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Chelsea Flower Show Celebrates Centennial Year

May 13, 2013 by Leave a Comment

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(photo source)

Chelsea Flower Show, May 21-25, 2013

This year marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most prestigious flower shows in the world – the Chelsea Flower Show. First known as the Royal Horticulture Society Great Spring Show from 1862 through 1912, the Chelsea Flower Show has been located at its current site on the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, in the United Kingdom, since 1913. Once Britain’s largest flower show (now held by Hampton Court), Chelsea’s draws 157,000 vistors each year and is the show most associated with the Royal Family.

5 Facts about the Chelsea Flower Show

  • It takes 25 days to put up the entire show
  • The number of exibits in 1913 = 244; in 2013 = 550
  • Garden gnomes, along with all colored sculptures are forbidden (although exhibitors try to sneak them in)
  • Two firms have exhibited every year since 1913, including McBean’s Orchids, and Blackmore and Langdon
  • The Great Pavilion, introduced in 1951, was name in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest tent, until it was replaced in 2000. The tent remains were used to make 7,000 bags, aprons, and jackets.

Learn more about the Chelsea Flower Show and other flower and garden shows around the UK.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , , ,

Destination Nespresso

May 6, 2013 by

Miami Nespresso

Although traveling for work can be tiring, tough on the family you leave behind, and often lonely, getting to know the cities you’re in can often provide just enough fun and change in scenery to make you appreciate your job, family, and your wonderful life. And, if you do your homework, you can become familiar enough with the city to feel somewhat like a local, or at least, comfortable with your surroundings.

When traveling, there are always three things I research in advance to help me feel more in tune with my destination city…

  • Running paths or trails
  • Local patisseries or dessert places
  • Coffee shops

Last week, I was fortunate to be in both Miami and Boston. Although each city is remarkable in it’s own way, I seem to focus on what matters most….and that’s finding a little bit of home through a safe and scenic place to run, fantastic food and desserts, and a great cup of espresso.

Now, as most of you know by now, my espresso habit is fueled by my Nespresso machine. Each morning it puuurrrs to me in that wake up and smell the dulsão de Brazil way. So it’s only natural that waking in a strange city becomes even stranger sans Nespresso.

Ironically, Miami and Boston (and Chicago for that matter) all have something in common… and more than just great food and fantastic running paths. They are all home to Nespresso boutique stores. This may seem insignificant, but if you know anything about Nespresso you know that they have very few boutique stores in the US (in only 8 states). And I just so happened to stop in two boutiques in two different states in the matter of 5 days!

 What I loved about each was how similar they were to the overall design (sleek, clean, and modern/edgy) and that they hosted a tasting area to sample their most popular espressos. Miami actually took their “tasting area” one step further by provding a full cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and a tres chic experience on a warm spring Miami evening.

With so many sites to see in Boston and Miami, you may wonder why I spent my time pining over coffee. In reality, coffee was just one small part of the overall experience on my trips – albeit an important part and one that made me feel a little closer to home.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

Italian Bellinis and French Macarons: Sampling “The World” in Chicago

April 22, 2013 by

Bellini

(photo source)

Happy Birthday to me! And how did this Bistro Chic celebrate her extra special day? Not only was I spending two luxurious days in an awesome Millennium Park hotel, but I was also off sampling the world in downtown Chicago.

Take a peek at my itinerary:

  1. Spain – Strolled among Picasso’s (Monet’s, Dali’s!) at the Art Institute
  2. Italy – Dined on small plates at Quartino’s Italian restaurant
  3. Italy – Enjoyed fancy drinks, including Bellini’s, at a swanky Chicago bar
  4. Hawaii – Shopped for Maui Jim sunglasses – check out my new shades!
  5. France - Topped off my post-birthday morning with a few French pastries, like these lovely macarons and madelines, oui oui!

Macarons from raddisson blu hotel

French Madelines 

And the best part of all? I get to do it all again next year!

Ciao!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , , , ,

3 Ways Parisians Stay Thin

April 15, 2013 by

French Table with food

(photo source)

The craze to be “Paris thin” has been around for years and for good reason.  Not only do the French have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, but obesity rates are 3 times higher in the US than they are in France.

A new book, The Parisian Diet: How to Reach Your Right Weight and Stay There, reminds us of the many subtle practices that the Parisians (or the French in general) follow to remain thin and healthy. Author and nutrition expert Dr. Jean-Michel Cohen notes that of all the things Parisians do to stay thin, it really comes down to 3 main behaviors:

3 Ways Parisians Stay Thin

They value quality over quantity. If you’ve ever seen the buffet lines on a cruise,  you will know exactly what I mean. Americans (and other cultures) are very much used to consuming large quantities of mediocre food and will actually complain when given smaller portions of quality food. For Parisians, when you eat quality food – prepared with fresh and flavorful ingredients – small portions (and fewer calories) go a long way.

They savor the dining experience. Like many Americans, I often rush through  my meals, whether it’s to get to my next appointment on time or because I’m subconsciously keeping pace with my dining companions. This rushing through meals (or mindlessly snacking) can lead to overeating because we don’t let our stomachs register that we are “full” until after we are already stuffed. In contrast, Parisians believe dining and the meal itself should be about the experience – the smells, the taste, the textures, and especially the company you’re with.

They eat what they love. That’s right, Parisians don’t avoid their favorite foods – be it cheese, meat, or wine. Instead, they eat what they love in smaller portions. In short, if you just can’t bring yourself to eat another salad, have the small hamburger, but skip the fries.

Read more tips on how to eat like a Parisian.

Ciao!

Filed Under: Misc

Lago Mar: The Quintessential South Florida Resort

April 8, 2013 by

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(Photo courtesy of Lago Mar Resort)

When I was in college, Ft. Lauderdale was a huge mecca for students. However, with all of the drinking binges, wild parties on the public beach, and endless hours laying  in the sun, I didn’t understand why parents with young children made Ft. Lauderdale a destination over very family-friendly places like Hilton Head or Disney World.

Fast forward 20 years, a timeframe where I’ve traveled to the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area numerous times – all sans kids. It wasn’t until just recently that I ventured to FL with my family where I finally realized the promise of this South Florida area.

Upon booking our week-long Spring Break cruise last August, my husband and I knew that we wanted to extend our vacation on the front and backends. We searched for weeks for a hotel/resort that lived up to what we now jokingly call our “hotel snob” standards. We uncovered chain after chain of hotels, all which were very near to the bustling public beach, which we knew we’d have to share with college-age patrons.

Finally, we discovered the Lago Mar Resort, a well-established, non-chain resort. Although expensive, the resort provided all of the amenities we had hoped and is located just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the typical Spring Break crowd.

Upon arriving at Lago Mar – very late on a Friday night – we were pleased to discover we’d been upgraded to an oceanfront suite, which included a separate master bedroom, two bathrooms, dining room, and spacious balcony. As you can imagine, the huge suite was a hit with the kids….ok, it was a hit with all of us. But it was not just the room size that impressed us (we were equally impressed with our large standard room on the backend of our vacation), but many other amenities – from the subtle to the significant.

5 Things I Love About Lago Mar Resort

  1. Decor - Lago Mar’s decor, from the lobby to the grounds, to the room, reminds me of the quintessential Florida resort, much like the ambience that Disney’s Grand Floridian has tried to capture. And it’s more than just the palm trees….the ornate woodwork, gorgeous lobby, and detail room decorations – not to mention one of the most beautiful lobby bathrooms I’ve ever seen – left us feeling completely relaxed and in vacay mode.
  2. Rooms - Sure, we were completely spoiled by the grand suite, but the standard room was just as “grand” – from the size of the room to the family-size bathroom. Our room also came equip with beautiful bed linens, comfy bathrobes, high-end toiletries – plus a great balcony with a partial ocean view.
  3. Activities - Similar to the resorts of yesteryear, Lago Mar gives guests the chance to really bond as a family and for adults to act likes kids all week long. The two pools provided a refreshing retreat, especially the lagoon pool, with its winding curves. If you’re near the pool around 4pm, you will actually be serenaded by a one-man band/singer. We also loved the many pool and beach-side activity options, including a playground, shuffleboard, ping pong, a putting green, volleyball, and a life-size chess board with pieces that needed two hands to move. Plus, at specific times throughout the week, the resort hosts exercise classes and special activities for kids, such as pizza parties or Easter egg decorating/hunt.
  4. Beach - Lago Mar is sitting on an absolute gold mine of a beach. The beach was as huge as it was clean and beautiful, with just enough shells to make kids happy and enough chairs and drinks to keep adults happy.
  5. Location - The location of Lago Mar is one of its best assets. It is nestled between a canal and the ocean, tucked away from the main touristy area of FL. This hideaway location made it ideal – the noise level was never high, the traffic was minimal, and the lack of neighboring resorts kept the “neighbors” away.

Overall, this resort experience was one of the best I’ve had in the continental US. Yet, it would not be a fair review if I didn’t mention a few caveats. The restaurant service was just so-so, and the pool/beach bar servers were extremely understaffed, especially for Spring Break. It was also very difficult to get a cab from the Lago Mar (to anywhere) during the peak times of the day (morning, due to cruisers, and evening due to dinner crowd). But these drawbacks are minor when you consider our overall – and amazing – 3 nights at the resort.

Would I recommend this resort for families? Absolutely! And if you plan to arrive during Spring Break 2014, you may just run into yours truly.

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , ,
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