TOKYO

Tokyo is my second favorite city after Paris and it's because the Japanese are the most similar to the French in their love of gastronomy and beauty, from the beautifully presented food in individual dishes or lacquered bento boxes to the intricately-wrapped packages in the boutiques and food shops.  When I was at Le Cordon Bleu, it was always my Japanese classmates who perfected the pastry pratique as they were naturals at recreating the glazing and decoration on the gateaux et patisserie.  Their attention to detail is present in their day-to-day lives and this is seen everywhere in Japan.

I had been to Tokyo for the first time in 2014 and explored the city on foot with my friend Rumi.  This time around, we chose to spend a week over the easter holidays with the kids to experience Tokyo during Sakura season (cherry blossom time).  Spring in Tokyo is usually rainy but mild and it was a nice change of weather from tropical Singapore.

We walked all over the city from  Ginza for shopping and eating to admiring the architecture and window displays in Omotesando Hills.  We went to Midtown and walked around the beautiful green oasis of Hinokicho park where we saw our first cherry blossoms then headed over to nearby bustling Roppongi.  We also visited the peaceful Shinto shrine  Meiji Jingu located in the middle of a 100,000 tree forest near Harajuku and Omotesando.

We also explored the basement food halls of department stores Matsuya and Mitsukoshi in Ginza which had an amazing selection of both local and imported food for takeaway.  Despite having spent a week in Tokyo, I still felt that we had only scratched the surface on what the city had to offer in gastronomic treats which just means that I'll be gong back sooner rather than later.

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Meiji Jingu
1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizono-cho,
Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 151-8857

*Open daily from sunrise to sunset (opening and closing times change depending on the season)

Ginza

Harajuku & Omotesando

Roppongi

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

GINZA

2014 is definitely the year of travel.  In January we spent a few days in Bali with family rediscovering the island.  In March, a much-awaited return to Moscow (last time I was there was 17 years ago) to show A the new and improved MOCKBA.  This was followed by two weeks in Manila with the kids and a trip to Tokyo in the spring.  As it was my first time to Tokyo, I was lucky that my good friend Rumi had just returned home to Japan after several years abroad which gave me the best food tour guide for my initiation to the amazing gourmet offerings of Tokyo. 

We stayed at the Imperial Hotel, a classic Japanese hotel, located close to the famous luxury  shopping area of Ginza.  On our first evening, we decided to see what the area had to offer.  Close by was a small street parallel to the train tracks lined with restaurants on either side.  A & I meandered along until we found a packed sushi bar towards the end of the road.  I won't even be able to tell you the name as all the signs and menus were in Japanese so we did what tourists usually do and just pointed out something on the menu.  It was a 12-piece sushi platter with  amaebi (sweet shrimp), maguro (tuna), hotate (scallop), ikura gukan (salmon roe), uni (sea urchin), negi toro (chopped tuna with chives), tamago (cooked egg), aji (mackerel), chutoro (fatty tuna belly), hirame (flounder), unagi (grilled eel) and the very strange kazunoko (herring roe) which neither of us ate.  All that plus a side dish of fried egg with mushrooms set us back around US$25 each - a bargain after all those stories about overpriced Tokyo.  We walked around the block a bit to digest our dinner and as we neared the hotel, we witnessed aTokyo phenomenon - hundreds of ladies queued up in several orderly single file rows waiting to greet a stage performer about to exit the theater across the street.  No pushing and shoving, each one waiting patiently with a piece of paper (greetings?) or a bouquet of flowers to offer the star.  The sense of order and respect - that was what my first impression of Tokyo.

