Category Archives: Travel

What is the Rimba Jimbaran in Bali really like? Part 1

08 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Indonesia, Travel

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What better thing to do on a rainy night than to recall more sunny ones? Oh Bali, it has only been a few weeks, but how I’ve missed you.

The Rationale

A few months ago, my friends and I decided to go to Bali over easter break. Sunshine, blue skies, white clouds, clear water and a massage was exactly what we needed. Being the nerds that we are, we naturally proceeded to create an Excel Spreadsheet to highlight all the pros and cons of each resort (which we gathered through critical analysis of Tripadvisor reviews). We then created a ranking system to decide the absolute best one (in terms of value, quality, convenience etc.) for our holiday. Rimba Jimbaran came out number one because of the following reasons:

  1. Distance to airport: It is a short half hour ride from the airport, which is a major plus. A year ago when I went to Bali for the first time, I discovered that they do not have any highways, and ended up stuck in traffic for more than an hour before arriving at my resort (near the Tanah Lot temple). So this time I wanted to be as close to the airport as possible to minimize travel time. Though I’m told by the driver that they recently did indeed built a highway and traffic is slightly better. Incidentally, Seminyak is about 30-45 minutes away depending on traffic. Oh and on a side note, the airport is MUCH improved since a year ago. All shiny and new!! On a side note to the side note, did the immigration officer ask anyone else for tips? We thought it was highly unusual.
  2. Shiny and new: Speaking of shiny and new, the Rimba is shiny and new as of last November. We figured that April is a good time to go. It gives the hotel time to work out the kinks, but still allows you to enjoy the newness.
  3. Multiple pools: Travelling in easter, we were worried that the pools would be overly crowded and noisy with children. The fact that the Rimba had multiple pools (and access to the Ayana pools) was a major plus.
  4. Access to the Ayana: One major minus for the Rimba is that it does not have a sea view. This is important because.. well its Bali. It is one of Bali’s key selling points. Instead, the Rimba is located on top of a mountain (or hill?), overlooking a forest (the name means forest I think). Luckily for Rimba, guests also have access to its sister hotel, the Ayana, which is located right next to the sea, and has a private beach. There’s even priority access to the infamous Rock Bar (even though we did not end up going)! Ayana also has a world renown spa and lots of restaurant choices (the Rimba only has 2 restaurants). There is a tram that goes back and forth the hotels, which is very frequent. The two hotels are literally 3 minutes away from each other.
  5. Great reviews: To be fair, the Rimba does not have that many Tripadvisor reviews yet. But the majority of them were great, commenting on the excellent service and helpfulness of the staff, and what a great hotel it is in general. Compared to some of the other reviews I’ve read during my research (i.e. Sofitel, which is also a new hotel), Rimba’s reviews were encouraging.
  6. Value: Compared to the W Hotel, the Seminyak, Le Meridien, Conrad and the Sofitel , the Rimba (being a newly hotel I guess?) is also relatively affordable. It came out to be in the high/mid-range in terms of pricing out of all the hotels we considered.

Taking all these things into consideration, the Rimba Jimbaran presented the best value in all areas for us – and we were not disappointed. We had an absolutely fabulous time, and only wished that we could stay longer. I would definitely recommend it to friends! There are so many things to say about the Rimba that I don’t even know where to start. So I figured I will go chronologically.

Arrival

Airport: Our flight arrived in the late afternoon. We debated whether to use the VIP pick up service (because of possible crowds/lines over easter), but in the end elected not to use it. We were not sure how much added value it would be, besides possibly avoid being asked for tips by the immigration officer (and potential repercussions). Besides, don’t they need to match our faces to our passports? As it turns out, the lines were not that bad, even though I had to get on the ground visa (perhaps about 20 minutes in total?). Once we got out, we easily spotted the staff from Ayana/Rimba, and were escorted to our car. The drive to the resort was a smooth 30 minute ride.

