All posts tagged: travelling foodie

odettes

London Guide for Food and Wine: London Wine Week

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I’m going through a phase these day, hence the silence on the blog. This May has been a particularly crazy month for me, involving frequent trips up and down. I’m glad it’s almost over and I’m looking forward to relaxing with good wines and food in June. This time of the year is the best time for wine enthusiasts to be in London. The London Wine Fair ended 3 days ago and the London Wine Week will kick off on Jun 5. When I was in London in March, I was surprised by the rising wine and culinary scene. There were so many new wine bars opened in the last 3-4 years and I felt sad to leave for the first time. So I thought I’d share some places I’d discovered for both visitors and locals. You could probably soak up the festive atmosphere in your own style by visiting these places if you can’t be bothered to follow up the event calendar. Or if you want something different. #1. Bottle Apostle As my primary focus was trying as many wines as possible, this …

edirne

Weekend Break in Edirne: Food, Horses and Arda Winery

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Hubby and I visited Edirne over the Easter weekend and came home with enough wine and cheese. It was a breeze to drive there from Canakkale and I’ve found some foodie secrets. But before food, let’s get over and done with the much-talked-about sight, Selimiye Mosque. There are three mosques surrounding the main square including Üç Şerefeli(three balconies) Mosque with three minarets in a unique Seljuk style. Selimiye Mosque… commissioned by Selim the Drunkard, is the magnificent masterpiece of Mimar Sinan. Yes, it was grand and different in style, the most distinctive feature being the 8 pillars, instead of the usual 4, supporting the gigantic dome, which surpassed that of Hagia Sophia in the diameter. Sadly, my food lens failed to take it all in. One of many myths about the mosque is the reversed tulip carved on one of the marble stands, and if you’re curious, look for it while admiring the intricate paintings and motifs. Another myth is that when you first arrive in the city from the Istanbul direction, you can only see two minarets(towers) and all four become visible as you …

Portugal Wine Tour: Part 2- Lisbon and around – Ultimate Lisbon Guide

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You were probably disappointed by the lack of wines and food mentioned in the first post. Well, it’s because we were mostly on the road. The bigger portion of our time was spent in Lisbon, which was a last minute change to our original plan, and that’s where we truly delved into the food and wine of Portugal. You’ll get plenty of wines in this post! When I look back at my past travels, Portugal is probably the first country I’ve ever regretted for not having studied beforehand. There’s so much to see! I usually let things happen, in the belief that spontaneity always makes you discover wonderful things. However, for Portugal, my super power didn’t work so well and  I missed out on some great things. What it means, though, I should go back there!! Luckily, our friend moved to Portugal last year so I definitely see us going back there. Also, we liked the Douro so much that we made a promise to do the valley cruise one day. On the way to Lisbon, we stayed for …

Portugal Wine Tour: Part 1- Porto and Douro Valley

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Ehem, no, I didn’t go to Portugal again, but I’m writing about the trip I made 2 years ago.  I couldn’t post it then because my blog was down but I thought I’d share my experience since it was not only great but also educational. It’s always better late than never, right? Someone out there might get some useful tips from my post, who knows? Blogging is a great way to document and relive good moments, I believe. So if you’re planning to visit Portugal, this might help you. It was our honeymoon trip and we rented a car and drove all around Portugal. It’s a great country to do so and I highly recommend it. Also, advice from friends, mutual friends and blog friends was invaluable in making the trip great and memorable. Though the ultimate destination was Porto, our trip started and ended in Lisbon, and got to see more of the country than we’d thought because flying to Lisbon from Istanbul was more convenient. Mr.O and I had no idea where to visit as we usually …