Momondo

OM'ZAKI - FATIMA'S LITTLE PATIO

David Rich — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Photo by Sylvain Ageorges

Fatima finds her home in Paris too small, compared to her mansion in Aleppo, Syria. Her patrons, however, adore the little cottage in the 15th arrondissement, because of its tiny patio where summer meals are so delightful. For Fatima is a fine cook.

A mother of seven who settled in France twenty-seven years ago, Fatima has opened a restaurant right outside the back door of her home.

Inas, one of her daughters, is head serving person; Momo, a son, supervises the kitchen staff. This is perfect for Fatima, who is ready to slow down and simply help out with the cooking when it strikes her fancy.

Her husband, who died young, was a chef, at the Iraqi embassy in Paris. “Our parents were born in Acre, a Palestinian town which is now part of Israel, and we grew up in Aleppo,” Inas points out, explaining the background on the 'Syrio-Palestinian cuisine' offered on the menu at Om’Zaki.

Photo by Sylvain Ageorges

Momo would say the recipes closely resemble Lebanese fare, though a spice or two might change. In any case, Momo’s dishes are tasty and colorful, and when you’re lucky enough to dine on the patio – you must be sure to reserve a table, because there are only 25 seats there – under the wisteria and grapes twining up the trellis, the baked kebbé, a delight made of spiced ground lamb with bulgur and pine nuts, served with a minty-cucumber-yogurt sauce, and the mouhalabieh, a dessert flan flavored with orange flower water and pistachios – the experience is practically sublime.

The patio is between the dining room and a red brick studio where one of Momo’s brother’s lives. Fatima’s house is right on the other side, and the restaurant kitchen closes up the other side. Fatima’s right – we wish she had a bigger patio!

Om'Zaki; 76 rue de la Procession; 15. arr.

Open from noon to 3 pm and 7:30-11 pm; closed Saturday at noon and Sunday (summer hours); closed Saturday at noon, Sunday, and Monday night (winter); outdoor dining when the weather permits.

Extract from the new French-English guidebook 'Paris Terrasses – Outdoor Dining in Paris', written by Simon Roger and published by Parigramme.

PIPES AND SNUFFBOXES

David Rich — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:30:00 GMT

Photo by Sandrine Alouf

The air is discreetly laden with a haze of incense and tobacco smoke: welcome to a kingdom ruled by that stubborn vice. Though it is politically incorrect, the place is a favourite with many a dignitary from the Constitutional Council or Ministry of Culture, located nearby.

Beneath the 17th-century colonnaded mall at Palais-Royal, Rakel Van Kote, an Israeli woman of Afghan extraction, stocks snuffboxes, pipes, manicure kits, canes, umbrellas, and curiosities, all of them antique.

Photo by Sandrine Alouf

Her clientele, made up largely of collectors, includes Karl Lagerfeld and the great-grandson of Gustave Eiffel. The objects of their desire are arranged in stacks, sometimes precariously balanced one on top of the other, or overlapping in a charming puzzle of parts and pieces.

True, the shop is pocket-sized, but it is located in one of Paris's most strollable neighbourhoods. The renown of the proprietress is such that she often lends collectibles for use as movie props. For example, in the film Molière, Romain Duris puffs on a cigarette-holder straight from this boutique.

A L'Oriental; Arcades du Palais-Royal, 19-22, galerie de Chartres, 1. arr. Metro: Palais-Royal-Musée-du-Louvre
Open Monday - Saturday, 11 am-7 pm. Sundays by appointment

Extract from the French-English guide PARIS DECO, written by Edith Pauly and published at Parigramme.

IN BED NEXT TO KIM JONG-IL

David Rich — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:42:00 GMT

What do you do when your country is bankrupt and is in desperate need of foreign currency? Well, you rent out the buildings that house your foreign embassies. At least this is what North Korea has done with parts of its Berlin embassy, which has been turned into a hostel.

The Cityhostel Berlin opened on July 1. 2008 and has around 100 rooms covering two floors in the former embassy building.

