The French cuisine is simply breathtaking. Had fabulous dinners there last week, here're some examples:

Brasserie Bofinger 

Bofinger is the oldest brasserie in Paris, opened in 1864.
The place is famous for its seafood. The scampi starter with avocado mousse and orange sauce was tasty and delicious. 

Ordered also the sea platter with shrimps and lobster.
Fantastic!

For a dessert had creme brûlée and afterwards green tea.

The Art Deco glass dome is spectacular! 

Bofinger

5-7, rue de la Bastille

Chez Georges

This was my first time at Chez Georges and definitely not the last one - the place was absolutely marvellous!

It's also fashion designer Isabel Marant's favourite brasseries. She has said that every time she goes there she thinks about Claude Chabrol's movies.

Chez Georges is a typical French brasserie with very good - and I would say interesting food.

Had some herring and potato salad to start with and then grilled turbot with sauce Bearnaise - perfect!

Enjoyed a selection of French cheese before going to a slice of millefeuille which was the most delicious millefeuille ever!

Had a table reservation at 7.30pm, by 9pm the place was full, mostly locals.

Brasserie Lipp

Brasserie Lipp was founded in 1880.

My menu:

Anchovies with potato salad

Sole meunier

Roquefort

Millefeuille

Fantastic!

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Budapest Tips Part 1

Paivi from Elaman Helmia blog is visiting Budapest

in the end of this month,

so here're some tips for her and also for others who are interested in.

Places to have lunch or dinner:

Klassz

Pest VI, Andrassy ut 41

- Hungarian-International with a wine bar

-best on Andrassy ut

- no reservations, so be early in the evenings

- be seated inside as the terrace is not so nice

Kehli

Buda III, Mokus utca 22

- Hungarian with a special atmosphere,

live music

- make a reservation and ask a table in the music side

as there are several smallish rooms 

- need a taxi to go there as not very easy to find

Da Pippo

Pest VI, Andrassy ut 76

- best pizza in town,

also other Italian dishes

Mini

Buda I, Roham utca 5

- International food, trendy

Pepper's at Marriott Hotel

Pest V, Apaczai Csere Janos utca 4

- best Sunday Brunch in Budapest

- make a reservation for a terrace table 

if the weather is nice,

nice views of Castle Distric

Nanci Neni

Buda II, Ordogarok utca 80

- very Hungarian

- nice garden

- a bit far so better to go there by taxi

Places for coffee or lunch

Callas

Pest VI, Andrassy ut 20

- for a lunch or a glass of Hungarian Dry

- next to the Opera House

Muvesz

Pest VI, Andrassy ut 29

- nice terrace

- old legendary cafe in Budapest

Szamos Gourmet House

Pest V, Vorosmarty ter

- for lunch or coffee with cakes

- quite new, old-fashion style

Gerbeaud

Pest V, Vorosmarty ter

- for lunch or coffee with cakes

- legendary cafe in Budapest

- big terrace

- famous for their ice-cream

Well, the list could be endless...

but here's something to begin with.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard

Abbot Kinney Blvd is my favourite street in Venice

- unique, independent boutiques, cafes, restaurants,

hair dressers, art galleries... simply everything 

Some facts of Abbot Kinney's (1870-1920) work:

The Venice recreation area opened on July 4, 1905. 

Unfortunately for Kinney, the majority of the inhabitants of Venice of America 

did not share his interest in art and culture. 

By December 1905, Kinney knew his dream of creating 

a great cultural mecca had failed.  

The character of Venice succumbed to the beach-goers and 

summer holiday guests who frequented the community's many amusement attractions. 

Venice came to be known as the "Coney Island of the Pacific." 

By mid-January 1906, an area was built along the edge 

of the Grand Lagoon patterned after the amusement thoroughfares 

of the great 19th and 20th century expositions. 

It featured foreign exhibits, amusements, and freak shows. 

