Afternoon tea in London is one of those quintessential travel experiences and I was very excited to try the Prêt-à-Portea tea at The Berkeley. The name for this fashion-inspired tea is a clever play on the phrase prêt-à-porter which refers to ready-to-wear clothing (a.k.a. off-the-rack) within the fashion industry. There are of course hundreds of places serving afternoon tea in London, from the traditional to the quirky, but for fashionistas looking for something different, I’d suggest booking an afternoon tea at The Berkeley. First served in 2005, Prêt-à-Portea brings a creative twist to the traditional English afternoon tea with cakes and pastries resembling the latest catwalk designs from the collections of the world’s top fashion houses and designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, and Chanel. Feel like eating a Oscar de la Renta princess gown sponge cake, a Alexander McQueen hat vanilla shortbread, or Manolo Blahnik… Read the rest
Archives for October 2015
Finding Hemingway in Key West: 12 Sites and Things to Do
Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West for the better part of a decade, and the traces he left behind, his house, his favorite bars, his fishing haunts, are still some of the most rewarding things to track down on the island. We spent several days doing exactly that on a trip to Key West: touring the Hemingway Home, eating where he ate, drinking at both bars that claim him, and flying out to the Dry Tortugas fort where he once sat out a storm. If you only do one Hemingway thing here, make it the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum on Whitehead Street, where he wrote and where his six-toed cats still roam. Around that, it’s easy to fill a couple of days: the two Hemingway bars, a Cuban meal, the little sculpture garden, a fishing trip, and a day out at Fort Jefferson. Below are 12 ways to find… Read the rest
London Walking Tours: See the Highlights of London in 1 Day
If you are trying to see as many highlights as you can in London in one day, you might consider taking a full day London walking tour. These walking tours take you through the heart of the capital city with a knowledgeable local guide and give you a chance to see and learn about London’s most famous sites. During my first visit to London, Laurence and I did a full-day London walking tour to get a good orientation of the city and see some of the most iconic sites. In one day, we saw so many recognizable landmarks, including the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Downing Street, Westminster Abbey, and the Houses of Parliament. In addition to seeing all these iconic London sights, we also got to visit and partake in some fun London experiences, including a visit to the Tower of London before the crowds,… Read the rest
Top Things to do in Amish Country Ohio: A Great Family Destination
Amish Country Ohio is located in northeast-central Ohio and contains the largest community of Amish in the world. The Amish community is centered in Holmes County with over 40% of the county’s current population being comprised of Amish people. The area is generally referred to as Amish Country Ohio and is a great place for visitors to learn about the history and local traditions of the Amish and Mennonite peoples, purchase traditional Amish handicrafts, eat a lot of hearty Amish food, and enjoy the great pastoral scenery of this region. Visitors can easily find plenty of things to do to fill up a weekend itinerary, whether it is sampling locally made cheese and chocolates, marveling over the famous local wooden furniture, viewing the amazing Behalt cyclorama, petting giraffes, touring a traditional Amish farmhouse, taking a scenic countryside drive, or enjoying a local theater performance. I was lucky to grow up near… Read the rest