A Manc and a Bristolian hit New York: Part One

New York City: the Big Apple, so good they named it twice, the city that never sleeps, yada yada yada... To me, it is just one thing: The Land of Carrie Bradshaw. Yes, NYC may be packed full of famous art galleries, wondrous museums, historical sites and fascinating architecture but I went there for one reason and one reason only... because it’s the home of my favourite programme of all time, Sex and The City.

                                        St Patrick's Cathedral - proper architecture

I understand this may seem slightly tragic to some. And it gets worse. Not only did I only want to go there because of the show but when I did eventually get there, all I did was visit places that were introduced to me within it! Ok, so we went to see the Statue of Liberty – not technically a SATC landmark – but we got the Staten Island ferry to see it which Carrie-addicts will remember from season three, episode one when the girls hopped on it to go to a sexy fireman contest (there was that really funny scene when Charlotte is hammered on the ferry on the way back and it was actually kind of like that because it was New Year’s Day and we were absolutely hanging. Trust me, iIt definitely looks more fun on tele than it is in real life.)

                                    View of the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island ferry
We also stayed in the Waldorf Astoria which doesn’t play a major part in the series but it’s only because we couldn’t afford The Plaza – the scene of Mr Big’s marriage to evil stick figure Natasha – and because it’s on Park Avenue so near enough to Saks and Bloomingdale’s that we could pretend to be really rich New Yorkers with money to burn even though we never seem to do any work.

So, those facts aside, the plan was to basically be Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha for the week – that is, rather than Lauren and Fran, the students from England who had just turned 21 and were blowing their student loans on a pilgrimage to New York!

First stop, the Chrysler Building. I had to go and see what all the fuss was about. Our leading lady loves this building so much it’s what she calls Big when he tells her he’s leaving the city for the Napa Valley wine country. And it was worth the trip alone. We saw it at dusk and I promise you the sparkling lights which adorn this slender building could brighten up any sky. This art deco-style masterpiece screams diamonds, star sparkle, je ne se quoi and it just completely represents New York and all it stands for. Go see it (42^nd Street and Lex).

Next stop, food. Luckily we had our very own Stanford Blatch/Anthony Marentino (delete as appropriate), our friend and Manhattenite Dan, to book us into Buddakan months earlier. As I’m sure you know, it’s the scene of the ill-fated pre-wedding dinner the night before the fairytale is supposed to end happily ever after – clearly we couldn’t eat anywhere else! And within moments of sitting down, I was thanking the SATC gods that out of all the swanky haunts in the city, they chose Buddakan, because they only went and had my favourite wine on the menu! Not only that but it wasn’t even an extortionate price – Macon-Villages White Burgundy if you’re wondering.

The famous doors where Miranda spoke to Steve after he turned up at the restaurant to try and get her back then she fatefully told Big marriage ruins everything!

It started well and just got better with every course. Pan-Asian cuisine has never tasted so good, the staff were attentive and friendly without being overbearing and the atmosphere was electric. Everyone should go there. It is achingly cool without being  full of itself and both the food and drinks really are to die for – though you couldn’t part me from the vino, my friends tried various cocktails and assured me they were incredible. Even the desserts were up there with the best sweet treats I’ve ever tasted – and if you knew how much I spent at the dentist, you’d know that’s not an insignificant compliment. It’s on 75^th and 9^th, it’s reasonably priced and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Check it out www.buddakannyc.com

                                           Seriously good desserts and Fran aka Charlotte

Until next time, Lauren x

Sun, sea and spas: What's not to love?

When thinking about Gran Canaria, images of volcanic rock and family holidays tend to spring to mind but in recent years, this popular Canary Island has been busily building up its status as a dream destination for the discerning spa lover. There are many advantages to visiting the isle for UK-based tourists, including the short four-hour flight time, identical time zone and year-round sunshine, and with the recent surge in quality and affordable spa hotels on offer, there are now even more reasons to visit.

Lopesan Villa del Conde: our home for the trip

The Maspalomas region, situated at the southern tip of the Spanish archipelago, just a 30-minute drive from Las Palmas airport, is the main focus of the regeneration. Its enviable location – being at the south of the island, rather than the north – means far less wind and much more sunshine. Furthermore, access to long stretches of unspoilt beach and Gran Canaria’s iconic sand dunes make for an idyllic spot.

