Saturday, April 28, 2012

Roman Holiday

Travellers' Choice 2012, an annual rating by millions of travelers on TripAdvisor, recently rated Rome higher than Paris as a tourist destination.  While I may not rate these two fabulous cities in quite that order, I can see why Rome has continued to fascinate so many travelers through the ages.

Pantheon Rome We had rented an apartment on Via die Serpenti, a quaint little street that sloped gently down from the towering ramparts of the Colosseum, lined with tiny shops and graffiti-adorned wooden doors.  An old fountain gurgled in the middle of a small cobble-stoned piazza.  Wrought-iron chairs and checkered table-cloths spilled out of trattorias around the piazza.  Micro-cars, scooters and bikes lined both sides of the tiny streets.  The late-April morning in Rome was refreshing cold as I looked out of my window, a full ten degrees lower than the hot Pune summer I had left behind!

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Saturday, April 21, 2012

Pepper Crab In Singapore

A Study in Apple at The Golden Peony Conrad SingaporeThe last time I was here, I had feasted on Singapore’s celebrated dish, the Chilly Crab.  Discussing this dish with local friends, I also realized there are two kinds of crab lovers in this food-loving nation-city: those who swear by chilli crabs and those who prefer the pepper crabs instead.  Aha, I thought, what better excuse than this to plan another primeval crab dinner, the Singapore way.

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Sunday, April 15, 2012

Murray Circle in Sausalito

Murray Circle San FranciscoI was back in the lovely precincts of Cavallo Point, a resort hotel overlooking the Golden Gate and the San Francisco Bay from Sausalito.  Since this was a business trip, I did not have the time to relax in their super-cosy rooms with their real fire-places.  Unlike the last time, a constant drizzle and cold winds kept us indoors the entire time.

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Sunday, April 01, 2012

RN74

RN74 in San FranciscoIf you are looking for a hyper-trendy, sophisticated restaurant for an evening of drinks and dinner in San Francisco, RN74 may be just the place for you! Flickering candles, colored glass and loads of atmosphere characterize this offering from Michael Mina.  Incidentally, this place gets its name from a highway in Burgundy.

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