Work and Play in Paris - from La Golf National to the Eiffel Tower

Paris - aka the City of Lights. It's been a few years since I have been to this city so I was happy to be going back, albeit for work. My first trip was many years ago in my 'gap year' then back and forth in subsequent years for long weekends and day trips on the Eurostar.

I had already done a lot of the sightseeing in these previous visits - climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre (although it's so vast you can never see it all), Musée Rodin, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur - the list goes on. It's an easy city to walk around and of course there's the shopping. My favourite is the Galleries Lafayette and Sephora. What self respecting make up artist could resist going there!

This year Paris was host to The Ryder Cup, a biennial men's golf competition between Europe and the United States. My job in this major sports production was to look after all the on-air talent for the UK broadcaster along with my colleague who shared the workload. The majority of my 8 days was spent on site at Le Golf National, but I was fortunate enough to have a full day and two afternoons off so I took full advantage.

The Palace of Versailles was relatively close to where we were staying so it seemed the obvious place to start. It was a beautiful autumn day and being a Monday the Palace itself was closed but there are acres of gardens, walks, sculptures and fountains to see, all free of charge.

The Orangery is most impressive .. To stock the Orangery, Louis XIV gathered all the orange trees from the royal houses and acquired a large number of new trees from Italy, Spain and Portugal. It was considered good manners at the time for courtiers to gratify the King by offering him their own orange trees. They were transported with such haste (even in the middle of winter) that many expired on the way there, but the Versailles orangery was soon able to boast the largest collection in Europe.

Most of the fountains which were built in the 17th century have been or are in the process of being restored and are spectacular. Unfortunately they weren't on when we were there but it gave us an opportunity to see just how magnificent they are.

On the first of my two afternoons off, my colleagues and I decided to go on a cruise on the River Seine. We had been up since 3am but sleep could wait! We hopped on the Metro at the end of the line at Pont de Sevre M9, which was an adventure in itself, working out where to change from the Metro to the RER C at La Muette/Boulainvilliers which would then take us to Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel. This was where we could pick up a boat trip for a one hour cruise costing €14 with a glass of champagne for an extra €7. We were lucky we were on a relatively small boat which wasn't crowded so it was a very relaxing, pleasant trip, taking in twenty three landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, and the Grand Palais to name but a few. We finished off with a light dinner before returning for some much needed sleep before our next and thankfully last 3am start.

Our second afternoon off was spent local to our hotel at Pont de Sevre. There is a large and beautiful park nearby which we wanted to explore. The Domaine National de Saint-Cloud was just a few minutes walk away and just at the entrance we noticed the Musée National de Ceramique so we decided to take a look inside. We did not know what to expect and paid the €8 entrance fee which included an exhibition called Forces de la Nature. The three Norwegian artists featured Kari Dyrdal, Torbjørn Kvasbø and Marit Tingleff produced interesting large format works of contemporary tapestry and ceramic pieces. I was particularly impressed with the tapestries - the scale and the vibrant colours - I'm so glad we went inside.

Once outdoors again, we continued our walk through the park, ascending the winding road to the top where we had amazing views of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It was a beautiful autumn day and as we wandered through the woods, we discovered a bridle path that led us towards a view of the fountains and gardens below.

Meandering down the hill we
stopped at a little café at the bottom where we had tea. Fortunately for us there were no more hills to negotiate. After another brutally early start that morning, we were pretty much ready to head back to the hotel and our beds on the now flat area of the park, along the beautiful tree lined pathway.

The week almost over, we went into the last day of work and the final day of the Ryder Cup. The atmosphere was fantastic, with fans from all over the world cheering their respective teams on. Europe came out the victors this time, winning the cup back from the USA.

All that was left to do was pack up and prepare for our respective journeys home the following day. Thank you for your hospitality Paris!

Merci et au revoir Paris ... Jusqu'à la prochaine fois.

Weekend break in Berlin

I've recently had a great weekend break in the City of Berlin. This is another one to tick off my bucket list as I've wanted to go for absolutely ages.
Usually at this time of year my pal and I head off to Milan to do our winter wardrobe shopping which we have done for quite a number of years, but this year we decided to do something different given that brands and shops are global and the exchange rate unfavourable at the present time.

Seasonal shopping for me has also become less important. If I want something I go to my local boutique which stocks quirky independent brands or I shop online. Times have changed. Don't get me wrong - I love Milan and will continue to visit when I can.

