Hope you enjoyed Best of 2019, our annual round up of the past year’s tastiest food and drink. Now, join me in embracing a new year and a new decade with our miniseries, 2020 Vision, a brief but spectacular preview of London’s upcoming cultural treats.
Stay tuned…
For easygoing get togethers and drinking sessions when the aim is not to get obliterated but rather have fun with friends (and remember it with clarity), Small Beer Brew Co is a smart and tasty beer to keep in mind.
Don’t believe me? Here’s a chance to win a selection of bottles from Small Beer Brew Co.
What isn’t as appealing is the idea of sleeping in a tent. If you put camping plans on hold because you don’t want to sleep on the hard ground with mosquitoes buzzing in your ears, you’re not alone?
Of course, skiing isn’t something you just dive right into! So you’re going to have to go somewhere that warmly welcomes newbies and offers them the chance to get the hang of this exciting sport at their own pace … without embarrassment and with minimal risk of injury.
Here’s where we come in: we’ve come up with this list of ski destinations that are perfect for adult beginners to build confidence and have a wonderful time in the great outdoors.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
But, besides all these world-famous dining destinations there is a multitude of other delectable hot spots. Every region of the world excels at something tasty and any town of size is going to have at least a couple of quality places to eat and drink.
To whet your appetite for something different and spice up your travel agenda for the months ahead, here’s our look at 8 off-the-radar and unexpected foodie travel destinations that are far more delicious than their lack of reputation might suggest.
Read my complete article at Miles Away.
Looking back over the year, I ate exceptionally well in a variety of places. It got gluttonous a few times but my 2019 dining style was mostly quality over quantity.
Have a look my Best of 2019 list of my favourite bars sidled up to this year (with entries from across London as well Buffalo, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Cork and Madrid).
(Yet) another in my Best of 2019 series … this one’s a cost effective look at some tasty and cheap eats to consider while foraging through London.
By ‘cheap eats’ I mean a quality meal that costs £5 or less. Yes, it is still possible to spend less than a fiver for a thoroughly satisfying meal in n London.
It’s a look at my favourite beers of the year.
Beers listed are all produced by independent brewers in only two cities: London and Cork. I had a good number of beers from all over the place. But I’ll stand by these brews here from these two beer loving towns as being better than the others I enjoyed.
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My Best of 2019 series continues with a ravenous look at the most awesome burgers I had this year.
As part of my Best of 2019 series, here’s my list of preferred pizzas from the past year.
Reliable standbys and pleasant surprises in London, excellent barista led brewing in Cork and a roomy spread for faraway vibes in Amsterdam represent my most memorable coffee outings this year.
Continuing with my Best of 2019 series, I’ve got a couple of London faves to recommend and a few in the US and Ireland (Buffalo and Cork are awesome destinations for epic a.m. eating).
Yeah, I know podcasts (particularly the ones I subscribe to) don’t represent my typical food, drink and travel content. But I spent a lot of time listening to them and a bit of time creating my own.
For me, travelling without getting to listen to my favourite podcasts would be considerably less enjoyable. They make wait times, long flights and train journeys more tolerable. Starting and ending days by myself in unfamiliar places are better as well when I have the chance to catch up with the shows I follow.
I work on two podcasts (my solo tikichris Talks project and All Consumed, which I co-produce with journalist Neil Davey). So podcasting is often on my mind. That seems to be the case with all sorts of other folks too though – whether they have any desire to podcast or not. What podcasts people are listening too and which are worth checking out is an increasingly common topic of conversation.
So, here’s my list of favourite podcasts of 2018 (and yes I’m really into politics and shows produced by WNYC).
With respect to blogging, 2019 was probably the least active year since I started tikichris.com back in 2016. But that doesn’t mean I’ve been resting on my laurels. Big changes and an overall (and often overwhelmingly) busy schedule across these past 12 months meant I often wasn’t able to post in a timely manner about all the things worth sharing. I paid attention when I came across especially fun and flavoursome stuff though.
As in the years before, I kept plenty of notes to help recall the most noteworthy experiences. To be sure, the year had plenty of peaks and troughs … and long plateaus. This “Best of” series, obviously, is focused on the peaks.
In summer, checking your tyres are properly inflated and visually checked every so often is usually enough, but is it very different in winter? Yes and no. Some tasks are the same: such as checking the pressure, but there are some differences – for example, tyre pressure should be slightly higher than usual (by about 0.2 of a bar) to account for the chilling effect of cold weather on the tyres and the air within them.
Mykonos is a beautiful island and going there regularly is a smart choice. However there are other places that also provide amazing vacation opportunities. One such place is Japan.
However, thanks to EU law EC 261, you might just be welcoming flight delays and even flight cancellations, even if they do set you back a few hours.