Welcome: We arrived at the hotel at around 6pm, and were greeted by staff with our welcome orchid necklaces. Upon stepping foot in the lobby, we were momentarily distracted by the modern decor and the amazing view of the last of the sunset. There are two front desks on either side of the lobby, and to this day I’m still not sure if they are the concierge or reception (or both?). All the staff were busy with guests though, and we waited around for more than 10 minutes before we were able to check-in (there are no clear lines as to where one should line up). It was only when we were checking in that they realized that they had forgotten our welcome drinks and towels. Having said that, the drink was delicious and very refreshing. Some kind of rosemary lemonade.

The Jimaran Bay Room

We selected the Jimbaran Bay Rooms, because we hear that the regular rooms face parking lots, and worried that there will be no privacy at the pool access rooms (we would probably have to keep our blinds down all the time).

Sound proofing: Our rooms are conveniently located a few doors down from the lobby. I thought it was great – less walking! But I quickly learnt that night that it was also its downfall. I have read similar reviews before, and I can now confirm that they are indeed true. The walls are paper-thin. You can hear EVERYTHING – people walking past at night, talking and laughing. Children shrieking.  I can even hear my friend laughing next door! Needless to say, sleep was not exactly restful – and my beauty sleep is important! This is a major minus. But to be fair, this is already the biggest complaint of just a few other nit picky things about the room.

Room design: Back to the room, it is modern, clean and chic, designed in neutral earth tones. Slightly on the smaller side (given that it is in the middle of a forest, you would think they could be more generous with sizing), but still comfortable with a small sofa/sitting area, a desk and a balcony. There’s even a neat bench on one wall, which I thought was perfect for suitcases. I thought that the marble floor (vs. carpet) was also very appropriate given that we will likely be coming in from the pool a lot.

Technology: Technology wise, it was well equipped with iphone docks, flat screens etc. On the other hand, the lighting was a bit on the dark side. Indeed, the whole resort was on the dark side at night. We ended up sleeping very early every night, which I guess is a good thing. My friends also had trouble with their TV, which apparently took forever to fix (I never tried mine). Oh and the phones are kind of old school.

Bathroom: Having examined many tourist pictures prior to the trip, I was slightly surprised by the bathroom. It is much smaller than I expected. No wonder everyone always post pictures of the circular tube. It literally dominates the room! Having said that it is very nice, it serves as both a bath and a shower, with a lovely rain shower overhead. But the rest of the bathroom is minimal, with barely enough counter space. There were also random chinks in the sink and bathtub, even though the hotel is new (perhaps ceramic is not the best idea after all). The hairdryer was also dismal. It took forever for my hair to dry, and many nights I just left it half-dried.

Miscellaneous: Just to be nitpicky, I would also like to comment on the hotel provided slippers and robes. I love hotel slippers (my favourite being from MO Paris!), and love the feeling of the lush robes. Sadly the ones provided by the Rimba fell below expectations. They are both made in a black and brown Balinese print. This is fine and all, but it makes me wonder if they are clean. The robes are thin and not lush at all. But most shocking was that I swear the slippers are re-used! They felt somewhat damp. I ended up wearing my flip-flops indoor instead.

The next morning, we were also happy to find that we have a spacious balcony with a great view of the pool! If the pool side wasn’t so nice, this would’ve definitely been an ideal option to sit and read at.

Conclusion and tips: I would give the rooms a 4.5/5 stars, and suggest anyone going to request a pool facing room that is on the upper floors. It was overall great, with the exception of a few kinks and the noise issue.

I have more to say about the hotel facilities, restaurants and the spa. But I think I will save that for another post.

Rimba Jimbaran/ Ayana Resort series

Part 1: Find out what the Rimba Jimbaran is really like here.

Part 2: Find out whether the Ayana spa resort is worth it here.

Part 3: Find out which are the best pools at the Rimba/Ayana here.

Rimba Jimbaran Bali by Ayana

Address: Karang Mas Estate, Jalan Karang Mas Sejahtera Jimbaran, Bali 80364, Indonesia

Telephone: +62 (361) 8468468

Website: http://www.rimbajimbaran.com/en/home

Tripadvisor reviews

Topshop Spree!