We arrived in Berlin on a Friday morning and bought a €2.80 ticket for the bus into the city. We checked into our hotel Leonardo Berlin Mitte which was located centrally right by the River Spree and within walking distance of everything.


We had already booked a free tour by Sandemans so headed down to the Brandeburg Gate to meet our group. The tour covers a great deal (see below) so be prepared for a lot of walking in the 2.5-3 hours it takes. This is a great introduction to the city if you have never been before.

Brandenburg Gate

Site of Hitler’s bunker

Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Checkpoint Charlie

Gendarmenmarkt

The Berlin Wall

Pariser Platz

Luftwaffe HQ

Bebelplatz

TV Tower

Book burning memorial 

Humboldt University 

We had Martin as our guide - he's a native Berliner and was extremely passionate and knowledgeable about the history of his city. Although this tour was free, the guides do accept tips but this is by no means obligatory.
The tour ended at the Humboldt University but the city is easy to navigate and when in doubt there's always Google maps!

My friend knew of a bar nearby where we could sit and enjoy a cocktail after our long walk. The bar was Newton, named after Helmut Newton a German/Australian fashion photographer, with a cool retro décor and a huge wall of his giant photographs of naked ladies in stilettos. Don't be put off as these women are not glamour models but strong supermodel types tastefully photographed, and the cocktails were great!


The next morning we mooched around some shops and booked ourselves on yet another tour - the Alternative City tour - which again was around 3 hours (cost €14) and not all walking. You need a day transit pass for this one (cost €7) as we hopped on an off the S- and U- Bahn trains to get to some of the locations.


 

Street art, graffiti and Berlin’s alternative districts

Development of a unique art and nightlife culture after the fall of the wall and reunification

Protests, riots & demos

Controversy, gentrification and urban development

East Side Gallery

Tips on cultural activities, restaurants and nightlife

Life in Berlin today through the eyes of your guide

It was a fascinating insight into the lives of Berliners during the time behind the iron curtain right up until the fall of the Berlin wall and beyond. Our guide Susan, a bubbly Canadian now living in Berlin was also extremely knowledgeable, with a masters in Classical Archaeology and an interest in art and modern history. It was interesting seeing Berlin through her perspective. I highly recommend this tour and I suggest some good walking shoes for this one!

Clocking up near on 25kms of walking over the two days we really needed to put our feet up, relax and enjoy a beverage somewhere fabulous so we opted for the lobby lounge bar in the Adlon hotel right by the Brandenburg Gate. We stayed for dinner, unwilling to walk another step! A perfect way to end the day.


The stores aren't open on a Sunday but many of the museums and public buildings are so we took a walk along the River Spree towards Alexanderplatz to visit the DDR Museum which is located opposite the beautiful Berlin Cathedral. If you book online the cost is €5.50-€8.50 or drop in on the day €9.80. We didn't have to queue and you can do the whole interactive experience in around an hour or so. It was so interesting and poignant to see how people lived. 

The permanent exhibition of the DDR Museum introduces its visitors to the history of everyday life in the DDR and the realities of life under Socialism. Visitors are invited to extend their knowledge of a wide range of topics through engaging directly with historical sources. We do not hide all of our exhibits behind glass, but encourage our visitors to touch, hold and interact with a range of objects and installations.

After the exhibition, we stopped for lunch then made our way to the airport and our flight home. A great long weekend in an amazing city that I definitely plan to return to in the not too distant future.

 

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Next stop .. Paris and The Ryder Cup with the day job.

Back to high summer in New York City

In all my many visits to New York, I have pretty much covered every month and every season and can honestly say that as much as I love the summer, the heat and humidity in this city can be quite brutal and best avoided if possible. Hence native New Yorkers leaving in their droves for the country and the beach during the hottest months of July/August.

Shopping in Soho

My primary reason for going at this time this year was to go with my friends to their beach house in East Hampton for a long weekend and subsequently spend time in the city as well, living as they do.

There's always tons to do in New York. There are of course the sites - many of which I have done before - and countless galleries, museums, theatre on and off Broadway and activities going on all the time. You will never be bored there. The summer heat is draining so it's a good idea to plan your days with that in mind. Like most other major cities, there are also the shopping areas - my favourites are Soho, The Village and the Meat Packing district.