Trolley service was available from Downtown Los Angeles and nearby Santa Monica. 

Visitors were dazzled by the system of canals complete with gondolas 

and gondoliers brought in from Venice, Italy. 

 . 

Funny face!

Interesting looking roots of a palm tree

Hair dresser salon on Abbot Kinney

Lovely paper shop with a huge variety of cards

- bought there a cute extra small notebook

Abbot Kinney Boulevard

Alexis Bittar is on Abbot Kinney

(already mentioned that on the previous blogging)

Viennese espresso by Julius Meinl

Something for a beach house

Cushion with NY flavour

Scandinavian interior decoration from Huset

The art gallery where saw that picture of funny face

Joe's on Abbot Kinney

- best restaurant in Venice and probably in whole LA!

- the food is gorgeous, imaginative but yet simple

Tasting Kitchen's also good 

The door to Tasting Kitchen

Famous Gjelina restaurant 

Gjelina

Something To Eat

 Welcome to Venice

Went to Windward Avenue to look for a place to have lunch

on Thursday afternoon

with the same outfit as on the flight,

not so nice but didn't want to stay in room

to wait for the luggage to arrive

 Found Danny's Venice Bistro on Windward Avenue

to have a Ceasar salad

- very good!

 Danny's Venice Bistro

23 Windward Avenue at Speedway

www.dannysvenice.com

 Breakfast on the first morning

- take-away tea, "croissant" and yoghurt with fruit&granola

- nice!

 Another lunch at Danny's Venice Bistro...

- went there on Friday as well

 Grilled salmon, bacon & avocado on rye sandwich

- delicious!

 Can't complain there's no spices on the table

 Sunday breakfast at Sidewalk Cafe

on Ocean Front Walk at Horizon Avenue

- had a lox bagel, not so Californian but so good!

Have already had some take-away from: 

Mao's Kitchen

1512 Pacific Ave at Windward Ave

- great Chinese food

www.maoskitchen.com

Hama Sushi

213 Windward Ave at Main Street

- excellent sushi

www.hamasushi.com

Bought a huge box of chewable multivitamins at CVS

- the tablets themselves are HUGE!

- noticed later that these vitamins are for adults 50+,

well, can't harm to start early

Rented a car so easy to go to Whole Foods

to fill the fridge

Whole Foods Market

225 Lincoln Ave at Rose Ave

Michelin Guide: Venice

Print this list of restaurants when travelling to Venice

and you can't really go wrong with your meals:

.

San Marco

Caffe Quadri, Piazza San Marco 120

Ai Mercanti, Corte Coppo 4346/A

La Caravella, Calle Larga 22 Marzo 2398

Do Forni, Calle dei Specchieri 457/468

Bistrot de Venise, Calle dei Fabbri 4685

Bacaro Lounge Bar, Salizada San Moisé 1345

.

Cannaregio

Fiaschetteria Toscana, San Giovanni Grisostomo 5719

Osteria Enoteca Giorgione, Calle Larga dei Prverbi 4582/A

Vini di Gigio, Fondamenta San Felice 3628/a

Anice Stellato, Fondamenta della Sensa 3272

.

Dorsoduro

Lineadombra, Pinte dell'Umilta 19

Ai Gondolieri, Fondamenta de l'Ospedaleto 366

Antica Trattoria Furatola, Calle Lunga San Barnaba 2870

.

San Polo

Osteria da Fiore, Calle del Scaleter 2202/A

Trattoria la Madonna, Calle della Madonna 594

Naranzaria, Naranzaria 130

.

Castello

Hostaria da Franz, Fondamenta San Giuseppe 754

Al Covo, Campiello della Pescaria 3968

L'Osteria di Santa Marina, Campo Santa Marina 5911

Corte Sconta, Calle del Pestrin 3886

Alle Testiere, Calle del Mondo Novo 5811

.

And remember that nothing is cheap in Venice!

.