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Fashion, Travel

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In the handful of times I’ve been to Topshop (in London, Singapore and New York), I’ve never been able to buy anything. As I’ve mentioned before, things just don’t look that great in reality and  seemed costly for the price point. Well, either they have improved in design and quality in the last few years or my perspective on things have changed (could it be that I’ve finally developed talent for finding the needle in the haysack?), because I’ve just had the biggest shopping spree there, and I love everything I’ve bought!

I only went in because Topshop just seems like one of those London landmarks that one should always stop by when they visit,like Barneys in New York. But then I saw the navy blue puffy skirt and fell in love. It is exactly the style I’ve been looking for (except in white) and the ribbed material is just excellent. It gives the skirt structure and doesn’t crease! Next I saw  the white Chanel-esque cardigan, and knew it was the perfect match for the skirt (and for many other things). Then I came across the black lace top, which reminded me of the nude/black lace skirt I have at home. Naturally I had to unite them. It also happens that this completes the blue skirt and white cardigan outfit!

Then of course there is the navy blue ribbed peplum dress. Ever since I saw the Alice + Olivia peplum dress (and bought it, though had to return it because it was so skin tight), I’ve wanted one. And this one is in an elegant navy blue color, and  is also in the sturdy stretchy ribbed material of the navy blue skirt, so it  is not so tight and thin that you can see my underwear. And compared to what Alice + Olivia is charging… this was a no brainer. I just had to decide how many sizes to go up to be more comfortable (the answer is 2). I even bought one of those blue triangle necklaces to match it (though I can’t find a picture for it)!

Next up is the bejeweled collar black top. How awesome will this look with skinny jeans and heels? It is the perfect top for a night out with friends! And jeweled collar IS the thing nowadays… I’m showed a lot of restrain already not buying the white top with the pearl jeweled collar!

Lastly there is the white boyfriend blazer. It was initially discarded in favour of the white Chanel-esque cardigan. But then I was standing in line at check out and looking at it, and it struck me how nice and versatile it is. A white blazer has always been a summer essential for me, and I am due for a new one. This one was relatively cheap (compared to the Tibi one I was eyeing, but has already sold out), the material is comfortable and easy to wear and the fit is pretty decent! And so just in the nick of time, I grabbed it too!

All in all, a very satisfying spree! I am just sad they don’t have the yellow shift dress I was also eyeing at the Knightsbridge store (and I’m leaving soon, so won’t have time to go back to Oxford Circus for it). It would’ve been a nice color to add to my work wardrobe!

Photo credits: Topshop

Tea at the Ritz

09 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Random Musings, Travel

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Ever since my visit to London in freshman year, I’ve wanted to have tea at the London Ritz. For a big fan of afternoon tea (I’ve even named this blog after it!), it just seemed like the quintessential thing to do. Many years later, after many trips to London, I’m proud to announce that I finally made it last Friday!!

I made bookings over 2 months in advance, and even then, I was left with only an 11:30am slot (and my table of 6 had to be separated into 2, though in the end they were able to put us together) on the Friday morning we arrived (forget about the weekends, I tried the Berkeley and the Carlyle one month ahead and was waitlisted, never to hear back again).

Its was everything I expected it to be. The service was impeccable,  the ambiance was opulent and luxurious and the tea selection was impressive. Even the waiters looked like proper old English butlers! Maybe it is because of the super advance reservations needed, but the crowd also struck me as very “English” as well. I barely saw other touristy looking people in sight! The super advance reservation appears to be warranted though. We arrived to a full scene at 11:30am (seriously, who has tea this early?), and like clockwork, it started to empty at around 1pm and people started to show up for the 1:30pm round!

