Tag Archives: Travel

Best of 2016

Posted on 2016-12-15 by tikichris

The year is now coming to a close. How was it for you? My mind’s still reeling trying to figure out that question for myself. To say the least, 2016 was intense, with plenty of ups and downs. Allow me a chance to look at some of the ups in a little more detail and to celebrate the year by highlighting some of my favourite food, drink and travel experiences. Continue reading →

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Infographic: How to Stay Safe Driving Home This Christmas

Posted on 2016-12-12 by tikichris

For many, Christmas is a time to set off on the open road and see the family we haven’t seen all year. This might include travelling by plane, train or automobile and if you do have to jump behind the wheel, it’s important you are prepared for the extreme weather that can accompany the festive period. Continue reading →

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Coffee at The Fairmont San Francisco (espressoCrazy)

Posted on 2016-12-10 by tikichris

One of my all time favourite destinations, San Francisco was a beautiful and welcoming as I remembered, and maybe even a little tastier this time around … or at least my coffee was. Continue reading →

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Top 5 Winter Break Destinations

Posted on 2016-12-09 by tikichris

Skiing, snowboarding and enjoying the idyllic winter scenery in the mountains or a spring-like temperature in warmer areas? No matter what the choice is the winter holiday will always be an unforgettable experience. Continue reading →

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A Gift Guide for Travelers (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-12-09 by tikichris

We all have people in our lives who love to travel just as much as we do. Whether it’s family or friends, we know you’ll be thinking about what to gift these savvy travelers this holiday season.

To make your life easier, here are five considerations to keep in mind as you make your lists. Continue reading →

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New Orleans in 18 Eats | Index | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-09 by tikichris

Lord have mercy! It’s a good thing this blog came equipped with an elastic waistband. Otherwise, I might not have been able to finish my 18-stop tour of America’s culinary capital on a streetcar named delicious. Continue reading →

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Willie Mae’s Scotch House | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-08 by tikichris

Last but by no means least among my list of 18 New Orleans Eats is the great Willie Mae’s Scotch House which has been serving exceptionally satisfying fried chicken and soul food fixings in a modest home setting since 1957. Continue reading →

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Upperline Restaurant | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-08 by tikichris

Moving back uptown for another phenomenal feast among my 18 New Orleans Eats, I’m sitting down for a most sublime supper at the accommodating and gentile Upperline Restaurant, where the very definition of Southern hospitality may be enjoyed to its fullest and most delectable extent. Continue reading →

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Win a £150 Gift Card from Pocket High Street

Posted on 2016-12-08 by tikichris

Daunted by the task of Christmas shopping? Hoping to avoid the same old big box retailers this year and find prezzies that are as special and distinctive as your friends and family whom you’re buying for? Have I got a gift for you! I’ve teamed up with the folks at PocketHighStreet.com to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a £150 gift card to spend at the best independent shops in London. Continue reading →

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Trinity | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-07 by tikichris

Trinity restaurant on Decatur Street in the French Quarter had only been open for about three months when I paid a visit. Nevertheless, Executive Chef Michael Isolani’s 21st century take on Haute Creole cuisine more than met the standards for fine dining in NOLA, seemed to fit in with the local scene as if it had always been there, and certainly proved suitable as a choice for one of my 18 New Orleans Eats. Continue reading →

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Shaya | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-06 by tikichris

When I first started to come up with my wish list for New Orleans in 18 Easts, I wasn’t thinking about falafel and hummus, neither was I expecting Israeli cuisine made almost exclusively with locally grown Louisiana ingredients to top my list of all-time favourite restaurant meals. Then I found out about Shaya and wisely took a chance on eating there. Continue reading →

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La Petite Grocery | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-05 by tikichris

Elegant and indulgent, novel and authentic, worldly and homespun, fine and funky: my uptown lunch at La Petite Grocery was a gourmet dream of gourmand extravagance. Had I ever been presented with a richer, more inventive meal – even among … Continue reading →

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Parkway Bakery & Tavern | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-04 by tikichris

The folks at Parkway Bakery & Tavern reckon they do the best po-boy/po’ boy/poor boy in Louisiana. Maybe. Although some fans of this famous sandwich of New Orleans origin would suggest you need only go about five miles uptown for a taste of a worthy contender. Whatever the case, Parkway has been making authentically delicious and massive po-boys since 1911 – and you’d be a fool to fault ‘em for it. Continue reading →

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Breakfast in America (espressoCrazy)

Posted on 2016-12-04 by tikichris

The tastiest aspects of my recent US escapades often took place in the morning. So I thought I’d share with you a few especially memorable breakfasts from my time in the Land of Plenty. Continue reading →

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K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-03 by tikichris

Legendary Louisiana chef, Paul Prudhomme, is widely recognised as the man who brought Cajun and Creole cooking to the masses through his fame as a chef and restaurateur and the popularity of his Magic Seasoning Blends sold throughout the US. Sadly, Chef Prudhomme passed away in 2015, but his legacy lives on in scrumptious glory at his French Quarter restaurant K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen. Continue reading →

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Win a Chocolate or Coffee Explorer Pack from Taste Tripper

Posted on 2016-12-03 by tikichris

Do you have a London friend or family member who’s a coffee or chocolate fanatic? Then I’ve got just the gift idea for you! Taste Tripper Explorer Packs are a fun and tasty way to enjoy the best of the London foodie scene – and I’m giving one explorer pack away to one lucky tikichris reader. Continue reading →

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GW Fins | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-02 by tikichris

Love seafood? Crave innovative cuisine? Seeking an upscale setting with a casual air? GW Fins is the place for you. Continue reading →

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Galatoire’s | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-12-01 by tikichris

Blame it on the cocktails (and might I recommend a potent and creamy Brandy Milk Punch) or on the burst of relief upon getting in the door (there’s a no reservation policy but always a lengthy queue out front) … or maybe on notoriously naughty setting on Bourbon Street … whatever the case, Galatoire’s was one the most raucous and rowdy restaurants I’ve ever entered. It was also one of the most rarefied and refined. Maybe all the revelry was simply because folks were feeling understandably jubilant to be eating such great food in such an amazing establishment. I know I was over the moon to be there. Continue reading →

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Good Stuff #61

Posted on 2016-12-01 by tikichris

Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip, savour and more – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy.

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Elizabeth’s | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-30 by tikichris

Chef Bryon Peck’s homey from-scratch cooking is as downhome as it gets. I loved my time digging into a big Southern style breakfast while admiring the vibrant folk art on walls (inside and out), at his laid back and creaky floored Bywater restaurant Elizabeth’s. Continue reading →

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Compère Lapin | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-30 by tikichris

Situated in the lobby of The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, my hotel for the first half of my NOLA dining adventure, Compère Lapin was only few month’s old, all the rage, and absolutely hopping (jeu de mots) during my stay. Not to try it as one of my 18 Eats, would have been remiss. Beside every time I passed the restaurant on my way in or out of the hotel, the lure of the aromas wafting out of its kitchen grew more irresistible. Continue reading →

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Commander’s Palace | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-29 by tikichris

Family owned Commander’s Palace has been wowing palates with inventive Haute Creole cuisine and utterly genteel service since 1880, making it the third oldest restaurant in New Orleans. With chefs such as Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, Jamie Shannon, and now Tory McPhail among its kitchen alumni, this revered Garden District restaurant dripping with awards and accolades is arguably the city’s most popular and historically significant place to eat. Continue reading →

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A Relaxing Stay at a Bed and Breakfast

Posted on 2016-11-29 by tikichris

There are some times where you just want to be able to get away for a weekend or a few days and be with that special person, with your family, with friends or just by yourself. You want to go … Continue reading →

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Cochon Butcher | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-29 by tikichris

Warehouse District “swine bar” and butcher shop with sandwich counter and deli – Cochon Butcher finds inspiration in “old world meat markets” and in Louisiana heritage foods such as Cajun specialties boudin, andouille, and tasso. Continue reading →

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Central Grocery and Deli | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-28 by tikichris

We’re back in the French Quarter for this latest instalment of New Orleans in 18 Eats, with a visit to Central Grocery and Deli for the mutha of all mega-sized sandwiches: the mighty muffuletta. Continue reading →

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Adam Rawson Kitchen Residency at The George & Dragon, Fitzrovia

Posted on 2016-11-28 by tikichris

Globetrotting chef, Adam Rawson, has set up temporary residence in the kitchen of Fitzrovia pub, The George & Dragon, and is cooking up his own tasty take on pub grub inspired by his travels. Continue reading →

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Camellia Grill | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-27 by tikichris

If you ever find yourself nursing a hangover in New Orleans or up late working on one for the next morning, keep Camellia Grill in mind. It’s the Garden District go-to for giant omelets, particularly moreish pecan pie, stout coffee and all sorts of other delicacies designed to you help cope with post celebratory suffering and start feeling like a champ again. Continue reading →

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Broussard’s | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-26 by tikichris

Established in 1920, Broussard’s is an elegant setting for fine dining with a menu focused on elevating down home dishes through culinary refinement. There’s a pretty courtyard for intimate al fresco dining and a most magnificent bar for exploring an inspired range of cocktails that are as historic as they are tasty. Continue reading →

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Brennan’s | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-25 by tikichris

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And if by important, they (whomever ‘they’ are) mean utterly scrumptious and overwhelmingly substantial, then there’s no finer example of this rule than breakfast at Brennan’s. Indeed, the morning I visited this family run French Quarter institution of haute Creole cuisine was without doubt the tastiest a.m. of the year for me, resulting in one of the more delicious meals I had during my time in New Orleans, and perhaps the best breakfast I’ve ever eaten in my life. Continue reading →

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Arnaud’s & French 75 | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-24 by tikichris

First up in my series of New Orleans in 18 Eats is the French Quarter’s 98 year old Grande Dame of creole cuisine: Arnaud’s. A quick note before we dig in … To be sure, I had clear favourite meals … Continue reading →

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New Orleans in 18 Eats | #TCEatsNOLA

Posted on 2016-11-23 by tikichris

If New Orleans doesn’t represent the most wonderful concentration of restaurants in the world, I don’t know where does. And believe me, I’ve looked long and hard – only to return to NOLA with greater appreciation for its graciously crafted cuisine and the profound depth of its food culture. Get ready, y’all. It’s time to eat! Continue reading →

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Twilight | #TCTikiTour

Posted on 2016-11-21 by tikichris

Exploring California tiki culture old and new turned out to be a terrific way to experience the best of the Golden State and enjoy a tour along its magnificent coast. Continue reading →

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Best Affordable Winter Getaways (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-11-21 by tikichris

Whether you’re a snowbird seeking to avoid the cold or a ski bunny hoping to make the most of it, our list of affordable destinations for the holiday months is full of great places that can either warm you up or keep you cool. Continue reading →

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San Diego Serenade | #TCTikiTour

Posted on 2016-11-18 by tikichris

Sadly, Kemey and I only had one night to enjoy San Diego – a standalone destination worthy of a far longer visit. But I’d say we packed as much into our overnight as possible. And our whistle stop tour was a conch shell blowout as far as the tiki seeking was concerned. Continue reading →

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A Guide to the World’s Best Whiskey/Whisky Destinations (Going Places)

Posted on 2016-11-17 by tikichris

Did you ever wonder where your preferred tipple came from? How it was produced? Or even the history behind it? The world of whiskey (and whisky) is one of heritage and craft, of idyllic natural water sources in scenic settings, of good times and lifelong memories. Continue reading →

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