I usually stay uptown with friends and the nearest subway station used to be a few blocks away. There is now a brand new line called the Q which serves the east side from 96th Street to the west and south all the way to Coney Island - so much more convenient than before. I was in the city for a week, so I bought a weekly metro pass for $32 + $1 for the card, for unlimited travel on the subway and buses. This card is valid for a year and can be topped up to suit. If you prefer to travel by yellow cab, there is now an app called Curb so you can easily request and pay for cabs without the need for cash or credit cards. So quick and simple.



Self Portrait in
stained glass micro mosaic

One thing I loved about the new subway line was the sizeable works of art on display in the stations. One of the four artists was Chuck Close, a photorealist artist, painter and photographer. He was commissioned by the Arts for Transit and Urban Design to provide 12 large scale portraits for the 86th Street subway. The works are phenomenal and well worth seeing.

I do like an exhibition and went along to the Met or the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"

“Heavenly Bodies” is the largest exhibition ever offered by the Met’s Costume Institute and was organized by its curator, Andrew Bolton. It runs from its dedicated downstairs hall to the Byzantine and medieval galleries and into the Lehman Wing; it then continues at the Cloisters, the museum’s serene home for religious art in Upper Manhattan. Most of the designers here were or are Catholics, including historical figures like Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent, and active designers like Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. Credit New York Times

I loved what I managed to see but unfortunately didn't get to the other locations to see the rest of it. It finishes on October 8th so if you love fashion I'd recommend you go.

Another day I hopped on a bus and went across town to the New York Historical Society on Central Park West and 77th Street. I went specifically to see "Walk This Way: Footwear from the Stuart Weitzman Collection of Historic Shoes" which was very interesting. There is a wealth of history on show here and well worth putting aside some time if you are interested in American history. There is also a stunning collection of Tiffany lamps on display.

It was a beautiful day so I decided to walk home through Central Park, watching people cycling, rowing on the boating lake and walking their dogs. I walked right up by the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir which stretches 10 blocks from 86th to 96th Street. I came out of the park just north of the iconic Guggenheim museum.

I opted not to join the seemingly mile-long queue in that heat and headed home for an ice cold drink.


I ate at a number of great restaurants - a new one on the West Side I liked was Ousia described as Greek focused Mediterranean cuisine.

I had to try a grilled watermelon salad from the set menu to start which sounds a bit weird but was absolutely delicious and refreshing despite being a warm dish. My cocktail was called Far West Side, a mix of Vodka, Mastiha, Lemon, Cucumber and Mint.  I'd like to try and make it myself!

One evening was spent with friends in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It's a vibrant, trendy neighbourhood with loads of street art, shops and restaurants. We had a fabulous view of Manhattan from the roof terrace of my friend's apartment. How lucky is she to have a view like this!


Equally how lucky was I to see an amazing sunset like this from where I was staying. Who doesn't love a sunset - they are always beautiful, always different.

Other things I did ..  went to the movies one afternoon at Lowes AMC Movie Theater at 84th street. It was a hideously hot, humid day so the only thing to do was grab an iced coffee and sit in the uber comfy recliner chairs in the air conditioning and relax and enjoy the movie. I went to a matinee off Broadway to see Wicked, and on my last day enjoyed a manicure, pedicure with back massage at Nirvana Nails. The perfect precursor to a long flight home.

Another amazing holiday under my belt, I flew home safely on the Lady Stardust, Virgin Atlantic.


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Recommended restaurants ..

Extra Fancy  302 Metropolitan Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 - American

Luna Rossa  347 E 85th St. NY 10028 - Italian

Ouisa 629 W 57th St. NY 10019 - Greek/Mediterranean

Maz Mezcal 316 E86th St. NY 10028 - Mexican

5 Napkin Burger 2315 Broadway, NY 10024 (and other locations) - American

Burger and Barrel 25 W Houston, Soho NY - American

The Hamptons .. getting away from the heat of New York city

There is a lot of history surrounding The Hamptons, too much to go into here but interesting nonetheless.

The original inhabitants were Native American tribes hence some of the unusual village and hamlet names. It's an area for fishing and farming and an art community established over the last century. 

Artist Jackson Pollock moved to East Hampton in 1945 with his wife and converted an old barn into a studio where he developed his famous 'drip' technique. His house and studio is now a museum known as the Pollock-Krasner House. You can visit from May through October and reservations are required.

I have wanted to go to The Hamptons for ages after seeing it featured in many movies and television series. There's something about the light, the New England style houses and obviously the beach which really appeals to me. The furthest east I had been from New York City before was to Fire Island which is about half way along Long Island and accessed by ferry.