As for the food,compared to the Mandarin London and the Lanesborough (the only 2 other places I’ve tried in London), it is definitely a cut above the rest. Compared to what I’m used to in Hong Kong, I think there’s room for improvement. Maybe it is just a matter of taste. The sandwiches were ok. The scones tasted just right, though the texture was more breadlike than I am used to. The devonshire cream and homemade jam was delicious though! As for the dessert part, everything was a bit too sweet even for my sweet tooth (or could it be because it is 11:30am in the morning?). The extra pistachio and carrot cake was a good touch. As I said, I reckon the food is all a matter of taste.

All in all, if you love afternoon tea and happen to stop by London, tea at the Ritz is definitely a MUST. It is as important as stop as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Tower Bridge when in London (or even more so!).

Huahin

31 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Thailand, Travel

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I had my doubts about Huahin. A three hours drive from Bangkok, it sounded more like a pseudo resort town than a real resort destination. It doesn’t even have its own direct flight ! I had further doubts about our resort choice, V Villa, because the website was not as shiny, photoshopped and well designed as some others I have seen, and I read reviews online that said their multi-bedroom villas are not equally made and their Jacuzzi smells funny. But I decided to go there in the end, after taking into account cost – it was significantly cheaper than the alternative (by which I mean I saved enough to buy some very decent masks).

In the end, I had a fabulous time. The weekend getaway was by no means perfect, but it was definitely an absolute bargain for value. By bargain, I mostly refer to V Villa. Huahin is pretty much what I expected – not the resort destination I had in mind. The town itself is quite urban, plain and unimpressive (a less crowded version of Bangkok). In my one excursion out of the resort for dinner, the restaurant (a really decent one by local standards) looked like a “dai pai dong” (the Canto phrase referring to street dining in Hong Kong, which barely exists anymore due to hygiene reasons). The seafood, which is supposed to be amazingly fresh due to its proximity to the sea, was not really amazing. The main attraction of the town – the beach, was nothing to be excited about. We have better beaches in Hong Kong. The sand was granular and rough, and it was crawling with small tiny crabs. All the white bumps in the sand, that’s them! The uneven looking parts of sand in the first picture, that’s all them too! They did have the decency to make themselves scarce when we tried to walk on them though (they are so abundant, there is no way to get to the shores without walking through them). But would I lie on that beach and chill with them? Hell no! I’d much rather chill by the pool side of my resort.

 That brings me back to V Villa, which was everything I imagined a beach resort should be. You pretty much get what you see on the website (our photos here look almost the same as the ones on the resort website!). It had a beautiful infinity pool that overlooked the beach and ocean. Combined with the (mostly) clear blue skies, it was perfect.

Our villa was spacious, clean and modern, complete with a living room/dining room area and a private pool. They provided us with a iPad and mobile phone to use during our stay. The mobile phone in particular was genius. I think all hotels should offer this service, so guests wouldn’t have to pay exorbitant mobile phone fees to dial locally on the go. How much does a regular 2G phone cost? The “butler service” (the villa version of housekeeping) was very helpful, and managed to meet all our requests. We had a in-villa BBQ that was excellent. There was a private chef cooking for us by our private pool side, a buffet of side dishes laid out for us in our dining room, someone helping us with our plates etc. It was a perfect night in!

The spa was also excellent. The price was very reasonable for a resort spa (at around US$50 per hour). There was even a 30% discount promotion! We had a treatment every day. My favourite was the hot compress massage, which felt divine. After our long journey there (the 3 hour drive was painful!) it was just what we needed. The food was also very cheap (though not delicious). The best meal I had there was the pasta buffet. Now those prawns were very fresh! The whole villa is  also wifi enabled. But I think the best thing about V Villa is that it is a boutique resort, with less than 20 villas. So they were really able to maintain the relaxing and peaceful resort environment one desires. It may also be because we went during low season (and after a recent flood). Most of the time, we felt that we were alone in the resort!

The resort staff organized an elephant riding day trip for us as well, providing free transport there and back (they must have an agreement with the elephant place). It was my first time riding an elephant, and I had a fabulous time. A little dull at first, since the trek we went around for 1 hour is nothing like in the photos. It was more like a manmade trek, sparsely furnished with a few trees and pond. But then they let us ride on the head of the elephant (vs. sitting on the chair tied behind them), and that was a LOT of fun! We even got to feed them afterwards! The elephants are really quite smart . The path was filled with their own feces, and they never ONCE stepped on them. They very strategically went around them. How cool is that?