The embassy was built in the 1970s on Glinka Strasse in the old East Berlin and consisted of two buildings. After the Cold War, staff numbers at the embassy were cut and now one of the buildings has been rented out and turned into the Cityhostel Berlin. The other building on the site still houses the North Korean embassy .

We hope that the money North Korea recieves from renting out its embassies will be spend on improving the miserable living conditions in North Korea, but we fear that the money will be converted into sustaining Kim Jong-Il’s repressive regime and the 'Dear Leader’s reputed exorbitant private consumption.

The history of the building and Cityhostel Berlin's location right next to the North Korean embassy will probably be attractive to many. Communist kitsch is a big thing in Berlin where the Ostalgie vibe has been going on for several years and in May 2007 the city got its first DDR design-hostel.

Author David Rich Momondo

Go further: Experience a night in the old East Berlin together with Erich Honecker and other former communist leaders at Ostel.

Find more hotels in Berlin here.

ENJOY ARTFUL WELLNESS AT AMAZING AUSTRIAN HOTEL

David Rich — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:56:00 GMT

The Euro 2008 is well over and what could be a better treat for worn-out footballers and hung-over football fans (plus the rest of us) who need to regenerate body and soul than a wellness and spa-stay at the amazing Rogner-Bad Blumau hotel.

The hotel - that looks like a mixture between a hobbit-village and an old Arabic citadel - is nestled in the gently rolling hills of the Styrian hot springs region in South East Austria.

Rogner-Bad Blamau’s strong colors and asymmetrical shapes are drawn by the world famous Austrian architect and artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser who has designed every detail in the hotel.

The hotel is the pride of small village Bad Blamau, and not only is it amazing to look at, it is also the right place to be if you want to relax and recover.

Among other it offers different beauty treatments and medical services and it has its own holistic center called 'Findedich' (find yourself). Here you can get in contact with your inner self through different alternative treatments such as sound-therapy and Shiatsu massage.

There are different indoor and outdoor pools with water from two hot springs which according to Rogner-Bad Blumau brings vitality, heat and energy to the hotel! And of course the hotel's restaurant serves organic food.

Rogner-Bad Blumau is only a 40 minutes drive away from the airport in Graz and 90 minutes away from Vienna.

Author David Rich Momondo

Find more hotels in Austria here.

SMASH OF THE TITANS AT DR. PONG

David Rich — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:55:00 GMT

If you fancy cheap beer and table-tennis - then visit Dr. Pong in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg. At this ultra-popular bar you’ll probably spend most of the night with a table-tennis bat in one hand and a beer in the other.

Dr. Pong is situated in a trashy and run-down room with raw concrete walls and floors (on the website it looks a lot more polished than it actually is). The main attraction of the bar is placed in the centre of the room – a rather decayed table-tennis, which every night constitutes the battleground for competitive “round-the-table-games” between the arty and studenty crowd. Everybody can join in but remember - fair play is taken seriously!

The table-tennis goes on until the early hours and you can expect the bartenders and DJs to grab a bat and join in after they’ve closed down the bar.

Dr. Pong, Eberswalder Strasse 21, Prenzlauer Berg

Author David Rich Momondo

EXPO ZARAGOZA 2008

David Rich — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 07:45:00 GMT

The exposition that gave us the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Atomium in Brussels hits the north eastern Spanish town of Zaragoza June 14. We are of course talking about Expo (also known as World’s Fair), which today is the third largest event in the world in terms of economic and cultural impact, after the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games.

Zaragoza has never been a favorite among foreign tourists, but just like Frank Gehry’s already iconic Guggenheim Museum has put Bilbao on the world map, the Expo 2008 will be a major boost to Zaragoza’s tourism industry and the organizers expect that the event will attract more than 5 million visitors.

The theme of Expo Zaragoza 2008 is as hot and contemporary as it can get: 'Water and sustainable development'! To stick to the topic the event is being placed next to the River Ebro, where the exhibition’s most emblematic buildings will be the Water Tower, a 76-metre-high transparent building designed to evoke a drop of water (don’t miss the 720 square meters panoramic bar at the upper floor), Zaha Hadid's Bridge Pavilion, a 270-metre-long covered bridge crossing the river and the River Aquarium, which will be the biggest freshwater aquarium in Europe.