Maspalomas sand dunes

The first day we arrived, my boyfriend and I were invited to experience an Ocean View Jacuzzi at the thalasso – the name for a spa that uses seawater – at the Lopesan Villa del Conde hotel. The Ocean View Suites, four exclusive treatment rooms which open to the ocean, complete with jacuzzis and private terraces, are the pearl in the spa’s crown and newlyweds will love the couples-only Oceanic Paradise Bath. Take a dip by candle light and soak up the vast ocean views with a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne – absolute bliss. We followed the jacuzzi with a highly-recommended Aloe Vera Wrap treatment where skin is peeled with salt before being enveloped with aloe vera gel and cream. My skin felt nourished and renewed – the perfect start to a holiday.

Ocean View Jacuzzi at Lopesan Villa del Conde

The second Lopesan hotel spa we visited was no less impressive. The four-star Costa Melonoras Corallium Spa is inspired by the volcanic nature of the island and its Spa Circuit Experience takes visitors on a journey around the world via its 3,500 sq. metre hydrothermal circuit. Guests are invited to spend their time taking in no less than 12 separate areas that use natural water at different temperatures, alternating between cold and heat to improve muscle functioning. Circuit temperatures range from 4C in the world of ice to 90C in the African sauna, passing through the 14C Kneipp pool, 35C flotation pool and 45C Turkish bath. In addition, the thalasso offers massages, facial and body treatments, and outdoor pools which are for use of the spa guests only.

World of Ice 

If you’re hankering for a slice of real luxury, there’s only one place to go. As the only member of ‘Leading Hotels of the World’ on Gran Canaria, the Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia oozes opulence. Predominantly for couples, this exclusive venue is the height of sophistication. Though its popular spa is quite small, it offers an impressive array of treatments, including a Detoxifying Algae Wrap, Chocolate Body Scrub and, my personal favourite, Pantai Luar. A wonderfully relaxing massage originating from eastern Asia, the Pantai Luar comprises the body being treated with fragrant fruit bundles heated in a special oil which is mixed to 140C. After an hour of this, I guarantee you will feel like you’ve been away for months rather than days.

Seaside Grand Hotel Residencia

Our final stop was the Gloria Palace Amadores Thalasso & Hotel in nearby Mogán. Designed to reflect the interior of a ship, the hotel boasts stunning ocean views from all angles. Its large thalasso features a ‘Get In Shape’ pool designed to work the body by swimming against the current or using jets for toning and strengthening the calves, abdomen and back. There are also treatment rooms in which a variety of massage therapies are offered.

So, if you're looking to completely de-stress and get away from it all but are unable to travel to a far flung, paradise destination, there’s much to say for the spa hotels of Gran Canaria.

Visit Gran Canaria Spa, Wellness & Health www.grancanariawellness.com

Lauren x

Oh Blackpool, We Love You!

My boyfriend has lived in the north west of England for seven years, albeit spending a year in the middle of that time working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean sea, but ultimately he is a London lad trying to find his way in the gloomy north. As a northern girl, I thought it only right to treat Woody to the delights of our infamous seaside resort, Blackpool, and seven years really makes him an honorary northerner, right? So, you could call this an initiation…

Leaving to spend a month in India last June I wanted to spend some quality time with Woody before I went. We had only recently started living together and I was really going to miss him, plus it was his birthday two days before my departure. Searching for cheap getaways as I do, I came across a too-good-to-be-true sort of deal in Blackpool.

My mum lives on the north west coast so we tend to go over to visit her in Lytham St Anne’s rather than travelling the mile north to Blackpool. I have happy childhood memories of the Blackpool tower (the circus), the donkeys and the illuminations. My Great-grandad was one of the chosen few to paint the tower its current colour of red! I was convinced a nice time was to be had and so the Blackpool deal was booked… “a one night stay with three-course meal, free bar and breakfast for £29.”

We were to stay in Britannia Hotel’s The Savoy, located on Blackpool’s quieter north shore. Trripadviser.co.uk hosted a wide range of contradicting reviews about this hotel, from “nice stay” to “nightmare of a place”. The Britannia Hotels website described a venue that had recently undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment, and it was home to a wealth of period features from when it was originally built in 1915. Maybe this refurbishment had recaptured some of its former grandeur? I was excited.

One reviewer on tripadviser.co.uk explained as follows, “You don't go to a 2nd hand car dealers with £100.00 and expect to buy a Bentley, so don't expect The Ritz when you book into The Savoy”.