As I said though, the trip was by no means perfect. What you don’t see in the website and the pictures is that the resort itself is admittedly getting a little old. Our pantry for example. We didn’t want to go in there unless it was absolutely necessary. The outdoor cushion seating could use some refurnishing. The daily activities they claim they have (doll painting, kickboxing, yoga) doesn’t actually happen. The second bedroom, in a 2-bedroom villa is indeed built unequally to the master bedroom (much better for a family vs. 2 couples I think). Our bathroom also smelt of bad plumbing. The one thing that dominated my attention for the whole trip though, was the fact that the whole area is infested with mosquitos!!! I wore shorts in my villa’s bathroom for 5 minutes, and immediately got 2 bites! My friend wore shorts and t shirt to dinner one night (where we sat indoors) and got over 30 bites! I am not sure if they have always been there to begin with or if this is a recent phenomena because of the flood, but they were everywhere, just hovering around to bite you if you don’t cover yourself with mosquito repellent at all times (hint: they do NOT respond to Hong Kong bought repellent!). I even got bitten through my black leggings twice! This is by no means the fault of the resort. The whole town is infested with mosquitos. We were in the lobby of the Hilton, thinking we should’ve stayed in a hotel vs. a villa to avoid the mosquitos, when we saw a whole bunch of them just lurking in the shadows! We ended up spending a good portion of our time engaged in anti-mosquito activities. We sprayed mosquito repellent on like perfume. Slathered ourselves with lemongrass oil (apparently they don’t like the smell). Stuck on lemongrass smelling stickers before we slept. Consistently burnt anti-insect incents. Requested that our room be sprayed with insect repellent on a daily basis. Mastered the art of “slipping” through doors, the minimize the chance of them following us indoors. We even downloaded an anti-mosquito app on our iphones, which emits sonic sounds that are supposed to deter them!

Did I have a good time? Yes! I especially loved riding on the elephant’s head, hanging by the infinity pool and having daily spa treatments. That fact that it was all very good value for money was a bonus. But would I go again? Probably not. The three hour ride to and back (in addition to the 1.5 hour plane ride), I reiterate, was PAINFUL. The beach was mediocre and let’s not get me started on the mosquitoes again. Next time, I want to go to a real beach resort destination with a direct flight. Does Koh Samui have direct? Maybe the KK Islands in Malaysia? Either way, I can’t wait!

With Love…From London

04 Saturday Sep 2010

Posted by in Fashion, Travel

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Forget about scenic postcards. Next time you’re in London, get me one of these as a souvineer- LuLu Guiness clutches!

This postcard clutch  is infinitely more useful and chic. It even says London on it! You can’t get more touristy than that. There are many compartments too! Though my cousin has it, and she tells me that she can’t fit much in because it is so thin- just her  iPhone and a few essentials.

I’m usually not a fan of blatant displays of souvenirs (i.e. though shalt not wear your I heart NYC t shirt out in public). But, I think this Union Jack clutch  is subtle enough. The sequins glams it up, don’t you agree?

Not quite as nice as the two clutches above, but this cab clutch is still quite fun. Imagine the cheesy jokes! “Let me grab my cab”

We’re veering a bit away from souvenirs but isn’t this lip clutch so cool? It doesn’t say London as the others do, but it screams London punk fashion.

While we’re on the topic of clutches, I really wouldn’t mind this one either. It would do so well  on a night out. And check out that lining!

So yes, the next time you drop by London, pick up one of these. There’s a flagship store somewhere, but FYI they also have a good size collection at the basement of Harrods- right next to the tax counter!

Image Source: Lulu Guinness

Sweet Spots in Sydney

24 Tuesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Australia, Travel

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This time around, I got to explore the sweet spots of Sydney.

