My 2014 Travel and Events Round-up

So, this is a bit delayed. Sorry about that.

TRAVEL

* My best friend and I travelled to Dubai to stay with a friend who was living there at the time. As this wasn't our first visit there we had a better idea of what we wanted to do and we allowed ourselves a bit more down-time this time around. We still, of course, managed to get a few of the Dubai must-dos packed into our trip such as a Friday Brunch, eating at expensive places, and drinking in nightclubs surrounded by slightly awkward people. We also spent some time this visit though meandering around, reading, and sitting on the beach. I definitely won't be visiting Dubai again any time soon (as we no longer have a free bed there!) but I will always have fond memories of our visits. I have written a bit about some hints and tips for it all in my Guide to Dubai.

* I turned 29 this year, and my boyfriend and I decided to go away for the occasion. It was our first trip away together and seeing as he had never been on a plane before (I know, ridiculous) we decided to stay in-land for this trip as I didn't want to have a nervous wreck ruining my birthday weekend!! We didn't really need much time to decide where to visit, as I was super keen to visit the Nira Caledonia in Edinburgh again after staying there for one night for a wedding about 18 months before. The hotel was just as lush as I remembered and it was just a lovely way to spend to celebrate (or not!) On my actual birthday we climbed Arthur's Seat, hung out in our room, and then went out for a super lush dinner. You can read all about it here. We're going back in March and I cannot. wait.

* So, as I mentioned, previous to 2014 my boyfriend had never been on a plane. When we got together I made it clear that this would need to be rectified, and so we decided to plan a mini-break with a short-haul flight. I, obviously, have a ridiculously large holiday list but my better half doesn't. On pressing him to a ridiculous extent he finally said that he'd quite like to visit Norway. Done! I said, furiously googling Oslo. And so it was done - we visited Oslo in June for a long weekend and had a great time. As I said in my write-up, the only reason I wouldn't put it top of my list again is just because it's so pricey. As a city it really has it all - it's clean and friendly with great restaurants and bars and loads of culture and it should definitely be on people's lists for some point in their lives.

* In July I went to Wales with my boyfriend and parents. Everyone who knows me knows how much Wales is deeply (deeply) embedded in my heart, and so a visit is of no surprise to anyone. This time we stayed at Aberglasney Gardens (my second stay there) and you can read all about it in my post on A Week in Llandeillo.

* For the first time in my life, in 2014 I travelled abroad for work. I was asked to join a couple other members of my team for a trip to Cannes, and going in September meant we had a few belated days of gorgeous sunshine. Although we were there 3 nights, most of the time was spent in non-blog-worthy meetings, and so I decided to combine the best parts of our trip into a 24-hour experience there. You can read all about it here. Fingers crossed I get asked to go again this year...

* Needing a bit of sun towards the end of the year the boy and I decided to book a November holiday. All we wanted to do was read, sleep, sunbathe and eat, and so an all inclusive seemed like the best option. We eventually decided on a Thomsons Egypt package after much deliberation and the whole holiday (staying at the Jaz Aquamarine in Hurghada) was exactly what we were looking for. I didn't write it all up in the end as most of it would be "today: I sunbathed" but there are definitely a few things you should know in advance about etiquette and visas (Sharm is one of the only two places in Egypt you don't need a visa for - Hurghada you do but purchase at the airport upon arrival) which are definitely worth googling before you leave.

* During my week in Wales earlier in the year my mum and I visited The Corran hotel. I loved it so much I told the boy that we should visit ourselves at a near point in the future. As the end of the year started to draw close we started to think about staying for new years, and as soon as the idea was in our heads it was basically booked. I only recently wrote about it so I won't go into it all again, but the trip was exactly what we needed to give ourselves a rest from the world and relax before having to go back to work. I love that part of the world so it's an easy sell for me, but for those who haven't visited before I would say: go, go go. You can read about my reasons for this in my post A Food-Heavy Few Days in Wales.

