by joanna on February 9, 2010
A good value hotel located in the heart of Hanoi’s Lake District
Everyone agrees the Sofitel Metropole Hotel in Hanoi is the nicest, most luxe hotel in the city. But it is also $200-300 USD a night. So it is a bit of a splurge in a city where one can stay elsewhere for $30 – 80 USD a night. OK – sure, if you are a backpacker you can stay for $10 a night, but those days are over for us personally 
So the Church Hotel, which is very well located in the Hoam Kiem Lake District, represents a good value hotel when visiting Hanoi. [keep reading…]
by Paul on February 8, 2010
Something for everyone at this well-priced Vietnamese restaurant
We are always tempted to eat a lot of French food in Vietnam – all the amazing baguettes and well-priced wines and cheeses. These are not easy to find in other places in SE Asia and when you live abroad for a while it is hard to say no to a perfectly ripe cheese and a slice of bread. However, on our recent trip to Vietnam, we vowed to avoid sliding into this trap and we wanted to have a deep dive into Vietnamese food. And I am glad we did. The Bahn My sandwich was the sandwich of my dreams, Bia Hoi and boiled peanuts hit the spot as an afternoon refresher and Quan Com Pho restaurant was an excellent way to try lots of local foods with our large group. [keep reading…]
by joanna on February 5, 2010
Yoga is more than just meditation and twisting your self into a pretzel
As part of the Health & Wellness 2010 Series
(above pictures courtesy of Lyan’lex Bernales – Giveitashot)
I got into yoga about 12 years ago in New York. I’ll admit it, I did it because it was trendy…celebs were raving about it and it was starting to evolve from a crunchy tree-hugger kind of activity to something more mainstream. I have never been very flexible so even from the beginning (and even though I was younger) I was not as bendy as the rest of the class, but I loved the sense of calm it brought me and I became addicted to that 2-inches taller feeling I had when I left class. My yoga involvement has come and gone in phases, but today, I am more convinced than ever yoga has an integral part to play in a healthy lifestyle. Here’s why… [keep reading…]
by joanna on February 2, 2010
A minimalist urban sanctuary on the Bund
I had read about the Evian Spa several times over the last couple of years, but somehow never found the time to visit. I often go to Shanghai for work, but it is all rushing around to meetings and work dinners…so while I have often had the opportunity to dine luxuriously, it was always harder to find time to relax. But one of my New Year’s resolutions this year is to create balance in my life. Yes, I work hard…a lot of us do…but I made a commitment to carve out time for self care in 2010 and so on my most recent trip to Shanghai I made a point to visit the Evian Spa in Shanghai. [keep reading…]
by Paul on January 28, 2010
When traveling in Shanghai, it can be easy to stay with the tried, true… and close by. The Bund is a safety area for foreigners. Everyone knows where it is and how to get there. Even the name is easy to pronounce. Much more exotic sounding, yet just as foreigner friendly (if not more so) is the grey brick turn of the century Shanghai lane neighborhood known as Xintiandi. It’s a quaint area, featuring beautiful architecture, a mix of cafes and high-end shopping, and one of my new favorite Shanghai restaurants (not just Shanghai, but on my short-list for all time favorites) – T8. [keep reading…]
by Paul on January 27, 2010
Healthy Spa Recipes from our favourite holistic spa
As part of our Health & Wellness 2010 Series
From the age of 5, Kai had a passion for cooking. He started early with his first job in the kitchen at an Austrian ski resort at the age of 16 and from there moved on to London where he worked at Mossimann’s who pioneered healthier cooking through Cuisine Naturelle, healthy foods which do not sacrifice on taste. From there, Kai went to Thailand in 2006 to take the position as Executive chef at Kamalaya. Evolving his approach to healthy cuisine by blending it with Thai culinary traditions, Kai worked with Kamalaya to develop a healthy, spa cuisine menu that is shockingly good and good for you. [keep reading…]
by Paul on January 26, 2010
Fine dining has some how become synonymous with epic, bank account reducing gastronomic menus. While these are great (and sometimes life changing) you’re probably not going to want them every night of the week. Most nights you just want great food, reasonably priced and if there is great service, all the better. In Shanghai, that’s Nougatine. [keep reading…]
by joanna on January 25, 2010
A very special New Year’s Eve at Amantee
We decided to spend Christmas and New Year’s in Thailand this year. It was time to totally chill out and honestly I have yet to find a better place than Thailand for complete relaxation. But we still wanted to do something special for New Year’s Eve in Bangkok and when we heard Amantee was having one of their seasonal celebratory event dinners, ourselves and some friends immediately booked a table. [keep reading…]
by joanna on January 22, 2010
An ancient medical practice focused on health and prevention
As part of our Health & Wellness 2010 Series
“And while TCM can treat illness, say a common cold, it is more about going to the underlying issue, the weakened immune system that allowed you to get the cold.”
I experienced insomnia for over a year when I was living in the US. I tried common remedies (herbal relaxation teas) and more extreme solutions (a sleep therapist, sleeping pills, installing expensive black out curtains). And then I moved to Bangkok… insomnia prevailed. A friend suggested acupuncture, but I immediately rejected the idea as I often faint when it comes to needles. But after 6 more months of sleepless torture, I relented. Accupuncture was a last ditch effort – fear of needles seemed minor when compared to the size of the dark circles under my eyes and my perpetual crankiness. Something had to give…I had little hope it would actually work, but you know what, it did! Turns out the needles didn’t hurt at all, and after my first session I slept soundly for 7 whole hours – a miracle in those days. This was my initial exposure to one area of Traditional Chinese Medicine, also known as TCM. Today I know there is so much more to TCM than acupuncture and I continue to be amazed at its ability to complement and at times even surpass Western medicine. [keep reading…]