To further emphasize the focus on water and sustainable development the organizers has hooked up with Bob Dylan, who has written a new version of his song “A hard rain’s a-gonna fall” for the occasion.

In total, Expo Zaragoza 2008 has 140 pavilions and 3.400 shows and cultural events are planned. The exposition will be held from June 14 to September 14.

Author David Rich Momondo

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NEW GUIDE BOOK: WHERE TO FIND SHAMELESS CLEAVAGES IN PARIS

David Rich — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:33:00 GMT

Photo by Gillesklein

“Where in Paris can I find the highest concentration of braless women?” I have never before asked myself this question (honestly!), but a French senior political advisor has, and he gives the answer in his book ‘Guide des Jolies Femmes De Paris’ or ‘Guide to pretty women in Paris’.

In the 190-page book, which for sure won’t win him many fans among feminists, Pierre-Louis Colin - a speech-writer for the French foreign minister - lists the best places to ogle women in Paris.

"Just as every region has its gastronomy, every quartier has its feminine speciality," as Colin poetically puts it.

According to Colin good spots are the Madeleine neighborhood, where the women are noted for their ‘sublime legs’ and rue Montorgueil where "trendy youth notable for their G-strings and the near disappearance of the bra", are to be found. But the top spot on Colin's list is the Menilmontant district in the 20. arr, where you'll find: "perfectly shameless cleavages, radiant breasts often uncluttered by a bra."

In the book, Colin generously shares his insider tips and he writes that in the Café Louis-Phillipe in the 4. arr guests can look up women’s skirts as they ascend a spiral staircase. Charming!

While many of my female friends would probably call the book a creepy pervert’s guide to Paris, monsieur Colin insists on viewing the subject of braless women in a larger context by arguing that the freedom to contemplate the beauty of women is a key part of French culture and by stating that his book is a rebellion against Anglo-Saxon culture and political correctness. Remember this excuse the next time you’re told off for telling dirty jokes!

Writer David Rich Momondo

ENJOY THE SILENCE AT TINY UNDERWATER HOTEL

David Rich — Tue, 27 May 2008 13:22:00 GMT

Photo by Bjorn Bore

If your criteria for the perfect holiday spot are total isolation, intimacy and not the least a fresh breeze, Hotel Utter Inn is just the right place for you. The hotel is a one-room affair in the middle of Lake Mälaren northwest of Stockholm.

You show up and are paddled 1km out to the archetypal Swedish miniature house on the surface of the water. Here you are dropped off and left to yourself.

Photo by Tom Airaksinen

If you bring a companion make sure it is someone whom you really get along with, as the hotel’s living space is only a few square meters. Most extraordinary is the bedroom, which is 10 feet under the water. Down here in the ‘abyss’ guests can keep themselves entertained with observing the dreamlike undersea world through the big panoramic windows or by being observed by a curious fish.

Hotel Utter Inn has a tiny kitchen, but if you are on a romantic spree you should seriously consider booking the deluxe version where dinner is delivered by boat.

Written by David Rich

Find more hotels in Sweden.

MY FAVOURITE THINGS: SLEEP AND GET MARRIED IN CAPTAIN VON TRAPP’S VILLA

David Rich — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:34:00 GMT

Photo by x.ni

If your girlfriend - like mine - thinks that ‘The Sound of Music’ is the most romantic thing that ever happened (even more romantic than our first date!), then here's the good news - you’ll soon have the chance to treat her to a passionate night in the bed of Captain von Trapp.

The Salzburg villa of the original von Trapp family, that gave inspiration to ‘The Sound of Music’ musical and movie (1965), will become a ‘The Sound of Music’ themed hotel in July.

The consequence is that on top of 'My favourite things' being played in heavy rotation at home and my girlfriend’s endless attempts to teach me to sing 'Do a dear, a female dear' in harmony, I might now also have to spend my summer holiday in Salzburg….

However, our stay in Salzburg is likely to be enriched by the company of other fans of the failed nun Maria who finds love in the arms of the widowed and terribly handsome father of seven, Captain von Trapp. The Austrian town is a must-see place for ‘Sound of Music’ die-hards, who have the film as the sole reason for visiting Salzburg. Local tourism officials estimate that fans from the US, Asia and Japan generate 280,000 overnight stays in the city every year.

