Author - Chris

Enjoy a taste of Christmas at the Tobacco Dock

October 29, 2013

If you’re a foodie at heart, you’ll love the Taste of Christmas event held annually at the Tobacco Dock. It starts on November 21st and runs until November 24th. Over 30,000 people flock to this event every year and once you’ve been you’ll see why.

For many people, Christmas is all about food. There are so many festive flavours to be enjoyed. This event allows you to get tips from some of the best chefs in the UK. You’ll find out what makes the perfect Christmas dinner and you’ll come away ready to cook the family the best Christmas food they’ve ever tasted……or at least you’ll have the tips to give it a go!

What to expect from the event

There will be plenty to keep you entertained at the Taste of Christmas event. You’ll get to take part in a live cooking demonstration. There will also be seasonal ingredients at the fair too. You’ll find out how to spruce up family favourites and you’ll also get the chance to taste many different Christmas treats.

Top restaurants in London will have their own stalls with small tasters of their products.

Some of the highlights of this event are set to include:

Electrolux Taste Theatre
Laurent Perrier Feature Bar
Explore World Beer
Electrolux Chef Tips

The Electrolux Taste Theatre brings together some of the UK’s best chefs including Michel Roux Jr, Tom Kitchin, Mark Hix and Monica Galetti. They will be using the Electrolux Inspiration appliances in their cooking demonstrations.

You’ll pick up plenty of useful tips if you attend the Electrolux Chef Tips feature. As places are booked up on a first come, first served basis it would make sense to order your tickets as soon as possible. This is one event that often books up quite early.

Of course it’s not all about food. There’s some great alcohol features to be enjoyed too. The Laurent Pierre Feature Bar is a great example. This excellent brand of Champagne will have you in the festive spirit within no time. It’s a worldwide brand that is sure to tantalise the taste buds. If champagne isn’t really your thing, you can always opt for the Explore World Beers instead.

The Taste of Christmas event occurs every year and it’s definitely worth checking out.

The Different People you Meet in Every Hostel

October 25, 2013

Chris

Travel Talk

1 Comment

Hostels are fascinating little micro universes that bring out the cream of humanity and often the dredge. In most cases, it’s just a collection of younger people who are open minded and adventurous enough to see the world. These people much to their delight are thrust together to party, hang out, and sleep eight to a room with people from all over the world. Usually this is wicked grouping, but there are a few character types that often show up in most hostels that bring the entire enterprise down a notch. This blog is going to discuss a few of these hostel characters.

The travel know it all

In any group of travelers there will emerge a person who knows more about every place than everyone else. Doesn’t matter if you lived in that place a year and he or she have been there 4 days they will know more about it than you including the best things to see and all the hot spots to drink. There can be no arguing with the travel know it all since the acuity of their perception outmatches Lonely Planet, the Rough Guide, Forbes and even locals to a place. Generally this person will be shunned by anyone that has been there for longer than a few days and will find newbies to the hostel to bother.

… No it’s not me

The constantly stoned guy

Living in hostels and traveling around definitely has some bohemian qualities to it. With that said, there are plenty of backpackers enjoying a little puff every now and then. Having a beer and a spliff fits well into hostel etiquette, but there will always be that guy around a hostel who is 24/7 red eyed stoned. Really he isn’t a bad guy as he usually shares. Perhaps he won’t be the most communicative, but every once in a while he may share some shards of insight to be enjoyed.

The old guy trying to pretend he’s still young

Hostels are places where people less than 30, and often less than 26 to be honest, go to hang together, see the world, party and have fun. There is lots of the pre-mentioned partying and a fair share of hooking up, which is all fine and good till there is a 38 year old guy acting like he is 24 and trying weasel his way into younger girl’s underwear. Generally this guy is tolerated, as he tells the others that age is just a number and that he’ll never conform. The old guy playing young generally creeps out the girls and is a source of amusement for the other guys.

Urban Jungle: The Wilder Side to Miami

October 21, 2013

Chris

Destinations

Add comment

Miami is one of those destinations which offer a tourist attraction for every age, taste and budget. But along with the usual suspects such as the charms of South Beach and the famous nightclubs like Cameo, there are a great number of animal attractions for fans of Florida’s rich natural heritage to enjoy. So why not take a day or two to venture into the wilder side of Miami; you may be surprised at what you find in this metropolis by the sea…

Jungle Island Miami

Once known simply as “Parrot Jungle”, a name that the locals still sometimes use, Jungle Island Miami is home to lots of exotic animals, including – yes, you’ve guessed it – parrots. It’s also a real island that can be reached via the I-395 road and it’s worth buying tickets in advance rather than on the day as you may get substantial discounts. As well as parrots, it’s home to flamingos, penguins, and even some animals that aren’t native here, such as kangroos, several different types of reptiles and lizards, monkeys and fascinating big cats like ligers (a cross between a lion and a tiger).

Miami Seaquarium

Since Miami is such a sun-blessed place to visit, the climate makes it perfect for the Miami Seaquarium, an outdoor aquarium which offers exciting demonstrations from the stars of the show: dolphins, the Florida manatee and killer whales, to name just a few. Open all year round and situated in the heart of the tourist district in downtown Miami, the Seaquarium offers all visitors the chance to see and experience the wildlife that exist in and around the oceans of Florida.

Monkey Jungle

Living up to its name, this is the attraction which prides itself on letting the monkeys run wild around human ‘cages’ – which are in fact enclosed pathways which take you through 30 acres of lush green park. It’s been a key research center since the mid-20th century and there are three key areas to explore, with exhibits on the Amazonian Jungle, Orang-utans and even a monkey swimming pool! Species like howler monkeys, tamarins and larger apes like the gorilla have all made their home here. Add to this the experience of feeding the monkeys yourself, and you may well feel like you’ve stumbled into the heart of the rainforest.

Even if you’re only staying for a short break in Florida, you can tick off many of the native species of the Sunshine State, just by exploring Miami a little deeper. So, forget what you think you know about Miami: there’s a lot more of a wild side to its shining tower blocks and beachfront condos than first meets the eye.

London or Rome

October 15, 2013

Chris

Travel Tips

2 Comments

As they say, time is money and because of this we never have enough time to see all the things that we want to. Reality dictates that many decisions have to be made in terms of the things that you are going to commit yourself to see. With that said, what if someone offered you a trip to either Rome or London. You wouldn’t be able to go to both – a tough call, right? This blog is going to try to offer up some assistance by considering each of these world cities along three dimensions. They will be weighed against each other considering; the aesthetic of the city and how it looks overall; things to do – which takes into account the city’s attractions, sites, and outdoor features; and lastly fun – which considers the restaurants, cafes, nightlife, and the attitude of the people.

Aesthetic

London is stately and has a palatial feel to it, but Rome is Rome and there are few cities that can match its wealth of scenic beauty. Ancient walk ways lead to wondrous Roman spectacle after spectacle, the number of plazas and monuments leave tourists awe struck and looking around in a daze… perhaps aiding the city’s large pick pocket community. As attractive as London is, it pales to the grandeur of Rome. As they said in the antiquity, “see Rome and die.”

Result: Rome

Things to Do

The category of “Things to Do” in each city bring up some interesting differences between these cities. Rome has so many wondrous sites like the Vatican City, the Coliseum, and the Pantheon while London has more modern, though still classical, sites like Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. BUT, London also has the overall sensation of walking the streets in a world class, cosmopolitan hub where street walking alone is a spectacle of different world fashion and city vibe. The battle between things to do is close, in these vastly different ways, but in the end there can only be one winner and it is London.

Result – London

Fun

Same as the first category there is a clear cut winner here. London is one of the funniest cities in the world! The night life never stops, the pubs (a hallmark of English life) always have people in them, and the restaurants are diverse and world class. Rome does have aspects of this, but a country mile from what London brings to the table. The fun of London as was touched upon in the last category is also just the feeling of the streets too.

Result: London

Overall:

Rome is an amazing aesthetic spectacle and a great vacation for lovers of history and culture, but London is a world class mecca and really must be explored at least once.

Result: London

3 Spicy Vietnamese Foods You Will Love

October 9, 2013

Chris

All Things Food

Add comment

It’s true what they say, you can lead a food writer around by their stomach and they’ll probably follow you to the far reaches of the earth, just to experience a new gastronomic sensation. Luckily, Vietnam wasn’t very far to begin with and there was no lead in sight, just a fresh stamp on my much-loved passport and wide eyes, marvelling at the noise and aromatics of the local market. If there was ever a food experience I needed to have, just for me, it’s one of spice and intrigue. If you’re like me, and love it hot, ready and tongue-roasting from the first taste to the last spoonful, read on. It’s going to get toasty.

Ga Kho

Though this delicate, intricate dish might appear to be unassuming, it packs enough punch to knock you off your chair on the first bite, particularly if you’ve ordered an extra lashing of Thai chillies. A well balanced meal and available at most economy priced restaurants and enterprising street vendors (they are EVERYWHERE, if you want the true Vietnamese experience, visit a couple and try new things), Ga Kho is almost everywhere you look, though not as prevalent as the diet staple Pho. The chicken is perfectly caramelised, melting in your mouth and lulling those taste buds into a false sense of security, followed by the sweetened tang of brown sugar and a pinch of ginger.

Bun Bo Hue

If you’re fortunate enough to travel the region of Hue, drop into a pocket eatery and try out Bun Bo Hue. A personal favourite, the noodle soup oozes spiced up scents, seducing the tongue with a dash of lemongrass before assaulting it again in chilli mode. Let’s get something very clear, while I have your attention and appetite by tenterhooks, Bun Bo Hue is not Pho. Pho is simple, fragile even, tasty perhaps but nowhere near as nuanced as Bun Bo Hue – star anise, cinnamon, cloves, chilli jam and chilli’s, Pho has no chance and neither do you. Be brave.

Bánh Mì

Though the baguette is a decidedly French inspired element, the guts of the dish are resolutely Vietnamese. There are many different fillings, ranging from proteins like pork (and the yummy pork belly), fish and fish cakes, meatballs and chicken, plus an assortment of fresh vegetables. Be careful, for the sandwich shrubbery hides the burning tips of unforgiving chill and some vendors also add a liberal spread of chill jam, before wrapping it up and handing it over. Expect your nose to twitch and resist the urge to touch your face – nerve endings are sensitive and Thai chillies are excessively brutal.

Let yourself be surprised

Vietnamese gastronomy is full of surprises everywhere, and you can try new things where you least expect it, either on a small city street, or in some luxurious hotel in Danag. From the most traditional to the most sophisticated, Vietnan has it all!

Not everybody is as lucky as I am, touring the world on the back of a never-ending ticket to explore and eat. Before my intrepid life took flight, I was a big fan of My Adventure Store, why? Because I like to shop, I love a good deal and the world is just too wonderful to be left to its own devices. Even when I was young, the juxtaposition of food and foreign shores excited me, but not so much my bank account.

So tell me, what’s YOUR favourite Vietnamese food?