EVENTS

I am a planner. Even when I'm not planning anything I'm planning something, and this year was no exception.

* The main thing I arranged this year was a hen-do in Stratford-upon-Avon for my oldest friend. There were 14 of us and so I booked a cottage within walking distance of the town and we all had a stupendous time. This was such a big event of my year I wrote two posts about it; one on the weekend itself, and one on how to Plan the Perfect Hen-Do. It was definitely one of the best things I did last year.

* For me, summer equals planning parties and barbecues. I wrote a bit about some of my go-to BBQ recipes (simple ones, natch) here, and also wrote about The Importance of a Playlist at such events here.

* My boyfriend's birthday is two days after Christmas and, as such, he hasn't really ever got into the whole idea of a birthday party. This year I decided that was all going to change and so we had a little party. I cooked a ham (delicious, if I do say myself), whacked on a playlist (of course!), created a birthday cocktail, and welcomed too many people into my house. The perfect way to spend a birthday.

My Favourite London Burgers

Not very long ago I ate five burgers in one day. It was a really good day.

I've been meaning to write a post like this for ages, but I didn't really know how best to format it because the thing with burgers is that quite often the dirtiest ones are the best ones. There are so many superb places to get a burger in London now that just writing a list of my favourites would seem a bit redundant, so instead I thought I'd just write a few of my thoughts on some of the ones I have ended up visiting the most.

When I'm asked to recommend somewhere for a burger my first thought is always MEATliquor. I think it will always remain my favourite because it was probably one of the first dirty burgers I had, before the world exploded in a big burgery cheesy mess. The issue, though, is that the queue situation can sometimes border on ridiculous, so it's definitely one to visit at 3.30pm rather than 7pm. However! MEATmission, in Hoxton Square, takes bookings so if you don't mind getting the bus (or if you're infinitely cooler than me and live near there) then this is the perfect option as their menus mirror one another. You should make it a bucket list point to order the Dead Hippie burger, and I'm also particularly fond of the chilli cheese fries. People also rave about the monkey fingers, but I'm not so bothered. Both venues are dark and noisy, but MEATliquor is definitely the darker and noisier one of the two so I'm not sure I would take a first date there! It's also messy (obviously) so if that's the sort of thing you don't like a date to witness you navigating then, again, maybe not best for a first date. Totally delicious though.

Honest Burger is the next one on your burger to-do list. There are a few branches now, but they're all ridiculously small and so if you're going at dinner time then expect a wait of at least an hour. At least! The good thing though is that you can give them your number and then fanny around doing your own thing waiting for their call, so you don't have to stand in a queue watching the lucky ones inside stuffing their faces. The other thing to note about Honest is that the burgers come with fries, and these rosemary-salted ones are roughly 3423 times better than the average fry. 

Another good option is Patty & Bun but, unlike the queue situation at Honest, for these burgers you do have to stand in the cold salivating. It's another small place so the wait can be super-long but! I have a super tip for those people like me who don't really care about how they look in public situations - you can get takeaway here, so the best (maybe not everyone's idea of best) thing to do is place your order when you arrive, have them placed in your hand about 15 minutes later and then you can run away and scoff your delicious burger on any street of your choosing. For a first-timer I would recommend the Ari Gold cheeseburger, but make sure you also swipe as many napkins as you can carry as it's a bit of a messy one.

Shake Shack and Five Guys opened in London about the same time and at first were both, for obvious reasons, ridiculously popular. I ate at both in their first couple of months of opening, and while I didn't really care for Five Guys I still have a soft spot for Shake Shack. Now the hype has lessened somewhat, and the winter nights are drawing in (i.e., it's too cold and full of tourists to hang around in Covent Garden) the queue situation for SS is really no big deal, although finding somewhere to sit can be. SS is perfect for a quick-stop bite to eat, they do serve alcohol but I wouldn't bother - get a milkshake or lemonade and then once you've wolfed down your burger you can just take your drink with you so you have something to concentrate on whilst getting the hell out of there. I am also partial to a portion of cheese fries, but I wouldn't say they're as healthy [ahem] as everything else on the list [double ahem].