The next morning, A set off for work while I had a leisurely breakfast and did my first day exploring Ginza which was several blocks away.  I started off at Hakuhinkan Toy Park, Tokyo's version of Toys R Us, and walked slowly up the street, window shopping and people watching.  By the time I reached  the middle, it was time for lunch so I followed Rumi's advice and went to Mitsukoshi where there are five floors devoted to food - the 11th and 12th for restaurants, the 9th for smaller self-serve counters with a large terrace, B2 for the food court and B3 for grocery items.  I went up to the the 11th floor and walked into the first one that caught my eye - a tonkatsu restaurant which has almost full with mostly Japanese and two solo diners, just like me, who looked like tourists.  I sat at a corner table and chose the tonkatsu and ebikatsu (prawn) set which came with soup, rice and pickles.  The food came quickly with the crunchy but not oily panko-crusted pork cutlet and the equally crispy deep-fried prawn set on a wire rack over a plate with some lemon and tartare sauce served with the brown rice I asked for.   On the table were the two containers of homemade tonkatsu sauce - one sweet and the other spicy along with some implements that I had never seen nor used before. It was basically a shallow corrugated ceramic  bowl and a piece of wood.  I looked around and saw what my neighbors were doing and realized that this was like a mortar and pestle and was being used to hand grind sesame seeds to be added onto the tonkatsu sauce to thicken and flavor it.  The tricky part out of the way, I finally began to eat my delicious lunch and finished it off with the tangy crunchy pickles.  One of the things I enjoy when I'm discovering a city is eating on my own - it gives me chance to concentrate on my food and at the same time observe the locals and their rituals.

After lunch, I walked to Ito-ya - Tokyo's premier stationery shop to have a look and ended up spending hours and lots of yen, ordering embossed leather luggage tags and purchasing cards and stationery.  It was late afternoon by then and my energy was flagging so I went to the nearest coffee shop I saw - Le Cafe Doutor - which was filled with locals sitting alone having mostly iced coffee.  I ordered a black coffee and enjoyed my caffeine for half an hour before walking the roundabout way back to the Imperial. 

The following day while walking around Ginza again, Rumi and I stumbled upon a months-old coffee boutique - Toriba - where they roast their own beans on site and have a small coffee bar where we sampled two types of their funky-named music-influenced blends - Jamaican Dub Mix and the Deep House Mix.   Later on, she also took me to the Bulgari's Il Bar where she made me the typical cold coffee served with sugar syrup and lots of ice.  This being the Bulgari, a tiny bowl of chocolate covered almonds also came with our coffees.  On our last day, after a morning spent at mega-store Muji, A and I had lunch and coffee at the nearby Dean and Deluca in Yurakucho.  For a coffee lover like me, the amazing  selection of coffee and different cafes from the self-serve Doutor to the high-end coffee with a view at the Bulgari, was a pleasure.

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Tokyo Cafes

Le Cafe Doutor

Toriba

Bulgari's Il Bar

Dean and Deluca

CHELSEA MARKET

On my last day in New York, I met up with good friend, Brooklyn native and fellow foodie C, who said I couldn't leave the cit without stopping by Chelsea Market - which houses an enclosed food court with specialized food purveyors including a large Anthroplogie boutique, a Posman Books 

and a Bowery Kitchens, restaurant supply store where I finally found a large metal cake stand which I had long-admired in the Dean & DeLuca stores.  Also in the same building are the offices and production facilities of the Food Network which makes for a captive clientele of foodies who often lunch at the market.

We met right after noon and walked around the place scoping out the area and doing a tour of what was available before deciding on lunch from the specialty butcher Dicksons Farmstand  where the daily blackboard menu listed pulled pork, banh-mi, roast chicken and hot dogs.  C had the pulled pork sandwich and treated me to a banh-mi (a Vietnamese sandwich usually made with roasted pork belly) with caramelized ground pork stuffed in a soft baguette and topped with pickled cucumbers and carrots and lots of fresh cilantro along with a fizzy organic lemonade.  We managed to snag one of the few tables where we devoured our sandwiches before heading off in search of dessert.  

We finally ended up at Bar Suzette where we lined up for a takeaway lemon, butter and sugar crepe made with the pedigree ingredients of Ronnybrook Dairy Farm butter, fresh lemon juice and natural granulated sugar.  Wrapped up in a paper cone, we then exited onto to 16th street and climbed up to The High Line where we enjoyed our dessert while taking a stroll in one of the prettiest parks created out of an abandoned railway.  We grabbed a post-lunch coffee at the Blue Bottle stand where I had an espresso while C chose an iced coffee then we walked further on until we found a spot in the shade of The Standard Hotel and listened to a classical quartet while enjoying the summer breeze, the Hudson river views and several years of catching up. 

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Chelsea Market

75 Ninth Avenue (between 15th and 16th streets)

New York NY 10011

Telephone: +1 888 727 7887

*Open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The High Line

Telephone: +1 212 206 9922

*Open daily from 7 a.m to 10 p.m. 