Photo by BHartzell

Seeing the film's original locations in Salzburg is for many a dream come true. As Lana Wright (51) from New Zealand puts it, stepping off the bus: "Finally I have arrived, arrived somewhere where I was supposed to be, somewhere that I was supposed to see", writes Reuters.

It is because of fans like Lana Wright and my girlfriend that I predict the ‘The Sound of Music’ theme hotel will have a bright and none the least prosperous future.

As an extra bonus, the hotel's guests will also be able to get married in the Von Trapp family’s private chapel. But please don't tell my girlfriend....

Written by David Rich Momondo

Find more hotels in Salzburg and Austria here.

EUROPE TRIES TO LURE ‘POOR’ AMERICANS

David Rich — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:59:00 GMT

Photo by Claytron

While hordes of Europeans cross the Atlantic for the US to purchase cheap Levi’s and iPhones en masse, the weak dollar and the US economic slowdown have decreased the amount of big spending Americans in Europe.

According to Amy Ziff of Travelocity the bookings for countries that use the euro, such as France, Italy and Spain, are 15 percent lower than last summer. This is indeed a painful blow to the European tourism industry, and some of the ‘big players’ are now offering: “special price for you, American”, to try to lure US tourists back to Europe.

In Venice, the legendary Harry’s Bar – that gave us Carpaccio and the Bellini cocktail - is offering 20 percent discounts on food for American ‘victims’ of bad economy. US citizens won't need to bring their passports—"We will judge by the accent," says owner of Harry’s Bar Arrigo Capriani, according to Reuters.

Britain's tourism agency, VisitBritain, is letting Americans buy discount cards in dollars so they can see the sights for less, writes USA Today and Ireland is running a new advertising campaign: "Ireland, Can you afford not to go?"

However, it is not all European destinations that have fallen into disfavour among the American travelers. Bookings are up 16 percent for Eastern European countries that don't use the euro, says Amy Ziff from Travelocity.

GLASGOW TO BE POWERED BY SOLAR LILY PADS?

David Rich — Wed, 14 May 2008 14:14:00 GMT

Picture from Inhabitat

A new sort of gigantic lilies could soon be floating on Glasgow’s River Clyde. The lilies belong to the solar family meaning they are actually solar pads designed to float in the river and soak up the sun’s rays and send electricity to the city’s grid.

The solar lily pads are designed by Scottish ZM Architecture and are one of the latest examples on new and spectacular technology that harvest green energy.
According to Peter Richardson from ZM Architecture the ‘lilies’ will also revitalize Glasgow’s urban waterfront and stimulate urban riverfront activity.

The solar lily pads are designed to be moved and dismantled easily as they are simply tethered to the river bed, with integrated motors used to rotate the discs for maximum exposure to sunlight throughout the day. Sounds like a very useful function considering that one often has to look around for the sunny spots in Glasgow!

Picture from Inhabitat

The floating solar pads have recently won 1st Prize in the International Design Awards (IDA) Land and Sea Competition and now Glasgow’s City Council is considering testing a small pilot project in conjunction with the Glasgow Science Centre.

Not only will the lily pads (hopefully) contribute with lots of green energy and make an old river look futuristic, they will also give Glasgow an innovate and eco-friendly image that can be difficult for other cities to subdue.

Written by David Rich Momondo

PARIS HITS BACK ON THE GASTRONOMICAL BATTLEFIELD

David Rich — Thu, 08 May 2008 10:31:00 GMT

Pierre Cagnaire

Paris receives some compensation after being totally overshadowed by Tokyo in the latest Michelin restaurant-guide.

In the Restaurant Magazine’s recently released list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants no less than eight Parisian restaurants are ranked, which is more than any other city in the world.

Also on national level France is leading with 11 restaurants ranked on the prestigious top 50 list, which is formulated by a jury of 682 highly respected food connoisseurs.