Some of the best burgers I've had are unfortunately no longer with us, such as the ones at the Brioche pop-up at Pip's Dish and Slider Bar at The Player, or are potentially only in a temporary home such as Burger Shack at The Royal Oak. For a safe no-queue option there's always Byron - with their current count of 5474280 outlets if one is busy you can always find another one less-so.

Any ones I've missed??

My Favourite London Bars

London is awash with bars, obviously. However, it's always a good idea to have a plan (and probably a back-up plan) with you, as for all the awesome ones there are some less-so ones as well. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the great ones, but here are some of my faves that I have made many return visits to.

* Bedford and Strand

I have mentioned Bedford and Strand on my blog before, but it will continually be mentioned by me as it is probably the bar I would choose as my favourite. I have taken friends here, dates here, my parents here and had a birthday here, and each time it has been a worthwhile venue choice. I love the selection of wines, I love the cocktails, I love the deli counter, and I love sitting at the bar. I love that it is hidden down some stairs and that you have no mobile reception. I love the old-school 'french wine bar' feel to it, and I love that it is super close to both my favourite restaurant and my station home. A winner in every sense of the word.

* Paramount at Centre Point

Centre Point is one of those weird buildings that looks unbelievably ordinary from the outside - a boring building slap-bang outside the permanent building site that is Tottenham Court Road station - yet the Paramount Bar on the 32nd floor seems like a world away. From this height you get a great view of London and, probably because of my earlier statement, it never seems so busy that you can't get a seat by the window for at least a portion of the night. Although the cocktails aren't cheap, the wines and bar snacks are actually not too outrageously-priced, so this would be a great option to take an out-of-towner before dinner.
UPDATE: As of January 2015, Paramount Bar is now closed. Sads!

* Red Bar at Bam-Bou

I love love love the Red Bar on the top floor of Bam-Bou. I have listed Bam-Bou as one of my favourite London restaurants, and a visit is never complete without a visit to the bar at the end of the night. Last time I was there they made me an off-menu cocktail that I love, but even if they hadn't I would still have been able to find at least enough other cocktails on the menu to choose before it was definitely time for me to go home to bed. This feels like a nice and cosy bar choice, that is a bit decadent without being over the top. Another choice that makes you look like you know all of London's hidden gems! 

* Searcy's Champagne Bar at One New Change

There are a few Searcy's bars dotted around now, but the one I have visited the most is the Champagne Bar at One New Change in St Paul's. It feels pretty fancy to sit at the round bar in the middle of the room sipping champagne (or usually for me a champagne cocktail) - you feel as though you are in the heart of the city without having to deal with the people that come with it. There are some good deals to be had if you look online, and you can also hire the whole place out for parties and events.

* Sushi Samba Sky Bar at Heron Tower

I mean, what is there to say? I don't think anyone who has visited here would be unhappy to visit again, especially in the summer when you can stand outside by the massive tree (I think this might literally be called the Tree Bar??) and take in the views. Obviously this isn't the cheapest option on the list, but is a great place for some special occasion drinks - my friend had her engagement drinks here and it was such a lovely venue for the occasion. It can get busy though - if you're visiting in the evening I would advise to ring ahead.

Special Mentions:

Bar Américain at Brasserie Zedel; The Experimental Cocktail Club (Soho); Kensington Wine Rooms; Topolski (Waterloo); Oxo Tower Bar

My Favourite Hotels

I have been super lucky in my life that I have had the chance to travel a bit more than the average person. I've never done the backpacker thing, and the longest I've ever been away for in one go is 3 weeks, but I feel like I have seen a lot of places, cultures and people that a lot of people don't get the chance to.