Access from the following locations:

• Gansevoort Street
• 14th Street (elevator access)
• West 16th Street (elevator access)
• West 18th Street
• West 20th Street
• 23rd Street (elevator access)
• West 26th Street
• West 28th Street
• West 30th Street (elevator access)

ABC KITCHEN

On our second evening in New York, we met up with Chef Z, an friend from the nineties who is the current executive chef at the Conde Nast Cafeteria (where we had breakfast a few days later but that's another story).  She knows her way around the NY culinary scene and chose the restaurant - ABC Kitchen - as she knew I was a fellow foodie who would appreciate something new.  The last time we saw each other was in 2010 in Singapore for a Hainanese Chicken lunch at the well-known Wee Nam Kee.

T and I showed up at ABC Kitchen where Z was already seated and waiting for us.  ABC Kitchen, another creation of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten with Phil Suarez, prides itself in its' locally-sourced menu serving modern cuisine using local, sustainable, organic and seasonal produce in a lively atmosphere.  The restaurant is located inside the ABC Carpet & Home  store with it's own entrance on East 18th street.  Listed as the Best New Restaurant of 2011 by the James Beard Foundation, the restaurant has been packing it in since it opened and is popular with both locals and tourists, young and old.

On that Tuesday evening, the restaurant was packed with large groups including the Food Network Senior Vice-President and General Manager Bob Tuschman who was seated right beside us.  The dinner menu is on one-page clipped onto a piece of cardboard with a large selection divided into market table (shared plates), appetizers, pastas, whole wheat pizzas, main courses and sides.  Food is served in different antique-looking dishes on polished wooden tables while servers are dressed in checkered shirts and jeans contributing to the casual farm-to-table cuisine at ABC Kitchen.

We ordered their freshly-made sodas (no Coca-Cola served here) - ginger-lime for Z and the basil-lime for me while T had a glass of Pinot Noir.  While we studied the menu, the chef sent out a complimentary starter, the heirloom tomato toast, for us to share - a slice of toasted country bread drizzled in extra-virgin olive oil and topped with sliced heirloom tomatoes and sprinkled with sea salt.  This was a sign of the food to come with the flavor of the fresh summer tomato making this dish a star.  Next, we were given a basket of fresh country bread and a dish of tiny spicy radish.

We ordered several items from the market table and appetizers to share so we would have a chance to taste several dishes form the menu.  Pretzel-dusted calamari - lightly breaded crispy and not oily, these squid bites came with marinara sauce and mustard aioli followed by crispy squash blossoms drizzled in honey and grated goat cheese - again, a perfect bite of sweet, salty and crunchy.  Another complimentary dish was sent out to our table - roasted beets with house-made yogurt - yellow, red and orange beets tossed in a cold creamy light yogurt.

For our main courses, we all shared two dishes: an appetizer portion of pasta - cavatelli with cherry tomatoes, prawns and and chili breadcrumbs and the mushroom, Parmesan, oregano and farm egg whole-wheat pizza.  The pasta was light and filling with the crispy spicy breadcrumbs bringing texture to the dish while the pizza was heavier with the mix of earthy mushroom and oregano and the rich flavors of the Parmesan and raw egg mixed into the hot dough.  We tried our best to polish off the pizza but Z ended up taking half home to her hubby for a midnight snack.

We were already quite full but couldn't resist to share the toasted almond panna cotta - a classic panna cotta served in a glass topped with apricot jam, compote and crumble - a tangy, sweet taste of summer.  Along with this, the chef sent us a final complimentary dessert - their signature sundae, which several chefs name as their favorite late-night sweet treat on Chefs Feed.  This delicious dessert is served in a large bowl where three scoops of salted caramel ice cream sit in a pool of dark chocolate sauce where a mix of candied peanuts and caramel popcorn float - all this topped with a dollop of whipped cream - heaven in a bowl and a cheeky dessert rendition of the classic ice cream sundae.  It was a perfect end to a perfect meal and one that I would gladly repeat every time I visit the big city. 

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ABC Kitchen

35 E. 18th Street (between Broadway & Park)

New York NY 10003

Telephone: +1 212 475 5829

*Open daily for dinner from 5:30 p.m. till 10:30 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, till 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, till 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and till 10 p.m. on Sunday.