Of course it's become a major summer retreat for New Yorkers to get out of the stifling heat of the city. In just a couple of hours you can be at the beach whether you drive, go by train or coach. It's also a haven for the rich and famous, pushing property prices to an all time high.

For the last couple of years I've been invited by my wonderful New York friends to their summer rental in East Hampton and this year I was able to take them up on their offer. I was beyond excited and they picked me up from JFK and we headed east, arriving in the village around 9pm - ready for pizza and a glass of wine at Sam's. There was a full moon that night so after dinner we drove over to Main Beach and watched the moon reflect on the Atlantic Ocean. A beautiful introduction and I hadn't even seen anything yet!

Being there was everything I expected - quaint villages, artisan shops, fab restaurants, boats on the water and in the harbour, great beaches and little farm shops along the roadside.

Day one we took a trip to Sag Harbor (historically a whaling port) and after a browse around the town had lunch at LT Burger. The thing they do well in the US is burgers and they made the most delicious crispy waffle fries topped with melted cheese and shallots. A great dish to share.

It was also good that mutual friends were around and we all met up at the beach on the Friday night for a picnic. There was a slight mist rolling in but it didn't dampen spirits and groups of people lit campfires and enjoyed the fresh evening air. Everyone brings their own chairs etc. There are no loungers and umbrellas for rent on the beaches here.

The next day started the same way - overcast and hot so we spent the first half of the day in the village of East Hampton browsing the local shops. There is a fab ice cream shop called Scoop du Jour with a myriad choice of flavours. It's rare that you can just walk in and get served immediately - it's that popular. The portions were large and a single scoop was more than enough for me. They only take cash.

That afternoon we went home and had a barbeque early evening. When the sun went down little flashing lights started appearing in the garden and I was informed that these were winged beetles, commonly known as fireflies or lightening bugs. It was mesmerising to watch them and try as I might I could not get a decent photo. It was a beautiful, silent light show.

We went out for a late late supper at a fab restaurant called Nick & Toni's. The place was jammed with people and the food is superb but you do have to book if you want to get a decent time slot. The crispy zucchini chips were a hit - it's listed as a starter but big enough to share for 3-4 people. 

The sun came out late morning on the following day and after a dip in the pool at the house, we loaded up the car and made our way back to beach. 

Main Beach, East Hampton

I had to put my toes in the water just so I could say I had. The waves were big enough for body boarding and the water refreshingly cold but it was just a little too rough for me given the number of people jostling for position. There is a life guard on duty until 5pm and swimming was only recommended between the flags so the beach was pretty much empty early evening. Families with children packed up and went home.

Dinner that night was to the north of the island at Moby's, East Hampton Point. It is a most beautiful setting and we arrived just in time to see the sun set over the harbour.

This is definitely the place to eat fresh fish - it's the only way to have it. Never again will I buy fish that has been farmed if I can help it.



View from the base of the lighthouse

The long weekend almost over, my bucket list almost ticked, we drove to the far east of the island to Montauk Lighthouse which is more than 200 years old. I have a fascination for lighthouses - it must be something about the loneliness of the lighthouse keeper, the sometimes savage weather and the light beaming out over the ocean to keep mariners safe from crashing onto the rocks. I climbed to the top to see the view and although the air had become quite misty, it was great to look out over the ocean. You can't actually walk around the light. You can only poke your head out of a small opening but so worth the climb for the amazing view if you have a head for heights.

Lobster Roll and slaw

You must not leave Montauk without visiting Duryea's Lobster Deck. This is the place for fresh lobster, clams, prawns, crab cake and more. They also have an extensive wine list - the rosé is all from Provence, France which pleased me as it's the only rosé I like. The delicious lobster cob salad is big enough to share and the lobster roll more than enough for one person. It's also a beautiful setting overlooking the sea.
Check out the live cam on their website.


My Hamptons visit almost over, we mooched around the town (I just had to buy the t-shirt) and headed back to the house.

We left East Hampton that rainy evening on the Hampton Jitney which is a daily coach service between Long Island's East End and New York City. It's a good and comfortable means of travel, reasonably priced and has various drop offs in the city. Ours was just a few minutes walk from where we were staying.

It was sad to leave but also great to be back in Manhattan, my favourite home from home.


Coming up next .. a week in New York City.