He/she was spot on.

We arrived and the sun was shining, that was the first positive to take from the stay. We also found that car parking was free, another bonus. Upon entering the hotel, we found a welcoming reception team and some rather scruffy looking menus were passed our way. The staff didn’t explain the deal but there were some instructions on the menu so we headed to our room. The booking details described a Jacuzzi bath and presented an image of a generally nice room. Unfortunately this wasn’t to be. It was an internal room with no window and a very dated appearance. There was a normal-sizes bath with Jacuzzi-esque plumbing. I don’t really want to criticise because actually the whole place had a certain charm to it.

OK, so the corridors had that typical hospital smell and we were the youngest guests by about 50 years but we are fun-seeking and down to earth, so we ran with it.

The Savoy Hotel, Blackpool

We headed out of the hotel in search of a pint in a local pub and something to snack on. We waited for a never-appearing bus and eventually grabbed a black cab in to the north of the town. We got a drink in a Wetherspoons-type establishment and didn’t stay for two (!!). There were pound and budget shops a-plenty so we headed in to a B&M Bargains and bought a bottle of wine to have back in the hotel room… we figured a little merriness would help with the evening's events, and oh boy did it help!

Back at the hotel we drank the wine and went down for the ‘three-course meal’. It was hilarious! Everybody was old and the waiters were pretty rude. The starters and dessert were a get-up-and-get-it-yourself type affair, and these dishes had been pre-prepared and just left on the side for guests to collect, mmmmm nice. It wasn’t the best BUT we quickly finished the meal and headed to the bar next door and we realised the ‘free bar’ was about to start. Things got better and better. The wine and beers were a bit rubbish if truth be told but the spirits were ‘drinkable’ and by this point we didn’t care, we were just going with the flow.

Then the entertainment came on. My oh my it was brilliant (for all the wrong reasons). It was a one-man-band performing all the traditional northern classics from “pia pia piano, piano, piano, pia pia piano, piapiano” to “to the left, to the right, stand up, sit down” and then he also fancied himself as a comedian. Of course being the youngest in that room by a considerable distance we were immediate targets for him. Other guests were obviously seasoned regulars to the resort and were very friendly. A few were a bit too northern for Woody in terms of his inability to understand what they were saying! One golden couple took a turn around the dance floor demonstrating their excellent ballroom skills and to celebrate their 60 years of marriage, which was a lovely moment.

Me and Woody at the free bar!

Very merry and all laughed-out we decided to call it a day and headed to bed. Happy and all new-experienced out the next morning, we skipped breakfast and headed home.

Since then I have visited Blackpool three times. The improvements made have been enormous and I’ve actually found the common stereotype of Blackpool (stag/hen dos, rundown, tacky, cheap, scary) to be very outdated and is now (in the main) just plain wrong. Yes there are areas of deprivation; the teenage pregnancy rate is one of the highest in the UK, the level of illiteracy is very high too and there are many jobless individuals but these are social and economic issues that are being targeted fiercely with the tourism regeneration strategy of the past 10 years. Improvements are so visible now and it really is such an enjoyable place to visit. Our experience at the hotel required an ‘embrace all things and try to enjoy it’ type attitude but for others it would be the best holiday since sliced bread. There are so many more trendy hotels and things to do and see in the town that I do think that there is now something for everyone. A couple of smart wine bars have even recently emerged, this town is making a come back!

There are still areas that clearly need a good revamp but the blend of the old Victorian era with the modern is really great to see. Original features such as the trams, the illuminations, the tower and the beautiful North Pier are being restored and preserved. There are actually plans to re-introduce the old little train that used to run along the middle of the North Pier taking the people of old in their fine attire from the promenade to the glassed conservatory bar and restaurant at the end of the pier overlooking the sea. I love feeling the history around us!

Mum on the North Pier

I particularly enjoyed a modern piece of visual art - the Comedy Carpet, which is outside the tower and celebrates comedy both old and new. However, it is the Victorian glassed bar with deck-chairs along with the beautiful double-decker old carousel at the end of the North Pier that has found a place in my heart. Sitting on the deck-chairs looking out at sea I could imagine the Victorian men and women walking the same planks of wood and holding on the railings looking at the same sea. It is enchanting and oh-so romantic. In fact the story of this pier goes that a man (who used to be an arcade attendant on it) proposed to his wife on the pier many moons ago telling her that one day he would buy it for her as a gift. Just 40 years later, buy it he did!