*Brunch daily.  During the week from 12:00 to 3:00 and on weekends from 11:00 to 3:30 p.m.

NY EATS

DEAN & DELUCA

On our first morning, we headed off to Fifth Avenue for some much-needed retail therapy and to take advantage of the end-of-summer sales.  We headed straight for a quick breakfast at the centrally-located Dean and De Luca in Rockefeller Center.  This is a classic NY deli/cafe where one can be assured of good coffee and lots of amazing stuff to eat.  We shared a cheddar cheese scone and a sticky breakfast bun with some strong coffee and got ready to pound the pavement.  First stop was the new Canadian brand Joe Fresh and their flagship US store where there were loads of great bargains to be had.  Next was the 8th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue which is their special shoe department (with their own dedicated zip code) where we ended up spending a few hours trying endless pairs of pumps and sandals until finally making our selections. 

SERAFINA PIZZA on Madison and 79th

We still had Madison Avenue to get to so before lunch, we ended up at the J Crew Collection boutique on Madison and 79th where we bought a few more things which they offered to send to our hotel free-of-charge. Next was a quick lunch at Serafina across the street.

It was an overcast day so we didn't get a chance to eat on their roof terrace but stayed on the mid-level overlooking the street.  The place was packed with groups of ladies and families having a lively lunch.  The menu is extensive with antipasti, salads, pastas, main courses and pizzas.  We were tempted to have one of their famous pizzas but instead opted to share an arugula and Parmesan salad to start which came served with a basket of fresh ciabatta then pasta as our main course.   T had her favorite, linguine alle vongole veraci (clams in a tomato, garlic and white wine sauce) while I had the classic spaghettini pomodoro e basilico (plum tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and basil).  Both were delicious and perfect for a quick light lunch.  We skipped dessert and had espressos to end our meal the hopped in a cab to go back to our hotel with all our purchases.

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Dean & DeLuca
Rockefeller Center CaféOne Rockefeller Plaza (between 5th and 6th Ave.)
New York NY 
Telephone: + 1 212 664 1372
*Open Monday-Friday 7am-7pm • Saturday & Sunday 8am-6pm

*Many locations in New York and other States

Serafina Pizza
1022 Madison Avenue (at 79th St.)
New York, NY 10021
Telephone: +1212 734 2676
*Open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.  No reservations taken except for large groups.
Several locations in the city

OLD SAN JUAN

Doorways and facades in Viejo San Juan

A month after we arrived here in Puerto Rico, we decided it was time to finally explore Old San Juan which is the oldest city in U.S. territory.  This Caribbean island was founded by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and originally named San Juan after San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist).  The island's name was changed in the early 1500's to Puerto Rico (rich port) and San Juan was retained as the town name. Originally conceived as a military stronghold, old San Juan is just seven square blocks with the 16th century citadel, El Morro, and the Castillo de San Cristobal Fort, as its' main historical attractions.  There are also other interesting architectural sights to see while walking around  - the cathedral, city hall, the Capitol building a few chapels and churches.  Several museums are also located in Old San Juan - the Art and History museum, the Fine Arts Center, Pablo Casals museum among others. 

Panama hats at Ole

Small plazas serve as central areas in old San Juan where many restaurants and boutiques are housed in colonial buildings with colorful facades.  Walking around the tiny streets reminded me of the cobble-stoned walkways of Andalusia in southern Spain. We explored for a few hours wandering around the main streets of Calle Fortaleza and Calle Cristo when we stumbled upon a fantastic little hat shop, Ole, specializing in Panama hats - perfect head gear for the searing Caribbean midday sun. We looked through many of the hats they had on display and finally settled on a classic Panama hat which they fit to one's head and customize with the ribbon of your choice.  Setting off once more with cooler heads, we walked to Calle Cristo and had a look at the Hotel El Convento with its' shady terrace and rooms overlooking the inner courtyard.