However, Paris doesn’t offer the world’s best restaurant. For a third consecutive year, the father of molecular gastronomy Ferran Adrià’s restaurant El Bulli north of Barcelona was crowned the world’s best restaurant, followed by the inventor of snail porridge Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Berkshire (UK) and Parisian top scorer Pierre Cagnaire.

As the only one out of the top three restaurants, The Fat Duck can brag about being one of the sexiest restaurants in the world according to The Guardian. The newspaper has The Fat Duck as number 48 on its list of the sexiest places to be fed.

Written by David Rich Momondo

WHERE TO BECOME DROP DEAD GORGEOUS IN BUENOS AIRES #3

David Rich — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:10:00 GMT

Buenos Aires is a haven for shopping! Previously we have tipped you on shopping in the neighborhoods Palermo and San Telmo. This time we guide you through some of the best shops in Recoleta.

Recoleta

On a stroll in the fashionable Recoleta you will meet both elderly rich ladies and young fashion-conscious ones. This area is indeed the place for the old bourgeois and the young, the rich and the beautiful. Shopping in Recoleta takes place on Avenida Santa Fe (from around the corner at Paraná on further out) and in the blocks on the northern side of it. For those who prefer to shop indoor Paseo Alcorta - which is the only recommendable shoppingcenter in Buenos Aires - is also located in Recoleta.

Ona Sáez

Mainstream but still trendsetting, seductive and astounding clothes for him and her. Ona Sáez is famous for its ‘nice ass’ jeans but still has many other outstanding objects to offer. With a classic cut it is the details that make the crucial difference. The surprising element makes Santiago Sáez’s collection anything else than ordinary and boring.

De Maria

It is a true pleasure to try on one of De Maria’s ultra feminine and hand made shoes. The quality is superb and there is a big variation in her selection. The prices are more than affordable and best of all this is a wonderland for women who cannot get enough of shoes (and who can?).

Buenos Aires Design

More than 60 interior and furniture design shops in a two floor building make a visit in Buenos Aires Design a unique experience. It is one of the best places to find take-home items – all made by Argentinian designers. The latest waves of creativity are to be found here. This is the place for one-stop designer shopping.

Al Ateneo

Buenos Aires has always been a very literary place and with more than 1,000 bookshops in the city it will not be hard to find the latest novel from your favorite Argentinian writer. You do not have to visit all of them but it is a must to go to El Ateneo’s Grand Splendid. This breath taking and gloriously renovated theatre now contains the largest bookshop in South America. You will be able to find a large number of English books at the balcony and afterwards have a look at them in the café on the former stage.

Fahoma

This jewellery on Libertad 1169 is a favourite among both elderly ladies with their white puddles and young bohemians. In Fahoma's treasury sparkling bracelets, elegant necklets and petite purses with embodied sequins lay side by side. Julio Toledo’s exclusive line of handbags is also a big attraction in this Recoleta store.

La Martina

Polo is huge in Argentina and if you need anything – and I really mean anything – for a forthcoming polo match then head to this complete shop. The atmosphere of English upper class hits you as soon as you enter; antique chesterfield coughs, old cups, used polo balls with autographs and a statue of Prince Charles help you to pick the equipment you will need to before, during and after the match. The only thing lacking after a visit here is a horse…

Written by Jesper Vestergren Hansen and Mathilde Hvidt - Momondo

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Where to become drop dead gorgeous in Buenos Aires #1 (shopping in Palermo)

Where to become drop dead gorgeous in Buenos Aires #2 (shopping in SanTelmo)

7 REASONS WHY BRUSSELS ISN'T THE MOST BORING CITY IN EUROPE

David Rich — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:59:00 GMT

Photo by Jim's World

Poor Brussels! Recently the Belgian capital was announced the most boring city in Europe in a survey conducted by TripAdvisor. At Momondo we don't get it. We think Brussels is cool and fun and we've decided that the city should have a chance to defend itself. Therefore we contacted the local tourist authorities (Brussels International) and asked them to come up with 7 reasons why Brussels isn’t the most boring city in Europe.

Cityscape

Photo by John & Mel Kots

The thing to see in Brussels right now is according to Brussels International the Cityscape, which is a gigantic (and anything but boring) sculpture of tangled wood made by Belgian artist Arne Quinze.