The first stop was Cupcakes on Pitt. Since the cupcake craze hit, you can see this store all over the city. I went to the original store on Pitt Street, and frankly, I would’ve missed it if my friend wasn’t showing me the way. Though I don’t doubt its popularity as the two girls in front of us ordered over $200AUD worth of cake.

I ended up with the following flavors: vanilla, lemon, meringue, butterscotch, cookies and cream and sticky date. I didn’t eat all of them myself, but I did especially enjoyed the novelty of the lemon meringue flavor. Though the cake itself was nothing special. In fact it was a bit dry. Oh how I miss Crumbs!

Wandering around the Rocks and curious about the huge line outside, I stopped by the Le Renaissance Patisserie on Argyle Street to have a look as well.

Turns out it is a little shop of yummy French delicacies.

I left with 2 different chocolate creations, a mille feuille, a creme brulee, a lemon tart and a fruit tart. I definitely wouldn’t mind frequenting one of these if I have one nearby. I can try one choice each day of the week! In the end, I only managed to try the mille feuille, which wasn’t too bad. Maybe a bit too sweet.

But then, it is a hard to beat dessert for me. Ever since I fell in love with the mille feuille at the Cafe de la Paix in Paris last month, nothing quite compares.

Matchy Matchy

18 Wednesday Aug 2010

Posted by in Fashion, Travel

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Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve  had a thing for matchy matchy pajamas. During college, when everyone else was walking around the dorm in oversized t-shirts and shorts, I was wandering around in matching “Chicks Rule” pjs from Target. So imagine my delight when I came across Peter Alexander, at Center Point in Sydney. A whole store devoted to girly matchy matchy pjs!

Not so much an animal lover myself, I immediately gravitated towards these two pajama sets, with the multitude of bows and pink stripes. Oh the choices! In the end, I settled for the bow prints, since I thought they were more special and unique than stripes. Though I’m mighty tempted to stop by Peter Alexander before I leave and pick up the pink stripe set as well. The bows on either side of the pockets are too cute!

I am also loving these pants full of charms. Though I’m not too hot about the t shirt. I think it’ll look better with this super soft pink waffle Henley I also picked up from PA.

They are quite creative when it comes to their night dresses as well. I really like this daisy print over sized shirt dress. Unfortunately, they ran out of the waffle leggings that are supposed to go with it, and I’m all about matchy matchy. I also think that this drape printed t shirt is quite interesting, because it made me take a second glance. From the thumbnail, I thought it was actually draped!

If there is one store in Sydney that I would like to empty out, I think Peter Alexander is it!

Image Source: Peter Alexander

Hello from Down Under

16 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by in Australia, Travel

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Clearly I’ve been caught with the travel bug this month because I’m in Sydney right now!

Even though it is winter here, the weather has been pleasantly mild with sunshine and blue skies (fingers crossed this will continue on the week). I have actually lost count of the number of times I’ve been to Sydney, since I frequently came here as a teenager. Deprived of Abercrombie in Hong Kong, I used to think I was in shopping heaven and I’d happily whiz back and forth around Center Point stocking up. Dotti, General Pants and SDS were my favourites.

But things have definitely changed since then. Now that I’ve met Abercrombie and made the acquaintance of a host of other international designers, it no longer seems that exciting to be whizzing around Center Point. In fact, Dotti at Center Point has disappeared (though my friend assures me that it still exists in a more sophisticated version of its former self. I just checked, their site still exists!). Come to think of it, a lot of Center Point has disappeared due to a (much needed imo) renovation.

Now I feel a bit at loss for where to go! Maybe it’s time I did some more exploring of Sydney.

One Fancy Meal

07 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by in Dining, Travel

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They may have lost a few stars in the past few years, but dinner at La Tour d’Argent in Paris has to be one of the fanciest dining experiences of my life. Granted I’m not much of a foodie and haven’t been to that many fine dining places, it is still quite difficult these days to impress my jaded city girl eyes.