By this time it was high noon and getting hotter by the minute so we decided to stop for some lunch at the Parrot Club, also on Calle Fortaleza.  The first of the six restaurants from the  OOF Restaurant group, Parrot Club opened in 1996 in Old San Juan and is right across the street from another trendy OOF restaurant, Dragonfly.  The restaurant serves Nuevo Latino cuisine with dishes like empanadillas de churrasco (flank steak turnovers), ropa vieja nachos, and ceviche.  We ordered starters only since the portions were good enough for a light lunch: St. Louis baby back ribs with crispy coleslaw, chicharrones de pollo - crispy fried chicken pieces covered in Caribbean spices, the empanadillas de churrasco y chorizo - crispy pastry cases filled with meat and sausage, quesadilla de queso fresco - filled with white cheese, and a Latin Cobb salad - the usual romaine, bacon and egg with the unusual hearts of palm, avocados and white queso fresco added in.  We also had iced teas and cold lemonades - perfect after the heat.  After our meal, we decided it was time to head home for a siesta and come back to old San Juan another day to explore the town more.

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Ole

105 Calle Fortaleza

Old San Juan

Telephone: +1 787 724 2445

Parrot Club

Calle Fortaleza 363

Old San Juan

Telephone: +1 787 725 7370

CAFE ANASTASIA

Bright and early from jet lag, I got up and went out on the deck to admire the view of the Pacific ocean then rushed my sisters to get ready for an early breakfast down the hill.  We ended up at Cafe Anastasia, the little cafe adjacent to the multi-brand fashion boutique, Anastasia.  As it was early, the place wasn't full yet but there were several local residents having their morning coffee.

Cafe Anastasia is a small restaurant with exposed brick walls, polished cement floors and very few tables indoors and a few more tables in their small covered terrace. It's semi-self serve so we placed and paid for our orders at the counter then settled on one of the outdoor tables as it was a sunny November morning.

The breakfast menu at Cafe Anastasia has lots to offer: eggs prepared many different ways plus house specials like waffles, pancakes and even bagel and lox.  For lunch, they have an extensive menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas and even pizzas.  As we were in Laguna beach, I decided to have the Eggs Laguna - poached eggs on toasted country bread spread with basil, avocado and thyme and served with slices of fresh melon and chopped tomatoes with a double espresso.  One sister had the Anastasia Omelet filled with mushrooms, bacon, onion and smoked Gouda cheese with a cappuccino while another just had a butter croissant and an Americano.  The coffees were good, the food delicious and the service friendly.  I liked it so much that I ate there twice more during my short stay in Laguna beach.  Next time, I'll make sure to stop by the boutique as well to have a look at their collection of hip designer clothes.

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Cafe Anastasia

Adjacent to Anastasia boutique

470 Ocean Avenue

Laguna Beach CA 92651

Telephone: +1 949 497 8903

* Open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for breakfast and lunch

Buenos Aires: A few of my favorite things

Artesania Argentina

Arandu - Avenida Ayacucho, 1924, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4800 1575)

Right smack in the tony neighborhood of Recoleta, Arandu has been in business since 1987 producing high quality traditional Argentinean arts and crafts.  From belts to ponchos, alpargatas to boots and all sorts of leather goods, pewter items to silverware, carriages to saddles and even clothes, are all beautifully displayed at their multi-story boutique close to the Alvear Hotel.  They have several branches in the city but it's this particular location that is often visited by celebrities and tourists in search of a souvenir or made-to-order equestrian equipment. 

Best buy: gaucho-inspired belt or alpargatas for less than US$20.

Lecuona de Prat Artesanias - Pacheco de Melo 1967 - 1C, Recoleta (Telphone: +54 11 4803 0253)

In an apartment located in residential Recoleta is this amazing boutique of Maria del Pino Lecuona de Prat (a mouthful of a name) where one-of-a-kind pewter items from Salta are for sale. There are trays and soap dishes, bracelets and picture frames, ice buckets and tumblers, all of them handmade.  Prices are not cheap but this is a real find.  Call first for an appointment.

Best buy: pewter stirrup-shaped teaspoon with a handle covered in braided leather for about US$10.

30 Quarenta - Arroyo 890, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4326 1065)

Although not a shop that specializes in traditional Argentinean artifacts, this colorful store on Recoleta's chi-chi antique furniture and art gallery street Arroyo, is a delight.  Antique posters, old toys reworked as lamps, decorative pieces and furniture.  You'll be sure to find something you like and if friendly owner Miguel is there, have a chat with him to find out a bit more about his whimsical designs.

