When not on the court or in the stands, another great way to soak up all of England’s athletics heritage is to visit one of its sporting museums. Here’s a list of the country’s top museums dedicated to the history and legacy of British sports …
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
Lots of students now choose to include a year abroad at a foreign university in their degree. That, or they may decide to work abroad or teach English to the locals in exchange for lessons in the native language. Whatever you have decided to do on your year abroad, it’s always important to stay in touch with friends and family back at home. Of course you’ll be extremely busy, but what could you do to remind people you’re thinking of them?
The first thing you should do is sign up for a Skype account if you don’t already have one. This allows you to chat with other Skype users online for free, so make sure your friends and family are all signed up too. This is great because you can hold videochats if you have a webcam, so you can have a virtual ‘face to face’ conversation, or treat it as you would a phonecall using your computer’s microphone. You can even hold multiway conversations with a group so that you can keep everyone updated simultaneously.
Birthdays and special occasions can be especially tricky, and you might want to do something a little bit extra. Why not consider exchanging parcels throughout the year? Use a courier service to transport your packages safely. Many courier services now offer better rates than ever for countries all over the world, especially to countries such as China and the US, so you can rest assured that it will arrive safely and on time. Get creative to find gifts which are light and small enough to send without incurring mammoth postage costs.
If you will be texting and calling home a lot, make sure you find the best rate on your international phone contract or get a global SIM card or a phone card for the country you are in. This will keep costs down, and lots of companies now offer rates of just a few pence a minute so you can stay in touch for less.
If your laptop doesn’t have a microphone or a webcam or there is nowhere you can use them in private, there is always email or instant messaging. The advantage of these methods is that you can transfer documents and share links, so if you have a photo album you want to share with your family, you can link to this, or if you’ve taken a video clip you want to show everyone, this can be sent as an attachment in the email.
Katie Fishwick is a blogger with a keen interest in travelling. She spent her gap year travelling south east Asia.
You know me, always blogging about the yummy stuff I’ve discovered and trying to keep ahead (and sometimes steer well clear) of the latest trends to share the best of what I’ve come across with my readers. A lot of delicious stuff comes my way .. more that I can often get around to writing about, if I’m honest. And while I’m on this confessions kick, I must admit that it takes an awful lot more to impress me and my taste buds these days than it used to. So, when something especially remarkable happens my way and actually makes to stop to savour the moment and involuntarily utter something along the lines of “oh my God!” or “wow” that means it is indeed a real treat.
Such is the case with Q Chocolate, a luxury brand from the Aquim family of northern Brazil who source their cocoa from a single farm. Q bars contain only cocoa mass, cocoa butter and a little bit of sugar. The chocolate’s available in six levels of cocoa mass, with the range being divided into “suaves” (at 55, 60 and 65%) and “intensos” (at 75, 80 and 85%). I’ve had the 60% and the 65% and absolutely loved them both. The 60% bar was particularly noteworthy with last and lush tones of violet and papaya. Suave
I am keen to try more. You should be too. At the moment, you can only find Q Chocolate at Fortnum & Mason where the Q gift box containing the brand’s entire collection in five gram mini-bars and priced at £25 and singe 50 gram bars at £9.95 each.
Fortnum & Mason is located at 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER.
Find out more about Q Chocolate at chocolateq.com
For the millions of people scared of flying, one of the main reasons for this fear is the fact that most of us simply don’t understand how an aeroplane works. We know that it accelerates along the ground and takes off and the wings help it stay in the air before it descends again, but further than that, most of us are clueless. It can be reassuring to know about the safety measures in place on a plane which are there to keep us safe.
If you have a fear of flying, it may be the case that you have never been on a plane at all, so you may not know about the safety talk before take-off. The flight attendants will demonstrate how to use all the safety equipment and point out the escape routes, along with explaining the procedures if the plane needs to be abandoned.
It is extremely unlikely that anything will go wrong on a plane, but it is useful to know what to do if there is a problem. Firstly, if you will be landing on water, you will find a lifejacket which is usually stowed under your seat which can easily be inflated once you are out of the plane, and it includes a whistle and a pipe to refill it if it starts to deflate. Life cots are also available for babies.
If the oxygen levels drop in the cabin for some reason, oxygen masks will drop from above the seats to provide everyone with a safe oxygen supply. Any changes in cabin pressure will be detected by a pressure switch in the cockpit which will raise the alarm to the captain, so you needn’t worry that the pressure will drop without anybody noticing.
