miss b loves ....... Singapore, a city of contrasts (Part 1)

I'm back from my travels! 

Singapore is a true melting pot of cultures. We visited this fascinating city a few years ago on a two night stopover from Bali, but having read about the new ambitious architectural projects, we decided to go back and spend more time there. 

It's a city of contrasts with old and new buildings sitting side by side .......stunning colonial buildings and a futuristic skyline. 

There's an array of world-class restaurants and high quality street food which we were keen to try too.

Day 1 began with a stroll around the local area. The Merlion statue is the symbol of the city with the body of a fish (representing Singapore's origin as a humble fishing village) and the head of a lion from the Malay Singapura (meaning lion city.)

Next stop...another Singapore icon...Raffles Hotel, a colonial style building established in 1887 and named after Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore.  

During our last visit we had enjoyed afternoon tea in the Tiffin Room but this time we planned to return the following evening for a Singapore Sling or two!

miss b loves .... St Ermin's.... a very special London hotel

Visitors to London are often overwhelmed by the vast choice of hotels but I can certainly recommend St Ermin's which far exceeded our expectations a couple of weeks ago ..... 

St Ermin's Hotel is an elegant Grade II listed Victorian building, located in a surprisingly tranquil spot in central London. It's just a couple of minutes from St James's Park tube station and close to Buckingham Palace, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

Set back from the road, as you enter the grand tree-lined courtyard you sense that this is a hotel full of history.....and I love to stay somewhere with a story to tell! 

St Ermin's was originally a mansion block (serviced appartments) built for wealthy Londoners in 1889 on the site of a 15th century chapel(dedicated to St Ermin). Ten years later it was converted into a hotel by JP Briggs, a Victorian theatre architect and designer. 

The lobby is glamorous and theatrical with the original curved balcony and rich plasterwork from 1899.........

miss b loves.........a weekend in Wales with a French twist!( Part 1)

A weekend in Montgomery, Wales ..... with a French twist, was the perfect way to celebrate our wedding anniversary a couple of weeks ago.

Montgomery is steeped in history having been fought over in the past by the English and the Welsh. Close to the Shropshire border, it's a picturesque Georgian town which has retained an unspoilt feel. 

The imposing Town Hall  dates from the 18th century.

We were initially attracted to Montgomery as it is home to The Checkers, one of only three Michelin starred restaurants in Wales. It's run by  'The Frenchman and the Farmers' Daughters'

'The Frenchman', Chef Proprietor, Stéphane Borie trained and worked with Michel Roux at the Waterside Inn for seven years, later moving to Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons.

Sarah and Kathryn are 'The Farmers' Daughters' and grew up on a dairy farm. Sarah, also an accomplished chef and Stéphane's partner, met at the Waterside Inn where she was the first woman to work on all sections. Kathryn runs front of house and shares their love of good food.

This is a 'restaurant with rooms' ....just five with French names rather than numbers and we had chosen Le Petit Jardin... so tastefully decorated.

Fresh ground coffee, home-made cookies and L'Occitane toiletries were a welcome touch too.....

It was time for a stroll around the town ....

miss b loves ......the Metropole Hotel Hanoi, Vietnam

  

One of the highlights of our recent visit to Vietnam was The Metropole Hanoi, a very special hotel with a rich and fascinating history. It opened in 1901 as the Grand Hotel Metropole Hanoi and was built in the French colonial style with a striking white façade and green shutters.  

No wonder it's such a popular spot for brides to pose for photos! 

Its pretty, lush gardens are a tranquil oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city....

Located in Hanoi's French Quarter, near to the Opera House, this legendary hotel has welcomed many entertainers, writers and Heads of State and during the seventies several Embassies including the Australian and Italian Embassies were based there.

miss b loves .......a trip to London (Part Two)

Day 2 in London started with a  visit to Selfridges on Oxford Street and I couldn't resist taking a couple of photos of the new Mulberry Willow Collection...

Then it was off to St Paul's Cathedral and the beautiful 'Young Lovers' statue.......

and round the corner to another Paul's........

 .......for a taste of France......

...before walking across London Bridge......

miss b loves....The Chedi Hotel, Muscat, Oman

I mentioned in my last post about my trip to Oman(here)that our hotel, The Chedi was so impressive that it deserved its own post.......

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by warm smiles and once through the main doors, into the incense-perfumed lobby, we instantly knew that it was a special place - there's a calm ambiance so difficult to describe (and even more difficult to achieve!!) ......  

miss b loves..... afternoon tea at Holbeck Ghyll, the English Lake District

A few weeks ago we spent a Sunday in the English Lake District but the main purpose of the visit was afternoon tea at Holbeck Ghyll, a lovely English country house hotel.

miss b loves........afternoon tea at Gilpin Lodge Hotel, The English Lake District

I love the English Lake District at any time but especially in the autumn with the gorgeous rich golden colours.

I like it even more with the promise of afternoon tea on a Sunday afternoon in a Relais & Chateaux Hotel! The Gilpin Lodge afternoon tea is a very traditional affair served in the wonderfully comfy yet stylish lounge - this really is an upmarket English country house hotel!  

miss b loves.........Rosso Pink Fizz

miss b's pink fizz

I have been trying to recreate a delicious lemony Prosecco-based cocktail  which I recently discovered at Rosso at the Amwaj Rotana Hotel at The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai Marina. It has been an absolute pleasure(!) experimenting with the measures but after several attempts I think I've got it right (well it's very very similar) and I'm calling it 'miss b's pink fizz' of course!

miss b loves........... Threadneedles Hotel, London

I've just made my return visit to Threadneedles Hotel, this time during the week when the area is vibrant and busy. My first visit was at weekend when many of the shops, cafés and restaurants are closed, as this is the business district, although this is apparently all set to change now that a new shopping centre has opened its doors near St Paul's.   

Located in the heart of the Square Mile (The City), Threadneedles is housed in a former Victorian banking hall with a beautiful stained glass domed ceiling which was apparently hand painted in 1856 and has survived two world wars!! It's a magnificent 5* boutique hotel which provides a luxurious sanctuary, an oasis of calm.