Helado (a.k.a ice cream)

Argentina competes with Italy for best artesanal gelatos with an excellent quality and innovative flavors.  There is always the original, classic Freddo (several locations, Delivery ) but our favorite is Un'Altra Volta (also several locations, Delivery 0810 88-VOLTA) for their creamy flavors and an incomparable chocolate amargo (bitter chocolate).

Best buy:  Mini cones at both places for US$1.20 for a sweet afternoon treat

Treats to try: 

• fried (not baked) empanadas - the best ones I've tried are at El Mirasol (see below)
• medialunas de grasa (made from lard) and medialunas de manteca (made from butter)
• tostados de jamon y queso at any cafe for breakfast or an afternoon snack
• cortadito - a slightly taller espresso macchiato

Recoleta

A stroll around the neighborhood of Recoleta, mainly on Avenida Alvear and Avenida Posadas where several fantastic examples of Belle-Epoque architecture are evident and where the city's most expensive designer boutiques, both local and imported ones, are located.  Watch out for the dog walkers as well - another interesting Buenos Aires feature.

El Mirasol - El Mirasol de La Recova, Posadas 1032 (Telephone: +54 11 4326 7322)

My two favorites on their menu and probably the best versions in the city.  Empanadas de carne - hot crispy, fried pastries filled with a delicious ground meat and spice mix and Mollejas de corazon (veal sweetbreads) - sliced thinly and grilled to perfection and enjoyed just with a spritz of lemon.

Best buy: A dozen empanadas to go or to delivered to your doorstep in a box.  Empanadas are about US$1.50 each.

Alpataco, vinos y cuero - Avenida Pte. M. Quintana 450, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4806 9637)

Good value and reasonably-priced, wines are good presents for friends or for your own cellar.  There are several wine stores in the city but this is one that we liked because of the friendly service and knowledgeable staff.  They have a well-edited selection of wines accompanied by wine accessories and beautiful leather products making it a one-of-a-kind store. Plus, they pack the wines in styrofoam cases ready to be checked in for a long flight and deliver to your apartment of hotel.

Best buy: a bottle of the typical Argentine white wine Torrontes for around US$15.

Aldo's Vinoteca - Moreno 372, San Telmo (Telephone: +54 11 5291 2380)

In out of the way San Telmo, this wine bar is paving the way to proper enjoyment of wines with it's policy of selling wines with retail shop prices in the restaurant to encourage diners to splash out on a good bottle of wine instead of ordering the usual cheaper wines by the glass. It's an idea that should be copied wordlwide.

Best buy: a plate of cured salmon (US$11) with a bottle of Torrontes (US$15).

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

WORD OF MOUTH

Word of Mouth is a multi-concept store showcasing design in fashion, furniture and architecture with a cafe inside the store.  The space is bright and airy with a wooden deck off to the side overlooking the street and a quieter and cooler space inside with racks of clothes and other design items scattered throughout the place.

A friend and I had lunch there recently.  C had mentioned this place several times before but we never got around to it so we finally agreed to meet there for an early Monday lunch.  I arrived first and chose one of the glass-topped tables in the center and ordered an iced tea which was served on a raised wooden board.  When C arrived, we had a look through the menu and decided to order several dishes to share: a prosciutto and mozzarella panini, flat bread with crumbled Feta and caramelized onions, a small salad and falafel-like beet-root balls which came with a sour cream and pesto dip.  The sandwich was a fancy grilled ham and cheese with arugula and the flat bread was a lighter version of a pizza.  The beet-root balls were quite original though and the tastiest dish that we ordered - grated beet covered in breadcrumbs and fried - they were sweet, savory, crunchy and mushy at the same time and were delicious.  There weren't many people there but throughout the afternoon, there was a steady trickle of twosomes who stopped by for a coffee, a drink or a light lunch.

We lingered over lunch, catching up on news and before we knew it, two hours had passed and it was time for the school run so we walked to nearby Bali deli to pick up a few things, said our goodbyes on the street and  I rushed off back to Sanur.