Emergencies on the ground mean the plane will need to be evacuated onto the runway. This might involve opening the emergency exits and using the inflatable slide to exit the plane quickly. Remove high heels and sharp objects which could damage the slide and leave personal belongings inside the aircraft to make sure you can move as quickly as possible and don’t take up space in the escape routes with bags and coats.
Cabin crew are first aid trained, and will know how to attend to anyone who is unwell. First aid kits are kept on board, and if there is a serious medical emergency the plane will be diverted to land at the nearest available airport. It is very common to be nervous about flying, so flight attendants will be able to offer support and reassurance if you have any worries whilst in flight to ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible.
Carl Prestwick is an aviation enthusiast who spends his time blogging about aeroplanes and airports.
For a taste of what makes Toronto so delicious, check out this these five fanatically foodie blogs …
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
San Diego is an awesome place to visit anytime of year with plenty of world class attractions, beaches and, of course, its famously fabulous blue skies and warm weather. But it’s not just the tourists who love this SOCAL city! San Diegans are an understandably proud bunch. Here’s a look at five of San Diego’s best blogs offering top tips with a local edge. Have fun!
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
Sam Bompas of Bompas & Parr about to share the big reveal. I got a pic of him holding the Chocolat Luxe bottle but can’t show it for another couple of weeks.
Hosted by mad scientist jelly mongers Bompas & Parr with set design by Rhea Thierstein, the launch centred round an afternoon tea catered by Lily Vanilli bakery and was held at the historic “still life drama” Dennis Severs’ House in Spitalfields. Just the visit to the house alone was a delight, but Lily Vanilli’s creations were certainly welcome as well. Marbled quail eggs, rose and coconut friands, pistachio cakes and more … yeah!
Of course, the star of the show was the booze, and I really enjoyed drinking it. Served over ice with a fresh raspberry, it was refreshing and decadent. The kid in me loved the chocolate milkiness of it, the grown up me loved the whisky. Marbled and mocha it looked as yummy as it tasted. I’m sure it’s going to be a hit.
Chocolat Luxe will be available from the 12th of August exclusively at Harvey Nichols and then nationwide from October. Recommended retail price will be £16.99 for a 50cl bottle. I’ll write more about Chocolat Luxe once the embargo is lifted.
Keen for a taste of some of Britain’s best seafood? This is the place! And a great time to visit is during the town’s annual celebration of everybody’s favorite bivalve mollusk – the oyster!
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
Summer is now well underway, and if you’re having some trouble deciding on holiday destination this summer, help is at hand. Europe never fails on the holiday hotspot stakes, and there are a lot of options to suit all sorts of tastes. Whether you’re looking for a lazy beach break, a wild party holiday, a cultural tour of the continent or a long weekend of shopping and fine dining, Europe has it all, so check out our suggestions and see if anything takes your fancy.
The South of France is always a popular destination, and provincial France is particularly popular at this time of year. Why not hire a villa on the Cote d’Azur and explore the gorgeous blue seas and rolling white sands of the beaches, or head to St Tropez to sun yourself with the French elite? Southern France is the playground of the rich and famous, and if you’re into your motor racing you can pop along the coast to Monaco for a chic day of racing.
Eastern Europe is experiencing a huge tourism boom, especially in Croatia and Bulgaria, with party-lovers enjoying the bargain drinks and the cheap restaurants. Here you can pick up a range of international fare, from traditional Eastern European meat-based meals to food from every continent. There are also some stunning beaches which are less crowded than their Western European counterparts, such as those on the Costa del Sol, so take advantage now while the area is still a relatively little-known secret holiday spot.
You can’t go wrong with a capital city, and if you’re short on time we recommend a major Nordic city. Copenhagen is perfect for a short trip, and you can take a boat trip around the old harbour and find out more about the effortlessly cool history of Danish design in the museums. You can also take a train across the sea to reach Malmo in Sweden to tick another country off your list.
Good old Blighty is faring well as a tourist hotspot at the moment. If you’re from the UK, a staycation might be in order, so head to the Norfolk Fens for a leisurely canalboat cruise on the Norfolk Broads or to Wales to take some energising walks around the breathtaking Mount Snowden. If you’re not from the UK, visit London and explore the Olympic Park in Stratford and take advantage of shopping opportunities on Oxford Street, in Covent Garden and the alternative paradise Camden.
Claire Crawley is a travel blogger who regularly posts to a number of online publications about her adventures around the world.
This summer, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter is inviting kids of all ages to experience its first ever Summer Spells feature. Running from the 26th of July until the 2nd of September, Summer Spells will give visitors the opportunity to go behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films and discover firsthand how spells such as Wingardium Leviosa were brought to life on screen and how details such as wand movements that accompanied the spells were developed.
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
Here’s the scoop of Vysia’s third and final day in Geneva …
Lake Geneva
My final day in Geneva started with cruise lunch across Lake Geneva on the iconic Bateau Savoie, built in 1914 and is now converted into a fine dining restaurant by Michelin chef Phillippe Chevlier. We boarded at Jardin Anglais, though the boat also picks passengers up at Genève Pâquis, Hermance or Versoix.
Daily specials start at CHF28 and the three course meal costs CHF70.
Old Town
We then used the app to explore the Old Town of Geneva. The app was easy to navigate and gave us suggestion as to what to see and stop by nearby, which is iimportant when you only have 2 hours to explore!. Our first stop was the stately Russian Orthodox Church, described in the app as “a must discover” and “one of the symbols of the cultural and religious diversity of Geneva”.
After our visit to the church, we walked along uphill on the cobblestone streets and old buildings in the town and headed to the heart of the old town – the Cathedrale St-Pierre – and climbed on their winding stairs up to the very top for a breathtaking aerial view of Geneva. I highly recommend sensible shoes.
Soon, it was time to leave the city and I left with heavy heart, knowing that there was so much more to discover. I’ll definitely be back!
So ends my three-day whirlwind of a trip to Geneva. Be sure to give the Make My Switzerland app a look. In addition to tons of great recommendations, downloading the app gives you access to a range of special discounts. Not only that, you also stand a chance to win the cost your trip back.
Written by Vysia Duffield
Check out all the posts in this three-part miniseries.
Here are some highlights from Vysia’s second day …
Carouge
On day two, Helen and I took a quick tram ride over the river Arve into the quaint village of Carouge. Carouge was once a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and quite separate from Geneva, and is also known as ‘the Greenwich Village of Geneva.
I learned that in the past, protestant Genevans who wanted to have fun would cross the river into Carouge to enjoy the nightlife in the Catholic town. The buildings were a hopscotch of architecture influenced by its Sardinian heritage, and some of these buildings now houses an eclectic mix of ateliers by local craftsmen.
Carouge is also known for its local market, and we perused the wares that the market had to offer. From juicy fruit and vegetables and locally made wine, freshly picked morello mushrooms and truffles, summer dresses and leather ware, to jewelry made of flax that looked like spun gold, there is something for everybody.
We visited the workshop of famous leather worker Chris Murnerin her boutique, L’Antre-Peaux, which Helen recommended under the ‘stylish’ section of the app. Along the road, we also stumbled across Ram’Dame, an Indian-inspired boutique carrying limited editions of handcrafted accessories and clothing.
Carouge is great for stylish finds, and we indulged our inner Carrie Bradshaw at a local thrift store called Coco and Co, where Helen bought a silk top and I found a fantastic vintage Celine dress!
Picnic at Parc de la Grange
Those who want to enjoy the fresh Swiss air by Lake Geneva should pay a visit to Parc de la Grange, another one of the local must-sees recommended in the app. The park features an old estate which has now turned into a fine dining restaurant, Parc des Eaux-Vives.
The restaurant also offers takeaway picnic baskets (with everything provided including blankets and cutlery) for anyone who wants to have an impromptu picnic, and they come in 4 different tiers of baskets: Country, Prestige, Appetizer and Child.
Lake Geneva
No visit to Geneva is complete without a visit and a dip in the lake, so we decided to make most of the sunny day by signing up for an hour-long private stand up paddle masterclass at to Tropical Windsurfing.
After our lesson, we took the ferry boat across the lake to Bains des Pâquis, the local public bath that has been opened to the public since 1872. This place is not to be missed. Open all year, it offers different experiences in the summer and winter. Summer offerings include a cordoned off area to swim safely away from the boats, water polo games, tai-chi, and indulgent massages. I booked a massage in their female exclusive area the bath, where the women could sunbathe topless away from peering eyes if they so wish. There is also a cheap and cheerful bistro serving delicious value-for-money salads, a selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and scrumptious cakes.
Halles des I’lle
We walked along the lake until we reached the island between the Arve and Rhone to Halles des I’lle. The former slaughterhouse has been converted into the hub of Geneva’s cultural movement, and now houses artists’ workshops, old bookshops and the trendy Brasserie des Halles de I’lle (Place de l’Ile 1, Geneva 1204).
We decided to indulge ourselves with their delicious cocktails and stayed for an al fresco dinner at the terrace by the river. The food was great, all freshly sourced and well prepared.
Exhausted from our full on/full day itinerary, we decided to call it an early night.
Written by Vysia Duffield
Check back tomorrow for the final post in this three-part miniseries.
Other blogs involved in the Switzerland trip include TheLostLondoner, Yin&Yang, Park&Cube and MyFashionLife. Check out their sites for their experiences in the cities they visited.
Here’s the scoop from Vysia’s first day …
Getting there
The flight took just over an hour via Swiss Air, which flies directly from Heathrow and London City. There are other options for air travel to Switzerland as well, with easyJet and BA flying from various UK airports.
At the airport in Geneva, I was welcomed by Jonathan, a rep from Geneva Tourism, who advised me that there was a machine by the baggage carousel that dispenses free tickets for a journey into the city centre. We took the scenic route via the bus into town, passing by the iconic three-legged chair in front of the United Nations building.
Explore
Once in the city centre, your first port of call should be the Geneva Tourist Office (8 Rue du Mont-Blanc). They are open on Monday (10am-6pm), Tuesday to Saturday (9am-6pm), Sunday (10am-4pm) and sell the Geneva Pass, which gives you access to free tours, museum entries and other perks for one, two or three day blocks. The price is CHF 25 for 24 hours, CHF 35 for 48 hours and CHF 45 for 72 hours.
Stay
I stayed at the newly refurbished Hotel N’vY, an avant garde, bohemian hotel with an impressive array of artwork, located about 15 minutes walk from the city and ten minutes from the lake. In fact, as soon as I walked into the hotel I was greeted by a “time-traveller meets invisible man” installation of the Travellers by Bruno Catalano.
Further exploration around the lobby revealed artwork by Mr Brainwash and David Cintract mannequins. For those unfamiliar with Cintract, he is the brains behind the “Pop Libre movement” which focuses on the legacies of Warhol and Lichtenstein.
Tag’s Cafe, which doubles as a pret-a-cafe spot, offers touch screen tables where you can play games, surf the web and more. and had a wall graffitied by none other than Meres One.
Cool vibes all round!
The room did not disappoint either. Designed by Parisian interior designer Patrick Ribes, the room was bright and airy. I had a lot of fun playing around with the chromatherapy lighting in my room. Rooms from 170 CHF (around £117) per night, and they often have special offers.
The hotel also offers free wifi and transportation cards to all guests, which is a nice touch, as travelling around the city can be quite costly.
Gastronomic Adventures
After freshening up, I met with my ambassador Helen, who was with Jonathan at the hotel’s bar, relaxing from their day’s work with the house speciality, the Green N’vY.
We headed to the jewel of Geneva’s Indian cuisine offerings, Rasoi by Vineet, located at the Mandarin Oriental (Quai Turrettini 1, 1201 Geneva). We were treated with a menu designed by acclaimed chef Sandeep Bhagwat, featuring the best and most innovative dishes offered by the haute Indian restaurant which was paired with some excellent local Genevan wines from their cellars.
After dinner, we walked over to the ‘20’s flapper-themed speakeasy recommended by Helen on the app, Verre à Monique (Rue des Savoises 19, 1205 Geneva). Here is what she says about the place:
Right opposite Verre à Monique is Cafe de la Presse, one of Geneva’s oldest bars and an old journalist hangout that serves delicious tapas style food and drink till the wee hours in the morning
Good to know
A good time to visit is during the annual Fêtes de Genève, which will start from July 18 to August 11. During the time, Geneva will be filled with festivities, featuring food markets, street shows, music and all sorts of cultural events leading up to an hour-long grand finale of fireworks set off to a pyro-melodic fireworks with a sound system in the middle of the lake on the 10th August at the quaysides of Geneva harbour.
Hat tip: Geneva is such a business destination that the flights and accommodation are actually much cheaper during the weekend.
Written by Vysia Duffield
Check back tomorrow for the second post in this three-part miniseries.
Award-winning Latin American specialist airline, Air Europa, has launched a new route between London Gatwick and Aeropuerto de Carrasco in Montevideo, Uruguay. The route is serviced three times a week via Madrid-Barajas Airport and onboard an Airbus 330-200 aircraft with 299 passenger capacity including 24 business class seats.
