that hungry?). Therese chose grilled Chipirones (baby squid) with vegetables. Alex chose the goulash with caramelized onions. Jerome and Yoly were sharing the truffled Albondigas (meatballs) with tempura fries and I chose the Iberico burger with french fries which was highly recommended by the waitress.

The whole experience was such a disaster that I don't know where to start. Therese's main course had six baby squid on vegetables that were neither grilled nor caramelized. Alex's goulash was three pieces of brown meat on a black plate with raw onions scattered on the top. Jerome and Yoly's meatballs never arrived and instead they were also given a burger. The Iberian hamburger was dry and came with one large piece of wilted lettuce, a thin slice of tomato and raw potato sticks. There was also dollop of grain mustard and watery ketchup spread out on the plate as a garnish.

The restaurant interiors were amazing - great lighting, good use of space, modern furniture but everything else didn't make sense. Service was spotty or non-existent, the food was bland, presentation was uninteresting and the portions were pitiful. Prices were high (e.g. my hamburger was 18 euros - about 25 US$) and bread was charged at 1.80 euros or 2.50 US$ per person. It's standard practice in Spain to have a cover charge in restaurants for bread and butter (which I still don't understand) but in places like Pan de Lujo, I find it petty and unnecessary to levy a bread basket charge when the restaurant is a fine dining establishment and no main course is under the price of 16 euros.

It is also so disappointing to have read favorable reviews about a restaurant that doesn't understand what it's concept is and tries to pass off mediocre food as stylish. The place has a lot of potential if only they concentrated on getting the service and food up to standards instead of just banking on their wonderful interiors and chic crowd.

Dinner that evening was at Wagaboo in Diversia, La Moraleja's small commercial center of restaurants, a bowling alley and cinemas. We were meeting up with my brother-in-law, Juan and his family - a total of 6 adults and 5 children.

Wagaboo is a place that understands what a good restaurant should be - cool interiors, attentive service, excellent food quality and reasonable prices. Their specialty is fresh pasta and noodles and have several Oriental selections as well as Italian options. The glassed-in kitchen shows the chef making the noodles by hand and brings some of the action and noise of the kitchen into the dining area. The place was packed and the food was very good.

I've been to Wagaboo several times before and the food and service are consistently good. After our lunch fiasco, dinner in Wagaboo was a delicious relief. We finished off the evening with ice cream cones at Giangrossi - an Argentine ice cream bar where we had espressos and dulce de leche cones.

The next morning, we took it easy and did a bit of shopping and hanging out. We walked around the Moraleja town center and had a coffee at the terrace of Cafe Pino near the fountain while the children played all day at home.

Dinner Saturday evening at Hakkasan (Calle de la Estafeta 2, Plaza de la Fuente in La Moraleja +34 91 650 84 80) was my brother-in-law's treat. Named after the famous Michelin-starred London restaurant of Alan Yau, this Hakkasan recreates the modern interiors of it's namesake but deviates from it's Chinese menu.

This restaurant serves Oriental/Peruvian cuisine which explains the diverse menu selections from ceviche to sushi to stir-fries. The place was empty when we arrived at 9:15 and packed by the time we started to order at around 10:00 p.m. A few celebrities were in attendance along with many chic locals so the place is also excellent for people watching (apparently Posh and Becks who are La Moraleja residents are regulars here).

We started off with Pisco sour cocktails and were served an amuse bouche of crispy shrimp balls. Several appetizers were chosen and placed in the center for everyone to share. We had the dim sum selection, vegetable spring rolls, ceviche and an assorted sushi plate. Each one chose a different main course to follow - Therese had the sauteed scallops, Mirta the stir-fried chicken with Chinese mushrooms, Juan the crispy beef, Alex the shredded duck with vegetables and I chose a seared tuna tataki (cooked on the outside and raw inside) with spicy sweet sauce.

The food was good although not authentic Oriental and the service was very efficient. I thought the appetizers were much better than the main courses and a good option might be to make a meal of many different kinds of appetizers.

For a neighborhood restaurant, Hakkasan offers a modern hip atmosphere excellent for a get together with friends wanting a bit of city sophistication in La Moraleja. It will be interesting to return in the warmer months when their large terrace will be open as well. Espressos and desserts were at the nearby Giangrossi again.

Sunday morning was spent packing and getting ready to go. After lunch at Wagaboo, we set off at 3:00 p.m. and made it back in 5 hours. Dinner was takeaway from Terrazza Dual located on the Golden Mile. This restaurant is a casual Italian that also offers pizza to go. The superb toppings, mozarella di bufala and rucula among others and the extra thin crispy crust make this Marbella's best pizza. The perfect end to another gastronomic weekend spent with family and friends.

*photos from this post were taken from the restaurants websites and on the internet.