Along with having an ever-growing destination list to tick-off, there are certain places that have a permanent place in my heart - these are the places that I just KNOW I will re-visit time and time again during my life. And along with this there are certain hotels that I will re-visit time and time again. I have been super-fortunate to be able to stay in some really amazing places, so here is my list of my all-time five favourite hotels. I have alphabetised them as I don't want to pick favourites!

Ace Hotel & Swim Club - Palm Springs, USA

I think this may be the first hotel I fell in love with instantly, right upon arrival, and then continued to love more and more as my stay continued. Situated a couple hours south of LA in the desert of Palm Springs, the Ace Hotel is a welcome haven from the ridiculous temperatures. It has a sort-of hipster vibe but not in an over-the-top way, and both the rooms and the facilities are everything you could want to relax and unwind in. The reason I loved the Ace Hotel is because of the freedom you have - it's not stuffy or pretentious and people come and go as they please. The poolside cocktails are delish, and the King's Highway diner is the perfect place to grab some food. Make sure you stay on a Monday night for Bingo and Trivia - both are now run by Bella da Ball after the lovely, lovely, Linda Gerard sadly passed away earlier this year. I've been to the Ace in Palm Springs twice now and the second time I purposely arranged the visit so I could play bingo with Linda again. Super super glad I did.

Hotel Devillas - Paris, France

This is a bit of a funny one - when we arrived the hotel didn't have our expedia-booked reservation, and then put us in a room for our first night that really wasn't up to scratch, promising us a better one in the morning. I was so cross about it all but then when we moved to our new room all was forgiven. This hotel isn't anything fancy or expensive (especially by Paris standards) but the rooms were lovely and clean and actually moderately spacious, and I loved the little juliet balcony. We were staying in the Latin Quarter (which I think I would do again on a return to Paris) and this hotel was in the perfect location for this - right opposite a Metro station and walking distance to the city centre. When we stayed there it was mid-way through a renovation and so there was no restaurant so I can't comment on this - and the price will probably have increased now as this will have all been finished - but I would have no hesitations in staying here again.

Nira Caledonia - Edinburgh, Scotland

I've stayed in the Nira Caledonia twice now - once by myself the night before a friend's wedding and once for a weekend away with my boyfriend. Both times I had the most wonderful stay - the beds are some of the comfiest I have ever slept in and I love all the boutique-touches the hotel offers - I'm a massive sucker for green and black chocolate in the fridge and classic fm playing when you enter your room. Although I haven't had dinner at the hotel we ate breakfast there every morning on our last stay and the food was all so delicious I think we might try the dinner menu on our next stay (in March, hopefully!) I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Edinburgh.

Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa - Penang, Malaysia

I stayed here a few years ago on a family holiday and just had the most relaxing time. The staff were all so friendly and accommodating and nothing was too much trouble. The rooms are large, the pool is amazing, and the sun loungers are super comfortable. Malaysia is one of those countries that you could feel a bit unsure in, but the hotel were great in arranging excursions and giving us advice on where we should visit. I also had a wonderful morning in the spa, part of which was spent having an aroma bath in an outside (private!) bath. One of my best ever holiday memories.

Sunset Marquis - West Hollywood, LA, USA

Now, I know I have mentioned comfortable beds already in this entry but without a doubt the bed I slept in at the Sunset Marquis was the most amazing bed I have ever slept in in my life. I stayed here for 3 nights with my sister last year, and having only stayed in LA once before (and doing it budget-style) I was a bit apprehensive about what hotel to choose. I'm so so so glad we made this choice though because it was just perfect - not too fussy or pretentious (my number one concern for LA hotels!) with amazing staff who did anything and everything they could to make our stay perfect (including paying a taxi fare for us one night when we were a bit, hmm, sleepy to pay it ourselves). Although I love California if it weren't for the Sunset Marquis I'm not sure I would stay in LA again, but next time I return to the west coast I will 100% be re-visiting, even if it is just to sleep in that bed again!