Does this sound like your sort of fun? Keep reading for ideas about how to explore fascinating destinations by motorbike … and how to do it in style.
To make the narrowing down of options easier for you, we’ve come up with a shortlist of European cities that we think will be the best ones to visit in 2020, when you’ve only got a few days to spare. Our list places equal emphasis on some of the biggest and best-known (and some of the cheapest) cities in Europe and it’s less celebrated but no less fabulous ones while also taking into account which destinations would be perfect for a weekend getaway.
Read my complete post at Going Places.
This is, of course, assuming that you’ll be sure to pack appropriately for the weather conditions of your destination (do you need rain gear or a warm coat?), including the appropriate footwear – sturdy all-terrain waterproof leather hiking boots with thick deep tread soles are probably the best bet for most adventure travel situations. We’re also assuming that you’ll have access to food and clean water (or at least have some dehydrated food and water purification tablets?), as well as adequate shelter such as a tent and a sleeping bag.
So, with all that in mind, here are 12 things intrepid travelers planning to head out on an adventure should have on their survival gear list.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
St Ermins Hotel near St James Park has unveiled its beautiful Winter Lodge on the Terrace, just in time for the festive season. I enjoyed the warmest of warm welcomes at its recent launch.
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I dropped by the new opened eatery last week just after its launch to sample its dishes.
The founder (same fella who opened Hook in Camden, which I loved when I tried it a few years back) has dubbed his fried chicken “Taiwanese night market chicken.” That’s got a ring to it. Sadly, I can’t comment on what night market chicken in Taiwan actually tastes like. Although I do like the chicken at the only other London Taiwanese chicken place I know of, Good Friend Chicken a short walk away in Chinatown.
Of course we all know that the brighter the light the darker the shadow that is cast. A 2,000-year-old city that’s seen more than its fair share of good times and bad is sure to have some eerie areas within its boundaries as well as localities associated with tales that have less than happy endings (but are now safe to check out). Paris has plenty to offer tourists hoping to go sightseeing beyond the realm of the ordinary.
Here’s our illuminated guide on what to see in Paris if you have darker interests. Be warned, be aware, and be amazed!
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
Now back home, there’s one more episode to share. This one’s from the All Consumed podcast and features co-podcaster Neil Davy in conversation with Drew “The Wing King” Cerza, the founder of the Buffalo Wing Festival.
Listen now to the fifth episode in Spread It, Dip It, Wing It series:
https://allconsumedpod.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/AC-2019.11.30-BUFFALO-05-DREW.mp3
Check out All Consumed at allconsumedpod.com.
Download and subscribe to All Consumed at Apple Podcasts.
For more about the National Buffalo Wing Festival go to buffalowing.com.
Here are some ideas for taking sensational side trips from the French capital with tips on accessing some of the most amazing landmarks, popular attractions, quaint villages, and elaborate palaces, and maybe even another country while still keeping Paris as your base.
Read my complete post at Going Places.
Intrigued (and thirsty)? Get your travel insurance squared away with Fastcover and squeeze in time on your busy London itinerary to check out one of these gorgeous vineyards within easy reach of London.
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COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME.
I’ve got a bottle each from the Langley’s England collection to give away to three lucky tikichris readers.
Scotland is a destination I have been to many times and one of a very few places I long to return to more and more. The whisky’s got a lot to do it. But more than the buzz and the flavour, it’s the culture and the craft behind it that makes it so appealing to me. So when the folks at Holidu – the search engine for holiday homes – got in touch with me about their list of Scotland’s top rated whisky distilleries to tour I was keen to take a look and to share those finding with my readers. The data for the list of eight of the best distillery tours in Scotland was collected Google reviews.
Take a look, have a fun and drink responsibly. Slàinte!
Are you ready to embark on your biggest escapade yet? Here’s an adrenaline-pumping look at a daring dozen set of destinations that are exactly where you need to be to start collecting those memorable spills and thrills!
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
Check out these Black Friday deals exclusive to the eShop at melitta.co.uk.
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Listen now:
Download and subscribe to tikichris Talks at Apple Podcasts.
Follow and save tikichris Talks on Spotify.
Here’s our no-nonsense breakdown of what a travel credit card is, how it’s different to a normal credit card, the pros and cons of having one, and if a travel credit card is worth it for you.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
Of course, skiing isn’t something you just dive right into! So you’re going to have to go somewhere that warmly welcomes newbies and offers them the chance to get the hang of this exciting sport at their own pace … without embarrassment and with minimal risk of injury.
Here’s where we come in: we’ve come up with this list of ski destinations that are perfect for adult beginners to build confidence and have a wonderful time in the great outdoors.
Read my complete post at Miles Away.