Vote Blackpool!


Becky x

Volunteering in Kolkata, India

There are numerous reasons why so many people volunteer abroad every year. Some have a desire to travel, want to learn a new language, and meet new people. Others want to make a difference and gain a better understanding of the world. For me it was about all of these things, and the words of Mother Theresa had been in my heart for some time: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Whilst volunteering at Calcutta Hope Boys Home, I had the opportunity to teach and play with the children, but also to be taught. I travelled, and was taken to many places. I made a difference, and yet was educated by most of the people I met. I taught English, and learnt a little Bengali and Hindi along the way. I developed lifelong relationships with the children at the home and the staff at SEED. I gave and received love, kindness and affection. We laughed, we cried, and we danced (India style!). It changed my life.

The children at the home have been street children, abandoned or treated so badly that they have been forced to leave home. Children traffickers have cruelly exploited some. They have been in danger from drugs, predators, disease and even their own family. Calcutta Hope Boys Home offers children a safe environment to grow. The children have become happy and healthy, and are finally realising their right in life – a childhood. Experiencing life with these children was rewarding in so many ways. The managers of the home – Bijoy and Mr Chadajee – care and love these children, as if they are their own. It is an inspirational environment for all.

There remain around 200,000 children living on the streets of Calcutta. It would be a wonderful thing if these children could become the lucky ones too…  www.calcuttahope.org.uk


Becky x

The Perils of Deal-Hunting: an "interesting" trip to York

My first blog is a bit of a rant, which unfortunately can't be helped considering a recent experience on a weekend trip to York, but a great time was had so we'll end on a high.

I love York for its history, culture, boutique style shopping, tea, cake, beer...and ghosts of course.  Having visited for the first time last September I was so keen to return that I booked a lovely (hmph) deal for my and Woody's (bf) anniversary.

The room was above a 16th century Inn and was cosmetically very nice - exposed beams, free standing bath, old skool fireplace.  The service however was a total shocker.  I am easy going but it was one of those occasions where it very truly was just "one thing after another".  The basics:

1.  "Accidentally" arrived 2 hours early - the check-in and check-out dates had been misprinted by the company (which shall not be named but is one of the leading voucher-deal-liars).  Consequently we had 3 hours difference between check-out and our pre-booked train, which we endured due to the fact the train company wanted £50 for us to amend out tickets!

2.  No Prosecco upon arrival, in fact there was no Prosecco full stop - which was a key feature of the deal "2 night stay with breakfast and bottle of Prosecco upon arrival"

3.  SaniFlow system - no plumbing meant seemingly endless  motor noises coming from the bathroom, along with the bathrooms of the 3 other guest rooms.  All.  Night.  And of course nothing was to go down the toilet....

4.  The tiny bin next to the loo was never emptied (bleurgh).

5.  When a member of staff came in during the day to take the rubbish and make the bed no rubbish was taken and the room was left unlocked....our laptops were in there!

6.  Second morning....all the guests were incredibly confused as not only was there no breakfast but there was nobody to ask what was happening.  In the end one guest (who wanted feeding before driving for 4 hours) located the manager (who lived on the third floor, which was only accessible through a door on the landing that looked like a cupboard) and guess what...she was hungover, her excuse being "it was my partners birthday last night and we had drinks downstairs...somebody swapped their shift and haven't shown up"...or something of the sort.

We ended up getting a refund from her for the breakfast we sought in a Wetherspoons down the road, but in an age where customers want an experience - "a relationship over a one-night stand" - it just befuddles me, why would this woman think it a good idea to generate all these bookings by giving 2/3 of her profits to a voucher-deal business only to perform like this and deter any repeat customers, where she would have ultimately increased her revenue in the longterm?!  A complimentary stay in the future was proposed...

York itself was awesome though.  From walking the city walls, contemplating the queue for Betty's team rooms (http://www.bettys.co.uk/), having an amazing meal in Lucia's restaurant (http://www.luciawinebar.co.uk/york/) - actually the meal was outside - in January, seriously, there were heaters and snuggly blankets on the back of chairs, fairy lights and a total Mediterranean atmosphere.  Also the Minster was beautiful as was The Shambles.  I found the Roman Baths really interesting, although I couldn't get Woody through the door and instead spent a fair few minutes explaining the first underfloor heating system to him as we went to find York's oldest pub instead....

Becky x