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Word of Mouth

9 Jalan Kunti, Kunti Arcade

Shop # 10

Seminyak, Bali

Telephone:  +62 361 847 5797

MERCI and HERMES

On our second to the last day, my mom and I met R for breakfast at Merci - Paris' newest multi-brand concept store where a percentage of everything on sale goes to charity.  This bright, loft-like space has been converted into a carefully-edited shop showcasing design items: from notebooks to gently-used furniture to cult sandals from K Jacques and soft t-shirts from James Perse.  There is also a counter of Australian beauty brand Aesop (what I use) and another for Annick Goutal (Merci owners previously owned this brand along with the other cult children's label, Bonpoint).  The cheeky Citroen parked permanently in the inner courtyard along with plants and garden furniture just shows how much fun Merci has with design and that they don't take themselves too seriously.

Aside from all the wonderful things in-store, there are also two places to eat - one opening directly onto the street like a French-style diner and another cafe leading into the store.  The cafe walls are lined with floor to ceiling built-in shelves filled with donated hardcover books - partly decor and partly there for customers to flick through while enjoying a coffee.  Cozy armchairs and mismatched furniture are scattered throughout and spindly crystal chandeliers light the place.  The cashier's desk is an old used sink where cakes are also displayed.  It's hard to explain and has to be seen to be appreciated.

We met R at the library-like cafe and had a simple breakfast of oeufs à la coque with toast soldiers ready to dip into the soft-runny yolk. R also ordered one of the daily cakes - a buttery lemon cake which went well with our morning detox ginger tea.  After breakfast R headed off home to the Marais, my mom sat and read some of the books and I explored the store for a bit then it was back to St. Germain to visit another famous store.

The whimsical spring picnic window at the left bank's new Hermes store 

We had passed by the new Hermes space right by the Hotel Lutetia, it's first rive gauche (left bank) location, several times on our daily walks from the hotel to Saint-Germain-des-Pres but it wasn't until our last day that we ventured inside to have a look and good thing we did.  The store used to be a municipal swimming pool and the space has been lovingly restored, keeping some of the mosaics intact, into a large space to showcase everything Hermes.  Near the entrance there is a fragrant and beautifully-presented flower shop with a window display of in-season peonies.  There was a section just for scarves, another for books and even a little tearoom/cafe overlooking the rest of the store downstairs.  Below, there were pod-like sections for furniture, equestrian kit, cutlery, china and of course, bags and leather items plus anything else that Hermes makes.  Whereas their boutique in the rue Saint-Honore is classic and warren-like with smaller rooms leading off to other smaller rooms, this light-filled modern space is a way of making Hermes seem not so classic.  With the creation of this one-of-a-kind Hermes emporium, their scarves and bags suddenly seem younger and much more accessible although the prices are still skyscraper high.   It's worth it to have a look, maybe stop for an overpriced drink and at least enjoy the Hermes lifestyle for a few hours.

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Merci

111 Blvd. de Beaumarchais

75003, Paris

Telephone: +33 1 42 77 00 33

*Open daily except Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Hermes

17, rue de Sevres

75006 Paris

Telephone: +33 1 42 22 80 83

ERAWAN TEA ROOM

A  hidden-away tea room in the small Erawan shopping mall, the Erawan Tea Room is an oasis of calm with its' colonial-style interiors and shelves filled with a display of ceramics, teas and other goodies for sale.   Dark tables are set with green plates shaped like lily pad leaves similar to the traditional Portuguese Faience lettuce plates.  Music, oddly is sixties pop which might have been intentional in keeping with the "old-style" theme but was a bit strange considering the chic surroundings.

The menu is exclusively Thai with several specials (seafood was highlighted that month) and has several pages of traditional Thai dishes offered in both small and large portions.  On my first meal there, M and I had dinner -  yellow chicken curry for her and the stir-fried greens with crispy pork for me.   A few days later, A and I stopped by for a late lunch and tried some new dishes and drinks.  Fresh pink lemonade for A and the Pandan-flavored iced tea for me followed by several dishes to share: laarb (chopped pork sauteed in basil, chili and lime), stir-fried greens, Pad Thai prawn noodles which came wrapped in an omelet and steamed rice.  The Erawan Tea Room is a perfect lunch or afternoon tea stop after a day of shopping and an ideal place for either a girl's lunch or even a solo meal.  

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Erawan Tea Room

(managed by the Grand Hyatt)

2nd floor, Erawan Mall

494 Ploenchit Road

Bangkok

Telephone: +662 250 7777

Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. straight for morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner.