Holiday destinations: Porto, Portugal

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Last week, I traveled with my husband to Porto in Portugal. Porto is Portugal’s second largest city after Lisbon set on the northern bank of the Douro River.

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The city is located inland from the Atlantic and the visitors can visit one of its popular beaches which I just a short train ride away.

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Although, Porto is not known as a city-break / weekend break destination, it is quickly becoming one of Western Europe’s most respected tourist destinations. In 1996, the historical center of Porto was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. This year, the city was nominated by WTA (World Travel Awards) in these 2 categories:

  • Europe’s Leading City Break Destination 2017
  • Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction 2017

The city boasts an extensive history, interesting tourist attractions and a buzzing nightlife.

If you like sightseeing then there is a lot to see and the city will appeal to a wide range of different visitors. As we arrived quite early on Saturday morning, we decided to take one of the sightseeing bus tours to quickly see all the main sites prior to exploring this colorful city on foot. There were lots of opportunities to admire the viewpoint of the terracotta rooftops and the city’s dreamy architecture.

Here is a short list of my suggestions of places worth visiting:

  • The Ribeira district – the oldest district of the city which is filled with ancient houses, narrow cobbled streets and numerous family owned restaurants, cafes and bars.

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  • São Bento train station – a 19th-century railway station located in the centre of Porto that features some beautiful tiles.
  • A mini-cruise down the Douro rivers admiring the architecture of the city and its beautiful bridges.
  • Dom Luís I Bridge – a double-deck metal arch bridge that spans the River Douro between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal.
  • Palácio da Bolsa –  a historical building built in the 19th century by the city’s Commercial Association in Neoclassical style.
  • Casa da Música – a modern design, 12-floor concert hall & top floor restaurant  completed in 2005.

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How to get there?

It’s never been easier to get there and Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates year round flights and holidays to Porto from Birmingham, London Luton and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, from £42 one way (£77 return).

For further information or to book Monarch flights, Monarch Holidays or Monarch Hotels, please visit www.monarch.co.uk

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I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Bansko, Bulgaria

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Are you looking for some winter holidays inspiration? If yes, then you should head to Eastern Europe to Bansko in Bulgaria. Bansko mountain resort is an excellent choice for your ski and snowboard holiday in Bulgaria.

It is the best winter resort in Bulgaria with the longest ski runs and the richest cultural history. The town of Bansko is situated at the foot of the Pirin mountain in the south-western Bulgaria, 160 km from Sofia (around 3.5 hours’ drive from the airport).

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The resort offers excellent ski and snowboard conditions and infrastructure. There are a lot of hotels of various standards and prices based in there. I would personally recommend Premier Mountain Resort or Kempinski Hotel if you like staying in luxury hotels.

What’s worth mentioning here, the prices of hotels, ski rentals etc. are probably 50% cheaper than in Alps so you can stay in a 5 star hotel for the price of 2/3 star hotel in Austria or France.

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Après ski

So what to do after a day on slopes? Après ski in the resort is really good and offers hundreds of bars, traditional restaurants and clubs where you can indulge after your skiing or snowboarding adventures.

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Location

Bansko is a ski and mountain resort located in the south-western part of Bulgaria. The town is situated 6 km from the town of Razlog and 160 km from the capital of Sofia. The town of Bansko is located 925 m above the sea level whereas its ski area – at an altitude of 2000 – 2600 m.

Resort information

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Bansko ski resort is attractive in all seasons nut I’ve only been there twice during the winter as I love skiing. The ski season in Bansko lasts from 15 December to 14 April. During the recent years a multimillion Euros investment in a brand new skiing area has been made by Yulen, the company that runs the skiing area of Bansko. Numerous new luxury hotels and facilities in the area of the Gondola lift station have been constructed. It provides excellent ski and snowboard facilities, as well as a unique history and architecture of an old and new part of the town.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Magical Afternoon Tea at Cake Boy, Battersea, London

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I love catching up with my friends and what a better way to do it than over a glamourous afternoon tea. I have recently visited ‘Cake Boy‘ in Battersea, London and I was really impressed.

Venue and location:

Cake Boy is located in a quiet, residential development on the award-winning Battersea Reach next to the river Thames in South West London. It can be easily reached by the public transport and Clapham Common station is only a short 10-minutes walk from the venue.

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Service and atmosphere:

The Afternoon Tea is served daily from 12 noon to 4pm. Cake Boy offers its guests a relaxing environment in beautiful surroundings. Guests have an opportunity to sit inside in a colourful lounge, in an outdoor seating area, or next to an open fire for those colder afternoons. Wherever you decide to sit, rest assured that you will have an unforgettable experience.

The menu: 

Cake Boy’s afternoon tea was created by its founder Eric Lanlard who has become a well-known global baking ambassador responsible for creating bespoke afternoon teas and sweet treats for the award winning P&O Cruises , Virgin Atlantic Airways and Marriott International .

Cake Boy offers 2 types of Afternoon Teas – Classic Cake Boy Champagne Afternoon Tea or a Classic Vegan Cake Boy champagne afternoon tea. We decided to experience a ‘Classic Champagne Afternoon Tea’. When we sat down, we were offered to choose from a selection of exclusive TWG teas. Next, we received an absolutely stunning set of beautiful sweet and savoury delicacies. Our waiter walked us through what was presented to us and, before he left, he sprayed some edible perfume. We started with a few finger sandwiches including:

  • Smoked salmon Zaatar croissant – Inspired by the Middle East this fragrant and buttery croissant is fill with smoke salmon topped with salmon caviar;
  • Ras el hanout chicken petit pain – A sweetly spiced Moroccan roasted chicken in a buckwheat sourdough bread;
  • Serrano ham pretzel – A light pretzel loaf with caramelised onion marmalade and sweet Serrano Ham, oven roasted tomato and baby basil buds.

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They were all tasty and beautifully presented. It was truly a feast for all senses! Once we finished our savoury treats, we moved to a selection of sweet cakes and pastries. I enjoyed them all but my favourite 3 were:

  • South American Rain Forest colonnade – A 72% towering Kayambe chocolade cylinder filled with Valrhona pistachio praline, passion fruit gel and a 66% dark chocolate mousse;
  • Red berry & lytchee pearls tart – A all butter shortcrust pastry filled with a red berry mousse topped with fresh forest fruits and juicy lytchee pearls;
  • Rum Baba verrine – A twist on this Parisian classic soaked in a lovely Madagascan vanilla syrup layered with crème patissière, Fresh berries in hibiscus nectar and an injection of dark west indies rum
  • Assorted macarons.

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Overall experience:

What can I say? Wow! Wow! Wow! Cake Boy is definitely a hidden gem and anyone travelling to South West London should stop by for some refreshments. This boutique patisserie’s décor is vibrant and lively, service is exceptional and our treats not only looked wonderful but they were also all extremely tasty.

In addition to the fabulous afternoon tea we experienced, Cake Boy is also a perfect destination for breakfast or lunch. Alternatively, if you would like to improve your cookery skills then you should check out Cake Boy’s state of the art cookery school where all classes are taught by Master Patissier Eric Lanlard himself who is according to Vanity Fair magazine, one of the best pâtissiers in the world.

I will definitely visit again soon!

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Price:

£45 per person

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

https://cake-boy.com/afternoon-tea/

Address:

Unit 2 Kingfisher House

Juniper Dr, Battersea

London SW18 1TX

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Christmas Entertaining at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London

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Let’s be honest, I am not an experienced chef and most of the beautiful pictures of food many of you admire on my Instagram are of the dishes made for me at the restaurants I dine at. Nevertheless, I love a challenge and I decided to eat out less and learn how to prepare some delicious dishes at home. As my family is joining me and my husband for Christmas this year, I decided to impress them and attended ‘Christmas Entertaining’ class at Leiths School of Food and Wine.

Location:
Leiths School of Food and Wine is located in a quiet area of West London close to Shepherds Bush. It is easily reachable by a public transport.

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Classes:
Leiths School of Food and Wine is the most prestigious and respected cookery school in the UK and it offers a range of classes for all ages and abilities in addition to longer courses and professional certificate and diploma qualification for aspiring chefs. You can learn many practical skills ranging from discovering world food recipes to knife skills to healthy eating as well as masterclasses with guest chefs. If you wish to polish up your cooking skills or simply learn some new recipes then I would suggest you to check a range of themed classes. They will help you to understand how to cook perfect curries, sauces, desserts or a perfect steak to name a few. The school has a purpose-built demonstration theatre, seating 40, as well as 4 fully-equipped teaching kitchens, each accommodating 16 students.

My experience:

I arrived at Leiths School of Food and Wine around 15 minutes before the class started and I was welcomed by a friendly receptionist who asked me to wait on the first floor with other attendees. There were some pastries as well as coffee and teas provided.

Our class begun with an introduction to Angela – a very friendly and approachable chef who taught our class that is also running her own successful catering business. We were put in pairs as our class comprised of a mixture of hands on cookery and demonstrations performed by Angela.

We all had an opportunity to practice preparing some dishes to get confident in creating a perfect Christmas meal and to entertain friends and family in style during the festive season. I was positively surprised by how simple and effortless our menu was. Most dishes were designed in a way that they can be partly prepared ahead to enable you to spend more time with your guests and enjoy their company.

The dishes we created during the class included:

  • Hot smoked trout with roasted beetroot and watercress;

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  • Marinated venison steaks and red wine sauce, with braised cabbage and thyme rosti;
  • Plum streusel tartlets with calvados cream.

To sum up, I really enjoyed the whole experience of attending the class at Leiths School of Food and Wine and got confidence in preparing the dishes we created during our hands-on cooking which was overseen by our approachable teacher – Angela. The whole experience runs like clockwork and I would recommend these classes to anyone who would like to polish their cooking skills. Whether you are an amateur or a cook you will definitely find a class or a course at Leith’s that will improve your skills.

What’s great about this cooking classes is that at the end of each session you have an opportunity to sit down with fellow students and enjoy what you prepared with a glass of wine or some elderflower water. I was impressed by everything we cooked on the day!

If you are still looking for a Christmas gift then Leiths School of Food and Wine offers a range of gift vouchers (from £50-£900) which would be a perfect present for a food-loving friend or family member.

To book your place on the next available course or class visit:

https://www.leiths.com/

Address:

Leiths School of Food and Wine,

16-20 Wendell Road,

W12 9RT London

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Pauline

Festive Afternoon Tea at The Tea Lounge in St. Ermin’s Hotel, London

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I moved to Colchester last December so I rarely travel to London now during the weekends. As a result, I do not see my friends often. As Christmas is approaching fast, I took my friend – Verity to a delicious and stylish afternoon tea in the pretty Tea Lounge at the St. Ermin’s hotel. I had a dinner this hotel at their Caxton Grill restaurant last month and absolutely loved it so I was really looking forward to having our Festive Afternoon Tea there.

Venue and location:

The Tea Lounge is located inside of Westminster’s exclusive St. Ermin’s Hotel which was voted a ‘Top London Hotel’ in Condé Nast Traveller Reader’s Choice Awards.

On my way to the venue, I decided to walk through St. James Park which is just around the corner but other attractions such as the Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland and the Houses of Parliament are only a short walk away. St. Ermin’s Hotel can be easily reachable by tube, bus or walking if you are exploring the central London.

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Service and atmosphere:

The Afternoon Tea is served daily from 12 noon to 6pm and sittings last 1.5hrs. We arrived at around 1 p.m. and we were welcomed by a friendly waitress. The St. Ermin’s Tea Lounge offers its guests a relaxing environment where you can indulge in the delights of afternoon tea whilst catching-up with a friend or spoiling someone you love. There was a soft, relaxing music playing in the background which was soothing after shopping on Oxford Street in the morning.

The menu: 

The St. Ermin’s Tea Lounge offers a variety of Afternoon Tea menus including gluten free and vegetarian options which are available on request. As soon as we sat down, we received a tea menu where we discovered a large selection of ‘Tea Makers of London’ teas. We both decided to have a pot of Festive Tea.

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Our tea arrived in no time and was followed by a beautifully presented stand of the sweet and savoury delicacies. We started with a range of finger sandwiches including:

  • Turkey, cranberry stuffing & baby spinach
  • Crayfish, rocket & lemon mayonnaise
  • Roasted squash, nut-free pesto & Somerset brie
  • Red pepper, hummus, mint & coriander
  • Salt beef, horseradish & mustard cress

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They were all tasty and presented well. Once we finished our savoury treats, we moved to a selection of sweet cakes and pastries. I enjoyed them all but my favourite 3 were:

  • Cranberry & vanilla verrine
  • Ginger mousse with mulled berry compote
  • Chestnut sponge, spiced pear jam, nutmeg custard & brandy cream

Lastly, we had some delightful freshly baked scones (Plain & fruit) which were served with some clotted cream and a selection of jams. What a perfect end to our festive Afternoon Tea experience!

Overall experience:

The St. Ermin’s Tea Lounge not only offers a welcoming atmosphere whilst being set in pretty surrounds but also offers a great selection of sweet and savoury treats which were all beautifully presented and tasty. What a great way to refuel after shopping all morning!

This was my second visit to St.Ermin’s hotel and once again I left impressed. I will definitely visit again soon!

Price:

£49 per person with unlimited prosecco is available throughout December.

Website:

For more information and to book visit:
https://www.sterminshotel.co.uk/eating-drinking/afternoon-tea/

Address:
Tea Lounge at St. Ermin’s Hotel, Autograph Collection
2 Caxton Street
Westminster
London SW1H 0QW

I hope that you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday ideas: Norwegian cruise from New York to Bahamas & Florida

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As some of you know, I have just returned from my trip to The USA. I had a great time discovering New York and its surroundings. In addition, I also went on a cruise from New York to Bahamas & Florida and I really enjoyed it.

The common misconception on holidaying at sea is that cruises are only for pensioners. Until a few years ago, that was exactly what I thought. However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. This was my third cruise and I am sure that there will be many more to come. This year, I went with my husband on a 7-day cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) on their ship the ‘Norwegian Breakaway’ from New York to Bahamas and Florida and I  would recommend it to anyone who is travelling to the Big Apple. You are probably thinking why? If you are intrigued then read on…

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Itinerary

The itinerary of this NCL cruise from New York combines the best of two great destinations – Orlando and Bahamas.

Our first stop was in (Port Canaveral). There were many excursions to choose from including a visit nearby Kennedy Space Centre, Daytona International (NASCAR) Speedway Tour, soaking up the sun on one of Florida’s beaches, going shopping or having fun at one of the theme parks. We decided to take a transfer (organised by NCL) to Universal Studios and we had a wonderful day.

Our second stop was in Great Stirrup Cay in Bahamas. Unfortunately, due to strong winds we were unable to tender to the island but I had a relaxing day sunbathing on top deck of the ship whilst sipping some cocktails.

Our final stop was in Nassau- the capital of Bahamas. This beautiful island is known for beaches and offshore coral reefs that are popular for diving and snorkeling. Once again NCL’s excursion team had many places and activities to choose from including a visit to  Atlantis Aquaventure park or Balmoral Island Beach.

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We decided to have a beach day at Blue Lagoon Island. Our excursion started with a 40-minute scenic boat ride through historic Nassau Harbour towards Blue Lagoon Island. We then discovered that many celebrities including Beyonce, Michael Jordan and Serena Williams love spending their spare time on the island and have bought some impressive properties there.

Once we arrived at Blue Lagoon Island we went to a private beach and enjoyed sunbathing whilst admiring its clear, blue waters.

The food & drink

As some of you know, I am a massive foodie. What I love about cruising is that you can always go and grab something to eat at one of many tasty eateries and you can dine on your time not on a schedule. As with other ships in Norwegian’s fleet, the Breakaway practices Freestyle dining, meaning there’s no early or late assigned seating and reservations are not allowed in the complimentary dining rooms. There are 28 restaurants on The Norwegian Breakaway ship with a mixture of complimentary and specialty dinning restaurants that range from the buffets to A la carte restaurants. Each day gives guests a chance to wet their appetite with something new. We bought the ultimate dinning package for 3 days and it gave us an opportunity to experience some amazing cooked to perfection meals in:

  • Cagney’s – a classic steakhouse serving cooked to perfection meals;
  • Le Bistro – a superb French restaurant that is perfect for a romantic meal onboard your cruise ship,
  • Teppanyaki – Japanese cuisine in which food is grilled live in front of guests and served to them in a restaurant.

During the remaining 4 nights we dined in the complimentary restaurants – Savor, Taste, Manhattan Room (with a dance floor and live music) and in O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill offering the best chicken wings starter ever! All our meals were enjoyable and the waiters were extremely friendly and attentive.

What about drinks? There are many bars throughout the ship. We bought an all inclusive package that included most alcoholic drinks, cocktails and soft drinks. I loved the ‘mudslide’ cocktail so when you decide to travel with NCL then you should definitely try it!

Cabin

We stayed in a Spa Mini-Suite with Balcony. Our room had a private balcony, large double bed and sofa, TV, minibar and coffee making facilities.

Our bathroom had an oversized waterfall shower-complete with body spray jets and complimentary toiletries from Givenchy were provided.

Relaxing

When it’s time for relaxing, there are several ways to let your hair down. Norwegian Breakaway ship has a Mandara Spa which offers a steam room, sauna, Salt room and therapy pools. Passengers can also enjoy one of many treatments such as massages or facials for an extra charge. The access to Mandara Spa was included with our Spa Mini-Suite room which was perfect as I spent quite a bit of time in there relaxing whilst we were at sea. There was also a hair salons and a gym located just next door to the spa.

Entertainment

There are plenty of activities to do and it’s impossible to get bored on a cruise. Norwegian Breakaway ship has swimming pools, running track, gym, climbing wall and a video games arcade. There are also many dazzling shows on offer including ‘Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy’, ‘Burn the Floor’ or Rock of Ages’. If you love art then you can attend one of the lectures and learn more from the on-board’s Arts Gallery staff.  In addition, you can have a drink in an Ice Bar, attend one of the wine tastings, play bingo or ‘Deal or No Deal’, enter a karaoke competition, or splash some cash in the casinos. Kids can be left under supervision a the Splash Academy (3-12 years old) or Entourage (13-17 years old) so you can enjoy many of the activities available on board.

Final thoughts: 

Cruises are like floating cities- there is plenty to do, discover and enjoy whist on-board. Nothing can beat the thrill of being transported to an exciting new destinations whilst you sleep. In addition, as there are almost 4000 others traveling with you, you can meet interesting people from all over the world and make some friends. I had a great time on my Norwegian cruise and I cannot wait to enjoy some more holidaying at sea.

You can book your cruise on:

https://www.ncl.com/uk/

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Our stay at Chilston Park Hotel in Lenham, Kent

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Whether you are looking for a romantic break for two, a spa break or just a weekend away then you should definitely check what Hand Picked Hotels offer. It was my first adventure when I discovered one of their properties and let me tell you – I loved it. I recently travelled to Kent’s countryside and stayed in the stunning Chilston Park Hotel. If, like me, you are seeking the best places to stay in then you should definitely visit.

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Location:

Chilston Park Hotel in located in the picturesque village of Lenham. Visitors can easily reach it whether they are travelling from Ashford, Dover or London which are only a short drive away. If you enjoy romantic walks then the hotel offers picturesque views of its neighbouring lake combined with a tranquil charm of its garden.

In addition, if you are planning to stay in Kent for a few days then Chilston Park Hotel would be a perfect base from where you can experience this beautiful part of England with many famous castles, landmarks and nearby white cliffs.

Service:

As soon as we entered the hotel, we were welcomed by a helpful receptionist. The porter took us to our rooms and as there was some time to spare we decided to have a drink at the historical lounge. Both bar and restaurant staff were helpful and professional.

Rooms:

Chilston Park Hotel offers its guests 53 bedrooms to suit their needs and budget – ranging from classic rooms to exclusive suites. All rooms were individually styled and are now known by a name, not a digit, as they have their own unique history and feel. Some rooms come with a view of the lake others overlook the grounds. Most importantly they all provide homely comforts you require whilst being away from home.

We stayed in ‘Evelyn’ which features a stunning views across the garden and grounds. Our room featured a comfortable, pencil four poster bed with luxury linen, a large wardrobe, coffee table with two chairs and a telephone. In addition, there were tea and coffee making facilities.

Our en-suite bathroom also had a classic décor. A selection of natural bath toiletries was supplied. In addition, there were some soft towels, slippers and bath gowns provided.

Facilities:

Besides its charming rooms, hotel features the bar, lounge as well as a pretty garden. After sightseeing during the day, the bar was a great place to relax and enjoy a drink. A nice selection of alcoholic beverages and cocktails was on offer.

In addition, there were many great historic features such as beautiful classic staircase, fireplace with two guarding lions and a bookshelf with lots of old historic books.

Restaurant:

The hotel also prides itself in having a 2 AA Rosette – ‘Culpeper’s’ restaurant that offers an inviting atmosphere and is located in the original dining room of the house featuring a decorative ceiling and fireplace.

As we are massive foodies, we decided to have our dinner there and we were impressed with the vibrant, modern British, seasonal dishes created by the head chef – Adrian Martin. I was also happy to discover that many of the ingredients were sourced locally to offer the highest quality dishes. We decided to have some house red wine with our meal but diners also have an opportunity to sample some of the wines offered by the sommelier.

To start with I had some pan seared Rye Bay scallops with burnt onion relish, cauliflower purée and pancetta crumb. They were simply divine. My husband had some griddled tiger prawns roasted in red pepper sauce, citrus and parsley oil.

For my main, I decided to have some roast fillet of Atlantic cod in parsley cream sauce whilst my husband had a crispy belly of Caldecott pork and braised cheek layered with garlic and potato cake, caramelised apple puree and Biddenden cider vinaigrette. Both dishes were cooked to perfection and we finished them in no time.

Choosing a dessert was not a problem at all when I saw a sticky toffee pudding on the menu. It was accompanied by some Butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream which was simply mouth-watering. My husband decided to have a selection of British cheeses served with some homemade chutney and Miller’s Damsels wafers.

Overall experience:

Chilston Park Hotel offers a charming accommodation to anyone seeking to experience a relaxing and unforgettable moments in the English countryside. From the moment we entered, we were enchanted by its history, décor and pretty location. Both food and service were faultless so I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who plans any adventures to Kent.

I would love to experience some other hotels from Hand Picked Portfolio as I was really impressed with this establishment.

Website:

For more information and to book visit:

https://www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/chilstonpark/

Address:

Sandway, Lenham, ME17 2BE, Kent United Kingdom

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Universal Orlando Resort, Florida, USA

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I have recently visited Universal Orlando Resort with my husband. It is based in Orlando in Florida (USA).

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Universal Orlando consists of three theme parks:

  1. Universal Studios Florida,
  2. Universal’s Islands of Adventure,
  3. Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park.

If you like theme parks then you will love Universal resorts as it brings yours and your children stories, myths, cartoons and tales to life. As we were in the resort only for a day we decided to visit only 2 out of 3 parks.

Firstly, we made our way to Universal’s Islands of Adventure. This park consists of lots of theme specific attractions such as:

  • ‘Skull Island: Reign of Kong’ – multi-dimensional, interactive ride on a mysterious island.

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  • ‘Marvel Super Hero Island’ – where you can find attraction such as The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (3D thrill ride) , The Incredible Hulk Coaster (high-speed roller coaster) or a Doctor Doom’s Fearfall.
  • ‘Toon Lagoon’ with a range of water rides.
  • ‘Jurassic Park’ where dinosaurs have been brought back to life.
  • ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade’ where you can walk around the Hogwarts castle, visit the shops of Hogsmeade and enjoy some more exciting rides.

As we had a Park-to-Park admission ticket, we were able ride the Hogwarts Express train from Universal Islands of Adventure to jump in to the 9 and 3/4 platform at Kings Cross in London. As I love the Harry Potter movies, it was a great experience as I was able see characters and creatures from the movies whilst commuting between the parks.

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Once we disembarked the train, we were at the  Universal Studios Florida. This second amusement park consists of many picture and television studios where guests can experience films and TV shows at the variety of locations. There were many attractions to enjoy and these were my favourite ones:

  • ‘Production Central’ where you can experience TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D, Shrek 4-D or Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.
  • ‘New York’ where you can experience a thrilling Revenge of the Mummy the Ride or party with the The Blues Brothers.
  • World Expo where you can take the rides with the characters from The Simpsons or shoot some aliens on a MEN IN BLACK™ Alien Attack ride.

To sum up, we had an unforgettable day full of adventure experiencing many cutting edge and interactive rides. If you are looking for spectacular entertainment for the whole family then you should definitely visit Orlando Resort. In addition, there are many on-site hotels and eateries for an endless fun. I would definitely recommend to visit for a few days though. Although we had an amazing day, our visit felt rushed as we were running from one attraction to another. I will definitely visit this resort again however next time I will stay for a few days to enjoy it fully.

For more information visit:

https://www.universalorlando.co.uk/

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Pauline

Learning how to cook at the Cookery School at Little Portland Street

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I eat out a lot as I travel for work and when I am back home I do not always have time to prepare complex meals. When I cook though, I tend to prepare the same things over and over again. I decided that this has to change as I’ve put on a lot of weight recently. I spoke to my husband and researched some cookery schools. As we live in Colchester, I decided to travel to London and join some classes at the Cookery School at Little Portland Street.

Location:
Cookery School at Little Portland Street is perfectly located in central London – just around the corner from Oxford Circus station. If, like me, you need to travel to London then after your classes you can stay shopping and enjoy the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city.

Classes:
This cookery school offers a range of day, evening and weekend cooking classes for all ages and abilities. You can learn everything ranging from short courses in knife skills to preparing complex stews or pastries. In addition the school also offers some theme based classes such as ‘A taste of Mexico’, ‘Spanish Home Cooking’, South African / Indian cooking classes. If you wish to impress your family with some delicious dishes then perhaps you could join one of their Christmas specific classes – they all look fabulous. Similarly, the Cookery School at Little Portland Street also offers some great cooking courses which run over a number of days / weeks. Definitely worth checking out!

My experience:
Let’s be honest, I am a beginner when it comes to cooking and any fancy food you see on my social media is normally prepared for me. Nevertheless, I’ve always wanted to learn how to cook well and how to make delicious dishes that can be prepared speedily. It’s not that I am lazy but as I commute on a daily basis, in particular during week days I am just too tired to cook from complex recipes.

So far I have attended 2 classes at Cookery School at Little Portland Street.
Firstly, let me tell you about my ‘ultimate fish and shellfish’ class. Our day began with a welcome of freshly baked cheese scones accompanied by some tea and coffee. We started our day by learning how to buy the best quality, sustainable fish and shellfish. I found the shopping tips extremely useful and I know now what to look for whilst selecting fish – i.e. did you know that the eyes, smell and feel should be all considered? I certainly didn’t before coming to this class. Throughout this cooking class, different techniques of preparing fish such as skinning, filleting and boning were presented. All students also had an opportunity to practice them before we moved to trying different methods of cooking, including grilling, frying, baking, poaching and steaming. Our teacher – John explained which methods work best for different fish types. We were working in pairs  to prepare lovely dishes such as:
• fish stew with a lobster bisque base;
• calamari braised in red wine;
• pollack with a black butter, parsley and caper sauce;
• moules marinieres;
• catch of the day en-papillote with hollandaise sauce;
• griddled diver scallop salad with an oriental dressing;
• grilled prawns in the Mozambique style with green salsa or a fresh chilli sauce;
• fish cakes with tartare sauce;
• mackerel with a gooseberry sauce;
• smoked mackerel pate.

The session ended with a feast around the Cookery School table where we all had an opportunity to taste the dishes we created during the day. They were all tasty and cooked to perfection.

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Secondly, I attended a short cake baking class. During a three hour session, all participants learnt the all-important rules for successful baking. The class was led by Ghalid who was superb to learn from. I’ve never baked before so I warned him before I joined the class but with a smile on his face he was extremely supportive and provided me lots of valid tips and tricks to start baking my own cakes.

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Once again it was a hands-on class where we were creating some cakes from the recipes provided including:
• Victoria sponge cake;
• Lemon cake;
• Devil’s food cake;
• Olive oil & sauternes cake;
• Swiss roll;
• Carrot cake;
• Basic sponge;
• Gluten free orange cake;
• Chocolate ganache and a variety of icings.

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A few cakes were pre-made so that we could experience their appearance and texture. At the end of the class, we all sat down with a cup of tea and were able to sample all that we had made during the afternoon. In addition, we were given a take-away box to take home any leftovers with us. Simply amazing especially if you are a complete beginner to baking.

To sum up, classes offered at Cookery School at Little Portland Street are relaxed and casual nonetheless at the same time they are all well organised. What I enjoyed the most was a mix of demonstration combined with some hands-on cooking which was always led by qualified and approachable teachers. The whole experience ran like clockwork with kitchen helpers assisting the teachers and students doing all the washing and tidying in the background making sure that the whole day is enjoyable. Although, I attended only two classes, I learned a lot and I have already started recreating some recipes at home to the delight of my husband. There was a range of dishes that were cooked / baked during my sessions and they were perfect for anyone no matter if you are an experienced cook or a beginner like myself. I would recommend these classes to anyone who would like to improve or polish their cooking skills. I will definitely enrol on some more classes as they’ve been a great help and I cannot believe how much knowledge I consumed during 2 sessions. Correspondingly, my teachers provided me with some tips on how to cook sustainably which were all very enlightening.

To book your place on the next available course or class visit:

https://www.cookeryschool.co.uk/

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Pauline

Dinner at Kahani, London, United Kingdom

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My husband loves Indian cuisine, so this week we decided to experience Kahani – an exclusive, Michelin star, fine-dining Indian restaurant in central London.

Location:
Kahani is located opposite of the iconic Cadogan Hall, besides being on the doorsteps of luxurious boutiques and department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods in Chelsea, London. It is easily reachable by public transport and is within very close proximity to Slone Square tube station whilst Knightsbridge station is only a short walk away.

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Atmosphere:
Kahani’s décor is simply stunning – the restaurant is both modern and chic with the earth tones of green, red and brown as well as a reoccurring theme of the Hamsa hand (symbolizing the Hand of God) visible throughout the venue.
The restaurant is perfect for an intimate dinner date where you can start with a drink or two at the bar followed by sharing some amazing Indian cuisine. Large groups can also be accommodated as the restaurant sits up to 90 and has a separate, private dining area above the kitchen. The service was faultless so I would also consider it as a venue for business lunches or dinner as I am sure it would leave your colleagues or clients impressed.

The menu:
Indian cuisine has been established in the UK for over 200 years with the first British curry house being opened in 1809. The restaurant’s Head Chef – Peter Joseph was raised in Chennai in India and his objective was to bring a fresh approach to Indian cuisine, starting with naming his restaurant ‘Kahani’ as it means ‘story’ in Hindi to combining the traditional take on Indian cooking with his experience in British kitchens and adding his signature modern twist. He achieved that by creating an artistic menu combining the best seasonal and traditional British ingredients with Indian spices and culinary techniques.
We decided to be adventurous and asked the chef to prepare some of his signature dishes to share. We started with a selection of starters. They were all full of flavour, but we absolutely loved these 3:
• Soft shell crunchy crab with Mangalorean spices, kachumber and smoked tomato chutney;
• Octopus and calamari chaat served with some kasoondi mustard, sweet potato and grapefruit;
• Smoked Malabar prawns marinated with fresh turmeric, coconut, curry leaves.

Our starters were not only presented beautifully but they were tasty and original. My personal favourite was octopus and camari chaat – the combination of seafood with some sweet potatoes and grapefruit was simply perfect as it was both refreshing and flavoursome.

Next, it was time for our mains, we were again positively surprised by a chef with his modern take on a butter chicken and Kerala Fish Curry based on Halibut simmered with shallots, turmeric, tamarind and coconut. Our mains were served with some rice and nan bread which were all scrumptious.
Lastly, we decided to order a dessert platter to share. My sweet tooth was definitely satisfied as all of the desserts featured were mouth-watering.

Overall experience:
Kahani is a hidden gem in a busy Chelsea. It is the best Indian restaurant I’ve visited so far in London and it offers great traditional Indian cuisine with a modern, British twist. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to experience Peter Joseph’s signature blend of spices and flavour pairings. He will take you on a journey and paint a story of an incredible Indian cuisine. Menu has a lot to offer so if you would like to experience the best Indian cuisine has to offer then you should definitely visit.

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Website:
For more information and to book visit:
https://www.kahanidining.com/

Address:
1 Wilbraham Pl
Belgravia
London SW1X 9AE

I hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline