Travel: Top 5 Favorite Hotels From My Traveling Years

Haggling at a market in Baños, Ecuador

Luna Runtun (Ecuador) 

Located at the entrance to the Amazon. The rooms are on a bluff seemingly floating in the cloud banks. Waking up to the sounds of Toucans and parrots in misty rainforest surroundings. After a 10-hour bus ride from Quito, this is a real treat.

Gorgeous view from the top

Travel: My Top 5 Restaurants From Around the World

I have been traveling since I was 21 and I have always enjoyed eating the local cuisine wherever I visited.  I've had a lot of delightful and memorable meals; I only wish they were not always a continent away!

Chilean King Crab Ceviche Salad with Andes Corn

Here are my five favorite restaurants from the 50+ countries I have traveled to:

Aldea (Puerto Natales, Chile) After traveling for 3 weeks and eating various fish stews (Chile’s National Dish); this unique restaurant blends the delicious flavors of the Mediterranean spices with great Chilean wine to pairs with.  You won’t easily find a place like this anywhere in the world.

Irene at Aldea Restuarant in Chile

Travel: Patagonia - A Gastronomical Trip Via Ruta Pan-Am Hwy

 

View of Torres Del Paine, pic by Irene K. Wong

After touring through the rolling vineyards of wine valleys and endless picturesque lakes in Chile; my next adventure starts on a flight to “the end of the world”, Last Hope Sound, where Magellanic penguin colonies thrive and then on to Puerto Natales; the home of breath taking, stunning national park. It is an experience like no other, that will get under your skin and never leave you.

Salto Grande, pic by Irene K. Wong

With the help of Fransisco we had an excellent itinerary full of adventures with mountain treks, horseback riding across the Ultima Esperanza Province and lunch in between breaks that include

Travel: Chile: From Deserts to the Roaring Seas

Mont Gras Winery

After learning that they were planning on building 5 dams in the southern part of Chile;  this winter, we traveled to the country that has the driest desert in the world as well as dramatic fjords and serene channels.  Chile, is a country with an endless bounty of colorful citrus fruits and fresh vegetables. We went through enchanted forest like those of Bavaria to crystal clear blue lakes.

We landed in the capital Santiago, and our friend Jose picked us up to his beach condo in Viña del Mar (vineyard by the sea). There, we spent most of our time in one of the most fun city in Chile, unique in all of Latin America, Valparaíso.

From the flat city center riding up an incline elevator takes you to a to a very different city above.  Filled with tiny stores, talented artisans and quaint cafes.  We could not take enough pictures of this city. No wonder it is named the Top 10 cities for artistic inspiration.

Travel: Cambodia, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh: Beaches & Pepper Crabs

It was back in 1997 that I first went to Cambodia.  There were only a handful of small hotels that were family run and Raffle Chain Hotel was the hotel to stay at.  Then, only small, hut-like vendors were open and only for a few hours, providing very few Khmer dishes.  The seaside was not safe and walks along the beach were unheard of back them. Now, there are over 300 hotels on the popular strip in the city Siem Reap; from Starckish to affordable boutique inns.

Monk Going For Offering

Siem Reap

Hotels

Amansara
A 5-star luxurious private home with secluded ambiance.

Hotel De La Paix
Another centrally located 5-star boutique hotel with a stunning architectural fusion of ancient Khmer with contemporary art exhibits.

The One Hotel
The Passage, Old Market Area
With only one suite available, you literally have the whole hotel to yourself.

Travel: Visit of the Year: Myanmar/Burma, Yangon

This year my trip takes me to an ancient city of Cambodia, as a guest of His Excellency Roland Eng for a week of Royal visit to his homeland followed by a detour visit to sleepy fishing village of Ngwe Saung by the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar.

Another week in Yangon (Rangoon), this city is the gateway to Myanmar. The century-old buildings are maintaining the heritage landscape in the midst of the city's cosmopolitan life that is rapidly growing. Always green with lush tropical trees, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon is known as the Garden City of the East.  Besides visiting the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda here are a few of my own personal favorites.

A vendor at the bay

Travel: Harvest Time at Tokaj, Hungary

With the approach of fall and the expert guidance of Carolyn Banfalvi about where to visit, I couldn’t have timed my trip to Tokaj, Hungary better.  It was time to harvest the grapes in this historical wine region. We visited a few wineries to sample the area that is as famous in wine production as it is rich in its varied history.

Amidst beautiful rolling hills dotted with grape vines at the center of the Tokaj wine region, we stayed at the beautiful Grof Degenfeld Castle Hotel.  Receiving royal treatment with a late night tour and wine tasting by  General Manager Gabor Banyal.  The property is famous for being the only castle that comes with its own vineyard. There, we tasted an outstanding Tokaj Aszu 1999 and others, followed by an incredible dinner with perfectly seared foi gras and poached apple with aged balsamic as a starter.

Degenfeld Vineyard

1999 Aszueszencia  VS 2007    Harslevelu (Linden)

One organic winery we visited was the Erzsebet Pince (Elizabeth Cellar) in Tokaj.  The history of the vineyard is as fascinating as the family itself.

Travel: Nicaragua: Trip to the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes

The past few weeks was just the right time to be in Central America; Nicaragua, although only the size of Colorado, has 28 volcanoes, 14 of which are active. One of the treasured destinations in Nicaragua is the Ometepe Islands where the famous twin volcanoes are located: Vulcan Concepcion and Maderas.

The weather is perfect for hiking and enjoying the peaceful scenery of the lakes and craters and of course discovering the authentic local cuisine.

Nicaragua is rich with tropical birds, howler monkeys, high pitched cicadas, pin sized frogs, and countless marvelous native species.

Papusa with cornmeal, pepper, onion with braised meat

One of the typical traditional dish of the country is papusa; a banana leaf wrapping, generally stuffed with pork or chicken with cornmeal, sliced onion and pepper,wonderfully comforting even in this snowy cold weather here in New York. 

 San Jorge Ferry Port, to Ometepe Island

Juicy Fresh Star Fruits dropped in front of our cabins

A Hop and a Skip Away: Day Trip to Brandywine, Pennsylvania

New York City does not have the corner on fine dining. Some of my favorite places to visit and dine at are only about two hours away. 

Last year we visited my friend Patty in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where we had the chance to try the delicious tapas of Iron Chef Garces at Chifa and a few other restaurants he owns with his brothers. 

This year I went back to visit the Brandywine area of Pennsylvania and visited the Simon Pearce Glassblowing Workshop; Restaurant located in West Chester, PA. You can learn how to blow your own glass or enjoy a tasting of wine in their beautiful riverfront restaurant. Chef Karen Nicolas (who used to work at Gramercy Tavern) does her magic with seasonal and local ingredients. The meat and vegetables are supplied by local farms and served by a knowledgeable staff. I had tender octopus salad and pan-seared striped bass with artichokes.  At the end of the night, I was given a loaf of nice warm olive bread baked right out of their kitchen. 

Festive brunch with homemade and local ingredients

Travel: Sri Lanka: The Kingdom of Ceylon Tea

Irene Khin & Kirchhayn Plantation Tea Plucker

While traveling in Sri Lanka, we stayed at the Kirchhayn Bungalow in Bandarawela after spending a few days in the Cultural Triangle. From there, we began our drive toward Nuwara Eliya where the roads twisted and winded through the hills 1400 meter above sea level--to the home of endless tea estates and where Lipton gets their tea. Some plantations date back to 1847, with tea varieties ranging from Ceylon orange pekoe, green tea, silver needle...the highest quality teas in the world.

The property has been owned by three generations of the Bostock family dating back to 1884. At the estate, Butler Mohamad brought out a beautiful basket of fresh fruits grown from the plantation, warm baskets of roti, a variety of Sri Lankan traditional dishes and jam with apple wood. He garnished and adorned our trays with cloves of cinnamon and fragrant Camilias plucked straight from the garden.

The estate has 50 acres of tea plantation with two female pluckers assigned to each hectre with an average basic salary 400 rupees; a day’s worth of work for the equivalent of $4.00 US. They pick an average of 2,000 kilo a day, while male workers attend to pruning & checking the acidity of soil and magnesium sulfate levels; adjusting and replanting if necessary.

Recently after returning to New York, my good friend Sebatian Beckwith, a frequent travel companion to Asia from In Pursuit of Tea, explained to me the techniques of proper tea brewing and that the tea grown in Sri Lanka is the Assam varietal.

Early Morning Tea Picking

Silver Tip Tea Leaf

Travel: Sri Lanka: Colombo Breakfast - Hoppers!

Jet lagged, after flying over the Pacific and arriving in Colombo, Sri Lanka at 2am, we

slept for a few hours at the Colonial Galle Face Hotel by Indian Ocean.

Much surprised, when we sat down for breakfast, we immediately got an

eye opener, as we were brought Hoppers with Fish Curry by a young waiter in a colorful sarong.

Hoppers are made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and a dash of palm toddy, which lends a sour flavor and fermentation ability. If toddy is not available, yeast is often used. The batter is left to rise, then cooked in a hemispherical wok-like pan.

According to my Indonesian office manager, Leili, there are many types of hoppers including egg, milk and even sweeter varieties, originally introduced by the Dutch during Sri Lanka's trade with Indonesia.

Travel: Sri Lanka: Lizards, Beaches & Tea!

When my sweetheart and I were looking through some travel books and trying to decide which Asian country we should visit that we hadn't been to, we spotted Sri Lanka (Ceylon), located off the Indian Ocean and about the size of Virginia. 

Being an aficionado of tea, I was fascinated by the abundance of fauna, lush tropical climate and rich culture of this island. Sri Lanka’s landscapes range from wild jungles, endless untouched beaches to immaculately manicured tea plantations. The food and cultural influences of this precious gem-laden island from Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers was another motivating factor for my visit.

For the next several blog posts, I will be sharing some exciting traveling tips, traditional recipes and pictures of my recent trip to Sri Lanka. Keep checking back for updates!

Tea Plucker on Plantation & Banana Bushels

Travel: Paris Recommendations & Day Trips

Being in Paris, you can’t miss the exciting colorful neighborhood of The Marais; reminded me of the East Village, New York City, with talented artists and one of a kind shops. In the vicinity, you must stop for lunch at my all-time favorite classic place, Mariages Frères, which offers more than 400 different teas, ranging from Cameron Highland, Malaysia to Darjeerling Mountains of India. 

                                                                                                            Mariage Frères at Marais

In between the visits to incredible museums, a few afternoon delights that one should not missed. The well-known  pastry shop le Nôtre where you can find succulent kouglof. Or stop by your local fromagerie and have a picnic with a slice of Poilâne, a famous bread  manufacturer who bake his bread like an old tradition. During my visits, I enjoyed the lively restaurant Chez Omar; if you like Moroccan food, they make succulent lamb shanks, great tagine and couscous. 

If you have a sweet tooth, Berthillon at L'ile St Louis is one of the must-vist Parisian spots for great gelato and a stroll around the charming island.

If you want to travel beyond Paris, there are many excursions within a day’s trip. Some of my favorites: 

• Versailles's glass palace and his beautiful gardens, where Marie Antoinette resided.

                                                                                                           Marie-antoinette at Versailles

• La Normandie - walk on the beaches of Deauville and lunch at restaurant Les Vapeurs in Trouville.
  
• Other well known places such as the house of Jean Monet in Giverny.You can visit the garden which inspired him for his famous paintings.
  
• If you like wine, do visit the beautiful wine road with region like Val de Loire and the castle of Tourraine, only at 1 hour from Paris by train, with its enormous chateaux.
  
• One can also take a break in Bourgogne to taste Macon wine. One of the most famous roads is Champagne, near Reims, which is only 45 min by train.

Travel: September in Paris: Favorite Pastry Shops

This blog is not for those who are watching their waist lines!

Since I have been to Paris several times, I skipped all the major tourist sites except the Louvre, of course. This time my fascination is to visit and taste different boulangeries and new patisseries since I was here four years ago.  I can feel my heart beats faster as I walked into these beatifully arranged  shops.

I was overwhelmed by La Grande Epicerie de Paris, a part of Le Bon Marché department store, an entire floor with shelves stocked with black sea salt from North Africa, to pink fresh shrimp from Deauville, France. There I picked up a few bags of my favorite galette de beurre and  lavender soaps from Marseille, then headed out for lunch at Ladurée, known for its legendary macarons and others pastries. One afternoon, I was invited for lunch at Madame Depuis in the 16th arrondissement and I wanted to buy these delicious macarons as gift.

A friend of mine suggests to go to “La Carette” at Trocadero  (www.carette-paris.com), an old classic. But then my film maker friend Joanne disagreed  that I  must go to the new hip “Pierre Herme“ (www.pierreherme.com), the eponymous shop from the former pastry chef at Fauchon. One of his famous pastries is Le Deux Mille Feuilles and for his tiny macarons. 

At last I opt for Eric Kayser patisserie (www.maison-kayser.com), since my hotel is near this rustic, artisan shop. I picked up a few rows of delicious caramel and hazelnut chocolate macarons, while indulging in a few madeleines on site. It`s one of oldest bakeries in Paris, recognized for its seasonal  flavorful fruit tarts, which recently opened a chain of shops in high traffic neighborhoods.

A week in Paris is just not enough!

 La Carette, Trocadero, Paris    

Pierre Herme, Saint-Germain, Paris

Travel: Spice Souk by The Arabian Gulf

Every year in October, while booking all the holiday functions for my catering company, Saffron 59, I start getting restless at the same time to book a flight to Asia to visit the orphanage I sponsor in Burma. As a certified travel agent, I have to figure out routes to avoid crowded flights with different destinations to Asia during this time of the year. 

This trip, I experienced from the sublime to the ridiculous; by stopping over in the Middle East, in a country with the tallest towers in the world being built - Dubai, who are planning to air condition their beach when the temp hits 50 degrees Celsius in the summer. However, this is also a country with old-style values; the bustling ancient markets start at dusk with fish arriving from the gulf and spices trading with the neighboring countries of Iran, Oman and even India.

Visiting the aromatic spice souk, with canvas bags full of saffron colored turmeric, from roots to black
salt; strolling by the creek puts me back a few centuries. I imagine witnessing the traders auctioning off
their commodities and now the ridiculous part of this trip would be to Myanmar, where I will be spending the next two weeks, a country that turns on the electricity only from 6-9 pm daily and the internet is almost non existent.