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
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The mug is a weighty and substantial drinking vessel with a copper-plated exterior and a stainless steel interior. Such robust design and premium quality is synonymous with Russian Standard and means that your Russian Mule (here’s super easy recipe) or any other cocktail will stay colder longer.
To be in with a chance win the vodka and mug simply tweet the following:
I’m only able to give a bottle and mug to just one winner. But don’t fret. Participating Sainsbury’s stores across the UK (not in Scotland though, sorry) are offering the same cool copper mug with the purchase of a 70cl bottle of Russian Standard Original. You need to be quick though. The offer only runs until 23 July, the same day this competition ends.
T&C
I’ll pick one winner at random during the afternoon of Tuesday 23 July 2013 (around 4pm British time). To be eligible to win, you need to have an address here in the UK. Obviously you also need to be of legal drinking age to receive this alcoholic product and must be able to show ID that proves your age.
Find out more about Russian Standard Vodka at facebook.com/RussianStandardUK.
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I had a chance to sample the menu. It was good and refreshingly priced – all items were £3.50 each (a veritable steal for a dish in a Kensington eatery). I especially liked the crispy tofu with chives and sesame dip as well as the silken tofu with ginger dressing.
As for the drinks, I enjoyed a cool and creamy (and non-dairy) Tofu Colada. Too the edge off an otherwise hot and sticky evening. Another tasty concoction I tasted was the Tofu Twist. Served in a chilled Martini glass, it’s a blend of soy milk, Frangelico, Kahlua and Dark Crème de Cacao.
If you love tofu – or you’re keen to be served a decent introduction to this vegetarian staple of the East Asian diet – Naga’s tofu bar is the place. Vegan, lactose intolerant or simply curious to taste a variety of ways soy bean curd can be prepared? Ditto.
The feeling I got from my visit to Naga was that it’s a nice local eatery. Down a quiet residential road just off buzzing High Street Kensington, it seems to be a convenient yet pleasantly subdued place to drop by for a drink at the bar or a comfortable dining experience without much fuss.
Naga is located at 2 Abingdon Road, W8 6AF. Find out more at nagarestaurants.co.uk.
Entering its ninth year of celebrating one of America’s greatest dining scenes, COOLinary New Orleans returns to NOLA this August. During the entire month, diners can enjoy two and three course lunches for $20 and three course dinners for $35 or less.
Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.
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The event promises aspiring business owners a chance to “arrive with a pipe-dream and leave with a business plan” with a panel of speakers including the following folks:
Guests can learn how to turn an idea into a business, hear stories from the speakers and be inspired by their lessons. Along with the speakers, guests will get to meet some Innocent alumni and find out about the thriving businesses that started after leaving Innocent. Guests will also go home with a bunch of free smoothies and such!
To be eligible for the tickets, simply leave a comment to this post explaining what your favourite Innocent product is and why. I’ll pick one winner at random from the comments soon. Thanks and good luck!
Fruit Towers is located at 342 Ladbroke Grove, W10 5BU. Find out more at inspires.innocentdrinks.co.uk.
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They don’t call it Hotlanta for nothing! And with a host of hit makers coming to the Georgia capital this August, the city is set to get even hotter. Here’s a list of five summer sizzlers to give music fans of all stripes good reason to …
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
A new science gallery has been announced for London with an aim to “generate and host dynamic exhibitions, events, performances and festivals” and bring “science, technology and health into dialogue with the arts” while “inspiring new thinking.”
Read my complete post at the CheapOair blog.
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Backyard Cinema – an independent pop-up movie theatre – will host another Weekend Mini Movie Festival this weekend (20 and 21 July) at London Fields Brewery.
Yep, that’s right! Seven movies over two days, accompanied by craft beers, beanbags, deckchairs, DJs, live bands, fried chicken, BBQ, food trucks and more! The venue itself is free to enjoy all day and evening without a cinema ticket.
The two day mini fest runs Saturday from noon to 2am and Sunday from 1pm to midnight. The seven flicks for the weekend are classics …
Tickets cost …
But check it out, Dude! I’ve got a pair of tix to giveaway for free. To be eligible, simply leave a comment to this post with your favourite line from The Big Lebowski. I’ll pick one winner at random from the comments by the end of play today. Thanks and good luck!
COMPETITION IS NOW OVER AND THE WINNER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING TIKICHRIS. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR LOTS MORE FUN AND FREEBIES TO COME!
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