The sculpture, that is 40 metres long, 25 metres wide and 18 metres high, will stand for a year on Avenue de la Toison d’Or.

Bruxelles les Bains

Bring your speedos or bikini with you to Brussels. Each summer a stretch of Brussels' canal is converted into Bruxelles les Bains - a mini 'Copacabana ' where city dwellers can experience the joys of beachlife in the middle of the city.

Get drunk while discussing EU-policies

Place du Luxembourg

Multicultural celebrations take place in Brussels every Wednesday and Thursday night when the young professionals from the EU institutions meet for after work drinks.

On Wednesdays after the market the cosy Place du Châtelain fills up with hundreds of beer drinking youngsters. On Thursdays they head for Place du Luxembourg in front of the parliament, where especially Ralph’s Bar is a hotspot or they head for the @7club.

The capital of comic strips

Blake and Mortimer, Rue du Houblon

Brussels is not only the capital of Europe and Belgium, but also the capital of comic strips and the city has brought up prominent characters such as Tintin and the Smurfs.

They really take their comic strips serious in Brussels, where you in addition to several comic strip shops and galleries can find a comic strip museum, a comic strip house and not the least a comic strip trail involving 30 city-walls covered with famous comic strip characters.

2009 has been announced comic strip year and this year there will be even more exhibitions and events on comic strips in Brussels.

Rue Antoine Dansaert

15 years ago Rue Antoine Dansaert was in a state of decay and neglect, then designers moved in (haven’t we heard stories like this before!) and today the street is buzzing and stylish and the cornerstone in Brussels’ fashion district. Most famous shop on Rue Antoine Dansaert is Stijl, which opened back in 1984. Here you can purchase men’s and women’s clothing by Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Xavier Delcour and other notables.

Find out more about design and shopping in Brussels here and here.

On Rue Antoine Dansaert you will also find the legendary art deco bar and jazzclub Archiduc.

Art nouveau

Maison Cauchie, Rue des Francs

Though Archiduc is very art deco Brussels big architectural heritage belongs to art nouveau. If you are into this design-style from the turn of the 20th century you should visit the house of Victor Horta, the Musical Instruments Museum, Hotel Hannon and the comic strip museum, which is in a Victor Horta building.

Find out more on art nouveau in Brussels here.

Gastronomy

If you think eating and drinking is fun you definitely have come to the right city. Brussels is a gastronomical powerhouse and the city has more than 1,800 restaurants ranging from the best Greek restaurant outside of Greece and Michelin-starred Italian restaurants to simple but brilliant frite stalls. The area around Rue Antoine Dansaert is packed with great restaurant such as: Vismet, Le Fourneau, Bonsoir Clara just to name a few.

Brussels is also a Mecca for chocolate lovers who would go giddy if they enter Marcolini or Wittamer and not the least Brussels is a beer-drinkers paradise. Try for example Delirium Café or Bier Circus.

If the 7 above recommendation haven’t convinced you about the joys of Brussels click here and you will find 151 reasons to visit Brussels.

NEVER BEFORE HAS EATING FISH 'N' CHIPS FELT THIS GOOD

David Rich — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:09:00 GMT

Which dish is Britain’s finest gastronomical invention and intended to make you feel greasy, unhealthy and fabulously guilty? Fish ‘n’ chips of course. Now Michelin-starred chef Tom Aikens (another of UK’s many celebrity chefs) has decided to give the dish a “feel-good”-lift.

In February Tom Aikens opened an eco-friendly fish 'n' chips restaurant named Tom’s Place on Cale Street in Chelsea, just around the corner from his other two restaurants.

Photo by Dou_ble_you

The restaurant has been designed using recycled materials wherever possible and it only serves fish from sustainable sources (mostly the fishes are line-caught from small, family-run day boats in Southern England). Expect also the menu to include a few fish you won't find in traditional chippies, such as red gurnard, ling and megrim sole.

A portion of fish ‘n’ chips at Tom’s Place isn’t particular cheap. Price tag for a cod is around €16, but then it hasn’t got a bitter after-taste of guilt and bad conscience.

Author David Rich Momondo