Located along the river Seine, we were quickly greeted by the doorman as soon as our cab arrived and shown into a luxuriously appointed waiting area. The maitre d’ led us into the bar while we waited for the rest of our party. I was struck by the air of sophistication. Was it ok to order a glass of orange juice? Then they showed us through the mini “hall of fame” where we waited for the liveried driven elevator to take us to the dining area.  I noted the presence of JFK and the Empress of Japan.

The main dining room on the top floor of the building had a beautiful view of the river Seine and Notre Dame. As the sun set outside, I envied the couples dining by the window seats. How extremely romantic! I must come back some day with my loved one! And of course, everyone was dressed beautifully. If there was ever a time and place to dress up, this was definitely it!

My eyes widened as we were presented with a wine list the size of an encyclopedia- now that is impressive! Since we don’t exactly frequent such establishments, we decided to go for the full tasting menu to ensure that we gave it a good try.  I’m not exactly a foodie, so I won’t go into excruciating detail of every dish and how everything tasted, but here is the menu. They are definitely good at is making it a night to remember. Towards the end of the meal, they presented us with a custom made menu of our meal that night, complete with the date, which wine we chose and who our chef was (above).

The main theme of the restaurant was definitely the duck. They were everywhere. The home grown ducks are so famous here that we even got  postcards with the reference number (since 1890) of the duck we ate that night on it. I ate duck number 1090196!

In particular, the pressed duck is most popular. You can see them making it right in the middle of the dining room. First they cut away the breast and thighs. Then they put the remainder of the duck into the presser (the thingy on the left), to squeeze out all the blood, which they then use to make a sauce to pour over the breast and thigh meat. Juicy.

One thing I do feel qualified to comment on is the dessert. This feuillete aux fraises de bois is the most exquisite thing ever. The slices of strawberry on top are actually sweet and crunchy. You’d thing that the tiny strawberries lined below are sour, but they were surprisingly sweet. Combined with the cream and crust, they were little bites of heaven! Definitely one of the best of its kind that I’ve tried!

It was definitely one fancy meal to remember.

Temple of Balenciaga

02 Monday Aug 2010

Posted by in Fashion, Travel

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The other day I mentioned that I was going to visit the temple of Balenciaga aka the flagship store in Paris on 10, avenue George V. Well, it was a good thing I copied down the address properly, because I nearly missed it.

I nearly thought it was renovating and left, because all I saw was the huge Balenciaga ad next door from a distance. It turns out that the flagship store is indeed opened. It’s just that the only sign that indicates the flagship store is the many Balenciaga bags sitting by the window. Talk about discrete!

On a mission I headed straight for the clutches and with the help of the SA went over and over again the drawers that hold the envelop clutches (they don’t like it when you try to go through the drawers yourself!). I’d had my heart set on a beige or grey colored one, but sadly they really didn’t have that many colors. Instead of a battle between which one to get, it was more of a process of elimination and I quickly picked out the color that I liked most out of the lot. This blue storm color is probably the closest to grey I’m going to get. Luckily, I have a lot of blue clothes so I am currently loving it!
Determined for something beige, I took a look at the rest of the bags. But alas, the closest it came was a huge beige part time or a chestnut colored covered city. I hear that there are more choices in NYC. The only good thing about getting it in its motherland is that it truly is cheaper than it is anywhere else. With the tax refund, it is at least 13% cheaper. Who knows how much more it will be with the falling euro!
But Balenciaga fans beware. You are only allowed 2 bags per person per season. This applies to all Balenciaga stores in Paris (I checked with the counter at Lafayette too). Clearly they are not desperate for business and frankly, you can tell. Even though they were perfectly polite, I’ve never encountered such snobby and condescending SAs before. Not even at Louis Vuitton, Chanel or Hermes, where they have reason to be with the great flood of tourists there all the time. As much as I love my bags, I don’t think I’ll be visiting this flagship store again the next time I come back. It is totally not worth the cab fare. I can get my seasonal dosage of Balenciaga at the Lafayette counter with a lot less attitude.